Innholdsfortegnelse for September-October 2015 i Australian HiFi

Famous New Zealand hi-fi manufacturer Perreaux has released a highly flexible, fully customisable phono preamplifier that accommodates both moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges simultaneously and allows you to alter gain settings, equalisation curves, load resistance and load capacitance, as well as select between mono and stereo operation. The Perreaux Audiant VP3 has separate direct connections and DIP switches for each channel to ensure minimal noise and maximum channel separation, and the added ability to connect two cartridges simultaneously means you can conveniently select between the two from the front panel. There are four different gain settings, as well as the ability to switch between ‘Standard’ and ‘IEC’ RIAA equalisation curves. ‘Whether as part of a complete system of Audiant products or as the vinyl preamplifier in your existing system, Perreaux’s VP3…

The Harbeth HL-Compact 7ES-3 is available in five different wood finishes: Eucalyptus, Cherry, Maple, Rosewood and Tiger Ebony, with the retail price in Australia ranging from $4,790 to $5,490 depending on the selected veneer. They’re fittingly named ‘compact’ because they’re 520mm tall, 272mm wide and 305mm deep. A two-way ported design, the 200mm diameter bass/midrange driver uses Harbeth’s unique Radial2 cone, made from a reinforced blend of polymers. This driver crosses to a 25mm ferro-cooled dome tweeter. Harbeth rates the design with a frequency response of 45Hz to 20kHz ±3dB. ‘Whatever you ask of the Compact 7ES-3, it always delivers: perfectly,’ says Alan Shaw, the managing director of Harbeth. ‘The clarity is spellbinding and brings the “magic carpet ride” experience to the listening room in a medium-sized enclosure.’ In Australia,…

Astell & Kern has released a new flagship portable music player, the AK380, which claims a 32-bit/384kHz capability in a wide variety of PCM audio formats. ‘This portable music player is all about quality and extravagance, offering the truest and most natural sound possible,’ said George Poutakidis, of BusiSoft, which distributes Astell & Kern in Australia. ‘It offers the most authentic sound from any digital music format and supports a host of high-resolution audio formats such as WAV, FLAC and AIFF, as well as formats like MP3, WMA and AAC and handles native single- or double-rate DSD files.’ The Astell&Kern AK380 is Wi-Fi-compatible so it can stream and download music wirelessly, and can also act as an external USB-connected DAC to replace your computer’s sound card. Astell & Kern says…

Audioquest’s new Nighthawk headphones use 3D printed parts, liquid wood and split-gap motors. They were designed by Skylar Gray, Director of Ear-Speaker Products at Audioquest, who said they were: ‘the first completely original production headphones to use a 3D-printed component’ in the manufacturing process. The headphones are also unusual because of the material from which the ear cups are made: lignin, a natural byproduct of the paper-making industry, which is combined with resins, heated, liquefied and processed in such a way that it can be injection-moulded. ‘Unlike plastic, liquid wood delivers outstanding acoustic properties and has less of a negative impact on the environment,’ said Gray. ‘In terms of design, the Nighthawk draws inspiration from loudspeaker designs for the best listening experience possible in a set of headphones. It has…

The User Instruction Manual provided with the Benchmark DAC2 HCG is so mind-boggling good that I thought it deserved a special mention in its own section of this review, rather than my congratulations being contained in the body of the review.The manual is printed in colour on almost A4-sized paper, is 68 pages in length and contained in a ring-bound folder.There’s a comprehensive contents page, a full features listing, a Quick-Start Guide, 16 pages of graphs showing measurements made using Audio Precision equipment, seven pages of specifications, and two pages of Certificates of Conformity demonstrating the DAC2’s conformity with US and CE standards. And if that was not enough, every single function, control and procedure is eloquently and clearly explained. It reminded me of the manuals Hewlett-Packard and Tektronics provided…

Tom Waters : Do you have a first memory, a first unforgettable musical experience that left an impression? SR: The first band I probably saw was the Angels, and then Jimmy Barnes. I used to go out a lot and listen to live bands at pubs and RSLs. We still go out but not as often. I guess children slow you down a bit and change your priorities. Our older daughter comes with us now a fair bit of the time. TW: So it wasn’t some hi-fi system in a shop that initially got you interested? SR: I was into car stereo when I was growing up, and I still love tweaking it. I was always chasing good sound. I’m into cars too. An expensive hobby, but then hi-fi…

RHYME ACOUSTICS P2206 LOUDSPEAKERS Brand: Rhyme Acoustics Model: P2206 Category: Floorstanding Loudspeakers RRP: $1,199 per pair Warranty: Three Years Distributor: Otomoto Pty Ltd Address: Unit 6. 45–47 Kemblawarra Rd Warrawong NSW 2502 (02) 8677 4890 ben@otomoto.com.au www.rhymeacoustics.com.au • Highly dynamic• Great bass• Smooth midrange• Superb treble • Stability• Bass reflex port• Binding posts• Tweeter location It will come as no surprise to readers of Australian Hi-Fi that although there are speaker manufacturers based in almost every country in the world, most of them are using tweeters, midrange drivers and woofers that are made in China. Yes, many of the loudspeaker brands that claim to be ‘Made in France’, ‘Made in UK’, ‘Made in USA’… and, yes, even ‘Made in Australia’, have their most important components made for them in China. Yet when was the last time you heard…

Improvisations for Theremin and Piano | Carolina Eyck, Christopher Tarnow | Butterscotch This weirdly fascinating and surprisingly rewarding dual-format release (CD and vinyl) is a set of pieces improvised on the spot by pianist Christopher Tarnow and thereminist Carolina Eyck. Those already familiar with the Theremin’s eerie sound (often used to create unworldly music in sci-fi movies) will hear that the pieces developed by Tarnow and Eyck bear no resemblance to that stereotype, though the sounds in A Whale in Love do actually bear a resemblance to some hump-backed whale sounds, but the interaction between Eyck and Tarnow results in a thing of true beauty. Eyck is able to extract gorgeous and unpredictable sounds from her instrument. This talented duo is performing in a wholly unusual and one-of-a-kind genre. I…

It is natural when thinking about Hi-Fi to think in terms of major components, such as amplifiers, speakers etc. At the same time there are many smaller components and accessories that go into the fabric of this market, and we have had a bunch of these come through in recent times. Headphones are big business at the moment, with many non-headphone companies entering the market. One of the most impressive has been AudioQuest, with the NightHawk ($799). The amount ofengineering that went into this product is certainly impressive – particularly given that AudioQuest is a cable manufacturer. The other significant headphone release has been the P5 Wireless ($599) from B&W. Based on the very popular P5 (cabled) headphone this Bluetooth version offers both performance and convenience. Another product packing an…

Sony has released its MHC-V7D single-box mini hi-fi system, which has a three-way speaker system comprising two tweeters, two midrange drivers and a single woofer and has Bluetooth, so you can send it music from your phone. ‘It’s the perfect all-in-one home audio device, jam-packed with features designed to turn your space into the ultimate party,’ said Abel Makhraz, Head of Video, Sound & Tablet, Sony Australia & New Zealand. ‘It also has multi-colour space illuminating party lights built in that can be synchronised to the beat of the music, or controlled by Sony’s Gesture Control Technology which lets you control both music and lighting with the flick of your hand.’ The MHC-V7D also has two microphone inputs for karaoke and can be controlled from your phone, using the free…

Italian loudspeaker manufacturer Sonus faber has released the Venere S (Signature) which it says is its first Signature speaker and also the new flagship in the Venere range. The three-way, five-driver floor-standing Venere S is entirely assembled by hand in Arcugnano (Italy) and features three 180mm-diameter aluminium-coned bass drivers, which cross at 250Hz to a 150mm-diameter midrange driver with a ‘Curv’ (thermoformed polypropylene fibre) cone. Frequencies above 2.5kHz are delivered by a mechanically decoupled tweeter that uses a 29mm soft dome manufactured by Dr Kurt Mueller. ‘The Dr Kurt Mueller company is world-renowned for building speaker diaphragms,’ said Philip Sawyer, of Synergy Audio Visual, which distributes Sonus faber in Australia. ‘In the Venere S, the tweeter is mechanically decoupled by interposing resilient material between the tweeter chassis and the front…

Yamaha has introduced a wireless music system it calls MusicCast. Unlike all other such systems currently available, Yamaha is offering an enormous range of devices with MusicCast built in (25 different AV receivers, two amplifiers, two audio systems, two wireless speaker systems and three sound bars), all of which can communicate with each other, with the internet, and be controlled by any Smartphone… and that’s just what’s available at the initial launch. Also, any of these MusicCast devices can be used to pipe music to any Bluetooth speaker/ device you already own, irrespective of make or model. ‘MusicCast is a real revolution in network audio,’ said Simon Goldsworthy, Managing Director of Yamaha Music Australia. ‘Use all your MusicCast products together or separately—it’s completely up to you, and you can control…

B&W P5 WIRELESS HEADPHONES Brand: B&W Model: P5 Wireless Category: BT Headphones RRP: $599.95 Warranty: Two Years Distributor: Convoy International Address: Unit 7, Discovery Cove, 1801 Botany Road Botany NSW 2019 (02) 9666 0700 info@convoy.com.au www.convoy.com.au • Solid music sound via Bluetooth• Intuitive controls• Compact convenience • Affordability It’s not hard to make a wish-list for a pair of Bluetooth headphones. First, put sound quality at the top: I always do! Then perhaps on the second line of that list should go ‘solidity of connection’, because although today’s digital wireless headphones have done away with the swishy noises of old you still need a headphone that will connect easily and doesn’t drop out. Comfort, aesthetic design, battery life—and perhaps size—might all be added a little further down the list (size being a requirement…

KEF REFERENCE 3 LOUDSPEAKERS Brand: KEF Model: Reference 3 Category: Floorstanding Loudspeakers RRP: $23,999 (See Copy) Warranty: Five Years Distributor: Advance Audio Australia Address: Unit 8, 509–529 Parramatta Rd Leichhardt NSW 2040 T: (02) 9561 0799 E: info@advanceaudio.com.au W: www.advanceaudio.com.au Huge sound belies the physical size Thoroughly engineered Beautifully styled and finished The temptations of the Reference 5? Both sides of the Atlantic Ocean can make genuine claims to producing icons in loudspeaker design. Our American friends JBL and Klipsch come to mind straight off, while across the pond Tannoy would be first name off many-an-enthusiast’s lips. Of course, another emblem of British speaker aristocracy would have to be the company whose full name is Kent Engineering & Foundry… but is more commonly known as KEF. KEF was started in…

Bose has upgraded its Soundlink Mini Bluetooth speaker so it now has a speakerphone, longer battery life, multi-connect Bluetooth capability and voice prompting during pairing. The Bose SoundLink Mini II has a speakerphone to enable you to take calls out loud, a ten-hour battery life and can simultaneously connect to two Bluetooth-equipped devices, such as a mobile phone and a tablet. To make pairing devices easier than before, the new Mini II has on-board voice prompting. ‘The original SoundLink Mini did something remarkable, because its powerful, lifelike audio quality made it the most famous little speaker in the world’ said Jack Yu, product manager for Bose SoundLink speakers. ‘There was nothing else like it, and it continues to amaze people with its sound. Our engineers kept all that performance—and added…

Most wireless powered speakers are mono. Focal’s XS Book wireless powered loudspeakers are true stereo, with two high-quality two-way loudspeakers that have both built-in amplification and Bluetooth aptX wireless functionality. ‘The relaunched Focal XS Book wireless speakers are built with the latest Focal speaker technologies and sound better than anything at this size and price has any right to,’ said Chris Murphy of N.A. Distributors, which distributes Focal in Australia. ‘Incredibly simple to set-up and use, the XS is a great music system for small rooms, but it can also be used as universal stereo speaker system for almost any use, including computer music, PC gaming, and Flatscreen TV sound.’ In addition to being able to stream music to the Focal XS via Bluetooth, there are also stereo RCA and…

Wilson Audio has released a new three-way floor-standing model called the Sabrina that’s only 960mm high. The three drivers are a 203mm-diameter bass driver, a 146mm-diameter midrange driver and a 25mm tweeter. The tweeter is Wilson Audio’s well-known proprietary ‘convergent synergy tweeter’ doped silk fabric design, while the paper-coned bass driver was first used in the Alexia, but has been modified for its use in this smaller, single-driver enclosure. ‘These drivers represent “trickle-down” technology at its best, and represent the commitment to making Sabrina a speaker entirely worthy of the Wilson Audio name,’ said Nigel Ng, of Advance Audio, which distributes Wilson Audio in Australia. Wilson Audio rates the Sabrina with a frequency response of 31Hz to 21kHz ±3dB, a sensitivity of 87dBSPL (1w/1m) and a nominal impedance of 4…

Magenta Audio has been appointed the exclusive Australian distributor for Soltanus Acoustics’ ESL Virtuoso, which Serbian manufacturer Soltanus Acoustics claims is ‘the world’s first crossoverless multipanel electrostatic loudspeaker.’ According to Magenta Audio’s Mike Kirkham, they owe in some respects to Quad. ‘Although inspired by Peter Walker’s famous Quad ESL 57 the ESL Virtuoso represents a substantial evolution in electrostatic design,’ Kirkham told Australian Hi-Fi Magazine. ‘The ESL Virtuoso includes the same dynamic and open midrange but with an incredibly extended low and high frequency range. Traditional electrostatic loudspeakers have had limited capabilities reproducing the lowest and highest frequencies of modern recordings; the ESL Virtuoso however can achieve 40–20,000Hz ±3dB; a truly remarkable achievement. We visited their factory in Serbia last month and the speakers sound absolutely superb.’ The Soltanus Acoustics…

Decibel Distribution has been appointed the sole distributor for the Ichikawa Jewel Co. Ltd’s range of Jelco products. Japanese company Ichikawa has been manufacturing precision micro mechanisms since it was founded in 1920 by Y. Ichikawa, when it started out manufacturing jewel bearings for watches and needle pointers in measuring instruments. When the vinyl LP was invented in 1958, it required a stylus with a diamond tip small enough to trace a groove that was only 0.05mm, so Ichiwaka began manufacturing diamond styli for audio cartridges. Later it started making phono cartridges, then tonearms, followed by a range of accessories including headshells, stabilisers and tonearm lifters. Today Jelco tonearms are amongst the few that are still manufactured in Japan, using Jelco’s ‘zero friction’ technology. Brian Maddern, of Decibel Distribution, says…

A few days ago, a good friend and I, having finished an excellent dinner, were sitting back over our Chivas Regal and listening to Beethoven’s 4th Symphony (the part with the lovely E-flat major Adagio, not that that’s important) when said friend dropped something of a bombshell. ‘Of course, the kids of today are never going to experience this, are they?’ he calmly stated. Naturally, my first thought was to deny this. At a sprightly 57, I still occasionally find myself conversing with the occasional generation z-er, or whatever ridiculous generalisation the press have lumped the young with these days and to be frank I notice very little difference between the typical young adult of today and his (or her) equivalent back when Noah was studying the plans for his…

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Various Artists | Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City A 36-track double CD celebrating a Country Hall of Fame exhibit and focused on not only big names but also Nashville’s session musicians is not, then, an album for those not up for country matters. But it ranges further—Gordon Lightfoot’s trippy The Way I Feel, Area Code 615’s Stone Fox Chase (aka The Old Grey Whistle Test theme). It’s a procession of gems with surely discoveries for all comers dotted among the more famous if surprising ‘hit’ inclusions (Simon & Garfunkel’s The Boxer, Cohen’s Bird on a Wire, Young’s Heart of Gold). Dylan’s 3½ tracks and just 2 from Cash barely credit the title credit—the exhibition itself may lead with Dylan’s trip to Nashville for ‘Blonde on…

The Microscopic Septet | Manhattan Moonrise | Cuneiform Rune 370 Some players cling to the past like a security blanket; others fool themselves that they can invent newness out of thin air. The smart ones use the past as an infinite library from which to steal and make a clean getaway. Hip modernity springs from the subtlest tweak of something old, and that’s the game the Microscopic Septet plays. Although you might hear echoes of Duke Ellington, Sun Ra or Louis Jordan, the compositions by pianist Joel Forrester and soprano saxophonist Phillip Johnston suddenly dart up unforeseen alleys, as if the past is chasing with sirens screaming, and all the while the players’ characters ooze from the music. Now, 34 years on, the Microscopics have their own past to cannibalise.…

Rolling Stones from the Vault The Marquee Club Live in 1971 2015 Director: N/A Starring: The Rolling Stones FEATURES Running time: 39 minutes Picture: 1.33:1 pillar-boxed, 1080i60, MPEG4 AVC @ 28.38Mbps Sound: English: LPCM 24/96 2/0.0 @ 4608kbps; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 24/96 3/2.1 @ 8854kbps (core: DTS 24/48 3/2.1 @ 1509kbps) Subtitles: Nil Extras: Alternate Takes (1080i60, LPCM 24/96 2.0 & DTS-HD MA 24/96 5.1 - 22 mins); Top of the Pops appearance (1080i60, LPCM 16/48 2.0 - 4 mins) Restrictions: Exempt from Rating, Region Free Movie: A– | Picture: B | Sound: B | Extras: B Lately The Rolling Stones have been digging around in their attics, finding old stuff for new release. This one captures a small concert back in 1971. Filmed for US TV and restored…