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2010 CES
Show Report
Hot Stuff!
Just back from sunny Las Vegas with great news about the hot
new treats introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show! We’ll
also give you the scoop on the many outstanding new product
lines we’ve brought in since our last Newsletter. Read on…
BERKELEY AUDIO:
There are those that would argue the Alpha DAC from
Berkeley Audio is the best sounding DAC you can buy, at any
price. Their contention is that the Alpha DAC, more
than any other competing model, serves up a sound which is
more like good analog than digital.
I first heard the unit (and was blown
away) at Winston Ma’s First Impression Music suite at last
year’s CES. Winston’s been developing a music server and,
after listening to virtually everything on the market, is
recommending the Alpha DAC to decode the digital data
stream. Winston has some of the best ears in the industry
and everything he has recommended to me has always been a
winner - the Alpha DAC is no exception. It’s smooth
and refined (just like good analog), and yet resolves every
last nanogram of subtle detail (like the very best digital).
A feat every DAC aims for and very, very few achieve.
There are indeed a good number of
outstanding DACs on the market, but I’ve heard nothing
that bests the Alpha DAC at its price point. Wait a
second, forget the price point; there may not be a DAC on
the Planet that is better overall! Pretty strong words, but
I think you’ll agree when you listen to one, the Alpha
DAC is a stunner, and at the asking price of just $4995,
truly a remarkable bargain.
VPI:
The VPI Classic Turntable is a huge hit! This new
marvel from Harry Weisfeld has quickly become our biggest
selling turntable, and with good reason. The sound of the
Classic Turntable is fast, clean, and wide open with deep
powerful bass and unequalled speed stability.
VPI took great
care in this special design, with emphasis on speed accuracy,
high noise rejection, reduction of motor vibration and total
isolation of the platter and tonearm. Structural rigidity is
maintained by an incredibly solid, non-resonating, laminated
one-piece chassis that supports all components. This is not a
simple wooden frame, but a 2.5" thick MDF block that is topped off
with an 11 gauge steel plate bonded with silicone adhesive
then bolted in place. The chassis alone weighs 30 pounds and
is totally inert.
The new JMW-10.5i SE tonearm
uses VPI pure copper wire and a special rigid mount to tightly
couple it to the highly damped plinth. An anti-skate mechanism
is standard.
This is an outstanding turntable, and
simply an unimaginable bargain at $2500 (call us for
special introductory pricing!). We’re happy to recommend and
ideal cartridge combination and can even deliver a Classic with
your choice, pre-mounted and precisely aligned.
Review:
http://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/vpi_classic.htm
AUDIO
PHYSIC:
To celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary,
this renowned German manufacturer introduced the Tempo 25
Limited Edition model at this year’s CES. Though the fresh
design shares the physical stature of its namesake, the Tempo
VI, the Tempo 25 is a very different specimen.
Significant internal cabinet bracing, revised crossover
network, and a tweeter of the class used in the far more
expensive Cardeas, imbue the design with a wonderfully refined
treble presentation.
The setup at CES wasn’t conducive to
extended, but I heard enough to say with
certainty that the Tempo 25 is an oustanding speaker. $6750
pair.
MODWRIGHT:
I love the preamps from ModWright, and you guys obviously
agree with me on that score, having voted with your Dollars to
make them our most popular units at their price points. So you
can imagine how excited I was to learn that Dan Wright had set
his sights on bringing an amplifier to market! After many
hundreds of hours of design and testing, the KWA-150 is
a reality, and it sports some very unique design concepts.
There’s not space here for all the details, but let me share some
highlights.
The heart of the KWA-150 amplifier
is a single voltage gain stage, named the “Solid State Music
Stage,” utilizing state of the art ThermalTrak auto-bias
output transistors. There is no global feedback, no capacitors
in the signal path and the circuit is direct-coupled, fully
differential and dual mono and can be bridged for mono
operation. Features include: A high/low bias switch,
stereo/bridge-mono selector, true balanced floating inputs and
premium Cardas input connectors and binding posts. The KWA-150 is hand built,
entirely in the USA. MSRP is $5995.
“We feel we have produced an amp that both
tube and solid-state users will enjoy. The design intent
was an amp with the muscle and control of solid-state, as well
as the midrange, liquidity and soundstage of a tube amp.”
- Dan Wright
Dan’s KWA-150 amplifier has quickly
established a reputation as an outstanding product. The
gorgeous amplifier is far, far more powerful than its 150 watt
per channel rating would suggest, and has driven every speaker
we’ve tried - with ease. The rating at 4 Ohms is 250 watts per
channel and it delivers 450 watts at 8 Ohms when bridged for
mono and a massive 650 watts into 4 Ohms mono.
The KWA-150 operates in either a high bias or
low bias mode, selected by a switch on the rear panel. The
high bias mode is preferred for serious listening while the
low bias mode is great for background music or to keep the amp
warmed and ready to sing.
More than just a powerhouse, the
KWA-150 is a master at resolving subtle inner detail. In
his review on 6Moons, Srjan Ebean writes: “The
first thing one should ask any muscle amplifier is, what kind
of low-level resolution does it maintain at whisper levels.
The power and glory stuff is expected. But how often do you
really listen like that?
At such whisper levels, attention has
to peak. We must penetrate the aural twilight. So we become
far more participatory than at high volumes. Then the hardware
lays it all out, half our senses could shut down and we'd
still get the picture. Way down in output though, cloudiness
sets in. Yet the ModWright still has emphatic transients stick
cleanly out from the surrounding thicket. A bass whack, cymbal
accent, foot stomp or key clack still jumps with a goodly
semblance of that startle factor we know from normal levels
but habitually forego way down low in volume and frequency.
Boring is what most call such levels in fact. Not so with the
ModWright. Its dynamic range continues to operate where other
amps give up to cleanly separate and delineate. The KWA-150
illuminates and makes things more legible at very low volumes.
Without being zippy, threadbare, nervous or hyped in
the least, the ModWright KWA-150, despite its muscle beach
allure, is ideal for quiet yet fully satisfying sessions.
Forget testosterone, that's what most music lovers do most of
the time. They listen at from civilized to very subdued levels
cognizant of neighbors and cohabitants, all the while longing
for fulfillment from spirited sessions. That's where the
KWA-150 delivers big time.”
Dick Olsher writes in The Absolute
Sound: “To my ears, the KWA-150
represents a smashing success, combining the musicality of
tubes with the punch, power delivery and bass reach of
transistors. It’s hard for me to curb my enthusiasm in the
presence of a sonic miracle.”
Friends, this is a truly exceptional amplifier and
earns my most emphatic recommendation. Give one a listen and I
think you too will be hooked!
Those on a budget will be heartened
by the impending release of the KWA-100. Previewed at
the Rocky Mountain Show, the almost-ready-for-prime-time
design was officially unveiled here at 2010 CES.
If the KWA-150 is any indication, the
KWA-100 will be a stunner! Available in February,
priced at $3295.
Coming in March will be a preamp to match the
KWA-100 amplifier. To be known as the LS-100, the
design will be remote controlled and feature the 6SN7 tube and
vacuum tube rectified power supply. Stay
tuned for more details as they become available.
SHUNYATA RESEARCH:
Shunyata is
introducing two new power cords that function as a matched
power system. The new CX series cords are the Black
Mamba and Black Mamba HC. Both of these cables will
be similar in appearance to the Python CX, Anaconda CX and
King Cobra CX with outstanding
flexibility. The new Black Mamba and
Black Mamba HC are encased in a silky black protective mesh
with gold on black labels - very elegant and attractive!
The Black Mamba series
brings with it a new systemic approach to power cabling. The
Black Mamba Power System is comprised of two
cables engineered to perform as an integrated matched set,
achieving unprecedented levels of performance at its price
point. The first cable is the Black Mamba -- intended
for source components and the second cable is called the
Black Mamba-HC -- which is intended primarily for
high-current components such as amplifiers and Hydra Power
Conditioners.
Prices are $595 for the Black Mamba
and $749 for the Black Mamba-HC. Of course we’ll be
offering our customers introductory specials, so give us a
call!
Shunyata
also announced a new entry-level cable at the show.
At just $119
the Venom 3 offers incredible value featuring
beefy 12 gauge conductors and solid brass, gold plated
contacts set within molded connectors.
Try this tweak! Shunyata found that
their Dark Field Cable Elevators can eliminate static
on CDs! Lay one DFE on its side on a flat surface and place a
CD (label up) on it. With a second DFE, lightly tap the CD all
over, as if you are blotting up water. Try it, you’ll be
amazed! The Audio Beat has photos of the process:
http://www.theaudiobeat.com/ces2010/ces2010_tablog_shunyata.htm.
You already own the Shunyata Dark
Field Cable Elevators, right? If not, get some right away!
New Shunyata Cable System Review on Soundstage!
QUICKSILVER:
The new Silver 88 monoblock tube amps
bring the finesse and transparency of low powered tube
amplifiers into the realm of less efficient speakers.
Employing only two KT-88 output tubes (KT-90 may also be
used), this circuit provides 80 watts without stressing or
pushing these tubes to their limit, and with the lowest output
impedance and distortion of all the Quicksilver amplifiers,
the Silver 88 brings a new level of performance to this
power range.
An
on-board bias meter allows individual adjustment of each
output tube and, with low-noise power supplies and circuitry,
the Silver 88 can still be used on very efficient
speakers. Two power transformers and 180 Joules of energy
storage provide effortless dynamic response, transmitting the
full musical impact of sudden shifts from soft to loud. A
modification of the sleek look of the V4, the Silver 88
has a chrome-plated chassis and carbide black transformer
cover. $3695 pair. Can’t wait to get a pair!
NUFORCE:
The NuForce
Edition OPPO BDP-83SE is an outstanding universal media
player. Starting with the already excellent BDP-83SE as a
platform, NuForce applies their works their magic to
significantly elevate performance by:
• Replacing critical analog components with the high-grade
equivalents NuForce uses in its high-end audio components
• Superior high-speed power regulation on both DACs and all
analog power rails. Improved power supply regulation also
applies to the 7.1 channels
• High-performance parts and related circuits/component values
replacing the stereo channels’ monolithic devices.
• Bypass the Stereo and 7.1 channels’ output muting circuits.
The SE’s relays are better than the standard BDP-83’s muting
transistors. Nevertheless, imposing as little as possible
along critical signal paths is clearly preferable.
The result is a better power supply
and optimized analog signal paths. As always, the proof is in
the listening. The improvements in stereo (CD, SACD, DVD-A, BD
Audio), and L/R/C movie outputs are clearly audible.
Designed for the discerning
audio enthusiast, the NuForce Edition OPPO BDP-83SE
Blu-ray Disc Player delivers an exceptionally wide dynamic
range, ultra low distortion, accurate sound stage and
jitter-free music clarity via its dedicated stereo and 7.1ch
analog audio output.
The NuForce Edition OPPO
BDP-83SE uses the state-of-the-art Sabre32 family of
Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC) from ESS Technology. The
Sabre32 family is known as one of the industry’s highest
performance audio DACs and are often found in high-end
audiophile and professional equipment. The NuForce Edition
OPPO BDP-83SE uses an 8-channel Sabre Premier (ES9006) DAC
chip for its 7.1 multi-channel output. The dedicated stereo
output uses another 8-channel Sabre32 Ultra (ES9016) DAC chip
by stacking 4 DACs for each of the Left and Right channels to
achieve even greater audio performance.
The NuForce OPPO BDP-83SE is a
Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player featuring bit-stream and full
decoding capability for high resolution audio tracks such as
Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Designed for both home
theater viewers and music listeners, it plays DVD-Video,
DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD) and standard CD with
excellent video and audio performance in addition to Blu-ray
Discs. $1295 FREE SHIPPING!
Call for specials on lots of CES demo gear!
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