Pure Home Theatre

Which Amp is the best for my speakers?

2019-03-13T11:36:00.000+02:00

So you just bought that speaker you always wanted, but now, it is set up in your living room, it does not sound like what it sounded at the showroom?

It must be sales trickery! Right?

Most people abandon the fact that the amplifier you use is one of the most important things you need when driving a speaker.

I am going to use an example:

I had a client coming in on a Sunday, eager to buy a Monitor Audio Bronze floorstander, but after hearing the Monitor Audio RX8, he committed to the superior Silver range from Monitor Audio. The demo was done on a Rotel Pre/Power 200watts combination, which blew him away. Upon asking what electronics he has, he assured me that his Yamaha will do the trick, as the speaker's rated 150watts is way below his Yamaha's "rated" 180 watts per channel.

a Few days later, I got a call, the client says the speakers does not nearly sound as good as it did during the demonstration, can I help? So I jumped into the van, armed with the same Rotel Pre/Power combo, Audioquest Interconnects, Audioquest custom made speaker cables with banana plugs. Arriving at the client, I quickly added the Power Amp to the existing Yamaha's pre-outs. Magic happened, the client was ecstatic. I proceded by then using the Rotel Pre-amplifier and cabling, where the sound just opened up so much more. Needless to say, the client upgraded to the better, newer and more powerful system, and was happy.

SO, WHAT THE WATTS IS GOING ON?

So I am not going to bore you with the technical explanations, it is time-consuming, it is debatable, it is always being challenged, so here I will follow with the easiest way to explain it.

You have a Hyundai rated at 140kw, and a Mercedes rated at 140kw. Who will win the race? Same power right? But do we take into account weight, efficiencies, using more low-cost manufacturing components vs newer technology? Mercedes will always win, it just does it better, with the same rated power. You might add, the Mercedes has more torque...which makes for the next paragraph.

You never walk into an audio shop and asks for the most powerful Wattifier. You ask for an Amplifier, which produces amps, which is the actual electrical current driving the motors in your speakers, which produces watts.

Why the watts then?

Mostly marketing really! Thank you Sony PMPO.

So how do I choose?

There is no better way to choose the right amp for the right speakers, then going for an auditioning at your local showroom. Contact your local importer of the speaker brand you have, and ask them what they would recommend.

Example, KEF would most of the times recommend you look into Primare, which powers their speakers exceptionally well. Primare also powers most British speakers very well, including B&W and Monitor Audio.

Another example will be Yamaha driving Bowers and Wilkins very well, but not KEF as much, as KEF tends to be very sharp on the higher frequencies when coupled with a Yamaha, which is naturally a sharper sounding amplifier, which is once again neutralized by the B&W's warm sound.

You would find a Focal Speaker will not work at all with Primare or Class D amplifiers, yet, enjoys Class A and AB amplifiers from McIntosh and Marantz/Denon.

Go and audition, don't just read about it, it is much more fun!

Audioholics 2013 Consumer Excellence Award Winners

2013-08-10T07:39:00.004+02:00

July saw Audioholics reveal their Consumer Excellence Awards. The winners to name a few

AV Receiver – Denon AVR-4000

Budget AV Processor – Outlaw Audio Model 975

Upscale AV Processor – Classe SSP-800

Audio Amplifier – Emotiva XPR-1

High-end Floorstanding Speakers – Legacy Audio Focus SE

Visit the page here for full report

“While the economy showed signs of recovery in 2013, manufacturers continued to innovate and release new and improved products at all price points to reach a broader market. With all of the fierce competition of manufacturers competing for your hard earned dollars, the consumer wins by having a larger product base to chose from with the latest features and technologies that only a few years ago were largely unaffordable or even unattainable at any price point.

The prestigious Audioholics Consumer Excellence (CE) Awards program recognizes the most advanced and forward-thinking products in crucial CE categories submitted for consideration by the industry’s leading manufacturers. Awards are given to products which serve consumers directly and also those products which serve to improve the business and success of the custom installer. The CE Awards is a clear benchmark award for the products which will make an impact in 2013 and beyond.

We received so many excellent entries from all of the major manufacturers. This made the judging process challenging. Here are our winners for 2013 based on our criteria for judging.”

Visit the page here for full report

ATC launches new Integrated Stereo Unit

2013-08-10T07:35:00.000+02:00

From ATCLoudspeakers.co.uk

The new, compact, SIACD expands on, and is styled to match ATC’s range of stand-alone electronic products for home installation. The SIACD is built to the same design and manufacturing standards as the company’s internationally renowned professional audio products.

Overview

New class A/B “grounded source” 100W/Ch. power amp stages offering class leading performance

High performance DAC with USB, coaxial and optical digital inputs

On-board CD Player

Headphone amplifier with front panel mounted output

2 x stereo line level analogue inputs

1 x stereo line level output

Black or silver anodised finish options

6 year warranty*

Hand built in Stroud, UK

This new product is designed as a simple yet versatile one-box solution for D-A conversion, CD playback, pre and power amplification duties. The SIACD is housed in a rugged yet elegant chassis, only 315mm/12.4” wide. Styling compliments the rest of ATC’s range of outboard pre and power amplifiers and the product is available in both black and silver brushed and anodised finishes.

Whereas many other manufacturers’ favour class-D power amp technology for compact devices, ATC have based the power amp design on the class A/B circuits employed in their highest performance professional, active loudspeakers, thus ensuring the highest possible performance of this vital element of an all-in-one player amplifier. In this revised design, ATC engineers have made further improvements to their discrete MOSFET output stage to give vanishingly low levels of distortion, very wide bandwidth and a reduced idle temperature.

Maximum output power is 100W per channel, continuous, into 8 ohms with both channels driven. The resolution offered by this approach is simply above and beyond what is available from most ‘high-end’ stand-alone power amplifiers, let alone ‘all-in-one’ player/amplifiers.

ATC SIACD, new integrated stereo unit introduced July 2013

The preamp/DAC stage features two, line level, stereo, analogue inputs and three digital inputs. Both analogue inputs are equipped with rear panel mounted, RCA/phono connections. One of the two inputs also features a front panel mounted 3.5mm jack input for simple connection to portable music players. The USB, SPDIF and optical inputs are mounted on the rear panel. The DAC utilises Wolfson’s WM8740 chipset and is compatible with 16 to 24 bit word lengths and sample rates up to 192kHz (coaxial and optical digital inputs only). Excellent digital clock recovery ensures signal integrity is maintained even with poorer quality digital sources and the SIACD. The USB input is compatible with word lengths up to 16 bits and sample frequencies up to 48kHz and is galvanically isolated from the digital source via a high performance transformer. The SIACD headphone amplifier is specified to drive a very wide range of headphone sensitivities and impedances. It features very low distortion and noise and an extremely wide and flat frequency response for best possible performance. The headphone output is front panel mounted.

The chassis is constructed from a combination of steel and aluminium and uses constrained layer damping to control panel resonances. The front panel is machined from an extruded section of 13mm/0.5” aluminium alloy with a brushed and anodised silver or black finish. All the user controls are machined from solid aluminium.

Marantz shows new Stereo Network Receivers

2013-08-10T07:32:00.000+02:00

FROM MARANTZ.COM

Marantz Announces New M-CR510 and M-CR610 Wireless Network Stereo Receivers Featuring Apple’s Airplay: Top-Quality Sound from All Your Favorite Sources

The Marantz® M-CR Series Wireless Network Receivers let you enjoy great-sounding music from diverse sources, including Internet radio, music-streaming services, mobile devices, TV and other digital audio sources

Mahwah, New Jersey (July 18, 2013) — Marantz, a world leader in advanced home entertainment solutions, announces the launch of the latest models in its acclaimed line of M-CR Series Network Stereo Receivers: the M-CR510 and M-CR610. The new wireless music systems deliver exceptional sound quality from a variety of music sources. Both feature a compact, elegant design that enables users to wirelessly access music from home networks, cloud streaming services and mobile devices.

“The incredible sound and beautiful design that users get from these systems, while being able to access all their favorite content sets them apart in the marketplace. The M-CR wireless music systems are an easy answer for those looking to simplify their listening experience without compromising on sound quality or looks.” said Paul Belanger, technical product manager, D+M Group.

Highlights of the M-CR Series Network Stereo Receivers include:

Wi-Fi Built-in with WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)

WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) for reliable wireless audio streaming

iOS Wi-Fi sharing for simple configuration

An unparalleled and beautiful design that is easily featured in home décor

Optical digital input for connection to televisions or other devices

AirPlay* wireless music streaming

Spotify**, Pandora, and SiriusXM** streaming

Windows 8/RT compatible and DLNA 1.5 certification.

Full support of most digital audio files: MP3, WMA, AAC, 192/24 FLAC, ALAC and WAV.

Mobile App Control

Also with the M-CR610 users gain a CD player, AM/FM tuner and four channels of amplification instead of two available in the M-CR510.

Marantz M-CR610 (MSRP: $699)

The Marantz M-CR610 is a network CD receiver with AM/FM radio that lets you enjoy not only music from CDs and your smartphone or tablet device but also Internet radio stations from around the world and streamed high-resolution music, all in exquisite sound quality. This receiver can be connected to a network either wirelessly via Wi-Fi or wired via an Ethernet cable, and it includes a Wi-Fi diversity antenna system and Wi-Fi Multi Media certification for improved communication quality. The M-CR610 also features AirPlay, allowing users to stream their iTunes music whether from Mac or PC, as well as music stored on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.* If you choose to cable connect your iPhone or iPod touch to one of the USB ports on the front or rear of the M-CR610, you can listen to music while the device’s battery is being recharged.

The M-CR610 is equipped with a 4-channel digital amplifier that delivers 60 watts of power per channel in stereo. Compatible with bi-amp capable speakers, the separate amps for the high and low ranges in each stereo channel provide improved sound quality, and the M-CR610 also supports simultaneous drive for two separate pairs of speakers if desired (at 30 watts per channel). You can use the supplied remote controller to operate the M-CR610, or you can download the Marantz Remote App and operate it from an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

The M-CR610 has been designed to enhance your listening space with Marantz tradition and distinction, and it is equipped with a luxurious black front-panel design that features a wide-angle, easy-to-read organic light-emitting diode (OLED) multi-line display.

Marantz M-CR510 (MSRP: $599)

The Marantz M-CR510 is a network receiver in a slender, compact design that lets you tune in to Internet radio from around the world as well as Spotify, Pandora, and other music-streaming services in a clean, robust sound. This receiver also features AirPlay, allowing users to stream their iTunes music whether from Mac or PC, as well as music stored on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.* Connection to the network can be achieved wirelessly or via a wired local-area network (LAN), using an Ethernet cable.

Because the M-CR510 also supports high-resolution music streaming in 192kHz/24-bit WAV/FLAC format, you can listen to high-quality sound that surpasses the quality of CD. With the receiver’s optical digital input jack, you can even enjoy high-quality sound from your TV or other digital audio sources. You can use the supplied remote controller to operate the M-CR510, or you can download the Marantz Remote App and operate it from your mobile device.

The M-CR510 with its slim body and lustrous deep-black cosmetics has been designed to grace your listening space with Marantz tradition and sophistication.

Integra releases HDBaseT Receiver and Processors

2013-08-10T07:13:00.002+02:00

From Integrahometheater.com

Integra, the leading brand of audio-video components specifically engineered for custom installation, has introduced its new mid-range THX Certified AV preamp processor and A/V receiver, the DHC-60.5 and DTR-60.5. Both are the first Integra products to support HDBaseT technology, which allows HD audio/video signals to be transmitted over much longer distances and uses cables that are much more commonly available, less expensive, and easier to field terminate and install in customized lengths than HDMI.

Integra DHC 60.5, features new HDBaseT technology

By incorporating HDBaseT technology, the DHC-60.5 and DTR-60.5 are optimized for whole-home distribution and can connect to compatible entertainment devices through a single CAT5e/6 cable. HDBaseT is the only technology that enables long-reach wired connectivity up to 328 feet (100 meters) for uncompressed full HD multimedia content including 3D and 2K/4K Ultra HD making it ideal for the custom integration specialists. The HDBaseT port can be assigned for use in either the main zone or a second zone, while the HDMI output is used exclusively for the main zone.

“The addition of HDBaseT in these two new models help address an issue many in the custom installation market deal with; providing HD quality over long distances,” said Keith Haas, Director of Sales. “Implementing technologies like HDBaseT allows us to continue to provide products people have come to expect from the market leader. With this addition along with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, unparalleled streaming service options, THX Certified sound quality, ISF Certified Calibration Control, and ongoing support upgrades, our customers get new value added on a regular basis.”

The new DHC-60.5 7.2 channel network A/V preamp processor is THX Ultra2 Plus Certified and the ideal companion to the DTA-70.1 THX Ultra2 certified amplifier. The DHC-60.5 also includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and full support for the new 4K Ultra HD video displays using either the 4K pass-through feature or up-scaling for conventional SD and HD video sources via a Marvel QDEO processor. There are connections for nine HDMI inputs and one output, plus HDBaseT, along with 7.2 multichannel balanced XLR pre-outs (with front-channel bi-amp capability) and two-channel balanced XLR audio inputs.

Integra DHC 60.5, features new HDBaseT technology

Meanwhile, the DTR-60.5 is a 9.2 channel, THX Select2 Plus network A/V receiver that boasts 135 watts per channel of power.

The DTR-60.5 supports an abundant package of connectivity options including 9-in/1-out HDMI, the aforementioned HDBaseT port, and 11.2 multichannel pre-outs to support full DTS Neo:X™ up-mixing for surround-sound playback. If preferred, the unit can be configured to assign four of the nine available channels to drive audio in Zone 2 and Zone 3 simultaneously. There is a full package of surround processing including Dolby Pro-Logic IIz and Audyssey DSX, plus Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room set-up processing. Amplification comes courtesy of proprietary WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) and discrete Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry, a combination that preserves a distinctively musical sound even at high volumes.

Both models provide management of the main and multi-zone entertainment via the Integra Remote app for Apple and Android devices, which encompass the selection of online streaming services, internet radio channels, and network audio files. The network connection provides Internet radio and streaming music services include the new addition of TuneIn Radio along with the bevy of services offered in previous generation models such as Spotify, Pandora®, SlackerTM, Rhapsody®, SIRIUS XM Internet Radio®, AUPEO!, and Last.fm.

They also support the playback of high definition music files in FLAC, DSD, ALAC, HD 24/96 and HD 24/192 formats from HD music download services.

In addition to having the power to steer high-res movie soundtracks at theater-reference volumes, the receiver is loaded with high-end features to optimize two-channel performance. Pre-processing incorporates three 192kHz/24-bit TI Burr-Brown DACs (with one stereo DAC per front channel in Differential DAC mode). Audiophiles wishing to bi-amp their front speakers can find performance increases from the proprietary Digital Processing Crossover Network, which splits the audio signal very precisely into separate high- and low-frequency signals, feeding them to the appropriate speaker drivers. This all but eliminates frequency overlap at the crossover point for a more transparent stereo image.

The Integra DHC-60.5 AV preamp processor and the DTR-60.5 A/V receivers will be available in August with suggested retail prices of $2,000 and $2,300 respectively.

Everything but the box impresses the Japanese

2013-08-10T07:11:00.003+02:00

From EBTB Website:

Featured EBTB users – Hidesato Shiino (Vestax – Japan)

“The Terra Mk III loudspeaker … It’s impressive, stylish … ‘Hip’! Especially it’s unique design and great craftsmanship. Owning a pair of these brings new life to my audio experience. There’s no doubt serious hi-fi listeners will gain the same result!”

Everything but the Box stylish Terra MK3

Hidesato Shiino’s great-grandfather formed a music business in Japan, which gave young Shiino-san a strong background in the industry. He also had a passion for playing musical instruments, which he and others in his country were unable to obtain in the years following World War II. Over time he found opportunities to provide schools with musical instruments and with his own company Vestax, was able to make and sell his own musical products.

In 1977 Mr. Hidesato Shiino founded Vestax which has lead the way in numerous fields in the pro audio and musical instruments industry. Vestax Corporation was founded with the intention to satisfy three core values – to be a company that would lead the way for culture, quality and innovation, a company that would satisfy the needs and expectations of consumers. Those three values then, still govern business activity at Vestax today and they remain as strongly entrenched as ever. Hideasato Shiino is also owner of the renowned ESP Guitars Company and PACO Guitar Salon in Tokyo.

Everything but the Box MK3

These days Mr. Shiino is considered as the “Japanese Leo Fender” and is one of the founders of the Japanese Guitar manufacturing. He has designed the guitars of some of the world’s greatest artists. His knowledge of the Japan and global pro and consumer audio market is unbeatable.

New Revel Performa3

2013-08-10T07:06:00.001+02:00

Harman’s Revel Brand released the Revel Performa3. It is a beauty, lovely indeed.

Newly Released Revel Performa3

HARMAN’s Revel Performa3 Loudspeakers Are Now Shipping, Garnering Acclaim From Dealers Nationwide

Philip Weiss

NORTHRIDGE, California – HARMAN’s Revel is now shipping its Performa3 loudspeakers, a complete range of home theater and music loudspeakers that incorporates significant engineering enhancements to the original Performa Series to deliver extraordinary music and movie soundtrack reproduction. Early reaction from Revel dealers and their customers has been highly positive.

Admit One Home Cinema of Minneapolis, Minnesota has been demoing various Performa3 models including the F208 and F206 floorstanding towers, C208 and C206 center channel speakers and other models. “We love them for their value and performance,” said Lance Anderson, President. “People are really surprised at how good they sound – very sweet and detailed – and rate them as equal to or better than speakers that are two to four times the price.”

“We find it interesting that in a time when people are supposedly moving away from larger speakers, the ones that are getting the most attention are the F208 and F206 floorstanding towers.”

Naperville, Illinois dealer Barrett’s Technology Solutions carries more than 20 A/V brands and is enjoying particular success with the entire Performa3 line. Joe Barrett, President noted, “Our best sellers to date have been the F206 floorstander, but I have to say the styling on the entire Performa3 Series is just beautiful – really refined styling with great finishes combined with high-end performance makes this series a great value in our showroom.”

“Speakers like these are sold as high-performance speakers and they have to stand on their performance in higher-end 2-channel audio systems. They distinguish themselves on the sales floor really well and we are very encouraged with the Performa3 line.”

San Francisco and Berkeley, California dealer Music Lovers prides itself on offering the Bay Area’s finest high-end audio, home theater and home installation products. San Francisco Store Manager Josh Rudner and his customers are accustomed to hearing the best of the best – and the Performa3’s are distinguishing themselves in good company. “The F208 is one of the main attractions of our Berkeley home theater and we have other models in our San Francisco listening rooms,” Rudner noted. “We’re carrying the Performa3 models in piano black and walnut and I think the walnut is just stunning.”

“I think the Performa3 Series is one of the top-performing speakers in its price class. In fact, I can’t think of another speaker that outperforms it at their price points.”

From Revel Official Release

Steinway Lyngdorf “Most Innovative Brand”

2013-08-10T07:03:00.002+02:00

Keeping company with such legendary names as Dom Pérignon, Chanel, Four Seasons Hotels, and BMW, Steinway Lyngdorf has been named one of luxury’s 25 Most Innovative Brands by Robb Report. The honor comes as part of Robb Report’s three-part 25th anniversary “Best of the Best” series recognizing the brands, people, and products that define excellence and drive the direction of today’s luxury market

Running through three issues of Robb Report, the “Best of the Best” series represents an entire year’s search for excellence in every aspect of the luxury lifestyle. Steinway Lyngdorf is included in the August “Best of the Best” in recognition of the innovative products and technologies for which the company is known. The “Best of the Best” accolade also honors the visionary leadership of Peter Lyngdorf, who founded Steinway Lyngdorf in partnership with the 160-year-old piano maker Steinway & Sons Pianos in 2005.

“In just eight years, the Steinway Lyngdorf name has become synonymous with innovation, excellence, and luxury. We have been recognized several times for product innovations by Robb Report, but this is the first time our entire brand has been highlighted in such a prestigious way,” said Thomas Birkelund, CEO of Steinway Lyngdorf. “We are very proud of this recognition.”

The Steinway Lyngdorf Brand was nominated as the “Most Innovative Brand” by the Robb Report”

Read article here.

Source from Steinway Lyngdorf’s News

B&W explains the CM10

2013-08-10T06:57:00.002+02:00

B&W’s Diamond range will always be a standard speaker that many will try to equal or to better, much like the Porsche 911 Turbo over the last few years. The tweeter on top was a unique design made popular by B&W, many have tried before, many have tried in recent history, but none had the commercial success than B&W’s Diamond Series.

Full specs and option to compare side by side, click here

B&W CM10 Tweeter

As a Hi-Fi sales man in the industry for many years, there was few things as irritating as a customer walking in, grabbing the tweeter, pulling it towards the mouth, and then laugh at its own stupidity when he/she hears it is a tweeter, not a mic. So for me the CM10′s tweeter on top, though it does not look like a mic, had to have real benefits.

This is where Mike Cough from B&W came in, explaining the whole idea behind the tweeter on top.

From B&W Blog News

PM1, with its carbon braced aluminium dome tweeter, has shown how raising the frequency of first breakup improves tweeter performance in the audible range below 20kHz. Carbon bracing has proved its worth when the price point precludes diamond dome technology and similar performance was required of the CM10.

But adding a carbon brace to the standard aluminium dome adds mass and this, of course, reduces sensitivity. Not a problem with the 84dB sensitivity of the diminutive PM1, but the brief here was to achieve a system sensitivity of 90dB, so another way of raising the first breakup frequency was needed that did not add unduly to the moving mass.

Figure 1 – Tweeter on-axis responses. Blue – CM9 Orange – CM10

The eventual solution was found in a dual layer construction. The main aluminium dome thickness is first reduced from 50μm to 35μm. By itself, this reduction in thickness would actually result in a lower breakup frequency, but added to the back of this thinner dome is a ring of aluminium, 50μm thick, around the periphery. This ring is profiled to match the shape of the dome and increases total diaphragm stiffness. The breakup frequency is raised from 30kHz to 38kHz (figure 1), with only a small increase in total moving mass and the full sensitivity is recovered by adding a single, reverse-polarised magnet to the back plate.

It should be remembered that it is not the ultrasonic frequency of breakup per se that improves sound quality; it is that diaphragm behaviour just below 20kHz, where we can hear, is more piston-like as a result of raising this frequency. The higher initial breakup frequency of the CM10 tweeter is immediately obvious, but the on-axis response of the CM9 tweeter is flatter than that of the CM10 tweeter between 10kHz and 20kHz and this may at first be thought of as better. However, in a previous paper on the 800D, where the performance of the even stiffer diamond dome tweeter was considered, it was noted that the response of a theoretically perfect dome (ie one with infinite stiffness) drooped above 15kHz. As the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases and eventually approaches the height of the dome with the result that the radiation from the centre of the dome begins to get out of phase with that from the rim. The fact of the matter is that the flat response is only so because the breakup resonance is supporting it and the slightly drooping response actually sounds better because the CM10 dome is better behaved up to 20kHz.

It is well known that the diameter of the drive unit affects dispersion. The dispersion depends on the diameter of the driver compared to the wavelength of the sound being produced and, for any given frequency, dispersion will be wider from a smaller diameter unit. That’s one of the reasons the frequency range is divided between drivers of different size. It is also fairly well known that stereo imaging is improved if the system dispersion is as constant with frequency as possible. What is less widely known is that the size of the housing in which the driver is mounted also affects dispersion and the off-axis response is generally smoother if the dimensions of the driver’s housing are as close as possible to the diaphragm diameter.

With the CM9, we already have a narrow cabinet, barely wider than the bass and midrange drivers, and so the only option left to improve the dispersion is in the high frequencies, where we can employ the tweeter-on-top configuration.

The graphs in figure 2 compare the on and off axis responses of the CM9 and CM10 tweeters between 1kHz and 50kHz, in situ but without crossover. They need some explanation, as the aural effects of the measurements are not immediately obvious.

Figure 2a – Response of CM9 tweeter without crossover at 0º, 30º & 45º horizontally off axis

Figure 2b – Response of CM10 tweeter without crossover at 0º, 30º & 45º horizontally off axis

When comparing the difference between the on- and off-axis responses of the two tweeters, there is little change between 10kHz and 20kHz. This is to be expected, because the off-axis performance is defined by the dimensions of the diaphragm itself. Below 10kHz, however, there is a distinct difference and this is imposed by the different mounting methods. With the tweeter-on-top arrangement of the CM10, the response reduces smoothly off axis. Compare the off-axis of the baffle-mounted CM9 tweeter where all three traces are close together and the 45º level actually exceeds the 30º level around 5kHz. This excess of off-axis energy within a relatively narrow frequency band tends to highlight the position of the speaker itself and reduces that difficult to describe “out of the box” effect where the aural image seems almost dissociated with the speaker cabinet and is more stable with changes in listener position.

In all 800 Series Diamond speakers, not only is the tweeter in its own housing on top of the main cabinet, but vibration isolation is used. This is a powerful technique that reduces vibrations generated by diaphragm motion in the driver being transmitted to the structure. Reducing structural vibration in turn reduces coloration and allows the finer detail in the signal to be transmitted to the listener without masking. As in the 800 Series, not only is the tweeter unit decoupled from its own housing, the housing itself is decoupled from the main cabinet. The decoupling material is a gel-like substance with very low Shore hardness.

Figure 3 shows not only how the gel is employed in the construction of the tweeter, but also the separate housing, the supplementary magnet and the ubiquitous Nautilus™ tube loading that is exclusive to Bowers & Wilkins.

Figure 3 – Exploded illustration of CM10 tweeter construction

Bang & Olufsen eyes digitally-savvy consumers via Mr Porter.com partnership

2013-08-10T06:46:00.002+02:00

From the Luxurious website Luxury Society

“Bang & Olufsen’s award-winning B&O Play collection will be sold, alongside other luxury products, through Mr Porter in the United States. B&O Play debuted in January 2012 to appeal to design enthusiasts looking to stay digitally connected.

“Mr Porter is a premium on-line retail destination for men with a great reputation. We believe the B&O Play collection will resonate well with their design and performance-oriented clientele, said Monica Gartner, senior public relations manager for Bang & Olufsen, Denmark.”

Source HERE

Pure Home Theater & Hi Fi Speaker News and Info Pages: PMC unveil twotwo™ range | PMC Loudspeakers

2012-09-16T13:58:00.001+02:00

Pure Home Theater & Hi Fi Speaker News and Info Pages: PMC unveil twotwo™ range | PMC Loudspeakers: PMC unveil twotwo™ range | PMC Loudspeakers PMC announce a new range of powered two-way nearfield monitors at this year's IBC. The act...

European Wireless Hi-Fi 2012-2013: Dynaudio Xeo wins EISA ...

2012-09-12T14:06:00.005+02:00

Pure Home Theater & Hi Fi Speaker News and Info Pages: European Wireless Hi-Fi 2012-2013: Xeo wins EISA ...: European Wireless Hi-Fi 2012-2013: Xeo wins EISA AWARD! The new Xeo Series has been awarded with the prestigious EISA AWARD: 16 int...

Martin Logan Offers New 15-Inch Dynamo Subwoofer

2012-09-12T14:06:00.003+02:00

Pure Home Theater & Hi Fi Speaker News and Info Pages: MartinLogan Offers New 15-Inch Dynamo Subwoofer: New subwoofer features a powerful amplifier, a 15-inch woofer, font and down-firing configurability and optional room correction. I...

HARMAN’s Revel Introduces 2-Series In-Wall and In-...

2012-09-12T14:06:00.001+02:00

Pure Home Theater & Hi Fi Speaker News and Info Pages: HARMAN’s Revel Introduces 2-Series In-Wall and In-...: INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – HARMAN’s Revel today announced the introduction of its 2-Series in-wall and in-ceiling loudspeakers, an all-new ...

PSB Collects Three Awards at CEDIA EXPO 2012

2012-09-12T14:05:00.001+02:00

Pure Home Theater & Hi Fi Speaker News and Info Pages: PSB Collects Three Awards at CEDIA EXPO 2012: PSB's Imagine T2 Tower speaker and M4U 2 Active Noise Cancelling headphones both were recognized with awards in their respected categories ...

Pure Home Theater Receiver News and Info pages: NAD Wins Three Awards at CEDIA 2012

2012-09-11T05:53:00.003+02:00

Pure Home Theater Receiver News and Info pages: NAD Wins Three Awards at CEDIA 2012: NAD boasting about CEDIA EX!TE Awards, and when CEDIA awards something it has practical use, not only for the consumer, but it empowers the...

Pure Home Theater Receiver News and Info pages: HARMAN’s Mark Levinson Showcasing 40th Anniversary...

2012-09-11T05:53:00.001+02:00

Pure Home Theater Receiver News and Info pages: HARMAN’s Mark Levinson Showcasing 40th Anniversary...: IT LOOKS STUNNING, IT IS EXPENSIVE, IT IS MARK LEVINSON!!! 9/6/2012 - By Peter Weiss, Source Mark Levinson Official Website H...

It is not only a speaker, it is Art Part 2

2012-09-08T16:06:00.000+02:00

Here is some more speakers that does not look traditional, it is unique, it sounds good and it looks like a real piece of art.

Anthony Gallo Reference 5

No less than:

7 Tweeters

8 x 4" Midrange Drivers

12 x 4" Woofers

Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5

The Vox Olympian

Made exclusively by hand in England, each pair of cabinets takes 5 skilled artisans 2,000 man hours to build; 1,400 hours for the cabinets alone and 600 hours for the bronze, silver and gold work – executed with absolute attention to detail.

Mark & Daniel Fantasia-S

$13800, and you get it different colors. 150 Watts with a frequency range of between 28Hz-35kHz.

The Gryphon Poseidon

Yes, this is only one speaker, a twin tower speaker. And frequency response, 6Hz - 40KHz. And if you wanted to see what it looks like in a room...

Will update soon about unique speakers around the world...

CEPro BEST Awards at CEDIA Expo 2012

2012-09-07T22:43:00.002+02:00

So at this years annual CEDIA Expo in the States, they have awarded the following list with there Best for CEDIA Expo.

The winners of the CE Pro BEST Awards were chosen by a panel of credible industry leaders along with the editors of CE Pro, to join an exclusive group of products deemed the most noteworthy for 2012. Criteria included innovation, functionality, competitive advantages and benefits to the installer.

So here is the winners:

In-Ceiling/In-Wall Loudspeakers (TIE)

Phase Technology – an MSE Audio Company, HS26 Pendant Speaker

In-Ceiling/In-Wall Loudspeakers (TIE) – Sonance, Invisible Series

Floor Standing/Shelf Loudspeaker

PSB, Imagine T2

On-Wall/Single Chassis Surround Loudspeaker

GoldenEar Technology, SuperCinema 3D Array

All-Inclusive Multi-Room Audio System

Savant Systems, SmartMedia (Distributed Audio) SSM-3100

Multi-Zone Amplifier/Receiver

Denon Electronics, AVR-3313CI

No New Wires Transmission Technology/Retrofit

Kanex, ATV Pro

Source Components/Digital

NAD Electronics, M51

Media Servers/Streaming Media

Autonomic Controls, Inc., Mirage Media Server MMS-5A

A/V Preamplifier/Processor/Switcher

Crestron, DM-MD6X6 6x6 DigitalMedia Distribution Center

Flat Panel TV

LG Electronics, CINEMA 3D OLED TV with Smart TV (EM9600)

Projector

Sony Electronics, 4K Home Theater Front Projector; VPL VW1000ES

Projection Screen

Elite Screens, Peregrine AcousticPro 4K

Mount/Lift/Rack/Media Concealment

SANUS, VisionMount VLF320 Super Slim Full-Motion Mount

Furniture, Seating and Acoustical Treatments

Salamander Designs, Olivia Home Theater Sectional Seating

Whole House Control

Control4, HC-800 Controller

Multi-Room Touchscreen

Savant Systems, Smart Control Phone

Keypads, Controls, Remotes & IR Extenders

URC, MXW-920 Waterproof Remote Control

Outdoor A/V (TIE)

Leon Speakers, Boundary Series B404 Outdoor Speaker

Séura, Storm Outdoor Television

A/V Cabling

Cleerline Technology Group, NSF (Non-Strip-Fiber)

Home Networking Device

Pakedge Device and Software, S24H 24-Port Gigabit Switch With Full PoE+ Ports

Headphones and Apple/Android accessories

Mozaex, BluWavs

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!!!

Home Theatre and Hi-Fi Reviews: The Marantz SR7007 Receiver Review

2012-09-07T22:28:00.000+02:00

Home Theatre and Hi-Fi Reviews: The Marantz SR7007 Receiver Review: Marantz is one of those companies that will properly never die as long as there is ears to hear and music to be played at home. ...

CLICK HERE FOR FULL REVIEW

Dali Epicon 8 3 1/2 Way Floor Standing Speaker

2012-09-06T08:37:00.001+02:00

Pure Home Theater & Hi Fi Speaker News and Info Pages: Dali Epicon 8 3 1/2 Way Floor Standing Speaker: PureHT: Seeing this speaker earlier this year at the IS Europe convention, I have to say, IT LOOKED STUNNING! Few speaker in aesthetics impr...

Marantz unveils flagship 3D-Blu-ray Player.

2012-09-06T06:30:00.002+02:00

Pure Home Theater Receiver News and Info pages: Marantz unveils flagship 3D-Blu-ray Player.: PureHT: So who would have guessed, on the very same day that Denon revealed their new Universal disc player called the Denon 3013UD, Marantz...

New Sony A/V Receivers Have Control4 Inside

2012-09-06T05:45:00.001+02:00

New Sony A/V Receivers Have Control4 Inside - Cedia News Article from CE Pro

Click link above for full report...

It’s a top-of-the-line home theater receiver. It’s a home automation system. It’s the new STR-DA5800ES and STR-DA2800ES receivers from Sony, with Control4 inside.

The two companies announced the products – and the collaboration – at CEDIA Expo 2012. The receivers are part of Sony’s high-performance “Elevated Standard” (ES) line, and they offer 4K pass-through and other high-end features, including HDMI switching (“Yes it is really fast,” says CE Pro contributor Joe Whitaker in his exclusive review).

On top of their uber-performance on the A/V side, the Sony products also have a Control4 home automation processor built in. Out of the box, the Control4 intelligence can be used to configure the included Sony remote as a universal remote for operating a complete home theater. Via built-in ZigBee RF technology, it also can be used to configure and control a limited number of lighting modules and switches.

“We think this is a fantastic way to broaden the market to channels beyond Control4,” says Control4 product manager Noel Gouff. “Sony has a brand trusted by consumers. We think we’re sitting on right opportunity.”

The new receivers can be purchased from traditional Sony resellers, but in order to get the full Control4 feature set (two-way remote, thermostats, keypads, motorized door locks, etc.), consumers will need to step up to a Control4 dealer.

At that point, the consumer pays a licensing fee to unlock the full potential of the system.

Click image to enlarge.“If purchased by the consumer and brought home, they can have a great media experience,” says Control4 CEO Martin Plaehn.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE

Home Theatre and Hi-Fi Reviews: Marantz SR7007 Review! Coming Soon

2012-09-05T22:10:00.002+02:00

Home Theatre and Hi-Fi Reviews: Marantz SR7007 Review! Coming Soon: Got hold of the new Marantz SR7007 Receiver, will report on it soon...

New Harman Kardon AVR70 5.1 3D Receiver

2012-09-05T15:34:00.000+02:00

Pure Home Theater Receiver News and Info pages: Harman Kardon AVR70 5.1 3D Receiver: Pure HT: New entry level range, the Harman Kardon AVR70 released last 3rd quarter of 2012. This will fit the low budget receivers. The Ha...