High End Audio

Ray Seda has posted a review of the Merrill Audio Veritas monoblock amplifiers ($12,000/pair) at Dagogo. His conclusions: ” The Merrill Audio Veritas challenges audiophiles on many fronts. It... Visit the Ultra High-End Audio and Home Theater Review for more...

Or how can you know parody from the original? I don't know but I have been amusingly parodied on the Naim forum where member Jan-Erik turned my Unease of the Audiophile sketch from a couple of years back into an alternative, the Ease of the Naimophile. It is good fun.

In addition to showing his almost menacing looking mega-mass Stabi M turntable we highlighted in CES 2013 coverage, Franc Kuzma introduced a line of MC phono cartridges with motors manufactured to his specs in Japan and bodies he machines in Slovenia. In a later pass through wearing the GoPro camera, I encountered Franc arguing with a customer about the importance of anti-skating. I got dragged into the discussion (Franc pronounces "bias" as "bee-as") first page: 1

American WADAX distributor Rick Brown in Munich holding a test pressing of a new vinyl reissue of one of Todd Garfinkle's most highly regarded m-a recordings, Será Una Noche. Garfinkle records to 96/24 digital using minimal miking techniques so here, the master file's output went directly to the WADAX DAC, the analog output of which drove directly a Westrex cutter head and lathe at 45rpm owned by History of Recorded Sound's Len Horowitz. first page: 1

Here's one that's not brand new but I've never before seen it. The Pyon Ultima turntable weighs in at 170 pounds. The 60 pound platter is part chrome plated cast iron, part Tank wood, and part acrylic fitted with ceramic packets. Price is circa $20,000 The Iris Reference tone arm is a magnetically stabilized uni-pivot (ala Graham) featuring a Tank wood (also known as Panzerholz) arm tube and plated brass head shell. Price is $5500. The cartridge mounted to the arm is a the new Stein Aventurin 6. I have one here for review but it's not yet installed. first page: 1

The Audio Electronics by Cary Audio Lightning digital to analog converter (DAC) is NOW SHIPPING and is available for purchase through Audio Electronics by Cary Audio’s online store... Visit the Ultra High-End Audio and Home Theater Review for more...

A.J. van den hul showed me a spool of carbon nanotube conductor that's ultra-thin and flexible. It's also very expensive at this point. Each strand is about 3 microns in diameter. Nineteen are put together to make one conductor.van den hul claims it's the only cable with conduction at the wave's "zero crossing line". He produced a demo comparing it to copper wire and the difference was impressive. first page: 1

Thrax has yet to make major inroads in the American market but that will surely change as its products become better known. At least that's my assessment based upon what I saw and heard in Munich. The products look beautiful and the engineering is impressive based upon my conversations with the owner/designer Rumen Todorov Atarski. A nasty rumor floated around last year claiming that Thrax designs and builds Ypsilon's products. I don't know who started such a rumor but they should cut it out! In fact Mr. first page: 1

highend-electronics and Voxativ bring first-class audiophile quality in their new stand- mounted Voxativ ? (PI) Loudspeaker System. Apple Valley, CA May 15, 2013: highend-electronics and Voxativ are very proud to announce the U.S. debut of the brand new Voxativ ? (PI) stand-mounted speaker system. The Voxativ ? (PI) is equipped with a new sound guiding system: The Acoustic Stealth Technology = AST ®. With the AST-Horn the PI can radiate about 40 Hz and sounds much more “open” than a reflex system. The driver system is also brand new and made in-house. It’s equipped with a magnet unit that has been optimized by means of the Finite Element Method (FEM) and AST. The diaphragm coating has been specially developed by the University of Chemnitz in Germany. Of course all parts are handmade in Germany. The sculptural shape of the Voxativ ? (PI) system, combined with its full and rich sound impression is again one of the best full-range loudspeakers, all in an audiophile stand-mounted speaker system. The ? (PI) Specifications are as follows: ? Frequency response: 40 – 20,000 Hz ? Driver: VOXATIV AC-Pi_Fe ? Efficiency: 99dB / 1W / 1m ? Capacity : 50 W sinus ? Dimensions: 38cm x 65cm x 31cm – 15″ x 25″ x 12″ (W x H x D) ? Weight: 22 kg (48 lbs) ? Price: US $13,500.- /pair (optional speaker stands $1,590) Based in Germany, Voxativ manufactures the internationally-acclaimed high-end loudspeaker systems, Voxativ ? (PI), Ampeggio Signature and Ampeggio Due, as well as the Voxativ PA-01 preamp and Voxativ 845 Monoblock amplifiers. And not to forget – the entire line of high-end, full-range drive units. Voxativ originally made its name with a modernized and highly-refined version of the classic Lowther full-range driver. Ines Adler, founder and designer of Voxativ, began experimenting with widebanders in the 1980s. After finishing her engineering studies with a master’s degree, she worked for Daimler’s Mercedes Benz, developing engine electronics, ECUs and software, holding 14 patents on diesel combustion, injection and exhaust treatments. In the late 90s Ines wanted to optimize her widebanders, experimenting again, producing very promising results, the basis for the current Voxativ product line. highend-electronics, inc. is a high-end audio retailer catering to the most discerning clientele of music lovers with an appetite for the finest in high-end reference audio components, and is owned and operated by Alfred Kainz – an audiophile himself with over 20 years of experience. Founded in Vienna, Austria, highend-electronics is now based in Apple Valley, CA. Here in the U.S. highend-electronics has earned a reputation for premiering high-quality European high-end audio products in the U.S. and establishing their presence within the audiophile base of U.S. music lovers. Please visit us at our websites www.highend-electronics.com and www.voxativ.com, and contact us if you need any additional information. The post Voxativ & highend-electronics announce U.S. Debut of Voxativ ? (PI) Speakers appeared first on Dagogo.

I first became acquainted with Lindsay Dobbin’s work in 2010, when she released, under the name Broken Deer, a limited-edition cassette on Al Bjornaa’s Scotch Tapes label. The music sounded like it came from some other, remote time and place—hushed, fragile, inspired by dreams and memories.