We received our first pair of the new B&W 800 Diamond series loudspeakers a few weeks ago, the 802 Diamond. The good news is that, despite how good the earlier 802D’s were, the new model is a definite improvement. There has been so much pre-release press on the new tweeter that we were expecting to find some subtle improvements in high frequency, and not much else. We were surprised (and pleased) to find that the new version was an improvement in almost all aspects. One of the great surprises is in the bass region, control, tightness and definition is far better.
This week we also received the baby of the series, the 805 Diamonds, and we will be receiving our first pair of the top-of-the-range 800’s any day now. It is rare that any release of a new range of loudspeakers creates this level of anticipation, but having lived with the 802’s for a couple of weeks now we understand what all the fuss is about.

While we are on the subject of great loudspeakers we have also just received stock of the fabulous Focal Scala Utopia speakers ($45,000pr). We have been out of stock of these for a couple of months now, so it is great to have them back in the showroom.

It seems that headphone amplifiers are all the rage, along with a renewed interest in headphones, as the release of the stunning Sennheiser HD800s and the surprising B&W P5’s attests.

Given that they were one of the pioneers of the category it is no surprise that Musical Fidelity is still considered to be the market leader. They are also about to consolidate this position with the re-release of the X-CANv8p.

This is a high quality, single ended, Class A triode headphone amplifier with ultra-low output impedance, capable of effortlessly driving any headphone. It has two headphone sockets, a normal line input plus a USB input. It also features a line-output so it can also be used as a single-ended Class A triode pre-amp.

Always considered to offer great value at $999 – the X-CANv8p has been re-released at $699.

Stock is available now, but quantities are limited.

I believe that the conclusion from a recent British review sums up the product very well:

‘Ken Ishiwata’s thirty year long tenure at Marantz has been a fruitful one, and the KI Pearl system shows why. These are sophisticated Hi-Fi separates, carefully designed, beautifully built, and very cleverly voiced to deliver the musical – as apposed to Hi-Fi – goods, regardless of what type of music you care to feed in. They’re excellent on their own, but I’d suggest that the whole of the system is greater than the sum of the separates; together the Pearls really fly. A wonderful combination to behold, and excellent value too, my only criticism is that they’ll not be around as long as their creator: those five hundred units are soon to go.”

I have also recently come across a video of Ken discussing the products in person – it’s worth a look.

If you are in the market for a very good quality amp and/or CD player, and if you (like me) appreciate both build quality and performance, these should be on your short list. These are products that will stand the test of time!

The KI Pearl amplifier and CD player sell for $4,999 each.

There is no doubt that NAD would always be one of the first (if not the only) product you would think of when considering a good quality, yet affordable, Hi-Fi component. This new pricing simply re-enforces their position.

There are too many changes to list here, but for example:
· C165BEE Pre-amplifier. $1,199.(Previously$1,499)
· C275BEE power amp. $1,499.(Previously $1,899)
· C326BEE Integrated amplifier. $599. (Previously $749)
· C355BEE Integrated amplifier. $899. (Previously $1,099)
· C375BEE Integrated amplifier. $1,699. (Previously $2,199)
· C515BEE CD Player. $399. (Previously $449)
· C545BEE CD Player. $599. (Previously $749)
· C565BEE CD Player. $899. (Previously $1,099)
· C725BEE Receiver. $999. (Previously $1,199)
· VisoTwo DVD/Stereo Receiver $1,299.(Previously $1,699)
· VisoFive DVD/Surround Receiver $1,499.(Previously $2,199)

They have also announced some very good Home Theatre specials:
· T737 A/V Receiver with the T557 Blu-ray player. Retails for $2,098, but we are now offering this combination for $1,398.00
· T775HD A/V Receiver again with the T557 Blu-ray. Retails for $4,998, but we are offering this for $3,598.00.

We have taken this opportunity to create a couple of very good, well priced Hi-Fi packages based on NAD electronics and Focal speakers. These packages are:

· Great Start Package:
NAD C326BEE amplifier
NAD C515BEE CD player
Focal Chorus 705v bookshelf speakers.
Package price $1,599 (initially $1,897)

· Performance Plus Package:
NAD C355BEE amplifier
NAD C545 CD player
Focal Chorus 716v floorstanding speakers.
Package price $2,995 (initially $4,047.)

Peachtree have garnered a worldwide following for their Nova integrated amplifier, which is was of the pioneers of the current wave of amplifiers which are equally comfortable switching between either digital or analogue sources.

They have now released their new iDecco, which is being billed as the world’s first ‘Tube Hybrid Integrated amplifier with a ‘Pure Digital’ iPod dock’. There are a number of facets to this product:
· It is first and foremost a very good quality 40 watt MOSFET integrated amplifier.
· Like its bigger brother it features a Class ‘A’ triode valve preamplifier.
· It also has a high quality headphone amplifier.
· Very importantly, it houses a very high quality 24-bit/96khz Digital-to-Analogue converter.
· Finally it features an iPod dock. It is this dock, along with the quality of the in-built DAC, which sets this product apart. Most iPod docks operate via the analogue output of the iPod, using the iPod power supply, DAC and output stage. The iDecco accesses the digital content directly, which is fed to the on-board DAC. If your material has been recorded in an uncompressed format, your iPod can now perform to the levels of a CD player, and beyond.
As well as the iPod dock the iDecco has one analogue and three digital inputs.

This is a great sounding and very versatile amplifier, selling for $1,499. It is ideal for small format systems where a good deal of your music is sourced from digital sources, be that an iPod, or more possibly, a computer or NAS drive.

Another new disc player that is now on our shelves is the UD8004 Universal Blu-ray from Marantz. I am sure that we all know (or at least suspect) that Blu-ray and DVD players do not make great CD players, and if you want the best out of both worlds you need to have both. The UD8004 changes all of this. Not only is this an absolute first class Blu-ray player, but the same can be said for its CD and SACD capabilities as well. This is an obvious choice for anyone looking for the best of both worlds, but who is not keen on the idea of owning two hi-end boxes.

Also from Marantz we have just received their ‘KI Pearl’ amplifier and CD player. These two products have been built, under the watchful eye of industry guru Ken Ishiwata, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ken’s involvement with Marantz.
These are beautifully engineered pieces, with performance to match. I love to see this kind of product come onto the market, product built to last a lifetime with great performance.
The Marantz KI Pearl amplifier and CD player sell for $4,999 each.

Yet another recent edition to our range is the Sitara loudspeakers from Audio Physic. My admiration for this brand of speaker is well known, and the Sitara is a welcome addition. This is a replacement for the very successful Spark –and as we would hope is an improvement on its predecessor – which in itself is no mean feat.
The Sitara is a 2.5 way, 3 driver design in a cabinet that leans backwards at seven degrees to provide time alignment of the drivers. The cabinets are beautifully crafted, and they are available with either traditional timber veneers (five versions), or in high-gloss white or black (we have the white on display.)
 Like all Audio Physic speakers these provide a very balanced sound, and one that is very easy to listen to. No area of the music demands your attention, the result being a speaker that will provide many hours of enjoyable listening.
I think that the conclusion from Canada’s ‘Son and Image Magazine’ sums these speakers up very well:
 ”Competence, assurance and ease are the three words that kept coming back to me during the time I spent listening casually or intently to music through the Sitaras. With these speakers I always felt confident that any track I chose would be a musical experience unmarred by exaggeration or distortion anywhere in the frequency band. I started the listening session convinced that sooner or later the 5.9 inch drivers would call attention to themselves by a resonance in the highs, but I gave up my search, because in addition to the leitmotif of “No loss of fine detail” it should be added “No addition of artificial detail.” If you are looking for speakers that combine holographic imaging, excellent tonal balance, dynamics, emotion, all presented in top-notch cabinetwork, then have a good look and listen to the Sitara.”

M6i Silver Front Close Up

There can be little doubt that one of the most influential personalities in the audio industry is Antony Michaelson of Musical Fidelity. He has produced a seemingly unbroken run of superb amplifiers, along with highly recognised CD Players, DAC’s, phono preamplifiers, headphone amplifiers etc.

Antony is naturally a very prolific man, but the speed at which he is currently releasing new products is unusual even by his standards. We have recently witnessed the release of the 1Kw per channel Titan power amp ($49,995), which despite its power capacity sounds as delicate as a Class A tube amp. The matching Primo pre-amp ($16,995) is a Class ‘A’ triode design, with a distortion rating of 0.0035% and a noise ratio of -119dBa – exceptional figures for a Tube design.

The other interesting design is the AMS35i ($13,995) – a 35wpc pure Class ‘A’ dual mono integrated amplifier with balanced inputs. This is an excellent sounding amplifier, one that punches way beyond its weight when it comes to driving loudspeakers. This truly is an amplifier designed with the music lover in mind.

However it could be argued that all of these products are somewhat exotic, and certainly not inexpensive. It is their latest release which has us particularly excited at the moment. The M6i in the first of Musical Fidelity’s new ‘6’ series of products. It is a 200wpc integrated amplifier, but the design sets it apart from the more traditional expectations of this genre. Despite the fact that this is a one box solution, and the fact that it utilises a single (albeit huge) transformer – which has separate outputs for the left and right channels plus the pre-amplifier – it is actually two mono power amplifiers and a pre-amp in a single chassis. This is a superb sounding amplifier – and even at $4,995 represents great value. The build quality is exceptional, and like the AMS35i it boasts balanced inputs, plus a USB input.

Team this amp up with a quality pair of speakers such as the Focal Electra1028 plus a suitable source and you have a stunning combination.

Marantz PM8003 amp & SA8003 SACD Player - now $1,699 ea.

Len Wallis Audio has just been named as the 2009 Marantz Australian ‘Dealer of the Year’.

It has been a great year for Marantz. They have had a number of new releases, and have shown a consistency of quality that is becoming a thing of the past for many companies. I believe that this has worked in their favour as it appears that we are experiencing a swing back to quality audio performance. Many consumers are now starting the question the audio quality of their Home Theatre systems, and a totally new generation of consumers brought up listening to compressed music is now starting to chase performance for the vast choice of musical genres now available to them.
 
Marantz Home Theatre receivers are gaining popularity with their ever increasing commitment to audio performance. Their two-channel offerings are simply getting better all the time – this is one company which is not scared to constantly improve and re-invent.

This commitment has been universally recognised. The CD6003 CD Player and the matching PM6003 integrated amplifier have both received a Five Star reviews from What Hi-Fi in the UK, and both have also been named as the best amp and best CD player under £1,000 from the same publication. The larger SA7003 SACD Player and the exceptional PM8003 amplifier were both given the Best Buy award by Hi-Fi Choice. The PM7003 amplifier received the ‘Best Amplifier under $2,000’ award from Sound and Image (not bad for an amplifier currently selling for $1,199) and the SA8002 SACD player has been named as the ‘Best Product – Audio source’ in the prestigious European ‘EISA’ awards.

To top this off Marantz have also just announced some new lower pricing on all these models. All have dropped 10% to 15%, and includes some excellent buys like the SA8003 integrated amp which has been reduced from $1,999 to $1,699.

Along with this award we were also pleased to reactive the Stealth Acoustics ‘Dealer of the Year’ award. Stealth speakers have become the darling of architects, interior designer’s etc world wide. They are completely invisible, yet their performance is as good as, or better than, most in-ceiling or in-wall speakers. They recently received the Sound and Image ‘In-Wall loudspeakers of the Year’ awa

Firstly they collected the “Best Home Theatre Speaker System $2,500 – $5,000 “at the “Sound & Image Magazine” awards. Not bad for a speaker pack that sells for $2,995, although we were hardly surprised. This is a great package, and one of the very few examples of a Home Theatre speaker rig that looks as good as it sounds.

During the same month the Utopia Diablo picked up the award for the European Hi-End loudspeaker of the Year at the prestigious EISA (European Sound and Imaging Association) awards. Again a great result considering that this speaker sells for $16,999 (plus stands) a pair here in Australia. These may not be the cheapest speakers on the market, but they are certainly inexpensive compared to the money that can be spent on Hi-End speakers.

Plus UK based magazine Hi-Fi News published a glowing review on the (yet to be released in Australia) Maestro Utopia.

2009 also marks 30 years for Focal, and to mark the occasion they have released an anniversary speaker, the Chorus 826W. While based on an existing model they have been considerably upgraded, and are an excellent sounding loudspeaker – performing well above what we would expect from a speaker costing $4,599 a pair.  This is due in part to the use of the exceptional ‘W’ cone Focal have developed for their more expensive lines of speakers.

This is a limited release, and Australia will only receive a total of 50 pair!

(Note: 27-10-09. Due to the continuing strength of the A$ the Sennheiser HD800 headphones have now been reduced from $2,399 to $1,999.)

There is little doubt that the Sennheiser HD800 has been one of the most anticipated releases of any Hi-Fi product in recent times. The official release was many months ago, conducted with great fanfare and publicity. Only then did the Australian distributors learn that due to overseas commitments there was no stock available, and since then a multitude of release dates came and went.

The good news is that the HD800’s have finally arrived, and the wait has been worth it. During the forty years I have been in this industry I have developed a rather cautious approach to highly hyped products – in the majority of cases expectations have been so great that reality has been a let-down. Not in this case, the Sennheiser HD800 headphones are actually better than I expected.

 There is no disputing that in terms of value for money headphones have much to offer relative to loudspeakers. Most good headphones will give you a sense of performance bettering speakers costing many times the cost of the phones themselves. You will be hard pressed to find a pair of speakers that will offer the performance levels of the HD800 (particularly in terms of bass – they go down to 6Hz!). The major criticism of headphones is that they play the entire performance inside the space of your head. This is something that Sennheiser have addressed with the HD800; they have the ability to offer a spatial effect that appears to be outside of your head. Very few headphones have done in the past, possibly the best example being the stunning range of Electrostatic headphones from Stax.

 The other piece of good news from the distributors of Stax is that they are also now the distributors for Lehmann Audio, who manufactures excellent headphone amplifiers. We have the Lehmann Black Box Linear on display. This unit sells for $1,649, and it is a great step up from the very popular Musical Fidelity headphone amplifiers we have been carrying for many years. While the unit we have is the standard version there is two additional versions available, one with balanced outputs, and the second variation with a USB input.

 As an introductory offer the company has paired the Black Box Linear with the superb Sennheiser HD650 ($899) headphones. This pairing is selling for $1,999, which is a saving of $500.