AudioSalon - scotlands first and foremost hi-fi dealer since 1979

	Make a date in your diary for the Hi-Fi News Show 2006 which this year takes place from September 22-24 at the Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, London. The event will feature a potent mix of the hottest hi-fi, a superb line-up of famous faces from the audio world who'll be giving 'free-to-see' talks, a nod to the past with a stunning hi-fi museum exhibit and much more.
	Thiel Audio's new SCS4 multi-channel bookshelf loudspeaker features coherent source technology. At 17.5 tall and 8.5 (inches) wide, this two-way bookshelf-sized loudspeaker system is 90dB/W/m efficient and can be used for both audio and movie systems. Driver compliment is a metal diaphragm 6.5-inch woofer that is coaxially mounted with a 1-inch, high output metal dome tweeter. The Thiel-designed woofer's short coil/long gap, copper stabilized motor system is claimed to greatly reduce distortion while the woofer's neodymium magnet improves efficiency. The SCS4 utilizes a phase correct crossover system to eliminate phase distortion while the coaxial midrange/tweeter mounting provides time coherent sound.
	ATC's new Entry Series line consisting of the SCM7, SCM11, SCM19 and SCM40 ($1,150, $1,900, $3,300, and $4,400 per pair respectively). These models replace the company's award winning SCM7, SCM12 and SCM35. The Entry Series feature improvements over the older models such as updated aesthetics with a new stepped graphite grey double front baffle, which together with a new monocoque cabinet construction provides increased cabinet rigidity with the drive units more closely optimized to the cabinet cube. Each model features stepped front baffle curved edges for reduced diffraction distortion and improved imaging. All models have a newly designed neodymium 25mm soft-dome tweeter with precision engineered solid aluminum wave-guide for enhanced HF dispersion. The crossover network presents a steady impedance load and uses metallized polypropylene capacitors, large air cored inductors, and ceramic wire round resistors for superior power handling and clarity. All four speakers available in natural, richly grained, light tone cherry wood veneer.
	Classic Records is now shipping their Led Zeppelin 45rpm vinyl LP box set (RTH 3001-45, priced at $700). Each of the 10 Led Zeppelin titles that Classic Records had previously reissued on 33.3 were re-mastered at 45rpm on 12-inch single-sided discs. This makes for a total of 48 vinyl albums, with each title separated by a Title ID divider and packed in a custom-made road case. Every set is individually hand-packed with 13 quality check points. To ensure authenticity, each road case is sealed with two holographic stickers. Due to the very high demand for this box set, if you have not ordered your set yet, Classic Records is already at work on the second and final pressing of this box set that will be available within a few months.
	Linn Records is now offering SACD titles for only $10 each when you purchase 10. The two offers are available until the end of July and include Linn's 10 disc Jazz collection or 10 disc Classical collection. The collection of 10 Jazz SACDs encompass musicians Claire Martin, guitarist Martin Taylor, Barb Jungr, Haftor Medboe Group and legendary vocalist Carol Kidd to name a few. Linn's 10 classical music SACDs feature Pamela Thorby, pianist Artur Pizarro, the choral majesty of Magnificat and much more. All of Linn's SACDs are hybrid discs with both SACD and CD layers.

HiFi+ Bought!

UK-based print audiophile publication hi-fi+ has been purchased by Absolute Multimedia, owners of longstanding United States magazine The Abso!ute Sound. The Abso!ute Sound has been experiencing impressive growth in content  under the same ownership for many year. Roy Gregory, editor of hi-fi- plus, wrote, "Hi-Fi Plus has changed hands. The new owners are Absolute Multimedia Inc. the owners of American high-end magazine The Abso!ute Sound, a title we've long held in the highest regard and which has, in a very real way, shaped what we do here at Plus." The Abso!ute Sound is also a partnered magazine with Enjoy the Music.com®, one of the Web's leading sites with over 100 show reports and a immense variety of both audiophile equipment and music reviews.

2005 Awards

Hi Fi World's annual awards have just been announced.

Best Cartridge The Lyra Argo

Hi Fi World had this to say about the Argo:

'By this, I mean the Lyras are extremely balanced, subtle and incisive-in a way that few similiary priced rivals can be. Wonderfully open and expansive, its soundstage is extremely wide and deep yet precisely articulated. Vocals are uncommonly direct.'

'There's an effortlessness to the midband, which is wonderfully expressive.'

‘A beautifully engineered and built, yet thoroughly modern, machine.'

Best Headphone Stax SRS-4040 Signature System 2

Hi Fi World made these comments about the Stax system:

'The 4040 package doesn't sound like any other headphone.'

'Probably the cleanest sounding headphones I've heard, the Staxes are supremely natural.'

'The brilliance of the Stax 4040 package is that despite the sharp relief it throws on the deficiencies of your power amp and loudspeakers (rendering them irrelevant), it's never punishingly analytical.'

'Like the record label of the same name, the Staxes have soul. You'd need to spend nigh on £ 10,000 to buy power amplification and speakers capable of similar musical insight.'

Best CD Player Esoteric X-01 SACD / CD Player

Hi Fi World commented on the X-01 by saying:

‘It's not everyday that we at Hi Fi World review a digital disc spinner retailing for £ 8995, but the Esoteric X-01 is not an everyday digital disc spinner.‘

'The listener is greeted with an supremely sophisticated treble which lights up the music with stunning resolution. The sound is subjectively so low in distortion that the Esoteric has complete control of the rhythms, while bass is deliciously tuneful, eliciting stunning definition and extension. There is incredible control of a multilayered midband.'

'The Esoteric's treble is sophisticated without being silky, smooth or sweet-rather it is simply truthful, allowing huge amounts of light into the music and is complex enough to have many different shades that illuminate the music properly. The sound is huge, powerful and spacious.'

'This is an ultra high end hi fi instrument, and looks, feels and sounds it. It boasts a level of engineering and finish to shame any supercar; plus nigh on peerless sound on CD and SACD.'

'Surely one of the best silver disc spinners money can buy.'

Stereophile Awards

Ayre were jointly awarded 'Product of the year'for their remarkable C-5xe universal disc player. They share the award with the makers of the dartZeel NHB-108 Model One power amplifier.

Stereophile concluded that designers Charles Hansen of Ayre and Herve' Deletraz of darZeel are not the sort of guys who go around compromising values, and this is clearly evident in their work.

Though neither component will prove perfect for all, the Ayre is music, and two-channel only, while the datZeel doesn't play well with all speaker impedances, both come as close to perfect for some as is possible.

Wes Phillips should know; he reviewed, and fell in love with both.

Although the C-5xe and the NHB-108 place certain demands on their always-gratified owners, they are true references that combine superb sound quality with inspired and passionate engineering. And that is why we have made them our' 2005 products of the year.'

2005 Joint Digital Source Component

› Ayre C-5xe and dCS Verdi La Scala transport and Delius digital processor

› Runner up: Esoteric X-01 SACD / CD Player

2005 Analog Source Component

› Brinkmann Balance turntable and 10.5 Tonearm

› Lyra Helikon Mono phono cartridge

2005 Multi-channel Music Component

› Runner up: Esoteric X-01 SACD / CD Player

2005 Joint Products of the Year

› Ayre C-5xe and datZeel NHB-108 Model One power amplifier

› Runner up: Brinkmann Balance turntable and 10.5 tonearm

HiFi Choice Awards

Ayre and Esoteric win Gold awards in ‘The Hi Fi Choice 2005 Awards’

Symmetry is proud to announce that both Ayre and Esoteric have won Gold awards in the latest issue of Hi Fi Choice.

These annual awards are the culmination of all the years best components reviewed in the pages of Hi Fi Choice.

Hi Fi Choice listen to all the products, measure them and seek the opinion of blind listening teams before extensive consultation with a judging panel of experienced Hi Fi Choice reviewers. Products are awarded in the categories of Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Gold award for the Ayre K-1xe and V-1xe in the category of‘Best amplifier over £5000'

Hi Fi Choice said this about the Ayre combination:
‘Just when you think you've got the world of hi-fi pretty much covered, along comes a product that makes you redefine just how good your system can sound. US brand Ayre is hardly new to the scene-indeed, these pre and power amps are evolved from a classic high-end combination of the 1990s. But when we took a listen to these latest‘xe' versions in our special The Collection 2005 edition, we were truly blown away by the living, breathing music they delivered.

Expensive? Yes, but worth every penny.'

Gold award for the Esoteric X-01 SACD / CD Player in the category of‘Best SACD Player'

Hi Fi Choice said this about the Esoteric X-01:
‘There have been some excellent new CD/SACD audio players arriving on the scene this year, not least the Marantz and Krell models that receive our Silver and Bronze Awards here- both are superb at their respective price points and worth every penny.

But our Gold Award simply had to go to

Lyra win awards at the Hi FI News Awards 2005

Symmetry are pleased to announce that two Lyra cartridge have received awards in the recent Hi Fi News Awards.

The Lyra Argo received third place in the category of cartridges up to a £1000.

Hi Fi News said:
‘Last year's winner remains a favourite, an‘affordable' Lyra with stunning weight and drive yet delicacy and finesse.'

In the category of cartridges over £1000 the Lyra Titan i took the award for best cartridge.

Hi Fi News said:
‘Flagship model from Lyra replaces the flagship Parnassus DCt and comprises a one-piece titanium body and diamond-coated boron cantilever, tipped with the original Lyra line-contact stylus. A world reference pick-up cartridge.'

Symmetry announce new Esoteric Universal Player

Following the successful launch of the new Esoteric X-01 SACD / CD Player, Symmetry are pleased to announce the launch of the new Esoteric UX-1 Universal Player.

The UX-1 utilises the remarkable VRDS-NEO technology, a mechanism unique to Esoteric and that is derived from the company's original, much admired VRDS mechanism.

It is generally accepted that mass-manufactured discs are not perfectly flat and yet a perfectly flat disc is the ideal for perfect reproduction Esoteric chose to move away form the increasingly complicated electronic remedies and address the problem at its mechanical source.

The result was Esoteric VRDS. The whole disc is clamped tightly against a solid precision machined turntable to establish a flat surface. In addition, the use of ultra-dense materials damps vibration and resonance. Tight and deliberate control over every movement within the mechanism is the key to accurate and precise reproduction of music and video from the disc. Presented with a flat surface, isolated from the outside world, the laser beam tracks the disc with unerring accuracy-thus it can transmit the purest bit stream to the players sophisticated digital filters and digital to analogue converters.

The UX-1 is fitted with the very latest version of the VRDS mechanism. The new VRDS-NEO is the first mechanism from Esoteric that will play all available music and video discs. The mechanism is able to spin discs up to 5000 rpm enabling SACD and DVD-Audio to be decoded. Some of the UX-1 features include :

› Playback of SACD, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, CD-R, VCD and MP3 discs.

› VRDS-NEO Mechanism

› High precision disc drive system with magnesium platter.

› 3-phase brush-less spindle motor and high precision bearing.

› Pickup thread servo system to maintain accurate laser beam angle.

› Machined aluminium disc tray and heavy weight steel chassis.

› The video digital to analogue converter is the latest from Analog Devices the ADV7314.

› The video sampling is carried out at 8 x oversampling for interlaced and 4 x oversampling for progressive.

› Progressive Scan Video Output for both PAL and NTSC.

› Faroudja DCDi interlace to progressive scan processor.

› Exclusive dual monaural digital to analogue converter featuring hand matched Burr Brown converters.

› DTS 96 / 24 decoding and Dolby Digital decoding.

› DVI-D digital video output HDCP supported.

› D1 / D2 Video output.

› Component Video output's via BNC.

› S-Video output.

› Composite Video output.

› Balanced and single ended outputs for left and right channels.

› 5.1 multi-channel analogue audio outputs ( L,R,C,SL,SR,SW )

› Digital outputs via SP/DIF BNC and TOS-LINK.

› Word Sync Input

› Full function remote control.

› Weight 25kg.

The UX-1 component devices, circuit configuration , and parts were all determined through a painstaking process aimed at maximizing the potential of the ultra-precise, high rigid VRDS-NEO mechanism to provide a universal player with the worlds best image and sound quality. The UX-1 has all the features one would expect in a high end universal player, including the ability to decode DTS 96 / 24 format as well as Dolby Digital. A lip-sync function which corrects mistiming between audio and video, and a speaker configuration function which computes and adjusts the 5.1 channel surround sound installation environment. In addiction a Word Sync input port is provided for inputting an ultra-precise clock from the G-0s Master Clock Generator. Formats supported include 44.1 up to 176.4 kHz for CD / SACD playback and 48 kHz up to 196 kHz for DVD playback.

The UX-1 establishes a new benchmark for audio / video disc replay. From it's propriety and exclusive VRDS-NEO mechanism to its high precision audio and video decoding system the UX-1 is the ultimate source for the finest high end music and film systems.

 

In the news: RIAA BREAKTHROUGH

Music Industry Unveils New Piracy-Proof Format:

A Black, Plastic Disc With Grooves On It

Music bosses have unveiled a revolutionary new recording format that  they hope will help win the war on illegal file sharing which is  thought to be costing the industry millions of dollars in lost
revenue.  Nicknamed the 'Record', the new format takes the form of a  black, vinyl disc measuring 12 inches in diameter, which must be  played on a specially designed turntable'.

 "We can state with absolute certainty that no computer in the world  can access the data on this disc," said spokesman Brett Campbell. "We  are also confident that no-one is going to be able to produce pirate  copies in this format without going to a heck of a lot of trouble.  This is without doubt the best anti-piracy invention the music  industry has ever seen."

As part of the invention's rigorous testing process,the designers gave  some discs to a group of teenage computer experts who regularly use  file swapping software such as Limewire and gnutella and who admit to  pirating music CDs. Despite several days of trying, none of them were
able to hack into the disc's code or access any of the music files  contained within it.

 "It's like, really big and stuff," said Doug Flamboise, one of the testers.
 "I couldn't get it into any of my drives. I mean, what format is it?
 Is it, like, from France or something?"

Invention: Teenage computer hackers struggled to access the new disc.

In the new format, raw audio data in the form of music is encoded by  physically etching grooves onto the vinyl disc. The sound is thus  translated into variations on the disc's surface in a process that  industry insiders are describing as 'completely revolutionary' and  'stunningly clever.'             

To decode the data stored on the disc, the listener must use a special  player which contains a 'needle' that runs along the grooves on the  record surface, reading the indentations and transforming the  movements back into audio that can be fed through loudspeakers.

Even Shawn Fanning, the man who invented Napster, admits the new  format will make file swapping much more difficult. "I've never seen  anything like this," he told reporters. "How does it work?"

Pirates: Their days are numbered.

As rumours that a Taiwanese company has been secretly developing a 12  inch wide, turntable-driven, needle-based, firewire drive remain  unconfirmed, it would appear that the music industry may, at last,  have found the pirate-proof format it has long been searching for.

I saw this on the Manley labs website and just had to spread the word. By the way the steelhead is awsome...