len wallis audio headlines - autumn 2016

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The Newsletter of Len Wallis Audio Autumn 2016

lenwallisaudio.com

Meet DAVE!Chord’s reference DAC

Ringing in the changesTriangle’s silky-smooth LN07 loudspeakers

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The musical poetry of

Sennheiser’s OrpheusMusical Fidelity Nu-Vista CDYour ‘last chance’ ultimate CD player?

For more information contact 1800 251 367 for details of your nearest stockist.

THE WORLD’S FINEST HEADPHONES

CRAFTED FOR PERFECTION Improving on a seemingly perfect formula is not a task undertaken lightly, but Sennheiser’s engineers have succeeded in enhancing further the sound reproduction in the new HD 800 S.

Now with even better high precision connectivity options and two connection leads, the open, circumaural HD 800 S offer even better quality sound. Precision-built in Germany from only the finest materials and components. The transducer is encased by stainless steel, while the head-band and headphone mounting utilise the most advanced materials developed in the aerospace industry for high strength with minimal weight. The new HD800 S - Crafted for Perfection.

For more information, visit sennheiser.com.au or contact 1800 648 628

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64 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove NSW 2066 Telephone 02 9427 6755 [email protected] HouRS Monday Tuesday Wednesday Friday: 9 to 5.30 Thursday: 9 to 8; Saturday: 9 to 5; Sunday: closed THE LATEST IS ONLINE! – www.lenwallisaudio.com

04 From the desk of Len

05 The Atmos soundbar!

06 Peachtree’s Shift proves an excellent value DAC

08 The death of the CD player has been greatly exaggerated – witness the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista

10 Meet DAVE! – Chord’s new reference DAC

13 Len comes away impressed with the new Sennheiser Orpheus

14 Future projections! Two amazing projectors from JVC and Sony

16 Home cinema Our custom installation team turns an unloved junk room into a state- of-the-art home cinema

19 The vinyl resurgence sparks Pro-Ject to create a digital turntable

20 Triangle’s Elara series offers exceptional value

22 A stack of Stax – new models from the masters of electrostatic earspeakers

24 Perreaux and Plessis – amplification’s hidden gems

26 Devialet continues to lead in a new world of hi-fi

28 Bluesound developments: the latest in wireless audio

30 Update your Richter speakers to enjoy a special cash-back offer

31 Naim’s Qb: a mini Mu-so!

Inside...

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2220

26 28

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Editorial

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i can recall a bygone era when specifications were meaningful. They were poured over by enthusiasts, and heavily scrutinised by reviewers. Then along came Home Theatre and any

semblance of honest comparison went the way of the dinosaur.

For example, checking the specs on the Australian website for Yamaha’s RX-A550 receiver shows that it is rated at 60 watts/channel, with two channels driven, or 115 watts/channel if only driving one channel. But this is a Home Theatre receiver — surely it will be driven with five speakers? Plus this figure is into a 6-ohm load, while traditionally power ratings are into 8-ohm loads, which will be lower.

But then re-checking, this time on the US Yamaha site, the same receiver is rated at 80 watts with two channels driven – this time into 8 ohms, which (in theory at least) should be less than the 6-ohm rating given above.

Interestingly enough, in the reviews that I have been able to dig up so far on this receiver, none of them actually measured the power ratings. One did, however, compare it to a 110-watt rated alternative, and commented that they thought the Yamaha sounded ‘the least stressed when we ramped up the volume’ – something we would usually associate with a more powerful receiver. Incidentally, the Yamaha reviewed very well!

This criticism is by no means aimed at Yamaha. All manufacturers appear to play the same game, and

Yamaha is more honest than most. All the Yamaha ratings above are ‘measured’ at 20Hz to 20kHz, which is the universally accepted standard. However I have found some receivers where the rating is given at 40Hz to 20kHz, which will look more impressive, but is unrealistic in a real-world situation, particularly when using the system to play music. Worse still, many manufacturers specify their power ratings at 1kHz with one channel running, a completely useless figure.

The problem arises from the fact that when running one or two channels a certain demand is put on the power transformer in the unit. As the number of channels being used increases, this demand is increased, the power available for the two front channels is reduced, reducing in turn the power output.

Of great importance is the quality of the transformer itself. While researching this I came across an article where an A/V receiver specified at 88 watts/channel (one channel driven) on test delivered 28 watts/channel (x 5) when used under real-life conditions. In the same article another product rated at 155 watts/channel (again one-channel driven) delivered 111 watts/channel under real-life conditions, a much closer finding.

So where does this leave the consumer? Unfortunately up the proverbial creek. All you can rely on is your ears, and the advice from your dealer – make sure it is a reputable one!

F r o m t h E d E s k o F l E n

Aventage updateYamaha have expanded their Aventage range of A/V receivers. Traditionally this series started with the model ‘7’, currently the RX-A750. While this will only be a limited release we are currently carrying the new 5.1 RX-A550 receiver, selling for $799.

Despite being Yamaha’s ‘budget’ Aventage offering it still has most of the features in its larger siblings, such as their wireless Multiroom system, MusicCast. It also has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, and is Spotify ready.

Yamaha’s other addition to the Aventage range is the RX-A710. This is a 7.1 A/V receiver, with its primary difference from the rest of the range being that it is a slimline model. There are many situations where space is a consideration, and at 111mm high the ‘710 will be an ideal solution in many situations. The RX-A710 sells for $1,199.

Yamaha

Yamaha YST5600

IT maY appear incongruous to produce a Soundbar with Atmos technology – after all, one is a simplistic and relatively inexpensive solution, and the other is cutting-edge technology aimed at homes with high-end Home Theatre installations. Yet Yamaha appear to have married the two beautifully.

There is no way that any Soundbar, irrespective of how good it is, will ever give you the performance of a component system with individual speakers. In all fairness, though, this is not the intention.

A Soundbar is a valid option for anyone when 1) they cannot fit numerous speakers into their living environment; 2) traditional speakers do not suit the aesthetics, or 3) the interest in the

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The Atmos Soundbar

technology is not great enough to justify the cost and effort.

Nevertheless, the Yamaha YST-5600 is a remarkable Soundbar, and their take on Atmos technology in a speaker that sits at screen level is surprisingly effective. Yamaha were pioneers of Soundbar technology, and they obviously intend to continue pushing the envelope.

The technology developed to produce the sound performance they achieve is extraordinary for a product at this price point. The YSP-5600 houses 44 speakers, which can be configured in 46 ways. Each speaker has its own amplifier. Twelve of these speakers are angled upwards and reflect from the ceiling to provide the height channels, and when combined with the speakers handling rear channel information it results in the equivalent of 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos or DTS-X reproduction

Let’s step away from the performance aspect for a moment, and consider other attributes that this product provides.

musicCast. This is Yamaha’s wireless multi-room distribution system, a category that is now becoming very crowded. Once the YSP-5600 is connected to the home network you can stream music stored on your hard drive, access on-line offerings including streaming services like Spotify or digital radio, and by adding wireless speakers in other rooms these services can be accessed in those areas as well. Bluetooth and airplay. Stream

to the YSP-5600 via either of these technologies. Also the Yamaha outputs Bluetooth, meaning you can stream from the YSP-5600 to any Bluetooth-enabled product, irrespective of brand (including headphones). 4K compatible. Clear Voice. If you are having issues

discerning voice (and this is a common complaint) this feature allows you to accent dialogue. plus many more!The Yamaha YSP-5600 retails for $2,299.


PEACHTREE AUDIO / B&W / SONOS

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Peachtree ShiftThe performance of Portable Digital Audio is improving rapidly, with the advent of high performance players (Astell & Kern for example), and a number of high-quality portable Digital to Analogue Converters coming onto the market, most notably from Oppo and Chord.

The latest player to enter this field is Peachtree with ‘Shift’, a portable USB DAC and headphone amplifier. This unit bypasses the headphone output of your smartphone, tablet or laptop. It will drive the most demanding headphones, and can also be used between your laptop and powered desktop speakers. The improvement that the Shift will bring

to either your smartphone or laptop is considerable. The DAC utilised in these devices is generally second-rate at best, and restricts the performance of your music. The use of a device such as Shift is a great way to improve on this.

The Shift sells for $599.

feaTures• 32bit/384kHz USB input

• PCM and DSD decoding

• Both USB ‘A’ and ‘B’ inputs

• Variable or fixed output

• Hi/Lo gain switch

• 8 hours playback from a single battery charge.


Bluetooth PeachtreeBluetooth is now one of the great convenience features of modern audio. The ability to stream from your smartphone, tablet or laptop has opened up a new world for many. It is now easy to turn any audio system, assuming you have a spare analogue or optical input, into a Bluetooth-enabled device. There are numerous Bluetooth adaptors on the market, and we have tried a number, finding that they are not all created equal. Our adaptor of choice is the Peachtree BT1 – which sells for $220.

sonos offer for existing play:5 owners: It has taken some

time, but it appears that the world supply of the

new Sonos Play:5 has caught up with demand.

We understand why demand has been so high

– the second generation Play:5 is a considerable

improvement on the earlier model, which was

already a very good product.

Looking to upgrade? Until the end of May

we will trade back your existing Play:5 and move

you up to the new Play:5 Generation 2 for a

changeover price of $450.

Not convinced! Drop in and have a listen –

you will be impressed.

B&W update: We announced the new 800 D3 series in our last newsletter. Since then we have been struggling to get a representative range on our floor. Quantities coming into the country have been limited, and most of what we have received has been pre-sold. However we are now getting on top of this, and by the time you read this we should have most models on the floor. If you have the opportunity, drop in for a listen and see what all the fuss is about.

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www.marantz.com.au

7.1 channels of Marantz sonic purity plus advanced network and control

capabilities connect you to a world of stunning sound. Wired or wireless,

your music and soundtracks come alive with authentic power and passion.

Life-size sound and world-class quality in a compact AV Surround Receiver.

Slim, sophisticated, and well connectedNR1606

Available at

B E S T AV R E C E I V E R U N D E R $ 2 ,0 00

Musical Fidelity Musical Fidelity

Nu-Vista CD & M5Si Integrated

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Musical Fidelity


We are CoNStaNtly amazed at how quickly people write off a technology as soon as the next new thing appears on the horizon. We have been in business long enough to witness ‘the demise of vinyl’ when CD was released some decades ago – it’s been a very long drawn-out demise!!

We are now seeing similar predictions for the demise of CD, with the advent of high quality streaming. There can be no doubt that CD sales are suffering. However we believe that the predictions of the death of the CD player are greatly exaggerated, and obviously so does Musical Fidelity...

Nu-Vista CD We have recently received the Nu-Vista CD player, the matching partner to their fabulous Nu-Vista integrated amplifier. At $15,000 this is a serious CD player and, as expected, it is a stunning performer. Like their matching ‘800’ series integrated amplifier this unit incorporates Nu-Vista

Musical Fidelity

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M5Si The other new release from Musical Fidelity is the M5Si integrated amplifier. This unit fills the gap between the M3Si and M6Si. Like all Musical Fidelity amplifiers this is an excellent product, and offers great value for money. Meticulously built, the M5Si is rated at 150 watts/channel and consists of two independent mono-block power

valve circuitry. It is also a very high quality 32-bit DAC, featuring two coaxial and two optical digital inputs. Like most high performance source units these days it offers both balance and single-ended outputs.

We have a great number of clients who have extensive CD collections, and who still play them regularly. For a lucky few this may be the last opportunity to own a truly marvellous player.

amplifiers and separate pre-amp, all on a single PCB. It incorporates a 24-bit/96kHz DAC accessed via USB input, and has a phono input as well.

Musical Fidelity amplifiers are historically excellent performers, and the M5Si is no exception. It is a welcome addition, filling what has been a hole in the range for some time.

The M5Si sells for $3,695.

The Nu-Vista CD player is also a very high quality 32-bit DAC, featuring two coaxial and two optical inputs.

CHord

USB-B input: 44.1kHz to 768kHz,

DXD and Quad DSD Optical inputs x 2: 44kHz to 192kHz

AES digital in x 1: 44.1kHz to 192kHz

Coax inputs 1 & 2: 44.1kHz to 384kHz

4 x DX digital outputs, 768kHz dual-data mode for use with future Chord Electronics products

The new reference DAC from Chord Electronics

Meet DAVE!

Analogue outputs: balanced or unbalanced

Coax inputs 3 & 4: 44.1kHz to 384kHz

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OnE COmpAny ThAT has set the DAC world alight is Chord. The success of their rather unique products, such as Hugo, 2Qute and Mojo, has been extraordinary, and with good reason.

Their latest DAC, with the unusual name of DAVE, has recently hit our shelves. This rather unconventional looking product is a highly advanced reference-grade DAC, digital preamp and

headphone amplifier. Selling for $17,800 and hand-made in Kent, DAVE is based around a proprietary FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) offering more than ten times the program capacity of its predecessor.

At its heart lies a new (and in electronics terms, huge) LX75 version of the Spartan 6 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The FPGA’s extraordinary


capability enables a number of key sonic benefits including significantly improved timing and the best noise- shaper performance of any known DAC. DAVE’s technology delivers music with unmatched reality and musicality, with an unrivalled timing response.

The $25,000 Berkeley Reference DAC, which continues to sell out prior to us receiving stock (we are still yet to play one)

CHORD / AURALIC

The success of the lower priced Chord siblings is really due to only one thing – extraordinary performance for the money.

AURALIC ARIES MINI

ARIES MINI is a wireless streaming node, designed for connecting to your existing home audio system. It not only has shared software and hardware functions coming from the original ARIES, but is also equipped with an additional high-quality analog output and optional hard drive slot for those who don’t want to invest in a dedicated DSD DAC and NAS drive.

ARIES MINI can stream high-resolution music quickly and wirelessly at virtually any sampling rate,

even the latest Quad-Rate DSD and DXD. It is powered by AURALiC’s proprietary Tesla hardware platform that includes a Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A9 processor running at 1GHz, 512MB DDR3 onboard memory and 4GB internal storage. The Tesla platform has a calculation ability of 25,000 MIPS, more than enough to decode a vast spectrum of audio formats, including AAC, AIFF, ALAC, APE, DIFF, DSF, FLAC, MP3, OGG, WAV, WV and WMA. The Auralic Aries Mini retails for $699.

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bears testament to the strength of the high-end DAC market, and DAVE is tapping into this demand. The success of the lower priced Chord siblings (below) is really due to only one thing – extraordinary performance for the money. DAVE is no exception.

www.audiomarketing.com.au [email protected] 02 9882 3877

Tr iangle elara ln 05 loudspeakers

The stylish and stunning new Triangle

Elara LN 05 loudspeakers are an

excellent compromise between

performance and size. A 2.5- way

slim and elegant floor standing

model with a newly designed and

developed 28mm silk dome tweeter

that gives smooth and flat high

frequency response.

Two 135mm concave drivers

with treated paper membranes in

a unique, dust cap free , rigid and

efficient design handle the mid and

bass frequencies.

The Elara cabinets are internally

reinforced and finished in High

Gloss Black or White lacquer with an

attractive magnetic grill system.

The award winning Triangle Elara

LN 05. Dynamics and sensitivity,

great aesthetics and excellent value

for money.

axis Voice Box s loudspeakers

Two talented and gifted audiophile

designers have combined to create a

world class monitor loudspeaker.

Brad Serhan and John Reilly have

achieved something very special with

The Axis Voice Box S.

A small, bass reflex- rear ported

design with a 50mm Metal true ribbon

High frequency transducer and a

133mm NOMEX paper bass transducer.

The Axis Voice Box S is an Australian

classic bookshelf design destined

to become one of the world’s most

legendary loudspeakers of all time.

Already achieving international acclaim

from audiophiles, recording engineers,

high end audio reviewers and astute

listeners who are rediscovering and

enjoying their music more than ever by

owning a pair of these remarkable and

compact 313mm high monitors .

The Axis Voice Box S loudspeakers

are available in a magnificent High

Gloss Black or High Gloss White finish.

The matching high stands are available

in Matte Black Crackle finish only.

Absolute classic sound and

performance in a very compact and

unique design.

Musical F idel iTy Merl in sysTeM and round TaBle

The Musical Fidelity Merlin System

and Round Table turntable is a unique

departure into multi-format audio for

this traditional UK Hi Fi company.

Comprising a 50 watt per channel

amplifier with inputs for phono/AUX,

USB, aptX Bluetooth, line in digital or

analogue and high quality headphone

amplifier. It has dual 24bit/192kHz

DAC’s, and an Analogue to Digital

Converter for digitising vinyl and

other analogue sources.

The Musical Fidelity Merlin

speakers are an attractive, compact,

low distortion, flat response full range

design with diffraction multiplier.

The Musical Fidelity Round

Table is 33/45RPM belt drive design

featuring unique balanced centre

of gravity, custom polymer drive

belt and a 25 year old aged African

Blackwood pulley. It has a 230mm

long aluminium tonearm with a

mass of 14 grams. The Round Table

comes standard fitted with the

ubiquitous Audio Technica AT 95e

cartridge but will suit cartridges

from 5 to 13 grams in mass.

SENNHEISER

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The musical poetry of Orpheus

It’s not often we write about a product that we cannot sell you (well, not yet at least). I recently had the privilege of experiencing one of the listening highlights of my life (outside live music – and even then it came close). I had the opportunity to listen to a pair of Sennheiser Orpheus headphones, one of only two pairs in the world.

There is not much that Sennheiser doesn’t know about designing and manufacturing headphones – they have been doing it, and doing it well, since 1968. So when they set out to make the world’s best headphone, you know you are in for something special, and they did not disappoint.

Admittedly, price was obviously not a consideration… the Orpheus will sell

for around $70,000 a pair when released. But the result is a musical immersion that is rarely achieved or experienced in the world of reproduced music. The demo that I had was a one-on-one affair, and I could have listened and explored music for hours on end, given the opportunity. It was great going back over tracks that I know well, and selecting music not normally associated with the world of audiophilia. In fact I came away thinking

that maybe there was no such thing as a bad recording! – everything I played sounded fabulous, even my much loved 50-year-old Cream tracks.

The Sennheiser Orpheus will be released sometime in the second half of this year. At this stage there is no definite plan of how Sennheiser will take this product to market, but I would encourage everyone, given the opportunity, to have a listen. It is an experience you will not often repeat.


Len Wallis comes away very impressed with the new orpheus by sennheiser.

SONY / JVC

TV screens keep getting bigger, and less expensive, yet at the same time quality video projection systems continue to increase in popularity. There may be many reasons for this, but the most obvious is that they keep getting better.

It does not seem to be that long ago when the typical domestic video projector was a rather second-rate product. But in recent times each generation of projector has shown a substantial improvement over its predecessor – although the most recent two projectors we have received make us wonder just how much further this technology can advance, given how these two new releases from JVC and Sony have significantly raised the bar.

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Future Projections

The VpL-VW500 projecTor was one of the first true 4K projectors on the market. This has now been replaced by the ’VW520, and like the JVC opposite there is a distinct step up in performance.

There is a lot to recommend the ’520 (other than the obvious picture quality) but something that could be overlooked is the fact that the lamp life has been increased to 6,000 hours, a great improvement on the usual 2,000+ hours for most projectors. And this projector was recently been named ‘Projector of


sony

SONY / JVC

This range of projectors has been the darling of the industry for many years now. The new $6,000 DLa-X5000 is an exceptional buy. it is so good that you must wonder why anyone would want anything

better, or even if it could get better. (and then you see the DLa-X9000…)

JVC has been able to achieve two things with this new range. There has always been trade-off between contrast (the intensity difference between black and white) and brightness. The brighter the projector, the lower the contrast. in their current series JVC have been able

to significantly increase the image brightness while maintaining the same contrast levels.

secondly, they have been able to achieve this while reducing the price. for example the predecessor for the top-of-the-range ’9000 was over $12,000 (and that was when the a$ was worth something). The current version is just over $10,000.

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JVC

the Year’ at the Sound+Image Awards here in Australia. This projector, like its predecessor, is capable of handling native 4K source material.

All staff at LWA have been blown away by this unit – it is exceptional. We have long held that while a video projector may not give the performance of a high quality

large-screen TV panel, the ‘immersive’ qualities of projection makes the concept appealing. But the Sony has thrown this out the window. Any differences between this unit and a large-screen TV are marginal, making this a very engaging product, and great value (try buying a 140” 2.35:1 TV for the same price!!).

If you have the opportunity to drop in and have a look at these products, which can be experienced in our projector room, please do so. You will be amazed by how far projector technology has advanced in such a short time.

The Sony VPL-VW520 retails for $14,995.

CUSTOM INSTALLATION

The orientation of the original room was changed, with false walls installed to improve sound isolation and a new entrance to allow comfortable staged seating.

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CUSTOM INSTALLATION

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The modern home is becoming increasingly tech savvy, and not just for entertainment purposes. Convenience is a huge drawcard, too. Whether

you’ve got a spare room by way of the basement or have a full house and hectic schedule, decking out your house with the latest tech solutions can create flow and make life more enjoyable.

This existing 6.9m x 3.9m basement room in our client’s residence in Sydney’s Bexley North was once an unloved junk room for a family of six. But it was always our client’s dream to have a home cinema installed there for him and his family to enjoy, equivalent in sound and picture to the quality of a commercial theatre.

For this project we combined forces with builder/theatre designer Andrew Fenton of Trade A Management to turn this dream into a reality. The result is a space that is big and comfortable enough for the whole family to enjoy.

A new spaceTo get the most out of the space, Andrew and our senior custom

consultant Alberto Vangi decided on the removal of the existing kitchenette, and then rotation of the room

orientation to change the entrance position and allow for staged, comfortable seating.

Even better, the new entry maximises the usable space while accommodating a large screen carefully specified to take into account viewing distances.

Projecting Entertainment

Four false walls were also created to acoustically soundproof the room – an important consideration to ensure that someone can be using the cinema room without disturbing other members of the household.

This also allowed for careful and correct accommodation of the speakers, so they could be flush-mounted to the wall and provide a professional look. The original doorway was converted into a cabinet for the equipment to be neatly stored.

Full immersionTo deliver a true cinema experience, a Sony 4K video projector was selected, future-proofing the cinema for future Ultra High Definition content as well as delivering a stunning image from current formats. And since size does matter in Home Cinema, the projector throws to a Stewart custom 151” Cinemascope-format screen with THX perforations. There is good reason for this, as the front-facing speakers are actually positioned carefully behind the screen, just as they would be in a full-size commercial cinema.

The sound system was designed as a 9.4-channel surround configuration, with amplification and processing handled by Yamaha’s CX-A500 Processor and formidable Aventage MX-A5000. Capable of pushing out 150 watts per channel, the MX-A5000 is a powerful driving force that provides superb quality and performance for all channels. Four 12-inch Sunfire subwoofers provide significant bottom end when needed, and are tuned to work in perfect concert with Bowers & Wilkins dual 3-way HT’s and the In-Wall Reference speakers managing mid and upper frequencies.

An Oppo Darbee-edition Blu-ray player, Panasonic Blu-ray recorder and Apple

CUSTOM INSTALLATION

Above: the 9.4-channel surround system includes processing and amplification from Yamaha, sources from Oppo, Panasonic and an Apple TV, and loudspeakers from Bowers & Wilkins, with Sunfire subwoofers. The Sony projector delivers 4K resolution.

Above: The control system is operated from an iPad, with full AV control through a custom RTI interface and Lutron lighting control via Ruckus. Right: The original entrance doorway space became a cabinet for the equipment.

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TV are also installed to manage content. Control duties of the system are provided through a custom RTI interface available on an Apple iPad, which can also control the Lutron Lighting system with Wi-Fi connectivity thanks to Ruckus.

Seeing starsThis is an ingenious design, topped off by a dazzling starlight ceiling to really enhance the cinema atmosphere and transform the room, making the owners feel like it’s a real event every time they enter, and delivering a truly immersive audio-visual experience.

If you have an idea for Home Cinema at your residence, come and talk to us about your project. As you can see, anything is possible.


The owners feel like it’s a real event

every time they enter their cinema for

a truly immersive audiovisual experience

PRO-JECT

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The vinyl resurgence is well documented – there is even an official top 30 vinyl chart in the UK. However the vinyl market is about to go 21st century with the Pro-Ject Essentials 11 Digital turntable (pictured right). Not only does this turntable have a built-in phono stage for connection to amplifiers without a phono stage, it also has an optical output.

That’s right, it has an in-built A/D (analogue-to-digital) converter, and will connect into any device with a digital input. This is ideal for any consumer who

still has a vinyl collection, or is captivated by the technology but has moved to an all-digital base.

At this stage we don’t have a definite release date for this model, or even a price, but it will be an intriguing product when it arrives.

The other new offering from Pro-Ject is more conventional. The 2 Xperience is an extremely well-built 2-speed belt-drive manual turntable. The plinth is constructed from anti-resonant MDF, and the platter employs a fully balanced

anti-resonant sandwich construction. Most importantly the well-respected 9CC tonearm has been matched with the Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge which, according to Hi-Fi Choice magazine, is a ‘marriage made in heaven’.

For good measure the 2 Xperience also comes with a record clamp.

The 2 Xperience sells for $1,995.

Pro-Ject Gets Smart

Triangle

TriangleElara LN07 speaker

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ThE ELara sEriEs is a departure from the usual offerings from Triangle, as the tweeter is not horn-loaded. Their use of a silk-dome tweeter here is a more traditional approach to speaker design – however they have utilised the rear mounted radiator usually reserved for their much higher priced models. The other unusual design feature is their dispensing with dust-caps for both the mid/bass and bass drivers.

The Elara range is, by Triangle’s standards, a budget series, but they have not cut any corners with the LN07. They are beautifully built, come in high-gloss black or white, are easy to drive, and given the price of $2,599 a pair, they offer exceptional value for money. They are equally at home in either Home Theatre or two-channel applications.


Triangle

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STAX

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A new impressive stAck of stAxWhile listening to the Sennheiser Orpheus (see page 13), I could not help but compare them to what has always been my favourite headphone brand, and that is the electrostatic headphone manufacturer Stax. Obviously the

Sennheiser is the superior product – hands down. But at the same time it did highlight just how good Stax is. It can hold its own – at a very much more affordable price. Stax have just announced some new models, something

STAx

The SRS-4170 (pictured) in particular represents excellent value. The SRM006tS (above) is a vacuum tube driver unit, and is a great sounding device. The driver unit in the new SRS-5100 package above is solid state.

AND THERE’S MORE…And now for the really good news. We still have a limited quality of the old series left to move on at heavily discounted prices!

SRS-3170(SR307 earspeaker/SRM323s driver unit)

RRP: $2,149 Selling at: $1,569

SRS-4170(SR407 earspeaker/ SRM006tS driver unit

RRP: $3,147 Selling at: $2,289

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that they do not do very often, and hopefully by the time you receive this newsletter we will have the first of these new releases in stock. The SRS-5100 system will be replacing both of the existing SRS-3170 and SRS-4170 systems. This new system consists of the SR-L500 electrostatic earspeaker (pictured left) and the SRM-353X driver unit (above), and the

combination will sell for $2,999. I realise that many of our readers

will never get to experience a pair of Sennheiser Orpheus headphones. But there is no reason not to drop in and have a listen to the Stax range. As I have said before, most Stax owners never intended to own a pair, but after listening to them…

You have been warned!!

FilM STARS

Electrostatic headphones operate on a different principle than conventional ‘dynamic’ or ‘moving coil’ designs. In conventional headphones there are quite heavy moving parts – a coil of wire inside a magnet, generally glued to a stiff cone or dome that’s held in place with a springy suspension. The weight of the moving structure makes it more difficult to re-create detail in playback. Electrostatic designs – pioneered by Stax from 1959 – work by placing a static (non-moving) electric charge on a film that floats between two perforated metal plates. When audio voltages are applied across the plates, static cling and repulsion causes the entire film to move by itself. This film is so thin, it effectively weighs less than the air around it, and has none of the resonances or energy storage which can lead to distortion in conventional moving coil speakers. These factors are some of many reasons why Stax electrostatic headphones sound so much better than conventional designs. During playback the listener is experiencing minimal interference or distortion from the headphone speaker itself, and that in turn can bring you that much closer to the original artist’s performance.

PERREAUX / PLESSIS

TradiTional sTrengThsWhile we are on the subject of value for money, we can’t resist mentioning another two-channel amplifier (this one a little more traditional as it doesn’t offer any digital inputs), and that is the 75 watt/channel S1 Plessis amplifier. A very simple design, it has four line-level inputs, a volume control, source selector, and

precious little else, unless you count the equally minimalist remote. Again it is incredibly well-built, but what we find most appealing is the sound. For some time now we’ve considered this to be the best sounding amplifier under $1,000 (it sells for $999). Even at its initial price of $1,600 it had scant competition.

It’s amazing how gems sometimes slip under the radar. This Perreaux is an excellent sounding amplifier with a high-performance in-built DAC.

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Perreaux – a hidden gemThe heart of any audio system is the amplifier. While the function of any amp is basically the same, the way they achieve their end goal can vary considerably, and their sonic impact on the system is undeniable.

One amplifier that we have been playing with for a while (and which was a huge brand for us in days gone by) is the Perreaux Audiant 80i integrated amplifier. It is amazing how gems sometimes slip under the radar. Firstly, and most importantly, this is a very good sounding amplifier, its performance belying its $4,200 price tag. There is no shortage of fine-sounding amps out there, but most then fall down in the practical side of the offering – or worse still, there are many amplifiers that offer all the bells and whistles, but disappoint sonically.

The Audiant 80i is a high-current MOSFET design rated at 80 watts/channel into 8 ohms, and 130 watts into 4 ohms. It features eight stereo inputs, including asynchronous USB, coaxial and optical digital inputs, along with three analogue


inputs, including a MM phono input for a turntable and a selectable home theatre loop. The in-built DAC is a high performance 24bit/96kHz ESS Technology Reference Sabre ES9006 unit.

It is easy to use, and very well-built (something that we have come to expect from Perreaux). Most importantly, as stated earlier this is an excellent sounding amplifier. This unit is ideal as the centrepiece for a high-quality conventional Hi-Fi system, albeit one that uses contemporary music sources.

DEVIALET

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Why Devialet is leading a change…Devialet’S proDuctS are like nothing this industry has seen before. This is a company which has obviously started at the end goal of music reproduction and then worked back to the product development that would achieve this, rather than the traditional approach of trying to improve on what has gone before.

We predict that we will see much more of this type of thinking in the future. Hi-Fi, the reproduction of recorded music as accurately as possible, will explode in the near future. Consumers are starting to listen to music again. For decades they have been seduced by Home Theatre (which will continue as a strong market)

and MP3 delivery, which has served to expose the greater population to quick, easy and copious quantities of music.

Neither of these offered much in terms of musical engagement. The revival of vinyl, the increasing exposure to high-quality streaming sites and high-resolution downloads – these have set the platform for a return to emotional engagement in one’s music of choice.

This will herald the return to past glories for many manufacturers, just as the vinyl revival has been a boon for companies such as Rega. But there is a new breed of young and very smart entrepreneurial individuals out there who will take a totally new approach to this


Some speakers work better with

specific amplifiers. SAM (Speaker

Active Matching) is Devialet’s answer – all speakers work

well with their amplifiers...”

DEVIALET

It takes two, baby

Q: How do you improve on a Devialet Phantom?

a: You add a second Phantom.

There is no doubting that the Devialet Phantom is an impressive product – able to fill the largest domestic environments with pumping music from a relatively small enclosure. But if you want to enhance this ex-perience you can add an additional Phantom for a stereo pair. We now have this scenario set up in our showroom, and it is impressive.

The limited edition (only 100 in the world) 900 watts/channel ‘le 900’ from Devialet, the most powerful of Devialet’s offerings, featuring all the fascinating technology of its smaller siblings.

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industry. For the last couple of decades, while the industry was in the doldrums, there was little attraction or incentive to invest in new directions or concepts. This will change in the coming years. Devialet is leading the charge!

‘Le 900’ – Devialet releases a very special amp A new amplifier, which is extraordinary in every sense, is the limited edition (only 100 in the world) 900 watts/channel ‘le 900’ from Devialet, pictured above. This product is the most powerful of Devialet’s offerings, and it features all the fascinating technology of its smaller siblings. This is a company that has taken traditional amplifier technology, particularly at the

high-end of the market, and turned it on its head. The ‘le 900’ comes in a distinctive gold-copper finish, and each is personally signed by Pierre-Emmanuel Calmel.

One of the many unique technologies utilised by Devialet (in all their amplifiers) is SAM (Speaker Active Matching), where they have matched the characteristics of the amplifier to the speakers connected. While they have not completed their own mapping of all the speakers on the market, they have the majority of the majors in their register, and they are adding more as they go. Anyone who has been hanging around high-end audio for a while knows that some speakers will always work better with specific amplifiers. This is Devialet’s answer – all speakers work well with their amplifiers. At $55,000 you would expect something a little special – Devialet has delivered.

BLUESOUND

Bluesound Pulse FlexThis is a new addition to the Bluesound line-up. At $699 it is the cheapest and smallest of the Bluesound speakers, but it is still a very credible performer. It is also a very versatile product, featuring Bluetooth, a 3.5mm analogue/optical input, USB input, plus a headphone

socket (something rarely seen with wireless speakers). Add a second Pulse for a stereo pair, or add the optional battery pack to turn the Flex into a portable device.

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Bluesound Developments

However tHere are a number of companies who have made good inroads into the market – and one of the most notable is Bluesound.

This category is growing up. In the past it has been a very convenient way of accessing on-line music and distributing it around the home. Performance has not been the highest priority – mainly because it has not been available. Bluesound and others (Naim and Devialet for example) have now taken this technology and turned it into a Hi-Fi product.

We have recently received the last two of Bluesound’s ‘Generation 2’ series – the Pulse 2, and the Flex.


Wireless multi-room streaming systems are all the rage at the moment – and it appears that everyone wants to get in on the act, which for many can be a daunting task after giving Sonos a 10-year head-start.

BLUESOUND

Bluesound versus soundbarAnother application that we have found for Bluesound is as a substitute for a Soundbar. All modern TVs have an optical output, and the Bluesound PowerNode 2 has an optical input. Place the PowerNode 2 at the TV location (given its size, this is easy to do), and then connect a suitable pair of speakers.

There are a number of advantages to this – the main one being sound quality. A PowerNode 2 and a pair of small speakers such as Triangle LN01s (pictured right) will easily outperform the great majority of Soundbars. Secondly it will form the platform of a high-performance multi-room wireless streaming system.

More importantly, the Bluesound App allows you to learn the basic controls of your TV and associated equipment into the App, meaning that your system can now be controlled from a single device.

High-quality streamingThe advent of CD-quality streaming sites such as Tidal has changed consumer expectations when it comes to wireless streaming products such as Bluesound. We all want the convenience that we are now accustomed to, but we are also now expecting a level of performance that is on par with what we have experienced with component Hi-Fi of past. Bluesound is cashing in on this shift.

Apps for iOS and Android allow convenient control of a Bluesound system. Using a tablet is an attractive option, as you can enjoy browsing through your music collection and online services with touch-to-select full-colour album artwork.

Bluesound Pulse 2This is the largest of Bluesound’s wireless speakers. Rated at 80 watts, it is an excellent performer, capable of filling the largest of rooms. We can see why this product was awarded the ‘Product of the Year’ in the 2015 What hi-Fi? Awards.

Control the new Pulse 2 from your smart device or using the neat controls on top.

…and now for the really good news:

Now that the complete range of Gen:2 Bluesound is here, the distributors have been caught with some stock of the older Gen:1 models, and are offering them for sales at significant savings. This has been also helped along by the fact that most of this stock was purchased at a time when the A$ was worth somewhat more than now.

the New PriciNg is:

Pulse $799 (Gen 2 RRP $1,499). This must be one of the best buys in the industry at the moment. While Gen:2 is certainly an improvement on the previous version, the difference in performance does not warrant the difference in price.

Node $499 (Gen:2 RRP $999)

Power Node $699 (Gen:2 RRP $1,599)

Vault (black only) $999 (Gen:2 $2,199)

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RichteR

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Richter Cash Back offer

2

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1 Dragon: (RRP $2,499) Minimum allowance $350.

2 Wizard: (RRP $1,899) Minimum allowance $280.

3 harlequin: (RRP $1,499) Minimum allowance $200.

4 Mentor: (RRP $869). Minimum allowance $100.

5 thor Subwoofer: (RRP $1,499) Minimum allowance $200.

RichteR, the AustRAliAn speaker company, has been around since 1986, and during this time they have sold thousands of loudspeakers onto the Australian market. Recognising that the time

has come for an upgrade for many of these speakers, Richter have instigated a trade-back program for older models. The offer is that if you trade-in any Richter speakers on a new pair of Richters, you will receive the

minimum trade-in allowances listed below. Please note that these are minimum allowances, and depending on model and condition the value of your trade-in could exceed the figures listed above.

Naim audio

Using much of the componentry of the bigger Mu-so, this cube-like speaker is significantly smaller and more affordable.

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Son of Mu-so Naim has delivered an exciting new addition to the Mu-so family – the compact Mu-so Qb. Using much of the componentry of the bigger Mu-so, this cube-like speaker is significantly smaller and more affordable, making it ideal for places where bench space is at more of a premium such as kitchen, bedrooms or smaller apartments.

It carries over much of the design language of its bigger sibling, including

the touchscreen round control dial for selecting functions and controlling volume, plus stylish detail touches such as gorgeous aluminium metalwork, including the heat-sink detailing and the oh-so-subtle speaker grille ripple.

If you want to get personalised, the speaker grille is interchangeable with three other bold colour options.

Although the design is a stand-out, the real story here is the sound. A few bars of a favourite at volume is all it took before it had us wondering how they get this power out of such a small device. The secret is in Naim’s careful spec and placement of hardware. The set-up combines angled dome tweeters and mid-range drivers, as well as a single woofer supported by two passive radiators. It runs the 32-bit DSP from the bigger Mu-so too.

The result? A no-nonsense 300 watts that serves up vocals that are focused and clear with a natural high-end which stays open and composed even when

you really push it up. Being a modern wireless speaker means there’s

a host of connectivity options on offer even on this smaller model. You can pair to the Qb via Bluetooth, but

you’ll get the most from it (and unlock full

functionality) by hooking t into to your home network via

Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Then you’ll discover support for virtually every music file format all the way up to 24-bit/192kHz hi-res tracks in WAV, FLAC and AIFF.

With its quality build, thoughtful functionality and impressively stylish good looks, this is one you’ll love to own for years to come.

hooking it into to your home network

via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, you’ll discover support

for virtually every music file format all the way up to 24-bit/192kHz...

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len wallis audio headlines - autumn 2016

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