SoundStageAustralia.com

Details: Written by News Editor News Editor; Category: News News; Published: 01 May 2023 01 May 2023

Marten Mingus Septet Loudspeakers Announced

Marten, the Swedish loudspeaker manufacture renowned for evolved driver technology implementation and innovative cabinet designs, continues to expand its high-end portfolio with the new Mingus Septet.

Details: Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer; Category: Reviews Reviews; Published: 01 May 2023 01 May 2023

Totaldac d1-triunity Digital to Analogue Converter

A few years ago, after having a Totaldac digital-to-analogue converter in for review and being seduced by its sonic excellence, no doubt due for the most part to its proprietary discrete R2R ladder digital conversion technology, I enthusiastically added the review sample to my then reference system. That was Totaldac’s d1-core and it’s the company’s entry point to this day. It was killer. Yes, killer. In defiance of its relatively modest price, its sound had an almost intangible magic and a certain… rightness. Even juxtaposed, at the time, with my own high-end CD player which employed multi-bit DA conversion (the legendary TDA1541 chip). Ever since, I’ve been using Totaldac’s converters exclusively as the blood source of my reference system’s central nervous system. Four years later, d1-core stepped aside for the purity and tonal precision of the d1-direct. Now, the Totaldac story progresses with a new, just announced chapter. The d1-triunity. Will the story of dominance lead to a new possession?

Details: Written by News Editor News Editor; Category: News News; Published: 17 April 2023 17 April 2023

Piega Announces New Premium Gen2 Loudspeakers

Swiss speaker specialist Piega has announced updated second generation versions of its acclaimed Premium line speakers which can function as passive, fully active and/or wireless systems.

Details: Written by News Editor News Editor; Category: News News; Published: 16 April 2023 16 April 2023

Michi Announces Series 2 Products

Michi, the luxury high-end arm of audio cohort Rotel, strengthens its range with the release of Series 2 versions of its highly acclaimed integrated amplifiers and a fully-featured preamplifier.

Details: Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer; Category: Reviews Reviews; Published: 15 April 2023 15 April 2023

VYDA Laboratories Orion Silver Line HFC Cables

Among the very best audio systems I’ve heard, say in the top 5, was the reference setup in the sound studio at loudspeaker specialist Magico. Actually, the word “studio” may infer to a small, cosy space, where Magico’s is a large, custom-built, single purpose acoustically treated environment. There, with MSB Technology, Pilium and Taiko electronics up the signal chain of the majestic M9 flagship, I heard both truly moving and thoroughly precise music. After collecting my jaw from around my feet, I scouted around the system, noticing elegant all-black python-esque cables stringing the entire system together. When Magico’s CEO Alon Wolf, with some enthusiasm, told me he chose these over many others because of their overall excellence, my ears pricked-up like an Aussie Blue Heeler’s. After all, he could have any cable he desires. These tethering wonders were VYDA Laboratories. I just had to hear more…

Details: Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer; Category: Features Features; Published: 11 April 2023 11 April 2023

RIO Sound & Vision VIP Pre-Launch Tour and Gala Opening

They had a dream. Dynamic duo Paul and Denise Riachi, founders of RIO Sound & Vision, envisioned a unique audio and visual retail space on a scale unlike anything this country, and likely the world, had ever seen. A grand environment where the Melbourne couple’s love of music and film could be showcased in an expression of excellence with unrivalled magnitude. SoundStage! Australia was invited to a VIP preview tour and, later that night, the gala opening where celebrities, media and key industry personnel were treated to a unique achievement in the audio/visual retail sector. (The Riachi’s are seen above with Aussie Boxing Champion Michael Zerafa and iconic movie characters).

Details: Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer; Category: Reviews Reviews; Published: 01 April 2023 01 April 2023

432 EVO Aeon Mk.3 Reference Music Server

The space for server and streamer products has been steadily expanding for a few years now. While many brands have augmented existing lines of electronics to include servers and streamers, there are also a multitude of digital specialists purely dedicated to that singular product type. Most offer components with or without built-in DACs. While a select few have developed proprietary playback software and dedicated apps in support, all conform to music providers like Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and others. Most are open to the wonders of Roon and other playback software. Less common, however, are the sorts of streaming/server products which can offer one-box solutions. Belgian company 432 EVO is a high-level digital specialist with a solid portfolio offering an entry-point all-in-one and a further three streamer/servers which provide comprehensive feature sets while allowing connectivity to your own beloved DAC. Below the flagship, ‘Master’, sits Aeon Mk.3 Reference Music Server, a music playing solution promising the highest level of sonic performance.

Details: Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer; Category: Reviews Reviews; Published: 01 April 2023 01 April 2023

Dellichord Loudspeakers FR6 Speakers

Here’s a not-so-fun fact: Manufacturing in Australia is super-expensive. In any industry. Aside from the obvious reasons, such as our high labour costs and parts freight to these shores (oh, the “tyranny of distance”), our R&D is meticulous and we mostly tend to have a very high level of craftsmanship – both are dollar multipliers. Time is money… But what if a new loudspeaker product, fully manufactured in Australia and using as many Aussie components as possible, was to launch presenting a high value, relatively low cost proposition? What if even its most expensive part, the cabinet, was precision CNC-machined in sunny “beautiful one day, perfect the next” Queensland? Those aspects and many more are the M.O. of the new FR6 from neonatal Dellichord Loudspeakers.

Details: Written by News Editor News Editor; Category: News News; Published: 28 March 2023 28 March 2023

Wilson Benesch Fibonacci Series Loudspeakers Arrive in Australia

Named after the Middle Ages mathematician and his number sequence, Wilson Benesch’s just-landed Fibonacci line features a host of new technologies summing-up to promising performance potential.

Details: Written by News Editor News Editor; Category: News News; Published: 27 March 2023 27 March 2023

RIO Sound & Vision Audio Visual Megastore Launching

In what’s shaping up to be the biggest gala event of the 2023 audio calendar so far, RIO Sound & Vision is staging a super event to celebrate the culmination of an unprecedented endeavour, which germinated back in 2015, to open the world’s largest home entertainment facility. As CEO Paul Riachi states, the venture is ‘PIB’ – Pushing Industry Boundaries.

Details: Written by News Editor News Editor; Category: News News; Published: 15 March 2023 15 March 2023

Estelon Announces Aura Loudspeakers

Estelon’s new Aura loudspeakers are not only a visual refinement of the company’s signature aesthetic, but the design also promises enhanced room-coupling capabilities.

Details: Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer; Category: Reviews Reviews; Published: 15 March 2023 15 March 2023

Aspire Audio Belgravia Equipment Rack

Coincidentally located in the Blue Mountains not far from SoundStage! Australia HQ, in a village 10 minutes away and a couple of elevation notches down towards Greater Sydney, new company Aspire Audio brings to market Belgravia, a wisely and maturely conceived first-spawn product. At this neonatal stage, Aspire Audio is solely dedicated to producing hi-fi racking systems of impeccable quality at the mid-tier price bracket. For this review, we gently placed our cherished vibration-sensitive valve preamplification and disc players upon the Aspire Audio Belgravia rack to determine whether music can indeed soar as it’s freed from the potential fuzz of droning vibrational distortions.