The Latest
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- Written by Steven JM Polley Steven JM Polley
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 June 2023 15 June 2023
Polk Audio Legend L600 Loudspeakers
Back in 1972, Mathew Polk and a team of big dreamers with just $200 between them set out on a wildly determined voyage to bring engaging, immersive sound to the masses of music lovers. With no interest in producing esoteric “cost-no-object products”, Polk’s real challenge was to deliver a truly great audiophile experience at a cost most people could afford. This established its founding philosophy of sound and design. Do the newest generation ‘Legend Series’ L600 speakers reaffirm the over 50-year-old mandate?
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Features Features
- Published: 04 June 2023 04 June 2023
SoundStage! Australia’s 10 Favourite Exhibits at High End Munich 2023
High End Munich 2023 was, once again, a resounding success. In fact, beyond expectations. As always, the sheer mass of exhibits makes it difficult to showcase all that’s happening at this global flagship audio event. Kudos to SoundStage! founder Doug Schneider and Senior Reviewer Jason Thorpe for their outstanding coverage. Herr Schneider tackled new products launched at HEM, providing finger-on-the-pulse updates made ‘live’ on the SoundStage! Global website within the show’s commencing few hours (see it here). Herr Thorpe tackled interest pieces and a variety of exotica while yours truly would compile my usual ‘10 Favourite Exhibits’ and noteworthy selections post-event. On the show’s last day, on Sunday afternoon, I travelled to Denmark at Gryphon Audio’s invitation while Jason skipped across to Italy to say g’day to Unison Research, Audia Flight and Gold Note. I’m back in ‘the Mountains’ now to bring you my picks of High End Munich 2023.
Chord Electronics Unveils New BerTTi Power Amplifier
Sharing much of the company’s flagship Ultima technology through its amplification circuitry, Chord Electronic’s BerTTi is the newest ‘Table Top’-style power amplifier.
Cary Audio Available Again in Australia
Revered American valve and solid state electronics specialist Cary Audio makes an Australian and New Zealand come back via new partnership with local importer Indi Imports.
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- Written by Mark Busby Mark Busby
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 June 2023 01 June 2023
YBA Passion PRE550 MkII Preamplifier & Passion A650 Power Amplifier
This review covers two chic looking products from French audio designer Yves-Bernard André who started the YBA brand in the early 1980s. A multi-faceted and thoroughly modern pre amplifier, the YBA Passion PRE550 MkII and a powerful solid state amplifier, the Passion YBA A650 Power Amplifier. The PRE550 caters for analogue and digital sources and has its own twin DACs on board. How will these French audio fashionistas perform?
At the Starter Gate – Munich High End 2023
Yours truly, smashing a Helles at the Englischer Garten, will once again join the rest of the SoundStage! Network team at Munich High End 2023. We’ve been in Munich for a couple of days, in fact, arriving early in preparation for the world’s biggest event in Hi-Fi. Visit SoundStage! Global for our network’s coverage and stay tuned for SoundStage! Australia’s 'Feature' on our favourite rooms at the show.
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- Written by Peter Katsoolis Peter Katsoolis
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 May 2023 15 May 2023
Audio Research I/50 Integrated Amplifier
I opened the crisp white shipping carton of the new Audio Research I/50 integrated amplifier and did a double take. Staring back at me was a user manual bedecked in bold block primary colours in the manner of Piet Mondrian – and Shonen Knife. I have been fortunate to own a few ARC models in the past, not in the least an SP-10 preamplifier and the criminally underrated CD2/DAC3MkII digital combo. Each came with a plain wrapper manual that, like 1970’s Letraset, would not have been out of place on founder William Z. Johnson’s boffin bookshelf. Here from the get-go was a statement of clear intent on the part of the freshly independent Audio Research. Had it come wrapped in red towelling and tied with some cool plastic dice you might have thought the I/50 was shipping from fellow Minnesotans, the ultra-hip ZVEX guitar effects company. ARC is the granddaddy of American tube audio equipment. But the I/50 integrated ain’t gonna be your granddaddy’s tube amplifier.
Iconic Bowers & Wilkins’ Nautilus Reaches a Milestone
Few, if any, loudspeaker designs have achieved iconic status while in continuous production for three decades – Bowers & Wilkins’ classic Nautilus is the example and a special version is unveiled to celebrate its 30th Anniversary as the company’s flagship.
DS Audio Unveils DS Master3 Optical Cartridge
Japan’s DS Audio continues to innovate and expand its analogue offerings with the new third-generation DS Master3 “semi-flagship” optical cartridge.
Audio Solutions Launches Overture O306F Loudspeakers
Lithuanian acoustics specialist Audio Solutions has unveiled the O306F, a key product for the company and its first “large scale” Overture line floorstanding speaker.
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Features Features
- Published: 08 May 2023 08 May 2023
Finding Nirvana – Melbourne’s Newest High-End Audio Store
Did you know that a place of enlightenment is but a short drive away? Believe. Yes, ‘Bodh Gaya’ can be found in the heart of Melbourne. I’m talking about Nirvana Sound, where visitors will be elevated and inspired by the veritable treasures of high-end exotica. On my recent visit, I chatted to the good people at Nirvana Sound who, with their discerning taste, are responsible for bringing to market some of the world’s most luxuriously exciting audio products.
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Features Features
- Published: 03 May 2023 03 May 2023
Australian Hi-Fi Show 2023 – Part 2
In Part 2, I continued the journey of discovery as I progressed along the long dual carriage corridor, going room-to-room, on level 9 of the Novotel Central Hotel Sydney.
