The Latest
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 15 December 2020 15 December 2020
The SoundStage! Australia Products of the Year 2020 Awards
Sixteen days left of 2020. Please. We all want it gone. Surreal, right? Bring back civility and the social conventions the crisis violently demolished. Let’s morph the so-called “normality” of the past into a better status quo. A purge, an evolution, an improvement. Here ‘Down Under’ we may have eradication even prior to any vaccine. A triumph… and like the virus, hopefully contagious too. So we now have an opportunity to progress and a reason to celebrate. With purpose… Here’s our own global fireworks festivity as we bring to you the SoundStage! Australia Products of the Year Awards 2020.
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- Written by News Editor News Editor
- Category: News News
- Published: 07 December 2020 07 December 2020
SOtM Under New Australian Partnership
Korea’s digital and analogue audio signal flow all-rounder SOtM has announced a new local distribution arrangement via SOtM Australia.
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 December 2020 01 December 2020
Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference Series 3
Digital technology has advanced in quantum jumps over the last few years. Intergalactic leap-frogging. Despite this evolutionary path, or perhaps because of it, it’s alleged in some circles that only a few hundred green ones are required to provide as-good-as-it-gets sonic performance. Ones and zeros are said to be… well, just ones and zeros. This school of thought is represented via semi-generic brands, many of which manage to provide decent enough build and sound quality. Definitive audio performance? Umm… Yeah, Nah. Not even. Notwithstanding this narrow view of the universe, there are many specialist companies producing truly exceptional digital playback systems at the actual state-of-the-art. Both in terms of excellence in applied technologies and engineering while aiming for the highest levels of audio performance. Among these is Berkeley Audio Design’s Alpha DAC Reference Series 3, an all-out assault on digital playback.
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- Written by Stephen Dawson Stephen Dawson
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 December 2020 01 December 2020
Copland CSA 100 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier
Copland is a Danish electronics company. Its products consist of integrated amplifiers, preamps and power amps, along with a high-end DAC. Most of the amps are valve-based. But the CSA 100 seems to be the entry level integrated amp and is a hybrid model. That is, line amplification is handled by a single double-triode tube, with a MOSFET circuit providing the grunt needed to drive loudspeakers.
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- Written by Barry Jones Barry Jones
- Category: Features Features
- Published: 24 November 2020 24 November 2020
Line Magnetic Australia Event at Perth’s Frank Prowse Hi-Fi
It’s official. Australia is now confirmed as ‘A Warm Place’ thanks to Line Magnetic showcasing its range of tube audio electronics and vintage-inspired horn loudspeakers at one of Perth’s premier audio dealers, Frank Prowse Hi-Fi.
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- Written by News Editor News Editor
- Category: News News
- Published: 24 November 2020 24 November 2020
Esteemed Classé Audio Back in Australia
Bowers & Wilkins Australia, the newest entrant into Sound United’s conglomerate of high profile audio marques, announces local distribution partnership for Classé Audio.
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- Written by News Editor News Editor
- Category: News News
- Published: 20 November 2020 20 November 2020
Balanced Audio Technology VK80i Integrated Amplifier
Topping off a spate of new and updated releases, valve and solid state amplification specialist Balanced Audio Technology (also affectionately known as BAT) has announced a new valve-based integrated amplifier.
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- Written by News Editor News Editor
- Category: News News
- Published: 20 November 2020 20 November 2020
Dynaudio Heritage is... Special
Making products for many decades allows a company to proudly refer to its history via a release which encapsulates its core values. To this end, Dynaudio announces its new Heritage Special limited edition loudspeakers.
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- Written by News Editor News Editor
- Category: News News
- Published: 17 November 2020 17 November 2020
Focal Releases Limited Edition Aria K2 936 Loudspeakers
Harking back to the 1980s’ renowned Focal K2 cone technology, French loudspeaker specialist Focal announces a new K2-endowed Aria loudspeaker system.
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 November 2020 15 November 2020
Wilson Audio SabrinaX Loudspeakers
The new SabrinaX may look just about identical to its predecessor – there are visually-subtle yet substantial performance-based upgrades – but in updating the Sabrina platform the Wilson Audio engineering team, led by dynamic duo Daryl Wilson and Vern Credille, have carpe diem’ed. The significantly revised SabrinaX is the recipient of Wilson Audio’s latest technologies and design credo. As crowned most recently by the flagship Chronosonic XVX, the stream of philosophical and engineering concepts that permeate Wilson Audio’s latest offerings are, ultimately, stimuli inspired by the no compromise limited-run WAMM Chronosonic. That the company has adopted many of these doctrines and practical elements to SabrinaX, the floorstanding entry point, shows engineering generosity besting mere trickle-down interpretations and potential oversimplifications. What super-incentive for exploration…
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- Written by News Editor News Editor
- Category: News News
- Published: 13 November 2020 13 November 2020
Harbeth Announces New XD Line
Following the widely-acclaimed Anniversary Series, and after weeks of unofficial ‘word-on-the-streets’ comment, British loudspeaker specialist Harbeth finally announces the updated ‘eXtended Definition’ line.
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Features Features
- Published: 09 November 2020 09 November 2020
Wilson Audio's Daryl Wilson on the SabrinaX Loudspeaker
SoundStage! Talks: Wilson Audio CEO Daryl Wilson sits down with SoundStage! Australia editor-in-chief Edgar Kramer to chat about design philosophies for the new SabrinaX loudspeaker, what it means to design a Wilson Audio loudspeaker at any price level, and the music that moves and inspires him.
