new zealand ` s high fidelity magazine

NEW
ZEALAND ' S
HIGH
FIDELITY
MAGAZINE
Affordable high-end (brought to you by lnterdyn)
RCTEL
THX AC-3 system
RSP980 THX surround processor
RRP $1999
Provides all the performance and flexibility for
a high-performance home theatre system .
Dolby Pro-Log ic augmented with THX lets you
hear the movie exactly the way the director
intended you to. High performance audio sec­
tion for purest sound .
RB985 five-channel THX amplifier
RRP $1599
With five channels each delivering 100 watts,
the RB985 puts plenty of power into a highly
efficient and convenient package. THX
approved .
RDA980 Dolby AC-3 adaptor
RRP $1799
An outboard processor that can easily be con­
nected to the RSP980 to decode Dolby Digital
soundtracks from laserdisc and DVD.
TDL
ELECTRO\:ICS
TDL
RTL 2 Floor-Standing Speakers RRP $999
".. .a very attractive and listenable speaker at a most
attractive price. lt is well worth hearing if you are in the
market for a compact, top-notch speaker system that
won't bankrupt you or dominate your home decor"
Stereo Review
RTL 3 Floor-Standing SpeakersRRP $1499
"Their twin bass/mid range drive units and reflex transmis­
sion line design, capable of handling 120W, ensure that
bass is retrieved from 20,000 fathoms deep. And it's tight
and controlled. Regardless of how complex the music
becomes, the TDL's agility and fast response means they
always keep abreast of evenr
What Hi-Fi
PRO-JECT
Pro-Ject 1.2 Turntable (includes Ortofon
OM10 cartridge)
RRP $499
"Able to suppress surface noise to almost inaudible lev­
els .. .will get you re-exploring your record collection , then
reward you by letting you hear plenty you never noticed
before"
What Hi-Fi
Pro-Ject 2 Turntable (includes Ortofon
OM10 cartridge)
RRP $699
"This deck's strongest point is its musical coherence and
the sense of sheer rightness about the sound" Hi-Fi World
Pro-Ject 6.1 Turntable (includes Pro-Ject
4 cartridge)
RRP $999
•... a sparkling performer, digging deep into a records
grooves and bringing out truckloads of detail" What Hi-Fi
Awards
For more information please qontact
International Dynamics. PO Box 109-317, Newmarket, Auckland. Ph 0-9-360 8203. Fax 0-9-360 8204. Mobile 025-798 260 or 025-273 9505 NEWS
All the news...
EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF HI-FI
GARRY LAMBERT MOVES
TO OREGEN
New Zealand speaker design­
er, Garry Lambert, is leaving New
Zealand shortly to take up a posi­
tion as research and development
manager for cable manufacturer
Tara Labs. Best known for his
ranges ofloudspeakers, Garry has
ensured that serVIcmg of
Lambert products is still available
through Perreaux.
IMAGE EXPORTS TO CHINA
Monitor Acoustics has previous­
ly exported to Singapore, Malaysia
and China. This latest shipment to
China (see photo) is the first of the
400 Series to be sent to China, and
was shipped on Christmas Day '97
in time to reach the market by
Chinese New Year.
There is a demand for high qual­
ity, handcrafted loudspeakers fin­
ished in real woods, and the 400
Series is seen by the Chinese as a
range that offers these benefits.
Monitor Acoustics 0-9-570 8090.
MERIDIAN ' S NEW MODELS
A world leader in digital signal processing of music,
Meridian have released a swag of new models.
The 561 Digital Surround Controller (pictured
above) is effectively a combination of the 562V and
acclaimed 565 surround processor in the one box. The
561 uses the same powerful DSP processors and algo­
rithms as the 565, allowing music modes such as Trifield
and Ambisonics, as well as straight two-channel stereo.
The 5.1 version adds decoding for Dolby Digital, DTS
and MPEG surround.
The acclaimed 508 compact disc player has recently
been upgraded to 24-bit standard.
Meridian have also introduced their 800 Series of
components. The goal with the 800 Series is to offer the
highest sound quality, in a future-proof, flexible,
upgradable, open-ended format. The 800 Series is built
more like a computer than traditional hi-fi products,
with installable and upgradable cards.
The 800 Series includes the 800 Reference CD
Machine can include two internal disc drives, and can
even be configured as a preamp.
The 800 Reference DVD Player can include a plug-in
card for video upscaling - similar to line doubling, but
using the original digital signal rather than converted
analogue.
The Reference Surround Processor 861 can handle
more than 64 channels. A full system controller, the 861
also includes Meridian's music processing and video
sound (Dolby Digital, DTS, MPEG Surround and THX).
Denco Audio 0-3-3790 743
4
Audiofnz
HAMILTON LISTENING
POST CORRECTION
SONIQUE'S UFABER "
Australian loudspeaker manufac­
turer Sonique have released the
Olympus, a model designed to take
on Sonus Faber. Hand made, the
Olympus is finished in solid Jarrah
cladding and is available in two ver­
sions. Transline Audio 0-7-578 5211.
The last issue of AudioEnz gave
some incorrect details about the
new Hamilton Listening Post
store. Managed by Romesh
Anandaraja, the store can be
found at 657 Victoria Street,
Hamilton.
Brands
stocked
include Luxman, NAD, Marantz,
Musical Fidelity, REL, Rega,
Castle, Jamo, Grundig, ProAc,
Paradigm, QED, Wadia, VTL, and
Wireworld. The phone number is
0-7-839 0135.
-
;, I•
jl
ll
!.}
~
-­
'
NAIM'S CDX ADDS HDCD
SHORTS
Audiolab owner, Cambridge
Systems Technology of the UK, have
been sold. The new owners are the
TAG/McLaren group, responsible
for TAG Heuer watches and aspects
of Formula One racing cars.
Following on from the success of
the A-Series, Celestion have intro­
duced four new models. The A
Compact is, as the name suggests, a
miniaturised version of the A1 , fea­
turing a 100mm woofer, a well fin­
ished cabinet and a price tag of
$2200. The A4 Centre ($ 1600) is a
three-way speaker with the tweeter
mounted above a midrange driver
(the correct way to do it, in this writ­
ers opinion) with two woofers flank­
ing. The A5R ($2200) is a dipole sur­
round speaker, utilising the drive
units of the A Compact. Finally, the
A6 ($3000 ) is a 200-watt powered
subwoofer with two 10-inch
woofers. Hi-Fi Marketing 0-9-415
9099.
Production price increases and
exchange rate alterations have
forced up the prices on the
Celestion A-Series. The A1 is now
$3000, the A2 $4700 and the A3
$7700. Hi-Fi Marketing 0-9-415
9099.
Alpine demonstrated what is said
to be the world's first DVD 5.1 chan­
nel mobile multimedia system at the
January Las Vegas Consumer
Electronic Show.
Previously previewed, Infinity's
Overture Series of loudspeakers are
finally available. Each model
includes a built-in powered woofer.
Prices: Overture 3 $5000; Overture
2 $4400; Overture 1 $2500. Hi-Fi
Marketing 0-9-415 9099.
Energy have released a new cen­
tre speaker that's described as the
perfect centre speaker for Energy's
Connoisseur and Audissey range.
With its black high gloss panels, the
AC-300 retails for $899. Sound
Group Holdings 0-9-415 6680.
sAudiofnz
The CDX, Nairn's replacement fo r
the CD2, includes the PMD- 100
HDCD decoder/digital ftl ter, plus two
Bur r Brown 20-bit digital-to-a nalog
convertors. As with all Nairn electron­
ics, the CDX includes heavy power sup­
ply regulation. A separate power sup ­
ply, the XPS, is also available for sound
upgrades. The Nairn CDX retails for
$6250. NA Distributors 0-4-385 8353.
Also new from Energy is their
flagship subwoofer. The ES- 18XL
has an 18-inch (457mm ) woofer
driven by a 400 watt amplifier.
Capable of 115dB at 35Hz, the ES­
18XL retails for $3999. Sound
Group Holdings 0-9-415 6680.
Mirage have produced a whopper
subwoofer. The BPS-400 includes
two 12-inch (305mm) woofers in
bipolar mode, driven by a 400 watt
amplifier for $3495. Sound Group
Holdings 0-9-415 6680.
The
Listening
Post
in
Christchurch has reopened under
new manager, Craig Carter. He can
be reached on 0-3 -377 0499.
Wadia have released a new lower
cost one-box CD player based on
their 850 and 860 players. The 830
includes most of the aspects made
famous in its bigger brothers, yet is
expected to retail for around $2000
less when it arrives in April. PQ
Imports 0-7-886 4149.
Wireworld's range of intercon­
nect and speaker cables have mostly
been upgraded to Series 3. A new
budget interconnect (the Orbit at
The newest Thiel loudspeaker,
the CS2.3, is a three-way system
using all Thiel designed and built
metal diaphragm drivers - a 1 inch
dome tweeter, 3.5 inch midrange
and 8 inch woofer, along with a 9
inch passive radiator. The most
innovative feature is the coaxial
tweeter/midrange driver, where the
two share the same voice coil, with
the crossover being mechanical
rather than electrical. Denco Audio
0-3-3790 743
$59) and the Terra budget speaker
cable have just been released. PQ
Imports 0-7-886 4149.
Carver audio equipment have a
new distributor. Wood Electronics
Marketing will be marketing the
1998 models later this year. Wood
Electronics Marketing 0-9-849 3132.
RECORD YOUR OWN CDS- REPEATABLY!
Philips CDR 870 compact disc recorder is like a CD player with a record button. With
CD Recordable discs you can make one permanent recording, much like with other con­
sumer-level CD recorders. But the CDR 870 writes to the new CD Rewritable discs. These
discs can be re-recorded hundreds of times. CD Recordable discs play in any CD player,
while CD Rewritable discs will only play on a CD player that supports the lower reflectivity
discs (all future Philips players will). Recordings made from a digital medium such as CD,
DAT or Mini-Disc can use the straight digital transfer. Analog sources (such as LPs) use the
built in analogue-to-digital convertor and record level control.
"Do these speakers sound great or w hat!"
"Extraordinary... Transparent... Brilliant..."
"If you're after accurate dynamic sound in a speaker
that won't break the bank, book a session with
Paradigm Studio 60. I can promise you won't regret
it." -Australian Hi-Fi
" ... for transparent irnaging, timbre! accuracy, depth,
precision and sheer potency, these speakers per­
formed .. . this system never left an impression of
overloading or confusion, even in passages bursting
with sound." -Quebec Audio on the Studio 20 +
CC450 + ADP450 + Servo 15 Home Theatre System
"Paradigm has don e it again!"
"I can't think of a system from any other manufactur­
er that provides substantially better performance that
doesn't cost considerably more. The resulting sound
quality is excellent: its basic neutrality served all man­
ner of music very well, not to mention soundtracks.
Vocals seemed to be reproduced with particular clarity
and realism." -Stereo Review on the Mini Monitor +
CC350 + ADP350 + PS1200 Home Theatre System
Listen for yourseU to these highly acclaimed speakers
and let your ears decide.
Proudly imported and backed up by
PQ Imports
PO Box 607, Tokoroa ph 0800 33 44 34 or fax 0-7-886 6851 [email protected] Web www.listening.co.nz •
iQil1 RE-EMERGENCE OF THE ABSOLUTE SOUND
PARADIGM ' S STUDIO SERIES
A new four model range - the Studio Series (pic­
tured) -has been released by Paradigm.
Other Paradigm news includes the new Micro at
$299, a price reduction for the Atom, Titan and
Phantom, the PDR-10 subwoofer with an 80-watt
inbuilt amp for $999.
Anew range of in-wall and in-ceiling speakers have
been released, including a high-end model, the AMS
450, with bass below 45Hz.
The Servo 15 subwoofer has a 400 watt amplifier and
servo controlled driver for under $3000. PQ Imports
0-7-886 4149.
NAIM'S HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
Nairn have produced their first headphone amplifier,
designed to be used with Naim preamps. A captive lead
on the Headline takes its signal from the tape socket of
any Nairn preamp. The Headline is $699, and must be
used with a Nairn external power supply. The NAPSC is
$525, but performance is said to be greatly enhanced if
a Flat-Cap or Hi-Cap is used instead. NA Distributors
0-4-385 8353.
sAudiofnz
Longtime high-end audio magazine The Absolute
Sound has been sold. Financial problems had forced
the virtual demise of TAS in the past year. The owner
of the new generation TAS is Thomas B. Martin Jr.,
the executive vice president of Dell Computers. He
has named Mark Fisher, former publisher of
Stereophile and Hi-Pi News & Record Review, as his
publisher.
Harry Pearson, founder and editor of TAS will
remain editor in the future. Several writers familiar
to long-time readers of TAS will be featured in future
issues.
Said Mr Pearson, "Martin, who has been a sub­
scriber since Issue l, and I see eye to eye on the mag­
azine's editorial ideals: we are determined that the
magazine will achieve the potential and promise that
it, because of poor financing and management, was
only sporadically able to achieve in the past."
Trichord Research have released
a new upgrade suitable for CD play­
ers and amplifiers allowing remote
volume control. The module is also
able to be fitted into a CD player or
DAC, allowing direct drive of a
power amplifier. The cost is $399
plus fitting. Transline Audio 0-7-578
5211.
AMC have a number of new
items available in mid-April. The
llOO preamp and 2100 power amp
combination offers lOO watts into 8
ohms for $1495. The 2100 can also
be bridged to produce 350 watts
mono. The 25100 is a five-channel
power amplifier of lOO watts per
channel for $1399. Denco Audio
0-3-3790 743
Stax have
three
In-TheEarspeakers - in-ear electrostatic
headphones. The SR-001 mk2
includes Earspeakers and a driver
unit, both designed so that they can
be used in portable situations (the
driver unit can be run from batter­
ies). Denco Audio 0-3-3790 743.
Triad are a USA-based loud­
speaker manufacturer who utilise a
horn-loaded tweeter in the home
theatre speakers. The InRoom Gold
LCR is a THX certified speaker with
a horn-loaded soft dome tweeter
between two 165mm woofers. The
InRoom Gold Center can be used as
an alternative for the centre channel,
offering the same drivers in a hori­
zontal configuration. Denco Audio
0-3-3790 743.
MERCURY CALLING
Tannoy have resurrected the
Mercury name for a new range of
loudspeakers. The Mercury M2
(pictured) has received rave reviews
from the UK hi-fi press and is $599.
A floor-standing version, the M3,
offers more extended bass for $799.
A miniature bookshelf version, the
Ml, has a 130mm woofer and is
$499. Tannoy also have a centre
speaker, the Mercury MC, for $399.
The M 1, M2 and M3 are available
with a Cherry finished front baffle.
Hagemeyer 0-9-415 8758.
•
•
~
PHILIPS
Now !::JOU can
make !::JOUr OWn [0 1511
•
Within a mere three months
of its European release, Philips has
introduced to New Zealand the
most revolutionary advance in home
audio technology since the CD was
introduced in 1982.
Ever since the introduction of CD
home audio technology, you simply
have not been able to record onto
a CD in your home or office.
Until now, that is.
lt is now possible for New
Zealanders to make copies of
existing CDs or make their own
original CDs, something that audio
cassette technology always offered
but CD technology did not.
For $1499.00 (including 4+ 1 blank
discpack) the Philips CDR 870
Recorder allows owners to copy
their favourite music CD's copy their
audio cassettes or old type records
to CD, and record any other audio
source onto a CD .
Quite simply, you can make
your own CDs. All you need is
Philips brand new CDR 870
recorder and a stock of blank discs.
There are two types of digital audio
blank disc . The CDR (standing for
CD Recordable), this disc costs less
than $15 .00 and can be recorded
onto once.
The CD-RW (CD Re-writable) disc
costs more, but can be recorded
on as many times as you like, just
like tape, but without tne wear and
stretch factor associated with taf)e .
The quality of the copied CD
matches the original.
Owners can also turn their own
singing or playing into a CD if they
wish , and can record or dub
speeches or occasions onto the CD
medium . The machine connects to
any existing home audio with a
lineout facility . Philips has taken a
highly responsible approach to
ensure that the new technology does
not lead to commercial piracy of
copyrighted performances on CDs.
The company has reached an
agreement with the major recording
companies and performers rights
associations over this.
Once a digital copy of a CD has
been made on the recorder, the
duplicate disc cannot be copied
again . A code is encrypted onto
the duplicate disc that prevents this.
A user wishing to make more than
one copy from a master must insert
a new blank each time . The CDR
870 recorder also encrypts onto
copies an identifier code saying
which machine made the copy.
The CDR disc will play in any CD
player . The CD-RW is not
compatible with most due to a less
reflective surface, although there
are some players that may play it.
Users of the CDR 870 Recorder
planning to make a recording for
use in another CD player simply
need to ensure that tney use a CDR
disc when making the copy. Philips
says that it has plans to make all
its future CD players capable of
playing both types of d i se .
The recorder will automatically
transfer all track number and titling
information on an existing CD to
the copy, unless the owner wishes
to over ide this manually. For
recordings being made to CD from
non CD original sources, there is
an easy-to-use manual system of
track numbering . it's that simple
Presto: You can copy a CD at a touch of a single button. w i th the Ph i l i ps CDR 870
The CDR 870 doubles as a CD Player. Recordable .
-- - ---,
AT HI•FI?Jt_ryS
*****
****·'f:r
****-!J.
sound
facilities
•••••w··w--·-------···---·•••--•
!
build
~~c.!~<:;t _ ~*~~-"*.:
-- -- --
"Now comes the rewritable CD, launced by Phi lips.
The world's first consumer rewritable CD recorder has the not unsensible price of NZ$1499.00, and that
includes four blank CD's and one rewritable blanl1".
"... .sound quality of the CDR 870 is excellent".
--
EUPHONIC EUPHOR I A
by John Paul
How are you going to keep
them down on the farm ...
N OW TH A T TH EY'V E SEEN DV D ?
I
N
1983
WHEN
THE
LITTLE
SHINY
silvered disc promised "perfect sound
forever" I was working for Sony's
Broadcast Division. Company "inside"
information sa id that the new digital
Co mpact Disc format would replace LP
reco rds, and then also eventually replace
VHS video tapes. I marvelled at the opti­
mism of those strategic planners because
the audiophile press was raving about CD
sampling rates being way too low for
audio, much less the huge bandwidth
required for video.
Evolution of the CD format into the
DVD (Digital Versatile or Video Disc) with
seven times more capacity, or double sided
14 times, offers us the projected replace­
ment for VHS playback. Recordable
DVD's are "just over the horizon" while
lawyers get fatter stirring the rich copy­
righ t stew. Don't hold yo ur breath for
reco rdable DVD.
THE SQUEEZE
Appropriate video sa mpling looks at
the 4.S (NTSC standard ) megahertz, or 6
(PAL) megahertz range. This is a nominal
two to three hundred times a 20 to 20kHz
analogue audio bandwidth to be sampled
for a digital video byte stream. Reasonably
Pioneer's first entry- the DVD-505 combination DVD and CD player
high "sharp" resolution pictures take lots
of bytes. Flicker-free moving pictures
obviously take massive heaps more. Add
multi-channel noise, music and dialogue.
And throw in some multi-lingual sub­
titling too. That's a lotsa pasta Luigi!
To get full length feature movies onto a
CD sized disc elaborate "data" compres­
WHAT'S THIS DVD?
Physically the same as ordinary CD, DVD is an acronym for Digital Versatile or
Video Disc. It's Versatile if considered from computer industry applications such as
mass storage like a super CD-ROM for easily accessed data, elaborate interactive
games and such. It's Video from the entertainment industry viewpoint with it's main,
but not sole, feature being 133 to 484 minutes of reasonably high picture quality
movie storage.
The variance in minutes available depends on whether the disc is produced as a
single or double layered digitally written piece and whether all this is put onto one
side or both sides of tile disc. Another variable in minutes available is how aggres­
sively data compression is used to transfer tile movie to disc in widescreen or com­
pensated (pan and scan) screen format. The playing times mentioned are based on
an average transfer rate of 4Mb/sec giving a generally comparable to, or better tllan,
Laser Disc quality NTSC picture. DVD can provide S.1 channels of digital audio,
Dolby Pro Logic (encoded two-channel) audio, multi-lingual sub-titles, parental
lock-out segments, and alternate visual scene perspectives.
An occasional option to Dolby Digital S.1 channels (often called Dolby's original
in-house name "AC-3") is a competing format called DTS (Digital Theatre Sound)
which uses a higher sampling data rate tllan Dolby Digital. DTS has five full range
channels as Dolby S.1 along with tile .1 being a Low Frequency Effects (LFE) only
channel for information below 100 Hz.
A few movies with DTS S.1 soundtracks are scheduled for release "first quarter
'98". Thirty-one music-only S.1 DTS discs have already
continued on page 12
10
Audiotnz
sion (see sidebar) routines are used. They
work amazingly well in most cases but
occasionally there are brief things that the
sharp eyed will catch and ask "what the
hell was that?" Vision faults such as "tiling"
or "pixellation" where the image breaks up
into rough blocks of varied sizes instead
of normal smooth or textured shapes is
probably the worst thing compression
does. Whether this is worse than tape
crease or noisy oxide damage with VHS,
or fuzzy noise and line dropouts as
white/black streaks witll Laser Disc is your
dubious preference pleasure. I'll take the
faults from either of the silver formats
because they're usually shorter than VHS
glitches, and they never threaten to hope­
lessly jam up in your player like a bad VHS
tape does. Arghhh!
HOW IT GOES
I reckon that Pioneer's DV-SOS looks
and feels just like an ordinary CD player.
Cool looking deep blue horizontal slit
light over the mid -position CD sized
drawer, with normal electro fluoro -win­
dow below it. A few decent size transport
controls on the right, techno-jibberish
gold writing here and there, and tllat's it.
Just another black gadget witll a few lights
and buttons. The DVD spec says backward
compatible with normal music CD (not
CD-ROM), so listening first and reading
the manual seemed a good way to become
acquainted.
The sound was pretty good, reasonable
bass pitch definition, smooth clear mid­
range, and that slightly tainted Pioneer
Legato-Link extended sweet top frequency
range clarity. Very nice for something
that's mainly a video gadget, and the book
says it will play16/20/24 bit with 48/96
kHz sampling super-hi-fi music discs too.
Gotta get some of them.
Reading the operating manual is
essential for getting the best out the DVD
format and this unit. Depending on what
the movie disc itself offers, you must select
between regular, wide or letter box screen
formats. These options are there because
movies are shot and presented with differ­
ent width to height ratios than ordinary
TV. A typical movie is 1.85 width units to
1 height unit, TV screens are 1.33 to 1. A
lot of picture information is lost in the
translation and their are several tech­
niques used to work out the "best" artistic
and technical compromises. If you see
really tall and skinny squished or squat
been released. More from Angel Classics and several pop legends are promised. The
creative possibilities for real music in good DVD 5.1 surround sound systems are
also quite promising. Remember our current stereo systems are only two channel
because that's all that could properly fit into the mechanical vinyl LP format. Early
Bell Labs (c. 1930's) research papers said three channels were preferable for high
quality music reproduction and I remember late 60's and early 70's discrete 4 chan­
nel reel to reel quadraphonic tapes that were simply great in hippy-happiness listen­
ing sessions. More clean channels can bring the El Dorado of musical performances
to golden ears, and 5.1 seems a good start.
Note that a DVD disc can have both DTS and Dolby Digital. Or even more digi­
tal audio formats such as linear PCM as found on Laser Discs or also the European
proposed (Phillips) Musi-cam confusingly renamed "MPEG" audio. The latter is the
digital video broadcasting industry (DVB) and European satellite standard, so the
forthcoming (SKY) satellite digital dish/receiver will probably be giving you some­
thing different than the recently agreed to PAL DVD Dolby Digital audio 5.1 stream.
Whether or not any player or A/V receiver with appropriate decoders can ade­
quately deal with discs having only some or all of these many video and audio
options is irritating technical detail trivia. These irritating unnecessary complica­
tions are in something that is supposed to be "user friendly". For hobbyists, and
techno-boffins this is all part of the fun, but for folks who think it'll be just like CD
and give nice sharp "un-scratchy" movies, it's likely to be very confusing with some­
times very skinny or fat looking pictures and no surround sound.
The Pioneer DV-505 helps gets around some of this by having an option to mem­
orise specific presets for 30 discs where newest replaces oldest in memory. The aspect
ratio preferred, language option, subtitle language, and animation (games) or cine­
ma contrast settings can be stored and will auto-recall for that disc if, and it's a big
if, you take the time and trouble to make it so. -John Paul
B A C K
I S S U E S
Complete your collection now! The following collectable issues are still available, and at only $3 per issue, they're a bargain! 1996
issues
May (top CD players); July (bass); October (NZ hi-fi, floor­
standing loudspeakers)
1997
issues
March (vinyl, Dolby Digital); may (loudspeakers, Plinius M­
16); July (Stereophile Show, ECM Records); September (JBL
horns, integrated amplifiers); November (Arcam system,
Celestion A3)
Send $3 for each issue to:
AudioEnz Back Issues
PO Box 100-554
Auckland 10
12
Audiofnz
Forsoundbacksthatsunound Lexicon DC-1
The superb new DC-1 Digital
Controller combines Lexicon's
legendary digital signal processing
capabilities with the latest in home
theatre technology. A complete
AN control centre, the DC-1 is
available in multiple versions ­
including highly accurate
implementations of DTS®, Dolby®
Pro Logic and Dolby Digital®
surround decoding with all the
enhancements of Lucasfilm Home
THX®Cinema - and can be easily upgraded between differing models. Remarkably simple to operate,
the DC-1 has become the critic 's reference standard for audio quality and performance.
But don't take our word for it .. .
Stereophile product of the Year
Winner of Hi-Fi Grand Prix Award
Innovations Award at the Consumer Electronic Show
DICIT A L
l i l l f i i i i i,i
ecn~
SURROUND~
Stereophile: "The Lexicon DC-1 did a better job of serving both music and sound tracks than any
surround processor I've experienced to date."
Need more control? Around the home
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"unreal" then the right buttons haven't
been pushed on the player or viewing
screen. A very nice image for your screen
is in those buttons and menus somewhere.
Likewise, finding the correct audio can
be a bit of a chase. Dolby Digital doesn't
come out of the good old left/right audio
out jacks, but Dol by Surround does.
Depending on the specific disc, there
are features, features, and more features
that should be sussed out by the wise man­
ual reading button pusher. Although it
seems gimmicky, like playing with audio
equalisers, it is really much more impor­
tant. Like the venerable Laser Discs, there
are sometimes many optional items and
scenes that you can enjoy on a DVD.
I figured out pretty quickly that the
"Parental Level" user restrictions on
"undesirable material", might not bring all
(any?) of the "adult dialogue" in Priscilla
Queen of the Desert to me. And the option
for artist biographies on The Mask insures
that I'll send a birthday card to the lus­
cious Cameron Diaz next week.
THE PICTURES
DVD has a vastly superior signal to
noise ratio over the analogue forms of
consumer video although it occasionally
exhibits a noise-like artefact quaintly
called mosquito noise. This is tiny com­
plex moving picture parts crawling and
fidgeting about because they aren't prop­
erly digitised and smoothed. It resembles
a swarm of mozzies or creeping shifting
textures over the surface.
I noticed this in one scene during The
Mask DVD where Jim Carey was prattling-
COMPRESSION: GALLONS IN A PINT BOTTLE
Compression is basically a process by which the information content of an image or
group of images is reduced by exploiting the redundancy in video signals.
Compressibility and scene changes can be accomplished through analysing the sta­
tistical predicability of a signal. The majority of signals have some degree of predi­
cability. An extreme example is a sine wave, which is highly predictable because
every cycle is identical and represents a single frequency thus requiring no band­
width. At the other end, pure random noise is completely unpredictable. In reality,
of course, all signals fall somewhere between these extremes.
Think of the 6 o'clock news readers in their studio sets. Their carefully animated
eyes and mouths provide a very small percentage of total picture movement (mod­
ulation) while the large static background set is repeated (redundant) every frame.
When our 6 o'clock talking heads cut to a story about a big storm with rain, waves,
trees, and cars crashing high and low, the redundancy equation is radically changed
as the picture stream now has very complex content change activity.
The Pioneer conveniently has a readout option of instantaneous bit transfer rate
which shows the system ticking over. In Dumb and Dumber there's a fairly wide shot
of the two dummies just sitting still yarning in an ordinary plain old room with
very little activity. Interestingly, for a whole scene that was virtually static and near
totally motionless the transfer rate was quite high in the 7 to 7.5 Mb regions. A clos­
er look revealed that the film source itself was slightly jittering in the gate, ie.lateral­
ly shifting and vertically bouncing around its worn sprocket holes in the tele-cine
(film to tape transfer) device. To the processor's clever little electronics it "saw" there
was actually heaps going on as each new picture frame was different enough to be
"un-redundant" while normal viewing just had two little talking (pin)heads in a sta­
tic wide shot. The compressionist operator transferring this could've pushed the
system rate down, but then the two dummies would have lost sharpness and seemed
un-focused at times. And that's more character analysis than we need!
Complex and detailed whole frame action such as pro-basketball full court breaks
with rapidly changing audience backgrounds normally look un-adulterated at 8Mb
or more. A harbourside shot with the sun glittering on the water may look okay
through one encoder design at 3Mb, but bad through another make at 6Mb. How
many bytes, how fast, and how good the whole crunch systems are, all comes down
to our highly subjective perception.
Virtually all satellite-link fed TV pictures we see nowadays use video compres­
sion techniques, so DVD is not trying out something new and un-tested on con­
sumers. We've all probably seen very good (and some bad) sports, news, and enter­
tainment video segments via satellite links, and I'd say they are mostly getting better
all the time. -John Paul
14
Audiofnz
ZONE WARNING
One problem with DVD is that the
players and disks are not inter­
changable around the world. The
world has been divided into six zones
- New Zealand is in Zone 4 along with
Australia and Latin America. This
means that any disks purchased in the
USA (Zone 1) or UK (Zone 2) will not
play on NZ-purchased Zone 4 players.
Zone 4 software is now beginning
to trickle through. The titles men­
tioned in this article were kindly sup­
plied by Roadshow Entertainment. M]
on in a medium close-up shot in front of
some cheesy old print design wallpaper
while the camera was tracking slightly to
keep him framed. The wall behind him
was sort of jittering in and out of focus,
kind of fuzzing and buzzing about in sub­
tly distracting ways. Many other complex,
quickly moving, richly detailed scenes
were perfectly presented.
So I can only surmise that they didn't
allocate (waste?) the bits on this relatively
inoffensive, yet computationally complex,
wallpaper background activity. Better to
conserve bits for all the big flash action
and critical information scenes which
honestly looked just great.
The Crow showed just how superior
DVD's rich colour and high contrast
brightness signal to noise ratio is. The
opening scenes are of a big city nigh time
fire with rich reds and oranges everywhere
on top of deep black shapes and subtle tex­
tures. The total lack of shifting graininess
and smearing in the red bits with the very
dark, not floating wish-wash greys, but
black, darker black and blackest street
scenes convinced me that it's good-bye
VHS garbage forever.
So much more picture information
from the very bright to the very dark with
minimal chroma bleed (colour spilling
over) is present that it really is much more
quality cinema-like enjoyable. Even a
ridiculous kick and splat movie like this is
interesting and enjoyable viewing for it's
extensive artistic re-creations and repre­
sentations of a very dark, menacing and
frightful drug sub-culture.
That sense of a movie transporting you
somewhere else is very dependent on
believable, read high quality video,
imagery. The widescreen DVD version of
Evita on a big Sony 32-inch 16x9 tube with
100Hz scanning provided me with a mar­
vellous sense of place and time past. With
THE BIG NEWS FROMJP-_W_
the sound turned nearly off (sorry
Madonna and Antonio), it nonetheless
took me off to the streets of Argentina and
into that whole political deification mad­
ness that occurred. Shame about those
ditzy blondes.
FINDING TROUBLE
If you look hard for compression pro­
cessing faults you'll occasionally find them
in the most unexpected scenes. And some­
times your player, or even your own eyes,
will re-adjust and compensate for the
shortcoming so it won't even repeat itself!
Welcome to the wonderful world of digi­
tal motion compression anomalies.
With DVD, the master movie film
transferred by expert operators called
"compressionists" is the whole shooting
match. Garbage in, garbage out rules large
and true here because the DVD can pro­
vide stunning domestic visual perfor­
mance or look artificial in other situations.
There are also important artistic con­
siderations overriding compression pro­
cessing options. Take a movie like Leaving
Las Vegas (not seen yet on DVD) which
THE HARD STUFF
The Imaging Science Foundation produces a test DVD, Video Essentials which is
designed to optimise your home audio/video system. It's in the NTSC S2S line for­
mat, but as most big TV'S are NTSC capable it's a very useful tool.
On the Pioneer DV-SOS feeding a video composite signal to a Sony BVM 1401
Grade One ($14,000 NZ!) broadcast monitor (with an NTSC board) playing a multi­
burst test signal there was clean flat frequency response to 4.S Mhz - full NTSC
bandwidth. The NTSC 3.S8 split colour bars visually compared to a Tektronix refer­
ence source into the same monitor (A/B inputs) were virtually identical. A nearby
broadcast engineer couldn't reliably pick which was which except for an insignifi­
cant yellow bar shading difference. NTSC is notoriously bad, or at least difficult, in
getting yellow spot-on, so I'd say that the DVD produced near test generator clean
signals from the MPEG 4:2:2 (better chroma sampling) Video Essentials disc.
They were other test signals, such as video sweep linearity, and various geometry
tests that fared very, very well. And as a good CD player should produce good audio
test signals from a proper test disc, the Pioneer proved that given high quality source
material it could produce pictures quite close to the best that NTSC broadcast stan­
dard can provide. In this respect the Pioneer is a frankly amazing gadget. And at the
affordable price it is just wonderful that such high quality picture playback is now
available to the average consumer's Visa card. -John Paul
has a deliberate "down and out" dirty,
grainy, poorly lit, soft low resolution
"look" and there will probably be an even
uglier "look" DVD because digitising then
compressing random film noise is still very
hard with current technology.
REL&
Smiths Sound are proud to represent two of the finest UK
brands- Rega and REL .
Rega have been best known in the past for the Planar 2 and 3 turntables , which are still the best va lue turnta­
bles available . The applause for the recently released Planet ($1399) CD player has been deafening , and well deserved - th is is one of the most musical CD players around . Don't overlook the Brio ($899) and Elix ($1499) integrated amplifiers - these are superb performers at very approachable prices. REL has brought respectabil ity to subwoofers. And they did this by approaching subwoofer design as an extension of your existing main spea kers, rather than a grumbling bass boombox. REL:s musical subwoofers range from the remarkable Stealt h ($1399) through to the simply awesome Stentor at $5899. Two of the best from Smiths Sound.
SMI~HS
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16
Audiofnz
On the other hand, said the economist,
any movie with high production values
offering crisp clean images, well saturated
colours and a wide luminance brightness
range will probably shine sweet and true
on a properly mastered disc.
WE HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE OF HI·FI Von Schweikert Research VR-4 Generation 11
The renowned two-piece stacking VR-4 loudspeaker from Von Schweikert Research,
a benchmark for deep bass response (flat to 20Hz) has undergone a significant
upgrade, and is now dubbed VR-4 Gen 11.
Changes include:
• use of low loss crossover compo­
nents pioneered for the VR-6NR-8
range results in even finer low
level detail and clarity with
increased efficiency (91 dB) and
dynamic range;
• rear ambience tweeter upgraded
to a damped aluminium dome for
more realistic depth of field;
• revised mid/tweeter baffles and
enclosures for greater clarity and
improved off-axis response;
• redesigned parting for cleaner,
tighter and faster bass down to
subwoofer levels
• narrower cabinet and slanted rear
mid/tweeter module for better
integration into smaller rooms.
AND IT'S LOOKING RATHER GOOD
The VR-4, which was rated "The Best We've Heard" by Sweden's HiFi and Musik
magazine, increases in price marginally to $NZ6900, the same as its US retail price.
Call also for into on exciting new Densen amplifiers.
For further information contact Peter at Frontline Audio. Ph (09) 520-HIFI (09 520 4434) or e-mail [email protected] or see www.vonschweikert.com You've thought long and hard abo ut choosing the right
sound system. You think you've found what you're
looking for. It looks great. It sounds even better. And it's
within your budget. So how come you still have that
niggling doubt in the back of your mind?
Simple. Before you make your final decision, you
want to be sure that a few years down the line, you're not
going to regret it.
Unlike most hi-fi manufacturers, we understand
completely. We've already set the standard by offering
legendary sound quality in every price category.
Now we've completely rewritten the rules. Because
practically every piece of Arcam equipment comes with
something that will radically change the way you buy
hi-fl. A set of pre-defined upgrade paths that allow you
upgrade your sound system just as soon as technology
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to
Pictured: Arcam's Alpha 7 system, comprising the Alpha 7
amplifier, Alpha 7 tuner and Alpha 7 compact disc player. Both
the amplifier and CD player have upgrade options.
ARCAM For the name ofyour nearest Arcam dealer, please contact
Avalon Audio, 634 Mr Eden Road, Auckland . Ph 0-9-638 9000. Fax 0-9-638 8888 Audiofnz
11
MIK E ON THE PODIUM
by M i ke Jones
American beauty SIMPLY SUPERB- A GREAT SPEAKER FROM THIEL
W
hile there may be continuing
debate in political circles regard­
ing the previous fifteen years
worth of economic deregulation, there is
one group who has greatly benefited:
audiophiles.
In the pre-Rogernomics days, the
importation of hi-fi equipment into New
Zealand was heavily constrained by
import licencing. All that many audio­
philes could do was to imagine the sound
of the hi-fi components that they could
read about in UK and USA magazines.
One brand that has a long history of
praise in the US hi-fi press is Kentucky­
based loudspeaker manufacturer, Thiel.
Founded by Jim Thiel in 1977, the Thiel
range is imported into New Zealand by
Denco Audio
thick. Combine this with the extensive bracing used inside the 1.5, and you have an inert cabinet that doesn't sing along with the music. Perhaps the most obvious aspect of the speakers appearance is the sloping front baffle. Jim Thiel does this to time-align the woofer and tweeter. Couple this with
a
first-order (6dB/octave) crossover­
the only crossover that allows for phase coher­
ence, and you have a speaker that is both time and phase-aligned. TECH-0-NOGICALLY BETTER
Speakers fascinate me, and over the
years, I've found that a good sounding
speaker range inevitably share one charac­
teristic: an inspired designer. Like my Epos
ES14's (designed by the consistently great
Englishman Robin Marshall), the Thiel
range is designed by Jim Thiel, an inspired
designer with a clear vision .
And like many great loudspeakers, the
Thiel l.s's are simple in concept, but
meticulously engineered. Good sound
requires good engineering, which no
amount of "trick" concepts or execution
can replace.
Just over one metre high, the Thiel 1.5
is a floor-standing two-way ported loud­
speaker (the third driver unit visible is a
passive radiator - an unconnected unit
that replaces the usual reflex port) .
A 25mm metal dome tweeter is coupled
with a 165mm aluminium woofer- a very
rigid driver. An important design feature
of this aluminium woofer is that it uses a
short coil in a long magnetic gap - a rear
virtue that the Thiel 1.5's share with my
Epos 14s. The benefit of this is that the
woofer is kept in much better control by
the amplifier, and over a wide dynamic
range. The drawback? It costs more to
manufacture.
Attention has also been paid to the
Thiel 's cabinet. The cabinet walls are
25mm thick, with the front baffle 50mm
1s
Audiofnz
USER - FRIENDLY
There aren't many
loudspeakers that are as
friendly to the decor as
these Thiel 1.5s. For a
start, they're floor stand­
ing speakers, so no ugly
"oil rig" stands are needed. The Thiels are
finished in beautiful wood finishes, befit­
ting a piece of furniture . The speakers are
designed to be used with the grilles left on.
The front of the speaker slopes backwards,
making the 1.5's appear smaller to the eye.
Plus, the speaker terminals are right at the
bottom of the cabinet back, allowing
cables to be hidden . And they're designed
to be used parallel to the rear wall, which
means that you need not have speakers
pointing at odd angles in your lounge. For
some, that may be enough, but then there's
the sound.
AND THE SOUND?
The Thiel 1.5 is simply one of the finest
loudspeakers available in New Zealand at
anything less than silly prices. Once run in
(at first the 1.5's were rather forward
sounding), the Thiel1.5's were a collection
of audiophile brownie-points.
Did they sound tonally neutral? Yes.
Transparent? Very much so. And the
immortal pace, rhythm and timing (PRAT
to you)? Excellent.
A few things stand out for special men­
tion . The bass is as pure and boom-free as
I've heard from a ported/passive radiator
speaker system, as shown listening to a few
of my favourite bass players such as Ron
Carter and Christian McBride. And the
bass was solid and extended.
I've never paid too much attention to
soundstaging in hi-fi, but the Thiel's
excelled in this area. Images between and
behind the loudspeakers were consistently
rock-solid and well focused. At sit off-axis
(as I regularly do while reading and listen­
ing) and the soundstaging held up. Most
speakers just collapse the sound into the
nearest speaker.
The 1.5's do need a solid amplifier to
power them - my Plinius SA-100mk2
proved to be a good match.
True to form, I've run out of room. So
let me conclude by stating that the Thiel
1.5 is a marvel of a loudspeaker- I held
on to these as long as possible! Its size and
bass extension make it a perfect match for
many New Zealand lounges. And at $4500,
the price is very right.
WHAT'S THIS I HEAR?
by Owen Young
The new Global Village
AUDIO ON THE INTERNET
H
azy morning sun seeps through.
Clouds are floating in from the
Waitakere Ranges and humidity,
blissfully low in the early hours, looks like
building again into the sort of Auckland
summer's day that has been rare these few
years.
It's Christmas break, everyone else has
left for the beach and Jamaican Rhythm
fits the empty city atmosphere like a glove.
It's Ernest Ranglin (guitar) and Monty
Alexander (piano), on the Island Jamaica
Jazz series. It pulses and sings through the
house. I'm in heaven. Mind is relaxed but
feet want to tap and dance. Audio can be a
neat thing. It can be a salve and a drug.
This is why we buy music.
Globally and technologically, nothing
has affected our news, information and
communication outlook more than the
Internet. Topical "sites" such as for the
NASA Pathfinder Mars Landing or the
Whitbread Yacht Race, have received liter­
ally millions of "hits" (visits), daily!
Maybe because of our isolation, NZ has
one of the highest percentage of use and
growth rates of Internet use anywhere.
Although a relative "newbie" to the Net
myself, let me attempt to convey an insight
or two into this brave new world.
The Internet enables fast, easy and
informal exchange between individuals,
groups and businesses in many countries.
The speed and virtual up-to-the-minute
communication capability of the Net has
partly supplanted other forms of commu­
nication, such as fax, telephone and even
print publications.
The Internet has influenced audio in
many ways. Within days of the US release
of January edition of Stereophile, for
example, discussions were taking place on
the Net about the Martin Colloms'
"momentous" statement on negative feed­
back. I noted also the other day, a new on­
line audio magazine (e-zine): Audiophilia
Online Magazine.
So, what else does Internet offer us
audio nuts? Discussion Groups and
Newsgroups are available for those that
seek like-minded comraderie, information
(or dis-information) and even help. This
applies to most of us. Suddenly the world
is your resource.
20
Audiofnz
PLINIUS
PRODUCTS
DISTRIBUTORS
PEOPLE
ALBUM
LINKS
~
Distributors
~m
~
L..i.D.U
rif IRndWi! filt ,
l "
The Plinius web site, which can be found at http://nzcom.co.nz/webnz/audible/index.htm
HELP!
Let me illustrate with a personal exam­
ple of audio trauma. Over Christmas, as
this dose of bad Karma would have it, one
of my speaker drivers developed a voice
coil fault. Holiday season had begun, and
I was facing the prospect of no hi-fi for at
least a couple of weeks.
A desperate message was e-mailed out
that afternoon to a "Mailing List" group
which I subscribe to (sponsored by Sound
Practices magazine in Austin, Texas).
Within a few hours, I had replies from
United States, France, and even
Wellington, NZ (thanks Tony). Following
those leads, I was able to visit a Web site in
Arizona, on which an enthusiast had cre­
ated a homepage of his own, containing
his pet topics: Motorcycles and Lowther
loudspeakers!
At this great site were detailed instruc­
tions and even photographs giving
instructions for the repair, tuning, and tips
for the care of my delicate loudspeaker
critters. So, another 24 hours after, with
the help of a borrowed signal generator, I
was in bliss again, grooving to Billie
Holiday and Fats Wailer.
A digression: Enjoying the Swing Jazz
of Fats Wailer made me wonder why it is
that we seem to have so little fun in popu­
lar music-making anymore? The recent
passing of Stephane Grapelli highlighted
another individual who infused much fun
into his performances. In Pop music, it
seems to be kinda uncool to enjoy your­
self. ("Hey Beavis, look at that guy, he's
like, like ... having fun. This music sucks!)
The Beatles had tongue in cheek often.
Elvis made you smile. Nowadays the pop
world seems only to admit the angry and
anguished. Only occasionally in recent
years an individual comes along and scores
a cheerful pop hit (Cindi Lauper, Bobby
McFerrin) Anyway, back to the chase . ..
JUST SURFIN'
Communicating on the Net, or on the
World Wide Web which is only a portion
of the Net, takes different forms. Visiting
sites can entail "surfing", or casual wander­
ing from site to site, often following "links"
or shortcuts from one related site to the
next. This can gobble up surprisingly large
chunks of time, especially for the gob­
struck newcomer! Experienced users usu­
ally "bookmark" their favourite site
consuming to download to your comput­
addresses for easy future revisiting, saving
er and hence less inviting to visit again.
on-line time.
Good places to begin searching audio
sites are what Mike ]ones calls "jump-off
Virtually anything is available on the
Net. It's a bit of a Wild-West out there,
points" which are sites set up to collect
with very little regulation as yet.
"Links" to audio companies and audio
Censorship must be exercised by the indi­ related sites. Some such sites are: Hi-Fi
vidual. Be aware
Pages, Audioweb
that antisocial and
and
HiFi
the most rewarding Net
adult material is
Playground. There
unfortunately easily
are also numerous
audio places to visit are
available
and
Web sites where you
junkmail in the
can browse such
those set up,
eccentric things as: audio
from of unsolicited
advertising,
for
parts catalogues,
or just keen individuals
example, can be
magazine subscrip­
rife. (It is bad form tion and back issue
to indulge in say, e-mail chainletters.) information, buying and selling used
Despite this, the Net is wondrous thing! audio.
Audio-related sites abound, mostly
For me, the most rewarding Net audio
commercial, or containing advertising
places to visit are those set up, by eccen­
sponsorship. A growing number of indi­ tric or just keen individuals, often to dis­
vidual companies now maintain their own
seminate information and enthusiasm on
web sites displaying sometimes merely
topics as diverse as cancer therapy to
Cindy Crawford. These "shrines" are
product propaganda, but often also with
maintained by folks who derive their
useful information such as technical data
and published reviews (favourable of reward from the numbers of visits received
and from e-mail comments left.
course). The best commercial sites will
Let me indulge a little ... I love the fol­
expound company philosophy, or maybe
contain technical "white papers" explain­ lowing: Thomas Dunker's Horn Page
(horn loudspeakers), Sakuma's Direct
ing design approach, and generally thus
use the Net as an opportunity for a friend­ Heating (Japanese, mono, triode, battle­
ly exercise in goodwill and marketing.
ship-sized amps guru!), Ed Bilecci's Amp
The way that a company "constructs"
Constructor's Page (growing compendi­
um of home-built tube amps) . Some of
its Web site will impact on whether your
visit will be a pleasing one. Is it nicely laid
my fave groovy commercial sites: Angela
out and easy to "navigate"? ie. move
Instruments (vacuum tubes, guitar amp
around from page to page. I occasionally
parts catalogue), Costruire Hi-Pi magazine
come across sites which are stunningly
(Italian DIY audio), Wavac Audio (the
attractive but often such complex graph­ world's most beautiful and most expensive
ics which tend to make the site more timevalve amps ever?).
by
WEB SITES WORTH A LOOK
A non-comprehensive personal list of a few places just maybe worth visiting:
Melbourne Audio Club
home.vicnet.an/-marinc
HiFi pages
www.unik.no/-robertfhifi
HiFi Playground
www.hifi.com
Audioweb
www.audioweb.com
Thomas Dunker's Horn
invalid.ed.unit.no/-dunker/horns
Audionote N.York City
www.viewpoint.it/colnago/
22
Audiofnz LET'S CHAT
One-on-one communication on the
Net is cheaper than telephone or fax and
can be more convenient for both parties
in different time zones. Communicating
with other individuals can be via individ­
ual e-mail messages, or through
"Newsgroups" or discussion groups, to
which e-mail messages on the group topic
can be "posted", rather like to a public
notice-board, eg. rec.audio.opinion and
rec.audio.tubes are such Newsgroups
("rec" stands for recreational). You can
freely go to these Newsgroups, view a
"digest" (listing) of subject titles of recent
postings before choosing to download for
reading and reply if you wish. At such sites
you can find out the best tweaks for your
Marantz CD-67 player.
www.dejanews.com is a search engine
for Newsgroups.
There are also Newsgroups that func­
tion specifically as on-line "swap-meets"
or trade and exchange sites for audio
items, eg. rec.audio.marketplace.
A slightly different animal, "Mailing
Lists" are a variation on Newsgroups
where subscribers will receive every e-mail
posted by other subscribers and, as such,
these particular groups tend to be self-reg­
ulating in size, smaller, more topic-specif­
ic, and more intimate. Mailing Lists are
close knit and rewarding but require more
commitment to deal with a heap of e­
mails received per day! The Analogue­
Addicts group is such a list. If your need is
specific and esoteric, someone may have a
Mailing List out there just for you.
E-PALS
Individual one-on-one emailing is a
convenient, informal way of contacting
others. One needs to be aware that the very
convenience and ease of emailing can also
easily become intrusive. There is a code of
conduct or "netiquette" which should be
observed ... check out publications such as
NZ N etGuide. Be respectful to others the
same as in face-to-face contact.
You may quickly form quite close e-pal
relationships, as I have, with people in
other countries·. I have an e-pal in South
Africa, for example, who was keen enough
to em ail me scanned colour photos of his
living room with his homemade speakers,
DAC and amplifiers! We now "chat" via e­
mail most days. With familiarity, our dis­
cussions have branched from audio to
work, recreation and the state of our
respective national economies!
NAD hi-fi & home theatre "You'd have to spend twice as much to
get significantly better than the AV716's
Dolby Pro Logic performance"
-Stereo Review
• Multi-room and multi-source
• continuous 80W + 80W at 8 ohms
• dynamic output 145W + 145W
• "Musically" the best Dolby Pro Logic
amp/tuner in NZ under $2000
"revealing transparency and definition
you'd expect from a classy one-box
player, creating an image that brims with
life and well honed detail .. . worth every
penny"
- What Hi-Fi?
---w~•
>lAD
.::. 0
-==---
-­
---..:::..·---
=r!'P'":'"
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•
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$1499
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NAD 515 5-DISC PLAYER
$949
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UBWQQfERs
Miller & Kreisel
The M&K subwoofer range is the result of 22
years experience in designing and
manufacturing high quality subwoofers. With
eight different models available M&K have a
high performance subwoofer to suit every
application and budget.
M&K subwoofers have built-in high
performance amplifiers ensuring a dynamic
powerful sound. M&K subwoofers are
extremely flexible with signals accepted by
either speaker or RCA input, and all M&K
subwoofers feature built-in variable crossover
and adjustable level allowing seamless
integration into your system.
*****
~
•
•
M&K VX-7ii $999
8-inch long-throw driver, 50 watts RMS
270mmH x 350mmW x 270mmD
~PPA SERIES 11
"(The) VX-7ii produces an amazing
depth of bass from a modestly-sized
box"
Hi-Fi Choice May 1996
Finished in real Oak, the Infinity Kappa 11 range of
speakers feature woofers with Injection Moulded Graphite,
Polydome midrange and EMIT-R tweeters.
Exclusive to Paul Money Hi-Fi!
Infinity Kappa 7.2i
3-way with 10-inch woofer
30-250 watts RMS - originally $4000
Infinity Kappa 8.2i
3-way with 12-inch woofer
40-300 watts RMS ­ originally $5600
Infinity Kappa 9.2i
4-way with 2x12-inch woofers
60---400 watts RMS - originally $8000
Infinity Kappa Centre
Featuring the EMIT-R tweeter
25-150 watts RMS - originally $900
2 PAIR ONLY
$3000
1 PAIR ONLY
$4000
M&K V-75ii $1299
12-inch long-throw driver, 75 watts RMS
1 PAIR ONLY
$6000
5 LEFT
$699
" ... it's a subwoofer with attitude,
bass-heavy but speedy and musical
too" Highly recommended
What Hi-R? Oct1995
*****
"There's just one word to describe the
M&K V-75 performance - stunning.
The bass is plentiful, tight and
pronounced."
Best Buy
What Home Video August 1995
PAUL MONEY HI Fl PH (09) 63 88 555
YOUR HOME THEATRE SPECIALISTS
TO THE MAX
by Max Christoffersen
Made in the shade
LIFE'S A BEACH WITH DOLBY SURROUND
I
LOVE SUMMER. SAND BETWEEN THE
toes, bright blue sea, the cry of the gull,
tropical summer fruit and home
theatre.
Home theatre?
Well, it's not as strange a combination
as you might think.
What other time of the year do you
have to sit back, enjoy some film and slip
into a relaxed frame of mind?
For me summer is not only a time for
lazing on the beach, but it's a time to enjoy
my beach bach home theatre system.
I hoard most of my hi-fi gear and can
usually find a use for it somewhere in the
beach system. Aging video decks, proces­
sors, amps and speakers have all made the
trek to Waihi Beach, never to return.
The funny thing is the "reject" gear
sounds better than the permanent gear at
home.
Hmmmmm ... put it down
to summer sun, negative ions,
relaxed frame of mind... or
maybe the extra space I've got in the beach lounge for my
speakers.
Whatever the answer is, all I
know is that my Yamaha DSP100 (now eight years old) per­
forms brilliantly and I find
myself relaxing easily into film
at the beach.
Burglaries and break-ins at
the coast are a reality and I'm
always in a good mood when I
arrive and my old friends are
still there ready to play a tune or two and to later indulge in
some film. Sooner or later, they
will be gone.
Expectations? Who has them? With this gear I'm
pleased it's still there and hasn't
· been stolen.
What's better they rarely
seem to notice the irregular
power supply (sorry Auckland)
and the very regular power out­
ages. So what's going on?
Have I discovered audio/
home theatre nirvana by acci­
dent or is there some grand
24
Audiofnz
design?
Is it simply a matter of being grateful
for what you've got and lowering your
expectations of the performance envelope?
I suspect the human "variable" is at
work here.
A talk to my editor confirmed it ­
sometimes less is more.
We think what gets in the way of audio
nirvana is the expectation itself.
So often hi-fi enthusiasts look at the
glass as half empty (or less ... ) and fail to
enjoy their own system.
Other people's systems sound so much
better than your own and yet the owners
seem unhappy with it. Funny that- maybe
that's why there's an audio industry.
But no system is perfect and seeking
perfection leads to endless tweaking so
that the enjoyment comes from the tweak­
ing and not from the performance.
My beach system always reminds me
that sometimes you should enjoy what you
have, because you might not have it for
long.
The only catch is that over the years I
have read (and experienced) sometimes
perplexing changes in audio performance.
One day the system sounds fine - the next
everything sounds clinical, and fatiguing
and just plain "wrong".
Looking for solutions can take time.
Often things rights themselves and you
wonder what you were on about. Seeking
objective comments on the problem from
friends or family always leads to perplexed
looks and comforting words from those
who are more concerned with my state of
mind than state of equipment.
I have to concede that the biggest vari­
able is always the human one.
Too often I've found that my
own state of mind colours the
audio performance. "Ahhhhhhhhh...now that
sounds more like it." Only I
haven't done anything but sit
down with a good film and a
happy demeanour. I'm not discounting that
subtle changes in audio do
happen, try using a quality
amp fresh and cold from the
box and the same amp some
time later - it is undeniable
that some things work better
hot. But for me, if you asked me
when my gear performs the
best - it's not when it is at its
best, it's when I am. And all too often that's
when I'm at Waihi Beach with
my remote in hand and a
decent video on screen.
I'd invite you round for a
demo, but I'm suspicious that
it might upset the balance ... if
you know what I mean. I've been in audio long
enough to know that if it ain't
broke don't fix it. You can't be too careful you
know.
a ctor
Musical Fidelity's X-Pre is aClass-A Single-Ended Triode tube preamplifier, built
in MF's now famous "can" extrusion. "The X-Pre offers those among us with
champagne tastes ochance to imbibe at beer-budget prices" - Hi-Fi News
Musical Fideli1y's X-A200 are high-powered amplifiers, built in a larger version
of MF's "can". These 200 watt mono blocks feature 50 watts of pure Class-A
power, for even better sound.
Musical Fidelity's X-Act is an 18-bit digital-to-analog convertor. What Hi-Fi?
gave the X-Act 5stars and said "it's abargain". The x-Act was also given an
award for Most Essential Accessory by What Hi-Fi?
The Casde Kendal is the most compact floor-standing design
in the Casde range, which gives it an advantage in smaller
rooms and permits the Kendal to be used close to a walL
The Kendal features a 130mm version of the fabulous l?Omm
woven carbon fibre unit,
producing a highly detailed
midrange with superbly
controlled transient attack.
After working hard to
engineer a big sound from
a small box, Casde are
proud to offer the Clifton
2 (right), with all the
classic Castle virtues in a
compact 6-litre enclosure.
MUSICAL FIDELITY Distributed by A&VHoldings PO Box 4Q-l60, Auckland 10. Ph 0-9-358 4100. Fox Q-9-358 4900. emoil [email protected] Distributed by A&V Holdings PO Box 40-160, Auckland 10. Ph 0-9-358 4100. Fax 0-9-358 4900. email [email protected] Triad speakers
Triad inwall speakers fit
unobtrusively into any
command centre, yet because
they are fully enclosed not
only offer better sound but
foils all interlopers by not
allowing back waves to bleed
through walls and sneak into
- ventilation systems. The
enemies cheap pressed metal
black boxes are also no help
either as they may well
amplify annoying upper bass
resonance. Stunning strategies
Meridian 800 Series
_ Hardware that-Could take out
Saddam Hussan. Meridian's
relentless pursuit for the
absolute in sound quality,
coupled with products more
advanced than the cockpit of
a -stealth Bomber-and
possibly more accurate.
Meridian's wide-range view
_on_ system architecture
allows the 861 Processor to
handle up to 64 channels of
audio amongst many
features too numerous to
cover in this brief dispatch._
The Reference
800 DVD
player exhibits ·
the same
forward
thinking
including video
upscaling,
eliminating
external line
doublers with
DVJJ playback.
The 800
- DVD player
"motherboarci"
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foreseeable future. A force
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Kimber Select
The value of any cable
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the advertising budget.
Take nine years of in-house
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understanding signal
intelligence and the
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that transcend the current
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Incoming- dive for cover!
Acoustic Research, Accuphase, A,lVlC, Audio Research,_
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The sound is astounding
The size is astonishing T
Shown actual size. just 4Ys" tall
JBL's New Simply Cinema™ System. Tiny Speakers. Huge Sound. Built-in Amp with Dolb~ Pro Logic® Astounding sound from a speaker the size of a coffee
don't need a receiver or amplifier.
mug? You'd better believe it. it's just another amazing
Also built-in are separate control settings for
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Dolby Pro Logic, movies, TV and music, plus two A/V
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inputs. Even a full function remote control and a
Five matched two-way 4/s" satellites, with titanium
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Just Add TV'" and JBL's new Simply Cinema system
tweeters and neodymium mid range drivers, produce
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becomes your complete solution for home ci nema
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But the get a little help from their friends. For big
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Once you compare the extraordinary value of JBL's
stands a mere 15" high. Hidden inside the subwoofer
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The new JBL ESC 300
it's a small price to pay for such astounding sound.
AudioEnz Mar 98
SEND me more information on JB L Speakers
JAN DS Electronics
PO Box 107070,
NAME: . .. ............ . ....... . .. .. ... .. ....... . .. . .... . . . .. . .. . . . . . .... . .... . ADDRESS: ..... . . ............. . .. . ..... . . . .. .. . . . . . . . .. ... . .. ...... . ........ . .
Airport Oaks, Auckland.
Ph (09)275 8710
Fax (09) 275 8790
EAR WAX
by Simon Brown
A Shure thing
A PHONO CARTRIDGE NOT JUST FOR GRANDADS
H
e didn't quite call me "Grandad",
but the tone of his voice clearly
placed me in the category of need­
ing an audiophile hearing trumpet. It was
my turn to question whether the sales-yuf
at one of Dunedin hi-fi dealers was deaf,
as he didn't appear to understand the
word. I repeated it louder and enunciating
clearly, "cartridge':
"Grunt". Again he managed to pack in
the implication that not only was I a dod­
dery old bugger but owned a '3-in-1' circa
I972.
I hung up.
Other dealers were more helpful, well
sort of. "Yes we have one cartridge in
stock" (dead stock from I987) or "We can
get anything you care to order and pay for
in advance".
I rapidly had realised that my cartridge
needs circa I998 were very different from
those of I993. While still an analogue ani­
mal, my tastes have been very influenced
by the long term presence of CDs in the
house. Being dedicated to a valve preamp
I found I was less tolerant to it's highish
levels of hiss when used with a moving coil
cartridge. I then discovered that Audio
Technica (presumably once the worlds
biggest maker of MCs) were no longer
offering an exchange!retipping services.
It started to encourage a siege mentali­
ty and the idea of buying my "last" car­
tridge. Although a potential usage life of
50 years from now is a little daunting! At
least a cartridge that I could get replace­
ment styli for, potentially for a good many
years, started to be attractive.
Enter Shure.
The sales-yuf was wrong. I'm not actu­
ally old enough to remember when Shure
were The Hot Item. In the 60s/70s when
specifications reigned supreme, ruler flat
frequency response, low tracking force and
the ability to play kinky test grooves, Shure
did it all. And the VIS was the Elvis of car­
tridges (or perhaps the Rocky given the
numbering scheme).
By the 80's when I started developing
my reputation as a time-waster (poor stu­
dent) amongst hi-fi sales people, Shure's
were starting to look old fashioned. Not
that they were low tech, on the contrary,
Shure advanced the "older" ideals of low
2s
AudioEnz
One of the first things I
noticed was the midrange
neutrality... one of
considerable ease and
naturalness
weight and trick cantilevers to new
heights. It is with some irony that Shure
has outlasted more "modern" cartridge
manufacturers to release the VISVxMR.
Being somewhat conservative Shure
haven't been overly hasty in releasing new
VIS models, about one every decade
seems the ration.
The VIS IV (1970's) introduced a
slightly controversial feature - the
"Dynamic Stabiliser" brush/damper
mechanism. This cleaned gunge out of the
groove while damping the potential low
frequency arm/cartridge resonance. (More
on this anon). I was a bit surprised to see
that the VISV had emerged in the early
80's as it seems newish in my mind.
Perhaps the world "needed" something to
play the Telarc 1812 Overture? However it
did receive enough praise in the US high­
end press to be taken seriously (The US
tech-end press of course, loved it).
The VISVxMR (Vx to it's friends?) rep­
resents a development of the V, so contin­
ues the familiar thin walled boron can­
tilever, a bikini sized stylus as well as the
"Dynamic Stabiliser" brush/damper.
Manufacture has now moved to Mexico
which may help explain why the US price
is near that of the I982 price. In New
Zealand, the Vx is available for $499.
Replacement styli are $329.
Replacing the blunt AT-OCS in my sys­
tem was like moving from a turbo-charged
hatchback to a Mere, perhaps not instant­
ly gratifying but ultimately on higher
plane of ability.
One of the first things I noticed was the
midrange neutrality. This wasn't just a
technological neutrality but one of con­
siderable ease and naturalness. I'm keen
on having space round instruments and
some depth of musical image, to my sur­
prise the Vx managed this trick effortless­
ly. What's more the Vx had the musical
ability to alow you to follow several instru­
ments simultaneously with ease. Swapping
back to the (cheap but brilliant) Sumiko
Oyster made me realise how quiet the Vx
is on surface noise too. Bass extension was
enough to continue to embarrass my
elderly CD player. Speed was good but
couldn't quite catch the Oyster (perhaps
exceptional in this area).
At the other end, the treble is nice if not
quite in the best moving coil league. Detail
was there in abundance. Part of this may
be due to the trick Micro Ridge stylus ­
these types of styli can get in to all the
nooks and crannies of the groove but to
do so must be set up with considerable
care.
All this assumes you've got the
"Dynamic Stabiliser" clipped up out of the
way, it does muddy the pool considerably
when in the "operating" position. While
detail, speed and imaging abilities all suf­
fer, the basic tonality remains so I found
myself using the brush/damper to keep
Hairy McClary away when I was only
using the turntable for background music
(you can only chop and change like this
only if you have a tonearm with easily
adjustable tracking weight).
I must admit the tweeky part of me is
tempted to hot rod the Vx by removing all
the "extraneous" bits. However, this is a
tribute to the substantial abilities of the Vx
that it may justify such attention.
Regardless, I've now got a cartridge that
will be giving considerable pleasure for a
considerable number of years.
FOUR OF \rHE BEST Wireworld
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"Finally a set of interconnects that gets out of the way of
the music and does so consistently, regardless of its length
or the system into which it is placed."-Harry Pearson in
The Absolute Sound issue 111
Find out what Harry Pearson in The Absolute Sound called
"the finest cables on the planet".
For 17 years David Salz has been steadily refining his
patented symmetrical coaxial cable designs. The results are so
musically natural and harmonically accurate that they have
become the reference of not only the worlds most respected
critics, but also of music lovers on all budgets.
Interconnects
Speaker Cables
1m pairs, RCA term inated
3m terminated pairs
Polaris Ill .. ... ..... .$549
Atlantis 11 . •••.•..• $6oo
Equinox Ill . . . . ..... $349
Solstice 11 •••.•• • ••• $250
Atlantis 11 ••• . •••••.• $199
Orbit 11 •.•.••• • . . .S2oo
Oasis Ill ....... . .....$119
Horizon 11 . •• • •• . • . •$160
Solstice Ill .......... .$79
Luna 11 . .. ... . ...• •$120
Orbit ..... . . .... . . . .$59
Terra 11 •.•••••••••. $89
Audio + V deo combined cable sets
1x 75ohm video cable and 1m pair audio cables, all RCA terminated
Solstice audio interconnect plus Ultraviolet video cable ......$159
Orbit audio interconnect plus Ultraviolet video cable ........$129
(;) ProAc
1'~~
"Even for a hardened critic, the transparency when direct-coupled to the
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-Hi-Fi News- Martin Colloms, UK
"Wadia has recreated the natural sound of live music in a way that
continues to elude other manufacturers of digital audio equipment"
-Yoshihero Asanuma - Stereo Sound, Japan
From the new entry level 830 right through to the 270/27 combination,
Wadia is your CD player for life. Even a 10-year old Wadia can be upgraded
to be competitive with the latest models.
In the fast-moving world of digital -that's evidence of great design and
commitment to the customer... for life.
Hear what a Wadia can do for your music collection soon!
PQ IMPORTS
PO Box 607 Tokoroa
Fax 0-7-886 6851
Like no other loudspeakers on the market today,
ProAc speakers elevate domestic musical appreciation
to an unforgettably lifelike experience.
The full weight, scope and vitality of live music,
be it symphony orchestra, jazz band or rock concert is
accurately and convincingly portrayed in an expansive
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The Response range has been enthusiastically
received by audiophiles worldwide and represent the
culmination of our long audio experience. Exquisitely
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development, design and manufacture.
The result is soundstaging, pinpoint imaging and
previously unimagined from moving coil loudspeakers.
ProAc speakers are available in real wood veneers and a special range of
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phone 0800 33 HI·FI
(that's 0800 33 44 34)
or mobile 025-937 966
email [email protected] Web www.listening.co.nz
dealer enquiries welcome
THE SONIC GLADIATOR
by Darren Knight
Last of the famous
international playboys
THE SONIC GUIDE TO ROMANCE AND HI-FI
I
was in a fix alright. Nestling, snuggling,
melting against me was the soft warm
body of the girly variety. And yet my
mind was elsewhere. Across the room it
stared at me, perched atop the tallboy,
black and cold as Hades, at least a dozen
small baleful eyes toying with me.
I knew that to turn my back on it was
to corrode my soul and I was also aware
that with two swift, athletic steps (and a
quick puff on the inhaler) I could have it
in my grasp. All that power in my hands. I
would control time.
I thought poofy thoughts. Meadows
flooded with daffodils. Small woodland
creatures. Barry Manilow.
But I knew in my heart of hearts what
had to be done. I could never explain it to
her. In the half light of the morning she
looked beautiful as I untangled our
empassioned limbs and a small tear threat­
ened to spring forth as I kissed her sleep­
ing lips.
"Forgive me" I half sobbed as I left our
bed and flew at my nemesis. Swiftly I cov­
ered the distance with barely a backward
glance at the glorious curve of her thigh.
Unleashing all my fury, my fingers were
a blur as they stabbed furiously at the task
before me.
"What are you doing?" My God, she's
awake! Too late now, I was nearly there.
Seconds. It must be done.
"Aaaaa .. . nothing." I whistled a little
tune to throw her off the scent.
"You're setting the clock on the stereo,
aren't you?"
"Might be. It was wrong anyway."
"Come back to bed." She purred seduc­
tively. And I knocked over all manner of
lipsticks and exotic perfumery.
"Can't. Not yet, it's not done." And with
that, any chance of rumpy pumpy was well
lost. Damn! The pained sigh said it all.
"Look, I can't explain . .. it's kind of a
guy thing ... "
It's the Y-chromosome, it's the footie,
it's the sunshine, it's the boogie. It's the guy
thing.
Come on, my little weekend warriors,
when was the last time you saw a chick in
a flash hi-fi shop moving the demo speak­
ers one inch forward, two inches out,
angling them several degrees one way then
30
AudioEnz
the other, changing cables, changing them
back, turning them upside down, popping
a sprig of parsley on top, then spending an
entire Saturday morning lying about the
differences they hear? Hmmm?
Doesn't happen lads. And you know it.
Mercifully, Freud is well dead or he'd
have to write a whole new book on chaps
and their toys and how it's all due to how
much we like our mums wrapped in glad
wrap and all that boys' stuff we know and
love.
In my younger and more foolish days
there were many times following a glori­
ous evening of half whispered nothings
over dinner that I would invite man cherie
in for "coffee and music".
Being young, dumb and pumping with
the evil testosterone, it always came as
some surprise that the Epos love boxes, the
Nairn aural ticklers, and the Linn intruder
deluxe failed to arouse untold passions of
the loin variety in my female companions.
Hell! They did with me.
So there I'd be cross-legged and fiery of
groin on the shagpile, rotting on, as clever
as can be, about the frequency response of
a particular section of my speaker cables,
wondering why her clothes were still on,
knowing full well that I was getting pretty
hot under the collar and, by now, she must
be too.
One more erotic spin of the platter and
she surely must be mine. What sort of
chick could resist a spotty young man
who'd spent his entire savings on what,
undeniably, was one mutha of a hi-fi?
All of them actually.
Never did it. Never scored the big one.
Never even had a pash in front of the bass
driver.
You see, the women folk quite like
music. They quite like it when it sounds
good too. But not since Eve said to Adam
"Christ man, the old one hid your goalies
just as well as the new one," has any
women been able to fathom the male need
for a roaring beast of a fig leaf. Not just any
old bit of greenery to cover the cods when
the Royal Deluxe Gloriously Large and
Quite Saucy model will do the job for the
price of a couple of million frocks and
Carribean cruise.
Same with the stereo. Might as well save
a couple of thou' and buy a Kamikaze
nasty. As long as it plays Neil Diamond,
you're in with a chance.
But they'll never know the joy of it all
as long as they like flowers, and relation­
ships, and cuddly toys, and this year's
slingbacks.
Sorry love. You'll have to spend quality
time with the girls. Me and the boys have
lies to tell.
Hey Mike, have you heard what this
interconnect can do ... ?
4SO !SJ I Q~ ~
1 •
"'11
' r , ""'
J
1
n ( •
jAUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURER OF THE YEARj
19 9 7
~
S'OlJNP..:~;,.
AWARD
"The SAV series is simply sensational.
Buy lt!"
S
AND THE WINNER IS:­
sonique 5.5
Richard Morgan
Which?
Loudspeakers
Judges' comment: Sonique's Winner· 5.5
Audio & Video Lifestyle Best Buy Awards 1997
fastidious attention to even the tiniest details has ensured the
5.5 has a sound quality that
equals its superb appearance.
1997
Loudspeaker of the Year
$3499 NZ
Winner· SAY
Home Theatre Loudspeaker System over
$2000 Australian
*****
TRICHORD GENESIS $1999
What Hi-Fit
For: Superb detail; unbeat able timi ng Against: Nothing
Trichord's Genesis is a revamped version of Pioneer's PD-5504. lt has put in its
own digital clock, treated the laser and added niceties from its Pulsar DAC to
the analogue stage. Retained are the best bits of the Pioneer, such as the Stable
Platter Mechanism CD turntable and the Legato Link conversion system.
Bandwidth is huge as instruments take on a timbre unusual from most CD
players. The bass is integrated yet superbly rich; the mid range and treble are
also excellent. Put quite simply, the Trichord Genesis is one of the best CD
players we've heard at this price.
For more information on Sonique and Trichord,
please contact Transline Audio ph/tax 0-7-578 5211
- new technology announcement
Velodyne , the high technology American powered
subwoofer manufacturer announces new 10 and 12
11
11
driver models featuring amazing technology in tiny cubes.
Velodyne now offers 12 models of powered subwoofer
priced from $895-$5495. If you want the best subwoofer
in your music or home theatre make sure you test drive a
Velodyne ... and enjoy the bottom line in bass.
For a brochure and review pack and details of your nearest
The HGS-1 0, 20-120Hz ±3dB with less than 1% distortion,
weighs 20kg in an 11 "cube!
AUDI
dealer, please contact Audio Video Designs.
VIDEO
D e s
g n s
PO Box 31-552, Milford, Auckland
Phone 0-9-486 0666. Fax 0-9-486 0660
Mobile 025-769 890 or 021-769 890
Audiofnz 31