AudioEnz Magazine - March 1997 by Sound Media Group

N E W

Z E A L A N D ’ S

H I G H

F I D E L I T Y

M A G A Z I N E

Dolby Digital home theatre March 1997

Final  vinyl? VINYL  –  A  NEW  ZEALAND  PERSPECTIVE

amplify  your  records  with  the  plinius  jarrah

Max is back! – and looking at Dolby Digital

For nearly half a century Acoustic Research has been innovating breakthrough technologies that have become standards in the audio industry. Home Theatre and Dolby Digital® 5.1 channel sound systems are now replacing traditional two channel stereo. AR’s new digital-ready High Output series was designed for these revolutionary new formats.

For the first time, high efficiency and audiophile sound quality have been combined in beautifully hand-crafted furniture to deliver both the delicacy and dynamics of multi-channel sound. With exclusive technologies such as Energy Control Contour Baffle, Multi Slot Loading and Voice Balanced Tonal Matching, Acoustic Research is leading the way into the digital future with its new High Output Series loudspeakers.

There’s a dedicated Denco Audio retailer near you. Phone toll free 0508 800 555 for details

MIKE ON THE PODIUM

by M i k e Jo n e s

Consumer speaks out BUT DOESN’T INFORM THE READER

’m a bit of a magazine junkie – i buy t h em , I borrow them – and wh en I go around to a friend’s house, I’m likely to be antisocial and stick my nose into one of their magazines. So it’s no surprise that, when I travel down country to see my mum, that I delve into her pile of Consumer magazines. So it was that I can ac ross Co n sumer’s guide to buying hi-fi speakers in the January/February 1997 issue.

HIGH HOPES

I started reading with high hopes. After all, Co n sumer magazine had done a good job with CD players a couple of years back. They had used the servi ces of the Well i n g ton Audio Club and shown, probably to the surprise of Consumer’s staff, that CD players that measu red identi c a lly could be consistently differentiated and ranked by sound quality in a blind listening test. So when it came to spe a kers , which no one argues all sound the same, you’d expect Co n sumer to report on how these speakers sound different. Wouldn’t you? I sure did. But Consumer surprised and disappointed me. WHAT COU LD HAVE BEEN

Buying, using and enjoying hi-fi is all about the sou n d of the com pon ents, a ll in aid of enjoying music. So a con su m er test on speakers , which “will do more to improve the sound quality of a stereo than any other component”, to quote Co n sumer’s introduction to the article, should focus on the sound of the speakers. But in the main article, the sound of the

AudioEnz is published by AudioVideo Publications Limited, PO Box 100-554, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland 10. Ph 0-9-479 7843. Fax 0-9-478 6303. e-mail editor@audvid.co.nz. Editor is Mike Jones All contents are © copyright to AudioVideo Publications Limited 1997.

eleven spe a kers under test is not even mentioned!

So why, Consumer, didn’t you take your own advice and actually provide some useful information to your readers?

WHAT TH EY DI D

Co n sumer magazine’s two-page article supplied some useful, and mainly acc ura te , basics on loudspe a kers, including de s c riptions of what a speaker is and the parts that make up some speakers. Consumer applied two tests to the group of eleven loudspeakers. The first test was for frequency response of the speakers, tested in an anech oic chamber. This tests for the flatness of f requ ency response – ide a lly a speaker should reproduce the same level of sound over the audible range of frequencies. While a trad i ti onal frequency re s pon s e measurement is an important test, as speaker designers know this only tells part of the story as to how a speaker will sound in a domestic situation. One of the speakers in the test is specifically designed to reflect sound off walls. Testing this spe a ker in an anech oic ch a mber would give a measured re s ponse for that model. The second test was for distortion, How this was undert a ken was unspecified, so re aders are left with no idea if the measured distortion is important, or even if it is audible. LISTEN HEAR?

One could argue that the points I am making are only of relevance to the audiophile – that “real peop l e” would on ly care about how the speakers sound. And such an argument would be correct – sound is the important factor. So why does Co n sumer magazine ignore the whole point of buying speakers? Finally, under the “We Recommend” section, Consumer begins to make sense. “Speakers with the same degree of technical accuracy can sound different,” this secti on state s . That’s right, and this acc ura te statement makes the rest of the Consumer speaker test redundant. “Before buying, listen to a range of speakers” Consumer correctly advise. “Take along vocal and instrumental recordings you know well and spend some time comparing the sound of different models.”

M AY I I N T R O D U C E T O YO U …

When I started AudioEnz last May, I didn’t see it as a mass-market magazine. Instead I saw it as a magazine for enthusiasts. Tod ay in the audio scene there are two types of enthusiasts – the traditional audio enthusiast and the newer home theatre fans. Talking to home theatre en t hu s i a s t s , I became aware that they are like audio enthusiasts were 15 years ago, at the height of interest in audio. From this issue, AudioEnz remains an en t husiasts magazine. We will con ti nue to extensively cover the audio market, and add covera ge for the home theatre en t husiast. Re aders of my previous publication, AudioVideo, will be familiar with the name Max Christoffersen. Max is an articulate enthusiast of home theatre, and I’m proud to welcome him back – this time into the pages of AudioEnz. Max’s columns will deal with the growing su bj ect of h ome theatre, beginning in this issue with an article examining Dolby Digital AC-3. We can look forward to many more thought-provoking co lumns from Max in future issues. H E L P W A N T E D – A P P LY W I T H I N

As any magazine editor will tell you, the s e a rch for good writers is a never-ending journey. AudioEnz is looking for good writers with an interest in audio. I’m looking for people with an interest in audio or home theatre (or both!). I ’m looking for passion, for ideas, for opinions. But most of all I’m looking for the ability to communicate that passion in the written word. I don’t care who or what you are , as long as you can write and supply your copy on floppy disk or via email. Interested? Write to me (address details at bottom left of this page – don’t send email) with why you think you’ll fit in with what we’re doing at AudioEnz. And send me a sample of your writing.

NEWS

All the news… A L L T H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G I N T H E W O R L D O F H I - F I KEF’S NEW Q-SERIES

One bookshelf spe a ker, four floor-standers and a centre channel speaker make up Kef ’s new Q-Series. All models feature the new fourth-generation 165mm clear Uni-Q con e , which has the tweeter positioned in the acoustic centre of the woofer cone. This enables the speakers to act as a virtual point source. The top two models, the Q65 and Q75, i n clude the racetrack-shaped B169 woofer, for low frequency extension. All models are shielded for use close to television sets. Avalon Audio 0-9-638 9000. CELESTION TAKES THE A TRAIN

I N VA S I O N O F T H E CI R C L E SPEAKERS!

Yes, they do look strange. But there are very good acoustical reasons why the Gallo loudspeakers utilise a spherical shape. The spherical aluminium shape helps deal with internal standing waves, plus a sphere is the ideal shape to minimise baffle diffraction. Three models are available. The Nucleus Minor ($2495) is a dual concentric design. The Nucleus Solo ($4199) utilises Gallo’s CDT (cylindrical diaphragm transducer) tweeter. The Nucleus Reference (pictured, $6699) is similar to the Solo, except for an extra “Bassball” woofer per speaker. Wired readers can check out Gallo’s website at www.treebranch.com/ gallo Frontline Audio 0-9-520 4434

Celestion’s premier range of speakers are said to combine “exceptional sensitivity with high power handling capabilities to give an unusually broad dynamic range.” The three models all incorporate a 25mm aluminium dome tweeter and an injection-moulded 175mm midrange/woofer. Pictured is the A2. Hi-Fi Marketing 0-9-415 9099 ROTEL SURROUNDS WITH SOUND

Rotel have release two new components to interest home theatre enthusiasts. The RTC970 (pictu red , $1299) incorpora tes Do l by Pro Logic decoding with an AM/FM tuner and dual-zone pre am p lif ier. A “cinema” mode compensates for the excessive high frequencies in some movie soundtracks. The RSP970 ($999) is a similar model, l e aving out the tuner section. International Dynamics 0-9-524 8488.

INFINITY’S REFERENCE

The Reference 2000 series from Infinity comprises six new speakers with stylish looks. All models include co-injected polypropylene woofers and elliptical waveguide tweeters. Hi-Fi Marketing Ltd 0-9-415 9099 SHORTS

Pl in ius have released a new high - end preamplifier to com p l em ent thei r Class-A power amplifiers. The M16 is the first Plinius to inclu de a remote control. Much of the circuitry is based on the acclaimed SA series of power a m p l i fiers . The M16 is available with balanced inputs for CD, and full balanced outputs. Audible Technologies 0-6-358 8583. John Middleton from Sound Group Holdings has been appointed to the boa rd of CEDIA (Custom Electronic De s i gn and In s t a ll a ti on As s oc i a ti on ) Australia. Congratulations John! Polk Audio have rel e a s ed five new model s . The RT20P “powered tower ” ($3999) is a three - w ay sys tem with 100 watt active su bwoofers.The 100w PSW50 ($999) and PSW150 ($1499) are two new active su bwoofers. Polk has three new sub/satellite systems available. Pacific Audio 0-9-524 8032. Velodyne are now distributed by Audio Video Designs of Auckland. Nine active su bwoofers are available from $895 thro u gh to $4295. Audio Vi deo Designs 0-9-486 0666. Audio Electronics, the affordable bra n ch of US manufacturer Cary Au d i o, is now distributed in NZ. The range includes single-ended va lve amplifiers and a CD player with SE output stage. Frontline 0-9-520 4434 Theta Digital and Muse Electron i c s have a new distri butor in Fron t l i n e Audio. Theta have their first single-box CD player, the Miles ($3650, balanced: $4092) with 18-bit D/A proce s s ors. The Pearl Transport (($2433) is based around the Pion eer stable table transport, and incorpora tes Theta’s anti-jitter circuitry. Frontline Audio 0-9-520 4434 A&V Holdings h ave become the New Zealand agents for Definitive Technology Loudspeakers, Threshold, PS Audio and Mc Cormack Audio. A&V Holdings 0-9-358 4100. E n ergy’s Take 5 is a five-piece home theatre system comprises four iden tical small spe a kers plus one cen tre channel for $999. The 100w ES-8 powered subwoofer can be added for $699. SGH 0-9-415 6680.

LUXMAN RETURNS TO NEW ZEALAND

After a gap of several years, Luxman is again available in New Zealand. Lu x m a n’s new distributor is Phaze Electronics of Auckland. Phaze have announced three series of Lu x m a n components. The 200 Series includes AM/FM tuners from $395; integrated amplifiers from $695; and CD players from $595. A complete 200 Series system can be purchased from $1685. With the 300 Series, s ome models are available in gold, as well as the ubiquitous black. The 300 Series inclu des home theatre five - channel receivers from $1295; tuners from $595; integrated amplifiers from $695 and CD players from $695. One notable model in the 300 Series is the A-384 integra ted amplifier. A hybrid model, the A-384 ($1695) includes a vacuum tube preamplifier stage. The final Luxman Series ava i l a ble is the Ul ti m a te Series. In cluded in this series is the luxuri o u s ly bu i l t D-700s compact disc player (pictured at top). The D-700s incorporates 20-bit D/A convertors and an HDCD decoder. The SQ-38 Si gnature integra ted valve amplifier (pictured below) retails for $8195. It outputs 30 watts per channel from the EL34 tubes. Phaze Electronics 0800-LUXMAN.

A CONCERTO FRO M S ONUS FABER

Italian loudspeaker manufacturer Sonus Fa ber have introduced two new models. The Concertino ($1999, pictu red) and the Concerto ($3499) featu re leather covered fron t , top and back, with solid walnut sides. International Dynamics 0-9-524 8488.

THE SAGACIOUS AUDIOPHILE

by Ch a rl e s T h o m s o n

Final vinyl? VINYL – A NEW ZEALAND PERSPECTIVE

or most lovers of recorded music, the analogue vinyl LP, is dead! One could be exc u s ed for thinking this correct. After all when did you last see a turntable on display at any off your local hi fi shops – let alone hear one playing? Perhaps it is understandable that CD is n ow the largest medium for storing recorded music – silent surface s , convenien ce of operation, longer playing time per side, near instant track access, less storage space, and so on. Indeed a modern product for the late 20th cen tu ry. I mean, could you seriously consider a product designed 100+ years ago worth listening to today, let alone dragging these pieces of plastic into the new millennium in a few years time. Unfortunately many people have forgotten what our hobby is all about – music and sound quality. While over half my musical listening time is provided by CD, I must admit to a preference for the sound of LP. I must also admit to the pleasure of

demonstrating the superiority of LP to any Saturd ay night, played on any old i n tere s ted vi s i tors to our hom e . I am sad- turntable (including record changer’s), dened when I learn that some of these vis- washed in beer if cleaned at all and usualitors have thrown ly stored in a carton aw ay hu n d reds, in with dozens of o t h er While over half my one case over 1800, LPs without a record LPs in their rush to cover in sight, let musical listening time is a l one an inner proembrace the newer technology. tective sleeve . While provided by CD, I must re ading song titles rom the labels may FIRST UP – A admit to a preference for fprodu CHALLENGE ce a nostalgic For anyone who “bu z z ,” sound qu a l ithe sound of LP hasn’t played an LP ty is going to be a in years and thinks right turn off. their turntable works, go dig out an LP or As long as your stylus is in re a s onable t wo from that hidden collection in the condition you are likely to be pleasantly garage, a t ti c , b a s em ent or wh ere ever yo u surprised at what you hear. If su ch is the hide such things at your place. case be prepared to spend hours, weekends At this point, be fair. Don’t select an LP even, renewing old acquaintances. f rom the bo t tom of the pile which hasn’t Now some who take up this challenge been in a cover since circa 1970. You are going to be disappointed. Clicks, pops, remem ber the “Top 20 Hi t s” of that peri- scra tches and surface noise etc. Yuk!!! od which were carted to parties every Unbearable!!! All those reasons you gave

KEEPING IT CLEAN

SECOND-HAND NEWS

As Ch a rles points out , gaining and keeping the best from both records and record playing equipment requires some hands-on maintenance. Dust and dirt are the enemies of both analog hardware and software. There have been many lotions and potions available for cleaning LPs over the ye a rs , s ome of wh i ch did more harm than good. Perhaps the safest and easiest way to clean records is with a record cleaning machine. In New Zealand the Nitty Gritty brand is imported by PQ Imports. Both Ch a rles and I have put mon ey wh ere our mouths are and purch a s ed Nitty Gritty record cleaners. I’m happy with the perform a n ce of my Ni t ty Gritty, and would recommend one to any serious record collector. (But do note that particularly grubby records need several treatments or some initial “external” cleaning first). If you can’t justify the pri ce of a Ni t ty Gritty, you could try the “Andrew Fox Record Cleaning Method.” Andrew was a significant purchaser of second hand vinyl and a long-time contributor to AudioVideo magazine. Andrew’s method invo lved a cut-down shaving brush, dishwashing detergent ( An d rew recom m ends Down to Earth), a plastic spray bottle, a dish rack and lintfree tissue. First, create a mixture of around one part dishwashing liquid to ten–twenty parts water (adjust to suit the condition of the record) in the sprayer bottle. Rinse the record under the tap (don’t worry abo ut the label – it will su rvive ) . S pray the mixtu re on to the record. With the record lying flat, gen t ly fo llow the grooves with the cut-down shaving brush. Rinse again and repeat for the other side. When finished, mop up the water remaining on the record with lint-free tissues, and leave to dry overnight in the dish rack. Andrew also recommends a new record sleeve for the newly cleaned record. I’ve used this method on many record s , and have been amazed at the positive results, particularly with very dirty records. Try it – you’ll like it— Mike Jones

The great news for record collectors is that you can buy a superb turntable these days for very little money. How? Buy second-hand. You can buy a great second hand Thorens, Rega or Linn turntable for very modest amounts of money. For those with larger vi nyl co llections, a second-hand Linn Sondek LP12 is a stunning buy, with excellent conditi on models with good tonearms being available for $1200–$1400 —Mike Jones

Affordable high-end (brought to you by Interdyn) ROTEL RSP 960AX Dolby Processor

RRP $999

“This one was a dream. Once again, Rotel has come up with an intelligently designed, cost-effective audiophile component. Hats off to their engineering team” High Performance Review

RC 970BX mk2/RB 970BX mk2 pre/power Amplifiers RRP $449/$649 “Uncomplicated styling, good sounds and the ability to grow with your system—Rotel’s affordable pre- power combination gives a true five star show” What Hi-Fi

RCD 970BX Compact Disc Player

RRP $999

“…should certainly be on the auditioning list of anyone with this kind of money to spend” What Hi-Fi

RA 980BX Integrated Amplifier

RRP $1099

“We have tested a number of Rotel components over the years, and they have all been excellent performers offering very good value. The RA 980BX integrated amplifier upholds that tradition, both sonically and technically” Sound & Vision

RA 920AX Integrated Amplifier

RRP $449

“The bottom line is that the Rotel RA 920AX has its ri vals thoroughly beaten if you just want to enjoy listening to music” What Hi-Fi

TDL NFM Bookshelf Speakers

RRP $399

“Quite frankly the best sub-£100 speakers you can buy… we wish we had a six-star score, for the NFMs are just phenomenal” What Hi-Fi

RTL 2 Floor-Standing Speakers

RRP $1099

“…a very attractive and listenable speaker at a most attractive price. It 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 Speakers

Concertino An appreciation of music and a love of violin making gave rise to the birth of Sonus Faber. Franco Serblin devised the idea to create a speaker cabinet as an instrument which amplifies sound, not merely a container for it. His inherited knowledge and study of violin construction suggested the use of precious woods. Each batch of Italian walnut is scrupulously chosen, dried naturally for two years and stabilised in a kiln. Once the wood is perfectly seasoned, each plank is cut into staves. The tongue and groove staves are then joined, sealed and the final structure shaped, smoothed and varnished. Every Sonus Faber speaker is in essence a hand-made one-of-a-kind. To own such a speaker is a reflection of impeccable taste.

RRP $1599

“Their twin bass/midrange drive units and reflex transmission 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 event” What Hi-Fi

PRO-JECT Pro-Ject 1.2 Turntable (includes Ortofon OM10 cartridge) RRP $499 “Able to suppress surface noise to almost inaudible levels…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 6.1e 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 contact I n t e rnational Dynamics PO Box 109-317, Newmarket, Auckland. Ph 0-9-524 8488. Fax 0-9-524 8674. Mobile 025-798 260

Concerto For an information pack please contact I n t e rnational Dynamics PO Box 109-317, Newmarket, Auckland. Ph 09-524 8488. Fax 09-524 8674. Mobile 025-798 260

up vi nyl in the first place. Be patient – please! Firs t ly take your stylus to a hi fi de a l er who still has a microscope and can look it at about 50X magnification to check for wear. Don’t be surprised if what appears in the eye piece resembles a blunt chisel which has cut though nails instead of a be a utifully ro u n ded tip. Hell, t h ere might not even be a piece of diamond of a ny shape stuck to the end of the cantilever. And you were blaming the medium for poor sound quality. GET INTERACTIVE!

Ro utine mainten a n ce of the turn t a bl e is next in line. If you can remember how to do it yourself, great. Here’s where LP has it over CD – you can get inter-active, hands on, become part of the proce s s , receive personal satisfaction, oh joy !

Otherwise find an en t hu si astic hi fi shop commercial versions of these machines who will check out such things as align- which do the job quickly for between 50 ment, VTA, tracking weight, a n ti skating, cents and $1 each. speed accuracy, clean the drive belt S O WHAT’S The great thing about AVA I L A B L E I N and lubricate the bearing. NZ Having done all 2nd hand vinyl is the price Obviously any the above, maybe new found interest – $2 to $10 being a even “bitten the bulin LPs, or continulet” and purch a s ed a ing intere s t , for that representative range new styli, your LPs matter, will depend should be starting to on availability of sound pretty good. If what you are hear- music. By far the greatest quantity of vinyl ing is starting to to u ch the “soul” and today is to be found in second hand record interest is being re-kindl ed , t h en a serious s tore s . “ Bu gger that,” I hear you say, “our s e s s i on of record cleaning could improve own records click, pop and hiss enough things even more. My preference is for the without buying someone else’s rejects.” wet clean, vacuum dry process from su ch Well now, just hold on a minute. Major manufacturers as Ni t ty Gritty and VPI. second hand record dealers are music Some second hand record stores have lovers – they are enthusiasts – and their

PLINIUS PHONO STAGES

Many new amplifiers are line stage on ly, that is they they can on ly be used with relatively high outp ut com pon ents su ch as CD players , tape deck s , vi deo recorders and Laserdisc players . An ex tra circuit boa rd is requ i red to amplify the tiny voltage produced by a cartridge plus do technical things like attend to the RIAA equ a l i s a tion curve . Some of tod ays new amplifiers don’t even offer such a circuit board as an opti on . However the ded i c a ted ph ono fanatics at Plinius Audio in Palmerston North have come to the rescue with not one but two options. First up the Ja rrah, whose name comes from the timber used to handcraft its outer case. I just love the look of this component–so completely non hi fi. The beautiful soft glow of burnished timber with won derful ex po s ed dove tail joints and a brass name plate on the front. It looks more like something associated with railways than audio, but what a terrific talking point. Marvellous. The Jarrah is based on the phono stage as found in the more recent version of the Plinius M12 preamplifier. It caters for both low and high output cartridges plus various loading opti ons at the flick of a swi tch or two. Two screws have to be removed from the rear of the Jarrah and its internals slid from the case before you can get at these switches, but following the instruction manual makes this an easy task. As with big brother M14, both units plug into a spare line input , and away you go with superb quality analogue reproduction, all for $595. Now the M14 is a different beastie altoget h er. A real co s t no-object affair. Built like a tank, sized the same as a Plinius M12 preamplifier, all necessary switches on the front panel and costing a mere $3000. How the hell can you justify spending three grand on a ph ono stage? Quite easily actually, on ce you’ve listened to it. Imagine if you would listening to an LP on your current s ys tem . Sounds gre a t . Th en some spoil sport installs a Ja rrah phono preamp between turntable and a line stage input. All of a sudden the musical performance is transformed. There’s clarity, detail like you’ve never heard before and if you are using a low outp ut moving coi l , an absen ce of any el ectronic noise or

Plinius Jarrah phono preamplifier

sense of s train from a preamp trying to provi de en o u gh gain. Here is a must have, $595 upgrade. Right, $595 is one thing, but $3000 for a similar component? Well let me assure you the M14 is similar only in brandname and that it is a phono preamplifier. Build quality and choi ce of components are exceptional. Ease of use and facilities are fantastic. So it looks and feels value for money. Still not convinced? Well have a listen. The M14 is not about clarity, detail, top end, bo t tom end, soundstage or any other hi-fi term. It has them all, no qu e sti on . What is important is how everything is bo u ght toget h er. There is a sense of correctness, a naturalness, that I have never heard from any recorded medium before. You play record after record trying to pin-point strengths in what you are hearing, trying to decide why it sounds so good. In the end you give up and just accept this is a great music making component. As you tod dle of f to bed thinking of any inheritance which may be on the horizon or that lucky Lotto ticket – ah, sweet dreams! Highly recommended – in fact I rate this as one of the two best products I experienced during ’96.

Flawless $1299 AE floorstander Acoustic Energy AE109 Loudspeaker $1299 For Deep deep bass; good value Against Nothing Verdict …a refined yet powerful sound that sweeps all music before it

…and equally superb monitor and centre speakers Acoustic Energy AE100 Loudspeaker $599 For Superb mini-monitors; outclass speakers costing 50 per cent more Verdict OK, we give up – how has Acoustic Energy done it for the money? Superbly built and with a seriously gorgeous sound, the AE100s are very important speakers

Acoustic Energy AE107C Centre speaker $499 For A fine centre with weight and clarity beyond its price Against Needs a fairly big TV to hold it Verdict Matching the acclaimed AE100s and the AE109 floorstanders, this centre speaker will work well with a wide range of front speakers

Call 0800 ACENERGY (0800 223637)

for more details

stock is prob a bly in bet ter con d i ti on than most of your collection at home. Secondly, some of the newer elliptical, fineline, micro reach, etc., styli reduce surface noise to such an extent you would think you are playing a mint condition record. The Su m i ko Blue Point Special’ ( s ee side bar) is such a one. The great thing about 2nd hand vi nyl is the price – $2 to $10 being a representative ra n ge . Some coll ectors items can cost much more of course. I believe an original t wo - record set of The Royal Ballet Gala

con du cted by Ernest Ansermet on RCA the great perform a n ce s / recordings as Living Stereo wi ll set stocked by Jim’s you back aro u n d Music Room in My wish then, is for $US1500. Tauranga (phone Sadly for classical 0800-367 4434 for lovers, second hand anyone in this situation to details). These are shops seldom cater new records, to your taste [Re a l take up the challenge and proce s s ed to the Groovy Records in highest stanre-visit the world of vinyl very Auckland has a large d a rd and stamped s el ecti on — E d i tor ] . from 180 plus You, my dear friends, are restricted mainly grams of virgin vi nyl. Not cheap – but to garage sales or to re - i s sues of some of what fabulous sound qu a l i ty. An intere s ting selection of jazz and blues is also listed in Jim’s catalogue. SUMIKO BLUE POINT SPECIAL New vinyl featuring latest releases from How does something as ugly as this cartridge get rave reviews every time? The the pop charts, jazz, alternative, dance, Sumiko Blue Point Special is a nude cartridge, ie, its innards are there for all to see – funk etc., are available from specialist just hanging from a brass mounting plate. No this isn’t a cost saving measure, taking s h ops such as Off The Record in off the plastic box which usually hides the workings – it actually improves the sound Wellington and Ma rbecks in Auckland. over the original Blue Point. Removing this outer cover is not the whole story Prices on a par with CD. though. There are reported to be some 20 differen ces (improvem ents) bet ween the t wo models, some obvious like the sturdy top, brass mounting plate. The Su m i ko BPS is a high output m oving coil cartridge producing 2.5 mv. Ma ny of us have experienced other brands of m oving coils with outputs as low as 0.2mv, which has meant the vo lume control being set high to obtain a reasonable sound level. At this point electronic noise f rom the amplifiers circuits often became audible and sound took on a s om ewhat grainy, co u rse tex tu re. Th e only option here was to invest in a suitable step up device. No such problems with the Sumiko BPS, any self respecting moving coil phono stage and almost all moving magnet stages will find handling its output a breeze. So we now have adequ a te sound levels and dynamic range galore, but there’s more. It soon dawns on you that this is a very quiet cartridge. The styli seems to be tracking in parts of the record groove not previ o u s ly to u ch ed . If you do hear loud clicks and pops, the scratch or blemish is probably very deep. But it has to be severe, because to my amazement, some of my early 70’s party LPs sounded great. The Sumiko Blue Point Special gives one a taste of the “high en d ”. You sti ll need convincing? Arrange to have iden tical record i n gs ava i l a ble in both LP and CD versions. Relax, compare and judge. One intere s ting aspect of the BPS’s performance is that this stylus is not a gre a t little dust digger. You know those times when in the middle of a magical recording, you are lost to the world, when – shock, horror – distorti on and funny sounds emanate from the speakers. Sure enough when you look at the stylus, there’s a little ball of fluff preventing proper contact between the stylus and record. Never was there any sign of loose material having been dug from the depths of the grooves. For me the Sumiko BPS stands for tonal hon e s ty, a rare quality in a com pon ent at this price level. High praise perhaps, but its true. And after all isn’t this the end re sult we are trying to achieve? I could carry on abo ut foc u s , det a i l , clean ex ten ded highs etc, but why bother. Just listen to the music and be grateful that sound of this quality is available for $659. By the way, the Blue Point Special was the other “Best Component” I experienced during ’97. Just in case you were wondering.

HARDWARE

Despite little being on display in hi fi stores a su rprising amount of equ i pment is ava i l a ble in New Zealand: four models of turntable from Pro-Ject ranging in price from $499–$999, including cartridge; t h ree from an old favourite, Rega, i n clu ding the justly famous Planar 2 and 3, along with the new Planar 9 from $799–$4650; two from Well Tempered $4000-6995; and Linn supplying the ubiquitous Sondek LP12 from $5595 (LP12, Akito, K9) to $13,300 (LP12, Lingo, Ekos, Arkiv). Cartridges from Audio Technica, Dy n avector, Linn, Ortofon, Garrett Bro s . and Rega are readily available. Sadly some great performers su ch as Audio Tech n i c a’s OC9 have been discontinued in recent times. Still if you have a mind such lofty names as Koetsu, Benz, van den Hul, Linn Arkiv,and Transfiguration Temper, these are not too difficult to source. Prices range from budget models at around $100 to, well the sky’s the limit. No ph ono stage? Budget models from QED and Ro tel are available, the two Plinius models featured on page eight, and a model from Audiolab are re adily available in New Zealand. MY WISH

The equipment is available, LPs are available (if a little harder to find). Many who read this arti cle will have both at home already. My wish then, is for anyone in this situation to take up the challenge and re - visit the world of vi nyl. It might just become your prefered music source.

INCREDIBLE SOUND, AFFORDABLE PRICE… FOR MUSIC AND MOVIES!

INTRODUCING THE SENSATIONAL NEW POLK AUDIO RT20P

Now there’s a Polk Audio speaker for everybody! Over 30 models available – there’s one here for you!

5 year parts and labour

warranty

Matthew Polk Chairman, Polk Audio The Polk Audio RT20P “Powered Tower” combines reference quality high and midrange detail, with the drama of powered stereo subwoofers. Each cabinet has a 25mm trilaminate dome tweeter and 160mm mid/bass speaker. In a separate sub-enclosure are two 200mm subwoofer drivers, powered by a built-in 100 watt amplifier. The result – a high quality, full range speaker with deep, controlled stereo bass. And all this taking up no more floor space than your average speaker. Said Julian Hirsch of Stereo Review magazine “I cannot recall experiencing such a deep bass response in the same room, under similar measurement conditions, from another full-range speaker system comparable in size and price to the [Polk Audio] RT20P.” Polk Audio RT20P – just one of a superb range that includes… Mini Monitor $399 LS50 Floorstanding $1999 RT3 Bookshelf $499 LS70 Floorstanding $2999 RT5 Bookshelf $699 LS90 Floorstanding $3999 RT7 Bookshelf $899 LSfx Surround Sound $1199 RT8 Floorstanding $999 AB410 In-Wall $399 RT10 Floorstanding $1299 AB610 In-Wall $599 RT12 Floorstanding $1699 AB505 In-Wall $699 RT16 Floorstanding $1999 AB705 In-Wall $899 RT20P Floorstanding $3999 AB805 In-Wall $1399 RTfx Surround Sound $999 AWM3 All Weather $699 M3 Surround Sound $599 RM2000 Satellite $999

RM3300 Sat/Subwoofer RM5300 Sat/Subwoofer RM7300 Home Theatre CS150 Centre Speaker CS200 Centre Speaker CS250 Centre Speaker CS350 Centre Speaker PSW50 Subwoofer PSW150 Subwoofer PSW300 Subwoofer AWM5 Commercial SRT Home Theatre sys.

$1999 $2699 $3999 $399 $499 $599 $899 $999 $1499 $1999 $999 $19000

Polk Loudspeakers are available from: Whangarei – Hubands Retravision • Auckland – Eastern Hi-Fi, Link Drive and Newmarket • Hamilton – Lakeland TV and Stereo • Tauranga – Simister Retravision • Whakatane – The Electricity Centre • Rotorua – Eastern Hi-Fi • New Plymouth – Masons Appliances • Palmerston North – Manawatu TV and Sound • Wellington – Absolute Audio and Vision •Christchurch – The Top Hi-Fi Shop • Dunedin – Good Hi-Fi • Cromwell – Gary Anderson Appliances

Polk Audio was founded in 1972 by Matthew Polk and George Klopfer. Their dream was to make speakers with the performance of the world’s best and costliest speakers, but at a reasonable price. They did so by applying scientific principles to speaker design and by concentrating solely on the speaker business.That’s why Polk is still known as “The Speaker Specialists”. Today Polk are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of Home and Car loudspeakers and their research and development has yielded over 20 patents for advances in loudspeaker performance and value. Polk speakers have earned high praise from the worlds Hi-Fi press as well as dozens of awards for innovative, high quality design. If you are considering investing in a new pair of speakers or are looking at Home Theatre you really should audition a Polk Audio speaker system. From $399 right up to the $19,000 SRT Home Theatre systems, you won’t find a better speaker for your money.

Distributed by

Pacific Audio PO Box 9174,Auckland. Phone 0-9-524 8032. Fax 0-9-524 8037

…AND NOW TO THE LEFT

b y Ll o yd M a co mb e r

What’s in a Naim? A LONG-TIME OWNER REFLECTS ON NAIM

or me, the world of naim started some eight years ago when, finding mys el f bet ween amplifiers , I courted every con ceiva ble make and model under a grand. I found what I was looking for too and it only cost a mere $600! The answer to my quest was a second hand (very secondhand) Naim pre - power combinati on called the NAC22/NAP120 (Naim Audio Control amplifier and Naim Audio Power amplifier). Short of carbon datin g, I would guess this pair’s manufacturing date to be late 70s. The 22 was, in fact, Naim’s second production pre amp and, like the 12 before it, the internal structure of main mother cir-

cuit board and plug-in daughter phono boa rds cre a ted a platform from wh i ch all subsequent Naim control pre-amplifiers would follow. Ra ted at 60 watts/channel i n to four ohms, the 120 power amplifier s h a red the same arch i tectural con cept as its partner, the 12 preamp. In the psychedelic aftermath of the seventies the answer, according to Naim, was simplicity of design, straight line wiring and an overall no-nonsense approach to amplifier building. I felt som eh ow saved, for I had discovered products with a combination of oddball styling, minimal gad getry and keen ly a t h l etic sound. What else would a studen t

FOCUS ON THE NEWCOMERS

Recen t ly I brought home the new NAC102 pre-amplifier and CD2 CD player for a long-weekend play. The results were, as I expected, impressive. The CD2 replaced the CDI as Naim’s secon d - i n - command CD player fo ll owing the two box CDS. Rather than the clear perspex lift up lid sys tem adopted by the CDI, the CD2 takes on the similar swinging drawer affair of the entry level CD3. Replacing the CD3 from my system, the CD2 treated all music played with the added expression, detail and depth I expected from such a player of this calibre. Still, with a pri ce difference of a ro u n d $2,500 between the two players you’d expect to be impressed. Joining the CD2 as a star replacement in my system was the brand Naim CD2 preamplifier new remote-controlled NAC102 preamplifier. I confess that as soon as I heard of this amp I had to get it home not only because it of fered improvements in sound over my NAC72 but because it was fully remote contro llable. Naim rega rd the new amplifier as the replacement to the 72 and judging from the bri ef yet favo u ra ble spell I had with it, the 102 will do Naim proud as a great sounding, good looking and convenien t - to-use control amp replacement to the smaller-cased NAC72. Unfortunately, the time to return the new products came all too soon. Certainly, both the CD2 and NAC102 Naim NAC102 preamplifier proved their worth in my system as explicitly clearer and sonically superior products when compared with my CD3 and NAC72. On its own merits, I am confident that the CD2 would prove stiff competition for any rivals in a similar price range. Equ a lly, that the NAC102 has the abi l i ty to divulge and tra n s form informati on i n to su ch openhanded music must hold it in good ste ad as one of tod ay ’s leading $3000 control amplifiers, when partnered with a Naim power amp such as the NAP180.

of design ever wish for! T H O S E E A R LY D A Y S

Before the first Naim Audio amplifier back in 1971, founder and Ma n a ging Director Julian Vereker had tried his hand at a myriad of ventures. These ventures were to include everything from car design, to Mini racing, to making films and recording live performances of mu s ician fri ends at home. It was this last dabble which led Vere ker down the path of design and building of recording studio mixer desks and spe a kers, financed with by his success on the race track with his Minis. Vere ker, for some time, had been dissatisfied with the quality of commercially produced hi-fi, particularly amplifiers. Given his track record, you can guess what happened next. The years 1973 and ’74 saw the Naim enterprise start to grow. 1974 was also the year that Vere ker met a fellow music enthusiast and turntable maker. This meeting led to worldwide touring by the pair of hi-fi visionaries who were both i n tere s ted in spreading their ph i l o s oph i e s based around the system hierarchy. Of course, the turntable maker so closely allied to Vere ker was no less than Scotsman Ivor Ti efenbrun, founder of Linn Products. The combination of Naim amplifiers and Linn turntables was indeed regarded by many as unbeatable and Naim’s business growth reflected this. The com p a ny’s high quality equipment became world renowned. T H E N A I M W AY

Naim ardently believe that the choice of components for a hi-fi system should be governed by the basic rule that no component can improve the quality of its incoming signal. The very best that any individual component can do is deal faithfully with its input without loss of musical information. And so a simple and logical hiera rchy is established. So u rce components of a system, such as the turntable, CD player, tuner or tape deck come first as they define the absolute signal quality retrieved from the storage or carrier medium. The preamplifier and power amplifier

King  of  Hollywood Onkyo’s  TX-DS939  features  Dolby  Digital  AC-3,  THX  5.1,  Dolby  Pro  Logic  Surround  and  dual  24-bit  Motorola  processors

Onkyo’s  latest  AV  Receiver  is  set  to  rock  the  Home  Theatre  world  on its  ear.  The  TX-DS939  Receiver  includes  not  only  THX  and  Dolby  Pro Logic,  but  incorporates  Dolby  Digital  AC-3.  One  can  certainly Five  discrete  digital  channels,  plus  one low-frequency  effects  channel,  makes Dolby  Digital  the  state-of-the-art  in  movie  sound

understand  Onkyo’s  new  slogan  “Get  real…  get  Onkyo  home  theatre” This  monster  weighs  in  at  nearly  21kg  with  no  expense  spared. That’s  why  you’ll  only  find  the  best  throughout.  From  heavy  duty  AC  cord,  to  the  anti-resonant  feet  and  chassis  to  the  five  discrete amplifiers.  Offering  more  of  everything:  more  power,  more  features, more  home  theatre  flexibility  and  most  of  all  more  fun! So  for  an  unforgettable  experience  talk  to  your  local  Onkyo  dealer:

Home  THX  is  a  series  of  electronic processes  designed  to  correct  anomalies caused  by  the  playback  of  soundtracks designed  for  large  theatres  in  the smaller  home  environment

For  full  compatibility  with  the  existing library  of  thousands  of  Dolby  Surround soundtracks

Whangarei Hubands  Retravision  •  Auckland Soundline  •  Auckland Mt  Albert  TV  •  Hamilton Lakeland  TV  •  Tauranga Jim’s  Music  Room  •  Wanganui DA Morrisons  •  Palmerston  North Manawatu  TV & Sound  •  W ellington Soundline  •  B lenheim Herkt  Retravision  •  Nelson Feedback  Audio  •  West  Coast Ellery’s  Home  Appliance  Centres  •  Christchurch Soundline  • Ashburton Smith  &  Church  •  Dunedin Selectrix

Distributed  in  New  Zealand  by B&W  Loudspeakers  (NZ) Ltd PO Box  22-049,  Christchurch Ph  0-3-365  5677.  Fax  0-3-365  7219

come next, in that order. Naim believe that if the preamp is inadequate it will make nonsense of the demands of a good source, but neither pre nor power amp can improve the quality of their incoming signal. In fact, the better they are, the more cl e a rly they will expose, i n s te ad of masking, any faults or weaknesses in the system. It follows then that the loudspeakers are the last in the hi-fi system chain in terms of importance. As the slave of the amplifier, even moderate speakers properly driven by a very good amplifier wi ll out perform speakers that are potentially the best possible, but are less well driven. L i ke an amplifier, a loudspe a ker cannot improve the quality of its incoming signal. With their system hierarchy, Naim argue that a system made up of well balanced modera te com pon ents will provi de an overall better performance, rather than a system comprising badly balanced superior products. The better the system, in b a l a n ce and com pon ent quality, the more the intentions of the composer or performer will be reve a l ed thro u gh the skill and feeling of the players and the precise

quality of the instruments. Naim go on to suggest that a less well balanced system will ob s c u re the music by minute alterations of pitch and amplitude. L i ke other hi-fi component manufacturers, Naim Audio communicate in terms of the music, the performer and perform a n ce and how well the musical message is conveyed to the listener. However, unlike many of its rivals, Naim extend their belief beyond just hearing all the notes played, but also being able to hear whether the musicians were enjoying them s elves. This intonation, which is so much part of the spo ken word , is also vital to the understanding of a piece of music. This aspect of Naim philosophy has often been regarded by many as a fundamental re a s on why Naim sys tems centre on the “attitude” of the perform a n ces rather than nece s s a rily bringing out the scale, depth or weight of the music. MAKING A CONNECTION

An off-shoot of Naim’s sys tem hiera rchy is the import a n ce of the transmission of the audio signal and complete depen-

dence on the use of properly designed and specified cables and connectors. Naim recommend their own multi-stranded NACA5 loudspe a ker cable and amplifier signal leads as standard cables for all of their systems. Interestingly, u n l i ke other cable manu f actu rers Naim choose not to l avishly dress cables on the out s i de, their interest lying within the sheathing not the sheathing itself. Naim are idiosyncratic in using DIN connectors for all high level line connections, and the BNC connector for turntable connections to the preamplifier. TOUCHING ON NAIM

The little that I have touched on is a merely an insight into the world of Naim Audio. Sure, this odd-ball looking range of hi-fi gear wi ll not be all things to all people, but you’d be hard pressed to find altern a tive system s , or indeed indivi dual components, which can turn your CDs, LPs and radio waves into such en j oyable, enlightening and engaging music. Here’s looking forward to the next 25 years from Salisbury, England.

Technical Knockout! True low bass from America’s famous subwoofer manufacturer! Active, powered subwoofers from only $895 to $4295.

CERTIFIED CABLES

For your nearest dealer, contact Audio Video Designs

4 models of THX speaker cable from $9.95/m THX video interconnect from $39.95/m + connectors THX audio interconnect from $49.95/m + connectors

PO Box 31-552, Milford, Auckland Phone 0-9-486 0666. Fax 0-9-486 0660 Mobile 025-769 890 or 025-993 288 14

WireWorld

A  world  of  difference  in  cables An  interconnect  comparator  that  allows  direct  comparison  to  another  interconnect  and  a  pure  copper  “no  cable”  bypass…  proving  that  many  “top”  cables  are  just  hype? This  is  what  WireWorld  have  done. As  Ken  Kessler,  writing  in  Hi-Fi  News  & Record  Review,  said  “WireWorld  has  fashioned  the  ultimate  hot  air  filter!” WireWorld  uses  a  patented  “symmetrical  coaxial”  design  of  cables  including  digital  and  video  interconnect  cables  and  speaker  cables.  The  result  is  a purity  and  neutrality  that  is  not  just  a  matter  of  opinion…  it’s  scientifically  provable!

HEAR  WHAT  THE  REVIEWERS  HEARD In  a  test  of  over  60  models  of  video  cables  and  AV  leads: “WireWorld  was  one  of  the  few,  if  not  the  only,  company  that  sells  a  number  of video  cables  that  performed  well.  Overall  these  cables  had  a  75  ohm  impedance and  an  excellent  frequency  response.  The  delay,  0.5nS  was  good,  as  was  the gain,  which  was  no  less  than  97.1%”  Joe  Kane  Widescreen  Review,  USA,  June  1996

Oasis (one  of  the  lower  cost  models) “The  excellence  of  these  products  is  becoming  well  known…  the  sound  is unshakable,  with  transparency,  neutrality  and  liquidity…  the  delineation  of complex  timbres  is  very  distinct.  Don’t  forget  that  Oasis  is  less  expensive  than the  others  here;  therefore  it  merits  a  very  strong  recommendation.”  4  stars Haute  Fidelite,  France,  September  1995

Solstice  II “WireWorld  has  produced  a  new  speaker  cable  that  is  magnificently constructed,  elegant,  neutral  and  particularly  musical.  The  reproduction  is  very

linear,  with  profound  extension  and  articulation.  It  is  a  model  of  versatility  that provides  an  admirable  match  to  the  Solstice  II interconnect”  Pros:  a  great neutrality.  Cons:  nothing.  5  stars  What  Hi-Fi?,  UK,  April  1996\

Horizon “Very  good  results  for  the  WireWorld  line.  The  openness  and  transparency  of  its sound  are  not  to  be  criticised,  and  one  appreciates  equally  excellent  dynamics. WireWorld  Horizon  constitutes  an  excellent  alternative  to  the  QED,  absolutely recommendable.”  5  stars  What  Hi-Fi?,  UK,  June  1996

Orbit “Orbit  received  a  very  enthusiastic  designation  from  our  listening  panel. Actually,  in  virtually  every  tally  we  did  on  either  of  the  two  systems,  WireWorld Orbit  came  out  on  top.  Flattering  comments  heaped  upon  it  took  note  of  its excellent  focus,  impressive  neutrality  and  top-to-bottom  coherence.  Highs  were detailed  and  airy,  and  the  ever-important  bass  came  through  with  solid, satisfying  impact.”  Home  Theater  Magazine,  USA,  June  1996

There  is  a  WireWorld  cable  for  every  system  and  in  all  price  ranges Available  from  discerning  hi-fi  dealers  – Dealer  enquiries  welcome Proudly  imported  and  distributed  by:  PQ Imports,  Box  607  Tokoroa.  Ph  0800  33  44  34.  Fax  07  886  6851

EUPHONIC EUPHORIA

by Jo hn Pa u l

Efficiency and deficiency A R ’ S H I G H O U T P U T S P E A K E R S A N D N O TA B L E E X T R A S

any of the newest toys are touted as being bigger, brighter, smaller, tighter, more powerful, more econ omical, and practi c a lly anything yo u may deem important. Cl ever de s i gns with clever compromises have every marketp l ace stocked at many levels with a bewildering assortment of product options and claims. And on top of all this cl ever confusion, Home Theatre just won’t go away! So if the DVD (digital vers a tile disc) is really coming along to replace CD and VHS as major sources for music and m ovies, is this the end of t wo channel stereo as we know it? Will we need four or five match ed speakers and should they be precision audiophile grade or home theatre thumping rugged? Planning or just dreaming and scheming about how yo u will select, then use all your home en tert a i n m ent toys is actually becoming damn tricky work. “New product consumer reluctance”, indeed!

FIRST LAW

Today with loudspeakers , t h ere is large n on s ense by the tru ck l oad abo ut wh et h er a particular design is best for serious music or home theatre . It’s that same old regurgitated dog’s breakfast about whether a particular spe a ker is best designed for pop / rock or classical mu s i c . Th ere’s re a lly no arguing around this because com m on sense simply confirms: A loudspe a ker should provide an accura te facsimile of any presented sound, beauty and warts all. Any de s i gn is ultimately a com prom i s e of many varied performance versus pri ce factors and these should be balanced in favour of that accura te facsimile of a ny presented sound. Favo u ring bottoms, mids or tops may provi de atten ti on gra bbing retail identification, but it’s caref u lly balanced, even ly com prom i s ed all around good performance that satisfies the varied programme menu which nourishes our spirit. Thoughts along this menu line brings to mind recent movies Dearly Beloved, starring Gary Oldman as Lu dwig Von Beet h oven with Sir George Solti impre ssively caring for the music. The David Helfgott Shine phenomena, often featuring DH’s own sparkling piano playing

t h ro u ghout. And the action blast-up Lethal Weapon III that has a nice Sting and Eric Clapton theme called It’s Probably Me. All three have excell en t ly recorded sound tracks for the musical parts, p lus big loud storm and noisy crowd scenes and so forth. And all three had occ a s i onally very difficult to understand “natural” dialogue accents from the principal actors. The loudspe a kers presenting these movies, or their music CDs, cannot favour one part of the audible spectrum to the detriment of others. Nor can clarity be s ac rificed for power handling because the messages in the music and the dialogue just won’t get thro u gh. There simply a lw ays must be meaningful reproduction integrity, as in “fidelity”. E F F I C I E N C Y PAY S

Aware of current and future home fidelity scenarios, the Acoustic Re s e a rch folks have reportedly developed a new line of spe a kers that offer smooth wi de bandwidth and low distorti on with appreciably greater sound output for a given power input than comparable brands. To suss this out, I got my hot little hands on the top of the range AR 312HO (Hi gh Output) floor standing 30cm side mounted woofer, four driver, three-way big boxes for ex ten ded home listening session s . These speakers are specified as having a 97dB per watt sensitivity. So my lovely, trusty Plinius SA-50 (50/50 stereo) easily had more than enough muscle to push (and pull) these AR’s cleanly to any loudness keen listeners, the tolerant family, or the hostile neighbours could endure. An interesting fact here is that hard physics con cepts i n d i c a te that using a very typical 87 dB per watt efficient spe a ker wo u l d require 500 watts drive per side for equ ivalent comparable punchy, crisp, clean dynamics. Another notion is the

significantly broader definition of efficiency where sums are considered for cost efficient amplification. Rocket scientists everywhere can figure out that high quality 50 to 100 watt per channel amplificati on will be apprec i a bly easier on the wallet than the many kilobucks needed for big power wallops with less than frisky similar boxes. With the fort h coming multiple channel AC-3 format del ivering better movie sound and multiple channel music formats currently being discussed for DV D, perform a n ce and dollar efficiency becomes a greater factor if you want to have any money left for flash new software. THE MESSAGE UN-BOUNCED

The two midrange drivers with tweeter between design provides wide hori zontal and narrow vertical mids and highs as found in many THX specified models.

AR 312HO

The only Home Theatre amplifier with Tri-Field Cinema DSP Yamaha presents a Home Theatre amplifier that will completely change your thinking about in-home entertainment. Because it makes listening to movies as much fun as watching them. With sound that is actually more realistic and dynamic than you hear in a movie theatre. The secret is a remarkable technological achievement called Tri-Field Cinema DSP, that’s compatible with Dolby Digital (AC-3). And that’s not all. CINEMA DSP RETAILERS Whangarei Wairau Park Birkenhead Newmarket Hamilton Tokoroa Rotorua Tauranga Whakatane Gisborne Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North Wellington Nelson Blenheim Christchurch Dunedin Invercargill

Hubands Retravision Eastern Hi-Fi Hi-Fi Exclusive Eastern Hi-Fi Lakeland TV & Stereo The Listening Post Eastern Hi-Fi Simisters Retravision Roger Angel Hi-Fi Brett Sheriff Hi-Fi Gallery Masons Appliances DA Morrison Manawatu TV & Sound Sound Expression Beggs Hi-Fi Music Ken Ham’s Music Audio Studio Strawberry Sound Rice Refrigeration

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Wh et h er early ceiling reflecti ons are good for music “air” or “s p ace” but bad for speech intelligibility is a major issue in the stupid verbal bar brawl about whether a spe a ker design is optimised for music or movies. But I personally find that first getting the dom e s tic back ground noise floor down, t h en finding the opti mum vo lu m e level in my room within the specific progra m m e’s dynamics at the “a ll tweeters equidistant and direct to the sweet spot” is more important than off-axis dispersion patterns. Serious auditioning used off-air TV sound and direct dub hi-fi VHS movies t h ro u gh an Akai-715 Nicam VCR. Precious vinyl was on my Oracle Alexandria II/Audio Technica OC-9 t h ro u gh the new Plinius Ja rrah phonostage outboard pre - a m p, and CD via my recently upgraded CAL Audio Icon II. Having very revealing new source

devices complicated the task of k n owing ex act ly what the AR spe a ker was doing in my system. Frequent switching back to my old Tannoy Golds and extended sessions with my trusty Stax Lambda Signature electrostatic “cans” kept me pretty focused about what was doing what. Although I must confess I kept dropping out of “tough” analytical mode into happily grooving with the music quite a bit. But that says something about the components in itself too. DEFI CIENT S IGNATURE

These big AR’s surprised me because they basically lack any re a lly out s t a n d i n g sonic signature. No matter how hard I tried to pick a strong or weak point with all kinds of source material nothing particularly stood out, or was missing. Not analytical or revealing, and not very transp a rent, but just nicely and comfortably

JARRAH WOOD AND CHIPS

The beautifully made, dovetail jointed, red colour, jarrah wood boxed Plinius phono pre-amp stage and the upgraded HDCD and Bu rr Brown 20 bit DAC’d Ca l i fornia Audio Labs Icon II are both su perb detail retrievers . Each also maintains an overa ll musical cohesiveness and smoothness that often keeps me wringing the old Tannoys o ut , or up all hours listening over my Stax electrostatic head ph ones in finding new delights within well-used black and often played silver discs. Nothing jumps out unless it su pposed to, but there is a wealth of instru m en t a l colour and tex tu re , parti c u l a rly thro u gh the Jarrah that is fra n k ly astounding. Th e Jarrah ($595) also has a very low noise floor used with the Audio-Technica OC-9 and this seem i n gly enhances this pairings exten ded dynamic capabi l i ty. Com p a red to my clean and simple, trusty old Su pex step-up transformer, the Ja rrah handles complex passages mu ch more openly and aut h oritatively. Bass is also tigh ter and m ore defin ed while upper treble regions are less coloured than with the Supex , my Bryston, or my NAD 1700 in moving coil setting. I’m spoiled forever now. The Jarrah is a really an absolute God-send for anybody wanting superb quality phono replay through their line stage control (pre-) amp. Conven i ently similar perform a n ce was noticed with the CAL Icon II Power Bo s s upgrade, which turned my old Icon II into the new $2895 Icon II HDCD Power Boss. The HDCD filter set chip app a ren t ly improves ambi en ce and detail retrieva l with normal as well as my few HDCD encoded discs. It also opens up the top octave. The improved power supply with four Farads (yes, whole Farads. Not typical 60,000 micro-Farad s , but big fat Farad wall ops of ju i ce!) for the 20 bit Burr- Brown DACs provides excepti onal attack and dynamics, and also tremendously tightens and cleans up the overly warm bass end of the original model . This upgrade kit makes for a completely different creature that really sings a sweet lively song, and is a wonderful bargain to boot. This is a very com p l i c a ted mod only to be done by CAL Audio dealers or importers Oceania Audio. I found out the hard way. Don’t ask.

there with whatever I threw at them. Proce s s ed pop FM, C D’s and VHS or TV movie tracks sounded fine, highest quality minimalist recordings sounded enjoyable. Frankly I thought there would be much m ore cabi n et co l o u rati on in what is basically a very large mid-pri ce ($2500) design. Only when pushed beyond all reason, to near pain, did the chest high tall cabinet (109cm) begin tainting the sound. At healthy realistic aco u s tic jazz vo lume levels which are determined by banging on my Steinweg Nachf (Dark Steinway) brand piano that is almost oppo s i te the speakers for convenient room referen ce level setting, my opinion, and the general consensus of several visiting keen and dull ears, all agreed that the AR’s sounded like a good qu a l i ty small spe a ker box having exceptionally deep bass response. All apprec i a ted their impressive dynamics, non-intrusive smooth clear tweeters, and natural, yet slightly dry midra n ge performance. Cro s s over points and i n d ivi dual drivers co u l d n’t be establ i s h ed until within one metre distance , wh i ch is a hell of lot better than I can say for many expen s ive floor standing and “s pecial design” audiophile systems. FIXING IMPERFECTION

If faults could be found or imagined, they are small in the areas of absolute clarity, detail retrieval and precise sonic definition. An agreeable case of light omissions rather than nasty additions to the signal pre s entati on wh i ch dear ed i tor rem i n ded me, “these finer points are only realised at the $6,000 and upwards per pair level if you want comparable bass ex tension and mid-range power. And a large amp is necessary too”. Bi gger driver magn ets and more exo ti c build materials with more box bracing could possibly improve some areas of performance, but at a significant cost penalty. And this could easily mess up a well bala n ced fin ely com prom i s ed design with its tolerably slight faults. But if you must tweak, they are bi-wire re ady with decent terminals, and they are ready socketed for decent spiking. Good wire and floor anchoring always improves mid-ra n ge definition. You can also have a back breaking (35kg each) picnic ju ggling the side firing woofers to face each other, or else fire to the outsides of the pair. Your room will decide what works. But try, as always, to have fun tweaking and enjoy the music.

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TO THE MAX

b y M a x C hri s to f fe rs e n

To AC3 or not to AC3? M A X TA C K L E S T H E N E W E S T A G E - O L D Q U E S T I O N

here i was unpacking Yamaha’s new 3090 AC-3 integra ted amplifier, in stark disbelief that I was actually unpacking a Dolby Digital decoder. I can’t believe it’s happened so fast. It had been almost ten years since the first Do l by Su rround decoder was added onto my system and much time spent enjoying videos and TV with surro u n d effects ever since. The rumours had been around since the early 90s about the next stage of development of domestic home theatre and I’d searched the Internet for information and spoken with enthusiasts who thought Do l by ’s digital format AC-3, would be available for domestic users by the year 2000 – yet, here it was in my house with three years still to go to the millennium. Unbelievable! I wouldn’t say it was a religious event – but it felt like a special occasion to wel come the latest near relative of my aging Yamaha DSR1000 Pro into the home in what seemed like years ahead of its time. “I just don’t believe AC-3 is here – its seems like yesterday that I had the Yamaha 2070 home for review…” – and what an impact that had on my home listening! In re a l i ty three ye a rs had gone by and while the rest of the world – including Noel Leeming, Mi t subishi, Bond and Bond and even Linn (!) – had leapt into home theatre market, frankly I had got a little bored. Blame it on the fact that nothing after

the 2070 was ever the same and my aging set-up was showing the signs of age and performance of early Dolby Surround equ i pment. But mortgages do funny things to people and the 2070 has rem a i n ed on the wish list long en o u gh to be surpassed by the 3090’s development and release. But it’s also ten years since I got the bug and travelled through the earlier Dolby Su rround and Dolby Pro Logic formats, rented and bought films for the soundtrack and not the story, and generally i n du l ged in Dolby Surround to the detriment of all else. Yep, I’d been there and come out the o t h er en d , wh ere music ret a i n ed its righ tful place at the head of my priority list and home theatre was fun – but was fading. I was in need of a tonic – something to make me feel en t hu s ed again – and it was sitting in my rack ready to go. AC-3 IN ACTION

Despite the glowing reviews for AC-3 – my first experience was disappointing, but prototypes can do that to you! Thankfully recent ex perien ce has confirmed that AC 3 is the greatest advance in home entertainment since CD – period. For home theatre enthusiasts, Dolby Digital AC 3 unleashes the true potential of the marri a ge of audio and video – the only problem being that the Dolby Digital format is only available on NTSC LaserDisc – and the forthcoming DV D

DOLBY DIGITAL? AC-3? 5.1? WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Developers must rue for the days when new products and technologies could be developed in secret. Tod ay, one was on ce private is public and can be ex ten s ively written about in consumer-orien ted magazines. This can cre a te confusion in the minds of the public. Ta ke Dolby Digital, for example. Often, while a project is in development, an internal name is used, different from the (devised later) marketing name. When the technicians at Dolby Labs were working on what was to be christened Dolby Digital, it’s internal name was AC-3, short for Audio Coding 3. (Yes, there was an AC-1 and AC-2). A phrase of ten seen in the audio and vi deo press has been “5.1”. This refers to a surround sound format of five full-range audio channels, plus one bass effects channel. This is the format used by Dolby Digital. So, we take these names – 5.1, AC-3 and Do l by Di gital, and of ten see them used interchangably – as Max has throughout his column. That’s because they are the same thing. Dolby Digital (Dolby’s marketing name) is AC-3 (Dolby’s internal name) which uses a 5.1 format—Mike Jones

(Digital Versatile Disc) format, should it ever arrive. But that aside, it is undeniable that Dolby Digital is spectacular in the way it extends the perform a n ce enveloped of home theatre. This is not about ‘removing a veil’, or thinking maybe you can hear a differen ce – this is about the difference between driving an old VW and a Ferrari! In recent years, there can be no other a rea of home audio where su ch a significant leap in perform a n ce has been attained, cost effectively. In other areas of home audio, small perform a n ce increases are heralded as major breakthroughs – many at con s i derable expense to the consumer-enthusiast. And while Dolby Digital is still an expen s ive fix, it is nonetheless on the afford a ble side of high - end perform a n ce , with some AC-3 equipped decoders coming in well under the $2000 mark. But like a ny high performance product, the increased performance puts increased strain in other areas. As with Do l by Pro Logic, I had long supported the view that said that significant improvements in Do l by Su rround perform a n ce were more likely to be achieved through changes in amplifier output, spe a ker consistency and placement and room size than the actual differences between decoders. But the perform a n ce of Dolby Digital is such that Pro Logic even at its best with dedicated decoders, amplifiers and purpose-built rooms can’t match AC-3’s dynamics, channel separation and pure fidelity. For those like me who have been happy and content with the at times extraordinary performance of Pro Logic in the home (particularly after starting with passive Dolby Surround in the late 80s) Dolby Digital is simply a revelation. Dolby Digital promises five full range independent channels and a dedicated bass channel, g ut smacking dynamics and the potential to truly match the best the cinema has to offer. But AC-3 is not Pro Logic with stereo surro u n d s . While it is an attraction and much has been written about it, this is not the main drawcard.

JIM’S PAGE

Jim’s Music Room, 49 Grey Street Tauranga, Freephone 0800-FOR HIFI (0800 367 4434)

NEWS LINE WE can never say enough about Plinius amplifiers, which give audiophilequality sound at a truly excellent price, right through the product range. It starts with the superb Plinius 2100i at just $1599 and goes up Class A amps like the SA50 ($2995), the SA 100 ($3995) and the SA250 which retails for $6995. You can see the whole range in our store, or phone or fax for details. STILL on the subject of Plinius (ye s, we do stock heaps of other great hi-fi equipment too!), the new M16 remote controlled pre-amp is now available. The line version costs $3795, while the phono stage model is $3995. Featuring a “learner” remote that will also control your TV and video etc, the M16 makes a huge difference to the sound yo u get from your system. AND on that subject, getting a better sound can sometimes be simply a matter of changing cables. At Jim’s Music Room, we recommend Siltech cables which consistently outperform the competition in terms of neutrality, resolution, warmth and overall musicality. Siltech’s new mains cable now comes in custom lengths. STILL prefer vinyl to CDs? We have an amazing range of reissued music — too much to detail. Call now for our catalogue.

The world’s best speaker now available in NZ! Prestigious US magazine Stereophile has voted the Aerial Acoustic 10T speaker best loudspeaker for 1996 — along with another loudspeaker costing nearly five times as much. The magazine’s tough critics voted the speakers first equal with the Dunleavy Audiolab Signal SC-V1s, which cost an incredible $US19,500 MORE than the Aerials, sold in NZ by agents Jims Music Room for just $NZ11,500. We quote: “The Aerial 10T offers neutrality, dynamics and a rare fine ability to reproduce the musical event, but at one fifth the price of the Dunleavy. “Bang for the buck,’ figured prominently among the writers’ comments — most of them adding that designer Michael Kelly’s canny compromises had produced a speaker with many strengths and darn few weaknesses. “The 10T may indeed lack some of the refinement of the no-holds-barred megabuck speakers, but it must also be said that it doesn’t miss by much. “The Stereophile writers are a tough bunch to impress, and no speaker could share Speaker of the Year honours by The Aerial 10T Series: Voted equal dint of price alone. to a pair of speakers weighing in “The 10T gets the all-important midrange right, without at an incredible $US24,995. neglecting bass extension or a liquid top end. “Add to that an ability to ‘kick the tar out of any dynamic challenge thrown at them,’ and you have a speaker that has Contacting Jim’s Music Room earned its way to the top of this — or any year’s heap.” has never been easier. For the Jim’s Music Room recommends pairing these stunning speakers with either two Plinius SA100s (see below) or an lowdown on any of our products, SA250 power amplifier — a stunning, world-beating comPhone 0800 FOR HIFI (0800 367 bination that must be heard to be believed. 4434) or write to Freepost PO Box Contact us for more information — or call at our 13119 Tauranga. Our fax nu m b e r Tauranga store for an audition. Like Stereophile magazine’s is 07 578 1236, and our e-mail critics, we know you’ll be impressed by the simply superb address is jim@jimsmusic.co.nz sound of the Aerial Acoustic 10Ts.

US magazine praises Plinius SA100 amp Stereophile magazine has fallen in love with “Kiwi power.” The Plinius SA 100 Class A power amp (pictured), designed and made in New Zealand, has won an outstanding rev i ew in the April edition of the publication, which is

widely regarded as one of the most authoritative in the world. While we can’t reveal too m a ny details before the magazine is published, Plinius sources say the review is one of the best they’ve ever read about anything. Sonically, Stereophile’s experts declared the SA100 in the same league as a $US35,000 mono amp — pretty amazing when you consider that the Plinius costs just $US3995 in North America. The magazine now rates this beautifully made amplifier as a recommended Class A product and in the understatement of the year, also rates it as being particularly good value for money. It’s great value for money in New Zealand too — this outstanding piece of hi-fi equipment can be yours for just $3995.

The Dolby Di gital soundfield is differ- watts into each of f ive channels) and the ent and the overall effect is simply stagger- pedigree of 80 years of Denon expertise ing – the real benefit is a centre channel behind it, you could expect some serious that works, but more about that later. sonic wallop for your $4999 investment. After trying out an early AC-3 unit, I Rep uted to be the most powerful of a ll found the format to be disappointing – all integrated AC-3 amplifiers/processors, the the separation was there but something Denon is still equipped with RCA outputs wasn’t working right for the die-hard – it didn’t gel and I enthusiast who still It astounds me that dismissed AC-3 as wants more power being more hype hrough external more isn’t written about tamps than actual perforand a “futu re mance. proof ” feature to the importance of But after the allow the hook-up of experience of the processors. intelligibility. It’s the first external new Yamaha 3090 As a THX comand the Denon priority, with everything pon en t , it also of fers AVC-A1, I can Tom Homlinson’s report that my first tweaks to Pro Logic else coming after the ex peri en ces of AC-3 decoding through were so wrong that THX en h a n cements importance of the I’m gra teful that I to the Pro Logic and didn’t write anyAC-3 formats, effectiveness of thing about it! i n cluding decorrel athe centre channel The Denon has ti on and other THX an appearance to die tweaks. for – it is simply a beautiful work of art It was to u gh to iden tify specific differthat should be placed in full view of all en ces with the THX en h a n cem ents in the who enter the sound room. It’s champagne few days I had with the Denon, but the finish is blessed relief to the conti nu ed effects may differ from film to film. But dominance of the ‘you can have it any that doesn’t take aw ay from the Denon’s colour you like so long as its bl ack’ and it AVC-A1’s state of the art status. oozes sophistication and class. But without declaring a bias here, (I The Denon is the heaviest and sleekest h ave owned Yamaha for almost eight looking unit you could ask for – and it years), all I can say is that the 3090 stays requ i res some serious rack space – this put – primarily because the perform a n ce baby demands careful placement. could be twe a ked to the way I prefer it. I But biggest count against the Denon would never have believed that AC-3 with are its over- busy remote and onscreen Yamaha’s Cinema DSP en h a n cement menu format. And read the manual, for could be en j oyable, much less the preyou won’t be able to drive this unit with- ferred format on some AC-3 encoded out it. films. Performance wise, it was a curious mix The in-built parametric EQ, centre of contemporary (read confusing) on- channel EQ and DSP parameters provides screen menus and flexible inputs and out- considerable flexibility and the match to puts – but with high output power (210 my external amps was perfect. The

Denon AVC-A1 – an appearance which oozes sophistication and class

dynamics were staggering – the intro to B roken Arrow with Travolta landing som e h e avy punches to Ch ri s tian Sl a ter is stuff you feel and want to invite your friends round to demonstrate the visceral thrill of s o u n dw aves impacting your body at considerable speed and with considerable weight. Ad d i tionally, the Yamaha is simple to use – and it does its stuff with the same simplicity of the DSP-A1000 and 2070 before it – amazing considering the i n c re a s ed soph i s tication of the new unit’s digital decoding. And at its price of $3999, you get a lot for your money. WHICH SURROUND IS RIGHT?

On paper before the arrival of Dolby Digital, there was considerable debate among enthusiasts about the choice bet ween rear su rround spe a kers as dipole or point source – the problem being most Pro Logic enthusiasts had generally found superi or perform a n ce with dipoles wh i ch created a diffuse rear surround field, while AC-3 indicated a point source spe a ker for the discrete information sent to each rear channel. To compound the matter further, THX recommend that dipoles be used with AC3 to mimic the true movie theatre perform a n ce – a diffuse rear su rround field was preferred whether you had a discrete signal or not. In use I had the luxury of trying both – and found that I sided with Mr THX – the effect of dipoles allows for the smooth and seamless integration between rear surrounds and other spe a kers creating a sense of space – but when directionality is needed – they do it anyway! Try them yourself – my preference may not be yours – but there is some flexibility in the choice. Using the spe a ker a and b selector on a dedicated rear channel external amp is the best method providing the flexibility to all ow swi tching in or out of the speakers of your choice. This is a great tool for those aggre s s ive soundtracks that don’t require the extra fill. But as with Pro Logic some basics of set up apply – and variables such as room positioning, amplifier power, room equalisation and seating position will have a profound effect on the performance. And while there have been claims that AC-3 levels the playing field with little differen ces in performance between decoders, there does appear to be variances between the different units – not just

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You walk into the hi-fi shop. Across a crowded showroom, a hi-fi system catches your eye, then seduces your ear. Infatuated, you pay your money. Unfortunately, you also take your chances. On the other hand, once the ear is wooed by the sumptuous sound quality unique to Arcam, a life-long love affair usually occurs. Year after year, our dedication to sonic excellence is rewarded with top industry awards and, believe us, luck has nothing to do with it. All of our hi-fi is produced at our Cambridge HQ, where it must pass the most rigorous set of tests, checks and double checks. Then, just when another quality Arcam product thinks it’s safe to go into the loving arms of a new customer, we check it again. We work hard to produce hi-fi separates of the highest quality, keeping construction simple and building in long service and reliability at every stage of production. So, if you’re about to invest in hi-fi, invest in an Arcam. After all, we don’t leave anything to chance. Should you?

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with the addition of en h a n cement fields but in the way that the decoders “grab” you. It is also true that not all soundtracks a re cre a ted equal as with Pro Logic there are good and bad examples of AC-3. AC-3 EVERYWHERE… BUT NOT A DROP…

The only limitation to AC-3 is the software – and as the now dead VHS versus Beta deb a te demonstrated (or DAT and DCC) hardware purchase follows software availability. Cu rrently only NTSC LaserDisc provides AC-3 soundtracks. While most Laser fans have an NTSC capable player – although possibly without an AC-3 digital output – it is nonetheless a format of choi ce that is restricted to the audio enthusiast. This is such a tragedy – I’m su re that even the most casual of l i s teners would find AC-3 -stimulating. [Dolby Di gital will not appear on VHS videotape at all. The digital format cannot fit on the tape. Older LaserDisc players can be modified to provide an AC-3 output— Editor] THE LAST WORD

The most en during experien ces I have had with Dolby Su rround in the home have been when I have en j oyed the film and the soundtrack has created mood and atmosphere and not peripheral sound effects. With AC-3 I noticed minute amounts of detail – points of dialogue or effect which previously went unnoti ced, but were cl e a rly there at the Director ’s discreti on . Detail wh i ch not on ly en h a n ced the film but went to the heart of the Director’s artistic intent and the story line. De s p i te all this, AC-3 introdu ces som e problems. To get the most from a Ferrari you don’t just drive it round town…With

AC-3, the perform a n ce envel ope opens so much, that small screen and small room viewing is bound to be an “intense” if also fatiguing experience. Some revi ewers have cl a i m ed that AC3 is “too bu s y ” – there’s simply too mu ch happening in the soundfield – and to some it prob a bly is a ch ore – but that is indicative of near-field listening and viewing with sound and image out of scale and “out of synch”. An earlier experience was noticing that with Pro Logic, if I ch a n ged the su rround speakers or ch a n ges its vo lu m e , positi oning or character, I didn’t just effect the rear surround field. The entire sound field altered. With Do l by Digital the ch a n ge is even more dramatic – this is a completely different soundfield to that experienced with Pro Logic. But ulti m a tely, the test of a good decoder is not in the way it handles the effects ch a n n els or su bwoofer but how it enhances the story line! Dolby Su rround works best not when everything is whizzing around the room but when the story line is more intelligible and the film works – without effects actually drawing attention to themselves. One of the greatest featu res of AC-3 is gre a ter intelligi bi l i ty. It astounds me that more isn’t written about the import a n ce of i n tell i gi bi lity. It’s the first pri ority, with everything else coming after the import a n ce of the effectiveness of the centre channel. For get the ded i c a ted (contro lled) bass o utput, the full range surround channels or the kick-in-your stomach dynamics – all of that is for nought if the dialogue channel is muddy and smeared. For me the centre channel’s intelligibility is more important than any other fe ature of AC-3.

Yamaha DSP-A3090 – a lot for your money

With Dolby Digital there is a sense of air around the speech and there is an u n c a n ny direct link to the on - s c reen action which Pro Logic has never been able to achieve with such precision. Dolby Digital in short, rectifies the two largest problem areas of Pro Logic – centre channel synergy and the su bwoofer bloat – if i t’s there it’s meant to be, if i t’s not don’t go looking for it. But there are some lessons to learn: Do l by Digital demands that audio-video synch ronicity be achieved – the audio Ferrari that AC-3 is, requires that everything works together. Anything else is going to be a pretty fast ride but with no suspension, which can be exhilarating, but a pretty tiring ride. Dolby Digital is a ro ller- coaster ride and you must be prepared to live with the speed, separation and dynamic swings that come with the game park. The Dolby Digital experience demands big screen, big room and plenty of space between viewer and spe a kers – if we are trying to emulate a true cinema, then AC3 brings cinema perform a n ce into the home. And the potential is enormous. If I’m excited about AC-3 it’s because it represents to many the end of a long journey. I’ve been living with Dolby Surround in the home for almost 10 ye a rs and each of the three formats Dolby Surround, Do l by Pro Logic and Do l by Digital AC-3 have been successive improvements on what came before. But Dolby Digital is the high end of perform a n ce and you don’t need fancy badges or elite designs to bring it all home. And the downside? After living with Do l by Digital, Pro Logic appears somewhat lifeless and lethargic. Which probably means that for many en t husiasts – it’s time to make the ch oi ce about being serious about home theatre or merely dabbling in it. Don’t try Do l by Digital unless you mean it – because the effect is seductive and downright scary. Oh, and for those who (like me) thought Do l by Digital was the end of the journey? I have a suspicion it’s just the beginning. Thanks to Team Lakeland of Hamilton for their help, tips and Laserdiscs. Dolby Digital LaserDiscs auditioned included True Lies, Generations, Independence Day, Twister, Red Arrow, The Mask and Strange Days.

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S R 7 7 0 AV R E C E I V E R High power output, delivers 80 watts per channel (left, centre, right) and 30 watts to rear surround speakers for seamless cinema sound. Futureproof with AC-3 ready upgradability. Digital Signal Processing. Multi-room permits remote playback of alternative source in second room.

S R - 6 6 AV R E C E I V E R Well-balanced power output delivers equal power to front stereo and centre speakers (50 watts per channel) and 25 watts to rear surround speakers. State-of-the-art Dolby Pro Logic processing. 30-preset tuner. Switchable A/B speaker sockets.

S R 8 7 0 AV R E C E I V E R High power output, delivers 110 watts per channel (left, centre, right) and 75 watts to rear surround speakers for seamless cinema sound. Futureproof with AC-3 ready upgradability. Digital Signal Processing. Multi-room permits remote playback of alternative source in second room.

S R - 9 6 AV R E C E I V E R High power output, delivers 110 watts per channel (left, centre, right) and 90 watts to rear surround speakers for powerfully realistic cinema sound. Built-in THX and Dolby Pro Logic processing. Future-proof with AC-3 ready upgradability. Digital Signal Processing. Multi-room permits remote playback of alternative source in second room.

RC2000 LEARNING REMOTE DP870 AC-3 DECODER Ultimate surround capability of decoding AC-3 datastream into six discrete channels for surround sound of unparalleled realism. Digital input receives six-channel digital datastream to preserve accuracy of signal. Independent level trim of all six channels.

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In recent years, Marantz has brought its mastery of high quality audio to the world of home theatre, the recreation of cinema sound in the home… Marantz Dolby Pro Logic receivers bring cinema sound capability to existing hi-fi systems – and without compromising stereo sound quality: front L/R amplification is provided by high performance discrete-component amplifiers built into each receiver. The SR-96, SR870 and SR770 AV receivers are also AC-3 ready. Developed by Dolby Labs, AC-3 is the latest and perhaps ultimate evolutionary step towards realistic cinema sound in a domestic environment. Hear the difference that the legacy of Marantz brings to home theatre sound, at your nearest Marantz dealer. Hubands Appliances – Whangarei ph 0-9-430 0019 • Eastern Hi-Fi – Newmarket ph 0-9-524 0172, Wairau Park ph 0-9-444 6980 and Rotorua ph 0-7-349 1870 • Smiths Sound Hi-Fi House – Mt Eden ph 0-9-623 2600 • Simister Retravision – Tauranga ph 0-7-578 9039 • Manawatu TV & Sound – Palmerston North ph 0-6-356 7184 • Absolute Audio & Vi s i o n – Wellington ph 0-4-382 9336 • Living Sounds – Nelson ph 0-3-546 8363 • The Top Hi-Fi Shop – Christchurch ph 0-3-365 2041 • Strawberry Sound – Dunedin ph 0-3-477 7742

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O U R FAV O U R I T E T H I N G S

by M i k e Jo n e s

Mini-system bashers! T R U E H I - F I A LT E R N AT I V E S T O B U Y I N G A M I N I / M I D I

or the march 1997 issue, we tem was not supplied. looking for a mini-sys tem wanders into a thought we’d do something a little hi-fi store? JUST HOW GOOD ARE MINIS? different with “Our Favo u rite “Q u i te a few” do, says The Real Music Things.” In s te ad of pontificating on and I’ve undert a ken a bit of listening to Com p a ny ’s Stephen Ching. Down south, on about the hi-fi the Au d i o En z writers mini and midi-sys tems (midi-sys tems are Kevin Moylan from Strawberry Sound l i ke , we asked several hi-fi retailers how around 300mm wide – the width of an LP said “because of the large student numbers they cope with the mini/midi-system – while mini-systems tend to be around in Dunedin,” the mini versus separa te s threat. 200mm wide. Mi c ro-systems are even question “is asked every day.” What do they say to people who think smaller!) and spoken to several mini retailThe hi-fi retailers often find that perthey want a mini-sys tem, but really want ers about what sells and why. ceptions of separates systems are coloured the performance you The impression by misinform a ti on . According to The Top can only get from I ’ve been left with is Hi-Fi Shop’s Bruce Ki rkby, m a ny people Listen to a typical buying a wellthat many people believe that separates are very expen s ive , matched separates buying mini-sys- and that separa te components take up mini-system. They sound tems don’t know of mush more room. system? What systems do these retailthe alternative s . To Both misconceptions probably date thin, they sound tinny, ers show customers them, mini-systems from many years ago. In the 1970s sepaas alternatives to are the modern ra te components could be very big – they sound harsh, they mini/midi-systems? equivalent to the sometimes more than 150mm high each, For this article, I AWA Series 9 of the and did take up large amounts of room. sound hashy. No number 1970s, or the Akai Tod ay, separa te components tend to be approached three stores. I spoke to of the 1980s much slimmer. of “super-bass” buttons Pro-Lab Steph en Ching from – a good, e a s y - to Back in the bad old days of import The Real Music buy stereo. l i censing, hi-fi s ep a ra tes were very ex pencan fix this Com p a ny in But with one dif- s ive – as were most imported good s . Over Wellington, Phil ference. L i s ten to an the past decade, hi-fi separa tes have McIsaac from Auckland’s Sm i t h’s Sound old Series 9 tod ay, and it can still sound reduced in price to where they are cheaper and Kevin Moylan from Dunedin’s good . These sys tems en couraged the play- in both dollar terms and real (inflationStrawberry Sound. Bruce Kirkby from ing of music. adjusted) terms than Chri s tchurch’s The Top Hi-Fi Shop also Listen to a typical ever before. Perceptions of seperates con tri buted some thoughts, although du e m i n i - s ys tem. They That a hi-fi sep ato time constraints, a recommended sys- sound thin, they ra tes system can be systems are coloured by purchased for very sound tinny, they STRAWBERRY SOUND ’S SYSTEM sound harsh, they little money is misinformation Kevin Moylan from Dunedin’s sound hashy. No shown in the sideStrawberry Sound came up with two number of “superbars to this article. systems – one for maximum sound bass” buttons can fix this. It’s difficult to Three retailers have put together four hi-fi quality at an affordable price; the seclisten to most mini-systems for any systems for under $1500 that will beat any ond for good sound and convenience. ex ten ded period of time. Is it any won der The “conven i en ce” s ys tem is based that listening to music has become less REAL MUSIC CO’S SYSTEM a round two Yamaha components – important for many people? “We’re not a hard-sell store,” says Real the CDX-390 single CD player and Around 130,000 mini and midi-sysMusic Company’s Stephen Ching. the rem o te controlled AX-390 tems were sold in New Zealand last year – In s te ad the store is pitch ed on a parremote-controlled amplifier. Kevin a large nu m ber, but down from the heady ticular philosophy which seems to matched these up with a pair of d ays wh en Pion eer virtually inven ted the work well for the Wellington-based Mordaunt-Short 0.5i spe a kers for a concept in New Zealand. store. total of $1195. Of all these mini and midi-systems Stephen’s system was based around The “s o u n d ” system is based sold, there is only one model that I’ve been trad i ti onal bu d get - a u d i ophile manua round NAD com pon en t s . The NAD h a ppy to recom m end for sound qu a l i ty – facturer Rotel. 513 is a three-disc multi-CD player. and that costs $2400 without speakers! Rotel’s 930 CD player and 930 mk2 It’s matched with the NAD 701 receivFrom there we developed this article. amplifier get the thumbs up from er and a pair of Infinity RS225 speakStephen, when combined with the ers. In cluded in the $1495 pri ce are GO TO IT TDL NFM2 loudspeakers. cables from Monster Cable. So does it often happen that a person

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separate components. Smiths Sound’s Phil Mc Is a ac asks “do A D VA N TAG E S you need all the bits in the midi-sys tem,” So what are the advantages of a hi-fi adding that many people today don’t want separates system? a tape deck. With a mini-system, what you “Separa tes are designed around a spe- s ee is what you get – wh et h er you want it cific job,” says Steph en Ching of The Real or not. A separa tes system allows you to Music Company. “How can you expect t a i l or a stereo system to suit your specific each and every part needs. of a midi-system to Part of this flex iWith a mini-system, do a good job?” bility is a large Bruce Kirk by degree of futurewhat you see is what f rom The Top Hi - F i proofing. You may Shop points out the not want a tape deck you get – whether you “higher grade of today, but if you compon ents that go want to add one in want it or not into the manufactwo years time, you turer of separa te s ,” can easily. Or add a giving both higher perform a n ce and Do l by Decoder to your ex i s ting amplifier longer life. to include home theatre. Strawberry Sound’s Kevin Moylan CONVINCING DEMONS TRATION points to the separa te power supplies in each com pon ent as being a large contribAnd how does a hi-fi de a l er show that utor to their improved sound quality over a separa tes system is better than a mini? a mini-system. Simply by demonstrating. Both Bru ce Ki rk by and Kevin Moylan “Let them hear the difference” says Phil point out the versatility and flex i bility of McIsaac.

SMITHS SOUND’S SYSTEM

“One makes music, the other make s noise,” said Smiths Sound Phil McIsaac on the com p a rison bet ween a separates system and a mini-system. Phil’s favourite mini-basher system combines good sound with convenience. Built around Denon components, one remote control will work the complete system, while a multidisc CD player can supply many hours of music. The Denon DCM-260 is a multidisc CD player. Phil has combined this with a Denon DRA-275 receiver and a pair of the Kef Coda 7 loudspeakers, all for $1497. S tephen Ching en co u rages people to have a good listen to a mini-system if they haven’t done so already, and then come in and hear a separates system. If the person is interested in music, they’ll hear the superiority of a separates system. Which means that they will en j oy the music more, now and for years to come.

Exceptional New Products Osborne no-compromise loudspeakers I have been searching for speakers that do anything like this for years. “Their efficiency and dynamics make music viscerally exciting. Their transparency and clean purity… are remarkable… and make the Osborne’s something you must hear. The Epitome [pictured] is a stunning full-range system of awesome capablities and a steal at $US6000. [NZ price is $6500]” —Peter Moncrieff in IAR

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“Tell your family and friends about the Vandersteen 1c… here is a speaker I can respect, love and recommend without hesitation.”—Fi magazine, Dec ’96

Music Labs DP102 mkII Professional Digital Processor “Stack the Music Labs DP102 mkII up against whatever else you were thinking of buying… and if sound quality’s your criterion, the DP102 mkII is your convertor.” —Australian Hi-Fi

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T H E S O N I C G L A D I AT O R

by Da rre n K ni g ht

Bigmouth strikes again O N C O L D L E A T H E R S E A T S , I T S U D D E N LY S T R U C K M E

, ’ , and with summer well past it’s zenith, our thoughts turn to fabulous hues of red and gold, autumn evenings spent wiv Viv and the Four Seasons, bidding a beery farewell to the lazy days of sunshine and embracing the solitude of winter as a time to reflect. And as the giant turn t a ble of l i fe takes off the 45 and pops on an LP, our musical a ppeti tes become som eh ow less demanding, breathing a curious Zen like quality into the delicious dribbling darts of dancing dec i bels drowning deligh tf u lly in our dreary days of discontent. Winter, a time for clipping that Havana and choosing those little projects to while aw ay the cold months ahead. This is the ideal time for all us hi-fi buffs to take a good hard listen to the old steamer and decide if the faithful Fountain could do with an ad d - on or two, or just a good old fashioned session of mindless vandalism. Let me share with you some of the things I most like to do while the co u rt case is still pending. Po s s i bly, my mostest favouri te thing to bleat about when in audiophile mode is why the hell Pansy Fruit Puff is the mu s i c category of choi ce amongst those with enough disposable income to buy a flash radio worth more than the GNP of Guam. Are we not men? Sorry, PC punters, but I’m willing to wager a bi f f on the snoz zer that the planet supports more bl o ke s creaming themselves over Perreaux’s latest

ch rome doughnuts than chicks. Am I right? So, why the preten ce of raptures over neo-quasi-pseudo-trad jazz, and stuff written before God discovered his first divine pube? Get off the grass mate. Time to throw off the fishnets of oppression lads. Rise up and burn the Reichstag. No more ballet and poofy opera for us. From now on it’s Wh i te Zombie and Tool versus the girlies. Sling up that geetar, pull the leather pants up over the paunch, forget the shirt, spre ad ’em and ROCK. Th a t’s it man, yo u’re doing it. Ignore the stabbing back pains, let’s see if that pelvis still works. Lordy the big coney things in the speakers do move, by hokey, just like the nice young man in the shop said they would. BBBBaby, you just ain’t seen nothing yet. Hands up who really thinks Ja m e s Taylor is giving the new subwoofer a run for it’s money? Now then. Perhaps the most indoor fun comes from fine tuning the hi-fi, safe in the knowl ed ge that the $400 intercon n ect lets two or three more electrons pass, and if the lounge were to be magically transformed into the Sydney Opera House, you would definitely notice the difference. This approach is the pop out and buy it from a reputable manufacturer school of thought. But I am rem i n ded of an earlier arti cl e of John Paul’s, and I’m with him in the “have a bit of a punt yourself even if it costs six or seven times as much and never really works properly” rationale.

Co-conspirators in Sonic’s latest scheme

For the past year, I have harboured a cunning plan. And that plan is eggs (stay with me on this one). Scrambled eggs. Poached eggs. Omelettes. Eggs on toast. Toast on eggs. Egg sandwiches. Bacon and eggs, and those little bo t tom bl a s ters, c u rried eggs. Mum’s chuffed. She thinks I’ll stop sitting on my arse listening to records cos I told her I’m taking up body building and need the pro tein. But that’s where s h e’s wrong you see. With every egg the dream has become just a little more re a l , and now I have stacked neatly in my wardrobe, seven thousand six hu n d red and three egg cartons! Yes, this wi n ter the Sonic Gladiator gets his dream lounge! For the Sonic Anti Nodal Dream Aco u s tic Lounge, or SANDAL, you will requ i re the following items: 1. Several thousand egg cartons. The exact nu m ber will depend on the size of your living room and your ability to survive lethal doses of cholestero l . 2. A huge bucket of extra good glue. 3. A dead good glue brush. Follow these instructions carefully, and your lounge will be miraculously transformed into a shrine of aural perfection. 1. Chuck all the furniture cos it just gets in the way. 2. Move the hi-fi in case you get glue on it. 3. Using the extra good glue and the dead good bru s h , s ti ck egg cartons on absolutely every surface (if you have carpet don’t stick them on the floor). 4. Put the hi-fi back, pull up a bean bag and scoff at the losers who are now lining up to be your friend. What better way to spend a rainy afternoon hmmmm? Cert a i n ly, I have a hard time thinking of anything more rewarding yet inexpensive, though I should point out how much better your hi-fi will sound if you take the time to whip up smart shag pile jumpsuits for you and your new friends. Don’t want som eon e’s washboa rd abs reflecting off in all directions do we? Any technical qu e s ti on s , don’t hesitate to drop me a line here at AudioEnz HQ, and I shall do my best to get back to each and every one of you in that special Sonic w ay. Until then, don’t buy shares in any com p a ny that manu f actu res aco u s tic su rface s , cos things will never be the same again.

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Picture: Toshiba 61” TV Best TV (this size) USA 1996 Source: Pioneer CLD D925 AC-3 LD Best LaserDisc UK 1996 Amp: Pioneer VSX D3S AC-3, 100w x 5 Speakers: Infinity Kappa 7.2i main Infinity Kappa Centre Infinity Kappa 6.2i rear Subwoofer: Miller & Kreisel V75

VSX D3S Dolby Digital AC-3 amp/tuner 100 watts rms x 5 On-screen display Intelligent remote CASH Originally $4999

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“(The) VX-7ii produces an amazing depth of bass from a modestly-sized box” Hi-Fi Choice May 1996

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PAUL MONEY HI FI PH (09) 63 88 555 YOUR HOME THEATRE SPECIALISTS

When one of the best loudspeaker engineering teams in the world advances its state-of-the-art technology, you’d expect the result to outperform the competition. It does. KEF’s new Q Series, with its distinctive clear cone Uni-Q® drivers, delivers a more precise stereo image, over a wider listening area, than any conventional speaker can. The latest advance in KEF’s patented technology delivers even smoother midrange response and clarity that’s simply stunning.

From bookshelf to 3-way floorstander, the entire range is magnetically shielded for Home Theatre use. And because aesthetics are integral to good design, the two largest models incorporate KEF’s new ‘racetrack’ bass unit. With the performance of an 8 inch driver in the space of a 6 inch, it pre s e rves the slim, elegant Q Series design. With the new Q Series, the competition have been decisively outclassed. The difference is clear.

Pro u d ly d is tribu te d b y Ava lo n Aud io Co rp o rat i o n 5 8 7 Mt Ed e n Roa d, Au c k l an d. P h 0 -9 -6 3 8 9 00 0 . Fa x 0- 9-6 3 8 8 88 8