New Bryston Integrated Amplifier

05. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: ,

Bryston Ltd, the Ontario based manufacturer of consumer and professional electronics, has announced the launch of its new B135 SST22 integrated amplifier which comes as a direct replacement for the B-100.

The new integrated provides 135 watts per channel at 8 ohms and 180 watts per channel at 4 ohms. There are 7 high level inputs, a pass through feature, one tape loop and a pre-out/main-in feature (the latter allows for easy integration into multi-channel AV systems). There is a headphone jack for those who prefer their listening to be a solitary affair and a fully functioning remote control is an option. There is also the option to add an onboard DAC.

The unit boasts three completely separate and independent custom toroidal power supplies (two for analogue and one for digital) to prevent cross talk and interaction between the digital and analogue sections of the amplifier.

The B135 SST22 comes with an impressive twenty year warranty.

TAD Comes to UK

04. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags:

Founded in 1975 in Tokyo, Technical Audio Devices Laboratories (TAD Labs) is known for its professional loudspeaker drivers used in recording studios.
In the late 1990s TAD Labs branched out to develop high-end audio systems for consumers’, its first product being the revolutionary TAD Model-1 loudspeaker.  Designed by director of engineering Andrew Jones – in collaboration with industrial designer Allen Boothroyd of Boothroyd-Stuart Meridian fame – it was the first loudspeaker in the world to feature a concentric driver in which both the 3.5cm tweeter dome and 16cm midrange cone are formed of beryllium.
Since the turn of the Century TAD Labs has developed a range of ultra-high-end loudspeakers and partnering audio electronics to drive them.  Each component is meticulously hand-crafted to order and until now the exceedingly rare
TAD CD/SACD player – TAD pre/power amplifiers – TAD loudspeakers have only being available in Japan and North America. More »

Are You Passionate for Hi-res Audio?

04. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized

Neil Young has for a while now been a champion for hi resolution formats and released his Archives Volume 1 box set on Blu-ray as far back as 2009 whilst making noises about Blu-rays superior sonic attributes. Hifi Pig reads with interest that the multi-faceted Young (Hifi Pig is a bit of a fan) is in the throes of developing a brand new hi-res format for audio that is said to equal studio quality.

Young has been forthright in his condemnation of current digital formats and their inability to present a recording in the manner the artist would like.

Mid last year the Canadian singer-songwriter reportedly filed documents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office which in effect were applications for the following trademarks: 21st Century Record Player, Earth Storage, Ivanhoe, SQS (Studio Quality Sound), Storage Shed and Thanks for Listening). The trademarks applied for relate to “Online retail store services”, “High resolutions discs featuring music and video of music” and “High resolution music downloadable from the internet” More »

Blue Murder at Unilet

03. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags:

We wouldn’t usually post news of this kind of thing, but Hifi Pig has watched the Unilet Sound and Vision “Blue Murder” sale from afar for the last few years and has always been intrigued by the prices they are able to offer.

Running from April 28th to June 9th they will also be hosting a series of ‘Sinful Saturdays’ alongside the Blue Murder sale.

The Blue Murder sale has become something of an institution on the Hifi calender with keen bargain hunters often arriving the night before it starts and camping in the company’s car park.

The first shoppers through the doors at 9am on Saturday get a bottle of champagne, and bacon rolls (Hifi Pig does not approve!) are available throughout the morning.

You can register on their site to be foretold of the prices “that people only dream of”.

Computer Hifi Killed the Radio Star…or did it?

03. April 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: Comment, Views Of Stu · Tags: ,

Regular readers will be aware of my thoughts on using computers in home hifi installations and that my experiences have been less than satisfying for me. To be fair the problems have centred on interface issues and me simply not “gelling” with listening to music using computers. More »

GamuT M’inenT Series Launched in the UK

01. April 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Hifi News, Uncategorized · Tags: ,

GamuT have today announced a new addition to their portfolio – the M’inenT series. There are three loudspeakers in the range (the 3, 5 and 7), a standmount and two floorstanders and the quality of design, parts and craftsmanship is said to be reminiscent of the El Superiores series – whilst still not budget loudspeakers the M’inenTs are a fraction of the cost of the El Superiores.

The new series uses “impulse optimised” bass reflex enclosures with real wood veneers on a laminated curved MDF structure.  Internal bracing and pressure control segments are said to optimise the acoustic behaviour of the external surfaces.

The crossover network in the M’inenT series is designed as a “Non Resonant Linked Impulse solution (NRLI) which is designed to operate in the time domain to optimise integration between drivers, and simultaneously modify and control the resonant interaction between itself, the drivers and the enclosure load.” The acoustic behaviour of the crossover is somewhere between 1st order and 2nd order. More »

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