AudioEnz news
Happenings in the world of hi-fi and home theatre
January 2004
Yamaha's mid-priced receivers
Yamaha have introduced two new home theatre
receivers at $2499 and $2999 price points. These receivers introduce
Yamaha's YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimiser) which adjusts
the sound from each loudspeaker, 7-channel discrete amplification, Yamaha's
Cinema DSP and a nine-step subwoofer crossover setting. The latter could
be useful with sub-sat systems where the satellite could not reach down
to the normal 80Hz crossover point. The $2499 RX-V1400 offers 110Wx7, while
the RX-V2400 is 120Wx7 and incudes THX Select processing.
For your nearest Yamaha dealer
Yamaha goes universal
Yamaha have launched a universal disk player, the
DVD-S2300. The 2300 plays audio CD, video DVD, SACD and DVD-A, with the
DVD-A and SACD circuits completely separate for optimised performance
for each. The DVD-S2300 includes bass management for DVD-A and SACD and
a video off mode.
For your nearest Yamaha dealer
Summer speakers from DB Dynamics
Outdoor speakers are perfect for summer
outdoors living. The DB Dynamics OL652 outdoor and marine speaker is
a weather resistant UV protected design, with aluminium grilles and brackets.
Inside the speaker is a 165mm woofer and polyswitch protected 25mm tweeter.
For your nearest DB Dynamics dealer
Pioneer's DVD Recorder
The Pioneer DVR310 DVD Recorder retails for only $1299, and records on both DVD-R and DVD-RW disks. It also includes I-Link (or FireWire) digital video link.
Quad's Peter Waker dies
Founder of Quad Electrostatics and designer of the famous Quad ESL and ESL-63 loudspeakers, Peter Walker died on December 10 at the age of 87.
Peter Walker founded that company that was to become Quad (for "Quality
Unit Amplifier Domestic") before WW2, with the classic Quad II power
amplifier released in 1953. It was in 1957 that Walker's most famous product,
the Quad ESL loudspeaker was released, setting a standard for speakers
for several decades. Another new and innovative loudspeaker, the ESL-63,
was released in 1982.
Yamaha's New Zealand d-cinema site
Developed by Yamaha distributor Sound Group Holdings, the d-cinema web site is designed to showcase the more innovative sections of Yamaha's home theatre products. The site includes information about products, downloadable pdf brochures and information on current promotions.
For your nearest Yamaha dealer
Rotel's new amp and CD
Rotel have recently announced revised versions of two popular hi-fi components. The RCD1072 CD player replaces the AudioEnz-reviewed RCD-1070. Improvements include Revised Burr-Brown line output/filter stage IC's, "instrument grade" components used throughout the analogue stages, revised power supply and regulator components for both the DAC and analogue stages, revised and upgraded clock oscillator components and revised and upgraded PSU decoupling components for the DAC.
The 60 watt RA-1062 integrated amplifier boasts improved interstage coupling components, revised local feedback circuitry and components and improved power supply decoupling capacitors.
AAD go for cherry
Cherry veneers with black trim mark out the eight members
of AAD's new S-series of loudspeakers. Curved enclosures help diffuse
internal soundwaves. The range consists of two bookshelf speakers($999
and $1399), two floorstanders ($1699 and $1999), two surrounds, one centre
channel ($699) and a subwoofer at $1499. The two surround speakers give
the choice of direct or dipole surround options.
For your nearest AAD dealers
Kef racks up the Q's
Three new additions have been made to Kef's Q-Series
of loudspeakers, all of which use a newly developed 130mm Uni-Q driver.
The Uni-Q utilises a coincident mounted 19mm dome tweeter within the
130mm woofer.
The Q4 floorstanding speaker uses one of these 130mm Uni-Q drivers in a floorstanding cabinet. A true three-way design (very unusual for speakers of this size of price) the Q4 includes a 130mm dedicated woofer.
Using the same 130mm UniQ driver is the 6c centre channel speaker. This magnetically shielded speaker has a sensitivity of 89dB.
The Qcompact is a small bookshelf speaker, smaller than the existing Q1. Using the same 130mm Uni-Q driver, the Qcompact is magnetically shielded and has a sensitivity of 89dB.
For your nearest Kef dealer
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