AudioEnz news

July 2004

Scoop! Plinius to produce CD player

AudioEnz has learned that New Zealand hi-fi manufacturer Plinius Audio is to produce their first source component, a CD player. AudioEnz understands that the Plinius CD101 is not just a badge-engineered CD player, but that “this is the first time a product like this has been designed and manufactured from the ground up in the Southern Hemisphere,” to quote a source close to Plinius.

The picture available to AudioEnz is of a prototype CD player, displaying the distinctive curves of recent Plinius products. AudioEnz understands that the buttons shown underneath the transport are likely to migrate to one side. Production of the CD101 is unlikely to begin before August, AudioEnz believes.

Monster does digital video

Monster Cable introduce a series of DVI and HDMI cables for the newer digital video formats. Monster DVI1400 is a DVI cable available in lengths from 2m ($300) to 12m ($900). The Monster HDMI 400 cable includes gold plated connections, triple-layer shielding and Monster’s gas-injected cellular dialectic. The Monster HDMI 400 is available in lengths from 2m ($350) to 15m ($900).

For your nearest Monster Cable dealer

AudioTron connect computer to hi-fi

A “smart stereo component” is what Turtle Beach call the AudioTron. Fed via a home Ethernet network, the AudioTron sits with your stereo and converts compressed computer audio formats into an audio signal your hi-fi can understand. This enables you to listen to internet radio or the compressed music files on your PC. Currently the AudioTron connects only to Windows machines (not to the Mac) and handles MP3, Windows Media and WAV formats (not the AAC found on an iPod). The AudioTron is $799.

For your nearest AudioTron dealer

Niles rocks the garden

Real “rock” music is yours in your garden with the Niles range of speakers that look just like rocks. New to the range is the RS5 series, featuring a 130mm injection molded talc-filled polypropylene woofer and a 12mm tweeter in an enclosure that looks like a rock. The Niles RS5 rock speaker is available in granite, sandstone and coral finishes, for a price of $799 per pair.

For your nearest Niles dealer

QCR Trilogy in-wall speakers

The QCR Trilogy Series comprises of three in-wall loudspeakers, said to be designed for high quality audio, are distributed by Audio and Video Wholesalers. The RN-8 is circular in shape and designed for In-Ceiling mounting. The RT-8 and the RT-8 EX series are rectangular. They feature a swivelling dome tweeter, popular for In-Wall installation.

Monster does digital video conversion

Have a DVI signal that you need to connect to a HDMI terminal, or vice versa? Monster Cable have the answer. The Monster VA HDMI-DVI SL connect HDMI sources to DVI displays, while the Monster VA DVI-HDMI SL connects DVI sources to HDMI displays. Either unit costs $120 each.

For your nearest Monster Cable dealer

REL’s new Strata

The REL Strata subwoofer replaces the well-respected REL 3. The Strata 5 goes down to 18Hz, two Hertz lower than the previous version, and has a beefed up 150 Watt amplifier. The Strata 5 is the first REL subwoofer to include a front LED display and a remote control, the latter controlling the volume, crossover point, slam and depth settings, phase and brightness of the display.

For your nearest REL dealer

Lexicon’s upmarket receiver

Designed to serve as the centre of a quality home theatre system, the Lexicon RV-8 is based on Lexicon’s preamp/processors and power amps. The RV-8 outputs 140 watts per channel with all channels driven simultaneously. The RV-8 allows audio and video source selection for up to three zones at the same time. Included is a built-in tuner and a wealth of audio and video inputs. The Lexicon RV-8 retails for $13,495.

Dali enters New Zealand

Danish loudspeaker brand Dali is now available in New Zealand through Sublime Audio. Sublime Audio have the Trio, Blue, Piano, New Suites and Evidence ranges in stock. All Dali speakers have high quality point to point wired crossovers, are hand assembled by two man teams in Denmark and thoroughly bench tested. Drive units are custom made by Vifa, Scanspeak and other driver specialists in Denmark for DALI. The New Suites series comprises of two floorstanders; the 1.7 ($1699) and 2.8 ($2199) utilising two mid range/woofers and one silk dome tweeter. Two centre and surround speakers that match the 1.7 and 2.8 are available, along with a dedicated sub, the 1.2. Two finishes are available; golden cherry and silver.

Plinius ramp up the power

The newest Plinius power amp is based on the well-received Odeon multi-channel amp. Peter Thomson from Plinius says “The idea with the SA201 was to create a two channel Odeon which would offer Odeon performance in a more manageable package. We didn't want to just say that it had technology derived from the Odeon, it in fact has two Odeon modules and a power supply that uses two toroidal transformers giving a performance indistinguishable from a two channel Odeon.” Designed to match the M8 preamplifier, the SA201 produces 225 Watts per channel in Class AB, has both RCA and XLR balanced inputs and a 12V trigger.

Monster likes iPod

Apple’s iPod digital music player has a swag of accessories available through Monster Cable. Add-ons include cases, portable speakers and an FM transmitter for in-car use.

For your nearest Monster Cable dealer

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