savoy014

Here is a line-up of items that will be featured soon (in no particular order), 1. Monitor Audio GX100 bookshelf speakers 2. Antelope Audio Zodiac Platinum DSD DAC 3. Lessloss Firewall Conditioning Module 4. UpTone Audio USB Regen 5. Linnenberg Vivace DAC and Unisono power supply Stay tuned.

Sony SS-NA5ES Speakers Introduction My first encounter with the SS-NA5ES was during Sony's "Feel the Air" event last year in October. I was quite impressed by the performance of the NA5ES, despite it being paired with a home theater receiver, and setup in a large acoustic space.   This is certainly not your run-of-the-mill speaker. The cabinet is constructed out of Scandinavian birch wood (chosen for it's density due to the slow growth of trees there) and finished in deep brown gloss veneer by craftsmen in Japan. Under dim lighting, it appears to be almost black, and has one of the most impressive lacquer finishes I've seen on a speaker cabinet. Needless to say, the quality of the cabinetry work is top notch. The rather petite cabinet (355 mm(H) x 205mm (W) x 325mm (D)) is deceptively heavy (10 kg). The woofer is a 130 mm cone driver, while the tweeter is highly unusual. The tweeter is termed by Sony as "I-Array" and has a single 25 mm fabric dome tweete...

Introduction TriTone AV officially opened it's door recently at The Adelphi.  Although TriTone is a new face in the industry, Managing Director, Mr. Mervyn Loh is not - having previously worked at Ong Radio as Chief System Designer. Mervyn was professionally trained in the United States in sound projection and psychoacoustics and with his credentials, he is well placed to design and deliver setups for the discerning consumer. Showrooms TriTone has three showrooms which showcase setups in different acoustic environments. I especially liked the front showroom at the main entrance. It's furnishing and layout is similar to the living rooms found in many of the newer apartments in Singapore. A second showroom concentrates on audio, while the largest showroom at the rear features a home theater setup. The first demonstration at the front showroom involved some movie and concert clips being played through a Kaleidescape media player, Marantz AV receiver and Piega speakers. Mervyn demo...

Here is a news release received from exaSound's media partner - -------------------- Company announces lower cost digital–to–analog converter that retains celebrated pure sound Toronto ON — exaSound Audio Design, manufacturer of innovative, exceptional fidelity audio products, announced today the introduction of the model e12 stereo digital–to–analog converter. The e12 is the fifth in a family of converter products created by exaSound for the consumer marketplace. Based on ESS Technology’s premium ES9018S SABRE32 Reference integrated digital–to–analog converter (DAC), the e12 is a stylish, small form factor component formulated to address the explosion of file–based HRA or high resolution audio playback in the home. The 8 channel, 32 bit ES9018 is configured in the e12 as a stereo converter, with four internal DAC channels per left/right side. By utilizing the channels in a parallel topology, conversion monotonicity is improved and noise is reduced. The e12 was created to natively ...

Introduction I recently attended a media event organised by Sony Singapore to introduce the NW-ZX2 -  the latest flagship Walkman from Sony. Mr. Katsumasa Yoshioka, Senior Electrical Engineer flew down from Tokyo to present the product and to take questions from the attendees. Yoshioka-san was the leader of the electrical design team for the ZX2. Technical Design Yoshioka-san presenting the technical design of the NW-ZX2 The ZX2 was developed to co-exist with the ZX1 in the product line-up. Taking on user feedback, the design team sought to achieve a sound that was sharp yet not piercing, as well as being classy and smooth. To achieve this goal, the design team made improvements in the chassis, battery and audio components used. The chassis improvements warrant some explanation. The ZX2 shares a similar aluminum alloy chassis to the ZX1. However, the ZX2 adds an internal copper housing, which is gold plated. Yoshioka-san explained that this was done to exploit the st...

Introduction Sound Affairs recently launched their in-house Plixir Elementa Power Cable. This is almost certainly a sign of things to come - Mr. James Soh, principal of Sound Affairs, hinted that a number of other cables are expected under the Plixir label. Description The Elementa is a supple and flexible cable which should minimise routing headaches. James advised that the Elementa is designed for low current applications, e.g. source equipment. It is also available in a variety of lengths and termination options.  The review samples provided were terminated in Japanese Meikosha AC and Schurter IEC plugs. In use, they provided a firm and reassuring grip. Sound Quality The modest price tag is likely to appeal to audiophiles on starter systems, or with tight budget constraints. In comparison to a stock power cord, bass notes took on a tighter, deeper and more articulate quality. Midrange was a bit laidback with a smooth and warm tone. Some subtle detail was lost there, but as a tra...

Introduction Sound Affairs is a relatively new name in the local hi-fi scene, although it's principal, Mr. James Soh is a name familiar to many local audiophiles, especially for his previous work under the banner of Effective Audio Mod.  Sound Affairs marks his move into a full-time retail business, with both sales and distribution of a complete range of hi-fi equipment, while continuing with modification work. Sound Affairs offers a number of unique made-to-order products, including a DC power supply, and balanced AC power conditioner, which are the subject of this review. I took the opportunity to ask James some questions about his approach to design in coming up with these products. Design and Philosophy James explained that that the Plixir Balanced DC Power Supply takes a unique approach.  The custom wound transformer provides a balanced AC voltage supply (read on further for benefits of balanced AC power). Only two diodes are used for rectification instead of four. James ...