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After months on anticipation, it's finally here - Creative's Super X-Fi technology that promises to recreate a multi-speaker experience through your headphones. The SXFI Amp is a small finger sized dongle that plugs in your USB port and lets you use any conventional headphone / IEM to experience their technology. For once (great job Creative !), we in Singapore actually get this before the rest of the world. Buyers can go down to Creative's headquarters for a customised ear microphone mapping session, or rely on their mobile app that maps your ear shape by taking pictures of your ears and your head.  Would you like $20 off ? Click on my referral link, http://sxfi.refr.cc/ericteh Visit  https://www.sxfi.com/amp/ for more information.

Introduction HiFiMAN's Shangri-la electrostatic headphones offered really nice performance, albeit at a price that almost no audiophile could afford (Click here for my article on the Shangri-la). Well, HiFiMAN took pity on us - here comes junior ! Now, USD 8,000 gets both the headphone and tube based headamp. Compare this with the USD 50,000 price tag of the senior model and this looks "affordable". This is still a lot of money and likely more than what most audiophiles would want to spend. Then again, ultra high-end components do not really look at affordability as a consideration -  the target market is the audiophile who demands the very best and is willing to pay for it.  AV One (HiFiMAN's official dealer in Singapore) invited me for a private listening session recently. The Shangri-la jr system was paired with the Chord Blu Mk 2 transport and Dave DAC, while cabling was from Chord Co and Isotek. Power conditioning accessories were also courtesy of Isotek. Descri...

Black Cat Announces Silverstar! 75 Mk. II Yugawara-machi, Japan - April 18, 2018 -  One of the most popular and revered digital cables is getting an “Mk. II” upgrade after almost seven years sinxe its introduction! A true-75 Ohm design from the originator of the precision-impedance digital cable, Chris Sommovigo, the Mk. II update to this long-lived design incorporates a “lite” variant of the RF rejection materials employed in both the Digit-75 and, to a greater degree, the TRØN Super-Reference SPDIF cable. “I’ve been planning this improvement for awhile and have recently gotten down to the brass tacks of it,” said Mr. Sommovigo. “The inclusion of the RF rejection materials, plus an additional pure-copper shield - all braided under a multifilament nylon yarn jacket - elevate the Silverstar! 75 without breaking the $300/m threshold.” Available with 75 Ohm BNCs or the new Lovecraft MINI RCA (or a combination), the new Silverstar! 75 Mk. II is now in production and is available direct...

15 April 2008 The long awaited amplifier LittleZoe launches in world renowned Hi Fi Expo HIGH END Munich 2018. The amp will be presented at the Newcomers area of the exhibition from 10 to 13th of May. Apart from its ultra modern design, this distinctive amp stands out in the crowd thanks to two innovations it brings to the high fi world. Unconventional chassis architecture for ultimate performance Solid body form produced by new age material resin using revolutionary technologies Based on an original concept, LittleZoe shapes the sound character of a state of the art amplifier. For more information visit the website www.littlezoe.eu and the social media.

Yugawara-machi, Japan - March 8, 2018 -  Black Cat Cable introduces LUPINO - a word which means “Little Wolf” in Italian - as a trickled-down and more affordable version of their immensely popular “Lupo” interconnect. “Mama” Lupo is made from 2 x 99.999% pure, annealed silver conductors in a ca: 0.25” dia air-teflon tube, and is terminated with Lovecraft Reference RCAs - but “LUPINO” is surely a mama’s boy, using a single 99.999% pure, annealed silver conductor in a ca: 0.15” dia air-teflon tube, and is terminated to Lovecraft MINI RCAs.  While both sets of conductors - Lupo and Lupino - are “nami” (wave) processed, the Lupino conductor has a much shallower wave form owing to the fact that it has to fit inside a smaller diameter tube. Despite the differences in build, Lupino retains much of Mama Lupo’s family performance characteristics at just around 1/2 of Lupo’s price: 1.0mpr of Lupino retails for only $399.95 (and is also available in 0.5m sets for just $274.95/set). ABOUT...

Yugawara-machi, Japan - February 28, 2018 -  Under their connector sub-brand " XOX ", Black Cat Cable has released two levels of Banana-to-Spade adapters in order to convert banana-terminated loudspeaker cables for use with a variety of binding posts that do not otherwise allow for use with banana terminations. The XOX REFERENCE Precision Adapter is precision machined from pure copper, high-polished, and Rhodium plated. A set of four pieces retails for $224.95 The XOX STUDIO Precision Adapter is precision machined from nonmagnetic brass, high polished, and Gold plated. A set of four pieces retails for $79.95 These are immediately available directly from select Black Cat Cable partners and also through the BlackCatCable.com website. ABOUT HIGH FIDELITY PARTNERS, CO. LTD : High Fidelity Partners Co., LTD. is a Japanese corporation specializing in product development and marketing of products and services for the Audiophile segment of the Consumer Electronics market. Located i...

Introduction Oyaide has just released a new line of AC and IEC plugs. It's been more than a decade since they launched their original lineup of premium AC and IEC plugs, so it is nice to see that they are not resting on their laurels. The three model lineup consists of the AP/C-004, 037 and the 029. Sharp eyed readers will notice that two models models has been omitted, the 046 and 079. So, that leaves you with the two choices of plating, silver / rhodium, and platinum / palladium. Here is a quick comparison table :- Model  Blade Material       Plating 029      Brass                     None 037      Phosphor Bronze  Silver / Rhodium 004      Beryllium Copper  Platinum / Palladium Oyaide and their local dealer X-Audio were kind enough to supply me with their new plugs, as well as the original versions for comparison purposes, and enough bulk cable (Oyaid...