Un nuevo grupo en la industria quiere música de alta resolución en discos Bluray

http://www.golem.de/news/bd-pure-audio-blu-ray-alternative-zur-super-audio-cd-1306-99568.html

 

BD Pure AudioBlu-ray-Alternative zur Super Audio CD

Eine Interessengruppe aus der Musikindustrie will die Blu-ray als Audiomedium etablieren. Das Potenzial von Blu-ray Pure Audio ist groß, da sich Blu-ray-Player in vielen Haushalten finden.

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Mit Pure Audio startet die Musikindustrie den Versuch, in einer Nische ein neues Format zu etablieren. In Zukunft soll es mit der Blu-ray Pure Audio ein weiteres qualitativ hochwertiges (192 KHz/24 Bit) und insbesondere mehrspuriges Audioformat im Handel geben. Sie funktioniert wie eine CD auch ohne Fernseher, sofern der verwendete Blu-ray-Player ein Display hat. Für einige Funktionen kann es aber auch sinnvoll sein, den Fernseher oder ein Netzwerkgerät anzuschließen. Eine Interessengruppe hat sich bereits auf der Musikmesse Midem gegründet und die produzierenden Firmen wollen das neue Format nun den Musikanbietern als Alternative vorschlagen.

Die Audio-Blu-ray gibt es schon länger, sie wird aber kaum so vermarktet. Es ist ein Produkt für ein spezielles Publikum, das sich nicht an den Mehrkosten der Pure-Audio-Scheibe stört. Die Gruppe will nun versuchen, die derzeit sehr hohen Produktionskosten zu reduzieren und ausnutzen, dass es schon 100 Millionen Blu-ray-Player gibt. Denn die Technik unterscheidet sich nur im Detail von dem, was eine Blu-ray ausmacht und hat damit Vorteile gegenüber der Super Audio CD.

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Links die Höhe einer SACD-Packung und rechts die vorgeschlagene Höhe der Pure-Audio-Verpackung in einem Super Jewel Case Plus. (Foto: Nina Sebayang/Golem.de)

Eine der Firmen, die das Format auf den Markt bringen wollen, ist Arvato Bertelsmann. Das Unternehmen stellte die Blu-ray Pure Audio, wenn auch mangels Demonstrationsanlage nur in Stereo, auf der Musikmesse Classical Next in Wien Fachbesuchern aus dem Bereich Klassik vor, die ihre Produktionen teils auf Super Audio CDs (SACD) pressen. Auch im Jazzbereich sieht Arvato eine Zielgruppe.

Ralf Combrink und Bashar Shammout demonstrierten, wie die Blu-ray Pure Audio ohne Fernseher verwendet wird. Dazu werden einfach die farbig codierten Tasten der Fernbedienung gewählt. Für das DTS HD Master (24/96) mit sechs Kanälen wird etwa die grüne Taste gewählt. Wer mit einem Kopfhörer die Musik hören möchte, wählt mit der gelben Taste den Stereobetrieb. Über die Zifferntasten können die einzelnen Titel wie bei einer CD direkt angesprungen werden. Für die Navigation ohne Fernseher ist ein Blu-ray-Player mit eigenem Display nötig. Bei der Demo zeigt sich aber ein typisches Problem von Blu-ray-Playern: Sie booten bei weitem nicht so schnell wie der typische CD-Player.

Audioformate für spezielle Boxenanordnungen

Eine Blu-ray Pure Audio soll auch die Formate 2+2+2 und 2222+ speichern, wie sie Dabringhaus und Grimm verwenden. Auch diese werden über die farbigen Tasten ausgewählt. Hierbei handelt es sich ebenfalls um Mehrkanalton, allerdings wird davon ausgegangen, dass der Hörer seine Boxen anders anordnet. Im 2+2+2-Format werden zwei Boxenpaare vorne übereinander angeordnet. Bei 2222+, einem Format, das die SACD nicht beherrscht, gilt das auch für hinten.

Damit liegen diese Formate räumlich zwischen den 5.1/7.2 und etwa Dolby Atmos, das sogar eine Bespielung von der Decke aus vorsieht. Es gibt allerdings keine Filme in dem Format, so dass die Boxen für den Filmgenuss wieder umgestellt werden müssten.

El deplorable y extraño deceso de Raysonic.

Yo nunca tuve problema y tenía  ala marca en un concepto de calidad. Hoy me informó un proveedor en EUA que Raysonic simplemente desapareció y un cliente publicó en Internet este email que le hicieron llegar.

Dear customers,
We are the workers of Raysonic Company of Taishan Danxing Audio Technology Co. LTD. in China. Our boss named Steven Leung or Leung Kam Leong RAN AWAY/Absconded on 19th Sept. 2012. Now the company is bankrupt. We haven’t been paid for the salary for more than 6 months and the total amount is more than USD30000. He also defrauded about USD 60000 from first payment/deposit of foreign businessmen. He also owes nearly USD 170000 to those material suppliers, house decoration company, shipping costs and the house renting fee and so on. His Raysonic brand is a brand that used to cheat people. The appearance for his products is garish, but the components inside the products are with bad quality. Customers had to send their amps back to him to repair for many times. Please do not be cheated again by him.

If you know where this Steven Leung or Leung Kam Leong is, then please kindly to tell us. He should pay us the salary. We worked so hard for him and we need to live with that salary!

If you don’t believe, you can call his telephone NO. of his Raysonic company here: 0086-7505626822. You will see that you got no answer.

The attachment is Raysonic’s business license. The boss, Leung Kam Long or Steven Leung is a Chinese, but immigrated to Canada for some years. He just registered the Raysonic for a few years and have already cheated a lot of people!

All the members that are cheated by Raysonic.
20th Sept.2012

¿ Capacitores rusos, Jantzen o Mundorf ?

A la hora de mejorar un preamplificador (GGP) de Trascendent las pruebas entre capacitores arrojaron un solo ganador.

 

Interesante comparativa en la que para el conocido y reconocido Troels Gravesen la elección fue Mundorf

http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/GG.htm

Nice layout and easy wiring.

The potmeter following the kit was tried and immediately discarded and
replaced by the above 24 step attenuator.
Furthermore I had a 4 way ELMA selector on the shelf.
To the left the shorting circuit (delay) - a must have.

This attenuator is a gift!

Bruce says:
The attenuator starts with a maximum attenuation of -68 dB and then has 4 steps to -54 dB. 
Each additional step is another -3 dB.  Other attenuators reach -54 dB in the first click. 
The Transcendent Attenuator therefore provides much better low level control.. 
This is essential for use with high efficiency speakers.

- couldn't agree more!
       

I miss the ARC SP16L remote badly, but this line stage is so good I can live with it.
Next step would be buying a silk supermalloy transformer attenuator. Maybe some day.

 

Grounded Grid Cap Test:

April 2008: Making a test on the sound quality of capacitors is a difficult task. In any scientific work we would as precisely as possible describe the conditions under which the experiment was performed because our work doesn't hold any credibility unless others are able to reproduce - and possibly confirm - our results.
Ranking the quality of capacitors is as far away from science as trying to describe the taste of a rye bread. It's highly subjective. Our aural memory is short, and the time it takes to change capacitors is long enough to forget how the previous capacitor was performing.
I tried a range of caps over a relatively short period of time, just to get a basic feeling of what I was in for and then stayed with one cap for a couple of weeks where I would listen frequently. Then, after some serious listening, I would plug in a new cap.

At a certain point I made a switchboard allowing A-B testing of up to six different caps and much to my surprise, this wasn't the way to go. Being able to zap between caps in a matter of seconds is highly confusing. After a short period of time you end up not being able to hear a damned thing!

The problem with testing things like this is that we know what is going to happen and we have all sorts of expectations about what to hear. We can't help preparing our mind for the event and we're in for all sorts of self-delusions.
The best example I have experienced is an (in-)famous NordOst sales person who demonstrated a 2000 $ power chord. Now, the power chord came in after a 10 meter, 5 $ extension chord, feeding an integrated amp with a manually operated (non-stepped) attenuator and we were all carefully prepared for what was going to happen. And we could all - I think - hear how good it was. I mean, 0.5 dB less attenuation than before and we must hear things we didn't hear from the standard power chord. I can't prove this is what was going on, but the demonstration was highly problematic. I think the psychological preparation was much more significant in this event. We can all sharpen our senses - when we want to - or, when we're told to do so. And it takes courage to raise your arm in a group of twenty unknown people and say: Bullocks! The Emperor's New Clothes.....

The complete chain of components going into hifi system is enormous. From the phono cartridge with its phono wires, the cables including cable plugs to the RIAA with its internal wires and coupling caps, the cables from the RIAA to the line stage with its coupling caps, wires again to the power amps - with its coupling caps - and the cables to the speaker crossover - with its coupling caps - before the signal finally reaches the speaker drivers. From phono cartridge to speakers I have 6-7 coupling caps, all adding to the sound of the total system (Garrard 401/Linn Ittok LV II/Dyna DX20, Transcendent RIAA, Transcendent line stage, Audio Mirror 6AS7 PSE 20 wpc monoblocks, JA8008/TW034 DTQWT). And this is only a fraction of all the things that - more or less - adds to sound colouration. All caps in the current chain of components are high-grade silver or silver/gold caps, cables are silver plated cobber in teflon wrapping and I claim I hear differences when I change this single cap in the Grounded Grid line stage. I'm also sure that if anyone made me do a blind test on 5 different caps I'd probably be in deep trouble. That's how difficult I think it is.

I'm not going through the caps seen below and give a detailed description on each single cap. The silver/1% gold is the best followed by the Jantzen Superior Z-cap and the Russian 0.22 uF alu/teflon caps. The latter two I find almost the same. The 1 uF Russian alu/teflon giant was a disappointment, lacking in resolution despite a decent tonal balance. The brown Russian "cookie" isn't bad at all - if you listen to classical acoustic guitar and nothing else - and maybe harpsichord. Smooth and sweat but not able to keep apart complex orchestral works. Kind of surprising... Resolution is one thing - but one cap can display good resolution as long as you don't feed it complex musical signals. I'm not an expert in the transmission of electrical signals, but I see (hear) that one important parameter is the ability to transfer complex signals, i.e. electron load, amplitude and different frequences at the same time. Some skilled in the art of designing caps may tell us why this is so.

I've been listening a lot to vocals and piano for these tests. To my ears the most difficult sounds. The Steinway piano on Keith Jarrett's The Köln Concert was one of my favourite tracks. I've had this record for more than two decades. It contains both quiet and loud complex passages and covers a wide frequency spectrum. Any system will be put to the test from this recording - not least the phono cartridge and loudspeakers.

I have ordered 1 uF Mundorf MCAP Supreme Silver/Gold caps for comparison and more to come when these have been tested.
After that the PSU caps will be replaced by Black Gate electrolytics and later the 3 x 22 uF/350 V de-coupling caps on the tube board will be replaced by some film MKPs, not sure which yet.
Also the internal signal wiring will be changed to silver plated cobber/teflon wrapped/shielded wire bypassing the tube board. No need to run the signal from the phono sockets to the board and then from the board to the input selector.

20-05-2008: To make a long story short: These Mundorfs will stay. They leave all caps tested here behind. The prototype silver/gold is good, really good - but the Mundorfs are better. The overall tonal balance from these two caps are much the same but the Mundorf excel in the level of transparency - and I'm a sucker for transparency. If a cap is slightly bright I can tune my speakers accordingly.

#1 cap test: Jantzen Audio Superior Z-caps

#2 cap test: Vintage Russian alu/PIO caps

#3 cap test: Prototype silver/1% gold
(didn't want to cut leads to proper length - yet ;-)

#4: Gigantic Russian alu/teflon foil caps. 1 uF/200V

#5: Russian alu/teflon foil caps. 0.22 uF/600V

#6: Mundorf Supreme, silver with 1% gold/PP film

More cap test, Feb-09

Left to right: Russian PIO, K40Y-9, 220 nF/1000V, Russian PIO (green), K42Y-2, 220 nF/500V, Russian Silver Mica: 178 nF/350 volts.

From SOVCOM I bought some more caps, just to know first hand what these Russian vintage caps can do. Initial plans were to test them in my 300B amp, but the GG preamp is a convenient amp for testing caps. The three caps seen above were all tested against the Mundorf Silver/Gold cabs and the PIO caps really aren't bad at all. Surprisingly good, actually. The Mundorfs may excell in overall resolution, but I might as well pick one of these two PIOs for smooth and balanced presentation. The Silver Micas are some chunky beasts and to cut a long story short, I might as well leave these caps in the GG for good. These cabs can be stripped from the metal case (magnetic) and put into some wooden containers filled with wax. I got two of these caps for 17 US $. Two 0.22 uF Mundorfs are ~82 US $.

The Final Mods

Black Gate caps in PSU section. 47 uF film de-coupling caps in amp section.
Silver coated copper wires in teflon sleeves. Mute switch.

 

I strongly believe it doesn't get much better than this. If you think you may have a better line stage, drop me a mail. The impact on sound from the latest mods is arguable, but possibly a slightly more easy-to-listen-to presentation - and it wasn't too expensive and for the benefit of the doubt.... As always the basic circuitry and coupling cap(s) is what has the greatest impact on sound.

Feb-09: I really shouldn't have made the statement above, because I've recently tried a TRAM w.o.t. line stage and driving the modded Audio Mirror mono-blocks, this amp beats the GG in the midrange. The TRAM from diy-hifi-supply/Hong Kong is no longer available, so I'll have to clone this line stage. I thought I was in for some years of peace on the line stage front, but apparently not....

 

The final-final mods

 

It's always a good thing to go back and see (hear) if the changes we make really are worth while. So, I re-installed all the original components - except the coupling caps - and to my ears, it didn't sound any different from all the Black Gate stuff. I've tried expensive caps for power supplies in other amps and always found the benefits to be small, if noticeable at all. The coupling caps are important, no doubt about it. This is where I would spend the money. Two good caps is all the GG needs - to my ears.
The expectation we build up when buying something, getting it home, installing it, setting it up again, etc., is a major psychological pressure. We so much want something to happen - and to hear our money well spent. And we're so good at fooling ourselves that we sometimes can hear whatever we want. Swapping back is an excellent exercise, although we rarely do - because it's a lot of work. So, above the GG today: The excellent attenuator from Transcendent and the two Mundorf silver/golds.

Bello y gracil pero preciso y certero Grace m903

Este es un tiempo de resurgimiento del DAC que venía en picada hasta hace unos años.

 

He tenido oportunidad de conocer y usar para pruebas y desarrollos esta excelsa unidad que ofrece muchas ventajas por un precio muy razonable.

 

Es un DAC, es un pre con dos entradas análogas y un amplificador para audífonos. Puede operar en mono, tiene control de balance y salida de audio variable y un sonido que lo tiene altamente calificado y valorado en publicaciones especializadas.

 

Nacido desde el audio profesional es un equipo que suena magníficamente para el audiófila que no quiere trucos ni "cosmética auditiva" sino pureza y neutralidad pero que a la vez suena grácil y placentero, bien, en poca palabras. 

 

Yo lo uso en conjunto con otro equipo de audio profesional el SPL Volume 2, limpio y transparente y con un Odyssey Khhartago Extremecomo equipo de prueba base y el resultado es excelente.

 

Aunque similar en principio a Benchmark a mi parecer ofrece un sonido  más vívido, que involucra y sin perder precisión, naturalidad ni neutralidad es mucho más vinculador con la música.

Este equipo así como la gama completa de Grace Design empiezan a ser promovidos por www.armonia-av.com en México.

Ten years ago, we launched the model 901 headphone amplifier. 4 years later, the m902, which set the standard for a new category of compact, precision playback tools. Today, we proudly unveil the m903, which is simply the most refined and feature rich headphone amp, DAC and compact monitor controller available.

The m903 keeps everything great about its predecessors, adds some useful new features, and ups the ante with even more breathtaking audio performance. A new volume control provides higher headroom and lower distortion and noise. New generation DAC's and ultra-low noise balanced current to voltage converter yields even more musical performance compared to the m902. Improved s-lock PLL circuitry delivers even lower phase noise and jitter. An improved power supply isolates headphone amplifiers, line amplifiers, DAC's and digital logic, resulting in lower noise and distortion.

Perhaps the most exciting improvement is the all new high speed USB interface. This cutting edge technology provides a completely asynchronous data transfer mode which allows for bit-perfect USB playback with zero interface induced jitter. This new interface affords standard driverless USB Class 1 operation on Windows and Mac up to 24bit/96kHz and USB Class 2 audio for 24bit/192kHz operation on Windows and Mac (drivers needed for 192kHz operation under Windows). This is computer-based audiophile playback, perfected.

New crossfeed circuitry is even more useful and includes a gentle compensation to eliminate the perceived loss of low frequency content. Both balanced and unbalanced line outputs are now standard, with individual volume controls for each. We have even included a mono mode for checking a mix for phase issues or simply monitoring in mono. These improvements cement the m903 as the perfect compact, audiophile grade monitor controller, even for larger scale production environments with more than one set on monitors.

A full complement of analog and digital inputs are provided (balanced, unbalanced, AES3, S/PDIF, TOSLINK and USB), which are selectable via a precision rotary front panel switch. And we offer an updated optional infrared remote control, which provides essential control for anyone working out of reach of their m903.

Optional m903 Infrared Remote Control

Advancing the tradition of unmatched audio performance and functionality, the m903 is now the ultimate solution for high resolution audio playback. From the very top mastering engineers to the most discerning audiophiles – it is a must for anyone searching to discover new depths in music and sound.

 

• Balanced and unbalanced analog inputs

• 24bit/192kHz digital stereo inputs- AES3, S/PDIF, TOSLINK and USB
• High speed USB interface - completely asynchronous transfer mode allows for bit-perfect playback with zero interface induced jitter
• Driverless operation on Windows & Mac up to 96kHz/24bit
• Supports USB Class 2 audio specification for 192kHz/24bit operation on Windows & Mac (drivers needed for 192kHz operation under Windows)
• New generation DAC's and ultra low noise balanced current to voltage converter yields more musical performance compared to the m902
• Mono mode for checking mix phase issues (or listening to Pet Sounds)
• s-Lock™ phase lock loop sample clock regeneration for ultra-low jitter and rock solid digital stability
• High-current transimpedance headphone amplifier circuitry built to effortlessly drive low impedance headphones
• Balanced and unbalanced variable level analog line outputs
• Improved power supply architecture isolates headphone power amplifiers, line amplifiers, DAC's and digital logic
• Precision level control with a 99.5dB range in 0.5 dB steps
• Channel level matching accuracy of 0.05dB
• Improved x-feed circuit eliminates perceived loss of low frequency content
• Optional infrared remote control available
• Internal linear power supply with custom wound toroidal transformer
• Sealed gold contact relays used for all signal switching
• Five year transferable warranty on parts and labor

Antelope presenta su primer DAC DSD el Zodiac Platinum

Un nuevo y reconocido fabricante que ahora dará más de que hablar con este nuevo y sofisticado equipo.

 

The widest DSD support and sample rate Zodiac Platinum DSD DAC provides the widest DSD support, including the unique 256X mode and a sample rate of 768 kHz via a custom-built USB chip. The extreme DSD256 greatly extends the accuracy and transparency of the audio reproduction as well as the overall system performance. The custom-designed Antelope USB chip compliments high fidelity by reducing clock jitter and pushing the envelope of the USB streaming with sample rates four times higher than those offered by similar devices. Whereas many top of the line DACs offer PCM upsamplers, the Platinum is the first device to offer a DSD upsampler. This distinctive feature allows the upsampling of DSD64 to DSD256, pushing DSD noise into higher frequencies, vastly improving the quality of the D/A conversion. The Platinum bypasses internal digital filters built into the DAC chip by implementing a custom upsampler with carefully designed high-precision linear phase filters in the FPGA.

Signature Antelope clocking In the heart of the new Platinum lie the renowned 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking and the ultra-low jitter oven-controlled crystal oscillator, which are Antelope’s signature for unprecedented sound quality appreciated by the best recording, mastering and post production studios around the world. In addition, the Platinum is equipped with a 10 MHz input for the legendary Antelope 10M Rubidium atomic clock, providing the most accurate and stable clocking reference and therefore an uncompromised digital to analog conversion. Distinctive pedigree and highly evolved technology Zodiac Platinum has inherited the stepped relay volume control and the dual stage headphone drivers with impedance control from its very successful and highly appreciated predecessor Zodiac Gold. The Platinum also comes with an elegant remote control and has the option for external audiophile grade power supply Voltikus. In addition to the PC and Mac control panels available in the Zodiac Line, the Platinum also offers the comfort of the remote control from a mobile application, available for Android and iOS.

Antelope 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking (AFC) technology
	10MHz input for Antelope’s Rubidium atomic clock
	Widest DSD support, including the unique 256X mode
	Ultra-low jitter oven-controlled crystal oscillator
	Up to 768 kHz sample rate via custom USB chip
	Switchable 64-bit 8x linear phase upsampler
	Quad DAC architecture for superb dynamic range
	Stepped relay volume control accurate to 0.05 dB
	External audiophile-grade power supply option
	Dual stage headphone drivers with impedance control
	Aluminum unibody IR remote
	Control application for PC, Mac and mobile devices
	Automatic internet-based device upgradability

 

High End Show 2013, Munich. Transrotor Plattenspieler ¡Brutales!

High End Show 2013, Munich. ASR Emitter, ASR amps, Scheu Analog, THIXAR,

Increíble ¿No creen?

Mal Valve Headamp Three: Un super amplificador a bulbos para audífonos.

head amp three

design * construction

. for magnetostatic, dynamic and electrostatic headphones
. full tube construction
. full balanced signal prozessing
. balancing of asymmetrical input signals
. input transformers for balancing und galvanic separation
. parallel push-pull design
. class A operating modes in all stages
. output transformers for impedance balancing
. modular technique
. volume control by processor-controlled relays
. all switching processes relay operated
. on-off muting
. startup current limitation



features

. 2 x ECC 81 tubes
. 4 x EF 184 drive tubes
. 4 x 6V6s power tubes
. 2 x input transformers with mu-metal shields
. 2 x output transformers
. display for input, mode and volume
. internal switch mode power supply 150 VA
. power cable 2 m


specifications



. balanced in 2 x 3pole XLR stereo
. unbalanced in 2 x 2pole RCA stereo
. input impedance 100 kOhm
. outputs 2 x XLR 4 pole stereo balanced
2 x 1/4" headphone jack stereo
. power outputs 2 x 12 Watts/8 Ohms total
. output impedance 8 -> 600 Ohms
. high outputs 2 x special high voltage sockets for Stax-Pro headphones
. high voltage 800 Vss. OTL
. Stax Pro bias 580 V-
. voltage 90 - 250 VAC, 50 - 60 Hz


front keyboard

. display for operating mode
. input line 1+2 balanced
line 3+4 unbalanced
. volume control 127 x 0,7 dB steps
. mode LO-IMP + HI-IMP + ESH
. on on - off - store



storage operation


. input select
. mode select
. separate volume adjustment for LO-IMP, HI-IMP and ESH
. display brightness control (remote control)





connectors

. gold plate WBT-RCA inputs
. gold plate Neutrik-XLR-adaptors
. gold plate Neutrik jack plugs
. special sockets for electrostatic headphones (Stax)


remote control

. remote-controllable with Philips's amplifier code


remote control (option)


. input control
. volume control
. mute
. display brightness control
. engraved full aluminium case
. brush-finished
. black anodized
. external dimension: 196 mm (W) x 67 mm (D) x 20 mm (H)
. weight:: 0,5 kg



amplifier case



. engraved aluminium front panel 10 mm
. brush-finished aluminium case
. black anodized
. external dimension: 483 mm (W) x 315 mm (D) x 100 mm (H)
. weight:: 12 kg

El mejor amigo del audiófilo y melómano... Bazar HiFi

¿ Tienes aparatos guardados hasta abajo de la almohada ?

¿ Quieres escuchar tu música en alta calidad pero no te alcanza ?

Bazar HiFi te ayuda a que los conviertas en un beneficio para ti y música para otros.

Manejo intuitivo, moderado, seguro, categorizado, regionalizado, permite si se desea cobrar a través de Paypal, sin cuota para anunciar.

Puedes anunciar en venta o en compra. Sube fotos del equipo o vincula videos del aparato desde YouTube. Comparte en redes sociales.

Califica al vendedor, califica el producto, comenta antes de comprar (no se permite compartir datos de contacto).


Planes para usuario ocasional, usuario frecuente y para empresas


Bazar HiFi v3.0

Y por tiempo limitado sin costo alguno ! En nada ! Conócelo

www.bazarhifi.com

El nuevo gran nombre en audio Hi-Fi es Gibson: Compra mayoría en TEAC

Gibson el famoso fabricante de guitarras ahora da un segundo paso en la industria de electrónica de consumo y profesional. Hace no mucho reporté como adquirió a Onkyo, hoy se da a conocer que ahora ha comprado parte mayoritaria en TEAC el reconocido fabricante de equipo de audio Hi-Fi y de la línea TASCAM.

 

Son obvias las sinergias implícitas entre Onkyo y ahora TEAC.

 

La moraleja es: Japoneses vencieron a las compañías de EUA en electrónica de consumo, 40 años después compañías de EUA compran a compañías japonesas.

 

http://www.twice.com/articletype/news/gibson-buys-majority-stake-teac-sees-onkyo-synergies/105657

Audiófilos de casa y auto compartiendo en Morelos.

Excelente y constructiva reunión en Morelos.

 

 

 

Este sábado pasado a invitación y entusiasta esfuerzo de JR's Audio que nos brindó una excelente y grata recepción en Morelos pudimos acercar un poco el mundo del audio Hi-Fi para casa y el mundo del audio Hi-Fi para auto. Sí, en principio sé que más de uno se extrañará y tal vez tomará con gracia la afirmación de car audio para audiófilo, pues bien, existe, el resultado es magnífico y no tiene nada que ver con SPL, respuestas reforzadas absurdamente en un rango o con bikinis.

A esta reunión acudieron instaladores, aficionados muy serios, un juez de IASCA y un servidor por el lado del Hi-Fi de casa. La intención era comparar un solido y buen sistema de reproducción estéreo para casa y usarlo como comparativa o punto de referencia contra la experiencia de escucha en un automóvil. El sistema de audio que llevé es uno sencillo pero creo que de muy buen desempeño y excelente relación costo/beneficio y por lo tanto un muy buen valor de compra, dicho sistema se compone de un acondicionador eléctrico Aletheia/PI, un lector muy sencillo del  "super", marca Blusense, un DAC NuForce DAC-9, preamplificador SPL Volume2, amplificador Odyssey Khartago Extreme, bocinas Aletheia A-25II y cableado Groneberg, DH Labs y Sommer. Afortunadamente y aun sin contar con tratamiento alguno y a pesar de su forma irregular pudimos tener un muy buen sonido en la habitación, alta pero con una esquina pronunciada por un lado y por el otro una área abierta. Para no hacer esto demasiado largo puedo decir que la reunión fue muy constructiva, descubrir que en todos lados hay lineas de pensamiento, grupos, gustos... interesantemente coincidimos que el gusto es lo que determina independientemente a que existen lineamientos fundamentales a observar.

Me gusta mucho descubrir - con algo de envidia de la buena - que en cierto modo el car audio audiófilo, por lo menos en México está más formalizado, estructurado que el Hi-Fi de casa. Hay competiciones y criterios de valoración, jueces para tal efecto y en general hay una mejor estructura y un mercado más amplio y vigoroso... bueno, hasta que me dijeron que aún así el gusto por audio de calidad en autos va decayendo y que para muchos otros no son más que locos audiófilos en autos.

Es muy interesante ver como organismos tienen sus tablas de calificación, algo que se me hace muy complicado y que sin duda debe generar fricciones y desencuentros pero con o sin jueces ¿Cuando no sucede eso? Me parece complejo que diferentes jueces puedan calificar en un mismo evento por que el criterio y subjetividad sería el principal factor problemático, podría escuchar una sola persona todos los autos o sistemas al caso y aun así ser un tanto subjetivo, deberé aclarar esto, si diversos jueces califican dentro de un solo evento y categoría o si es solo uno. Claro que la final de cuentas como todo evento de competencia determinado por jueces si uno participa va sabiendo que es por decisión y se apega uno a ella.

Largas charlas, experiencias compartidas, proyecciones y especular sobre como acercar el car audio audiófilo al grado de casa haciendo frente y superando las obvias limitaciones que tienen. No sé si lo sepan pero para que se den idea de lo complejo que es su tarea, las instalaciones de car audio audiófilo son valoradas en imagen estéreo, profundidad y que la voz (si es el caso) sea escuchada al centro, si buscan el sweetspot o punto dulce aun teniendo que estar sentados en un costado del automóvil, sin duda son objetivos que demandan tiempo y dedicación. Afortunadamente en el car audio se dan más libertades y creo que en buena medida viven la experiencia de una manera menos neurótica, echan mano de controles y procesos necesarios para lograr su objetivo, claro sin que ello llegue a afectar la naturalidad y belleza de la música, así tuve oportunidad de conocer softwares para ajuste y control de audio en automóvil, muy interesante ver como se extiende el cable desde el "head

unit" a una PC y ahí se tiene una extensa posibilidad de ir adecuando el sonido.

En todo ese tiempo surgen ideas, se especula, aveces creo que sería bueno replantear por completo como se enfoca el problema dado que de entrada ubicación, espacio y colocación son problemáticas en un auto.

En verdad hago hincapié en que a pesar de ser dos mundos en teoría distintos nos resultó más fácil comunicarnos y establecer puentes que por ejemplo con gente dedicada al audio profesional, mayormente ególatras empedernidos y cerrados a casi todo diálogo cuando ellos en control de la fuente de audio desde su más inicial fase podrían en gran medida aportar y ensanchar caminos.

 

Bueno, regresando a la reunión y escucha ¿Cual fue el resultado logrado? Muy bueno, los dos sistemas me gustaron ampliamente y creo que - librando las obvias condiciones - nada tienen que envidiar a muchos sistemas de audio en casa, seguramente hasta nos podrían enseñar uno que

otro truco o técnica, suenan excelente, mi viejo y conocido disco de Opu3 Records Test CD 4 resultó una delicia a la escucha. Que quede claro el car audio audiófilo es una realidad y es tan bueno como su contraparte en casa.

Lamentablemente olvidé tomar fotos en el sistema del Beetle, las imágenes son del Chevy. En ambos casos las instalaciones son pulcras y cuidadas, excelsas. Un sistema me pareció detallado, dulce y cálido con moderada imagen estéreo y profundidad, el otro me pareció un tanto más neutral, con buen detalle, mejor escenario y "peso", un mejor balance a mi parecer su presentación en cuanto a imagen estéreo parecía más la de un sistema de casa. Al igual que sucede en casa, ambos sistemas muy buenos y termina siendo una cuestión de gustos, de hecho en la calificación la diferencia fue mínima, solo dos puntos a favor del primer sistema, yo tal vez hubiera tenido como "ganador" al otro sistema pero también por una diferencia mínima, digamos esos dos puntitos.

También tuvimos oportunidad de escuchar audífonos Focal y B&W conectados a la etapa de amplificación de audífonos del DAC-9 NuForce, he de decir que el Focal me pareció más cercano a un audífono de monitoreo, una muy buena creación de espacios y ubicaciones, algo discreto en

graves, detalles puntuales, mientras que el B&W me pareció más uniforme en sus virtudes, tal vez más de la mano de lo que escucha uno normalmente a través de un par de bocinas, buen detalle, buena creación espacial, buenos graves y en general un sonido menos clínico.

Finalmente agradecer la cálida recepción en JR's Audio, su familia muy amable y cortés, en todo momento nos sentimos en casa, fuera escuchando o fuera en la hamaca, deliciosa comida.

Y como es normalmente normal lo mejor de todo fue poder platicar, escuchar, entender, compartir y elevar un "salud" ocasional... este fue un entorno limpio, sin prejuicios ni expectativas, solo con el gusto, interés y deseo de conocer y experimentar. La convivencia y la oportunidad de establecer puentes entre audiófilos y más específicamente entre amantes de la música de diferentes campos como el casero y el automotriz en el enfermamente segmentado e incomunicado mundo del audio es algo que debería intentarse más a menudo, sin afanes protagónicos sin afanes de imponer o dar brillo a egos o peso a carteras. Creo que a estas alturas solo un esfuerzo así, en grupo, puede desatorar e impulsar nuevamente el gusto y búsqueda amplia por una reproducción de calidad sea en casa, auto o por audífonos, dejar de lado toma de posiciones para enfocarnos en lo que importa, la música y el gozo que esta nos da y nos ha dado. ¿No lo creen? Y claro, espero que su encuentro con el Hi-Fi de casa de tendencia alta haya sido igualmente favorable.

 

Cary presenta nueva linea de convertidores DA

DAC-100 & DAC-100t (t version is a tube audio output section instead of solid state)
·         24 bit / 192kHz native capability and playback
·         24/192  Streamlenght™ Asynchronous USB audio 2.0 input (Streamlength is a trademark of Wavelength Audio)
·         XMOS USB Processor
·         USB compatible with both Mac and PC
·         2 coaxial inputs (24/192)
·         2 Toslink inputs (up to 24/192)
·         ESS Sabre DAC chips
·         Wolfson receiver chips
·         Phase invert sector
·         Soft touch input button selectors with LED’s
·         Sample rate input LED’s
·         XLR balanced and RCA analog outputs
·         Available in either vacuum tube or solid state versions
·         Available in black or silver faceplate

DAC-100
Retail Price         $2495

DAC-100t
Retail Price         $2995

El interesante reproductor de CD Parasound basado en computadora y Linux

Pero a ese precio me parece un desatino.


Parasound Ships Computer-Based CD Player
By Joseph Palenchar On Jan 4 2013 - 11:29am

Parasound’s $4,500-suggested Halo CD 1 incorporates a CD-ROM drive and Linux-based computer.

 

San Francisco — Parasound launched a new home CD player that uses a CD-ROM drive, internal Linux-based computer and proprietary software to deliver a “nearly bit-perfect data stream,” the company announced.

The $4,500-suggested Halo CD 1, which is shipping, “demonstrates that CDs can sound significantly better than anyone has imagined possible," said president Richard Schram. "The full potential of the 16-bit CD format is realized for the first time in the CD 1," he contended.

The player’s CD-ROM drive runs at four times the speed of a conventional CD player drive to read every part of a CD as many times as needed to significantly reduce read errors and thus reduce the need for error-concealment processing that yields negative audio effects, the company said. “This sophisticated process almost always results in error-free data,” the company contended. “When interpolation techniques are needed, they are confined to [a] single small bad fragment [sample], thereby minimizing their negative sonic side-effects.”

The player accumulates all of the data read by the drive in a memory buffer for data-error analysis and processing performed by an onboard Intel ITX computer, which runs the Linux operating system kernel and proprietary software from Denmark-based Holm Acoustics. Details of the technology can be found at Parasound’s website.

Standard CD players, in contrast, do not read disc data nearly as quickly, transferring data to a DAC as soon as it is read from a disc. As a result, “they don't have time to accumulate enough data in a buffer so that it can be analyzed and processed,” the company said.

Like other Halo-series products, the Halo CD 1 features an aluminum chassis with extensive shielding for electrical and mechanical isolation. It also features three separate power supplies for the analog and digital circuits. The outputs use balanced XLR connectors, gold-plated RCA outputs, and S/PDIF Digital audio outputs via 75-ohm BNC, coaxial and optical connections.

A Discrete OpAmp selector lets users listen to the analog outputs directly from the low-noise National LME49990 op-amps or through discrete transistor-output stages to subtly changes the sonic character of the CD 1.

The player, already available in silver or black finishes, will be displayed at International CES.

 

http://www.twice.com/articletype/news/parasound-ships-computer-based-cd-player/104387

Yamaha añade conectividad reproductor de CD

Yamaha Adds Networking To CD Player
By Joseph Palenchar On Jan 24 2013 - 9:31am

Yamaha’s $799-suggested CD-N500 network music player plays CDs, Internet radio stations and music streamed from mobile devices and networked PCs.

Buena Park, Calif. — Yamaha is combining old media and new media with the launch of its first networked CD player, the $799-suggested CD-N500.

The network audio player, which is available, streams Internet radio stations via the vTuner radio-station database, features DLNA certification to stream music stored on networked PCs and NAS drives, and streams music from iOS, Android and Kindle Fire tablets outfitted with Yamaha’s Network Player Controller app. The apps also operate as remote controls for choosing music sources and viewing song information and album art.

The component also features front-panel Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad USB port to charge and play back music from the Apple devices.

Wi-Fi isn’t built in, but the component features an Ethernet port for networking.

Decoders include MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, 192 kHz/24-bit FLAC, and Apple Lossless.

The high-end component features aluminum front chassis, left-right symmetrical audio circuitry to provide the shortest audio-signal circuit path, 192 kHz/32-bit Burr-Brown DAC, and Pure Direct mode for higher quality audio output.

“While most consumers have moved to accessing music via iTunes, music streaming and Internet radio, there are still many passionate digital music fans who also have large CD libraries that remain an important part of their entertainment experience,” said Tom Sumner, Yamaha senior VP. “The CD-N500 is a perfect transition piece for this audience since it enables them to better integrate all desired music sources.”

 

http://www.twice.com/articletype/news/yamaha-adds-networking-cd-player/104746

NAD defiende al CD con un nuevo reproductor

NAD Adds Component-CD Player

NAD’s $299-suggested C 516BEE CD player plays MP3/WMA data CDs.

Pickering, Ontario — NAD Electronics shipped its latest high-performance component CD player for the home.

Like the model it replaces, the $299-suggested C 516BEE offers 24-bit-192kHz DACs, playback of MP3/WMA data CD-R discs for up to 10 hours of continuous playback, coaxial and optical digital outputs, and audio-specific OP amps.

The DACs in the new model, however, are from Cirrus Logic and are said to provide more accurate dynamics and lower distortion than those in the CD player’s predecessor.

The component is targeted to music lovers who “still have collections of hundreds or even thousands of CDs,” said Greg Stidsen, technology and product planning director. “So there is still a need for a high-performance CD player,” especially for audiophiles who are cost-conscious, he said.

 

http://www.twice.com/articletype/news/nad-adds-component-cd-player/105036