Adcom GFA-555SE Amplifier

Filed under: Home Audio > Amplifiers



Adcom has recently completed a restructuring, and they plan to reassert themselves as a force in affordable audio/video electronics under new owners Quality Technology Electronics. Adcom has several new products that will roll-out in 2009 - one of the first being the new GFA-555SE amplifier. The Special Edition GFA-555 retains the classic looks of the original, while featuring lower distortion, better dynamic range, improved damping factor, and greater stability.

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Musical Fidelity AMS35i Integrated Amplifier

Filed under: Home Audio > Amplifiers



Musical Fidelity has released a new integrated amp, called the AMS35i. The AMS35i is a pure Class A design, producing 35 watts per channel. Features include low overall feedback, separate, fully balanced choke-regulated power supplies for each channel, and ultra low distortion.

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iHome Studio Series iP1 iPod/iPhone Speaker System

Filed under: Portable Audio > Portable Audio Players



Glass speakers certainly look neat, but they all have an unfortunate downside of being very expensive. If you like the glass speaker look but are on a budget, iHome's new Studio Series iP1 dock may be for you. The iP1 features two 4" woofers and two 1" dome tweeters with individual enclosures, mounted to an acrylic front baffle. The drivers are powered by a built in 100 watt Class D amplifier. The dock supports the iPhone and iPod, with video out capability.

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Tannoy Definition Speakers

Filed under: Home Audio > Speakers > Floorstanding Speakers



Tannoy has released a new line of speakers called Definition, which focuses on high-end two channel audio. The Definition range consists of the DC8 monitor and the DC8T and DC10T floorstanders. All models feature braced birch plywood curved rear-ported cabinets, and Tannoy's signature Dual Concentric drivers (8" in the DC8 and DC8T, 10" in the DC10T) with "WideBand" tweeter technology.

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Check Your Hearing With Mosquito Tones

If you've ever wondered what your high frequency hearing range is, or you would like to test the high frequency capabilities of your system, check out the Mosquito Ringtones webpage. The Mosquito tones are apparently designed to be used as "covert" ways for kids to be alerted of texts or emails without pesky adults noticing, but the free files (available in streaming, MP3, WAV, or OGG formats) can just as easily be used to test your hearing.

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Esoteric E-03 Phono Preamp

Filed under: Home Audio > Analog > Cartridges



Esoteric is mostly known for their high-end CD transports and state of the art VRDS-Neo drive mechanism, but lately the company has been branching out into several avenues including speakers, cables, amplifiers, and now, the world of vinyl with the new E-03 phono preamp. In typical Esoteric fashion, the E-03 is a high-end, no compromise design.

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Livio Pandora Table Top Radio

Filed under: Home Audio > Radio Tuners



Let's face it; FM is long past its prime. If you're not a fan of the Clear Channel Top 40 (you have taste, in other words), but you still would like a table top music player for casual listening situations, the new Livio Pandora based table radio may be for you. The Livio provides essentially the same thumbs up/thumbs down functions as the Pandora site on both its front panel and full function remote, allowing you to be your own station programmer.

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Silverline Audio SR20 Studio Monitor

Filed under: Home Audio > Speakers > Bookshelf Speakers



Silverline Audio has released a new high-end passive studio monitor, called the SR20. The SR20 is fairly compact at 15.75" H x 10.5" W x 12.5" D, but it weighs in at a hefty 42lbs. The rear ported enclosure houses a 1.25" Accuton Ceramic Dome Tweeter and a 7.5" Eton Hexacone woofer, chosen for their wide bandwidth and power handling abilities.

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Benchmark DAC1 HDR Preamp/DAC

Filed under: Home Audio > Crossovers and Crossover Parts



Benchmark has released yet another update to its venerable DAC1 line. The new flagship DAC1 HDR is the most feature packed (and expensive) DAC1 product yet. The big new feature over the previous DAC1 Pre is what Benchmark calls its "HDR-VC" (High Dynamic Range Volume Control). Volume is controlled by a custom-built motorized Alps potentiometer, which Benchmark claims provides superior performance to both digital volume controls and IC-based analog volume controls.

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Grace Aqua Sounder Wireless Speaker Ball

Filed under: Portable Audio > Portable Audio Players



Grace Digital Audio has released a new speaker ball designed for summer pool parties. Unlike some other speaker balls such as the Pieter Maes concept, the Aqua Sounder puts its shape to practical use - it floats. LED "mood lights" make it look more than a little like a leftover prop from Wall-E. The Aqua Sounder is completely submersible and waterproof, and can also be used as a standard outdoor speaker.

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McIntosh 60th Anniversary Amp and Preamp

Filed under: Home Audio > Amplifiers



To commemorate their 60th anniversary, McIntosh has released newly updated special editions of their MC75 monoblock tube amplifier (first released in 1961) and C22 preamplifier (first released in 1962). The amps and preamp will be sold together as a Limited Edition 60th anniversary "Classic System." The package also includes a special numbered version of McIntosh's book For The Love Of Music, signed by author Ken Kessler, McIntosh co-founder Sidney Corderman, and McIntosh President Charlie Randall.

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Perreaux Launches Integrated Amp with Some Guts

Filed under: Home Audio > Amplifiers



"High-end integrated amplifier" is no longer an oxymoron. Powerful models from Simaudio, Gryphon, GamuT, and other brands have redefined what the traditional integrated is capable of. The eloquence 250i from New Zealand's Perreaux is the latest to join this elite group. Perreaux claims that the 250i is the most powerful Class A/B integrated amp in the world, capable of producing more than 350 Watts of continuous power into 8 ohms.

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Peachtree Audio Nova Tube Hybrid Integrated Amplifier

Filed under: Home Audio > Amplifiers



Peachtree Audio has released a new digital tube hybrid integrated amplifier called the Nova, which combines a high-end DAC with a Class A tube preamp section and solid-state amplifier section. The Nova has been designed to work in modern A/V systems with mostly digital sources. The built-in ESS 9006 Sabre DAC upsamples incoming digital streams to 24-bit/192kHz and decodes MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, AIFF, WAV, PCM, and Apple lossless formats. Digital inputs include two optical, two coaxial, and a USB input, as well as an optional Sonos ZonePlayer add-in board.

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Goldenote Koala Tube CD Player

Filed under: Home Audio > CD Players



Italy's Goldenote has released its Koala Tube CD Player into the US market, which will be distributed by cartridge maker Koetsu USA. The Koala features a 20-bit Burr Brown D/A converter, a dual-tube output stage, balanced outputs, an "exceptionally stable" transport mechanism, and several of Goldenote's latest digital technologies.

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Klipsch Imagine Series Headphones

Filed under: Headphones > In-Ear Headphones



Klipsch has released a new entry-level range of headphones, called the Imagine series. The new Imagine S2 and S4 both include the same anatomically designed silicon "Contour Ear Gels" as the Custom Series and high end IMAGE series, which are designed to reduce ear fatigue and provide a strong seal for the best possible isolation and bass response. Both models are moving coil designs with controlled damping which Klipsch claims provides similar sound to a balanced armature. The S4 gains a stronger dual magnet motor structure for improved performance and lower distortion.

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