Displaying items by tag: hiend - StereoLife Magazine

Luxman just released a new flagship class AB integrated amplifier, the L-509X offering the performance of separate amplifiers/pre-amplifier housed in a single chassis. The L-509X is perfect for the discerning audiophile who seeks a high quality, high power multifunctional but simple system. The unit features a newly designed highly specialized chassis. The L-509X delivers not only in terms of extraordinary sonic characteristics but also with top-tier design and second-to-none build quality.

Sennheiser is redefining the limits of audiophile sound - with the new HD 820 which will first be showcased at CES. The closed-back dynamic stereo headphones deliver astonishingly transparent sound, thanks to a unique glass transducer cover that minimizes resonances - an innovation that ensures an incredibly realistic and natural sound field.

Harman International is showcasing the Mark Levinson the No 585.5 Integrated Amplifier with Pure Phono module. The No 585.5 is the second integrated amplifier in the Mark Levinson 500 series range - an upgrade to the award-winning No 585 which adds the brand's Pure Phono capability and other new features while retaining the existing Precision Link DAC and analog inputs. In addition to the Pure Phono module, the No 585.5 also includes an upgraded remote control and new three-piece extruded, machined, and anodized aluminum top cover which replaces the current single-piece top cover of the original No 585 and matches the appearance of all other Mark Levinson 500 Series products.

Bryston has announced the introduction of their Active Loudspeaker lineup, featuring three speaker models of different sizes (Model T Active, Middle T Active and Mini T Active) mated to a sophisticated DSP-enabled active crossover (BAX-1) and Cubed Series Bryston amplifiers. Two new amplifier models, the 3-channel 21B3 and 6-channel 24B3 have been created especially for the Bryston Active systems.

McIntosh announces the XRT2.1K loudspeaker which represents the next evolution of McIntosh home audio speakers. The XRT2.1K is a full range system that provides spacious sound reproduction with an unusually deep soundstage. It features a 2000 Watt power rating with a sensitivity of 90dB. Standing 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall, a pair of them will grab the attention of every person in the room. But when the music starts, the only thing people will pay attention to is the enveloping sound they are experiencing.

Once again, mastermind Kurt Scheuch's research and development team have succeeded in making the already very illustrious aluminum columns and bookshelf loudspeakers even more audiophile. A step forward has also been made in aesthetic terms. In order to refine the appearance, Swiss designer Stephan Hürlemann has fitted the front covers flush into the C-shaped cabinet profile, creating a formal harmony that fits perfectly into every room.

After six years from the introduction of the first grandiose Aida, Sonus Faber pushes the envelope and presents the new Aida, the brand's flagship speaker poised at the pinnacle of its product range. Don't let the familiar face fool you! The new Aida has been completely overhauled utilizing the most advanced electroacoustic developments, even if the outer appearance is relatively unaltered, with all its timeless class and elegance.

Magico is proud to launch the A series. At long last, a Magico loudspeaker obtainable for a wider audience - the A3 brings together a bevy of technologies unheard-of at its price point. A fully braced and anodized aluminum enclosure, beryllium tweeter, carbon Nanographene cones, neodymium-based motor systems and our renowned elliptical crossover, the A3 is the impossible made possible.

Ken Ishiwata is probably one of the most influential personalities in our industry. His engineering talent allowed him to design many great devices and modify Marantz's standard equipment. Amplifiers and CD players signed with his initials are very sought after, and regular models only go into production after gaining his approval. Born in Japan in 1947, Ken Ishiwata is also one of passionate music lovers who had a chance to experience almost every major technology and music format, from tube amps to streamers, from mono recordings to hi-res music files. Privately, he's a very original person who likes to share his passion with other music lovers.

Companies making audio equipment can be divided into those big ones, which produce relatively considerable amounts of generally likeable equipment and smaller ones - usually very specialized workshops whose products are often more original, distinctive and individual. Those smaller factories are the ones who create advanced amplifiers in individualized enclosures, speakers using extraordinary drivers or turntables shaped like works of art. Inventions like that are made for the music enthusiasts and connoisseurs. They are not mass-produced in giant factories. These items are made for those who generally appreciate such a sophisticated equipment, and sometimes they are personalized just for one client, who ordered speakers in a specific colour or with some modifications applied just in this one instance. Eryk S Concept is one of these manufacturers. Here, every device is unconventional, and almost every element of an amplifier or speaker deserves our attention. Is the new Red King Premium going to sound as well as it looks?