Hifi Pig

Reference Fidelity Components (UK) has expanded its’ services to include full loudspeaker refurbishment including:

• crossover refurbishment and up-grading services
• driver replacement
• internal re-wiring
• internal damping/wadding improvements 
• cabinet refurbishment
• new cabinet construction
• external crossover conversions

Paul from RFC commented “There are many loudspeakers from several decades ago which properly fettled are a match for many modern brands”. He continued “In many cases, it is far more economical to refresh crossovers and wiring or completely refurbish an old pair of cherished loudspeakers than to replace with modern equivalents”.

DEQX Pty Ltd, manufacturers of preamp processors providing speaker calibration, crossover and room compensation will be exhibiting at RMAF with their DEQX PreMate.

The PreMate delivers the same speaker and room calibration features as the company’s DEQX Mate plus the preamp functions of the HDP-4. DEQX preamp/processors calibrate your space by removing speaker distortion with subsequent room compensation.

The PreMate’s preamp section includes four digital inputs – Toslink Optical, RCA Coax, BNC Coax, balanced AES3 XLR, and DEQX has just released an optional USB audio input with an I2S internal interface. There are two analogue inputs via RCA and balanced XLR. Outputs are RCA unbalanced and XLR balanced for both main speakers and subwoofers (or bi-amped speakers). The main speaker outputs are also available in digital form to drive an external DAC.

The PreMate features Cirrus Logic’s Reference-Grade Pro Audio ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter), and two 32-bit Burr Brown DACs  combined with DEQX’s 32-bit floating-point DSP calibration engine.

The PreMate carries an MSRP of $4,495 and the USB input option adds another $495.

Raven Audio, a manufacturer of tube preamplifiers, integrated, stereo and monoblock amplifiers will be exhibiting their Silhouette Reference Preamplifier and Silhouette Reference monoblocks driving Joseph Audio Perspective speakers, with a Mytek Stereo192-DSD USB DAC, a Hanss Acoustics T20 turntable with a SoundSmith high-output Paua cartridge, and all Cardas cabling at RMAF this year..

The Silhouette Reference monoblocks deliver 100 watts of tube-biased sound from 6550s and an interstage transformer. V-Cap, Mundorf and MIT-RTX capacitors are used in the amps and the Silhouette Reference Preamplifier includes a 6-tube phono stage loaded at 47k ohms suitable for high-output MC (moving-coil) or MM (moving-magnet) cartridges.

Made and machined in Groveton Texas, Raven Audio preamplifiers, integrated, stereo and monoblock amplifiers range from $1,495 to $30,000.

Cabasse, the French loudspeaker manufacturer, is introducing the Stream 1 and Stream Source wireless music streaming products. With the ability to stream from networks, tablets and phones and turn any connected USB drive into a DLNA server.

Stream 1 is a compact, standalone, streaming music playback system with built-in Cabasse speakers and amplifiers, that builds on the company’s first network music product, the Stream 3. Designed to be freestanding, either horizontally or vertically, or wall mounted, the pebble shaped 14cm x 46cm x 32cm (H W D) is available in glossy white or black.

Stream 1 plays music stored on a network, tablet or smartphone via Wi-Fi, Ethernet or Bluetooth, and is controlled by the Cabasse app for iOS or Android.

Built-in automatic DLNA server software enables any directly connected USB stick or hard drive to be made available to the whole network, for playback on any other Stream players, alleviating the necessity for complex server configuration.

The Stream Source allows people to take advantage of Cabasse’s streaming technology through an existing hi-fi system. The stand-alone unit, also pebble shaped and just 4cm x 23cm x 14cm (H W D) in size. Digital to analogue converters take the digital signal from the network in file formats from MP3 to 96kHz FLAC and present them to the hi-fi for playback through the existing speakers. As with the Stream 1, Bluetooth connectivity is possible with smartphones or tablets using the APTX codec for higher quality reproduction of the music stored on the device. Similarly, embedded DLNA software enables the music on any directly connected USB drive to be instantly made available across the network.

PricesMSRP (inc. VAT) Stream 1£499, Stream Source£299 

Lipinski Sound, primarily known for use in recording and mastering studios, goes self-powered and upgradable for its 10th Anniversary with the unveiling of a new self-powered and upgradable loudspeaker system. The revised L-707A series of monitors are the latest development in a series of loudspeakers starting with Lipinski L-707.

L-700A Dual Power Amplifier and L-700B Power Amplifier ensure that each section of this modular speaker system will be powered by its own individual class-A amplifier (meaning that their Signature speaker system will now be driven by four amplifiers per channel) This is Lipinski’s newest Class AAB, all-discrete, dual-power amplifier based on low-feedback patented circuitry Lipinski Square OpAmps  –  unique in that, at no point does the audio signal pass through an integrated circuit, condenser, coil, or transformer.

Lipinski also have the Self-Powered True Reference monitor L-70 which is based on the same principles as it’s larger sibling.

Rotel have announced three new product launches in the US. These include Rotel’s first USB Digital-to-Analog Converter, a new Stereo Preamplifier with onboard DAC and two Class A/B Stereo Power Amplifiers.

RB-1582MKII Stereo Power Amplifier

The RB-1582MKII is Rotel’s largest stereo amplifier at 200 watts per channel that provides the massive current needed to drive the largest hi-fi systems.

The RB-1582MKII’s has a large toroidal transformer combined with a total of 60,000uF storage capacity in “slit foil” capacitors to provide completely stable power to the output stage. Both the left and right channel construction are laid out in a mono block design (after the toroidal transformer) and all grounding is terminated in a star pattern on a copper grounding plate to ensure low signal to noise.The output stage is a discrete design that consists of 10 high current bipolar transistors per channel.Input options consist of both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA connectors.

The RB-1582 is available in Matte Black or Brushed Silver finish at a cost of €1599.

RB-1552MKII Stereo Power Amplifier

The RB-1552MKII is a 120-watt per channel class A/B amplifier with features that include an over-sized power supply featuring a low magnetic field toroidal transformer and high-current bipolar output transistors.The RB-1552MKII features independent left and right power rectification stages and decoupling, and is essentially a mono block design.  Input options are balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA connectors.

The RB-1552MKII is available in Matte Black or Brushed Silver finish at €999

RC-1570 Stereo Preamplifier

Both analogue and digital sources have been given equal consideration as today’s listener often has several digital sources, but may also enjoy formats like vinyl LPs and hence the preamp has a moving magnet phonostage as well as four digital inputs (2 co-ax and 2 optical), plus the PC-USB on the rear panel, handles digital sources up to 24/192 resolution. A Wolfson stereo D/A converter handles critical conversion from digital data to analogue.  Analog inputs include balanced XLR connectors in addition to four pair of conventional RCA inputs.

The RC-1570 is available in Matte Black or Brushed Silver finish at a price of €999.

RDD-1580 Digital to Analogue Converter

The RDD-1580 uses dual Wolfson WM8740s in a complementary configuration which Rotel says reduces noise and distortion well beyond what a single converter can provide.

A front panel USB input supports Apple iPod^®, iPhone^®, and iPad^® as well as streaming via Bluetooth with the included adapter.The rear panel PC-USB input will support files up to 24 bit/192kHz in asynchronous mode.  Two sets of rear panel RCA-style coaxial and TOSlink optical digital inputs are optimized for LPCM data streams. This includes CD’s 16-bit/44.1 kHz standard to high definition sources with 24-bit/192 kHz audio data.

The RDD-1580 provides both single-ended and balanced outputs with RCA and XLR connections respectively.

The RDD-1580 is available in Matte Black or Brushed Silver finish at €799.