Innehållsförteckning för June - July 2015 från Sound + Image

Now established as the unrivalled annual feast of high-end audio, the High End Munich show venue delivers surprisingly decent room acoustics for the oceans of high-end exotica that came to this German city from all corners of the globe. Here we’ve picked just 10 of the most outstanding displays, all shining sonically given show conditions, while also impressing with wise system choices, skilled room set-up and music choice. These rooms also proved popular with the punters — an educated audience — sometimes making photography a challenge for us, as did a curious correlation between ascending system cost and descending illumination levels. Let’s get picking... 1. What do you get when you combine top-line Kondo, a massive battery power supply and the full Living Voice Vox Olympian horn system? The top…

SUMMARY Musical Fidelity Merlin compact system Prices: amp+speakers $1599, turntable $1199, amp+speakers+turntable $2599 + Great sound for the size of system + Bluetooth streaming & vinyl! + Compact and attractive hi-fi - USB input limited to 44.1/48kHz Four ins, six options In remarkably little space Musical Fidelity has included a pair of RCA sockets switchable between line/phono input, a dual minijack/ optical input, a microUSB-B socket for playing from computer, and a Bluetooth antenna. Speaker sockets Solid binding posts and two-metre lengths of speaker cable connect the Merlin amplifier with its two speakers. We all know the urge to minimise clutter, and for years the trend in home hi-fi has been towards neatness. People settle for wireless speaker units, they choose soundbars over proper surround systems. Yet these can be…

SUMMARY Philips 58PUT8509 4K/UHD television Price: $2699 + Good quality picture + Good value for money + Great control apps with screen mirroring - No automatic lip sync adjustment for processing delay Ambilight Philips’ Ambilight illuminates the wall behind the TV using small lights — on the reviewed 8509 model (a different model is shown here) there are 42 lights in total along three sides of the TV. These can deliver fixed colours or can be set to vary in hue automatically based on the onscreen content. Modified by a light sensor, they are able to adapt depending on your wall colour. Long time no see. It has been some years now since Philips withdrew from the Australian TV market. It was one of those brands which offered a premium…

SUMMARY Beyonwiz T4 personal video recorder Price: $699 (500GB HDD); also no HDD $599, 1TB $749, 2TB $799, 4TB $949, 6TB $1099 + Four tuners, ten simultaneous recordings! + Stable performer with fine picture quality + Excellent network functions - May have to re-memorise channel numbers if you purge unused ones Not much more than a year after Beyonwiz released its T3 Linux-based PVR, it has followed up with the Beyonwiz T4, which is even higher powered than the T3, with four HD tuners built in and the ability to record many, many programmes at the same time. Equipment In brief, the Beyonwiz is a high-definition set-top box with the ability to record from up to four different ‘networks’ at the same time. That is, you can record SBS, ABC,…

SUMMARY Arcam irDAC DAC Price: $899 + Extremely high quality sound + Flexible connectivity + Convenient remote control - No sampling rate indicator - No support for 176.4kHz - No guidance in manual for best use USB-A and digital output The Arcam is the only one of the three DACs here to include a USB type A slot for direct connection of Apple smart devices, and the only one to include a coaxial digital output. Class conscious You can use a small switch to choose between USB Audio Class 1.0 and 2.0. Class 1.0 will require no drivers for Windows but is limited to 96kHz. Input options The irDAC is well stocked with inputs — USB-B for computer, USB-A for smart devices, two coaxial and two optical. There isn’t much…

Only two issues ago, I attempted to pick the winners and losers amongst the new breed of TVs. Back then, I consigned 4K resolution to the same desolate wasteland as 3D, pronouncing that while it undoubtedly worked spectacularly well, it was dead in the water without any practical means of delivering content to the screen. In the matter of a few short months we now have not one but two competing technologies that might change all that — and what’s more, I have been contradicted by no less an authority than the BBC! So what’s the latest — and is it good news? The annual National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show is a good predictor of where broadcast technology is heading and this year there were a few significant clues…

2014 — Madman Entertainment Pty Ltd Director: Jemaine Clement/Taika Waititi Starring: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brough, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stuart Rutherford, Ben Fransham, Rhys Darby, Jackie van Beek MOVIE: SOUND: PICTURE: EXTRAS: RUNNING TIME: 85 minutes PICTURE: 1.85:1, 1080p/24*, MPEG4 AVC @ 29.00Mbps SOUND: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 16/48 3/2.1 @ 1767kbps (core: DTS 16/48 3/2.1 @ 1509kbps) SUBTITLES: Nil FEATURES: Trailer (1080p/24 - 2 mins) RESTRICTIONS: Rated M, Locked to Region B PIC CREDIT: © Shadow Pictures Ltd MMXIV Here is all you need to know about ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ — a share house in Wellington, New Zealand, with four occupants, all of whom are vampires reflecting various sub-genre types. Petyr (8000 years old, of whom we see little because he rarely emerges from his stone…

The HEOS by Denon wireless multiroom system is set to expand with the addition of three new products — a soundbar and subwoofer solution (the HEOS HomeCinema), a smaller portable speaker, the HEOS 1, and an intriguing shift sideways with the HEOS Drive multiroom amplifier. Added Bluetooth And hidden among the specs is an interesting nugget which could prove a game-changer for the whole HEOS system — you can add a USB-to-Bluetooth adaptor to any of the standard range in order to stream direct to the speaker from your smart device. This adds significantly to their abilities. Currently HEOS units receive only via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and operate entirely through the dedicated HEOS app (see our April-May issue for our full review of HEOS and other multiroom systems). While the…

I FA in Berlin this September is shaping up to be the launch venue for 4K Blu-ray players and discs, now that the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has finalised the official specification and plans to begin licensing of Ultra HD Blu-ray. The industry association has been under pressure to speed the release of a physical Ultra HD format given the increasing lead of streaming services in providing 4K content. With few surprises in the final specification compared with the preliminary spec issued six months ago, companies planning an early release should be able to press ahead with their mildly optimistic plans to get players in the market by Christmas. Panasonic had a prototype 4K player on show back at CES in January, and seems in pole position to have a…

SUMMARY Marantz NA8005 network audio player Price: $1450 + Excellent network audio versatility + Excellent audio performance + Excellent build - Buggy control apps Analogue/digital outputs Given the DAC quality, most users will take the Marantz’s analogue outputs straight into their existing hi-fi system. There are digital outputs, but they don’t pass audio from the USB input, or for DSD music. Inputs There are optical and coaxial digital inputs, plus USB-B for playing music from your computer. There’s also a USB slot on the front and direct streaming via the network. Networking There’s no Wi-Fi networking on this player, so make sure you have Ethernet available wherever the NA8005 is to be positioned. Now this is what is truly a ‘Network Audio Player’. Very firmly an audio-only device, the NA8005…

SUMMARY LG Music Flow H4 (NP8350) Wi-Fi/Bluetooth speaker Price: $259 + Good sound for the size + Bluetooth and Wi-Fi streaming to high-res + Google Cast-ready + Multiroom capable - Google Casting didn’t work with our devices Last issue LG’s Music Flow system performed well among our massive test of wireless multiroom systems — the system combines network and online streaming up to high-res levels, plus point-to-point Bluetooth, and a control app which proved simple but effective. (Our full review is on AVHub.com.au.) LG has now launched new Music Flow products including a soundbar and this little H4 speaker, which can connect by Wi-Fi to your network. It then streams music from your own network shares, from Spotify, Deezer and TuneIn (subscriptions required for the first two). And new to…

SUMMARY Denon DA-300USB DAC Price: $849 + Very high quality sound + DSD support + Headphone conveniencel - Imperfect for low impedance headphones - No guidance in manual for best use Ins and outs Denon’s DAC offers two optical and one coaxial digital input in addition to the USB-B socket for connecting your computer. In addition to the line-level analogue RCA sockets at the rear for connecting to your hi-fi, the Denon has a full-sized headphone jack and volume knob on the front panel. The Denon DA-300USB adds to its DAC functionality a headphone amplifier, with volume control and a proper 6.5mm stereo socket. Its USB DAC features also go above and beyond, including DSD support. Equipment This is an attractive device with a solid metal casing and black end…

SUMMARY AudioQuest DragonFly 1.2 portable USB DAC Price: $198 + Compact and neat for travelling + Very attractive styling + Easy to use + Good quality sound - Restricted to Windows driver’s limited capabilities Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS portable USB DAC Price: $229 + Compact and neat for travelling + High quality sound + Easy to use + Excellent value - Needs special Windows driver if Class 2 mode is selected Regular readers will know that these two tiny DACs both feature in our current Sound+Image awards as recipients of our praise in the Portable DAC category. Our full reviews are published here for the first time. Both units aim at precisely the same task — plugging directly into a computer USB socket, requiring no other external power, and allowing…

2014 — Roadshow Entertainment Director: Francis Lawrence Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Willow Shields, Finnick Odair, Elizabeth Banks MOVIE: SOUND: PICTURE: EXTRAS: RUNNING TIME: 123 minutes PICTURE: 2.35:1, 1080p/24, MPEG4 AVC @ 16.48Mbps SOUND: English: Dolby TrueHD Atmos 24/483/4.1 @ 4803Mbps (embedded: Dolby Digital 3/2.1 @ 640kbps); DTS-HD Master Audio 24/48 3/2.1 @ 3621kbps (core: DTS 24/483/2.1 @ 1509kbps); English Audio Descriptive, English (Optimised for Late Night Listening), Commentary: Dolby Digital 2/0.0 @ 192kbps; English: DTS Headphone X encoded in DTS-HD Master Audio 24/48 2/0.0 @ 1594kbps (core: DTS 24/48 2/0.0 @ 768kbps) SUBTITLES: English FEATURES: Ultraviolet; Documentary (1080p/24 - 134 mins); 9 Deleted Scenes (1080p/24 - 11 mins); 2 Featurettes (1080p/24 - 19 mins); Music Video (1080p/24 -…

Audio Marketing has gained the Australian distribution of French brand Triangle, a wide-ranging and technology-led speaker company based in Picardy’s Villeneuve-Saint-Germain, France. Triangle designs and engineers its speakers in France, and still handcrafts its high-end models there. Its ranges cover everything from top-end loudspeakers to smaller models suitable for desktop listening. At the very top is the Magellan range — pictured right is the Magellan Quatuor, a floorstanding design featuring twin horn-loaded titanium dome tweeters (one facing backwards), one glass-fibre midrange driver and three 6.5-inch glass-fibre woofers in its 133cm-high cabinet, priced at $29,990 a pair. The pinnacle of this range is the $109,000 Magellan Grand Concert — the one Triangle speaker which we gather will be a ‘special order’ from Australia. Below the Magellans, the Signature range comprises two…

While we await the effects of ‘Apple Music’ streaming, a unique Australian-based online platform is due to launch as early as the end of June, offering CD-quality and potentially higher resolution music downloads, but also an innovative live performance recording platform. OpenLIVE has announced a partnership with 7digital (nothing to do with the Australian TV channel, rather the Europe-based digital music platform and content management service) to power the Australian start-up’s new music store. “We strongly feel music is an art to be valued rather than commoditised; that music should be appreciated and experienced, not merely exist in the background,” says Dale Moore, OpenLIVE’s CEO (and formerly of Yamaha Music Australia — the company’s Audio Technology Director Simon Tait is also ex-Yamaha). But beyond the shop-front of downloadable tunes in…

Epson EH-LS10000 AV projector Price: $8999 + Excellent installation flexibility + Superb picture quality + Super long life ‘lamp’ - ‘4K’ mode softens image - Slow to resync Big fella This Epson is no desktop portable — its size is impressive, requiring a box 55cm square and 23cm high to contain it. A lamp that last 41 years... With an LED laser light source, the days of counting down to lamp replacement are gone. The LED should last 30,000 hours. Smooth lines We love the curvaceous styling of this projector. Even the controls pop out so its curves remain unbroken. A few years ago we got very excited about Epson’s new ‘R’ series of AV projectors. These featured reflective LCD panels rather than the traditional ones through which light passes.…

SUMMARY Humax HDR-3000T personal video recorder Price: $449 + Superb IP-based EPG with remote recording + Solid picture and playback performance + Good network support - Tuners may be a touch sensitive to being overloaded by strong signal The Humax HDR-3000T is an unusual PVR. Some aspects of it are markers of an entry-level product, but others are very advanced. Astonishingly advanced, in fact. Equipment In entry-level terms, this is a twin-tuner 500GB PVR which doesn’t even have a front-panel display. That seems pretty basic by today’s standards. But not all is as it seems. The compact unit departs from the usual boxy shape and features a leather-texture top which looks rather attractive. And those two tuners permit the recording of four programmes at once, from up to two broadcasters,…

FINDING THE RIGHT DAC FOR YOU USB DESKTOP DACs: Arcam vs Denon vs Silverstone USB PORTABLE DACS: AudioQuest vs Cambridge Audio Today’s music lover, and an enthusiast of high-quality reproduction in particular, may well have a problem. By now he or she is likely to have amassed a fair collection of favourite music on his or her computer. But a computer is far from an ideal source for hi-fi. The electromagnetic murk that constitutes the inside of a computer enclosure is not a fit and proper place for an analogue audio signal. And computers are invariably “built to a price”, and sold on specs. The specs highlight speed, processing power, maximum gaming frame rates and so on. With very few exceptions, the audio chipset on the motherboard of the computer…

SilverStone Ensemble EB01-E DAC Price: $356 (varies with supplier) + High quality sound + Needs no power supply + Excellent value for money - Disappointing high frequency response on high resolution files - No sampling rate indicator - No support for 176.4kHz PCM Case in point The company’s core expertise in aluminium casework shows in the quality of the EB01-E’s chassis. Ins and outs The Silverstone keeps it simple, with one each of optical and coaxial electrical inputs, and the USB-B socket for connecting to your computer. USB power The EB01-E has no external power supply, so you need USB connected even if your signal is coming via coaxial or optical inputs. SilverStone is a Taiwanese company best known for high-end computer parts, especially aluminium cases for HTPCs and the…

2014 — Warner Bros Entertainment Australia Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Matthew McConaughey, Mackenzie Foy, John Lithgow, Timothée Chalamet, Bill Irwin, Anne Hathaway, Andrew Borba, Wes Bentley, William Devane, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon MOVIE: SOUND PICTURE: EXTRAS: RUNNING TIME: 169 minutes PICTURE: 2.35:1, 1080p/24, MPEG4 AVC @ 24.22Mbps SOUND: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 24/483/2.1 @ 3693kbps (core: DTS 24/48 3/2.1 @ 1509kbps); German: DTS-HD Master Audio 24/483/2.1 @ 3704kbps (core: DTS 24/48 3/2.1 @ 1509kbps); English Audio Descriptive, Spanish, Japanese (hidden): Dolby Digital 3/2.1 @ 640kbps SUBTITLES: English, German, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Japanese (Hidden), Japanese (Hidden, titles), Spanish (Titles) FEATURES: Documentary: ‘The Science of Interstellar’ (1080p/24 - 50 mins); 14 Featurettes (1080p/24 - 122 mins) RESTRICTIONS: Rated M, Region Free Interstellar is Christopher Nolan’s…