Sound + Image August - September 2016

Arcam’s large but impressive SR250 stereo receiver enthused us this issue not only with its sound quality, but for the way it addresses the mess that can surround the average TV system in the home. As video sources have proliferated, and HDMI dongles become more ubiquitous, we have arrived at an impasse where we are likely to have far more HDMI cables heading for the TV than any TV can actually handle. And that’s only half the problem, since we assume that all good readers of Sound+Image will be using an external sound system rather than the dismal built-in sound of today’s superslim TVs. So if you are using the TV as your HDMI connections hub, you’re probably reduced to taking the audio output from the TV’s optical socket —…

Panasonic’s eagerly awaited 4K UHD Blu-ray player, known as the DMP-UB900, has now launched in Australia. Recently we were lucky to have Panasonic’s own Japanese based Chief Engineer, Kazuhiko Kouno, in the Showroom for a technical briefing and to take us through the considerable technical achievements they’ve packaged into their flagship player. From what we’ve seen of its specs and fron witnessing its operation first hand, it is clearly a cut above the rest. This is a 4K Blu-ray disc player that has been built with high-end user tastes in mind, especially for fans of high-end audio formatting. It certainly looks the premium item. The glass-cut finish and mirrored front panel is designed to match expensive flat panel TVs. The remote comes with classy backlighting – very handy when you’ve…

Both of the multiroom platforms that can lay claim to a Sound+Image award are undergoing an evolution, one with enhanced abilities, the other with additional players joining the range. Denon’s HEOS multiroom system is the one evolving, with the company adding both high-res audio playback and built-in Bluetooth to the platform, both much-requested omissions from the original round of product releases. The first unit to arrive in Australia is the new HEOS Link HS2 (pictured below) — the Link is the unit which plugs into to any existing hi-fi via the Link’s analogue or digital outputs to deliver full HEOS abilities. So those will now include direct Bluetooth streaming, network streaming from UPnP network shares on computer or NAS drive, online streaming from Pandora, TuneIn and Soundcloud (free), Spotify, Deezer…

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! The Australian HiFi & AV Show will run from 21-23 October in the tried-and-tested upmarket venue of the InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto Hotel. Tickets are already on sale, and out-of-state visitors are advised to book accommodation early in what is always a busy time for Melbourne’s CBD. Confirmed exhibitors include major distributors Absolute Hi End, Advance Audio Australia, Audio Dynamics, Audio Magic, Audio Marketing, Avation, BusiSoft AV, Convoy International, Kedcorp, Network AV, Pure Music Group, QualiFi, Synergy Audio-Visual, Syntec, Telos Audio and Westan, with additional brands including Audio Note, Dali, Focal, Kyron Audio, Naim, Osborn, Redgum — and ‘Quality Records... Plus’ who will run a vinyl store in the foyer! Here at NextMedia we are again media partners for the Show, which is organised by The…

UK hi-fi company Musical Fidelity may have made its reputation in hi-fi separates, but now it’s putting them all together to great “a complete audio solution” in the new Encore 225. This unit combines a CD player and ripper with an upgradeable 1TB of internal storage, then adds amplification of 225W per channel — the power amps are the same as in the company’s M6si integrated amplifier, says Musical Fidelity. Connectivity is comprehensive, with three analogue inputs and four digital inputs, plus four USB-A slots, network connectivity including gigabit Ethernet, fixed, variable and digital outputs, a high-quality headphone stage and, of course, stereo speaker outputs. Running all this is a dual-core 64-bit Intel CPU with 2GB of RAM, with control possible via the conventional remote control or apps for iOS…

Convoy International has announced that it will take over distribution of NAD and PSB Speakers as part of an expanded relationship with The Lenbrook Company of Canada. Lenbrook’s audio brands also include the Bluesound wireless high-res multiroom system, and the intent is to bring all three of these brands under a single distribution as more NAD and PSB products begin to include the BluOS interface for Bluesound compatibility. More info: www.convoy.com.au Meanwhile Wavetrain is now the exclusive Australian distributor for Meridian, offering the company’s full range across the country. “The Wavetrain ethos of assisting dealers with engineering support makes us the perfect fit for Meridian,” says Wavetrain’s David Moseley. “With world-leading DSP, Sooloos and MQA technologies plus lots of exciting things to come, we believe Meridian should again come to…