Pure Audio

Pure Audio is coming to Totally Wired - these are simply the best sounding NZ made amplification products ever. Gary Morrison recently visited us and we had a really good listen to the samples - they are everything we've been waiting for and more. We'll have stock here around the middle of March but have already posted a full page all about the Pure Audio models here.

NuForce Dia

The Dia is the latest addition to the NuForce family of over-performing ultra compact hifi components. It's a digital amp - with 2 optical and one coax input plus 24 watts of outrageously good amplification included. What do you do with it? Why do you need one? Find out here.

Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus

Also just in is the new DAC from Cambridge Audio - vastly improved over the original with both much more substantial sound and better detail plus useful features - a volume control has been added so you have the option of using it as either a conventional DAC or digital preamp. These also a very good headphone section. Feature for feature it's very similar to the Nuforce HDP although there are some significant differences - the NuForce has an analogue input while the DACmagic is digital only - but has an extra input plus a bit more flexibility with optical and coax. The Cambridge also has balanced outputs. The DACmagic does take a while to 'warm up' and also seems to be better in fixed output mode. The sound of the two DACs is surprisingly different considering the identical price ($795) and outward similarities - we've got our own preference but we're more than happy fro you to make your own choice so have made a point of carrying both. Cambridge have such a well written page here we don't even have to do our own write up!

Wadia 121

US company Wadia are very much the digital heavy hitters. I have no doubt they have been loosing a lot of sleep over companies like NuForce sweeping in and redefining the performance cost equation with products like the Dia and HDP. Now we have the fight back - the new Wadia 121 is admittedly around 3x more than the NuForce HDP, but there is every reason to believe that we are finally going to see a DAC that is also significantly better. It's just about to go into production and some of the first shipment to NZ is earmarked for us - so if you are after the new killer DAC, best drop us a line expressing your interest. In the meantime, here's the info.

Conran Audio

One of the very few products able to foot it against the Geneva iPod docks, the Conran Audio Dock brings a great design aesthetic, Bluetooth and rather special sound via Q Acoustics to the party. As always we've got our own take on this which you can read here.

Audio Analogue specials

We've just updated our specials page with what have to be the best electronics deals we've ever been able to offer. Every one of the models listed is an exceptional performer and the prices are in some cases less than 1/3 of new. This really is a one off, so if you have any interest at all in getting better sound for a song check all the specials out now.

New Image Models

Chris Ball at Image Loudspeakers never stops thinking about how he can make his models better and reach more people. The newest model in the 400 series - the 411 is a compact floor standing model designed to deliver a full rich sound at an affordable level. The new LPM range is a series of units designed to be built into new houses at the construction stage, or placed in on-wall positions. Chris has been frustrated with what he hears as the shortcomings in many build-in speaker designs and always thought he could do much better - and he can. All the models are more than competitive price-wise with imports and if you know anything about how good Image speakers sound, these will be at the top of your list when looking for wall mount, or compact speakers for both music and cinema.

Geneva Labs Model XS

The innovative new Model XS from Geneva Lab is the ultimate compact and portable Hi-Fi system. But it's not just for travelers - the Geneva XS (that's eXtra Small) is also perfect as a bedside radio and music player for stay-at-homes. Covet it as a designer must-have, give it as a carefully chosen gift, or just enjoy it for the excellent sound and innovative features.

Whatever the motivation for wanting the newest model from Geneva, you'll find it's a small package with big surprises. The first being the sound quality. Regardless of how cool it looks, how sharp the combination of technology and price, the Geneva XS is made to be listened to and the good news is that it really does perform. Learn all about the cool new little Geneva XS here.

Grado PS500 Headphones

Introduced to the market this September, Grado presents a pair of cans that are their newest and greatest sonic trump card to date: the PS 500. At a fraction of the price of the top of the Grado line, they retain a boatload of the benefits belonging to their expensive big brother. This is the ultimate in Grado trickle-down technology. The PS 500s are more neutral and linear than any headphone I know of under $1000, and will please the audiophile and recording enthusiast alike... Combined with great clarity and neutrality, the result is just plain stunning. If you are searching for cans in this price range, listen to these... I do not know of one brand's offering anywhere near this price that performs like the Grado PS 500s. As an audiophile friend of mine said when he heard the 500s compared to a mountain of other cans, "these are great headphones." Yes, my friends, the PS 500s are great headphones, and most highly recommended if you want the best bang for your buck— and want Made in America, too! Robert H. Levi - Positive Feedback ISSUE 57

Grado have also drastically improved the pricing of many models in NZ - find out more about the new PS500s and the rest of the range here.

i Do!

Do you love surprises? The latest little box from NuForce is literally full of them. When I first read about the new iDo, it was a real struggle to work out what it would be like, or even what it actually did. In fact when the very first one in NZ fell into our hands, it was by chance that we took it home that evening to listen to. To say this little $400 component impressed us is an understatement. I don't think I've ever heard something that makes such a great improvement to music for so little. Find out all about the new MuForce iDo here.

Geneva Systems - improved pricing and models

You'd do well to investigate the music making abilities of the Geneva range. While it's undeniable that they are as much a design statement as a hifi system, we only deal with them because the performance really does stack up. There has been a favorable revision of pricing this month and the introduction of a new variant on the Model M. At under $600 now, the Model S is THE compact iPod dock to have - not to mention the coolest beside radio and alarm, surpassing even our much loved Tivoli- that says it all really!

Monitor Audio - New Ranges

The right loudspeakers can really make your system shine. They are the biggest part of your system in terms of visibility, and given the build quality of modern loudspeakers, they are highly likely to be resident in your room for many years to come. Which makes it all the more important to have something that sounds as good as it looks and visa versa.

As you'll know, we prefer to deal with brands that are both distinctive and sound great - for instance the Italian works of art that are Sonus faber. It's time for a fresh look at Monitor Audio - you'll be surprised, not just by the performance, but also by the affordability, the number of options and quality of finish. The new Gold GX range are some of the finest sounding loudspeakers we have heard at any price - and the completely revised Bronze BX range is cleaning up the awards in the cost conscious UK press. Take the time to learn more about Monitor Audio in our new pages starting here.

Analogue news

The Well Tempered Power supply is here. It's a worthwhile upgrade for the performance of any Well Tempered Amadeus or Simplex providing a more stable and clean current to drive the motor which in turn will make these turntables sound even better. Another rather nice touch are the additional outputs - one intended to power the Dynavector P75 (mk 1 & 2) phono stage allowing it to also perform at a higher level. At just on $NZ600 this is a bit of a no-brainer for any Well Tempered owner. It's also a bit bigger and more solid than it looks in the pic above. Compared to the extortionate prices charged by other high end turntable manufacturers for such devices, Well Tempered have again proved they place music ahead of commerce - we like that.

Dynavector DV20X MK2 moving coil cartridges. These came in a few months ago but almost slipped under the radar. To recap on the original version, the DV20X is the second step up the Dynavector range of Moving Coil cartridges - it is characterized by a beautiful big lush rich sound - truckloads of bass. But doesn't give anything away in terms of detail or soundstage. It makes just about every type of music sound better and is completely forgiving. The new MK2 models take the equation further and tidies up a few loose ends, the 20 now starting to look and sound more than a little like the DV XX-2. The DV20XL or XH Mk2 also comes in both high and low output versions - if you have a good phono stage low is the best option. Suffice to say, this is our cartridge of choice and we really think that you'd just love it. NZ$1130 or $900 if you have your old DV20X to trade in.

Wouldn't you love a Tivoli for Christmas...

Why wait? We've just got a whole lot of beautiful new finishes in the ever-popular Tivoli iPAL model - black, white, red and a wonderfully cheerful yellow - all in gloss with silver bodies. The iPAL is first and foremost a fantastic radio. The built in battery pack gives you the sharp end of two weeks use in between charges, it's shower proof, and even comes with a lead to connect your iPod. It really is your best friend. They are still only $399 and we don't charge for delivery. Christmas could come early this year. More.

Sonos Play3 Wireless speaker system

The new Play3 (NZ$700) makes Sonos the affordable wireless streaming system for everyone. Essentially a more compact and simplified version of the shelf mount S5 speaker system, the Play3 can tuck anywhere and has all the features that make Sonos the perfect choice for New Zealand homes. Combined with the launch of the Play3 (and clearly working on the basis that they really want to make it easy to get into) Sonos have more than halved the price of the little ZoneBridge base station to just $130. This is the one little bit you need to transmit music from a computer anywhere in your house to the Play3. Put these two bits together and you can have Sonos up and running for just NZ$830 inclusive of GST. You could spend more than that just trying to get speaker cable to another room! The Play3 is a great way to extend existing Sonos systems - it's perfect for smaller rooms like studies or bedside tables. You can move it around really easily and given the price, it might just be the perfect thing to keep the kids quiet. Or not. Anyway, they are just fresh in stock, come in both white and black finishes and sound seriously good. More on all the Sonos options here.

Step on to the Red Carpet.

Let us introduce you to our new screen sensation - the multi-talented Cambridge Audio Azur 751 Blu-ray player.

This may well be the last silver disc player you ever consider buying - there is that much that it can do to a very high standard and it incorporates an almost bewildering array of upgradable paths for both audio and video media of every description and standard.

The earlier Cambridge Blu-ray player - the well proven Azur 650 BD - was highly capable. But the 751 works on another level again. No doubt reviews will follow, but it's immediately obvious that with any movie disc - DVD or Blu-ray - you'll enjoy the best cinema can offer. Vivid picture, crystal clear sound. Learn more here.

Making your Apple swing with Totally Wired.

Are you an Apple enthusiast? Attached to your iPod or iPhone? Investigating Apple TV or the new iPad? If you answered 'yes' then you'll love the range of cool new products we've got that build on the strengths of Apples ever expanding universe of options.

B&W Zeppelin Air

When B&W launched the Zeppelin just 3 years ago it immediately laid claim to the 'coolest iPod dock' title. Just as Apple continually improve and upgrade their products, B&W have completely re-worked the Zeppelin to bring it right up to date and make the most of iTune's new AirPlay capability - what this translates to is that you now have the ability to wirelessly stream music from your computer (any computer, not just Apples), iPhone or iPod Touch to the new Zeppelin Air.

We ordered the new Zeppelin Air as soon as we knew it was becoming available in New Zealand. Our first shipment sold out in just 2 days and we've only just got more through. But even in the first few minutes we had our hands on the new Zeppelin it was obvious that it had been dramatically improved. The sound is tangibly clearer and better balanced and all compatibility issues have been addressed. But the real trick is AirPlay.

B&W have made Wireless set up easy and foolproof - it only takes a couple of minutes and once done, you can unplug and move Zeppelin Air anywhere in your house, simply power up again and play, without any need for resetting. The sound quality of music streamed wirelessly (and if using the Apple LossLess setting on iTunes) is superb - equal to that of many accomplished CD playing systems. Likewise with any docked iPod or iPhone, the sound is remarkable given the compact dimensions of the Zeppelin.

Pro-Ject Essential/Phono USB turntable.

Shamelessly appropriating the best ideas of other turntable designers and applying them with unparalleled rat cunning, Project again redefine the entry level turntable - the new Essential model employs a motor driving a long silicon belt driving around the outside of the platter giving improved speed stability and ease of use when changing speed. The Uni-Pivot tone arm mimics units costing many times more than the entire turntable and delivers much better sound from the included Ortofon OM3 cartridge.

These things alone would be enough to make the Pro-Ject Essential the best sounding option at its price. But the addition of a USB and phono amplifier takes the value for money equation up another level again. Ignoring the USB capability for the moment, the new Pro-Ject connects directly to any amplifier and does not require an inbuilt or external phono stage. So it will run with any system such as the fantastic little NuForce amplifiers.

The digitized feed out via USB allows you to make quality recordings from your vinyl to computer for replay on your iPod or anything else you'd like to listen on. The sound quality of the Pro-Ject is remarkable for the price - open and detailed, and for once we can say, completely uncompromised by the features it includes. In fact we suspect the inbuilt phono stage is better than that in many amplifiers and this alone makes it fantastic value. All the boxes are ticked and at just NZ$699 inclusive, we can’t see anything else that comes close. Find out more here.

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Previous Newsletters

March 2011 'Open ears and Open Minds' Introducing PrimaLuna tube amplifiers; reminding you of the Tivoli "Pal" radio – your best friend when you need it; the ultimate iPod –and iPad – dock from Cambridge and news on a new New Zealand amplifier brand – 'Pure Audio'.

February 2011 'Meet the Future' A fresh new approach to audio with the Icon range of small electronics from NuForc. Plus Headphone Heaven.

October 2010 Tivoli Connector & Model 10, Audio Analogue Verdi & Rossini tube hybrid amp and CD player, Firestone Audio, Quad Active and Image Revelation MK2 speakers, Spin Clean record cleaner, Sonos iPad controller software, Rotel RCX 1500 System.

August 2010 Well Tempered Simplex, New Tivoli options, Monitor Audio RX Silver loudspeaker range, Rotel RA06 Special Edition components, HRT Mk2 Music streamers, Perreaux - strange but true.

June 2010 Sonos. In built speaker options from Speakercraft & Monitor Audio.

May 2010 Image Petit Performa II, SlinkyLinks MK2

March 2010 Cambridge Audio BD650 Blu Ray & 650 AVR, Meridian 808.2, Sonus Faber Elipsa, Sonos, HRT, Analogue Update, Perreaux SX25i

Direct Contact

John Ransley and Carolyn Guytonbeck are the principals behind Totally Wired. It’s our own business and we take pride in building something worthwhile.

If you want to contact us directly per mail:

• John Ransley
• Carolyn Guytonbeck

Related links

• Tivoli News
• Pure Audio
• NuForce Dia
• Conran Audio
• Image LPM speakers
• NuForce iDo
• Geneva XS
• New Monitor Audio
• Sonos Multiroom Music
• Gift Ideas