The Totally Wired Newsletter for March 2009...
The Unarguable Logic of New Zealand Made - Perreaux, SlinkyLinks and Image.
Making winter warmer - Loewe, InFocus, Triad and Lutron.
Grado and Ortofon updates.
New Meridian, Cambridge and Project digital products.
Why saving the hectors dolphin is so important.
The Unarguable Logic of New Zealand Made.
The arrival of the new Perreaux eloquence integrated amplifiers provide a timely reminder of qualities that define New Zealand Made. There is a high chance that if you’re reading this you may well own at least one New Zealand made component or are more than casually aware of our premier domestic manufacturers - Perreaux amplifiers, Image Loudspeakers and SlinkyLink cables.
Each is an unashamedly specialist enterprise and all share a common love of sound quality and a desire to make a real difference to peoples lives by offering them a high value product that sounds great and will last for many, many years.
While there are obviously a whole world of audio designers and manufacturers out there, all vying for your attention and urging you to buy their product, the New Zealand Made can sometimes seem to be understating their case and it’s all too easy to pass them over. Of course you also know that we have been long term advocates for the kiwi hifi industry, and with over 20 years of hands on experience with just about every NZ made component, we’re well placed to provide perspective. Especially when you also consider that we also deal in the best imported products that can also compete directly with NZ made.
Let’s look more closely at the NZ made proposition. There are 3 key aspects
Value
Heritage
Performance
New Zealand made products are made here and come to us directly from the designers and manufacturers - this means many of the inbuilt costs attached to outwardly comparable imported products simply aren’t there - freight, import costs, and importers margin. When you consider that many overseas specialists may be similar in scale to Perreaux (who are essentially an export oriented company), any suggestion that economies of scale weight against us is negated. The reality is that New Zealand sits roughly in the middle of the continuim between high wage economies such as the US and European nations, and the emerging low wage economies of Asia - so our input costs to any product are at neither extreme. And as any casual student of economics is well aware, the wild fluctuations in our exchange rate are resulting in considerable price swings for imported products. In the present environment, the NZ made value proposition becomes far more attractive. And this is likely to continue. At the same time, NZ made becomes even more competitive for the exporters, and so both Perreaux and SlinkyLinks are able to forge ahead.
The history of NZ made is a fascinating story, with many exceptional products, the swings and roundabouts of business, success and a bit of heartbreak. There is also an underlying loyalty to many of the brands and often a personal connection. It all makes our own brands just a bit special and the manufactures take a pride in this and really do try harder to deliver great sounding reliable components. There is the old kiwi can-do attitude, but these days it’s also mixed with some exceptional technical nous and a real awareness of everything else that’s happening out in the world at large. This heritage is an intrinsic part of every NZ made product.
All of the above would count for nothing if the components from Perreaux, Slinkylinks and Image didn’t measure up when placed in direct comparison to the best imported products. The new Perreaux éloquence amplifiers crystalize our thinking in this regard. The eloquence 250 is a stellar performer and far surpasses any previous model. This was immediately obvious the first time we plugged it in. And our admiration for what Perreaux have produced has only grown since then. We’ve listened to both models of the eloquence in many settings and combinations. They have produced an amplifier that delivers in no uncertain terms.
One of the real strengths of Perreaux’s new amplifier is sheer amount of extra information that emerges from any connected speakers (in this, it mirrors the revelatory capabilities of the new Well Tempered Amadeus turntable that we are similarly enamored with). Regardless of source, from iPod to high end analogue or digital, there is a massive improvement in transparency. This obvious virtue neatly dovetails with the already well known abilities of SlinkyLinks cables - both as interconnects and for speakers. Their unique recipe of pure silver, an air dilectric and carefully matched terminations has still not been bettered at anything approaching the prices we have them for in New Zealand.
With SlinkyLinks, the better the components you are teaming them with, the more obvious their performance gains are - it’s the cure for the law of diminishing returns. In a modest system, a set of SlinkyLinks will give you sound that is immediately better. In a finely balanced system, one set will start a chain of transformation - at each step you’ll gain more than the previous, simply because every time you add a set of SlinkyLinks there will be more information coming through, which means the next set has more to work with and hence improve - a virtuous cycle!
Like Perreaux, SlinkyLinks haven’t stood still - they now have better termination offerings with the silver Eichmann bullet and bayonet plugs, their own pure silver pin and improved balanced cables. They also do a nice line in custom orders - we’ve just got a high performance headphone extension lead, there are special subwoofer cables and more.
As you can see, there is a common thread here - these products sound better because they produce more music. They reduce background noise, distortion and interference. They extract more information and hence offer a much more enjoyable and involving experience. This is what got us into audio in the first place and it’s exciting to see how far we’ve come, both in terms of value and absolute performance.
Of course no discussion of the virtues of New Zealand made would be complete without the honorable mention of Image Loudspeakers. Chris Ball has worked long and hard producing great value speakers with broad appeal and compatibility. The quality of these speakers is continually being confirmed as we team them with better and more demanding systems. And with speakers the equations for NZ made are further pushed in our favour - any speaker costs a lot to move around, because of both weight and physical size. So the proportion of costs with imported speakers is skewed relative to other components and the bigger and heavier they are, the greater the proportion of the end price is taken up with freight costs. With Image speakers, it’s the quality of components used and the construction of the cabinet that make the difference - Chris hates compromise, so doesn’t skimp on anything. And while you’ll see a lot of new mass market speakers being dressed up with curvy bits of plastic and cool new graphics, this just disguises the lack of rigor in actual construction. The quality wood finish that has long been an Image hallmark is effectively timeless and will still look great 10, 20 and 30 years from now. The actual sound quality has been continually refined and improved, with todays models easily outperforming any comparably priced imports - this being made even more apparent as the dust settles on exchange rates.
Taken separately or together, New Zealand Made brands stack up in every way - better sound, better reliability, better value. We’re proud to be a part of the story and look forward to showing you just how good kiwi made really is.
Our pages - Perreaux, SlinkyLinks, Image Loudspeakers.
NZ Made home pages - Perreaux, SlinkyLinks, Image Loudspeakers.
Ways to stay warm this winter
It’s that time of year when a southerly front comes through that we’re reminded the summer days won’t last. Planning to rug up for comfortable evenings at home in the winter is not so bad when you’ve got some entertainment to see you through. While you may well be like us and like to listen to music, the radio or just curl up with a good book in the long evenings, there’s also a lot of fun to be had with a bit of serious escapism on the big screen. Science fiction, romance, sport, documentaries or even splatter for the less civilised among us.
Even with the continual development of larger flat panels, the best BIG screen option is still a new InFocus DLP projector. Home projector technology has gone in leaps and bounds and InFocus is at the forefront of this - their new X-10 is the leader in its class. The picture quality of their new 1080P high definition projectors with DLP technology will knock your socks off. The depth, the colour, the detail, really makes for compelling viewing in every sense with screen sizes starting at around an 82 inch diagonal and and easily going to 120 or more. (82 inches is not just twice as big as a 42 inch flat screen - you actually get four times the picture area - think about it)
In a room where you can’t accommadate a projector system or just want self contained casual viewing, the German made Loewe televisions still provide the best high quality alternative to the increasingly mediocre mass market brands. The TV in your living room should be one worth owning. We have not found another TV that comes even close to the quality of Loewe, the masters of digital television. Not only in picture quality, although that is so clearly obvious when viewing one, but user friendliness, modern features, connectivity, gorgeous European design and high build quality - the whole package.
The new network compatible, 1080p Loewe models - the Connect range are absolutely stunning, Loewe’s best yet - we’ve got the 32 (in both black & silver) and 37 models, fully featured with the very cool and hard to get trapeze stands and SAT card options all in stock. The Connect range has a real Mac feel about it - they aren’t that far removed from Apples biggest and best monitors in terms of the look, and once you start digging into all the things they can do, you realise that we’ve getting close to the ideal of convergence. But for most of us, a computer is what we get wound up with at work and a television is what we watch to unwind at home. There is a difference!
Anyway, back to the point - if you’re going to watch anything, then the clearest picture with the best sound will always win out - and that’s why Loewe are still the leaders when it comes to viewing - come in and see this for yourself.
You may have heard that distribution of Loewe in New Zealand has changed hands. For those who are already Loewe owners the new importer has stated that they will honour warranties and provide service for Loewes purchased earlier. Their new shipment however, is yet to arrive and there are serious price increases with it. We still have current Loewe models available at not only very good prices but with free extras as well. Check out our specials pages for exceptional TVs with deals to match.
Total Lighting Control
While we are best known as an audio store, we also do a lot of work installing both audio and automation systems in new and existing homes. Sharon is a specialist in lighting control. When it came time to finally build our own little place, Sharon designed a complete system for the house that is both highly energy efficient, practical and simple to use. With dimmed slimline florescent tubes, strategically sited low wattage halogens for specific areas and feature lighting, all in a wide open modernist open plan area, it's important to be able to control all the circuits both individually and in groups to achieve the right lighting for different activities and times. As well as minimising energy use.
The Lutron Grafik Eye system ties all these requirements together in a beautiful package. It's actually the only piece of what might be described as high technology in our home, for we live in the country and really wanted to make our lives simpler - and as contradictory as it might sound, the Grafik Eye system is simpler and better than any of the alternative means of lighting control.
Now Lutron have taken the Grafik Eye to the next level.The new Grafik Eye QS is a customizable preset light and shade control system. Ideal for conference rooms, home theaters and residences where total lighting control is desired ie both natural and artificial. With the Grafik Eye QS you can not only set lighting scenes but also integrate electronic window treatments. This level of control ensures the smooth scheduling of conference room presentations and home theater. The one control makes it easy to use and integrate. Consider the benefits of regulating natural light. Daylight is not only a source of light but also heat. You can make use of sheer shades and/or blackout shades when required. Control glare and protect furnishings from UV damage. During hot days minimise heat coming through the windows. QS includes a time clock for scheduling events and power saving. The Grafik Eye QS total light control system includes ‘Sivoia QS’ shades with a power and communications panel. The Sivoia QS shades are smooth, quiet with programmable stopping points and precise alignment. Shades are available in a number of environmentally friendly fabrics. Talk to us about your plans to enhance your living or work environment.
Built-in speakers for discerning listeners
Are you looking for a better class of in-wall or in ceiling speaker? Something that is actually comparable to our best cabinet speakers? For you we have US made Triad speakers. The high quality, fully enclosed MDF cabinets are made without compromise for great sound. Even at the affordable end of the range it is hard to pick that these are built-in speakers. For instance the InWall Gold/4 Omni at $2400 a pair or the InCeiling Silver/6 Omni at $2950 a pair. Choose to have a mid to high end audio speaker that is built into your wall or ceiling, one that blends into your environment. Triad’s slide brackets are designed so they can be placed either in new buildings or retrofitted. The Triad range is broad enough to include options ideal for either music, home theatre or multi-purpose with increasing levels of performance. Find out more here.
Choose to lay-by your special purchase
Do you think the world of consumerism gone a bit crazy? We're stepping back to a more relaxed way of shopping. After all when you make a purchase from us it's a music component that you're really looking forward to enjoying or even a Tivoli radio as a special gift for someone. Plan ahead so you don't have to stretch your budget and spread out the purchase price over three months with our lay-by system. Month One and one-third payment holds the price for you - that's a good thing in this current era of increasing prices. Month Two with the second payment we put aside your item with your name on it ready for you. Lastly, Month Three and your third and final payment means you can take collection or we send your item to you. Unlike HP there's no fees, no insurance, no interest. If you'd like to lay-by just ask - it's like having a little piggy bank saving up for what you want.
GRADO NEWS
2009 is a good Grado year - we’ve got across the board improvements being made to both their best selling headphones and highly regarded phono cartridges.Grado are always striving and looking for ways to improve upon what they make. Over 2008 they have been working on upgrades for all the headphone models, except for the iGrado. The basic Grado look will stay the same. All models will have an "i" added after the model number as we already have with the SR325i. These new models were actually phased in from January (on the quiet which is the Grado way) but from here on in they will be labelled as such.
Here’s the short story of what has been done. On all models they have re-configured the diaphragm. The SR60, SR80, SR125 and SR225 have a new rear housing that resembles the SR325i, but in plastic. Models from the SR125 through the GS1000 have new cabling. You will notice the heavier cable but it is well worth its weight. The SR80 will have a distressed diaphragm. Grado have also changed the species of wood used in the wooden models. Models SR60, SR80 and SR125 will be fitted with the comfortable S-cushion. On all models, the changes made will give a noticeable sonic upgrade. Of course, all this achieved while keeping that world famous Grado sound.
The new flagship Professional Series of headphones have just been released - the stunning PS-1000 model. And for iPod users we’ll shortly have two models of high performance in ear phones from Grado. With the hectic drop of our exchange rate it is inevitable that we will be looking at price increases, but even with these, Grado headphones deliver better sound than anything else we can find, and these new models just further their lead.
On the good old phonograph cartridge front we also have good news - the Grado Presitge Phono Cartridge range has been improved. The new Grado cartridges are identified by a 1 at the end of the model number example Prestige Green1
The improvements are
*More Sonic Gain
*Noise level has been reduced making the cartridges even quieter.
*The effective mass of the moving parts in the stylus has been reduced making them faster and more responsive.
The Grado range is notable for its easy matching to a wide variety of turntables, good tracking abilities and full rich sound - to get better, you have to spend considerably more. With 6 models all below $300, it can almost seem a bit like too much choice, however the most popular modesl are those at either end of the range - the entry level Green1 or the top of the range MM (or Moving Iron if you want to be technically correct) the Gold1.
Green1 $159
Black 1 $175
Red1 $189
Blue1 $209
Silver1 $259
Gold1 $299
ORTOFON
are another of our resolutely analogue specialists. Their long history of cartridge design and manufacture and broad range dwarfs all other players. From the ubiqitous little OM series cartridges which have been standard equipment on just about every european turntable for many years, to their forays into ultra exotic state of the art moving coil masterpieces, they have something for everyone. While the supply has been a little patchy over the last few years, we’ve now got a new distributor who is bringing in a much broader range.
There is a good trade in system in place so if you have an old Ortofon Moving coil, it will have a worthwhile value when buying a newer and better replacement. And we’ll be carrying a good range of the common Ortofon stylii in stock for moving magnet cartridges. Visit our new Ortofon page for more information.
Cool new Digital toys
The new Cambridge Audio DACmagic is a high value Digital to analogue converter that features USA, Coax AND optical inputs, not to mention balanced outputs. This upsampling digital to analogue converter is the most affordable and effective way to upgrade any PC or Macintosh computer, network music device, games console or standard CD/DVD player to truly high end sound quality. How cool is that for an under $1000 component? Matched with the Wadia iTransport it forms the ultimate iPod replay system. Have a look at it on the Cambridge Audio website. Or go straight to the reviews.
Meridian MPMax 2 channel Analogue to digital and digital format converter. This is a great little solution to several connection issues. Firstly, it allows us to connect a series of analogue components directly to Meridian’s DSP speakers - previously we’d have had to use a seriously good and expensive preamplifier to accomplish the same. And far from being compromised, the MPmax features Meridian’s best D to A conversion - running at twice the rate and resolution of CD. This should be of immediate interest to anyone considering the logistics of moving their precious analogue record collection to digital for both archival and convenience reasons.
Apple’s Airport Express features a new 3.5mm mini optical output - which is great and offers fantastic potential when using Apple Lossless files - The MPmaz pulls off the trick of converting this signal from optical to a more useful coax digital format, allowing a better direct connection of speakers like the DSPs. Or connection to DACs that lack an optical in option. click here to get the full story on the MPMax
More famous for turntables, Pro-ject are continually redefining the value for money segment - especially with their new range of ultracompact, specialist electronics. Their Phono boxes have led to the USB Phono Box allowing easy transfer of records to digital and now we’ve got another offspring of this - the USB Box at just NZ$250 which goes the other way, converting the digital stream from itunes into analogue form. We’ve already got this in several other DACs - both Perreaux and the new Cambridge Audio DACmagic, but they also include a lot of other features and cost more, whereas the project is as dedicated to just the one task which it does exceedingly well at a fraction of the cost. Heres the easy way to understand what it does - you know that an outboard phono stage is likely to sound better than a built-in one and allow you to run a turntable if your amp doesn’t have a phono stage at all - the USB box does exactly the same for itunes, sounding better than the inbuilt card in your computer and allowing a direct USB connection to your system.
Does the world need yet another iPod dock? Only if it sounds better and this is what the Pro-ject DockBox claims to do. It's reassuringly solid and a bit chunky and retro which adds a bit of analogue to the iPod theme. Everything suggests that it will do the business if you want better sound from your iPod but can't get up to the Wadia/Cambridge combination above.
Why helping the hectors is more important than ever.
While other stories may make the news, we thought it good to give you a reminder of why we think helping the hectors dolphin is so important and why we remain committed to supporting the WWF campaign through our business.
The state of the hectors (and mauis) dolphin populations are directly affected by what we as New Zealanders choose to do. The population of the hectors - at around 7000 - is small, but still viable if they are protected. They are endangered by changes in their habitat, competition for food and set netting - all of which are problems that can be dealt with. And in fact a lot has been done in the last few years (a big thank you must go to Jim Anderton).
The loss or damage of habitat is a problem for all of us - no-one likes polluted beaches, denuded coastline and barren seas. There is a finite amount of food that can be taken out of the sea.
It only takes a few to strip out a resource and then it’s gone. And let’s not kid ourselves that some of the places that have been stripped will ever return to how they were - if you’ve dived in places like Able Tasman and the inner parts of Doubtful Sound, there have been complete shifts in the ecology of areas that may never be undone - you take out all the cod, then the kina population explodes, they strip all the kelp, and suddenly you have nothing but a bare expanse of pink rock with no shelter, no life. It’s a straight forward ecologic collapse, no different from what people have done to themselves on places like Easter Island.
And it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out that if a net is good at catching fish (why would you use them if they weren’t?), then sooner or later they will catch the odd dolphin. And that’s the problem, the odd dolphins have been caught too many times. The days when it can be a free for all to exploit the bounty of the sea are clearly numbered and I have to ask if we have learned nothing from the tragedy of the commons.
The point I want to make clearest, is that what happens with the Hectors Dolphin is not just about one species - it’s about everything in the sea. If we as a country are able to modify our behavior enough that the Hectors population stabilizes and starts to rebuild, then at the same time, the greater marine environment and all the species within it will also benefit. As will everyone - beach goers, recreational fishers and divers, the tourism operators and even professional fisherman. So when we continue our support for the WWF campaign its because we really do believe that it can work. It is not too late. And if we save the hectors, everyone benefits.
The Hectors don’t get a vote and in the present political and economic climate, there is a sense that environmental issues are being put on the back burner while economic problems come to the fore. So it makes it that much more important to keep the hectors in the picture - unless we all work towards improving our environmental performance the present economic wobbles will seem like picnic if even half of the present predictions come to pass.
So let’s restate our commitment to the WWF campaign - every time someone spends more than $500 with us we make a direct donation to the WWF by way of giving you a Hectors Dolphin adoption kit - The WWF gets $30, you get a cute furry dolphin, a whole pile of information about the Hectors and how you can help further, and we get to make a small change to conventional consumer culture. Everyone is happy:-)
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