Everyone loves a deal and have we got the deals for you! But seriously, we look to make our trade in components, demonstration stock and specials from suppliers as good a value propositions as you can get. We’ve just updated our listings with a series of components, so scroll down and see what’s on offer...
- Tivoli Specials
Tivoli PAL BT MK2 – Tivoli Audio has announced the PAL BT Gen 3, the latest version of its well-known PAL portable radio. The design will feel familiar, but the new model includes a number of changes including USB charging and improved sound quality, and are now availiable. BUT it is worth knowing that the MK3 version no longer includes AM – it is FM and Bluetooth only. In the New Zealand context this means a surprising number of stations.
So this is effectively the last call on the MK2 AM capable version – we just 3 units left in stock – one in black, two in white. All are new and fully warranted. Save $100 on new – just $399 each.
Tivoli Music System – $400. We have an older pre-bluetooth Music System CD a with dimmed front panel display. The display is still visible enough to see what’s going on but is not ‘as new’ The CD player struggling with discs and this is reflected in the price. The little remote control is missing these can still be bought new for just $25. Finish is cherry/taupe.
Despite these cautions, it still sounds great – with two front firing speakers and a larger subwoofer speaker in the bass, surprisingly powerful internal amplifiers, the expected Tivoli performance on radio and the ability to connect and run other sources via auxiliary inputs and to allow this via devices such as the NuPrime Stream Mini DAC . It is in effect a very good sounding and powerful AM/FM radio system with full clock and alarm features. The new Music System BT is $1495. Freight $20 Te Waipounamu and $40 Te Ika-a-Māui.
Model 10 AM/FM radio- $250 – To my mind this was one of the very best sounding Tivoli models. It looks like a large version of the PAL and has a much bigger speaker and more powerful amplifier inside. As with the Music System above the display backlight has failed but the display is still visible, albeit dimmed. However everything else about it works really well and the sound is excellent. Perfect as a secondary radio in your workspace. We wrote about it here in 2010.
Model 3 Clock radio – $150 – an older unit but still perfectly useable. We’ve given it a bit of an internal clean and check and had it running happily in the office on both AM and FM. The clock is not working reliably. Like the Music System above this is pre-bluetooth but still features auxiliary inputs and to allow this via devices. And it can be connected to a component system as a tuner. Finish is cherry case and taupe front panel. The new Model 3 BT is $649. Freight $10/$25.
- NuPrime IA-9X integrated amplifier – demo unit $1900 – replaced by IA-9XG at $2900.
The rate of progress with NuPrime can sometimes be hard to keep up with. Just 3 years ago the IA-9X all analogue integrated amplifier joined the range. From the outset I liked it and gave it a good in depth review here.
“give it clear vocals, any acoustic instruments playing in real space together, and it absolutely shines, delicately unwinding the threads of the music and allowing you to listen well into the night without fatigue or neighbour complaints. With such genres in mind speakers such as Sonus faber which produce an organic and natural midrange, will highlight the IA-9X’s qualities and add a little extra presence and involvement.”
Since then I’ve actually grown to like it a lot more but with so many models in the NuPrime range, especially the over achieving AMG pre and power series (albeit at much higher prices) the IA-9x hasn’t been that visible. This is about the change with the insertion of the new GaN based switched mode power supply that’s already transformed the digital integrated amplifier option – the IDA-9.
Yet the original IA-9x remains an excellent amp – we’ve recently taken on Rega and their similarly priced amplifier – the Brio MK7 is an excellent award winning amp – yet the NuPrime has twice the power, balanced inputs and to my ears is considerably more involving, detailed and coherent – especially when listening to high quality line sources.
With the new version due next month, it’s time to send our demosntation unit out into the big wide world. As you’d expect, it’s as new, fully warrantied and all original packing.
- Sonus faber Lumina I loudspeakers – demonstration pair – $1500. ($2295 new)
In ‘as new condition’ with all original packing and full warranty, this is your chance to own a little bit of the Sonus faber legend. The Lumina 1 may be compact but they have an undeniable presence of sound that goes far beyond the expectations of a bookshelf speaker.
The Lumina I is a current model in the Sonus faber range – visit the Sonus faber site here to learn more.
‘The Lumina I is a speaker you can choose to buy with confidence. Sonus faber accurately articulate the story behind the Lumina range with their videos and site information and I’ve found the actual speakers deliver everything they suggest and more. Genuinely made in Italy in Sonus faber’s own Vincenza factory, the Lumina I’s take the best of their heritage and technology to give you a completely modern compact speaker that is engaging, exciting and enduring.‘ Read more.
‘Using the Lumina 1s in a more traditional “audiophile” setup, they deliver what you expect from the pedigree: open, natural sound. In a 13 x 15 foot room, listening fairly nearfield, via the VAC i170 tube integrated and a dCS Vivaldi One as a source, these little speakers are not only stunning but sound much bigger than their small footprint suggests. I don’t say that lightly, my personal reference speakers are Sonus faber Stradivari Homage. These are Sonus fabers through and through. Not even half way through the review, the phone call was made to purchase these babies – they’re staying as a permanent reference for what can be accomplished in a compact system.’ Tone magazine.
“With the Sonus Faber Lumina I, the Italian manufacturer manages to offer music lovers everything that has made its speakers so successful over the years for a reasonable price. The accuracy of the timbres, the energy deployed in a balanced way over the whole frequency range, the spatialization and the airiness of the sound stage are all there. And so is the emotion.
This compact speaker is very well designed and never tries to appear bigger than it is at the risk of delivering an approximate or messy sound. On the contrary, it makes the most of its intrinsic qualities in order to serve the music with a lot of accuracy and a beautiful energy.” son-video.com
- NuForce AVP 18 multichannel DAC and preamp – price reduced – now just $395.
This is a really interesting and highly capable component that combines serious sound quality with surround sound and multiple digital inputs including HDMI. “The NuForce AVP-18 sounds like a preamplifier-processor built by audiophiles for audiophiles… If you think of the AVP-18 as a DAC that just happens to decode the hi-res audio formats found on Blu-rays, then you understand what it is and what it does. The NuForce AVP-18 is a bargain for what it offers: excellent home-theatre performance that would be perfectly at home in a high-performance system.”
The AVP 18 has 5 HDMI inputs including the ARC output, 2 coax, 2 optical and one Bluetooth via USB – outputs are via 8 RCA sockets. There’s manual operation via the front panel and a much more button intensive remote control. We’ve set it up for our own use with Apple TV and our beloved Loewe – it’s just great in terms of sound quality in stereo. We sold a surprising number of these new, it does a great job with up to 7.1 multichannel, limited only by the quality of power amplifier/s you attach to it.
All this can over complicate what you may well end up using the AVP-18 for – it’s a genuinely great sounding DAC for just music and stereo and a very good preamp to boot so you have full volume control.
And if you look at the style and size of the AVP 18 you can draw a straight line to the current NuPrime Evolution flagship models. Really it’s the perfect antidote to the over complicated madness of the modern Audio Video Receiver. If you’re into music videos, this is the one to beat.
Specials – freight & warranty – Because the specials are all discounted, we do have to charge freight for out-of-town clients. All components will be safely packed in original packaging if available or appropriate boxes. Normal warranty applies on new components.
How To Order – Once you’ve made your decision and are ready to order, we’ll make it easy for you. Either phone us on 0800 909–101 or e-mail and we can get your address and all details confirmed. For payment more and more people prefer to use internet banking – email us to get account details.