Ayre MX-R Mono-Block Amplifier
March 18, 2007

Simplicity, confidence, and understated elegance. Ayre has surpassed even their own set of exacting standards by creating one of the most unique and innovative amplifiers ever to have graced the hallowed halls of high-end audio. The MX-R monoblocks serve as the new flagship pieces of the Ayre armada, providing the enthusiast with one of the finest high-powered solid-state mono-blocks of our time. Packing 300 watts into 8 ohms on a fully balanced circuit (that’s right, this means no RCA-ins on the back), smooth, effortless and majestic couldn’t be used to describe anything else, not any more. Fine machining on the units would lead one to believe they were not built by human hands (though they truly are handmade) but instead crafted by advanced beings from a place far more enlightened than our planet. You’ll have a gentle landing when you realize these amps were not in fact derived from some form of alien technology. And that they even have a price at all might also surprise you. In the realm of amplifiers occupying the 15-20,000 dollar price-point, the Ayre MX-Rs provide a ridiculously stunning presentation that won’t be easily outshined in years to come. Call us to schedule a demonstration.

Nagra CDC
March 18, 2007

They've done it. Just when we thought the world’s high-end manufacturers had made all of the CD players they were going to make, Nagra has come along and done the unthinkable. In the waning days of the great digital audio format wars, Nagra has done what the Swiss always do: they have remained neutral. This is not, however, a neutrality that has anything to do with not picking a format. No, instead they have aimed that famous neutrality at the sound of this remarkable CD player. This player does not render SACD, or DVDA, or DVD-V, or MP- anything. It plays CDs. That’s it. But it does so with the simplicity and precision, well, of other Swiss products with which you’re almost certainly familiar. In order for a CD player to be good, do you have to have a mountain of DACs per channel? No, according to Nagra, you need one good stereo DAC (24-bit 8x), and that’s all. And if you think it’s foolish for a company to make a state of the art digital playback device in today’s world of external drives and servers, you must also think that it’s foolish for a manufacturer to make something as antiquated as a record player. The perfection and evolution of any technology takes time, and good people doing and thinking smart things. Welcome to the world of Nagra, where anything can always be better. And they should know, since they more than likely manufactured all or a lot of the equipment used in the studio and the concert hall to record that piece of music you so lovingly covet.

Paradigm Studio 20 Version 4
March 18, 2007

Paradigm’s Studio 20 bookshelf loudspeaker has long been championed as a price vs. performance star in audiophile circles. The Version 4 continues in this tradition. A two way design with a 7" polymer woofer and 1" aluminum dome tweeter, it stands 15" high and 8 ¼" wide, making it the smallest and least expensive of Paradigm’s Studio series of loudspeakers. For a sub $1,000.00 speaker they have an incredibly flat frequency response. This means the tonal balance of your system will remain faithful to the original recording. Their 8 ohm impedance and 90db sensitivity make them an easy load for any amplifier to drive. Detail retrieval and stereo imaging are superb and their ability to accurately portray images in three-dimensional space is uncanny. One would be hard-pressed to find any other speaker under $1,000 that conveys such a sense of depth. If accuracy is your goal and your budget is $1,000 the choice is easy.

Musical Fidelity X-T100 Integrated Amplifier
March 18, 2007

Whoever said good things don’t come in small packages clearly wasn’t referring to the Musical Fidelity X-T100 integrated amplifier.

This product produces true high-end sound from a pair of compact 3 1/2" tall boxes. One houses the integrated amp itself and the other its power supply. The power supply can also be used to power other Musical Fidelity X-series components such as the X-RAY v8 CD player. A one meter cord connects these handsomely styled units allowing plenty of flexibility with placement. The X-T100 has three line level inputs and includes a front panel mini-jack for portable music players. There's even a built in phono stage for vinyl lovers. Whoever said you can’t have your cake and eat it too had never heard the X-T100. But, what else can you say about a product that produces a beautiful silky midrange while delivering deep solid bass. How is this possible? Musical Fidelity optimizes performance by mating a tube pre-amp with a solid-state output stage. It delivers a solid 50 watts per channel and a whopping 30 amps of current. When it comes to the Musical Fidelity X-T100 the moral of the story is don't judge a book by its cover. At less than $2,000 this product is an awesome value providing fantastic sound and flexibility for those of us who have limited amounts of space (and even those who don't).

TL Audio Fat Man iTube
March 18, 2007

What would you say if someone told you that there's a integrated tube amp out there for less than $700? Huh? Yeah that's what I'd say too. What would you say if someone told you that it includes an outboard iPod dock with a remote control? Wow! Yeah, me too. Now here comes the best part... it sounds really good. What the...!?! That's right. Its only got 13 watts but hook it up to a pair of efficient high quality speakers (Did someone say Paradigm Studio 20's?) and you've got bona fide high-end sound. All of this for less than what many of us would spend on a pair of high quality interconnects. I see you smiling. If that's not enough there's also: a headphone jack, an additional line input, and two video outputs (S-video and composite). Whew. Now take a deep breath and visualize a beautiful chrome plated chassis with three glowing tubes sprouting up from the top. Way too cool. It’s called the Fat Man iTube. Check it out. Your ears and your iPod will thank you.

Runco CL-410
March 18, 2007

When I first heard that Runco was releasing an entry level DLP projector for $3500, I was surprised and was curious to see if it would live up to the reputation and expectations associated with Runco. Runco is setting this projector up to go against data grade and entry movie grade projectors, but with the Runco lenses and video processing backing it up. It truly makes a film like experience available to the budget conscious consumer seeking a large scale image with out paying a small fortune. Colors are saturated, while still maintaining a neutral grayscale, so films like "The Rock" and "Moulin Rouge" are eye catching yet maintain the subtle lighting details within them. Thanks to Runco’s video processing, things like car chases in "The Fast and The Furious" are sharp with a liquid like smoothness as the cars dart around the screen, which is often lost by other projectors out there. Skin tones in "Notting Hill" and "Love Actctually" are detailed and natural looking. HDTV looks amazing, especially since that’s where Runco pulls the ultimate surprise off – It’s not an HD resolution projector. At 576P, it is a projector that has had many of us shaking our heads in disbelief saying "If I didn’t know better, I’d swear this was an HD projector."

Visitor Checklist
Tips for getting the best experience from Music Lovers

So, you are looking for a new piece of equipment to give you the best experience possible. Here's a few tips:

Call us in advance or make an appointment. This allows us to make sure a room is available for your demo, and gives us time to set up the equipment you want to audition to its best potential.

Bring 3-5 CDs, DVDs, or LPs you love. Having source material you love helps you to make an informed decision over what you want to use in home. We do have a wide selection of demo materials, but bringing some of your favorites will make your decision making process easier.

Tell us about your current system. The more we know about what you have at home, the size and shape of the room, the better the recommendations we can give you over products we have available to enhance your system.

Bring a friend or significant other. Having a second set of eyes and ears can be helpful. By bringing everyone who will be using the gear in your home, it helps to make sure that the equipment picked best suits your decor and meets your needs for ease of operation.

Don't believe everything you read. Reviews are wonderful tools to help you narrow the field of choices down, but use your eyes, ears, and heart to make the decision over what is best for you.

Allow plenty of time and have plenty of rest. Allow 2-4 hours to properly audition a system. If you aren't rushed during the audition, you will get a better sense overall for what eqipment is the best for you. Not enough sleep can change your perceptions of the performance of the equipment.