Listening to two new components has got me thinking; how far can we go with home audio systems and are we hearing real improvements?
First let’s take a deep dive into the world of vibration reduction with our Italian friends Bassocontinuo. Last month we introduced you to our experiences with their entry level Lyra rack. It started the conceptual leap of thinking of a rack, not just storage for your system, but something that could make a worthwhile improvement. So we’ve ended up listening to Bassocontinuo’s flagship carbon fibre rack – the Aeon X. And we’ve had to completely rethink what is possible and just how much of a contribution vibration reduction and isolation can make to the sound of your system.
That answer is a lot more than we ever expected. In hindsight we should have known this; most music listeners appreciate that you can hear relatively modest improvements made to a system with cables and set up. The Aeon X rack attacks the problems of vibration from several different directions applying materials research, solid analytical testing, innovative Italian design and experienced manufacturing capabilities. Each part of this approach makes a worthwhile improvement but when you put them all together the result is nothing short of a revelation.
I would never have credited that such a great improvement was possible until I heard it for myself. Read our in-depth review and comparison here.
What is even more important is that the system we used to establish this was simple, accessible and affordable. At first glance the Aeon X rack appears esoteric and costly. But as we quickly discovered, the profound improvement it makes more than justifies the investment. Compared with similarly priced components, a Bassocontinuo rack, especially in the case of the Aeon X, could well be the best choice you can make.
The little NuPrime IA-9X integrated amplifier (NZ$2450) is a lot more specialised. While Bassocontinuo are all about reducing distortion created by vibration, NuPrime reduce distortion with innovative circuitry. Amplifier design is so often about small incremental improvements and subtle changes to the character of sound that electronics produce. With the IA-9X NuPrime demonstrate that they can literally build an amplifier to sound how they want and imbue it with a unique and distinctive character. Even more interestingly, this is a purely analogue amplifier and is based on the flagship Evolution STA. Read more about why we find it so intriguing here.
It’s also fascinating to compare the IA-9X with NuPrime’s entry level power amplifier that we introduced you to a couple of months ago – the STA-100.
But back to the turtles; it’s an expression of the problem of infinite regress, where we peel back one layer to reveal better sound but in doing so, make it apparent that we can do it again. Because we now have a more transparent system so can more easily hear subsequent improvements.
Bassocontinuo state that you can’t eliminate vibration, only reduce it. But with the Aeon X they employ multiple techniques and components to reduce it many times over so when you listen, you hear an immediate and obvious improvement. We go down many layers of turtles in one hit.
The NuPrime IA-9X might appear to be more subtle in what it does yet if you have the right setting for it to go into, this amplifier can be just as impressive. It peels away layers of distortion to reveal a new version of the musical truth.
Music has near universal appeal and we never seem to loose our capacity to enjoy it. You can take it for granted yet the moment you hear a song you like rendered in a new and better way your enthusiasm is rekindled. This is why we’re constantly looking to improve our audio systems – there’s always a way to make things better and gain even more enjoyment from all the music you listen to. The Bassocontinuo racks and NuPrime IA-9X are just examples in a carefully curated range at Totally Wired. Talk to us now and we’ll find the right component to make your own system sound even better.
We’re not just about the new. Around 60 years ago the first SME tonearm was launched and it has proved to be one of the most enduring and respected components in audio. SME then launched a MK2 extended version – the 3012 (it’s 12” long) that delivered even better performance and is still highly regarded and in fact a collectable. We’ve had a client donate their much loved SME to us to run a charity auction for NZAVS – the NZ Antivivisection Society (I’m a volunteer director and secretary) – the auction still has around 6 weeks to run so check out our page on this and consider putting in a bid. These tonearms achieve quite astonishing prices on the likes of eBay but I’d really love it to go to a good home where it’s appreciated.
As we make the move to streaming services, for many, the idea of an elegant and simple system as a substitute for the traditional collection of components, makes sense. So, it’s time to seriously look at all-in-one systems. The aim is to fill your room with quality music. Let’s learn about how to make this happen.
Pictured above - Tivoli Music System Home Gen 2 (NZ$1800) on the left, Sonus faber Omnia NZ$3500) on the right.
Both Tivoli and Sonus faber have been core brands for us for the better part of 20 years. While they come from opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of price, they both have sound quality at the heart of what they do. The more you know about the history of both, the more parallels you see.
So here we are in 2022 with two complete systems from Tivoli and Sonus faber that come to a remarkably similar end point – the best Tivoli sound ever and the most affordable SF experience ever; how do they compare?
How we listen to music has changed remarkably since the inception of both companies, yet they have adapted, and indeed excelled in meeting the challenges of a rapidly evolving market. We’ve gone from analogue to digital and CDs to streaming. Yet the basics of what makes great sound haven’t changed that much; while being technically adept is a given, being able to deliver a sound that’s both satisfying and involving takes more and that’s where the experience of both companies comes to the fore.
The Tivoli is a funky almost retro design with roots in modernism. If you’re into architecture – it adheres to the ‘less is more’ dictum and has just 3 front panel controls. The brushed aluminium front plate, light fabric speaker covers and curved walnut cabinet are design statements in their own right.
Sonus faber pull out the stops with their aesthetic; the Omnia is evocative of a James Bond lifestyle, curvaceous and sleek with a beautiful walnut top panel inlaid with a series of illuminated strips that also serve as control and display. The dash panel of a high performance car, the deck of a bespoke Italian speedboat.
Both components have their roots in previous models. Tivoli originally produced a system of separate components which were then amalgamated into a single box – the first epnonymous ‘Tivoli Music System’. They improved upon this with the ‘Art’ system – their first foray into wifi. The new Gen 2 system is vastly better again and we’ll explain why shortly.
The first Sonus faber model ever was a wildly unconventional speaker system in 1980 dubbed ‘the snail’ which probably loses something in the translation from the original Italian.
In 2016 this concept was revisited with their first all in one system – the SF16 – which was extravagantly engineered and had the end price to reflect this. These provided the groundwork for the much more affordable Omnia. Read more about these here.
While Tivoli and Sonus faber have their roots in Europe and the US, they make the most of the unarguable advantages of Chinese manufacture to keep their systems both affordable and consistent in quality. Tivoli have long done this and Sonus faber gained valuable experience with their Venere range which informs the Omnia.
Underneath the physical, is the controlling software which is at the heart of any streaming experience. In the recent past many companies attempted their own controlling Apps but this has proved to be a massively difficult challenge for all but a few, so both Sonus faber and Tivoli concentrate on broad compatibility. Apple AirPlay 2, Google, direct connection to Spotify and Tidal, Bluetooth AptX.
While ‘Bluetooth speaker’ has become shorthand for a plethora of devices there is a world of difference between those and the two systems we’re examining; what we have are viable alternatives to the traditional component systems. I’ll go further – it’s difficult if not impossible to construct an equivalently priced conventional two speaker and amp system that matches either the sound quality or capabilities of these options. While we have undeniably higher performance options in separates, they can and do cost significantly more.
The Tivoli and Sonus faber systems give you great ‘out of the box’ performance and relatively simple operation that anyone can easily master. But in both cases you can fine tune and optimise to reach a really worthwhile level of performance. I’ve now spent a lot of time with both systems, in my office and in our living room, and have to say, I’m impressed. So let’s look at them individually.
First the Tivoli Music System Home Gen 2. While previous iterations have included a CD player, the improvements made with both this system and streaming services such as Tidal and Spotify have rendered disc playing effectively obsolete – there’s no longer any sound quality advantage, and to not have to deal with both the cost and inherent reliability issues of disc spinning enables you to have a considerably better sounding system at around the same price as the older version.
if you don’t absolutely need a CD player, the new Gen 2 is an easy choice over the original CD Playing Music System BT version which is still sporadically available. Tivoli Radios have been a phenomenon over the years simply because they made radio sound appreciably better and anyone could hear this.
The new Music System is just the same in this regard but what really stands out initially is the bass – it’s amazingly muscular and defined. In part this is because the default condition is to have the bass boost turned on which is a slightly cunning marketing choice and for many genres, I’d be more than happy to stay at this setting. The Tivoli does convincingly pull off the ‘sounds bigger than it is trick’ but in fairness I’ve gone back to the flat setting when making comparisons.
The Tivoli employs 4 forward-firing drivers, so it’s mimicking a pair of small bookshelf speakers, and this is very much how it sounds – hence bass, even when boosted, remains coherent and tuneful. The earlier Music System used a downwards firing subwoofer which doesn’t work as well. 4 higher quality drivers work better than 5 lesser units.
The feet that the Tivoli stands on aren’t an affectation – they work in a similar way to quality speaker stands, isolating the unit from the shelf and allowing it to better project sound without colouration. It sounds great in almost any setting and isn’t compromised by placement.
Being a Tivoli, there is a very capable radio section with FM and AM (DAB is in there for other countries). The selectivity and sensitivity is on par with other Tivoli models, but as always your location relative to transmission will determine the number of stations and how good the sound. Add to this an auxillary line input, bluetooth and optical inputs.
I really like this Tivoli – you’ll hear the quality of drivers and the construction in the same way that I do – the sound is sweet and balanced. There’s often surprising levels of detail and it makes differences in source quality obvious. Being still a bit of an Apple person I do a lot of my listening via AirPlay, and it’s hard to fault. Tidal works exactly as it should and what I listen to with the direct connection is surprisingly good considering we’ve got Lumin based systems here that are vastly more costly. But, I’m actually happiest playing albums from my Bandcamp collection on the Tivoli – it gets vocals right, in a way that the brand always has.
The Tivoli probably hasn’t got the love it deserves from both us and the hifi world in general as we’ve been chasing more esoteric systems, plus your traditional Tivoli owner has permanently bonded with their little table or portable radio and can’t quite get their heads around a complete wifi based system. While it may not appeal to everyone, I’m a big fan of the modernist aesthetic that’s inspired Tivoli – put it beside your Eames chair and you’ve got the classic form follows function thing happening. Not so much timeless like the original Tivoli’s but also a lot better than most of the bland me-to designs out there.
Now we get serious – the new Sonus faber Omnia system.
Which brings us to the Sonus faber Omnia. Described as an all-in-one high end wireless speaker by a company that defines both luxury audio and the high end of loudspeaker design, the Omnia demands to be taken seriously. While by far the most affordable way to get into Sonus faber, it’s significantly more than the Tivoli system, despite the obvious functional similarities between the two. So just how and why is the Sonus faber better?
The Omnia sits lower, longer and sleeker than the Tivoli. Its curves hide 7 separate speakers – a frontal array of four midrange and treble drivers, two side firing units and a down facing subwoofer all driven by a total of 490 watts of Class D amplifier. The Omnia is described as a Stereo 4 way DSP optimised closed box system. While Tivoli have never disclosed any specification, Sonus faber give us both the above power rating and a frequency response of 30 Hz to 25kHz. This is right in the territory of their larger floor standing loudspeakers.
Not to take anything away from the Tivoli, the Sonus faber is dramatically better but it’s also more demanding when it comes to getting the most out of it. And to do this you really do need to read the on-line manual and set it up properly. There are several options in the webpage based menu – loudness compensation, the Crescendo DSP and free or near wall positioning that all have a significant effect on the sound.
As you’d expect the Sonus faber Omnia delivers a much more expansive spacious sound. The Omnia also has a pronounced run in period as both electronics and drivers settle in and being to move as they should. So straight out of the box the two systems do sound more alike but over time the performance diverges and you really start to understand just how much work and experience has been poured into the Sonus faber system.
As we’ve already intimated, both the Tivoli and Sonus faber Omnia have forms of bass control which is set to the higher level as the default – with Tivoli it’s straight forward front panel adjustment. The Omnia can be reset for via its setup webpage and a QR code and we’d recommend that you do this at the outset or if listening, make sure you know how the unit is set up. For more information on this the FAQ section on Sonus fabers Ominia page is excellent. As is the set up video.
Sonus faber has gone through a process of renewal since the passing of founder Franco Serblin. Without giving up on their heritage of craftsmanship and a devotion to an organic and emotionally involving sound, the influence of a new younger generation of designers and their more modern musical tastes is undeniable and made obvious in new ranges such as the Lumina series.
The Omnia system is part of this new ecosystem and brings the values of Sonus faber to a whole new audience. And enables existing Sonus faber owners to have a simple streaming system you can enjoy and recommend to your friends and family.
The Sonus faber Omnia is, as the name suggests, trying to be the best of all worlds. The speaker array and use of plywood may be an inadvertent echo of the Shahinian designs – Omnia is effectively omni-directional. So rather that relying on a pair of separated speakers to produce a stern image between them, Omnia projects outwards and applies some DSP – Digital Signal Processing – given the more musical name of ‘Crescendo’.
And this works remarkably well – the Omnia creates a sense of space and scale with a credible soundstage that’s apparent not just from a frontal listing position but all through the room. In an open plan environment the Sonus faber sound carries and remains coherent and balanced in a way that considerably more costly forward firing conventional speakers often fall short of. In technical terms the off axis performance is remarkable. This is something we aim for in our best systems but to have a delivery at this level is something else.
You can easily hear the difference the Crescendo processing makes as it can be switched off in the webpage menu – personally I’d never want to be without it now I’ve tried this. It’s positively cinematic and funnily enough does wonderful things with soundtracks. Extending this theme, the light show from the top panel display plus the downlight highlighting the subwoofer is quite spectacular in a darkened room and makes Omnia a real centre of attention (and you can opt for a power down mode which keeps things civilised when you’ve gone to bed).
Tonally, the Omnia is agile and alive in the same way as the Sonus faber’s new Lumina speakers. Both can really kick when you want, but never break into harshness. Give Omnia great signal via the likes of Tidal connect and it can really open out with a power and authority that is directly comparable with serious larger speakers.
Both the Tivoli and Sonus faber do background music perfectly – at these lower levels, the differences between the two diminish and in both cases, with bass management you’ll get a pleasingly rich sound. The real contrasts between these systems become obvious when you take things further. Be it an orchestra in full flight or something a whole lot modern and challenging, the Sonus faber Omnia will quickly show you why it’s at the next level.
There are two other significant features that the Sonus faber has; The Omnia is Roon ready which is important for many with a stored digital music library. And it comes with a phono stage (which can be switched to line level). This input offers very good sound quality which more than justifies a quality turntable such as the similarly priced Well Tempered Simplex 2 which just happens to share the Omnia’s plywood accents.
These systems offer you an honest certainty in terms of performance; they have enough adjustment to allow you to get the sound you want in any environment and placement. The rapidly improving sound quality associated with streaming services and almost infinite choice of music, combined with software and firmware for the actual units mean you can look forward enjoying them more over time.
Each could be the perfect office or bedroom system yet both have the talents to be your primary music listening system. It really just depends on your level of expectation and budget. For this article I’ve made a conscious choice not to listen to our much more costly systems as a comparison and have looked at both the Tivoli and Sonus faber on their own merits. The Omnia in particular has won me over – it generates a remarkable sense of space, a very real soundstage. And I absolutely love the look; if this is a reinterpretation of how a modern music system should be, count me in.
Tivoli Music System Home Gen 2 NZ$1800 including GST & delivery.
Sonus faber Omnia NZ$3500 inclusive
As always, Pyewacket stakes his claim to our favourite components – he’s a man of impeccable taste…
It’s one thing to find a great sounding stereo component but it’s another to build a complete system that makes the most if it.
In the first few months of this year we have brought you a wonderful range of new loudspeakers called Lumina from our favourite Italians – Sonus faber. And now you can also learn about a fantastic family of new network music players from Lumin, based in Hong Kong. Finally we can show you how to combine the two into a brilliant system.
First up, the new Sonus fabers. We’ve published two reviews – one of the smaller and remarkably affordable Lumina I’s which are a continuation of the classic Sonus faber ethos. Yet it’s the floor standing Lumina III which is the real surprise – these are quite unique in the Sonus faber range and break new ground in terms of the style of sound. I’ve found a lot to like with them both – there’s some fresh thinking from Sonus faber and the designs are both aesthetically and sonically appealing on many levels.
Lumin Network players
Lumin do for digital what Sonus faber do for speakers – design and build components that stand above both the mass and specialist audio markets. The reviews for all the Lumin products are stellar. But there’s a world of difference between reading about and actually listening to a new brand. What we have heard is utterly compelling.
It’s not often we’ve been this impressed with new components but Lumin really is next level and opens up a whole new set of possibilities for you.
The whole concept of streaming can take a little bit to get your head around and we’ve intentionally held off from many other components as we were unconvinced by the sound quality, the complication and compromise that we saw. Lumin solves all these issues.
The new Lumin U1 Mini at Totally Wired.
The Lumins are best described as Network Players. That is they play either music you have stored or access music via streaming services such as Tidal and Qobuz and Spotify (which will soon be offering a high resolution option). And AirPlay is in the game as well.
A hugely important part of the experience, the free Lumin App is their vision of how to make music browsing and playback intuitive, visual, and tactile. So there are no front panel controls on the Lumins and only a simple display.
What really counts is on the inside – and the sound that comes out. There is a huge amount going on with both the internal workings and the resulting sound and the Lumin site is as good as it gets when it comes to explaining this with comprehensive, easy to understand descriptions and more reviews than any brand I’ve seen – everyone just loves what they hear.
What I can tell you is that Lumin works beautifully with the systems we’re putting together. And is producing a level of sound quality that easily beats anything we’ve been able to do before.
There’s an obvious comparison with NuPrime. But they are quite distinct in what they do and, if anything, are complimentary.
For anyone with a NuPrime DAC, IDA-16 or IDA-8, (or other quality DAC) there’s a Lumin component that’s going to transform your listening experience – the U1 Mini Network Transport (NZ$4000). There’s no obsolescence – the U1 Mini brings you into the world of streaming and the Lumin sound will make your entire system light up.
This is very much the traditional way to build up a high performance system. One piece at a time, carefully chosen. And it often works. Adding the Lumin U1 Mini to your present DAC is a very safe way to get into high performance streaming. It will also take you places you may not have expected. The better the quality of your present DAC, the greater the improvement you’ll experience with the U1 Mini.
Our own experience with the U1 Mini has been revelatory. We’ve documented our findings with many other brands of components and cables over the years and while we often found worthwhile improvements in performance it’s seldom that they are of either the magnitude or consistency that the U1 Mini has delivered.
In simple terms it sounds much better and does so across every type of music we’ve listened to.
What are we actually listening to? As someone with a large existing music collection – vinyl, CD’s and downloads, I’ve often questioned the logic behind streaming services. Lumin has changed this for us.
Tidal and Qobuz solve the quality issue – both offer CD or better quality, and between the two – Tidal being US based, and Qobuz having a more European focus, there is no need to consider either digitising LPs or ripping CDs as almost all titles you could ever want to listen to will be there. Or soon will be.
Spotify have also announced they will soon upgrade the quality of their service. Being a long time Mac user, AirPlay was the first way we used the Lumin. The results from this were the best I’ve heard, but it’s also become obvious that there are some limitations – while it’s excellent to get you up and running and also as a fallback option if there are any network or access issues, the step up in quality with either Tidal or Qobuz is obvious.
Tune In provides the best quality internet radio you’ll ever hear and is part of the Lumin app. It’s free and covers both New Zealand and the world.
We have retained our Nativ Vita touchscreen server as I do have a library of niche and high resolution music on its internal SSD. The Lumin seamlessly accesses everything on it via our network and it’s immediately obvious that anything we play has a lot more going on than when we had the Vita connected directly to the DAC. You can just as easily connect a SSD via USB into the back of the U1 Mini or access anything on your computer via your home network.
Initially I thought the U1 Mini was just the same as the D2 but without an internal DAC section. Same box, similar connections, same price. A classic rookie mistake. The U1 Mini is essentially the best bits of the NZ$11,000 U1 Reference series transport with an internal power supply (the U1 is a two box unit with an external power supply). Which is in turn derived directly from the flagship model S1. Again, read the reviews – there’s a pedigree here that stands above anything else we’ve dealt with before.
So what’s the difference between a network transport like the U1 Mini and a network player – the D2, T2 or X1?. It’s simply all in the DAC – the transport doesn’t have one so has to go into a digital input (the U1 mini puts out USB, Optical Coax, BNC and AES-EBU) but the Network Players have a hierarchy of ever more sophisticated internal DACs, and have both analogue and digital outputs.
These three Lumin models that include formidable DAC sections also have a very high quality volume control system and both fully balanced and more conventional RCA outputs. These are the best options for new systems, especially if you keep things simple and connect directly to a power amplifier (or two).
The Lumin D2(NZ$4000) does for digital what the Well Tempered Simplex 2 does for analogue – and then some. With the D2 you can build a stunningly simple and high performing system that gives you access to more music to enjoy than you could ever imagine.
The two models above the D2 take you even further. The Lumin X1 at NZ$22,000 including GST is the ultimate. Again, just start digging into the reviews and you’ll get the idea.
The Lumin T2 at NZ$8,000 gives more than a taste of the X1’s performance and build quality. The T2 hits the sweet spot for many of you. Well above entry level and perfect for matching with better quality amplifiers and speakers.
All you need is the Lumin Network player, a power amplifier, a pair of speakers and the few cables to connect them.
Making the most of Lumin.
What better amplifier to make the most of any of the Lumin options than the NuPrime AMG STA?
We have already explored the new AMG models in depth and the feedback from clients has been overwhelmingly positive. Add to this the two reviews by Christiaan Punter at HFA and you have a compelling case for this new amplifier. Here’s his conclusion.
“The AMG-PRA + AMG-STA form a beautiful combo, not only visually, but also in terms of sonic synergy, the preamp’s robust and full sound perfectly complimenting the power amp’s slightly leaner balance. The combined result is a musically always engaging sound that is solid and full-bodied, smooth and refined yet highly detailed and transparent, with perfect pacing, and great dynamics. Honestly, at 3200 euro, I haven’t heard a better amplifier, either integrated or separates.
As great as the combo is, the AMG-STA power amplifier really is the star of the show. On its own, it is capable of performing on a level that is well and truly beyond what might be expected from an amplifier at its price point. To be more precise: if the preamp already performs at a level that belies its price sticker, the power amp steals the show as it has the ability to perform on the level of amplifiers that typically cost multiples of its modest 1.595-Euro price. I am not kidding!
The NuPrime AMG STA power amplifier at Totally Wired.
Combine the AMG-STA with a great volume-controlled DAC and you’ll have a nearly unbeatable system. Between single and dual amps, if ever there was a no-brainer decision, this is it. The pair simply raises the performance in each and every audiophile parameter, without harming the emotional involvement.“
I’ve highlighted the key sentence for you. The Lumin’s are great volume controlled DACs but there are even more reasons to select the AMG STA.
The Lumin network players are all full balanced designs and it’s strongly recommended you use this connection with them. The STA has it.
The AMG STA also has a far higher input impedance that almost all other power amplifiers – 1M(illion) Ohms, matched only by their flagship Evolution One Mono power amps – this is optimal for the Lumins.
The sound of bridged mono AMG STAs is better in every way than a single unit. As a combination with any to the Lumin models you’ll gain performance that’s directly comparable to insanely expensive systems.
The expressive nature of the Sonus faber speakers allow the Lumin/NuPrime combination to really shine. From the new Lumina I bookshelf and III floor standing speakers, through the Sonetto, Olympica Nova and Heritage ranges we’ve put together some magnificent systems that reflect the tastes and individuality of their owners.
Connections
The final link in this story are the KLEI cables. As a client recently wrote to us “Thanks again for sending up the KLEI cable. I tried my best to convince myself it was no better than my existing Wireworld Eclipse RCA cable but failed miserably. This KLEI is incredible. Seems to have all the space, depth and soundstage of a good Nordost cable while keeping the rich, musical tone and flow of Wireworld. They are genuinely astonishing. I think if more people knew about KLEI products and how they sound, they’d be banging down your door. I’d never heard of KLEI until I came across your website but they beat every other cable I’ve heard, at home or in shops, in my mere mortal price range at least.” Karel.
In the system options that we have outlined to you, there are 3 connections that will take the performance to the next level – the interconnect between the Lumin and NuPrime, speaker cables to your speakers and last but definitely not least, the mains cables.
How good a sound do you want? Select the KLEI cables to suit.
That said, because all the actual components involved have significant warm up periods – a good 300 hours at least you may wish to start with entry level cables. It also takes a while to adjust to a new level of sound quality, deal with the operational learning curve of the Lumin App and get speaker positioning right. Over this time, the standard power cables provided with the Lumin and NuPrime will be fine. And our entry level Kimber cables rank highly in anyone’s estimation.
But when you are ready, the KLEI options will have the same transformative effect of any of the component choices. The AC mains cables are where you’d get the most immediate and cost effective performance gains and you have four choices from around $600. We’re more than happy for you to try any of these out for your self before making a commitment.
The KLEI interconnects – both analogue for the network players and digital for the U1 Mini are the next port of call. The KLEI QFlow7 balanced analogue interconnect is about as good as it gets in this setting. Then consider the speaker cables.
Hearing for yourself.
We presently have two full Lumin based systems here are ready for you to listen to. If you are one of our out of town clients we’re happy to organise a home trial – this effectively how we came to really appreciate Lumin, the NuPrime AMGs and KLEI cables ourselves. Now we can share the experience with you.
Heading into 2021 we’re looking for more of those moments. We have the means towards this particular end. First up are two components that have crystallised much of my thinking about how we listen to music and the qualities that are important when it comes to really enjoying what we hear.
Home. Our safe place, our place of sanctity, family HQ, escape. Whatever home means to you, home is where we revive our spirits, have a life that is our own, a place from which we look out to the world. Our daily routines help keep us stable and enjoying each day.
There have been ups and downs to this year, yet here in Aotearoa our ‘high social trust has resulted in a society essentially free of the virus.’ Happily, many have rediscovered home life and it is nice to see that music listening is part of that. Our own habits have changed and we’ve made the most of new technologies like streaming, podcasts and bluetooth, along with our ongoing love of analogue. Such things have played a big part in our coping with the new situation that the world found itself in. Studies have shown the benefits of listening to music. For everyone both music and being connected aid our sense of well-being. We certainly found this ourselves.
There was some initial anxiety in our household as due to our rural living, being reliant on mobile data and hotspots for internet connection some adjusting was required to handle the increased data use. Work-wise that was achieved and then, for entertainment came the challenge of being able to stream to our out-dated but much loved Loewe television. We mostly still use our Cambridge blu-ray player but in July came Idiot Prayer – Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace and the International Film Festival that we wanted to stream. John’s tenacity at finding solutions got us there so we were able to to enjoy these visually while connecting to our NuPrime amplifiers and Sonus faber Sonetto speakers for sumptuous sound. Our favourite of the Film Festival was the quirky Dinner in America – a feel good film with a ‘kickass’ soundtrack.
We hope that you too managed to find ways of enjoying your time at home. It is a pleasure for us to help you in these endeavours so with the festive season and summertime on the horizon we have a few thoughts to share…
First up for the festive season some loudspeaker Specials –
MONITOR AUDIO SPEAKER SPECIALS
There’s only one downside to running a home show room – you very quickly run out of floorspace. Even a representative range of loudspeakers covers a lot of models between our two core brands – Monitor Audio and Sonus faber. So at some stage we do have to send some of our favourites to new homes and this is as good a time as any to do it. Plus we have a NuForce multi-channell amplifier that’s been traded in too. Perfect timing as a real Christmas treat for you!
Tivoli Audio celebrates 20th anniversary 💝
In the year 2000 the original Tivoli Model One was taken into hearts and homes the world over. Today it remains unrivaled as the table radio for broadcast listening. The 2020 versions have been re-engineered so that the woodwork has an even better finish, and the electronics have been improved to give greater precision to the tuning as well as taking the sonic performance even further. These up-dated models also have better power supplies that minimise interference and come in biodegradable, environmentally friendly packaging.
To celebrate their 20 anniversary Tivoli Audio has produced a limited-edition Model One BT in a high gloss lacquer coated walnut finish. Commemorating this special occasion atop the unit reads 20th Anniversary in mother-of-pearl inlay. The knobs and tuning dial have been crafted out of wood and coated in high gloss lacquer to match the radio’s cabinet. There will be only 1600 worldwide and we have some coming. A special gift or a collector’s item these are $549 and orders can be taken now.
Also coming through are up-dated Model Threes ( the analogue clock radio); generation 2 of the Model One Digital, and a new look for the portable PAL bluetooth radios. A current favourite of both ourselves and our customers is the Music System Home. It encapsulates a world of ways of accessing audio. Tivoli Audio have you at heart with a terrific range to choose from.
Vifa la Christmas! 🎄
Danish company Vifaare long-known and respected in the Hifi world for loudspeaker drivers. After 80 years in the business they changed tack and began producing a range of single music units – bluetooth/wifi speakers including portable speakers of varied sizes and multi-room speakers.
Much of the best in home audio are also ‘best kept secrets’. Not intentionally but the specialist manufacturers are not often on the radar of magazine reviews etc. Mass market players play spurious commercial games that are particularly intense in the lucrative fields of headphones and bluetooth speakers. Like Tivoli Audio, Vifa use natural materials in classic designs, utilising best quality parts and build practices along with the kinds of technology today’s users are looking for. Whenever we play a Vifa we are enamoured with their sound. A sound that is light-years ahead of many of the ‘big names.’ Vifa speakers are 21st century multi purpose players designed for humans. Carolijn describes Vifa as ’sound objects with tangible appeal’.Here is her review.
A new addition to our personal living is the cute ‘Helsinki ‘ which we use in the bedroom for streaming radio and podcasts. The larger ‘Copenhagen’ is our go-to for taking to parties where music is needed. It can fill a big room with clarity. The little ‘Reykjavik’is proving to be popular as a gift as is the big ‘Stockholm’ for households as the main hifi system. Something in the Vifa range could be just what you’re looking for.
Analogue therapy 🥰
We’ve noticed that the holiday season is when many of you cast your eye over your turntable system looking to see how it could have new life breathed into it. We know how you love your analogue system as we love ours so we always keep in touch with some of the best analogue companies passing what we learn onto you. On our analogue page you can find information on turntables, phono stages and cartridges. Often at year end it’s time for a new styli or cartridge, or perhaps you would like to treat yourself to an upgrade in the system. If you’re not sure just ask John. Few in the industry has his level of expertise so he is sure to suggest what is best for your particular system.
shop here
Our online shop makes purchasing easy for you. You’ll find Tivoli radios, Vifa bluetooth sound systems and some of the more popular home audio components and accessories – wherever you see our online shop logo on a product page this option is available. At our online shop you can now use POLi secure bank transfer payments. Pyewacket Cat loves helping with packing and gift wrapping 🙂 Any of our products can also be ordered by email or phone.
Welcome to the new year. In between some great beach walks (that’s the mouth of Blueskin Bay on a beautiful Christmas day in the pic above), we’ve been busy with exciting components and systems that are going to make this coming year so much more enjoyable for you…
