News - Introducing Vivid Audio Moya M1

14 March 2024

Press release

Introducing Vivid Audio Moya M1

A NEW SUMMIT IN LOUDSPEAKER ENGINEERING

For over 20 years, Vivid Audio has developed ground-breaking loudspeakers to consistent critical acclaim. As with any high-end audio company, we constantly seek ways to push the envelope further.

We’re therefore very pleased to announce the introduction of an all-new ultra-premium loudspeaker – the Moya M1. This will be the new flagship of the range. As always, the Moya M1 was developed according to Vivid Audio’s guiding principle – Form must follow Function.

Like many great ideas, the Vivid Audio Moya M1 started as a sketch. Quarantined in a hotel room during the pandemic, designer Laurence Dickie had the time to dream about a speaker that could do it all. The culmination of a lifetime in pursuit of acoustic design perfection.

A loudspeaker so imbued with power and authority that it would handle any and all types of music with effortless grace.

EIGHT DRIVERS TO RULE THEM ALL

The first thing that strikes one on viewing the M1 is the imposing stack of bass drivers – eight legendary C225-100H drivers, each one capable of handling 800W, arranged in a new high-shove configuration. An awesome display of power!

In fact, the low frequency section played an outsized role in the development of Moya M1. During the testing process, a key finding emerged – extending a speaker’s bass response also improved the perspective of the higher frequency bands.

Each pair of drivers is arranged in a horizontally-opposed configuration on either side of the bass module, with magnets united by a substantial steel tie-bar to completely eliminate reaction forces and the need for a heavy enclosure.

The use of Vivid Audio’s generously proportioned reaction-cancelling ports eliminates cabinet vibration and minimises any turbulent effects which may limit low-end linearity.

Of course, any large loudspeaker can play loud. It was also critical to the team that the listener should be able to pick out the subtlest details – even amidst the hullabaloo of an orchestral crescendo or an explosive drum solo. After all, power is nothing without control.

DLC tweeters and computer-optimised filters

The experience is further enhanced by all-new Diamond-like Coated (DLC) tweeters, a material that can be applied to the surface of aluminium domes at a temperature well below melting point.

The contrasting properties between the DLC and the aluminium substrate heightened shear losses and significantly dampened the ‘Q’ of the break-up. A little black magic that goes a long way to enhancing the listening experience!

Thanks to the computer-optimised, passive, hard-wired filters (built in-house), Moya M1 delivers levels of smoothness, accuracy and phase matching once thought possible only with active systems.

Ultimately, the Moya M1 delivers clarity and precision to the Nth degree, while also being able to reproduce rock concert levels of sound in your living room. From an organ symphony on a huge Cavaillé-Coll instrument to low-end bass from a 90s house anthem, the Moya M1 delivers audio thrills at every octave.

MOYA M1 TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The Vivid Audio Moya M1 is a 5-Way, 13-speaker design.

Four extensively braced bass enclosures, each using two C225 bass drivers in reaction-cancelling modes with aerodynamically-optimised bass ports, are complemented by two C175 mid bass drivers, one C100 mid-range, one D50 upper mid-range and one D26 tweeter.

All drivers are developed from our existing drivers and optimised for use in the Moya M1. The speaker makes use of a passive, five-way, fourth order Linkwitz-Riley crossover in three parts, where the mid & high sections are placed well away from bass sections.

The Moya M1 is manufactured entirely in-house to allow for absolute control over every facet of the build process. To meet our exacting standards we craft, assemble and finish each part in-house by hand.

VIVID AUDIO BACKGROUND

Vivid Audio was founded in the early 2000s by Philip Guttentag and Laurence Dickie. From the very start, the pair set out to build loudspeakers that ‘present the original recording, as clearly and faithfully as possible’.

From the launch of the first Vivid Audio model – the Oval B1 – in 2004, they have rigorously pursued this vision and now offer an extensive range of models, from the Kaya C35 to the new flagship, Moya M1.

Guttentag, a trained engineer, brought extensive experience in the retail, acoustic consultancy and distribution fields; Dickie was an established loudspeaker designer with a long and illustrious career.

While working for British loudspeaker manufacturers, Bowers and Wilkins, Laurence Dickie pioneered the “Matrix” loudspeaker bracing system that is still used in the majority of loudspeakers today. He was also behind the development of numerous iconic designs, including the B&W Nautilus, considered one of the finest loudspeakers in the world.

The Nautilus introduced the concept of tapered tubes to the audio world. This ground-breaking innovation prevents the sound waves at the back of the drivers from distorting the signal and is now a standard feature of all Vivid Audio models.

More information can be found here:

https://vividaudio.com/media/

https://vividaudio.com/vivid-technologies/

BE@RBRICK Portable Bluetooth Speaker in 400% size

 

Here is the perfect companion to your BE@RBRICK 400% - a Bluetooth speaker! Dropping in November 2023 at JPY 70,000 or USD 499, the BE@RBRICK 400% Portable Bluetooth Speaker will be available in three designs - Clear, Smoke and Black. 

Boasting up to six hours of battery life, you can also pair two units together to create a stereo pair.  

X-quisite - World Premiere

11 January 2020

Micha Huber was in town to launch X-quisite as the third product line after Thales and EMT. 
Hosted at Modular Audio Singapore, Micha presented a short history of Thales before unveiling two new cartridges, the X-quisite CA and X-quisite ST using patented technology. The cartridges use a monobloc ceramic cantilever which is aimed at overcoming the weaknesses in conventional cantilevers. Micha explained that conventional aluminium cantilevers exhibit deformation and strong resonance during playback, which results in slight loss of mechanical information. Even use of advanced materials such as Boron, Sapphire or Diamond still result in a weak point further up the cantilever, at the connection point with the coil body. The monobloc design was three years in the making in order to overcome the difficulties in design and manufacture. 

Micha passed around samples of the cantilever and the cartridge body. The body has fine grooves to route the cartridge leads and reduce vibration. A sandwich of wood and metal alloy are used to achieve a tonal balance which is highly resolving, yet natural and life-like. The "entry-level" model CA, utilises copper wiring with an aluminium and ebony wood body. The ST, uses silver wiring, Titanium and a wood body. Both cartidges output 0.35 mv, and a compliance of 12 um/mN. List price was quoted to be in excess of CHF 9,000 for the CA and CHF 11,700 for the ST.

Note the tiny grooves on the side for routing of the cartridge wires.

The monobloc cantilever and coil body.

Modular Audio then played back a wide variety of discs using a full Thales deck fitted with a ST cartridge. An EMT preamp cum phono stage completed the family lineup. An Audes Excellence 5 AMT speaker and Rogue Apollo tube monoblock amplifiers were used for the demonstration. 

The absolutely gorgeous EMT JPA 66 Mk II preamp cum phono stage.

The demonstration was a real treat - with very good inner detail, dynamics and slam. The system was obviously very high bandwith, with good bass articulation and plenty of air / shimmer in the high frequencies. I especially liked how the front-end combined both high resolution with tone density. 

I asked Micha whether he had any issues with high frequency resonance from using a rigid material like ceramic. He reply was that the resonant frequency was high and beyond the audible range, and also very low in amplitude compared to existing cantilever materials. Hence, he decided not to use any additional damping. I also asked whether we could look forward to more affordable cartridges from X-quisite using the cantilever monobloc ? Unfortunately Micha could only comment that the difficulties in manufacturing meant that the cost was also very high. Well, we can all keep our fingers crossed ! In the meantime, we can keep this in our audiophile dreams and fantasies.  

Press Release - Nagra HD Preamp

Audio Technology Switzerland is proud to announce it is releasing its most ambitious preamplifier ever: the new NAGRA HD PREAMP.

Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, Denver, USA - Friday the 6^th October 2017. The Swiss company announces it is releasing a new preamplifier to compliment the HD range, that will be simply called the HD PREAMP.  

Nagra is demonstrating the new HD PREAMP at the RMAF in room 1030.

_________________________________________________________________________

World announcement of the NAGRA HD PREAMP, almost twenty years after the NAGRA PL-P preamplifier was released on the high-end market.

In 1998, NAGRA Audio division introduced its very first high-end consumer product after more than 40 years of continuous success in the professional recording market. The PL-P preamplifier was a class A triode-based line and phono preamplifier that immediately set new standards in sound reproduction.

In many ways, the HD PREAMP’s design started from a white page. Every aspect and step in the design process involved research to find the most elegant solution to accurately and faithfully convey the music from your sources to the amplifier. As a result, the HD PREAMP includes several patent pending technologies that are taking the music listening experience to new height.

Nagra unique approach to designing audio products takes advantage of 65 years of experience in the field, a large and skilled R&D group as well as extensive listening sessions; the result is often very organic and natural sounding. In order for the final product to be faithful to the theoretical work, custom made high-end components are carefully selected. The unit includes in-house custom-made components like audio transformers.

The volume control is a patent pending technology that allows perfect level matching with a much more transparent sound compared to potentiometers and switch resistor technology, because there is no attenuation of the input signal, just an automatic selection of a tap on the Nagra custom output transformers.

As expected with such high quality electronics, the sophisticated power supply will be located in a separate chassis. Like the audio circuit, it uses utmost quality components that are specified for extreme applications. Very much like the PL-P made use of batteries to isolate the unit from external interferences, the HD PREAMP’s power supply uses a unique virtual battery technology that offer superior result to a conventional battery, without the inconvenience of dealing with charging time and battery life. Consequently, the noise floor level at the preamplifier reaches uncharted territories; it is the lowest ever measured with a NAGRA product (See attached).

The construction of the chassis of the HD PREAMP and its power supply gets rid of the influence of external disturbances (vibration and electrical) and drastically reduces proper resonances. As a result, the HD PREAMP promises to set new standards for preamplification as did the PL-P twenty years ago.

First units will be delivered by the end of November. The suggested retail price list in the USA is 59’500 US$.

Contact

Matthieu Latour, Marketing Director, matthieu.latour@nagraaudio.com

About ATS - Audio Technology Switzerland

Founded in 1951 by Stefan Kudelski, NAGRA has been designing some of the most influencing equipment in the audio industry. From the Oscar ® Awards winning NAGRA professional tape recorders to the rewarded NAGRA HD electronics, the company has continuously perpetuated the utmost excellence in electronics design and manufacturing. In 2012, Audio Technology Switzerland S.A. formerly Nagra Audio division is created. Still largely owned by the Kudelski family, Audio Technology Switzerland designs, manufactures and market NAGRA professional, high-end audio and security products. It is continuing the tradition of sophistication and originality that has established the prestige of the NAGRA brand all around the world for over 60 years.

By the way guys, if that didn't get you all excited, you should get professional help from your nearest audio clinic or dare I say, Nagra dealer.

Acuhorn - New products from Poland

Acuhorn RATE class-D amplifier  2500 EUR
www.acuhorn.pl/rate.htm

Features

Monolithic class-d stereo amplifier chip by texas instruments
total harmonic distortion + noise 0.005%
signal to noise ratio 111dB
dynamic range 115dB
protection of both amplifier and speakers
the audiophile selection of each component is a listening session
stepped attenuators are the most preferred solution in high end audio
high quality precision 0.1% thin film Nichrome chip resistors
the amplifier input is isolated high impedance input Lundahl transformers
extreme audio path high quality and transparent sounding
power supply is the best Vicorpower modules
DC-DC converters high frequency Mhz switching
autoranging 90-264Vac network voltage, for worldwide use

Acuhorn R2R hi-tech streamer 3600 EUR
www.acuhorn.pl/r2r.htm

Features

R2R ladder 28 bit resolution 384Khz dac
loaded FPGA Spartan 6 technology oversampling up to 3.072Mhz
signal to noise ratio 127dB
automatic input selection I2S or SPDIF
R-2R direct output and buffered output for headphones
server runs on Raspberry Pi for I2S interface
compatible with all formats music: MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, ALAC, DSD
UPNP\DLNA, Airplay, Spotify and Web-Radios, etc
controlled wifi from remote running on smartphones, tablets, notebooks
MoOde web interface to control playback and settings
power supply is the best Vicorpower modules
DC-DC converters high frequency Mhz switching
autoranging 90-264Vac network voltage, for worldwide use

For more information, please contact :-

Acuhorn
Krtuska 243A
Gdansk 80-125
Poland
phone 0048 737476346
www.acuhorn.pl
email: info@acuhorn.pl

Sony PS-HX500 turntable to hit our shores next month

Anyone notice Sony's PS-HX500 turntable launched at CES 2016 ? The good news is that the PS-HX500 is expected to hit our shores next month. 

Pricing is to be confirmed.

Here is Sony's official press release and pictures. It's really great that major companies are back into the vinyl market. 

PRESS RELEASE

(SINGAPORE,  6  June  2016) 

As  the  global  resurgence  in  vinyl  continues,  Sony has announced a new premium turntable that enables vinyl owners to enjoy their favourite tracks in outstanding quality, even when on the move. In a world first, the Sony PS-HX500 allows you to convert  your  vinyl  collection  into  High-Resolution Audio  quality  digital  files  (equivalent  to  DSD quality) so that you can enjoy their unique sound wherever you may be. 

High quality sound detail

Made  for  music  lovers,  every  area  of  the PS-HX500  is  designed  to  deliver  the  best  possible sound quality  and  treat  your  vinyl  with  the  respect  it deserves.  From  a  newly  developed  tone arm to the die-cast platter and the plinth itself; every component has been carefully considered to deliver a great musical performance. 

The straight tone arm, designed with the stylus tip located in the central axis of the arm, ensures excellent stereo balance.  The arm  also features an  integrated  round head  shell  that  minimises resonance,  for  pure sound  reproduction.  An  anti-skating  device  is  incorporated  into  the  arm assembly,  along  with  an  arm cueing  system.  A  moving  magnet  cartridge  is  supplied  with tracking force and balance easily adjustable.  

The PS-HX500  has  an  aluminium  die-cast  platter  and  is  belt  driven  by  a  two  speed  motor. A high density  30mm  acoustic  plinth  is  featured,  along  with  a  newly  designed,  5mm  rubber mat and four insulator feet. A classical approach to turntable design, from years of past experience has produced a model which can satisfy the music enthusiast. 

Vinyl becomes portable 

Record enthusiasts can sometimes be faced with the prospect of inferior digital files of their analogue records for listening on the move. The PS-HX500 comes with a high quality DSD native converter, which gives the user the option to copy their favourite analogue tracks to a PC as a digital file, up to High-Resolution Audio quality. This allows the user to take their favourite music from their vinyl collection and play it on a compatible PC, mobile, portable music-player, or even in their car. The record player also comes with an integrated phono preamp, allowing direct connection to an external amplifier for high-fidelity home audio playback. 

The PS-HX500 is the world’s first turntable to support Double-rate and Single-rate DSD (5.6MHz/1bit, 2.8MHz/1bit), a powerful audio format that will reproduce your music with both accuracy and natural musicality. Furthermore, the AD conversion process can offer a choice of file quality from WAV, to High-Resolution Audio with higher bit rate and sampling frequencies, through to double-rate DSD. Users can therefore not only enjoy their records wherever they go but also appreciate them in superior sound quality. 

Easy recording and editing software 

Using the PS-HX500 PC application software, a vinyl can easily be converted to High-Resolution Audio files on the user’s PC and edited in post-production. The compatible software app is simply downloaded and after connecting the computer to the turntable, the recording process is quite simple. Tracks can later be edited, titled, cut, or combined together, allowing users to be truly creative with their music. The PS-HX500 will be available at all Sony Stores, Sony Centres and selected Sony authorised dealers from July 2016.

(All pictures are courtesy of Sony Singapore)

by a two speed motor. A

high density 30mm acoustic plinth is featured, along wi

th a newly designed, 5mm rubber mat

Father's Day - Gift Ideas

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there.

Need some last minute gift ideas ?

The Freedom Speaker

This crowd-funded speaker on Kickstarter piqued my curiosity - The Freedom Speaker.

The creator, Mr. Jaime Solorzano Garcia has a website with a detailed explanation and a very nicely produced video on the speaker. 

http://thefreedomspeaker.com/

This is an active open baffle dipole design. Room correction via DSP and a lot of other interesting features - please have a look. 

Sony Launches External SSD Drives

News Release

(Singapore, 2 June 2015) - Sony is proud to introduce the first external solid-state drive (SSD) that is made for consumer use. This stylish, ultra-compact and ultra-high speed SSD is as small as a credit card, weighs at just 35g, and is only 9.4mm thick, allowing you to bring your data and files along with you wherever you go.

Featuring a stylish and durable metal body with anti-scratch hairline finish, the new external SSD is so aesthetically pleasing, it is bound to impress your friends and colleagues. Available in two different colours, cool silver and noble black, you’ll always want to flaunt it around, even when the device can be safely parked in your pocket.

Separately, busy people will also appreciate its lightning speed transfer rate of up to 450MB/s in reading mode, as well as USB3.0 compatibility, so you won’t have to wait long for your files to be completely transferred.

The new SSD comes with two storage capacities – 128GB and 256GB – giving you more than enough room to store and organise all your photos, videos, music, documents, and more. With added features such as Password Protection Manager, your precious files will always be safe and secure, even if the external drive falls into the wrong hands. Backup Manager, on the other hand, lets you backup data directly from your PC or laptop, saving you valuable time and making the process even easier to manage.

The SL-BG1 (128GB capacity) and SL-BG2 (256GB capacity) will be available at all Sony Stores and authorised outlets from July onwards, at a recommended retail price of S$199 and S$299, respectively.

Pictures courtesy of Sony

Thoughts

Are you guys thinking what I am thinking ? Looks like the perfect complement to media streamers ! 

Tritone AV opens in Adelphi

Introduction

TriTone AV officially opened it's door recently at The Adelphi. Although TriTone is a new face in the industry, Managing Director, Mr. Mervyn Loh is not - having previously worked at Ong Radio as Chief System Designer. Mervyn was professionally trained in the United States in sound projection and psychoacoustics and with his credentials, he is well placed to design and deliver setups for the discerning consumer.

Showrooms

TriTone has three showrooms which showcase setups in different acoustic environments. I especially liked the front showroom at the main entrance. It's furnishing and layout is similar to the living rooms found in many of the newer apartments in Singapore. A second showroom concentrates on audio, while the largest showroom at the rear features a home theater setup.

The first demonstration at the front showroom involved some movie and concert clips being played through a Kaleidescape media player, Marantz AV receiver and Piega speakers. Mervyn demonstrated the effect of Tritone's proprietary tuning using Audyssey MultiEQ and there was a marked improvement in clarity, impact and sweet spot size. The Audyssey settings are adjusted by TriTone based on their analysis of room modes, frequency response, distance and crossover points. The speakers used are also measured with their own hardware.

The second demonstration was through an audio setup that consisted of a McIntosh CD player, preamp, room correction module and the venerable MC275 (Mk 6) tube power amp. Legacy speakers completed the picture.

To complete the experience, the last showroom is a generously sized home theater featuring a 110 inch front projection system. The acoustically transparent screen is worth a visit alone - delivering a great picture without the dreaded screen door effect.

Products and Services

TriTone is the distributor of Legacy Audio and Theta Digital, and an authorised dealer for McIntosh, Kaleidescape, Accuphase and Piega.

Mervyn spoke enthusiastically about his company's unique approach and their specialised in-house knowledge. TriTone believes in setting up systems that are placed and tuned specifically for the client's acoustic environment and taste.

Besides assembling systems from the brands carried in-house, TriTone is also able to work with other components of their client's choice. For their ultimate in customisation, TriTone also offers a bespoke speaker design and build option. Another unusual service offered is a speaker health-check service that is able to offer detailed measurement of the individual drive units to make sure that your speaker is delivering the goods.

I spent some time speaking to Mervyn and was impressed with his technical knowledge and unique approach. Setup is a critical part of getting an audio system to sound good, and I like TriTone's attention to this aspect. Dealer support varies tremendously in Singapore with the box movers on one end of the spectrum (their buck stops when the carton hits the floor of your home !), and on the other end, specialised dealers that will come personally to help you setup and tune your system. Even then, much of the tuning is done according to their taste rather than yours. In that respect, TriTone's approach stands out from the crowd, with a highly customised approach that also ranks high in aesthetic value. 

Conclusion

Great to see TriTone in the industry and hope to hear more from them in the future. Pay them a visit to learn more about their unique approach and service.

TriTone AV Pte Ltd

Address

No.1 Coleman Street, The Adelphi

# 04-46

Singapore 179803

Operating Hours 

Monday to Saturday, 10:30am to 7:00pm

Sunday, by appointment only.

Telephone 

(65) 6333 9477

Email 

contactus@tritoneav.com