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Dynaudio. We are now dealers for the excellent Danish speakers made by Dynaudio. We are carrying both the audiophile-quality Audience line and the more expensive Reference line (which contains the Contour models and the Confidence models). We are very impressed with the smooth, full-range, effortless sound of these speakers. Dynaudio makes speakers from about $700/pair to about $85,000/pair (!).

Wadia! We have just received the good news that Wadia will be resuming operations. We will post more information when it becomes available.

Steve McCormack. We hosted a seminar with Steve McCormack. He discussed the design of his products and announced the new DNA-HT5 5-channel amplifier. This new amplifier is essentially 5 channels of DNA-125 power in a largish chassis. Perfect for a high-performance home theater. Call for details.

Paul Hales departs. We have just received word that Hales Design Group founder and chief designer, Paul Hales, has accepted an offer outside the high end audio world in the pro audio business. This is clearly a major (and possibly fatal) setback for any restart of the Hales Design Group. We are currently unable to obtain any Hales replacement parts. Of course the assets of the Hales Design Group still exist and we are hopeful that exact replacement parts will be available in the future.

Special Offer: In light of the dim future for Hales, we are offering our Hales demonstration speakers at substantial savings. Currently we have a pair each of Revelation 3's (oak), Transcendence 1's (oak), and Transcendence 5's (black). Call for details.

Wadia status, round three. As you may know, Wadia Digital Corporation, which had recently acquired the speaker company Hales Design Group, is being restructured. As of September 12, 2000, the assets of Wadia were sold to the majority shareholder of the company, presumably paving the way for a possible restart for both Wadia and Hales.

We feel it is likely that warranty work will be available for Wadia in the near future. If you love (and perhaps own) Wadia products, now is a time for guarded optimism, rather than dismay.

Special Offer: However, because the future of Wadia is not guaranteed at this point, we are currently offering our demonstration units of the top-of-the-line Wadia separates, the 270 CD Transport and the 27ix DAC combination, at a very special price. We also have a new Wadia 150 A-D converter at a similarly special price. Should Wadia resume normal business operations, this offer will be rescinded. Call for details.

About the 270 and 27ix, Stereophile raves, "The sheer vividness of the Wadia 270's presentation driving the Wadia 27ix, coupled with laid-back high frequencies that resembled nothing so much as the real thing, made this the best I have ever heard from any digital technology" -JA, Class-A recommended, October 2000.

Website tuneup. We have updated out website again. You'll find a new Frequently Asked Questions link at the top of this page, plus a more streamlined design for this page. The result is a more compact, more meaty home page. We hope you like it. We are always seeking suggestions (hint, hint) for improving our site (or anything else for that matter).

Audio Research VT-200M monoblock tube amplifiers. Packaged in a chassis the size of a VT-100, the new VT-200M monaural amplifiers boast a power supply with almost as much capacity reserve as the REF 300's. With a solid-state JFET input, a three-tube amplifier/driver stage, and six 6550 output tubes (in addition to two tube regulators), the VT-200M has outstanding bass, a well-layered, focused soundstage, and a rich, full-bodied sound. Offering a taste of the famed REF 300's at just over half the price, the VT-200M should prove quite popular. $13,990/pair.

Princeton AS3.4HDF update. This 34"-viewable 16:9 flat-screen HDTV as been delayed until 2001. There are currently no high-performance yokes for this widescreen picture tube. Princeton made the difficult (but correct) decision to delay the product until yokes are available that can achieve excellent edge focus on a flat-screen 34" 16:9 picture tube. The AS3.6HD 4:3 HDTV is not affected and is expected to be available in July-August 2000.

Stax SRM-717 headphone driver. Stax has recently introduced a new state-of-the-art driver unit for their electrostatic headphones. The SRM-717 has wider bandwidth than their best tube driver units, and as such is appropriate for higher bandwidth signals, such as up-converted CD front ends, DVD-Audio, and SACD. An ideal companion for the Omega II earspeakers.

Theta Casablanca II Update Policy Announced. Theta has recently announced that Theta Casablanca surround sound processor owners will be able to update to the new Theta Casablanca II for about the same price as if they had originally bought the Casablanca II. The new version will be somewhat more expensive, with configuration ranging between about $6,000 and $14,000. The new processor board will feature 12 channel, 96kHz/24 bit capability, new "Jitter Jail" jitter reduction technology (hey, we didn't name it!), and new software flexibility that was previously introduced in the CasaNova. Expected availability June 2000.

Update. The new Zoethecus Home Theater series of audio and video component furniture is expect to ship to us the first week of April. Please feel free to call us with your requirements. Also, Particular Contemporary Design has added several new pieces of furniture to their line, including a new component stand, a new amp stand, an updated speaker stand, and various wood trim options.

Richard Gray's Power Company. This power condition effectively positions your electronic components closer to the utility company's transformer. Using a large inductor, it supplies short-term current to compensate for the voltage drop losses in the hundreds of feet of electrical wire between your outlet and the utility's transformer. Highly recommended by Audio Research (for example). $700.

MIT Oracle V3 speaker cables. Priced underneath the new Oracle V2 speaker cables, and without the V3's detachable interface box, the Oracle V3 speaker cables provide outstanding sonics without having a large network box at the amplifier end. This design allows the cable to be more easily routed along the floor or through the walls. Isolation spikes are provided for the interface box that sits behind the speakers.

Princeton HDTV monitor. This 16:9 widescreen 32" (30" viewable) true HDTV monitor is simply amazing when displaying a 720p or 1080i high-definition TV signal. This multi-frequency monitor is capable of displaying the most common HDTV formats and line doubles NTSC video assuring future-proof compatibility. Designed by industry guru, Joe Kane, Princeton HDTV's have accurate colorimetry, superb linear grey scale, and excellent white balance and uniformity giving DVD, DBS, computer graphics, and terrestrial HDTV broadcasts outstanding image quality and film like realism. With a true 40 MHz video amplifier and horizontal scanning rates to 50 kHz, Princeton HDTV performance will meet your display needs for quite some time. $4100.  For those who want the absolute ultimate quality line-doubling, an outboard line doubler can be utilized to process 480i NTSC to 480p.

Audio Research Reference 300 amplifiers and Reference Phono. The Reference 300 monoblocks amplifiers incorporate the design and construction detail of the Reference 600 amplifiers in a size and power rating (300 w/ch) that is appropriate for a wider audience. These are the most neutral tube amplifiers that we've ever had in the store. The Reference Phono is also finally here. We've been asking for a reference-quality phono stage from Audio Research for some time. This is an important product for any REF1 or REF2 preamplifier lovers.

Audio Research LS-16 preamplifier. This new Audio Research tube preamplifier replaces the LS-15. The LS-16 features a surround processor bypass which facilitates the use of the preamplifier in a high-end surround-sound system. Due to extensive circuit board changes, there is no update available from the LS-15 to the LS-16. The LS-16 sets a very high standard for transparency and neutrality in a mid-priced high-end tube preamplifier. $2,995.

New on this site. If you haven't visited the System Design and Room Design sections of this website, we think that you'll find the new content interesting. (If not, please let us know!) Also, we have updated the Products pages with the latest information about our offerings.Also, our library now has a new article describing the design of the Spectral DMA-100S Reference Amplifier.

For a great vacation. If you're interested in a romantic vacation hideaway in the Caribbean, we can highly recommend the 113 acre private island of Petit St. Vincent.

Progressive Scan DVD Players Explained. A new article explains what the new progressive-scan DVD players actually do. It also discusses 3-2 pulldown.

Spectral DMC-30 Backlog Update. We are now receiving a regular stream of DMC-30 preamplifiers -- about one a month. This has allowed us to satisfy some of the backlog. We now have "slots" open for delivery in timeframes that are not too much of a wait. Please call Dan or Alan at 781-893-9000 us if you would like to have one of these DMC-30's reserved for you.

Dunlavy "Exotic Woods" Program. Dunlavy Audio Labs has recently announced that all Dunlavy speakers are now available in a selection of beautiful, exotic wood veneers. These woods augment Dunlavy's preexisting selection of standard finishes (Light Oak and Black Oak) and premium finishes (Natural Cherry, Standard Cherry, and Rosewood). The new exotic finishes include Zebrawood, Birdseye Maple, Walnut Burl, and many others. As you would expect, veneer prices vary from just a bit more to, well, a lot more.

Fine Art Show. We have just installed a show of Stephen Gottschalk digital prints. Using a digital camera, Mr. Gottschalk captures interesting images from the environment. He then uses a computer to combine and manipulate these images. The result: sublime prints that are flowing, graphic, ethereal, organic -- sometimes all at once. Simply and attractively framed, Stephen's works are quite reasonably priced. Other emerging artists should contact Dan Chadwick at 781-893-9000.

Rick Fryer, the President of Spectral, was in the store on July 30th and 31st to introduce the DMC-30 remote-control preamplifier and the DMA-100S 100w/ch amplifier. The DMC-30 simply amazed us with its technical excellence, particularly in the clever techniques used to avoid most of the difficulties associated with the design of a remote-controlled preamplifier. The new DMA-100S contains technology developed during the design of the DMA-150 and DMA-360 -- and indeed is a very advanced amplifier.

DIVX is kaput. Circuit City, the sponsor of the controversial DIVX video format, has discontinued DIVX. They will be taking a $114 million loss for terminating the venture. We view this as good news, as the competing DIVX standard created confusion for buyers and possibly delayed the availability of DVDs at local video rental stores.

Archived New Arrivals

CAL CL-2500-MCA 5-channel x 500 watt amplifier. We have just received and evaluated this monster multi-channel amplifier. It is tremendously powerful and can produce a lot of bass energy when called for by the movie soundtrack. When mated with the matching CL-2500 SSP surround sound processor, the individual channels are switched on only when they are in use and the processor can monitor the status of the amplifier. $7,500.

Princeton AF3.0HD HDTV. With a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio and native resolution support for 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i, this is the best HDTV of this size that we've seen. It includes an internal doubler for processing 480i to 480p, or add a Princeton DVDO-based line doubler ($699) for even better performance. $4,100.

Stax Electrostatic Headphones. We have the new line of superb Stax electrostatic "earspeakers," as they call them. Available in quite a variety of price ranges, they are simply the best we've heard. We now have a pair of SR-404 Signature earspeakers in the store for you to audition.

Parasound AVC-1800 processor and HCA-855A multi-channel amp. This $1,195 surround sound processor/preamp with Dolby Digital, DTS, and Burr-Brown DAC's makes an excellent complement to the $995, 85 watt/channel amplifier. An very nice, feature rich system with Parasound quality for under $2,200.

RCA DTC-100 HDTV satellite / off-air receiver. With just a single box, this receiver accepts analog NTSC off-air signals, cable TV signals, terrestrial HDTV, NTSC satellite (Direct TV) signals, and HDTV satellite (Direct TV) signals. It offers NTSC output, 1080i HDTV output, or 540p output. It has analog audio outputs, as well as digital audio outputs in PCM and Dolby Digital formats. $650, plus $230 for the dual LNB satellite dish.

Bevy of new REL subwoofers. We have the revised versions of the REL Strata, Storm, and Stadium, now in version III form. These subwoofers have independent level controls for their preamplifier and amplifier level inputs, both of which may be used simultaneously. In addition, you can control whether the preamplifier level input is routed through the crossover. For example, in a mixed home theater/music system, you can connect the REL subwoofer(s) to the left and right amplifiers, and adjust the crossover for proper performance when listening to stereo music. Then you can connect your surround sound processor's subwoofer output to the preamplifier level input and have that bypass the REL's internal crossover.

The new REL subwoofers have updated amplifiers and new cosmetic options. The Strata III and Storm III are available in wood finishes, in addition to the painted black, and the Stadium III is available in cherry, as well as rosenut, walnut, and black stained ash.

In addition, we have also received the brand new REL Q201E mini-sized subwoofer. The REL Q201E is a tight, controlled, super-sounding space-saving subwoofer (sibilance, anyone?). Its diminutive 1 foot cubed size can be put just about anywhere.

Spectral DMC-30 remote-control line level preamplifier. The long-awaited DMC-30 preamplifier has arrived. In designing the DMC-30, Spectral's chief engineer, Keith Johnson, optimized the signal paths and gain stages for line-level use. Internally, the DMC-30 employs the same balanced output board as the DMC-20 Series II preamplifier. After extensive research into the sonic attributes of remote volume controls, Keith concluded that only a motor-driven potentiometer could deliver the performance that he requires. A microprocessor controls all of the preamplifier's functions. During normal use it sleeps, awakening briefly only upon the activation of any of the preamplifier's controls. This elegant design eliminates the digital noise for which microprocessors are infamous.

MIT Oracle V2 Speaker cables. This is a new modular, high-performance speaker cable from MIT. MIT has designed this cable so that the speaker cables detach from the interface box. This lets you exchange your cables or have your interface boxes modified. A truly innovative design. (more)

Avalon Opus loudspeaker. This "mini-Eidolon" speaker from Avalon Acoustics boasts the same superb ceramic midrange and tweeter as its bigger sibling. The Opus's midrange and treble transparency recreates startlingly-lifelike images, with the same sweetness and relaxed ease as the Eidolon. In the Opus's bass region, a 9" Nomex-Kevlar composite woofer fires forward, while a different 9" woven carbon fiber woofer fires downward. The Opus is surprisingly compact, standing about 4" shorter than the Eidolon which allows it to easily fit in virtually any room. $13,995/pair in quilted cherry, figured ash, or figured walnut. (more)

Spectral DMA-100S Amplifier. This new high-resolution, high-bandwidth 100 watt/channel amplifier has arrived. This superb amplifier uses technology that Spectral developed for the DMA-150 and DMA-360. Each output FET (Field Effect Transistor) has its own power supply, including separate secondary windings on the transformer. The library contains a article describing the DMA-100S amplifier's design.

Kharma Exquisite and Ceramique Speakers. We have received the sublime Kharma Exquisite Reference 1b speaker. Using a very high performance inverted-dome ceramic midrange driver and unique cabinet construction, this speaker creates vivid, lifelike images with  integrated, highly dynamic bass. (Note: this speaker is currently on loan for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It is scheduled to return to our Waltham facility in mid March 2000.) (more)

We also have the Kharma Ceramique 1 speakers on display. This speaker, the largest of three in a series, uses a soft-dome tweeter, a ceramic midrange driver, and a large woofer. This is a speaker that is both very, very nice to listen to and very attractive, particularly in a contemporary home. $14,999/pair. (more)

LAMM Electronics. We are very excited to announce that we have added LAMM preamplifiers and amplifiers to our product lineup. LAMM makes premium electronics using novel technology stemming from intensive psycho-acoustic research done in Russia. We are displaying the L1 preamplifier and M1.1 100 w/ch class-A amplifiers. Please call Dan at 781-893-9000 if you are interest in auditioning these fascinating products.

Spectral DMC-30.

Wondering whether the Spectral DMC-20 Series II or the DMC-30 is right for you? It's easy:

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Runco Cinewide 5800 58" wide widescreen rear projection TV. This HDTV-ready rear projection TV has a scan rate high enough to accept up to 1080 interlaced HDTV signals. It also includes a built-in line doubler to display NTSC signals better. With two NTSC tuners, it can display Picture On Picture without any other equipment. Perfect for DVD, broadcast TV, and HDTV-ready. (more)

CinemaTech leather chairs. These high-end leather chairs and recliners are the ultimate for comfort (and we think style) for a listening room or home theater. Imported from Europe, these chairs feel like a fine European car seat -- supportive yet comfortable, even after a few hours.

Dunlavy Aletha. Dunlavy's new, not-too-big speaker is here. Sharing driver types with the SC-IV/A, this speaker has a vertically-symmetrical array of midrange drivers and a tweeter, but coupled with one downward firing woofer in a cool-looking hexagonal enclosure. This is the perfect speaker for those situations where you just can't have a full-height Dunlavy in the room. $5995/pr (standard finish). Also in, is the new Dunlavy SM-1, sort of a SC-I/AV on steroids, it offers better bass in a relatively small enclosure at an attractive price. $1995/pr.

Z-Systems RDP-1. An all-digital equalizer and digital preamplifier. Very transparent equalization for those in need. Also available without the preamplifier features as a pure digital equalizer.

Crestron. We now offer Crestron RF-based programmable remote control systems. Using custom-programmed touchscreens, a Crestron system can greatly simplify the use of comprehensive home theaters and multi-room audio systems.

Grado headphones and cartridges. We have added Grado to our lineup.

A new article discusses our recommendations for purchasing a digital front end in this time of change and a comparison of DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD.

California Audio Labs CL-20 & CL-25 DVD/CD Player with HDCD. If you're looking for an affordable combination DVD and CD player for your home theater, you really must audition the CAL CL-20. Same great sound quality as the CL-15. Great picture quality. The CL-20 has 9-bit video D-A converters and composite and s-video output for $2500. The CL-25 has 10-bit video D-A's and adds component video output for $3000.

ClassŽ SSP-25. Surround sound processor. with Dolby Digital (AC-3) and DTS. Good sounding, good looking, feature-rich, and easy to use. $3000.

Theta DaViD. DVD/CD transport.  We keep selling out. Contact us with your color and option choices.

Archived Favorites

CinemaTech. CinemaTech chairs are now available with several new options. You may choose one of 3 different grades of leather in a variety of colors, or provide your own material for custom upholstery. You can omit the center armrest to make a dual-reclining loveseat. You can even add a second motor to provide independent control of the seat back reclining and the footrest. (More info.)

Particular Contemporary Design. This award-winning company makes sculpture-like contemporary component stands, television stands, speaker stands, and CD stands. While Particular's custom-design limited-edition "art stands" begin at $13,000, their production stands start under $1,000. Available in a variety of sizes, configurations, and materials. (More info.)

Theta Casanova. This high-performance, highly modular, highly-upgradable surround sound processor has many of the features and benefits of its larger sibling, the famous Casablanca. Very flexible and easy-to-use, this processor is custom configured for your needs. Please give us a call. (more) Also, the Theta David CD and DVD transport: the ideal companion for the Theta Casanova or the Casablanca.

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