REFERENCE 10

LINE STAGE PREAMPLIFIER

In 2010 we announced the Reference Anniversary preamplifier, a special limited edition product commemorating our 40th anniversary. It was acclaimed by many as the finest preamplifier available and a fitting tribute to all of the classic Audio Research products that were introduced during the forty years that preceded it. That we would only accept new orders for this special product during the anniversary year surprised almost everyone, but we considered the limited time frame appropriate. Since that time, we have learned a few things, and the result of that knowledge led to the development of the Reference 10. Included are critically chosen new components, proprietary custom-made capacitors, wiring, and new connectors that cumulatively provide a level of performance never before achieved. Key Audio Research design traits remain: The signal path is fully discrete, all-tube, pure Class-A, with zero feedback. Other attributes and choices remain, too: Each unit is completely hand-soldered and hand-constructed in our Minnesota facility using the finest materials, with major components such as custom transformers, plated-through circuit boards, and casework sourced locally. All engineering is performed in-house.

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From the new Stellar range at PS Audio. The M700 Mono's and combine the slam and linearity of PS audio’s class D (700W per monoblock) with the warmth, grace and rich inner detail of Stellar’s class A Analog Cell. With the new Stellar range, you're foray into a pre/mono system has never been more affordable. Learn More

A really interesting box design with a gently curved front baffle and an unusual 360 degree bass port system. The F500 is from the Tannoy school of design with a characteristic dual concentric point source driver that combines bass and treble for better stereo imagery.

 For a Premium, gloss finish $1895

Fyne Audio homepage for the F500 loudspeakers 

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When Audio Research was founded in 1970, analog vinyl playback was the de facto music source of the time. Audio Research has either incorporated or built stand-alone phono stages since the very beginning and has continuously provided phono preamplification, even during the height of digital music.

The Reference Phono 3SE is the next great advancement in analog playback and represents a new benchmark. The knowledge gained in the creation of Audio Research’s award-winning Reference 160-series amplifiers has transitioned to both Reference preamplifiers. The Reference Phono 3SE continues the upgrades introduced in the Reference 6SE line-stage, including a number of new, ultra-high-quality parts judiciously incorporated into its design and ushering in a new level of sonic accuracy and musicality.

Due to the extremely low-level nature of the signals involved in a phono stage, the component and wiring upgrades incorporated in the Reference Phono 3SE combine to create a startling advancement in performance. The improvements heard immediately include enhanced resolution at all levels, greater purity and focus, improved transient speed and snap, and better dynamic shading. The sum of these improvements is exceptional, further breaking down the barrier between reproduced sound and the immediacy of a live event.

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Koss were the very first company to manufacture Headphones or Stereophones as they were then known for personal audio use. Prior to their SP/3 model release in 1958, Headphones were used purely for communication purposes. Think 1940s war time Telephone switch boards. 

In any case, Koss has been manufacturing Headphones since 1958 in Milwaukee Wisconsin and is still owned my the Son and family of John C. Kloss who started the business. A real family tradition.

Whether you're a musician after a set of decent studio monitors or an audiophile wanting a pair of Headphones that'll give you that extra bit of detail and precision, these are the ones.

They look clunky but are light weight and therefore feel super comfortable on.

The Pro4S Headphones on the Koss official website

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Aurender has just recently joined our ever expanding group of digital streamers. Aurender has quickly established themselves as one of the very best digital front end offerings in the world. Found in 2011 by Harry Lee, Aurender is made in South Korea and has at its core a team of people passionate about producing the very best in streaming.

The ACS10 is a streamer, CD ripper, hard drive storage & caching server. A veritable do-it-all unit for your digital front end. When your source material is dealt with from start to finish in an audio sensitive manner avoiding laptops and computers that easily corrupt and infect your source with noise, the music is simply better.

See the official Aurender website here

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This CD player is a solid performer. There are no plastic bits in this CD player - it is made out of real metal. Reliable and clear sounding unit at an affordable price point.

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Aurender is the new kid at Carlton Audio Visual. The choice for digital streaming options in the realm of real HiFi has blossomed over the last couple of years and for the uninitiated the nuances and the differences between a good digital front end and an incredible digital front end get lost in a lot of computer terminology.

Like a caching server. What is caching? And whiy is it useful in a streamer?

Caching is a temporary storage of information using certain drive and memory chip hardware. Having this caching server on board the streamer means the music files are stored right there at the streamer once selected so data is handled at dramatically increased speeds. It also eliminates annoying drop out problems from sub optimal internet connections.

This all means a better musical experience.

And more than the caching server, the Aurenders examine all the detail within the circuitry and connections in their units to reduce or eliminate noisy electronic componentry corrupting the musical signal. This means quieter noise floor, more detail and soundstage...in essence...more Music, less noise!

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A standalone DAC to enhance the performance of your whole system.

Built to last and with dedication and passion to creating the best sound, this Musical Fidelity is a winner for the music enthusiast.

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Once upon a time I came to Australia and found myself suddenly mortgaged, married and in an imminent condition of fatherhood. my previous ambitions of travel and science were promptly subjugated in order to make a sensible living.

And that's where Yamaha became my bread and butter as commissioned hi Fi salesperson in early eighties Melbourne.Those Yamaha stereo systems were so solid and sweet in comparison to the competing Pioneer and Sansui rack assembelages that they were an ethical sell to the blank canvas of the Middle Australian client base of that business I was working in.'Alas the speakers that were sold as matching the height and style of the cabinet were so very awful as to largely obviate any performance advantage in the source electronics.

This Yamaha AS501 is a sensory throwback to old Yamaha eighties style . It is clean and crisp and delightfully constructed and is just obviously sensible. Good inputs, good controls, good sound, good construction, good value.

I hereby appoint the AS501 to be the evolutionary successor to the 1984 Yamaha A500 integrated ampilfier.

What Hi-Fi? on the Yamaha AS501

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The Chord Electronics streamer that pairs perfectly and conveniently with a Hugo 2 so that it's portable and delectable just like the whole Chord range.

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Please contact us for up-to-date availability on colours.

The A12 is a favoured work horse for systems where power control and flexibility is needed. At the heart of this amplifier is an over engineered toroidal transformer - a big chunky power supply designed to limit interference with other components within the chassis.

Rotel is so renowned for making hefty power supplies, they sell them to other HiFi manufacturers.

Included on this amp are digital connections like optical, coax and PC-USB, aptXTM Bluetooth and a Phono stage for turntable connection, making this a verastile unit for many Living Rooms. Use the optical connection to connect to a Television to dramatically improve TV sound quality or take this straight home with a pair of speakers and you're good to go with a quality Bluetooth connection.

The MkII version has updated its Digital Circuitry to a Texas Instruments DAC chip. This has been more out of necessity because of the low stock of DAC chips world wide but the Texas Instruments has been a welcomed addition and is even an upgrade from the older Wolfson DAC.

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This is our budget sacd player. SACDs are a special type of CD that stores more information on them than ordinary CDs. They store the music in DSD format so instead of taking little slices of the music very quickly and piecing it back together into an analogue sound wave at the other end, it stores the whole nice analogue sine wave.

This makes them more musical, less digital sounding.

It's a great option to have on a CD player to be able to read the full SACD layer but it normally comes with a hefty (above $5K price tag). 

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Marantz has been a stalwart of Carlton Audio Visual since we opened. Consistently rich and warm in sound and very adaptable. Marantz is a big enough company to change their designs quickly to give consumers what they're after. Integrating HiFi quality streaming into HiFi quality amplifiers is one of those adaptations.

The Model 40N is a rich, warm sounding amplifier with an easy-to-use high quality streaming module built-in.

On demo now at our Lygon st showroom

 

 

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The largest and the premium offering from Bluesound of their stand alone speakers.

A fantastic alternative to Sonos, Bluesound have real HiFi cred and are not simply a software company. They care about sound and quality. That's what you can hear and feel in their products.

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Bluesound describe this as another compact speaker. It is however bigger than the Pulse Flex2i and therefore offers more grunt and volume for listeners. Deeper bass notes and more sound in general terms.

 

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This is the non Pro version of the PB-1000. It is a revamping of the earlier version of this subwoofer in order to be able to sell it on a bidget.

Still a very good subwoofer but it doesn't have the 12" driver (only a 10") as well as only one bass port.

The Pro version also boasts in app adjustability for on the fly tweaks to your system and the newer and heftier amplifier module that is capable of higher output.

Black Ash finish only.

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Welcome back from the 1970s ... The Ruark R810 a high end music centre that has been sent forward in time but stealthily upgraded with all the contemporary digital music replay formats and a gorgeous compact 4 inch OLED colour display hidden in the retro wooden venting that has become the design hallmark of this new Ruark series.

Ruark R810 official site. 

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This is so pretty, a lustrous combination of wood with LED inlay and is a very sweet sound. It has already received a number of awards for its grace of design.

Unkindly described as a very elegant chopping board by one of my colleagues, the Omnia is actually a very clever piece of audio design that is to compete with the Devialet Phantom/Naim Muso type product. The Devialet and the Naim are actually really tough competition but on looks alone this one is a winner.

https://www.avforums.com/reviews/sonus-faber-omnia-wireless-speaker-review.19692/

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