Hi-Fi

The super cool CD player to match the rest of the McIntosh gear. This unit is an SACD player as well. 

This is a solid unit where detail in the finish is matched by the detail of the sound. 

Learn More

This is a unique opportunity to purchase a current model, perfect condition top quality DAC

One of the very best DACs available. Every detail of this design has been lovingly thought out and designed with the one aim of recreating the best digital source possible.

We are selling this unit on behalf of a long term client. It has been meticulously looked after and comes with all of its boxes and accessories. 

 

Learn More

The GyroDec has been an iconic Turntable since the 1980s and not just because of its looks but it sure does help! English Engineer John Michell used to work for Transcriptor Turntables making parts for their decks. Michell and Transcriptors had a very close working relationship and Transcriptors actually moved into the factory where Michell was working. When Transcriptors then moved most of their manufacturing to Ireland, Michell took on the sole license and manufacturing of their high end Hydraulic Reference turntable.

Around the same time Michell knew and worked with Stanley Kubrik. John Michell built the spaceship 'Discovery' for the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. His relationship with Kubrik also led to the Hydraulic Reference Turntable's appearance in 'Clockwork Orange' 

Things like the inverted oil-pumping bearing ensure near frictionless bearing performance. I really beleive this is why the Turntable does so well in the lower frequencies. The low indeterminate rumbles you get from other turntables result in a product that has a fuzzy bass. The GyroDec's bass is tight and controlled and the edges of the notes are devastatingly well defined.

There have been other improvements over the years as well. Upgrades to the motor design being the main one coming with a standalone high quality DC motor. Although this deck looks like the classic of the 70s make no mistake, it doesn't perform like it.

The full GyroDec version unlike the GyroDec SE comes with the single Acrylic chassis. A high quality Acrylic material that is incredibly inert to stop environmental vibrations getting to your cartridge. 

Michell, don't spend money of advertising let alone paying people to write reviews. Regardless there are plenty of awesome reviews out there of this deck. Here are some of them.

Black or Gold version of the GyroDec is $7495 ($6995 is for the standard Silver)

A review from Techradar on the SE version from 2011

And here's a page of owners real world experiences of the GyroDec on VinylEngine

Learn More

The Hegel H390 arrived only a short time ago and it has already managed to impress some hardend and cynical ears at Carlton Audio Visual. In fact, at the moment we have it on main rotation in the Lygon st demo room because it's sounds so good on such a range of speakers.

This demo space is used not only to entertain staff while they're beavering away doing the office work but also to run in speakers. With all the choice we have in store, I found myself going back to this amp when I had a choice on which one to pair with the Acoustic Energy Coriniums that are now being run in.

The thing of these Hegel amps is the damping factor. That is the ability of the amplifier to overcome the reactive load and spring effect of the loudspeaker drive units and render absolute control over the micro motions of the transducer cones.

It gives you such grip and control and it's warm fast and dynamic whilst being super easy to listen to, Plus all that on board streaming means I can sit in the office typing away and change the song via Roon or Tidal. This is a serious amplifier with serious streaming capabilities built-in.

Come and listen today, you'll be impressed too.

Hegel H390 official site. 

Learn More

The new Audio Research i50 integrated amplifier is the new entry level offering from US tube manufacturer, Audio Research. 

Audio Research is the sort of brand that hardened audiophiles lust after, drool over and buckle at the knees for...myself included. The sort of effortless, unadultered, rich sound that keeps us back late at night playing tracks that we've heard thousands of times before because they suddenly sound so real with Audio Research. 

Aesthetically, Audio research has a timeless elegance to it not only because of the valves but also the brushed aluminium finish. There's no plastic add ons with this brand or ostentatious flashing, multi-coloured lights...

Like a German piano from the early 20th century, you lust after them because they're beautiful pieces of furniture but also because their sound is rich & warm yet clearer and more natural than others.

For many people, like myself, Audio Research is an aspirational brand, something we hope, with a bit of luck will grace our living rooms one day. But with the new offering of the i50, we hope that day will come sooner for us all. 

Audio Research has spent years perfecting this design so as not to compromise on their stingent standards of quality and tone but to nevertheless offer something at a more modest price level. You can opt out of a built-in phono stage or DAC module depending on your needs as well. Learn More

A beautifully finished tall floorstanding loudspeaker built like a high end musical instrument. These are the newest release incorporating the Yamaha harmonious design principle wherein all the drive units are made of the same material being a mix of high tech zylon and original Spruce pulp.

Yamaha NS2000A loudspeaker official site

"Soundstage Australia" on the Yamaha NS2000 The Manager of Yamaha Audio Japan who runs the design team for the loudspeakers came to visit us at Carlton Audio Visual and I made this little video of him discussing the inception of the Ns2000a. His English is a little broken but was very interesting:

 

 

 

Learn More

These are another classic design that channels concepts from the 70s. JBL, Klipsch and Spendor have been making speakers like this too. Unlike the Klipsch and JBLs, these have a really rounded, mellow mid and treble quality that make them easy and relaxed to listen to.

They have a big beefy bass like sinking into a plush lounge chair.

Revival Audio is a new speaker brand from Alsace, France. You could be forgiven for thinking the above accolades as prematurely bestowed upon a speaker maker just entering the market. Yet, Revival Audio are no simple start up. The company’s sole two speakers (at this stage) are the fruit of decades of combined expertise from ex-Dynaudio’s Daniel Emonts and Jacky Lee, Revival Audio’s founding members.

While Emonts was Senior R&D Engineer and Lee was Chief Commercial Officer at Dynaudio, they became great friends and together took the plunge in establishing Revival Audio by the end of 2021, with the ambition of crafting some of the best speakers in the world. Together they make a formidable team and are well paired to take on the industry heavy weights.

Come and try them out now at Carlton Audio Visual.

Matching stands are an optional extra at $750 a pair.

 "The Ear.Net" on the Revival Audio Atalante 5 loudspeakers 

 "Soundstage Australia" on the Revival Audio Atalante 5 loudspeakers 

Learn More

Introducing the 212/SX, 1000W of goodness with a rear firing, down firing and two active 12" front firing. Upgraded with carbon fibre blades behind the drivers to stiffen yet in doing so adding nominal weight to the drivers.

This means more control, faster, even more agile and extended low bass.

Official Rel 212 site

"Home Theatre Hi Fi Secrets on the Rel 212SX

 

Learn More

This is where the Crimson range changes from the Pau Ferro wood to the Hawaiin Koa wood body. This wood has exceptional acoustic properties which make it popular in the making of musical instruments but also perfect for making cartridges.

It also has the additional laquer layering of the Stradavarius.

 

Learn More

In the same way as every musical performance needs a stage so a HiFi needs a stage to bring the music to life in your home. Combining the technology of the SVT rack and the bronze upgrade we effectively created a rack within a rack making the entire system more musical and enjoyable.

Learn More

Available in store for Audition

• Audiophile valve integrated amplifier
• High-end sound performance and exceptional build quality
• 80W output from push-pull Class AB amplifier with tube power stage

This is a lovely piece of engineering art with excellent fit and finish that differentiates it immediately from so many of the Chinese made rebadge products that are on the market.This high performance amplifiers brings out the best of other components in the system. Created by those obsessed with great sound and for those who love great music. The result is 80 watts of pure pentode output per channel built around a double triode 12AX7 on input and a 12BH7 tube as phase splitter and a pair of Gold Lion Russian Made KT88/6550 power tubes in push-pull configuration for a detailed, delicate and dynamic sound.

The critical transformers and other components are made in house by Synthesis under the aegis of Mr Lorenzo. We have found this product range to be exceptionally reliable in peoples homes.

Learn More

The Sussurro is one of those cartridges that will stay with you for life. A delicate instrument designed specifically to extract as much information from your Vinyl as possible. 

The MkII version is even lighter than the original. They have reduced the moving mass that creates the electrical signal for even more resolution and dynamics.

The sound of these is warm with little to no sibilance in the high end and oodles of width and depth to the sound. 

This is a Moving Iron cartridge but it does require a Moving Coil capable phono stage.

Learn More

The reference Aura MC stage is the culmination of decades of electronic design development. We have created the ultimate, fully adjustable, three stage, all symmetrical pre-amplifier designed purely to extract the very best performance from your moving coil cartridge and vinyl playback system.

Built into a completely re-designed custom case, the Aura is dedicated to moving coil cartridges and stays clear of any compromises. We have avoided including any superfluous functions as they obstruct the signal path and degrade the sound quality. The Aura phono pre-amp incorporates remarkable and innovative design ideas. If you are a vinyl connoisseur, then the Aura MC is an absolute must for demonstration.

Learn More

The P12 Powerplant. The best way to do power regeneration. Clean up your HiFi!

We have many customers who have good existing HiFi systems and especially recently with Lockdowns and spending more time at home listening to their systems, they ask 'what's my next step? I want something better. But do I really have to spend big on a new amp? Or is it more worthwhile getting new speakers?' Yes, these are questions facing the priveleged with cash to spend in these uncertain times.

The obvious answer to these dilemnas in our minds is a regenorator....not just your average power conditioner but a unit that will take the power off the wall and turn it into a perfect 230V sine wave minus the background hum of our modern urban environments.

For those who LOVE a bit of hands on tech and physics, this unit will even show you what it's improving with its full colour touch display on the front panel. You can measure the distortion that's coming off the wall using a built in THD analyser and oscilloscope and see the improvements that it's making.

And for those who are simply concerned about the music sounding better, sit back and relax. You here more articulation. The beginning and ending of bowed notes in a string orchestra are discernible and there in all their glory. The die out of piano notes seem to disolve into an inky blackness and dynamics are bigger. 

Check out PS Audio's offical website here

Please note the Australian specifications for this unit are different to the American ones as the unit is designed to take Australian Voltage off the wall. For the Australian market, the P12 has 4 outputs.

Learn More

The Altair G2.1 is the unit in Auralic's range that does it all. A Preamplifier, DAC and Streamer with options to put in a 2TB hard drive and even a CD ripper. 

The Preamplifier is also a full blown analogue preamplifier. Not only does it have the analogue line and Moving Magnet phono inputs, it also doesn't simply convert these into digital signals within the chassis. Rather they are kept completely separate from the digital circuitry. Also the volume control is an analogue design based on resistive ladder construction. A less noisy, cleaner choice than other designs out there. Such all-in-one units have tended to use cheaper less fullfilling preamplifier modules that I normally recommend customers to bypass. That's not the case here.

Also a superior power supply and thick copper shielded chassis with isolating feet mean that noise and vibrations are kept to an absolute minimum. Couple that with a pair of super accurate clocks reducing jitter and this is a unit that stands above others in its category.

Clean, effortless sound and a unit that ticks all the boxes.

Learn More

This little brother carries the charisma and quality of the X5 dinosaur killer in a sleeker 30Kg package and that is desperately affordable ... relatively ...

The new S2, second generation of the integrated amplifier has a new DAC. That's the only difference with the new version. The word on the ground is that that's due to the AKM factory fire and continuing supply shortages of those chips. They've swapped the chips out for ESS Sabre DACs of very good quality.

 

Learn More

Now available in a Matt White finish. With the white ceramic platter, this finish looks particularly sharp!

Less is more for Rega, less noise, less vibration, less play in the bearings, less mass to store harmful resonance energy, and less ownership dissatisfaction ...

We would recommend the Rega Apheta 3 cartridge with this Turntable. For $1900 the Apheta 3 will come factory fitted on to the deck.

Or go for something that much more special, a Rega Aphelion ($6000). After all, a turntable is only as good as the information it can get from the needle itself.

Another great option is the Van den Hul "The Frog" Cartridge, a remarkable and rare device made by hand in Holland ($3499).

Learn More

A classic integrated amplifier that takes it cues from its celebrated 30 year heritage. The best Nait amplifier to date.

Naim put the money into their componentry where it counts and where there is auditive sound benefit, not where corporate bosses enforce an obscure cost/benefit analysis. That's why Naim has such a cult following in the HiFi industry. And their reputation is again reinforced with this super amplifier. On sheer tactility and product feel you know thios is going to be a really special amplifier before you even switch it on. Think a good modern Bentley ...

Naim products bought from us, a genuine approved Naim dealer, include the full 2 year warranty.

Here's Kevin from Upscale Audio talking about the Supernait 3...and SPIVs and commissions in the HiFi business (Carlton Audio Visual agrees with Kevin in this respect)

Naim SUPERNAIT 3 Official site.

Learn More

A killer all-in-one unit including amplifier, streamer and CD player. And this isn't just a thrown together assembly of various componentry. Each of its parts are in their own right, exceptional value and performance.

Naim products bought from us, a genuine approved Naim dealer, include the full 2 year warranty. 

Learn More