AudioPlus News and Views » AudioPlus — The Marketing and Communications Specialist for the AV Industry

New Chord Company USB SilverPlus

Steve — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:48:46 +0000

Responding to demand from computer audiophiles requesting a Chord quality USB cable, the USB SilverPlus launches with no pretensions to technical supremacy through advanced materials or unique construction techniques. It does however benefit from twenty years’ experience in designing cables that make a real difference.

USB SilverPlus is based on the technical understanding and empirical experience that developing successful cables bring.

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A Shared Passion for Perfect Sound: Focal and Naim

Steve — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:10:26 +0000

United by their passion for perfect sound, leading high-end audio brands Focal and Naim, today announce they are merging to create a new European leader in the audio industry. Focal & Co will own and manage Focal and Naim as independent brands, retaining their unique philosophies and product ranges.

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Multi-award-winning Naim HDX gets SLC SSD

Steve — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:55:46 +0000

May 6 2010 High-End Show, MOC, Munich. Naim confirms, in an aggregate of abbreviations, that the multi-award-winning Naim HDX is to be offered with a 16GB Enterprise grade, Single Level Cell (SLC), Solid State Drive (SSD). This totally silent drive will contain the operating system and includes space for future upgrades. This and the performance upgrades are an upgrade option for existing HDX owners.

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Naim wins Queen’s Award

Steve — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:30:37 +0000

21 April 2010. Salisbury, England. Naim Audio is pleased to announce today that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the Prime Minister’s recommendation that a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category should be conferred on the company.

The Queen’s Award celebrates the Queen’s birthday and six years of continuous growth in Naim’s export sales – a remarkable achievement given the world economy.

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Naim HDX gets major software update

Steve — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:45:18 +0000

Naim Audio today confirmed that the new update — Version 1.5 — for the Naim HDX Hard Disk Player is available for retailers to download. In addition, thousands of CDs are in the post to Naim retailers to enable them to update their customers’ HDXs.

Version 1.5 brings a major improvement in convenience with rip to NAS and far more flexible networking. Shares are scanned or ignored by selection thus reducing scanning time and improving speed of music availability. This part of the update alone will bring massive benefits to many Naim customers who have large collections of music waiting further ripping.

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New Naim UnitiQute

Steve — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:00:52 +0000

CES Show Las Vegas 7th January 2010. Naim Audio, the UK’s largest and most successful specialist audio manufacturer, launches UnitiQute a smaller more compact all-in-one system than NaimUniti Naim Audio’s multi award-winning system.

The UnitiQute is the first high-end remote controlled all-in-one audio player to offer so many sources: FM & Internet Radio (plus DAB in supporting markets), MP3 / iPod (Authenticated digital iPod connection), Streamed audio and USB.

Key to UnitiQute is its digital audio streaming capabilities. UnitiQute can wirelessly stream music stored on UPnP™ networked devices, providing access to even more music including – the increasingly popular – hi resolution 24bit / 96kHz WAV or FLAC files.

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Keith Monks Returns To CES

Steve — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:35:05 +0000

CES – High Performance Audio at The Venetian, Room 30-233

The Keith Monks brand returns to CES – after its previous showing back in 1983, some 27 years ago. Jonathan Monks, son of the famous Keith, returns Keith Monks Audio to CES: leading from the front in the newly reinvigorated company. Jonathan has spent the last few years refining the design and manufacture of the most famous record cleaning machines in the world.

The timing is ideal: it is the 40th anniversary of Keith Monks Audio and the new and much-planned celebratory model, the Ruby, is finally coming off the production line.

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Win a NaimUniti System with Radio Paradise

Steve — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:19:26 +0000

During the month of October 2009 Radio Paradise www.radioparadise.com (one of the most popular internet radio stations in the world) is running a promotion where one lucky listener can win a NaimUniti all-in-one audio player and a pair of Naim n-SAT speakers.

Radio Paradise (RP) is a commercial-free listener-supported radio station. Listeners supporting the station during October are automatically entered into the draw to win the NaimUniti and n-SAT speakers.

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The New Naim DAC

Steve — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:56:22 +0000

The Naim DAC is a true high-end product that can deliver an audiophile and, more importantly, a musical performance from virtually any digital source. It is also a truly convenient way to access music.

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The TC Konnect 8 has arrived

Steve — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:35:20 +0000

I’ve been following the suggestions and informative comments of JS on the Naim Forum for a good while. JS appears to be very knowledgeable about digital audio and computer audio. JS has been suggesting that the best way to get low jitter S/PDIF digital audio out of a PC or a MAC is to use the TC Konnect 8.

It’s around £200, if one shops around, so I decided to risk it. I also purchased a cheap PC Express to IE1394 card to fit my HP2133 netbook. Lots of fiddling around and finally all the drivers matched up and were running.

My best DAC, or at least the best that will do anything above 48kHz, at the moment is the Cambridge DacMagic so I tried it it with the output from the TC.

Very interesting, the combination delivers the best computer audio sound quality I’ve achieved so far. It has a rightness and a feeling of grip that is so much better then the shiny chromium plated sound that it’s so easy to get.

Huge amounts of listening to do and many experiments to carry out and hopefully a Naim DAC to play the Konnect through in a month or so.

More as I get time to listen

Musical Fidelity V-DAC versus the Cambridge Audio DacMagic

Steve — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:55:51 +0000

The Musical Fidelity V-DAC arrived early this morning so after about six hours running in impatience got the better of me and I tried my first comparisons. The Cambridge DacMagic was powered by the Maplin AC-AC converter, the snappily coded L54BR, and the V-Dac by a Maplin VN10L AC to DC adapter set to 12 Volts. The reason for using the Maplin PSs is that the MF looked as if it was a SMPS and they really affect my system. SMPS and Naim systems don’t really mix well.

The two DACs are pretty close; in fact I’ve not drawn a conclusion yet. The MF is initially very enticing, it has a very direct quality as if a veil has been removed from in front of the speakers but at the same time it wasn’t quite as cohesive. The DacMagic – set to my preferred Minimum phase setting – was a little more relaxed, laid back in presentation but the bass was together with the rest of the band. The MF, although it timed, somehow managed to sound a tad slow on bass lines.

Lots more listening to do with coax S/PDIF as today was with optical. More soon.

Naim XS Series

Steve — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:46:35 +0000

Naim Audio the UK’s leading manufacturer of high-end hi-fi products announced today the launch of the new XS Series. The XS series is the first slim-line series to carry a brushed anodised black fascia. The new fascia signifies that the XS series is a step up from the i series.

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