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EVERYDETAILM ATTERS - SENNHEISER IE 900 AUDIOLAB ELEVATED - THE NEW 9000A
SENSIBLY PRICE, BEAUTIFUL Y FINISHED: THE ACOUSTIC ENERGY AE320
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37 -THEALLNEW REGA ELEXMK4
CONTENTS
54 -RAVE REVIEW SFOR RELACOUSTICS
04 -SENNHEISER IE 600-SENSATIONALSOUND! 08 -LITTLE W ONDER - THEACOUSTIC ENERGYAE100 2 12 -STANDING PROUD -JVC PROJECTORS 18 -KEFBLADE 20 -SENNHEISERAMBEO SOUNDBARS 22 -BRING THEBASS-SENNHEISERAM BEO SUBW OOFER 26 -AUDIOLAB ELEVATED -THE 9000A 33 -FULLCIRCLE -NEATE PETITE CLASSIC 34 -EVERYDETAILM ATTERS-SENNHEISER IE 900 37 -THEALLNEW REGA ELEXMK4 38 -ACOUSTIC ENERGYAE320 42 -INTRODUCING THE NAIM 200SERIES 46 -AN ENERGETIC CONDENDER-THEAE509 50 -PSU-XR -INTELLIGENTPOW ER FROM CYRUS 54 -RAVE REVIEW SFOR RELACOUSTICS 60 -UNTANGLEYOURMUSIC W ITH UPGRADED CABLES 64 -INTRODUCING AUDIO NOTE’SMODERN CLASSIC
MUSICATHOME+ 03
EXCEPTIONALIN EVERY DETAIL SENNHEISER IE 600
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The IE 600 benefits from the meticulous m anufacturing proces that is the halm ark of Sennheiser’s IE audiophile earphone family. Developed in Germ any,they are m anufactured at Sennheiser’s state-of-the-art transducer production faciltiesto the very higheststandards.Thisensures the bestchannelm atching pos ible and the lowest pos ible unit-to-unit variations in the m iniature, dynam ic drivers – thereby guaranteeing a flawles listening experience. The new IE range hasbeen inspired bythe world of profes ional audio for briliant wearing com fort, durabilty and lifetim e serviceabilty. Ergonom ic features include individualy adjustable flexible ear hooks and a choice of three silcone and three m em oryfoam earadaptersetsto ensure a perfectly secure fit and outstanding pas ive noise isolation. The supplied cables with 3.5 m m and 4.4 m m connectors are reinforced with para-aramid for outstanding stabiltyand tearstrength,while the use of a high-quality Fidelity+ MMCX recesed connectorensuresthatcablescan be replaced when needed. O ptional balanced 2.5 m m term inated cables are also available for listening with high-quality digitalaudio players and otherm obile devices.
Key features •Audiophile Sound:TrueResponse transducers ensure incredible tonalyneutral,true-to-life voicing and im pactfulbas response •Exceptionalbuild quality:ZR01 am orphous zirconium housings3D printed in Germ anyensure incredible resilence and lasting greatlooks •Unique dual-cham berabsorbersystem to rem ove m asking resonancesforarefined and extended treble •Precision as em bly:Transducersare m anufactured bySennheiserusing an advanced proces to ensure the lowestpos ible unit-to-unitvariationsin the m iniature,dynam icdrivers •3.5mm and 4.4mm cableswithgold-plated M M CX connectors •Ensure an optim alfit-Selection ofsilcone and m em oryfoam earadaptorsin 3 sizes(S/M /L)and adjustable earhooks
•Im pedance:18 ohm ssystem im pedance
•Frequencyresponse:4 –46,500 Hz
•THD :<0.06% (1 kHz,94 dB)
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REPRODUCED FROM HI-FICHOICE
power. Paper isn’t particularly fashionable as a cone m aterial,buta speakerdesignerofgreatexperience whom I know and trust – not connected to Acoustic Energy – told m e it’s stil a greatm aterialfora drive unitcone,being light,stif and natural sounding. High frequencies are dispensed by a 25m m fabric dom e tweeter.Although AcousticEnergyisfam ousforitsm etal and – m ore recently – carbon dom e high-frequency units, fabric is a fine compromise. Potentialy such a tweeter can sound very sm ooth,and mates nicely, tonaly, with paper m id/bas drivers.The cros overdoes itsstuf at2.9kHz. The cabinet features AE’s favoured rear-firing slot-shaped bas reflex port; al the com pany’s speakers now use thisand itm akesitspresence feltles than conventionalround portsand you can push it closer to a boundary without is ue. The cabinet is 15m m high-density fibreboard;HDF is m ore expensive than the M DF used bym ost speakerm akers,butdue to itsgreater rigidity,Acoustic Energy hasused les ofit.Like every speakercabinetin the world,itproducesitsowncolourations, but M at Spandl’s view is that they’re quite euphonicand agreeable onesal the same. Even with the volum e realywound up,it holdson tightand doesn’tlose the plot The end result is a sm al, ported two-way design with a claimed frequencyresponse of51Hzto 26kHz (-3dB)and 120W RM S powerhandling. By the standards of the aforem entioned budgetboxes ofthe Eighties and Nineties,these are quite staggering num bers – and show how farspeakerdesign has progres ed,at leaston paper.The cabinetalso looks very neat,especialy in its satin white finish;satin blackand walnutvinylwrap are also available.In the flesh,itfeels m arkedly swisher than those golden oldies too, with the m agneticaly atached grilesadding to the sense of sophistication.
Litle wonder Asthe costofliving spiralsoutofcontrol, N ick Tate triesthishighlycapable, cost-conscioussm alspeakeroutforsize
point–doing agood cheap speakeris way harder than doing a good m id-priceorevenhigh-end one.Thisis because,with abudgetbox,everylast penny hasto be counted,and indeed pinched. Ifyou’re a designercreating a £2,600 standm ount,you don’thave to justify everylast‘dolarand cent’spentin the finished product, and a £26,000 speaker designer can splurge m oney around with gay abandon. Yet here, everything has to be as good as it posibly can – because everything countsin sm alam ounts! O ne key design aim for the AE100 2 was to m ake it reasonably sensitive, and the quoted 87dB shows thatthis has just about been achieved. The 130m m paperconed m id/bas unitis as large as can be cram m ed into a speakerthat’sjust165m m wide;m any rivalsuse 110m m units,which are les eficient and les good at handling
Whatever happened to the bargain basement standmount? Back in the m id-Eighties you could buy a pair of W harfedale Diam onds for £80, while a decade orso laterM is ion 760swould set you back £130. W hen you take the relativechangeinvalueofm oneyoverthe years into acount, that price now translates to roughly £260 – the costof the AE100 2 you see before you. Designer M at Spandl aludes to this, noting: “W e can’t do anything decent below this price point”.Put sim ply,the com prom ises needed to sel a budget speakeranycheaperthan thisin 2022 are such thatAcoustic Energy wouldn’twant to putthe com pany’snam e to it.And this is, of course, a Chinese-m anufactured product,where costs to produce are stil lowerthan in the W est. Forgive al thisslide-rule twiddling,butit does ilustrate just how tight things are when designing and seling entry-level speakers.This brings m e on to the next
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W ithinsecondsofcueing up atrack,thelistener ishappily geting into the m usic’sm ood – and you can’tsaym uch fairerthan that. Conclusion Acoustic Energy’sAE100 2 ishard notto like.It has a friendly, warm , inviting and afable character that doesn’t bother you with too m uch detailaboutthe recording,butinstead gets you into the m usic itself.You m ighteven say ithas a certain charm ofits very own.As such,it’sahighlyim pres ive thing atthisprice – and hard notto recom m end with open arm s. W ith cleverly designed budget loudspeakers, les can be so m uch m ore,itseem s
AE100 2 Specif ications •Drive Unit:130m m papercone •Tweeter:25m m fabricdom e •FrequencyRange:51Hz-26kHz
•Sensitivity:87dB •PeakSPL:112dB •PowerHandling:120w •Cros overFrequency:2.9kHz •Im pedance:6ohm s •Design:2-way •Griles:Slim ,cloth m agneticfit •Dim ensions:290 x165 x250 (HxW xD) •W eight:9.2kg (pair) •Finishes:Black,Satin W hite and W alnutvinylveneer
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REPRODUCED FROM HOMECINEMACHOICE
JVC’s'entry-level'native 4K laserPJlacksseriouscom petition – Steve W ithers wondersifitm ightbeinaclas ofitsown Standing proud
JVC hasbeen wowing projectorfansrecently with its native 4K im ages, laser-powered lighting, clas -leading blacks and dynam ic HDR tone m apping,butthe costofadm is ion ain’tcheap.Tested here is the DLA-NZ7,the entry-pointinto JVC’slaserline-up withaprice tag of £11,499 that m akes it a signif icant investm ent.Needles to say,thisisn'taPJyou justaim ata white wal. The ‘afordable’JVC option in 2022 is actualy the lam p-based DLA-NP5,which is an updated versionofthepreviousgeneration,adding HDM I 2.1 inputs and support for HDR10+ and 4K/120p.Buteven the NP5 costs £7,499,so is hardlyabudgetm odeleither.
Sibling Rivalry O n paperthe NZ7 and NZ8 appearverysim ilar,with exactly the sam e chas is, three-chip 4K (4,096 x 2,160)D-ILA device,BLU-Escentlaserlightsource, and 17-elem ent,15-group al-glas 65m m lens.They also both have twin HDM I2.1 inputs that ac ept 8K/60p and 4K/120p,plus supportHDCP 2.3,3D and high dynam ic range – specificaly HDR10,HLG, and HDR10+. Theyalso boastthesam eAuto ToneM apping,which reads HDR m etadata and adjusts the static tone m apping ac ordingly.In addition,they benefitfrom Fram e AdaptHDR,which analyses the HDR signal and dynam icaly changes the tone m apping,along
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with a Theatre O ptim iserthatm atches HDR deliveryto yourscreen’ssize and gain. O therfeatures shared by the two projectors include the sam e intuitive m enu system and backlitrem ote handset,aswel asm otorised lenscontrolsand ac uratelensm em oriesthat help make setup easier. In terms of instalation both beam ers have a 2.0x zoom and identicaldim ensions,althoughtheNZ7is a sm idge lighterat22.5kg,and they can be stand orceilng m ounted. So, what’s diferent? M ost im portantly, the NZ8 isslightly brighterwith a claim ed 2,500 Lum ens output, com pared to the NZ7’s 2,200,and the form erhasa superiorcontrast rating of80,000:1,double thatofthe NZ7. TheNZ8also hasacoating ontheinsideofits lens asembly to improve contrast performance by suppresing any reflected light,and ituses a wide colourgam utfilter thatreachesDCI-P3. The only other diference is that the NZ8 em ploysa four-directional8K/e-shiftX device, as opposed to the NZ7’s bi-directional 8K/e-shift unit, first introduced on the previous generation’s DLA-NX9. This later only shifts pixels by half-a-pixel diagonaly, whereasthe new ‘X’variantshiftsthem in al
fouraxes,which alowsthe NZ8 and NZ9 to display a ful8K (8,192 x4,320)im age. W hen itcom esto laser-powered native 4K projectors, JVC’s only com petition is the Sony VPL-XW 5000ES (£5,999)and VPL-XW 7000ES (£14,999).The form eris obviouslythe m ostafordable option,butislim ited to 2,000 Lum ensand drops3D,wide colourhandling and m otorised lenscontrolsto reach itslowerprice point.
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The XW7000ES reinstates these features and delivers an insanely bright 3,200 Lum ens,but is priced to compete directly with the NZ8. Interestingly, neither Sony beam er has genuine dynam ic tone m apping,norHDM I2.1 inputs,so there’sno supportforHDR10+ or4K/120p. The XW7000ES reinstates these features and delivers an insanely bright 3,200 Lum ens,but is priced to compete directly with the NZ8. Interestingly, neither Sony beam er has genuine dynam ic tone m apping,norHDM I2.1 inputs,so there’sno supportforHDR10+ or4K/120p. Thisputsthe NZ7 isan enviable position.Itsports im pres ive features and specifications, has no directcom petitor,and issignificantlycheaperthan the Sony XW 7000ES and JVC'sown NZ8.Ifitcan deliver a perform ance com parable to its m ore expensive sibling,then m ightitbe the bestoption forany hom e cinem a fan seeking value form oney and adegree offuture-proofing? Keeping up appearances A JVC NZ8 takespride ofplace in m yown review system ,so Ihave a point ofreference,and the m ore afordable NZ7 im m ediately im pres es. It m ighttechnicaly be les capable butthis wasn’t readilyapparent.Now,that'snotm uchofasurprise regardsthe lum inance,because the hum an eye is rubbish when asked to com pare brightnes ,butI wasexpecting to seem oreofadrop-ofincontrast. W hile the NZ7 m easuresaround the claim ed 40,000:1,itdoesn’tlooknoticeablydiferent, even in m y com pletely blacked-out dedicated hom e cinem a, to the pricier NZ8. That m odel undoubtedly deliversm arginaly beterblacks,but they aren’ttwice asgood,orfourgrand beterfor thatm ater. The halway fightin The Batm an (4K Blu-ray)gives the perfectexam ple ofthe NZ7’scontrastprowes , withthedarknes looking suitablyblackand litonly by m uz leflashes from m achine guns. These highlightsrealypop astheypunctuate the action, while the projector teases out al the shadow details as the Dark Knight is briefly ilum inated m eting outpunishing justice with hisfists.
Thissequence dem onstratesanotherbig strength of JVC’s latest beam ers: clas -leading HDR10 dynam ictonem apping.Bloody,m uddyViking epic The Northm an (4K Blu-ray)clim axeswith a fightat nighton the rim ofan erupting volcano,and the lava is rendered with such precision that al the detailisretained in the m olten rock.It’sso realistic you can alm ostfeelthe heat. HDR m asterclas Like the NZ8 there’sadynam iccontrolforthe laser but,aftera prolonged period testing thisfeature,I reckon it'sbestleftof.You do getsom e verynice fadesto com plete black,butatothertim esthere are obvious brightnes fluctuations that can get annoying, m om entarily lifting you out of the contentyou're watching. The NZ7 doesn’thave the wide colourfilterfound on the NZ8,so coversaround 89% ofthe DCI-P3 gam ut,asopposed to nearly 100% .However,this m akesles ofa diference than you m ightexpect, and watching the 4K Blu-rayofInside O ut,with its deliberately expanded colour gamut, reveals briliantly saturated im ages thatretain a day-glow pop. Thedownsideto JVC'swidecolourfilterisa25per cent drop in brightnes ,and for this reason the HDR10+ m ode on the NZ8 and NZ9 disablesitto ensure a brighterHDR experience – so with discs with such grades,NZ7 buyers won't be m is ing out.Spinning the scene where Schofield wakesup atnightin 1917 (4K Blu-ray)found the PJm aking use ofHDR10+’s dynam ic m etadata to bring out detailintheshadows,whileensuring theblacksare deep and the flareshave real,wel. flair. The NZ7 sports the sam e upscaling as the NZ8, and it’s excelent. M y trusty Blu-ray of Sam sara looked pristine and detailed,with no signsofany procesing artefacts. However, unlike its big brother’s four-way 8K/e-Shift, the NZ7’s bi-directional version isn’t a revelation, and in generalIprefered to turn itof and sim plyenjoya native resolution with 4K content.
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3D Fun and Gam es M otion isn’t always a JVC strong point, and is definitely an area where Sony's hom e cinem a projectors are stronger. That said, this latest generationdoeshandlem ovem entbeter.Thefort atack in The Northm an isa single-take doly with the cam era m oving constantly from left to right, and the NZ7 delivered al this kinetic action withoutintroducing anyworisom e judderorother obviousm otion artefacts. For3D you’lneed to payextra forJVC'soptional synchro em iterand glas es,butifyou’re a fan of stereoscopic cinema you'l love the results. W atching The Adventures of Tintin on Blu-ray reveals fantastic 3D images that are bright, detailed and colourful,boasting plenty ofdepth, and notahintofannoying cros talk. The NZ7 shouldn'tdisappointwel-heeled gam ers either, thanks to its long-life laser light source, 4K/120p support, and low-latency m ode that reduces input lag to 36m s. The result is an enjoyably bright and responsive gaming experience, with HDR im ages that are expertly tone-m apped. High-end hom e cinem a ‘Entry-level’isa very relative term ,and in the case ofthe NZ7 it’sdoing a lotofheavylifting.In every respectthis is a high-end projector,and its lower
status in JVC’s laser stable is only due to the exceptionalperform ance ofered by the m odels above it. In m ost respects the NZ7 is a worthy alternative,delivering im pres ive bigscreen im ages forles wonga.A price tag that’sthe bestpartof twelve grand could never be considered afordable,butfactorin the com petition and the awesome HDR playback, and this peerles perform erisdefinitelyabestbuy
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htps:/youtu.be/J5uS2CgM wTI
KEF BLADE
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Developed by KEF engineers after years of painstaking ref inem entand hand-builtbym aster technicians at KEF’s Maidstone facility, the f lagship KEF BLADE speakerstruly extend what high-end audio can achieve. As the world’s first Single Apparent Source speaker m odels, the BLADE One M eta and BLADE Two M eta both share the sam e advanced driver technology and unique single apparent source conf iguration for a realistic,room -f iling sound. Ref ined since itsintroduction asaconceptm odel in 2009,this iteration benef its from the latest acoustic innovations: award-winning M etam aterial Absorption Technology (M AT™ ) for a m ore natural acoustic presentation, a
bespoke 12th-generation Uni-Q driver aray that delivers a m ore transparent and life-like sound, and the Single Apparent Source technology to create a more realistic and im m ersive sound. These stunning speakers are available in a palete of eight f inishes,created by blending f ive cabinetf inisheswith sixdrivercone colours: Piano Black/Copper,Piano Black/Grey,Frosted Blue/Blue, Frosted Blue/Bronze, Charcoal Grey/Red, Charcoal Grey/ Bronze, Racing Red/Grey,and ArcticW hite/Cham pagne. Ifthatisn’tenough,itisalso pos ible to create a custom ised speaker cabinet colour schem e by supplying a Pantone ofyourchoice,fora truly unique Blade.
SeeAbove: BladeOneM etaisthetop m odel of Blade,the pinnacle of KEF engineering. Blade Two M eta sharesthe same Blade DNA in asm alerfootprint.
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SennheiserAM BEO Soundbars W elcom eto theultim ateIm m ersivesound experience
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W ith AM BEO ,we create a virtual7.1.4 setup that projectssound to the listenerfrom anypartofthe room . AM BEO Self-Calibration first learns your room ’sacoustic propertieswith extrem e precision. Next,the soundbargeneratesand positionsseven virtualspeakers al around you, plus four m ore overhead.Theim m ersionisbreathtaking whenyou playDolbyATM O S,DTS:X,360 RealityAudio,and M PEG-H audio. W ith ourlong history ofaudiophile products,our soundbars are also outstanding for listening to m usic.Letthe autom aticpresetselection adaptto the tunes you're playing orselectthe presetyou prefer.You can even upm ixstereo and 5.1 content to create thriling 3D m usicalexperiences,with or without an optional AM BEO Sub. You’l hear everything asifyouwerethere.Theband isplaying justforyou. Al the advanced AM BEO soundbarfeatures add up to a system capable ofproviding im pres ive high-fidelity in 2D or3D.You getboth im m ersive hom e theatre sound and audiophile-grade m usic listening from a single device.
Im m ersive audio should be felt-notjustheard. Welcome to a spine-tingling cinematic experience,designed to give you goosebum ps. M ovie nightwilneverbe the sam e. W ithourAM BEO SoundbarM ax,wewerethefirst audio company to ofer a home theatre experience with audiophile sound.Reviewersrank itasthe bestsoundbarin the world.The AM BEO Soundbar Max is driven by AMBEO, a breakthrough in 3D sound developed in colaboration with the German research organization,FraunhoferIS Institute. O urlatestsoundbar,the AM BEO SoundbarPlus, places you in the center of al the action. Stil ofering deep,im m ersive sound,now in a m ore com pacthousing than itsaward-winning sister,the AM BEO Soundbar M ax. Thanks to its unique calibration,justplug itin and setitup to enjoyal the depth,im pact,and spaciousnes ofa m ovie theatre.
How did oursoundbarsbecom e the world'sbest?
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Key features • State-of-the-artAM BEO virtualization, co-developed with the FraunhoferIS Institute, recreatesaful7.1.4 hom e theatersystem .
NotonlyareAM BEO soundbarsdelightfulto lookat, they also oferextensive com patibilty and ease of use. You just plug it in, calibrate, and instal the intuitive Sm art ControlApp,which includes audio setings,an equalizer,and m ore.The AM BEO |O S platform is com patible with al the m ajor audio stream ing services as wel as W i-Fiand Bluetooth connectivity.W ith regularupdates,you alwayshave ac es to the latestform atsand features.Thisway, you can integrate AM BEO soundbars into your existing m ultim edia environm ent and enjoy the benefits offuture developm ents form any years to com e.W elcom e to the future ofim m ersive audio.
• Im m ersive suround sound with built-in 4" dual-subwoofersforthundering bas .
• Autom ated self-calibration to learn the acousticsof yourroom . • AM BEO virtualization can upm ixanystereo content to create aroom -filing sound stage. • Designed to perform with Sennheiseraudio DNA. Seven High-end alum inum cone ful-range drivers drive incrediblysharp fidelityand clearM ids. • Com patibiltywithDolbyATM OS,DTS:X,M PEG-H, and 360 RealityAudio. • Advanced AM BEO |O S connectivity:Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay2,SpotifyConnect,TidalConnectwith DolbyATM OSM usicsupport,built-inGoogle Chrom ecast. • Easilyadjustand custom ize presetswith the EQ and selectfrom three diferentAM BEO virtualization levels(Light,Standard,Boost).
• Voice Enhancem entforbeterspeech clarityand NightM ode fordiscreetlistening atnight.
• Alexabuilt-in,workswithGoogleHom eand Apple HomeKit
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Subwoofer SennheiserAM BEO
W ith a beautifuldesign thatm atchesitsincredible sound quality, a closed enclosure ensures audiophile-grade,deepestbas down to 27Hz.Its cuting-edge multi-sub aray technology alows you to connectup to foursubwoofersto scale bas perform ance and calibrate them individualy for optim alsound.W ireles connection ensures you can keep yourroom clean and neatwithoutthe need foranycables. By the way, just let us take care of m aking everything perfect. The AM BEO Sub advanced self-calibration and itsbuilt-in far-field m icrophone alow the device to scan yourroom and learn its acoustics with extrem e precision,leting the Sub adjustflawles lyto everyenvironm entand create a unique im m ersive sound experience that places you rightin the centerofthe action.Justplug itin, sim plysetitup and you’regood to go. The intuitive Sm art Control App and our W eb Interface guarantee a sm ooth and enjoyable user experience that includes m ultiple audio and equalizer setings besides many other
It’s m ovie night.The good guys are chasing the bad guysthrough the city.Theirrunning footsteps reverberate in yourwhole body.Each spin ofthe helicopterbladesabove you filthe room and can be feltthum ping on yourchest.The action m akes each hairon yourarm stand up.W elcom e to bas reinvented. The AMBEO Sub guarantees a breathtaking cinem aticexperience and is,asyou would expect from Sennheiser,also outstanding forlistening to yourfavorite m usic. O ur newest Sub delivers a unique im m ersive sound designed to give you goosebum ps.The Sub is driven by AM BEO,a breakthrough in 3D sound developed in colaboration with the Germ an research organization Fraunhofer IS Institute.The extrem ely deep bas ispowered by the AMBEO virtualisation technology, that provides the m ostnaturaland im m ersive sound you’ve ever experienced.W hile an 8” high-end proprietary woofer,paired with a 350W Clas -D am plifier,guaranteesunm atched thundering bas .
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state-of-the-artfunctionscreated to m ake the m ostout ofyourAM BEO Sub,which usesBluetooth Low Energy to ensure the lowest latency. A com prehensive onboarding and an easy setup alow you to enjoy your device withoutthe need forcom plicated firststepsand integrate the AM BEO Sub into yourexisting m ultim edia environm ent.
Key features • State-of-the-ArtAM BEO virtualization technology, co-developed with the FraunhoferIS Institute, deliversextrem elydeep bas . • Im m ersive sound with 8”high-end proprietary wooferand 350W Clas -D am plifier. • Closed enclosure ensuresaudiophile-grade, deepestbas downto 27Hz. • Advanced m ulti-sub araytechnologyalowsyou to connectup to foursubwooferswireles lyand calibrate them individualyforoptim alsound. • Autom ated self-calibration learnsthe acousticsof yourroom . • Intuitive Sm artControlApp with m ultiple audio and equalizersetings.
• Future proofexperience thanksto regularupdates.
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Audiolab Elevated The New Sound ofScience
Painstakingly engineered forexceptionalsonic perform ance with al m annerof digitaland analogue sources,the new 9000A isAudiolab’sbest-everintegrated stereo am plif ier. Specif ication sum m ary •Integrated stereo am plifierwith hi-resDAC
Cam bridgeshire, England – Audiolab has enjoyed an enviable reputation foram plifierexcelence eversince the original8000A arived in 1982,establishing itselfas the clas ic step-up m odelfrom the ‘budget’integrated hi-fi am psofthe tim e.Thisreputation hasrem ained constant through suc es ive productgenerations,rightup to the 6000A and 8300A,both ofwhich have delighted m usic loversattheirrespective price pointsin recentyears. Asweapproachtheend of2022–40yearsafterthelaunch ofthe 8000A – it’s tim e to revealthe nextgeneration of Audiolab am plification.The 9000A isthe firstcom ponent in Audiolab’snew flagship range,the 9000 Series.Itisalso the bestintegrated am plifierAudiolab haseverm ade. The 9000A introduces a sm artnew aesthetic,as befits a new flagship range.Solidlybuiltand im pec ablyfinished, the am p’s appearance reflects the crisp elegance and controled m uscularity ofits sound.Three rotary controls and an absence ofbutons(exceptforthe powerswitch) give the 9000A’s fascia a clean, as ured appearance, augm ented with a 4.3in colourscreen –like a sharp Savile Row suit complemented by a perfectly appointed acesory.
•Clas AB poweram plification:2x100W into 8 ohms •DAC stage based around flagship ES9038PRO Sabre chipset
•SupportsPCM to 32-bit/768kHz,DSD 64/128/256/512 and fulM Q A decoding
• Digitalupsam pling and five user-selectable DAC reconstruction filters
• Clas A post-DAC active filter
•Bluetooth 5 stream ing with LDAC and aptX HD support
•Certified ‘Roon Tested’
•High-perform ance M M phono stage
•Dedicated curent-feedbackheadphone am p
•Three operationalm odes:Integrated M ode; Pre-PowerM ode;PreM ode
•4.3in colourIPS LCD display
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The screen displaysa variety ofinform ation in a m ore visualy appealing way than m ost otherintegrated am ps– volum e level,input selection, form at data and m ore. It gives ac es to the am p’s m enu system , which includessuch optionsasdigitalupsam pling, inputsensitivityadjustm ent,balance control, autom atic standby switching, and volum e curtailm entwhen the am p ispowered up.It can even be set to display a VU m eter in ‘analogue’ or ‘digital’ form, showing real-tim e decibellevelsforthe leftand right channels – a satisfying graphical representation ofthe m usicasitplays.And it can be dim m ed orturned of com pletely,as the userprefers. Clas ichi-f i forthe m odern age Functionaly, the 9000A builds upon the highly suc es ful6000A,which launched in 2018 and remains one of Britain’s best-seling integrated am ps. The 6000A recognised thatwhile an am plifierisstilthe beating heart of any high-performance audio system ,justasithasbeenfordecades, a truly versatile integrated am p now needs to coverm any bases– digitaland analogue sources, wireles connectivity for portable devices,aphono stage forplaying vinyl,and am plification for headphones as wel as speakers. The 9000A isborn from the sam e idealbut greatly enhanced in every area – cuting-edge digital audio technology, m as ivelyupgraded analogue circuitry,m ore connectivityand aperform ance thatelevates the open,detailed and engaging sound for which the 6000A is fam ed to an entirely diferentlevel. The 9000A’slead electronicsdesignerisJan Ertner– the sam e m an responsible forthe 6000A,aswelasm anyotheraward-winning audio com ponents overthe years.He was posed the significantchalenge ofcreating Audiolab’s best-ever integrated am plifier – the very productcategory thatbroughtthe brand to prominence – expanding the
Above: The9000A’sGUI,displayed onits4.3incolourscreen,givesac es to setings, form atdata,and even aVU m eterdisplayin ‘analogue’or‘digital’form .
The 9000A’slead electronicsdesignerisJan Ertner– the sam e m an responsible forthe 6000A,as wel as m any otheraward-winning audio com ponents overthe years. He was posed the significant chalenge of creating Audiolab’s best-ever integrated am plifier – the very productcategorythatbroughtthebrand to prom inence– expanding the 6000A’s high leveloffunctionality whilst delivering flagship perform ance. The 9000A delivers everything expected oftrulyhigh-end hi-fi,butata price thatrem ainsem inentlyreasonableinreturnforthequality on ofer. Versatile connectivity The 9000A incorporates state-of-the art digital-to-analogue signal conversion, enabling digital sources to be connected directly without an external DAC. A USB Type B input caters for PCs, M acs, smartphones, tablets and digital storage devices, alongsidefourS/PDIFdigitalinputs–two coaxialand two optical.There are also fourline-levelanalogue inputs – three stereo RCA and one stereo XLR for balanced connectivity–plusan M M phono inputforaturntable. Those wishing to stream wireles ly from sm artphones, tabletsand com puterscan take advantage ofthe 9000A’s high-spec Bluetooth facilty, which is Bluetooth 5 com pliant for optim um range and speed.Decoding is included forhigh-definition Bluetooth form ats aptX HD and LDAC,as wel as aptX Low Latency,regularaptX, AAC andSBC.
W hile thiswealth ofconnectivityisim pres ive,the 9000A
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Below: The 9000A iswelstocked with an aray ofanalogue and digitalconnection options.
doesnotinclude built-in network stream ing.From aperform ancepointofview,incorporating network stream ing ofsuficientquality to m atch the am p’s sonicam bition within the sam e chas iswould have m eantcom prom ising perform ance in otherareas– the 9000A is, first and foremost, a high-perform ance integrated am plifier. Also, not everyone requires network streaming; by developing a separate,dedicated audio stream er forthe 9000 Series – setto arive in early 2023 – Audiolab is able to deliver optim alperform ance and system flexibilty. D igitalcircuitry Ever since the m uch-adm ired M -DAC launched m orethanadecadeago,Audiolab hasbeenfam ed for the perform ance of its DAC circuitry. The M -DAC was one of the first consum er audio products in the world to use ESS Technology’s groundbreaking Sabre32 Reference DAC chips, sharing itsuse ofthe ES9018 chip fam ilywith other renowned Audiolab components such as the 8200CD,8300CD and 6000A.Audiolab switched up to a new-generation 32-bit Sabre chip – the ES9038Q 2M –foritsrecentlylaunched O m nia‘just add speakers’stream ing system ,and hasraised the baragain foritsnew flagship am plifier.
eight-channel DAC chip that represents the pinnacle ofESS Technology’scurentSabre range. This is ac om panied by proprietary circuitry to m ake the m ost of the chip’s HyperStream I architecture and Tim e Dom ain Jiter Elim inator technologyforunprecedented dynam icrange and ultra-lo w d isto rtio n. No com panyknowsm ore aboutm aking the m ost ofSabre DAC technology than Audiolab,having worked with itforyears through severalproduct generations.Although alwaystechnicalyexcelent, theseDAC chipsarealso chalenging to im plem ent to m axim um efectand m ustbe integrated into a product’scircuitdesign with care to extracttheirful sonic potential. The post-DAC active filter is a criticalelem entand Audiolab hasdeveloped anew circuitthatisperfectlytailored to m ake the m ostof the ES9038PRO . The9000A’shi-resaudio supportisstate-of-the-art, handling PCM to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD to 22.5M Hz (DSD512). Every significant hi-res and los les audio form at is catered for, including FLAC,ALAC,AIFFandW AV,aswelascom pres ed legacyform ats. The 9000A also deliversfuldecoding ofM Q A,the hi-res stream ing technology.This m eans thatthe com plete ‘three unfold’ decoding proces is
The 9000A incorporates the ES9038PRO – an
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cartridge wil invariably benefitsignificantly from a high-quality ofboard phono stage. Rather than cover both bases to a m erely adequate degree, Audiolab decided to focus solely on m aking an excelent M M phono stage – for users of this cartridge type,thisisalthe phono stage they wil need. Headphone listenersare equalywelserved bythe 9000A’s dedicated headphone am plifier.W ith its curent-feedback design and high slew rate, a dynam icand detailed perform ance with alm anner of headphones is as ured – a far cry from the elem entaryheadphone outputsofm ostintegrated amps. Pre and poweroperationalm odes As is traditionalwith Audiolab’s integrated am ps, the 9000A ofersthree distinctoperationalm odes, reflecting its discrete internal architecture and enabling it to adapt as its user’s requirem ents evolve. The prim ary m ode is ‘Integrated’– this com bines the pre and poweram p stages,forthe connection ofdigitaland analogue sourcesto the am p’sinputs and apairofspeakersto itsbinding posts. ‘Pre-PowerM ode’disconnectsthe pre and power am p stages. The alows the 9000A to be used solelyasapoweram p –forexam ple,connected to an AV proces orin a hom e cinem a system .Italso enablesadditionalsignalproces ing to be added, by connecting the 9000A’s‘pream p out’socketto an external procesor, then returning the proces or’s output to the am p’s ‘power am p in’ socket. Finaly,‘Pre M ode’disablesthe poweram p stage, turning the 9000A into astandalone DAC/pream p. This enables externalpower am plification to be added,thusproviding apos ibleupgradepath. High-end audio that shoots for the stars but doesn’tcostthe earth The 9000A is the epitom e ofafordable high-end audio – build quality to be proud of, versatile functionality withouta hintofcom prom ise,and a
perform ance thatdeliverseverydetailofthe m usic and brings itto life in captivating style.Itdelivers rem arkable sonic consistency acros al m annerof digital and analogue sources, always m usicaly engaging yetalso refined. The soundstage it produces is broad and deep, with crisply defined detail revealing the ful character of voices and instrum ents. Im pres ive dynam ic range conveys naturalim pact,while the am p’s transient abilty keeps feet tapping with rhythmic music. Deep, fleet-footed bas; expres ive and expansive m idrange; treble that singswith sweetprecision – the 9000A deliversan adroitly balanced perform ance with al kinds of m usic,from rock and electronica to clas icaland jaz .In short,itdelivers an open window on the m usic being played, as al great hi-fi should, engaging thelistenerwithnatural,unforced energy thatisfulyreflective ofthe source m aterial.
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Specif ication sum m ary Cable inputs
• 1xUSB Type B digital(768kHz)
• 4xS/PDIF digital(192kHz)
• 1xstereo XLR balanced analogue
• 4xstereo RCA analogue (3xline;1xM M phono)
• 1xstereo RCA poweram p in
• 1xUSB Type A forfirm ware updates
• 1x12V trigger
Cable outputs
• Gold-pated speakerbinding posts
• 1x6.3m m headphone out
• 1xstereo RCA pream p out
• 1x12V trigger
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The bas response also im pres es.The opening beats ofYelo’sDesire have aheftthatisquite asurprise from a cabinetthissvelte and the low-end isreached via a verylinearresponse ratherthan feeling tacked on.The integration between the driversisexceptionaly good and they com bine to give a tonalpresentation thatis refined without feeling sm oothed over or softened. There are speakersthatcan m anage to extracta litle more fine detail, but few are as consistently even-handed asthis. That’snotthe bestbit,though.W hatshinesthrough every aspect of the perform ance is an unburstable senseoffun.‘Fun’isnotam easurableconstruct,butI’d be verysurprised ifyou didn’tputon a piece ofm usic you were innatelyfam ilarwith and cracka sm ile aftera few m inutes. The Neat m akes use of the excelent integration between the drivers, negligible cabinet colouration and seriouslyim pres ive transientspeed to take prety m uch any tim e signature you can envisage and deliveritwith the precision ofan atom icclock.An extrem elyspirited run through BlocParty’sSilentAlarm Live is a near-perfect com bination of that technical abilty to create space and depth and a m ore prim al abiltyto getyou wanting to sing along. Conclusion W hat this m eans is that the Petite Clas ic perfectly capturesthespiritoftheoriginalwithoutcom prom ising the technical atributes we should expect from a standm ountatthispricepointin2022.Itisabeautifuly executed balancing actthatshould slotinto avarietyofsystem sand delightineveryoneof them .Neat’stakeonnostalgiam ightbealitlediferent to som e othercom panies,butitisabsolutelyperfectly judged.
Ful circle
Neatgoesbackto whereitalbegan with itsreworked Petite. Ed Seley decidesifthisisalsham eles nostalgia
M ining your back catalogue is al the rage atthe m om entand NeatAcoustics is the latest to get in on the act.The Petite was the first Neat speaker; originaly a dealer exclusive, but after being dem o’d at a show the response was so good Neatsetup as a speaker com pany.The Petite continued to evolve before production ended in 2016. The Petite Clas ic is a return to the originaland som ething diferent again. The cabinet is the sam e size as the original, which m akes it feel shalow compared with more modern standm ounts.Itisreardualported,with oneventing thetweeterwithafoam filter while a second with no filter aids the m id/bas driver. Around the back is a single setofsm albutsturdyterm inals. W here thingsdeviate significantlyfrom the originalisthe tweeter.Thisisan Air M otion transform er, ofering an upper frequency response of 22kHz. The 150m m polym er m id/bas driver is in keeping withtheoriginalPetiteaswelas being related to m ore recent designs. Having handed overfrom the tweeterat 3.8kHz,Neat’s aim is for the Petite to haveusableoutput(withrolof)downto 30Hz.
Neat quotes sensitivity of 87dB/W with a nom inalim pedance between 4 and 6ohm . There are alm ost certainly speakers thatare easierto drive atthe price,butnone ofthe am ps I try show any signs of struggling.The cabinets also seem to be unfus ed about positioning. Neatofersachoiceofblackorwhite sheen finishes.The overal levels of build and finish are very good, although som e people m ay lam ent the absence ofagrile. Sound quality Those ambitious bas extension claim s are not the first thing that m ost people notice when listening to the Petite Clas ic.The com pany’s experience with ribbons and air m otion transform ersisputto good use here, meaning Marina Diam andis’haunting perform ance in SoftTo Be Strong isthe centre ofa stereo image that extends wel beyond the cabinets’ placem ent. This is not sim ply perceivable as width, there is appreciable height too.
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MUSICATHOME+ 33
advanced, fuly automated transducer manufacturing facilty at Sennheiser’s headquarter in Germ any, resulting in the lowest unit-to-unit variations in miniature, dynamic drivers. Sennheiser’s broadband transducersare extrem elylightand flexible,to efortles lyproducehighdynam icsinaprecise and controled m anner. Unlike alternative transducer technologies, where stif com ponents incurdistortion athighersound pres ure levels,the IE900’s XW B transducers ensurethem usicstaysfreefrom distortionand extrem elytransparentatanylistening volum e. An im proved m em brane foilensures a high degree ofinnerdam pening forfasterdecay, ensuring clean and transparent music reproduction. The atention to detailthatdefinesthe IE 900 is showcased in its unique housing structure. The precision-miled housings have been m ade to last and for aesthetic beauty. The high-perform ance alum inum aloy waschosen for exceptional resistance to corosion and m echanical durabilty, ensuring its pristine appearance even afteryearsofuse.W hatcan’t be seen is just as im portant:The IE 900 is manufactured by a specialist team at Sennheiser’s headquarters in Germ any to the highest production standards in the audio industry. During production, com ponents of the transducersare subjectto detailed exam ination by precision cam eras,and every transduceris fuly tested twice – both before and afterpairing.Furtherm ore,the as em bled right and left side earphones are hand-selected to work together for optim al perform ance. The IE 900 ofers the dem anding audiophile freedom of cable choice by utilzing the highperformance Fidelity Plus MMCX connector.The connectoris farm ore rugged and sturdythan otherim plem entationsthanks to deeper integration into the housing for im proved stabiltyand guidance.EveryIE 900 com essupplied withanunbalanced cablewith a 3.5m m connectorand balanced cableswith 2.5m m and 4.4m m connectors.The paraam id reinforced cables have been meticulously
m eticulously tested and im proved for extraordinary robustnes and longevity, exceeding thousands of bending cycles. The IE 900’s profes ional-style ergonom ic features include individualy adjustable ear hooks for an optim aland secure fit.Thanks to their superb wearing com fort,the IE 900 is idealfor long hoursoflistening pleasure.
Key features •High-fidelityearphoneswith Germ an-m ade 7m m XW B transducer-fornatural,balanced sound and high noise-isolation. •Unique triple-cham berabsorber(T3CA)system to rem ove m asking resonancesforarefined and extended treble. •Newlydeveloped m em brane foilform inim ized naturalresonancesand distortion. •Choice of3.5m m unbalanced and 2.5/4.4m m balanced connectivitycableswith gold plated M M CX-connectors. •Selection ofsilcone and m em oryfoam ear adaptorsin 3 sizes(S/M /L)and adjustable earhooks to ensure an optim alfit.
•Im pedance:16 ohm s.
•Frequencyresponse:5 Hz–48,000 Hz.
•THD :0,05% (94 dB,1kHz).
• Prem ium carycase with m etalserialno.plate.
•Presentation boxwith signed custom ercertificate.
•Designed,engineered and m ade in Germ any.
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RegaElexM K4 Integrated Am plif ier
The al new Elex MK4 is a high perform ance stereo integrated am plifier designed to deliver the purest m usical perform ance. Housed in a brand-new case to m atch the restofthe Regarange, theM K4buildsonpreviousRegadesigns using ourm ultiaward-winning clas A/B poweram plifiercircuitwhich deliversan im pres ive 72W per channel into 8Ω loads (90W into 6Ω). New rear connectivity options are available with theElexM K4now including aRegaDAC circuit with two digital inputs and a high-quality headphone output convenientlylocated on the frontpanel. The Elex M K4 is capable of driving dificultloudspeakers with ease and wil integrate perfectlyinto anyaudio system byofering a widerrange ofconnectivity options. In addition to the line level, digitalinputsand a high quality m oving m agnetphono stage, you wil also find Pre-out and Record O ut functionality alongside a headphone output.Special
atention has been paid to the selection of key audio components. Discrete circuitry, high quality relays, polypropylene capacitors and Sanken outputtransistors are used throughout the design which prom ises to deliver exceptionalperform ance from anysource.
Above:RegaElexM K4rearpanel
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MUSICATHOME+ 37
REPRODUCED FROM HIFICRITIC
AcousticEnergyAE320 SENSIBLY-PRICED,BEAUTIFUL Y FINISHED AND SLENDERENOUGH TO FITINTO MANYAROOM,THESE BRITISH-M ADE FLOORSTANDERS SOUND FINE,TOO.
It’shard to believethatitwaswaybackin1987 thata new British loudspeakercom panycaled AcousticEnergyburston to the scene with the com pact AE1 loudspeaker, which garnered m uch praise and sold like the proverbialhot cakes. In 1994 the com pany ac epted a partnership w ith an overseasinvestorand like many other British brands moved some m anufacturing to the Far East, at the sam e time expanding its sales and marketing activitiesaround the w orld. Today, the company is once again fuly Britishowned, and headquartered in the Cotswold town ofTetbury.M anufacturing is stil caried outin China,underclose quality control bythe UK directors,butthey’re working on plans to return m anufacturing to Europe. Acoustic En ergy has never lost itscom m itm entto the design and m anufacture of loudspeakersand hasavoided the tem ptation to branch outinto electronicsorotherdistractions. Thus itwas thatin early Decem berone ofthe aforem entioned directors loaded a pair of the company’s £1600 AE320 slim floorstanding loudspeakersinto hiscarand delivered them to Kely Towers. The car in question was a three-door M ini, so that was im pres ive: as a felow M iniowner,it’s good to know that our choice ofvehicle isnotasim practicalasitm ight appear! Unboxed and spiked,the speakerswere carefuly positioned inwhatIhavedeterm ined isthesweet spotforloudspeakerplacem entin in our14’x12’ lounge:toed in towards m y listening chair,the inside rearcorners are 58cm from the rearwal. From the listening position,and with the black griles atached the AE320s don’t visualy overpower the senses:at a m etre tal,17.5cm wide and 32cm deep, these are substantial enclosuresbutdrew no word ofcom plaintfrom M rsKely,which isalwaysgood news!
The review pair were finished in a very
38 MUSICATHOME+
REPRODUCED FROM HIFICRITIC
Im pedance corection Thecros overdeployed intheAE320isanotherexam pleof the atention to detaillavished on thisdesign:the nom inal im pedance ofthe loudspeakeris8 ohm sand the cros over isdesigned with an im pedance corection circuitto ensure thatthe lowestim pedance drop (at150Hz)is held to 4.8 ohm s,with im pedance forthe m ostpartan easy 6 or7 ohm s.As such this is notbe a dem anding load forany m ainstream am plifier. W ith sensitivity quoted at a high 90dB/W ,they should be easy to drive with any decent am plifierin the 25-200W powerrange. The Listening Experience So m uch forthe thinking behind the AE320.Iwaskeen to hearwhatal thatdesign would m ean when Iactualy sat down to listen using m y curentam plifierofchoice,the Lyngdorf TDAI3400 (rated at 200W per channel into 8ohm s),and the excelentAudioquestRobin Hood speaker cables.The restofthe system consisted ofa Linn Sondek LP12 Klim ax and a Leem a Acoustics Sirius M usic server.I started in the Lyngdorf’s Bypas m ode,which m eantthat the Room Perfectcorection software wasnotused. I’d been told thatthe sam ple AE320s had nothad m uch running tim e before they were delivered so Isetthem to run forseveraldaysusing variousQ obuzplaylists,and tried to avoid spending tim e listening criticaly.HoweverIdid note asense ofm usicalityeven before the drive unitshad a
goodlooking walnut veneer over 18m m M DF panels, the cabinet using proprietary bracing technology trickled down from the com pany’s Reference Series, while its base is pre-loaded with what’s described as “an inertm as m aterial”. This adds dam ping to reduce cabinetcolourations,and also m ake the AE320 verystable,m eaning itdoesn’tneed a plinth, aiding the im pres ion ofslim nes . The speakercertainly feels very ‘planted’on its spikes on a carpeted hard floor:we have neither sm alchildren ordogs,butm ysense wasthatthe AE320s would be a safe choice where the listening space is som etim esshared with sm alercreatures. There are four drive units aranged verticaly: three 13cm m idrange and bas drivers,custom m ade forAcoustic Energy, and above those a 28m m alum inium tweeter.The m ain drivers are m ade ofa ceram ic/alum inium sandwich m aterial,with an ultra-shalow profile and a high-force long-throw m otorsystem , designed for im proved dispersion,extended bas slam and overal eficiency. The tweeter is capable of handling high powerlevelsbutwithlow resonancebehavior,and em ploysthe com pany’sW ide Dispersion Technologywaveguide. O nthebackpanelthereisapairofm ultiwaybinding postsnear the base and – abouthalfway up – a slot-shaped bas port tuned to 42Hz.M uch thoughthasgone into the design ofthis port,and its shape was chosen to help obviate the chufing sound that can give les wel considered port designs an audible and unwelcom e sound signature.
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