Supporting Act - Arcici
(June 16, 2010)

An established line of audiophile furniture is now available at Audio88! Arcici is one of the earliest pioneers of high-end equipment racks good enough for the finest equipment available (some 30 years ago) and remain one of the most respected of its genre.

Arcici pioneered the air suspension, using an air bladder enclosed in a shelf to support components sensitive to vibration – a turntable or a CD player being the most obvious. The Reference Suspense is the latest version with 3-bellows air bladder system (see the ‘nipples’ in front of the top most shelf – it’s the air valve receptacle for the supplied air pump to fill the air bladder). The equipment shelves have their own isolation as well, each shelf is a dual layer with a ball bearing isolation ‘feet’ between the shelves to filter off vibrational energy.

The Imperial rack also pioneered the use of thick acrylic shelves for audio equipment, Their one inch thick acrylic is an inherent self damped, your equipment sitting on this acrylic shelf becomes oblivious of all the vibrations and resonance around it. The steel uprights with gold trimmings and the black onyx acrylic shelves make the Imperial a stunning and elegant statement! The Imperial rack is not just for high-end audio equipment but is also ideal for home cinema systems as the rack is infinitely customizable when your system grows.

Arcici racks are made in the USA, they are not cheap but we feel it is ‘affordable’ as it will be a one-time investment, which last a lifetime of optimal performance for all your audio and video components. For more information on models and pricing, please drop by our store.

YG Acoustics Carmel
(June 10, 2010)

YG Acoustics most affordable loudspeaker, the Carmel has landed! OK affordable and YG should not be in the same sentence but with the quality of their speakers, we would say the Carmel is perhaps one of HiFi’s greatest bargain. You get the same drivers (Scanspeak Ring Radiator tweeter and Scanspeak Revelator midbass units) as used in the Anat Reference II, the CNC machined speaker enclosure, their unique DualCoherent crossover where YG optimizes both frequency and time coherency, all that in a small footprint that spells small-room friendly and most important, easier on the pocket.

The Carmel shares the same sonic cloth as the Anat reference, albeit paring some of the deep bass extension of its larger brother. It is after all, designed for smaller rooms where the Anat Reference may be a little too intimidating. Standing stark naked in all its aluminum glory, at just over a metre tall, each speaker weighs some 30 Kg. The cabinet design departs somewhat from the Anat Reference – it has a triangular cross sectional shape – to reduce internal cabinet turbulence and standing waves. The Carmel sells for USD19,000. All are invited for a demonstration!

Audio88 new showroom at #04-08 is now opened!
(May 31, 2010)

We are pleased to announce the opening of a new showroom at the Adelphi. The new unit at #04-08 caters for an increasingly sophisticated customer base with a taste for the finer audiophile products. Do note this new showroom complements our existing showrooms, which will remain in operation.

Here we exclusively showcase high-end systems like Marten Design and Chario loudspeakers together with Bladelius, Vitus and Audio Space electronics. If you would like to sample some of these products, do make an appointment with us so as to enable us to setup the required components for your audition. Do contact us at 6333-5515 for more information.

Amphion ION
The Imaging Wonder!
(May 25, 2010)

It is a known fact that some of the best imaging loudspeakers are compact two-way monitors. The sacrifices in the low end (and sometimes high frequency extension as well) are well worth the rewards in soundstaging – pinpoint precision and dimensionality. Now we are not saying there aren’t good imagers from larger boxes but inevitably, the small ‘uns are right on!

This brings to mind the Amphion IONs, the smallest loudspeaker in their line up – and possibly the most attractive as well. This compact two-way monitor boasts a 4.5inch midbass drive unit and a 1 inch tweeter. Amphion applies their proprietary ‘Waveguide’ technology that directs sound via the shallow horn loading for the tweeter to the listening position and attenuates the sound pressure level outside of the listening area, eg the room. The result is the sound interacts less with the room thereby sounding more consistent irrespective of the acoustics of the room.

There is more. The crossover is also part of the design that gives Amphions’ its distinctive signature. Traditionally, most speaker designers cross over the midbass to the tweeter at around 2 – 3 kHz, the smaller the tweeter, the higher the crossover point. This however is a critical area of the frequency response that our ears are most sensitive to. We can ‘hear’ the changes in character of the sound as the frequencies rise from the midbass to the tweeter – the inconsistency of the phase and dispersion patterns are obvious. Amphion IONs for instance, crossover at 1600 Hz, a much lower frequency. In addition to the ‘Waveguide’ horn loading for the tweeter enables the voice coil to be ‘aligned’ with that of the midwoofer making the IONs a perfect single point source.

Audio Engine by David Wiener
(Apr 21, 2010)

Who is David Wiener? Designer Extraordinaire would be an apt description given David’s wide ranging portfolio under his wing – fashion designer, furniture designer, entertainment systems designer and even a stint with Ferrari. The association with Ferrari racing led to the Ferrari inspired DW collection. The DW collection is now available at Audio88!

DW Collection truly deserves the accolade of lateral thinking – and engineering. The products are elegant as they are functional, exhibiting a depth of engineering never seen in traditional hifi. The Art.Engine and Art.Suono are just two of the many products that grace the DW Collection. More is on the way so do drop by the showroom for a demonstration of the incredible DW Collection.

Art.Engine

What looks like a ‘lifestyle’ loudspeaker, is a music system that more than meets the eye. As David Wiener’s claim – ‘The Ferrari Art.Engine redefines personal music listening. As the world changes its listening habits and embraces digital music and iTunes® computer management of personal music libraries, the Art.Engine stands out as the only music system designed to reproduce the original artists’ music in its truest form, bringing today’s compressed music files to life.’

The Art.Engine is a complete music system in what seems like a loudspeaker enclosure. Notice the singularity of the word – the Art.Engine houses two arrays of drive units on either side of the enclosure to re-create the stereo image using powerful DSP and digital amplifiers built inside the compact 47-inch tall enclosure.

The enclosure is an expensive fabrication from a solid 250 Kg billet of aluminium, machined to size and trimmed with carbon fibre panels. High quality automotive paints as used by Ferrari for their exclusive performance cars. As mentioned, the amplifiers are housed within the chassis – four 200-watt digital amplifiers with its proprietary DSP to restore the dynamics of compressed digital music and recreate the original musical experience. The Art.Engine comes with wireless connectivity enabling your digital music files (MP3 to full CD quality) to be streamed from your computer. An Art.Suono iPOD dock (sold separately) enables wireless streaming of music from your iPOD.
Oh, before I forget, the Art.Engine is a limited edition product of 1000 units only.

Vitus Audio now resides at Audio88
(March 8, 2010)

Danish high end amplifier, Vitus Audio is once again available at Audio88. This delectable amplifier company is one force to reckon with! Vitus amplifiers are not for the faint hearted, they are truly evolutionary high end products that bears comparison, not with other ‘flavour’ of high end amplifiers, but to create the sound of real music played with real musical instruments.

Well, say no more, (the Vitus SL-101 line preamp is on the way) the SCD-010 CD player and the SS-101 power amplifier is on demo with the Marten Soprano speakers. Oh, we sold the Miles3 recently. Each of these products is worth a mention in its own right but here’s just the teaser for now. Can’t wait? Come down for an audition now!

Chario Loudspeakers will be available soon at Audio88!
(Feb 18, 2010)

Chario Premium 2000T
The flagship model of Premium Series, this 3-way design uses a new high performance 27mm fabric dome tweeter, a new 170mm cellulose fiber coated midbass and a separate 170mm cellulose fiber coated downward firing woofer. The tweeter uses a forth order crossover (steep slope) and a T38 wave guide first offered in the higher range Constellation series. This wave guide extended dynamic range and ensures accurate energy radiation control off-axis minimizing room interaction.

The low frequencies come from a proprietary NRS configured subwoofer, a well recognized feature implemented with all Chario floor-standing loudspeaker systems. Chario claims outstanding performance of the Premium 2000 Tower is due to the full 3-way design and reinforced baffle that allows the front drivers to radiate a clean acoustical wave. Because of a dedicated floor-matched subwoofer, high-excursion induced signals at very low frequencies don’t interfere with the fine structure of the middle range, providing the listener with a detailed listening experience.

Chario Premium 2000T is available at Audio88 from mid March 2010.

Marten Design on Demo at Audio88!
(Jan 27, 2010)

The world famous Marten Design loudspeakers are now available through Audio88, the exclusive reseller for Singapore. On demo is the Miles 3 floorstander - finished in glorious glossy walnut. The other models will gradually filter into the store over the next couple of months. If you are eyeing a particular model, do give us a call and we'll prioritise bringing them in!

A Swiss Ensemble (Jan 21, 2010)

We all know the Swiss standard of living is an often associated with the word ‘premium’ so it goes without saying ‘premium’ is associated with terms like ‘excellent quality’ and ‘high price’. The Swiss company Ensemble is a small company and typifies the Swiss hifi industry – hand made in limited quantities, excellent fit and finish, excellent sound quality even if they seem a little expensive for the average audiophile, fortunately not excessively so compared to other makes.

The Ensemble setup will set you back some $54,000. Not a small sum of money, yes but like Swiss watches, they are made to last. Ensemble’s current website is being revamped as I write so you need to wait a little while for them to re-list the product range, and the current line up is also being revamped. However the products in our store is current.

Starting with the source, we have the new CD Transport and DAC – DIRONDO drive and DICHRONO Hi-Dac. The FUOCO integrated amplifier and the 2-way Figura loudspeakers complete the package.

I always felt the hifi industry is a collection of personalities – people of great talent in their own field coming together, each with his or her own contribution, creating products that rises above the norm. What would be astounding is one manufacturer able to put together a system that is greater than the sum of its parts; each component excellent in its own right, but together, creates that special magic that audiophiles and music lovers crave for. This is one unique system that satisfies both the audiophile in me as well as being musically satisfying. I would like to invite you to come to our showroom for an audition, to hear what is so special about the Ensemble system. Let your ears be the judge!

A full review of the Ensemble system will be coming in the next issue of MOD Audio Video Magazine.

System Synergy II (Dec 4, 2009)

Last week we talk about synergy on a system level, now we can talk about synergy on a equipment matching level.

At Audio88, we offer you an opportunity to try out the Audio Space Galaxy EL34 or the KT88 version. So which one should you try? That's the question we will try to answer here.

The EL34 and the KT88 are virtually identical amplifiers. The only difference is the loading resistor and the biasing voltage for the two amplifiers. So therein lies the first benefit of this amplifier - it can morph its identity with a simple mod and tube change. Check with our store for more details on this. Second, you can switch between Triode mode and Ultralinear mode to suit. To suit what? Well read on!

The two amplifiers sounds very different - each dominated by the sound of the output tube. Let's start with the EL34. 2 tubes per channel delivers 16 watts in Triode and 32 watts in Ultralinear. Much has been said about the sound of Triode vs Ultralinear so you can Google for some info on the internet. For midband purity and sweet sound - Triode is the way to go. For power and control, try Ultralinear, but this is generalisation. It depends on the speaker used - the EL34 matched with the Devore Gibbon 9s works very well for almost any kind of music on Ultralinear mode. On triode mode, the EL34 is gloriously open and natural sounding with vocals et el.

The Galaxy EL34 has a wonderful sense of smoothness and refinement, for its price, a bargain. Comparable to amplifiers 3 times it price, I'd be very happy to live with this amplifier for its music making abilities.

The KT88 version is more powerful, even better sounding with an open volumptous midband that make tube amplifier famous for. The KT88 rated at 24 watts in Triode and 48 watts in Ultralinear and as a consequent, in Triode it sounded as powerful as the EL34 in Ultralinear. The trade off for the KT88 version is the bass end, the EL34 simply put, has better bass control, definition and slam. The KT88 has a better midband and added sweetness.

The primary benefit is the Galaxy KT88 or EL34 is it is interchangeable - today you may have a speaker that works better with the EL34 but one day you may upgrade to another speaker that sounds better with the KT88 tube. It is definitely a strong plus point when you can convert one way or the other when the need arise with nothing more than a set of new tubes (which you will do that once every year or two anyway) and some resistor changes.

System Synergy (Nov 22, 2009)

Audio components need to synergise properly to bring out the best in each component. What sounds great in one system may not necessarily sound as good in another. What is NOT important is the price tag. Matching components based on the price tag is perhaps the most erroneous way of putting together an effective music system.

What is important, we believe, is that you must have the opportunity to try out the said component in your system before laying out your hard earned cash.

As a rule of thumb, the most critical component interface is between that of an amplifier and a loudspeaker - the conversion of the electrical signal into an analogue signal. Component mismatch simply means the quality of the signal transfer suffers and as a result, both the speaker and amplifier under perform.

We are strong believers of system synergy - there is nothing that says an inexpensive Audio Space integrated tube amplifier that sells for $2200 cannot drive a $10,000 or $20,000 loudspeaker.

Benign load - DeVore Gibbon 3XL Loudspeakers

A properly designed loudspeaker with a benign load such as our DeVore loudspeakers can easily be driven with outstanding sound quality with a basic Audio Space amplifier such as the KT88 Galaxy or the EL34 Galaxy.

Audio Space Galaxy EL34 amplifier

When it comes to driving real world loudspeakers, tube amplifier that uses output transformers are known to lend more efficiency in the 'power transfer' to the speakers. This efficiency means relatively low powered tube amplifiers are actually more capable of driving a loudspeaker compared to one that does not make use of transformer coupling. Therein lies the unique aspect of tube amplifiers - seemingly powerful sounding beyond its paper specifications!

Audio Space Galaxy KT88 amplifier

You don't have to believe what we say here, the proof is in the hearing! We are offering a 7 day, no obligation home trial of either of these two Audio Space amplifiers - our best selling Galaxy KT88 or Galaxy EL34. These amplifiers exemplify value and performance. Once you have experienced the value Audio Space products give, you may wonder why you need to spend more!

In the event if you like the amplifier (which is very likely that you will!), you can then purchase the amplifier with a 14 day money back guarantee, just in case you should change your mind. All Audio Space amplifiers come with a 2 year warranty for peace of mind. Just call us at 6333-5515 and ask for Brandon or Cliff for more details. You may be enjoying an Audio Space in your system tonight!