Gramophone’s Favorite Things

Gramophone's 10-Week Music Challenge

Audiophile vs. The mp3

Being what I would consider a “moderate” audiophile (i.e. I can absolutely hear the difference, appreciate the quality, yet never spent the overwhelming amounts of cash to achieve a super high level of bliss), I found myself over the last ten to fifteen years, trading in the fidelity for the convenience of the MP3.  On my computer at home, I probably have almost 30k songs to choose from.  Now, I would never load all of them onto a portable device at one time, yet, I do rotate playlists as my mood changes.  Talk about convenience! !t was and still is, great.  However, I always felt the sound coming from my computer and third party speakers never sounded that good.  Actually, to be completely honest: it was awful. 

So, what does one do?  Over the years, some of us have all learned about loading content (MP3s) with varying degrees of compression.  The less compression, the better.  The best way to keep the sound quality of the content is to use some form of “lossless” compression.   While using lossless will absolutely take up more hard drive space, the cost of larger capacity hard drives continues to drop, making it affordable to keep large volumes of content; however, I’m still using my computer speakers which are truly dreadful.

Now I’m very excited about a product line from Peachtree Audio.  Peachtree understood the need for convenience and the explosion of iTunes music and the desires of folks to enjoy their music in a much better way.  They created a product called the Decco about a year ago.  That was their first product and my first awe inspired audition.  From the first Decco, the have created three new products, the Decco2, iDecco and the Nova.  This second generation of products is nothing more than incredible!  One of my colleagues has already discussed the iDecco, which incorporates an iPod dock.  However, it's the Nova that made a real impact on my home digital music library.  

The Nova is a very well built integrated amplifier.  Which means: no Am/Fm tuner, just eight inputs for both analog and digital sources.  For my test, I used the USB from my computer and connected it directly to the USB input on the Nova. 

After switching the audio decoder on my computer to “external DAC,” I was almost there.  I pulled a small pair of nice bookshelf speakers I’ve had laying around the house and hooked them up.  Within a couple of minutes, I had iTunes up and began an evening of rediscovery. 

The Nova has 80 watts per channel, so I had more than enough power to meet my needs.  More importantly, the sound quality was astonishing.  I spent hours starting one song and then jumping quickly to another and then another.  It was like hearing these songs for the first time.  I honestly didn’t think anyone could make older, highly compressed MP3’s sound so good.  Was it as good as my newer lossless material?  No, not at all, however, I was now able to hear all the subtleties and details in the music again.  All this from a box about the size of a VCR.  Fifteen minutes into listening, I began to laugh and quote Will Smith from “Independence Day….’I… have Got to get me one of these!”

I could go into all the technical specs, but if you’re like me, I really don’t get hung up on all the data, I just want to see or hear how it performs.  So, if you have a lot of digital music or just starting out and you would like to really enjoy it, you must audition the Nova.  On performance, I give this an A+.   If you have any thoughts or questions, post them here.

Thanks,
Mark Tabor
410-381-2100

Have You Forgotten How Music Is Supposed To Sound?

I'm not your typical audiophile who can talk for hours about the technical aspects of the music I love.  In fact, people who know me, know that I'm more of a casual music listener. I listen to talk radio in the car, and I'm usually forced to listen to Hannah Montana and High School Musical at home. (Guess who lives in a house with a 10 year old girl...) My boss and I differ on our musical taste. Let's just say: I'm a little bit country, he's a little more rock 'n roll. So, when I come in early on Saturday mornings, I take some time to sit down, relax, and listen to what I enjoy. 

We just put together a new display at our Timonium location: The new NAD M2 Direct Digital Amplifier and the PSB Syncrony One loudspeaker towers.  This morning, I decided to see what this setup could do for Patsy Cline.  I'm a sucker for "Crazy", and I think the tape hiss enhances the listening experience.  When music is played through great equipment, the image that you can create in your mind is crystal clear.  So, when all was quiet, I dropped the disc* into the tray, sat down in one of the comfortable Classic Leather chairs and re-experienced "Crazy"  It was as though I was in a smoky studio in Nashville in the 60's, looking through the glass into the booth, where Patsy and the Jordanaires were laying down the tracks while I sat at the board.  I was hearing things in this classic that I had never heard before.  When in came to the end, I knew I had to grab my other current favorite, Tony Joe White singing "A Rainy Night in Georgia."  The kickdrum is tight. Tony's voice is gravely and low.  You can hear each string being played.  But most of all, you can feel what he's feeling.  That's what music is about.  Have you really heard your music how it's supposed to sound?

It wouldn't surprise me if you're not familiar with NAD or PSB, not everyone has them on display and ready for you to experience.  For the quality and value, though, it's amazing that they're not a standard household name.  NAD & PSB Speakers are part of the Lenbrook Group, a Canadian company that has been producing great audio equipment since 1978 (almost as long as Gramophone's been in business!).  Together they make beautiful music.

Just the look of the components will let you know what you're in for.  The industrial design of the M2 is rock solid with a simple faceplate showing that performance does not have to be complicated.  The PSB speakers are beautifully constructed, reminiscent of the construction of fine furniture.  These are not speakers that your wife will want hidden from sight.

Come in and be reminded of how music is supposed to sound.

Bruce Spivey
410-308-1650

*Don't want to use CDs? Not a problem.  We can play your iPod through these speakers.  We'll just hook up Peachtree's iDecco and you'll be good to go!

Resources:

• Bruce's Playlist on Grooveshark
• Grooveshark on Facebook
• Grooveshark on Twitter
• NAD Electronics
• NAD Electronics on Facebook
• NAD Electronics on Twitter
• PSB Speakers
• PSB Speakers on Facebook
• PSB Speakers on Twitter

Portable Music

Before you know it, summer will be here, and we'll be heading outside to play, eat, swim, and soak up the sun. Great news: your portable music now has a great portable speaker it can connect to. Soundcast presents the Outcast, a truly wireless & weatherproof speaker that connects right up with your iPod. I know that for the audiophiles out there these features send up red flags about sound quality, but I'm here to tell you, the quality is quite good. And with a battery that runs the speaker for up to 10 hours per charge, you can take it with you to the park and play your music all day without a problem. Want to listen to satellite radio or your favorite local station? It can do that too.* Since it's weatherproof, don't worry about doing a cannonball into the pool, the Outcast can take it.

Take out your earbuds, and share your music this summer. The Outcast turns your afternoon in the sun into an event you'll want to repeat.

-Bruce Spivey

*Tech-Speak: Want to know how the RF dock (iCast) works? The iCast has a rear panel analog audio connection. When you don't have an iPod docked in it, the rear panel connection is an INPUT. It can accept analog audio from any source. Here's the catch: if you plan to use the iCast as an iPod dock - for both the soundcast speaker AND your a/v receiver - then that rear panel connection becomes an OUTPUT. Think of the iPod as a mechanical switch. Insert it, and the connection becomes an output, remove it, and the connection becomes an input.

Make This Year's Father's Day Stand Out From All the Rest.

With only 10 Days until Father's Day, these are some of our top picks!

It is almost impossible to write about the "Top Three Gadgets for Father's Day"  There are far more gadgets that Dad would love to have than just three.  How to decide? Headphones top our list of great Father's Day gifts, but there are also great iPod Dock solutions.  And we didn't limit ourselves to picking just three.  We'll let you figure out which of the following would make this year's Father's Day stand out from all the rest.

Better than a tie, but not quite a set of nice cuff links.

Sennheiser's line of headphones offers a great gift for dad for when he goes to the gym.  The adidas Performance headphones with volume control are portable, washable, and simply the way to go when it comes to athletic headphones. Wired Magazine's Product Review Section says: The Sennheiser/Adidas PMX680s provide "Exceptional sound quality. Marvelous bass. Stays put securely. Water resistant and dog-proof."

Better than the really nice cuff links, but not quite his dream golf club set.

At less than $300, this gift is far better than a set of nice cuff links , but not quite at the level of a really nice set of golf clubs.  For the Dad whose music taste is stuck back in time somewhere, these headphones will take him back and let him relive those days -- without causing the whole family to cringe.

Looking for a review? Wired Magazine's Product Review Section says: Heavenly Headphones Create Symphony Hall for Your Ears

Dad has an iPod?

Actually, this gift will be something an entire family enjoys...if Dad's the sharing type.  Starting at less than $400, you can get dad the B&W Mini-Zeppelin or the "big-daddy" of the two, the B&W Zeppelin.  These two are both iPod docking stations that are easy to use and have great sound quality. He'll love the fact that they have digital signal processing, digital amplifiers, as well as s-video & composite outputs. But in addition to that, they just make his music sound amazing. 

Don't take our word for it: Wired Magazine's Geek Dad Section says: "B&W Zeppelin: Still Soaring Above The Crowd After Three Years"

Dad Deserves Quiet Time.

Noise canceling headphones might just be the gift every dad has been wanting. Sennheiser's PXC310 noise canceling, collapsible headphones might just improve Dad's mood when the dog's barking, the baby's crying, and the kids are squealing with delight.  We won't tell if you use them every once in a while too!

 

Dad Wants To Spend As Much Time Outside As Possible (But he still loves movies...)

There's only one choice for this Dad: Epson MovieMate.  "Epson's MovieMate 60 combines an HD projector, A CD/DVD player, microphone unit, and stereo speakers in one portable unit" (And it comes with parental controls, so the kids can't watch movies you don't want them to see!

For less than $700, you can create your very own drive-in movie theater, have a karaoke night, watch a slideshow of family pictures, and more on a picture that can be 120"!

Want to know more about it?  The Today Show featured it!

Dad Hates Digital Music, But It's Time He Move Into the 21st Century

He needs the Peachtree iDecco. Hands Down. The best thing to do is experience the difference it makes in taking the flat sound of digital music and allowing it to breathe and have depth again.  Certainly, you can read reviews. Or, you can just come in and see how simple it is to make your digital music sing!

Dad Needs To Relax In His Very Own...Motorized Chair.

Sometimes Dad just needs to take a seat.  Oh, and this seat will make him feel like a king!  This chair is available in more than 20 colors of high grade woven fabric, and 25 colors of top grain, aniline leathers. With cupholders for his favorite drink, possible snack table, and cushions that will force his body to relax.  Don't go with the La-Z-boy, go with the VIP line of seating that offers so much more!

Dad Loves The Kids And Wants To Spend Lots of Family Time With Them

Is it time to splurge on Dad & the family at the same time?  Spend quality time with Dad while letting him win Wii Golf, snuggling on the couch as a family watching the latest blockbuster, or cheering on your favorite sports team on a 100" screen.  If this sounds like the perfect gift for Dad, they you'll want to check out the Epson Ensemble HD Theater System.  For $5999, it's an all-inclusive investment in Family Time, and what better time to start that investment than Father's Day?  The teenagers just might stay at home to watch movies with the family every once in a while too, but we won't make any promises on that!

We could offer so many other great ideas, such as:

• the portable, wireless, outdoor speaker Dad can take with him anywhere (tailgating included!). Oh, and it links right up with his iPod!
• the outdoor tv for the Dad who loves watching baseball and early season football, but also wants to be outside with the kids!

You want more? Give us a call. Stop by.  We want Dad to be thrilled!

iPod Obsessed?

Let's face it, America has been obsessed with the iPod for quite some time now (whatever its form: iPod, iPod Touch, Nano, Shuffle, iPhone, or iPad). I was an early adopter of the iPod myself. My first iPod was a 2nd generation model--you know the one: big, thick, clunky, heavy, white with dull monochrome screen, battery that lasted a year & storage for about 300 songs. The coolest thing around in 2002. Since then, I have gone through 4 different iPods, to the 80 GB that I use to store all of my music now. I also have the iPhone, and I keep a little bit of music on there as well.

Being in the business, I have had the opportunity to listen to my iPod on a lot of different speakers and music systems over the years. So, before opening the showroom this morning, I took some time to dock my iPod with the new iDecco from Peachtree Audio. I have NEVER heard my iPod sound this good. The iDecco is the only integrated amplifier with a built-in dock that is authorized by Apple to take the music off the iPod in digital format. The iDecco converts converts the digital media (which is how the iPod stores music) to an analog format (which is how we listen to the music) not in the iPod, but in the iDecco itself. There are some stand alone docks out there, like the Wadia, that are allowed to take the music off the iPod digitally, but they still need to be connected to something else to make the magic actually happen. The iDecco is a one piece miracle.

I had connected the iDecco to a pair of Arro speakers by Totem, which are relatively small floor-standing speakers. There was no subwoofer involved in the setup. I have never heard speakers so small create such large, tight bass as the Arros delivered when connected to the iDecco. The soundstage was massive and wide open. All the instruments were crystal clear & accurate, and the vocals were right out front where they should be. I was blown away.

If you are an iPod person, you owe it to yourself to come check out the iDecco and hear what it can do for your music.

Josh Shobe

410-321-2100

Best of CEDIA: Crestron iServer™

CEDIA was buzzing with excitement about Crestron’s iServer™, the first iPod docking station of its kind to bridge the gap between expensive audio servers and basic docking stations.  iServer™ provides homeowners with a permanent docking station and dedication iPod audio server that is always available for whole-house entertainment. iServer plays all the content from your iTunes library, including music, movies and books, and automatically synchronizes with your iPod whenever new content is added. iServer™ won both the CEDIA New Product Award and the Electronic House Product of the Year Awards.

World’s Best Table Radio

What a gem! This is perfect for your office, kitchen or bedroom. The Tivoli Music System delivers full and expansive stereo sound from the radio, CD or your iPod – including from two speakers and a built-in powered subwoofer. A self-adjusting lighted display provides the time and audio track information. The hand-lacquered wood cabinet is available in your choice of three finishes: piano black with a silver faceplate, piano white with a silver faceplate, or dark walnut with a beige faceplate.

Workout With Music, Minus the Fuss

Everyone who works out these days uses an iPod…at least it seems that way. And now there’s an even easier way to play your iPod while you work out: the Timex iControl watch. This sporty watch (with full Ironman features including timers, backlight, etc.) contains a receiver that connects to almost any iPod or iPhone. Wearers can control their iPod through the watch face rather than fumbling for their iPods. Now I really don’t have an excuse to skip workouts…

B&W Zeppelin iPod Speaker System

Finally, an iPod® speaker system worth the wait. It’s the first time Bowers & Wilkins has paired its legendary audiophile speakers with iPod® and the results are astounding. Zeppelin was designed as a dedicated speaker system specifically for iPod®. With a 5-inch subwoofer, extraordinary shape, precision engineering and 100 watts of power, Zeppelin looks as good as it sounds.

To learn more, check out Bowers-Wilkins.com

Enjoy,
Jeff