LPs

DVDO

DVDO offers the ultimate in HD Freedom. DVDO's video processors give you the ultimate in video processing...

ChromaPure 2.2 Video Calibration System and Lumagen Radiance Mini-3D Video Processor

If you've read the previous DIY calibration articles here at Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, then you've seen us cover ChromaPure and CalMAN calibration systems, and the DVDO Duo video processor. This time we're going to look at the newest release of ChromaPure, version 2.2, as well as the Lumagen Radiance Mini-3D Video Processor, both individually and together.

Optoma USA

Optoma Technology, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of award-winning digital display products and home entertainment...

Dynaudio

While the intricate nature of the details of the construction might easily be overlooked, the results will undoubtedly be seen, felt, and above all heard.

Zildjian 18″ A Custom China Crash Cymbal

Zildjian first released a China cymbal back in the 1950's in collaboration with Gene Krupa, calling it a Pang cymbal (the collaboration also resulted in the Swish, which is like a Pang, only higher pitched and with more wash). The China went out of production for a while, then came back. Not only does the China cymbal continue to be manufactured today, but in numerous styles. This Zildjian 18" A Custom China Crash looks similar to the original ones, except that it is in a brilliant finish. The sound remains classic though.

Pioneer VSX-32 7.1 A/V Receiver

Last year I had the opportunity to review one of Pioneer's Class D receivers, the SC-27, and I came away completely impressed with the performance of that product. While I would love to know how their new version of the SC-27 performs, I also wanted to experience another model of the Elite line and see how well one with a more conventional Class AB amplifier would perform. So, in this review, we take a look at the Pioneer VSX-32, which is a seven-channel receiver.

Meinl 19″ MB8 Medium Crash Cymbal

The Meinl MB8 series employs a high copper content, and has a bright, modern sound. The crashes come in medium and heavy. Their sound delivers the corresponding SPLs. Although they are less expensive than some of the other models, they do not give up anything in sound quality, but in fact, have a distinct tonality all their own, which will cut through the rest of the band in any setting.

Marantz SA-KI Pearl SACD player

The Marantz tradition has always been about enjoying music. The Marantz SA-KI Pearl is a limited-edition SACD player from the Marantz Reference Series product line. The "KI" in the product name refers to Ken Ishiwata, who is the actual designer of the SA-KI Pearl. Ken Ishiwata has an impressive biography. He fell in love with music as a young man. He pursued a career in fashion photography following in the footsteps of his father. In the late 1970's, Mr. Ishiwata started his career with Marantz. Today, he is an accomplished violinist, audio engineer, electronics engineer, and brand ambassador for Marantz in Europe.

Yamaha BD-S2900 Blu-ray Player – Benchmark

It has been some time since Yamaha manufactured a hi-def disc player, either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.  Instead Yamaha has been offering upscaling DVD players such as the S1700 and the S2700.  Now that the format war is over and Blu-ray is the declared winner, this is no longer true.  Yamaha has created the BD-S2900, their first Blu-ray player.

Rocky Mountain Audio Festival Show Report

This year was the first time at the Rocky Mountain Audio Festival for secrets writers Chris Groppi and Rick Schmidt. Unlike many of the other trade focused shows, the RMAF is open to the public. Both manufacturers and retailers show products here, and displays are focused on listening demonstrations. This year, there were more than 160 display rooms each usually showing equipment from several manufacturers. Rooms were from both retailers as well as manufacturers and distributors, with a wide range of equipment from around the world. All the big hitters were here, plus many companies we had never heard of.

In addtion to the rooms, seminars on topics ranging from turntable setup to digital recording technologies are offered. This is an intimate show, focused on 2 channel audio, and everyone has a chance to see every room. The show was great fun for both of us!