Air Tight Premier

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Yutaka Miura of Air Tight, who kindly flew in from Japan and Arturo Manzano for the introduction and US Premier of  3 new Air Tight pieces. Our event featured Lp playback via the Air Tight PC1 Coda,  the ATE-3011 dedicated phono pre-amp with variable curves , ATC 5 pre amp and  the ATM 300 Reference played through the Devore 096. The sound is spectacular ! Dynamic, rich with plenty of slam ,presence all with abunace of ease and flow. A big thank you to Yutaka, Arturo and our valued clients, friends and guests who took time to make the event enjoyable and worthwhile!



Nagra Debut

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Nagra to our shop. Based in Romanel Switzerland , Nagra is an award winning company with a storied history of excellence. Nagra's recent designs are born from a combination their Swiss engineering and extensive listening sessions. Their desire for an emotional listening experience informs their choice of circuits, parts, like paper and oil capacitors and tubes. Their desire to merge both musical resolution and beauty of tone colors result in a sound rich in textures. I invite to visit and experience Nagra at our shop.

Line Magnetic

the Lm 508 ia integrated amp brings Single Ended Triode to a larger audience with its delivery of over 40 watts per channel.  It will allow owners of many speaker to bask in the glow of the SET sound.

Un Boxed ...

I recently  received Box Furniture's latest creation which offers walnut as option . Beautiful crafsmanship and great sounding too...

My client received his unit at the same time and had this to say:

 " I am quite suprised , so much better sound.The soundstage is bigger - images more distinct, much more air. Usually, I let the tubes warm up before listening and this is with cold tubes! "

M.K  San Rafael,CA

Air Tight 300L

A&M Limited was founded 30 years ago by Miura-san to develop and manufacture Air Tight tube amplification-which embraces the vast knowledge he and his chief designer have accummulated in over five decades. Their goal was to bring out the utmost musicality for each chosen tube. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, they have chosen the legendary 300b tube as their canvas. With a completely new circuit, transformer and parts chosen specifically for this task, the result is the gorgeus Air Tight 300L amplifier. Built around the the Takatsuki 300b tube, the amp exudes the texture and presence that this tube is known for, but now combines it with pulsating power and command belies its 9 watt power output would suggest. When partnered with an appropriate  speaker- it pours forth sumptuous textures , a vast sence of depth and power seldom heard from this fabled tube.

Please schedule a time to hear this amazing amp. 

Auditorium 23

Auditorium is a bespoke manufacturer of musical components that elevates a music system in a meaningful way. We have their step up transformers and cables set up, they are beautifuly voiced and eminently musical. Please come by for a listen.

EMT Studiotechnick

I'm proud to anounce the arrival of the EMT -the legendary German company that produced some of the most sought after and iconic analog playback equipment used by both profesional broadcast and discerning vinyl lovers. The range of cartridges from EMT deliver the ideal match for various records from the golden age of music to lps made today. Of course our discussion is not complete with out the EMT 997 banana arm, coveted by many for decades -now available again(in limited quantity per year). Listening through it is to be reminded why one loves playing records.

Magico M3

the M3 is a culmination of latest advancement in Magico's evolution. Combining extraordinary insight into the musical event with an eery absence of grain and glare. Available at our shop for demonstration.

Naim

Naim has been building quality amplifiers and sources for so many years, it's hard to think of a time when they were not part of the hifi scene. Known for their outstanding value, and build quality. They are also one of the most forward thinking builders of components who embraces the 21st century. With intuitive products that sound great while offering the convenience of  ergonomics like network, wifi and bluetooth yet assuring the sound that established their reputation is advanded hand in hand...

Rega Planar3 2016

Regas Plannar 3 has landed , available in gloss white and black .The plannar3 features a new arm and platter and other refinements. Full bodied and nimble the Planar 3 is sure to please vinyl lovers.

 

Devore Fidelity Gibbon X

The Gibbon X have landed and they have been making themselves at home in our shop. Settling in after a trip from their birth place in Brooklyn, NY to the the west coast. They have gradually revealed themselves to be highly nuanced and refined. Projecting forth a large and airy stage with trememdous impact. Listening the classic Lp by Bill Jenning and Leo Parker "Billlly in the Lion's Den", one is immersed in it's funky, greasy atomsphere. Please make time to drop by for a listen...

Crimson

I recently received our shop's Wavelength Crimson with full dsd capability ,whether streaming music from your favorite music service or from your hardrive the Crimson's warmth and rightness is immediately felt...

fundamentaly sound

the Air Tight  atm 211 amplifier has been in continous production for more than 15 years. Since the company's birth, each creation is a finished design, no new model numbers every other year. Ocassionally, when superior parts become availble  they are quietly implemented. With its massive customed  Tamura ouput transformer it delivers 20 pure watts of air, immediacy , presence coupled with unlimited dynamics when mated to an appropriate speaker.

It's sibling the atm 300b delivers saturated tones with an exceptional depth, color pallete and texture . With its nuanced predisposition, the eight watts is explicitly beautiful.

Leben Hifi

Hand built in small batches from Japan, they wrap a lot of goodness in an beautiful package that delivers a wallop. Small and unasssuming, they surprise you will breathless power and richness when mated with an approriately  designed speaker. Breaking in the new Leben CS 300F as I write these words while digging Miles Davis' Miles Ahead, like the tune it's  assured and slighly brash, it's way ahead...

Small Devices

The Sentec brings new insight to  overlooked pre-modern era (before long playing records came to be) perfomances  on record that truly allows for a meaningful appreciation of these great perfomances. With the aid of Bob's Devices step up transformers.  When played back properly with the proper EQ, these early recordings have impact and fidlelity that are astonishing...    

  

                                                                        

Ebony 

Just a note on the arrival of Box Furniture's Ebony stain rack...it is simply gorgeous.

Devialet and a Soldier of Love

The Devialet system have been playing nicely with the other speakers at the studio since their arrival. Displaying delicacy, finese in their DNA and appropriately powerful when called upon by the music... The funtionality and beautiful apearence of the body and remote are a joy to behold ...reminiscent  of one of my favorite bands Sade.

Acoustic Plan

The Acoustic Plan sources are carving out a comfortable home at our studio, enchanting listeners with their  suave yet assured decoding of digital and analog. Beautifully built in fuction and easy on the eyes..  

 Brinkmann Audio

We are very pleased to welcome Brinkmann Audio to our shop. Sophisticated and built to an extremely high level of competency, sonically they are dynamic and unwavering in their tracing of a groove.. shown below is the Bardo turntable with Ront tubed power supply...

   

Line Magnetic

I am very pleased to welcome Line Magnetic to our shop. Beautifully built inside out with a sound to match. 

Devore Fidelity o96

The Orangutan o96 landed last week and we've been buring them in. Right out of the box they oozed sexiness with an impeccable gloss finish showing off the beautiful lace walnut finish. After a quick set up, an orgy of listening ensued and they never fail to captivate. From rollicking brashness of the Clash's London Calling to  the warm, gentile, at times fragile, sound of Pablos Casals recording of Bach's Cello suite from 1936 they were insightfull, nuanced,  always organic. Then, I proceeded to play  Bill Wither's "Just the Two of Us", a song I first knew as  bubblegum commercial, the boyancy and bounce was just plain fun. Lastly, we wrapped up with Joe Henderson's Blue Bossa from his  classic Blue Note debut Page One, they beautifully captured Kenny Dorhams staccato  trumpet attack his unique curled tone ,like a flower blooming then the petals curled inwards and Joe's smoky  tenor sax with its tradmark burnished tone and easily laying out his huge swirling lines. The Orangutans o96s are musically enveloping.

Well Tempered Turntables

The full line of Well tempered Turntables recently landed at the shop and they are such a joy to spin records on. They are conceived by William Firebaugh with a re-thinking of the essential elememts for optimum record play back , then executed with a completely fresh approach. Vastly improved over his previous designs they are non fussy and remarkably stable. Listening to Johnny Hartman's blue light performance of "In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning" (from his classic Impulse Lp- I Just Dropped by to Say Hello) on the Well Tempered Versalex laid out his chocolate infused baritone voice with such weight and ease while Hank Jones ticked the ivories behind him...it  is a treat. Then I dropped on the platter the  powerful performance of the Rachmaninov Vocalise by Dallas Symphony,  its impact and grace was laid out with so much ease it was addictive. Drop by and experience this great record player . 

DeVore  Fidelity

John DeVore's unique speaker designs,for many years, have received critical acclaim from  the press and praise of loyal owners . Known for   an enviable combination nuanced textures, truthful musicality, and high efficiency without compromise. Possesing effortless dynamics from the the petit Gibbon 3 Xl to the mighty O 96, they bring life and vibrance to every piece of music.  With thoughtful designs like the Gibbon series which use bamboo a cabinet for it's natural strength and tone or the majestic Orangutan series which produces grand scale in a reasonably sized cabinet.  Each speaker  is carefully  hand-built in Brooklyn, New York. We are proud to offer them for your consideration.

Wavelength Audio

Gordon Rankins has an ear for musicality that is manifested in the music coming out of his Dacs. Incredibly dynamic and agile with a knack for tracing the curves of each musical line. Wavelength Dacs make a case that digital can be engaging and involving. From his smallest offering to the mighty Crimson, we have them in the shop for your consideration.

Box Furniture

I am proud to anounce we will be offering Box furniture's superb support system of racks and stands. Hand-built by master crafstman Anthony Abbate in Brooklyn, New York. Each Box Furniture racks is hand built from solid hardwood with a quality furniture grade fit and finish. More impotantly  they are tuned  for musicality,  enhancing dynamics while maintaining tonality.

VTL

Known for their startling dynamics and natural tonality , for more than three decades Vtl has established  itself as an innovative builder of suberb tube amplification. From their ground breaking bias circuitry  or employing premium Mundorf Silver and Oil caps in their designs ,Luke and Bea's amps are forward thinking and always musical. Mindful  to optimize performance and to ensure ease of ownership, their amps feature over the top protection features like the sophisticated circuit which ensures operation conditions are optimal for rereliability but at the same time remain out of the signal path for musicality. With offerings that range from superbly built compact integrated amp IT 85 to state of the art Sigfreid mono blocks, Luke and Bea puts their dedication into every piece that is carefully built in their California facility.

Magico

Alon  Wolf had been quietly building bespoke speakers systems for demanding clientele for over a decade. Custom built for those who demanded the very best. With the Q and S series his no compromise approach is available to more than just a select few. Guided by his pursuit of a creating speaker of exceeding naturalness and coherence, from this is formed is a speaker that sounds like a plush wave of air messaging your ears.

 Hegel Music Systems

Hegel have been building superb quality amplifiers and dacs for a couple of decades in Norway. Innovative designs that allow for beautiful performance and offering a very high value quotient. All this is great but what really shines is the way which they play music. Implementing their "organic sound engine" in their design yields performance which is simultaneously musical and refined- that belies their asking price.

 Triode Japan

From Japan are a range of tubed components that are musical and beautifully built. From low powered SET amps to medium powered integrateds ,these creations are pretty and sound great! Shown here is the award winning TRX 1 Pre amp , which features a 274 tube for the powersupply ... Cool.

Franco Serblin Accordo

The Accordo is baby brother of the Ktema, it's a two way speaker  housed in a beautiful sculpted walnut cabinet that delivers open ,spacious, tactile sound with vividness and clarity. Easily power by a small amp, it's perfect for a situation where space is a premium, and utmost musical quality is a priority.

 



Harbeth M30.1

When I saw Alan Shaw over dinner at the 2009 CES he confided in me that he was working on a new design of the fabled Harbeth M30. Well, its been three plus years and the M30.1 have finally been delivered. The time has obviously well spent as the M30.1 improves upon every musically relevant aspect of the previous generation. Presenting a superbly coherent portrayal of the musical event, billowing with beautiful tonality and textures, it is quite an accomplishment. In summary... it is sweet! And the Tiger ebony is just gorgeous says my wife...





Bricasti Design M1

With a healthy dose of quality music recently released in high resolution format, we feel the time is right  to look at adding a high quality dac to your system. I am very happy to anounce we have the Bricasti Design M1 in the shop for audition, the sound is best decribed as "alive " with effortless momentum,and drive. Digital does not have to sound lifless! Rigorous attention was paid to every aspect of the design process, from carefully selecting each component by empirical listening, to designing a suite of fiters that allows the user to achieve a balance that suits his or her taste...The minimum phase filter allows a degree naturalness that is simply beguiling and tactile. Details like the chassis milled out of a solid piece  aluminum to minimize vibrations from corrupting the signal, with even the vents milled out as well. It is thoroughly thought out piece that is built one piece at a time in Massachusetts -which delivers the alot of pleasure. .

Kudos

 The Kudos range of loudspeakers are designed with the overriding principle of allowing our customers to enjoy their music as much as possible, with the best engineered product at a given price point.  A simple statement to make, but one which involves a lot of hard work to achieve, especially as we are our own worst critics and never release a product until we are fully satisfied with it.

A great many of the hi-fi loudspeakers on the market today utilize mass-produced components and styling techniques to make them appear more impressive and to hit key price points.  This has unfortunately become a common practise and can lead to quality and consistency issues, severely compromising the end product. Instead, we at Kudos use traditional well-proven engineering techniques, the highest quality components, and the time-honored method of voicing our loudspeaker by ear to produce inspiring results.



Coming from a family of skilled cabinet makers, hi-fidelity enthusiasts and professional musicians, (as well as having worked as a music / sound engineer in the demanding world of professional audio) and after years of designing for other companies, Derek wanted to bring a range of loudspeakers to the market based around exemplary engineering without gimmick, or artifice. 



Ktema

Franco Serblin  founded  Sonus Faber in the 1980s, along the way he incorporated many innovative ideas into his speaker designs.  After leaving the company he had founded, he formed a new company simply named Franco Serblin in 2008 and the Ktemas speakers are his latest creation. The Ktemas incorporate a many design concepts Franco has pursued for a long time. Elements like the curved wood baffle for strength and preserving tonal beauty, to the unique rear wings acting like sounding board throught which the woofers interface acoustically with the room, reproducing stringed instrument with  effortless presence. Each Ktema is produced in a limited quantity in Italy, because of the detail require in building each pair they cannot be massed produced. I lowered the needle on the Simon Yorke spinning a lp of  Bach's cello Suite played by Piere Fournier and well....the presence,tamber, texture, color ...in a word ...wow. I am very proud to have the first pair in North America available for auditioning.

the Dynamic Duo

We are excited about Rega's New Brio R Integrated amp for a couple of reasons, one is it sports a new power supply, which in turn feeds the new 50 watt class a based amp section. When paired with the Rega Dac they form a musically satisfying combo that will provide their owner countless hours of listening pleasure...Plus there is also a remote to make it easily accessible from your listening seat.

The Rega Dac  makes digital sound well ...less digital and will breath new life onto those 1s and 0s. Suave and supple with a very natural sound in the Rega tradition...Come in for a listen and revive your digital music collection.

 Tone Audio Review

 

Harbeth

 The latest generation of Harbeth speakers are available at Tone of Music Audio. With a long tradition of superb British engineering,  design and  voicing,  these are perhaps the most enjoyable reference speakers ever made. With  out-of- production models commanding two to three times their original price tag  on the used market, Harbeth have proven to be a longtime music lover's favorite. Harbeth have endeared themselves to audiophiles who want  the resolution and tonality but not the listening fatigue that accompany so many other company's speaker designs.

I will not quote  all the rave  the reviews, there simply isn't enough room on this page.

we have the entire Harbeth line in stock and ready for your audition   

                                            

  Harbeth HP3ESR                                                                                 

 These are perhaps Harbeth UKs  greatest achievement to date. They disappear leaving nothing but a large soundstage in front of the listener. Tonality has improved  it sounds even more full bodied in the lower register, while low level resolution is superb.

 A large part of these improvements can be attributed directly to the new 5"  Radial 2 driver and new crossover. The P3SR sounds significantly more dynamic and effortless than the previous generation.

Best of all, they are extremely natural sounding (a fundamental design criteria for all Harbeth speakers). If that wasn't enough they are now even easier to drive because of their benign electrical load. We invite you to audition and validate their exceptional musicality .

When we  unpacked them the first thing we noticed was that they were heavier, no doubt  due to the  larger  magnet structure of the new Radial 2 driver. The Rosewood finish is very handsome or gorgeous as my wife commented.

After they were plugged in,  lowering the the needle of the Air tight mounted on the the Simon Yorke S10 spinning Lee Morgan's Tomcat 45rpm Blue note Reissue, we were bowled over by the dynamic and natural  sound of Lee's horn. McCoy Tyner's piano was full and had body in the lower register that was satisfying.  Jackie McLean 's horn was in the room  with his trademark bite and melancholy tone ...

With lots of great   sounding gear in the shop, its nice to be reminded that  people like Alan Shaw of Harbeth is diligently working to make a wonderful speaker like the P3ESR to gets us excited all over again.  A stunning value at  $2100.

Luxman

Luxman's re-entry into the world of high end electronics is already praised by reviewers  from around the world   for their impeccable sonic and build quality. The Luxman MQ 88 ($7995) tube amp highlights their dedication to

serious music lovers. Combined with the accompanying Cl 88 tube pre amp ($5995) to deliver beautiful sonic and aesthetics. Both  feature meticulous point to point wiring for sonic purity.

The build quality and musicality are exquisite and we know of no tube amp anywhere near its price point that can deliver this level of sophisticated sound and elegance.  If you have tried over marketed "popular brands" and were left wanting, we recommend you audition the MQ 88 power amp. 40 watts of Class A sonic purity....

 Luxman Sq38u

 The SQ38u acknowledges Luxman's rich history in tube design while combining an innovative  refinement of one of Luxman's best selling integrated amp of all time.The new Sq38u puts out 30 watts of EL34 warmth and lucidity using an all tube pre amp and phono section featuring a custom wound built in  step up transformers.



Exposure

 The new Exposure electronics are in stock and ready for your audition. The quality and sound of these U.K built electronics  offer phenomenal performance to price ratio. Over the years they just continue to win the highest praise from major publications and devout owners .

Quad

 The full line of Quad products are available for your consideration. For more than 50 years Quad have been making some of the best speakers and most beloved valve gear!  The Quad ESL is still one of the most musically honest speaker money can buy... at any price. A truly affordable reference speaker.

                                             Quad 2905                                                                                         Quad 40 mono blocks 40 watts of tube rectified power 

Rega

We are happy to announce Tone of Music Audio will be offering Rega's excellent products. For over a quarter of a century Rega has a well earned reputation for delivering astounding performance at a reasonable price point. A no non-sense approach to building quality  components for music reproduction. The now universally acclaimed Rega Rb tonearms are installed by many manufacturer on some the priciest tables. Rega's products reflect their performance first philosophy. With a minimalist approach to design and engineering resulting in a highly refined  manufacturing process. All this translate to an exceedingly high performance to price ratio for music lovers.

Air Tight

Critically acclaimed for it marvelous sound by every reviewer who have heard it. Some feel playback via the PC1 Cartridge is more like listening to the original master tapes than via a record player.

The Airtight PC 1 is special cartridge that makes you want to listen all day, so beware we have warned you. If you fall behind at work it's not our fault.

Currently Stereophile rated "Class A"



Air Tight Premier

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Yutaka Miura of Air Tight, who kindly flew in from Japan and Arturo Manzano for the introduction and US Premier of  3 new Air Tight pieces. Our event featured Lp playback via the Air Tight PC1 Coda,  the ATE-3011 dedicated phono pre-amp with variable curves , ATC 5 pre amp and  the ATM 300 Reference played through the Devore 096. The sound is spectacular ! Dynamic, rich with plenty of slam ,presence all with abunace of ease and flow. A big thank you to Yutaka, Arturo and our valued clients, friends and guests who took time to make the event enjoyable and worthwhile! 

the photos are by courtesey of Vu Nguyen 

Mono and Stereo Hight End Magazine 09/26/2018

Air Tight Premier

Air Tight Premier

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Yutaka Miura of Air Tight, who kindly flew in from Japan and Arturo Manzano for the introduction and US Premier of  3 new Air Tight pieces. Our event featured Lp playback via the Air Tight PC1 Coda,  the ATE-3011 dedicated phono pre-amp with variable curves , ATC 5 pre amp and  the ATM 300 Reference played through the Devore 096. The sound is spectacular ! Dynamic, rich with plenty of slam ,presence all with abunace of ease and flow. A big thank you to Yutaka, Arturo and our valued clients, friends and guests who took time to make the event enjoyable and worthwhile! 

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Yutaka Miura of Air Tight, who kindly flew in from Japan and Arturo Manzano for the introduction and US Premier of  3 new Air Tight pieces. Our event featured Lp playback via the Air Tight PC1 Coda,  the ATE-3011 dedicated phono pre-amp with variable curves , ATC 5 pre amp and  the ATM 300 Reference played through the Devore 096. The sound is spectacular ! Dynamic, rich with plenty of slam ,presence all with abunace of ease and flow. A big thank you to Yutaka, Arturo and our valued clients, friends and guests who took time to make the event enjoyable and worthwhile!