Technics
Technics has three new low-priced Compact Disc players with varying degrees of programming and operating flexibility. All three have the same audio specs as previous Technics CD players.
The top model, the SL-P3, has more sophisticated cueing abilities than the other two. The remote control can change the volume level of the player, which can also be done with a control on the unit. A switch selects timer play, auto pause, or auto cue. Timer play allows use with a separate timer for automatic operation, the auto-pause control briefly delays the start of play at the beginning of each selection, and auto cue locates the beginning of the music on each track and activates a cue-standby indicator when it is ready for play. Price: $600.
The lowest-priced model, the SL-P 1 , offers fifteen-step random-access programming, direct access to any track or index number, repeat, high- and low speed search, and a skip key. It has fluorescent displays for track number, index number, minutes, and seconds.
Price: $400. The SL-P2 adds amenities such as wireless remote control, auto music scan, more repeat functions, and a headphone jack with volume control. Price: $500.
For all three players, rated frequency response is 4 to 20,000 Hz ±0.5 dB, dynamic range 96 dB, and total harmonic distortion less than 0.003 per cent; wow-and-flutter is unmeasurable.
Technics, Dept. SR, One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, N.J. 07094.
The Kinergetics KBA-200 power amplifier has a dual-monophonic design that is said to eliminate hysteresis distortion. Each completely separate channel has a complementary pair of amplifying stages; according to the manufacturer, the second stage in each pair "generates hysteresis distortion exactly equal to that created in the first stage, but in the opposite direction," thus canceling out the distortion overall.
The KBA-200 is rated for 200 watts per channel. A cascode input extends the power bandwidth to 400 kHz. Head room is rated at 3 dB, and the slew rate is greater than 100 volts per microsecond. The amplifier measures 19 inches wide, 7 inches high, and 18 inches deep.
Price: $1,495. Kinergetics, Dept. SR, 6029 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, Calif. 91356.
The new Fuji high-bias FR II cassette tape, which has smaller and slimmer fine-grain magnetic particles than earlier formulations, is said to have a greater dynamic range and increased high-frequency maximum output level for dubbing Compact Discs and other PCM-encoded digital material. Rated frequency response is 2 dB higher at 10,000 Hz. The shell comes with honey comb liner sheets, a high-precision pres sure pad, a loop-prevention guide, and a tension-stabilizer guide. A large window makes the tape hubs easily visible.
Price: C-46, $3.95; C-60, $4.35; C-90, $5.95. Fuji U.S.A., Dept. SR, 350 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10118.
A new moving-coil cartridge from Monster Cable, the Alpha 2, joins the Alpha I, which was introduced last year. The "micro-ridge" stylus maintains a constant tip radius that is said to result in better inner and outer groove tracing with low distortion. The sapphire cantilever is a hollow tube. The Alpha 2 is said to use a "magnetic feed back control circuit" similar to that in the Alpha 1. Prices: Alpha 1, $475; Alpha 2, $650. Monster Cable, Dept. SR, 101 Townsend St., San Francisco, Calif. 94107.
The Nova CPA-100 preamplifier uses discrete solid-state devices instead of integrated circuits. It has metallized polypropylene capacitors and contains an oversized toroidal power transformer for high efficiency and low radiated field hum. The input and output jacks are gold plated. There is an absolute-phase switch to correct out-of-phase material, a 20-dB mute switch with loudness contour, and a tape-enable switch that disconnects the tape outputs when not in use.
Frequency response for the phono in put is given as 20 to 20,000 Hz ±0.15 dB; for the other source it is 0.1 Hz to 200 kHz +0,-3 dB. Total harmonic distortion is rated at less than 0.01 per cent. The CPA-100 has a brushed aluminum front panel with side panels in walnut or oak. Price: $1,695. Nova Electro-Acoustics, Dept. SR, P.O. Box 25488 Los Angeles, Calif. 90025.
Two new models of car speakers from Jensen feature an equalization circuit to compensate for the limitations of the speaker itself and the vagaries of car acoustics. One of three equalization set tings can be selected. The speakers have input-level and thermal-overload protection circuits. They can handle 100 watts and are rated at 4 ohms impedance. Both models require 2 inches of mounting depth.
The P/EQ- I has a rated frequency response of 55 to 20,000 Hz and a sensitivity of 93 dB sound-pressure level with a 1-watt input. Price: $134.95 per pair. The frequency response of the P/ EQ-2 .s 45 to 20,000 Hz, and its rated sensitivity is 94 dB.
Price: $154.95 per pair. Jensen Car Audio, Dept. SR, 4136 North United Pkwy., Schiller Park, Ill. 60176.
Dali, Built in Denmark, the Dali 11 (shown) is the smallest of a line of four loud speakers. Its 61/2-inch woofer has a laminated-pulp and polyvinyl-acetate cone.
The 1-inch soft-polypropylene dome tweeter has a ferrofluid-filled gap for cooling and centering the voice coil.
The crossover is a third-order Butter worth design. Recommended amplifier power is 10 to 60 watts. The frequency response is given as 60 to 20,000 Hz and distortion as 0.6 percent or less. The tweeter is placed slightly off-center for better imaging and depth perspective.
Optimum positioning is 20 to 40 inches above the floor. Finished with black front and rear baffles, the cabinet has walnut side and top panels. The Dali II measures 14 x 9 x 9 1/2 inches and weighs 14 pounds. Price: $120 per pair, plus $10 shipping.
The top-of-the-line Dali 10 is also a two-way speaker. The bass-reflex cabinet contains a 6 1/2-inch pulp-cone woofer surrounded by a soft rubber gasket that is concealed between a wood plate and the front baffle board to dampen resonances and eliminate vibration.
The 0.75-inch cloth-dome tweeter has a perforated magnet, and its rear output is damped by a foam-filled chamber. Hexagonal-shaped wire is used in the voice coils of both drivers. The crossover is a fourth-order acoustical Bessel design.
Rated frequency response is 38 to 20,000 Hz within 3 dB. Sensitivity is given as 90 dB sound-pressure level with a 1-watt input measured at 1 meter. Distortion is 0.3 percent or less.
The cabinet is finished with walnut veneer, and steel speaker stands are included. The Dali 10 is 29 inches high, 161/2 inches wide, and 7 inches deep, and it weighs 50 pounds. Price: $319 per pair, plus $33 shipping. Danish American Limited, Dept. SR, P.O. Box 55386, Valencia, Calif. 91355.
Audio Research
The Audio Research D-115 power amplifier uses vacuum tubes instead of the more commonly used transistors to amplify the audio signal. The circuitry in the amp is cross-coupled and fully balanced. On the front panel is the power switch, with fuses for line voltage and screen grid voltage to protect the tubes from burnout. The power output is given as 115 watts per channel into 16 ohms from 20 to 20,000 Hz with less than 1 percent total harmonic distortion. Input sensitivity is 1.1 volt rms for rated output, and noise is 90 dB below rated power, broadband unweighted.
The amplifier is 19 inches wide, 7 inches high, and 16.5 inches deep. Price: $2,995. Audio Research, Dept. SR, 6801. Shingle Creek Parkway, Minneapolis, Minn. 55430.
Accuphase
The T-106 AM/FM digital synthesis tuner from Accuphase makes use of an optical pulse generator attached to a hefty rotary knob to preserve the "feel" of a variable capacitor knob. The tuner has a newly developed differential gain linear FM detector and IF filters with flat group delay. A synchronous detector in the AM section is designed to reject interference and minimize distortion. There are fourteen station presets.
Next to the signal strength meter is a peak modulation meter that also functions as a multipath detection meter.
The stereo 50-dB quieting sensitivity is rated at 37 dBf, signal-to-noise ratio at 79 dBA, and 1,000-Hz total harmonic distortion at 0.04 percent. The tuner is 17 1/2 inches wide, 5 inches high, and 14 1/2 inches deep. Price: $1,050. Madrigal Ltd., Dept. SR, P.O. Box 781, Middletown, Conn. 06457.
AUDIO/VIDEO---NEW PRODUCTS
Vidicraft
Connected to a compatible wireless remote-control video-cassette recorder, the Vidicraft CCU-I20 can direct the VCR to edit out interrupting commercials by recording the continuing pro gram over them. The CCU-120 commercial cutter and event timer uses its two microprocessors to scan the audio and video signals for the transition from program to commercial, which is signaled by a dip to black with silent audio. Then it orders the VCR to back-scan to the beginning of the recorded commercial and record over it when programming resumes. An average of 98 percent of all commercials can be eliminated, according to the manufacturer, with accidental program cuts, averaging less than 60 seconds each, only about once in every 50 recording hours.
The timer on the CCU-l20 allows programming twelve events over nine weeks.Price: $399. Vidicraft, Dept. SR, 0704 SW Bancroft St., Portland, Ore. 97201.
Circuitry to decode stereo TV broad casts is included in Harman Kardon's VCD-1000 VHS Hi-Fi audio/video-cassette recorder. The deck employs discrete, fully complementary circuitry with wide bandwidth and low negative feedback in each stage. There is a four-event, fourteen-day timer. Operating features include still-frame and picture search in forward and reverse modes.
The VCD- 1000 operates in SP, LP, and EP modes. A panel conceals secondary controls when they are not in use. Displays show time, date, tape length, and play time. There is an audio level meter and an audio level control. The 105-channel cable-ready tuner uses Zenith/ dbx decoding for stereo TV broadcasts and S.A.P. programming. A wireless re mote control duplicates the front-panel controls and sixteen station presets.
Price: $1,250. Harman Kardon, 240 Crossways Park West, Woodbury, N.Y., 11797.
Canon's VR-40A four-head VHS Hi-Fi video-cassette recorder plugs into the top of the Canon VT-50A tuner/timer for home use; no cable connections are required, and the recorder section detaches for portable use. Audio information is recorded by frequency modulation with rotating audio heads. Audio frequency response is given as 20 to 20,000 Hz. Dynamic range is better than 80 dB, and wow-and-flutter is 0.005 percent. The deck operates in SP, LP, or SLP modes. An LCD display on the front panel shows the selected mode, tape speed, battery condition, and remaining time. Horizontal resolution is more than 230 lines. The VR 40A is 8 7/16 inches wide, 3 1/16 inches high, and 10h inches deep. It weighs 7.3 pounds with its internal battery pack.
Price: $1,030.
The VT-50A frequency-synthesis video tuner is 83/16 inches wide, 47/8 inches high, and 14 inches deep. It can record eight different programs over fourteen days and features one-touch recording. There are fourteen station presets. Price: $570. Canon U.S.A., Dept. SR, One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, N.Y. 11042.
Revox has introduced a new line of compact speakers designed to be used with stereo televisions. The smallest model, the Piccolo, is a two-way speaker with a 4'3'16-inch woofer and a winch dome tweeter. The crossover frequency is 1,800 Hz, and rated frequency response is 80 to 22,000 Hz. Nominal impedance is 4 ohms. The Piccolo can be used with amplifiers producing from 20 to 40 watts. It measures 81 1/6 inches high, 5 1/2 inches wide, and 54 1/4 inches deep, and it is finished in flat black, with a perforated metal grille. Price: $198 per pair. Other models in the line cost up to $498 per pair. Studer Revox America, Dept. SR, 1425 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville, Tenn. 37210.
One of a series of ADC video enhancers and processors, the V-400 video sound processor contains Dynamic Noise Reduction to reduce tape hiss and background noise. The V-400 creates a stereo signal from a mono input, and its expander is said to recreate the sound of a live performance. Noise reduction is rated at-9 dB with CCIR/ARM weighting, and harmonic distortion without synthesizer, DNR, or expansion is 0.1 percent.
The V-400 video sound processor measures 10 inches wide, 21/8 inches high, and 6 inches deep. Price: $129.95.
Other products in the series, all at the same price include a video stabilizer, a video enhancer, and a video color processor. ADC, Dept. SR, Route 303, Blauvelt, N.Y. 10913.
The Interactive Monitor System in the Akai VS-603U VHS Hi-Fi video cassette recorder displays operating instructions on the TV screen. The tuner has sixteen station presets and scan functions. There is an eight-event, four-week timer and a sleep timer. The VHS Hi-Fi system supplements the four video heads with two rotating audio heads that record the audio signal beneath the video signal on the tape. The resulting dynamic range is greater than 80 dB, and wow-and-flutter is given as 0.005 percent wrms. There are two video speeds, SP and SLP. A wireless remote control is included.
The VS-603U is approximately 17 1/3 inches wide, 4 inches high, and 14 1/2 inches deep. It weighs 22 pounds. Price: $1,195. Akai America, Dept. SR, P.O. Box 6010, 800 West Artesia Blvd., Compton, Calif. 90224.
Also see: THE HIGH END (Jan. 1986)