The next generation of Motive speakers, the SX series, makes its debut in Munich.

These new models maintain the essential appeal of the original versions but introduce significant improvements in all aspects of performance.

Munich High End May 9th 2013. The next generation of Motive speakers, the SX series, will be shown for the first time. Most of the changes and improvements are hidden within the cabinets but one, the new SXT tweeter, is clearly visible. The SX models will be available in July. The award-winning Motive range has been in production for eight years, winning friends and critical acclaim all around the world. The original designs have been steadily modified during this period, subtly improving performance and consistency. The Motive SX brings an extra layer of sophistication, without losing any of the original’s musical involvement and enjoyment.

The first and most obvious change from original to SX is to the tweeter. Neat has always believed that the tweeter is the most important ingredient in a multi-way loudspeaker, and the key to its overall integrity. A newly designed, aluminium dome that is black anodised for added stiffness has replaced the original titanium dome. The new SXT tweeter retains the fast, uncompressed quality of its predecessor, but now delivers a more natural and cleaner tonal balance. The crossover has been revised using vastly superior Mundorf components, more akin to those used in Neat's more upmarket models. Simple three-element crossovers are mainly employed, a principle strongly favoured in Neat designs. The SXs will be single wired as standard. Bi-amp terminals are available as a chargeable option on order. Neat only suggests this option if the owner is intending to bi-amplify the speakers. The internal bracing and damping have been upgraded and the LF tuning optimised for each model in order to achieve excellent bass extension and control from such modest enclosures. The HF units now operate in their own enclosures to minimise driver crosstalk. 

The Motive SX series comprises three models: the SX1, a two and a half way floorstander; the SX2, a two-way floorstander and the SX3, a two-way stand mount. The bass reflex port on the two floorstanders is fitted to the bottom panel of the cabinet and is vented through an outlet in the stylishly sculpted MDF plinth. The plinth offers a stable platform for the speaker whilst providing a slight backward tilt to maintain the ideal angle for optimum performance. The Motive SX loudspeakers are exceptionally easy to drive, with a benign impedance load and healthy sensitivity. They match well with entry-level partnering equipment but will clearly show the benefits of upgrades in the rest of the system.

Over the last eight years hi-fi performance has significantly improved, especially the performance of budget and mid-level systems. One of the more significant market changes is the change from CD Players to audio streamers. Sonically speaking, one of the most obvious differences between equivalent priced CD players and good steamers is a sweetness to the sound in the higher registers - an almost vinyl like quality. Bob Surgeoner, owner of Neat Acoustics was very keen to find a HF unit to replace that used in the Motive with something more natural sounding to maximise the overall system performance. Having tried many alternative tweeters and found them lacking in key areas – most often dynamics – Bob decided to try to improve the existing Neat inverted dome HF unit. Again, experimentation brought him to the anodised aluminium dome that combined the existing qualities of the titanium dome with a far better upper HF response. The Motive SX series presents a series of attractive and room-friendly solutions, delivering musical performances of convincing authority, unfatiguing listening and a compelling musical experience overall. A matching centre channel the Motive SXC will be available in black oak finish only.

The Motive SX will be available in four finishes:

American Walnut
Black Oak
Natural Oak
Satin White

Posted in: Product News

"When I add up the evidence of sonic elegance, comprehensive featurization, excellent build quality and dual-format top-resolution compliance, there's only one appropriate response: rousing applause (pipe that in now in full DSD128 or native 24/384) and a very blue award. Or as the Wikipedia would remind us, "Vega (α Lyr, α Lyrae, Alpha Lyrae) is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky and after Arcturus the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is a relatively close star at only 25 light-years from Earth and together with Arcturus and Sirius one of the most luminous stars in the sun's neighborhood." That's it - one of the brightest stars in the firmament yet relatively close to earth when it comes to coin. Hifi times are better than ever when one shops for substance not bling. With the Vega, ambitious company AURALiC has created the jewel in their catalogue's crown."

See Full Review Here

Posted in: Product News

We are happy to announce we have recently become a dealer for Clearaudio's superb turntables and accessories, including cartridges and phono-stages. We have their Clearaudio Concept turntable permanently on demonstration with their matching Moving Coil cartridge via Tom Evans or Clearaudio phono-stages. 

Please see a list of their turntables below.

Turntables:

Concept
"Introducing an innovative concept: high-end standards with entry level convenience and price. The Clearaudio Concept is a ready-configured turntable which offers superior performance and sound quality, while also being simple, affordable, and as easy to set up as a CD player!"

Emotion SE
Sold as a package including tonearm and MM cartridge, the enhanced and feature-packed Emotion SE (Second Edition) offers a complete solution to the music lover who is looking for superior sound, but without the need for specialist technical help in matching turntable components.

Performance DC
With the Performance DC, we combine a new built-in DC motor with a superior POM platter to deliver a turntable package in a whole new class.

Ovation
The new Ovation turntable combines innovative Clearaudio technologies with elegant design and exquisite production quality. Features include a precision-machined bulletproof wood chassis layer containing 100,000 tiny stainless steel balls, which act as an elaborate resonance damping measure.

Innovation Compact
The Innovation Compact delivers the key technical features of the classic Innovation turntable (below), but in a more compact construction and at a lower price.

Innovation
The Innovation Compact delivers the key technical features of the classic Innovation turntable (below), but in a more compact construction and at a lower price.

Master Innovation
The Master Innovation, the latest development of the Innovation series, represents a new height in Clearaudio's ongoing quest for perfection. A state-of-the-art, feature-packed masterpiece.

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News

Technology that approaches state of the art!

It was only a matter of time before the Eximus DP1 at its level-headed £2k price would beat all others regardless of price. Here are some of the awards and quotes:-

The Absolute Sound
"We Pick The Best Audio Gear of 2013"
Editor Choice Awards: $3000-$10,000 / April Music Eximus DP1

HiFi Plus
December 2012
"Cut to the chase: the Eximus DP1 is no ‘me too’ product. It’s one of the best of the best money – any money – can buy. It’s an outstanding headphone amp, a fantastic DAC and a none-too-shabby basic preamp in one. If this is the future of audio, tomorrow’s looking damn fine!"

6 Moons
Blue Moon Award 2012
"April Music Eximus DP1 performs in the league of Igor Levin's €3.495 Antelope Audio Zodiac Gold and Mark Mallinson's $3.995 Resonessence Invicta but for headfi is first amongst these equals. In amp-direct use, it exceeds the Gold but lacks the convenient display and remote of the Invicta. Considering price, features, finish, and competition, it joins the Stello U3 in winning our publication's Blue Moon award."

Customer Review
"My conclusion is that I am hearing digital music with less error from the equipment than I have ever heard before. It makes you realise that both standard CD resolution and higher 24bit resolution music has far more to offer than has been acknowledged in the past 20 years."

What do we think?
Representing many brands doesn't make it easy to separate all the very good products from the sublime. Most products have a unique selling point or two, so no DAC is perfect unless it ticks all your boxes. Nor are DAC's equal in different systems, so it's always best to listen before you buy. However, that said, we personally feel the striking difference between the Eximus DP1 and many others is in its ability to communicate the music in a coherent, full bodied and involving way. It doesn't distract with stark detail or colour with artificial warmth, it simply delivers a sound that is remarkably natural and true to life.

Posted in: Product News

We love the Neat range of speakers!

We always have the Motive and IOTA speakers on demonstration, though the Ultimatum's are the ultimate (no pun intended) treat. However, we've just taken delivery of the Neat Momentum 4i's in a light cherry finish and they look great! Carefully set-up, we feel they connect you to the music with all the detail, sound stage, imagining and dynamics rarely heard under £4k. Call us or pop by for a listen if you're hunting for a dream music companion, not forgetting the superb ATC amplification, which brings out their very best talents regardless of the music genre in play :)

More information

The Momentum 4i is a full range 2.5-way iso-baric floorstanding design, which uses four drive units in each enclosure. Iso-baric loading is a familiar feature on Neat loudspeakers, this being our favoured system for delivering exemplary bass performance. The iso-baric principle is exploited in quite a radical way in the design of the Momentum 4i, which features two 6.5" bass drive units in an integral subwoofer arrangement (this part of the system is hidden from view).

An ‘Ultimatum’ type bass/midrange main driver then handles frequencies up to the crossover point, where the latest version of our ‘NMT’ inverted titanium dome tweeter, with its extended HF response, takes over. All of the drive units used in the Momentum models are custom-made to Neat Acoustics’ specifications. The close tolerance capacitors and chokes used in the hardwired crossover networks are, likewise, made to our exacting requirements by leading UK suppliers. All of this technology is presented in attractive, room-friendly cabinets in a variety of finishes to match any décor. More importantly, the Momentum loudspeakers are capable of delivering a compelling musical experience where it really matters – in the listening room.

Posted in: Product News

ModWright's award winning products are due to receive the necessary CE certification so you can purchase their products in the U.K. and Europe. Their range is one of the most sort-after brands by audio enthusiasts for their outstanding sound, power on tap and great looks. Probably the most often used amplifier by speaker manufacturers at international shows, they are amongst the very best in terms of transparency and speed, while representing extremely good value for money.

Igloo Audio is very much looking forward to having them on permanent demonstration.
Please contact us for more information.

About ModWright

ModWright was founded in 2000 as a company producing modifications to digital products. The modifications were cost-effective, yet high quality alternative to the audio enthusiast. Born from this, their Truth series of modifications, utilizing tube analogue stages, won ModWright worldwide acclaim and led them to the next step: building their own equipment. The 9.0 series of preamplifiers was introduced in 2003, continuing the trend of high performance audio with an emphasis on quality and value. This included a phono preamplifier and later a balanced tube line stage, the LS 36.5. In 2009, they proudly released the KWA 150 amplifier to round out a complete ModWright Electronics system. They continued on this path of building high quality and high value audio equipment, designed to provide the most natural and satisfying musical experience. They pride themselves as much on the quality of our work as on our level of service and customer satisfaction.

A note from Dan Wright, President

"As founder of ModWright Instruments, I strive to maintain the message within our mission statement: 
Elegance. Simplicity. Truth." 

ModWright Products

Integrated Amplifier
ModWright KWI200

Power Amplifiers
ModWright KWA 100
ModWright KWA 100SE
ModWright KWA 150
ModWright KWA 150 Signature Edition

Tube Preamp
ModWright LS 100

Tube Line Stage
ModWright LS 36.5

Power Supply
ModWright PS 36.5

Posted in: Product News

"Cut to the chase: the Eximus DP1 is no ‘me too’ product. It’s one of the best of the best money – any money – can buy. It’s an outstanding headphone amp, a fantastic DAC and a none-too-shabby basic preamp in one. If this is the future of audio, tomorrow’s looking damn fine!" Alan Sircon 

See the full review Here.

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News

We are happy to announce the release of the long awaited Stello Ai700 integrated amplifier.

There are so many amplifiers (separate or integrated) in the world. Some sound very good, but the price is way beyond the bar and some are simply making far too much heat. It's very hard to find the right amplifiers to make audiophiles happy as well as their family being able to enjoy true high quality sound.

This was the starting point of the “Stello Ai700" project in wanting to 'Bring Your Music Back To Life'.

Product concepts for the Ai700 are:

1) Simple configuration, yet a high-end sound for all to enjoy.
2) Wide dynamic range and powerful drive for almost all loudspeakers at home.
3) Reproduction of delicate detail and realistic nuance of the source recording.
4) No heavy chassis. Not too much heat. Can run 24hrs/365 days.

The achievement of the above-mentioned factors within a simple box is not easy. But April Music have invested almost two full years to make this mission complete. The most updated ICE power module ASX250 (like the gifted Eximus S1) is used per channel, each with a bridged mono mode to output 500W at an 8ohm load, to drive any given speaker without fatigue.

April Music have devised the huge and delicate input buffer stage with separate power supply to make the sonic characters not like the other so-called class D amplfiers, but close to class A or A/B amps. None other than Alex Rasmussen of Neal Feay designed and machined the chassis in Santa Barbara, CA. So, with the Ai700, you can get the power, dynamics and the musicality. It is simple and equally beautiful looking at the same time.

The Stello Ai700 debuted to the public at the RMAF (Rocky Mountain Audio Fest) 2012, Denver, CO.

They showed with Coltrane Soprano (U$50,000) from Marten Audio, with many visitors amazed by the musicality and astounding power handling. April Music are so proud to officially make available the Stello Ai700 integrated amplifier and hope to give you more news on the matching Stello D700 DAC this year.

Many new items are under development, so continiue to watch this space...

Regards,
Peter

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News

The website that welcomes people to Tunbridge Wells has added Igloo Audio to their directory of local independent businesses. See HERE.

TW Life

The website that covers everything happening in this vibrant and busy town. Whether you're a welcome visitor or a long-term resident you can make the most of your time here by reading our blog posts on 'TWL Blog', find a tour to discover the real town, or check out the 'What's On' directory to find a show or an event. If you have mobility issues then our Tunbridge Wheels blog gives up-to-date, no nonsense advice and our fast-growing directories of local shops, businesses, services, clubs and societies make Tunbridge Wells Life THE town's most useful resource!

Igloo Audio is just a few seconds from "The Historic Heart".

Since we are not a 'bricks and mortar' shop, please give us a days notice before any planned visit or product demonstration. Coffee and cake ready at hand :)

Posted in: General News, Igloo News

After much wait, Benchmark Media have launch their NEW DAC2 HGC in an attempt to keep ahead of the competition as they so superbly achieved when launching the DAC1 many moons ago.

A New Reference

Benchmark's DAC1 family of D/A converters have been the reference to which other converters have been compared. It is rare to find a converter review that does not draw comparisons to the DAC1. The DAC1 has been the best-selling 2-channel reference-quality converter and is in daily use at many of the finest recording studios and mastering rooms. DAC1 converters are also enjoyed by thousands of audiophiles.

But, Benchmark has just raised the bar ... the DAC2 HGC now defines a new reference.

Performance

The DAC2 HGC outperforms the DAC1 in every respect. It has lower noise, lower distortion, improved accuracy, outstanding musical detail, precise stereo imaging, an advanced digital filter design, and a new high-sample-rate Asynchronous USB Audio interface. All inputs are fully isolated from interface jitter by Benchmark's new UltraLock2™ jitter attenuation system. Internal digital processing and conversion is 32-bits, and includes 3.5 dB of headroom above 0 dBFS. Four balanced 32-bit D/A converter are summed together for each balanced output. The performance of the DAC2 HGC exceeds the measurement limits of today's state-of-the art test equipment. Discover the analog sound of the DAC2 HGC.

New Features

DAC1 customers requested many new features which have been integrated into the new DAC2 HGC:

•Sample Rate Display
•Word Length Display
•More Digital Inputs (5 total)
•More Analog Inputs (2 total)
•More Analog Outputs (3 total)
•Digital Pass Through
•Native DSD Conversion
•Polarity Switch
•Asynchronous USB 2.0
•Driverless Asynchronous USB 1.1
•Home Theater Bypass
•Bi-Directional 12 Volt Trigger
•Power Switch
•Low Power Consumption

New Benchmark Technologies

Benchmark introduces some exciting new technologies in the DAC2 HGC: •Hybrid Gain Control

•High-Headroom DSP
•UltraLock2™ Jitter Attenuation System
•Quad 32-bit balanced D/A Conversion System
•Multi-Mode Asynchronous USB Audio System
•Distributed Power Regulation

Hybrid Gain Control

"HGC" is Benchmark's unique Hybrid Gain Control system. The DAC2 HGC combines active analog gain control, passive low-impedance attenuators, a 32-bit digital gain control, and a servo-driven volume control. All inputs are controlled by the rotary volume control. This volume control moves in response to commands from the remote control. Analog inputs are never converted to digital, and digital inputs never pass through an analog potentiometer. Digital inputs are precisely controlled in the 32-bit DSP system. The DSP system preserves precise L/R balance, and precise stereo imaging, while avoiding any source of noise and distortion. Benchmark's unique passive output attenuators provide distortion-free gain reduction without reducing the dynamic range of the converter. The attenuators optimize the gain staging between the DAC2 HGC and the power amplifier. This optimization is absolutely essential for maximizing the dynamic range of the entire playback system. Much of the success of the DAC1 converters can be attributed to the passive output attenuators. Musical details can be obscured by system noise whenever a preamplifier and power amplifier are improperly matched. The" HGC " system will make full use of your power amplifier's dynamic range. Experience new details in your favorite recordings.

Native DSD Conversion

All digital inputs on the DAC2 HGC support native DSD conversion. DoP 1.0 is automatically detected on all digital inputs, and the system seamlessly switches to native DSD conversion. DoP 1.0 is supported by many media players, and DSD downloads are now available from several sources.

UltraLock2™ Jitter Attenuation System

UltraLock2™ is an improved version of the UltraLock™ system used in the DAC1 and ADC1 product families. DSP processing is 32-bits, DSP headroom is 3.5 dB, sample rate is 211 kHz, and jitter-induced distortion and noise is at least 140 dB below the level of the music - well below the threshold of hearing. Benchmark's UltraLock2™ system eliminates all audible jitter artifacts.

High Headroom DSP - with 3.5 dB "Excess" Digital Headroom

All of the digital processing in the DAC2 HGC is designed to handle signals as high as +3.5 dBFS. Most digital systems clip signals that exceed 0 dBFS. The 0 dBFS limitation seems reasonable, as 0 dBFS is the highest sinusoidal signal level that can be represented in a digital system. However, a detailed investigation of the mathematics of PCM digital systems will reveal that inter-sample peaks may reach levels slightly higher than +3 dBFS while individual samples never exceed 0 dBFS. These inter-sample overs are common in commercial releases, and are of no consequence in a PCM system until they reach an interpolation process. But, for a variety of reasons, virtually all audio D/A converters use an interpolation process. The interpolation process is absolutely necessary to achieve 24-bit state-of-the art conversion performance. Unfortunately, inter-sample overs cause clipping in most interpolators. This clipping produces distortion products that are non-harmonic and non-musical . We believe these broadband distortion products often add a harshness or false high-frequency sparkle to digital reproduction. The DAC2 HGC avoids these problems by maintaining at least 3.5 dB of headroom in the entire conversion system. We believe this added headroom is a groundbreaking improvement.

Multi-Mode Asynchronous USB System

Benchmark's USB system supports USB Audio 2.0, DSD, and USB Audio 1.1. It is frequency agile, and will follow sample rate changes initiated by the computer and/or the media playback software. In all modes the USB communications are asynchronous in order to eliminate unnecessary sources of jitter. 

The DAC2 HGC has a low-jitter master clock which controls the transfer of audio data from the computer to the USB sub-system. The computer asynchronously transfers audio data to a buffer in the DAC2 HGC. The contents of the buffer are then asynchronously transferred to the D/A conversion sub-system. This second asynchronous transfer eliminates any traces of jitter that accumulate as the data is transferred between the USB and conversion subsystems. No traces of jitter-induced distortion are measurable to our measurement limits (better than -150 dBFS). This truly represents the state-of-the art. Enjoy the convenience of computer playback without compromise. The Asynchronous USB system supports USB Audio 2.0 for high-resolution 192kHz, and DSD playback. No drivers are required for MAC operating systems. An easy-to-install driver adds 192 kHz and DSD capabilities to Windows operating systems.

An asynchronous, driverless USB Audio 1.1 mode supports sample rates up to 96 kHz. This USB mode can be selected from the front panel or from the remote control. The driverless USB Audio 1.1 mode allows quick plug-and-play connections to Windows, MAC, iOS, and Linux operating systems without installing drivers. Just plug in the USB, and the DAC2 HGC becomes an available audio device.

The USB subsystem remains active when the DAC2 HGC is powered down. This prevents interruptions to the computer playback operations and eliminates the need to reconfigure the computer every time the converter is turned on.

Quad 32-bit Balanced Conversion System

Four balanced 32-bit D/A converters deliver audio to Benchmark's low-impedance current to voltage converters. The 4:1 redundancy reduces noise and distortion to levels that set new benchmarks. The conversion system at the core of the DAC2 HGC is as good as it gets. The analog circuits that follow the D/A converter are carefully designed. Benchmark has leveraged its long history of building high-end analog audio equipment, in order to create an outstanding output stage.

Diagnostic Tools - Sample-Rate and Word-Length Indicators

Ever wonder why that 192 kHz 24-bit download on your computer just doesn't sound right? Your media player may be down-sampling to 44.1 kHz and/or truncating to 16-bits. Many media players apply poor-quality sample rate conversion and truncation. Fortunately these problems can be eliminated with the selection a good frequency-agile media player. The sample-rate and word-length displays on the DAC2 HGC confirm the proper operation of your media player.

Polarity Switch

You may encounter recordings with inverted polarity. The DAC2 HGC includes a polarity switch to correct the problem.

Home Theater Bypass

The DAC2 HGC can be integrated into a home theater system. Typically the DAC 2 HGC drives the left and right power amplifiers, and an analog feed from the home theater system is connected to either of the analog inputs on the DAC2 HGC. A programmable Home Theater Bypass function sets the pass-through gain to unity when the surround system is active. The DAC2 HGC includes an indicator light that is illuminated when bypass is active.

Digital Pass Through

The second coaxial input can be reconfigured as a digital output. In output mode, any selected digital input (including USB) will pass through to the coaxial output. The digital pass through is bit-transparent and even supports DSD (DoP 1.0). Dolby digital and DTS formats can be passed through to a surround processor.

Bi-Directional 12 Volt Trigger

Benchmark re-invents the 12 volt trigger. The trigger connection on the DAC2 HGC can be used as an input or output or both, and is compatible with any common 12 volt trigger input or output. The trigger can be used to turn a power amplifier on or off automatically. The DAC2 will also respond to a 12 volt trigger and follow the actions of another audio component.

Power Switch

The power switch can place the DAC2 HGC in standby, or full shut down. In full shut down, the unit will still respond to the trigger input and the IR remote control. Power consumption is less than 0.5 W in full shut down.

Low Power Consumption

The DAC2 uses high-efficiency low noise power supplies and may be operated from any standard international voltage without adjustment. Power consumption is 12 W typical.

Distributed Power Regulation

To achieve the lowest possible noise, the DAC2 HGC uses distributed power supply regulation. Each critical subsystem has at least one dedicated low-noise voltage regulator.

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News, Special Offers

We're a stickler for audiophile recordings, something to show-off your HiFi system at its very best and make all your friends deeply envious. Well, maybe not, but if you're interested in great recordings and sampler CDs of exquisite quality, CD hybrid and SACD disks and top class vinyl recordings to CD, then look no further than STS Digital.

About STS:

Founded in 1970, they engage in a variety of activities, including film and video recording, TV and radio productions, and CD, DVD and SACD recordings for manufacturers like Marantz who need demonstration CDs for their exhibitions, HiFi shows and the like. However, their greatest passion is in making beautiful recordings for music lovers and owners of exclusive audio equipment.

Take a browse around our AUDIOPHILE section of our Music Shop listing all the currently available STS Digital recordings, most of which are in stock with us for quick despatch.

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News

We are proud to announce we are now an NAD Master Series dealer and will have on demonstration many of the products from their range.

In particular, we have been very impressed with the NAD M51 Digital Analogue Converter for its analogue, warm and highly informative sound, while providing a high quality digital preamp and every conceivable digital input, even including HDMI.

Master Series M51:
35-bit 844kHz DAC and Digital Preamp

Digital Innovation

NAD's Direct Digital technology is unique in both its extreme precision and in its speed. This advancement was first introduced in the NAD M2 Direct Digital Amplifier to worldwide acclaim. Now this innovative Direct Digital technology is available as a standalone DAC. Instead of using the Direct Digital processor to drive a high power output stage, NAD employ a line level analogue output that will perfectly interface with any analogue system with the M51 Direct Digital DAC.

How Direct Digital Operates

NAD's technology uses a very powerful processing engine that operates at much higher speed and with much greater accuracy than typical Digital-to-Analogue converters. Running at 108MHz, the M51 resample's the incoming pulse code modulated (PCM) signal and converts it to a pulse width modulation signal (PWM) with a sampling rate of 844kHz. Operating in a differential mode with double precision, the M51 has state-of-the-art specifications for low noise and freedom from distortion. The extreme headroom afforded by the 35-bit architecture allows for a DSP-based volume control that does not reduce resolution. Even with 24-bit high definition signals, the output can be attenuated by 66dB (very, very quiet) before bit truncation begins.

Pure Performance

The incredible precision of the M51's processing engine gives music a vibrancy and transient accuracy that must be heard to be appreciated. The conversion process from PCM to PWM completely eliminates any jitter present on the incoming signal; again, offering state-of-the-art performance in this most important parameter. Due to the very high clock speed and mathematical precision of our reconstruction filters, the resulting audio signal is totally free of digital artefacts like ringing. A Pure Class A analogue stage with very low output impedance provides the perfect interface to your favourite amplifier. Also, both balanced and single-ended outputs are available.

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News

From our formation in 2006, our inspiration has always been to deliver brands that offer superb performance and value for money. This year, with our appointment as sole U.K. distributor for April Music, we now offer a range of products that should be at the top of your shopping list in delivering state-of-the-art performance for reasonable money.

The Eximus DP1 DAC, Analogue Preamp, Headphone Amp has been silently winning over the discerning customer. The DP1 reproduces the music accurately, by capturing its natural analogue sound while presenting the music with all the detail and information afforded by digital technology. It's something very special and truly rare in the HiFi industry; breathtaking performance, beautiful solid construction, clever minimalistic features. Added to that, it provides an analogue preamp, headphone outputs, and inputs of the highest quality, combining all these features in a unique unit for an investment of £2k - without the performance sacrifices offered by others.

The Eximus S1 Stereo/Mono Amplifier is the perfect match. Sensibly crafted and designed to work in harmony with the DP1, the S1 brings your music to life, with its mellow, softer, yet highly detailed presentation. Bridgeable for superior separation and soundstage, no amplifier in combination comes close in capturing the music.

The Stello U3 Interface Converter is the neatest and coolest product on the market. Small, yet solid in construction, it uses the superb XMOS chip for USB to SPDIF/AES conversation up to 24 bit/192kHz. Put simply, it is the best interface converter, period.

About April Music: Founded in 1998 April Music is committed to the development of selected products specifically designed for demanding audio enthusiasts by discriminating few whose primary passion is music, not electronics. April Music customers appreciate the fact that components are in fact furniture, and should harmonize comfortably with any room's decor. Every one of April's Stello and Eximus components fills a specific need in the audio marketplace for those who view music as the ultimate aesthetic art form.

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News

Igloo Audio launches new online Music Shop supplying 180gram LP from Music On Vinyl! 

All titles in the Music On Vinyl catalogue are available to order and we will be adding to the selection in the Igloo Music Shop week by week. To order a title not yet listed or to reserve a forthcoming title, simply email us.

As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions.

About Music on Vinyl:

Music on Vinyl is a vinyl only record label that releases high quality 180g LP and 7" vinyl pressings of titles licensed from a wide range of record companies and artists who control their own repertoire.

These are both re-issues of classic titles, or a simultaneous vinyl release to compliment a CD/DVD release, all marketed under the Music on Vinyl brand, which vinyl lovers worldwide recognize as a trusted name providing a superb LP vinyl product.

As for sources; Music On Vinyl are provided with the best possible (analogue) masters available. On top of that, their sound engineer has over 35 years of experience in cutting and mastering records for (major) labels.

Posted in: Igloo News

Igloo Audio is very pleased to announce we will become a dealer for the superb Hegel range of products, including their CD Players, DA Converters and Amplifiers.

Hegel D/A Converter:

HD20 High End DAC
The HD20 offers a significant improvement compared to its little brothers, both in terms of sound quality and functionality. The HD20 has both USB inputs as well as regular coaxial and optical SPDIF inputs. The HD20 also has a Hegel system remote control that can be used to control the HD20 as well as other Hegel components. More...

Hegel Integrated Amplifier:

H200 High End Amplifier
Extremely powerful H200 High-End Integrated Amplifier, offering 2x200W in 8 ohms, 2x350W in 4 ohms. With its powerful 2x200 watt and a dual mono power supply it is much more dynamic and powerful than the H100 or H70. The H200 fills the gap between the integrated amplifier H100 and the combination of the pre amplifier P4Amk2 / power amplifier H20. A new feature of the H200 is the Home Theatre input, allowing you to combine it with an external surround sound system. More...

Hegel Pre Amplifier:

P30 Reference Pre Amplifier

The P30 is the best preamplifier ever developed by Hegel. With its patented technology and hand matched components, the P30 is a confident contender in the race towards being the best pre amplifier in the world. Regardless of price! Despite of what many HiFi enthusiasts believe, pre amplifiers are actually one of the most difficult audio components to develop. At the same time it is one of the most important components in a well sounding system. The reason is that the signal strength is very low when entering the pre amplifier, and is therefore very susceptible high frequency noise and distortion elements. More...

Hegel Power Amplifiers:

H30 Reference Mono (can be stereo) Power Amplifier
With a power rating of more than 1, 1 kW in 8 ohms it is on the verge of being easier to measure the H30 in horsepower. The massive H30 mono power amplifiers from Hegel play any loudspeaker in the world with ease and authority. The H30 is our best power amplifier ever, and is definitely a combatant for being the best power amplifier in the world. The H30 is developed as a mono block, but there is also the possibility to use it as a stereo power amplifier to start with if you are on a budget. More...

All other products:

Hegel CD Players
CDP2A
CDP4A

Hegel D/A Converters
HD2
HD11

Hegel Integrated Amplifiers
H70
H100

Hegel Pre Amplifiers
P4A

Hegel Power Amplifiers
H20
H4SE

Posted in: Igloo News, Product News

We are glad to say that we will soon have the ProAc speakers on demo, including their superb ProAc Tablette Anniversary, ProAc D2 and ProAc D18 models. Be sure to call us on 01892 532995 to hear them at their best.

About ProAc: Main Website

Even in the short history of high-end high fidelity, few companies have lasted the course. Even fewer have consistently developed and produced high quality products which have earned international acclaim. ProAc is one such company.

The ProAc range is, as they say, reassuringly expensive. We do not make cheap loudspeakers and certainly do not produce cheap sounds. Happily, many thousands of audiophiles worldwide agree with our philosophy.

Every ProAc loudspeaker is hand-crafted, with our technicians individually responsible for the building and testing of each unit, from the flagship Response models to the diminutive Tablette. Build quality alone is unsurpassed, each cabinet being meticulously constructed, damped and finished in real wood veneer.

Only the very finest components are used in ProAc loudspeakers, with each new model reflecting the very leading edge of audio technology. Indeed many models now incorporate dedicated driveunits using our own basket, cone and magnet assemblies. Drive unit performance is fine-tuned through expensive and sophisticated crossover networks.

All the finest cabinets and components in the world are redundant without inspired design. And for a quarter of a century Stewart Tyler, Chairman and Chief Designer has been responsible for putting it all together and producing the performance. He alone decides the cabinet size and configuration, drive unit layout and crossover design and all the other factors which combine to produce some of the most cultured sounds available in modern audio.

Posted in: Igloo News

The NEW HiFi Corner Shop is another great resource for Igloo's ex-demonstration and second-hand equipment. Please see below a few selected items listed on their website:-

DAD AX24 - Ex Demo - £3995

Bel Canto REF500S Dual Mono Power Amplifier - Ex Demo - £1795

Linn Sondek LP12 - £1995 

Tom Evans The Groove - Ex Demo - £1395

Vivid Audio B1 - Ex Demo - £7995

From time to time we will add 'non business' items with significant discounts from our own private HiFi collection following many years of listening and evaluating equipment.

Posted in: General News, Igloo News, Special Offers

Anssi Hyvonen of Amphion. "Ion+ represents what we believe the future will look like. It is suitable for conventional systems, the desktop and demanding recording studios. Ion+ digs deep into the heart of the music regardless of whether you are critically mixing or fine-tuning music in the studio or leisurely enjoying it at home.

"Ion+ started life as a microphone sample evaluation kit. It's also what our microphone partner Martin Kantola of Nordic Audio Labs used to play his recording samples during a master course at Bruce Swedien's place where all of these heavyweights of the recording industry gather. You see, Martin makes Bruce's favorite mic. Start this video at 27:27. You'll see that it's not just about a professional relationship between these two. It's something much much deeper. Bruce truly loves music. His knowledge and legacy must be passed on into caring hands since nobody lives forever. more...

Posted in: Product News

The C7R DAC Integrated Receiver can connect your Computer, CD transport, Turntable, Analogue component, Cable box, Game console, etc providing full control of your media through one component.  Just add a pair of speakers or headphones!   The amplifier features the Reference series power filter design.  There are five digital inputs, one MM input and one analogue input.  For ease of use the inputs can be named on the front panel display.  A front panel headphone jack is also provided.

Posted in: Product News

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Posted in: Product News