Audio Aero
-
CD player, DVD player, SACD player, amplifier, preamplifier, D/A converter, 24/192, re-sampler, tube, hifi, high end, home theater, CD, DVD, SACD, anagram, stars, trac, transtrac, toulouse, CES, hybrid, audio, capitole, prestige, prima, video, triode, pentode, mosfet, music, france, show report, audiophile, equipment, dolby, dts, electronics, hi end, audioaero, aero, SRC, www.audioaero.com, son, combelles

DEMO / USED EQUIPMENT

 

Prestige Monoblocks

30 W Class A, TRAC ® system

Black / stainless steel / gold finish

Price : 9,500 Euros (New : 18,000 Euros)

 

Capitole CD Drive

            Built in 96kHz upsampler – RCA, BNC, AT&T and AES/EBU outputs

            Black / silver finish

            Price : 1,650 Euros (New : 3,500 Euros)

 

Capitole Preamp

            Tube preamp, 5 line inputs, remoted volume control, black / gold finish

            Price : 1,900 Euros (New : 4,000 Euros)

 

Capitole Power Amp

            50W Class A tube power Amplifier with TRAC system, balanced and unbalanced inputs, black / gold finish

            Price : 4,900 Euros (New : 8,500 Euros

 

Prima Integrated MKI

            Tube preamp / DFET amp, 60W under 4 ohms, remoted volume control, glossy black / gold finish

Price : 900 Euros (New : 1,900 Euros)

 

All these products have a 1 year manufacturer warranty.



HIGH END SHOWS :

Hyatt Regency Hotel, 5-7 December 2003 - Exhibitor : Sretenovic Audio



Company : AUDIO AERO, created in 1997, is the high end audio equipment division of Mazères Aviation Group, started in 1977. This group includes now 5 high-tech companies with main activities in aeronautics and racing industries. The company is based in Toulouse (south-west of France), the “silicon valley” of aeronautics, located just near Airbus office and Aérospatiale plant. At the moment, our products are enjoyed in more than 30 countries. Staff :
  • Edgar MARTY : CEO of Mazères Aviation Group and general manager of Audio Aéro (worked as chief-engineer at Aérospatiale)
  • Jean-Paul Combelles : Technical and commercial manager, mechanical designer (worked as mechanical and calculation engineer at Dassault Aviation on Hermes space shuttle)
  • Adriaan van Doorn : Electronics R&D (worked as electronics engineer. Tube freak)
  • Raoul Fernandez : digital path and user interface designer. Means : All Audio Aero products are manufactured in our facilities by people with aeronautic certification to ensure quality and reliability. We have at our disposal aeronautic industry testing equipment and we own complete audio specific testing devices (Audio Precision ATS2, Neutrik A2D,..). Our showroom allow to demonstrate and to perform listening tests of our products. We take advantage of our location, right near the international Toulouse-Blagnac airport, for shipping and customs clearing. Philosophy / Products : Passion for music is the reason why AUDIO AERO exists, while our slogan “Fly to the music” summarizes our area of France and our way of living, mixing art and aerospace industry. Indeed, influenced by the town of Toulouse, alliance of a long history and high technologies, we developed a range of hybrid products with a special ability to reproduce very natural and realistic sound, always bringing out emotion from music. As for amplification, we avoided conventional tube designs to turn ourselves towards a combined parallel triode/pentode system. After two years research, we perfected the match of these two tubes in power and achieved our new power amplification concept called TRAC® system (Tube Relay Amplification Concept). This configuration allows an exceptional musical reproduction, revealing to be one of the most natural amplification. At this time, the TRAC® system is implemented in :
  • Prestige Monoblocs featuring VT4-C transmitting triode driven by a 813 high voltage beam tetrode in a single-ended 40W Class A configuration.
  • Capitole Power Amp featuring E34L triodes and KT88 beam pentodes in a balanced 50W Class A configuration. Based on the same philosophy, we just released the TransTRAC® system matching triode and DMOS-FET for power. This system is implemented in the Capitole Transtrac amplifier available in Integrated and Power versions. As for digital, our flagship is the Capitole CD Player 24/192 which re-samples the CD digital signal to 24 bit / 192kHz (DVD audio standard) using our exclusive 32 bit / 192kHz S.T.A.R.S.® process developed for Audio Aéro by the Swiss company Anagram Technologies (info@anagramtech.com) and featuring subminiature tube output stage with high quality IC attenuator. This unique player brings the audio CD to a new level of performance and represents the missing link between analogue and digital equipment, offering flawless musicality of analog and advantages of digital support. Capitole CD player 24/192 received the “Reviewers Choice 2001” award by Soundstage! . Our basic line, including Prima CD Player 24/192 featuring 24/192 DAC with 4x oversampling and subminiature tube output stage (awarded “Special Recommendation” by Stereo in Japan), and Prima Integrated, an hybrid tube / DMOS-FET integrated amplifier, is designed and manufactured with the same care and the same willing to give emotion from music. Now available, Prima D/A Converter 24/192 featuring 32 bit / 192kHz STARS ® re-sampling process and subminiature tube output stage and remoted volume control. On the cutting edge of high-end technologies, 2003 will see the release of our multichannel line including in a first step :
  • Prestige SACD Player (SACD/CD) using S.T.A.R.S.2® process (32/192 re-sampling technology with DSD capability) and featuring subminiature tube output stage (for the 2 main channels) with volume control. Fly to the Music

    AUDIO AERO Exclusive STARS® system Licensed by Anagram Technologies SA I. Technology The reference platform for the STARS® design is the SHARC ADSP21065L from Analog Devices. All the technologies are available as DSP source code (mainly Assembler) for this chip. The hardware reference designs for the applications of STARS® process is based on Analog Devices AD1853 D/A converter, Burr-Brown OPA 2134 op-amps and Philips Jan 6021W tubes. Here is a short overview of the different technologies created :
  • RE24 (Resolution Enhancer 24 bits): The RE24 process allows to get 24 bits resolution from a 20 bits data channel (or 20 bits from a 16 bits channel, in other words it saves about 4 bits in a data channel). RE24 does so by shifting the truncation noise out of the audible band. Unlike traditional noise-shaping techniques, RE24 does not shape the noise to the higher part of the spectrum, but adds an algorithmically generated noise in the top part of the spectrum. This generated pseudo-random number sequence satisfies a number of statistical properties we could define as being capital to audio quality. As this noise is generated without reference to the actual incoming signal it is not correlated with it and the resulting signal is free of inter-modulation distortion unlike in traditional noise-shaping techniques. One of the key applications of this technology is to provide higher resolution in AD and DA conversion.
  • VFT (Virtual Floating Time): VFT is the key stone of this new way of performing Digital Signal Processing. Basically the discrete "digital" time model is replaced by the continuous "analogue" virtual time model. This allows us to overcome the needs for very high speed over-sampling in time conversion system. It also allows for a digital signal to overcome some of the restriction given by Nyquist rate sampling. VFT could be used very efficiently in Audio Compression systems. By the time, it’s used as the core of our asynchronous 192kHz sample rate converter (see STARS® below).
  • ITE (Integral Time Estimation): ITE is a proprietary technology allowing the conversion between the discrete time digital model and the continuous virtual time model. ITE uses a new approach adding one mathematical dimension to the signal space. This dimensions allows the conversion between the two time domains. Used correctly ITE also acts as a powerful software-based jitter attenuator.
  • CTF (Continuous Time Filtering): CTF is a filtering technique for the continuous time domain. In this domain, classical discrete time filters do not offer enough precision to take advantage of the continuous time representation. So a new concept of filtering has been developed, mixing analogue and digital domains. The three last technologies represent the core of the STARS® process.
  • STARS® (Solution for Time Abstract Re-Sampling): STARS® is a totally asynchronous sampling rate conversion technology, meaning that the input and output clocks are totally independent. The input and output clocks may even vary, the STARS® will automatically track the changes with minimal distortion. The first application of STARS® is a SHARC based stereo digital audio sampling rate converter used in our CD Player and D/A converter (see below). The STARS® technology can easily be scaled to a 2, 3 or n-dimensional process. This means that STARS® could be used in real time image scaling and/or sampling rate conversion. It includes an on-demand 1024 times over-sampling with comb filter and floating point linear interpolation. II. Application of STARS® process : Asynchronous 24 bits / 192 kHz digital audio sampling rate converter This converter accepts stereo digital audio at its input at every defined sampling rate (32, 44.1, 48, 64, 88.2 and 96kHz as well as 176.4 or 192kHz when the transport media will be defined) and up to 24 (even 32) bits resolution. Once inside the converter, this incoming signal is converted into a high definition 24 bits / 192 kHz stereo digital audio signal (I2S format). This high-definition signal is the fed to an AD1853 D/A converter and finally passed through an innovative analogue tube output stage. The D/A converter uses a single ADSP21065L without external memory to perform the sample rate conversion on a stereo incoming signal. The pros of a 24 bits / 192 kHz asynchronous sampling rate converter ?
  • Improvement of time resolution: One of the problems of the Nyquist sampling rate is the degradation of phase respect on short duration high-frequency signals. As music shows a lot of transients, many high-frequency short duration signals arise. By improving the sampling rate, those short duration signals will be described by more digital samples, resulting in improved performance and better time/phase conservation.
  • Unified analogue filter: On of the most problematic part in a D/A converter is the analogue smoothing filter. This filter must be designed such as to smooth the signals with the lowest sampling rate entering the D/A converter. Thus the filter's cut off frequency comes closer to the audio band with low sampling rate (like 44.1 kHz) as with high sampling rates (192kHz). By being close to the audio band, the analogue filter will induce phase rotations (incoherent group-delay) in the audio band resulting in a blurring of the sound imaging and killing dynamics.
  • Unified sampling rate for subsequent digital signal processing: Clearly if all incoming signals are converted to a single sampling frequency, all subsequent digital signal processing can be done at one and only one sampling rate, allowing for considerable savings (one code matches all cases, no redundant filter coefficients needed for different sampling rates, monolithic code).
  • DVD-Audio like quality for all signals: 24 bits / 192 kHz is the ultimate audio quality available from DVD-Audio. But the capacity of the disc limits the use of such high quality audio to only two channels. The main interest in DVD-Audio is its surround sound capabilities. A 24 bits / 192 kHz re-sampling of the signal allows to virtually have this resolution on all channels.
  • Optional interfacing with DSD: Due to the VFT technology, DSD signals can be converted easily to 24 bits / 192 kHz format. The same applies to 24 bits / 192kHz signals to be converted to DSD. At this time, this option is not implemented in the Capitole CD player 24/192 and the Prima D/A Converter 24/192.
  • Jitter attenuation: By using totally independent (asynchronous) input and output clocks and the ITE, the output is totally isolated from incoming jitter. This allows the use of a very high precision output clock located as close as possible to the D/A converter IC. This will reduces the converter jitter (the one that is harmful to audio quality) to an absolute minimum, while making the system almost insensible to incoming jitter. It also reduces the risk of internal jitter induced by the frequencies conversion process.
  • Automatic clock tracking: As we know, the perfect clock does not exist especially when it is carried inside the signal (like in an S/P DIF transmission) and recovered by a PLL. The STARS® technology allows the system to track clock variations over time with minimal distortion. III. How does the STARS® process perform ? This plot represents a 1kHz sine wave at 0dBFs with 24 bits resolution and 44.1kHz sampling rate passed through the ATF. Output is in 24 bit / 192kHz format. Analysis: 4096 points FFT, Blackmann-Harris window, single pass. Plateform: Analog Devices SHARC. These plots are performed on the Capitole CD player 24/192 and measured in the analogue domain with an Audio Precision System Two. IV. Future developments We'll use our STARS® system in our future range of Audio / Video products such as :
  • SACD/DVD player & A/V processor
  • A/V stand alone DAC (8 channels)

    AUDIO AERO Exclusive TRAC® system I. Technology : Our TRAC® system finds its origin in an « old » concept published in 1953 by a US magazine. This very first system showed a schematic featuring triode and pentode in parallel where triode was used for musicality and pentode to ensure power. The mix up of these two kind of tubes was said to be a sort of ideal kind of amplification. One can think the results were not as good as expected as no amplifier featuring that kind of technology was marketed until the late eighties. Indeed, some manufacturers tried to use that amplification concept but never got rid of the major drawback of the system :
  • triode and pentode are two different kind of tubes that will generate small power and high distortion when considered as a unique and virtual tube. The main reason for this improper matching is due to triode and pentode own characteristics. Let’s consider the impedance load : when wired in parallel with a pentode, the triode gives up after a few watts due to low anode voltage induced by the pentode. As a consequence, both tubes are working one against the other, loosing their benefits instead of combining them. It took us two years of research at Audio Aero to finally achieve the best possible matching between those two tubes; a new system that works for push-pull and single ended configuration and where the pentode acts like a current source for the triode. Our TRAC® (Tube Relay Amplification Concept) solution lies in different parts of the amplifier such as the driver, signal sharing between the tubes and a very special output transformer. II. Results : At last, triode and pentode are working together over the full output power range, providing all the benefits of triode (musicality and low impedance) and pentode (power and efficiency) amplification. The results in listening are :
  • large bandwidth, even with single ended design
  • higher speed
  • huge soundstage
  • improved details and focus. Our TRAC® system is implemented in the Capitole Power amp (50 W Class A in push-pull configuration) and in the Prestige Monoblocs (40 W Class A in Single-Ended configuration). Here it makes possible an extraordinary musical reproduction, revealing to be one of the most natural amplification system, providing an incredible true sound and a large realistic soundstage.

    AUDIO AERO Exclusive TransTRAC® system We designed the *TransTrac® with the idea to have the sound of a full tube amplifier out of a tube/transistor configuration. Then the TransTRAC® system was born : Transistor - Tube Relay Amplification Concept. This 40 W Class A special system between tube and transistor utilize the very musical E34L triode wired all time supported by a transistor. This configuration allows tube sound and power without too big and expensive power supply and transformers. All the reality and soundstage of a tube amp is reproduced in a unique and cost effective equipment. *The TransTRAC® is a pure Class A balanced triode amplification system with an additional D-MOSFET booster to increase output power. The preamp stage delivers a perfectly balanced signal to the driver tube (6SN7GT) which does the same to the very linear triode power tubes (E34L). Then, the booster performs a copy of the signal from the output transformer while increasing both transformer impedance and output power. Each booster is trimmed to obtain a perfect balance between the two channels. Both output transformers and booster are connected to the speaker terminal. The output nominal impedance is 6 ohms but it will accept speaker from 4 to 8 ohms. No feedback used except a little local one to lower the output impedance. When overdriven, the tubes are clipping before the boosters, allowing to keep the “pure Class A”.

    Distributors

    Reviews

    News

    Products

    About Audio Aero

    Contact form

    Links

    Here is a list of several websites we recommend :
  • Manufacturers: Black Diamond Racing accessories Nirvana Audio cables
  • Multichannel encoding : Dolby Laboratories DTS

    Audio Aero's exclusive technologies Always searching ways to improve musical reproduction, we have to make things different from other manufacturers to achieve our goal. Our exclusive technologies STARS®, TRAC® and TransTRAC®, developped either in our R&D department or in cooperation with Anagram Technologies SA, are the results of this quest for music.

    NEW : SACD PLAYER 2&6 CHANNEL
    with DSD to PCM bridge and featuring
    OUR EXCLUSIVE STARS2® 32bitFP/192kHz PROCESSING
    FOR A 24bit/192kHz RE-SAMPLING

    Email : jpc@audioaero.com
    Jean-Paul Combelles - Manager
    AUDIO AERO - 2, rue Louis Bréguet 31700 Cornebarrieu - FRANCE Phone: + 33 (0) 561.851.421 - Fax: +33 (0) 561.061.960

    Now available at Audio Aero our new LCD 8 in 1 learning remote control.

    Easy to use, it can be preprogrammed for Prestige SACD Player and Capitole CD Player.



    AUSTRALIA

    OSBORN LOUDSPEAKERS

    17 Hammersley Court
    Taylors Lakes 
    3038 VICTORIA

    (613) 93901564

    (613) 86101287



    osspeak@tpg.com.au

    www.osborn.com.au

    Greg OSBORN

    Capitole Power Amp

    Amplifier

    Capitole Power Amp

    50 W Class A amplifier featuring our exclusive TRAC system (triode/pentode in push-pull configuration) Now available with balanced inputs

    Capitole Power Amplifier - when triode sound matches pentode power… Capitole Power Amp is not a conventional tube amplifier. After a 2 years research, we perfected triode and pentode matching in power, achieving our exclusive TRAC® system (Tube Relay Amplification Concept). Triode and pentode can now work together over the full output power range, providing all the benefits of triode (musicality and low impedance) and pentode (power and efficiency) amplifications. This 50 W Class A special push-pull configuration leans on the very musical E34L triode wired, supported all the time by the powerful KT88 pentode. Resulting in higher speed, extended dynamics, large bandwidth, incredible true soundstage with improved details and focus, it makes possible an extraordinary musical reproduction, revealing to be one of the most natural amplification.

    Typical audio performance :

    General :



    1

    Capitole Power Amp

    SOUNDSTAGE! / Canada/U.S.A. / April 1999
    Audio Aero Capitole Amplifier by Marc Mickelson
    "Resolving, light-filled sound, enormous soundstage, deep and wide. Value : Gorgeous look and sound."
    Ultimate Audio / U.S.A. / 2000
    Audio Aero Capitole Amplifier by Jerry Kindela
    "The Capitole Power Amp doesn't care anything but the music."

    The Inner Ear Report / Canada / Vol. 13.#3 2001
    Audio Aero Capitole Amplifier by Earnie Fisher
    "It isn't difficult to see that we like this amplifier a lot. It is ever so close to perfection, reproducing music closely resembling what one may experience as live performance"

    Secret of Home Theater & High fidelity / Australia / October 2001
    Audio Aero Capitole Power Amp by David Wurtz
    See full review on http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_8_4/audio-aero-capitole-amplifier-10-2001.html

    Prestige SACD

    SACD player

    Multi Channel SACD/CD player with analog tube output stgae (L&R channel) and volume control.

    Prestige SACD Player

    This player is dedicated to customers who want to focus on the audio aspect and are looking for a machine offering the best performance in digital and analog treatment for SACD and CDs. The Prestige SACD player offers the highest quality level and is intended to be the source in a top-of-the -range audio system.

     

    Based on a Philips SACD laser mechanism, digital signal is treated using 3 exclusive re-samplers featuring the DSD compatible STARS2 ® module. The 6 channels are re-sampled to 24/192, and in the case of SACD, DSD is first converted to PCM 88kHz (high frequency noise suppression, 9 dB S/N improvement) and then re-sampled to 24/192.

    The output stage consists of subminiature tubes for left and right channels (high quality op-amps for surround) and a built-in IC ladder attenuator that provides constant quality whatever the setting.

    Also, in the SACD version of the player, the danger of radiation and interference from a video section is eliminated, and the audio quality of the player is preserved.

     

    Shielded in its separated box, the power supply unit consists of three high power switching modules which ensure constant voltages, plus protection from AC fluctuations and heat.

    Voltage regulation is performed in the player itself for shorter connections, thus resulting in voltage stability.

     

    Control functions for the unit are performed on the front panel with innovative joysticks or with the  learning LCD remote control.



    Typical audio performance :

     

    Read formats : SACD 2 and 6 channels, DAD 24/96, CD, CD-R, CD-RW

    Frequency range (with 16/44.1 input signal) : 7 Hz - 20 kHz (- 1dB)

    Frequency range (with 24/96 input signal) : 3 Hz - 48 kHz (- 1dB)

    Output voltage : up to 5.0 V RMS

    Output impedance : 100 ohms

    Signal to noise ratio : 130dB

    Total harmonic distortion : < 0,2 % (for left and right channel)

     

    Power supply :

     

    Separated switching power supply – AC input : 85 VAC to 265 VAC

    Power consumption : 50W

     

     

    Technology :

     

    Philips SACD mechanism

     

    Exclusive STARS2 ® 32 bit / 192 kHz RE-SAMPLER with DSD to PCM conversion for the 6 channels using SHARC DSP 32 bit floating point

    > Supported wordwidth (digital input): 16, 18, 20 and 24 bit

    > Supported sampling frequencies (digital input) : 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz

    3 Analog Devices AD1853JRS 24 bit / 192 kHz Multibit Sigma-Delta Digital to Analog converters

     

    3 High quality IC analog ladder attenuators

    Level adjustment for the 6 channels

    Switching between Subwoofer and Ceiling channel

    6021W Philips subminiature tube output stage (tube lifetime : more than 20000 hours) and high quality buffer for left and right channel

     

     

    General :

     

    Front control by 2 joysticks + LCD learning remote

     

    Analog outputs : single-ended RCA and professional line driver XLR

    Analog inputs : 1 balanced and 2 unbalanced

     

    Digital output : PCM only through BNC

    Digital inputs : BNC, RCA, AES/EBU, AT&T and TOSLINK

     

    Chassis : 25/10 silver aluminum

    Covers : 30/10 silver aluminum

    Delivered with Black Diamond Racing Pyramid Cones MK3 and MK4

    Weight : 15kg. / 32.6 lbs.

    Dimensions (W x L x H) : 440 x 400 x 210 mm / 17.32 x 15.74 x 8.26 inches

     



    YUGOSLAVIA (Serbia & Montenegro)

    SRETENOVIC AUDIO SYSTEM

    011 3192 847

    011 410 645

    063 360 123

    ssret@eunet.yu

    www.sretenovicaudio.com

    Sinisa Sretenovic

    Vojislava Ilica 131

    11050 Belgrade



    100 Tran Hung Dao

    Q1, PPNL, HCMville



    VIETNAM

    NGHE THINH Co Ltd

    + 84 8837 8101

    + 84 8837 8101

    + 84 9 1366 8905

    phokvan@hotmail.com



    Thinh

    54 avenue du Général de Gaulle
    35131 Chartres de Bretagne



    Office:

    N-61 G.K.-I

    New Dehli - 48

    Showroom :   

    S-5 , G.K.-I , 1st Floor,

    New Delhi - 48

     



    Rio de Janeiro



    BRAZIL

    TONE AUDIO

    (21) 2527 2339



    (21) 8157 0382

    sales@toneaudio.com



    Carlos Sanchotene

    Capitole Transtrac

    Amplifier

    40 W Class A amplifier featuring TransTRAC system (triode/MOSFET in parallel) Available in Integrated (passive preamp) and Power versions

    Capitole Transtrac

    Transtrac Amplifier - A new kind of amplification for the best of both worlds. We designed TransTrac® system (Transistor - Tube Relay Amplification Concept) with the idea to have the sound of a full tube amplifier out of a tube/transistor configuration. This unique system is a pure Class A balanced triode amplification with an additional D-MOSFET booster to increase output power. The preamp stage delivers a perfectly balanced signal to the very linear triode power tubes (E34L). Then, the booster performs a perfect copy of the signal from the output transformer and increases both transformer impedance and output power. Each booster is trimmed to obtain a perfect balance between the two channels. Both output transformers and booster are connected to the speaker terminal. Output transformer nominal impedance is 6 ohms but it will accept speaker impedances from 4 to 8 ohms. Only a local feedback is used to lower output impedance. When overdriven, tubes are clipping before boosters to always keep pure Class A sound. All the reality and soundstage of a tube amp is reproduced in a unique, small and cost effective equipment, available in integrated and power version.

    Typical audio performance :

    General :



    2

    Capitole Transtrac

    SOUNDSTAGE! / Canada/U.S.A. / October 2002
    Audio Aero Capitole TransTRAC Stereo Amplifier by Jason Thorpe.
    See full review on http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/audioaero_transtrac.htm



    BANGLADESH

    CYBER MUSIC

    House N°29, Road N°4, Sector N°4,
    Uttara Model Town,
    DHAKA 1230

    (880) 2 891 2685

    (880) 2 891 6486



    medsys@bdcom.com



    Ashan HABIB

    BELGIUM

    HIFI-FAN

    Strandlaan 379
    8670 KOKSIJDE

    (32) 0 5852 1150

    (32) 0 5852 1150

    (32) 0 477 31 07 23

    hififan@pandora.be

    www.hififan.be

    Ed QUINTENS

    3

    Prestige Monoblocks

    The Inner Ear Report / Canada / Vol. 12#3, 2000
    Audio Aero Prestige Monoblocks by Earnie Fisher
    "In the thirteen years of our existence, we have come accross quite a few really high-end designs we enjoyed, but the Audio Aero's are so special that a comparison with other amplifiers is pointless .... we believe that the AA's musical finesse is in a class of its own."


    Prestige Monoblocs

    Amplifier

    40 W Class A Single-Ended amplifier featuring TRAC system

    Prestige Monoblocs

    Prestige Monoblocks - Experience the ultimate in single-ended design Prestige Monoblocks represent the latest development of our exclusive TRAC® system (Tube Relay Amplification Concept) where single-ended triode and high voltage pentode are matched to bring out the best of both worlds (musicality and low impedance for triode - power and efficiency for pentode). Far beyond classical single-ended designs, these reference mono blocks are able to reproduce music in an outstanding way, offering the more open, dynamic and realistic sound you’ve ever heard. Indeed, this 40 W Class A special system allows single-ended to keep its body and magic, and enables higher speed, large bandwidth, incredible true soundstage, improved details and focus. Step forward and go to the exception.

    Typical audio performance :

    General :



    CANADA

    GLOBE AUDIO MARKETING Inc.

    (905) 522 5040

    (905) 560 4850



    www.globeaudiomkt.com

    Jody HICKSON

    info@globeaudiomkt.com

    4

    Prima Integrated MKII

    No review available at this time.

    Prima Integrated MKII

    Amplifier

    50 W hybrid integrated amplifier (6021W tube preamp/DMOS amp) with remoted volume control

    Prima Integrated MKII

    Prima Integrated Amplifier - Hybrid technology for the best of tube and solid state We designed this amplifier to have the advantages of tube amplification without expensive and huge output transformers. Therefore, we chose an hybrid concept, composed of a subminiature tube preamplifier and DMOS-FET amplifier. This special configuration allows to merge tube softness, texture and soundstage with transistor precision and power, producing soft, fast and detailed music, bringing life in each and every instrument and voice. Built with the same care as our top of the range products, this cost effective amplifier features remote controlled volume and includes 5 line inputs and a tape monitor. Take your first flight with Audio Aero.

    Typical audio performance :

    General :



    SHUN WOO A/E INT'L LTD (CHINA)CENTRE

    Room 901, Li Jing Building
    No. 26 Yu Shan Ave., Panyu
    Guangzhou, Guangdong

    +8620 8481 9119

    +8620 8481 9199

    + 86 139223 45413

    steveun@xinheaudio.com

    www.xinheaudio.com

    CHINA

    Steve UN

    PARLATEK S.A

    SJO 2167 PO BOX
    025216 MIAMI FL 33102-5216 



    (862) 0 8482 7197

    (862) 0 8488 6368

    COSTA RICA

    6

    Capitole CD Player 24/192

    SOUNDSTAGE! / Canada/U.S.A. / April 2001
    Audio Aero Capitole CD PLayer 24/192 by Doug Schneider
    "Reviewers Choice 2001 Award" See full review on http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/audioaero_capitole24192.htm

    See customer reviews on http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/CDPlayer/product_67315.shtml

    INTERNATIONAL AUDIO REVIEW/ U.S.A. / January 2002 - Issue #80+
    Audio Aero Capitole CD Player 24/192 by Peter Moncreiff
    "For music lovers, this is probably the best sounding CD player you can buy."
    See full review on http://www.iar-80.com/page24.html



    sonaxj@sol.racsa.co.cr



    Jim SAXON

    Capitole CD Player 24/192 MKII

    CD Player

    Exclusive STARS® 32bitFP/192kHz processing for a 24bit/192kHz inside re-sampling, subminiature tube output stage, digital input and remoted volume control AWARDED "REVIEWERS CHOICE 2001" BY SOUNDSTAGE!

    Capitole CD Player 24/192 MKII

    Capitole CD Player 24/192 : when CD is competing with SACD and DVD-A…

    Capitole CD Player 24/192 has been designed with the idea to equal the new digital formats performance. First, we selected the high-end CDPRO2 laser mechanism from Philips for its excellent playback performance, long lifetime, low play noise and long product life cycle. Supported by a specific aluminium suspension, its excellent readability allows to recover a maximum of CD’s data. Then, we included the state-of-the-art in digital processing : our exclusive STARS ® process (Solution for Time Abstraction Re Sampling), a combination of very high speed 192 kHz RE-sampling (a new jitter free clock is created), 24 bit re-quantization and signal enhancement techniques (extraction of “hidden” information from 16 bit data, improvement of dynamic, precision, soundstage and details), developed for Audio Aero by Swiss company Anagram Technologies SA. The core of the system is a 32 bit SHARC DSP which, by performing hundred millions of calculations per second, rebuilds a high precision 24/192kHz signal, independent from the input clock, and keeping total dynamic range in all stages. Then, after a 1024 times up-sampling on demand, D/A conversion is performed at 6.144MHz by a high performance 24 bit / 192 kHz DAC. Analogue output stage features sub-miniature tubes and high precision buffer with built-in high quality volume control for a perfect match between high-tech digital treatment and musicality.



    Typical audio performance :

    Technology :

    General :



    DENMARK

    HIGH END FOR LIFE

    Langgade 18
    DK-7600 STRUER

    + 45 2325 1693

    + 45 8674 2293



    ulrikgm@oncable.dk



    Ulrik MADSEN

    Prima D/A Converter 24/192 MKII

    D/A Converter

    Prima D/A Converter 24/192 MKII

    7

    Prima D/A Converter 24/192

    See full review (in French) on http://www.thf.fr/BancEssai01.htm#Prima See full review in English : The AUDIOAERO Prima converter 24/192 Overall Presentation: Just before we start, we'd like to make it quite clear that we have no vested interest in the company AUDIOAERO! We received nothing under the table, no invitation to a three star restaurant in the company of forlorn young ladies, not even the offer of an exotic holiday. They just handed us an anonymous-looking box from the suburbs of Toulouse, near the Clement Ader plant where the Airbus are built. Inside is a black, standard format case with a very sober front, just two buttons which, pressed simultaneously, switch the machine on. This was our first contact with the PRIMA converter. A choice of input data for the connectors appears in a small window: BNC - RCA - ATT. The Prima converter accepts all kinds of digital format: CD - DAT - DVD - MiniDisc (SPDIF - AES/EBU) apart from SACD, for the time being! Inside is a classic power supply, a big moulded casing engraved with the acronym of the ANAGRAM company, and an original output stage equipped with two sub miniature tubes equivalent to ECC88 triodes polarised in Class A. The conversion technique S.T.A.R.S. (Solution for time abstraction re-sampling) has been developed exclusively for AUDIOAERO by ANAGRAM from the ANALOG DEVICES ADSP21065L circuit. The data conversion into 24 bits is already common in the latest models of converters. The originality of the system lies in the anti-jitter programme, which replaces the entry clock with a high accuracy clock at 192 kHz and with the use of "hidden" information in the 16 bits of the CD, combined with the totally original calculation algorithms. On a technical level the result is manifested in an impressive dynamics of 140 dB and a noise signal ratio of 125 dB. The performances are very similar for a DVD and a CD, although the high frequency of the latter is still limited to 20Khz. Sound: To be completely honest, we were so shaken by the Prima that it took several days to recover and, even now, we're not completely over it! And, no, we still don't have a vested interest in AUDIOAERO!!! The first totally puzzling impression was that we had never really heard a CD properly before! It's not a question of 'something better' but 'something else'. The gain in dynamics is, of course, very notable, but hereafter each sound source is perfectly individualised, perfectly "deflected", positioned in space. Each instrument takes on its own 'life', without being blurred by the ensemble. The slightest intention or nuance makes the music more immediate. It is the art of interpretation in its full expression, each sound in its place, and at the desired level! Even the applause, realistic at last, is in perspective: the slightest cough in the depths of the hall gives the real sense of a "live" recording. The range between the softest and loudest sounds seems infinite. The richness of the timbre adds yet more to the audio extravaganza. In the high notes, the violin finds the 'grain' it lacked, another much criticised effect of the smoothing of the "artistry" in CDs, compared to vinyl. There really is an alto in a quartet! The saxophone rediscovers its real breath without the needless grandiloquence and the piano recaptures the last octave in the left hand without the soppy purring. Voices, what can we say about voices? Nothing, no need for comment, they speak for themselves in a stunning nature. Advantages: Our first puzzling impression upon listening was that we had never really heard a CD properly before. Fortunately, this was followed by the reassuring conclusion that we could keep our CD collection!!! In a comparative listening test, the gain for a DVD Audio or a SACD was very difficult to perceive. Just to the point where, during a 'blind test', representatives of a big, well-known company positively identified the PRIMA converter as their system… Disadvantages: The price is certainly very high but, taking into account the previous information, if you no longer need to replace your CD collection, let's say 900 CDs at 120 francs each, that is a saving... of a lot of money! It may look a little drab but a converter can easily be concealed. A version with adjustable volume by motorised potentiometer at the output stage, to avoid impairment of the digital signal, will soon be available. It will mean saving on the cost of a preamplifier. Overall mark : 9 Mark for value for money and user friendliness : 8 Mark for purchase value: 8.5 Conclusion : We should take out shares in AUDIO AERO! It is with pleasure that we award the Prima converter our first distinction: the '!!!' of thf.fr. System 1 tested: TEAC VRDST1 (modified SICOMIN) cd player, AUDIO AERO Capitole amp, APERTURA Kalibrator speakers, AUDIOQUEST Slate cables, at COGEDIS in Bordeaux. System 2 tested: MARK LEVINSON ML39 cd player, MARK LEVINSON integrated amp, Thiel CS 2.3 speakers, TRANSPARENT CABLE cables, at ADHF in Toulouse.

    EGYPT

    Prima CD Player 24/192

    CD Player

    24 bit / 192 kHz DAC, 4 times oversampling (176,4kHz), subminiature tube output stage with separated power supply AWARDED "SPECIAL RECOMMENDATION" BY STEREO MAGAZINE IN JAPAN

    Prima CD Player 24/192

    Prima CD Player - High-end CD player at affordable price When we started designing this CD player, we wanted to offer the best performance from the latest technology components in signal conversion and treatment. First, we chose the musical and reliable Philips VAM1201 and we added a low jitter external clock to enhance its precision. Then, by performing a four time over-sampling (176.4 kHz) and delivering data to the new PCM1739 (24 bit / 192 kHz) DAC from Burr-Brown, digital signal is converted with enhanced resolution, presence and soundstage (16 bit signal treated by a 24 bit DAC), giving analogue-like medium and high. In order to keep and reveal qualities of digital stage, the output stage features two sub-miniature tubes and a high quality buffer. We hope you’ll enjoy its qualities as much as we do.

    8

    Prima CD Player 24/192

    Typical audio performance :

    Technology :

    General :



    STEREO / Japan / May 2001
    Special Recommendation Award
    "This is a remarkable machine for tube fans. It creates a highly fascinating sound with musical energy and warmth, thus nowadays' crystal-clear clarity." Kamizaki.
    "It shows the good quality of CD, especially to those jurassic analog listeners." Kaneko.
    "It plays out the timbre of the tube output and the CD's original range sensation and resolution..." Salto.

    SOUNDSTAGE! / Canada/U.S.A. / October 2001
    Audio Aero Prima CD Player 24/192 by Doug Schneider
    See full review on http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/audioaero_prima24192.htm

    AUDIOFILE / Malaysia / July 2002
    Audio Aero Prima CD Player 24/192 by SUJESH PAVITHRAN
    See full review on http://202.186.86.35/audio/story.asp?file=/2002/7/4/audiofile/04prima



    NEW TECH MARKETING

    5 Samir Zaki Street
    11211 ZAMALEK CAIRO

    +20 2 340 8695

    +20 2 340 8695



    newtech@thewayout.net



    Mohy H ELWAN

    ENGLAND - IRELAND - SCOTLAND - WALES

    THE AUDIOPHILE CLUB

    PO Box 6477,
    London, N13 4AY

    (44) 0 20 8882 2822

    (44) 0 20 8372 3772



    sales@audiophileclub.co.uk

    www.audiophileclub.co.uk

    Ron TABOR

    FINLAND

    HiFi GURU Oy

    Martinkatu 54 / PL108 /
    05801 Hyvinkää

    (019) 418 877

    +358 40 501 4799

    myynti@hifiguru.fi

    www.hifiguru.fi

    Heikki Sikanen

    (019) 451 338

    BOLD HIGH END VERTRIEB

    Im Vogelsberg 29
    56368 KATZENELNBOGEN

    (49) 6486 90 00 72 - (49) 6486 90 00 75

    (49) 6486 90 00 76

    + 49 176 2003 0422

    bold.high-end@t-online.de



    Bernd BOLD

    GERMANY - HOLLAND

    VELVET ORPHEUS

    8, Helldreich Str / NEA KOSMOS /
    11745 ATHENS

    (30) 210 922 4368

    (30) 210 922 4361



    nkvelvet@otenet.gr



    Nick KOUTELAS

    GREECE

    SHUN WOO AUDIO EQUIPMENT Intl LTD

    Unit 14, 27th floor, Wharf Cable Tower, N°9,
    Hoi Shing Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories

    (852) 2417 3363

    (852) 2417 3362



    sunny_k@xinheaudio.com

    www.xinheaudio.com

    Sunny Kwok

    HONG-KONG - MACAU

    SOUND OF MUSIC

    (91) 11 55515557 - 61

    (91) 11 26480921- (1 775) 3830047



    soundofmusic@swissmail.org

    www.soundofmusic.cc

    Faisal HAMID

    INDIA

    AUDIO SOCIETY AS

    Cilandak I N°5
    JAKARTA  SELATAN 12430

    +62 (21) 7545250

    +62 (21) 7545250

    818974000

    sunray@rad.net.id



    Bing ISTANTO

    INDONESIA

    STEREO KOL-HIGH FIDELITY

    Ha Melech Shaul 5/2,
    77482 ASHDOD

    (972) 8 864 3719

    (972) 8 864 3719

    (972) 53 348 037

    ozkol@zahav.net.il

    us.geocities.com/ok_ozkol/index.html

    Oz KOL

    ISRAEL

    ITALY

    RANY HI-FI

    Via Zago 8 -
    40128 BOLOGNA

    800 99 60 50 - (39) 051 248 890

    (39) 051 4219 668



    info@ranyhifi.com

    www.ranyhifi.com

    Raniero SALVATORI

    JAPAN

    ELECTORI Co. Ltd

    2-19-6 Kaname-cho, Toshima-ku,
    TOKYO 171-0043

    (81) 3 3530 6190

    (81) 3 3974 2421



    lifeng-ou@electori.co.jp

    www.electori.co.jp

    Ou LIFENG

    TAEIN AV Co Ltd

    401, Deoksan-Bldg / 245-4 / Mook-Dong /
    Jungrang-Gu / SEOUL

    (82) 02 972 8118

    (82) 02 971 9987



    taein@taein.com

    www.taein.com

    S H Joe

    KOREA

    CENTRE CIRCLE AUDIO

    N°10 GF / Lorong Rahim Kajai 14 /
    Taman Tun Dr Ismail / 60000 Kuala Lumpur

    + 60 0 3 7728 2686

    + 60 0 3 7728 2686



    ccaudio1@tm.net.my

    www.centrecircleaudio.com.my

    Carrine Wong

    MALAYSIA

    MEXICO

    AUDIOMEX - OMEGA TEC

    Cofre de Perote #270 Dep. 5 /
    Lomas de Chapultepec / Mexico D.F. 11000

    + 52 55 5520 5327

    + 52 55 5520 5327



    ehickert@yahoo.com



    Eric HICKERT

    NEW ZEALAND

    MAYFIELD AUDIO

    Toad Hall, 4 Addington Rd, OTAKI

    (64) 6364 8900

    (64) 6364 8600

    (64) 2551 0300

    mayfield@paradise.net.nz

    www.mayfieldaudio.com

    Royden MAYFIELD

    NORWAY

    PILAR A/S

    Kjolhastien 30A / 3189 HORTEN





    (47) 901 54 916

    eric.finsaas@kmss.no



    Eric FINSAAS

    AUDIO SYSTEM

    ul. Henryka Brodatego
    02496 WARSZAWA

    (48) 22 662 4599

    (48) 22 662 4599



    studio@audiosystem.com.pl



    POLAND

    Janusz SOBOLEWSKI

    EDECINE,EMPRESA DE CINEMAS,LD

    Rua Carvalho Araújo,57-A
    1900-137 LISBOA

    + 351 2181 65060

    + 351 2181 65069



    edecine@netcabo.pt



    Jose Manuel CHARNECA

    PORTUGAL

    SINGAPORE

    MUSIK LINK AV DISTRIBUTION

    100 Beach Road #02-04/05/06 Shaw Towers

    Singapore 189702



    (65) 62911106

    (65) 62911073



    turbo@pacific.net.sg



    Steve Ng

    SLOVENIA

    UBIQ AUDIO d.o.o.

    Parmova 25
    1000 LJUBLJANA

    (386) 4169 5029

    (386) 1236 2108



    vklop.ubiq@siol.net



    Igor KANTE

    SOUTH-AFRICA

    AEOLIAN

    23 Ridge Road Mountain View /
    POBOX 1852 / HOUGHTON 2041

    (27) 11 487 2254

    (27) 11 487 2246

    (27) 8 2413 2286

    ans@aeolian.co.za

    www.aeolian.co.za

    Andy STUART

    SPAIN

    WERNER

    (34) 93 302 17 92

    (34) 93 302 07 94



    werner@werner-musica.com

    www.werner-musica.com

    Vicente Viguera

    HIFI STÄLLET AB

    Hvitfeldtsg. 13
    41120 GOTHENBURG

    + 46 31 133 535

    + 46 31 133 525







    Anders Bengtsson

    SWEDEN

    Rakritegatan 4 
    21236 MALMO



    +46 40 29 35 29

    +46 40 29 35 29



    info@pondera.se

    www.pondera.se

    Jarmo Aulén

    SWEDEN

    PONDERA

    SWITZERLAND (French part)

    AUDIO SYNTHESE

    76 rue Marterey / CH-1005 LAUSANNE

    (41) 213 207 867

    (41) 213 207 867



    info@audiosynthese.ch

    www.high-fidelity.ch

    Yvan CODERAY

    TAIWAN R.O.C.

    TAIWAN ENG. PA ENTERPRISE CO. LTD

    N°10, Lane 46, Ching Cheng Street, TAIPEI

    (886) 2 2514 8555

    (886) 2 2718 9623

    + 886 9101 21170

    jmfocal@ms45.hinet.net



    Steve CHUANG

    SF-RKD ELEKTRONIK A.S.

    Kucuk Camlik Sitesi / Esra Sokak # 2B /
    Ulus - Istanbul 80600

    90 (212) 358 22 89

    TURKEY

    90 (212) 257 74 32



    szbilgin@sfrkd.com

    www.sfrkd.com

    Salih Zeki Bilgin

    FIVE SENSES MARKETING

    (775) 251 5650

    U.S.A



    ralphbauer@earthlink.net

    www.globeaudiomkt.com

    Ralph BAUER

    (888) 472 2542

    FRANCE

    MUSIKAE





    06 84 54 11 44

    kkb@wanadoo.fr



    Karl BECKER

    32bitFP/192kHz STARS® processing for a 24bit/192kHz inside re-sampling, 24/192 DAC and subminiature tube output stage with volume control

    Prima D/A Converter 24/192 - when CD is competing with SACD and DVD-A … Prima D/A Converter 24/192 has been designed with the idea to equal the new digital formats. Therefore, we included the state-of-the-art in digital processing : our exclusive STARS ® process (Solution for Time Abstraction Re Sampling), a combination of very high speed 192 kHz RE-sampling (a new jitter free clock is created), 24 bit re-quantization and signal enhancement techniques (extraction of “hidden” information from 16 bit data, improvement of dynamic, precision, soundstage and details), developed for Audio Aero by Swiss company Anagram Technologies SA. The core of the system is a 32 bit floating point SHARC DSP which, by performing hundred millions of calculations per second, rebuilds a high precision 24/192kHz signal, independent from the input clock, and keeping total dynamic range in all stages. Then, after a 1024 times up-sampling on demand, D/A conversion is performed at 6,144MHz by the latest advanced segments 24 bit / 192 kHz DAC from Burr-Brown. The analogue stage features sub-miniature tubes and high precision buffer and volume control for a perfect match between high-tech digital treatment and musicality.

    Typical audio performance :

    Technology :

    General :



    Fontanella 20
    08010 BARCELONA



    1873 Rymal Rd. E
    L8J 2R  Stone Creek, On.

     



    1774 Heron Lane
    Mound, MN 55364

    CYPRUS

    Super Sound Trading Co. LTD

    + 357 25 734100

    + 357 25 734101



    supersound@cytanet.com



    Constantinos Pavlides

    147 Makarios Avenue,
    PO Box 57451,
    LIMASSOL 3316