News Archive 2003 - Soundscape HiFi

Sept. 02, 2003: We will soon announce the winners of our lucky draw stated earlier.

Aug. 15, 2003: Our first samples of the Living Voice Mystic Mat are sold out.  More arriving shortly, to be announced.

 

Aug. 12, 2003: We have posted pictures of another customer's system at our Customer Systems page, with speaker duties bestowed to a Living Voice Avatar pair.  Click Me! to view.

 

Aug 07, 2003: The Living Voice Avatars, in Natural Santos Rosewood, are in stock.    The first samples (i.e. limited quantities) of the Living Voice Mystic Turntable Mat have arrived as well.  Retail is SGD 390 with the J.A. Michell clamp, SGD 350 without it (Scheu/Eurolab turntable owners will not need the clamp).  The mat is made of carbon fibre and polyurethane foam.  Normally sold only to Living Voice customers in the UK, Stereophile's comments have necessitated the release of the Mystic Mat to the general public for sale due to the sudden demand.   We promptly tried one, and we concur with Stereophile writer Michael Fremer's comments that it is an outstanding turntable mat (pictures and description to be posted soon at our Living Voice webpage), as it didn't change the original sonic character of the turntable, it just improved on the sonics. We've tried several other mats, and these changed the tonality, unnaturally boosted up certain frequencies, slowed down the pace, or simply deadened the sound.  Since the Scheu/Eurolab turntables already have a super quiet background, we did not notice much of Fremer's assertion that it gave a blacker background.   This would be probably be more evident in other less quiet turntables.  Rather, we found the Mystic Mat's main contribution was in the improved bass definition, more body and scale to the sound, and improved timbre.  Strings just sound so much more natural.  "Meaty" and weighty are the words to sum up its most profound effect, at least in our system, where the full harmonic bloom in a recording is further realized.

Aug 05, 2003:   GSP Audio Era Gold phono stages sold out.  New arrival to be announced.   Few stocks of Jan Allaerts cartridges remaining.  On the right is a Jan Allaerts mounted on a Simon Yorke Series 7 turntable.

 

Aug 03, 2003:   The Living Voice OBX-R MK2 has been reviewed in the latest issue of HIFi Choice.  Get your copies now.  Review to be posted soon.

 

Aug 01, 2003:   More information added regarding the Scheu Premier MK2 turntable's motor.  Click Me! to read.   We have posted pictures of another customer's system at our Customer Systems page, with equipment support duties bestowed to a Hutter rack.  Click Me! to view.

 

July 31, 2003:   We have posted a photograph of the Sound Improvement Couplers (SIC) at the SID webpage.  Click Me! to view.  Price is SGD 95 per set of 3.  We are currently using a set under our Naim CD 5 demo CD player.  Other customers are using them under their acoustic platforms.   The last stocks of the Scheu Classic unipivot tonearms around the world have been sold out and have been discontinued, after several years in the European market.  The Scheu Classic MK2 model is now under development and should be with us soon.   New stocks of the Living Voice Avatar MK2 loudspeakers are arriving hopefully next week.  OBX-R MK2 to follow.  We currently have on demo the OBX-R MK2 model.   The first batch of the Living Voice Mystic Turntable Mats will also be with the shipment.  In the Analog Corner section of Stereophile's latest August 2003 issue, writer Michael Fremer claims it to be the best he has tried.   The Lavardin Technologies amplifiers will arrive hopefully anytime in August, delayed due to the long European summer holidays factory shutdown.  The same goes for JM-Reynaud speakers.

 

July 30, 2003:   The latest updated Cartridge Man Music Maker MK2 MM phono cartridge is now available for demo, only for a limited period, as we burn it in for our customer.  Listening sessions reveal a remarkable MM cartridge made even better, hear to believe.  Now with much better detail, more open and transparent.  The bass is even more articulate, truly a joy to listen to, for those who love superb bass definition.  And of course, a delight with the human voice.

 

July 23, 2003: The HiFi News Producer's Cut test records (designed by The Cartridge Man's Len Gregory ) are sold out at our shop and at CD Acoustic.  Next shipment to be announced.   The Cartridge Man Music Maker MK2 MM phono cartridge has been updated and improved even further !  First batch arriving next week, limited quantities.  Also arriving will be fresh stocks of the Digital Stylus Force Gauge - two-decimal point accuracy.

 

July 21, 2003: The Sound Improvement Discs, Model 14, are back in stock.  Also in stock are the Sound Improvement Couplers, in sets of 3, for further isolation of components.   We have added a new section in our Living Voice webpage, Consumer Comments.  Click Me! to view.

 

July 17, 2003: The Living Voice Turntable Mat will soon be in our shores.  Review is in the latest edition of Stereophile by Michael Fremer, analog proponent.  More details to be posted as soon as we get any.

 

July 16, 2003: The Cartridge Man Music Maker MK2 MM phono cartridge has just been awarded the Blue Moon award by Six Moons.com.  Click Me! for the review.

 

July 15, 2003: We have added another section under our Hutter racks webpage - Consumer Comments.  Click Me! to check it out..   New !!  Excerpts from the latest I-Audio Magazine's review of the Lavardin Model IT integrated amplifier has been posted.  Our comments are included as well.  I-Audio is a Singapore-based hifi magazine, and its latest issue is now out in the magazine stands.  Click Me! to read.

 

July 11, 2003: We have added another item to our Scheu turntables FAQ.  This is on how certain arms can be raised to reach the platter surface of the tall 80mm platter.  Click Me! to read.

 

July 10, 2003: A lucky draw at the end of August 2003 will be held for those who post in the Electronics-Stereo section. Three (3) Sound Improvement Discs to be given free to three (3) lucky posters.  One (1) set of Sound Improvement Couplers to be given free as well to one (1) lucky poster.  The items won will also be sent to their homes.  Register now ...   For interested advertisers, please contact us regarding placement of banners, boxes, and weblinks.   Below are some of the great features:   Unlimited Number of Ads to post, not restricted to 2 per week.  However, duplicated ads are not allowed. User Registration allows easy access to edit, delete, or renew your ads posted under your unique user registration name.  If you change locations, phone numbers or other information related to an ad, all your ads posted are also updated immediately. The Auto Notify feature allows you to predefine searches for ads which meet specific criteria.  When new ads are posted or activated, users who have predefined searches that match the new ad are sent an email notification of the new ad details.   This feature can be found under "My Classifieds" as "Create or Delete A Personal Search Agent". Ad Count displays the number of times your ad is viewed Multiple image upload capabilities. Ad comparison options.  You can check up to three ads in the display list and see them listed side-by-side for comparison purposes. Exclusive "Image Preview" feature.  When you put your mouse over an image link in the ad list, a thumbnail preview is displayed.  On the ad detail page, the full size image is displayed. Quick Links provide easy and quick access to ads you add to your "Personal Quick Links Page".  Great for comparing ads or returning later to review ads which peaked your interest. Keyword and advanced search features allow you to search the entire database or look for ads in specific categories which meet a specified criteria.  Advanced search features provide additional criteria such as date range and "only show photo ads" features. Easy navigation provides users with quick access to browse ads within categories and jump to any other category throughout the site.  Next and previous links allow you to easily browse ad details without having to return to the ad list to view the next sequential ad in the ad list. The total number of ads posted to each major category and subcategory are displayed.  You don't have to "wonder" if any ads are posted. Ad summaries are provided in list format allowing you to more quickly find ads which may be of interest to you.  Clicking the links in the summaries will show ad details. Ad details can easily be sent to a friend using the "Send To Friend" feature on the ad detail pages. Viewers may reply to an ad by clicking the "Reply To Ad" link at the ad detail level.  The ad owner's email address is never revealed on the site to the person replying to an ad to protect privacy.  Built in help system, terms of use and privacy statements help you as you use our classified ads system.

 

July 08, 2003: New stocks of Living Voice Auditoriums have arrived.  Avatars and OBX-Rs to follow.   New stocks of Eighth Nerve room treatment products have arrived, including the Floorstanders !  Click Me! for more Eighth Nerve information, prices in Singapore and Malaysia, and usage.

 

July 06, 2003: We have included a new section called "Consumer Review Excerpts" under our Lavardin Technologies webpage.  Below is a sample: "How on earth can a rather plain Integrated blow away a bi-active set up (active Linn system) I really don't know. Enough said." Click Me! to read more.

Hutter racks arriving Monday, July 7, 2003.  Fully booked.  New orders being placed.   Eighth Nerve, SID Model 14, and SIC also expected to arrive next week.  We do hope there were no problems at Deutsche Post regarding the shipment of the SID and SIC.

 

July 03, 2003: The GSP Audio Era Gold phono stage has finally been reviewed by HiFi+ magazine,  two years in the making.  Unfortunately, they reviewed the old model, the Era Gold MK 4 !  In any case, even with the MK 4 which is inferior to the current Era Gold MK 5, their conclusion is that " the GSP Audio Era Gold is beyond a shadow of a doubt the best stage here for MM, almost making MC cartridges (at least low-output ones!) seem unnecessary with its neutral yet enthusiastic and dynamic sound."  The unit was compared against other MM phono stages from Project, Rega, and Lehmann Audio.   Click Me! to read the whole Era Gold MK 4 review.

 

July 01, 2003: Eighth Nerve products' prices for Singapore and Malaysia have been posted in our Eighth Nerve webpage.  Click Me! to view.  Please note that prices have been adjusted lower due to improvements in logistics.  For those who bought from us earlier, please drop by anytime for refunds on the difference.   The Living Voice website has been revamped.  Click Me! to check it out.

 

June 28, 2003: UK Bristol Show 2003 - report by HiFi Plus magazine now out in their latest issue.  Click Me! to read writer Roy Gregory's comments on the Living Voice setup, his choice for the best sound of the show, once again.  If you haven't heard them yet, just drop by our showroom, they're not difficult to like.   More Eighth Nerve products including the Floorstanders arriving within 2 weeks.  Click Me! to read about a very useful application for a Floorstander.  We have also added usage diagrams and more pictures on application at our Eighth Nerve webpage.  Click Me! to view.   The highly popular Sound Improvement Disc (SID) Model 14 finally shipping, by air, arrival to be announced.  Also arriving will be the Sound Improvement Couplers (SIC) for affordable equipment isolation, another excellent product from SID.  Click Me! to read more about them. We are currently using a set under a Naim CD5 CD player, resulting in better detail, separation, and timbre, without compromising on its inherent qualities of pace and bass.

 

June 23, 2003: We currently have a latest-spec Living Voice OBX-R in Ebony finish at our showroom, on demo for a limited period until the customer picks it up.  Check it out.  Driven by a 30-watt Lavardin IS Reference, listen and be flabbergasted at the power that this "puny" integrated amplifier delivers.  If you've heard the OBX-Rs before, hear them again in their latest version with the Lavardin.   Superb dynamics, yet still wonderful on light music from the likes of Carol Kidd, Cai Qin, Stacey Kent, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Peter Paul & Mary, etc.  To quote the latest review from HiFi World - "arguably the best all rounder in the market at the price." We've always maintained the assessment that they are outstanding all-rounders.   Click Me! to read the review ...   And for those who like 300B amps, we will soon have a Border Patrol 300B power amplifier to those interested to hear the Living Voices with an excellent tube amp, also for a limited period.  Currently under setup - biasing, etc.  The Border Patrol was one of the amps used in the development of the Living Voice Auditorium series.

June 15, 2003: The latest shipment of Living Voice is sold out.  New arrivals to be announced.  As usual, pre-orders accepted on all our products.  All orders made within the Great Singapore Sale (GSS) period still avail of the GSS price.   The latest review of the revised Living Voice Auditorium model is now online.  Another feather in Living Voice's cap, a HiFi Choice Editor's Choice.  This completes the sweep, now all models have been awarded this distinction.  Please note that all models are now the updated, revised and improved versions.  In our listening tests, the Auditorium is now close to the previous Avatar.  The latest Avatar is closer to the previous OBX-R, and the OBX-R just sounds even better.   Click Me! to read the Auditorium review from HiFi Choice's March 2003 issue.  The revised Auditorium is indeed a significant improvement over the earlier version, now with a more natural presentation coupled to its original dynamics and speed.

New stocks of GSP Audio Era Gold and Jazz Club phono stages have arrived.  Gram Amp 2SE arrival to be announced.   Lavardin Technologies new arrival to be announced. Due to popular demand, the highly-regarded baby of the range, the 30-watt Lavardin IS model will be making its debut in Southeast Asia.  Watch for it !  We will use it to drive the newly-updated Living Voice Auditoriums, a combination that will embarrass many combinations driven by behemoth pre-power amplifiers, and the Living Voices are not even horn speakers.  A puny 30 watts, just an integrated amp, unassuming small floorstanders, a showroom short of ideal, and best of all, a combination less than SGD 10,000.  They speak for themselves, listen and compare against double the price "high-end" combinations.  Try all music genres ... vocals, pop/rock, heavy thrash metal, death metal, reggae, jazz, classical ...   Lavardin Technologies integrated amplifiers shatter the myth that pre-power combinations are always sonically better or more accomplished at this price level.  We have already proven this, against highly-regarded brands - like one particularly adored worldwide and usually copied by enthusiasts building their own amps.  Prove it to yourself by listening at our showroom.   New stocks of Hutter racks also arriving soon, to fulfill orders.  If you are interested, please visit our showroom to view our catalog and select your desired finish, or Click Me! to view (they do look better in the catalog, as the catalog has the actual wood sample).  So far, finishes ordered by customers have all been  European Maple, which is the lightest shade.  This highlights the equipment, and dust is not easily seen.  Best for those who don't maintain their racks much.   Eighth Nerve room treatment products, in ivory finish as requested, arrival to be announced.

June 11, 2003:

Announcing our new product ... from Germany, the world-renowned, ultimate tonearms handcrafted by Frank Schröder.  More information coming your way on our Schröder webpage.

Looming on the horizon ...   Supreme reference vinyl playback ...   Exciting exotica to lust for ...   Frank Schröder tonearms  and Jan Allaerts MC cartridges

 

June 04, 2003:

	DBS zero% interest installment plan   Greater Choices for your every Need   Live life to the fullest with the new DBS   Credit  Cards
	From 1 March 2003 till 31 July 2003, simply charge to your Diners Club Card and you could win one of the 5 Philips 42" Plasma TVs (42FD9954/69S). Every S$50 spent with your card will gives you one chance for the lucky draw! In the spirit of the Great Singapore Sale, Diners is giving you 1 chance for every S$10 charged to your card in June! For more information on Diners promotions,  Click Me!

Convenience and Flexibility! With any purchase of SGD 500 and above on your DBS Visa/MasterCard/POSB Mastercard, or any purchase of SGD 300 and above on your Diners Club Credit Card, you will enjoy the benefits of an interest free installment plan spread over 12 months.  The Living Voice,  Lavardin, Jan Allaerts, Scheu Premier MK2, Hutter, JMR Offrande, or even a JMR Twin MK3, etc. that you've always promised yourself can now be yours earlier, while at the same time being easy on your budget plans and maximizing your shopping pleasure.

 

June 02, 2003: We have a new webpage titled "Customer Systems".  We will build this up slowly in time, depending on customers' willingness to have their systems posted.  Click Me! to view.   All Living Voice models sold out.  New stocks arriving within 1 or 2 weeks.  Pre-Orders accepted of course, on all our products.   June 01, 2003: Soundscape HiFi And Music joins the Great Singapore Sale !  Applies to all products.  Visit our showroom or email us for a price list and discounted prices from June to July 13 2003, excluding records and used/ex-dem items.   May 27, 2003: The Jan Allaerts MC phono cartridges have finally arrived, extremely limited quantities of these rare cartridges are available.  Models in stock are the MC2 Finish Gold and the MC1B (B for Boron).  For technical specifications, Click Me! to view.   May 25, 2003: We are completely sold out of Model 14 of the Sound Improvement Disc (SID).  New arrival to be announced.  We still have Model 15 in stock - for top-loading CD players like Meridian 505 and 508, and most top-loaders, for example CDC, Theta, Spectral, Jadis JP1, Einstein, Berendsen CD1, Cambridge D300 and D500, Rega, and Pioneer 'turntable' transports.  The SID is not suitable for use in CD magazine players, portables, or car players.

 

May 23, 2003: The Jan Allaerts cartridges have been shipped by courier, and arrival is next week. A comparison table of technical specifications has been added to our Jan Allaerts webpage.  Click Me! to view.   Scheu Premier MK2 turntables new arrival to be announced.  Our demo unit will be upgraded with the 80mm platter to give you even better sonics.  Still the most sensibly-priced turntable system in the market.  Like many of our other products, true high-end without the steep price tag.  Listen and compare !  It has already replaced other much more expensive brands, including a US$24,000 turntable  (resulting in another happy Scheu owner :) ).   GSP Audio phono stages new arrival to be announced.  This includes the Jazz Club.   May 13, 2003: The JM-Reynaud Trente has been reviewed in the Singapore magazine Sound And Sight Journal, in Mandarin Chinese language.  We will post the review soon.   May 2, 2003: Our customer, Sony Corporation Asia, has now distributed SIDs (Sound Improvement discs) to all marketing executives across the region to use in their demos of Sony CD/SACD players to Sony dealers.  A trusted product !  So if you have a Sony CD/SACD player or any other brand, check it out.  Now distributed across Japan as well, in the thousands.   Now available in the USA as well through Music Direct.    For more information on the SID, Click Me! to visit our SID webpage.   Apr 30, 2003: New stocks of Jan Allaerts phono cartridges are on their way.  Check out the MC2 Finish, another first in Asia !  Arrival to be announced.   We also wish to announce that we are once again the authorized distributor in Malaysia for Jan Allaerts products.   More Lavardin Model IT integrated amplifiers coming as well.   Apr 29, 2003: The Hutter racks have been set up for display.  Of course, we can only demo that it does not add any colourations to the sound, as A-B is not possible.  Click Me! to see what they look like in our showroom, or better yet, visit us.  They look even better in the flesh :)   More information with pictures have been updated into our Hutter webpage.   For those who requested literature by post, we are sorry for the delay.  These will be sent out from next week to your addresses.

 

Apr 19, 2003: The Hutter racks are on their way, arrival expected April 23, 2003.   Apr 10, 2003: Customer feedback is in for the Eighth Nerve products. Click Me! to read.   Apr 9, 2003: The Scheu record weights have arrived, as well as more Classic unipivot arms.    Apr 8, 2003: The Eighth Nerve room treatment products have arrived !    We have installed a couple of Eighth Nerve Frames at the corners behind the speakers.  We invite you to listen (or listen again) to the 38-watt Lavardin IS Reference, now with a newfound power in the newly-treated room, you'd never guess that this little Lavardin was only 38 watts.  If you thought Naim amps  were unique in delivering scale way beyond their wattage ratings, think again :)   For more information on Eighth Nerve products, Click Me!   Mar 28, 2003: The Scheu Premier MK2 turntables and accessories are now in transit - both 80mm and 50mm platter versions.   Another new product from Sound Improvement Disc will be in our shores soon - the Sound Improvement Coupler (SIC).  For more information, Click Me! to view our  SID website.   Mar 25, 2003: The Lavardin IS Reference is also now on demo.  Check it out.    More vinyl added to stocks.  Check it out.   Mar 18, 2003: The Lavardin model IT is now on demo, check it out while available.  For more information on Lavardin products, Click Me! to visit our Lavardin webpage.   Our sample Sound Improvement Platform (SIP) is also sold out.  Will announce arrival of new stocks.  For more information on the SIP, Click Me! to visit our SID webpage.   New stocks of the Sound Improvement Discs (SID) have arrived, both model 14 and 15.  For more information on the SID, Click Me! to visit our SID webpage.   We have new products also arriving soon.    Hutter - German-made high-end hifi racks and furniture, used by prestigious companies and high-end magazines.  Click Me! to visit our Hutter webpage for more info.   Eighth Nerve - US-made room treatment products.  Click Me! to visit our Eighth Nerve webpage.   NHR Audio - superb interconnect cables that have displaced other more expensive offerings from other brands, in both silver and copper models   Feb 20, 2003: The Scheu Cello turntable together with its matching Scheu Classic 10" unipivot tonearm, is now set up for demo.  The Cello is the smaller sibling of the Scheu Premier MK2.  Phono cartridge used is a Music Maker MK2 from The Cartridge Man, through a GSP Audio Era Gold phono stage.  Mounted on a Ferrari red turntable support recommended by Linn's boss Ivor :)   Listen to it now, not to be missed if you're on the hunt for a turntable with tonearm in the SGD 2000 -  SGD 3500 range.. Upgradeable to the 50mm platter, and a record weight.

 

Feb 18, 2003: A new product from SID (Sound Improvement Disc) of Germany has been introduced.  The SIP (Sound Improvement Platform) is an acoustic isolation platform that is made out of a special Acoustic Steel that contains a patented polymar producing an effect called constrained layer damping.  it is either laid flat under equipment (CD players, turntables, etc.) or further supported by steel balls.  Only 3mm thick !   Watch for it !   Feb 17, 2003: New stocks of GSP Audio Era Gold have arrived.   Scheu Cello turntable to be set up this week, with 10" Scheu classic unipivot arm and Music Maker MK2 cartridge, going through a GSP Audio Era Gold.   System On Demo Now: