News Archive 2004 - Soundscape HiFi

Contact Information Main Tel. (65) 90600230

Subscribe or Unsubscribe! Join our mailing list for updates and announcements.

World Clock Index - view the time in different cities

* Stated dates of arrival are projected and anticipated to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing, and does not take into account unexpected delays.

Dec 28, 2004

New customer system added. Click Me! to view.

Dec 19, 2004

New customer system posted. Click Me! to view.

Dec 17, 2004

Some have asked us where the demos are held in this week's Adelphi "hifi show" from Dec 16 to 19. Demos are held at each of the participating shop's showrooms, and each participating shop will have their own special sale prices or promotions for the period Dec 16 - 19. Check out the promotions from each participating shop.

There are booths on the basement where accessories and other smaller items are on special offers.

Below are the remaining items to be sold at $1 for every $500 (combined) purchased from participating shops :

Dec 17: Sennheiser model RS30 wireless headphones (10 pieces)

Dec 18: Pioneer model DV270s DVD players (30 pieces)

Dec 19: Pioneer model DV270s DVD players (30 pieces)

Check out the new improved version of the Schröder Model 2 tonearm. Currently on static display at our showroom temporarily. Click Me! to view a photo gallery.

Check out more photos of the Schröder Reference tonearm. Click Me! to view a photo gallery.

Dec 15, 2004

"Hear the mighty engine roar ..." - phrase from Peter, Paul, & Mary's "Early Morning Rain"

On demo at the "hifi show" will be the mighty 90-watt Naim Audio NAP300 power amplifier, and the NAC 252 preamp. Powerful and gutsy beyond its specifications driving either the Living Voice Auditorium 2 or OBX-R2 loudspeakers, the energy of the combination is tremendous. Percussion, drums, and bass take on a life of their own - high velocity, snappy, superb definition, wonderful presence. For Naim fans, listen to these new Naim series come together with the Living Voice loudspeakers.

And of course, we'll have our resident 50-watt Lavardin Technologies Model IT to provide the contrast, to exhibit more grace and polish next to its speed and outstanding timbre and transparency, in comparison to the vigorous attack and power of the Naims.

We'll alternate between the two amplifiers, which should please fans of both brands or type of presentation.

Analog duties will fall on the Scheu Premier MK2 turntable and Scheu Classic MK2 tonearm (or a Schroder tonearm). Our Jan Allaerts cartridges have not yet arrived, and serving as proxy will be an Audio-Technica Prestige PTG low-output MC cartridge. Naturally, phono stages will be the Graham Slee Era Gold MKV phono stage/ Elevator EXP head amp.

Cabling will be by Analysis Plus, Lavardin Technologies, and Naim Audio.

Dec 12, 2004

Update on the Upcoming Event

The Hi-Fi Show At The Adelphi

Dec 16 - 19, 2004 (Thu to Sun)

The Adelphi, Singapore

Time: 12 noon to 8- pm

Our Showroom: #02-44, The Adelphi, 1 Coleman Street
Telephone: (65) 90600230; (65) 63383177

Further to our announcement below, "The Hi-Fi Show At The Adelphi" is confirmed to be held on the dates and venue mentioned above. And for audiophiles who are also interested in computer-related products, please note that the timing is in conjunction with Funan The IT Mall's mega sale too, which is just next door !

All hifi shops have been encouraged by Capital Land to offer promotions during the specified period. However, only minimum purchases of S$ 500 or more made at participating shops, like ours, will be entitled to purchase DVD players, Sennheiser headphones, etc. at a price of only S$ 1 ! Combined purchases are allowed. Participating shops will be recognized through stickers found on their doors or windows. Besides us, other participating shops are Electrades Audio, Coherence Audio, Norman Audio, etc.

Some participating shops will have booths set up at the basement open area where sales of accessories and other related stuff will be held. Visit us at Booth No. 7 for 30% discounts on the excellent range of Analysis Plus Cables, and some CDs.

Of course, all participating shops will have their showrooms open for auditions and even sales. Please feel free to drop in.

We will also have attractive promotions for purchases or orders of hifi equipment made during the 4-day period, check out our promotions when you visit our showroom. Ever wanted a highly-acclaimed Graham Slee phono stage to go along with a pair of the multi-awarded Living Voice speakers or a Lavardin Technologies amplifier, but needed more funds ? Well, that could be a reality now with our promotional packages for this 4-day period. Maybe a rare Pluto Audio turntable perhaps without having to wait for 10 years worth of bonuses :) ? And more, check it out.

A Merry X'mas To All !

We have updated the Scheu Premier MK2 turntable assembly instructions. Click Me! to read.

First of all, our congratulations to all Schröder tonearm owners, for owning the best tonearms in the world today, along with the Pluto Audio tonearms, in our opinion. And for those still waiting for their tonearms to arrive, worldwide, your patience will surely be rewarded. Matched with the right turntable, cartridge, phono stage and with proper setup of course, sonic bliss is assured.

The user manual for the Schröder Reference tonearm has been posted. Click Me! to read.

A slight correction has been made on the Schröder Model 1 tonearm user manual. This is on the VTA/SRA adjustment labeled (g). We have made clearer the instruction for using it. Click Me! to read.

Upcoming is the latest Schröder Model 2 variant. We'll post some photos next week when we receive some for our customers.

The Scheu Tacco tonearm has been updated and improved, Click Me! to read more. We will have these latest versions in next year. Not to be outdone, users in Germany have recently been singing praises as well, nipping at the heels of a Schröder at a lesser price. That's definitely a huge compliment. At any rate, it's not a surprise, as a customer of ours loves his entry-level Scheu Classic MK2 compared to his US$ 3200 unipivot (famous for allowing VTA adjustment on the fly), in terms of "musicality". Another feather in Scheu's cap - master of superb best buy turntables and tonearms. No spaceship-looking turntables, just solid "sound comes first" principle, one can mistake them for British ...

Nov 29, 2004

Upcoming Event

The Hi-Fi Show At The Adelphi

Dec 16 - 19, 2004

The Adelphi, Singapore

Capital Land, one of the largest listed property companies in Asia, headquartered in Singapore, has taken the lead to organize The Hi-Fi Show At The Adelphi, with joint participation of the several hifi specialist shops at the Adelphi, including yours truly - Soundscape HiFi And Music.

The Hi-Fi Show At The Adelphi is scheduled for 4 full days from Thursday 16th December to Sunday 19th December 2004 at The Adelphi. For our overseas visitors and those not familiar, Click Me! for a map (Adelphi is No. 1 on the map). Mark these dates in your diary, and be part of this historical event, a first in Singapore.

Music and movie lovers can expect great fun and great shopping - offers and discounts, auditions and previews, talks from hifi experts, etc. Free Admission of course ! Booths with goodies will be set up on the basement open area as well. Watch this webpage for more details later on. We heard there will be some sort of $1 deals sponsored by Capital Land ?

It's open house at all participating shops, feel free to enter each door without any feeling of pressure. Each participating shop will be clearly marked. Some will be having extended hours too for this show.

Although we prefer the concrete walls and ceilings and size of hotel rooms, which are closer to a typical home environment, visitors can still expect a good audition. Showrooms will also not have the time pressure of the usual hotel hifi shows where exhibitors are given only one day to set up systems. And in line with our support for this show, besides providing auditions of selected systems, we will provide special offers to the public for purchases or orders of hifi equipment made only during the four days of the show. Another first in our history of show participation.

Watch this webpage and the local newspapers for further details as the organizers prepare and finalize the event.

Please note that this a pre-alert and the organizer of the show reserves the right to change details given herein, without any notice.

Nov 25, 2004

Expressimo Audio's end of record tonearm lifters, The Lift and The Lift 2 are now in stock.

Click Me! for more information on Expressimo Audio products.

Nov 21, 2004

New customer system added. Click Me! to view.

+++++++++++++++

Sixmoons.com's Edward Barker reviews the new Schröder DPS tonearm in the Nov 2004 issue, and awards it the following:

"As a reviewer, one can go on for ages singing the praises of a particular piece of equipment, but in the Schroeder's case, its virtues are so obvious and so total that frankly, it speaks better for itself. I would just say that in my opinion, the Schroeder is one of the most significant developments in vinyl reproduction in the last 30 years, and anyone who takes analog seriously simply must hear what it is capable of. It's worth going well the hell out of your way to hear. How far? Across a continent. Go ahead, even an ocean - it's worth the longest journey because that's what it will take you on once you have it."

Click Me! to read more.

+++++++++++++++

The Eighth Nerve Framed Responses will be arriving next week. Have bass issues in your room ? The Framed Responses are guaranteed to help control detrimental bass in your room. New photos added as well on placement and application of Echoes.

+++++++++++++++

New vinyl shipment arriving Nov 23. Click Me! to view the selection.

Nov 08, 2004

Hi-Fi News' Andrew Harrison reviews the Graham Slee Era Gold MKV / Elevator EXP phono stage combination in the Nov 2004 issue:

"...addictive, valve like quality...confirmed once again as something special...Two-box moving-coil phono stage for the enthusiast, one box for m-m, the other as an electronic step-up. Sound is stunningly fast and open, with vinyl noises largely ignored thanks to wideband circuitry."

Click Me! to read more.

From Graham Slee, designer :

"Can your system handle it?
What further evidence can we give to show our products perform to the highest of standards? To expose these high standards requires a highly capable system. 9 independent reviews (and still growing) are testament to our high standards. Standards achieved through good old fashioned solid engineering practices. Our products are designed using mathematics, broadcast audio electronics know-how, 30 years experience, accurate specification testing and endless listening trials. If your system can boast the same you too can experience the Era Gold miracle.

Nov 05, 2004

Online magazine Stereo Times has published a review on The Cartridge Man Music Maker MK3 phono cartridge. Click Me! to read.

++++++++++++++

New customer system added. Click Me! to view.

Oct 26, 2004

The Living Voice OBX-R2 loudspeakers, in a beautiful and rare black ebony finish, are back on demo. Check them out at our showroom's listening area which was recently given a small makeover to simulate a typical Singapore home listening environment. Less damped, more live.

If you've heard the system before, we welcome you to rediscover it. With the livelier room and a few Eighth Nerve room acoustic products spread around, the sound is transformed. The most noteworthy improvements are less colour and more definition in the bass, much more transparency, better presentation of subtle ambient hues, snappier transients. One of the greatest strengths of the Living Voice OBX-R2 is its handling of delicacy in a performance, as well as in its outstanding rendition of timbre and texture of instruments. This is now even more evident in the revamped listening area.

The change just proves how important the room is, and how moderately treating a room with the right products can lead to significantly improved sonics, or even tailored to suit one's tastes. We should be able to optimally balance out the acoustics in the room further as we go along.

++++++++++++++

For Naim Audio users, we will be hooking up the new models NAC252 preamp + Supercap 2 + NAP 300 monoblocks for audition within this week. Loudspeakers will be Living Voice. Check it out.

++++++++++++++

For digital playback, besides Naim Audio, we will also be offering our customers products from Esoteric Audio digital as required. We have found their latest digital playback gear to be outstanding performers and these will mate well with our other offerings.

Oct 21, 2004

New customer systems added. Click Me! to view.

Oct 19, 2004

The Eighth Nerve Roompack, Corners, and Echoes are back in stock, only in ivory color. Framed Responses to follow.

Oct 15, 2004

A couple of new photos have been added to our Pluto Audio webpage, courtesy of Pluto Audio designer Eddy Driessen when he dropped by to visit us. Click Me! to view. Check out the Pluto Audio webpage again later as we add more photos of Eddy setting up our Singapore customer's Pluto analogue system, and the final result. Totally awesome turntable system in both sound and looks, it will take some time for us to settle and get used to the sound of other turntables again, the sonic gap is significant. And it was just the baby Pluto ....

+++++++++++++

Importance of the room ? Most vital ! We finally got to making some slight changes to our showroom's listening area, check it out and hear the difference.

Our intention is to demonstrate our systems in surroundings closer in acoustics and layout to a home environment, and at the same time give more justice to the system on demo.

Currently on demo are the Living Voice Avatars (in a rosewood finish with patterns that we find more striking than usual) driven by a Lavardin Model IT, Scheu Premier MK2 turntable with an Audio-Technica AT-33 PTG cartridge, Graham Slee phono stages, Wadia CD player. If you've heard them before, feel free to listen again in the moderately "reconstructed" showroom.

Oct 7, 2004

New updates have been made to the Music Section. Click Me! to view incoming shipment of records.

Highlights are:

Joss Stone's latest album - Mind, Body, And Soul
Rod Stewart's latest album - Stardust: The Great American Songbook Volume 3
Janis Ian's latest album - "Billie's Bones", a tribute to Billie Holiday
Deep Purple's latest album - the sold-out concert in Poland
The Lion King soundtrack
Ben Webster's "Soulville", another legendary jazz album
and more

Oct 6, 2004

The Lavardin Technologies Model IT integrated amplifier is back on demo, driving a pair of Living Voice Auditorium2 speakers in cherry finish. You might enjoy the combination if you like a full-bodied presentation, a natural instrumental timbre, as well as a fast and rhythmic presentation.

On a side note, many customers ask us what we value in a system. Well, we hold in great value a system that delivers music with soul and life first and foremost (with respect to our musical tastes, which encompasses most genres). This is followed closely by a more or less accurate timbre, which IMHO significantly differentiates high-end from the mainstream, and the usual audiophile characteristics as merely secondary, but if present are a bonus. In our opinion, the bottom-line is that a system that can bring out everything is at best hollow if it doesn't have the mojo. We could always tweak here and there to get more detail or whatever, but if it intrudes into the soul properties of the system, we'd rather not have it. A balance has to be struck within the limitations of a system.

+++++++++++++

The Living Voice Avatar2 will also be on demo around end of this week, followed by the Living Voice OBX-R2 the following week.

+++++++++++++

The Graham Slee Gram Amp2 SE MM phono stages in their new look casings will also be arriving within Oct 9 - 13. Check it out. Arriving together will be the Graham Slee Solo Monitor Class headphone amplifier. Listen to why Sennheiser UK selected the Solo as their headphone amplifier in their shows.

Sept 22, 2004

The Jan Allaerts MC1B cartridges will be back in stock again, end of October (tentatively). Very limited quantities, some already booked. If interested, book yours now to avoid another long waiting period. As the HiFi Choice review mentioned, "If you're in the market for a serious needle, get on the waiting list now."

Curious to see where these cartridges are meticulously handcrafted ? Click Me! to visit Jan Allaerts' laboratory.

"No machine can replace my hands. Some things can be done by very expensive tools but it always has to happen under the microscope to follow up and correct when necessary. Even the new cartridges we deliver are fully handcrafted and checked many times before they go into the box and get shipped. By regret we can only build 50% or less from the orders we could get. We have to decide (very difficult for some people to understand - but very easy for me) between quality and quantity and for me I go for quality and this means limited cartridge quantities. We want to keep the product just the way it is. There is no compromises possible for this and we hope that reading this news message will help understand that there is a long waiting list for our cartridges and repairs. We do our very best trying to find a balance between building new cartridges and the repairs and we want the repairs to go out like new. I think most people that get their repaired cartridge back have no complaints about the result." - Jan Allaerts

The Graham Slee Solo Monitor Class headphone amplifier will be on demo soon. Watch this space for arrival, then bring over your headphones to try it out :)

Sept 14, 2004

The sorely missed Lavardin Technologies Model IT integrated amp will be back in stock 4th week of September.

Eddy Driessen, legendary designer of Pluto Audio turntables, will be dropping by Singapore on his way to personally set up a Pluto Model 10A turntable in neighboring Indonesia, as well as to check our customer's Pluto setup. Check out this page to find out if there will be time for meeting him.

Sept 09, 2004

The Living Voice Auditorium loudspeakers, in cherry finish, are back on demo, after clearing up some of the traded-in speakers from our showroom.

Living Voice Mystic Mat turntable mats are back in stock.

The GSP Audio/Graham Slee Solo headphone amplifier phono stage has been reviewed by What Hi-Fi? in its Oct. 2004 issue. Click Me! to read some excerpts.

New customer setup has been posted. Click Me! to check it out.

Aug 24, 2004

New updates have been posted at our Music Section. Click Me! to view.

The immensely popular Diana Krall LP will be back in stock.

Living Voice loudspeakers to arrive 2nd week of September 2004.

Aug 22, 2004

Excerpts from the latest Hi-Fi+ June-July 2004 review of the Living Voice OBX-R2 loudspeakers have been posted. Click Me! to read.

Excerpts from the latest HiFi Choice review (Aug 2004 - The Collection issue) of the Living Voice Air Scout loudspeakers have likewise been posted. Click Me! to read.

Aug 16, 2004

The GSP Audio Era Gold MKV phono stage has been reviewed by HiFi World magazine in its Aug 2004 issue. Click Me! to read some excerpts.

The Living Voice OBX-R2 loudspeakers have been reviewed in the June 2004 issue of HiFi+ magazine (outside UK, this is the latest issue). Review coming soon.

Aug 12, 2004

New updates have been posted at our Music Shop section. Click Me! to view.

More Living Voice Auditoriums to arrive. Date to be announced.

Limited quantities left from latest batch of GSP Audio Era Gold MKV phono stages. More to follow in time.

Aug 09, 2004

The Expressimo Audio Heavy Weight (SGD 160) replacement counterweight for Rega, VPI, AQ, and Origin Live tonearms, and the 2X-TREME Lock Down End Stub (SGD 70) for Rega tonearms have arrived at our showroom.

Long-staying year after year in Stereophile's list of Recommended Components, proven upgrades to the above-mentioned tonearms, these are essential products meant to maximize the potential of these tonearms, at prices that won't break the bank. Click Me! for more information.

Also in are The Lift end-of-record tonearm lifters (SGD 150), in limited quantities as Expressimo Audio is currently backordered. More to follow later. Click Me! for more information.

The Lift 2 (SGD 180) for turntables with taller platters, like the Scheu Premier MK2 80mm platter version, will follow later as well.

We would like to introduce the latest Frank Schröder creation, the Model DPS tonearm. A hybrid design with improved features of the Model 2 base and counterweight, plus the The Reference armwand. Retail price is SGD 6600. All Schröder tonearms are meticulously handcrafted by Frank, and due to super-high demand, waiting time is at least 5 months upwards. But in the words of many happy owners - "it is well worth the wait".

Click Me! for more information.

New stocks of the GSP Audio Era Gold MKV phono stages are expected to arrive this week or early next week. GSP Audio is still fulfilling mountains of backorders worldwide, and inventory is low. Like the Schröder tonearms above, these are handcrafted by Mr. Graham Slee, with each product literally having the personal touch of the designer.

Phono stages are probably the most underrated components in an analog playback chain. And phono stage quality differences can be surprisingly wide when comparing between different brands. In our opinion, one can have one of the best turntables or cartridges in the world, but a mediocre phono stage will be a major bottleneck, as all signal will have to pass through the phono stage. And mediocrity can apply to even very expensive phono stages.

Get one of the best phono stages regardless of price. Hundreds of users, having both budget and state-of-art analog front-ends, can't be wrong.

Click Me! for more information on GSP Audio products.

July 25, 2004

sixmoons.com awards the Living Voice OBX-R2 for THE Classic British Masterpiece in the Small Tower Speaker Category.

"... a landmark in the British speaker-making story."

Click Me! to read the review.

We are also pleased to announce that UHF (Ultra High Fidelity) magazine of Canada has chosen the Living Voice OBX-R as part of their reference systems in their demo rooms. Click Me! to view.

July 23, 2004

For vinyl enthusiasts, we now have specially made ZipLock plastic bags to protect your precious vinyl albums. These bags are lightweight, made of polythelene, clear, soft and will not harden or crack like harder plastic. At 13" x 13", these will accept normal-sized LP albums, Gatefolds, and even 3-LP sets. Perfect for protecting your vinyl album jackets from wear and tear, fingerprints, as well as dust. Price for a packet of 100 pieces is SGD 45.00.

The latest iteration of the Pluto Audio 12A turntable, the 12A Special Deluxe with Carbon (plating), is incoming, included with the outer ring and centering jig for utmost performance (optional). Truly the Bugatti of high-end turntables.

Frank Schröder has come up with a new tonearm design, the DPS model. More information will be added in time to our Schröder webpage as we get more news.

We received a mail from an ecstatic customer using the GSP Audio phono stage/step-up, and have reprinted it with wholehearted permission as we found it gratifying, as well as a fitting testimony to a great product. Click Me! to view.

New vinyl updates to The Music Shop section. Click Me! to view.

July 19, 2004

We have just got news from our suppliers that Diana Krall's latest album, "The Girl In the Other Room", will be on vinyl, from Verve. Good news for Diana Krall fans who always wanted her album on vinyl. Watch for its arrival date in our showroom on this webpage :)

"Soliano's Debut Dazzles" - a Straits Times review of the Louis Soliano CD has been posted. The first CD to be recorded with FM Acoustics proprietary Harmonic Linearizer technology and precision equipment. From Singapore, a first in the world - after all, this is where we can find million dollar worth FM Acoustics home hifi systems. Click Me! to read.

The Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval 8 speaker cables, in both shotgun version and biwire, are currently in use at our showroom. Also in use is the Solo Crystal Oval interconnects between our GSP Audio Era Gold phono stage and the GSP Audio Elevator EXP step-up.

July 14, 2004

The Analysis Plus cables will finally be available at our showroom from July 14.

For those interested in listening to a Naim amplifier driving Living Voice speakers, we will temporarily have on demo from July 15 a Naim Audio Nait 5i integrated amplifier driving Living Voice speakers, as we await new stocks of the Lavardin Technologies amplifiers.

Hutter hifi racks from Austria, in both European maple and American cherry, are available.

July 9, 2004

More information on Analysis Plus cables have been posted, including recommended retail prices in Singapore dollars, before discount. Click Me! to view.