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News
New Distribution Deal - Usher Audio.
HIAudio, after several weeks of talks, have finally secured the sole UK distribution deal for Usher Audio. Most recently seen at the heathrow Hi Fi and AV expo, Usher Audio continues the vein, by which HIAudio pride themselves. Outstanding products at realistic prices.
Usher Audio's range of loudspeakers, developed over many years, have of late been designed with the aid of Joseph D'Appolito. The speaker cabinets, and crossovers are all made in house, whilst the drivers are specially commissioned from a top European manufacturer and are exclusive to Usher. The Usher range varies in price from £220 to the fantastic Horn series D2 at £12,500. With speakers at all the key price points, Usher Audio intend to make a splash in the Uk market place.
The range being offered by HIAudio includes:
Mini Series - 520 bookshelf speaker
X Series - X719 and X718 bookshelf speakers
Compass Series - 737 floor standing speaker
6 Series - 6311, 6371 and 6381 floor
standing speakers
Reference Power Amplifier Series - R1.5 and P-307 Pre
amp.
As well as stands and equipment racks.
The range extends beyond speakers, with a very fine pair of pre and power amplifiers on offer as well. Check out future editions of Hi Fi World, Hi Fi News, Hi Fi Choice and What Hi Fi to find out just how good these products are.
HIAudio are also supplying the drive units to the Uk market so if you are looking for something to give you that edge contact us now.
What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision Review, November 2004. 5 star *****
The new November Awards issue of UK magazine What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision reviewed the Era Gold V and Elevator EXP. We knew they would love the new models after the rave review they gave the group test winning Era Gold MkV back in February, and they did.
"..the Era Gold V works as well as when we first tested it: detail dynamics and timing are spot on, so whether you're listening to REM's Automatic For The People or John Coltrane's Giant Steps, it delivers."
On the Elevator EXP
"The MC stage is pretty special too: partnered with the right turntable (don't they mean cartridge?? ED - HIAudio) the sound is excellent. if you value outright authority and refinement, the Roksan just shades it, but its level pegging when it comes to resolution, with the Graham Slee combo edging ahead on agility and expression."
Verdict - "This two box combination is one of the best phono stages we've ever heard - highly recommended."
Another fine review for what is a very fine pair of products. Need we say more?? Well Dave Price is going to comment on the Era / EXP combo very soon in Hi Fi World, and that will be it, enough reviews from the Uk press for these two. Now for something a little different.
StereoTimes Review, November 2004 Issue.
The US online Audiophile magazine StereoTimes, have just undertaken an extensive review of The Cartridge Mans' all New Music Maker MkIII Moving Iron cartridge. Compatible with all moving magnet stages (no need for extra pennies on a Moving Coil Head amp such as the Elevator EXP) Paul Szabady just loved the music and atmosphere the cartridge created.
"Listening to the MusicMaker was a continual joy
of both aesthetic satisfaction and delight in discovering new perception
of musical nuance and detail. It was as if one had just inadvertently
overlooked some newly revealed aspect of performance, rather than the
cartridge shouting that one pay attention to its sonic skills. No single
aspect of its sonic performance stuck out. It didn’t sound bright
and lean, nor mellow and muffled. It didn’t sound fast or slow.
It didn’t shriek or mumble. It didn’t favour rock or classical.
It just sounded like music. This is a rare and considerable achievement
in audio and one that places the MusicMaker III into the category of great
cartridges.
..."
Hi Fi News and AV Expo Heathrow, 24 - 26 September
Aeon Acoustics will be demonstrating there new Spiralex range of isolation products, as well as their Cygnet loudspeakers. Go along and have a listen, you also see The excellent Music Maker MkIII cartridge and Graham Slee Era Gold V phono stage.
News
Hi Fi News Review, November 2004 Issue.
The new October issue of UK magazine Hi Fi News has just reviewed the Era Gold and Elevator EXP. The Latter in its first Uk magazine review. Andrew Harrison, after extensive listening, has appreciated the quality of this outstanding Phono pre amp / head amp pairing. Rather like Geoff Husband a couple of years ago, Michael Framer, earlier this year and Stewart Wennan a couple of months ago. To say nothing about What Hi Fi and Jason Hector of HiFi+. Could the Uk press finally all agree on something? surely not?. Maybe we just have another convert to the Cult of Graham Slee??
"Left to right spread was deliciously wide, giving the impression of full dual-mono architecture, even if LP replay is acknowledged to have a crosstalk figure of about 30dB, often much lower. Well-recorded rock drums and their display in believable reality was certainly one aspect to benefit from the use of this phono amp combo. On another level, the quietness from the GSP effect was alarming. That's the quietness of intrinsic background hiss, quietness of groove noise, and subjectively low overall impact of record noise. Clicks and pops were relegated to inconsequence when they appeared."
"The GSP Audio Era Gold / Elevator EXP pair rates as one of the finest moving coil stages I've used..."
Hi Fi News and AV Expo Heathrow, 24 - 26 September
Aeon Acoustics will be demonstrating there new Spiralex range of isolation products, as well as their Cygnet loudspeakers. Go along and have a listen, you also see The excellent Music Maker cartridge and Graham Slee Era Gold V phono stage.
What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision Review, October 2004 Issue. 5 star *****
The new October issue of UK magazine What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision reviewed the Solo MC in its first UK magazine press review. We knew they would be impressed, and they were. They wrote "... Once properly warmed up which days of use, the Solo delivers a rich and insightful sound that puts a magnifying glass on every aspect of the recording. It will tell you about skewed tonal balances and any mistakes the mixing engineer might have made, but most of all it will communicate exactly what the artist intended - the music. That's why this little silver box is so special: it digs up plenty of detail and combines it into a cohesive whole, so the artist's performance and message take priority. ..."
Verdict - If You are serious about headphones go and have a listen to the Solo - and be prepared to buy it there and then.
PSU1 Meets Full International Approval, 12 July 2004
Well after months of painstaking work, and not inconsiderable expense, the PSU1 power supply, by Graham Slee has been CSA and CE certificated. The PSU1 is the only British manufactured power supply for use with a phono stage to meet with this obligatory International standard. This means you can use your Era Gold, Solo, Jazz Club, or even upgraded Gram Amp 2, safe in the knowledge leaving you favourite amp on ready for use anytime is totally safe. The tests it had to pass varied from the sublime to the ridiculous, but, and its a big but, where electrical safety comes in you cannot be to careful. Just how many sockets are in use in that extension block by your stereo????
New Retailers, 8 July 2004
We are pleased to announce more UK dealerships. Audio Republic in Leeds are now holding stock of our Era Gold V and Gram Amp range and, so if you want to hear what you've been reading about in the press why not pop in and listen to their demo set up. They have a selection of different decks and cartridges for you to listen to.
Hi-Fi World Comparison, August 2004 Issue.
The August issue of Hi Fi World Magazine carries a very interesting article comparing a modern Origin Live turntable, the Aurora Gold, against the old 1970's classic the Thorens TD125 MKII turntable. To make it a valid comparison the Hadcock Unipivot GH242 Integra pickup arm and Music Maker MkII cartridge are used. To further improve the integrity of the review the same arm tube and cartridge are used in each turntable. This highlights is one of the excellent features of the Hadcock tonearm because the whole arm tube assembly can be easily lifted off and placed onto another arm tube assembly, on a different turntable. Thus the same cartridge and arm are used on both decks. The review makes an interesting point - there is in reality very little sonic difference between the old Thorens deck and the new Origin Live deck sonically. Both use suspended sub chassis but production is separated by over 25 years.
Hi-Fi World Review, August 2004 Issue. ©©©©©
The new issue of Hi Fi World Magazine carries a outstanding review of our new £460 Era Gold V phono preamp. Stewart Wennan is astounded at the sonic performance of the new Era Gold V, and as with Michael Framer heartily recommend this product to any vinyl enthusiast. The Era Gold V is awarded the highest marks, 5 Globes. He complements Graham Slee on the units build quality, and its fabulous sonic performance, offering the listener the chance to hear a true RIAA phono stage, and not a "skewed" interpretation of this standard as offered by others.
A slight correction is required, the Trichord Dino mentioned in the article is incorrect in its pricing. The model Stewart Wennan compared the Era Gold V with was the Dino with additional power supply module and cable. The total retail price of which was not the £299 pounds indicated, but approx. £799, An interesting comparison indeed.
New Distribution deal - Aeon Acoustics.
A small Yorkshire concern, but with some fantastic products. Much heralded in the mid 1990 as a fantastic breakthrough speaker technology. Now in production using the patented Spiralex sonic boarding, expect to here a lot from this company over the coming months. In listening this material has had magazine reviewers salivating at is sonic abilities.
Expect to see Hi Fi racks, Isolation platforms, Turntable plinths for the Garrard 401/301 and Thorens TD125 as well as quite stunning loudspeakers, and more. Aeon Acoustics already have the superb Signet MC5 loudspeaker available, and will be launching a new mid price range from £500 - £1200 pounds shortly. Watch this space.
Hi-Fi World Review, July 2004 Issue.
The July issue of Hi Fi World Magazine features and article where with a budget of £5000 a complete system with a vinyl front end is created. From the pick of today's turntables Stewart Wennan goes for the Origin Live Aurora Gold turntable mated with our excellent Hadcock Integra GH242 tonearm, and the excellent Music Maker MkII moving Iron cartridge. Stewart extols the virtues of the various items within this combination highlighting their strengths and sometimes misrepresented weaknesses. "This combination had one of the clearest stereo images I have heard for many years, with an almost wall-to-wall stereo image."
1st June 2004 Graham Slee New Product Launch.
Well after a few months of using the rather less than desirable "transition" cases, we are pleased to announce the re-launch of the entire range. The New look Era Gold V, features improved sonic's, for example separate power rails, giving improved channel separation, or improved bass response from the Solo MC headphone amplifier. The more superficial change comes in with the look. All new brushed aluminium cases, with new look brushed aluminium front panels, have been used. We love the look, and we trust you do too, its been a lot of work for Graham Slee, but, we know it has been worth it. If you thought we were onto a winner before, well just take a trip to your local dealer and have a listen. Graham Slee really does kick ass.
New Distribution deal - G.F.C. Hadcock - Tonearms.
In tandem with our new distribution deal with The Cartridge Man, we are very pleased to be able to add the outstanding Unipivot Tonearm's manufactured by George Hadcock. George has been making these arms for many years, with a brief gap in late late 90's. Now back in business with an all new range, including the much vaunted 242 Range we can offer the synergy in our product range that is well unsurpassed at our pricing.
New Distribution deal - The Cartridge Man.
Well what can we say, we are absolutely delighted to be able to announce we have added the complete range of "The Cartridge Man'" products to our catalogue. These include the much vaunted Music Maker III moving iron cartridge, as well as his excellent Digital stylus force gauge, and Digital balance. Len Gregory has been working in this trade for well more years then he can remember, and we cannot say how pleased we are to be distributing for him.
What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision The Ultimate Guide 2004.
The new issue of What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision Ultimate Guide carries our Era Gold in its phono amp section. Hardly surprising after our phono stage group test winning review. It goes further this time giving a slightly fuller description of its attributes. "Class Leading" is all we need mention really.
Sennheiser - UK Shows, 24 February 2004.
If you are intending to travel to any of this years crop of Hi Fi Shows, then take a walk along to the Sennheiser stand. There you will be able to listen to our Solo headphone amplifier, in its very latest form, powering their highly acclaimed HD600 and HD650 headphones.
What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision Review, February 2004 Issue. 5 star *****
The new February issue of UK magazine What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision placed the Era Gold top in the group test of 4 phono stages? In their analogue roundup of 4 turntables and 4 phono stages they compared: the Roksan M-Series Ph SE, Clearaudio Basic Symmetry, Audio Analogue Aria and Graham Slee Era Gold MkV phono stages.
They wrote "... however, sonic performance comes first and that's one area the GSP Audio doesn't need lessons. Its moving magnet (and high output moving coil - ed) only, but with such cartridges it delivers a killer performance."
Stereophile Review, February 2004 Issue.
Have you seen the Feb Issue of US magazine Stereophile? In their Analogue Addicts section, Michel Framer compares several phono stages, including our Era Gold.
Michel Framer writes "Instead of dropping $1500 on a new cartridge to use with your less than outstanding phono stage, spend your $1500 on a Sumiko Blackbird and a Graham Slee GSP Audio Era Gold Mk V and you could live happily ever after in analogue land. I think I could and I've been playing with ridiculously expensive stuff for years." Official PDF Reprint.
Rock Grotto Review, January 2004.
Have you seen the Rock Grotto Internet site? Dedicated to Headphone and music enthusiasts they have a considerable spread on the Graham Slee Solo, headphone amp, and go into considerable detail about Grahams' refining of this product, prior to its re release in its new clothing later this year.
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