The Cutting Edge

BURMESTER B30
slotted pulp-cone woofers, loaded by a rectangular port and
teamed with an extremely unusual two-way, concentric ribbon
driver. Resolution and transparency were the order of the day,
rather than floor-rattling bass extension, but there was a
beguiling fluidity and ease to the music from this superbly
integrated system. (piega.ch)
Another brand showing innovative and high-value product
was DALI, with its new IKON range. With a choice of three
floorstanders, two mini-monitors, two center-channels, a sub,
and a rear surround, DALI covered most bases, whilst employing
the combination soft-dome/ribbon-tweeter technology seen
in the Helicon series in much more affordable packages. Equally
appealing for multichannel or two-channel applications, these
look ready to shake up the mid-market. (dali.dk)
Bolzano Villetri added a newer, lower-priced range below
its extensive and sumptuously finished 5000 and 3000 series
omnis. Aimed at the A/V and surround-sound market, the
front pair plus subwoofer offered an interesting alternative to
more conventional approaches, with an expansive and notably
relaxed sound, even using a basic DVD player as source. I can’t
comment on the veracity (or otherwise) of its extravagant
claims regarding the novelty and efficacy of its unusual
opposed-driver configuration, but if it can build on these
results then the performance of its products will speak for itself.
(bolzanovilletri.com)
Finally, Burmester was playing the new B30, smaller brother
of the B100 that has so impressed HP of late. At a Euro asking
price of 7900 this was doing a fabulous job of showcasing
Burmester’s new 061 upsampling CD player. Again, the emphasis
was on wide-open, high-resolution sound, but just when you
thought that was all that was on offer, this system surprised you
with some real rhythmic drive and musical authority—all delivered
with effortless grace. (burmester.de)
Naturally there were hordes of heavy-weight turntables on
show, most of which will never (and probably should never)
escape their home borders, But two items
that really stood out were a re-engineered
and now 12" version of Brinkmann’s
Breur-alike tonearm (brinkmannaudio.com)
and a very neat box from
AXISS distribution that looks for all the
world like a digital stylus balance (well, it
makes one of those, too), which actually
works the suspension of your new cartridge
to run it in without trashing the
stylus. Admittedly more of a
dealer/reviewer tool, I’ve just got to get
me one of these. (axiss-usa.com)
Present only as a prototype but fascinating
for all that, a record cleaner was
shown by Audiodesk (makers of the CD
lathe and washing machine). It’s compact,
cleans both sides simultaneously and quickly, and, if it can be
made to work, represents the first truly novel solution to cleaning
discs since Harry Weisfeld launched the original HW16.
U.K. stalwart Naim Audio continued its relentless move
upmarket with the appearance of production samples of the
CD555/555PS combination first seen at last September’s
London show. The player and external power supply retail for
nearly twice the price of Naim’s previous flagship, the
ANTJE DECKER AND ELAC’S FS 609 X-P1
38 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND ■ SEPTEMBER 2006