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CES 2007
New From NuForce (CES)
 NuForce
has expanded their success in amplifiers into
a triple threat. In their large room on Level
3 of the Venetian they proudly presented their
new S-9 speaker ($5500) that have been
shipping since October and their new P-9
preamplifier ($2950) which is scheduled to
ship at the end of February. Those, mated to a
pair of NuForce Reference 9SE monoblock
amplifiers, created a dynamic yet detailed and
musical performance. Bass was rich and deeper
than expected from such a small size. Vocals
were smooth and inviting.
NuForce likes to take a different approach to
equipment design and the new entries are no
exception. The P-9 preamplifier was designed
by Demian Martin, who also designed the
Spectral DMC-10 preamplifier and DMA-100
wide-band power amplifier.
Both the construction and appearance of the
S-9 speakers is unique. The S-9 speakers are
constructed of 23 layers of 13-ply Baltic
birch plywood sandwiched together using ½
gallon of adhesive per enclosure. The end
result is an enclosure with significantly more
rigidity than a typical one constructed from
medium density fiberboard. Due to the porous
nature of the exposed end grain of the
plywood, a high-build finish must be used.
Multiple layers of a catalyzed “conversion
varnish” are used. OK, what the heck is
conversion varnish? Simply, it is a two-part
mixture that must be combined prior to
application (similar to some epoxies). These
finishes are designed for maximum durability.
Current NuForce fans are sure to love this
compact system with the big sound. I am also
sure it will win over some new fans.
www.nuforce.com
It’s Not Easy Being Green (or is it?)
Luna Music System by Solar Hi-Fi (T.H.E. Show)
It is difficult
enough designing audio equipment with the
usual set of parameters (performance,
appearance, cost) but throw in a third,
normally ignored, criteria and the task
becomes heroic. But Solar Hi-Fi has done it.
They have produced an attractive, excellent
sounding, affordable package system that is
also green. That is green as in
environmentally friendly. The Luna Music
System starts with a stylish-looking
125watts/channel combination CD player and
receiver. Amplification is Class D for energy
efficiency. Don’t let the small size of the
CD/Receiver fool you. It is full featured
including a remote, digital inputs (optical
and coaxial), two line-level inputs, and two
line-level outputs (subwoofer out and
preamplifier out). The amplifier section can
be switched off for improved performance when
using the preamplifier output. The tuner has
20 programmable presets. There is even a USB
connector to supply power to an MP3 player.
The face of the CD/Receiver is brushed
aluminum and the case is burnished bamboo.
Burnished bamboo is also used for the two-way
speakers that feature a 1” soft-dome tweeter
and a 5.25” hemp and carbon fiber woofer. In
addition to being renewable resources, bamboo
and hemp have sonic characteristics that make
them very desirable for audio speakers. Other
manufacturers such as Audio Note have recently
discovered the performance characteristics of
hemp drivers. Solar Hi-Fi claims the resonant
character of bamboo produces a rich sound
quality. I cannot comment on the specific
sonic attributes of bamboo but I can say the
speakers were very attractive and the entire
Luna Music System produced a warm yet detailed
sound that was very musical and free from any
of the annoying characteristics that typically
plague budget systems. Bass performance was
tight and surprisingly good for the speaker
size. I wandered around the room and found
that listening position was not critical.
Solar Hi-Fi plans to begin delivering the Luna
Music System in June of 2007. The final price
has not yet been determined but I have been
assured it will be very affordable and an
excellent value. Matching bamboo speaker
stands are also being developed.
www.solarhifi.com
Clarity Cable (T.H.E. Show)
 Clarity
Cable, well known for their power cords,
introduced a new product, the 3D power
conditioner ($3800) which will be available
beginning the middle of February, 2007. Their
new 3D power conditioner was used in several
rooms at T.H.E. Show (Art Audio and Landes
Imports/ Ensemble Audio) and CES (Escalante
Design). Performance reports were very
favorable.
The 3D takes a new approach to power
conditioning. Clarity Cable describes the 3D
as an “electromagnetic conditioner that uses
the differential between the hot of the
current and the earth ground potential to
clean, focus, and organize the signal”. The 3D
does not use transformers and therefore has no
hum or heat, and has very low power
consumption. The 3D does not use capacitors,
ferrite clamps, ferrite powders, or ferrite
cores. Because of the absence of these
materials, Clarity Cable promises the 3D has
an extremely low noise floor and no electronic
signature. The 3D power conditioner has an
extremely high current carrying ability and
can be used for amplifiers. The 3D is
available in a variety of laminate finishes
including wood, marble, and granite.
www.claritycable.com
Sweet Melodies
Melody Hi Fi (CES)
Tube equipment was in abundance at both CES
and T.H.E. Show. Most of my favorite rooms had
at least some tube equipment in the system. Of
those, Melody is right at the top of my list
of favorites. Melody had a large room on Level
4 of the Venetian. The room sound was very
inviting and I could have just sat there and
forgot about the rest of the rooms if I wasn’t
so excited about exploring for new treasures.
Melody was using a pair of Usher CP-6381s
fronted by their own beautiful equipment. I
have never heard Usher speakers sound better.
The source was a Melody CD-M10 full vacuum
tube output (24 bit/192 kHz DAC) CD player
with separate power supplies for the digital
and analog sections. The preamplifier was a
Melody P1688 Signature. Amplification was a
pair of 18 watts/channel M2A3 monoblocks.
www.melodyhifi.com
Don Shaulis
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