Abtec Petone Christmas Message December 2017

Another year is coming to an end. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support throughout 2017. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year have a safe and happy holiday break… See you in 2018! Our hours throughout the Xmas / New Year holidays are as follows; Sunday 24th Dec 2017  11am – 3pm Monday 25th Dec 2017 – CLOSED Tuesday 26th Dec 2017 – Boxing Day Sale (Open 10am – 3pm) Wednesday 27th to Sunday 31st Dec 2017 – OPEN Monday 1st Jan 2018 – CLOSED Tuesday 2nd Jan 2018 – CLOSED Wednesday 3rd Jan 2018  Normal opening hours resume From your...

Audio-Technica ATH-DSR7BT Bluetooth Headphones Australian Review

Wireless headphones normally mean you’re compromising on sound quality versus wired headphones. Normally. Audio-Technica’s new ATH-DSR7BT are so committed to the highest possible Bluetooth sound quality, though, that they don’t even have a 3.5mm wired headphone cable, nor anywhere to plug one in. These Hi-Res Audio over-the-ear cans are all about hi-fi wireless, with a unique speaker driver and amplifier setup that promises the best. Can they deliver? What Is It? Bear with me, because this is heady stuff. The 45mm True Motion drivers inside the $599 Audio-Technica ATH-DSR7BT are entirely digital, with a specially designed and unique diaphragm that interprets signals pulsed from Trigence’s Dnote chipset...

Riva Arena Compact Multiroom Speaker Review

Riva outbooms Sonos with the Arena compact multiroom speaker “The Riva Arena is the best combination of fidelity and usability we have ever seen in a speaker its size” HIGHS Elegant, compact design Multiple ways to connect Clear, room-filling sound Easy to use on iOS or Android Portable option available LOWS Short power cable Score 4.5 When Riva Audio announced its first foray into multiroom audio, the two-speaker lineup it calls the Wand series, our interest was understandably piqued. The young company’s excellent Turbo X was our favorite portable speaker of 2016, impressing with a beautiful sound signature in a small and versatile package. As...

KEF Gravity One Porsche Speaker

Surround yourself with superior sound when you use the KEF Gravity One Porsche Speaker. This one-of-a-kind speaker brings together the iconic design of Porsche Design with the technical knowledge of KEF. The result is a show-stopping Bluetooth device in a compact and portable package. The Gravity One Speaker achieves stunning sound without skimping on the details. Measuring just 8.5 inches long, you can easily pack it on any trip. In addition, the powerful acoustics are sure to fill any room with hi-fi audio. With the signature Uni-Q driver, the Gravity One Speaker disperses audio in a full 360 degrees. Finally, every single...

KEF LS50 Wireless review

Our Verdict: 5 Stars These KEF Wirelesses are way more than just active versions of the award-winning LS50s. They’re a complete system wrapped in a neat and brilliant package For Impressive clarity and insight Taut bass and strong dynamics Features and excellent build Neat package Against Some small usability issues When someone says the words ‘hi-fi system’, what do you think of? If you’re anything like us, you’ve just pictured a combination of separates comprising source – maybe a streamer, CD player or record player – an amplifier and a pair of speakers. If we could go back 40 years and ask the same question, we...

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Limited Edition Headphone Review

In September this year, Audio-Technica announced a new Limited Edition Red version of the ever-popular ATH-M50x. Reviewer, Matthew Jens, didn’t have to think twice and purchased a pair immediately. AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M50X LIMITED EDITION OVER-EAR HEADPHONES I have a problem. I can’t stop collecting headphones. My Fiancé thinks it’s “hoarding,” but I still hold on to the idea that I am a merely a “collector.” Admittedly, I’ve started to lose count of the number of headphones I own, but it’s somewhere north of twenty-five pairs. This madness all began when I was starting out mixing bands in the live audio industry. I required...

Bowers & Wilkins PX review

Bowers & Wilkins’ first noise-cancelling headphones are the real deal. Tested at £330 Our Verdict: 5 Stars The PXs are a fantastic package, boasting excellent sound quality, successful noise-cancelling and a smart design For  Transparent, detailed sound Excellent dynamics Impeccable sense of timing Clever, intuitive features Impressive noise-cancelling Good battery life Fine build Against  Nothing significant Bowers & Wilkins’ performance in the headphone market is the sporting equivalent of a Gaelic footballer arriving in the Premier League and picking up the Golden Boot in their first season. Sure, there are similarities, but essentially it’s a different game with different opposition, different...

Denon AVR-X1400H Review

Score: 4.5 Stars Pros  Tasteful design and robust construction  Slick HEOS multiroom streaming  Dolby Vision & HLG support  Sparkling sound quality Cons  Rivals offer more power and vigour  Low-res menus  Remote build quality Key Features Review Price: £429.00 7 x 145W power output HEOS multiroom streaming 4K/60p, Dolby Vision & HLG HDR support Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 and DTS:X decoding Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, internet radio, Spotify Connect and DLNA What is the Denon AVR-X1400H? Denon’s latest 7.2-channel mid-range receiver has an even more impressive set of features than its predecessor, the awesome Denon AVR-X1300W. Its snazziest new trick is support for...

ABTEC Showroom & Workshop Petone 2017

You may or not be aware that we have now been in our NEW location coming up 5 years at 49 Hutt Road, Petone, Lower Hutt Our commitment to you is still the same… Our aim, very simply, is to satisfy all our customers so they will want to choose us again and maybe even recommend us to their friends. We only select products for sale that are really good quality – brands you will probably recognize; we stand by the manufacturer’s warranties – we won’t be dodging our commitment to you; and by fulfilling just those two pledges we’ll be here for you tomorrow and...

Riva Festival Review

Pros  Can sound better than a Sonos Play:5  Excellent mids  Lots of wired and wireless options Cons  Needs to be positioned carefully  Subwoofer-style bass, not flat-friendly Key Features Review Price: £449 Google Home Wi-Fi Bluetooth Aux input Optical input Device charging What is the Riva Festival? The Riva Festival is a large £450 wireless multiroom speaker. It’s in the same price bracket as the Sonos Play:5 – and is from a name most people won’t have heard before. Confident. However, thee Riva Festival justifies its price through its even more realistic-sounding vocals than the Sonos, alongside a far more open approach to...