Our Verdict – 5 Stars Building on the beloved range’s sterling reputation, the Wireless is the best Zeppelin yet For: Large spread of sound Precise soundstage Expressive mids Stays composed at higher volumes Seamless control and design Good functionality Against: No Android app Midrange could be more authoritative Reviewed on 17th March 2016 B&W has cemented its commitment to the wireless speaker market in the last few years with the five-star premium A5 and A7 AirPlay models, and the portable T7 speaker. However, the brand’s Zeppelin line is perhaps its biggest success story. It all started eight years ago. The...
THE GOOD The Sony STR-DN1070 proves itself a worthy all-arounder with a dynamic performance in both music and movies. Its six HDMI ports offer compatibility for the latest 4K sources. Useful features include multiroom streaming, three separate powered speaker zones and wireless support for AirPlay, Google Cast and Spotify Connect. THE BAD Unlike many receivers at its price, the Sony doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X surround formats. Sony’s wireless multiroom system isn’t as compelling as Yamaha’s. THE BOTTOM LINE Lack of Atmos is more than eclipsed by excellent sound quality, making the Sony STR-DN1070 one of the best receivers...
Another year is coming to an end. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support throughout 2016. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year have a safe and happy holiday break… See you in 2017! Our hours throughout the Xmas / New Year holidays are as follows; Saturday 24th Dec 2016 9am – 3pm Sunday 25th Dec 2016 – CLOSED Monday 26th Dec 2016 – Boxing Day Sale (Open 10am – 3pm) Tuesday 27th Dec 2016 – CLOSED Wednesday 28th to Saturday 31st Dec 2016 – OPEN Sunday 1st Jan 2017...
Well it’s that time again, time for the V4 & Rotary SPL & Sounds Alive Sound Off South Island Champs Dec 2016! Well for our first ever Timaru event is was great day and a big thank you to for everyone supporting us at South Island’s dB Drag SPL & Sounds Alive Event! This year’s round up it was good to see more newcomers entering the events and taking part of the fun that is dB Drag. In the end of the day it is about two things, having fun and seeing how many dB’s you can squeeze out of your Car Audio Setup! The highlights of...
Q1 – How does MusicCast work? MusicCast is designed to work with an existing Wi-Fi network and the free MusicCast app available for Apple iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Yamaha offers a wide range of MusicCast-enabled devices including AV Receivers, Smart Speakers, Sound Bars, Powered Speakers and Hi-Fi Components. The app allows access to a variety of content sources and controls the playback of MusicCast devices. Q2 – Is it necessary to use an Ethernet cable to connect a MusicCast device to a Wi-Fi router? No. Connection of MusicCast devices to your home Wi-Fi router can be made wirelessly...
Sony has announced a new in-dash car stereo unit that offers built-in support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The XAV-AX100 will arrive in November at a cost of $500USD and might well be the best option for those looking to smarten up their motoring experience without having to buy a new car. The unit boasts a 4.8-inch touchscreen with an 800 x 480 resolution and will connect to the smartphone via NFC or Bluetooth. There are also hardware buttons that’ll enable users to skip tracks, increase volume, cycle through options, enable voice transmission and return to the home screen....
What is Yamaha’s MusicCast? The market for multiroom systems has been growing over the last few years as manufacturers try to move into a space that, until recently, was dominated by Sonos. So it came as no surprise when Yamaha announced a multiroom system of their own last year, although the name may have been familiar to those with longer memories. Yamaha actually tried to create a multiroom system, then called MusicCAST, over a decade ago but by their own admission it was beyond the capabilities of the technology at the time. So it must have been quite annoying for...
Well, Jason Sanders is no stranger to the SPL scene and has enjoyed the DD Audio brand over the years…. So when he contacted me three months ago about getting 12 x DD-212-S4’s I asked him why so many? He replied that he had always wanted to build a clamshell enclosure for his Mirage and built to a budget. It did not take long before the build took shape… The 12 DD-212’s are looking great in their new home… See below a close up shot… I guess you are now thinking, what was I thinking? What amp was going to...
Can Yamaha dethrone Sonos at their own game? One of the holy grails of audio is whole-house music. Traditionally, installing a high-quality whole-house audio system involved an expensive receiver or separates, multizone amplifiers, custom-installed cabling, and a home automation system to control everything. Several years ago, Sonos became a spouse’s dream and turned the custom-installer industry on end with its expandable, wireless audio system. Using WiFi and a slick app you could stream audio to Sonos-branded speakers and even connect your Sonos streams to your HiFi system. Even though Sonos didn’t provide custom integrators with their accustomed markup margins, the...
Vinyl is the format that just refuses to die. Back in the late 1990s its days seemed numbered, but since then, slowly but surely, sales have been building. And we’re glad. It’s a format we like, and it’s capable of a terrific sound, provided you take a bit of care – and this is where vinyl is different from other formats. Unlike the digital alternatives, a lack of care in installation can cripple the final sound. Now there are some great ‘plug and play’ turntables on the market, and for more complex decks, many dealers will help you set it...
