cmy has issued this challenge to you - for under RM1,500 a pair, please find fault with usher s-520!

the S-520 is the entry-level two-channel bookshelf speaker from usher audio technology, a taiwanese company that manufactures more than two dozen two-channel speakers (not counting their home-theater models). i am not saying that for under Rm1.5K, you can't find many worthy contenders. you can't find a contender with this kind of craftmanship and looks! kudos to the taiwanese for making such beautiful products affordable.

rave reviews from all over world confirmed that this tiny usher trashes anything below RM3K and that included brand A, brand B, brand C and brand D. so bring forth your wharfedale diamond, dali royal minuet, xavian mia, AE1, epos and many other similar monitors. usher s-520 is afraid of no one!

if you have the guts, call CMY (03-21439406) now and bring home a pair to audition.

the pair i saw in CMY comes with glossy piano finish and it is lustily desirable! just how did usher do it at this price point? the mind boggles!

when TICE came up with power conditioning devices in the 90s, many sceptics viewed it as unnecessary. a decade later, power management devices, to use a collective term are now the de rigueur of hifi. in malaysia, the leading brands are richard gray, shunyata, exact power and a couple of others. now, another player SINE, joins in the competition.

SAF 30A silver cryo power conditioner boasts the following features:

> 30Amps Hi-End EMI Filter is employed
> 12 AWG Solid Core Copper is used in internal wiring
> Extra thick Gold plated outlet and IEC male with Cryogenic Treatment
> Damping Material filled inside the chassis to reduce resonance and unwanted vibration
> 25 amps Circuit Breaker are with Cryogenic Treatment
> Equipped with Hi-End Grade Compensation Capacitor
> A Special compensation circuit to enhance the flow of the electricity
> 15mm Aluminium Alloy Chassis


Specifications:

Input Voltage: 100 - 250VAC / 50Hz - 60 Hz
Maximum Loading: 6600 Watts (220V), 3300 Watts (110V)
Dimension: (L) 290mm (H) 90mm (W) 125mm
Net Weight: 5.7 KG
Gross Weight: 6 KG
Colour: Black, Silver

Is it as good as it looks? the only way to find out is to call JR of CJ Audio. (40429429, 012-2950036)

Sounds like a cool name for a band, isn't it? Simo Disc Repair Machine Revives Your Bad Discs!

Music lovers who have kids or pets at home will sure encounter this - damaged or scratched optical disc like DVDs, CDs that are unplayable. You just don’t know what to do with them. Throwing them away is such a waste but having them around is also an eyesore.

Fret not. SIMO's new Disc Repair/Cleaning machine is just the solution you need. Even if your discs are still playable, you can use SIMO to help clean and maintain your collection of disc to its original pristine condition!

Simo can repair/clean CD, CD-R, CD-RW, VCD, DVD, DVD+-R, DVD+-RW, GAME DISC, PS II, X-BOX DISC and other optical discs. It supports 12cm and 8cm disc.

Usual Price:SIN$270.00/each.
Intro Price: SIN$240.00/each.

Reserve your unit today @ MUSICLINK AV DISTRIBUTION
100 BEACH ROAD, #02-46-49
SHAW TOWER
SINGAPORE 189702
TEL: 62911106

Another new cable manufacturer enters the already saturated market of audiophile cables! Black Rhodium is from UK, not exactly a land famous for audiophile cables, as far as Malaysian audiophiles are concerned. But things are going to change with Black Rhodium garnering rave reviews in many Hi-Fi magazines.

We have tried their POLAR series of power cords and came away very impressed. All “POLAR” cables are Deep Cryogenically Treated by Frozen Solid Audio Limited in a process specifically designed to meet the needs of Black Rhodium’s high performance audio cables. The special Cryo treatment results in stunning clarity, rich overtones and crystalline highs. It also adds depth in music as a result of more precise imaging and a quieter background. Starting at RM1,800 for the Polar Knight (2.0m), Black Rhodium is fiercely competitive.

As far as we know, Black Rhodium is one of the very few who offers Cryo treatment at this price point. Siltech and Stage III concepts are the other two, though they play at a higher level playing field.

Home Audio Design. (012-3223239)

If you are having problems with noise from your car hi-fi, specifically irritating alternator whines that comes and goes or permanently haunts your music enjoyment, I may have a remedy for you.

Causes of alternator whines or locally termed "aeroplane noise" are bad wiring (running signal cables and wire cables together), a weak battery or charging sytem, bad grounding or ground loops and in many cases cheap amplifiers that are prone to a high noise floor.

If you are haunted with alternator whine and additional grounding does not fix it then you might want to consider this gadget. Unlike the suppressors you see being used by low end installers, this really works without actually limiting the current flow or in layman's term supressing the power.

The Cap 33 works like a small capacitor and is only rated at 33,000 (μF) microfarad. You basically connect it between your car's battery and it's alternator. More details in the Helix website - Audiotec Fischer or contact Autocraft Electronics (M) S/B @ 603-80709231

Shanling MC-3 High-end Music Centre

Even China is catching up with the rest of the world! China Hi-fi manufacturer Shanling has released an iPod-compatible, fully integrated audio system. The MC-3 combines a high quality CD player, tuner, dedicated iPod input and tube power amplifier all in one chassis.

The CD player is a top-loading Philips VAM-12 pick-up mechanism with a high-quality analogue tuner and a full iPod interface. It uses a high quality Burr-Brown PCM1738 DAC chip, as used in many high end CD players, with upsampling to 24bit/192KHz.

The amplification stage uses a pair of 6P1 single-ended tube in the output stage. The whole package oozes class with its incredibly stylish stainless steel chassis.

MC-3 could be your solution if you are looking for a compact system without compromising on sound and build quality! Audio Synthesis 012-3203380.

Many music lovers have started yearning for compact lifestyle systems in their bedroom. It has to look cool and stylish and the sound has to be good. To some, Tivoli Audio has answered their prayers with supremely stylish lifestyle systems. But to many, Tivoli Audio is still considered high-end.

Here comes ENZER Gold Harmoni Personal Music Center, with a styling that is sure to please a price tag that won’t hurt your pocket. Crafted from a single continuous wood, the Harmoni sounds every bit as great as its looks. It houses a CD player, a tuner and an alarm clock to wake you up, in case you get too indulged in the music. The CD sound quality is pristine with good bass response.

Retailing at less than a grand, The Harmoni has been a best-seller for Enzer since its launch.

Call Enzer Malaysia 03- 2092 1660 to find out more about this great product.

What do you get when you team up an automotive firm with the pioneer of digital audio? A terminally cool product, that is for sure. In conjunction with Meridian’s 30th anniversary and Ferrari’s 60th, the Meridian-Ferrari partnership is looking to sweep the rug out from under your current home entertainment setup with the F80. The funky F80 is an oddly-shaped and still mysterious "home entertainment center." Aside from looking more like a semi-circle and less like an AV component, the device purportedly packs DAB / FM / AM tuning, a CD / DVD player (no word on HD DVD / Blu-ray just yet), and 80-watts of power dispersed through the two front-firing speakers and rear-mounted subwoofer.

The F80 is out now in five official Ferrari colours – yellow, silver, red, white and black – while limited edition luxury finishes will be unveiled later this year. Retailing at RM11,800, not exactly cheap but it sure boosts your ego factor!

You can visit AV Synergy in Amcorp Mall (012-3310223) if you can't wait 'til race day!