If It's Hip, It's Here (Archives): high-end audio

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AMG's $16,500 Viella 12 Turntable and Tonearm For Serious Audiophiles.

If you've got some serious respect for vinyl, the precision engineered AMG Viella 12 (aka “V12”) turntable may be the next piece of high end audio equipment for you. Of course it'll cost you - at $16,500 with the 12" tonearm and $13,500 without the tonearm.

With all the machining custom done in Munich, precision engineering and classic design are embodied in the first turntable from AMG (Analog Manufaktur Germany, formerly Benz AMG). The AMG turntable line was created by a group of audio industry experts to advance the art of vinyl playback.

Werner Roeschlau, designer and driving force behind AMG, works with his son and other master machinists at their bespoke multi-story Bavarian factory located north of Munich. All machining is done in house, combining the latest Computer Aided Design and CNC machines with “classic analog” tools including custom lathes and drill presses. Their factory has been manufacturing key, precision parts for some of the world's most highly regarded turntables for over a decade. This expertise in the design and manufacture of turntables led to the AMG line, premiering with the Viella 12.

Technical Specifications

Viella Turntable Plinth:
CNC machined in house using 25mm aircraft grade aluminum
3 adjustable and retractable steel-copper spikes in aluminum feet
Built-in spirit level
Optional hardwood trim

Viella Turntable Platter Bearing:
Hardened 16mm axle bearing, CNC machined, ground and lapped Two sealed, hydro-dynamically lubricated radial bearings with axial bearings featuring static lubrication.
Stainless steel sub-platter interfaces with 24.25 lbs (11Kg) platter

Viella Turntable Platter:
Decoupled spindle, 2 piece construction
CNC machined in house using aircraft grade aluminum
Weighted rim for enhanced flywheel effect
12.5 “ (318mm) diameter, 24.25 lbs (11Kg) weight

Viella Turntable Platter Clamp:
True reflex style, anodized aluminum, inverted threaded attachment to decoupled spindle

Viella Turntable Tonearm Board:
Detachable high mass tonearm board, pre-drilled for AMG and Graham tonearms

Viella Turntable Motor:
Lorenzi 2 pulse, low-speed brushless, precision 24v DC motor with auxiliary reluctance moment; sintered bronze bearings; cured and polished axis; and heavy flywheel. Motor housing acoustically decoupled from plinth via 5 rubber/metal mounts.

33.3, 45, and 78 speeds with electronic on/off, speed change, and speed fine adjust.

Outboard Motor Power Supply with specific transformer for appropriate mains voltage and detachable IEC power cord

Viella Turntable Belt Drive:
Stainless steel weighted and polished drive-belt pulley.
Precision made rubber belt.

Viella 12” tonearm

BEARING: Dual-pivot design replaces the standard gimbaled bearing. Vertical bearing, similar to technique used in the rotor heads of helicopters, uses two 0.5mm thick “spring steel wires”, allowing fine azimuth adjustment while eliminating play. Horizontal axle is hardened tool steel, precision ground to a backlash-free fit with a needle roller bearing. It is extremely precise, maintenance free, and never requiring adjustment.

ARMWAND: Aircraft quality, anodized aluminum tube for resonance control, 12 gram effective mass

COUNTERWEIGHT: Two piece with Teflon decoupled sleeve

COPPER INTERNAL WIRING: Multiple gauges of high quality copper

MAGNETIC ANTI-SKATING: decoupled via a ring magnet and 2 bar magnets. Magnetic fields isolated in our patented bearing housing.

VTA: precision locking system allowing easy adjustment during play.

www.amg-turntables.com

A special thanks to Chase Madrid for bringing this to my attention.

Speaker Manufacturers Turn Up The Volume On Design. 20 Of The Wildest Speakers.

above: The Muon Speakers by Ross Lovegrove for KEF

When I grew up, in the seventies, you basically had few choices when it came to speakers. The average consumer deliberated between JBL or Kenwood while the audiophile went for Cambridge Soundworks, Harman Kardon or Bang & Olufsen. Besides wattage output, your biggest deciding factor was whether or not you wanted wood paneled speakers or all black.

Well, boy has that changed. Speakers are no longer even called "speakers". Now they are 'loudspeakers' or 'sound systems' or even referred to as 'audio output devices.' Made from stainless steel, glass, acrylic, ceramic and more, speakers of every shape and size are popping up. Whether they are floor standing, shelf-sitting, or wall mounted, there's no shortage of unusual designs from which to choose.

Technologically, they are far superior than decades ago. And rather than bog down this blog with technical specs, let me simply share with you some of the designs. Some beautiful, some ....butt ugly. And give you links to the manufacturers so you can drool over the details on your own time.

Let's start with one of the most blogged about speakers (myself included) that were an expected hit at this year's CES.

above: The KEF Muon speakers by Ross Lovegrove; Read all about them here.

Loiminchay (a company known for making high end writing instruments- aka 'pens') Audio has emerged with new line of wood high end audio speakers, named after famous painters:

See more here.

Also unveiled at this years' CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Davone Audio's Rithm Speakers:

above: The new Rithm Loudpeakers, clearly influenced by classic danish design, in various woods.
Learn more about them here: Davone audio.

I just love Ferguson-Hill's Horn loudspeaker and bass unit:

See their range of products here.

Goldman's Logos Speaker System have the ultra hi-tech look:

above: Goldmund's Logos range :the Logos1 monitor and the Logos2 active subwoofer.

Cabasse's Baltic Evoltion speakers come in either pearl and wenge wood or wild cherry wood with black pearl:

See Cabasse's full line of products here.

Duevel's planet series below- also available in many colors- has received plenty of press:

above: See the full line of Duevel products here.

The new Klipsch Palladium P-39F Floorstander:

See more Klipsch speakers here.

The Nucleus® Reference AV Loudspeaker from Anthony Gallo Acoustics:

above: available in black, white, stainless or grey
Visit Anthony Gallo Acoustics here.

Waterfall Audio makes stunning glass speakers in many shapes and sizes:

See the above model and more glass speakers here.

Avantgarde Acoustic´s horn loudspeaker systems:

Check them all out here: Avante Garde Accoustic

German Physiks:

above: Just some of the various speakers by German Physiks

The Purity- a hybrid electrostatic loudpeaker from Martin Logan:

above: Martin Logan's Purity loudpeaker in cherry.

Gepetto (A hungarian design firm) has just released their new AiR1, a state of the art high end electrostatic loudspeaker: