"What's New" 2001 Archive
Joule-Electra Introduces New LA-150 Preamp! (11/30/01)
ClearAudio Cartridges Now Available at Signature Sound! (10/9/01)
Fall 2001 Rega News! (10/9/01)
Stereophile VSM Millennium Review (8/21/01)
Power Modules Inc. Belles 20A Tube Preamp Debut (8/21/01)
Disc Doctor Record Cleaning Products In House! (8/21/01)
PS Audio New Products Update (6/3/01)
Rega Turntable & CD Player Trade-Up Specials (6/2/01)
Power Modules Introduces New Products! (6/2/01)
Rega Research Official Company Website is Up! (6/2/01)
SimAudio Arrives at Signature Sound!!! (2/28/01)
New Joule-Electra Stargate! (2/1/01)
Dynavector Cartridges Are Here! (2/1/01)

Joule-Electra Introduces New LA-150 Preamp!

As many of you know, Joule-Electra has been working for some time on a new line stage preamp design. Many prototypes were built with less than satisfactory results, but they kept at it. This new design is actually more of an evolution of the LA-100s mu-follower design topology, hence the LA-150 name. It uses two new fabulous tubes from Russia. Joule-Electra's description of the new line stages design is as given here below:

So what's the bottom line??? A new LA-150 line stage preamp retails for $4,775. Features (inputs/outputs/remote/cosmetics etc.) are the same as the LA-100 to keep production costs down and allow a very reasonable upgrade price of $995 to go from a LA-100MKIII to an LA-150. The good 'ol LA-100MKIII line stage is still available and its retail price is unchanged at $3,375. We have just received our LA-150 line stage a few days ago, and our initial impression is one of the same great body and tone that the LA-100MKIII has with a presentation that is more vivid and dynamic than before.

Clearaudio Cartridges Now Available At
Signature Sound

We have just received word from US distributor Musical Surroundings that they are now distributing the whole Clearaudio product line! While we have not made any decision about carrying the rather well known (and expensive) Clearaudio turntables, I have admired their affordable cartridges (like the Aurum Beta and Aurum Beta S) which we will be carrying and keeping in stock. While I don't expect to sell many Clearaudio Insider or Discovery cartridges, these quite expensive Clearaudio cartridges will also be available on a special order basis. Musical Surroundings has also implemented a number of trade-in and trade-up programs as well that allows us to get you into a Clearaudio cartridge at more reasonable price with the trade-in of a qualifying cartridge (please call 325-622-4137 or e-mail us for details).

Fall 2001 Rega News!

I have some news & new product announcements for you Rega research fans. First is the availability of a new Silver faceplate color for Rega electronics. Initially, Rega Planet CD Players and Mira Integrated amps will only be available in this new Silver finish followed by all other Rega models by winter time. Rega is also changing the finish of the Swiss made extruded chassis casing from the smooth semi-gloss finish to a lightly textured look which will not show fingerprint marks so readily. Overall, I think this will add an extra touch elegance to the look of the Rega electronics as well.  On the new product front, the popular Rega Ela speaker has be reincarnated and is back in the Rega line up with a number of improvements which include better cosmetics and bass performance among other items ($1,395/pair retail). Click here for more info on the new Rega Ela speakers. A update of the venerable Planar 9 is in the works too! The only info I have so far on this upgrade for the Planar 9 is that the RB-900 arm is seeing some serious revisions along with the Planar 9s plinth design. Cosmetically, the wood surround is in for some improvements too. I'm also hearing that in moving the Planar 9's motor power supply from the old clamshell style chassis to the new roomier Swiss made extruded chassis that Rega will also sneak in some improvements here as well. Expect the retail price of the new Planar 9 to go up to around $3,250 when it becomes available. A new, high performance, MM/MC phono stage will be available soon as well. I don't have much in terms of details, but I know it is called the Eos and it will retail for $950. Lastly, the new Rega Exon monoblocks are now available. They have been fully revised to take advantage of the larger size chassis as well as those improvements made to other Rega amps. Power is a robust 120W into 8 ohms and 200W into 4 ohms. Click here for more info on the Exon monoblock power amplifiers.

Stereophile Merlin VSM Millennium Review

Many of you Merlin fans out there have been wondering for some time if something like this would ever happen (i.e. a review of the VSM loudspeakers in one of the "big" print magazines). After all, just about all the underground HiFi press (print and E-zine) have raved about the Merlin VSM for the past several years which has help give the Merlin VSM speakers a bit of a cult following among its owners. Well folks, not the secret as out for all to read about. This September 2001 issue of Stereophile features an extremely thorough and well done review by analog guru Michael Fremer who says many very, very nice things about the VSM Millennium loudspeaker system. If you don't get Stereophile magazine, please drop us a line so we can get you a copy of this review - we think you will find it a very informative and insightful review. Check out some cool pictures of the VSM-Millennium speakers on these pages:

- VSM Millennium in Pearl White premium clear coat finish page.
- VSM Millennium in Champagne premium clear coat finish page.
- VSM Millenniums in action at the 2001 HiFi Expo show.

Power Modules Introduces Tube Preamp!

Dave Belles, that ever diligent design guru behind the Power Modules power amplifiers has been busy as a beaver once again. While happy that his power amplifiers (the Belles 150A and the new 350A) have earned high praise and respect from audiophiles and the press, Dave felt a need to give his amplifiers a suitable companion that would live up to his amplifiers abilities. The result of this effort is a tube line stage preamp called the Belles 20A. This four (4) tube design uses 12AU7 type tubes (actually JAN 5814s) to generate both single ended and balanced outputs. Along with 5 inputs and two tape loops, the Belles 20A includes a remote control which controls volume, balance, mute, and power on/off for only $2,195. A matching outboard 20A phono stage will also be available soon for $1,195. For a closer look at the Belles 20A, check out our Picture of the Month Page!

Disc Doctor Record Cleaning Products

Just as a reminder to you vinyl junkies out there, we do carry the Disc Doctors line up of record care products. Reasonably priced and praised in print from folks like analog maven Michael Fremer as well as 100's of vinyl LP record collectors, the Disc Doctors record cleaning brushes, record cleaning fluid, stylus cleaning fluid

are what we personally use here as well. We also like the fact that you don't necessarily need a record cleaning machine to use the Disc Doctor record cleaning system. In addition to the Disc Doctors products, we also have (dry) record cleaning brushes from both AudioQuest and HUNT EDA to sweep that surface dust off your records before each play. Please give a us a call (315-622-4137) or E-mail with any questions or the prices of the Disc Doctor products.

PS Audio New Products Update

It looks like the new super high quality PS Audio Power Port duplex AC wall outlet and the 20A Ultimate Outlet should finally be in stock before the end of June 2001 (15A Ultimate Outlets are in stock). We have been anxiously awaiting these new items from PS Audio. The 20A version of the Ultimate Outlet ($399) looks like it should killer unit for those folks with high power/high current gear that need some power conditioning AND protection, but without the usual dynamic constriction that happens with when plugging such products into traditional power line conditioners.  PS Audio's new custom made high quality Power Port duplex wall outlets should be here very soon as well. While not cheap at $49 each, the Power Port wall outlets are a step above any other industrial or hospital grade outlet because of their special construction.

Rega Trade-Up Specials From Signature Sound

OK, so you have a Rega Planar 3 turntable or Rega Planet CD player and you got that hankering to upgrade to the latest and greatest Rega 2000 series gear. What do you do?  Well, we have formulated a few upgrade deals that allows you, with minimal expense, to trade in that old Planar 3 turntable or Planet CD player for a new Rega turntable or CD player. On the turntables, we will professionally re-mount your old cartridge for no charge on your new table or we can package  a new Rega, Dynavector, Goldring, Grado, or Benz cartridge with your new table. Please call or visit our Rega Specials & Info Page for current details and pricing.

New Power Modules Products!
Belles 350A Power Amplifier & Tube Preamp!!!

Dave Belles at Power Modules has been a pretty busy guy of late. The Belles 150A Hot Rod has been receiving more and more positive press (like in Sam Tellig's Sams Place column in the December 200 Stereophile magazine), but Dave has not rested on his laurels. Just last month, the he introduced the Belles 350A power amplifier. This 250W/ch powerhouse has over 30A of peak current capability, single ended & balanced inputs, 2000VA Toroidal power transformer, JFET front end, bi-polar voltage gain stage, MOSFET output stage, high quality wiring, parts, & connectors throughout which is packaged in a tidy 65lb. 17" wide by 17" deep and 5.5" tall chassis. So, what does this all mean? A amplifier with the musicality of the Belles 150A Hot Rod, but with more clarity, dynamics, and weight.  Also, as the headline above says, there is also a tube preamp in the works. A brief chat with Dave Belles on the phone the other day reveals that this will be a tube line stage design, with an optional solid state based phono stage, remote volume control, balanced & single ended outputs in a package that will retail at around the $2,000 price point. Dave's expecting to put the new preamp into production this month (June 2001). So, as soon as I have final pricing and more details on this unit I will pass them along. For more info on the Belles 350A, click here!

Rega's Website Is Up!!!

For a long time, folks have been asking me if Rega Research had a web site. For quite some time, I had to answer "no" to this question and point to the few Rega web pages I generated for our Website with some basic info, pictures, and specs on Rega Research's products. Well, our waiting is now over and www.rega.co.uk is up with information on all of Rega's products. Just like Rega's products, the site is no frills, but easy to use and navigate with pictures and information on all Rega products. Of course if you crave more information, you can still browse our own Rega Specials & Info Page!

SimAudio Products Arrive @ Signature Sound!

We have been working on this for some time, but business and financial resources have finally come together to allow us to bring in this product line of superb solid state amps, preamps, integrated amps, and CD players.  Are first two demo pieces, a Moon W-5 power amp and a Moon P-5 preamp, have just arrived last week. While the P-5 is still breaking in, we have been listening to the W-5 with the Joule-Electra LA-100 preamp and Merlin VSM-Millennium speakers initially and have been very, very impressed. The W-5 is exhibiting great dynamic punch combined with a sense of grain free smoothness, transparency, and liquidity that we have not heard before. Please feel free to call or e-mail for more info on SimAudio products.

Joule Electra Introduces the Stargate!

At the 2001 CES, our good friends at Joule-Electra introduced their latest product: the Stargate monoblock power amplifiers.What Joule Electra has done here is to scale down their famous (and expensive) OTL amps designs to something more affordable. The StarGate monoblock power amps will put out 50W/ch and retail for $5,000 per pair. The design topology is a transformer coupled version of their OTL tube design which features the exact same front end of the OTLs with two 6C33 triode tubes working in push pull class A operation to generate the output power. We are hoping to have a pair of these in house in the next month. The sound at the show on a pair of TSM Millennium speakers hinted allot of the purity of tone and soundstaging that their much more expensive OTL brothers exhibit.

Dynavector Cartridges Are Here!

We have just added Dynavector cartridges to our product line-up. I don't need to tell you vinyl guys that these are very nice cartridges. I've installed a few of these on Rega Planar 3s and 25s and was quite impressed with the results. The popular 10X4 is now in mark II form with a higher (2.5mV) output than before for better compatibility with MM gain phono stages and with the same great sound qualities which lead it to come out on top in a Listener Magazine cartridge comparison test. For those who can't swing the $$$ for a Benz Glider, the 20X is an excellent alternative as well. For more info (specs & pictures) on the Dynavector cartridges, visit the Dynavector Website or call or E-mail us for literature.