Claritas, the company who first brought us the monster 1.2TB Media Centre PC's has just released the new range of Media Centre's featuring Intel VIIV Technology, Upto 1.2 Terabytes of storage, upto 2 Gigabytes RAM, and Claritas Gold Support Package.

Stereo Audio or Hi-Fi usually conjures up images of overly large shiny aluminium boxes that take up most of your hi-fi rack. But a new comer to the Australian market - Firestone-Audio from Taiwan is changing all that!



With a small range of tiny high quality stereo components offering performance, style and quality, they are set to make their mark. Components include a vacuum tube preamp called 'Tube Head' with dual inputs, a stereo power amp called 'Big Joe' offering 2 x 8 watts, a phono preamp called 'Korora', two DAC's, 'Spitfire' whuch is a standard audio DAC for cd players etc, and the USB DAC called 'Fubar2' for use with computers. To finish the range three headphone preamps are on offer, with a battery powered model, a class A/B and a class A amp.

OK so how much sound can a tiny 8 watts per channel amp offer? Heaps! This little amp defies all logic as we know it. Only when pushed to the absolute limit will it start to sound harsh, back it off a little and you have a very clean and trully high fidelity sound output. Matched with the Tube Head you have an incredibly smooth and luxurious sound. Check these out now, you will be amazed!

The Hifidelio Music Server has been reviewed by the U.S. based audiophile magazine Stereophile. Branded as an OLIVE Music Server in the U.S. they confirm the audiophile quality of our best selling music server. Read the full review here.

Home theatre speakers systems...Do you go boxes or a sub-sat system? For many people that desiccion is made by the wife, who usually does not like having a room full of boxes, so, a sub-sat system looks like the best option if the marriage is to continue!

Now there are hundreds of sub-sat systems on the market right now, but few have the power, smoothness and accuracy of the new Tannoy Arena system. Now at $3499 retail, they may seem expensive, but I defy you to find any other sub-sat system that get's anywhere near these things for quality! Absolutely brilliant!

This year 101,166 visitors attended the Musikmesse in Frankfurt Germany, International Trade Fair for Musical Instruments, Music Software & Computer Hardware, Sheet Music and Accessories, and Prolight + Sound, International Trade Fair for Event and Communication Technology, Audiovisual Production and Entertainment. And I was one of the lucky people able to attend this years show.

What a blast! Imagine the Sydney Motor show, with three levels. Now image twelve buildings of THAT size, and you have Frankfurt's MusikMesse show. It is simply huge, and it's impossible to see at all in the four days it is open. We managed to see all of the guitar sections, and the pro audio including the Sennheiser and Shure stands. See our special pictorial section to get some idea of what this years show was like. We will add to this blog mention of worthwhile product announcements so stay tuned.