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Published by Rohit Kumawat, 2019-11-20 01:05:01

ListenUp Source Book

ListenUp Source Book

2020 Source Book

2020 Source Book
listenup.com



PRODUCTS 2020 Source Book

Bowers & Wilkins Speakers....................10–13 6 P. 6
Access Networks ........................................117
Arcam Surround Components ............134–135 The Art of Sound P. 26
Astell & Kern ...........................................80–81
Audeze Headphones......................................98 Form follows function in delivering P. 43
AudioQuest Cables & Power ...................73–75 superior sound from artful designs.
BDI A/V Furniture ................................138–139 P. 60
Bluesound Wireless Music System ..............78 26
Bose Headphones .......................................102 P. 84
Bose Music Soundbars and Systems..100–101 Toasting a Masterpiece
Bowers & Wilkins Headphones.....................97 P. 148
Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Music System ...96 ListenUp designs a cutting-edge home entertainment
Cambridge Components .........................56–57 and automation system for the former publisher of ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 3
Cambridge Turntable ....................................65 LUXE Interiors and Design magazine, which features
Chord Digital-to-Analog Converters.............88 Sonus faber and Control4.
Chord Phono Section.....................................65
Classé Components ......................................16 43
Control4 Automation ...........................2, 5, 137
Crestron Automation...................................155 Living large in the
Dan Clark Audio Headphones.......................94 land of enchantment
Denon Stereo Components...........................77
Denon Surround Receivers .................123–125 Indoor and outdoor entertainment can be found in
ELAC Speakers ........................................ 38-39 this Albuquerque custom home. Crestron controls it
Epson Projectors .........................................116 all and Sony and Bowers & Wilkins deliver the sight
Focal Speakers ............................14–15, 17, 25
GoldenEar Speakers................................18–19 and sound in the home theater.
Hegel Components..................................49–51
HEOS Wireless Music Systems...................126 60
JBL Bluetooth Speakers .........................82–83
JBL Synthesis Home Theaters ...................127 Because music matters
Kanto Speakers .............................................99
Kirmuss Record Restoration.........................66 A music lover interested in one new component ends
Klipsch Speakers...........................................31 up overhauling his whole system — to stunning effect.
LG TVs and Projectors .........................110–112
MantelMount TV Mounts .............................113 84
Marantz Stereo Components ..................52–53
Marantz Surround Receivers ..............128–129 A long-term relationship
Mark Levinson Components ...................54–55
McIntosh Components ............................46–48 Ed and Sallie Daihle work with ListenUp Sales
McIntosh Surround Components................136 Consultant Kevin Russell on their fifth home,
McIntosh Turntable System ..........................72 featuring the latest audio video, Control4
Mid-Atlantic Racks ........................................93 and Hunter Douglas shades.
MOON Components.................................40–42
NAD Components....................................58–59 104
Panasonic Blu-Ray Players.........................133
Polk Legend Speakers ............................36–37 Why 8K
Pro-Ject Turntable ..................................68–69
Qobuz Music Streaming ................................79 The latest in high performance TV explained.
Rega Turntable ..............................................76 Is 8K television an evolutionary product, or a truly
REL Acoustics Subwoofers .....................20–21 revolutionary one?
Revel Speakers ........................................32–33
Salamander A/V Furniture ..................140–141 148
Samsung TVs .......................................114–115
Sanus Mounts................................................91 Sound by ListenUp is back!
Sennheiser Sound Bar ................................103
Sonos Wireless Music System ................64, 89 ListenUp partners with The Soiled Dove Underground
Sonus faber Speakers .............................34–35 to deliver exquisite live sound.
Sony Headphones..........................................95
Sony TVs and Projectors......................106–109 © 2020 ListenUp Corporation. All rights reserved. Prices, availability and manufacturers’
SVS Speakers...........................................22–24 specifications may have changed since publication. Designed, written and engineered by
Technics Turntable ..................................70–71 Phil Murray and Stacie McMullen/Edge Design. Local photography by Vicki Kerr. Cover
VPI Turntable .................................................67 illustration by John Vogel. Printed in the USA.

PLEASE NOTE: Though not all products are on
display at all stores, all products can be
purchased at any store. Call for details.

A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT

BRINGING ListenUp President, Walt Stinson
THE LIVE MUSIC
EXPERIENCE HOME venues like Ebbets Field and the Rainbow Music Hall,
all the way up to mega installations at Mile High Stadium,
At the top of my list of things that need Fiddler’s Green and Folsom Field — just to name a few.
to be experienced: Live music. Yes, I With that tradition in mind, I’ve been looking for a venue
know that recorded music is now just an to showcase the high production values, especially sound
arm’s reach away, or maybe just a shout quality, that personifies our “Sound by ListenUp” tagline.
away. But, much of what we listen to today is what I call The Soiled Dove seemed like a perfect fit.
“zombie music”. It’s like the walking dead with the life and
excitement eviscerated by bad production, compression, While the equipment at the Dove was first-rate in
truncated octaves and mediocre equipment. That’s why its day and still reasonably functional, some of it was
I’m so excited about our new partnership with The Soiled obsolete. After a thorough assessment, the first thing
Dove Underground, an intimate live music venue nestled we did was replace the antiquated mixing console with a
beneath the Tavern Lowry (see profile on page 148) The state-of-the-art Allen & Heath DLC-35, a British console
Dove is the perfect antidote to zombie music. derived from its touring series and ideal for an intimate
club. This change, plus an Allen & Heath CDM48 mix rack,
I was first introduced to the Soiled Dove by my has resulted in a dramatic simplification of the signal
nephew’s wife, Nashville singer Tristen (Check her out on chain and a significant improvement in sound quality
YouTube.) Tristen opened for Vanessa Carlton at the Dove and reliability. Other enhancements will follow as the
a couple of years back and my nephew, Buddy Hughen, microphones, amplifiers, interconnects and speakers
the guitar player in Tristen’s band, invited me to attend reach the end of their useful life. Each change in the
the show. I was impressed by the intimacy of the venue, system will be carefully selected to enhance the audio
the expertise at the mixing console, and especially the experience. I hope you’ll visit the Dove at Denver’s
acoustics of the room. Happy moments like this don’t Lowry Town Center and experience it for yourself.
happen by accident. Tavern Hospitality Group Owner Frank (tavernhg.com/soiled-dove)
Schultz, deserves a lot of credit for going the extra mile
to create a standout venue, as does his team: Manager Why do we care so much about live sound? It’s
Rhett Lee and Sound Engineer Christopher Steele. simple: We know that live sound, whether it’s jazz, rock,
After a very enjoyable concert, I filed it away as a place classical, pop, folk or anything else, sets the benchmark
I wanted to revisit. for emotional impact. We want that benchmark set high
— way higher than zombie music. Live music is a great
A few months later, I got a call from my good friend, way to raise that bar. Live sets the standard for tonality,
Bob Garwood, who lives in my favorite Colorado mountain dynamics and clarity. Our hope is that some concertgoers
town, Buena Vista. Bob is an avid jazz lover and he invited will want to take the live musical experience home with
me and MaryKay to see Brian Culbertson at the Dove with them; an aspiration our company has been consistently
him and his wife, Kate. I was impressed that the couple promoting for almost 50 years.
was willing to drive 240 miles roundtrip and stay overnight
for a show at the Dove. Their enthusiasm was infectious. Some things need to be experienced. “Music brought
Well, it was another great experience for all of us and it to life” is number two on my list. As thrilling as the live
gave me an idea… experience can be, it’s hard to top the amazement that
comes from listening to recordings that recreate the
Those of you who’ve followed ListenUp’s history know experience of “being there” right in your own home.
that we have a strong legacy of involvement in Colorado’s Our stores are set up to recreate that experience. We’ve
music scene. Our past includes extensive sound recording, been selling on the internet for more than 20 years, and
broadcast production and live sound and video for smaller it’s now a sizeable business for us, but we understand
that when it comes to a fine audio, video and control
system, there’s no better way to evaluate it than to
experience it for yourself. That’s why in this age of the
internet when a lot of “brick and mortar” is struggling,
ListenUp is still thriving.

4 | ListenUp Source Book 2020

ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 5

TO CREATE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SONIC PERFORMANCE,
you need a pair of floorstanding speakers and a room where
they can be placed the proper distance from the back wall. For

some homeowners and interior decorators, this creates a di cult
choice: superior sound or elegant design? The good news is
that three of our best-selling speaker brands —
Bowers & Wilkins, Focal, Sonus faber — o er models that are
designed and manufactured in house and feature advanced
audio performance in beautiful cabinetry that are works of
art in their own right.

6 | ListenUp Source Book 2020

Bowers & Wilkins: The legend continues

ListenUp’s best selling speaker brand aluminum sheet. The exterior of the cabinet According to Andy Kerr, Bowers &
since the late ‘70s, Bowers & Wilkins is painstakingly hand buffed to a furniture- Wilkins director of product marketing and
was founded in England in 1966 by John grade finish in a process that can take over communications, ”The more acoustically and
Bowers. The company’s early offerings an hour per speaker. mechanically correct a design is, the more
quickly became renowned for their delivery likely it is to be aesthetically correct, too.
of high quality audio at a reasonable price. New research and engineering center It’s a philosophy rooted in the DNA of even
In 1979 the modern era of hi-fi began our earliest products, as can be perfectly
with the introduction of the 801, in which In the spring of 2019, Bowers & Wilkins illustrated by the then-revolutionary
the drive units were housed in separate opened its new research and engineering aesthetics of the DM70 Continental, released
chambers. In 1987, the Matrix 801 marked center in Southwater, England, called back in 1970. The more modern Nautilus,
the debut of an innovative bracing structure Southwater Research & Engineering one of our most famous designs, perfectly
that boosted driver performance by (SRE). The new SRE builds on the legacy embodies that sentiment and has become
reducing cabinet vibration. The following of its predecessor, the Steyning Research iconic to both our business and to the audio
year, the Matrix 801 became the monitor Establishment, and keeps the same initials world in general.
of choice for iconic recording studio Abbey as a tribute. The Steyning Institute, often
Road, and today the studio (and many referred to as the “University of Sound,” “For us, the primary reason for buying a
others) uses the latest generation of the was where every major acoustic innovation loudspeaker is to experience its true beauty
800 Series Diamond. by Bowers & Wilkins was created. The all- that stems from sound quality. That said,
new SRE, which is 130-percent larger than we also recognize that our products should
Made in Worthing the previous space at nearly 30,000 square be something you’re proud to wear, easy to
feet, features: interact with and that seamlessly integrate
Nautilus (the top-of-the-line “statement” • Multiple anechoic chambers into your home. As a premium brand, we
speaker) and the 800 Series Diamond are • Significant increase in research achieve the highest functionality and most
hand-assembled at Bowers & Wilkins’ state- beautiful aesthetic by using only the best
of-the-art facility in Worthing, England, 60 listening rooms materials and processes in our design and
miles south of London. The “Diamond” in • A suite of new product testing and manufacturing.”
the name refers to the diamond tweeters,
which deliver crisp, clear detail. Each 800 engineering labs To quote John Bowers, “The best
Series model has a multilayered, curved • Dedicated headphone and automotive loudspeaker isn’t the one that gives the
wooden cabinet reinforced with an interior most, it’s the one that loses
labs the least.”
• A near replica of John Bowers’ original

listening room

“ John Bowers famously said that the best
loudspeaker isn’t the one that gives the
most, it’s the one that loses the least.


ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 7

Focal: The power of style

When it comes to living the good life, the French have always had a distinctive
flair. At Focal, the company’s designers, engineers and cabinetmakers work
together to create loudspeakers internationally lauded both in terms of sound
reproduction and style. Focal understands that in order to make its way into
contemporary luxury homes, its high end loudspeakers must be lifestyle
objects d’art. But Focal’s design philosophy isn’t just about the beauty of the
form — it also serves to elevate performance.

Made in France

Many speaker manufacturers buy their parts from catalogs and then tweak
them a bit when creating a new product. Not so with Focal, where it designs
and builds nearly every part of the speaker from scratch at its headquarters
in Saint-Étienne, near Lyon, so its team can have full control of the
manufacturing process. When Focal develops a new line, for instance, rather
than just using existing drivers (tweeters, woofers etc.), it produces completely
new ones specifically designed for the new product. It even creates many of the
machines that make the parts of the speakers. This can be a lengthy process,
but the folks at Focal — and their music-loving fans throughout the world —
believe it’s worth it.

Spend any time at a Focal facility and you’ll be impressed with the level
of pride exemplified by everyone who works here. It’s not uncommon to
hear employees comment about taking joy in “making the best speakers
in the world.” All Focal employees involved in production are highly skilled
craftspeople with a keen eye for detail. It takes around six months of training
to learn the duties required for each slot on the manufacturing line, and every
assembly is tested and re-tested before it moves to the next station. This is one
manufacturing plant where quality is exponentially more important than speed.
.

Dedicated cabinet-making facility

Located a little over 100 miles to the north of St. Etienne in Bourbon-Lancy,
Focal Ébénisterie Bourgogne (FEB) is the company’s dedicated cabinet-making
facility. Here’s where all the enclosures are made for the company’s high end
speaker lines, including Electra, Sopra and Utopia. About 40 craftspeople
perform all the painstaking processes here, including woodworking, painting
and finishing. The Grande Utopia, for example, takes three months to
manufacture, as there are around 600 steps required in production. The cabinet
is made out of one piece of wood, which takes over five hours to carve down and
eight hours to polish, and all wood is sourced from sustainable forests.

All art constantly aspires towards the

“ condition of music…
”–Walter Pater, 19th Century Art Critic

Speaking to Focal’s design philosophy, Simon Matthews, Focal’s group
director of design says, “There shouldn’t be any sense that anyone was let
down by the experience of a Focal speaker in any way. So, first and foremost,
the speakers have to integrate well into your home, but be able to deliver as
close a reproduction of a musical event as possible. That’s our primary goal.
But, you know, it would be a disservice to the acoustic engineers and our
rigorous manufacturing process to deliver to customers something that didn’t
delight their eyes and their hands and their tactility, as well just delight their
ears. For us, it’s really, really important, and we want to communicate the kind
of obsessive lengths we go to to deliver fantastic sound reproduction in the
physicality of the speakers. A potential customer should be able to recognize
that they’re not dealing with a mainstream loudspeaker from the moment they
lay their eyes on a Focal model. Hopefully, they integrate well into a beautifully
furnished modern home, and they’re a delight to look at as well as listen to.
For us there’s no trade-off between visual appeal and sonic credentials.”

8 | ListenUp Source Book 2020

Sonus faber: Handcrafted in Italy by true artisans

“ You can’t design a state-of-the-art
loudspeaker without listening sessions,
and you can’t do it without accurate and

precise measurements, as well. ”

From Armani to Gucci, Alfa Romeo to Ferarri A factory shaped like a violin? and then repeatedly tested after assembly.
— and countless more — there’s something But it’s not just machine work — listening
about Italian design that defines the elements The first thing you notice when you approach tests are performed, as well. In fact, when
of style. Luxury speaker manufacturer Sonus Sonus faber headquarters is the roof, which head of Research & Development Paolo
faber is a prime example. is shaped like a violin — a fitting symbol for a Tezzon is asked which is more important,
company who sees its exquisite creations as measurements or listening tests, he replies,
The name Sonus faber is derived from fine musical instruments. Located 45 miles “They both matter the same. You can’t design
Latin and means “handcrafted sound,” an west of Venice in the pastoral hills of the a state-of-the-art loudspeaker without
apt description of products that combine Vicenza province, this extraordinary facility is listening sessions, and you can’t do it without
Old World craftsmanship with advanced chiefly constructed of iron, glass and wood, accurate and precise measurements, as well.”
technologies for some of the most musical which allows for a plethora of natural light to
designs ever. This merger of form and come streaming in. Woodworking and finishing are performed
function results in startling performance in workshops located in a separate building.
from elegant enclosures that are works of art Inside the main building, you’ll find Sonus faber models are known for their
in their own right — objects of beauty that will about 50 employees working in the areas distinctively curved shapes and the quality
bring lasting enjoyment for years to come. of administration, finance, management, of their materials, so the work done here
production and research and development. is essential. Commercial-grade wood is, of
Sonus faber launched in 1983 at a small Strategically placed throughout are current course, available in a wide range of qualities,
laboratory in Monteviale, in the hills of the and legacy Sonus faber models, which pay and only the highest grade makes the cut
Italian province of Vicenza. Founder Franco tribute to the company’s rich history and serve here — the sonic and aesthetic character of
Serblin grew up listening to classical music, as an inspiration to all the skilled artisans the speakers depend on it. At the finishing
and his father was a master carpenter. These here who toil so diligently at their crafts. stage, some models are coated with as many
influences were apparent in his designs from as 20 layers of hand-applied and hand-
the beginning, but in 1993 they became even All speaker parts come through the polished lacquer.
more pronounced when Sonus faber created Quality Department and are precisely checked
the extraordinary Guarneri Homage, the first for alignment specifications and overall Says Chief Design Officer Livio Cucuzza,
speaker with a cabinet inspired by the lute suitability. The standards are exacting — “Sonus faber was conceived by a man
shape. This was a revolutionary idea — to you might see an aluminum accent piece (Franco Serblin) who loved music and its
build high performance speakers as if they discarded for a blemish the size of a pinhead. correct reproduction, and also has a special
were fine musical instruments. Over the next In the speaker assembly area, each work sensibility about handcrafted wood products
decade the Homage collection grew to include space has a chamber used to measure and a true reverence for beauty. Sonus faber
iconic models such as the Amati, il Serafino the speaker’s frequency response. This is not only a loudspeaker manufacturer; it is,
and Stradivari, all of which were inspired by is a recurring theme throughout the first and foremost, a unique way to approach
the great masters of Italian violin making. production process — testing and more a musical product’s design.”
testing. Individual parts are measured,

This piece was adapted from articles that originally appeared in Technology Designer magazine (TechnologyDesigner.com). ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 9

10 | ListenUp Source Book 2020

BOWERS & WILKINS 800 SERIES
DIAMOND: 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

While retaining leading technologies, such as the
diamond dome tweeters, these revolutionary 800 D3
speakers feature numerous changes to the previous
series — 868, to be exact. Here’s a brief overview of
some of the most important ones:

Updated MatrixTM construction with turbine head and solid body tweeter: Bowers & Wilkins
There’s a new version of Bowers & Wilkins’ acclaimed MatrixTM enclosures with 805 D3 speaker
thicker, more solid plywood panels and metal components to reinforce key stress
points. The Turbine head housing the midrange driver and solid body tweeter is
Bowers & Wilkins’ stiffest design yet.

Continuum and Aerofoil cones: Bowers & Wilkins has been known for Kevlar
midrange drivers for decades, but the new Continuum cone results in more open
and neutral sound. The perfect bass cone, the Aerofoil is a triumph of advanced
materials, science and computer simulation.

Reverse wrap cabinet: The front and sides are one continuous curve held together
with spine-solid aluminum. The curved front has less of a baffle around the drive
units, resulting in improved sound dispersion and reduced cabinet reflection. Bowers
and Wilkins 800 Series is available in rosenut, gloss black and satin white.

BOWERS & WILKINS 800 SERIES DIAMOND LOUDSPEAKERS START AT $6,000/pr.

Bowers & Wilkins 800 D3’s are the reference speakers at Abbey Road Studios in London.

ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 11

Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series:
The marriage of classic design with modern technology

The Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series includes revolutionary 800 Series Diamond
technologies — like Continuum midrange drivers, Aerofoil profile bass speakers and
tweeter-on-top housings, featuring newly developed Carbon Braced tweeters. The
combination of these technologies, plus countless hours of tuning at Bowers & Wilkins’
R&D center at Steyning, England, has resulted in a line of loudspeakers that deliver
class-leading performance.

New to the 700 series speakers are Carbon Dome tweeters that deliver sweeter,
cleaner high frequencies, Continuum cone drivers for a more open and detailed
midrange and a bespoke version of the Aerofoil cone woofers, which are found in the
top-of-the-line 800 Series Diamond. The 705 S2 and 702 S2 tweeter-on-top designs
feature Carbon Dome tweeters in a solid-aluminum body. Thanks to its low-resonance
design, these tweeters deliver better imaging and a more believable soundstage.

The new 700 Series features eight models — two with tweeter-on-top technology.
The range includes three floorstanding models, three bookshelf speakers and two
dedicated center channel speakers for home theater use. All models are available in a
choice of gloss black, satin white and rosenut.

From $1,500/pr. to $5,500/pr.

12 | ListenUp Source Book 2020

Introducing the new 600 Series

It was only a matter of time before Bowers & Wilkins would bring
the cutting-edge technology of the 800 Series to its most affordable
price range. With the introduction of the new 600 Series, you can now
enjoy award-winning technology — like Continuum midrange drivers.
Developed over an eight-year period, the Continuum cone has now
been integrated into the sixth generation of 600 Series to transform
the performance you’d expect from an entry-level speaker. The new
600 Series also features Bowers & Wilkins’ Decoupled Double Dome
tweeter to deliver purer high frequency reproduction.

But the new 600 Series isn’t just about better sound — it boasts a
cleaner look, too. The grills are now attached with magnets instead
of grill pegs and the port has been moved to the rear of the cabinet,
creating a modern and premium aesthetic.

The new line is made up of one tower speaker, two bookshelf
models, a center channel and three subwoofers. All are available in
an attractive black or white matte finish.

BOWERS & WILKINS LOUDSPEAKERS FROM $700/pr. to $2,000/pr.

ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 13

Focal.com

14 | ListenUp Source Book 2020

CHORA

Explore High-Fidelity

This is our invitation with Chora.
We created this line to produce a high fidelity sound, with
the Focal technology and aesthetics signature accessible
to all music lovers.

CHORA 806

Two-Way Bookshelf  
Compact, powerful and full of rich detail.

CHORA 816

Two-and-a-half-way Tower
Delivers a silky smook sound
with deep impactful bass.

CHORA 826

Three-way tower loudspeaker
A full-bodied sound with delicate high
and dynamic bass.

ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 15

ACQUISITION OF CLASSÉ Save over 50% on high-performance
FORCES STARTLING CLOSEOUT Classé Sigma components
WITH SENSATIONAL BARGAINS
Act now — limited quantities!

“…the Classé is an It was 7:30 on a Sunday morning when Kevin called.
excellent amplifier “What do you think of the deal?” he asked.
that will give pricier Kevin was Kevin Zarow, Vice President of Sales for Sound United, which owns Denon
separates and other and Marantz and had just purchased Classé. He and I had been discussing an opportunity
integrateds a run for to buy all of the remaining Classé Sigma Series stock. The Sigma Series had been
their considerable developed by the previous owners and had only been on the market for a year or so.
money. In addition, “It makes perfect sense for us to sell Sigma to ListenUp,” Kevin said. After all, ListenUp
had more than 20 years of experience with Classé and been one of Sound United’s biggest
it offers features independent retailers through our relationship with Denon dating back to 1974.
that can address The offer included the remaining quantities of the Classé Sigma 2200i, a 200-watt-per-
speakers-in-room channel integrated amplifier, the Amp2, a 200-watt-per-channel stereo amplifier and the
problems in a way Amp5 multichannel amp with five channels of — you guessed it — 200 watts.
that most audiophile The Amp2 and Amp5 were, indeed, desirable. The Amp2 could be used in all stereo
components do not. For systems and the Amp5 was a perfect choice for any home theater. Most digital amps
that alone, it deserves come from off-the-shelf technologies, but the Amp2 and Amp5 are based on proprietary
a close look and a Classé designs, explained Classé Brand Manager Dave Nauber. They deliver the speed
serious audition.” and efficiency associated with digital designs, coupled with the smooth sound of
tube-based models.
-Stereophile To help me decide whether to do the deal or not, I installed an Amp2 and an Amp5 in
my home theater, and boy, was Dave was right. These sounded great — better detail and
more punch than I’d experienced from the seven-channel amp I had been using. OK, I was
sold on the amps. At 50 percent off the original retail of $3,500 for the Amp2 ($1,745) and
$2,495 for an Amp5 (original retail $5,000), these were screaming deals.
I became sold on the Sigma 2200i, too. An integrated amp with a host of digital and
analog inputs, it uses the same digital amplifier topology of the Amp2 and Amp5 — so
Classé’s designers were able to keep the signal path in the digital domain all the way to
the speaker outputs for an incredibly transparent sound. It also has a parametric equalizer
that allows you to fine-tune the amplifier’s response for your specific room.
The best part was that we could even offer a bigger discount on the 2200i than on the
other two — $1,995, a savings of $3,500 off its original $5,500 price! We used the 2200i
at the 2019 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and sold every pair of speakers we hooked up to it.

OK, Kevin, this deal is looking pretty incredible. My only concern was, as
I noted earlier, that the Sigma Series was only on the market for about a

year before the company was sold and never had much of a chance
to get established. It was out long enough for the Sigma 2200i
to get a Class A rating in Stereophile, though: “…the Classé
is an excellent amplifier that will give pricier separates and
other integrateds a run for their considerable money. In
addition, it offers features that can address speakers-in-
room problems in a way that most audiophile components
do not. For that alone, it deserves a close look and a
serious audition.”
Well, Kevin, we’ll do the deal and we’re excited to offer
these to our customers. I could go on about these Classé
components and how special they are, but I think I’m running
out of space. Visit our stores or www.listenUp.com/classe,
where you can find videos and complete product descriptions
and order online. But act quick, as these won’t last long.

Phil Murray
Vice President, E-Commerce and Marketing

16 | ListenUp Source Book 2020

UTOPIA III EVO

The legend is growing...

Stella Utopia Evo As the pinnacle of Focal’s speaker line up, Utopia continues to evolue,
with new technologies and stunning new finishes available. The legendary
Maestro Utopia Evo Scala Utopia Evo
Diablo Utopia Evo sound of Utopia - hear it and reimagine what great sound can be.
Focal.com

ListenUp Source Book 2020 | 17

SANDY GROSS CELEBRATES 48 YEARS OF CREATING
AWARD WINNING, AFFORDABLE, HIGH END SOUND

GoldenEar founder Sandy Gross treasures his Lifetime Achievement
Award, honoring almost 48 years of creating incredible sounding,
affordably priced loudspeakers. After co-founding two of the world’s
most successful speaker companies, his third — GoldenEar — has
enabled him to let his high end audiophile passion run wild… and you are
the beneficiary. GoldenEar makes high end affordable!

Supercharge your system with the new SuperSubs!

The SuperSub XXL ($2,199) and SuperSub X ($1,375) incorporate a

unique, patented Dual-Plane Inertially Balanced technology that combines

dual 8-inch or 12-inch active woofers, two quadratic infrasonic radiators and

a DSP-controlled 1,600- or 1,400-watt digital amplifier. All this is housed

in gorgeous, surprisingly compact piano-gloss black enclosures. The

extraordinary results are state-of-the-art subwoofers, equally perfect for

music and movies.

SoundStage’s Brent Butterworth raved that they deliver “immense

power.” AVS’s Mark Henninger says they “kick ass and deliver sonic bliss.”

HD Living’s Dennis Burger concluded, “They blew me away with the perfect

balance of power and control, impact and unobtrusiveness and fury and

finesse.” The Absolute Sound’s Chris Martens praised their “unusually high “ ”SuperSubX: Subwoofer-of-the-Year 2019
degree of tautness, transient speed and control.” The SuperSubs will rock -The Absolute Sound
your world. Plus The Absolute Sound’s Neil Gader raved, “A subwoofer of

esteemable shock, slam and musical subtlety that is a bargain to boot.”

“ ”The finest affordable high-end speakers I’ve yet heard.
-Chris Martens, The Absolute Sound

Affordable high end performance

The quote above has Chris Martens raving about the Triton

Seven ($769/ea.), and he was equally excited by the Triton
Five ($1,099/ea.). These two towers utilize everything

GoldenEar has learned from developing speakers like the Triton
One.R, to make superb high end performance affordable to
everyone. Incorporating the signature HVFR ribbon tweeter,
proprietary cast-basket bass/midrange drivers and inertially
balanced sub-bass radiators, they are perfect for two-channel
musical bliss. Or, when combined with matching center
channels, surrounds and subwoofers (in-ceiling height speakers
for Atmos, too), will transport you to home theater heaven.
CNET’s Steve Guttenberg raved that the Seven “scores a perfect
10 with music and movies.” Better yet, The Absolute Sound’s
Jacob Heilbrunn clearly stated, “If you are looking
for speakers under $10,000 a pair, the Triton Five is a
must audition.”

Triton Five

“ ”Loudspeaker-of-the-Year 2019.
-Digital Trends

“ ”Loudspeaker-of-the-Year 2019.
-Audiophile Apartment

18 | ListenUp Source Book 2020
































































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