Jamo's jammin': At the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Stereophile was entranced by the look of Jamo's striking reference R 909 "open baffle" loudspeaker ($14,999/pair). The dipolar high-gloss R 909 (available in black, red, or yellow) dispenses with the conventional box enclosure, mounting two 15" (380mm) woofers, a proprietary 5.5" (150mm) hard-conical cone (HCC) midrange, and a 1" (25mm) ScanSpeak Revelator tweeter into its raked-back front baffle, which is reinforced by a "flying" rib that lends it rigidity.
Designed by Jamo’s chief acoustic engineer Henrik Mortensen, the R 909 "is set to change the face of the high-end loudspeaker market." If it sounds as good as it looks, it just might live up to that hyperbole. The R 909 is available in limited quantities and is shipping now.
Jamo is also beginning to ship the first products in its family of active subwoofers: SUB 250, SUB 300, SUB 550, and SUB 650. All of them employ BASH (bridged amplifier switching hybrid) power amp technology, and the model numbers correspond to the wattage each model offers. The SUB 250 (8" driver), SUB 300 (10" driver), and SUB 550 (10" driver with boundary gain compensation) all utilize rigid rear-firing, slot-ported, bass-reflex enclosures, while the SUB 650 puts a 12" driver in a sealed-box enclosure. Finishes are black ash, dark apple, and brushed aluminum. No prices were given.
Jamo has also joined the ranks of companies offering iPod-centric products with its $399
i300 stand-alone, powered satellite/subwoofer combo. What differentiates the i300? A remote-controlled control dock/charging station that boasts an auxiliary input and "solidly constructed" magnetically shielded satellites that can be wall- or table-mounted. The satellites feature a 3" (76mm) coaxial driver for "pin-point imaging," and the woofer boasts a 6.5" driver in a reflex-ported enclosure.
Making Re Quests: The new S-series and F-series ReQuest music servers we wrote about are now shipping. The new F-series servers feature far larger disk-drive capacities (1.5 TB) and ReQuest's new AudioReQuest v.2.2.0 and VideoReQuest v.1.4 operating systems, which are available by download for current ReQuest customers at ReQuest's website. "These new operating system releases substantially increase the power and convenience of our servers," said Steve Vasquez, co-founder of the company. "The result is easier to use, more intuitive, and more powerful."
The new software enables users to name zones, which allows users to set up command structures that allow them to designate playlists by room-name, family member, or any other label they can imagine. It also allows consumers who are not using touchscreen remotes to use TVs or other video displays with a ReQuest handset to interactively control their systems.
ReQuest has also added a feature called ARQLink Pro, which allows installers and dealers direct access to their customers' systems for programming, networking, configuration, and, presumably, software updating. "Consider it a virtual housecall," said Vasquez. "Dealers can update or correct a customer's system from a continent away." ARQLink Pro is online now and available only to authorized ReQuest dealers and installers.
Half-price audio bliss: Aperion Audio has announced that it will debut "two sensational new products" at HE2006. The catch? The company ain't sayin' what they are. What it is saying, however, is that consumers who go to www.he2006.com and enter "Aperion" as the promo code for pre-registration will get a 50% discount on show tickets. Quantities are limited, so you better hustle.
