THE HI–FI HEADLINES
NEWSLETTER No.64 Burns Bay Road Lane Cove NSW 2066
Ph (02) 9427 6755 · Fx (02) 9427 2490
ABN 40 001 592 383 · [email protected] http://www.lenwallisaudio.com.auT
he NAD 3020 – released in 1978- was the largest selling amplifi er
in history. The reason was simple - it was an exceptional performer
at a budget price. We are predicting that
their recently released C338 amplifi er
will prove to be a similar hit.
Rated at 50 watts RMS/channel
and selling for $999, this is first
and foremost a very good sounding
amplifier. However its feature set is
just as impressive. The C338 includes a
phono stage, both analogue and digital
inputs, and a subwoofer output. There
is a high quality headphone amplifier,
plus it has Bluetooth and is Wi-Fi
enabled, providing access to Spotify
Connect, internet radio etc. It is also
the first amplifier to have Chromecast
on-board. It has a dedicated TV input,and a learning remote control. There
is also an intuitive app available for
control via your smart devices.
For anyone considering putting
together a moderately priced Hi-Fi
system that sounds exceptionally good
and has all the modern requirements,
this supremely capable amplifi er will be
hard to go past and may well go on to
become a modern classic.While on the subject of value we have recently
added another brand to our line-up which I am
sure most are not familiar with. German cable
manufacturer Inakustik has been plying its
trade since 1977. Why it has taken so long for this
brand to reach Australia is a mystery to us. It is a
very comprehensive and high performance range,
competing with the very best on the market. The
range is extremely well priced – considerably below
the competition, and as most models are still made
in Germany the quality of manufacture is fi rst class.
Their collection includes speaker cable, interconnect
cables, some very good accessories and even a
limited range of CDs (with vinyl to follow). This is
a brand you will hear a lot more of in the future.Occasionally we come across what
we consider to be a remarkable
buy, and the Yamaha Restio
ISX-803D is exactly that. This is
a great sounding free-standing
audio system that includes FM
and DAB+ radio, CD, USB input,
Bluetooth, alarm, amplifi er and
a two-way four-driver speaker
array in a very attractive package.
This unit is now in its third
generation, and when initially
released it sold for $999. It waslater repriced at $799, and at
that price represented exceptional
value. We are now selling the
ISX-803D for $499.
This unit comes complete with
the fl oor-stand, and there is the
option of a wall-mount bracket.
I challenge anyone to fi nd a unit
that sounds this good, looks this
good, has this many features and
is this well built for this amount of
money! The ISX-803D at this price
is an exceptional buy.