Best of the New

Contents

AXPONA 2019’s new and shiny debuts. These were some of the eye-catching products at the show.

Synergistic Research Galileo PowerCell SX

The Synergistic Research PowerCell 12 UEF SE power conditioner is the quietest power conditioner I’ve ever heard. Synergistic Research aims to push the boundaries further with their debut of the Galileo PowerCell SX. I’ll save impressions until I hear this conditioner in isolation, but specs and aesthetics are very interesting – especially the ammeter and inclusion of Mundorf caps.

Features:

  • Five additional Electromagnetic cells which are 50% larger for three times the conditioning power. 
  • 59 feet (!) of 14 AWG 6N pure silver. 
  • Upgraded Ground plane and “ULF/FEQ” technology. 
  • Upgraded Schottky diodes and Mundorf capacitors. 
  • And of course the new see-through ammeter with eight color options.
  • Limited to 50 units the first year. 
  • Pricing:
    • With Galileo SX AC power cord ($6,000): ~$17,000. 
    • With SRX AC ($10,000) power cord: ~$20,000.
  • Accepting pre-registration for the limited production now, before the official release at Munich HifiDeluxe 2019. 
  • Contact service3@synergisticresearch or your Synergistic Research dealer for details.

Vinnie Rossi Stiletto 15 Loudspeakers

Vinnie Rossi and Triode Wire Labs are back at it again. The overall synergy with the Vinnie Rossi L2 Preamp and monoblocks was undeniable at previous shows. But let’s address the elephant in the room.

Out of nowhere, Vinnie Rossi debuts his new 3-way, Stiletto 15 loudspeakers. He has been working on the design for over year. Being able to blend the drivers seamlessly is an arduous task. So the majority of the time was spent on the crossover design. The goal was to get the best bass from an open baffle woofer and clarity/imaging from a sealed-box design.

The Stiletto 15 sounds as impressive as it looks. Its footprint and design also allow them to be placed in smaller rooms for near-field listening. Vinnie mentioned he’ll be refining the Stiletto 15 in the upcoming months – so it’ll be interesting to hear what he’ll come up with.

Priced at $20,000 a pair. Check out the deets.

  • Open Baffle Woofer: One 15-inch, Acoustic Elegance bass driver. Paper composite cone with dual voice coils and high Xmax.
  • Midrange: One 5.5-inch ScanSpeak Relevator 15M/4531K00. Paper cone with low-loss linear suspension.
  • Tweeter: One 1″, ScanSpeak Illuminator R3004/662000. Fabric dome, ring radiator type with phase plug.
  • Crossover: 
    • Mundorf M-resist SUPREME resistors
    • Premium-grade Jantzen air-core & c-coil inductors and film capacitors (no electrolytics)
    • Point-to-point wired and mounted on an anti-static fiberglass board

PS Audio AN3 Loudspeakers

PS Audio’s 4-way AN3 is their first of three loudspeakers that pays homage to the works of the late Arnie Nudell. Paul McGowan and Darren Myers were on-site to help fine-tune the system as the show went on. A very balanced sound that many will consider “musical.” It has just enough bass, top-end, and fullness to keep you listening.

As these loudspeakers head toward production, there will be flexibility in how one could tune and adjust for your own rooms. This will most likely involve a calibration disc and a microphone. Also, unique to the AN3, “Perspective Control” which will preserve a realistic soundstage regardless of relative positioning to the walls.

Given that there will be two higher-end models (AN1 & AN2) in the works and perhaps a more affordable Stellar line, I’m really excited for PS Audio.

PS Audio AN3

  • Shipping late 2019 (estimated)
  • Pricing: ~$12,000-$15,000 per pair
  • Multi-layer High-Density Fiberboard (HDF) laminated front baffle
  • Currently walnut and gloss black finishes
  • Weight: ~160 lbs each
  • Dimensions: 49″ x 20″ x 13″
  • 90 dB sensitivity, 4 ohms
  • Bass
    • Servo-controlled high-excursion 12-inch aluminum cone woofer
    • 700 watts of dedicated amplification
  • Midrange
    • Midrange driver is the Bohlender-Graebener Neo 10 planar transducer;
    • 8-inch servo-controlled aluminum-cone midbass coupler
    • 700 watts of built-in amplification
  • Tweeter
    • AMT whose response extends well above audibility. An identical AMT tweeter is mounted on the rear panel of the enclosure.
  • P20 PowerPlants ($9,999 each)
    P15 Powerplant ($7,499)
  • PS Audio’s DirectStream DAC ($5,999)
  • BHK Signature Preamplifier ($5,999)
  • BHK Signature 300 Monoblocks ($14,998 per pair)