October 2015 New Gear

Limited-Edition Queen by Rega Turntable
Rega was approached by the legendary rock band Queen to produce a limited-edition turntable to coincide with the recent release of Queen: The Studio Collection, an 18-piece box set from Virgin EMI Records ($445) featuring 180g colored vinyl LPs. The group is apparently quite serious about getting it right: At the time of this writing, guitar god Brian May was putting the one-and-only prototype through its paces. Rega is building 2,000 turntables but making only 200 available in the U.S. (What are we, chopped liver?)
Regal Design: Fitted with a hand-built RB101 tonearm and Rega Carbon moving-magnet cartridge, the turntable sports a black acrylic-laminated plinth with a “Queen by Rega” logo and a black and gold silk-screened platter inspired by artwork from the late Freddie Mercury. Price: $650 (through queenonlinestore.com and soundstagedirect.com)
Rega • (972) 234-0182 • rega.co.uk / soundorg.com


Middle Atlantic PD-28-SP Series Protection Compact Surge Protector
If you’ve ever lost A/V gear in the wake of a hellacious thunderstorm, then you know the value of power protection. The patented PD-28-SP is hailed as the “most compact surge protection device in the industry.” Looking more like a car stereo amp than a surge protector, the 8-amp device protects connected components against potentially debilitating over- and under-voltage conditions and resets automatically after a power event. Over- and under-voltage cutoff thresholds are 135 VAC and 100 VAC, respectively.
Just How Small? The two-outlet device is only 1.75 inches tall, 4.5 inches wide, and 9 inches deep, making it ideal for installation in tight spots—like behind a flat-panel TV (mounting bracket included). Price: $270
Middle Atlantic • (973) 839-1011 • middleatlantic.com


Klipsch Atmos-Enabled Reference Premiere Speakers
Early this year Klipsch debuted the most comprehensive “revision” of its flagship Reference Premiere speaker series, and now it has taken the update a step further with two Dolby Atmos-enabled models: the 43-inch-tall RP-280FA tower, featuring a walnut veneer finish and integrated height speaker, and RP-140SA elevation speaker, which adds height capability to existing speaker systems to make action-packed movies like John Wick all the more menacing. Both models are high-efficiency designs featuring Cerametallic woofers and a titanium tweeter loaded in a proprietary Tractrix horn.
Bounce It: Off the ceiling, that is. The beauty of “Atmos-enabled” speakers is that they use precisely angled drivers to bounce sound off the ceiling, eliminating the need to install speakers up there. Prices: $499/pair (RP-140SA), $2,400/pair (RP-280FA)
Klipsch • (800) 554-7724 • klipsch.com


Acurus Scorpion Multi-Zone Distribution Amp
Compact, powerful, and easy to set up is how Acurus describes its new Scorpion multi-zone amp, which squeezes 16 active channels and two stereo preamp outputs into a svelte 3.5 x 19 x 15.75-inch chassis. Setup is accomplished using a built-in Web app and the amp’s touch-sensitive control panel or a smartphone/tablet.
Music Everywhere: Ideal for medium to large homes, the amp delivers 2x50 watts of stereo power to each of eight rooms or areas (zones). Want tunes in 10 zones? Connect an external amp (or two) and press one or both preamp zones into action. Each zone can be independently driven or driven from one of two global inputs. Did we mention the five-year warranty? Price: $3,599
Indy Audio Labs • (866) 781-7284 • acurusav.com


B&W Cinema 7 In-Wall/Ceiling Speakers
Everyone knows Bowers & Wilkins makes some of the finest freestanding speakers in existence—so revered that you’ll find them in places like London’s fabled Abbey Road Studios. But did you know B&W also makes “custom installation” speakers meant to be installed in walls and ceilings? The Cinema 7 Series CCM and CWM speakers are designed to handle front left-, center-, and right-channel duties from the ceiling or wall, respectively.
Tweeting in Style: A “Nautilus swirl loaded” aluminum tweeter is suspended above a 7-inch woofer in the CCM, while the rectangular CWM sandwiches the same tweeter between pairs of 4-inch drivers in an elongated 2.5-way design. With both models, grille covers attach magnetically and spring clamps make it possible to mount the speakers without tools. Prices: $700 each (CCM), $850 each (CWM)
Bowers & Wilkins • (978) 664-2870 • bowers-wilkins.com

COMMENTS
dmineard's picture

Wow does that look nice. Bet it sounds great.

true audio's picture

I'm sure his neighbors appreciate him! Boom Boom Boom!

dommyluc's picture

Gee, I can't tell you how much I would love to revel in those enveloping clicks and pops, that high surface noise, substandard dynamic range, and lousy S/N ratio. And it's only $50 more than an Oppo BDP-103D! Such a deal! Flame away, people!

jnemesh's picture

Go find a local hifi store and LISTEN to a CLEAN record with a good cartridge! You won't hear any of that! Only when you play dirty, uncared for vinyl will those problems arise!

By the way, if you KNOW you are going to be flamed for your ignorance, why post at all?

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