Tag Archives: tube amplifier

Reviews

The Audience Bellare Loudspeaker Is Extraordinary

Leave a comment

San Marcos, California, October, 2025 – In one of the most significant product introductions in the company’s history, Audience will debut its extraordinary Bellare loudspeaker at two US events: T.H.E. Show New York and Capital Audiofest 2025. As stunning in appearance as it is to listen to, the new Bellare full-range speaker incorporates a number of proprietary technologies including the company’s full-range driver approach to deliver a never-before-achievable level of musical realism.

The Bellare (Italian/Latin for “beautiful”) will be featured at T.H.E. Show New York 2025 at the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights/Meadowlands, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey (October 24 – 26, 2025), and at Capital Audiofest at the Hilton Hotel Rockville, Rockville, Maryland (November 14 – 16, 2025). It will be demonstrated as part of a complete high-end system including an all-new Audience equipment rack, and Audience cables and power conditioners (see complete equipment list at the end of this press release).

No need for the usual crossover requirement

At the heart of Bellare’s extraordinary performance is its use of multiple identical 3-inch wideband high-resolution drivers that cover the entire frequency spectrum from 120 Hz through the midrange and treble – eliminating the need for a crossover or different types of drivers for the midrange and high frequencies. This results in remarkable sonic coherence, tonal purity, and imaging, with excellent dispersion. There are no phase anomalies, discontinuities in frequency range, or disruptive changes in radiation pattern.

Bass Is Handled Separately

The bass below 120 Hz is handled by Bellare’s built-in 300-watt active bass module with DSP that offers remote control of its volume, and automatic room correction. The inclusion of this built-in bass unit enables Bellare to be used with even lower-powered amplifiers such as Class A or single-ended tube amplifiers, since they are only driving the midrange and high frequencies.

The result is a loudspeaker that offers a seamless, natural musical presentation with remarkable spaciousness, presence, dynamic impact and tonal truthfulness. The Bellare achieves a level of sonic realism undreamed of until now. It is one of the finest loudspeakers ever produced by Audience – or anyone.

The Audience Bellare loudspeaker will be available in March 2026 at a suggested US retail price of $36,000 per pair/ $50,374 CAD (at today’s conversion rate).

Key Audience Bellare Loudspeaker Features:

  • Identical 3-inch drivers provide seamless performance above 120 Hz
  • Crossover-less design (above 120 Hz) preserves coherence, phase integrity, tonal purity and an ideal radiation pattern
  • Built-in 300-watt bass module powers the woofer and mid-woofer
  • DSP offers remote control of its volume, and active room correction
  • Frequency response: -3 dB at 28 Hz and 22 kHz
  • 105 dB continuous output without driver compression
  • Smooth impedance with minimal phase shift for effortless amplifier control
  • 88 dB sensitivity. Very easy to drive thanks to its well-behaved impedance curve and integrated bass augmentation system
  • Nominal impedance of 9.5 ohms and does not drop below 8.5 ohms
  • Exceptionally smooth phase response

List of Components to be Used in T.H.E. Show New York and Capital Audiofest Demonstration Systems:

  • Audience ClairAudient Bellare Loudspeakers
  • Audience equipment rack (price TBA)
  • Atma-Sphere MP-1 vacuum tube balanced line stage ($7,850 usd/ $10,985 cad)
  • Atma-Sphere Class D monoblock amplifiers ($6,100/pair usd/ $8,535 cad)
  • Exemplar Audio eXpression DUAL ES9028PRO DAC with outboard power supply ($5,500 usd/ $7,696 cad)
  • SONY UBPX – 1100ES disc player ($700 usd/ $979 cad)
  • Audience Adept Response aR6-T4 6-outlet reference power conditioner ($6,900 usd/ $9,655 cad) with optional FrontRow Reserve HP powerChord ($7,600 usd/ $10,634 cad)
  • Audience Forte V8 8-outlet power strip w/Forte F3 power cord ($980 usd/ $1,371 cad)
  • Full loom of Audience frontRow Reserve interconnects, speaker cables, and power cords.

Audience
800-565-4390 (US and Canada)

About Audience

Audience was formed in November 1997 by John McDonald and the late Richard Smith, as a design and production company focused on building the best possible audio and video equipment. To pass the Audience test, each product must truly make a significant contribution to the reproduction of audio and/or video. Audience offers loudspeakers, electronics, cables, power conditioners, high-resolution capacitors and the Auric Illuminator optical disk resolution enhancement.

Audience’s commitment is to develop the very best products possible, and the company is committed to unexcelled customer service and product support. All Audience cables have an unconditional lifetime warranty and power conditioners have a ten-year warranty. For more information visit www.audience-av.com.

Reviews

Audio-Technica Intros NARUKAMI Ultra-High-End Tube Headphone Amplifier & Headphones

Leave a comment

STOW, OHIO,USA, March, 2024 — For more than 60 years, Audio-Technica has sought to expand the limits of audio technology. With the introduction of its NARUKAMI ultra-high-end audio products, Audio-Technica has taken the pursuit of analog sound reproduction to a remarkable new level of excellence.

Making their U.S. premiere at CanJam NYC 2024 (March 9 – 10 at the Marriott Marquis, New York), the NARUKAMI HPA-KG NARU Tube Headphone Amplifier and ATH-AWKG Closed-Back Dynamic Wooden Headphones are stunning, ultimate-quality works of audio art.

Narukami- the Japanese thunder god.

Taking their name from the Japanese god of thunder, NARUKAMI products are designed to ignite elemental passions, while embodying the meticulous Japanese craftsmanship that is an Audio-Technica hallmark.

Audio-Technica NARUKAMI HPA-KG NARU Tube Headphone Amplifier

The front and side panels of the HPA-KG NARU tube amplifier/preamplifier (SRP: US$108,000 / CAD$145,400) are crafted from precious kurogaki wood, Japanese black persimmon wood with striking wavy black figuring that can be found nowhere else. The metal mesh covering that protects the vacuum tubes is evocative of the pattern of the flat needles of the Ayasugi tree. The top of the HPA-KG NARU tube amplifier/preamplifier is styled to reflect the appearance of a KARESANSUI or dry landscape garden, representing water flows.

The HPA-KG NARU is as technologically refined as it is beautiful. The headphone amplifier/preamplifier employs four Takatsuki 300B power tubes, considered by connoisseurs to be among the finest of their type ever produced, and with ECC83S gold pin small-signal tubes. The HPA-KG NARU utilizes a dual-mono configuration and has a fully-balanced drive design, for richly detailed sound with remarkable depth and presence. It offers both balanced 4.4 mm and standard 1/4-inch headphone jacks.

The amplifier provides an impedance selector switch to perfectly match with the widest range of headphones. No effort was spared in the quality of the internal components, which include amorphous-core silver-wire Lundahl input and output transformers to deliver the highest level of sonic clarity. In addition to its unsurpassed capabilities as a headphone amplifier, the HPA-KG NARU serves as a preamplifier, and offers balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs. Companion AW-KG NARU headphones are included with the HPA-KG NARU amplifier.

“We spent 10 years creating the HPA-KG NARU amplifier in an arduous process, working our way through 11 prototypes before settling on a design that met our high expectations,” said R&D engineer Koichi Irii. “The lifelike sound of the HPA-KG NARU is a testament to the power of our human approach.”

The ATH-AWKG headphones (SRP: US$4,200 / CAD$5,650) are equally exceptional. Like the HPA-KG NARU, the headphones are handcrafted in Tokyo, Japan, from rare kurogaki wood. In addition to its distinctive appearance, the acoustic properties of the kurogaki housings contribute to the headphones’ extraordinary sound quality. The hand-applied lacquer finish brings out the wood’s natural beauty.

Audio-Technica NARUKAMI ATH-AWKG Closed-Back Dynamic Wooden Headphones

The ATH-AWKG features purpose-designed 53-mm drivers with Permendur magnetic circuitry. Each driver is equipped with a titanium flange and a 6N-OFC high-purity oxygen-free voice coil to ensure precise movement and optimum signal transfer. Audio-Technica’s exclusive D.A.D.S. Double Air Damping System provides smooth, accurate bass response.

The ATH-AWKG is designed for maximum long-wearing comfort, and is supplied with an additional set of ZMF Universe Hybrid earpads for a unique alternate listening experience. The headphones are equipped with Audio-Technica’s A2DC jacks and two 9.8-foot (3.0 mm) detachable cables with 4-pin balanced and standard 1/4-inch jacks. Adding to its elegance, the ATH-AWKG comes in a presentation box with kurogaki wood accents.

Audio-Technica was founded in 1962 with the mission of producing high-quality audio for everyone.

Though these latest releases are aimed at those with deep pockets and the means to buy the ultimate in design and offering, we have grown in other areas and just as importantly to design critically acclaimed headphones, turntables and microphones at all price points. We have retained the belief that great audio should not be enjoyed only by the select few, but accessible to all. Building upon our analog heritage, we work to expand the limits of audio technology, pursuing an ever-changing purity of sound that creates connections and enriches lives.