MEETING NOTICE
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Arlington Heights Historical Society 110 W. Fremont, Arlington Room Arlington Heights, IL |
COME OUT TO HEAR A MIND-BOGGLING ENTRY-LEVEL AUDIOPHILE SYSTEM FROM NAPA ACOUSTIC, A CALIFORNIA-BASED COMPANY! THE ENTIRE SYSTEM SELLS FOR $1998! GREAT SOUND REGARDLESS OF PRICE!
Our playback system for the June meeting will be an entry-level audiophile system from Napa Acoustic. The system will consist of their second smallest mini-monitor speakers, the BOW-III, an SW-801 matching tuned subwoofer, their NA-208Ae hybrid tube and solid state integrated amp, an NA-208MP High Definition DAC, their cables and their NA-3900 Audio Power Conditioner. If you heard them at AXPONA, this system was the larger of the two systems, and designated as System 2. The source will be an OPPO 105D universal player provided by Dennis Anderson, or Hi-Res Audio files. Hi-Res Audio and CD-quality files will be played off a USB stick. The Napa Acoustic DAC is limited to 24-bit/128KIIIfiles. The system is being shipped to Rich, and no representative from Napa Acoustic will be available.
This system was recently demonstrated to a very positive response at the recent AXPONA show in Rosemont. It rivaled and probably surpassed the sound quality of many systems at the show, some at hundreds of times it's price. A number of us thought it was one of the best sounds at the show at any price. It was demoed in a room size typical of many home listening rooms (about 20 x 13). When a request at AXPONA was made to crank up some rock music and the system did so with no loss of quality, we then felt it could show everyone in our large (45 x 24) room what it could do musically at more typical listening levels. You have to hear this!
Our playback system for the June meeting will be an entry-level audiophile system from Napa Acoustic. The system will consist of their second smallest mini-monitor speakers, the BOW-III, an SW-801 matching tuned subwoofer, their NA-208Ae hybrid tube and solid state integrated amp, an NA-208MP High Definition DAC, their cables and their NA-3900 Audio Power Conditioner. If you heard them at AXPONA, this system was the larger of the two systems, and designated as System 2. The source will be an OPPO 105D universal player provided by Dennis Anderson, or Hi-Res Audio files. Hi-Res Audio and CD-quality files will be played off a USB stick. The Napa Acoustic DAC is limited to 24-bit/128KIIIfiles. The system is being shipped to Rich, and no representative from Napa Acoustic will be available.
This system was recently demonstrated to a very positive response at the recent AXPONA show in Rosemont. It rivaled and probably surpassed the sound quality of many systems at the show, some at hundreds of times it's price. A number of us thought it was one of the best sounds at the show at any price. It was demoed in a room size typical of many home listening rooms (about 20 x 13). When a request at AXPONA was made to crank up some rock music and the system did so with no loss of quality, we then felt it could show everyone in our large (45 x 24) room what it could do musically at more typical listening levels. You have to hear this!
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The Napa Acoustic BOW-3 Monitor Loudspeaker uses a 1" textile soft dome tweeter and a 5.25" carbon fiber/polypropylene composite cone woofer on the front surface, with a rear firing 6.5” passive radiator. If an accurate, beautifully voiced and dynamic speaker is on your wish list, but the space or budget for a larger floor model isn't realistic, the BOW-3 may be the answer.
Below is the manufacturer's description: "...The precisely angled and shaped front baffle produces correct time alignment between the two front drivers and minimizes diffraction for controlled high-frequency dispersion. The 1" textile soft dome tweeter and the 5.25" carbon fiber/polypropylene composite cone woofer are matched to ensure natural, open and uncompressed mid-range and for exceptional tonal balance. Highs are clean and well defined but never “etched” or too clinical. Mid-bass is dynamic when required but not blurred or tubby. This is great performance in such a compact design. But the BOW-3 has more to offer. The rear panel houses a 6.5” passive radiator that adds an extra half octave of finely tuned bass response. Overall the performance of the BOW-3 exceeds expectations for its modest proportions." |
Napa Acoustic SW-801
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The BOW-3 monitor speakers are complimented by the SW-801 matching tuned subwoofer, which provides a clean, deep low end. It employs a 6.5" driver and has 50W power handling. The SW-801 comes in black piano lacquer finish and comes in a 9.8"x11.02"x11.02" size. |
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The Napa Acoustic NA 208Ae is a 25 watt/ch hybrid tube and solid state integrated amplifier. It uses two 6N1 tubes in the front end, mated to a solid-state power section. It features very low noise circuitry, built-in high quality lossless aptX Bluetooth receiver, 3 switchable inputs (CD, BT, AUX), One-Touch Bass Boost, illuminated tube cages, and high quality speaker terminals. This special edition enhanced model incorporates improved power supply circuitry, low noise source input treatment, and limited aluminum/acylic decor. It sells for $499 by itself.
The Absolute Sound report on T.H.E. SHOW NEWPORT: ELECTRONICS SHOW REPORT reviewed the Napa Acoustic NA 208A, in a system that also included Napa Acoustic's smaller NA 208S monitor speakers with no sub, and the NA 208CD CD player for $1000. He designated their system as "Most Significant". Here is an excerpt of some comments from the report: "The Napa Acoustic NA-208A 25W integrated might be a mere $399, yet this tiny little hybrid produced a seductive soundstage and lots of image detail and depth when paired with Napa’s NA-208S mini monitors ($199/pr.)." "... the system was rich with life, musicality, and produced sound quality far beyond my expectations." "Total system cost, including the NA-208C CD player ($399) and NA-208S speakers? $1000. If that’s not a bargain in today’s high-end world, I don’t know what is." Spencer Holbert - The Absolute Sound in his June 6, 2014 "...In terms of sound, I must say the NA-208A is surprising, possessing all the traits one normally associates with tubes - liquidity, texture, warmth and dimension - without seeming lush or overly warm. In fact, I was quite surprised by the NA-208A's speed."
... its resolution, specifically in the leading and trailing edges of notes, was surprising. " Andrew Robinson - HomeTheaterReview.com, February 22, 2012 |
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Napa Acoustic NA-208MP
Digital Music Player (DAC) 
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The NA-208MP is another member of the 208 family of Napa Acoustic Audio Components, and a physical and cosmetic match to the 208Ae integrated amplifier and CD player. It employs an "open source" super high performance single board computer, the famous "Raspberry Pi II". The output from this dedicated audiophile music processing engine is fed into their high performance external DAC. The NA-208MP is capable of playing High Definition music files up to 128Kbit sample rate at 24 bits (stored on a flash drive). The flash drive plugs into a "vacuum tube"-like USB socket on the top of the player. |
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The Napa Acoustic NA-3900 Power Conditioner and Noise Filter protects against power surges, voltage fluctuations and filters out the unwanted electronic noise. The manufacturer promises :
"...the NA-3900 will allow you to obtain the maximum performance from all of your equipment is capable of. Quieter backgrounds behind your music, an improved “ease’ of the presentation and glitch-free video are some of the benefits of using the NA-3900. For little more than the price of a decent multiple outlet, and for far less than the high cost of other conditioners, the NA-3900 will prove to be a very smart investment in maximizing the protection and performance of your valuable system." |
Groneberg Quattro Reference Interconnect Cables
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Come out to the meeting and bring along your favorite music on CD or HRA files on a USB stick for some great sound and what should be a great meeting!
