Creative Audio

Why do some speaker companies update their models so often? To catch up to Focal! Or at least try… 😉

It has been over 10 years since Focal introduced the Aria series. With Aria, the world was introduced to speaker drivers made of flax fibre, an incredibly light and rigid material, perfect for speaker cones. This technology, designed and made in France 🇫🇷 by Focal, would give Aria its signature and award-winning sound.

In their later years, our clients would often ask – haven’t those speakers been around a long time? The answer was yes, because even after ten years they still sounded better than the competition! 🎯

Now, 2024 brings us Aria Evo X, of which the bookshelf model, the No. 1, is pictured. What has changed? The hint is in the name – this is an Evolution of the still awesome sounding Aria series. Focal doesn’t do change for the sake of change.

Aria Evo X introduces refinements developed in recent years by Focal. It also features a trickle-down of cutting-edge technologies from their higher end models.

The familiar Flax drivers now sound even better, thanks to the addition of the Tuned Mass Damper (TMD), which stabilizes the surround of the cone, reducing distortion in the critical midrange frequencies.

The inverted dome tweeter has also evolved, now featuring the M shape which has allowed Focal to deliver a more detailed and dynamic high frequency response without ever sounding bright or fatiguing.

Of course Focal speakers don’t only sound amazing, but they look the part too! It wouldn’t be a Focal without a funky colour option and in this series its Moss Green – we definitely cannot wait to see that!

Expect to see Aria Evo X in our showroom later this month…

📸 Focal

Trade-in your old amp and save on the Marantz Model 40n premium streaming amplifier. Just add speakers! 🙌

Gone are the days when you needed a tall stack of components for high-end sound. Inside the Marantz Model 40n not only do you get a stunningly musical amplifier (thanks to Marantz-exclusive technology like HDAM), you also get hi-res audio streaming as well! All you need to do is add speakers and BOOM - you’ve got yourself an awesome stereo system with a minimal footprint.

One of the many great things about this amp is you can add more if you want to! It has a phono input for your turntable, an HDMI input for your TV, and a USB input for your hard drive of music. There are also a plethora of analog and digital inputs as well.

Most importantly, the Model 40n draws on the heritage of sound quality that Marantz established 70 years ago. This amp sounds rich and musical and engaging. It will invite you to keep listening, to play just one more track until the wee hours of the morning.

It does this while adding a dash of vintage-inspired charm to your listening room; despite being a fully digital device, all controls on the front are analog. This detail hearkens back to the very first amplifier that Saul Marantz built on his kitchen table in 1953.

The Marantz Model 40n is available to audition at Creative Audio in Winnipeg. Come hear for yourself!

Marantz Model 40n | Streaming Amplifier — Creative Audio in Winnipeg A premium integrated amplifier with built-in streaming, phono and HDMI inputs. Available in Winnipeg at Creative Audio.

Vintage on the outside, thoroughly modern inside. The NAD C 3050 LE. Limited to just 1972 units worldwide.

And we have ONE left!

The retro vibes come courtesy of the walnut sleeve, dual VU meters, push-button controls, and NAD’s cursive branding. The modern sounds come from the built-in hi-res music streaming with BluOS, Dirac Live room correction, and of course plenty of NAD watts!

Learn more:

https://www.creativeaudio.ca/product-catalogue/nad/c-3050-le-integrated-amplifier

Winter isn't done with Winnipeg yet, but we're keeping warm in the showroom today with the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III tube integrated amplifier.

Right now we've got it powering a pair of MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL electrostatic speakers and does it ever sound sweet!

If you're hesitant about tube amplifiers, let us shatter three common myths:

First - that tube amps don't deliver much power. That depends on the design! Certainly in the case of the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III, there's no shortage of power, with 100 watts per channel on tap.

Second - that tube amps are finicky. This often refers to the need to adjust the "bias" of the tubes regularly. Without getting too technical, bias is an operating parameter that does need adjustment to ensure the tubes operate at the optimum temperature and deliver their best sound quality. With many tube amps, bias does indeed need to be set by a technician. Fortunately Rogue Audio gives you all the tools and knowledge you need to make the adjustment yourself, and it really is that easy! If you're unsure we are always here to help.

Third - that tube amps run hot. Okay, this one is true. This amp could warm up a small room, there is no doubt. Fortunately today we are not complaining about that!

Come down to our showroom and give the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III a listen - your ears and soul will be glad you did!

Key features:

100 watts per channel, capable of driving 8 and 4 ohm loads
Phono input with support for both MM and MC cartridges
3 line level stereo analog inputs
1 fixed, 1 variable stereo analog output
Triode mode
Remote control
Preamp tubes: 2x 12AX7, 3x 12AU7
Power amp tubes: 4x KT120
Available in Black or Silver
Built by hand in Pennsylvania