YAMAHA HI-FI 2000 SERIES
It’s always nice to have something to look forward to – and Yamaha has given us just that with its new two-strong Hi-Fi 2000 Series, due on Australian shores towards the end of the year. Comprising the R-N2000A network receiver and NS-2000A floorstanding speaker, the 2000 Series comes in below the Japanese company’s existing Hi-Fi 5000 and 3000 offerings with the aim of bringing its advanced technologies to more affordable prices. Yamaha stresses that both new components nail its performance ethos, which concerns ‘tonal balance’, ‘dynamics’ and ‘sound image’, sonic elements that together represent Yamaha’s ‘True Sound’.
The R-N2000A streaming amplifier utilises a “variety of technologies adopted from our flagship Hi-Fi amplifier”. The use of a large toroidal transformer is borrowed from Yamaha’s top-ranging components, as is its Mechanical Ground concept, which, in a bid to prevent unwanted vibrations affecting performance, sees the heat sink, power transformer and block capacitors directly bolted to the chassis, and the bolts of the feet welded straight into the chassis too.
The power amplifier circuitry, including the power supply, has been installed completely independent from the ground, while Yamaha says it has worked hard to eliminate the effects of minute voltage fluctuations and external ground noise in its original Floating and Balanced power amplifier technology. The R-N2000A also benefits from Yamaha’s original automatic calibration technology YPAO (Yamaha Parametric Room Acoustic Optimizer), which works to optimise the amplifier’s performance to the room it sits in.
Yamaha loyalists won’t be surprised to read that the company’s MusicCast network platform handles the R-N2000A’s streaming skills, which includes access to Amazon Music, Tidal, Spotify and Qobuz, among other music services. Digital connectivity – fed by a ES9026PRO DAC that supports PCM 384kHz and DSD 11.2MHz – includes USB and HDMI ARC sockets, too.
As for the R-N2000A’s gorgeous aesthetic, well, the analogue level meters and LED display do most of the talking, wouldn’t you agree?
Moving on to the NS-2000A floorstanders, there is more inheritance of flagship engineering. In an effort to produce tonal consistency throughout the frequency range, the NS-2000A employs the company’s newly developed proprietary Harmonious Diaphragm drive units, made from a blend of Zylong, which Yamaha says has excellent sound velocity and minimal internal dissipation, and spruce, the preferred material in the soundboards of grand pianos and chosen for its sound emanating qualities.
Yamaha has further utilised its musical instrument development to reinforce the cabinet’s cross piece to enhance the speakers’ bass performance and sound imaging. Its own Acoustic Absorber resonance tube works to eliminate standing waves inside the cabinet and minimise the need for absorption material inside it, while two more specially shaped tubes are mounted behind the driver diaphragms to cancel out resonance.
Pricing for the Yamaha Hi-Fi 2000 Series has yet to be announced, but it should be coming to a store near you in Spring.
A whole hi-fi system inside just two speaker cabinets – stop, it can’t be! Well, these days, it actually can, and one of the latest newcomers to the burgeoning all-in-one streaming speaker market is the Dynaudio Focus.
Launched at High End Munich and comprising two floorstander models and a standmounter, Dynaudio’s new Focus speakers pack amplification as well as a streaming platform that supports
Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast. Bluetooth and UPnP support is also included, and the system is also Roon Ready should you want to manage and control your music collection through this software.
Dynaudio also provides coaxial and digital inputs and a set of analogue audio inputs for connecting external sources. There is sadly no HDMI socket, though they’re WiSA certified should you want wireless sound from a compatible TV. Wirelessly the speakers will natively play up to 24-bit/96kHz hi-res tracks, though you’ll need to use a wired connection to get full-fat 192kHz playback.The system can be controlled either through the Dynaudio app (which can also step in to help with set up and positioning) or the Bluetooth remote included in the box. They’re also Dirac Live ready which means that, for a fee, you can use Dirac’s advanced room calibration to fine-tune the sound for your room.The speakers are powered by built-in amplifiers already used in the company’s professional studio monitors, and use Dynaudio’s Cerotar tweeter. The first speaker in the line is the two-way Focus 10 standmounter, with 280W powering its 14cm woofer and 110W assigned to its 28mm soft dome tweeter. Next up, the Focus 30 is a two-and-a-half-way floorstander that adds a 14cm mid-bass driver to its sibling’s configuration, while the Focus 50 is a three-way floorstander that adds two 18cm woofers instead. The range is available in four finishes – white high gloss, black high gloss, walnut wood and blonde wood – and the front of each speaker bares an adapted version of the Dynaudio logo that lights up depending on the function in use.
The Dynaudio Focus 10, Focus 30 and Focus 50 cost $6,999, $9,999 and $14,999 respectively.