New Products

A Record Player That Does It All

If you’re an analog aficionado who likes to keep things simple, consider the Plus (+) Record Player ($1,799) from Plus Audio, an all-in-one music system featuring 33/45 rpm vinyl playback, high-performance stereo speakers, an optical audio input, Bluetooth connectivity, and a remote control. A USB port enables you to rip records to your computer or play music from your computer. The cabinet sports a genuine maple or walnut wood veneer finish and aluminum accents to suggest analog and digital design elements.

The system features a low-noise RIAA phono preamplifier and a two-way bi-amplified speaker system with feedback cancelling architecture and a pair of high-excursion 3.5-inch woofers plus two 1-inch soft-dome tweeters. The turntable is a Pro-Ject belt-drive model featuring an aluminum tonearm fitted with an Ortofon QM10 cartridge and a 24-pole synchronous motor with a crystal stabilized digital electronic speed controller. Class-D amplification is included at 100 watts maximum power (2 x 35) + (2 x 15). The unit measures 17.6 x 14 x 8.5 inches and weighs 33 pounds.

A transparent cover flips up for access to the turntable. Three other models are also available. The Plus Record Player Special Edition ($1,999) features a carbon-fiber tonearm and a premium phono cartridge. The Plus RP System ($2,100) includes a stand with two shelves for accommodating up to 200 LPs in their jackets. The Plus RP System Special Edition ($2,300) includes the upgraded tonearm and cartridge and the stand. The Special Edition cabinet is available in maple, walnut, or white.

For more information, visit plusaudio.com.

HiFiMan Previews Closed-Back Sundara

Providing audiophiles with an alternative to its popular Sundara open-back planar-magnetics headphones, HiFiMan expects to ship a closed-back version in September. The Sundara closed-back headphones ($399) contain beechwood earcups that help isolate the listener from background noise while emphasizing the natural bass response of a recording. (The distinction between closed- and open-back refers to the exterior cups worn over your ears. Closed-back means they’re hard and nonporous while open means they’re softer and porous.) A closed-back design offers users a sealed earcup, so they get all the sound from the headphone drivers while impeding exterior noise. However, they tend to be heavier than open-back headphones. At 15.2 oz., the closed-back version weighs 2 ounces more than its open-back sibling.

Like its predecessor, the closed-back version features Stealth Magnet technology and a proprietary Super Nano diaphragm that measures less than a nanometer thick. The company says the diaphragm is up to 80% thinner than the diaphragms commonly used in other headphones.

Specs for the Sundara closed-back design include an ultra-wide frequency range of 6Hz to 50kHz, an impedance of 20 ohms, and sensitivity of 97dB.

For additional information, visit hifiman.com.

Big Picture by the Pool

The view from the swimming pool at night doesn’t have to be a bottle of bug spray on a rusty lawn table. In fact, it could be the latest Hollywood release on disc or from a streaming app. For the ultimate up-to-your waist in chlorinated water, drive-in experience, you’ll need a big screen — one that’s able to gloriously display whatever your projector throws at it and one rugged enough to withstand any precipitation that comes its way.

Enter the latest line of outdoor-rated Twilight Series Screens from EPV Projection Screens. Choose between the Twilight Electric Series matte white outdoor electric screens or the Twilight Tension Twin Series front/rear outdoor electric tension screens. The former series are available in sizes ranging from 100- to 165-inches and the latter from 100- to 150-inches. They each come with an RF remote, magnetic weight bar bracket, ground stake kit, and a wireless 12-volt trigger. The screens carry an Ingress Protection (IP) rating of 33, meaning they can withstand some types of water sprays — generally rain, not prolonged splashing from audience members who can’t stand the sight of an on-screen villain.

Prices start at $2,288 for Twilight Electric Series screens and $3,488 for Twilight Tension Twin models.

For more information, visit epvscreens.com.