News - May 2005

Last month, NorhTec had a very big month. NorhTec shipped over 400 computers and received an order for $1 million USD worth of computers. Next month, NorhTec expects to ship about $400,000 USD worth of computers. While NorhTec is a different company than nOrh, it is founded by the same cast of characters and many of the NorhTec people are volunteering their times these days to nOrh.

I believe strongly that computers is the future of home entertainment. Many years ago, I argued about the benefits of compressed music formats and wrote that MP3 and other open source formats would change the way people listen to music. The audio magazines scoffed at MP3 and wrote only about it being an inferior format. My argument was "inferior to what"? Just a few years ago, people used cassette tapes in their cars and in their Walkmans. I believe that so long as the new formats were equal or better in quality to cassette tape and more convenient to use, then these formats would become very popular.

Today, many people are building audio systems based on their portable players. These portable players are not a world to themselves. They all need to connect to a computer to upload and download songs. The computer is already playing a key role in the way many people download, organize and play their music.

Audiophiles will continue to argue that compressed formats are inferior to the original. This is a valid argument. Any lossy compression will remove something from the sound. However, there are compression formats that are lossless. An example of this is FLAC. FLAC is a lossless compression. FLAC makes it possible to download a CD in about half the time as it would to download a standard download and increases the performance of streaming over wireless. There are now some artists that are offering CDs for sales for download in either MP3 or FLAC format.

One of the best programs for Windows that I have tested for managing music and creating MP3 or FLAC files is PhatNoise Music Manager. PhatNoise is only $14.98. When nOrh visited the Ohio Audio show a couple of years ago, we used a NorhTec Silent Server with a M-Audio PCI audio card. Everyone who came to listen to our room was shocked to know that they were listening to music off a hard disk. I explained to everyone that they shouldn't be because most music is now recorded on computers.

Some people are now using their portable MP3 and iPODs to be their home music system. There is certainly nothing wrong with this approach but it does make more sense to use a computer rather than one of these portable devices. A computer can stream audio throughout the house using wired or wireless networks. A computer can store and playback music in a variety of formats and a computer can steam music from the Internet.

In order for computers to play an active role in audio, we need new form factors. NorhTec has been working on these new form factors for over two years now. Below is a new device that NorhTec will introduce in a couple of months.

The device that Yuth is holding has 256 MB RAM, 20 bit audio decoding, MPEG 2 decoder, 800 Mhz fanless processor, 1 RS232, 2 x USB 2.0, 40 GB hard disk and XVGA out. The unit features a new state-of-the-art CPU from VIA that is only the size of a postage stamp. The HyperClient is estimated to sell for about $495.00 USD. It is possible to connect an external USB 2.0 based hard disk. Such a hard disk costs about $200.00. The combination of the HyperClient and an external hard disk could server as a networked server for an entire music collection.

Using NorhTec's MicroClient, it would be possible to set up very inexpensive clients to listen to streaming music over Ethernet. The device pictured above is about $200.00 without hard disk. We have created USB thumb drives that will boot up in Linux and provide software to play or stream audio. Both the HyperClient and the MicroClient are fanless devices. Both of them are very energy efficient. NorhTec has constructed power supplies that allow both of these devices to run inside an automobile.

Loudspeakers

I personally listen to my pair of nOrh 3.0s almost constantly. My personal SE 9 and nOrh 3.0s are always on when I am working in front of my computer. The tonal quality of the nOrh 3.0 is almost identical to the nOrh 4.0. The major difference between the two speakers is power handling.

The photo below shows our most popular loudspeaker. It is the wood nOrh 4.0. The nOrh 4.0 has stunned listeners for many years because of its stunning looks and great sound. The nOrh 4.0 is hand carved from a solid log. The nOrh 4.0 features Vifa drivers -- not some cheap unknown Asian driver. The crossovers are very high quality, yet the nOrh 4.0s still sells for only $400.00 shipped to the United States. Most loudspeakers sold for $400 are chip board covered with contact paper. The drivers are no-name Asian drivers and the crossovers are very basic using cheap electrolytic capacitors.

The nOrh 4.0 is ideal for small rooms or ideal to be used with a subwoofer. Some of our customers tell us that a pair of nOrh 4.0s and a decent subwoofer sounds like loudspeakers costing $10,000 per pair. Several reviewers have said that the 4.0s are the perfect surround sound speakers because they are very detailed and articulate. As a center speaker, the 4.0s create very clear dialog that is easy to understand. Because the nOrh 4.0s play loud and handle lots of power, the 4.0s will keep up with virtually any left and right loudspeaker.

Another astonishing loudspeaker is the nOrh 4.1. Pictured above is our real Teak 4.1. The 4.1 comes with small stands that allow the 4.1 to be angled towards the listener. It is also possible to simply place the nOrh 4.1s on a table. I use the 4.1 for my main center speaker. It fits perfectly on top of my TV.

One of the best choices for left and right loudspeakers from nOrh is the nOrh 6.1 Classic. The 6.1 is a very efficient loudspeaker that is ideal for lower powered receivers, integrated amps or single ended tube amplifiers such as the nOrh SE 9. The nOrh 6.1 overall characteristic is very smooth. The 6.1 never sounds shrill and never sounds harsh. The sound is lush and rich. A pair of 6.1s and three nOrh 4.0s is an astonishingly good loudspeaker system that is amazingly affordable.

The mini 9.0 kit is probably nOrh greatest loudspeaker value

A few years ago, the marble 9.0 was proclaimed to be the best two-way loudspeaker. The marble 9.0 was carved from solid marble. We used the ScanSpeak Revelator tweeter and woofer. The marble 9.0s were extremely difficult to manufacture. It took 800 pounds of marble to carve out a single loudspeaker and half of the cabinets would break before a single cabinet could be completed. It took a full day for a stone smith to carve a single nOrh 9.0.

We continue to make a synthetic marble 9.0 as well as the mini 9.0 kit. The mini 9.0 kit uses that same Revelator woofer as the nOrh 9.0s but substitutes the tweeter with the more affordable ScanSpeak 9800. The combination kit and the lower price of the ScanSpeak 9800 make this one of the most impressive and affordable high end loudspeakers available. Despite its small size, 10 liters, the mini 9.0 is flat down to 45 Hz (+/- 3dB). Because the mini 9.0's bass is not as extended as the nOrh 9.0's +/- 3dB at 33 Hz, the mini 9.0 will handle more power and play louder.

The Mini 9.0 Synthetic Marble in White

nOrh's synthetic marble loudspeakers are available in a variety of colors to include, green, white, pink, black and red. Each synthetic marble loudspeakers is completely unique. The synthetic marble loudspeaker looks very much like real marble because 50% of the material is real marble powder suspended in a gel coat base.

Synthetic Marble 9.0

Some of you might wonder why nOrh promotes kits. Here in Bangkok, we have to pay 26% import tax and then 7.5% VAT added on top of that. The Revelator speakers are expensive for us to import and given the high cost of the Euro, it really is much more cost effective to let our customer buy the drivers and install them. We are not trying to save on the labor. Labor here in Thailand is very reasonable. The fact is, we do almost all the work. All our customers have to do is attach the clips from the crossover to the drivers and then screw them into the cabinet. More information is available on our DIY page.

Customer comments:

nOrh is quite proud of the performance we offer for our very inexpensive but high quality components. The SE 9 has been selling now for three years. It has proved to be a very reliable, cost effective and high quality audio component. The SE 9 is quite unique in that it is designed as a high-end component - not a cheap tube amp. There are many cheap tube amps out there. Most of them use no-name Chinese tubes, plastic sockets, cheap components and low quality volume controls.

The SE 9 uses Electro Harmonix tubes, ceramic sockets, platinum coated switches, Alps volume control, high build quality, hand wound transformers and quality components.

The price of the SE 9 combined with the nOrh 3.0s is about the same price as a department store mini component system.

I use my SE 9 in my office constantly. I spend most of my day in front of a computer. While I am working, I like to listen to music or streaming raid. The SE 9 is a great amplifier to put in an office or study. It is an ideal amplifier for a dorm or small apartment.

Until recently, our new ACA 2b (pronounced ACA tube), was pretty much ignored. Recently, we have been getting more orders with a lot of rave comments. The ACA 2b is a great preamp even though it is one of the least expensive preamps available. The ACA 2b has fantastic drive and not a hint of harshness. Many people write us that music they once thought was harsh, now sounds smooth because the ACA 2b is so transparent.

ACA 2b

I've ordered an aca2b preamp some weeks ago and I want to give you some positive feedback on it. The amp sounds great! I think it sounds much better than the German, English, Swiss and American $$$-gear I've bought over the last 15 years.

I've changed the Sovtek tubes and installed JJ e88cc tubes which are cheaper than the Sovteks, here in europe. These tubes improve everything of the aca2b (deeper and wider soundstage, deeper bass and they bring much(!) more detail). I don't know if they are available in Bangkok, but you should try them (and sell your aca2b with these tubes).

There's just one thing I don't like on the aca2b: there are only 3 inputs. In my opinion 5 or 6 would be better (and so much more expensive in the production).

Now I'm waiting for a norh poweramp which will fit the aca2b. :-) Personally I would prefer a push-pull design with ~15w of power.

SE 9

Last Thursday I received the tube amplifier. I am very pleased with the way you have handled the forwarding: two working days from Thailand to The Netherlands, excellent service from UPS.

I was even more pleased when I first connected the SE 9 to my home system only for testing. The amplifier will be used in the study on a pair of small speakers which I will design/built the coming months, it's a hobby. Key words will be: high efficiency and flat impedance in a small package at an attractive price. The whole set will be a gift for my wife's birthday.

I connected the SE 9 to a pair of Magnepan MG 1.6 which I use in the living room. These magnetostatic speakers have low efficiency (1 Watt for 86 dB), but a tube friendly overall impedance of 4 Ohms. I didn't believe my ears: although it won't play very loud, the sound was full and rich, also on low levels. Compared to my transistor amplifier (Arcam FJM A32, 2 x 150 Watts/4 Ohm) the sound was more "fluid". That is quite an achievement considering that the Arcam costs about four times more than the SE 9 and has a good name for sound quality.

Imaging was fabulous and the sound did not come from the speakers, but seemed to come from the entire room. A dipole system with a good amplifier is something special! Again I must thank you for producing such sound and built-quality against a reasonable price. If I sell the Arcam one day, I seriously consider a SE 18 as the amplifier for the living room.

SE18

I have reported many times that my main amplifier is now the SE18. My previous six amplifiers over the past 30 years have been 200 watts per channel or higher. 30 years is a long time and I am not sure if my choice now reflects a new maturity, changing taste of music, new priorities or whether I would have been happy all these years with a single ended integrated amplifier many years ago.

I suspect that if I had bought an amplifier similar to the SE 18 30 years ago, I would have never gone the route of high powered solid state amplifiers.

My last amplifier was a 250 watt per channel amplifier that cost about $7,000.00. The amplifier consumed 2,000 watts of power when used in the Class A mode. The amplifier had to sit on the floor because it was too big and too heavy to be placed on a shelf. Of course, the $7,000 amplifier was not very useful without its companion $5,000 preamp.

When I moved to my new house, there was no room for my large amplifier. I decided to give the SE 18 a try. What astonished me is that the sound was from the SE 18 was virtually identical to the much larger, much more expensive and much more energy wasteful sold state combination that I had before. What concerned me the most about the SE 18 was whether or not I could play my music loud enough. After hooking up the system, I called my wife down to listen. The first words out of her mouth were "turn it down".

My speakers are the nOrh Marble 9.0s. The 9.0s are not very sensitive. They are rated at 85dB at 1 watt at 1 meter. The sound was full, dynamic and detailed. I have been very happy with the SE 18. I believe it is the lowest priced amplifier that achieves this level of performance.