NEW DAC202, Medea+ can upgrade with a brand new “Weiss DoP USB” input board and playback DSD files thru USB DoP 1.0 supported computer/software. DAC202DSD and Medea+DSD version will be shipped in June 2013. As usual, good news for all existing Weiss users, all units can be upgraded the “Weiss DoP USB” hardware DSP input card.

DSD technology from Weiss perspective.

Although Weiss is not the first company to release DSD related product in hifi market (some even think this Weiss DSD is an April fool joke), but Weiss roots under DSD/SACD professional audio productions for over a decade with the BEST offline sampling conversion tools – SaRaCon =Sampling Rate Converter. 

“Saracon is not only the world’s best audio sample rate converter. It’s also a great all-round utility tool!”  – Bob Katz, Digital Domain, USA

”Now That I’ve used it on everything I do, it is the only re-sampler I can listen to.” George Massenburg

“Again, many thanks for this great conversion software. We love it! And it is a big help for the SA-CD format.” Gus Skinas, Super Audio Center LLC, USA

Here in Hong Kong, all of my productions are generated by SaRaCon. HKFA 香港電影金像獎 Sound Design award winner Kinson Tsang (movies like Internal Affairs, Cold War), and music director Chris Babida are Weiss SRC users too.

You can expect Weiss DSD playback sound exactly as SACD DSD masters. Why? They are based on the same design.

With the help of USA Super Audio Center Gus Skinas for DSD files metadata and album artwork (who wants their DSDIFF file looks ugly and empty without artwork?), MAN301 is now built in DSD file playback FREE OF CHARGE to current MAN301 customers. A simple online update will be provided for all registered MAN301 owner in a new future. The offline professional SaRaCon software with DSD capability alone costs HKD$16,800. MAN301 software version 1.1 has already added the huge Gracenote metadata/artwork database supporting function. Your album artwork will never look such beautiful.

Digital audio world has been pushed to change so quickly. From 96kHz, 192kHz, DXD to today latest DSD256, next year maybe 768kHz PCM recording. On one hand, we disagree this is a true quality improvement, high end audio is not an iphone. On the other hand, Weiss MAN combines software computer based super DSP, customized OS, dedicated hardware digital audio board, linear power supply, internal master clock and extremely high quality D/A converter in swiss quality.

MAN301 combo will not be easily outdated. If audiophiles are looking forward to have long term usability, then computer based DSP platform becomes the most obviously choice. MAN301 simplifies this idea with full iPad wireless tablet graphic controlled interface, and get rid of the Windows/Mac OS limitations.

NEW - Weiss INT series is the most famous bridge between normal D to A converter and computer audio. INT204 is Weiss first USB interface with built in hardware DSP. It is the same Weiss DoP USB input board, plus dedicated AES/EBU, SPDIF digital input/outputs. INT204 provides top notch DSD source playback from computer for all normal DACs in the market. An optional Weiss analogue power supply will be produced for INT204 (also for multiply products) in the near future.

NEW - Weiss Medus D/A converter is an extension from flagship Medea+. (In Greek, Medus is one of Medea’s son). Both Medus and Medea+ carries the same 32bit DAC and 8pc Weiss SOTA OP1-BP gain modules. These 8pc gain modules work in fully balanced tolology for I/V conversion and output stage. The technical aspect of these gain modules can be view from this PDF. OP1-BP is arguable the best amplifier module in today market. Medus has improved power supply, front LCD display for incoming digital data rates, DSD source from computer USB connections and mastering grade digital volume control via swiss made metal enclosure remote. The look for Medus matches perfectly with flagship Jason CD Transport. Medus user can work without a preamp and drives directly to power amplifier or active loudspeakers. Medus remote can even set the 32dB/1dB steps analogue output voltage  trim on the OP1-BP board.

You also can spot the new Weiss logo identity. All of these new products and upgrade option will be started shipping from June. Please book and reserve your unit today. If you look in today hifi industry, you will not easily find another manufacturer, which provides such complete upgrade features for existing customer.

Want to hear a Weiss DSD master sample file? Try here.

A small room with a smart system:
WEISS MAN301 Network Player + KLANGWERK ELLA Active Loudspeakers
This MAN301 can playback DSD64 and DSD128 DSDIFF and DSF files. We have partner with Super Audio Center LLC in USA to provide the most professional DSD solution.

Munich News: Please refer to following DSD information.

+ Coffee
+ Chocolate
+ Mini-Bar

sparkling pleasures guaranteed

Track List:
1. 若生命等侯
2. 情深緣淺
3. 雨中的戀人們
4. 晚秋
5. 再遇
6. 好好的
7. Desperado+你最喜歡的歌
8. 我的爸爸
9. 一生何求
10. 每當變幻時
11. Canon in D x 似水流年
12. 真色
13. I’ll Be There
14. 傷感的戀人
15. 傾心
16. MY WAY

能夠參與這唱片製作，好像命中注定一樣。
由2013年農曆新年至四月尾，家人及朋友都知道這錄音便是我生活的寫照。
在我離港以及唱片推出前夕，倒不如自我重溫一次。

故事開始在大約5-6年前，有一晚我看了DVD版本的”港樂 x 黃凱芹 一夜情弦演唱會”。當時年青，那晚也飲了不少，在聽至”最佳男配角”一曲，我曾經對身邊的人講 : “如果我有機會製作他唱的錄音，。。我都做。。。”

2012年黃凱芹先生在香港舉辦了” True Colors 25週年演唱會”。那段時間我每個月數次出國工作，朋友家人去了演唱會支持，我卻無緣欣賞。我叔叔也是工作室合伙人，演唱會後what’s up我幾張相片說 : “有機會你應該跟他合作。。。他唱出的比以往更成熟了。”

過了數個月，我收到好朋友Sam Lam電話，他說 “ Kent, 不知道你有無時間跟Chris做一個錄音。25週年演唱會當時沒有做現場錄音，歌迷，樂手以及Chris自己也覺得可惜。所以我們希望重新錄製，用高質素HiFi水平製作，Live形式收錄。。。”

用現場Studio Live形式收錄紅館演唱會，就相等於製作一個紅館演唱會音樂，甚至要求更加仔細。我不能想像需要的資源有多大。開始時我們打算在Rehearsal Hall錄音，但是空間效果及器材比真正錄音室有差距。擁有全港最大間錄音房Avon Studio，也未必可以容納十人大樂隊，再加十多人的弦樂團，而且錄音費用也提高很多。十分感謝168 Productions及Avon阿Ming配合下，我們把唱和音樂手放在影印走廊，色士風更加在食飯的休息室，耳掛著headphone monitor作Live形式完成。大房內出現一個Grand Piano再加9個Keyboard實在壯觀。

黃凱芹先生出現的第一天，one take完成了三首歌曲。。。我好驚訝！他是背著我們唱，我特意從旁邊偷看，他唱大細聲部係完全無拉開咪！而且收錄的聲音無論音量及聽感也非常平衡。即是說唱歌者完全靠自己的身體運氣去調整。Chris的聲音充滿感情應該係眾所周知，他所寫的曲詞直接細膩。你可以估計我當時是多麼的幸運。相反，要面對20人Studio Live實在不是講玩，每個人非常微弱澡音，加起都會對整體錄音扣分。動用多達40條聲道。後期將這些微弱澡音除去的，超過數千點。

“Canon in D x 似水流年” 使用了Bricasti M7的Berliner Hall，平衡了Chris跟弦樂團動態，最接近Acoustic x Classical 的編曲風格。其他大部份歌曲的動態都非常大，鼓及低音結他力量非常強勁，大家可以真正感受Chris的極闊音域和爆炸力。

“我的爸爸”與”一生何求”是連曲。是錄音過程最後的兩首歌。聽說歌曲有一魔力令人回想成長的時期及一些遺憾。歌詞所描述的情境細微得歷歷在目，是黃凱芹先生寫給他爸爸。在錄音室那天的第一個Take，便令我暗自流淚。我記得他唱完後二十多秒都無人敢開聲說話。其後Chris有重錄兩個 “技巧上可能更完美的Take”，但是我提出了數次非常希望使用第一個Take，最後監製和Chris也接受。只要你深夜獨自靜靜聽此曲，你聽過便會明白。。。

總結這唱片的製作時間，陣容都遠超今日流行曲/HiFi市場銷量可以支持。好老土講我希望樂迷可以多支持。但內涵的意義，對我自己個人來說是十分重要的一個作品。希望未來跟Chris也能多多合作。

2013年三月，原本是我沒有可能製作任何唱片的一個月，
我完成了黃凱芹 True Colors 25週年演唱會 Studio Live 唱片。。。

感謝所有我愛及愛我的人。

May 6, 2013

(出發到Munich -> Zurich -> Frankfurt)

Eximus S1 and Stello Ai700 are both very modern sounding amplifier with neutral tonality. I have extreme respect to Stello/Eximus team to combine elements and produce a very gooding device without ultra expansive costs.

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