kemela is a high-end hi-fi retailer located near downtown Atlanta. We are an authorized hi-fi dealer for over 25 brands that we demonstrate in two showrooms, by appointment. By calling to set up an audition you can have one-on one time without waiting, and we can make sure we have gear warmed up and ready. Whether you are new to hi-fi stereo and looking for a great first turntable or an experienced audiophile wanting to upgrade your existing system, our carefully selected range offers great sound at all price levels. For more information about kemela click the "About Us" link above.

NEWS - MAY 2013

  The modular Cyrus Hark II stand loaded with six Cyrus components

This month kemela spotlights UK audio company Cyrus Audio.
Located in Huntingdon, home to several other well-known UK brands, Cyrus Audio is sold world-wide to audio enthusiasts in over 50 countries with a particularly strong fan base in the UK. This year marks Cyrus's 30 year anniversary and the company's product line is stronger than ever. Why does Cyrus have such a strong fan base?

Four areas stand out; sound, usability, upgradeability, and affordability. During product development Cyrus Audio devotes considerable resources to "tuning" the sound presentation of their products. Decisions on component values and source, circuit topologies and design parameters are all carefully evaluated for maximum musical enjoyment within the constraints of the manufacturing budget. This is not a latest feature versus cost saving exercise of the larger corporations but more like TV cooking shows where master chefs compete to make a delicious meal given a basic set of ingredients. Both art and science are involved A tuned Cyrus system. Musical events are transient in nature. Key to the Cyrus Audio house sound is burst power availability (greater than 2000 watts in the case of the MonoX300 monoblock power amplifier), and fast slew rates ( - how rapidly an amplifier's output reflects changes at the input)

Besides great sound there is enormous satisfaction having a hi-fi system do the job you need it to do - easily. Some otherwise good hi-fi products are let down by an insufficient analysis of how they are used. Take the Cyrus n-remote for example. Consider how useful it is to have a remote with a built-in screen that has WiFi and IR capability for both analog and digital interfacing. It is rechargeable, backlit, bi-directional, motion sensing and programmable; this is well thought-out remote. All Cyrus products have undergone a thorough product requirements design review as you might expect from a forward thinking experienced audio company.

Cyrus enthusiasts become attached to their gear so it's great to be able to expand a system as circumstances change. Cyrus Audio is upgradeable in several ways. All integrated amplifiers have a pre-amp output so you can add a more powerful power amplifier if you get bigger speakers and/or move into a larger room. This also opens the door to bi-amping. Some power amplifiers are switchable between stereo or mono mode so you can start with one power amplifier in stereo mode and than add another one configuring each as a mono-block later on. All but the entry level components can be enhanced by an external regulated power supply. This ultra low noise power supply - rather like a DC battery - enhances dynamic range and clarity. One advantage of a separate pre-amplifier and power amplifier is that each has its own power supply - there is no interaction from sharing. Intelligent circuits will "un-share" the power supply in Cyrus's mid-level integrated amplifier automatically when adding the PSXr upgrade so the sensitive preamp stages get the super low noise regulated power supply and the main transformer now only has to supply the power amp stage. It should be mentioned in passing that many Cyrus Audio components have separate internal transformers for signal path and control functions. As you upgrade, or add new functionality like a streamer, you can add shelves to accommodate the new components to the Cyrus Hark Rack.

The entry level integrated amplifier - a What HiFi component of the year winner 2013 - has programmable inputs, dual zone outputs, a headphone socket a pre-amp output, and may be supplied with an internal DAC. It is an affordable platform to get into Hi-Fi and considering its single piece cast aluminum alloy unibody case rather good value! The mid-level 8 series components offer greater capability with more upgradeability and X series high end components offer outstanding performance where the $ have gone into the sound rather than exorbitant metal-work. KEF, Spendor and Wilson-Benesch loudspeakers all work well with Cyrus.

STOP PRESS

Rega are celebrating 40 years in the industry and are just beginning to release in the UK the highly anticipated and newly revised mid-level components. They consist of the new Aria MM/MC phono stage, the 100 watt Elicit-R integrated amplifier and the Saturn-R CD player. We are now taking pre-orders for the Aria and the Elicit-R (both black finish only). There will be a waiting list for these. See kemela's Rega page for more details We also now have the remarkable skeletal RP8 turntable.

Wilson-Benesch have been making waves with their flagship Cardinal loudspeaker from the latest geometry series. The loudspeaker is a hugely important release for the company representing the culmination of years of R&D and manufacturing excellence. The latest - 17 page - Cardinal review completely validates the tremendous effort that has gone into this indisputably state of the art loudspeaker. kemela is proud to have several Wilson-Benesch models to audition including the Vector, also from the geometry series, and the Discovery from the Odyssey series, which despite being 10 years old in design, is still in production and continues to be highly rated (and one of my favorites). Coupled with a Wilson-Benesch Torus sub bass generator(subwoofer) both of these speakers stand out from the crowd for their portrayal of real naturally faithful sound with a strong "you are there" presence.

With our great experience with KEF loudspeakers we have now completed the line up with a 203/2 reference level speaker. KEF's reference loudspeakers are truly reference level. Hand built in the UK with gorgeous cabinets containing 0.5dB matched drivers, adjustable high and low frequency environment control, tri-wiring, a calibration plot, you get your moneys worth especially after you hear the stunningly informative and realistic sound. We are very excited to have KEF's Blade loudspeakers - the world's first apparent point source loudspeaker. Certainly this approach proves itself within seconds of hearing the Blades. Localization within the large 3D sound stage is incredibly precise. Vocalists in Broadway shows for example are "planted" in 3-dimensional space and are realistically sized. Very few speakers are able to render both of these attributes.
The multi-awarding winning KEF LS50 50th anniversary speakers are very popular. This very good looking speaker has the best bass and soundstage we have heard from a small speaker; the KEF R300 is more powerful still and has captured the local marketplace for a 3-way bookshelf speaker and should be auditioned alongside the LS50.

kemela is the major dealer for KEF loudspeakers in the southeast. KEF has been going from strength to strength offering several ranges of outstanding speakers at various price levels that are of very high quality and class leading performance. The key to this performance is a top UK based R&D team, 50 years of solid technical expertise, quality manufacturing, and good management.

SPOTLIGHT ON SYSTEMS

As part of the website upgrade a "systems menu" has been put in place that will be further developed and expanded over the next few months. This provides a convenient way to peruse complete systems at different price levels starting with two REGA systems. As evidence that matching components is not always easy, opinions about the sound of loudspeakers within the on-line community, for example, are sometimes diametrically opposed. Generally brands which make all the components work well together.