Archive - Nuts About Hi-Fi Blog


focal sopra 3 group

I heard the Sopra 3’s and I was blown away!

5 stars

“Over the years I’ve listened to a number of high-end speakers. Although I heard a few that I thought were just as good, I never found speakers that were dramatically better. Then, on a visit to Nuts About Hi Fi, I heard the Sopra 3’s and I was blown away! They are significantly better than my beloved KEFs! They have an amazing presence, clarity and naturalness, combined with a precise soundstage that allows you to hear the interactions between the dozens of different instruments in a symphony orchestra in impressive detail! They also do a wonderful job with jazz, folk, rock, world music and the other genres that I’ve sampled. After auditioning the Sopras, I had to have them even though they were over the budget I had set. I’m quite happy that I did because the SOPRAs have taken me a major step closer to the elusive goal of faithfully reproducing the experience of a live performances at home. Although I doubt that recorded music will ever totally capture the experience of attending concerts in person, with these speakers, high quality electronics, 4K video and DTS-HD audio I am finding that it’s possible to come pretty damn close!”

D. S.

OVER THE MOON – Aesthetix Mimas Integrated Hybrid Amplifier

The new issue of The Absolute Sound magazine includes an article and review of one of our favorite components, the Mimas Integrated Hybrid Amplifier from Aesthetix.

Reviewer Neil Gader writes:

“For me, the Aesthetix Mimas is the very definition of what I am seeking today in an integrated amplifier—unalloyed transparency and musicality served up with rich reserves of power.”

Download and read this excellent and in-depth article about the Aesthetic Mimas:
OVER THE MOON – Aesthetix Mimas Integrated Hybrid Amplifier (PDF – 1.6mb)

Incredible Remodel

We recently wrapped up an extensive audio/video system for one of our best customer’s newly remodeled home. Making all of the equipment hidden was an important requirement for this house. This is achieved by hiding all of electronics in the downstairs Media Room cabinets. Including the Marantz receivers, Kaleidescape Movie Server, Roku Ultras, Sooloos, and Pakedge networking. All of the speakers are in-wall mounted, including the JL Audio subwoofer in the living room.

The video for the living room and master bedroom are done with Samsung’s The Frame TVs with custom dark wood matching bezels, allowing the TVs to look like art pieces when not in use.

URC’s Total Control keypads and remotes are installed throughout, but you can always control the system with your phone or tablet.

Focal 300 Series in-wall speakers are throughout the whole house adding to the fun factor.

For the Media Room, a pairing of JVC and Screen Innovations bring the movie off the wall. The full Dolby Atmos system is running through a Marantz AV8805, AnthemAV A Series amplifiers, Focal IW1002BE speakers, and two JL Audio Fathom F113 subwoofers. Let’s just say, this room rocks! We are really happy with how this house came together, hope you are too.

What can we say, but WOW!

“We have known Jim Lee and Nuts About Hi-Fi for many years. So, recently when our Home Theater receiver of 10 years began acting strangely, particularly with respect to dialogue (the center channel would go out) and our TV of the same vintage started showing signs of a rapidly deteriorating picture, we called Matt at Nuts for a consult. Ultimately, we wound up ordering a new Anthem 5.2 channel Home Theater receiver and a Samsung 49” TV, both exactly what we needed and both reasonable cost components. Matt didn’t push us to purchase more than we needed. The components were ordered and arrived when he said they would. As an aside to working with Matt, it’s important to note that he has spent a fair amount of time on the phone with me sorting out technical problems, mostly with my old two channel system. He’s done this with a great spirit and a lot of expertise.

Part Two of the saga is the delivery and installation of the new components, something we have always done ourselves. Right as scheduled, Adam from Nuts arrived with the new components and proceeded to remove the old stuff and install the new. He ran the setup programs and proprietary room correction software and sorted everything out. I am sure I could have eventually done what Adam did in about two hours, but in a couple of weeks. Audio/video gear has gotten very complicated now, initial set up is very important and Adam was more than up to the task. Nuts was also willing to recycle the old components.

So, what can we say, but wow! The new TV is so clear, bright, colorful and with stunning resolution, it’s like nothing we’ve seen. The receiver is equally amazing with the most notable improvement being in two channel music reproduction. The sound is so much better detailed using the room correction software with the same speakers that we had before, it’s hard to believe.

A great experience with Nuts About HiFi.”

PB and MJH

Outdoor Media Center

This has definitely been one of my all time favorite projects. Good friends and clients decided to add to their beautiful home some outdoor entertainment. It was a bit of a challenge as we didn’t want the screen and speaker system to distract from their beautiful view or their custom built fireplace.

So we brainstormed and came up with the idea to install a motorized swing hinge for a 65″ Samsung flat screen TV. We also installed 5 of the new Focal in-ceiling 300ICW8 speakers. For the Bass, we used an Episode outdoor subwoofer which was hidden inside the firebox.

All the other electronics are housed in the adjacent living room entertainment cabinet. The new Marantz’s New SR 7013  was used along with Kaleidescape’s Strato ULTRA HD movie and concert digital library system. To automate the system we installed URC’s new MX-990 universal remote.

This system sounds so good and certainly has that “James Bond” affect when you see the TV magically come out of the ceiling.

Thanks to you two again for allowing us to work with you all these years. It just keeps getting better.

Jim Lee