March 18, 2010, Newsflash
 
 
 
 
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Dick Olsher's CES 2010 Comments
In the Absolute Sound
April/May 2010 ISSUE
 202
 
 
 
"The Lotus Group Granada loudspeaker. Responsible for the most musically enjoyable
 
demo I have experienced in almost 30 years of show attendance." 
 
We thought we would share with you Dick Olsher's comments about our CES exhibition that are in the current issue of The Absolute Sound. (See page 66).  To date, the Granada Loudspeaker has earned a great deal of praise from many influential reviewers, all of which we are grateful for.  Jonathan Valin's comments from his AVGuide.com blog were printed in this same issue and appeared in an earlier News letter of ours.  In this issue, he lists all of the loudspeakers that were the "Best of Show" for him, and we are again listed. 
 
Dick Olsher awarded the Lotus Group Granada Loudspeaker "Best of Show" in three categories:
 
Best Sound
 
"The Lotus Group Granada loudspeaker - by a mile. A perfect amalgam of old (Feastrex field-coil full range driver) and new (DSP) technologies yeilds a full-range open baffle design of intense musicality."
 
Greatest Technological Breakthrough
 
 "Digital signal processing as applied to the open-baffle woofer array of the Lotus Group Granada speaker."
 
Most Significant New Product or Company
 
 "The Lotus Group Granada loudspeaker. Responsible for the most musically enjoyable demo I have experienced in almost 30 years of show attendance."
 
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New Feature: Our website now features our current newsletter(s) on the home page with a link to the archive page.  Now you can refer to our past newsletters in html format.
 
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 The SMc VRE-1
Virtual Reality Engine Preamplifier
The Latest Creation from the Legendary
Steve McCormack
 
-

 

The Lotus Group is proud to announce that it has been granted the exclusive rights of worldwide distribution for the SMc VRE-1 Virtual Reality Engine Preamplifier.

 

"a conduit to the sound of the master tape"

(This section appeared in our last newsletter, but we felt it was important to include it again for those who may not have seen it.) 

Perhaps once in a decade a product comes along that represents a breakthrough in any given category.  We like to think that the Granada Loudspeaker represents one such development, but the better a loudspeaker is, the more faithfully it delivers the signal it is fed, the more dependent it is on the equipment that drives it to reveal its full potential.  We have come to understand that in a system, every component matters, but in the search for the holy grail of high end performance, the preamplifier may be seen as occupying the preeminent position of "main driving force".  The influence of the preamplifier is central and dramatic.  Typically, the preamplifier acts as a filter that only grudgingly allows a small portion of the musical event to be released - in much the same way that the spillway of a dam only releases a trickle of the tremendous energy that is stored behind the dam's massive wall. One does not know one is missing the "real" event, until it is revealed in its true majesty and glory. Encountering it can be a life changing experience.

We had the opportunity to experience such an event in our own room at CES when Steve McCormack brought us his VRE-1 preamplifier to test during the show. The VRE-1 brought our Granada based system to a level of resolution we had not previously encountered.  Because of the tremendous synergy between these two products, and because it makes every sense for The Lotus Group to participate in the promotion of the VRE-1 and future products that Steve McCormack intends to develop, we engaged in a dialogue with him about the possibility of our becoming involved. 

What to expect from the VRE-1:

· Perfect, coherent clarity - seamless character top-to-bottom, with no region

emphasized or lacking, and no vagueness, muddiness, smearing, or veil

 

· Top-to-bottom transparency - that "see-through" quality that gives you the feeling of

looking out across the room or venue of the original recording

 

· Effortless dynamic expression - from the quietest passages to the loudest, the VRE-1

portrays all of the music's dynamic power and subtlety - from the thunderous strike of a drum

to the almost subliminal shift of a singer's breath

 

· Pinpoint focus and localization - instruments and voices are placed solidly within a 3-D sound field, their musical lines clearly individuated

 

· Emotional connection with the music - perhaps the most elusive and important quality

of all

 

· The ability to do all of the above at any volume level.

 

· Elegant simplicity of design and intuitive operation

 

· Beautiful non-resonant chassis - solid-surface technology contributes to performance

 

· Safe, reliable, low-voltage operation generates practically no heat

 

· Absolute reliability and stability. The VRE-1 will always be ready to deliver beautiful

music, whether it is new or many years old.

 

Features:

 

·          Circuit design combines the best aspects of active & passive performance

·          Discrete, wideband JFET circuit uses no feedback

·          Precision stepped-attenuator for accurate volume adjustment

·          Beautiful, heavy, non-resonant enclosure contributes to outstanding sonics

·          Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs 

·          Lundahl and Jensen coupling transformers enhance performance

·          No DC leakage, no ground loops, and no RFI issues

·          Completely stable and reliable

·          No heat, no noise, no ground loops, low voltage design

·          External choke-filtered power supply for superior sonic purity

·          Unrivaled transparency and neutrality; incredible dynamic expression

·          A true "window onto the performance."

 

Our faith in the VRE-1 is such that we invite you to compare it with anything costing anything. 

 

Now available through audio retailers.  Introductory retail price: $14,950

The Lotus Group
Distributes
these fine products:
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Contact us by phone:
 
415-897-8884
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dear Contact First Name
 
JoePhoto
Thank you...  
 
...to Dick Olsher and Jonathan Valin, Robert Harley, Greg Weaver, Roger Gordon, Jim Merod and all others who have commented so favorably on the Granada loudspeaker.
 
Greg Weaver and Jim Merod were on hand for the transition to the SMc VRE-1 preamplifier, which brought the entire system to a new level.  A special thank you goes to Jim Merod for the recommendation of the VRE-1. Now I owe him a big debt of gratitude.
 
 
You can read other comments about our CES and RMAF systems here:
 
 
 
 
 
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Acoustic Revive 
 
 
Acoustic Revive's New LineR Solid Core PCOCCA Interconnect
 
 
 
 Acoustic Revive's New LineX Solid Core PCOCCA Interconnect 
 
A new assault on high end performance at an affordable price: beginning at $325 Retail
 
Reports are coming back from dealers that the new Line Series is a major category buster at these prices. 
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Coming Soon
 
 The Hanss Acoustics T-10 Turntable
 
With magnetically levitating platter, built-in preamplifier, OL-1 fully modified arm that plugs into the built in preamp allowing unlimited upgrade potential.  Offered as a complete package at an extremely competitive price.
 
We will keep you posted! 
 
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Our Sales Manager 

 
Ben Goldman has been appointed as our new Sales Manager. Ben brings a whole host of skills and many long term relationships with him including stints at Harman Specialty Group as International Sales Manager (Mark Levinson, Lexicon, Revel) and U.S. Western Regional Manager for Mark Levinson, Business Development Manager at Linn, Inc. and Business Development Manager at HI-I, LLC.  His expertise includes not only high end audio but pro audio and the field of a/v installation as well.
Ben can be reached at ben@lotusgroupusa.com. 
 
 
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Read a review of Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks performing in Grand Rapids, last week: click here
 
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Thanks for taking the time to read this.  Don't hesitate to call us if you have any questions at all. 
 
 
All best thoughts, 

 
 
Joe Cohen
The Lotus Group