Nirvana Sound at the StereoNet Australian Hi-Fi Show 2024
October 2024
A new Helix Two Mk3 was in full flight at the Hey Now Hi-Fi room at the StereoNet Australian Hi-Fi Show in Melbourne in October 2024. The room was a huge success according to patrons of the show with ‘dwell time’ being so high that…
Nirvana Sound will be at the StereoNet HiFi & AV Show!
September 2024
Nirvana Sound will be supporting our Melbourne partner Hey Now HiFi at the upcoming StereoNet HiFi & AV Show in Melbourne, 11-13 October 2024. We invite you to visit the Hey Now room, meet Geoff and join us for a catch up, some great music and a chance to win a fantastic prize.
Stage III Leviathan Power Cords win an Editor’s Choice Award
September 2024
Stage III Concepts cables are continuing to astound those that discover them. Recently, Matej Isak from Mono & Stereo has given the Stage III Concepts Leviathan Power Cord an Editor’s Choice Award.
“For what they represent on the musical scale, and for what they deliver dynamically while always remaining in tune and sync with the music, I am more than happy to recognize Stage III Concepts Leviathan power cable with the 2024 Mono and Stereo, Editor’s Choice Award.”
What HIFI? Visit Wilson Benesch
August 2024
Ketan Bharadia of What HIFI? recently visited the Falcon House, the Wilson Benesch factory, to see first hand how Wilson Benesch design, manufacture and in turn assemble by hand its range of loudspeakers, subwoofers, turntables, tonearms, cartridges and hi-fi racking systems. His report recognises the long industrial heritage and history of engineering in Sheffield and also acknowledges Wilson Benesch’s place within it. Having been established in 1989, Wilson Benesch celebrates its 35th Anniversary year in 2024. As Ketan writes, Wilson Benesch has pioneered in the use of advanced materials within its products since its foundation, namely in the use of carbon fibre composites.
What also stands out is the recognition of the vertical alignment of Wilson Benesch. The company is distinctly different from all of its competitors in this regard. Counter to a more conventional business structure of assembly of finished components from third party OEM suppliers, often with almost all manufacturing being done off site with third party manufacturers, Wilson Benesch has consistently invested in plant and machinery allowing it to integrate almost all of its manufacturing within the same building that also houses not only the assembly of products, but also almost all development and design. Ketan draws a line directly from this structure to the release of State-of-the-Art products like the new GMT® One System and Prime Meridian System Turntables and also then acknowledges the advantages that this has given Wilson Benesch in the development and manufacture of all of its own drive technologies entirely in house. The conclusion to the report is in the brand new listening and development facilities in the factory listening room. The main system in the Wilson Benesch factory listening room is comprised of its flagship Eminence loudspeakers, IGx Infrasonic Generator, GMT® One System Turntable and Trilogy Amplifiers.
Ketan’s experience and conclusion from this sonic experience!?
Zellaton at the 2024 Tokyo International Audio Show
July 2024
Zellaton demonstrated their superb Plural Evo speakers at the recent Tokyo International Audio Show through their partner AXISS. The room was a hit with attendees, who commented that the Zellaton demonstration had outstanding realism, dynamics and tonal shading. Michael Schwab from Zellaton personally attended the show and enjoyed engaging with the vibrant community of music lovers who attended.
Dohmann Helix One Mk3 Wins HiFi+ Award
January 2024
Australian’s own Döhmann Audio added another major award to their growing list of recent accolades this year with a major acknowledgement from HiFi+, based in England and one of the most respectable and long-established high-end audio magazines in the world. The Helix One Mk3 won the category “Turntable – Cost No Object”, prompting the judges to say “The Döhmann Audio Helix One Mk3 is a remarkable turntable that represents the pinnacle of vinyl replay… You are rewarded with a new level of sound quality previously only open to those in the studio control room when recording.” Debuting a suite of new technologies that have never been applied to audio, the new Helix One Mk3 has been stunning audiophiles around the world and will be a feature of the Sydney HiFi show in April and the Munich High End Show in May.
Learn more
Döhmann Helix One Mk3 Titanium
Döhmann Helix One Mk3 Black
Stenheim Alumine Two SE wins SoundStage! Australia Award
December 2023
Following an excellent review by Barry James Johnston in November 2023, the Stenheim Alumine Two SE Loudspeakers have received a SoundStage! Australia Product of the Year Award for outstanding performance.
“No fuss, no esoteric nonsense in their aesthetics, just pure simple, elegant, albeit slightly brutalist designs, well-engineered crossovers, and extremely well thought out fit and finish. And above all else, they perform. This is a purist’s company, an engineer’s company, an intellectual offering in a sea of ever-increasing eclectic exoticism.”
Nirvana Sound transitions to distribution
November 2023
Since our foundation in 2018, our intention was to be a pure distributor of a small selection of the highest quality high-end audio brands. However, the decision was made to eventually open a showroom and deal directly with our clients under a retail model. In the last four years, we have enjoyed organising events, listening evenings and conducting private auditions to the highest standards. Watching a large community of dedicated music and audio enthusiasts grow into what we consider to be our family has been the greatest highlight. However, we simply got too busy and the strain on our resources was significant so in November 2023, we made the difficult decision to revert back to a distribution model and support a carefully selected network of dealers and consultants to deliver great customer experiences.
Mutech Hayabusa now available in Australia
October 2023
Considered to be the most exciting MC cartridge to arrive in many years, the RM Kanda MUTECH Hayabusa is finally available in Australia. It is the first ‘yoke-less’ design, which refers to the absence of a traditional yoke in the design and incorporates a ‘Ring Magnet’, which refers to the shape of the magnet in the design. The ideal of low impedance and high output is considered the holy grail of MC cartridge design and this was a ground-breaking design. These engineering attributes manifest sonically as incredible rendition of inner detail, the expression of very subtle timbral & spatial information as well as very low distortion and colouration. The Hayabusa has instantly become a modern classic. A paradigm shifting musical experience!
Wilson Benesch Fibonacci Speaker Range Now Available in Australia
March 2023
Nirvana Sound, in conjunction with Wilson Benesch, the leader in high-performance loudspeaker design and manufacturing, is pleased to announce the new Fibonacci Series loudspeaker line is available in Australia.
Since the outgoing Wilson Benesch Geometry Series was considered by many to be one of the world’s premier speaker systems, expectations were high for the new state-of-the-art Fibonacci Series. The new range does not disappoint.
Wilson Benesch have taken speaker performance to a new level and the sound quality is exceptional, with even greater resolution, natural tonality, and realism. The new range are the first speakers in the world to be constructed from the revolutionary new composite material ‘Biocarbon’ which has four times the damping factor of carbon fibre. The cabinets are single entity biocarbon monocoque construction – just like the race car chassis in Formula One. The performance in terms of internal chamber geometry, damping factor, resonance minimisation and energy management is on a level beyond anything ever witnessed in audio applications.
Nirvana Sound appointed Australian Distributor by Stenheim
March 2023
Nirvana Sound has been appointed as the new Australian distributor for Stenheim loudspeakers.
Founded in 2010 and located in Switzerland, Stenheim is a globally recognised brand that is synonymous with excellence, designing and manufacturing some of the world’s most desirable high-end loudspeakers.
They have built an enduring reputation for sound quality and have recently been given a Product of The Year award by the Absolute Sound USA for their superb Alumine Five SE speaker.
Nirvana Sound are elated to have the opportunity to share these amazing products with the Australian audio enthusiast community.
Döhmann Audio Helix Turntable selected by Stanford University USA for major transcription / archival project
October 2022
The Stanford Digital Repository team at Stanford University in California USA specifies, manages, and delivers digital library services, including digitisation, project management, born-digital archiving, and repository-based preservation and publishing services. Led by Hannah Frost (Assistant Director, Digital Library Services), the team works with a large cross section of the Stanford community — researchers, faculty, library curators, archivists, subject specialists and partners in the broader research library and cultural heritage communities. Their work has significant historical importance, transcribing and preserving rare and culturally significant content from the analog to the digital domain.
The team conducted a search to find the best turntable available for a major music archival project. Inspired by the work of sponsor Geoff Willard, after some extensive research and consideration, the Döhmann Audio Helix One Mk2 turntable from Australia was selected as their equipment of choice. The Döhmann suite of technologies, including the fully integrated MinusK isolation mechanism and the various resonance mitigation features were a critical factor in the decision.
Döhmann Audio built a custom Helix One platform that had the following features required by the transcription team:
- Speed flexibility from 10 RPM to 100 RPM with speed adjust and lock
- A 16 inch platter option for 16 inch transcription discs
- The ability to change the disc platter size without changing the VTA
- Custom Reference Tonearm with Removable Head Shells
- Removable Spindle for standard size pin and reduced size for eccentric discs
- Locking System for PowerBase
- Custom Left and Right Advanced Composite Armboards
The Döhmann Audio team and their USA partners were elated with the decision and proud to be involved in such a worthwhile project for the Stanford community.
Nirvana Sound appointed Australian distributor by WAM Engineering
August 2022
If you are looking for the very best tools to set up your analog system, Wally Tools by WAM Engineering should be on your short list. Building specialist set up tools since 1994, many of their tools are the only ones made of their type anywhere in the world. They are passionate about helping you to apply the mathematics, geometry and physics behind vinyl playback to allow you to START FROM CERTAINTY on your analog setup. They are now available at Nirvana Sound – Vinyl enthusiasts rejoice!
Cessaro release new Opus-I speaker
July 2022
Cessaro Horn Acoustics are renowned for their uber-high end horn loudspeaker systems which are typically rare and not as accessible to people without significant budgets. Therefore is has been with great anticipation that the world has been waiting for the long awaited Opus-I, a new type of speaker from the brand which is designed to provide the Cessaro signature sound in a physically compact, more affordable package. And boy, the Opus-I does not disappoint, with many already calling it the new ‘giant-killer’. This is one of the best speakers we have ever heard at any price and if you’re looking for a slice of esoteric sound for a smaller room without the ‘mortgage the house’ financial commitment, the Opus-I is a must audition. Now available to hear at Nirvana Sound.
Nirvana Sound at the Stereonet Show in Melbourne
June 2022
It was our pleasure to present at the recent StereoNet Hi-Fi Show at the Pullman Hotel, Albert Park in Melbourne. This was the first show after long delay due to the global pandemic and there was a warm, celebratory vibe as people returned in great numbers to experience the various offerings, buy some records and connect with fellow enthusiasts.
The Nirvana Team go to the Munich High End Show
May 2022
Nirvana’s George & Mark visited the Munich High End Show in May, providing a Dohmann Helix One Titanium turntable for the DarTZeel & Zellaton rooms. The show was a success with a celebratory feel as exhibitors and patrons were happy to re-unite for the first time since the pandemic. There were some exceptional products and you can look forward to some new brands coming to Nirvana Sound in the coming months…
Nirvana Sound moves into new offices
April 2022
Nirvana Sound has moved into brand new office & warehouse premises. The new address is 27 Viking Court, Cheltenham Vic 3192 AUSTRALIA and is co-shared with the Döhmann Audio manufacturing facility.
This move gives Nirvana Sound modern and spacious resources for its operations while the showrooms are located in Bentleigh, a five minute drive from these offices.
Stage III release uber-high performance range
March 2022
Already nestled at the pinnacle of the high-end cable world, Stage III were approached by a group of clients who made the request “What could you create if cost-no-object extreme ultimate performance was the only objective?”. The resulting Poseidon power cables, Cerberus speaker cables and Ckahron interconnects are unlike anything that has ever been created for audio applications and their ability to unleash the full potential of hi-fi systems is unprecedented.
Nirvana Sound appointed Australian distributor by Reed
February 2022
Nirvana Sound has been appointed as the new Australian distributor for Reed. Founded in 2007 and located in Lithuania, the inspiration behind this selection of tonearms and turntables is Vidmantas Triukas, an engineer who has three patented inventions in the field of acoustic behaviour of plasma in ballistic missiles! Needless to say, these products are engineering perfection, musical and works of art. Nirvana Sound are elated to have the opportunity to share these amazing products with the Australian audio enthusiast community.
Nirvana Sound appointed Australian distributor by Aesthetix
December 2021
Nirvana Sound has been appointed as the new Australian distributor for Aesthetix Audio Corporation. Founded in 1993 and located in California, USA, Aesthetix is a globally recognised brand that is synonymous with excellence, designing and manufacturing some of the world’s most desirable high-end amplifiers and DACs. They have built an enduring reputation for sound quality that has resulted in a cult-following by discerning audiophiles around the world. Nirvana Sound are elated to have the opportunity to share these amazing products with the Australian audio enthusiast community.
Nirvana Sound welcomes Sophie Le Minh to the team
November 2021
We would like to give Sophie a big welcome to the Nirvana Sound team as our Office & Operations Manager. Having grown up in Paris, Sophie is a lover of culture and an appreciator of the arts, which resonates with what Nirvana Sound celebrates. Overseeing the company’s day to day operations ranging from admin, purchasing, logistics, accounts and digital marketing, Sophie brings with her experience in systems management, customer service and a degree in ‘getting things done right’. A much-loved member of the Nirvana team, Sophie’s contagious positivity and tireless effort are central to the experience our clients receive.
German Physiks win HiFi+ Innovation Award
October 2021
German Physiks have been awarded the prestigious Innovation Award from the UK magazine HiFi+, recognising the exceptionally wide frequency response, compact size and audio performance of the DDD Driver. These qualities make the DDD Driver the most advanced omnidirectional driver in world.
Wilson Benesch, Ypsilon and Stage III impress at T.H.E Show 2021 in the USA
June 2021
We have mentioned the importance of system synergy and shared with you that there seams to be an incredible synergy between Wilson Benesch speakers, Ypsilon electronics and Stage III cables. Well, there was more evidence of it again at the first audio show to happen in the USA since the recent lockdowns, T.H.E SHOW held in June at Long Beach, California. Aaudio Imports (The distributor of these brands in the USA) are long time friends of Nirvana Sound and they exhibited a system that created a lot of attention for its sound quality. Yet again an example of system synergy of the highest order.
Nirvana Sound now open on Saturdays
June 2021
Some good news from our team! We are now open every Saturday 11am – 3pm. Outside of those hours, please contact us as we’re happy to make the showroom available to you any time, including weekdays, evenings and weekends.
You are very welcome to visit for a planned audition or simply to be left alone to enjoy music through any of our systems for as long as you like… and we make a great coffee! The showroom is located at 9 Clarence Street, East Bentleigh in Melbourne.
When you visit, remember to ask us about some of the latest music we’ve discovered.
Audience Introduces its Studio ONE and Studio TWO Cables and Power Cables.
May 2021
Improved Performance and Greater Value
Audience have announced the introduction of their Studio ONE and Studio TWO Series interconnects and speaker cables, designed to offer exceptional high-end sound quality. The Studio ONE Series replaces the previous Au24SE cable line and offers upgraded performance at no increase in price, through it now incorporates high-purity OFC (oxygen-free copper) wire and an improved XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) dielectric material. In addition, Studio ONE cables receive Audience’s proprietary EHVP Extreme High-Voltage Process, which applies high voltages in specific combinations in order to align the crystalline structure of the various metals used in the cables and facilitate more efficient signal transfer – and better sound.
Taiko release a new USB card upgrade
April 2021
Another Step Up in Performance
Taiko Audio recently released a new USB card upgrade designed from the ground up to enhance the already impressive sound quality of the SGM Extreme server and the summation of nearly three years of meticulous research and design, end-to-end engineering, and painstaking testing that the Taiko Audio team are known for.
Among many innovations, the new USB card features 6 very low-noise discrete regulator stages and a whole range of additional noise suppression circuits and a panzerholz vibration dampening enclosure containing a discrete clock circuitry using an oscillator cut to Taiko’s specifications. The new USB removes a significant amount of hash, grunge and even distortion of the stereotype “you had no idea it was there until it’s gone”. The result of this is a much more relaxing sound with a better musical “flow”, a larger dynamic range and a significant increase in separation.
Phonostage Specialists Sutherland Engineering Are Back In Australia.
August 2020
Despite being a founder of Martin Logan loudspeakers many years ago, Ron Sutherland has perhaps achieved greatest acclaim for his phonostage designs. There is a clarity of vision and an elegance in the execution of his designs, an efficient simplicity which translates to sonics which are being celebrated all over the world for their musicality, flow, and emotional communication. We are proud to announce that Nirvana Sound has been appointed as the new distributor for Sutherland Engineering and are now stocking these wonderful phono preamplifiers. If you’re an analogue enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to audition a Sutherland and bring your record collection to life.
Flagship Wilson Benesch Eminence Speakers Arrive in Australia!
July 2020
Few speakers have received the attention that the new flagship speakers from Wilson Benesch have received since their recent release. The Eminences immediately started to win awards, the most prominent being The Absolute Sound’s Product of the Year 2019 and the 2019 GOLDEN EAR awards. There are many reasons for these accolades as these speakers feature some of the most advanced technologies that have ever been applied to audio applications. The resulting sound quality is breath taking and they are now in Australia, taking place in Nirvana Sound’s reference system. We invite you to visit and experience these majestic pieces of art meets aerospace engineering.
First Fischer & Fischer Review in Australia
June 2020
After hearing the Fischer & Fischer speakers at the Munich High-End Show in 2019, we wondered why more people had not heard of this brand. Often referred to as ‘Germany’s best kept audio secret’, this specialist loudspeaker company from Fredeburg are very special. They build their cabinets from natural slate, a material that does not vibrate and absorb energy, thus making available maximum energy for the speaker to incite the surrounding air. We believe that they should be a secret no more and thanks to Travis Kelly from Soundstage!Australia, you can now read a review on the SN370AMT model, the first in the range to use the AMT high frequency driver. Available for an audition now!
Air-Tight Introduce New 211 amplifier
May 2020
20 years have passed since Air-Tight first launched the legendary ATM-211. With the subsequent release of the push-pull ATM-3211 power amplifier, the 211 tube became synonymous with the brand. As the company approaches its 35th anniversary, it has just released the new ATM-2211 Single Ended Triode mono block power amplifier and this promises to take the tradition for supreme sound to a new level. The new 32W amplifier uses a fixed bias method, DC ignition for the filament and features many improvements to the circuit, resulting in a very open, spacious, immediate and emotionally involving sound. The making of another legend.
Nirvana Sound appointed Australian distributor by AG Lifter
April 2020
Nirvana Sound is proud to announce that AG Lifter products are now available in Australia. AG Lifter is a New Zealand based engineering company with over 35 years of experience in industrial engineering which has created a range of isolation devices to improve our enjoyment of audio systems. Their range of isolation devices and racks are designed to be a mechanical diode which stops resonance from entering audio components in both directions, both externally but also internally. The resulting improvement in sound quality is substantial and is a no-brainer for those of us who are looking to upgrade and optimize the performance of our system. Another example of small boutique companies out-performing big-name brands. AG Lifter products are now available to audition. Contact Nirvana Sound.
Nirvana Sound appointed Australian distributor by Wilson Benesch
February 2020
Nirvana Sound has been appointed as the new Australian distributor for Wilson Benesch. Founded in 1989 and located in Sheffield, England, Wilson Benesch is a globally recognised brand that is synonymous with excellence, designing and manufacturing some of the world’s most desirable high-end audio products. They have built a reputation for innovation and expertise with carbon-fibre technologies, isobaric driver systems and building speakers that simply sound like no other. Nirvana Sound are elated to have the opportunity to share these amazing products with the Australian audio enthusiast community.
Nirvana Sound moves into new offices
January 2020
Nirvana Sound has moved into brand new office & warehouse premises just a couple doors down from their initial offices.
The new address is 2, 11 Friars Road, Moorabbin Vic 3189 AUSTRALIA and is co-shared with the Döhmann Audio manufacturing facility.
This move gives Nirvana Sound modern and spacious resources for its operations while the showrooms are going to be located in Bentleigh, a five minute drive from these offices.
Upwards and onwards!
Nirvana Sound welcomes Anthony Camplone to the team
January 2020
We would like to give Anthony Camplone a big welcome to the Nirvana Sound team as our inaugural General Manager. Anthony brings with him experience in customer service, a broad range of knowledge in all things audio and a passion for helping clients achieve great satisfaction with their audio system experiences. In fact, if you read our ‘about’ page, Anthony sincerely embodies those qualities and values. Most importantly, Anthony is crazy about music, having worked for a major record label in a past life and he loves nothing more than to talk about great music – look out for his recommendations in our ‘music’ section. We can’t wait for you to meet him.
Nirvana Sound receives a Diamond Dealer Award 2019 from Kirmuss Audio
January 2020
In the words of Kirmuss Audio:
The winners of our Diamond Dealer Award and our recognition bestowed is presented to those Dealers or Distributors that showcase their commitment to record restoration offering their clients the “total analog experience” and where we recognize their excellence in their sales and marketing of our Award Winning and Globally Acclaimed, Kirmuss Audio Ultimate Ultrasonic Record Restoration System. This is a top tier status that is reserved for Dealers that have done the most to showcase the Kirmuss Audio System. Some were very innovative in their marketing. As a result, they also are recognized as an indirect custodian of those prized vinyl’s cherished by their clients and in spreading the word: “Keep those Records Spinning”.
Nirvana Sound wishes to thank Kirmuss Audio for this award and feels that the Kirmuss Audio Ultimate Ultrasonic Record Restoration System is an accomplished, great value product that needs to find its way into the life of everyone that regularly spins vinyl.
Döhmann Audio Helix Two is awarded the Soundstage! Australia Product of the Year 2019 Award
January 2020
The Döhmann Audio Helix Two Mk2 has been selected as the winner of the SoundStage! Australia Products of the Year 2019 Award in the Innovation in Design category. This is an annual award given by the SoundStage! Network which places importance on a product that offers a point of difference in terms of unique features, advanced engineering or innovative design.
The Döhmann Helix Two turntable was launched May 2017 at the Munich High-End show. The Helix Two incorporated significant features of the Helix One in a smaller, self-contained footprint with the facility for a single arm using interchangeable arm boards. Since its launch, the Helix Two has been reviewed as one of the best sounding turntables available by many audiophile publications.
In October 2019, Döhmann Audio released an updated version of the Helix 2, called the Mk2 version. It incorporates a new custom-made Swiss motor, new internal electronics, an outboard power supply, speed adjust functionality and some new improved high frequency absorption technology. The upgrades take what is already a premium performance turntable and make it even better with an even lower noise floor, improved dynamics, resolution and timing.
Ralph Krebs from Cessaro visits Australia
August 2019
We have been very fortunate to have just ben visited from Ralph Krebs, the founder and driving force behind Cessaro Horn Acoustics in Germany. Ralph is globally considered to be a true expert in horn loudspeaker design with his creations gracing the listening spaces of some of the world’s most accomplished audio systems. Ralph arrived in Sydney to personally oversee the installation of two sets of Alpha II speaker systems for Nirvana Sound clients, which is indicative of the level of service that Cessaro owners experience. Good times were had during Ralph’s visit with many benefitting from his insights, story telling and sense of humour. Thank you Ralph for making the effort to come such a long way and we look forward to your next visit.