Pioneer rolls out luxury Elite G-Clef CD players, amps
updated 12:25 pm EDT, Thu August 5, 2010
Pioneer shows four Elite G-Clef audio components
Pioneer Electronics on Thursday introduced four new high-style Elite G-Clef home theater components. The new range is made up of the SX-A6MK2 and SX-A9MK2 stereo amplifiers as well as the PD-D6MK2 and PD-D9MK2 CD players. The devices are said to be developed with "meticulous attention to detail" for hardened audiophiles. Each is fine-tuned and certified by AIR Studio sound engineers for more accurate sound.
The amplifiers share a Twin Mono Symmetrical construction for ideal electrical isolation between both channels from input to output. The left and right channel amplifiers and power supplies are independent and exact mirror images of each other. Signal path is also as short as possible in each circuit block for minimal distortion of the output.
The $700 SX-A6MK2 has twin EL transformers while the $1,500 SX-A9MK2 uses twin toroidal transformers for higher efficiency and lower magnetic leakage. The SX-A9MK2 gets a USB input for playing MPEG or FLAC music. It also has more aluminum in its construction and gets a headphone output, a pre-amp output and a sound retriever, while its volume control is motorized. The lesser receiver is rated at 60W per channel, while the latter has a 70W power output.
The $700 Elite G-Clef CD/SACD PD-D6MK2 player has Burr-Brown converters and the $1,500 PD-D9MK2 gets Twin Wolfson D/A converters. Each has Pioneer's own Legato Link Conversion PRO software to recreate the ultra-high harmonics lost while converting digital files. Hi-Bit technology expands sound data length from 16-bit to 24-bit to widen the perceived range.
The PD-D9MK2's honeycomb chassis has hexagon-shaped imprints in the plates to dissipate vibrations and jitter.
The four Elite G-Clef home theater components are due to ship later in August at prices of $750 and $1,600 for the D6MK2 and D9MK2 CD players and matching prices for the A6MK2 and A9MK2 amps.
Elite G-Clef SX-A6MK2
Elite G-Clef SX-A9MK2
Elite G-Clef PD-D6MK2-K
Elite G-Clef PD-D6MK2-K
