May 20, 2013: One more New York Show report from Fred Crane of Stereodesk.com…Fred spent a lot of time in our rooms toward the very end of the show and came away mighty impressed with MAD and PureAudio! http://stereodesk.com/blogs/news/7830653-the-new-york-audio-show-part-3-on-90-minutes-sleep

May 18, 2013: Colleen Cardas Imports will be exhibiting at the upcoming T.H.E. Show in Newport Beach, California on May 31-June 2. Our system will consist of the Unison Research Giro turntable, PureAudio Vinyl phono preamplfier, Unison Research Unico CDE CD player, Unison Research Sinfonia integrated amplfier and Opera Seconda loudspeakers, with all cabling and power management by Furutech. We will be located in Room 525 of the Hilton, so come see us! For more information on the show, please visit the T.H.E. website at http://theshownewport.com/visitors/index.html.

May 13, 2013: More great coverage of the New York Audio Show by Part-Time Audiophile…he covers our rooms in this installment! http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/new-york-audio-show-part-2/?page=4

May 2, 2013: CCI will be at the Lone Star Audio Fest 2013 in Dallas, Texas on May 3-5. LSAF will be held at the Embassy Suites in North Dallas Park Central. For more details, check out http://thevinylanachronist.blogspot.com/2013/05/cci-at-2013-lone-star-audio-fest.html.

May 1, 2013: Review of the PureAudio Control preamplifier in the French magazine Audio Federation: http://www.audiofederation.fr/pure-audio/test-pure-audio-pure-control-preamplifier. For an English translation, check out the PureAudio website at http://www.pureaudio.co.nz/?page_id=249.

April 24, 2013: Check out Andre Marc’s review of the Opera Mezzas at Audio/Video Revolution! Andre says, “They offered the quickest, most nimble timing I have heard at anywhere near this price point. They were light on their feet, and extremely precise. Imaging and detail retrieval were very impressive.” Thanks, Andre! You can read the review at http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-loudspeakers/bookshelf-monitor-loudspeakers/opera-mezza-loudspeakers-review.html.

April 16, 2013: CCI is proud to announce that Care Audio in Edison, New Jersey is now a dealer for My Audio Design loudspeakers. Sunil Lekhi, the proprietor, showed the MAD Baron loudspeakers at the New York Audio Show and was able to get them to perform brilliantly! If you live in New Jersey and you need to audition a pair of MAD loudspeakers, please visit the Care Audio website at http://www.care-audio.com, call Sunil at 917-747-5984 or email him at slekhi108@yahoo.com. Please note that Care Audio is a brand new store, so this contact information will change in the near future.

April 15, 2013: We are proud to announce that Audio Renaissance in Rochester, New York is now a dealer for Opera Loudspeakers. Audio Renaissance is a store that is BIG on analog, and we are honored that they have included Opera. If you want more information on Opera and you live in the Western New York State are, please visit the Audio Renaissance website at http://www.audiorenaissancerochester.com or call proprietor Craig Sypnier at 585-272-7898. You can also email Craig at craig@audiorenaissancerochester.com.

April 14, 2013: The May issue of Stereophile is out, and Sam Tellig gives the new Opera Mezza loudspeakers a rave review. Sam says the Mezzas are the “classic Italian mini-monitor–the type of loudspeaker for which Italy is known.” Thanks, Sam!

April 7, 2013:  CCI is proud to announce that Tenace Home Music and Cinema Systems in Fulton, New York is now an official dealer for both Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers! Shayne Tenace has been in the hi-end audio industry for many years, and he is using his knowledge and expertise to help audiophiles in Upstate New York achieve their sonic dreams! Visit Shayne’s website at http://www.tenaceav.com , email him at shaynet@yahoo.com or give him a call at 315-530-3591 for more information on Unison Research and Opera.

April 5, 2013: A pair of Baron louspeakers from My Audio Designs, in a beautiful gloss black, were just finished in the MAD factory in the UK and now it’s on the way to the US for the New York Audio Show! You can hear it in the Care Audio room, which is just next door to the CCI room–suite 1019! We’re looking forward to seeing and hearing this masterpiece. For more info on the Baron, check out http://www.madengland.com/loudspeakers/baron.php.

April 2, 2013: We are proud to announce that Jeff Joseph of Joseph Audio will be using the Unison Research Unico 50 integrated amplifier in Room 1007 at the New York Audio Show next week. Jeff will be sharing the room with Channel D/Pure Music and Cardas Audio. Joseph Audio is famous for achieving great sound at audio shows, and we’re excited to supply the amplification!

March 29, 2013: CCI will be exhibiting at the upcoming New York Audio Show, which will be held at the New York Palace Hotel at the corner of Madison Avenue and 51st Street! We will be showing My Audio Design speakers, powered by PureAudio amplification and all cabling and power management will be provided by Furutech. We will be located in Room 1015, so feel free to stop by and visit with Colleen and Marc. For more information on the New York Audio Show, check out the Chester Group website at http://www.chestergroup.org/newyorkaudioshow.

March 18, 2013: We are proud to announce that our Chicago dealer for Unison Research and My Audio Design, the Tweak Studio, is now an authorized dealer for Opera Loudspeakers as well. Arnold Martinez, the proprietor of Tweak Studio, fell in love with these Italian speakers when he partnered with us at the recent AXPONA show, and he is proud to represent this legenadary brand. If you live in Chicagoland and are interested in Opera, please contact Tweak Studio at (312) 235-6561 or send an email to sales@myavstudio.com for more information.

March 12, 2013: Check out this AXPONA show report from The Part-Time Audiophile, who is now writing for the Absolute Sound’s website. He has some love for the PureAudio/MAD/SOTA/WyWires room and was deeply impressed by the MAD Duke Royal Limited, saying “the Duke Royal Limited were blithely putting out some of the most elegant sound on display at AXPONA.” Thanks, Scot! http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/axpona-2013-part-1/

March 3, 2013: Read this great preview from Stereophile on this week’s AXPONA show in Chicago at http://www.stereophile.com/content/axpona-chicago-starts-friday. It mentions the PureAudio Vinyl, Control and Reference amplification by name, as well as the My Audio Design Duke Royal Limited. CCI will be in Rooms 813 and 817. Hope to see everyone there!

February 28, 2013: CCI will be attending the grand opening for the Tweak Studio’s brand new showroom, located in the lobby of the beautiful Hyatt Regency Chicago. The Tweak Studio, along with proprietor Arnold Martinez, is our exclusive Chicago dealer for both Unison Research and My Audio Design and we will be showing off some amazing products as well as providing some interesting door prizes. The grand opening will take place on Thursday, March 7, 2013 from 9pm until midnight at 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago–in Suite 1 on the Concourse Level. This event is by invitation, and an RSVP is required. Please contact Tweak Studio at (312) 235-6561 or send an email to sales@myavstudio.com for more information.

February 21, 2013: The second CCI room at the Chicago AXPONA show, room 813, will feature an extraordinary system that includes the US debut of the PureAudio Control preamplifier and the PureAudio Reference monoblock amplifiers, along with the outstanding PureAudio Vinyl phono preamplifier we debuted at RMAF last October. We will also be using a SOTA Millenium turntable with a Soundsmith cartridge, and all cables and power management will be provided by WyWires. The loudspeakers are the incredible My Audio Design Duke Royal Limited which appeared at CES. AXPONA will be held March 8-10, 2013 at the Doubletree by Hilton O’Hare Airport. For more information, check out the AXPONA website at http://www.axpona.com/.

February 20, 2013: CCI is excited to be an exhibitor at the upcoming AXPONA show in Chicago, where we are featuring not one but two rooms of fantastic audio gear. In room 817 we will be featuring the Unison Research Simply Italy integrated amplifier coupled with the new Unison Research Unico Upower booster amp–48 wpc channel of beautiful single-ended EL34 sound. We will also have the Unison Research CDE CD player, the Opera Quinta loudspeakers, all on a Trellis rack from Splintr Designs and cabling and power management courtesy of MIT. AXPONA will be held March 8-10, 2013 at the Doubletree by Hilton O’Hare Airport. For more information, check out the AXPONA website at http://www.axpona.com/.

February 17, 2013: We are excited to announce that Sonare Coeli, our Unison Research dealer in beautiful Waupaca, Wisconsin, has just come aboard as our newest dealer for PureAudio! If you have any questions about this extraordinary line of amplifiers from New Zealand, please give Nigel Bousfield a call at 715-412-4139, visit his website at www.sonarecoeli.com or send him an email at sales@sonarecoeli.com.

February 16, 2013: CCI is proud to announce a new service center for Unison Research products–Audiotech Austin. Jack Donahue is one of the most experienced techs we’ve met; he was once one of the design engineers for dbx. You can contact Jack at 512-673-7141 or check out his website at www.audiotechaustin.com.

February 7, 2013: Check out this awesome CES/T.H.E. Show report from Dave Thomas of Stereotimes.com…he covers both the Moos Audio Aero Mini and Arnold Martinez of Tweak Studio, our My Audio Design/Unison Research dealer in Chicago: http://www.stereotimes.com/CES13DT.shtml

February 6, 2013: Check out Steve Lefkowicz’ CES coverage on Positive Feedback Online, including a visit to the Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers room. Steve says, “The system was impressive, with beautiful tone, plenty of dynamics, and excellent levels of detail.” Thanks, Steve! You can read it at http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue65/ces2012.htm

February 5, 2013: The MAD 1920 loudspeakers have just won a “Most Wanted Component” Award for 2012 from Stereotimes.com! Reviewer Dave Thomas says, “Minimalist in size and looks but when connected to a highly resolved system in a moderate listening space can be downright goosebumps-inducing.” Check it out at http://stereotimes.com/.

January 25, 2013: We are excited to announce that Ciamara, in Manhattan, is the newest US dealer for My Audio Design! If you need to audition any of these fine British loudspeakers and you live in the Greater New York area, please contact Sanjay Patel at 212-233-2898 or email him at sales@ciamara.com. You can also check out Ciamara’s website at http://ciamara.com.

January 19, 2013: We are proud to announce that Tweak Studio in Chicago is now a Unison Research dealer as well as a My Audio Design dealer! Arnold Martinez of Tweak Studio will also be one of our partners in the upcoming AXPONA show in March, and we will also help him celebrate the grand opening of his new showroom in the Hyatt Regency complex. For more information on Tweak Studio and Unison Research in the Windy City, check out the website at http://myavstudio.com/.

January 18, 2013: CCI is proud to announce that we are covering the worldwide sales and distribution for MOOS Audio of Australia, makers of the exciting Mini Aero speakers that include Scanspeak Revelator drivers, internal DACs, DSP, wireless capabilities and active design. These amazing speakers are extremely versatile and will transform the sound of computer-based audio…and much more! Check out the Mini Aero–which will start shipping this spring–at http://www.moosaudio.com/!

January 17, 2013:  CES coverage of the Unison/Opera room from our friend, the Part-Time Audiophile! Thanks, Scot! http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/01/17/ces-2013-unison-research-and-the-upower-tube-booster-amplifier/

January 15, 2013: CCI is excited to announce that Tweak Studio in Chicago is now the very first dealer for My Audio Design in the US! Owner Arnold Martinez has been instrumental in helping us get MAD to these shores, and now you’ll be able to listen to these wonderful speakers at his new store in the Windy City. For more information, check out the Tweak Studio website at http://myavstudio.com/.

January 4, 2013: CCI is proud to announce that we are now the US distributors of My Audio Design (MAD) from the UK! We have been working with designer and MAD founder Timothy Jung for many months on finally bringing these fantastic speakers to the US, and on the eve of CES we are ready to get started. Come see MAD, along with Viola and ZenSATI, at Room 30-228 at the Venetian, and hear such amazing speakers as the Duke Royal Limited, Grand MS Maestro Supreme, 1920S and 1920! For more information on MAD, check out the website at http://madengland.com.

December 28, 2012: Check out the review of the Unison Research Simply Italy in the latest issue of Positive Feedback Online at http://positive-feedback.com/Issue64/simply_italy.htm. Reviewer Francisco Duran said, “This amp is the product of a company that has long experience in designing both solid state and tube circuits. The Simply Italy shows the pedigree of both schools of design, and delivered solid and very satisfying musical performance in my system.” Thanks, Francisco!

December 28, 2012: Again we are excited to announce that the Unison Research Giro turntable just won one of the coveted 2012 Brutus Awards from Positive Feedback Online! PSF editor Dave Clark says, “I would add it to any list for anyone in the market for a table to live with for, well… forever as it should last a life time.” Thanks, Dave! http://positive-feedback.com/Issue64/brutus2.htm.

December 27, 2012: CCI is proud to announce that the Unison Research Simply Phono phono preamplifier has won an award at The 9th Annual Positive Feedback Online’s Writers’ Choice Awards for 2012 – The Best of the Best! As Michael Mercer says, “When things are at their best for me, everything melts away except me and the music hovering in the room. The Unison Research Simply Phono V2 can help get you there. It does so every day in my office system and I can write three thousand words on why I love it.” Thanks again, PFO and Mike Mercer! http://positive-feedback.com/Issue64/awards.htm.

December 21, 2012: CCI announces our official sound system for the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show next month in Las Vegas! In the Unison/Opera room (#29-117) we will feature the US debut of the Unison Research Unico Upower booster amplifier ($2695), which can… effectively quadruple the power of the well-reviewed Unison Research Simply Italy integrated amplifier ($2450). Using the amazing Unison Research CDE CD Player for a source ($3895 plus $225 for the optional DAC upgrade), we will also show off the brand new Mezza ($1495/pair) and Grand Mezza ($2795/pair) from Opera Loudspeakers. All cabling will be Clear Light from Cardas Audio. We’ll have more updates prior to CES, so stay tuned!

December 14, 2012: Check out the video coverage from A/V Showrooms of our CCI/Profundo room at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2012: http://www.avshowrooms.com/RMAF_2012_Vids_2.html.

December 10, 2012: Ken Kessler gives the PureAudio Vinyl phono pre some love in the January 2013 issue of Hi-fi News & Record Review, calling it “visually impressive.” If you want to find out how sonically impressive PureAudio is, give us a call! Check out Ken’s coverage of RMAF at http://pdf-giant.com/electronics/16472-hi-fi-news-record-review-january-2013-uk.html.

November 30, 2012: Here’s the coverage for the CCI visit to the Arizona Audio Video Club on November 28: http://thevinylanachronist.blogspot.com/2012/11/cci-visits-arizona-audio-video-club.html.

November 13, 2012: CCI is proud to announce that Colleen and Marc will be the featured guests at the November 28th meeting of the Arizona Audio Video Club! We are demoing the Unison Research Sinfonia integrated amplifier, the Unison Research Unico CDE CD player and the Opera Secondas (the same white pair that recently received rave reviews in both AV/REV.com and TONEAudio). Guests are welcome as long as they RSVP at wootsmusic@live.com. Event starts at 7pm at the Phoenix Airport Marriott, 1101 N 44th Street in Phoenix. See you there!

November 3, 2012: Great write-up on the Part-Time Audiophile site of our Blackbird Audio room at RMAF. We’re becoming huge fans of PTA, and not just because he gave us the thumb’s up. We think he’s an excellent writer–one of the very best in the industry–and if you haven’t checked out the Part-Time Audiophile yet you really should. http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2012/11/03/rmaf12-blackbird-heeds-that-funky-opera-from-simply-italy/

October 23, 2012: We are proud to announce that Ne Plus Ultra, here in Austin, Texas, is now a dealer for PureAudio! Colleen has known proprietor Casey McKee for many years, and we’re excited to partner with him to represent this stellar gear in the great state of Texas. For more information on Ne Plus Ultra or PureAudio, visit Casey’s website at www.neplusultrainc.com or call him at (512) 241-0000.

October 23, 2012: Great RMAF 2012 show report from our very own Dan Muzquiz of Blackbird Audio Gallery: http://www.blackbirdaudio.com/Blackbird_Audio_Gallery/News_and_notes/Entries/2012/10/18_The_Rocky_Mountain_Audio_Feast%2C_2012.html

October 22, 2012: Be sure to check out the new issue of TONEAudio, no. 49, which features a review of the Opera Seconda loudspeakers. You can download the magazine at http://www.tonepublications.com/MAGPDF/TA_049.pdf. Reviewer Jerold O’Brien says, “…at a relatively affordable $3,995 a pair, they offer incredible value, ranking highly on the wife-acceptance factor and also delivering great performance for the price.” Thanks, Jerold!

October 21, 2012: Great mention of our room at RMAF 2012 in the new edition of Positive Feedback Online: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue63/rmafc1.htm.

October 17, 2012: Check out our Rocky Mountain Audio Fest write up in the Stereophile blog! http://www.stereophile.com/content/blackbird-audiogallery-colleen-cardas-imports-yulunga.

October 17, 2012: We are proud to announce that Blu Note Design in Denver, Colorado is the newest authorized dealer for Unison Research! The new Blu Note Design store in University Hills will be a state of the art center for home theater, two-channel audio a nd the latest in home design technologies. This is truly a spectacular, cutting edge enterprise and CCI is extremely proud to be a part of it. Please check out the Blu Note website at http://blunotedesign.com/ for more information.

October 15, 2012: CCI is proud to announce Blackbird Audio Gallery as the first PureAudio dealer in the US! Dan Muzquiz was able to evaluate the new PureAudio Vinyl preamplifier in his room system at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2012 and was so impressed with its performance that he jumped at the chance to represent this incredible New Zealand line. To find out more information on PureAudio products, please visit Dan’s website at www.blackbirdaudio.com.

October 8, 2012: Check out the review of the Unison Research Unico CD Primo on the Hi-fi Pig website at http://hifipig.com/unison-research-unico-cd-primo/.

October 6, 2012: Check out the review of the Opera Secondas in the latest issue of Audio/Video Revolution at http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-loudspeakers/speaker-systems/opera-seconda-loudspeakers-review.html! Reviewer Andre Marc says, “The fact that they exude Italian artistry in appearance, are fairly easy to drive, and are bi-wirable, make them an easy recommendation for an audition if you value musical beauty. It bears repeating these speakers have soul. Un altro lavoro ben fatto!” Thanks, Andre!

October 3, 2012: Colleen Cardas Imports will be teaming with Profundo and Blackbird Audio/Gallery at the upcoming Rocky Mountain Audio Fest where we will be debuting the new Opera Grand Mezza speakers. We will also feature the Simply Italy integrated amplifier, Unico CDE CD player and Giro turntable from Unison Research. RMAF 2012 will take place at the Dever Marriott Tech Center Hotel in Denver, Colorado on October 12-14, 2012. Come up and see us on the 11th floor, room 1113.

October 1, 2012: Soundstage! magazine just covered the new Classica Line from Opera Loudspeakers for their TAVES show report from Toronto. Check out their coverage and beautiful pics at http://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=272%3Aopera-audios-linea-classica-beautiful-speakers-for-a-beautiful-price&catid=91%3Ataves-2012-general&Itemid=339.

September 30, 2012: We have just received the first US pair of the new Grand Mezza 2012 loudspeakers from Opera. The Grand Mezza is a slim floorstander, slotted between the Mezza and the Seconda, and it’s a true 3-way design with a Scanspeaker silk dome tweeter, a 5″ SEAS midrange and two 5″ SEAS woofers. The US price will be just $2795 per pair. See more of the Grand Mezza at http://www.operaloudspeakers.com/en/collezione/classica/8/opera-grand-mezza.html.

September 6, 2012: Check out TONEAudio’s review of the Unison Research S6 integrated amplifier (one of our very favorites in the line) at http://www.tonepublications.com/review/unison-research-s6-integrated/. Jeff Dorgay says, “This amplifier is more than just a nice tube integrated; it is a work of audio art.  It’s an amplifier that should be put on a pedestal with a wonderful painting above it.” Thanks, Jeff!

September 4, 2012: It’s a busy week at CCI! Opera Loudspeakers has just introduced its center channel speaker, the Centrale, which is designed to match all of the speakers in the Classica Line. US retail price is just $995, and the Centrale comes wrapped in leather in white or black.

September 4, 2012: We have also set the US retail price of the PureAudio Reference Class A Monoblocks at $15,500 per pair. These remarkable amps have 65 wpc of pure Class A power, a fully regulated high current power supply, automatic signal sensing, 12V trigger connections and a non-magnetic and non-resonant chassis. These amps are even compact and relatively easy to move around, unlike most high-quality monoblock amplifiers. Give us a call at 512-262-6280 for more information.

September 3, 2012: We have set the US retail price for the PureAudio Control preamplifier at $9500. The Control features true dual mono construction with separate power supplies, automated input selection, remote control and a non-magnetic and non-resonant chassis. This minimalist design (there’s only one knob on the entire faceplate!) ensures that the signal emerges from the output terminals as pure as it was at the inputs. The Control is an amazing achievement and will quickly become a benchmark for preamplifier design. Contact us for more info at 512-262-6280!

September 2, 2012: Marc Phillips’ third entry of “Diary of a Mad Exhibitor,” focusing on CCI’s participation in the California Audio Show held last month, is also in the new issue of Positive Feedback Online: http://positive-feedback.com/Issue63/cas.htm.

September 1, 2012: Check out Michael Mercer’s review of the Simply Phono phono stage in the current issue of Positive Feedback Online–http://positive-feedback.com/Issue63/unison_simplyphono.htm. Mike loved it so much that he bought it. He says, “Check it out if you’re in the market for what I would consider a reference-level tube phonostage, but you can’t afford to spend five to ten grand! The Simply Phono is simple in its form, but soulful in its performance.”

August 31, 2012:  As the new US distributors of PureAudio, our first order of business at CCI is to set the US retail price of the Vinyl phono preamplifier. The retail price of the PureAudio Vinyl preamplifier will be $4500. This is an incredible phono stage, one of the best we’ve ever heard, and we think it is an incredible value at this price!

August 30, 2012: Colleen Cardas Imports is proud to announce that we are the new US distributors and importers of PureAudio of New Zealand! Headed by Gary Morrison and Ross Stevens, the duo who were responsible for Plinius’ most successful designs, PureAudio offers true Class A operation, dual mono construction on all its models and innovative and durable construction. This beautiful gear designed to last for many decades, and we are proud to represent it. Please check out the PureAudio website at http://www.pureaudio.co.nz/ for more information!

August 13, 2012: The price has now been set for the incredible new Opera Mezza loudspeakers. We have decided on an introductory price of $1495 per pair for mahogany and cherry, and $1595 per pair for gloss white and gloss black. The price will probably go up in 2013, so now is the time to check these out!

July 23, 2012: We are proud to announce that Sweet Spot Home Theaters & High-End Audio in Goodyear, Arizona is now an Opera Loudspeakers dealer! Bill has been an Opera dealer in the past and excited to be carrying the new models. If you are anywhere in the Phoenix area and wish to audition the new Quinta and Seconda, the upcoming Mezza and Grand Mezza or the legendary Callas and Grand Callas, please give Bill Coomes a call at 623-533-4433. You can also visit the Sweet Spot website at www.billcoomesllc.vpweb.com or email him at kokopelliaudiophile@netzero.net.

July 21, 2012: The review of the Simply Italy integrated amplifier just appeared in the August 2012 issue of Stereophile! Sam Tellig loved the Simply Italy so much that he bought one for himself. Thanks, Sam…and enjoy!

July 14, 2012: Check out this review of the Unison Research Unico CDE player in the latest issue of Audio/Video Revolution! Reviewer Andre Marc says, “Ultimately, what separates special source components, amplifications, and speakers from the rest is their ability to allow you to experience a performance rather than just listening to a recording. The CDE was the most impressive CD player I have heard in this regard.” Thanks, Andre! Read the entire review at http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-audio-sources/cd-players/unison-research-unico-cde-cd-player-review.html

May 21, 2012: Bartolomeo Nasta of Unison and Opera just returned from the Far East, and he discovered that THE hot combination out there is Unison Research tube amplifiers with the Tannoy Prestige speaker line. (This match is also becoming very popular in the UK!) So if you own a pair of Tannoy Prestige loudspeakers and you’re looking for a magic amplifier to run them, we have the answer! CCI also has two dealers, Blackbird Audio Gallery and the Audio Doctor, who carry both lines!

May 14, 2012: Part 2 of Marc Phillips’ Diary of a Mad Exhibitor series for Positive Feedback Online: the Lone Star Audio Fest! http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue61/lsaf.htm. Marc talks about partnering with Polk Audio for LSAF 2012 and shows off the Unison Research Simply Italy, Unico Nuovo and Unico CDE.

May 10, 2012: We are proud to announce that Magnum Opus Audio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is officially a dealer for Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers! Owner Andrew Byer has carried both lines in the past, and he is extremely knowledgeable about the products. If you’re in Florida, you can call Andrew at (954) 873-7005. or visit the Magnum Opus Audio website at www.magnumopusaudio.com. Welcome, Andrew!

May 7, 2012: Here’s coverage of the 2012 Lone Star Audio Fest held in Dallas on May 4-6: http://thevinylanachronist.blogspot.com/2012/05/lone-star-audio-fest-2012.html. Colleen and Marc had a great time partnering with Russ Gates of Polk Audio and Chris Sommovigo of Black Cat Cables!

May 1, 2012: Check out Andre Marc’s rave review of the Unison Research Primo integrated amplifier in Positive Feedback Online: http://positive-feedback.com/Issue61/unison.htm. He says: “The Unico Primo hybrid integrated amplifier is a beautiful component, both sonically, and visually. It combines the best of both worlds, with quiet operation, and a smooth, harmonically rich performance across the whole frequency spectrum.”

April 13, 2012: CCI is proud to announce that we will be partnering with Polk Audio at the upcoming Lone Star Audio Fest in Dallas, Texas. Polk will be showing off their new LSiM705 speakers (we heard the flagship LSiM707 speakers last year at LSAF, and we were mightily impressed), and we will be hooking them up to a Unison Research Unico Nuovo integrated amplifier and Unico CDE CD player. The Lone Star Audio Fest will be held from May 4-6, 2012, at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Park Central. You can find out more info at http://lonestaraudiofest.com/.

April 10, 2012: Dave Clark reviews the Giro turntable for Positive Feedback Online and earns his highest recommendation: “…the Giro is a wonderful table that offers the end user so much for relatively little when compared to what other tables are running for these days.” Thanks, Dave! http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue60/giro.htm.

March 19, 2012: Colleen and Marc have just had the first installment of their “He Said, She Said” column published on Positive Feedback Online! Titled “Pink Turntables on Parade,” it discusses high-end audio’s attempts to market to woo women audiophiles: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue60/pink.htm

March 17, 2012: Steve Guttenberg included the Giro turntable in his CNET article on the most beautiful turntables in the world. Thanks, Steve! http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57398855-47/the-worlds-most-beautiful-turntables/?tag=cnetRiver.

March 13, 2012: Great write-up in the Stereophile blog about our dealer event at Audio Doctor in New Jersey! http://www.stereophile.com/content/unison-research-demos-audio-doctor.

March 8, 2012: CCI’s visit to Fidelis AV in Derry, New Hampshire: http://thevinylanachronist.blogspot.com/.

March 6, 2012: Andre Marc of AVRev.com just reviewed the Unico CD Primo, and it’s a rave review! He said: “There are a number of very good players at the $2500 price point. While I have not heard all of them — nobody has — I have heard quite a few. The CDPrimo would be my top choice if I was shopping for a CD player in this range.” Thanks, Andre! You can read the review and an interview with CCI at http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-audio-sources/cd-players/unison-research-cdprimo-cd-player-review.html.

March 5, 2012: We are proud to announce our newest dealer in Santa Cruz, California–Mike Gliksman of High Value AV. If you’re in the Santa Cruz area, you can contact Mike at 831-423-5523, check out his website at http://www.highvalueav.com or email hime at mike@highvalueav.com. Welcome aboard, Mike!

February 29, 2012: Here’s some more CES coverage from the Sound Federation blog. The speakers in the pics are obviously the new Quintas. Thanks! http://audiofederation.com/blog/archives/999

February 28, 2012: We are proud to announce our newest dealer in Sherman Oaks, California–Jeff Kaplan of Kaplan Design Audio Solutions! If you’re in the Los Angeles area, you can contact Jeff at 323-952-4630, check out his website at http://www.kaplanhtdesign.com/, or email him at jeff@kaplanhtdesign.com. Welcome aboard, Jeff!

February 19, 2012: We just heard from Michael Mercer, who is currently reviewing the Simply Phono for Positive Feedback Online. His comment: “Phonostage is KILLER, expect a VERY positive scroll …” We think that for $2450 (with the optional outboard power supply), there’s no phono stage we’d rather use in our reference system!

January 29, 2012: Colleen and Marc are happy to announce their next dealer event at the Audio Doctor in Jersey City, New Jersey! This will happen on March 3, 2012, and we’ll be demonstrating–along with proprietor Dave Lalin–several products from Unison Research. We’ll add more details as the event nears, so stay tuned. You can also find out more about Audio Doctor by checking out Dave’s website at www.audiodoctor.com. See you there!

January 25, 2012: CCI is proud to announce our newest dealer, Audio Vision SF in San Francisco! If you are located in the Bay Area and would like more information on Opera Loudspeakers and Unison Research, please contact Randy and Antonio at info@audiovisionsf.com or check out their website at www.audiovisionsf.com!

January 21, 2012: Another great mention from Steve Lefkowicz of Positive Feedback Online about our room at CES: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue59/cessl1.htm. You’ll have to scroll almost all the way down to catch his praise for our Unison/Opera room!

January 18, 2012: Robert Deutsch of Stereophile gave us a great write-up! http://www.stereophile.com/content/operatic-opera-speakers

January 17, 2012: Marc’s first piece for Positive Feedback Online, which chronicles CCI’s adventures at CES 2012, is now online at http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue59/ces.htm!

January 17, 2012: We are proud to announce our new dealer in Wisconsin–Sonare Coeli! We have known Nigel Bousfield, the proprietor, for quite some time and we are proud to welcome him to the Unison and Opera family! If you’re in Wisconsin and would like to learn more about Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers, please contact Nigel at info@sonarecoeli.com or visit his website at www.sonarecoeli.com.

December 29, 2011: We have just set the US prices for the new Quinta and Seconda floorstanding loudspeakers from Opera. The Quinta will be $5495 per pair and the Seconda will be $3995 per pair. These sleek beauties will be available in cherry, mahogany, piano black and white.

December 29, 2011: We’re finally getting a chance to evaluate the new Unico 50 integrated, a 120 wpc hybrid powerhouse, before we bring it to CES. (Here it is with the matching Unico CDE CD player behind it.) It is powerful, especially in the bass, but we were struck by the extended, effortless treble. This is a true dual mono design (all connections are separated by left and right channel on the back panel, mirror-image) with tons of features including balanced inputs, 4 and 8 ohm speaker taps and more. This amp does it all for just $4495!

December 28, 2011: The Simply Italy is currently making its US debut–in our listening room! This little 12wpc amp offers a huge chunk of the performance of its big brother, the $4895 S6 for roughly half the price. Right now it’s a stellar match with Trenner & Friedl ARTs, even though the ARTs are only 85 dB efficient (albeit with an 8 ohm impedance). This little gem is amazing, even right out of the box. We can’t wait for it to break in some more! Just $2450.

December 22, 2011: Congratulations to Dave Lalin of Audio Doctor, our New Jersey dealer, for getting a great write-up in Stereophile from Stephen Mejias: http://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-doctor-searching-best-everything. Here’s what Stephen had to say about our Unison Unico Primo integrated and Primo CD player: “Now Lalin switches to the new Unison Research Unico Primo integrated amplifier ($2295) and CDE CD player ($3895).  This combination presents a large leap up in drama, scale, richness of color, and overall physicality.  Everything has grown in size; it sounds like we’re listening to bigger speakers.  I’m at once impressed by the Unison Research gear and annoyed by my Exposure components; I find myself wondering how I might afford the Unico.” Way to go, Dave!

December 21, 2011: CCI is proud to announce that our Unison Research Giro turntable with UN1 cartridge will be featured in the Joseph Audio Room at the 2012 CES. If you’ve ever heard Jeff Joseph’s amazing loudspeakers such as the Pearl, the Perspective and the Pulsar, you’ll know how excited we are that he asked to use our turntable! You’ll be able to see and hear the Giro at Suite 29-140.

December 21, 2011: It’s time to get ready for the 2012 CES in Las Vegas! We will be demonstrating two separate systems in room 29-117 at The Venetian. The featured products will be the Unico 50, S6 and Simply Italy integrated amplifiers; the Unico CD Primo and Unico CDE CD players and the Opera Quinta and Seconda loudspeakers. This will be the US debut of the Unico 50, Simply Italy and both speakers! All cabling, power cords and line conditioning will be supplied by our partners at Audience. CES 2012 will take place January 10-13, 2012. See you there!

December 21, 2011: We have just set the US price on the new Simply Italy integrated amplifier from Unison Research. This beautiful all-tube amplfier offers 12 beautiful watts per channel and looks like a miniature version of the extraordinary S6 integrated amplfier. At 33 lbs., it’s a much heftier design than it looks. We will have it here at CCI later this week and we’ll test it in our reference system before it heads off for its debut at the 2012 CES. The price? Just $2450!

December 13, 2011: CCI is proud to announce that Whetstone Audio right here in Austin, Texas, has decided to become a Unison Research and Opera Loudspeaker dealer! We’ve known Brian DiFrank for quite some time, and we’re proud to have him on board. Check out Brian’s website at www.whetstoneaudio.com or contact him at brian@whetstoneaudio.com for more information on Opera and Unison in Central Texas.

December 5, 2011: CCI is happy to announce that Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers will be partnering with Audience in our room at CES! We will be featuring Au24 ICs, power cords and speaker cables, along with one of their power conditioners. The cables have already arrived at CCI, and we’ll be evaluating them in the coming weeks. For more information, check out the Audience website at http://www.audience-av.com/cables/

December 4, 2011: The first review of our Giro turntable on TONEAudio! http://www.tonepublications.com/analogaholic/the-unison-research-giro-simple-pretty-different/

November 30, 2011: Check out the Vinyl Anachronist blog for a report on our Hootenanny at Whetstone Audio on December 2! http://thevinylanachronist.blogspot.com/2011/12/whetstone-audio-hootenanny.html

November 29, 2011: Our dealer in New Jersey, Dave Lalin of Audio Doctor, hosted Stereophile writer and editor Stephen Mejias at his store for the first US audition of the Unison Research Unico 50! Dave reports that Stephen loved the sound of the 50, and Dave himself was truly excited by the rhythmic drive and wonderful sound this brand new amp provides. CCI will be getting one of these units in next week, and we’ll see if Dave is right!

November 26, 2011: AT WHETSTONE AUDIO HERE IN AUSTIN TX: “December 2nd, I will be hosting a night with Colleen Cardas Imports & Bob Clarke of Profundo. Two excellent distributors that have recently moved to Austin. They will be bringing some interesting hi-fi gear to listen to.” Read more at http://www.whetstoneaudio.com/?page_id=666

November 23, 2011: Our upcoming Hootenanny at Whetstone Audio on December 2 just got a little press coverage on the Stereophile website. As someone who has subscribed to the magazine since 1985, I find this very exciting–even more so than when they started publishing my letters to the editor back in 1990 or so!

As I write this, we’re gearing up for the event. It looks like we’ll have two separate systems on display at Whetstone. Bob Clarke will have a system showing off the new Trenner & Friedl Pharoahs (pictured above) backed up by a full system of Heed Audio components. For those of you who follow my blog, you’ll know how much I love Heed and how well they match up with Trenner & Friedl loudspeakers.

Colleen and I are still planning out our system. Although we intended on featuring the brand new Unico 50 integrated amplifier, the truth is that we’re selling almost every unit we can import. We also have one of the first Unico 50s in the US making the rounds with several reviewers. In other words, we may not have one available, but we will have the extraordinary S6 all-tubed integrated instead. This is one of my absolute favorites in the Unico line (I haven’t heard the 50 yet), and I think it’s really going to be a huge hit at the event.

We’re also going to try to bring my Unison Research Giro turntable to the event. It’s the only one currently in the US, and right now it’s being reviewed by TONEAudio, so I’m hoping to get it back in time.

The Hootenany will be held at Whetstone Audio here in Austin from 6 to 9pm on December 2. Whetstone is located at 2401 East 6th Street #1001, Austin, TX. The phone number is (512)477-8503. Please come out and meet with me, Colleen Cardas, Bob Clarke and
Brian Di Frank. If this event is a success, we’ll plan on future events at Whetstone on a regular basis.

November 17, 2011: Here’s a great write-up by dealer Dan Muzquiz on his addition of the Unison Research and Opera Loudspeaker brands to his already stellar lineup: http://www.blackbirdaudio.com/Blackbird_Audio_Gallery/News_and_notes/Entries/2011/11/11_New_Arrivals_at_Blackbird_Audio_Gallery.html

October 3, 2011: We would like to welcome both Fidelis AV and SoundWaves to the CCI fold this week! Both are now dealers for Unison Research and Opera Loudspeakers. Both dealers have carried these two brands in the past, and we’re happy to include them both as we re-introduce these stunning products to the US!