Continuum - Fifth Anniversary

A message for Continuum Audio Labs customers and dealers Important changes you should know about as we celebrate our fifth anniversary and look forward to our next five years. [ read more... ]

We have done it again!
Stereophile have selected the Criterion Copperhead as Analogue Product of the Year 2008
We would like to thank the Stereophile team and all of our customers for their support. We believe the Criterion Copperhead to be at the pinnacle of Analog Engineering.

Criterion Reviews:
a. Stereophile Vol 31, No.3, March 2008
b. Tone Audio Issue 15  http://tonepublications.com/MAGPDF/TA_015.pdf
c. German magazine Image Hifi

ATLANTA, GA April 27 2005 Warner Brothers records with Rhino/Reprise recently announced that they have hired Steve Hoffman, one of the world's most revered mastering engineers, to undertake the most ambitious vinyl reissue program of any major label in recent history. Steve will be mastering with cutter Kevin Gray at Kevin's AcousTech Mastering and records will be pressed on 180 gram virgin vinyl at RTI - all are being cut in true analog from original Warner Brothers/Reprise stereo master mixes - some of which have been untouched for 35 years.

Steve Hoffman shares, "The old "EQ Cutting Masters" had compromises built in to the sound of the tapes. In the old days the tapes were routinely EQ'd, compressed and sometimes filtered to make it easy for needles to track the groove. When I bypass those tapes the original untouched master mixes reveal a whole new scene; detailed, beautiful sounding dynamic music appears and we can cut this directly onto a phonograph record."

At Mr. Hoffman's request, Signals-SuperFi, LLC, in concert with Continuum Audio Labs of Australia, will provide a Criterion turntable and Copperhead tonearm for test-pressing evaluation. Asked why he chose Continuum for the job, Steve remarked, "I heard the Continuum Criterion turntable with the special Copperhead tonearm at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show and was impressed by the resolving sound. This system will be perfect for my evaluation of the Rhino/WB/Reprise vinyl 180 gram test pressings from RTI."

"We're terribly excited about the project," confides Chris Sommovigo, owner of Signals-SuperFi and distributor of Continuum's record players in North America. "The fact that Warner Bros./Reprise/Rhino is showing this much commitment to the vinyl format - to not just cut and release LPs from the old EQ Masters but to hire Steve to re-master the albums entirely - is really fantastic news for vinyl lovers. Continuum's analog gear will give Steve the kind of tool that no mastering engineer has had at his disposal before, and Steve will - in turn - be delivering some of the best vinyl ever set onto a turntable."

About Steve Hoffman
STEVE HOFFMAN - Award-winning Recording, Mastering and Restoration Engineer - Has compiled, mastered and released over 1,000 record albums and compact discs to critical acclaim.
He has remastered over 500 Audiophile quality Compact Discs and LP's working with such artists as: The Eagles, The Doors, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Nat 'King' Cole, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Cream, The Cars, Blondie, Jim Croce, Linda Ronstadt, Jethro Tull, The Doobie Brothers, Jackson Browne, Steve Miller Band, Elton John, Van Halen, Bonnie Raitt, Al Green, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Art Pepper, Rod Stewart, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Wes Montgomery and many, many, others. Visit www.SteveHoffman.tv for more information about Steve Hoffman's activities.

This year Continuum Audio Labs showed the Criterion turntable and Copperhead tone-arm in conjunction with our Benelux importer (O.L.S) and W.O.D Audio in Germany. The system consisted of reference Wavac products, Kharma Exquisite Reference 1E loudspeakers and wired with Kharma Enigma cables as provided by W.O.D audio. We were pleased by how well the Criterion was received.

We also met up with our distributors from Russia, Bulgaria, Japan, Hong Kong, Scandinavia & Korea besides developing new relationships in Greece. In addition we had the pleasure in meeting Giulio Cesare Ricci (President of Fone records) and had an illuminating discussion on how his company makes its records, and it was fascinating to learn about the attention to detail taken at every step of the process. The Munich High-End show is one of the best organized shows in the world, with great rooms, easy navigation as all rooms are under one roof and in most cases reasonably good sonics. Finally it is important to mention the excellent tucker (food) we had and Munich once again provided us with a couple of evenings to remember.

Audio experts say investing in high priced hi-fi is money well spent.
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/11/11/ultimate.hifi/index.html
"Such is the effort poured into some hi-fi apparatus that some firms, including Australia's Continuum Audio Labs, whose Caliburn turntable retails at up to US$ 112,000, have reputedly received approaches from serious scientists amazed by breakthroughs such as levitating shelving units."

A picture from our first ever show CES 2005 Las Vegas. The start of it all!