November has arrived at Music Direct, which means our all-new 2021 catalog (complete with iconic cover which even I don’t know who’s on it!) will begin mailing very soon! At a whopping 304 pages, it arrives stocked with informative features on our best-selling gear; in-depth profiles of just-announced and newly released components; authoritative prose and sensible layouts detailing a massive assortment of new, classic, and reissue titles on vinyl; peeks at a bevy of accessories and tweaks; and more—all in glorious color with eye-popping images and photography! Among the highlights:

Britain’s Leak Audio has been resurrected. Its first relaunch products comprise the Stereo 130 integrated amplifier and companion CDT CD transport. Borne with the ancestral DNA of the Stereo 30, Stereo 130 fuses a 45Wpc Class AB integrated with an onboard ESS-chipped DAC that outputs DSD-level playback of your fave files and streams. Analog spinners will take note of Stereo 130’s surprisingly musical MM-only phono section, making it a worthy pairing with ‘table/cart combos like MoFi’s StudioDeck. A high-resolution Bluetooth receiver satiates the needs of music lovers requiring the ease of wireless playback without compromise. The attractive CDT is a great mate for Stereo 130. It has a simple interface for playback of popular file formats via its USB input as well as your cherished CD collection.

Also new to the book are Yamaha’s well-regarded integrated amplifiers, which receive enhanced internal makeovers via the A-S1200, A-S2200, and A-S3200 models. Each retains the "natural sound" ethos, but ups the music reproduction with trickle-down technology gleaned from the launch of the flagship 5000 Series separates. Denon and Marantz, as reported earlier, recently rolled out their latest product offerings. Denon celebrated its 110th anniversary with a suite of limited-run components that represents the highest engineering principles possible in components of their stature. Similarly, Marantz’s Model 30 components speak to the music lover in all of us with their Marantz Sound Master-tuned Class D amplifiers—as well as a commitment to accurate physical media playback for SACD users. Luxman, Balanced Audio Technology, and NAD are among other brands that have amplifier refreshes and new announcements.

Switching gears to loudspeakers, Wharfedale’s all-new Diamond 12 Series throws down the gauntlet when it comes to high-performance, high-value audiophile sound. Benefitting from noted engineer Karl-Heinz Fink (Fink Team) at the drawing board, Wharfedale’s longest-running budget line yet again takes radical design departures with visually pleasing cabinets and room-filling sound. JBL’s HDI Series also joins a parade of new speaker introductions. The brilliantly executed models offer exceptional operation via High Definition Imaging waveguides that generate some of the widest soundstages possible. Not to be forgotten, Klipsch’s Reference Premiere line offers its own remarkable approach to compression driver engineering via vented titanium tweeters and Tractrix horns. Powered speakers also make a big splash, particularly in the form of KEF’s LS50 Wireless II, outfitted with pioneering Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT).

In cables and power management, products from IsoTek, AudioQuest, and Shunyata will have lips flapping. Britain’s IsoTek offers a one-two-punch power conditioner and sine-wave generator to purify the AC to your components with its EVO3, while AudioQuest advances 8K video reproduction with its 48 Series HDMI cables. Shunyata, always thinking ahead, recently unleashed v2 versions of its critically acclaimed cables. Plus, the company's newest power conditioner, Everest, is a towering achievement that has already won significant awards from The Absolute Sound. Turning to isolation, MoFi Electronics’s Ultra Low Noise Feet represent an extension of its award-winning turntables by incorporating design concepts reached in collaboration with Harmonic Resolution Systems. Also, the family of IsoAcoustics’ isolation systems grows with the all-new zaZen, a platform vetted for most turntables and electronics up to 40 pounds. We could continue for hours (after all, we've not talked about turntables, cartridges, DACs, racks, or new headphones from Sennheiser, Klipsch, Campfire Audio, and Shure) but we really want you to see all of the hardware goodies for yourself in the book.

Ditto the treasure trove of vinyl LPs and SACDs. Indeed, the catalog's lengthy music section is a veritable history lesson in rock, pop, jazz, classical, and more, with audiophile-grade pressings receiving their own real estate and artists getting the treatment they deserve. And, for those who really want to see if their collection is complete, 14 pages of line lists at the back contain 1000s of additional titles not shown in the main section. Trust us: 2020 has been a great year for new vinyl.

Finally, if for some reason, you've never seen our catalog, let us amend that oversight. Simply join our mailing list and we’ll send you a copy (US residents only).

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