Melco celebrates 45 years with anniversary model
Melco celebrates 45 years with anniversary model
The Japanese digital music library specialist announces
45th-anniversary champagne gold N10 library (£7,499)
19th October 2020, Surrey, UK: To celebrate 45 years of hi-fi design and
manufacturing, Japanese digital music library specialist, Melco, has launched a
special 45th-anniversary version of its flagship half-width library, the N10
45th Anniversary Limited Edition.
Finished in an exclusive celebratory
champagne gold, Melco will produce just 50 N10 45th Anniversary Limited Edition
units, which will only be available in Europe. The special edition is supplied
in an exclusive presentation box containing an official Melco certificate, pen,
chopsticks, coaster, notepad and USB drive.
In line with the rest of Melco’s EX
Series range, the N10 45th Anniversary Limited Edition will benefit from the
recently introduced EX Series upgrades (including Roon compatibility via USB
download), which represent a major step forward for the audiophile-grade
platform. The EX Series
upgrades centre around the introduction of a powerful software suite, Melco
Intelligent Music Library (MIML), plus vTuner Internet radio and web control
(from internet-connected devices). Crucially, the special edition N10 also
benefits from a capacity upgrade, from 3 TB to a 5 TB HDD.
Melco’s General Manager Dan Raggett said,
“Melco’s founder Makoto Maki is unfortunately no longer with us, but I believe
he would have really loved the N10 45th Anniversary Limited Edition. It brings
back the nostalgia of ‘70s Japanese hi-fi with its colour and looks. With great
aesthetics combined with fantastic sound quality, the N10 45th Anniversary
Limited Edition really is a stand out product. The team in Japan have worked
really hard to realise this product in what has been a truly challenging year.
Those 50 music lovers lucky enough to get their hands on one, will own a lovely
piece of Melco history.”
More about the two-box N10 45th
Anniversary Limited Edition
The half-width N10 has been designed
to offer even better audio performance than the full-width N1Z series, while
offering a highly convenient form factor. Housed in two units, each 215mm wide,
the N10 comprises a head unit, with all the processing electronics and the data
connectivity, plus a power unit, containing a low-noise linear power supply and
power management. Separating the units allows total isolation from noise
pollution, as well as isolating vibration from the power transformer.
The power supply uses advanced
techniques to minimise both internal noise and also external noise which might
affect the main hi-fi system. It features an IEC 3 wire mains supply with a
properly defined ground reference point. Connectivity between the power unit
and the head unit is by a flexible cord with Neutrik multi-pin connectors.
The casework is high-quality solid
aluminium, including solid aluminium end-cheeks. Multiple elements ensure total
rigidity and the isolation of all components to ensure maximum sound quality.
The 215mm width also perfectly matches Melco’s D100 CD loader, E100 Expansion drive
and recently introduced S100 data switch.
N10 45th
Anniversary Limited Edition features and benefits
The N10 uses the same extreme
low-noise, high-precision digital music dataflow as the wider Melco EX Series
and has been designed from the ground up as an audio-specific device: it uses
no standard IT components or PC parts.
A new low-profile mainboard uses the
exact same RISC processor and architecture as the N1Z series ensuring very low
noise with precise data management; the N10 mainboard is optimised for extreme
sound quality.
Twin Ethernet ports are retained, with
the dedicated Ethernet Player port connecting directly to the network player
without an intervening data switch, ensuring that packet order and timing is
maintained.
Internal storage is a 5 TB HDD, easily
expandable by either a USB HDD or for best results, the dedicated Melco E100
expansion drive. Data rates up to 32-bit/384 kHz and Octo DSD are supported, as
well as gapless and markerless DSD.
Compatible with USB DACs, control is either
via the Melco app, from the front panel, or from an approved third-party RF
Remote handset. The N10 will operate with both USB DACs and Ethernet-connected
players, even without connection to a data network in standalone Isolated Mode.
CD importing is easy with either the
Melco D100 external CD loader or an IT-grade optical drive for less demanding
use. Melco does not put an IT-grade loader inside the N10 as it both
compromises sound quality and also reduces reliability, due to the disposable
nature of IT drives. Music backup is as easy and plugging in a USB HDD and
pressing a single button.
Direct download of Hi-Res files from
HighresAudio.com and other vendors is supported for error-free downloading. A
front panel USB socket is specified for convenient importing from USB devices,
direct play without importing and for the connection of a USB DAC.
Price and availability
N10 45th
Anniversary Limited Edition £7,499 (available in Europe (only) from October 26th)
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