GLOW Audio News

                               

 

 All GLOW Audio Music Reviews can be read HERE. 

 

 

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Superior Sounding, Artfully Designed Audio Gear

 

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Why Tubes?

For those customers who have owned or currently own tube amplifiers, you already know the answer. But every day, we get emails from folks who just found out about GLOW, and who want to know if a tube amplifier really makes such a big difference in their musical enjoyment.

So for those of you who are new to tube amplification, we would like to share some comments contained in a famous paper on the subject by Russell O. Hamm, first published in the Journal of The Audio Engineering Society and presented at the 43rd Convention of the Audio Engineering Society of New York. (Google “Russell O. Hamm Tubes versus Transistors” for the whole study). While the study focused on tube recordings, the author makes clear that the results apply to tube playback via tube power amplifiers. Below are some of the comments that reflect our own conclusions after years of listening and testing various tube and transistor based gear:

 

“…the middle range of tube recordings is very clear, each instrument has presence, even at very low playback levels. Transistor recordings tend to emphasize the sibilants and cymbals, especially at low levels.”

 

 "Transistor recordings are very clean but they lack the 'air' of a good tube recording."

 

"With tubes there is a space between the instruments even when they play loud..."

 

“ … transistors added a lot of musically unrelated harmonics or white noise, especially on attack transients….. a "shattered glass" sound that restricted the dynamics…… tubes did not have this problem because they overload gently. “

 

"Transistor records sound restricted like they're under a blanket. Tube records jump out of the speaker at you....Transistors have highs and lows but there is no punch to the sound."

 

“When we heard an unusually loud and clear popular-music studio recording, we tried to trace its origin. In almost every case we found that the recording console had vacuum-tube preamplifiers.”

 

 “Our extensive checking has indicated only two areas where vacuum-tube circuitry makes a definite audible difference in the sound quality: microphone preamplifiers and power amplifiers driving speakers or disc cutters. Both are applications where there is a mechanical-electrical interface.”

   
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May 2011 - Dear GLOW customers, following is an email we received from a recent GLOW customer, and our response. 

 

“I am on the wait list for the 2011 GLOW Amp. When I can expect to receive my order? Your website indicates there has been a delay, but doesn’t say much about when I can expect delivery.  I am hoping it is soon, I feel like I’ve been waiting forever!”

 

Our sincere apologies to the many GLOW customers who have placed advance orders for our 2011 amp. While we have periodically posted information on the reasons for the production delay here on the GLOW NEWS page, we are now sending emails to each individual on our wait list, and will provide more specific information to all customers as it becomes available.

As indicated previously on our website, the unforseen delay is due to a shortage of certain critical components.  According to our suppliers, the availability of these critical parts has been disrupted due to the recent devastating events in Japan.  From large companies like Toyota to small companies like ours, there has been a ripple effect as a result of the disruption in the supply of parts. Several suppliers have offered to provide us with "comparable" parts from other sources, but our engineers have rejected that option. We want to be able to assure our customers that the parts that go into the amp are authentic, and come from the original source.

We have now received word from our suppliers that sufficient stock of the original parts should be available within the next few weeks.  The parts will be individually tested and the units finally assembled. Each amp will be finally tested, prior to shipment. Because of these circumstances, we are now looking at a July delivery for the 2011 Amp One. We hope it will be sooner. We can assure you that we will do our best to get the product delivered as soon as possible, and we will update you with our progress. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding!

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2011 Audio Expo of North America (AXPONA) Show Report.  Below are comments from Dagogo.com equipment reviewer, Laurence Borden,
on the sound of the humble little GLOW Amp One, powering the spectacular Sonist Concerto 4 loudspeakers ($5,895 per pair):
 
 "The sound was sweet, dynamic, and all-in-all a pleasure to listen to. Very good sound at bargain prices." 

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April 2011 -  GLOW Amp One customers: Thank you for your pre-orders for the 2011 version of the acclaimed GLOW Audio Amp One; we are receiving a large volume of pre-orders. 

Due to issues with parts availability, the shipping date for the 2011 GLOW Amp One has been pushed back. We apologize for this unexpected delay. 

Like a lot of companies, we are experiencing delays in receiving parts sourced from Japan; our supplier has indicated that this is a direct result of the recent disasters in that country.

We had the option of using locally made equivalent parts in order to ship by mid April, but we rejected that option because we cannot be assured that the alternative parts are manufactured to the same standards as the Japanese components. Rather than take that risk, we have agreed to give our suppliers more time to acquire the back ordered original parts from the Japanese manufacturers.

Consequently, we have had to adjust our shipping date, originally scheduled for April 17.  We apologize for the inconvenience this unexpected delay may cause, but can assure you ..... the 2011 GLOW Amp One is worth the wait!  Thanks for your patience and understanding.

 

 

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The GLOW Amp One is  being exhibited at AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) April 14, 2011 – April 17, in Atlanta, Georgia. For more info regarding this premier audio show, click AXPONA.

GLOW is showing with SONIST high end loudspeakers. SONIST loudspeakers are designed specifically to match up with single ended tube amplifiers; this is a combination made in heaven.

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With unsolicited testimony like this, who needs to advertise?


"Dear Glow folks,

I've been building my own tube amps
for guitars for years, and own a
1978 McIntosh MC2300 that I've had
since it was new, but I have to admit
your Glow Amp One might just be the best
sounding tube amp I've ever heard, the
5th harmonic distortion is so smooth and
balanced that it really reproduces the
original content of the input better than
even my beloved McIntosh, and at a great
price. I had to open her up and take a look,
and all I can say is that your manufacturing
techniques are first class,and the wiring
is top notch.  Love the 'rolling' tube
bias circuit control, very similar to
the Marshall systems of the mid '70's Plexi
guitar amps that you have to love. Just
thought I'd share."

Patrick Belden
Belden Music & Sound
Atlanta, GA



 

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March 2011 - Arrival of the new 2011 model GLOW Amp One units has been delayed.  We apologize for this unforeseen delay, and we thank you for your patience.

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February 2011 - We have a growing list of customers who have placed advance orders for the 2011 GLOW Amp One. These customers will of course receive priority once the new amps arrive, as well as a 10% rebate off the order price.

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We just received a lovely email from one of our original customers: "I purchased your Amp One when it first became available in 2008. In the past three years I remain quite satisfied with the performance and sound of the Amp One. Compared to any other amp out there, it makes me want to listen to music all day and night.  I have had no problems with the amp and I have no reason to consider a change. I've auditioned a number of amps over the last several years and the only other amp I would consider at this point is one of the newer GLOW amps. I use the amp with a pair of vintage Klipsch Cornwalls. Nothing smooths out those super sensitive Klipsch horns better than the GLOW amp, the combination is to die for."

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No, we don't advertise on the sides of street cars and subway trains, We spend nearly nothing on ads or promotions, relying instead on word-of-mouth.

Audio companies that advertise heavily pass that cost on to the customer.

That accounts for much of the obscene pricing you find in audio. 

 

January 2011  -  First the Good News. We spend nothing on ads or promotions, yet more and more people are discovering the superior sound of GLOW Audio. GLOW products are making good music from New Zealand to Jakarta, Brazil to Oslo, Nashville to Topeka.  2010 sales, especially of our award winning GLOW Amp One, exceeded our projections.

The Not-So-Good News: We under-estimated end of the year demand and have completely sold out of the GLOW Amp One. The last amp shipped out January 14, to a customer in faraway Iceland.

Despair Not:  We are assembling a new batch of the acclaimed GLOW Amp One as you read this. The 2011 version will retain the classic good looks of the original, but will include several refinements. The 2011 version will continue our tradition of making high quality, single ended tube amplifier performance available at an affordable price. 

The 2011 Version:  Hold your horses. These are hand made units, and are not mass produced. The hand-wound transformers and the point-to-point wiring requires a tremendous amount of skill to assemble properly.  The units aren't scheduled to arrive in our California warehouse until March.

Apologies to Glowbies Everywhere:  We are sorry for the inconvenience. We thought we had enough stock to carry us through Spring, not anticipating the late surge in 2010 sales.  By the time we bumped up our production schedule, it was too late to avoid selling out before the new batch was ready.

  
The Deal: We have decided to offer GLOW fans a deal on the new 2011 amplifiers. We will honor the 2010 pricing for pre-orders of the new 2011 models. We will also rebate 10% of the purchase price on delivery of the back ordered unit.

Hopefully the savings will make the wait a little less painful !! 

 

The Details:  If you want to be one of the first customers to acquire the new and improved 2011 GLOW Amp One, simply make your purchase on the PURCHASE GLOW page. The same color options will be available on 2011 models. Never mind that the Purchase Button states, "Sold Out". 

We will honor the 2010 price for all pre-orders. And when your amplifier is shipped, we will send you a rebate check for 10 percent of your purchase price. THIS OFFER ONLY APPLIES TO THE PURCHASE OF THE 2011 GLOW Amp One Amplifiers. If you purchase a GLOW system that includes a 2011 GLOW Amp One amplifier, you will receive a 10% rebate on the cost of the amp, but not on the other system components, which are in stock and ready to be shipped.  

Time of Delivery: Our factory is committed to delivering the amplifiers to our California warehouse in early March.  While we can't guarantee that delivery date, we can assure you that you will receive first priority, ahead of even our dealers, so that when they arrive you get your amp FIRST. 

What about the warranty? The 30 day trial period and warranty do not start until you receive your product.

What else you can do: Check our GLOW SALES page often. We do have a few returned, refurbished, and sample amplifiers in our warehouse that will be fully tested and certified to work as new, and we will periodically make them available at a nice discount until such time as we get our new amplifiers delivered.

 

Thanks for your understanding and patience, and best wishes to you in 2011.

 

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December 2010  -  LOW INVENTORY ALERT -  As we approach the end of the year, our inventory of the award winning GLOW Amp One is running low and is no longer available in some colors.

We will be re-stocking in 2011.  Fortunately, we still have units available in one of our most popular colors,  the striking all metallic Silver amp, with brushed metal faceplates.

 

 

These units are going fast, so if you've been sitting on the fence....

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November 2010 - The Voice One speaker stands do more than add good looks. They maximize the great imaging of the Voice One speaker by avoiding shelf placement, which diminishes the speaker's imaging abilities.  On the speaker stand, the superior imaging of the patented orbs becomes obvious. One hears the music on a broad sound stage and the speakers disappear.  If you already own the Voice One speakers, consider acquiring the hand crafted Voice One speaker stands, designed by Dr. Joel Scilley of Audiowood.  There is no better way to improve the look and sound of these very special loudspeakers.

 

 

 

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September - October 2010 - Our Sub One subwoofer remains perhaps the most accurate and musical mini-sub available.  Measuring only 10" square, it manages to add the extra bass missing from even the best bookshelf speakers. Without sounding "tubby" and without annoying port "chuffing." The Sub One offers a smooth and subtle extension of bass, something that can't be said of many of today's subwoofers designed more for home theater applications than high fidelity.

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August 2010 - GLOW Voice One News - We are offering TWO speaker stand options, each in your choice of two separate finishes.  These stands are specifically designed for the GLOW Voice One speakers.  Our patented Voice One speakers, while presenting a groundbreaking design, have been in need of a well designed stand to complement its unique structure. 

We turned to designer Joel Scilley of AUDIOWOOD acclaim to design and fabricate these sophisticated additions to the GLOW line up. Both the floorstands and desktop stands are hand crafted from durable and renewable bamboo.  Stunning.

For information on how to purchase, see HERE.

 

 

 

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July 2010  -   A peek at the GLOW speaker stand, designed specifically for the GLOW Voice One speaker and hand made from bamboo in the USA, available in September.  Click on the photo below for more images.

 

 

  

 

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June 2010 -  Yes, you really can nab a Demo or Open Box pair of the hand crafted and award winning GLOW Voice One loudspeakers or the phenomenal GLOW Voice One subwoofer for as little as $288. Check our GLOW Sale page for availability and details.

 

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May 2010 -  The beat goes on.  Seems more and more folks are hearing about our minimalist GLOW system. While it may seem strange to intentionally eschew high power, large speakers and digital based audio for a small, tube based analog system, the proof is in the pudding.  Folks who hear a GLOW system have a hard time hiding their amazement at what a low power tube amp can do.  When designed properly and when matched to well designed, efficient louspeakers, the depth and clarity can be astounding.

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This month's Recommended Recording: Tan Dun's "Bitter Love."

Tan Dun, Composer; Ying Huang, Soprano.

 

 

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April 2010 - We are often asked whether we sell out-of-box and demo GLOW products.  In response we have placed a link on our site in order to make available various sale items. These items are discounted from our regular price to reflect their open box or demo status.  Especially noteworthy are the several GLOW Amp One units found to be incompatible with low impedance headphones. These units are perfectly operational otherwise, and are a great deal for Glowbies who intend to use the amplifier with loudspeakers only.

All sale items are shipped free in the continental USA. These items are warranted for 90 days from date of purchase, and provide great value for audiophiles on a budget. Click on our GLOW Sale Items link on the menu bar to see what we have and how to purchase; the list will vary as items are sold and new items become available, so check back often for substantial savings.

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This Month's Recommended Recording:  The C-Nuts: Blitzkrieg Bop and Other Jazz Mutations. A Mapleshade Recording.

 

 

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March 2010 - At AXPONA in Jacksonville March 5-7, the GLOW dual sub system left a BIG impression on listeners.

 

 

Who knew that a system driven by a 5 watt amp and featuring 3" full range drivers could perform so well?  Even at higher volumes playing music with a lot of dynamic content, the GLOW speaker system sounded superb.  It certainly had a lot of folks re-thinking their notions of what a small loudspeaker can deliver. 

Bob Hesson, in his AXPONA review posted at Audioasylum, chose a pair of $54,000 speakers as "best in show." The only other speakers that impressed him were the $348 GLOW Voice One: 

"The other speakers I heard that I really liked were far at the other end of the price spectrum. A company called GLOW Audio had a pair of small, single driver spheres sitting atop two small subs with shapely, cool-looking stands in between. The sound was superbly natural, unforced and very faithful to the sound of acoustic instruments." Read Mr. Hesson's full AXPONA review HERE

 

A. Colin Flood, reviewing for EnjoytheMusic.com, had this to say about GLOW at the AXPONA show:

“In the Audiowood room, the original version of the GLOW Amp One featuring EL84 output tubes was driving GLOW Voice One single driver loudspeakers, mounted on custom bamboo stands made by Audiowood, and connected to GLOW Sub One subwoofers. The loudspeakers are globe shapes … made of recycled scrap wood with a patented "facet" interior to minimize standing waves. The combination sounded quite spacious for the money… the midrange was compellingly smooth and uncongested; never fatiguing and very easy listening."  Click HERE for Mr. Flood's full show review.

 

There are lots of small speaker systems out there, but few of them actually deliver impressive sound quality. Ultrahigh-End Audio, noting the small 3" diameter of our speakers, stated succinctly what AXPONA listeners all seemed to conclude; that the GLOW speaker system "sounds considerably better than you would expect from something of their size."  Below, see photos of the system shown with designer Joel Scilley's Audiowood custom turntables.

 

 

GLOW also exhibited in a separate room, powering up Randy Bankert's phenomenal SONIST loudspeakers. Here is what Nels Ferre, reviewer for EnjoytheMusic.com, had to say about the GLOW/Sonist system:

 

"GLOW Audio had two of their diminutive amplifiers connected to the exquisitely built Sonist Loudspeakers. I was especially interested to hear the 5 watt per channel GLOW Audio Amp One ($648), which was the recipient of a coveted Enjoy the Music.com Blue Note Award. It is always interesting to hear what another reviewer deems the "cream of the crop."  And get it I did … both the Sonist Recital 3 as well as the Concerto 3 sounded fantastic mated to the GLOW Audio units."

 

GLOW's two giant killer systems at AXPONA were also the subject of a flattering review on AUDIOGON. Here is an excerpt of the review:

"While one system cost as much as a house (the Scaena/TheLars/dCs/Silversmith exhibit room, running about a quarter mil and thankfully offering superb sound), much of the excitement at Axpona was at the lower end of the price scale ... some of today's lower-priced audio products offer honestly good sound and honestly great value.

..... Randy Bankert's $4,195 Sonist Concerto 3s sounded terrific powered by GLOW Audio's $648 Glow Audio Amp One, a 5 watt-per-channel single-ended integrated amp with EL84 output tubes. The sound had the punchiness and dimensionality associated with the best SETs, with none of the noise or "thinness" often found in cheap tube amps. A win-win situation, and a winner of a system.

 A complete GLOW Audio system was playing in a room shared with Audiowood, Joel Scilley's backwoods Florida company which custom-builds turntables from (surprise!) wood. The GLOW system was another eye- and ear-opener, featuring the GLOW Amp One powering GLOW Voice One speakers ($348/pr.) with 3" fullrange drivers in spherical enclosures, and dual GLOW subs ($348/ea.). Dynamic, sweet, and clearly playing well above its weight, or its price." 

 

You can read the entire AUDIOGON show review HERE.

 

Stereophile's Jason Victor Serinus and John Atkinson were checking out all the goodies at AXPONA. After hearing GLOW driving the SONIST loudspeakers as well as GLOW's own sub and satellite system, Serinus concluded that the GLOW amplifiers are:  "definitely ones to check out ... when I took my first listen to GLOW amplification in the SONIST room, one man who just finished listening declared it his favorite sound at the show."  Deep praise indeed, given that the GLOW systems were up against elite audio systems costing in excess of $40,000.  Mr. Serinus' full show review can be read on the Stereophile website  HERE.

 

 

 

 

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Before AXPONA there was T.H.E. SHOW in Las Vegas, where over-achieving GLOW amplifiers garnered many favorable comments this past January.

 

 

This from show reporter Richard Austen, upon hearing the GLOW amplifiers teamed up with Sonist loudspeakers (as posted on Constantine Soo's Dagogo.com audio review site): "This room was one of, if not the star budget room, of CES.... the speakers were driven by a "massive" 5 watt per channel GLOW Audio amp ... the sound was open, lively and maintained a surprising level of resolution ... a very easy-on-the-ears sound with drive ... a winner especially at these prices."  See the entire show report HERE.

 

This Month's Recommended Recording: Lonely London Lad: Debut Double CD.

 

 

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February 2010 - GLOW will be at the AXPONA, the Audio Expo of North America, sponsored by STEREOPHILE magazine in Jacksonville, Florida from March 5-7.  GLOW will be exhibiting in two separate rooms, click HERE for information about the show. 

 

 

GLOW will be powering Randy Bankert's most excellent SONIST high end Loudspeakers in room 264, the SONIST/GLOW/CRL Labs room.  Randy will use our EL84 based GLOW Amp One, and our soon to be released GLOW Amp One Tetro, utilizing an 832 dual envelope tetrode power tube.

GLOW will also be exhibiting in room 269 as part of the AUDIOWOOD exhibit. The exhibit will feature a hand crafted Voice One/Sub One combo designed and built by designer Joel Scilley of AUDIOWOOD.  Options will include a speaker stand only, or a dual sub + speaker combo stand - both made from bamboo. Awesome, and soon to be available, see photos below.
 

 

                                                                          

 

CRL Labs will provide speaker cables and component connections in both rooms. Excellent stuff.  Hope to see you at the show!
 

 

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What, a new GLOW subwoofer?

 

 

No ... just a creative application of our great sounding GLOW Sub One.  Not wanting to hide the sub away, the designer of this custom installation in California removed the brass feet and inverted the sub, with the passive radiator facing upward. The grills were painted white, to match the rest of the audio system.  See how the installation turned out at the GLOW Gallery page,  HERE.

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This Month's Recommended Recording - China Moses & Raphael Lemonier: This One's for Dinah.
 

 

 

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January 2010 - Happy New Year to all Glowbies out there. Hope you are ringing in the new year with some of that great GLOW sound. 

GLOW is showing at T.H.E. Show in Las Vegas this January.  T.H.E. Show is one of the premiere audio trade shows that takes place concurrent with the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Vegas. 

We are demonstrating in Vegas for the first time our new GLOW Amp One Tetro, sharing the spotlight with loudspeaker designer Randy Bankert's new SONIST Recital 3 loudspeakers and CRL cables and interconnects.  What is the Amp One Tetro ?  It is a variant of the acclaimed GLOW Amp One, utilizing a single 832 dual envelope tetrode transmitter tube in place of the two EL84 power tubes. Different driver tubes are also utilized. There are some other minor changes to accomodate the rather sci-fi looking 832 tube, including a slightly longer chassis. The 832 certainly looks like nothing you've seen before, and we've pulled some great sound out of it that has to be heard to be believed.

The sound is phenomenal, but don't take our word for it; we will post reviews and photos from Vegas as they become available.  The GLOW Amp One Tetro will be a dealer only offering, will retail for well under $1,000 and will be available by mid year.

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This Month's Recommended Recording - Ike Reilly: Hard Luck Stories. (And you can download Ike's Digital Sampler FREE on Amazon.com).

 

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GLOW NEWS ARCHIVES click HERE