GLOW News
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October 2008 - We are now taking advance orders for our NEW '09 Amp One, as well as our NEW Sub One subwoofer and Voice One loudspeakers.
Details are available HERE.
"SHOULD I BUY THE '08 AMP ONE OR THE NEW, '09 AMP ONE?"
Buy the $488 '08 Amp One:
- If you are on a tight budget... the '09 Amp One will cost $648.
- If you do not need the improved DAC that is available in the '09 Amp One.
Buy the NEW '09 Amp One:
- If you listen to music primarily with headphones, because the headphone output in the '09 Amp One is significantly improved over the '08 Amp One.
- If you listen to your music primarily through your computer, as the DAC circuit design has been vastly improved over the '08 version.
Denver's Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) was a blast, and GLOW was there. We were pleased to be featured by both Audio-Magus (www.audio-magus.com) and Sonist Loudspeakers (www.sonist.com). Audio-Magus has been carrying our GLOW Amp One since spring of this year, and had the honors of unveiling our GLOW speakers and subwoofer at RMAF.
Above, the new GLOW gear along with other products displayed by Audio-Magus at their stylish exhibit at RMAF.
And down the hall from Audio-Magus, Randy Bankert, designer and builder of Sonist Loudspeakers, was exhibiting a little GLOW as well. Randy alternated between a single ended triode 300B and the little GLOW Amp One to power his amazing loudspeakers. Many listeners chose the tighter sound of the GLOW Amp One over the sound of the more expensive (about 5 times more expensive) 300B unit, although we couldn't find fault with either unit with the way Randy's speakers performed.
Randy has a winner with his Sonist loudspeakers. They were possibly the best monitor speakers at the show, regardless of price. Most noticeable was how remarkably non-fatiguing they sounded being driven with the low power tube amplifiers... we could listen to these speakers for hours and never tire of them. What a musical speaker! The box just disappeared, all we heard was the music. Somehow someway, Randy got the ribbon tweeter integrated just right with the bass driver.... I think his choice of a 1st order crossover has a lot to do with it... and there is no hint of cabinet resonance... the sound is superb on every kind of music we threw at them. It is clear that Randy spent a lot of time getting the sound right. This guy sweats the details. Great stuff.
The Sonist Concerto 3 in the foreground, and the GLOW amp in the background.
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September 2008 - We've received an award that we're rightly proud of. In the September 2008 issue, the audiophile review site Enjoy the Music bestowed upon the GLOW Amp One a Blue Note "Best Audiophile Component of 2008 Award".
The staff of over twenty writers, selecting from approximately 150 products tested and reviewed this year, chose 20 products that stand out from the rest to earn coveted Blue Note Equipment Awards.
How could the under $500 GLOW Amp One possibly merit serious consideration, competing head-to-head against the best and most expensive audiophile components available (including $7,000 turntables, $5,000 CD players and $10,000 loudspeakers)? The following is from the Enjoy the Music awards page:
Best Audiophile Components Of 2008
"What do I like about the Glow Amp One? Pretty much everything! I like the way it looks, I like the design. What else? Well, I like the amp's build quality, I like the USB input and I like the guys... and the price. But perhaps most importantly, I like the sound. What I like so much about the sound of the Glow Amp One is its eminently listenable nature. On older recordings, to quote one of my favorite hi-fi clichés, there was simply more 'there,' 'there.' Why? I imagine it has to do with the sheer simplicity of the amp. Oh yeah, one more thing. With the right speakers, this baby can rock with the best." — Jeff Rabin
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August 2008 - UPDATE - As of October 15, the FREE iPod dock offer has expired ... we thank all our GLOW customers who purchased amplifiers and received GLOW iPod docks!!
In recognition of the almost magical results one can get when using an iPod as a source for the GLOW Amp One, for a limited time we are providing with any purchase of the GLOW Amp One a FREE iPod dock. Includes a handy remote control. See our new "GLOW Specials" page for details.
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JULY 2008 - There is a lot of "chatter" on a number of blog sites about our initial offering, the GLOW Amp One. Devotees on one site have even taken to calling themselves "Glowbies".
We are ever closer to providing new GLOW products, including a subwoofer and speakers. Our subwoofer is now in production, and looks like this:
The GLOW Sub One is roughly 9" square. But it definitely packs a punch. To avoid the bass "thud" so typical of subwoofers in its price range, we utilize a passive radiator along with the 6.5" bass driver. Great bass extension, no unnatural bass bump common to many ported subs. With its gently curving bamboo side panels and its metal grill with oversized holes, it is a "looker", too. Expect to see it available within the next 6 to 8 weeks.
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JUNE 2008 - A busy month for all of us at GLOW. We've been filling orders for our GLOW Amp One, and working out the details for our soon-to-be-released GLOW Sub One subwoofer and GLOW Voice One speakers. The Sub One looks and sounds gorgeous, the question is whether you will need one, because the Voice One speakers put out an impressive amount of bass for such small speakers.
On top of all that, we have been gearing up for yet another production run of the GLOW Amp One.... same minimalist appearance, same versatility, same high build quality, same value for your money, but with some subtle improvements to the unit's overall performance.
And, we are still anticipating the release of the GLOW Amp Two before long, but not until we get our speakers and subs in our warehouse and ready for sale. We are in the initial stages of developing additional accessory products as well, which we will discuss here in GLOW NEWS before long.
We enjoy hearing from our customers and from folks who are simply interested in what we are doing.... keep your emails coming!
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MAY 2008 - We received kind mention in an ENJOYTHEMUSIC.COM report on the AUDIOMAGUS display at the Montreal Audio Festival held in early April, click on the link below for a peek (and yes, the reference to use of EL34s tubes is incorrect, we use the EL84 power tube).
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APRIL 2008 - We are proud to announce that Audiomagus (www.audio-magus.com) has begun carrying our Amp One, so if you are in the KINGSTON, WASHINGTON area please drop by their show room and give the GLOW Amp One a listen.
The Audiomagus store hours are M-W 10 am to 5 pm and F-Sa 12 pm to 7 pm. 26343 Bond Rd. NE, Suite 102, Kingston, WA 9836 (5 minutes from the Kingston ferry terminal). Audiomagus is also expanding to provide service in Canada. A Victoria BC showroom will be opening soon!
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NEW REVIEW:
click on link above for full review
A review of our GLOW Amp One has been issued in the April online edition of EnjoytheMusic.com. Dr. Jeff Rabin's lengthy review includes the following statements:
"I could hear all that single ended detail and that certain clarity...."
On his reaction to hearing a Johnny Cash song on the radio with the GLOW Amp: "I have to say I felt as if Mr. Cash was speaking directly to me, in the same room as me."
With some of his favorite full range speakers and listening to some classic recordings, Dr. Rabin had this to say: "...there was more 'there' there ... recording after recording I felt I was only really hearing for the first time...."
"...glorious, absolutely non-fatiguing sound... the GLOW Amp One, to me anyway, seems like a fine example of having your cake and eating it too."
We're happy to get such a positive review from EnjoytheMusic, right on the heels of an equally positive review from 6moons.com. But we are even more pleased when we get positive comments from our customers... please see the "GLOW Community" section of our website to see what happy GLOW customers have to say about the GLOW Amp One.
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We'll be on display at the Montreal 2008 Festival Son & Image, April 4, 5 and 6. Stop by and check us out, compliments of our sponsor, Audiomagus, in Room 1015.
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MARCH 2008 - The GLOW Amp One received a fantastic review this month from Srajan Ebaen, editor of the popular online audio review site 6 Moons: 6moons.com/audioreviews/glow/one_2.html Check it out when you have a moment.
Srajan makes a point of identifying a good audio value when one comes along, and for this he has created an award category he smartly calls "REALSIZATION". To win such an award, a product must represent not only an "extreme value", but both "uncompromised build quality and excellent performance have to coincide." Our GLOW Amp One has earned a place on the REALSIZATION AWARDS list, see it at: 6moons.com/archivelibrary/realsization.html
I am in front of my computer, typing the March News. I have a yellow Amp One hooked up to my computer and I am listening to a jazz station from Toronto as I type. That is the wonderful thing about modern technology... anyone can stream radio stations from around the world! It would be unfortunate to limit this capability by listening to the music on cheap computer speakers via the computer's poor quality sound card. What better way to enjoy this amazing capability than to hear the music recreated by a superior sounding stereo tube amplifier with a built in USB and high quality 16 bit DAC (digital to analog converter).
Amp One is out of stock in silver, and our inventory is getting low in several other colors. The need to ramp up production of Amp One sooner than anticipated has delayed the start of production for Amp Two.
With the US dollar losing value against most major currencies, we are unable to continue offering the GLOW Amp One at the introductory price of $480. The good news is that we are only making a small adjustment to our introductory price, to $488. However, the reality is that we are unlikely to be able to hold that price point for very long.
Good news for international customers.... we have managed to reduce our shipping and handling charges for overseas customers outside North America from $150 to $120 USD.
We try to offer you the lowest price possible, because part of our mission is to provide audio gear that not only sounds great and looks great, but that is reasonably priced.
While labor costs are lower in China, we don't use "cheap" labor... these are hand crafted amplifiers and it takes skill and experience to put them together properly.
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FEBRUARY 2008 - We are behind in our monthly update, primarily because we have been so busy fielding questions and filling orders. We received a lot of orders this month! In the process, we experienced two cases of minor damage as a result of shipping, despite our sturdy packaging, so we have gone to DOUBLE BOXING the amps to assure that they arrive in perfect working order.
We are gratified by the response to our introductory product, and would like to thank all of you who have expressed interest and asked questions. We try to answer your emails within 1 day.... we have received a number of thoughtful comments and some very good questions. We chose to start this business because we LIKE talking about audio, so keep your questions and comments coming! info@glow-audio.com
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JANUARY 2008 - Maybe because of the favorable exchange rate, maybe because tubes are widely acccepted among audiophiles in asia and europe, but we've received a lot of interest from overseas. We do take overseas orders, so don't despair.... go to the "GET GLOW" page and simply add the appropriate flat rate shipping charge to your purchase by clicking on the Shopping Cart button that corresponds with your location. If you have any questions regarding your location, contact us at orders@glow-audio.com for information on how to have your overseas order expedited.
Although we have spent virtually nothing on advertising or promotion, we seem to be getting some attention out in the audio world. Here is an article that recently appeared in the well respected on-line audio site 6 Moons: www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/glow/glow.html
Comments regarding the GLOW Amp One from Srajan Ebaen, Publisher of 6Moons, include the following:
"Occasionally, one comes across a product so cute and cool that one thinks nothing of writing a quasi 'infomercial' for it, all entirely unprompted and unpaid for. Consider this such a case."
"What this product does is obvious. It appeals to the iPod nation, the PC-tied home office worker, the college dormer... but only to those within that demographic who listen with their ears."
"If such a device can additionally teach "regular" music lovers to trust their ears --- why else would you buy tubes --- then GLOW Audio are doing a fine job of spreading the gospel of high-end hifi to "the masses". And that is a swell thing no matter how you turn it."
-Srajan Ebaen, Publisher - 6Moons.com - January, 2008
We are happy to answer any questions you might have, don't hesitate to contact us at info@glow-audio.com
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DECEMBER 2007 - Following several years of intensive product development, in early 2007 we began offering the GLOW Amp One in select markets. Despite spending no money on advertising or marketing, word is getting around.... and we have received nothing but positive responses to our introductory offering.
Most people who have heard our amplifier are astounded that it can sound so different from what they are used to, and that we can offer this amplifier at such a low cost, relative to our competition.
The other thing people comment on is that, in a time when audio is dominated by multi-channel home theater systems of increasing complexity, we come along to offer such a simple alternative. We believe that the complexity of modern equipment is driven by marketing, and not by necessity. We ask, why should anyone have to suffer through figuring out how to set up and operate the behemoths shown below? (And by the way, these are typical of modern home theater receivers.)
Here is an interesting thing to keep in mind... with all the inputs and outputs on the back of modern day equipment, there is usually one thing missing - a simple USB connection for your computer - a standard feature on ALL our little amplifiers.
With big dinosaurs like the ones shown above, once you've figured out which cables go where, you have to deal with how to get all the cables to all the components and all the speakers. What often happens is, living rooms are taken over by complex components that, despite all the expense and hassle, too often end up failing to deliver the level of audio realism sought.
Most people who simply want to listen to music find out the hard way that a home theater system is actually not very good for that purpose. Most audio enthusiasts will tell you that multi-channel surround sound may be good for action movies, but makes music sound less, and not more, realistic.
So keep your home theater system if you must, but when you are ready to get back to listening to the music the way it was intended to be heard, remember us. We have a better way to get high fidelity sound in your home. ..... without making your life miserable in the process. Today's reality - most people want their rooms filled with music, not equipment.
After what you have seen in the above photos, doesn't the following make a lot more sense?
GLOW. Making it simple. Making it right.
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We will update you with GLOW news on a regular basis, please check back often.
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GLOW is a registered trademark of Hercules Soundworks Inc.
All contents copyright 2008 Hercules SoundWorks, Inc.
Our new Voice One speaker featuring a proprietary hemp/bamboo 3" driver was a show stopper... many listeners could not believe the amount of bass the little speakers pump out. Another quality folks commented on was the imaging and big sound stage... certainly more sound than anyone expected from a small speaker. Our sub was also on display, although not utilized much.... the small speakers with the big bass output seemed to draw more than enough attention, even without the sub.
Mike Wyatt and Brian Johnson of Audio-Magus exhibited their new floor standers... absolutely fabulous build quality with in-laid mother of pearl and beautiful joint work on bamboo cabinets. The full range hemp drivers delivered..... WOW! Easily the best large single driver loudspeakers we heard at the show, with a top-to-bottom smoothness that is sometimes lacking from full rangers of this size. Great detail and texture in the sound and very coherent.... anyone looking for that full range magic definitely needs to hear these loudspeakers. And they look incredible (I wish I had a close up photo of the cabinetry).
