Last Thursday, audio lovers were given a rare chance to experience the full power of Bowers & Wilkins’ ultra high-end sound systems in the exclusive B&W showroom.

Avid Neonpunch VIP’s sipped sparkling wine while getting their hair blown back in listening room one. They watched the most epic action sequences from Quantum of Solace and Iron Man 2, hearing every piece of gravel ping off of Bond’s windshield and feeling Iron Man’s repulsor blasts in their chests, with sound quality most have never heard before.

For those with a more contemplative disposition the third listening room featured B&W’s famous 800 series Diamond, you know the ones from Skywalker Ranch and Abbey Road Studios, playing tunes from Hotel California to Brubeck’s Take Five. Regardless of his or her taste in music, everyone was struck silent by the awesome sound, you could here each finger sliding up the guitar string and even make out the musicians breathing.

Luxury luggage designer Tumi was also on hand showcasing their new lines including The Voyageur, Vapor and Bedford lines. As incongruous as it sounds the cutting edge speakers and sleek modern luggage made beautiful music together.

Everyone left happy, but two lucky individuals were extremely happy; as they won a set of P5 and C5 headphones and VIP’s took advantage of the big discounts on all merchandise as well. We know we can’t wait for a chance to do this again; movie theaters just don’t seem to cut it anymore.

Don’t miss out on the next Neonpunch VIP event register today if you haven’t yet.

Hong Kong will be the first and currently only place outside of Japan that will be officially allowed to sell the new JVC HA-MX10 headphones.

The headphones are the product of many years of collaboration with Victor Studios and the HA-MX10 is the culmination of both companies combined efforts. The new HA-MX10 studio quality headphones adopts JVC’s latest drive unit technology which will give you the best sound reproduction for both musical instruments and voice while you are recording in studio.

Neonpunch was invited by JVC HK to the exclusive launch of the HA-MX10 headphones at famed audiophile store Mingo Headphone (located on the 12/F, Mongkok Metro, No. 594-596 Nathan Road, Mongkok). On hand to introduce the new studio quality headphones all the way from Japan was Mr. Wataru Ikebe (Picture below), Senior Manager, AVC Department of International Sales Operation, Victor Company of Japan, Limited.

We got to try out HA-MX10 and although we don’t have highly attuned ears like most audiophiles we did notice that the sound produced by the headphones were much richer both in tonal quality and clarity.

We tested the headphones out listening to a ありがとう あなた (Arigatou Anata, 感謝你) from the greatest hits album of 70’s Japanese singer/actress Momoe Yamaguichi and Mars, the Bringer of War, from Gustav Holst’s The Planets. These two tracks that represent two completely different genres and can be considered from the opposite ends of the musical spectrum both sound incredible through HA-MX10.

The strong vocals of Momoe were bright and clear with the accompanying trumpet deep and rich. The track Mars by Holst was also an incredible listen that made it seem that you were surrounded by an army of orchestral sound.

The HA-MX10 is definitely worth picking up if you are looking for a pair of high quality headphones that will let you enjoy your music in heartwarming high fidelity while leaving the rest of the world in cold silence.

The JVC HA-MX10 Studio headphone features a 56-Ohm of impedance, a 108dB/1mW sound pressure level, and playback frequency of 10Hz-28,000Hz. When you purchase this product it will come with a plug adapter 35mm jack equipped audio devices. For those of you interested in try them out before purchase JVC has a showroom in address and showroom hours HERE

Specifications:

• 2.5 meter cord
• Stereo mini plug
• Weights 260 grams
• Output: 108dB/mW
• Playback Frequency: 10 – 28,000Hz
• Max input allowance: 1500mW
• Impedance: 56Ω

Package contains:

• Headphones
• 6.3 mm stereo plug adapter for 3.5 mm or 6.3 mm interface

Pricing and availability

Suggested retail price: HK$2,280
Available at JVC showroom; Mingo Headphone, Kingsound Headphone Shop, dma and Jaben Hong Kong.

The World Cup fever has overtaken Hong Kong and now you can show your team colours on the street or in the gym with JVC’s stylish HA-FX20 earphones. If your favorite team loses you can head to the gym, strap on some boxing gloves with them and listen to vuvuzela music while beating the crap out of the team that beat yours.

See how we tied the earphones with the photos of this lovely model? JVC went on a tangent with their event so it’s up to us to bring it back together.

There are five color options available:

• Blue / White (AW)
• Black / Red (BR)
• Red / Blue (RA)
• Red / White (RW)
• Yellow / Green (YG)

The general specifications for the HA-FX67 with

• 3.5mm stereo mini plug (compatible with iPhone)
• 8.5mm diameter driver unit
• Frequency response range of 10 ~ 20,000 Hz
• sound sensitivity 107dB/1mW,
• impedance 16ohms
• maximum input power of 200mW
• Cable length 1 m

Suggested Retail Price: HK$118

Looking for an audio device that is stylish and compact enough that it doesn’t eat up a lot of valuable desk/table real estate? British radio makers REVO have just the thing that blends 1950’s design with modern tech to bring you a unique audio experience with their new tabletop DAB radio the Heritage - now available in Hong Kong.

The Heritage looks just like you father’s (or grandfather or maybe even great grandfather) old radio with it’s retro design and brings a degree of nostalgia with it as well. Perfect for the Mad Men fan or that person you know who just can’t let go of the past.

Underneath its traditional wood-and-metal exterior lies the very latest multi-platform digital radio technology. This deluxe radio is capable of receiving the full range of radio broadcast formats, including the latest DAB, DAB+, Wi-Fi access to over 11,000 internet radio stations and FM with RDS. It also supports wireless audio streaming and docking for all current iPhone/iPod models.

The Heritage’s cabinet is constructed using a combination of aluminium, soft rubberised plastics and real California walnut veneer. Audio performance is delivered by a custom-designed 3” neodymium speaker driver, driven by a superb high-fidelity 7W amplifier. The HERITAGE is supplied with gold-plated stereo RCA, optical and AUX IN connectors. It also supports plug-and-play audio over USB so users can instantly play back their favourite MP3 songs. The HERITAGE also has a built-in digital alarm clock feature with sleep and snooze functions.

HERITAGE supports both DAB and DAB+ formats as well as having access to over 11,000 internet radio stations and automatically refreshing with new ones as well as the FM with RDS standard. For instant reception, users can preset their own 10 favourite stations for each format. The HERITAGE also provides access to online music service Last.fm. Simply choose an artist or genre and let Last.fm build the perfect playlist from its library of 5 million tracks—unique to the user, and fresh every time. Alternatively, an existing Last.fm profile can be used. The HERITAGE includes a free 30-day Last.fm trial subscription.

Users can also personalise their HERITAGE by using the free laser engraving service. A name or personalized message like “Happy Birthday” or “I Love You’, or just about anything can be engraved on top of the product (up to 20 characters).

Key Features:

• High sensitivity DAB and DAB+ digital radio, compatible with current and future DAB standards
• Advanced internet radio with Wi-Fi and wired LAN connection
• Easy access to over 11,000 internet radio stations, automatically refreshed with new stations
• Wirelessly streams music from PC or MAC
• Free 30-day online music service Last.fm trial subscription
• iPhone/iPod docking functionality with full control and charging
• Plug-and-play audio over USB
• Large ‘secret-until-lit’ graphical 2.7” OLED display
• Innovative joystick control system
• Digital alarm clock with sleep and snooze functions. Any internet radio, FM or iPhone/iPod music may be selected as your personal alarm
• 10 favourite station presets
• Custom designed 3” neodymium speaker driver
• Superb high-fidelity 7W amplifier
• Stereo RCA, optical and AUX IN connectors
• 3.5-mm headphone connector
• Compatible with all iPod and iPhone models
• Includes compact remote control and universal adaptor
• Size: 260(W) x 175 (H) x 98 (D) mm
• One-year warranty

Suggested retail price: HK$2,380. Available now!

When Harmon Kardon said their new GLA-55 speakers were crystal clear they weren’t joking. These desktop speakers are encased in a faceted cut-glass enclosure that are a first in desktop audio systems and looks stunning either in home or at the office.

The GLA-55 speaker system is compatible with virtually any audio device with an analog output. A stereo mini jack connection allows you to enjoy high-quality audio from a variety of devices such as MP3 and CD players, desktop computers (all platforms), satellite radio and laptops.

The GLA-55 speakers feature a number of proprietary technologies built-in to the speakers that aims to provide the highest quality sound possible. CMMD drivers provide accurate high frequencies that are also capable of low-frequency extension to four octaves, while the Atlas AL drivers are capable of nearly 1″ peak-to-peak travel for tight, accurate bass reproduction. Their pairing provides a full, rich frequency response from the lowest bass to the highest highs.

The slipstream port design minimizes boundary layer separation, providing high-output bass with low distortion. The Computer-Optimized Equalization (COE) helps to provide a rich, complete soundstage over a wide range of listening positions. Optimized Compression Topology (OCT) utilize a proprietary compression technology, which ensures clean, accurate sound at high output levels.

However these speakers aren’t cheap! A pair of GLA-55 speakers will set you back HK$7,900 (suggested retail price).

Basic Specifications:

• Power: 56 Watts per satellite
• Frequency Response: 60Hz – 20kHz
• Dimensions: 5.5″ x 10.5″
• (W x H) (140mm x 270mm)
• Weight: Approx 2.5 lb (1.2kg)
• Input Impedance: >10k ohms
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >70dB

If you’re an Edition 9 user, you’ll be pleased to hear that Ultrasone has just announced their latest successor to the Edition 9s, the Edition 8. Ultrasone is giving audiophiles a tiny break in the economic downturn, by lowering the price of the Edition 8 to more than 15% less than the price of the Edition 9. Still, if you’re not a dedicated audiophile, you definitely won’t even think about purchasing the “cheaper” Edition 8 for HK$12,880!

With the outer earcups shelled in beautiful and durable Ruthenium, and the interior covered in fine Ethiopian sheepskin, this pair of headphones definitely gives the WOW statement. Ultrasone claims that Ethiopian sheepskin provides the most isolation of any leather, so that you can listen to your music in total tranquility. If you owned the Edition 9s, you’d know of just how high quality these Ethiopian sheepskin earcups are!

These headphones will also be the first in the Edition series to offer Ultrasone’s newest S-Logic Plus natural surround sound technology. This will provide audiophiles with a new, wider level of soundstage that they’ve never experienced before.

With the launch of these headphones, Ultrasone also claimed that these headphones have ULE technology, which supposedly reduces radiation to the head by more than 98% than normal headphones. This leads us to another thought– Radiation!? Nowadays, it seems like everything proposes some sort of health risk!

If you’re the kind of “tech” person, here are the pretty-impressive specs for you to see:

• Principle: Dynamic / Closed
• Impedance: 30 Ohm
• Driver size: 40mm Titanium plated
• Magnet: NdFeB
• Frequency range: 6 – 42.000 Hz
• SPL: 96 dB
• Weight (excl. cord): 260g
• USC Cord length: 1,2m (OFC Cable)
• USC Extension cable 4m (OFC Cable)
• 3,5mm gold plated plugs
• Adapter 3,5/6,3mm gold plated
• ULE technology

We personally don’t have the Edition 8 yet, so we can’t tell you just how good these headphones really sound. However, at HK$12,880, we’d expect more than just “better sound than iPod earbuds” to be impressed. If you plan to connect these directly to your iPod without a dedicated headphone amp, then these really aren’t going to be worth it. However, if you have a dedicated set of audiophile equipment, then you may really want to give these HK$12,880 headphones a try.

If you want quality sound, leave it up to the global leader Samsung to do the work for you. They recently released a total of 6 home theatre systems for your living room. All of these feature bio kelp technology to make sure that you get crystal clear sound with natural tone balance. Let’s take a look at them:

1. HT-BD1255

This is Samsung’s blue-ray home theatre system. It offers 1000 watts of output power and 5.1 surround sound to produce life-like audio. It also has wireless networking capabilities for convenience. Furthermore,  Samsung’s BD Wise technology adjusts the blue-ray picture to best match your TV, so you’ll always get the best picture quality possible.

2. HT-TX725

The HT-TX725 5.1-channel home theatre system has an 800-watt max output, supports Bluetooth, and is wireless ready. It also supports 1080p up-scale conversion for the best picture quality.

3/4. HT-Z320/Z220

The 5.1 channel Z320 and Z220 home theatre systems both are equipped with karaoke functionality, cutting-edge touch sensitive button design, wireless capabilities, 1080p up-scale conversion, and have wall mountable speakers. They also have Automatic Sound Calibration to adjust the sound balance to best suit your room. On top of that, the Z320 also offers bluetooth, BD Wise, USB host, and an FM Tuner to deliver an enjoyable home entertainment experience.

5. HT-X620

The 2.1 HT X-620 has a sleek and modern look that’ll fit in any living room. It features BD Wise and 1080p up-scale conversion for an improved picture quality, bluetooth, USB host, and FM Tuner functions. This is the perfect choice for those of you that don’t have enough room for a 5.1 set, or don’t want to spend too much money.

6. HT-Z210

The HT-Z210 is a 5.1-channel home theatre system for those on a lower budget. However, it still offers amazing features such as karaoke, an USB port, and FM tuner functionality. It also supports the latest audio processing, like Dolby Digital.

These home theatre systems are all available for sale, and will be offered at suggested retail prices of:

BD1255- HK$8,990, TX725- HK$6,490, X620- HK$2,990, Z320- HK$3,390, Z220- HK$2,490, Z120- HK$1,890

If you ever saw these things in the Bang & Olufsen showrooms and loved them, then your time is here: the BeoSound 5 Digital Music System is now available for purchase!

This music system is not for any ordinary people. It’s designed and priced for the high-end music lovers. The system features a table-top or wall-mounted remote control with an amazing 10.4″ 1024 x 768 resolution LCD display. However, what really does the work behind the scenes is the amazing BeoMaster 5. This is dedicated music server capable of holding up to 500GB of music, and remains connected to the internet in order to be controlled by your BeoSound 5 remote control, your BeoVision TV, or even your computer. With the Bang & Olufsen MOTS feature, the music system will be able to sense your mood, and automatically play music suitable for it!

If you suspected that this system is probably more than just for music, you’re absolutely right. The BeoMaster 5 has HMDI, DVD-I, DVD-D, S-Video, and Composite Video ports all for connecting to your preferred display in order to watch your photos and videos on!

The BeoSound 5 Digital Music System, including the BeoSound 5 controller and the BeoMaster 5 music server will be priced around HK$39,260. If you’ve got the money and want to show off, you can book a private product demonstration at the Bang & Olufsen store.

Sony released this omni-directional speaker last year for the high-class market. Code-named the Sountina NSA-PF1, it’s one of the most expensive and stylish speakers in the world. It won the 2009 iF Design Award at CeBit, so we’re going to tell you what this speaker is really about.

This speaker is pretty much a huge 6-foot tube that’s made to stand in the middle of your living room. Most of it is a shaft of organic glass that’s supposed to vibrate in the 50Hz to 20KHz range. However, at the bottom of the glass is a 13-cm subwoofer and a 7-cm organic glass tweeter. At the base of the speaker are also 3 LEDs that can light up to a color that suits the environment. All together, it’s supposed to produce a full 360-degrees sound that fills up your room.

If you even wonder about the sound quality of this speaker, then we have to tell you that this speaker is probably not for you. Owning this speaker is all about bragging rights, not sound quality! If you have the HK$84,000 to spend on this thing, you’re sure going to get a lot of wows. It’s so expensive, we didn’t even figure out how to order this thing. Since you probably aren’t going to be thinking about purchasing, why not look at the Sony design page for this speaker?

The strangely named i24R2 is a bedside digital speaker system made for iPod Touch and iPhone that will be available soon in Hong Kong. This device not only brings you music from your iDevice but it can also plug into your TV and feed out the video, has scrolling text clock function and of course sweet sounding speakers.

Available this month from Aluminum, G.O.D., and Homeless for HK$1690. Click here to see more about it.