Ask us: where to get ebooks
We have great news! The internet is global, so there are websites worldwide from which you can purchase and download books.One important thing to note is that not all e-readers support all file formats. There are a number of different ebook file types; the most universal one is ePub, which is the open ebook standard and official standard of the International Digital Publishing Forum. The only e-reader available in Australia that does not support ePub is Amazon's Kindle; instead, Amazon has its own file format, AZW. If you're confused, this basically means that the Kindle can't read ePub-format books, and AZW-format books are only available through the Amazon bookstore.If you're savvy with software and don't mind fiddling around on your computer, don't despair! The Kindle also supports HTML, DOC, PDF and TXT file types. With the right file-conversion software, such as Calibre, you can purchase your ePub files and convert them to a file type supported by the Kindle. If you don't have a Kindle, then alas, it doesn't work the other way around; any ebooks bought on the Amazon website can only be read on the Kindle.Here is a list of the top-selling e-readers in Australia and the ebook files they support:Amazon Kindle: AZW, DOC, HTML, MOBI, PDF, TXTKobo: ePub, PDFSony Readers (Touch, Pocket): BBeB (Sony proprietary), DOC, ePub, LRF, PDF, RTF, TXT.If you have an iPad, you can get books through the iTunes book store, but there are free and paid apps that also support ebook file formats; our favourite is Stanza (free). You can also download a free Kindle app to buy and read books from Amazon.OK, now that that's out of the way, let's get to what you actually came here for.Ebook storesAmazonAmazon is the world's largest purveyor of ebooks, but a few caveat emptors are required. Firstly, you can only read ebooks purchased from Amazon on the Kindle; secondly, there are sellers who repackage material from sources such as independent authors and Project Gutenberg and sell it illegally. That said, the ease of the Kindle's native app store and the size of Amazon make it a tempting proposition.File format:AZW.BookworldFormerly Borders, Bookworld is the most comprehensive bookstore in Australia. It's not bad, either; the ebooks seem to be priced in alignment with other Australian ebook sellers, and in some cases cheaper than what you can expect to find on Amazon. See also: Angus & Robertson.File format: ePub.The Book DepositoryThe Book Depository has websites based in both the UK and the US, and a good selection of ebooks that are generally quite decently priced. If you're checking Bookworld, head over to both Book Depository websites â€" quite often, one of the two will have a sale on and you may be able to score a better bargain.File formats: ePub, PDF.Kobo BooksKobo Books is the bookstore owned (quelle surprise!) by Kobo, which is also behind the Kobo e-reader. It has around 350,000 ebooks for sale, as well as 1.8 million free ones (or thereabouts), and prices range generally between AU$10-AU$20, which isn't too shabby at all. If you're looking for a replacement for your Borders ebook needs, Kobo Books is a good way to go.File format: ePub.SmashwordsIf you're looking for something a bit different, Smashwords offers an alternative to the big-name stores. It offers ebooks from independent authors and publishers at a much lower average price than shops like the three mentioned above. The author gets a bigger percentage of the cut, too, so it's a great way to support writers if you feel disillusioned with the publishing house system, and you can find some hidden gems that you might not otherwise have read.File formats: ePub, HTML, JavaScript, LRF, MOBI, PDB, PDF, RB, RTF, TXT.Barnes & NobleThis US-based ebookstore can be a bit of an exercise in frustration, since it won't let you download certain titles from an Australian IP address, but that's par for the course â€" Amazon does the same thing. Still, pricing is quite reasonable, and B&N can act as one more port of call if you want to make sure you're getting the best price.File format: ePub.Free ebooksManybooksManybooks hosts public domain books from Project Gutenberg (excepting PG Australia), and allows you to download them in a variety of formats. Additionally, you will be able to find more contemporaneous books with a creative commons licence (free).File formats: AZW, ePub, HTML, LIT, LRF, MOBI, PDB, PDF, PKG, TCR, TXT.Project GutenbergAny books written by authors who died before 1955 are considered public domain in Australia, and the volunteers of Project Gutenberg have worked to make these books available for free. The site's navigation is a bit bare bones, but there are a lot of great classics to be found.File formats: ePub, HTML, MOBI, TXT.FeedbooksFeedbooks is an ebook seller with a section where you can download free public domain titles, as well as a bunch of new creative commons titles.File formats: ePub, MOBI, PDF.Baen Fantasy and sci-fi publishing house Baen is something of a fan favourite for its excellent stable of authors, fairly reasonable prices and permanent selection of titles available for free download from some well-known names. File formats: ePub, LIT, LRF, MOBI, RB, RTF.ScribdScribd bills itself as a social publishing website, where anyone can upload or download works and content, with file conversion built in. You can also read free sample works from major publishing houses. It's a great resource to find free works by established authors or stumble onto someone new.File formats: PDF, TXT.E-book.com.auIf you've exhausted all the possibilities above, E-book has a veritable cornucopia of links to free ebook resources for Australian readers. Still got questions? Ask away in the comments below and we'll be happy to help you out.
Old and new tech commingle in the T-1 amplifier
Old and new tech commingle in the T-1 amplifier
I've reviewed a number of entry-level tube amplifiers--the Miniwatt N3, Jolida FX 10, and the Decware Zen Triode SE84C+--but the Neuhaus Labs T-1 is a very different take on the category.The vacuum tube was invented more than a century ago, but tube amps are still favored by a significant number of audiophiles. I'm in that group; there's something about tube amplifiers' musicality that's rarely equaled by solid-state electronics. The Neuhaus T-1 ($495) is a "hybrid" tube/solid-state design, and uses a pair of tubes (type 6N2) in its preamplifier section and transistors to generate the amp's 18-watt-per-channel power output. Neuhaus shipped its first products in August 2009. What really distinguishes the T-1 from every other tube amp is its rather unusual connectivity. Designer George Golik and his son Daniel set out to craft a tube amp for today's digitally oriented buyers. The T-1 comes with a built-in high-quality 96KHz/24-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), Bluetooth, USB, and optical/Toslink digital connectivity. You can use the T-1 with Apple Airport Express and stream your music through Wi-Fi. Vinyl hasn't been excluded; the amp also has two stereo analog connections and a front-panel 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Hook it up to your computer via the T-1's USB or optical digital inputs, and you'll be bypassing the computer's own, probably less-than-stellar, DAC or sound card. The remote handles volume only. The amp's mirror-finish stainless steel chassis feels nice and solid. The T-1 is built in China and Taiwan, but Golik may manufacture future products in the U.S. The amp measures a compact 8.7x10.6x5.9 inches, and weighs 8.8 pounds.To find out how far I could push the T-1's 18 watts per channel I cranked the Dirtbombs' "Party Store" CD way up on my Zu Audio Essence speakers. These speakers are superefficient, so they can make a big sound with just a few watts. For this CD the Dirtbombs changed gears from their usual Detroit punk garage sound to a more techno-oriented groove. The low-down beats connected on a visceral level, and the T-1 sounded remarkably powerful.Acoustic jazz had a presence and nimble attack that you rarely get from affordable solid-state amps. "Monk in Paris," a live Thelonious Monk recording from 1965, features a particularly energetic performance from the piano master. With the T-1 calling the shots you'll feel the entire rhythm section--piano, bass, and drums--totally locking in. Right, that's what separates great hi-fi from the merely good, and you get more out of the music. The T-1 rear panelNeuhaus Labs T-1Next, I used the T-1's USB connection to play iTunes from my computer over my Audioengine P4 speakers. They are my regular computer speakers, and I normally have an Audioengine N22 amp hooked up to them. The tonal balance was just a little richer with the T-1, and the sound was more transparent and the stereo image more expansive. The sound from the headphone jack, driving my Ultimate Ears 4 in-ear headphones, wasn't anything special.The T-1 is sold factory-direct worldwide with a 15-day return privilege. You've got nothing to lose by trying the amp; if you don't love it, ship it back for a full refund, including shipping! Neuhaus has one brick-and-mortar dealer, Hollywood Sound, in Hollywood, Fla.
I've reviewed a number of entry-level tube amplifiers--the Miniwatt N3, Jolida FX 10, and the Decware Zen Triode SE84C+--but the Neuhaus Labs T-1 is a very different take on the category.The vacuum tube was invented more than a century ago, but tube amps are still favored by a significant number of audiophiles. I'm in that group; there's something about tube amplifiers' musicality that's rarely equaled by solid-state electronics. The Neuhaus T-1 ($495) is a "hybrid" tube/solid-state design, and uses a pair of tubes (type 6N2) in its preamplifier section and transistors to generate the amp's 18-watt-per-channel power output. Neuhaus shipped its first products in August 2009. What really distinguishes the T-1 from every other tube amp is its rather unusual connectivity. Designer George Golik and his son Daniel set out to craft a tube amp for today's digitally oriented buyers. The T-1 comes with a built-in high-quality 96KHz/24-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), Bluetooth, USB, and optical/Toslink digital connectivity. You can use the T-1 with Apple Airport Express and stream your music through Wi-Fi. Vinyl hasn't been excluded; the amp also has two stereo analog connections and a front-panel 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Hook it up to your computer via the T-1's USB or optical digital inputs, and you'll be bypassing the computer's own, probably less-than-stellar, DAC or sound card. The remote handles volume only. The amp's mirror-finish stainless steel chassis feels nice and solid. The T-1 is built in China and Taiwan, but Golik may manufacture future products in the U.S. The amp measures a compact 8.7x10.6x5.9 inches, and weighs 8.8 pounds.To find out how far I could push the T-1's 18 watts per channel I cranked the Dirtbombs' "Party Store" CD way up on my Zu Audio Essence speakers. These speakers are superefficient, so they can make a big sound with just a few watts. For this CD the Dirtbombs changed gears from their usual Detroit punk garage sound to a more techno-oriented groove. The low-down beats connected on a visceral level, and the T-1 sounded remarkably powerful.Acoustic jazz had a presence and nimble attack that you rarely get from affordable solid-state amps. "Monk in Paris," a live Thelonious Monk recording from 1965, features a particularly energetic performance from the piano master. With the T-1 calling the shots you'll feel the entire rhythm section--piano, bass, and drums--totally locking in. Right, that's what separates great hi-fi from the merely good, and you get more out of the music. The T-1 rear panelNeuhaus Labs T-1Next, I used the T-1's USB connection to play iTunes from my computer over my Audioengine P4 speakers. They are my regular computer speakers, and I normally have an Audioengine N22 amp hooked up to them. The tonal balance was just a little richer with the T-1, and the sound was more transparent and the stereo image more expansive. The sound from the headphone jack, driving my Ultimate Ears 4 in-ear headphones, wasn't anything special.The T-1 is sold factory-direct worldwide with a 15-day return privilege. You've got nothing to lose by trying the amp; if you don't love it, ship it back for a full refund, including shipping! Neuhaus has one brick-and-mortar dealer, Hollywood Sound, in Hollywood, Fla.
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