Visitors to CES (The Consumer Electronics Show)2008 will have noticed we were working on something different. While our classic range of products were in full voice there was a beautiful unit sitting on the side board in the upper suite of the show room also playing music. BBC Radio 3 mostly. This was Las Vegas USA 2008 and the unit was connected to the internet and blasting tunes from the UK. Every now and then we would switch to over to link up to server we had the other side of the suite via wifi and choose some High Definition tunes and play them back too.It also had an SD card slot and a USB port for flash memory playback. This was the prototype Morpheus Music Centre. We shipped the first production items just before CES in January 2009.
Needless the say the press were all over it. Some were also taken aback by how a small ‘traditional’ hifi company like our could tackle such a task. They seem to have forgotten the Bard and the Bronte system which, as the Morpheus was to be, much copied.
Soon the Morpheus was to be available in both Harrods and Selfridges in London as well as hi-fi specialist stores around the world including New York, Paris, Athens and Tokyo. It too was to pick up an Audio Excellence Award from Japan, the country that is normally expected to lead with this kind of product. One of their top audio audio journals was to exclaim, “Morpheus was[a product] of the new era”. They were absorbed by its sleekness and simplicity. The ability to mount a full hifi system on the wall or side board without consuming too much real estate had them enthralled. They liked how it sounded too.
…a unique ‘media centre’ that lacks nothing in charm or seductive qualities and is very ergonomic and easy
to use…a digital amplifier of audiophile quality…it’s reproduction [of music] demonstrates an incontestable transparency in the true spirit of digital amplification…an intelligently conceived product that is very attractive.
Translated from Diapason Magazine July-August 2009, France.…The Morpheus Music Centre [from Sonneteer] will move you from the very first instant. This is not just a high technology laden piece of equipment, but clearly one created to bring music to life.”
Winson Ng, HiFi Review, August 2010 [more]….Sonneteer director Haider Bahrani showed us the Morpheus, which we imagined would look nice in our
living room…The Morpheus from Sonneteer was the sleekest and most discreet. It stores three terabytes of tunes,
and like the others, will rip your CDs while you “go make a cup of tea.” You can even control it, like most of
the other music servers, with your iPhone[or iPod Touch].
VintageRock.com, February 2010.… the positive impression I have of the Morpheus in Las Vegas and remained intact after the test. This
is a very flexible system that will help you get your audio files, well-designed and easy to use. It is an
excellent “next step” f or anyone who wants to join in the virtual record collection and is recommended
without reservation.
Dimitris Stamatakos AV Mentor, December 2009, GreeceMorpheus was[a product] of the new era” Analog, Japan
The Morpheus also made it to the Daily Telegraphs Hotest Gadgets pages.
Not to be left out that year our other products kept themselves in the news. The Sedley had Brian Bloom writing for Audiophile Audition in the USA had something special to say.
…Right away I sensed there was something special happening. While some of the preamplifiers I
auditioned were (as Goldilocks would say) too hot or too cold, the Sedley was just right. It was quiet, had
good sense of space, nice top end without hiss or excessive sizzle, and images were appropriately sized
and didn’t sound congested or obviously colored in any way. Soundstage wasn’t too wide or too narrow
and image location was excellent as evidenced by the track ”Home At Last.” This is the first preamp that I’ve
had under review that I could honestly consider using f or the long term. This is not to say it’s perfect and
there is nothing better, but only that it doesn’t have any egregious f laws. I felt comfortable sitting and just
listening (and without the feeling I was missing something or the music was being edited by the equipment).
…Tonally this preamp gets it right. I have to say that I had to be reminded I was working on a review and try
to critically listen as I continually lapsed into just enjoying the music–as it should be! The other thing I
noticed was that although the LP wasn’t in perfect shape the imperfections became less noticeable when
the music was this engrossing.
Brian Bloom, Audiophile Audition, June 2009, USA
Streaming is freed.