Spinning Paul Weller’s “Beyond Sunset” just feels right through the Manley Snappers. Founder EveAnna Manley is currently a Southern California being, and these amplifiers instantly bring up that easy beach feeling. The amps are warmed up before the listening begins, and it only takes a few notes to get into the incredible chill vibe that these amplifiers provide.

These days, as many tube amplifier manufacturers are falling over themselves trying to make amplifiers that are hyper-accurate, some are losing their souls in the process. Selfishly speaking, if you’re going to go the tube route, there should be a bit of romance, a bit of feel, a sense that you are really in analog world, eh?

Those tied to the world of measurements (along with the subgroup that believes all amplifiers sound the same) rarely if ever get the magic that a great tube amplifier brings to the party. So, for now, we’re just going to ignore that group. For what it’s worth, Manley says the Snappers will deliver full power at 10Hz all the way to 40KHz. Considering all the electronic music we played while they were here, there’s no reason to doubt this claim. Cranking up all the Massive Attack, Aphex Twin and Tosca tracks we could find are a joy with these amplifiers.

The lowest frequencies are usually where tube amplifiers fall down, getting a little bit soft and uncontrolled at the lowest frequencies. A lot of the genius in tube amplifier design is in circuit refinement and the utmost in care when winding output transformers. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of either at Manley Labs, and like the world’s finest tube amplifier manufacturers, they wind their own. This makes it possible to get exactly what you need for the intended operation, and fine tuning doesn’t break the bank, paying an outside vendor to (hopefully) achieve the desired results.

When I caught up with EveAnna Manley, she confirmed my suspicions about their dedication to the output transformers, which are all wound in-house. “That’s a major motion picture. When we re-did the circuit topology a while back, Mitch went over everything. The output transformers are a 19-section wind. They take about 4 hours to wind one, it’s the best output transformer we make.” This is usually the difference between lesser and greater tube amps.

Fun shape, big value

The Snappers are finished in the standard dark blue color they’ve come in forever, and it’s a fun color. The shape is somewhat of a cross between vintage and contemporary, honoring new and old school industrial design in the process. Each amplifier weighs about 45 pounds each, so nearly anyone can lift them – a real benefit. My favorite part of the aesthetic is the way the Manley logo blinks until the amplifiers warm up – this lets you know the amplifier is in MUTE mode until it’s ready to go.

These amplifiers are a fully balanced, differential design, so they do not rely on transformers to achieve balanced operation. Each mono amplifier uses a 12AX7 input tube, a 5687 (or 7044) driver and four EL-34B output tubes. This adds to the finesse and transient speed that the Snappers offer. A pair of Snappers will set you back $9,399 as of October 1. Considering a pair of PrimaLuna EVO 400s are similarly priced, the McIntosh MC1502 tips the scale at about $12k and the new REF80 from ARC is $15k, the Snappers remain a top value. If you happen to be an audiophile on a budget, that likes to snap up gently used gear, good luck. In the last ten years, I think I’ve seen maybe three pairs of Snappers on the used market. I suggest getting your own pair and hanging on to them forever.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with Manley Labs, they build a lot of gear that works daily in some of the world’s most notable recording and mastering studios. Peeling the onion back further, you’ll be surprised at how many of your favorite tracks have been touched by Manley pro gear over the years. This matters for two reasons. Ms. Manley knows what music is supposed to sound like, and Manley gear doesn’t break. It’s one thing to have your home system crap out in the middle of a weekend listening session, but when something fails in the middle of a record that’s probably going to win a Grammy, heads roll.

Defining the Snapper sound

Sound, especially the sound generated by a playback system is a personal, intimate experience when assembled with care. You know the sound you’re looking for, and you might have to audition many different amplifiers until you find that sound. That sound that makes the tumblers in your cognitive center all snap into place and let you relax, forget about everything and settle in.

If you’ve been on a somewhat long quest for that perfect tube amplifier, and can live with 100 Watts per channel, the Snappers can be your grail. Joe Walsh’s So What? has a big, fat, beefy sound with the Snappers in the system, playing through the Sonus faber Stradiveris. (sans REL six-pack) Every bit of classic rock I love, and have listened to for decades is mega-engaging through the Snappers, regardless of what speakers I use.

The Snappers render music in a fast, lively, and engaging way, without getting too-tubey. Fun as some of our favorite vintage amps from Marantz, McIntosh, and Dynaco are, they have a warm, syrupy, romantic feel. Those of you that worship at the altar of PRAT (pace, rhythm, and timing) will call these vintage amplifiers slow. Depending on your room and system, this can be enticing, but when dynamic material is played, they come up short. Imaging suffers, and there just isn’t that slam you really want. The missing dynamics are the fourth dimension required to make music sound natural when reproduced.

The Snappers really rock. Again, thanks in part to the output transformers and equally because of their overbuilt power supplies. Manley tells me that while tube rectifiers are more romantic, “The solid-state rectifiers allow for bigger power supply caps and more energy storage. That’s the control you’re hearing.” Powering through the massive bass intro to BTOs “Not Fragile” really shows off the finesse these amps exhibit. Those of you with higher brow musical taste might try Stanley Clarkes’ “Bassically Taps.” The great thing about the BTO track, is how well the Snappers keep the grungy, distorted guitars firmly placed over the bass line as it progresses. No matter how complex and layered the mix, the Snappers keep everything where it should be. While they don’t over embellish, like those warmer, tube-y er amps, they do offer a nice degree of tonal saturation that is so pleasing, it’s tough to escape the gravitational pull of the listening chair. Like for hours.

Compatibilities

With 100 Watts each on tap, the Snappers drove everything we paired them with. Having been in the middle of a speaker issue, they were tried with about 20 different speakers, from single driver models, up to the mighty Focal Stella Utopia EMs. (and quite a few in between) There were no issues with any speaker. The Snappers even did a great job with my vintage Acoustat 1+1s, and the Magnepan SMGs – both somewhat notorious to drive.

100 Watts per channel is a nice, sweet spot that makes nearly every speaker your oyster, unless you just have to listen at brain damage levels. I’m a huge fan of the smaller, less powerful Manley Mahi’s (50wpc with EL84 tubes) and they might just be the best amps on Earth for driving a pair of Quad 57s, but sometimes 40 Wpc isn’t always enough to really crank it up. Here’s where you have to think about your priorities (but don’t we all?). The Mahi’s can deliver a little more inner detail, a little bit more of that “pinpoint imaging” that is the catnip for some audiophiles. The Snappers have nearly all that finesse, but with more giddyup. It’s like the difference between a 400cc sport bike and a 600cc sport bike – both are still way more nimble than a full litre bike, but the 600cc bike makes it a little easier to get there.

If you are still intrigued by the Mahi’s, please click here to read our full review.

One more thing worthy of note, while some tube amps these days support an auto-bias configuration, the Snappers need to be biased manually. Manley provides excellent instructions in the owner’s manual and on their website -it’s not that tough. They are even kind enough to include a basic digital multimeter (DMM) so you won’t have to source one. Usually, biasing power tubes needs to be done when they are new, again at about 100 hours, and maybe double check every few hundred hours. Somewhere down the road, one or more of the output tubes will no longer bias up, or you’ll notice a bit of softness in the high frequencies. That’s when it’s time for new tubes. Unless you’re made of money, work with the standard tubes. Rolling EL-34s these days is expensive.

What’s not to love?

If you’re new to tubes, you might just think the Manley Snappers are incredible and be done with it. However, if you’ve sampled your fair share over the years, you’re in for a pleasant surprise at how great a job these monoblocks do at doing it all. Plenty of power, big dynamics, imaging like crazy, and easy to use. (not to mention easy to lift!)

There are other amps with snazzier casework, and snootier pedigrees. But, if you just love music and you want a pair of incredible monoblocks that deliver the goods, I can’t recommend the Manley Snappers highly enough.

www.manley.com

Rega’s top table, the P10 is new again. Not new new, but Rega new, which means It’s been subtly updated in nearly every aspect.

This warrants a two-tier review. One for those of you that closely follow the brand, and perhaps even have one of the last versions of the P10, or even a P9, and one for those of you that are new to Rega and may be considering a P10 instead of something else in the $6,000 – $10,000 range.

Part one: for the faithful

If you’ve been closely following the Rega narrative, you know that they don’t usually produce new models that deviate terribly far from the past ones. Back in 2014, Rega introduced their RP10, which introduced their “skeletal plinth,” derived from their Naiad prototype. Intriguing as this shape was, Rega played it safe, offering a traditional cutout plinth-esque plinth, allowing the attachment of a standard dust cover, and an their new RB2000 tonearm.

The space age ceramic platter was a carry-over from its introduction with the P9, and now because of the skeletal plinth featured a ceramic top brace between the tonearm mount and the center of the plinth for additional rigidity. Comparing the RP10 to the P9, side by side, the newer table was more resolving, more extended, and slightly less warm sounding. As with the P9, the bass response of this table is outstanding. No more comments about low mass tables lacking bottom end weight.

The P10 abandons the additional plinth, and now puts P10 on the front of the plinth where it should be, still an epic example of engineering beauty. Now, with its further refined RB3000 tonearm it is as much a joy to behold as it is to listen to.

Nothing overlooked

Looking through the design info on the Rega website, every aspect of this table is made better, to tighter tolerances, to a higher level of precision. This is the essence of Rega. Rather than reinvent the wheel, they refine the wheel over and over. Great at the P10 is at the task of playing records, it is an engineering aficionado’s dream. Just running your fingers across the surface of the ceramic platter, or moving the tonearm from rest to cue down on a record’s surface is exquisite. The complete lack of play in any dimension of the new, zero-tolerance bearing in the RB3000 is almost seductive in its action.

There’s a level of finish here that would not be out of place on an Aston Martin or an F1 car. It’s no coincidence that much of the engineering talent in F1 is from England. You might expect this level of quality in a six-figure turntable, but this level of execution in a table costing only $5,695 (without cartridge) is crazy good. If you dig the sound of the Apheta 3 MC cartridge, the package is an even better value at $6,995. Seriously, with or without cartridge, the P10 is one of the best values in high performance turntables period, end of story. Staffer Jerold O’Brien wanted my RP10, so it ended up going to him after the review – membership has its privileges, but this P10 is staying here. About a week into the review process, I sent payment to The Sound Organisation. I knew the minute I played the first track.

Equal attention has been paid to every other aspect of the P10, making this table the epitome of the whole item being more than the sum of the parts.

Part two: for those new to Rega

The toughest part of this review is not to sound like too much of a Rega groupie. If you’re someone who equates high mass, and a gigantic plinth with great sound, you probably won’t even give a P10 a shot. Much as I love to make comparisons to automobiles, I’ll make a cycling comparison this time. The P10 reminds me of the first time I rode a lightweight, high performance road bicycle. As someone skeptical of shaving 10 pounds or so off of something without a motor, I was floored by the increase in efficiency that loss of weight created. That’s how the P10 feels. So effortless in a way.

Rega has been building turntables for nearly 50 years now, and even if you place a current model next to one that’s been around forever, they look more similar than different. Nearly all of their improvements have been the result of constantly refining their process. No matter how much they make one of their products better, they are always striving to make them stronger, lighter, more reliable. And above all, better sounding. By these criteria, Rega is an unqualified success.

While there are many variations on the turntable theme, the basic groups are suspended or unsuspended (solid plinth) designs and low or high mass designs. Being that Roy Gandy is a former automotive engineer, he’s always taken the approach to eliminate as much mass as can be done without sacrificing rigidity. Much like a Formula 1 car. Mass equals stored energy, so the lower the mass, the more of the record groove’s energy can be transferred to your stylus. The P10 is a very lively sounding table, where some high mass designs feel slow in comparison.

Unboxing

Rega sent us the P10 with the third generation of their Apheta moving coil cartridge pre-mounted. An excellent choice for a number of reasons – if you use a Rega cartridge, and take advantage of their three-point mounting system, the cartridge is pretty much dialed in. It’s the most no fuss, no muss high end table/cartridge combination going. If your patience for fiddling with cartridge and turntable setup is close to zero, and you don’t have a friend, tech, or dealer that can do it for you, this setup is the way to roll. In ten minutes, tops, you’ll be spinning records. When was the last time you did that with a high end turntable?

Now that Rega has done away with their plinth extender, the current P10 comes with a clear acrylic cover that merely rests on the turntable mat and has a U-shaped bend where the tonearm goes. It’s great for keeping the cat off the turntable (not that you should have a cat anywhere near a turntable, but I digress) but not much more. Ditto for the stylus guard on the Apheta. Save it in case you need to move, but otherwise forget it. Chances are high that you’ll break the stylus/canteliver assembly taking this on and off repeatedly. Just saying.

Once the plinth/tonearm assembly is unpacked, all that’s left to do is mount the platter, the counterweight and set tracking force to 1.9 – 2.0 grams and the anti-skate/bias adjustment. The enclosed instruction manual will take you right through this process. Rega suggests 100 ohm loading, however if you have the ability to go to 50 ohms on your phono preamplifier, I highly suggest giving it a try.

You can read more about the Apheta 3 cartridge on the Rega site here (https://www.rega.co.uk/products/apheta-3) where they go into great detail on what makes their cartridges unique. I’ve been using the Apheta since the first model and it provides a remarkable level of transient speed and lack of coloration that I’ve always found exciting. And again, this is not a crazy money cartridge. On its own, an Apheta 3 will set you back $1,995, but packaged with the P10, only $1,300.

Over the years, I’ve used several different cartridges with Rega tables with mixed results, but the Rega cartridges have always been a home run. Combining their ease of setup, with great sound, and no need to worry if you have the right compliance/mass combination is tough to beat. I can’t suggest the P10/Apheta 3 combination highly enough and am tempted to check out their top Aphelion cartridge at some point.

Further listening

Using the P10 in the main system, with the VAC Renaissance Phono Stage (all vacuum tubes) is downright sexy in the presentation. Combining the speed of the Apheta with the slightly lush tonality of the VAC phonostage is like catnip. Going for a more neutral, yet still very dynamic sound, the Boulder 509, set to 100 ohms is a powerful combination that won’t break the bank at $5,500. It’s incredibly low noise floor is well suited to the Apheta 3.

While we don’t currently have a Rega phonostage in our reference system, their past Ios phono was an outstanding match for the earlier Apheta, so it’s probably a safe bet the current Aura at $5,995 is probably an excellent match. When The Sound Org can free one up, we’ll let you know. Once you’ve settled on a phonostage, you’re in for a treat.

The P10/Apheta combination resolves a lot of musical detail without crossing the line into being harsh or grating. Once the P9 came on the scene, the big Rega tables had the heft in the lowest registers to compete with nearly anything out there.

Beginning our listening session with a Feickert test record to verify speed accuracy (and like the past dozen Regas we’ve tested, the speed is spot on) we move on to some bass heavy material. Queueing up Robert Plant’s Shaken and Stirred, along with his more current duet with Alison Krauss, Raising Sand puts any doubts that this table/cartridge combination can go deep. The Apheta 3 does a fantastic job at keeping the large soundfield it generates intact, in the middle of a solid bass line. Some refer to this as pace and timing. When it’s wrong, either the cartridge is unable to follow the bass groove, and gets muddy, or what’s going on in the rest of the musical spectrum becomes diffuse and undefined – the image collapses somewhat with complex material.

There’s an overall clarity to this table and cartridge that makes it so attractive. While it’s easy to get enticed by vinyl playback, it’s up to you whether you like a more euphonic (warm) presentation, or a more accurate presentation that is more natural in sound. Because the P10/Apheta 3 offers such a neutral presentation to start, you can tune to your taste. Those wanting a little extra warmth can head for a tube preamplifier, while those wanting every last molecule of detail will probably find solace in a solid-state phono pre.

A final word on the power supply and speed accuracy of the P10 makes for an incredibly lifelike rendition of acoustic guitars, piano and violin. Pulling a 40-year-old Planar 3 out of mothballs to compare Rega’s progress is amazing. Where those old belt drive turntables offered up a soundstage unlike our Technics 1200s of the day, they did fall short when playing back a solo violin. There’s definitely a bit of wavering going on with the old table. The current P10 is rock solid.

Nothing but praise

Living with the P10/Apheta combination for some time now, I couldn’t be happier about writing the check, and that’s the highest praise I can give this table. You can spend a lot more on a turntable and cartridge, but I doubt you can find a turntable offering more performance for the dollar, euro or pound. It’s funny after 40 years of buying turntables that I keep coming back to Rega. #toneaudioapproved.

PS: Thanks to Rega for some additional photos…

www.rega.co.uk (manufacturer)
www.soundorg.com/rega (NA distributor)

Where so many manufacturers have fallen victim to designing a speaker line around a tweeter first, with each smaller model having progressively less bass as a result, Penaudio’s Sami Penttila does it old school, developing each model to be a unique entity.

The result is a small speaker that is optimized for a smaller room, yet not lacking in resolution or quality. The latest Lumi is a perfect example of his design expertise. At $2,995 per pair, they are an approachable entry to the Penaudio speaker lineup.

Our listening begins as the speaker is intended in a 10 x 13-foot room, yet with high quality electronics – in this case the lovely Pass INT-25 integrated. This 25-watt per channel, class A amplifier has more than enough drive and detail to make the Lumis do their thing. Incidentally, Lumi means snow in the Finnish language, and if you happen to follow Sami on Facebook or Instagram, you know there is plenty of snow where he hails from.

Even if you’ve never been to Finland, if you’ve grown up with snow, you know the quieting effect that fresh snow brings to your environment. It’s an interesting type of quiet, and I maintain that some of the world’s finest speakers come from the Nordic Region because of this quiet. You need to know what quiet sounds like before you can proceed from there.

What better tribute to these speakers born of quiet than something delicate? Having known Penttila for many years, I know he loves to rock, but pulling George Winston’s December out of my record stack, and playing the classic, quiet, first run vinyl, is fantastic. Winston’s piano floats from the small Penaudios, with every note intact. Both attack and decay are just right, with the piano sounding much bigger than you might think a small pair of monitors would be capable of delivering. On one level, that’s why Penaudio speakers, big and small have the dynamics to handle more aggressive music too. This is their strength.

As Winston’s piano is so relaxing and inviting, one more classic is in order – Liz Story’s Solid Colors. This record was originally recorded to two-track tape at 30 i.p.s. with no dolby, and Story’s Steinway is captured at it’s best. Almost 40 years later, this is still a great go to record. No matter what kind of music you love and spend most of your time with, piano and violin are two of the greatest torture tests of any speaker. The complex dynamics and tonal shadings will not hide and you can rest assured if things sound good here, you won’t be disappointed with the rest of your favorite music.

Setup

The small 180 x 300 x 325 mm cabinet (about 7 x 12 x 12 inches) only weighs 7.5kg (about 17 pounds) is easy to manouver, and place in your room for excellent effect. With any small, high-performance speaker, heavy stands, with careful attention paid to speaker/stand interface will allow optimum performance. A pair of 24-inch, filled, Sound Anchor stands works perfectly, and to confirm this, a pair of light weight, flimsy stands are tried later. This is not recommended, as bass response and speed will suffer.

You can approach the Lumi two ways, further out in your room, closer to the listening chair for a nearfield effect, or closer into the corners of your room, taking advantage of room gain to achieve a deeper bass response. Both work well, but provide a completely different experience, both of which are engaging. With careful tweaking, you can achieve an excellent balance of bass extension, while keeping most of the imaging capability that the Lumis offer in a corner placement setup.

Further out in the room, with a smaller “listening triangle,” and the speakers about five feet from rear and side walls, while about five feet apart and from the listening position is completely immersive, as if sitting in a giant pair of headphones. Those craving more bass response can of course, add a subwoofer or two. As they were in for review, I tried a pair of REL TZero Mk.III subs with excellent effect. We will talk about that more in a future “Shhhh” column in TONE, but for now, we’ll concentrate on the Lumi’s alone.

Playing with others

Most listening was done with the Pass INT-25, but these speakers were not out of their element with the combination of the Nagra Classic Preamplifier and Classic Amp, which is 100 watts per channel. Much like the Cenya Signatures, Lumi is very tube friendly too. With an 86db/1-watt sensitivity rating, we suggest at least about 50 watts per channel, if you go the tube route. Our Conrad-Johnson CAV-45S2 works incredibly well with the Lumis, and while the Pass amp offers slightly more bass grip and extension, the C-J is the master of creating a huge sonic image.
Fantastic results were also achieved with the Octave V110SE, PrimaLuna EVO400s, the McIntosh MC275 and of course the BAT REX gear we have in for review, though that is probably well outside the scope of what would be used as source components for a pair of Lumis. Yet, sonically they are up to task – this is a highly resolving speaker.

The SEAS connection

Bias admitted, I still prefer the slightly less resolving but more organic feel of a soft dome tweeter, and Penaudio speakers have always taken advantage of some of SEAS’ finest drivers and made them their own. The Lumi is no different. Using one of their newest Excel tweeters, the Lumi combines it with a 5.7 inch (145mm) Excel woofer made to spec for Penaudio. The match is perfect, with the pair offering a lot of musicality.

Playing some bass heavy tracks from Prince, the Lumis can’t quite go all the way down, but the texture and fundamental tonality is there. That small woofer does an excellent job when capturing Rhonda Smith’s quick, plucky bass lines on the Emancipation disc, as well as her stint with Jeff Beck on the Emotion and Commotion record. Again, if you listen to more of this style of music, consider opting for a pair of small subs, or at least corner placement.

Final thoughts

What really makes the Lumis shine is the incredible stereo image they can paint in a small room – always the highlight of a well-designed small monitor. That said, don’t count the Lumi’s out as part of a killer desktop system either. Mounted on a pair of great desktop speaker stands from ISO Acoustics, and powered by the Naim Uniti Atom proves to be a ton of fun, albeit a bit spendy for a desktop system. However, if you edit video, these could be the perfect tool for you.

Regardless of the setup, the Penaudio Lumi speakers are a sheer joy to live with. As someone who’s used Penaudio on and off as a reference speaker for the last 16 years, I had to purchase the Lumis for inclusion in our standing arsenal of compact reference speakers.

Maybe the other word for the Lumis should be rakkaus. #toneaudioapproved.         – Jeff Dorgay

www.penaudio.fi

Peripherals

Digital Source T+A 2500R

Analog Source Chord Huei, Technics SL-1200, Denon 103 (with alum. Cap)

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Blue 2

Amplification Conrad-Johnson CAV-45S2, Pass INT-25

Manley has not changed the circuit of their smallest monoblocks, the Mahi’s, but since this review came out in 2007, manufacturing costs and a crazy world economy has brought the price to nearly double what they were in 2006 when we first wrote this review. Still, at $5,399 a pair, these are still one of the best bargains in hand crafted tube amplifiers going and after revisiting a pair of a friend’s Mahi’s, I stand behind everything written here. –Jeff Dorgay, Publisher

Often, good sound in the audiophile world means big: big amplifiers, lots of big tubes, big heatsinks with a lot of power transistors. And of course, we need a big power supply too. That is the conventional wisdom, and it works well, but every now and then you get surprised.

The Mahis are one of those surprises.

When I first saw the Mahis, I really wanted to get my hands on them, just because they look so cool. I’m a major fan of Manley stuff from an industrial design point of view, and now years later, the sound as well. Only about 10 x 11 x 5-inches, the Mahis are small but substantial, weighing 18 pounds each. The chassis are black, but the front panel and spiked feet are a dark, metallic blue, and the front panels have the Manley Mahi logo on them that light up from behind when you turn the power on.

The Mahis are compact but substantial – like taking a teaspoon of matter from Pluto substantial. There is an IEC socket on the back, so you can use the power cord of your choice, and speakers connect via a pair of WBT binding posts, though there are no options for different impedance. I tried the Mahis with a number of different speakers, and this isn’t a problem.

Unlike a lot of tube amplifiers in this price range, the Mahis use a pair of EL-84 output tubes per channel, instead of the more common EL-34. This amplifier began its life about 15 years ago as VTL’s “Tiny Triode” amplifier, making quite a name for itself. They then became Manley 35-watt monoblocks, later morphing into their 50-watt monoblock amplifier. The 9-pin EL-84 looks a lot like a preamp tube at first glance, but it delivers the goods! Guitar geeks in the audience will recognize this tube as the one that contributes to the sweet sound of the old VOX amplifiers the Beatles (and the Knaack) used.

A pair of Mahis now cost $5,399, and are stoutly built at the Manley facility in Chino, Calif. These are monoblock versions of the popular Stingray, without input switching and volume controls, so they are perfect for those of you who already have a linestage you are fond of.

Initial Set-up

For the first part of the test and break in, I used the Mahis in a system consisting of the ACI Sapphire XLs along with the ModWright 9.0 SWL SE linestage. Digital came from an Ah! Tjoeb 4000, partnered with the Benchmark DAC-1. Vinyl playback was provided by my hotrodded Rega P25 with a Sumiko Blackbird and the Hagerman Trumpet phono stage, so I felt we had these amplifiers in a system representative of like-priced gear. Those of you wanting to stay all Manley would do well to consider their Shrimp preamplifier.

These amplifiers broke in very quickly, only requiring about 50 hours to be all they can be. For the duration of my listening sessions a pair of Tetra 506s, along with BAT VK-42SE linestage and VK-P5 phono preamplifier rounded out the system. A ModWright Denon 3910 (things have come a long way since 2006!!) provided digital playback and the LP-12 with Shelter 90x handled analog playback.

The fairly sensitive Tetra 506 speakers (92db/1-watt) prove a great match. The Mahis produce just over 40 watts in ultralinear mode, so this is more than enough juice to make plenty of noise. Triode lovers only get 20 watts per channel, but it’s a bit warmer sound.

Adjustability Equals Fun

The Mahis give you two different ways to tailor the sound to your liking. Not only can you switch between ultralinear and triode mode, there are three settings for feedback as well. The standard setting (middle position) offers about 6 db of feedback, with the low setting has 3 db and the high setting, 10 db. You may question all of this, but it really comes in handy to dial in the sound you want. In a perfect world, if all records were perfectly mastered, you wouldn’t need this, but we all know that’s not the case.

If you are new to the tube scene, the standard ultralinear mode is more powerful, offering slightly more control over the lower frequencies, while being just a bit more extended on the high end. Using the EL-84s in triode mode costs you a bit of extension and control, but the midrange is more liquid.

Quad 57 owners, this is your amplifier. Since this review was written initially, I’ve borrowed Echo Audio’s demo pair of Mahis, and they are beyond lovely with the classic Quad 57s and the current 28xx series Quads. I’ll stick my neck out and say the Manley Mahis offer the most musically engaging presentation I’ve heard with the original Quads.

While many of you might leave everything in the center position and forget it, I found this feature to be really handy as a tone control. Got a CD with way too much sizzle? Crank up the feedback. Granted, you will lose a little bit of ultimate detail and resolution, but the smooth sound will be a lot easier on your ears. Listening to female vocals late at night over a glass of wine or two, crank up the feedback and go to triode mode as well. This combination is as romantic as it gets. If you are playing Led Zeppelin and need that extra push over the cliff, switch back to ultralinear mode and turn the feedback all the way down.

For some of you, this will be too much to handle, so if you are like a friend of mine that keeps VTA settings for all of his favorite records on an Excel file, forget about the Mahis, they will probably drive you nuts. You need a power amplifier with a power switch and that’s it. However, if having a few options sounds like a good time, grab a pair of Mahis and live it up!

A Different Kind of Fun

If you have never experienced an amplifier using EL-84 tubes, you are definitely in for a treat. Though the 6550 and KT-88 tubes are more common because of their higher power capacity, this configuration is very interesting. Conventional wisdom states that the EL-34 tubes have a more romantic sound, while the 6550s have more extension and punch.

However, the EL-84 in many ways is the best of both worlds, having great bass, top end extension, yet a liquid midrange. The only drawback is that these little tubes are only good for about 40 watts per channel, so to take advantage of the magic these amplifiers have to offer, you need a small room, efficient speakers, or both.

The more time I spent listening to the Mahis, the clearer picture I got of their character. The Mahis are very nimble tube amplifiers that have a lot of control in the lower registers. I tried several of my favorite bass-heavy discs from Kruder & Dorfmeister, Mickey Hart, and even dusted off my oldest Run DMC LP’s. The bass response of the Mahis is satisfying on all occasions. There are a few tube amplifiers in this price range that have more power, but the Mahis have more finesse, so if that’s your hot button, you will dig these amplifiers.

Again, the key is system matching. Get a pair of 92-96 db speakers and you may never need a bigger amplifier, because the Mahis are so enjoyable.Hook ‘em up to a pair of 86 db speakers and you might not get the same picture I got unless you are in a small room. Thanks to the great tonality of these amplifiers, you female vocal fans will worship the Mahi sound.

It’s all about detail with the Mahis. You can’t beat the laws of physics with any pair of 40-watt amplifiers, but the Mahis do such a great job with detail, you may not find yourself wanting to turn it up quite so loud. One final detail: the Mahis are very sensitive only requiring about 300 mv to produce full power. If you take a pair for a test drive, turn your preamp way down before starting to listen.

The Verdict

Fifteen years and price increases later, the Manley Mahis are still one of the most enjoyable pairs of tube amps going. I think I need a pair. (I should have bought em in 2006!)

Manley.com

With turntables spiraling out of control, price-wise, a $100k turntable is no longer the talk of a madman that it once was. That said, I submit that a well sorted $20k-ish table/arm/cartridge combination is all you need.

I must confess, as a Thrax owner (We use their Enyo integrated), I’ve become a big fan of this brand. I like their functional elegance and build quality. There is a solidity to Thrax products that reveals a major pride of workmanship. The Thrax Yatrus does not feel like a me-too product, it feels like something that’s been designed and built with care from the ground up.

Albert Einstein has been quoted as saying “things should be made as simple as possible, no simpler.” I wish I could come up with something more insightful for the Yatrus, but this sums it up. Every aspect of this table is exquisite. It’s low-profile, aluminum plinth features constrained layer damping and looks gorgeous. Unboxing this table, you’d swear it cost a lot more.

Comparing the level of execution the Yatrus offers, this feels much like some of my favorite components from Nagra, Burmester, AMG and D’Agostino. Quizzing the few friends that did stop by to look and listen to this table all said (without hesitation) “$50k” when I asked what they thought the price would be. One even mentioned “Is this another one of those fancy 100-thousand-dollar turntables?”

Though I’m giving the review away a bit, you could probably tell some people you did pay 100 grand for the Yatrus and they’d believe you. In all honesty, my range of solid experience stops at the $50-60k turntables, yet I feel the Yatrus sounds as good as anything we’ve ever had in for review, regardless of price tag.

The Yatrus tips the scale at $15,500, with mounting for a 9-inch (or less) tonearm. Our review sample came with a Schroder arm that you can purchase for another $5,500. If you aren’t aware of Frank Schroeder, he makes some of the world’s finest tonearms, and there is almost always a waiting list for them. If you don’t already have a premium arm you’re in love with, I highly suggest purchasing these two as a package, find your favorite $3k – $10k phono cartridge and live happily ever after.

The sweet spot or quandary?

A handful of readers will snipe about a $20k table/arm cartridge, but perhaps this isn’t the droid for you. As I’ve said before, I suspect few people will jump out of bed and say (or think) “I’m going to buy a twenty-thousand-dollar turntable today.” Most music loving audio enthusiasts work their way up to a table in this range. You probably have at least a few thousand albums (if not more) in good shape and appreciate the difference between the grades in pressings. You may even own a good chunk of first-stamper this, first-stamper that records. And, you’ll have something to sell or trade in to make this move, so it won’t be as much of a leap as it sounds at first.

If you’ve gone far enough on your analog journey to think about jumping up to this level in analog playback, there are some excellent choices at your disposal. With a number of past benchmarks from this realm pushing $40 – $50k (an SME 30 is $45k these days) $20k for a destination level turntable isn’t crazy talk.

Getting down to business

Things have come a long way since the days of the early direct drive Technics tables. Motor and  power supply design along with superior parts and build quality no longer make direct drive a less than option. Considering the fantastic direct drive tables we’ve had here from Brinkman, Grand Prix Audio and Technics, I’ve come to prefer the weight and speed accuracy of a direct drive table. The Yatrus reinforces this even further.

The Yatrus is quick and straightforward to setup. Like other Thrax components, it comes packed in its own high-density foam lined flight case. You might think this extravagant, but it shows major respect on the part of the manufacturer. They don’t want your table to arrive damaged, and they think enough of their work to protect it thusly. No small point of contention in today’s world of mass production. Should you change residences, this is something you can put a few zip ties on and let the movers move it.

If you have any appreciation at all for machine work and fine detail, savor unboxing the Yatrus. Every surface on this table is machined to perfection – it looks and feels like what you’d expect under the hood of a Ferrari or Aston Martin. The surfaces and fasteners are of exceptional quality, and the knobs adjusting the turntable’s height are protected by a white, stick-on plastic. The slight matte finish makes for a table that won’t be full of fingerprints all the time, like some of those chrome and gold-plated monstrosities. Again, understated elegance wins the day. PS: if you are that qualityphile that geeks out on the experience, you’re going to love the single knob to turn the table on and set speed. (the Yatrus even plays 78s!)

Once you remove the table and level it via the three adjustment knobs on the plinth, all that remains is to plug the power supply in from beneath, gently lower the platter onto the main bearing, and affix the tonearm. Used with our Analog Magik software suite, the Schroeder/Lyra combination was set up to perfection in about 15 minutes. From box to record playing music took about 45 minutes and I was really taking my time.

The music

Fun as all this tech worship is, the Yatrus delivers musically on a grand scale. Using the Pass Labs XSPhono as a conduit, the first thing noticed is quiet. Cueing up a copy of Lou Reed’s The Raven, and heading straight for “Vanishing Act,” listening for the solo piano just hanging in the air is incredible. Great as this track is through the dCS Vivaldi, the Yatrus adds the extra tonal saturation and air that makes Lou Reed feel six feet from the listening chair. If your taste runs more to classical and acoustic music, this is where the direct drive tables jump to the head of the pack. The superior speed accuracy that a top direct drive table offers renders piano, violin, and pretty much any other stringed instrument with a solidity and delicacy that even the best belt drives have a tough time competing with.

Even if you aren’t a classical aficionado, I urge you to add a copy of Yarlung Records Debut, by the Janaki String Trio. The spirited playing, captured on these two 45 r.p.m. discs, cut by Bernie Grundman tell you everything you need to know about the Yatrus. If I could only play you one cut, to convince you how exceptional this turntable is, “Allegro con spirito” from String Trio in C Minor, Op.9 no 3 would do the trick. It might even make a classical music lover out of you.

The speed, texture, and space that the Yatrus offers up has such a simple beauty. There is so much delicacy to this piece, that either feels harsh and screechy on a lesser table, or lacking in texture. The subtle differences in weight between the violin, viola, and cello are easily discernable, even to a novice classical music listener like me. A similar effect occurs when listening to Crosby, Stills, and Nash via mediocre vinyl playback – their voices just seem to blend together, yet with through the Yatrus, the vocal shadings and phrasings that make each of these vocalists unique now feels like night and day. This is what you get with a top turntable, and what makes the Yatrus worth the asking price.

It’s also worth mentioning how well the Yatrus does with the lower end of the musical spectrum – another area that the direct drive tables tend to excel. A few long evenings of electronica and prog selections reveal recordings that you might have thought had one-note bass, yet now reveal texture where there was none before.

In the end, it’s about resolution. This table offers up such a high level of fine detail extraction, it will take you to a new world of analog enjoyment. As digital continues to improve, this kind of musicality is what still makes vinyl an incredibly tactile experience.

A best buy

I submit that unless you have (and maybe even if you do) a seven-figure system, you can probably live happily ever after with the Thrax Yatrus. This table is killer good, and the Schroeder arm is one of the world’s finest. The combination is so good, you can experiment with other arms, but I’d suggest staying right here. With so many mega turntables looking like an engineering project at best, and a shop class project at worst, the Yatrus ticks all the boxes for me. It’s finished to swiss watch level quality, it’s understatedly attractive, and it is highly musical.

If you live in an ecosystem that makes a $500k turntable a pittance, the Yatrus isn’t going to be cool enough. But if you’re a music lover that wants to retrieve as much music as they can from their analog music collection, and still has to keep an eye on the bottom line – this one gets my vote. For my money, this is the point of diminishing returns, and the curve goes up sharply from here. I can’t imagine needing more turntable than this. If I didn’t have an engine rebuild project inhaling 20-dollar bills like a room full of 80s party people inhaling coke in the bathroom, I’d buy it today. Don’t be surprised if you see the Yatrus returning in the next 12 months as a reference component when the party’s over.

www.thrax.bg (manufacturer)

www.highendbyoz.com (US Distributor)

Peripherals

PREAMPLIFIER Pass Labs XS Pre

PHONO STAGE Pass XS Phono, VAC Renaissance Phono

SPEAKERS Sonus faber Stradivari, with six pack of REL no.25 subwoofers

CABLES Cardas Clear

Naim’s audio gear legacy extends a half-century, starting with their original amplifier design. From those humble beginnings, they’ve continued to create durable and great-sounding components.

While the company makes excellent single-purposed standalone components like amplifiers, they have branched out their product lines to offer multi-purpose audio solutions, too. The Uniti Star resides among these all-in-one packages. The Star includes an excellent amp, a linestage preamp, headphone amplifier, CD player, and high-resolution DAC. That combination pulls together everything a digital audio fan needs to enjoy their favorite tunes.

Form and function

In comparison with the process of configuring and connecting many individual components, the Unity is almost comically simple to set up. Just connect your speakers using banana plugs — spade terminations are not compatible — and plug the Star into an electrical outlet. An internet connection enables many features – including all of the Uniti’s music streaming functionality – so you’ll want to make use of the Naim’s Ethernet port or set it up for wireless capability. From there, you can start playing a CD or streaming music right away.

The Naim does include a full-function remote control. However, the iPhone and Android apps offer a great deal of flexibility – and they are fun to use. A Uniti owner can use the app to connect to Qobuz, Spotify, and Tidal directly or utilize its “radio” functionality to stream from external sources. This convenient capability gives a user the ability to control the Naim from a different room. You certainly can’t do that with a typical remote! To adjust the volume manually, give the gigantic, lighted wheel on the top of the case a spin.

The Star is surprisingly compact for all the inner workings it offers. It’s 17 inches (432mm) wide, 10.5 inches (265mm) deep, and 3.75 inches (95mm) tall. For such a little guy, though, its substantial 29 lb (13kg) weight is primarily due to the toroidal transformer supporting the built-in amplifier’s 70 watts per channel into eight-ohm speaker loads.

Making connections

On the back panel, owners have many options to connect external components. The Unity offers two pairs of RCA jacks for analog inputs. It offers multiple digital inputs too, plus AirPlay integration, allowing owners to make use of the Star’s inner DAC. The Unity includes two standard USB ports for those wanting to attach additional external storage space for digital music. From there, the Naim can access those files for playback. An owner can also rip CDs automatically and have the resulting digital files stored for easy access.

If you need a phono stage, though, you’re out of luck. While the Naim offers a ton of capability under the hood, it’s for digital music, not vinyl.

The Uniti Star features a lot more than meets the eye – and far more capability than we can cover in a single product review. For more information about all its functionality, download the Uniti Star manual on Naim’s website.

Listening

The Naim sounded quite good right out of the box, but owners should expect some improvement with a bit of burn-in time. Regardless of the music type thrown at the Uniti, its built-in componentry worked wonders for sound quality without harsh digital artifacts. The combination of internal components purposely selected by Naim synergize well and unleash energy, drive, and subtlety as recordings dictate.

While there’s a lot of detail retrieval, the Uniti’s overall sonic character leans to the warm and forgiving side. This voicing choice lets listeners melt into their seats and immerse themselves in glorious music. For my preferences, this is an excellent characteristic. However, every listener is different. If a prospective owner prefers audio components with a cooler, super-detailed interpretation of their favorite music, the Naim’s sonic flavor might be a bit polite for their taste.

Streaming well-recorded albums like Imelda May’s Life Love Flesh Blood in high resolution offers beautifully rendered vocals with both delicacy and growl that draws in a listener. Even when using the CD player with a lower 16 bit / 44.1 kHz sampling rate, vocals, guitars, and cymbals come through without ear-twitching stridency. However, it took a while to figure out how to get the Star to eject the CD partway through playing. Neither the front panel nor the remote have an eject button. You need to do that via the app.

At 70 watts, the Star has plenty of power to drive reasonably efficient speakers with authority across the frequency range. Those using monitor-sized speakers with limited low-frequency handling capability may appreciate the Uniti’s subwoofer output to dig out those low notes. Those driving big, full-range speakers might find the power rating a bit mild. For this reason, auditioning the Star at home is a great idea to hear for yourself if it mates well with your chosen speakers.

Soundstage-wise, the Star also does a very good job. Instruments appear in their specifically engineered locations, and vocalists maintain a solid image in the front-and-center as they should. Musical elements can also exceed the speaker bodies’ physical locations to creating an immersive listening experience.

Summing up

With an MSRP of $4999, the Naim is an investment in your audio happiness. While some might consider that price tag steep, consider this: To acquire the number of high-quality components built into the Uniti as separates would cost far more. Plus, you won’t need extra interconnects with the Star, which saves even more money.

The Naim Unity Star is a turnkey, marvelous-sounding audio solution. If you are considering scaling down your system or simply want to start with an excellent piece of gear that you’ll enjoy for many years to come, the Naim Unity Star might be your perfect solution.

Additional Listening:  Jeff Dorgay

I have to confess being a huge fan of the Naim Uniti products. They offer so much value and performance in a relatively compact chassis, it’s the perfect spot for the music lover wanting a high-performance system without huge footprint. If you’re an all-digital music lover, just add speakers. As a vinyl lover, I had to add a turntable to the mix, in this case a Rega Planar 3, and just to keep it all British, pulled out the Naim Stageline phono. Sitting on top of a Herman Miller Nelson Bench, this all looks smart as hell, while delivering the goods.

I ran the Star with everything from the $149k/pair Focal Stella Utopia Ems down to a pair of LS3/5as. Personally, I really enjoyed this system with the Focal Kanta no.1s. You can order this as a combo from your Focal/Naim dealer and live happily ever after. As long as you choose a pair of speakers with about an 86dB/1watt rating, you should be just fine. The Star makes a lovely match with a pair of Harbeth C7s too.

Here’s to Naim proving again, that performance and style can peacefully coexist.

Naim Uniti Star

MSRP $4999

www.naimaudio.com

PERIPHERALS

Digital Sources: Roon Nucleus, Simaudio MOON 780D DAC, Oppo BDP-103, Synology DiskStation 415 Play, Tidal and Qobuz streaming services.

Amplification: Conrad-Johnson ART150, Pass Labs X150.8

Preamplification: Coffman Labs G1-B

Speakers: GamuT RS3i

Cables: Jena Labs

Time flies when you’re having fun, the saying goes, and Naim’s Mu-so is an incredibly fun way to enjoy music.

The initial launch of the Mu-so at the Munich High End Show a few years ago raised the bar – dramatically for what can be called a desktop audio system. And a gorgeous one at that. As someone who’s been listening since the Mu-so arrived, this was a mega product to begin with. We’ve been living with the original Mu-so QB since the review. Pam looked at that, and just said “mine.”

And what’s not to love? Both Mu-so’s offer powered speakers, incredible industrial design, massive digital connectivity, and stunning sound. Thanks to their partnership with Focal, the Naim engineering staff has been able to leverage Focal’s expertise to produce a second-generation product offering true high-end sound in a box taking up a smaller form factor than a sound bar. If you’ve been thinking about a top sound bar for your TV, forget about it – buy a Mu-so.

Compact yet majestic

Don’t let the compact (about 12 x 24 inches, and only 5 inches high) form factor fool you. The new Mu-so packs 450 watts of power, into this enclosure, via a pair of DSP controlled, three-way speakers. When the original Mu-so was introduced, this was its most impressive feature – it could play loud, and with authority.

Nothing’s changed. After all of 8 seconds to pair up the Mu-so 2 with my iPhone, I’m rocking out. Robert Plant’s “Little by Little” has a solid bass groove, and about 20 tracks of Robert Plant later, this tabletop system is massively engaging, even using Spotify as a source. Fortunately, this is the lowest quality setting of which the Mu-so 2 is capable of.

With DAC and streaming circuitry derived from the flagship 500 series (which, incidentally, is also our cover story) the Mu-so 2 is able to decode PCM files up to 24/384khz PCM files and DSD 128.

Different, but the same

The new version of the Mu-so looks nearly the same externally, but Naim says (with their typical wacky sense of humor) that the new model is “95% different.” This means nearly everything has been gone over, optimized, and improved. It may look the same, but Naim has taken a class leading product and improved every aspect of it except one (and maybe that’s the 5%) the amazing volume attenuator. This is one of those works of engineering art that should be in museums everywhere. It feels just like the control in Naim’s top of the line Statement preamplifier. And when you power up the Mu-so, the backlit ring around the control dial glows in a circular fashion for about 20 seconds until warm up, revealing the unit’s control panel/main menu. It’s so beautiful to behold, you just might find yourself dimming the lights to see it more than once.

Again, with every aspect of the Mu-so 2s performance upgraded or tweaked, this is a component that is way more than the sum of its individual parts. Thanks to analog, USB, digital, and network inputs (wired and wireless) you can connect anything to the Mu-so 2. We tried everything, because again, Mu-so 2 is so much fun.

Connects to everything

First: old school analog. Thanks to the standard analog input, you can connect a turntable and phono preamplifier to the Mu-so 2. What better than a Technics 1200, fitted with a Denon 103 cartridge and a Naim Stageline phono? Should you hook a turntable up to your Mu-so 2, we suggest not placing the turntable on the same shelf, as the extended bass response of the Mu-so 2 will cause acoustic feedback. If you have no other way to go, investing in some kind of isolation platform or perhaps a wall shelf directly above the Mu-so 2 so you can keep cabling to a minimum. This was our approach, and it was fantastic.

Next: new school analog. As we have Cambridge Audio’s new Alva Bluetooth turntable, this seemed it might make the perfect fit for someone in close quarters, that needs to put their Mu-so 2 one place and a record player all the way across the room or pull it out and put it on a table somewhere for a night of record playing. The two paired effortlessly, and within 60 seconds we were playing records. Even though this is not a Naim piece, it makes a perfect complement for the Mu-so 2.

Streaming: via iOS device (or other). Just like the Alva, the iPhone synched with the Mu-so 2 in a heartbeat and proves easy to control. All of our listening was with Spotify, and because of this relatively low-quality stream, does not show off all that the tabletop Naim is capable of. Compared to CD and high-resolution digital files, there is a lack of resolution, which causes a smaller, less defined soundfield to expand in the room. In all fairness, it’s still pretty damn awesome.

Connecting the Mu-so 2 to our wired ethernet network via a CAT 6 cable and making it a ROON endpoint really shows off what this baby can do. When streaming a combination of 16/44, 24/96. And 24/192 files, the Mu-so 2 disappears in the room like a full blown hifi system. Naim got this right the first time, and it’s only better now. When comparing it to a few premier soundbars, or our Zeppelin wireless – the Naim is miles ahead in terms of dynamic range, and optimization of the DSP. Eyes closed; it really sounds like there are a pair of speakers on stands in the room.

When listening to heavy rock tracks and electronica titles with substantial low bass output, the Mu-so 2 digs in and goes deep. Thanks to a friend that lent us his original Mu-so (and we still have our Mu-so Qb) this is where you really feel the differences. Highs are cleaner, more defined, and have better, more anchored placement. As are the lowest frequencies – the new model goes down deeper and with less effort. Naim’s collaboration with Focal really shows itself to excellent result here.

All of the other major streaming services are compatible with the Mu-so 2, but if you happen to be a ROON user, this is such an exquisite pairing, and almost makes the Naim app useless. However, if you are not streaming with ROON, the Naim app allows you to control nearly every parameter of the Mu-so 2, so take your pick. This also comes in handy if you happen to be streaming your music collection via ripped CDs and a UPNP network. Again, we had great luck linking the Mu-so 2 to our Naim Uniti Core, with 2TB internal drive. Brilliant.

Finally: Television/movie sound. As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, don’t even think about buying a so called “soundbar,” when you can have a Mu-so 2. Out in the living room, using a projector to get about a 14-foot image on our main wall, putting the Mu-so 2 on a small table, about 18 inches off the ground, provided room filling sound.

Again, what impressed us the most, especially in this context is the Mu-so 2s sheer ability to play loud musical passages and its ability to handle gun shots, and various other cinema related crashes and booms. Streaming Netflix from a MacBook Pro, going to the Mu-So 2 via the Mac’s USB output was the best way to go here, but again, you have options, as this version also offers an HDMI input.

Fantastic, from beginning to end

As lovely as the Mu-so 2’s packaging is, it really should have confetti spray out when you open it. This is a party in a box, waiting to enjoy. Regardless of how you might engage Naim’s Mu-so 2, it’s up to whatever music related tasks you can give it. We tend to pooh-pooh all in ones, but this one is true to its heritage and worthy of an Exceptional Value Award for 2021.

www.naimaudio.com

With all the internet banter about speaker “break-in,” (and, yes we do believe in it) you know a speaker is special when it sounds fantastic right out of the box.

When a speaker sounds as musical and inviting as the FinkTeam Kim speakers when you play the first track – in this case, the Rolling Stones “Has Anybody Seen my Baby?” it only gets better as the hours pile up.

Audiophile dinosaur that I am, my first experience with the Heil AMT (air motion transformer) goes all the way back to high school, when my neighbor brought home a pair of ESS AMT-1 tower speakers. Interestingly enough, this particular speaker was a 2-way design, featuring an AMT tweeter and a 10-inch woofer loaded with a transmission line. It’s interesting that these speakers follow a similar, albeit very refined concept. After listening to AR3a’s in my system, (back then) the clarity and speed from the Heil tweeter was a revelation. FinkTeam’s current implementation is a forward firing model, 110mm (4.33 inches) long, delivering great horizontal dispersion. Thanks to the integral stands, correct rake angle is close to perfect from initial unpacking. Your listening position will of course, dictate toe-in and fine adjustment of these parameters.

FinkTeam has developed their AMT with Mundorf, who also builds the driver and they’ve engineered it for a minimum of down-firing treble energy. This makes the Kims much easier to set up. The high end gets flat and muffled in a hurry when you have it wrong. Don’t panic, just dial in a little more lift to the rear of the speaker stands. And don’t be shy with the toe-in either.

These two-way speakers, complete with stands have an introductory MSRP of $11,995/pair. You can read the full specs on the FinkTeam website, but perhaps the most important is that they offer a sensitivity of 86db/1-watt, and though this might seem slightly inefficient, these speakers prove incredibly easy to drive with everything from a 25 wpc Class-A amplifier, up to my reference Parasound JC-1+ monos with over 400 watts per channel. And, they are easy to use with tube amplifiers of modest power.

Though you may not have heard of this relative newcomer, FinkTeam is a lot like Porsche Design in the sense that they have been doing a lot of engineering and design projects for a number of companies for years. Like that other famous German design house, they stay in the shadows unless said manufacturer mentions their work. “Over the past 30 years Karl-Heinz Fink and his team have collaborated with Denon, Yamaha, Mission, Tannoy, Wharfedale, Mordaunt-Short, Naim, Q Acoustics, Boston Acoustics, Castle, Marantz, IAG and Bentley, among many others.” This is why these speakers come to market so highly evolved.

Context

We’ve been listening to several relatively compact, yet high performance speakers in the 10-20 thousand dollar a pair range; the Kims are solid contenders on a number of levels. Judged strictly on build quality and physical implementation, the Kims are tip-top. While every premium brand builds their enclosures differently, no one offers a higher level of material, finish, and fine assembly. Every joint on these speakers is executed to perfection, and this level of quality is far beyond speakers at the $5k – $7k level. The front panel is equally exquisite.

Turning the spotlight to price, the Stenheim Alumine 2s that were just here, tipped the scale at close to $12k without stands, the Sonus faber Guarneri Tradition about $17k with stands, and the Acora Acoustics SRBs top the chart at $20k with stands. Wilson, Magico, Focal, and others also have offerings at this price – it’s a very popular market segment for those wanting the refinement of six-figure floor standing speakers, yet don’t have a massive environment in which to place them.

Speaking of stands, these custom designed stands, are massive enough to get the job done, yet have a minimal footprint to interfere with imaging. It’s a nice touch to take this guesswork out of the equation, as speaker height and interface are critical to achieving maximum performance. You merely take the Kims out of their packaging and place them.

If you don’t need that last 10-15Hz of deep bass response (and you can mitigate some of this with very careful placement, taking advantage of room gain) these are exciting speakers, offering a huge helping of cost no object speaker resolution. Nearly all of our listening was done in our 13 x 18-foot room, and proved very engaging. Unless we were trying to play Led Zeppelin at near concert hall levels, the last bit of dynamics and bass extension from big speakers in a big room was not missed at all.

A different ribbon indeed

If your experience with ribbon tweeters has been somewhat less than awesome, I’m right there with you, on the other side of that canoe. The speed and transparency that this style driver brings is nearly always intoxicating at first listen, but often becomes fatiguing after a while. Even worse, the ribbon tweeter can’t keep up with the other driver(s) and you start to notice a disconnect in musical pace. Music with a lot of high frequency information is still compelling, but other tracks with more midrange and mid-bass energy just sound off.

However, the AMT driver is somewhat different than a traditional, pleated, ribbon driver that still essentially pushes and pulls air. The AMT is more of a folded ribbon design, with more surface area that squeezes the air out between the folds. This makes for even livelier transient response, and lower distortion due to a larger surface area. Even at high volumes, these are very low distortion speakers.

Fink produces two larger speakers, all utilizing AMT tweeters, but each of a different size, optimized for the system they are used in. The driver in the Fink is large enough to dig down into the mids somewhat and mate with the 8-inch woofer at a 2200 hz crossover point. Fink claims response down to 35hz, and while we don’t measure speakers, running some test tones, confirms that the output at 35hz is indeed strong and solid.

Taking control

Two controls on the back panel make the Kims easier to use and compatible with a wider range of amplifiers. The tweeter level control has center, +, and – settings, which tip the high end up by 0.25db[tl3] , and cut by an equal amount. This proves extremely helpful, as my living room is untreated, except for some diffusion material on the wall behind the listening couch – i.e. a more typical user environment. The main listening room out in the studio is treated to be free of major reflections, yet still somewhat live sounding. That little bit of boost and cut made it easy to optimize the Kims beyond what can be achieved with toe-in and rake angle adjustments.

This adjustment also proves helpful to fine tune the Kims to your amplifier or cables. Matterhorn Audio provided a set of HiDiamond Diamond 8 speaker cables to use with the review ($2,500/pair) that are highly complementary to the Kims. We will have a more in-depth review of the Diamond 8s shortly, but these too are worthy of your consideration. We did mate the Kims with a few different speaker cables from Cardas, Nordost, and Tellurium Q – all with good result. However, the resolving power of the Kims easily reveals the difference between them. The final choice will be up to you, but this was a very enjoyable exercise.

There’s one more adjustment the Kims have to offer, and it is just as useful as the HF level. A three-position control for woofer damping makes it much easier to mate the Kims with whatever amplifier you have on hand. We’ve reviewed more than one speaker that sounds too flat with a solid-state amplifier, or wonky in the low end with a tube amplifier. The settings are optimized for solid state, high damping factor amplifiers, moderate damping factor solid state amplifiers (this setting is excellent with your favorite Class-A, lower power solid state amp, and was heaven with the Luxman 595 Anniversary amplifier) and low damping factor tube amplifiers.

Running the gamut of tube amplifiers at our disposal from McIntosh, PrimaLuna, Conrad Johnson, BAT and Line Magnetic illustrates that these speakers play well with whatever you happen to have on hand. The open, airy feeling of the Kims with a great tube amp makes for an enormous three-dimensional experience, and that damping control came in handy.

Many speakers based on traditional ribbon tweeters have such a low impedance drop at a certain frequency point, making them unsuitable for use with a tube amplifier. The Kims are rated at 8 ohms, and FinkTeamclaims they never drop below 5.6 ohms, making for an easy load indeed.

More listening

Cool as the Kims are, extended listening takes you by surprise. Just when you might think you have a handle on the sound, a familiar bit in a well-traveled track takes you to another zone. The church bells at the beginning of David Bowie’s “The Wedding,” from Black Tie White Noise was one of these moments. Oddly enough, it was a serendipitous moment, as the church down the street from our house was ringing their bell, which triggered the urge to try this track. The attack and decay captured on this recording was incredibly lifelike and similar to what I had just heard minutes before.

The AMT tweeter does a fantastic job at speed and transparency, making for an excellent recreation of spatial cues and dimension. The time worn favorite, Jeff Beck’s Live at Ronnie Scotts, reveals room boundaries easily through these speakers. Other similar recordings, such as the Rolling Stones Stripped, or any live album that happens to be recorded in a small to modest venue comes that much more alive in your room.

Should your musical taste fall to tracks that came to life in a recording studio, the results are equally enticing. Going way back to the mid 80s to Jeff Beck’s Flash, a studio concoction with Jan Hammer reveals tons of tinkly bits, and synth riffs bouncing around the room. David Byrne’s collaboration with St. Vincent “Who” is sheer pleasure to track through, with a bouncing bass line, and layered harmonies that again, really show off the resolving capabilities of the Kims.

A large, three-dimensional soundstage is a hallmark of the AMT driver, but the implementation in the Kims, and careful crossover design takes this to another level. It’s amazing how far speaker design has come, even in the last years. The integration between woofer and tweeter is so good, it almost feels like listening to a giant, full range speaker.

Yet, even after hours of listening, these speakers are not the least bit fatiguing. Much as I dread audiophile clichés, this is one of those special speakers that will reveal enough fresh musical information, that you will rediscover your music collection with them. The fine detail that they offer up will keep you up playing more music to hear what you were missing.

A personal favorite

The sonic attributes listed above happen to be my personal favorites, so it’s somewhat selfish of me to say, I absolutely love these speakers. I’ve been trying to find a pair of ESS AMT-1 Towers for over 30 years to no avail. The Kim offers that same overall type of sound, yet with infinitely more finesse. The density of thought and execution put into the Kims is incredible. There’s a crispness to these speakers build, reminding me of a side-by-side comparison between a Rolex or a Barcelona chair next to those making knockoff copies. From a distance, it’s tough to tell, but when you get up close, the attention to fine details immediately grabs you. Great as these speakers sound, they are a pleasure to experience as part of your environment. They will appeal to the audiophile and music lover as they will to the qualityphile, desiring an equal amount of visual stimulation.

Sonic signature is always such a personal thing, almost like a fingerprint. Forget about the absolute sound for a minute, your perception of how music sounds is what’s most important. If you are looking for a pair of speakers offering a massive soundstage, and a lot of music detail without crossing the line into being harsh and fatiguing, FinkTeam’s Kim should be at the top of your list. We’re definitely keeping these… #TONEAUDIOAPPROVED

www.finkteam.com (manufacturer)

www.matterhornaudio.com (Distributor)

Peripherals

Analog Source Avid Volvere SP/Lyra Atlas/Pass XS Phono

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi ONE

Preamplifier Pass XS Pre

Amplifier Pass XA200.8 monos, Pass INT-25, Octave VS110SE, PrimaLuna EVO400, McIntosh MC1502, Conrad Johnson CAV 45mkII, Line Magnetic LM805, Nagra Classic 100, Boulder 866

Cable Cardas Clear, Clear Beyond, HiDiamond Diamond8 Speaker cable

The team at Rega Research is famous for somewhat out of the box solutions to engineering problems.

In the case of their newest Kyte speakers, they take this to heart, using a phenolic resin material to mould the speaker enclosure rather than make it out of MDF. This slightly curvy shape goes a long way at diffusing internal resonances, it also makes the Kytes fairly light in weight as well. Lower shipping cost means better price to the consumer. They are all pretty clever over there.

Many only know Rega for their turntables, but they have been a full-line electronics manufacturer for decades now. Yet, the speakers probably have the lowest profile in their lineup. At least here in the US, where we like stuff to be massive. Yet not everyone lives in a gigantic space, and more people are stepping up to better desktop hifi systems, especially in the current world where we sit at our desks in our pyjamas and work from home.

In addition to the cool resin cabinets, Rega designs and builds their own raw drivers too. Burn the word value into your cerebral cortex, and be ready for a happy face when you power up the Kytes for the first time. These are seriously good little speakers, especially for $795 a pair.

In typical Rega fashion, they did not just outsource these cabinets to China, they invested in their own equipment to make enclosures from this material. If you don’t know about Rega’s history, nearly 40 years ago, Gandy spent a small fortune to invest in proprietary dies to produce his tonearms, rather than be at the mercy of an outside supplier with dubious quality control. Don’t be surprised if we don’t see a few more speakers using this cabinet technology.

First laps

Knowing Rega founder Roy Gandy isn’t caught up in premium cables and such, I hope he doesn’t mind my listening begins on the desktop with my vintage Marantz 2220, connected with zip cord. Laugh as you might, this system is the great equalizer, because it doesn’t have an enormous power supply and doesn’t double down on power to four ohms, like a well-designed modern amplifier. The result? Hard to drive speakers sound awful with this receiver. And that means they will sound equally dreadful with your budget receiver or amplifier from Best Buy.

Rega lists a nominal impedance of 6 ohms and a sensitivity of 89db/1watt. They pass the Marantz test with ease. True to past experience, speakers that sound great with this mediocre 70s receiver, usually sound fantastic with modern amplification. Next step, our Rega Brio-R integrated/Planar 3 combination. Should you be in the market for a compact, high – performance, vinyl-oriented system, your Rega dealer can put you in the drivers seat for just under three grand. This will probably be some of the most fun you can have with your clothes on for that price.

Considering that a re-capped Marantz will set you back at least $500 these days, $995 for a New Brio (it is now merely called a “Brio”) is an incredible bargain. Just making this change on the desktop system feels as if the Kytes have doubled in physical size. Not to mention the huge increase in resolution.

More seat time

Seriously, the Kytes sound great right out of the box, but bass becomes slightly tighter and more extended after about 100 hours. This isn’t dramatic, but it’s there. So if you like em out of the box, you’ll like em more after a few weeks of play. Romping through a number of Electronica tracks, particularly a long playlist of Tosca and Chateau Flight. The Kytes are incredible, picking up a tiny bit of reinforcement from desktop placement. They do equally well in a room situation if you place them on top of a bookshelf, but be sure to leave a little bit of space between the cabinet back and the wall. The Kytes have a rear-firing port.

As these speakers do have ample bass output, do not put them on the same shelf with your turntable – you are guaranteed to get low frequency feedback. Great as all those Instagram pictures look, this is not the right way to set up a hifi system. (PS: Your Rega dealer can hook you up with a purpose built Rega turntable shelf to lift your table off the same shelf as your speakers)

The Kytes come with a plastic piece that screws in the back of the speakers to keep the front panel more perpendicular to the shelf surface. A stand mount adapter is also available, should you want to use them on stands. We had excellent luck on our 24” Sound Anchor stands, as they have a top surface big enough to accommodate the Kytes with their supplied adaptors. We also had excellent luck, taking advantage of the slight upward tilt (sans adaptors) with 16” Sound Anchors, and a bit of fine tuning with the spikes.

Fortunately, the Kytes are extremely easy to set up in your listening room, should you put them on stands. They offer up wide dispersion, so they aren’t terribly fussy to get the placement perfect. And once set up, they will engage you in the room no matter where you sit. A small woofer can only move a maximum amount of air, yet these speakers can play incredibly loud without distortion, even with a Brio-R.

Chequered flag

This is not very scientific at all, but the Rega Kytes are one of the most enjoyable small speakers I’ve had the pleasure of listening to in a long time. Many small, inexpensive speakers sacrifice overall sound quality for a single aspect of reproduction. The Kyte is such an overall high achiever, with a level of balance usually reserved for much more expensive speakers. Even after hours of constant listening, this is a speaker you will never tire of.

I could go on and on about this track and that track, but you really need to hear these speakers for yourself.

Much like that rare automobile that has a perfect balance of braking, acceleration and handling, these speakers offer everything a music lover will appreciate. Excellent bass response, smooth yet defined treble and a very refined midrange. Nothing sounds forced, nothing sounds lacking. The Kytes completely deliver Rega’s promise of making reasonably priced hifi gear that sounds great. There is a level of graininess and cloudiness that nearly every budget speaker has, that is completely absent with the Kyte, even powered by a vintage receiver. This level of refinement makes them sound much more expensive then their price dictates.

Normally we don’t do this kind of thing, but with mid – October only six weeks away, we’ll let you in on a secret. We will be awarding the Kytes our Budget Product of the Year Award in issue 109. They are more than just an exceptional value. If I were starting my hifi journey again from scratch, I’d buy a pair in a heartbeat. I may buy a pair anyway, just because they are so damn cool.

www.rega.co.uk (factory)

www.soundorg.com (NA distributor)

We’ve been having a great time here at TONE with the new LSA products that Mark Schifter has been sending us. For those of you that don’t remember, he was one of the principals in Audio Alchemy and remains the king of high value/high performance audio. These days he works with Walter Lederman at Underwood HiFi, continuing to fight the good fight.

It’s always tons of fun to write about mega amplifiers and monster speakers with five and even six-figure price tags, but we know that about a third of our audience has a $2,000 – $10,000 system, all in. When you’re spending five or six g on your system, you have to proceed with caution, seeking out the most bang for the buck to really maximize it. $1,199 for 150 watts per channel is awesome, because it allows a wider range of speaker options than that 25 watt per channel, modded Dynaco you were going to buy.

Seriously, as nice of a combination as the Warp 1 makes with LSA’s DPH-1 preamp, if you have to have a bit more warmth, $800 will find you a nice vintage tube preamplifier to warm things up a bit. (which is exactly what I did a little later in the review – you can’t take the cheese out of a Wisconsin guy, and you can only take so much warmth out of a hardcore tube guy…)

But Class D?

I know, you’re thinking “Jerold is going for class D? That grumpy, curmudgey guy that likes 70s CJ and ARC tube amps?” Time for a few new spots, I guess.

Back when class D amps hit the scene, they offered efficient operation in a compact size with low power requirements. (And low heat generation) But, they kinda suuuucked in the sound department. Brittle and harsh was the order of the day. Additionally, they could be tough to mate with speakers that either had a low impedance dip or were somewhat difficult to drive. Much like an SET or OTL tube amplifier. Things have changed. The breed is improved.

I’m pretty old school and get crabby when called upon to go outside of my comfort zone. However, everything we’ve sampled from LSA has proven to be excellent. I’ve been eyeing the publishers Teddy speakers in his garage, and as I still have the DPH-1 Headphone amp/DAC in my garage, it made perfect sense.

We can talk tech, or we can talk fun

If you want all the specs and an in-depth report on all the tech that’s gone into this small amplifier (14”W x 10”D x 3”H) please click here to visit Underwood HiFi’s site:

https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/lsa-electronics

It tells you everything you need to know about power (150wpc – 8 ohms) and the rest of the specs. Suffice to say, being a car guy, I had to pop the top and peek inside, this little amplifier is robustly built. LSA claims that this amplifier is stable into 2 ohms, and while I couldn’t completely verify that, my Quad 57s that have shut down more than one “modern” amplifier at modest volume, had no problems with the Warp 1. That’s as scientific as I get.

Doing most of my listening with a pair of Vandersteen 1CE speakers, a pair of ProAc Tablettes and some Magnepan SMGs all were fantastic matches. When I returned the Warp 1, our pub and I had some more valves to adjust, so we mated the Warp 1 to his Audio GE Teddy speakers (reviewed here, by yours truly) that you can also get from Underwood. The Warp 1, a DPH-1 and a pair of Teddy’s and you’ve still got enough cash left to buy a turntable. How great is that?

Back to the fun

What really sells me on the Warp 1 is the lack of grain and harshness that I used to associate with class D has left the building. It’s still not a Mac tube amp, but this easily is on par sonically with a lot of inexpensive solid-state amps with discrete parts I’ve heard, and better than some. Compared to something like the Benchmark AHB2 that was evaluated a while back, the Benchmark is definitely more flat and somewhat sterile in comparison. Our reference Simaudio MOON ACE has a more luscious solid-state sound, but it’s an integrated, has a $3,500 price tag and is only 50wpc.

Back to those speaker choices again. While I was visiting TONE HQ, I also made it a point to connect the Gershman Acoustics Studio Twos and the Eggleston Nicos. Much spendier speakers at $3,500 and $5,995/pair, yet this amplifier still delivers the goods at a high level. I wouldn’t have any problem using this amp with these speakers.

The two things you notice right away with the Warp 1, is that unlike tube or discrete solid state amplifiers, it takes no time at all to stabilize thermally and electronically. Five minutes, and you’re rocking – with precious little change. My Pass Aleph amp (single ended, class-A) takes about two hours to be all it can be. In today’s ADD world, some of you don’t even have two hours to listen to music! However, the low power usage of class D means you can just leave it on all the time, minimizing your carbon footprint while you’re annoying the neighbors.

Second, this amp is fast. Really fast. Drums, percussion, plucky acoustic guitar solos sound great. Being the old guy I am, heading back to the Sheffield Drum Record, I was really impressed at the quick pace of this amplifier with no overshoot or fatigue. A super set of Rush, listening to a lot of Neal Peart’s drumming was equally impressive. This speed and timing also carries over to the lowest frequencies as well – even at high volume. The way this amplifier took control of the Eggleston’s woofers when tracking through Mickey Hart’s Drumming at the Edge was fantastic. No one-note bass here – another problem with class D amps past.

Final notes

As mentioned the Warp 1 did not have any speaker or cable sensitivities in our test listening. We tried Cardas, Tellurium Q, Audioquest, and Nordost cables, all with excellent luck. Driving everything from vintage ESLs (Acoustat and Quad) to a number of current day speakers revealed nothing that couldn’t be driven, and to good volume levels.

Consider my attitude changed. The LSA Warp One is a great amp, period. Class D has matured, and very well I might add. For $1,195, we’re definitely awarding this baby an Exceptional Value Award. Job well done.

www.underwoodhifi.com

If you’ve been an audiophile for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of Bowers & Wilkins, and their legendary 800 series loudspeakers. The ones that sit in the prestigious Abbey Road studios, yeah those.

There’s probably no better example of constant refinement in the world of loudspeakers than the 800 series. The massive engineering team at B&W keeps making their flagship speakers better all the time, with new driver materials, new crossovers, and even better ways of building and finishing the cabinets. Arguably, the 800 series speakers are finished as well or better than any speakers at any price. (We would argue that they ARE the gold standard) New models continuously have improved dynamics, tonality and resolution. A true engineering-based company to the core, what the B&W engineers learn with their flagship 800 series always works its way down to the rest of their products as well.

The new D4 speakers are now in the pipeline and they incorporate a number of changes, and there are hundreds of detail changes in every model. From B&W:

Refined Design

Refined, elegant cabinet proportions plus luxurious, premium detailing combine to make this the most premium 800 Series Diamond range yet.

The first and most obvious change is the addition of a fourth finish to the line-up. The new range now includes a Satin Walnut finish, joining the established selection of Gloss Black, White and Satin Rosenut.

Every stereo model in the range also enjoys a significantly upgraded cabinet design with an all-new rigid, cast aluminium top section – replacing the previous wooden version – to offer even greater stiffness and thus improve cabinet quietness still further. In a luxurious touch, the profile of the new aluminium top is finished in ‘Leather by Connolly’ – in black for dark cabinets (Black, Satin Rosenut) and light grey for lighter finishes (White, Satin Walnut).

Every model in the range adopts a revised version of the iconic Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top housing, with a new, elongated tube-loading system to produce an even more open sound for high frequencies. This supremely stiff enclosure deftly resists unwanted resonance and is an exceptional acoustic form – especially when combined with a new two-point decoupling system that isolates it from the rest of the loudspeaker more effectively than ever. As before, the Solid Body Tweeter is milled from a single solid block of aluminium and now, it uses an anodised finish, either dark or light depending on the cabinet colour, to celebrate that fact.

Finally, the range introduces three entirely new cabinet forms. The 805 D4 and 804 D4 stereo models adopt the reverse-wrap cabinet design first introduced in 2015 for the larger speakers in the series. This new form reduces the profile of each cabinet’s front baffle while dramatically increasing the overall rigidity of the complete system. It also allows crossovers to now be mounted in dedicated spaces on the rear of each speaker, housed behind the rigid aluminium spines.

The 804 D4 builds on the potential of its new configuration by adding a downward-firing port with an integral aluminium plinth – again, much like the form used by the larger floorstanding speakers in the range. Alongside the 805 D4 and 804 D4, the all-new HTM82 D4 centre speaker adopts the reverse-wrap cabinet form of its siblings, for superior acoustic and mechanical performance.

New technologies

Continuum™ Cone, FST & Biomimetic Suspension

The result of an eight-year research programme, the composite Continuum Cone – used for both midrange and mid/bass applications – is already famed for its open, transparent, and neutral performance. When used as a midrange drive unit in Bowers & Wilkins floorstanding speakers, it is always combined with our Fixed Suspension Transducer (FST) midrange technology, which carefully avoids the coloration that traditional cone surrounds can introduce.

Now, Bowers & Wilkins has combined the twin benefits of Continuum and FST with an all-new advance that transforms the other key element of a drive unit’s normal operation: the fabric spider. Over decades of continuous development to nearly all areas of speaker design, the fabric spider, a key element in the suspension of every conventional loudspeaker drive unit, has remained largely unchanged – until now.

The all-new composite Biomimetic Suspension replaces the conventional fabric spider with a minimalist composite suspension system that revolutionises midrange cone performance by greatly reducing unwanted air pressure – aka sound – that a conventional fabric spider can generate, removing its unpredictable, non-linear effects. The result is unprecedented midrange transparency and realism.

Decoupled Midrange & Turbine™ Head

Bowers & Wilkins combines all the performance-enhancing benefits of its Continuum Cone, FST midrange technology and Biomimetic Suspension with careful isolation of the complete midrange assembly from the rest of the surrounding cabinet. In all three-way models, midrange drive units include a highly stiff all-aluminium chassis featuring Tuned Mass Dampers (TMD) to quieten any resonance. These complete drive units and motor systems are then isolated on sprung-mounted decoupling mounts, further restricting the flow of vibration into the assembly.

Finally, 803 D4, 802 D4 and 801 D4 include the massively stiff all-aluminium Turbine Head enclosure for their midrange drive units, providing not only an outstanding acoustic form but also even better isolation – since the head assembly is itself further decoupled from the bass enclosure below.

The HTM81 D4 and HTM82 D4 introduce a new and similar concept but inside their cabinets: each centre-channel model now features an internal aluminium enclosure that provides a stiff, well-isolated housing for the midrange drive unit and its decoupling mechanism.

Solid Body Tweeter

To minimise the unwanted transfer of resonance into each model’s Diamond Dome tweeters, an exceptionally stiff enclosure is required. The new 800 Series Diamond introduces a revised version of the iconic Solid Body Tweeter housing; this continues to be machined from a solid piece of aluminium, but now it features an elongated form (almost 30cm/12in long) with a longer internal tube-loading system.

The new Solid Body Tweeter assembly is now decoupled from the speaker body or Turbine Head (depending on model) in two locations rather than one: this notably improves spaciousness and openness. At the same time, the tweeter’s motor assembly has been re-engineered to allow the drive unit to ‘breathe’ more effectively with no loss of performance. The result is a notable reduction in the resonant frequency behind the tweeter dome.

Reverse-Wrap Cabinet & Matrix™

Matrix has been a core Bowers & Wilkins technology for more than 30 years and has also been continually developed throughout that time. An internal structure of interlocking panels that brace the loudspeaker internally in all directions, Matrix helps to make speaker cabinets rigid, inert and quiet.

The 805 D4 and 804 D4 now feature the reverse wrap speaker cabinet previously reserved for the larger floor-standing 800 Series Diamond models. Each model now has a stiff aluminium plate on the inside face of its cabinet, bracing its baffle against resonance. Inside, both models also feature updates to their Matrix bracing, with thicker panels made from solid plywood rather than the previous MDF, reinforced by aluminium bracing sections.

Every stereo model in the range also features the new cast aluminium top replacing the previous wooden design, dramatically increasing the rigidity of the speaker enclosure. As before, drive units are housed in stiff aluminium pods mounted to the baffle of the speaker while crossover units are fitted to equally stiff aluminium spines running up the rear of the cabinet. Finally, 801D4 introduces a steel plate in its base section around the port – again, all in the name of adding stiffness to the enclosure and further quietening its operation.

Aerofoil™ Cone

The result of advance computer modelling, the Aerofoil Cone is a composite bass cone with a varying thickness designed to offer maximum stiffness where it is most needed while preserving a low mass – thanks to its carbon-fibre skin and light syntactic foam core.

Alongside revised and optimised motor systems, each floorstanding speaker in the 800 Series Diamond range now combines its Aerofoil Cones with a new foam Anti-Resonance Plug, which gently braces the voice coil and lowers distortion as the cone moves through its operating range, ensuring even cleaner bass.

Together, all these advances deliver unprecedented performance. Available globally from September 1st, the new 800 Series Diamond is the finest range of loudspeakers Bowers & Wilkins has ever created.

There’s more at bowerswilkins.com

If you’ve spent any time with (or happen to own a pair) the Focal Aria K2 936 floor standers, launched last fall, with an MSRP of $5,990/pair,
now you can build a completely matching theater system around them.

In late September, Focal will have the smaller K2 906 at $1,990/pair and a matching K2 Center channel speaker for $1,190. Using the same
tech as the K2 936, centered around the aramid fiber-K2 cones, the new speakers match the Aria K2 936 both sonically and aesthetically.

For more info, please click here:

https://www.focal.com/en/home-audio/high-fidelity-speakers/aria-k2/

If you love Focal speakers, but don’t have room in your listening room, there’s a solution!

Focal has added their new Wall 301 and Wall 302 speakers for your home theater environment.
They will work great for normal stereo use, if you just don’t have room for a pair of floor standers, too.
(but they do offer stands as an accessory)

These are being sold individually, as both models are slim enough, to be used as a center channel as well.

Available in gloss black or white, these will fit into every decor scheme with ease, and sonically
can be integrated with any other Focal products in your system.

These are available at your Focal dealers in late September. Pricing is as follows:

On Wall 301 – $990/each

On Wall 302 – $1,490/each

On Wall Stand – $490/pair

For more info, visit:

https://www.focal.com/en/custom-integration/in-wall-in-ceiling-loudspeakers/on-wall-300/

If you are considering adding Naim’s top digital streaming DAC to your system, and if by some chance you are not fully integrated into the Naim way of doing things, please read the instructions first. This is not a plug-and-play device.

Our reviews don’t usually start with such a stern note (we’re the fun hifi people, after all), but it’s really critical to get this player installed in a specific way to get it to work correctly. As with so many of us, there are two ways to do things, ours and some other way. Serious Naim enthusiasts stay within the Naim ecosystem of SNAICs, Burndys, and such. If you are so equipped, you’ll be able to use the supplied premium Naim interconnects and plug them right into your system.

Unpack and setup

Here’s some setup advice for the rest of you that won’t read the damn manual. Download and follow the quick start guide from the Naim website to the letter. This means unscrewing the four transit screws that keep the DAC board floating. Do NOT tip the ND555 up vertical to do this – hold it over a counter or shelf top and quickly unscrew all four of these, then very gently move the ND555 into place. Take the 4 transit screws, put them in a Ziplock bag, and toss them back into the ND555 box, in case you move or need service. You’ll thank me for this in about 8 years.

Next, remove the two Burndy cables from the accessory box and take careful note that one of them has a single red stripe, and the other has two green stripes underneath the black sheath covering the cables. These correspond to output 1 and output 2 on the PS555 that connect to the same inputs on the ND555. Another tip from a long-term Naim owner – these cables have a plastic index pin in the pin matrix that is easily broken (ask me how I know this), so very carefully align this pin and gently insert the power supply connector into its socket. The outer, locking collar will then twist into place solidly. Again, gentle is the word. Now you’re ready to power it up, power supply first, and then the ND555. Follow the prompts on the crisp LED screen, and you’re almost there.

The one thing not in the quick start guide

Integrating the ND555 into your non-Naim system requires a pair of RCA interconnects. If your ND555 makes no sound, even though it appears to be playing, you need to go back to the app to make this change. There is no way to access this via the front panel and remote. Go to “Settings,” then “Output Settings,” then choose RCA.

While in here, you can also fine-tune the appearance of the app, and whether you’d like fixed or variable output levels. This is incredibly handy because if you are a digital-only person with no intention of spinning records, while the ND555 offers a variable output, Naim suggests that this is a digital volume control to be used with some streaming services like AirPlay. Naim’s Steve Sells says, “we strongly recommend a true analog preamplifier for best sound quality.”

A plethora of inputs at your disposal

The ND555 works with a vast range of digital sources. It’s a Chromecast device, it works with Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, internet radio, and of course, our favorite – it’s a Roon endpoint too. Integrating the ND555 into our Roon network took less than a minute, but if you are not a Roon user, the Naim music app is very good. If you only have a few thousand selections in your music library and don’t want another subscription, the Naim app is convenient to use.

You will need a single PS555 power supply to operate the ND555, but like the CD555, you can use a pair of them to get even more sonic excellence. Where dCS and Esoteric give you the option to add an external master clock (and in the case of dCS, an additional outboard upsampler), Naim offers increased performance by providing additional power supply capacity. This is a known upgrade path with their gear that works incredibly well.

We did not ask Naim for a second PS555, but having used one with the CD555 when it was a reference component, the improvement was dramatic enough that the genuinely obsessed will want to budget for one at some point. Perusing the Naim forum, the owners who have taken the plunge all seem happy with the choice and indicate a similar resolution and dynamic improvement as we noticed with the CD555. Rest assured that if your check writing fingers are tired after writing the big check, you’ll still have a ton of fun with the single power supply version.

It’s also worth mentioning here, that like the CD555/PS555, the ND555/PS555 is the only digital player along with our reference dCS Vivaldi One that does not benefit from additional power conditioning. You can plug this baby into the wall with the supplied premium Naim mains cord (which looks and feels like a mains cord you’d probably spend about 2 or 3 grand with somewhere else – nice touch) and forget about it. That’s impressive.

Finally, pair the remote, download the Naim app to your mobile device of choice, and make the necessary connections. Gone is the posh billet remote from the CD555, but this is still a friendly remote control that gives you access to most ND555 functions. The ultra-crisp front panel display is not a touch screen, and honestly, in a premium player like this, display quality outweighs a little bit of functionality. Plus, it would look oh so unsightly to have your 32 thousand dollar Naim streamer full of fingerprints.

Off you go

At this point, you are ready to start listening to music, but there’s still a bit of a delay to get the 555 combo’s full dose of excellence. Those big power supply capacitors take a little while to get their groove on. The first hour or two of the 555s listening, you might be shaking your head and in a David Byrne kind of way think, “my God, what have I done?” These two boxes sound harsh and flat at initial power-up. But don’t panic – the good stuff is on the way.

If we weren’t still living in a travel-restricted, COVID unfriendly world, I’d tell you to put the 555s on repeat and take a couple of day holiday. So, if you can ignore the sound coming out of these Naim boxes for about a week of play, it will improve tremendously. For those skeptical of the burn-in process, listening to the same two or three tracks every day at the beginning of your listening session will convince you. Even solid-state components need a certain amount of time to fully stabilize thermally, so if you can leave your 555s on all the time, they will stay right at the optimum point.

Serious listening

With that out of the way, the ND555 is truly brilliant. A digital front end at this level should have no shortcomings in playback or operation, and the ND555/PS555 does not. Nothing. I’ve been fortunate enough to live with this player for the better part of a year, and once you wiggle through the setup maze, sitting back and listening is terrific.

While we’re ticking boxes, this is the point in the review, where the product in for review is compared to the long-term reference and is found to come up slightly short. Regular readers might be thinking, “how does it compare to the dCS?” Fantastic, but different. Here are a few comparisons, which will hopefully resonate on one level for you.

Comparing these two players is like choosing between a Porsche 911 Turbo S and the 911 GT3. Both are stunning performers, but the way they present the experience is entirely different. The Turbo S has more power, features all-wheel drive, and uses Porsche’s PDK, dual-clutch automatic transmission. The GT3 offers a normally aspirated motor with a 9,000 rpm redline, rear-wheel drive, and 6-speed manual gearbox. Which would you choose? Do you want to feel everything when going fast, or would you rather have a bit bigger, broader, weightier experience? This is the difference between the Naim and the dCS.

The Vivaldi has slightly more weight and dynamic heft, with a slightly smoother top end, where the Naim offers a bit more inner detail and offers the slightest touch of extra dynamic contrast that the dCS does not. If you have the roads and the access to track time, nothing but the GT3 will squeeze your adrenaline gland that hard. However, if you’re driving your 911 everywhere, you’ll appreciate the extra comfort the Turbo S brings. What is the best? Only what suits your needs the best.

Those of you that are at the pinnacle of analog might relate to this comparison more… The dCS feels more like a Clearaudio Goldfinger, and the Naim reminds me a lot more of a Lyra Etna. Or, if you remember film photography, the dCS is Kodachrome, and the Naim is Fujichrome. What does all this mumbo jumbo mean? Glad you asked.

Where the dCS sounds fantastic with everything played (In all fairness, the Vivaldi One is an SACD player, so consider the comparison to the Vivaldi DAC, which is similarly priced to the ND555/PS555.) when switching back and forth between it and the Naim, the Naim gets the edge pulling the most detail out of perfect recordings. However, when the road gets a little bumpier, the dCS is a comfier ride. This is a fine distinction, and depending on the overall tonal balance of your system might not even matter.

For example, when listening to a handful of Monkees’ tracks, or to be more current, nearly anything from Jack White is a bit grating through the Naim. Not unlistenable, but grating. These are dreadful recordings, to be sure, and in the end, reminiscent of early digital players. Switch up the playlist to some exceptional recordings, and the Naim never disappoints. And, the Naim’s awesomeness is not limited to high-res recordings. Just like the CD555, the ND555 proves that there is a lot of music happening in well-recorded 16/44 tracks.

It would be easy to wax poetic about how great Patricia Barber or Louis and Ella sound through this player… that’s just low hanging fruit. Those feeling a little more adventuresome or avant-garde may even enjoy the latest, Frank Zappa, high res releases on Qobuz. “Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow” has been a favorite since college days, yet playing Apostrophe through the Naim player is a revelation. Frank Zappa built a reputation for complex, densely packed music, full of the tiniest musical nuggets that often require headphones and trendy chemical amusement aids to uncover. The ND555 goes deeper into this mine than ever, and it’s an incredible, engaging experience. This is what you write the big check for.

Specs, tech, and functionality

Even after a lengthy review like this, there is still more we haven’t unearthed. We suggest revisiting the Naim website and even the Naim forum, where you can get a healthy dose of unfiltered comments from ND555 owners. I’ve always enjoyed the Naim forum and have found excellent tech advice there over the years.

The final argument that can be had about the Naim and its Burr-Brown based chipset vs. the shortlist of DACs that do it all in software is the question of earlier obsolescence because a chipset-based digital decoder will obviously become obsolete faster than one that can merely have new software and firmware uploaded.

In an ultimate sense, this is true; however, the ND555/PS555 (especially if you go for broke and add a second PS555) is so good, I can’t imagine digital playback getting all that much better. At least not to the point that you’d want to scrap the ND555. Had computer audio and streaming not hit the scene, the CD555/PS555 would still be my digital reference. For all but the most ADD, this one should last you a lifetime.

If you tick the yes box

If you like what we’ve had to say so far, and you are looking for a destination digital front end, the next step is to make an appointment with your Naim specialist so you can see for yourself (and hear, of course) how lovely the ND555/PS555 is.

The biggest question of all is: is the ND555 “worth the money?” While that is always a relative question, and there are thousands of people on the internet that will tell you spending this much money on a DAC is insanity.

However, if you’ve got $40k in available funds, you A: aren’t sweating how to pay this month’s mortgage payment, and B: you’ve probably worked your way up the audiophile ladder a bit, and my hope is that you’ve heard many of the other offerings. There are a lot of great DACs in the $9,000 – $15,000 arena (even from Naim and dCS). After auditioning and living with a number of those, if you can make the jump, the level of musicality and ease that the ND555 creates is worth every penny. And as I like to say, if you can take the big leap now, you won’t lose $2k-$5k each time you trade up from a lesser DAC. It adds up in a hurry.

Yes, build quality at this level is superb, and of course, thousands of hours of research, testing, and prototyping went in the front door. But in the end, when you compare the finest DACs at this price point as a whole, they still outperform the DACs a click or two down. Finally, when you graduate to a player at this level, there is no more regret. You won’t find yourself sitting in the listening chair pondering, “if it only did a little more of this, or a little less of that.” Build quality, execution, ergonomics, and most of all, sound quality are all top. Another thought to ponder:  because Naim can build a product at this level makes their entry-level digital products equally compelling. There’s a deep pool of knowledge to swim in, so even if you can’t play at the top of the mountain, it’s still a good day wherever you can be. Naim makes a fantastic $3k player because they have the engineering chops to make a $40k player.

Naim digital players are at the top of the mountain when capturing music’s pace and timing. There is a correctness here that is achieved by precious few digital players, and when listening to acoustic instruments, everything in the mix feels as if it’s the proper size and has correct spatial relationships. Some players can feel overblown, yet with the ND555, you can hear the difference between an upright Steinway and a Grand. This level of musicality will have you looking at your turntable, wondering if you really need to fuss with vinyl anymore. It’s that good.

Naimaudio.com

Peripherals

Preamplifier Pass Labs XS Pre

Analog Pass Labs XS Phono, Grand Prix Parabolica, Lyra Atlas

Power Amplifier Pass Labs XA200.8

Speakers Sonus faber Stradivari, six-pack of REL no.25 subwoofers

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q, and Red Miracle interconnect

(Naim to preamplifier)

Pushing the play button on the new Technics OTTAVA SC-C70MK2, with a MoFi copy of the Superfly soundtrack fills the room with a big, broad soundfield and a solid bass line. Technics has hit nothing but home runs since they re-entered the high-end audio world with a passion about five or six years ago. Their depth of manufacturing and engineering expertise is without peer, and the products they’ve built have heavily leveraged their heritage, while being fashion forward at the same time. It’s a great combination.

As desktop/tabletop music systems continue to evolve in functionality and performance, the OTTAVA certainly qualifies as a music player that even the most fanatical audiophile will engage. Regardless of how you consume your music, this player can accommodate your needs, whether you strictly want to have an all-in-one component, stream your favorite music, or connect a turntable via the analog input. (or dare we say, a cassette deck!)

Gorgeous from the inside out

The mid-century modern aesthetic of the OTTAVA begs inspection and interaction. This approximately 18 x 9 x 4 -inch enclosure will be a smart addition to wherever you decide to place it in your home, office or other environment. Seriously, I’d pack it in bubble wrap and take it with me on a road trip! Nothing like having great music wherever you go. As the cliché goes, don’t let the good looks fool you, there’s a lot more that doesn’t immediately meet the eye here.

The 2.1 speaker system inside the C70MK2 utilizes a pair of 8cm(3.14 inch) woofers, 2cm (.78 inch) silk dome tweeters and a built-in 12cm(4.7 inch) subwoofer, driven by a 30-watt per channel amplifier on top, and a 40 watt dedicated amplifier for the subwoofer.

There is an analog 3.5mm (1/8^th inch) stereo analog, line level input, an optical digital input and a USB-A connection around back, along with a standard ethernet socket, so you don’t have to rely on entirely what’s inside the box. (though you could and be completely happy)

If you take a detour to the Technics website, you can see the major tech that exists inside of the OTTAVA. (https://www.technics.com/us/products/premium-class/all-in-one-music-system-ottava-f-sc-c70mk2.html) This also lists all the different kinds of files and sources the C70MK2 will stream – which is basically everything. Tidal, Deezer, Spotify, and others are all accessible. The only thing it doesn’t do native, is function as a ROON endpoint, but because it can be setup as a Chromecast node, you can do that too. So, anyone can listen to whatever they’d like via the SC-C70MK2. And listen, we did.

The bad and the good

This is not a brainlessly plug and play device, as many powered speakers and desktop systems are, but if you are willing to be patient for about five minutes, the reward is well worth it. Of course, if you want to just play CD’s or listen to the radio, you can do that right away with the supplied (and very awesome) remote. To be more exact, to get the most the SC-C70MK2 has to offer, you will need to install a couple of apps, and spend a little time fine tuning setup.

If you’ve taken the time to install Google Home and the Technics Audio Center App (which we had to do for their integrated amp anyway), you are rewarded with incredible control flexibility, four levels of DSP adjustment (3 presets and one you measure yourself), and a wide variety of inputs and streaming options.
So, the good news is, this is by far the most capable tabletop/all in one music player we’ve used. With power comes responsibility. You can’t just jump in an airplane cockpit and access all the controls without a little time reading the manual and following the menu prompts. The SC-70MK2 is truly a high-performance machine, inside and out.

Beyond the top facing disc player, the OTTAVA is a high resolution player in every sense of the word, able to decode files from you NAS or USB device. The only thing off the menu is MQA. Like Technics larger SU-G700 amplifier, it also utilizes their LAPC functionality, which optimizes the amplifier circuit for the speakers.

Spacey

While the OTTAVA comes with three standard DSP settings to optimize the sound for wherever you might place it (free, near the wall, and near the corner) again, you’ll be rewarded by taking a few minutes to run the Space Tune™ app. This works like a full-blown room optimization system, measuring your room and adjusting the output of the OTTAVA accordingly to deliver the best sound.

Experimenting in a few different room locations reveals Space Tune™ outperforming the preset functions every time. Most times, the difference was so dramatic, it felt like we had just moved up a couple of models to a bigger, more resolving player. Good as this is, the most dramatic test of Space Tune™ was our initial listening. Just pulling the OTTAVA out of the box, placing it in the middle of the messy studio tamed a bass heavy, and somewhat hollow sound once Space Tune™ was run. Fantastic. While the preset selections for room corner, tabletop, and open air were excellent, taking the time to take the measurement and apply it to the custom preset, made for a more spacious, more tonally correct top to bottom sound. It’s worth the couple of extra minutes. Hard-core audiophiles will love the ability to save their new measurements.

The SC-70MK2 does an excellent job with midrange clarity, creating a massive soundfield. The level of serious bass produced when playing bass heavy tracks is a testament to just how much air a pair of three-inch woofers and a 5-inch subwoofer can produce with great DSP. On most musical selections, the SC-70MK2 is able to play incredibly loud without distortion, however those that survive on a steady diet of hip hop and electronica will most likely find the limits of the device, when rocking the house.

Again, it’s worth mentioning that taking the time to run the measurements and save a custom DSP preset will be the difference of the SC-C70MK2 having more natural, linear bass and upper midrange response. The presets are fine, but you’ll notice some of the tubbiness from putting it on a countertop disappear with a custom setting – taking this box from good to great.

Everyone exposed to the little Technics player was consistently impressed at how big the sound was, and in a small-ish room, on a table, the ability to feel like an amplifiers and pair of speakers on stands it is.

Taking the party vibe a step further, we made use of the compact Pro-Ject Ultra 500 phono preamplifier here for a recent review to connect our vintage Technics SL-1200 mk.5 and spin some vinyl. This was almost too much fun, and again, the overall aesthetic of the SC-C70MK2 fits perfectly with a Technics turntable, new or old.

It’s all good

This truly is the audiophile’s desktop music player. For $999.99 it’s an excellent combination of sound, features, and versatility. The nearly $1,700 Naim Mu-So 2 we just recently reviewed will play a little louder and go a little deeper, but it costs almost twice as much and there’s no CD Player or the ability to custom tune the DSP. Not to mention positively stunning mechanical design – this one looks and feels like an object with a much higher price tag.

Overall, this one checks all the boxes, and some we didn’t even know needing checking. Audiophiles often talk about desert island records. I’d take a Roon subscription, some streaming music and maybe a pile of my all-time favorite CDs to the desert with me.

If that doesn’t make for an Exceptional Value Award, nothing does. Technics has created a product that appeals to everyone. Entrenched audiophiles will be happy with the sound (and functionality) and music lovers craving simplicity will be amazed at just how much sound $999.99 can buy. I know I want one for on top of my toolbox out in The Audiophile Garage…

Please click here to go to the Technics Website for more info:

Tracking through the Supreme Beings of Leisure’s 11i, it’s impressive at how much low bass these small monitors can muster. Often, when a small speaker is called upon to create low bass, it’s a trade-off between quality and quantity. Not here – the Nico Evolutions go down deep enough to make most of you happy, and thanks to the speed and resolution of the LF energy provided, you can pair these with a high-quality subwoofer later should you so desire.

Including the stands with the Nicos obviously increases their price (and Eggleston is kind enough to send them filled, so you don’t have to screw around with it later), but it assures setup success. One of the most significant issues with compact monitors is getting them on the right stand with an excellent stand to speaker interface. We’ve seen way too many speakers in this size range have their performance compromised by wimpy stands, or a stand not providing the right tweeter height. Considering a comparable pair of speaker stands would probably set you back at least $600 a pair, included stands make the Nicos an even better value.

Eggleston has enjoyed over 20 years of making high-quality speakers that have achieved accolades from reviewers, end-users, and recording engineers the world over. Their reputation is fully intact here, and much of the tech that goes into their flagship speakers is present here – at just under $5k a pair.

A great recipe

As someone who is always biased towards the coherence of ESLs, well-executed two-way speakers always capture my attention. With a 6-inch woofer and 1-inch soft-dome tweeter (both sourced from Morel) and an easy to drive 87db/1-watt sensitivity – these speakers work well with any amplification you’ve got at your disposal.

We tried them with a wide range of solid-state and tube amplifiers, from Pass, VAC, PrimaLuna, Nagra, and McIntosh – all with excellent results. The Nicos are very tube friendly and when paired with our McIntosh MC275 (recently equipped with a quad of EAT KT88 diamond tubes)

The Nicos are an interesting size, featuring a fairly narrow front aluminum baffle mounted to an exceptionally inert MDF cabinet, that is barely more than 8″ wide, about 19″ tall at its peak and about 16″ deep. Eggleston claims a weight of 28 pounds, but they feel stouter than this. The stands weigh slightly more. Spikes are supplied to fine-tune the rake angle to perfection.

The cabinets are available in a few standard colors – black, beige, and white, but as they are coated with automotive paint, they can be finished in a custom color for an additional $300. Knowing my love for BMW’s, the Eggleston staff painted my review pair in Golf Yellow, that tennis ball color from an early 70s 2002Tii. Some will see it as yellow and others a bright lime. We can all argue about that later. What’s not open for criticism is the level of finish applied to these speakers – when we reviewed the Emmas a few years ago, I was impressed with the finish, but these are a few clicks better. Obviously, the crew at Eggleston continues to refine their craft.

This is the level of finish you’d expect to find on a pair of Wilsons, Rockports, or REL subwoofers. I wish I could get these guys to paint the vintage 3-series I’m restoring! In addition to the finish quality, the cabinet joints exhibit a level of uniformity that also goes hand in hand with a much higher price tag.

It doesn’t end there, around back is a finely finished, slotted, rear-firing port for the woofer, and a single pair of Cardas binding posts. The paint on the port goes all the way in, unlike a lot of cabinets we’ve seen, where this detail is scrimped upon. This is a pair of loudspeakers that you will feel good about writing the check for. Finally, basic black, magnetic grills are supplied, but the Nicos look so much better without, you may never use them.

Run in/setup

The Nicos sound great out of the box, with a slight edge that goes away quickly. 50 -75 hours, and they go from great to fantastic. Again, using the factory stands eliminates any guesswork that you don’t have the tweeters at the right height. Initial break-in was in my 13 x 18 living room, powered by the Rivera AFM-25 Class-A monoblocks and APL-10 tube preamplifier, before moving into the larger 16 x 25 studio on the long wall, powered by several different tube and solid-state amplifiers. Though most listening was with the MC275 or PrimaLuna EVO400 with EL 34 tubes, these speakers offered great result with all the tube amplifiers at our disposal.

Like all the other Eggleston speakers I’ve heard, the Nicos have a slightly forward presentation, making for a lively, involving experience. This calls for almost no toe-in in my larger room – having them straight on axis proved too much of a good thing, but your room and taste will vary. The sweet spot ended up being about 8 feet apart and about 9 feet from the sidewalls, and the front baffle four feet from the wall. This makes for an expansive, three-dimensional result.

While the Nicos produce sufficient low-frequency information (with a claimed LF limit of 38hz) and perform admirably in a bigger room, they prove stunning in my 13 x 15 smaller room, pairing up with the Luxman L-550AXII, class-A solid-state amp. (25 watts per channel). Thanks again to the low-frequency articulation that the Nicos offer, and a little bit of room gain, these speakers provide a fulfilling small room experience like few other speakers. This is one of those few speakers that make such an excellent HiFi show presentation because they don’t overdrive the room.

Further listening

Running through a series of tracks favoring low-frequency information from Massive Attack, Aphex Twin, and Snoop Dogg, the Nicos never disappoint. Those living on a diet of bone-shattering bass aren’t going to buy a pair of 6-inch two-way monitors anyway. But, when your musical tastes turn to this flavor, you’ll still be happy.

Where this speaker excels is revealing a detailed and highly resolving musical picture of whatever recorded event you are listening to. At low to modest levels, they are very immersive, flattening out slightly when pushed to high levels. Again, to be expected with a monitor of this size. A 6-inch cone can only move so much air.

As mentioned earlier, the Nicos are slightly forward in their balance, but as someone who enjoys listening nearfield, this gives a big, almost planar headphone like experience. In comparison to something like a pair of comparably priced Harbeths, or even the less expensive Falcon LS3/5a. It all boils down to taste. If you’d like a pair of modestly sized monitors, with a broader frequency range and more sheer dynamic urge than the Brit-monitors, I would highly suggest the Nicos.

Keep in mind, these speakers are only slightly forward in their rendition, so you can achieve an overall tonal balance to taste (if necessary, of course) with some system fine-tuning and not leave the resolution that these lovely speakers offer on the table.

The resolving nature of these speakers is what makes them feel a lot more expensive than the price tag suggests. Whether tracking through heavily layered selections, either vocal or instrumental – they paint a big picture. Things don’t get lost in the mix, and it’s easy to see why recording engineers have such high praise for Eggleston.

Finally, these speakers offer a good deal of tonal correctness. It’s easy to discern the sound of stringed and horn instruments and pianos sound as they should. I always tell readers and friends to find a speaker they can fall in love with and build a system around them. The Eggleston Nicos are speakers that can give you that relationship for a reasonable price, and thanks to the high level of quality they offer, they will grow with you as you upgrade components. The final icing on the cake is that you can have them finished to suit your environment for a minimal additional charge – a major bonus.

That certainly ticks all the boxes for one of our Exceptional Value Awards. And, they are #TONEAUDIOAPPROVED.

Please click here for the full specifications…

If you’ve thought about a big pair of Pass mono block amplifiers, but just don’t quite have the room, consider their X-series amplifiers.

The X150.8 serves up 150 watts per channel on a single chassis measuring only 7.5 inches tall (with the standard 19 inch wide x 21.25 footprint) and weighs 88 pounds. You’ll never mistake it for a class D lightweight, but one person can pick it up.

The new .8 series of class AB power amplifiers are biased further into class A operation than the .5 amplifiers (in this case about 15 watts), so at modest volume levels the X150 rivals the mightiest of XA series amplifiers, yet has plenty of reserve power for musical peaks when required.

Rob Johnson’s review will be up shortly.

https://www.passlabs.com/products/x150-8/

Cover Feature

Harbeth C7ES-3 XD

And… Speaker roundup

Features

Old School: Meridian’s 263 DAC

The Audiophile Apartment: The Focal Kanta no.1

Mine: It Should Be Yours

1095: Gear for Just over a G

Mine: It Should Be Yours

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Jim Macnie Returns with some great Jazz Choices

Emily Duff’s “Can’t Get it Out of my Head…”

NEW!  Merch Table – cool stuff from music’s past

Pam Griffin reviews the new John Hiatt Record

Future Tense

Gear in our immediate future

So, it’s time to shop for new speakers.

You set up your wish list of characteristics; Something that can sound great at both high and low volumes, Crystal clear high’s, solid low end, midrange with excellent clarity and accuracy, something that images like crazy, build quality that can last a lifetime, no sun fade, a speaker that can rock out for any party, a speaker that will let high rez files shine through for critical listening and, oh yes, your budget tops out at around $1,000, maybe a little more. Nice wish list. How close can you get these days to a speaker giving you everything you wished for?

Well, you must be quick on the order button and pay attention four days per year. The speaker is the Zu Audio Omen Dirty Weekend. Available to order only four days a year on the first day of each quarter, they sell out fast. Within a day kind of fast. But as I found out, it was worth the wait.

Get out the checkbook

Zu Audio does not provide review samples for the reviewer to request. Get in line with everyone else and wait. After attending numerous after hours events at various audio shows, I was willing to get in line. My choice of upgraded capacitors and Sangria Maple finish meant the final cost would be closer to $1,700 and a three month wait. Keep in mind the base hickory finish and standard caps will run you about $1,100 USD. The Dirty Weekends get about 600 hours of break in at the factory, so when they arrive, the heavy lifting is done. Unboxing and setup are straightforward – installing the footers is an easy task and necessary to provide breathing room for the downward ported main driver. Don’t skip this vital part of setting the Zu’s up.

Build quality on the Dirty Weekends is exemplary. This is furniture grade woodworking and finishing. Sean Casey, Zu Audio’s Founder, indicates they are built for a lifetime of use. You may need to swap out capacitors after a decade or two, but they are indeed built for the long haul. Amazing craftsmanship for $10k, but remember these start at $1,100/pair. Adding them into the system I hooked them up the Audio Research REF160S and REF6SE amp and preamp that were in for review. Source was the PS Audio DirectStream DAC and Memory Player. Vinyl was courtesy of the VPI Prime Signature with Ortofon Cadenza Bronze MC cartridge and the Moon 610LP Phono-Pre. Speaker Cables were the Silversmith Audio Fidelium’s. The DW’s are an easy load to drive at 12 Ohms so the Audio Research REF160S at 140 Wpc was way more than necessary to power them. Now you may ask do you need audiophile reference level electronics to pair with these speakers. No, but it was fun to try the combination!

Queueing up Fleetwood Mac’s Tango in the Night on vinyl, the first track, “Big Love,” the first thing I noticed was how crisp and precise the presentation was. Lindsey Buckingham’s finger style guitar work was direct and immediate. Fingers on strings were tight with the pluck of the string being clear with a delicious sense of realism. Mick Fleetwood’s drums had the well-defined attack you expect from a live performance. The song displayed excellent imaging and spatial boundary. It was a beautiful experience that presaged good times ahead with the Omen Dirty Weekends.

Moving to a digital source I chose The Talking Heads Stop Making Sense soundtrack and “Life During Wartime.” This was a specific choice as I had heard the song at one of the after-show parties as well as having heard the song live at Northrup Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus in 1982. That was a great concert and while there I expected the balcony to come down as everyone was jumping during that song. The DW’s rocked the man-cave as I cranked the song and let the live recording loose. The energy was powerful, and the song soared. The jumping afro polyrhythms filled the room with a dynamic syncopation framing David Byrne’s vocal. It was a total blast and revealed the trade secret that Zu Audio brings to your listening room, fun! These speakers are flat out fun. Three cubic feet of party in a box.

So, I was now convinced that the DW’s would not embarrass themselves connected to $75k of gear. I had disconnected my Vandersteen Quatro CT’s to move the DW’s in. I now changed out the reference electronics for something closer to the Zu’s price point. I added in a Luxman CL-38uC tube preamp and MQ-88uC class AB tube amplifier that ran 25 Wpc. At $6k USD each these mid-level Luxman pieces are outstanding, and boy did the Zu’s like them! Staying in the vein of fun, I went to Roon and called up Oingo Boingo’s 1985 song, “Dead Man’s Party”. If this song does not get you dancing around the room at high volume, I don’t know what will.  This song has great guitar and a solid bass line that drives the tune on. It also features a great brass section. I love brass, however, at volume on a stereo they can be harsh and strident with poor quality speakers that are being pushed. The DW’s offered up high volume trumpet and trombone with the clear and correct ring of brass. At no point were the instruments distorted or harsh. Peals of tone were strong and clear. It was a great display of sonic execution that I greatly appreciated.

So, what about vocals? I moved on to Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Live at Luther College. “Deed is Done” has the boys’ guitars working a brilliant tandem while Dave sings. His vocals are clear and immediate as a live album should be. Imaged perfectly not only centered but with a three dimensionality that gave life to the live recording. Guitar strings are plucked and strummed and offered up that live performance feel that separates a studio recording from an event. This is a key point with the Omen Dirty Weekend speakers. If the recording has in it the ability to convey real, the DW’s will bring it. When I first heard “it” (That real sound) during some additional break in time, I did a double take. I have never heard a speaker at this price point nail “Real” the way these do.

Female vocals are also superb. An afternoon listening to Dominique Fils-Aime’s Nameless album proved the Dirty Weekends were more than up to lower volume and nuance.  Critical listener’s will be well served with these astonishing speakers. Everything I tried with them worked. You get the idea from the Zu Audio website, but I spoke to Sean Casey directly about the “entry drug” purpose of the Dirty Weekends. He agreed the hope is after experiencing them you will want to see how far down the Zu Audio rabbit hole you may want to go. Zu Audio will give the buyer a full year full value on trade-in to move up the line. The fact that a company will stand so proudly behind its entry product speaks volumes about what the customer will receive up the line. I encourage anyone in the market for new speakers to take a chance and place an order. At 36” high and 12” square they are easy to place and very forgiving on placement. At 54 lbs they are easy to move and at $1100 they will not break the bank. What is not to like? I recommend getting in line for a pair asap. You will be glad you did.

Additional Listening: Jeff Dorgay

A funny thing happened in the checkout isle. Eric had originally purchased the DWs above, but in the course of his excellent review, decided to make a change in his listening room priorities. We’ve all done it. Being that his pair already had the upgraded finish and caps, I was more than happy to take them off his hands, and back to Washington, the Zu’s flew.

Eric has done a fantastic job describing his experience with the Zu’s and I concur. However, don’t think you need mega gear to enjoy these. While I’m currently using them with the Line Magnetic 805 amplifier we reviewed here, these speakers are one of the most accessible ways to a great system, period, end of story. Going the complete budget route, four highly accessible amplifiers did a cracking job with these speakers. Adding your favorite turntable, DAC, or streamer will have you styling for under $2,500.

Going the vintage receiver route is my first choice. A Pioneer SX-525, Marantz 2215/2220, or Harmon/Kardon 330 will give you 15 or 20 great watts per channel, and that’s all you need to rock with these speakers. Most of these can be picked up for a couple hundred bucks, and re-capped by a pro for a couple hundred bucks more. If you’re a DIY kind of audio enthusiast, way less.

Those wanting a vintage tube sound need look no further than a Dynaco SCA-35 integrated. 18 watts per channel of EL84 power and a decent on-board phono stage (not to mention a tape head preamp) also will provide an incredibly rich musical experience. A nice one, even with a full refresh can still be had for under a thousand bucks.

In the 60s a number of Japanese auto executives came to America to see how we built cars. You know the rest of the story. Perhaps some of the big speaker manufacturers should visit Zu. They do it right. The level of excellence that Zu offers at this price (and I realize that they are making precious little on DWs) is unbelievable. Nothing else I’ve experienced in 40 years of hifi offers up this much music. For many, this is the only speaker you’ll ever need. It’s beyond cool that Zu makes these available four times a year.

A few months later, I’m still totally flabbergasted with these speakers. Big thanks to Bill Griffin, creator of my favorite existential pinhead for conveying my thoughts perfectly!

www.zuaudio.com

As you read into the Dan Clark website, about their new planar driver, they use the word knurly to their approach to this design. To simplify, (or you can go to their site here), other planar phones have a flat diaphragm that bows more during excursion, the DC V-Planar design looks more like a diaphragm from a ribbon tweeter with a semi-folded surface.

Where it differs from a ribbon driver, the DC driver doesn’t have the deep folds like a ribbon, it looks more like a sawtooth wave on an oscilloscope trace. If you aren’t one to use a scope, it just looks like a string of V’s. Starting my listening with Charlie Sexton’s Under the Wishing Tree, which features a lot of acoustic guitars and deep bass, it’s easy to see how well this works. These are some incredibly natural sounding phones.

Though these will be referred to as “AEON 2” throughout the review, we are talking about the AEON 2-Noire version, which has perforated ear pads, which DCA claims tunes these phones closer to the “harman curve,” gently boosting bass and treble compared to the standard AEON closed. Because headphones are such a personal thing, (pun intended) getting the perfect fit can be a big part of your listening experience. Damn, if these phones don’t fit my ears perfect. It’s like so many things, if it feels right immediately, you know you’re in for a treat.

As you unbox your AEONs, you’ll notice the quality of materials used. We’ve tried a lot of phones in this price range that are way too plastic-y. The headband and baffles are built from a titanium alloy, with aluminum and carbon fiber used throughout. Black is the only color available, but let’s face it, what doesn’t look good in black?

Looking forward, looking back

Comparing them to my ten-year old Auzeze LCD-2s, it’s a quick contrast in how far planar technology has come. Much as I love the old-school (remember headphone years are like dog years times two – this is where stuff is happening!) LCDs, the AEONs are smoother, clearer, and cleaner. Both ends of the frequency spectrum go further, it’s almost like my LCDs feel like an old pair of 80s Acoustat speakers, and the AEONs sound like a new pair of MartinLogans. All the things you like about implementation of a planar phone are in both units, but the new phones are more revealing, without ever being harsh.

It’s also worth mentioning here that the team at Dan Clark Audio had some help creating the V-Planar design from Bruce Thigpen at Eminent Technology. If you aren’t familiar, Mr. Thigpen has developed a unique line of magnetic planar loudspeakers in their own right. (Not to mention, some amazing linear track tonearms) This is all exciting enough to earn the team a patent, so this isn’t just marketing double speak.

Switching to the self-titled debut from Crosby, Stills, and Nash instantly shows off the depth that these phones are capable of. Heading straight for “Helplessly Hoping,” the AEON 2s keep these four voices, all recorded at nearly the same level, separate and distinct. You have to spend a crazy amount of money on speakers to get this. You can have it on your desk for $899. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Getting current, the killer bass line in Holli Dior’s “Gumby” is awesome. This track is infamous for making phones distort like crazy, but the AEON 2s just roll with it. Everyone has their preferences, but I love closed back phones for this reason. They always seem to have a little more grunt on the low end. You may crave something else, but the AEON 2s will impress you with your favorite bass heavy tracks. Roon sent me to DJ Sensui’s “M’s on My Mind Zawrudo’d” and that was trippy AF. Those preferring open back phones can tick the “Open” box and get the AEON 2s in an open back version.

Rather than go on with track after track, suffice to say that the AEON 2 phones have no shortcomings, and in addition to their tonal and dynamic prowess, they have great top to bottom tonal balance. A hallmark of planar speakers and phones. Just like with loudspeakers, I must confess a bias to planar drivers. The AEON 2s make for incredibly immersive listening in a way that nothing else does.

Head friendly

The AEON 2s come nicely packaged, and well built. A quick look at the carbon fiber on the back of the ear cups, the headband, and the firmness with which the cables plug in makes you feel good about the purchase. The box and case are well thought out, and well executed, but not to the point of overkill, where you might get jumpy that too much of the purchase price went to the packaging.

Only weighing 328 grams (11.569 ounces) that’s 100 grams less than a Wendy’s Baconator. Or about as much as a Baconator with three big bites out of it. Save the empty calories and pack a pair of AEON 2s on your next trip. The light weight and durable case will make these easy travel partners.

Amplifier friendly

Most listening was done with our reference Manley Absolute Headphone Amp. (Please click here if you’d like to read that review…) This seventh wonder of the tube world is fantastic, because it offers plenty of adjustment for different impedance phones, along with incredibly useful tone controls. Not to mention it looks incredible and has its own built-in headphone holder. The Absolute really enhances the desktop experience, though not everyone that purchases an $899 set of AEON 2s will spring for a $4,500 headphone amplifier. Though if you do, you will not be disappointed in the least.

So, to be fair, we enlisted the Feliks Audio Elise ($1,949 – also tubes) an old ALO Audio portable, and the output jack of my (very) vintage Nakamichi 600 II cassette deck. Even driving the AEON 2s from an older iPad isn’t hateful, though to be fair, you will lose some dynamics and low frequency grunt. However, if you value traveling light over audio obsession, you can probably live with plugging your AEONs right into your mobile device for short trips. That one’s your call.

Additionally, there are five different cable terminations available – 2.5mm, 3.5mm, 4.4mm, ¼ inch and XLR, in 1.2, 2, or 3mm lengths. There’s even a premium VIVO cable upgrade for $200-$250. So, whatever system you’re rocking, you’ll be able to connect. Thanks to the quick disconnects at the earcups, should your needs change, a cable with different termination is at your fingertips.

Excitable boy

If you aren’t a regular TONE reader, you don’t know that I’m not really a major headphone enthusiast. The Dan Clark AEON 2s are really pulling me back into the fold, and this is what’s so exciting about headphone tech. This is the kind of sound you would have paid quite a bit more to get, five years ago.

The lack of graininess and restriction the AEON 2s possess is spooky good. Thanks in part to their extreme comfort and light weight, with the cumbersome factor lifted, it’s so much easier to enjoy the music and not feel like I have a pair of cans (the tomato soup kind, not the headphone kind) on my head. I suspect that this will go a long way to entice a potential user. Even after hours of sitting in the chair listening while editing, these are lovely headphones.

One of the things I’ve always found incredibly exciting about headphones is their minimal size requirements. It’s easy to have three, five, ten (maybe more) pairs of phones for different moods, types of music, or just because you welcome change. Whether you need a single set of headphones, or just want to add one more pair to your collection, I can’t suggest these highly enough – these are an easy choice for one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2021.

danclarkaudio.com

The guy that used to work on my Alfa Romeos in Scottsdale had a sign up behind his desk that said, “We appreciate perfection, as long as it’s real good.” That statement might apply to many things, but it does not apply to the Stenheim Alumine 2 Speakers.

You might say these are “Built to perfection by perfectionists.”

Many people often confuse bigger for better, and they’d rather have a gallon of mediocre instead of a pint of awesome. If that’s your perspective, that’s ok, but you won’t want these speakers. The $11,800 price the Alumine 2s command will also buy many excellent floor standing full-range speakers. Unfortunately, none of them have the level of resolution that the Alumine 2s possess.

Think that’s crazy? Oddly enough, the original Wilson Audio WATT was $5,200 when they introduced them at the 1988 CES show. They had no bass to speak of, had an impedance that dipped below 1-ohm at about 2200hz, and looked like a woodshop project. Guess what $5,200 in 1988 dollars translates into in 2021 dollars? $11,832.75. $5,200 would buy you a nice, used Alfa Spider too, but I digress.

However, what the WATTs did (resolution and soundstaging), they did incredibly well if you had a massive solid-state amplifier that could drive them. And once you heard what they could do, it was tough to un-hear it. Which is just how the Stenheims are, with none of the limitations of those early WATTs. Just under 12 grand for a pair of highly resolving, dynamic monitors that are tube friendly and built like your favorite Swiss watch? Sign me up. Perspective is everything.

The relatively high sensitivity that these speakers have (93db/1-watt) allows a wide range of amplification choices that plays well to the detail these speakers offer. A few amplifiers on hand made for some exciting listening sessions.

This two-way design utilizes a 6.5-inch woofer and a 1-inch fabric dome tweeter in a bass-reflex cabinet. All the pictures that Stenheim shows on their website showcase top-quality components, yet they offer a Special Edition SE version with “ultimate” components. Considering how much detail these speakers can muster, it’s hard to imagine more.

First: Pass Labs/First Watt SIT 2

If you aren’t familiar with the First Watt amplifiers, these “kitchen table creations” of amplifier genius Nelson Pass are the essence of simplicity. Much like an SET, they can produce magic, but they are highly speaker sensitive. The Pass SIT either works brilliantly or not at all, but in this case, the matchup with the Alumine 2s is nearly psychedelic.

Anyone craving pinpoint imaging and a large, three-dimensional ball of sound in a modest-sized room (in this case, 11 x 13 feet) will be rewarded. Moving the comfy chair in a bit towards the speakers in a nearfield configuration truly feels like snuggling up inside a massive pair of headphones. Stenheim talks about the speed and clarity of their speakers on the website, and this amplifier personifies this approach. If you can live with less than thunderous volume levels, this combination offers a fine-grained look into your music’s most intimate details.

Next: Line Magnetic LM-805iA

Somehow, getting an SET into the mix with efficient speakers just begs to be done. Though not quite as delicate as a 300B amplifier, the Line Magnetic amplifier benefits from 48 watts per channel and serious dynamic ability – perhaps the most we’ve ever heard from an SET. Just as a well-executed two-way speaker system has a level of coherence that few speakers can match for all their foibles, SET amplifiers offer a lovely perspective thanks to no crossover notch distortion.

Those loving more intimate recordings will be drawn to this combination. Listening to the new, remastered (and bonus tracks) of the 25th Anniversary of Buena Vista Social Club is full of texture and nuance. Particularly the piano and bongos throughout the album take on a new level of delicacy. While the presentation is not quite as precise as when using the First Watt, the Line Magnetic amplifier adds a certain charm that you’ll either love or not. It’s not unlike the feeling you get when pairing a tube preamplifier with a big, solid-state power amplifier kind of thing. A lot of soul, and a lot of control.

Back to Nelson’s court: Pass Labs INT 25

The Pass Labs INT 25 has about 90% of the fine detail and inner resolution of the First Watt, but with more low-frequency control and more dynamics. There’s something about Class-A operation that feels a lot like an SET without worrying over tubes. In the context of the smaller room, this amplifier’s 25 watts per channel is more than necessary to light up the Alumine 2s.

As these speakers don’t have a lot of extension to begin with, the extra grip provided with this amplifier gives bass-heavy tracks better authority and control. At least the bass fundamentals come through clearly. If you can achieve a perfect setup balance in your room, taking advantage of some of the room gain without overshadowing the mid-bass response, you will be greatly rewarded.

More glowing bottles: McIntosh MC1502 and PrimaLuna EVO400

Still, a different effect is realized with the McIntosh MC1502 and PrimaLuna EVO400 amplifiers. On some levels, it might be the best combination of all worlds. With both of these amplifiers having more power (150wpc for the Mac and about 90wpc for the PL) the Stenheims can rock out a bit more, despite the high sensitivity.

Home court advantage: Nagra Classic Pre and Classic Amp

Honestly, this proved the best combination of everything we tried. Swiss precision from top to bottom. If I were looking for a super high-performance, yet compact system, this would be the hands down choice. (of course, I’d add a Nagra DAC and Classic Phono to the mix) the sheer power, resolution and immersive quality of this system in a small room is the bomb. Considering how much correspondence we receive from quality minded music listeners in cities like London, Tokyo, and NYC – craving the highest of high-end sound but lacking a big room, this is the combo to beat. The Nagra amp and pre give it all – dynamics, tonality, and delicacy.

Notes on setup

As with anything built to precision, attention to details during setup is critical. Just as you wouldn’t take your Porsche GT3RS to any old tire store for a four-wheel alignment, the Alumine 2s can not be placed in your listening room arbitrarily. These need care and probably a solid day of moving them a fraction of an inch to and fro,once you find your sweet spot.

Thanks to room nodes and reflections, I’m guessing your room only has one or two optimum spots. Still, because we are dealing with a speaker offering precise imaging and not an abundance of bass, extra care spent setting up will reward you with a speaker that goes from ok but possibly overpriced to amazing. I’ve heard these speakers give a slightly overpowering presentation that can be mistaken for “too bright,” yet much like my Focals, if they are bright, you’ve set em up wrong.

More than most monitors, get some massive stands (Stenheim offers a set for $1,750/pair, probably a good bet), stick them down, and adjust toe-in with care. Also, depending on your room size, finding the precise spot where no aspect of the frequency spectrum overwhelms the other is critical. It’s like setting VTA on a cartridge with a touchy stylus profile – when it locks into perfection, the heavens part. Once the 2s were fully optimized, I was able to enjoy bass-heavy tracks a lot more.

Stenheim does offer their own subwoofer, should you want more extension or are playing these speakers in a large room. While one was not available at review time, using the Alumine 2s in concert with a six-pack of REL S/510 subs proved interesting. Whether you want a pair of 2s with sub or full range larger pair will be your ultimate choice, but the idea of buying the 2s first and adding a sub later certainly is a nice way to grow with Stenheim, and keep the family sound/look going.

As enticing to look at as to hear

The all-aluminum enclosure is beautiful to behold, and the level of execution is terrific. If you are a qualityphile and an audiophile, you will completely geek out on the absence of fasteners and the perfectly seamless assembly of the enclosure. The textures and finsh on both the front baffle and the rest of the case is equally flawless. Stenheim’s Jean-Pascal Panchard tells me that even though it looks like anodizing, they use a fine-structure powder coating process. This is an incredibly durable way to coat aluminum, assuring that these speakers will look like new 30 years from now.

Stenheim is a worthy competitor to the other “aluminum cabinet premium speakers” in sound and finish. No disrespect to Magico and YG, but Stenheim is playing at their level without question.

If the concept, and all the benefits that come with a high-performance two-way monitor appeal to you, Stenheim’s Alumine 2 speakers are fantastic. They offer excellent sound, meticulous execution, and a density of thought approached by very few similarly priced speakers. Highly recommended.

https://www.stenheim.com/alumine-two

Peripherals

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi ONE

Analog Source AVID Volvere SP/SME 309/HyperEminent EX cart

Preamp Pass Labs XS Preamp/XS Phono Preamp

Power Amp Pass XA200.8 monos (and others in review)

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Sometimes, I’m not sure what’s worse, products named after the designers child, or an obtuse numbering sequence?

Oh well, look at what Elon Musk named his kid. Weird car names are sure to follow. All kidding aside, these new Canton floorstanders barely tip the scale at $3,495 a pair, and they won’t need a pair of stands.
The last time we had a pair of Canton speakers in, about ten years ago, they were unmistakably bright and forward, but the current Chrono’s you see here have a much more realistic tonal balance. They are slightly forward, but nothing offensive. The evaluation begins with the Bad Brains self-titled debut album, which is compressed and crunchy. If anything will turn you off to a speaker, it’s this record. Even on great speakers, it’s not a sonic masterpiece. One more silly but fun track, Sigue Sigue Sputniks’ “Hey Jane Mansfield Superstar,” is nearly as dreadful in the recording department as the Bad Brains.

You might think it madness and oh, so “un audiophile-y” to listen to naff music when evaluating components, but sometimes how speakers perform with marginal material tells more about them than pristine, audiophile tracks. Patricia Barber and Diana Krall are low hanging fruit. Seriously, even if you can’t stand those two, do you ever recall hearing a demo with those tracks that sounded awful?

Digging right in

The Chronos come out of the gate strong, doing a great job on everything, with a little help from our new reference amp, the McIntosh MC1502 (which is slightly on the warm side, and a nearly perfect match for the Chronos). Switching the program material to something smoother and more meticulous in production, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong doing “It’s a Lovely Day” really shows off these speakers to create a broad soundfield, and a fairly wide dynamic swing.

You can only get so much speaker for four grand a pair, and Canton does a nice job at achieving a high level of balance. There is no particular aspect of their sonic or visual presentation outshining the rest. Made in the Eastern Bloc (Czech Republic) the cabinets offer a few clicks more luxury than the typical Chinese product that is similarly priced. The corners are slightly more complex and finshed to a cleaner standard. The finish is extremely smooth, deep, and orange-peel free. All of the plastics used on the front of the drivers is high quality, and the size of the trim rings is kept to an understated look as well.

Underneath is a solid base/plinth that maintains the proper distance for the bottom firing bass port, eliminating the guess work in setup. Spikes are supplied (and suggested), but should you not be able to use them, you won’t alter the low end characteristics of the speakers. Nice. Giving the Chronos a proper workout, a full electronica playlist starts with Nicole Moudaber’s “Her Dub Material,” and ends with probably too much Massive Attack. At this point, we’ve got the pair of 6.1-inch titanium coned woofers using all of their excursion. They cross over to a similar sized titanium coned midrange driver at 300 Hz, and then on to the 1-inch ceramic dome tweeter at 3,000 Hz. If you like music that is somewhat in the “bass heavy” side of the spectrum, you will not be disappointed with the Chronos.

Quick and easy set up

Canton does not claim a sensitivity spec, but the Chronos are very easy to drive with modest power, tube or solid-state. They even turn in an excellent performance with our recently re-capped Marantz 2220B vintage receiver. This important because anything that sounds good with a budget, low-power vintage receiver is probably going to sound good with any entry level amp you might have on hand, or thinking of purchasing to go with.

That bottom firing bass port not only offers a smoother bass response than a number of rear ported designs we’ve auditioned, it also makes placing the Chronos in your room a lot easier. If your décor dictates that you have to keep your speakers a little closer to the wall than you’d like, you won’t get the weird bass anomalies that a rear facing port can cause. Their footprint is small at 9.1” wide (this is the base width, the speaker itself is only 7.5” wide) 11.8” deep (ditto, only 11 inch by itself) and 39.4” tall. Tasteful black grilles are also supplied, but the dome tweeter is behind a grille, so these are very enviro-friendly speakers.

The rest of the setup process is straight forward. Where previous Cantons were so strong in the high frequency range, they almost had to be placed straight on, the Chronos allows for a bit of toe in, which helps evening out the low frequency to upper bass range. In both our small and large rooms, they were making good music in five minutes, and dialed in fully in about 15 minutes total. The Cantons are very user friendly, and even if you aren’t a speaker setup wizard, you’ll get good sound with minimal effort.

For those that care, the Chronos are bi-wireable, arriving with gold-plated jumpers. We pretty much don’t bother with that aspect of speaker cables anymore, so I can’t tell you if that makes an improvement. What did make a tiny improvement in the upper mid to treble range was swapping out the factory jumpers for some Tellurium Q Black Diamond jumpers. That was an improvement, so if you don’t have speaker cables already terminated for bi-wiring, consider a premium pair of jumpers from your favorite cable manufacturer.

Further listening

Going through a much wider range of program material, I found no shortcomings. The Cantons strike a nice balance (there’s that word again) of resolution, and imaging without harshness or fatigue. This is tougher to achieve at the $4k/pair price point than you might realize. There are a number of speakers at this price that offer up more precise imaging, or go down deeper. But the Cantons really excel at doing everything very well.

There’s no music that will be off limits to the Chronos, and while they will light up the room with 30 watts per channel, if you’ve got 100-200 watts per channel, they play incredibly loud before distortion creeps in.

The sound field these speakers create will depend in part on the quality of the upstream components. Again, a slightly more immersive experience was had with tubes, but switching back to the Boulder or Nagra amplifiers provided more impact. Neither was uninvolving, and it’s realistic to say these speakers are both resolving and chameleon-like to be a real team player in the context of your system.

Should you care to make these part of a larger 2.1 system or a multichannel setup, Canton does offer a full line of Chrono speakers, as well as matching subwoofers. Those that like everything to match visually as well as sonically will be able to execute this aspect of building their system with ease. Kudos to Canton for keeping the choices minimum – gloss white or gloss black. More finish options means higher cost, and you know the dealer will have every finish but the one you want when it’s time to press the go button. Keeping it simple makes it easier for everyone.

At the end of the day, Canton has made a great speaker in the Chrono SL582.DC. The model name won’t roll off the tip of your tongue, but they sound great, and will easily blend into your environment – that’s the most important thing.

www.canton.de

Peripherals

Analog Source Luxman PD-171 turntable/Kiseki Purple Heart cartridge

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi ONE, T+A CD2500, Naim ND555/PS555

Phonostage Chord Huei

Amplification Boulder 866, PrimaLuna EVO400, McIntosh 1502, Nagra Classic

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Anyone wanting the dynamic sound of Totem, but wanting to keep it all concealed, now has a new standard with their Tribe Architectural LCRs.

At $2,000 each, these can provide room filling sound in a super stealthy way.

Featuring a pair of 4″ woofers, 5″ passive radiators and 1 1/8″ soft dome tweeters, these compact in-walls come with complete mounting kits from Totem to rock the house.

We’ve got a pair in for review, and as soon as they are installed, will report back!

https://totemacoustic.com/product/tribe-architectural-lcr/

It’s interesting lately that there are a number of people in the hifi industry complaining about what things cost. My experience has always been that those that can’t afford to play usually make a bigger noise by trying to discredit things out of their reach. For some odd reason, this seems to take place more in the hifi industry than any other place.

No one loses their shit over a $500,000 watch, a luxury yacht, or a condo in Monaco. It is what it is, and it costs what it costs. Some people have always wondered why I compare audio equipment to automobiles. There are a number of reasons, but a parallel that I hope makes sense is the price of obsession with details. To a lesser extent, an obsession by some with measured specs.

Just as measurements will tell me how quickly a car will stop from 100 mph to zero, they won’t tell me how the brakes will feel. Do they bite hard initially and then let up? Will pedal pressure applied to braking effort exerted be linear? Will they fade after three hard stops or not at all? At that point, I either need to read comments from a few reviewers I know that have drawn the same conclusions I have, and then take a test drive to verify.

I’m not saying measurements don’t matter, they just don’t tell the whole story, and for the most part, they don’t tell me what I need to know to make a purchase decision. Not with hifi, cars, or a number of other things I enjoy. Measurements for me, are just additional data points. Nothing wrong with that.

I think high performance audio by nature, is an obsessive pursuit, and getting past a certain point of diminishing returns costs exponentially more, because it has an exponentially higher cost to get there. Honda can make reliable 250 hp engines all day long for minimal cost because there is a scale of engineering and manufacturing that makes sense. Getting 8 more horsepower out of Max Verstappen’s 950 hp F1 engine for the next GP might cost millions of dollars – for basically two engines. (His and his teammate’s) Is that worth it?

To the person who an automobile is nothing more than “something to get between point a and point b,” probably not. To the people trying to win a Formula 1 Constructor’s Championship, every one of those 8 horsepower is priceless.

We can even take something as benign as a chair. You can buy a reasonably good knockoff of a $9,000 Knoll Barcelona chair, for about a grand. Can you tell the difference? Can your friends? Will you tell them you bought the less expensive chair if everyone’s together at a party complimenting your good taste? 20 feet apart, it’s tough to tell, but when you get up close, the differences are fairly easy to spot. But again, is it worth the difference to you? Are you a bad Smurf for buying the knockoff if you appreciate the style but just don’t have the dough? No shame in that, nearly all of us have to make compromises in our life, no matter what our income.

And so it goes for high end audio. Do we need beautiful speakers like the top Estelons, Wilsons, Magicos, Sonus fabers, etc, etc, etc.? (And I’m not singling these speakers out for any other reason than they are some of the finest speakers on today’s market that offer an extremely high level of execution)

A number of people have sniped about the $850,000 Wilsons and “why they cost so much money.” Years ago, I had a pair of $179,000 Gamut S9s. They were lovely. Then Gamut principal Lars Goller told me that for the 20 pairs of S9s they would probably sell, they would never recover the amount of time and resources committed to the S9 project. I also used to own a pair of MartinLogan CLX speakers, and again the folks at ML told me that they made over 30 prototypes (that all ended up in the dumpster) before they finalized the CLX, and probably spent as much engineering time on the shipping cartons as they did the speakers. (Anyone who had a pair of ML’s past flagship knows why this is so.)

So the major questions remain? Is this stuff worth it? Is a reviewer – any reviewer really qualified to make that call? It always takes a minute to criticize what’s cost millions of dollars and thousands of hours to build. Just because I can’t afford something, doesn’t make it invalid.

In nearly 20 years of reviewing gear, and over twice that buying the stuff, we’ve found a groove here that pretty much coincides with what we own in our own systems, with the occasional deviation when something mega makes itself available. And we’ve found that most of our readers have systems in the $5,000 to about $200,000 range, so we try to keep it within the reach of our readership, and our level of experience and comfort.

Do I think 500-thousand-dollar turntables are crazy? Sure, in the context of my system, my record collection and my income, without a doubt. However, the people buying 500-thousand-dollar turntables (and they are out there) aren’t worrying about people like me that can’t afford the stuff they can afford to purchase. That customer is obsessed, and maybe that 500-thousand-dollar turntable doesn’t sound all that much better than your favorite $40k turntable. (but I don’t know I haven’t heard one), That’s not the point.

The point is it’s awesome, and someone not only wants that awesomeness (and exclusiveness) and is willing and able to pay for it. That’s why the people that produce those things do what they do. Having met more than my share of people that make incredible hifi over the years, I can say with 100% conviction that they don’t get out of bed thinking “how can I make a valueless thing for crazy money and fleece the public today?”

Can I afford to play at that level? Nope. But I think it’s incredible that people go to work every day figuring out how to make amazing things better. Defining things (and someone else’s hard work) in terms of your limited reality is insulting to everyone. It’s disrespectful to the people that have put their soul into building these things, it’s discouraging to the people that aspire to have these things, and it’s insulting to the people that have purchased them.

And even to answer the question on whether that more expensive thing is worth it, some people enjoy things for the art and execution of it. A geeked out Subaru STi can be tuned to 500 hp fairly easily and inexpensively. If all you want to do is win a stoplight Grand Prix, victory can be yours. Would I rather have a Porsche GT3RSR? You bet. Sometimes, it is about execution and if you can afford it, who am I to tell you it sucks?

Yet, this is a trend I’m seeing in the hifi industry more often than not, and I think it’s disturbing. I just can’t get behind discouraging the pinnacle of anything. There is more great gear at incredibly affordable prices today than ever, so why discourage what’s happening out on the fringe? Some people want more than just getting back and forth from point a to b. Even though I can’t afford a lot of this gear, I will continue to celebrate it.

Listening to Jon Astley’s “Jane’s Getting Serious” (from his Everyone Likes the Pilot album) the Denon 103 fitted to a bone stock, vintage Technics SL-1200 sounds much better than this combination ever has. More body, more bass, more everything. And it only took about 15 minutes to make a major change.

If you’re a fan of the Denon 103 or 103r cartridges, you probably know that it’s one of the best performers out there for reasonable money in MC cartridge land – conditionally. This super lightweight, somewhat low-compliance cartridge needs a moderate to high mass arm to deliver everything it’s capable of. Particularly in the low frequencies. Put a 103 in a low mass arm and it just sounds thin, no matter where you load it. The cheap plastic body isn’t helping anything either. Zu Audio and a few others have re-potted the 103s in a precision aluminum body, but they are expensive and not always available.

A few years ago, a very nice man at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest asked me “what would be a great way to tweak his system” for 100 bucks. I told him to buy a decent bottle of whiskey and enjoy what he had. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk. There really aren’t many things that will move the needle (pun intended) for 100 dollars these days. After spending some time with The Cap from denonaluminumbody.com, I stand corrected in a major way.

This cap is so perfectly made that your 103 fits with zero play. Actually, insert it with extra care, as the last ¼ inch is really snug – you don’t want to accidentally trash the stylus. Once the cap and your cartridge have merged to form one object, you merely need to remount it to your tonearm, or headshell. The Cap adds 3.5 grams to the 8.5 gram weight of a 103, so it should still work with most tonearms and their standard counterweight. The SL-1200 mk.5’s weight was all the way back, at the end of its travel, so I will probably investigate a few better options and report back.

But for now the improvement this $70 item makes to a modest analog front end is stunning. The Denon 103/103r is an outstanding performer to begin with, but the cap gives it the extra weight, refinement, and smoothness it needs to sound like a much more expensive cartridge. The Cap adds 1.3mm of thickness to the height of the cartridge body, but because the 103 has a 16.5 micron round stylus tip, (spherical) you shouldn’t have to diddle with resetting VTA. This also makes this cartridge with the additional mass of the cap a great fit on a Rega tonearm.

Starting with the Technics table, played through the Pro-Ject Ultra 500 phonostage, the results are very clear, however taking things further, buy swapping out the Pro-Ject phono for the incredible Chord Huei (review to follow very soon) made it even easier to tell the differences between the barefoot 103 and the other one inserted in the cap. I only had one Denon 103r cartridge, so this made for a bit more work, however with a pair of standard issue 103s, and identical Technics headshells, it was simple to swap back and forth without losing much to audiophile memory loss.

Perhaps the biggest difference came from playing the capped version through my reference Pass XS Phono. You might think that the average person yielding a phonostage like this wouldn’t consider a $250 Denon as a daily driver, but as VPI’s Harry Weisfeld taught me long ago a good turntable with a modest, but high performance cartridge makes a great daily driver.

Enter Avid HiFi’s Ingenium turntable, with aluminum platter upgrade. Fortunately, I just happened to have the two Denon cartridges on hand, I had a pair of SME 309 tonearms. This made the back to back comparisons even easier than swapping headshells on the Technics. However, this just confirmed what was initially heard.

Not wanting to bore you with endless track after track analysis, suffice to say, that the lower end tightens up substantially, and has more definition as well. This is the biggest contribution the Cap makes. It is very reminiscent of what we’ve heard from re-potted Denons. The high frequencies are slightly smoother, and maybe I was psyching myself out, but the image width and depth also felt larger. I’ve heard many an audio enthusiast get this excited over a cable or isolation device. Out of the park awesome for $70.

Whether you’re climbing the analog mountain, and looking for a cartridge upgrade, perhaps a second cartridge on a big bucks table, to save wear on your mega cartridge, the “capped” Denon 103 is an outstanding choice indeed.

This would usually be the time we tell you the Cap has one an Exceptional Value award. It is one of the best values we’ve encountered in an accessory, and I can’t think of anything that will help your system to reveal more music for anywhere close to this price. But the Cap deserves more. Consider it the recipient of our first JFB award. (Just F***ing Buy it) You’ll be glad you did.

Denonaluminumbody.com

It’s amazing how much DAC performance is available for $300 these days. Clarus Audio is much better known for their cables and power conditioners, but their first entry into the portable DAC/Headphone amplifier puts them squarely at the head of the class.

For many of you, the product you’re much more familiar with is the AudioQuest Dragonfly. Somewhat long in the tooth, the Dragonfly hasn’t really had a major challenger until now. The Clarus CODA has higher maximum resolution, and the ability to unfold MQA files. If you’re part of the “MQA is just snake oil” mafia, this will be of no consequence to you. We can all argue about that at a distant hifi show if we ever make it all to the same room at the same time.

For now, those of you that are streaming music via Tidal, where MQA files are available, you will probably want to take advantage of this functionality – and the Coda does an excellent job with decoding these. The blue LED on the front of the CODA (indicating 16/44, or standard definition files) will change to green for high resolution files, and turn magenta when MQA files are present.

Jumping right in with Chicago V’s first track “Hit by Varese,” the Coda turns magenta (confirming an unfolded 24/192 file) and when comparing things to a standard, ripped 16/44 file, delivering high resolution playback, with a smoother, airier, more relaxed sound. Using a pair of $200 Grado phones, the difference between high res files, or MQA versus standard CD resolution was not terribly noticeable. However, when stepping up to the Audeze LCD-2s or the Focal Stellias, the ability to resolve extra information is well worthwhile.

Fly swatter

Some quick back and forth comparisons prove the Coda to best the Dragonfly in every aspect of playback, and the better your phones, the more the advantage will fall to Clarus. But like the world of racing, where Mercedes was making horsepower last season, Honda may just surprise us all this year, which took my next listening session to my iPad and the first Grand Prix of 2021, where Max Verstappen’s Honda/Red Bull nearly put the wood to Louis Hamilton’s Mercedes. No doubt, the next round of these little miracles will prove more competitive, but for now Clarus is the one to beat. Listening to the cars zoom in and out of the pit sounds incredibly lifelike with the CODA in the equation.

Checking out a few things on Netflix, found a few of my favorite shows offering up high-resolution sound. Much fun as listening to high res tracks are with the CODA, the level of sound design that goes into today’s shows often shows off what a great pair of headphones combined with the CODA can really achieve. The desolate, atmospheric, tinkly soundscape of DARK proves even more engaging with the CODA, opposed to the straight headphone output of a Mac Book Pro. My apologies for the obvious audiophile cliché, but using the CODA goes a long way to making the headphones feel as if they have disappeared on my head.  This is indeed big sound.

The CODA plugs directly into a USB port, and it is supplied with a USB-C adaptor, which works well with an iPad Pro, but will not plug into current iOS phones. It’s a shame Apple messed with us in this manner. The CODA is such a worthwhile addition, makes me want to switch… There are no batteries to deal with, nor drivers to to install. Mac or Windows it just works, though I did find on the Mac side it was necessary to use the MIDI control panel to access higher resolutions.

Regardless of program material, the CODA is bold and dynamic. While it uses the latest version of ESS Sabre chip, what really sets this mini DAC apart from its competitors is the amplifier and analog section. The true smoothness and lack of grain that the CODA portrays shows just how far digital has come not only from its early days, but even in the last few years.

A great home digital experience

What will really blow you away is using the CODA in the context of a home, 2 channel audio system. Dusting off an older Mac Mini as a ROON core, and the CODA as a preamplifier to drive a recently upgraded Dynaco ST-70 and a pair of Zu Dirty Weekend speakers makes for an incredible, yet reasonably priced audio system. Good as the CODA is driving headphones, if you don’t need analog, or if you’re looking for a great digital front end on a low budget, I submit the CODA is outstanding.

In this context, it was easier to hear and evaluate the sound quality of the CODA. This mighty little DAC produces a massive soundstage, and while we caught a glimpse of it with various headphones, it’s low frequency performance is tremendous when used as a source component. The CODA also does a fantastic job with offering a lifelike performance with acoustic instruments, with an absence of grain. Listening to violin, piano and acoustic guitar pieces is a true treat.

You just might end up buying two

A combination of music, movie, and racing makes the Coda a must have, and for the day when we all start traveling again, this is going to be one accessory you’ll want to have in your suitcase. Yet it makes such a great all – around digital device, you might want two of them.

The Clarus CODA more than qualifies for one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2021. The performance bar has been raised.

claruscable.com

MSRP: $300

If you’re a beginning vinyl enthusiast, there are a lot of great turntables to choose from in the $500-$1,000 range. There really aren’t any bad choices, especially if you’re sticking with the majors. At times, it feels like too much information, with so many reviews clamoring to satisfy your ADD. “no this one is the best.” You know what I’m talking about.

So, how about making it all about you?

Even if you’re not new to the turntable game, setting a turntable up is not always the most fun you can have with your clothes on, is it? Be honest. You want to have fun, and start playing records. Now.

Enter LSA. We’ve reviewed a couple of their other turntables, and they always offer great table/cartridge bundles, and throw the necessary tools in the box. Stylus force gauge, record weight and the cartridge is already mounted. The LSA T-1 you see here comes with a $200 Sumiko Olympia MM cartridge pre-mounted. All you need to do is hook up the drive belt, set the platter on the sub platter, and set the tracking force. You’ve got this. You’re only ten minutes from fun. What’s all this fun going to cost you? $699 shipped in the continental US. These days a single meals worth of Memphis BBQ will set you back $150 and you’re only renting that.

Cartridges and such

We managed to rustle the first review here in North America (and this table is getting rave reviews overseas) but it arrived with an Audio Technica cartridge mounted. No need to send emails telling us we have the wrong cartridge on the table. Fortunately, A Sumiko Olympia just happened to be sitting on the shelf, so a quick swap and alignment got us back in business. Yours will come with the Sumiko already mounted. We’ve reviewed this cartridge family already and they are fantastic. Choosing the Sumiko is also forward thinking on LSA’s part, because the $200 Olympia, $300 Moonstone and $600 Amethyst cartridges all use the same body – the stylus assembly provides the increased performance.

After you’ve had your T-1 for a while and you want a little more performance, bam. Just plug in a better stylus assembly. You won’t even have to adjust the tonearm again. 30 seconds to more fun. Pulling the stylus out of our Amethyst and taking it for a brief test drive, this is a decent upgrade, the table is certainly resolving enough to handle it. Those not wanting to get fiddly with cartridge setup, but craving more sonic information down the road will appreciate this forward thinking.

Resuming playback

Once you’ve unboxed and set your T-1 up, the rest is a breeze. The Moving Magnet (MM) cartridge will work with any standard amplifier or receiver that has a phono input. If not, you may need to purchase one to accommodate the turntable. Staying in the budget ethos of this table, nearly all of the serious listening was done with the Rega Brio integrated amplifier $899), which is small and possesses a great MM phono stage built in. If you just read our review of the Audio GE Teddy speakers ($1,900/pair, and also available from Underwood HiFi) you know how smitten we were with those. If not, and you feel so inclined, please click here. The T-1 was also used with an older Naim Uniti featuring onboard MM, and a few vintage receivers as well. This is a very user friendly table indeed.

In the context of a reasonably priced, yet high performance system, this table not only delivers a lot of sonic pleasure, it’s a great table to look at. The understated design should go well in any décor scheme. In an effort to keep manufacturing costs down, LSA provides a Z-shaped dust cover that merely sits on the platter, going over it and the tonearm. This will keep prying cats away, but if you are in the absence of cats, you probably won’t use it much. And, it’s the only table in its class with a unipivot tonearm.

The Sound

The Sumiko cartridge is an excellent mate for the LSA tonearm, and this combination does a great job tracking fairly gnarly records with ease. Trying a number of known offenders with a high degree of inner groove distortion like Joni Mitchell’s Don Juan’s Restless Daughter, and a few others, reveals the factory setup to be excellent.

Sumiko gives a tracking range of 1.8 – 2.2 grams and found the best balance of trackability and sound to be at 2.1 grams with the supplied scale. Our Clearaudio Weight Watcher digital scale was within .01g of this measurement, so we’ll call it good with the supplied scale.

This table has a lively sound, somewhere in-between what you can expect from similarly priced Rega or Pro-Ject tables, and when you line them up, it’s easy to spot a lot of crossover in the basic engineering. The T-1 offers solid bass fundamentals, and thanks to the mating between cartridge and arm is able to create a big soundfield between your speakers. This table is right at the point where (if your records are nice and clean) you can start to hear a difference between analog and digital.

The Sumiko cartridge delivers great dynamic swing, so regardless of your musical taste, it can handle piano and violin with the same ease as the most demanding drum solos. There’s a coherence going on that makes you want to keep listening to records with the T-1, and that’s what the analog magic is all about. And should you feel like doing that stylus upgrade at some point, it really takes the T-1 to another level.

Used within the context of components offering a similar level of performance and value, the T-1 is very satisfying indeed. What makes the T-1 really stand out from similarly priced competitors is its top of class sonic ability combined with major user friendliness. It doesn’t get much better than box to fun in under ten minutes. These days, we can all use a little more of that.

Editors note (for the pedantic…): In an effort to get the first North American review done of the T-1, it arrived with the green Audio Technica cartridge you see in the photos. Photos were shot here the minute it arrived, and then we found out about the cartridge change. But all listening was done with the Sumiko cartridge mentioned in our review.

:)

underwoodhifi.com

Listening to the gentle interplay of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway on their classic track, “Where is the Love?” its panoramic presentation plays to the strength of Harbeth’s latest version of their ever popular Compact 7 monitor.

Having owned the original and the anniversary version, the current “XD” series is the best yet – at least for most of us. If you’re the person that always likes the original version of something, claiming all subsequent versions to not only be rubbish, but not “the real example,” you might be a little put off by the extra resolution served up by this model. As they say in business school – “you’re not the right customer.”

Comparing these speakers to another British favorite, the Quad ESLs, the Harbeths reproduce so much music perfectly through the midband (a testament to owner Alan Shaw’s loyalty to the BBC ethos and the RADIAL2™ technology unique to Harbeth) you forget that they don’t have enough resolution to kill flies at 20 paces, and low frequency extension to loosen your dental work. And that’s just fine. Tracking through the Rolling Stones’ “I’m Just Waiting on a Friend” is absolutely lovely. Jagger and Richards’ voices occupy their own personal space, with the background vocals slightly off in the distance, yet Charlie Watts drumming is anchored solidly, and you can follow every note in the bass line precisely. The Brits call this “pace and timing.” This is what will keep you in the listening chair all day – this lifelike quality that the Harbeths present.

At first glance, $4,890 (in cherry, seen here and $5,190 for walnut or tamo ash) might seem a little spendy for a pair of Brit-Monitors, but the world economy, and shipping costs have been causing havoc for everyone, not just high-end audio manufacturers. These speakers are worth every bit of their price tag. Keep in mind, Harbeth speakers are still designed, and hand built in small batches in their UK factory.

Easy set up and integration

Harbeth’s Alan Shaw is a meticulous designer. I’ve been to the factory, and I’ve seen Shaw’s volumes of notes. These speakers are not merely a result of picking a few drivers, building some cabinets, and off you go. Everything is deliberate, everything is measured, and triple checked. The end result is nothing short of stunning, and a side benefit to this is a house sound in the best way possible. As you move up the range, each speaker is optimized to not only deliver more music, but in increasingly bigger rooms as well. Though I’ve been achieving great results in my larger 15 x 26-foot room (on the short wall), these speakers deliver an incredibly good balance of low frequency extension and upper bass/midrange balance in a room about 13 x 18.

The level of output and articulation the XDs produce will not have many people clamoring for subwoofers. Their rated sensitivity is 86db/2.83v/1m, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. While this suggests a relatively inefficient speaker, Harbeths have always been incredibly easy to drive. They are equally easy to set up. Thanks to their wide dispersion characteristic, they don’t need a lot of toe in to get the sound “right.”

As with every stand mount speaker we’ve used, stand construction, interface between speaker and stand, and stand height is important. But again, there are a few trains of thought here. The C7s work well on low (approximately 18”) medium (24”) or high (28”) stands. Some prefer them with minimal mass stands, while others like the weighted Sound Anchors, or something very similar. Your couch height and presentation preference will determine what your final setup will be. I have heard all three work. Our tests were all performed with 24” filled Sound Anchor stands with blu-tack between the speakers and stands, or the 18” filled stands that came with our Wharfedale Linton speakers. Harbeth suggests bringing tweeters to ear height for best results, and we concur.

While some feel the Harbeth sound is slightly “wooly,” I submit that it’s all about quality in the amplifier department. TONE has auditioned and/or owned all of the past models except the Monitor 30, and that has never been our experience. Connected to a low power, low quality tube amplifier with no control, or current capability, the new Compact 7 will leave you wanting more, but taking the perspective that an excellent monitor will expose the weaknesses up the chain – that’s what needs to be investigated.

The new speaker is even more tube friendly than its predecessor, and when combined with the Octave V110SE, the PrimaLuna EVO400, or the new McIntosh MC1502, the results are nothing short of breathtaking. Of course, our results with Luxman, Pass, Boulder, Parasound, and Nagra on the solid-state side of the fence are equally compelling. However, the little bit extra beauty achieved with the Nagra Classic Preamp and the McIntosh MC1502 is tough to ignore.

Everything makes a difference

This brings us to the improvements on the XD models. While this version of the C7ES makes use of the same driver compliment as the last model, incorporating a lot of what Harbeth learned in terms of cabinet refinement and improved components in the crossover network has allowed these drivers to deliver even more performance. Shaw claims he’s “flattened out the small lumps and bumps in the frequency response by using custom made resistors, coils and capacitors. So the overall sound is better integrated bass/mid/top.”

The current model has all the magic, friendliness, and vocal/midrange accuracy that we’ve always enjoyed from Harbeth in the past, but with increased clarity – all the way through the range. I can’t claim to remember the minute details of the last version, so I borrowed a pair for some real side by side evaluation.

Unless you have canine hearing and photographic memory, enough of the Harbeth sound carries through both new and past generation, that after listening to the new ones for a while, you want to stay there. Yet if you switch back to the old ones, you’ll instantly notice a little less depth, a little less sparkle on top and a bit less slam on the bottom, but after about an hour, the smile returns to your face. The most OCD of you might have to trade up. Yet, for the rest of you the current version will be an excellent choice compared to something else you might have been considering.

Back to the core

These speakers never sound harsh, forward, or fatiguing. Again, so much of whether a pair of these are for you will depend on what music you listen to, and how you listen to it. If you don’t listen to the heaviest of rock music, or the punchiest electronica at punishing levels, you’ll be surprised at just how much the current Harbeths can handle. Even when listening to things like Led Zeppelin, TOOL, or The Foo Fighters at less than brain damage levels is very rewarding. Tracking through an old favorite, Bruce Springsteen’s Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ not only follows the dynamic swings, but reveals the nuances of Springsteen’s voice and acoustic guitar in a way few speakers can. Again, this is what keeps you in the listening chair for hours on end. Mixing it up for some bass heavy tracks again confirms that there is more than enough of the fundamentals to get a solid musical experience.

Where a smaller monitor like the LS3/5A or Harbeth’s own P3ESR (which we’ve also reviewed) often seems like it just won’t play big enough, in the sense that the sonic image created in anything but the smallest of rooms is smaller than life, the C7 is just right. To counter this, there are times that the Quads produce an image that is overblown, though not to the extent that a pair of Magnepans does.

The C7s, properly set up with a bit of space between them (when the stereo image collapses to two individual mono speakers, you’ve gone too far in your quest) creates a sonic landscape that feels believable. In addition to the vocalists and instruments sounding natural, and realistic, the size and spatial relationships sound right. If you’ve ever heard a solo vocalist or small ensemble perform in a modest sized room, you know what we mean. The same thing goes for acoustic instruments. The more time you spend in the listening chair with Harbeth’s latest, the easier it is to immerse yourself in the music being played.

The current version of the C7 looks like past models, but the new speaker is finished to a higher standard than Harbeth’s past. It’s smoother, less raw. The only complaint to make here, is that the wood used feels a little bit softer than past models, so handle them with the utmost care. But the new, satin-y finish is gorgeous, and maybe I’m psyching myself out, but the level of care used in past models at the joints and such feels even more meticulously executed.

They might just be the grail you’ve been seeking

We can go on and on about this track and that, but these speakers need to be experienced at a deeper level than you might get from a quick dealer demo or a cursory listen at a hifi show. Harbeth always makes a good showing in this context to be sure, but this new, XD version of the C7 begs a long listen – the equivalent of a road trip. The more time you can put in your listening chair with a pair, the more I suspect you will enjoy them.

With the cost to participate in a “high-end” audio system ever increasing, along with the complexity and the myriad choices at your disposal, it’s easy to lose your way. The past versions of Harbeth’s C7 have always been Exceptional Value Award winners. The current speaker is better in every way, and even though the price is higher than when we first heard a pair about 15 years ago, they still represent tremendous value and performance. I’m also purchasing the review pair. These will become my benchmark to review realistically priced components. These are still worthy of our Exceptional Value Award for 2021.

If you happen to be someone that finds your joy in the music a lot more than you do in endless gear swapping and the upgrade path, your journey could end right here. The Harbeth C7ES-3 XD does so much right and nothing wrong. It doesn’t get a lot better than that.

Harbeth.co.uk (factory)
Fidelisdistribution.com (US Distributor)
603-880-4434

Peripherals

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi ONE

Analog Source Nagra Classic Phono, AVID Volvere SP, SME 309, Eminent Hyper EX

Preamplifier Nagra Classic Preamp

Amplifier McIntosh MC1502

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Black Diamond

The horns from the Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra jumped right out of the Kanta no.1s into my modest listening 13 x 15 foot listening room, and if I didn’t know better, I’d swear that a pair of Kanta no.3s were playing. That’s the sheer beauty of the Focal approach.

All of their speakers are created with a family approach, with each built around an identical tweeter, so they speak in the same voice. Going up or down the range, gives you the ability to play louder, and get more low frequency output, but the overall character remains unchanged, offering the Focal fan a substantial range of possibilities.

Having spent a lot of time with the Kanta, Sopra, and Utopia speakers, each has their strengths. The Kanta lineup doesn’t have the last bit of delination as the Sopra and Utopia do, but Focal’s core virtues of high dynamic range, tonal neutrality, and ultra low distortion are in full effect. If we are talking fine details, the Kantas have always been the slightest bit warmer, or more tonally saturated than the Sopra, which makes them slightly easier to match with a wider range of amplification than the Sopra.

At $6,590 a pair, sans stands, the smallest of the Kanta range is absolutely lovely. Thanks to the natural room gain from a smaller room, unless you’re playing a lot of music with subterranean bass lines, you won’t even notice. And if you need it, Focal does offer their own subwoofer solutions.

The star of the show

Listening begins with the Naim UnitiStar, which is an integrated amplifier, streamer, and high quality CD player all on one chassis. Think of it as a supersized UnitiAtom. Twice the physical size, and a much bigger amplifier. Suffice to say that if you don’t have to spin vinyl (and we won’t dismiss you in the least if you choose not to express yourself this way), add one of these to the shopping cart ($5,990), add some speaker cables and call it a day. While your neurotic audiophile buddies are freaking out about the molecular differences between mains cables (just buy the Naim one), you’ll be sipping mint juleps on the veranda, digging the music. Yep, it’s Roon, and everything else compatible.

What would normally set you back about $14k with some speaker cables is now available as a “bundle” from your favorite Naim/Focal dealer, (complete with Naim speaker cables) for $8,990. This is a killer value. At this price, you could add a Naim Stageline phono, a nice turntable/cartridge combo, and come in under what these two pieces alone would have cost you. Putting a high quality music system together couldn’t be easier. If you know where you’re going to put the Star and the speakers, you should be able to unbox and set the whole system up in under 30 min. Awesome. And you know you always buy yourself the best holiday gifts, right?

I don’t want to dwell too much on the vinyl aspect of the Kanta/Uniti combo, because that’s not the central focus here, but suffice to say, we did use our Stageline MC phonostage, with Technics SL-1200 and Denon 103r cartridge to great result. Tracking through some of the recent Blue Note re-issues clearly illustrates the big soundfield the Kantas can paint in a room. The synergy between the Stageline and the UnitiStar feels like a much more expensive combination (the Stageline is only about $700) and a nice turntable/cart in the $1,000 – $3,000 range will feel just right here.

Focus: Kanta no.1

Thanks to the same basic cabinet design as the Kanta no.2 and no.3,  Focal’s patented IAL3 inverted dome beryllium tweeter, and their Flax cone woofer (they call it a bass – midrange driver here) Kanta no. 1, these are compact speakers that deliver big speaker sonics. As with every stand mount speaker, great stands are essential to get everything they are capable of, especially in the lower bass region. You can of course, just get the matching Focal stands – again, we suggest just walking out of your Naim/Focal dealer with everything so you can get to the listening, but if you have a good pair of high mass stands, you should be ok.

All of our listening was done with a pair of sand filled, 24-inch Sound Anchor stands. This put the tweeters at the proper listening height, and with a few spots of blu-tack between speaker and stand to maximize the interface, we were moving right along. The Focal tweeters have great vertical and horizontal dispersion, so they aren’t super critical to get you to about 90% of what the speakers are capable of delivering. This is where the Focal stands will make your job easier. Based on past experience with the larger Kanta and Sopra models, getting the last 10% or so of performance – maximizing the width and depth of the soundfield will take a little bit of careful adjustment of rake angle (tilt of the speakers) and the Focal stands make this incredibly easy.

Again, the beauty of these speakers, even with modest skills you can get satisfactory results. However, if you take a few hours or two, and make incremental adjustments, the final setup will have you thinking you’ve spent way more on speakers than the modest price of the Kanta no.1. Even if you are new to the audio game, here’s a short cut – if your Kantas sound slightly harsh, bright, or too forward, you have them set up wrong. Follow the instructions in the well written manual as a guide. They will get you very close, though the manual concentrates more on getting good low frequency balance. Once that is achieved, make the adjustments on the rake angle to bring the speakers into focus. At this point the perceived harshness simple disappears.

The tremendous dynamic swing, and ability to reproduce the instant acceleration of drums and percussion instruments that the Kantas provide makes for an exhiliarating experience. Revisiting Peter Gabriel’s Security is an immersive experience through these speakers. They do an excellent job with the big drum sound that pervades the record. Going back to some Blue Note and re-examining bop, only this time streaming high res files via Roon again shows off how convincing these speakers reproduce the immediacy of a big tenor sax blast, or the delicacy of some vibes. Hitting up the Ella Fitzgerald catalog demonstrates the Kantas ability to carefully extract every bit of delicacy and power in her voice. Start with a few of your favorite tracks, you’ll be amazed at how well these small speakers project like large speakers.

A-la-carte

If you are only interested in the Kantas, and not the entire bundle, rest assured that the Kanta no.1s (actually the entire Kanta lineup) are easy to match with other amplification choices, tube or solid-state. After hundreds of hours with the UnitiStar, about nine other amplifiers were tried, all with excellent luck. The Kantas are resolving enough, yet easy enough to drive, the characteristics of whatever amplifier you are using will pass straight through.

With issue 105 of TONE being a roundup of integrated amplifiers, we had quite a few different variations on the theme. The UnityStar is a top choice, but those wanting a slightly mellower approach will do well to pair the Kantas with a vacuum tube amplifier. Between the PrimaLuna, Octave, and VAC amplifiers, all were the essence of smooth. For some this will be lacking in pace compared to the Naim electronics, but know that if you are a mix and match audiophile, you can build a great system around them. The Kantas have a nominal impedance close to 4 ohms, so start with the 4 ohm tap on your amplifier and explore from there.

The same can be said for the UnitiStar. It also plays well with others, and after pairing up to everything from a pair of vintage Quad ESLs to the Sopra 3s, this is a great amplifier in its own right. The overall musicality and resolution available from the UnitiStar, combined with the 92db/1 watt sensitivity of the Sopra 3s makes for an incredibly formidable single box solution.

www.focal.com

Mega fans of Luxman Class-A amplifiers take note…

For a limited time they will be offering 300 units of their L-595A Integrated Amplifier. This amplifier is 30 watts per channel, yet incorporates a number of improvements over their current flagship, the L-590AXII. While the signature power meters are absent, this amplifier offers an even higher level of refinement. Power remains the same at 30 watts per channel.

MSRP will be $11,995

We have a full review posting shortly.

www.luxmanamerica.com

A few weeks ago, we did a very short, sweet “distilled” review of the Equi=Core 1000 power conditioner. If you look back at the reviews section of the site, we’ve reviewed the smaller Equi=Core 600 and the larger 1800.

Everything we’ve written about these two applies here. There are a number of ways to handle removing noise and artifacts from the AC line. And we can argue forever as to which works better – some manufacturers use moderately to extremely elaborate filter networks, some take the large balanced isolation transformer approach, while still others sprinkle pixie dust on things and call it good. PS Audio and a few others regenerate the power and use what is essentially a massive high current power amplifier, to recreate the sine wave. I’ve had great luck with the PS Power Plants over the years, but they are expensive.

Much in the same way some audio enthusiasts swear by a step up transformer for their Moving Coil phono cartridges, after trying nearly everything over the last two decades, there’s no more cost effective way to get better sound from the AC line than with a well designed balanced isolation transformer. This is the approach of the Equi=Core products.

My experience with balanced isolation transformers (and I always suggest going to the biggest transformer you can afford, because you can never have too much current capacity) has always been this is an approach that filters noise without sacrificing fine detail.

As with so many things Underwood has sent us, this product is an extreme value proposition, especially at the current $999 internet direct price. It’s 1000-watt capacity will not be enough for the biggest of power amplifiers, but at $999 each, you can buy one for your amp (seriously, go all the way and get the 1800 for your amp) and a 1000 for your front end components. And if you have to, or remain skeptical, start with your front end components.

The best way to see what this product can do is to listen carefully to a handful of tracks with solo vocals, solo acoustic instruments, or small ensembles. Though obscure (but you can find it on Qobuz) I love the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. These light, plucky tracks will really give you an idea if the audio signal is being harmed or distorted tonally. Add some of your favorite piano tracks (George Winston is always my go to – sappy but have been listening to these records for 40 years now) to evaluate the dynamic aspect of inserting something in the power line.

Five to ten minutes in, you should be able to hear what you need to hear. With the Equi=Core in place, backgrounds become more silent, which equals more dynamics, better low-level resolution, and none of the complex overtones that you’re used to with stringed or wind instruments are corrupted.

That’s all a power product needs to do – clean up the noise and do no harm. And the Equi=Core 1000 does a fantastic job. With 6 outlets on the back side, you should be able to plug everything into it with ease. If you’re using a modest power integrated amplifier, a single 1000 should handle your amp, a phono stage and a turntable. We firmly believe that power cables do make a difference, if you’re on a budget at the beginning of this journey, if you can – invest in one really good power cord from the wall to the EQ1000. That’s where you’ll get the highest performance gain.

Finally, as with the other Equi=Core products, the balanced isolation transformer has an even more noticeable effect with vacuum tube gear. Even our reference Nagra Classic Phono Preamp, which is very silent, is even more silent plugged into the Equi=Core 1000. It goes from hearing a little bit of noise when your head is close to the tweeter, to no noise. Our Line Magnetic LM-805 SET amp is lovely, but slightly noisy with a touch of hum. Again, nearly all of this is gone with the EQ1000.

How will you know you’ve gone too far? If you’ve gone way too far and overtax the current capability, the circuit breaker on the front panel will pop. It’s worth mentioning here that staffer Jerold O’Brien uses an Equi=Core 1800 in his main system, and on a recent lightning strike to the house, only the sacrificial breaker on the front panel was damaged (an easy fix) but his beloved ARC SP-10 mk 2 and D76 power amplifiers were unharmed. So we know for a fact that the Equi=Core stuff will protect your gear. If you don’t push the EQ1000 hard enough to blow the breaker, you will notice a subtle flattening of the soundstage. Should you get to this point, take a quick look at how much power the components you have plugged in draw. You’ll probably only notice it when you’re really playing your system at high level. Remember, think about that 1800 if you have a big amp, and/or really like to crank it up.

Where the 600-watt version of this product will probably be a front end device only, the 1000 has enough capacity to fit a wider range of systems. And they are great for video too – you’ll definitely see blacker blacks, and more dynamic range there as well.

Again, Core Power gets the job done right and without requiring you to cancel your vacation plans. Highly recommended.

Underwoodhifi.com
$999 (current special internet pricing)

Peripherals

Amplification PrimaLuna EVO400 Integrated, Conrad-Johnson CAV 45mkII, Line Magnetic LM-805iA

Analog Source Luxman PD-171/Kiseki Purple Heart/Chord Huei phonostage

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi ONE

Speakers Zu Audio OMEN Dirty Weekend, GE Audio Teddy, Harbeth C7ES-3XD

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Amazon has made it even easier to add to your collection of vinyls. Yep, if you are just buying records for this reason, here’s a great way to look cool without doing any of the work:

Just sign up for the new “Vinyl of the Month Club: The Golden Era” from Amazon. You’ll be able to “build the ultimate vinyl collection,” and get “an essential album every month.” But you won’t know what it is or who it’s from.

However, you can rest assured of the awesomeness because it’s “handpicked by the experts at Amazon…”

I’m always amazed at how many products out there are claimed to be “the best.”

What does that even mean? Best for what? Best for who? Whenever this word is used (and I’ve used it REALLY sparingly in the last 17 years) it draws a mental line in the sand meaning nothing is better than this, because well, it’s the best.

My travels to Europe and Asia, interacting with others around the world leaves me thinking that other cultures aren’t quite as fixated on being the best, and having the best. I think we Americans have more of a propensity for needing to have the best. Laurie Anderson did a great tune called “0 and 1,” from her Home of the Brave soundtrack. As she says in her computer enhanced voice, “everyone wants to be number one, nobody wants to be 0, a loser.” Yet in this analog world that we all seem to worship, there are precious few shades of grey.

I have a hard time believing that all the people that design and build hifi gear want to build products that are less than. And on the flip side of that maxi single, there are so many claiming to be the best. How can there be that many bests. The New York Times recently claimed that a very popular $600 turntable is “the best turntable.” As Hall and Oates say in “Possession Obsession,” so why would you want more?

Well, why would you?

I fear that in today’s influencer laden society, no one wants to be caught with having any less than the best, yet there are so many great products available. There have never been more variations on the theme, regardless of what shape your hifi system needs to take.

This is something I’ve agonized over since I started writing about hifi. Trying to have enough insight to put things into perspective. To try and help you make intelligent purchase decisions that will help you. It’s not about me/us at all. We’ve all drawn our lines in the sand as to what we like, and what helps us achieve our music reproduction goals.

Back when I worked at The Absolute Sound, and used to chat with the late, great Harry Pearson on a semi-regular basis he always used to say: “Kid, don’t use the B-word. Resist the urge. The minute you do, you’ve painted yourself in a corner you can’t get out of.”

And while attaching those four letters to one of our reviews would certainly get us a lot more web traffic, and perhaps a better ranking on Google searches, it doesn’t help you one bit. What happens when you bring that best turntable or those best speakers home and they aren’t the best? Hmmmm. How likely are you going to be to listen to what we have to say in the future?

For all but the few people that can build an awesome system out of the chute and have the fortitude to stay there, the pursuit of building an audio system is usually a journey, an evolving thing. As cool as it is to say “I’ve got the best..” you probably don’t, because it doesn’t exist.

Here’s to hoping you’ll continue to enjoy your journey, wherever you are on that path, and that you can have the courage to enjoy the gear you’ve spent your hard earned money on, whether it’s the best or not.

-Jeff Dorgay

Perhaps better known for their highest end offerings, Denmark’s Dynaudio has always applied what they learn in the lab to their entry level speakers.

Their new Emit series is sure to be a big success, borrowing tech from their other ranges to produce a very affordable set of speakers. Here’s what
Dynaudio has shared with us:

Emit is the entry point to the high-end Dynaudio universe. It’s been created to deliver eyebrow-raising audio performance for the price – taking the guesswork out of what, for many, is their first step into audiophile-level hi-fi.

The range comprises two stand-mount models (Emit 10 and Emit 20), two floor-standers (Emit 30 and Emit 50) and a centre-channel (Emit 25C). They’ve all been designed, styled, tuned and optimised in-house at Dynaudio Labs in Denmark. The company’s state-of-the-art Jupiter measuring facility – a vast measuring array – played a key role in their creation.

All Emit speakers use the Cerotar tweeter from the renowned Dynaudio Evoke series, which in turn is based on the formidable Esotar Forty tweeter from the company’s Special Forty anniversary loudspeaker. The Cerotar’s custom AirFlow magnet is made from strontium carbonate ferrite+ ceramic, while the 28mm voice-coil is made from aluminium – a Dynaudio signature, found in the company’s state-of-the-art Esotar 3 high-frequency driver.

And, you don’t have to look far to see styling cues from their top range Confidence speakers…

The Emit family will be available to purchase at Dynaudio retailers beginning June 24^th, 2021.

Retail Pricing, USA

Emit 10:    $799 per pair

Emit 20:    $999 per pair

Emit 30:    $1,699 per pair

Emit 50:    $2,249 per pair

Emit 25C:  $799 each

We are looking forward to some review samples very soon. We’ll keep you posted!

www.dynaudio.com

And, how cool is that?

Long known for their legendary ARO tonearm (which many Linn Sondek owners swear by to this day), amazing phono stages, and incredible power supplies, Naim has skated around the turntable thing for decades. No longer.

Teaming up with Germany’s Clearaudio to build their creation – which has been designed in its entirety by the Naim engineering team, the $20k MSRP for the entire package is truly a bargain, when considering everything included:

· Naim Solstice Turntable NVS TT – combining core Naim design philosophies, such as multiple levels of mechanical decoupling, with a celebration of beautiful materials. Features a magnetic bearing supporting a high-mass, highly polished aluminum platter, with a unique, self-calibrating motor drive system, meticulously delivering the Naim sound.

· Naim Aro Tonearm – retaining the original’s design principles and excellence but boosting performance further still by using improved materials – including tungsten and carbon-fiber – and adding an all-new, no-compromise bias, arm height and azimuth adjustments.

· Naim Equinox MC Cartridge – featuring a microline stylus shape – closer to the original cutting lathe head to enable the retrieval of accurate high-frequency information – and a boron cantilever, a stiff-but-light design that faithfully transfers the stylus movements to the moving coils.

· Naim Solstice Series Phono Stage NVC TT – the first Naim phono stage to use DR technology, first used on the flagship Statement amplifier. Sophisticated, ultra-low-noise Class A design with dedicated MC and MM head-amplifiers.

· Naim Solstice Series Power Supply NPX TT – powers both the turntable and the phono stage. For the ultimate performance, these two different power supplies are completely isolated, with no risk of interference. Also uses Naim DR technology.

· Solstice Accessories Set – including Digital Stylus Gauge; Bubble Level; Hex Drivers (x3); Vinyl Adjustment Tool; Dust Protector and Cleaning Cloth

· Naim Records True Stereo album – a curated collection of superb-quality True Stereo recordings, newly remastered for vinyl by original engineer, Ken Christiansen.

· Solstice Special Edition Book – including insight into heritage, technology and design

As this will be a limited edition package, there may or may not be review units available. I doubt anyone is going to need encouragement to sign on the dotted line for this one! Considering this is a turntable, external power supply, world class tonearm, cartridge and phono stage all in one package, this represents tremendous value as well.

www.naimaudio.com/solstice

There are some fun speakers in the $1,000 – $2,000 range, and there are a lot more mistakes.

But there are a few true classics, transcending time, offering sonic value that is out of what you think would be possible for this price. The Audio GE Teddy, at $1,888 a pair delivered, certainly has the potential to join the ranks of the finest.

If you have two thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket to buy a new pair of speakers, you can be overwhelmed by the amount of choices on the market today. When arguing with our publisher about what we’d buy for that money, we always end up pontificating about the great speakers back in our day. We’re getting old. Old guys always like to think the stuff from their era is way better than the current stuff. We do the same thing with our endless arguments about cars – that’s why we both drive mid 70s BMW 2002s.

Yet today, there are better choices than ever. A few of our favorites remain – the Vandersteen 1, and the current entry level Magnepan speakers are still top contenders, nearly 40 years later. The KEF LS-50 is spectacular, along with some great choices from Totem, Paradigm and B&W. Sonus faber’s new Lumina line is brilliant too. It’s a great time to be getting in the game.

Audio GE is a relatively new company from Lithuania. I had a friend in college from Lithuania, he was a smart and witty guy, as I expect Gediminas Racevicus – the managing director and designer at Audio GE is. Anyone can make a great speaker for $200,000. You have to be clever to make an exceptional speaker for $2,000. I wanna meet this guy.

It’s also worth mentioning that for US customers, the Teddy’s are an even bigger deal – because of exchange rates, and the fact that Underwood HiFi has really sharpened the pencil on shipping to get these to you in the CONUS for just under $1,995 shipped, it’s more like getting a $3,000 pair of speakers at this price. They’ve pared it to a single finish option to get you the best deal. Great hifi just got easier.

A shitload of amplifiers

Comedian David Letterman when asked “how many is in a shitload,” replied, “Seven. There are seven in a shitload.” And that’s exactly how many amplifiers were used in evaluating the Teddys. As I had to pick them up from TONE HQ after the photos were taken, this made for a great listening session with a few of the amplifiers in use there. Of course, the Teddy’s sound great with the reference PASS Labs XA200.8 monoblocks, but at that price, these amplifiers are completely irrelevant in the context of a $2,000 pair of speakers. And that’s the oldest hifi store/show trick in the book. Play inexpensive speakers through six figures worth of amplification to reel you in, then when you get them home you get the ultimate metal gift – disappointment. We’ve all been there.

The McIntosh MC1502 is still a bit crazy for these speakers, but again – fantastic. However, at my place, a Mk V version of the classic MC275 provides an incredibly similar vibe, and considering a nice, used MC275 can be had for around $3k, this would make a lovely combination, and stay within a realistic budget. The tubed Mac provides more than enough power (90 watts per channel), and like the PrimaLuna EVO 400 (with EL34 tubes) delivers a slightly mellow, warm overall sound.

The Mac and PrimaLuna amps deliver a more diffuse presentation than some of the other amplifiers in the rotation, however they offer up some of the yummiest midrange and top to bottom cohesiveness. This is where audio can drive you to madness, but it’s good fun. (isn’t it?) It’s worth mentioning again that these are not power-hungry speakers.

How about a PS Audio Sprout II for $599, a Rega IO, or a vintage Marantz 2220B? (Freshly recapped and aligned by our pals at Gig Harbor Audio) The magic is still there. These speakers kick major butt with budget sources, and that’s what entry level music loving audiophiles need to get excited about.

What you get

Browsing the Audio GE website shows off the crossover network, made of premium parts (including capacitors from Jensen and Mundorf), revealing both drivers sourced from Scan-Speak. As someone who’s always enjoyed “that sound,” it makes more sense why I’m drawn to these.

The cabinets are well built, and offered in a number of different finish options, so you should be able to find something that will go with your décor. (or if you cohabitate with someone, something that will go with their décor – ha!) Fortunately, they have a single set of binding posts – another nod to the beginning audiophile, not expecting them to bi-wire.

The only thing you don’t get is a pair of grilles, but hey who really uses them anyway?

Further setup and listening

A nice sized pair of floorstanding speakers with a bottom firing port, that makes for easy placement and setup. Speakers with rear firing ports are tough to get right for those of you that have to have your speakers a little closer to the walls, and front ports can “huff” a bit at low frequencies. There are a lot of five-figure speakers that take advantage of down-firing ports, so once again, Mr. Racevicus is a smart guy.

Personally, I think the downward firing port makes for a smoother transition as the woofer goes up the frequency range. Kind of like a 282 camshaft in a 2002, but again, I’m getting off track. Placed in my 14 x 19 foot listening room, about three feet from the rear walls, and about 8 feet apart proved optimum. As the soft dome tweeter is not edgy at all, feel free to experiment with toe-in. You can dial in more toe in with these speakers not being harsh. It all depends on your preference, as well as the overall voicing of your system.

Thanks to the wide dispersion characteristics of the soft dome tweeter and the general coherence of a two way system to begin with, the Teddy’s broad sweet spot makes for great times hanging out and listening to music. You’ll get a more precise image sitting right there, on the couch, but whether you’re sitting on the floor, or even in the next room, the sound is inviting.

GE Audio claims bass extension to 33hz, so I dug out my Stereophile test disc to investigate. The Teddy’s have seriously solid bass response to 30hz, so this meant a couple of long listening sessions of heavy rock music, just to feel it. Whether I was playing Dark Side of The Moon, Made in Japan, or anything inbetween, these speakers really offer a solid foundation underneath any of your music.

The lack of grunge from the crossover network, combined with that soft dome tweeter, makes for comfortable long listening sessions. This is a speaker you’ll be able to easily listen to all day without tiring of. Many speakers in this price range have an accentuated treble response (by design) to feel “detailed,” but they usually aren’t speakers you can listen to, especially with budget electronics.

Regardless of the program material used, the Teddy’s are luscious. Yes, slightly on the warm side, but not murky. Tracking through a long play list of jazz cuts, and the required female vocals reveals some major magic. Though they wouldn’t play terribly loud, shaking the dust from my Bottlehead 2A3 monoblocks was incredibly involving, with a magic only those amps bring to the table.

Ongoing arguments

Both our publisher and I had no disagreement in awarding the GE Teddy speakers one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2021. This is a pair of speakers that allow a tremendous amount of musical engagement at a price everyone can afford. Thanks to being so amplifier friendly, you can build a wide range of systems around them as well.

A new favorite and future classic. – Jerold O’Brien

www.underwoodhifi.com

I’m somewhat of a Sonus faber fanboy for those of you who don’t know, but it’s complicated. My reference speakers are Stradivaris. Old School.

I’m not quite as bad as the old guy at the cars and coffee get-together claiming that the last real Porsche was the 356, but I’m particular about what I like. I try my best not to let that get in the way, trying to help you on your quest to find what you like, but it’s important you know my preferences before we begin.

Like most premium audio brands, Sonus faber’s legacy products have a particular sound. Current products tend to be more refined, reflecting advances made at the component level over the last 10 to 20 years. Capacitors, resistors, wire, and such have all gotten better. This translates to a higher degree of transparency, image focus, and dynamics. More seat time in the engineering chair reveals more music too.

The Stradivaris that I use as a reference are the final iteration of founder Franco Serblin’s vision. The current Aida, Lillium, and Cremonese speakers all have been designed under Sonus faber’s current team, headed by Brand Ambassador Paolo Tezzon and Chief Design officer, Livio Cucuzza, representing the current direction. This team has done a fantastic job at incorporating the emotional involvement that has made SF famous while adding more extension and transparency to the mix. A slightly more “modern” Sonus faber, if you will.

This leads us to the Sonus faber Maxima Amator

If you’re new to the game with Sonus faber, their speakers are big, bold, and dynamic, with a fashion-forward sense of design. The woofers mounted to the leather-covered baffles have SF logos on the caps, with bright chrome rings surrounding the drivers. You know this is a Sonus faber, the second you remove the grilles, even if you don’t know the first thing about audio.

Taking the aesthetic/beauty thing a little further, every friend that has ever stopped by to listen to the Strads or any other Sonus faber speaker we’ve had in for review and not say, “I need a pair of those in my living room.” Or their partner always says, “now that’s a pair of speakers I’d go for in the living room.” And that’s usually before they even hear them. That’s love.

The Maxima Amator harkens back to the beginning of Sonus faber, perhaps to the end of their founder, Franco Serblin’s tenure at the company. These compact floor-standing speakers have a more understated look, requiring only a small amount of listening space to perform. And perform they do.

Many question the concept of love at first sight, or perhaps in our case, love at first listen, first encounter. However, if you know what you are looking for, it’s not so odd after all. Speakers can be the most challenging part of the equation when putting a system together because other than phono cartridges, they have the widest variation of sound. Electronics have a voice, to be sure, and indeed some designers take great effort to try and make their amplifiers, preamplifiers, and DACs to have as little coloration as possible. Still, the variation on the theme is nothing like it is with speakers. Keep in mind that nothing interacts with your listening environment as much as speakers do either. Choices.

Witness all the variations on the theme that we see in speaker design: big, small, horns, panels, 2-ways, 5-ways, 6db/octave crossovers, 45db/octave crossovers, digital crossovers, and none at all. Speakers are like paintings – the artist’s (or, in this case, the designer/design team’s) vision of what sound should be. Of course, measurements play into this game somewhat, but in the end, most speakers convey the vision of what their designer feels music sounds like to them. Do you want Norman Rockwell, Picasso, Andy Warhol, or Cezanne?

Which is the right choice? The choice that aligns perfectly with how you feel music sounds to you. Designing speakers is a rough business because, in addition to all the aforementioned variables, many people have never heard live music. Think about that for a minute. Ask your friends that are outside the circle of your audio enthusiast friends how many live performances they’ve seen in their lifetime. Increase the level of difficulty and narrow the search parameters. How many have listened to a symphony orchestra, a string quartet, or even a person on the street corner playing an acoustic guitar in the open air?

Even with electronic instruments, what does a Fender Stratocaster really sound like? Not much if it isn’t plugged in. Once that happens, witness the variations that every great guitarist brings to the table – if you love listening to guitarists, you probably enjoy them all. The same for pianists – yet one pianist prefers a Steinway, another Yamaha, while still another swears they can only make music on a Bosendorfer. Which is the right choice?

This is why we don’t make empty promises about one speaker or another being “the best” of anything. It all goes back to you being able to define what provides the most engaging experience for you. On one level, it gets more difficult if you actually play an instrument. Now you have a point of reference. But that’s what makes it fun.

Instant gratification

Fortunately, the review samples we were sent already had hours on the clock, so an extensive break-in period was unnecessary. Our past experience with breaking in other Sonus faber speakers is always about 100-200 hours to deliver their full performance, but we’ve never heard a Sonus faber speaker sound bad, fresh out of the box. However, driver surrounds require a bit of mechanical break-in, and the capacitors in the crossover network also take some time with signals passing through them to sound their best.

What you’ll notice, opening a new pair of Maximas, is the slightest bit of muddiness in the upper bass, yet at the same time, the speakers will not go quite as deep without effort. This will require a slight adjustment in positioning after a couple of weeks because they will have more LF extension than they did when unboxed. It’s also worth your while to have a hex wrench handy to make sure the woofer hasn’t loosened up a bit in its mounting. We’ve seen more than one speaker become more diffuse and less defined, only to find, the woofers are not snugged down anymore.

Listening

Getting right at the Maxima Amator’s capabilities requires well-worn demo tracks. Somehow, we always fire up “Bug Powder Dust (dub)” from The K&D Sessions when a new speaker arrives.  Tight, controlled bass, convincing me that these speakers in a medium-sized room will easily hit the 35hz low-frequency spec Sonus faber claims.

But we can’t live on bass alone. This record is full of sonic tidbits that fly around the room on a great set of speakers, and these are great speakers. In the context of our 13 x 18-foot room, the Maxima Amators create a massive ball of sound – no need for surround speakers. This is what high-performance two-channel audio is all about. Even out in our main listening room, (16 x 24 feet) these speakers fill it easily. However, they are dwarfed somewhat by the Strads.

Listening for the bongos in Timewarp Inc’s “Groovy Booty” is equally exciting. This track has such a strong bass line that the bongos often get buried. Through the Maximas, they have a space and a life of their own. The ability of these speakers to find the groove in any track is unbelievably good.

The Minima  in the Amator line shares a tweeter with the Olympica Nova collection, while the Electa and Maxima a tweeter with the Homage Tradition and Reference collections. The Electa and Maxima share the same woofer (a 6-inch drive unit, where the Minima has a 5-inch drive unit), so they all speak with a similar voice. Looking at the specs, the Minima goes to 50hz, the Electa to 40hz, and the Maxima to 35hz. Judging this trio of speakers by specs alone, the casual observer might think, “no big deal.” But the magic that the Maxima brings transcends the spec sheet.

Along with their enticing tonality, these speakers all share a wide dispersion characteristic, making them easy to place. This also offers an engaging experience to all in the room. Good as the Maximas sound in the sweet spot from your couch or listening chair, they sound great off-axis too. Party guests sitting on the floor or the other side of the room will still enjoy a major musical experience.

Where early SF speakers have a touch of warmth that can’t be dialed out, sacrificing resolution and extension, in the process, the Maxima Amator is unmistakably SF, but no sacrifices are made. If you happen to be a huge fan of vintage SF sound, you will not be disappointed, yet there is a delicacy to the high frequencies and additional spatial cues that your old speakers just can’t manage. The blend of new and old school is fantastic. Even the Sonus faber people admit on their social media channels that this one has a certain magic to it. Not everything can be summed up with test equipment. Sometimes God truly is in the details.

No disrespect to the greatness that has come before, but the Maxima is a credit to the current design team. Perhaps it’s just that these speakers are the two-way monitor concept taken to its ultimate end. The stand mount Amator is close, but it doesn’t have quite the cohesiveness and lacks lower bass extension due to a smaller cabinet volume. Considering the cost of factoring good stands in, go for the floorstanders. I know I’m disobeying the prime directive here. However, I love the visual continuity of a small floorstanding speaker instead of a monitor on a stand.

Going back to some vintage R&B, tracking through the Fifth Dimension’s “One Less Bell to Answer” again reveals the Minimas ability to unpack dense recordings, giving all the vocalists their own sonic space. As with similar tracks that felt previously difficult to listen to, the Sonus fabers breathe live into recordings in a way that few speakers can. Are they the last word in ultimate resolution? No, but there is more than enough resolution to extract minute details in your favorite recordings.

Switching it up for some Stones, and this time their Totally Stripped in Paris disc, gives a terrific sense of the massive sound field these small floor-standing speakers can generate. The performance offers a close-up, intimately miked session in a small club, and as the audience response swells and fades, it feels like being there. Jeff Beck’s Live at Ronnie Scotts offers the same level of involvement.

Why the Sonus faber Maxima Amator?

If the great Italian philosopher Cicero were here, he might say, “why not?” A speaker is such a personal choice. But if you like what Sonus faber offers, and you don’t have a huge listening room, the Minima Amator will captivate you. Like many great speaker brands when the founders vision passes on to the next generation, there is a changing of the guard. The original Wilson, MartinLogan, and Sonus faber speakers are now designed by different people than those who started these iconic brands. These three come to mind because they all had a very distinct sound, and their current designers have chosen to refine the founder’s vision while retaining the essence of their roots.

While there is a difference between vintage or classic Sonus faber and the speakers produced in the factory today, the essence remains – both sonically and visually. The current speakers stand entirely on their own merits.

Final notes on setup

As mentioned, these speakers work well in a small to medium room, yet because a two way speaker with a 6-inch woofer can only move so much air, we had a more intimate experience in our smaller room. You’ll notice that the Sonus faber website shows these speakers in a fairly large room. We had excellent results in our listening room, which looks about the size of the SF room, buy you will probably require a bit more power to fill it.

The further you can get the Maximas apart without soundstage collapse, and more importantly, the amount of space between the speakers and the side walls will determine ultimate image width. Smaller rooms will favor more bass reinforcement, with a slightly deeper sonic field, and the larger room more width.

Thanks to a sensitivity rating of 88db/1-watt and a relatively simple crossover network, thanks to the two-way design, the Maximas are easy to drive. However, like every Sonus faber speaker we’ve owned or reviewed, more power is better than less and the higher quality of your amplifier, the more engaging your experience will be. The MC275 tube amplifier in our collection is the minimum amount of power we’d suggest with these speakers (90wpc)

The speakers have much more dynamic ability with more power. Switching to the PrimaLuna EVO400 monoblocks (almost 200wpc with KT150 tubes) made for a more immersive experience. The Boulder 866, Pass XA200.8 monoblocks and Parasound JC1+ solid state amplifiers all offered more bass grip and extension than the tube amplifiers we had on hand, however the SF sound does go incredibly well with a tube amplifier. More choices!

What price true love?

Just as there are many fine things in this world, not all of them are a perfect fit for you. Some people like relaxed-fit jeans, some like boot cut, while others like strategically torn ones, and for others, only the tightest fit, skinny jeans will do. Speakers are no different. While a heartfelt attempt at describing the Maxima Amator has been made, you must experience these speakers to be sure they are right for you. Respectfully submitted, if you know what you are listening for, these produce a voice like no other and I suspect you will fall in love immediately. If that is the case, buy them, take them home and treasure them. And don’t ever part with them; you’ll regret it for the rest of your days. Think about the loves of your life that got away – you know I’m right.

A good friend of mine is fond of saying, “How much would you pay for true love? It’s priceless.” In this case, true love might be as close as your Sonus faber dealer. At this point, $15,000 for what might be the love of your life is an incredible bargain, indeed.

Peripherals

Preamplifier Pass Labs XSPre

Power Amplifier Pass Labs XA 200.8, Boulder 866, PrimaLuna EVO400 monos, McIntosh MC 275

Phono stage Pass Labs XSPhono

Analog Source AVID Volvere SP/SME 309/Lyra Atlas

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi One

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Diamond

We haven’t had the opportunity to review a lot of single driver speakers, so these look very interesting indeed. Our review pair is scheduled to arrive next week. From the folks at EJ Jordan:

BRITISH manufacturer EJ Jordan Ltd has launched the Marlow, a compact loudspeaker with the unique combination of a single, wideband drive unit in a BBC-inspired cabinet.

The wood-veneered cabinet is made from high-quality, heavily-damped 9 mm Baltic birch ply, a technique based on the pioneering research by the BBC.

Behind the Marlow’s acoustically-transparent grille is the Jordan Eikona, an advanced, alloy cone drive unit that covers the majority of the musical spectrum. It was designed by audio legend Ted Jordan to produced a more natural sound than the conventional approach of separate woofers and tweeters.

EJ Jordan managing director Colin Shelbourn says: “The Eikona is a world-class drive unit and we wanted it to be at the heart of a traditional-looking loudspeaker whilst enabling it to perform at its best. This set us quite the challenge.

“The BBC cabinet technique is neither cheap nor easy, but has clearly audible benefits. It’s closer to creating a musical instrument than manufacturing a loudspeaker, requiring a lot of skill; every component is critical to the final sound.

”We also wanted the Marlow to have as small a carbon footprint as possible and we’ve managed to source almost everything within the UK or Europe.

“We are extremely proud of the result. It has taken us two years of research to get to this point: a loudspeaker that’s compact, sounds natural, and has a traditional, fine furniture appearance.”

The development process led to two versions being made available.

The standard Marlow features Kimber TC wiring and Swiss-made, silver-plated 4 mm sockets. The higher spec Marlow CE uses exclusive, pure-copper binding posts and matching internal cables from renowned UK amplifier designer, Tom Evans. Both versions are supplied as matched pairs with individual serial numbers.

Mark Manwaring-White, valve amplifier specialist and MingDa’s UK distributor, heard the first production pair and commented: “… The Marlows were an eye opener or should I say ear opener. To be honest I am not generally a fan of stand/shelf type speakers, big and brash is my taste BUT on this occasion, I was somewhat staggered by the results, especially with the valves.  … Quite a staggering sound from a small box.”

The standard Marlow costs £1960.00 (ex VAT) and the Marlow CE costs £2280 (ex VAT). Both are finished in real walnut veneer, with rosewood a £160 option. Matching stands are available, and both loudspeakers and stands can be ordered direct from EJ Jordan Ltd at www.ejjordan.co.uk

Note:  this review started right before we were all stuck in the middle of the travel restrictions imposed by COVID.

Cleaning up the desktop, I realized the copy hadn’t had its final round of editing! Yet, my impressions are as vivid as the day I was sitting on the couch. These are impressive speakers.

If you want to audition a pair of the McIntosh flagship towers, there’s only one place to go:

LMC Home Entertainment in Scottsdale, Arizona. Once again, owner Mike Ware is kind enough to make his facility available, so I can give these massive speakers a listen. And a big thanks to his crew for setting a room up on my behalf, a day after they had a big listening event.

What better way to experience McIntosh’s top speakers than with a full stack of Mc electronics, consisting of a pair of their latest MC1.25KW power amplifiers, their C1100 tube preamplifier and a Linn Akurate DSM with Katalyst DAC/Streamer, using Qobuz for streaming, cabled together with Transparent XL cables. The speakers tip the scale at $130k/pair and the rest of the system is very reasonably priced, in context of what we’ve got going on.

The room designated for my listening is about 17 x 21.6, with the speakers’ center about 3 feet from each wall with slight toe in and the couch about 12 feet back. This proves to be a great space for these speakers to open up and breathe – no mistake of “too much speaker in too little room” going on here. This is a lovely music environment. The ten foot ceiling helps add volume too. The XRTs prove easy to set up, with two people of course, and while like any premium speaker will benefit from careful fine tuning (which LMC provides to all of their customers) a quick setup offers great results.

Starting the demo with Keith Richards’ “Wicked as it Seems” offers instant gratification. While the XRTs play everything well, these speakers epitomize rock and roll, thanks to a huge dynamic swing, and a solid bass foundation. They do a fantastic job rendering height, sounding like Richards is standing directly between the speakers, with everything else in the mix falling off to the side and behind. The XRTs line array format is impeccable capturing the impact of the drums too. There’s a lot of dynamics going on here!

These big speakers capture low-level detail like a pair of mini-monitors, yet expand to the loudest musical passages with ease. Much respect to fans of small speakers, but once you’ve heard a well-executed big speaker truly move air in the room, there’s no going back.  Horsepower does carry the day.

The obvious comparison has to be between the Sonus faber Aida and the XRT 2.1K… Both of these speakers are about the same price, The XRTs paint with broader strokes, yet for the standard rock and jazz that I normally listen to, I might just write the check for these.

Shifting to DJ Krush’s “Element” illustrates the bass drive of these speakers. The six 8-inch woofers in each cabinet go deep (Mc claims a LF limit of 12hz), but are fast, fast fast. Electronica lovers will be in heaven with a pair of these and a big amplifier. Taj Wilkenfields bass solo in Jeff Becks live version of “So We’ve ended as lovers” is equally engaging.

McIntosh claims a sensitivity of 90db/1 watt, but with the 1.25KWs, that really doesn’t matter. What I find more important with these or any speaker is the ability to deliver an engaging/involving experience at low volume level. You can tick that box with these speakers. With those big blue meters floating between .12 and 1.2 watts, all of the small bits in the soundscape of XTC’s “That Wave” pull me in and out of the mix, discovering nuance I haven’t heard in this recording before, or at least not to this extent.

I can’t imagine not using these speakers with a big pair of amplifiers, with a lot of headroom and control. For those needing to go beyond 11, the XRTs can be bi amped or even tri amped. I’m sure this would take you beyond concert level SPLS in nearly all rooms. So again, proceed with caution.

Todd Rundgren’s “Honest Work” from his A Capella album is another review staple here, Fantastic. Not only do the XRTs clearly delineate the individual harmonies, but again, the sheer scale of a group of people singing a capella is fully conveyed. Having seen Rundgren on this tour with 16 vocalists in tow, I’m immediately transported back to that amazing experience with the Big Mac speakers. This leads me to Rundgren’s Back to the Bars disc and a few other live albums, ending with Jeff Beck’s Live at Ronnie Scotts.  The incredible dynamic range of the Mc system really adds to the live feel of these recordings.  So often what is missing from a system, no matter how tonally accurate it might be is that extra rhythmic and dynamic drive that lets your brain relax and forget about the system. Dynamics are the fourth dimension.

Trying to run these speakers through as many different genre changes as possible, everything excites and nothing disappoints. These are definitely world class speakers that can play really loud. Louder than you need; be careful you don’t hurt yourself. Their effortless nature and lack of distortion will leave your ears ringing, because the normal warning mechanisms that tell you to shut it down aren’t here. 30 seconds of the alarm clocks in Pink Floyd’s “Time” was all I needed with the needles pegged to convince me that these speakers can hurt you.

Coming back to Earth and turning the volume way down to a very comfortable 80db listening level is equally enjoyable. Tracking though most of Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend album is an engulfing experience. Again, these massive speakers give an excellent recreation of physical space that few speakers can match.

A major leap forward

Where the XRTs really leap ahead of all previous versions is the level of midrange clarity and lack of cloudiness that plagued past Mc line arrays is now gone. The ability of all these drivers to stop and start on cue is breathtaking.

Now that McIntosh shares design duties with the design group in Italy, we can see some influence, both in sound, and in finish. The same team, headed up by Paolo Tezzon and Livio Cucuzzo (the guys that designed the Sonus faber Aida) worked on the XRT2.1K. These are by far the best executed XRTs in terms of look and sound. Where the past model was aluminum, these now are softer, curvier, and made from wood. A massive affair, they sprout up nearly 8 feet tall. Having heard them on numerous occassions in the mighty McIntosh Town House, they can fill a room with cavernous proportions.

In all seriousness, what these large speakers accomplish is a way to distribute the sound so that it completely envelops you. While many audiophiles talk about a perfect point source, in the real world, sound doesn’t come at you from a point, it envelopes you from all directions. Perhaps this is why tall speakers (magnetic or panels) have a more realistic feeling, from the sense of reproducing spatial cues.

To this end, finishing my day long listening session with Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew leaves me with an even better impression of the XRTs than when I sat down. And I was a pretty happy guy at the beginning of the day.

The XRT2.1k’s cement McIntosh as a major player in the flagship speaker arena. They do everything well and on balance. Best of all, they are beautifully crafted, and are extremely user friendly, so should. If you have to have a pair and are on a “budget,” bring them home with a MC275 and build your system from there, knowing you have the anchor for a system you can go beyond infinity with as funds allow.

-photos courtesy of McIntosh Labs

www.mcintoshlabs.com

Much as I like to dismiss measurements when it comes to the subject of hifi, there’s one that I find intriguing – sound pressure level, which relates closely to dynamics.

Much as I like small Class A solid-state amplifiers, SET tube amplifiers, and small tube amplifiers like the hallowed MC30 amplifiers from McIntosh – there’s no substitute for power. And in this case the new MC1502 delivers incredible dynamic range.

Listening to The System’s hit, “Don’t Disturb This Groove” at a modest level of about 82 db, I’m surprised to see that the sound level app on my phone is recording 112 db peaks. Meanwhile the softest parts of this track fall all the way down to 55 db, with the room going “silent” at 29db. Even with somewhat compressed Motown tracks, Diana Ross’ lead vocal in “Standing at the Crossroads” Jumps up 20db with ease. Switching back and forth between the 1502 and an MC275 feels smaller, significantly smaller, and the MC275 is no slouch. But the meter doesn’t lie. With levels matched, the same tracks hit much lower instantaneous peak levels, even though average levels are exactly the same.

You might be surprised at how much of the music you feel is unlistenable because you find it overly compressed, is actually running your amp and speakers out of power. Your room size, and speaker sensitivity will play a big part in this, but again, 82db isn’t exactly concert hall levels. Even turning the volume down lower to a 76db average level, is still generating 100db peaks on a lot of tunes.  The 150 watts per channel that the MC1502 deliver comes in handy, and at much lower listening levels than you might think.

Racy carbon fiber or traditional Mac?

Anyone digging the matte black and carbon fiber look of the 70^th anniversary MC2152 might still be lucky enough to snag one, albeit at a higher price of $15,000. It offers a slightly sleeker, look and has its controls oriented front to back, instead of side to side, as the MC1502 does. But it doesn’t sound any different. The $11,000 MC1502 is a stone cold bargain at that rate, and if you’re a Mac loyalist, maybe take the change and put it towards a C22 preamplifier. That’s where I’m headed.

Whichever direction you choose, unless you are really buff, get a friend to help you lift it out of the box. Packed, the MC1502 weighs 135 pounds, and unboxed, 118. A discussion with the urgent care doc about being careful nicked $800 out of the C22 fund, so proceed with caution. It’s not the lifting the 118-pound amp that gets you into trouble, it’s the trying to gently wiggle it into the equipment rack that will bite you.

And make sure to have plenty of space above wherever you place your MC1502. 8 KT88 power tubes throw off a fair amount of heat. You’ll notice that the MC1502 arrives with a tube cage in place, holding the shipping foam over the tubes. Throw that stuff in the packing carton and forget about it. You wanna see those tubes in action, which leads us to another nice touch.

For some time now, Mc gear has had green lights behind the tubes, so all the tubes glow green. I think the person that suggested this feature should be punished, but it’s still a free country for a little while. The MC275 requires making a small 1/8” jumper to plug into the remote power socket to disable these green lights and allow you to enjoy the tubes in their natural hue. The MC1502 lets you control this from a control knob on the right side of the amplifier. If the person that added this feature to the 1502 is the same person that came up with the green LED thing, rest easy. I won’t fire you when I am the next owner of McIntosh.

But you know what’s super cool? When the 1502 powers up from cold, the two middle driver tubes light up, then another pair, then another, then the final two. Oh yeah. That’s just vacuum tube awesomeness. Roon somehow senses that this is the time for more cowbell and plays “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” Life can’t get much better than this. The rest of the tube complement consists of four 12AX7 and four 12AT7 tubes. That makes for a total of 16 tubes. That’s a lot of tubes to tube roll if you feel so inclined. Fortunately, McIntosh amplifiers are really easy on tubes, and they sound great with the stock tubes. That being said, the area of my brain often overtaken by OCD behavior knows that the MC275 did reveal even more sound with premium tubes. I’ll leave you to your own madness.

All things big and small

Extended listening reveals that this amplifier is just as good at low volumes as it is pushed to its limit – which it does with tremendous composure. Many of the McIntosh owners I’ve met over the years really like to rock, and this amplifier indeed does that. Our Sonus faber Stradiveri speakers are fairly sensitive at 92db/1-watt, so playing music loud was easy. My ears gave up before the MC1502 could clip to the point where the soundstage collapsed.

Actual component break in was minimal. The MC1502 sounds good straight out of the box, and after about four solid days of listening had opened up the last bit, so this isn’t one of those fussy “needs 600 hours to sound right” amplifiers. Dig in and get to it right away. However, the MC1502 does need a solid hour to fully warm up, stabilize, and give its best performance. The first five minutes are compressed, and for the next hour, it slowly comes out of the fog in a linear fashion.

In addition to sounding great at high and low volumes, the MC1502 handles the most densely packed and technically challenging recordings with ease. Part of this delicacy is just what you get with tube amplification, yet auditioning recordings with a lot of percussion or acoustic guitars gives up that airiness and speed that tube aficionados will enjoy.

It’s always tough to get everything with a tube amplifier, but the MC1502 does an incredible job at an approachable price. There’s those transformers again. If you aren’t familiar with tube amplifiers on a regular, and you’ve heard other audio enthusiasts talk about the “warmth” that tubes provide – some of that is many tube amplifiers lack of control over the lowest bass frequencies. Or a softness in the highest frequencies.

The MC1502 takes charge of the lower register as well as or better than any high power tube amplifier we’ve had the opportunity to review in the past 17 years, and the overall tonal balance is slightly warm, with a moderate amount of tonal saturation as well. Yet there is a high level of resolution, which will allow you to peek way into your favorite recordings. This is not your grandfathers McIntosh – it’s a thoroughly modern amplifier.

Price, performance and heritage

There’s no doubt McIntosh makes great gear. And while they offer a wider range of product offerings than at any time in the company’s history, I submit they still rule when in the domain that put them on the map – building high quality tube amplifiers. Maybe I’m a little biased.

Walking through the McIntosh facility, you’ll make your way to a group of people that wind the output transformers for McIntosh amplifiers. Most of the people assigned to this critical task have been doing it for decades. High quality output transformers are the key to great tube amplifier performance. Most of the companies that make the world’s finest tube amplifiers wind their own, and keep the design parameters, as well as the winding technique top secret. All of these amplifiers have much higher price tags than McIntosh. 70 plus years of manufacturing allows not only an economy of scale, but an economy of process and refinement to manufacturing technique.

As mentioned earlier, the MC1502 has the same form factor that Mc tube amps have used for decades. They feature a polished stainless chassis, with transformers at the rear, and tubes up front, displayed for maximum effect. The front panel shows off the McIntosh logo proudly. A quick look at McIntosh tube amps new and old illustrates just how much refinement has gone into these designs. Long gone is the barrier strip for connecting speakers (making way for the sheer girth of today’s audiophile cables), input level controls, and we see balanced as well as single ended RCA inputs. Those of you with multi components systems can control power up remotely via the 12v trigger port. Inputs and outputs are both on the left side of the chassis, however the stereo/mono switch from the MC275 is absent. This is a 150 watt per channel stereo amplifier. That’s it.

One of the biggest questions

Chatter on the internet suggests you don’t need an MC1502 – you can just bridge a pair of MC275s. You can do that- however the results are different. Kudos to McIntosh for offering you a way to merely add another amplifier, and it’s not a dreadful way to go, but having a pair of bridged MC275s reveals enough of a difference, I suggest selling your MC275 (or just moving it to another room and building another Mac system!) and upgrading to an MC1502.

The McIntosh website suggests this is a better approach, because the new amplifier has a lower signal to noise ratio. Comparing a pair of bridged MC275s to the new MC1502 with a number of different speakers all reveals the same thing. The MC1502 has a cleaner, less cloudy, if you will presentation. The bridged MC275 sound great, until you swap the MC1502 into the system, and the effect is there just as much at low volumes, playing acoustic or vocal music as it is playing heavy rock. Talented as the Mc transformer people are, I doubt the output transformers in the MC275 are matched to a zero tolerance, because most people aren’t bridging them.

Once again, Roon anticipates my mood, playing Hall & Oates “Possession Obsession,” and I’m starting to get a little creeped out. But this is a case where trading up is a great thing. Thanks to the incredible loyalty of McIntosh owners, their products barely depreciate. These days, a nice used MC275 is trading for close to retail price, so you won’t lose much money trading up. Who knows, maybe your local Mc dealer will hook you up? All kidding aside, if you want bigger power, make the jump to the MC1502, you won’t be unhappy. However, as I like to say, I love to spend your money.

Final setup, listening, and tech notes

Once you’ve hoisted the MC1502 into place, the rest is easy. Thanks to RCA and balanced inputs, it will integrate into any system with ease. Again, if you’re all Mac, you’ve already got the rest of this figured out and it’s a plug and play operation. During the course of the review session, we made it a point to use the MC1502 with our reference Pass XS PRE, as well as the Backert Labs Rhumba, BAT REX, the Nagra Classic Pre, and a vintage Conrad-Johnson PV-12. All perfection, and the MC1502 has more than enough resolution and tonal purity to reveal the subtleties between all of these preamplifiers.

Thanks to auto biasing, you’ll never have to mess with setting the tube bias, and thanks to McIntosh’s Sentry Monitor circuity, the amplifier is automatically shut down in the event of tube failure. Should this happen to extreme clipping, or a short in the output terminals, the tubes will go from their standard green or amber to bright red. At this point, shut it off for a minute or two and reboot. McIntosh always runs their tubes well beneath maximum design limits, resulting in long tube life. I suspect that the MC1502 will be as easy on tubes as past McIntosh amplifiers I’ve owned, and with more power on tap, you might not find yourself cranking this one up as much to get the desired effect.

You can get all the specs for the MC1502 here, but this amplifier is quiet. There are plenty of solid-state amplifiers that aren’t this quiet. All the audiophile clichés apply here. Should you have fairly sensitive speakers, you will appreciate this aspect of the MC1502. While working on issue 107s speaker roundup, the 97db/1-watt Zu Dirty Weekends reveal less than quiet amplifiers immediately, and thanks to the ultra low noise floor of this amplifier, delivered a stunning performance.

It never hurts to have about 20 speakers at your disposal for a speaker roundup to really give an amplifier a thorough investigation. Everything in house delivered great results, however the MC1502 delivered amazing results with the new Harbeth C7ES3-XD, and the Harbeth/Mc combination is not usually two great tastes that taste great together. Again, that extra current and bigger power supply equals control, and that almost always equals great sound.

In the end, fantastic

Tube amplifiers aren’t for everyone, but the McIntosh has gone above and beyond expectation to bring us an amplifier that produces plenty of power, sounds fantastic, and is well built. Thanks to the auto bias circuitry and anticipated long tube life, this is as easy as it gets to live with a tube amplifier.

The highest compliment I can give the MC1502 is that I’m selling my beloved MC275 and buying a rack with a bigger lower shelf. It’s a keeper. – thanks to McIntosh Laboratory for additional photos.

www.mcintoshlabs.com

Peripherals

Analog Source Grand Prix Audio Parabolica Turntable/TriPlanar/Lyra Atlas

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi One

Preamplifier Pass Labs XS Pre

Phonostage Pass Labs XS Phono

Cable Cardas Clear

Listening to the deep bass line in Jean-Michel Jarre’s Zoolook instantly reveals the sheer weight that these modest-sized monitor speakers deliver.

In a 13 x 18-foot room, driven by the Boulder 866 (200 wpc, class-A), taking advantage of a tiny bit of room gain, you won’t find yourself itching for a subwoofer. And the fun doesn’t stop there. The Studio Two’s deliver a high level of musical performance on numerous levels – and they do it for a very reasonable $3,995/pair.

As TONE nears the end of its second decade of publishing, we’ve had the chance to talk to many of you. Via email, social media, the phone, and in-person at shows – all over the world. Much like any other aspect of consumer goods, there is always a fair share of excitement and interest for the mega products that nearly no one can afford. What many of you have told us is that your sweet spot is a system in the $10k – $20k range. The amount of interaction we receive when reviewing components in this area is always the highest.

The most difficult reviews to write are the products I enjoy the most, for components I would buy myself. I don’t want to shortchange the manufacturer and not be enthusiastic enough (trying to be cool about it all…), and I don’t want to slight those of you reading, lest you think I’m being too much of a fanboy for the product in question. So, I’ll try and curb my enthusiasm.

Yeah, I love em

That being said, the Studio Two’s are speakers I would happily write the check for. They do everything I love in a speaker. The tonal balance is ever so slightly warmer, more engaging, just a bit saturated. Much of this is due to overall crossover voicing and the use of a silk dome tweeter. These tweeters rarely deliver those last few molecules of resolution, but they are never harsh or fatiguing. If that sounds like fun to you, read on.

Just as a quick comparison, the Focal Kanta no.1s with their Beryllium tweeters sound a little more forward, and the Gershman’s a little more relaxed. Which do you prefer? It all comes down to your choice of amplification, cables, and overall system tuning. Gershman claims a sensitivity of 87db/1-watt, but the Studio Twos prove incredibly easy to drive, even with my vintage PrimaLuna ProLogue One, which only delivers about 30 watts per channel, or the Pass INT-25, which produces about 25 watts per channel. (solid-state, Class A) With the Cardas Clear cables generally in use, the PrimaLuna combination proves very romantic but not slow or dull.

The Pass, Boulder, and Luxman amplifiers all on hand were Goldilocks (i.e., not too big, not too small). The Gershman speakers are more than resolving enough to easily discern differences in components, cables, and room setup. It goes without saying that in the context of our main reference system, these speakers deliver performance well beyond what is typically associated with a $4,000 pair of speakers yet still offer incredible results in the context of similarly priced components. The good news here is that if you live in a small-ish room and/or don’t need to play music at terribly high levels, you could make some pretty major equipment upgrades and not long for a different pair of speakers – that’s value.

Set up and such

These 27-pound two-ways are not only easy to carry around, but they are also effortless to set up in a small, medium, or large room. While most of their evaluation was spent in the 13 x 18-foot room, they did spend enough time in the larger 16 x 25-foot room on the long wall. Even in a fairly large room, these speakers still deliver plenty of low-frequency oomph, yet their excellent imaging performance is even more exciting if you can get them more than a few feet away from the side walls. Again, it boils down to choices – image size versus room gain or a bit of low-frequency reinforcement

I apologize for repeating myself if you are a regular reader, but I always find the purity of a well-executed two-way speaker an absolute joy to listen to. Fewer things in the signal path make for a level of tonal purity when listening to acoustic instruments and vocals that is tough to match in multiple driver systems, especially at this price point. Queuing up several vocal tracks from KD Lang, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, and others instantly show the amount of texture revealed. It also shows off how well these speakers reproduce musical scale.

To make another common comparison, going from the Studio Twos to a pair of Magnepan 1.7s, the Magnepans offer up a slightly more expansive sound overall, but everything sounds enormous. The brilliance of the Gershman speakers is their ability to expand and contract with the music presented, which is as it should be. Flutes sound small, and saxophones sound big. And dynamically involving. These speakers also do a particularly great job with drums and percussion, again helping these modest-sized speakers feel like they could be floorstanders if you had your eyes closed.

The key to maximum performance here is finding the sweet spot in your room that is the perfect balance between maximizing lower bass extension and minimizing upper bass bloat or heaviness. These are easy speakers to just “throw in the room” and get pretty good sound. Again, the dispersion characteristics of the soft dome tweeters excel at this. But an hour or two spent optimizing placement will give you more than one “ah-ha” moment.

Finally, like with all smaller, stand mount speakers, the key to the last bit of performance is getting stands that are as massive as possible. Remember to use a little bit of something sticky to get the best coupling between speaker and stand – don’t short-change these wonderful speakers with shabby stands.

Lots more listening

We’ve spent a lot of time listening to the Studio Twos, with a vast range of music. Nothing is off-limits, even at levels slightly beyond reasonable and prudent. At a certain point, that 8-inch woofer can only travel so far, but again, these are at the top of their class in this respect too. Those that have a steady diet of full-scale orchestral music, EDM, or heavy arena rock, may want to move up to one of Gershman’s larger speakers or consider a pair of subwoofers. Most of you will be just fine. As mentioned earlier, Gershman has done a fantastic job of balancing musical detail, lifelike tonality, and a complete lack of fatigue to create a speaker that you will never tire of.

Once you achieve optimum placement, you will bask in a large soundfield. The images created by Studio Twos go well beyond the speaker boundaries in large and small rooms. Listening to music with lush studio production will surprise you and keep you riveted to the listening chair. Familiar records with multi-layered vocals and overdubs are tons of fun – even going back to some early Beatles was a kick. Whatever your favorites happen to be, the Studio Twos will deliver the goods.

Finally, these speakers are well executed from a fit and finish standpoint. Around the back are a high-quality pair of binding posts, and a pair of modest grilles are included. The Studio Two’s come in basic, gloss black – but again, finished to a high level of gloss, with no orange peel or surface imperfections.

Good as every individual aspect of the Gershman Studio Two speakers are, the most impressive thing about them is that they deliver such a high level of overall balance. No part of the musical performance has been compromised for another. Often times at this price point, just because of the nature of what parts and manufacturing cost – some speakers will have incredible imaging or dynamics, with bass response sacrificed. Or the other way around. Gershman has balanced everything so well, it makes for an enjoyable speaker that can play everything effortlessly.

At the risk of being too enthusiastic, the Studio Two is highly recommended and deserving of one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2021. When we all get back to traveling to hifi shows, the Gershman room always has great sound going on. It’s even better when you bring a pair back to your room.

www.gershmanacoustics.com

Peripherals

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi One, T+A 2500

Analog Source VAC Renaissance Phono, AVID Volvere SP/SME 309/Kiseki Purple Heart

Cable Cardas Clear

Got hum in your system that you just can’t get rid of? Is it driving you nuts? Have you tried power conditioners, cheater plugs, etc.? Still there? Still mad?

Chances are, there’s some residual DC in your power. It happens. For those of you that think “well, I’ve got clean power where I live,” you don’t. Because even if you live in the middle of nowhere, chances are, there’s something in your house dumping RFI or something back into your power line, and it’s causing havoc with your system. This can be of particular annoyance if you love vintage gear or SET amps and high sensitivity speakers.

Yes, yes, and yes. When the folks at Core Power asked us to review the new Ground Zero, I knew I had a handful of problems that could put this device straight to the test. First stop, my vintage Marantz 2220B receiver. This baby is a humasaurus. It’s always fine listening to the radio, but the minute I plug in a turntable or CD player, the hum begins. The only other thing that worked was plugging the receiver into a dedicated Goal Zero (different company) 2000-watt battery supply. And that’s not going to be convenient or cost effective for everyone. We just tried it because it was here and we were at the end of our rope.

As you can see from the picture, the Ground Zero has one outlet, and a 500-watt maximum capacity. Our past experience with all power products is to keep it a little below max capacity so you don’t stress things out and limit dynamics.

Plug the Ground Zero into your outlet, and your device into the Ground Zero. Listen to your system with the volume control all the way down and adjust that control knob on the Ground Zero for minimum hum. Hopefully, it will get you all the way down to no hum. The Core Power folks have some great measurements and graphs demonstrating this performance, and if you’d like, you can see it here:

https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/ground-zero

Seriously, in less time than it will take you to hook up a scope, you’ll be able to hear what the Ground Zero does. If you need more current capacity, Core Power’s Deep Core 1800 may be the droid you need, but if you’re current and device requirements are minimal, the Ground Zero will get you sorted.

Next stop, vintage tube amp. The Dynaco Stereo 70 to be exact. This is another perfect example of an amplifier that’s been lovingly restored, but still has some residual hum going on. When plugged into our Pure Audio Project speakers, or Zu Dirty Weekends, it becomes bothersome. Quickly installing the Ground Zero offers the same fix. A little twist of the control, and the hum is no more.

Finally, the Line Magnetic LM-805IA integrated. This 48 wpc SET is lovely, but even after carefully adjusting the amplifiers’ hum controls for both channels, some hum still remains. Once you know you can dial it out, you want it gone all the time, right? This worked similarly well, however at maximum volume, when the VU meters were peaking, the slightest bit of compression and flattening started to happen. As Line Magnetic does not list current draw anywhere for this amplifier, I suspect at peak power, I was approaching the limit of what the Ground Zero could handle. At modest volumes, it was just fine, and for those of you with 2A3 or 300B amps, it should be all you need. We will have to get a Deep Core in to investigate with a few bigger tube amps.

When operated within its operational limit, the Ground Zero brings no compromise to the musical signal. Like a good doctor, we want power products to do no harm to the audio waveform. Running through a long playlist of both dynamic rock and classical music, along with a number of delicate acoustic pieces, it’s clear that neither dynamics nor tonality are affected by inserting the Ground Zero.

The Ground Zero works as promised, solves the problems it was designed to address, and is reasonably priced. Right now, Underwood HiFi is offering an intro price of $399 – even better. There’s no point in buying exotic four and five figure power conditioning products for an $800 vintage component, or a budget tube amplifier. For that, we are happy to award the Ground Zero one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2021. If you’re having this problem, you need one.

As they say at the end of the classic tune, “Hot Rod Lincoln,” that’s all there is and their ain’t no more.

$599 (intro priced at $399)

www.underwoodhifi.com

With so many old things being new again, what could be more hifi fun than an update on a British classic?

You might mistake the new Stereo 130 for a vacuum tube amplifier from the late 60s or early 70s; it’s actually modeled after the original Leak Stereo 30, which was, in fact, a solid-state amplifier. Though Leak did make a vacuum tube integrated, the Type 15, in the mid – 1940s. (Maybe they’ll bring that back to life next. We can dream, right?)

Beyond current parts updates, today’s Stereo 130 still offers an onboard MM phono stage. Yet, where the original had an input for a tape head (which wouldn’t be out of place), there are digital inputs. Which is perfect for the matching Leak CDT transport. Or your favorite streamer. At $995 for the amplifier ($1,195 with walnut cabinet) and $695 for the CDT ($895 with cabinet) this is a compact combination that looks great and is reasonably priced. But, how does it sound?

The Stereo 130’s 45-watts per channel is just enough for most smaller spaces and more efficient-ish speakers. Of course, the Wharfedale Linton or Dentons are an excellent match, as are the 90db/1-watt Vandersteen Ones, or perhaps something like the Zu Audio Dirty Weekends. These offer a 97db/1-watt sensitivity and will blow you off your couch, Maxell guy style. Even the current Focal Kanta no.1s in for review (87db/1-watt) turned in an excellent performance with the Stereo 130.

Shiny disc time

The CDT only plays Redbook CDs, with a front, slot-loading transport, but it does a fantastic job. Should you need a CD transport that does not take up a ton of space, this is an excellent choice. However, it is designed to be a bookend to the Stereo 130. That is how we used it for the majority of our listening time. In addition to playing CDs, the CDT also has a USB-A socket on the front for a thumb drive, if you care to play music back in this manner. The controls are the traditional transport controls and a power switch – simple, basic, classic.

Around the back, the CDT offers a coax digital output and an optical output. Playing through the DAC in the Stereo 130, it was challenging to tell the difference between using either output. For the sake of exploration, running optical and coax SPDIF cables through our reference dCS Vivaldi One, the CDT’s coax output did have a slight edge in musicality. The uppermost frequencies were smoother and more fleshed out. But even at this level of digital playback, it wasn’t a staggering difference.

Digitally speaking

Most of our listening was with the CDT transport, yet the Stereo 130 offers several digital inputs for other devices. It’s important to note that the Stereo 130 does not have a built-in network streamer. Yet, streaming Tidal/Qobuz/Roon from a MacBook Pro connected to its USB-B input proves easy and enjoyable no matter which format we played.

The DAC section of the Stereo 130 leverages the ESS Sabre ES9018 chipset, providing the ability to decode files up to 32/384 and DSD256. There is also a wireless connection with Bluetooth aptX support for high-quality streaming. This makes the Stereo 130 perfect for hanging out when you just want to stream some tunes from your mobile device. Or perhaps a friend’s mobile device. Flexibility is the name of the game here.

No slouch in the analog domain

The onboard JFET phono stage does a cracking job with vinyl and your MM cartridge of choice. Staying with the British vibe, breaking out the Rega P3 with Elys 2 cartridge makes sense, as it’s priced reasonably enough to be considered for pairing with the Stereo 130. However, our vintage Technics SL-1200/Shure M44 combination proves equally tasty.

Cueing up a few MoFi vinyl favorites from Supertramp, XTC, and Santana makes this a retro audio lovefest all the way around and shows off the quiet, dynamic character of the Leak’s phono section. In the context of a thousand-dollar amp that has a built-in DAC as well, the performance is excellent and equally matched to the rest of the combination.  It’s resolving enough that you’ll be able to tell the difference in quality and resolution between a budget bin LP and your favorite audiophile pressing.

Don’t forget the phones

The Stereo 130 includes a ¼-inch headphone jack on the front panel. Like its other sections, the headphone out is equally balanced in performance to the rest of the amplifier. Running a gamut of phones in the $100-$400 range from Grado, Audeze, and Sennheiser reveals excellent performance here as well.

The bass and treble controls (yeah, it’s got those too!) really help with budget phones. They even made my hamburger headphones sound better than expected! Though many will scorn the tone controls (you can bypass them with the “direct” button), if you live in a less than an optimum room or have some less than awesome recordings, they do come in handy. There is no specification listed for the tone controls on the Stereo 130. Still, they cut in fairly quickly on both ends of the audio spectrum, so a little goes a long way.

Overall sound and use

The Leak combination offers good bass control with speakers with more low-frequency capability and surprisingly has no problem driving more difficult speakers. Even powering a pair of vintage Acoustat 1+1s (with two of the latest REL Tzero mk.3s in the system) proved engaging at moderate levels. You won’t mistake the Stereo 130 for a tube amplifier, but its Class A/B has more punch than you’d imagine and serves the music well.

The key to the Stereo 130/CDT combination is overall balance. No aspect of its sound or functionality overshadows or shortchanges the rest. We achieved excellent results with several speakers in the $600 – $2,000/pair range, making this a perfect hub for a music lover on a real world budget. You can get great sound without spending five or six figures, and the Leak combo makes for a system to be proud of.

Thanks to their compact form factor (both boxes are almost 13 inches wide, 6 inches tall, and about 11 inches deep), these two should fit anywhere and sit nicely on normal furniture. However, both are pretty substantial, weighing in at around 20 pounds each, so they are somewhat deceptive.

We can tell that Leak obsessed over the details when they decided to bring the brand back to life. Fit and finish is very good and we consider the Walnut real wood veneer cabinets a must.

You’ll either drool over the vintage/mid-century aesthetic, or be turned off and move to the more typical looking gear in this price range. But if you’re in the “love it” category with us, these two components from Leak are a fantastic combination.

www.leakaudio.com

Vintage audio lovers rejoice!

If you have a vintage audio system of any capacity, and want to add streaming from your bluetooth device, McIntosh has the answer with their new MB20 Transceiver. This $500 device is exquisitely built and finished to match the rest of your vintage MAC gear, (or even slightly vintage MAC gear that lacks streaming) perfectly.

In addition to it’s Bluetooth antenna, you could even use a pair of these devices, to stream from a remote master system (Bluetooth carries for about 150 feet) via the RCA and analog inputs to extend the capability of your main audio system. Thanks to balanced XLR as well as the standard RCA and digital inputs, there are a myriad of options for placement. And connectivity.

This small box has a black anodized finish and similar gold lettering to perfectly compliment your Mac system. Even if you aren’t a vintage McIntosh owner, this is still a fantastic way to add streaming capability to your system. With the recent resurgence of vintage receivers from the 60s – 80s, I can’t think of a better box to add.

I’ve already got my order in for one, for the vintage system over at MYBMWHabit.com. I’ll be spending the next year or so restoring a 1975 BMW 2002, and having full access to my music library will make those long nights wrenching a lot better. Who knows, maybe that Marantz 2270 sitting on top of my toolbox will get replaced with a McIntosh 1900?

It could happen.

www.mcintoshlabs.com

Streaming Paul Weller’s self-titled album at 16/44.1 kHz resolution, is enough to demonstrate how musical the Aqua LaScala DAC is. And it only gets better…

Our only point of contention, when we examined this product about a year ago, was its lack of streaming capability. But at its price, a streamer can easily be added and still come in just over five figures. Now, Aqua’s own LinQ has had a series of updates that makes the LaScala/LinQ edge into five-figure territory, but a formidable contender against the industry’s finest DACs. We’ll get into that shortly.

We fell for the Aqua LaScala Mk.II DAC back in issue 99 and it ended up being our choice for product of the year in the digital category in issue 100. I went out on a limb and said it was “one of the finest DACs we’ve used at any price.” I stand behind that statement about 16 months later. Due to manufacturing and shipping delays, we ended up keeping the LaScala longer than we thought. The folks at Aqua audio were (as were many other audio companies) held prisoner by COVID-related shipping logistics, so getting their latest boards our way for their LinQ streamer took longer than expected.

This was a good thing, allowing more seat time with the LaScala. It’s easy to get a great first impression of a component, whether at a dealer, a show, or even the 4-8 weeks normally spent on a review. Yet, when a manufacturer can afford us the convenience of keeping a product longer, a wider range of music can be auditioned beyond the 30 or so albums and/or test tracks that are always used to evaluate and make comparisons.

Still Crazy (good) After all These Months

Aqua has had a very slight price increase since our last comments and is now $8,320 (up from $8,000 even). Long story short – it remains one of the most musically revealing DACs we’ve spent time with, regardless of price. After the opportunity to listen to a broader range of music, the LaScala continues to offer breathtaking digital reproduction. Wondering what their top Formula offers in addition to the LaScala is the only question – in context of how good this model performs.

Aqua does a lot of things really right with the LaScala. Utilizing a modular architecture, and a programmable FGPA for digital decoding, the user is not at the mercy of the recent fad in chipsets (or unavailability of replacement parts). This makes the investment much more long term – another benefit in today’s disposable world.

In addition to modular construction, the LaScala features a MOSFET/tube output stage that is stellar in execution, no doubt adding even more to the natural quality of this DAC. It features a pair of ECC81 (12AT7) tubes, delivering excellent results with the factory tubes. Long term listening allowed us the opportunity to swap in a pair of NOS Mullards from our buddy Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio. Currently, these are only running about $65/pair, so whether you choose stock or vintage, a re-tube will not break the bank. For those that just have to roll tubes, the NOS tubes offer a slightly bigger breath of tubey-ness. Most of you may never even notice, which underlines how well the output stage is designed. As much fun as tube rolling can be, we always raise an eyebrow at an expensive component that “needs a thousand-dollar set of vintage tubes” to deliver its all. That is clearly not the case here.

The Sound

The LaScala delivers a natural, dynamic and expansive sound that is free of digital artifacts. It’s one of those rare DAC’s that doesn’t have you reaching for a vinyl album. The sound is resolving, yet fatigue free. Smooth, but not dull or slow. That’s magic in our notebook. Even after spending hour after hour with the LaScala, it continues to delight.

The top end is fatigue free, and the DAC paints a large soundstage in all three dimensions. The ability to distinctly position information spatially is as exciting as the amount of low level detail that’s on tap. The LaScala is one of those components that will have you up for hours past your bedtime, discovering bits in your favorite recordings, providing countless “wow, I never heard that before” moments. That’s what makes a component like this worth the price asked.

A long playlist of 24/192 Motown tracks really shows off the midband smoothness and this DAC’s ability to unravel somewhat compressed tracks. Stevie Wonder’s “I Was Made to Love Her” on a budget DAC sounds flat and one dimensional, feeling like more of a wall of sound than even the Motown producers probably intended. Yet through the Aqua, all of the instruments’ not only have their own space, there’s detail and texture here. Now, this music goes from being fun background music, to fully engaging. Sometimes, a DAC’s ability to bring mediocre recordings to life is even more important than playing pristine recordings.

In addition to an extremely natural midband – again perhaps a little extra thanks to those tubes, and the complete lack of op amps anywhere in the analog circuitry, this DAC provides a solid bottom end as well. Again, in addition to weight, this DAC provides tons of texture. The snarly, distorted bass line in the Jackson 5’s “ABC,” jumps out of the speakers.

The more you listen to it, the further you’ll be pulled in. This level of performance usually costs a lot more than the LaScala’s modest price tag. A best buy to be sure.

The LaScala offers six digital inputs (click here to go to the Aqua site for all the tech info), with one of them being a proprietary I2S input for connection to the LinQ streamer. Making the LaScala your digital hub is a breeze, with inputs for everything, even optical. This is a nice touch, as some of us have older CD transports or changers that rarely get used but are still of value. The only thing the LaScala does not decode is MQA – again a moot point as far as we are concerned.

It’s important to mention that this Ladder DAC does not use digital filtering or oversampling. This purist approach also contributes to the natural sound. Proponents of each method claim they’ve done it right and done it the best, but there’s no arguing with the results that Aqua achieves here.

Whether using the SPDIF inputs or USB, this DAC does not disappoint. While there were obvious differences in sound quality between the Cambridge Audio CXT and the dCS Vivaldi transports used to play CDs, the LaScala turns in a great performance. Using a laptop or other computer for music playback can go straight in the USB port with excellent result, or…

Enter the LinQ

While Aqua’s LinQ is the perfect mate to their three DACs, with an entry level price of about $6,320 with one module. The LinQ Core as tested here is $7,550, which includes both the HQPlayer Core + NAA modules. (this includes the Signalyst license)

Should you have no interest in the ROON ecosystem, only the UpNP module is required. If you are using any of the UPnP media servers (link here) your journey can stop here. While the Aqua components are not “Roon Ready,” this is a moot point. Installing their HQ Player Core+NAA modules offers functionality that is recognized by ROON as a playback node, eliminating the need for certification, and being beholden to ROON for future upgrades. The good news is, should you change your mind and go for ROON at some point, you’ll have a top player to work with. Win-win.

Aqua’s website gives more details on technical information surrounding these choices: https://www.aquahifi.com/linq.html

Aqua believes Sound Quality is priority number 1. Says their founder Cristian Antelli,  “Our focus was to create an Audio Engine for Roon with zero-setup. The ambitious vision to combine extreme Sound Quality with delight.”

Aqua’s SQ player is recognized as a ROON endpoint, and this is how I used it for the review. From Aqua’s website: “Roon can be configured to implement of HQPlayer into a Zone. HQPlayer owns the final connection to the Audio Engine, and Roon is just passing along a stream of bits from media files / Streaming services as Qobuz and Tidal. This allows you to enjoy the benefits of HQPlayer SQ and the library management capabilities of Roon at the same time.”

Even if you don’t have an Aqua DAC but have a DAC you love that lacks a streaming component, I highly suggest the LinQ. It offers their own I2S output to the Aqua DACs but also features SPDIF, AES and dual AES outputs. Trying this out with older ARC and dCS DACs proves a perfect fit (electrically and sonically) and keeps a great component you already have in your system viable.

Many audio enthusiasts have their preference for digital connections, but after some careful listening between the I2S/RJ45 connection and the AES connection, the proprietary connection definitely gets the nod. It was fairly easy, (even for non-audiophile friends) to hear a further lack of grain when playing music through the I2S connection, especially with musical selections featuring acoustic instruments, or sparse vocals. This is an easy comparison to make.

Where many manufacturers scrimp on network implementation, the high-performance circuitry in the LinQ makes streaming via Ethernet the way to roll, whether using a NAS or your favorite streaming service.

A quick peek inside the casework of the LinQ to add the latest updates reveals fairly densely packed real estate, and an upgrade path that does not even require an external firmware upgrade. Plugging in the two new boards reminded this digital imaging pioneer of the old days of plugging graphics accelerator cards into my old Macintosh Power Mac. This is robustly implemented, so it will be easy for an end user. With two additional slots for future possibilities, Aqua scores again on making your investment future proof. Another pillar of Aqua is ensuring every piece is designed to be truly modular and upgradable in the future as technologies progress “LinQ knows no obsolescence”

There’s not much to say about the “sound” of a streaming/network interface, but it’s worth mentioning that this being implemented to the level that Aqua has, is what takes digital playback to the level they have. When this is poorly done, graininess and lack of image focus creeps back in to the presentation. Comparing the LinQ to a few budget streamers on hand was like going from MP3s to high res digital – so it does make a difference. You don’t realize how essential a high quality streamer like the LinQ is until you take it out of the system. You can’t unhear the contribution it makes.

Finally, the LinQ is a perfect complement to your Aqua DAC (and possibly transport) visually, sharing the same tasteful casework, and grey aluminum covers featuring a textured grey coating. We suggest not stacking these components together unless some kind of isolation can be provided to prevent scratching the surfaces.

Do You Need One or Both?

If you already have an Aqua DAC, there’s no better choice to stream than the LinQ. Period. If you have someone else’s premium DAC the only other one we’ve heard that has taken this level of care to implement the technology is dCS, and their renderer is about the same price. This still leaves the default choice as Aqua for our money. Their products are all fantastically built, and the combination of the LaScala and Aqua is bettered by few at any price.

Highly recommended.

www.aquahifi.com.

Peripherals

Preamplifier Pass Labs XS Pre

Power Amplifier Pass Labs XA200.8 monoblocks

Cable Tellurium Q Black Diamond and Cardas Clear

Speakers Sonus faber Stradivari with six pack of REL no.25 subwoofers

Watching the power meters bounce in the dark, listening to the title track in Brian Eno’s The Ship, the sheer dynamic power of this compact amplifier is completely revealed.

Eno’s husky voice and deep bass riffs, combined with an atmospheric, ethereal feeling creates an enormous sound field with the Sonus Faber Maxima Amators in the listening room. With even moderately efficient speakers, the 70 watts per channel this amplifier provides is more than enough to partake in realistic listening levels.

The SU-G700s compact, elegant and simple enclosure houses a 70 wpc (into 8 ohms / 140 into 4 ohms) amplifier, but digital is done with a twist. This being a full digital amplifier, there is actually no digital to analog conversion being done until the very last output stage to the loudspeakers, all digital signals (PCM/PWM) remain digital until that point, so no DAC is being done until then. This is what is different about Technics’ digital amplifier design and you still gain the benefit of the higher quality digital processing that a DAC would have given as a result of the 32/384 digital amplifier process throughout. There is an MM phono input for analog lovers too, did you think the makers of the mighty SL-1200 would forget the phono input? For a music lover wanting the ability to access multiple sources with a minimum of clutter, this $2,495 amplifier is going to be tough to beat. The only thing not available is a network streamer. However, it’s easy enough to add your streamer of choice, or use a computer via USB. I’ve beat this topic to death, having the ability to stream without buying another box would be a welcome addition, but not a deal breaker.

It’s often said that talented people make complex tasks look easy, as if anyone could do it. The same can be said for the world’s finest audio components. The level of sound quality, and meticulous attention to build is practically unheard of at this point, showing what having the manufacturing capabilities of a massive company like Technics brings to the table. The SU-G700 feels a lot more like it came from Nagra or Boulder. All of their current products are built to the same standard, think about it – how many SL-1200s are still spinning records 40-plus years later?

Music or tech?

As a tribute to the Technics engineers, there’s a lot going on inside this box. It is a credit to their talent that this is no mere chip amp, or basic A/B amplifier, especially for this price. This amplifier is built like a ten-thousand dollar amplifier, albeit a little different than what a lot of you might be used to. The SU-G700 is a digital amplifier. Digital sources stay in the digital domain all the way through, while analog sources are converted to 24-bit/192kHz digital by a Burr-Brown 1804 A/D converter. Keep in mind that anything connected to one of the two analog inputs (including phono) is also converted to digital.

Using Technics Jitter Elimination and Noise-shaping Optimization (or JENO for short) and a Pulse Width Modulation system, musical signals are amplified in the digital domain and then converted back to analog at the very end before delivering the goods to your speakers. The headphone amplifier uses similar technology to power your favorite headphones.

One of the most interesting aspects of the SU-G700 is its Load Adaptive Phase Calibration (LAPC) circuit, which helps optimize the amplifiers’ output characteristic to match whatever speakers are connected for optimum signal transfer. If you’ve had any experience with Class-D amplifiers, you already know how speaker sensitive they are, and anything presenting a fairly complex load at the speaker terminals doesn’t always produce great results. Not unlike that of an SET tube amplifier. Thanks to Technics proprietary design, the SU-G700 does not have this problem at all, and easily drove all the speakers we had on hand.

Where Devialet has tried something similar with their SAM correction, Technics has done a fantastic job with LAPC – much like earlier ABS braking systems in cars, the Technics system is far less intrusive and produces good result. You merely need to engage the LAPC calibration from the remote (yeah, don’t lose the remote!) and let it do its thing. LAPC runs a few minutes worth of test tones to optimize it for your speakers. Unlike a HT receiver doing “room correction,” (no microphone is required for LAPC) the GU-G700 is internally measuring the load your speakers present to the amplifier and optimizing it for optimum power delivery and phase response.

Where the Devialet system was hit and miss with the test speakers we tried, Technics’ approach  provides a more subtle, and at the same time less intrusive result. On everything from a pair of LS3/5A mini monitors all the way up to the Focal Stella Utopia EMs, things sounded better after running the LAPC correction routine. High frequencies always sounded more natural, and in our room, with the speakers at our disposal, low frequencies always felt more powerful, with less upper bass fatigue. Considering this all happening in the context of a $2,500 amplifier is astonishing.

This is only a slight overview of everything inside the SU-G700. Please visit the Technics site here, to get the full description, complete with charts and graphs.

How to interpret the SU-G700

This is one of those interesting pieces of gear that should appeal to both sides of your brain. Your left brain will love all the latest, state of the art tech inside, and the novel approaches taken to implement it. Your right brain will love how great it sounds and how cool it looks. How can that be a bad thing?

Using the onboard digital inputs proved excellent, and for most users that will probably be enough. We did have the Technics SL-G700 SACD player, which ultimately provides a step up in digital decoding (It is $2,999after all) but going from digital to analog and back again through the SU-G700 seemed redundant. Three different transports were used, a vintage SONY ES player, via optical output, the Cambridge CXT (also in this issue) via SPDIF and just to see where the end of the performance envelope was, the dCS Vivaldi One’s digital output. All discs were standard resolution (16/44) CDs.

There definitely was a jump in clarity when using the dCS, no doubt due to less jitter and artifacts in the digital bitstream from this transport, but suffice to say, the vintage and budget players did a great job, so if you have an older CD player or transport, you can expect excellent results. The majority of the evaluation was done with a combination of 16/44 and higher resolution files from Tidal and Qobuz. The Technics does not unfold MQA files.

The SU-G700 has a very neutral, non – embellishing sound quality about it. You will not mistake it for a tube amplifier, or even a pure class-A solid state amplifier, but it is not harsh. Some system matching will be required, as if you have speakers that start out revealing, with a slightly forward tonal balance, like a pair of newer Paradigm speakers, or the incredible Acora Acoustics monitors we have in for review, the Technics might be too much for you. Arguably, my personal bias tends more to a slightly warmer sound like you might experience with Sonus faber, Vandersteen, or Harbeth speakers – so that was my happy place. Almost like pairing a tube preamplifier with a solid-state power amplifier kind of thing.

Regardless of program material used, the SU-G700 offers a consistent presentation. The only characteristic it shares with other digital amplifiers we’ve auditioned is a slight lack of depth compared to your favorite tube gear. Left to right sizing is big, going somewhat beyond the speaker boundaries, but not massive. This overall character really did not change from speaker to speaker, again suggesting what a great job LAPC does.

The MM phono stage offers four gain settings (0, -3, -6, and -10dB) which is handy if you happen to have a Rega cartridge or a few others with higher outputs in the 5-7mv level. Then, the signal is sent to the ADC and treated as sound from any other input. Utilizing a vintage Technics SL-1200 with Shure M44 and a Rega P3 with an Exact II cartridge, both worked well, and the SU-G700 did an excellent job playing records. The resulting sound is dynamic, and incredibly quiet, something that jumps right out at the listener.  There is also a switchable subsonic filter from the menu, which will help those of you having speakers with major LF output. 
Soundstage width is to the edge of the speakers, not a broad expansive thing that you might expect with your favorite tube phono preamplifier, but then you have to pull yourself back to Earth and realize that this is part of an integrated that only costs $2,500, so in comparison to what’s out there for a few hundred dollars, this is a winner, indeed. The only thing you will notice, is that some of the personality, or some might say, the imperfections of the analog process are somewhat homogenized by the digital nature of the SU-G700.

Overall winner

The SU-G700 has no negatives, and we haven’t even discussed the beautiful enclosure and attention to detail that goes along with this product. From the thick front panel, to the delicately lit power meters and even the high quality of the silk screening on the meters is in five-figure product execution range. If you are a build/style junkie, you’ll freak out by the level of overall quality present here. This is one beautiful piece of hifi gear – and it’s also available in black.

What the Technics SU-G700 does is provide you with a top-notch anchor for a great music system at an incredibly affordable price. It sounds great, looks fantastic, and offers an intuitive user interface too. Good as the remote is, the quality and feel of the controls just beg you to walk up to it, give the volume control a bit of a spin, and watch those power output meters come to life. Pairing it up with the SL-G700 and the speakers of your choice make for an incredibly high value proposition.

www.technics.com

Naim Audio announces this morning that their latest addition to the Uniti series is now available. The Uniti Atom Headphone Edition premiers with an MSRP of $3,290.

You can read more at the Naim site here:

Years ago we raved about the Uniti Qute, put it on our cover, and even gave it a product of the year award. The level of performance and functionality it offered was well ahead of its competitors and Naim only continues to widen the gap, despite “me too” attempts by other manufacturers. Merely adding a touch screen to the front of the box does not make for a solution that has been engineered from the ground up.

Recently the Uniti Atom took the functionality of the original Qute, added a fantastic DAC, and the lovely volume control of Naim’s flagship components. A bigger, more crisp screen on the front panel, and ROON readiness (along with the ability to stream every other thing you can think of) kept the Atom at the top of the class.

Now, for those not needing a built in power amplifier, or wanting a mega personal listening station, Naim’s engineers have gone back to the lab, designing a purpose built, high quality headphone amplifier in place of the audio amplifier to drive speakers that is in the standard Atom.

We can’t wait for a review sample, and can only imagine that the new Atom will be a perfect match for Focal’s full line of headphones.

What might even be the bigger surprise, is with line level outputs, will the $3,290 Naim Atom Headphone edition prove to be this year’s killer DAC/PRE, waiting for a power amplifier and speakers to go along? You’ll know as soon as we get one in for review.

Stay tuned.

Should curiosity get the better of you and you HAVE TO HAVE ONE NOW, you can click on this link to purchase immediately. (In spirit of full disclosure we DO NOT receive commission for this transaction should you buy your Atom from this link. TONE does not participate in affiliate programs of any kind, whatsoever.)

www.naimaudio.com

Listening to the speed, detail, and delicacy of the bass line in Sly and The Family Stone’s “It’s a Family Affair” proved the impetus for where this review is heading.

A distinct trend in product design, both in and out of the high-end audio world, lets the junior designers cut their teeth on entry-level products in the lineup. This isn’t a terrible idea for many reasons, but the main ones are probably risk management and damage control. If the new person screws up on a small scale, all is not lost. Not to mention the new people can often pull a bit of genius maneuvering, so it can actually be a big win.

Like one of those personality assessments, there’s no real wrong answer here. However, this approach can often detract from the cohesiveness of a product lineup. A recent discussion with REL’s head designer, John Hunter, reveals that he had just as much of a hand in creating the new lineup as with the no.25 – and this is obvious the minute you fire up these new subs. REL sent us a pair of each model, and thanks to their small size, they are easy to work into any décor.

Please click here to go straight to the REL site for those wanting the exact size, weight, and electrical specifications. If you don’t have a REL dealer nearby to assist you, there is an excellent “subwoofer finder” section that will pair the right REL sub to the speakers and room that you have now.

https://rel.net/product-category/serie-tx/

To make a long story short, the T5/x utilizes a 125-watt Class AB amplifier connected to an 8-inch downward-firing woofer. The T/7x has an 8-inch front-firing active driver, a 10-inch, downward-firing passive radiator, and a 200-watt Class AB amplifier. The top of the range T/9x offers a 10-inch front-firing active driver and a 10-inch passive facing down, coupled to a 300 watt Class AB amplifier.

If you aren’t familiar with REL subwoofers, the original T series made its debut in 2006, replaced by the T/I series in 2015. The jump in performance from the T to T/I was dramatic, and REL’s own copy describes it best, “these were softer, slower, and not as potent in output, as their flagship designs.” The T/I series was faster, with more detail and nuance – now REL had a modest priced subwoofer that could keep up with a pair of panel speakers or a small pair of mini-monitors.

Many manufacturers prefer to connect via line-level connections, and some take it even further by having a built-in crossover that will pass sound from about 80hz or so on to your main amplifier and speakers (letting the sub do the rest, in the hope of taking some of the load off your main amplifier). REL has always chosen to use a high impedance connection at the speaker terminals. This makes for better integration between the main speakers. It also passes through the complete character of your amplification chain to the subwoofer.

Fear not, if you have to connect your REL (or pair of RELs) by line-level output, they will accommodate that, as well as connecting via a .1 LFE input. It might be confusing to some that REL does not pass upper frequencies through the REL, they just affect the point at which the sub begins to play, variable from about 30hz to 120hz. So, in essence, you are using the crossover level control to dial upper bass out of what the REL is producing. Having used RELs for over a decade in various systems, the lower you can go on your main speakers, the better integration you will have with them. That being said, I have achieved incredible results using RELs with the KEF LS50 and various iterations of the LS3/5a. But it will take more setup time. And, should cables be inconvenient, you can take advantage of RELs wireless “arrow” system to do away with the cables entirely.

REL has some excellent setup tutorials on their website and in the instructions that come with their subs, so I won’t go into great detail here. However, REL prefers you to work with the room corner if possible, and that was no problem in our setups.

Chicken or egg?

Several things affect how much sheer output a subwoofer can produce, along with the quality of the low-frequency signal produced. If you’ve ever modified anything with wheels, you know that if you add more go, you need more stop, and if you add more stop and go, chances are you need some suspension upgrades to keep that newfound performance sticking to the ground. It’s the same with subwoofers. When redesigning the /x series, a slight increase in cabinet volume led to the ability to achieve more extension, which meant the overall subwoofer could be driven harder (louder) without suspension/cone distortion. So, as a result of many changes to every aspect of these subwoofers, practically a new series is born. They outperform the units they replaced by a considerable margin. I borrowed a T/9i from a friend to get some valid side-by-side comparisons with at least one of the range.

Most listening was done in a 13 x 18-foot room (usually populated by a six-pack of REL S/510s) with Eggleston Nico Evolution speakers or the new Harbeth C7s. We feel a $5000 pair of high-quality main speakers is a logical candidate for a pair of subwoofers in this range. Not wanting to overly dwell on this, but it is important to note when comparing the quantity, quality, and overall character of the /x series to the six-pack of S/510s and even the flagship no.25s, there’s no question these products came from the same mind.

Even in their least expensive models, REL does not dilute any of their core attributes. From the quality of the connectors used to the attention to detail in final assembly, and ultimately to the quality of the finish applied, the gloss and complete lack of surface imperfections (remember, I’m a crazy car guy – I pay close attention to this stuff) is just as subtle on the $679 T/5x as it is on the $7,500 no.25. That’s devotion to excellence.

Comparison one: Visual

The first thing you might notice when comparing the new /x series to the outgoing /I series is the rounded corners of the /x, giving the new models a little bit more elegant feel – dare we say a little more room and user friendly. The /x subwoofers are available in gloss black and gloss white – of course, you’ll have a preference. Though black has always been the rage for subwoofers (especially if you have gloss black main speakers), white really disappears in the room nicely. Let’s face it, if that’s the most challenging decision you have to make today, life is indeed good.

Comparison two: sonics between old and new

As mentioned earlier, only having the T/9i for comparison, it doesn’t take more than about 30 seconds to hear improvement in every way. After dragging out the standard REL test tracks from the Sneakers soundtrack, and Jennifer Warnes’ “Ballad of the Runaway Horse” to finesse integration between speaker and sub with both woofers, it was easy to compare and contrast.

Moving on to our own LF warhorses, “Pulp Culture” from Thomas Dolby, “Bug Powder Dust” from Kruder & Dorfmeister, and Jaco Pastorius’ self-titled album, it’s easy to see that all of the marketing departments claims have been met, and exceeded. That REL is only charging $200 more for the T/9x (and incrementally less for the other models) underscores their commitment to providing an excellent product at an approachable price.

The improvement from old to new is a definite increase in speed and sheer output capability. Where the /i could be bottomed out when playing the Thomas Dolby track really loud or playing a long playlist of electronic music at a similar volume, the new /x model is cleaner, more dynamic, and does not have the woofer cone flattening out. If this makes sense, there’s more air in the bass, which increases the upper bass/midrange presence provided by the REL in the first place, an even bigger delta when switching it on and off. And this is with a single woofer. There’s a greater sense of ease with a pair.

Final comparison: between small, medium, and large

All three models share a similar overall character, but bigger main speakers and more room volume will demand a bigger woofer. In the 11 x 10 back bedroom system, with the KEF LS50s, paired with the Luxman 550 integrated that was recently reviewed, the T/5x was more than enough to achieve a perfect balance. 20 watts of high current, class A power made for an incredibly musical system.

In our 13 x 18 room, the T/7x was able to fill the room better, especially at higher levels. Depending on the system, speaker, and volume level, deciding whether the 7 or the 9 is the better model will depend on your wallet. If you have a relatively budget system, the 9s might be overkill, but the better your system and discerning your ear, stretching for the top ones is the way to roll. Especially if we are talking pairs. The T/9x turns in a very respectable performance with our Dynaudio Confidence 20 speakers mated to the Boulder 866 integrated, our new reference in that room.

What the new REL /x subwoofers bring to your system, in addition to more bass output, is a higher level of definition in the lower frequencies, as well as more presence in the entire frequency spectrum. Don’t believe me? Listen to them for an hour and have a friend shut them off while remaining at your listening position. Better yet, have your friend do it while you’re listening to music with barely any low-frequency content. It will grab you instantly. The best way to really experience what any REL subwoofer can do is to shut it off. The 30 seconds you hear your system with it disabled will convince you. That’s truly all it takes.

We are happy to award the REL/x series one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2021. These are fantastic subwoofers. You owe it to yourself to experience them if you are in the market.

www.rel.net

T/9x $1,449

T/7x $1,099

T/5x $679

Peripherals

Digital source Boulder 866 internal DAC

Cable Tellurium Q Ultra Black

Speakers EgglestonWorks Nico Evolution, Harbeth C7ES-XD, Dynaudio Confidence 20

Listening to the Acora SRB monitors in a 16 x 25-foot handle the complex dynamics in Brand X’s Unorthodox Behaviour, you could easily be fooled into thinking you were listening to a floor standing speaker, even at a fairly high listening level. The sonic landscape created is big, deep, and immersive. A number of well-known tracks reveal minute details either fully or partially obscured with other speakers.

Many audiophiles cling to the notion, that small speakers sound small. In most cases that’s true. Think of some of your favorite small speakers. The team at Acora has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with small speakers. The laws of science and physics can’t be broken, yet these speakers are an example of what can be achieved with solid engineering concepts applied and refined to the utmost. Precious few small speakers play with authority, but these must be at the top of that list. They carry a premium price as well, ($15,000 pair, matching stands $5,000/pair) yet in the context of other high performance, compact monitors, not out of line.

These understated black speakers appear to have a simple shape from across the room; close inspection reveals they are machined from solid granite. Ditto for the matching stands. Don’t do the “knuckle-rap” test on these, unless you want to head to the emergency room with broken knuckles. Nothing says inert cabinet like granite.

Unless you start measuring closely, you probably won’t even notice that the cabinets have non-parallel walls. Cutting granite is one thing. Machining granite speaker cabinets with non-parallel walls is an impressive feat, going far beyond the adage of “measure twice, cut once.” This is serious implementation.

Other than panel speakers, which try to eliminate the cabinet completely, most speaker manufacturers either work with the inherent resonances in the cabinets; or try to eliminate them completely. These incredibly dense granite enclosures accomplish the latter. The complete lack of cabinet resonance allows you to hear exactly what the drivers and crossover are doing. In the process, all that output that would normally get smeared or absorbed, makes for a small speaker that sounds big. Really big.

You need the stands

If you’re thinking about skipping the stands as an economy move, prepare to be disappointed, and this is an unfair reflection on the SRBs. You can buy budget lenses for your favorite Leica rangefinder camera too, but you won’t achieve 100% of the optical performance designed into the camera. To verify this, a pair of massive Sound Anchor stands were substituted, to negative effect. Working with a top-quality monitor like this, that has a claimed low frequency spec of 43hz, you don’t want to lose any of the performance you are paying for.

If you’re trying to be slightly more fiscally responsible, Acora does offer the SRS-M stand at a reduced price of $2,500. They will reduce the ultimate performance of the speaker, and with a 27” height, probably not terribly useful should you decide to finally pony up and get the granite ones. Sometimes, it just makes sense to get exactly what you want to begin with.

The granite SRS-G stands each weigh almost 100 pounds. Considering that the SRB speakers tip the scale to nearly 60 pounds each, the combination should be kid and pet proof. The base is wide, to the point that they will be incredibly difficult to knock over. Let’s just say if you have kids or pets than can topple these, you have different issues to deal with.

The sheer mass of the stands suggests that these will aid in coupling the speaker to the floor, but again, the 27-inch height is critical to achieving proper tweeter to ear balance – but there’s an even more crucial issue. When dealing with a high-resolution loudspeaker, the ability to fine tune speaker rake angle also plays a big factor in getting every last bit of performance. Examining the finely machined feet at the base of the SRB’s stands tells the story.

Setup and initial listening

The SRBs are sonically engaging on both aspects of a rectangular room, yet when on the long wall in my listening room, deliver a much wider stereo image, when not in close proximity to the side walls. As with many other speakers, they produced a slightly deeper image on the short wall and a wider image on the long wall.

In both cases, a few degrees of toe-in made for the best combination of detail and overall image size. Adding a few dots of blu-tack or similar compound will make it slightly easier to reposition the speakers when making incremental changes, and because of their weight, plan on spending a bit more time than you might to get them exactly where the belong in your room.

You’ll know you have the SRBs optimized when you can’t wring any more image depth and detail out of the presentation. Much like optimizing a top phono cartridge, fine tuning will take some trial and error, so be prepared to invest some time.

Acora claims a sensitivity of 86.5db/1w/1meter, but being a two-way design, they are easy to drive. Auditioning a number of amplifiers from Boulder, McIntosh, Nagra, Octave, and Pass, you can rest assured that a pair of SRBs will work well with whatever you are using, but they will reveal whatever is lacking in your upstream components. Their natural tonal balance and slightly forward tonal position allows you the option to fine tune your system elsewhere. Should you be a fan of a bit warmer overall sound, it will be easy to mate them with a warmer sounding amplification chain that will reflect this. And vice versa. There was nothing in our current collection of amplifiers, from 30wpc to over 400wpc that didn’t play well with the SRBs.

Arriving at the finished dish

When Martha Stewart used to make really complex dishes on TV, she’d walk you over to the finished meal so you could take it all in. So rather than bore you with the process, let’s sit down and dig in.

Once fully optimized, these speakers provide a level of resolution and clarity that becomes addictive. The better your music collection, the more the SRBs will lure you back to your listening chair. During their time here, they provided more than a few revelatory moments, even on highly familiar tracks.

Regardless of program material, these speakers never fail to delight. They offer up many of the attributes of some of audio history’s finest speakers. Within a short time, they reminded me of the detail of the original Wilson Watt, the massive soundfield of the original MartinLogan CLS, and the sheer delicacy of the Quad 57, yet with none of the drawbacks these benchmark speakers had. This is a high resolution, compact monitor, that is dynamic and tuneful, while being easy to drive. And that’s what justifies their price tag.

The only limit to this speaker’s performance is that a solitary 5.9” woofer can only move so much air. Fans of bass heavy music (that also need to play it loud) may opt for the larger, floor standing Acora SRC-1, or SRC-2 models. Or perhaps a subwoofer. Should you pursue the latter, much like a pair of Quads, only the best will do, or you will be staring down a severe disconnect in LF integration.

It all comes down to clarity

We can add superlative after superlative, but the success of Acora’s fully inert granite enclosure can not be ignored. The longer you listen to a pair of SRBs, the sheer clarity they provide will carry you away. If you enjoy hearing fine spatial cues, and those crazy audiophile detail-y things like hearing every singer’s breath/gasp in front of the mic, these will be your cup of. The longer you listen to the SRB’s you notice their complete lack of overhang, transient blurring, or any of the other shortcomings that disconnect you from the music at hand.

There’s a big difference between edgy detail and overall clarity. Edgy detail makes for a great five-minute impression, but 30 minutes later, you’ll be fatigued (you may not even know it consciously) and want to go do something else. With the SRBs, I suspect you’ll be in the listening chair until the wee hours of the night. These speakers will encourage you to re-explore your music collection, seeking out new music with equal enthusiasm.

Everyone finds their joy in a different aspect of music reproduction. Because of the refinements that Acora brings with the SRBs, music lovers that geek out on imaging will be in heaven. The SRBs do a clearer job with portraying accurate instrument size relationships than any small speaker we’ve yet experienced.

In the end, brilliant

If you are seeking out a small form factor, high performance speaker, Acora’s SRB is ace. As these are not entry level speakers, I’m guessing you’re looking for a top compact speaker for a reason, and you don’t really care about that last 10hz of bass in the first place. If this is what you’re looking for, the Acora SRB will be the pinnacle of your experience.

https://www.acoraacoustics.com/

Peripherals

Analog Source Grand Prix Audio Parabolica Turntable, TriPlanar arm, Lyra Atlas cartridge

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi One

Preamplifier Pass XS Pre, Nagra Classic Pre

Phono Stage Pass XS Phono

Power Amplifiers Pass XA200.8, Nagra Classic Amp (2, in monoblock config), Parasound JC-1+, Prima Luna EVO400 monoblocks

Cable Cardas Clear