Listening to Dexter Gordon’s classic, “GO” through the Sugden A21 (actually the A21SE Signature, but I don’t want to keep writing that) and my Quad 2812s is positively heavenly, with all the tone, texture, and dynamics I’d ever need.

There is something incredibly cool about listening to an amplifier that sounds this emotionally involving that doesn’t have a five-figure price tag. Record after record reveals one a-ha moment after another.

Honestly, it’s even better than that. Music and audio lovers often have a wide range of needs, and at times it’s easy to lose your way obsessing over things you don’t need. I’m not being judgmental, I’m sharing this from an “it takes one to know one” perspective.

I’ll make this easy for you

If you don’t need more than 30 watts per channel, or balanced inputs, buy a Sudgen A21SE Signature. Get off the anxiety train and just dig it. A big part of the magic that this amplifier possesses is because of its class-A operation. But Sugden takes this a step further – this amplifier is single-endedclass-A. If you’ve ever heard one of the early Pass Aleph amplifiers, they use a somewhat similar approach.
Running the output transistors in single ended mode gives this amplifier an added amount of liquidity that even the best class-A amps can’t achieve. Dare I say, they sound tube like. If you love the sound of an SET but need more than a few watts per channel, with some serious bass control to boot, this amplifier is going to quickly become your holy grail.

Bypass the bling

If you ask the fellow that manages Jerry Seinfeld’s fleet of Porsches his thoughts on the best of the breed, he’ll look you in the eye and say “mid 80s Carrera – they are the best mixture of fun, function, and performance, without all those weight adding features.” That’s what the Sugden A21SE Sig is – a perfectly executed 84 Carrera with no options. Pure driving excitement. Ironically, Jonathan Halpern, the Sugden importer drives a mid 80s Carerra. Coincidence?

If you’ve got a turntable and a DAC, do you really need a zillion inputs, all those blinking lights, meters and such? If you do – that’s ok, this amplifier will not make you happy. But if you just love to drive, I mean listen, and all that matters is sheer performance without all the frills, few things will do the job like the A21 does. And every amplifier I know that is this luscious costs a lot more. The A21SE Sig’s meager $3,250 MSRP is the best money you’ll ever spend in high end audio.

This is an amp that even if you move on to a more grandiose system, you should keep. Forever.

As mentioned earlier, the A21SE Sig features five, single ended, RCA inputs. We used the dCS Vivaldi ONE as our digital source and the Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 with Boulder 508 phono (via XLR adapters) for analog duties. This amplifier is not the least bit out of its element with world class sources, and it has more than enough resolution to hear the difference between a gamut of phono stages from $1,000 to $65,000.

Auditioning required

With only 30 watts per channel at your disposal, you have to use them wisely, so you’ll need to get the right speakers, but it’s not like only having 9 watts per channel to work with. John DeVore’s speakers work well with the A21SE Sig; Harbeth, Spendor, and Grahams make great playmates too. Ditto for the Focal Sopra and Kanta range. Those in small rooms can achieve magic with whatever flavor of LS3/5a you enjoy. Perhaps the biggest surprise was connecting the A21SE Sig up to the Focal Stella Utopia Ems. These massive three ways, with their 13” field coil woofers enjoy a sensitivity rating of 94db/1-watt and they thrive on low power, high quality amplification. Again, the A21SE Sig delivers a stunning, three dimensional presentation with these flagship speakers.

The Sugden doesn’t really need any “break in” beyond being powered up for 24 hours, like every other class-A amplifier we’ve used, it does need to warm up. Even though there are no vacuum tubes here, class-A amplifiers usually run fairly warm and it takes about 90 minutes to fully stabilize thermally.

Sound at turn on is fine, but as you’ve had your A21 for a while, and become familiar with it, you’ll notice a slight haze in the presentation when it is ice cold; slowly and gradually clearing over that first 90 minutes it’s on.

Glued to the listening chair

Record after record proves that this is an amplifier completely free of fatigue. There’s a level of inner detail present, that will have you scratching your head (or reaching for the screwdriver to take the top cover off) to find the vacuum tubes inside. While you won’t find them, this is the result of decades of engineering refinement.

Regardless of the music you love, the A21SE Sig allows an incredibly musical experience. Bass is powerful, controlled, and anything but one-note. As the Focals go down to 16hz, the sheer amount of control and texture that this little amplifier delivers might be lost on a listener with a pair of LS3/5as, but through the mighty Focals, it was dramatic and impressive.

Inner detail is equally fantastic. Especially when listening to music with densely packed, similarly voiced harmonies, like Crosby, Stills and Nash, Utopia, or Crowded House. Where lesser amplifiers would leave these tunes sounding like a fat, or maybe slightly overdubbed vocal, the A21SE Sig gives each vocalist and individual space within the recording. CSN’s “Helplessly Hoping” is just beautiful to behold. Going back to the 80’s self-titled Utopia, Todd Rundgren, Willie Wilcox, Kasim Sulton and Roger Powell all go back and forth trading lead vocals on each track, yet because they all have such a similar vocal range, it’s easy (on an lesser resolving amplifier) to think TR is doing all the lead vocals. Again, the A21SE Sig clearly reveals the subtle differences between the group members.

Acoustic music lovers will be equally, if not more enthralled. The sheer amount of texture this amplifier reveals when listening to violins and pianos of different kinds is amazing. Everyone who’s ever claimed that “solid-state doesn’t/can’t sound as good as tubes” needs to hear this amplifier.

I could go on forever

But I don’t want to bore you. Seriously the Sugden A21SE Signature is an amplifier that every audiophile and music lover should own. For some it will be a destination product – it’s certainly good enough in that capacity. For others it will be a bookmark, but either way, this is an amplifier that shouldn’t be missed.

Oh yeah, you can get one in orange too. I like that a lot.

I guarantee that this is an amplifier, that once you hear it, you will never forget it. Very enthusiastically recommended, especially in a world where we mistakenly think that “high end sound” requires a six figure budget.

The Sugden A21SE Signature

MSRP: $3,250
www.sugdenaudio.com (factory)
www.toneimports.com (US importer)

Analog Source Luxman PD171A w/Kiseki Purple Heart

Digital Source dCS Bartok

Speakers Quad 2818, Harbeth P3SR, JBL L-100 Classic

Cable Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Power PSAudio P15 Power Plant

The first time I drove an Aston Martin, it was an otherworldly experience. The sheer opulence of the car was equally matched by the performance, providing a feel in a sporting car like no other. Yes, a geeked out Subaru STi is just as fast, but the sheer beauty of the Aston is unmistakable. You’ll get the same feeling when you unpack an Artisan Fidelity turntable.

Except this is like unwrapping a freshly restored and re-engineered DB5. Yes, it is an excellent record playing machine:  luxurious to behold, I suspect it will always give you pause when playing a record. Old car guys like to say, “It looks fast just standing still,” and that sentiment applies to the Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement Turntable, presented here in its latest version 2 form.

Gently placing the stylus down on Herbie Hancock’s Empyrean Aisles, I received an equally out of this world experience. If you’ve spent some time with idler drive turntables, you know they have a loveable, somewhat fat, burly, yet enjoyable tonal character. By comparison, my Thorens TD-124 sounds bloated and lacking in detail, when listening to the same tracks, even with the same phono cartridge. (in this case, a Lyra Delos)

Having an incredible digital front end at my disposal, analog has to be either really good or really different to go through the ritual that accompanies listening to a record. The Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement offers up a degree of tonal saturation, dare I say, a slightly romantic presentation, that I doubt anyone would ever mistake it for anything but incredible analog. There’s nothing like this in the digital world, and every time I listen to this table, I want more.

Artisan Fidelity’s Christopher Thornton has built the ultimate sleeper Garrard 301 turntable. As a vintage based deck, it still lacks the last bit of clarity that a top modern direct drive offers, but that’s not the point here. We’re not talking about ultimate musical accuracy here, we’re talking about flavor. This table is all about the sonic and visual character) It’s like the difference in body that a Les Paul Custom offers over a Stratocaster. Some prefer one over the other, some have both. You know where I’m going with this…

If you’re of the “a Timex tells time as well as a Rolex, so why spend the extra money” school, stop right now. Turn the page. You won’t like what I have to say.

What makes the Artisan Fidelity Garrard so incredible, separating it from the other “pretty plinth for old hardware beneath” Garrards, is the excruciating level of design fanaticismand precision engineering found in every aspect of this table. Considering how many fine watches cost as much or more than the Artisan Fidelity table, if you value what this table has to offer, it’s a steal at around $22,000 with external regulated power supply.  I’ve used turntables that cost three or four times as much that didn’t provide near the experience that this table does.

Breaking in your brain

Arriving in a couple of crates, the AFG (as I’ll refer to it for the rest of the review) is respectfully packaged, and basic assembly takes only minutes. But it takes a while for everything to sink in fully. If you are as much of a qualityphile as you are audiophile and music lover, you may need to put this table on whatever rack you have in mind and just sit back to take it all in. No other turntable I’ve spent time with offers such a sensual nature of operation. This is a product that begs to be used, often.

Every surface on the AFG is sheer perfection, from the clear coating on the upper Copper platter surface to the premium glossy black automotive paint finish on their proprietary solid billet Aluminum alloy chassis. Everything shines and sparkles. It may even prove tough to keep your enthusiasm in check to mount a tonearm or too, but you will be rewarded. The sample in question, for now, sports an Audio Creative GrooveMaster II tonearm in the front position with the Hyper Eminent EX cartridge from My Sonic Lab.

The rear position is occupied by an SME M2-9-R arm, expertly reworked to feature upgraded bearings, Cardas internal tonearm wire, and a hardwired tonearm cable (also Cardas), sporting a Kiseki Purple Heart cartridge, making for an excellent tradeoff. Additionally, we’ve been using the rear position as a test bed for cartridge reviews on our new site (www.cartridgedude.com). Both arms have been feeding into the new Pass Labs XP-27 phono stage going forward, but for the purpose of this review, all comparisons were made on our reference Pass Labs XS Phono.

As a confessed mechanical enthusiast that loves anything finely machined, coated and painted, the AFG is as close to sensory overload as it gets. The plinth is only the beginning, and once the massive modular platter, consisting of copper, magnesium alloy, aluminum, acetal and stainless steel is installed, a lot of the beauty is underneath. But the plinth alone is a work of art. You can click here for the full explanation on the Artisan Fidelity site, but here’s the short version.

Details, details, details.

That’s what will have you doing a second, third, fourth, and twentieth double take on this table. If you are used to the shortcomings mentioned above of the idler wheel system, it only takes about five seconds of musical flow to turn your head like a dog in disbelief. All the speed inconsistency and cloudiness you’d expect from an idler table does not exist with the Artisan Fidelity. Every aspect of this decades-old design has been re-thought and re-engineered to 21st-century spec.

There is a staggering amount of person-hours in the assembly of one of these, and I suspect more than any other high-end turntable I’ve used. I highly suggest going for the slightly larger plinth which enables one to add a second tonearm, making the investment even easier to amortize. Not to mention the visual appeal of two tonearms!

From the inverted and modular Sapphire bearing/heavy balanced Copper hybrid main platter unit to the finely machined austenitic stainless steel idler wheel, that has only .003 inch variation in its periphery surface diameter and precision billet aluminum eddy current disk brake, it’s the refinement of every aspect of this classic table’s design, combined with fanatic, individual final assembly and listening tests that distinguishes this from your Grandfathers Garrard. Forget everything you think you know about the idler drive system.

Quick setup

As this table uses a rebuilt version of the stock English AC induction drive motor, which happens to be a 220-volt/50hz configured unit, my sample arrives with an optional Sound Carrier Universal Turntable power supply ($1995) and offers a wide continuously adjustable range of fine voltage and frequency tuning for each 33 1/3, 45, and 78rpm speeds. In practice, this takes about five minutes to set up to perfection completely.

Setting both tonearms up to perfection with Richard Mak’s Analog Magik tool kit and a SmartTractor alignment tool, has me rocking in the free world in about an hour. Not bad for two tonearms. You can now purchase both of these tools directly from Artisan Fidelity, and if you don’t already own them, I highly suggest their purchase with your table, as the investment will pay dividends both in the short and long run.

Returning to the listening chair…

We can talk tech forever, and designer Christopher Thornton is such a passionate individual that he can explain everything he’s done in as granular of a level as you’d like. As exciting as this is, I dare you not to fall in love with this turntable by the time you play the first track.

Where my reference Grand Prix Audio Parabolica lifts so much detail from a record, it’s often hard to believe that so much detail exists in these grooves, the AFG gets nearly as much detail, but adds slightly more weight and fleshes out the midbass just enough to carry you through the average to pretty good records in your collection in the way that the more resolving table can’t.

Your perception of musical reproduction is so personal, there is no best here. Some days you want to drive the Bentley, and some days you want to drive the Porsche GT4, both are awesome, but neither can really deliver the experience of the other. Both will get you to the grocery store and back, and you can live with either at moderate speeds.

Much will depend on where your musical priorities lie. I maintain that to really enjoy analog to the fullest, you need more than one setup, but that may not be practical for everyone. Where the AFG excels is in the sheer size, scale and weight of its presentation. Going back to the Blue Note and Impulse jazz catalogs, listening to a lot of acoustic instruments, this table does an incredible job of reproducing the texture and character of a stand-up bass, the force of a horn, or a quick ride around the drum kit. And Ella’s voice has never sounded more realistic in my system.

Classic rock lovers will feel equally at home. Electric guitars sound massive, and multilayered studio recordings from the 60s to the 80s open up a level of sonic sorcery that might have you double checking to make sure no one put something in your drink. The sound field presented by this table with either cartridge is big, wide, deep, airy and immersive.

An experience like no other

I could gush on and on about the Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement for hours, but we’ve all got to get back to work, eh? The minute you listen to a record on one, it will either captivate you to the point where you can’t live until you find a way to make one yours, or its exuberant nature will not be your cup of tea.  Car talk aside, the only other thing I can really compare the AFG to that might make even more sense is a pair of top range Sonus faber speakers. They are the only other audio product I’ve used with a similar level of finish.  And it is the only other product where my friends’ spouses say, “yes, you can have one of those in the living room.”

Just like every SF speaker we’ve had in for review, the AFG is the only other product that brings a similar level of intrigue with it. Everyone wants to touch it. So much so, that I am thinking about mounting a very inexpensive cartridge to the rear tonearm, so everyone can experience the sheer physicality of operating this turntable.

As one who rarely turns fanboy on products, the AFG is a rare piece of gear that at the end of the review has me losing my ability to remain objective. If you genuinely love analog, you should experience one, whether you write the check or not. However, I suspect if you value the qualities I’ve mentioned here, you will have a very tough time not falling victim to its spell. This one has been here for the better part of a year now, and I pinch myself every time I use it.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This is why it was our Analog Product of the Year for 2018.

The Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement

www.artisanfidelity.com

Single 9″-12″ tonearm compatible plinth configuration, $18,995 (Exotic hardwood and Automotive finishes optional)

Dual 9″ – 12″ tonearm compatible plinth, as above, $19,995

Sound Carrier UTPS Power Supply $1,995 (optional)

In 1982 I wanted three things: A Nikon F2 with motor drive, a BMW 320i and a pair of JBL L-100s. I got two out of three. I needed the Nikon to earn a living, and a new 3-series was about 13k, well equipped. But I did get a pair of L-100s and they rocked.

But then I became an audiophile and I was too cool to have JBLs. I bought a pair of Magnepans and got serious about hifi.

As the years passed, the L-100s kept nagging and a few pairs of vintage L-100s have come and gone. I still have a pair of originals, which have been modded to sound a bit better than I remember. I drag them out once in a while and connect them to my Nakamichi 600 wedge series components, lamenting how far hifi has come in 4 decades.

That all changed at last years Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. Harman was showing the new, Classic L-100s in orange! Woo hoo, the signature foam block grilles were back! And the sound was out of this world good.

Today, I use a Nikon D800, and there’s a fairly clean 83 320i in the driveway for old times sake, but it’s more like my vintage L-100s. Not modern transportation anymore.

But these new L-100s rock. The first track played is Joni Mitchell’s “Car on a Hill” and it’s the late 70s again. Awesome.

– And a big thank you to Steve Rowell at Audio Classics for making this happen.

Stopping by Pat Hickman’s place to drop off a pair of vintage McIntosh amplifiers for his special level of detail and restoration is always a treat. There’s always something super fun on his test bench, either about to be restored, or just finished, ready to go to a customer.

Today, he was going to put my McIntosh MC30 monoblocks on the bench to be returned to their original glory. As always, our discussion goes to his Whammerdyne 2A3 Truth amplifiers – the flagship got our product of the year award a couple of years ago and it is incredible. Not everyone can afford them, but his new DGA (Damn Good Amplifier) takes a lot of what he learned via the design of the Truth amplifier, but in a more affordable package.

This is a direct coupled (i.e. no caps or resistors in the signal path) single ended, class A stereo amplifier that uses a pair of 2A3 power tubes. Most people can barely coax 2 watts per channel out of a 2A3, but meticulous engineering and implementation makes for 4.3 watts per channel. And at this level, every few tenths of a watt counts. You can read more here:  http://whammerdyne.com/#technology

We step in to his listening room and Hickman plays a few tracks on his Pure Audio Project Quintet 15s, which makes for a stunning combination with the DGA (Damn Good Amplifier).I have the Trio 15s back at the studio, so am very familiar with the sonics. We cruise through a few polite but breathy and luscious female vocal tracks, and as lovely as it is, at the back of my head I’m thinking “but will it rock?”

Can you work with 4 watts per channel?

The toughest part of an engineering journey is the difference between building to a standard and building to a price point. The flagship Whammer amp was built to be an all-out assault on SET topology, using the best parts available. The result is nothing like you’ve ever heard from an SET. Every bit of magic that tube aficionados wax poetic is there, but with all the refinement you’d expect from the world’s top modern tube amplifiers.

There’s only one catch – the Whammers only make four watts per channel. Forget it if you’ve got a pair of Magnepans, or something equally power hungry. Hickman thinks 94db/1watt sensitivity or lower is pushing it, but the new Focal Stella Utopia Em’s (94db/1watt exactly) have been blowing me out of the room with a few watts, so why not ask?

Fortunately, today is the day that there’s a DGA on the bench that isn’t spoken for. Hickman warns me, “It takes about 45 minutes to come out of the fog.” He wasn’t kidding. Driving like an old man, taking great care not to jostle the unboxed amp on the way home, it is instantly put front and center in my living room system, built around the Focal Stella Utopia Em’s.

About that burrito

He is right. The amp sounds nice,on initial power up,but not as good as I knew it could. Burrito time. Taking the long way to grab a quick bite from my local taco stand has me back in a little over an hour. Three minutes into the DGAs initial power up, the title track from Steely Dan’s Aja gave me a place to start. Like I said, nice. Revisiting the track an hour later is a revelation, and there is some hidden musical treasure in this overplayed classic that instantly surfaces. Layer upon layer is rendered and all the spatial cues from the meticulous studio production melts the listening room walls away. The illusion of musical reality is vivid and convincing.

Conventional wisdom might suggest that pairing a $3,000 amplifier with a pair of $120,000 speakers might be madness. And it might with a lot of $3,000 amplifiers. Maybe even $30,000 amplifiers, yet the DGA delivers one of the most musically involving performances I’ve ever heard from the Stellas.

The DGA takes a few minutes to come fully up to operating temperature, and you’ll see the bias current going up during the process. Hickman suggests that both tubes bias be set as close as possible to each other. He makes it easy for even the uninitiated, with a digital readout on the top panel. All you need is a jewelers screwdriver and a steady hand. Once the amplifier has been powered up for an hour, check the readout and make sure both tubes read 60. A breeze.

The big difference

While most SET amplifiers deliver brilliant midrange, they fall short (sometimes dramatically short) when called upon to play complex or overly dynamic music. Great for Jacintha, not so much for Slayer. Some of them really hum, due to inferior design and parts quality. The DGA is so quiet, it takes full advantage of every bit of power delivered. As the music emerges from such a silent background it appears louder. Remember what you perceive as volume is the delta between loud and quiet. No background hum or noise, feels a lot louder than having the music dithered by noise.

I never wanted my playlist of Kraftwerk, Neu! and Aphex Twin tracks to end. The DGA has massive bass grip and texture, making this kind of music come truly alive. When was the last time you heard deep, defined, growly bass that made your pants flap via an SET? Via a tube amplifier for that matter? An equal amount of fun was had with a pair of even more sensitive Klipsch La Scalas, resulting in a long set of classic rock causing a few neighbors to give me the evil eye. Oh well.

The result derived from the LaScalas, Pure Audio Project Trios and the mighty Focals, though expressed differently, retain the core musicality that the DGH delivers. It has a level control for those wanting the ultimate simplicity, but I preferred the more fleshed out rendition when the Nagra Classic preamplifier (with outboard power supply) delivered.

The Whammer delivers pristine examples of all the audiophile descriptors that are so easily tossed about in reference to far lesser products. It’s reproduction of fine detail combined with such a clean distortion free and coloration free tonality will redefine what you think reproduced music is capable of. This amplifier reveals so much tonal contrast and saturation, hours will fly by as you track through your favorites. Where some of today’s best audio products can only offer a short amount of engagement, with fatigue or boredom creeping in after a few tracks, the Whammerdyne DGA is a cure for audiophile ADD.

It totally rocks

An exceptional value award really isn’t enough. If the Whammerdyne DGA had a Wavac or Gold Note badge on it, you’d be looking at a $100,000 price tag. And you’d pay it happily. Your audiophile friends would visit your audio den from the far reaches of the globe and get down on their knees and pray to it and tell you what incredible insight you have.

But this baby only costs $3,000. Add another few hundred bucks for having upgraded output transformers (which my review sample does not have) and a little more for a pair of NOS 2A3 output tubes (which my review sample does have).

I could neither have written this review, nor fully appreciated just what the Whammerdyne DGA delivers when I began this magazine. But I can assuredly say that after almost 1000 product reviews, this is as good as it gets. If you have sufficiently sensitive speakers, one of the Whammerdyne amplifiers will take you straight to audio heaven – on the express elevator. That Whammerdyne can build one of the world’s finest SET amplifiers for $20k is amazing. That they can give you the essence of their flagship for $3,000 is a sheer miracle.

Best of all, it’s not out of reach of any music lover. With a wider palette of high efficiency speakers available these days, you might want to revisit just what a few of the right watts per channel can do. This is the best of the best.

The Whammerdyne DGA 1

MSRP:  $3,000

www.whammerdyne.com

Analog Source Grand Prix Audio Parabolica /TriPlanar arm/Koetsu Jade Platinum

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi ONE

Preamplifier Nagra Classic w/Nagra VPS power supply

Speakers Focal Stella Utopia EM

Cable Cardas Clear

There used to be a restaurant nearby that offered small portions fantastic deserts. You could have a large shot glass full of whatever deserts were on the main menu for a couple of bucks. It wasn’t about saving on the bill; there are times you really crave desert but don’t need a giant helping of chocolate mousse. The INT-60 from Pass Labs is kind of like that.

Their XS level components are some of the world’s finest. Ask nearly anyone that’s owned or reviewed them. Many of us with that level of appreciation for musical excellence don’t necessarily have the budget, or perhaps have a smaller room, or very sensitive speakers. At that point, a full XS system isn’t a fit. Introducing the INT-60.

Many readers have asked about the difference between their new XA25, which we reviewed here, and the new INT-60. On one level, they are different beasts, because the XA25 is only a power amplifier – yet the XA25 offers some nuances that even the mighty XS300s or my current reference, the XA200.8s don’t, due to a simpler circuit topology. Mr. Pass often praises the simple approach and the XA25 is incredible in that respect. But you still need a preamplifier, so by the time you find a worthy preamplifier and purchase the necessary cables, you’ll still most likely exceed the $9,000 price tag of the INT-60.

For those that need it, the INT-60 does allow separate inputs and outputs, that will let you use the power or preamplifier sections by themselves. Just in case you decide to bi-amp, or who knows?

Heavy metal

Don’t let the lower power figure fool you. Though the INT-60 is only rated at 60 watts per channel, where the larger INT-250 is rated 250 per, this amplifier stays biased in class-A mode longer, all the way to 30 watts per channel. At 93 pounds, it’s only about 15 pounds lighter than the INT-250 as well. The INT-60 is still fairly dense for a single chassis box.

Utilizing a smaller, yet stylistically similar blue meter to the one in the big Pass amps, the INT-60 features a similar visual architecture to all of the other Pass products. While this may seem like a minor point, it’s very thoughtful of the creative braintrust at Pass to allow the INT-60 to work with the same remote as their other preamplifiers. A small, but helpful feature. The rest of the INT-60s physical layout is also identical to the rest of the lineup, so if you are building a second system around your INT-60, or trading up from something else in the family, you will feel right at home.

The INT-60 is highly versatile, offering four line-level inputs, with one of them a balanced XLR input, while the other three are single ended RCA inputs. A pair of big Furutech speaker output terminals, much like the ones on all the other Pass amplifiers make it easy to connect any type of speaker cable. Bonus points here for being able to use the INT-60 as a preamplifier or power amplifier separately, so in case you decide to upgrade to a bigger amplifier, use a multiple amp setup, or just want to try something else for a while, balanced XLR and single ended RCA inputs and outputs are available, making the INT-60 incredibly flexible.

An equal measure of sound and simplicity

Like every other Pass amplifier I’ve used, the INT-60 needs a few solid days of play to break in, but not really any more – 100 hours will do the trick. Equally so for warmup, if you turn it off at the end of the day – expect about 1 full hour for the slight fog to clear when you power it up. Considering the INT-60 isn’t a full – blown class-A amplifier and it draws about 375 watts, it’s up to you whether you’ll just be leaving it on all the time.

Using the INT-60 with a handful of fairly efficient loudspeakers from Focal and Pure Audio Project, I doubt it ever ran hard enough to escape from class-A mode. Only when I connected the vintage Magnepan Tympani IVs, was I able to budge the meter from its center position, revealing that the amplifier is moving out of class A operation. It’s worth mentioning what a splendid job this amplifier did driving these speakers, that are normally thought of as needing tons of power to drive.

Bouncing between the XSPre/XA200.8 combination and the INT-60 at modest volume levels, it is clear just how much of the top range Pass performance is captured here. Of course, the flagship models resolve more information at all volume levels, but the core sonic picture that all Pass amplifiers portray is present in the INT-60. This amplifier is voiced a few small clicks to the warmer, more tonally saturated side of neutral. That’s how Mr. Pass likes his amplifiers to sound, and I agree. As he’s fond of saying, “it’s the tube sound without the hassle.”

If you’ve ever been a tube lover that is tired of the tube game, the INT-60 is your ticket to paradise. Leave it on all day, and never worry about scrounging for NOS tubes again. Sure the best tube gear might reveal a few more molecules of music here or there, but most won’t. And most won’t offer the level of quiet, dynamics and bass grip that the INT-60 does.

A high level of tonal and timbral accuracy also makes the INT-60 tough to ignore. Pianos, violins, and other acoustic instruments sound incredibly right, and with a pair of speakers in the 87-90db/1-watt sensitivity range, you will have to push the INT-60 very hard to get it to clip.

Rounding out the picture, the INT-60 paints a very engaging, three-dimensional musical landscape, with rock-solid pace. Listening to the Stones’ “Low Down” (from Bridges to Babylon), the INT-60 keeps Charlie Watts drumming solidly anchored through the melody, while Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood sneak up behind Jagger’s lead vocals, going “woo, woo” during the chorus, as if they were up on stage together. Pure acoustic performances delight, and the level that this amplifier unfolds densely packed music is truly world class.

100% fun, zero fatigue

A bottom end that will put you back in the listening chair when the music warrants it, and smooth, yet defined and delicate rendition of the mids and highs, makes for an amplifier you can listen to all day long.

As many music lovers gravitate more towards simpler setups in the home, a high quality integrated amplifier makes perfect sense. If your sensibilities call for this approach, we suggest the Pass Labs INT-60 very highly. This is a fantastic amplifier.

The Pass Labs INT-60

MSRP:  $9,000

www.passlabs.com

If you are a lover of single ended triode amplifiers, no doubt you are familiar with the mighty 300B.

The mightiest of them all are the vintage Western Electric 300Bs, and then if you can find them, the reissued WE 300Bs that came out around 2005 or so. Only a few pairs of these were made and then the “new Western Electric” fell back into obscurity. I had a pair of those and they were pretty incredible, and I did spend some time with the NOS models when I had my WAVAC monoblocks. Never should have gotten rid of those. Oh well.

Today, the 300B amps have had a bit of a resurgence (and to some, they never went away – just like vinyl) but there are no incredible tubes to power them with. Having listened to more than my share of the current 300Bs, most manufacturers have settled on Electro Harmonix or JJ, because they are available. But don’t expect the 50,000-hour tube life of the NOS WE’s. Nope, these are 5,000 hour tubes on a good day. Most manufacturers have voiced around the current tubes, but that only goes so far. If you have the chance to experience the vintage 300Bs, you’ll freak out.

The vintage WE’s are so smooth, extended, and dynamic, you’ll swear you’re listening to an entirely different amplifier. However, with these tubes going as high as $6,000 a pair for an amazing set. And being 60-80 years old, there’s still a chance you can pull them out of the box and have them croak. I’m just not that much of a gambler.

Enter EAT

The European Audio Team has their own factory in the Czech Republic, and recently, they’ve started production on the famed 300B, providing tubes that are a clear cut above the mass-produced items that are available, bridging the gap between NOS and NEW. With no WAVAC on hand, they were kind enough to send me a matched set of four for my Nagra 300B amplifier that is a push/pull design, delivering about 25 watts per channel.

The EAT 300B also bridges the price gap, tipping the scale at $1,695 per matched pair. Not so bad if you have SET monoblocks, but it gets a bit spendy if you need four of em. Regardless, this is still way less cash out of pocket that the 2004 vintage WE’s or the really old originals.

The Sound

Going past the afford/not afford, will my partner kill me/will they not notice part of the decision tree, the EAT tubes provide a substantial increase in performance than the current offerings in the $500-$900 pair tubes from “the other guys.” And by increase, I mean that the EAT tubes are more neutral sounding than the other current tubes, honestly more extended at both ends of the frequency range.

Where the Nagra has exceptional bass control, due to its massive, tight tolerance output transformers that are wound in-house, the EAT tubes bring a nearly solid state like grip to the lowest frequencies. Using our 96db/1-watt sensitive Pure Audio Project HORN 15 speakers, it’s almost as if I’ve added a subwoofer. Whether listening to EDM/electronica tracks, or Led Zeppelin, the bass line is hitting me more in the chest than the Nagra does with the stock JJ tubes.

An equal level of excitement is had on the upper register as well. Stringed instruments take on a more three-dimensional quality, with more texture. Pick your favorite acoustic guitar piece that you know well, and you will be surprised at how much more real the strings sound while being played, as well as the overtones that hang in the air after the strings have been struck. This is the stuff we all love 300B amplifiers for in the first place and the EAT tubes give you more of it.

In the end

At first the price tag might seem a bit prohibitive, but considering the care in manufacturing that goes into these tubes, I’m going to stick my neck out and bet that the EAT 300Bs will probably last a lot longer than the others. If that’s the case, then these are not so much more money out the door in the long run. And if you hate swapping tubes as much as I do, once you’ve settled on a sound, this will be indeed welcome.

There are so few 300B enthusiasts out in the field that have jumped off the cliff on these tubes, I can’t say that anyone’s experience backs up my own, yet. I highly recommend their 300Bs, and hope to give the KT88s a spin sooner than later.

North American Distributor:
vanaltd.com

Factory:

Europeanaudioteam.com

A very cool video on EAT’s tube production facility:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd2jMzErw9I

Features

Old School:

Juan Cavillo restores a very old Pioneer Turntable

995:

Jerold O’Brien scopes out the new mini ProJect Integrated Amp

Journeyman Audiophile:

Chord Qutest DAC
By Shanon Swetlishnoff

The Audiophile Apartment:

Harbeth P3ESR Anniversary Edition
By Jeff Dorgay

Mine: It Should Be Yours

Still more lego stuff!

Porsche Coloring book

Talking fish

Snazzy reading glasses

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Future Tense

Focal’s Utopia Phones

PrimaLuna EVO 400 Amplifier

Golden Ear 5 Speakers

and more…

Cover Feature: The Tokyo Record Bar

One of Soho’s coolest dinner getaways, installs a full blown McIntosh System!

Building on the success of their Neo 380D DAC, Simaudio went back to the drawing board, creating the MOON 390 from the ground up, offering a perfect combination of flexibility and sonic performance that we’ve come to expect from this great Canadian company.

Thanks to an onboard phono stage and a streaming DAC (that is also a ROON endpoint) you are covered, no matter how you like to listen. This perfection starts at $5,300.

The biggest difference here between the 390, the 380D and the popular ACE is that the MOON 390 is a line level component only. You must add your own power amplifier to complete the system, but that is part of the fun!

Those wanting the modern functionality of an AV receiver, but only require a 2 channel environment, the 390 feels right at home and provides the latest HDMI specs with 4 HDMI inputs and one output (video pass-through/switching only. No video processing). The video works flawlessly and produces great sounding stereo for both TV and movies, without needing 5+ channels.

Digital music lovers can enjoy maximum flexibility with two ethernet ports, three USB inputs, TOSLINK, and AES-EBU inputs. unbalanced and balanced inputs and outputs, along with an MM/MC phono stage, an on board headphone amplifier for personal audio enthusiasts, anchored by a very capable preamplifier. It’s nice to see traditional audiophile companies adopting the latest AV functionality to their components, and with the 390 Simaudio has gone “all in.”

Listening/Enjoying

With an original 380D on hand for comparison, it is easy to see the progress made in the 390. The 390 sounds similar to the 380 right out of the box, but after about 48 hours of constant play, it comes into its own. The expanded input options allowed enjoying formats previously avoided. One killer feature with the provided HDMI board is the ability to decode a native DSD bitstream from SACD, for those that still have a large collection of SACDs and other disc-based media.

Connecting an Oppo UDP 205 to the 390 via it’s HDMI input, allows the ability to go back to untouched SACDs and DVD-A discs, providing long listening sessions more closely akin to vinyl than digital in both sound and experience. The SACDs of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blueand Chet Baker’s Chetwere so lifelike that it made me wonder why I ever ceased listening to the format. This may mean having to actually walk over to the player and drop in a shiny silver disc, but it’s a forgotten ritual that tends to yield a more focused and enjoyable listening experience than mere streaming.

Moving to the provided built-in phono stage with a Rega P5, I went exploring through some vinyl favorites that have been skipped since selling my external tube phono preamplifier a few months back. The sound of Louis Armstrong’s Satchmo Plays King Oliverwas clean, detailed and dead quiet, somewhere on par with the performance of their 110 LP phono preamplifier. Thanks to the flexibility of the 390 it never limits your format choices and you don’t have to choose between convenience and ritual.

Convenience and sound

Easy as the 390 is to use, it never compromises sound quality for convenience. With TIDAL and Simaudio’s MiND app ready, a world of music is instantly available at your disposal. Through the 390 and MiND, even basic 16/44 CD quality provides a lush soundstage with a natural sound that checks off nearly box one would want from a great DAC. Dense, detailed, warm/musical, and enjoyable at every note. With sound this good in this price range, one might even feel guilty about somehow getting away with the steal of the century. Each successive track compels me to linger a little longer rather than skip around.

With the ease of the 390/MiND combo and TIDAL’s vast collection, there is much more music to be had. The MQA Master of “The Angel of Doubt” from the latest Punch Brothers album All Ashore starts rather subdued, but eventually builds into a bluegrass vocal rap that shows off both the diverse talent of Chris Thile & Co. and just how well the 390 can translate a more subtle track like this. The opening gentle mandolin plucking, whispered vocals, and silent spaces provide the perfect contrast to the more forceful vocal tongue twisting ending. On this track, the 390 provides plenty of low-end authority with the acoustic bass while allowing the vocals to remain clear and separate over the top.

Pushing the 390 a little more, “The Dark” from the latest Thrice album Palms, delivers thundering toms and brooding guitars with enough space to hear how well the 390 can unpack even the most complex modern recordings. There’s plenty of air, detail, as well as bass extension as the track manically swings between the quieter verses and heavy chorus. The overall sound that the 390 produces reminds me again why the previous 380D DAC that the 390 builds on was such an amazing value. (you can read the original 380D TONE review here for additional listening reference: http://www.tonepublications.com/review/simaudio-neo-380d-dac/) It’s clear that Simaudio has eclipsed the already excellent 380D with their latest release.

While Simaudio continues to improve to their MiND app, it remains a weak point in the complete package. I eventually settled into its methods and quirks, but there’s definitely some room for improvement in overall ease of use and performance. Sound quality is exemplary, but I did experience issues with functionality and firmware upgrades in the context of my system. ROON users will not have this problem.

The Preamplifier

While it’s been a few years since I last auditioned the Moon by Simaudio 350P Preamplifier that the 390 is based on, it sounds every bit as enjoyable as I remember the 350P being. It’s detailed, with dead quiet backgrounds, punchy and controlled bass, speed, neutrality, and transparency… it is all there. It is amazing that Simaudio took the $3,700 Moon Neo 350p Preamplifier, the $6,100 380D DSD DAC, a good phono stage, a decent headphone amp, added modern HDMI connectivity/convenience along with the new MiND 2.0 network streaming unit, and gave it a $5,200 price tag. That’s progress.

Don’t forget the 10-year warranty, either.

With balanced XLR outputs as well as standard RCAs, the 390 is compatible with any power amplifier, new or old. Our publisher goes further into detail with this below, as I only had my Rogue Audio Stereo 100 for this review.

The bottom line

If you already own a previous generation 380D DAC, you’ll be happy to know that your award winning component is still great. However, those wanting a component that can decode analog and digital files, with a preamplifier and headphone amp built in, consider the new MOON 390. Simaudio has put so much of their top level components in to a single chassis, it’s equally worthy of one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2019. – Brian Gage

Additional listening

Having had the pleasure of reviewing nearly 30 Simaudio components since we started TONE, owning a few, and visiting the factory a couple of times – I can speak with confidence that I have some seat time with this brand.

Comparing the sound quality to that of Simaudio’s most expensive components, it’s easy to see where the technology has trickled down, and strategically, where costs have been cut to meet a budget target. First, the casework, while still machined in house and of excellent quality, is simpler in execution, but you still get three color choices: silver, black, or silver and black. The remote is stripped down in functionality and plastic instead of the coolio billet one that comes with the 800 series components. All excellent choices to put the money where it will do the most – inside.

Sonically, the MOON 390 feels similar in tonality and general dynamics to the top components. Again, because it lacks the massive power supply from their reference series, the 390 lacks the ultimate dynamic heft and low level resolution of the five-figure Simaudio components.

However, in the context of a number of power amplifiers in the $3,000 – $12,000 range, I never felt that I was missing out on anything. While my personal bias leads to a slightly big warmer side of the tonal scale, I enjoyed the 390 the most with the Pass Labs XA25 class A solid state amplifier and the new PrimaLuna EVO 400 tube power amplifier. The good news is that the MOON 390 is very neutral tonally, so you can achieve whatever overall effect you desire by voicing the rest of your system accordingly.

I’ve never been a big fan of the MiND app, but being a long term ROON user, I’m not a fan of any of the others either. Like so many other third party music server apps, MiND falls down hardest with a large collection. Those not wanting to shell out the coin for a ROON subscription that don’t have huge music collections will probably be just fine.

Running the phonostage through a gamut of moderately priced phono cartridges, utilizing the Luxman PD-171A turntable (which costs more than the 390), I’ll stick my neck out and suggest that a cartridge in the $100 – $1,000 range will be an excellent match for the MM/MC stage that is on board.

In the end, Simaudio has raised the bar incredibly high for this type of component, and while the ACE has served me well for the last few years, I have to step up and purchase the 390 – I love the ability to choose power amplification. Highly recommended. – Jeff Dorgay

It’s been a long time since Devialet set the audio world on its axis, creating a product that sounds fantastic, yet looks as it should be on display at MOMA. Or perhaps in this case, the Louvre. Since Devialet, “lifestyle” is no longer an unmentionable word in high end audio. Like any classic, the design has to be something you never tire of.

Consider that box checked. The new Devialet Expert Pro looks as fresh as it did eight years ago when we reviewed the original. This beautifully polished box is stunning, whether you place it on a table, hang it on the wall, or give it its own enclave. This is industrial art at its finest. You should not hide it.

A range of three

Devialet offers the Expert Pro in three versions. The 140 we have here at $6,490, the 220 at $9,990 and the 250 at $18,990. As with past models, all three offer incredibly similar sonics because of the circuit topology (more about that later), and all can be used as monoblock or even multi-amplifier configurations, making them incredibly flexible.

Moving up the scale brings more inputs, and still more flexibility, with the two top models having a more advanced MM/MC phonostage, allowing more precise adjustment for your phono cartridge. All Devialet models digitize the incoming analog signal to 24/192, and if you choose the optional ($490) preamp out option, you can use the Expert Pro 140 to digitize your LP collection. Pretty cool. The two other models offer this as standard.

Where Devialet’s new technologies have reduced noise and distortion close to theoretical limits, they haven’t scrimped on musicality – their products sound great. They have over 100 patents, so this is not a rehash of old concepts.

Rolling with the changes

If you haven’t tried it, Devialet provides the most sensory engaging remote control experience in the world of high end audio. It’s unconventional, oversized, square shape, with a massive dial and four strategically placed function buttons is almost decadent to use. Everyone that’s ever had one of these dropped in their hand freaks out at the smooth, silky operation it delivers. And it helps you access the tone controls!

That’s right. The Expert Pro has a pair of tone controls that you can custom tailor to your system and speakers via the Devialet configurator. Argue you will, but when none of your audiophile buddies are looking, you’re gonna be trying them out. I guarantee it.

This is a big part of what makes Devialet products so awesome. Upgrades are a quick firmware update away, as are changes in functionality. You can easily set the parameters for the phono stage, crossover points, tone controls and whether you want to use your amplifier in a stereo, mono, or multiple amplifier configuration.

Once you’ve registered your Expert Pro, all of these changes are available from the Devialet website and can be transferred to your unit via an SD card. Being that the Expert Pro works as a wireless streamer, we remain surprised that Devialet does not allow the changes to be made over the web, or like a current PC, just allow you to automatically make firmware updates. Though the SD card seems a little bit old school in 2019, it works well and is straightforward in operation.

The French connection

Devialet has created a system called SAM that optimizes the amplification to the low frequency parameters of your speakers, providing the best combination of bass extension, yet restricting maximum cone movement so you can’t damage your speakers when playing loud. I suspect this is similar to what they use in their Phantom speakers, which seem like no matter how hard you play them, they do not seem to run up against the excursion limits of the drivers. With my early Devialet, I had excellent results with SAM on a few speakers, so it was exciting to see how many more speakers have been added to the list – nearly 100 now.

Even without SAM, the 140 really grips the big woofer cones of the Focal Stella Utopia Ems with authority. If you like bass heavy music, you will adore this amplifier. Staying as purely French as can be, I began my listening streaming Qobuz via ROON with Jean-Michel Jarre’s Zoolook. Fantastic. Yet with SAM in place, the 140 watts per channel that the Expert Pro delivers into the 94db/1-watt Focals provides bottomless dynamic range.

Grooving on electronica favorites from Kraftwerk and Aphex Twin shake the windows, walls and even the dishes in the kitchen! This is big fun. Best of all, it’s big fun in a completely understated, stylish way.

Additional combinations

The other speakers in my collection deliver equally fantastic results. The Expert Pro has no problem driving my power hungry Magnepan Tympanis, and it even sounds lovely through a vintage pair of JBL L-100s, though there is no SAM profile for these.

Devialet’s unique amplifier topology (read more about it on the Devialet site here https://www.devialet.com/en-us/expert-pro-hybrid-amplification/) combines a class A front end/driver stage in parallel with a class D output stage. Devialet claims it combines the best of both worlds and the result is more musical than any class D amplifier we’ve ever taken for a test drive.

It’s incredibly low level of distortion, and high linearity makes for a clean, crisp sound that is never fatiguing. Difficult as it is to try and describe tonality, the level of tonal saturation that the Devialet provides is not quite as high as a full class A amplifier like Pass or Luxman, yet it is higher (i.e. warmer in overall sound and tone) than say a Bryston or Simaudio amplifier. This is always a very personal choice with many variables, so your ultimate taste and speakers will determine the end result. That being said, we did not find a single pair of speakers that did not produce pleasing sound with the Devialet.

Another interesting aspect of the Expert Pro is that it was more impervious to cable changes than most amplifiers we’ve used, making it all the more user friendly. I suspect the low .001 ohm output impedance and damping factor of 8000 is a major contributor to this.

Ultimate connectivity

The last thing you probably want with a hifi system this elegant, is a massive loom of wires exiting the rear panel. Devialet has you covered, literally, a matching cover that slips on the back of the chassis, covers all of the cables, looking incredibly slick in the process.

Due to the low height, slim form factor, we suggest getting speaker cables that use banana plugs, at least on the ends that connect to your Devialet. They do offer 5-way binding posts, but you’re going to have a hell of a time connecting speaker cables with any girth at all.

Thanks to the differential design of the Expert Pro phonostage, Devialet claims that the grounding wire is a thing of the past and we concur, though it does seem kind of weird to not use the grounding wire anymore. Unless you have a Rega table that is.

Long time analog enthusiasts might wrinkle their noses at the thought of their precious analog signal being upsampled to digital bits, but the ADC converters used are first rate and we never found ourselves longing for an all analog signal chain. Again, considering the Devialet’s price, we highly doubt you will be able to find an all analog phonostage, DAC, streamer, full function preamplifier, (with tone controls!!) 140 watt per channel power amplifier and all the cables to connect it for even double this price. Give it a try!

The DAC/streamer section of the Devialet is equally exciting, decoding files up to 32/192 and DSD 64. The only thing not supported is MQA. Being a Roon endpoint, with access to Qobuz, there are so many high res files to stream, that I can’t imagine this being a deal breaker for that many. All inputs work very well, but we prefer the Ethernet connection, and this was the way all test listening was done, streaming regular and high res files from both Tidal and Qobuz.

A fantastic performer

The Devialet Expert Pro 140 is truly without flaw in our opinion. If you love music, high quality sound reproduction and don’t want a massive rack full of gear to stare at, there’s no better choice. If you can believe it, the Expert Pro 140 sounds even better than it looks, is incredibly easy to set up and operate, and is virtually future proof.

Now that Devialet has been in the market place for nearly a decade, their reliability has proven to be world class, and this is another one of those special components that almost never shows up in the secondary marketplace. You’re going to have to head to a dealer and buy a new one folks!

I not only give the Expert Pro 140 an Exceptional Value Award, I give it my highest personal recommendation as well. Our industry needs more of this. Please.

The Devialet Expert Pro 140

MSRP:  $6,490

www.devialet.com

It’s funny what you remember. My tenure with Krell goes way back, to the demo room I was scared to enter, where an early Krell KSA 150 was matched to a pair of Apogee Stage speakers. Even though I had just purchased a Rotel integrated from the same dealer the “Krell room” seemed like exalted territory.

The sound and appearance this combination made played heavily on my senses – even the smellof this amplifier had an aroma that neither the Classe or Levinson amplifiers possessed, and this combination that was the KSA 150 engaged on all levels. It was an audiophile elixir. I soon became obsessed with Krell and purchased a KSA 150. Moving up the product range, the

next generation FPB 300, FPB600, KSL preamp, SPB32-X DAC, KRC preamp, the KPS20i cd player and finally the KPS25i cd player would follow. This was money spent with consumer dollars, not reviewer dollars.

Thoughout my journey reviewing a wide range of manufacturer’s components, I’ve always rooted for Krell’s success, though I haven’t had much experience with current products since founder Dan D’Agostino moved on to form his own company. In the middle of evaluating a number of integrated amplifiers, Krell’s Walter Schofield offered the first crack at Krell’s K-300i, making for an excellent opportunity to revisit the brand.

Slim and powerful

Despite a low-profile enclosure, the K-300i weighs in at 52 pounds. Producing 150 watts per channel into 8 ohms, doubling into 4, the K-300i provides the weighty, grip that will entice newcomers, and be familiar to fans. The 1/2-inch milled aluminum front panel (available in silver or black) completes the homage to Krell products past, while the curved front keeps an eye on the future.

The K-300i is loaded. Equipped with 2 HDMI inputs, 1 HDMI out and a preamp output to compliment two pairs of balanced XLR inputs and 3 RCA line level inputs, everything at your disposal will easily plug in. Those checking the digital box also have Toslink and coax inputs along with USB and RJ45 ethernet inputs, as well as Bluetooth/aptX capability. This is a well thought out product as a stand-alone control center or integrated into a full home system via the RS-232 ports.

Vinyl lovers will need an outboard phono stage, but with so much going on in this compact chassis, I’d almost prefer keeping the delicate analog signal out of this box, and why pay for functionality you don’t need? Digital music lovers are in luck, with Krell offering an internal, streaming DAC for an additional $1,000 over the $7,000 MSRP. This includes an on-board DAC and Roon Ready streamer, that will decode digital files up to 24/192 and unfold MQA as well.

Krell’s David Goodman, their director of product development and head of engineering is the person behind the current XD series of amplifiers. As we saw in a recent comparison, the difference between their last series of amplifiers and those with XD technology, the improvement is not subtle.

Goodman relates that the XD upgrade (Xtended Dynamics, Xtended Dimensionality, Xtended Detail) “takes an already great sounding amplifier, and raises its performance to the next level. This is a perfect example of Krell’s continuous R&D efforts delivering benefits across multiple product lines. During the development of the K-300i, we discovered substantial sonic improvements lowering the amplifiers output impedance below traditional norms. Applying this to the existing products made for an equally big improvement and required a unique designation, hence XD. This lower output impedance exerts more control over the speaker drivers and damps out unwanted vibrational modes, allowing a more accurate reproduction of the original signal.”

Exceeding expectation

Fully anticipating big dynamics and a tonal balance favoring the lowest octaves, as with past Krell product, the K-300i is vastly different from past Krell efforts. It’s a top to bottom improvement towards a more refined, yet more musical sound. The lower registers are more refined and controlled at the same time.

Retaining the dynamics and forceful low end that’s made Krell famous with audiophiles the world over, the K-300i is more nuanced and natural in its musical delivery. There is a sweetness to the sound that is reminiscent of the original KSA-50. The K-300i is non-fatiguing, inviting you to turn up the volume on your favorite tracks – right out of the box. That’s always a great sign. Remember, Krell amplifiers are still class-A, but thanks to Krell’s current i-Bias topology, they don’t run as hot, or draw as much power at low volume levels as the original models did. Yet the K-300i still draws 900 watts from the AC line at full output – and generates a fair amount of heat.

Utilizing a wide range of speakers from Sunny Cable, Lansche and PBN, nothing threw the Krell a curve ball it could not field. After a solid week of burn in, some direct comparisons to my reference D’Agostino Momentum Preamplifier and Pass Labs XA200.5 monoblocks, reveals the big bucks gear still having the edge, but it’s not as big as you might think. The key word here is value. This is performance that would have been unheard of ten years ago for this price.

Great with all sources

This newfound balance altered my approach. Past Krell components always had me reaching for the more bombastic selections in my music collection, but the K-300i sends me to vocal rich recordings, exploring the heart of the mid band and treble in ways that older Krell designs did not inspire as a first move. From Sarah Vaughn’s previously unreleased concert pressed by Devialet, via my VPI Avenger Reference, with the Gryphon Sonett and Boulder 508 phono stages, it’s easy to see what this amplifier does so well.

Liquidity, color, expressive dynamics, and space. All positive aspects of these two phono stages, and the differences between them are clearly rendered by the K-300i, revealing the emotion present in the recordings auditioned. Sarah Vaughn’s vocals sound full of life at times and a weary at others. Eva Cassidy’s Live at Blues Alley is another familiar go-to when trying to reproduce inflection, a wide range of dynamic control, and emotional impact. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from this band is wonderful, and though I’ve heard this recording so many times, the Krell never gets in the way of the music.

Compared to my reference McIntosh MB50 streamer, the Krell provides a more intense presentation to the Mac’s slightly sweeter rendition. If I didn’t already have an outboard streamer, I could happily live with the one built into the Krell. For the less than the price of a decent pair of signal cables and a power cord, you can have it all inside the chassis. A great thing for those craving simplicity.

Just a quick note about the HDMI performance of the K-300i. In a word, it is phenomenal. Watching Mary Queen of Scots, my wife and our friend agreed, it was like we had upgraded our modest Epson projector several levels. Color saturation and detail rendition was startling as was the contrast and brightness. If you are like me and your audio system does double duty as your home theater, the upgrade in video quality alone not to mention the ease of integration is worth at least half the overall cost the K-300i.

Coming to grips with it all

On balance, this is one of the best sounding pieces of Krell gear I’ve had the pleasure to use. While the last bit of resolution and slam from their top products is not here, because you can’t have everything for $8,000, Krell has made it a point to deliver a high degree of sonic excellence and balance in this compact package. Those needing more power can consider using the K-300i as a control center and adding a more massive Krell power amplifier later.

The only part of the K-300i that I didn’t terribly enjoy was the Bluetooth streaming, but this is not my favorite way to listen anyway. Still, it is nice of Krell to offer this, so that when friends drop by and want to share their favorite playlist, connectivity is only a click away.

It’s a true treat for this long time Krell user to hear what they’ve achieved with their latest XD technology and the K-300i in particular. At this price, it can make an excellent anchor for a reasonably priced, yet high performance audio system. Its compact form factor makes it an easy roommate to live with as well.

And I still think about that KPS25i – it was one of the coolest pieces of audio gear I’ve ever owned. It’s funny what you remember. The K-300i is a piece that I suspect its owners will treasure for a long time.

The Krell K-300i
MSRP: $7,000 (without internal streaming DAC)  $8,000 (with DAC)

krellonline.com

Letting the audition of the GamuT Zodiac speakers begin with the Beastie Boys “Groove Holmes” is so much fun, I don’t even need the weed. The massive, all-encompassing, psychedelic picture that these speakers paint is outstanding.

Keeping the disco groove going with a long playlist of classic Bee Gees tracks has me searching Amazon for a twinkly, glass ball for the ceiling. The bass line in “Nights on Broadway” has those super cool, see-through power meters in the Audio Research REF160M amplifiers bouncing in between the glowing KT150s and it’s all good.

$179,000 is a lot of money to spend on a pair of speakers, but if you’ve got that kind of cash, it’s not. Kind of a weird paradox. As it is with super high-end cars, motorcycles, watches, and the like, the uninitiated might think that once you step up to this level, said product does everything. Yet it only takes a quick ride around the block in a few mega cars to realize that while a Bentley is a truly amazing vehicle, it’s a completely different ride than a Ferrari, a Porsche 911 GT3RS, or an Aston Martin. All excellent to be sure, but still different, and very special. They will all get you to 200mph, but in their own way. Make no mistake, the GamuT Zodiacs are very special speakers and worth the price asked. And if you just want the sound, you can get em in black for $159,000/pair. Such a deal.

So it goes with mega speakers. Should you dig the GamuT Zodiac, you probably will not enjoy a similarly priced pair of Wilsons, the Focal Grande Utopias or a pair of Sonus faber Aidas quite as much. All four of these speakers are excellent and definitely have the same density of thought in their design and construction, but all approach how sound is produced in a different way, with different design choices made in their execution. If you’re looking for me to tell you that the GamuTs rule and the others suck, or vice versa, you’ll have to go elsewhere.

But I willsay that the Zodiac is my personal favorite for top speaker at this moment. Having spent plenty of time with the other contenders, these are the ones I’d happily write the check for. The priorities that designer Benno Maun Meldgaard has chosen appeals to what I love in a speaker most. First, and most importantly, they pass my main crazy expensive component requirement – they reveal so much music, that they will take you to a level of musical involvement that you won’t get with lesser speakers. And they do it with any kind of music.

Equally, if you’ve got nearly 200 big ones to spend on speakers, you’ve probably been at the hifi game long enough to know what you don’t like. And I’m guessing you already have the room, system, and software to wring the most performance from these speakers. The Zodiacs are up to the task of partnering with the world’s finest components, revealing everything they have to offer. They will never be the weak link in your audio chain, regardless of how much you’ve invested in the rest of your components.

What’s your sign?

One of the biggest audio mistakes so many people make is to put big speakers in a small room and expect good sound. The Zodiacs also deliver their most compelling performance in a medium to large space, but they deliver a better performance in a modest size room than any other big speaker I’ve used. This might be a plus if your Zodiacs arrive before your main listening room is done being built, or you’re anticipating a move in the near future. The only limit you will have in placing the Zodiacs in a small room, is that they will overdrive the room fairly quickly because they can move so much air.

GamuT only builds 12 of these yearly, one per month to go with the individual signs of the zodiac. Horoscope.com says that Capricorns (me) and Taurus (the Zodiacs) are a good match most of the time, so I guess it just makes sense that I’ve been enjoying these speakers so much. Though the signs of the zodiac are all very different, each of the 12 pairs of GamuT Zodiac’s are hand assembled with extreme care, and then fine-tuned by Mr. Meldgaard. Within a year of your purchase, you will also receive a personal visit by him to fine tune the speaker’s setup in your listening room, no matter where in the world you might be. That’s part of what you write the big check for. If you want an off the rack suit, this might be excess, but if you want something bespoke, and optimized by its creator, this is the way to go – and you don’t get this with any of the other mega speakers.

While I’m certain that I’m compatible with the Zodiacs, after pairing them with about a dozen different amplifiers (tube and solid-state) from a wide range of manufacturers, these are very equipment friendly speakers. Everything from the 20-watt per channel Nagra 300 amplifier up to the big Pass XA200.8 monos worked well, yet at the same time offering a different perspective on the music.

Because the Zodiac goes all the way down to 16hz, they will deliver the most convincing performance with an amplifier of the highest quality and best bass control. The trio of 10-inch woofers sailed through every bass heavy track in my collection, providing a level of detail and dynamics that most speakers need external subwoofers to achieve. Whether I was grinding through Aphex Twin, or gliding through Stanley Clark, the level of bass detail the Zodiac delivers is first class.

Let’s get serious

The Zodiac’s greatest strengths is their ability to walk a fine line between resolving a high level of detail without being harsh, sterile or fatiguing. Like every other GamuT speaker I’ve owned or reviewed, the Zodiac is a speaker you can listen to all day and never want to leave the listening chair.

Most big speakers with this kind of footprint feelbig and overbearing, and in some instances only play big. My Magnepan Tympanis are famous for this effect, and while it can be fun, not all music is meant to be presented at the same size. Listening to Eddie Van Halen play solo acoustic guitar on “316” through my Maggies sounds as if EVH is 14 feet wide. Cool, but not realistic. Playing the same track on the Zodiacs feels like he’s sitting between the speakers on a footstool, as it would if he were. But the second I mix it up and go with “Atomic Punk,” the living room walls fall down and there is a wall of speaker cabinets on a big stage behind me.

While the Zodiacs are fantastic with tonality and coherence, they also excel in terms of dynamics. They do not lose their ability to engage at the lowest of volume levels – often an area of contention with large speakers. Playing well below conversation level, the Zodiacs reveal minute musical details, and were able to draw more than one guest into the mix, requesting “to turn it up a bit more please…”

At the other end of the spectrum, the sheer dynamic punch the Zodiacs deliver will be limited by how much clean amplifier power you have at your disposal. Those wanting to achieve concert hall levels will have no problem doing so, with plenty of amplifier power. My Pass XA200.8s clipped and ears started to buzz before the Zodiacs reveal distortion of any kind. And that’s way louder than you should be listening to music without ear damage. This ability to play well between loud and soft reveals a degree of linearity that is seldom experienced at any price, and another one of the Zodiac’s strengths.

What you get at this price is a healthy dose of magic along with technological and manufacturing excellence. This combination of art and science is what fools you into believing the music is unfolding in front of you. This doesn’t happen at $10k or $20k, and you don’t realize it until you experience these. As I mentioned earlier, it’s almost hallucinogenic. Absolute power does indeed corrupt.

How do you describe what does not exist?

While other hifi writers have written volumes on the Zodiac, both in their listening rooms, and at various hifi shows around the world, I keep returning to my first experience with GamuT. Current designer Benno Meldgaard has built on the foundation of their original designer, Lars Goller, yet the magic is still there.

After days of listening to speakers at CES, I went offsite to where GamuT had (then) the S7 and S9 set up in separate rooms and my perception of speakers was re-defined. The Zodiac is capable of this achievement, with even more refinement and resolution.

What you don’t get with the GamuT Zodiac is distraction. All of the distractions that come from distortion, phase anomalies, and tonal inequities simply doesn’t exist with these speakers. They require no excuses whatsoever. When listening to many other speakers, my inner voice often says “if only they had less of this, or more of that.” I’ve never had this conversation with myself, when listening to the Zodiacs, no matter what music is playing. It’s so much easier to ramble on about speakers with shortcomings, but these really have none.

Looking the part

If you’ve had the pleasure of visiting Denmark, you know that they are masters of understated design, both elegant and functional at the same time. Where many of the other six-figure speakers sport rich automotive paint finishes to command attention, the Zodiac’s wood cabinet is specifically curved to achieve the desired acoustic effect, but GamuT takes a different approach. They use nearly 30 layers of fine wood, glued together and formed under over a ton of pressure to achieve their shape. (It’s worth noting that they used to make the cabinets for the B&W 800’s and developed this process)

The result is a beautiful cabinet that only needs an occasional oiling to look it’s best. And with no paper-thin veneer or highly polished paint, a slight bump to the cabinet will not mar the finish of your speakers. Intelligent design at its finest. These speakers just look more handsome as the years go by.

Simple setup.

The intelligent design of the Zodiac goes beyond the speaker itself. These are by far the easiest large speakers to set up – period. Their wheeled crates allow nearly anyone to get them in the vicinity of where they need to be. Tip the crate up, and remove two braces holding the speakers in place. Slide the crates back and you’re almost there. These crates are fairly large, so you will need storage space!

The Zodiacs weigh about 420 pounds each, so get a friend to help you, two if you can, for fine tuning. A quick trip to Home Depot for a custom pair of ¾-inch particle board sub platforms made fine tuning the front to rear and side to side alignment a breeze.

The two-part, five-layer steel bases are coated with an anti-vibration compound and the finely threaded feet allow precise tuning of the Zodiac’s rake. Easy as these speakers are to set up, this is the critical bit – much like achieving perfect VTA when setting up a phono cartridge. This is the most critical part of setting up any GamuT speaker. Once the rake is correct, the time alignment is assured, and everything falls properly into place.

Beyond big

Having owned the prior flagship S9 for a number of years, as well as the smaller RS5i (Our managing editor, Rob Johnson also uses the RS3i as his reference) has given a lot of insight into the refinement that goes into the Zodiacs. These speakers are so much more than just a “big speakers play big” experience.

As hinted at earlier, the Zodiacs can not only play big, but they can play at whatever scale the recording dictates – expanding and contracting as necessary. They not only follow the music, but mange to be mere conduits of the music – no small feat. Where the GamuT comes out a winner, is in its ability to perform all the necessary audiophile tasks at an equally high and balanced level. Yes, the Grande Utopia is a touch more resolving, perhaps the big Wilsons have a few molecules more bass grunt, and so on, but for my money the Zodiac does more at integrating all musical aspects at a tremendously high level than any other I’ve yet experienced. That is their strength to me. I never feel like I’m listening to speakers when they are on.

If you are buying speakers at this level, you need to hear the GamuT Zodiacs. I have to confess a true bias for the presentation that they deliver – guilty as charged. But that’s why I’d buy an Aston Martin instead of a Ferrari. That part of the argument is immaterial, I applaud your choice, whatever it might be at this level – you are obviously an obsessed music lover.

But, you don’t want to spend 180 big ones and not test drive these. Your biggest questions will be “can my floor support them,” and “what color should I get?”

The GamuT Zodiac Speakers

MSRP: $159,000/pair and up, depending on finish

gamutaudio.com

Peripherals

Analog Source Luxman PD 171 w/Kiseki Purple Heart

Digital Source dCS Vivaldi One

Preamplifier Pass Labs INT-60 integrated

Power Amplifier Pass Labs XA200.8 mono blocks, Audio Research REF160 mono blocks

Cable Cardas Clear Beyond, Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Rack Grand Prix Audio Monaco

It’s always fun to unbox something from PrimaLuna. They pack their electronics better than anyone, except maybe Luxman. But seriously, the three layers of packing – heavy, closed cell foam inserts, and a set of gloves makes sure your PrimaLuna amp or preamp gets out of the box in pristine fashion.

With so much hotly contested talk about component break-in, I’m here to tell you that the EVOs sound incredible right out of the box. Typically, their amplifiers have never taken terribly long to find their voice, so this will only get better.

Driving the mighty Focal Stella Utopia EM’s (with a 94db/1-watt sensitivity) I may not even need to use a pair of EVO 400s in mono configuration, which incidentally offer 144 watts per channel in Ultralinear configuration. Half these numbers with the stereo or mono in Triode mode.

In addition to an even further sonic refinement of the PrimaLuna concept, The top range EVO 400 components offer balanced inputs, giving them a much wider range of flexibility. Where the EVO 400 power amplifier comes shipped with EL-34 tubes (a long time favorite here) as with all other PL amps, you can use a wide range of output tubes to custom tune the sound to your preference. Input tubes are a breeze too, because PL’s designers chose to use the more reasonably priced 12AU7 tubes in the input and driver stages, instead of the ridiculously priced 12AX7s. Those wanting to tube roll and go hard core NOS can still afford 8 12AU7s without raiding the kids college fund.

Of course we need to do more listening, but when something sounds this good right out of the box, cold, it’s a winner.

The PrimaLuna EVO400 amplifier. $4,699 each, $9,398/pair
The PrimaLuna EVO400 preamplifier. $4,499

www.primaluna-usa.com

Based in Karlsbad, Germany, Octave Audio has produced meticulously designed audio components for over 30 years. Their HP-500 preamplifier, released in the late 80’s, has gained worldwide respect. It’s still manufactured today, although improvements have slipstreamed over the years resulting in the current SE version.

The Octave team never rests on their laurels and continually tackle the challenge of improving on their past designs. Their hard work results in Octave’s latest flagship preamplifier, the mighty HP 700. It’s a sonic marvel indeed.

What’s inside counts

The Octave’s clean and modern look, accentuated with a brushed aluminum exterior, conjures quite a visual impact. At 462 x 130 x 480 mm (W x H x D) and a weight of 10 kilograms there’s no overlooking the HP 700 on an audio shelf. The main unit is flanked by an external power supply measuring 110 x 90 x 277 mm (W x H x D).  While the HP 700’s outward appearance is quite dapper, the unit also embodies the spirit of an old proverb: It’s what’s insidethat counts.

The most impressive quality of the HP 700 is its versatility. Octave’s design approach involves creation of modular gear that can be tailored to best serve its owner. Rather than fill the chassis with a one-size-fits-all complement of inputs and outputs, Octave gives a prospective owner some say in what gets dropped under the hood. Do you need XLR, RCA, or both types of line inputs? Do you need an MC or MM phonostage? Or both? How about an MC phono input with XLR type connectors? What if you need a step-up transformer? Do they offer that, too? With the HP 700, the answer to any or all of these questions is a simple and resounding yes. Octave will help put together the perfect module complement for the new owner’s needs – there are eight different modules available. Best of all, should your system needs change later, you can always add or subtract additional modules. Our HP 700 review sample offers a little of everything, so the TONEAudio team had a chance to test it out with a variety of components on hand.

The Octave is a tube-based preamplifier; and regardless of modules chosen, the HP 700 requires eight tubes, regardless of configuration. The linestage section utilizes three tubes. There’s a single 12AU7 (ECC 82) required, and Octave makes available choices for the other two tubes needed. With the flick of a switch, an owner can choose to socket a pair of EF184 (EF 800) or D3A tubes. If you really want to start experimenting with tube rolling, it’s also fun to note that the switches can accommodate one of each.

The phonostage’s tube complement is a set configuration including one each of type 12AX7, 12AT7, and 6922 (6DJ8). Finally, the HP 700 control unit requires a 6922 (6DJ8) mounted sideways inside the chassis.

Getting ready for a treat

Setting up the HP 700 is simple, with no unexpected challenges. First, connect the umbilical from the external power supply to the main chassis. A notch in the connector prevents the possibility of misalignment. Then simply attach sources to their respective input module connections, choose RCA or XLR outputs to an amplifier, and you’re ready to rock.

The three huge knobs on the front panel control all elements of the HP 700’s functionality. The central volume control is flanked to the right by an input selector. A tiny blue LED indicates the chosen source. On the left side of the unit, a third “mode” knob stands at the ready. Its options require a little more explaining.

Turning on the power supply, the Mode indicator LEDs keep the user notified of progress. An amber LED indicates the start of a two minute warm up cycle during which the tubes are coaxed to operating voltages. In doing so, HP 700 does its best to extend tube life. During this short delay, a Mute indicator simultaneously makes its presence known until the Octave fully ready for operation. Once there, the mute disengages itself. The Mode knob also offers a low, medium, and high gain setting so the owner can best match the preamp to the source being heard. If changing music sources, the gain can be reset on-the-fly with a tiny twist. A final setting on the Mode selector offers the option of home theater bypass, disengaging the volume knob and deferring to the home theater processor’s volume settings.

Yes, a remote control is included with the HP 700. It’s an example of true simplicity featuring two buttons only: volume up and volume down.

Sing to me

It’s difficult pinning down the sonic signature of the Octave when the unit behaves like a sonic chameleon, optimizing any input source and any music genre thrown downstream. No element of the sonic picture seems emphasized or neglected. Music comes out as pure as it did going in. All this creates a fantastic, immersive listening experience.

It’s ironic to imply a $20,000 piece of gear does nothing to add or subtract from the sound, but for many that is the holy grail. There seems to be nothing in the Octave design that adds to, or takes away, from the music. Vocals and instruments flow through with a wonderfully organic quality that conveys all the human cues captured in a recording be it subtlety, passion, force, energy, or anything else the performers exude. Because the sound feels so natural, it is very easy to get immersed in long listening sessions with the HP 700. “Nothing” never seemed so beguiling! Of course, to achieve “nothingness”, the devil resides in the details. It’s much more likely the Octave is doing “everything” behind the scenes, but making such a complex task seem easy and seamless to the listener.

Reaching conclusions about the HP 700’s sonic attributes takes a bit of time and aural adjustment. At first listen, it seems the Octave lacks a bit of bass heft. But the more I listen, the more that initial perception proves wrong. What makes the HP 700 bass response interesting is that it delivers what the music commands it to. No region among the bass frequencies appear accentuated or diminished. There’s no supplemental punch or heft applied. Realistic bass response simply floats from the HP 700 to the amp without coloration or undue emphasis.

Similarly, vocals glide forth with a level of smoothness and realism that brings performers into the room. “Wash me Clean” from k.d. lang provides an immersive experience. Complementing her powerful and silky voice, guitar plucks have an organic texture. Small ambient notes slide forth with delicacy.

Soundstaging prowess is another Octave strength. Performers and musical cues are scattered across a perceived stage that extends well beyond the speakers. Not only does sound extend well behind the speakers, the HP 700 can place vocals so that they project a bit forward of the speakers. Beck’s album Midnight Vulturesincludes various unexpected sounds like a piece of metal pipe dropped on the floor, and an industrial-sounding machine punch. These elements skip across the soundstage as the sound engineer placed them. Even when a listener anticipates those sounds, the level of realism though the Octave creates moments where sound effects generate head turning surprise.

There’s little to criticize about the HP 700, and there’s no question about its overall prowess. Is it perfect? If natural, neutral, sound is what you seek, the Octave HP 700 will serve your ears extraordinarily well. That said, not every audio component is ideal for every audiophile. Those who seek to complement their existing components with a preamp that generates a little extra bass presence, or a warm and laid-back sound, or an extra-detailed and analytical presence will not experience those attributes via the Octave design.

Choices, choices

An audiophile with a budget around $20,000 for preamplification is a lucky individual indeed. For that amount, many world-class components are within reach. The question, of course, is which to choose. Making a purchase decision even more complicated, that same amount of money potentially can be divided to buy separate phonostage and linestage components, making a hard decision even more agonizing.

After listening to the Octave and experiencing the modular approach they take, I have little hesitation suggesting a prospective owner make the decision easy on themselves and take the plunge on an HP 700 configured to his or her liking. First and foremost, the sound is marvelous. Second, the unit can be configured with line and phono stage modules to accommodate any type of input. Buy what you need now, and add other things you need in the future. Third, gain control options help the Octave play very well with all the other components in the audio chain. Finally, the HP 700’s build quality leaves little to be desired.

The Octave HP 700 is a marvelous piece of audio gear, and those who choose to make an investment in one are sure to be thrilled with their purchase for a long time to come.

Further Listening

Having spent the better part of a year with Octave’s flagship tube monoblock power amplifiers a while back and a few of their integrated amplifiers as well, the Octave sound, or lack of it, as Rob describes is indeed wonderful. Upon closer comparison to ARC, BAT, C-J and McIntosh, I’d spot the Octave HP 700 a few molecules more tonal body and richness than the current ARC REF components, a few less than the CJ ACT 2 or GAT preamplifiers, a little less dark than the BAT and not quite as syrupy as the Mc MC1000 or MC500. How’s that?

All of the Octave gear I’ve experienced has come across with a lively, dynamic sound high in tonal contrast and saturation without sounding overly tubey; you won’t mistake one for a solid state component, but it is never tube-like in a vintage tube component perspective.

What has always impressed with Octave components is their teutonic build quality, attention to detail and Bauhaus – like casework. Plenty of German precision here. Like the other well known brands listed, an Octave component is built to last a lifetime, and as you go up the range, the sonics remain intact, yet each component reveals more music than the one beneath it in the lineup. Designer Andreas Hofmann always runs the tubes in his designs well within their limits, contributing to long tube life, another plus – especially for those making a substantial investment in vintage tubes.

Putting the HP700 through its paces with a wide range of sources and power amplifiers, both single ended and balanced reveals no difference in sound quality between outputs, making it an excellent choice for those prone to swapping amplifiers on occasion. Should you have the budget, I’d highly suggest their Jubilee monoblocks, a combination I’ve heard many times with excellent result.

The phono section is particularly good, and is reminiscent of the Octave Phono Module that we reviewed some time ago, in terms of sound quality and functionality. It works well with every MC and MM cartridge we were able to pair it with, and provides a level of sonic excellence that is in keeping with the rest of the preamplifier; vinyl playback is clearly not an afterthought here. Considering rack space is often at a premium, mating the HP 700 with a two tonearm turntable makes for a formidable analog based system with a minimal footprint.

The HP 700 offers some other novel technological goodies, that in addition to the modularity, really make it future proof; another consideration when writing this kind of check. Along with the option of setting gain, you can also set the output impedance to perfectly match your power amplifer and cable length. Precision tone controls are available as well as a stepped attenuator. Additional modules have a cost of between $475 and $2,750.

As far as destination preamplifiers go, the Octave HP700 ranks with the worlds finest. Thanks to their modular approach, it can easily be the last preamplifier you’ll ever need to purchase.  – Jeff Dorgay

Octave HP 700 Preamplifier

Starting at $20,000 depending on chosen modules

http://www.octave.de

PERIPHERALS

Analog Source SME Model 10 with Model 10 and SME V tonearms. Dynavector 17D3 and Denon 103R catridges

Digital Source Mac Mini with Roon music service, dCS Debussy

Amplification Burmester 911 mk3

Speakers Sonus faber Olympica III

Cables Jena Labs

Power Running Springs Audio Haley, and RSA Mongoose power cords

Accessories ASC tube traps, Mapleshade Samson audio racks, Coffman Labs Equipment Footers, AudioQuest Jitterbug

I’m a hifi reviewer, with an excellent music system at my disposal and thanks to Tidal, Qobuz and Roon, I pretty much have the world’s biggest record store available 24/7. That’s better than the flying cars they promised me when I was in high school – really, it is.

So why don’t I explore new music every minute of the day?

In all fairness, I am still sampling as much as I have time for, but at this point in my life, day to day can get in the way more than I’d like. Flipping through the updated copy of Robert Dimery’s 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, I bookmarked 8 titles that I hadn’t heard, and about 20 that I didn’t own, or have in my Roon library. Not bad.

But there’s great music being released every day. I’m not one of those crabby old men that thinks all of today’s music suuuuucks (though I do find some of it a little derivative at times), but it boils down to this:

Time.

I usually get unglued with a vengeance when people make the blanket “everybody/nobody” statements, so I’ll refrain from it here. I don’t know what everybody my age is doing or thinking, but based on my limited experience, it boils down to hours in the day.

Think about it, you’ve got that keep the bills paid app spinning all the time. Maybe you’ve got the future college fund, future wedding fund (maybe future divorce fund), retirement, vacation, health insurance, and fitness apps running all the time, along with a few special interest apps. If you’re a hifi enthusiast on top of that, you’re probably thinking about the system a bit as well.

All of these apps are eating up bandwidth. And battery power. While I’d like to think I’m pretty perky (and relatively immature) for 60, there are days I still feel like an iPhone 7 that’s had it’s performance limited because of an aging battery.

Which brings us back to the initial question.

Whenever you try something new, you are taking a 50% risk that it’s going to suck. Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want, but as a function of time, when you are on the downhill to EOL (end of life, as my perky 42-year old primary health care physician is fond of saying) there’s only so much time left.

You’ve got three hours to listen to music. How much of it do you devote to potential bad experiences? Do you play it safe and listen to Mahler V, or Led Zeppelin II, or take a risk, knowing that if you don’t get what you want, that’s 40 minutes of your remaining battery life you won’t get back. Excitement versus stability, the age old question.

Those of you that are more on the adventuresome side of the risk avoidance spectrum no doubt are still jumping off the cliff every chance you get. And I salute you. Further, you’re the ones I follow on Facebook and when you’re excited about a new album, I go to Roon and usually stream it right away. This has actually bumped the success rate with trying new things to about 80% positive, which I appreciate more than you know. As Lyle Lovett said once, “If it’s not too late, make it a cheeseburger.”

Some days I just want comfort food instead of the latest fusion cuisine. And sometimes, Van Halen II is just what the doctor ordered. But again, I encourage you to sample as much music as you can make time for, it’s never been easier. That’s one of the things that keeps me going every day. And please, keep sharing those new albums on social media. It’s always nice to be surprised.

Last year, we published a very enthusiastic review of PS Audio’s top P20 DirectStream Power Plant. It’s awesome, and every audiophile cliché you can think of applies. So we don’t need to go there again.

If you’d like to hear all the lavish praise, click here to read our review of the P20. At just a few molecules under $10,000, the P20 is not for everyone. The $7,495 P15 will perform the same miracles on your system and is sonically identical, except for a few minor differences. Where the P15 has a lower maximum capacity (1500 watts vs. 2000) it also only has the ability to utilize a 15-amp AC cord, where the P20 lets you take advantage of a 20 amp AC line and cord, the P15 does not. And it weighs a little less, which isn’t a bad thing.

The P15 features 10 outlets, to the P20s 16, but for most audio enthusiasts, that should be more than enough. With two “high current” zones and three regular zones, it’s easy to plug your power amplifier or integrated into the high current outlet, while plugging your DAC, phonostage and turntable all into separate zones of their own.

Originally, this was going to be an incredibly short review, because as long as you keep the P15 within operating limits, the sonic effect is identical to what the P20 offers. The P15 is the perfect choice for those not needing the full 20-amp capacity of the P20; some of you won’t even need the capacity of the P15. For those of you, PS Audio makes the P12, priced at $4,995.

Let’s address the elephant in the room right away. Yes, the P15 is worth the price to me, because in the context of the system that it’s powering (worth about $40k) there is way more than a 20% improvement. That’s always tough to quantify, and always easy when I’m spending your money, so I get it if this has you outraged.

The last six feet

However, what the P15 does, you really can’t get any other way. The top passive conditioners get you closer, but they don’t offer the last bit of silky smoothness without compromising resolution and dynamics that the Power Plants do because they actually regenerate and rebuild a fresh AC feed to your components – hence the name.

The argument that every crabby pants non-believer on the internet has is “but if the power has traveled all this way to my house, what does the last few feet make?” I could write another article on why I don’t agree with that philosophy, but to blow that out of the water completely, let’s start with fresh power right at the bottom of your audio rack. Now what do you non believers have to say?

Because the Power Plant is providing you with fresh AC, that six feet of power cord now makes an even bigger difference. The P15 and P20 make it much easier to discern the improvement that a premium power cable provides. You need look no further than the touch panel scope on the front panel of the P15 to see it in action. In my office/studio which features recent cabling and more attention to the Earth ground, the AC power only had an input distortion of 2%, coming from a 20 amp dedicated line and new breaker panel. In my house, with older wiring and a breaker box from the early 70s, that distortion rises to 3.5%. Interesting. Both Power Plants reduced output distortion to around .1%, a major increase in clarity.

Plugging an electric drill into the same outlet and pulling the trigger makes that figure jump up to nearly 10%, so while you might be thinking you’ve got clean power, everyone on your power pole’s transformer is contributing to the pollution in your power line. This is a lot of the haze and cloudiness that you might be hearing through your system without any attention to power treatment. This is also why your system sounds better at certain times of the day.
This distortion in the AC line is a major contributor to your system not giving you all the performance you paid for. Less distortion in the incoming AC power means that the power supply in your components work that much less, with less residual noise is getting through to your speakers. The P15 offers an ease that isn’t there without it being in the line, with no loss in transient impact or detail, a peril that more often than not plagues passive line conditioners.

A fresh start

Eliminating the other people on your power line gives you a clean baseline to start from. Perhaps the biggest benefit to have a Power Plant is that your system will always sound its best, day or night. Because it is generating power from scratch, you no longer need to worry about temporary power sags from other things like a refrigerator, water heater, or other appliance turning on at random when you’re in the middle of a listening session.

Adding the P15 to a system consisting of a VAC 170i integrated amplifier, Simaudio MOON 390 DAC/streamer and a Luxman PD 171A turntable doesn’t come close to taxing its maximum power capabilities. Again, the front panel display will tell you how much capacity you are using. In this case, about 39%. Swapping the VAC for the Nagra Classic preamplifier/Pass Labs XA30.8 amplifier (pure class A) upped the utilization to about 55% – still plenty of room.

Both amplifiers were driving the Focal Kanta no.3s, which are fairly efficient, but on hard musical peaks, both amplifiers were able to be driven to clipping and susceptible to voltage sag on the AC line at high volume without the P15. Installing the P15 eliminates this effect, yet you will get a similar “flattening” effect if you run the P15 very close to its limitations. The good news is that limit is much further down the road with the P15 on the job.

It’s not just about loud

As anyone who’s been following the loudness/compression wars for any period of time knows, getting louder isn’t the trick to volume. It’s all about dynamic range – make things quieter and the delta between loud and soft is volume. It’s like reducing the weight of a race car instead of just adding more horsepower.

This is where the P15 (and P20) really excels. Of course, your favorite records will have more life, dynamics and detail, but so will all the records (I use this term generically for analog and digital files) that you thought were marginal to shitty. Should you demo a P15 for yourself, I suggest starting with a few of your worst tracks – ones you might even think unlistenable. You’ll be surprised. I was shocked at how many albums in the junk bin became much more enjoyable. The amount of low level detail revealed by clean power is incredible. That alone is worth the price asked of the P15. Imagine getting another thousand LPs for free that you now love. What’s that worth to you?

The effect on analog and digital sources is equally bold, yet different. Every DAC plugged into the P15 instantly displays less harshness and glare – all the stuff you hate about digital, is now either gone or greatly diminished. Every phonostage exhibited a lower noise floor, especially those with vacuum tubes under the cover, allowing more of the finest musical details to come through. I guarantee you will have at least a few “wow, I never heard that” moments with the P15.

The same conclusion

I have the same suggestion I did with the P20 – get one if it makes sense for your budget. On one level the P15 offers more than a component level upgrade because dropping another 5 or 10 thousand bucks on a better component, or a set of world class power cords still leaves the noise in your entire system un-adressed.

If you are at a crossroads in your system where you are seriously considering a component or cable upgrade in this range, I strongly suggest that you audition a P15 first. I am confident you will hear a tremendous difference. And that goes for those of you at the top of the mountain.

The PS Audio P15

MSRP:  $7,495

www.psaudio.com

Peripherals

Analog Source Luxman PD 171 w/Kiseki Purple Heart

Digital Source Simaudio MOON 390, dCS Vivaldi One

Amplifier VAC Sigma 170i integrated, Pass Labs INT-60 integrated

Speakers Focal Kanta no. 3

Cable Cardas Clear Beyond, Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Rack Quadraspire EVO

The opening organ riff in the Who’s “Eminence Front” permeates my listening room. Diffuse, yet locked down slightly off the center of the soundstage as Pete Townshends guitar comes up out of nowhere and the track builds in intensity before his lead vocal enters the mix. These small monitors do the near impossible – they play loud, like a pair of big speakers.

Pushing the volume until my Pass INT-60 flattens out, the soundstage from the D1.1s just keeps getting bigger. Talk about good first impressions. Moving on to Keith Richards, “Wicked as it Seems” delivers similar dynamic excellence. Hours later, my ears are buzzing from listening to music so damn loud. Yet these little speakers offer such an undistorted, unfatiguing look at my favorite tunes, it’s easy to go past the danger zone.

I need to confess a hard-core reviewer bias right away. I really like Raidho speakers. A lot. A lot, a lot. I’ve been using a pair of their entry level X-1s in system two for some time now and they deliver such an incredible amount of musical detail, combined with a level of smoothness and dynamics that I’ve never heard from a ribbon tweeter, it’s tough not to be smitten – especially for someone that really enjoys the transparency of an ESL. The Raidho driver is even faster, and they incorporate this tweeter in every speaker they make, so if you discover that you like the Raidho sound as much as I do, you just get more of it as you go up the line. Think of it like drinking Macallan’s 12, 18, 24, or 60. More refinement costs more…

While all Raidho speakers share a common tweeter, the X series utilizes Raidho’s ceramic coned woofers, and the D series uses their diamond cones. The diamond composite in this driver is deposited at high voltage to create a cone that has no breakup anywhere near the audible range, making for an incredibly distortion free presentation. Unlike speakers built around the Accuton drivers, the Raidho driver takes this much further, offering much greater dynamic punch. No matter what your favorite type of music, these are not audiophile speakers, limited to solo vocalists and string quartets. They deliver massive dynamic contrasts when called upon.

$25k/pair vs. $6k/pair

A number of audiophile buddies observing the slightly larger D1.1 next to the X-1 all gave me the same look – how much more for these smallish speakers? It’s not a misprint, a pair of D1.1s will set you back $25k. A little more if you want the custom finish you see on our test pair.

Why you might want to consider going up the range is the level of refinement these speakers offer. You could argue that my $20k/pair Focal Sopra no.3s in room one arefull range floorstanding speakers for less money. That’s a valid argument, and smitten as I am with these little Raidhos, my Sopras aren’t showing up on Audiogon anytime soon. Yet, after hearing Raidhos in a number of different show rooms, dealers and my own room, there is something special here.

Where the entry level Raidho X-1 remains a fantastic speaker, and compared to a lot of small $4-$6k monitors I’ve experienced, a top value, the D1.1s are in an entirely different league. The D1.1s can play much louder, much cleaner and are truly world class. If you’ve ever met a feisty small dog and had their owner say, “He thinks he’s a big dog. He doesn’t know he’s in a small dog body,” that sums up the performance and attitude of the D1.1.

Yes, you will have to get a subwoofer or pair of subwoofers to get true full range performance with the D1.1s, but from about 50hz up, they rival anything I’ve experienced at any price. In a small room you may not even need the sub, depending on your musical requirements. I was more than impressed with the quality of the bass response in our smaller, 13 x 15 foot room.

Critical set up

While the D1.1s are nowhere near as fussy as some mega speakers I’ve set up, the one aspect that is critical when setting up any Raidho speaker is getting the rake angle correct. The ribbon does not have as much horizontal dispersion as some other speakers, so if you lean Raidhos back too far, the high frequencies will appear dull and diffused, along with a loss of image precision. A similar thing happens tipping them too far forward, but now additional image smear from floor reflections will muddle the mix even more.

The good news is that this limited horizontal dispersion makes the Raidhos a lot easier to integrate in a room than many others, because there’s not a ton of downward firing energy from said tweeter to interfere with the presentation.

As with any other speaker, use whatever method you choose to get the best low/mid frequency integration in the room and then slowly adjust the rake angle a couple of degrees at a time. Lift your head above and below the axis you are set, to figure out where you need to go for the optimum sound.  Finally, experiment a bit with toe in for the last bit of fine tuning.

With a claimed impedance of 6 ohms and a fairly low sensitivity of 85db/1 watt, these compact monitors are fairly power hungry. The Raidho website suggests a minimum of 50 watts per channel, but “good results with low power tube amplifiers are possible.” While I had decent results with our PrimaLuna DiaLogue HP Premium integrated amplifier (60wpc with EL34s) the Raidhos did a lot better with the KT150s installed (92wpc) and are pure heaven with the new PrimaLuna 140wpc EVO 400 monoblocks.

At the end of the day, my personal favorite was still pairing these amplifiers with solid-state amplification, and my experience with the Pass XA200.8s, the new Bryston 28B cubed, and the Luxman C900-n power amplifiers all deliver the most engaging performances with the small Raidhos. The big, high current amplifiers all produce a broader sense of dynamic scale, along with better bass control and extension than their tube counterparts. The few additional molecules of three dimensional space that the tube amplifiers could muster was not worth the added punch of the solid state amps.

A particularly nice combination was the pairing of the Nagra Classic Preamplifer and the Bryston amplifiers. These 1000 watt per channel amplifiers have grip in spades, and the ever so slightly warm presentation of the Nagra offers the best of both worlds. Of course, you will have to find your own nirvana with the D1.1s, but don’t scrimp on any other part of your system if you want them to give their best performance.

Returning to the listening chair

Once you have your D1.1s optimized to your taste and ability, expect a huge, presentation that will fool you time and time again that there really are a pair of floor standers lurking in your listening room.

Additionally, the tremendous amount of speed, and the coherent integration between woofer and tweeter will keep even the most feverish panel lovers happy. Acoustic instruments are reproduced with a stunning degree of realism, and heavily multi-tracked selections unravel with ease in front of you. As I may have mentioned before, but even more with the D1.1s, their setup is much like fine tuning the VTA on a premium phono cartridge. When it’s right, the presentation is almost limitless, and when it’s not, things are flat.

Most impressive about the D1.1s, as with my reference X1s is their ability to do a great job on less than pristine musical selections. These are musical speakers first, not audiophile speakers, limited to a few perfect tracks. Thanks to the incredibly low distortion in the Raidhos, these are speakers you can listen to all day long with no fatigue.

As mentioned earlier, the bass that these speakers can generate is of extremely high quality, and extends quite low, lower than the 50hz spec might suggest. Tracking through a long play list of hip hop, electronica, and classic rock tracks with plenty of low bass output was indeed satisfying, though with the Bryston amplifier’s 1000 watts per channel on tap, I did have to be careful not to bottom those little woofer cones!

They are also available in black…

Musically engaging as the D1.1s are, if you take enough time to really examine them closely, you will see just how beautiful they are built. The finish is luxury squared, as is the fine points of cabinet assembly. Joints are invisible, corners are perfectly executed and the gaps between the front face and the rest of the cabinet are meticulously optimized. The D1.1s look the part as well as sounding it.

Those wanting a compact, yet high performance monitor should consider the Raidho D1.1 at the top of their list. They are certainly at the top of ours. Highly recommended.

The Raidho D1.1

$25,000/pair

raidho.dk

Peripherals

Cartridge Koetsu Onyx Platinum, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent EX, Lyra Atlas

Phonostage BAT VK-P12SE, Boulder 508, Pass Labs XS Phono, ARC REF Phono 3

Preamplifier Pass Labs XS Pre

Power Amplifier Pass Labs XA200.8, Luxman C900n, PrimaLuna EVO400 mono blocks

Power PS Audio P20 and P15 power conditioners

Cable Cardas Clear and Tellurium Q Reference

A few years ago, we put VPIs direct drive turntable on our cover, giving it a product of the year award.

It was a brilliant design exercise, offering incredible sound, but VPI had some supply issues with the direct drive motor, and had to discontinue production. However, it opened the doors of perception for both Mat and Harry Weisfeld, once they saw what a well-executed direct-drive turntable could achieve.
Audiophile purists that scowl like the red angry bird when contemplating direct drive over belt drive usually haven’t heard a contemporary direct drive table. (isn’t that how life in our world usually goes?) Way too often their only point of reference is that Technics SL-1200 they think they remember from college days, or the stigma surrounding the SL-1200 because it was used as a “DJ table.”

Like so many other technologies, direct drive utilizing modern materials and construction is not not only a formidable competitor, but done properly, exceeds the resolution of the best belt drive tables. Brinkmann Audio and Grand Prix Audio both make such a table, and we use them both as references. The legendary Technics SP-10 with power supply upgrades, and the newest version are both exceptional too. That first VPI direct drive was up there with the big boys too, we were sad to see it go. Evidently, so were they.

The direct difference

What well implemented direct drive offers that the belt drive tables often do not, is superior speed accuracy. This leads to a lower noise floor and a level of pitch stability that rivals CD or SACD. Now you can have that speed accuracy that you crave from digital, with the tonal richness that is more often than not, easier to get from analog.

Where the original direct drive VPI tipped the scale at a fairly heavy $30k, the current table has a much lower MSRP of $15,000. Always a nice thing. Thanks to expanding their engineering staff with veteran Mike Bettinger, direct drive stayed on the table. VPI’s Mat Weisfeld tells us, “Mike took Harry Weisfeld’s original design and made it more efficient. Most important, by taking advantage of the latest in cutting edge motor technology, he made the table easier to build in quantity – something that plagued the original design.

This allowed us to build 400 motors out of the gate, and pass a cost savings on to our customers. Direct drive speaks to VPI’s roots – Harry built the HW-9 for Denon’s direct drive motor back in the late 70s/early 80s. So, it’s always been in our blood.”

I’ve switched to direct drive with my two reference turntables, and there’s a definite clarity to the presentation that isn’t there to the same extent with the best belt driven tables. If you happen to be blessed with perfect pitch (I am not) the pitch stability that the best direct drive tables will give you a new musical perspective. More than one pitch-perfect acoustic music lover has remarked that they can’t deal with the instability that belt drive offers.

The HW-40 is no slouch in this department. Queing up George Winston’s Winter,with it’s solitary, lingering notes has a solidity that the belt drives, even VPI’s can’t match. A similar effect is easily noticed when listening to violin recordings, the tonal subtleties in both the piano and violin’s decay pattern is unmistakably more solid and organic sounding through the VPI.

A variation on the Fatboy

VPI’s 3D printed Fatboy tonearm has been a favorite upgrade with legacy owners, but they’ve offered an interesting variation on the theme with the Direct Drive – a gimbaled arm. As someone who’s owned VPI’s for an incredibly long time, I’m still a bit uncomfortable with the relative ease that the arm can be bumped from its pedestal. Especially when a Koetsu, Atlas, or other 5 figure cartridge is mounted.

The gimbal variation makes the proposition a bit more solid, and confidence inspiring to mount up a few more cartridges and get back to work. VPIs manual is very straightforward, and you should have your table up and running quickly. Running the 12-inch arm through the Analog Magik software suite makes a world of difference, all for the better. In theory, a 12-inch tonearm can provide lower tracking/tracing error, however that’s only if it’s set up properly.

Improper setup exaggerates the errors, due to the longer arm wand, and perhaps this is why the longer arms don’t always deliver on the promise. Once optimized, the gimbaled Fatboy is exceptional.

Spending time with the Lyra Atlas, Koetsu Onyx Platinum and the new Ultra Eminent EX from My Sonic Lab is an analog delight, with the Fatboy/DD combination easily bringing out the personalities of these fine cartridges. Those with multiple cartridge setups might want to have their direct drive fitted with a standard Fatboy so they can exchange armwands with multiple cartridges.

Back to the listening chair

If the direct drive feel grabs you, it’s tough to unhear it. The clarity offered by the speed stability offers such a neutral music delivery platform to start with, it’s so easy to fine tune the tonality to your liking from there. The Koetsu Onyx Platinum, paired with BAT’s new VK-P12SE phono stage provided a level of sonic perfection that I found tough to beat, offering a few clicks of warmth, combined with a massive soundstage and a well defined bottom end.

Our recent installation of a six pack of REL no.25 subwoofers (and the incredible amount of low-frequency resolution they provide) made the HW-40s locked in bottom end even more prominent. I’ll go out on a limb and declare that the better your system is dialed in to reproduce low frequencies, the more you will appreciate the HW-40. To further take advantage of the HW-40s capabilities, keep in mind that it is a non suspended design, so it will give the most LF extension on a premium rack, or even wall mounting.

We had excellent results on the top of a Grand Prix Audio Monaco rack, and a SolidSteel wall shelf, thoroughly anchored to the wall studs. Keep in mind, this baby weighs about 75 pounds, so don’t even think about using wall anchors.

Properly set up and secured, further listening leads to bass heavy recordings, because the HW-40 delivers a full palette of low frequency information, and the resulting drama that this brings to the music. Beginning with the three LP set of the classic K&D Sessions, “Bug Powder Dust” squeezes me back into my listening chair. The opening bass line in Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused” takes on new meaning with the amount of sheer LF texture the HW-40 provides.

But don’t think we’re just rattling the walls with bass. From the bottom of the frequency range to the top, the HW-40 paints a large sonic canvas. Small details hang in the air, and deeply layered recordings reveal treats you might have missed on a lesser table. No matter what kind of music you love, the HW-40 does a fantastic job.

A distinct lack of bling

The HW-40 reminds me of staffer Jerold O’Brien’s new silver Audi RS3. On the outside, it’s looks plain as plain can be, but when you turn the key, this sixty-thousand dollar car delivers the performance envelope of a two hundred thousand dollar car. This is what I love about the HW-40 – it’s all performance. While VPI’s Avenger is a much more mechanically complex beast (and offers the ability to use three tonarms, which is totally cool) I like simplicity. And I love the level of performance the HW-40 delivers at the price.

No doubt you’ve got your own opinion, and fortunately VPI offers both. At the end of the day, I’m hooked on the presentation of direct drive and while there are a few much more expensive tables that reveal slightly more resolution, the overall effect of the HW-40 is unbeatable for 15k.

Hence, we are happy to award the VPI HW-40 direct drive table one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2019. This is the biggest portion of cost no object analog we’ve had the pleasure to experience for $15k.

We would like to thank VPI Industries for the accompanying photos.

The VPI HW-40 Direct Drive Turntable

$15,000

vpiindustries.com

Peripherals

Cartridge Koetsu Onyx Platinum, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent EX, Lyra Atlas

Phonostage BAT VK-P12SE, Boulder 508, Pass Labs XS Phono, ARC REF Phono 3

Preamplifier Pass Labs XS Pre

Power Amplifier Pass Labs XA200.8

Speakers Quad 2812, Focal Sopra no.3, Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo with six REL no.25 subwoofers

Power PS Audio P20 and P15 power conditioners

Cable Cardas Clear and Tellurium Q Reference

Listening to the twinkly introduction of The Claypool/Lennon Delierium’s South of Reality, it’s instantly clear just how much music the $1,995 Lotus 5 DAC from Pure Audio offers.

It’s smooth, spacious, and dynamic presentation gets you into the groove immediately. Hours later, we’re convinced that this is a fantastic DAC, offering tremendous musicality. Gone are the days when you used to say “it sounds pretty good for digital.” With variable balanced XLR and single ended RCA outputs, the Lotus 5 is the perfect choice for those wanting to put together a high-performance system that won’t break the bank, and don’t need to embrace analog.

The rest of the system is equally modest, yet carefully chosen for high value for the dollar. A pair of Harbeth P3ESRs with a REL T7i subwoofer and the latest incarnation of the Dynaco Stereo 70 round out the picture with Cardas Iridium power, speaker and interconnect cables make for a killer system that will leave enough change from your ten-thousand dollar bill to spend a week in Hawaii on holiday, two if you go during the off season.

While you’re there, stop by Underwood HiFi and take “Underwood Wally” for a beer and thank him for selling components that deliver great music and leave you enough spare change for said holiday.

Competition breeds better products

With so much competition in the $1,000 – $3,000 DAC range these days, it is truly amazing at how much performance this buys you. As good friend and fellow audio writer John Darko and I were discussing on a recent podcast, DACs in this range could be easily outclassed by a $1,000 turntable a decade ago. This is no longer the case.

The Lotus 5 can handle everything – DSD, high res PCM and MQA, so however you like to serve up your files, it gets the job done. The only thing lacking is the ability to use it as a ROON end point. Considering how many great (and inexpensive) streamers on the market, this isn’t a deal breaker. During the course of this review, files were supplied by three sources: a Mac Book Pro, a Naim Uniti Core, and our vintage Sony ES CD player, via the optical output. All work equally well and the Lotus 5 brings enough life to the Sony changer to make it a viable digital source, despite being a vintage piece.

Built around Sabre/ESS DAC chips, the Lotus 5 is incorporating a lot of technology that’s not out of place in ten-thousand dollar DACs. The straightforward, yet elegant casework (silver or black) gives the Lotus 5 a luxurious look and the remote is well thought out, allowing you to easily scroll through the various menus, with the ability to choose output level, variable or fixed output and seven digital filter choices. As with nearly every other DAC offering this functionality, I ended up sticking with the factory settings after trying them all. Your level of OCD will determine where you land and for how long.

Great sound, great combination

Extending listening on a wide range of music confirms the initial impressions. Digital has come a long way in the last decade, and this is an incredibly relaxed and musical sounding DAC for $1,995. Even compared to today’s hardware, playing the Lotus 5 side by side with components from Naim and Simaudio that cost more than twice as much (but to the Sim’s credit, it does offer a headphone amp and analog inputs as well as a cracking MM phonostage), the sheer level of music revealed by the Lotus 5 is right there. And even if you are using it strictly as a DAC, it still holds its own.

The overall sound is very neutral, neither adding nor subtracting musically, with a tonal balance that isn’t in your face, but won’t be mistaken for having a few vacuum tubes under the hood either. Personally, I prefer this, because it gives you the option to fine tune the system to your taste and associated speakers. Want a bit more, warmth, and romance? Pair the Lotus 5 with your favorite tube amplifier. Those wanting less of that can go the solid-state route.

I found an excellent combination beyond the tubed Dynaco that I started with, combining the Lotus 5 with the Pass XA30.8 and Focal Kanta no.3s in my living room system, replacing the Simaudio 390 that was there previously.

Soundstage width is nice and wide, exceeding the speaker boundaries, offering a big sound. Where the Lotus 5 shows its limitations compared to the crazy money DACs is in ultimate resolution, soundstage depth and that way that a mega DAC fools you into thinking you are listening to analog. Yet in the context of similiarly priced hardware, the Lotus 5 is at the top of the heap.

The top end of the Lotus 5 offers top of the class high frequency refinement as well. Listening to acoustic music really shows off how well this DAC performs. Guitar, piano and violin are rendered without harshness or glare. Again, tough to want an entry level turntable after listening to some high res tracks here.

Another system that proved a fantastic match was utilizing the Coincident Dynamo III (an 8wpc SET tube amp) and our Pure Audio Project horns. The Lotus is an excellent control point here and made the heart of an incredibly enjoyable system. There is something so nice about the simplicity of a DAC/PRE, a power amplifier and a set of great speakers, that makes it incredibly easy to just kick back and relax without requiring a second mortgage to do so. Installing the Lotus 5 in the context of some decidedly upmarket gear that is well beyond its price point shows it incredibly capable.

A final, yet important point worth sharing about the Lotus 5 is that it is equally adept at decoding all digital files. Some DACs we’ve evaluated, especially those at the lower end of the price spectrum are often optimized for one segment of digital playback, i.e., high res performance is optimized at the expense of RedBook files, etc. It’s refreshing to see that Pure Audio has approached all options with equal respect. DSD and MQA files are also handled with care and ease, so no matter what you’re listening to, you’re covered.

Bottom line

As mentioned earlier, the Lotus 5 would be a great value even as a DAC alone, but considering the variable outputs and it’s ease at driving any power amplifier you might want to mate it with, that puts it over the top as a top performer and incredible value.

While my viewpoint might make some uncomfortable, the advent of Tidal and Qobuz offering so much music for so little money (and leaving the MQA vs. FLAC high res files out of this) I find it tough to really want to embrace analog if I had to start from ground zero. So, if you happen to be a digital music only music lover, I can’t think of a better anchor for a great two channel system than the Pure Audio Lotus 5 in this category.

With that being said, I am more than happy to award this DAC one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2019. And Wally has mentioned that they will be offering 20% off to TONE readers, so be sure to mention this, should you call to order one. Tell them we sent you.

The Pure Audio Lotus 5 DAC/PRE

Msrp: $1,999

www.underwoodhifi.com

Peripherals

Power amplifiers Dynaco Stereo 70 (current model), Pass XA30.8

Speakers Harbeth P3ESR w/REL T7i subs, Focal Kanta no.3, Quad 2815

Cable Cardas Iridium

Power PS Audio P15

https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/pure-audio

Even at a relatively low background level the massive Sonus faber SE speakers are immersive.

The top to bottom tonal balance is so engaging, it’s tough to write, or even have a conversation while they are playing. These speakers truly take your breath away, even before you turn the music on. Even at a modest level the SEs captivate instantly, as Bos Scaggs’ silky voice slowly folds into the mix of “Harbor Lights,” a track I’ve easily heard a thousand times over the years.

For speakers with such a massive physical presence, the delicacy that they deliver is almost tough to describe, it’s so seamless, effortless and with such gentle gradation when the program demands it, yet equally forceful when that is required. Powered by a full Burmester system, with bridged 909 Mk.5 power amplifiers for each SE (delivering nearly 2000 watts per channel) there are no dynamic restrictions here. And this is only a hint of what is to come.

The Sonus faber website says that the SE “is a limited edition masterpiece, available only by special request from premier clientele.” There’s a handful of Sonus faber dealers that you can purchase the Aida’s from, but if you want the SE, there’s only one place – LMC Home Entertainment in Scottsdale, Arizona. Owner Mike Ware is your steward to Sonus faber’s finest, and one of the top hifi dealers in the world. Ware says that his team will install and setup the SEs anywhere in the US, so you won’t have to worry about trying to move these on your own. Ware and his highly trained staff will leave nothing left to chance.

So, it made way more sense that I get on a plane and head out to see Mike. No one wants to see a pair of beauties like this get a nick, dent or scratch from shipping. Trading Portland for Scottsdale in January is not a bad idea either.

The setup

Having extensive experience with Burmester gear, also having spent time with the Sonus faber Aida a few weeks earlier, LMC’s Mike Ware saved me a ton of setup time. His main room, which measures about 25 x 40 feet, proves a much better venue for a speaker this size than my 15 x 26 foot room. Speakers this big really do need a big room to open up into.

Ware has the SE’s installed in the room about 15 feet apart and about 5 feet from the side walls, with three rows of slightly elevated theater seats. The front row center position is about ten feet back, the next row about a foot higher and the final row another foot or so higher. Because this system recreates such a true sense of scale, and fills the room so completely, depending on the performance played, you can get the immediacy of a third-row orchestra seat, the more diffuse position of the back row, or in between. It’s impressive, the way the stereo imaging holds up no matter where you sit.

Sonus faber speakers have always offered wide dispersion in both planes. Moving back to the middle row offers a slightly more homogenous feel with more room for the bass to integrate, but these speakers disappear in the room so well, it’s tough to not go back to the immersive, giant headphone like feel of the front row. Of course, you will certainly have your own preference, should you install your own pair. The best news though is that these are by no means a one-person, small sweet spot speaker. Sitting right in the center will give obvious dividends, but even sitting on the floor, off to the side, it’s still good.

The real deal

For all the naysayers that a great hifi system can’t put the real thing in your room, I say shut up. There’s something so special about these speakers in a big room, it is possible to close your eyes and be there. A perfect example of this is the “Superman” track from the Crash Test Dummies first album.  The SEs do such a precise job at recreating the performers, I feel just like I’m back at Portland’s Aladdin Theater, and Ellen Reid is resting her head on Brad Robert’s shoulder while singing backup. The spatial recreation is that convincing.

Awesome rarely comes easy and it rarely comes cheap. It certainly doesn’t here. A pair of SEs will set you back a cool $250k. Yeah. And that probably means at least another 250 or more in electronics and wire. We can have the argument till the cows come home whether this is “worth it” or not, but the bottom line is that this is what it costs to get sound this good. The rest is whether you want to play. But what a great playground.

Switching to more dynamic faire, bumping the volume on Aphex Twin’s “Minipops 67” is so much fun, even I want to get up and dance. And that’s not a medium in which I choose to express myself. Though I was given the green light to “turn it up as loud as I needed to,” the Sonus faber/Burmester combination never runs out of dynamic range, never flattening out in the slightest.

The driving bass line in the Aphex Twin tracks leads me to the back side of the SE to see where the “deep low level” setting happens to be. It is on “minimum.” According to the owners manual, this controls the output of the 15-inch, side firing woofer (with 4-inch voice coil) that is crossed over to the pair of front firing 10-inch woofers at 80hz.

Sonus faber lists the sensitivity of the SE at 92db/1 watt, and a maximum power handling of 1000 watts. Ware confirms my suspicions, that like the Aida, these speakers will play with anything, but a reserve of clean, quality wattage helps them deliver everything they are capable of.

Further up the spectrum

These woofers cross to the midrange driver at 250hz, and then again to the Beryllium dome tweeter at 2500hz. There is another one of these facing back with a smaller midrange, as part of what Sonus faber refers to as a “soundfield shaper.” This feeds a bit of the main sound towards the rear wall or corner in your room, and depending on where you set the controls, can go far at expanding the soundstage. Ware had these set on the lowest setting in his room, which makes sense considering the size.

The Aida has a similar setup around back, and when we had them here for review, we found that they helped integrate a large speaker into a smaller room better, but as always, experiment to find the sweet spot to taste.

I’d be lying if I told you I remember all the nuances of seeing the Talking Heads on the Stop Making Sense tour back in 1981, but playing the soundtrack through the SEs feels right. Their ability to reproduce the sheer sound pressure level of the live event, with the resolution, clarity, and nuance of a world class audiophile system is better than live in my book. And the way the audience response is folded in and out of the mix, feels totally real. I found a similar effect when listening to Jeff Beck’s Live at Ronnie Scotts, as I did with a number of other favorite live recordings.

The spatial presentation of these large speakers is fantastic. The energetic presentation they offer confirms a true sense of sonic reality. Sitting in the middle row of Ware’s room, the cues from people in the audience cheering, clapping, and whistling is so realistic it’s almost like listening to a full Dolby Atmos setup, not two speakers. Greg Dulli’s vocals at the beginning of Gentlemen is phenomenal. Im pulled to the edge of the seat as His textured, loud, cyring whisper drains off so gradually when he sings, “It’s in our home, baby, it’s in our bed.” Yet 20 seconds later when he begins to scream, I nearly jump out of the chair. That’s musical realism.

Big dynamics are big fun, but revisiting some of my favorite Beatles, Stones and Dylan records reveals how well the SEs lock down the musical pace, almost like a small pair of studio monitors – but a lot bigger. A LOT bigger.

A different look at detail

For many audiophiles, the word detail means a sharp-edged presentation that cuts into your psyche, often revealing the music in a harsh manner, with a forward presentation. Speakers that have a softer presentation are referred to as laid back, warm, or rounded off.

But imagine combining that level of detail, revealing the maximum amount of musical information in a way that is not the least bit harsh or grating, with a range of tonal scale that feels like a continuous gradation, that’s the sorcery that the SE presents. It’s like sleeping on 2400 count sheets.

The resolution experienced with the SEs is not so much in an ultimate sense, but in the smoothness of gradation. Sounds faded from maximum to minimum in an incredibly linear fashion, and swelled from quiet to loud in the same way. This is the last bit of realism for me.

If I weren’t listening to digital files, I’d feel almost like the music was running a tad slow, but it comes back to the way the music is rendered with such an utmost delicacy. The SEs have the necessary speed to accomplish whatever musical task is required, yet they never feel like they are “attacking the music.” The music merely swells and recedes so quickly and smoothly, there’s never any attention drawn to the speakers.

That’s the highest compliment I can pay the SEs. After a really intense seven hour listening session, I never felt like I was listening to hifi, nor did I have hifi thoughts while basking in their glory. All I could think of was what track to play next, comparing what I heard to what I’ve heard before. There’s nothing that these speakers can’t play. Big, or small, loud or soft, acoustic or electric. No limit.

And that’s part of what $250k buys.

The SEs do it all: they sound great at bone crushing levels, yet even at conversation level, they still sound fantastic. Yet they create a sound field that is so dense and full of musical information, as you slowly advance the volume level it’s easy to perceive the level at which you become totally immersed in the music – the point at which you become the music. The SEs provide a transparency and coherence of your favorite ESL, yet they have the punch of a cone speaker and the weight to convince you.

Because each pair of SEs is built to order, any special finish requirements can easily be accommodated.

The other part of the equation is the level of detail that is paid to every single aspect of all Sonus faber speakers, but even more so in the SE. The level of craftsmanship present here is unmatched by any other speaker manufacturer.

Sonus fabers’ craftsmanship is everywhere, from the leather neatly wrapped around the front and rear panels, all the way down to the suspension and feet in the base. No detail is left unfinished to epic proportions.

Ware informs us that it takes about four months to build a set of SEs, and he has a few pair in stock (in popular finishes) so if the urge strikes, you can take them home today. As mentioned at the beginning of the review, LMC Home Entertainment in Scottsdale is the sole dealer for this speaker in the United States. It’s a great place to visit, so you might want to schedule a vacation around auditioning them. Southwest Airlines is offering some specials right now…

As much as I’ve tried to fill you in on what these spectacular speakers sound like, I still feel my words come up short. Should the SEs be on your radar, it will only take about 90 seconds into your favorite track to fall under their spell. At that moment, you will know everything.

You’ve been warned.

The Sonus faber SE

MSRP: $250,000/pair

Peripherals

Digital Source Burmester 069 CD Player, Linn Klimax DS

Preamplfier Burmester 077

Power Amplifier Burmester 909 Mk.5 (2 in mono block mode)

Power Burmester 948 Power Conditioner

Cable Atlas Asimi

www.sonusfaber.com

www.lmche.com

Paradigm, Anthem, and MartinLogan are pleased to announce exhibition plans for ISE 2019 at the RAI in Amsterdam.

For four days in early February, the companies will showcase a broad range of advanced loudspeaker designs and cutting-edge audio electronics. Paradigm and Anthem will offer 2-channel and home theater demonstrations, MartinLogan will announce several new products, and Anthem will release details about the next generation of Anthem Room Correction (ARC) software.

For the duration of ISE 2019, Paradigm and Anthem are partnering with HTE (Home Theater Environment) and SIM2 to offer exceptional audio and home theater demonstrations. In a sound room, specially designed by HTE, Paradigm and Anthem will be demonstrating a 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos home theater system and a 2-channel audio system. Additional equipment used in the home theater demo includes SIM2’s new 4K projector and a projection screen from Screen Innovations.

Paradigm’s 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos demonstration system will feature the following products:

• Persona 5F speakers and Persona C center channel speaker
• Persona Sub and Defiance X15 subwoofers
• CI Elite E7-LCR in-wall & E-80R in-ceiling speakers
• Anthem AVM 60 audio/video processor
• Anthem STR and MCA power amplifiers

Paradigm’s 2-channel demonstration system will feature the following products:

• Persona 5F speakers
• Persona Sub subwoofers
• Anthem STR Preamplifier
• Anthem STR Power Amplifier

In addition to products featured in the active demo system, Paradigm’s display will feature:

• Details on the next generation of Anthem Room Correction software(a press release will be available on February 5th)
• Persona loudspeakers
• Prestige loudspeakers
• Premier loudspeakers
• Monitor SE loudspeakers
• Defiance subwoofers
• CI Home and CI Pro custom installation loudspeakers
• Garden Oasis and Stylus all-weather custom installation loudspeakers
• Anthem STR electronics
• Anthem AVM 60 audio/video processor
• Anthem MRX audio/video receivers
• Anthem MCA amplifiers

MartinLogan’s display will feature:

• A new line of CI speakers (a press release will be available on February 5th)
• CLX Art full-range electrostatic loudspeakers
• Renaissance ESL 15A hybrid electrostatic loudspeakers
• Classic ESL 9 hybrid electrostatic loudspeakers
• ElectroMotion ESL X hybrid electrostatic loudspeakers
• Motion 60XT loudspeakers
• Motion 35XT bookshelf loudspeakers
• Dynamo subwoofers

HTE (Home Theatre Environment) is an Italian based company offering unique solutions to transform any room into a specialized entertainment environment, conjugating the technical demands with the design. The strong point of HTE lies in its ability to transform the environment, so it will be acoustically perfect, without compromising aesthetics, thanks to proprietary HAS Acoustic System. One of their 24-bit Performance Interior Acoustic Design will be presented during the show. For more information on HTE, please visit: https://www.hte.design/

SIM2 is an Italian based company that designs and manufactures the world’s finest home cinema projection systems. Since 1995 SIM2 has designed outstanding products that offer the highest cinematic experience and perfect home integration. Premiering at ISE 2019, SIM2’s new NERO4 SD is a 6,000-lumen high-brightness DLP projector featuring the most advanced HDR video processing in the industry, a 4K compatible projection lens (capable of 92 line pairs/mm),  and a full DCI color space. For more information on SIM2, please visit:  http://www.sim2.com/

Paradigm, Anthem, and MartinLogan will be located at booth #15 – T265.

Today, from Amsterdam at the ISE show, the Sonus faber division of the McIntosh Group announced a wide range of in-wall and in-ceiling speakers. They call this new line of speakers
Palladio, appropriately bearing the name of the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio – a master of classical proportion.

This is fantastic news for those wishing to build an all Sonus faber system without compromise.

Sonus faber’s North America brand manager, William Kline and McIntosh Group’s Senior Marketing Manager David Mascioni gave us a quick call to fill us in on this exciting development.

For now this product that Kline refers to as “35 years in the making,” will consist of two product lines (level 5 and level 6) to compliment the Sonetto and Olympica collections, both from a sonic and aesthetic standpoints. He goes on to tell us that a lot of the core research for these speakers came from those respective lines, in both driver and crossover technology. “They incorporate everything that makes Sonus faber, Sonus faber.” When asked if this was company or market directed, he responded that it was an equal push from both sides, and that from a dealer standpoint, “A multi-channel or HT customer can now have an all Sonus faber system.”

With a total of 13 models, it will be easy to accompany your floor standing Sonus faber speakers with the additional channels required for a custom installation, or even go all in-wall/ceiling. The possibilities are greater than ever.

As you can see from the photos, these are pure Sonus faber, right down to the grilles. Sonus faber is saying that final pricing will be locked in some time in Q2 of this year, with product available in the dealer channel sometime in Q3. We will definitely have more to tell you as soon as we are able to experience these in person.

Watch the Sonus faber website for more information soon, and if you are attending ISE, stop by booth 14-C150. And tell them TONE sent you. Ciao.

With so many manufacturers of small speakers skating around the subwoofer issue, JERN (Danish for Iron, but more about that later) comes right out and tells you that their speakers are “meant for use with a high quality subwoofer.”

Meeting with JERN’s CEO and designer, Ole Lund Christensen and their representative for the US, Steve French at last year’s Munich show and again at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, these speakers put on a stunning display, with a pair of small REL T5i subwoofers. While achieving equally great results with a pair of T7is in my smaller listening room, the pair of REL 212SEs in the main listening room kept me pondering. It didn’t take long before they were mated to the big subs.

Carefully readjusting the level and crossover frequencies on the big REL’s to blend seamlessly with these super cool (but not light) small speakers was nothing short of breathtaking. While powering them with the Audio Research REF160M amplifiers in for review, along with the Pass XS Pre and dCS Vivaldi ONE made for a couple hundred thousand dollar reference system, with this tiny $5k/pair speakers as the centerpiece. They succeed brilliantly, and are not out of place.

Thanks to high quality drivers from ScanSpeak, Mundorf’s best capacitors in the 6db/octave crossover and a high density, cast iron enclosure that redefines inert, these speakers threw a massive, three dimensional soundfield in our 15 x 25 foot listening room. With the JERNs only about 6 feet away from my listening chair in an equilateral triangle, there was no real interaction with the rear or side walls and it was easy to get them aligned to perfection.

Do not do the knuckle rap test on the JERN’s unless you want to make a trip to your nearest urgent care facility for broken knuckles. This is such a unique application of a material that has been around for sometime. It manages to be completely resonance free, and while they are offered in colors, the native black is incredibly cool, especially if you can blast a few spotlights on your JERN speakers. The organic shape responds to lighting very well, looking more like sculpture than speakers.

Taking a lead from our newest writer, I used Doris Day’s voice, in “Love Me or Leave Me” to adjust the JERN’s. They utilize a thick rubber donut to go between the speaker and your stands (filled Sound Anchors did the job here) so that you can make minute adjustments to toe in and rake. They offer wide dispersion, but extra care making sure that both speakers are raked at exactly the same angle will give you the maximum amount of separation and imaging focus. You should be able to optimize this in about 15 minutes.

Be careful as these little sound pods weigh almost 30 pounds each! As our good friend Kurt at Echo HiFi in Portland likes to say “don’t play catch with them.” Those of you with basketball player hands could probably use them to knock out a set of curls though. But I digress.

Redefining the small speaker experience

Nearly always, small speakers mean small dynamics. Not with JERN. Having just come off a major listening session comparing three small speakers that I really love (the Harbeth P3ESL, the Graham LS3/5 and LS3/5A) the word stuck in my head was small. Great midrange, check. Killer, three-dimensional imaging, check. Big speaker dynamics, (even with subs) not so much.

The true magic in the JERNs, is their high level of resolution and actual dynamics; they mate better with a pair of good subwoofers than any other small speaker I’ve had the pleasure to use. Because they naturally roll off around 70hz, they can play louder than other small speakers, and the cones don’t bottom out when you play serious bass heavy music with a subwoofer like the REL, which demands running your mains full range.

Cranking up some vintage Nine Inch Nails, “Mr. Self Destruct” the REL/JERN combination paints a landscape extending beyond the speakers all the way to the side walls, which are ten feet to each side. Compared to the Quad 2812s used in the same context, the JERNs positively crank, playing so much louder than possible with the ESLs. When the track drops from maximum level, to Trent Reznor’s whisper, they follow the music truthfully, picking up layer after layer of detail.

A true Quad lover, the JERN’s and a pair of great subs eclipses the Quad experience in a lot of ways. The miniscule amount of ethereal ESL-ness that the Quads bring to the table won’t outweigh the sheer dynamics that the JERN’s offer, served with their own nuanced presentation. I’ve never experienced a pair of small monitors that deliver so much finesse along with sheer punch. Listening to Mick Jagger and Christina Aguilara duel on “Live With Me,” you can almost feel the two of them moving back and forth, taking turns with the microphone.

The model 14 is made to be used with a subwoofer and as mentioned, has a limited LF output, allowing more dynamics. Their model 12s are better suited for full range applications, much as you might use any other mini monitor. But keep in mind, they just won’t quite rock like the 14EH.

Further experimentation

The REL T7i’s make a fantastic match for the JERN’s that won’t break the bank. At just under $2,000/pair, you’ve got a $7,000 full range speaker system that will reveal a lot more music than quite a few speakers costing much more.

Those wanting to step up a bit, might even consider a single REL Carbon sub. This $3,500 sub, with its carbon fiber cone is even faster and more nuanced than the 212SE, and plays up a little higher in the frequency band without bloat. Where the 212SE’s are fantastic, when asked to crossover as high as the JERNs need to be, without a hole in the frequency spectrum, the Carbon goes that last 10hz with ease.

Thanks to the benign load a simple 6db/octave crossover presents along with a sensitivity of 88db/1 watt, you don’t need to have a pair of $30k Audio Research monoblocks. Making the Sugden A21SE (30 wpc, solid-state, single ended class A) the heart of the system along with the Mytek Brooklyn, and some Tellurium Q black cables brings the system total to about $13k, and in a small-ish room, is heavenly. We found equally enticing results with the PrimaLuna HP integrated (about 90wpc, tubes) and the Gold Note IS-1000 integrated (125 wpc, solid state).

The JERN 14EH’s provide such a high level of resolution, that the personalities of each of these amplifiers was easy to discern. Should you build your system around the 14EH, they will probably be the last thing you’ll replace if you chase down the upgrade path. If you want world class fidelity in a small room, these can easily be your final destination.

The more you listen, the more you’ll like

As with most speakers, the JERN’s are a little bit flat right out of the box. You can hear the magic, but it feels a little far away. Give them five or six solid days of play and return to the party. That’s better. Keith Richard’s “How Could I Stop?” was the track starting each mornings listening. Every day there was more separation between Richard’s lead vocal track and the backup singers, and Charlie Watts’ cymbal work picks up more texture as well. Most small monitors excel at conveying the musical pace, but the JERN’s are a step above in this respect.

The only thing the JERNs can’t do is play at near brain damage levels in a large room and present a massive soundstage. Those small cones can only move so much air. But in a relatively near field situation, your ears might just give up before these speakers do.

Ultimately, the real limitations of the JERN 14EH speakers will be your budget for ancillaries. They will sound lovely with modest amplification and subwoofers, but they offer a major helping of the best high-end sound has to offer if you mate them with world class components.

It’s always tough to add your personal bias to a review, but I loved the 14EH’s enough to buy the review pair. I think they are that good, and I’ve had the privilege to audition a number of great small speakers. With a great sub, there’s no other $7k pair of speakers I’d rather own.

The Jern 14EH Speakers

MSRP: $5,000/pair

www.jernspeakers.com

Peripherals

Digital Source         dCS Vivaldi ONE

Preamplifier            PASS Labs  XS Pre

Power Amplifier     Audio Research REF160M

Signal Cable          Tellurium Q Ultra Black

Subwoofers           REL T7i, REL Carbon Edition, REL 212SE

Tracking through Jaco Pastorius’ debut album via a pair of RELs new Carbon Limited subwoofers, there’s definitely something different from the way the low frequencies are rendered compared to what I’m used to on my REL 212SEs.

Our Product of the Year-winning 212’s provide a level of power, weight, and definition that are unmatched in their price category, the Carbon Limited throws a curve ball into the mix. The 212s weigh in at $4,200 each, the Carbon Limited’s are $3,500 each. Do you choose the mid-grade Porsche 911, or do you get the similarly priced, not quite as fast, but more nimble (and in much more limited quantity) Cayman GT4? Hmmm.

Just like Porsche’s best kept secret, RELs Carbon Limited subwoofer might end up being revered in the same way. REL has performed a similar feat of engineering with the Carbon Limited. Utilizing one of their carbon drivers from the current G-1 MKII sub, the passive radiator from the 212SE, and goosing the amplifier from the highly successful S/5 SHO, results in a compact, high performance product like no other, and nothing else in their line. Like the GT4, the Carbon Limited, due to the amount of hand fit and finish work (more about that later), will only be made in small quantities. So, if you want one, get to your dealer now and place an order.

Inspiration

In a recent chat with REL’s John Hunter, he reiterates a bit of information from a recent REL Blog post, telling me that this was a “what-if, dream project.” A fellow car guy, we’ve always pondered what might be available if you could go to the parts bin with unlimited access and just make exactly the car you wanted. A similar thing has occurred with the Carbon Limited.

The CL features REL’s medium sized enclosure from their Serie S subwoofers, but that’s where the similarity ends. The 12” carbon fibre cone with a full 4” of travel has excursion, dynamics, and low level detail that is unmatched by any of its competitors. Adding all the other components along with “a host of special tricks and techniques they’ve developed over the years” results in a nearly perfect solution for increasing the LF output of your system.

And if you look closer, you’ll see an even smoother, glossier, deeper finish than a standard model. As Nigel Tufnel would say, “how much more black can this be?” This black. A black that puts the black finish on a $100k GT4 to shame. Even cooler is the badge on top of the cabinet; this aluminum badge is triple chrome plated and the black of the REL logo is hand painted in the recess. You might see this kind of thing on a pre-war Delahaye, but not on a subwoofer. The shiny feet receive the exact same treatment.

In the end, the Carbon looks and feels luxurious before you even turn it on. To our quality-philes in the audience, you’re going to love it.

Simple setup

As with all REL products, setup is easy with multiple options. Should you choose not to use REL’s high level connection, which does offer the best sound and best integration with your main speakers, it can still be connected via the LFE channel, or line level outputs from your preamplifier. If you’ve never done it REL’s way, you should, it transforms the experience. Utilizing the high-level speaker output for connection, the Carbon takes on the low frequency characteristics of your power amplifier and it eliminates the signal from your preamplifier passing through another crossover network. All good things for signal integrity and the biggest possible soundfield.

Finally, you can connect to the Carbon wirelessly, using REL’s Longbow transmitter, featuring the same functionality and inputs as the ones on the rear panel of the Carbon. This eliminates the long cables from amplifier to subwoofer and has a range of about 45 feet. You can read the full definition of the Longbow system here, but suffice to say it’s the easiest bit of hardware we’ve ever used. Two switches, and you’re done.

As we’ve mentioned in other REL articles, switching back and forth between the Longbow and wired connections reveals no difference in the character of our reference system’s LF performance. The receiver is built into the Carbon, but you will need a transmitter, which has a cost of $300. The Longbow can control up to four separate REL’s in mono mode, but if you want to run a pair in discrete stereo mode, you will need two Longbow transmitters.

Once you’ve decided how to connect, the rest is straightforward. REL features excellent support tutorials on their website, but for a single-driver, cube enclosure like the Carbon, start with the sub or subs fairly close to the room corner, facing your listening position, then slowly adjust the level and crossover point until you just start to hear the sub separately, then back off. To fine tune, bring it out in the room until the bass gets too weak and go back slightly. Mr. Hunter is way better at this than I am, but long story short, when the REL disappears and all you hear is your main speakers going deeper with more definition, and you can’t hear a subwoofer anywhere, you’ve done it right.

Correctly optimized, the REL vanishes from your room. Hint: you can probably go with a slightly lower crossover frequency than you think, but with slightly more output than you think. If you are using a pair, start on the other side of the listening room with the settings determined here and fine tune to taste.

You can’t un-hear it

Hunter is fond of explaining that bass doesn’t just hit you from a small cube in your room, and this is why the 212SE is so successful, as is their stacks of larger subwoofers. Yet, because of the extremely nimble character of the carbon, it does a better job at convincing you it’s a stack of woofers than any other single cube solution we’ve tried. REL subwoofers excel at rendering bass attack and detail – real musical detail. Even when listening to electric bass players, you can tell the difference between someone playing through a vintage Ampeg cabinet and one playing through a Gallien-Krueger cabinet. Yet, way too often a home system, even subwoofer equipped, only provides a thumpy, whumpy, one note solution. Thus, the general angst towards subwoofers.

If you’ve used one of the smaller REL subs, you’re in for a treat when you queue up the Carbon. If you’re using someone else’s subwoofer, you’re in for a shock. The funky, irresistible groove in Rufus’ “Tell Me Something Good” shows off the sheer texture in the bass line. Go listen on another system and compare. You’ve never heard that, have you? A similar change is enjoyed with Curtis Mayfield’s classic, “Superfly.” I can do this all night.

The other massive bonus that the Carbon offers, thanks to its incredible speed, is the ability to play slightly higher on the tonal scale without drawing attention to itself. Most subwoofers struggle to even reach 50 hz without sounding muddy and muffled, giving the haters more reason to hate. The Carbon sails through, and mates splendidly with your favorite panel speaker as well as nearly any mini monitor you can think of.

We had a blast pairing the Carbon with the LS3/5a, Harbeth P3ESR, and the recently reviewed Jern 14DS. This has never worked seamlessly with any other sub – and it is perhaps the ultimate test. That lack of cloudiness in the midbass, makes for a stronger, more defined low bass, and that’s really what the Carbon is all about. It’s more than forceful enough for your favorite EDM tracks, but subtle enough for your favorite acoustic bass-heavy tracks.

Then, shut it off. Even with music that you don’t think is particularly bass heavy. You don’t want to live without the REL effect.

Why this one?

Speaker selection is always a personal thing, but the ultimate choice will come down to the music you listen to most, how high of a sound pressure level you crave, and finally which cabinet your room can accommodate.

If you’ve ever sampled one of the world’s finest desserts and came away thinking “I only need a few bites of that,” you have the mindset to appreciate what makes the REL Carbon Edition so special – though both John Hunter and I suggest you get a pair for optimum results. If you have a similar desire for LF response, wanting the quality of the top REL reference subs, yet don’t have as much space to fill, this is the perfect choice.

We’re giving the REL Carbon Limited our first Exceptional Value Award of the new year. Get one before they are gone. The additional labor required means they won’t make ‘em forever.

Our thanks to REL for the supplied images.

The REL Carbon Limited Subwoofer

MSRP: $3,500 (ea.)

www.rel.net

PERIPHERALS

Analog Source     Luxman PD-171A turntable w/Kiseki Purple Heart

Digital Source      dCS Rossini DAC/Clock

Amplification       PASS Labs INT-60 and VAC Sigma 170i

Speakers             Quad 2812, Raidho D 1.1

Signal Cables       Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Power Products    PS Audio P20 power conditioner and Cardas Clear Beyond power cords

The conrad-johnson team knows tube preamplifiers, with over 40 years of experience under their belts, building coveted products which improve with each new generation.

The ET7-S2 we review here is c-j’s middle child preamplifier, sandwiched between the GAT series 2reference and their entry-level ET3. For $12,000 the ET7-S2 benefits from many sonic improvements implemented in C-J’s flagship, but at a more accessible price point.

Like all c-j products, this preamp comes with only one faceplate color. Gold. And don’t even try to convince them otherwise. The ET7 features a hefty build weighing in at 19 pounds (8.62 kg), and audio rack-friendly dimensions of 19 inches (48.3cm) wide by 15.375 inches (39cm) deep by 4.375 inches (11cm) tall.

It needs to be mentioned that because of the extensive changes between the original ET7 and the new S2, that it can not be sent back to c-j for an “update.” Lew Johnson told us that the S2 has “an entirely new PC board, and this would be prohibitively costly.”

The ET7 comes with a matching, beautifully anodized remote allowing a user to change volume or source, mute, and alter left-to-right balance from the comfort of a listening seat. The front panel offers the same functionality, with delicate silver buttons and yellow LEDs to indicate user selections.

This preamp’s face features an LED screen showcasing the volume level for each channel. When the numbers are identical, balance is centered. As balance changes, the two numbers diverge from one another.  When changing volume using the remote or the buttons on the front panel, the ET7 has a very audible click accentuating each volume step activated in the digital domain. If you are used to a component with a smooth, silent volume change this sound is a bit jarring. After a few days though, it becomes second nature.

All of c-j’s current preamps employ at least one vacuum tube. The ET7 (like the ET3) taps a single 6922 and calling it a hybrid design is simplifying things a bit too much. Mr. Johnson comments, “the important work is all done by the 6922, which handles all voltage gain. Because the output impedance of a tube voltage amplifier stage is too high for most real world applications, we use a MOSFET device as a buffer. This provides much better performance than a cathode follower (all tube) solution.”

Those who enjoy tube rolling can open the chassis and make the swap. Some tube gear gets quite hot during use, but the ET7 case does not, even when left on for a few days. The ET7 features a standby mode to keep circuitry warm, but not waste tube life when the preamp is not in use. Depressing the power button toggles the component on or off. After powering on, the mute button engages while the tube warms up for a minute. When the mute shuts off automatically, you are ready to rock.

Ins and outs

The preamp features a single-ended topology and offers only RCA connectors. The user has a choice of five sets of pre-labeled inputs, plus two sets of “main outs.” The extra outputs prove especially handy for connecting subwoofers should the owner choose to add them. The ET7 does not include a phonostage, but c-j does label one set of inputs for one if the owner wants to connect an external component there to avoid confusion.

The ET7’s ability to handle home theater pass-through is a welcome feature. While I don’t use any surround sound components in my listening space, I do enjoy the ability to use the preamp’s pass-through capability with a Sonos system. Interconnecting the ET7’s home theater outputs to a Sonos Connect’s inputs, I can extend sound to the rest of the residence with Sonos speakers playing the music from the main rig.

Sound

The preamp includes c-j’s proprietary CJD Teflon capacitors, refined over the last decade. However, they do take some time to break in fully. We gave the ET7 200 hours of operation before making any serious judgments, although it sounds mighty good right out of the box. You will not be disappointed. Its overall character is on the warmer side of neutral, but not mushy or overly-lush. The ET7’s bass portrayal renders low frequencies naturally, with the heft or sustain engineered into the recording.

The preamp’s high frequency process offers a lot of detail too. It renders the harmonically-complex, but the beautifulring from percussive elements like a triangle or cymbal with grace. It also brings a palpable life to soprano vocals and reveals the subtle sonic cues which contribute to the ET7 soundstaging prowess.

There’s a very organic quality about this preamp. The ET7 takes the sting out of edgy recordings, yet still manages to reveal the fine details within. The resulting sonic signature is akin to taking a seat in the tenth row of a concert hall rather than the first.

Soundstaging is equally impressive. Musical elements extend in all directions around the speakers but never bunch up around them. The ET7 also does a very good job placing musical elements front-to-back in the soundstage. Vocals reach forward into the room, even when the sound engineer places multiple instruments – like percussion – in the center of the musical picture too.

After enjoying all genres with the ET7 in the chain, there is little to criticize and a lot to love. Is it right for you? That answer lies with your preferred sonic signature and the gear you want to pair with it. Those who crave accentuation of every note and detail in a song may find the c-j’s smooth presentation a tad polite. A very punchy solid-state amp might be a good match in that case. Those who want to grab a seat on the sofa and dissolve into the bigger musical picture, though, better buckle in for a long listening session and forget about analyzing the music. The ET7’s highly engaging sound is beguiling, and a perfect match for my ART150 power amplifier.

Conclusions

The ET7 series 2 linestage preamp represents an excellent option for those who seek fantastic musical performance. At $12,000 the ET7-S2 represents an investment. However, if you prioritize music in your life start saving your pennies now. Considering the amount of trickle-down technology which the ET7 gains from the GAT design, it can approach flagship performance at half the price.

After several weeks with the ET7 in place, it certainly proved its mettle. Its natural, organic presentation is immersive. Plus, the ET7’s warmer character will help it pair well with most amplifiers – and music — of your choosing.

Yes, there will always be new components that come to market, but newer is not always better. I expect c-j has some tricks up its sleeve for future products to debut as they approach their 50^thanniversary in a decade. But for now, the ET7-S2 represents a marvelous achievement, coupled with a three-year warranty backing it in the unlikely event it should fail. If you seek a preamplifier in the $10,000 range, be sure to put the ET7-S2 on your short list for an audition. You will not be disappointed.

Further Listening: Jeff Dorgay

Having lived with nearly every conrad-johnson preamplifier since the PV-1, it’s been an amazing journey with Lew Johnson and Bill Conrad. (and now new principal, Jeff Fischel, who has taken over after being involved for nearly 20 years)

Their original amplifiers and preamplifiers back from the late 70s to the mid 90s had a sound that was tonally rich and saturated, though criticized by some to be a bit warm and vintage in presentation. Yet the c-j motto “it just sounds right,” won them a legion of loyal fans the world over. Much as a fancy adjective might impress you, that tagline was always the essence of their sound.

When the CJD Teflon caps were first implemented in the early 2000s, it sparked the era of what I’d call the “modern c-j sound.” None of the midrange magic and tonal purity that I’d always loved with c-j components was lost, but c-j components now had an entirely new level of bass extension, dynamic range and lower noise floor.

This began with the ACT2 and ACT2/series 2 preamplifiers, which were my main reference components for many years, then moving on to the GAT and GAT 2. All four of these preamplifiers have received an incredible amount of awards the world over, and many end users as well as audio reviewers have called them the best in the world – for good reason. There’s still something unmistakable about the c-j experience. Few preamplifiers have this level of refinement with no shortcoming. Full circle, “it just sounds right” is as salient in 2019 as it was in 1979. That’s impressive.

Running the ET7 through its paces here, with a wide range of power amplifiers from c-j and others. Though the ET7 uses single ended outputs, it (like the others before it) has no problem driving a 30- foot pair of interconnects to a pair of power amplifiers on the other side of the listening room. Comparing the sound through the 30-foot pair of Cardas Clear interconnects and a 3-foot pair revealed no difference. The design team at c-j has always taken a less is more approach and it has always worked well.

Where there is still a substantial enough difference in sheer scale and resolution to more than justify stepping up to the mighty GAT 2, provided you have the system and can justify the expense, a quick comparison to an ACT 2 shows just how much the design team has learned. Granted some of this could be the difference inherent in the 6H30 triodes used in the ACT 2 versus the single 6922 in the ET7, but the current preamplifier has more refinement, much more. If this makes sense, the ACT 2 sounds a bit brutal now by comparison. It’s like the difference between the power delivery of a late 90s air-cooled Porsche 911 and the current car: the older car had more urge, which grabs you at first, but the new car has a much wider power band and modulation of power that it’s more useful every day.

Considering that 15 years ago, the ACT2 was a killer preamplifier at $13,500, the ET7 is an exceptional value at $12,000 today. Hence, the ET7 gets one of our first awards of 2019, and well deserved. This certainly can be a destination preamplifier for 99% of our listeners. It still sounds right.

Conrad-Johnson ET7-S2 linestage preamplifier

MSRP: $12,000

www.conradjohnson.com

PERIPHERALS

Analog Source SME Model 10 with SME V and Model 10 tonearms. Dynavector 17D3 and Denon DL-103R cartridges

Digital Sources Mac Mini, Roon Music Service, Simaudio MOON 780D DAC, Oppo BDP-103

Amplification Conrad-Johnson ART150

Speakers GamuT RS3i, JL Audio Dominion Subwoofers

Cables Jena Labs

Power Torus AVR 15 Plus, RSA Mongoose, and Cardas Clear power cords

Accessories ASC tube traps, Mapleshade Samson audio racks, Coffman Labs Equipment Footers, AudioQuest Jitterbug, Atomic Audio Labs Mac Mini stand

The thought of an integrated amplifier in the context of a high-end system is no longer the “less than” proposition it might have been a decade ago.

If you want a high performance system, yet aren’t longing for a massive rack of gear to go with, an integrated is a spectacular solution. With so many manufacturer’s building great integrateds, now offering excellent phono sections and now DAC/streamers on board, it’s tough to argue with this space saving proposition.

Enter the Gold Note IS-1000. This $5,000 integrated amplifier combines a 125 watt per-channel, Class AB power amplifier, full function preamplifier, high resolution DAC/streamer (that also works as a ROON endpoint – bonus) and phonostage based on the PH-10 that hifi reviewers the world over have all given stunning testimony to. It’s a hefty, yet compact box that weighs in at about 45 pounds, so don’t let the svelte shape fool you.

Our review sample arrived in basic matte black, but silver and an incredibly nice shade of gold is also available. Not quite as heavy in tone as the conrad-johnson products, Gold Note has struck the perfect balance of elegance and being different from the rest of the pack. If I were putting an IS-1000 in my living room, gold would definitely be the choice.

Around back, there are just enough inputs to be capable, without a lot of stuff you don’t need. The DAC has three optical inputs, Coax, and USB as well as an Ethernet connection to stream. There is also a wireless antenna, so you can connect your mobile device via Bluetooth – that way everyone can join in on the fun.

Along with the phono input, which can be configured as MM or MC, there is a set of single ended RCA inputs as well as a set of balanced XLRs. Seriously, other than a turntable, what else would you need to connect?

Ok, it’s gorgeous

The IS-1000 is a winner at first turn on. One major point that deserves mention, is just how easy this amplifier is to use. Too often, multifunctional devices are so complicated, that you must consult the manual to even get them to power up. The only thing you need to know (and I knew this from the PH-10) that the main control has to be pushed in to start things going. After that, the front panel screen makes it easy to navigate through all of the functions with ease. Again, Gold Note has done a fantastic job with the human interface. Volume level is the largest part of the display with everything a bit smaller. A quick push of the button allows you to navigate to where you want to go, with a second push to make the adjustment. The IS-1000 can be easily operated without the remote control.

While here, we’ve used it with an incredibly wide range of speakers, from the power hungry Magnepans, to the fussy QUAD ESL and everything in between. All were handled with ease, so whatever you speaker preference, the IS-1000 will serve your needs. Those wanting more power, or a multi-amplifier setup need look no further than the rear panel, with a variable output available.

We tried this with a few tube power amplifiers, just to investigate different, and again, the IS-1000 works incredibly well. Though it would be a bit of a waste to spend $5,000 on an integrated amplifier and not use the power amplifier section, the rest of the IS-1000 offers a high enough level of performance, that it would still be a great DAC/Phono/Pre. Perhaps the design team at GN would consider offering a future variation on the IS-1000, sans power amplifier at some point? For those still wanting to mix and match a little more, this would also be a fantastic product.

Super sound

Forgoing class-D amplification in favor of a traditional AB amplifier with a massive power supply is a big part of what gives it such a natural, organic feel. The sound is ever so slightly on the warmer side of the neutral mid-point of tonal rendition. Where the Pass INT-60 offers a bit more tonal saturation than the IS-1000, our Simaudio ACE has a little less, if that helps to give you a bit of perspective before you audition the IS-1000 for yourself.

Comparing the internal phonostage to the PH-10 we have on hand shows just how close the GN engineers have come. Connecting the PH-10 via balanced outputs, it was easy to go back and forth, with the Technics SL-1200G (utilizing my Gold Note Machiavelli MC cartridge) and hear the difference. Again, the on-board stage comes remarkably close, but it is worth noting that the PH-10 can be upgraded further with an external power supply for analog fanatics.

Tracking through a handful of other great phono cartridges in the $500 – $1,500 range again, reveals the sweet spot, and when used with an appropriate turntable (perhaps one of those beauties from Gold Note…) will offer enough resolution to provide an immersive analog experience. It only takes a few tracks to realize that the phono is not an afterthought, merely trying to take advantage of vinyl’s current popularity.

Listening to the recent Rolling Stones remasters, the combination of on-board phono and Machiavelli cartridge pulls out major details, while painting a very wide and deep soundstage with a low noise floor, even with MC carts. Bass is authoritative, and controlled, with an equivalent level of smoothness in the higher registers. Cymbals sound smooth and acoustic, stringed instruments feel correct.

The main area of difference from the PH-10 is its lack of adjustability. Where the stand-alone phono offers multiple gain, loading, capacitance and EQ settings, the on board phono of the IS-1000 is set at 45db/220pf for MM and 65db/470ohm for MC. However, this will accommodate quite a few cartridges, so all but the fussiest users will be just fine, but again, keep this in mind if you already have a cartridge that you love. Those starting from ground zero merely need to purchase a cartridge within this range.

Digital options

Compatible with every digital file and streaming option you can imagine, makes the IS-1000 incredibly versatile. At the close of this review, Gold Note just announced there is-1000 DAC Deluxe, featuring the BurrBrown PCM1792A chipset instead of the PCM1796 in our standard version. There has been no mention of what the additional cost is, or if existing IS-1000s can be updated, by just plugging in a new DAC board. So if your music selections lean more (or exclusively) to the digital side of life, this might be worth investigating before writing the check.

Love it or hate it, the IS-1000 is equipped for decoding MQA files, and being on the “I like MQA” side of the fence, I’m glad that Gold Note left nothing out, especially considering the ROON endpoint capability makes it so easy to stream TIDAL files encoded in this format. Everything I tried, from the oldest classic rock tracks, to recently released faire proved sonically delicious.
Like the rest of the IS-1000, the digital and streaming options all worked without incident, and did not require consulting the owner’s manual. All wireless devices synced up without problem, and ROON quickly found the IS-1000 as an additional zone. Thanks to a recent firmware update, controlling volume in the digital domain is excellent, making it easy to control the volume of your streaming based system with no more than your laptop, phone or pad.

This is also good news for the future. Knowing a simple firmware upgrade is only a download away, goes a long way at making the IS-1000 that much more future proof. And in the end, an even better value.

Power to spare

After a number of speakers were tried, we settled on the GamuT Zodiac for all final listening and evaluation. In the context of a world class, $150,000 pair of speakers, the IS-1000 is still more than worthy, and when using it in this manner, there is no place for the amp to hide. Merely streaming TIDAL via Roon with the Zodiacs is a completely immersive experience.

Only when comparing the IS-1000 to much more expensive and sophisticated integrateds from CH Precision and Vitus Audio (5 and 10 times as much) do you see where the limits of the IS-1000 are. The last bit of smoothness and resolution will cost you five figures though, and for most music lovers, the level of performance that the IS-1000 does offer is outstanding. And we never ran out of power, unless pushing the Magnepans really hard. With nearly any other speakers, you’ll have to turn the volume up way too far to get the amplifier to clip.

But in the context of the IS-1000s cost, it is at the top of the game. Using the IS-1000 with the entire range of compact speakers from issue 92, and a few others on hand, we feel that you could add a turntable if so inclined, your favorite pair of $2,500 to $10,000/pair speakers, a pair of good speaker cables, maybe a premium mains cable and end your quest for high end audio right there.

Conclusion

We are so enamored with Gold Note’s IS-1000, that we awarded it our Product of the Year in the Amplifier Category for 2018. The IS-1000 is a major step above so many of the other offerings we’ve heard in the way it offers a total package. Aesthetics, functionality, and sonic performance are all a 10+.

The Gold Note IS-1000

$5,000

Goldnote.it

Peripherals

Analog Source Technics SL-1200G w/Gold Note Machiavelli MC

Speakers Quad 2812, Magnepan Tympani 1D, Raidho X-1, GamuT Zodiac

Power PS Audio P20

Cable Cardas Clear

Features

Old School:

Jeff Dorgay uncovers an ARC DAC 1

995:

Will return next issue

Journeyman Audiophile:

The Quad Z4 Speakers
By Rob Johnson

Mine: It Should Be Yours

Lego Cars

Louis Vuitton Duffle

Peter Gabriel Live

Super Snacks

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Future Tense

VPI Direct Drive ‘Table

Harbeth P3ESR

Focal Stella Utopia EM

and more…

Cover Feature: The Fine Art of Audio

We give you lots of pretty pics!

Features

Old School:

Jeff Dorgay revisits the Nakamichi 400 Stack

995:

The Puffin DSP Phonostage
By Rob Johnson

Journeyman Audiophile:

McIntosh MA252
By Shanon Swetlishnoff

Mine: It Should Be Yours

Grinch Slippers

Shinola Clock

Oreo Turntable

BMW Bicycle

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

In Praise of the Party Table! – Technics 1600
By Jeff Dorgay

Future Tense

Avid Ingenium Plug & Play

Brinkmann Edison II Phono

Van Alstine Power Amp

and more…

Cover Feature: TONEAudio’s Awards

Exceptional Value Awards

Publishers Choice Awards

and, the 2018 Products of the Year

Listening to the intricate fretboard work of Bill Frisell on his Good Dog, Happy Man album, I’m reminded of three things: Frisell’s remarkable performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival a few years ago, how much the Persona B captures the essence of their top Persona 9H, and how incredible these little speakers are. Every Paradigm speaker carton has a logo proclaiming “Crafted in Canada.” The pride is justified.

The Paradigm Persona B is a perfect example of vertical design and production excellence. Utilizing the same Beryllium tweeter and a unique to this cabinet 6 ½” mid/woofer, the $7,000/pair Persona B brings the same sonic excellence of the flagship Persona 9H to smaller listening rooms and budgets. If the standard five shade color palette (white, silver, grey, 2 shades of black and a very nice dark blue metallic) isn’t enough, you can order any one of 18 additional “premium finishes” for an additional $1,050 per pair.

Considering the luxury auto grade finish on these speakers, this is an incredible bargain for someone wanting to customize their speakers more to their environment. You can usually never go wrong with black, white, or silver, (and the two other standard colors) but some listening rooms just beg for a spot of color. Congrats to Paradigm for recognizing the needs of their customers.

Paradigm raised the expectation for mega speakers upside down two years ago when they released their Persona series. Known for decades for producing incredibly high performance/high-value speakers at their facility in Toronto, their engineering team brought their creative force together to make a “cost no object” speaker. The result was the Persona 9H, tipping the scales at an incredibly modest $35,000/pair.

In a day where we have cost no object speakers from other manufacturers with $625k/pair price tags, this is indeed a breath of fresh air. The Persona 9H earned our “Speaker of the Year” back in issue 86, and justifiably so. Centered around Paradigm’s own Beryllium drivers, this 3 ½ way incorporates 4 woofers, powered by a pair of 700-watt amplifiers and Anthem Room Correction to optimize the low-frequency response.

Not everyone has room for this

For those craving the level of musical accuracy that the flagship Persona delivers, but perhaps in a smaller room, Persona B is an outstanding and far less expensive choice. Pretty much for the price of a pair of Persona 9Hs, you could build an entire system. Even less if you choose the Anthem STR integrated amplifier and a great turntable of your choice.

We did just that in our 13 x 15-foot room to tremendous success, combining the $4,000 Technics SL-1200G, a $750 Hana SL cartridge, and some Cardas Clear Light speaker cables. The entire system cost is just over $20k, and we defy you to build a tidier system offering more capability than this. Many different amplifiers from ARC, Esoteric, Gold Note, Pass, and PrimaLuna were all tried with the Persona Bs to excellent effect, but the bulk of our review listening was done with the STR in-house. That way, you can easily stop by your Paradigm/Anthem dealer and hear what we are talking about.

However, rest assured, thanks to the 92db/1 watt sensitivity, these speakers will jam with any amplifier you have without issue. We even used the Persona Bs with the 20 watt per channel Nagra 300B amp and the Coincident Dynamo amplifier (only 8 watts per channel!). Both provided way more dynamic range than necessary to make ears buzz!

Room friendly

The Persona Bs definitely pass the “just throw them in the room and see how they sound test,” thanks to their fairly wide dispersion characteristics in the vertical and horizontal planes. However, the basic rules of stand mount speakers still not only apply but will give you even better performance. A little careful attention to the speaker rake when you’ve optimized them in the room for the best bass/midrange balance will give them that last bit of magic, and open up the soundstage significantly.

These are high-performance speakers, so pay attention to setup, and you will be rewarded. If you don’t choose the Paradigm B-29 stands made specifically for the Persona B and Prestige 15B speakers, at $600 each, use the most massive stands that you can, and be sure to use something sticky (like BluTack) to improve the speaker cabinet to stand interface. This will wring every last molecule of available bass out of the Persona Bs. The advantage to the Paradigm stands is twofold – the factory stands screw right into the speakers, and they offer the best aesthetic match as well.

We were all very impressed with how much bass these speakers can generate, zooming through our favorite EDM and electronica tracks. A little room gain goes a long way with the Persona B, and those in small to medium rooms may not be clamoring for a sub at all.

There was plenty of fun to be had listening to Aphex Twin, and the bass extension at our disposal proved fantastic and engaging. Briefly bouncing back to the 80s, a quick spin of Thomas Dolby’s Aliens Ate My Buick (full of synth bass funk grooves) ended with the George Clinton classic, “Hot Sauce.” Which of course led to at least another hour of the real deal – Clinton’s Maggot Brain had us all bouncing around the listening room, finishing with the massive bass line in George Michael’s “Hard Day.”

Because the Persona B is a two-way system with both the tweeter and mid/bass driver being beryllium, there’s a consistent voice that comes from all drivers being the same material. Transient attack and decay are perfectly uniform, making these speakers act more like a single driver.

Beyond bass

Much as we love bass, the Persona Bs paint a large sonic picture that could easily be mistaken for a big pair of ESLs. (where do you think that came from?) Instantly disappearing in the room, listening to Keith Jarrett’s “I’m Old Fashioned” comes alive via the Persona Bs. The timbral accuracy of these speakers is nothing less than stunning.

At this point in the review process, I’ve brought them out into the main 15 x 26 foot living room and have made them a part of my central system, with a pair of Pass Labs XA200.8 monoblocks and a full Pass XS Preamp/XS Phono chain of electronics, with the $45,000 Grand Prix Audio Monaco table and Koetsu Jade Platinum cartridge.

The point of putting a $7,000 pair of speakers in a system that’s worth more than my house? To show just how much music they can deliver. Many speakers at this price point (and some well beyond) sound great with your favorite $5,000 amplifier – no shame in that. Yet, when you make them an integral part of a system with much higher performance, they can’t really resolve the delta. Not here.

Bottom line: the only limitation to how much sound the Persona B can deliver will be the ultimate volume of your room and the quality of the electronics you pair them with. At that point, your only real question is, do you want to go up to a bigger Persona model to get more low end.

As we did with the top of the range Persona 9H, the Persona B is more than worthy of our last Exceptional Value Award for 2018. Perhaps even more, because so many more people can budget $7,000 for a pair of speakers than those that can spend $35,000. Everything comes together to perfection here: sound quality, ease of use and finish are all world class. Because Paradigm has such a significant scale of economy, you can have a $30,000 pair of speakers for $7,000. Very highly recommended.

The Paradigm Persona B

www.paradigm.com

MSRP:  $7,000/pair in standard colors, premium finish about $1,000 more

Peripherals

Digital Source                          dCS Rossini DAC/Clock

Analog Source                         Grand Prix Audio Monaco 1.5/Koetsu Jade Platinum

Preamplifier                            Pass XS Pre

Phono Pre                                Pass XS Phono

Power Amplifiers                  Pass XA200.8 Monoblocks

Cable                                        Tellurium Q Silver Diamond

Power                                       PS Audio P20 regenerator, w/Cardas Clear Beyond power cables

Racks                                       Grand Prix Audio Monaco

Some products you have a casual, cursory exposure with, and others you have a relationship with. Audio Research is a brand I’ve had a long relationship with.

They are one of about six brands that I go back decades with, having owned nearly 20 of their products before I even started reviewing hifi gear. And like any relationship, it hasn’t always been a love fest.

There are definitely ARC models that I’ve liked more than others. I still have their legendary D79 – considered by many to be one of their finest achievements. Though the D79 is a fairly complex design, it started a trend that led to the Reference amplifiers; a solid amplifier circuit combined with a massive power supply. Anyone who has heard the D79 knows that this amplifier plays much bigger, louder, and more dynamic than you would ever expect a 75 watt per channel amplifier to play. And it had bass grip like precious few tube amplifiers did, back in the 70s, or even today.

The amplifier that came really close to the sound of the legendary D79, was the now discontinued GS150 – offering a touch of warmth, yet with plenty of dynamic reserve. And those beautiful meters. The industrial design sense of Audio Research entered the modern age with the GS150, now a beautiful piece of audible art to proudly display.

Great as the GS150 was, there was a subtle lack of resolution that kept it in the “really great amplifier” category, instead of “one of the best amplifiers I’ve ever heard category.” The 160Ms smash that wall down. And while you might be tempted to exhaust your adjective gland, this result is more logical. Audio Research has building great amplifiers for over 40 years now. They’ve learned a lot, having tried a lot of things that don’t work during that period.

Yet these amplifiers go beyond that. I don’t want to spoil the review, but that’s going to take a while, and if you’re thinking about a holiday gift for yourself, or someone you know that would like a pair, do it.

Much as I hate to use superlatives, because it leaves you nowhere to go in the future, the 160Ms reveal more music than anything else I’ve ever heard from Audio Research. And they are one of the finest designs I’ve had the pleasure of listening to at any price. Considering how disappointing a number of six figure amplifiers I’ve heard have been, these are a mega bargain at $30,000 a pair. I wouldn’t be surprised decades from now if the 160Ms are spoken about in the same hushed tones as the D79. They are that good. Better, actually.

If you’re looking for an overly “tubey” sounding pair of power amplifiers, these will not be for you. However, if you are looking for power amplifiers that offer an incredibly rich musical experience that will make it easy for you to forget about the gear entirely, and 150 watts per channel is enough to drive your speakers, these are my choice.

As they used to say, “Run, don’t walk” to your Audio Research dealer and get in line for a pair of the REF160Ms. Further review spoiler: the 160Ms are our Product of the Year choice in the amplifier category for 2018. Watch for the in-depth analysis in issue 95. As I like to say, “Just buy em.”

The ARC REF160M Monoblock Amplifiers

MSRP: $30,000/pair

Please click here to visit the Audio Research website

Features

Old School:

Jeff Dorgay revisits the KEF C60s

995:

Kanto YU6 Powered Speakers
By Jerold O’Brien

Journeyman Audiophile:

Totem’s Sky Towers
By Rob Johnson

Mine: It Should Be Yours

Peanuts Watch

Plaid Flannel Jammies

Blue Wine

Segway’s Go Kart

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Can’t Get it Out of my Head
By Emily Duff

Future Tense

ARC REF 160 Monos

Cardas Nautilus Power Strip

Dynaco Stereo 70 (the new one!!)

and more…

This Month’s Gear: Small Speakers!

Radio D1.1

Paradigm Persona B

hORN Atmosphere

Graham LS3/5a

REL T5i Carbon LTD

and more…

I often get criticized for only being interested in the mega gear, but nothing could be more wrong. As much fun as the big bucks stuff is, no one starts there, and for me, hifi is a journey. One of the most exciting parts of the journey is the beginning – what got you excited about all of this wacky stuff in the first place.

Though my journey started all the way back with a pair of AR-7s, my journey with Paradigm started back in the early 90s; I needed a pair of great compact speakers for my darkroom. As my photography career took off, so did the amount of time spent in the darkroom, meaning a better sound system was a must.

Enter the original Paradigm Atom

A quick trip to my local hifi shop led me to the little white Atoms you see here. $198 for the pair and I was rocking. Hooked up to a Nelson Pass powered Nakamichi receiver and matching cassette deck, marathon burning and dodging sessions were a breeze. I ended up selling those little white speakers to the guy that bought all of my darkroom gear about ten years later when digital imaging took hold. Paradigm has come a long way since then. But a quick trip to EBay had a pair of original Atoms in the studio – this time for $39 and free shipping. The ad said, “non working for parts,” so the original thought was photos only, but when I plugged them in they worked just fine. And sounding good as ever. But a side by side comparison to the new ones shows off how much the design staff at Paradigm has learned over the years.

Their new Monitor SE Atom is only $298 a pair! That’s crazy. But that’s what a major manufacturer that designs and builds their own drivers can do. Another speaker company that does not enjoy the economies of scale that Paradigm does would have to charge 3-4 times this much for a speaker that probably wouldn’t be as rewarding to listen to.

Start your journey here

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me “What’s a great pair of speakers for a couple hundred bucks?” I’d probably have about a thousand dollars. More than enough to buy a PS Audio Sprout and a pair of new Atoms.

Great as the Atoms sounded when hooked up to high end hardware, using them with a wide range of vintage receivers, the PS Audio Sprout and that $298 Pioneer integrated we reviewed in issue 91’s 995 column is still very satisfying. A pair of Atoms is the perfect place to start your audio journey. As with the originals, the new Atom is very “tube friendly,” so if you’re considering building a tube amp, or using something vintage, they are a perfect match. We paired them up with new and old Dynaco Stereo 70 amplifiers with stunning results.

Listening to the first movement of David Chesky’s  New York Variations, brings forth an immersive soundstage, with major image width. Ditto for Jean-Michel Jarre’s latest release, Equinoxe Infinity – music extends well beyond the speaker boundaries. What you don’t get for this price is super extended, deep bass and an incredibly deep soundstage. But again, $298 a pair? You don’t get super extended, deep bass in the $25,000 Raidho D1.1s we just reviewed either. And much as I love the Raidho’s, there isn’t a $24,701 delta between these speakers.

One aspect of these speakers that has not been overlooked is their basic linearity. They play incredibly loud for a small speaker, yet at low level, they hold the stereo image together, remaining highly involving. Again, something that a number of high price/high pedigree speakers can not accomplish.

Paradigm has trimmed the budget in all the right places. The cabinets and binding posts (i.e. all the fancy stuff) are functional, with a matte finish. Not a penny has been wasted on unnecessary bling – all the performance is inside the box. And the more time spent listening to the Monitor SE Atom, the more we are all convinced that these are incredibly easy speakers to live with.

Finally, the Atoms are very easy to set up. Thanks to very wide dispersion, they pass the “just throw them anywhere in the room and go” test with ease. And they do it on budget speaker stands. Those wanting every last bit of performance these speakers have to offer, will get a bigger stereo image and a bit more low frequency extension by putting them on more massive stands and spending about 30 minutes fine tuning speaker placement. But you don’t have to go through it to fall in love with these speakers.

In the end – fantastic!

Just as Paradigm set the high-end world on its ear two years ago with their Persona speakers, delivering six figure sound for about $30k a pair, they return to their roots with the Monitor SE Atom. I’ve heard a lot of budget speakers and most of them are rubbish. These little Paradigms are high quality compact speakers. I dare you to find better. This is truly one of the most exciting products I’ve had the pleasure to review. Well done, Paradigm!

The Paradigm Monitor SE Atom

$298/pair

www.paradigm.com

Listening to Eric Clapton float between these quietly elegant, white speakers from Amphion, it’s easy to see why they named this speaker range “helium.”

The slight waveguide machined into the front panel of the cabinet, adds dispersion to the dome tweeter, giving these small Finnish monitors an ease that is rarely included at their $1,130/pair price. It accomplishes another important function: the wider dispersion makes it easy to enjoy the Helium 510s from your listening chair, or even just sitting on the floor, well off the listening axis.

It also makes the 510s easy to set up in a small, medium, or large room too. Our results were equally rewarding in both our smaller room 2, measuring about 13 x 15 feet and the main room, about 15 x 25 feet. As you might expect, thanks to room gain, there is slightly more apparent low frequency energy in the small room, but these speakers do not feel lost in the larger room, while still having ample bass response. All things considered, these are very enjoyable speakers to listen to.

We’ve reviewed quite a few speakers from Denmark as we cruise into our 14^thyear of publication, but not so many from Finland. (Though I am a big fan of Penaudio) Because it is darker, longer than most other places, both the Danes and the Finns are predisposed to a lighter color palette indoors, and you can see why white speakers are very popular there. Also, with European rooms usually smaller than on our side of the pond, a white speaker draws less attention to itself, especially when covered in the subtle, smooth matte finish that the Heliums possess. Those needing something more traditional, get their 510s in a wood finish or matte black.

Should you prefer to be a bit trendier, there is a wide range of fun colors for the woofer and tweeter covers. Tempting as the bright lime green is, the monochromatic serenity of our all-white review pair takes the prize.

Simple set up

Amphion calls the waveguide mentioned earlier Uniformly Directed Dispersion. (UDD) It broadens the dispersion characteristic of the tweeters and makes these speakers incredibly easy to place, whether you have stands or even place them on an actual bookshelf. Port plugs are also included, allowing for better bass response when tightly tucked into a bookshelf or very close to the rear wall. In the end, these are incredibly easy speakers to set up, no matter what your room characteristics.

Thanks to ample bass response, they integrated into the larger listening room perfectly, and paired with the Octave V110 tube amplifier and dCS Rossini DAC, most listening was done via digital download. 24-inch stands proved an excellent speaker height and the speakers ended up out in the room, about five feet from the rear wall, five feet apart and the listening chair about seven feet back. Only a few degrees of toe in was necessary to fine tune the stereo image.

The spec sheet lists sensitivity at 86db/1 watt, and while this might discourage some from using lower powered amplifiers, this proved no problem at all with the 510s. As long as you have about 20-40 watts per channel on tap, you will be just fine. Even the 5-watt per channel SET Block amplifier drives the 510s to acceptable listening levels. Incredibly good synergy is achieved with the PS Audio Sprout 2 ($499).  Trying to assemble a great, compact, music system on a tight budget? Grab a Sprout 2, a pair of 510s and some Tellurium Q blue speaker cable (about $100 bucks for an 8 foot pair) and roll. Stream TIDAL from your mobile and have a party.

If speaker stands are not convenient, consider wall mounting your 510s. Amphion makes their own bespoke wall mount for only $130/pair. And this is a fantastic solution for tight spaces, or anyone needing to mount a pair of these as rear channels in a multichannel setup.

Back to the playlist

Auditioning a wide range of music, there’s nothing the 510s can’t play. The only minor shortcoming, and this plagues every small speaker, is that there is a finite limit to just how far you can push them. As the volume swings towards painfully loud, there is a fairly harsh cutoff where these little speakers can only move so much air. Physics has its limitations. The more LF energy your favorite music contains will probably be the limiting factor – the woofer will bump against its stop before the tweeter starts to break up – but again, you will have to push these speakers very hard to reach this point.

Even slightly beyond reasonable and prudent limits, the 510s give solid, defined, tuneful bass response, providing an excellent foundation to your selections. Tracking through a series of Kruder & Dorfmeister and Tosca tracks, the 510s prove that they can dig deep.

The 510s exceptionally clean midrange will keep vocal music lovers glued to their chair. The combination of smoothness and three-dimensional imaging lends an extra dose of realism. Listening to a major portion of Ella Fitzgerald performing the Cole Porter song book is wonderful, with Ms. Fitzgerald’s voice having the right combination of extension, smoothness, and clarity. Precious few budget speakers can deliver this level of tonal perfection.

With the jazz, hip hop and electronica boxes justifiably ticked, going through some heavy rock tracks, classic and contemporary show off the 510s dynamic abilities. Whether spinning AC/DC or Greta Van Fleet, (last year’s “Flower Power” is particularly nice) these speakers can stand up and rock, so you will not be limited by your musical choices.

Small speaker perfection

For just under $1,200 a pair, (without stands) the Amphion Helium 510s do a fantastic job at doing it all. You don’t realize just how great they are until you put an average pair of $5,000 speakers in their place. These Finnish beauties take no prisoners. The advice I always give friends and readers when system building is to fall in love with a pair of speakers and build a system around them.

The Helium 510s are an easy pair of speakers to fall in love with. And we are happy to give them one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2018. Highly, happily, recommended.

The Amphion Helium 510 speakers

MSRP: $1,130/pair (without stands)

www.amphion.fl

Peripherals

Digital Source                         dCS Rossini Player

Analog Source                         Luxman PD-517 w/Kiseki cart

Amplifiers                               Pass Labs INT-60, PrimaLuna DiaLogue HP, Octave V110

Cable                                       Tellurium Q Black Diamond and Blue speaker cable

Power                                      PS Audio P20

Many first time turntable buyers have a bit of difficulty with sorting the hardware aspect, agonizing over cartridge, turntable and phono preamplifier can be slightly challenging to those just joining our party. And we won’t even talk about cables!

Rega turntables have always combined fantastic performance with ease of setup. I can’t think of an easier table to set up than a Rega, especially if you use one of their cartridges. Thanks to their three point alignment, using three screws in the cartridge body, instead of two like other cartridges, no fiddling with an alignment jig is required. These days, you can order your table right from your Rega dealer with the Rega cartridge pre-installed, so all that remains is to set the tracking weight, adjust the anti-skate (bias) and you’re ready to play records.

The P1 Plus takes advantage of Rega’s latest technological advances in plinth design, so even their entry level table shares the same lustre as their more expensive tables. Simple elegance has always been the word at Rega. However, to keep costs to the minimum, the P1 Plus is only available in gloss black and gloss white. Total package is only $595.

Now it’s even easier

Awesome as this is, Rega has made improvements to their award winning Planar 1 table and has built-in the phono stage from their MM Fono, saving you the bother of doing the mix/match thing, as well as sweating which interconnect to add. With the tonearm connected directly to the built-in phonostage, this delicate link in the chain is eliminated. Argue about cables all you want, but nothing is better than no cable at all. Now you can use the supplied cable to go directly into your preamplifier, amp, or powered speakers via the high level input. Once you settle in, you can experiment with a bit better interconnect if you feel the need.

The P1 comes with the Rega Carbon MM (moving magnet) cartridge pre installed, so all that needs to be done is remove the counterweight, which looks like a small steel donut, attach to the tonearm and slide it up to the predetermined point. You don’t even have to set tracking force with the P1. This is the epitome of analog ease. I know I sound a bit cranky, but having the phono preamplifier built in means one less annoying wall wart power supply to keep track of and if you’re me, potentially lose. I love the one power supply approach!

Better sound too

Borrowing a friend’s P1/Fono combination for a quick side by side, reveals the all-inclusive Plus having the edge. Of course, these are $600 table/cart/phono pre packages, so the heavens did not part, but there was enough of a jump in overall smoothness, more low level detail and a lower noise floor that it was easy to tell which was which, even in the context of a modest system. (comprised of a pair of Totem Sky Towers and a PS Audio Sprout 2)

So if you are on the fence thinking external phono or just go full on plug and play, I’d suggest the Plus version. Tracking through a few favorite Ella Fitzgerald tunes, the Plus definitely does an outstanding job with her vocals, and the band accompanying her is spread out between the speakers in an impressive way.

Other benefits

Having the phono preamplifier built in, and a line level output has another big benefit; it no longer has to be on top of the equipment rack. The P1 Plus had no problem driving a 20-foot length of Cardas Crosslink interconnects, which makes it easy to put your table in a more convenient, and perhaps more of a central vantage point.

The P1 Plus performed fantastic, regardless of system context or program material chosen. And for those of you that are super geeky, I did use my Analog Magik software suite to check the P1 Plus’ speed. Right on the money, as it has been with the last say, 14 Rega tables we’ve reviewed. Rega’s belt drive system has been refined over four decades now, yet their engineering staff is always trying to make their tables a better value and better performer than the models they replace. Having been to the Rega factory a few times now, the place is a model of efficiency.

Even if you aren’t using a traditional two channel system, with amp or receiver and speakers, the P1 Plus is a great choice for those with powered speakers, or an all in one box like the B&W Zeppelin or Naim MuSo. We just happen to have both on hand here, so merely switching the line level cable for one with standard RCA plugs on one end and a 3.5mm stereo plug on the other, it was easy to add vinyl playback to these systems. Taking things further, we plugged the P1 plus into a pair of powered Klipsch “The Sixes” as well. Again, a fantastic combo that works well for those living in a small living space, yet still wants to enjoy their record collection. Or perhaps start their first one.

As someone who has owned and reviewed nearly every turntable Rega has made for the last 35 years, I remain astounded at how they keep refining this platform. There is no easier record playing platform than Rega’s Planar 1 Plus, and I doubt a better value either. Definitely Exceptional Value Award material!

The Rega Planar 1 Plus

rega.co.uk(factory)

soundorg.com  (US distributor)

MSRP: $599

For many post-Iron Curtain years, whispers swirled in audio circles of a lively audiophile crowd and a quietly dedicated manufacturing community in Eastern Europe. As capitalism grew so has the community. The Warsaw Audio Show has a strong buzz. I myself am a several year owner of the Hungarian built Vista Audio tube amplifier.

For the past few months I’ve been listening to the Czech-made Acoustique Quality (AQ) Pontos 9 stand-mounted speakers. These front-ported, high-gloss piano black (or white) cabinets offer excellent fit and finish. The Pontos 9 employs a 6” Scan Speak fiberglass driver mated with a Ring Radiator tweeter. Two sets of 5-way binding posts are jumped with 12 gauge OFC wire. The grills are attached via embedded magnets to a braced cabinet of layered MDF.

The Pontos 9 is typical of many European speakers in this price range in that bass response is a bit light on punch. With its front port design I found best placement to be only 15 inches out from the GIK acoustic panels and wall. This is about half of the distance for my rear-ported Totem Rainmakers optimum position in my 9×12’ listening space.

After a solid 90 hours of 24/7 break-in, the Pontos 9 were ready. Rickie Lee Jones smooth masterpiece The Magazine was first on the playlist. Immediately noticed was how easy and natural the upper frequencies sounded. This was no surprise as I’ve always been a fan of the Ring tweeter. The airy quality of Jones’ vocals in “Magazine”, carry throughout the room nicely especially as she raises volume. The stick taps on the bell portion of the cymbal are deliciously rendered. The synthesizer middle notes in “It Must Be Love” are spot-on tonally.

Pearl Jam’s ode “Just Breathe” nails the timbre and shares the slight warble of the vocals. Bass notes are a bit shy however, something that became a constant throughout the review. The same hold true for “Against The Waves” where the bass guitar has a simple but strong repeating chord. It didn’t matter which amplifier I placed in the musical chain, whether it be 150wpc of Peachtree or Simaudio, or the sneaky hard punching Adcom 535 and Vista Audio, the Pontos 9 never provided the forward thump. In addition, the front port beams the bass to listening position but doesn’t rise in elevation. These are a sweet-spot specific pair of speakers.

What the Pontos 9 does do well is offer up endless hours of smooth fatigue-free music. A several hour marathon of paper grading went by without a need for sonic retreat. Sade’s magical vocals are intoxicating from the listening position. “No Ordinary Love” effortlessly fills the room. From the bass thru the highest frequencies all notes resolve very evenly. No one frequency zone takes control or dominates, it’s very Harbeth-like.

This balanced quality shows its full glory with orchestral pieces, the oboe in Murray Perahia’s Beethoven Piano Concerto #1 in C, has a natural big hall concert sound. The Pontos 9 faithfully recreates the slightly distant-sounding piano. Strings and woodwinds play without a hint of shrillness, a big plus for a pair of speakers at $1000 price point.

The Pontos 9’s are truly an amplifier-centric speaker. Listening to the same tracks via tube, vintage and current solid-state, and class D amplification creates very different experiences especially with solo piano work. The resonances go from very tight and sharp with class D, to shady on vintage. Tube gear creates the best balance of depth and dynamics. One wonders if the construction techniques and materials of European homes had something to do with the voicing by the AQ design team. The warmth of filament amplification balances well against hard walls and flooring.

Imaging also benefitted from tubes across all genres instrument placement became more three dimensional, placing the strings in front of the speakers. Though soundstage width doesn’t go outside of the speakers for any specific instrument. Instead, the smoothness of the frequencies that make the Pontos 9’s a comfortable listen. It’s the whole presentation rather than individual strong points that make the listener want to stay and relax with a beverage.

For a thousand dollars a pair, the choices are many. For our readers in Europe stop by a dealer and audition them. Here in North America, when you are cruising an audio show, stop by the Well Rounded Sound Room, and give these a listen. – Mark Marcantonio

Further listening: Jeff Dorgay

The Pontos 9s are somewhat better than their pricetag might suggest. And the components used in their manufacture are first rate. However, like other speakers I’ve used from Sonus faber and GamuT relying on a ring radiator tweeter, they require a bit more setup finesse and are slightly more critical when it comes to fine tuning the setup.

But like these other European speakers (with six figure price tags) the $1,000/pair Pontos 9s are much more approachable. Use the most massive stands you can find, and as Mark mentions, these are voiced to be placed closer to the wall, relying on the room gain to get the proper bass response.

Though these are budget speakers from a price standpoint, they are of considerably higher quality than their pricetag suggests, so they will deliver a more engaging musical performance with better than budget amplification. This may be counterintuitive to the intial buyer, but you will be rewarded with more bass energy and a much smoother high end rendering if you can pair them with a better amplifier.

I was able to get amazing results with the PrimaLuna DiaLogue HP amplifier, with a full compliment of EL-34s. Stepping up to about 60 watts per channel with sufficient current drive will really make the Pontios 9s sing.

All in all a fantastic first effort from Acoustique Quality.

www.wellroundedsound.com

Based in Teesdale, north England, the Neat team has spent twenty years designing and refining speakers of all sizes. Here we review the smallest of their current lineup – the aptly-named Iota. Those seeking a cost-effective system with a minute footprint may find these speakers a perfect end to their search.

Neat’s mini-miracles measure a scant 7.9 inches (200mm) tall by 5.2 inches (130mm) wide by 6.5 inches (165mm) deep. While pint-sized, the Iotas do pack a surprising heft, weighing in at 6.6 pounds (3 Kg) each thanks to substantial cabinet quality and a large magnet driving the woofer. Power them with an integratedamplifier or receiver in the factory-recommended 25-100 watt range and fill the room with music in no time flat.

Potential owners have several color choices. While we did not have all the hues on hand for side-by-side comparison, the white satinfinish of our review pair offers a subtle beauty which lets the speaker nestle unassumingly alongside modern décor. Neat also offers a similarly-understated satin black. Alternately, those who want speakers with some serious eye-catching pizzazz might opt for the zinc yellow, flame red, or ultramarine blue cabinets.

Placement anywhere

These speakers are designed for placement flexibility. Their diminutive bodies can be placed vertically or horizontally to make the best use of their owner’s available space. Because the Iota speakers in each stereo pair are mirror images of one another, the user can decide if the ribbon tweeters sound best on the inside or outside of the cabinets in a horizontal speaker configuration.

Because the Iotas do not include “feet” of any kind, they may be prone to vibration if placed directly on a hard surface like a shelf or desk. Fear not, though. An easy and cheap remedy results from a quick trip to the hardware store for some self-sticking felt or rubber discs. Placing one pad in each corner of the speaker’s chosen “bottom” side will offer enough vibration isolation to help these speakers sing. For those wishing to place the Iotas on a wall, Neat has supplied them with mounting screws, giving even more placement options. As with other speakers, for the bestsound,the tweeter should end up at ear level when viewed from the listening seat.

As a two-way bass reflex design, the petite woofer gets a little extra oomph from the rear port on each speaker. The owner should plan for a little experimentation with placement to determine how much breathing room between the speaker and a rear wall offers an optimalbass response without leaving sonics on the overly-boomy or thin-sounding extremes.

Beneath the bass port resides the pair of five-way binding posts. A knurled texture on each post nut offers finger-friendly grip when tightening down upon on speaker cable terminations. No tools needed!

Let them sing

Neat Acoustics recommends giving the speakers a minimum of 200 hours break-in time before the speakers achieve their final voicing. After many days of music reproduction,our sample pair demonstrates just how wonderful that oration canbe. These diminutive boxes deliver a very enjoyable, slightly warm sound quality accompanied by an extensive soundstage that defies what one should expect from a micro-monitor. The resulting musical portrayal is akin to that of sitting in the tenth row of a concert hall. While the Iotas to not accentuate the detail of every minute finger movement across a guitar string or key press on a saxophone, they do an extremely competent job of capturing the bigger sonic picture with grace.

One cannot expect a speaker this miniscule to deliver bone-shaking bass when their specifications note a lower limit around 60 Hz. In my listening space, the Iotas indeed experienced roll-off as frequencies approached that depth. For their size though, the speakers do a marvelous job of delivering tight and energetic bass. Listening to Armin Van Buren’s State of Trance albums demonstrate Iota’s ability to capture the excitement of electronic music performances despite the inherent limitations. Those craving more substantial bass response may consider the addition of a subwoofer or two sometime down the road.

The ribbon tweeter chosen by Neat delivers a delightfully smooth and detailed top-end, as demonstrated when listening to jazz and classical music. Sounds residing in the upper music registers never enter into the unpleasant territory of shrillness and sharpness. Instead, flutes, violins, and cymbals’ harmonics portray with delicacy, emotion, and power as the instrumentalist dictates. Saxophones, xylophones – and heck, even telephoneslike those heard on Pink Floyd’s The Wall— render with a high degree of realism.

Among the middle frequencies framing male and female vocals,the Neats also demonstrate their mettle. Sibilance never haunts the Iota’s drivers, leaving the listener’s ears relaxed and at the mercy of beguiling voices of singers like Lyle Lovett, Eva Cassidy, Imelda May, or Jeff Buckley. Track after track, regardless of music genre, the Iotas so a terrific job of presenting a cohesive and dynamic musical performance. The resulting sonic experience exceeds that which anyone has any right to expect from such a tiny enclosure.  Yes, higher priced speakers like Neat’s flagships can offer greater sonic prowess than the Iota. However, a listener should anticipate a price tag higher than $1,000 to gain that accompanying level of nuance.

Summing up

At $995, the Iotas face a lot of competition today. Several new speakers in that price range offer built-in amplifiers, wireless connection options, or even a DAC. While Neat’s teeny speakers lack those pieces of “bonus” functionality, the Iotas certainly live up to their primary design goal of offering major sound in a minor form factor. For those audio fans seeking the smallest possible speaker without major sacrifices in sound quality, Neat gives listeners a stellar option that’s very much worth an audition. The substantial build quality combined with the smooth, fatigue-free sound these speakers offer is likely to make their owner happy for many years to come.

Neat Acoustics Iota Speaker

MSRP: $995

neatacoustics.com

I’ve got a great music system everywhere else in the house and office, so what’s left? That’s right the garage.

As a car guy, I spend a fair amount of time in the garage, and now that I’ve added a semi vintage 83 BMW 320i and a 2000 323 touring (for speaker hauling, car parts runs, and of course Mrs. Tone’s trips to the nursery for gardening necessities) to the fleet, I’m back to doing some of my own maintenance again.

And that’s a good thing. Much fun as hifi is, you can only tweak VTA and speaker placement so much before you run out of things to do; or go mad processing it all. We all know a few of those, don’t we? Finally, there’s something wonderful about completing a task. Even something as simple as changing oil or a set of sparkplugs is incredibly fulfilling in a day where we always seem to have one more text message to return.

Great music always makes whatever task you are engaged in more worthwhile. The garage environment is somewhat different, with a different set of challenges. One minute you’re under the hood, (or bonnet, for my British pals) and one minute you’re under the car, so much like a recording studio a speaker with some presence and fairly wide dispersion is a good thing. There’s no sweet spot here, you need engaging sound everywhere. Limited space makes wall mounting a plus. The Motion 4i wins on all counts.

Introducing the MartinLogan Motion 4i

Thanks to their small, flexible size and wall mounting options, the Motion 4i’s are at home anywhere and can be easily positioned to get the sound you need. Because they only go down to about 70hz, positioning is not as much of an issue as a speaker that goes down lower. And their 90db/1 watt efficiency means you don’t need a ton of amplifier power for engaging sound. As with any small speaker, desk duty or placement near the room corners in a small room with help tremendously with room gain.

The folded motion tweeter in all of the Motion speakers comes incredibly close to producing a similar voice to the big MartinLogan ESL speakers, in a small box. The Motion 4i is a marvel of transparency, but you’d expect nothing less from MartinLogan, would you? Having spent decades with MartinLogan’s mighty ESL speakers, I’m constantly amazed at how much of this voice they’ve been able to bring to bear with the Motion speakers.

The diminutive cabinets also make the Motion 4i’s a perfect match for a great subwoofer. As we just happen to have their Dynamo 600X (which is ARC ready, for even better room integration) in for review, this is an easy next step. At $599.95, a full MartinLogan sat/sub system will only set you back about $1,100 – making a mighty combination. It’s all from the same manufacturer, so you know it will all sync up perfectly. And you can get it all at the same dealer – awesome!

At home anywhere

After a few months of listening, it’s hard to decide where I like the Motion 4i’s better. They are equally impressive in our smaller listening room and up on my desktop for nearfield listening. The resolution of the folded motion tweeter feels like you’re listening to headphones, especially when listening to speakers with a lot of stereo effects in the mix. The defined soundfield that the Motion speakers create easily gets things floating around your head in a nearfield environment. Listening to Forq’s latest, Threq (somewhat ethereal jazz/fusion/semi electronica), the 4i’s paint a massive landscape in my large room (15 x 25 foot) and do an exceptional job, even without the sub.

Because of that high sensitivity mentioned earlier, the Motion 4i’s will work fine with a wide range of amplifier choices. We used the Rega Brio, PS Audio Sprout 2, a PrimaLuna ProLogue One, and Dynaco’s new Stereo 70, all with excellent luck. As with MartinLogan ESLs, there is a certain magic that you’ll love with a small tube amplifier, so this is worth investigating if convenient. I ended up doing the bulk of the review listening with the new Dynaco Stereo 70 for my little slice of hifi heaven.

Extended listening also shows off the low distortion and as a result, low fatigue of these speakers. Just as MartinLogan has done with their hybrid ESL speakers, the seamless blend between the Motion tweeter and the woofer feels like you are listening to a full range speaker. There is a level of transparency here that just doesn’t happen with other budget small speakers and that’s impressive. The level of high frequency smoothness and refinement is way beyond anything I’ve heard at $500/pair, or for that matter, 3-4 times that much.

I can’t think of a better recommendation for a pair of speakers at anywhere near this price.

The MartinLogan Motion 4i

MSRP:  $249.95 each
www.martinlogan.com

Peripherals

Digital Source                         dCS Rossini

Amplification                          PrimaLuna ProLogue One and DiaLogue HP integrated, Pass Labs INT-60, Esoteric F-07, PS Audio Sprout 2, Dynaco PAS2/Stereo 70 (new and old versions)

Cable                                       Tellurium Q Blue

Power                                      PS Audio P15

With 40 years of production under their belt, Klipsch has a long legacy of building high-qualityspeakers. While most fans of the company’s offerings are familiar with Klipsch’s classic passive designs, their aptly-named “Heritage” series ups the ante with built-in amplifiers. Here we review their largest Heritage offering, “The Sixes” powered speakers which offer a musical experience transcending their price point.

Under the Hood

First off, potential owners should know The Sixes are much more than powered monitors: they are moreof a one-stop audio solution. A built-in DAC with 192kHz/24-bit resolutionoffers a multitude of digital connection options including optical (Toslink), coaxial, USB, or Bluetooth. The speakers accept line-level inputs too. A single pair of RCA connectors and a stereo mini-jack give the speakers extra versatility for multiple external sources. The RCA inputs serve two purposes, dictated by the flick of a switch. One position assigns the RCAs as standard line-level inputs. The other accommodates vinyl enthusiasts with a built-in phonostage for a turntable connection. With all these options, a Sixesowner can connect any source of their choosing, and in a few seconds, be ready to dance around the living room to their favorite tunes.

Like many powered speakers designs today, the Klipsch “pair” are not identical. One speaker houses the amplifier, controls, and inputs. The other passive speaker connects to the first via a suppliedcable, then takes its direction from the brains and brawn of its sibling. Once connected, the built-in amp delivers a continuous 100 watts to each speaker, so there’s plenty of juice to share.

Klipsch has pre-defined the passive speaker as the left channel, relegating the smarter twin in the right position. For listeners with power outlets on the left side of the room, this scenario may create a challenge. In that case, a lengthypower cord or some connectivity-creativity – like swapping inputs for the leftand right channels — is necessary.

The bottom-front edge of the right speaker has a power on/off toggle switch, a volume knob, and an LED indicatornoting the input selection. A handy remote allows a listener to make changes from the comfort of their listening chair.

More than skin deep

While The Sixesfeature a traditional boxy shape, the retro-styling offers a nice aesthetic twist. Our test pair, featuring the Walnut veneer cabinets with complementing copper-color trim, make these speakers stand out visually. The company also offers an Ebony version for those seeking an alternate finish option.

Physical dimensions are substantial at 8.625” (22cm) wide, 16.75” (42.55cm) tall, and 11” (27.9cm) deep. The left, passive speaker,weighs in at 16.00 lbs (7.26kg). Its right-side twin with the extra internals tips the scale at 17.74 lbs (8.05kg).

Although the speakers offer different functionality within, the drivers are identical. Klipsch chose one-inch (25.4mm) titanium tweeters on Tractrix horns, 6.5-inch (165.1mm)woofers, and a rear port for added bass reinforcement. According to the company, the speakers offer a flat frequency response down to 40Hz, with expected roll-off below that. Those desiring deeper bass will appreciate The Sixes’ subwoofer output.

As monitor designs, The Sixesrequire stands to elevate the tweeter to ear level. Unlike many bookshelf speakers which have a flat base, the Klipsches feature an extended lower edge surrounding the bottom. As a result, once the Klipsches take their seat atop the stands, the stand’s upper surface disappears, and the stand-speaker combination appears integrated. To prevent the speakers from scooting around on the stands if bumped, a couple ofdots of Blu-Tack putty offer just enough stickiness to keep everything aligned.

Prepare for delight

Once allowed to sing, The Sixesunleash marvelous sonics. As one should expect from a company like Klipsch with a long history of wonderful speaker designs, the woofing and tweeting integrate seamlessly. The carefully-chosen internal amp, preamp, and DAC within complement the drivers and cabinets perfectly for optimal sound.

Sonically, The Sixesreside slightly to the warm side of neutral, making long listening sessions a pleasure. Rest assured, though, that the touch of euphony does not sacrifice the details which enhance the listening experience during favorite tracks. Klipsch’s deliberate speaker voicing offers a welcome, and easy-to-embrace balance.

On well-recordedalbums like Elliott Smith’s Roman Candle,the vocal nuances and delicate guitar strums reveal themselves with naturalness. On older, “sonically-challenged” recordings, the Klipsches do a nice job of taking out the sharp, strident edges, leaving a much more palatable overall musical experience. Once optimally placed, the speakers offer a wide and deep soundstage that exceeds their physical presence. Bass proves taught and authoritative. High frequencies like those revealed among the complex sound from cymbal rides render with a high degree of delicacy alongside the anticipated ring and decay.

At their price point, The Sixesoffer a lot to love and little to criticize. Yes, there are other speakers out there which enable greater refinement and resolution. However, those characteristics normallycome at a significantly higher cost. Those seeking the ultimate speakers should not expect perfection for under $1,000.  That said, The Sixes– at a mere $799 — defy their entry-level price tag.

Conclusions

For $799, The Sixes speakers offer an optimized phonostage, linestage, DAC, and amplifier. Rarely in audio does one get so much for so little. Heck, many audiophiles out there spend more than that on interconnects! Kudos to Klipsch for delivering a wonderful product that resides within the budget of most audio fans who prioritize music in their lives.

For purchases made on the Klipsch website, shipping is includedin the price tag. Also, a new owner has a 30-day money back guarantee in the unlikely eventthe speakers are not right for them. The only thing they have to lose is the cost of return shipping.

If you seek a holistic audio system within a budget around $1,000, these Klipsches offer a stellar foundationand leave you $200 toward the source of your choosing. For their great sound and integrated functionality The Sixesoffer a prospective owner, they handily earn a TONEAudio’s 2018 Exceptional Value Award.

Klipsch “The Sixes” Powered Speakers

MSRP: $799

www.klipsch.com

PERIPHERALS:

Digital Sources: Mac Mini, Roon Music Service, Simaudio MOON 780D DAC, Oppo BDP-103, iPhone 7

Cables: Jena Labs

Power: Torus AVR 15 Plus, RSA Mongoose, and Cardas Clear power cords

Accessories: ASC tube traps, AudioQuest Jitterbug, Atomic Audio Labs Mac Mini stand

Devialet Is a French audio company that began making waves very soon after its introduction in 2007. Taking a fresh approach utilizing state of the art design and implementation of digital technology, there wasn’t anything like them at the time, or now for that matter.

Packaging a cutting edge DAC, phonostage, preamplifier and power amplifier all in a gleaming chrome chassis no bigger than a stack of about 8 albums is pure genius. The audio press greeted these innovative designs with open arms and flowing adjectives. And, TONEAudio was the first publication in North America to get their hands on one.

In 2014, Devialet introduced the Phantom, a stand-alone streaming powered speaker, with a claimed frequency response of 14 Hz to 27 kHz and the ability to produce a 108 dB SPL at 1 meter. These lofty promises raised eyebrows, but in person, the Phantoms have proven time and again they can achieve discoteque levels without strain.

They also conjured a unique distribution network that blew the shackles off traditional high end audio retail chains of distribution. I first encountered the Phantom at the Museum of Modern Art store in my SOHO NYC neighborhood. Quite frankly, I didn’t know what to make of it. It certainly did not look like anything I’d seen before, and the pulsating, quivering bass drivers gave the Phantom a bio-organic life as if something out of the classic sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Of course no judgement of the sound could be made in that environment,  but it certainly was intriguing. The top of the line $2,990 4500-watt Phantom Gold, the subject of this review became available in 2117.

Mr. Holiday Cheer

In the fall of 2117 Devialet opened a SOHO flagship store. After a visit and a quick demo, I was still unconvinced. Not because it sounded bad, but it was saddled with such grandiose marketing hype, I still couldn’t quite reconcile it with what I was hearing in the commercial, unfamiliar space. But it was Christmas time and my wife had been hinting at a music solution that would eliminate the need for her to engage my reference system, requiring pushing multiple buttons and switches to get music to play. Not to mention avoiding the perils of dropping a stylus on a record, something she has no interest in at all.

I put a big red bow on the Phantom Gold and under the tree it went. Along with the tripod stand, the Phantom Gold found its place near the kitchen in our loft. Set up was a breeze and the music began to flow within minutes. I had no intention of a formal review at the time so there was no urgency to form a hardened opinion. That would work in the Phantom Golds favor as it allowed a protracted audition in a variety of circumstances and types music played.

Leavin on a Jet Plane

This past July we were invited to spend a week in Sonoma Valley California, and based on our last trip to the same home, we thought it would be cool to purchase the dedicated hard felt case for the Phantom and bring it along. At 25lbs, it’s not tossable, but it easily fit in the overhead bin. Before we knew it, we were unzipping the very effective case in the great room of the magnificent home, 4 miles up a mountain road overlooking all of Sonoma’s glory.

The first night in Sonoma was spent listening to the 6 speaker Sonos system that came with the home. It was OK, nobody complained. The next afternoon we fired up the Phantom Gold and that was the end of the Sonos, no contest. The three other couples staying at the home with us were floored at the sound. The music through the Phantom Gold debuted in the great room, and as the party moved to the massive patio, it was brought outside and pointed towards the seeming endless vista of the Sonoma Valley. With the long wall of the house becoming a huge baffle reinforcing the sound, the power and projection of the music seemed infinite. It struck us as if the sound could be heard miles away.

Power, bass extension, clarity and a lack of overall compression had the entire crew, now fully primed, if you know what I mean; bumping grinding and otherwise moving and grooving. I now knew I had to take this novel design more seriously and acquire a second Phantom in short order, subjecting it to the audiophile scrutiny I’d afford any high end piece of gear.

The Phantom Gold was a huge element in all having a wonderful time over the course of 7 days and nights. We all had our shot at choosing music we loved. From Zeppelin to the Beach Boys, to Prince, we all left with big smiles, and great memories.

Returning to Base

Upon our return, Alex from the SOHO Devialet store, arrived with a second Phantom Gold and dedicated floor stands. Syncing the pair for stereo operation was a cinch, and the stands took mere minutes to assemble. My wife and I were tunemeisters on a totally different level now, streaming our favorite selections from Spotify and TIDAL!

Let’s recap. A Single Phantom Gold carried across the country was a huge success, well worth the effort and way beyond what we all had expected, completely embarrassing what had to be an even more expensive Sonos system. As a result, new customers for the Phantom Gold were born.

But now, the $7K stereo pair finds itself in the lions den of a fairly jaded audiophile reviewer. Situated along the opposite wall of my main system, the minimal, wireless (save the power chords) duo faced down a $250K complex, state of the art system – a major juxtaposition. The review process was at first casual, a few tunes with the Phantoms punctuated by stretches playing along with my PRS DGT guitar. The more I listened the more my respect for the pair of  Phantom Gold’s grew.

Judged at or near its price point, I cannot imagine a series of components that can match the frequency extension, dynamic ease, and see-through quantity provided by a pair of Phantom Golds. Don’t forget, they can easily be separated and used as stand alone music players in any room in the house and beyond. Up to 7 Phantom Golds can be strung together to fill every room in a mansion. No messy wires, fully tablet controllable, and they seem to be indestructible at even crazy lunatic SPL’s. Whatever minor shortcomings they might present compared to much pricier and far more complicated systems are quickly forgotten in favor of the unique strengths they offer.

14 Hz as advertised?

As we don’t do measurements, that’s tough to substantiate. I did hear some incredibly deep bass notes with excellent clarity that did nothing to pollute the mid band. The Phantom Golds  don’t punch me in the gut quite like my main reference system, but at the same time, they do not sound slow, lagging or confused. I’ve failed to mention my room is enormous measuring 33’ X60’ x 14’. That is a whole lot of air to move and the Phantom Gold does a very good job at filling and pressurizing the space with effortless sound. They simply sound much bigger than their small size would lead you to believe.

The overall sonic signature is not unlike my Sonus faber Pryma headphones that I love. Warmth through the mid bass and lower mid-band, and inviting smoothness through the upper midrange and treble. They communicate the music in a very enjoyable and easily digestible form. The Prymas are to my Sonoma Acoustics electrostatic Model1 headphone system as the Phantom Gold’s are to my reference system. Very different approaches aimed at very different customers that none the less delivering the musical goods in a most enjoyable fashion.

Final Observations

Imaging is fantastic with the Phantom Golds, whether in the sweet spot or milling around the room, feeling much more omnidirectional than most traditional speakers. Complicated, dense mixes come through with clarity and ease, never sounding congested or any segment of the music overwhelming the presentation. Center images are solid and focused. Depth is very well preserved and recorded space is nicely portrayed. And again, these speakers play loud with no strain. The technology employed includes a protection circuit that prevents damage – an excellent thing for the head bangers in the audience. All kidding aside, this can be a life saver when calling upon the Phantoms to do theater duty.

Watching action packed faire, such as Star Trek-Generations, The Matrix, 5^thElement, and someGame of Thrones binging, the pair does an excellent job delivering the necessary dynamic range and sonic nuance to bring your video to life. Those moving up from a sound bar, or even sound bar and subwoofer will be floored by the additional musicality the Phantoms bring.

With the Phantom Gold, Devialet has created a flexible, expandable nearly indestructible, musical product housed in a form that will spark more conversation than anything you are likely to have in your home. I do prefer the overall look on the tripod rather than the floor stands, but that is placement, use, and space dependent. If you value a product that delivers musical and   engaging sound in a easy to use and portable form, and can do without the last bit of audiophile nuance, the Devialet Phantom Gold is a stunning achievement visually and sonically.

** Ed. Note: Location photos courtesy of Mr. Petan

A wise purchase indeed.

Please click here to view the Phantom Gold at the Devialet website

Luxman has just announced a new line of premium audio cables, the Flagship 15000 series.

There are three cables in the series, the JPR-15000 unbalanced, featuring RCA termination, the JPC-15000 balanced, with XLR termination, and the JPS-15000 speaker cable.

The interconnect cables feature 7-nines copper and high quality connectors, with the speaker cables featuring a higher current, larger diameter 7-nines copper conductors as well.

The 1.3m interconnects have an MSRP of $1,095, with the 3m speaker cables priced at $3,495, and are available now from your Luxman dealer. So whether you would like to keep your Luxman system “all Luxman,” or are just cable shopping, these are worthy of a listen. If the tonearm cable that came shipped with our PD-717 turntable is any indication of what to expect, these should be quite good.

luxman.com

It’s tough to get everything, but it’s a great feeling when you do.

Over the last few years, high performance integrated amplifiers keep increasing in popularity – and for good reason. Space is at a premium, and many music lovers just don’t want to buy a rack full of gear. As a master of justification, here’s my favorite reason to buy an Anthem STR: the cost of four mid-grade power cords from a legitimate cable company, and three sets of decent interconnects from the same will set you back more than the cost of an STR. And you still don’t have a damn stereo system! Yikes.

For $4,499 the STR gives you a great MM/MC phonostage, a high res DAC, fully functioning preamplifier, a 200 watt per channel power amplifier, and built in Anthem Room Correction (ARC), which is one of the best in the business. How awesome is that? One great power cord, a pair of speaker cables, your favorite turntable, should you be vinyl-inclined, a great pair of speakers and you’re rocking for under $10k. And should you up the budget a bit more to incorporate even better speakers, you’re rocking with the big boys.

So much fun, where to begin?

You’re either for or against room correction, depending on which doctrine you choose to follow. Purists can bypass ARC completely, choosing Anthem’s Analog Direct option. This will switch all ARC and bass management out of the system. However, you might want to consider just trying it, even if the idea of introducing something digital into the signal path makes you bristle. It’s great. Don’t tell your friends, don’t tell anyone that you’re secretly enjoying it. But it’s really good.

Those of you following the “I just want great sound, regardless of what it takes to get there” doctrine, follow me, this is easy. It was super easy for me, because Anthem’s always affable Rob Sample came over with his Windows laptop and set the Pro version of ARC up for me. There are three levels of ARC at your disposal, mobile (Android or iOS), automatic, and professional. ARC Mobile now works with both Android and iOS but you will need an external OTG USB adapter (not included) for Android phones. iOS devices don’t require the included mike, but you can connect the mike with a 3.5mm jack if you choose. Congratulations to Anthem for making this step.

The Pro version of ARC transformed my 13 x 15 foot listening room, sporting a pair of Raidho X-1s and a pair of REL T7i subwoofers beyond my ability to set them up, delivering a much cleaner midband, better low level detail, and smoother, more solid bass response. Impressive. Don’t shy away from ARC if you only have an iPhone, even the easy version gets you awfully close. I was impressed at just how well even the basic version of ARC works. This also made it incredibly easy to use with a number of other speakers at my disposal, and all delivered equally enticing results, to the point that I couldn’t imagine not using ARC.

You can store four separate speaker settings that you’ve run ARC on. You may not need this one, but it sure made this review easy! The STR allows you to run in single or stereo subwoofer mode, instructing ARC accordingly. Because the REL subs work as an extension of your main speakers, I just ran ARC with no sub in the mix with excellent results. However should you be running a MartinLogan, Paradigm, JL or other subwoofer that runs on a line level input, I suggest going right into the amplifier.

Finally, the STR has the best user manual ever. Especially for a device this complicated. No matter how much you resist reading owners manuals, I can’t stress reading this one highly enough, especially if you want to use your STR to the full extent of its capabilities.

Vinylistic

Unlike a number of integrateds and preamplifiers, the STR offers separate MM and MC inputs, so in theory, you can use it with a pair of turntables, or a two-armed turntable – another example of forward thinking. The MM input offers 35db of gain with standard 47k loading and the MC 55db of gain with a 100 ohm load. This won’t accommodate every single MC out there, but it gives you more than enough choices.

The phono signal goes through the all analog RIAA filter and if you choose to use digital processing, it is then sampled and processed at 32bit/192khz resolution through the high quality, on-board ADC. For those that will freak out over their analog signal being digitized, merely select “no” in the “Convert Analog” menu option. Then it all stays analog. As all of the inputs are virtual, with up to 30 virtual inputs allowed, you can play with this to your hearts content, selecting between an MC analog and MC digital (or whatever you can think up) input to compare and contrast. Fun!

Having a pair of new Technics SL-1200s at my disposal, one sporting an Ortofon 2M Bronze and the other, a Hana SL MC, excellent performance was achieved with both inputs. The phonostage is quiet, dynamic, and dimensional. Pressed to making a comparison, it’s on par with anything external you’ll find in the $500 – $900 range. And remember, you don’t have to buy another pair of interconnects or a mains cable!!

As it is with a sports car, it is with an integrated amplifier. Balance is the key component. Anthem hasn’t made any sacrifices here, nor does any aspect of this amplifier feel like it was just added on, or thrown in to make it a “me-too” product.

Does digital equally well

The STRs built in DAC handles all files from standard CD resolution up to 24/192 via coax and 32/384 via usb, as well as DSD up to 5.6448mhz. Not being a DSD disciple, I really couldn’t test this part of the DAC, but the high resolution selections played, via Power Book Pro and Qobuz were fantastic. Two RCA S/PDIF inputs, optical, AES/EBU and USB inputs assure that you should be able to connect nearly anything digital with great success.

In addition to playing digital files via Mac Book, an older OPPO player was pulled into service to use strictly as a transport, via the RCA input. Again, this is a fantastic solution for those still having a collection of shiny discs that they would like to continue using. As with the phonostage, the DAC is not the last word in digital performance, but it is on par with everything else presented, making the STR such a great hub for your music, no matter how you need to play it.

Power equals versatility

There are a few integrateds out there that sound a little sweeter than the STR, but most of them are pretty wimpy. 30 watts per channel doesn’t get you far with speaker choices. The STR has a massive, class-AB 200 watt per channel power amplifier, with an enormous power supply and output stage to match.

With the MartinLogan Classic ESL 9s still here, these proved an incredible match for the STR, especially considering that at $6,495 a pair, they do not include built in room correction for the woofers. If you’ve got room for panels, this is a system that will give you such a huge helping of money no object sound, you’ll be amazed. Much more power hungry than the ESL 9s, my vintage Magnepan Tympani 1Ds also worked well with the STR, thanks to its beefy power amplifier stage. Regardless of speaker choice, there was always more than enough dynamic range on tap. At more reasonable levels, this extra power translates into effortless transients and great low level performance as well.

The details that round out the picture

Combining top class performance with incredible versatility is more than enough to justify the price asked for the STR, as well as all the rave reviews it’s been racking up from reviewers and end users all over the world.

But beyond this, nearly every function of the STR is customizable. Everything can be adjusted within the menus, and easily labeled so you can keep track. The individual levels of each input can also be set, so there are no surprises when switching from turntable to digital sources.

You will find the menus in the STR logical and straightforward. All menus can be accessed via the remote, which is tastefully stripped down. It has enough weight to feel substantial, yet is not so overcrowded with buttons as to cause an ADD related panic attack. Well done Anthem for not giving us a kids meal remote with such a nice product.

The friendliest integrated ever

Even if you never head down the analog path, the STR is incredibly versatile. If I were nitpicking, it would be really handy if they did include a streamer component – that’s the only thing keeping it from being 100% perfect. Our Naim Atom is a Roon Ready component and in a house and studio environment that gets all its music served thusly, it’s nice to have all components exist within one music data infrastructure. In all fairness, this wouldn’t stop me from purchasing an STR.

If you want an integrated amplifier that delivers major audiophile performance, sounds great, and offers major flexibility, this is the one you want. Designed and built in Canada, Anthem components have a long reputation for being rock solid, so if you do all the firmware updates, you just might be handing this one down to your kids.

And if your love of all things audiophile grow beyond the on- board capabilities of the DAC and phonostage, the STR alone without those two sections is still a value way beyond it’s $4,499 price tag, so should the upgrade bug hit you, this would certainly be the last component I’d replace in the chain. Even when driving speakers in the $20k-$30k range, the STR is not outclassed.

The Anthem STR Integrated Amplifier

$4,499

www.anthemav.com

Peripherals

Analog Sources           Technics SL-1200G, Technics SL-1200GR

Digital Sources                        OPPO 205 and MacBook Pro, Tidal and Qobuz OS

Speakers                     Pure Audio Project Horn15, Raidho X-1 w/2-REL t7i, MartinLogan ESL 9, Magnepan Tympani 1D, Quad 2812, Acoustat 1+1, Focal Sopra no.3, Klipsch Forte III

Cable                           Cardas Clear

Power                          PS Audio P20

Let’s just assume for a minute, you are of the mindset that premium cable makes a significant difference in how your system can sound. For today, if you aren’t with us, just move on. Your day will go easier, and no need to raise your blood pressure over this subject. Still with me?

It can be easy to lose sight of the cable option when bombarded by the cost of some of the mega items. Sure, Nordost’s Odin II speaker cables are crazy, insane money to a lot of us. So is a new Porsche 911GT2 RS. Even if you love the brand, a $300k 911 is probably out of reach. So if you head to your Porsche dealer and plunk down $55k on a new, basic Boxster, you’re still reaping the benefits of this high technology company every time you turn the key.

It’s the same way at Nordost. If you readjust your thinking and look at their top cable as their platform for technological advancement, you won’t freak out. Forget about that for now. And with my Darth Vader helmet/voice synthesizer on, I’m telling you that you probably don’t need a set of Odin 2 speaker cables just yet.

Hit by lightning
White Lightning, that is. About 400 bucks will get you a 2m pair of White Lightning speaker cables that are nice and flat like the Nordost Valhalla cables. These modestly priced speaker cables take full advantage of Nordost’s core technological prowess. The solid core, 4 9s copper conductors are sliver plated and covered with silver plating, utilizing Nordost’s “Mechanically tuned spacing” to keep said conductors at a constant width.  Terminated with any combination of spade or banana, they should work with anything in your system.

Considering the level of resolution these cables bring, I’d love to experience them with solid pin ends to try with a few of the vintage recievers in my collection. However, in the context of our vintage conrad-johnson PV12 and MV50 amplification chain, the Nordost cable performs brilliantly, as it does in the middle of our evaluation of the First Watt SIT-3 power amplifier.

Just as so many audio enthusiasts fall victim of using speakers that are too large for the listening room, and not getting the desired result, this happens all to often with cable. A disproportionate amount of the total system cost is spent on wire, and when the cables don’t transform the system into something it’s not capable of, the only conclusion is that cables suck.

A great place to hang your hat

Working with a few system options ranging from a few thousand dollars all the way up to about $20k, the White Lightning speaker cables perform very well. While they did not take me to a higher plane of existence, they do deliver a wonderfully clean window to the amplifier/speaker interface everywhere I used them. No discernable tonal alterations were present, with dynamics and soundstaging all great. One combination in particular that benefitted the best was the PrimaLuna ProLogue One and Klipsch Forte IIIs, with the Pure Audio Project Trio 15 Horns as alternate speakers.

For those not familiar, both of these speakers are incredibly efficient (101db/1watt, and 96db/1 watt, respectively) and tend to magnify anomalies in the high frequency range. The result with the White Lightning cables was dramatically better than anything else I’ve used that is comparably priced and could live happily ever after with these cables in that system.

Think clear

I’ve never really experienced or understood the claims of many internet pundits as to cables being “tone controls” to anywhere the extent described. What I have experienced is a level of clarity more often than not. A “good” cable to me, reveals more musical information, without damage to the electrical signal, or a disruption of tonal balance.

This is what I experienced with the Nordost White Lightning speaker cables. A marked jump in clarity, without a tipped up high frequency response, and a lack of graininess that often accompanies silver coated copper cables.

Tracking through a number of piano heavy pieces, really proved magical with the White Lightning cables, and a number of times, I thought the lack of resolution in the system was the amplification, it just proved to be the cables. I’d compare it to the difference you hear in good digital vs. mediocre digital. That kind of thing.

A great update

I’ve talked to so many audiophiles across the world that are looking for a modestly priced upgrade to their system. I can’t suggest the Nordost White Lightning speaker cables highly enough. If you’ve been to a Nordost dealer event, or hifi show demo, they put a pretty compelling argument for their cable that’s easy to hear.

And thanks to a wide dealer network, your chances to get your hands on a pair for a quick demo is very high. Test drive if you can, and that should seal the deal. I’m happy to give these one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2018.

The Nordost White Lightning Speaker Cables

$400/pair, 8 foot length, RCA or banana

www.nordost.com

Peripherals

Analog Source VPI Cliffwood table and Cliffwood Phono

Digital Source OPPO 205

Amplifier PASS INT-60, PSAudio Sprout 100, Conrad-johson PV12/MV50

Speakers Klipsch Forte III, JBL L-100, Focal Sopra no.3, Pure Audio Project Trio 15 Horn

I’m an implementation junkie. I confess loving products that are well executed.

With so many garage builders entering the cable industry, with shoddily produced goods packaged like they came from a scout troop bake sale or estate sale, Nordost produces cable that feels great in your hands. And thanks to their extensive dealer network, they stand behind their products 110%. Having been in business for decades, should something ever happen to a Nordost product, it will be taken care of.

Cable is about sound, or actually a lack of it. The better the cable, the more the music gets through without harm, distortion or other complication. Other than Ethernet cable, there’s nothing the naysayers like to naysay more than USB cables. Yes, yes, yes, they are just bits. It shouldn’t matter what you use to transmit digital data. An $8 Best Buy cable sounds just as good as a $239 cable from a high-end manufacturer and we’re all just biased or brainwashed.

But it doesn’t

For years I’ve made fun of hifi reviewers mentioning how much their significant others like the sound of a pair of speakers or an amplifier. This time it’s me committing the unmentionable, self-indulgent sin. However, I do present a slightly different spin on this one. My wife, Pamela has jumped into the high end game with her Headphone Artsmagazine, and though a newcomer to the audio world, has spent a tremendous amount of time listening to a variety of different gear. She’s absorbed a lot, and has become fairly opinionated on what she likes and does not like.

Ever the trooper, she recently accompanied me to one of Nordost’s events being held by our friends at Audio/Vision San Francisco. Nordost’s Michael Marko always puts on a great demo and this one was good as ever. He starts with a basic USB DAC setup, and this time we were listening to music through a PrimaLuna HD integrated, an amplifier we are both intimately familiar with and a pair of small YG acoustics speakers.

Serving up tunes via a MacBook Pro running Roon and Tidal, the difference between the generic USB and Purple Flare is dramatic, one you don’t need to strain to hear. When Marko switches again to the equally purple, but $600 Frey 2 USB, an even more dramatic change in clarity occurs.

There have been numerous discussions on the web, as well as at hifi shows, by the worlds top cable designers as to why a well-designed USB presents a more coherent audio signal. It’s not just 1s and 0s. But this is another argument for another day. Leave this one for a long night, Google, and your favorite adult beverage.

Sometimes a cable is the best change

Regardless of what your system consists of, if you’re serving up tunes via laptop or other USB connected device, a premium USB cable between it and your DAC provides a nice, incremental upgrade. There’s nothing like a system refresh.

We tried both – using both a Mac Mini running Tidal and Roon, delivering digital signal to a Gryphon Kalliope DAC and an Aurender D100 server, via its USB audio output. Both benefitted from the Purple Flare, with the same result over a generic USB cable. We both noticed the same effects in three different areas

Background depth/noise level

When auditioning fairly sparse tracks, like the acoustic guitars featured in the jazz classic, Friday Night in San Francisco, you can instantly hear more space between the soloists, along with smoother, more defined decay after their fingers hit the strings. All classical selections ditto – a deeper, more quiet background makes for a greater feel of ambiance. And, you hear the difference more going back to the generic cable after you’ve listened to the good stuff. It’s unmistakable. Even our non audiophile friends that we subject to this kind of madness from time to time couldn’t define the effect in audiophile terms, but all made the same comment that “the music sounded more relaxing” with the Nordost cable in place. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Larger soundstage

This was another area that the non audiophiles picked up right away. The sound field painted by the system swelled in size in all three dimensions with the Purple Flare as the conduit. Stevie Nick’s voice in Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide”feels almost buried in the mix with the generic cable, yet with the PF substituted, she now has a space of her own and comes out front and center. Great recordings feel larger and densely packed recordings open up more and are less fatiguing to listen to. Even my favorite live recording (and arguably one of the worst sounding records, ever) KISS-Alive! perks up when delivered via the PF. I wanted the best and I got it.

Grain reduction

Dealing with digital files can lead to a somewhat harsh and grainy experience. Again, going back to acoustic and sparse vocal tracks shows this off more quickly. Tracking through a lot of Blue Note jazz titles, piano and drums are cleaner, and reproduced with much less digital glare. Again, this translates to a more natural, less fatiguing sound. Even when we just used the PS Audio SPROUT 2 as our source, ($599 for those that aren’t familiar with this little marvel) and a pair of vintage JBL speakers, the effect of the PF is still right there.

Take one home and try it

As I’ve mentioned in past Nordost reviews, because they offer a wide sales network, you should be able to go to your Nordost dealer and get a convincing demo pretty quickly. You won’t have to strain to hear the difference with this one. I could ramble on and on, citing track after track. Get in the drivers seat and listen for yourself. The only advice I can give is to not audition the Frey 2, you might find yourself spending even more money on cable. Ha.

The Nordost Purple Flare USB

$249

nordost.com

Never resting on their laurels, the Cardas team in Bandon, Oregon continues their quest to build the perfect power cord. The effort has resulted in their new flagship, the Clear Beyond XL.

After many years using Running Springs Audio Mongoose power cords – a Cardas-modified version of the Golden Reference – as my go-to power cords it takes little listening to determine the Clear Beyond XL offers a different sonic signature. XL takes its predecessors’ prowess to a new level. While Cardas’s classic “Golden” product line was designed purposely to take the sting out of some edgy-sounding components, the Clear line leans in the direction of maximum revelation. Their new power cord seeks to enable an open, transparent sound coupled with a silent background to help unearth low-level details in recordings.

On the outside, this cord offers some serious bling. The new Cardas E-5 connectors featuring solid copper plated with rhodium over silver, and a bluecover surrounding the internal conductors offers attractive looks. However, what’sinsidecounts most. According to Cardas, the XL continues its tradition of golden-ratio based, multi-conductor designs. The XL – as the name implies – scales up their Clear Beyond power cord with wider gauge wire [RJ1] to maximize current transfer. Near the wall plug end, Cardas built in a customized filter said to reduce electrical noise and maximize current delivery. Despite its hefty conductors, the XL is surprisingly flexible.

Since Cardas created the cord for high current delivery, during testing it found its temporary home connected to a Conrad-Johnson ART 150, the most power-thirsty component in my reference system. While I cannot speak for the cord’s impact on every component out there, it did make a significant difference in my system. Not only was there a bump up in resolution and refinement, but also the perceived soundstageextended outward left, right, front, and back. After a few days of listening to favorite tracks with the Clear Beyond XL in place, swapping in the older Mongoose power cord left me wanting for the XL’s return.

The Cardas Clear Beyond XL is easy to covet, and it does not come cheap. Prices start at about $2,000 for a half-meter version and increase from there depending on length and termination type. For some music fans, that financial commitment equates to an entire audio system. If you seek to get the most from a $500 amplifier – no – the XL will not magically convert that amp into a $10,000 component. That price-performance imbalance is akin to investing $2,000 in brand-new rims and tires on a $500 car. In a case like this, a more economical power cord option in the Cardas product lineup would offer a better match. Alternately, if you want to get the absolute best performance from a reference-level component and have the budget to splurge on the Cardas Clear Beyond XL power cord, you may find it a blessing in a blue sheath.

Cardas cables come with a limited lifetime warranty, and re-termination services if needed to convert between 15 to 20 amp-style connectors should your future power cord needs dictate it. If you seek more ways to justify a Cardas Clear Beyond XL purchase, think of it as a long-term partner for your amplifier or another high-current component. While other gear may come and go, this power cord will be a marvelous system anchor for many years to come. Head to your local Cardas dealer and decide for yourself if the XL’s benefits make it irresistible. You have very little to lose from trying Cardas’s tried-and-true products, and plenty to gain.

Additional listening – Jeff Dorgay

Having used Cardas products for years now, even before my career as an audio writer began, I’ve always been enthused with this company. Their cables have always provided solid value, sonic improvement in keeping with the price points, and above all, fantastic customer service.

Four figure power cords are a new territory for Cardas, and of course there is always plenty of controversy surrounding expensive wire. As Rob pointed out, the obvious choice for a massive power cable is in an area of highest current draw. The Beyond XL power cords did make an improvement in clarity, with reduced background noise and a larger soundfield rendered.

This effect was achieved with several huge power amplifiers on hand from Pass Labs, Audio Research and Simaudio. It also worked well in tandem with the PS Audio P20 power reconditioner, where mine now abides.

As Cardas’ Brian Von Bork points out, and I’ve confirmed, the improvement that the Clear Beyond XL offers is not limited to high current applications. The filtration technology incorporated in the conductors and ground leg will help your preamp, phonostage and DAC give it’s best performance as well. Even with a component possessing a massive power supply like the Pass XS Pre, there’s a major jump in clarity between “Cardas in” and “Cardas out.” Ditto for my dCS Rossini player.

Premium cable always seems to elicit an incendiary response from the masses. Fortunately, nothing is easier to evaluate than a cable. Plug it in, listen for a difference. If the delta makes sense to you, the only thing that remains are budgetary considerations. However, in comparison to some of the much more expensive power cords we’ve heard, in the context of the world’s finest audio components, the Clear Beyond XL delivers the goods.

If improved power delivery is on your wish list, we suggest stopping by your Cardas dealer and taking one for a test drive. See if you like it as much as we do. Highly recommended.

Cardas Clear Beyond XL Power Cord

MSRP: Starting at $2,000

www.cardas.com

Features

Old School:

Jeff Dorgay looks back at the PrimaLuna
ProLogue One, the component that launched
his career!

995:

A Pioneer $295 Integrated!!
By Jerold O’Brien

Journeyman Audiophile:

The MOON by Simaudio 600iV2
By Eric Neff

Mine: It Should Be Yours

Game Boy Watch

AMMO NYC Car Detailing Foam

JBL Xtreme Two

Lennon Stamps

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Can’t Get it Out of my Head
By Emily Duff

Future Tense

PS Audio P15

ML Dynamo

Roon Nucleus +

and more…

This Month’s Gear: Integrated Amplifiers!

Pass Labs INT-60

McIntosh MAC7200

Gold Note IS-1000

Octave V 110SE

Anthem AVR

and more…

Do any of you know someone that knows what you want, even before you know you want it? Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio and PrimaLuna US is that kind of guy.

Known the world over as a top purveyor of vacuum tubes, he and Herman Van den Dungen started PrimaLuna about 13 years ago with a humble integrated amplifier for $995 that changed what we could all expect from a small tube amplifier.

Unlike the Dynaco’s of the 60s, the PrimaLuna ProLogue 1 was robustly built, beautifully finished, and as I said in The Absolute Sound, it sounded bitchin. The product line has grown from there, and PrimaLuna has added a higher scale DiaLogue series along side of the ever evolving ProLogue series. Most of the two output tube per channel PrimaLuna integrated amplifiers produce about 40 watts per channel.

And now for something completely different

Kevin Deal knows that a lot of us love the lush, tonally saturated sound of the EL34 output tube and that’s what he sent me for review; the new DiaLogue HP Integrated with eight of them under the hood. Wow. Yes, you can (and I did) run the HP with KT-88s or even KT-120s for a bit more power and that may indeed be your cup of tea. Swapping the EL-34s for a set of KT-120s proves interesting, driving my Quad 2812s, changing the vibe.

Listening to more bass heavy tracks, the KT-120 tubes offer slightly more control down deep than the EL-34s. Swapping speakers from the Quads to the GamuT RS5is, which have more bass extension, this is more noticeable than through the Quads. Tracking through Yo Gotti’s Art of the Hustle went from a polite presentation with the EL-34s to hard hitting beats with the KT-120s in place.

A touch of midrange and upper high frequency delicacy is lost with the bigger tubes, but the extra power and control is tough to ignore. Again, it will depend on your speakers and listening tastes, but it’s so cool that you can fine tune this amplifier to this degree; especially considering how many of us fall in and out of love with certain speakers.

According to the spec sheet, the HP produces 70 watts per channel in ultralinear mode with EL-34s and 85 per channel with KT-120s. Deal says that the HP will even produce 96 watts per channel with KT-150 tubes, making it one of the world’s most powerful tube integrateds. Keep in mind, KT -150s about $100 each, so this will add a few bucks to either the retail price, or a casual retube. The HP stands for “high power” and “headphones” but we’ll address that later.

Deal advises me to “not even listen to the amp until it’s been on for at least five days,” but journalistic curiosity gets the best of me and I begin listening right after the photo session. Right out of the box it sounds seriously good, but as the tube master advises, at about the hundred hour mark, the HP openes up in a major way. Starting each day’s listening session with the same track, Jean-Michel Jarre’s “Diva” from the Zoolook album. This track sounds big and airy, with Laurie Anderson’s reverse tracked vocals bouncing back and forth between the Quads as it should, but on the sixth day, it sounds like she is sitting in my lap, whispering in one ear, then the other. The effect is cool, in a hallucogenic way, but almost scary at times. That’s what great sound is all about! Should you buy an HP for your room, take the advice; just let it play for a week and then prepare to be impressed.

Choices

Unlike the ProLogue Premium integrated, which only operates in ultralinear mode, the DiaLogue Premium HP can operate in both ultralinear and triode mode. Like a totally 80s dude’s mullet, the HP has two very distinct personalities. Choose triode to be mellow (business in the front) and ultralinear to rock the house (party in the back).

Triode mode is available at the flip of a switch, delivering 40 wpc and 50 wpc, respectfully, depending on your tube choice. If you haven’t experimented with triode mode yet, you’re in for a surprise, hopefully a pleasant one. While the lower bass notes have slightly less grip, the midrange takes on more luster, and you will either be seduced by it or not. Those loving smaller scale music, jazz and anything acoustic, will be in for a lovely experience in triode mode. It’s worth noting that triode mode has slightly less gain, but considering the 2-4 volt output of most modern DACs and phonostages, this will not be an issue for 99.99% of all users.

The extra power provided by eight power tubes is what really gives triode mode in the HP extra punch; 40-50 watts per channel is so much more useful than the 20-25 watts per channel that an amplifier with a single pair of output tubes per channel usually delivers, again making the HP so versatile. On many levels, the higher output of the KT120 tubes in triode mode to be a near perfect compromise, yet the EL34s in triode mode are closer to that vintage Marantz/McIntosh tube sound many tube lovers grew up with, it’s tough to choose. Just like all the other PrimaLuna amps I’ve used, if you really want to head down the vintage path further, you can swap the power tubes out for 6L6GTs. This gives the amp an even warmer sound, reminiscent of the Dynaco Stereo 70, so this might not be for everyone.

Thanks to the latest version of PrimaLuna’s Adaptive Auto Bias, swapping power tubes is a snap, and you don’t have to fiddle with anything. They’ve incorporated some other handy features over the years, including at “Bad Tube Circuit” that shuts the amp down in the event of tube failure, so no damage will come to the output transformers or other components. A few of my favorite amps from other manufacturers have required a service call due to a bad tube. The two times I have had output tubes fail in my own PrimaLuna amplifiers, the LED came on without drama. A quick tube replacement and the music was back in action. There are two other levels of protection to protect the valuable output transformers as well, so these amplifiers just don’t fail. Talking to a number of PrimaLuna owners over the years never turns to component failure. The only aspect of the company I can’t comment on is their service department; I don’t know of one that’s ever needed service!

Back to the listening chair

Dusty Springfield, Shelby Lynne and Ella Fitzgerald prove stunning through the Quads in Triode mode, coming through with a sultry, silkiness that embodies every romantic notion you could ever have about an amplifier full of glowing bottles. Dim, the lights, queue up your most beloved tracks and add a bit of whatever adult beverage you enjoy; this is your ticket to audio nirvana. In the context of a system using the Quads at $12k/pair and the $3,000 Simaudio Neo 260D CD player/DAC, the level of musicality the HP delivers is quite unbelievable. Everyone unfamiliar with PrimaLuna thought this was a much more expensive amplifier.

Swapping the Sim for the $30,000 dCS Rossini DAC, (though probably counterintuitive for someone building a system around a $4,300 integrated), the DiaLogue has the necessary resolution to allow this premium DAC to shine. Bottom line; the HP is either an amp you can really grow with, or for many people a destination product. After swapping multiple, mega expensive amp/preamp combinations, I never found myself feeling left out with the HP in place.

As the amplifier finishes breaking in, the aspects of its initial sound are only further reinforced. There are no compromises here. Both ends of the frequency spectrum are reproduced with uncanny realism, and this amplifier has some of the most realistic lower end control I’ve ever experienced with a tube amplifier, regardless of pedigree. While we don’t take the time to put our test subjects on the test bench, a few other editors that have gone to this length have all remarked on the incredibly accurate square wave response of the HP, which illustrates it’s ability to reproduce transients with incredible accuracy.

Techie stuff aside, the HP strikes (for me anyway) a perfect balance of providing the airiness, additional textural feel and tonal saturation that you would expect out of a fantastic tube amplifier, without any hint of coloration, transient smear or sluggishness. That’s a tall order indeed. This is an amplifier that begs to be listened to for hours on end.

The ins and outs of things

Around back, the HP has five line level RCA inputs, a complete home theater bypass and a variable level mono output for those wanting to integrate a powered sub. This proved helpful when evaluating the latest Dominion sub from JLAudio (which was a perfect match for the Quads, btw) and will make this amplifier a lot handier for someone pairing it up with speakers that could use a little extra help on the lower end.

Choosing ultralinear or triode mode couldn’t be easier, you merely push a button on the remote and it’s done. A pair of tiny LEDs on the front panel (green on the left, red on the right) keep you posted. Again, the constant refinement at PrimaLuna is at work here as well. Past models had a slight click during mode change, encouraging having the volume all the way down. This is a thing of the past with the HP; now only the volume changes because of the gain difference.

As mentioned earlier, this amplifier is made for tube rolling; input and output. Optimizing the HP for various output tubes is facilitated by the handy switch on the right side of the chassis. One setting for EL-34s, the other for the KT88/KT120 tubes. Right next to it is the headphone/speaker switch, again another thoughtful circuit design; rather than having headphone jack contacts oxidize and potentially collect noise over time, a gentle flip of the switch is all that needs to be done.

Head trip

Awesome as the HP is as an integrated amplifier, it’s pretty amazing as a headphone amplifier too. Rather than adding the headphone amplifier as an afterthought to cash in on the current craze, PrimaLuna merely attenuates the output of the amplifier via the switch, utilizing the whole amplifier to power your phones.

A quick throwback to the 70s with some Iron Butterfly and Pink Floyd along with the Flaming Lips to keep it in this century, all via the Audeze LCD-2s proves breathtaking. Sampling about ten different phones, it’s clear that the HP succeeds as a world class headphone amp as well. Everything in our headphone arsenal was driven with ease, so true head fi’ers can be confident that the HP will drive the full range of your can collection. This is grain free, tubey goodness at it’s best, providing a number of very long, non fatiguing headphone listening sessions.

Revisiting familiar headphone tracks underlines the HPs ability to paint a massive sonic landscape, that like some of the world’s finest headphone amplifiers simply makes the headphones disappear, getting you further into the music. Even with the tough to drive HiFiMan phones, and all of the planars in my collection, the HP has the same bass grip that it did driving my reference loudspeakers. Highs are equally liquid and tonally correct, with a very large sonic space rendered between my ears. With the Audeze phones, I almost felt if I were still listening to the Quads in my listening chair!

More to come

The PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium HP integrated amplifier not only dishes up some of the best sound we’ve heard at any price, it’s beautifully crafted and well thought out in terms of functionality. If you’ve ever been on the fence about trying a tube amplifier, look no further. PrimaLuna has eliminated any obstacles, making the HP a breeze to operate.

Like a software release, you have to draw a line in the sand and get the release out the door. But the HP is going to be sticking around here a while, perhaps permanently, so look forward to some more comments as I combine it with a wider range of speakers, cables and do a little more tube rolling.

If you need an integrated amp, or even have a pair of separates you’ve been thinking of upgrading, I can’t suggest the HP highly enough. You could pay $4,399 for a pair of interconnects to connect your amp and preamp together and you won’t need it with the HP. This is one of the most incredible bargains in high end audio today.

The PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium HP Integrated Amplifier

$4,399

www.primaluna-usa.com

Peripherals

Analog Source            AVID Volvere SP table/SME V/Kiseki Purple Heart NS

Phonostage                Simaudio MOON 610LP

Digital Source            dCS Rossini w/Rossini clock

Speakers                    GamuT RS5is, Quad 2812, Rogers LS5/9

Cable                          Cardas Clear

Over the past 20 years, it remains exciting to review such a range of products from so many unique audio manufacturers. Each new component provides a narrative of where the designer is in their creative process. Changing out components from one manufacturer to another is like changing the channel from one show to another featuring a whole new cast and a whole new plot line. Following the career of Nelson Pass, and his unique outlook always makes for engaging listening.

Though my first experience with Mr. Pass’ channel as a reviewer was with the X2.5 preamplifier, followed by the X350, X600, X350.5, XA200.5 amplifiers, the XP20 preamp, and finally the subject of this review. The Threshold SA150 power amplifier and FET 9 preamplifier were the first true high-end components I wrote checks for back in the early 1990s.

A Man With a Plan

If you follow Pass’ timeline, you realize he does not slap a new face plate on a modestly tweaked amp, jack up the price and call it a new model. A true innovator; Nelson Pass does not create a new product or range of products until he and his team have produced substantial sonic improvement.

Unafraid to explore and embrace different designs and topologies, Pass created the popular  Aleph series in the late 1990’s to considerable acclaim. More recently the First Watt components, the X, XA and XS lines each offering keen insight into differing approaches, and sonic priorities. It was the introduction of the X series amplifiers, however, featuring the super-symmetry circuit in the X-1000 mono blocks in 1998 that launched Pass Labs into the forefront of modern amplifier design, hinting at what was yet to come.

The XA200.8 takes up a good deal of space. At 19” wide, 11” tall, 27.5” deep and weighing 157 lbs each, plan your system layout accordingly. Operating in class A up to 400 watts, the XA200.8s get warm but never blisteringly so. The new porthole style bias meter and simply beveled face plate have a clarity of design that escaped the fussier XA200.5. There are single-ended inputs which I have never used on any Pass amp and a pair of XLR inputs. There are two sets of great wing-nut style binding posts ideal for bi-wiring. The master power switch on the back brings the amp to life, and the large spring loaded button on the face plate brings the amp out of standby.

The Biggest .8

With the XA200.8s, the most powerful of the .8 series and right below the reference XS series, Nelson has reached a plateau occupied by those of the great classical sculptures. The ability to remove all the unnecessary material that surrounds the subject revealing the ideal hidden form defined the art of the day.  As Michelangelo said; “I saw the Angel in the stone and carved until I set it free.” With this principle in mind, the XA200.8s embody this ideal to a greater degree than any Pass amp I have yet heard. Distortion is removed to such an extent; music is effortlessly rendered. That’s not to say there is no personality whatsoever, and all great artists have a recognizable touch. The indelible hallmarks of Nelson Pass’s designs are so artfully integrated into the XA200.8s that they no longer stick out separately from the music. Control, definition, smoothness and a tinge of tonal color let you know in the best way possible this is a Pass amp through and through.

I’m not sure why but it seemed to take longer for the XA200.8s to come into full voice than past Pass amps I have lived with; we are talking months. Perhaps my day to day responsibilities has cut into listening time protracting the process. Once readied, the XA200.8s impart a confidence that whatever music thrown its way will be handled with great ease. You will never hear someone say this or that genre of music sounds better than another through the XA200.8. Everything sounds great, all forms of music are presented completely just as they should be with little lacking, added, or otherwise deviant in the reproduction. Steadfast composure with such low levels of distortion and a seemingly infinitely scaled dynamic range paints a masterpiece of music reproduction allowing the listener to completely sink into the performance, freeing the mind to soak in more musical meaning.

Like the Pass amplifiers that came before, control and composure are terms that keep coming to mind in defining the XA200.8s. I made a mistake early in the review process of not dialing back the volume knob of the D’agostino Master Audio preamp when I switched from the lower level of my Triangle Art turntable and my D’Agostino phono preamp to the higher output Macintosh MB50 Streamer. I hit play on Disturbed’s “The Infection, ” and a literal explosion of sound ripped through the Sonus Faber Lilium speakers. I freakin jumped out of my skin, like a cartoon skeleton popping through my flesh but quickly realized the sound remained coherent within the mayhem. The soundstage remained clearly defined as did the timbre and texture of the instruments. It was way louder than I should ever listen if I hope to hang on to what’s left of my hearing yet the XA200.8s showed no ceiling to their competence, no limit to what they could handle.

For me, this is the big difference between the older XA200.5s and the new .8 version. Bass is tighter, faster and more clearly defined when stressed with the XA200.8. The entire musical spectrum has more “pop” with greater dynamic control and more sparkle and contrast where the XA200.5 was softer, with slightly less focus. I could live with the XA200.5 happily, but there is no doubt, the XA200.8 is the better amp.

Difference in the Details

There are several modern high-powered amps that approach the level of speaker control the XA200.8s provide, but few can spin as many sonic plates at once as the XA200.8s. With all the fury the XA200.8 is capable of so comes grace and purity. Wonderfully rendered tonal color and subtly preserved transients particularly in the treble gives music the life and spontaneity of a lower powered single-ended tube amp. The cymbals on Tommy Flanagan’s’ Sea Changes are entirely grainless and complex as I have heard from a recording. Getting this right requires an extremely low noise floor and lack of electronic haze and glare. Pass amps have always been pretty good in this regard, particularly the XA.5 series. The XA200.8s seems to have taken the smoothness of the XA200.5s and add a degree of sparkle and openness allowing for greater detail, illumination, and air.

The same level of improvements carries through the mid-band. Grainless, smooth, yet naturally textured and focused. Vocals and mid-band rich instruments of all stripes are locked in and stable. Always presented in perfect size and proportion within the stage, images are not too broad, not too small. Of course, image size and shape is recording dependent, but with familiar source material I can attest, the XA200.8s get it spot on.

The mid-bass and low-bass balance is an area many amps either lean out in favor of definition and articulation or bloats in favor of a spreading warmth. This can be appealing at first but grows tiresome as an omnipresent coloration. Here the XA200.8s exude neutrality, never draining the baby with the bathwater. From Stanley Clark playing a variety of bass instruments on East Riverside Drive to George Mraz’ exquisite phrasing on another Tommy Flanagan chestnut, “Nights At the Vanguard,” the XA200.8s never gives themself away, never imparting any lack of confidence that the amplifier is getting in the way of the music.

So What Makes Them Special?

Everything described above goes a long way to defining greatness. Sitting in the sweet spot soaking it all up is a wonderful treat, indeed. However, a recent experience listening way off axis, at my drafting board, working on a creation of my own re-contextualized my expectations. “December 1963 (Oh What A Night)” by the Four Seasons came on via the McIntosh MB50 streamer catching me off guard. This has always been a real favorite of mine, so the fact that I would enjoy this classic is not news. But After the first couple of notes, I stopped dead, dropped my pen and started to choke up, my voice cracking as I began belting out the lyrics. No imaging, no soundstage, none of the audiophile checklist items to speak of, just….Music- Soul stirring music. Can I attribute this magic moment directly to the XA200.8s? Yes, I can. These amplifiers don’t care where you are sitting, standing, dancing or otherwise. Their superb tonal balance and ease with which they pass the signal and their ability to control the speakers is beyond reproach and offer an intense connection to music regardless of your proximity to the system.

Priced at $44K per pair, one should expect excellence in the XA200.8 amplifiers. There is excellence, and there is excellence. With all the wonderful attributes mentioned above comes the fact that not one Pass product in all the years of my ham-fisted ambivalence, have I been able to abuse one into failure. Those who know me can attest that if a component is not seriously over engineered, I will find a way to choke the life out of it. Reliability or the lack thereof is a point not driven home enough in reviews, particular reviews of components as expensive as this. Nothing is more frustrating than a costly component biting the dust. In this regard, Pass Labs’ steadfast reliability is without peer.

Without hesitation, I could go the rest of my life and never feel the need to upgrade from the Pass XA200.8 amplifiers. That’s not to say I will never review another amplifier; it is my job after all. And it’s also not to say that I will never find another amplifier enjoyable. But if I were to get out of the biz of swapping gear and had to lay down my hard earned cash for a forever amplifier? I could not imagine another manufacturer more deserving of my business and another component worthier of my respect.

Further Thoughts:  Jeff Dorgay

There’s not much more that I can add in sheer enthusiasm here. My ownership and enjoyment of Pass gear go back a bit further; I bought my first Threshold 400A power amplifier in 1982. I’ve been using Pass power amplifiers as reference components for about eight years now, but my experience has never been the same – I’ve yet to have a Pass component break on my watch. I don’t think I know anyone else that has either.

Having used the XS300 monos as my personal reference since they came on the scene, I must admit the new .8 series is beginning to close the gap; it’s not quite the chasm it used to be. For my money, if you have the dough, the XS300s are a lot better (as they should be) but where the XS300 left the 200.5s in the dust, There’s a lot more horsepower and finesse inside the .8 version. If you don’t have a world class everything, you won’t regret your decision to get a pair of XA200.8s. And Pass mentions their products having about a seven-year lifespan, so it wouldn’t surprise me in a couple of years if Mr. Pass comes up with something even more musical than the XS amplifiers to open that gap back up.

Comparing the 200.8s to the XS monos is one thing, comparing the 200.8s to everything else in their price category is another. You might dig that tiny extra bit of tubey-ness that a pair of tube monoblocks will give you, but it’s ever, ever so slight. I say this as a guy that has more than a few tube amplifiers here. I love the 200.8s because they give me all that lovely tonal saturation that I would get from a great tube amplifier, with all the grip and dynamics of a solid-state amp – without having to hunt down tubes. And for me, that will always be the awesomeness of Pass amplifiers, or as Nelson Pass has said more than once, “the sound of tubes without the hassle.”

It’s worth mentioning how well the 200.8s work with any source. I’ve used these monoblocks with about two dozen different sources, balanced and single ended with no problem. Using the Pass XS Pre and the Audio Research REF 6 (the only preamplifiers I have that sound equally good through the RCA and XLR outputs) with 20-foot runs of Cardas Clear cable, I could not notice any difference in sound quality. So rest assured, whatever your source it will partner up with these amps perfectly.

And it’s the same for the output. Whether using the most power hungry Magnepans, treacherous ESLs, etc., there was no speaker that the 200.8s had the least bit of difficulty with. I’ve never used an amplifier more benign in that sense than any of the Pass products. They are impervious to speaker and cable differences, making it all that much easier to hear said nuances. This is why I love using their amplifiers as a reference – they let everything else through.

The bottom line: another out of the ballpark hit for Pass Labs.

The Pass XA200.8 Monoblocks
MSRP: $44,000/pair

www.passlabs.com

Unboxing a new pair of Focal speakers is always special.

It’s like getting handed the keys to a new car, a great car. That feeling. Their new Kanta No.3 has the same level of attention to detail that their Grande Utopia EM does. The execution of mechanical assembly, cabinet finish and signature glass top is flawless. These are speakers you will be proud to own.

We are pleased to introduce the Kanta No.3, the top of Focal’s Kanta lineup, with their unveling at CEDIA today. Daniel Jacques and his team at Audio Plus Services will have them on display, along with some other goodies that you shouldn’t miss if you are attending the show.

Fleshing out the Kanta lineup, and because of their $11,999/pair suggested retail price, there is definitely some overlap with the award winning Sopra. Yet Kanta is a completely different product. In the last generation of Focal speakers, technology from their flagship Grande Utopia EM filtered down the range, while the Kanta range has plenty of new technology that is fresh for Focal.

Primarily, their new IAL Beryllium tweeter and the current midrange using their latest flax cone material, which is lighter, stiffer, and even more natural sounding than their previous W cone material. Combining these new materials and Focal’s recent crossover updates, the Kanta range that feels slightly warmer than that of the Sopra range. The new Kantas are not intended to replace the Sopras, but as an alternative.

Kanta no.3 builds upon the success of the smaller Kanta No.2, which we reviewed nearly a year ago here. Everything we said about the Kanta No.2 is here in full effect with the No.3, but thanks to a pair of larger 8-inch woofers (where the No.2s have a pair of 6.5-inch units) and a more voluminous cabinet, No.3 goes deeper in the lowest bass notes and plays somewhat louder.

Are they for you?

Having used Sopra no.3s for over two years now as my personal reference, even in comparison to some speakers costing nearly five times as much, I’m still more than happy with them. When reviewing the Kanta No.2s, I enjoyed their slightly warmer tonal balance, but that is a personal bias. Serious side by side comparison between my Sopra No.3s and the Kanta No.2s, I was thrilled with the available resolution, but the Sopra’s ability to play louder and deeper in my 16 x 25 foot room, still leaves the Sopras the winner in my system, yet what Focal has achieved with a $10,000 pair of speakers leaves a major impression, as does the Sopras at $20,000/pair.

Where the Kanta no.2s took the lead, mainly in part to their front and rear firing ports, was their ability to deliver top performance in a smaller room than the Sopra no.3s. Again the Kanta no.3s build on this strength. While the Kanta No.3s extra dynamic ability makes for a speaker that plays bigger than the Kanta no.2s, they are also (as were the Kanta No.2s) slightly easier to optimize in the room than the Sopras are. I know we are splitting hairs here, and again, this is a great reason to visit your Focal dealer and let them help guide you through the process.

The Kanta No.3s deliver fantastic results even when not perfectly optimized, sounding great when merely plopped in the room, yet become spellbinding when a given an hour or two of concentrated effort.

Exquisite construction

Like every Focal speaker, the Kanta No.3s are simply beautiful to behold, and while you can get them in standard black and white, Focal also offers a fun palette of colors that will be at home in any environment. While I love the bright colors, the white finish on our review samples is very tastefully understated and will blend in to any environment. (Perhaps a little easier than my bright orange Sopras, but that’s me!)

Where the Focal speakers in the higher range have a monochromatic cabinet, the Kanta is a two piece design, with your choice of black or a wood finish, with eight color choices for the front baffle. This helps keep manufacturing cost down and provides more decor options. A definite win win.

Rounding out the package, there are black, magnetically attached grilles, but considering that the Kantas have no exposed screws, bolts, or fasteners, why not enjoy their industrial design sans grilles? (The grilles are always good for party time!)

The short answer

Being that this is a sneak peek at the Kanta No.3, we are listening intently and there will be an in-depth review shortly. For now, think of the Kanta No.3 as a bigger, better No.2 Everything we loved about the Kanta No.2s applies here as well and if you feel so inclined, please read our review on the Kanta No.2 here.

You can also read more about the Kanta line here on the Focal website.

https://www.focal.com/sites/www.focal.fr/files/shared/catalog/document/kanta-no-2_specification-sheet.pdf

Yet even after a day of listening, these are impressive speakers and go a long way to redefine what is possible in a $11,999 pair of speakers. As we felt with the Sopras and the Kanta No.2, for all but the most well-heeled audiophiles with the largest of rooms, you could buy a pair of Kanta No.3s, a few pieces of great electronics, and a source or two and be set for life. These are not speakers you will tire of.

However to make a long story short, if you are having trouble deciding between Kanta No.2 and Kanta No.3, I would distill it down to: how loud do you listen, how big is your room, and what is the overall bass character of the majority of your music collection? I think it’s very cool that Focal gives you the choice.

Please stay tuned and we will have further insights soon.

www.focal.com

Hey DIYer’s, this year’s Burning Amplifier Festival is arriving a little bit early.

Sunday, September 30, to be exact and it will be held again at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center.

Legendary amplifier designer Nelson Pass will be there with Wayne Colburn and Roger Modjeski to look and listen to your designs, should you bring them, and discuss what they’ve been up to as well.

It’s a great get together and I had a fantastic time attending last year. Here are the pertinent links you need:

http://www.burningamp.org

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/clubs-and-events/323280-burning-amp-2018-a.html

Held annually in the fall since 2007, BAF has grown into a premier international event for DIY audio enthusiasts and professionals. BAF celebrates technology new and old and they invite you to bring your own gear to show and tell. Admission is free to anyone bringing their own gear.

There will be displays and lectures by Nelson, Wayne and Roger.

Last year’s event had some pretty cool stuff, and it’s always a treasure trove of information to talk to these guys as well as share ideas amongst the group. Book your trip now, as this place only has room for 110 people. Hope to see you there!

Features

Old School:

Jerold O’Brien revisits the Shure V15 III!

995:

REGA’s FONO MC is a steal
By Jerold O’Brien

Journeyman Audiophile:

The Boulder 508 Phonostage
By Jeff Dorgay

In Praise of the Party Table:

Get Something for the whole family

MINE

Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews

Kate Koeppel Record Dividers

Van Halen Board Shorts

Big Chill Fridge

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Can’t Get it Out of my Head
By Emily Duff

Future Tense

JBL L-100 Reissues

Sugden A21 SE Integrated

Pass Labs XP-27

and more…

This Month’s Gear: Upscale Analog!

The EAT E-Glo phonostage

Grand Prix Audio Parabolica Turntable

Band-WIDTH Kaskode 1 Phonostage

VPI’s Avenger Reference

Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301

and more…

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Grado Labs. This Brooklyn company, also known for their diverse crop of headphones has been making incredible phono cartridges for decades now. All the way down to their entry level cartridges, Grado stands for high performance and supreme value.

When the original Statement made its way here about 8 years ago, it’s combination of midrange warmth and sheer musicality won over everyone that experienced it. On many levels the original Grado Statement had outdone the revered Koetsu in my cartridge collection in the magic department. Realizing that “magic” is a pretty tough thing to quantify, the Statement’s ability to breathe life into well worn recordings was tough to argue with. The only fault with the original Statement was its moderate tracking ability – it just couldn’t negotiate the most difficult records in my collection without a bit of mistracking.

The Statement 1 a few years later proved a tremendous improvement in performance. We try not to exhaust our adjective glands here, but the more music any component can reveal without damage, the more we see that as a “best” choice. You may have different priorities, but these are ours. Keeping that bias, if you will, in mind, the Statement 1 improved on all the original Statments pluses without any loss of that musical magic. Now a much better tracker, the Statement 1 also brought more extension at both ends of the frequency spectrum. What started as a damn good bargain for $3,500 was now a world class cartridge for $3,500.

Grado has kept the price the same and doubled the performance of the Statement 2. Still, the incredibly rich tonal character of this transducer remains intact, yet the level of extension and refinement is mind blowing for a $3,500 cartridge. That’s American know how, and it doesn’t hurt to have over five decades of experience on  your resume.

Zooms through the grooves

This is made instantly clear spinning the Windham Hill classic, Michael Hedges Aerial Boundaries. The quick paced, plucky, dynamic style that was uniquely Hedges’ explodes from between my speakers. While accentuating the different characteristics of the phonostages used for this review (Pass Labs XS Phono, Audio Research REF Phono 3 and conrad-johnson TEA 1s2) the Statement 2 keeps its own personality no matter what it’s plugged into. Regardless of what phonostage you posess, rest assured that the Statement 2 will not be the limiting factor.

Making use of four coils, this moving iron design has a lower moving mass than even the most delicate moving coil cartridge. This results in the killer transient response experienced with even the most complex musical pieces. It also helps the Statement 2 extract more music from the mediocre records in your collection as well, making it a better choice as a “do everything” cartridge. Where some ultra high-end cartridges narrow their focus so much, they only sound lovely with your best recordings, the Grado Statement 2 allows all the records in your collection to give their best.

Ironically, the Statement 2 joins a few of the other components reviewed this issue in terms of providing a high level of balance in the performance that it delivers. No one aspect of performance is compromised over another. Hand cured wood body notwithstanding, if the Statement 2 were an automobile, it would be a new Corvette Z06. You could spend three times more money for a Ferrari or an Aston Martin and you would get more prestige. You might even get more looks from the valet parking your car. But in terms of sheer performance, the mighty Corvette leaves nothing on the table to its much more expensive European rivals.

The same can be said for the Statement 2. I’ve got a handful of five figure phono cartridges. The Statement 2 runs with them all and on some levels bests them. It’s my new choice as the daily driver high performance cartridge, and the synergy with my Audio Research REF Phono 3 is out of this world good. I’d put that combination up against anything at any price. You can spend $15k on an Atlas or a Goldfinger. I’ll pocket the difference and take a nice vacation instead. The Statement 2 kicks that much ass, seriously.

Easy setup

As with past models, the Statement 2 is very easy to set up. Using the Feickert Protractor, along with a bit of listening, I had the Statement 2 optimized in about 20 minutes and I was being fussy. Grado suggests a range of tracking force of 1.5 to 1.9 grams and I found happiness on the Ortofon TA_110 tonearm closer to 1.9 grams and about 1.7 on the new TriPlanar. (another splendid match for this cartridge)

Because of the Moving Iron design, this cartridge is loaded at 47k ohms and with the 1mv output, you can use it with a lot of phonostages that might only be considered MM, giving it more flexibility than you might think. With the ARC REF Phono 3, the low gain setting worked fine, as with the Pass XS Phono.

Dynamic and quiet

Looking back on my listening notes over a few months’ time, there are a lot of comments on how quiet this cartridge is. Whatever the exact stylus profile it is that the Statement 2 has, it seems to hug the grooves better than most that I’ve auditioned. Again, the extra tracking ability of this cartridge over its predecessor is a welcome upgrade.

Where some cartridges can sound either flat or overblown, regardless of musical selection, classical pieces sound as big as required, yet even the most delicate string ensemble recordings retain their lightness, the Statement 2 serves the music totally, never really imparting a signature sound. Where my favorite Koetsu cartridges tend to round the fine details off, ever so slightly, like a great tube amplifier from the 60s, the Statement 2 does a better job at providing a high level of tonal saturation while retaining tonal contrast and the most minute details. The result is an incredibly lively presentation overall.

Both ends of the frequency spectrum are equally intoxicating. Whether tracking through Jaco Pastorius ripping up the fretless neck of his instrument, Stanley Clarke playing a standup bass, or Deadmau5 scratching, this cartridge has a powerful lower end. The top end is just as exciting, with acoustic instruments sounding natural and correct, yet Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music keeps it’s composure without grating into your skull, as it can on a cartridge less refined.

Does it all

With premium phono cartridges costing more than used BMW’s these days, if you can even get one, it’s refreshing to see Grado holding the line on the price of the Statement 2. This is a no compromise cartridge that is so reasonably priced it begs for one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2017. There is no reason to spend more money than this on a top phono cartridge. I give the Statement 2 my highest recommendation.

The Grado Statement 2 Phono Cartridge

MSRP:  $3,500

www.gradolabs.com

Peripherals

Turntables                 Feickert Blackbird with Ortofon TA-110 arm and TriPlanar

Phonostage                Pass XS Phono, Audio Research REF Phono 3

Preamp                      Pass XS Pre

Power Amp                Pass XS 300 Monoblocks

Cable                          Cardas Clear

Speakers                    Focal Sopra no.3, MartinLogan Neolith, Sonus faber El Cremonese, Quad 2812