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

You don’t even have to play a record on the Luxman PD-171A to know it’s unique.

Taking it out of its deliberately packaged container, with small bags for every individual part that goes with it – no detail, no matter how little is left unturned. After lifting the heavy base unto your rack or shelf of your choice, you’ll need to lower the finely machined platter onto the bearing, and then you get the final dose of the PD-171As attention to detail. There are two finely machined, threaded holes in the platter for a pair of handles that screw in to help you gently and squarely lower the platter without damaging the bearing.

I highly suggest photographing every step of unboxing your PD-171A, just in case you ever have to move and need to box it back up. And I highly recommend that once you mount your cartridge of choice, just spend a few minutes to step back and absorb the sheer mechanical beauty before you. Every surface of this table is so finely machined, it is of jewel-like quality. This is no ordinary record player. Much as I like the new $4,000 Technics SL-1200G, the difference in aesthetic and fine machining quality is like parking a Kia next to a Porsche GT3. The Luxman is in a league of its own, and for me, redefines the expression “fit and finish.” I’ve unboxed turntables costing five times more that have nowhere near the attention to fine detail that the Luxman has. Do I sound smitten?

Which version do you prefer?

The A in the PD-171A stands for “arm.” This model, tipping the scale at $6,495, features a pre-mounted tonearm that appears to be Jelco derived, and uses a standard 5-pin, DIN-like socket. A high-quality tonearm cable is included but allows those so inclined to use their tonearm cable of choice if they already have one. There is also an “AL” (armless) version of this table for slightly less. Finally, those wanting to put an even better arm on the PD-171A can get a blank arm board and customize their analog player more, later. A lovely set of options.

Luxmans direct drive turntables are legendary, yet the PD-171A is a belt drive table. It works flawlessly, and checking speed accuracy with our Analog Magik software suite confirms the PD-171A to have nearly perfect speed accuracy – as good as the direct drive Technics SL-1200G. However, like every other turntable we have plugged into it, we did notice even tighter speed regulation when the PD-171A is plugged into the PS Audio P20 Power Plant.

It’s interesting how Luxman pays homage to their past direct drive tables, by offering speed adjustments and a mirrored window to observe speed control in the same manner that their direct drive tables used to provide. Again, no detail is left unattended.

Thanks to Luxman enclosing all of the necessary tools required to set all the parameters of the PD-171A, you should be able to have it utterly optimized in 30-60 minutes, depending on how fussy you are. Visual alignment was done with the Acoustic Systems SmartTractor system, and even at this point, the Kiseki Purple Heart cartridge was making incredible sound. Fine tuning to perfection with the Analog Magik software suite had the Kiseki/Luxman combination fully optimized about 20 minutes later.

Let’s go!

With all aspects of the cartridge adjusted, it’s time to listen. Rather than start with something familiar, the first record up is the Steven Wilson remix of Yes’ Close to the Edge. This proves so engaging that a full evening’s worth of comparing this version to the originals in my collection quickly unfolds. Always a perfect testament to a superior component. Those loving the physical aspect of playing a record as much as actually hearing it will be in heaven with the PD-171A. It is such a joy to use. Firm in its execution, yet intimate in its operation.

The PD-171A was used in both of my reference systems and with a wide range of cartridges to get a feel for its parameters. First, in my primary system with the Pass Labs XS Phono, so that it could be compared to my two reference turntables, the Brinkmann Bardo with RoNT power supply and the Grand Prix Audio Parabolica with a TriPlanar arm. These tables are worth 2-3 times what the PD-171A is, yet this gives a clear picture of its total capabilities.

The big direct drive tables surpass the PD-171A in retrieving the tiniest of details, and in the maximum amount of extension they can deliver at both ends of the frequency spectrum. Yet to be fair, this is in the context of a nearly $400k system and a $45,000 phonostage. What the PD-171A does provide, in spades, is a level of musical coherence that is relaxed and inviting, and of a similar voice as all the other Luxman components I’ve had the pleasure to use over the years.

Using the PD-171 in system two, in concert with the Pass INT-60 amplifier, Pure Audio Project Trio 15 horns and the EAT E-Glo phonostage, proves to be as near perfection as one could ask for. Quickly comparing this table to an older Linn LP-12 shows the new table to be much more refined tonally and offering a cleaner rendition of the musical material presented. Going back and forth comparing it to a VPI Classic Two, an AVID Volvere SP and the Kubrick HDX is incredibly exciting.

In the end, the PD-171A has a similar character to the Linn and VPI, yet with more resolution. It manages to provide all the attributes of a classic belt drive turntable, with all the sonic sophistication of the best modern turntables. It will only take a track or two for you to completely forget about the turntable and immerse yourself in the music being played.

Further listening

After a short stint in the main reference system, the PD-171A was moved to system two, based on the PASS INT-60, Raidho XT-2 speakers, and the recently acquired Boulder 508 phono stage. Though the Boulder is the primary reference here, we achieved excellent results with the EAT E glo phono stage, as well as the conrad-johnson TEA-1sa phono. Thanks to the removable headshell, a number of other cartridge combinations were easy to investigate. The $3,295 Kiseki makes a lovely mate for the Luxman table/arm combination, bringing the entire price just under $10k, and I suspect that this will probably be around what many PD-171A owners will look to invest. You can go a bit further upscale than this, but $2k-$3k is a price/performance sweet spot here.  For now, the Boulder phono proves outstanding, but we are looking forward to auditioning the all-tube Luxman EQ-500 phono stage when one becomes available.

Regardless of program material, the PD-171A doesn’t contribute even the slightest bit of mechanical noise to the sonic picture, and thanks to its incredible speed stability, paints a full musical picture in all three dimensions.

Highs remain defined and focused, yet the PD171A feels more like a direct drive table in the lowest registers, both regarding extension and drive. Absent also, is a complete lack of upper midbass fogginess, that can add a bit of romance to the presentation, but take away from pace and definition. Bass laden heavy rock and EDM tracks through the PD-171A maintain their authority and never lose impact.

Finally

After playing hundreds of LPs through the PD-171A, the respect for this manufacturer only grows stronger. Where so many good, even great turntables perform their required tasks without issue, there is something extra present in the PD-171A (and again, I venture to say all Luxman products) that makes the sheer act of using this table a pure joy.

For those of you thinking this is overly hyped reviewer-speak, I submit that if you are appreciative of this aspect of all things mechanical, you will find it hard not to be enthused with this turntable. Should such things not move you, the PD-171As performance will still impress. It did not take many records to convince me I needed to own this turntable. I’ve owned a good many turntables in the last 35 years, and I have to say this is one of my true personal favorites.

The Luxman PD-171A Turntable

$6,995

www.luxman.com

Peripherals

Cartridges                   Kiseki Purpleheart, Grado Statement 2, Clearaudio Titanium

Phonostage                 Boulder 508, EAT E glo, conrad-johnson TEA 1sa

Amplifier                     Pass Labs INT 60

Speakers                     Raidho XT-2 w/2 REL t7i subwoofers

Power                          PS Audio P20

Cable                           Cardas Clear

After an impressive showing at this year’s Munich High End show, the tiny Jern 14EH monitors are indeed impressive at first listen.

Combining high quality ScanSpeak drivers, a 6db/octave crossover network and a cast iron enclosure that redefines the word “inert,” put in perspective of the new Wilson desktop speakers tipping the scales at nearly $11,000/pair, the Jern’s decimate the Wilsons at less than half the price. Even adding a pair of REL t5i subs to the mix and you’ve still got nearly $4k left to buy a nice integrated amp. (and for that kind of money, the PrimaLuna HP Integrated is a splendid choice.

And while beauty may be indeed in the eyes of the beholder, we think the Jern’s are way more fashion forward than those $11k/pair items. If you are looking for a killer pair of desktop, or near field monitors, these are indeed very impressive. More to come with a full review soon.

Editors note: I was just informed by Steve French that these are actually the new EH models, fitted with their latest Hiquphon tweeters and updated crossovers, which explains why these sound even better than what I remember at the show.

Also, we are the first members of the press to have the latest pair, so we are excited to be producing the world’s first review on these!  Stay tuned.

jernspeakers.com

AUDIO AUTOMATION (U.S. Distributor)
6022 Ardele Court
Apopka, FL 32703
[email protected]

Last year, I had to curb my enthusiasm for the Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0 turntable, boldly calling it the best turntable I’d ever heard – a claim that I don’t make lightly.

If you got $10 for every time I’ve out and out called something the best in nearly 90 issues of TONEAudio, you’d have about 20 or 30 bucks in your pocket. Not even enough cash to buy dinner at Applebees. A year later, I stand behind my judgment of the Monaco 2.0. It’s still the best turntable I’ve heard. And by that, I mean it reveals more music with less alteration of the signal contained in the record grooves than anything else I’ve experienced. And I’ve been doing the turntable thing seriously for about 35 years now if that’s worth anything.

However, not everyone has $37,000 plus tonearm and cable to spend on a turntable. Grand Prix Audio’s other turntable, the Parabolica (named after one of the fastest curves in Formula One) tips the scale at a much lighter $17,000, offering many of the strengths of the flagship table. Granted, that’s still a fair amount of cash for a record player, but those of you already owning a table in the $3k – $10k range, looking to increase the resolution of your analog setup, (especially if you’re closer to the higher part of this range, and just happen to have a fantastic tonearm already) this is nowhere near the same financial stretch the 2.0 represents.

To save those of you crunched for time wanting to know the answers to the big questions, they are yes, yes, and no. Is the Parabolica awesome? Is it an incredible value? Is it just as good as the Monaco 2.0 for less than half the price?

Many of the features that make the Monaco 2.0 so inspiring are present on the Parabolica. The sexy, carbon fiber construction and the precision direct drive encoder that gives this table its phenomenal speed accuracy, but the more expensive table benefits from an even higher quality motor, power supply and a superior record clamping system as part of a more advanced platter. No, you can’t update the Parabolica’s clamp with the clamping pressure indicator system from the Monaco, in case you are wondering.

Keeping in the spirit of the Monaco review, I began the listening sessions of the Parabolica with the same TriPlanar 2.0 tonearm used for the prior table. Staffer Jerold O’Brien was kind enough to let me snag his Lyra Etna cartridge for a week, so the review could begin where we started on the Monaco 2.0, but the rest of my listening was done with the Grado Statement 2.0 and a few other cartridges. Thanks to its quick release tonearm board, swapping arm/cartridge combos with the Parabolica is incredibly easy. This operation is not quite as effortless with the Monaco 2.0, so if you are someone wanting to do this on a regular, keep this in mind.

Simple setup

Still, the Monaco 2.0 and the Parabolica remain two of the easiest tables to set up that I’ve experienced. Thanks to the direct drive motor (click here to get the full tech analysis here at the GPA website), there’s no platter to fuss with, no belts to string. GPA mentions that removing the platter voids the warranty and will probably damage the direct drive system. Unbox it, put it on top of its three feet, and install your tonearm. A small, external power supply plugs in at the back. Unlike the Monaco 2.0, which controls power and speed from its larger, external supply, the Parabolica hides the computer inside the base and uses a simple capacitive switch to control power and speed. I like the simplicity of this better.

Because this turntable retrieves such a high level of detail, it requires commensurate care in tonearm setup and as Mr. Lloyd says in the manual, “Patience and perfectionism are the order of the day. It is not OK unless it is perfect.” If you have a relatively high-performance car and you’ve spent the extra money to have a four-wheel alignment done, you know what I’m talking about.

Lloyd also talks about the importance of a proper platform to put his turntable on. As I’ve been using his outstanding Monaco equipment racks for the last year, that base is covered. Moving the Parabolica to a standard wood rack will shrink the size of the three-dimensional picture somewhat; so be warned, you just might need to spend a little more dough to get the most out of your GPA table. As you would with any premium turntable.

Though the TriPlanar arm has been here for a while, and I’m comfortable setting it up, former TONE contributor Richard Mak’s new Analog Magik software suite and test record had just arrived at the beginning of this review. Mr. Mak is the most capable analog setup tech I’ve ever met. He stopped by to set up a few of our tables last year, and it was like having Michael Schumacher bring the Ferrari pit crew over to tune and align your car, with a driving lesson afterward.

Mak has done the analog community a tremendous service by making the personal software tools that he has custom designed available with a proprietary test record with Analog Magik. (www.analogmagik.com) Combining this with the ASR Smart Tractor (review here) that was a TONE product of the year in 2014, brings the Parabolica/TriPlanar setup to perfection. Ever since the SmartTractor arrived, we have standardized on the Uni-Din alignment geometry, resulting in even more data retrieval in our configurations. Of course, you can use whichever of the other alignments you prefer.

Thanks to Analog Magik and the Smart Tractor, I was able to optimize the setup in about an hour, working methodically. I can’t recommend these two tools to the serious analog enthusiast highly enough. You wouldn’t let the guys at Costco put tires on your Porsche, don’t use substandard tools on a high-performance turntable, or you’re not getting what you paid the big bucks for. Rant over.

Now the bliss begins

Capable as this table is with A+ recordings, the amount of musical detail it pulls from records you thought were naff will startle you. Way too many of my audiophile buddies have this stack of 50 records worthy of their attention, yet at the same time I’m guessing we all have records falling into that “I really love the music on that album, but it kind of sucks sound-wise” category. The Parabolica shifts this curve dramatically, moving a lot of those records into the “love em” category. That alone justifies the asking price.

But, damn. Superior records sound amazing when played on the Parabolica. Because of the highly evolved direct drive system in the GPA turntables, they both possess incredible speed accuracy. More so than in any other table I’ve experienced. This translates into a musical foundation that is similar to listening to the best digital recordings, yet the additional tonal saturation that is more often than not a highlight of analog comes through as well.

As mentioned earlier, this is what allows so many more records to fully engage you. The Parabolica’s perfect pitch makes for a much more solid musical pace and foundation to your records. The resulting ease and smoothness feels like analog tape the way the music effortlessly unfolds from your speakers. There’s nothing quite like it, other than listening to a master tape. Combining this level of speed accuracy with a phenomenally low mechanical noise floor gives all of your recordings more punch and dynamic drive too. Musical instruments float between your speakers in a way they did not before.

Just as I experienced with the Monaco 2.0, the Parabolica keeps me glued to the listening chair for hours, for days. It provides such an engaging experience; I never think about anything else when I’m in the listening chair – that’s the highest compliment I can pay any audio component. The Grand Prix Audio Parabolica stops time and commands your attention. This is what analog is all about. This is truly what a great high-end audio system is about.

Most of you know I’m a car guy. Alvin Lloyd is a race carguy. In racing, there’s no room for error. You make a mistake and championships are lost, or even worse, people get hurt. The level of precision in build and execution of the Grand Prix Tables has to be seen and touched to be believed.

I’ve often compared hi-fi components to various cars because it’s a good metaphor that many can wrap their heads around. The Grand Prix tables are both like race cars in the sense that there is nothing unnecessary. The only criticisms I’ve heard is that they lack the bling that some of the $100k – $200k tables offer. Do you want bling or do you want to win the race? Bling adds weight and complexity. The Parabolica, like the Monaco 2.0 is all business and its job is to extract musical information. If that is your mission as well, there’s no better way to accomplish it.

Which to choose?

If you want a piece of art that happens to play music, (and you have crazy money) buy one of those other tables. I won’t call you a bad person; there’s room for everyone. However, if you want the ultimate expression of form meets function, with nothing unessential to the task of playing a record, I suggest the Grand Prix Turntables.

Think of the Parabolica as a Porsche 911 GT3 and the Monaco 2.0 as a GT2RS. Both tables have such an extraordinary level of performance you’ll be blown away. But if only the 700hp GT2RS will do, and you’ve got the system and record collection…

And I don’t mean this to make the Parabolica feel “less than.” Just as the Monaco 2.0 is at the top of the money no object class of turntable, the Parabolica is at the top of the range for everything else. As long as you never experience the Monaco 2.0, you’ll probably never want anything else. There are a lot of happy Porsche GT3 owners that will never experience a GT2RS. And so it goes.

Purchasing a product at this level means a commitment to the medium. I not only give the Grand Prix Audio Parabolica my highest recommendation, I hope that you will take one for a test drive and see if you like it as much as I do. I think you will find it irresistible. I’m keeping this one, so plan on a long-term revisit in a year.  -Jeff Dorgay

The Grand Prix Audio Parabolica

$17,000 (minus tonearm)

www.grandprixaudio.com

Peripherals

Preamplifier        Pass Labs XS Preamplifier

Phonostage        Pass Labs XS Phono

Amplifier        Pass Labs XA200.8 monoblocks

Speakers        Focal Sopra no.3 with 2- REL 212SE subwoofers

Cable            Cardas Clear

Isolation        Grand Prix Audio Monaco Racks

dCS has just announced the official release of their new Bartok DAC.
John Quick and Jesse Luna were kind enough to show me the final
prototype at this year’s Munich show, but I promised to keep it
under wraps.

At $13,500, the Bartok effectively replaces the past Debussy, with
only a very minimal price increase and a major performance boost.

Of course, it’s ROON Ready, and MQA compatible. It plays every file
known to this and future universes, connects to your network and NAS.
Come on, it’s a dCS through and through.

And, if you want to reach a little further, you can purchase the Bartok
with a discrete, Class-A headphone amplifier for only $1,500 more.
We’re betting it’s going to be pretty awesome. Review sample on the way.

www.dcsltd.co.uk

There’s just something synergistic and entirely analog about vacuum tubes and vinyl. Part romance, part legend, who knows?

Placebo or not, vinyl just takes on a different vibe when played through an all tube front end. And EAT’s top of the line E-Glo is a perfect example. Playing “Edith and the Kingpin” from Joni Mitchell’s Hissing of Summer Lawns takes me right back to the moment I bought this record. Though today’s trip is via the 2013 Speakers Corner remaster, not my well-worn original.

As the tubes thoroughly warm up, which takes about 30 minutes, the soundstage painted by the E-Glo expands in all three dimensions, pulling you further and further into the recording. And this isn’t a particularly fantastic recording. That’s the magic of the E-Glo – you don’t need to use a megabucks cartridge or first stamper whatever to be engaged.

Directly out of the box, the E-Glo manages to keep me on the couch well into the wee hours, and that’s a great sign. Where some vacuum tube electronics have a decidedly soft, warm, and well, tube-y sound, the E-Glo is like a delicate fragrance. Enticing enough to catch your attention, but not so much, with lingering beauty that always wants you to return for more.

What does $6,995 get you?

A lot more of everything we love about the S model. Bigger, better, deeper, more engaging sound – as it should be when you spend more money. The apparent difference is the dual box design and massive external power supply that accompanies the E-Glo. A sizeable umbilical cord connects the two, and with any two box phono stage, moving it a few feet away if possible, provides the quietest operation. Though, plugged into our recently installed PS Audio P20 Power Plant, is a thing of the past. Those not using upgraded power conditioners or cords, take note – the E-Glo is one of the quietest all tube phono stages we’ve used, even just plugged straight into the wall with supplied power cord.

Porsche designates their “S” models as the higher performing of the line, yet Jozephina LIchtenegger bucks the trend with her phono preamplifiers, making the $2,995 E-Glo S her entry-level model and the $6,995 E-Glo, the premium model. It seems not that long ago, we were enjoying the single box E-Glo S from the European Audio Team. This hybrid phono stage offers a big, expansive, tonally satisfying sound, along with a post-modern design aesthetic. It’s undoubtedly one of our favorite choices in the $3k range.

It also gets you two inputs, where the S model only has a single input, switchable between MM and MC. The E-Glo features MM and MC inputs, with an overall gain of 45db, with switchable, high-quality Lundahl transformers offering 70 and 76db of gain respectively. A set of DIP switches on the back determine whether you are set for 70 or 76db of MC gain, with loading set from the front. The front panel switches and LEDs make it a breeze to set loading and capacitance for MM users. The only complaint is that the E-Glo does not remember your settings, so users with two tables will always have to remember where you were. Certainly not a deal breaker.

A willing partner

A wide range of cartridges was auditioned with the E-Glo, from the $379 Denon 103dl, all the way up to the $10,000 Koetsu Jade Platinum. All performed wonderfully, and because the E-Glo uses the transformers to augment gain on the MC side, MM users benefit from the high-quality present. Those using a second arm or turntable with an MM cartridge will be pleasantly surprised.

The primary listening setup here consisted of the recently reviewed (and acquired) Luxman PD-171D table with a Kiseki Purple Heart MC cartridge, and the Technics SL-1200G with Clearaudio Charisma V.2 MM. Though we look forward to reviewing EATs Jo no.5 cartridge, this pair provides spectacular sound. A recent exercise with a vintage Shure V15III and newly installed Jico stylus was incredibly dynamic.

Using the Technics/Shure/Jico combo to track through a pile of 45 rpm maxi singles was tons of fun, combining the rock-solid bass of the SL-1200 and the explosive dynamics of the Shure, through the E-Glo. Thanks to its ultra-low noise floor, the beats in Run D.M.C.s “My Adidas” hit hard. Regardless of cartridge used, the E-Glo packs major drive, holding the musical pace intact at all times.

With a full complement of 4 EAT ECC83 (12AX7 equivalent) and 2 ECC88 (6922 equivalent) tubes, there’s no need to roll tubes unless you just have to have something different. We’ve had excellent luck with the EAT tubes in other applications, and their longevity has been better than what a lot of other manufacturers offer as stock tubes. In the past, comparing EAT to a few vintage NOS tubes, they have often come across as natural/neutral, for what that’s worth. If you insist on going for an even warmer sound, you can go through the ritual, but you’re going to have to spend a ton of cash for the privilege. So, for the duration of this review, we did not roll any tubes; audio nervosa was kept at bay, and it feels good.

Some cursory comparisons

Many of you are going to want to know what the “best” phonostage is. We rarely if ever make that call, and the object of this (and any of our other) reviews is to find you products we are excited about, tell you why to the best of our ability, and hopefully put it in a meaningful context for you to digest.

If you’ve listened to a fair share of tube gear, you know that every designer works around a particular tube or family of tubes and that they all have a specific sonic signature. It’s not so much a better or a worse, it’s different, and the one you ultimately choose depends in part on your sonic taste and the cartridges at your disposal. I’ve always liked the 12AX7 sound, so I guess I’m a little biased here.

Yet, leaving the taste portion on the side for now, when making a quick comparison, how well does a product at any given price point reveal the music played through it? That’s where the E-Glo performs well beyond its price tag, and if you didn’t know better, you’d think this one has a five-figure price tag. Playing side by side up against some phono stages from more established models in the $10k – $13k range, the E-Glo holds its own on all fronts. The ARC REF offers more input flexibility, balanced outputs and a remote to make adjustments, the CJ TEA-1 a slightly bigger sound, and the Pass is solid state, none of us walked away from the E-Glo feeling disappointed.

The sound, the sound

There are so many audiophile clichés to describe sound, yet when you hear something that indeed takes you out of your element and for that brief period of time convinces you that you are just listening to music, real music, not constrained by tubes, woofers, and tweeters, it’s something special. Not all components, regardless of price can deliver this experience. It’s more than just “going to 11,” the E-Glo goes right to the core of the center of your brain that loves music.

The highest compliment I can pay the E-Glo is that it takes me there. This is that part of the review process that can’t be backed up by measurements. The six-minute drum battle in “Bernie’s Tune,” between drum greats Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa shows off nearly every aspect of the E-Glo to perfection. It does an impeccable job of capturing the sheer speed of these two drummers, never losing the power of the bass drums, while simultaneously retaining the texture of the cymbals, still holding the rhythm section together as the fade in and out of the tune. Too often, this track just crowds together in a big ball of sound, but not here.

Rather than waste your time on a lot of tracks, you might not know anyway, the major strong point of the E-Glo is that it is equally competent in all aspects of vinyl reproduction. It combines low noise, major dynamics, tonal accuracy, and high resolution with real ease of use. And by keeping the casework minimalistic, yet very attractive and forgoing a remote, along with the associated control electronics required, have kept the price down from the $10k range where it easily could be.

Sharing the love

So the seven thousand dollar question is, is it for you? That will depend on your budget and associated hardware. I suggest a trip to an EAT dealer and see if you love this one as much as I do. I bought the review sample and will be using it as a permanent reference component, so you’ll be hearing a lot more about the E-Glo as time goes on. It’s a perfect fit for my system.

-Jeff Dorgay

The EAT E-Glo Phono stage

$6,995

www.vanaltd.com

Peripherals

Analog Source             Luxman PD-171D/Kiseki Purple Heart, Technics 1200G/Clearaudio Maestro v.2

Amplifiers                   Pass INT-60, Esoteric F-07, PrimaLuna HP Premium (KT150 tubes)

Speakers                     Raidho XT-2 speakers w/REL t7i subwoofers

Cable                           Cardas Clear

Power                          PS Audio P20

-Photos courtesy of PS Audio

What’s a power conditioner review doing in discussion about analog? Considering how faint the signal coming from your phono cartridge is, anything you can do to keep that precious signal intact is a good thing. Many analog enthusiasts agree that the integrity of the source is paramount, so starting with a solid foundation is critical.

Some of the opinion that if their AC power has traveled many miles before getting to their audio system, a few more feet of wire for a premium power cord is just crazy talk. Equally opinionated, those from this group will usually squawk that their power is very clean. Cleaner than the power you and I get. The best kind of clean.

I disagree. Vehemently.

The power your system uses is like the fuel in an engine on one level, and more complex on another. If you subscribe to the approach that your amplifier is nothing more than modulating the AC signal with audio (a bit simplistic), then any distortion present in the power line will get amplified along with that audio signal. Massive power supplies are nearly always one of the keys to the performance that comes with a mega component.

Sure, your power supply probably goes a long way at getting rid of most of that grunge, but not all. If you’ve ever had the chance to look at the AC signal on a Fluke 435 power analyzer, you’d see just how much sheer distortion is in the AC line.

This is probably a lot geekier than any of you want to get, but inquiring minds need to know, and I must admit being shocked when examining what’s in that power line we plug our gear into. Depending on where you live, this can be better or worse, but rest assured, it’s there. And it can be made worse by other things in the immediate vicinity, on the same circuit as your house.

It’s often said that listening to your system provides better results. Indeed, some of this can be attributed to the psychoacoustic phenomenon of being more relaxed and receptive, but it’s easier than that – your next door neighbor probably isn’t running their appliances. Some of the culprits can easily be in your home as well. Power tools, vacuum cleaners, and even a microwave oven can send nasty artifacts back into the power line; all more distortion that taxes your amplifiers ability to deliver a clean signal.

So what to do?

Many power conditioning products use a series of filtration techniques to augment what your amplifiers’ power supply is trying to do. Some power conditioning products just use magic fairy dust, while even a few others don’t even require you to plug your amplifier in.

Years ago, PS Audio figured out a better way with their original Power Plant 300. It actually regenerated the AC signal from a stable oscillator and generated fresh AC power. It was a brilliant approach, but its only downfall was that it could only service a source component or two, not having enough reserve power for a power amplifier. It worked incredibly well and took things to a new level of clarity.

Today, the top of the line PS Audio P20, power regenerator does more. We’ll argue about the other systems later, somewhere on the internet. Right now, we just want to stress how important it is to get a PS Audio Power Plant into your system.

The PS20 you see here can deliver somewhere between 1200VA and a full 2000VA to your system, depending on whether you have it plugged into a 15A line or have had a 20A line installed. Fortunately, with 15 and 20A receptacles in the PS20, it will sense the available power accordingly and deliver higher power if you have it. Both of my listening rooms have dedicated 20A lines, so this was easy to test.

Due to its massive capacity, the P20 has an MSRP of $9,995. It looks and feels like a giant power amplifier, which on one level it is. If you don’t have access to a 20 amp, dedicated line, save some green and pick up the P15, which has a maximum capacity of 1500 watts. The sonic effect is identical. Those with smaller systems may even be able to work with the 1000 watt capacity of the P12 for $4,995.

The result is unmistakable

Rather than wax poetic for thousands of words, the P20 works precisely as it should. It does no harm to the audio signal and expands the presentation in a few ways. As PS Audio says on their website, “it’s like being 50 feet from a power generating station.” But even the power station nearby still generates distortion in the AC process, no one built power plants with the thought of high-performance audio in mind.

As the P20 starts from scratch with an incredibly accurate DSD sine wave generator, and ultra-low distortion power amplifier (note those big heat sinks on the side of the enclosure) to generate new power with audiophile needs in mind. Thanks to the P20s sizeable current capability and low output impedance, your power amplifier can get all the current it needs, right now, so that musical peaks aren’t blurred, or worse, truncated. This is why some passive power line conditioners, even though they lower the noise floor, can rob your music of the essential dynamics – ultimately leading you to its removal once the honeymoon is over.

The P20 lets you have your cake and eat it too. Distortion goes way down – and you can see it by the front panel meters, which give you the option to see input and output distortion readings, as well as the quality of the AC waveform entering and exiting the P20.

Seriously, it only takes about 5 minutes to evaluate the P20, and a few more hours with a wide range of tracks to stop pinching yourself. Starting my evaluation with the fairly current heavy Pass Labs INT-60, plugging into the P20 was an instant epiphany. Fortunately, with a pair of 20 amp circuits and a 15 amp circuit near the equipment rack, it was a breeze to switch back and forth between P20 and the straight AC line.

It expands your audio universe

Instantly, playing the same tracks at the same volume, more dynamic range is immediately available. Thanks to the lower noise floor now available, digital sounds much more lifelike in its presentation, and an equal effect was observed with PS Audio’s DAC as well as the dCS and Gryphon DACs on hand for reference. Even the tiny PS Audio Sprout 100s sound was dramatically improved feeding it with the P20, but you’re probably not going to try that combination at home! The pristine power that the P20 delivers helps your audio system to disappear in the room better regardless of source.

The PS Audio P20 is an expensive upgrade to your hi-fi system, offering subtle and dramatic results at the same time. Nothing else you do to your system will have this effect. Before you start spending thousands of dollars on power cords, this will give you a clean foundation to build your system around, even in the context of a modest system. Though the cost appears high, I submit you won’t get this type of improvement elsewhere at anywhere near the price. And remember, there are the P15 and P10 for those with systems demanding less power.

To PS Audios credit, they offer their in-home trial, so if you don’t find the P20 stunning, you can just send it back. They also have a tremendous trade-in program to help you dispose of what you were using, and have PayPal credit at their disposal, giving you 6-months interest-free financing.

I’m gonna violate the prime directive and tell you to get one. You won’t be able to un-hear it, and you won’t be able to live without it. So be ready to pull the trigger when you take the test drive. Consider yourself warned. It’s that good.

The PS Audio P20 Power Regenerator

MSRP: $9,999

www.psaudio.com

Peripherals

Analog Source                         Luxman PD-171D w/Kiseki Purple Heart

Digital Source                          PS Audio DirectStream DAC and Transport

Phonostage                             EAT E-Glo

Amplifier                                 Pass Labs INT-60

Speakers                                 Raidho XT-2 w/REL T7i Subwoofers

Cable                                       Cardas Clear

We’ve just received the new “Atmosphere” speakers from hORNS in Poland. You can read more on their website, at horns.pl.

This two-way speaker has an additional, rear firing woofer than can be switched in and out as room placement demands, no doubt, part of the reasoning behind the name. With a rated sensitivity of 84db/1-watt, it will be interesting how they match up with the amplifiers we have on hand.

Initial MSRP is $5,000/pair and custom finishes are available at no extra charge. Our review pair is beautifully finished in BMW “M” colors with white stands, which are included, also at no extra charge.

Stay tuned, we will have a full review shortly and they will be featured in issue 92 – our “small speaker” issue.

It just seems right to begin the review of MoFi’s UltraDeck+M with the first MoFi record I bought many years ago. #007 – Steely Dan’s Katy Lied.

Yeah, I’m that old. You probably hate Steely Dan, and you may not approve of the EQ curve they used back in the day, but whatever. I’ve heard this record a lot of times, on very many different systems, so this one is burned into my memory.

For those of you not familiar, this particular MoFi record is slightly tipped up at the high end, and could probably use a touch more on the bottom, but pressed in Japan, as MoFi records back then, it’s incredibly quiet and free of distortion. This lack of distortion is what initiated so many of us to the idea of paying extra for an “audiophile remaster.” MoFi paved the way.

Gently lowering the stylus to the second cut, this record sounds exactly as it should, with its tipped tonal balance in place. And it sounds glorious. A minute into the track, the UD’s ability to keep the musical pace locked down is uncannily good. A quick check with some Feickert tools confirms that the UD’s speed is spot on and unwavering, which is a significant contributor to this tables ability to pull it all together.

You can buy the UltraDeck without cartridge for $1,799, and for those of you that like to mix and match, this is a great way to go, but if you’d like a plug and play solution that is straight out of the box fun, I suggest the UltraDeck+M package that includes MoFi’s MasterTracker MM cartridge for $2,199. In the context of my six-figure reference system, the UD+M turns in a highly competent presentation, up against the big boys from Brinkmann, AVID, and Grand Prix Audio. No, this isn’t a $20k analog front end for $2,199, but it’s ticking all the boxes.

Positively perky

There’s something about a good MM cartridge that really makes music come alive. There’s an explosive character about MMs I find incredibly appealing. Considering the Japanese company that manufactures the cartridge for MoFi, this is no surprise – I recognized the sonic signature quickly. The MasterTracker’s billet aluminum body and unique damping material are said to eliminate resonance and was voiced by MoFi with Spiral Groove designer Allen Perkins. It’s hard to believe that this much performance is available for $699, less if you bundle it, but it’s a great addition to your system.

Purchasing the combination from Music Direct with the cart in place and installed is a great place to begin. Straight out of the box, the combo is fantastic, but breaking out the Analog Magik toolkit, I was able to optimize the setup even further, achieving even better channel separation and lower distortion. While this is probably out of reach of the average customer purchasing a UD+M, it’s worth mentioning, because it illustrates that while MoFi does an excellent job on setup at the factory, this table is capable of even more performance if you have access to more sophisticated tools.

Back to listening, this time with the original MoFi pressing of Hall & Oates’ Abandoned Luncheonette, the magic continues. The depth and subtle interplay between Daryl Hall and John Oates on this record is perfectly rendered – again with a large soundstage in all three dimensions.

Keeps you in the listening chair

Moving to more current music, with substantial low-frequency content, Beck’s Sea Change (on MoFi, of course) fills the bill perfectly and reveals that the UD+M not only has significant LF extension but detail and pace. Again, that word. Every time I drop the tonearm on this table, that word keeps etching itself into my memory, and that’s such a big part of the musical experience that helps you forget your listening to recorded music and immerse yourself in the experience.

The graininess and lack of low level that plagues nearly every MM cartridge regardless of price is surprisingly absent here. Auditioning acoustic selections or primarily vocal tracks proves highly convincing. A long stint of Ella Fitzgerald is enticing. Ms. Fitzgerald’s signature smoothness comes straight through, and this turntable/cartridge combination is never at a loss to render tonal gradation the way you’d expect an excellent analog setup to do.

As the listening sessions continue, it sinks in further just how great this combination is for just over $2,000. Granted this is probably not a casual purchase for most, but it is a substantial step up in performance from any turntable I’ve experienced in the $500 – $1,000 range. If you’re playing the analog game at that level and decide to trade up to a UD+M, this will be a revelation – it’s by no means an incremental increase in performance. Every aspect of the music revealed will be a major step up.

And that’s one of the most significant aspects of this level of analog playback. The sonic gains are enormous for minimal cash outlay. By comparison, going from your favorite $8k phono cartridge to your favorite $10k phono cartridge might only get you different, not better.

Performance options

Jay Leno once said when referring to cars that you’re either a wrench turner or a check writer. On a somewhat similar level, I feel that vinyl enthusiasts tend to be more or less predisposed to tweaking and upgrading their analog setup. Some are perfectly happy to “set it and forget it,” while others love to try and get more performance out of the existing setup. One of the things I love about my Rega P6 is that you can hang a Rega cartridge on the end of the tonearm and it’s good to go. Now that Rega has implemented a machined sub platter, (a past point of contention) other than swapping cartridges, there’s not much room for change or improvement – and founder Roy Gandy likes it that way.

However, if you would like to have a bit of an upgrade path to your table without replacing it, the UD+M gives some solid options. The tonearm is well suited to adjusting around different cartridges, and thanks to the RCA outputs on the back of the plinth, you can easily upgrade interconnects. Swapping the included interconnects for one from Cardas and another from Tellurium Q both made a tremendous difference – both revealing a substantial amount more music.

Later, a few different cartridges were tried, and the $750 Hana SL proves cost effective as well, but then you will need to consider an MC phonostage. We can discuss that later. The Delrin platter is designed to be used sans turntable mat so that no improvements can be had there, but if you want to take your UD+M as far as it can go, consider a MoFi record weight and a better power cord. Most of you will never bother, but it’s nice to know you can. You either want an open system or a closed one. Good as this table is out-of-the-box, there’s even more performance to extract, should you take the path.

Parting thoughts

You can tell a lot about a product, by the way, it’s packaged. Things often hurried to market are shabbily packed, but products built with pride nearly always carry that attitude all the way to the end. Mobile Fidelity has taken a great product and has packaged it tastefully and without excess so that you feel really good about writing the check. They even made the packaging materials orange to match the color of the drive belt. Nice touch.

This may or may not matter to you, but I love the fact that the UD+ uses a standard IEC power cord and does not have a wall wart or small external power supply. I lose those things all the time, and it drives me straight up the wall. Those more organized may not be bothered in the least; keeping it all in one box also makes it easier to place on one rack shelf. Again, may or may not matter to you.

It’s no accident that MoFi’s first turntable effort is at the top of the class with their first effort – they have a crack team behind it. John Schaffer, formerly of Wadia, has headed the project, bringing a tremendous amount of manufacturing and procurement knowledge to the mix. Even though Wadia was always a digital company, Schaeffer’s love for analog has always been apparent, as is his commitment to high quality. Allen Perkins from Spiral Groove was tapped to guide the turntable design, and his Spiral Groove tables are some of the best made at any price. Interestingly, the MoFi table makes the same little belt squeal sound at startup that my Spiral Groove did. Even the feet were contracted to HRS, so no real stone was left unturned.

Finally, all of this was accomplished right here in America. This table was not farmed out offshore to hit a price point. I think that is really impressive. In the end, I’m happy to give this turntable one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2018. This is as good as analog gets for $2,200.

Ed. note: The opening and closing images in this review are courtesy of MoFi Distribution, ©2018, all rights reserved

The MoFi UltraDeck+M

$2,195 w/Master Tracker MM Cartridge

www.mofielectronics.com

Peripherals

Phonostage                 Pass Labs XS phono

Preamp                       Pass Labs XS pre

Power Amps               Pass Labs XA200.8

Speakers                     Focal Sopra no.3 with (2) REL 212SE subwoofers

Cable                           Cardas Clear and Tellurium Q Silver Diamond

Racks                           Grand Prix Audio Monaco

Perhaps the only other speaker that has as big of a long-term following as the esteemed LS3/5A is the Quad 57 (or original Quad if you’re being fiddly.)

However, unlike the famed ESL, there aren’t nearly as many variations on the theme as there are as the little British broadcast monitor that can. As a licensed product, made by a number of different manufacturers, each sounding somewhat different. You can lose hours on the internet arguing about which one is the “best,” but it’s more likely that finding the answer, you’ll just be more confused at best and aggravated at worst.

The Graham Audio BBC monitors are certainly the most faithful we’ve encountered, and when we reviewed Graham’s LS3/5 speaker, actually preferred it to some of the best originals. Heresy, perhaps. Yet the hard core LS3/5a enthusiasts were quick to point out that this was “not a true LS3/5a.”

So here we go. They’ve just been unboxed and we are ready to start listening. Let the good times roll.

www.grahamaudiousa.com

With so much excitement over the $10k – $30k phono preamplifiers, there’s somewhat of a gap between $10k and down. Bandwidth Audio has a great solution.

Not everyone has that kind of cash on hand, and with so many audiophiles having either two turntables, or two-armed turntables, the need for a great $6,500 phonostage with more than one input is strong. Though there is a catch – the Kaskode One offers one MM and one MC input (with Lundahl transformers on the MC side), set thusly. This is not a two input phonostage, where either input can be configured for MM or MC. But then again, neither is my $16,000 Conrad-Johnson TEA 1, and I enjoy it every day, so I’m not holding this against the Kaskode, and the Kaskode offers you the option of running the MC input balanced. A nice touch.

Depending on the load impedance selected by the internal jumpers, three gain settings are available at 60, 66, or 72db. MM is fixed at 46db, which will be fine for anything you might have on hand. You can read more about the loading options here:

http://www.bandwidthaudio.com/kaskode-one-phono-preamp.html

When used with all of the cartridges at my disposal, nearly all having .4-.5mv output, the 66 dB setting was just fine. I never found the need to go all the way to 72db, except for my Denon 103, which only has .25mv output. Even at maximum gain, the noise level stays low.

A different approach

An all-tube design, the Kaskode piqued my interest immediately, and further investigation reveals a different tube compliment than the typical 12AX7/12AU7/6922 that nearly everyone else uses. Instead, Bandwidth uses hand tested and matched D3a/7721 and EC8010/8556 tubes. The good news is that these tubes are not terribly expensive, the bad news is that you can’t find them. If you love the Kaskode One as much as I do (it’s pretty outstanding) order a few sets of replacement tubes right nowand start the hunt for more. This phonostage uses two of the former and six of the latter.

Another benefit to off the beaten path tubes is that you won’t have to agonize about tube rolling. While some enjoy this, I find it more often than not an exercise in futility and a great way to flush a lot of money down the drain. Use the Kaskode with the supplied tubes and enjoy!

Diversion from the path traveled by everyone else does have its benefit though. The Kaskode offers an open, natural, dynamic, and quiet sound that you’d expect to have about double the price tag attached to it, maybe more. But then they don’t have 60 mouths to feed and pay health insurance for like Audio Research does.

While the Kaskode offers balanced inputs, single-ended RCA outputs are the only option. Bandwidth claims that their output stage is very robust and capable of driving long cables with ease. A 30-foot pair of Cardas Clear interconnects, A/B’d with a 3-foot pair confirms this is no problem, so those of you wanting your turntable across the room can rest easy.

A number of companies have based their designs on hybrid technology to get the noise floor down, which does work well, but provides a different sonic signature than the Kaskode. My Audio Research REF Phono 3 is a perfect example of a very mature design – honed over decades. Each tube set/topology has a different sonic signature. It’s up to you to find the one you love and provides the perfect synergy for the rest of your system.

This is not a better or worse comparison, but the Kascode does present a different tonality, a different flavor. ARC’s FET/6H30 design is slightly punchier and less “tubey” in it’s presentation. Never a bad thing, but to me it’s like comparing a BMW M6 to a 911 GT3. They both offer tremendous performance, they just go about it differently with a different ride. And the Kaskode does have a different ride. Used in the context of a system with older Magnepans or the Graham LS5/8s (which are already slightly soft tonally) the Kaskode is too much of a good thing for me – though that might be perfect for you if you want that really romantic sound. However, when the Focal Sopra no.3s were in place in system one, or in room two with the Raidho X-1s (both of which are extended and highly revealing) the Kaskode is sheer perfection.

Putting this preamplifier through its paces with about ten different cartridges reveals no weak spots. The Kaskode really embodies what I think of when the word analog is brought up. I appreciate the subtle balance at work here. This phonostage has an extended HF range without ever being harsh, combined with a silky smoothness that never feels dark, or rounded off.

Good as the MC performance is, the Kascode delivers stunning MM performance, so if you are using an MM cart on your second table or second tonearm, you will not be disappointed. Paired with the recent Clearaudio Charisma V2, I never found myself longing for the MC. Thanks to a 1mv output, the Kaskode also works incredibly well with the Grado Statement 2 moving iron cartridge, which requires 47k loading. Regardless of cartridge used, from $95 Shure to $12k Atlas, the Kaskode extracts plenty of music from your LPs.

Rather than going on and on about specific musical selections (none of which might even be in your record collection) suffice to say that the Kaskode delivers great all-around performance. If your taste leans more to vocal heavy tracks, you’ll be impressed at how well harmonies are defined, with plenty of three-dimensional “reach out and touch it” going on. The soundstage painted by the Kascode is big in all dimensions.

The overall tonal balance is natural yet defined enough to resolve the difference between stringed instruments in an orchestra. Dynamic slam is here in abundance as well, so if you like to rock, the Kaskode has enough sheer dynamic force to keep you interested.

The stuff you don’t see

Because Bandwidth’s designer Mr. Beardsworth comes from a solid engineering background, the Kaskode offers a lot you don’t see until you remove the cover. The level of detail paid to its construction is first class all the way, from the – 2-layer PC board, all the way to the quality of the solder joints. The Kaskode certainly features $20k build quality.

A short delay following turn on and turn off will save you at least one blown tweeter over the time you own the Kascode. An internal selectable subsonic filter is included, and around back is a conveniently placed switch to float the ground, just in case you are having buzz issues. The level of sheer human engineering incorporated into this product shows the level of care that went into its design. (And I’ve had more than one $20k phonostage make a loud “thump” when switched off or from mode to mode.)

The longer you listen, the more you’ll like the Kaskode

Economic arguments aside, if you’ve been thinking about a two input phonostage, and don’t want to spend five figures, the Kaskode should be at the top of your list. Aesthetics are straight forward and understated. It will fit in nearly anywhere you might use something else, though if you’re super OCD, the grey might be a deal breaker. Personally, I love the semi retro look and the grey instead of the usual black or silver.

My only complaint about the Kaskode is very minor. Should you buy one, be super careful around the switches that control mute and MM/MC mode; they are the same flimsy paddle toggles that ARC and BAT used to use years ago. (and I’ve accidentally broken them all) The power switch is much beefier.

If you don’t change phono cartridges often, hence not needing to change gain and loading on the front panel (or via remote control) Bandwidth Audio’s Kaskode One could very well be your final destination. It turns in impressive sonic performance, and thanks to being produced by a smaller audio company, (with less overhead to build into the price) offers class leading performance at a lower price than you’d pay for a similar offering from the big boys. A true audio value and worthy of one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2018.

And for what it’s worth, one of my personal favorites. Highly recommended. I can’t wait to see what else Bandwidth Audio comes up with in the years to come.

The Bandwidth Audio Kaskode One Phonostage

$6,500

www.bandwidthaudio.com

Peripherals

Analog Source Technics 1200G, Grand Prix Audio Parabolica, Brinkmann Bardo turntables

Preamplifier Pass XS pre

Power Amplifier Pass XA200.8

Speakers Focal Sopra no.3 with (2) REL 212SE Subwoofers

Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q

AVM’s new Inspiration CS 2.2 4T has just arrived, and it does everything you need.

Further pushing the boundary of a high performance audio control center, it allows the ability to play CDs for those still loving the shiny silver disc, as well as a top notch MM/MC phono section for those with a collection of black discs. It’s ability to connect to your LAN, UPnP server or WiFi components leaves no options left to chance. And there’s even an FM tuner!

165 watts per channel (at 4 ohms) offers a wide range of speaker choices, and there is an on board headphone amplifier too.

Best of all it is TIDAL and QOBUZ ready, so you are rocking, no matter what the format.

We’ve just unboxed the CS 2.2 4T, so watch for our review very soon, and again in issue 91, which will be all integrated amplifiers. Please click here for more information.

Current MSRP is 4,990€, or $6,975 (without optional RC9 remote)

https://avm.audio (Main Site)

Peruse their Facebook page here...

Bios to follow SOON!

A true world citizen, Richard Mak can be found wherever there is great food, wine, music and turntables to be setup. His expertise as a turntable master is unparalleled. Creator of the Analog Magik software system and test record, he’s made it easy (but not cheap) for analog lovers to get the most out of their systems. We appreciate his help.

VPI has done as much to advance the resurgence of vinyl playback over the past decade as any turntable manufacturer going.

When vinyl was on life support and the consumer audio industry had its collective hands tugging on the plug, VPI pumped iron, took its vitamins and kept on keeping on. This gave VPI a running start into Vinyl’s second coming and they took full advantage. VPI has done a great job developing its product line and provide an upgrade path that can often extend a turntable’s life span for years on end. The recently retired TNT lived on for nearly two decades, an amazing by any standard. The VPI family recently welcomed the ADS speed controller and the Voyager phono preamp (review in issue 88) into its lineup.

Founded by Harry and Sheila Weisfeld 38 years ago, son Mat and his wife Jane continue the legacy, and have been continuously producing turntables for 38 years, no small feat. Headquartered in Cliff Wood NJ, VPI has American made stamped all over every model.

The $22K Avenger Reference gets its “Reference” moniker thanks to its new, massive, heavy duty motor. The 300 RPM, 24 pole, AC synchronous motor has a machined aluminum housing and utilizes VPIs new Rim Drive approach, moving away from a belt driven platter in favor of a drive wheel that comes in direct contact with the platter. The wheel itself is propelled by dual belts driven by the motor.  One would think having a large wheel rubbing up against the side of the platter would conduct vibrations to greater degree than either a ribbon or a thin rubber band but VPI conducted extensive measurements and found just the opposite to be true. The absence of vibration offers extremely stable platter speed, verified by a few speed checks.

The 25 lb. 6061 aluminum platter spins atop an Inverted bearing that features a hardened stainless steel shaft, with a 60 Rockwell chrome hardened ball, spinning in a phosphor bronze bushing sitting on top of a PEEK thrust disc.  The belt drive’s side load is placed at the center of the spinning bearing for zero teeter-totter effects. The plinth is triple layer made of a sandwich of black acrylic and slab aluminum with damping material between each layer. The beefy, yet easily adjustable notched support cones make leveling the table as simple as these types of adjustments get. The Periphery Ring clamps your record for the ultimate in record warp reduction, though it can be left off if desired. Finally, the fully adjustable machined aluminum armboard provides a solid platform for the tonearm, in this case the latest JMW 12, (a 3d printed design) wired with Nordost reference wire. The entire setup process took less than 30 minutes.

Setup and initial impressions

With the new VPI speed controller (included) dialed in and my Ortofon Cadenza Black bolted on and lined up just so thanks to set up maestro Mike Trei…I cued up Grover Washington Jr.s Winelight. Before getting into how it impressed, A little back story and some of the ancillary elements that helped shape my opinions. My current table, the Triangle Art Signature and Osirus V1arm has never left me feeling short changed. It has a center of the Earth solidity and warmth that is always musically satisfying.

Instrument tonality is a shade dark via the Triangle Art providing a dollop of mystery and sophistication. Utlilizing the D’Agostino Momentum phonostage with multiple inputs and EQ curves, made for an easy decision process on a few additional tonearm cables in for evaluation. Those who enjoy this process can take easy advantage of the VPI system, having additional tonearm wands for different cartridges. The rest of the reference system consisted of the

But what about the Avenger Reference Plus?

What doesitsound like. Can it be isolated in way that reveals its inherent character? Yes it can. Expressed in a few broad strokes, the Avenger Reference is lively, engaging and frankly, riveting. Simply put, the Avenger Reference is a ball to listen to. Back to Limelight,The top to bottom coherence, bouncy up tempo momentum and rhythmic enthusiasm is undeniable. This table swings baby. The Avenger Reference is much about upping the heart rate of the listener, never ever getting bogged down or plodding or dragging the tempo down. Much of this is the result of beautifully integrated low to mid bass lucidity and speed that seamlessly melds into the mid band. Coherent? Sonically cut from one cloth? Take your pick, you’d be correct.

Regardless of musical genre, the Avenger Reference never favors one type of music to another. Whether it was Red Garland playing On Green Dolphin Streetor Steely Dan’s Babylon Sisters or Sarah Vaughn Send in the Clowns, the Avenger Reference is superb at revealing and presenting the life, soul and energy of the performance. In each of these songs, the timbre of the instruments is exceedingly well rendered. This table always seems to accentuate the best of what each track has to offer. Red Garlands’ piano has a lighter touch than it does via the Triangle Art. The notes had a bit more sparkle and upper frequency air where the Triangle Art held true to its darker, weightier nature. Over all, the Avenger Reference is more even handed in tonal balance, not too dark, not too bright, just right. 

Having only the Ortofon Cadenza Black cartridge to evaluate the Avenger Reference, I recognize the fact that the Cadenza Black while being extremely well balanced and brimming with competence is not the last word in high frequency resolution and over all detail. I will go out on a limb here and conclude the Avenger Reference would be more than capable of extolling whatever virtues any given cartridge would offer just as it easily shows the difference between phono cables.

Sound staging and imaging is excellent via the Avenger. Though of all the characteristics of a component, sound staging varies the least from one competent product to another in my experience, and I feel that stage width and depth among front ends at this level is pretty consistent. The Avenger Reference won’t disappoint, nor will it reveal a great deal of variation from other top tier front ends. Images are well served by a nice dollop of contrast from a very quiet background and all pop into view nicely. Pace, timbre, and tonal balance is where the Avenger really excels, and for me, that’s where the music really lives and breathes.

Is there anything I did not like about the Avenger Reference?

Sonically nothing I can think of. It really does it all. That’s not to say there aren’t other tables out there that do even more of it all, VPI’s own reference 40K Titan instantly comes to mind. I personally find the Avenger Reference completely sonically satisfying. The Looks? Well, that is really in the eye of the beholder. I don’t find it the prettiest table, but its old school vibe will appeal more to those more mechanically minded – and the fit and finish are excellent. This table is solid as hell, no question. Personally, I’d love a bit more panache and modernity, but then it might not be a VPI?

With the Avenger Reference, most listening sessions evolved in very much the same way. I could never seem to tamp down my enthusiasm enough to put away each preceding album into its sleeve. After a few hours of listening the scattered albums made quite mess of things, not a habit that will continue that is for sure. The chaos was in the name of the best possible cause-the deep unbridled enjoyment of music that the VPI Avenger Reference delivers in spades.

Buying into the VPI family is just that. A family owned and run business that offers outstanding service and nearly 40 years of history to back up their experience in understanding what it takes to makes a great deck. This is no small issue. There are plenty of young companies out there jumping into the analog game. Some will survive, many wont. With VPI, you can rest assured your investment will remain relevant and well serviced for years to come.  – Greg Petan.
(Images courtesy of VPI Industries)

The VPI Avenger Reference

MSRP: $22,000 (with tonearm)

www.vpiindustries.com

On one level I want to share the new SIT-3 power amplifier from Nelson Pass’ First Watt division with the world and avail you all to its awesomeness.

On the other hand, they are only going to make a couple hundred of them, and I want one. Can’t even buy the review sample. Pass Labs’ Desmond Harrington assures me that this is one of a pilot run of ten amps “to get out to friends and reviewers for evaluation.”

This $4,000 box will not be for everyone. With only 18 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 30 per channel into 4, some listeners will be excluded. But for SET listeners contemplating crossing over, this will be like dropping a V8 into a Smart Car.

Think every audiophile cliche you’ve ever heard in one bundle, squared. The Pass SIT-3 delivers the cleanest window to music that I’ve yet experienced. I’ve got more listening to do, but no amplifier has ever made a better, more profound “first impression.”

If you can live with this level of power, call Pass immediately and get in the queue. You will not be disappointed. Now, there might be a few doubting Thomases’ saying “But those First Watt amps are a little thin.” With the wrong speakers, they certainly can be, and in a direct comparison to the SIT-2, the -3 is in a league of it’s own. This one has a fullness that others lacked. You don’t realize it till you hear it.

While anxious to pair the SIT-3 with the highly efficient Pure Audio Project Trio 15s, I couldn’t wait. Finishing the photo shoot, I plugged it right in to the main system (formerly with PASS XA200.8s) via the Focal Sopra no.3s, which have a sensitivity of 92db/1 watt and proceeded to by hypnotized by the mixture of drive, clarity, and sheer space that this amplifier delivers.  Think all those cliches again. Yeah.

The First Watt SIT-3 might be the amp that helps you to kick the bottle.
www.firstwatt.com

The minute you walk into the door of Starpower Audio/Video, in Dallas, Texas you realize that “audio/video” is a major understatement.

In addition to the stuff you do expect (big TVs’, cool couches, and a plethora of custom automation goodies), there’s a lot you don’t. Like kitchen stuff. Yeah. In addition to a killer 2channel or theater system, Starpower does custom kitchens, appliances and flooring. And not the mediocre stuff you see at Best Buy – they offer all top-shelf appliances from Jenn-Air and the like. In addition to kitchens, they are fully equipped to put together an incredible outdoor system too.

What could be better than getting it all done one place, with a crew that can help all of your needs? When discussing this radical approach with owner David Pidgeon and Brandi Thompson, head of VIP services, they both made it clear that the crossover aspect of buying at Starpower is strong. Pidgeon smiles as he tells me “it’s not at all uncommon for someone to come in looking for a range and buying a subwoofer too.”

Which leads to today’s adventure.

MartinLogan chose to launch their new line of Dynamo subwoofers here at Starpower for good reason. ML’s Marketing Manager Devin Zell makes no bones about what a great location this is, and that their depth of product knowledge along with a deep customer base is a perfect fit. “All these flat screens with our message on it is pretty cool too.” Can’t argue with that.

After the crowd has had some time to nosh and fully investigate the premises, the black boxes are unveiled to the standing room only crowd. The new Dynamo series starts with the Dynamo 400, ($399) and a single, powered, 8-inch woofer. Going up the range from the ($599) Dynamo 600X all the way to the ($1,699) Dynamo 1600x, we see more power, larger drivers, and more low frequency oomph. To keep costs in line and value high, MartinLogan only offers the Dynamo subwoofers in a matte black finish, and the three larger models can be used in downward or front firing configurations. They can be connected via Bluetooth and wireless connection is also an option. These are versatile subs, indeed.

That X is important, because all of the “X” models offer the option of built in Anthem Room Correction (ARC™) that can be configured from a PC, iOS, or Android device. If you’ve ever struggled with integrating your subwoofer and main speakers, this is a major blessing. Even if you’re room is fairly easy to work with, having ARC™ at your disposal gives you a few more placement options.

Keeping everyone in the loop

Part of the promotion at Starpower was a big product giveaway. The MartinLogan team made it easy for everyone, including those not able to attend. By tuning in to their broadcast at Starpower, live on Facebook, those in the audience were already in the mix for this and subsequent Dynamo giveaways.

Before and after the demo, Zell and staff were on hand to answer a lot of questions from eager customers. He was having a great chat with a young couple about subwoofer choices and said, “get in the drawing, you might win one.” It was great to see so many people at a well-staffed hifi event. The food was pretty good too!

Watch for a future test drive

Thanks to a full line of ESL main speakers, MartinLogan has always made subwoofers offering dynamic, articulate bass. You have to make a punchy subwoofer to keep up with an electrostatic panel. We can’t wait to get a few of these in for review to give you a full report, so stay tuned.

Whether you need new flooring, a theater room or just a subwoofer, Starpower Audio/Video truly does have everything including the kitchen sink. And what about that couple looking at subwoofers? As I saw them loading one in their trunk, Zell quipped, “yeah, they won one in the drawing, how about that?”

For more information on MartinLogan Dynamo subwoofers, please click here

For more information on Starpower Audio/Video, please click here

(and tell em we sent you…)

While rumors abound of audio reviewers being bribed by lavish meals and travel, it’s easier to get my attention – just send a pair of speakers painted the same color as one of my BMWs. Ha. Carbon fiber is pretty much catnip too.

After a bit of positioning in room two, the Raidho XT-2 speakers are delivering the goods. So far, our experience with the Danish brand outside of shows (where they always bring BIG speakers) has been with the smaller monitors. All good, but we’ve been jonesing for a pair of Raidho’s with a bit bigger bottom.

The just under $20k/pair XT-2s deliver, with a pair of 4″ Raidho X-Drivers and their renowned ribbon tweeter. In a diminutive cabinet, barely 6 inches wide, these 41 inch tall columns provide room filling sound with ease. The 6-0hm impedance makes them easy to drive, and even though the sensitivity is rated at 85db/1 watt, our reference Pass INT-60 amplifier has no problem playing with authority.

You can read more about the XT-2s here.

And we’ll have a full review shortly.

Mounting a $10,000 phono cartridge gives you a bit of respect for surgeons: one slip and kaboom! All that craftsmanship down the drain. But the effort is worth it.

Once mounted, moving a smidge here, a smidge there and back a molecule at a time until your vision of setup perfection is reached, and then analog bliss occurs. It certainly does with the $9,995 Koetsu Onyx Platinum phono cartridge.

The entry level Koetsu sound of the Black is very warm and forgiving, almost like a vintage Grado. Moving up the range, each model provides a higher level of depth, dynamics and low-level resolution, never losing the gentleness through the midband that makes these cartridges an object of desire around the world. The Onyx Platinum is nearly the pinnacle of the Koetsu line.

Beginning the audition with a less than perfect record, in this case, the MoFi version of Rickie Lee Jones’ Pirates, instantly captivates. The signature digital edge of this recording is still present, but the inner detail of this previously ignored record is staggering, from beginning to end. Cymbals remain slightly crispy, but the midband is full of warmth, palpability and almost a fourth-dimension of liveliness. If you’re the type of audio enthusiast who wants a “reach out and touch it” experience from your records, the Koetsu delivers the goods. Switching to a better recording, like Shelby Lynne’s classic, Just a Little Lovin’, is otherworldly, and if the rest of your system is up to snuff, this cartridge brings Lynne diabolically close to performing between your speakers. It’s that good, that exciting, that involving.

Aside from the extra-steady hand required with a cartridge of this magnitude, like the other Koetsu cartridges we’ve used, the Onyx Platinum is straightforward to set up. As a relatively low compliance cartridge, a higher mass tonearm is required for this cartridge to deliver the maximum dynamic range. As with past Koetsus, the SME V arms mounted to a few of our reference tables prove a wonderful match as well as the JMW 10.5 arm on the VPI Classic tables.

The test bench

We settle on three major combinations for the Koetsu, all good, yet different. The SME 30, AVID Acutus Reference SP and our highly geeked out Technics SL-1200 – all featuring the SME V tonearm. The SME table proves the weightiest of the three, with the AVID a very close second, yet the Acutus SP proves quicker and more nimble, allowing the Onyx Platinum to sound more open than you might expect. The modded Technics shows surprisingly well, with incredible pace due to its direct drive system, though not possessing the ability to throw as big of a soundstage like the much more expensive AVID and SME tables. SME setup wizards will tell you, as they’ve told me many times, do not use too much damping fluid in the trough, or you will find all that delicacy absent, and you’ll get the “woolly bass” that SME arms are wrongfully noted for. If your SME V has wooly bass, it’s over-damped. Make sure the goo just barely touches the damping paddle and you’re there.

Where the Urushi Blue tracks best at 1.95 grams, the Onyx Platinum settles in at 2.10, offering the best combination of dynamics, HF extension and an incredibly quiet background. The cartridge proves a quick setup in the SME tonearm and after weeks of listening doesn’t feel as if it’s fallen out of alignment like some hypersensitive combinations on the market – another reason I prefer the AVID/SME combination. It’s easy to set up, tolerant of less than perfect setup and does not waver once set up. There may be a more revealing combination, but I love using AVID turntables both for work and pleasure because they are so user friendly, yet offer tremendous performance.

For the more technically inclined, the Onyx Platinum features silver-plated copper windings, with platinum magnets and a solid boron cantilever. Everyone else claims their way is the right way, but Koetsu puts these elements together perfectly. Using the Pass Labs XP-25 phonostage, 100 ohms proves the best loading combination in our reference system.

Those tiny coils only generate .3mv of output, so both the BAT VK-P6SE we recently reviewed (55db of gain) and the phono section of the Audio Research GSPre (56dB) can’t muster enough gain to use the Onyx Platinum successfully. Switching to the Rogers PA-1A with 12AX7 tubes (65dB), the Pass Labs XP-25 (72dB max) and the Simaudio MOON LP 610 (72dB max) gets the job done handily.

More music!

Thirty seconds into the ORG 45 r.p.m. remaster of Duke Ellington’s Jazz Party in Stereo, and you’ll know what the Koetsu magic is all about. Cymbals have seemingly endless decay, and the horns bleat with texture, presence and authority. That being said, Cheap Trick’s In Color sounds pretty damn cool too, with Rick Nielsen’s crunchy guitars having enough bite to feel like one of his Marshall stacks are right here in my listening room.

The wider the range of music in your collection, the more you will appreciate the Onyx Platinum. Comparing it to the other super duper cartridges we’ve lived with long term, it feels somewhere between the spectacular Clearaudio Goldfinger and the Lyra Atlas, with the Goldfinger being even meatier, weightier and more substantial sounding, yet not quite as neutral tonally as the Atlas. All three are amazing, yet if I had all three, the Koetsu would be my daily driver.

Where some cartridges come across as warm, throwing resolution out by the roadside, the Koetsu is more gentle, striking a perfect balance of being ever so slightly forgiving, yet resolving the slightest details at the same time. Yet the presentation offered from this cartridge goes beyond that. If you’ve spent much time with single driver or full range electrostatic speakers, they offer a seamless, cohesive, holistic presentation that no speaker system with multiple drivers can recreate in the same way. What they lack in presenting the last few molecules of dynamic punch or extension is nothing in comparison to the organic recreation of music they offer.

The Koetsu Onyx Platinum is very similar in the sense that the music coming from it unfolds in a way that this unique continuity settles in rather than jostling you into submission. The other high-dollar cartridges are equally compelling, yet in different ways – and much like a Quad 57 speaker, if you love the way it presents music, nothing else will do.

That sums up the performance of the Koetsu Onyx Platinum phono cartridge. If you get the opportunity to hear one and love the way it presents recorded music, it will probably gnaw away at you until you can possess one. While there are plenty of other great phono cartridges costing a lot less money – and you don’t need to spend $10k on a cartridge to enjoy music – if you want this experience, this is what it costs. And if you fall prey to its spell, you will write the check, happily.

Final thoughts: over a year later…

Living with the Onyx Platinum for over a year, I am still just as smitten as I was the day it arrived for review. It’s easy to get caught up in the romance of any product, and living with cartridges at this level can be like courting a mate. Sometimes the initial excitement wears off. Not here.

The Onyx Platinum, now living happily on a Brinkmann Bardo table with RONT power supply continues to deliver the goods. Yet like a bottle of Macallans 60, I don’t serve it to everyone. This is the cartridge I use for serious, personal listening. When the closed sign is on the door and the reviewer hat hangs on the doorknob, the Onyx is my personal choice. And that’s the highest compliment I can give this cartridge. It is pure analog joy. I believe occasional TONE contributor and hifi reviewer extraordinare, Ken Kessler recently arrived at a similar conclusion in HiFi News.

The Koetsu Onyx Platinum Cartridge
MSRP: $9,995

Buy it at:  http://www.musicdirect.com/p-345416-koetsu-onyx-platinum-mc-phono-cartridge.aspx

Peripherals

Turntables                 SME30/SME V tonearm, AVID Acutus Reference SP/SME V tonearm, Technics SL-1200 (heavily modified)/SME V tonearm

Phonostages              Pass Labs XP-25, Rogers PA-1A, Simaudio MOON LP610

Preamplifier              Robert Koda K-10, ARC GSPre, Coffman Labs G1-B

Amplifier                    Pass Labs Xs 300 monoblocks, Audio Research GS150

Speakers                    Quad 2815, GamuT RS5, Dynaudio Evidence Platinum

Power                         IsoTek Super Titan and power cords

Cable                          Cardas Clear, Nordost Frey

If you’ve ever had the good fortune to visit Japan, one of the first things you will notice is how deliberate everything in Japanese culture is. They do not take anything, even the most minute act, lightly. The level of care they exhibit is a treat to behold.

Unboxing the Luxman PD-171A turntable is a similar joy. When you get to the inside of the third box, the table is revealed in three more layers. Dust cover is on top, exquisitely wrapped, followed by the plinth/motor assembly, and the platter is on the bottom of the box. Each bit is carefully, perfectly wrapped. Should you purchase a PD-171A of your own (and I highly suggest you do) plan on at least 60-90 minutes to savor this process!

Each layer is wrapped, taped, and fit together so tightly, that it must be removed slowly and carefully. Wonderful as Luxman products are, even the packaging is a work of art unto itself.

What has to be the best feature assembling the PD-171A though, is the threaded handles, so that you can gently lower the finely machined platter on to the main bearing. I wish EVERY turntable manufacturer did this!

Here it is, fully assembled, ready for a cartridge – but what will we choose?  We’ll have more pictures in issue 90 and a full review on our site shortly.

Features

Old School:

Paul DeMara revisits the Walkman!

995:

Pro-Ject Debut Recordmaster

Journeyman Audiophile:

Parasound JC3 Jr.
By Eric Neff

Aural Exam:

Stressing about Cables

MINE

Gig Harbor Goodies

Ortofon Headshells

Super Sneakers

Analog Magik Torque Wrench

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Audiophile Pressings: The Rolling Stones Studio LP’s

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

Take Your Whisky Home

A new column by Roy Hall

Future Tense

Gold Note Integrated

Luxman belt drive table

Pure Audio Project Voxative Drivers

and more…

This Month’s Gear: Approachable Analog!

Rega P6

VPI Cliffwood

Technics SL1200GR

MoFi UltraDeck +

Channel Islands PEQ•1 Mk II

Musical Fidelity NuVista Phono

Tellurium Q Black and Black Diamond Phono Cables

Clearaudio Charisma v.2

Sumiko MM carts

Hana SL MC cart

Switching from the delicate, quirky vocals in Bjork’s latest, to Keith Jarrett’s classic The Koln Concert, to the pounding beats in High Contrast’s Night Gallery, through the new Magnepan .7 speakers, I realize I haven’t heard a moderate power tube amplifier offer up this level of sheer grip since the legendary Audio Research D79.

75 watts per channel? Magnepans? Is this an alternate universe? Nope. This amplifier cranks it out. Honestly, the REF 75SE offers so much sonic heft, the power meters barely move when paired to the Raidho X-1s, even at high volume, but the Magnepans make the REF 75SE work, using up all the available power on tap at high volume. The result is brilliant with both configurations.

Firing up the Audio Research REF 75SE for the first time, the amplifier is pleasant, but not OMG. However, like all ARC products, the REF 75SE needs some time on the clock to give it’s all. ARC suggests 600 hours of playing time, and while past REF components required close to this, even after the 50 and 100-hour mark has passed, the magic happens in earnest. OMG arrives between 300 and 600 hours, as with every other ARC REF component.

Talk to a fan of Audio Research, and the REF moniker often conjures up visions of the massive REF 750SE monoblocks; towering beasts that require palettes of power tubes at the ready for when the need to retube strikes. With a much more extensive selection of speakers offering a sensitivity rating above 90db/1 watt these days, not all of us need 750 watts per channel or even 250, but the desire for the resolution that the REF series provides is always welcome.

Some Audio Research aficionados admit in a hushed tone that the REF 75SE, with its single pair of KT150 output tubes per channel, is the sweetest creation in the lineup. That’s tough to call, without having them all right here for direct comparison, but considering our road trip with the Minnesota based amplifier company goes back multiple decades, we’ll try our best.

The $10,000 price tag on the REF 75SE, puts an entire REF based system in reach of a broader audience in many ways, and not just financially. A single power amplifier means less rack space and less wear on your back. Weighing in at only 47 pounds, the 75SE is a REF you can get your arms around!

A legacy to live up to

For this writer, the comparison doesn’t immediately go to the other amplifiers in the REF lineup, but the legendary D-79, which I’m equally familiar with and still own. It’s big power meters on the front panel bring back warm, fuzzy memories right away. A few hundred hours of run in time take the REF 75SE from really good to “oh my goodness.” No disrespect to the big REFs, but this amplifier has an appealing palpability to it that will make you a tube lover if you aren’t already part of the club.

Where a few past ARC designs were voiced with a leaner sound by comparison to this amplifier, (which might have you guessing whether there were transistors under the cover) the current REF series pulls it back slightly. The GS150 that was our Product of the Year back in 2016 has a warmer, more saturated tonal balance than the REF75SE, and that amplifier is a one of a kind – there is no lineup of GS series amplifiers to compare to. The GS is almost more vintage like in sound – you could almost think of the GS as two cups classic/vintage ARC sound mixed with one cup of current ARC sound, while the REF 75SE is two cups current ARC combined with one cup vintage. Both are fantastic, but if the last generation of REF amps left you a bit cold and the GS proved “too vintage” for your taste, the REF 75SE will be your perfection.

The 75SE is the epitome of the breed, perhaps because it is a simpler circuit, with a single pair of output tubes. Switching back and forth repeatedly between the D-79 and the REF 75SE is enlightening. The older amplifier, with its massive power supply and output transformers, feels as if it has more ultimate heft than the REF 75SE, yet the longer you listen, the current amplifier is cleaner, faster and more resolving across the scale. In many respects after decades of building world-class tube amplifiers, ARC knows better where to pound the nail.

Great as the D-79 is, a side by side comparison reveals the older amplifier, while still excellent, even by today’s standards, does not reveal as much music. Whether you prefer that presentation is up to you, but I’m guessing that if you have a modern, high-performance pair of loudspeakers and similar components, you’ll appreciate what ARC has built here. And the new amplifier incorporates everything that has made ARC great.

Deeper tracks

Listening to a series of familiar jazz tracks from Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and Lee Morgan, the 75SE presents acoustic instruments in a natural, tonally correct way, with the right amount of attack, decay, and presence to convince you that you are listening to the real thing. This presentation does not vary when switching between Focal, MartinLogan, Graham, Raidho or Magnepan speakers. Each one of these speakers retains its own personality if you will, but as a listener, you don’t bounce back and forth between rows in the hall.

One of the toughest parts of the musical spectrum for tube power amplifiers to reproduce is the lowest register. More often than not, tube amplifiers don’t have that last bit of grip that the best solid-state amplifiers do, yet some solid-state designs can come across over damped at times. Hair-splitting for sure, yet the 75SE produces a hefty amount of bass extension, combined with control and definition. Listening to Jaco Pastorius tear up and down the fretboard on his self-titled album, the 75SE gives an exciting and engaging performance, full of low bass grunt, combined with the harmonics of Pastorius’ complicated technique.

At the other end of the frequency spectrum, the 75SE is equally detailed and nuanced, with an enormous soundstage painted in all three directions. Music played through the 75SE takes on a delicate, airiness that is the hallmark of tube gear – and ARC is definitely one of the masters of the craft.

What sets the 75SE apart from the larger, more powerful REF amplifiers is the subtle balance of microdynamics, pace, and delicate musical texture. The most complicated musical selections come alive in a way that most big amplifiers can not muster. Again, the big REF amplifiers create a sense of dynamic that the small amplifier does not, so you need to know what you value most.

A perfect partner for the right system

Combined with speakers like Focal Sopras, Wilson Sophias, or something else with a sensitivity rating of 91db/1-watt or higher, you may never need a bigger amplifier than the REF 75SE, especially if you do not possess a huge room. The 75SE combined with the Sonus faber Guarneri Tradition speakers ($16,500/pair) in our 13 x 15-foot room is lovely.

Adding a REF 6 preamplifier and a REF Phono 3 along with a fantastic $10k-$30k pair of speakers combined with a source or two puts an entire system in your reach for $50k – $80k that will leave you wanting for nothing. Again, your mileage may vary. If you have inefficient speakers, a big room, or you must listen at punishing sound pressure levels, this is not the droid you want.

Audio Research has built a compact version of their top line REF series amplifiers that sacrifices nothing sonically to their biggest amplifiers and has put it in reach of a broader audience. For music lovers that crave the best, yet have to keep somewhat of an eye on the bottom line, this is a dream come true.

The Audio Research REF75SE

MSRP:  $10,000

www.audioresearch.com

Peripherals

Digital Source                         dCS Rossini DAC and Clock

Analog Source                        Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0/Triplanar/Lyra Etna

Phono Stage                            ARC REF Phono 3, Pass XS Phono

Preamplifier                             ARC REF 6, Pass XS Pre

Speakers                                  Raidho X-1/REL T7is, Focal Sopra no.3/REL 212SEs

Cable                                       Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Silver Diamond

Zeroing in on the tonal characteristics of a phono cartridge and keeping it within a budget that makes sense is often one of the biggest challenges facing an analog enthusiast, but it can be done.

Depending on your system goals, the cartridge can be the ultimate tone control, and an easy way to express your take on what defines musicality to you. Think of it as buying a painting at an art gallery: some like the realistic portrayal of Norman Rockwell, others like the soft focus and hues of the French impressionists, while some dig the bright saturated colors of Andy Warhol.

So you can better understand my personal bias, I prefer cartridges on the slightly warmer, romantic side of the equation, and it’s reflected in the reference cartridges that I use: Koetsu, Grado, and Kiseki. Of course, we do use Lyra, Ortofon, and Clearaudio as well, but I’ll always take a little bit of sugar, rather than drink it black if I have my druthers.

I’d like to share a lovely new (to me) cartridge, hailing from Russia, imported by Solypsa Sound, here in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle to be exact. Sensitive Sound produces no less than 35 MC models from the $669 Splash X1, all the way up to the Violet T-8 at $8,160. The Art-Majestic MC featured here comes in at $1,270 and utilizes a Micro HD stylus mounted on a Boron cantilever. You can read the complete specs here:

http://sensitivesound.com/mc-cartridges-art–majestic/

With premium phono cartridges solidly in the five-figure range, you might think it’s tough to get an amazing cartridge for around a thousand bucks anymore – and to some, that’s still a high price tag. If you’ve settled on a great table in the $2,000 – $5,000 range (a ballpark figure so don’t freak out if you’re a bit outside of this range), this could indeed be your scooby snack.

Queuing up Del Amitri’s Change Everything, the level of coherence that the Majestic brings entices instantly. This average recording at best, while slightly flat via Tidal, blossoms to life with the Majestic/Technics SL-1200G. It has width and depth, with a much fuller low end, allowing the bass drum in “The First Rule of Love” to merely unfold in the room. A similar effect happens with the Average White Band’s Cut the Cake– another perfectly average record, now engaging via the Majestic. Hundreds of albums later, I realize that this is the Majestic’s greatest strength – bringing gusto to the process and making mediocre records more viable.

Nuts and bolts

The Majestic is a moderate to low compliance cartridge, so it will not deliver the goods on your favorite Rega arm or vintage high compliance SME tonearm. It proves a near perfect match on the current Technics SL-1200G, and even better when stepping up the game to the Acoustical Systems Arche 5D headshell, adding a bit of extra mass to the Technics tonearm. Those not in the mood to purchase such an expensive cartridge, consider adding a slight bit of mass to whatever headshell you are currently using on the Technics to dial things in all the way.

Sensitive Sound suggests tracking force set in the 1.8 – 1.95-gram range, and it performs best towards the higher end of that range with the stock Technics headshell, but better around 1.8 grams in the more massive AS headshell.

An output of .45mv and suggested load impedance of “100 – 47k” leaves room for experimentation. My Esoteric F-07 integrated amplifier has only one, a 100-ohm setting for its MC phono section and this proves outstanding. While some audio gurus swear by system synergy, yet others turn their nose up at the concept, the Majestic is one of, if not the most enjoyable cartridge I’ve used with the new Technics 1200G. Crazy as it might sound so spend half the money on the cartridge on the AS headshell, it allows dialing in the cartridge so tightly, it delivers performance well beyond what you’d expect for this price. The Majestic is proof that good components set up with fanatic enthusiasm can provide exceptional results.

Plugging the 1200G/Majestic combination into my reference Pass Labs XS Phono, with a much wider range of loading options, still delivers the best combination of dynamics and even frequency response at 100 ohms. One more check mark in favor of a synergistic match.

Sampling a range of phonostages from the just acquired Musical Fidelity  NuVista Phono ($2,999) up to the Conrad-Johnson TEA-1SE, the Majestic turns in a stunning performance. Those on a budget would do well to consider the $999 Channel Islands phono (slightly more with external power supply) for a killer, high performance/modest cost option.

A unique personality

After listening to many album sides, the only thing the Majestic leaves on the table that the mega cartridges offer is the last bit of fine detail resolution, and a deeper front to back presentation – that feeling like you’re swimming in music. If you’ve got shelves full of first stamper this and first stamper that, you’ll notice the difference. Unless you have the absolute finest records available, (and if you have that record collection, you’ve probably got a turntable and system to match) and you prefer a slightly warm tonal balance, there’s no need to go further than this.

Balanced as the Majestic is, compared to some other cartridges in its class, it delivers a very resolute and detailed bottom end, where many of its competitors can only produce one note bass, or barely a little more. This cartridge offers plenty of attack and speed in the lower register along with texture and detail that you would typically associate with cartridges costing two or perhaps even three times more. Its tracking abilities are above average as well. Part of this is matching the cartridge to the proper arm, yet once set up, I experienced no mistracking during any of my listening sessions.

I had equally excellent results with this cartridge in the SME 309 arm with the AVID Volvere SP and Soulines Kubrick HDX turntables as well. The Majestic mates well with the lower cost Technics SL-1200GR that we are finishing the review on, but personally, I’m not a fan of spending as much on a cartridge as a turntable. I prefer to steer you towards a more precisely built table and a lesser cartridge (again, perfectly set up) than the other way around. I feel you’re throwing resolution away putting a more expensive cartridge in a modest deck.

The Majestic is a very fun and engaging cartridge because it does offer that little bit extra tonal saturation, yet is not soft, slow or sluggish. There’s still plenty of resolution accompanied by a vast soundstage. Again, the Majestic does not offer that level of front to back depth that cartridges costing 5-10 times as much do. Yet in my smaller (13 x 15 foot) listening room, helped along by the tremendous resolving power of the Raidho X-1 speakers, I never found myself wanting for more.

Within the vast sonic landscape that the Majestic does paint, the water is indeed nice. This cartridge is more than worthy of one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2018. It’s my personal favorite and will be staying as a permanent reference with the SL-1200G after the review. Remember what I told you about my priorities – if you don’t want a touch of romance, move on. But if you do, try and get a listen; Majestic is the perfect name for this cartridge. We look forward to experiencing more of what Sensitive Sound has to offer further up the range. And as soon as possible.

The Sensitive Sound Art-Majestic Cartridge

www.solypsa.com (US Importer)

www.sensitivesound.com (Manufacturer)

Peripherals

Turntables                   Technics SL-1200G, VPI Classic Two w/ET 2.5 tonearm

Phonostage                 Conrad Johnson TEA-1, Musical Fidelity NuVista, Pass Labs XS Phono

Amplification              Esoteric F-07

Speakers                     Raidho X-1 w/(2) REL T7i subwoofers

Cable                           Cardas Clear, Clear Light, Clear Reflection

Power                          PS Audio P20

Features

Old School:

The Magnepan Tympani 1D

995:

Acoustic Energy AE-1

Journeyman Audiophile:

Triangle Theta

Aural Exam:

Rotating Your Tubes!

Walkabout:

A visit to Munich HiEnd 2018

MINE

AYO Wearables

Hydrosilex Recharge

Norlan Whisky Glasses

BMW C Evolution

and more….

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Audiophile Pressings: Todd Rundgren SACD’s

Can’t Get it Out of my Head

Future Tense

New MM cartridges from Sumiko

Novelle Records Box Editions

Clearaudio Charisma MM Cartridge

and more…

This Month’s Gear: All Speakers!

REL T7i Subwoofer

Pure Audio Project Horn 15

MartinLogan Classic ESL9

Alta Audio RHEA

B&W 705S2

Sonus faber Guarneri Tradition

Dynaudio Special 40

B&W 707S2

SVSound Prime Elevation

Sonus faber Venere S

Usually, subwoofer discussions start with tales of thunderous, booming bass that rocks the house.

I’ve been using REL subwoofers for about 10 years now and that’s not what this is about. They will certainly add major low frequency extension to whatever speakers you choose to mate them with, but that’s not what REL is about. This is about adding scale to your system.

Laurie Anderson said in the song “Language is a Virus,” that “paradise is exactly like where you are right now, only much, much better.” That’s what adding a REL (preferably two) to your system will do if you have it properly positioned and set up. You won’t find yourself thinking “that subwoofer sounds killer!” You won’t even know it’s there. But your system, enabled thusly will reveal more music than it ever has, and not just down low.

Beginning one of many listening sessions with a pair of T7is in a 13 x 15-foot room with a pair of Raidho X-1 speakers as my initial references, Dave Pike’s rendition of “Bluebird” has more body, more realism than I am used to, even with the spatially superior Raidhos. The Raidho’s small woofers just don’t go down much past about 55-60hz with authority in this room, so using the RELs in this context is picking the low hanging fruit. The string bass is now fleshed out with authority, yet when the low keys on the piano are struck, you can feel it in your chest, and your soul. Adding a $2,000 pair of small RELs transforms an already lovely pair of $6,000/pair small monitors into full range masterpieces.

Following the concise instructions on the REL website, the T7is are set up and dialed in pretty quickly. This is an overly simplistic analysis, but again, you know you have them set up right when you can’t localize them. For those not familiar with REL, they prefer using a high-level connection from your amplifier’s output, accomplishing two things: your main speakers are run full range, making for a more seamless crossover and the sub picks up the exact tonal character of your power amplifier. They include a 33-foot cable with bare wire on one end and their Neutrik connector on the other. Those feeling the need can still plug in with preamplifier output, or via a .1/LFE channel in certain theater applications. But if you’re building a 2-channel system, I highly suggest doing it RELs way.

Size, shape, etc.

You can read all of the pertinent specs on the T7i here, (https://rel.net/shop/subwoofers/serie-ti/t7i/) but most important is that these enclosures (12”H, x 14.5”W x 15”D) barely take up more than a cubic foot.

An 8-inch driver fires forward, with a 10-inch passive radiator facing downward. A 200-watt, class AB amplifier, a refined version of what has served previous REL subs well drives the T7i. The two controls requiring your full attention are the ones marked “crossover” and “hi/low level.” Because your main speakers are already running full range, this control is a low-pass control, determining how high up the REL goes, and can be varied from 30hz all the way up to 120hz. Like the level control, these are stepped controls with extremely fine adjustment capability. If you experiment with multiple placement options or main speakers, this makes it easy to count how many clicks you’ve turned the controls, so you can always go back to where you were.

As suggested by REL’s John Hunter, now is a great time to optimize your main speakers for the maximum bass output without the REL. The further down you can get your mains to play, the easier it will be to integrate the REL seamlessly. I like to start with the crossover control all the way down at 30hz and slowly, gently bring the level up until the presentation takes on a fuller sound, without becoming boomy, or overloaded in the mid bass region. While Hunter (and all of his disciples) are fond of Jennifer Warnes’ “Ballad of the Runaway Horse” tune for optimizing upper and lower bass balance during speaker setup, I’m finding excellent luck using Frank Zappa’s voice. Because you just can’t listen to that damn horse song all the time. Using the famous Zappa track “Montana,” I find when the REL is set to perfection, Zappa’s voice doesn’t get overly foggy, cloudy, muddy. It just gets bigger. He sounds like GOD ZAPPA when its right.

This will get you close. Then a bit of moving the REL around and slight fine tuning – perhaps with a friend to help speed up the process and you’re rocking. Even the most OCD person operating solo should be able to nail this in about an hour. Hunter adds here that they also like track 4 from the soundtrack of the 90’s movie Sneakers to dial the REL in itself. When perfectly optimized you can clearly hear the second skin (he calls it a “double-tap”) of the concert bass drum as the compression wave from the softly struck mallet on the first membrane passes through the body of the drum and pressurizes the second skin. This track is also excellent for determining phase and crossover settings, with level falling in to suit. Unless you are driving the hell out of an incredibly large main pair of speakers, the chance you will overdrive the T7i is slim. Even a long playlist of Aphex Twin and similar tracks, I was unable to overdrive the T7is, still mated to the Raidhos.

Highly versatile

Though Hunter suggested I use larger RELs for my Magnepan Tympani 1Ds and .7s, even in a larger room, the T7is offered more than satisfying results – part of this will be determined by your room and listening habits. After living with the T7is for some time and getting used to their character, I also found them easy to integrate with the Dynaudio Special 40s, Totem Signature 1s, and the Graham Audio LS3/5 monitors. Both the B&W 705 and 707S2s were a good match too. Bottom line, before you invest in that next, bigger pair of speakers, you might just consider a pair of T7is. They come covered in gloss black (like our review samples) or gloss white, making them easy to blend in to your décor just as easily as they blend into the soundstage.

Exactly like the 212SEs that I use in my main reference system, after you get over the initial amazement of using the T7is, it’s easy to forget them – until you turn them off. Yeah. It’s the audiophile equipment of pinching yourself. Shut em off from time to time, to really see what you’re getting.

Just as the 212SEs have become a permanent fixture in my main system, the T7is are now a permanent reference component in room two. In the context of some carefully chosen gear making up a system worth about $30k, the $2k investment in the RELs increases the desirability of the entire system by about 100%. There’s just no better value in high end audio for this reviewer than adding a pair of RELs, regardless of which model you choose.

What I really enjoy about these smaller, less expensive subs, is that there has been no compromise in the T7is in terms of what makes the big RELs truly great. The cabinets, though slightly simpler in design, are still executed to the same level of fit and finish as the top models. Ditto for the drivers and electronics. Hence, the T7i is more than worthy of one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2018. If you feel so inclined, read my review of the 212SE – everything that I found enticing with the 212SE is here with the T7i. Think of the 212SE as a full bottle of your favorite adult beverage and the T7i as a hearty glass full.

Final thoughts

Regardless of the music you play through your system, once it becomes REL equipped, you’ll notice much more depth and ambience way up through the midband. But what fun would a pair of subwoofers be without digging some bass heavy grooves? I’m sure you have your favorites, so now that class is dismissed, enjoy!

The REL T7i

$999/each, white or black

www.rel.net

Peripherals

Analog Source                         AVID Volvere SP

Digital Source                         Gryphon Kalliope with dCS Bridge

Amplifier                                 Pass INT-60, Esoteric F-07

Speakers                                 Raidho X-1

Cable                                       Cardas Clear

Power                                      PS Audio P20

After a few months of constant listening, I want to say “Bowers & Wilkins new 705s2’s kick major ass,” but that would be so un-British.

But they really do. Today, listening to Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s Brain Salad Perjury, an ambient/electronica remix of a major slice of their catalog, I continue to be impressed at the sheer scale these compact monitors deliver. There, much more polite.

In the past, Bowers & Wilkins flagship 800 series speakers have been the only models sporting their signature diamond tweeters, resulting in a fairly large gap in resolution between the two. Yet with the s2 version of the 705, they are catching up on the sonic signature of the 805, even though the 705 features B&Ws new carbon dome tweeter. This is a first, replacing the aluminum dome that used to be standard issue on the 700 series, yet it is produced in a similar way to the diamond domes, just layering carbon atoms instead of diamond atoms.

Simple or traditional?

Both the $6,000/pair 805d3 and the $2,500/pair 705s2 share B&Ws new Continuum cone material, and as was explained when I visited their US office last fall, one of the major commonalities here is that both the carbon dome and the Continuum cone for the LF driver are hand made in the UK facility, and shipped to their overseas plant for final assembly. Every aspect of the 800 series is hand built and optimized in the UK facility.

Of course the diamond tweeter requires more effort to produce, and the cabinet of the 805 features the same curvy form that distinguishes the series. Watching these come to life in their factory, layer by layer, then pressed into shape transcends mere manufacturing. And as we happen to be touring the paint shop, a few of the people in coveralls just happen to be from Rolls-Royce. Our tour guide explains “Yes, we share information on finishes.” This is industrial art in the truest sense.

Back to the 705, shall we? In addition to the cost cutting savings in manufacturing and driver technology, though B&W has incorporated their billet tweeter enclosure and flowport design from the 800 series, they have made the cabinet a simpler box shape. I can only imagine how much time this saves in the assembly process.

Value is the result

Thanks to an engineering team of nearly 100 people now, B&W has put some major heart into the 700 series. This is what you get when a company has complete control over the design and manufacturing process. With so many boutique speaker companies picking this bit or that bit off the shelf and hammering it into place to make it work, there’s a reason why B&W can produce such an incredible product for this low price. There are a number of economies of scale going, as well as depth of design prowess. And though the cabinet is a simpler shape, the level of execution is still like that of the 800 series. Personally, I love, love, love the matte white adorning our review speakers.

You might think I’m too excited. Sorry. But the longer you listen, the easier these speakers are to live with. An 88db/1 watt sensitivity and a 3.7 ohm nominal (rated 8 ohm) impedance make the 705s2s a breeze to drive with solid state or tube electronics. After auditioning them with about a dozen different amplification choices (including the Rotel RAP-1580 in concert with a pair of 707s2s and an HTM72 center channel) all provided highly satisfying sound.

Running through a gamut of quad and surround mixes underscored how much better this effect is when you use five very similar speakers, and it was easy to get lost in the trippiness of this. The Rotel/5-speaker system in a small 10 x 11 foot room delivered a massive sonic landscape that felt so much bigger than you might suspect.

Setup is a breeze. The 705d2s offer bi-wiring as an option, but we ran them with a single pair of Cardas Clear Beyond speaker cables. The only tweak I’d suggest is replacing the supplied jumpers if you do not bi-wire these speakers, with jumpers made from the same speaker cable. This is another area that the 800 series offers higher quality – their supplied wire jumpers are the best in the business. I did notice a slight jump in clarity and cohesiveness by switching to Cardas Clear jumpers.

24-inch stands are what you need. B & W offers their own 700 series stands, but they will set you back another $499, pushing the price of the 705s2s closer to the $3,000 mark. However, any of the other mini monitors in this category suffer the same fate. It’s like when you book that $34/day rental car, but you still need insurance. These speakers are excellent, don’t scrimp on the stands. Jedi rant over.

Moving in stereo

Returning to the universe of two channel, the majority of my listening was done, pairing the 705s2s with the Pass Labs INT-60. These speakers will deliver excellent results with anything from a vintage receiver on up, but because of the high resolution they do offer, pairing them with the best amplifier you can muster will pay dividends in image depth, bass grip and extension as well a high frequency smoothness that the lesser amps don’t offer. These speakers deliver performance well beyond what you might expect for this price.

$2,500 does not buy you the full enchilada, yet spending time with the flagship 800 Diamond, both at the B&W factory in the UK and a very recent experience with B&W’s Kevin Wolff in Vancouver BC at the Hi Fi Centre, it is incredible how much of the core 800 sound is here in the 705s2.

Both the $30k/pair 800s and the $2,500/pair 705s render a large musical soundfield. In a smaller room, with program material not dipping much below 45 or 50 hz, you might even be hard pressed to tell the difference. The large 800D has a forceful bottom end, rattling the walls with its output and playing incredibly loud without distortion.

Yet the small 705 can still play loud enough to satisfy most listeners in a modest size room. The Pass amplifier has tremendous headroom, and is able to propel these speakers with plenty of force. The classic track “Yulunga(spirit dancer)” from Dead Can Dance proves the 705d2s do produce formidable, high quality low frequency output. A minor miracle for a speaker in this price range. Those in a modest sized room may not need even entertain the thought of a subwoofer.

The 705d2s produce their immersive soundstage well beyond the sweet spot in the center of the couch. No doubt a result of their collaboration with Abbey Road studios, where the 800s are used as mastering speakers, and wide dispersion is a must – the mix has to sound good when sitting or standing at the console. This is an area where the 705d2s excel.

Simplicity at its best

Many audiophiles prefer the coherence of a well-designed two way speaker, feeling that a simpler is better approach, along with only one crossover point to disrupt the sonic landscape the ideal. Should this be your flavor of choice, I suspect you will be very pleased with what the 705d2s have to offer.

Along with wide frequency response and wide dynamic range, the 705d2s have a cleaner, more natural tonal rendition than their past iteration. Acoustic instruments feel correct and that bastion of audiophilia, the female vocal, is well represented. Whether it’s the quirky delicacy of Aimee Mann or the raw power of Chrissie Hynde (don’t make me go you-know-where) these mighty mini monitors are right at home.

The only remaining question? Matte white, gloss black, or rosewood. You know what I like. Don’t forget, Bowers & Wilkins is one of the few manufacturers that does not charge extra for their gloss black option. And remember, it’s Rolls Royce good.

The Bowers and Wilkins 705s2

MSRP: $2,499/pair (stands $499 addl)

www.bowers-wilkins.com

Peripherals

Analog Source                         AVID Volvere SP/Rega RB-2000/Gold Note Machiavelli

Digital Source                         Gryphon Kalliope DAC

Amplifier                                 Pass Labs INT-60

Cable                                       Cardas Clear Beyond

Power                                      PS Audio P20

After hearing Jeff’s praises of the D705 s2, I appreciated the chance to put some ear time on their smallest bookshelf speaker in B&W’s 700 series lineup, the D707 s2.

These diminutive marvels feature many of the same trickle-down technologies of larger D705 s2. Despite the strong family resemblance, a few key differences set the 705 and 707 apart. First, all the musical joy of the 707 emerges from a much smaller enclosure measuring 11 inches tall (280mm), 10.2 inches deep (260mm), and 6.5 inches (165mm) wide. While the drivers feature the same materials and construction as the 705, the 707 sports a 5-inch midrange/woofer rather than the 6-inch version used in the 705.

The 705’s tweeter is placed atop the cabinet like the classic 805 design, decoupling it from the main enclosure. The 707, in contrast, builds the tweeter into the cabinet body giving the speaker a more traditional look. The 707’s un-isolated tweeter placement leaves it exposed to a bit of cabinet vibration. As such, the 707’s alternate design sacrifices a bit of HF nuance compared with their larger siblings. But at a price of $1,250 per pair for the 707s, compared with the 705’s $2,500 price tag, one cannot expect everything for a fraction of the price.

While the voicing remains very similar to their larger 700 series brethren, the 707’s modest cabinet size cannot reproduce bass frequencies in the lowest registers. According to B&W, the speakers experience roll-off below 50Hz. Those seeking bowel-rumbling bass levels should pair the speakers with a subwoofer or two. However, the 707 speakers pack a surprising punch for their diminutive size. Frequencies the speakers are designed to handle register with beauty and a high degree of realism. Bass never lacks punchiness; rock and electronica retain the excitement of the recording.

Like the 705, the 707’s two-way design includes a double set of five-way binding posts for those who want to bi-wire or bi-amp. The included jumpers do an excellent job though, and I expect the vast majority of 707 owners will connect these speakers to a single amp with a single set of speaker cables. In your listening space, experimenting with the binding posts is a worthwhile investment. With the jumpers in place, try connecting both speaker cables to the lower binding posts. Give it a listen, then try connecting to the top set. Heck, why not also try one cable connected to a top post, with the other on the opposite bottom post? While the sound does not change dramatically in these three scenarios, you may prefer the subtle difference of one configuration over the others.

Sound-wise, the 707’s voice remains just slightly to the forgiving side of neutral, but not at all slow or syrupy. The characteristic makes long listening sessions a pleasure, without ear fatigue. B&W’s newest tweeters give the 707 plenty of high-frequency detail without unpleasant stridency and sibilance.

The 707 performance defies its price tag. Some listeners will choose them as great sounding, and cost-effective surround speakers for a home theater application. However, those choosing the 707 as a stereo pair of speakers – in a smaller-sized listening space – will not be disappointed at their prowess.

Kudos to B&W for offering budget-conscious audio fans a speaker with exceptional components and wonderful sonics. The D707 S2 speakers demonstrate B&W’s commitment to putting great sound within easy financial reach of those who prioritize music in their lives.

The Bowers and Wilkins 707S2

MSRP:  $1,250/pair

www.bowers-wilkins.com

Now in its fourth iteration, the Sonus faber Guarneri is still a standout performer.

How the engineers at SF manage to put so much of the sound of their larger speakers in such a small cabinet always baffles me, but they do a fantastic job. Having spent a fair amount of time with everything from the Sonus faber flagship Aida down the range to the Olympica and Venere speakers, this small, high-performance monitor was a personal favorite. I came that close to buying the last version of this speaker, the Guarneri Evolution. If I ran things, after spending time with both speakers, I’d rename the last model the Tradition and this one the Evolution, but that’s neither here nor there.

A delight for all senses

I usually jump right into a review with a favorite track that draws me in to a product, but the Guarneri begs a bit of backstory. The original SF speakers under founder Franco Serblin were famous for their warm, lush midrange, and soundstaging that was almost beyond belief for such a small speaker – yet they required a ton of power to drive and were notoriously tough to set up. However, when it was right, it was really right and if you’ve ever experienced a pair of early Guarneris in a well optimized system, you know the sheer magic these speakers are capable of creating.

Sonus faber has always felt the lute shape of their speakers works with the sound of the drivers, tuning the end result like an instrument and making the cabinet part of the sound. Other manufacturers like Wilson, YG, and Magico feel that every molecule of the cabinet needs to be damped out and removed from the picture, so only the sound of the drivers and crossover comes through. I’ve never found a YG fan to be a SF fan, so you will have to experience it for yourself – my guess is that during your first Sonus faber audition, you will fall madly in love with them or you will move on. The endless romantic, I’ve always had a love for Sonus faber speakers – bias admitted.

Sonus faber sound aside, their cabinetry and finish is fine art of the highest order. The multi layered lacquer finish is perfect; having more depth, greater smoothness, and higher luster than anything you will ever experience on the world’s finest automobile. For those of you that have had a child in your life, remember how smooth your son or daughter’s skin was immediately after they were born? That is how smooth the finish of the Guarneri Tradition (actually, all SF speakers) is.

Obvious differences

The first big difference is that the new Guarneri tips the scale at just under $16,000 a pair, complete with stainless and carbon fiber stands just as beautiful as the speakers. In nearly 30 years of auditioning Sonus faber speakers, there has never been a non-audiophile in my home or studio that can resist their charm. My friend’s wives nearly always make the exact same comment: “You can put a pair of those in our living room.” The $16k/pair a comment is interesting because the outgoing Evolution model was about $22k/pair, so the current Sonus faber organization as part of the McIntosh Group has been able to take advantage of the corporate structure to hold costs in line for all brands. This is a bonus for everyone.

While the current Guarneri still benefits from more power, it is not as power hungry as past models. Quality is the key here, especially to wringing the last bit of bass performance out of these speakers. Pair them with a budget integrated and you’ll never hear what these speakers are capable of. This is not a speaker to build a system around if you have to scrimp on until you can afford a great amplifier.

Finally, the newer look of the Tradition model is more embellished, shall we say than the Evolution model it replaces, with more defined horizontal stripes in the curved cabinet (much like the very early Sonus faber speakers) and brushed trim rings around the drivers. There is also a sizeable Sonus faber logo on the top of the cabinet. I prefer the old cabinet aesthetic, but I’m the guy that brings a new BMW home from the dealer and removes all of the badges. Truth be told, I miss the curvier shape of Ferraris and Ducatis past.

Let’s listen

What track to play on a new pair of Sonus faber speakers is always an engaging proposition, but the go to track after a few days of warm up just had to be Prince’s “International Lover,” from the 1999 album got the nod. Though there isn’t a molecule of acoustic instruments present on the track, it’s a relatively dense track with a lot of hidden treasure. Speakers with limited resolution portray a flat experience, yet speakers offering a lot of resolution bring this track to life, revealing layer upon layer of vocal overdubs, synthesizers, and a wide soundstage. And there’s that major scream at the end – if your system can’t deliver the goods, this will fall horribly flat.

The Guarneris sail right through this torture test, thanks to the boundless power reserve of the Pass XS300 monos, producing the usual SF magic here and on every other track in multiple listening sessions. The Evolutions turned in an equally engaging performance in my main listening room with a similar setup about two years ago. While the Guarneris can carry a big room, I love them in a modest size room. This will provide a more coherent three dimensional musical picture and offer a bit more room gain, enhancing the LF response nicely.

Sonus faber speakers have been undergoing a slight metamorphosis over the last two generations. Keeping the tonal saturation that has made them famous, the current speakers offer more extension at the frequency extremes, with the ability to resolve more low-level detail as well. Impressive.

Final Set Up

Placed in room 2 (13 x 15 feet) the Guarneris produce the best balance of LF extension and big soundstage. Slightly more mid bass warmth is available on the short wall, but at the sacrifice of maximum image depth. You know what you like better, so proceed accordingly. I’m the panel guy that loves an immersive soundfield. The tweeter level is a bit high, just over 40 inches, but the finely threaded spikes on the stands will help you nail perfect placement.

As Sonus faber is part of the Mcintosh group now, the chances of you hearing them at your favorite dealer with McIntosh or Audio Research electronics is really high, so after verifying that they work well with a number of other choices from Pass, PrimaLuna, Esoteric and Conrad Johnson, the majority of our listening was done with ARC and Mac. Why not? We lined up current and vintage of both. The ARC REF 75SE is here for review, as is the McIntosh MAC7200 receiver. On the vintage side, a freshly rebuilt ARC D-79 and older generation MC275 make for a nice compare and contrast. All configurations were interesting.

Without boring you with paragraphs of audiophile babble, we’ll cut to the chase. While the REF75SE reveals more detail with the Guarneris, the MAC7200, with 200 watts per channel, is damn good. And at $7,000, provides a complete situation with DAC, phonostage and tuner built in. Add a turntable and cables and this makes for an incredible system well under $30k. Motorcycle money. (more thoughts on that here)

Once you’ve achieved the perfect room balance, sit back and relax like the cool guy in the Sonus faber ad, you’ve earned it. The opening keyboard riff in the Afghan Whigs “The Spell” cuts through the mix, pushed right in front of my face, keeping perfect pace as Greg Dulli’s gravely voice folds in, slightly left of center, with layers of violins way beyond the speaker boundaries. This is what high-end sound is all about.

Of course the critical midband is glorious – this is Sonus faber after all.

Thanks to the slim front panel profile of the Guarneris, they offer a level of coherence not unlike a panel speaker and are the essence of what audiophiles call “pin-point imaging.” Real or not, it sure is fun. No matter what kind of music you enjoy, the Guarneris will keep you engaged. The balance of Elise LeGrows sultry voice and piano in her recent Playing Chess is particularly engaging. And acoustic instruments are reproduced with that little extra something that has been a Sonus faber trademark.

Another fantastic Guarneri

Hundreds of listening hours later, this is a Guarneri through and through. While the old timers in the audience will lament that they like the older ones better (much like Porsche guys complaining that the new water-cooled models are nowhere near as good as the old air-cooled models) this is a fantastic pair of speakers that is priced right.

What’s not to love? They look beautiful, sound beautiful and have a lower price tag than the last model. That’s never gonna happen at the Apple store or the Ducati dealer. But as I said at the beginning, being that this model has a bit more modern sound, if you will, than the last Guarneri, I guess I would have called this one the Evolution and the last one Tradition. What’s in a name anyway?

The Sonus faber Guarneri Tradition

$16,500/pair

www.sonusfaber.com

Audiophiles love to argue the merits of moving magnet vs. moving coil cartridges. Come to think about it; they love to argue about nearly everything.

However, the MM/MC debate gets sketchier as the price goes up and the line blurs between top-level MM and moderate level MC cartridges. Having owned a Clearaudio Goldfinger for a few years, it is not only their top cartridge but arguably one of the finest cartridges in the world. It’s undoubtedly my favorite, though the $16k price tag always made me jumpy. One wrong move, bam!

Clearaudio’s new Charisma V2 is their statement MM cartridge, taking advantage of cantilever technology from the Goldfinger, with a new, re-designed magnet structure and a wood body. As you might expect, the wood body adds a slight bit of warmth to the overall sound, and in this case, the result is lovely.

Queuing up Jean-Michel Jarre’s trippy Zoolook, the Charisma V2 makes an incredible first impression. Adjusted to perfection with the Analog Magik software suite and Smart Tractor protractor, 2.5 grams of tracking force is where everything comes together. Taking advantage of the MM section of the Bandwidth Audio Kascode One phonostage, the presentation is full of drama – the kind of drama you’d expect out of an MC. Which brings us back to the MM/MC argument.

What’s the diff?

MM fans love the immediacy and punch of their breed. I’ve always felt that the best MM carts are the muscle cars of the cartridge world, full of push and horsepower, but not so subtle in the tight turns. MC fans love the delicacy and inner detail retrieval that their favorite offers. Their delicate coils, sometimes only a few turns of wire, dig down deep to the most minute musical bits.

The Charisma V2 at $2,000 comes the closest to offering the best of both worlds I’ve yet experienced. For all but the most obsessed analog enthusiasts, this is serious coin for a cartridge, and for many, it is a final destination purchase. Another potential advantage of the MM design is that it does not require a step-up device, or high-gain phonostage to integrate into your system. This presents another minor dilemma. The Charisma is so good; it beckons to be used with a premium phonostage. No one said this was going to be easy.

Pairing the V2 with the new Technics SL-1200G turntable proves a heavenly and synergistic match. This $6,000 combination leaves nothing out of the presentation with the Bandwidth phonostage, as well as the ARC PH9, and the Pass XP-17 that we just reviewed. With the Pass tipping the scale just over $4,000, these three make for an incredible analog front end. As I said, this cartridge delivers a serious analog presentation. Moving a bit downscale a bit, using the V2/SL-1200G combo with a few lesser phonostages, leaves me wanting to go back to the big boys. This cartridge deserves it.

Further listening…is wonderful!

After about 20 hours of listening, a quick touch up to the initial setup and the V2 settles in for the long haul. This cartridge truly bridges the gap between MM and MC sound. Subtle acoustic guitar bits are rendered with a massive soundstage, powerful attack while retaining the delicacy of Al DiMeola, Paco DeLucia and John McLaughlin in their famous San Francisco concert.

Most MM cartridges are fantastic if you are a heavy rock fan, and sometimes they do a better job at capturing the weight of a grungy group of guitars. Kiss Alive!Is pretty magical on a Shure M44, but loses its intensity on a Lyra Atlas. More isn’t always better. The V2 walks a fine line, delivering a visceral performance regardless of musical selection.

Somehow, mounting the V2 to our Technics SL-1200G kept drawing me back to music from my past like a time machine. Skipping Alive!moving right to Destroyerproves fruitful. The initial banter and automobile sound in the background of the intro of “Detroit Rock City” and the segue into the track is awesome, full of the power that Kiss deserves.

With spring on the horizon here in the Pacific Northwest, still deep in the retro/vintage thing, it was time to shake the dust off of John Klemmer’s Straight From the Heart, and turn up the volume for “Arabesque,” ushering the sun in, hopefully, to stay. Admittedly, kind of audiophile-y, this track has incredible dynamic range, clearly illustrating how versatile the V2 truly is. Klemmer’s blaring sax, captured straight to disc is complex to track, yet this MM feels just like a great MC.

Winding up the journey with the way back machine with a Japanese pressing of Dire Straits Communique, the V2 again proves its mettle at being a fantastic all-around cartridge. Whether the music selected is simple or complex, the V2 navigates the grooves flawlessly, creating a sonic landscape that is huge in all three dimensions, with an immediacy that keeps you spinning disc after disc. The big soundstage pulls you in, yet the powerful bottom end rivets you to your chair.

No weaknesses

Clearaudio’s Charisma V2 is so good at its task; if you didn’t know it, you might think it was an MC. But thanks to a 3.6mv output, and 47k loading requirement, it will mate well with nearly any phonostage you might have on hand. It’s high resolving power deserves to be mounted in an equally good turntable and paired with a top phonostage to show off all it is capable of, yet if you can’t afford the entire enchilada right now, it’s an excellent anchor to build the analog front end of your dreams around.

If you’ve been agonizing over MM or MC, the Clearaudio Charisma V2 is the top example of MM design that we’ve had the pleasure to audition, and it is highly recommended. While it proves an excellent destination cartridge in the context of a $5,000 – $15,000 analog front end, it also makes a great daily driver for those of you with stratospheric setups. If you don’t want to put too many miles on your Goldfinger with modest or unknown pressings, the Charisma V2 will pay for itself in this position, especially if you have multiple tonearms. Save the Goldfinger for your most cherished pressings and use the V2 for daily vinyl chores. You won’t be disappointed either way. We think the argument is over.

The Clearaudio Charisma V2

$2,000

www.musicalsurroundings.com

Peripherals

Turntable                    Technics SL-1200G

Phonostage                 Pass Labs XP-17

Amplifier                     Pass Labs INT-60

Speakers                     Dynaudio Anniversary 40 w/2-REL t.7i

Cable                           Cardas Clear

Power                          IsoTek Aquarius

Setup                           Analog Magik, SmartTractor, Clearaudio Weight Watcher

Listening to a 24bit/192khz file of Jeff Beck’s There and Back, the tiny AE100s instantly impress with a massive soundstage and incredibly good dynamic range. Thanks to their wide dispersion, the AE100s sound great, no matter where you’re sitting, making them versatile performers. Paired up with a vintage PrimaLuna ProLogue One and a modest pair of Tellurium Q Black speaker cables (about $20/foot), I’ve built a hell of a core system here.

Initial listening has my little 35-watt per channel PrimaLuna running out of juice before the AE100s do, so switching to their HP Premium integrated (nearly 100 wpc with KT150 tubes) really lights these speakers up in a way that the lower powered amplifier did not. Should you be considering a pair of AE100s, and like to crank it up now and then, don’t be shy with the power. Equally excellent results were had with the new IN-100 integrated from Gold Note.

Small speakers are always a no brainer for a small room, and the AE100s excel in a modest size room, yet they are not at a loss in my 16 x 26-foot main listening room. About ten feet apart on 24-inch stands, the AE100s produce a big sonic picture and perform admirably, holding on to the bass groove in the Pretenders “Waste Not, Want Not.” Letting ROON wander as it’s known to, the next track up is AC/DCs “Evil Walks.” A major twist of the volume control produces incredible results – this relatively dense recording just comes to life and I’m not hunting for a subwoofer. And we’re talking loud. A few friends that managed to experience the AE100s were, shall we say, thunderstruck. Ok, crappy AC/DC puns finished.

Finding the sweet spot

Unlike a panel speaker where the window for good listening is narrow, these speakers wide dispersion eliminates this issue, but you’ll need to find the perfect alignment to achieve stunning bass response. Should you place the AE100s on a stand perpendicular to the floor, they will sound small, flat and thin.

The key is to get a few degrees of upward tilt, so seek out stands with feet allowing for some adjustment. Proceed with care, going a half turn at a time and you’ll catch the sweet spot. You’ll know when you hit it (roughly around 4-5 degrees upward tilt) because it sounds like someone added a subwoofer. You’ll only need a few bass heavy tracks to find it and when you go too far, everything disappears, bass and treble.

More than woof and tweet

Just the frequency extension and dynamic capability of these speakers would be more than enough for them to earn their keep. In addition to a very uncolored midband, the soft dome tweeter is resolving and never harsh. Moving the AE100s to the main system, they render enough fine detail to hear differences in fairly expensive phono cartridges, though not at the minute level that my reference speakers do. Keep in mind this is a test many $1,000 speakers can not pass.

Plugging back in to my Focal Sopra 3/REL 212 reference, I’m instantly reminded of what the AE100s aren’t capable, yet these little speakers nail so much of the fundamentals, you’ll never feel left out of the music. Should you be a newcomer to the world of audio and make the AE100s the anchor of your system, you’ll be spending a lot more on speakers come upgrade time. If and when you do, this is a pair of speakers you should hold on to forever.

Quite the accomplishment

Entry level audiophiles complaining that all the good choices cost megabucks, look no further than the AE100s. These small monitors will only set you back about $495 a pair and deliver stunning performance. Combining a 4-inch paper cone woofer and 1-inch dome tweeter, Acoustic Energy claims these to be “small speakers capable of high output.” They fulfill this promise and more.

It’s easy to get spoiled listening to top line gear every day, and easy to lose track of what things cost. Though we make it a point to seek out sub-$1,000 components in this column offering higher performance than you might expect, the AE100s are more than worthy of one of our Exceptional Value Awards. Beyond that, these are the most impressive pair of $495 speakers I’ve had the pleasure of listening to, in nearly 100 issues of producing this magazine. The fun factor the AE100s offer is off the chart.

Bravo.

The Acoustic Energy AE100

$495/pair

www.acoustic-energy.co.uk (factory)

www.soundorg.com(US Distributor)