McIntosh made a big splash a while back with its six-box, 2,000-watt MC2KW power amplifiers. They are very cool, play incredibly loud (if you have enough juice in your power line to let them wind out all the way) and command an impressive presence.

Many lovers of the McIntosh brand see them as the Holy Grail. For those who don’t have the space or the budget but ­still dig those gigantic level meters, there’s a more reasonable alternative: the MC1.2KW. The more manageable MC1.2KW monoblocks tip the scale at only 147 pounds each. They’re still not budget components, but the $25k price tag will leave you with enough money left over from not buying the $70,000 MC2KW’s to assemble a formidable system.

Sporting metered faceplates the same size as the MC 2KW, the MC1.2KWs are attention getters. While many audiophiles love “deep-listening” sessions, nothing says “party on” like the gigantic blue meters, and this is a big part of their charm. Their blue glow floods your listening room like a couple of gigantic lava lamps. You can turn them off. But why?

A direct descendent of the MC1201’s, the MC1.2KW’s have significant electrical and cosmetic upgrades. According to Ron Cornelius, McIntosh product manager, the MC1.2KW “Actually produces closer to 1,600 watts per channel on a test bench, so you have to be careful with this much power on tap!”

Setup

Unless you are a super hero, getting at least one person to help you unpack the MC1.2KWs is a good idea. And be certain that your equipment rack can support at least 150 pounds per shelf.

Thanks to the large lip on the back, they are surprisingly easy to grasp and move around. I wish more manufacturers would provide rear panel handles on amplifiers this heavy.

While not the latest word in aesthetics, a pair of piano dollies come in handy shuttling the MC1.2KW’s between my reference amplifiers, along with the other gigantic amplifiers we had in for review this issue. They’ve since taken up permanent residence on a pair of Finite Elemente amplifier platforms and look very stylish; they beg to be displayed prominently.

Your next concern will be power. These big beasts need a lot of juice to do their thing. You can run a pair on a single 15-amp circuit, but they won’t reach full power. A dedicated 20-amp line

is better, but if you want an effortless 1,200-watt-per-channel experience, you’ll need a pair of 15-amp dedicated lines. McIntosh tech-support head Chuck Hinton recommends, “Each amp needs its own 15-amp line for maximum performance.” While McIntosh lists the maximum current draw at 13 amps, there’s no point in scrimping if you’re getting dedicated power lines run. Go for 20 amp lines and make sure to have it done by a qualified electrician. Ron Cornelius adds a few more tips, stressing the idea of having your wiring in top shape. Double check your power panel’s grounding and make sure all the connections to the panel and outlets are tight. It’s the nature of solid-core copper wire to wiggle loose with time. “If you don’t have solid power going to your system, your line level components will suffer as well.”

Extended listening with a dedicated 15-amp circuit, a dedicated 20-amp circuit, and dedicated 20-amp circuits for each monoblock reveals that power is your friend. While the amps worked with the single 15-amp line, the circuit breaker blew repeatedly at high volume.

The rest is easy. MC1.2KWs have balanced XLR inputs on the back panel along with RCA inputs and a 12-volt trigger, so it will integrate into any system handily. Due to the use of the legendary McIntosh Autoformers in the output stage, featuring 2-ohm, 4-ohm and 8-ohm taps to connect your speakers. Mc suggests starting with the nominal impedance of your speakers, but a bit of experimentation will yield the best results – sometimes the best match that transfers the most music might be a different tap. My only complaint with the MC1.2KWs, and for that matter all of the McIntosh solid state amplifiers are the dreadful speaker binding posts – they are too small and too close together.

The Sound

The MC1.2KWs immediately take charge. After a few hours warm up with nondescript background music, dropping Joe Harley’s recording of Mighty Sam McClain’s Give it up to Love threw a massive soundstage between my speakers. This record was recorded live to two-track analog tape and when you crank this one up and dim the lights, it sounds like mighty Sam is right there in your listening room (singing in front of a pair of gigantic McIntosh amplifiers in this case…).

With this kind of power at your disposal, big dynamic range helps to create a live feel on recordings with a big dynamic swing and the big Macs never disappointed, whether listening to a full symphony orchestra or Rammstein. You don’t realize just how wimpy your 100-watt per channel amplifier is until you have 1,200 per channel at your disposal. Trust me, you might never want to go back.

Friends listening to my system with the MC1.2KW’s always made the same comment: “Wow, I can’t believe how often those meters jump up around 300-600 watts and we’re not listening that loud.” All the arguments about “tube watts” vs. “transistor watts” vs. “whatever other watts you got” go away, and quickly. It’s big power vs. little power, baby, and if there was ever an argument for size mattering, the MC 1.2KWs settle the score handily.

People often forget that the need for power goes up exponentially as sound pressure level doubles; so that 100-watt-per-channel amp sounds great when you are listening in the one-to-10 watt range because you still have 100 watts or so in reserve, but when you get fast and furious with the volume control, compression sets in quickly and, if you’re not careful, clipping. Still, proceed with care when rocking out because even though it’s tougher to burn out a tweeter with all that clean power, you can run the risk of toasting a crossover when you are pushing the MC1.2KW’s near their limits. That’s when bad things happen to good people.

Power and Control

Next up, some Prince from the Diamonds and Pearls album. The beginning of the track, “Insatiable,” features deep synth bass lines with grunt that usually come across loose and sloppy. The extra power and control of the MC1.2KWs grabs those notes, holds the sustain and stops cleanly. I usually need the help of the JL Audio Gotham in my system to achieve that experience. No longer.

The other aspect of a high-powered amplifier that becomes instantly apparent is the ability to play complex music at relatively high volume levels without the soundstage collapsing. Try this with your favorite piece of densely packed music, whether it is a full symphony or driving rock. This is where the difference between 100 watts per channel and 1,200 per channel is instantly apparent. Though both play fairly loud, when you start to crank the 100-watt amp, everything gets muddy and you lose focus.

If you become the happy owner of a pair of MC1.2KWs, this will be a thing of the past and you might even discover that some of those discs that you thought were compressed just had their peaks rounded off.

During the course of this review, I had the opportunity to use the MC1.2KW’s with about a dozen different loudspeakers, from the Martin-Logan CLX electrostatics to the YG Acoustics Anat II Studios, both of which have low impedance dips and can be problematic to drive. Nothing in my speaker arsenal requires more power than my Magnepan 1.6’s Should you be a Magnepan owner looking for the Holy Grail, nothing lights up a pair of Maggies like the MC1.2KWs. Where the 1.6’s always feel somewhat bass shy in my 16 x 24 foot room, with the Mac amps they sounded like I had added a subwoofer to the system.

The dynamics were amazing and again, all who listened were surprised how easy it was to use up 1,000 watts per channel. It’s worth mentioning that no matter how hard I pushed these amplifiers, even when driving the Magnepans very loud, the MC1.2KW’s never got more than slightly warm to the touch.

Having just spent time with the MC252 amplifier that we reviewed very favorably, the MC1.2KW’s are in a completely different league. The MC252 is an excellent amplifier and a great value, but it does not have the delicacy and clarity that the MC1.2KW has. No matter what the listening level, these are some pretty special amplifiers with the slightest bit of warmth and body to the overall presentation. I doubt that anyone will ever refer to these amplifiers as “sterile solid-state.”

Big Power, Big Meters, Big Fun

At $25,000 a pair, this is not an idle purchase, even for the well-heeled. But if you want a pair of amplifiers that will never run out of juice or require you to buy a futures contract on output tubes, the MC1.2KW could be your Holy Grail. So dim the lights, put your favorite disc on and let em’ rip.

The McIntosh MC1.2KW Monoblocks

$24,995/pair

www.mcintoshlabs.com

We’ve just received the new flagship PS2000e headphones from GradoLabs.

These beautiful new phones, have not abandoned the familiar wood that makes
Grado’s famous, but now it is clad with a metal alloy, offering a more modern,
sleek look.

Until our review is live, you can read more here:

http://www.gradolabs.com/headphones/professional-series/item/69-ps2000e

Actually, two of them.

As REL’s John Hunter will tell you, you need a pair of 212SEs to disappear in your room, and that is the ultimate goal of a sub-bass system, to prove a transparent extension to your main speakers, never drawing attention to themselves. While the uninitiated might opt for small cubes that can be placed a bit more out of the way, Hunter explains it succinctly: “When you hear low-frequency information out in the real world, it doesn’t just come at you from off in the corner, it envelops you from all directions.” Thus, the height factor of the 212SE is equally important to disappear audibly.

After Hunter spends a bit of time optimizing my Focal Sopra no.3s for perfect positioning, blending the 212SEs into the rest of the system takes place quickly. When complete, the subs are impossible to localize, and in addition to the lower register improving dramatically, the entire presentation takes on greater depth, width, and height. The Sopra no.3s and the 212SEs work together as one. Perfectly.

As the music is playing, Hunter says, “Ok, now we’re listening to about $300k worth of gear, right?” Then with a quick flick of two switches and a wry smile, he turns the 212SE’s off and says, “Now we’re listening to $292,000 worth of gear.” The difference is staggering; the soundstage completely collapses. Considering the $8,000 that a pair of 212SEs will set you back, won’t even buy a power cord from some manufacturers, this is amazing. The delta achieved by including the pair of 212SEs in my reference system is more than just a 100% jump, I no longer can listen to the system without them in. Adding a pair of these subwoofers to get this improvement for less than 3% of the total system cost is unbelievable.

It’s not the bass; it’s everywhere

The level of depth that the pair of 212SEs adds to the mix is just as exciting as the low-frequency extension. The delicacy of the opening Fender Rhodes licks in the Springsteen classic “Kitty’s Back,” waft through space between my Focal Sopra no.3s so gently, it sounds better than when I’ve sat ten feet away from one in a club. This stunning realism is the key to the 212s presentation. As it says on the REL website, their goal is to restore midrange warmth and harmonic structure. This deceptively simple goal, nearly impossible to achieve, is a promise that has never been delivered in my listening room until now.

Tracking through myriad cuts deliberately lacking substantial LF content reinforces the initial experience. Whether listening to Ella Fitzgerald or Eddie Mercury, my system has more bloom, more dimensionality. The music comes alive in all dimensions more clearly, with more low-level information present at all volume levels. Enticing as giving the volume control a hearty spin is, it’s still good at low volume.

These subwoofers have been a serious threat to productivity. The experience they’ve added to my primary reference system keeps me glued to the listening chair, at times for hours, at times for the entire day. With so much more musical information available, listening becomes sheer joy again.

It’s almost better than real

Because of the power required, lower frequency extension and detail is usually the first thing to give up the ghost when pushed, followed closely by overall system imaging. Depending on your room, system, and available power, it happens gradually or in a brick wall fashion. For the first time in nearly 40 years, this didn’t happen, no matter how loud the music was. The REL 212SEs offer no trace of distortion, compression or fatigue. Even when hitting nearly 120db peaks in my 16 x 25-foot listening room.

Fun as this is, be careful should you attempt this at home, OSHA says you should not be exposed to music at this high volume level for more than about 10 minutes. Just enough to listen to Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” in a way I’ve never experienced it – not even live. Whether you jump off the cliff for a pair of 212SEs or even one of REL’s smallest offerings, the musical force that comes with having a great sub-bass system will make it tough, if not impossible to go back. You can’t unhear it.

Inside the black box

We can go on and on about the tech inside the 212SE, but from the listening chair, it’s all about execution and level to detail. That’s why the 1.6-liter engine in a Kia makes 150 horsepower on a good day, and the 1.6-liter engine in a contemporary F1 car makes almost 900. Make no mistake, REL is the Ferrari F1 of low-frequency reproduction. Full specs are available on the REL site here:  https://rel.net/shop/subwoofers/serie-s/212se/

The 212SE looks conventional from a distance, a big black box with woofers in the front. A closer look reveals that the two front-firing 12” continuous cast active drivers are paired to an additional 12” passive cone on both the rear and bottom. The passive cones use the same material as the active drivers, providing sonic consistency. REL claims that the two passive drivers not only add dimension to the bass produced giving the 212SE the equivalent of a pair of 17-inch drivers. Driving each of these woofer arrays is a 1,000-watt amplifier, optimized for its job.

Closer inspection reveals numerous fine details; the finish is exquisite. Not only is it the equivalent of anything I’ve seen on a six-figure pair of Wilson or Magico speakers, but it’s also the equivalent of anything I’ve seen on a Bentley. The gloss black on the review 212s is liquid in appearance, and this reflective quality helps it to physically disappear in the room. Even the complexity of the machined shape in the side handles reveals a level of attention that tells you this is indeed a special product.

For those not familiar with REL, they use a speaker level connection, requiring your main speaker’s run full range, so the signal going to the subs has the same sonic signature of what is going to the mains via your power amplifier. They can be used via line level inputs as well, but whenever I’ve tried this with a REL subwoofer, the results were never quite as good as doing it their way.

Should running a cable be inconvenient, REL subwoofers can also be connected via their Longbow wireless transceiver. The Longbow is a compression-free wireless system, utilizing the same speaker or line level outputs, transmitting wireless information effortlessly. While this option was not taken here, it has been used with other REL products with excellent result.

And the winner is

The combination of dynamics and musicality that a pair of REL 212SEs add to the mix is of such high quality, I had made up my mind after about 10 hours of listening (I was up until about 4 a.m. after Hunter left, the day he installed them) that this would be our product of the year. For my money, this could be TONE’s product of all time.

I’ve had the privilege to own and evaluate thousands of components in the last two decades. Nothing has ever come close to achieving so much at such a modest cost. $8,000 is by no means chump change, but when other companies are asking ten times this for wire, that they claim is a “component level” upgrade, I call shenanigans. If your system doesn’t go to 11 right now, a pair of these will get you there. And if it already does, hang on; you’re still in for a ride you aren’t expecting.

In the end, I’m not sure what freaks me out more, that a pair of REL 212SEs are this good, or knowing that there are two more models above the 212SE.

The REL 212SE Subwoofer

$4,000 each, two used in this review

www.rel.net

Peripherals

Analog Source                        Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0w/triplanar arm, Lyra Etna

Digital Source                         dCS Rossini DAC and clock

Main Speakers                        Focal Sopra no.3

Preamplifier                             Pass Labs XSPre

Phono                                      Pass Labs XSPhono

Amplifiers                               Pass Labs XS 300 monos, XA200.8 monos

Cable                                       Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q Black Diamond

Racks                                      Grand Prix Audio Monaco

In many ways the Brits are the kings and queens of getting great sound out of small speakers.

A typical British listening room is usually in the neighborhood of about 12 x 15 feet (3 x 5 meters), so this suits apartment living well. ProAc calls this diminutive speaker the Tablette and commemorating 30 years of production, calls this model the Tablette Anniversary. Typical British understatement. The Tablettes need about 30 watts per channel to really sing, but should you be a more crazed audiophile, the better your source components are, more giddyup the Tablettes will have. The Simaudio NEO Ace that we currently use as a reference in the Audiophile Apartment, makes for an amazing combination. Music lovers on a budget will do well to consider a Rega Brio  amplifier at $899 (review link here), another favorite around here. If you’re on a really tight budget, spend all your money on the speakers and grab a Harmon Kardon 730 vintage receiver. You can find one on Ebay for $150, get rocking now and find a better amplifier later.

The minute you fire up these tiny (10 5/8” H x 6” W x 9 ¾” D) marvels, you’ll be knocked back like the dude in the Maxell chair. These little speakers rock the house with full range sound that is incredibly disproportionate to their size. And yes darling, they produce real bass. Ok, you won’t be able to blast Skrillex or Deadmau5, but on all other program material they have enough reach in the lower register to enjoy everything else. Auditioning Stereolab’s Dots and Loops proves very palatable indeed, with sounds bouncing all over the room! The next track, “Lift Off” from Mars & Mystre keeps the energy high and we’re all striking poses around the living room like we’re at Fashion Week.

Streaming the title track from the Afghan Whigs Gentleman album via Tidal at high volume, Greg Dulli’s voice reaches right out of the speakers pulling me to attention. These little boxes can play loud, really loud if you need them to. Slowing it down for Elvis Costello’s rendition of “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” from The Spy Who Shagged Me brings the vibe back to a more relaxed mode, revealing the character that defines his voice. Just letting my laptop swim through my music library, served up by ROON made this review a ton of fun; there was nothing these little speakers can’t handle.

You can place the Tablettes anywhere in your room. If you place them up on a shelf, try to get them out from the wall as far as possible as their rear port will do wonky things to that glorious bass if you place them right up against the wall. For more critical listening, we suggest some 28” speaker stands so that the tweeter is pretty level with your ears. This will give the most expansive sound, but if you must compromise as many of us apartment dwellers do, you still won’t be disappointed.

$2,200 is a lot of money to spend on speakers, but the ProAc Tablettes are so good, they could be the last pair you buy. And should you ever move out to that big McMansion, you can always add a subwoofer, but that’s another story!

The ProAc Tablette Anniversary

MSRP: $2,200

www.soundorg.com (US importer)

www.proac-loudspeakers.com (factory)

If you’ve been reading TONE this year, you know we’ve made an amazing discovery in Italy’s Gold Note line of phono cartridges. They achieve a wonderful balance of tone, dynamics, and resolution, and at a reasonable price.

Their PH-10 phonostage offers more of the same sensibilities. $1,600 gets you a solid-state phonostage with two inputs, each configureable as MM or MC, with a pair of single ended and balanced outputs, assuring compatibility with any system compliment. Those wanting to take their analog journey even further can upgrade the PH-10 to a class-A tube output stage, along with a higher capacity power supply. We think that’s green thinking at its finest, allowing you the ability to grow with your PH-10 as your love for analog increases.

Listening begins with a well-used record I’ve heard thousands of times; Steely Dan’s Can’t Buy a Thrill. Of course, I’m using the high output (1.2mv) Gold Note Machiavelli, mounted on a TriPlanar U2 carbon fiber tonearm and the excellent Soulines Kubrick turntable. Gold Note’s own table is being photographed, and we like to swap only one component at a time to fully evaluate something new, so we’ll talk about an all Gold Note combination in the upcoming turntable review. Suffice to say they all work together incredibly well.

It’s tough to believe that this is such a reasonably priced phonostage; it reveals a level of musical information I would expect from a much more expensive component. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe the folks at Gold Note if they told me the price of the PH-10 was double the current asking price. Because they produce such a diverse range of products, there is a scale of engineering and manufacturing that makes it easier to offer such high value.

A familiar sound

In the context of other phonostages, all three of the Gold Note cartridges we’ve reviewed all have a distinct sonic signature that is a drop or two on the warm, romantic, involving side of neutral. Yet as you go up the range, each cartridge reveals more low level detail and paints a larger soundstage, offering greater dynamics, without sacrificing that delectable midrange.

The PH-10 offers the same presentation. Though this is a solid-state design, it has a level of tonal saturation that I would expect from Pass Labs, and that’s a good thing in my book. So many of the $1,000 – $2,000 solid state phonostages available today have a sterile, flat sound, while equally priced phonostages sporting vacuum tubes paint a more sonically interesting, or perhaps engaging palette, yet suffer a high noise floor. The PH-10 is a perfect balance. It’s drop dead quiet, and sonically gorgeous. And you can get it in red. (black and silver are also available)

Annie Lennox’ layered vocals in the Eurythmics 80s classic, Revenge, shine clearly front and center on this densely mixed record. The ability to unravel dense musical tracks helps to distinguish the PH-10 from its competitors. It helps get away from what you might assume a solid state phonostage would sound like, and to dig further into your music collection.

An incredibly versatile performer

The ability to use two turntables is a major bonus in any phonostage, but again, mostly unheard of in this price range, and usually only one input can be used in MC (moving coil/high gain) mode. Configuring the PH-10’s two inputs is only a click away, via the front panel switch and display, revealing which equalization is at your disposal. The PH-10 offers RIAA, Columbia, Decca and a “custom” setting. There is 45db of gain in the MM mode and 62db in the MC mode with four “trim” settings for fine adjustment. Gold Note even includes separate grounding terminals for each of the two inputs. My Audio Research REF Phono 3 ($14,000) does not. Once you set things to taste, it’s easy to keep track of via the easily read front panel display. Nice touch.

We’ve used $60,000 phonostages that didn’t have this level of adjustment. Having spent a lot of time in the music server world, this old fashioned audiophile really appreciates that all adjustments can be made from the front panel, without a remote or an app. Ultimate simplicity!

9 selectable loading options (10, 22, 47, 100, 220, 470, 1k, 22k, and 47K) mean no cartridge is off limits. The lower loading options are great for cartridges like the Rega Apheta/Apheta 2, which really need a 20-50 ohm setting to tame. A number of older MM cartridges perform a little better at 22k, so again, the level of versatility offered here is spectacular. Auditioning the PH-10 with the Gold Note cartridges at our disposal as well as cartridges from Rega, Grado, Lyra, Ortofon and Denon prove it’s versatility.

Gold Note mentions an upgrade to optimize the equalization curve, allowing you the option of fine tuning it even further to your taste. We hope to sample this at some point, along with the class-A tube output stage. This is connected via a 5 pin neutrik connector on the rear panel of both units, so this should take the PH-10 to even higher performance.

The PH-10s compact, half-chassis size allows it to integrate anywhere, and the balanced outputs allow you the luxury of having a turntable where it’s convenient to place it. The PH-10 easily drives a 30 foot pair of Cardas Clear balanced interconnects with no signal degradation whatsoever. Balanced outputs have a fixed level of 4 volts and the single ended outputs 2 volts, more than enough to drive any modern or vintage preamplifier or integrated amplifier to full output.

Back to the sound

Features and functionality are great, but without excellent sound to back it up, useless. The more time spent listening to the PH-10, the more we love this phonostage. Regardless of the program material chosen, its sonic character comes through. Bass is solid, powerful and well defined. Thanks to the on board subsonic filter, the extreme low to subsonic frequencies are gently rolled off to avoid potential sources of turntable rumble from reaching your speakers. The midrange is glorious and the highs are extended and detailed but never harsh.

The cymbals throughout Hank Mobley’s Roll Call, are always smooth and silky with just the right amount of bite, yet bass and kick drums are renedered with the necessary amount of dynamics and force to be convincing. In addition, the PH-10 reveals plenty of midrange detail and textural/spatial information to have you wondering if there isn’t a tube or two inside the red box. I assure you there isn’t.

Here’s to your analog path

Gold Note’s PH-10 phonostage comes right out of the box with top in class performance, yet it offers the ability to expand it considerably further. What else could you ask for? The price puts it within reach of a wide range of analog lovers, and the performance (along with a clear, concise upgrade path) make it easy to grow with.

I am happy to give the PH-10 one of our last exceptional value awards for 2017. It is well deserving.

The Gold Note PH-10 phonostage

$1,600

www.goldnote.it

Peripherals

Preamplifier                             Pass Labs XS Pre

Power Amplifier                     Pass Labs XA200.8s  (Pair)

Turntable                                 Soulines Kubrick HDX w/triplanar arm, Gold Note Machiavelli MC (other carts mentioned in review)

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

Cable                                       Cardas Clear and Tellurium Q Black Diamond

After listening to the SVS SB16-Ultra for some time now, it’s still been tough to put into context, yet a recent test drive of the latest 650 horsepower Z06 Corvette brings the point home clearly.

Sometimes nothing floats your boat like sheer, pavement melting horsepower. Maybe the Z06 lacks some of the finesse of the current offerings from Porsche or Ferrari, but when you put the pedal to the floor and light up the tires, you can’t help but smile. There are a few things the Vette does that it’s more refined European cousins don’t and that’s it’s magic.

For $1,995 you just can’t beat the SB16-Ultra, though if a 3db down point of 16hz still isn’t enough LF extension for you, the even larger PB16-Ultra ($2,499) will take you down to 13hz. I remember hearing a 10hz tone once, and it felt like someone was pounding a nail through my head, so proceed with caution. Cranking up a long playlist of Aphex Twin has me convinced that the SB16-Ultra delivers the goods in a big way. Tracking through my favorite bass heavy cuts from Fink, Infected Mushroom, Snoop Dogg and even Pink Floyd prove tons of fun. 40 years later that heartbeat at the beginning of Dark Side of the Moon just rules. The SB16-Ultra pumps it out so hard, you feel it in your stomach, you feel it in your soul.

It’s easy to get used to the SB16-Ultra until you shut it off. Then, the opiate center of your brain that is excited by major bass experiences immediate withdrawals. Much as I enjoyed my time with the SB16-Ultra (and contributor Ken Mercereau bought one as well) I really love it in the context of a theater/gaming system. While many subwoofer experts agree that you should have a pair of subs, a sole SB-16 gets you rocking in a big way, in a hurry. Barely bigger than a dorm fridge, it’s easy to find a spot.

Easy to love

One of the toughest parts of owning a subwoofer is integrating it with your main speakers as seamlessly as possible. SB16-Ultra makes this a breeze, thanks to the best app I’ve ever had the chance to experience. But first, take a bit of time getting the best sound you can from your SB16-Ultra the old-fashioned way; move it around. Don’t let the compact 20-inch cube fool you, unless you are super buff, keep in mind it tips the scale just over 120 pounds, so here’s a suggestion: grab a piano dolly. I like the “Milwaukee” ones from Home Depot.

You’ll have to decide on corner or mid room placement, and this will probably be determined somewhat by what you have to work around and how much flexibility you have in room placement. All things being equal, corner placement offers the most reinforcement from the floors and corner. I’d suggest the corner if you’re SB16-Ultra is being used for movies and games, where you want those cannons to embed you in the couch.  Should your listening be weighted more toward music, you might consider placing a sole SB16-Ultra just off center from your speakers and starting there. We’ll get back to this in a minute. You’ll also need a pair of interconnects to go from your amp or receiver, if you connect the SB16-Ultra via the line level ouputs. RCA or XLRs will work just fine. The SB16-Ultra has right and left inputs, or if you are doing a strictly theater setup, it has a single LFE input as well.

The coolest app ever

Fine tuning a subwoofer is tough, constantly getting up from your listening position, making adjustments and then sitting back down to listen and evaluate. First world problems, I know, but you want it to be awesome, right? SVS makes it easy with the absolute best app I’ve ever seen for this kind of thing. Better yet, the app explains and walks you through all the adjustments, and they do such a great job, even if you’ve never done anything like this, you’ll be rocking in no time.

Should you want to skip the “tune it by hand” part of the setup, the room gain feature of the app utilizes the digital signal processor (DSP) inside the SB16-Ultra, to compensate for being too close or too far away from room walls or corners. This eliminates that boominess that gives subwoofers a bad name. Once all parameters are set to taste, merely save your results as a custom preset. Done.

Getting into it

After spending about 30 minutes making small movements out and back from the wall in room two, with a pair of MartinLogan ESP9 speakers, the app makes it easy and fun to fine tune the system. Starting with the “music” preset, the first adjustment on the list after setting the level is the low pass filter frequency, and as the ESP9s go down past 40hz with ease, setting the sub to 35 hz, selecting a 24db/octave slope to get it out of the way quickly. Working with the Graham Audio LS5/9s, a gentler curve works better. The wide range of adjustment offered makes this easy with a little practice and patience.

Once you get used to going this far, move on to the room gain and parametric EQ settings. Again, SVS lets you vary frequency and “Q.” The Q setting varies how wide the frequency you select has an effect and the app lets you see this in real time. If you want a gentle bump to the bass, you can adjust the Q thusly. If you want a very narrow bump or cut, this can also be accommodated. If new to EQ settings, go at this with broad strokes at first to really get a feel for how the filters and EQ affect the sound.

This is why the SVS app really rocks; whether you are new or experienced, it’s so easy to experiment with all the settings, just to see how they affect your system’s tonal balance. And it’s so easy to back in and recalibrate, the more seat time you have. It makes hifi fun. It’s also worth mentioning that for the MartinLogan owners out there, the curved front metal grill matches the ML aesthetic perfectly.

Off to the movies

Moving the SB16-Ultra into my home theater system, with a set of Dali Fazon speakers (enlisting that dolly again) and an Anthem MRX-520, it is even easier to dial in the sub, letting Anthem’s built in ARC room correction do the heavy lifting. Still, I did a bit of fine tuning and depending on the program material, it was nice to have the app to use more as a tone control. Just like with musical selections, not all movies are mixed equally, and it’s nice to have the option of easily goosing, or cutting back the bottom end a bit to taste.

Even though my Dali’s have fairly small woofers all the way around, the SB16-Ultra does a great job integrating that big 16-inch driver with all these small 4-inch woofers, a testament to its design. Streaming London Has Fallen, I got more than my share of shooting, the minute I tuned into Netflix. Cranking up the volume to nearly movie theater levels and watching a barrage of car chase scenes from the Fast and Furious franchise, everyone came away convinced that the SB16-Ultra adds a sense of realism that you just can’t get without a moving serious air.

On top of that, service

In the event you can’t get your SB16-Ultra performing to what you feel it’s potential is, the SVS staff is there via phone or chat to help you back on the path. I tried the chat feature with excellent result and had my wife give them a call too. Both times, we were rolling in no time and this speaks volumes about the SVS staff. They really go out of their way to lend a hand, and in a day of customer service being nearly non-existent, I give SVS major kudos here.

All SVS products have a 45-day trial period, so if you just don’t like the damn thing, or the roommate you thought you could sneak that subwoofer past gets snarky with you, you can return it at no risk – SVS even covers the shipping. But I doubt you’ll want to part with it.

After living with the SB16-Ultra for some time now and using it in a variety of different hifi systems, I happily report excellent results in all circumstances. Whether you are working with a pair of minimonitors, your favorite panels, or massive floorstanders, the SB16-Ultra delivers stunning bass performance. With 1500 watts of power on tap, you’ll most likely bottom out your main speakers way before you push the sub too far. We certainly couldn’t no matter how loud the cannons blasted, the buildings blew up or the beats dropped.

All this, with major support and a no-risk return policy adds up to an Exceptional Value Award in our book. And, should you jump off the cliff and get a pair, SVS gives you a $200 discount. The holiday season is on the way, treat yourself! Highly recommended.

The SVS SB16-Ultra subwoofer

$1,999

www.svsound.com

I just heard the sad news that Focal’s Gérard Chrétien passed away on Sunday, October 1.

I had the pleasure of meeting him the first time about five years ago when I toured the Focal factory, with my friend John Bevier. Gérard was a wonderful host, giving me quite the tour, making sure I knew everything there was to know about Focal, making sure I fully understood the unique blend of technology, craftsmanship and passion that makes them tick. After business hours, he was. even more gracious, taking us around the city and availing us to some great meals while we were there.

Every time I saw him at a hifi show, no matter how busy, he always took the time to come over my way and give me a big hug. Even though I am a relative newcomer to this industry, he always inquired to how I was doing. With that big smile of his, without fail he would say, “How is that beautiful wife of yours?”

Always a kind man, always a professional, and always a perfect gentleman. That’s how I’ll remember Gérard Chrétien.

With record clamps fetching upwards of $3,000 these days, it’s nice to see that someone has some common sense.

The PT-100 preamplifier and A-150 power amplifier from Emotiva offer great performance at a price everyone can enjoy.
Both barely tipping the scales at $299 each, the PT-100 preamplifier also includes a 24/192 DAC, headphone amplifier and a tuner,
all in one box. Oh yeah, it even has a MM/MC phono stage too.

The A-150 amplifier is substantial, with a class AB output stage and a real power supply to match.

Both offer uniform, yet tastefully understated cosmetics, as part of Emotiva’s BAS-X series.

Our review is almost finished, but the short story is you can’t go wrong with these two. Whether you make this pair
the anchor for your first, last, or additional system, the level of sound quality and functionality can’t be beat.

Click here to see the rest of the lineup. (they have some pretty cool sub/sat speakers too!)

We’ve lived with every generation of B&Ws Zeppelin desktop audio system, and each one is better than the last.

Stay tuned for a full report on the current, wireless model…

Gold Note is introducing IS-1000, an innovative all-in-one source designed to deliver high quality audio combining analogue and digital technology, available at a MSRP of 4200,00€ (5000,00$) worldwide through Gold Note retailers in October 2017.

IS-1000 is an advanced fully integrated amplifier that redefines the way music playback is experienced, seamlessly merging a Preamplifier, a Power Amplifier, a Phono Stage, a DAC and a Streamer in a unique and complete source.

Gold Note IS-1000 is a Roon Ready device, fully compatible with multi-room systems and with a quick plug & play installation: simply connect IS-1000 to the network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and to the speakers, then explore the endless possibilities of music, streaming from Tidal & MQA via Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify & Spotify Connect and Deezer with Roon or the Gold Note dedicated App [available for iOS and Android] or browsing your collection of digital music stored on NAS, HDD and USB sticks – including DSD64 format.

The new Class A/B amplifier with 125W @ 8Ω per channel (and 250W @ 4Ω) per channel developed exclusively for IS-1000 guarantees vivid dynamics, the pure sound and finest detail while also offering a wide range of digital and analogue inputs (including A/V and Phono MM/MC) to assure total control and the freedom to upgrade, expand or connect more devices to the IS-1000.

With the knowledge and the experience developed in over 20 years of research across the whole spectrum of audio reproduction and recording, Gold Note is finally able to offer an all-in-one solution powered by technology and audio grade components to achieve audiophile sound.

“Imagine a complete High-End stereo system enclosed in a beautiful aluminum chassis carved in bold Italian style: this is the best way to describe IS-1000.” explained Maurizio Aterini, founder of Gold Note.

Maurizio also stated: “The refined innovations made for IS-1000 come directly from the experience made with our flagship models, like the preamplifier P-1000 and the power amplifier PA-1175, which inspired us to create a new all-in-one source that would integrate the analogue components of a high quality amplifier and phono stage with the digital technologies of a streamer and a DAC in order to deliver outstanding performances while minimizing the effort and the gear needed: we have designed IS-1000 to achieve the best audio quality and to offer a huge number of features in. And if you are in love with vinyl (like me) connect your turntable directly to IS-1000 and spin the record, you’ll find that we have put great care into the phono stage.”
IS-1000 features 6 digital inputs (PCM up to 24/192):

– 3 optical (TOS)

– 1 Coaxial (COAX)

– 1 USB type A (DSD 64 native and via DoP)

– 1 LAN & Wi-Fi (DSD 64 native and via DoP)

3 analogue inputs:

– 1 XLR balanced

– 2 RCA (Line or A/V processor or Phono MM/MC)

Featuring also 1 RCA variable and 1 RCA fixed outputs to use IS-1000 as a Streamer/DAC or as a Preamp or with active speakers.

MORE INFORMATION ON:
www.goldnote.it/is-1000

IS-1000 FEATURES:

– Full connectivity: Roon Ready, Tidal & MQA via Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify & Spotify Connect, Deezer, Airplay and V-Tuner for internet radio

– Controlled via iOS and Android App

– Gold Note Class A/B Integrated amplifier with 125W @ 8Ω per channel (and 250W @ 4Ω), 100% designed and manufactured in Italy

– 3 analogue inputs: 1 balanced XLR, 2 RCA both convertible (1 Line or Phono MM/MC & 1 Line or AV-In)

– 6 digital inputs (PCM up to 24/192): 3 Optical-TOS, 1 Coax, 1 USB A (DSD 64 native and via DoP), 1 LAN & Wi-Fi (DSD 64 native and via DoP)

– 2 Analogue RCA outputs: 1 Fixed, 1 Variable to use IS-1000 as a source, as a preamp or with active speakers

– DSD 64 native files and via DoP

– Display & SKF for easy access and control

– Improved chassis in solid brushed aluminium designed by Arch. Stefano Bonifazi

About Gold Note: Gold Note (www.goldnote.it) has become one of the leading Italian manufacturers in the Hi-End audio, now with more than 20 years of experience in engineering and designing a complete line of electronics, analog equipment and loudspeakers. Founded in Firenze, Italy, where every product is still hand-built from scratch with high quality materials, its creations are a statement of Italian craftsmanship and innovation appreciated in more than 25 countries worldwide.

Address: Via della Gora, 6 Montespertoli (Firenze) Italy 50025
Phone/Fax number: +39 0571 675005 / +39 0571 675013

E-mail: [email protected]

Cleaning the closets a bit today, I ran across the first issue of The Absolute Sound.

From Sping of 1973. Damn, I’m getting old. I remember reading it at my neighbor, longtime friend, and sometime TONEAudio contributor Todd Sageser’s house. I used to look at the mighty Phase Linear 700 amplifier on the shelf, with its gigantic, glowing, power output meters in the mall at Schaak Electronics and wonder what it would be like to have that much power.

44 years later, HP is no longer with us, and neither is Schaak Electronics. But I was fortunate enough to work for both of them, and I learned something from each. I even owned a couple of Phase Linear amplifiers over the years. And no, they never burst into flames.

Harry Pearson influenced me, with his obsessive quest for great sound, and his methodology influenced my approach at TONE, especially that of having a reference system where one and only one component was swapped at a time.

If you had the good fortune to encounter Mr. Pearson, you know he was a wild dog, in the best sense of the term. When I told him my dog’s name was Harry, he immediately thought I had named my Kerry Blue terrier after him. I confessed that my wife had named him after her screen heartthrob, Harrison Ford, Pearson retorted, “Well she hasn’t met me.”

And so it goes. It’s pretty amazing to see The Absolute Sound still thriving in 2017 and an entire industry and vocabulary sprout up from this 36 page leaflet, devoid of ads and photography. We’ve come a long way baby.

Egglestonworks, celebrated producer of State-of-the-Art Loudspeaker Systems, is proud to introduce “Artisan Series,” a collection of three new, attractively-priced models designed to make Eggleston performance accessible to the next generation of music lovers. Among the handful of manufacturers which occupy the pinnacle of speaker quality, only Egglestonworks offers a range of speakers at such reasonable prices.

Although Artisan Series loudspeakers are significantly less expensive than Eggleston’s other loudspeakers, they embody all of our most important design and manufacturing elements. Meticulously handcrafted in our Memphis factory, Artisan cabinets are lavishly painted with multiple coats of lacquer in our new, state-of-the-art spray booth for unsurpassed visual beauty. They receive the same CNC-machined aluminum baffle for the last word in both cabinet damping and aesthetic perfection. And of course, they share the same obsessive attention to parts quality, hand assembly and sonic excellence, as well as Egglestonworks’ Custom Color Program, which enables customers to choose virtually any color for their speakers.

Unique among Egglestonworks products, Artisan are our first loudspeakers to utilize drivers specifically designed for these models. Working with one of the world’s foremost driver manufacturers, Egglestonworks was able to combine the engineering expertise of both companies to produce woofers and tweeters that precisely fit our design criteria.  The result is a synergy between drivers, cabinet and crossover not achievable with “Off the shelf” parts.

-Now in its third iteration, the Emma SE ($3,995/pr, MSRP) offers a combination of attributes never before available at this price. This three-driver, 2 ½-way tower combines awesome dynamic- and frequency range with ease of drive and, thanks to its front-ported design,

ease of placement.

–Nico SE ($2,995/pr MSRP), Emma’s little brother, is equally suited to the most demanding home and studio applications. An “Apartment Dweller’s Dream,” this bookshelf monitor offers extreme versatility of placement in domestic applications. At the same time, Nico SE reflects Egglestonworks’ two decades of producing the world’s finest studio monitors and is therefore ideal for professional use.

-Our new Artisan Center ($1,995 MSRP) extends the Artisan Series to the finest cinema systems. Egglestonworks was among the first high-end companies to develop Studio Monitors for mastering surround soundtracks. Bob Ludwig, legendary engineer and owner of Gateway Mastering has, for many years, used five Eggleston Andras to master multichannel recordings. With the introduction of Artisan Center, a complete 5-channel Eggleston system can now be had for less than $9,000 MSRP!

Egglestonworks’ Artisan Series is now shipping. Please contact us for more information or to arrange an audition.

www.egglestonworks.com

After living with the Brinkmann Bardo turntable for about six months, the much awaited RoNt II vacuum tube power supply arrived, and as anticipated, it took the Bardo to a higher level of performance.

In the case of the Bardo, adding the RoNt II to the table adds just over $4,000 to the MSRP, making the total package about $14,000. Ironically, this is what it used to cost without the upgraded power supply before Brinkmann streamlined their US operations. This is a major win for analog enthusiasts.

Now, with a year of using the Bardo under my belt, the relationship keeps getting better. This table never ceases to amaze me on all levels. As a visual person, I love the clean, uncluttered look of the table – it is the essence of visual simplicity. Some of you might not think or care about it, but just like cars, some turntables look dated after they’ve been on the rack for a while, but the Bardo feels more like it should be in a museum or a mid-century modern furniture store between an Eames lounge and a Barcelona chair.

The RoNtII delivers an equal level of aesthetic ethos, with sleek good looks, easy tube access and a small piece of granite, precisely fitting the RoNt’s footprint. It looks too good not to display prominently on your rack, however, place it so you can easily access the rear panel, that’s where the power switch is.

Good looks are useless without the performance to back it up, and the Bardo delivers the goods in this department as well. It has been remarkably easy to use and set up, with the Koetsu Onyx Platinum cartridge I used for the bulk of the review still in place. The Bardo is a high performance daily driver that I’m always happy to use.

Adding the RoNt II

For a bit of history, click here to read my full review on the Bardo. It offers a great combination of dynamics and musicality along with the rock-solid speed accuracy that only a direct drive turntable can provide. This speed stability provides an additional benefit: tremendous low-level detail retrieval. For those that haven’t been following my analog path, it began in the mid-70s with the Technics direct drive SL-1200. Today, my rack is sporting the current SL-1200, the Bardo/RoNt combo and the Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0. All direct drive tables.

This doesn’t mean your belt drive table is irrelevant. (I still have a few of those that I love.) However, just as staff member Jerold O’Brien prefers driving an Audi and I prefer a BMW, after coming full circle I’m solidly in the DD camp these days.

Too much of this is never a bad thing and replacing the Bardo’s solid state supply with the RoNtII makes an instant difference. The best thing about this upgrade is that you can hear it immediately – there’s no waiting 400 hours for it to break in, all the while psyching yourself out, wondering if you truly hear it or not.

The minute the tubes warm up in the power supply, and you spin a record (I suggest listening to something you are very familiar with on the old supply, then doing the swap) you’ll grasp what the RoNtII adds to the presentation. I couldn’t resist spinning the recent remaster of the Led Zeppelin ZoSo (or Led Zep 4, or whatever you refer to it as) and playing “Stairway to Heaven.” Call me sentimental, or cheesy, but it just felt right. Adding the RoNtII, gives John Bonham’s legendary drumming more force, more oomph, more attack, while Jimmy Page’s notes hang in the air with a greater sense of purpose than when I listened to it just a minute before, sans upgraded power supply.

While I’m not a geeky measurements guy by any stretch of the imagination, a few more album sides of acoustic music and I could swear that the Bardo’s fantastic pitch accuracy was even better with the new, upgraded supply. Breaking out a test record and Feickert’s iPhone App instantly reveals the minuscule amount of speed variation with the stock supply is even lower with the RoNtII in place.

Those of you that listen to a lot of acoustic music, primarily selections with piano, violin and such will probably notice an even greater improvement in musicality, than someone like me that still listens to Kiss without regret. Admittedly, the Roland Space Echo effect in the drum solo of “100,000 Years” is even spacier with the upgraded supply.

So why tubes?

Herr Brinkmann takes an ingenious approach to everything he builds, and the RoNtII is no exception. With a pair of PL36 Pentodes as voltage regulators and a 5AR4 rectifier, the tubes isolate the AC mains from the turntable motor, essentially acting as a power conditioner in addition to providing the final 24 volts DC to power the turntable.

There is only one caveat that you need be aware of – the rectifier tube. Where the two NOS triodes used in the power supply are deemed bulletproof from a longevity standpoint, the 5AR4 rectifier is a weak link, as current Chinese models are not terribly robust. This is not a knock at  Brinkmann; it’s just what the tubes are today. You can do one of two things; keep a spare or two of the standard issue tubes on the shelf, because you know Murphy’s law, or call Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio and buy the best NOS replacement he suggests. This might set you back $100 or so, but one of those tubes might just outlive you. When the rectifier tube goes, it takes the power supply fuse with it, so ask your dealer for a couple of spares and file them where you’ll remember them.

Is it worth it?

I feel the increased level of resolution, and dynamic range that the RoNtII offers is worth the price asked. I’ve certainly spent more going up a grade or two in phono cartridge and received less improvement. It’s worth mentioning that this power supply also works with the Brinkmann belt drive models, and I’ll stick my neck out and guess that it offers just as much if not more performance gain. I suspect that we’ll be auditioning an Oasis in the future, so we’ll revisit this option at that time. Again, I think it is very thoughtful of Brinkmann to build one component like this that will upgrade multiple models, keeping proliferation to a minimum. Makes it easier for the end user.

The Bardo by itself is one of the best values going in the $10,000 table range, and the upgraded Bardo/RoNtII combo is certainly one of the best performing tables I’ve experienced in the $15,000 range. It’s like going from a 3-series BMW to an M3 or an Audi A4 to an S4; once you experience the higher level of performance, you might not be able to go back. I know I can’t. The RoNtII has proven an essential upgrade to my Bardo, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

www.brinkmannaudio.com

McIntosh is proud to announce the MAC7200 Receiver.

Earlier this summer, I had a chance to chat with Charlie Randall, CEO of the McIntosh Group and head of McIntosh Labs.

He’s a very busy guy, keeping track of everything that all of their brands are involved in, from manufacturing to trade shows and everything else in-between. We’re breaking this up into a few segments so you can tune in as you have time.

Here’s part one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h6RKRojcNA

Features

Old School:

The Adcom GFP-565 Preamp:
Last of the Breed

By Mark Marcantonio

995:

Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5
By Mark Marcantonio

Journeyman Audiophile:

IsoTek’s Aquarius Power Conditioner
By Jeff Dorgay

TONE Style

Mini Weinermobile

Twist + Charging Station

Target Record Crate

The 28″ Blackstone Grille

Phillips Hue Lighting System

Louis Vitton iPhone 7 Case

Nintendo NES Classic

Music

Playlists:  We share our readers choices from around the world

Audiophile Pressings: Elvis Costello, Jeff Beck and Iron Butterfly

Gear Previews

MartinLogan Classic ESL 9 Speakers

Rotel RAP-1580 Surround Sound Receiver

McIntosh MA9000 Integrated Amplifier

Reviews

COVER STORY: Paradigm’s Persona 9H Loudspeakers
By Jeff Dorgay

Coincident Dynamite Spakers
By Mark Marcantonio

Long Term: The Pass XS Preamplifier
By Jeff Dorgay

Analog Domain M75D Isis Integrated Amplifier
By  Greg Petan

Totem’s Signature One Speakers
By Jeff Dorgay

Benchmark DAC3 HGC
By Mark Marcantonio

The dictionary in my Macintosh defines Brio as “vivacity of style or performance,” but in the case of Rega’s Brio integrated amplifier, it has a vivacity of style and performance. With so many choices these days, it’s tough to sort through it all.

Though England’s Rega Research is best known for their turntables, they have been making a full line of high quality amplifiers (and speakers) for decades. The new Brio you see here is a perfect example of an integrated amplifier with an outstanding on-board phonostage, featuring more than enough power to drive any pair of speakers and a headphone input for personal listening.

This beautiful amplifier will only set you back $995, and it’s small, 8.5”W x 3”H x 13.5”D footprint will fit anywhere, making it a perfect choice for the space challenged music lover. We paired our review sample with the awesome Totem Signature One speakers ($2,650/pair) and Rega’s legendary Planar 3 turntable ($1,145 with Elys 2 cartridge).  While you don’t have to spend that much on a pair of speakers to build a great Brio-centric system, know that it is up to the task.

Around back, there are four analog inputs for any other components you might have, like a digital to audio converter (DAC), CD player, tuner, or even a tape deck. Considering the mighty cassette from the 80s is making a mega comeback, you never know. Taking this a step further, the Brio offers a “record output,” just begging you to make a mix tape, which I did, inspired by a recent screening of Guardians of the Galaxy. Firing up the Nakamichi cassette deck with a fresh tape and a pile of 80s favorites, all rendered by the Rega turntable, this proved to be a fun and engaging experience – something a streaming playlist just doesn’t provide.

If you aren’t going all-Rega, the Brio features a standard MM (moving magnet) phono input, so you can use it with any turntable sporting a moving magnet phono cartridge. We auditioned the super stylish, vertical Pro-Ject turntable as well as the newest offering from EAT, all with excellent results. Rega has always been known for making great phono sections and the Brio is highly capable.

Regardless of what medium you choose to use with your Brio, the sound quality is fantastic, and that’s what makes this little amplifier such a great value. Rega build quality is equally great; we’ve been using a number of their products without fail for decades now. Thanks to a broad dealer network worldwide, in the unfortunate event that your Brio ever needs a bit of help, it’s never far away.

The Brio’s 50 watts per channel is enough to drive most speakers to realistic levels, and more than enough to get most apartment dwellers evicted, so you can look forward to distortion, fatigue free music, regardless of how loud or how long you listen. After initial listening with the Totems, we auditioned the Brio with a number of different speakers, some considerably more expensive and came away highly impressed with the level of refinement that this amplifier delivers. TONEAudio Magazine gave their overall Product of the Year award, judging the $995 Brio-R against other components with six-figure pricetags. A side by side comparison with a friend’s last generation Brio-R proves the new model sonically better in every way.

A bare bones remote helps control the Brio from your listening position, but it is small, so keep it in view or you might lose it. The only other caveat with the Brio is that the speaker outputs on the rear panel are very close together, so if you haven’t bought speaker cables yet, make sure they have banana plugs. Anything with spade lugs will be tough if not impossible to use.

Finally, the headphone section of the Brio is dynamic and powerful as well. Running it through a number of playlists with a wide range of headphones again proves its versatility, making it a great headphone listening station, even if you don’t have speakers yet!

If you need high performance on a tight budget, with a slender form factor, Rega’s Brio integrated amplifiers is one of the best you can buy.

The Rega Brio Integrated Amplifier

$995

www.rega.co.uk (factory)

www.soundorg.com (US Distributor)

With all the horror surrounding last months article in The Wall Street Journal, on “the vinyl boom being over,” it appears that records are still being made and records are still being sold.

Certainly, tons of turntables, cartridges and phono preamplifiers are being produced as well. So is the sky falling or is it not?

But what a lot of enthusiasts, hipsters, and industry pundits (especially the ones that are old enough to have been around for the first go of the vinyl trip) seem to always forget is that just because something is imprinted on a slab of vinyl doesn’t mean it’s automatically awesome, it’s automatically better than a digital recording and that “digital sucks,” because it doesn’t.

This isn’t the start of a digital vs. analog debate. That’s a tired conversation as far as I’m concerned. VERY tired. But back in the 60s and 70s, until vinyl’s near demise in the mid 80s, a lot of what gets pressed sucks, sonically. As inconvenient as records and tapes were, the CD was really produced as a stopgap to all the piracy that was going on.  With digital recording and data storage such new mediums, I’m going to guess that the suits in charge probably never foresaw the 52x CD writers and 100 pc cake pans of blank CDs at Costco in the mid 90s. Oops.

After a major resurgence, vinyl is probably going to wind down a bit. It’s a matter of logistics, spare parts, and availability of raw materials. Most of all, it’s got a lot to do with what’s being pressed. While most of the audiophile remasters are still being done with great care, a lot of what the remaining major labels are kicking out is definitely sub par. And even the reissues are less than adventuresome in the choices being made. If not for Mobile Fidelity going off the beaten path now and then with a little Judas Priest here and a little KC & The Sunshine Band there, the reissue market would be incredibly boring.

It doesn’t help that used prices keep going up, up, up, either. The good news is now you can find whatever obscure record you couldn’t find in your local used vinyl shop. The bad news is that you are going to pay dearly for it. All of this supply and demand stuff is what it is. I love music and will always listen to it, no matter what the medium and I’ll probably always have at least a few turntables and some records. Will vinyl keep rolling merrily along? I hope so, but I hope that we can see a little bit more attention paid to quality, instead of just banging it out. This isn’t what killed vinyl the first time, it’s what killed the music industry.

Here’s to hoping for the future…

Steely Dan once said in a song, “you go back Jack, do it again…” Did you ever do something you knew was wrong, but you did it again anyway? You don’t have to fess up, but I’m guilty as charged, especially when it comes to vintage cars and vintage hi-fi.

Just like with Alfa Romeos, I’ve had dreadful luck resisting vintage Klipsch speakers. But when I walked into see my pal Kurt Doslu at Echo Audio, and those unfinished mid-70s Klipsch LaScalas were staring me down, I knew I had to have them in a Wayne’s World kind of way.

Oh yes, they were mine. The next question was how to get the damn things back to the TONE studio. At 24 x 24 x 38 inches and weighing around 100 pounds each, I could not fit both of them in my i3 at once, so on this day, it would be two trips to Echo Audio to bring the booty home. Decoding the production codes reveals that they were made in January of my senior year in high school, just about the time I was getting thrown out of the local hi-fi store for wanting to crank Pink Floyd on a new pair of LaScalas. Ironic.

With a sensitivity rating of 105db/1 watt, you don’t need a lot of power to make the LaScalas rock, but you do need high-quality power. I suspect this is why Klipsch horns got a bad rap at the beginning of the hard core audiophile movement. Garbage in – garbage out was never more relevant than it is with these speakers. I’ve never heard a more amplifier sensitive speaker. But when you get it right, you’ll be jumping around your listening room like Snoopy in A Charlie Brown Christmas. In this case, the perfect match proves to be the 20-watt per channel Nagra 300i amplifier we’ve been using as a reference for a long time.

What’s in the box, doc?

Inside the massive plywood cabinet, lurks three drivers: a 15-inch woofer, a horn midrange, and a horn tweeter – the same ones used in the full sized Klipschorns. In 2006, the LaScala was updated to LaScala II status, swapping the ¾” birch ply, utilitarian cabinet for a 1” MDF veneered cabinet. The new ones are prettier, but they weigh almost twice as much. Klipsch claims the new model to offer better sound, but vintage hi-fi forums will argue this point forever.

The smaller folded horn design combined with the 15-inch woofer does not go as deep as the full sized Klipschorn, and though they are only spec’d at 50 – 17,000hz, these specs are somewhat deceiving. And this is a speaker that you can pick up a lot of room gain moving them closer to the wall.

Around back lurks the crossover network, with oil filled capacitors and a few inductors. Again, this is another point of major contention, and as is the LaScalas in compared to a pair of current “audiophile” speakers can sound a bit veiled, but it’s not hateful. Weighing this against all the virtues they do offer and the effortless dynamics, it’s up to you whether to enjoy them as is, upgrade to current crossover components, or go for new crossovers entirely. Do you rebuild the LS7 in your Chevelle SS or do you buy a new, crate motor? Decisions like this make the hobby fun. We will probably update the crossovers somewhat and report back at a future date, so stay tuned.

If you really wanna rock

Hitting peaks over 105 dB reveal the Nagra’s power output meter is hanging around .2 watts per channel, occasionally bouncing up to 2 watts per channel. That’s not a typo. These speakers will pin you to the wall with ten watts per channel if you can even stand it that loud. The LaScalas deliver mega dynamic swings, even at low volume. The Ella Fitzgerald classic, “Miss Otis Regrets” pulls you in at the soft beginning of the track, but just might have you reaching for the volume control near the end, as does Shelby Lynne’s “Just a Little Loving.” The LaScalas kind of sneak up on you.

Trust me; you’ll never have nearly as much fun with a $200,000 pair of Wilson XLFs as you’ll have with a pair of $1,500 vintage LaScalas. Whether you’re an aging boomer trying to relive your youthful glory, a young newcomer to the audio world, or somewhere in between, a pair of these speakers are a must. I’d consider them a right of passage component. Or you could buy a new pair, they still make em. Who knows, maybe we can talk the friendly folks at Klipsch out of a new pair for a comparison?

www.klipsch.com

Believe it or not, I’m someone who always reads the instruction manual before digging into a new piece of technology. And for good reason(s). First, who knows more about said product than the folks that make it and second, you just never know when the way you are used to doing things might just not work on the piece of gear in front of you.

So, I was profoundly impressed and grateful for the note enclosed with the Calypso turntable that said, “Dear reviewer, please read the instruction manual fully before set-up, there are a few things that are counterintuitive with our turntable.” Even if you’ve never read the instructions in the past, thinking you are too clever for that, do it this time. I didn’t find the Calypso terribly counterintuitive, but they do want the bits assembled in a particular order and you’ll save yourself some frustration by doing it their way. You’ve been warned.

Most likely, many of you know British manufacturer Origin Live for their tonearms, and turntable upgrades (They make a particularly good set for the Linn LP-12), but they build some great turntables as well. The Calypso we have here will only set you back $2,400, and it has multiple options. There is an additional balanced power supply available ($450) and the option to use two tonearms ($400), or a single 12-inch arm is also available. ($350) Considering the level of performance and versatility offered, this is a very reasonable sum indeed.

Of course, you can get the Calypso configured for practically any arm, and a quick perusal of the web reveals these tables are used with a wide range indeed, I like the synergy offered by using the manufacturer’s arm with their table. I must believe that it was all designed that way in the first place, and I’m not one who likes to fiddle all that much – I like to listen to records. That being said, if you already have an arm in search of a table, don’t remove the Calypso from your short list. Being an unsuspended design, it’s not like an Oracle or LP-12 where fine-tuning the suspension to a specific arm might just make you mad.

I suggest blocking out an hour or two of time where you can hold the phone and achieve a certain level of clarity to assemble the Calypso. Leave the phone off the hook, lock the door and don’t even think of posting pictures of the table during assembly to Facebook. Focus, and get the job done, you will be rewarded. Once you’re playing records, then you can take a selfie with your Calypso.

A perfect mate

Origin Live’s US Importer, Jay Kaufman sent the Calypso by with Origin Live’s Encounter tonearm ($1,500) and the updated power supply for our trial. After the setup period a few cartridges were experimented with: the new Kiseki Purple Heart (review here) the Ortofon Cadenza Black, and the new Grado Statement 2 (review here), as well as a few budget cartridges in the sub – $500 category. I’m not sure if Mr. Kaufman will agree with me on this, but I’m a big fan of buying the best arm and table combination you can afford and get a better cartridge later if you must make a choice. Otherwise, you are throwing valuable resolution from a premium cartridge away, if you don’t have a stable base from which it can extract information from your record’s precious grooves.

The Encounter proves easy to mount and set up having built in VTA and even azimuth adjustment. It’s unique dual pivot design for vertical plane with gimble in horizontal plane gives it a steady feel, no unipivot wobble. Origin CNC’s everything in house and the arm comes with high quality internal/external wiring including choice of attached cable terminated with RCAs or DIN plug at the base of  the arm.

The sound

Dropping the first record on the infused cork mat, the Origin Live combo makes for an exciting encounter indeed, one repeated numerous times in the months to come. Having used quite a few turntables in the $2,500 – $10,000 range, they all seem to have different strengths and weaknesses and a “sound” of their own. My own set of criteria are as follows: easy to set up/tough to set up, highly resolving/forgiving, immune to environmental vibration/needs additional suspension or isolation to give its all.

I’ll put up with an extremely fussy table like an LP-12 or an Oracle because I like the end result. But the OL combo is only mid-scale regarding set up prowess required, so that’s a bonus. After careful listening with a wide range of cartridges (and using the Pass XS Phono as a source), I’ll call the sound a lovely combination of resolving, with a touch of forgiving thrown in. To try and put this in perspective, it’s not as “forgiving” as a mid-level LP-12, not quite as “just the facts” as a Rega RP-10, yet not quite as heavy handed as the VPI Classic Two that gets a lot of play around here. Make sense?

British tables are known for their sense of pace, and this is where the OL combo excels. It grabs the essence of the music, especially when listening to your favorite piece of complex or dense music. One of my favorite older test tracks is Brand X’s Livestock. With many layers of percussion, drums, bass, guitar and a handful of time changes thrown in, this will challenge any vinyl playback setup. You could easily substitute Frank Zappa, Rush or Tool, depending on your musical taste. The bottom line is that the OL deck not only creates an expansive sound field, but it also keeps everything in the mix distinct, instead of just blending the music together to the point where you can’t always distinguish clearly what’s going on. For me, this is a big part of the high-end magic and is essential.

Next up, low-level detail retrieval – another area the OL delivers the goods. Whether listening to classical music, solo vocals, or sparsely populated records, these subtle spatial and soft notes are what separates the top performers from the mediocre. Regardless of cartridge used, tracking through Bowie’s Aladdin Sane is a sublime experience, and the asymmetrical piano work on the title track is tough for any tonearm to handle, but again, this comes through masterfully.

Finally, the sheer dynamic range offered by the OL table and arm is near the best I’ve heard at this price point. Much of this can be attributed to the fine assembly of the tonearm, arm/table synergy and the choice of motor, along with its coupling to the table. If it all doesn’t work together as a system, musical detail and sheer slam are compromised. Simplistic as it sounds, the OL paints a large musical picture, offering plenty of might, yet does not sacrifice fine detail in the process. Adding the external power supply will magnify this a bit, and is well worth considering to add to your purchase. However, it is nice to know that you can add it later with ease. I like the inherent modularity of the Origin Live products. It’s a very green approach. (Remember, I live in the Pacific Northwest, I’m kind of a tree-hugger.)

Bass response is closely tied to this ability as well. When auditioning some of my favorite EDM and prog tracks, this deck never feels thin. Bass is solid and well controlled without any lack of detail. In my main system with two REL 212 subwoofers, the OL table and arm worked best on top of the Grand Prix Audio rack, or wall mounted. As part of the system in room two, with a pair of Quad 2812s, this was not an issue at all. This is no knock at the OL, any of the unsuspended tables I use (VPI, Technics, Soulines, and Rega) all need the benefit of this rack or wall mount in room one.

Balance is the key

After living with the Origin Live Calypso and Encounter for some time now, I can recommend it wholeheartedly. It offers a high level of performance for the price asked, but more importantly (at least to me) it offers a tremendous level of balance. One aspect of analog performance is not given a high priority at the sacrifice of others.

Good as this all is, there is a high level of “upgradability” as well, so this is a table that you can live with for a long time, perhaps forever. The ability to add a second arm is a huge bonus, whether you have two arms in mind now, or decide that as your record collection diversifies, it can be easily added.

Great sound, great price, great deck. The Origin Live Calypso/Encounter is highly deserving of an Exceptional Value Award for 2017. Highly recommended!

The Origin Live Calypso turntable and Encounter tonearm

$2,400 and $1,500 respectively.

www.originlive.com (factory)

www.audiorevelation.com (US Importer)

Peripherals

Phonostage                              Pass Labs XS Phono

Cartridges                                Ortofon Cadenza Black, Kiseki Purple Heart, Grado Statement 2

Preamplifier                             Pass Labs XS Pre

Power Amplifier                     Pass Labs XS 300 monos

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

Cable                                       Cardas Clear

Power                                      IsoTek

Isolation                                  Grand Prix Audio Monaco Modular Rack

Read full length TONE Audio Review

Read full length TONE Audio Review

Read full length TONE Audio Review

Read full length TONE Audio Review

Read full length TONE Audio Review

It’s an exciting time to be an analog enthusiast. There have never been more great choices and just like in the world of racing, competition improves the breed. The EAT B-Sharp table you see here only costs $1,595 and brings a lot to the party.

Built to the same high standards of the rest of the line, this baby features a suspended chassis, an exquisite tonearm (with a carbon fiber wand) and a pre-installed Ortofon 2M Blue MM cartridge that is accurately set up.

Everything you need is in the box, and the EAT manual is not only precise but features some decent photos and illustrations to talk even a novice turntablist through the procedure. Install the belt, the anti-skate weight, affix the counterweight and you’re almost ready to rock. Ortofon specifies a tracking weight of 1.8 grams, which after a bit of experimentation, proves spot on, so don’t bother. A quick check of azimuth and VTA reveals correct setup from the factory, so I suggest just setting the counterweight and getting down to business. A spiffy pair of interconnects are also supplied along with a 16-volt wall wart – so don’t lose it! Radio Shack won’t be able to bail you out if you do.

The plinth on the B-Sharp is standard MDF, unlike the coolio carbon fiber item on the C-Major we reviewed here, along with a few other obvious corners cut, but for nearly $900 less, this is an amazingly good table for anyone bit by the vinyl bug looking for an upgrade from their starter turntable.

The Ortofon 2M Blue is an excellent cartridge choice, and a $236 value on its own. This cartridge has received fantastic reviews world-wide, and it checks all the bases. It’s a competent tracker, has smooth frequency response and will work with any phono input you can plug it into.

Let’s roll!

Plugging the B-Sharp into the main rig with the Pass Labs XS Phono is pretty much overkill, but an easy way to cut to the chase and determine what this table is capable of. Even in the context of a six-figure reference system, the core sound of the B-Sharp shines through. The B-Sharp is a solid table, offering sonic performance at the top of its class in all areas.

A quick check of platter speed reveals everything up to snuff. The anti-skate adjusts with a threaded weight (just like my SME 3009) and is easy to nail down, along with the other adjustments, making fine-tuning, should you choose to install your cartridge.

Gliding through some acoustic recordings reveals general tonality and musical pace to be solid through the B-Sharp. There is an overall “rightness” about this table in a higher dose than you get in a budget $300 – $500 table. Comparing the B-Sharp to a few budget models with the same Ortofon 2M Blue, it underlines my theory that money is always better spent on a better turntable/cartridge combination than putting a mega cartridge on a cheapie turntable. The drum track in Bowie’s “Fashion” is rock solid and well-defined in the middle of multiple vocal overdubs, synth riffs, and Robert Fripp’s screaming guitar. No small feat for a reasonably priced turntable, and no doubt a result of successful implementation of the suspended subplatter.

Listening to the recent remaster of Joe Jackson’s I’m The Man shows off the sheer spatial ability of the B-Sharp; painting a large soundstage in all three dimensions. This is what you want from analog, but don’t get from budget tables. Finally, the tonearm/cartridge interface is superb, with the 2M Blue turning in one of the best performances I’ve heard. Joni Mitchell’s “Jericho,” the last track on side one is notoriously tough to track through, yet the B-Sharp handles it easily.

Attention to details

While they might not all contribute to sonics, the build quality of the B-Sharp is excellent throughout, and this is a table you’ll love having on your equipment rack, or wherever you choose to place it. The plinth has a lovely gloss black finish, and the tonearm is a work of industrial art. I particularly like the small magnet in the middle of the tonearm wand that holds the arm solidly in place when not being used instead of the spindly clamp used on most turntables. (not just budget models)

For those that can’t leave well enough alone and love to upgrade, the B-Sharp offers standard RCA outputs rather than locking you into a budget tonearm cable, ultimately limiting the table’s performance. While the B-Sharp is supplied with a decent cable, swapping it out for a $200 Nordost White Lightening cable, extracts even more music from this combination, offering a boost in clarity and dynamic jump. It’s thoughtful of EAT to give you an upgrade option.

The 2M Blue is a great all-rounder, but swapping the 2M Blue for a 2M Black ($749) provides a significant upswing as well, underlining just how good this table/arm package is. Whether you just leave it stock or plan on upgrading your B-Sharp, this is a great little table that can take you a long way down the analog path, providing a clear upgrade path as your enthusiasm and available funds grow.

Sweet spot

Priced as it is, the B-Sharp offers a high level of performance at a level that is cost effective for music enthusiasts with even a modest record collection. If you’ve even bought 100 records, you’ve invested more than a B-Sharp, and your records deserve to be treated well. It proves to be an excellent performer with current and vintage gear and considering the cost of a great vintage receiver these days, not out of the budget. I had just as much fun with the B-Sharp, and the new Rega Brio integrated as I did a recently rebuilt Marantz 2245.

One of the toughest parts of participating in the wacky world of analog is agonizing over cartridge choice, and equally so, cartridge setup. That US Importer VANA handles this tough choice for you is not only welcome, but a great way to get you listening to records right now, rather than sweating the rest.

For some more pics of the B-Sharp, please click here…

The EAT B-Sharp

$1,595 with Ortofon 2M Blue (installed)

www.vanaltd.com

The only thing I love more than cassettes is schmaltzy sci-fi movies, and I think most of you would admit that Guardians of the Galaxy, parts one and two are pretty silly. They had me with the Carfox as badass thing. But this is not a movie review.

TONE contributor Paul DeMara (also a mega cassette enthusiast) and I seemed to have the same epiphany to get our hands on the movie soundtracks practically the same day. When I saw that an actual cassette of the “Awesome Mix vol.1” and “Awesome Mix vol.2” along with a special “Cosmix Mix” was available at Amazon and I could have all three the next day for $5 (thank you Amazon Prime!!!) there was no stopping me. My better half just rolled her eyes, but hey, it’s not like I spend money on golf.

Packaged to look like a mega mix tape you might have made for a friend in the late 70s, albeit with handwriting that’s a little too neat, (though they do give the label a mock soiled appearance, insinuating that it’s been in the main character’s pocket for years) the music contained is pretty darn good. Certainly reflective of what might have been on one of my mix tapes back in the day.

But that’s where the fun ends. The sound quality sucks on the cassette version. Considering how much trouble it was to get rights released on something like this, why not go the extra mile and make it sound good? Bernie Grundman is credited with the mastering job, so maybe the LP version sounds good. Hmmm.

Well, I’ll fix them. Breaking out the Nakamichi 600II right now and a pile of vinyl. I’ll just substitute my own.

Of the thousands of tracks auditioned during the Pass XS Preamplifier’s stay here, Lou Reed’s “Vanishing Act” sums it up perfectly. As he sings/speaks, “It must be nice to disappear…” the words to describe the XS Pre appear. It just disappears, calling no attention to itself, perhaps the toughest thing for an audio component to do.

Just like buying a car, test driving a premium audio component is usually a shorter first date than you’d like. In the end, it requires a certain leap of faith, and if you blow it, it’s going to cost you dearly. Much as I love Pass products, if you decide that the $38,000 XS Pre isn’t for you, there will be a stiff penalty, should you turn it over for something else. Like any other five figure hi-fi component, putting this two-chassis beauty back on the secondary market after a few months of use will be an expensive proposition unless you have an incredibly forgiving dealer, used to you doing this kind of thing on a regular.

The good news is that the above mentioned scenario probably won’t happen. I’d even go out on a limb to bet about 100 to 1 odds that it won’t. I’ve been using the XS Pre for over a year now, and I’ll do my best at describing it so that you won’t make a misstep.

First, and most importantly, where the Pass XS and XA series amplifiers have an ever so slight tip towards the warm side (which I happen to prefer) of what I’d call neutral tonality, the XS Pre is as close to having a straight up, 12 o’clock, right in the center neutral tonal rendition as I’ve ever experienced. The only other preamplifier I’d put in this category is the Boulder 3010, and to a slightly lesser extent my other reference, the Robert Koda K-10. Either of these preamplifiers cost as much as a gently owned BMW M3, and each is phenomenal performers.

Special and then some

Today there are a lot of incredibly competent preamplifiers, many costing less than the XS Pre and a few costing even more. Now and again, a component is so overwhelmingly good, that it’s an express elevator ride to audio heaven. My Conrad Johnson GAT2 is one of those preamplifiers too, but it’s got vacuum tubes, and only sports single ended RCA inputs and outputs so that it won’t be everyone’s idea of heaven.

The world’s finest preamplifiers that I enjoy impart little to no signature of their own to the music, yet they offer a bigger, broader, weightier presentation than a system is capable of without a preamplifier involved. This is a unique bit of magic that don’t completely understand because, in a perfect world, you would think that just going straight from your DAC or phonostage (provided it had a level control) would bring you closer to the music than running everything through another box and set of cables.

Good as the dCS Rossini DAC and Clock combination is on its own, running a pair of Cardas Clear interconnects directly from the dCS pair to the XS300 amplifiers sounds smaller, less focused and pale in comparison to putting the XS Pre in my reference system. How can this be? Especially considering Mr. Pass (the creator of the First Watt amplifiers – champions of the “less is more” approach to circuit design. Inserting the XS Pre in the signal path is not subtle. Again, this preamplifier does not change the tonal character or balance a molecule, yet everything enlarges. Dynamic range increases to the point where transients explode from the speakers where they merely had punch before, and the soundfield created by the system becomes much larger in all three dimensions. The sonic presentation goes from big and satisfying without the XS Pre to being engulfed in a tornado of sound. This effect was observed with every power amplifier connected, from a modest Conrad Johnson MV60SE up to the mighty XS300 monoblocks, so this can’t be a mere “impedance matching” kind of thing.

We’ve had the opportunity to use the XS Preamplifier together with the matching XS300 monoblock amplifiers to excellent result, paired with the XS Phono, making for an unbeatable combination of dynamics, tonality, and ease of use. There truly is nothing I can find fault with this trio. Ok, it’s all pretty heavy. That’s it. Fortunately, the XS Pre only weighs 80 pounds, and it is distributed between two chassis, the power supply, and the actual preamplifier circuitry. The two are connected by the same massive umbilical cords used in the XS Phono and the XS 150/300 power amplifiers. Terminated with Neutrik connectors, these are beefy cables indeed. 100,000µƒ of power supply capacitance per channel only hints at the power reserves available.

Nelson Pass and his crew have repeatedly said that they build components that they like, above all else. While many know the man with the name that adorns the faceplates as “the man” at Pass Labs, he is the power amp man. Wayne Colburn has designed all the Pass Labs preamplifiers and was given a clean slate (and pretty much a blank check) to design a companion preamplifier for the XS monoblock amplifiers. Rather than bore you with a long list of common audiophile clichés, he has succeeded on every level.

Incredibly versatile

Lovely as the XS Pre is with a full compliment of Pass components, it is equally engaging with every other power amplifier we’ve had here at TONE in the last year or so – single ended or balanced. The XS Pre circuitry is fully balanced, but it features balanced XLR and single ended RCA inputs and outputs.

As a review tool, the XS Pre is without peer. It is effortless in its delivery and consistent in sound quality, providing a similar sonic picture with balanced or single ended connections. Even if you don’t review hifi gear, this kind of flexibility offers a much wider range of options as your system and tastes change. With the XS Pre offering such a neutral rendition, it is a perfect system anchor, letting you mix, match and experiment elsewhere.

Because the XS Pre doesn’t manipulate or alter the tonal character of the music it delivers, the usual list of tracks to describe bass, treble, and imaging are almost irrelevant. Laurie Anderson once said, “Paradise is exactly like where you are right now, only much, much better.” That’s the XS Pre. It’s much, much better. Add the concept of never having to retube, along with the headache that a new set of tubes can cause, makes it a component you can just leave powered up and forget about it. Matter of fact, there is no power switch.

Setup is straightforward, provided you have two extra rack spaces and can separate the two boxes a bit, to keep every possible bit of noise at bay. Once powered up, the XS Pre took about four days to come all the way out of the fog from being fresh out of the box. As with any component, there is a slight bit of stiffness at initial turn on, but it dissipates quickly.

The front panel has a large volume control and a display friendly to read from across the room. Pass provides a simple, efficient aluminum remote that matches the casework of their other products, and this too is easy to use. The volume control has a wide range of operation, so even the most sensitive power amplifiers will have ample volume control range.

A keeper

Ultra high performance has a price, and there are a lot of great preamplifiers in the $10,000 – $20,000 range; even Pass makes one. (The XP-30) After living with a number of them, the XS Pre delivers an experience that you can’t get for $20k. That’s its justification. If you are looking for the last step up and a final justification, it’s worth every penny asked. This may be tough to swallow for some of you in the audience, but you can’t have a Ferrari 458 for $50k either. Like the Ferrari, the XS Pre will take your breath away if you have the room, system, and software to support it. And I’m guessing if you have 38 large, you do.

The Pass XS Pre does its job so effortlessly and so well if it doesn’t hit you on the head with the first track you play, just take it out of your system for about 90 sec. It’s like someone put the valet key in your Dodge Challenger Hellcat and the horsepower is gone. This is one of the purest hifi experiences I’ve had in over 15 years of reviewing components. Long term, I have even more enthusiasm for the XS Pre – every day it convinces me how special it is.

The Pass XS Pre Preamplifier
For more sexy photos, click here….

$38,000

www.passlabs.com

Peripherals

Analog Source            AVID Acutus Ref SP/SME V/Lyra Atlas, Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0/Tri-planar/Lyra Etna, Brinkmann Bardo/10.1arm/Koetsu Jade Platinum

Digital Source             dCS Rossini DAC and Clock, Gryphon Kalliope

Phonostage                  Pass XS Phono

Power Amplifier         Pass XS 300 monos, Pass XA200.8

Speakers                      GamuT RS5i, Focal Sopra no.3 w/2-REL 212, MartinLogan Neolith

Cable                           Tellurium Q Silver Diamond, Cardas Clear

After reading hifi magazines for about 40 years now, and writing about hifi for the last 15 of those years, I’ve been a good Smurf and haven’t baited my loyal readers with the B word – hardly ever as a matter of fact.

This time I’m compelled to put my foot down, or perhaps the tonearm down is more like it. I’ve listened to the big shit, crazy money turntables like the Continuum, the Clearaudio Statement, Goldmund, Transrotor, Tech Das, blah, blah, blah. All six figure tables and not a single one of them worth the price asked. For the last five years, I’ve hung my hat on the AVID Acutus Reference SP, and it’s a fantastic table – one that I still love dearly. (So if you have one, don’t sell it, it’s not rubbish; read my article here.)

Now and then, something comes along that resets the paradigm, and the Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0 does just that. I think it’s the world’s best turntable and with a TriPlanar arm and Lyra Etna cartridge, the whole rig will only set you back about $55,000. I know many of you will freak out at the thought of combining “only” and “$55,000” in the same sentence. But imagine if you could get a car that outperformed a Ferrari 458 or a Porsche GT3 for $55,000? That’s what the Grand Prix Monaco 2.0 does. It eclipses everything I’ve ever heard, regardless of price.

So, for the average music lover, 55 grand is still crazy money. But for the music lover that was going to drop 2-4 times this on the ultimate turntable, on their final analog destination, 55 large is a deal and a half, baby. Not to mention all the money you’re going to lose going through a few 10-30 thousand dollar turntables to reach the grail.Here’s the analog paradox; you could go through about five or ten tables in the 10 – 40 thousand dollar range, lose at least five G on each one and then buy a Monaco 2.0. You might appreciate the Monaco more if you did that. Or you could go straight past GO, and just graduate to the Monaco from wherever you are now and save a lot of agony. It will depend on just how OCD you are. Take my advice; this is the table you want as your final analog destination.

Forget the rest.

At 58, my hearing is supposed to be getting worse, right? Careful as I’ve been going to concerts, mowing the lawn and such, I know my hearing can’t be as good as it was in my 20s. I can still hear the horizontal transformer in Mr. O Brien’s tube TV set, so I guess I still hear up to about 16khz. But I profess not to have canine ears.

The second Grand Prix Audio’s Jesse Luna dropped the tonearm down on my copy of the Superfly soundtrack (a major guilty pleasure, and a record I’ve been listening to since age 14) I heard stuff I never heard before on this record. A lot of stuff. Layering, texture, extra vocal overdubs and the bongos just sat there locked in space in a way they never have before. I’m not supposed to be hearing this kind of detail from this crappy record, and I’m probably not supposed to be hearing this kind of detail at my age. But I am.In nearly 700 audio reviews, a component has never grabbed me like this. Every time I put on a record with the thought of listening passively, the Monaco’s gravitational pull sucks me right to the couch. For hours. No escape. I could go on and on in detail about minutia about this track or that track, but chances are you don’t listen to the same music I do anyway.

The Monaco 2.0 reveals more music in every way. Bigger soundstage in all three dimensions, check. Deeper, more solid bass, check. More low-level resolution, check. More dynamic range and tonal contrast. Yep, that too. On every record, I managed to listen to, and in the same way that my dCS Rossini DAC and clock extracts more musical information out of even the worst digital recordings I have, making so many of them much more listenable, the Monaco 2.0 does the same with records. I’m guessing you probably have your own bin of moderately listenable records, which you put up with because you love the music contained in the grooves.

Because the Monaco 2.0 extracts so much more music, You will be surprised at how many marginal records in your collection reveal more than they ever did before. Even Kiss, Alive! sounds better than it ever has on the Monaco 2.0 and that has to be one of the worst sounding records ever made. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley’s layered vocals now have very distinct space between them. Firehouse, woo!

We’re about at the point in the review where I’m supposed to say, “The only thing that makes me grumpy about the Monaco 2.0 is…” but there isn’t. I love this turntable. It’s amazing. There are no downsides. It’s simple, elegant, reveals more music than anything I’ve ever heard and it’s carbon fiber. Mmmmm. Carbon fiber is catnip to me, but it must be functional. GPA founder and designer Alvin Lloyd is no stranger to carbon fiber bits, having been a principal at Swift Engineering. (for you non-racing fans the Swift 006 and 007 carbon fiber chassis was a revolution in the CART racing series) You can read all the white papers and tech briefs at the GPA site here.

Accuracy is the secret weapon

These articles will tell you more than you want to know about the why and how of the Monaco 2.0, but you only need to listen for about 60 seconds to get it. The real secret is its speed accuracy. The Monaco 2.0 holds such a tight grip on speed accuracy with its proprietary direct drive system (.0001% peak deviation, 20 parts per billion average) consisting of a 75,000 line encoder makes for a new definition of the term “gapless motor.” Combining this with a record clamp that tells you when you’ve achieved the perfect amount of clamping force with a little green LED in the middle, it makes for a better record to platter interface, or at least a more consistent platter to record interface than possible before.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am not blessed with perfect pitch. Those I know that do find analog nearly unlistenable because they claim that even the best belt drive tables have speed inaccuracies that send them out of the room screaming for mercy and prefer digital because of the perfect speed accuracy.

While I don’t hear this group of anomalies, playing the same records simultaneously on the Monaco 2.0 and any of my other tables, there is moderate to severe smearing of imaging information and a lack of immediacy and impact by comparison. The Monaco 2.0 reveals that speed accuracy that you love from your favorite digital recordings, combined with the magic, palpability, tonal saturation, or whatever else you want to call it that the finest analog recordings bring to the party. In short – it’s the best of both worlds. Testing my hypothesis out on a couple of perfect pitch/canine hearing buddies, they were all impressed and commented on the perfect speed accuracy that the Monaco 2.0 offers.

Out of the pits in a hurry

Racing teaches you that races are often won and lost in the pits, all other things being equal. I’m not interested in turntables that take the manufacturer’s tech a whole day to set up (the Continuum). I’m an average turntable setup guy at best, and I have no bones telling you that. Every time I review another great table, I learn a little more about the intricacies of analog setup, but I am not a Jedi master by any means.

I can’t tell you how impressed I was that GPA’s Jesse Luna had the Monaco 2.0 up and rocking in about 15 minutes. When I swapped tonearms from the longer Tri-Planar arm to the standard length one of mine, it only took me about 20 minutes to get things dialed in. Being that this is such a high-performance table, I still suggest having your dealer do it or getting one of the Jedi’s to make sure you are getting all of the performance you are paying for. You don’t take your Ferarri to the corner tire store for an alignment, do you?

Many turntables later

I’ve owned a lot of turntables over the years. I love turntables, even if I’m at a point in my life with music that I’m just as happy listening to digital as analog. Rather than hang my hat on one mega turntable, which I couldn’t realistically compare to anything else, just as I couldn’t really compare other cars to a Ferrari 458 or Porsche GT3 objectively, I still own quite a few tables – about 14 at last count. Everything from a lowly Dual 1229 up to the AVID Acutus Reference SP. It makes the job a lot easier to compare a review table to a reference table or two that is comparably priced than to just brag about my mega table that nothing else compares to. So, I might just jump off the cliff for a Monaco. Stay tuned and keep an eye on the reference components section.

If you’re a new TONEAudio reader, you might be thinking this is just like other hifi magazines, where a new “best” is declared practically monthly, only to be superseded when the next bauble is unraveled. Not here. Let the record state that this is the finest turntable I’ve experienced, at any price. If you want to spend more money on another turntable for whatever reason, I won’t poke fun at you. But you won’t hear more music.

Even if you aren’t in the market for a $50,000 turntable, the GPA guys are at a lot of the shows, and they are offered in a number of good dealers. I highly suggest taking a test drive/listen if you can. And I hope that you enjoy listening to it as much as I do. That’s the ultimate test.

The Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0 Turntable

MSRP: $37,000 without tonearm

www.grandprixaudio.com

Peripherals

Cartridges                  Lyra Etna, Grado Statement 2

Phonostage                Pass XS Phono, Audio Research REF 3 Phono

Preamplifier              Pass XS Pre

Power Amplifier        Pass XS 300 Monoblocks

Speakers                    Focal Sopra no.3 w/(2) REL 212s

Cable                          Cardas Clear

Many people only know Pro-Ject for their line of high-value turntables, (and we’ve got one of those for you here…) but they produce an entire line of electronics and loudspeakers, along with some very stylish accessories.

Company principal Heinz Lichtenegger puts it perfectly when he says, “I like to make fun components that everyone can afford.” Add stylish to that list of boxes to tick – all Pro-Ject products share a very cool design aesthetic as well.

We’ve been living with an entire Pro-Ject system, consisting of their VT-E turntable ($349), the MaiA CD Player ($399), MaiA Integrated Amplifier ($499), along with the matching Speaker Box 5 mini monitors ($299). For this review, Rob and I concentrate on the components, with a review of the Speaker Box 5 speakers to be published online very soon.

Every Pro-Ject product we’ve used has always been high on performance and simplicity with a minimal footprint. It’s an understatement that Lichtnegger has outdone himself on this recent crop of products! If you are pinched for space, yet crave great sound, this trio is for you. We were all shocked at just how small the MaiA components are.

MaiA Integrated Amplifier: A Marvel of Compact Efficiency

Like the other products in Pro-Ject’s “Box” product like, the MaiA integrated amplifier is designed to pack much functionality into the smallest possible package. Wow did they succeed! Without its wall-wart power supply, the amplifier weighs in at a scant 4 lbs. (1850g). At 8.11 inches (206mm) wide by 1.4 inches (36mm) tall by 6.14 inches (156mm) deep, the MaiA is deceivingly minimalistic. Straightforward and effective controls on the front panel facilitate adjustment of the volume, plus your choice of source components. While nondescript on the outside, things get a lot more interesting when exploring MaiA’s capabilities.

The ins and outs

Any way you choose to connect a music source to this amplifier, there is an input to handle it. In addition to three stereo line inputs, options include USB, Bluetooth, digital optical, and RCA-type digital coaxial. As they say on infomercials, “but wait… there’s more.” An onboard MM phono stage as well as a headphone amplifier with a ¼” input is also included.

Five-way binding posts facilitate connection to loudspeakers using a variety of cable options. However, bananas are an ideal candidate, as these binding posts are relatively close together. With such a small chassis, there is little room for all the connections on the rear panel, so it is nearly impossible to connect spades in such a tiny space without touching each other inadvertently.

The only other connection required is the power cord, supplied by the included wall wart power supply. I suspect there was not enough room left in this small chassis to fit a full-sized 115v power cord socket, much less an internal power supply.

Lots inside

All those inputs lead to some remarkable circuitry within. The internal DAC does not decode DSD files, but it does a solid job with digital files up to a sample rate of 24bit/192kHz – plenty for CD and SACD input or streaming your favorite online music service.

The MaiAs Class D amplification circuitry delivers 25 watts into an eight-ohm speaker load, or 37 watts into four ohms. While featuring a much lower power rating than my usual reference amplifier, the MaiA had no problem driving GamuT RS3i speakers. Back at the TONE studio, we substituted a broad range of different speakers and found the power amplifier section both robust and conservatively rated.

Sonically satisfying

For our testing, we paired the MaiA integrated with the matching CD player in the same product line, as well as other sources on hand. No matter what musical genre you enjoy, the MaiA delivers excellent sound with ample detail. Sonically, the amp is very neutral, a touch to the forgiving side. It provides a high level of realism while avoiding uncomfortable and edgy stridency that emerges from some budget-conscious pieces of gear I have experienced over the years. Bass goes deep and punchy considering its modest power rating. Higher frequencies appear effortlessly, and retain the shimmer and glow desired from favorite recordings.

Soundstaging represents another important strength. The perceived performance expresses with large scale breadth and depth, extending forward of the speakers when a recording dictates it and filling the room with music without any apparent strain. Do not expect this amp to drive massive full range speakers with oomph given its power rating, but as long as you stick to speakers in the 90db/1watt range, it’s all good. Stand mounted speakers, though, are likely to find a very welcome ally. Simply put, it is a great amp. An audio fan cannot expect the world for the MaiA’s price point of about $500 USD, but you easily get a large continent or two!

The MaiA CD: Diminutive Digital

The MaiA CD player matches the integrated amplifier in size and performance, with its front-loading CD slot taking up three-quarters of the player’s width. Without its wall-wart power supply, the CD player weighs in at 2.77 lbs. (1260g). I have owned power cords which weigh more than this player!

Under the hood resides solid engineering and technology. Built around a Burr-Brown (Texas Instruments) DAC chip, this player is meant exclusively for CDs.The DAC handles all files at 24bit/96khz with 8x oversampling, bringing a lot of life to your CD collection. Those wanting to use the MaiA CD player as a transport only can do so via the Toslink output. Utilized in this mode via a 25 foot AudioQuest Toslink cable, we found the MaiA player to provide an interesting solution to those still wanting to play compact discs occasionally. The MaiA player is an excellent transport, via the Audio Research DAC 9, also reviewed in this issue. Even the fussiest audiophile can take advantage of a MaiA player, to play the redbook discs in their collection.

On the right side, the front panel offers a little digital display, the size of a postage stamp, noting track number and play time. On the left is the power button as well as a tiny IR receiver for the remote control. Beneath the disc slot is the expected buttons for track advance, reverse, pause/play and stop/eject. The small remote allows the owner to make these adjustments, plus others. The control allows track or album repeat, random play, and selection of a specific song by typing in the track number. The only remaining choice is black or silver casework. Both are very attractive.

The rear of the player is even more minimalistic. A single pair of RCA analog outs make connections to any amplifier straightforward. If you already have preferred interconnects at home with audiophile grade terminations, be aware there is little space between the terminals. Hose-like interconnects will not fit, so choose accordingly. We’ve had excellent result with the Audience or Cardas cables in this respect, and Pro-Ject even offers a line of their own.

In addition to the compact form factor, this player is a top musical performer. More expensive dedicated CD players can offer more refinement and a greater level of micro-detail retrieval. For the price asked, this mini-marvel will not leave its owner longing for more. Voiced slightly to the warmer side of neutral with robust detail, the MaiA player is very “anti-digital” in its rendition. Soundstaging is excellent with a soundfield that projects left and right beyond the speaker boundaries, and each musical element has a good degree of separation in the perceived distance behind the speakers.

Playing MoFi’s remaster of Beck’s Sea Change, proves immersive. Vocals lock in place up front with ambient cues layered across the soundstage. Bass notes have substantial heft, and highs offer gentle sparkle. Even loudspeakers many times the price of this CD player will find themselves complemented by this marvelous partner. Switching the program between acoustic, solo vocal and even densely packed rock recordings all satisfy.

Vertical Integration – The Pro-Ject VT-E

Up till now, the vertical record players we’ve seen have been little more than mere toys. Leave it to Pro-Ject to come up with a vertical that offers serious performance. As at home on a shelf or table, the VT-E combines Pro-Ject performance in a vertical format with a pre-installed Ortofon OM5 cartridge. You can even wall mount it, and they are available in red, white and black. At $349 each, I’d even consider buying six of them to make wall art! Should you not be integrating the VT-E with an amplifier containing a phono preamplifier, consider the VT-L, which has a built in phonostage and can be connected to a line input.

Everything is set up from the factory, so the only decision is whether to shelf or wall mount. Those that are challenged for space need only about 16 inches of wall space and a little bit of counter space underneath to put a complete Pro-Ject system! Though I admit I love the idea of a VT-L on a pedestal in the middle of the room with a pair of long interconnects to the rest of the system. Again, Pro-Ject is as much art as science. You can even order one in right or left-hand operation. Very diplomatic!

Skeptical as I was about the concept of a vertical table, the VT-E works perfectly. Most of my listening was done with the table wall mounted, so it proved immune to room induced vibrations. Sonically, it reminds me a lot of the Debut Carbon table. Tracking through some favorite current and classics, the Pro-Ject/Ortofon combination is more than capable. Of course, the synergy between it and the MaiA integrated is fantastic, and the aesthetic works well.

For the beginning vinyl enthusiast, the VT-E should prove a worthy companion, providing a musically rewarding experience and a real conversation piece to boot. And because it comes from the factory completely set up, it’s as no fuss as LP playback can be.

Summing up

Considering everything inside these tiny components, you might expect compromise, but none have been made regarding sonics. The Pro-Ject MaiA Integrated Amplifier and CD Player both combine excellent audio performance and functionality in a pair of very tiny boxes. We are pressed to think of anything offering this level of performance near this price.

Should you have more space, or just want bigger, more powerful components, the MaiA series will probably always have a place in a second room or desktop system. Our publisher is even thinking about a set for his garage system!

Both the Pro-Ject MaiA Integrated Amp and CD Player more than earns a much-deserved TONEAudio Exceptional Value Award. These would be outstanding components if they were in full sized boxes. Considering they offer it in such compact enclosures is certainly a bonus. Now you have no excuse not to have a great sound system anywhere.

Pro-Ject MaiA Integrated Amplifier. ($499)

Pro-Ject MaiA CD Player ($399)

Pro-Ject VT-E Turntable ($349)

www.box-designs.com (factory)

www.sumikoaudio.net (US importer)

www.pro-jectusa.com.  (for more details)

There seems to be a lot of options at the cheap and cheerful as well as the crazy money ends of the analog spectrum.

However, the analog lover that wants to make a solid step up from their budget deck often has to search a bit harder to find a solid performer without mortgaging their future too substantially. The Origin Live Calypso at $2,400, along with their Encounter Tonearm for $1,500 is one we can highly recommend. We are almost finished with a full review that will be in issue 85.

You can read a bit more about it here.

Those of you in the United States can purchase one from Audio Revelation. Please click here to contact them.

Features

Old School:

The Klipsch LaScalas – A Work in Progress

995:

Hagerman’s Cornet 3 Phonostage
By Jerold O’Brien

Journeyman Audiophile:

Atoll Electronique IN100se Integrated Amplifier
By Rob Johnson

TONE Style

Wino:  It’s in the Can

BMW M Mouse

Ikea PS 2014

Ischia Swim Trunks

Radio Shack Digital Infrared Thermometer

Pantone USB Drives

Porsche Design P 8478 Sunglasses

Visible Vinyl

ModMic5

Music

Spin the Black Circle: Reviews of New Pop/Rock and Country Albums
By Bob Gendron, Todd Martens, and Chrissie Dickinson

Jazz & Blues: Craig Taborn, Roscoe Mitchell and More!

By Kevin Whitehead and Jim Macnie

Audiophile Pressings: Sgt. Pepper’s 50th, Pretenders 1st, and Get the Knaack

Gear Previews

Gold Note Donatello MC Cartridge

Coincident Dynamite Speakers

SVS SB-16 Subwoofer

Reviews

COVER STORY: The ARC Foundation Series
By Jeff Dorgay

Conrad Johnson Classic 62 Power Amplifier
By Rob Johnson

McIntosh MP1100 Phonostage
By Jeff Dorgay

Pass Labs XA200.8 Monoblocks
By  Greg Petan

Grand Prix Audio’s Monaco 2.0 Turntable
By Jeff Dorgay

Sonneteer Alabaster Integrated Amplifier
By Rob Johnson

Graham Chartwell LS3/5 Speakers
By Jeff Dorgay

My now departed Kerry Blue Terrier, Harry was the world’s most stubborn dog. When he didn’t want to budge, there was no moving him. He was “You’re going to sit at that table until you eat those Brussel sprouts or you’re going to bed hungry” stubborn. When it comes to audio tweaks, especially anything the least bit fringy, I’m more stubborn and closed minded than my loyal Irish companion ever was.

I did NOT want to like the Corelli. I didn’t even want to listen to the damn thing. As Robert Neill enthusiastically explained it, my brain was screaming “snake oil.” But I’ve never met a Canadian I didn’t like, so why not give it a spin, eh? I’m still getting guff over the Furutech De Mag I reviewed, bought, and use on a daily, so get out the lighter fluid, let’s make the flame bigger!

Described as a power conditioner, the Corelli does plug into the AC line, there are no outlets to plug your gear into. Akiko Audio claims that the Corelli is “A pioneering reference power conditioner providing your gear with power in a unique way, without the use of electrical components and active power filtering. It reduces noise without negative side effects such as reduced dynamics or natural quality.” They go on to say, “Internally the Corelli is set up with units made of woven carbon, specifically geared to their task. The neutral, phase and grounding are separately treated. An extra fourth unit is responsible for the harmonization of the internal high frequency radiation field. Moreover, the device is stabilized with black resin to repress unwanted microphonic effects adequately.”

Sounds like mumbo jumbo to me. At this point, I still can’t wrap my brain around a power conditioning product that doesn’t cycle power through itself to the products it is supposedly conditioning power for. I look at the Corelli with the same furrowed brow as the big red bird in Angry Birds.

While my big black dog was very stubborn, he was also very curious. If you hid a cookie somewhere in the room, he would always find it, no matter how diligent you concealed it. So, my terrier like curiosity got the best of me. What the hell, I could always either A: send the damn thing back unimpressed, or B: write that scathing, negative review so many of you have been clamoring for all these years. It didn’t take much listening to realize that C: this wasn’t going to happen.

Getting wiggly

Even though weed is legal here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s not something I indulge in often because it makes me sleepy. What fun is that? However, there is a subtle, a-ha shift in your perception as the funny, leafy stuff starts to take effect. There’s that narrow zone between being unaffected and thinking everything in the world is incredibly funny, where the doors of perception are more than subtly altered. This is the effect of the Corelli, you don’t need to ingest anything to get this effect, and you can drive home safely afterwords. Bonus.

Following the instructions, I did plug the Corelli in nearby the system; straight in to the Torus TOT that currently conditions the power for my system. With one outlet still unused, why not?

Cycling through a series of familiar tracks with the Corelli plugged in, listening began again in earnest. Akiko’s power cord was used, as they claim this makes a huge difference in the presentation. It is a well-built power cord, and in all fairness is only a couple hundred bucks, so I can’t get grumpy about this aspect.

The reference system consists of the new Virtuoso Soltanus ESL speakers that have been here for some time, a PrimaLuna HP Integrated with KT150 tubes, Gryphon’s Kalliope DAC, the new Audio Research PH9 phonostage and the Soulines Kubrick DCX turntable with ZYX cartridge. In short, a highly resolving, yet not crazy money system that I’m very familiar with. The enclosed manual states that the Corelli takes a few weeks to stabilize, yet the biggest change will occur in the first day.

That’s the biggest audio understatement I’ve yet heard. For the first fifteen minutes nothing much seems to happen, though my wife made the comment, “Hey it sounds a little smoother, what did you do.?” Then the trip began. As that Tidal playlist continued, I  swore that everthing was sounding better, more homogenous, less grainy, more natural.

Going back to the LP’s I had listened to earlier, it was a night and day difference. Three areas made a major improvement; pace/timing, upper frequency smoothness and the size of the three dimensional sound field painted by the Virtuosos. For $2,000 with power cord, sign me up.

Trying not to be taken in, I unplugged the Corelli and removed it from the system and things shut back down to pre-conditioning levels. A few game-on, game-off cycles later, combined with torturing a few good audiophile buddies, we’ve all heard the same basic effect. Just like that damn De-Mag.

At the end of the test session, I’m definitely keeping the Corelli around. I still can’t really explain why or how it works, but it does.

Laugh if you must

I’m hoping that because we don’t write about tweaks here on a regular, super expensive cables, or anything else in that arena, that you will consider giving the Akiko Corelli a try in your system. They offer a money back guarantee, so you’ve got nothing to lose. But I’m pretty sure you won’t send it back.

The Akiko Audio Corelli Power Conditioner

$1,995 with power cord

www.akikoaudio.com (manufacturer)

www.worldwidewholesales.com (North America Distributor)

After spending a lot of time on opposite ends of the price spectrum with Gold Note’s $3,000 high output MC Machiavelli cartridge and their $385 Vasari MM, the Donatello MC strikes a great spot at $1,075 – offering tremendous sonics, versatility and value.

Thanks to a .5mv output and suggested loading of 470 ohms, chances are good this gold Italian beauty will mate with all MC phonostages. It certainly did with all of ours, from the Pass Labs XS Phono to the Channel Islands HPA.

Nearly all listening was done with our current favorite turntable, the Technics SL-1200 G. This $4,000 direct drive table is a breeze to set up, and offers a stable platform for every cartridge we’ve used with it. The Donatello’s micro elliptical stylus proves easy to set up and optimize quickly. A short session with the Acoustical Systems SMARTractor and the Donatello is rocking the house.

The Donatello proves equally uncomplicated to set up on Rega, SME and TriPlanar tonearms. This is not a fussy cartridge, and with the right tools and a bit of careful listening, it’s an easy process. With a 1.8 – 2.2 gram suggested tracking force, the Donatello delivers the best results right in the middle at 2 grams, where the Machiavelli had to be closer to 2.2 to give its best.  Suggested loading is 470 ohms, and this proves just the right match for the 500 ohm setting on the Audio Research REF Phono 3. Those not having an MC input can opt for the red, high output version of Donatello, producing 1.8mv of signal (just like the high output Machiavelli) and working with a standard 47k loading factor.

Let’s go!

First LP on the list? An old copy of Grand Funk Railroad’s We’re an American Band, on gold vinyl! Why not? Even though this is only an average pressing, Todd Rundgren’s production values come right through and the sheer dynamics hit me in the face, blasting through my Klipsch LaScalas. This is rock and roll, baby. A few of my favorite Jimi Hendrix records are also wonderfully revealing, with a lot of body and bite to the guitars, while placing all three members of this famous trio out and about in my listening room.

Moving to a more contemporary system (AVID Volvere SP/SME 309 and the new Esoteric F-07 integrated amplifier, via the Focal Sopra no.3s) and many records later, I’m convinced that the Donatello has what it takes to play any kind of music with ease. While not quite as resolving as the Machiavelli, the same basic tonal character is intact. Both the Machiavelli and the Donatello remind me of the Clearaudio Goldfinger in the sense that tonally they are ever so slightly on the warm side of the scale, with an extra shot of tonal saturation, yet still very dynamic. It’s a character that never fails to engage the listener.

Gold Note’s Tommaso Dolfi explains to me “Without the Machiavelli and the Tuscany, there would be no Donatello. We were able to apply a lot of what we learned designing these models to the Donatello’s cantilever to create a very versatile and light cartridge.” Having Machiavelli and Donatello close by, it’s easy to hear the lineage.

Up and down the scale

Enticing midrange is a given with Gold Note, but the Donatello delivers the goods at both ends of the sonic spectrum. Bass is deep and well defined, with good transient attack and tracking ability. Jaco Pastorius’ self-titled record is a perfect torture test for bass trackability and the Donatello zooms through his most dense and compact performances with ease. Tracking throughout the rest of the audio range proves equally good, and the Donatello handles the more complex bands of my Shure test record as well as known problematic LPs too.

The upper end of the frequency spectrum is also well represented. Careful listening of acoustic music reveals the difference between the Donatello and its much more expensive sibling – the Donatello gets the basic groove right, but there is more tonal saturation with the more expensive cartridge. Of course that’s what you pay the extra money for and what justifies the additional expense. Those listening to a lot of newer vinyl releases, and especially those with more rock and electronic tastes might not notice the difference as easily.

The Donatello paints a soundstage that is wide and deep. Unless you are listening to a very recent release that has been sourced from digital anyway, you’ll never mistake the sound of the Donatello for digital – and that’s good news. Going through a series of Kraftwerk remasters, along with Jean-Michel Jarre favorites (and a little Eno on the side) has the Donatello engulfing me in between the Focal Sopra no. 3s. This is a particularly fun cartridge if you love electronic music!

Overall excellence

Where the Gold Note Donatello excels is providing an equally high level of performance in all areas. They have not sacrificed one aspect of analog performance for any other. Often in this price range manufacturers hang their hat on one aspect of analog reproduction, letting others fall behind, making for an unbalanced, if you will, sound.

The Donatello is easy to set up, tracks difficult musical passages with ease and sounds great. What else could you want? It’s become my new reference in the thousand-dollar cartridge category. And it has a gold body. How awesome is that?

The Gold Note Donatello

MSRP: $1,070

www.goldnote.it

Peripherals

Turntables                AVID Volvere SP/SME V, Soulines Kubrick/TriPlanar, Technics SL-1200G

Phonostages           Audio Research REF Phono 3, McIntosh MP1100, Pass XS Phono

Preamplifier              Pass XS Pre

Amplifier                   Pass XS 300 monos

Speakers              Focal Sopra no. 3

Cable                    Cardas Clear

It’s been a couple of years now since the Audio Research GS series have been introduced, and both the GS Pre and GS 150 have received multiple awards from magazines around the world (including us).

With its gorgeous, artisan style, the GSi75 shows off a welded chassis, thick front plate and the combination of new and old ARC cues. Some deeply embedded in the way Audio Research used to do things see the GSi75 as anomalous, but ARC’s Dave Gordon sets me straight, “Don’t think about the GSi75 as you do our other components. Yes this is a lifestyle piece, but it is one for someone who truly cares about sound quality.” It only takes about 2 minutes of listening to see he’s spot on.

Streaming Teenage Fanclub’s “Don’t Look Back,” with it’s layered, grungy sound and simple pop hooks gets to the heart of the matter immediately. This combination of DAC, phonostage, headphone amplifier, and 75 watt per channel power amplifier has a very spacious sound. Segueing to “The Journey” from Boston’s Don’t Look Back, the deep bass riff at the end of the track convincingly illustrates this amplifiers ability to move some air.

Having spent the better part of the year listening to the GS Pre and the GS 150, it’s intriguing that the overall voice of the GSi75 feels closer to that of the last generation REF series than the slightly mellower voice of the GS Pre/GS 150 combo. With four KT150 power tubes and a pair of 6H30s, nothing deviates from the current ARC cookbook. The power supply has a capacity of 330 joules instead of the 500 supplying the REF 75, so don’t expect quite the drive of the REF amplifier, even though both are specified to produce 75 watts per channel. At all but brain damage volume levels though, the GSi75 comes very, very close.

What, no XLR’s?

In the effort to keep things tidy, the usual balanced inputs are absent. No doubt because the phonostage and DAC are already on board, it makes sense that the options can be kept easy for other components. Other than a tuner, what else would you connect, except maybe another phonostage or a tape deck? Yet in typical Audio Research fashion there are still three single ended RCA analog inputs, to go with the single phono input.

The phonostage in the GSi75 is a marvel of compactness and again, showcases ARC’s ability to design world class products in either arena; tube or solid-state. Gordon laughs as he says, “We just didn’t have the room inside the chassis for a tube phono.”

Compact as it is, the on-board phono section still features low and high gain settings (45 and 62db) along with the ability to set phono loading at 100, 200, 500, 1000 or 47k ohms. And, it’s adjustable from the remote control. Impressive.

A powerful soul

Dropping the needle down on a fresh copy of Crowded House’s Woodface, the room is immediately filled with the big, broad, engaging soundfield that I’m used to listening to a full compliment of REF components in my larger listening room. The core competencies of ARC still come through brilliantly, with mix of dynamics, speed, transparency and an incredibly natural tonal balance.

Where all but the REF Phono 3 and REF Phono 10 phonostages ($14,000 and $30,000 respectively) offer high and low gain settings, the rest of ARC’s phonostages all have settled on a fixed gain setting of 58db, which is more than adequate for most cartridges and situations, I found the two gain settings helpful, especially with my Dynavector 17D3 and Denon DL-103r cartridges.

The onboard phonostage, is quiet and dynamic. A perfect match for the rest of the amplifier, and putting it to work with a wide variety of phono cartridges from the $100 Shure M97 all the way to the $10,000 Koetsu Jade Platinum, I never found the onboard phono to be limiting, though with the big boy cartridges, there is a slight bit of resolution and ultimate dynamic drive that is better served by the REF Phono 3. However, I suspect that most building a system around the GSi75 are going to be bridging the gap between “really good” and “sky is the limit” systems. In the context of a nice $3,000 – $15,000 turntable/arm/cartridge combo, I doubt you’ll be aching for more phono performance.

At all but maximum volume through inefficient speakers, you’ll be hard pressed to tell the GSi75 from the GS Pre and GS 150 amplifiers. Driving the Focal Sopra no.3s, which have a sensitivity of 92db/1watt, I can’t drive the amplifier into clipping, it plays plenty loud for my needs. It proves equally capable driving the Quad 2812s, which are notoriously tough, because of their heavy capacitive load. The loopy, spacy, electronic vibe of the first Neu! album is a sonic treat, with little sounds bouncing all around my listening room with the Quads, it’s almost like being in a gigantic pair of headphones.

Again, Gordon tells me “the heart of this amplifier is a REF75 circuit – same tubes and transformers with a passive preamp section, that’s why there is no preamp out. The DAC is all new and one of the best we’ve ever done. It’s what formed the heart of the DAC 9.”

DAC-o-rific

Catering heavily to the new music consumer, that DAC allows you to access whatever files you have on hand; 16-bit/44khz all the way up to 2x DSD, so you won’t be left out in the cold. There are a bevy of digital inputs as well; RCA, Toslink and USB all help make the GSi75 the hub of your digital music world. Having the DAC 9 on hand for review, it was easy to compare between the two and the

GSi75 is indeed highly capable. Thanks to Roon, my digital library is a gaggle of files on a 13TB NAS drive, with no particular segregation from low to high resolution. The GSi75 sailed through playlist after playlist, consisting of every resolution possible, without so much as a pause.

Using a Mac Book Pro, dCS Paganini transport, a Meridian/Sooloos MC200 Core and an Aurender A10 allowed checking every input and all worked flawlessly. No matter what you have at your disposal, rest assured the GSi75 can handle it.

Personally

If all of this weren’t enough, the GSi75 also has a headphone jack, and again, the solution was done from the ground up. Even this aspect of the GSi75s performance was by no means an afterthought. While this reviewer is not a huge headphone listener, the quality of the sound heard through Audeze LCD-2s and the current Oppo PM-1 phones is top notch.

All but the most maniacal headphone listener will not need an outboard headphone amplifier. The GSi75 has much more sheer drive than is necessary to achieve the volume level you require, and the level of refinement is exceptional. Going through all of my favorite prog and electronica tracks made for an aural playground with the GSi75. Cheech and Chong’s Big Bambu was not only a great throwback, but fully illustrated the high level of imaging prowess that placed the people speaking everywhere in the room. Big fun.

The Audeze and Oppo phones are not terribly hard to drive, but the planar magnetic phones seem to deliver a more sophisticated presentation, the better your gear is. Again the GSi75 did not disappoint in any way. Bass was always solid and full of tonal richness, with the high frequencies tight, defined and (for me, anyway) a perfect mix of extension and resolution without ever sounding strident.

Complex yet simple

The $16,000 price tag may stun a few at first, but when you realize what the team at ARC has packed inside the GSi75, and the fact that you don’t have to buy three sets of interconnects and power cords, it’s an amazing bargain – for the right customer. Because everything is inside and there is no preamp out, this is either a piece you will live with forever, or the upgrade bug will sour you. A cursory survey of a few friends with mega ARC systems reveals more than one have bought a GSi75 as the core of their second system, or vacation home system and are thrilled.

Careful inspection of the chassis, and the parts quality inside, it becomes immediately obvious that the GSi75 was built to a standard – with no compromise rather than scaled up from a price point business model. The GSi75 is Audio Research through and through.

The “ears” of Audio Research, Warren Gehl is quick to add that an integrated was part of the product mix with the G Series all along. “We wanted to see how far we could take the G Series with this concept.” It ends up being a fairly dense circuit board when you remove the bottom cover, but again, Gehl backs up their decision to use PCBs instead of point to point wiring, simply saying “We take a very logical perspective to circuit board layout and construction quality. We don’t feel our designs take a back seat sonically to an amplifier that is wired point to point.”

Quantifying the value in the GSi75 is an easy task for someone who’s been living with ARC electronics for nearly as long as they’ve been making them. Perhaps a result of getting a bit older, I’ve experienced a number of friends when listening to a large rack of gear ask the question, “can’t I just get this kind of performance in one box?” And this comment is usually followed with something like, “I want really great sound quality, I just don’t play music as loud as I used to.”

It’s like the dining room of my favorite local hotel. They’ve started offering just a spoonful sized portion of their favorite deserts. This is the essence of the Audio Research GSi75 – it’s a heaping tablespoon of a full REF stack. And for many people, that will be all you need.

The Audio Research GSi75 Integrated Amplifier

MSRP:  $16,000

www.audioresearch.com

Peripherals

Analog Source               Brinkmann Bardo Turntable/Koetsu Onyx Platinum Cart

Speakers                         Focal Sopra no. 1, Quad 2812, GamuT RS5i

Cable                               Cardas Clear

A number of well-worn clichés come to mind when attempting to describe the new ACE all in one music player from Simaudio; crescent wrench, Swiss army knife, etc etc. Yet none of them truly encompass how awesome it is.

This Montreal audio company has been building award-winning components for 36 years and is well known for their massive amplifiers, DACs and killer phono preamplifiers; all having five figure price tags. Yet the ACE barely tips the scale at $3,500.

And that’s for an amplifier, preamplifier, DAC, streamer, MM phonostage and headphone amplifier. You’d spend that much on five sets of moderately priced interconnects and power cords, not to mention a rack to hold all that stuff.
What you may not know is that Simaudio has been on fire for the last 3 years, taking the expertise that comes with having all phases of design, manufacturing and even metalwork under one roof and distilling that essence down to incredibly affordable components that do not sacrifice performance. Their award winning Neo 230HAD headphone amplifier and Neo 430HA headphone amplifier, both incorporate DAC’s, function as excellent line stages, but the ACE does everything.

Excellence does trickle down

Having used many of their top components for years over at TONEAudio, Simaudio combines rock solid build quality (all of their components carry a 10-year warranty, and their service department looks like something from a Maytag repairman commercial) with contemporary styling, and intelligent ergonomics. Most importantly, MOON components have always provided best in class sound to match the ergonomics and functionality.

Even their instruction manuals are well written, and for those of you that normally blow off this stage of the installation, you can get up and rolling with the ACE ignoring the manual, but it offers such a depth of features, it will serve you well to spend some time with the manual.

In the 60s and 70s, it was common to go to the hi fi shop and purchase a receiver; incorporating an AM/FM tuner along with a high quality phono stage, so that you only needed to add a pair of speakers and maybe a turntable or a tape deck and roll. Today, with streaming being the way most music lovers roll, the ACE has you covered, with Simaudio’s MiND streamer built in. Just head to the app store, download “Moon MIND controller” and your zooming, with Tidal integration. You can also stream from your favorite mobile device via Bluetooth, so friends can easily share their music when visiting.

Inputs galore

Thanks to a built in DAC with 8 digital inputs that accommodate anything you can throw at it, your laptop, iPod or other digital device easily integrates into your system. Decoding everything from 16/44.1 CD quality files up to DSD is a breeze. Or go old school digital and play CD’s via one of the ACE’s three analog inputs, which I took advantage of thanks to a MOON Neo 260D CD player. Should you incorporate a MOON by Simaudio CD player into your ACE based system, the slender remote included will also control said player; a nice touch towards simplicity.

Rega’s new Planar 3 turntable with Elys 2 cartridge (also in for review) proves a fantastic match for the onboard MM phono stage. Analog playback via LP is equally enjoyable through the ACE and after a couple of tracks, it’s obvious that this was not an afterthought. Stepping up to a VPI Classic Two table and Sumiko Blackbird high output MC cartridge also was a lovely match with the ACE and this all in one is certainly up to the task of connecting an equally expensive turntable.

Rounding out the package, the headphone amplifier is stunning with Sennheiser, ADC, Audeze and OPPO phones, so it should be compatible with whatever you’ve got in your stable. Again, emphasizing convenience, Simaudio thoughtfully includes a 1/8^th inch stereo jack on the front panel labeled MP, so that you can plug in a pad, pod or phone from the analog outputs should you so desire.

Magnificent ergonomics

One more small, but significant touch in the ergonomics department, the ACE is the company’s first product featuring an OLED readout, making it easy to read in any ambient light level. Here’s to hoping this display makes it into all future Simaudio components. Another luxurious touch giving this product a much higher feel than its price suggests.

The 50-watt per channel power amplifier is up to the task of driving everything we have on hand for review, including the Quad 2812 electrostats and the somewhat inefficient Rogers LS5/9 speakers. Synergy with the $10,000/pair Focal Sopra no.1 speakers in for review is equally enthralling, but may be more than you want to spend. The point is that the ACE provides a level of sonic refinement way beyond what you’d expect for the price.

The MOON by Simaudio Neo ACE is a component you can live with for a long time, and make multiple source and speaker upgrades before you might even entertain going back to separates again. Major audiophiles in the audience, take note; TONEAudio will be featuring a more in-depth analysis in the weeks to come, running the ACE further through its paces with more analog and digital sources as well as exercising all of the digital options.

However, the short recommendation, should you want a high performance, all in one component, the ACE is for you. This is one of the best values we’ve seen in high performance audio in a long time. And, after purchasing the review sample, it will be a permanent reference component here.

Simaudio Neo ACE

$3,500

www.simaudio.com

Yes, I know I’m a hifi reviewer and I’m supposed to have expensive and mighty turntables or I’m not an audiophile…

Ok, I may not have any six-figure turntables like some of the grand pubahs, but nonetheless, I think I’ve put together a nice set of disc spinners from AVID, Brinkmann, Soulines, VPI and now Grand Prix Audio, with a stable of cartridges and phono stages to match. They sound great and help me do my job at TONEAudio, evaluating pressings and components.

Much as I love these turntables, I started my analog journey with the Technics SL-1200. Bought a new one from Pacific Stereo on 27th street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a Stanton 681EEE cartridge. Worked all summer for that puppy. The first record I bought was Edgar Winter’s They Only Come Out at Night – and I still have it!

But then I became an audiophile and the 1200 wasn’t good enough to pass muster with my like minded buddies, and it was kind of unthinkable then to have more than one turntable. I’m not sure why, but the 1200 moved on to a good friend and a Rega Planar 3 took it’s place, soon to be replaced by an Oracle Delphi mk. II.

Though the 1200 has tremendous respect in the DJ community for its rock solid speed accuracy and ease by which you can vary the speed and scratch to your hearts content, it’s been heavily dissed by the audiophile community until recently, where a number of enthusiasts have upgraded every aspect of the table. Tonearms, external power supplies, you name it.

Having revisited the 1200 myself about five years ago, I did find it a little dark, but there were still things I loved, like the speed accuracy and the solid bass foundation it lays down. A quick swap for an SME 309 tonearm and a TimeStep power supply proves that this is a worth audiophile table indeed.

Needless to say I was more than a little bit excited when the new SL-1200G hit the market last year. And because Technics was so reluctant to hand review samples out, I jumped off the cliff and just bought one from my good friend Antonio Long at AVSF. I have not been disappointed in the least.

Combining this with my modded 1200 mk.2 and a much older SL-1100 (thanks to Erik at Gig Harbor Audio) and the new McIntosh MP-1100 phono stage, I can mix and match cables, cartridges and tonearms to my heart’s content. And I plan to do so as time goes on. But more importantly, I will be playing a lot of records in room two at TONEAudio, because the SL-1200 is so much fun.

I guess I’m not an audiophile anymore. I don’t think I ever was.

Stay tuned, and show us your 1200s (and your story) out on the Analogaholic section of our Facebook page. I look forward to talking to you! – Jeff Dorgay

It’s a pretty big deal when Boulder Amplifiers announces a new series of amplification components, in this case the 1100 series.

Starting with the 1160 power amplifier you see here, weighing in at 140 pounds and producing 300 watts per channel, (doubling into 4 and 2 ohms) you can see that this is no pebble. As with past Boulder designs, it is fully balanced from input to output, using the same massive connectors as their larger amplifiers, there is no compromise in it’s design. It takes advantage of their latest 983 gain modules, which are unique to the 1100 series. And there are 28 discrete output transistors per channel, assuring that it is more than up to the task of driving any speaker load.

Even the casework is updated for an even cooler look. Boulder is the only amplifier company in the US that does every stage of their design and build in house along with a level of artisanship in their aluminum casework that is matched by no other manufacturer, period.

Taking advantage of everything they’ve learned on their flagship 3000 series, which we feel is the world’s finest amplifier, it will be exciting to listen to what they’ve produced in a single chassis with 300 watts per channel. Priced at $28,000, it is very competitive with the rest of the industry.

Stay tuned, we are really looking forward to this.

www.boulderamp.com

Based in California, E.J. Sarmento founded Wyred 4 Sound in 2007 with a goal of producing stellar audio components at prices within financial reach of many music fans. In the decade since the release of their first amplifier, their product line has grown substantially, now including preamplifiers, music streamers, integrated amplifiers, cables, audio accessories, and more.

Of course, they have also invested significant engineering time honing their digital components like the DAC-2v2 and the DAC-2v2SE (the subject of this review). To commemorate their 10^th anniversary this year, a limited production 10^thanniversary DAC-2v2SE was also released. Since the beginning, Wyred 4 Sound’s gear is designed and built in the United States, and they sell their products directly to the public from their headquarters. Because their production facility remains onsite as well, in the unlikely event a product should fail, a customer can also work directly with Wyred’s team in California to quickly resolve the issue.

Standard versus Special Edition

As suggested by the name, the DAC-2v2 builds upon the sonics of the previous iteration in many ways. First, the DAC chip upgrades to the ESS Sabre 9028PRO.  The green OLED display is not on the 2v2, it is exclusive to the 2v2SE.

The SE version takes things even further with the ESS flagship Sabre 9038PRO DAC. It also offers several internal component upgrades including Schottky diodes and higher-grade fuses supplementing custom capacitors and Vishay Z-Foil resistors. The SE also features an upgraded Femto-grade clock, offering greater precision, corraling the digital bits into an optimal stream, reducing jitter significantly. It also has a green OLED display, which Wyred says is quieter than the regular blue LED display of the default DAC-2v2.

Hefty build

Weighing in at 14 pounds, the small 8.5″W x 4.125″H x 13.5″D enclosure packs much goodness under the hood, combining minimalist aesthetics, with densely packed internals. A deep grey powder-coated surface provides the DAC with a subtle matte finish (black also available), interrupted only on the sides by angled ventilation holes – a W4S trademark. Two black-anodized accent sections placed on the front panel offer some spice to the edges of an otherwise boxy form factor. Between them, a narrow OLED display is flanked by small “up” and “down” buttons on the sides, and a standby power button underneath. In addition to controlling volume, these buttons double as menu navigation tools during DAC setup. For those who prefer making adjustments from the comfort of their listening seat, an included remote control allows changes on the fly.

The rear panel offers all the digital ins and analog outs one might need. Outputs accommodate both balanced and single ended connections. Input options include USB, Toslink, Coaxial, AES/EBU, and HDMI connections. With all these options at the ready, it is a breeze to connect any digital source to the DAC and get the music up and running. A 12-volt trigger and home theater bypass capability offer additional flexibility in a larger home entertainment setup.

Depending on the source material, the unit’s internals can process 32-bit files up to a sample rate of 384 kHz PCM and native DSD files up to DSD256.

Fine Tuning

The DAC 2v2 series offers a few menu items not available previously, including multiple jitter reduction adjustments. Wyred 4 Sound recommends the lowest possible jitter setting for ideal sonic performance. However, that setting does place an additional performance tax on the component. Wyred suggests trying the lowest setting, and edging up from there among the five remaining increments if needed. Following their suggestions, the lowest setting never introduced any stutter in the system, but the sound did become a bit more relaxed and smooth with the jitter-reducer working its magic.

Another handy feature on both the DAC 2v2 standard and SE DAC versions is the variable output. If connecting the DAC to a preamplifier through RCA or XLR interconnects, the DAC allows the user to override its internal volume controls in favor of letting the preamp take on that role. However, for those who listen to digital music only, the DAC allows the user to connect it directly to an amplifier, using the built-in variable output as the system volume control.

Increasing the flexibility of the DAC, Wyred also builds into the menu options seven different digital filters. The DAC owner can experiment with all the options to determine the one that he or she prefers. For those in doubt, the DAC2v2 manual suggests starting with the “Apodizing fast rolloff, linear phase” option, and the small tweak does offer fantastic sound.

If connecting your DAC to a computer via USB, note that both Mac and Linux-based systems have native support. Plugging the DAC into a Mac Mini offered not a single hiccup. The computer recognized it immediately through the Roon interface, providing music in a few minutes. For those with Windows-based systems, a required driver is available from the Wyred 4 Sound website.

Wyred 4 Sound suggests 200 hours of break in time for the DAC, and with several days under its belt, it certainly demonstrated its prowess. For the majority of our testing, the DAC 2v2SE was connected directly to an amplifier, using the variable volume control feature. Reducing the number of components and interconnects gives this DAC the straightest possible signal path between source and speakers. While the digital filters do offer minor variances to the DAC’s overall sound, the Wyred has a general sound signature at its heart. At first listen, the DAC 2v2SE demonstrates a natural, and relaxed presentation. There’s a slight warmth complementing a high level of detail retrieval. Those seeking a DAC that exposes every bit of detail, including of glare or stridency inherent in a recording, may prefer more stark voicing. However, potential owners wishing for a more analog-like interpretation in their audio system will welcome the 2v2SE’s ability to file down the sharp edges ever so slightly in the name of musicality.

Extensive soundstage portrayal is DAC 2v2SEs top strengths. Musical cues extended to the far left, right and rear of the speakers’ imaging limits give a convincing and layered presentation. Listening to albums like Silent Letters from Bliss, the rich soundstage created by the engineers demonstrates the DAC 2v2SE’s ability to ingest, process and share out the digital bits with aplomb, re-creating the subtle details contained within. Cymbal crashes generate a complexity of audio frequency transmissions, offering a solid approximation as if sitting several rows back in an auditorium at a live concert. Similarly, the woodiness of clarinets and the brassiness of trumpets roll forth as dictated by the quality of a given recording.

Both male and female voices are rendered with a natural quality. In the absence of sharp edges to the sound make the DAC 2v2SE a great friend for long listening sessions. Ear fatigue never enters into the equation, giving the listener a chance to settle into the music for the long haul.

Bass-wise, the 2v2SE maintains a solid grip on bass without mushiness or disappointment in impact. The balance of bass with the rest of the audio spectrum does not tilt in favor of low-frequency information through this DAC. Those with a powerful solid-state amp are likely to find the partnership between the two components a welcome fit. Potential owners with tube amplifiers like the Conrad-Johnson Classic Sixty-Two we had on hand for testing, will be delighted equally. The DAC 2v2SE does not appear to modify the sound of any amp it is mated with, it just gives the amp a chance to sing to its full potential.

Summing strengths

This base DAC-2v2 retails for $2,299, and the even more advanced SE edition in this review retails for $3,799. While we did not have the opportunity to compare-and-contrast the standard edition to the SE version, the SE version performs very well at its price point. This DAC combines excellent build quality, understated modern looks, and a confidence inspiring five-year warranty. Wyred 4 Sound also provides a generous trade-in program to those who own older DACs and wish to upgrade to these latest iterations.

Considering many high-end DACs today cost well over $10k, and the marvelous quality of Wyred’s DAC represents a substantial value. Yes, more money can buy a higher degree of refinement and realism. However, the Wyred delivers a lot of prowess for its price point. Because of the variable output capability, this DAC can also function effectively as a preamplifier. For those listening only to digital music, it is a bit like getting two products for the price of one. Additionally, for those who enjoy fine-tuning their DAC’s sound, the on-screen menu options give owners several ways to tailor sound to their liking. Those small tweaks can help an owner to best match the DAC’s sound to the associated gear around it, but bear in mind that the DAC 2v2SE sounds great even with the factory defaults. The core sound adjusted to the owner’s preferences make this DAC a terrific choice for those who may rotate other gear over time. Some things may come and go, but this DAC can hold its own for years to come.

Further listening

At first, I thought I was listening to the anniversary edition of the DAC 2v2SE and was impressed at that point, but finding out that this was a regular 2v2SE was impressive. While my reference DAC is the dCS Rossini with clock (retailing at nearly $40k), I have been very excited to hear just how far digital has come in the context of the DAC 2v2SE.

Truly engaging sound to an analog lover used to take five figures to achieve. Like the lovely Exogal Comet we reviewed recently, the DAC 2v2SE is another addition to the list of highly musical yet reasonably priced DACs that will make you sit back and take notice. Combining major dynamic punch with lifelike tonality and lack of upper register glare has me questioning if I’d even bother with a turntable with an equivalent price tag to the DAC 2v2SE. Especially considering the ease and availability of digital music options.

As Rob mentions, if you are a music lover that doesn’t want to be committed to vinyl, you can build a phenominal music system for $5,000 – $10,000 using the DAC 2v2SE as your core component. While I used the DAC 2v2SE in the context of the system in room two with the PrimaLuna DiaLogue HP integrated amplifier and a pair of Quad 2812s, it was equally impressive with a vintage Conrad Johnson MV60SE tube power amplifier and the Graham LS5/9 speakers. Adding a few bits of Cardas Iridium interconnect and speaker cable brought the whole system cost to just under $10k. If I lost my job reviewing hifi gear, I could easily live with this system for a long time. I’m happy to award this DAC one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2017 and look forward to sampling more offerings from this manufacturer sooner rather than later.

Publishers note:  Just as we are going live with this review, the guys at W4S have let us know that they will be sending an anniversary model by for comparison…  Stay tuned!

Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2v2SE

Please Click here to visit the WFS site….

MSRP:  $3,799

PERIPHERALS:

Digital Sources: Mac Mini, Roon Music Service, SimAudio 780D DAC, Oppo Sonica DAC

Amplification: Conrad-Johnson Classic Sixty-Two

Preamplification: Coffman Labs G1-B

Speakers: GamuT RS3i

Cables: Jena Labs

Power: Torus AVR 15 Plus, RSA Mongoose power cords

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

One of the questions I’m often asked by fans of vintage hifi, is where to find an upgraded interconnect cable that sounds better than standard issue Best Buy/Radio Shack cable, but doesn’t have a four figure price tag.

Just as you can’t fit a pair of 19-inch wheels and low profile tires under the wheel wells of a BMW 2002tii, (if you have, please don’t send me a picture) it’s tough if not impossible to plug todays “audiophile” cables into the tightly packed jacks of a vintage audio component. And some home theater receivers, for that matter.

Cardas Audio solves the problem on both counts. Their Crosslink interconnects come terminated with RCA or XLR plugs and they are assembled with care by the same people that make their Clear cables. While these are very inexpensive cables at $159 for a meter pair, when you see the quality of the connectors and finish, you’d expect to pay a lot more.

The sound is pure Cardas. Ever so slightly on the warm side of neutral, but maintaining a great sense of tone. Connecting my Nakamichi 600 system together, using one pair between preamplifier and power amp, with the other between cassette deck and pre, the Crosslink cables reveal a lot more music than the garage sale cables I was using. I had a similar revelation with the Anthem MRX-510 HT receiver in my living room, but that’s another column.

Crosslink is the only cable that Cardas makes available in bulk, so if you need custom lengths for a new or vintage system, help is only a phone call away.

If you’d like to give that vintage system a tune-up, this is our suggestion.

Cardas Crosslink Interconnect

RCA or XLR

$159/1m pair, other lengths on request

http://cardas.com/crosslink_ic.php

There is a coherence to the single ended triode design that is tough to ignore. Passing the signal through a single triode in the output stage has a grain free purity that will have you converted in no time at all.

Critics around the world raved about the original version of this amplifier (Priced at $1,295) and though I haven’t had any personal time with the original, every other Coincident product I’ve auditioned or owned has been a top of class product. The current Mk. II version is now $1,495, and has had nearly every component beefed up. Bigger transformers, bigger capacitors, more power supply capacity, etc., etc.

And the chassis is beautiful. As Coincident’s owner Israel Blume comments, “While far more costly than chromed steel, stainless steel is non-magnetic, eliminating hysteresis distortion and the mirror finish is permanent – unlike chrome, which is prone to pitting and eventual peeling.” This is not only a component you want to put front and center – proudly, it’s a component you will probably hand down to a family member.

Heading straight for the female vocal tracks, Anja Garbarek’s Smiling and Waving proves a revelation, with Ms. Garbarek’s voice materializing between the two Coincident Dynamite speakers that have been sent along to review. My other favorites, Ella Fitzgerald, Shelby Lynne and Anne Bisson all seem to just walk out from inside the speakers in such an effortless, grain free, natural way. Even though they have a sensitivity rating of 90db/1-watt, the Mk. II drives them with authority.

It feels more like a 20 or 30 wpc amplifier, and my old Dynaco Stereo 70 (30wpc on a good day) runs out of steam quicker than this 8-watt per channel wonder. It’s amazing what solid vacuum designs coupled with modern manufacturing can produce.

Why the EL-34?

The Dynamo SE34 Mk. II takes a slightly different approach to the SET thing, using a single EL34 pentode, configured as a triode, with a single EL34 per channel in the output stage, driven by a 6SL7 tube. These days, a good supply of EL34s are available as new stock tubes and the Mk. 3 sounds great as it is right out of the box.

When asked about this seemingly off the beaten path choice, when so many SET amplifiers are built around a 300B or 2A3, he replies, “the EL-34 is widely available, inexpensive, and has exceptionally low distortion when used in single-ended triode mode. Most importantly, this tube has wide frequency response, offering a highly transparent and neutral tonality.”

The proof is in the listening. Removing my $20,000 Nagra 300B amplifier from the system and replacing it with the Mk.II doesn’t reveal a delta of $19,000. Much as I love the Swiss brand, the truth is in the listening. And with a couple of super high efficiency speakers in the system, I prefer the Coincident amplifier.

Extra credit

While this is essentially a budget amplifier from a price standpoint (though not in performance) it may not make sense to someone to invest in another $500 or more in NOS tubes. The Mk. 3s small tube compliment (2 – EL34s, 2-6SN7s and a 5AR4) makes this amplifier a tube rollers delight. Seeing I just happened to have some great Siemens NOS EL34s hanging around, as well as the other two, it was worth investigating. To make this clear, the Mk.II sounds fantastic out of the box and like some tube gear I’ve heard, it does not need a set of vintage tubes to make it sing. However, thanks to the Mk. II being gentle on tubes to begin with, investing in a few NOS tubes can be fun and rewarding. Think of it as replacing the Pilot Super Sports on your car with Cup 2s, or for those of you that aren’t auto enthusiasts, the icing on the cake.

Ultimate simplicity

Music lovers just playing vinyl or digital exclusively, can use the Mk.II as your sole component, as it has a single pair of RCA, line level inputs – no preamplifier is required. Most of the listening tests conducted running the dCS Rossini DAC/Clock straight into the Mk. IIs line level input went great connected directly. When switching between multiple source components, the Pass XS Pre was used. That these are 40 and 65 thousand dollar components speaks volumes as to how much music this diminutive box reveals.

Thanks to auto bias, the output tubes won’t need much attention. Combining this with the soft start function of the tube rectifier, tube life should be excellent, as it is with the rest of the Coincident product line. All wiring is point to point, so even if something should ever fail, repairs will be easy to troubleshoot and easy to diagnose, just as the best vintage components from Marantz and McIntosh are.

Better than the numbers

Have you ever met one of those scrappy little dogs that thinks he’s a big dog? That’s the Dynamo; this amplifier has a huge heart. Though a single ended design, this amplifier is affected far less by speaker and crossover loading than any other SET I’ve lived with. Your listening habits will dictate speaker choice, but I suggest keeping to 90db/1 watt speakers or better. Coincident’s own Dynamite speakers proves tons of fun, as do the equally efficient Vandersteen 1s. Thanks to that beefy power supply and the headroom it affords, Blume tells me that he has owners with 86db/1 watt speakers report they are more than satisfied with the Mk. II’s output.

As mentioned earlier, this amplifier has a more robust power supply than its predecessor and offers amazing grip in the bass region, something small SETs usually lack. Even when listening to heavy rock or EDM tracks, this amplifier offers up a solid musical foundation. Where some SET designs are notorious for loose, floppy, one-note bass, the Mk. II keeps a lock on things. I was pleasantly surprised at how loud I could play Led Zeppelin and Tool before the soundstage flattened out from being overdriven.

The magic is in the midrange and upper registers, and this amplifiers ability to reveal layer upon layer of musical texture is indeed sublime. Listening to the current remix of the Beatles’ Sargent Pepper, which for those not familiar is a more dynamic, forward mix than even the remastered discs from about six years ago is sheer joy. With so much more information at your disposal, it’s not only easier to hear all the individual instrument lines, the harmonies of the group are now more accessible as well. An equally pleasant rendition of the audiophile warhorse from The Fairfield Four, Standing in the Safety Zone is achieved with the Mk. II. Those four guys just seem to inhabit the listening space. If there was ever an excuse for the “less is more” attitude towards design, the Mk. II nails it.

Vintage fun

Making it a point to get a pair of Zu Druids in to experience what super-efficient speakers can do with 8 watts per channel, going back in time proves even more enjoyable. A recently acquired pair of mint, mid 70s Klipsch LaScalas mated to the Mk.II is some of the most fun I’ve ever had listening to music. Combined with the Simaudio NEO 260 CD player/DAC (purchased used in excellent shape from our pals at Echo Audio in Portland, Oregon) the entire system is about $3k.

Dynamics are definitely the fourth dimension in music, and listening to some of my favorite classic rock records with this kind of pure sock, is immersive to say the least. Whether jamming out to the alarm clocks on Dark Side of the Moon, or some Jimi Hendrix, the Mk. II paints a vivid, three-dimensional soundstage that is easy to swim around in. Hifi doesn’t get any more fun than this. Should you be a Klipsch lover looking for the perfect amplifier, this is an amazing choice and my personal favorite. I’ve never heard a pair of LaScalas sound better. I suspect the Mk. II would be equally great with Altec Voice of the Theater speakers as well. The only thing I didn’t get to try was a pair of single driver speakers. Maybe next time.

Conclusion

If you’ve got speakers that can live with 8 watts per channel, I can’t suggest a more enjoyable amplifier than the Coincident Dynamo Mk. II. It offers a degree of refinement that you’d expect from a tube amplifier with another zero on the end of the price tag. Along with being robustly built, the Mk. II is aesthetically pleasing to boot. Those with a huge room and average sensitivity speakers might consider a larger amplifier from Coincident, but if you can work within what the little Dynamo can deliver, it’s very impressive.

Considering that a decent, stand-alone headphone amplifier alone will set you back $1,500 these days, getting a power amplifier too makes the Mk. II a stone-cold bargain. Running through the gamut of headphones at our disposal, (Audeze, Grado, Koss, Pryma and OPPO) reveals the Mk. II has no difficulty driving any of them. Blume reveals that instead of an inexpensive op amp, the output of the amplifier drives the headphones directly, so that the output available is huge. This also gives the benefit of your favorite phones having the same sonic signature delivered to your speakers.

So, if this sounds like your idea of the perfect audio joy ride, give Mr. Blume a call and tell him we sent you. The Dynamo Mk. II is highly deserving of one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2017, and if we gave out an “Extra Effort” award, it would win that too.

The Coincident Dynamo SE34 Mk.II amplifier

www.coincidentspeaker.com

$1,495

Peripherals

Analog Source            Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0 turntable/Tri-Planar/Lyra Etna

Phonostage                  Pass Labs XS Phono

Digital Source             dCS Rossini DAC and Clock

Speakers                      Coincident Dynamite, Vandersteen 1Ce, Zu Druid, Klipsch LaScala

Cable                           Cardas Iridium

Power                          Equi=Core 1800

For the next two weeks, Audio Research is offering a “trade up” program, with up to 75% of original MSRP on selected models.

This is a great way to get that system update you’ve been pondering, and we think this is a pretty cool way to make the process easier. How many times has the person you share your space with say “You can’t have a new toy unless you get rid of the old one?” You know what we’re talking about.

So, rather than go through the agony of Ebay or Audiogon, potential shipping damage, not getting paid, etc etc. (and don’t forget Ebay takes about 10-12% off the top anyway) why not stop down to your local Audio Research dealer and make this a painless upgrade?

Please click here for full details…

I may not be as handsome as the dude in the opening photo, but I really love these headphones. You can get all purist about bluetooth, but I say shut up – being released from a headphone cable is awesome.

I have a busy schedule and a messy desk; fiddling around to try and plug headphones into my Mac is a royal pain in the….  I never realized the reason I always bristled at headphone listening sessions was the cable. This isn’t going to make all the aftermarket cable manufacturers happy, but not having to deal with that thing swinging around is wonderful.

There were plenty of reasons to be a big fan of the P7 when it hit the market a while back; great sound, excellent build quality and great support. I’ve visited the Bowers & Wilkins factory a few times and know the level of dedication their workforce has to quality control. When you buy a B&W product, you know it’s good.

The proof’s in the listening

The opening bass line in Little Villiage’s “Inside Job” is weighty and spacious, and as John Hiatt’s signature lead vocal eases into the presentation, it’s amazing to see just how far bluetooth delivery has come in a short time. You’d never guess these weren’t cabled phones.

Regardless of the source you choose, the P7s are top performers, but It’s worth mentioning that the P7s sound clearer, cleaner and more crisp via PC than Mac. Yep, that’s a little hard for this Mac fanboy to admit, but streaming TIDAL through the new Dell XPS 27 is a wonderful combination. Opposite of years past, pairing the P7s was easier on the Dell too.

For not being a noise cancelling design, the P7s do an excellent job at sealing out the environment once installed on your head. They do feel a bit bulky in your hand, but the balance is so good, that even after hours of listening, there is no listener fatigue due to fit. Taking the P7s on a recent flight, thanks to their fold up design made them an easy travel partner. With 17 hours of battery life, you should be able to fly anywhere without running out of sound. However, should you forget to charge your P7s before a long expedition, just keep the cable packed in that cool carrying case handy for moments like these. In case you’re wondering, the P7s will go about 30-50 feet away from the device you have them paired with, and of course, the less cluttered the path, the better your results will be.

The P7s have a smooth, linear tonal balance, lending themselves to anything you might have in your music collection. Where the recent 802Ds we reviewed are highly resolving and even slightly forward in their presentation (more like sitting in the first five rows of the venue) the P7s push it back about five more rows. Not laid back, any stretch, but very natural. No part of the tonal spectrum is over emphasized, and for this listener that’s a great thing. The P7s are one of the easiest sets of phones to listen to I’ve heard in a long time. According to B&Ws engineers, the driver in the new P7 Wireless is completely redesigned from the previous model.

Beautiful and Practical

Fashionistas will appreciate the clean, uncluttered look of the P7s and who doesn’t like black? Right? The storage case is gorgeous and looks like something you’d find on the shelf at the Coach store. While packaging isn’t everything, this attention to detail is what makes you feel good about purchasing a B&W product. The P7s are tastefully designed, sturdily built and beautifully packaged. Everyone in my orbit that googled the P7s guessed $1,000 when I pulled out that cool, quilted case. Nope. $399. The B&W P7s are the killer audio bargain of the year.

Nerds will appreciate how easy these phones are to use. The human engineering of the P7s is fantastic – they are very intuitive. Once paired to your device, and adjusted to your head, the only thing left to address is volume level, set from the right ear cup. Volume can not be adjusted this way when the phones are used in wired operation. To power up or down, merely slide the power button and hold for a couple seconds. The power LED lights up (green means you have more than 20% charge) and should you forget to turn them off, the P7s will shutdown automatically after 10 min. Once powered back up, they automatically find the primary device you have paired them with. For those with an electronically dense household, up to 8 additional, “secondary” devices can be paired with the P7s.

Music lovers will just dig the sound and call it a day.

Love em!

Considering the modest up-charge (from $349 for standard cabled P7s) for having your P7s un-tethered, is the easiest $49 you’ll ever spend in the pursuit of musical enjoyment. And you can still use them with the supplied cables if you want to. The mix of superior sound quality provided by the P7 Wireless phones, combined with fanatic detail in implementation, right down to the carrying case, more than qualifies them for one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2017.

Jay Leno once said that there are two types of car people, “wrench turners and check writers.” I’ve often felt that there are two types of headphone listeners, “headphone collectors and music lovers.” If you’re one of the former, you’ll have to have a pair of P7s just because, but if you just love your music, and want to take it everywhere without being bothered by a pair of headphone cables (and for my money, we have way too many damn cables as it is) you can live happily ever after with a pair of P7s.

You only face one problem with owning a pair of P7s; unless you live in solitude, whoever you co-habitate with will either want yours or steal yours. Just plan on buying two pairs.

If you would like to purchase a pair of P7 wireless headphones directly from the B&W online store, please click here.

The Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless Phones,  $399

www.bowersandwilkins.com.  (factory site)

It’s sad news today to hear of Gregg Allman’s passing. It seems like only yesterday that I saw Allman put on an incredible performance at Portland’s Rose Garden, and we published Jaan Uhelszki’s intriguing interview. That was December of 2010. It is crazy how the time flies.

So, for those intrigued to view a snapshot, we pay homage both to Ms. Uhelszki and Mr. Allman today…

Gregg Allman never planned on becoming one of America’s most recognizable white blues singers. In fact, in the early days of his career, it was his brother Duane who did the singing in the Allman Joys, one of the rst incarnations of the bands that the brothers put together prior to founding the Allman Brothers Band.

“I don’t think I really grew into my voice until I turned 50,” claims the 62-year-old icon, speaking by phone from his home in Savannah, Georgia while preparing to release his first solo album in 14 years. “I’ve always been my worst critic and would tell myself that I sound like a million other people at once. But then one day I woke up and said, ‘Well, by God I do have a style all my own.’”

Of course, many consider Gregg Allman’s most signifcant contribution to rock’s historical record is his role as the lead singer, organist, and principle songwriter for the archetypal Southern band founded by his older brother Duane in 1969. Yet the younger Allman had a parallel career as a solo artist almost from the onset of the Allman Brothers, an outfit that proved its mettle with an organic synthesis of blues, jazz, folk, rock, and country influences—and the exquisite dual guitar interplay between Duane and Dickie Betts, a tandem that got so heated on some nights that a listener couldn’t tell where one musician started and the other left off.

Ironically, it was because of these very strengths that one of the band’s most obvious gifts—Gregg Allman’s languid blues pacing and mournful growl—was often overshadowed. Allman’s solo work gave him the recognition that he sorely deserved. “I started thinking about my solo album long before there even was an Allman Brother Band,” he remembers. “A lot of the songs I’d written just weren’t right for the group. I took one of the songs I wrote to the band and they didn’t care for it. It was ‘Queen of Hearts.’”

That winsome love song to his former wife became the cornerstone of a solo career that produced seven solo albums over the next four decades. Hardly a prolific output, but if Allman is anything, he’s careful with his words. A recurring theme in many of his earlier songs is the thundering sound of silence, and his quiet resolve to communicate in spite of it. “I was so anesthetized for so long. I just wanted to be away from it, but I wanted to still be there. Check in on reality, but to do that, you get loaded. A lot of people have great losses. “I didn’t do the best I think I could’ve done.”

I can’t believe that in 2017 audio critics are still whining and complaining about whether analog sounds better than digital. Really?

It just seems like such a tired argument. Sure, I still remember the disappointment back in 1983 when I brought that first compact disc player home from the hifi store. It was kind of flat and brittle sounding, to be sure. But I bought one anyway, because I figured the brainiacs would make it sound better eventually, and it was a cool format. Sure enough, they did.

We’ve listened to so many great DACs lately, here at TONEAudio, I just don’t think digital is a disappointment anymore, no matter what the price point. As much as the used market for really good records has gone so far upscale, bargain analog finds are few and far inbetween these days. Crappy records from the thrift store played on a mediocre turntable that isn’t optimized isn’t the analog magic. Not for me anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, I love analog. I’ve got 11 turntables and three world class phono stages. I love listening to records. But I’ve got a couple of incredible digital front ends too, and it’s come to the point that digital just isn’t the redheaded stepchild it once was. Combine that with the convenience of Tidal, Roon and a few other great ways to catalog and play your digital files back, and the inherent fiddliness of analog isn’t always the way I want to roll.

There are still times when the lights are low, the planets line up, the tubes are warm, and there’s a perfect pressing on the table. That’s one of those magic moments where analog still gets the nod in the seduction department. It’s cooler than cool that analog is still alive, going strong and there are more great choices than ever. I listen to everything. And I mean everything. I’ve been known to bust out the 8-track collection now and then, not to mention the pile of minidiscs that are lying about. It’s all good. It’s all music.

I truly don’t understand the logic that listening to a record is so much more meaningful, because you flip through your stack of records and oogle the jacket, pouring over the liner notes. I didn’t do that much of that back in the 70s and 80’s, and I do it a lot more now with Google at my disposal. Or that because music is being played from a hard drive that I don’t or can’t listen to an entire album because digital has made me into this ADD person who can’t focus and only plays single tracks. Much as I used to love making mix tapes on cassette or reel to reel tape (I even made em on 8 track) I spend nearly as much time agonizing over what music to play for an afternoon or evening. And I still listen to albums all the way through, just like I did with records. Actually, I kind of like the seamless quality of digital where I can listen to both (or all four) sides of an album in it’s entirety. It’s not like I didn’t go through a pile of records, playing a track or two of this and a track or two of that back when they were the only way to listen.

If anything, having Tidal at my command has led me to buying more vinyl, and the records I do buy are keepers. But as TONE’s former music editor (and legend) Ben Fong-Torres used to tell me, “you don’t know what everyone is thinking because you don’t know everyone.” So rather than extrapolate and assume that everyone is doing or not doing this or that, I can only speak for myself and a close circle of friends that share my viewpoint and habits. Not to mention a few that are diametrically opposed.

I’m just as engaged with my music no matter what the format. And I truly hope you are too.

The driving bass line in Paul Weller’s “Peacock Suit” instantly convinces me that the Comet Plus is an excellent DAC. It renders music with cohesion, with a groove that is unmistakable. Best of all you won’t find yourself saying “pretty good for digital.”

There are multiple schools of thought when it comes to listening to any component run in, but if it sucks out of the box, it isn’t going to become magically great after a hundred or a zillion hours of burn in. Outstanding components offer compelling performances straight out of the box, only to improve with a bit of time. The Exogal Comet Plus delivers right from power up; and while they do suggest some burn in time, it opens up considerably after about 24 hours of continuous play and then a little more as you pile hours on the clock.

This DAC is equally beguiling switching to the sultry voice of Amy Winehouse, as she sings “F-Me Pumps.” The Quad/REL combination pumps out bass like nobody’s business; lot’s of weight, growl and sheer push. And Winehouse’s’ raspiness is preserved while offering a lot of body and fullness. No matter what the program, this is an exciting musical component.

Hundreds of albums later, whether listening to high-res digital files (the Comet Plus handles it all from 24/192 PCM files up to mega DSD) I remain fully engaged. Cool as the high res playback is, the Comet’s ability to provide exceptional playback quality with standard CD resolution files is what keeps me excited. You will not be the least bit disappointed with high res playback via the Comet and your favorite form of data transfer. Many DAC’ commanding the Comet Plus’ pricetag ($3,500 as the Plus version with higher capacity power supply) scrimp on one aspect of digital playback in hopes of gathering attention. Not here, this baby is pure American know-how through and through.

Call it what you will

As digital playback continues to improve, it becomes more natural, more organic, more lifelike. While some may say digital is starting to sound more like analog, I submit it just sounds more like music and freer of artifacts, noise, or whatever distortions trigger your brain to think it’s listening to reproduced music versus the real thing.

At first audition, you might even find the Comet Plus slightly warm or romantic. (And I mean slightly.) You might even want to take it apart and hunt for a vacuum tube or two inside, but I mean this in the best possible way. The best tube circuits have magic, a delicacy, that can present music in an easier way that comes across as tonally more inviting than transistors, and only the best solid state can achieve this sense of ease. This is what the Comet Plus provides in all three of my reference system. If it were a phono cartridge, it would be somewhere between the new Grado Statement 2 and the Koetsu Jade Platinum. If it were a preamplifier, it would split the difference between the tonality of the Conrad Johnson GAT 2 and the Audio Research REF 6. All the musical integrity is intact, but there’s something special going on here. If it were a leather jacket, it would be a John Varvatos piece – hip, cool, and looks like it cost a lot more than you paid for it. I hope that’s helping you out a bit, as this can be so tough to define.

Seriously, you should hear this little box, available in silver or black. Hailing from Minneapolis, where people tend to go about their business of getting stuff done without a lot of fanfare, this ethos is reflected in the Comet Plus. It has understated good looks, with a tasteful design and a modest footprint that will make it home in any system. The combination of a cool, roundy shape, top shelf materials, and the fact that you can get it in black too is very fashion forward.

Hooking up

Though other reviewers have either bypassed the analog input of the Comet Plus or groused about its quality and functionality, I found it to be quite good. It’s never wise to assume anything, especially when it comes to your music, system, and habits. Should you be the kind of music and audio lover that is looking for a high-performance digital solution, but then gets pulled into the analog world, you’re going to appreciate that analog input.

Plugging in the now upgraded (with an Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge) Shinola Runwell turntable makes for a killer system with virtually no footprint, thanks to the Runwell’s built in phonostage. Spinning more of my share of LPs this way was proved a ton of fun. Mated to a Pass Labs XA30.8 power amplifier and the Graham LS5/9 speakers were incredibly musical and involving. Moving the Comet Plus to the new room three system with the PrimaLuna DialogueHP integrated and the Quad 2812/REL S2 combination even better.

And it’s got a nice headphone amp as well, though my experience with the phones at my disposal from Audeze, OPPO and AKG find the Comet a little bit lacking for ultimate punch, but easier to drive phones like the Grados, JBL, and Beats (I know, I know) are just fine. Bottom line, it’s a nice addition, but the Comet won’t be your ultimate headphone amplifier. As little as I listen to phones, this wouldn’t stop me from buying a Comet in the least.

Using the Comet Plus as a digital hub, inputs for USB, Toslink, SPDIF and AES/EBU should have you rocking, no matter what your sources. Most of my listening was done via Mac Book Pro, Mac Mini or the new Dell XPS 27 that we just reviewed. Mac users will have a plug and play experience, and Windows users will more than likely have to download the necessary drivers from the Exogal website. The HDMI EXONET connectors are strictly for use when connecting to other Exogal products, not as a digital input, so don’t expect to use this as an input source.

While many will probably use the Comet Plus with their computer of choice, excellent results were achieved with the dCS, Simaudio, PS Audio, and OPPO transports at my disposal, via USB and AES/EBU inputs. If you’ve got an older transport or are itching for an upgrade, the Comet Plus is a perfect step up that won’t require you abandoning the transport you already have. It proves a particularly engaging combination with the Simaudio MOON CD 260D.

Exogal has provided an excellent app to control the Comet Plus with your favorite smartphone, and they do provide a decent remote. You will need to connect the small antenna to make this all happen; be careful, as it is very small and easy to lose.

Around the block

Having quite a few DACs at our beck and call these days makes for some intriguing comparisons. Unfairly comparing the Comet Plus to the $40k dCS Rossini DAC/Clock, the $30k Gryphon Kalliope DAC and the $18k Simaudio MOON 780D still proves the big boys deliver the goods. There’s a level of refinement with the super mega DACs that isn’t here. But again, this is not a fair comparison. Comparing it to a handful of other DACs slightly more and slightly less expensive is where it really shines. The Comet Plus offers way more sonic refinement than anything I’ve heard anywhere near its price.

What I did come away with after putting the Comet Plus in the context of a $300k reference system and head to head with a few of the world’s finest DACs is that the Comet Plus certainly has the soul of a five-figure DAC. Five minutes of switching back to the Comet Plus, you won’t be looking around to plug the spendy DAC back in, with your ears in a panic. Think of the Comet Plus as an Audi A3 Sport or a new Miata. They offer so much fun and engagement, you don’t think about what lies beyond – and that’s what makes the Comet Plus such an awesome component. Listening to the decay at the beginning of Cheap Trick’s “Mandocello,” from their self-titled debut, the music just flows. Just as it does cruising through a whole pile of Ella Fitzgerald tracks. Yep, this is midrange magic at its best, yet there is plenty of extension at both ends of the frequency spectrum as well. The highest compliment I can pay the Comet Plus is that after the necessary amount of review dissection was complete, I forgot about it. That’s a winner in my book.

Sans preamp

Meant to work in tandem with Exogal’s matching ION powerDAC providing 100 watts per channel, (and we have a review of that on the tail of this review) a pair of balanced XLR outputs and single ended RCA’s assure compatibility with any power amplifier you might have at your disposal.

The digital volume control on board is excellent, lacking nothing in terms of low-level resolution, so when you aren’t rocking the house down, it retains all the sweetness you’ve become accustomed to. Unless you have a mega preamplifier or require all the control functionality, skip buying a linestage entirely. Putting the Comet Plus through its paces with both tube and solid-state power amplifiers proves highly rewarding, and both the balanced and non-balanced outputs had no problems driving 20 feet of interconnects. This makes the Comet Plus stealthy if you don’t want much gear in sight.

A unique destination

With a certain trend in digital pushing more towards opposite ends of the price spectrum, with exciting things going on in the five and six-figure range, as well as the next to nothing column. There isn’t much going on for the music lover that would like to step up from their OPPO but doesn’t want to take a second mortgage on the house or have a modded component. While I’ve had some intriguing experiences with modded components, at the end of the day, they remain Frankensteins. Personally, I’d rather plunk my hard-earned cash down on the original manufacturer.

There’s a lot of brain trust from Wadia at Exogal, and for those of you not familiar, Wadia was a groundbreaking digital company. Consequently, while the Comet Plus has some unique technology under the hood, it is incredibly user-friendly. Combining clean design, robust build quality and above all, fantastic sound makes the Exogal Comet Plus and Exceptional Value Award winner. I suggest spending a few bucks and just getting the Plus model with the bigger power supply because you know your inner tweakasaurus wants it anyway. Highly recommended; and just step up to the plate for the better power supply. It’s worth it and you know you’ll want it anyway.­­­

The Exogal Comet Plus DAC and power supply

$3,500

www.exogal.com

Peripherals

Amplification              PrimaLuna HP Premium Integrated (KT 150 model)

Speakers                     Quad 2812 w/REL S2 subwoofer

Cable                           Cardas Clear

Sonneteer is a new name to many, admittedly including me. In the 1980s, college friends Haider Bahrani and Remo Casadei discovered their shared passion for live music and audio recording. After years envisioning products for their own use, and leaning on their backgrounds in electrical engineering, the two solidified their collaboration in 1994 with the founding of UK-based Sonneteer.

Why name the company Sonneteer you ask? In addition to his design skills, Bahrani enjoyed poetry. The name serves as an homage to those sonnet writers who inspired him. As such, their Alabaster Integrated Amplifier received its moniker from 16th-century poet William Alabaster[1] [2] .

Appearance

The Alabaster integrated amp sports a traditional and understated appearance. Our review sample with a black anodized aluminum facade does little to hint at the electronic prowess within. The front panel offers a purist complement of controls, with three knobs managing input source selection, adjust volume, and power. That is it. While the Alabaster may not win any beauty awards for modern elegance, the build quality is solid; with controls and switches that feel substantial when operated. For a very reasonable price around $2,400, this integrated earns a high score for price-performance. Looks are always a plus, but of course, that kind of facelift would drive up production cost. I applaud Sonneteer’s tradeoff, focusing on sound quality over flashy looks.

Weighing 26.5lbs. with dimensions of 12” deep x 17” wide x 3.5” high [3] only [4] hints at the hefty transformer coils, steel bracing, and circuitry within. The unit pushes 55 watts into eight ohms, and roughly double that into four ohms. With a new website on the way, the manual will now be downloadable.

With all respect intended to the straightforward design, the Alabaster has one major functional limitation – the lack of a remote control. Those like me who listen to a variety of artists or songs in a single sitting recognize that music is not always rendered at the same volume without software intervention. Depending on your audio setup, and your tolerance for volume swings between songs, this reality can lead to several tedious trips to the volume knob for small adjustments. [5] As the North American importer is quick to point out, “The Alabaster is good for upping the step count on your Fitbit.”[6] [7]

The ins and outs

The rear panel features a utilitarian look similar to the faceplate. Speaker binding posts at the far left and right of the unit body sandwich in between them a series of five single-ended stereo inputs, plus a set of RCA line outputs. Among the line inputs, the Alabaster comes standard with one MM phono input, giving the owner extra flexibility. Those seeking balanced connections are out of luck, but those with a single ended system will find this Sonneteer a perfect companion for the rest of its brethren residing on the audio rack.

The speaker binding posts meet European safety standards, the plastic shield covers each post ensures stray cables cannot connect inadvertently. Safety is a good thing, and these posts make connections to banana terminations or bare wire easy. Connecting spades requires sliding the cable termination into the shield from the underside. Due to the shield, there is no way to thread spades in from the top, so the Alabaster must sit against the back edge of the audio rack so that spade-terminated cables can dangle downward. If your speaker cables prove problematic in this regard, high-quality banana adapters may prove a saving grace.

The Alabaster’s straightforward connection options make setup very easy, and in a matter of a few minutes, this silver-tongued poet finds itself prepared to speak. When powered on, a small blue LED over the input selector comes to life indicating readiness. As a solid-state design, the Alabaster deserves several days of break-in to achieve the musicality it is designed to deliver.

Sound

Some characterize a “British” component sound as one that is voiced to prioritize warmth over stark transparency, politeness over detail, and relaxation over speed. Yes, those elements do serve well as broad brushstroke descriptors for the sonic signature this amplifier. Music portrayal is forgiving, perhaps akin to that heard several rows back in an auditorium where cymbal crashes and brass instrument blasts lose their bite as part of the bigger musical picture. At the same time, clinging to those generalizations would not do the Alabaster justice. These audible characteristics do make the Alabaster a joy to settle into for long, fatigue-free listening sessions. However, the sum of its sound is not bound to those overly-simplified descriptors. For example, listening to Bill Laswell and Jah Wobble’s dub-inspired collaboration Radioaxiom, the Alabaster reproduces low bass notes with solidity, musicality and drive which create the illusion of control by a more powerful amplifier. Those 100 watts never pull punches when needed.

Through the Sonneteer, the soundstage is substantial, organizing musical elements accurately from left-to-right across the soundstage. The front-to-back layering of musical elements is good, but when a complex array of vocals and instruments litter the soundstage, the Sonneteer tends to compress that picture a bit in comparison with some high-end gear I have experienced. The nitpick is minor, however, since the Alabaster does so much so well.

The complex harmonics of cymbal crashes or triangle strikes, like those captured on Ben Harper’s Burn to Shine, preserve most of the impact, reverberation and decay a listener should hear. Similarly, vocals offer the emotion of the performance without uncomfortable stridency or sibilance. For instance, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” reveals itself through the Alabaster with the powerful crescendos one wants to experience from her recordings, but without the wince factor that accompanies it on some overly-revealing gear.

While the Alabaster cannot be expected to deliver the sound of separate components many times its price, it certainly offers an incredible amount of musical satisfaction. Higher-end components can exceed the Alabaster’s ability with a broader and better-layered soundstage[8] , a greater sense of realism, and more detailed presentation, especially at the higher end of the frequency spectrum. However, when compared more fairly to components in its price range, the Alabaster’s accomplishments are stellar indeed. The Sonneteer is a component any music lover will be proud to own. The team at Sonneteer deserves some serious accolades for making an amplifier that sounds this good, at a dollar figure accessible to many who prioritize the joy of music in their lives.

Conclusions

Simply put, the Sonneteer Alabaster is a price-performance wonder. For its very reasonable cost under $2,500 USD, it delivers excellent sound. The Alabaster might not unseat single purpose amps and preamps several times its price, may not be ideal for those who prefer a highly-detailed component which exposes every nuance in a recording. However, the Alabaster’s sound is beguiling, and this integrated amp is piece of gear to be enjoyed for many years to come. The warmth of its sonic character will help it mate well with many sources. If a prospective buyer does not require bells and whistles like a built-in DAC, networking connectivity, variable outputs for a subwoofer, or a remote control, this may be the integrated amplifier he or she has been seeking. I recommend it wholeheartedly, and it handily deserves a 2017 TONEAudio Exceptional Value Award.[9]

Sonneteer has a substantial dealer network in Europe, and has a growing number of North American dealers. If the Alabaster piques your interest, be sure to visit your Sonneteer dealer to hear it for yourself. For what it is designed to do, it performs those tasks extremely well. Sonically, it is a flat-out bargain for its modest price tag. Were William Alabaster alive today, I think he would enthusiastically approve of his namesake.

Additional listening: Jeff Dorgay

I couldn’t agree with Rob more that the Alabaster deserves an Exceptional Value Award. This integrated reminds me so much on one level of my reference, the PrimaLuna HP – it’s pure sound quality with basic functionality. With simple yet understated casework, all the value goes into the circuit and for the true music lover, this is a sonic treat.

Where something like the Simaudio ACE offers more functionality, the Alabaster offers a higher level of sonic prowess; if you can get by with 55 watts per channel and have the need for an excellent MM phono stage, it’s one of the best (if not the best) choice you can make.

Staying mostly in the British groove, with a slight detour to France and a trip across the pond to the US, I used the Alabaster with four different sets of speakers. Listening began with the lovely Graham LS5/9s, moved on to the Focal Sopra no.3s in my main system (which cost nearly ten times the Alabaster’s MSRP) and the vintage Klipsch LaScalas written about in this issue before settling back in on the Quad 2812s in room two. All delivered cracking performances.

What I’m the most excited about is the quality of the MM phonostage. Utilizing the new Gold Note Machiavelli high output MC (again, more expensive than the Alabaster) the level of refinement here is astounding, with a level of resolution I wasn’t prepared for.

In the context of some fairly expensive speakers, and using the PS Audio DirectStream DAC and memory player as a source, digital files were just as engaging as analog, and I suspect that a lot of Alabaster users will pair this $2,395 integrated with modest speakers and sources, never really knowing just how damn good this amplifier truly is. If it had thicker, more elaborately machined casework and a fancy remote, they could easliy ask $6k for this baby and you’d still be getting a bargain. So if you are a true music lover that is ever so slightly frugal, the Sonetteer Alabaster is your slice of heaven.

It’s certainly one of my favorites. You must hear one to believe it.

Sonneteer Alabaster Integrated Amplifier

Approximately $2,399 USD

Arcadia Audio Marketing
[email protected]
416-994-5571

PERIPHERALS

Digital Sources: Mac Mini, Roon Music Service, dCS Debussy, SimAudio 780D, Oppo Sonica DAC

Amplification: Burmester 911 mk3

Preamplification: Coffman Labs G1-B

Speakers: GamuT RS3, JL Audio Dominion Subwoofers

Cables: Jena Labs

Power: Torus AVR 15 Plus, RSA Mongoose power cords

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

For many, when you ask them to complete the sentence “Italian high performance….” they might say “cars, Ferrari,” or “bikes, Ducati.” Yet after living with a few of their phono cartridges for a while, I suggest adding “audio, Gold Note” to the end of that sentence.

Their just under $400 Vasari MM cartridge is one of the most exciting MM carts we’ve taken for a test drive, and the $1,075 Donatello is even more compelling. The $3,000 Machiavelli high output MC even more so, as we will see.

This is a critical price point, because for many music lovers, about $1,000 is the limit of discretionary income that can usually be spared for a phono cartridge, while still leaving room in the budget for a turntable/tonearm and phonostage. Anyone ponying up this kind of money to play records deserves serious respect in my book, and I suggest the Donatello. But if you are prepared to step up further, I suggest the $3,000 Machiavelli, and for good reason. Though this is a fairly expensive cartridge, you don’t need a more expensive, high gain MC phonostage. That’s what makes it such an incredible find.

High output moving coil cartridges have always been odd ducks, never seeming to provide the speed, smoothness or delicacy of their lower output siblings. And with some pretty worthy competitors on the MM side of the fence approaching this price, high output MC designs are few and far in between.

Spinning the recent remaster of Crowded House’s Woodface, it’s easy crawl right inside the sound of the Machiavelli. Mounted on a highly modified Technics SL-1200mk. 2 with Rega tonearm and TimeStep power supply, this cartridge is simply glorious. The multi-part harmonies of the group are floating between the Quad 2812s, driven by the PrimaLuna Dialog HP Premium amplifier (w/KT150 tubes) and the new McIntosh MP1100 phonostage – also in this issue.

But the Machiavelli shines, even if you don’t have a mega phonostage. Even using the Hagerman Coronet 2 (A steal at $495) the Machiavelli is a winner, and with all things equal, reveals as much detail as any low output cartridge I’ve experienced. Another fantastic MM phonostage that won’t break your budget is the Decware ZP3. At $1,300, it is world class, but it just doesn’t have enough gain to go full MC without a step up device.

Is it worth the extra cash? Definitely, even in a more budget oriented system, the Machiavelli is worth the extra money if you’ve got room on your Visa card. Yet where the Vasari hits a ceiling, performance wise, where improving the phonostage and table only proves valuable to a point, the Machiavelli is capable of resolving enough information, that should you take a few steps up in turntable or phonostage, you will be greatly rewarded with a cartridge that reveals quite a bit more music.

With an output of 1.2mv, the Machiavelli should work well in any MM phono input. Paired with the McIntosh MP1100, with variable gain, the sweet spot seems to be 52db of gain. The 46db setting seems just a touch flat, and 58db is way too much, but 52db proves a perfect match of dynamics, resolution and low noise floor.

Suggested tracking force is 1.8 to 2.2 grams and the perfect balance on the Technics/Rega combination proves very close to the maximum at 2.17 grams. The Machiavelli is easy to set up, utilizing the Smart-Tractor protractor and going for the Uni-Den geometry – it really wakes this cartridge up, as it has for many others I’ve tried. A steady hand, a little patience and you’ll be rocking in about 15 minutes.

For some reason, the full sound and punch of the Machiavelli keeps me in a classic rock groove for longer than many cartridges at this level do. Tracking through the remastered version of Bad Company’s self titled disc is nothing but fun, combining Paul Rogers’ powerful vocals and some solid drumming. This cartridge combines a slightly warm tonal balance with solid transient attack, so it’s not just rounding off the edges of the notes to achieve its effect.

No matter what your choice of music, the Machiavelli really delivers the musical goods. To listen to at least a little something Italian to make the journey complete, tracking all the way through Beat at Cinecitta, a “sensual homage to the most erotic film music from the vaults of 60s and 70s Italian cinema” is wonderfully engaging. Though slightly compressed, the Machiavelli unravels this set of film tracks and brings them to life.

This cartridge is really about fun. It’s like driving my Fiat 500e. Sure, there are faster cars out there, but every time I drive it, I forget about any of those cars. That’s the Machiavelli – it pulls so much life out of the grooves of my records, it’s tough to think about those five and ten thousand dollar cartridges. They just don’t matter. The best part of owning the Machiavelli is that those with a high performance but reasonably priced MM phonostage can have world class sound without the expense, yet if you do have a mega phonostage, you will not be disappointed. As I stepped up the the Audio Research REF Phono 3 and then all the way to the $38,000 Pass Labs XS phono (my reference in system 1) the Machiavelli continues to increase in performance. This could very well be your last cartridge.

The Machiavelli offers a perfect balance and always serves the music. It is dynamic enough to engage, resolving enough to reveal, yet ever so slightly forgiving, so that nearly all of your records sound great. A perfect host for your music collection; what could be better? Gold Note’s Machiavelli succeeds brilliantly at a price point where the competition is fierce. I am happy to award it one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2017.

The Gold Note Machiavelli High Output MC Cartridge

MSRP:  $3,000

www.goldnote.it

Peripherals

Turntables                 VPI Prime, AVID Volvere SP, Technics SL1200mk 2 (modified)

Phonostages              Channel Islands PEQ, McIntosh MP1100, ARC REF 3 Phono

Amplifier                    PrimaLuna DiaLogue HP Premium

Speakers                    Quad 2812 w/REL S/2 subwoofer

Cable                          Cardas Clear

Power                         Core Power Technologies Equi=Core 1800

Only because I’ve heard it three times today (in the airport, at Home Depot and lunch) listening to the Audio Physic Step plus speakers begins with the Squeeze classic “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell). Not terribly audiophile-y by anyone’s standards, but it’s got some great harmonies, and you can dance to it.

But seriously, it’s exciting to see what can be coaxed from a small cabinet these days, and the variation on a theme is equally enticing. We had a lovely time with the Step plus’ larger sibling, the Tempo plus a few months ago, and the Step plus is equally good but in a smaller container. For good reason, as the Step plus shares the same 1.75” HHCT III, Ceramic coated Aluminum Hyper-Holographic Cone Tweeter and 5.9” HHCM II, Ceramic coated Aluminum Hyper-Holographic Cone Midrange from the Tempo, sans the latter’s dual 7” woofers. The new plus versions are the latest re-engineered versions of the Step models that have been a favorite world wide for years.

At $2,595/pair in the standard Walnut or Cherry finish or slightly more ($2,795/pair) in the luscious Ebony finish of our review samples, the Step plus speakers look as elegant as they sound. Black and White high gloss are also upgraded finish options. An extra $200 gets you a pair of tempered glass, and metal matching stands, and they provide a sophisticated visual. Though nowhere near as elegant in appearance, my sand filled Sound Anchor stands offer up more bass reinforcement, so take your pick; performance or good looks. Those pairing the Step plus with a subwoofer will have a wider range of stands, as the last few molecules of bass won’t matter.

Imagemeisters

These little darlings image like crazy – every silly audiophile cliché you know applies. Small monitors are a shoe in for their ability to disappear into a room, offering close to the proverbial point source for sound and the Step plus does an amazing job. Everyone who experienced them walked away with their adjective glands exhausted when discussing just how big these small speakers can play.

This is due to the amazing amount of technology incorporated into the speakers, something pretty much unheard of at this price point. Starting with the cabinet itself, designed to minimize standing waves and other reflections, the Step plus takes advantage of an open cell ceramic foam bracing system. This labyrinth-like cabinet interior soaks up unwanted reflections much more effectively than the standard stuffing you might see in a competitors’ speaker. The sloped front baffle also makes for better time alignment, while maintaining a sleek visual.

According to AP, nearly everything in the plus version of the speaker has been redesigned or updated from the original. The crossover is all new, internal wiring and even the WBT binding posts all contribute to the overall sound. But the biggest part of the performance increase comes from the new third generation Hyper-Holographic driver technology, which takes advantage of a composite aluminum and plastic basket along with active cone dampening on both drivers.

The result is a more natural, lifelike, engaging presentation. There is a liveliness to these speakers that you might even mistake as coming from an ESL, a delicacy not present in small speakers. Whether it was the gentle bowing of a violin or brushes being stroked across a drumhead, the Step plus gets to the heart of the presentation without being harsh or strident.

Even though the spec sheet claims a sensitivity of 87db with one watt, the Step plus proves easy to drive with any amplifier. With a handful of great amps from Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Nagra, Pass, PrimaLuna, and Simaudio, the Step plus not only turned in outstanding performances with each one, their high degree of resolution revealed the individual personality of these amplifiers with ease. No small feat for a pair of $2,600 loudspeakers. It’s worth mentioning that matching the Step plus speakers with our Product of the Year winning Simaudio ACE makes for an amazing hi-fi system coming in at just under $6,000.

Going back through the Brian Eno Ambient series proves highly entertaining. Granted, these texturally diverse records won’t tell you a thing about tone or timbre, lesser speakers fail to reveal the minute details and spatial cues going on. Ditto for all of the Jean Michel Jarre albums in my collection. For those of you too young to remember any of these, try the soundtrack from Gone Girl, courtesy of none other than Trent Reznor. This is a hauntingly obtuse recording that feels like it was recorded in some highly processed format like Q Sound. The Step plus rendition of this disc in my 13 x 15-foot listening room has me looking for the Dolby Atmos processor and the other nine speakers; it’s that involving. Paul Weller’s new soundtrack from Jawbone is equally tasty for all the same reasons.

Simple set up

The real key to optimizing the Step plus (as in any good loudspeaker) is to get the tweeters right at ear level. Otherwise, you may feel less than pleased.

If they don’t have you in freak out mode, you don’t have them set up right – it’s that simple. If you don’t start with the AP stands, anything about 24 inches in height will get you somewhere from really close to spot on.

As with any other high-quality mini monitor, the ultimate tradeoff will be the spot that maximizes bass performance and minimizes midrange cloudiness. The closer to the wall you go, the more bass, but there reaches a point where it begins to compromise the exquisite imaging capabilities. Move the speakers up and back a few inches at a time, and you’ll know immediately when you hit it. The magic disappears, and it disappears abruptly. A similar effect happens moving the speakers side to side, go a little too far, and your hard earned coherence vanishes.

The woofer is ported, so keep this in mind, should you even think about bookshelf placement, and take note that the speakers only have single binding posts, so there is no need for bi-wiring.

Fear not, start with the speakers about six or seven feet apart and about four feet from the rear walls, and you’re rocking – they sound great right out of the box. Fiddly audiophiles can coax a bit more imaging performance with a few minutes spent fully optimizing speaker position. These are light speakers, so it’s super easy.

At the end of the day, Fun

Running through every genre of music imaginable, the Step plus does not disappoint. Of course, being a small monitor, you can only crank Zeppelin or your favorite EDM tracks so far. At a certain point, physics works against you, and those little woofers can only move so much air. The quality of bass produced is of high quality, and that’s not what mini monitors are all about in the first place. Going back to Weller’s Jawbone soundtrack for “Jawbone Training” reveals a healthy amount of kick and slam along with the passionate cymbal work provided.

The Audio Physic Step plus is about resolution, and this is delivered. These speakers offer a highly resolving look into the music presented without ever being harsh, strident or fatiguing and that is a tough balance to achieve. It’s obvious that the AP slogan “No Loss of Fine Detail” is delivered on in full.

If you want a highly immersive, three-dimensional music experience in a small to modest room, these are the speakers that should be at the top of your list.

The Audio Physic Step plus Speakers

MSRP: $2,599 – $2,799 (finish dependent)

https://vanaltd.com/collections/audio-physic (North American Importer)

Peripherals

Analog Source             Technics SL-1200G w/Grado Statement2 cartridge

Phono Preamplifier     Conrad Johnson TEA 1s2

Digital Source              PS Audio DirectStream memory player and DAC

Amplification              PrimaLuna HP Premium (KT 150s installed), Simaudio NEO Ace

Cable                           Tellurium Q Silver Diamond

Power                          Equi=

Before we get started, I must confess a few biases. I love Apple products. Been using a Mac since the day after the Super Bowl ads ran in 1984. That’s product loyalty.

I’m not crazy about Windows (but liked XP) but OS is not the religion for me that it is for some; I run Word, Photoshop and an internet browser, so those tools work similarly on either platform. Much as I love my Macs, if you took them away tomorrow, I’d go right to work on a Windows box without much grousing. Lastly, we have a pair of MacBook Pros and a pair of 27” iMac 5k Retina boxes running nearly 24/7 here, so I’m thoroughly familiar with the competitor.

Tactile Excellence

Thanks to the iPhone and iPad, I love, love, love touchscreen computing, and feel that its exclusion on the latest Mac is a major fail. The new Dell XPS 27 sitting on my desk tips the scale at $2,499.99 with 16GB of memory, a 2TB hard drive and a 3.4GHz Intel i7 processor. The iMac Retina, at $1,999.99 features 8GB of memory ($200 to get the extra RAM from Apple, with a max capacity of 32MB) and a smaller 1TB hard drive. Equpping the iMac Retina similarly, puts it at $2,499.00 Just as we can argue the “speed” of processors forever, I’m not making the next Star Wars sequel on my desktop. However, I have been working on some clips for our YouTube channel, and the XPS 27 is a breeze running Adobe Premiere Pro – as well as all the other Adobe apps.

But there is one thing the Cupertino candidate does not have; a touch screen. Be as smug as you want to be, once you have a touch screen computer, you’ll never go back. As Tom Wolfe said, in The Right Stuff; “everything else was just left behind.” And this is from a guy that loves Apple machines. I can’t tell you how many times after using an iPad for any length of time, to go back to the desktop machine, I catch myself poking the screen once or twice. Fess up, you know you’ve done it too.

Rules as a Music Server

Let’s cut to the chase right away; Dell has out Apple’d Apple on this machine. While pricing and speed are similar, the touchscreen makes everything way easier – and way more productive. Running the latest version of ROON and Meridian’s Sooloos Touch PC is absolutely lovely. Yes, you can run ROON on an iPad (and it’s not bad on the big 12-inch iPad) but you need a PC to run the Sooloos app with touch screen functionality. Flipping through nearly 15,000 albums with the aid of a touch screen makes the experience more immersive. I’d buy an XPS 27 just to run my Sooloos, which thanks to the USB output of the Dell, sounds cleaner, less grainy and more dynamic than it ever did with dedicated (i.e. expensive) Meridian hardware.

The same benefit is seen, actually heard, running Roon or Tidal on the iMac side by side with identical WireWorld USB cables to the dCS Rossini DAC and clock, in the context of a six figure hifi system. Hands down the Dell has better, more realistic overall sonic capability.

That B-word

All of this is super cool if you are looking for an elegant, touch screen, free standing desktop machine, but using both as desktop computers, the Dell again has a major advantage. Should you not have a desktop audio system, or great pair of powered speakers handy, you’re going to love the XPS 27. With a built-in sound bar, consisting of four full range drivers, a pair of tweeters and a pair of passive radiators, the XPS 27 just saved you $300 – $500 on a pair of powered monitor speakers for your desk.

Hands down, the Dell XPS 27 delivers the best desktop audio performance I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear from any computer manufacturer. It’s so cool to see a computer company offering such a media rich computer, not throwing sound quality to the curb. Whether you use the XPS 27 as a dedicated office machine, or a home machine, it’s room filling sound quality will make you want to give it prime placement. You won’t need a portable, powered USB or Bluetooth speaker system in your kitchen anymore either.

Starting my listening sessions with Lou Reed’s “Vanishing Act,” I’m caught off guard (in a good way) at how transparent the system projects Reed’s voice out through the center of the screen as if he is boring right through my brain. Tracking all the way through Neil Cowley’s “Loud, Louder, Stop,” the smoothness of the cymbals and the delicate rendering of the piano instantly convinces just how lifelike these small speakers and the accompanying amplifier are. The sound produced does not sound like tiny aftermarket speakers at all – this is big, bold, and lifelike sound.

Dell claims solid output to 70hz, which checks out, care of Stereophile’s “Test CD no.1,” but optimizing the desk placement will yield more convincing bass response, thanks to desktop surface gain beefing up the lows. Your favorite prog and EDM tracks will need that sub, but you’ll be surprised at just how far you can crank up the volume cleanly. You’ll never be able to exploit the party potential of the XPS 27 at work until after quitting time. This machine rocks.

Should you want to get all audiophile-y with this, I suggest a small microfiber towel on your desk, just under the soundbar, to minimize the slap effect from the XPS 27 as the sound bounces off the hard surface of your desk. That’s a pretty inexpensive tweek.

The Final Touch

So far, so good. The Dell XPS runs the applications I use a bit snappier than my iMac Retina does, and it has superior sonic abilities. Add in the touch screen and the only thing that wont seal the deal for the most dedicated Apple fans is the inability to run Mac OS. After 30 years, I’m thinking about switching because this machine is that good. The final exclamation point on a phenomenal computer, is the sheer human engineering of this machine beyond the touch screen. As an everyday iMac user, I hate the way you have to struggle every time an SD memory card is inserted. And that power button on the iMac always seems to require fiddling to get it the first time. The XPS 27 puts the power button and SD slot right on the side of the casework, where you can actually use the damn thing. Finally, the articulated base, lends the ability to fold the XPS 27 way down to desk level and let you type or draw on it like a mega iPad. Not sure I’d use this feature, but it suggests possibilities.

We’ve never given a computer one of our Exceptional Value Awards, but the Dell XPS 27 makes so much more sheer sense than an iMac, I’m compelled. Using this machine is pure joy. When was the last time you said that about a computer?

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/xps-27-7760-aio

Gold Note – the Italian High-End manufacturer based in Firenze, Italy has just introduced the XT-7, a new full-range, 3 way speaker with anti-turbulence bass reflex and ribbon tweeter available in Black Glossy, White Glossy, Italian Walnut or Grey Maple.

With a distinctive curved design based on a reinforced chassis in wooden multilayer panels to control resonances and sound, XT-7 offers state-of-the-art solutions: high quality crossover boards with Mundorf and Clarity components and custom drivers developed with SEAS in ultra-stiff woven polypropylene.

The separated cabinets for bass and mid/highs enhance perfect tuning: the bass drivers cabinet side is vented while the mid/highs is perfectly sealed to reduce internal reflections.

Weighing about 50kg each, these massive speakers are completed by wooden swallow tailed stands that features adjustable spikes to guarantees stability.

Gold Note has recently poured all the technical knowledge gained in over 20 years of OEM collaborations worldwide into the new lines of speakers, created to marry perfectly appearance and substance and provide a fulfilling audio experience.

Garlo Certini, Head of Acoustics, developed a deluxe crossover with state-of-the-art components provided by Mundorf and Clarity. The passive Crossover Low-High Dual-Slope cuts at 280Hz & 3000Hz and features a resistive design to enable ultra-linear load that support the work of the amplifiers minimising the stress on power supplies even at a nominal impedance of 4Ω.

The boards are made of thick audio-grade and anti-resonance glass fibre with 70uM gold plated conductors and power a sophisticated triple crossover network and a summing midrange multi-slope design to perfectly integrate the drivers of the array. Midranges and Woofers ultra-linear drivers are developed with SEAS and enhanced with proprietary metal chassis produced by MIM [Metal Injection Molding], and refined with radial reinforced low loss rubber surrounds, custom copper phaser and heavy copper rings.

All this technical features are matched by the impeccable finishes and the quality materials used thanks to the skill of one of the most talented Italian carpenters.

Maurizio Aterini, founder of Gold Note, adds: “We believe that high end audio equipment should always be executed flawlessly in order to really satisfy all the senses because music is complete experience. That’s the reason why we put so much attention and care inside and outside our speakers.”

XT-7 is available worldwide through Gold Note dealers at a MSRP of 13.500,00€ (pair)

For more information, please click here:
www.goldnote.it/xt-7