DeVore doesn’t bore

One could suggest that, having reviewed—and admired—the DeVore O/96 loudspeaker, I am predisposed to enjoying the newest model in that product line, the less expensive but similarly sensitive O/93 ($8400/pair). But even that wouldn’t explain my gut-level positive response to Tsege Mariam Gebru’s solo piano work The Homeless Wanderer (LP, Mississippi Records MRP-025) on the DeVore-fronted system in one of five rooms sponsored by Montreal dealer Coup de Foudre. Also contributing to the very tactile and emotive sound were an EMT TSD 15 SFL (super fine-line) cartridge (1950) on a Brinkmann Bardo turntable with Graham tonearm; an Hommage T2 step-up transformer ($4995); a Leben RS30EQ phono preamplifier ($2695); and a Line Magnetic 218 integrated amplifier ($3494), all on a Box Furniture Company S3S rack (approximately $1700). This was just my kind of system, and I could have easily stayed and listened all day long.

COMMENTS
Oldsport's picture

I’m not writing to dispute any of the above; I’m sure it sounds good. Art is a smart cookie and has ears. I love reading his stuff, even about things I wouldn’t be in the market to buy. But I need to check my assumptions, some of which point to questions. I’m assuming we’re talking the “N” version of the EMT TSD 15 SFL, since the regular has its own headshell and wouldn’t fit on a Graham arm. I’m also assuming the Hommage T2 transformer has a gain of 20 or 30 times. If so, the Leben phono amp must have serious overload headroom. I say this because Art has referred to the EMT cartridges in the past as low-output moving coils, which I don't think they are. The website gives a spec of .21mV output for them, but references it to 1cm/sec, not the customary 5 cm/sec we are used to. As such, they’re actually high output moving coils, in the neighborhood of 1mV. Amplifying this by 20 or 30 times before the signal reaches the phono stage, suggests some real headroom if this is not to cause distortion. Yes? No? “Jane, you ignorant slut!”?

MVBC's picture

$8,400 a pair... a bargain! Fortunately for audio buffs in Montreal, Solen also sells drivers and there is no doubt that one can create a Cannibal - aself DeVore- for much less than 8 grands and change!

Et Quelle's picture

These Devores don't look quite as sophisticated but they probably sound the same.

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