Kalman Rubinson
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Book Review: Sound Reproduction: Loudspeakers and Rooms
Reference
Kalman Rubinson • Jun 25, 2009 • 0 comments
Sound Reproduction: Loudspeakers and Rooms
By Floyd E. Toole. Focal Press (Oxford, England, UK, www.elsevier.com, footnote 1), 2008. Paperback, 550 pages, ISBN 978-0240520094. $49.95.
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Book Review: Surround Sound: Up and Running (Second Edition)
Features, Reference
Kalman Rubinson • Apr 29, 2008 • 0 comments
Surround Sound: Up and Running (Second Edition)
by Tomlinson Holman. Published by Focal Press, an imprint of Elsevier (footnote 1) (Oxford, England, UK; www.elsevier.com). 2008. Paperback, 248 pages, ISBN 978-0240808291. $44.95.
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Bow Technologies Wazoo integrated amplifier
Integrated Amp Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Jun 09, 2007 • Published: Feb 09, 1999 • 0 comments
I hate all those automobile reviews that go on and on about a car's design aesthetics. C'mon, I can see what it looks like, even if only in the pictures. Just tell me things I can't appreciate without a run on the Autobahn.
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Bryston's First CD Player
CEDIA 2007
Kalman Rubinson • Sep 07, 2007 • 1 comments
I finally got a chance to look at, but not yet hear, Bryston's first venture into a source component, the BCD-1 CD player. James Tanner gave me a tour of the innards which were even more impressive than the beautifully carved front panel and sturdy disc tray. He said that, while they used a Philips transport, all the control electronics were replaced by discrete Bryston-designed drivers and DACs and that separate transformer windings powered separate power supplies for the transport and audio electronics, with multiple isolated and regulated supplies for individual circuits and channels. That allows the class-A output stages to function best. In addition to the analog outputs, transformer-coupled S/PDIF and AES/EBU digital outputs are provided.
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Burmester Reference Line 970 D/A converter & 969 CD transport
CD Player/Transport Reviews, Digital Processor Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Apr 01, 2007 • Published: Dec 01, 1999 • 0 comments
My first exposure to Burmester electronics was some years back at a New York Hi-Fi Show, where they were powering a pair of B&W 801s and impressed the hell out of me. But Burmester's distribution seemed sporadic and the prices beyond my consideration, so I put them out of my mind.
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California Audio Labs CL-20 DVD-V/CD player
Hi-Rez Disc Player/Transport Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Aug 08, 2004 • Published: Jan 01, 1998 • 0 comments
Recently, we've seen the digital "horsepower" race accelerate with the arrival of digital sources and devices with 24-bit and 96kHz sampling capability. Much of this has been spurred by the 24/96 labels emblazoned on the newer DVD players—and, within the purer confines of the audio community, by high-end DACs with this same ability. Indeed, it's possible that the dCS Elgar DAC, near and dear to John Atkinson's heart and a perennial Class A selection in Stereophile's "Recommended Components," performs so well with standard 16-bit/44.1kHz sources because its wider digital bandwidth permits greater linearity within the more restricted range of regular CDs.
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California Audio Labs Sigma II D/A converter
Digital Processor Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Jan 02, 2005 • Published: Jul 02, 2000 • 0 comments
HistoriCAL Introduction
California Audio Labs is a child of the digital age. Originally, they made a noise by offering modified CD players with tube output stages, a practice for which I found no intellectual justification. On the other hand, the results were successful, even if (probably) due to the CAL units' softening of the harshness of early digital sound.
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Camelot Technology Dragon Pro Jitter Reducer
Digital Processor Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Sep 26, 2011 • Published: Apr 01, 1998 • 0 comments
666camdragon.jpgThe Dragon Pro is, I believe, the most eagerly awaited of the Camelot products. Since the disappearance of Audio Alchemy's DTI•Pro 32, no comparable anti-jitter and resolution-enhancement product has come along to replace it. (Yes, there are simpler anti-jitter boxes, and there is the Genesis Digital Lens, but these are not truly comparable in approach.) Well, the Dragon is everything that the DTI•Pro 32 was, and more!

The Dragon Pro anti-jitter box offers both jitter reduction and resolution enhancement, along with I2S in/out. Considering the number of Web newsgroup ads from folks wanting to buy AA DTI•Pro 32s, this baby has a waiting market.

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Camelot Technology Uther v2.0 D/A processor
Digital Processor Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Sep 26, 2011 • Published: Apr 01, 1998 • 0 comments
666uher2c_2.jpgThe apparent demise of Audio Alchemy left a niche in the marketplace for a supplier of innovative, high-value digital components to provide the less-than-wealthy audiophile with state-of-the-art technology. Although Camelot Technology existed before Audio Alchemy went away, they have quickly taken over this niche with some interesting components. And I understand that some of the former AA technical personnel consulted for Camelot in the development of these products. (A recent press release indicates that Genesis Technology also played a major role in their design.)
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Canton Reference 3.2 DC loudspeaker
Floor Loudspeaker Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Jun 21, 2010 • 0 comments
Menu
I was greatly impressed by the performance of the Canton Reference 9.2 DC loudspeaker, which I reviewed in the March 2008 "Music in the Round" in the context of a 5.1-channel system. Those beautiful jewels not only sounded balanced and transparent, they had more sheer grunt in the low end than could be reasonably expected from their size. I wanted to hear more from Canton, but couldn't decide whether to go up in size or down in price. The problem I've always had with Canton is that they offer such a wide range of products that it's like choosing food from a multipage menu at a fine restaurant: everything looks good. It's especially difficult when your hunger is further piqued by your own past experience and the recommendations of others. (Check out the November 2006 issue to learn how much Wes Phillips enjoyed Canton's flagship speaker, the Reference 1 DC.)
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