Kalman Rubinson
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MSB Technology Link D/A converter
Budget Component Reviews, Digital Processor Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Jan 28, 1999 • 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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Arcam Alpha 9 CD player
CD Player/Transport Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Aug 08, 2004 • Published: Jan 01, 1999 • 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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PMC IB-1S loudspeaker
Stand Loudspeaker Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Jul 03, 2005 • Published: Sep 03, 1998 • 0 comments
I have a soft spot in my heart (some say my head) for transmission-line designs. I remember being entranced by the authoritative but effortless bass of John Wright's IMF and TDL Monitors, and I have been inspired to experiment by building my own lines in various sizes. Then, as demonstrated by Bryston's Jim Tanner at the 1997 WCES and at HI-FI '97, PMC's IB-1S loudspeakers threw an enormously deep soundstage. (I have a soft spot for that as well.)
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Z-Systems rdp-1 digital preamplifier
Digital Processor Reviews, Solid State Preamp Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Jul 15, 1998 • 0 comments
Tone controls? I ripped them out of my Dyna PAS-3! And that was the last time I had tone controls. As a card-carrying audiophile, I wanted just what the engineer had inscribed on the recording, with as little change as possible (read: high fidelity).
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NAD 118 digital preamplifier
Solid State Preamp Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Jul 15, 1998 • 0 comments
Tone controls? I ripped them out of my Dyna PAS-3! And that was the last time I had tone controls. As a card-carrying audiophile, I wanted just what the engineer had inscribed on the recording, with as little change as possible (read: high fidelity).
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ETF, or How I Learned to Love My Equalizer
Miscellaneous, Reference
Kalman Rubinson • Jul 08, 1998 • 0 comments
Because I'm suspicious of just twiddling knobs to make the sound "nice," I didn't rely solely on my ears when I used the Z-Systems rdp-1 that I review elsewhere in this issue for speaker and room contouring. Instead, I used the ETF speaker/room-analysis software from Acoustisoft to help me manipulate the equalizer properly. This program can measure the first-arrival, on-axis speaker response, as well as the room response with its early and late reflections and its resonances.
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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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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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Sonic Frontiers Line 2 line preamplifier
Tube Preamp Reviews
Kalman Rubinson • Dec 09, 1997 • 0 comments
In just a few years, Sonic Frontiers has evolved from a parts and kit vendor to a full-line audio manufacturer (footnote 1). Their initial offerings were well received, but their kit origins were apparent in the layout and cosmetics of their products. While SF still offers kits (like their high-value Assemblage DAC-2), the new line of vacuum-tube electronics has world-class construction, design, and packaging. This generation of SF equipment is evidence of their advanced evolution, even though their constructor genome can be detected in the use of audiophile-preferred, as opposed of OEM, components.
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