CD Player/Transport Reviews

Sidebar 1: Review System

The system used for evaluating the Arcam consisted of a PS Audio 5.5 preamplifier (in Straightwire mode exclusively), Vortex Screen loudspeakers driven by Prodigy OTL tube power amplifiers, and Stax Pro Lambda Signature headphones. Included in the source material was a live recording I had just made as part of an appraisal of the Nakamichi 1000 DAT machine. I recorded acoustic guitar and acoustic bass duets in a church using tube microphones to fully explore the Nakamichi's capabilities (watch for a full report, as well as a review of the 1000, next month, footnote 1). I spent about 12 hours over two days listening to live music in the room and the mic feeds through Stax Pro Lambda Signature headphones. Digital/analog converters used included the Arcam Black Box 2, Musical Fidelity Digilog, and Theta DSPre.—Robert Harley

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Footnote 1: This recording was featured on Stereophile's first Test CD.