Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Sidebar 1: Ancillary Components

Analog sources were my Linn/Ittok/Sumiko SHO (or the ELAC ESG 896 H) and the Well Tempered Reference Turntable and Arm, with the same cartridges. Digital sources included McCormack's Digital Drive SST/DAC-1, the Assemblage DAC-1, Audio Alchemy DDE v1.1, and Audio Research CD-1.

Preamplifiers employed included Conrad-Johnson's EV20SE, Audio Research's SP-9 Mk.III, Audio Alchemy's DLC, and McCormack's Micro Line Drive, with Creek's OBH-8 or McCormack's Micro Phono Drive phono preamps where needed. Conrad-Johnson Premier Eleven A, VAC PA-80/80, Audio Research D-200, and Ayre V-3 amplifiers all saw use.

Tying everything together were Transparent's Music Wave Reference speaker cables and Music Wave Ultra interconnect, and everything sat on Magro 24 component stands, D.J. Casser's The Shelf, Bright Star Big Rock 2s, and Townshend Seismic Sinks. To keep the Metaphors' wickedly sharp spikes from sinking into my floorboards—left to their own devices and weight, they tended to burrow toward my downstairs neighbor's ceiling—I used shiny new copper pennies, carefully placing them Lincoln-side up (as specified by Ray Shab) for best sound.—Wes Phillips