RMAF 2011

My kind of style in the Music Hall room, where the featured system came in at under $4000: Music Hall’s new a70.2 integrated amplifier ($1499), MMF-2.2 turntable ($449) with Cruise Control 2.0 power supply and speed control ($299) and cork record mat ($50), a15.2 CD player ($499), the new DAC15.2 ($299), and Epos Epic 2 loudspeakers ($799/pair; see our reviews in the November and December issues).

The a70.2 integrated amplifier delivers 125Wpc and has a built-in phono section (yes!) and a home theater bypass. The DAC15.2 has USB, coaxial, and optical inputs and uses a Burr-Brown DAC.

A second Music Hall system was made up of AktiMate powered loudspeakers and the Music Hall USB-1 turntable. Because the AktiMates have built-in amplification and because the USB-1 turntable has a built-in phono preamplifier, all you have to do is connect the turntable to the speakers and you’ve got music. It doesn’t get simpler. The AktiMate also has a top-panel iPod dock, so you can have your digital fun, too.

Music Hall products look good, sound good, and are priced so that anyone can enjoy true, high-quality sound. We need more of this.