Recommended Components

A

Devialet Phantom I 108 dB: $2990 each (available in 2 finishes) ★
In a setting as idyllic as it was ideal, at least in a commercial sense—the samples were auditioned in an apartment on the rue des Ursulines in Paris, the city of their manufacture—Devialet's top-of-the-line Phantom powered speaker whetted JCA's appetite, and on returning home to his superior-sounding NYC apartment he requested review loaners. There, auditioned with Devialet's Tree stands ($375 each), Dialog dedicated router ($329), and Remote remote volume control ($149), a stereo pair of Gold Phantoms "'disappeared' nicely, as befits a phantom." (The Phantoms are sold singly and, per Devialet, are commonly used as mono playback systems.) JCA praised the system's "stark, disciplined" bass, which he described as surprisingly "deep, without bloat," though he wouldn't have minded more generous low-frequency response. He also praised its abundant soundstage depth, though he felt that the speakers' class-D amps didn't "resolve the unique timbres of instruments as well as other systems I've heard." Phonophiles will find the Devialet system fails on another front: it has no analog inputs. But for others, according to JCA, the Gold Phantom system is "a serious value" and "could be just the thing." As of summer 2021, Gold Phantom is the Phantom I 108 dB. (Vol.40 No.11 WWW)

B

Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation: $1690 with standard grille fabric
This slim, all-in-one, Roon Ready networked music system has a tweeter, a midrange unit, and an oval-shaped woofer for each channel, all powered by direct-digital, class-D amplification. The integral DSP offers three room compensation settings. There is also an alarm and a sleep timer. The major digital streaming services, including Spotify, Tidal, and Qobuz, are handled natively, and the Mu-so also offers AirPlay 2 (iTunes and Apple Music) and Chromecast. There are analog, S/PDIF, USB, Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, and wired and Wi-Fi network inputs, though other than the USB port, the physical inputs are inconveniently placed on the bottom of the chassis. The Mu-so can be controlled by a remote control, by its own touch controls, and by the Naim app for Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android devices. JMu was well-impressed by this app. She was also impressed by the sound, writing "a few sonic characteristics stood out: crisp clarity with more detail and dynamic output than I expected. Subjective impressions of bass extension seemed to exceed what's possible from small drivers within a smallish box." How did JMu conclude her review? "The musical Mu-so 2nd Generation offers serious sound and engineering from a respected maker, but it's also built for fun. I wanted to keep on listening, and that speaks volumes." Additional grille color options add $90 to price. (Vol.43 No.10 WWW)

Sony SA-Z1 desktop system: $7999
This unique, active desktop system is intended to be listened to in the nearfield, with the close-spaced boundaries reinforcing the lower midrange and bass. Back-to-back 4" anodized-aluminum woofers minimize enclosure vibrations, and the primary tweeter is flanked by two smaller tweeters, one above and one below. The three tweeters use soft domes that have been sputtered with titanium and are mounted on a gantry in front of the front-firing woofer. All five drive-units are powered by PWM amplifier modules featuring gallium nitride transistors. The SA-Z1 makes abundant use of DSP to optimize its sound quality. The system has balanced and single-ended analog inputs and USB and Toslink digital inputs. According to Sony, the latter are preferred. Several DSP functions can be applied with the digital inputs, including adjusting the crossover between the front and rear woofers, changing the time alignment of the flanking tweeters, and upsampling to PCM or DSD. Setup is crucial, advised JVS, but once he was satisfied with the placement and had replaced his large computer monitor between the speakers with his smaller-screened laptop, he noted (using the USB input) that despite the small woofers' inability to reach as low as a mighty organ can go, "bass was otherwise tight and convincing, the midrange was warm, and highs were as rousing as one might wish for. Images weren't gigantic, but the way the soundstage expanded beyond and through the speakers was awe-inspiring." He concluded that "the SA-Z1 is capable of opening up entire new realms of personal listening." (Vol.44 No.3 WWW)

C

Andover Model-One: $1999
This single-box stereo system marries a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB belt-drive turntable fitted with an 8.6" carbon-fiber tonearm and an Ortofon 2M Silver moving magnet cartridge to 200W of class-D amplification, four small woofers, and two AMT tweeters in a rigidly constructed enclosure. The Model-One also offers DSP-implemented effects modes, optical and coaxial S/PDIF, Bluetooth aptX, mini-USB digital inputs, and an analog input (this converted to digital), as well as headphone, line-level, and subwoofer outputs. DSP is also used to minimize acoustic feedback from the woofers to the turntable. JMu found at normal volumes that there was a "good impression" of bass. She added that "in general, the system served the midrange well, with textural detail and, especially on recordings without modern mixing tricks and complications, sufficient image-placement cues to draw you in." The Model-One "could be a starter system for an apartment or a second system for an office or bedroom," concluded JMu. Matching subwoofer costs $799; modular stand, $299. (Vol.43 No.9 WWW)

Deletions
Apple HomePod, discontinued.