Russ Novak
GIL EVANS: Out of the Cool
Gil Evans, arranger, conductor, piano; The Gil Evans Orchestra
Impulse A-4 (LP, nla), Impulse/MCA MCAD-5653 (CD). Creed Taylor, prod. AAA/ADD. TT: 37:04
LALO SCHIFRIN: New Fantasy
Lalo Schifrin, arranger, conductor, piano; The Lalo Schifrin Orchestra
Verve V6 8601 (LP, nla). Creed Taylor, prod.; Rudy Van Gelder, eng. AAA. TT: 33:43 The Schifrin is out of print, so I don't feel bad about cheating to list two of the greatest big-band jazz albums. These guys know how to modulate the dynamics of a big band and avoid the trap of boring…
search
Robert J. Reina, December 2011 (Vol.34 No.12):
Roy Hall of Music Hall Audio, US importer of Epos loudspeakers, called me a while back to tell me about Epos's new Epic line: three affordable speakers positioned to provide greater performance for the money than Epos's more expensive M models. Designer Mike Creek's design goal for the Epics was to reduce the cosmetic costs of the cabinets, and thus free up more of the speaker's manufacturing costs to be dedicated to sound quality.
Of the three Epics, Hall suggested I review the middle model, the Epic 2 bookshelf, which, at $799/…
The A19 is designed in the UK and manufactured in China, where Arcam has used the same manufacturing plant for nearly 13 years. They've also invested heavily in their subcontract parts suppliers. Each batch of A19s is sample-tested to ensure quality.
Installation and Setup
Unboxing and installing the FMJ A19 was a simple pleasure. It came carefully packed in a substantial cardboard box, all of its pieces intact and nothing rattling around—always a good sign. As Art Dudley said in his November 2013 review of the Luxman PD-171 turntable, "Never underestimate the importance of good…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Power amplifiers: Threshold T-100 (pair used as "fully balanced" 180W monoblocks), Sumo Andromeda (very good 14-year-old amp, 200Wpc), Parasound HCA-1000A (165Wpc), Dynaco Stereo 70 (modified tube amp with MIT coupling caps and push-pull EL34 outputs, 35Wpc), Nirvana Electronic Works DCA 33 (battery-powered class-A stereo amplifier, 33Wpc).
Preamplifiers: Threshold T3i (balanced output), Creek OBH-12 (passive remote), Parasound P/LD 2000 (balanced, unbalanced, and "direct"), Chase Technologies RLC-1 (remote line controller).
Digital sources: PS Audio…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz ±0.2dB. Distortion: <0.004%. Noise: <94dB. Conversion: Bitstream, PDM, differential time-aligned mode, 256x-oversampling, 2 bits, passive filtering. Precision: 16 bits. Source sampling frequency: 32kHz–48kHz. Inputs: IEC958, 75 ohm coaxial, EIAJ optical. Analog Output: RCA jacks, 2V fixed. Output impedance: 12 ohms. Display: Power, Lock, and EQ (de-emphasis) indicators.
Dimensions: 6.3" W by 3.9" H by 12.6" D. Weight: 4 lbs.
Finish: black textured enamel and glass.
Price: $990 (1990)l no longer available…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, reflex-loaded, magnetically shielded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units (all aluminum-magnesium alloy): 1" dome tweeter, two 3.5" cone woofers. Crossover frequency: 3.5kHz. Sensitivity: 91dB. Frequency response: 35Hz–28kHz. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Recommended power: 10–300W.
Dimensions: Sample 1: 40" (1025mm) H by 5" (130mm) W by 8" (205mm) D. Weight: 25 lbs (11.4kg) each net, 60 lbs (27.3kg)/pair shipping. Sample 2: 39.2" (1005mm) H by 5.8" (150mm) W by 8" (205mm) D. Weight: 26 lbs (11.8kg) each net, 62 lbs (28.2kg)/pair…
Late last month, New York City's In Living Stereo underwent two major changes: They made a short move, from a modestly sized storefront to a much larger one—2 Great Jones Street in the East Village—and they went from being a hi-fi shop to being a hi-fi and record shop. On a recent visit to their new digs I was impressed with the latter: While some hi-fi shops limit their music commitment to just a few racks of 200-gram LPs—commendable in and of itself, of course—In Living Stereo has built an entire record loft and filled it with hundreds of well-chosen new and used LPs. (I took it upon myself…
If you're a regular attendee to audio shows you'll notice one constant, and that's a lack of consistency. At one show, Acme Turntables represents with Manny, Moe, & Jack's speakers. The next show, Acme has taken up with Beverly's speakers, and MM&J is now with Mr. Big's turntables. It's downright incestuous.
Into this audio polygamy come the good men of Volti Audio (Greg Roberts), BorderPatrol DACs and amplification (Gary Dews), and Triode Wire Labs cabling (Pete Grzybowski). These gentlemen have been hosting hi-fi rooms as a single organism since 2005! And it's audible. Roberts,…
It says something about the power of music that some individuals fading into dementia can still recognize the music they knew earlier in their lives. Not to denigrate new music, or music one hasn't heard before, but our mental jukeboxes award top chart numbers to music that we have lived with over time. Those DJs making their playlists in our brain are the toughest of critics. They don't care what anyone else might think, "Close to You" is staying in the rotation. Music and memory are linked.
Music and place are linked as well. Stuck at home for the long, claustrophobic months of 2020, I…
Arnie Nudell is one of a handful of designers who could justifiably be called founding members of the high-end audio industry. With Cary Christie, and John Ulrick, Arnie co-founded Infinity in his garage in 1968 and recently joined forces with Paul McGowan, the co-founder of PS Audio, to create Genesis Technologies, the Colorado-based company formed to build ultra–high-end loudspeaker systems (see my review of their $22,000 Genesis II.5 loudspeaker system elsewhere in this issue.)
I visited the Genesis factory in September 1994 and spent some time with Arnie and Paul (footnote 1)…