Stereophile's Products of 2006
Product of the Year: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable with Cobra tonearm and Castellon stand (review)
Joint Budget Products of the Year:
Rega Apollo CD player (review)
Revel Concerta F12 loudspeaker (review)
Slim Devices Squeezebox WiFi D/A processor (review)
Joint Loudspeakers:
Quad ESL-2805
Sonus Faber Amati anniversario (review)
Vandersteen Quatro (review)
Joint Amplification Components:
Conrad-Johnson ACT2 preamplifier (review)
Halcro dm88 monoblock power amplifier (review…
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Previous Awards, 1992–2006:
Some examples: One of my first comparisons was between the recent 24-bit reissue of the Beatles' Let It Be (CD, Apple), ripped as a FLAC file from the CD to the Linn system's QNAP NAS, and the same recording ripped as an AIFF to my iMac. The latter seemed faultless in and of itself, yet the FLAC through the DS offered appreciably better sound and music: greater openness, detail, and texture on the one hand (though in the latter regard it was still short of the best vinyl playback), and more momentum and flow on the other. It was, in fact—and with apologies in advance for the hated cliché—…
The DB1's Room Acoustics Compensation program probes the listening room with a tone sent to the sub's input, then samples its audio output in the room with eight closely bunched measurements taken by the supplied mike. After analyzing the results, it applies four-band equalization to correct the four most prominent resonance room peaks in the sub's range by reducing its output in a narrow band around each peak. The procedure gathers information over a passband of 30–140Hz, and gathers additional information below 30Hz. However, the DB1's ability to adjust for more than one peak is inversely…
I checked the vertical tracking force; it was on the money, at 2.3 grams. I checked the stylus rake angle, using a digital microscope. If whoever set SRA on the No.5105 did it the way most people do—by setting the arm parallel to the record surface, assuming that this will result in the proper stylus rake angle—well, it worked. Due to Ortofon's manufacturing excellence, the SRA was 93°; one degree beyond 92 compensates for stylus drag.
If you buy the No.5105 sans cartridge, you'll find the included cartridge setup instructions useful and nicely constructed, if basic. A single-point…
During my 100 years on earth, I've owned mostly separate amps and preamps, but only because that is where I started—or I should say, that is where my audio-savvy friends directed me when I began asking for guidance. Nevertheless, the audio system I've used the longest (unchanged for almost 10 years) consisted of 1984 Rogers LS3/5a loudspeakers (15 ohms, with factory wall mounts) powered by a proletarian-looking Creek 4330 integrated amp sourced by an Oppo CD player.
If I weren't an audio reviewer, I'd revert to my regular self and use the newest Gold Badge) Falcon LS3/5a with the best…
All of this took some time, but after I'd replaced the defective wireless receiver, it went smoothly. The only inconvenience was that I had to switch one app off before running the other, so that the two apps wouldn't interfere with each other. Otherwise, the apps would inevitably fail to discover both subs.
Comparing wired vs wireless signal connection, I could hear no differences in levels of background noise or bass power, or in pace, rhythm, pitch definition, solidity, or tightness. Nor did I ever have any problems with dropouts because of interference with the wireless signal. Once…
In my personal life I prefer the minimalist, one-box architecture of integrated amplifiers. Always have. Before I started writing for Stereophile, my only audio system consisted of a pair of 15 ohm Rogers LS3/5a loudspeakers (with factory wall mounts) and an ancient Creek integrated amplifier, connected to my computer via a Halide DAC HD, and to an Oppo CD player. That system had pitch-perfect tone and was satisfying with all types of music.
I would never purchase an integrated amplifier with a DAC or phono stage residing in the same box. To me, that's like buying an active loudspeaker.…
Larry Greenhill updated the BDP-2's audio board in February 2016 (Vol.39 No.2):
In the June 2011 Stereophile, I reviewed Bryston's BDP-1 digital player ($2195) and purchased the review sample. Twenty-one months later, Bryston released a new version, the BDP-2 ($2995, footnote 1). The new Bryston player looked great, and bumped-up the BDP-1's processing power, system memory, number of input options—now including six USB sockets in place of the BDP-1's four, a rear-mounted slot for a self-powered eSATA drive, and provisions for an optional internal SATA drive—and USB-port current…
I'm anxious to see John Atkinson's measurements of the M106's bass extension. In terms of clarity, neutrality, and forcefulness, I found the speaker's bottom end impressive for a bookshelf model of its size: just 14.9" high by 8.2" wide by 10.8" deep, and weighing just 17.6 lbs. In Eberhard Weber's Endless Days (CD, ECM 1748), Rainer Brüninghaus's bass-synthesizer lines filled and enveloped my listening room. From my notes: "Bloooooooom!"
The Performa3 M106 exhibited two strengths that deserve more detailed discussion. In these areas, the speaker exceeded the performance of any other…
The Model 34 preamplifier is the component from English manufacturer Quad that will disenchant perfectionists, partly because of its obvious pandering to connoisseurs of old and sometimes lousy-sounding records, and partly because of its sound.
This solid-state design is supplied with a built-in moving-magnet cartridge preamplifier, and a moving-coil preamp is included with it for (easy) installation by the user if desired. (Remove two screws, pull out the old module, plug in the new one and replace the screws. The job takes about 3 minutes.) The MC preamp supplied is for 20 microvolt-…