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Dynaudio Confidence C1 loudspeaker

"No, the Dynaudio Confidence C1 isn't a small loudspeaker, but it is a stand-mounted two-way monitor." I was struggling to explain to Fred Kaplan what I was working on for this month's deadline.

"So it would be good for people with smaller rooms?"

"That's what I thought at first, so I set them up in my small listening room, where they were fantastic, but later I decided I had to hear them in my big room, too. So I brought the C1s upstairs—and darned if they didn't shine in a room that most 'monitor' speakers can't fill."

"So let me get this straight," said Fred…

Theta DS Pro Generation V digital processor Shannon Dickson Review

Shannon Dickson reviewed the Gen.V Theta in July 1995 (Vol.18 No.7):

Much has been written about the Theta DS Pro Generation V, which I still consider among the best D/A processors available. I level-matched the Muse Model Two and my Gen.V to within 0.04dB (with the help of the two remote-controlled Rowland preamps) and drove them both with, in turn, the Theta Data II, the excellent Theta Data Basic (which I like even better than the recently discontinued Data II), and the Micromega T-Drive transport.

Qualitatively, the two processors were surprisingly close. They sounded…

Linn Klimax Solo 800 monoblock power amplifier

For reasons that have as much to do with why the creek does or doesn't rise as anything, almost all the UK-manufactured electronics I've reviewed over the years were from dCS of Cambridge. Through 2023, no electronics from Linn or a host of other UK-based companies have crossed the threshold of my music room.

That situation changed when, soon after New Year's, a pair of Linn's 60lb Klimax Solo 800 monoblock amplifiers ($90,000/pair) arrived from Scotland. Right away, they delighted me with their ease of maneuverability, handsome, uncluttered look, and relative compactness. Given their…

Naim NSC 222 streaming preamplifier & NPX 300 power supply Page 2

Setup
We set up the complete system as a connected, synchronized unit. Thus the NSC 222 was powered by the NPX 300 supply upgrade, the NAP 250 was installed and the Naim rack was leveled and locked. The supplied Powerline Lite mains cables were connected, with 6m NAC A5 speaker cables and the included Naim interconnects. These components had all been used previously in demo systems; still, a couple of weeks of use as a background music source served to clear the cobwebs. My highly specified Linn LP12 was engaged with the installation of a high-output Hana MH moving coil cartridge.…

Torus Power TOT AVR power conditioner

Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary defines tot as "1: a small child: TODDLER; 2: a small drink or allowance of liquor: SHOT." Torus Power used it to name their compact line of toroidal power conditioners. Although small in size, weight, and price, the TOT AVR includes the Automatic Voltage Regulation referred to in its name, as well as noise filtering and smart Ethernet control, and is available with series-mode surge suppression (SMSS) circuit protection.

Kevin Main, president of Torus Power, joined me for lunch in Las Vegas during the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, to tell…

Naim ND5 XS 2 media player Page 2

Because the ND5 XS 2 is described as being Roon-ready, I was at first a bit peeved that this functionality, too, isn't even hinted at in the Quick Start Guide or the full owner's manual. Not knowing what else to do, I booted up the MacBook Air on which I keep Roon and most of my music files, launched Roon, went first to Settings, and then to Audio . . . and there on the screen before me, under the newly appeared heading Networked, were the words "Naim Audio ND5 XS 2" and a software button labeled Enable. Apparently, my Roon installation and Naim's network player had found each other! I…

Music Hall Ikura LP player & Ortofon 2M Blue phono cartridge

The call I received from Music Hall's Leland Leard surprised me: "Hey, Bob, I think you'd be the perfect guy to review our new Ikura turntable!"

Hmm. It had been four years since I'd reviewed a record player: Pro-Ject's Debut III, in the February 2010 issue. And with the surging popularity of vinyl—hell, Rough Trade NYC's enormous new record store, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, even sells turntables—the thought of a plug-and-play turntable-tonearm-cartridge combination for $1200 intrigued me. Sure, Leland—send it on.

Design
The Ikura features a two-plinth design…

Revel Ultima Rhythm2 powered subwoofer Page 2

Because some internal crossovers produce audible effects, I checked to hear if the Rhythm2's internal electronic crossover was altering the sound of the high-pass signal driving the Salon2s. Try as I might, I couldn't hear the Rhythm2's crossover. Whether I ran the Salon2s full range and used the Rhythm2 for reinforcement, or passed the audio signal through the sub's crossover, the tonal characteristics of my system didn't change. I heard no discontinuities between the speakers and the subwoofer even with solo-piano recordings. The light, lyrical quality of Keith Jarrett's playing in "True…

Monitor Audio Silver RS6 loudspeaker

I was just about to wrap up my British Invasion Tour of affordable speakers when I got a call from Fearless Leader John Atkinson.

"I have this very interesting speaker from English company Monitor Audio I'd like you to audition."

Sounds good, JA. At Stereophile's Home Entertainment shows, I've been favorably impressed every time I've heard a Monitor Audio speaker, whether expensive, affordable, two-channel, or home theater.

Nor are Monitor speakers all that expensive. In addition to a number of home-theater speaker models, the company currently makes 19 different two-…

Mark Levinson No.431 power amplifier Page 2

The No.431's dual-mono design means that the amp has a separate power supply for each channel. Each power supply includes a low-noise, 660VA toroidal transformer and two triple-bypassed, low-equivalent-series-resistance 24,000µF, electrolytic capacitors. Heavy bus bars of oxygen-free copper and high-frequency power-supply bypass components are used to lower the No.431's power-supply impedance. The amplifier can draw 15 amperes at 120V from the mains when driving a 4 ohm load to its full power rating of 400Wpc.

A turn-on circuit prevents sudden thumps and damage to components from the…