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Description: Two-way, stand-mounted, sealed-box loudspeaker. Drive-units: 0.75" (19mm) ferrofluid-cooled, fabric-dome tweeter, 4.5" (110mm) polypropylene-copolymer–cone woofer. Crossover frequency: 3kHz. Crossover slopes: third-order, 18dB/octave. Frequency response: 80Hz–21kHz ±2dB. Sensitivity: 85dB/W/m (2.83V). Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Power handling: 45W unclipped program. Amplifier requirements: 25–100W. Maximum spl per pair: 99dB at 2m. Distortion at 90dB spl: less than 1% second harmonic, 200Hz–21kHz; less than 1% third harmonic, 50Hz–21kHz.
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Power amplifiers were either a pair of Mark Levinson No.20.6 monoblocks or a YBA 2 HC, while the preamplifier was either the Melos SHA-1 headphone amplifier used as a line-stage, the YBA 2, or the Audio Research LS2B. A Mod Squad Phono Drive EPS amplified LP signals from a Linn Sondek/Cirkus/Trampolin/Lingo/Ekos/Arkiv setup sitting on an ArchiDee table. Digital source was variously a Theta DS Pro Generation III, a Counterpoint DA-10 with UltraAnalog DAC module, a Mark Levinson No.35, or the new Sonic Frontiers SFD-2, all driven by a Mark Levinson No.31 transport via…

The Studio 3's impedance (fig.1) doesn't drop below 8 ohms, making it a very easy amplifier load. (This graph nicely illustrates the facts that maximum electrical phase angles occur at relatively high magnitude values, and that both maximum- and minimum-magnitude values coincide with 0° phase.) The sealed box is tuned to 93Hz (the peak at that frequency reaches 21.7 ohms), significantly higher than either of the other two loudspeakers reviewed. No wrinkles in the lower midrange can be seen, implying a relatively well-braced cabinet construction. The sensitivity,…

Many of us balk at the idea of spending 4k, 3k, or even 2k for an outboard digital processor, when something better will likely come along soon, and maybe for less money.

Too bad about the Musical Fidelity Digilog—a very musical (if not especially detailed) unit selling for $995, which is no longer imported into the US.

I've found something else for you.

The Meridian 203 Digital Converter.

I have to confess this is one of those products I was…

In 1984, just after the first CD player made its way to America, I remember hearing about a small British company which modified Philips CD-100 machines to make them sound better. This idea created quite a stir and was looked at somewhat askance by the majority of a populace who were convinced the CD medium and players were perfect. "But how can you make something that's already perfect better?" I can still hear them saying. This sentiment was echoed by the mainstream audio press, a key factor in the Compact Disc's…

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…

The playback system included Hales System Two Signature loudspeakers driven by VTL 225W monoblocks. All processors under audition were connected to the Electronic Visionary Systems Stepped Attenuator by identical 3" runs of Music Metre interconnect, and Expressive Technologies IC-1 connected the Stepped Attenuator to the VTLs. Level matching was performed by measuring the voltage at the power amplifier when playing the –20dB, 1kHz tone from the Stereophile Test CD and finding the difference in the number of attenuation steps between processors. I was able to get…

The 203's output level when decoding a full-scale 1kHz sinewave was 2.358V (left channel) and 2.346V (right), slightly higher (1.4dB) than the 2V standard and Meridian's specification. Frequency response (fig.1) was flat, but with some very small amplitude irregularities (passband ripple) above 1kHz. However, these are sufficiently low in amplitude to be inaudible. De-emphasis error (fig.2) revealed a 0.3dB negative error at 4kHz, correcting at 8kHz, then another 0.3dB negative error at 16kHz.

Fig.1 Meridian 203, frequency response at –12dBFS into…

In addition to being a bargain and a wonderful performance, this is the most aurally stunning…