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There is a wider point to be made concerning Mr. Self's conclusions. The danger lies not in his beliefs but in his insistence that those of us who rejoice in all the different shadings of sound quality possible from amplifiers—those of us who not only recognize "brown" but appreciate all the different browns bequeathed us by the Almighty—should cease to do so. Mr. Self's beliefs are a subset of my own since, if differences exist, it is quite possible for those differences to be small enough to be unnoticeable, whereas Mr. Self's world view, like Dr. Shanefield's, allows for no other. But…
Let's see—should I start with a discussion of conflict? Or maybe indecision? No, let's be more psychological and talk about approach/avoidance dilemmas...No, I'm supposed to be entertaining. How about a joke? Nah, that won't do. Well how about the framework for a joke? Yeah, that's the ticket!
Did you hear the one about the audiophile looking for speakers? Well, it seems he had a dilemma. On the one hand, he (it's a he, isn't it?) was obsessed with audio quality. He searched out (and was very impressed with) the Wilson WATT/Puppy/WHOW setup (about $23,000). He really liked the…
By tilting the driver alignment, the cabinets have to be made wider than would otherwise be the case. ProAcs have historically had stunning soundstaging and imaging capabilities, and I've been one of many reviewers who assumed this was achieved partly by Tyler's obsession with narrow cabinets (often just barely wider than the driver surrounds). A tilted arrangement means a bigger box for better bass—but it also means a wider cabinet. The question, to be answered later, concerns the tradeoffs inherent in this decision between bass response and soundstaging precision.
So the Response…
Jack English wrote about the Response 3 Signature in April 1994 (Vol.17 No.4):
Although the Response 3 Signature has not replaced ProAc's well-respected Response 3 (still available for $6500/pair, and reviewed in Vol.14 No.9, p.126), it is an evolved refinement of the basic design, and is intended to stand on its own. But is the 3 Signature worth $3500/pair more than the 3?
The Response 3 has a rich, full mid/upper bass; a lush, musical midrange with wonderful harmonic structures; a clean, quick presentation; a smooth, extended treble that lacks any textural coloration; and…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Two-way dynamic loudspeaker with 1" dome tweeter and two 6.5" polypropylene-cone midrange/woofers. Frequency range: 20Hz–25kHz (no limits given). Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Sensitivity: 88dB/W/m.
Dimensions: 47" H (on plinth) by 11" W by 12" D.
Finishes available: teak, walnut, black ash, others to order.
Price: $6500/pair (1991); $10,000 pair, Signature (1994); no longer available (2006). Approximate number of dealers: 35.
Manufacturer: ProAc, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England (1991); Highpoint House, Riding Road, Buckingham Road…
"Everybody's gotta get into the act!" Jimmy Durante used to say. That's what's happening with phono preamplifiers—they just keep being built, and I keep getting them for review. Up for evaluation in next month's column are new models from Perreaux, Musical Fidelity, Graham Slee, and a Chinese one, Ming Da. You can bet there'll be more.
This month, I concentrate on one: from German designer Friedrich Schäfer, the unique and exceptionally fine-sounding ASR Basis Exclusive ($4950), built in Germany and imported by Fanfare International. This two-piece, battery-operated design is…
Cisco's upcoming reissue of Ian and Sylvia's stunning Northern Journey (Vanguard/Cisco VSD 79154) demonstrated the ASR's strong suits as well as its basic character. I bought the record in 1964, after Vanguard's black "Stereolab" label had given way to orange, and only recently have I found a really clean original. Cisco's reissue, mastered by Kevin Gray and Robert Pincus at AcousTech, beats the original in every way. It retains the original's sparkling brilliance, clarity, and overall acoustic honesty while adding levels of transparency, rhythmic snap, and microdynamic honesty the original…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Solid-state phono preamplifier with external battery power supply, balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) inputs, unbalanced, (RCA) and balanced (XLR) outputs. Frequency response: 3Hz–200kHz, –3dB. RIAA accuracy: <0.5dB, 20Hz–20kHz. Weighted S/N ratio: >68dB, depending on gain (MC). Distortion: <0.01% 5mV–5V into 100 ohms at 1kHz; <0,05%, 20Hz–20kHz. Input impedance: 5–1000 ohms (MC).Input capacitance: adjustable between 100pF and 320pF. Gain: universally adjustable with DIP switches from 32dB to 64dB.
Dimensions: 17" (430mm) W by 14.6" (…
Canadian manufacturers enjoy a special relationship with the US market. Though technically their products are "imports," a high level of trade harmony, plus a common continental location, mean that Canadian designs tend to be equably priced in contrast to those exported to the States from overseas.
Classé Audio, based in Québec, currently offers a sizeable amplifier range, with the output powers more closely spaced than is usual. Krell, for example, offers units that tend to increment the maximum power, hence maximum loudness, in 3dB steps, the idea being that 3dB is the…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-channel solid-state power amplifier. Rated output power: 200Wpc into 8 ohms (23dBW), 400W into 4 ohms (23dBW); wired for mono operation, 700W into 8 ohms (28.45dBW), 1200W into 4 ohms (27.8dBW). Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, –0.1dB. Input sensitivity: 1.3V for rated output. Input impedance: 75k ohms. Output impedance: 0.017 ohms. Voltage gain: 2902dB. S/N ratio: 135dBr (no reference level quoted). THD+Noise: 0.004% (no reference level quoted). Power consumption: 200W (idle).
Dimensions: 19" W by 7.75" H by 18.5" D. Weight: 60 lbs. Standard…