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2006 Records To Die For Page 7

ROBERT J. REINA
KRAFTWERK: Minimum/Maximum
EMI ASW 60611 (2 CDs). Ralf Hutter, Florian Schneider, prods.; Fritz Hilpert, Henning Schmitz, engs. DDD. TT: 2:00:51

This group of fastidious German electronic composers influenced the development of hip-hop, house, and other electronic dance forms. They have now released this two-CD document of highlights from their 2005 world tour. Their best material of the last 30 years has been rearranged and remixed to take advantage of the state of the art of digital synthesis and sound manipulation, and the maturity and subtlety of these…

2006 Records To Die For Page 8

DAVID SOKOL
STEVE EARLE: Transcendental Blues
E-Squared/Artemis 751033-2 (CD). 2000. Twangtrust, prods., mix; Hank Williams, mastering. AAD? TT: 49:56

For my money, no contemporary songwriter has made a more solid series of CDs over the past decade than Steve Earle. With its jaw-dropping arc of Beatlesesque folk-rock-hard-country-Celtic treasures, Transcendental Blues is the best of the best, transcending genre and expectations. Earle has become more overtly political since 9/11 and the Iraq War, but this is still his most elegant collection of masterfully tuneful and heart-…

Fujitsu Ten Eclipse TD712z loudspeaker

All right, it's time for a pop quiz in Loudspeaker Design 101. Answer the following, and justify your answer.

What is the ideal number of drivers in a loudspeaker system?
a) two
b) three
c) four or more
d) none of the above

You have your answer? Good. Next question:

What is the best type of crossover in a loudspeaker system?
a) first order (6dB/octave)
b) second order (12dB)
c) third order (18dB)
d) fourth order (24dB) or higher
e) none of the above

Got that one, too? Well, if you've noticed what kind of speaker is being…

Fujitsu Ten Eclipse TD712z loudspeaker Page 2

Allied to the notion of transparency is that of resolution: the ability to differentiate sonic differences rather than gloss over them. Here, too, the TD712z was in the highest class, matching the ultra-high-resolution Avantgarde Uno. Some readers may recall my mentioning what appears to be an edit point or other recording artifact at 1:35 of track 10, "All the Things You Are," on Sylvia McNair's Sure Thing: The Jerome Kern Songbook (CD, Philips 442 129-2). With some speakers and systems this is noticeable only if you deliberately listen for it; McNair's voice just seems to get momentarily…

Fujitsu Ten Eclipse TD712z loudspeaker Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Single-driver loudspeaker with dedicated stand. Drive-unit: 4.7" (120mm) glass-fiber-cone. Magnet insulation: EIAJ Grade 1. Frequency response: 40Hz–20kHz, –10dB. Impedance: 6 ohms. Sensitivity: 83.5dB/V/m. Power handling: Rated 35W/Maximum 70W.
Dimensions: 11.3" (290mm) W by 14.3" (365mm) H by 14.7" (375mm) D. Height on stand: 38.5–38.9" (987–997mm). Weights: speaker, 26.5 lbs (13.3kg); stand, 28.7 lbs (13kg).
Finish: Silver.
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: ZD700090, ZD700066.
Price: $7000/pair, including stands. Approximate number of…

Fujitsu Ten Eclipse TD712z loudspeaker Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Source: Linn LP12 (fully updated) turntable, Linn Ittok tonearm, AudioQuest AQ-7000nsx cartridge.
Digital Sources: PS Audio Lambda II CD transport, Perpetual Technologies P-1A/ModWright P-3A digital processors with Monolithic Sound P3 power supply, Ayre CX-7e CD player.
Preamplifier: Convergent Audio Technology SL-1 Ultimate.
Power Amplifiers: PrimaLuna ProLogue Seven and Audiopax Model 88 monoblocks; PS Audio GCC-100.
Loudspeakers: Avantgarde Uno.
Cables: Digital: Mystic Reference I2S, Illuminati Orchid AES/EBU. Interconnect: Nordost…

Fujitsu Ten Eclipse TD712z loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

The Eclipse TD712z's voltage sensitivity was to specification but significantly lower than average, at an estimated 83.5dB(B)/2.83V/m. However, its impedance remains above 6 ohms at almost all frequencies (fig.1), and rises in value above the midrange, this due, I assume, to the effect of the single drive-unit's voice-coil inductance. This speaker will be easy to drive, even by low-powered tube amplifiers.

Fig.1 Eclipse TD712z, electrical impedance (solid) and phase (dashed). (2 ohms/vertical div.)

The traces in fig.1 feature a couple of…

Simaudio Moon Evolution SuperNova CD player

Tony, a mechanic friend of mine, once ran down for me his "national characteristics" theory of automobile engineering. Germans, he said, love precision engineering but don't take repair into account, so their engines are always placed in wells so perfectly proportioned that skinned knuckles are inevitable. British cars, he said, are marketed to a nation of tinkerers, hence the existence of dual carburetors. And Italian cars? "Well, let's just say they all resemble espresso makers." He said it—and he was the proverbial Fiat mechanic named Tony.

I think of Tony's theory every time…

Simaudio Moon Evolution SuperNova CD player Page 2

Out came Telarc's latest wonder disc: Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony's performance of Elgar's Enigma Variations, coupled with Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (CD-80660). Well, nothing shallow about that soundstage. As with the Chaloub, I was again impressed by the heft of the bottom end and the SuperNova's subtle delineation of dynamic contrast. The sound was articulate and vivid without seeming unusually forward or crisp, yet I was very aware that its presentation was forward rather than laid-back.

Many of us choose…

Simaudio Moon Evolution SuperNova CD player Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: CD player with remote control and digital input and output. Analog outputs: 1 pair unbalanced (RCA), 1 pair balanced (XLR). Digital outputs: 1 S/PDIF (RCA), 1 AES/EBU (XLR). Digital input: 1 S/PDIF (RCA). Maximum output level: 4V RMS at 1kHz (balanced), 2V RMS (unbalanced). Frequency response: 2Hz–72kHz, +0/–3dB (full-range); 20Hz–20kHz, +0/–0.1dB (audible). THD: <0.001% at 1kHz, 0dBFS, A-weighted. Intermodulation distortion: <0.003%. Intrinsic jitter: <25 picoseconds RMS. Power consumption: 25W.
Dimensions: 18.25" (476mm) W by 5.5" (…