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The Fifth Element #38 Page 2

While recording, pressing Record again starts a new .wav file. There is a brief pause as a new file is created and named, but again, no audio is lost, thanks to the buffering-and-cache arrangement. From Stop, pressing Play replays the last audio track recorded.

In short, Sound Devices has put lots of thought and lots of practical experience into the Model 722. It's not quite foolproof, but it's clear they've been looking out for the end-user.

The owner's manual and the LCD screen's menu structure, if they did not quite fill me with trepidation, at least made me acutely aware that…

Listening #46

"It's a series of tubes."—Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), explaining how the Internet works

When I bought my first car, in 1976—a secondhand Datsun B-210, which rusted to a shambles before I even finished paying for it—my stepfather advised me to have it insured by the friendly agent who wrote all of his own policies. The two men played golf together on the same course, played cards at the same Elks Club, and went to the same cookouts. They were friends, and friends give friends the business.

My stepfather's agent worked hard for his money: He played golf and gin rummy and…

Listening #46 Page 2

But let's back up a few steps. JuicyMusic was founded in 2004 by a fellow named Mark Deneen, fresh from the computer industry. Before that, Deneen worked in—ta-da, you guessed it—perfectionist audio. Like Lowthers and herpes, being a preamp manufacturer is something you can't get out of your system.

Beginning in 1975, Deneen owned and operated Paragon Audio of San Carlos, California, designing and manufacturing affordable tube electronics. Then, in 1979, he sold Paragon to ADC. After staying on to help manage the line for a short while, Deneen left audio altogether and moved…

Infinity RS-4.5 loudspeaker system

There are certain manufacturers for whom every new product implies the promise of countless modifications, Usually a month or so apart, culminating inevitably in a version so far removed from the original that it must be assigned a new model designation—usually a letter suffix ranging from A, to D. By the time E is envisioned, another CE Show is approaching, so the decision is made to give the unit an exterior facelift and a brand-new model number. Presto! A new product for CES.

Infinity has rarely played the modification game. Only when a new product developed production…

Infinity RS-4.5 loudspeaker system JGH Returns

JGH returned to the Infinity RS-4.5 in June 1980 (Vol.4 No.6):

More on the continuing saga of the 4.5, now into its fifth modification in a relentless attempt to conquer the sounds of trombones and cellos...

The latest version is better than any of the previous ones, which is only to be expected after all. The original hardness is completely gone, the stupendous low end and high end remain unscathed and while that elusive (at least for the 4.5) capacity for vulgarity when called on has been improved, the system is still more lushly polite than aggressively outspoken.

We…

Infinity RS-4.5 loudspeaker system Specifications

Sidebar: Specifications

Description: Three-way sealed-box loudspeaker system with active Bi-Channel crossover/equalizer for connection between preamp and power amp(s); Drive-units: two 12" Watkins, dual–voice-coil woofers, four EMIM (electromagnetic-induction-midrange) units and four EMIT ribbon tweeters (one rear-facing) Crossover frequencies: 150Hz, 5kHz (lower crossover point adjustable). Frequency response: 24Hz–32kHz ±3dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Power handling: 100Wpc minimum power required.
Dimensions 65" H by 27" W by 15" D (loudspeaker); 10" D by 14" W by 2" H (equalizer…

VTL Tiny Triode monoblock power amplifier

During the time of the Native-American Comanches, a young brave had to undergo many trials by fire before he earned the respect of the tribe's adults. He was violently beaten by the men, humiliated by the women, and forced to endure physical torture such as the slow flaying of the foreskin with smoldering pine saplings drawn from the fire. Alienated from the tribe, exiled until he proved his manhood, he had to survive on wriggling cream-colored larvae and infrequent rainwater. Legend speaks of these Indian youths, dehydrated and disoriented, crawling around on their hands and knees and…

VTL Tiny Triode monoblock power amplifier Page 2

Well, this may sound absurd, but I actually had to replace the VTLs with another amp because I couldn't concentrate on writing their review! Every time I began to write, my mind would wander like it used to in algebra class, only now I was free to blow my work off and kick back without getting beaned in the head with an eraser. I tried putting on CDs I don't even like (Merry Christmas From Wayne Newton, Curb D2-77348. Seriously.) to try and focus on the review, but my attention kept snapping back to the music. As good as some of the other amps may have been, only the VTLs were able to…

VTL Tiny Triode monoblock power amplifier Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: 25W monoblock amplifier. No specifications given.
Dimensions: 9" W by 4" H by 6" D each.
Serial number of review sample: T25M399/400.
Price: $1200/pair (1991); no longer available (2006). Approximate number of dealers: 25.
Manufacturer: Vacuum Tube Logic, 4774 Murietta, Suites 9&10, Chino, CA 91710. Tel. (714) 627-5944. Web: www.vtl.com.

VTL Tiny Triode monoblock power amplifier Measurements

Sidebar 2: Measurements

The VTL's input impedance at 1kHz was a hair over 100k ohms, while its sensitivity was high, at just 71.6mV for 1W into 8 ohms, both factors making it suitable for use with passive preamps. The lefthand amplifier was 0.5dB less sensitive, however, as can be seen from the Tiny Triode's frequency response at 1W into 8 ohms (fig.1). This showed a slight rolloff in the extreme treble, reaching –0.4dB at 20kHz. The limited HF bandwidth can also be seen in the shape of a 10kHz squarewave (fig.2), which features a mild droop to the leading edges.

Fig.1…