The Mini References' inability to rock is one way in which they differ from the more expensive ProAc Response 2s. While they have a similar tonal balance, the ProAcs can be driven hard. The $3000/pair ProAcs excel in soundstaging, the retrieval of…
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Another shortcoming (blessing?) is that the Mini References cannot play loud—if you set the volume too high, the sound congests, then distorts, during loud orchestral passages (footnote 4). There's also no fuse to protect the speakers. So these speakers are probably not right for headbangers—Corey Greenberg would probably never recommend them.
Robert J. Reina reviewed the RA Labs BG Mini-Reference in September 1997 (Vol.20 No.9):
The Allison name is one every audiophile should recognize. For me it brings back pangs of nostalgia for the '70s, when many of my audiophile friends owned Allison Ones. That triangular, floorstanding dynamic loudspeaker was unusual for its day, in that its widest face was intended to be placed flat against the wall. At the time, this excellent-sounding speaker was much more spouse-friendly than most of the competition.
Following more than a decade of acclaimed design work for Acoustic Research…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way speaker with sealed-box woofer loading. Drive-units: 6" paper-cone woofer, 0.5" plastic-dome tweeter. Frequency response: 55Hz–20kHz, ±3dB. Crossover frequency: 3kHz. Nominal impedance: 6 ohms. Sensitivity: 90dB/2.83V/1m. Finish: black vinyl.
Dimensions: 14" H by 8.5" W by 8.25" D. Weight: 9 lbs each.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: B06496 & 97 (Reina pair); B0039 & 40 (original pair; see measurements text).
Price: $173/pair (1994); $224/pair (1997); no longer available (2007). Approximate number of dealers: factory-direct…
Sidebar 2: BJR System Context
I used the Mini-References on Celestion Si stands about 12" to 15" from the rear wall. I conducted most of my reviewing on my "affordable" reference system. Front-ends were a Thorens TD-160/SME 3009 Mk.II/Grado Signature 8MZ (analog) and a California Audio Labs Icon Mk.II HDCD with Power Boss (digital). Amplification consisted of a Creek 4240 SE integrated amplifier. Wires were MIT 330SG interconnects and Acarian Black Orpheus speaker cables.
I also assembled a second, less expensive "entry-level" system to audition the Mini-References. It consisted…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Despite its small size, the RA Labs speaker is surprisingly sensitive; my B-weighted estimate was around 89dB/2.83V/m. However, as its impedance (fig.1) drops below 6 ohms for most of the midrange, 8 ohm–rated amplifiers and receivers should be avoided. The tuning of the sealed box is revealed by the peak at 65Hz, implying only moderate bass extension.
Fig.1 RA Labs BG Mini-Reference, electrical impedance (solid) and phase (dashed) (2 ohms/vertical div.).
Note the small wrinkle in the traces between 200Hz and 300Hz. These suggest the…
My first exposure to Burmester electronics was some years back at a New York Hi-Fi Show, where they were powering a pair of B&W 801s and impressed the hell out of me. But Burmester's distribution seemed sporadic and the prices beyond my consideration, so I put them out of my mind.
More recently, Burmester has been showing up at CES and in my local hi-fi emporium with a mind-boggling array of jewel-finished components and a no-holds-barred approach to design. Demonstrations were as impressive as that first one, and I leaped at the prospect of getting the 970 DAC and 971 transport for…
We can't usually know what the sound of the original event was, but I always got the impression that the 970 came closer than the others. In the case of the recent Chuck Mangione recording on Chesky [see "Quarter Notes" elsewhere in this issue—Ed.], I was present at a recording session and listened both to the live sound in the hall and to the live mix as it was fed to the disk recorder. I am not a big Mangione fan (sorry, guys), and I heard "Mountain Flight" at least eight times during the recording sessions. But while I can summon little enthusiasm for the music, I do know what it sounded…
Sidebar 1: Burmester 969 CD transport
Sitting on matching baseplates and carbon-fiber discs, the $27,500 Burmester 969 transport and 970 DAC look very much alike. On its front panel the 969 has fewer buttons and a larger, single display, and on the top, the central of its three armor plates can be slid back to reveal a top-loading, belt-driven CD turntable. I really got a kick out of hearing the subtle relay click as I slid back the cover. Indeed, the mechanism was so smooth that the relay was the only perceptible feedback to the operator.
Udo Besser gave me a demo transport…
Sidebar 2: Specifications
Description: Balanced digital/analog converter with 24-bit/96kHz DACs, HDCD capability, full remote control, five digital and two analog filter characteristics, and phase-inversion switching. High-precision master clock at the DAC with output to control Burmester transports. Digital inputs: ST, TosLink, AES/EBU, two RCA. Digital outputs: RCA, TosLink. Analog outputs, fixed volume: balanced and unbalanced. Analog outputs, variable volume: balanced and unbalanced. 60-step volume control. External power supply with 11,6000µF capacitor filtering.
Dimensions: Main…
Sidebar 3: Associated Components
Most of the extended listening for these reports was done with the California Audio Labs CL-20 CD/DVD player as the source. I made this choice to eliminate any possible bias from using a transport designed and constructed to mate to a specific DAC. As the common source, the CL-20 provided both S/PDIF (coax and optical) and AES/EBU outputs, as well as CD/DVD compatibility with up to 24/96 digital output. I did this also to maintain a level playing field without auditioning all the possible combinations of transport and DAC and interconnection. Let's see:…