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Determining whether an idea is brilliant or off the wall is often a matter of perspective—and of looking at the results that follow from the idea. Take the notion of AC regeneration. AC is what comes from the wall socket, courtesy a network of power-generation plants, and it's specified as having a certain voltage and frequency, with the amount of current limited by fuses or circuit breakers in the electrical panel of the house or apartment. Audio components—other than those powered by batteries—are designed to convert this alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), then produce…
One of the most impressive things about the Premier is its ability to reduce harmonic distortion in the incoming AC. At various consumer-electronics shows, PS Audio had earlier demonstrated this effect of the Power Plant design by using a Fluke power-quality analyzer. With the Premier, they've included a built-in harmonic-distortion meter; you can switch the front-panel display to show the THD of the incoming AC and of the output. In my situation, the input THD was in the region of 3–4%, the output around 0.3%.
The Premier allows a choice between sinewave and MultiWave. However, it's…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: AC regenerator. Nominal input voltage: 105–135VA US, 215–245VAC Europe/Asia. Maximum continuous load: 1200VA US, 1500VA Europe/Asia. Dynamic power delivery: 0.5s, >3600VA US, 5000VA Europe/Asia. Voltage regulation: ±0.5V US, 1VAC Europe/Asia. Output distortion, input 220–240VAC: 1200VA resistive load <0.9%. Output distortion, 230V: 240VAC, 1200VA reactive load <0.9%. Output distortion, input 110–130VAC: 1200VA resistive load, <0.5%. Output distortion, input 110–130VAC: 1200VA reactive load, <0.5%. Output impedance: <0.015 ohm.…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Source: Ayre CX-7e CD player.
Analog Source: Linn LP12 turntable with Lingo power supply, Ittok tonearm, AudioQuest AQ7000nsx cartridge.
Preamplifier: Convergent Audio Technology SL-1 Ultimate.
Power Amplifier: Audiopax Model 88 Mk.II monoblocks.
Integrated Amplifier: PS Audio GCC-100.
Loudspeakers: Avantgarde Uno Nano.
Cables: Interconnect: Nordost Quattro Fils (single-ended, balanced). Speaker: Nordost Valhalla. AC: PS Audio xStream Power, TARA Labs Decade.
Accessories: Arcici Suspense Rack, PolyCrystal amplifier stands,…
The 78rpm train has been derailed for the time being. The KAB Souvenir VSP Mk.II phono preamplifier, which I intended to review in this space, has yet to arrive from its manufacturer, owing to a delay in the availability of certain parts. The Elberg MD12 Mk.III preamp has yet to arrive from its manufacturer, owing to a recent redesign. The Sentec EQ-10 preamp is here but has a broken switch I haven't got around to fixing. The McIntosh C-8 preamp, a lovely vintage piece that's available for peanuts on the used market, is still undergoing renovation by someone who isn't me.
So I'm taking…
While EMT settled down to make only A-style pickup heads, Ortofon continued to offer virtually all of their SPU moving-coil cartridges in a choice of A- or G-style headshells—until just a few years ago. Seemingly overnight, pictures of Ortofon's A-style pickup heads disappeared from the company's website. Was it, as some suggested, that the person responsible for building the A-style products had passed away? Or was it that the company wanted to condense their product line in the face of a shrinking consumer base?
As it turns out, neither. In 1971, Ortofon moved their operation from…
Winter has returned to Cherry Valley, New York, and I'm reminded of a bad habit that I used to conceal: On cold mornings I started my car well before driving off, then actually weighted down the accelerator pedal—with the heavy socket tray from my toolbox—in an effort to keep the idle high, and thus more quickly warm the windshield and the interior. Whether my lazy trick had the desired effect is a matter of some debate, but I wish now that I hadn't been so wasteful and so casually fouled the air.
Now I'm happy just to stay at home, listening to music through my favorite class-A…
In bluegrass-guitar circles, we speak of a select few people as tone players: musicians such as David Grier, Russ Barenberg—and, above all, Tony Rice—who are better than most at pulling rich, complex tone from their instruments. In that vein, the A21ai must surely be considered a tone amp—which is rare in my experience of solid-state products. It reproduced André Gertler's fiddle in the Berg Violin Concerto (LP, Columbia 33C 1030) with superb depth of color and texture, as it did the very nice ride-tom and floor-tom sound from drummer Shawn Pelton throughout Richie Havens's Nobody Left to…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state integrated amplifier. Inputs: 4 line-level, 1 phono. Maximum output power: 25Wpc into 8 ohms, 1kHz (14dBW). Line input impedance: 47k ohms. Line input sensitivity: 170mV for maximum output. Phono input impedances: 47k ohms (MM), 100 ohms (MC). Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, ±0.5dB. Signal/noise: >83dB (no reference level given).
Dimensions: 17" (430mm) W by 3.5" (92mm) H by 13.7" (350mm) D. Weight: 24.2 lbs (11kg).
Serial Number Of Unit Reviewed: 20349.
Price: $2995. Approximate number of US dealers: 10.
Manufacturer: J.E…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Linn LP12, two Thorens TD-124 Mk.II turntables; Naim Aro, EMT 997 tonearms; Miyabi Mono & 47, EMT OFD 25 & OFD 65, Shindo SPU, Ortofon SPU Synergy A cartridges.
Digital Source: Sony SCD-777ES SACD/CD player.
Preamplification: Auditorium 23 Hommage T1 step-up transformer; Shindo Masseto & Fi preamplifiers.
Power Amplifiers: Shindo Corton-Charlemagne & Haut-Brion, Fi, Quad II.
Loudspeakers: Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE, Quad ESL.
Cables: Interconnect: Audio Note AN-vx, Shindo Silver. Speaker: Auditorium 23, Naim NACA-…