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Everything is designed to be pleasing to the touch. Even the case's zipper handle is smooth and soft. To the left of the headphones, a second compartment contains the quick-start guide, warranty, and an effective antimicrobial cleaning cloth. The Beats' high-gloss finish smudges easily—you will get fingerprints on these headphones. However, the new, hot-looking white version may be less prone to smudging. Also included is a 1/8"-to-1/4" adapter and Monster iSoniTalk cable, compatible with iPhones, Blackberries, and other music-enabled cell phones. I didn't use the iSoniTalk, but I can see…
Finally, I played a lossless file of Espers' "That Which Darkly Thrives," from last year's III (CD, Drag City DC416). Here, interestingly, voices were rendered appropriately: They sounded lovely and ethereal, and seemed to float above everything in a way that even my stereo can't manage. In my review of this album, I highlighted the "groaning bass and cello runs that lift the listener from the ground." Compared to my memory of that sensation as conveyed through my hi-fi, the Beats came up short, however, sounding slightly diffuse and not nearly as impactful. Bass, overall, had a distinctly…
Low-level resolution was also greater with the Phiatons. Valet's "Rainbow" opens with a whispered vocal from Honey Owens that the Phiatons zoomed in on and embraced; in fact, Owens' voice throughout the track was clearer, more human, more present—unambiguous pluses.
Looking back . . .
. . . at the listening habits I fell into with the Beats, I clearly gravitated toward music that offered aggressive imaging, an area in which the Monsters excelled. I therefore decided to do a few more listening tests, using songs in different genres of music.
I began this time with the…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Binaural, noise-canceling headphones. Frequency range: 20Hz–20kHz. Sensitivity: 115dB/V. Cable: Monster Cable Quadripole, four-twisted-pair construction. Cord: 1.3m, straight, left side.
Weight: 9.2oz (260.8gm), excluding cable.
Serial Number Of Unit Reviewed: 190003-00.
Price: $349.95. Approximate number of dealers: gazillions.
Manufacturer: Monster Cable Products, Inc., 455 Valley Drive, Brisbane, CA 94005. Tel: (415) 840-2000. Fax: (415) 468-0311. Web: www.monstercable.com.
I miss the High End Shows. Not the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas—no thanks. I can do without the overpriced hotels, the 45-minute taxi lines, the frantic racing from venue to venue. No, it's the Stereophile shows I miss, with the centralized location, the rubbing shoulders with readers ("Hey, you're the cheap-speaker guy! Check out room 206!"), the listening to live music, and maybe even playing a little of it.
There was always a number of manufacturers who regularly displayed their wares at the Stereophile show and always achieved good sound, no matter what they…
Woodwinds, too, shone with perfect purity and verisimilitude. As I listened to accordionist Richard Galliano perform "Aurore," from his Love Day (CD, Milan M2-36398), the Dynaudio reproduced that most underrated of polyphonic woodwind instruments with breathy, linear, low-level dynamics and flawless timbre. This speaker also loved piano recordings—Marilyn Crispell's rich but minimalist mid-register textures on her introspective Amaryllis (CD, ECM 1742) reminded me of a concert of hers I attended about the time this disc was recorded, in 2000.
The Excite X12's reproduction of the lower…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, reflex-loaded, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (26mm) silk-dome tweeter, 5.7" (145mm) magnesium-silicate polymer-cone woofer. Crossover frequency: 2kHz. Frequency response: 50Hz–23kHz, ±3dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Sensitivity: 86dB/2.83V/m. Power handling: 150W.
Dimensions: 11.2" (285mm) H by 6.7" (170mm) W by 10" (255mm) D. Weight: 14.3 lbs (6.5kg).
Finishes: Maple, Cherry, Rosewood, Black Ash real-wood veneers; add $75/pair for high-gloss white or black.
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: 03632378/9.
Price: $1200…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: VPI TNT IV, Rega Planar 3 turntables; Immedia RPM, Syrinx PU-3 tonearms; Koetsu Urushi, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridges.
Digital Sources: Lector CDP-7T, Creek Destiny CD players.
Preamplification: Vendetta Research SCP-2D phono stage, AudioValve Eclipse line stage.
Power Amplifier: Audio Research Reference 110.
Integrated Amplifier: Creek Destiny.
Loudspeakers: Amphion Helium2, Epos M16i, Monitor Audio RS6 Silver.
Cables: Interconnect (all MIT): Magnum M3, MI-350 CVTwin Terminator, MI-330SG Terminator. Speaker: Acarian…
Sidebar 3 Measurements
I performed the quasi-anechoic measurements of the Dynaudio Excite X12 with DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone. The speaker's rather clumsy grille was left off for the measurements. The Excite X12's specified voltage sensitivity is 86dB/2.83V/m; my estimate of its sensitivity was a bit lower than that, at 84.8dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is below average. This speaker will work better with relatively high-powered amplifiers, such as the Creek integrated and Audio Research power amp BJR used for his auditioning. However, while Dynaudio specifies the…
Years ago, when I taught high school choirs, I had many types of kids in my ensembles. Though none exclusively fit the overly stereotypical lineup of kids on Fox TV's Glee, I always managed to have a nice assortment of jocks, preps, goths, motorheads, geeks, wastoids, and dweebs. One of the things that always fascinated me was how the big, tough jocks would turn out to be the most sensitive, emotional singers. It was always a touching moment when an otherwise stoic football star or wrestler would get all misty while singing the final song of the year-end concert. It showed me that the…