Other than the in-room and nearfield measurements, for which I used an Earthworks QTC-40, the quasi-anechoic measurements of JBL's Synthesis 1400 Array BG were all performed using DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone. The JBL's specified sensitivity of 89dB/2.83V/m was confirmed by my measurement. While this is not as high as with some horn-loaded designs, it is still usefully above average. In addition, the 1400 Array is an easy load for the partnering amplifier to drive, with an impedance magnitude that remains between 6 and 8 ohms over…
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Every audiophile is born sometime, somewhere. My audio birth happened on a family visit to my Uncle John's house, when he played Information Society's "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" through his brand-new Klipsch Heresy IIs. Uncle John did three things at this listening session that turned 12-year-old me into the audiophile I am today: he played music I liked, he played it really loud, and afterward, he took the time to explain how his system worked and why it sounded so good. His Klipsches were powered by Nelson Pass–influenced Nakamichi gear—I'd never before heard speakers play music…
With the enormous care shown in every aspect of the P-17B's design, and considering its price of $4000/pair, it's unfortunate that Klipsch has not designed for it—let alone included—a proprietary stand. Klipsch should at least partner with another manufacturer to create a stand that will bring out this speaker's best, support it securely, and complement its gorgeous design.
Once I'd got the P-17Bs sitting atop my dowdy stands, I discovered that positioning them in my room was also a little trickier than usual. As with any pair of speakers, the P-17Bs' imaging and tonal balance were…
For instance, all the pop recordings I've bought in the last two months sound like crap. Though I've recently bought great music by Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, and Bowerbirds, these discs' over-EQ'd, overcompressed sound hinders my enjoyment of the music. The P-17B's slight emphasis of the very top treble didn't make these recordings sound any better than they are, and did little to hide their flaws. I don't fault Klipsch for this—it's the fault of these albums' engineers, producers, and mastering engineers. I also blame overcooked recordings on the general decline of Western…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, stand-mounted, reflex-loaded loudspeaker. Drive-units: 0.75" (19mm) titanium-diaphragm compression tweeter with 90° by 60° Tractrix horn; 4.5" (114mm) aluminum-diaphragm compression mid-frequency driver with 90° by 60° Tractrix horn; 7" (178mm) aluminum-Rohacell-Kevlar cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: 600Hz, 3.4kHz. Enclosure material: constrained-layer MDF. Frequency response: 51Hz–24kHz, ±3dB. Power handling: 150W continuous, 600W peak. Sensitivity: 94dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Maximum acoustic output (2 speakers in room…
The debate over which audio component is most important in determining the quality of a system's sound is one that has been with us for decades. Recently, it came up in a conversation I had during a visit to a Manhattan high-end shop, when I was told about a discussion on the topic by Ivor Tiefenbrun (of Linn) and David Wilson (of Wilson Audio Specialties). You don't have to be a seasoned audiophile to predict their respective positions, but when I was pressed to take a stand, I paused.
Few will argue that the preamplifier and/or amplifier is the most critical component. I take…
The rear panel has all the requisite connectors for the many functions of this universal player, including lots of outputs—7.1-channel analog audio, coaxial and optical digital audio, component/composite/S-video, and HDMI—as well as USB and Ethernet ports, an IR emitter input, and an AC power input. Considering all the connection options, and that our major concern here is sound, I concentrated on the HDMI and 7.1-channel analog outputs, and only briefly sampled the coax and optical digital outputs. I connected the analog outputs to my Parasound P7 preamplifier, as I'd done with the Oppo BDP-…
Classé Audio CT-SSP surround-sound processor
When Classé released its SSP-800 surround-sound processor, I was offered a review sample but decided to wait for the promised expansion of the DSP engine to permit decoding of the high-definition audio codecs from Dolby and DTS. Little did I suspect that that would take so long, or that the SSP-800 would then prove so popular that review samples would be scarce. So when Classé's Dave Nauber offered to send me a CT-SSP ($9000), I happily accepted. I'd waited a long time for this one. Under its skin, the CT-SSP is a sister to the SSP-800. That…
Sidebar 1: Contacts
Cambridge Audio, Audio Partnership Plc, Gallery Court, Hankey Place, London SE1 4BB, England, UK. Web: www.cambridgeaudio.com. US distributor: Audio Plus Services, 156 Lawrence Paquette Industrial Drive, Champlain, NY 12919. Tel: (800) 663-9352. Fax: (866) 656-0686. Web: www.audioplusservices.com.
Classé Audio, 5070 FranÁois Cusson, Lachine, Quebec H8T 1B3, Canada. Tel: (514) 636-6384. Fax: (514) 636-1428. Web: www.classeaudio.com.
Sidebar 2: Cambridge & Mediatek
The Azur 650BD looks very similar to the Oppo BDP-80 universal Blu-ray player ($289). Since I have not received a BDP-80 for review, I can't make detailed comparisons of the two players' appearance or performance, but I do note that the layouts of their front panels are different.
Cambridge says the Azur 650BD "is based on the Mediatek MTK8520/MTK8575 chipset," and that they "have a long relationship with Mediatek having based our DVD89/99, DV30 and 540D V1 and V2 DVD players on various Mediatek platforms. . . . In terms of what Mediatek offer…