Further up the audioband, the ARC's clean, extended, detailed reproduction of high frequencies made it a good match for jazz and classical recordings. Miles Davis' trumpet on "If I Were a Bell," from Relaxin' (CD, Prestige VICJ 60125), had…
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The VSi60's ability to reproduce the midrange also made it a natural match for well-recorded albums of acoustic jazz piano. On "Tears Transforming," from the Tord Gustavsen Trio's The Ground (CD, ECM 1892), the pianist's middle register was delicately reproduced, with all of its natural warmth and subtle transient articulations remaining intact.
I then compared two mid-1960s folk-rock albums from the same label and noticed how easily the ARC delineated the differences between the engineering of the voices. On "Morning Morning," from Richie Havens' Mixed Bag (LP, Verve Forecast 3006), Havens' voice is rich, deep, and vibrant, with just the right amount of reverb added to give a touch of syrup to his rusty growl. (I get a kick out of the fact that my favorite mellow ballad on this album is a Fugs tune.) On the other hand, the musically superb "Society's Child," from Janis Ian's eponymous debut album (LP, Verve Folkways 3017), is a…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Tubed integrated amplifier with remote control of volume and source. Tube complement: four 6550C, two 6H30. Overall negative feedback: 7dB. Output power: 50Wpc continuous (17dBW), 20Hz–20kHz. Frequency response: 1Hz–80kHz, –3dB, at 1W. Total harmonic distortion (1kHz): typically 1.5% at 50W, 0.05% at 1W. Input sensitivity: 470mV RMS single-ended, for rated output (32.5dB gain into 8 ohms). Input impedance: 50k ohms, single-ended. Maximum input: 3.5V RMS (any input). Hum and noise: <0.1mV RMS, –106dB ref. rated output (IHF weighted). Power-supply…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Source: VPI TNT IV turntable, Immedia tonearm, Koetsu Urushi cartridge.
Digital Source: Lector CDP-7T, Creek Destiny CD players.
Preamplification: Vendetta Research SCP-2D phono stage, AudioValve Eclipse line stage.
Integrated amplifier: Creek Destiny.
Power Amplifier: Audio Research Reference 110.
Loudspeakers: Alón Circe.
Cables: Interconnect: MIT Magnum M3 & MI-350 CVTwin Terminator. Speaker: Acarian Systems Black Orpheus.
Accessories: Various by ASC, Bright Star, Simply Physics, Sound Anchor, VPI.—Robert J. Reina
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I examined the Audio Research VSi60's measured performance with Stereophile's loan sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It" and www.ap.com); for some tests, I also used my vintage Audio Precision System One Dual Domain. I checked the bias of each output tube after letting the amplifier warm up for an hour and before I did any testing. All the tubes had exactly 60mV of bias, as specified, and didn't need adjustment with the top-panel potentiometers, which suggests good stability.
I had one mishap…
One of my favorite parental duties is dispensing advice that's calculated to make me sound wiser than I am. Among those pearls: Every so often you should change your point of view—your philosophies—just to see if your opinions can stand the strain. In doing so, you may discover a few things that are better than you expected them to be!
I admit that, when I made up that nonsense, I had certain vegetables in mind. But late one night, when an unpleasant bout of thinking kept me awake, I realized that there are a great many older people, such as myself, whose belief systems could…
I discussed that with Peder Beckman, CEO of Electrocompaniet North America, who offered the additional loan of an Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 preamplifier. Thus I allowed myself an extra couple of weeks to absorb the sound of only the fully balanced EC 4.8 in my system, accomplished with the help of some Shindo XLR-to-RCA interconnects borrowed from Tone Imports. After that, I moved the Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 to my (Quad ESL–based) living-room system; the AW400 amplifiers spent several weeks being driven in single-ended mode, by my Shindo preamp in my main system, before resuming balanced…
But I'm getting ahead of myself: The first song I actually listened to through the AW400s was Procol Harum's "Strangers in Space," from the newly reissued (and exceptionally well done) Something Magic (CD, Salvo SALVOCD029). Unrepentant tube snob and digiphobe that I am, I listened through the opening bars of Pete Solley's analog synth sounds, bracing myself for steely highs that didn't come. But I was still unprepared when Gary Brooker's voice entered, dead-center and sounding more whole than I'd ever heard it in my room. I listened on: His breathing was apparent, but neither that nor the…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Push-pull, solid-state, monoblock amplifier. Output power: 400Wpc into 8 ohms (26dBW), 765Wpc into 4 ohms (25.2dBW), 1010Wpc into 2 ohms (24dBW). Frequency response: DC–65kHz, –3dB. Input impedance: 330k ohms. Input sensitivity: 1.6V (adjustable). Output impedance: <0.01 ohm, 20Hz–20kHz. Signal/noise: >84dB unweighted. Total harmonic distortion, 1kHz, –1dB, 8 ohms: <0.007%.
Dimensions: 14.1" (358mm) W by 10.2" (261mm) H by 18.5" (470mm) D. Weight: 55 lbs (25kg).
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: 37090007, 37090011.
Price: $12,…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Thorens TD-124 Mk.II turntable; EMT 997, Thomas Schick tonearms; Shindo SPU, EMT OFD 25 & OFD 65, Miyajima Shilabe cartridges.
Digital Source: Ayre Acoustics QB-9 USB DAC (with Apple iTunes), Sony SCD-777 SACD/CD player.
Preamplification: Auditorium 23 Hommage T1 step-up transformer; Shindo Masseto, Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 preamplifiers.
Power Amplifiers: Shindo Corton-Charlemagne monoblocks, Shindo Haut-Brion, Fi 2A3 Stereo.
Loudspeakers: Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE, Wilson Audio Specialties Sophia 2, Quad ESL.
Cables: USB:…