Digital Sources: Apple iPod, iPod Touch; Ray Samuels Emmeline Hornet & The Tomahawk portable headphone amplifiers; Benchmark DAC1 D/A converter–headphone amplifier driven by S/PDIF optical output of MacBook laptop, or by dual-core Pentium PC using a Bel Canto USB Link 24/96 to convert USB datastream to S/PDIF, both computers running iTunes.
Headphones: Sennheiser HD650, Ultimate Ears UE-5c.—John Atkinson
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Sidebar 3: Measurements
As I wrote in the "Measurements" sidebar that accompanies Jim Austin's review of the Westone 3 in-ear headphones elsewhere in this issue, deciding what is the optimal frequency response for a pair of headphones is neither obvious nor trivial (see www.stereophile.com/features/808head), compounded by the fact that I don't have a microphone small enough to be inserted in my ears. The only measurement I perform on headphones, therefore, is of their electrical impedance, to determine how difficult they are to drive. To take these readings, I inserted each set of 'phones…
Designed to be used onstage by musicians monitoring their sound and mix, in-ear monitors (IEMs) such as the new Westone 3 are great in situations where you want to hear nothing but the music. They're small and portable, and their high efficiency and easy impedance load mean they work well with portable players. IEMs are better than electronic-feedback, noise-reducing, closed circumaural phones at blocking out airplane engine noise and annoying neighbors who want to chat. They're also more compact, sound better, and don't require batteries.
I've owned five IEMs, beginning with…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Frequency range: 20Hz–18kHz. Sensitivity: 107dB SPL. Impedance: 30 ohms. Drive-unit: balanced armature. Features: inline volume control, ¼" adapter, soft padded travel case, 10 pairs of eartips, wax loop for cleaning.
Dimensions: Weight: 0.53 oz (15gm).
Finish: Black.
Serial Number Of Unit Reviewed: None found.
Price: $399. Approximate number of dealers: Sold direct.
Manufacturer: Westone Laboratories, Inc. Mailing: P.O. Box 15100, Colorado Springs, CO 80935. Physical: 2235 Executive Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Tel: (800) 525-…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Apple 4G iPod Nano, Apple iPhone 3G; Benchmark DAC1 D/A converter (used as a headphone amplifier); Marantz SA-7S1 SACD/CD player.
Headphones: Grado SR60, Sennheiser HD650, Shure E4 & SE310.—Jim Austin
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Deciding what, exactly, is the optimal frequency response for a pair of headphones is neither obvious nor trivial (see www.stereophile.com/features/808head). The only measurement I perform on headphones, therefore, is of their electrical impedance, to determine how difficult they are to drive.
The Weston 3's impedance and electrical phase are shown in fig.1. (The headphones were inserted in my ears for this measurement.) The impedance is close to the 30-ohm specification, though it reaches minimum values of 22 ohms in the midrange and 16 ohms in the…
When I attended the Audio Engineering Society convention in October 1987 (my first time in over eight years; full report in this issue), I was impressed by the incredible technology now available to composers of music. I was also dismayed, however, by the extent to which so-called purist audio, as well as "acoustical" music, have been consigned to oblivion by the pro audio community. It was clear, both from the exhibits and the many conversations on which I eavesdropped, that audio professionals are no longer concerned about fidelity, in the sense of trying to reproduce sounds accurately. A…
This tiny, lightweight, battery-powered jewel is loosely based on Nagra's VPS phono stage that I reviewed in October 2008 but uses bipolar transistors instead of tubes. The bottom of the company's familiar brushed-aluminum case has a grippy rubber material die-cut to spell Nagra. It's intended to keep the preamp from sliding, but stiff cables will have the BPS hanging in the air if you're not careful. The BPS costs $2399.
The BPS provides a highish 51dB gain in moving-magnet mode and 62dB in moving-coil, which should suffice for all phono cartridges, other than those of the very…
Fred Kaplan wrote about the Nagra BPS in October 2009 (Vol.32 No.10):
Even after switching to Krell's integrated amplifier, I've hung on to my Audible Illusions Modulus 3a preamplifier so that I could keep using the latter's moving-coil phono section, designed by John Curl and long lauded as the model's strong suit. But Michael Fremer's review of Nagra's BPS battery-powered phono preamplifier ($2399), in the June 2009 "Analog Corner," stoked my curiosity, so I requested a review sample. Then, midway through listening to the Nagra, I overhauled my analog gear, and so was able to gauge…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Battery-powered MM/MC phono preamplifier with balanced/unbalanced input options and transformer-coupled MC inputs. Gain: 51dB (MM), 62dB (MC). Loading options: 47k ohms in parallel with 150pF (MM); 100, 200, 300, 500, and 1000 ohms (MC).
Price: $2399. Approximate number of dealers: 16.
Manufacturer: Nagra-Kudelski Group, 22 route de Genéve, 1023 Cheseaux-sur Lausanne, Switzerland. Tel: (41) (021) 732-01-01. Web: www.nagra.com. US distributor: Nagra USA Inc., 180 N. Belvedere Drive, Unit 5A, Gallatin, TN 37066. Tel: (615) 451-4168. Fax: (615)…