I performed the quasi-anechoic measurements of the PSB Image B6 with DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone. The speaker's grille was left off for the measurements. The Image B6's specified voltage sensitivity is 89dB/2.83V/m; my estimate was slightly lower, at 88dB(B)/2.83V/m, but this is close to being within experimental error of the specified figure. The PSB is specified as having an impedance of 6 ohms with a minimum of 4 ohms; fig.1 shows that the impedance magnitude stays above 6 ohms for the upper midrange and treble regions, but does…
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ProAc's Response D Two is a stand-mounted, two-way, ported loudspeaker with a a proprietary 1" silk-dome tweeter and woofer using a proprietary 6.5" cone of glass-fiber with a copper phase plug. At 17" high by 8" wide by 10.25" deep, the cabinet is taller and narrower than usual, owing to the fact that the port is centered below its mid/woofer.
The D Two is built in mirror-imaged pairs, with the tweeters offset to the inside edges. The cabinet is claimed to be made of thin-wall birch plywood with rigid damping. The speaker is available in standard real-wood veneers of black ash…
I found similar results in experimenting with sources. I borrowed an Oppo BDP-83SE universal Blu-ray player (Kalman Rubinson wrote about it in his column in the March issue). My first impression was that it was shockingly close in sound to Luxman's far more expensive DU-50. However, extensive listening, mostly to "Red Book" CDs vs "Red Book" CDs, but also to some SACDs, showed that the Luxman had greater weight in the bass and a slightly more cohesive sound. Interestingly enough, what clarified this for me was one of my rare listen-from-another-room experiences. While I was busy in the…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, stand-mounted, ported loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" silk-dome tweeter, 6.5" glass-fiber cone woofer. Frequency range: 30Hz–30kHz. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Sensitivity: 88.5dB/2.83V/m. Recommended amplifier power: 30–150Wpc.
Dimensions: 17" H by 8" W by 10.25" D.
Finishes: Real-wood veneers of black ash, mahogany, cherry, or maple; bird's-eye maple or ebony available at extra cost.
Serial numbers of review samples: S/N 000628 & 9.
Price: $3500/pair.
Manufacturer: ProAc Loudspeakers, Highpoint House, Riding Road,…
Sidebar 2: Measurements
ProAc specifies the D Two's voltage sensitivity as 88.5dB/W/m; my estimate was significantly lower, at 85dB(B)/2.83V/m. However, while the speaker's nominal impedance is 8 ohms, the impedance of my sample (S/N 000628) drops below 8 ohms only in the lower midrange, and remains above 10 ohms throughout the upper midrange to the mid-treble (fig.1). The electrical phase angle is also relatively small over much of the audioband, meaning that, in combination with the generally high impedance magnitude, this ProAc will therefore be a relatively easy load for an amplifier…
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I was greatly impressed by the performance of the Canton Reference 9.2 DC loudspeaker, which I reviewed in the March 2008 "Music in the Round" in the context of a 5.1-channel system. Those beautiful jewels not only sounded balanced and transparent, they had more sheer grunt in the low end than could be reasonably expected from their size. I wanted to hear more from Canton, but couldn't decide whether to go up in size or down in price. The problem I've always had with Canton is that they offer such a wide range of products that it's like choosing food from a multipage menu at a fine…
I was greatly impressed by the performance of the Canton Reference 9.2 DC loudspeaker, which I reviewed in the March 2008 "Music in the Round" in the context of a 5.1-channel system. Those beautiful jewels not only sounded balanced and transparent, they had more sheer grunt in the low end than could be reasonably expected from their size. I wanted to hear more from Canton, but couldn't decide whether to go up in size or down in price. The problem I've always had with Canton is that they offer such a wide range of products that it's like choosing food from a multipage menu at a fine…
Yet, as the weeks unfolded, I began to use the system less for serious listening and more to provide aural wallpaper. In my opinion, this is a good test of my overall satisfaction and enjoyment of an audio product, as it bypasses any conscious attempt to analyze the sound. I'd had a similar experience with the Kharma Ceramique CD-2.0 speakers, which I reviewed in October 2000. It was hard to put a finger on the problem. Worse, I began to doubt my own judgment after I'd invited a friend over for a listen. This friend, an experienced listener, pronounced the Reference 3.2 DCs the best-sounding…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) ADT-25 aluminum-oxide/ceramic-dome tweeter; 7" (180mm) aluminum-cone midrange unit; two 9" (220mm) aluminum-cone woofers. Crossover frequencies: 200Hz, 2.8kHz. Frequency range: 18Hz–40kHz. Sensitivity: 89dB/W/m. Nominal impedance: 4–8 ohms. Nominal music power handling: 350–600W.
Dimensions: 45.3" (1150mm) H by 11.6" (295mm) W by 16.5" (420mm) D. Weight: 108 lbs (49kg).
Finishes: Silver, Black, or White lacquer, or cherry veneer; black fabric grille.
Serial Numbers…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Sony XA-5400ES SACD/CD player, Oppo BDP-83SE universal player.
Preamplification: Meridian HD621 HDMI audio processor & 861 Reference v4 digital surround controller.
Power Amplifiers: McIntosh MC303 (three-channel), Bel Canto Design REF1000mkII (monoblocks).
Cables: Interconnect: van den Hul Flat 180 HDMI, AudioQuest Cheetah/DBS balanced. Speaker: AudioQuest Mont Blanc/DBS biwire. AC: JPS Aluminata.
Accessories: APC S-15, Environmental Potentials EP-2450 power conditioners.—Kalman Rubinson
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I performed the quasi-anechoic measurements of the Canton Reference 3.2 DC with DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone. I measured the speaker without its grille, as this was how Kal Rubinson had found it to sound best. My estimate of the Canton's voltage sensitivity was a high 91dB/2.83V/m; this loudspeaker will play loudly with just a few watts. However, its impedance plot (fig.1) indicates that the partnering amplifier needs to be comfortable driving a low impedance. The magnitude remains below 4 ohms for almost the entire bass and midrange…