Digital Sources: Ayre C5-xe universal player, Olive Symphony media server; Mark Levinson No.30.6, Benchmark DAC 1, Grace m902 D/A processors.
Preamplifiers: Mark Levinson No.326S, No.32 Reference; NHT Passive Volume Control.
Power Amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.33H monoblocks, Musical Fidelity kW750.
Cables: Digital: Kimber Illuminations Orchid AES/EBU, AudioQuest SVD-4 S/PDIF. Interconnect: AudioQuest Cheetah, Madrigal CZ Gel-1, Ayre Signature Series, Crystalconnect, Canare (balanced); DiMarzio, Canare (unbalanced). Speaker: AudioQuest Kilimanjaro…
search
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I estimated the Genesis 5.2's voltage sensitivity as 89.2dB/2.83V/m, which is within experimental error of the specified 90dB figure. However, as can be seen from the plot of its impedance magnitude and phase (fig.1), the speaker demands a lot of current from the partnering amplifier. With the tone controls set to their maximum positions (bottom trace), the impedance drops below 2 ohms for most of the lower midrange and briefly in the mid-treble, where the minimum impedance is a low 1.4 ohms at 7.8kHz. More problematic, the phase angle is highly capacitive in the…
In the audio field, the British have traditionally thought "small," scoring hits both with their compact loudspeakers and with medium-priced amplifiers. The continued growth of the audiophile speaker market in the US, however, which favors larger loudspeakers, has at the same time stimulated the research and design of more powerful, excellent quality amplifiers. In their turn, these have placed increased demands on the speakers they drive.
Until 1986, nearly all UK speaker companies shied away from competing head-on with the bigger US loudspeakers, but two models launched last year…
With the electronic crossover—which connects either in the preamplifier tape loop or between pre- and power amplifiers—set to 100Hz, the bass section can be adjusted for absolute level and the best extension in the nominal 20-70Hz range, with a constant Q of approximately 0.4. The 24dB/octave, 4th-order Butterworth crossover slopes are complementary, being obtained by substitution; ie, the low-pass output is obtained by subtracting the high-pass output from the input, and the crossover is DC-coupled throughout, this (unusually) including the high-pass section, which has no series capacitors…
Subjectively, the frequency response stretched from 25Hz to 15kHz, lacking some upper treble sparkle; compared with most big speakers, it was a little too dry in the final bass octave (just as the KEF seemed a little too rich in the same region).
Coloration levels were low, with no perceptible box effects, and just a mild, cone-type, "nasal" thickening in the upper mid. A hint of "sibilance" was also present in the treble. Taken overall, however, the treble was very fine, with high resolution, transparency, and neutrality, free from grain or "zizz." Only if the subwoofer level were set…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Celestion SL600: two-way, sealed-box loudspeaker with Aerolam (aluminum-honeycomb) enclosure. Drive-units: 1.25" copper-dome tweeter, 6.5" Kobex-cone (PVC) woofer. Crossover frequency: 2.3kHz, second-order, 12dB/octave slopes. Frequency response: 60Hz-20kHz ±3dB, low-end, -6dB at 60Hz in free-space conditions. Sensitivity: 82dB/W/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Amplifier requirements: up to 120W on program.
Dimensions: 14.5" (368mm) H by 7.75" (197mm) W by 9.25" (235mm) D. Enclosure volume: 12 litres (0.4 cubic feet).
Weight: 11.25 lbs (5.1kg) each.
…
Sidebar 2: Measurements
A lab check on the controller (fig.1) provided proof of the somewhat different view that Celestion's designers have taken of system equalization. Taking the upper range or high-pass filter first, this shows a perfectly flat response with a crossover point at 100Hz, -6dB, falling almost precisely at a 24dB/octave rate, a 4th-order Butterworth. With no additional programmed extension, the lowest "70Hz" bass response setting is plotted lower in level than the high-frequency section, due to the high intrinsic sensitivity of the bass driver section, typically 88dB/W.…
Dick Olsher wrote about the System 6000 in January 1989 (Vol.12 No.1):
The System 6000 was previously reviewed in Stereophile, by Martin Colloms in Vol.10 No.2 (February 1987). What follows is simply meant as a quickie followup to that in-depth review.
Someone was bound to ask how Celestion's dipole subwoofer system ($2699/pair complete with electronic crossover) compared with the products surveyed herein, especially in view of the liberal use I've made of the Celestion SL600. So I endeavored to obtain a sample, which arrived just in time for a couple days' listening.
Here…
One of the fundamental tenets of high-end audio is that a loudspeaker's bass output should be appropriate for the listening room's size. The smaller the room, the less bass the loudspeakers should produce. Any manufacturer of large loudspeakers who has set up such a system in a CES hotel room can attest to how difficult it is to avoid boominess in a tiny space.
Bass extension works against good sound quality in small rooms or rooms with poor dimensional ratios. Any volume of air in an enclosed space will reinforce certain frequencies when that air is excited (such as by a woofer cone…
Two pairs of high-quality binding posts are provided for bi-wiring. The enclosure bottom has five threaded holes; two accept hex bolts for securing the loudspeaker to the optional sand-filled stands ($400/pair), the other three accept metal cones (supplied). The two rear cones are tiny, just lifting the back of the enclosure off the stand. The front spike is much larger, and has a knurled nut for adjusting the height of the enclosure front. This spike arrangement tilts the 5 back to optimize the listening axis.
Although the 5s can be used without the stands, they're essential to getting…