Analog source: Kuzma Stabi Reference turntable, Kuzma Air Line tonearm; VPI Scoutmaster turntable, JMW Memorial tonearm (9"); Graham Nightingale II, Lyra Titan, Lyra Helikon SL cartridges.
Digital source: Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD player; Alesis Masterlink CD recorder.
Preamplification: Manley Steelhead phono preamplifier; Musical Fidelity kWP preamplifier.
Power amplifier: Musical Fidelity kW monoblocks.
Cables: Speaker: AudioQuest Cheetah & Sky, TARA Labs The One. AC: Richard Gray's High Tension Wire, Shunyata Research Anaconda.…
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Sidebar 3: Measurements
MBL specifies the 101E Radialstrahler as having a low sensitivity of 81dB/2.83V/m. My estimate came in at 80.5dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is within the margin of error of the specified figure. However, because of its true omnidirectional radiation pattern (see later), the 101E will tend to sound louder in-room than this anechoic sensitivity rating implies. As revealed by its impedance plot (fig.1), however, the speaker is definitely a 4 ohm load, meaning that a good amplifier rated at 4 ohms will be needed to drive it. The actual minimum impedance is 3.4 ohms at 415Hz,…
Audiophiles sure don't have it easy. We put in a hard day sweating to hear those diminishing-return differences, and when we're finally ready to pontificate, no one at the party will obligingly ask us what we think. They've made that mistake before, you see, then spent the next 45 minutes frantically looking around the room for someone to rescue them.
The trick is to save the long version for the online audio forums or these pages, and prepare a brief but enticing sound bite just in case anyone is unwary enough to ask.
My upstairs neighbor, an audio engineer, usually does know…
Having said that, I discovered that the Penaudio Serenade does have its little ways. It isn't a speaker for folks who like to listen at stupid-loud volumes. Nor is it kind to borderline recordings. Crank up a less-than-stellar-sounding rock disc, such as the Heartless Bastards' Stairs and Elevators (CD, Fat Possum FP1019), and you'll get craptacular sound that's hard to ignore. Yes, Stairs and Elevators is not a great-sounding record, but a lot of my favorite music lives on not-great-sounding records that I want to listen to anyway. The Serenade didn't make that impossible, but it sure didn'…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, floorstanding reflex loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) fabric-dome tweeter, 4.5" (120mm) treated-paper midrange cone with phase plug, 8.5" (215mm) aluminum woofer with phase plug. Frequency response: 30Hz–30kHz, ±3dB. Crossover frequencies: 180Hz, 4.5kHz. Crossover slopes: acoustic fourth-order. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms (3.8 ohms minimum, 15 ohms maximum). Sensitivity: 87dB/2.83V/m. Recommended power: 30W minimum.
Dimensions: 44.5" (1130mm) H by 6" (150mm) W by 11" (285mm) D. Weight: 66 lbs (30kg).
Finishes: Laminated birch face…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Source: Ayre C5-xe universal player.
Preamplifiers: Conrad-Johnson ACT2, Viola Labs Cadenza.
Power Amplifiers: Ayre V-5xe, Moscode 401HR, Viola Labs Symphony.
Loudspeakers: Thiel CS2.4.
Cables: Interconnect: Cardas Audio Golden Reference, Shunyata Research Aries & Antares, Viola Labs Silver Balanced. Speaker: Cardas Audio Golden Reference, Shunyata Research Lyra. AC: Cardas Audio Golden Reference, Shunyata Research Anaconda & Orion.
Accessories: Audience adeptResponse, Shunyata Research Hydra power distribution &…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Penaudio Serenade is of slightly below-average voltage sensitivity, at an estimated 86dB(B)/2.83V/m. In general, it is an easy load for an amplifier to drive, but its impedance plot (fig.1) reveals both a minimum magnitude of 3.3 ohms at 85Hz and an awkward combination of 5.9 ohms and –40° electrical phase angle at 55Hz. As music can have considerable energy in this region, a good amplifier rated at 4 ohms should be used. Note the overall disparity between the impedance in the lower midrange and below and in the upper midrange and above. This will boost the…
Bob Reina has been doing more than his share of reviewing inexpensive speakers in the past couple of years. I thought it only fair to shoulder some of the load, therefore, by reviewing a small design that had sounded interesting when I heard it at a press preview, the Klipsch RB-15.
Klipsch is one of the longest-surviving names in American audio. The company was founded by Paul W. Klipsch in Hope, Arkansas, in 1946 to manufacture the corner-loaded horn speaker that was to become known as the "Klipschorn." Paul passed away at the age of 98 on May 5, 2002, after an illustrious…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, reflex-loaded, magnetically shielded, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm), titanium-dome compression-drive tweeter with 5"-square, 90 degrees by 60 degrees Tractrix horn; 5.25" (133mm), hard-anodized aluminum-cone woofer. Crossover frequency: 2.84kHz. Frequency response: 70Hz-20kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 93dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Power handling: 75W (300W peak).
Dimensions: 11.2" (285mm) H by 6.5" (165mm) W by 7.75" (197mm) D. Weight: 9 lbs (4.1kg) each.
Finishes: Black Ash or Light Cherry woodgrain vinyl.
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Sidebar 2: System
Digital sources: Mark Levinson No.31.5 CD transport & No.30.6 D/A processor; dCS 972 upsampler; Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD player; Technics DVD-A10 DVD-Audio player; Mark Levinson No.390S"> CD player.
Preamplification: Mark Levinson No.380S.
Power amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.33H and Musical Fidelity kW monoblocks (the latter using dual power supplies)
Cables: Datalinks: Kimber Illuminations Orchid AES/EBU, AudioQuest SVD-4 S/PDIF. Interconnect: Madrigal CZ Gel-1 (No.390S, balanced), Ayre Signature Series (Levinson, balanced), DiMarzio (Musical…