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The "Mapping the Soundstage" track on Stereophile's Test CD 2 reproduced just the way it's pictured in the notes (but with Larry moving away from the listener, of course). While in the test-CD mood, I also tried Chesky's, and found that the Alón IVs did quite well on the LEDR, the "Up" pattern curving only slightly to the center at the top of its travel, the "Over" describing a smooth arc, and the "lateral" similarly smooth. With this test, I got quite a good "outside" image on the left, but the outside image on the right was phasey. (The right outside image is similarly phasey with the…
Sidebar 1: System
The front ends stayed much the same as in my last couple of reviews: Lingo'd Linn/Ittok/AudioQuest AQ 7000 analog, Proceed PDT-2/PS Audio UltraLink digital, with considerable use also made of a Mod Squad McCormack Signature CD player. Except for the front ends and some cables, everything else was changed for the Alón IV review. Naturally, my beloved original Quads and Cizek MG-27 subs had to be moved out of the listening room, and the amplifiers I normally use are 'way underpowered for the Alón IVs. Carl Marchisotto had brought a pair of VTL Deluxe 225s (the latest KT90…
Sidebar 2: Liar, Liar...
Most serious audiophiles know about LEDR, the Listening Environment Diagnostic Recording, but may not have heard of a test I've developed, called LIAR: Listening In Another Room. Here's what's involved: Put on a CD or LP, go into an adjoining room, and then do whatever you want to do that seems appropriate, given the room you're in—read, use the computer, play pool, have a bath, etc.
While you're engaged in one of these activities, ask yourself the following questions: Does it sound as if there could be people singing and playing musical instruments in…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Looking first at the Alón's impedance magnitude and phase (fig.1), the minimum value agrees with the specification and is shown by the cursor position: 3.03 ohms at 70Hz. This speaker will be moderately hard to drive; although a good tube amplifier with a 4 ohm output should have no problems, a solid-state amplifier will give better control of the speaker's bass region. The sealed-box bass enclosure is tuned to a low 38Hz. The sensitivity on the tweeter axis was also to specification at around 87dB at 1m for 2.83V in.
Fig.1 Acarian Alón IV,…
Thomas J. Norton wrote about the Alón 4 in December 1993 (Vol.16 No.12):
What of the competition for the NHT 3.3? There is no shortage of contenders in the $3000–$4000 price range, and many have passed through Stereophile's listening room. None of the latter can match the NHT 3.3 for clean, extended bass. A pair of Acarian Alón IVs—certainly a member this elite group—was conveniently available. After completing most of my listening to the NHTs, I trotted out the Acarians to do battle. While the IVs can be tri-wired, I settled on bi-wiring, due to the lack of three lengths of identical…
Sidebar 4: Specifications
Description: Three-way, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive units: 1" (25mm) metal-dome tweeter, 5" (130mm) tri-laminate cone midrange, 12" (300mm) fiber-cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: 400Hz, 3.5kHz. Anechoic frequency response: 29Hz–25kHz ±3dB. Low-frequency bandwidth (anechoic): –3dB at 29Hz, –9dB at 20Hz. Sensitivity: 87dB/W/m. Impedance: 3 ohms minimum. Amplifier requirements: 100W minimum, 200W recommended.
Dimensions: 48" H by 15" W by 18" D. Weight: 105 lbs.
Serial numbers of units tested: 40471/74.
Price: $3400/pair in natural oak or black oak…
As readers of the Stereophile eNewsletter will be aware, the twin subjects of distributing music around my home and integrating my iTunes library of recordings into my high-end system have occupied much of my attention the past year. I bought an inexpensive Mac mini to use as a music server, using an Airport Express as a WiFi hub, which worked quite well, but my big step forward was getting a Squeezebox. I described this slim device in the mid-March and mid-April eNewsletters; I urge readers to read those reports to get the full background on this impressive device. In addition, the forums…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: WiFi (802.11g)- and/or Ethernet-connected D/A processor with digital (S/PDIF electrical and optical) and analog outputs, headphone output, digital-domain volume control. Systems supported: Mac OS X 10.3 or later; 733Mhz Pentium running Windows NT/2000/XP; Linux/BSD/Solaris/Other: Perl 5.8.3 or later. Sample rates supported: 44.1kHz, 48kHz. Audio formats supported: linear PCM, 16 or 24 bits per sample. Maximum output level: 6.0V p–p (22.12V RMS). S/N Ratio: >100dB. THD: <–93.5dB (0.002%). Intrinsic jitter: <50ps (standard deviation). Minimum…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Ayre C-5xe and Pioneer DV-578A universal players; Classé cdp-202 DVD/CD player; Mark Levinson No.30.6, Benchmark DAC 1, Musical Fidelity X-DACV3 D/A processors, Apple Mac mini computer with an Apple Airport Express WiFi hub.
Preamplifier: Mark Levinson No.326S.
Power Amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.33H monoblocks, Halcro dm38.
Loudspeakers: Revel Ultima Studio, Snell LCR7 XL.
Cables: Digital: Kimber Illuminations Orchid AES/EBU, Optilink 5 Toslink S/PDIF. Interconnect: AudioQuest Cheetah, Madrigal CZ Gel-1, Ayre Signature Series,…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
While measuring the Squeezebox, I used it, powered by its switch-mode power supply, to play 16-bit test-tone files on my Mac mini via an Airport Express WiFi hub. With the SB's volume control set to its maximum ("40"), the output level from its RCA jacks with a 1kHz tone at 0dBFS was 1.845V, or 0.7dB below the CD standard's 2V RMS. The Squeezebox preserved absolute polarity— ie, was noninverting—and the output impedance was a low 223 ohms at midrange and bass frequencies, rising to 549 ohms at 20Hz. The volume control operated in accurate 1.25dB steps. All the…