Description: Four-way, five-driver, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: ¾" (19mm) Mylar supertweeter in Bi-Radial horn; 1" (25mm) pure-titanium dome in EOS waveguide; 4" (100mm) PolyPlas-cone midrange unit with rubber surround, HeatScape motor structure; two 6" (150mm) PolyPlas-cone woofers with rubber surrounds, HeatScape motor structures. Crossover frequencies: 700Hz, 5kHz, 20kHz. Frequency response: 30Hz–40kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 91dB (2.83V/m). Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Maximum recommended amplification: 200W. Power handling: 100W…
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: VPI TNT IV turntable, Immedia RPM tonearm, Koetsu Urushi cartridge; Rega Planar 3 turntable, Syrinx PU-3 tonearm, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood & Aurum Beta S cartridges.
Digital Sources: Lector CDP-7T, California Audio Labs Icon Mk.II Power Boss, Creek CD53 Mk.II CD players; Pioneer DV-333 DVD player.
Preamplification: Vendetta Research SCP-2D phono stage, Audio Valve Eklipse line stage.
Power Amplifier: Audio Research VT100 Mk.II.
Integrated Amplifier: Creek 5350SE.
Loudspeakers: Amphion Helium2, Monitor Silver RS6, Nola…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
My estimate of the JBL Studio L880's voltage sensitivity was 90.5dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is within experimental error of the specified 91dB. This places it in the small group of speakers with sensitivities significantly greater than the average. Its impedance, however, drops to 3.82 ohms at 170Hz (fig.1), which, in combination with a moderately high electrical phase angle of –51° at 84Hz, where the magnitude is a still-quite-low 5.1 ohms, means that an amplifier or receiver rated at 4 ohms will work best with this speaker.
Fig.1 JBL Studio L880,…
John Atkinson on the Recording
"This will fix it!" Kimber Kable's Ray Kimber placed some acoustic baffles around the table on which sat my Apple TiBook. We were recording Robert Silverman performing one of Beethoven's masterworks for piano, the Diabelli Variations, Op.120, and I had been bothered by a faint whistle underlying the music. It turned out to be the sound of my laptop's fan, an unforeseen drawback of my decision to dispense with tape and record straight to hard drive for the August 2004 sessions. We had already had a problem with a slight slapback echo from the balcony of the…
"This will fix it!" Kimber Kable's Ray Kimber placed some acoustic baffles around the table on which sat my Apple TiBook. We were recording Robert Silverman performing one of Beethoven's masterworks for piano, the Diabelli Variations, Op.120, and I had been bothered by a faint whistle underlying the music. It turned out to be the sound of my laptop's fan, an unforeseen drawback of my decision to dispense with tape and record straight to hard drive for the August 2004 sessions. We had already had a problem with a slight slapback echo from the balcony of the…
The setup used by Ray Kimber and engineer Graemme Brown for the possible SACD release was considerably more complex. As well as the four Neumann mikes, they also used two front-facing DPAs, just in case we changed our minds post-session. All six mikes were amplified by the Millennia preamp, which fed a multichannel EMM Labs DSD converter. The digital data from this Ed Meitner–designed unit were stored on a Genex GX9000 hard-disk recorder, with safety copies made simultaneously on three Tascam DS-D98HR digital DSD recorders. Cables were, of course, all Kimber, including Ray's impressive…
Needless to say, this is all speculation. Beethoven was, after all, a composer, and a pretty good one at that. Sophisticated internal organization is abundantly present. Many of the variations seem to lead almost organically into each other, such as the initial ten, the centerpiece, and, most notably, the last five. Perhaps the strongest evidence of a grand design can be found in the work's overall symmetry. The concluding 33rd variation pays homage to the tradition of repeating the theme at the work's conclusion, except that in this case, the simplistic waltz that began the piece is…
Beethoven's <I>Diabelli Variations</I>: the Finest Hour of Piano Music in the World Robert Silverman
Sidebar 1: Robert Silverman
In a world that sees wunderkinder of the piano come and go, Robert Silverman has reached a level of musical and technical authority that can be accomplished only after years of deep commitment to the instrument and its vast literature. Many aspects of Silverman's playing are frequently noted: a polished technique, an extraordinary range of tonal palette, an uncanny ability to sing his way into the heart of a phrase, and probing interpretations of the most complex works in the repertoire.
The distinguished Canadian pianist has performed in…
Sidebar 2: Track Information
Variations (STPH017-2) Total Playing Time: 68:03
Ludwig van Beethoven
33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli in C Major, Op.120 (1819, 1822–23) 56:31
[1] Theme: Vivace 0:55
[2] Variation 1: Alla marcia maestoso 1:51
[3] Variation 2: Poco allegro 0:53
[4] Variation 3: L'istesso tempo 1:25
[5] Variation 4: Un poco più vivace 1:08
[6] Variation 5: Allegro vivace 1:01
[7] Variation 6: Allegro ma non troppo e serioso 1:51
[8] Variation 7: Un poco più allegro 1:07
[9] Variation 8: Poco…
Sidebar 3: Who Was Who And What Was What
Pianism extraordinaire: Robert Silverman
Production: Robert Silverman, with John Atkinson
Engineering: Graemme Brown, with Ray Kimber, John Atkinson, Brett Terry
Digital Editing & Mastering: John Atkinson
Piano technicians: Russell Sorenson, Lamar Watts
Piano: Steinway (New York) D
Venue: Mark Evans Austad Auditorium, Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts, Weber State University, Ogden, UT
Recording Dates: August 14–18, 2004
CD Booklet Design: Natalie Brown Baca
Microphones: two…
Eleven years ago, Threshold Corporation entered the high-end audio market with the first amplifier ever to use sliding bias (footnote 1) in its output stages. Some 10 years later, Threshold spawned another innovation: their so-called Stasis circuitry, which yielded the S-series amplifiers. The SA-1 and its lower-powered sister SA-2 are the latest from Threshold, and are the first Threshold amps to abandon sliding bias for straight class-A operation. Both use the Stasis circuit.
In most amplifiers, the voltage amplification stages are used to drive the output transistors, which in turn…