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The next-to-the-last demonstration I heard at RMAF 2012 was among the two or three most impressive. Doing business as Volti (it means to move forward) Audio, Maine resident Greg Roberts builds horn loudspeakers that seem to embody both the superb craftsmanship and musical impact of America's finest vintage-audio products. His newest, the Vittora ($15,000/pair), is a three-way loudspeaker with a horn-loaded 15" bass driver, horn-loaded 2" compression driver for the midrange, and horn-loaded 1" compression driver for the treble, with passive crossover networks, stepped attenuators for the mids…
One of the final rooms I visited at the 2012 RMAF was Sony’s. An as-yet-to-be-named floor-standing speaker was being demmed with Pass Labs amplification, Kimber Kables, and a Mytek DSD-capable DAC, taking data over USB from a laptop. The speaker has much in common with the superb SS-AR2 that I reviewed in October, but is shorter and, as can be seen from Jason Serinus’ photo, has an intriguing array of two supertweeters above and below the tweeter.
Blue Coast Records’ Cookie Marenco was playing some of her superb DSD recordings when I was in the room. Later, in the Marriott’s lobby, I…
I walked into the big Peachtree Audio room to find listening chairs scattered about in every direction, seemingly without purpose. Indeed, some listeners stood while some listeners sat and even others danced.
This was different.
In addition to a large static display, there were three active systems in the room. The first was built around a pair of Zu Audio Definition Mk.4 loudspeakers ($12,800/pair), being driven by Peachtree’s 220 power amplifier ($1399), a 220Wpc, class-D design; and the company’s Nova PRE preamplifier ($999), which utilizes 24/96-capable asynchronous USB…
With a fanfare at 4pm, Sunday October 14, in the Denver Tech Center Marriott's Atrium, the Denver Broncos Half-Time Band, courtesy of Kimber Kable's Ray Kimber, brought the Show to a close. According to Show organizer Marjorie Baumert, "We had about 150 more exhibitors (according to the badges), about 3600 attendee days (approximately 100 more than last year). We had 1295 attendees pre-register and that was an all-time record (last year was 1100).
"We had the same number of exhibitors in the main rooms but CANJAM added a few more this year. Approximately 431 companies were represented. I…
This should have been a recipe for disaster.
It's no secret. David Manley has not been big on single-ended amplifiers. Not enough muscle. You're better off with push-pull. Still, with a growing market for single-ended stuff, I'm sure Manley saw a need to do something. Of all tube designers, Manley has always been among the most prolific.
"Want a single-ended amp, mate? No problem. I'll build one up for you." (This is the kind of thing Manley would say, but didn't in this case. I made it up.)
That's what troubled me initially. Manley doesn't seem committed to single-ended…
ST returned to the Manleys in February 1996 (Vol.19 No.2):
As it happens, I still had the pair of Manley SE/PP 300B amplifiers on hand, and, as soon as I could tear myself away from the Jadis SE300B, I tried those with the Infinity Composition speakers. Even more than the Thiel CS.5s, the Compositions revealed the much greater delicacy and resolution of the Jadis amplifiers. Still, especially considering their price of $3500/pair, the Manley amplifiers were excellent, too. Some resolution, some transparency was gone—but still I heard much midrange magic.
Now, of course, the…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Monoblock tube amplifier with variable negative feedback and switchable between single-ended and push-pull operation. Tube complement: one 12AX7T, one 7044, two 300Bs. Rated power: 36W into 5 ohms in push-pull, 18W into 5 ohms in single-ended mode. No other specifications given.
Dimensions: 12" wide by 10" deep.
Finish: Metallic gray.
Price: $3500/pair (1996); no longer available (2012).
Manufacturer: Manley Laboratories, Inc., 13880 Magnolia Avenue, Chino, CA 91710. Tel: (909) 627-4256. Fax: (909) 628-2482. Web: www.manleylabs.com…
Although most audio perfectionists look down with scorn on equalizers, there are times when the benefits of such devices can outweigh their disadvantages. I discussed the pros and cons in my review of the Accuphase G-18 in Vol.11 No.4, but a brief recap here won't be amiss.
Properly used, a suitable equalizer can often improve the listenability of mediocre recordings (footnote 1), and can offset some of the deficiencies of many loudspeakers. Improperly used, an equalizer can undo all of the potential for fidelity that your system has to offer, and even when not used at all—with all its…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: 14-band 2-channel graphic equalizer. Controlled bands: Center frequencies (Hz, ISO standard) at: 31.5, 45, 63, 90, 125, 180, 250, 360, 550, 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 16k. Constant-Q bandwidth. Equalization range: ±12dB. Frequency response w/controls set at 0dB: ±0.5dB, 20Hz–20kHz. Real-time analyzer: 25dB range on screen, auto-ranging. Internal pink noise generator, L/R uncorrelated. Gain: 0dB at 0dB. THD: below 0.03%, 20Hz–20kHz. Maximum input, output level: 6V. S/N ratio: 119dBA. Input impedance: 51k ohms. Output impedance: 470 ohms.
Dimensions: 17 1/8" W…
Friday–Sunday, November 23–25: The Hi-Fi Expo Sofia will be held at the Grand Hotel (1 Gurko Street, Sofia, Bulgaria). More than 250 high-end brands are expected to exhibit. For more info, visit www.hifiexpo.bg.