Working through my mostly 16-bit/44.1kHz playlist, I was struck by the 650D's consistent overall sound: unusually transparent, delicately drawn, and ethereal, with an almost complete absence of digital glare and hardness. Yet the 650D accomplished this without noticeably softening instrumental attacks or smothering natural transient…
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The kick drum and bass line in Brian Wilson's Live at the Roxy is cavernously deep but can sound bloated. Through the 650D it seemed to be depth-charge deep—unusually so—and rock solid: deeper, more solid, and better focused than I'm accustomed to hearing it.
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: CD player and D/A converter. Digital inputs: AES/EBU (XLR), S/PDIF (RCA), S/PDIF (TosLink), USB Type B. Digital outputs: S/PDIF, AES/EBU. Analog outputs: 1 pair XLR balanced, 1 pair RCA single-ended. Sample rates supported: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.2, 192kHz (AES/EBU and S/PDIF); 32, 44.1, 48kHz. USB. USB bit depth: 16. Frequency responses: audible, 20Hz–20kHz, +0/–0.1dB (CD); full range, 2Hz–100kHz, +0/–3dB (with external digital source). Total harmonic distortion at 1kHz, 0dBFS (A-weighted): 0.001%. Intermodulation distortion: <0.001%. Dynamic…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used Stereophile's loan sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system to measure the Simaudio Moon Evolution 650D (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"); for some tests, I also used my vintage Audio Precision System One Dual Domain and the Miller Audio Research Jitter Analyzer. As well as playing CDs containing test-tone files, I drove the Moon Evolution 650D with S/PDIF data from the Audio Precision analyzers and USB data from a MacBook running Mac OS10.6.8 and Pure Music 1.8.
The Moon 650D's S/PDIF inputs successfully…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn, Cobra, & Castellon turntable & tonearm stand; Kuzma 4Point tonearm; Ortofon A90, Haniwa HCTR01 and Miyajima Labs Kansui cartridges.
Digital Sources: Playback Designs MPS-5 SACD/CD player–DAC, BPT-modified Alesis Masterlink hard-disk recorder, Meridian Sooloos music server, Pure Music software.
Preamplification: Ypsilon VPS-100 and Einstein Turntable's Choice phono preamplifiers; Ypsilon PST-100 Mk.II preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: MBL 9011 monoblocks and Music Reference RM-200 Mk.II.
…
The dual subwoofers were bumping and our pant legs were flapping. Only moments before, we'd been treated to a polite viola da gamba. Not now. Resolution Audio's designer, Jeff Kalt, had brought only two discs with him to ensure that his company's Cantata Music Center was functioning properly in my system: Jordi Savall and Hespérion XXI's Altre Follie, 1500–1750 (CD, Alia Vox 9844), and Tool's 10,000 Days (CD, Tool Dissectional/Volcano 81991). After changing a few things around with the chamber music, we'd advanced to the hard rock of Tool.
Next to Kalt on the couch, his girlfriend,…
Other than a couple of songs, I never learned to love McCartney II (1980). But McCartney (1970) is a different matter entirely. (Mojo magazine rated these the other way round, which I think will go down in history as one of their biggest screwups.) With much of it recorded direct to multitrack analog tape, McCartney is packed with great tunes and ambience and sports wonderfully honest sound, reminding me of the best of what a "home" recording can be. It has its technical flaws, primarily a sandpapery quality to the voice and some instruments, but it just feels right to crank up and revel…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Single-box digital-to-analog converter and CD player. Digital inputs: supports up to 24-bit/96kHz via USB and Ethernet inputs (upgrade to 24/192 to be available Q4 2011); up to 24/192 via optical, AES/EBU, coax. Control options: supplied hardware remote; free app for Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch. Analog output jacks: left & right, RCA & balanced, both fixed or variable. Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, +0/–0.4dB. Output impedance: 100 ohms. Maximum output: 2V RMS, 2.5V RMS (RCA), 5.5V RMS (XLR). Power requirement: 35W.
Dimensions: 17" (…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Apple MacBook Pro computer (2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD) running OS 10.6.7, iTunes 10.2.2, Sonic Studio Amarra Computer Music Player 2.2, Songbird 1.9.3, or XLD; Oppo Digital BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player; Meridian Sooloos Music Server (Control 15, TwinStore x3); Apple iPod Touch 1G; Ayre Acoustics QB-9, Benchmark DAC1 USB, Peachtree iDac, Rega DAC D/A processors.
Preamplifier: Marantz AV7005 (Pure Direct Mode).
Power Amplifiers: Classé CAM 350 monoblocks (2).
Loudspeakers: MartinLogan Prodigy & Descent…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used Stereophile's loan sample of the Audio Precision SYS2722 system to measure the Resolution Audio Cantata (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"); for some tests, I also used my vintage Audio Precision System One Dual Domain and the Miller Audio Research Jitter Analyzer. As well as driving the Cantata with S/PDIF data from the Audio Precision analyzers, I used a MacBook running Mac OS10.6.8 and Pure Music 1.8 to play test-signal files via USB.
The Macintosh USB Prober utility identified the device as the "Cantata Music Center" from "…
Mark your calendars: The Winter Edition of the vinylicious Collect-i-Bowl Record Show will be held at Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn), from noon to 6pm, on Sunday, December 4th.
Admission is free. For more info, visit Brooklyn Bowl. And be sure to bring your appetite: The food at Brooklyn Bowl is heartstoppingly good.