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Saying that Sutherland Engineering builds a nice line of phono stages is like saying that the Porsche 911 Carrera is a nice line of sports car. The Sutherlands all share common design philosophies, features, and sonic attributes—but just as ramping up from Porsche's classic Carrera Coupe ($78,000) to the GT3 ($115,000) or the Turbo S Cabriolet ($172,000) increases the level of performance and distills the Porsche experience down to its essence, ascending the Sutherland line from the PH3D ($1000) to the 20/20 ($2200) to the Hubble ($3800) buys more of what Ron Sutherland is all about.
It would be simple, and mostly accurate, to say that the Phono Blocks captured all of the strengths and eliminated all of the weaknesses of Sutherland's various earlier models, but that wouldn't do the Blocks justice. They were better than that—so good, in fact, that I found it almost impossible to get a bead on them in my system. About the only way I can think of describing them is in terms of the music they played.
First and foremost, the Phono Blocks replicated the uncanny ease and purity of Sutherland's battery-powered models: the PH3D, the Hubble, and the discontinued PhD. Michael…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-chassis, dual-mono phono preamplifier. Inputs: one each (RCA). Outputs: two paralleled each (RCA). Gain: 45, 50, 55, 60dB (user-selectable). Cartridge loading: 50, 100, 200, 475, 1k, 10k, 47.5k ohms (user-selectable). Blank loading card supplied to allow user to create additional, custom loading values. Power consumption: 20W (10Wpc each). Operating voltage: 110–120VAC or 220–240 VAC.
Dimensions: (each) 17" (432mm) W by 3" (76mm) H by 17" (432mm) D. Weight: 20.1 lbs (9.5kg) net, 26 lbs (11.8kg) shipping.
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Spiral Groove SG-2 turntable; Spiral Groove Centroid, Tri-Planar Precision Mk.VII tonearms; VPI HR-X turntable & tonearm; Lyra Titan i, Grado Signature Reference cartridges.
Digital Source: Primare CD 31 CD player.
Preamplification: Sutherland Engineering PhD, Parasound Halo JC 3 phono preamplifiers; Audio Research Reference 5, Sutherland Engineering Direct, Placette Active line stages.
Power Amplifiers: VTL MB750 Signature, Mark Levinson No.20.6 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Sophia II.
Cables:…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I measured the Sutherland Phono Block with Stereophile's loan sample of the Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It" and www.ap.com). For logistical reasons, I was able to measure only one of the two monophonic amplifiers auditioned by Brian Damkroger, serial no.1060. The voltage gain at 1kHz accurately tracked the nominal gain of the daughterboards used: "45" measured 45.0dB, "50" 50.2dB, "55" 54.9dB, and "60" 60.1dB. The preamp preserved absolute polarity (ie, was non-inverting) with all gain settings.
The Sutherland's output…
I've long been fascinated by Carl Marchisotto's speaker designs, first for Alón by Acarian Systems and currently for Accent Speaker Technology's Nola family of models. The Alón Circe has been my reference loudspeaker for over a decade, and it replaced my previous reference, the Alón V Mk.III. During my tenure at Stereophile I've also reviewed the Alón PW-1 woofer system (February 1997, Vol.20 No.2) and the Nola Mini speaker (January 2006, Vol.29 No.1), both now discontinued. In recent years, however, I hadn't paid much attention to Marchisotto's newer speakers, as he's focused on expensive…
When I want to listen to inner detail and air, I turn to any of drummer Jack DeJohnette's ECM recordings. Listening to "Welcome Blessing," from Oneness (CD, ECM 1637), I focused on every attack and decay of each percussion instrument in DeJohnette's opening duet with percussionist Don Alias. Then, when Michael Cain enters with airy piano arpeggios, the Contender reproduced the warm, woody timbres of his instrument's middle and lower registers with exceptionally long decays.
The Contender's ability to resolve details combined with its linear low-level dynamic capabilities to make the…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" silk-dome tweeter, two 6.5" polymer -cone woofers. Crossover: three-way, built on two hand-wired boards. Frequency range: 35Hz–28kHz. Sensitivity: 90dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms.
Dimensions: 44" (1130mm) H by 8" (205mm) W by 12" (305mm) D (including floor spikes). Weight: 50 lbs (22.7kg).
Finishes: True Piano Cherry, True Piano Black.
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: 0143, 0144.
Price: $3400/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 30.
Manufacturer: Accent…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: VPI TNT IV, Rega Planar 3 turntables; Immedia RPM, Syrinx PU-3 tonearms; Koetsu Urushi, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridges.
Digital Sources: Lector CDP-7T, Creek Destiny CD players.
Preamplification: Vendetta Research SCP-2D phono stage, Audio Valve Eclipse line stage.
Power Amplifier: Audio Research Reference 110.
Integrated Amplifier: Creek Destiny.
Loudspeakers: Alón by Acarian Systems Circe.
Cables: Interconnect (all MIT): Magnum M3, MI-350 CVTwin Terminator, MI-330SG Terminator. Speaker: Acarian Systems Black…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Designer Carl Marchisotto recommended that I measure the Nola Contender on an axis 37" above the ground with the speaker sitting on its supplied feet, which raise it sufficiently to allow its downward-firing port to operate correctly. The Contender's B-weighted sensitivity on this axis, assessed with DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA microphone, was 89.5dB/2.83V/m, which is within experimental error of the specified 90dB and slightly above the norm. The Contender should reach satisfyingly high levels with moderately powerful amplifiers. Reinforcing this…