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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…
At present, my writing chores are divided between two fields: domestic audio and lutherie. Having invested considerable time in both, and having by now met a number of builders who are distinguished in one or the other, I can say with all confidence that the best share a simple, single point of view: Everything makes a difference.
There are dissenters, of course. In audio, some scoff at the notion of audible differences between, say, aluminum and steel amplifier cases, or between shellac and polymer coatings for transformer windings. In lutherie, the skeptics would have us know that a…
The Evolution stand is also a great deal fancier than average in the aesthetic sense, with an angled lower base of Italian marble and a circle of decorative elastic cords, fastened at top and bottom, that echo the loudspeaker's decidedly baleen-esque removable grille.
Setup and installation
On the one hand, the Sonus Faber carton—actually, a wooden crate tucked inside an unprepossessing cardboard box—was the heaviest thing I've ever lifted by myself. On the other hand, no prospective Sonus Faber owner should be deprived of the pleasure of unpacking these speakers for himself. The…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, port-loaded, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" fabric-dome tweeter, 7" pulp-cone woofer. Crossover frequency: 2800Hz. Frequency range: 40Hz–30kHz. Sensitivity: 86dB/W/m. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Power handling: 25–200W, without clipping.
Dimensions: 16.25" (410mm) H by 9.25" (235mm) W by 16.2" (412mm) D. Weight: 40.8 lbs (18.5kg).
Finish: Okoume wood in Red or Graphite.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 017, 018.
Price: $22,000/pair including stands; "stand-delete" option saves $2000/pair. Approximate number of…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Garrard 301, Thorens TD 124 turntables; EMT 997, Schick tonearms; Ortofon SPU, EMT OFD 25 & OFD 65 pickup heads.
Digital Sources: Wavelength Proton USB D/A converter; Apple iMac G5 computer with Apple iTunes v.10.2.2, Decibel v.1.0.2 playback software; Sony SCD-777ES SACD/CD player.
Preamplification: Auditorium 23 Standard (SPU version), Silvercore One-to-Ten step-up transformers; Shindo Masseto preamplifier.
Power Amplifier: Shindo Corton-Charlemagne.
Loudspeakers: Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE, Quad ESL.
Cables: USB:…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolution's B-weighted sensitivity on its tweeter axis was 85dB/2.83V/m, which is slightly lower than the specified 86dB and significantly lower than the norm. The electrical impedance (fig.1) remains above 5 ohms from the bass through the low treble, but drops to a minimum value of 4 ohms between 4 and 5kHz. The electrical phase angle is generally benign, but there is a combination of 5 ohms and –45° at 3200Hz that will require the use of a good, 4 ohm-rated amplifier with this speaker. A small wrinkle between 200 and 300Hz in the…