The Arcam Black Box 2 essentially is an upgrade of the highly successful Black Box reviewed by JA last February (Vol.12 No.2). The newer 2 version includes an optical input and has the ability to decode both 44.1kHz sampling rate (CD) and 48kHz (DAT). Dealers can upgrade a customer's original Black Box to 2 status for $150 by installing the optical input board. Arcam claims that the Black Box 2 can accept the professional AES/EBU digital audio transmission format. Technically this is not correct. The AES/EBU format…
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Robert Harley reviewed the Black Box 2 in October 1989 (Vol.12 No.10):
Sidebar 3: RH's 1989 System
The system used for evaluating the three components consisted of a PS Audio 5.5 preamp (in Straightwire mode exclusively), Vortex Screen loudspeakers driven by Prodigy OTL tube power amplifiers, and Stax Pro Lambda Signature headphones.
Included in the source material was a live recording I had just made as part of an appraisal of the Nakamichi 1000 DAT machine. I recorded acoustic guitar and acoustic bass duets in a church using tube microphones to fully explore the Nakamichi's capabilities (watch for a full report, as well as a review of the 1000,…
Sidebar 4: Measurements
On the test bench, the Arcam Black Box 2 performed better than the Musical Fidelity Digilog that I also reviewed in this issue in several respects. Fig.1 shows the spectral analysis of the Black Box 2's output when playing the dithered –90dB signal on the CBS test disc. The unit exhibited a slight deviation from linearity, as shown by the amplitude at 1kHz not quite reaching the –90dB level. More revealing, however, is what is present at the output in addition to the signal read from the disc. This test shows the amplitude (vs frequency) of the signal at the player…
Sidebar 5: Specifications
Description: 16-bit, 4x oversampling D/A convertor with one coaxial and one Toslink digital input (Mk.2 only) conforming to the Philips/Sony serial two-channel data format. 44.1kHz and 48kHz decoding, polarity-reversal switch, digital-input polarity switch. Two analog outputs. Frequency response: 10Hz–10kHz ±0.1dB, –0.4dB at 20kHz. Channel balance: ±0.1dB, ±0.5$d. S/N ratio: 101dB unweighted, 110dB CCIR/ARM, 111dB IEC A-weighted. Channel separation: 100dB at 1kHz. Maximum output level: 2.2V RMS (Direct Output); 0.8V RMS (Line Level). Output impedance: 30 ohms (…
In the chronicles of the now absurdly revered Memphis alt rock originators, Big Star, the third record called appropriately enough, Third (or sometimes Sister Lovers) is perhaps the band’s best record. That’s only true of course if slow, often gossamer thin melodies pitched too high so that Alex Chilton’s voice couldn’t help sounding anguished and lyrics that fit under the term of “Fragile” or “Twisted,” and a pervasive feeling of doom (with several outbursts of partly cloudy pop rock) are your thing. In my case, if the weirdness fits, wear it and so like most other indie rock geeks in the…
The other recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2011 SSI was Vince Bruzzese of loudspeaker manufacturer Totem, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. To tell the truth, this surprised me. No, not the fact that he was given the award, which was certainly well-deserved, but it seems like yesterday that I first encountered Vince at the Toronto Show, where he was introducing a small speaker that sounded uncommonly good. Has it been really that long?
One of the most welcome innovations since Michel Plante and Sarah Tremblay took over the Montreal show has been the presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards. One of the 2011 recipients was Gerard Rejskind, publisher and editor of Ultra High Fidelity magazine. A fixture CES shows as wall as SSI, Gerard has always impressed me as being one of nature's gentlemen: thoughtful, self-effacing, with a mellifluous voice, and devoted to the cause of music and the best in sound reproduction. Good choice, Michel and Sarah!
Here's a photo of SSI's Sarah Tremblay and Stereophile's John Atkinson, who is covering the Show with Art Dudley and yours truly. JA will be presenting a seminar on how to understand loudspeaker measurements tomorrow (Sunday) at 2pm.
Michel Plante and Sarah Tremblay are the team responsible for the success of SSI, which takes place this weekend at the Hilton Bonaventure in downtown Montreal. You could see them working hard, going around, making sure that exhibitors and attendees were happy. The evening of the designated Trade Day of the show, Thursday 3/31, there was a party that included a speech by Michel It was in French, with the English translation on two giant screens, Michel claiming that he wanted to spare the audience from his heavy French accent. (In fact, his accent is very slight.) I was too busy taking…