Analog source: Simon Yorke turntable; Graham 2.2, Immedia RPM2 tonearms; Lyra Helikon, Helikon mono, Clearaudio Insider cartridges.
Digital source: Marantz SA-1 SACD player.
Preamplifier: Hovland HP-100.
Power amplifier: Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 300.
Loudspeakers: Audio Physic Avanti III.
Cables: Phono: Hovland Music Groove DIN/RCA and RCA/RCA. Interconnect: Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway II, Yamamura Millennium 6000, Wireworld Gold Eclipse. Speaker: Harmonic Technology Magic Woofer. AC: JPS Labs, Electra Glide Fatboy, PS Audio Lab,…
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I was unable to measure the actual Nu-Vista 3D auditioned by Michael Fremer—it went silent after the review had been written but before the unit was sent to me for measurement. It was shipped back to the UK for diagnosis; apparently, the ribbon cable that connects the transport section to the signal board had gone bad. Musical Fidelity sent me a second sample and I measured that.
The Nu-Vista player's maximum output level (MOL) was 2.113V at 1kHz, a hair above the CD standard of 2.0V RMS. Its output had the correct polarity—the last MF digital product I…
The player's analog stage appears to consist of a single nuvistor tube per channel, each driving a complementary pair of TO220-packaged output transistors. It's effectively bombproof; the only significant harmonic present in the 3D's output with the player driving a 0dBFS, 50Hz tone into a punishing 600 ohm load was the second (fig.6), at a negligible -97dB (0.003%). It was a similar story with the high-frequency intermodulation test, where the only spurious product to poke its head above the -100dBFS line in the Musical Fidelity's output was the difference tone at 1kHz, even into 600 ohms (…
They say you never forget your first time. For me, it was an Audio Research SP-6B that had been heavily modified by Analogique in NYC—which meant, among other things, that yellow capacitors shunted other yellow capacitors all the way up to the top plate. That first taste of the High End—prior to that, you might say my face had been pressed against the window—was definitely love at first listen. That SP-6B was warm yet detailed, and I ended up building a system around it that at least one friend described as a huge musical wet kiss.
I've moved on since then, but I've got to say that I…
Used together, the Reference 1 and the VT200 provide extraordinarily refined, powerful, natural sound. (Actually, that statement seems too bland, too cautious. Start again:)
Used together, the Ref 1 and VT200 rule! I've had an absolute blast reviewing these components—every listening session has been a voyage of discovery into my record collection.
How to describe the sound of the system? "Coherent, with a sense of extraordinary ease" about sums it up. From top to bottom, the pair produced a sonic portrait that was tight, fast, unbelievably seamless, and, above all, effortless.…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Reference 1 preamplifier: Tubed line stage with remote control. Inputs: Tape, Tuner, Phono, CD, Video, Aux 1, Aux 2, Aux 3 (XLR and RCA connections). Outputs: 2 main, 1 tape (XLR and RCA connections). Tube complement: eight 6922/E88CC dual-triode (vacuum tube audio circuit, solid-state power supply). Frequency response: 1Hz–200kHz, ±0.5dB. Distortion: <0.015% @ 4V RMS, balanced output. Gain: 12.3dB balanced, 6.3dB single-ended at main output; 0dB at tape output. Input impedance: 220k ohms balanced, 110k ohms single-ended. Maximum input: 7.0V RMS balanced, 3.…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
LP playback: Linn LP12/Lingo/Cirkus turntable, Linn Ekos tonearm, Linn Arkiv B phono cartridge.
CD playback: Audio Research CD2/DAC3. Denon DVD-3000 DVD-V player.
Preamplification: Linn Linto phono section, Conrad-Johnson ART and Mark Levinson No.380S preamplifiers.
Loudspeakers: Alón by Acarian Systems Circe, B&W Silver Signature.
Cables: Siltech interconnects, Black Orpheus speaker cables.
Accessories: CinePro PowerPRO 20, OSAR equipment and amplifier racks.
Room treatment: ASC Tube Traps, Studio Traps, Bass Traps; RPG Abffusors;…
Sidebar 3: Measurements, Audio Research Reference 1
Unless otherwise noted, the measurements presented are for balanced operation. The Reference 1's output impedance at its line output measured 456 ohms (266 ohms unbalanced) in the left channel, maximum gain, with only slight variations between channels and at various level-control settings. The line-level input impedance measured 237k ohms (113k ohms unbalanced) in the left channel, maximum gain, dropping to 215k ohms in the right channel at maximum gain and rising to 261k ohms in the left channel at a low (9:00) level-control setting…
Sidebar 4: Measurements, Audio Research VT200
A full set of measurements of the Audio Research VT200 was made using its balanced inputs, with selected measurements repeated in the unbalanced mode where noted below. Also, except as indicated, all balanced measurements were taken from the output tap corresponding to the load impedance, and unbalanced readings from the tap with the value closest to the load impedance. The center-tap connection was used only where noted.
Following its 1/3-power, one-hour preconditioning test, the VT200 ran typically hot for a tube power amplifier—but…
It doesn't take much to read between the lines of Sony's discontinuation of the TA-P9000ES analog preamplifier and their introduction of the SCD-XA9000ES SACD player with IEEE1394 digital output at Home Entertainment 2003. (A similar feature from the DVD-Audio camp has been promised.) Surely, we will at long last be able to have external digital processing and DACs in our preamp or control units. In addition to the freedom to mix and match components, this opens the door to having a single digital component manage bass and channel balance for all sources, and room/speaker correction without…