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I compared the BD-A1000 with the Sony XA-5400ES SACD player using the Marantz AV-7005, AudioQuest Carbon HDMI cables, and SACDs and BDs that I had in duplicate. The Marantz's readout indicated that both players were outputting 176.4kHz, but while I could distinguish them by ear, choosing a preference was difficult. Sara K.'s voice in "Set You Free," from her Hell or High Water (SACD/CD, Stockfisch SFR 357.4039.2), was slightly mellower and more forward through the Sony, but the Yamaha countered with superior delineation of instruments and ambience while retaining a quite convincing…
At this point in the saga, Meridian had been advancing their digital-processing and D/A-conversion technologies in other products, particularly the 808.2 Reference, which John Atkinson called "the finest-sounding CD player I have yet heard" in his April 2009 review. For the 808.2, Meridian, in their words, "designed a much improved analogue output card. It has better analogue, digital, power supply and clock circuits . . . partly possible because CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) technology had improved since the original 808." This would be transferred to the 861, but "with different…
Sidebar 1: Contacts
Meridian Audio Ltd. Latham Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 6YE, UK. Tel: (44) (0)1480-445678. Fax: (44) (0)1480-445686. Web: www.meridian.co.uk. US distributor: Meridian America, 110 Greene Street, #407, New York, NY 10012. Tel: (646) 666-0140. Web: www.meridian-audio.com.
Yamaha Corporation PO Box 1, Hamamatsu, Japan. US: Yamaha Electronics Corp. USA, 6600 Orangethorpe Avenue, Buena Park, CA 90620. Tel: (714) 228-3343. Web: www.yamaha.com/yec/index.htm.
Brinkmann's 9.6 tonearm ($3990) resembles the German company's longer, more expensive 10.5 and 12.1 arms, which in turn resemble the legendary Breuer. The new arm includes the same headshell, armtube, mounting socket, and cueing device used in the other arms. The bearing system differs, though the Swiss-made ball bearings are identical.
While the more expensive arms use traditional fixed-gimbal bearings, the 9.6 has a unipivot-like construction for the horizontal bearing. The weighted arm housing sits on a small ball that rests on a pivot, also as in a typical unipivot design. A second…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Tonearm with unipivot horizoantl bearing and conventional vertical bearing. Effective length: 248mm (231.5mm from pivot to spindle, plus 16.5mm of overhang). Effective mass: 12gm.
Serial Number Of Unit Reviewed: Not noted.
Price: $3990. Approximate number of dealers: 10.
Manufacturer: Brinkmann Audio GmbH, Im Himmelreich 13, 88147 Achberg, Germany. Tel: (49) 8380-981195. Fax: (49) 8380-981233. Web: www.brinkmann-audio.com. US distributor: On a Higher Note LLC, PO Box 698, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693. Tel: (949) 488-3004. Fax: (949) 488…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn, Cobra, and Castellon turntable, tonearm, and stand; Brinkmann Bardo turntable; Graham Phantom II, Kuzma 4Point tonearms; Ortofon A90 and Brinkmann Pi phono cartridges.
Digital Sources: Playback Designs MPS-5 SACD/CD player–DAC, BPT-modified Alesis Masterlink hard-disk recorder, Sooloos music server, Pure Music software.
Preamplification: Ypsilon VPS-100, Einstein Turntable's Choice phono preamplifiers; darTZeel NHB-18NS preamplifier.
Power Amplifier: Musical Fidelity Titan.
Loudspeakers:…
The Brinkmann Pi cartridge's Benz-Micro heritage was obvious from the get-go. The motor is built to Brinkmann's specifications by Benz-Micro and includes a Micro-Ridge stylus. The cantilever material is not specified. The Pi's output is approximately 0.25mV, and its compliance is moderate at 15µm/mN. Recommended are a tracking force of 1.8–2gm, a VTA of 23°, and a resistive load of 600 ohms.
Helmut Brinkmann says he tweaked the Pi's design for a year and a half before he achieved the results he desired, including making the tiny set screws out of various materials. The Pi, with a body of…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Low-output, moving-coil phono cartridge with Micro-Ridge stylus. Nominal output: 250µV. Compliance: 15µm/mN. Recommended tracking force: 1.8–2gm. Recommended VTA: 23°. Recommended resistive load: 600 ohms.
Serial Number Of Unit Reviewed: Not noted.
Price: $2699. Approximate number of dealers: 10.
Manufacturer: Brinkmann Audio GmbH, Im Himmelreich 13, 88147 Achberg, Germany. Tel: (49) 8380-981195. Fax: (49) 8380-981233. Web: www.brinkmann-audio.com. US distributor: On a Higher Note LLC, PO Box 698, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693. Tel: (949…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn, Cobra, and Castellon turntable, tonearm, and stand; Brinkmann Bardo turntable and 9.6 tonearm; Graham Phantom II, Kuzma 4Point tonearms; Ortofon A90 cartridge.
Digital Sources: Playback Designs MPS-5 SACD/CD player–DAC, BPT-modified Alesis Masterlink hard-disk recorder, Sooloos music server, Pure Music software.
Preamplification: Ypsilon VPS-100, Einstein Turntable's Choice phono preamplifiers; darTZeel NHB-18NS preamplifier.
Power Amplifier: Musical Fidelity Titan.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio…
Wednesday, May 25 (yikes, that's tomorrow!), 5–9pm: Stereo Exchange (627 Broadway, Manhattan) will host a “Music Matters” event with Stereophile’s Michael Fremer.
Peachtree Audio, BelCanto, Amarra, Wisdom Audio, Simaudio, Transparent Audio, Meridian, and Vienna Acoustics will demonstrate their equipment. Learn how to get great sound from the digital devices you already own. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. (Who can ask for anything more?)
This is definitely going to be a fun evening, and I hope to see you there!