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It was a classic American tale: hearing that the head honcho of RadioShack was in town, the principals of Oregon-based high-end loudspeaker manufacturer Linaeum found out where he was staying and called him to see if RadioShack would be interested in marketing their speakers. They were rewarded for their daring by being given an introduction to the right RadioShack department head, and before you could say time-coherent, a deal was struck for RadioShack to manufacture a new line of three "audiophile" loudspeakers featuring a version of the unique Linaeum tweeter. The less-expensive Optimus…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, stand- or bookshelf-mounted, reflex-loaded box loudspeaker. Drive-units: 5" polypropylene-cone bass/midrange; 2" by 4" Linaeum dipole tweeter. Measured crossover frequency: 4–5kHz. Frequency range: 85Hz–20kHz (no limits given). Measured sensitivity: 81.5dB/2.83V/m (B-weighted). Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Amplifier requirements: 100W recommended maximum.
Dimensions: 10.5" (267mm) H by 6.375" (162mm) W by 6.5" (165mm) D. Weight: 7.5 lbs (3.4kg) each.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 9A4 (both). RadioShack Catalog number: 40-4061.
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Sidebar 2: System
I auditioned the speakers in both my dedicated listening room and Stereophile's listening room. Power amplifiers used to drive these speakers were a pair of Mark Levinson No.20.6 monoblocks and a Krell KSA-250, and an Advent 300 receiver (footnote 1). The preamplifier in my room was the remote-controlled Mark Levinson No.38S, with a Mod Squad Phono Drive EPS used to amplify LP signals from a Linn Sondek/Cirkus/Trampolin/Lingo/Ekos/Arkiv setup sitting on an ArchiDee table. A McCormack TLC was used in the Stereophile room.
Digital sources were a Mark Levinson No.…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Other than impedance, for which I used an Audio Precision System One, all the measurements were performed with a MLSSA system (v.8.5) from DRA Labs, in combination with an Outline computer-controlled loudspeaker turntable and a B&K 4006 microphone calibrated to be flat on-axis at the typical measuring distance I use. To minimize reflections from the test setup, the measuring microphone is flush-mounted inside the end of a long tube. Reflections of the speaker's sound from the mike stand and its hardware will thus be sufficiently delayed not to affect the…
DR. JOHN: Mercernary
Blue Note 3 54541 2 (CD). 2006. Dr. John, prod.; Mark Bingham, eng. AAD? TT: 49:45
Performance ****½
Sonics ****½
Blue Note 3 54541 2 (CD). 2006. Dr. John, prod.; Mark Bingham, eng. AAD? TT: 49:45
Performance ****½
Sonics ****½
Talking to Mac Rebennack is a little like what I imagine talking to Lester Young must have been like. Both converse in their own hip, profane, utterly distinct lexicon—in Mac's case, growled out with a mixture of utter conviction and a bemused wink. A few examples: On recording Johnny Mercer's "Dream" for this record, the good doctor said he didn't want it to become a "regulation VFW hall geriatric squad dance." Describing the way he and his…
As names go, "Reference 3A" is awful. It sounds less like a company than it does a model number, as in the Dudco Reference 3A (on sale now wherever Fourier speakers used to be sold); I find it hard not to expect a Reference 3B with each new year. Add to that a cumbersome and somewhat meaningless model designation, "MM de Capo i"—what do the Ms stand for? what does the i stand for? haven't there been other de Capos in audio recently?—and my poor brain becomes utterly confused. And the older I get, the less I can tolerate being confused. Forgive me if, during the course of this review, I get…
Sound
But if you demand the same sorts of things from a hi-fi system as I do, a pair of MM de Capo i's won't see a lot of down time in your house. But be aware that these did take a while to run in. At first they sounded grainy—very grainy, in fact—as well as hooty and a bit shut in. Over time, presumably as that tweeter loosened up, these speakers sounded considerably more open and airy.
But if you demand the same sorts of things from a hi-fi system as I do, a pair of MM de Capo i's won't see a lot of down time in your house. But be aware that these did take a while to run in. At first they sounded grainy—very grainy, in fact—as well as hooty and a bit shut in. Over time, presumably as that tweeter loosened up, these speakers sounded considerably more open and airy.
This speaker never lost every iota of that hooty coloration, though, leaving me to think of its response as very slightly lumpier than the ideal, with here a midrange boost that made violins sound a…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way reflex-loaded loudspeaker for use with stands 26-28" high (not included). Drive-units: 1" impregnated fabric-dome tweeter, 7" woven carbon-fiber cone woofer. Impedance: 8 ohms. Sensitivity: 92dB/W/m. Frequency response: 44Hz-20kHz, ±3dB. Crossover frequency: 3kHz.
Dimensions: 15" H by 11" W by 13" D. Weight: 27 lbs.
Finishes: Maple veneer, cherry red-stained maple veneer; "piano-grade" black lacquer, add $250/pair.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: D2636L & R.
Price: $2500/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 32.
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Linn LP12 turntable, Naim Armageddon power supply, Naim Aro tonearm; Rega Planar 3 turntable, Rega RB-300 tonearm; ZYX Airy S, Lyra Helikon Mono, Dynavector DV10x5 cartridges; Tamura L2-D, Audio Note AN-S2 step-up transformers.
Digital source: Sony SCD-777ES SACD player.
Preamplifiers: Audio Note M3, Naim NAC32-5, Fi Preamplifier.
Power amplifiers: Audio Note Kit One (300B), Fi 2A3 Stereo, Naim NAP110.
Loudspeakers: Quad ESL-989, Lowther PM2A in modified Medallion horns.
Cables: Interconnect: Nordost Valhalla & Valkyrja,…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The MM de Capo i's voltage sensitivity was above average, at an estimated 91dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is slightly but inconsequentially less than specified. Its impedance (fig.1) was reasonably benign, dropping below 6 ohms only in the lower midrange and the high treble. (The speaker is thus both sensitive and efficient.) The minimum value was 5.1 ohms at 10kHz, and the electrical phase angle was generally mild. Note that the shape of the impedance curve means that using this speaker with a tube amplifier having a high source imepdance will pull down its midrange level…