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Rega DAC D/A processor Measurements

Sidebar 2: Measurements

In his May 2011 column, Sam Tellig enthused about the sound of the new $995 DAC from UK-based Rega Research. "The Rega DAC had a richness, a fullness of tone, an analog sense of ease, that I had not hitherto heard from digital, save for SACD," Sam wrote. "I heard a naturalness, an organic quality to the sound. . . . I enjoyed that richness of tone: body, weight, authority."

Jon Iverson listened to the Rega DAC while preparing his review of the Peachtree Audio iDac in the October 2011 issue. While Jon agreed with Sam about the Rega's low frequencies, he…

Rega DAC D/A processor Manufacturer's Comments

Manufacturer's Comments

Editor: Thank you for letting us reply to your revisiting of the Rega DAC, which was largely brought about by the overt and unwarranted criticism leveled at our design methodology by another manufacturer that you were happy to publish without inviting a similar privilege of reply.

I also understand that you agreed, via Steve Daniels at The Sound Organisation, our US distributor, to speak with Roy Gandy (Rega's owner) regarding matters arising, but that call never materialized.

I do not intend to resurrect the asynchronous debate, nor is it Rega's…

Listening #110

Phono cartridges—along with mothballs, hobnails, laundry bluing, hot-water bottles, lighter fluid, fur coats, and typewriters—are among the most outdated of consumer goods: To most people who make their living in the world of consumer electronics, every new cartridge that hits the shelves is little more than a coughing spasm from the death-room down the hall. You can imagine, then, the welcome accorded new samples of the even more anachronistic pickup head, which combines phono cartridge, headshell, and barbell into a product one seldom sees outside the school librarian's junk drawer. New…

Listening #110 Page 2

The latter idea has taken shape in the most recent edition of the Shindo Haut-Brion ($11,000), a stereo amplifier designed around complementary pairs of the famous 6L6 pentode tube. In recent years, during which the brand's following in North America has seen the most growth, the uniquely styled Haut-Brion has stood out as the only Shindo amplifier whose vacuum tubes are all contained inside a single enclosure; consequently, the Haut-Brion was also the only Shindo amp that lacked a separate tube cage.

The first Haut-Brions (footnote 2) used two output pentodes and two 6AW8A triode/…

Listening #110 Contacts

Sidebar 1: Contacts

Ortofon A/S, Stavangervej 9, DK-4900 Nakskov, Denmark. Tel: (45) 54-91-19-15. Fax: (45) 54-91-19-11. Web: www.ortofon.com. US distributor: Ortofon Inc., 500 Executive Boulevard, Suite 102, Ossining, NY 10562. Tel: (914) 762-8646. Fax: (914) 762-8649. Web: www.ortofon.us.
Shindo Laboratory. Web: www.shindo-laboratory.co.jp. US distributor: Tone Imports. Tel: (646) 425-7800. Web: www.toneimports.com.

Listening #110 List of the Month

Sidebar 2: List of the Month

Lists are good, shallow fun, and capable of suggesting deeper truths: reason enough to make them a monthly thing. So in honor of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, I'll start by offering my choices of 10 records of dubious quality, the contents of which are accurately reflected in their cover art. While we can all name at least ten very good records with very good cover art (the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers would top my list), here are those releases for which nothing in the firmament was in alignment, listed from bad to…

The Fifth Element #70

Here we go again! Come up with a list of classical pieces, and if your list is one of the skillfully crafted winners, you'll win your choice of a single CD from Stereophile's online store, and your list and all the other winning entries will be posted online for the admiration of all and sundry. This year's write-in contest will be somewhat more challenging than the last three, but I'm sure many of you will be up to it.

The premise is simple: Create seven classical concert programs for a fantasy symphony orchestra's season. But to make it more interesting, you can't program works by any…

The Entry Level #14

Playing a Compact Disc is nothing like playing a live show.

Wild, right? This is just the latest of the profundities to explode into my mighty brain as I slouch on the orange couch, staring at stacks of CDs, contemplating life and stuff. It came to me on a lovely Sunday morning. The sun was shining, the birds were cheeping, and I was still high from my band's performance two nights earlier.

If you've ever played music of any kind—but especially rock'n'roll—for a crowd of enthusiastic fans and friends, you know the rush I'm talking about. There's nothing like the energy that erupts…

The Entry Level #14 Page 2

I listened to the C 515BEE CD player with my PSB Alpha B1 loudspeakers ($299/pair), NAD C 316BEE integrated amplifier ($380), and AudioQuest Rocket 33 speaker cables ($299/10' pair) and Sidewinder interconnects ($65/1m pair). The CD player and amplifier sat on shelves in my PolyCrystal equipment rack, plugged into a Furutech e-TP60 power conditioner, itself plugged into a Furutech GTX wall receptacle via an AudioQuest NRG X-3 power cord.

A highly engaging musical experience
Unlike the Emotiva ERC-2, which had impressed me with its dynamic range and muscular overall sound, the C…

Debut of the Mårten Django at David Michael Audio

Saturday, April 7, Noon–7pm: David Michael Audio (4341 Delemere Court, Royal Oak, MI) will host the premiere of the Mårten Django floorstanding loudspeaker ($15,000/pair). Stereophile’s coverage of the Mårten Django started at CES 2012, where JA commented on their “superb low-frequency weight and definition” with Eric Satie’s Gymnopedie. Space at the Django debut is limited. Attendants should RSVP as early as possible. For more info, e-mail info@davidmichaelaudio.com, call (586) 244-8479, or visit David Michael Audio.

Facebook Event: Let people know you're going.

And now, I leave…