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The 1/3-octave bass-warble tones on Editor's Choice (CD, Stereophile STPH016-2) sounded powerful down to the 25Hz band, with the 40Hz warble slightly down in level, the 32Hz warble exaggerated by the lowest mode in my room, and with the 20Hz warble still faintly audible. The half-step–spaced tonebursts on Editor's Choice spoke cleanly and evenly throughout the bass and midrange regions. When I listened to the woofer cabinet with a stethoscope, all surfaces were impressively inert. The midrange enclosure was also well damped, though the rear panel above the terminals was slightly lively…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, four-driver, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) silk-dome tweeter, 7" (178mm) cellulose-fiber/carbon composite-cone midrange unit, 8" (203mm) paper-cone woofer, 10" (254mm) paper-cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: not given. Frequency response: 20Hz–32kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 90dB/W/m. Impedance: 4 ohms nominal, 2 ohms minimal at 80Hz. Minimum amplifier power: 20Wpc.
Dimensions: 53.25" (1353mm) H by 15.25" (387.4mm) W by 21.125" (537mm) D. Weight: 256 lbs (116.1kg).
Finish: Multiple automotive paint…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with Lingo power supply, Linn Ekos tonearm, Linn Arkiv B cartridge.
Digital Sources: Marantz NA-11S1 media server; Astell&Kern AK100 media player; Parasound Halo CD 1 CD player; Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP universal player; Apple 2.7GHz i7 Mac mini running OS10.7, iTunes 10, Pure Music 1.89; MSB Diamond DAC IV D/A processor with Diamond Power Base; dCS Vivaldi SACD player–D/A system; Electrocompaniet ECD2, NAD M51, Arcam FMJ D33 D/A converters; Ayre Acoustics QA-9 USB A/D converter.
Preamplification: Linn…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Wilson Alexia's frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 for the nearfield and spatially averaged room responses. Because of the speaker's bulk, I was unable to raise it off the ground for the measurements; this will reduce the resolution of the frequency-response graphs in the midrange. Then there was the problem of which axis to place the microphone on for the farfield measurements. Yes, the way the tweeter module is mounted atop the midrange module facilitates…
It's time to celebrate another memorable year in high-end audio. Each December since 1992, Stereophile has named a few special components its Products of the Year. These are components that not only define the present audio landscape, but that we hope will someday be seen as classics—things you'll want to pass on to future generations of audiophiles and music lovers. This year, we've awarded components in five primary categories: Loudspeakers (including subwoofers), Analog Components (turntables, tonearms, phono cartridges, phono preamps, phono accessories), Digital Components (transports,…
Joint Loudspeakers of the Year
Wilson Audio Specialties Alexandria XLF ($200,000/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, December 2012, Vol.35 No.12 Review)
YG Acoustics Sonja 1.3 ($106,800/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, July 2013, Vol.36 No.7 Review)
The race for Stereophile's Loudspeaker of the Year is always fascinating and often fiercely contested—and the stakes are raised when, as this year, such esteemed brands as Bowers & Wilkins, KEF, and Sony are involved. Adding to the intrigue was the fact that two of our contenders—the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR ($129.99/pair) and…
Joint Amplification Components of the Year
Audio Research Reference 75 power amplifier ($9000; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, May 2013, Vol.36 No.5 Review)
Ayre Acoustics AX-5 integrated amplifier ($9950; reviewed by Art Dudley, August 2013, Vol.36 No.8 Review)
Dan D'Agostino Momentum monoblock power amplifier ($55,000/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, February 2013, Vol.36 No.2 Review)
Devialet D-Premier integrated amplifier ($15,995; reviewed by John Atkinson, January & June 2013, Vol.36 Nos. 1 & 6 Review)
Technically, with 12 total votes apiece,…
Joint Analog Components of the Year
Spiral Groove SG1.1 turntable with Centroid tonearm ($31,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, November 2012, Vol.35 No.11)
VPI Industries Traveler turntable and tonearm ($1399; reviewed by Stephen Mejias, November 2012, Vol.35 No.11 Review)
Another tie—this time between two components separated by almost 3000 miles and nearly $30,000. Yow! The flagship Spiral Groove SG1.1 was designed by Allen Perkins in Berkeley, California. The entry-level VPI Traveler was designed by father-son duo Harry and Mat Weisfeld, in Cliffwood, New Jersey. While…
Digital Component of the Year
Audio Research Reference CD9 CD player ($12,999; reviewed by Fred Kaplan, October 2013, Vol.36 No.10 Review)
The finalists in this category included an A/D converter, three D/A processors, a media server, a portable media player, and a couple of Blu-ray players—signs of the times, all. So it may come as a surprise that the clear winner is a single-disc CD player. A CD player? That's right. Contrary to popular belief, the Compact Disc is not dead. In fact, for those interested in squeezing the very best from their CD collections, there's no better…
Accessory of the Year
Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones ($199.99; reviewed by Sam Tellig & Stephen Mejias, December 2012, February & March 2013, Vol.35 No.12 & Vol.36 Nos.2 & 3 Review)
Thanks in large part to the success of the Beats by Dr. Dre brand—which, last I checked, owned a shocking 64% of the $100-and-up headphone market—headphones have become as much fashion as audio accessory, with a mainstream popularity that's impossible to deny. In January 2012, the retail-analysis firm NPD Group reported that premium headphones, which they defined as those priced…