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AURALiC VEGA D/A processor Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

I used Stereophile's loan sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It") to examine the Auralic Vega's measured behavior. I used my 2012-vintage Apple MacBook Pro to examine the processor's performance via its USB port. All measurements were taken with the Vega's volume control, which operates in accurate 0.5dB steps, set to its maximum of "100."

Apple's USB Prober utility identified the Vega as having the Product String "AURALiC USB Audio 2.0" and the Manufacturer String "AURALiC," and…

The Fifth Element #83

In 1974, in England, Australian Reverse-Pommy pianist and recording engineer Billy Woodman founded the Acoustic Transducer Co. (ATC) as a maker of loudspeaker drive-units. That makes ATC a few years younger than Spendor (1969) and a few years older than Harbeth (1977). When I mentioned all that to a quick-witted audio buddy, he immediately came back with "Middle Child Syndrome!"

It does seem that ATC has gotten less attention in the US than its older and younger British siblings. In an effort to rectify that, ATC is updating their loudspeaker designs and changing their US distribution…

The Fifth Element #83 Page 2

When first set up, the ATC SCM7 v.3s sounded to me like promising speakers that definitely needed breaking in. Between lots of listening to the Archiv boxed set, sifting through a treasure trove of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab SACD reissues, and keeping up with new releases, as well as daily thwackings with Ayre Acoustics' Irrational! But Efficacious System Enhancement CD Version 1.2, over the course of weeks, the SCM7's treble blended better with the midrange, and the sound as a whole opened up and calmed down. All of my substantive comments refer to the end state the SCM7 reached.

It was…

The Fifth Element #83 Contacts

Sidebar: Contacts

ATC Loudspeaker Technology Ltd., Gypsy Lane, Aston Down, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 8HR, England, UK. Tel: (44) (0)128-576-0561. Fax: (44) (0)128-576-0683. Web: www.atcloudspeakers.co.uk. US distributor: Lone Mountain Audio, 7340 Smoke Ranch Road, Suite A, Las Vegas, NV 89128. Tel: (702) 307-2727. Fax: (702) 365-5145. Web: www.lonemountainaudio.com

Plangent Processes, 58 Miacomet Avenue, Nantucket, MA 02554-4354. Tel: (845) 652-0277. Web: www.plangentprocesses.com

Benchmark ADC1 USB A/D converter

Erick Lichte's review of Benchmark's DAC2 HGC D/A converter in this issue gave me an ideal opportunity to spill some ink on the company's ADC1 USB A/D converter. The ADC1 is housed in the same small case as the DAC (one rack unit high, half the rack unit width), and is offered with a black front panel with rack ears, or a silver aluminum panel without ears, either for $1795.

The front panel offers, from left to right: a Mode toggle to switch between internal and external clocks; a second toggle to select the sample rate (44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz) for the Main and Auxiliary…

Benchmark ADC1 USB A/D converter Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: 24-bit A/D converter. Sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz. Inputs: 2 balanced analog on XLR; Word Clock on BNC. Outputs: AES/EBU on XLR, two AES/EBU or ADAT-format on BNC, TosLink, USB, Word Clock on BNC. Gain: Fixed at 0, 10, or 20dB; variable. Input sensitivity: –15dBu to +29dBu at 0dBFS. Input impedance: 200k ohms. Maximum amplitude of jitter-induced sidebands with Benchmark UltraLock: –134dB with 10kHz, 0dBFS test tone and 12.75UI sinusoidal jitter at 1kHz. Frequency response: 2Hz–92kHz, +0/–3dB at 192kHz sample rate; 1Hz–46kHz, +0/–…

Benchmark ADC1 USB A/D converter Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Source: Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with Lingo power supply, Linn Ekos tonearm, Linn Arkiv B phono cartridge.
Digital Sources: Marantz Reference NA-11S1 media player; Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP universal player; Apple 2.7GHz i7 Mac mini laptop running OS10.7, iTunes 10, Pure Music 1.89, Audirvana Plus 1.5.10, JRiver Media Center 19 for Mac; Auralic Vega, Benchmark DAC2 HGC, NAD M51 D/A converters; Ayre Acoustics QA-9 USB A/D converter.
Preamplification: Channel D Seta L phono preamplifier, Pass Labs XP-30 line preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers:…

Benchmark ADC1 USB A/D converter Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

To examine how the Benchmark ADC1 USB performed on the test bench, I used Stereophile's loan sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"). I analyzed the AES/EBU output data in the digital domain, then repeated some measurements using the USB connection and Vinyl Studio running on my MacBook Pro, examining the resultant AIFF files with Adobe Audition's FFT analyzer.

The high specified input impedance of 200k ohms from 20Hz to 20kHz was confirmed by my measurements. The ADC1 preserved…

Looking Forward: Carla Bozulich’s <i>Boy</i>

Carla Bozulich’s new album, Boy, will be released by the great Constellation Records on March 4th. Though Bozulich may be best known for her work with The Geraldine Fibbers, or the darker, more experimental material of her Evangelista moniker, Boy will be the third full-length album released under her own name. As such, one might expect to hear a more personal, honest, and bare representation of the artist’s sound and vision; interestingly, Boy is being promoted as Bozulich’s “pop record.”

From the press release:

Boy is a refreshing and much-needed reminder of what pop&#…

2014 Records To Die For

Much as we audiophiles love a good format war—nothing like a dustup over the tactility of vinyl vs the convenience of downloads—not to mention all the ever-evolving gear, the base of this pursuit is still the music. Which is why February is the month least cruel, and time again for our annual "Records To Die For."

The following choices of the venerable—and venerated—staff of this fine mag represent to them the best of their music collections. Variety and whim happily abound. And by revealing what they most like to listen to, our writers tell us who, in some ways, they are. Everyone is…