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2013 Recommended Components Powerline Accessories

Powerline Accessories

APC AV S15BLK: $730 w/battery backup ✩
The S15BLK is a comprehensive power source, conditioner, and controller that features extensible external power and isolated EMI/RFI filtration for each of its outlet banks. Voltage regulation is accomplished electronically and without the hysteresis or rebound problems of slower, motor-driven compensation. Protected even the heaviest of KR's loads while also eliminating gray colorations and intermittent chassis vibration. "The S15 made the bridged eVo6 into an even better power amplifier—a super amp." (Vol.28…

2013 Recommended Components Signal Processors

Signal Processors

Class A

BSG qøl Signal Completion Stage: $3995
The qøl Signal Completion Stage is a remote-controlled, solid-state signal processor with four pairs each of RCA and XLR analog inputs and two pairs each of RCA and XLR outputs. With the qøl activated, JA invariably noted a larger overall sound, with a greater impression of the ambience surrounding performers, increased image depth, and better layering within that depth. From JA's measurements, it appeared the qøl process is basically a variant of the well-known Blumlein Shuffler technique. "…

2013 Recommended Components Recording Equipment

Recording Equipment

Class A

Sound Devices Model 722 portable audio recorder: $2775 ✩
JM raved: "The coolest, most desirable piece of audio hardware I have encountered in a dog's age." The Model 722 is designed as a rugged, high-performance, foolproof, battery-powered portable stereo recorder for electronic newsgathering and video- and film-sound recording. However, with its line-level XLR analog inputs, onboard A/D converters, 40GB hard drive, and headphone amp, the 722 can also serve as a personal stereo. Offers 24-bit recording at up to a 192kHz sample…

2013 Recommended Components Miscellaneous

Accessories

Audio Research Tube Damping Rings: $4 each ✩
Damping rings for all AR products are now available to the public at large. They're made of a proprietary polymer material that converts kinetic energy to heat, and their improvements are not subtle, exclaims BJR: tighter, cleaner, deeper, more dynamic bass; more coherent transient attacks; crisper, more extended highs; plus "improvements in the reproduction of subtle gradations of low-level dynamics." Give "em a whirl—the cost is minimal. (Vol.23 No.2, Vol.26 No.8 Read Review Online) Audioengine AW3: $149…

2013 Recommended Components Cables

Loudspeaker Cables & Interconnects

Editor’s Note: Rather than place cables in the usual “Recommended Components” classes, we’ve just listed those cables that members of the magazine’s review team either have chosen to use on a long-term basis or have found to offer good value for money. They are therefore implicitly recommended. Where a cable has been found to have specific matching requirements or an identifiable sonic signature, it is noted in the text. “Try before you buy” is mandatory with cables; many dealers have a loaner stock to make this easier.

Interconnects…

Atlantic Technology System 250 home theater loudspeaker system

When something called "high fidelity" assumed fad status during the 1950s, many manufacturers climbed on board by the simple expedient of adorning their last year's product with a high fidelity label. The Home Theater bandwagon is a little harder to jump on, because loudspeakers for use with television sets require something "ordinary" stereo speakers don't: magnetic shielding (or, more accurately, magnetic cancellation). Without it, placing the speakers within a few feet of a large-screen set does psychedelic-type things to the color (footnote 1). However, adding magnetic shielding, usually…

Atlantic Technology System 250 home theater loudspeaker system Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

251LR stereo/front-channel speakers: two 4" polypropylene-cone woofers, one ¾" dome tweeter. Frequency response: 80Hz–20kHz ±3dB. Impedance: 8 ohms. Sensitivity: 90dB/W/m. Recommended power: 10–150W.
Dimensions: 13" H by 6" W by 8.5" D. Weight: 9.1 lbs.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 251LR10902/03.
Price: $299/pair; optional stands, $99/pair (1995); no longer available (2013).

253C center-channel speaker: two 4" polypropylene-cone woofers, one ¾" dome tweeter, midrange and treble tone controls. Frequency response: 80Hz–20kHz. Impedance: 8…

Atlantic Technology System 250 home theater loudspeaker system Review System

Sidebar 2: Review System

All of the speakers except the subwoofers were driven by a Parasound HCA-1206 six-channel amplifier and the latest "Plus" version of the Lexicon CP-3 surround decoder I reviewed in December 1992 (Vol.15 No.12). Other equipment included a Pioneer LDS-97 combination laserdisc/CD player, a Sony DTC-2000ES DAT recorder, a SOTA Cosmos turntable with vacuum hold-down, The Well Tempered Arm, and an Ortofon MC-3000 cartridge and step-up transformer.

Software included recent laserdisc releases, several of the incredible Classic Audio RCA Living Stereo LPs, some…

Atlantic Technology System 250 home theater loudspeaker system Measurements

Sidebar: Measurements

The Atlantic center and left/right speakers have similar B-weighted sensitivities at 88dB/2.83V/m and 90dB/2.83V/m, respectively. This is usefully high for such small loudspeakers, but has been achieved by restricting their low-frequency responses. As shown in the impedance plots of the loudspeakers (figs.1, 2, and 3), the enclosures are tuned to frequencies at the top of the upper-bass range—around 140Hz for the 251LR and 253C, and 108Hz for the 254S. These plots also show that the three speakers seriously depart from the specified 8 ohms. They are, in fact,…

Sound-Lab A-1 electrostatic loudspeaker

Designer Dr. Roger West got his first taste of electrostatic transducers many years ago during a stint with Janszen (remember the Janszen tweeter?). To realize the potential of the full-range electrostatic loudspeaker (ESL), he and Dr. Dale Ream formed a new company dedicated to ESL research and development. West describes this company, Sound-Lab Corp., as "the electrostatic speaker specialists."

The Model A-1 represents Sound-Lab's best effort at designing a system that appears to have a curved diaphragm. A truly curved diaphragm (à la MartinLogan) can have wide horizontal sound…