I wanted…
search
I know, I know—"NOT ANOTHER $%#$ SONUS $%#$# FABER REVIEW IN $%#$# Stereophile!!" In just the past two years or so alone we've spilled a pretty fat bottle of ink on this Italian speaker line: Martin Colloms reviewed the $12,500/pair Extrema (Vol.15 No.6) and $9000/pair Guarneri Homage (Vol.17 No.7); Jack English covered the $4500/pair Electa Amator (Vol.15 No.10); and Larry Greenhill wrote about the $1800/pair Minima FM2 (Vol.16 No.4). That's a lotta jizzatoni, so let me tell you right off the bat that when I called Italy a few months ago, speakers were the last thing on my mind.
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way ported, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drivers: 7" (170mm) cellulose/acrylate-cone woofer, 1" (26mm) ferrofluid-damped silk-dome tweeter. Frequency response: 55Hz–20kHz ±3dB. Crossover: first-order slopes, no frequency given. Sensitivity: 88dB/W/m. Impedance: 8 ohms nominal. Recommended amplifier power: 25–120W. Cabinet: solid walnut, individual struts of quartersawn (like I knows what the hell that means).
Dimensions: 13.8" (350mm) H by 9" (230mm) W by 11" (280mm) D. Weight: 22 lbs (10kg) each.
Serial number of review samples: 2214.…
Sidebar 2: Systema di reviewini
I played LPs on a Well Tempered Turntable fitted with a Naim ARO tonearm and Sumiko Transfiguration MC cartridge; CDs were played on a Theta Data Basic transport Linque'd to Theta's new Generation V digital processor; and eight-tracks were played on a Wollensak 8050A deck. Preamps included the Audible Illusions Modulus 3, my own buffered passive job, and Exposure's XVII. I tried the Minuettos with an Aragon 4004 Mk.II, an Exposure IV Dual-Regulated, and my vintage Dynaco Stereo 70 tube amp, with the bulk of the listening done with the Aragon.
…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Sonus Faber's B-weighted sensitivity, at a calculated 85dB/W/m, was moderate for a small speaker. Its impedance (fig.1) is kind to amplifiers, remaining above 6.5 ohms at low frequencies, and above 12 ohms in the treble. The port is tuned to 42Hz, the frequency of the saddle between the two low-frequency impedance peaks, though the lower peak is much lower in frequency than is usually the case.
Fig.1 Sonus Faber Minuetto, electrical impedance (solid) and phase (dashed) (2 ohms/vertical div.).
The individual response plots for the…
Of all the speakers I've heard through the years, the $3000 ProAc Response 2 (footnote 1) is definitely one of my all-time faves. One of the few high-end speakers at any price that sounds equally at home pumping out Prong as it does Puccini, the Response 2 blew me away with its incredible musicality and just plain "rightness." The Response 2 doesn't call strict attention to any one area of technical achievement, like so many Audiophile-Approved jobs, but just makes music so naturally and unforcedly that I hesitate, even considering its remarkable performance, to call it an "audiophile"…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way ported, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drivers: 6.5" paper-cone woofer, 1" fabric-dome tweeter with ferrofluid cooling. Frequency response: 40Hz–30kHz. Sensitivity: 88dB/W/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Recommended amplifier power: 30–150W. Finishes available: teak, walnut, and black ash standard; others to order.
Dimensions: 16" (406mm) H by 8" (203mm) W by 10" (254mm) D. Weight: 27 lbs (12.3kg).
Serial number of review samples: P03319.
Price: $1400/pair (1994); no longer available (2013). Approximate number of dealers: 35.
…
Sidebar 2: Review System
For several months, on and off, the ProAcs took over my listening room from the mighty NHT 3.3s—my long-term reference speakers for over a year and a half now. Solid-state amplifiers included an Aragon 4004 Mk.II, an NAD Model 304 integrated, and an Exposure IV Dual-Regulated. I tried the ProAcs with two tube amps as well: my trusty, mostly stock Dynaco Stereo 70, and a 2W—that's right, two watt—homebrew, single-ended, direct-coupled amp featuring the 45 output triode, and which was designed by Wavelength Audio's Gordon Rankin and built by Sound Practices…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Studio 100 was quite sensitive at an estimated 86dB/W/m (B-weighted), although I would have thought this would be marginal for use with a 2W amplifier. Its impedance, however, would be acceptable to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Amplifiers). Fig.1 shows that, apart from at the port tuning frequency of 44Hz and in the upper bass, where it drops to a minimum value of 6.75 ohms at 200Hz, the impedance remains above a benign 8 ohms. A very slight wrinkle at 280Hz, probably not visible at the scale graphs are printed in Stereophile, indicates the…
Stereophile celebrated 50 years of continuous publication in November 2012 and released its milestone 400th issue in May. The magazine remains committed to providing all audiophiles—young, old, enthusiastic newbies, and grumpy veterans alike—the tools necessary to get the very best from their systems and music libraries. To that end, we’ve bundled our hot-selling Recommended Components Collector’s Edition and our invaluable test discs into two neat and affordable Audiophile Essentials packages.
The Audiophile Essentials Editor’s Choice Package ($15) includes…
John Atkinson and Stephen Mejias were unable to attend the Munich High End Show this year, so the call went out to the editors of Stereophile's sibling sites, AudioStream.com, AnalogPlanet.com, and InnerFidelity.com requesting a trip to Germany to provide a bit of coverage for the show.
Wait! What!? You want me to go to Munich? Oh baby, I'm totally IN!
What follows are my impressions of a handful of exhibitors that tickled my ears.
Intro
I'm a headphone guy (see InnerFidelity.com), so when JA asked me to provide a report on four or five of my favorite listening…