As the group hurried toward a second album, they made the risky decision to alter their chemistry by recruiting a fourth member and a rock'n'roll rhythm section. Stephen Stills talked to John Sebastian and Steve Winwood, both enjoying success at the time. He was…
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The central question behind Déjà Vu was "How do you top a classic?" The eponymous debut album by Crosby, Stills & Nash was a case of magic musical synergy meeting the perfect moment. It peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200, won the Grammy for Best New Artist, and opened the door for the trio's legendary performance at Woodstock.
During my 100 years on earth, I've owned mostly separate amps and preamps, but only because that is where I started—or I should say, that is where my audio-savvy friends directed me when I began asking for guidance. Nevertheless, the audio system I've used the longest (unchanged for almost 10 years) consisted of 1984 Rogers LS3/5a loudspeakers (15 ohms, with factory wall mounts) powered by a proletarian-looking Creek 4330 integrated amp sourced by an Oppo CD player.
If I weren't an audio reviewer, I'd revert to my regular self and use the newest Gold Badge) Falcon LS3/5a with the best…
In an instantly recognizable way, the A 6.2 ME imparted a sense of polish, or "wetness," to the Falcon's almost-dry-but-not-dry sound. By wetness I don't mean more reverb in the room tone or recording studio sense but more like the humidity of heavy, warm summer air. With the AVM, the sound from the Falcons had a slight gloss that was not there with either the Rogue Sphinx V3 or Pass Labs INT-25 integrateds. It also wasn't there with the Rogue RP-7/Parasound A 21+ preamp/amp combination.
The main effect of this slight sonic glow was to direct my listening toward music I always…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Stereo integrated amplifier with dual-mono, DC-coupled input and class-AB, high-current MOSFET output stage. Analog inputs: 5 pair RCA, 2 XLR. Analog outputs: 2 pair RCA variable, 1 pair RCA fixed. Loudspeaker outputs: stereo pair of 3-way binding posts. Input sensitivity: adjustable (12.5–125mV). Power output: 180Wpc into 8 ohms (22.6dBW), 300Wpc into 4 ohms (21.75dBW). Damping factor: >200. Class-A headphone amplifier with 6.3mm jack. Tone controls: Balance, Bass, Treble, Contour (Loudness). Volume control with 256 0.5dB steps. Power…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable with Schick 10.5" tonearm, Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent Ex, Hana Umami moving coil cartridges; Lundahl LL1931Ag SUT, Kitsuné KTE LCR-1 MK4 phono stage.
Digital sources: Roon Nucleus+ music server; HoloAudio May (Level 3) D/A processor; dCS Bartók DAC/Streamer/headphone amp with Mosaic control app.
Preamplifier: Rogue Audio RP-7.
Integrated amplifiers: Pass Labs INT-25, Rogue Audio Sphinx V3.
Power amplifier: Parasound Halo A 21+.
Loudspeakers:…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I tested the AVM Ovation A6.2 ME with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It"). I preconditioned the amplifier by following the CEA's recommendation of operating it at one-eighth the specified power into 8 ohms for 30 minutes. The manual states that the A 6.2 ME can get warm. At the end of the preconditioning, its heatsinks were very hot, at 132.3°F (55.8°C), and the top panel's temperature was 110.4°F (43.6°C). Operating the amplifier at the older IHF recommendation for preconditioning—both channels driven at one-third power for 60…
Last May I got a text message from my vinyl-loving electrician: "Hey Michael, I'm listening to WFMU and a young 12 year old analog genius is guest DJ-ing, Malachi Lui. He mentioned you, and talks about mastering and pressings—he's incredible. I imagine he's been in touch with you. Hope all is well, Craig."
Malachi hadn't been in touch, but his comments were all over AnalogPlanet's YouTube channel, and you'd never know they were from a 12-year-old. I responded to one, and shortly thereafter I heard from his mother, who said he really wanted to meet me, and that they'd drive over when it…
OMA's Jonathan Weiss hoisted the plinth, fitted with an armboard for a Schröder CB tonearm, atop my Harmonic Resolution Systems M3 isolation base. I set up the CB (the initials stand for captive bearing) arm, with which I'm well familiar—it's the same Thrax-built arm supplied with the Döhmann Helix 1 turntable—and installed an Ortofon MC Century cartridge. This particular Schröder CB was 11" long, with an armtube of carbon fiber instead of the more typical ebony, grenadilla, or cocobolo wood.
The Schröder CB arm costs $4500. Add the costs of the SP-10R and OMA plinth and you're…
My friend Courtney Grant Winston has led a storied life. A photographer by trade, Courtney has a gift for revealing his subjects' spirited personalities. He has photographed actor Morgan Freeman, Le Bernardin co-owner Maguy Le Coze, and celebrity chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Alain Ducasse, and Anthony Bourdain. Courtney took the iconic cover photo for Bourdain's 2000 breakout biography, Kitchen Confidential. Courtney's father was a Tuskegee Airman during World War II and a childhood friend of Billie Holiday. The voice of Courtney's mother, Dorothy, can be heard in Billie the recent…
"Clearaudio turntables, arms and cartridges are made in Erlangen, Germany," Leerer informed me. "Known as a high-tech city in Northern Bavaria near Nuremberg, it's also home to Siemens Resonance Imaging Division and [the] Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light." Old-school tech meets new-school tech here.
Setup
The Active Wood and Satisfy CF tonearm arrived with all the key adjustments preset at the factory, so setup was a breeze. Upon unpacking the various components of the Active Wood turntable, the user will find a small level gauge, two Allen keys, power supply including…