Price-wise and power-wise, the Stereo 120 is the equivalent of a pair of Dyna Mark IIIs, but there the comparison ends. The…
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One by one, the major amplifier manufacturers have acceded to the pressures of the marketplace and introduced "solid-state" models, whether or not these happened to sound as good as their previous tube-type units. Dynaco was one of the last of the hold outs, preferring, according to their advertisements, to wait until they could produce a solid-state unit that was at least as good as their best tube types. Now, they've taken the plunge at last, with their Stereo 120.
Manufacturer's Comment
The Stereophile's subjective observations point up the importance of listening critically to any proposed amplifier-speaker combination because there may possibly be subtle differences which are significant to the perfectionist. However, subjective impressions are influenced by listening environment and other variables, and rarely reflect reproducible concurrence by different listeners. We have expended considerable effort in trying to formulate test procedures which equate general listening impressions with measurements, with some success.
The Stereophile's subjective observations point up the importance of listening critically to any proposed amplifier-speaker combination because there may possibly be subtle differences which are significant to the perfectionist. However, subjective impressions are influenced by listening environment and other variables, and rarely reflect reproducible concurrence by different listeners. We have expended considerable effort in trying to formulate test procedures which equate general listening impressions with measurements, with some success.
Conventional…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Solid-state stereo power amplifier. Power output: <0.5% IM at 60Wpc, both channels driven, 8 or 4 ohms load. IHF power bandwidth: 5Hz–50kHz half-power output at <0.5% harmonic distortion. Harmonic distortion: <0.25% at any power level up to 60W, 20Hz–20kHz. Noise: 95dB below rated output, unweighted. Separation: >70dB, 20Hz–20kHz. Input impedance: 100k ohms. Sensitivity: 1.5V in for 60W out. Frequency range: 5Hz–100kHz.
Dimensions: 13" W by 10½" D by 4" H. Weight: 20 lb.
Price: $159.95 kit, $199.95 assembled (East); $164.95 kit, $…
Editor's Note: This is the very first equipment report that was written by J. Gordon Holt for Stereophile, then called The Stereophile. The venerable JGH appended the following warning: The writer of this report was employed by Weathers Industries during the time when the product in question was undergoing development, so in view of this past association, and the doubt it may cast upon the writer's impartiality, this report probably should not be published, even though the writer left Weathers Industries over a year ago and is not bound by any obligations thereto.
The product is not new,…
Response checks using the Westrex 1-A and London's stereo test disc showed a slightly rising top—up about 0.5dB at 10kHz and 3dB at l5kHz. Both channels of two samples were within their rated 1dB limit of output imbalance. Total unweighted noise measured 56dB below a 7cm/s 1kHz signal, which is completely inaudible, and since there are no inductive elements in the cartridge, it is not susceptible to hum interference from poorly shielded phono motors. The transistors in the polarizing supply will, however, start making thunderous grumbling noises if the supply is placed where other…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Amplified-bridge, ceramic-capacitor phono cartridge. Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, ±1dB; 10Hz–40kHz, ±3dB. Channel Separation: 40–35dB, 20Hz–15kHz. Output (1kHz at 7cm/s velocity): 8mV at constant velocity, 1.0V RIAA-equalized. Hum and noise: 60dB below 7cm/s. Channel balance: <1dB. Compliance; 20 x 10–6 cm/dyne. Dynamic mass: 0.6mg. Tracking force: 0.75–1 gram.
Price: $129.50; conversion kit for all Weathers viscous-damped arms, $91 (1962); no longer available (2019).
Manufacturer: Weathers Industries, Division of Teleprompter Corp.,…
American audiophiles have long had a love-hate relationship with British integrated amplifiers. On one hand, they often provide superb musicality, sell for a moderate price, and don't take up much room. On the other, these British alternatives to Adcom or B&K separates often have low power output, nonstandard connectors, idiosyncratic appearance (footnote 1), and dictate the kind of speaker cable and interconnects you can use.
No product exemplifies this dichotomy more than the Exposure XV integrated amplifier from England. This 40Wpc (rated) unit offers the best of what makes…
Extended listening revealed the XV to have some remarkable qualities for such an inexpensive product. Soundstaging was particularly impressive. The XV threw a nice sense of the music existing in three-dimensional space, with layers and layers of depth, though it tended to have a somewhat distant perspective, with the music set behind the loudspeakers rather than pushed forward. It was like moving from Row E to Row T. I tend to prefer this type of presentation: the listener is drawn into the music rather than kept at arm's length by an over-forward aggressiveness. If this trait is overdone…
Sidebar 1: Review System
The Exposure XV saw time driving three pairs of loudspeakers in my listening room: the Paradigm Compact Monitor, Rogers LS2a/2, and the usual Hales System Two Signatures. Loudspeaker cable was a 20' bi-wired pair of Exposure cables terminated with banana plugs on both ends. Source components included a heavily modified Well-Tempered Turntable fitted with an AudioQuest AQ7000 cartridge, connected via Expressive Technologies IC-2 or AudioQuest Diamond. The digital front end included a Theta Data, Museatex CD-Deck, and Proceed PDT 3 transports driving a Mark…
Sidebar 2: Measurements
After running the XV at one-third rated power into 8 ohms for an hour (the recommended measurement preconditioning conditions), the heatsinks grew too hot to touch. I estimated the rear-panel temperature at about 70°C. After listening at even moderate playback levels, the heatsinks reached about the same temperature.
The XV's frequency response, shown in fig.1, reveals the amplifier's band-limited response. The amplifier was down 0.84dB at 20kHz into 8 ohms (top pair of traces, dotted trace is the right channel). When driving 4 ohms, the treble rolloff…