"No, that was decades ago! Today I'm still a bit of a Brit-fi guy, but my mind remains wide open."
However: As a professional reviewer, I am biased toward affordable, lovingly engineered audio creations made by family businesses with traditional artisanal values. I enjoy solid-state as much as tubes—often more!
Full disclosure: Decades ago, I and some other broke, dodgy friends of Walt Bender (Audiomart, footnote 1) and Joe Roberts (Sound Practices,…
If…
Description: Line-level integrated amplifier for headphones and loudspeakers. Tube complement: 300B x2, 6SN7 x2, 5U4G/274B x2. Inputs: 2 pairs RCA, 1 pair XLR (all single-ended). Outputs: 1 pair speaker terminals, one ¼" headphone jack; one 4-pin XLR headphone jack. Output power: 10Wpc into 8 ohms (10dBW), loudspeaker output; 500mW into 32 ohms, 750mW into 60 ohms, 8000mW into 120 ohms, 6000mW into 300 ohms, 4000mW into 600 ohms, headphone output. Frequency responses: 10Hz–60kHz, –2dB (headphone amp), 16Hz–38kHz, –2dB (speaker amp). Input impedance: 100k ohms.…
Analog Sources: Palmer 2.5 turntable, Audio Origami PU7 tonearm, AMG Teatro cartridge; Roksan Radius 7 turntable & tonearm & Corus Silver cartridge; Dynavector DV20X2L, Hana EL, LP Gear The Vessel A3SS cartridges.
Digital Sources: AudioQuest DragonFly Red, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DACs; Integra DPS-7.2 DVD-A/CD player.
Preamplification: Dynavector SUP-200, Bob's Devices CineMag 1131, Lounge Audio Copla MC step-up devices; Dynavector P75, Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III+, Parasound Halo JC 3+, Tavish Design Adagio phono preamps.
Power Amplifier:…
I performed a full set of measurements on the Woo WA5 using my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It") and one of the RCA inputs. The voltage gain into 8 ohms from the speaker terminals was 31dB with the gain switch in the H position, just 3.8dB with it in the L position. From the unbalanced headphone jack set to High Power, the gain into 300 ohms was a very high 44.5dB at the H setting, 17.1dB at L. Switched to Low Power, the respective headphone-output gains were 31.1 and 17.1dB. Both the speaker and headphone outputs inverted…
JANÁCEK: Orchestral Works, Vol.3
Glagolitic Mass, Adagio for Orchestra, Zdrávas Maria, Otce ná?
Sara Jakubiak, soprano; Susan Bickley, mezzo-soprano; Stuart Skelton, tenor; Gábor Bretz, bass; David Stewart, violin; Johannes Wik, harp; Karstein Askeland, Thomas Trotter, organ; Choir of Collegiñm Mñsicñm, Edvard Grieg Chorus, Bergen Cathedral Choir, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus; Edward Gardner
Chandos CHSA 5165 (SACD/CD). 2016. Ralph Couzens, eng. DDD.
That's just about the longest headnote I've ever submitted, but…
Dudamel's conducting of one of the world's greatest symphony orchestras certainly delivers the goods. Heard as a 24/96 download from HDTracks, which offers greater…
Nine separate pieces comprise the Snell M&C…