In 1969, DP's original bassist, Nick Simper, and vocalist Rod Evans, who'd sung on their first hit, "Hush,"…
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Ow Ow Ow, Ow Ow Whaow, Ow Ow Ow...Wha-aa-ow. That simple G-minor melody, supposedly inspired by Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (or perhaps Brazilian composer Carlos Lyra) and played with the tone of a Fender Stratocaster doubled by a Hammond B3 organ, is unquestionably the most famous rock-guitar riff. The apotheosis of 1970s hard-rock, the ubiquitous "Smoke on the Water" is also the unlikely story of the song's creation and the high-water mark of long-running UK rock band Deep Purple.
Photo by Michael Stephens
Last May, during a visit to High End Munich, I was ushered into an exhibitor's room with much ceremony. Other showgoers had been shooed out so that I, a reviewer at an important magazine, could listen to the hi-fi undisturbed. The room featured obelisk-shaped "statement" speakers, monoblocks with enough tubes to light a cafeteria, and a wedding cake–sized turntable, all connected with python-thick cables. The whole thing cost as much as a starter house in coastal Connecticut.
The room's proprietor asked me to choose from a small stack of LPs. I went for…
As you might expect, setting up a cartridge on the Amadeus 254 GT is simplicity itself. That's not entirely the case with the rest of the 'table. Hanging the tonearm from its gantry proved relatively easy, but only after I watched a YouTube video showing how it's done. While substantive, the user manual is also fairly confusing and sometimes seems to refer to other turntable models. Threading the thinner-than-floss belt around the motor spindle and the platter also took some trial and error. And pouring the silicone goo into the tonearm cup proved so maddeningly slow that I sawed the…
In the room opposite its smaller system, Playback Distribution presented Amphion Krypton3x White floorstanding speakers ($24,000/pair) driven by Esoteric’s F-12 class-A integrated amplifier ($18,000) and N-01XD-SE network streamer ($22,000).
A fairly inexpensive Quadraspire rack and Esprit power conditioning and cables completed a system that on Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” replicated her voice beautifully and delivered a generous helping of her characteristic breathy vocals. Treble and bass were well-integrated in a system that excelled in transmitting intimacy as well as the…
In December 2023, I took the train from New York to Los Angeles to attend the Los Angeles & Orange County Audiophile Society's 30th annual Gala. I took the trip because it is both stimulating and satisfying to spend an afternoon in the company of more than 200 audiophiles and music lovers; I also wanted to see John Curl presented with the Society's fourth Innovation Award, by George and Carolyn Counnas of Zesto. John was given the award "for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of solid-state audio amplifiers, circuit innovation, mastering recorders and much more."
I first…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid state, class-A monoblock power amplifier. Inputs: 1 single-ended (RCA), 1 balanced (XLR). Outputs: 1 single-ended (RCA), 1 balanced (XLR) pass-through loop for multi-amping; 2 pairs five-way binding posts. Power output: 100W into 8 ohms (20dBW), 200W into 4 ohms (20dBW). Class-A output power: 100W into 8 ohms (Normal bias). Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, +0/–0.25dB; 2Hz–120kHz, +0/–2dB. Slew rate: >130V/µs. Voltage gain: 29dB or 23dB, switchable. Input impedance: 50k ohms (unbalanced), 100k ohms (balanced). Input sensitivity (for 100W into…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital sources: Roon Nucleus+ file server; Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP universal player; PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream MKII D/A processor; MBL N31 CD player/DAC; Ayre Acoustics QA-9 A/D converter.
Power amplifiers: Parasound Halo JC 1+ monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: GoldenEar BRX; KEF LS50.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Vodka (Ethernet), AudioQuest Coffee (USB), DH Labs (1m, AES3). Interconnect: Ayre/Cardas (balanced). Speaker: AudioQuest Robin Hood. AC: AudioQuest Dragon Source & High Current, manufacturers' own.
Accessories: 24"-high, single-…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I measured the performance of one of the Parasound JCA100 Tribute's with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system. I preconditioned the amplifier by operating it at one-eighth the specified power into 8 ohms for 30 minutes with the bias of the output stage set to Normal. At the end of this time, the temperature of the side-mounted heatsinks, measured with an infrared thermometer, was 111.1°F (43.9°C) and that of the top panel 95.0°F (35.0°C). An amplifier with a class-A output stage runs hottest when idling, so I remeasured the temperatures the next day, after the…
My first encounter with an Audiovector loudspeaker was at the 2019 Toronto Audiofest. Driven by colorful (both sonically and visually) Alluxity electronics, the R 3s sounded pure and very fine. As I sat listening to the R 3 Arretés, the R 8 Arreté, their big brother, sat quietly in the corner, seemingly pleased with the performance of its smaller sibling.
I ended up reviewing the R 8 instead of the R 3, which in retrospect hardly seems fair:It was the R3 I heard that day, the R 3 that attracted my attention and got me interested in the brand. I didn't hear a peep from the R 8 Arreté—…
Listening
Audiovector specifies a frequency range of 23Hz–53kHz for the R 3 Arreté—quite a boast for a speaker so small and light, though it was clear from my auditioning that it is capable of surprising in-room low-frequency extension. When, at the very end of the review period, I listened to some warble tones from the Stereophile Editor's Choice CD, the R 3s set me straight: The 40Hz tone was reproduced at full volume. The 31.5Hz tone was down by about 6.5dB, according to the SPL Meter app on my iPhone. The 25Hz tone was down 12dB—easily audible. I could hear the top part of the…