Experienced audiophiles know the answer: Examine and tweak the setup. I've heard systems consisting of state-of-the-art components that sounded lackluster and lifeless because they were just tossed together, with no thought of keeping signal-carrying…
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There seems to be a fairly common evolution among audiophiles: First, they notice that there is better sound available than they have ever experienced before, so they buy (we hope!) better-sounding equipment—but sooner or later, upgrading becomes terrifically expensive, while the urge to improve the system remains constant. What to do then?
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Audio rack/isolation systems for supporting audio components.
Selway series: Three independent racks designed to nest together as though a single rack.
Dimensions: Selway 2729: 27" W by 29" H by 20" D. Selway 2317: 23" W by 17" H by 18" D. Selway 1905: 19" W by 5" H by 16" D.
Prices: Complete system: $895. Selway 2729: $365. Selway 2317: $310. Selway 1905: $220.
Magruder series: Similar to above, but consisting of two elements with more generous dimensions.
Dimensions: Magruder 3425: 34" W by 25" H by 20" D. Magruder 2106: 21" W by 6…
Sidebar: Associated Equipment
LP playback: Linn LP12/Lingo/Cirkus/Ekos/Arkiv.
CD playback: Audio Research CD2/DAC3, Sonic Frontiers Transport 3/Processor 3.
DVD player: Denon DVD-3000.
Preamplification: Audio Research Reference One, Conrad-Johnson ART preamplifier, Mark Levinson No.380S, Linn Linto phono section.
Power amplifiers: Audio Research VT200, Mark Levinson No.332.
Loudspeakers: Alón by Acarian Systems Circe, B&W Silver Signature.
Cables: Siltech interconnects, Black Orpheus speaker cables.
Accessories: Cinepro PowerPRO 20 AC Line Balancer, Black Diamond…
According to a recent newsletter sent to its regular contributors, our "competition"—The Absolute Sound—sees "controversy and confrontation" as the core of its editorial policy. By contrast, Stereophile sees as its modus schtickus an unflagging devotion to, and pursuit of, truth, reason, all of the eternal verities (including some you never heard of), and the intelligent exchange of informed ideas. In honor of all of the above-mentioned precepts (as well as some I didn't mention), this issue of Stereophile is largely devoted to the confrontation between knowledgeable writers for whom the…
EMMYLOU HARRIS: Red Dirt Girl
Nonesuch 79616-2 (CD). 2000. Malcolm Burn, prod., eng. AAD? TT: 55:58
Performance ****?
Sonics ****
Nonesuch 79616-2 (CD). 2000. Malcolm Burn, prod., eng. AAD? TT: 55:58
Performance ****?
Sonics ****
Since her last studio album, 1995's Wrecking Ball, Emmylou Harris has been part of five different recording projects: Willie Nelson's Teatro, the Ronstadt/Parton/Harris collaboration Trio 2, the Gram Parsons tribute Return of the Grievous Angel, her own live album Spyboy, and the Ronstadt/Harris duo project Western Wall. She's been busy.
Still, studio records are what artistically advance a musical career, and when it came…
Audiophiles once took it as given that LPs sounded better than CDs—end of discussion. Things are no longer so cut-and-dried. In my seven years as a contributing editor to Stereophile, I've seen an enormous improvement in the quality of digital software and playback-delivery systems. The early-1980s recording and remastering anomalies that made listening to early digital recordings so fatiguing are largely things of the past, though advocates of massive compression, jacked-up gain, and compensatory EQ ("Sounds-better-on-cheap-radios," they dully chant) continue to sully the waters of natural…
Bang for the buck
Right out of the box, the basic $849 AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 sounded every bit as warmly detailed and resolved as my trusty old sidekick, the California Audio Labs combo of Delta CD transport and Alpha 24-bit/96kHz tubed DAC. The CAL remains a very musical, alluring performer, but the Njoe Tjoeb more than held its musical own against the CAL, which dates back to the mid- to late '90s, when it retailed for $2400. This sort of took me by surprise, but hey, time marches on. Digital design has come a long way since then.
Right out of the box, the basic $849 AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 sounded every bit as warmly detailed and resolved as my trusty old sidekick, the California Audio Labs combo of Delta CD transport and Alpha 24-bit/96kHz tubed DAC. The CAL remains a very musical, alluring performer, but the Njoe Tjoeb more than held its musical own against the CAL, which dates back to the mid- to late '90s, when it retailed for $2400. This sort of took me by surprise, but hey, time marches on. Digital design has come a long way since then.
There isn't room here to delineate the technical…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Remote-controlled CD player with tubed output stage, one pair of analog outputs, one headphone output, and one S/DIF digital output. Tube complement: two 6922s. Optional TjoUpsampler board adds 24-bit/192kHz-upsampling sigma-delta DAC. Maximum output level: switchable between 700mV, 1.25V, 2.5V, and 5V. Output impedance: ±275 ohms. Power consumption: 20W maximum.
Dimensions: 17.2" (440mm) W by 3.4" (87mm) H by 10.9" (280mm) D. Weight: 11 lbs (5kg) net.
Finish: Black.
Serial numbers of samples reviewed: KT000015005190 (auditioning);…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog source: Rega Planar 25 turntable, Rega RB600 tonearm, Grado Statement Master cartridge; Marantz PMD430 portable cassette recorder.
Digital sources: California Audio Labs Delta CD transport, Alpha 24-bit/96kHz tube DAC, CL-20 DVD-V/CD player; Musical Fidelity A3 CD player.
Preamplification: Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista, VTL TL-5.5, Rogue Audio Magnum Ninety-Nine preamplifiers; Rogue Audio Stealth phono preamplifier; Manley Labs Massive Passive equalizer.
Power amplifiers: Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 300, Mesa Baron, Rogue Audio Magnum M-120.
…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Despite being triple-boxed, the first sample of the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 was a victim of shipping damage. It arrived at my place with only one channel working, and that for only a short while before the player expired. Upscale Audio's Kevin Deal sent me a replacement sample, which worked fine. It was identical with respect to the extras, other than not having the premium AC cable fitted.
As the 6922 tubes, upsampling board, and transport clamp all have to be installed before the player is fired up, this gave me the opportunity to look inside. Although the…