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I measured the EMT 128 phono preamplifier (serial number U-102) with my Audio Precision SYS2722, repeating some of the testing with the magazine's higher-performance Audio Precision APx500. The results were consistent with both systems.

The output impedance, specified as <500 ohms, was a relatively low 320 ohms at 20Hz, 312 ohms at 1kHz, and 246 ohms at 20kHz. The 128 inverted absolute polarity; either the XLR output jacks are connected with pin 3 "hot" or there is an odd number of anode-coupled amplification stages. (Each channel uses three subminiature…

You might think an artist with 22 Top-40 hits would identify his winning formula and stick with it. Instead, John Mellencamp's long career has been a tale of determined development and often improvement. On his latest album, the 70-year-old Indiana native has nestled deeper into his rural Midwestern roots, eschewing rock defiance for folk philosophy. The result is a powerful baring of the soul, which, to many…

"The DNA of OMA is in fact 'Old School,'" Weiss wrote in a post on the OMA blog called "Audio Heirloom?" "There is no reason our loudspeakers, amplifiers, or even turntables won't be running and playing music in a hundred years, just…

Phenolic, "a very old technology that predates modern plastics, was a very expensive decision," Weiss said. "The paper phenolic we use is a laminate structure, both extremely hard, dense, and very well damped. The rear wave of the woofer interacts with this surface; its materiality is very important sonically."

The Fleetwood DeVille SQ looks like no speaker I've had in-house or, for that matter, seen in anyone's house. It's a lovely design—not the typical slim-profile…

Description: Downward dual-ported bass-reflex, conical two-way standmount loudspeaker with horn-loaded tweeter. Driver complement: 1" neodymium compression tweeter driver with 6"-thick, solid wood conical horn and phase plug cast from a "3D printed sand mold in solid bronze"; 8" paper-cone woofer with neodymium magnet. Internal wiring is silver. Sensitivity: 94dB/W/m. Impedance: 8 ohms, nominal. Recommended amplifier power: 10W or more.
Dimensions: 24" (610mm) H × 18" (460mm) W × 10" (254mm) D; with stands, 48" H. Weight: 36lb without stand.
Finishes:…

Analog sources: Kuzma Stabi R turntable with 4Point tonearm and EMT TDS 15N moving coil cartridge.
Preamplification: JE Sugden Masterclass LA-4, Shindo Allegro.
Power amplifiers: LKV Research Veros PWR+, Shindo Haut Brion.
Loudspeakers: DeVore Fidelity O/96, Klipsch Forte IV.
Cables: Interconnect: Analysis Plus Silver Apex, Shindo (RCA). Speaker: Analysis Plus Silver Apex.
Accessories: IsoTek EVO3 Aquarius line conditioner, Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU Record Cleaning Machine, Audiodesksysteme Gläss Vinyl Cleaner Pro, Salamander five-tier rack;…

I measured the OMA Fleetwood DeVille SQ's farfield and nearfield behavior with the DRA Labs MLSSA system, using calibrated DPA 4006 and Earthworks QTC-40 microphones and an Earthworks microphone preamplifier. I used Dayton Audio's DATS V2 system to examine the loudspeaker's impedance magnitude and electrical phase.

OMA specifies the Fleetwood DeVille's sensitivity as 94dB/W/m. My B-weighted estimate was lower, at 89dB(B)/2.83V/m, However, the DeVille's impedance, specified as a nominal 8 ohms, averages closer to 15 ohms (fig.1, solid trace). A voltage of 2…

My most recent listening session with a Luxman amplifier was at the end of 2010. I had been…

Power in listening
To make it easier to swap in and out of my system, I placed the M-10X and the Parasound monoblocks with which I was going to compare it on wheeled dollies. As usual when I review an amplifier or digital product, I didn't do any critical listening for a couple of weeks after installing the M-10X in my system, just using it for my daily dose of music. This process…

Description: Solid state, class-AB power amplifier (output stage biased into class-A operation up to 12W). Inputs: 1 pair single-ended (RCA), 1 pair balanced (XLR). Outputs: 2 pairs binding posts. Power output: 150Wpc into 8 ohms (21.76dBW), 300W into 4 ohms (21.76dBW), 600W into 8 ohms (27.8dBW) as bridged monoblock (BTL). Instantaneous maximum output power: 1200W into 1 ohm (21.76dBW), 2400W into 2 ohms (21.76dBW), BTL. Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, +0/–0.1dB; 1Hz–130kHz, +0/–3dB. Voltage gain: 29dB. Input sensitivity (for 150W into 8 ohms): 1.24V. Input…