Description: Moving-magnet phono cartridge. Frequency response: 10Hz–10kHz ±0.5dB; each stylus individually calibrated for 10–20kHz range. Stylus: 0.2 × 0.9 mil, 681EE; 0.7 mil, 681A. Recommended downforce: 0.75–1.5gm, 681EE; 123gm, 681A. Weight: 5.5gm.
Price: $60, 681EE; $55, 681A (1970); no longer available (2022).
Manufacturer: Stanton Magnetics, Inc., Plainview, NY (1970); Stanton DJ (2022). Web: www.stantondj.com/stanton-history.html
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Sidebar: Specifications
The idea of a loudspeaker system whose frequency response could be tailored to suit room acoustics and/or personal taste is one that has always appealed to the high-fidelity perfectionist. Ideally, such a loudspeaker would allow you to raise or lower the level of any part of the audio spectrum to correct for, say, a sharp 370Hz room resonance or a mild absorptive condition that weakens, say, the 800Hz–3kHz range. Obviously, though, this kind of flexibility would require an infinite number of bandpass networks, each with its own volume control—which is an obvious impracticality.
In the…
Manufacturer's Comment
Any "perfectionist" loudspeaker is a difficult thing to evaluate, and we think that The Stereophile has gone at it very well on balance. But a few very important factors are worth talking about.
There is only one subjective disagreement we have: on the elusive subject of clarity" or "transparency." We certainly agree that, in a direct comparison between the Model Twelve and the Model Nine electrostatic, the former sounds a bit "veiled." We think it sounds less so, however, than any other moving-coil loudspeaker made, with the possible exception of our own…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Three-way dynamic system with frequency response contour control. Speakers: 12" acoustic-suspension woofer, two 5" cone midrange units, 1.25" cone-type tweeter. Impedance: 8 ohms. Power capacity: 100W program.
Dimensions: 29" H × 22¼" W × 15" D.
Price: $275 each, $550/pair (1968); no longer available (2022).
Manufacturer: KLH Research & Development Corp., 30 Cross Street, Cambridge, MA (1968); KLH Audio, 984 Logan St., Noblesville, IN 46060 (2022). Tel: (833) 554-8326. Web: klhaudio.com.
Son House: Forever On My Mind
Easy Eye Records EES-024, Dan Auerbach, prod., M. Allen Parker, Ryan Smith, engs.
Performance ***½
Sonics ****
Easy Eye Records EES-024, Dan Auerbach, prod., M. Allen Parker, Ryan Smith, engs.
Performance ***½
Sonics ****
This is the first recording Eddie "Son" House, one of the half-dozen or so greatest practitioners of the Mississippi Delta blues during its 1920s and '30s heyday, made after his 1964 rediscovery. The recording is from a live performance at Indiana's Wabash College on November 23, 1964. For an undisclosed reason, the audience has been edited out. The tape sat on a shelf, finally making its way to Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, a devoted…
Bill Evans: Inner Spirit
Bill Evans, piano; Marc Johnson, bass; Joe LaBarbera, drums
Resonance HCD-2062 (2 CDs, available as download, LPs). 1979/2022. Zev Feldman, prod.; Carlos Melero, eng.
Performance *****
Sonics ***½
Bill Evans, piano; Marc Johnson, bass; Joe LaBarbera, drums
Resonance HCD-2062 (2 CDs, available as download, LPs). 1979/2022. Zev Feldman, prod.; Carlos Melero, eng.
Performance *****
Sonics ***½
Bill Evans's discography is already gigantic, yet new titles keep coming. The Resonance label alone has put out seven albums of previously unreleased Evans music in the last 10 years. (Resonance does it with class. The documentation and sound restoration for Inner Spirit are exemplary.)
Evans fans are a cult. For them, he is personal. The great…
Eric Nathan: Missing Words
The Boston Modern Orchestra Project, American Brass Quintet, International Contemporary Ensemble, Neave Trio, Hub New Music, cellist Parry Karp and pianist Christopher Karp
New Focus Recordings FCR314 (2 CDs, download). 2022. Shauna Barravecchio, Andrew Bove, et al., prods.; Mario Correa, Joel Gordon, et al., engs.
Performance ****
Sonics ****
The Boston Modern Orchestra Project, American Brass Quintet, International Contemporary Ensemble, Neave Trio, Hub New Music, cellist Parry Karp and pianist Christopher Karp
New Focus Recordings FCR314 (2 CDs, download). 2022. Shauna Barravecchio, Andrew Bove, et al., prods.; Mario Correa, Joel Gordon, et al., engs.
Performance ****
Sonics ****
Ben Schott's 2013 book Schottenfreude is a glossary of German words invented by its author to describe contemporary life. Such notions as "tiny triumphs of nimble-fingered dexterity" and "the exhausting…
While I had the B&Ws in my system, I acquired two new recordings of the full score of Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird. One is by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Simon Rattle (24/96 download, LSO Live LSO5096), the other by the Orchestre de Paris under Klaus Mäkelä, their young, new music director (16/44.1 download, Decca 4853946). This brilliant score is most popular as an orchestral-suite arrangement (footnote 3), but to fully appreciate Stravinsky's achievement in combining Rimsky-Korsakov's color palette with his own melodic mastery, one must listen to the full ballet…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive units: 1" decoupled carbon-dome tweeter, 6.5" Continuum-cone bass driver in a vented enclosure. Frequency range: 45Hz–33kHz. Frequency response: 50Hz–28kHz (±3dB). Nominal impedance: 8 ohms (3.7 ohms minimum). Sensitivity: 88dB (2.83V/m). Recommended amplifier power: 30–120W. Harmonic distortion (2nd & 3rd harmonics, 90dB/m): <1% 100Hz–22kHz, <0.5% 150Hz–20kHz.
Dimensions: 16.3" (413mm) H × 7.6" (192mm) W x 13.3" (337mm) D including tweeter. Weight: 21.1lb (9.6kg).
Finish: Gloss Black, Satin…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital sources: Oppo Digital UDP-105 universal disc player; Custom Intel/Win11 music server running JRiver Media Center v30 and Roon; exaSound s88 Mark II and Okto DAC8 PRO D/A processors; QNAP TVS-873 NAS.
Preamplifiers: Coleman Audio 7.1SW for balanced source switching.
Power amplifiers: Benchmark AHB2, NAD C 298.
Loudspeakers: KEF Blade 2 Meta; Revel Performa3 F206; SVS SB-3000 subwoofer.
Cables: Digital cables: AudioQuest Coffee (USB). Analog interconnects: Benchmark Studio&Stage XLR-XLR; Kubala-Sosna Anticipation (RCA); Cardas…