Description: Three-way bass-reflex, floorstanding loudspeaker with marble-base composite cabinet. Drive units: 1" (25mm) Accuton inverted diamond-dome tweeter, 6.25" (158mm) Acuton ceramic-membrane midwoofer, 8.7" (220mm) ceramic-membrane woofer. Crossover frequencies: 80Hz, 2.1kHz. Frequency range: 22Hz–60kHz. Impedance: 6 ohms nominal, 3.1 ohms minimum at 51Hz. Sensitivity: 87dB/2.83V/m. Recommended minimum amplifier power: 30W.
Dimensions: 49.5" (1260mm) H × 16.5" (420mm) W × 23" (590mm) D. Weight: 150lb (69kg) each.
Finishes: White matte, white gloss…
search
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: SME 30/12 turntable with V-12 tonearm and Ortofon Windfeld Ti cartridge.
Digital sources: Roon Nucleus +; Denafrips Avatar CD transport; CH Precision D1.5 transport, D1.2 DAC, T1 Clock, and X1 power supply; Synology DS918+ 4-bay Network Attached Storage device with 16TB; Melco S100 Network Switch.
Preamplification: Pass Labs XP-25 and Sutherland Big Loco prototype phono preamplifiers, Pass Labs XP-32 line preamplifier.
Power amplifiers: Pass Labs XA60.8 monoblocks.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Carbon & Cinnamon &…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I measured the Estelon XB Diamond Mk II in Jim Austin's listening room. I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the farfield frequency response and an Earthworks QTC40 microphone for the nearfield and in-room responses. As the Estelon speaker weighs 150lb, I wasn't able to lift it off the floor to raise the measurement axis sufficiently high to move the early reflections back in time. (The tweeter is 36" from the floor.) Instead, I used a small jack that Wilson Audio Specialties had loaned JCA for his December 2021 review of…
During my 30-odd years inhabiting New York City's Greenwich Village, I've seen many things come and go. Today's Village buzzes, blasts, and bellows in every direction, change itself the only constant.
Once the province of printers, factories, piers, and the maritime trade, the Far West Village, from Varick to Greenwich, plays host to a looming Disney megaplex. Concrete office blocks, empty in the 1990s, are choked with condos offering wraparound frontage, their storefronts touting Botox ("Wrinkle Prevention Studio"), cosmetic dentistry ("secretly straighten your teeth"), and bootcamp…
The 91E's 49lb machined-aluminum chassis, 18.9" wide, 15" deep, and 11.1" high, boasts an appealing industrial design that befits its heritage. It is big, bold, and beautiful, and its 6" tall, 1" thick faceplate commands your attention.
On the left side of the faceplate, in a recessed panel, a column of pushbuttons allow source selection: phono, CD, tuner, aux 1, aux 2, and Bluetooth. In the center, a raised 4" × 2.5" glass display, which is easily legible from across the room, shows the selected input, the volume level, and twin VU meters. Near the bottom of the screen, the Western…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Single-ended 300B integrated amplifier. Tube complement: One matched pair Western Electric 300Bs, one pair WE ECC81s. Output power: 20Wpc into 4 ohms (THD 10%; 10dBW), 16Wpc into 4 ohms (THD 5%; 9dBW), 14Wpc into 4 ohms (THD 3%; 8.5dBW). 20Wpc into 8 ohms (THD 10%; 13dBW), 16Wpc into 8 ohms (THD 5%; 12dBW), 14Wpc into 8 ohms (THD 3%; 11.5dBW. Phono sensitivity, MM (10W into 4 ohms): 0.75mV; MC (10W into 4 ohms): 70ÊV. Phono input impedance (MM): 47k ohms, 100pF. Phono S/N ratio, MM (10W into 4 ohms, input 5mV): 83dB(A); MC (10W into 4 ohms, input 0.…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Kuzma Stabi R turntable/4Point tonearm; Clearaudio Jubilee MC v2 phono cartridge. Thorens TD 124 with Jelco 350S tonearm and Ortofon SPU Classic GE MkII cartridge.
Preamplifiers: Shindo Allegro; Tavish Adagio phono preamplifier; Sculpture A Mini Nano SUT.
Power amplifier: Shindo Haut Brion.
Loudspeakers: DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96, Fleetwood DeVille.
Cables: Interconnect: 2m Triode Wire Labs Spirit II (RCA), 2m Analysis Plus Silver Apex (RCA). Speaker: 10' Analysis Plus Silver Apex Speaker (bananas). AC: Triode Wire Labs…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I performed the measurements of the Western Electric 91E with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system. I carefully installed the tubes following the instructions in the excellent manual, and after turning on the amplifier, waited for the 91E to optimize the bias for the 300B output tubes. Once that was done, I waited another 30 minutes before starting the testing.
The Western Electric 91E preserved absolute polarity, ie, was noninverting, from its loudspeaker, preamplifier, and headphone outputs. The volume control operated in accurate 0.5dB steps. A level of…
Hi everyone. This is Rob Schryer reporting live from Toronto's Westin Airport Hotel. In case you haven't heard, it's at this venue that the Toronto Audiofest is taking place from October 21 to 23 with 89 exhibit rooms from purveyors of audio all vying to charm our pants off.
Being the intrepid audio reporter that I am, I've come here in search of tantalizing scoops, astonishing product debuts, and sensational sonic pleasures, to share with you for your personal amusement. It's a role I don't take lightly. Despite this being a Canadian show, for the purpose of bringing you the information…
The Tri-Art room, the first I visited, started me off on a good foot. It consisted of a presentation given by owner Steve Ginsberg and his colleague Jim Leveille, and it was fascinating. Tri-Art, if you recall from previous show reports, is the audio company that makes a series of electronics and open-baffle speakers whose enclosures, plus "jelly bean" acoustic treatments, are made out of solid bamboo. Steve loves bamboo as a material for its tonal qualities and also because bamboo is so rigid and impervious to splintering, you can mill it like you would metal, with a CNC machine. I also…