The Black Pearl XL SE ($19,000) “introduces our proprietary output transformers, expanding frequency response and enhancing transient detail, built on a robust chassis, Gen 6 power supply, and an ultra-low noise floor,” according to the Ampsandsound press release. The amp produces 8Wpc into 8 ohms and offers a bandwidth of 10Hz–24kHz (–2dB at 1W).
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"I keep my ears open. I've been listening to new stuff by people I have been following for years like Nick Lowe and The Straitjackets, Rodney Crowell, Kathleen Edwards, and Lucinda Williams. And then Craig Finn. I don't own any Hold Steady albums, but I love his last two solo albums. He has a new one coming out…
AudioQuest Thunderbird ZERO + BASS Speaker Cable
For years, I've also used the Auditorium 23 speaker cable in its green cloth jacket. After AudioQuest's Stephen Mejias sent me the company's William Tell Silver speaker cable, I spent several weeks comparing. The William Tell clearly sounded fuller and more detailed and extended than the Auditorium 23, but the skinny German cable was better still at drawing my attention to the performance rather than the sound, so it remained in my system.
But when I heard AudioQuest's thicker, more expensive ThunderBird ZERO cable, I had to…
In two adjacent rooms on the 14th floor of the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel, Innuos launched its latest Stream1 and Stream3 devices. Conceived as “the gateway to high-performance music,” the Stream series works with the Innuos Sense app. The app’s latest additions include a portal to the IDAGIO classical-music streaming service, Spotify Connect, Qobuz Connect, and more.
The entry-level Stream1 can be outfitted with an external LPS1 power supply for improved sound. It comes with a USB audio output and supports dedicated add-on modules for a Standard DAC Board, Performance DAC Board…
As the former owner of an Aragon 8008 power amplifier, I was curious to see how the company’s products have evolved. I used to admire the amp’s V-shaped heatsinks and felt lucky to own it. It was the second high-end amplifier I bought, and a major upgrade over the bright-sounding Adcom that came before it.
AXPONA provided the opportunity to speak with Rick Santiago, who, with business partner Ted Moore, bought Aragon from Klipsch. Santiago—now CEO and co-owner of Indy Audio Labs, which designs and manufactures Aragon and Acurus gear—studied Mike Kusiak’s original Aragon circuits…
John Atkinson reviewed the Canton Reference 7K in September 2021, and Ken Micallef followed up. The 7K ended up in Class A, Restricted Extreme LF,…
The driver array of the Canton Reference 5 places the two twin woofers at the bottom, the tweeter in the middle, and the midrange driver on top. This arrangement is less common than tweeter on top. I asked the Canton Design Team about this choice: "The midrange driver is primarily responsible for spatial focus and soundstage representation. For this reason, we aim to design it as broadband as practically feasible and position it as optimally as possible for such localization-critical tasks."
In his measurements, John Atkinson often notes the degree to which the tweeters are above…
Description: Three-way, reflex-vented. floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive units: 1" Black Ceramic dome tweeter, 6.85" Black Ceramic Tungsten midrange, two 6.85" Black Ceramic Tungsten woofers. Crossover frequencies: 160Hz, 3kHz. Frequency range: 21Hz–40kHz. Sensitivity: 88dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Max. power handling: 370Wpc.
Dimensions: 39.7" (102cm) H × 11.8" (30cm) W × 18.1" (46cm) D. Weight: 79.3lb (36kg).
Finishes: White Satin, Black piano; Walnut for a 10% premium.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 24226937C, 24226938C. Designed and…
Analog sources: VPI HMW-40 turntable, VPI 12" Fatboy tonearm, Pro-Ject Classic EVO turntable, Lyra Etna λ Lambda cartridge, Ortofon Bronze Cadenza cartridge, Sumiko Amethyst cartridge.
Digital sources: MacBook Air running Tidal, Roon, Qobuz. Bricasti M1 Series II DAC, Musical Fidelity M1 CDT transport, Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T.
Preamplification: McIntosh C12000
Integrated Amplifier: McIntosh MA252.
Power amplifier: McIntosh MC462 Quad Balanced.
Loudspeakers: Harbeth C7ES-3XD, Wilson Audio Specialties Sasha V.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest…