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Classé CAM 350 monoblock power amplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog source: VPI TNT Mk.V, JMW Memorial tonearm, Grado Reference cartridge.
Digital source: SimAudio Moon Eclipse, Oracle CD players.
Preamplification: VAC CPA1 Mk.III preamplifier, Conrad-Johnson Premier 15 phono stage and 17LS line stage.
Power amplifiers: VAC Renaissance 70/70, VTL Ichiban and Mark Levinson No.20.6 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Magnepan MG 3.6/R, Meadowlark Kestrel "Hot Rod," Castle Severn.
Cables: Interconnects: Nirvana SX Ltd. Speaker: Synergistic Research Resolution Reference and Designer's Reference.
Accessories:…

Classé CAM 350 monoblock power amplifier Measurements

Sidebar 2: Measurements

As is usual with Stereophile's tests of amplifiers, I soak-tested the Classé CAM 350 by running it for an hour at one-third power before performing any further tests. At the end of this period, its heatsinks were way too hot to touch, as was the rear of the chassis, which suggests that the amplifier's thermal capacity is optimistically specified. This probably won't be a problem unless you use the CAM 350 for sustained high-power use with notoriously low-impedance speakers like the Thiel CS5.

When I tested the unbalanced input, I used a shorting strap to…

Classé CAM 350 monoblock power amplifier Measurements part 2

The Classé's A-weighted noise floor was very low, at -94dB with respect to 1W into 8 ohms. Removing the weighting and extending the measurement bandwidth to more than 500kHz dropped the S/N ratio to 82.2dB, which is still very good. The CAM 350 will not compromise the dynamic range of the new hi-rez digital media.

Distortion levels were also very low, particularly with balanced drive. Fig.4 shows the THD+noise percentage plotted against frequency at a 3V output level. Yes, there is a rise in measured THD at higher frequencies and into 2 ohms, but the basic circuit appears to be extremely…

Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD player

Overachievers tend to rankle people after a while. Musical Fidelity, a relatively small British company run by Antony Michaelson, has issued a stream of high-performance, high-value electronic products over the past few years, along with a limited-edition line of pricier designs based on the military-spec nuvistor vacuum tube. With few exceptions, Musical Fidelity products have garnered outstanding reviews worldwide, with consumer acceptance to match. Michaelson is also an accomplished clarinetist, recording and issuing classical-music CDs in his "spare" time.

What's wrong with…

Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD player Page 2

Rare and Beautiful
Because the supply of the military-spec 5703 triode tube is limited—four are used in the output stage—Musical Fidelity will build only 800 Tri-Vista SACD players. (The nickname "trivistor" for this tube was apparently coined after the fact; it does not appear in manufacturer Raytheon's literature.) That leaves enough for spares in the unlikely event that one of the tubes fails before you do, and enough for the two other Tri-Vista products: an integrated amplifier and the kW, a 1kWpc dual-monoblock amplifier with separate dual power supply.

Before we get to the Tri…

Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD player Page 3

Warming Up to the Tri-Vista
It took a while for my Tri-Vista to break in, and I didn't really appreciate what it could do until it had. It's best to just leave it on and not worry about wearing out the tubes. They're rated for a lifetime's use anyway.

After I'd listened to the Tri-Vista for a while, the dCS trio I reviewed last month—the Verdi SACD transport, Purcell D/D converter, and Elgar Plus DSD D/A converter—finally arrived. It made more sense to review that first and then let you know how the Tri-Vista, of which you could buy five for the price of the dCS rig, held up. Put…