On the other hand, it's not a whole lot of fun trying to eat consommé with a fork, no matter how specialized it is. In the final analysis, nothing beats having the right tool for the…
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Consider the lowly spork, that modern marvel of versatility: half spoon, half fork. In theory, you should be able to eat just about anything short of a flank steak with it. But the sad fact is, whether you're eating soup or salad, you might as well try to shovel it in using a tongue depressor. The damn thing's so versatile, it almost doesn't work at all. There's a lot to be said for specialization.
Sidebar 1 Specifications
Alpha 10: Solid-state integrated amplifier with remote control and swappable phono/AV/multiroom modules. Output power: 100W into 8 ohms, both channels driven (20dBW); 170W into 4 ohms, both channels driven (19.3dBW). Harmonic distortion: 0.2% typical (1kHz at 100W, 8 ohms). Peak current rating: ±25A. Crosstalk: -80dB at 1kHz. Line input sensitivity: 160mV. Frequency response: 10Hz-20kHz, -0.5dB. Input impedance: 10k ohms. Overload margin: 20dB. Power consumption: 800VA max, 8VA standby.
Optional MM/MC phono section: Sensitivity: 2.6mV, MM; 250µV, MC. Noise: -…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
LP playback: Rega Planar 2 turntable, Rega Bias and Sumiko Blue Point Special cartridges.
CD playback: Arcam Alpha 9, Audio Research CD2.
Preamplifier: McCormack Micro Integrated Drive.
Integrated amplifiers: Creek 4330R, Rega Brio.
Loudspeakers: B&W DM-302, B&W Silver Signature, KEF RDM-Two, Polk RT-5, Paradigm Reference Studio/20.
Cables: Siltech, WireWorld Gold Eclipse III.
Accessories: Cinepro PowerPRO 20 balanced line conditioner, Salamander Synergy stand, Sound Organisation two-tier rack.
Room Treatment: ASC Tube Traps,…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Both the Arcam Alpha 10 integrated amplifier and 10P power amplifier are discussed in this section. The power amplifier in the 10P is virtually identical to that in the 10; the few minor differences found on the test bench are noted here.
Both amplifiers shut down about 30 minutes into their one-hour, 1/3-power preconditioning test, after running relatively hot but not alarmingly so. The protection circuits of both appear to be very sensitive; I ran into delays a number of times at the test bench when the amplifiers shut down. Each amp's heatsinks seem…
Robert J. Reina wrote about the Alpha 10 in March 2001 (Vol.24 No.3):
I thought a comparison between the Creek 5350SE with a currently available and similarly priced and powered unit from a competitor—the Arcam Alpha 10 integrated (100Wpc, $1599, reviewed by Wes Phillips in Vol.21 No.12), would be interesting.
The Arcam Alpha 10 impressed, especially with its holographic, almost tubelike tactile reproduction of midrange timbres, particularly vocals. Its sonic perspective was a bit more laid-back and polite when compared with the 5350SE, and the Arcam seemed to resolve less high-…
It's been five years since David Wilson's X-1/Grand SLAMM speaker system invaded our audio consciousness with its 500W power capacity and very high (95dB/W) sensitivity (footnote 1). Capable of an earsplitting 123dB at 1m, with a bandwidth to match, this was one speaker system that refused to be ignored. The X-1 has since evolved to $70,000/pair Mk.II form. It now provides some flexibility of tonal balance for different room acoustics, and is distinguished by greater subtlety in its differentiation of timbre. Beneath the X-1 in Wilson's range comes the WATT/Puppy ensemble, now in its 5.1…
Wilson Audio has at last devised a form of vestigial grille frame to support an acoustically satisfactory cloth. These grilles substitute for the previous open-cell reticulated foam structures and can be retrofitted to other Wilson speakers, such as the WITT and the WATT. However, I was not too impressed by the new grilles. More often than not during my auditioning, I removed the upper pair of grilles, thus improving focus and detail.
Buried in the plinth, below and integral to the bass enclosure, the crossover network is potted in a cured-resin block that provides thermal stability and…
The answer proved more dramatic than I expected. I had enough length in the room to move the MAXXes 82" (2.1m) out from the rear wall while keeping them fairly close (30", or 0.75m) to the side walls, the average distance of the bass system from the floor being approximately 23.5" (0.6m). This provided sufficient asymmetry with respect to the three closest room boundaries. These tall speakers continued to improve in coherence, scale, and perspective when heard from a generous distance—certainly more than 10'. I ended up more than 14.5' (4.4m) away from the centerline between the speakers,…
Complementing the transparency were finely developed perspectives. Rarely does a loudspeaker at any price manage to hold all the strands and harmonic sounds of an orchestra in such a well-judged balance that focus is retained right into the far depth planes. Amazingly deep stereo images were possible, and it was rare that the physical location of the speakers intruded on the outstanding image performance. That image was certainly presented higher than usual—the performers were standing rather than sitting—while in the case of an orchestra, the performers were up on stage rather than down in…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, five-driver, reflex-loaded floorstanding loudspeaker system. Tone controls: ±0.5dB, ±1dB, and 1.5dB adjustments of mid and treble sections via power-resistor selection. Drive-units: 1" inverted-dome tweeter, two 7" carbon-fiber-cone midrange drivers, 10" and 12" pulp-cone woofers. Crossover frequencies: 200Hz, 2kHz, 22kHz. Port tuning frequency: 23Hz. Frequency response: 20Hz-21kHz, -3dB. Minimum impedance: 3 ohms. Sensitivity: 92dB/2.83V/m.
Dimensions: 63" (1600mm) H by 17" (430mm) W by 22" (560mm) D. Weight: 400 lbs each, net; 1100…