For all of those reasons, the received wisdom was that tube amps…
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Big tube amplifiers were once scary monsters reserved for those who didn't mind heavy maintenance, careful tweaking, and the occasional explosion. Blown tubes required replacing, preferably with pricey matched pairs, then biasing with a voltmeter. Optimal sonic performance required regular bias monitoring and adjusting, and because of current surges on startup, you had to choose between leaving the heat-producing monoliths on, or turning them on and off for each listening session, thus shortening the life of the tubes.
The big Siegfried IIs could play "small" and fast, in that they sounded similar to VTL's MB-450 Series III Signature, but with more power, grip, and slam. And slam was the word—the Siegfrieds had slam not in spades, but in dump trucks full! Of course, you have to listen to a recording with wide dynamic range to catch the micro end of the act.
Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic's recording of Mahler's Symphony 3, while not the most revered performance of the work, is still a great one—especially for its sound in an upcoming vinyl reissue, even if the brass can sound a bit…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Tubed monoblock power amplifier with switch-selectable Damping Factor (four levels available, Low, Med, Hi, Max). Tube complement: one 12AT7, two 12BH7, twelve 6550C. Inputs: 1 unbalanced (RCA), 1 balanced (XLR). Outputs: 1 pair binding posts. Rated power output at <2.5% distortion into 5 ohms: 650W tetrode (26.1dBW), 330W (23.1dBW) triode. Frequency range: 20Hz–20kHz at 650W (tetrode) or 330W (triode). Optimal load range: 4–8 ohms. Input impedance: 47k ohms. Input sensitivity: 1–2.0V for full output, depending on Damping Factor setting. Power…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn, Cobra, Castellon turntable, tonearm, stand; Kuzma 4Point tonearm; VPI Classic Direct Drive turntable & 3D 12" tonearm; Lyra Atlas & Etna, Ortofon Anna, Miyajima Labs Zero (mono) cartridges.
Digital Sources: Simaudio Moon Evolution 650D DAC/CD transport; BPT-modified Alesis Masterlink hard-disk recorder; Meridian Digital Media System; Pure Music, Vinyl Studio softwares.
Preamplification: Ypsilon MC-10L & MC-16L step-up transformers; Ypsilon VPS-100 phono preamplifier; darTZeel NHB-18NS…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
VTL's Siegfried Series II Reference has both balanced and single-ended inputs and can be operated in tetrode or triode output-stage modes, each with four levels of negative feedback. Because fully characterizing its performance in every one of the 16 possible conditions would be very time consuming, I performed a limited set of measurements in all 16, and then a more complete set using the balanced input and in both triode and tetrode modes, each with minimum and maximum feedback—which VTL respectively calls Low Damping Factor (LDF) and Max Damping Factor (MDF). I…
I've said it before and I'll say it again: High-end audio is the tail of the dog that is the consumer audio business. We have little leverage in determining where the technology is going, even though we undoubtedly know more about it than the average buyer. On the other hand, after the mainstream has determined where it's going (or thinks it's going), the high-end business must accept that, and try to optimize it for those of us who care deeply about getting the best sound. The ubiquitous iPod and its fellow MP3 players kicked off the playing of music files and allowed listeners to carry…
Enter the Android/iOS app for the HDD player, downloadable from Sony (Android) or the App Store (iOS). With this, one gains access to several screens and controls in a graphically pleasing and informative display. The main browser screen, a comprehensive browser screen, and a Now Playing screen all offer album art and progressively more detailed program information. There's nothing the front-panel controls can't do, including settings and playlist operations, but with the tablet the display is bigger, the operations more fluid, and—surprise—you can use it from anywhere you are on the…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Player of two-channel, high-resolution music files and Internet radio stations. Supported file formats: DSD (DSF, DSDIFF), LPCM (WAV, AIFF), FLAC, ATRAC Advanced Lossless, ATRAC, MP3, AAC, WMA (2 channels). Internal storage: 1TB hard disk. Outputs: balanced on XLRs, single-ended on RCAs. Connectivity: Ethernet (wired and wireless), USB port for external hard disk. Frequency response: 2Hz–80kHz, –3dB. Dynamic range: 105dB or higher. THD: 0.0015% or less. Maximum output level: 2V RMS into 50k ohms, balanced or unbalanced.
Dimensions: 16.75" (430mm…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Sony XA-5400ES SACD/CD player, Oppo BDP-105 universal Blu-ray player, Mytek Stereo192-DSD D/A processor, exaSound e28 DAC, PC-based server running JRiver Music Center 18.
Preamplification: Audio Research MP1 multichannel analog preamplifier, Meridian HD621 HDMI audio processor & 861 Reference v8 digital surround controllers.
Power Amplifiers: McIntosh MC303, Parasound A-31 (both three-channel amplifiers).
Loudspeakers: B&W 800 Diamond.
Cables: Interconnect: AudioQuest Cheetah (balanced DBS) & Vodka (HDMI), Black…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used my sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It") to examine the Sony HAP-Z1ES's measured behavior. Initially I tried playing the WAV files of my test signals from a FAT32-formatted USB flash drive, but the Sony didn't recognize the drive's format. (It did recognize that a drive had been inserted and asked me if I wanted it formatted.) I then hooked up the Sony to my home network via Ethernet and transferred the WAV files from my Apple MacBook Pro using Sony's HAP Music Transfer app. This…