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In the United Kingdom, the first seeds of perfectionism in audio separates were sown by Goodmans Industries, founded in 1925. Then, in 1930, Garrard (est. 1722) produced its first commercial gramophone. Shortly thereafter, England experienced the Great Slump, the British name for the worldwide catastrophe known in the US as the Great Depression. Near the beginning of this economic downturn, in 1932, Gilbert Briggs founded Wharfedale Wireless Works—and the first British "high-fidelity" audio amplifiers began being manufactured by H.J. Leak & Co. Ltd., founded by Harold Joseph Leak in…
I wanted to find out if the 25W of First Watt's J2, designed by Pass Labs' Nelson Pass, would be enough power to make me, Metallica, and the Wharfedale 225s skip, mosh, and fist-pump through some densely vibrating air. I cranked "Battery" to old-man loud, and holy effing shit—these shiny little Brit boxes lit a hot flame that belied their size. They sawed fast and pounded hard. They got me up. I felt loose and free like I was 23. With easy clarity and ambitious drive, they powered my small room to average levels of 89dB and peaks of 96dB. No overcompressed muck. No congealed textures. No…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, port-loaded, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) cloth-dome tweeter, 6.5" (165mm) woofer with woven-Kevlar cone. Crossover frequency: 2.3kHz. Frequency response: 45Hz–20kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 87dB/2.83V/m. Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 4.2 ohms minimum. Peak SPL: 96dB. Bass extension: 40Hz, –6dB. Recommended amplification: 25–120W.
Dimensions: 14" (355mm) H by 7.7" (196mm) W by 10.3" (262mm) D. Weight: 14.3 lbs (6.5kg).
Serial number of units reviewed: WH057516BKF0083 (both).
Finishes: Black, White, Walnut, Rosewood.…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Palmer 2.5 turntable, Audio Origami PU-7 tonearm, AMG Teatro cartridge; Linn Sondek LP12 turntable, SME M2-9 tonearm, LP Gear Vessel cartridge.
Digital Sources: Mytek Brooklyn, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DACs; Hegel Music Systems Mohican CD player; Integra DPS-7.2 DVD-A player.
Preamplification: Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III phono preamplifier & Copla MC step-up transformer; Parasound Halo JC 3+ phono stage; Pass Labs HPA-1 preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: First Watt J2, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium.
Integrated Amplifiers: Line…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Wharfedale Diamond 225's frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 for the nearfield responses. Wharfedale specifies the Diamond 225's voltage sensitivity as 87dB/2.83V/m; my estimate was lower than that, at 85dB/2.83V/m. The speaker's impedance is specified as being "8 ohm compatible," with a minimum value of 4.2 ohms. My measurement is shown in fig.1—an 8 ohm rating would be fair, particularly given the generally moderate phase angle, but the minimum magnitude…
Every so often in the ever-changing world of physical and digital media, there is an outbreak of reel-to-reel fever. Over my years at Stereophile, I've occasionally been approached by a wild-eyed breed of audiophile, the ones who've become devoted to making on-demand tape copies of albums. They are a special group, easy to spot what with their flashing eyes, zealot grin, and maniacal enthusiasm. In a hobby/way of life filled with enthusiasts, no one, not even the folks devoted to 78s or—gulp!—cassette tapes, can match the sheer, all-in passion of the open-reel tape guys.
The latest brave…
Fear not. Not only is Adam Schoenberg, 36, one of America's most performed living composers, but his music (and, perhaps DNA) bears no relationship to the horrors of that 20th century demon of twelve-tone discord, Arnold Schoenberg. Quite the contrary. The three works on the new, vividly recorded Adam Schoenberg hybrid SACD from Reference Recordings, recorded in 24/176.4 surround and played by the Kansas City Symphony under Michael Stern, are deliciously tonal, filled with color and energy, and irrepressibly optimistic.
In some ways, Adam Schoenberg's music is reminiscent of the…
Imagine that you own an audio store, and business is good. Sales are up, and you'd like to take on additional lines. It's a good position to be in, but it has its challenges. You need more space, for sure. But what if the only suitable space that's available is some distance from the original store. Will customers follow you to the new location?
Adrian Low, owner of Audio Excellence, has had to face this challenge three times. The first store, which was basically just one room, was established in 1991, in an industrial plaza in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, part of what's known as…
Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Sam & Dave, Otis Redding—few studios have ever achieved the kind of distinct sound that once poured out of Stax Studios in Memphis, TN. A bit of that gritty, funky mojo lives again in the music of Southern Avenue, a new R&B act from Memphis that's named after the street that runs by the old Stax Studio.
To cement their connection to Bluff City traditions even further, Southern Avenue is now signed to the rejuvenated Stax Records label, which is now a part of Concord Music Group.
Last week, just prior to a gig at the Mercury Lounge in downtown…
Two of the most cherished terms in the lexicon of high end are "no holds barred" and "cost no object." These are usually applied, together, to the most expensive version of something currently on the market. But is either term really appropriate for an audio product? The answer is a flat, unequivocal No. No consumer product has ever conformed to the real meaning of those terms, and it is unlikely that one ever will.
Consider for a moment their literal meanings. "No holds barred" means that if anything could have been done to make the product better, it would have been. "Cost no object"…