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Traditional audiophiles share much with their computer-based brethren, not least a love of music and of high sound quality. But they also differ from each other in important ways. Computer people are more comfortable than the rest of us with information technology—indeed, they enjoy manipulating data, including the data employed to make music. Some spend many hours managing often vast, if sometimes ill-gotten music libraries, using open-source, open-standard programs—even programs they wrote themselves. They likely have set up sophisticated digital-signal processing systems to perfect the…
There's good news for owners of Thiel loudspeakers manufactured between 1977 and 2012. Coherent Source Service of Lexington, Kentucky, will provide Thiel warranty and non-warranty service for customers worldwide. The company has been founded by Rob Gillum, who worked with Thiel for over 30 years and eventually became Director of Manufacturing.
Drawing from a stockpile of parts for legacy Thiel models—nearly all relevant parts are said to be available—Gillum will utilize his training in what has been described as "every aspect of service and manufacturing including driver build, crossover…
The 2018 audio show season is about to start and it's not just Stereophile's coverage of high-end audio shows—which has taken a leap forward with the inclusion of Jana Dagdagan's binaural videos—that's changing. The shows themselves are on the move.
Take the free Montréal Audio Fest (March 23–25, Hotel Bonaventure Montréal, Quebec). Exhibitors are invited to present systems for under $5000 in addition to their preferred systems, and, in an attempt to attract visitors aged 18–35, are encouraged to play music from video-game soundtracks. In addition, musicians will perform live some of the…
Audiophiles are oblivious to the low-end music-reproduction medium that's currently staging a comeback: the cassette tape (footnote 1). I've adopted the cassette craze in my own small way. I glory in the trusted mixtape, which I play in the stereo cassette deck of my 1990s Toyota. An automobile is a dearly cherished possession in New York City; when I cruise the outer boroughs on Sunday, I want tunes galore. So I retrieved my 1996 Aiwa cassette deck, and, attic-bound as it had been for 20 years, it was in need of repair. Via Yelp, I came across Hi-Tech Electronics, a small repair-everything-…
When it comes to setting up digital components, I'm no Michael Lavorgna, but I've reviewed enough CD players, USB DACs, and the like to know my way around. Still, I was mildly apprehensive about the many options and functions possible with the Uniti Nova. After ditching the Quick Start Guide, I found Naim's online support section to be a logical, orderly, and essential guide to understanding every aspect of the Nova's setup. Click Playing Music for in-depth instructions for setting up Internet radio, streaming, USB and HDMI, analog, multiroom, Roon, preamplifier out, and more. Pairing the…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Remote-controlled, network-connected media player, tuner, streamer, D/A processor, integrated amplifier. Access to Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Bluetooth aptX HD, vTuner Internet radio, UPnP, WiFi. Onboard memory: 512MB RAM, 8GB eMMC flash, 50MB RAM (for audio input buffering). Compatible file types: WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, MP3, AAC, OGG (16/48), WMA (16/48), DSD64 & 128). Analog inputs: 2 RCA, 2 DIN. Digital inputs: 2 optical TosLink (24-bit/96kHz), 2 coax RCA (24/192); 1 BNC (24/192k), HDMI ARC, 2 RCA, 2 USB Type A (front…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Kuzma Stabi S & Stogi turntable & tonearm; Music Hall MMF-7.3 turntable; Denon DL-103 (MC), Goldring Elite (MC), Ortofon 2M Bronze (MM) cartridges.
Digital Sources: Apple MacBook computer running Audirvana Plus; LG BD550 BD player (as transport); Halide DAC HD, Mytek HiFi Manhattan, PS Audio NuWave DACs; Western Digital T2 Mirror Drives (2).
Preamplification: Auditorium 23 A23 moving-coil step-up transformer, Heed Quasar phono preamplifier, Shindo Laboratory Allegro preamplifier.
Power Amplifier: Shindo Laboratory Haut-…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I measured the Naim Uniti Nova using my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It") and before I did so, I installed the Naim app on my iPad mini and used it to reset the Naim to the factory default settings. (The Uniti had no trouble logging on to my WiFi network.) Usually, before I test an amplifier, I precondition it with both channels driving a 1kHz tone at one-third power into 8 ohms for an hour. However, the Naim turned itself off after 15 minutes, displaying the message "Over temperature, please wait for the product to cool down."…
The Nonesuch Records CD Steve Reich: Pulse / Quartet arrived with its sonic bonus unheralded. With no MQA designation on the album cover or disc, few would have known of its MQA provenance had not posts appeared on Facebook that, when inserted in a player capable of decoding MQA, it can deliver high-resolution MQA.
Now that I've heard the MQA-encoded FLAC files courtesy of Nonesuch (owned by "Big Three Major" Warner Music), I can attest that there's every reason in the world to hear this disc in the best-sounding format available to you. The "Masters"/MQA version can also be streamed on…
Sunday, February 25 at 2pm, audiophile-fave-rave pianist Hyperion Knight will perform a program of Bach, Beethoven, and Gershwin at the First Baptist Church in America (75 North Main Street Providence, RI 02903). The church is a short (seven minutes) walk from the Providence Amtrak (train) station. The starting time of the recital was chosen to make it possible for music lovers from New York City to Boston to arrive and depart with the least fuss possible. The recital will be open to the public, and free of charge.
Presented by erstwhile Stereophile columnist John Marks, who returns to…