search

Sam Tellig has already written about the $1990/pair Thiel CS1.5 at some length in Stereophile, so you may want to look and see what he had to say about them (Vol.17 No.8, p.39). JA gave me the go signal to write up a full review with technical descriptions and everything, so don't blame me for redundancy. Just think of Sam's words as a Lead-Up instead of my words as a Follow-Up, and it all makes sense.

The CS1.5, Thiel's second smallest speaker, is a two-way system with a passive radiator mounted below the…

The CD player used for my debut Stereophile review was a Kinergetics KCD-20B that I've modified somewhat. (I promise not to modify anything while I'm reviewing it!) Recently, I've been using the best preamp in the world: no preamp at all. What? I don't listen to vinyl? I must not be a real audiophile. The power amplifiers currently in my system are Nelson Pass–designed 15W single-ended "Zen" monoblocks (footnote 1). They have just one large MOSFET in the signal path, and I have to tell you they sound wonderful because I built them. I pick flowers to give to them,…

Other than impedance, all acoustic measurements were made with the DRA Labs MLSSA system and a calibrated B&K 4006 microphone. To minimize reflections from the test setup, the measuring microphone is flush-mounted inside the end of a long tube. Reflections of the speaker's sound from the mike-stand hardware will be sufficiently delayed not to affect the measurement.

The Thiel is moderately sensitive at a calculated 86.5dB/W/m (B-weighted). Its…

Description: Two-way, floorstanding loudspeaker with passive radiator. Drive-units: one 6.5" metal-cone woofer, one 1" metal-dome tweeter. Frequency response: 42Hz–22kHz, ±3dB. Phase response: minimum ±10°. Sensitivity: 86dB/2.8V/m. Impedance: 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum. Maximum power handling: 150W.
Dimensions: 8.5" W by 11" D by 33" H. Weight: 42 lbs.
Finishes available: a variety of real-wood veneers with black fronts and black grillecloths.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: Not noted (ST); 0663 & 0664 (MK).
Price: $1990/pair (1995); no…

To have two Requiems by French composers on the same disc certainly invites comparisons. Superficially similar, the works are actually quite different: both are conceived for small-scale performance, both rely on the organ, and neither places any great demands on chorus or orchestra. The differences concern mood and even intent. Fauré's Requiem, composed between 1887 and 1890, has survived all kinds of performances, both amateur…

The Spendor BC-1 is about as unimpressive-looking as any other smallish three-way loudspeaker, of which there are countless hundreds of models being made in the US at present. In fact, we were so ho-hummed by the mundane appearance of this speaker that we found it hard to connect the pair up and give them…

Description: Three-way, stand-mounted, reflex-loaded, dynamic loudspeaker. Drive-units: 8" Bextrene-cone woofer, 1.25" soft-dome tweeter, 0.75" soft-dome supertweeter. Crossover frequencies: 3kHz, 13kHz. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Power handling: 55W program, maximum. Maximum sound pressure level: 101dBA.
Dimensions: 25" (635mm) H by 12" (305mm) W by 12" (305mm) D. Recommended stand height: 8" (203mm).
Price: $570/pair (1978); no longer available (2013).
Manufacturer: Spendor Audio Systems Ltd., G5 Ropemaker Park, South Road, Hailsham, East Sussex…

The Aida is a prime member of Bel Canto's "operatic" series, which includes the Tosca and the Fidelio. John told me that the Aida was developed to provide a digital audio source that could compare with and be enjoyed alongside a high-quality analog system. In…

Description: 64x-oversampling, fifth-order Delta-Sigma (single-bit) D/A converter, accommodating sampling rates of 32, 44.1, and 48kHz. Digital word length: 16- or 18-bit, automatically selected. Output connections: balanced XLR and single-ended RCA. Input connections: one RCA coaxial, 75 ohms, and one AT&T optical. Frequency response: 0Hz–20kHz ±0.1dB. Maximum output voltage: 1.4V RMS. Output impedance: 100 ohms. THD: <0.005%. Signal/Noise ratio: 120dB. Power dissipation: 12W.
Dimensions: 17.25" W by 11.4" D by 2.5" H. Weight: 11.6 lbs.
Serial…