1965: Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co. (Japan) introduces the first Technics product, a two-way acoustic-suspension loudspeaker designed to compete with the increasingly popular line of sealed-box speakers made by Acoustic Research (US).
2008: Matsushita renames itself Panasonic Corporation.
2010: Panasonic halts production of the revered Technics SL1200 turntable, thus ending an era and the Technics brand name, whose wide-ranging audio products had become synonymous with smooth sound,…
Two Penny Opera is a "live in the studio" album recorded at London's Pathway Studios. Much to engineer Jim Custence's credit, the recording presents a convincing illusion of a fully energized smoky cabaret with only the dimmest colored lights for guidance. Custence has struck an…
Description: Two-way, coaxial, rear-ported loudspeaker. Drive-units (coaxial): 0.75" (19mm) dome tweeter, 6.5" (160mm) flat woofer. Crossover frequency: 2.5kHz. Frequency response: 20Hz–100kHz, –16dB; 45Hz–80kHz, –10dB. Sensitivity: 85dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms.
Dimensions: 13.1" (336mm) H by 8.9" (229mm) W by 11.2" (286mm) D. Weight: 18.7 lbs (8.5kg).
Finish: White or black.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: WX5AA001035 (both), "Made in China."
Price: $1699/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 10. Warranty: 3 years, parts & labor…
Analog Sources: Acoustic Signature WOW XL turntable & TA-1000 tonearm, Ortofon 2M Black cartridge; Technics SL1200 Mk.2 turntable, SME M2-9 tonearm, Soundsmith Carmen cartridge; Thorens TD 124 turntable, Abis SA-1.2 tonearm; Jasmine Turtle MC, Ortofon CG 25 Di Mk.II, Zu Denon DL-103 cartridges.
Digital Sources: Integra DPS-7.2 DVD-A player, Halide HD DAC.
Preamplification: Intact Audio step-up transformer; Blue Horizon Ideas Profono, Schiit Audio Mani phono stages.
Preamplifier: Simaudio Moon Neo 350P.
Power Amplifiers: Pass Labs XA100.…
I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Technics SB-C700's frequency response in the farfield; for nearfield frequency response, I used an Earthworks QTC-40, which has a ¼" capsule and thus doesn't present a significant obstacle to the sound.
The SB-C700's voltage sensitivity is specified as 85dB/2.83V/m. My estimate was usefully higher than this, at 87.5dB/2.83V/m. The speaker's nominal impedance is 4 ohms, but as fig.1 shows, the impedance magnitude drops below 4 ohms only in a narrow band in the lower midrange,…
Apart from being reminded of this Yogi-ism by the death, in September 2015, of its originator, I was all set to begin by commenting that this would be my first review for Stereophile of a Paradigm loudspeaker. But—the recent online posting of my June 1992 review of Paradigm's Studio Monitor took me back.
That speaker sold for $1899/pair in an era when $5000/pair was near the top of the price structure of high-end audio—apart from a very few nosebleed models. I have in my hands a copy of the April 1992 Stereophile. In that issue's edition of "Recommended…
Description: USB DAC/headphone amplifier. Input: USB Micro B 2.0 port. Output: 3.5mm headphone jack. Resolution/sample rates: 24 bits/192kHz. DAC chip: eight-channel ESS (4 DACs per channel). THD+N: –107dB, 600 ohm load at 16dBu; –100dB, 30 ohm load at 10.5dBu. Dynamic range: 117dB (A-weighted). Frequency response: 10Hz–20kHz, ±0.2dB. Maximum output: 225mW into 30 ohms, 40mW into 600 ohms. Power: 5V, 500mA via USB 2.0 bus.
Dimensions: 3.7" (95mm) L by 1.2" (30mm) W by 0.6" (16mm) D. Weight: 1¾ oz (45.35gm).
Serial number of unit reviewed: G1E100151900145…