I measured the Balanced Audio Technology Rex II's electrical performance with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It") with the 6C45 AC shunt-regulator tubes. BAT warns in the Rex II's manual not to stack the two chassis; the supplied umbilical cables were just long enough for me to put the power chassis on the floor and the control chassis on my test bench. One thing that should also be noted by prospective purchasers is that both of the Rex II's chassis need plenty of ventilation. After a few hours' running, the top panel of the…
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As some readers have questioned Dr. Reiss's exclusion of the 2007 Meyer and Moran test results in his meta-analysis, here is a photo I took of one of the slides he showed at the AES workshop explaining why he found their results anomalous:
Slated to open in March 2016 in Nashville, TN, Thiel Audio's Aurora "Ultra-HD Streaming Studio" is positioned to merge the legacy of Thiel loudspeakers with the vibrancy and "wow factor" of Music City. Thiel's plan is to create a state-of-the-art venue where fans, specifically younger-generation fans, can unite with name musicians and emerging artists via live, interactive performances that are streamed in Ultra-HD video and lossless audio.
"People want to be completely immersed in a music experience," Thiel Audio Chief Brand Officer Rebecca Abrahams told Stereophile by phone. "Thus, we…
Sidebar: Measurements
The primary specification for headphones is impedance: too low and the 'phones will not sound at its best with some sources that have high output impedances; too high, and while the headphones will be easy to drive, they might not go sufficiently loud. The upper solid trace in fig.1 shows how the NightHawk's impedance varies with frequency, measured with the headphones on my head; the lower solid trace is a 10 ohm resistor. The NightHawk resembles a 24 ohm resistor at all audio frequencies, the impedance hardly varying and the phase angle (upper dotted trace)…
You can blame Casey McKee for this one. I found myself sitting next to Casey, who works at Brooklyn high-end dealer Innovative Audio (footnote 1), in the Phoenix rain last March, watching the first Formula One Grand Prix of the 1990 season. A month later, in New York for the High End Hi-Fi Show, I therefore thought it appropriate to visit Innovative and say "Hi." Audio pleasantries over, Casey enthused about this new Italian turntable stand he was setting up as I walked into the store, the oddly named ArchiDee.
Now, being British, I don't have to be told about the importance of…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Turntable stand, formed from rectangular-section steel tubing, with MDF shelf.
Dimensions: 17.75" W by 13.75" D by 19" H (latter figure approximate and includes bottom and top stainless-steel spikes).
Price: $200 (1990); no longer available (2016). Approximate number of dealers: 30 (1990).
Manufacturer: ArchiDee, Italy. Distributor: Audiophore, Chicago, IL 60614 (1990). No US distribution (2016).
Let's face it: If you're one of those sedentary audiophilic types or you have a genetic disposition to growing pear-shaped later in life (genetic . . . right, that's it: nothing to do with couches or hooch), it's wise to adjust your fashion sense accordingly. And nothing says "portly gentleman in disguise" like a guayabera—a shirt that, I have just discovered, blues guitarist Bob Margolin and I both love. He even wears one on the cover of his new record, My Road.
"I love 'em because my manager thinks I'm dressed up when I wear them."
"My wife thinks the same thing," I chime in…
Today, January 4, at "CES Unveiled" in Las Vegas, MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) launched major partnerships with Morten Lindberg's multiple Grammy Award-nominated, audiophile record label/download store 2L and playback partners Auralic, Aurender, and Bluesound. The entire 2L download catalog, starting with one of Lindberg's first recordings, made in 1993, and extending through his latest DXD (352.8kHz) recordings, has been scrubbed clean and born anew with MQA.
On the playback front, MQA also announced the first MQA-equipped smartphone, HTC's One A9 (above). HTC smartphone…
All Photos: Amy Grantham
The premise is simple: how would a seasoned musician react to the sound of their new album on a variety of audiophile systems at CES?
I tossed the idea to Graham Nash, and he agreed to participate in the experiment, more than a little curious about this thing called high-end audio. Graham is always full of energy and very articulate, so should provide some very interesting perspective for Stereophile readers.
The plan is to bring an HD 24/96 version of his new (and not yet released) album to as many rooms as we can fit into a day at CES.…
Kicking off CES early, AudioQuest held a press conference Wednesday morning to present their three new portable DAC/Headphone amps to the public for the first time. Designer Gordon Rankin and AudioQuest's Steve Silberman were on hand to explain the new products and run a brief demo.
First up is the Dragonfly Black at $99, which is the new updated version of the Dragonfly. The big change is that in addition to a lower price, instead of just working with high-powered computer USB connections, the Dragonfly can now work with phones and tablets. Both iOS and Android are supported. One of the…