Analog Sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable, Cobra tonearm, Castellon stand; Dr. Feickert Analogue Firebird, Kuzma 4Point, Reed 3P, SAT tonearms; Lyra Atlas & Etna, Miyajima Labs Zero (mono) & Madake, Ortofon Anna cartridges.
Digital Sources: Simaudio Moon Evolution 650D transport-DAC; Lynx Hilo A/D–D/A converter; Meridian Sooloos Digital Media System; Pure Vinyl, Vinyl Studio apps.
Preamplification: Ypsilon MC-10L & MC-16L step-up transformers; darTZeel NHB-18NS, PureAudio Vinyl, Viva, Ypsilon VPS-100 preamplifiers.
…
search
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I began to perform a full suite of measurements on the PS Audio BHK Signature 300 (serial no. NPWA-A1-5G0062), using my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"). First, however, I preconditioned the amplifier by running it at one-third the specified power, 100W, into 8 ohms for 60 minutes. At the end of that time, its top panel was warm and its heatsinks were hot, at 122.1°F (50.1°C). The percentage of THD+noise at this power level was 0.0145% with the amplifier cold, 0.0164% with it fully warmed up.
The BHK 300's…
High-End retailer AudioVisionSF (1628 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94109) is having what it calls a "Big Free Event!!" Thursday February, 7:30–9:30pm, featuring the Devialet Limited Edition Reference LE900 Original d'Atelier 900Wpc Integrated Amp/DAC/Phonostage. Only 100 of the LE900 were produced worldwide, and the amplifier features a new 900W D-amp, class-A evolution circuit with updated transistors, a new filter board, and an enhanced power supply, The event will also feature YG Acoustics loudspeakers, Clearaudio turntables, and Nordost cables.
There'll be wine and cheese,…
My first girlfriend was a hopeless kleptomaniac. Once, just before sunrise, as I helped her bury a few hot items in the woods, she asked from which direction the sun would rise. Always the smart-aleck, I told her: "It rarely fails to rise in the east."
She frowned and stared quizzically into the darkness. After a long moment, she said, in a low, sad voice, "Really . . . ?"
September 23, 2015: In his response to and defense of Elizabeth Newton's wildly insightful essay "The Lossless Self" (footnote 1), Michael Lavorgna wrote, on Stereophile's sibling website AudioStream.com: "My…
With recordings that did not contain copious energy in the 50–100Hz region, such as Chants Grégoriens Pour le Temps de Noël, by the Munich Capella Antiqua directed by Konrad Ruhland (LP, Harmonia Mundi 5112), the Morels played gloriously. The main energy in Gregorian chant seems to fall in that gender-ambiguous range of 120–200Hz, while the subsequent reverberations off the stone walls of Schloss Aicha vorm Wald, in Bavaria, in which this was recorded, can be heard logarithmically expanding and diminishing through the octaves on either side of that center point. With the Morels, the adult…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way dynamic bass-reflex loudspeaker. Drive-units: 11/8" (28mm) Acuflex soft-dome tweeter, 6" (130mm) mid/woofer. Crossover frequency: 2.2kHz. Crossover slopes: 12dB/octave. Frequency response: 30Hz–22kHz, ±3dB; 40Hz–18kHz, ±1.5dB. Sensitivity: 88dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Power handling: 140W RMS nominal, 1kW 10ms (peak).
Dimensions: 11.6" (297mm) H by 7.3" (187mm) W by 13.3" (340mm) D . Weight: 16.1 lbs (7.3kg).
Finishes: Black or White Piano Gloss.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: None found.
Price: $2799/pair; 27"-…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Acoustic Signature WOW XL turntable & TA-1000 tonearm, Ortofon 2M Black cartridge; VPI Scout Jr. turntable & tonearm, Ortofon 2M Red cartridge; Technics SL1200 Mk.2 turntable, SME M2-9 tonearm, Soundsmith Carmen cartridge.
Digital Sources: Line Magnetic LM-502 CA, Halide DAC HD D/A processors.
Phono preamplifiers: Blue Horizon Profono, Schiit Audio Mani, Soundsmith MMP3, LFD MMC.
Integrated Amplifiers: Hegel Music Systems H160, Line Magnetic LM518IA, Rogue Audio Sphinx, Simaudio Moon Neo 340i.
Loudspeakers: Dynaudio…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Morel Octave 6 Bookshelf's frequency response in the farfield; for the 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.
My estimate of the Octave 6's voltage sensitivity was 85.1dB/2.83V/m. Though this is what I would have expected from a small two-way speaker having a 6" mid/woofer, it's significantly lower than the specified 88dB/2.83V/m. The speaker's nominal impedance is 4 ohms…
Chicagoland dealer Musical Artisans (8335 N. Keeler Avenuem Skokie,) and Maryland dealer JS Audio (4919 St. Elmo Avenue, Bethesda) are both having open houses this weekend: JS Audio presenting Wilson Audio's Peter McGrath playing his 4-channel recordings on a system featuring new components from Wilson, D'Agostino, dCS, and Nordost starting at 5pm, and Musical Artisans presenting the Midwest debut of DeVore Fidelity's new Gibbon X loudspeaker from 6:30–9:30pm.
John DeVore will be at the Musical Artisans event; as well as Peter McGrath, the JS evening will feature Bill McKiegan of Dan D'…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I measured the Ayre Acoustics KX-R Twenty's electrical performance with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"). The volume control operated in accurate 1dB steps with the maximum gain obtained when it was set to "60." The sensitivity of each input can be independently adjusted with the Set-Up Menu, up to a maximum of +6dB. However, in that case the maximum setting of the volume control is reduced by the gain offset; eg, with an offset of +6dB, the maximum volume-control setting is now "54." The maximum gain for both…