My review sample of the PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium HP (a different one than that auditioned by Robert Deutsch) was fitted with EL34 output tubes—I made sure that the bias was correctly set for these tubes before performing any testing. After allowing the DiaLogue Premium HP to warm up for an hour or so, I used my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It" and www.ap.com) to examine its measured performance. With 4 and 8 ohm output-transformer taps and the choice of triode (green LED illuminated) or ultralinear (red LED) operation, the…
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When I think of Cambridge Audio today, it sits firmly in the category of Value with a capital V. After spending the past decade figuring out how to balance price with performance, to give budding audiophiles entry points to better sound, in 2012 they began pushing the upper end of their value envelope with the Azur 851 series of products, of which the Azur 851D upsampling DAC and digital preamplifier ($1649) is the latest model.
I've enjoyed having one of Cambridge's integrated amps in my office system for years, and the company boasts that the 851 series, designed in the UK and…
I moved on to 1971 and "Baby Blue," from Badfinger's Straight Up (CD, Apple)—the song used to glorious effect in the final scene of the TV series Breaking Bad (a reference to the blue meth that Walt perfected). It begins with that famous crunchy guitar riff, dropping into classic early-'70s rock production: simple and compressed. There are Beatles signs all over this album: the arrangements, the sound, the vocal harmonies, the guests (George Harrison), the label (Apple), the producers (Geoff Emerick, Harrison), the keyboard player (Klaus Voorman).
Still, Badfinger managed to transcend…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state D/A processor with volume control and remote control. Digital inputs: S/PDIF, TosLink optical, BNC, AES/EBU, BT100 Bluetooth. USB audio input: USB Type B conforming to Audio profile 1.0 or USB Audio profile 2.0 (user selectable), 1.0 or USB Audio profile 2.0 (user selectable). Analog audio outputs: balanced (XLR), unbalanced (RCA). Headphone output: 1 ¼" (6.35mm); supports 600 ohm headphones, but 300 ohms max recommended. DACs: dual Analog Devices AD1955, 24-bit. Upsampling: Analog Devices Black Fin ADSP-BF532 32-bit DSP performing ATF2…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Apple MacBook Pro computer (2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD) running OS 10.6.7, Audirvana Plus, iTunes 11.1.5, Sonic Studio Amarra 2.5, Songbird 1.9.3, XLD; Western Digital NAS Device (2TB); Oppo BDP-103 universal BD player; Meridian (formerly Sooloos) Digital Media System (Control 15, QNAP TS-669 Pro NASApple iPad Air, iPod Touch 1G, iPhone 4S. Digital Processors: Antelope Audio Zodiac Platinum DSD DAC & Voltikus Power Supply, AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC, Benchmark DAC1 USB & DAC2 HGC, Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS,…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I measured the Cambridge Audio Azur 851D with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"), using mostly a TosLink connection. To test its performance via USB and Bluetooth, I used my 2012 MacBook Pro running on battery power. Apple's USB Prober utility identified the DAC as "Cambridge Audio USB Audio 2.0" and confirmed that it operated in the sonically optimal isochronous asynchronous mode. The Cambridge's S/PDIF and AES/EBU inputs successfully locked to all sample rates up to 192kHz—including TosLink, which is usually…
No one spells it out anymore: Ours is a culture of BTW, TIA, AFAIK, and other letter-lumps, some of which have taken on meanings beyond their original intent. (Only recently did I discover that LOL stands for "I'm certain you find my attempts at humor as riotously funny as I do.") I am scarcely young enough to adapt.
Our interoffice communications are no different. Once a year I am jarred to find in my inbox a message from John Atkinson with the curious subject line "POTY." I am scarcely old enough to be perturbed: Every 12 months, I have to be re-reminded that POTY stands for Product of…
Joint Loudspeakers of the Year
Vivid Audio Giya G3 ($39,990/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, April 2014, Vol.37 No.4 Review)
Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia ($48,500/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, December 2013, Vol.36 No.12 Review)
This year's Loudspeaker of the Year finalists span a wide range of sizes, prices, and design technologies. Yet in 2014, as in 2013, the top honor is shared by two rather large, rather expensive, and decidedly high-tech entries: Vivid Audio's distinctive Giya G3, and the no less eye-catching Alexia from Wilson Audio Specialties.
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Amplification Component of the Year
Pass Labs XA60.5 monoblock power amplifier ($11,000/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, January 2014, Vol.37 No.1 Review)
In a list of finalists that was more or less evenly divided between preamps and power amps, and more or less evenly divided between tubes and transistors, one product stood above all others: the XA60.5 solid-state mono amplifier from Pass Labs, which enchanted John Atkinson on all but the warmest days of summer. (The amp runs moderately but not dangerously warm.) This recent design from the legendary Nelson Pass, a man who…
Analog Component of the Year
VPI Industries Classic Direct turntable with JMW 3D 12" tonearm ($30,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, May & June 2014, Vol.37 Nos. 5 & 6 Review and Review)
The analog source remains nearly as vital as ever: a product category that continues to attract both new design talent and the efforts of industry veterans. Our 2014 choice for Analog Source Component of the Year—the Classic Direct Turntable with JMW Memorial 3D-printed 12" tonearm—comes from the latter group: manufacturer VPI Industries has toiled in the vinyl vineyards for 36 years. (We…