Acoustic Geometry Small Curve: $399.99 ★
Medium Curve: $449.99 ★
Deluxe Curve, Walnut Frame: $549.99 ★
Deluxe Curve, Red Oak, Stained Black Frame: $549.99 ★
Acoustic Geometry's Curve System comprises Diffusors, Absorbers, and Corner Traps, each 42" high and available in a number of fabric choices. Each model is built on a wooden frame with a wedge-shaped cleat for hanging the product from a matching piece attached to the wall. Diffusors include a Mass-Loaded-Vinyl (MLV) membrane and are intended to control low- and midbass frequencies; Absorbers…
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Room Acoustics Treatments
Computer Software
Channel D Pure Music software: $129
Pure Music (Mac only) can play sampling rates of up to twice the 192kHz limit of Amarra and Decibel. Like those programs, Pure Music (Mac only) offers memory play, automatic sampling-rate changes, and full compatibility with native FLAC files and in its latest version, DSD files. Going from iTunes to Pure Music, the sonic improvement was modest but worthwhile, with cleaner trebles and improved pitch certainty. Compared with the less expensive Decibel, however, Pure Music lacked some openness and clarity, decided AD. Using Pure…
Interconnects
Analysis Plus Apex Silver: $996 (1m pair)
The Analysis Plus Silver Apex uses as its conductor an oxygen-free copper "stabilizing strand" covered with pure silver, in an arrangement the manufacturer describes, somewhat elliptically (haw) as "a hollow oval cable inside a hollow oval cable inside a hollow oval cable," said to be double shielded and thus quiet. And MF found it to be so: In his words, the Silver Apex is "highly recommended!" (Vol.42 No.5)
Audio Art Cable IC-3 Classic: $120/1m pair (RCAs), $140/1m pair (XLRs)
The IC-3—available with Audio Art's…
Loudspeaker Cables
Audio Art Cable SC-5 Classic: $240/10ft pair (gold spades; add $10/pr for silver spades), $250/10ft pair (gold bananas)
The SC-5 has silver-coated OFC conductors (14AWG), a foam polyethylene dielectric, a PVC jacket, and an internal packet of vibration-absorbing fibers. It can be terminated with gold-plated brass banana plugs or, for $10 less, DH Labs' gold-plated copper spade lugs. Compared to AudioQuest's Rocket 33, the SC-5 lacked body, weight, and warmth, but produced a detailed, dramatic overall sound, with clean transients and impressive dynamics, said SM.…
Digital Data Interconnects
DH Labs Silver Sonic D-110 AES/EBU: $112.50/1m
(NR, but see EL's review of the Bel Canto DAC3.5VB in Vol.34 No.6 WWW)
Kimber Kable Orchid: $849/1m
Expensive, but the best AES/EBU link JA has used. J-10 loved the Orchid's midrange liquidity and detail, but preferred Illumination's S/PDIF cable overall. SD (almost) doesn't equivocate: "Probably the best out there for now….A stunner!" RH and RD are also fans. New lower price usefully brings this cable in reach of more music lovers. (Vol.19 No.5)
Kubala-Sosna Expression: $900/m, $240/…
In 1968, I was a 2-year-old toddler living in Paris, France—my birthplace—on the 14th floor of a diplomat-occupied apartment complex overlooking the Seine. My dad, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was stationed in Paris, working security at the Canadian embassy. My mom and I were there with him.
At that moment, six hours away by car, across the English Channel in the country next door, a new audio company sprung up and surprised and delighted the audio world with its inaugural product, the 20Wpc Cambridge Consultants P40 integrated amplifier. It sounded especially good and…
Out of the gate, the EVO 150 sounded good even on MP3 radio broadcasts. The sound was fresh-faced and convivial, with a dynamic spring in its step. There was a confident, unforced quality that let the music unfold gracefully. I instantly liked how the EVO pitched a circa 6' × 6' virtual space into my room and filled it with clear sounds, and how it maintained its composure at high volume. A promising start.
When music is playing, the EVO's screen displays, along with the album cover, the song and album titles, the artist's name, the stream resolution, the file format, the track's total…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: All-in-one network music streaming integrated amplifier with 6.8" LCD display screen. Analog inputs: 1 RCA, 1 XLR, 1 MM Phono stage. Digital inputs: 2 TosLink, 1 coaxial S/ PDIF, 1 HDMI ARC. Analog outputs: Speakers A+B, 3.5mm headphone, Preamp, Subwoofer, Bluetooth: 4.2 A2DP/AVRCP supporting up to aptX HD. Data rates: TosLink: 16/32–24/96 PCM; S/PDIF coaxial: 16/32–24/192 PCM; USB: to 32/384 (asynchronous), DSD to DSD256. Bluetooth: 4.2 A2DP/AVRCP supporting up to aptX HD (24/48) UPnP, Local USB media, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Internet Radio…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Rega P5 turntable with RB700 tonearm and Audio MusiKraft Denon DL-103 cartridge.
Digital sources: Simaudio Moon 260D CD transport.
Preamplification: Sonic Frontiers SFP-1 Signature phono.
Integrated amplifier: Grandinote Shinai.
Loudspeakers: Focal Aria K2 936.
Headphones: Grado Labs GS3000e.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Diamond (USB), BIS Audio Maestro (S/PDIF). Speaker: Nordost Heimdall. Power: Shunyata Research Black Mamba CX, LessLoss DFPC.
Accessories: Shunyata Research Venom PS8 power conditioner; component…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I tested the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It") then repeated some tests with the magazine's more recent APx555 system. As the amplifier has an output stage operating in class-D, I inserted an Audio Precision auxiliary AUX-0025 passive low-pass filter between the test load and the Audio Precision analyzers. This filter eliminates RF noise that could drive their input circuitry into slew-rate limiting. I used it for all the loudspeaker output tests other than frequency response. After two hours of…