I tested the Musical Fidelity M8xi with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It"). I first preconditioned the amplifier by following the CEA's recommendation of operating it at one-eighth the specified power into 8 ohms for 30 minutes. At the end of that time, the top panel was very warm, at 109.6°F (43.1°C) and the heatsinks were too hot to touch, at 162.1°F (72.3°C). I then started performing my usual thermal stress test by running the amplifier at one-third power into 8 ohms for an hour. However, I cut the test short after 20…
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Herb Reichert wrote about the Yamaha A-S3200 in November 2020 (Vol.43 No.11):
The Yamaha A-S3200 is a strikingly beautiful, all-analog integrated amplifier. When switched on, it gives off a brilliant, slightly warm light from its dual glass-fronted VU/Watt meters. Looking at it makes me feel good but also reminds me how much of a baby boomer I really am.
The A-S3200's sleek, knob-and-switch–lined silver faceplate triggered clear-as-yesterday memories of my youth reading Audio, Stereo Review, and High Fidelity magazines, then going to J&R Music on Park Row here in New York City…
Measurements, from November 2020 (Vol.43 No.11)
In his September 2020 Gramophone Dreams, Herb Reichert reported on two D/A processors from Chinese manufacturer Denafrips: their flagship Terminator, which costs $4498, and their least expensive model, the Ares II ($768). Like the Holo Audio May (Level 3 version, $4998), which Herb reviewed in August 2020 and which I wrote about in September 2020, the Denafrips converters employ R-2R D/A conversion schemes. Both offer two oversampling modes—OS Slow and OS Sharp—as well as a NOS (NonOverSampling) mode.
HR was impressed by the…
Two of the followup reviews that were published in the November 2020 issue of Stereophile have been posted to the magazine's website: Herb Reichert on the Yamaha A-S3200 integrated amplifier and the measurements of the Denafrips Ares II and Terminator D/A processors.
In his original review of Yamaha's new flagship integrated amplifier in the September 2020 issue, self-confessed digiphile Jason Victor Serinus didn't examine the sound of the A-S3200's phono stage. It was also an open question whether the amplifier would get the best from his current-hungry Wilson Alexia 2 loudspeakers,…
What's Next Vivaldi?
Antonio Vivaldi and others
Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin; Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini, cond. and flute.
Alpha 624 (Auditioned as 24/192 WAV). 2020. Jean-Daniel Noir, prod., edit., master.
Performance *****
Sonics ****
Antonio Vivaldi and others
Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin; Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini, cond. and flute.
Alpha 624 (Auditioned as 24/192 WAV). 2020. Jean-Daniel Noir, prod., edit., master.
Performance *****
Sonics ****
Forget almost everything you know about Vivaldi performance practice, authentic and otherwise, and shush all "shoulds." Banish from your mind any thoughts that all Vivaldi sounds the same. Prepare your ears to hear Vivaldi as you've never heard him before.
Blame what pours forth, if blame you must, on the…
UPDATE: This webinar is now available for replay!
Replay T+A Webinar LIVE: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 - 12:00PM ET
Join us when T+A discusses their strategy, history and future, along with an in-depth look at their HA 200 headphone amp, HV Series technology, and Solitaire P headphones.
On hand to present the products and answer your questions during the live webinar:
Siegfried Amft: Founder and CEO
Lothar Wiemann: Director of R&D
Conradin Amft: Marketing Director
Max Kirschke: Transducer and Loudspeaker Development Engineer
UPDATE:…
At High End Mässan 2015—Stockholm, Sweden's big audio show—Marten planned to show off its finest loudspeaker to the hometown crowd. Marten took the hotel's largest demo room, located at the prime location at the top of the stairs, at the entry point to the 2nd floor exhibition space. There, Marten set up a super system (see photo below) featuring the Coltrane Supreme 2 loudspeaker, a towering monolith probably intended more for Asian consumption than for Swedes to bring home to their modest digs. In preshow demos, the Coltranes filled the large room with impressively transparent and…
Because it is Stereophile policy to change out only one component at a time, I kept my usual VAC and darTZeel amplifiers. Yes, I auditioned these $7000/pair speakers ($8000/pair with stands) with monoblock amplifiers that cost around $170,000/pair (see Associated Equipment).
We Get Requests
I own several versions of Sonny Rollins's Way Out West, including an original Stereo Records pressing (Stereo Records S7017) and the recent one from The Electric Recording Company, but the one I played is the 24/192 Qobuz version.
To my surprise, the Duos reproduced the full weight,…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way reflex-loaded, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" ceramic-diaphragm tweeter, 7" ceramic-diaphragm mid/woofer. Crossover: second-order, 2.5kHz. Frequency response: 37Hz–20kHz ±3dB. Sensitivity: 86dB/2.83V/m. Impedance: 6 ohms nominal, 3.1 ohms minimum. Power rating: 150W. Terminals: single-wired WBT. Internal wiring: Jorma Design. Supplied accessories: optional MDF stands.
Dimensions: 7.9" (200mm) H × 15.7" (400mm) W × 12.6" (320mm) D. Weight: 29lb (13kg).
Finishes: Piano Black, White, and Matte Walnut.
Serial numbers of…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn, & Castellon turntable & stand; SAT XD1 direct-drive turntable, CF1-09 and Kuzma 4Point tonearms; Lyra Atlas Lambda SL, Ortofon MC Century, Anna Diamond, A95, A90, Grado Epoch3, Miyajima Labs Infinity (mono), Grado Epoch (mono) phono cartridges.
Digital sources: dCS Vivaldi One SACD player/DAC, Lynx Hilo A/D–D/A converter, Roon Nucleus, Pure Vinyl and Vinyl Studio software.
Preamplification: darTZeel NHB-18S, Ypsilon MC-10L, MC-16L step-up transformers; Ypsilon VPS-100, CH Precision P1 with X1…