At first look, our November 2020 review of the standmount loudspeaker ($5000/pair) from Alta Audio appeared to be a thorough vindication of the Stereophile method of reviewing, combining measurements with a subjective listening journal. John Atkinson's measurements were generally fine, but he uncovered "strong discontinuities in the impedance traces at 174Hz and 291Hz [that] imply the presence of resonances." (See fig.1 below). They could only be internal airspace resonances, since he found the Alyssa's cabinet to…
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Jim Austin reviewed the Alta Audio Alyssa in December 2020 (Vol.43 No.12):
Three products are the subjects of lengthy followup reviews in the December issue of Stereophile: MBL's Noble Line N31 CD player-D/A processor, the GoldenEar BRX loudspeaker, and Alta Audio's Alyssa loudspeaker.
I very favorably reviewed the MBL N31 in February 2018—the current version is both certified as being Roon Ready and has an Ethernet network port. (The original price was $15,400; with the new network module it's $16,420.) You can find my comments on how the new N31 performed here.
I also reviewed the stand-mounted GoldenEar BRX loudspeaker ($1500/pair), this time in…
The platter/turntable interface is designed with a specific gap, intended to create a laminar flow for constant drag and more stable speed. A tiny, exacting gap between the platter rim and the chassis—which if you ever get to see in action is an act of machining precision few manufacturers would dare attempt—prevents air flow and exterior interference, keeping the air trapped between the platter and the chassis undisturbed.
The platter's top layer is made from a "proprietary advanced technical polymer infused with carbon-fiber micro powder and UHM carbon nanotubes," which "keeps…
In my early years of writing about audio (footnote 1), I was known—to the extent that I was known at all—as something of an objectivist. I was, after all, working as an editor at a leading science journal at the time, just a few years out from a brief career as an actual scientist, still in recovery from the physics PhD I'd earned a decade or so before.
In those days, I was more inclined to rail against obvious snake oil (footnote 2) than to defend subjective listening. I even participated in a number of spirited online debates with major industry figures, such as the late, great Charley…
Warren Wolf: Christmas Vibes
Warren Wolf, vibraphone, piano, Fender Rhodes, wind chimes, tambourine, Logic Pro X digital audio workstation; Jeff Reed, acoustic and electric bass; Carroll "CV" Dashiell III, drums; Christie Dashiell, Allison Bordlemay, Micah Smith, vocals.
Mack Avenue MAC1183 (CD, also available as download). 2020. Warren Wolf, prod.; Jeff Gruber, eng.
Performance ****
Sonics ****
Warren Wolf, vibraphone, piano, Fender Rhodes, wind chimes, tambourine, Logic Pro X digital audio workstation; Jeff Reed, acoustic and electric bass; Carroll "CV" Dashiell III, drums; Christie Dashiell, Allison Bordlemay, Micah Smith, vocals.
Mack Avenue MAC1183 (CD, also available as download). 2020. Warren Wolf, prod.; Jeff Gruber, eng.
Performance ****
Sonics ****
Only 12 albums a year get to be Recordings of the Month in Stereophile, and only a few are jazz.
Typically, they are "big" records by major jazz artists.
Christmas…
This is Stereophile's 29th Product of the Year issue; the first appeared in 1992. That was the year I finished grad school. It seems like a long time ago.
That year, the Loudspeaker of the Year was the $14,000/pair Sonus Faber Extrema. The winning digital source was the legendary Mark Levinson No.30 DAC—also approximately $14,000. JA later bought one, upgraded to 30.5, then to 30.6 status. He still has it (footnote 1).
The finalists in the Overall category included that Sonus Faber speaker and the Jeff Rowland Design Group Consummate preamplifier, which cost just shy of $9000. (…
Amplification Component of the Year
NAD M33 integrated amplifier ($4999; reviewed by Kal Rubinson, October 2020, Vol.43 No.10 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Audio Research Reference 160S power amplifier ($20,000; reviewed by Jim Austin, February 2020, Vol.43 No.2 Review)
Benchmark LA4 preamplifier ($2599; reviewed by Kal Rubinson, January 2020, Vol.43 No.1 Review)
Classé Delta Mono monoblock power amplifier ($21,998/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, July 2020, Vol.43 No.7 Review)
Krell K-300i integrated amplifier ($7000, plus $1000 for DAC Board…
Analog Component of the Year
PS Audio Stellar Phono phono preamplifier ($2499; reviewed by Michael Fremer, January 2020, Vol.43 No.1 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
AMG Viella Forte Engraved Turntable ($25,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, September 2020, Vol.43 No.9 Review)
Lyra Atlas Lambda SL phono cartridge ($12,995; reviewed by Michael Fremer, April 2020, Vol.43 No.4 Review)
Rega P10 turntable ($5695; reviewed by Michael Fremer, March 2020, Vol.43 No.3 Review)
Sutherland Engineering Phono Loco phono preamplifier ($8200; reviewed by Michael…
Digital Component of the Year
HoloAudio May (Level 3) D/A processor ($4998; reviewed by Herb Reichert & John Atkinson, August & September 2020, Vol.43 Nos.8 & 9 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt D/A processor/headphone amplifier ($299.95; reviewed by John Atkinson, December 2019, Vol.42 No.12 Review)
Chord Hugo M Scaler Signal Processor ($4795; reviewed by John Atkinson, March 2020, Vol.43 No.3 Review)
T+A MP 3100 HD SACD player–D/A processor ($21,000; reviewed by Jim Austin, June 2020, Vol.43 No.6 Review)
…
Headphone Product of the Year
Focal Stellia headphones ($2990; reviewed by Herb Reichert, October 2020, Vol.43 No.10 Review)
RAAL-Requisite SR1a headphones ($3200; reviewed by Herb Reichert, January 2020, Vol.43 No.1 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Abyss Ab-1266 Phi Tc headphones ($4999–$7995; reviewed by Herb Reichert, July 2020, Vol.43 No.7 Review)
AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt D/A processor/headphone amplifier ($299.95; reviewed by John Atkinson, December 2019, Vol.42 No.12 Review)
Grado GS3000e headphones ($1799; reviewed by Herb Reichert,…