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June 2022 Jazz Record Reviews

Ornette Coleman: Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums
Ornette Coleman, alto saxophone; Don Cherry, trumpet; Walter Norris, piano; five others
Contemporary/Craft CR00320 (2 CDs, 2 LPs). 1958, 1959/2022. Lester Koenig, Nick Phillips, prods.; Roy DuNann, eng.; Bernie Grundman, remastering.
Performance ****½
Sonics ****½

Anything but mainstream when they were recorded in 1958 and '59, Coleman's first two albums, combined in this minibox set, sound relatively conventional today. Coleman had yet to form his classic quartet with bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Ed…

June 2022 Classical Record Reviews

Bruckner: Symphony No.7
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln/François-Xavier Roth
Myrios Classics MYR030-260183510307 (CD). 2022. Stephan Cahen, prod.; Daniel Przemus and Stephan Cahen, engs.
Performance *****
Sonics ****

The Seventh, Bruckner's most accessible symphony, has proved elusive on record. Traditionalists have emphasized its "vertical" aspects, its tonal and harmonic weight, at the cost of forward motion; "horizontal," Italianate conductors (Abbado, Chailly) have reversed that imbalance.

François-Xavier Roth gets it right. Tempi, save in a conventional Scherzo, are…

T.H.E. Show 2022 Begins in Long Beach

In just a few minutes as I write these words, T.H.E. Show returns for another installment at the Long Beach Hilton. Rumored to offer approximately 40 exhibit rooms plus untold stands in the Marketplace and Headphonium, it has drawn exhibitors from all over the United States and beyond.

One positive sign: After several years of dueling Southern CA audio shows, the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society (LAOCAS) has finally invited its huge membership to enjoy T.H.E. Show. Along with the 11th-hour invite came a $5 show admission discount for society members.

Belated or not, it'…

The New Graham LS5/5f

Because its sound proclaims "major significance," our coverage starts with the show premiere of Graham Audio's LS5/5f loudspeaker ($24,995/pair). Unveiled in Munich, albeit only in passive display, the speaker was designed by Derek Hughes, son of the late Spencer Hughes, founder of Spendor.

The Graham LS5/5f is an augmented reissue of the original LS5/5 monitor that was designed by Dudley Harwood and Spencer Hughes for mixing and mastering purposes, and issued by the BBC in 1967. Withdrawn not long thereafter because, in the age of the Beatles, it could not play loud enough, and…

Next Level HiFi's Aavik, Ansuz, and Børresen System

Now consolidated under the Audio Group Denmark umbrella, Aavik electronics, Ansuz cabling and accessories, and Børresen loudspeakers made an impressive showing in several rooms on the Hilton's 5th floor, sponsored by Next Level HiFi of the greater Chicago region.

The first (for me) of Next Level HiFi's rooms was dominated by Børresen Z1 Cryo monitors ($14,500/pair; above), Aavik's U180 class-D integrated amplifier with DAC ($10,800; below) and S180 streamer ($7200; below), and Ansuz cabling, XTC power switch (an ethernet switch with noise reduction—$2600), and XTC Mainz 8 power…

Next Level HiFi's Major Step Up: Aavik, Ansuz, Børresen

Jumping to the top level for the models whose entry-level brethren were demmed in Next Level HiFi's other room, the Wayne, IL-based dealer joined forces with Audio Group Denmark to display the Børresen B01 Silver Supreme Edition standmount loudspeaker ($60,500/pair with stands); the Aavik U580 class-D integrated amplifier ($35,000; 300Wpc into 8 ohms), which includes a DAC that does, over USB, PCM up to 32/192 and DSD128 as well as MQA; and the Aavik 5580 Streamer ($25,200). The entire 580 series utilizes external titanium supports for extreme mechanical resonance control and a copper-lined…

Margules i-240 integrated and MS-01 prototype server meet Raidho's TD3.2 speakers, RSX Tech and DH Labs cabling and more

AV Luxury Group International, based in Las Vegas, unveiled a system that stood out for its speed, openness, and impressive range of colors. A case in point: O-Zone Percussion Group's "Jazz Variants," that did a fine job of evoking the system's well-controlled deep bass and striking highs.

Heading the front end were Margules of Mexico's i-240 integrated amplifier ($6000, below), a pure class-A tubed component that outputs 25Wpc into 4 ohms; a prototype Margules M-S01 media server ($TBD) whose DAC can handle DSD128 and PCM up to 32/192, and works with either Roon or Volumio…

Alma Music & Audio Shows Boenicke W8 Speakers, Nagra Classic Amp and Pre, MSB Premier DAC, Innuos Statement Next-Gen, and more

It's been far too long since I've encountered Boenicke Audio loudspeakers. Organic in design, with their inner chambers carved out of wood, and sometimes abetted by Bybee devices, they're capable of throwing a huge soundstage from a relatively small footprint. The floating W8 ($8500/pair), used in one of three rooms from Alma Music & Audio of San Diego, include, in addition to what you see on the front, a side-firing woofer and a rear-firing tweeter.

Joined with an Innuos Statement Next-Gen music server ($21,700), MSB Premier DAC ($27,950), Nagra Classic Pre and Classic Amp…

Alma Audio pairs the Wilson SabrinaX with Bricasti's M25 and M21, the Innuos Statement, Kubala-Sosna cabling, and more

One of the many qualities of Wilson Audio SabrinaX loudspeaker ($19,000/pair) is the ability to let you hear, without editorializing, the unique sonic qualities of the electronics that precede them. Thus, with the help of Kubala-Sosna Sensation cabling, a Finite Elemente HD09 ED amplifier stand, and Nemesis Decorac acoustic paneling (bottom photo), could I hear the lovely midrange, impressive bass, and unglamorized highs produced by Bricasti's M21 DAC/Preamp ($16,000) and M25 Stereo Amplifier ($18,000) with the essential help of an Innuos Statement Network Music Server ($15,100 with 1TB…

Analog Corner #268: Grado Lineage Epoch phono cartridges

Brooklyn-based Grado Labs has been in business for 64 years, manufacturing moving-iron phono cartridges, headphones, and, for a while, even a unipivot tonearm with a wooden armwand, as well as the sophisticated, S-shaped Signature Laboratory Standard arm.

The company's founder, Joseph Grado, who well deserves the appellation "legendary," died in 2015, at the age of 90. He began as a watch builder at Tiffany & Company, and started making phono cartridges in 1953, as the hi-fi boom took off. He retired in 1990 and sold Grado Labs—still located in the same Brooklyn building where he'd…