What the ever-delightful, tell-it-like-it-is and then some Emiko says, Jason does (within reason). Posing concluded, off to the 2nd floor we dashed to discover Mark Conti in the throes of packing. Quickly was the TL-12 ($TBD), due in September, unshrouded. This baby will have the same drivers as in the Forty-10 loudspeaker, arranged vertically, and coupled to a transmission-line–loaded 12" woofer. The first-order…
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After I joined Emiko Carlin, Senior Vice President for T.H.E. Show, for our wrap photo op, she said, "What? You missed the opportunity to see MC Audiotech's new speaker?"
First things first. This was one of the best-sounding rooms at T.H.E. Show. Given its sheer size, I have no question that some of the success was due to the various and sundry magical Synergistic Research accouterments—I counted 10 so-called "Acoustic Room Treatment" devices and 5 Synergistic Power Conditioning devices (including Purple fuses)—along with new Synergistic Racks (intended for internal use) and, no surprise, Synergistic Research cabling.
But all that would have amounted to little if the rest of the components hadn't been up to snuff. No problem there. In a surprise…
Given the legendary status of 300B tube-based amplification, this blog may surprise you. But in all my years at audio shows, I cannot recall more than one or two instances when I've been treated to a 300B-based product. If I'm wrong, then it's safe to say that those products did not leave a lasting impression. Since none of my audiophile buddies owns 300B-based electronics, that renders me, at this late stage of life, a 300B virgin.
Which made my half hour in the room sponsored by Oz Turan's High End By Oz even more enlightening. Admittedly, a half hour is a long time to spend in a room…
Look into the faces of Jashan Bahl and Anmol. The boy, who is 5, came to the show with his dad because he loves music and instruments. He's wide-eyed, curious, and ready to learn. He is the future of high-end audio.
The current state of the high-end could be felt strongly at T.H.E. Show. This may not have been a record-setting blockbuster affair—attendance felt light on Friday and Sunday, but very healthy and engaged on Saturday—but it was one where a plethora of major and second-tier brands at all price points were on display. There was time aplenty to linger in rooms, and plenty of…
Are well-heeled audiophiles ready for a knob-free future? Gryphon Audio Designs thinks so. In contrast to Gryphon's volume knob–dominated Pandora preamplifier, the Danish company's new Commander offers nothing on its bold front panel to grab or turn.
Instead, there's a large, extra-thick, triangular glass protuberance that extends dramatically below the chassis's vertical dimension. That's where you'll find an "on/off" button, the main unit's only physical switch.
A 4.3" TFT capacitive touch screen incorporated within that triangular glass panel controls all this preamp's…
It took just a few minutes, working from the front-panel triangle, to name the inputs and match input levels. Fresh out of the box, the Commander sounded opaque, overly smooth, and "closed in." It was time for break-in, as this unit was factory fresh. I listened for about an hour, but that's all there was time for as I was leaving the next day for the UK to attend SME's launch of the new flagship Model 60 turntable. (See the article and the video posted on the AnalogPlanet YouTube channel.) Before leaving for the airport, I set Roon to stream Qobuz through the dCS Vivaldi One at low volume…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Stereo line-level preamplifier with remote control and relay-selected resistor arrays for level control. Inputs: 4 pairs balanced (XLR), 2 pairs single-ended (RCA). Outputs: 2 pairs balanced (XLR) plus one pair each single-ended (RCA) Preamp and Tape. Input impedance: 18k ohms balanced, 12k ohms single-ended. Output impedance: 7 ohms. Gain: 18dB. Frequency response: 0.1Hz– 1.5MHz, –3dB. THD+N: 0.003% (balanced output). Total power supply capacity: 2 × 90,000µF. Power consumption: <0.5W (standby), 90W (idle).
Dimensions: Audio/control unit: 18…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: OMA K3, Acoustic Signature Montana NEO, and J. Sikora Reference turntables, Schröder K3, Acoustic Signature TA-7000, Acoustical Systems Axiom and J. Sikora KV12 tonearms; Lyra Atlas Lambda SL and Etna Lambda SL, Ortofon Anna Diamond and Verismo, Luxman LMC-5 cartridges.
Digital sources: dCS Vivaldi One SACD player DAC; Lynx Hilo A/D-D/A converter; Mac mini (Roon), Audirvana Digital Audio Player; Vinyl Studio software.
Preamplification: darTZeel NHB-18NS, Ypsilon MC-10L, MC-16L, and MC-26L step-up transformers; Ypsilon VPS-100, CH…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Gryphon Commander's power supply was too heavy for me to lift onto the test bench for the measurements, so I wheeled it into the test lab on a small dolly. I could lift the lighter preamplifier chassis onto the bench, but the power umbilicals weren't long enough to reach the supply on the floor. I therefore placed the preamplifier on top of the supply, separating the two chassis with a stack of 2×4s to provide some separation and to avoid damaging the supply's finish. Still, the proximity of the power supply could disturb the preamplifier's noisefloor.
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Three high-performance products were subjected to second opinions and/or measurements in recent issues: Channel D's Lino C 3.3 phono preamplifier, Mola Mola's Tambaqui D/A processor, and Pass Labs' XP-32 line preamplifier.
Michael Fremer enthused over the sound of the current-mode Channel Lino C3.3 in June. "The Lino C 3.3's sonic performance seemed flawless in every category you could list," he wrote, adding "That doesn't mean it does everything perfectly; it just means that I didn't catch whatever it misses—I didn't miss it—until I returned to my 10-times-the-cost phono preamps." The…