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Q Acoustics Concept 50 loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system, a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone, and an Earthworks microphone preamplifier to measure the Q Acoustics Concept 50's frequency response in the farfield. I used an Earthworks QTC-40 mike for the nearfield and in-room responses and Dayton Audio's DATS V2 system to measure the impedance magnitude and electrical phase angle.

Q Acoustics specifies the Concept 50's anechoic sensitivity as 90.5dB/W/m. My estimate was somewhat lower, at 88.1dB/2.83V/m. The Concept 50's impedance is specified as 6 ohms, with a minimum value of 3.6 ohms…

NFS Resurrected at PAF!

Stop the presses! The wittiest of Stereophile's legacy posters, our very own Anton, has returned to the audio show realm. Once again ensconced in his unique NFS room—NFS stands for "Not for Sale"—Anton has rented a penthouse suite at PAF in which to seduce showgoers with mood lighting, a vintage/homebrewed system, and lots and lots of hard brew (as in alcohol).

Shown on the left, with his buddy Mike Alazard, aka "Big Mike", on the right (with his face marked by NFS's light show projections), Anton Dotson, aka Rusty Trombone, aka he whose name we shall never know, was in the midst of…

Audio-Ultra Seduces with Smooth-Talking Taiko, MSB, Constellation, Magico, and Stromtank Gear

What a great way to start a show. I don't know what impelled me to choose my CD of Patricia Barber's Higher, but the combination of Constellation's smooth-talking Pictor line stage with DC blocker ($24,500) and DC filter ($8000) with the company's Centaur II 500 amplifier ($80,000) and Magico S5 MkII loudspeakers ($45,500/pair) was perfect for Barber's cool, no-nonsense presentation. This was one smooth, toned-down, ultra-clean system that all but guaranteed non-fatiguing listening for hours and hours upon end.

Of course, a lot of other components also deserve credit. Right off the bat…

Seattle Hi-Fi's Hegel, Lumin, Legacy, and Nordost on the Butcher Block

No, this blog isn't about slaughter. It's about the components in Seattle Hi-Fi of Redmond, WA's room, some of which were displayed on Butcher Block Acoustics shelving.

Nor was there anything about the sound Burt Goodman drew from his system deserving of slaughter. True, the music selections were all standard audiophile fare from previous generations, but the sound was here, now, and excellent. Diana Krall's "Let’s Fall in Love" was bright, lovely, clean, colorful, and fully detailed.

"Easy to love system" I scribbled as the Legacy Audio's Wavelet 2 DSP DAC/preamplifier…

Vanatoo for You? Absolutely.

There's nothing more to say about Seattle-based Vanatoo's superb-sounding Transparent One Encore ($599/pair) and little Transparent Zero ($399/pair) active loudspeakers that hasn't been discussed in detail in my Stereophile review. Gary Gesellchen's little babies deliver astoundingly mellifluous, all-of-one-piece sound from tiny cabinets.

John Atkinson's measurements validated everything I said in my review. These well-designed speakers perform at a level so far above their price as to bring into question many things that shall remain unnamed. If you don't believe me, find a way to hear…

Daedalus, VAC, Lampizator, & WyWires = One Smooth Combo

Show co-creator Lou Hinkley proudly stood alongside his new Daedalus Audio Apollo11 v.3 loudspeaker (starting at $27,500/pair). Variously depicted as "a whole new version" (in the room sheet) and "pretty complete makeover" (by Hinkley at the show) of the Apollo, the 52"-tall speaker boasts a larger midrange and an entirely new array design. "The lower three woofers function more like a point source, and the additional tweeter delivers more stage height and width," Hinkley said.

Asked why, if the speaker was so different from early versions, he had not renamed it, designer Hinkley…

Infigo Audio pairs with Alta Audio Adam Speakers

Let's start with the music. On Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's RCA Living Stereo recording of Rimsky-Korsakoff's Scheherazade, the solo violin's sound epitomized beauty of tone. Smoothness was the system's strong suit, dwarfing (in this room) layering, detail, dynamics, and grandeur.

Then again, sound on a 16/44.1 file of Chabrier's España was the most liquid of anything I heard at the show up to midday. "Absolutely the right timbre and sound quality for this music," I wrote in my notes. Equally impressive was the beautiful guitar sound on a 24/176.4 transfer of the…

Next Level HiFi 1: Premieres of Borresen's M1 Standmount Loudspeaker and Aavik I-880 Integrated Amplifier

Børresen loudspeakers, designed by Michael Børresen, joined forces with its Danish brother companies Ansuz and Aavik to present the world premieres of the cost-no-object Børresen M1 standmount loudspeaker ($100,000/pair) and Aavik 200Wpc I-880 class-A integrated amplifier ($70,000). In a system that paired them with the Aavik's S-580 streamer ($25,200) and D-580 DAC ($25,200) and Ansuz's Signature Sortz, Darkz Z2S supports, and Gold Signature cables, the sound of multiple selections was simply too high for the room. Because I could not get a decent sense of what the equipment could do, I…

Next Level HiFi 2: Borresen 01 Silver Supreme Edition, Aavik U-580 and S-580, and more

In a somewhat lower priced system, the Børresen 01 Silver Supreme Edition standmount loudspeaker ($55,000/pair), Aavik U-580 300Wpc Unity DAC/integrated amplifier ($35,000) and S-580 streamer ($25,200) paired with Ansuz cabling and accessories to deliver lots of fun. I loved the sound on a 16/44.1 file of Yello's "Planet Dada." The sound, a bit dry, had life and pizazz for days. I loved it. Had the volume level not overdriven the room, I would have stayed for more.

Reference Media of Bellingham: Egglestonworks Viginti AE, Boulder, Naim, REL, and Shunyata

A PNW store new to me and many, Reference Media of Bellingham, showed a system that produced very clean images with a fine depiction of space. Pat Metheny's "The Sound of Silence" on the LP, What's It All About, was notably liquid, flowing, and open. Complete with an all-encompassing soundstage, the listening experience was totally enjoyable, without reservation.

Store co-owner, Erik Wrolson, told me that Reference Media includes a showroom/soundroom, media room, and rentable 16-person theater room. I hope I've got that right. I scribbled those notes on Erik's business card when we ran…