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Shure V15 V-MR phono cartridge Michael Fremer July 1997

Michael Fremer reviewed the Shure V15VxMR in July 1997 (Vol.20 No.7):

Older analog fans fondly recall the introduction of Shure's M3D back in 1959—that black blob of a device was the first stereo moving-magnet cartridge. A few years later it was followed by another black blob, the M7/N21D, which tracked at a lower downforce. Put either in a Garrard Type A turntable and you were cruising down the vinyl highway in "state-of-the-art" transportation. Anti-skating? Azimuth? VTA? Are you kidding? You couldn't even adjust overhang on that setup. But you could stack records!

In 1964…

Shure V15 V-MR phono cartridge Specifications

Sidebar: Specifications

Description: Moving-magnet cartridge with (V15VxMR) Microwall/Be hollow, beryllium cantilever and Micro-Ridge MASAR polished stylus tip (0.015" by 0.003"), Dynamic Stabilizer/Destaticizer, Side Guard Stylus Protection System. Source resistance (typical): 1000 ohms. Source inductance (typical): 425mH at 1kHz. Recommended stylus downforce: 1.0gm (1.5gm with Stabilizer). Channel separation: 25dB or better at 1kHz; 18dB or better at 10kHz. Frequency range: 10Hz–25kHz. Output: 3mV RMS (5cm/s peak velocity, 1kHz). Recommended load: 47k ohms in parallel with 250pF.
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Classé Audio DR-3 power amplifier

Classé Audio's DR-3 once again brings to the fore the issues of class-A vs class-AB, weighty vs small and efficient, and brute-force expensive vs clever and inexpensive.

A well-worn, if unproven, audiophile rule of thumb says that a small, quick amplifier will sound better than a very powerful one (footnote 1). Among low-powered amps, those that operate in "pure" class-A are thought to be sonically superior. Pure class-A means the amplifier must run a constant high bias (more than one ampere), so the output devices never turn off (footnote 2). This high bias current means the amplifier…

Classé Audio DR-3 power amplifier Page 2

Physically, the DR-3 follows Rolls-Royce in many ways: weight, mass, and solidity of product come first. A ¼" thick polished faceplate, massive extruded heatsinks, and a central transformer box (containing two potted transformers) are bolted to a thick, welded aluminum chassis. The transformers are mounted via rubber bushings to reduce hum and vibration transmission. The internal printed circuit boards (PCBs) employ thick copper traces sealed in glass epoxy to get rid of the lead that, claims Reich, contaminates copper laminate in other PCBs.

The amplifier is bridgeable into mono, for…

Classé Audio DR-3 power amplifier System

Sidebar 1: System

David Reich loaned two DR-3s to the New York-based Audiophile Society for demonstration when he came to visit us, and these were briefly available for review. My reference Snell Type A/III loudspeakers were configured in a biamplified mode, so each stereo DR-3 was set up to drive one speaker. I found that my recently updated Levinson ML-7 and older ML-6A preamps developed a very low-level buzz when connected to DR-3s (footnote 1), so I used Luxman C-03 and Tandberg 3008A preamplifiers for most of my critical listening.

Shure V-15MR and Accuphase AC-2 cartridges…

Classé Audio DR-3 power amplifier Specifications

Sidebar 2: Specifications

Description: Solid-state, class-A stereo amplifier. Rated Power: 25Wpc into 8 ohms. Power bandwidth, 1W output: 0.3Hz–80kHz, +0, –3dB. Dynamic Headroom: 7dB. Polarity: non-inverting.
Dimensions: 17" W by 10.5" H by 14" D. Weight: 70lb.
Price: $2895 (1985); no longer available (2020). Optional silicon-steel Magnetic Flux Enhancer MFE-1, $279 (heavier), or MFE-0.5, $219 (lighter) (1985).
Manufacturer: Classé Audio, Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada H9R 4X5 (1985). Classé Audio LLC, a division of Sound United, 380, rue McArthur Saint-Laurent, Quebec H4T 1X8…

Vortex Screen loudspeaker

One of the joys of reviewing audio reproduction equipment is discovering a little-known product that provides an extraordinary level of performance and musical satisfaction at an affordable price. These components, sometimes made in a garage, reflect the designer's single-minded zeal for musical accuracy, not the sometime corporate mentality of meeting a price point or catering to the latest fad.

Unfortunately, this enthusiasm is tempered by the realization that being a brilliant designer and a shrewd businessman are often mutually exclusive talents. As a result, these components are…

Vortex Screen loudspeaker Page 2

Source material included CDs and LPs from Sheffield Lab, Reference Recordings, Denon, London, Opus 3, Telarc, and my own classical and jazz recordings.

The Sound
The first time I heard the Screens, I was immediately taken with their open, uncolored, and punchy sound. They exhibited an unboxy transparency that made them seem to disappear into the soundstage. This quality gave them a "big" sound that transcended the boundaries of the speakers. In addition to this wide lateral soundstage, front-to-rear definition was superb, the orchestra taking on a three-dimensional representation.…

Vortex Screen loudspeaker Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Three-way loudspeaker system. Drive units: 1" soft-dome tweeter, 5" cone midrange, 9" plastic-cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: 150Hz, 3kHz. Frequency response: 27–150Hz ±3dB, 150Hz–16kHz ±1.5dB, 16kHz–21.5kHz ±2dB. Sensitivity: 87dB/W/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Amplifier requirements: 50–300W.
Dimensions: 48" H by 24" W by 9" D. Weight: 95lb each.
Price: $1500/pair, also available for $750/pair directly from the manufacturer (1989); no longer available (2020). Approximate number of dealers: 2 (1989).
Manufacturer: Vortex Acoustical…

Jim Campilongo: Telecaster Master & Audio Enthusiast

In a 2014 profile in the New Yorker, Paul Elie, author of the book Reinventing Bach, wrote, "There it was again: the stinging treble, the spooky overtones, the strings snapping and booming under his hands—the sound of a Tele being played as skillfully and exuberantly as it can be played."

The musician in question was Jim Campilongo, lead guitarist for the Little Willies—the alt-country band that features Norah Jones on piano and vocals—and a player's player whose trio has enjoyed residencies at New York's The Knitting Factory, The Living Room, and Rockwood Music Hall. Indeed, on his 2018…