The other evening I played for a friend—a mastering engineer who shall remain nameless—Bob Ludwig's legendary "pulled from the shelves" (footnote 3) original mastering of Led Zeppelin's II (LP, Atlantic SD 8236). He was awed by the shimmer and sizzle of John Bonham's cymbals, and the tuneful slam of the rest of his drum kit.
The Hyperion's…
This very hefty (95lb) stereo power amp uses eight EL34 tubes to deliver a rated 95 watts per channel into 4 or 8 ohms. The unit comes with a plug-in milliammeter for setting bias, and detailed adjustment…
Comparing the Quicksilver MS190 with the Berning 2100 that I also review in this issue was rather difficult because they sound so different. If you like "tube sound," you are more likely to be happy with the Quicksilver, because it embodies more of what are generally conceded to be the positive (and, by tube detractors, negative) attributes of good tubed components. If you like solid-state bass and tube midrange, the Berning approaches this rare amalgam more closely than any other amplifier we have tested. For the best "tube highs," choose between the…
Description: Tubed stereo power amplifier. Rated output: 95Wpc into 8 or 4 ohms (MX190). Frequency response: +0/–3dB, 16Hz–70kHz, full output power. Outputs: 4 and 8 ohms. Power consumption: 300 watts.
Weight: 95 lb.
Price: $2495 (1984); no longer available (2022).
Manufacturer: Quicksilver Audio: Van Nuys, CA (1981–1985); Stockton, CA (1985–1992); Reno, NV (1992–2005) Denver, CO (2005–2008) 7475 Murray Drive, Suite 17, Stockton, CA 95210 (2008–present). Tel:(209) 957-6640. Fax:(209) 957-6641. Web: quicksilveraudio.com
Memorandum:
To: Steve McCormack, Chief Designer, The Mod Squad (footnote 1)
Dear Steve:
I cannot question the general value of Tiptoes in many specific applications. There are a great many areas where I, many other audiophiles, and a number of leading manufacturers have found that Tiptoes can improve any audio system in which the components are subject to. mechanical or acoustic vibration from speaker sound—that is, virtually any audio system.
While initially skeptical, I now concede that Tiptoes are a worthwhile…
Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded, floor-standing loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1.1" soft-dome tweeter, two 8" polypropylene-cone woofers (one rolling off above 100Hz), 12" polypropylene-cone passive radiator. Crossover frequencies: 100Hz, 2kHz. Frequency range: 28Hz-22kHz ±3dB. Sensitivity: 86dB/W/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Amplifier requirements: 25–200W.
Dimensions: 44.5" H by 15.5" W by 8.5" D (173/8" with bases attached). Weight: 63 lb each.
Price: $1400/pair (1988); no longer available (2022). Approximate number of dealers: sold factory-direct.…
The test procedure followed, with minor changes, that established for my previous loudspeaker reviews: each pair was used with a Mark Levinson No.26/No.20 combination—amplification unlikely to be used with any of these speakers but which would undoubtedly get the best from them—a Marantz CD94 CD player used via its optical digital output to feed a Marantz CDA94 outboard DAC unit, and a 1987 Linn Sondek/Ittok/Troika combination sitting on a Sound Organization table.
The Orpheus 808 loudspeakers were carefully positioned for optimum performance, and…
The frequency response of each speaker was measured in the listening window—spatially averaged to minimize room standing-wave problems—using a 1/3-octave warble-tone generator, which is said to be a little more analytical than the filtered pink-noise signal I have used in the past; in addition, the nearfield low-frequency response of each speaker was measured with a sinewave sweep to get an idea of the true bass extension relative to the level at 100Hz.
Measured nearfield on the lower woofer, the –6dB point relative to 100Hz lay at a low 36Hz, though there…
Editor: Recent examination of the returned speakers indicates that the Orpheus 808s reviewed by John Atkinson in the June 1988 issue were not set up according to manufacturers' instructions—that is, the bases were not attached to the speakers.
I also received from Stereophile the bases for speakers #808112AB, which were stolen from John Atkinson's home. Why weren't these bases taken along with the speakers they were supposed to have been attached to? Inspection of these bases reveals no thread marks on the bottom, and the bag…