Description: Three-way, four-driver, bass reflex floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: one 1" (25mm) tweeter with waveguide; one 3" (76.2mm) midrange driver, two 8" (203.2mm) bass drivers. All driver membranes are ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy. Crossover frequencies: 800Hz, 2.7kHz. Frequency response: 27Hz–35kHz –6dB. Sensitivity: 90.5dB/2.83V/m. Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (at 150Hz). Power handling: 250W RMS. Recommended amplification: 80–250W.
Dimensions: 43.1" (1095mm) H × 12.6" (319mm) W × 15.3" (389mm) D. Weight: 49lb (22.…
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Sidebar 1: Specifications
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Rega P5 turntable with RB700 tonearm and Audio MusiKraft Denon DL-103 cartridge.
Digital sources: Simaudio Moon 260D CD transport.
Preamplification: Sonic Frontiers SFP-1 Signature phono preamp.
Integrated amplifiers: Grandinote Shinai, Cambridge EVO 150 streaming D/A integrated amplifier.
Loudspeakers: Focal Aria K2 936, Totem Skylight.
Cables: Digital: BIS Audio Maestro (RCA S/PDIF). Interconnect: Moon Audio Silver Dragon (RCA). Speaker: Nordost Heimdall. Power: Shunyata Research Black Mamba CX, LessLoss DFPC, Audio…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I measured the Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G's farfield behavior with DRA Labs' MLSSA system, an Earthworks microphone preamplifier, and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone. I used an Earthworks QTC-40 mike, with its small ¼"-diameter capsule, to measure the nearfield responses of the loudspeaker drive units and ports.
The Silver 500 7G's sensitivity is specified as a high 90.5dB/2.83V/m, which was confirmed by my estimate. Monitor Audio specifies the Silver 500 7G's impedance as 8 ohms, with a minimum magnitude of 4.1 ohms at 150Hz. Measured with Dayton Audio's…
As I watched WAM Engineering's J.R. Boisclair give an advanced turntable setup seminar at last November's Capitol Audiofest, a light went off. I'm being figurative, but the lights did—literally—go off, and then on again, as I flipped the switch for Boisclair's presentation (see the above photo), which featured both screen time and an in-person lecture.
Boisclair's presentation did not include setting up an actual, physical turntable. Rather, using slides and 1000:1 scale 3D-printed groove and stylus models, he dug into the advanced concepts involved in setting up a turntable and why those…
I communicated with Franc via email, and at first, he was incredulous. He asked me to perform a few more diagnostics then agreed that the arm needed to be returned to his factory in Slovenia.
You can imagine the disappointment that registered on this 4Point owner's face when I gave him that news. He'd already had a few years' worth of this sort of thing. I also suggested that the cartridge be returned to Japan to deal with the slightly canted cantilever so that we could start "fresh" once he got the arm back. He grudgingly agreed and at that point told me, "You know, when the cartridge…
The Doors: L.A. Woman (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
Elektra/Rhino R2 659055 (3CD/1LP). 2021. Bruce Botnick/Doors, prods.; Botnick, eng.
Performance *****
Sonics ****½
Elektra/Rhino R2 659055 (3CD/1LP). 2021. Bruce Botnick/Doors, prods.; Botnick, eng.
Performance *****
Sonics ****½
The Doors flew like a comet across the rock/pop universe, running only four and a half years and six studio albums with lead singer/poet/shaman Jim Morrison. L.A. Woman, their last album, marked a hard turn back to the rock and blues basics from whence they sprang in 1966 as a hot bar band on Sunset Strip. It is a masterpiece, a hit out of the gate that has grown in stature over time. Morrison took a…
I remember, around the time I started at Stereophile, telling Art Dudley that I wanted to review "a lot of power amplifiers" because amplifiers are the "blood-pumping heart machines" that "reanimate the artistry" of musicians: Horowitz, Björk, Bill Monroe. Whereupon he looked over his glasses and spied me with bare eyes like a stern parent and said, "Just be sure to not review any amplifiers that weigh more than 65 pounds."
I warned Art that this could be a problem because I only like class-A amplifiers, "and they all weigh more than that." Art rolled his eyes, turned his head toward the…
When I unpacked the Levante, I noticed two pairs of boxed ECC81 tubes and thought oh nice, they sent spares. Not so: The pairs were different brands. The Mullard boxes were empty; the JJ tube boxes were full (footnote 2). Before turning on the Levante, I removed its top cover and verified that, yes, only two tubes are required, and the Mullard pair was installed.
Patiently, gently, and mindfully, I removed the Mullards, then, even more carefully, I inserted the JJ 12AT7s. Voila, a new amp was born.
The sound-character change was significant, as Luca had predicted. The Levante…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Hybrid (tube-BJT-MOSFET) stereo integrated amplifier with no global feedback, output switchable between class-A and class-AB. Analog inputs: 1 pair balanced (XLR), 4 pair unbalanced (RCA). Outputs: 1 pair 3-way loudspeaker binding posts; one ¼" (6.3mm) unbalanced headphone output. Output power: 30Wpc into 8 ohms (14.8dBW) in class-A, 120Wpc into 8 ohms (20.8dBW) in class-AB, 200Wpc into 4 ohms (20dBW).
Dimensions: 17.3" (440mm) W × 5.1" (195mm) H × 19.3" (490mm) D. Weight: 66lb (30kg).
Finish: Metallic Sand Gloss/Gold or Dark Titanium/Silver…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable with Schick 10.5" tonearm, Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent Ex moving coil cartridges; EMIA, Koetsu, and Lundahl LL1931Ag SUTs, EAR Phono Classic, Sutherland Engineering Little Loco phono stages.
Digital sources: Roon Nucleus+ music server; HoloAudio May (Level 3) D/A processor; Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC, dCS Bartók DAC/Streamer with Mosaic control app.
Integrated amplifiers: Pass Labs INT-25, Rogue Audio Sphinx V3, RAAL-requisite HSA-1b.
Power amplifier:…