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October 2022 Classical Record Reviews

Aloys Schmitt: Piano Concertos 1–2; Rondeau brillant
Ulster Orchestra/Howard Shelley (piano and conductor)
Hyperion CDA 68389 (CD). Annabel Connellan, prod.; Ben Connellan, eng.
Performance ****
Sonics ****

It's not immediately clear why these well-wrought concerti should be in Hyperion's "Romantic Piano Concerto" series. The First Concerto, a transitional score, is planted solidly in the Classical period.

The opening ritornello offers ruggedly Classical contours, while the predominantly linear piano writing could be amped-up Mozart; a turbulent tutti where we…

Analog Corner #264: Ortofon Windfeld Ti Cartridge

Ortofon (footnote 1), which turns 100 in 2018, launched the original Windfeld cartridge nearly a decade ago. Named for cartridge designer Per Windfeld—who had just retired at age 75, after 30 years with the company—that top-of-the-line cartridge cost $3400 at the time of its introduction.

Between 1976 and 2006, Per Windfeld oversaw the development of cartridges from the top to the bottom of Ortofon's extensive line, including the MC 20, MC Rohmann, and MC Jubilee, as well as Ortofon's many series of models: MC Super, Kontrapunkt, MC Rondo, and the budget-priced OM and Concorde DJ series…

Analog Corner #264: Ortofon Windfeld Ti Cartridge Page 2

Setting a 92° SRA was easily accomplished with the tonearm close to parallel to the record surface. Setting azimuth using a digital oscilloscope resulted in 27dB (left) and 28dB (right) of channel separation at 1kHz—a few dB better than specified in the Windfeld Ti's owner's manual. This was achieved with the cantilever just slightly off from perpendicularity. In other words, this sample of the Windfeld Ti was well built—just what you should expect in a $4390 phono cartridge!

Windfeld Ti Sound
In my May 2008 column, back when I was still a callow, inexperienced audio reviewer, I…

Wharfedale 507.2 loudspeaker

Probably best-known in recent years for their best-selling "baby" speaker, the Diamond, Wharfedale is one of the UK's oldest manufacturers of loudspeakers. The company was the subject of a management buyout earlier this year, following a rather unsettled period when it changed hands several times. Now with American distribution as of 1989 by Vector Research (footnote 1), the brand is reinventing itself in the US with two new ranges of loudspeakers, the 507.2 being one of the "audiophile" models. Both drive-units are made in-house; the first generation of Wharfedale loudspeakers to feature…

Wharfedale 507.2 loudspeaker Associated Equipment

Sidebar 1: Associated Equipment

The test procedure followed, with minor changes, that established for my previous loudspeaker reviews: the Wharfedales were used with both a Krell KSA-50 and a pair of VTL 100W Compact monoblocks, connected with Monster M1 speaker cable. Preamplifier was either a PS Audio 4.6 with its M-500 power supply or a Mod Squad Phono Drive/Deluxe Line Drive combination. Interconnects were initially Monster M1000, later replaced with MIT 330 and MIT CVT.

Source components consisted of a Marantz CD-94 CD player, which was also used to drive the Sony DAS-R1 D/A…

Wharfedale 507.2 loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 2: Measurements

Looking at the way in which the 507.2's impedance changes with frequency (fig.1; measured with spot tones but plotted with the Audio Precision System One software), the port is tuned to 52Hz, which suggests moderate LF extension. This was confirmed by the nearfield measurement which, without taking the output from the port into consideration, indicated a –6dB point at 62Hz. Though typical of an 8 ohm design in the woofer region, the tweeter is undoubtedly a 4 ohm unit. This is presumably to get sufficient sensitivity from a ¾" dome, which has significantly less…

Wharfedale 507.2 loudspeaker Specifications

Sidebar 3: Specifications

Description: Two-way, reflex-loaded, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units: 0.75" aluminum-dome, ferrofluid-cooled tweeter, 8" mineral-loaded, polypropylene-cone woofer. Crossover frequency: 5kHz. Frequency response: 40Hz–22kHz ±3dB. Sensitivity: 87dB/W/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Amplifier requirements: >15W.
Dimensions: 19" H by 9" W by 11" D. Weight: 11.25lb each.
Price: $940/pair (1989); no longer available (2022). Approximate number of dealers: 120.
Manufacturer: Wharfedale Ltd., Leeds, West Yorkshire LS15 8AL, UK (1989); Wharfedale, IAG…

Jadis Defy 7, Quicksilver KT88, VAC PA90 tubed power amplifiers

"It's the difference between a stuffed dog and the real thing," said Gunter (George) Bischoff, of Melos Audio, on the difference between solid-state gear and tubes. "The real dog may piss on the rug, needs visits to the vet, gets fleas, has to be walked, but it's a living thing—a real dog. The stuffed dog requires no care, needs no maintenance, but has no life."

"But I own a cat, George. Low maintenance."

"You still own a live cat, not a stuffed cat. The cat needs to be fed, has to get rabies shots. There is still some maintenance."

I gotta be a glutton for punishment.…

Jadis Defy 7, Quicksilver KT88, VAC PA90 tubed power amplifiers Page 2

It was a tiny capacitor which failed, he told me later. It happened only on my amp. No other Defy 7 had failed and no other would fail for the same reason because the failure was Victor's fault.

Well, not really.

Here's the story. Jadis made some changes on the Defy 7—using caps to bypass the fuses for the GE 6550 output tubes. Jadis sent this particular Defy 7 to Victor without the caps installed, so Victor could hear the amp without the bypass caps. Before he gave me the amp, Victor decided to have bypass caps installed—but a miscommunication with the factory meant that the…

Jadis Defy 7, Quicksilver KT88, VAC PA90 tubed power amplifiers Page 3

Well, not really. Less than a week into use, one of the Golden Dragon KT88 output tubes failed—I think the tube lost its vacuum. I noticed when the output from the right channel amp seemed lower than the output from the left. It was.

Kevin Hayes replaced the matched pair of KT88s—no problem. But Kevin did suggest that the Quicksilver amp might have been at fault. No other Golden Dragon KT88s had failed in the field, he said, unless traceable to improper operating conditions.

Not so cool, Kevin—I think this pair did fail in the field: more specifically, in my listening room. Yes…