When I first landed safely on Planet Stereophile, JA asked me a loaded question: How would I feel about comparing the two preamplifiers in my system at the time—the Convergent Audio Technology SL-1 Signature (my longtime reference) and the Jadis JP-80MC? How does one decline such a request?
As often happens in High-End La-La Land, this delectable contest was put on hold until Jadis changed the capacitors they were using in their unit, and DO had concluded his review. The current-production,…
Rounding out the tweaks were…
To compare with the BAT VK-5, I had on hand two preamps considered to be among the best: the Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 and the Convergent Audio Technology SL-1 Signature (footnote 1). The Signature, Stereophile's 1993 Product of the Year, has served for three years as the primary reference preamp in my system; Jack English and Jonathan Scull also use it in this reference capacity. My unit has been updated twice, most recently when I was about halfway though the listening for the BAT…
My reference system consists of Mirage M1si speakers driven by a Krell KSA-250 amplifier, TARA Labs' superb new RSC Master Generation 2 speaker cables and interconnects, a Museatex CD transport with re-clocking circuit, a Monarchy DAC, a Clear Image Audio T-4 Power Line Isolator, and a Bright Star Big Rock/Little Rock isolation system (sand bases and weights). The system was run balanced between the amp and preamp, but had to be switched to single-ended operation for the preamp comparisons…
Conventional audio marketing wisdom has it that a company producing only a single product cannot succeed in the marketplace. Dealers want a line of products, varying in price and features, so that they can offer something for every potential customer. It's hard to build much of a following if you have only a single product, and an expensive one at that.
That is, unless your name is Ken Stevens and your product is the Convergent Audio Technology SL-1. Since its introduction in 1985, the…
Analog Source: Fully updated Linn LP12, Ittok tonearm, AudioQuest AQ-7000nsx cartridge.
Digital Sources: PS Audio Lambda II and Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 transports, Audio Alchemy DTI•Pro 32 anti-jitter/resolution-enhancement device, Sonic Frontiers SFD-2 Mk.II digital processor, TARA Labs Decade and Illuminati D-60/Orchid digital links; Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1 CD player.
Other Preamplifiers: Balanced Audio Technology VK-5, Sonic Frontiers SFL-2, Jeff Rowland Research Synergy.
Power Amplifiers: Balanced Audio Technology VK-60, Bryston 7B-ST, Jeff Rowland…
Analog source: Updated Linn LP12, Ittok, AudioQuest AQ-7000nsx.
Digital source: PS Audio Lambda II transport, Audio Alchemy DTI•Pro32 anti-jitter/resolution-enhancement device, Sonic Frontiers SFD-2 Mk.II and Processor 3 digital processors (the Processor 3 is a killer), Illuminati D-60/Orchid digital links.
Amplifiers: Sonic Frontiers Power 2, Carver Lightstar 2.0 (review to come).
Loudspeakers: Dunlavy SC-IV, Hales Design Group Revelation Three.
Interconnects, power cables, and speaker cables: mostly TARA Labs Decade. Late in the audition…
Ken Stevens is pretty hard on reviewers. Oh, he's a pleasant enough fellow, even congenial. Unfortunately, he has a bad habit: Every couple of years he comes out with an improved version of the Convergent Audio Technology (CAT) SL-1 preamplifier. This results in scads of reviewer praise, which then leaves us scrambling to find new superlatives when he comes out with the next latest-and-greatest version.
After the original Stereophile review of the SL-1 Signature by Jack English (Vol.15 No.12), it fell on me…
Considered on its own, the Balanced Audio Technology VK-40 was a very fine-sounding preamplifier, but how did it compare sonically with competing products? I put it up against my reference preamp, the Convergent Audio Technology (CAT) SL-1 Ultimate (see the August 1999 Stereophile). At $5995, the CAT costs about $500 more than the "loaded" VK-40, and lacks a remote control; if you omitted the VK-40's remote option, the difference in price would be $1000. The CAT is a single-…
Description: Tube preamplifier with phono stage. Inputs: two line-level, one phono, tape. Outputs: two main plus tape. Frequency response: 0.1Hz-600kHz, +0,-3dB (line), 20Hz-20kHz, ±0.2dB (phono). Voltage gain at 1kHz: 26dB (line), 46dB (phono). IHF sensitivity: 0.12mV. Slew rate: 10V/µs (phono), 15V/µs (line), risetime of 0.6µs. THD: less than 0.001% (phono), 0.0005% (line). Noise: 90dBA below 1V (line), 96dBA below 10mV input (phono). Input overload: 100V (line) and 250mV phono. Input impedance: 50k (line), variable on phono, with 47k and 180pF standard…