That's true, Peter—a lot of us are squares! [badaBOOM] (Thanks, it's been a while since my last rim shot.) As some of you may recall from an earlier article…
search
I've touched on loudspeaker placement in irregularly shaped rooms several times in the last few "Fine Tunes," but reader Peter Machare (Peter.MACHARE@usda.gov) wants more information about setting up L-shaped and other nonstandard listening areas. Here's how he describes his layout: "I have an L-shaped room. The speakers are at the bottom of the L and point up the long part of the L. Not all of us are perfect rectangles, you know."
Everybody, including myself, was astonished to find that it was impossible to distinguish between my own voice, and Mr. Edison's re-creation of it.—Anna Case, Metropolitan Opera Soprano, 1915
In the July 1990 "As We See It" (Vol.13 No.7, p.5), I examined the conflict between those who believe existing measurements can reveal and quantify every audible aspect of a component's behavior, and those who consider the listening experience a far better indicator of a component's performance than the numbers generated by "objective" measurements. Implicit in the objectivist position is the…
Dr. Lagadec supports his thesis with a very simple analysis of what happens when changing level in the digital domain and the nature of the attendant requantization error. This function is considered perhaps the simplest and best-understood type of digital signal processing. However, he has discovered a previously unknown form of error created by this simple processing: the digital gain control's transfer function (difference between input and output signals) varies according to the amount of gain or attenuation. The nature of the transfer function's non-linearity (imprecision), introduced…
All high-end audio companies turn over their product lines periodically. Even those amplifiers I have depended on as references go out of production. Although my reference amplifier can remain a part of the reviewing sequence, readers won't be able to purchase a discontinued model and get the results I describe. Thus I am compelled to get a review sample of a new amplifier or speaker, and hope for the best.
Such was the case with the Mark Levinson No.334 amplifier (reviewed in September 1999, Vol.22 No.9), which has been my reference dual-mono, solid-state power amplifier for…
Circuitry
The No.436 shares many design features with the dual-mono amplifiers in Levinson's 300 series. This includes robust, low-impedance power supplies and balanced circuit technology derived from the Mark Levinson No.33 and No.33H monoblocks. A soft-clipping circuit reduces the audible effects of amplifier clipping or overload. A special turn-on circuit prevents sudden thumps and damage to components from the current inrush as the power supply's large filter capacitors charge.
The No.436 shares many design features with the dual-mono amplifiers in Levinson's 300 series. This includes robust, low-impedance power supplies and balanced circuit technology derived from the Mark Levinson No.33 and No.33H monoblocks. A soft-clipping circuit reduces the audible effects of amplifier clipping or overload. A special turn-on circuit prevents sudden thumps and damage to components from the current inrush as the power supply's large filter capacitors charge.
All sensitive voltage-gain stages are fully balanced and independently regulated. Adaptively biased…
The No.436 produced fast, solid bass with great pitch definition, and had no problems reproducing the solid, sustained pedal chords of the Lay Family Concert Organ during John Rutter's "The Lord is My Light and My Salvation" (CD, Reference RR-57CD). The explosive plucked bass and synthesizer notes that open "Something's Wrong," from the My Cousin Vinny soundtrack (CD, Varèse Sarabande VSD-5364), were stunning. Terry Dorsey's "Ascent," from Time Warp (CD, Telarc CD-80106), rumbled through my listening room. Each change in synthesizer pitch was clear and authoritative in "Behind the Veil,"…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state monoblock power amplifier with one pair Madrigal speaker binding posts, one 3-pin XLR balanced input, two 1/8" minijacks for remote turn-on, one RS-232 port on RJ-11, two Mark Levinson communication ports on RJ-45, and two PHAST communications ports on RJ-45. Rated power output (20Hz-20kHz, <0.3%. THD, FTC): 350Wpc into 8 ohms (25.4dBW), 700W minimum continuous into 4 ohms (25.4dBW), 1400W minimum continuous RMS power at 2 ohms (25.4dBW). Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz, ±0.2dB. Output impedance: ±0.05 ohm, 20Hz-20kHz. S/N Ratio:…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog source: Linn Sondek LP12/Lingo turntable, Linn Ittok tonearm, Spectral moving-coil cartridge.
Digital source: Krell KRC-28 CD transport, Sony SCD-C555ES multichannel SACD player.
FM tuners: Day-Sequerra FM Reference Classic, Magnum Dynalab MD-102 with Model 205 Sleuth RF amplifier, Fanfare FT-1A, McIntosh MR-78, Sony ST-5000.
Preamplification: Krell KCT, Sony TA-P9000ES, Mark Levinson ML-7A with L3A moving-coil phono stage; Margulis phono preamplifier; Duntech MX 10 moving-coil preamplifier.
Power amplifiers: Krell FPB 600c; Bryston 7B-…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
One difference between a modestly priced amplifier and something like the Mark Levinson No.436 is that the latter will run forever without overheating. Following the usual preconditioning period of driving one-third power into 8 ohms for one hour, the No.436's internal heatsinks were too hot to touch, but its cooling fan hadn't come on, and its chassis was merely warm.
The voltage gain was the same through the unbalanced and balanced inputs, at 26.75dB into 8 ohms. (Pins 1 and 3 of the balanced XLR jack were shorted with the supplied jumper when the…
"How sour sweet music is
When time is broke and no proportion kept!"
When time is broke and no proportion kept!"
With those lines from Richard II, Shakespeare unwittingly described a phenomenon in digital audio called "word clock jitter" and its detrimental effect on digitally reproduced music. "Clock jitter" refers to timing errors in analog/digital and digital/analog converters—errors that significantly degrade the musical quality of digital audio.
Clock jitter is a serious and underestimated source of sonic degradation in digital audio. Only recently has jitter begun to get the attention it deserves, both by high-end…