The Magneplanar Tympani I is unique both in appearance and principle. The system looks like a pair of folding room-divider…
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The Magnep1anar Tympani I that is the subject of this report is already an obsolete model, having been superseded by the Tympanis IA, II, and III that were unveiled at the CE Show in Chicago this past June. Since many of our readers already own Tympani Is, and dealer stocks of them are being sold at a substantial price reduction, the report should still be of interest. We will publish follow-up reports on the newer models as soon as they become available for testing.
Steven W. Watkinson reviewed the Tympani IVA in August 1985 (Vol.8 No.6):
When describing "subtle" differences between similar components, it is difficult to express in words the actual magnitude of those differences. Simply describing what you hear is difficult enough; the English language emphasizes the visual and the emotional rather than the audible. This is why reviewers so often resort to visual imagery to describe what they hear. As Anthony H. Cordesman has pointed out, this combination of an inadequate language and the need to describe subtle differences frequently results in…
Larry Archibald also commented on the Tympani IVA in August 1985 (Vol.8 No.6):
It wasn't brought out in Steve's review, but one of the major technological steps embodied in the Tympani IVA is a reduction of the midrange diaphragm's thickness from ½ mil to ¼ mil. In my limited auditions of the product, this reduced diaphragm thickness (and mass), results in significantly lower midrange coloration than previous Magneplanar designs; the Tympani is markedly better than the MG-III in this respect. Combined with the superior bass available from the two separate panels, and Magnepan's provision…
Sidebar: Specifications
Description: Flat-panel dipolar, magnetically driven panel speaker. Drive-units: 1254in2 planar woofer. 135in2 planar midrange unit, planar tweeter (I, IA), 15in2 ribbon tweeter (IVA). Crossover frequency: 3.2kHz. Frequency response: 32Hz–40kHz ±4dB (IVA). Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Maximum power handling: 500W.
Dimensions: Three panels, each 18" W by 72" H by 2" D. Weight: 70 lbs each (I, IA); 106 lbs (IVA).
Price: $795/per pair (I, 1973); $3800/pair (IVA, 1984); no longer manufactured (2005).
Manufacturer: Audio Research Corp., Minneapolis, MN (1973).…
The auteur theory of the cinema, first described in the 1950s by François Truffaut, states that a great movie represents the artistic vision of one person, usually the director. Moviemaking may involve collaboration, but it cannot be done successfully by a committee. There has to be a single individual in charge, one whose sensitivity and world view is reflected in the movie. In the same sense that the author of a novel is telling a story through the medium of print, the director of a movie is telling a story through the medium of film.
What, you may ask, does this have to do with the…
Most cable and amplifier manufacturers recommend spade lugs rather than banana plugs; some amplifier manufacturers (eg, Krell) feel so strongly about this issue that their binding posts don't even allow for the use of bananas. Although TARA Labs' product literature on the RSC Decade speaker cable states that it's available only with spades, Matthew Bond (aka Mr. TARA) sent me a set of Decade speaker cables with hard-wired banana plugs at the amplifier end, with the proviso that I not tell anyone about it. Matthew, my lips are sealed.
Setup
The YBA 1 has been in production for…
One traditional area of solid-state superiority is in the bass; this was confirmed when I compared the YBA 1 with the Balanced Audio Technology VK-60. As tube amps go, the VK-60 is actually pretty good in the bass, but the YBA 1 was able to extract a more weighty sense of bass drums in Planet Drum (Rykodisc RC-10206). However, by solid-state standards, the YBA 1's bass performance was not exceptional. With levels matched at 1kHz within 0.1dB, bass from the Rowland Model 2 seemed a bit cleaner, bass transients more crisply articulated. This was with the Dunlavy SC-IV, which has bass response…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state stereo power amplifier. Power output: 85Wpc into 8 ohms (19.3dBW), 170Wpc into 4 ohms (19.3dBW), 1800Wpc into 0.7 ohms (22dBW; no conditions given). Frequency response: 5Hz-80kHz, -3dB. Risetime: 3µs at 10kHz. S/N ratio: 100dB (unweighted). THD: <0.09%, 20Hz-20kHz. Input impedance: 27k ohms. Input sensitivity: 1.1V for full power. Damping factor: >800 at 100Hz (equivalent to an output impedance of <0.01 ohms). Power consumption: 1000VA at maximum power; 100VA quiescent.
Dimensions: 17" (430mm) W by 13" (330mm) D by 5" (132mm…
Sidebar 2: System
I used mostly digital sources (PS Lambda and Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 transports, Audio Alchemy DTI•Pro32 anti-jitter/re-dithering device, Sonic Frontiers SFD-2 Mk.II processor), but some use was also made of an LP setup (AudioQuest AQ7000nsx, Linn Ittok, fully updated Linn LP12). The Balanced Audio Technology VK-5 and Convergent Audio Technology SL-1 Signature served as preamps.
Digital links, interconnects, and speaker cables were TARA Labs RSC Master Generation 2, replaced late in the auditioning by TARA Labs RSC Decade. Source components and power amplifiers…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Following the 1/3-power, one-hour preconditioning test, the heatsinks of the YBA 1 Alpha HC were very warm, but not uncomfortably hot to the touch.
The input impedance of the YBA 1 measured 28.9k ohms. The output impedance was 0.04 ohms up to 1kHz and under 0.06 ohms at 20kHz. Voltage gain into 8 ohms measured 28.9dB. DC offset measured 14.8mV in the left channel and 51mV in the right. The latter figure is slightly higher than we normally see, but not enough to be a concern. Unweighted signal/noise (ref. 1W into 8 ohms) measured 87.7dB over a 22Hz-22kHz…