Other than the new Akiva cartridge, all the Linn Products products reviewed by Mikey this month have been reviewed before in Stereophile. Wes Phillips favorably reviewed the Linto phono preamplifier in June 1998 (Vol.21 No.6), and my measurements accompanying that review revealed that it was extremely quiet, even in its high-gain mode, with an A-weighted signal/noise ratio of 85.3dB (ref. 500µV input at 1kHz), and an unweighted, wideband ratio of 66.5dB, which is still excellent. The voltage gain at 1kHz was 62dB, and the RIAA error showed a very slight (0.25dB)…
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Like the $29,000 Boulder 2008 phono preamplifier, the new Whest PhonoStage.20 with its MsU.20 power supply costs as much as a car. Fortunately for you, that car happens to be my first new Saab, which cost exactly $2737 back in 1972. The solid-state Whest costs $2595, so it's a few hundred dollars cheaper. But at only a tenth the cost, it comes closer to the Boulder 2008's performance than it has any right to. That it's good enough to be mentioned in the same paragraph should tell you something about how good I think it is. Nor did it come to me hyped by the manufacturer—it took me by surprise…
Brian Damkroger reviewed the Whest in December 2005 (Vol.28 No.12):
As regular Stereophile readers know, I rely heavily on vinyl for listening and reviewing. So, like untold millions of similar-minded music lovers, I anxiously await each new issue of Stereophile. When it arrives, I suspend normal life while I pore over the latest installment of Michael Fremer's "Analog Corner" column, voraciously absorbing all the hot news and descriptions of the latest and greatest. As anyone who actually knows me will attest, I'm not fabulously wealthy, so I pay particular attention when MF raves about…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Phono preamplifier with outboard power supply. Inputs & outputs: 1 each, unbalanced (RCA). Input impedance user-adjustable via loading plugs: 50, 100, 220, 500 ohms, 47k ohms supplied; others available or easily fabricated. RIAA equalization accuracy: 18Hz–22kHz, ±0.2dB. Distortion (THD+noise): 0.01%. Gain: 40dB MM, 69dB MC (dealer adjustable).
Dimensions: Each chassis: 4" (107mm) W by 2.5" (62mm) H by 6.5" (165mm) D. Weight: 7.7 lbs (3.5kg) net, 8.8 lbs (4kg) shipping.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: PS.20: 07.01.010201.21. MSU.20: 08.…
Sidebar 2: Measurements
Following his auditioning of the Whest PhonoStage.20 + MSU.20 (serial numbers 07.01.010201.21 and 08.01.0201.21, respectively), BD sent me the units to measure. The PhonoStage proved relatively immune to grounding issues between it and my test equipment. The 1kHz voltage gain in moving-magnet (MM) mode measured 40.9dB; switching to moving-coil (MC) mode increased the gain to 64.3dB. The MM mode was noninverting; the MC mode inverted absolute polarity. The input impedance in MM mode appeared to be much higher than the specified 47k ohms, although it's possible that…
With its high-end heart and home-theater brain, Chord's powerful CPM 3300 integrated amplifier ($9500 with the aluminum-cylinder Integra leg option, $8950 without) is a uniquely fascinating audio product well worth considering. High-tech innards and magazine-cover good looks don't hurt either, but what originally got me interested was the superlative sound Chord products have consistently delivered at trade and consumer shows when paired with Wilson-Benesch loudspeakers.
Those combos always seem to produce exciting and, to my ears, musically honest sound from familiar demo discs…
More generally useful features are the four gain settings (x1, x2, x5, x7) available for each input. This allows you to come close to matching levels and prevent unwanted sonic blasts when you scroll through your sources. The CPM 3300 will remember your settings, even if it's been switched off for years. You can also reset all inputs to the lowest setting (x1) when you follow a procedure in the instructions that you probably won't memorize, so keep 'em handy! And on power-up, the CPM 3300 reverts to your last input.
Remote Oddities
Say you're listening to a CD and the phone rings.…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: MOSFET-powered integrated amplifier. Power output: 220Wpc RMS into 8 ohms, 300Wpc RMS into 4 ohms. Frequency responses: preamplifier, 2.5Hz-200kHz, -3dB; power amplifier, 0.8Hz-46kHz, -1dB, into 8 ohms. THD (x1 gain): 10Hz, <-91dB; 1kHz <-93dB; 10kHz <-90dB; 20kHz <-87dB. Power amplifier gain: 30dB. Preamplifier S/N: 93dB, all inputs. Input impedance: 47k ohms unbalanced, 94k ohms balanced. Input sensitivity (for full output): not specified. Power consumption: not specified.
Dimensions: 16.4" (420mm) W by 5.9" (152mm) H by 13.8" (355mm…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog source: Simon Yorke turntable; Graham 2.0, Immedia RPM, Tri-Planar Mk.VI tonearms; Lyra Helikon, Helikon mono, Clearaudio Insider cartridges.
Digital source: Marantz SA-1 SACD player.
Preamplification: Hovland HP-100 preamplifier, Audio Research Reference phono section.
Power amplifier: Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 300.
Loudspeakers: Sonus Faber Amati Homage.
Cables: Phono: Hovland Music Groove DIN/RCA, XLO Signature 3.1. Interconnect: Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway II, Magic. Speaker: Harmonic Technology Woofer. AC: JPS Labs, Electra…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
My usual practice before measuring an amplifier is to run it at one-third power into 8 ohms for one hour. This severely stresses a design with a class-B output stage, as it results in the maximum heat being dissipated in the output transistors. However, I cut short the preconditioning with the Chord CPM 3300 after 30 minutes. This was partly because the rear heatsinks were far too hot to touch (footnote 1), as was the black mesh grille on the top, but also because the measured distortion had risen slowly and steadily throughout that time, reaching 0.53% from a cold…