Analog Source: SOTA Cosmos Series III turntable, Graham 2.2 tonearm, Dynavector XV-1S cartridge.
Digital Sources: Plinius CD-101 CD player, Simaudio Moon Orbiter universal player.
Preamplification: Manley Labs Steelhead phono stage; VTL TL-7.5 Reference, Audio Research Reference 3 line stages.
Power Amplifiers: Chord SPM14000 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Sophia.
Cables: Phono: Hovland Music Groove 2. Interconnect: Acoustic Zen Silver Reference & Silver Reference II, Nordost Quattro-Fil. Speaker: Nordost Valhalla,…
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Sidebar 3: Measurements
With both balanced and unbalanced inputs and the capability of being switched on the fly between class-AB and class-A output-stage operation—I would prefer to say "high-bias current" rather than "class-A," as the amplifier does not operate in true class-A up to its specified output power in this mode—the Plinius SA-Reference offers a lot of variety for measurement options. I did a full set of measurements in balanced, class-A mode, with spot checks in unbalanced and class-AB operation.
I preconditioned the amplifier by running both channels at one-third…
MartinLogan's Gayle Sanders has almost single-handedly raised the electrostatic/dynamic hybrid loudspeaker to a position of prominence in the High End. First, there was the MartinLogan Monolith (reviewed in Vol.8 No.3 and Vol.9 No.3), followed by the much more affordable Sequel (reviewed in Vol.11 No.12, Vol.12 Nos.8, 9, and 12, and Vol.14 No.2). Then came the subject of this review, the Quest, and most recently the diminutive Aerius, reviewed by JA elsewhere in this issue.
Looking at the progression from Aerius to Quest, a definite trend is apparent. First, the woofer increases in size…
Sonic Impressions
Young DO (that's Daniel) settled onto the sofa next to me for what was really his first exposure to the Quests. He liked them immediately, and in a big way: "Better than the Sound-Labs!" he quipped, referring to the Sound-Lab A-1s that had recently vacated the reference room.
Young DO (that's Daniel) settled onto the sofa next to me for what was really his first exposure to the Quests. He liked them immediately, and in a big way: "Better than the Sound-Labs!" he quipped, referring to the Sound-Lab A-1s that had recently vacated the reference room.
What a first impression! Was this true? Were the Quests, at a third the price, indeed superior to the A-1s? That observation stuck in the back of my mind, and for the next several weeks I digested its significance. You know, young DO was right—in some respects the Quests were better than the A…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Hybrid loudspeaker system. Drive-units: 12" cone woofer in a sealed enclosure; electrostatic panel, 15" W by 44.5" H. Crossover frequency: 125Hz. Crossover slopes: second-order, 12dB/octave. Frequency response: 28Hz–22kHz, ±2dB. Presence control switch: +2dB, 1–5kHz. Bass control switch: –5dB, 60–150Hz. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms (minimum 2 ohms). Phase angle: less than 45 degrees. Sensitivity: 90dB/W/m (2.83V). Recommended amplifier power: 80–200Wpc.
Dimensions: 72.75" H by 19" W by 13" D. Weight: 125 lbs each.
Finishes available: light oak,…
Sidebar 2: The Sonic Quest
Martin Colloms's discussion last year of some of the imponderable elements of loudspeaker reproduction (Stereophile, November 1992, Vol.15 No.11, p.76) reminded me of something written nearly a quarter-century ago (in Wireless World, November 1970) by metal-cone speaker pioneer Ted Jordan. Ted asked the rhetorical question: "What is the aim of a loudspeaker?" He then proceeded to examine a number of possible answers. The most objective answer possible, and one that would surely impress our engineering alter egos, was: to reproduce the electrical input signal…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Despite the Z modification making the Quest easier to drive, it's still a demanding load for an amplifier, the impedance dropping to 2.7 ohms in the midbass and lower midrange and dropping below 2 ohms above 16kHz (fig.1). The minimum value is a punishing 1.4 ohms at 25kHz—fortunately, there is no high-level musical information up there. Note the moderate phase angle, however, which ameliorates matters. With the bass set to –5dB, the impedance does become a little kinder in the bass, staying above 4 ohms below 160Hz. The woofer tuning is revealed by the peak at…
I live in a house that has a pyramid-shaped roof, so I guess you could say that I have a thing for pyramids (footnote 1). That's probably why I was immediately drawn to the Green Mountain Audio Diamante. I'm also attracted to floorstanding speakers with small footprints, since my listening/video room is only 13' by 16'. My Holy Grail of loudspeakers is a small speaker that's flat between 20Hz and 20kHz, can do 110dB sound-pressure–levels without straining, and costs less than $1000/pair.
Dream on, Steve.
While the Diamante is quite a bit more expensive than my $1000/pair ideal…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Floorstanding loudspeaker system with cast onyx-resin "Anechoic Transmission Line" enclosure and separate base. Drive-units: 8" polymer-laminated cone woofer with a vented coil; 4" Nomex/Kevlar/honeycomb cone midrange unit with carbon-fiber frame; 1.1" linen-dome tweeter with ferrofluid-cooled aluminum voice-coil. Crossover frequencies: 350Hz, 3.2kHz; first-order, 6dB/octave slopes. Frequency range: 42Hz–23kHz (no tolerance given). Impedance: 5.3–18.9 ohms. Sensitivity: 88dB/W/m. Recommended amplifier power: 35–350Wpc. Dynamic range: >115dB/pair…
Sidebar 2: System
I don't make drastic changes to my audio system from month to month, because then it would be very difficult to tell what component is doing what to the sound. If the following list looks similar to my system list in prior reviews, that's because it largely is. The following equipment was used:
Analog sources: Thorens/Chadwick 125 Mk.II turntable mounted with a Graham 1.5 tonearm, with arm tubes fitted with Denon 103 C/van den Hul, EMT/van den Hul, Fidelity Research FR-1 Mk.III van den Hul, and AudioQuest BH-200 cartridges; in my large listening room, I used a…