The Chario Academy Sovran's voltage sensitivity is specified as a high 90dB/2.83V/m. My B-weighted estimate on the speaker's tweeter axis, calculated by DRA Labs' MLSSA system with a calibrated DPA omnidirectional microphone, was 90.2dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is well within experimental error of the specified figure. However, with an impedance that drops below 4 ohms throughout the midrange and most of the bass, and reaching a minimum value of 2.8 ohms at 90Hz, the Sovran demands a lot of current from an amplifier. The combination of 3.75 ohms and –37° electrical phase…
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Fearless leader called me and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing the Simaudio Moon i-1 ($1500), the entry-level integrated amplifier in Simaudio's Classic line. Hmmm. I'd been very impressed by all of the more expensive Simaudio products I'd heard at Stereophile's Home Entertainment shows over the years, and the 50Wpc Moon i-1 would be an interesting match for the affordable speakers I've had in-house lately. Send it on, JA!
Design
The Canadian-made Moon i-1 is a full-functioned integrated amplifier with remote control. It has six line-level inputs—including one front-…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state, class-AB, remote-controlled integrated amplifier. Power-supply transformer: 320VA. Power-supply capacitance: 20,000µF. Inputs: 5 pairs single-ended (RCA). Input device types (preamp): J-FET. Maximum output power: 50Wpc into 8 ohms (17dBW), 100Wpc into 4 ohms (17dBW). Maximum output: 22V. Slew rate: 20V/µs. Maximum current: 15A peak, 9A continuous. Dynamic headroom: 3dB. Input sensitivity: 370mV–3.0V RMS. Input impedance: 11k ohms. Output impedance: 0.04 ohm. Damping factor: >200. Gain: 37dB. Signal/noise: 101dB at full power.…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Source: Rega Planar 3 turntable, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood & Aurum Beta S cartridges.
Digital Source: Creek Destiny CD player.
Integrated Amplifiers: Creek Destiny & Creek 5350SE.
Loudspeakers: Monitor Audio Silver RS6.
Cables: Interconnect (all MIT): Magnum M3, MI-350 CVTwin Terminator, MI-330SG, Terminator. Speaker: Acarian Systems Black Orpheus.
Accessories: Various by ASC, Bright Star, Celestion, Echo Busters, Salamander Designs, Simply Physics, Sound Anchor, VPI.—Robert J. Reina
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I primarily used Stereophile's loaner sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/108awsi and www.ap.com) to examine the Simaudio's measured performance.
Before performing tests on an amplifier, I thermally stress it by running it for 60 minutes at one-third its specified power into 8 ohms, which is the worst case for an amplifier with a class-B or -AB output stage. Despite its lack of external or obvious heatsinking, the Simaudio Moon i-1 survived this preconditioning period without incident, though the…
"How do you make an object common as a box iconic?" asked Bob Graffy, Snell's vice president/brand manager. He and Joseph D'Appolito, Snell's chief design engineer, were sitting in my listening room, discussing cabinet designs. Graffy noted that KEF had sought the same in their distinctive, silvery, cylindrical Muon loudspeaker ($150,000/pair). For the flagship model in their Illusion series, Snell commissioned Gerd Schmieta, former designer for Ideo, to integrate D'Appolito's wish list for an ideal enclosure: a narrow, rounded upper baffle for the midrange and tweeter, wider at the base for…
The aluminum-magnesium cones of the two 10" woofers are cast and machined for an optimal ratio of stiffness to mass. Each has a high-temperature, 2" voice-coil, a prominent T-shaped pole-piece, and heavy copper support rings and phase plug. A stiff, injection-molded alloy basket maintains complete structural stability while allowing air movement to reduce reflections, cavity resonances, and flow noise.The woofers' rear reflex ports open above the service panel.
The crossover frequencies are 250Hz and 2.5kHz. The crossover itself—a fourth-order Linkwitz-Riley filter network wired…
The Illusions communicated the dynamics, power, and pace of percussion instruments: the slowly building kickdrum on David Bowie's "Putting Out Fire," from the Cat People soundtrack (CD, MCA MCAD-1498); the subtle but eerily clear bass beat backing up "She Misunderstood," from Richard Thompson's Rumor and Sigh (CD, Capitol CDP 7 95713 2); Jeff Beck's guitar on "Behind the Veil," from his Guitar Shop (CD, Epic EK 44313); the pulsing conga drums that open the Eagles' "Hotel California," from Hell Freezes Over; in Esa-Pekka Salonen and the LA Philharmonic's recording of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) silk-dome tweeter, two 5.25" (135mm) magnesium-cone midrange units, two 10" (250mm) magnesium-cone woofers. Crossover frequencies: 250Hz, 2.5kHz. Frequency response: 27Hz–40kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 89dB/2.83V/m. Impedance: 4 ohms. Recommended power: 250–1000Wpc. Maximum output level per pair: 111dB.
Dimensions: 59" (1499mm) H by 15" (381mm) W by 21" (533mm) D. Weight: 178 lbs (77kg).
Finishes: High-gloss automotive black under multicoated, hand-rubbed clear lacquer;…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Linn Sondek turntable with Lingo power supply, Linn Ittok tonearm, Spectral cartridge; Day-Sequerra Classic FM tuner.
Digital Sources: Bryston BCD-1 CD player, Sony SCD-C555ES SACD/CD player.
Preamplifier: Mark Levinson ML-7.
Power Amplifiers: Mark Levinson ML-2 monoblocks & No.334.
Loudspeakers: Quad ESL-989, Revel Ultima Salon2.
Cables: Digital: Wireworld Starlight Coaxial. Interconnect: Mark Levinson Silver, Red Rose Silver One, Totem Acoustic Sinew single-ended, Pure Silver Cable, Bryston balanced. Speaker: QED X-…