The Dynaudio Sapphire's voltage sensitivity is specified as 88dB/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 a little higher, at 89.2dB(B)/2.83V/m, but I suspect this was because I performed the measurement with the grille removed (see later). The impedance remains between 4 and 6 ohms over most of the audioband (fig.1, solid trace), with an electrical phase angle (fig.1, dashed trace) that remains low. Though there is a combination of 5.3 ohms magnitude…
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It's always fun to visit the Burmester Audio suite at the annual Consumer Electronic Show. Founder Dieter Burmester and CEO Udo Besser are upbeat, fun-loving personalities who enjoy demonstrating their latest home audio gear—that is, when they're not working on the latest updates to their sound system for the $2.1 million Bugatti Veyron 16.4 supercar. This past year they introduced their new B25 loudspeaker, an 88-lb floorstander. This "baby" Burmester's suggested retail price of $12,000/pair is only one-sixth that of Burmester's flagship speaker, the B100, only one-fourth its weight, and…
I positioned the Burmester B25s 5' from the front wall, 6' apart (measured from the tweeter centers), and toed-in 45° to focus on my listening chair 7' away. This placement maximized soundstage depth. I biwired the B25s by using four Pure Silver Cable double-ribbon speaker cables. I used two different solid-state amplifiers from Mark Levinson: a pair of ML-2 monoblocks (50W into 4 ohms) and, later, a No.334 (250Wpc into 4 ohms). The B25 allowed me to hear these amps' characteristics: the ML-2s' three-dimensional, transparent sound at more intimate volumes, and the No.334's lease-busting bass…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 30mmx40mm Air Motion Transformer tweeter, 5.25" (130mm) Kevlar-cone midrange unit, 9.1" by 6.5" (232mm by 165mm) air-dried paper-cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: 180Hz (third-order Butterworth), 2.7kHz (second-order). Frequency response: 35Hz–45kHz, ±3dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Sensitivity: 88dB/2.83V/m. Recommended amplification: 200W. Maximum SPL output per pair: not given.
Dimensions: 42.1" (982mm) H by 7.9" (200mm) W by 13.6" (350mm) D. Enclosure volume: 40 liters,…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Linn Sondek LP12 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…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Burmester B25's voltage sensitivity is specified as 88dB/2.83V/m. However, my B-weighted estimate on the speaker's tweeter axis came in a little higher, at 89dB(B)/2.83V/m. The speaker's impedance magnitude and electrical phase with the port open are shown in fig.1. Though the magnitude remains above 6 ohms in the upper midrange and treble, it drops to 3 ohms between 75 and 250Hz, with a high capacitive phase angle through much of the bass region, making the speaker a difficult load for the partnering amplifier to drive. The saddle at 41Hz in the magnitude…
I got a call a while back from Stephen Mejias (Stereophile('s Sancho Panza to John Atkinson's Don Quixote), who informed me that Aperion Audio had redesigned their entire line of loudspeakers, and suggested that I check them out. I had responded very favorably to Aperion's Intimus 533-T, which I reviewed in the April 2007 issue. I loved the speaker's sound, the sexy appearance, and felt it was good value at $750/pair. And I thought Aperion's 30-day free trial with free shipping each way was a deal that few could resist. So when this factory-direct, Oregon-based company informed me that they'd…
I continued my listening sessions by analyzing four recordings of Attention Screen made by JA at our favorite club, Otto's Shrunken Head, in New York City. (We plan to compile a selection of those performances' highlights for a disc to be released on the Stereophile label in early 2009.) I studied each piece from the nearly six hours of music to select the moments that showed us at our best while also providing the greatest variety of musical textures. The Aperion 6T made this an easy and enjoyable task, and put me in an analytical mood. So I cued up "Pachuco Cadaver," from Captain Beefheart…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-way, reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" silk-dome tweeter, two 6.5" woven-fiberglass composite-cone woofers. Frequency response: 36Hz–20kHz, ±3dB; 28Hz–22kHz, ±6dB. Impedance: 6 ohms. Sensitivity: 91dB/W/m. Recommended amplification: 50–300W.
Dimensions: 41.5" (1065mm) H by 7.75" (200mm) W by 15.5" (400mm) D. Base: 10.5" (270mm) W by 18.25" (470mm) D. Weight: 70 lbs (32kg).
Finishes: Cherrywood, high-gloss piano black.
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: 16T0004184, 16T0009574.
Price: $1390/pair. Approximate…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Source: Rega Planar 3 turntable, Syrinx PU-3 tonearm, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood & Aurum Beta S cartridges.
Digital Source: Creek Destiny CD player.
Integrated Amplifiers: Creek Destiny & Creek 5350SE, Simaudio Moon i-1.
Loudspeakers: Monitor Audio Silver RS6, Epos M16i.
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.…