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Aperion Audio Intimus 6T loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

Aperion specifies the Intimus 6T's voltage sensitivity as a high 91dB/2.83V/m. My B-weighted estimate on the speaker's tweeter axis was slightly lower than that, at 89.6dB(B)/2.83V/m, but this is still usefully higher than average. The loudspeaker's impedance ranges between 4 and 6 ohms over most of the audioband, with a combination of 5 ohms and –45° electrical phase angle at 75Hz, meaning that a good 4 ohm–rated amplifier or receiver should be used with the Aperions.

The traces in fig.1 are free from the severe glitches that would suggest the presence of…

Sonics by Joachim Gerhard Allegra loudspeaker

Time thins the ranks of specialist industries. Trends, products, and companies come and go. High-end audio is a poster child for this reality, and most veteran audiophiles have evidence of the casualties—literature or orphaned products, stashed away somewhere. But a small number of true believers remain true to their visions, and persevere to help advance the state of the art.

Joachim Gerhard is one of those true believers. His speaker designs—first for AudioPhysic and, more recently, for his new company, Sonics by Joachim Gerhard—have all been excellent and, in my experience,…

Sonics by Joachim Gerhard Allegra loudspeaker Page 2

The Allegras' performance took me completely by surprise. They sounded mediocre. I moved the speakers, moved my chair, switched equipment. Nothing helped. The sound wasn't bad, exactly, just diffuse and lifeless—a far cry from the dynamics and precision I'd heard from a demo pair set up in Immedia's Berkeley office. The Allegras didn't sound like the Animas with more bass; they didn't sound like Animas at all—or any other Joachim Gerhard speaker I'd ever heard. Were they defective? Or had I not even got close to the optimal setup in my room? I called Allen Perkins and asked him to come out…

Sonics by Joachim Gerhard Allegra loudspeaker Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Three-way, floorstanding, reflex-loaded loudspeaker. Drive-units: 0.75" (19mm) aluminum-magnesium dome tweeter, 6" (152mm) paper-cone midrange, two 7" (177mm) aluminum-cone woofers. Crossover frequencies: 280Hz, 2.7kHz. Frequency response: 25Hz–30kHz, –3dB frequencies; 100Hz–30kHz, ±2.5dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Sensitivity: 91dB/2.83V/m.
Dimensions: 40" (1020mm) H by 9" (225mm) W by 13.5" (345mm) D. Weight: 58 lbs (26.4kg).
Finishes: Bird's-eye maple, Maccassar ebony, pear.
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: 154A/B (maple), 158A/B (…

Sonics by Joachim Gerhard Allegra loudspeaker Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Sources: VPI HR-X turntable & tonearm; Lyra Titan-i, Grado Reference cartridges.
Digital Sources: Simaudio Moon Evolution Andromeda, Primare CD 31 CD players.
Preamplification: Sutherland PhD phono preamplifier; Sutherland Direct, Placette Active line stages.
Power Amplifiers: VTL MB750 Signature, Pass Labs XA-30.5.
Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Sophia II.
Cables: Stereovox, Audience Au-24, Nordost Valhalla, Nirvana SL interconnects & loudspeaker cables. AC: Audience PowerChord, Synergistic Research Designer's…

Sonics by Joachim Gerhard Allegra loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

The Sonics Allegra's voltage sensitivity is specified as a high 91dB/W/m. Assessed with DRA Labs' MLSSA system, my B-weighted estimate on its tweeter axis was close to that, at 90.2dB(B)/2.83V/m. However, the Allegra is a fairly difficult speaker for the partnering amplifier to drive, with an impedance magnitude (fig.1, solid trace) lying at or below 4 ohms in the bass and the low treble. The electrical phase angle (fig.1, dotted trace) is also relatively large over much of the audioband. The minimum impedance is 2.75 ohms at 3.2kHz, though the phase angle is low…

NuForce Icon USB-input integrated amplifier

In a world of me-too products, NuForce distinguishes itself from all those other components whose names begin with i by actually using a capital I. Actually, that statement is unkind, even unfair—unlike the myriads of products designed to capitalize on the Apple iPod's current sexiness, the NuForce Icon isn't designed to be portable (although NuForce does offer an Icon Mobile). What the Icon unquestionably is is a fine little piece of audio engineering, which most of those other i components are not.

And "little" this 12Wpc, class-D amp most definitely is: 6" by 4.5" by 1". That…

NuForce Icon USB-input integrated amplifier Page 2

The Icon sure didn't sound puny. My Axiom QS8 speakers had lots of low-end sock and created an extremely solid center fill, even with a large flat-screen monitor between them. When I compared the Icon's USB DAC to the computer's optical S/PDIF output fed to a Musical Fidelity XDACV3 which in turn was connected to the Icon's analog line-in, there were audible differences, but not to any distracting degree.

"Trampled Rose," from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's Raising Sand (ALC file, Rounder 619075; CD, Rounder 9075) sounded slightly sharper through the USB DAC, which made it marginally…

NuForce Icon USB-input integrated amplifier Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Miniature integrated amplifier with USB DAC, line-level output (for subwoofer) on 3.5mm stereo jack, and headphone output. Inputs: RCA, 3.5mm stereo, analog; USB, (1.1, 2.0 compatible). USB DAC: USB 1.1, 2.0-compatible. USB native bit rate: 16-bit/32–48kHz. Digital signal/noise ratio: 98dB. Speaker outputs: RJ45 connectors with 15µm-thick gold plating to gold-plated banana plug (speaker cables provided). Maximum headphone output into 32 ohms: 31.25mW. THD: <0.03%, 20Hz–20kHz. Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, –1dB. Maximum output power (10.8dBW):…

NuForce Icon USB-input integrated amplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Digital Sources: Apple Macintosh pro G5 computer; Simaudio Moon Evolution SuperNova, Bel Canto e.One CD players; Musical Fidelity XDACV3 D/A converter.
Loudspeakers: Axiom QS8, Definitive Technology Mythos STS, Usher Be-718.
Headphones: Phiaton Moderna MS 400, Shure ES 530.
Cables: Interconnect: Kimber Kable KCAG. Speaker: NuForce RJ45 1m.—Wes Phillips