Description: Three-way, tri-wirable transmission-line loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (27mm) silk-dome tweeter; 3" (75mm) doped-fabric dome midrange driver; flat-surface, carbon-fiber/Nomex 10" (250mm) woofer. Crossover frequencies: 380Hz 3.8kHz. Crossover slopes: 4th-order, 24dB/octave. Frequency range: 25Hz–25kHz. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Sensitivity: 89dB/W/m. Peak SPL at 1m: >116dB. Recommended maximum amplification: 500W.
Dimensions: 29.1" (640mm) H by 13" (330mm) W by 18.3" (465mm) D. Weight: 80 lbs (36kg) each.
Finish: Matte black.
Serial…
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Sidebar 1: Specifications
Sidebar 2: Transmission Lines
The use of transmission lines, or TLs, for bass-driver loading has blown in and out of favor for decades, and, one must admit, the physics behind it is not particularly reassuring. In theory, the transmission line behind the bass driver is a long tunnel that is damped, tapered, and folded to absorb all the energy from the rear radiation without impeding the driver's movement. Significant parameters in TL design are the volume of the air-space immediately behind the driver, the cross-sectional area of the initial portion of the line, the tapering of the area…
Sidebar 3: Associated Equipment
Analog source: Heybrook TT2 turntable, Rega RB300 tonearm, Koetsu Black/Gold phono cartridge.
Digital source: Audio Alchemy DDS•Pro, DTI•Pro32, DDE v3; Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1.
Preamplifiers: Klyne 6L3.3P, Simaudio Moon P-5, Sonic Frontiers Line-3.
Power amplifiers: Bryston 7B-ST monoblocks, McCormack DNA-1, Sonic Frontiers Power-2, Simaudio Moon W-5.
Loudspeakers: Apogee Duetta II, Ruark Equinox.
Interconnects: Cardas Cross & Golden Cross, Audio Magic I2S, Straight Wire Virtuoso.
Speaker cables: Straight Wire Maestro.—Kalman Rubinson…
Sidebar 4: Measurements
Using a B-weighted measurement, I estimated the PMC's sensitivity as a reasonably high 88.5dB/2.83V/m, which is to specification, given the usual margin of error in my measurement. The speaker's impedance (fig.1) dropped to 4 ohms in the upper bass and 5 ohms in the top audio octave, but I would not have thought it would otherwise be a problem load for the partnering amplifier. However, I note that KR did have some drive problems. This could be due to the combination of 5.3 ohms and –45º electrical phase angle at 63Hz, which will be quite demanding.
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Like most audiophiles, I salivate over the latest Jurassic, second-mortgage-inducing power amplifier. Whether it's about the music itself, or simply "my amp is bigger than your amp" one-upmanship, we all know that those who risk a hernia in pursuit of the ultimate in sound invariably come out winners.
Or do they? There are many superb-sounding super-amps, to be sure, but once you reach a certain point, the cost/weight ratio begins to spiral upward much faster than the sound quality. Increase the size and weight of anything, and the manufacturing costs—and retail price—inevitably increase…
I would not describe the Aragon as sounding "sweet"—if sweet is read as a euphemism for dull, which for me it is not. Yes, the very top could turn slightly dry at times, with a trace of added zip (particularly on hard transients, and more so when I substituted the brighter, crisper-sounding Theta Data III transport for the Denon). But this one blemish was the only thing keeping the 8008 from having the best top end I have heard from the Energy speakers.
There were, indeed, times when the Aragon sounded so refined and so finely shaded with convincing detail that it sent shivers down my…
Carver Comparisons
Stacking the 8008 up against the Carver Lightstar Reference, the result was the same. Not that the Carver and the Aragon sound the same—far from it. The Carver has a more forward nature, a greater immediacy through the midrange. Vocals sounded more palpable on the Lightstar, with a little more detail and texture through the midrange and low treble. The top end of the Aragon was a little dryer-sounding, particularly on sibilants.
Stacking the 8008 up against the Carver Lightstar Reference, the result was the same. Not that the Carver and the Aragon sound the same—far from it. The Carver has a more forward nature, a greater immediacy through the midrange. Vocals sounded more palpable on the Lightstar, with a little more detail and texture through the midrange and low treble. The top end of the Aragon was a little dryer-sounding, particularly on sibilants.
But the Aragon had the tighter, more detailed bass. While the bass of the Carver sounded a shade more "powerful," the Aragon had greater…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-channel solid-state power amplifier. Rated power output: 200Wpc continuous into 8 ohms (23dBW), 400Wpc continuous into 4 ohms (23dBW). Rated full-power bandwidth: 5Hz-20kHz. S/N Ratio: >110dB, A-weighted. THD: 0.04%, 5Hz-20kHz, at full power into 8 ohms. Slew rate: >120V/µs. Damping factor: >450, equivalent to an output impedance below 0.018 ohms. Input impedance: 22k ohms. Input sensitivity: 1.68V for full output. Power consumption: 1500W.
Dimensions: 19" W by 6.6" H by 14.6" D. Weight: 67 lbs.
Serial number of sample reviewed:…
Sidebar 2: System
The system I used in evaluating the Aragon 8008 consisted of the Denon DP-S1 CD transport and Mark Levinson No.36 D/A converter (the two linked by a Kimber AGDL coaxial digital cable), supplemented by the Theta Data III CD/laserdisc transport and Theta DS Pro Basic III D/A converter. The preamp was a Consummate from the Jeff Rowland Design Group.
All auditioning took place in my (approximately) 26' by 18' by 11' listening room. The loudspeakers used were the Energy Veritas v2.8s, plus brief encounters with the KEF Reference Four, Hales Concept Two, and the…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Following its 1/3-power, one-hour preconditioning test, the heatsinks of the 8008 were too hot to touch comfortably for more than a few seconds. The Aragon is noninverting. The input impedance of the 8008 measured 23k ohms at 1kHz. The output impedance was 0.037 ohms up to 1kHz, remaining below 0.048 ohms at 20kHz. Voltage gain into 8 ohms measured 24.2dB. DC offset was 0.3mV in the left channel and 0.2mV in the right. Unweighted signal/noise (ref. 1W into 8 ohms) measured 87.7dB over a 22Hz-22kHz bandwidth (88.9dB, A-weighted).
Fig.1 shows the frequency…