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80 Dell’s XPS 27
The World’s First Audiophile Computer
features
1 1. PUBLISHER ’S L E TTE R
14 Old School:
Exploring Vintage Hi-Fi
with a Master Craftsman
116 64
Journeyman Audiophile:
Simaudio MOON Neo ACE
All-In-One Music Player
By Rob Johnson
94
Personal Fidelity:
Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless Phones
By Jeff Dorgay
1 16
995: Sounds That Won’t
Break The Bank
80
Channel Islands PEQ 1 MK.ll
By Jeff Dorgay
gear reviews
by Todd Martens
By Jeff Dorgay
APRIL 2017 11
Jeff Dorgay
P U B L I S H E R
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Exploring
of love to keep running properly,
OLD SCHOOL
Vintage HiFI
that old receiver or amplifier of your
dreams, you can’t, actually you
shouldn’t just plug it in and fire it up.
Capacitors lose their ability to store
electricity and other components can
erode from non use. That sudden
Notes from a Master Craftsman
jolt of AC power can fry them (and
associated bits) before you can move
fast enough to turn the power off,
and that ruins everyone’s day.
I’ve leaned on Pat Hickman from
Classic Tube Audio, to give us some
insight into finding, maintaining and
servicing these wonderful chapters
of hifi’s past. Known the world over
for his meticulous work on classic
Marantz, McIntosh and other
components, he’s also a co-designer
in the Whammerdyne 2A3 Truth
Amplifier that we reviewed last year
in TONEAudio. His combination of
genius, attention to detail and can-do
attitude has restored many pieces of
hifi’s past back to their former (and
sometimes better than new) glory.
He’s currently working on a full re- Marantz in some ways is quite that were vacuum tube based. The promise of How hard is it to get casework, knobs
build of the Audio Research D-79 ampli- similar to McIntosh with their pursuit low distortion, high power, and better reliability and sheetmetal? Would you rather restore
fier that was on the cover of our print is- of the highest performance compo- resonated with the audio consumer and put hifi the inside, the outside or both?
sue. One of my personal favorites, this is nents. The model 7 pre-amplifier and in reach of many who could not afford or had We have multiple options for our customers.
a perfect example of a cosmetically ex- the 10B tuner are personal favorites, concerns as to vacuum tube reliability. Solid- Many suppliers and manufactures have taken
cellent amplifier that has been sitting in a and highly desirable in the used mar- state designs were very successful and discus- up reproducing both hard case work, chassis
closet for decades. Now with his care, it kets. Build quality in some ways is sions of sound quality began to creep back into and components that are often so close to the
will return to service, better than the day nearly as good as McIntosh, though the debates of audio and music lovers; and it is original issue items, you’d be hard pressed to
it left the ARC factory, and a gem that the Binghamton company still takes still with us today. tell the difference. Component wise, hundreds
I will use for decades of musical enjoy- the trophy. I see a lot of both and it’s of high quality replacement parts are available
Looking back, manufactures of solid-
ment to come. a pleasure to service any of these to fill the spectrum of needs we have, includ-
state gear always knew the shortcomings of
Here’s some advice from the master classic offerings. Don’t count out ing transformer rebuilding. Dents, dings and
these topologies even to the point of stating
to help guide you down the vintage path, many offering by other famous audio scrapes in chassis and transformers can now
and claiming in advertising that “our products
companies such as Fisher, HH Scott,
OLD SCHOOL
should you choose to take it, or perhaps sound like vacuum tubes components.” As a be reworked and refinished. Even speaker ter-
provide some additional insight on your Eico, Dynaco, Heathkit, just to name tube lover, I still feel vacuum tube gear done minal strips, knobs, replica circuit boards can
current journey. a few. right still sounds more involving. now be sourced. (continued)
You’ve always said you prefer
Pat, is there any generation of gear tubes to solid state when it comes
that you prefer over another in terms to vintage, why?
of sound and why? Any particular Solid state did not come into vogue
brand? till the later 1960s and it was seen as
Interesting question(s) Jeff! As audio a more cost effective way to deliver
components have evolved over the years more amplifier power than tube de-
and implemented in a wide variety of signs, to accommodate the newer,
ways, many manufacturers had different highly inefficient acoustic suspension
goals. Some components like Dynaco speakers. Durability, lighter weight,
brought “good enough” to the masses and of course less heat were all con-
and even gave you the opportunity to sidered many of the attributes of the
build it yourself, while other put the best new solid-state designs. With tube
possible performance as the priority. components at a high point
The cutting edge designs of yesteryear of performance and a mature
have withstood the test of time, leaving market, manufactures looked
what I feel are the classics, mostly from to this solid-state technology
the mid 1950s to the late 1960s. as a boon, but sound quality
began to take a back seat as
McIntosh is the first one that comes
the “power” race was on.
to mind, creating such a legacy, even
from the late 1940s. Build quality and Consumers embraced this
reliability have always been at the top new technology and non-US
of the company’s priorities. McIntosh manufactures started competing
models I’m particularly fond of consist of heavily with products they devel-
the Mono bloc MC60’s, MC30’s, and the oped, seeking to feed the appetite
stereo MC240’s. When it comes to Mc of the American audio consumer.
preamplifiers, the C11 and the C20, Manufacturers claimed better per-
C22, Tuners MR67, MR71. formance than their counterparts
Just like restoring vintage automobiles? I see a mix of both, probably 80% of my clients
want back to NOS performance and 20% want
Exactly, a whole artisan network has sprung
circuit modifications and improved (upgraded
up to service these classics. I do all aspects
components.) It’s surprising what some of
of services from basic tune ups all the way to
these old classics can do with some hi-octane
full restorations with a new reproduction chas-
fuel, as in current components. They posess a
sis, new decals, name plates, and hardware.
real magic when done.
I always have detailed conversations with my
customers and in this discovery process we What do you prefer? What do you see as
form a game plan specific to what the cus- the strengths and weaknesses of the old
tomer desires. It’s a team effort; we both have stuff?
a passion for the gear and the music that Here’s an area that my response will seem
flows forth. That’s what it’s all about, right? a bit strange, if I have a preference it’s really
Anything you really prefer working on all things audio and electronic. That being
OLD SCHOOL
WELCOME N03
TO THE ACCLAIMED SOPRA FAMILY
NEW
When does it stop being vintage for you? name them here as I may miss a few and
There’s a grey area between really old they would feel left out, I do service many if
hifi and just 10-20 year old gear. Do you not most of their offerings when a customer
work on recently old tube gear? Enjoy comes calling.
it as much?
What is the prime thing to look for when
Vintage or classic goes gray around 1970 buying a vintage component?
or so. Now we go towards the newer
classics or retro era. I still enjoy very much This is a challenge to answer; with so many
the meld of the “new” era and the servicing variables it’s hard to know where to start.
of these components. I however begin to The obvious is does the company have
get very selective about what I will take on a long and positive history in the audio
and service, modify or upgrade. There are community? How are the cosmetics?
so many manufactures both domestic and Does it look like it was stored in a nasty
foreign, many of the foreign imports have cold and damp environment? (watch out
a sketchy build quality and documentation for this) Does the seller have any history
SOPRA N02 is horrible. You have to twist my arm to get on the component you are interested in?
SOPRA N01 SOPRA N03 me to even consider looking at some of Is it in current or recent use or has it been
these components. There are some fine stored in a non-use state for many years?
MADE IN FRANCE
manufactures still left and while I will not (continued)
www.focal.com
USA • Distribution by Audio Plus Services — CANADA • Distribution by Plurison
20 TONE A U D I O NO.83 APRIL 2017 21
F EAT U R E F E ATU R E
A
New Releases
This year, in fact, may have
been one of Weller’s wildest.
Check that: Oddest. No doubt the
late 70s, when Weller and the Jam
toured with soon-to-be punk stal-
warts the Clash, were crazier. But
earlier in 2017, he released his first-
ever film score to the British movie
Jawbone, a work that follows a
former boxing star whose life has
sunk to near-irreversible lows.
Yet there’s perhaps another
legend in explanation for Weller’s under-
appreciated nature in the U.S. and
his homeland of England, Paul Weller
elsewhere. He has long zeroed
remains something of a cult hero in on tales of working-class Brit-
abroad. Perhaps it’s because he’s so ish life, fitting into a tradition that
extends from Ray Davies to Damon
hard to pin down. While best known Albarn. One of Weller’s cherished
for his work in the Jam and the Style albums remains 1995’s delicately
bluesy Stanley Road, named for his
Council—the former band a punk-rock
Paul Weller childhood street. A Kind Revolution
A Kind Revolution update on the rhythm & blues-inspired fits a similar mold, but has the state
Warner Bros. Records/Parlophone, LP or CD of global affairs on its mind. Far
rock of the Who and the latter a blue-
from a protest record, however, it
eyed soul act (please note: these are finds Weller digging deep to uncov-
extreme, Cliff’s Notes summaries of er his inner optimist and claiming a
celebratory, communal feel.
each group)—Weller has amassed a
“Woo Se Mama” opens with
rather thorough and off-center solo a slightly pessimistic verse about
career since the early 90s. His 13th modern stagnation but quickly
expands with a gospel-like chorus
proper solo effort, A Kind Revolution,
Yet the singer who once structures, the music dares beckon anyone in earshot to
subsided on a diet of caffeine listeners to travel down rabbit the dance floor. Acoustic gui-
and cocaine long ago trans- holes rife with metaphor, allu- tars, vibraphones, and strings
formed into a more complex sion, and surrealism. establish a candlelit mood on
artist who bears only pass- For all the ghosts haunting “Oriole,” which, akin to most
ing resemblance to the angry, the grooves, multiple songs link tracks here, moves less as an
antagonistic 28-year-old who to the Afghan Whigs’ past. The identifiable whole and more
sang “I’ve got a dick for a brain/ hard R&B rhythm that shrugs like a series of silhouettes.
And my brain is going to sell its shoulders, twists its hips, Shadows also play hide-and-
my ass to you.” The swagger, and shoots taunting glares seek throughout the beauti-
intensity, and passion never across the room on “Demon in ful “I Got Lost,” which swirls
disappeared. But Dulli devel- Profile” evokes the high-stakes akin to a slow ballroom dance
oped new ways of expressing drama of Black Love. The ballad and saunters out in a
himself—lyrically and musically. menacing grind and rigid bass fog of New Orleans horns,
Both facets surface throughout line steering “Copernicus” and wordless backing vocals, and
In Spades, the most texturally swiveling, slap-down funk of Spanish-sounding guitar.
expansive and structurally am- “Light as a Feather” recall the Dulli’s raw, vulnerable
bitious of any work under the deep R&B burn of 1965. Yet
T
vocal performance on “I Got
Afghan Whigs banner. even these compositions ven- Lost” mirrors an approach
The Afghan Whigs While the Afghan Whigs ture out further with revue-style he takes throughout most of
In Spades remain a functioning band and additions in the forms of scaled In Spades. He often seems
Sub Pop, LP or CD not just a vehicle for a Dulli side horns and, on the latter track, to sing from a distance, or
project, the vocalist continues a background gospel chorus. appear out of a hazy fever
to define the directions in which Tellingly, “Into the Floor,” the dream, fully exposed albeit
they’re heading. Here, atmo- song that most closely re- choosing to cede priority to
spherics and mysticism stand sembles the riff-based fare of the record’s mesmerizing
in place of guitars and bitter the collective’s earlier days, percussion sounds. “Toy
emotion. A majority of songs has been around for years as a Automatic,” the album’s
use piano as their foundation show-closing staple. It provides standout, proves an excep-
hese are not your parents’ Afghan Whigs. Nor should they be.
before branching outward, similar finality here, with the tion. Distinguished by an epic
Five years removed from reuniting, and three years after releasing grand distortion and gradual
leaving Dulli as the pilot behind melody, building horns, blue
its first album in 16 years, the band that began as hard-to-define the keyboard and microphone. decent functioning as a poi- notes, tribal drums, and a
Midwestern outliers on the Sub Pop label shortly after the end of Orchestral echoes connected gnant goodbye. bass line so strong it could
the Reagan Era continues to evolve on the eerie, subliminal-minded to the Twilight Singers—the Such cinematic produc- seemingly pull a tugboat, the
group Dulli fronted after the tion—nothing foreign to the song doubles as an emotional
In Spades. The sonic progression has been in effect since 1993’s
Afghan Whigs’ dissolution— Afghan Whigs—acts as a maelstrom. Dulli exists in his
Gentlemen—a masterful record that defined the group and led emerge on several tracks. Most bonding agent. A krautrock own zone, off into a mystic,
many to single out leader Greg Dulli by hyperboles related to dark- overtly, In Spades leans on edge initially flavors the pulsat- pushing his falsetto while also
ness, blame, and vitriol. For a time, Dulli lived up to such billing to jazz, chamber-pop, and mini- ing “Arabian Heights,” the slide reaching down for a nearly
malist soul threads long cher- its guitar and exotic electron- unrecognizable baritone. It’s
the extent he reveled in the mythological persona, sometimes to ished by the singer. Blowing up ics ultimately giving way to all feeling—and nothing else.
dangerous degrees. traditional verse-and-chorus insistent R&B patterns that (continued)
Reorchestrated
Audio Research introduced its first Reference Series components in 1995 with the intent of elevating the Ditto many of Dulli’s lyrics, another element different from
state-of-the-art to a new plateau, providing the most realistic and engaging musical experience possible. previous Afghan Whigs albums. Akin to a pulp writer, he distills
Those Reference products became iconic. Now, more than twenty years later, our singular goal remains. or cuts whole lines to one or two words, wielding imagery,
symbolism, surrealism, and suggestion rather than concrete
The new Reference 6 line-stage and the Reference Phono 3 phono preamp are the latest products that description or progressive narrative. Taken together, the
advance the art of music playback. songs construct a mortality-themed puzzle in which familiar
Dulli tropes—deceit, consequence, loss, sorrow, violence,
Here are just some of the latest advancements:
• Reengineered analog stage featuring six 6H30 tubes sabotage, heartbreak—serve as clues. The veiled techniques
• Larger power transformers and power supply primarily succeed because of the record’s spooked aura. Yet
• Proprietary coupling capacitors designed specifically for each product Dulli’s frankness—as well as the accenting and leading slide-
• Rigid, mass-loaded chassis for superior mechanical and electrical isolation guitar playing of original member Rick McCollum—is missed.
Halted deliveries on the syncopated, chamber-jazz experiment
Everything we have done is simply a means to an end, to provide an unparalleled listening experience so “Birdland” also seem misplaced.
real and engaging that you won’t want it to end.
“If I’m an animal/Let’s get a room real soon/And we’ll call
Visit your Audio Research dealer to understand - There is only One Reference® the supernatural,” Dulli broods on “Demon in Profile,” appear-
ing to revisit notions—desire, control, vice—pervasive in the
band’s career. But the lust to which he alludes isn’t erotic;
it’s cosmic. Better consult a Tarot reader or Ouija board: The
cards dealt on In Spades are seldom what they seem.
—Bob Gendron
H I G H D E F I N I T I O N®
S
vocals.
The album exits as quietly
Slowdive as it arrived, as “Falling Ashes”
Slowdive closes the eight-song work with
Dead Oceans, LP or CD twinkling pianos and splayed,
ambient atmospherics. Consider
“Slomo” and “Falling Ashes” the
equivalent of opening and end ©Photo by Ingrid Pop
credits of film. Slowdive aims
for such grand, cinematic-like Playing as much with shad- long orchestration, and a sur- the vocals like a magic carpet.
experiences. But what happens ing as it does with dynam- prisingly celebratory one at that. Even when the band slows
in between the bookends isn’t ics, Slowdive makes a valiant Chief songwriter Halstead digs down, as on “Sugar for the Pill,”
lowdive may have a sense of humor. Who knew? all a revival of the past, when case for the quintet’s status as beyond his Cure-like influences it does so with Nick Chaplin’s
Slowdive—and peers such as My guitar auteurs rather than genre to concoct a rushing cascade bass providing new-wave uplift
Little about the recently reunited British band Bloody Valentine and Ride—al- stalwarts. Times have changed, of guitars whose varying shades while guitars send out Morse
ternated moments of restrained and perhaps with the sample- border on psychedelic. Electron- code-like communications.
implies its members are jokesters. In sound
beauty with crushing noise, often everything mantra of modern ics hum and buzz as if revving Slowdive isn’t necessarily a re-
at least, Slowdive has been a serious delivering each with an urgency festivals and online playlists, up for some sort of lift-off, and imagining of the band’s halcyon
lot, where every note or reverberation is on par with the earth’s rotation. so, too, have attention spans. Scott Simon’s drums ensure days, but it does give the act a
Revered more in absence Slowdive adapted: Much of the the fuzz-drenched guitars never brighter-than-expected make-
treated with patience. Guitars and drums record possesses a directness
than during its active prime, stand still. It’s a good look. Ditto over. If the album doesn’t make
droned and drifted, and lyrics often mas- Slowdive has spent the past not always found in its first three the casual, swoon-like pace of anyone forget the 90s, it at least
two or three years since reunit- albums. “No Longer Making Time” and looks back through glasses
saged until they became abstract poetry.
ing pounding the festival circuit, That said, the second marathon-meets-slow-dance that are rose-tinted rather than
Loudness existed, but that, too, moved at a gla-
appearing at Pitchfork in Chicago through seventh songs on Slow- vibe of “Don’t Know Why,” where colored with nostalgia.
cial pace, almost as if the music walked in place. and FYF Fest in Los Angeles. dive meld into the other as if one Goswell’s deft vocals swoop over —Todd Martens
©Photo by poprockphotography
It later caught the attention of Chicago's long-run- Nail" comes on in the sassy tradition of Loretta
ning “insurgent country” label Bloodshot Records, Lynn's classic of domestic chaos "Don't Come
which reissued the album in hopes of finding it a Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)."
larger audience. It's a striking debut but not with-
Shook arrives without question as a gifted
out its flaws.
wordsmith, however, some of her arrangements
The great stuff first. Shook's scarred voice is lack nuance. Her backing band, the Disarmers,
a standout instrument—flat in the middle, crusty emerge as an appealingly unvarnished group, but
around the edges, and alternately dripping with the playing doesn't always match the distinctive
bravado and sadness. It echoes that of Exene power of the frontwoman's lyrics and voice. Too
Cervenka, the soulful and caterwauling singer of often, the group bangs out a typical bashy-crashy
Los Angeles post-punk band X and the country- alt-country racket behind her, the drums whack-
punk outfit the Knitters. On the title track, the ing out a fast boom-chicka-boom beat while
downcast storyteller sits at a bar and seems both boozy steel guitar licks careen around like stones
intrigued and wary of another patron shooting from a wobbly slingshot. It's a fun but predictable
sidelong glances her way. The moment captures style that wears thin on repeated listens.
the blowsy melodrama of a tavern full of damaged Minor caveats aside, Shook bows as an artist
drinkers. Shook's voice turns into a fascinating cry with something to say—and pipes that allow her
as she bends her words into a doleful pile of twist- to do so with panache. When she avoids the stan-
ed syllables. And for all her punk attitude and alt- dard alt-country rave-up sound, she has all the
country scruffiness, Shook also dives deep into a raw goods for serious Americana stardom.
well of traditional country. The darkly funny "The —Chrissie Dickinson
It’s a broad spectrum, actions to the one-time drum- as “only the armed or the funny
especially for someone whose mer for the woodsy and pas- make it out alive” don’t prevent
music is, on the surface, toral folk-pop group the Fleet the self-depreciative song from
rather genial, regularly recall- Foxes. Such divisiveness has wearing out its welcome.
ing breezy, Southern California existed from the start. Tillman It isn’t hard to see how Till-
folk with a hint of orchestral practically invited it, as his man quickly rose amid the indie
flourishes. Yet Tillman con- Father John Misty arrived on ranks, a genre that too often
founds, possessing a wit that the indie-rock landscape like prides itself on seriousness and
can garner a smirk as readily a comic-book creation. The perceived realness. All show-
as it can a roll of the eyes. On artist concocted his own origin biz, after all, claims a bit of arti-
Pure Comedy, Tillman’s third myth, claiming that—while fice. And Tillman, who has also
effort as Father John Misty, we cradled naked in a tree and worked with Beyoncé and Lady
meet a dying man who “checks under the influence of psyche- Gaga, embraces it. Yet much
his newsfeed to see what he’s delic drugs—he dreamed up of Pure Comedy feels rather
about to miss,” a sly nod to the idea to transform into the old-fashioned. As a singer, Till-
our twisted, ADD-inflicted age. cartoonishly named alter ego, man takes a stately approach,
Darker still is the line about one with a designation Tillman enunciating every syllable and
Swift, as Tillman imagines a regularly mocks for its absur- playing the straight man to his
near future in which a family dity. more sardonic lyrics. Musically,
man is “bedding” the pop star Rock n’ roll is built on such the universe of Pure Comedy
J
“every night inside the Oculus fables, be it Robert Johnson feels rather small, with string
Rift.” encountering the devil or Mick and horn arrangements that
Father John Misty Tillman on Pure Comedy Jagger and Keith Richards come across as more comple-
Pure Comedy shifts the lens, moving from meeting on a subway car. From mentary than grand in nature.
Sub Pop, 2LP or CD himself—or, more accurately, the get-go, Tillman understood “Ballad of a Dying Man”
a caricature of himself—to the the importance of crafting his boasts an acoustic guitar that
world at large. Pure Comedy own press narrative. Savvy, appears to slow as the song
osh Tillman—or, rather, Father John Misty—
provides a better look than yes, but also a bit of vaudeville unfolds, as well as a keyboard
just may be this generation’s answer to 2015’s I Love You, Honeybear, hucksterism, as if the whole that peppers the arrangement
Randy Newman, specializing in sarcastically which centers on one’s awk- persona doubles as a puppet with spacious, mournful tones.
detached social commentary with thought- ward and clumsy masculinity, whose strings Tillman can pull. The fading gentleman in the
where we encounter those who Credit Tillman for know- narrative doesn’t find peace,
fully acoustic arrangements. Or maybe he’s dress in “dust bowl chic” as ing the art of the performance, but instead continues to rail
a self-aware, know-it-all, borderline misogy- well as a dude upset his exes regularly bragging to report- against the “homophobes,
nist: A songwriter who dreams up char- don’t call when a family mem- ers about his use of LSD and hipsters, and one percent” not
ber dies. They are curious and concocting increasingly wordy to mention the “false feminists.”
acters who chide their girlfriends for their
colorful folks, but not people tunes. One on I Love You, Hon- There’s no empathy in this kiss-
vocabulary and think nasty thoughts about with which we’d want to spend eybear even came with a laugh off. The approach sets up a
Taylor Swift. time. Then again, Tillman rel- track. Another song on Pure musical-lyrical contrast Tillman
ishes the role of villain. Comedy pokes fun at the life of toys with throughout the al-
Audiences have very an artist for 14 minutes. Spoiler bum’s way-too-long 75-minute
strong—often, polarizing—re- alert: Clever observations such length. (continued)
3255 Brighton Henrietta Town Line Rd, Suite 202, Rochester, NY 14623
Ph (585) 216-5881 www.forefront-audio.com
40 TONE A U D I O NO.83
M U S I C MU SIC
C
From A Room: Volume 1 Yet as Stapleton again shows on
Mercury, LP or CD From A Room: Volume 1, the first of two
new records coming in 2017, he cannot
be pinned down to a single genre. The
singer who spun heads around after
hris Stapleton doesn’t seem duetting with Justin Timberlake on the
of this era. At a time when pop idol’s “Drink You Away” during a
modern country usually takes live television broadcast in 2015 con-
tinues here to draw from a deep well of
the form of glaring, formulaic
American music—blues, folk, country
pop appointed underlined with
and western, rock, soul—and comes
hackneyed cowboy-themed across at ease with all of it. From A
tropes, the singer-songwriter Room: Volume 1 reveals itself as the
pursues roots fare marked by rare album that feels impossibly effort-
no-frills simplicity and boots-on- less and almost too understated for its
the-ground realism. Stapleton’s own good.
fare chooses to take its time, The longest track, and lone cover,
ignore commercial pretense, and a desperation-laden rendition of Wil-
©Photo by Andy Barron
Nothing lingers. Not even the elec- ing the weather-beaten grit and nothing gets in the way. Record-
trified rattle that sends “Second outlaw toughness inherent in ed at RCA Studio A—from which
One to Know” out swinging doors material such as the rustic “Bro- the album takes its name—songs
via a stone-skipping Southern- ken Halos” and somber “Either use the room as an additional
rock riff that doubles as an un- Way.” The latter, a sparse acous- band member. Natural reverb
spoken invite among the band to tic reflection about a relationship and organic tones act as ac-
extend the groove with a jam ses- damaged past the point of any cents, just like the backwoods
sion. Similarly, the resigned mood feeling or concern, exposes the harmonica flavoring the swampy,
of “Death Row,” told from the per- emotional depth, soulful reach, pot-themed “Them Stems” and
spective of a protagonist awaiting and potent shading of Staple- pedal steel that gives “Up to No
his mortal fate, is left to echo off ton’s cavernous voice. Distin- Good Livin’” a slipperiness in line
bare, cold walls. Stapleton and guished with a drawl so big it with the past activities of its cen-
company close the lament with could be saddled and ridden, it is tral character.
a subdued walking rhythm that the primary instrument on From The lone occasion Stapleton
evokes a fateful march down a A Room: Volume 1 and a subtle falls short arrives on “Without
long hallway before everything weapon equally capable of high- Your Love,” buckled by thin lyr-
gradually fades to black. and-lonesome emptiness and ics and an adult-contemporary-
While most of his contem- apologetic sensitivity. No mat- leaning arrangement that recall
poraries favor excess and hit ter the mood or circumstance, Eric Clapton at his sappiest. It’s
listeners over the head, Staple- Stapleton’s deliveries crackle a hiccup on an album that puts
ton prizes the slow burn. Don’t with soulfulness and sincerity. He Stapleton in line with other Cobb-
mistake the smolder—or economy remains completely in tune with affiliated artists—namely, Jason
of scale—for plainness. Stapleton the temperature of the songs. Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and
and company’s offhand spareness Dave Cobb, the go-to pro- Jamey Johnson—to potentially
and outlaw toughness dovetail ducer in Nashville who helmed become the Highwaymen of their
with steady melodies, reinforc- the boards on Traveller, ensures generation. —Bob Gendron
A
home while working with Jen-
nings on his autobiography. Early percussion.
one morning, Kaye happened Many arrangements benefit
upon Colter at the piano. He was from subtle layering techniques.
Jessi Colter stunned at what he heard. She Some are quiet as a whisper,
The Psalms was improvising ecstatic music while others emerge as spirited as
Sony Legacy, CD and singing religious verses from a shout. Colter’s delivery remains
the Old Testament attributed to the backbone. Much like Patti
King David. Smith’s vocal timing, her phrasing
s a solo artist, Jessi Colter remains Kaye finally brought Colter to is instinctual. Untethered from the
New York in 2007 and recorded traditional arrangements of her
best known for her delicate and heart-
songs in two sessions in a Man- usual work, she enjoys freedom
breaking 1975 single “I’m Not Lisa.” hattan studio. The original tracks to experiment in new ways.
But her life and career have been feature Colter on vocals and piano, You don’t have to be among
and Kaye on electric and acoustic the faithful to be taken with
most deeply defined by her per-
guitar. He later augmented the ar- “Psalm 114 and the Mountains
sonal and artistic partnership with rangements with a variety of subtle Skip Like Rams,” a song that
instrumentation (tympani, harp, vibrates with mournful strings and
her late husband, the legendary
mandolin, violin, mellotron) cour- somber piano chords. Colter’s
country outlaw Waylon Jennings. tesy of numerous contributors—in- words, pulled from ancient texts,
At home, on the road, and on cluding producer and Bob Dylan echo with arresting imagery. Her
collaborator Al Kooper as well as a insistent voice trembles while she
stage, the two were bonded in cappella trio Black Sea Hotel. sings of hard rock turned into
marriage and music from their Given his penchant for work- springs of water.
nuptials in 1969 to Jennings’ ing with Patti Smith, with whom he Indeed, these songs
first made his name as a guitarist, frequently feel like miracles unto
death in 2002. it’s little wonder Kaye took to Col- themselves. It’s enough to turn a
ter’s soulful improvisations. And doubter into a true believer.
he seems the perfect producer to —Chrissie Dickinson
“Goose Snow Cone,” where feels like a retelling of remem- Her advice? Overdose instead.
certainly a long way removed from her
the protagonist obsesses over brances. “A living memory, a No doubt this is among the
2014 collaboration with Ted Leo, the
weather reports without ever vapor,” Mann sings in “Stuck in reasons why the term “tragi-
Both, which specializes in jokey and venturing much of anywhere. the Past,” where the acoustic comedy” exists.
high-energy takes on melodicism. In “Simple Fix,” a couple finds guitar embraces a lullaby lilt. —Todd Martens
odney Crowell
closes his new album with “Nashville
1972,” a first-person account of his
heady pre-fame days in Music City. It’s
a long-gone time and a place coated
Rodney Crowell
in a patina of booze, reefer, ambition,
Close Ties
and song. The lyrics are peppered with New West Records, LP or CD
at the ups and downs of Crowell’s Crowell reaches for honesty in his perceptive ob-
servations, whether writing about his early years, old
fascinating, turbulent life and the folks friends, past lovers, or aging. All the subjects make ap-
in his orbit. pearances on Close Ties, which concerns taking stock
of the past while finding a way forward into the future.
(continued)
“
Sneaks our era of 140 characters and pent- early 80s post-punk. But tossing
Y
It’s a Myth up emotions. around a name like Gang of Four,
Merge, LP or CD no doubt an influence, does little
The sonic backdrops prove
more direct. Beat-heavy with throb- good. Moolchan is punk without
bing, confrontational bass lines being fast, spare without being
and taut digital rhythms, It’s a Myth open, and angry without being
plays out like a modern lesson in aggressive.
repression. At any given point, the “Devo” feels flippant via its
ou think I can’t contain my rage?” record feels on the verge of explod- slow-marching menace—“I’m so
ing. But Moolchan keeps the fuse sure what I’ve been told and I
So asks Eva Moolchan, a.k.a.
lit and burning while never letting it don’t need it,” Moolchan sings—
Sneaks, midway through her debut go. While primarily relying on only while “Not My Combination” is
for esteemed indie imprint Merge two instruments—a bass and a all sonic murkiness and rattling
drum machine—she zooms in on taunts, the artist’s voice barely
Records. Whether the question should them both, as if trying to capture— above a whisper. Atmospheres
be perceived as a threat or whether if the not the sound—the emotion become brighter and more upbeat
of a static charge. “Inside Edition” on “PBNJ,” at least until Moolchan
it’s rhetorical remains hard to discern. begs the listener to stop staring at
takes us directly inside the circuitry,
The 10-song album from which the line with synth-like sounds bouncing off her. Then, in a few moments, it’s
A
The Mavericks
Brand New Day
Mono Mundo Recordings, LP or CD
56 TONE A U D I O NO.83
2015
M U S I C NEW
PRODUCT
After a string of well-received roll romantics Roy Orbison and Frank Sinatra during his Rat Pack
albums, the Mavericks called it Gene Pitney. A singular instru- heyday. Just try and resist “Easy
quits in 2004 before reuniting in ment, it’s capable of conveying As It Seems,” which conjures a
2012. Brand New Day arrives as great drama—particularly since vision of nightclub-goers shim-
the band’s first release on its own Malo doesn’t hold back when mying to bleating horns and a
independent label, Mono Mundo conditions demand it. finger-snapping beat.
Recordings. Since reforming, the You can hear soaring in all “A moonlight serenade/The
re-shuffled lineup features original its burnished glory on the title melody that’s played/Like memo-
members Raul Malo (lead vocals) track, which rises like a 1960s ries on parade,” Malo emotes on
and Paul Deakin (drums) along pop anthem by way of throbbing the quietly pulsating “I Think of
with Jerry Dale McFadden (key- bass lines and rumbling kettle- You.” Such lyrics draw from the
boards) and Eddie Perez (guitar). drums. He also knows how to parlance of an earlier pop age. N100H Caching Network Music Player
Supplemental musicians add ac- keep things subtle. The frontman But due to the band’s stylistic
cordion and horns. croons warmly on the enchant- ease with the material, the senti- · 2TB internal storage · Machined aluminum case; 3.0 inch AMOLED display
ing sing-along “Rolling Along,” a ment doesn’t come across as · 120GB SSD for caching playback · Gigabit Ethernet LAN Port for Network Connectivity
The gifted instrumental-
· Cached playback of internal and NAS music files · Aurender Conductor App controls a variety of
ists freely pull from a wide array bright accordion-inflected two- dated in any way.
· Clean USB audio class 2.0 output modes, including artist name, song title, etc,
of genres: Rockabilly, pre-rock step. In fact, the Mavericks sound · Full linear power supply including TIDAL lossless streaming
orchestral pop, rhythm & blues, The Mavericks may look to as fresh today as they did when
Cuban music, James Bond the past for inspiration and style, they debuted a couple decades Aurender comes with a dedicated Aurender Conductor App, hailed by reviewers worldwide, which has
Aurender App
soundtracks, and Tex-Mex riffs all but their retro sound never feels ago. The aptly titled Brand New been specially tuned for performance and convenience. The Aurender iPad and Android app has been
inform the set. Everything orbits musty or ironic. Instead, it revives Day heralds a fine new chapter developed with a huge music database in mind and exceptionally fast browsing/searching of your
favorite music. It's very intuitive and easy to use.
around Malo’s impressive pipes. the bravado, charm, and swing in the story of a forever-classy
His operatic voice recalls rock n’ that effortlessly flowed from band. —Chrissie Dickinson TIDAL Enjoy 25 million lossless CD quality music tracks with the world's best sounding Music Server. All Aurender
Servers and Players support the TIDAL service fully. You can easily play music from your NAS, on Aurender's
HDD or music from the TIDAL service using the same app.
T
feel abstract—more about the
sound and feeling than the mes-
Little Dragon
sage.
Season High
Loma Vista Records, LP or CD But that only tells half the
story. For instance, Prince-like
revelry peppers Season High,
especially on the album-opening This clash of worldly influ- Little Dragon sacrifices vital- angelic choir on “Should I” all the
“Celebrate.” Listen, and be ences, as well as warm analog ity and urgency when solely fo- while Erik Bodin’s drums rattle
prepared to move—no crystals reverberations, taps into the cusing on matters of the heart. like a back-alley ruckus. Nagano
needed. Conflicting impulses? utopian, anything-goes ethos of It’s not a misstep, per say, but brings a feather-light touch to
o promote the release of Season the strategy occasionally makes the warming ballad “Don’t Cry,”
Not entirely. Little Dragon has dance culture via arrangements
High, Little Dragon plan to stage increasingly striven for R&B-like that seem like they both cross for a more passive listening ex- where her vocals flutter like a
a couple of so-called “sound soulfulness when making adven- genres and leap over borders. perience. For instance, the band butterfly and the soft, tone-shift-
turous dance fare. The group’s Little Dragon’s sounds serve as never equals the out-of-the-gate ing soundscapes let the song
baths” in a Southern California
works feature a groove, yes, but an optimistic beacon arriving at a rush of “Celebrate,” resulting in unfold akin to an R&B standard
desert. The events, centered divisive moment in our collective an album whose second half in slow motion. Fredrik Källgren
aim to inspire reflection. “Cel-
around the Swedish act’s ap- ebrate” achieves this goal, with culture. A few concerned mo- is largely comprised of smaller, Wallin’s bass brings a club-like
pearance at the Coachella Valley unidentifiable instrumental flour- ments on the record also nod to more intimate moments. Conse- thump to “Strobe Light,” yet Little
ishes that like individual voices. the modern world. “The Pop Life” quently, the term “sound bath” Dragon peels away layers after
Music and Arts Festival, are becomes something of a mis- adding them. For all of the hi-fi
When the song launches with a brims with finger-snaps and shim-
essentially small, meditative- synthetic whistle that sounds just mying verses that beg for diva- sion rather than a trendy treat- circuitry coursing through the
like sessions devoted to what a tad Middle Eastern, Nagano like choreography, the approach ment that hippie hipsters receive songs, the band is actually after
mimics the notes, only to sec- contrasting with Nagano’s pleas in the desert. the heart at their center.
practitioners call “sound heal-
onds later cede the spotlight to for listeners to keep their eyes on Still, Season High works Perhaps the meditation and
ing.” Worth noting: They involve
what could be a robotic throat the bigger picture. “Watch the fall as an experience because of the crystals make sense. Season
crystals. singer. Call it a digital universe of our empire on the big screen,” its handcrafted nature. Håkan High is dance music with a con-
that comes off as human. she sings. Wirenstrand’s synths channel an science. —Todd Martens
Simaudio MOON
JOURNEYMAN AUDIOPHILE
A
Neo ACE All-In-One
Music Player
t TONEAudio,
Simply Add Speakers
we have enjoyed the opportunity to
By Rob Johnson
review many Simaudio components
over the years, including many of their
flagship pieces. Their latest NEO se-
ries delivers a lot of that expertise in
more compact components for the
music lover seeking great sound, but
lacking the room for a rack full of big-
iron gear.
I had anticipated a behemoth
landing on my doorstep, placed there
by a forklift. As it turns out, Simau-
dio packs all the musical magic into
a very modestly sized enclosure.
Weighing in at only 24 lbs (11Kg) the
unpacked ACE measures a shelf-
friendly 16.9" wide x 3.5" tall x 14.4"
deep. A choice of black or black/sil-
ver finish gives a prospective owner a
few options to help the ACE blend in
with their home décor. The small foot-
print belies the prowess and breadth
of capability ready to be unleashed.
Sources Galore resolution PCM files spanning 16-32 bit depth When connected to the internet, the ACE’s
After experiencing the ACE’s extensive source and 44.1-384kHz sampling rates. Those who app serves a few purposes. First, it can act
input options, the hard part is trying to discov- enjoy DSD files can appreciate the ACE’s abil- to control many of the ACE’s basic func-
er what it cannot accommodate! As one would ity to handle resolution up to DSD 256. With tions including volume, mute, and source
expect, the ACE features three sets of RCA all these input options, and high-resolution selection. Secondly, it offers integration
analog inputs on the back, and a 1/8" input capability the ACE comes with a high degree with the music already on your local net-
on the front for external devices. It also has an of future-proofing for those who enjoy their work. Finally, it makes Tidal and Spotify
MM phono stage on hand, so ACE is turntable digital music, and all the convenience it of- integration a snap. From the comfort of
ready. However, the many options for digital fers. your favorite listening seat, or from another
input reveal the real aces up the ACE’s sleeve. Internet ready, the ACE can be set up to room, MiND makes it easy to pick any
The ACE relies on the latest AptX Blue- receive music files over WiFi. I recommend song you long for, and enjoy! Admittedly,
tooth codec for the highest streaming quality using an Ethernet cable from your router di- I did use the phone app to play some fa-
from a paired phone or another device. A pair rectly into the ACE. In my network, the band- vorite tunes from bed one morning and
of optical inputs are flanked by a set of digi- width of an Ethernet connection is much fast- appreciated the convenience. Using the
tal coaxial inputs for further flexibility. For the er than its wireless counterpart, so I would MiND app is easy once you get used to it.
best possible sound, however, the USB input rather give music the biggest pipe available Of course, the app is not a requirement if
and the MiND streaming app give this MOON on its journey. a user prefers streaming Tidal, Spotify or
the chance to shine with digital playback. The Simaudio’s intelligent Network Device Roon directly to the ACE from a computer
USB input can feed the internal DAC with high- (MiND) app deserves special attention. or laptop. (continued)
Impressive performance capabilities, highlighted by its detailed high frequency resolution, incredible
transparency, powerful dynamics and remarkably deep bass extension make the X18 ideal for
small to medium sized rooms and simply one of the finest compact loudspeakers Dynaudio has
ever developed.
Start your engines the ACE makes source selection, solution is the most likely owner thing you would need to connect front row, might prefer another
volume, and other important play- scenario – and the biggest benefit is a turntable! solution. I prefer the sonic balance
Following the manual’s suggestions,
setup is very easy. However, there back details easy to read. Those of this component – so we enjoyed The ACE catalyzes effortless provided by the ACE. Uncomfort-
are a few nuances worth mentioning. wishing to use the ACE as part of the bulk of our testing using the soundstage width, depth, and able musical artifacts like sibi-
After connecting to the internet, be a home theater setup also benefit ACE as the heart of the system. height, which transcend the speak- lance, stridency, and glare never
sure to update the unit’s firmware, from pass-through capability. Out the gate, it is evident that er bodies. Especially on high-reso- enter into the equation.
and download the latest Simaudio Simaudio made a very conscious lution recordings, the front-to-back My reference Gamut RS3i
app in order get the most from your Super Sonics effort to ensure the sum of the layering of instruments and vocals speakers usually receive 250
system. Once complete, the ACE Using the ACE as a standalone parts results in an even greater as portrayed maintain distance watts per speaker with a Bur-
aces the rest of the setup process. preamplifier or headphone amp, whole. System synergy shines from one another, furthering the mester 911 Mk.3. However, the
The USB input from my Mac Mini I find myself very impressed with here, and by controlling all the de- convincing illusion of a real per- ACE’s 50 watts do a solid job
and all other attached sources iden- the sound produced. Each element coding and amplification in a single formance. The overall voice of the driving these speakers with au-
tified themselves in the source list transmits a neutral, clean, and en- box, Simaudio takes advantage of ACE is very natural. Those seeking thority and musicality. In addition,
without additional, fussy configura- gaging sound that remains enjoy- the opportunity to deliver stellar a very warm presentation or one the ACE is delivers low bass notes
tions.
able for hours of listening. However, sound with a minimum of exter- that accentuates each detail in a tightly and tunefully when mated
An OLED screen on the front of enjoying the ACE as an all-in-one nal devices. Pretty much the only recording as if they were in the with efficient speakers. (continued)
APRIL 2017 73
F EAT U R E F E ATU R E
JOURNEYMAN AUDIOPHILE
W
hile there certainly isn’t much I can add
to Rob’s enthusiasm for the ACE, I have
used it with an incredibly wide range of
different loudspeakers and concur that
there is precious little this integrated solution can’t
handle. Also worth mentioning is the built in MM
phonostage, which is excellent, and that’s what
makes the ACE an over the top component for me,
and why I chose it as one of our Products of the
Year for 2016. Much like a Volkswagen GTI, the
ACE’s strength is that it does everything incredibly
well – nothing is an afterthought. If this were just an
integrated amp and preamplifier for $3,400, it would
be more than worth every penny, but considering
it also offers a DAC, streamer, phonostage and
headphone amplifier – it truly is the audio bargain
of the century so far. You could spend double
or even triple this amount on power cords and
interconnects for five components!
Having spent a lot of time with Simaudio’s 700
and 800 series components, I’m floored at how
much of their design ethos was able to be put on a
single chassis at this price, yet that’s what being a
vertically integrated audio company like Simaudio
can bring to the table where many others relying on
outsourcing can’t. If you look closely, the casework
is not as exquisite as their top components, but it is
all still tastefully done.
So many friends and readers have asked me
for a great way to get into hifi in a meaningful way,
yet not one that will require raiding the kids college
fund. Find your favorite $1,000 - $5,000 pair of
speakers, buy a Simaudio ACE and enjoy. There
is no better solution for this price. l
www.simaudio.com
The subtext remains see Steve try to play it cool or Cliff’s band, Citizen Dick, for
clear: Avoid mom and dad’s Cliff lead Janet to believe her instance, has a signature song
mistakes. “My dad left home breasts are too small. Don’t in “Touch Me I’m Dick,” a not-
when I was eight,” Campbell be yourself, Singles seemed to so subtle reference to Mud-
Scott’s Steve Dunn soon tells say. Play a version of yourself. honey’s “Touch Me I’m Sick.”
us. “You know what he said While Singles isn’t a musi- (Worth noting: Citizen Dick’s
to me? Have fun, stay single. cal, it uses pop in an analo- music is played by Pearl Jam’s
I was eight.” And thus begins gous way. Characters latch Eddie Vedder, Stone Gos-
the film’s central drama: A fear onto albums and concerts as sard, and Jeff Ament. The
of commitment among those a fountain of youth, and the goofy, tossed-off rocker ap-
who desperately want to be alt-rock era—where albums pears for the first time on the
in a committed relationship. and bands were often pre- soundtrack’s deluxe edition.)
When Matt Dillon’s Cliff Ponci- sented in a manner in which When Steve and Linda first
er flat-out tells Bridget Fonda’s everyone was made to look flirt, they do so to the back-
Janet Livermore he’s seeing as if they weren’t trying too ing of Alice in Chains’ “It Ain’t
other people, she shrugs it off. hard—reflects the characters’ Like That,” a song not on the
“You don’t fool me.” central contradictions. Or, as soundtrack, and “Would?”
The hopelessly romantic Paul Westerberg sings in the The latter’s serious messag-
don’t fare any better. At a film’s consummate song: “Do I ing takes on new meaning in
concert, Steve finds himself hate you? Do I date you?” such a context. The predatory
smitten by Linda. They both Few moments in the bass becomes the thrill of the
dig Alice in Chains. He ap- soundtrack feel as jolly as hunt while the former tune be-
proaches her with a paragraph Westerberg’s “Dyslexic Heart,” comes a plea for acceptance:
of a pick-up line, explain- punctuated with a casual har- “See the cycle I’ve waited for/
ing he’s opting to be himself monica and melodically jangly It ain’t like that anymore.” The ©Photo Paul Westerberg by Lance Mercer
rather than adopt a persona. guitar. Earnest and wearing its churning guitars and spread-
Burned once too many times, heart on its sleeve, the song arm howls of each come There’s the inability to say the right thing in expansive rocker “Heart and Lungs” from
she doesn’t buy it. “Not having possesses a slight detach- across more aggressively than Chris Cornell’s “Seasons,” which possess a the little-known band Truly, featured in the
an act is your act,” she says. ment that allows its protago- typical rom-com fare, and rep- wild-west acoustic guitar. Then there’s the film but not on the original soundtrack.
nist to not get too close to the resent Singles’ unsentimental desire to simply wipe away bad times on
It’s the movie’s defining None of the material is revelatory, but the
object of his affection. One of sentimentality. Screaming Trees’ “Nearly Lost You,” where
line. Singles makes it difficult figuring-it-out tone of it all seems fitting—and
the song’s hooks—a chorus of the combination of instrumental swiftness
not to side with Linda. Steve’s As much as the documents a time when love and romance
“na na na na na”—essentially and embellishments leave little room for
best friend, after all, collects soundtrack is credited with officially strayed from predictable paths. You
finds the narrator skipping arguing.
numbers for the sake of col- solidifying the grunge era— can trace a direct line from the rudimentary
lecting numbers. Singles may away. and Crowe and his compa- A second disc on the new deluxe edi- and awkward video dating shown in Singles
not have intended as much, Music is Singles’ bonding triots certainly compiled a tion goes for a work-in-progress feel, with to today’s swipe left/swipe right approach.
but the film foreshadowed the agent. Characters romance smashing mix tape—taken live and acoustic renditions of songs, includ- After all, academics and psychologists
gamification of dating. Watch- while flipping through record with the film, it embodies ing rare Cornell tracks—an early version of repeatedly note people today are staying
ing the lives of Steve, Linda, collections and pausing on a prolonged adolescence. “Spoonman,” for instance—and a quieter single longer than they ever have. Tastes
Cliff, and Janet unfold was works from the Clash and Grunge here isn’t a youth instrumental take on Westerberg’s bouncy and songs may change, but maybe Singles
even detrimental to a young Jimi Hendrix. Music is also movement but a gateway to “Waiting for Somebody.” We also get a blue- was right: “We will always go out dancing.”
lovesick teen—whether we silly—the glue to adolescence. never-ending existentialism. sy, muted Mudhoney demo, and the dreamily —Todd Martens
The World’s
First Audiophile
Computer
B
Dell’s XPS 27
By Jeff Dorgay
Mu-so Qb
So far, so good. The Dell XPS
runs the applications I use a bit
snappier than my iMac Retina
does, and it has superior sonic
abilities. Add in the touch screen
and the only thing that wont seal COMPACT WIRELESS MUSIC SYSTEM
the deal for the most dedicated Unleash 300 watts of music from
Apple fans is the inability to a sound system smaller than a milk crate!
run Mac OS. After 30 years,
I’m thinking about switching
because this machine is that
good. The final exclamation point
on a phenomenal computer, is
the sheer human engineering
of this machine beyond the
touch screen. As an everyday
iMac user, I hate the way you
have to struggle every time an
SD memory card is inserted.
And that power button on the
iMac always seems to require
fiddling to get it the first time.
The XPS 27 puts the power
button and SD slot right on the
side of the casework, where
you can actually use the damn
thing. Finally, the articulated
base, lends the ability to fold the
XPS 27 way down to desk level
and let you type or draw on it
like a mega iPad. Not sure I’d
use this feature, but it suggests
possibilities.
We’ve never given a com-
puter one of our Exceptional
Value Awards, but the Dell XPS
27 makes so much more sheer
sense than an iMac, I’m com-
pelled. Using this machine is
pure joy. When was the last time
you said that about a computer?
manufacturer you
probably never heard of. R oy Gandy, the driving
force behind Rega’s audio
gear, has collaborated with
Until now.
Paul Messenger and Bill Phil-
pot to release a beautifully-
executed book about the
history of the company, its
Why does anyone start a loudspeaker company? venerable turntables, and the
team behind them. With over
Good question. Ignoring the obvious answer (because they’re nuts), it might just be because
300 pages of history and in-
they felt compelled to.
sights, this hardbound book is
Dali’s first designs were originally created for a Danish hifi store. This retailer a must for any Rega fan.
wasn’t entirely happy with the loudspeakers then availables, so they decided to
The tome offers seven
build their own.
chapters exploring various as-
You’re thinking what does a retailer know about manufacturing, right? pects of the company history,
Well, actually, quite a lot as it turns out. including some of Gandy’s
earliest inspirations for turn-
Three decades later, Dali are one of the world’s leading loudspeaker manufacturers, with a list
tables. Believe it or not, one
of international awards the envy of their industry, including several from EISA (The European
of the first turntables he stud-
Imaging and Sound Association), voted for by expert journalists from over 20 countries.
ied for possible design ideas
More importantly, European music lovers are huge fans too, which explains why Dali has sold came from a garbage heap!
over a million pairs of loudspeakers to date. From those humble roots,
Dali control every stage of the design & production process, while drivers, crossovers and the Rega’s continual innovations
cabinets themselves are engineered in-house. have led to some of the most
At Dali the company motto states, ‘In admiration of music.’ capable and cherished turn-
tables today.
And now you can discover why we think you’ll be hearing a lot more about Dali at one of our
network of carefully selected dealers. Of course, no book about
audio gear would be com-
plete without a lot of eye can-
dy too. Full page photos ex-
Stereo plore the fine details of audio
Lifestyle components, and other can-
Home Cinema did shots capture the people
Exclusive US distributors of : Certon Systems • Chord Company • Dali • PMC • Quadraspire • Rega • Wilson Benesch
APRIL 2017 89
TONE S T Y L E
Lume Cube
$79.99
www.lumecube.com
I
The Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless Phones
By Jeff Dorgay
Love em!
Considering the modest up-charge (from
$349 for standard cabled P7s) for having
your P7s un-tethered, is the easiest $49
you’ll ever spend in the pursuit of musical
enjoyment. And you can still use them with
the supplied cables if you want to. The
mix of superior sound quality provided by
the P7 Wireless phones, combined with
fanatic detail in implementation, right down
to the carrying case, more than qualifies
them for one of our Exceptional Value
Awards for 2017.
LS5/9 Jay Leno once said that there are two
types of car people, “wrench turners and
LS5/8 check writers.” I’ve often felt that there
are two types of headphone listeners,
“headphone collectors and music lovers.”
If you’re one of the former, you’ll have to
JAZZ &BLUES
Daylight Ghosts run a parallel course.
The celebrated New York pianist had a
stint playing with Roscoe Mitchell in the
early 00s, and the iconic saxophonist’s
“Jamaican Farewell” is rendered here as a
glowing grid of hushed group interaction.
It moves cautiously, respecting the deli-
cate nature of the composer’s design, but
always seems firm enough to sculpt the
chamber-music personality that ultimately
defines it. Tricky business, but the 47-year-
old Taborn is demonstrating himself to be
a musician whose presentations are often
as sage as not.
A few of the wily moves that shaped
the bandleader’s path illuminate the ac-
tion here. As a teen, Taborn absorbed the
subtle repetitions of techno and trance (as
well as the riff dynamics of prog metal),
and he currently paints an insightful sense
Craig Taborn of patterns and electronics into his own
S
Daylight Ghosts work. Elements of his seminal Junk Magic
ECM, CD album rear their heads on Daylight Ghosts.
The former remains a 2004 experiment
that conflates acoustic and electro sounds
ometimes the most mysterious into a grid of conspiratorial notions. This,
music proves the most fetching. Taborn’s third disc for ECM, finds the vir-
For decades, I’ve been beguiled by tuoso pianist leaning towards the acoustic
side, with he and drummer Dave King
Air’s “I’ll Be Right Here Waiting” and
intermittently deploying a plugged-in sensi-
John Carter’s “Karen on Monday” bility that enhances the action on multiple
because of the way they imply their levels.
emotion, letting it drift from the Each approach serves the core of
shadows rather than wax overt. The Taborn’s music: pulse. The pianist distills
former is a curt sax trio piece from a few parts of his process with the band.
1978, poetic in its storytelling; the King’s drums, Chris Speed’s reeds, and
latter is a quartet performance by Chris Lightcap’s bass lock in tightly. Their
the New Art Jazz Ensemble that improv choices yield to the invisible traf-
fic cop of Taborn’s compositions. “Aban-
©Photo by Claire Stefani
B
Four Ways wander away from the tempered scale, The “Cards for Yuganaut” signify
Nessa, CD typically, it’s to make the sound more where the instrument switching
human—more like the voice. reaches its peak, but there’s nothing
frantic about it.
Mitchell values restraint more than
freedom, looking to attune improvis- Each of the Yuganauts also
ers to his concepts. His partners were contributes a piece. Only in the final
efore the Art Ensemble of Chicago
ready. Like Mitchell (heard here on minute of Mann’s closing “Son War-
evolved out of his 60s quartet, soprano, alto, and flute), they switch ship” do we get a straight melody
saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell had his among various instruments—although, over a regular beat. The musicians
own compositional concepts. In as in the Art Ensemble, multi-instru- make you wait for it, but the release
mentalism is often more about en- is more effective for the long delay.
the polyglot Art Ensemble, amidst
semble color than virtuoso statements. “Avant-gardists” used to get
the Afro-percussion jams, military Besides electric piano and analog accused of having no sense of tra-
fanfares, and everything else, his synthesizer, Rush plays punctuating dition, so defenders duly pointed
pieces could be easy to spot. trombone and a few small instruments. to all the traditional elements they
He makes good use of the synth’s employed. By now we can also hear
His melodies might feature an austere, abstract pitch wheel, to get on Mitchell’s wave- how groundbreakers like Mitchell
quality, or jagged angles. Like other members of that length, literally. Yuganaut’s bassist and the Art Ensemble have added to
B
©Photo by Rob Sotemann
Jazz Passengers
Still Life with Trouble With echoes of Charles Mingus’ schemes through the decades, its moment in the sun. Bassist
Thirsty Ear, CD soulful uproar in the air, the wily the Passengers double as an idea Brad Jones’ “Gleis, Spoor, Bina-
septet kicks off Still Life with Trou- machine. Their origin dates back rio,” finds an itchy melody on top,
ble with a rowdy dose of trouble the downtown scene of the 80s, a but some kind of sideways rumba
and not a hint of still life. “Paris” milieu that prided itself on catholic on the bottom. The Passengers
may feature sinewy solos by violin- interests. How catholic? Fowlkes feature two drummers this time
oom! To celebrate the ist Sam Bardfeld, reed player Roy and Nathanson bumped into each out, with newcomer Ben Perowsky
camaraderie they’ve Nathanson, and vibraphonist Bill other playing “Beat It” for dancing joining founding member E.J. Ro-
developed over the Ware, but when it ends, the punch elephants while making ends meet driguez. The approach adds to the
past 30 years, the behind the swag is what’s most as members of the Big Apple Cir- oomph. With Ware’s vibes enhanc-
Jazz Passengers start memorable. You can almost hear cus Band. Whimsy has long been ing the percussion exchanges,
their new record by the song cackling as it strolls away, key to the Passengers’ aesthetic; a sense of lift-off abounds. The
confident you’ve been impressed. they’re one of the most entertaining blare of the trombone, the wail of
crashing out of the gatea with
Keeping things lively hasn’t groups around. Nathanson’s alto sax, the action of
a wallop of horns riding a big splash of rhythm.
ever been a problem for the band. Indeed, regardless of how bois- Bardfeld’s lines: polyphony has its
Yep, its members are getting on in years, With co-captains Nathanson and terous the interplay gets, whiffs of pleasures and, by giving everyone
but vigor unquestionably remains one of the trombonist Curtis Fowlkes brain- simplicity often scent the air. On a voice, it brokers an invitation that
celebrated NYC outfit’s most valuable assets. storming a wealth of contextual Still Life with Trouble, groove gets proves hard to resist. (continued)
The band’s skills at distillation are live/can’t afford to die” buffering Fowlkes’
on display in “Everyone’s a Jew,” a ditty ghostly falsetto. (Don’t miss the fun You-
that manages to reach from klezmer to Tube video for this one.) On “Everybody
Ornette Coleman. A flourish of sax squall Plays the Fool” (yes, the ’73 nugget by the
Pass Laboratories, 13395 New Airport Rd. Ste G., Auburn, CA 95602 - (530) 878-5350 - www.passlabs.com
110 TONE A U D I O NO.83 APRIL 2017 111
M U S I C MU SIC
D
(Available for direct purchase at willembreuker.com)
ecades ago, the Dutch got branded as the jokers of Breuker died in 2010 and now, Breuker liked to keep his play- echoes of the barrel organs that
two loyal aides, trombonist Ber- ers continuously busy. There are roll through Amsterdam’s open-air
international jazz and improvised music. Somehow,
nard Hunnekink and bass virtuoso catchy riffs and cross-riffs every- markets. (Another big influence:
Netherlanders could make serious music and keep a Arjen Gorter, have compiled an where, for massed saxes versus Ennio Morricone’s gangster-movie
little ironic distance from it at the same time—as if any 11-CD cigar-box-sized sampler brass. A self-taught composer and scores, with their unstable synco-
music had a preposterous flipside. No one did more to complete with a spiral-bound voracious listener, Breuker em- pated basslines.) A few minutes
book of commentary, credits and braced conspicuous and diverse before it’s over, you may feel like
create and promote such dualism than composer and photos. Most of its contents have you’ve heard it all already—Breuk-
influences. You can spot a few
bandleader Willem Breuker, whose more-or-less 10-piece been out before, but there are here, including Kurt Weill’s oom- er often let things run a shade too
Kollektief started charming audiences when it hit the three CDs of newly released ma- pah theater songs and Nino Rota’s long. He doesn’t mind repeat-
terial, three tracks from a never- circus marches for Fellini movies. ing the same effects in different
global circuit in the mid-1970s. WBK was a tight little big reissued American LP, and a 1980 The main melody’s jocular air, the combinations either. This is an
band playing accessible homespun melodies. But it also concert previously available on an comic percussion, the crack tim- anthology you want to sample, set
featured an aggressive side. It clearly came through in the obscure French release. ing, and the scripted wrong notes aside, and come back to later.
leader’s often-ferocious saxophone or bass clarinet solos, The opener, 1983’s 10-min- owe a debt to trickster bandleader Out of the Box serves less a
ute suite “Driebergen-Zeist,” is Spike Jones. There’s barbershop “best of” than an overview of the
which seemed to celebrate and trash squalling free-jazz
WBK music in microcosm. In the harmony from the band’s tightly Kollektief’s varied programming.
style at the same time—a tricky balancing act. first place, it teems with activity: voiced saxophone section, and (continued)
Introducing
PRESTIGE
™
SERIES
Respect for the original source.
The leader would sing a few old sentimental (Eng- Willem’s peasant dances there are particularly
For over 30 years, Paradigm has set the standard for
lish or Dutch) tunes in his shower-stall tenor. Add fine.
innovation and technology in loudspeaker manufacturing.
solo violin or a small string section, and the Kolle- The dying Breuker stipulated that the Kolle- The new Prestige™ Series builds on this history by combining
ktief becomes a pops orchestra, playing Weill, or ktief could only continue through 2012, and the new technologies with smart engineering, for astonishing
a gussied-up “Night and Day,” or the complete last two discs come from the group’s farewell performance at an incredible value. And Prestige™ is designed
“Rhapsody in Blue,” with the leader’s clarinet giv- tour. It helped focus attention on sidefolk who
and crafted right here in our Canadian facility.
ing it a klezmer accent. He wrote well for strings. didn’t always get their due—like pianist Henk
There’s a clean solo piece for classical violinist de Jonge, who could rocket from one style to
Visit paradigm.com to find your local Authorized Paradigm Dealer.
Vera Beths. Breuker liked visual shtick—he might, another in a solo like Jaki Byard with Mingus (an-
say, go into the audience to polish shoes—and other big Breuker influence); or Texas tenor and
on the live discs, outbursts of unexplained laugh- flute player Alex Coke, one of the band’s real jazz
ter surface. But the jokes are mostly audible. soloists; or one of Breuker’s last hires, Hermine
On a few tracks from a pre-Kollektief theater Duerloo, whose limber chromatic harmonica
band, you can hear his classic sound coming. added a fresh ensemble color and, who on alto
The keyboardist is Dutch composer Louis An- (like many WBK saxophonists), could play am-
driessen, whose love of chugging saxophones biguously serio-comic free-jazz solos like her old
traces to his Breuker collaborations. The box also boss. There’s some beautiful orchestrating by
includes the Kollektief’s complete score to Mur- Hunnekink, too.
Analog Amazement
9 9 5 : Sound That Won’t Break The Bank
By Jeff Dorgay
t
racking through an old MoFi favorite, Yes’ Close to the
Edge, via the nearly $60,000 combination of Grand Prix
Monaco 2.0 turntable, TriPlanar tonearm and Lyra Etna cartridge,
it’s hard to believe it’s all playing through a $995 phonostage.
The soundstage is massive, and the dynamics convincing, with a
great deal of fine detail. The musical presentation here is hardly
budget. After a long listening session, accompanying audiophile
pals are all left stunned.
Dusty Vawter, the man behind Channel Islands Audio has always
built first rate gear at reasonable prices, but he’s outdone himself on
the PEQ 1 MKII. At just $995, this tiny phonostage offers performance
way beyond what you might expect from the price tag, or the size of
the enclosure. Talking to Vawter on the phone, it’s clear he’s pulled
out all the stops on this one. “It’s super quiet,” he says in his typical
understated fashion. Handpicking some very special op amps and
meticulous attention to board layout is what gets the job done here.
Quality touches
are everywhere, from the
carefully machined chassis (quite a few
steps up from what CI has done on past products)
to the Cardas input and output jacks. The power supply
features Nichicon Muse capacitors along with Vishay 2%
polypropolyne caps in the signal path along with Takman
metal film resistors. This is the kind of stuff you see under
the hood of five-figure components.
All Business
What you don’t get is a huge chassis, an elaborate display,
and the ability to change settings from the comfort of your
listening chair. If you’re a music lover on a tight budget,
you want performance, not goodies and the PEQ delivers.
A bank of DIP switches on the back (CI even includes the
tool to set them – nice touch) give you 100, 1000, 10k and
47k loading options, along with 100pf, 270pf and 370pf
capacitance loading. Two more switches adjust gain for
MM(45db) and MC(60db). Finally, a subsonic filter is also
available. (continued)
AudiophileApartment.com Facebook.com/AudiophileApartment
audiophile
pressings Crowded House
Crowded House, Temple of Low Men,
Together Alone, Woodface, Afterglow
EMI, 180g LP
W hile some music elitists
view the late 1980s and
1990s as a dark period for
pop creativity, few can argue
with the well-crafted music
and intelligent lyrics produced
by Australia’s Crowded House. The foursome,
made up of Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mark Hart,
and Matt Sherrod, were both MTV darlings who
received major airplay as well as college-radio
favorites.
Handcrafted in Denmark
M
stunning small monitors that deliver big speaker
sound!”
cIntosh has knocked it out of the ballpark
Jeff Dorgay, Tone Audio - THE SHOW, Newport 2015
for hard core vinyl lovers with the MP1100. It
feature three, yes three inputs, all adjustable
“The (RS3) speaker proved so wonderfully as MM or MC with EQ settings for NAB, RIAA,
descriptive of the textures and timbres of acoustic
and electronic sounds that it was never anything AES and 78 all available. Rumble and scratch filters are
other than wholly captivating.” at the ready for those less than pristine records and if
John Bamford, HiFi news, 2014 that’s not enough, there is a high quality analog to digital
converter, rendering 24/96 or 24/192 files for you to rip
your favorite albums.
An all vacuum tube design, the MP1100 is fully
balanced with four 12AX7 tubes to do the heavy lifting.
Gain settings are 40db for MM and 64db for MC. Like
the C1100 we reviewed a while back, the MP1100 is
quiet, quiet, quiet. And of course, it has a pair of blue
meters! Watch for our review shortly.
-introducing-
“Remember when every NEW Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0 Turntable
album release was an event?”
$37,000
www.grandprixaudio.com
F
rom the mind of Israel had good luck with 86db/1-watt
Blume comes this mini speakers at modest volume
marvel. 8 glorious, single levels.
ended watts, viaa single Thanks to a tube compli-
EL34 tube per channel. Beautiful- ment of 2-EL-34s, 2-6SL7s and
ly clad in polished stainless steel, a 5U4GB rectifier, the Dynamo is
this 30 poundmasterpiece is a tube rollers dream. It sounds
what the doctor ordered for your great out of the box, but your
favorite high efficiency speaker favorite flavor of NOS tubes will
system. Thanks to the upgraded, sweeten the mix even further.
beefier power supply, we’ve even Do we sound excited? You bet.
W
e were super impressed with the mini Atoll Amp/Pre
combo their US importer, Audio Excellent sent us a
while back and have kept it as one of our favorite budget
reference components. The IN-100SE is part of their
Reference Series, topping out the range with 100 room
filling watts per channel.
With five inputs and an HT bypass, the IN-100SE is
a great building block to a two or multichannel system.
It’s beautifully built, with an emphasis on high quality
components and modest, but tasteful casework. And you
can add a DAC, streamer, or Phono board should you
want to expand. These French guys are on to something
great. Great sound and great value.
A Bargain for
Stellar Sound
B
By Rob Johnson
With a $799 price tag for purchase directly from Oppo’s website
( future proof +
benchmark performance +
superlative sound ) = Rossini
Lookin’ good
As with Oppo’s other products, the fit and finish
are at the top of their class, and you could easily
mistake them for components costing considerably
more. The black anodizing of our review sample Benchmark Superlative
Future Proof
complements a thick aluminum front faceplate. Performance Sound
Controls on that panel include both source selector
and volume knobs, plus an LCD screen between We are pioneers who are constantly Every dCS product must meet the When you listen to Rossini our state
developing new technologies to extraordinarily exacting standards of the art technology, manufacturing
them. These controls also serve to access the improve the quality of reproduced demanded by our military heritage. effort and rigorous testing combine
Oppo’s setup menu as an alternative to the remote’s sound. Our unique approach to As a result Rossini delivers levels to create a magical experience
product design means that Rossini of consistency and reliability like that perfectly recreates every last
controls. The only other elements gracing the emotional nuance of whatever
can anticipate and support new no other.
front are the standby button, and the blue LED formats and innovations in audio. music you choose to listen to.
accompanying it. While the default setting lights up
the LED when the unit is powered up, the LED can
also be turned off should the owner choose.
When you listen to Rossini from dCS you will believe
A heft of 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) confirms substantial
build quality and the large toroidal transformer that the world has stopped and there is…
within. With dimensions of 10" W x 3" H x 12.2"
deep (254 x 76 x 360 mm), the Oppo is placement
ONLY THE MUSIC
friendly and small enough to fit on a shelf or in a
multimedia cabinet. (continued)
Imported by Data Conversion Systems Americas Inc. Manufactured in the UK by Data Conversion Systems Ltd
136 TONE A U D I O NO.83 T +1 617 314 9296 Unit 1, Buckingway Business Park, Anderson Road, Swavesey, Cambridge, CB24 4AE
RE V I E W R E VIE W
The rear panel offers many options When using the optical or coaxial
for digital source inputs including optical, input, or when streaming music via an
coaxial, and USB. Sending the Oppo’s Ethernet or WiFi connection, bandwidth for
analog signal to an amplifier or preampli- large music files becomes the bottleneck,
fier, the owner has the choice of RCA and and maximum resolution takes a hit as
XLR outputs. Internally, the Sonica DAC one would expect. However, the SABRE
features a fully balanced architecture, so chip is certainly no slouch with streamed
the XLR connectors should inherently of- sources, capping out at 24-bit/192 kHz
fer a bit lower noise floor. Using the RCA PCM and DSD 64.
outputs may defeat the balanced topology,
but the single-ended connection option A preamp too?
sounds mighty good to my ears. If you With a variable output, meaning the Oppo
have balanced cables, use ‘em. If not, the has a volume control, those with a digital-
DAC is still very quiet. only system can use it as a preamplifier
connected directly to their favorite ampli-
Under the hood fier. For testing, we used the DAC in this
Under the hood, Oppo takes advantage of configuration to give the DAC the greatest
the latest ES9038PRO 32-bit HyperStream opportunity to sing and minimize the num-
DAC chip. Depending on the source mate- ber of components, which might contrib-
rial, the DAC offers different levels of maxi- ute their sonic footprint between source
mum resolution. When receiving music and speakers.
from a computer into its USB 2.0 input, the Those seeking maximum audio flexibil-
DAC shines with support for 768 kHz/32- ity, with the fewest possible wires, will also
bit PCM content, and DSD decoding up to appreciate Oppo DAC’s ability to integrate
22.5792 MHz (DSD512). Considering how with Oppo’s wireless Sonica speakers.
little music is available today with that level This makes multi-room speaker capability
of resolution, the Oppo offers quite a bit of along with the stereo pair in the main lis-
futureproofing. tening area a welcome feature. (continued)
martinlogan.com
T
– Jeff Dorgay
Digital to Analog Converter
MSRP: $799
Tea Party
The Conrad-Johnson TEA1 Series 2
B
By Jeff Dorgay
While some of you might freak out said “in 30 years you’ll have $40,000
at not having a plethora of choices, worth of C-J preamp and phono-
adjusting your TEA1s2, fear not; used stage on your rack,” I would have
with a broad range of MC cartridges raised an eyebrow in a Mr. Spock
that would normally be loaded at 100 kind of way. But here we are – and
to 500 ohms, we achieved excellent it’s awesome.
results with all of them. And that sec-
ond input with 54db, set to 47k is ab- Choices, choices, choices
solute perfection with the new Grado Most of the extensive listening ses-
Statement Series 2 moving iron car- sions were done with the conrad-
tridge, having an output of 1mv. johnson GAT2s2, which is one of my
With three other outstanding pho- three reference preamplifiers and the
nostages at my disposal from Audio conrad-johnson ACT2s2 preampli-
Research, Pass Labs and Simaudio, fier. (which has just returned to my
the comparison part of this review possession after duty at one of our
seemed more like a day test driving staffers and has worked flawlessly
high-performance sedans, with each for just over ten years now) These
having its character, yet all four be- were the first choice as they employ
ing capable of such incredible per- the same single-ended circuit topol-
formance. It’s hard not to be blown ogy and the obvious synergy exists.
away at how many fantastic choices While we can argue the single ended
analog lovers have at their disposal in versus balanced question until the
the year 2017. Thirty years ago, when next presidential election, C-J fa-
I was listening to a conrad-johnson vors the simplicity of a single ended
PV-1, (with onboard phono) if you circuit and it works brilliantly here.
would have whispered in my ear and (continued)
Though in the context of a mixed Other tubes might change the tonal
system, the TEA1s2 performs just as balance, but the stock tubes reveal
exemplary with the Pass XSPre, the more music.
Audio Research REF 6 and the slightly You’re a human being with free
more exotic Robert Koda K-10 pre- will, and if you just have to roll tubes,
amplifiers, though with the Koda only and want to buy a set or two of unob-
offering 6db of gain, I would suggest tanium, vintage NOS 12AX7s for your
pairing the higher gain of the s2. And TEA1s2, call my pal Kevin Deal at Up-
should you have the Koda K-10, it’s scale Audio, he’ll set you up. But don’t
champagne gold faceplate matches say I didn’t warn you. You don’t stay
the C-J so well, you would swear they in business for 40 years by rolling your
were made in the same factory. Much gear out the door with lousy tubes.
respect to both parties on this one. What I would suggest, should you buy
Few things have the potential of a TEA1s2 of your very own is to call
generating anxiety like the thought of the folks at conrad-johnson and order
a product comparison in the world of an extra set of tubes right now. While
high-end audio, and the term “shoot- it sounds like a lot of time, 5,000 –
out” even more so. I’d rather go to the 10,000 hours of listening goes faster
dentist than sit around with nerdy au- than you think if you’re a real vinyl en-
diophiles for an afternoon of comparing thusiast. Somehow when tubes fail (at
one product to another, to determine least for me), they always tend to do
a winner or a loser, proudly declaring it on Sunday morning, about 11 a.m.,
that the victor destroys, annihilates when I’m about to settle in for a relax-
or otherwise does harm to the other. ing day of listening. So be prepared,
However, there is a fundamentally dif- and remember, tube prices keep go-
ferent sonic signature to vacuum tube ing up, so it’s nice to lock in a set at
preamplifiers and those that are solid- today’s price.
state, and within the realm of the glow- Many think that the 6H30 tube
ing bottle, a few more subsets. that has been in vogue for over a
The fundamental difference with decade now is more dynamic than
the TEA1s2 is that it is built around the 12AX7. In some preamplifiers,
three 12AX7 tubes, which I happen to this tube does tend to have a slightly
be very fond of, but that’s personal. more punchy sound, which I attribute
The owner’s manual states that the to a bit higher level of tonal contrast
tubes in the TEA1s2 have been hand offered by the 6H30. However, the
picked for duty here and that no better TEA1s2 gives no quarter to the other
sound can be achieved by swapping designs in this respect, and much if
tubes. This is an argument for your fa- not all of this is attributed to the mas-
vorite audio forum, and I feel the same sive power supply in the TEA1s2. I’ve
way about tube comparisons. My seen power amplifiers not built as
experience with the TEA1s2 and my robustly. With a bevy of C-J’s propri-
Nagra VPS, also based on the 12AX7, etary CJD Teflon and Polypropylene
is that after trying many different varia- film capacitors in the power supply
tions, at the end of the day, I prefer and gain circuitry, there isn’t an elec-
the sound of the stock tubes best. trolytic to be found. (continued)
This provides a dual benefit. First, film Despite the urge to exhaust my a damn thing. The TEA1s2 falls pels with a brief test drive, but turntable, TriPlanar arm, and the
capacitors tend to have a longer life than adjective gland on the TEA1s2, the distinctly into this category. To this when a wide range of material delectable Lyra Etna cartridge,
electrolytics, and the Teflons offer a com- word “everything” keeps popping up. end, this review has taken longer is played, you realize that every- an audible picture is painted that
bination of smoothness, weight and high This phonostage has such a wonderful than it should have and I apologize. thing doesn’t sound that big. The must be experienced. All of the
resolution to the presentation that the combination of dynamic drive, tonal- TEA1s2 not only offers a refined subtle overtones and phrasing that
Tracking through the entire
electrolytics have a tough time matching. ity, and an exquisite rendering of fine sense of musical pace, instruments Fitzgerald is famous for engulfs the
Crowded House catalog for this
musical details and spatial cues, I can’t issues’ “Audiophile Pressings” col- and vocalists sound realistic from listening area.
A whole lotta listening imagine ever wanting more. Where it’s a physical size standpoint as well.
umn underlines everything about While a few of the big bucks
Regardless of phono cartridge used, the all too easy to get caught up on bells, This is perhaps one of the toughest
the TEA1s2. After listening to these phonostages have a somewhat ac-
TEA1s2 offers a combination of dynam- whistles, and adjustment, the TEA1s2 things for a high fidelity component
pop classics for decades, the centuated sonic palette, that grabs
ics, tonal clarity and tonal saturation that purely and simply delivers the sonic to reproduce. Flutes sound small,
comparisons between the original you for a few cuts; the TEA1s2
you just don’t get out of phonostages goods in a way that few phonostages and trumpets sound large, as they
pressings and the newly remas- keeps you in the chair for hours.
beneath this level. A quick comparison do at any price. should.
to a handful of phonostages on hand, all tered versions is a breeze through Much like the Grand Prix table now
squarely in the $3,000 - $8,000 range The toughest part of reviewing the the C-J, and it reveals so much Earlier listening sessions with in for review, the balance of reso-
proves the C-J to be light years ahead of world’s finest components is that they more subtlety, it’s flabbergasting. jazz chanteuse Ella Fitzgerald is lution, subtlety, and smoothness
lesser designs in every way, and worth do such a fantastic job at disappearing The soundstage rendered by the equally beguiling. Ms. Fitzgerald’s is spot on. Listening to acoustic
every penny asked. The C-J motto has and not calling any attention to them- TEA1s2 is room filling, yet seam- creamy voice tends to sound fat images, regardless of your choice
always been “It just sounds right,” and selves, it’s easy to just ease back into less, and not overblown. Some and non-dimensional on a lesser convinces thoroughly. Pianos,
truer words were never spoken concern- the listening chair, only to realize hours phonostages fool you with a larger phonostage, yet here, via the violins and acoustic guitars sound
ing the TEA1s2 phonostage. have gone by and you haven’t written than life presentation, which com- Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0 real. (continued)
There is a tonal purity that the TEA1s2 achieves that The conrad-johnson
even my $60,000 Pass can’t quite touch, though TEA1 Series 2 Phonostage
the Pass has the last bit of quietness and sheer
slam that the C-J is incapable of. It’s a hair-splitting
MSRP: $15,000
W e know. Sorting through the jungle that is pre-owned hi-fi gear
can be tough. Myriad Internet forums and online shopping sites just
MANUFACTUER
game with mega phonostages. don’t offer the expertise required to make sound decisions.
conrad-johnson design, inc.
Decades ago, conrad-johnson got a reputa- That’s where Echo Audio comes in. We have more than 20 years
tion for building highly musical components and CONTACT of retail experience in selling hi-fi equipment the way it should be
for about fifteen years too long were accused of www.conradjohnson.com sold: In a brick-and-mortar environment that provides you with
achieving that goal because of an overly warm tonal personalized attention.
PERIPHERALS
balance. Ever since they removed the electrolytic While we will certainly ship any of our gently used classics directly
Analog sources
capacitors from the power supply and began imple- to your door, we invite you to stop by our shop in beautiful
Grand Prix Monaco 2.0 turntable/
menting their CJD Design Teflon caps throughout, downtown Portland, Oregon to browse our inventory in person.
Triplanar arm/Lyra Etna Brinkmann
it’s been a different ball game. All the midrange Thanks to an in-house service department, we not only service
Bardo turntable/Brinkmann 10.1
delicacy that they built a company on is still there, everything we sell, but every piece of used gear is thoroughly
arm/Koetsu Onyx Platinum, Grado
yet today’s C-J components have the punch, clarity, checked before being put on display. Consider our white-gloves
Statement 2, Ortofon Cadenza Black
and extension of the world’s finest. It’s no coinci- treatment your guarantee against potential problems.
Preamplifiers
dence that many of their components are in a dis- So, when you are looking for high-quality, lightly used hi-fi gear,
conrad-johnson GAT2 s2, Pass XSPre,
proportionately high amount of “world’s best,” “edi- look no further than Echo Audio. Be sure to check out our Web site
Audio Research REF 6
tor’s choice” and “product of the year” lists. for current products and new arrivals.
Power amplifier
)))
On a personal note, I credit conrad-johnson
Pass XS300 monoblocks
echo
components for not only providing me with decades
of listening enjoyment but for making up the core of Speakers GamuT RS5i, Focal Sopra
no.3, MartinLogan Neolith
the reference system that I built TONEAudio upon. I audio
give the TEA1s2 my highest personal recommenda- Cable Cardas Clear, Tellurium Q,
www.echohifi.com 888.248.echo
tion – I feel it is one of the best available. l Black Diamond
D
find ourselves twenty years
downstream.
an D’Agostino Master Audio has For those unaware, Dan
D’Agostino Master Audio is
been on the scene since 2010, but
not Krell by another moni-
founder D’Agostino is no newcomer ker. D’Agostino approached
to high-end audio. After leaving these new designs with a
clean sheet of paper, com-
Krell Industries, the company he bining his vast engineering
founded in 1981, D’Agostino found knowledge and cost no ob-
ject mentality. My first expe-
himself unshackled, free to create the
rience with the Momentum
components he had been contemplating integrated amplifier over two
years ago forced me to reca-
for some time. The Momentum mono amplifiers, his
librate my expectations and
first offering in 2011 was a first shot firing across the get to know Dan’s current
bow of the audio industry, letting everyone concerned work with fresh ears. Faster,
cleaner, less colored, more
know that he was still very much in the game. The accurately rendered timbre
Momentum Stereo followed, and it was equally and a completely grain free
top end are only a couple
impressive, receiving an enthusiastic review at this
of virtues that make an im-
magazine as well as others round the world. pression upon first listen.
Clearly, these designs are an
entirely fresh take and a new
level of achievement for Dan
D’Agostino.
Though D’Agostino designed a level where the stereo preamp EQ curves, selectable via a front-
more than one phonostage for can take over. panel knob. A push button for
Krell, it wasn’t what they were This juggling act requires +/- 6db of additional gain and
known for. Analog was in a death a wide range of loading options “Brinkmann’s Bardo Turntable and 10.0 Tonearm are essential
a deft touch to get right, and a
spiral at the time, and very few “me too” solution merely would for each channel are all at your reference tools in my evaluation of test pressings. They simply
manufacturers were eager to not suffice for one of high-end fingertips via the front panel. All let more of the music through.”
invest resources into what was audio’s founders. The resulting this adds up to the Momentum
then a dying medium. What’s old phono stage being perhaps the –Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering Studios
Dan D’Agostino Master Audio
is new again and analog has mi- Momentum phonostage is not, I most serious piece of audio gear
raculously risen from the grave. repeat, not for the fair-weathered I have ever reviewed.
D’Agostino has taken his take no hobbyist or faint of heart. (or wal- I will confess I’m a relative
prisoners approach to develop- let) The Momentum phono stage, newbie when it comes to col-
ing a full function state of the art at $28,000 MSRP, is capable of lecting vinyl yet I have managed
phonostage. That challenge is al- hosting four tonearm/cartridges, to assemble a respectable front
ways about offering outer space two MC cartridges, two MM car- end in the form of the Triangle
silence while providing enough tridges each with their own load- Art Signature turntable, Osiris
gain to boost the minute signals ing options and selectable RIAA, tonearm, and an Ortofon Caden-
transferred from the cartridge to FFRR, RCA, Columbia, and DGG za Black cartridge. (continued)
Brinkmann-USA.com
"The World's Finest Turntables…and more!"
164 TONE A U D I O NO.83
RE V I E W R E VIE W
T
The D’Agostino
Master Audio
hough I have only heard the Momentum phonostage Momentum Phonostage
(to excellent result, I might add) in dealer showrooms, MSRP: $28,000
what turns this guy with ten turntables on is it’s flex-
ibility. I agree with Mr. Petan wholeheartedly about the
sound of the D’Agostino components. I’ve always been MANUFACTURER
impressed and if I had to characterize the sound, I’d Dan D’Agostino Master
call it slightly warmer than Burmester, but slightly less Audio Systems
warm than Pass Labs. A subtle shad of grey, but I hope
that gives you an idea. CONTACT
Four inputs. They had me in the D’Agostino booth www.dandagostino.com
when this beauty was introduced. The more you get
involved in analog, the more you know one turntable, PERIPHERALS
cartridge and tonearm isn’t going to do the trick. The Analog Source
wider the range of your record collection, the more Triangle Art Signature/Osiris
you need one transducer to get the job done. Not only Arm/Ortofon Cadenza Black
does the Momentum phonostage give you four options,
Preamplifier
they are all preset and stored on the front panel.
Pass Labs XP-25
Offering a wider range of loading and capacitance
Power Amplifier
options than any phonostage I’ve ever seen, their
Pass Labs XA200.8
can’t be a cartridge that this baby can not accom-
modate. And that’s super cool as your turntable and Cable MIT
cartridge collection grows. It’s also worth mentioning
that the Momentum phonostage has the best instruc-
tion manual I’ve ever seen with a phonostage. It talks
you through all of the aspects of gain, loading and ca-
pacitance settings clearly and concisely. A big help as
your enthusiasm expands your turntable collection, and
even if you think you know all this stuff, a little refresher
doesn’t hurt. I’ve seen way too many five and six figure
components that fail epically at this. Hats off to team
D’Agostino for including it.
In the realm of mega phonostages, I’ll even go as
far to say that if you have more than one turntable (and
especially if you have three or four active tonearm/
cartridge combinations), I agree with Greg that the
Momentum is a bargain. My only nit to pick is a single
ground lug. That gets crowded with four tonearms re-
garding physical proximity. As for everything else, it’s a
beauty. And the separate DC power supply reminds me
of the one that came with my Krell PAM-5 preamp –
which had a damn good phonostage built in. l
Brooklyn Beauty
The Statement 1 a few years later
proved a tremendous improvement in
performance. We try not to exhaust
our adjective glands here, but the
more music any component can reveal
I
Keeping that bias, if you will, in mind,
By Jeff Dorgay
the Statement 1 improved on all the
original Statments pluses without any
loss of that musical magic. Now a much
t’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Grado
better tracker, the Statement 1 also
Labs. This Brooklyn company, possibly brought more extension at both ends of
even better known for their diverse crop of the frequency spectrum. What started
as a damn good bargain for $3,500 was
headphones has been making incredible now a world class cartridge for $3,500.
phono cartridges for decades now. All the Grado has kept the price the same
way down to their entry level cartridges, and doubled the performance of the
Statement 2. Still, the incredibly rich
Grado stands for high performance and tonal character of this transducer
supreme value. remains intact, yet the level of extension
and refinement is mind blowing for a
When the original Statement made its $3,500 cartridge. That’s American know
way here about 8 years ago, it’s combination how, and it doesn’t hurt to have over
five decades of experience on your
of midrange warmth and sheer musicality resume.
won over everyone that experienced it. On
Zooms through the grooves
many levels the original Grado Statement
This is made instantly clear spinning the
had outdone the revered Koetsu in my Windham Hill classic, Michael Hedges
cartridge collection in the magic department. Aerial Boundaries. The quick paced,
plucky, dynamic style that was uniquely
Realizing that “magic” is a pretty tough thing
Hedges’ explodes from between my
to quantify, the Statement’s ability to breathe speakers. While accentuating the differ-
ent characteristics of the phonostages
life into well worn recordings was tough to
used for this review (Pass Labs XS Pho-
argue with. The only fault with the original no, Audio Research REF Phono 3 and
Statement was its moderate tracking ability conrad-johnson TEA 1s2) the Statement
2 keeps its own personality no matter
– it just couldn’t negotiate the most difficult what it’s plugged into. Regardless of
records in my collection without a bit of what phonostage you posess, rest as-
sured that the Statement 2 will not be
mistracking.
the limiting factor. (continued)
Making use of four coils, this all and on some levels bests Whatever the exact stylus
moving iron design has a lower them. It’s my new choice as the profile it is that the Statement
moving mass than even the most daily driver high performance 2 has, it seems to hug the
delicate moving coil cartridge. cartridge, and the synergy with grooves better than most that
This results in the killer transient my Audio Research REF Phono 3 I’ve auditioned. Again, the extra
response experienced with even is out of this world good. I’d put tracking ability of this cartridge
the most complex musical piec- that combination up against any- over its predecessor is a wel-
es. It also helps the Statement thing at any price. You can spend come upgrade.
2 extract more music from the $15k on an Atlas or a Goldfinger.
Where some cartridges can
mediocre records in your collec- I’ll pocket the difference and
sound either flat or overblown,
tion as well, making it a better take a nice vacation instead. The
regardless of musical selec-
choice as a “do everything” car- Statement 2 kicks that much ass,
tion, classical pieces sound as
tridge. Where some ultra high- seriously.
big as required, yet even the
end cartridges narrow their focus most delicate string ensemble
so much, they only sound lovely Easy setup
recordings retain their lightness,
with your best recordings, the As with past models, the State- the Statement 2 serves the mu-
Grado Statement 2 allows all the ment 2 is very easy to set up. sic totally, never really impart-
records in your collection to give Using the Feickert Protractor, ing a signature sound. Where
their best. along with a bit of listening, I my favorite Koetsu cartridges
Ironically, the Statement 2 had the Statement 2 optimized tend to round the fine details
joins a few of the other com- in about 20 minutes and I was off, ever so slightly, like a great
ponents reviewed this issue in being fussy. Grado suggests a tube amplifier from the 60s, the
terms of providing a high level of range of tracking force of 1.5 to Statement 2 does a better job
balance in the performance that 1.9 grams and I found happiness at providing a high level of tonal
it delivers. No one aspect of per- on the Ortofon TA_110 tonearm saturation while retaining tonal
formance is compromised over closer to 1.9 grams and about contrast and the most minute
another. Hand cured wood body 1.7 on the new TriPlanar. (another details. The result is an incred-
notwithstanding, if the State- splendid match for this cartridge) ibly lively presentation overall.
ment 2 were an automobile, it Because of the Moving Iron Both ends of the frequency
would be a new Corvette Z06. design, this cartridge is loaded spectrum are equally intoxicat-
You could spend three times at 47k ohms and with the 1mv ing. Whether tracking through
more money for a Ferrari or an output, you can use it with a lot Jaco Pastorius ripping up the
Aston Martin and you would get of phonostages that might only fretless neck of his instrument,
more prestige. You might even be considered MM, giving it more Stanley Clarke playing a stand-
get more looks from the valet flexibility than you might think. up bass, or Deadmau5 scratch-
parking your car. But in terms of With the ARC REF Phono 3, the ing, this cartridge has a power-
sheer performance, the mighty low gain setting worked fine, as ful lower end. The top end is
Corvette leaves nothing on the with the Pass XS Phono. just as exciting, with acoustic
table to its much more expensive
instruments sounding natural
European rivals. Dynamic and quiet and correct, yet Lou Reed’s
The same can be said for the Looking back on my listening Metal Machine Music keeps it’s
Statement 2. I’ve got a handful notes over a few months’ time, composure without grating into
of five figure phono cartridges. there are a lot of comments your skull, as it can on a car-
The Statement 2 runs with them on how quiet this cartridge is. tridge less refined. (continued)
Does it all
With premium phono car-
tridges costing more than used
BMW’s these days, if you can
even get one, it’s refreshing
to see Grado holding the line
on the price of the Statement
2. This is a no compromise
cartridge that is so reason-
ably priced it begs for one of
our Exceptional Value Awards
for 2017. There is no reason to
spend more money than this
on a top phono cartridge. I give
the Statement 2 my highest
recommendation. l
MANUFACTURER
Grado Labs
CONTACT
www.gradolabs.com
PERIPHERALS
Turntables
Feickert Blackbird with Ortofon
“In the end, everything is subjective, but in my humble opinion there is no TA-110 arm and TriPlanar
better brand out there for innovative design, military spec like build quality Phonostage
and outstanding sound performance. In this case, if you also consider the Pass XS Phono, Audio
astonishing value realized when compared to the best, we have something Research REF Phono 3
very very special.” Preamp
Pass XS Pre
Robert S. Youman Power Amp
Pass XS 300 Monoblocks
INT-60 Review Cable
Positive-Feedback Issue 79 Cardas Clear
Speakers
Focal Sopra no.3, MartinLogan
Neolith, Sonus faber El
Pass Laboratories Cremonese, Quad 2812
13395 New Airport Rd. Ste G., Auburn, CA 95602
(530) 878-5350 - www.passlabs.com
Esoteric F-07
Integrated
An Exciting Destination
H
By Jeff Dorgay
backlit front panel all declare quality, high quality. If that doesn’t
1-310-534-9900 THESOURCEAV.COM
Scott Sefton had to recall the DAC
board, leaving the trusty Gryphon
Kalliope ($32,000) DAC in its place.
(continued)
I’d be lying if I didn’t say The rear panel has all the
that the Gryphon offers bet- inputs and outputs equally dis-
ter digital performance, but tributed, with four single-ended
the bigger picture is how RCA and one balanced XLR
well the F-07 responds, line level inputs. Considering
revealing a proportion- that you already have an on
ate increase in resolution. board phono and the potential
A large slice of high-end for a built-in DAC, the F-07
audio heaven is yours with should be able to handle any
the F-07s internal DAC, but compliment of ancillary com-
should the urge to upgrade ponent you might have. In the
still beckon, it has more best tradition of Japanese in-
than enough performance tegrateds past, there are even
to keep you happy. Maybe two speaker outputs.
the Esoteric K-07 SACD Last but not least, a head-
player? phone amplifier is included
for those desiring personal
In the Eyes of the listening sessions. Auditioning
Beholder a modest cache of phones’
Excellent as the audio per- from Oppo, Audeze, B&W
formance of the F-07 is, the and Grado shows that like the
level of human engineering phonostage, the headphone
on this product is equally section is not an afterthought,
great; it’s an incredibly easy either. No matter what set
integrated to live with and was chosen, the F-07 deliv-
use day to day. The controls ers a large soundstage along
are well distributed on the with the ability to control the
front panel, with input and presentation. Bass generated
volume controls larger than was excellent, the deep bass
the rest to command atten- line in Prince’s “Here on Earth,”
tion and secondary controls indeed impressive, with force
at the ready. And yes, it and control.
has a pair of tone controls
that work incredibly well, Is it the one for you?
only giving a gentle nudge Whether you are a seasoned
to the opposite ends of the audio enthusiast, that is per-
frequency spectrum. (+/- haps downsizing and would
12db @ 63hz and 14khz, like to have the sound and
respectively) I found these functionality of a big stack of
very helpful with records components in a more reason-
featuring less than optimally able sized enclosure, or the
mastered. Audiophile pur- music lover moving from a ba-
ists can grouse about tone sic system, wanting to achieve
controls all they like, I’m en- the same objective, the F-07
joying the ones on the F-07. is a winner. (continued)
“Better than some speakers I’ve heard that cost 20 times as much.”
–Jeff Dorgay, TONEAudio
The Treo ($6,900/pr.) is a modern-day version of the Model 2 that’s beautiful to look at, but
over-engineered to be as silent as the enclosures of today’s most exotic super speakers
regardless of cost. Having the privilege of listen- in the balance it offers. All of The Esoteric F-07
ing to the world’s finest com- the components compliment Integrated Amplifier
“My new reference speakers.” –Anthony Cordesman, The Absolute Sound
ponents daily, I must admit to each other and offer an equal $7,500, Op-DAC-1 DAC
The Model 5A Carbon at $29,900/pr. features an advanced carbon tweeter and the patented looking at the F-07 after a full level of performance, but the board $1,100 additional
Perfect-Piston™ carbon midrange from the Model Seven Mk II, plus BIG powered bass
with a 400-watt powered subwoofer with 11-band room EQ. day of listening, asking my- F-07 offers more in every way.
self, “could I just take this, a I’m buying the review sample
“Unbeatable powered bass.” –Michael Fremer, Stereophile MANUFACTURER
turntable and one good pair myself.
Esoteric
The Model Seven Mk II ($62,000/pr.) of speakers and call it a day?” The final note on the F-07
Advanced Cabinet-Within-A-Cabinet Construction
is the ultimate expression of Richard The answer to that question is CONTACT
Renders Enclosure As Inert & Sonically Invisible
Vandersteen’s design philosophies, a comes in the heritage behind
As Exotic Speakers Costing 10X More
yes. www.esoteric-usa.com
radically advanced take on long held the company. With TEAC be-
design tenets. While other expensive speakers are seemingly “redesigned” every
couple of years to turn new sales, the Seven has been in production continually
Everyone wants something ing the parent company, the
since 2009 and updated just once. Model Seven owners can upgrade to Mk II different from their hi-fi sys- build quality is fantastic, and PERIPHERALS
status so our best customers aren’t left behind. The Seven’s legacy of Best of
tem. And yes, there is more there is a world-wide dealer
Show awards over the years is legend, and the Mk II earned four such designations Turntable Soulines
in its first year. Yes, a super speaker in every sense of the word, designed and built to performance to be had from and service network in place
last.
Kubrick HDX, Rega
Esoteric’s flagship components. to assure support. This is as
RB1000, Gold Note
Buy Vandersteen, Leave “Upgrade-Itis” Behind. When all of the information from But I am a human being valuing good as it gets. I suspect
Macchiavelli
the amplifier is faithfully retrieved, especially in the crucial time domain, you hear balance above everything else. those buying an F-07 of their
that something is missing. That something is the Speakers GamuT RS5i,
Dual 8,” 300-Watt Powered Subwoofers
distortion of the original signal that leads to the
I’d rather have a new Miata own, will plug it in, turn it on,
w/11-Band Room EQ In Each Speaker
than a Maserati. If that balance and just enjoy great music for Focal Sopra no.3, Quad
For Perfect Bass in Virtually Any Room inevitable feeling audiophiles experience called
“upgrade-itis.” Yes, moving up the Vandersteen is your preference as well, I years, if not decades. I am 2812, Graham LS5/9
line always offers more performance and ever greater musical pleasure, as will
any other true upgrade to your system. But owning Vandersteens and upgrading can’t suggest the Esoteric F-07 more than happy to award this Cable Cardas Clear
because you love the way your music sounds is so much better than swapping highly enough. Much for all the amplifier one of our Excep-
out your gear because you can’t stand the way your music sounds. Power Equi=Core 1200
same reasons I love the Simau- tional Value Awards for 2017
Vandersteen's Quatro Wood CT at $13,900/pr. dio ACE integrated at $3,400; – it embodies all the values we
is a real-world super speaker. It’s loaded with the F-07 is a similar component hold true at TONEAudio. l
Vandersteen’s most meaningful technologies
including powered bass with room EQ for “perfect 40th Anniversary
bass in virtually any room,” Vandersteen’s patented vandersteen.com • 559-582-0324
aerodynamic midrange, a naturally airy Carbon Made in the U.S.A. Contact a Vandersteen Dealer Today
Tweeter and much more. A ton of speaker! facebook.com/vandersteen-audio
APRIL 2017 189
FROM THE WEB
Appearances
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Rega products are elegantly simple in appearance. Deceptively so, in fact. Everything is
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Yet underneath that apparent simplicity lies some of the most radical thinking, advanced
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Based on 40 years of continuous research and unwavering
commitment to UK manufacturing, everything Rega does is there for
one reason alone.
Quite simply, if it doesn’t sound better, it doesn’t happen. (If it does
sound better, but is considered ‘impossible,’ they’ll figure out how to
Audolici AVP-01 Preamplifier do it anyway. There’s a very good reason the company’s named Rega
Research).
$4,390 Rega’s view is that hifi’s simply a tool for listening to your music.
www.audolici.com So we think you’ll quickly forget all about the technology.
T
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THE
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I
t may look distinctly vintage, but the VSi75 integrated amplifier
DIRECTOR — DA Converter and Preamplifier
is anything but. With a massive power supply and robust output
stage featuring a quartet of KT150 tubes, the VSi75 will rock
the house, with all but the most inefficient speakers. Five single
ended RCA inputs should be more than enough for all of your
PHONITOR X — Headphone and Preamplifier sources, and there is a fixed output should you need it, makes
German Physiks
HRS-130 Speakers
$22,000/pair
www.german-physiks.com (Factory)
www.distinctivestereo.com (US Importer)
Sonneteer Alabaster
Integrated Amplifier
$2.399
www.sonneteer.co.uk (Factory)
www.arcadiaaudio.com (NA Distributor)
Slummin’
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L INK S