Also read 2019 CAS Report by Richard Austen, Part 1

Part 2 of my show report consists of normal sized hotel rooms.  I will not be mentioning the prices of the associated components or every piece of gear in the room.  For more details follow this link to each room with their price list  https://www.caaudioshow.com/cas9-systems/

Room 5101: Whammerdyne Heavy Industries / PureAudioProject

While I attended this room Whammerdyne was using their Damn Little Monster ($10,500) 2a3 amplifier using outboard transformers.  Speakers this year were the Classic 15 with a Voxative full range driver around $8,000.  Pure Audio offers a variety of midrange/tweer options at various price points.  All are high efficiency.  As with 2017, I fully enjoyed the sound in this room which had surprising bass depth and dynamics and the Whammerdyne 2a3 amp sounded as good as it looked.  I am a fan of 2a3 amplifiers and the sound here was engaging, tactile and well integrated.  This room, like 2017, was one of my favorites.  Both speakers and amplifiers here seemed to offer far higher sound per dollar than is usual in High end audio.  Whammerdyne offers a 2A3 SET amp for $3,500 which I would very much like to try.

Room 5205: Audio Vision SF / Focal / Naim / Rega / Nordost / Antipodes / Quadraspire / HRS

The Focal  offer a big sound – weighty and had good stereo separation.  I found this system overall to lean to the more clinical side of the spectrum and will appeal to listeners who enjoy that sort of sound.

Room 5106 iFi / AMR / Unisinger / Cardas

This room had an odd set-up on the long wall requiring listeners to sit almost in between the left and right speakers.  I believe these speakers would require a much much larger room in the future to get a better sense of the sound quality on offer.

Room 5201 Sound Lab / Bricasti Design / Ultimate Audio / A. R. T. / Roon Labs

Sound Lab Majestic 645 speakers are quite large and I always get the sense they would sound better with a lot more depth behind and beside the speakers.  I was impressed with the wetness on female vocals which have a live quality to them as if the singer is in the room.  But I also felt the speakers were clinical in nature leaning too far to the bright side of the spectrum for my taste.

(Per Dr. Roger West regarding the Majestic 645’s setup inside the room:

Room 5203 Zesto Audio / Joseph Audio / Merrill Williams Audio

The Zesto room sounded relaxing and smooth like butter.  The only source used as far as I could tell was vinyl.  And only vinyl that the show room operator approves.  I would have liked to have heard how the system would render music I like to listen to, that isn’t recorded too well as I don’t want to be forced into only being able to listen to audiophile approved but often banal recordings.  That said I liked the steadfastness of Zesto to stick to their guns to put their system in the best light with vinyl front and center.

Enlightened audio at a down-to-earth price

First of a new range of audio components priced at just £129,US$129 and €149, iFi’s ZEN Blue delivers hi-res Bluetooth streaming to any audio system

Southport, England –iFi kicks off a new range of high-quality, super-affordable, desktop-sized audio products with the ZEN Blue – the world’s first Bluetooth receiver supporting all the latest hi-res codecs for the best-quality music streaming from smartphones, tablets, PCs and Macs to any audio system.

The ZEN Blue immediately impresses with its sturdy aluminium enclosure, unusual at such a low price. But what really sets it apart is the circuitry within – as always, iFi has gone to great lengths to ensure that sound quality over Bluetooth is the best it can be, even if it has to be designed from the ground up.

Bluetooth reception represents a mere convenience for many audio manufacturers, enabled in the simplest and cheapest way to ‘tick a box’ on the features list. But the manner in which Bluetooth is implemented – the quality of signal processing and the circuitry that surrounds it – has a big impact on performance. Not all Bluetooth sounds the same, and iFi engineers its products to obtain the best possible performance from every audio source – Bluetooth streaming included.

With the ZEN Blue, this starts with a state-of-the-art Qualcomm QCC5100 chip to process the incoming data – the ZEN Blue is the first product of its kind to benefit from this new-generation Bluetooth IC.

All the latest hi-res Bluetooth audio formats are supported, including Qualcomm’s aptX HD, Sony’s LDAC and Huawei’s HWA – no other Bluetooth streamer boasts this hi-res specification. Other supported codecs include regular aptX, aptX Low Latency (for synching sound with visual media), AAC (the favoured format of iOS devices) and SBC (the ‘plain vanilla’ Bluetooth codec). This means that every possible source device is covered, at the highest resolution its Bluetooth audio specification will allow.

The Qualcomm QCC5100 offers a ‘system-on-a-chip’ Bluetooth solution, with all functions covered including D-to-A conversion. Many manufacturers would simply rely on this chip to deliver the DAC function, but this is not the iFi way. The ZEN Blue has separate digital and analogue stages; to feed the analogue stage, the processed digital signal is routed from the QCC5100 to a specialised DAC chip from ESS Technology’s Sabre family to convert the signal from digital to analogue.

One of the key advantages of the ESS Sabre DAC chip is its Hyperstream architecture with integrated Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, which helps to deliver vanishingly low distortion and high dynamic range. iFi has found that this allies perfectly with the Qualcomm chip to deliver Bluetooth audio that sounds far better than the norm.

None of this would mean much if the rest of the ZEN Blue’s circuitry were not up to scratch. This is the first iFi product to benefit from the input of legendary audio designer John Curl, who has teamed up with the iFi electronics design team, led by Technical Director Thorsten Loesch, to ensure the circuit design of every product is fully optimised.

The ZEN Blue’s analogue output stage is a balanced design – highly unusual in a DAC anywhere near this price point. It incorporates a range of high-quality circuit components, carefully selected for their performance in an audio context, including professional-grade balanced line drivers, C0G capacitors from TDK and a precision low-noise power supply IC from Texas Instruments. It all adds up to a highly affordable Bluetooth streamer with a sound that punches well above its weight.

It’s all connected

The ZEN Blue adds high-quality Bluetooth reception to any audio system via analogue or digital cable connections. A switch at the back dictates how the digital signal is routed; either through the DAC and analogue output stage, or directly to the digital outputs. On the analogue side, RCA stereo outputs allow connection to amplifiers, active speakers and the like, while a 4.4mm Pentaconn output enables balanced signal transfer to amps/speakers equipped with a balanced input – either a 4.4mm input, or XLR inputs via a 4.4mm-to-XLR cable.For digital connections, optical and coaxial outputs are provided – these allow connection to anything with a built-in DAC and corresponding digital input, such as an AV amp or an external hi-fi DAC.

The ZEN Blue ‘remembers’ up to seven paired Bluetooth source devices, making it easy to switch from one device to another, with impressive reception range thanks to the latest Bluetooth 5 specification. The DAC stage handles sample rates well in excess of the maximum supported by the besthi-res Bluetooth formats – of the current 24-bit-capable codecs, aptX HD’s specification tops out at 48kHz, while LDAC and HWA support up to 96kHz.

The LED at the centre of the ZEN Blue’s front panel changes colour to identify the Bluetooth codec being received, while another LED to the right indicates the sample rate. Qualcomm’s QCC5100 chip can be updated over-the-air, enabling future Bluetooth codecs to be added to the ZEN Blue’s specification.

Find your ZEN

Available from October, the ZEN Blue hi-res Bluetooth streamer is the first of a range of ZEN Series products, all of which share the same 158x35x100mm (WxHxD) aluminium case. It will be followed swiftly by the ZEN DAC, which swaps Bluetooth reception for a USB input and adds an integrated headphone amp. Further ZEN Series products will arrive in the coming months.

iFi is the sister-brand of Abbingdon Music Research (AMR) and is headquartered in Southport, UK. The two brands respectively design and manufacture portable, desktop and lifestyle audio products and high-end hi-fi components. Combined in-house hardware and software development teams and a ‘music first’ approach enable iFi and AMR to create advanced audio products that deliver new levels of design, functionality and performance at their respective price points. Since iFi’s formation in 2012, its products have earned many awards around the world, helping it to become one of the fastest-growing brands in its field.

A Tasty Alternative

The Orchard Audio PecanPi DAC/Streamer is, as one would surmise from the name, built and designed upon the Raspberry Pi architecture: A Raspberry Pi 3B and a Raspberry Pi DAC all in a neat and attractive chassis. Numerous readers and followers online have been asking me to explore such designs as this, which does not resemble a stack of components with exposed cabling and wiring holding it together and powering it up. From those choice words I was able to determine their collective desire: A digital audio combination solution that would not break the bank nor look unsightly amidst their “audiophile” gear.

Orchard Audio PecanPi front & center

Enter the PecanPi, which, though diminutive in stature, delivers the goods. And now for me to set the table for this exploratory. The PecanPi supports a host of playback solutions: Volumio, moOde Player, piCorePlayer and Roon as an endpoint. Those of you have read my work, messaged with me online, or met me in person (shudder) know that I am an unabashed proponent of Roon and Audirvana, so for the purpose of this piece I am going to focus on the PecanPi as a Roon endpoint.

Earlier this year I wrote about the Allo USBridge in Dagogo and their decision to run DietPi, a lightweight Debian Linux distribution. Orchard Audio opted to go with RoPieee, a customized OS for Roon endpoint installations. Both are workable, and as an inveterate ‘geek’ I’m just fine with DietPi’s lack of a graphical interface to make configuration adjustments. That being said, although it comes with RoPieee installed, one could, if so inclined, flash/reflash to run DietPi. The responsibility for doing so rests solely upon the user and do note that in doing so it is best to select the Raspberry Pi DAC and not the Apple PiDAC option under DietPi.

RoPieee General Screen running on PecanPi

DietPi DAC configuration screen running on PecanPi

PecanPi located and recognized by Roon

Bottom line: The Orchard PecanPi located and recognized by Roon PecanPi does not lock the user into one solution. I personally find this flexibility rather welcome as the Pi-based digital audio solution landscape can be quite fluid. Users should experiment to their hearts’ content if they see fit. Roon’s flexibility with regard to device setup will afford users the opportunity to tailor the DAC as they fit. Clicking on the gears to the right of the zone name in the graphic above opens those doors.

On the flip-side, straight out of the box and in its standard configuration, and following the supplied instructions, the installation procedure is straightforward; but do have some patience with the initial boot sequence as a generous amount of the system needs to load. Take that time to contemplate where you plan on situating the device.

PecanPi’s Ethernet and ample USB connectivity

Location is everything when it comes to real estate and not so much when it comes to the PecanPi — but enough to make a difference. I see the PecanPi as an Ethernet (wired) device that can be accessed by Wi-Fi enabled devices over one’s local area network (LAN). And while the Raspberry Pi board supports native Wi-Fi, running it while the Pi DAC is connected can affect the sound quality by adding noise to the mix. I’m not saying one cannot enable the Wi-Fi on board but I would strongly advise against it.

RoPieee Network screen running on PecanPi with Wi-Fi network NOT enabled.

For Dagogo readers who determine the final resting place of the PecanPi to be somewhere remotely distant from an available Ethernet port, there are two workarounds, both of which require a certain degree of tech savviness.

The first solution would be to acquire what’s known as a travel router to set up a wireless bridge connected to the PecanPi, providing it an address on the network so it can be located and recognized by Roon. The second option is to use what is known as power line adapters, which make use of power outlets and the electric grid of your home to relay the signal. In this option, a set of two adapters is necessary, one plugged into the wall near your router and connected to the router via an Ethernet cable, while the other would be plugged into the wall near the PecanPi with an Ethernet cable connect the two devices.

Both of these workarounds do indeed work. I know because I have tried them. Pragmatically, once a location is found for the PecanPi in the home, that’s more than likely where it will stay. If the idea of such a device is to take it out into the field, then the wireless bridge is the way to go in order to connect to numerous networks. I have included links below to products from TP-LINK:

AC750 Wireless Travel Router – TL-WR902AC
https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/tl-wr902ac/

AV600 Powerline Starter Kit – TL-PA4010 KIT
https://www.tp-link.com/us/service-provider/powerline-adapter/tl-pa4010-kit/

Connecting the PecanPi to one’s system could not be more straightforward. I managed to connect to all of my integrated amps:  Pass Labs INT-250, Audio Note i-Zero, Parasound Halo 2.1, Bel Canto s300, and PS Audio Sprout100. The available connectors are RCA and XLR. Where possible I tried connecting via both and found little if any noticeable difference. Your mileage may vary depending upon the choice and length of interconnects (brand and type).

PecanPi’s business end.

The power connector is 9V as indicated, that’s fairly obvious. What is less obvious — and I bring you back to the volume knob on the front (see first graphic) — is the ability to listen to music via headphones. Orchard Audio sells an optional headphone dongle which, when connected to the RCA jacks, allowed me to connect my headphones for late night use at home, in my home-office when colleagues come over, or on those occasions when I decide to take it in the field and gauge reactions from my very own band of “Baker Street Irregulars.”

Orchard Audio’s optional headphone dongle for the PecanPi.

Again, readers who read my reviews know that I like to put gear in context, noting several scenarios in which I would put the device in question into use. For me, the PecanPi is an ideal secondary digital audio solution; perfect for my home office (desktop) system, guest room system, country home (abroad). As I have numerous DACs at my disposal and several digital audio server solutions here, the idea of a combination Streamer/DAC does not make the most sense. However, for those whose space is limited, whose funds are limited, or who is just starting out either in digital audio or the world of Raspberry Pi devices and is looking for a neat, attractive, small footprint combo unit, the PecanPi could very well fit the bill.

At $499 it is not the least expensive solution out there. Yet, less expensive ones can be cobbled together and there is one out of the box (that I know of) that I have yet to evaluate but which pales in comparison in the looks department. So much of this is personal and subjective. The user will have to prioritize. Either way in the scheme of the Hi-Fi hobby relative to what could be spent, the price becomes less daunting.

I have been listening to the PecanPi for a solid number of weeks. I have forsaken all other players here in its favor. And the device has come through admirably, holding its own connected to various systems in various rooms. I cannot fault it as a player, as a conduit for my digital library, and for streaming Qobuz and Tidal via Roon. As for the DAC component when compared to my exaSound, MYTEK, Bel Canto and Parasound DACs, then things get less clear. The DAC would not be my first choice, but again given the appropriate scenario, needs, constraints, the PecanPi is truly a workable combo unit and it is happily ensconced in my home office.

As a good number of you know I run the weekly New Album Releases Project (TheNARP) on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenarp/), so I listen to tons of music each week, most of it being digital, and from that alone you can see that when exploring and evaluating gear I’m listening to music across the board. Music is far too personal for me to start enumerating tracks exemplifying a device. Such claims, on their face, are dubious.

The PecanPi has not faltered. Once on the network, it has stayed on the network. I have had no reason to reboot the device apart from evaluating and testing the workarounds I described with regard to the PecanPi’s physical location.

I would be remiss not to include a graphic of the boards themselves so readers can see the internals of the PecanPi.

PecanPi internals front-to-back.

PecanPi internals back-to-front.

The Orchard Audio PecanPi can be ordered directly from the manufacturers’ website:

https://orchardaudio.com/shop?olsPage=products . Ask for Leo.

Copy editor: Dan Rubin

August 29, 2019

Joseph Cali alongside his Gryphon lineup

(left to right) Lori (Joseph’s wife), Byron Baba, Joseph Cali.

I attended the Joseph Cali/Gryphon Grand Opening event Thursday, August 29, 2019 at his new showroom in the very upscale Pacific Design Center Studio 66.  The Pacific Design Center is a 1,600,000 square foot complex for the design community located in trendy West Hollywood, CA.  This is the West Coast’s top decorating and furniture market, with showrooms, public and private spaces, a branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art and two restaurants.  There are 100 showrooms which display and sell 2,200 interior product lines to professional interior designers, architects, facility managers, decorators and dealers and now the new life style section will have an audio salon that can cater an upscale music system to fill the needs of a music lover needing a top notch system.

Before the event started, I had a chance to chat with Joseph Cali (Joe) the owner of Joseph Cali Systems Design, Inc.  Joe for a number of years had a dual career as both an audiophile and an actor.  His first stereo was similar to many of us: A Garrard turntable, Kenwood receiver and KLH speakers.  His first acting role was playing Joey in Saturday Night Fever as part of John Travolta’s posse.  The two careers paralleled for a number of year with the audiophile side taking over completely.  Joe started out working for Christopher Hansen, Cello and eventually selling the complete line of Gryphon. He is married to accomplished recording artist Lori Lieberman and you will have the opportunity to listen to her wonderful recordings in his showroom.

Joe and the Gryphon importer Philip O’Hanlon demonstrated music from three different sources for the evening.  The tape deck, a Sonorus/Revox, was their favorite.  They also played music form their turntable and a laptop feeding music to their DAC.  The rest of the equipment was all Gryphon.  The music played was mainly vocals to show the outstanding soundstaging of the system.  Personally I would have preferred a little more orchestra or big band so I could hear the dynamics and see if the system could carry the full weight of an orchestra.  The music played was pleasant nonetheless and the wide soundstage was there.

The Pacific Design Center is a beautiful complex and Joseph Cali’s showroom fits in nicely to the upscale feel of the area.  Joe told me he feels the Gryphon Audio Systems is a top premier brand and there is no need to carry any other brand so other than the turntable ensemble and tape deck, Joseph Cali System’s Design carries exclusively Gryphon.  I recommend you call first for an appointment and you will be treated to wonderful music and first rate service.

Joseph Cali System Design, Inc.
Gryphon Audio Designs
8687 Melrose Avenue, Suite M66
West Hollywood, CA 90069

(310) 657-0104

jcali@jcsdinc.com

BALLSTON SPA, New York, October 2, 2019 –Luxman’s new flagship control amplifier, theCL-1000 is the spiritual heir to the legendary C-1000, launched in 1975. Yet even as it salutes the past, the new preamp looks forward with an all-new LECUTA volume control system, a nanocrystal core transformer, Luxman’s proprietary oil-impregnated capacitors and more. “The CL-1000 represents everything Luxman knows about vacuum tube audio,” said Jeff Sigmund, president of Luxman America. “It’s not just our newest preamp, it’s our new benchmark.”

The CL-1000 complements the Luxman MQ-300 tube stereo power amplifier and will be available later this month at a suggested retail price of $19,995.

NEW LECUTA TRANSFORMER-ASSISTED VOLUME CONTROL

The heart of any preamplifier is the volume control. If not executed properly, it can cause left/right channel imbalances and introduce subtle but tangible distortions at low volume. For this reason, Luxman created the highly regarded LECUA attenuator system. The CL-1000 refines that concept with LECUTA, the Luxman Electronically Controlled Ultimate Transformer Attenuator.

The Volume knob is a 34-step rotary switch that triggers 34 relays, located completely outside the signal path. In turn, the relays activate 34 taps on matching left and right transformers. These transformer taps set the volume in carefully calibrated steps. Because transformer cores can influence sound quality, Luxman engineers selected FineMet® core material from Hitachi Metals, Ltd. This has a unique nanocrystal structure for high saturation flux density, high relative permeability and low core loss. As a result, the CL-1000 delivers uncompromising sound, even at low volume.

METICULOUS CIRCUIT DESIGN

While some are rediscovering the magic of vacuum tubes, Luxman has been making tube audio components without interruption since the company’s earliest days. The CL-1000 embodies this expertise, complete with refinements to take vacuum tube audio a major step forward.

• Super Permalloy input transformer. Because transformers can have a profound impact on vacuum tube audio quality. Luxman chose an input transformer with a high-permeability Super Permalloy core.
• Six JJ Electronic E88CC dual triodes. The CL-1000 uses two-stage PK NF amplification, with both the attenuator driver and the output stage built with vacuum tubes from JJ Electronic. Luxman selected E88CC dual triodes for superb reliability, low noise, attractive dynamics and a densely detailed midrange.
• Custom capacitors. Luxman couples the two stages with the company’s own, oil-impregnated capacitors. Originally developed for the MQ-300 amplifier, these help deliver satisfying music reproduction with superb current handling.
• Left/right Super Permalloy output transformers. The output stage features the sonic benefits of Super Permalloy cores in independent left and right transformers.
• Articulator function. Luxman’s deep experience with signal path transformers has revealed one downside: residual magnetic fields in the cores. For this reason, the CL-1000 oscillates and demagnetizes the transformer cores every time the owner turns on the power. For an even higher degree of sonic purity, users can perform manual demagnetization with the Articulator switch.
• Versatile MM/MC phono preamp. The CL-1000 accommodates both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridges with an audiophile-grade phono preamplifier. Six-position switches on the rear panel enable users to optimize impedance and capacitance.
• Robust, stable power supply. To deliver the most demanding musical peaks without effort or strain, the CL-1000 power supply features large, independent left and right transformers and high-grade filter capacitors.

ROBUST CHASSIS

External vibration is the enemy of vacuum tube audio reproduction. Under the surface, the CL-1000 chassis takes advantage of a comprehensive engineering program to fight even subtle distortions caused by air-borne or shelf-borne vibration.

• Triple-layer aluminum front panel. Reminiscent of Luxman’s classic C-1000, the front panel uses precision machining to unite three thick layers into one massive, anti-resonant assembly.
• Natural walnut cabinet with rosewood gloss finish. Additional protection from resonance comes from the elegant cabinet, which is covered in walnut.
• Cast iron isolator feet. Massive iron feet feature a density gradient to block and diffuse shelf-borne vibration.
• Rigid box chassis. The chassis itself forms an anti-resonant container with internal partitions helping to reduce vibration further.
• Internal rubber dampers. For added protection, Luxman isolated the circuit boards from the main chassis with special rubber dampers.
• Alloy input and output terminals. The RCA input and output jacks consist of an alloy that combines the conductivity of copper with the durability of brass.
• Gold-plated AC input. The AC input contacts are treated with non-magnetic nickel and plated with gold.

ABOUT LUXMAN

Luxman America, based in Ballston Spa, NY, is a subsidiary of Luxman Corporation of Yokohama, Japan. Luxman was among the world’s first consumer electronics companies, founded at the dawn of the radio age in 1925. Over the years, Luxman audio components have become synonymous with timeless styling, exquisite fit and finish, and above all, uncompromising sound quality. When the audio industry moved en masse into transistor amplifiers, Luxman continued to create vacuum tube amplifiers without interruption. Landmark products include the SQ-5A vacuum tube integrated amplifier (1961), the PD-300 turntable with vacuum disc stabilizer (1980) and the DU-10 universal disc player for CD, SACD and DVD Audio (2001). For additional information, we invite you to visit luxman.com and Like us on Facebook.

I have always enjoyed attending the California Audio Show and feel it is worth the drive to Northern California to attend as much as I can. This year I had the opportunity to listen to a number of products that are not sold by my local retailers or are available only direct from the manufacturer. One company with a direct-to-consumer sales model is Wyred 4 Sound, based in the Central California city of Atascadero near San Luis Obispo. The owner, E.J. Sarmento, started Wyred 4 Sound in 2007 with a small team of friends and colleagues and with a mission to produce great products at affordable prices that provide years of pleasure to fellow music lovers. All of their products are designed and built in California. I have never had experience using any Wyred 4 Sound products in my system, so this review will serve as an educational experience into the brand.

I had a chance to meet E.J. at the 2019 California Audio Show (CAS9), where I found him to be a very pleasant person who knew his product line well. The Wyred 4 Sound room at CAS9 was always crowded, so I had to catch him early before the show started. I was looking for a reasonably priced integrated amplifier to review and E.J. thought the Wyred 4 Sound mINT integrated amplifier would be the perfect component to review. This amplifier also includes a DAC (Digital-Analog Converter), which would give me an additional feature to enjoy. Since the amplifier was not available at the show, E.J. was nice enough to make delivery arrangements while I was listening to the products that he brought to this show. He is proud of all of his products and was confident that I would enjoy this particular integrated amplifier.

The Wyred 4 Sound mINT (short for Mini Integrated Amplifier) is $1,499 but is now on sale for $1,399. It is small and extremely light (9 pounds) and sports a very neat, industrial look. The Wyred 4 Sound mINT produces 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 170 watts per channel into 4 ohms running in class D, which should be capable of driving most speakers while being environmentally friendly for its efficiency. This is a truly modern integrated amplifier with a built-in ESS DAC supporting 24 bit 192KHz through S/PDIF inputs and 24 bit 96KHz via USB, plus a powerful headphone amplifier. Also included are configurable analog inputs and outputs, giving you everything you need in one component. There is a remote but no tone or balance controls and no phono section. I did not open up the mINT to look inside, however, externally there was a feeling of quality so I assume inside the mINT would have the same quality. Before you turn on the mINT it is important to have the external voltage switch set to the correct setting, in my case 115 volts.

When you power on the Wyred 4 Sound mINT from the back, it enters into standby mode. You can then turn on the power and choose which input you want to use directly on the front of the amplifier or with the remote control. You can also adjust the volume either with the volume control on the front of the amplifier or with the remote control. I just used both the volume control and selected the source directly on the amplifier even though most people would probably use the remote control.

I connected the Wyred 4 Sound mINT to my main system. My turntable setup includes the Acoustic Research “The AR Turntable” with a Sumiko Premier MMT tonearm and the wonderful sounding Hana EH high output moving coil cartridge. This was played through an NAD PP1 phono stage. I connected my Audio Alchemy transport directly into the mINT via the coaxial input, which allowed me to compare the mINT’s built in DAC with my Audio Alchemy DAC. The mINT’s output was connected to a pair of Acarian Systems Alon 1 speakers. AudioQuest speaker cables and interconnects were used throughout the system.

My first impression was of a clear, musical sound with a nice, full bass. A major criticism of my Alon speakers has been the difficulty of matching components, especially solid state preamplifiers and amplifiers. I had switched to tubes (Antique Sound Lab line stage and a pair of Quicksilver monoblocks) because most solid state preamplifiers and power amplifiers sounded forward and bright with these speakers and tubes was a way to tame the sound. A few weeks ago, I inserted a very old solid state power amplifier in the system and although it sounded fine, it was nowhere close to the performance of my tube Quicksilvers.

This was not the case with the Wyred 4 Sound mINT. The mINT had a very nice, relaxed, musical sound playing both CDs and records. One reason digital listening is so good is the mINT’s built-in DAC is so superior to my 25 year old Audio Alchemy DAC. In particular, I also found no forwardness or brightness when using my turntable set up, so it is not just the DAC; the preamplifier and power amplifier sections of the mINT are outstanding. And there was plenty of power. Playing the Reference Recordings RR-70CD of Eiji Oue conducting the Minnesota Orchestra playing Stravinsky brought out bass that shook the room. Playing my Miles Davis Kind of Blue LP brought out the midrange’s natural sound, which, combined with good side-to-side imaging and a wide soundstage, gave a realistic presentation of this classic jazz album. The highs were on the sweet side, reminding me of an EL34 tube except with a lot more bass. The only area my tube combination betters the mINT was the three-dimensional sound that only tubes can give you. You get more of the front to back depth. The gain of my Antique Sound Lab line stage is also a little higher than the preamplifier portion of the mINT, so the volume level had to be turned up. The mINT holds its own in every other area. I played a wide variety of music and no matter what genre I played, there was a natural, musical sound.

My Hana EH phono cartridge still sounded great but it had well over 2,000 hours on it, so I switched to a newer cartridge, the Sumiko Olympia, of which I gave a very positive review last year. The mINT sounded wonderful with the Olympia although the superiority of the Hana was obvious. The mINT was able to show the advantages of the over-twice-the-price Hana phono cartridge.

I also used the Wyred 4 Sound mINT with my 86 dB, 4 ohm Magnepan MMG speakers. The load would really test the capabilities of the power amplifier portion of the mINT. The Wyred 4 Sound mINT is so small and lightweight that I wondered if it would be capable of driving the Magnepans, which are known for being power hungry. Any preconceptions that the mINT might not have the muscle to drive the smaller Magnepans quickly vanished. The mINT had a nice, sweet sound whether playing my records or CDs with the Magnepan MMGs. I am sure it would drive the new Magnepan LRS speakers with no problem.

The versatility of this product combined with the convenience is incredible. This one very small and lightweight component replaced four of my existing components during this review: a DAC, a line stage preamplifier and a pair of monoblock amplifiers. This meant two fewer pairs of interconnects, resulting in a much less cluttered stereo setup. I only used the mINT with my turntable and CD player (used as a transport), but the product also offers a headphone amplifier and a USB input that others may find useful.

I found the customer service first rate when I accidentally called the company after hours with a simple question. E.J. himself picked up the telephone and provided the answer instantly. I was also kept updated on the status of my order when I ordered the mINT by their outstanding customer representative Alissa. This means that before you buy anything from Wyred 4 Sound you will be fully informed about the products you intend to purchase and, afterwards, the company will be there to support your purchase. They have a wide range of products, including line preamplifiers/phono stages, monobolocks/stereo amplifiers, DACs/other digital components, music servers, and some accessories.

The Wyred 4 Sound mINT combined with a pair of speakers such as the Magnepan LRS and maybe one of the many under-$400 turntables that come with a built-in phono stage will get you started with a fine sounding stereo that will meet the expectations of most music lovers. You could add a CD player with a coaxial output and an inexpensive USB cable for your computer and still be under $2,500.

I may have to change my listening habits. I have always been an “old school” kind of guy, feeling that analog played by a vintage turntable combined with tube amplification was the only way to go for my needs. The Wyred 4 Sound mINT has made me reassess everything. This little amplifier sounds so wonderful and is so easy to use that I plan to use it to review other products in the future. I have been writing how much I enjoy my current system and was not planning on changing anything. Since I am not selling my tube preamplifiers and tube power amplifiers, the last thing I need is another amplifier. I even have unused amplifiers packed in their original boxes just sitting in my closet. Even though I retired as a certified public accountant over a year ago old habits die hard. I get more excited about a great product that I consider a bargain than the very expensive products out there, so I have decided to purchase the Wyred 4 Sound mINT review sample.

Copy editor: Dan Rubin

Jazz trumpet player Bunny Berigan in Spring of 1938 with bassist Hank Wayland, tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld and trumpeter Steve Lipkins.

“It was a tight little band, just a family of bad little boys,
with Bunny the worst of all . . . Oh it was a mad ball.”  

— Trombonist Ray Conniff recalling the Berigan Orchestra

Bunny Berigan http://www.jazzhotbigstep.com/5018.html (1908-1942) was best known for his hit recording of “I Can’t Get Started” on which he sang and played trumpet.  He was one of the first to play the horn equally well from the top to bottom of its range.  He successfully fused in his personal style, the extroverted power of Louis Armstrong with the nuanced tonal palette of Bix Beiderbecke.

Berigan was a charming, popular and charismatic performer.  By all accounts the experience of hearing his horn in live performance was electrifying.  Some listeners who heard Berigan in person have said that his trumpet sound was “life-changing.”  For others, there were no adequate words to describe his playing; you had to be there to experience the magic.

A tall handsome dark-haired Irishman, Berigan was deeply adored by his fans and admired by fellow musicians.  The inspiring sound of his horn soared above the finest bands of the Swing era, gracing some of the biggest hits of Glenn Miller, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.   More than 600 surviving recordings are evidence of his remarkable ability to make a tune his own and his mastery of his instrument.  Sadly, despite all his talent and success Bunny Berigan died from alcohol abuse at age 33.

A Musician’s Musician

Starting around 1930, there was an increasing demand for Berigan’s tremendous talent — from the Dorsey brothers, the Boswell Sisters, Paul Whiteman, Artie Shaw, Red Norvo, Bing Crosby, CBS and NBC radio networks as well as the Columbia, Vocalion, Decca, Victor and Brunswick record companies.

A fine rundown of “The Prisoner’s Song” was on the flip side of his biggest hit (the 1937 extended-play version of “I Can’t Get Started”).  Despite Chick Bullock’s dated singing technique, “Swing Mr. Charlie” is one of the great dance band charts of the Swing era.

Swing, Mr. Charlie

The Prisoner’s Song

It was a long hard road to fame and success for Bunny.  Much of his early career was spent grinding out distracted dance music in bland hotel orchestras or steady but uninspiring residencies with less than stellar ensembles.  But in 1933 Berigan began making records under his own name.

He wrote several original tunes, including the jaunty “Chicken and Waffles” recorded in 1935 by Bunny Berigan and his Blue Boys.  In 1936 he won the Metronome Magazine poll among trumpeters. The subsequent 1937 recording date, A Jam Session at Victor, teamed Bunny with prestigious peers: trombonist, Tommy Dorsey; drummer George Wettling; guitarist Dick McDonough and Fats Waller.  They recorded “The Blues” and Waller’s “Honeysuckle Rose.”

Intro – Chicken and Waffles, You Took Advantage of Me, The Blues, Honeysuckle Rose

“I Can’t Get Started”

Berigan should be celebrated for his superb horn playing.  But it’s his trumpet and vocal rendition of “I Can’t Get Started” for which he’s best remembered.  His magnificent 1937 extended-length version caught the mood of the day. It was his biggest hit and made him a household name.  His plaintive rendition has charmed listeners ever since and now resides in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

It was from the 1936 Ziegfeld Follies, with music by Vernon Duke and lyrics by Ira Gershwin.  “Bunny loved it from the first moment he heard it,” reported band piano player Joe Bushkin and they added it to nightly performances at the Famous Door on 52nd Street in New York City.  “I Can’t Get Started” quickly became his trumpet feature, most requested number and theme song.

Jazz researcher, musician and author Dick Sudhalter (1938-2008) wrote a deeply researched 850-page tome called Lost Chords: White Musicians and Their Contribution to Jazz.  He offers thoughtful analysis of Berigan and the song.  Berigan first waxed it for the Vocalion label in April 1936, a performance Sudhalter characterizes as “unselfconscious, relaxed, almost carefree,” declaring it a tour de force “moving easily throughout the entire range of his horn.”

Berigan recorded the longer 12-inch 78-rpm version in August 1937.  Arranged by piano player Joe Lipman, Bunny dramatically sets the stage with an opening four-episode cadenza.  Sudhalter finds the expanded rendition a grand gesture that “exudes an aura of gravitas.” 

I Can’t Get Started – 1936

I Can’t Get Started – 1937

I will start this review with a big dose of reality.

The Audio Note AN-E/SPx AlNiCo speakers are clearly not for most readers reading this review. This is a two-way loudspeaker with an 1-inch silk dome tweeter and an 8-inch woofer. It isn’t ten feet tall, doesn’t have beryllium or diamond or electrostatic tweeters, nor is it made with 300-lb steel bracing or other rocket ship materials. One look at these speakers and another look at their price will put the AN-E/SPx AlNiCo in the land of crazy no matter what I say about them. And yet you can put me in this land of crazy as I wound up buying them. Yes I bought them even without them having a myriad of technobabble or having multiple 15-inch Kevlar woofers or piston tweeters. They don’t have built-in servo subs or massive ceramic horn mouths or white papers from the National Research Council or various pundits on forums raving about the superiority of ribbons. This isn’t to say that terrific results can’t be attained with those impressive designs and materials, but this speaker is an evolution on a platform that I have ultimately found to sound just plain right.

This review is largely for the people who have bought into the sound of Audio Note and are deciding which of the seventeen versions (more on that later) of the Audio Note E model they should consider.  The AN-E/SPx AlNiCo is largely, if not completely, designed for people who own complete Audio Note stereo systems.

But we live in an inclusive society, so I shall endeavour to include the folks who may tiptoe in the land of crazy or who are new to Audio Note UK.

The Audio Note UK AN-E range of loudspeakers has been around in one form or other for about forty years, starting way back as the Snell Acoustics Type E. Snell Acoustics under Peter Snell created the Type E speaker along with their Type J and Type K, and the famous Type A. Unfortunately, Peter Snell passed away, leaving the company to a new engineer. Peter Qvortrup (the founder of Audio Note UK) was dissatisfied with replacement models from the new Snell Acoustics and bought the rights to the original designs. Peter and his team worked on the speaker over the years, using vastly better cabinetry and drivers and changing the port dimensions to create what are now the Audio Note K, J, and E series of loudspeakers.

The AN-E speaker has been reviewed time and time again over the decades from reviewers all around the world. Indeed, I reviewed the AN-E/Lx not that long ago https://www.dagogo.com/audio-note-uk-elx-hemp-loudspeaker-review/ as well as the slightly smaller AN-J/Spe, which I happily enjoyed for thirteen years (https://www.dagogo.com/audio-note-jspe-loudspeaker-review/).

An Audio Note AN-E in high gloss finish

Why another AN-E speaker review?

Quite astonishingly Audio Note UK makes, at the time of this review, an incredible seventeen versions of this loudspeaker. Yes, you read that correctly, seventeen! On top of that is a dizzying number of finish options offered for all of the models except the base AN-E/D, which comes in any colour you want so long as it is black.

There are over twenty wood finishes available as well as any of the RAL solid colours at additional cost. So if you have your heart set on an AN-E in Hot Pink you will be pleased to know that you will be the only person on the planet, one would hope, with that speaker finish. Oh, and you can also order them in either High Gloss or Satin (matte). Needless to say, with so many permutations of these speakers,you generally need to order in advance.

Reviewers have covered the history of the company several times so I will not cover it at length again. In short, Audio Note UK does things a little bit differently than the rest of the audio industry in that they control everything inside their products down to the component parts. They design and make the majority of their wires, resistors, capacitors, cartridges, tone arms, volume pots, transformers, etc.

Most other companies buy off the shelf parts (often out of China) and rely on secondary company quality controls. This is fine for budget products of course, but less acceptable in high-priced stereo equipment running into the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars when purporting to be handcrafted products.

The AN-E/SPx AlNiCo currently sits 5^th from the top of the line in the AN-E stable. Yes, that means there are four models above this one.

For simplicity, models are differentiated by what follows the (/). In this case Spx refers to the internal wire inside the loudspeaker. Spx cabling is 31 strands of Silver Litz. AlNiCo refers to drivers employing the iron alloy called AlNiCo (often written as “Alnico”), which, in addition to iron, is composed primarily of aluminium (Al), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co). Peter Qvortrup noted that there are about a half a dozen grades of AlNiCo that can be used when making tweeters and woofers and that Audio Note uses the very best of these. So just because a maker claims to use AlNiCo doesn’t mean it will be better.

A further designation, HE, refers to whether or not the speaker uses the Audio Note Higher Efficiency woofers offering a gain of around 3dB to the speaker’s sensitivity. AN-E speakers range between 94.5dB to 98.5dB sensitivity depending on the model and drivers chosen. The model under review  is rated 96dB sensitive and is an easy speaker load for amplifiers as low as 7 watts, though, in a smaller room, 3 watts from one of Audio Note’s own SET amps would offer enough power. All speaker cabinets from the AN-E/Lx model on up are made from 15-ply no void Russian Birch and all offer stunning finishes and construction quality. The AN-Es are hand built in Austria in a steam-powered facility, getting more than a few points for being a green speaker. Most models come with your choice of either standard black paper woofers or blue hemp woofers.

Here are side by side photos of the woofers and tweeters. Bottom left = standard bass paper driver / tweeter, bottom right = High Efficiency Hemp bass driver / silver tweeter, top middle = Alnico bass driver / Alnico tweeter.

The opportunity to review Roger Sanders’ products practically came overnight when a local audiophile called and said his demo period was over and Roger had agreed the Magtech Mono Amplifiers could be hauled to my place. An extended listening proved them worthy of public comment.

This is a somewhat abbreviated article in which I forego the peripheral accouterments of a review in favor of a leaner approach. I normally discuss much of the designer/manufacturer’s background and philosophy. I also typically build several systems with various configurations. There will be little of that, except what is pertinent to my conclusions. There will also be fewer anecdotes and commentaries.

I will try to include some listening impressions with particular pieces of music, but most of my discussion will be descriptions of relative performance characteristics. Thanks for understanding that this review may not contain some expected elements, such as details regarding setup and tuning relative to the room, etc.

The Magetech Amplifier was originally designed by Roger as a part of a complete system for use with the Sanders electrostatic hybrid speaker (the current iteration is the Model 10). Over time the amplifier has gained a reputation for excellent build quality and for excellence in use with other panel speakers. As the mono amps were available to me, I thought there would be much potential upside to trying them, especially with the Kingsound King III electrostatic speakers. As magnetic planar and electrostatic speaker owners know, these transducers are often challenging to “wake up,” that is, to play with the intensity of dynamic speakers. Those with lower power amps discuss how the listening level has to be high before the speakers become engaging. There certainly is truth to that! I recall when I owned a pair of Magnepan 1.6QR Speakers. The day they were delivered I thought I was the most blessed of all audiophiles on the planet. Over time I started to suspect that they were power hungry, so I took the Threshold T-50 Amplifier out of the system and put in one of Outlaw Audio’s early 5-channel amps. The absolute sound quality of the Outlaw amp was lesser than the T-50, however, I bi-wired the speakers using four channels of the Outlaw amp, and due to its superior ability to drive the speakers with more authority I continued to use it. I was enamored of big power at that time, but I might not make the same choice today. Today I would not be willing to sacrifice either quality or the ability to drive a speaker superbly.

While the soundstage and imaging of a panel speaker is particularly pleasing, it is a frustration to long for better macrodynamics. The solution widely accepted is to utilize a more powerful amplifier, one that especially provides the current to drive a panel speaker. I have found that to be true; lower powered amps such as the First Watt J2, while qualitatively superb, simply cannot infuse the panel with the same intensity as an amp like the Pass Labs XA200.8 pure Class A monoblocks currently in review. This was even so with an electrostatic panel such as the Sound Lab Ultimate 545. I recommend for any less efficient panel speaker that a higher power amplifier be used, whether tube or solid state.

With the Exogal Comet DAC

My initial use of the Magtech Monos was with the Kingsound King III. This is a rather large transducer on the order of a Sound Lab product; in fact, the King III compared in review to the Sound Lab Ultimate 545 favorably. In my listening room, the electrostatic panels are no easier to drive than the King III. Roger Sanders indicates clearly on his website and in his white papers, such speakers require more current to drive properly. More reserved amplifiers such as the First Watt J2 (25wpc) are not able to drive the speaker with great authority and to higher listening levels. A lower powered amp simply does not have enough to give. Those who have not used a higher power, higher current amp may disagree. Give an alternative amp a listen and I suspect your opinion will change.

During the review I sent my Sonore Signature Rendu SE back for an upgrade. With the Small Green Computer SonicTransporter 4T i7 AP, the Sonore was my primary source. It returned retrofitted with optical cable inputs to utilize Sonore’s systemOptique, which uses an optical converter and fiber optic cable into the unit to exchange the former Ethernet signal for an optical signal. (As that upgrade is complete at the time this article is being finalized, I strongly endorse the upgrade as well as the front end components.) As a stopgap measure, I pulled out the trusty Musical Fidelity M1 CDT Transport. Don’t laugh; this $700 device has been mind-bendingly good with DACs such as the Exogal Comet.

The amps are more warm and rolled off, yea, even lush, than I expected. I had just been using the Exogal Comet and Ion with new HyperDrive. The Exogal system is more detailed and cleaner than any DAC and amplifier combo used previously. An analogy I used years ago when comparing the sound of Pathos AcousticsClassic One MkIII amplification to that of the Ayon Audio Spirit Tube Integrated Amplifier returns to me about contrasting tastes; the Magtech is more like brown sugar and the Ion more like white sugar.

To compare closely I used the Comet also with the Magtech Amps and kept the system as unchanged as possible. Chief distinguishing characteristics were more precise musical lines drawn on instruments with the Ion, and a rounded feel on instruments with the Magtech. To give perspective, the Gold Note PA-1175 Amps, which I also used mostly in mono, have a Damping Factor switch that makes them sound in high damping mode like solid state, and in low damping mode like tube amps. The Magtech leaned toward the low Damping Factor sound of the Gold Note amps.

The Comet and Ion combo seemed lighter, less weighty, or perhaps with less “authority.” On a duet of “Wichita Lineman” featuring Jimmy Web and Billy Joel, it was apparent that the edges of notes and images of instruments were precisely drawn, whereas with the Comet and Magtech Monos those lines were smoothed, or perhaps one might say a rounding effect was heard. Part of that may be due to the Comet working without the additional two cores of DAC chips that were provided in the Ion, which worked in tandem with the Comet’s two DAC cores. It was not just the Magtech that seemed more smoothed when the Comet was used alone, it has been a characteristic of any amplifier used with the Comet alone.

There was an apparent ease of driving the King III with the Magtech Mono that escaped the Ion PowerDAC. Most amps that visited my room had a fairly high “replaceability factor” as they just could not drive these speakers robustly enough. I did not get that sense with the Magtech, which was a very good impression of the overall quality of its performance. Unlike most Class D amps with higher power I have handled, the Magtech, which is not Class D, avoided the “white and bright effect,” the bleaching of tones in exchange for precision and transient speed. Half kidding, I wondered if the Magtech has a “politeness circuit” to make it amenable to electrostatic speakers. If the Magtech were tuned hotter on the treble of an ESL it would cut like a blowtorch, way too hot. All the time in use in my systems the amp never stepped out of line by seeming garish.

One of the endearing qualities of the massive power of the Magtech was that older, poorer recordings have had much life breathed into them. As the copious power created more headroom, old recordings that seemed pathetically deflated compared to contemporary ones popped out like a 3-D greeting card. Listening through Toto’s Hydra was refreshing in that the additional air space rendered with the Magtech allowed the more strident aspects of the recording to settle. The band used a lot of forward drum kit cymbals and edgier electric guitar. In most systems I am reaching for some different cables to attempt a reduction in the mid-treble to top end. Not so with the Magtech, as the mid-treble seems drawn down a bit. I doubt that I would be able to stomach the Magtech amps with Vandersteens, as I think it would put me to sleep for lack of excitement. Perhaps not so oddly in that respect the Magtech amp reminded me of the VAC Phi 200 tube amplifiers in Mono that I used extensively!

Publisher’s note: The Reviewer used all listed equipment and is not affiliated with the manufacturing or retail segments of the industry.

My first encounter with Paradigm was in 1992, about ten years after the company made its start just outside of Toronto, Canada. I wanted an inexpensive but decent sounding pair of bookshelf speakers for a second system that would go in a bonus room office above the garage. So I did what audiophiles usually did in the previous century, I got in my car and drove down to my local audio shop. Sam and Ed of Audio Solutions were always ready to greet me when I walked through the doors. The Atom was the newest model from Paradigm that they had in stock, but the more substantial Titan was only a little more expensive and seemed the better value given the relatively large space I had planned for them.

Like its cousin, the PSB Alpha, the Titan was a 6.5-inch 2-way with a non-removable grill cloth and drivers that mounted to the baffle from inside the cabinet. The back of the Titan’s enclosure was made of quality plastic with a cardboard port and 5-way binding posts. The white vinyl wrapped enclosures were made of particleboard and not particularly heavy, but they felt sturdy enough and sounded great. They were bright, punchy speakers that were a step above mass-market alternatives and a solid value for $219/pair.

Until just a few years ago, I continued to think of Paradigm as a fine Canadian budget-oriented loudspeaker manufacturer and often recommended them to friends and family who were just getting started with the audio hobby. You really could not go wrong with Paradigm loudspeakers in a starter system.

Obviously, I had not been paying close enough attention to the brand, because over the past twenty-five or so years, Paradigm has dramatically expanded the depth and breadth of their loudspeaker product lines. At present, the company offers over twenty different collections and series of products ranging from wireless lifestyle and outdoor rock-shaped garden speakers to 9,000 watt home theater subs and $35K high-end towers. It’s astonishing to me how far the company has come since I brought home that first pair of Titans.

The Premier Series is new for 2018 and includes two different sizes of towers, center channels, and bookshelf speakers ranging from $399 to $999, all individually priced. While one might guess that Premier was the top series, followed by Prestige and then Persona, the reality is the opposite. To drive this point home, the Persona 9H is 3.5 times heavier and 17.5 times more expensive than the corresponding Premier 800F tower. The Premier Series sits between the Monitor SE Series and Prestige Series, offering customers a high-performance yet affordable entry point with plenty of room to grow.

The home theater press has covered the Premier series, yet I have not seen as much discussion of them in audiophile circles. Given their heritage, I expected Paradigm Premier loudspeakers to perform well for our 2-channel use case, so I was delighted to have an opportunity to spend time with the 200B, the larger of the two bookshelf models, for The Reign of the Mini-Monitors Series.

Persona 200B and my old Titans are both 6.5-inch 2-way monitors, but that’s where the similarity ends. Comparing the two would be as pointless as comparing a 1991 Honda Accord to a 2019 Tesla Model 3, so I won’t even bother. Instead, I’ll share my understanding of the 200B’s design and how they perform within the context of dedicated 2-channel listening.

Product Description

The Premier 200B speakers are packaged and sold separately in the US for $499 each. Within each box, there’s a user’s guide and a black fabric-wrapped plastic grill backed with six strong magnets hiding behind soft foam-rubber pads. A seventh pad protects the silver Paradigm “P” logo at the bottom of the 200B’s front baffle when it is covered by the grill. The top of the 200B is covered in a convex plastic cap. Rapping on it with your knuckles produces a dull “thak-thak” sound. A similar flat plastic cap, fitted with four ⅜-inch tall circular rubber feet, covers the bottom. The feet are near the corners of the relatively deep enclosure, preventing them from interfering with the rubber bumpers on the top plates of my Sanus speaker stands.

The front baffle is covered in a high-quality plastic from which the tweeter’s waveguide is formed. A natural wood pattern is printed on veneer, which wraps around the sides and back. The rear panel sports a flared port and a single pair of gold-plated 5-way binding posts.

Function Follows Form

While the swirly pattern that covers the 200B’s midrange is definitely eye-catching and screams of trickle-down technology from Paradigm’s fabulous Persona Series, I really didn’t think much about it during initial setup and early listening sessions. However, after a week or so, I noticed something peculiar: a complete absence of any subtle peaky response in the upper mids and lower treble. In my room, this was most readily observed with other speakers during piano runs but sometimes also with brass and stringed instruments. There is an evenness of tone from the 200B across this range in passages where I am accustomed to hearing some notes slightly accentuated.

It was at this point that I reached out to Oleg Bogdanov, Director of Product Development for Paradigm, to better understand the magic behind this improvement. He explained that, for their new lines, including Premier, Paradigm has incorporated their patented technology called Perforated Phase-Aligning Lens or PPA™ for short.

“Situated in front of the tweeter and midrange drivers, the PPA acts like a phase plug, blocking the interaction of out-of-phase frequencies, smoothing output, and increasing the perception of details without coloring the sound. The PPA also serves to protect delicate drivers.”

From a distance, the 200B’s tweeter looks like a typical 1-inch dome positioned at the center of a dispersion controlling waveguide. Closer inspection reveals what is actually another PPA™ Lens. These two advanced phase plug lenses affecting the mids and highs work together to render an uncanny evenness of tone across their respective ranges. I have never experienced this phenomenon in this room, even from loudspeakers ten times the price of the 200B. It’s really quite remarkable.

Introduction – Audio Note U.K. re-thinks the venerable Western Electric 300B

Many of you will be familiar with Audio Note (U.K.) and their plethora of tubed products. While these products, at least for me, represent the pinnacle of what can be achieved through thoughtful design and scrupulous choice of parts for their sonics when cost is not a concern, I have always had a concern when it comes to sourcing tubes. This is particularly the case with respect to the tubes utilized in my Audio Note Balanced Kegon amplifiers: a 5U4G rectifier, a VT-25 input, and two 300B output tubes. In each case, I have tried a variety of current production tubes, only to be dissatisfied with the end result. Consequently, I have found myself turning to NOS tubes, typically produced during WWII or the closely thereafter, much preferring their sound.  These tubes have become increasingly rare and increasingly expensive. This is particularly true for what has come to be my preferred 300B, which was produced by Western Electric prior to 1980, with older examples sounding even better but often selling for thousands of dollars.

Peter Qvortrup of Audio Note (U.K.) has made it a high priority to source new what was previously only possible with new old stock tubes and out of production parts, such as Black Gate capacitors, whenever possible improving upon the original. Working with tube manufacturer Psvane, he has researched and resurrected the best technology from the past, including but not limited to a Molybdenum anode 300B, which he has designated the 4300E. There is also a 211 version (4242E), but as I do not currently own an amp that utilizes a 211, I cannot really comment on that. Both the 4300E and the 4242E retail for $1,000 per pair.

Molybdenum is an extremely hard and difficult metal to work with. It has a melting point of over 3500 degrees centigrade, so very specialized tooling is needed to fabricate it. The cost of starting production is expensive and presents a significant barrier to entry. Concomitantly, the thickness of the plates can vary, making some examples glow red because the plate is slightly thinner than others. This is not a defect and should not affect reliability or sonics.

Audio Federation, the company’s Northern California retailer in Palo Alto near Stanford University, provided me two carefully matched pairs of the 4300E for review. These are currently available through any Audio Note authorized dealer. While these tubes sounded remarkably good straight out of the box, all listening tests were done after the tubes had been broken in for a minimum of 100 hours. My comments are organized by music selection with a conclusion at the end of the article.

Listening

In reading my remarks, please keep in mind that some of them clearly pertain to the subtleties of a specific recording and/or pressing; others to the specific sound of the 4300E’s. In the main, the 4300E’s are merely accurately reproducing what is in the groove.

Chris Connor (Bethlehem)

This is a mono jazz LP from Bethlehem’s better days. It is, effectively, a compilation of tracks Connor recorded in the early 50s. This was an early copy, with excellent sound, albeit subject to some limitations in the source material. Connor’s voice sounded superbly “present” in the way that some early deep groove pressings can. We had previously listened to the record using Western Electric tubes. With the new 4300E the sound of the voice seemed about the same as with the Western Electrics — terrific. The backing band sounded oddly “fresher” than previously. How does one describe an impression of the voice being better integrated with the band? What could the system be doing to bring that about? It seemed that the detail, including the ambience, was somewhat stronger than with the WE’s, which allowed Connor to sound more as if she were in the same room as the band. Most importantly, the record came across as very musical and a pleasure to listen to. Perhaps the WEs have a more seductive mid-range. I am not, however, pining away for it . . . so far.

Ansermet Crespin Ravel Scheherazade

This record seemed very musical in most respects except that it may have told us more than we really wanted to know about the recording technique and venue. Crespin did not sound like she was in the same room as the orchestra as there was more reverb around her voice than around the orchestral instruments. The orchestra sounded terrific — warm and natural. The voice, with the apparent additional reverb, sounded a little colder than I recollected from this recording.

Fennell Mercury Schoenberg Stravinsky

We were most interested in the Stravinsky on this late-50s issue of the LP. Aside from somewhat typical Mercury sound — slightly forward with some edge in the brass — the sound was excellent. Spatial presentation was everything one could want as one could easily point to the location of individual instruments. The instruments were well-rounded and they sounded about as authentic as recordings can present. I will be curious how this sounds with the WE tubes as a little additional warmth could be welcome. But this was a good listen.

Mel Torme, Lulu’s Back in Town, Bethlehem

Mid 1950’s Bethlehems present the most curious mono — you would almost think that it was some kind of early stereo because of the depth and the full middle of the sound stage as if the ensemble were spread out before you. The effect is fully present with the Audio Note tubes, as is the detail of Torme’s voice. The presence was at times remarkable . . . the breath, the articulation, even the distance from the mike. It was all right there.

I think that it is possible that the depth is not quite what it would be with the Western Electric 300B’s, but the Western Electrics might be less crisp. In any event, the sound drew me in and I found myself just listening and enjoying rather than worrying about those possibilities.

Debussy, Images (Paray) Mercury (FR2)

This is a very early Mercury stereo (90010) but is still a good listen. Instrument placement was very good, though the depth could have been better. The middle of the soundstage, as sometimes happens, seemed as if it could have been more realistically full; however, I do not think that was the tubes. The strings had good warmth without edge, but were more a mass of undifferentiated instruments than a section of individual instruments when the playing got loud. During softer, more chamberlike segments of the piece, detail and separation were quite convincing and very lovely. It is these more intimate segments that make the record an excellent listen. I do not believe that the imperfection I noted is an artifact of the AN tubes.

Mahler Symphony No. 4, Kubelik, DGG (large tulips)

This is an early DGG, a vaunted “Large Tulips,” that happened to be in superb shape with excellent sound. The AN 4300E tubes presented well, but not with the warmth that I would have liked.  Yet the sound was neither hard, shrill nor overly bright. In fact, the AN tubes deserve real praise for their detail and placement in the many chamberlike moments during the symphony. In those moments, it felt as if I were “right there.”  But, I have heard this record presented with a more luxuriant warmth that belies its age and provenance; DGG is not particularly known for these characteristics, although their recordings can surprise you.

Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Oistrahk (Phillips Plum)

This is another superb early stereo issue and it largely shined with the AN tubes. As seemed to be usual with these tubes the detail was first rate. Oistrahk is right in the room. Having heard the concerto just a few nights earlier played by the Houston Symphony, I was particularly curious to hear this recording. In concert, the solo violin had an unusual tendency to blend with the orchestra in such a way that I lost the thread too many times. The piece makes more sense to me through this recording (and the AN tubes). Of course, in the studio many imbalances can be righted, but with Oistrahk, I am thinking that was not a problem in the base case.

I have mentioned my nagging desire for more luxuriant warmth. The 4300E tubes do many — probably most — things really well. On this particular record, I was totally and completely absorbed by the performance. I was not thinking of whether or even if there could be more warmth.  Isn’t this where we all want to be when we listen?

Conclusions

The Audio Note UK 4300E tubes are somewhat more extended, particularly at the top, than the Western Electric NOS tubes, hence somewhat more revealing; however, this does not come across as aggressive or bright, grainy, or fatiguing. Indeed, the sound is very musical, if lacking the last bit of warmth one might find in a really good set of vintage WEs. With other contemporary versions of 300Bs I’ve heard, orchestral sound has tended to suffer; strings can be hard, or grainy, and generally fatiguing; brass instruments can sound edgy, winds can sound bodiless. That is not the case here. Surface noise issues are not particularly annoying with the AN tubes, which do a very good job of separating out the pops and tics from the music. In my Audio Note (U.K.) Balanced Kegon amps, the AN 4300E’s are sonically superior to the Takatsuki 300B and for that matter the wide range of other new production 300B’s that I have tried over the years (note that I have not auditioned the Elrog tubes). The 4300’s are somewhat more extended at the frequency extremes and somewhat more revealing, but with slightly less of the warmth and depth of the very best NOS WE300B’s, which have become almost impossible to find and command crazy prices.

For Dagogo readers who own Audio Note amplifiers that use 300B tubes, I strongly suggest that you replace whatever tubes you are currently using with the 4300E.  I do not think that you will be disappointed.

Copy editor: Dan Rubin

The World’s First and Only «Tunable» and «Customizable» phono cartridge

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec (November 9, 2019): Audio MusiKraft announces today the audiophile market entry of its improved cartridges. The new Nitro series is up to now our most advanced models. The complete kits are offered in two (2) motor versions (Nitro 1 and Nitro 2) and in four (4) shell (body) alloys to choose from. Each kit includes an improved generator, three (3) pre-selected optimal tonewoods (chosen by us) for you to cover a large musical and sonic spectrum, and it now comes standard with the damping oil treatment, all the necessary voicing, and installation tools in a newly designed wooden jewel box. The Nitro series alloy models are as follow:

• Aluminum (Al), clear or champagne anodized
• Lithium (Li), mirror – hand polished
• Magnesium (Mg), chemical conversion coated
• Bronze (Br), gold plated
• Bronze (Br) Collectors, six distinct patina artwork

MSRP from US $2,879 to US $4,139.

Beyond the stylus and the cantilever quality, the magnetic field is one of the fundamental properties of the physical cartridge environment. Our motors have an improved magnetic field and amalgam core composition to attain the best sound. We more precisely control how the array interacts within the generator. Most of our studies are based on stringent trial and error and A/B listening tests. Why the name Nitro? Well for starters it’s related to the improved motors and the shell shape. Secondly, we wanted to add some “Oomph” to better describe what we were seeking and what we were hearing. These are a few resulting key attributes that best reflect the series name: lively, spontaneous, impactful, realistic, tone right, vibrant, musical, and dare we say, downright impressive.

Since the beginning in 2017 we have demonstrated through many excellent reviews that our design is very unique and figures among the best ranking. Always striving to go further, today with the Nitro Series we are offering what we believe is the best of the best at very competitive pricing.

Features and Innovations

• Fully modular design for interchanges between motor, shell, and wood at your will
• Tonality and resonance controllable system
• Three (3) voicing fine-tuning micro setscrews
• Sharp perimeter edges for trouble-free cartridge installation and alignment
• Five (5) different geometric positions for overhang adjustment
• Straightforward to service i.e. quick motor and wood insert installation
• Wide front clearance for stylus ease of view
• Highly durable and recyclable cartridge and shell
• Very precisely machined (± 0.001″)
• Upgradable part options (motor, many wood species, finish and more)
• Almost infinite sonic tuning capability.

About us

Audio MusiKraft is a manufacturer of audio components dedicated to ultra-fidelity. Founded in 2016 by Guy Pelletier, we are a small core of experienced craftsmen and devoted music lovers dedicated to bringing you outstanding components with exceptional value; all the while advancing our utmost goal: True musical fulfillment.

For more information please visit the web store store.audiomusikraft.com

Disclaimer

Although we strive to make the information in this document helpful and accurate, it is done so without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied and is subject to change at any time. The Company reserves all of its rights.

Guy Pelletier
Audio MusiKraft
Email to: info@audiomusikraft.com
Website: audiomusikraft.com

When I worked as a Certified Public Accountant, I would return to my office tired and stressed after a long day spent at a client’s office. The best way for me to relax was to listen to my office stereo playing music. I installed a stereo system featuring a pair of Magnepan MMG (Mini Magnepans) speakers in 1997, which cost me $500 for the pair. My co-workers would listen and say those are great sounding so they must be some really expensive audiophile speakers. They were shocked to find out they were only $500. This worked out really well and provided me with hours of listening pleasure while I was at work. The Magnepan MMG was later replaced in the Magnepan lineup by the MMGi and then this year by the new Magnepan LRS (Little Ribbon Speaker). I decided I had to review these new entry level Maggies.

Magnepan has been around for fifty years. I heard my first pair as a teenager back in the 1970s.  Corporate and manufacturing facilities are located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, a small community north of the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Magnepan’s current plant is over 50,000 square feet in addition to their corporate and engineering offices.

The Magnepan LRS is a full-range quasi-ribbon speaker that will perform nicely with a receiver, but will sound even better using higher-end amplification. The LRS is offered in a 60-day, money-back, home-trial program to allow you to sample Magnepan’s full-range ribbon technology for $650 a pair in your home. The speakers can be ordered directly from Magnepan or purchased from certain Magnepan authorized dealers. If you have a Magnepan dealer close by, I recommend you go audition the full line at the dealer.

I first hooked up the Magnepan LRS to my home theater rig and played both records and CDs. The turntable was the Thorens TD 147 with a Nagaoka MP-110 phono cartridge connected to an inexpensive Radio Shack phono stage and an inexpensive Yamaha home theater receiver. The compact disc player was an AMC CD-8. I find speakers—more than any other component—have the biggest impact on the sound, so I was excited to listen to these new Magnepans in this setup. I played a couple of brand new Reference Recordings compilation CDs that I had picked up at the California Audio Show, including Jazz Kaleidoscope (RR-910) and Reference Recording’s 30^th Anniversary Sampler.  Both of these CDs have a wide variety of music on them, so I had the opportunity to hear the Magnepans playing a variety of music. Even in this inexpensive setup the virtues of the Magnepans were apparent. Despite the enjoyable performance, the shortcomings of the home theater system still came through in a lack of resolution, whereas in a higher-end system you could see through to the music. Most people would find this acceptable for background music in the home, but would want much more for serious listening.

Next, I installed components from my former office system, which are higher end and helped make the Magnepan LRS really shine. Using the NAD Monitor 1000 preamplifier and the Parasound HCA-1200 high current power amplifier dramatically improved the resolution I heard from the Magnepans. These components were used with the Goldring GR1 turntable, which is a Rega 2 clone, and a Talisman A phono cartridge retipped by Soundsmith. A Sony CD player/recorder was also used. I played some of my favorite big band and orchestral records and they presented no problem for these Magnepans. The Shoji Yokouchi Trio Greensleeves album had pinpoint imaging (this was the Los Angeles Orange County Audiophile Society special edition). Later I played a number of CDs. British and American Band Classics on the Mercury Living Presence label had a nice wide-open sound that makes you feel the musicians are right there. I was also moving around my house while the music was playing yet the Magnepan’s magical sound was still there. There was a significant improvement in the resolution giving more of a feeling the musicians were in the room playing.

Then I put the Magnepan LRS into my main system with “The AR turntable” with a Sumiko Premier MMT tonearm and the Sumiko Olympia moving magnet phono cartridge. I continued to use the NAD PP1 phono stage feeding the Antique Sound Lab tube preamplifier. The amplifiers are a pair of Quicksilver 25-watt tube power amplifiers using KT77 output tubes. Since these are 4 ohm speakers, I used the 4 ohm taps. I am a little concerned about using these amplifiers because every time I hook up an inefficient pair of speakers to them, it seems the extra strain on the tubes makes me need to replace them shortly thereafter. I have been told this is just my imagination, but just in case I only played a few records at moderate volume. The 25-watt Quicksilver amplifier was actually a better match with the Magnepan LRS than with my Magnepan MMG’s. When I use the MMG’s with the Quicksilvers, the system always sounds anemic and grows worse as I turn up the volume. I played a variety of music from orchestra and jazz to Steely Dan using the LRS at moderate volume and it was surprisingly enjoyable, if a little compressed. Most people would want more power with the LRS, although low power may work in a small room if you don’t play your music very loud.

Finally, I replaced the DAC, preamplifier and power amplifiers in the main system with the Wyred 4 Sound mINT integrated amplifier with built-in DAC. I connected an Audio Alchemy transport to play CDs through the Wyred 4 Sound’s DAC. This was my favorite combination because there was both enough power and the Wyred 4 Sound mINT is wonderfully musical. I enjoyed listening to the soundtrack from The Last Emperor even though I don’t normally care for film soundtracks. I also listened to a variety of classical and jazz music using this setup.

I have noticed in a number of speaker reviews that speakers can perform poorly with certain components and perhaps require tubes, solid state or a particular other component to sound decent. The Magnepan LRS never sounded less than very good with anything I connected to it, although the sound drastically improved as I used better components. I know the specifications state no deep bass, but the speakers were so musical that even playing large orchestral music or big band jazz gave me a nice big wide-open sound that was thoroughly enjoyable. One thing that surprised me was how different and more refined the LRS sounded compared to my 22 year old MMGs.

I used the Magnepan LRS in three different rooms and in four different systems. I found the sound was fairly consistent. The larger room yielded better front to back depth, but the smaller room tightened the bass. The better electronics offered better performance, although these speakers never sounded bad even with a lesser home theater receiver. The only drawback of these speakers — or any Magnepan speaker — is the need for lots of power and lots of current from your power amplifier, even though they sounded good to me no matter what amplification I used. There are a number of under-$1,500 integrated amplifiers and power amplifiers that can fulfill this need, such as the Wyred 4 Sound mINT I recently reviewed. These speakers would be perfectly fine in a $5,000 traditional stereo system. The only thing that prevented me from replacing my 26 year old Alon speakers with the LRS was the lack of power with my Quicksilver 25-watt tube amplifiers, although the LRS sounded so wonderful I seriously considered it. One other thing: since these are a pair of floor standing speakers, you do not need to buy speaker stands. They take very little space and you can easily move them out of the way. I think bookshelf speakers are great if they are not too expensive and you can put them on a bookshelf, as I used to do with mine. Otherwise, I would audition a pair of Magnepans first.

One important feature for me when buying high-end stereo components is customer service. When I bought my Magnepan MMG’s in 1997, I was able to ask questions about the speakers directly of Magnepan’s marketing manager Wendell Diller. You not only have the support of your local store, Magnepan also supports their consumer. Mr. Diller is also available for questions at a number of dealer events. These new Magnepans are so popular that they were back ordered, so I borrowed the review pair from my local Magnepan authorized dealer, Shelley’s Stereo (see companion piece). This is the only speaker Magnepan sells factory direct with a 60-day money back guarantee. Their other products are only available through a select group of high-end audio salons.

At $650 for the pair, the Magnepan LRS are a fantastic bargain. I paid $500 for my Magnepan MMG’s in 1997, which, based on my inflation indicator, would be $792 today. As great as the MMG’s are, the LRS represent an even bigger bargain. I would be hard pressed to find a better speaker under $2,500 per pair—except for a pair of Magnepan .7 speakers.

Copy editor: Dan Rubin

Review sample provided by Shelley’s Stereo

SHELLEY’S STEREO

Alon Moscovitch, President Shelley’s Stereo

60 Years in business.  That would be an accomplishment for any small business, but a brick and mortar high-end audio salon in this day and age.  Well Shelley’s Stereo in Woodland Hills, CA must be doing something right.  The owner Alon  Moscovitch provides high end audio combined with high definition video and advanced audio capabilities.  Over the years, Shelley’s has evolved and remains at the forefront of home cinema, home automation, and control systems integration.  Shelley’s now provides home networking, automated lighting, heating and air conditioning, security systems, and other automated tasks which are now routinely integrated within the control systems and entertainment design work.  This is why it is such a great place to shop for video and audio gear and it is still worth it to patronize the boutique brick and mortar high-end stores.  I have always felt that the customer support were generally better when you buy from your local high-end store.  When you make a large purchase, it’s nice to get advice on system matching and set up.  After you purchase the product you always have a place to get help.  I bought my home theater set up (Yamaha receiver and Paradigm speakers) based on Alon’s recommendations and still use the components today a number of years later.  The store features Sony home theater providing the best picture I have ever seen.

Shelley’s High-End Audio Room

Shelley’s Stereo has not forgotten their high-end audio roots either.  When you come into the store you cannot help but notice the vast selection of turntables including Linn, VPI, Rega, Thorens, even McIntosh; Tube and solid state 2 channel electronics including McIntosh, Rogue Audio, Yamaha; speakers Magnepan, Paradigm, Sonus Faber.  They carry Roon music players.  These are just a sample of the brands they carry.

Magnepan Speakers

Shelley’s Linn LP12 expert Stan Zeiden

Shelley’s Home Theater Room

Throughout the years Shelley’s resident analog specialist Stan Zeiden has helped me maintain my turntable setup with a wide variety of phono cartridges such as Hana, Grado, Sumiko, Ortofon, among others; turntable belts for my secondary turntables Goldring (Rega Planar 2 clone) and Thorens TD-147; as well as any other needs to keep my system up to date.

Shelley’s also is very active in the Southern California hosting a number events including the Los Angeles Orange County Audiophile Society meetings once a year.  I have attended Magnepan and Linn Audio events.

I sound biased towards the audiophile brick and mortar stores for good reason.  It is just easier to make sure you get the right product correctly installed when you visit the store.

The Musings of one David Michael Blumenstein, audiophile, bon-vivant, world-traveler

Some of my perspectives on the industry, any one or all of which I can expound upon in person:

• December 7th, 1941, a day that shall live in infamy, but not the only day that the Japanese hit our shores. July 1st, 1979, Sony introduced the Walkman in America and so much changed. In just about 4 months we will ‘celebrate” its 40th anniversary, a biblical one of sorts, as it marks 40 years that the Hi-Fi industry has been lost in the desert. Prior to the Walkman, the industry had its feet on the ground, it had a vision and knew its roots. That changed over a period of time until—through cassettes, mp3s, iPods, and finally streaming services—the experience of listening to music had become too convenient, too thoughtless, too easy, thus robbing the experience of its most intrinsic value.

• If the Hi-Fi industry is to grow and evolve, it has to realize that it is in a rebirth, and reboot. Those with the inclination to have it be what it was must first remember what is was like for them to be introduced to their first system, and what sparked their love affair with audio. Secondly, they must return to the mid 1970s and revisit the messaging in both advertisements and marketing of that day, and understand that if there is to be a renaissance it will be at the hands of today’s teenagers. The solution is not trickle down but rather trickle up. Back in the day we had a father, an older brother, a grandfather and, in my case, an uncle who led us down the path to Hi-Fi. It was a bonding experience for me with my uncle and that’s what the industry needs now more than ever. Bonding over listening to music regardless of the genre, one-on-one time growing that relationship WHILE listening to music and learning about gear: the brands, the specs, the features. Note: children today have so many competing interests and outlets for their time and attention. That’s hard enough. But if they are NOT reached before they get their driver license then it’s pretty much game over. Too young to drive, not too young to be at home listening to music.

• Records and turntables are making a comeback today NOT due to their sonics but because they are tangible media, something that today’s generation can physically feel and touch. They do not have a reference point against which to truly judge. Last Shop Standing, the Graham Jones book on the rise, fall and resurgence of record shops in UK, demonstrate just how vital it is for the Hi-Fi industry to work in concert with these shops and the entire movement. I find it ironic that AXPONA schedules its big show on a Record Store Day (RSD) weekend. This is why I am advising so many regional shows to start work on integrating record fairs into their shows and really marketing/promoting this in their respective communities.

• Disposable income is not what it used to be. Now, I know there are more and more tech billionaires and millionaires out there, but they are not being attracted to Hi-Fi in appreciable numbers, so this is why Hi-Fi manufacturers have to be mindful of lines of products at reasonably affordable price points. In today’s market a more than adequate/decent system of speakers, turntable, integrated amp, and cables can be assembled for $1,500 or less. Not a great system, but one that can serve as an introduction, instilling a sense of pride of ownership. I was fortunate enough to have my uncle gift me his system to safeguard and I have kept it to this day. It is vitally important that component pricing be measured in relative terms to the cost of an entire system. It is also very important that whatever integrated amp someone acquires as his or her first sports a bona-fide headphone jack. Sometimes even when at home you need to keep the volume down. Parents will be parents. Also, if they are accustomed to wearing headphones when they’re out and about, that jack on the front of the amp can be quite welcoming, making them feel that the Hi-Fi/Head-Fi need not be a zero-sum affair.

• Gender fluidity today is not what it was back then. There’s a reason why most audiophiles that read the magazines and attend shows are at a minimum in their early 50s (see point #1 above and add 40 (years) to the kids who were 12-13 years old back then). Girls matured faster than boys and often dated older boys. Younger boys found themselves in a no-man’s land: too young to drive and be independent, but they had music and Hi-Fi to fall back on. The ‘Father Knows Best” family construct really did not leave America until the mid 70s—in some parts of the country it remains—and if indeed societal liberation and freedom were at hand for girls, the independence of the Walkman and being out and about was too great an enticement. The prospect of girls back then becoming audiophiles was doomed. Sure, there were outliers, but in numbers far too small to be in any way significant. Even with all of today’s societal revolutions and evolutions, it will still be incumbent on males, almost exclusively, to serve as a Sherpa, a role model for curious boys and girls leading them down the path into the hobby.

Note: the age of audiophile in its widest band is bi-modal—those in their early to mid 50s who jumped in the pool as young teenagers and those now in their late 40s who waded in while at University/College.

Copy editor: Dan Rubin

Faithful to the signal, the new C1 Subwoofer design will generate deeper, cleaner bass in the sub-$3,500 market.

Las Vegas, NV, November 21, 2019 – Built to provide a dynamic low-distortion bass foundation for ATC’s Entry Series speakers, its C1C and C3C center speakers, HTS Series on-wall speakers and all but the largest satellite speaker systems, the new C1 Sub Mk 2 is a compact real wood veneered design, incorporating a hand-built 12” (314mm) ATC bass driver and a fully discrete ATC 200W MOSFET power amplifier.

Designed for both music and cinema applications and replacing the Mk1 version, the new C1 Sub promises a quality of low frequency reproduction that belies its price point. The re-engineered design incorporates ATC’s customarily transparent circuits boosted by larger power supplies, the latest ATC grounded- source 200 watt Class A/B discrete MOSFET power module and improved overload protection circuitry (with front-panel indicator) for greater control at full output. The low-pass filter circuits have been comprehensively re-worked to facilitate the best possible integration with partnering speakers from ATC and other manufacturers.

Controls include a continuously variable low pass filter, a continuously variable all-pass filter and polarity switch, speaker level L/R inputs, independent L/R RCA line inputs and a summed line output RCA connector to facilitate the daisy-chaining of multiple subwoofers.

Retained by the Mk2 C1 subwoofer is the hand-built 12″ ATC bass driver using a massive motor assembly and 3″ ribbon voice coil. It’s precision pairing with the new C1 Sub amplifier will deliver clean and dynamic low frequencies down to 25Hz (-6dB). ATC recommends that a single C1 Sub partners ATC speaker models up to the SCM19 and HTS11, and that two subs partner SCM40 and HTS40 (although not essential in all room sizes).

The C1 Sub is available now in four real wood finishes: Cherry, Black Ash, Satin Black, Satin White to match Entry Series speakers, center speakers and HTS Series on-wall products.

Enhanced by ATC’s traditionally robust engineering and scrupulous attention to detail, the new C1 Sub Mk2 active subwoofer will generate a reliably accurate performance over a very long life, backed by ATC’s standard six year warranty.

C1 Sub Mk2 Specifications: 
Driver                                               12” / 314mm
LF Cut Off Frequency (-6dB)            25Hz
Max SPL                                          103dB
Amplifier Output                               200W
User Controls                                   Gain, Low Pass Frequency, Polarity, Phase
Inputs                                               Stereo High Level via Binding Posts & Stereo Line Level via RCA/Phono
Outputs                                            Mono Summed Line Level via single RCA/Phono
Dimensions (HxWxD)                      450 x 360 x 400 mm / 17.72” x 14.17” x 15.75” (incl. feet and heatsink)
Weight                                             26.2kg

ATC C1 Sub Mk2
Availability: Immediately – November 2019,  U.S. retail price: $3,499.

ABOUT LONE MOUNTAIN AUDIO / ATC U.S. – www.lonemountainaudio.com
Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lone Mountain Audio is the exclusive U.S. distributor for ATC Loudspeakers for the Hi-Fi and CI (custom integration) marketplaces providing sales, marketing, customer service and full support for all ATC loudspeaker products.

ABOUT ATC U.S. – www.atcloudspeakers.com
ATC, Acoustic Transducer Company stands alone, hand building one speaker at a time for one person, while the rest of the industry focuses on building thousands of units to supply mega-stores. ATC is still owned by founder Billy Woodman, who comes to work everyday to keep inventing new drivers, new speakers, and new technologies. Once you hear ATC music reproduction done right, you’ll understand what Dolby Laboratories, Lenny Kravitz, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Diana Krall, Tom Petty, Jack White, Blackbird Studios, Alan Myerson, Shawn Murphy and so many more recording artist have chosen ATC’s for decades.

Lone Mountain Audio Contact: Chris Neumann • 1 (702) 365-5155 • email: chris@lonemountainaudio.com

ATC products are manufactured by Loudspeaker Technology Ltd, UK. ATC is a registered trademark of Loudspeaker Technology Ltd. Acoustic Transducer Company is a trading style of Loudspeaker Technology Ltd. All trademarks acknowledged.

BERNARDSVILLE, New Jersey, USA – Merrill Audio is very excited to announce a large upgrade from the previous Tape Head Preamplifier, the newly released MASTER Tape Head Preamp is studio quality reproduction of your Master Tapes. Quiet, dynamic and realistic presentation of your master tapes can now be heard to an uncanny degree of realism with the MASTER Tape Head Preamp from Merrill Audio. Additional features include VU Meters for calibration, High Frequency Level Adjustments, output level control, channel balance and VU Meter level adjustment. Finally, there is a Studio Quality Tape Head Preamplifier for the purist of Reel to Reel Tape playback. Merrill Audio, known for Musical Immediacy and ultra-low noise floor, is very excited to introduce the MASTER Tape Head Preamplifier for the Audio Purist when nothing but only the best will do.

Merrill Audio MASTER Tape Head Preamp is the 2nd of a series of exquisite Tape Head Preamplifiers recently introduced. Price at $15,000, it is an ideal addition to the Ampex ATR 100, 102 and 104 series or the Otari MTR desks. Merrill Audio can provide the plug in card to access the Tape Head directly on the Ampex ATR 100 series Machines, replacing the onboard preamp cards for an order increase in performance. The maximum gain on the Merrill Audio Master Tape Head Preamp is set to 71dB, and has an adjustable output level from 0dB to 71dB. There are 6 Speed and Equalization settings provided which are 3.75ips/NAB, 7.5 IPS/NAB, 7.5 IPS/IEC, 15IPS/NAB, 15IPS/IEC and 30IPS/AES. Easy settings are done from the Capacitive Color 5inch touch screen from the front panel touch screen. The configuration is saved to memory which are restored on power up. The Merrill Audio MASTER Tape Head Preamplifier will accept Tape outputs from 0.3mV to 6mV and has a maximum peak to peak output range of 24 volts, allowing for superb dynamics.

The Merrill Audio MASTER Tape Head Preamplifier comes in a work of art chassis, Rose Gold Front, black chassis with a full color, 5inch, Capacitive touch screen TFT display for easy reading and configuration.

The Merrill Audio MASTER Tape Head Preamplifier is built with ultra-tight tolerance components, Silver plated Teflon sleeved wire, fully balanced inputs and outputs, custom Merrill Audio XLR connectors with gold plated pins with Teflon body in metal housing is used. The KRATOS II external power supply is ultra-low noise power supply gives the Merrill Audio MASTER Tape Head Preamplifier an ultra-low noise floor with great immediacy in reproduction. Currently Shipping.

Specifications:

Now at select dealers and direct from Merrill Audio.

More information at https://merrillaudio.net/master-tape-head-preamp/

[This article is co-authored by David Blumenstein]

Bit-Perfect Playback…and why you should care

David Snyder: By the time you read this, the new Amazon Music HD streaming service, promising “High Definition” audio to the masses, will have been available in the US and several other markets for a month or two. The initial subscription offering hits the wallet $5 to $10/month lighter than comparable services from TIDAL and Qobuz.

But is Amazon’s offering really comparable? A library that’s 50 million tracks strong is impressive, but what concerns me is the quality of delivery via available platforms. Amazon may be betting that their new Echo Studio will bring to the uninitiated their first taste of high definition sound reproduction, but for long-time audiophiles like us, high-performance playback is nothing new; we’ve been doing it for decades.

After persistent cajoling from fellow Dagogo Reviewer David Blumenstein, my digital audio “partner in crime,” I reluctantly registered for Amazon’s 90-day free trial. I downloaded the desktop app for macOS, connected a USB DAC, and proceeded to experiment. To my astonishment and dismay, the application has no settings for exclusive mode or directly interfacing with an external DAC. This is bad because we don’t get bit-perfect playback.

David Blumenstein: It has been some time now that Amazon has launched its HD Music venture and they truly have chosen the path of least resistance, a nice way of saying they’re being somewhat lazy with their software. Granted, the audiophile community is niche compared to the mainstream, but then again is the mainstream crying out for super high resolution? Do they even know what that means? The audiophiles for the most part do, yet Amazon has seen fit to offer up a thin veneer, an overlay if you will, leveraging device’s system audio in lieu of providing an “audiophile” layer between their software and external DACs.

I expected more from Amazon in this regard. Best thing about Amazon’s foray, its dipping its big toe into the streaming music service morass, is that it had Qobuz drop the price on their service, which for some was an obstacle. With Amazon’s HD Music, I can’t be bothered having to remember to go into my device’s mixer and reset the bit-rate and depth. That being said, for use on the go with my iPhone and wireless Grado GW-100 Bluetooth headphones, I couldn’t care any less as I’m not going to be listening under ideal environmental conditions.

So, what is bit-perfect?

The term bit-perfect is used a few different ways, but I’m using it here to describe the transfer of digital audio data from one point to another with absolutely no changes. After all, this is a crucial feature that sets digital apart from analog…zero generation loss. Take a digital file and copy or transfer it, then take that copy and transfer it again. Repeat this 10,000 times, and what you have at the end will be bit-for-bit identical to the samples in the original.

The rub with Amazon Music HD is that, currently, there’s no way for it to bypass the O/S mixer on supported platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The O/S mixer is a piece of software that enables you to hear beeps and boops from email and calendar notifications over whatever music you are playing, so that you don’t miss your next meeting or fail to respond to that proposal from your boss. This is great for background in an office setting, but for audiophiles, it will not do.

The main issue here is not the beeping interruptions to our music but what the O/S mixer must do to support them in the first place. It’s not possible to mix digital audio with different sampling frequencies without messing up pitch and timing, so O/S mixers resample the music, beeps, or both to a common sampling frequency. Resampling is done in real time and is rarely of the highest possible quality, so sound quality takes a hit. The O/S mixer usually includes volume controls and DSP features for both beeps and music, which further mangles the original samples, even if no beeps happen to play through during the song. Some of these features can be disabled, but as long as the samples are passing through the O/S mixer, it’s difficult to know if they are truly arriving at the DAC’s input with zero modification.

David Blumenstein: This is why I don’t bother with either Qobuz’s or TIDAL’s native software, mind you Tidal gets the nod because it affords users more customization options with their particular DAC—exclusive modes comes to mind as do volume settings and MQA passthrough. Still, I much prefer using Roon and/or Audirvana as the front-end to both streaming services. It would be really nice if Amazon would strike up some sort of integration deal with either of the two (both would be best) to place its venture squarely in the frame.

Sure, I could, if so inclined, purchase hardware that integrates Amazon HD Music, but you know what, and I reckon I’m like most of you out there, I don’t particularly care to have my hand forced and to make a purchase for lack of a better option.

Why is this so bad?

Computers and smartphones have been silently resampling and mixing music with application sounds for many years, and no one has cared. Most people are not even aware that this is happening. But most people don’t have their computer or smartphone connected to a high-performance playback system. Once the resolution of the playback system reaches a certain point, you begin to care about audio quality and what happens to your music along the path from the media source to your speakers. A digital audio system is fundamentally flawed if it cannot reliably support bit-perfect playback.

David Blumenstein: I go back to one of my earlier points, I just don’t care enough when I’m going mobile, out and about, I will splash for decent quality and comfortable over-the-ear headphones, so there is that. This is about context and priorities. You can be damned sure that this mobile digital audio system in my house is more than fundamentally flawed, it is rendered useless as an option when listening with my home audio systems.

CD players were not bit-perfect.

Eeeek! It may come as a surprise to some, but the promise of “perfect sound forever” was never fully guaranteed by the common CD player. During real-time playback, there was no time for the laser to re-read bad frames, so error detection and correction routines were engaged. In some cases, redundant data in adjacent frames could be used to repair the damage from a misread, but often the player was left to guess at the lost samples, using interpolation or similar techniques to recover from the error. The show must go on! I’ve always been curious to know how many times error detection and correction are engaged during playback of a typical CD, but I’ve yet to encounter a CD player that exposes this information.

Computer Audio and Streaming to the rescue

The draw of computer audio to many nerds like me was the idea that we could finally hear what our music sounded like without errors. Unlike compact disc digital audio, computers use well-defined data structures and protocols to ensure that data is transferred reliably and without error. Many millions of US citizens electrically file their tax returns over computer data networks with no concerns over digits being flipped in their tax bill or refund due. The data is bit-perfect.

While reading (ripping) audio from a CD to a digital file in a perfect and verifiable way is a non-trivial process, made easier through applications like dBpoweramp and XLD, once the music is at rest on the internal storage of the computer, a digital audio playback system must be able to deliver each sample with perfect precision from the file to the input of our DAC. Amazon Music HD does not currently offer a way to do this, but perhaps it will someday.

David Blumenstein: I too, as a nerd and proud to self-identify as one, welcomed and continue to welcome computer audio and streaming services There is a distinction between the two and that devolves into the terminology kerfuffle over how the “streamer” as a device came to be. I rest easy in the reality of a bit-perfect digital audio continuum, hence my personal frustration with Amazon HD Music at the present. The powers that be over there should know better. If it ain’t bit-perfect, it’s just a bunch of bits.

Copy editor: Dan Rubin

[Publisher’s note: Dagogo is excited to present Steve Turnidge’s following new article to its readership.

Thank you, Steve!

This article is presented by Dagogo Senior Reviewer David Blumenstein.]

About the author:

Steve Turnidge is a noted mastering engineer at UltraViolet Studios with hundreds of albums and thousands of music tracks to his credit. With over 35 years experience in the Pro Audio electronics industry, he specializes in mixed digital and analog printed circuit board design.

Steve is also a published author having written both Desktop Mastering and Beyond Mastering for Hal Leonard Books, and taught Audio Recording at Shoreline Community College. He currently teaches mastering at local studios. He was a past chair of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) Pacific Northwest Section and Governor of the Recording Academy.

Website: http://www.arsdivina.com

Introduction

As a mastering engineer for over twenty years, I have had the opportunity to dig deep into the actual simplicity that is sound, and would love to share some of my findings with the Dagogo readers here.

I have been hearing that people are investigating using studio monitors for their main listening systems. This may be an excellent move for a listener that wants to learn more about the processes that go into the crafting of fine audio pieces, but it may not be the best for those who want to get the very best experience from their love of listening to music. Getting a bit deeper into what sound actually is physically and physiologically can help make decisions as to how to arrive at a system that provides a sustainable and enjoyable listening experience.

Much of this information may seem simplistic, but simple truths are at the base of all understanding.

The Ocean of Air

Let us back up and start at the beginning. First, we are at the bottom of an “ocean of air.” The weight of the atmosphere exerts a rather large pressure on us – roughly 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level. Impressed upon this barometric pressure is sound pressure; the relatively rapid and usually slight variation of the air pressure.

This impression upon the atmosphere is created by our loudspeakers (as well as any sound producing item) – the speaker drivers cycle between pushing out (compressing) and pulling in (rarefying) the atmosphere. The speed with which this mechanical action occurs is called frequency – how often per second the speaker transits from its rest position out into the room to its farthest excursion (amplitude), back through the neutral state and pulling in, creating a lower pressure, then returning to the neutral position, which is the speaker at rest.

If this happens 20 times a second, we have 20 cycles per second or Hertz (Hz). If it happens 20,000 times a second, we have 20 kilohertz (kHz).

There is an interesting thing about digital audio workstations and waveform displays in general. You are actually seeing a representation of the movement of air and the driver, seeing the speaker driver from the side, going up and down over time.

Figure 1 – Waveform

In this image, the blue line down the middle of each channel represents -infinity dBFS – in other words, as quiet as you can get. In even other words, the blue line represents the barometric air pressure in the room.

When the green line rises above the blue line, it is a physical representation of the speaker driver moving out into the room, compressing the air. Then, passing and falling below the line represents the driver moving into the speaker, rarefying the air, and returning back to the rest position.

In this case, we have a stereo signal; two channels of audio – one for left and one for right. Since there is just a single trace on the waveform, and your speakers may have several drivers, the high frequencies are riding on the low frequencies – and the low frequencies are typically much higher amplitudes.

As this complex waveform is presented to the loudspeaker, it reaches crossover circuitry where the highs and lows (and often mid-ranges or more) are filtered and sent to their respective driver. These drivers come in distinct sizes – larger drivers for lower frequencies, and smaller drivers for high frequencies.

Figure 2 – Waveform Bass

Note in this figure that the low frequencies have very large excursions. This is not an arbitrary distinction, but physiologically determined. We, by design, have very little sensitivity to low level low frequencies. Consider the equal loudness Fletcher Munson curves:

Figure 3 – Fletcher Munson Curves

The Y axis is increasing sound pressure level (SPL), and the X axis is increasing frequencies. Note the dashed line – below this SPL we have no audible sensation. Each solid line of the graph is called a Phon, and these are set by the subjective level of each decade of SPL, finding the level at each frequency that appears to be the same level as at 1K for that decade. Note that the graph dips down in the higher frequencies, around 3.5KHz, where our hearing is naturally very sensitive. This is evolutionary – these are the frequencies of predators in the bushes and crying babies… and sibilance and feedback.

Heading left on the graph, we see we have very low sensitivity to low level low frequency sounds. It is a good thing that we don’t hear these well, because your heart beat and blood flow would drive you insane!