Innehållsförteckning för February 2019 från Stereophile

It happened 30 years ago, but I remember it as if it were yesterday: My best friend’s brother’s friend showed me his record player—an AR turntable equipped with an SME Mk.III tonearm and a Shure V15 Type V-MR cartridge—and offered to sell it to me at a price that, until that moment, I would never have considered spending for a complete system. “It’s audiophile gear,” he said with a knowing smile. Audiophile? The word sounded exotic—and grown-up. It was love at first sight, even before I’d heard a single note played on this nonconformist record player—a product category, I would soon learn, that audiophiles tribally refer to as a source, another exotic term that immediately appealed to me. The fact that this wondrously pragmatic-looking source, assembled from audio components built…

ATTENTION ALL AUDIO SOCIETIES: We have a page on the Stereophile website dedicated solely to you: www.stereophile.com/audiophilesocieties. If you’d like to have your audio-society information posted on the site, e-mail Chris Vogel at info@XLinkAudio.com. Please note that it is inappropriate for a retailer to promote a new product line in “Calendar” unless this is associated with a seminar or similar event. CALIFORNIA ❚ Sunday, February 17, 2–5pm: The Los Angeles & Orange County Audio Society will hold its monthly meeting at Scott Walker Audio (1215 N. Tustin Avenue, Anaheim 92807). Scott Walker and his team will have five demonstration rooms showing the latest and greatest in high-value, high-end audio gear. The latest loudspeakers from Bowers & Wilkins (600 and 700 series), Elac, Magico (A3s), and Sonus Faber (Sonettos) will be…

Description Two-channel integrated amplifier with optional AES/EBU, S/PDIF, USB, and Roon Ready Ethernet digital inputs. Analog inputs: 1 pair balanced, 2 pairs unbalanced. Digital inputs: 1 coax, 2 TosLink S / PDIF (PCM 16/20/24-bit, 44.1–192kHz, DSD64 on DoP); USB (PCM 16/20/24-bit, 44.1–384kHz, DSD64 / DSD128 on DoP); network (PCM 16/20/24-bit, 44.1–192kHz, DSD64); digital. Outputs: 1 pair speaker binding posts; 1 pair each XLR/RCA preamplifier out; 1⁄4 " unbalanced headphone, 2x3.5mm balanced headphone, word clock. Continuous power output: 100Wpc into 8 ohms (20dBW). Frequency range: DC–250kHz. Input impedance: 2M ohms, balanced; 1M ohm, unbalanced. Power consumption: 120W operating mode, no signal; 60W in low-current consumption mode. Dimensions 17.25” (440mm) W by 3.75” (100mm) H by 13” (330mm) D. Weight: 24 lb (11kg). Serial number of unit reviewed 27A0115. Firmware: 01.02.00 (system),…

Description Solid-state, class-AB integrated amplifier with DAC. Digital inputs: AES/EBU, S/PDIF, & TosLink to 24-bit/192kHz & DSD64 via DoP; CH-Link to 32/768 & native DSD128; optional Ethernet via UPnP / DNLA compatible source & optional USB to 24/384 & DSD 128. Optional analog inputs: balanced (XLR); single-ended (RCA, BNC); phono MC, virtual ground input. Input impedance: balanced (XLR), 94k ohms or 600 ohms; single-ended (RCA, BNC), 47k ohms or 300 ohms; phono MC, <0.1 ohm. Analog outputs: balanced (XLR), 4V RMS; 1 pair speaker binding posts. Output power: 100Wpc into 8 ohms (20dBW), 175Wpc into 4 ohms (19.4dBW). Peak output current: 45A. Minimum load: 2 ohms. Damping factor: varies with negative feedback. Frequency response: 5Hz–130kHz, –3dB, at 1W into 8 ohms. Distortion: <–0.01% with 100% global feedback. Signal/noise: >115dB. Dimensions…

I had a moment of revelation in 2000, when I first set up a pair of Revel’s original Ultima Studio loudspeakers in my living room.1 It wasn’t just my awareness that Revel’s next-to-top-of-the-line loudspeaker was outstandingly good—it seemed to perfectly match my space and my ears. From the first day, I knew these would be keepers and I purchased the review samples. Revel’s Ultima Studio2 arrived in 2008,2 and though it performed even better than the original, the impression it made on me wasn’t quite revelatory, and my praise was somewhat restrained—something for which Fred Kaplan justly chided me in his enthusiastic Follow-Up review.3 To this day, the Ultima Studio2 and Revel’s top model, the Salon2, remain Revel’s standard bearers. Meanwhile, I wonder when there will be a Studio3. Since…

I used DRA Labs’ MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Audio Physic Step Plus’s frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 for the nearfield responses. (I didn’t use the grilles.) My estimate of the Audio Physic’s voltage sensitivity was 84.2dB/2.83V/m, significantly lower than the specified 87dB/2.83V/m. While the specified nominal impedance is 8 ohms, the solid trace in fig.1 shows that the impedance magnitude drops slightly below 8 ohms in the midrange and to 6 ohms at 20kHz. The electrical phase angle (fig.1, dashed trace) never gets extreme, meaning that this speaker is easy for an amplifier to drive. Discontinuities in the fig.1 traces at 420 and 650Hz imply the presence of cabinet-wall resonances at those frequencies. I did find a mode quite…

Description (100V version): Tube complement: two 300B, two 12AU7, two 12BH7, one 5U4BG. Power output: 9Wpc at 5% THD (9.54dBW). Input sensitivity: 290mV at full output. THD: <1% (1kHz/1W/8 ohms). Damping factor: 7 (1kHz/1W/8 ohms). Frequency response: 25Hz–40kHz, –1dB/1W. Dimensions 16.9" (430mm) W by 9.65" (245mm) H by 10.8" (275mm) D. Weight: 54 lb (24.5kg). Serial number of unit reviewed 30005D. Price $16,995 with Electro-Harmonix 300B tubes; $19,995 with Takatsuki 300B tubes; $15,995 without 300B tubes. Approximate number of dealers: 18. Warranty: 3 years (tubes covered by their manufacturers’ warranties). Manufacturer Air Tight, A&M Limited, 4-35-1 Mishimae, Takatsuki-city, Osaka 569-0835, Japan. Tel: (81) 72-678-0064. Web: www.airtight-anm.com. Distributor: Axiss Audio, 17800 S. Main Street, Suite 109, Gardena, CA 90248. Tel: (310) 329-0187. Web: www.axissaudio.com.…

Analog Sources Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable & Jelco 850L tonearm, AMG Giro G9 turntable & 9W Turbo tonearm; AMG Teatro, EMT TSD 75, Etsuro-Urushi Cobalt Blue, Hana SL, Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent Ex MC cartridges. Digital Sources Mac mini computer running Audirvana Plus 3.2; HoloAudio Spring “Kitsuné Tuned Edition” Level 3, iFi Audio Pro iDSD Mytek Brooklyn, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Analog 2 DACs; JVC X-Z1010 CD player (as transport). Preamplification Auditorium 23, Bob’s Devices CineMag 1131, Dynavector SUP-200, EMIA High Nickel, Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III, Musical Surroundings Phonomena II+ & LCPS power supply, Tavish Design Adagio phono preamplifiers; Rogue Audio RH-7, PrimaLuna DiaLogue line-level preamplifiers. Power Amplifiers First Watt J2, Pass Laboratories XA25. Integrated amplifier Line Magnetic LM-518 IA. Loudspeakers DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93,…

Analog Sources Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with Lingo power supply & Ittok tonearm, Spectral MC cartridge; Day-Sequerra 25th Anniversary FM Reference FM tuner. Digital Sources Bryston: BCD-1 CD player, BDP-3 media player with IAD soundboard & Glider MPD Control, BDA-3 DAC, BP-173. Oppo digital BPD-103 universal BD player; Lenovo P50 ThinkPad computer running Windows 10 Pro (64-bit), Bryston Windows USB driver; JRiver Media Center 23; Roon Core v.1.4 (build 300) stable (64-bit). Preamplification Bryston TP-2 30 step-up transformer; Bryston BP-173, Sutherland Engineering KC Vibe phono stages; Sutherland Engineering Vibe head amplifier; Bryston BP-26 & BP-173, Mark Levinson ML-7 (with L-3A board for medium-output MC cartridges) preamplifiers. Power Amplifiers Mark Levinson No.534. Loudspeakers Quad ESL-989. Cables Digital: Bryston 75-ohm (BNC to RCA), Wireworld Starlight (coaxial). Interconnect: Bryston, Pure Silver Cable (balanced,…

What’s with megabuck speakers? Editor: I can comprehend why a speaker may cost $50,000, and even, vaguely, why someone might be willing to buy a pair. But what I fail to grasp is why nearly all of them… are so damn ugly! —Robert Rue Bolingbrook, IL rwrue@comcast.net Nothing is what I want Editor: I read Jon Iverson’s essay in the December issue, “Nothing Is What I Want,” while listening to a recording of the Guarneri Quartet playing Beethoven. In the context of the recording and a recent memory, I was baffled by Iverson’s argument.1 This past summer I heard a string quartet play Beethoven in a rural church not far from home, and I realized that what I want to hear from my system is not the live microphone feed…

I measured Ayre Acoustics’ EX-8 Integrated Hub with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 “As We See It”1). Before performing any testing, I updated the firmware over my network and ran the EX-8 at one-third power into 8 ohms. At the end of that period its top panel was warm, at 107.1°F (41.8°C). However, the bottom panel, which acts as the heatsink for the output devices, was hot, at 124.8°F (51.6°C). EX-8 owners should make sure the amplifier is well ventilated. Looking first at the line-level analog inputs: With the volume control at its maximum setting, the voltage gain at 1kHz into 8 ohms measured 26dB from the speaker terminals for both the balanced and unbalanced inputs. This is on the low side for an integrated amplifier.…

I measured the CH Precision I1 Universal amplifier with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 “As We See It”1). Before performing any testing, I connected the amplifier’s Ethernet port to my network, then ran it at one-third power into 8 ohms. At the end of that period its top panel was warm, at 107.8°F (42.1°C), and the front-panel display indicated that the internal temperature was 63°C (145.4°F). (This panel is very useful—as well as temperature, it indicates volume, the input settings, and when the amplifier is clipping. It also allows the menu to be navigated, as does the CH Android app.) I wasn’t able to test the CH I1’s phono stage because its current-mode input didn’t appear to be compatible with the Audio Precision’s voltage-mode output. Looking…

Description Floorstanding, three-way, bass-reflex loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) beryllium-dome tweeter with acoustic lens, 5.25" (130mm) DCC aluminum-cone midrange with cast frame, two 8" (200mm) DCC aluminumcone woofers with cast frames. Crossover frequencies: 260Hz, 2.1kHz. Frequency response: 27Hz–44kHz, –6dB. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Sensitivity: 90dB/2.83V/m. Recommended amplification: 50–350W. Dimensions 46.5" (1181mm) H by 11.8" (302mm) W by 13.2" (335mm) D. Weight: 82 lb (37.2kg). Finishes High Gloss White or Black, Walnut, Metallic Silver. Serial numbers of units reviewed CV0000015, CV0000021, “Made in Indonesia.” Price $10,000/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 50. Manufacturer Revel, Harman International Industries, 8500 Balboa Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91329. Tel: (888) 691-4171, (516) 594-0300. Web: https://revelspeakers.com.…

In the 1990s, while putting together one of my early hi-fi systems, I’d often visit New York City audio retailer Sound by Singer to gawk at their top-tier wares. On one such visit I noticed a serious-looking gentleman listening to Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring through a pair of Audio Physic’s Step loudspeakers (accompanying electronics long forgotten). Sitting on their dedicated, minimalist-looking metal stands, the pint-size Steps were angled up 22° or so, to create a physical time alignment of the tweeter’s and midrange-woofer’s wavefronts. The Step looked odd—kind of scrawny. But these petite mini-monitors projected music that seemed to exist entirely free of their cabinets, pulling off a sort of “disappearing” act I’d never before heard. Introduced in 1994, the original Step consisted of “a 3 ⁄4 " metal-dome…

Analog Sources Kuzma Stabi S turntable & Stogi tonearm; Thorens TD 124 Mk.I turntable, Jelco 350S tonearm; Denon DL-103, Hana EL, Ortofon Quintet Bronze cartridges. Digital Sources Apple MacBook computer running Audirvana Plus, Qobuz; ATC CDA2 Mk.II CD player, LG BD550 BD player (as transport); Halide DAC HD, Mytek Brooklyn, PS Audio NuWave DACs; Western Digital T2 Mirror Drives (2). Preamplification Auditorium 23 A23 MC step-up transformer; Heed Audio Quasar, Luxman EQ-500 phono preamplifiers; Shindo Laboratory Allegro preamplifier. Power Amplifiers Mytek Brooklyn (2), Shindo Laboratory Haut-Brion. Integrated Amplifiers Heed Audio Elixir, Parasound Halo Integrated. Loudspeakers DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93, Elac Debut B6, Klipsch Heresy III, Quad S2. Headphones Master & Dynamic MH40. Cables Interconnect: AudioQuest Chicago & Water & Yukon, Morrow Audio MA-1, Shindo Laboratory, Triode Wire Labs American single-ended…

I measured the Air Tight ATM-300R with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 “As We See It”1). Before doing any testing, I checked the ATM-300R’s front-panel meter to ensure that the bias was correctly set for the two 300B output tubes. The Air Tight’s maximum voltage gain into 8 ohms from its High (8 ohm) output-transformer tap, which was how Art Dudley listened to the amplifier, was a high 29.5dB; from the Low (4 ohm tap) it measured 26.9dB. Both output taps preserved absolute polarity (ie, were non-inverting). The input impedance was a usefully high 78.5k ohms at low and middle frequencies, dropping to a still-high 54k ohms at 20kHz. The output impedance from the 4 ohm tap was low for a single-ended tube design, at 0.84…

Description Solid-state, class-A, stereo power amplifier with no feedback, using custom-made static induction transistors (SITs). Power output: 18Wpc into 8 ohms (12.55dBW), 30Wpc into 4 ohms (11.75dBW). Frequency response: –0.5dB at 10Hz, –3dB at 50kHz. Output impedance: 0.26 ohm. Input impedance: 200k ohms. Voltage gain: 11.5dB. Distortion: 0.2% at 1W at 8 ohms, 1kHz. Power consumption: 150W. Inputs: 1 pair single-ended (RCA). Outputs: five-way binding posts. Dimensions 17” (430mm) W by 6.75” (170mm) H by 16” (405mm) D. Weight: 32 lb (14.5kg). Finishes Black, Silver. Serial number of unit reviewed 3473. Price $4000. Approximate number of dealers: 18. Warranty: 3 years, limited, transferable. Manufacturer Pass Laboratories Inc., 13395 New Airport Road, Suite G, Auburn, CA 95602. Tel: (530) 878-5350. Fax: (530) 878-5358. Web: www.passlabs.com.…

In the late 1980s, when I began reviewing high-end subwoofers, they were big and heavy, difficult to move or find space for in a room. Their controls were always on an inconveniently positioned rear panel, and there were no built-in automatic room-optimization options or parametric equalizers. Velodyne’s 105-lb, downfiring ULD-18 ($2570),1 ca 1989, was typical: Two people were needed to unpack and move it; it was powered by an outboard 400W amplifier, connected inconveniently with a speaker cable and an RCA-terminated interconnect for its servo control; and its controls were on the bottom of the cabinet. Changing its crossover frequency involved soldering new resistors onto a printed circuit board inside the amp. Since then, subwoofers have become more user friendly. Eight years ago, JL Audio’s Fathom f113 offered built-in, automated room…

The Beatles, aka the “White Album,” was first released on November 22, 1968. On November 9, 2018, in honor of that event, Apple Corps Limited issued the new 50th Anniversary Edition. My comments here refer to listening to the two-LP edition of the newly remixed The Beatles, pressed for Apple by Quality Record Pressings. Also included in three other varying editions1 are 27 of what are now known as the Esher Demos, 50 out-takes and alternate takes, and a 5.1-channel hi-rez surround mix on BD. This music was great in 1968, and it’s great now. Technology marches on, however, and that is where Giles Martin, son of original Beatles producer Sir George Martin, came in. Giles and his team have gone beyond the usual remastering process, remixing the original multitrack…

OMA SP10(R) Plinth Editor: Michael Fremer’s observations on the new OMA SP10(R) Plinth system correspond perfectly with my own impressions on the day we set things up and compared it to his system of Continuum Caliburn turntable and Swedish Analog Technologies tonearm. It may be worth noting that the Schröder CB arms have a variety of headshell plates (brass, phenolic) in addition to the aluminum one used in this review. The degree of torque applied to the headshell screw, as well as the counterweight screw, along with the choice of plate, allows the user a wide degree of sonic adjustability; from warmer to cooler, for example. It’s extremely rare, if not unprecedented, to have equipment that is literally a tenth of the price perform equivalently to or even to outperform…

UK: WINDSOR, BERKSHIRE Paul Messenger Arriving at the De Vere Beaumont Estate, in Windsor, for my first visit to Hi-Fi News & Record Review magazine’s annual The Hi-Fi Show Live, was a somewhat intimidating experience. The show was easy enough to reach—it’s close to the westernmost section of London’s orbital beltway. Having turned in through the estate’s unprepossessing entrance, I encountered a vast, sprawling conference center occupying buildings that clearly predated the Victorian era. That at least ensured that the demonstration rooms would be solidly built and therefore sound decent, though finding them all, located as they were in half a dozen separate suites, each with as many rooms, proved a little trickier. Although in numbers of exhibitors and attendees Hi-Fi Show Live is significantly smaller than, say, Munich’s High…

Peter J. Walker (1916–2003), founder of Quad Electroacoustics and designer of some of the most well-regarded products in the history of domestic audio, famously believed that a properly designed audio-frequency amplifier should have no sound of its own. As for suggestions that his Quad II amplifier (1953–1971) sounded better than most, Walker was unmoved: “We designed our valve amplifier, manufactured it, put it on the market and never actually listened to it.”1 I have an impression that some phonophiles feel the same way about tonearms: They want them to pivot and to move up and down without undue friction, and they don’t want them to rattle during use, howsoever slightly. But while most audiophiles acknowledge that phono cartridges all have a sound of their own, and almost as many folks…

It’s a high-end audio truism: Successful companies are founded by a creative engineer or entrepreneur with a vision. So what happens when the founder is no longer around? While Mark Levinson is an example of a brand that not only survived the exit of its leader but thrived, speaker manufacturer Thiel dwindled after co-founder Jim Thiel died in 2009, and eventually closed up shop. Colorado company Ayre Acoustics was faced with this problem when founder Charley Hansen passed away in November 2017.1 What Thiel didn’t have and what Ayre does have is institutional memory. As is often the case, Thiel’s new owners wanted to start with a clean slate. However, that means that it is too easy to lose sight of what made the brand they purchased successful. In the…

Digital Sources dCS Rossini DAC & Scarlatti clock; Apple MacBook Pro computer with Intel i7, SSD, 8GB RAM; Intel NUC7i7BNH with 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD running Roon; Link-sys routers with two sets TP-Link Gigabit Ethernet media converters plus multimode duplex fiber-optic cables, Small Green Computer linear power supply; external hard drives, USB sticks, iPad Pro. Power Amplifiers Dan D’Agostino Master Systems Progression monoblocks. Loudspeakers Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia 2. Cables Digital: AudioQuest Diamond (Ethernet), Wireworld Platinum Starlight Cat8 (Ethernet), Nordost Odin 1 & Odin 2 & Valhalla 2 (USB). Interconnect, Speaker, AC: Nordost Odin 2. Accessories Grand Prix Monaco rack & amp stands, 1.5” Formula platform; Nordost QB8, QX4 (2), QK1, QV2 AC power accessories, QKore 3 & 6 with QKore Wires, Sort Kones, Sort Lifts; Tweek Geek Dark Matter…

I used DRA Labs’ MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Revel Performa F228Be’s frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 for the nearfield responses. (I left off the grilles for the measurements.) My estimate of the F228Be’s voltage sensitivity was 89.1dB/2.83V/m, slightly below the specified 90dB/2.83V/m but within the margin of error. The impedance magnitude remains below 8 ohms for the entire midrange and bass, with minimum values of 3.42 ohms at 98Hz and 3.55 ohms at 290Hz (fig.1). There is also a demanding combination of 5 ohms magnitude and 39.5° electrical phase angle at 290Hz. While its nominal impedance is specified as 8 ohms, the Performa F228Be would work best with an amplifier that’s comfortable driving 4 ohm loads. I assumed that…

Description Two-way, ported, stand-mounted loudspeaker. Drive-units (both ceramic-coated aluminum diaphragms): 1.75" (45mm) tweeter, 5.9" (150mm) midrange-woofer. Frequency range: 50Hz–40kHz. Impedance: 8 ohms. Sensitivity: 87dB. Recommended amplification: 10–120Wpc. Dimensions 12.6" (320m) H by 6.9" (175mm) W by 9.8" (250mm) D. Weight: 12.1 lb (5.5kg). Serial number of units reviewed 8083 (both). Finishes Cherry, Ebony, Walnut veneers; Black High Gloss; White High Gloss, add $200/pair. Price $2599/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 18. Warranty: 10 years. Manufacturer Audio Physic GmbH, Almerfeldweg 38, 59929 Brilon, Germany. Tel: (49) 2961-961-70. Fax: (49) 2961-516-40. Web: www.audiophysic.de. US distributor: VANA Ltd., 2845 Middle Country Road, Lake Grove, NY 11755. Tel: (631) 246-4412. Web: www.vanaltd.com.…

Analog Sources Garrard 301, Thorens TD 124 turntables; EMT 997, Sorane ZA-12 tonearms; EMT TSD 15, Ortofon SPU A Wood, Shindo SPU pickup heads; EMT TSD 15 N sph, Koetsu Onyx Platinum, MusiKraft Denon DL-103 cartridges. Digital Source Sony SCD-777 SACD/CD player, Mytek Liberty D/A processor. Preamplification Auditorium 23 Hommage T1 & T2 stepup transformers, Shindo Laboratory Monbrison (2017) preamplifier. Power Amplifiers Cary Audio CAD-805RS monoblocks, Shindo Laboratory Haut-Brion. Loudspeakers DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93. Cables Interconnect: Audio Note AN-Vx, Luna Red, Shindo Laboratory. Speaker: Auditorium 23, Luna Red. AC: manufacturers’ stock. Accessories Box Furniture Company D3S rack (source & amplification components), Audiodesksysteme Gläss Vinyl Cleaner Pro.…

I performed a full set of measurements on the First Watt SIT-3, using my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 “As We See It”1). Before doing any testing, I preconditioned the SIT-3 by running it at one-third power into 8 ohms for an hour. At the end of that time the top panel was warm, at 106.3°F (41.3°C), and the heatsinks were hot, at 123.8°F (51°C). The First Watt’s voltage gain into 8 ohms was a very low 11.3dB and the amplifier preserved absolute polarity (ie, was non-inverting). The input impedance measured close to the specified 200k ohms at low and middle frequencies, dropping to a still very high 151k ohms at 20kHz. The output impedance was half that of the First Watt J2, which Herb Reichert reviewed…

Description Powered subwoofer with sealed cabinet. Drive-unit: 10" polypropylene-cone unit with 2" voice-coil. Inputs: Left-& right-channel line level and LFE (RCA); (5–24V DC) 12V trigger (3.5mm); left- & right-channel speaker-level (banana); ARC firmware update (Micro-USB); optional SWT-X wireless receiver. Internal amplifier: 120W RMS, 240W peak. Input impedance: 8.3k ohms unbalanced (RCA), 2k ohms speaker level (banana). Frequency response: 24–200Hz, ±3dB; anechoic in LFE mode. Power draw: 30W typical, 150W max, 4W idle, 0.5W standby. Dimensions 13.7" (348mm) H by 12.4" (315mm) W by 13.1" (333mm) D. Weight: 30 lb (13.6kg). Finish Satin Black. Serial numbers of units reviewed Dynamo 800X subwoofers: AHT3DC0819, AHT3DC0279. SWT-X wireless kits: AHT7DE0037, AHT7DE0034 (failed), AHT3DE0279 (replacement). Price $799.95; SWT-X wireless kit, $199.95. Approximate number of dealers: 500. Warranty: 3 years. Manufacturer MartinLogan, 2101 Delaware Street,…

I used a JL Audio CR-1 external electronic crossover because its high-pass filter could be used to protect the electrostatic panels of my Quad ESL-989 speakers from deep-bass pulses. To do this, I connected the line-level output of my Bryston BP-173 preamplifier to the input of a JLA CR-1 with balanced interconnects. Additional balanced interconnects were run from the CR-1’s high-pass outputs to the Mark Levinson No.534 power amplifier I used to drive the Quads. The CR-1’s high-pass filter was set to 70Hz/24dB/octave, and its lowpass filter to 150Hz/24dB/octave so it wouldn’t interfere with the sub. Then the 800X’s built-in low-pass filter was set to 35Hz/24dB/octave. I played Lyle Lovett singing “Friend of the Devil,” from Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead (CD, Arista DCD-8669). The bass seemed overblown,…

I’ve just returned home from one of the greatest concerts of my life, and felt absolutely compelled to share my thoughts with you. Yo-Yo Ma performed all six of J.S. Bach’s Cello Suites, from memory, over a mesmerizing two-and-a-half hours at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, in Morrison, Colorado. It was a truly special experience. When I was eight, Yo-Yo Ma was my inspiration to pick up the violin. I have over a dozen of his recordings in my collection. My copy of his 2001 recording of the Bach Cello Suites 1, 5, and 6 (CD, Sony Classical 89796) is so worn that the CD case is falling apart. I am a fan. Sometime between 2004 and 2006, while I was attending Texas A&M University, Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax saw fit…