JUNE 2015 WWW.HIFINEWS.CO.UK THE HOME OF REAL HI-FI

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V withw goldgold-leaf-leaff veneveneer!er! E NUGGETS WIN! VARIOUS ARTISTS FIVE £190 HEADPHONE AMPS p71 Classic Rock We pick the best on Blu-ray & DVD, p24 Arcam C49/P49 Beefy pre/power amps VPI Prime Next-gen deck with Budget 3D-printed tonearm Esoterica Oppo HA-2 Wadia 321 headphone amp ‘Decoding computer’ Aëdle VK-1 GallicG headphones

••PL PLUSPLUS 1818pagesofmusic pages of music reviewsreeviews & ffeatures • VINYL RE-RELEASE Japan’s Tin Drum – 180g pressing UK £4.50 US $12.99 Aus $10.99 • OPINION 12 pages of letters and comment • VINTAGE REVIEW Sansui’s classic AU-317II amplifier • SHOW BLOG We visit Hi-Fi shows in Paris & Serbia • READERS’ CLASSIFIEDS Hi-Fi bargains galore 0) 683(5,253(5)250$1&(+($'3+21(6

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ZZZPXVLFDOÀGHOLW\FRP    CONTENTS

VINYL & RECORD REVIEWS NEWS AND OPINION

74 Classical Companion 13 Welcome Christopher Breunig takes a look at A message from the editor

Decca Records’ mono era following 14 News 15 JUNE two big box CD and LP releases Magico S-series gains new fl agship; 76 Vinyl Release Pioneer offers DSD-ready headphone As Universal’s Back To Black series amp; Pro-Ject revamps Debut deck; adds Japan’s Tin Drum to its 180g Sonus faber’s new Chameleon range vinyl catalogue, Steve Sutherland 16 Show Blog recalls an encounter with the Ken Kessler fl ies to Paris to report band’s singer, David Sylvian from the Festival Son & Image while 78 Vinyl Icon Ljubiša Miodragović stakes out the Something of a departure this The Hi-Files Show held in Serbia month as we celebrate one of the 24 Investigation most infl uential rock anthologies The visuals may appeal, but the ever released. Johnny Black talks to current limitations of broadcasting Lenny Kaye, maker of Nuggets 56 Wadia 321 mean Blu-ray and DVD are still fi rst 84 Classic Rock Venues An outboard USB DAC the New York choice for sound. Ken Kessler selects Steve Sutherland continues his tour company describes as a ‘two-channel the best classic rock discs out there of the world’s iconic rock venues at decoding computer’. We listen... 103 Opinion The Gaumont in Southampton 60 Unison Research Phono One Insider comment on the audio 90 Music Reviews Building on the strengths of the topics of the day from Paul Miller, Audiophile LPs, hi-res downloads Simply Phono, this elegant-looking Barry Fox, Jim Lesurf, Steve Harris and the very latest rock, jazz and phono preamp packs Russian valves and, writing from the US, Barry Willis classical albums reviewed 62 Aëdle VK-1 Classic 112 Sound Off French start-up company unveils The lowdown on one reader’s DIY DEFINITIVE PRODUCT REVIEWS some of the classiest-looking cans amps for Quad ESLs, a plea for more around, but how do they sound? all-British speakers, your questions 30 Naim Statement 66 Oppo HA-2 on Meridian’s MQA, the appeal of NAC S1/NAP S1 Rechargeable, pocket-sized portable the CD player, plus streaming vs CD As the wraps come off the Salisbury headphone amp/DAC is a boon when 138 Off The Leash fi rm’s ultimate amps we bring you it comes to quality audio on the hoof Despite at fi rst being dazzled by the our exclusive technical review 71 Free Competition! pre-loaded music in a newly arrived 36 Sonus faber Lilium Your chance to win one of fi ve HFN portable device, Ken Kessler fi nally Based on the Aida and with a fi nish Highly Commended USB headphone becomes disillusioned. What gives? of gold-leaf, Italian company’s amps from In-Akustik latest speaker is one ‘gilty’ pleasure 42 VPI Prime/JMW 10 3D VINTAGE From this US vinyl veteran comes a trailblazing value-for-money deck 118 Vintage Review with 3D printed tonearm on board How does the classic kit of yesteryear 46 Arcam C49/P49 measure up today? We test Sansui’s British brand hits the high life with feature-packed AU-317II integrated a Cambridge-designed, big-ticket amp, released back in 1980 Class G pre/power, built Stateside 124 From The Vault 52 Opera Audio Callas II This month’s pick of articles from Company unveils stylish two-way HFN’s archive is from 1982 where standmount sporting drivers from we fi nd our reviewer comparing a Scandinavia. What’s the score? range of exotic MC cartridges ABOVE: We search out the must-hear classic rock releases on DVD and Blu-ray, p24 BSCRIBE! SUBSCRIBE! LEFT: Arcam’s C49 preamp is tested together Special Christmas offer: with the P49 FREE!Three Audioquest’s issues for NRG-X3 just £3! power amp, p46 power cable See page 60888257

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 3

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  WHAT HI-FI?, UK, 11/2014: HI-FI CHOICE, UK, 09/2014: “The Xeo 4s serve up “An ideal proposition for great-quality, convenient, music lovers who want versatile wireless sound.” ZLYPV\ZOPÄZV\UKZMYVT Rating: One of the best minimal components” Recommended Award

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NOMONO.DK, 11/2014: “This loudspeaker again sets FONO FORUM, GER, 02/2015: the bar for this price class. “To be honest the one I have heard systems that thing we missed the costs an unheard of amount least were cables…” of money, many do not even come close to the perfor- mance of this little gem.”

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[[[EVGEQGSYO BRINGING MUSIC AND MOVIES TO LIFE JUN/15

RIGHT: Know-how from Oppo’s substantial HA-1 headphone amp/ DAC has informed the hat goes development of this natty around comes portable – the HA-2, p66 round, a phrase perfectly suited W to how we choose to enjoy our music these days. Recently I talked about 21st-century ‘virtual media’ – downloads and streamed music fi les – being awarded their own slot in the Offi cial Charts and of MFSL and others, but the now the same honour has been late 1970s and early ’80s bestowed upon the grandaddy were otherwise a real low- of all formats: our cherished point in the physical quality 20th-century vinyl disc. of vinyl discs. Wafer-thin, ABOVE: VPI’s new deck, the Prime, features a 3D printed arm, see p42 2014 saw vinyl LPs and warped LPs comprising impure singles ‘going around’ in greater and recycled vinyl were the numbers than at any point in the everyday experience of that era’s last two decades. Sales reached beleaguered audiophile. an all-time high of 1.3 million Interestingly, at the time P MONAGHAN P units with a predicted growth of writing (mid-April), the of another 70% through 2015. top 20 entries in the ‘Offi cial Vinyl now accounts for 1.5% of all media sales – just seven years ago that ‘With record sales in was less than 0.1%... 2014, vinyl now has The steep upturn in the LP’s fortunes its own offi cial chart’ may have started as something of a fashion-led craze Vinyl Albums Chart’ betrayed in the noughties, but having a reasonable overlap with the re-established a toe-hold, the ‘Offi cial Streaming Chart’ – both format has clearly won hearts even had the same number one, and minds with its compelling Future Hearts by US pop/punk VINYL: The groundbreaking compilation performance. However, it’s band All Time Low. album, Nuggets 65-68 is this month’s worth reminding ourselves Personally I’m delighted that Vinyl Icon (p78), while Steve Sutherland that we are not comparing like the true potential of this ‘legacy’ remembers David Sylvian as Japan’s Tin with like when pitching today’s format is fi nally being realised. Drum is re-released on 180g vinyl (p76) vinyl media against the massed- After all, HFN/RR has been produced discs of 40 years ago. banging the 33.3rpm drum with RIGHT: Hi-Fi News & RR is the exclusive We may have enjoyed a our Vinyl Release (p76) and Vinyl UK representative of EISA’s Hi-Fi Expert drip-drip feed of half-speed and Icon (p78) features for years... Group and editor Paul Miller is EISA’s direct-metal masters pressed Hi-Fi Expert Group Manager onto virgin vinyl by the likes PAUL MILLER EDITOR

HI-FI NEWS’ EXPERT LINE UP: THE FINEST MINDS IN AUDIO JOURNALISM BRING THEIR EXPERIENCE TO BEAR ON ALL AREAS OF HI-FI & MUSIC

BARRY FOX JOHN BAMFORD KEN KESSLER KEITH HOWARD STEVE HARRIS JOHN HOWES STEVE SUTHERLAND Investigative journalist JB brings huge is a long-serving has written about Former Editor of this Foremost collector and Worked on Melody supreme, Barry is the industry experience, a contributor, luxury hi-fi for 30 years, and very title from 1986 archivist of vintage Maker and then edited fi rst with news of the penchant for massive goods writer and edited Hi-Fi Answers through to 2005. A hi-fi , famous for the NME from 1992-2000, latest developments speakers and a love of champion for the for nine. KH performs lifetime in audio and UK’s bi-annual Audio the Britpop years. Steve in hi-fi and music hi-res audio in all its renaissance in valves our speaker and a love of jazz makes Jumble, John shares his brings a unique slant to technologies diverse guises and ‘vintage hi-fi ’ headphone lab tests Steve a goldmine experience with HFN our Vinyl Release pages

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 13 NEWS We reveal the latest products and upcoming events Magico S7 NEW FLAGSHIP FLOORSTANDER FOR THE S-SERIES

With all 50 of Magico’s bass drivers with Magico’s anniversary M-Project customary massive magnet loudspeakers now sold [see assemblies. The 6in mid driver p103] the trickle-down effect employs an ‘Arkema Multi- has begun in earnest. The fi rst Wall carbon nanotube and XG new loudspeaker to benefi t Sciences C-750 Nanographene’ from the M-Project’s tweeter, cone material, which is both midrange and bass driver lighter and stiffer than its earlier designs is the S7 – a fl agship for designs. As in the S3 [HFN Nov the popular S-series range. ’14] this driver has its own Clearly more substantial than polymer sub-enclosure. the existing S5 [HFN Dec ’12], A new 1in diamond-coated the S7’s sealed and internally beryllium dome tweeter rounds braced enclosure features off this impressive-looking curved aluminium side panels system, which is rated at 89dB that are machined from with a 4ohm impedance. Prices 0.5in-thick aluminium extrusions start from £58,000. which are no less than 16in in Magico LLC, 0208 971 3909; diameter. The S7 features three www.magico.net; new 10in aluminium-coned www.absolutesounds.com

Thales TTT-Slim Pioneer U-05 ELEGANT 33/45 DECK FROM SWITZERLAND BALANCED, DSD-READY HEADPHONE AMP The mid-market USB DAC/headphone preamp scene has just got even more interesting with the announcement that Pioneer is launching MERIDIAN SPIN OUT a £699 model. The U-05 boasts single-ended Meridian Audio has announced and fully balanced headphone outputs (the a deal to transfer the company’s latter on 3-pin and 4-pin XLRs and rated at software applications business to a newly established entity, Roon Labs. 300mW/32ohm) along with a USB input that Meridian Audio will concentrate on supports LPCM fi les up to 384kHz/32-bit and its high performance hi-fi and home DSD up to 2.8/5.6MHz. Legacy S/PDIF and AES/ theatre product lines, including its EBU digital ins are also specifi ed for media up Sooloos system, while Roon Labs will to 192kHz/24-bit. Pioneer’s digital fi lter section have its own software applications has three user-selectable settings for LPCM and team ‘to address specialist software Aptly-named, the Swiss-made Thales TTT-Slim requirements for other consumers.’ three for DSD while a ‘direct’ function bypasses turntable is just 82mm tall from the tips of its Roon Labs co-founder, Enno all internal DSP. The DAC section is based three ball-loaded feet to the top of its LP clamp. Vandermeer, says ‘we look forward around the popular 8-channel Sabre chip from A battery-powered source and drive electronics to making important partnership ESS, confi gured here in dual-differential mode. feed a three-phase motor, the former good and product announcements to the Pioneer Europe NV; www.pioneer.eu market very soon.’ for 20hrs’ use between charges. The motor www.roonlabs.com; connects via a short belt and fl ywheel under www.meridian.co.uk the platter and is isolated from the chassis by a spring arrangement. The bearing features a IN MEMORIAM hardened, hand-polished shaft and chrome- The audio industry lost two of its plated brass housing. Price is £5250 or £8850 stalwart defenders in April: Doug Sax, if fi tted with the Thales Easy ‘tangential pivoted’ Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer and co-founder of Sheffi eld tonearm, the latter incorporating an ingenious Lab Recordings; and Alan Roser of mechanism that continuously minimises the Anthem UK, who worked tirelessly to headshell’s tracking error. develop and promote the high-end Thales (HiFiction AG), 01563 574185; AV and projection market in the UK. www.tonarm.ch; www.fi audio.co.uk

14 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 NEWS We reveal the latest products and upcoming events Purple Pro-Ject Sonus faber gets moodyy DEBUT CARBON TURNTABLE WITH OUTBOARD DCC SUSUPPLYPPLY CHAMELEON RANGE HAS SWITCHABLE PANELSELS Conceived by Sonus faber to attract ‘a wider, contemporary audience’, its new Chameleon range of bookshelf, centre channel and fl oorstanding loudspeakers are highly adaptable (3-way Chameleon T shown here). The cabinets are covered in leather, the driver fl anges are embellished with aluminum trims while the coloured side panels are interchangeable via a system of Pro-Ject’s popular Debut pins. These Chameleon ‘mood’ Carbon turntable has been panels are available in six upgraded with a new, lower different fi nishes: white, black, voltage motor, a precision- is available in numerous gloss orange and red plus metallic frequency AC generator board colours including black, blue, blue and grey. You can check plus a detachable DC power green, light grey, red, white, out any new fi nishes released in supply. The new motor and yellow and the vivid purple the coming months by visiting supply are also found on other shown here. Price, including Sonus faber’s website. Pro-Ject turntables, including 8.6in carbon arm and Ortofon Sonus faber, 0208 971 3909; the Essential II and 1 Xpression 2M red MM, is £325. www.sonusfaber.com Carbon UKX. Dubbed the Debut Pro-Ject, 01235 511166; Carbon DC, this improved deck www.henleydesigns.co.uk HI-FI NEWS? JUST ASK...K

If you can’t always fi nd a copy Please reserve/deliver my copy of Hi-fi News of this magazine, help is at on a regular basis, starting with issue...... Gauder’s mini monitor hand! Complete this form, Title...... First name...... BERLINA RANGE EXPANDED WITH NEW STANDMOUNT hand it in at your local store Surname...... and they’ll arrange for a copy With their rib-like wooden cabinets, silicone-rubber damping Address...... of each issue to be reserved layers (all pinned into place by vertical rods) and Accuton ...... for you. Some stores may ceramic drivers, Gauder Akustik’s Berlina speakers are instantly even be able to arrange for it ...... recognisable. This range is now joined by a new ‘starter’ model, to be delivered to your home. Postcode...... the compact two-way, closed-box RC3 with 1in ceramic tweeter Just ask! (£6999) or 0.75in diamond tweeter option (£11,599). Telephone number...... Gauder Akustik, 01563 574185; IF YOU DON’T www.gauderakustik.com; www.fi audio.co.uk WANT TO MISS AN ISSUE...

Upcoming Events IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR HI-FI DIARY 14-17 MAY High End Show, M.O.C, Munich, Germany; www.highendsociety.de 29-31 MAY T.H.E. Show, Hilton Hotel, Newport Beach, CA, USA 28 JUN N. West Audio Show, Cranage Hall, www.audioshow.co.uk 04-09 SEP IFA Berlin, The International Funkausstellung, Germany http://b2c.ifa-berlin.de 24-25 OCT The Hi-Fi Show Live 2015, Beaumont Estate, Windsor; www.hifi news.co.uk/show

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 15 SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe Hi-Files Show, Serbia Words & pictures: Ljubiša Miodragović

The Hi-Files Show, hosted at the made the strongest impression Holiday Inn hotel in Belgrade, saw at the event. Names like Beyond a record number of exhibitors Frontiers Audio, Gallus Audio and boasted more visitors Technology, Ubiq Audio and SM through its doors than at any time Audio Design are well-known in its ten-year history. to local audiences if less so to Over two sunny days in those abroad. The event enabled November last year, the crowds them to showcase their latest enjoyed a number of premieres, components and demonstrate including Samsung’s UHD screens their tireless enthusiasm, which just weeks after their launch far surpasses the commercial worldwide. However, it was successes of their limited-run, the manufacturers from the hand-crafted products in the ex-Yugoslavian countries that global audio market.

Serbian company Beyond Frontiers Audio showed the latest iteration of its Tulip hybrid integrated amp with on-board DAC and valve input stage. The amp’s casework matched the look of the Slovenian- brewed Ubiq Audio 3-way fl oorstanders, which feature paper cone drivers, a treble horn and are said to offer 95dB/W/m sensitivity. Two active subs were also used, each equipped with a dipole driven by 1.2kW ICEPower modules. www.beyondfrontiersaudio.com; www.ubiqaudio.com

Belgrade-based It was an orgy of glass, leather and precious veneered wood distributor Vox Trade fi nishes as Auris Audio showcased its Largo preamp and Forte showcased an unusual, 6550 monoblock. Source was the company’s new streamer/ but highly musical, VTL/ DAC, though Auris remained tight-lipped when it came to Dynaudio combo. The details. Tiny W5 speakers from Boenicke, manufactured under set-up featured a VTL license in Serbia, completed the set-up. www.aurisaudio.rs TL-5.5/S2 preamp and MB-185/S3 power monoblocks driving a pair of Dynaudio Confi dence C2 Signature fl oorstanders. The sources used included a dCS Paganini transport connected to an Elgar+ DAC. Cables for the entire system were from Transparent Audio’s Ultra series, a brand Vox also distributes in Serbia. www.vtl.com; www.dynaudio.com

16 | www.hifinews.co.uk | JUNE 2015 SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe

Björn Rutz of MBL and the brand’s local distributor M-Kabl presented a system more suited to smaller rooms than is MBL’s usual practice at exhibitions. The 116F fl oorstander was connected to the company’s new Corona line – CD player/DAC C31 and C51 integrated amplifi er – which was alternated with the C11/C21 pre/power combo. Björn’s own laptop could also be seen, used as a source to stream music to a DAC. This means it’s now offi cially OK to use a notebook computer in a high-end music system. www.mkabl.rs

The AV Impuls room was dominated by Japanese brands and featured a Triode TRV845SE integrated amplifi er, Aqua Acoustic La Voce S2 DAC, an exotic Spec Corp RSA-V1 solid-state integrated, a Young M2Tech DSD-capable DAC and a Hegel H300 integrated amp. The Leben CS300XS amplifi er pictured below served simply as eye candy. www.avimpuls.com

SM Audio Design demonstrated its reference turntable with double AC motor belt drive, 10in Helius Omega arm and Benz Micro Ruby 3 cartridge. Weighing 40kg, the deck was connected to a NAT Audio Signature battery-powered phono amp. The speakers were seven-driver- per-side prototypes from fellow Slovenian manufacturer Gallus Audio while Goldmund’s distributor Audiophile focused on the amplifi cation was courtesy of Rogue Audio. www.gallus-audio.com brand’s latest systems, which aim for easy set-up. The system it showcased comprised Metis Tower active digital speakers connected wirelessly via a Goldmund Up for grabs at the USB dongle to a laptop used as a source. The set-up Welcome Desk were back also featured an Eidos 17 universal player and Mimesis issues of Hi-Files magazine, II wireless hub for versatile and neat connectivity with which organises the show, no compromise on sound. www.audiophile.rs branded goodies from its store and merchandising from the event’s sponsors. The most sought-after item was the latest design of the Hi-Files Show t-shirt, which has gained the status of collector’s item among show visitors. A free, eco-friendly shopping bag was included with every purchase. www.hi-fi les.com

JUNE 2015 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 17

SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe

Pictured below are two gems from Italian company Unison Research: the single-ended valve integrated dubbed Simply Italy, offering a claimed 12W in Class A, and the recently introduced Triode 25 amp with selectable triode or pentode operating mode said to deliver up to 45W per channel. Both models created highly enjoyable sounds, with the demanding Grand Mezza loudspeakers from Opera. www.unisonresearch.com

Distributor 4Audio chose to put the spotlight on the mid-size twenty.26 fl oorstanders from PMC. They were paired with Musical Fidelity M series electronics, comprising an M6500i amp, M3 CD player and M6 DAC. Cables were Oehlbach Fusion 2 and XXL1 with power supplied via a Powerstation 909 from the same manufacturer. www.pmc-speakers.com

Close-up of the key electronics in the SM/ Gallus Audio room includes the venerable DP-400 CD player/ DAC (S/PDIF only) from Accuphase and amps from Rogue Audio. From the top is the Ninety- Nine Magnum 6SN7 tube-based preamp and a pair of KT120-based M-180 monoblocks. www.accuphase.com; www.rogueaudio.com

Player highlighted affordable components from its distribution A selection of speakers from Monitor Audio’s new Radius range catalogue. A Marantz SA8005 SACD/CD player and PM8005 was also shown by 4Audio. Slimmer than the original Radius integrated amp were at the heart of the system feeding Tannoy line-up, the eight-strong range includes the Radius 90 surrounds, Precision 6.2 fl oorstanding and 6.1 bookshelf speakers, plus 270 front speakers, 200 centre speaker and 380 subwoofer, all Wharfedale Diamond 122s. A ‘quiet’ room featured headphones pictured. The family also includes the Radius One soundbar and from Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser and Focal. www.player.rs comes in a choice of fi nishes. www.monitoraudio.co.uk

The newest additions to Yamaha’s range of retro- styled electronics were on show in the form of the A-S2100 integrated amp – said to deliver 90W per channel – and matching CD-S2100 SACD player with 32-bit ESS DAC. It’s not just the amp’s VU meters that provide a taste of the classic era, as both components sport wooden side panels. www.uk.yamaha.com

JUNE 2015 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 19 SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe Paris Salon Hi-Fi Show Words & pictures: Ken Kessler

Again held at the undeniably and headphone amplifi ers, pleasant Novotel Paris Tour Eiffel, but connectivity, soundbars Festival Son & Image hosted a and Bluetooth speakers are number of surprises, not least challenging them for the title the bizarre Odoravison. As this of the most vibrant product isn’t a home cinema magazine, category in consumer electronics. we won’t bore you with it, other But there was also plenty for than to say that it spritzes smells vinyl lovers, the usual strange that match the movie you’re loudspeakers and suffi cient valve watching. The demo I saw was of gear to show that the high-end King Kong, restricted thankfully to can intermingle with the more the aroma of the jungle. commercial offerings, such as As is now the norm, the 4K demos – a generation beyond show was rife with headphones last year’s displays.

Streaming and networks are now the norm, so 3D Lab embraced the future with the €1890 Nano Network Player (left) and €1490 Nano DAC. Both support the usual alphabet soup of formats up to 192kHz/24-bit. Also offered are a matching ADC and 250W/ch amp. www.3d-lab-av.com

Ami Musik’s DDH-1 is a standalone DAC/preamp with headphone amp, compatible with Windows and Mac. It supports 192kHz/24-bit in asynchronous mode, while connectivity includes Toslink optical in-and-out, a pair of RCA phonos for line output, 3.5mm stereo socket for analogue in, coaxial digital input, USB and fi xed or variable line output. www.amimuse.com

CAV Audio France’s Reminiscent of certain DX-8 fl oorstander, odd-shaped UK items seen next to the from a few decades FL-30A two-way, ago, Atoll continues stands 1380mm to defy the need for tall. Its drivers rectangular faceplates comprise a 30mm with this handsome inverted dome pair, which stacks ceramic tweeter, to form an arc. On 16.5mm mid top is the CD400 and two 280mm CD player with two ‘hexacone’ woofers. Burr-Brown PCM1794 Sensitivity of this DACs, below is the 4ohm speaker is IN400 integrated said to be 89dB/1W, amp, with USB input, while power delivering a claimed handling is 400W. 160W/ch. www.atoll- www.cav-audio.fr electronique.com

20 | www.hifinews.co.uk | JUNE 2015 SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe

It’s just an empty prototype, but this will be the CD-playing companion to match Pro-Ject’s clever MaiA all-in-one digital integrated amp. No details as Flanking an unidentifi ed valve amp are Kallyste Duel monoblocks. Rated at yet, but we suspect it could easily be transport-only, 100W into 8ohm, factory specifi cations state a frequency response of 4Hz- as MaiA contains a DAC. www.project-audio.com 380kHz. Dimensions are 222x220x330mm (‘avec spikes’) while the chassis uses aircraft-grade aluminium. www.kallyste.com

EgglestonWorks showed this new mini, the 13in- tall, 8ohm Nico two-way monitor, ‘Handcrafted In Memphis, Tennessee’. The front-mounted port allows the speaker to be used near walls, unlike its ancestor, the Isabel, with rear ports. Drivers include a 1in dome tweeter and a 6in cone woofer. Sensitivity is 88dB/1W. www. egglestonworks.com

Pierre Riffaud and his wife, standing over their impressive Heritage turntable, fi tted with three tonearms. Riffaud’s philosophy, shared with other French ‘classicists’ like the late JC Verdier, involves belt-drive, inert chassis, loads of mass and a huge platter. Price is on application, but be warned it’s forbiddingly high. www.riffaud.eu

M2Tech continues to deliver intriguing digital products, including the Young DSD DAC (€1240) and the Van Der Graaf Power Station (€890). The latter This ferocious-looking beast is Avantgarde’s XA can provide power Integrated Amplifi er and it delivers the weirdest to two M2Tech rating I’ve ever seen, though this is intended to drive components, while the company’s high sensitivity (eg, 109dB/1W) horns: the Young DSD 1.1W/ch Class A into 16ohm, or 120W/ch Class AB handles PCM up to into 4ohm. It accepts three single-ended and two 384kHz/32-bit and (XLR) balanced sources. www.avantgarde-acoustic.de DSD up to 5.6MHz. www.m2tech.biz

JUNE 2015 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 21 SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe

Miller & Kreisel virtually Headphone areas are now a fi xture at hi-fi shows, these invented the sub/sat; visitors listening to cans from Final Audio Design. The nice to see them still Pandora Hope VI is a hybrid model that combines in charge with the a balanced armature driver with a 50mm diameter evolution into custom dynamic driver. Cups are made of stainless steel and ABS, install and the like. for a total weight of 480g. www.fi nal-audio-design.com This is the big bruiser in the 300 Series, the S300 Monitor, a block measuring 395x340x330mm (hwd) and said to cover 60Hz-22kHz. The three- tweeter/two-woofer array is made by Scan-Speak. www.mksound.com

Lua’s Sinfonia is one of a half-dozen nicely made valve amps in the German brand’s catalogue, an integrated containing four 6550s, for 60W/ch. The unit features autobias – a relief for those not comfortable with AVO meters – and it offers a healthy six inputs, including MM and MC phono. Weight is a chunky 46kg. www.lua.de

Crescendo is Viola’s new preamp, boasting a fresh look and a plethora of inputs, including three XLR balanced and three RCA single-ended for analogue sources, with USB and S/PDIF digital to access the on-board 192kHz/24-bit USB DAC. Control is via Wi-Fi using apps for Apple devices. Dimensions are 445x89x381mm (whd). www.violalabs.com

Yamaha continues its deft marriage of the modern and retro with the 60W/ch RX-S600 AV receiver with 4K Ultra HD, Apple AirPlay and looks that scream ‘1978!’, if not quite as loudly its all-silver integrateds. This offers every fl avour of surround sound decoding, it handles streaming and can be ordered with DAB and DAB+. http://uk.yamaha.com

Yes, I had to look twice, too: not Technics but Sherwood, the PM-9805 Professional Belt-Drive Turntable. It’s a two- speed unit with a light for DJs so they can see the stylus, pitch control and quick start. I could only fi nd Australian details for this, but the price is the equivalent of £210. www.sherwood-av.com.au

22 | www.hifinews.co.uk | JUNE 2015 SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe

CAV makes amps, too, including this stunning all-valve unit, the CAV Mono D70. Rated at 70W into 4 or 8ohm, the unit contains two 805A triode output tubes, one EL34 and two 6SN7s, the amplifi er operating in push- pull Class A. The control on the left operates power on/ off, with gain setting on the right. Each chassis occupies 585x330x270mm and Burson Audio is making a name for itself for exceptional weighs a hefty 36kg. Price headphone amplifi ers, demo’d in Paris with Audeze. The is €5200 per pair, sold Soloist SL (left) accepts two sources to feed one set of cans, online with shipping for with its 2W/ch output, while the Conductor has double €95, all of which appears the power and inputs for three analogue sources and two to be an incredible bargain! digital, plus pre-out. www.bursonaudio.com www.cav-audio.fr

Soledge, maker of the Maestro server, launched the Ténor, which delivers wireless amplifi ed networking to individual speakers. It’s offered as a mono 60W unit, or in a stereo 60W/ch version. www.soledge.fr

What a cool headphone amp! Cypher Labs’ Prautes (US $3900, in black or silver) is fi tted with ‘new old stock’ RCA 50L6 and Sylvania 12AU7 tubes ‘made in USA prior to 1970’ and Elipson joined Habitat to create ‘Lenny’, which vintage ‘Cold War-era’ capacitors. It has four is either a tribute to the greatest comedian of inputs, and delivers 2W/ch, so it can power the past 50 years, or the stupidest name yet small, high-sensitivity speakers, and will drive for a hi-fi product. This Bluetooth 2.1 speaker balanced headphones. www.cypherlabs.com is powered by a Li-polymer battery for 6-8hr operation. Size is 368x165x170mm (hwd). www.elipson.com/habitat

Who recalls that Scandyna’s Podspeakers came out a few Next decades ago? The Michelin Man lookalikes spawned a whole family, including the month cute MicroPod SE offered in four colours, and selling for We revealWe report the winners from the of €99 each, or with Bluetooth for €359 per pair. Height is the StockholmEISA Awards Hi-Fi 2011-2012 Show 195mm on spikes. www.podspeakers.com

JUNE 2015 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 23 INVESTIGATION Classic rock on BD & DVD Ken Kessler brings you his pick of the discs that shine for their sound quality

RIGHT: Joe Cocker’s career- defi ning turn at Woodstock, looking as good as it gets and with Dolby TrueHD surround sound. The ‘Ultimate Collector’s Edition’ of Woodstock – 3 Days of Peace and Music – The Director’s Cut has hours of extras, too

nexorably, the music and fi lm every day, and have, on occasion, cut-off? Because by that point, the industries – and I suspect streamed TV shows or movies. But music biz was totally committed gaming – want to eliminate one genre deserves better, and to the cinematic element of rock Iall forms of physical data ‘better’ remains either of the 5in music, and virtually every band carrier. No manufacturing costs? discs. That genre is the music video, performing in the post-VCR era was No warehousing or shipping? How or, indeed any visual programme well documented. could they resist? where the sound is as or more Future music historians will Leaving aside the minority cult for important than the images. learn that there’s no need to scour vinyl, CD sales are dropping, as are While this re-cap concentrates defunct TV stations for forgotten the two main video formats of DVD solely on factual rock-related fi lms, footage for, say, U2 or Coldplay or and Blu-ray (BD). And I’ll be the fi rst you can add to it classical or jazz Queen. Equally, no fi lm can be made to admit that I use my Sky+ HD box concerts, fi ctional rock movies about Elvis, The Beatles or The Everly and probably the most repeatedly Brothers without involving some watchable of all: Broadway musicals serious research… and directorial on fi lm. While a separate case for creativity. That’s not a reference to Blu-ray can be made for the likes a lack of material: the biggest acts, of Gigi, South Pacifi c and others like Mr Presley and the Fab Four, RIGHT: Criterion from Lerner & Loewe, Rodgers & as well as Bob Dylan, the major (and to be fair, Hammerstein, the Gershwins and rock festivals and the TV shows Eureka) goes the their ilk, here we deal solely with the that survived will all provide rich extra mile with popular genre that rules the planet. pickings… but nothing like the fi lm its releases, this stock wasted on, say, One Direction version of The ARCHIVE RELATED or the Spice Girls. Beatles’ fi rst Three realisations inspired this My second realisation is quality. fi lm enjoying need for a reminder of what is out Although fi lmed in the era of sublime audio there, and it is primarily archive- widescreen formats, nascent stereo remastering as related. The fi rst is that nearly all of and Technicolor, early rock footage well as video the exceptional, recently released looks as ‘vintage’ as if it dated from restored in a 4K material concerns subject matter the days of George Formby. This process pre-dating the 1980s. Why that doesn’t affect the oldest-known fi lm

24 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 evidence of, say, REM or Take That. But when I see the words ‘4K Digital Restoration’ on the back of a Blu-ray from Criterion, of a rock movie from 1964, I get excited. As for the third, it’s the current limitations of streaming and/ or broadcasting. Don’t get me wrong: the visuals on my ordinary, affordable 42in Sony, fed by the Sky+ HD box, are superb. The sound, though, doesn’t compare to the feeds off DVDs, let alone Blu-rays. Unless I’m missing something in the ‘settings’ tabs, I don’t see Sky offering DTS HD-Master Audio, hi-res 2-channel PCM or other audio options that allow the listener to choose the most suitable or most preferred format. Even if comparing career. Part of this vast genre are ABOVE: Twowo Blu-rays.Blu rays For this, this I make no like with like, whether mono or biopics with actors playing the parts of the most apologies, because anyone reading Dolby 5.1, discs sound better. in a recreation of events; those are important Hi-Fi News who is committed to often best fi led with the fi ctional DVD sets in high-quality viewing has already FACT OR FICTION? movies. Also in this category are rock’s history, dealt with the regional coding issue, As rock music (arguably) celebrates proper documentaries about studios the complete eg, by buying a cheapo Region 1/ its 60th birthday next year, and and record labels – the sub-genres. appearances Region A player for under £50.) because exploitation feature fi lms Lastly, but not covered here, of The Beatles with basic plots date back to its very are fi ctional rock movies that were and The Rolling PLAY IT LIVE origins, the list of made either Stones on the Prior to the Monterey Pop and rock-related fi lms as commercial US TV show that Woodstock festivals of the late- is massive. For the ‘I don’t see Sky vehicles for the established them 1960s, rock concerts were not sake of brevity, offering DTS performers, such Stateside; unlike automatically fi lmed, let alone I’ve identifi ed as all of Elvis’s the BBC, the recorded. Nowadays, every moment the following HD-Master Audio 30+ fi lms, or Yanks kept their is placed on permanent record, categories that those that use recordings as one never knows when the dominate the rock or hi-res PCM’ rock music as footage may be needed. The BBC, fi lm genre, the fi rst part of the plot. for example, should forever hang its and most obvious being concert They range from the sublime spoof, head in shame for wiping footage of footage, whether of an individual This Is Spinal Tap [MGM/Studio Canal the bands that placed Great Britain performer or group, or a festival. Blu-ray M113252], to that toxic on the map between 1963-66. Next up, also in the non-fi ctional development: period dramas using Fortunately, the Yanks were less arena, are biographical/historical inappropriate rock soundtracks. brutal, and the greatest showcase of fi lms, which can be either complete But this is not the place for me to all for music on TV back in the days histories or, increasingly, more explain why I despise Moulin Rouge, of only three or four channels – The specialised fi lms that cover, for to a level nearing the psychotic. Ed Sullivan Show – survives. This was example, the making of a milestone (Note: Far too many titles are the primary vehicle that fuelled the album or a brief period in a long Region 1 DVDs or Region A so-called ‘British Invasion’ starting in 1964, just as it offered Elvis Presley his most notable (though not his fi rst) early TV appearance eight years prior. Two particularly important sets contain all of the shows by the LEFT: This two most important acts of the day, magnifi cent set, and into the current era. arguably the All 6 Ed Sullivan Shows [Sofa most star-rich Entertainment DVD B0015967- document of its 09] features 17 Rolling Stones era, can be yours performances from their guest for under £7 on shots between October 1964 and Amazon! You’d November 1969. What is remarkable have paid more about this 2-disc set, and its natural to see the fi lm companion, The 4 Complete – in real terms – Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The back in 1970 Beatles [Sofa Entertainment DVD

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 25 
  




 









  
 

 

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B0014733-09], is the inclusion of the other artists that were on the shows, as well as the ads, rather than just the main acts. A nice touch in The Stones’ set is a facsimile ticket for the show. In both sets, the visuals improve KEN REGAN chronologically. While the earliest ABOVE: The Harrison, Lou Reed, Tom Petty and the drama of the above is The Who’s appearances are clearly ‘period’, the market is awash Eric Clapton. An all-time great gig. Sensation – The Making of Tommy sound fares much better. But that with concert [Eagle Vision Blu-ray EVB334849]. is irrelevant: for anyone who wants videos, but ROCKUMENTARIES Arguably the fi rst rock ‘opera’ to get a taste of the impact these multi-artist While not the fi rst rock (please, no hate mail from Pretty bands had 50 years ago, there are extravaganzas documentary, The Rolling Stones’ Things and Kinks fans…), Tommy no better souvenirs of the era. like this Sympathy For The Devil [Fabulous merits such forensic analysis. This celebratory Blu-ray FHEB2813], also known as Blu-ray is an extended version of the DEFINITIVE ARTEFACT Dylanfest, as well One Plus One, is among the most original TV programme, as are other By the end of the decade, the likes as Woodstock, important because DVDs and Blu-rays of Martin Scorsese were involved in Monterey Pop it was directed by that fi rst appeared rock fi lm production, the cameras and the like an A-lister in his ‘The extended on the BBC, Sky were superior, the sound recording are eminently own right, Jean- Woodstock... Arts or other was of releasable quality and the watchable Luc Godard. Now channels mindful fi lming was artistic rather than it’s available with set is unlikely to of rock history. matter-of-fact. Although it’s been both the 97min As a bonus, this reissued a few times, the ‘Ultimate and 100min edits, be bettered’ adds previously Collector’s Edition’ of Woodstock a study of a band unreleased – 3 Days of Peace and Music – The recording a crucial LP, also one footage from Beat Club in 1969. Director’s Cut [Warner Bros Blu-ray about to lose its founding member. Without digging into my own Z1 Y25764] is a 2-disc extended This 1968 release raised the bar for archives, I recall that John Lennon’s version that is unlikely to be ‘rockumentaries’, paving the way for Plastic Ono Band, Fleetwood Mac’s bettered, containing as it does a The Beatles’ Let It Be. Rumours, Nirvana’s Nevermind, four-hour edit and three hours of Typical of the genre focusing on Aja by Steely Dan, the Band’s bonus material. thee making of a single LP, with less oof eponymous second album and the With period footage of Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis RIGHT: No Joplin and nearly every other giant Stones fan should act from 1969, this is probably the be without this defi nitive artefact of the hippie era. seminal souvenir What makes it so important, beyond of the making the obvious historical value, is the of Beggar’s music itself. For most of these acts, Banquet they delivered performances that defi ned their careers. FAR RIGHT: Rock Equally, the remastering of Bob documentaries Dylan’s 30th Anniversary Celebration have never been Concert [Sony Blu-ray 88430 better, especially 34139] is almost a 1992 match for ‘making of’ Woodstock in its roster of Dylan stories like fans, such as The Band, Neil Young, this analysis of Johnny Cash and June Carter, George Tommy

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 27 FURUTECH Pure Transmission

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+44(0)1276-501-392 [email protected] INVESTIGATION

LEFT: Of late, we’ve been treated to a number of superlative ‘behind the scenes’ rockumentaries, this pair covering backing singers and a notable studio

Doors’ eponymous debut, Cream’s Joe Cocker, Fleetwood Mac and RIGHT: This Disraeli Gears, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side hundreds of others. magnifi cent fi lm Of The Moon and other albums of Among the LPs recorded there about Motown’s this stature have received similar were Spirit’s Twelve Dreams Of peerless ‘house treatment over the years. Dr Sardonicus, Fleetwood Mac’s band’ from If that’s too much about one LP, eponymous comeback and Young’s 2002 upped the a new wave of superlative, themed After The Gold Rush – certainly a quality factor for documentaries has proved not run of classics. Grohl is held in high all behind-the- only to be supremely informative enough esteem to have attracted scenes music but delightfully contributions to histories entertaining. this documentary This sub-genre ‘Documentaries from Young, Stevie BELOW: Muscle deals with the enrich every Nicks, Tom Petty, Shoals tells the one with an inimitable ‘groove’, musicians behind John Fogerty, Paul story of the such that musicians travelled to the scenes, and for bar of the music McCartney, Mick eponymous Alabama to soak up the sound of its proliferation I Fleetwood and studio, with the FAME Studios. This disc delivers would credit 2002’s concerned’ other artists of observations by testimonies from Keith Richards, hugely successful that stature. And bluesman Gregg Greg Allman, Percy Sledge, Alicia Standing In The Shadows of Motown when they praise a studio, you know Allman and Keys, Mick Jagger, Etta James and [Momentum Pictures/Artisan 13781], it’s approval that you cannot buy. others others who know their funk. the story of the session musicians Another documentary behind all those Motown classics. honouring studio with SOUL RESTORING an immeasurably great Lastly, and also paying dues THREE MASTERPIECES contribution to the music of tto an oft-overlooked element While I await the DVD or Blu-ray the rock era is Muscle Shoals oof the greatest records we of the latest in this genre, The [Dogwoof DVD DOG291]. oown, is 20 Feet From Stardom Wrecking Crew about the Los If you possess a love for [[Radius/Anchor Bay Blu-ray Angeles musicians that played soul, funk or southern BBD60906]. An extended anonymously on many hit records rock, this disc recounts the vversion of the feature fi lm, this during the 1960s, a fi lm now making infl uence of a studio in the hheart-warming, soul-restoring, the rounds of art house cinemas middle of nowhere, but aaward-winning masterpiece in the USA, I content myself with tetells the story of background three masterpieces. These are, of ssingers, including Darlene course, only of interest to those LLove, Merry Clayton, Claudia whose passion for music begs for LLenneare and others who a greater understanding of the eenriched everything from Phil recording process, beyond simply SpSpector’secto grandiose ‘Wall-Of-Sound’ listening and enjoying. For me, such creations to The Rolling Stones’ documentaries enrich every bar of fi nest moments. the music concerned. On board to show their Sound City [Sony Music Blu-ray appreciation are Mick Jagger, 88765 45897 9] is a labour of love Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, by Foo Fighter main-man Dave Sting and Bette Midler, as well as Grohl. Here he pays homage to one commentary from a few of the of the great studios, but one less singers themselves. When a fi lm is well-known than either Abbey Road subtitled ‘Meet The Unsung Heroes or Sun. Opened in 1969, Van Nuys, Behind The Greatest Music Of Our California, Sound City Studios played Time’, you owe it to yourself – and host to Neil Young, Dr John, Spirit, them – to investigate it. Crazy Horse, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, And sometimes, a download just

Leon Russell, Delaney & Bonnie, DANNY CLINCH won’t do.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 29 Pre & monoblock power amplifi ers. Rated at 746W/8ohm Made by: Naim Audio Ltd, Salisbury Supplied by: Naim Audio Ltd Telephone: 01722 426600 Web: www.naimaudio.com PRE/POWER AMPLIFIER Price: £155,000 Naim Statement NAC/NAP S1

Everything about Naim’s range-topping preamplifi er and power amps is on the grand scale, from their construction to the entirely addictive way they play music Review: Andrew Everard Lab: Paul Miller

s the ‘How much?’ brigade its power output. This is quoted as 746W circuitry, housed in a perforated Faraday splutter when confronted with into 8ohm or, as Naim reminds us, one cage – giving electrical isolation while the price-tag on a piece of exotic horsepower: so do Naim’s partners at the allowing cooling – and mounted on a leaf A hi-fi equipment, ‘You could Focal factory in Saint-Étienne refer to the spring assembly for mechanical isolation. buy a decent family car for that kind of Statement amp as a deux chevaux? That A balanced connection then takes the money.’ Except that in the case of the power, by the way, is given as rising to signal on up through the preamp, and Naim Statement NAC S1/NAP S1 amplifi er, 1.45kW into 4ohm, and 9kW burst power there’s a similar connection back to the the decent family car in question would (however fl eetingly) into a 1ohm load – output section. – rather appropriately – be a factory-fresh fi gures PM’s lab tests show are entirely In the ‘upper fl oors’ of the preamp Bentley Flying Spur. credible [see p35]. enclosure, the circuitry Although the Statement amplifi cation is mounted vertically, has to date always been shown as a whole, MASSIVE SUPPLIES ‘It goes beyond with boards back-to- its three matching towers bolted together, There’s some real anything else that back on a 3.7kg brass in fact its elements appear on the Naim architecture going on plate, coil springs price-list as separate units: the NAC S1 within the three units. the company has attaching this plate preamplifi er is £57,000, and the NAP Massive power supplies to the main frame of S1 mono power amplifi ers are £49,000 are anchored in the ever made’ the amplifi er. Three apiece, giving an all-up price tag for the base of each, mounted dual-layer boards are stereo amp system of £155,000. But then vertically on brass chassis, and separated mounted on each side of the brass plate, everything here is on the grand scale: from the signal electronics by those acrylic the main circuitboard located between an the preamp weighs 70kg and the power detail elements through which the power upper board carrying the volume control amps 107kg each, while the substantial cabling passes, and which are designed to relay driver circuits and a lower one packaging in which they arrive (each unit keep eddy currents from the transformers for Naim’s DR voltage regulators – thus comes in a custom fl ight-case) ups the total at bay. In the NAC S1 preamp, this lower locating these immediately below the shipping weight to 385kg. section also contains the input/output sections they supply. The Statement amplifi ers are the result of a Naim project dating back to 2010 – or at least that’s the date when the formal exercise began. Steve Sells, Naim’s Electronics Design Director, fi rst proposed a ‘cost no object’ ultimate amp in 2002, not long after he joined the company, but it took the better part of a decade for it to be green-lit. Or in the case of the Statement, white-lit. Once the idea fi nally got the go-ahead, it then took a relatively short three years or so to get to the point where it could be shown and demonstrated. But, as CEO Paul Stephenson explains in our interview [see p33], the problems weren’t over: then they had to fi nd a way of making it! The Statement looks unlike anything else in the core Naim range, and comfortably goes beyond anything else the company has ever made, not least in

RIGHT: The power supply, control and audio stages of the NAC (left) and NAP S1 (right) are suspended on CNC-machined frames, creating circuit ‘fl oors’ within the massive chassis

30 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 LEFT: A simple rotary volume control and touch-sensitive input selectors bely the complexity within the NAC S1 (centre): inputs can be customised and mapped to the virtual ‘buttons’

of unity gain should you wish to hang the Naim off the front left/right pre-outs of an AV receiver or processor. There’s one set of balanced outputs on XLRs, this being the connection to use with the NAP S1 power amps, and two sets of unbalanced outputs on four-pin DIN sockets. The NAC P1 monoblocks continue the vertical layout theme, each with a 25kg 4000VA transformer in the lower part of the casework, along with massive reservoir capacitors, located down with the transformer and, like the preamp, with a custom-made copper busbar providing the star grounding.

HEAT DISSIPATION CHIMNEY In addition, both pre and power amps have small switched-mode power supplies for use when they’re in standby, meaning the whole system draws just 1W from the mains supply when not in use. The entire construction uses only To ensure smooth operation an IC The amp plays things pretty simple, through-hole passive components and volume control kicks in momentarily while with just a single XLR input and a pair of discrete transistors, and even the volume the level is being adjusted, then gets out speaker terminals, plus communications control uses what Naim calls a ‘fl y-by-wire’ of the way smartish as soon as the required sockets to match those on the NAC S1, and system, with an optical encoder on the setting is achieved. shares with the NAP 500 a bridged layout, volume control shaft and custom software The prosaic stuff? The NAC S1 provides with two amplifi er circuits per channel. running on an ARM microprocessor to drive three inputs on RCA phonos, three on DINs Or rather four, as the power supply layout a two-stage attenuator, using matched and two on XLRs, with adjustable gain and here means two channels are used for the resistors and reed relays. This is designed customisable mapping to the fi ve input balanced signal outputs, and another two to maintain a constant input and output selector options – designatednated aarere aadapteddapt to provide the negative resistance, and thus frequency response, as CD, Stream, AV, Phonoo and popositive voltage rails. across the adjustment range. and Aux – and the optionn AAgain there’s microprocessor ccontrolo to avoid any noises CUSTOM TRANSISTORS ono switch-on, and to control tthe extensive protection There’s much that’s bespoke about the NAP S1, not least circuitry, while the physical its in-house designed power transistors. Naim wanted its design includes an internal amp to combine ‘speed’ and ‘grunt’ with as few high power ‘‘chimney’ to help it dissipate transistors as possible – realised by photo-etching single wafers thet considerable amount of silicon for each batch of the N-type (NA009CN) and P-type of heat a 746W/ch amplifi er (NA009CP) devices. This precise device matching ensures that ddevelops.ev The main input and current-sharing, among other characteristics, is utterly predictableble outpuoutput stages are located at the across the full performance bandwidth. This has allowed Naim too top of eaceach column, as far as possible engineer as elegant an amplifi er circuit as possible with just four bridged output from the power supply section. stages in parallel (that’s 16 transistors in total per channel). The fi nal production For more on Naim’s choice of output version of these devices have an alternative, non-ferrous case to that shown – devices see PM’s boxout [left], but other the internals are unchanged, bonded onto a copper heat-spreader before being aspects worth noting are the use of loop protected by a non-resonant epoxy shell. Even the legs are now solid copper to negative feedback taken from before the reduce electromagnetic interaction under high current conditions! PM output stage, meaning it’s not affected by the speaker load, and the non-invasive

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 31

PRE/POWER AMPLIFIER

PAUL STEPHENSON

Ask Naim’s CEO how the Statement project is doing, and he says that ‘orders have exceeded our expectations by about 50%, and we’re well on target to meet our forecast of selling 100 complete sets, despite 2014 being a year of tough economic conditions.’ The Statement started shipping rather later than anticipated, not least due to the weight of the product: ‘We had to install custom lifting equipment and new handling processes throughout Naim, while building a Statement production team with the right skill mix.’ Stephenson started with the company in 1981 as Sales ABOVE: At 70kg and 107kg (each), respectively, fi nal assembly of the NAC S1 and NAP S1 amplifi ers Director and opened up much of requires the use of a custom-built hoist BELOW: The NAP S1’s 25kg, 4kVA mains transformer its distribution in export markets, so he’s well aware that shipping design of the protection measures. Last but source was the Naim NDS network music 385kg amplifi ers around the world by no means least, heatsinking is provided player, with two 555PS power supplies. brings its own problems, as ‘it’s not by those hefty extruded ribbed side panels Factor in cabling and a cup of tea a regular delivery to a hi-fi store! It so much a part of the Statement look: for for the team required to heft the whole usually needs three-plus people and, now, like the rest of the amplifi er, they system into position and you’d just have of course, a forklift truck helps. We come in black, but if you’re spending this change from £200k. Worth the money? If had to design custom packaging so money then Naim is more than willing to I had that kind of cash at my disposal, my it will survive a drop or two when discuss custom fi nishes! special matt black credit card would be on you are shipping around the world the retailer’s desk in the blink of an eye. – the cost of that packaging, and SHEER INTELLIGIBILITY It’s not all about bringing out detail shipping, makes your eyes water.’ More than two decades of reviewing hi-fi you’ve never heard before/making the He expects much of what the equipment has left me somewhat blasé musicians appear like they’re in the room/ company has learnt in designing about what, for most lifting veils – or any and making the Statement to trickle people (myself included), other hi-fi reviewing down, ‘the challenge is utilising this will only ever be dream ‘I decided to hit cliché you care to knowledge and these techniques systems, so I was far from Naim’s Statement mention – but rather to make more affordable products.’ prepared for just what the making every recording However, he confi rms that Naim has Statement could do. amplifi er with you play seem like plans to add a source component Jettisoning all the usual you’re hearing it for the to the Statement line ‘sometime ‘audiophile approved’ everything I’d got’ very fi rst time. – but only when we can move music I decided to hit Most striking of all performance ahead as much as we Naim’s amp with everything I’d got, is the absolute linearity of the Statement, feel we have with the amplip fi er.’ from vintage prog and 1970s glam to whatever volume level you choose, and orchestral warhorses and the most delicate whatever the music you play – from of chamber music, and with every track I background levels, where it’ll surprise you played a sense of regret grew inside me. with the sheer intelligibility of the sound, You see, I really needed to be sharing right up to its ability to do the ‘go on, you the listening with someone to whom I know you want to’ thing. At which point could turn and say ‘Did you hear it’s already pummelling you with its what it did with that?’ before the super-clean bass and irresistible two us dissolved into ridiculous rhythmic drive, while still telling grins and giggles. you more about instruments, Realising that my usual voices and performances than PMC speakers might be ever you’d ever imagined possible. so slightly outclassed by the Yes, this is one truly superlative Statement (!), I used a pair amplifi cation system. of Neat’s Ultimatum XL10 First out of the traps fl oorstanders, as I’d heard was Lake Street Dive’s them used in anger on tinglesome cover of a couple of occasions ‘I Want You Back’ and really liked what from their Fun they can do, while the Machine EP

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 33

LAB REPORT NAIM STATEMENT NAC/NAP S1 Designed to provide 6dB of headroom over the NAP 500 amplifi er (4x the power output), Naim’s NAP S1 is rated at LEFT: Eight stereo 746W/8ohm (one horsepower) and 1450W/4ohm. This was inputs are provided met on test at 795W/1493W, respectively, although the on the rear panel massive PSU is so tightly regulated that there’s effectively no of the NAC S1 – six dynamic headroom – 790W, 1480W and 2610W is possible into 8, 4 and 2ohm (10msec/1% THD) with 1585W/3190W unbalanced ins available into 1ohm for 10msec/5msec. Maximum current is (three on 5-pin DIN, governed by the security of the output stage into any load – I three on RCA) and was able to squeeze 4.05kW/6kHz/5msec so Naim’s claim of two balanced ins on 9kW/10kHz/0.1msec seems realistic. Either way, the NAP S1 is clearly one of the most powerful XLR. Balanced outs and load-tolerant amplifi ers ever tested in HFN [see Graph 1, connect to balanced below]. It’s also one of the most linear, offering a mere 0.0002% ins on the two NAP S1 THD through bass and midange from 1-300W/8ohm, only rising power amps, these to <0.0008% up to 700W/8ohm. At the highest frequencies this increases to just 0.0012%/20kHz and 0.0025%/40kHz courtesy equipped with single of a response that stretches from 2Hz-50kHz (–1dB points) and sets of 4mm speaker to 100kHz at –3.3dB. The A-wtd S/N ratio is equally impressive binding posts. RJ45 at 94.8dB (re. 0dBW) and a huge 125.3dB (re. full output). sockets provide for The partnering NAC S1 preamp is very nearly as linear with 0.0003-0.007% distortion [black trace, Graph 2], a wide 96.1dB connection of the S/N ratio (re. 0dBV) and a 14V balanced maximum output. CAN (Controlled Area Output impedance increases from 10ohm to 215ohm at 23Hz Network) bus as a function of its AC-coupling cap just as Naim’s regular series resistor bumps-up the NAP S1’s impedance to 0.11ohm. Readers may view full QC Suite test reports for Naim’s NAC S1 pre and NAP S1 power amp by navigating to www.hifi news. co.uk and clicking on the red ‘download’ button. PM [Signature Sounds SIG2048], which I The violin plaintively winding its must have played hundreds of times. way around the voice in Bach’s St While I knew it was well recorded, Matthew Passion aria ‘Erbarme Dich’ I never knew just how well until [Linn CKD 313], while the orchestra I played it through this system. maintains the work’s signature Simply, there’s just much more of heartbeat, was one of those the entire performance, with every experiences that made you just sit in element fusing together to create silence when the music stopped. great music-making, and everything And then I played T Rex. Nothing revealed with crystalline clarity. I’d heard so far had prepared me for the way the signature riff of ‘Get PINNED TO THE SEAT It On’ [Electric Warrior – Universal Still not quite believing what I’d 533 780-0] thundered out of the ABOVE: Dynamic power output versus distortion into heard, I tried the Naim with ELP’s speakers, the defi nition of the 8ohm (black trace), 4ohm (red), 2ohm (blue) and ‘Toccata’, the band’s fabulously percussion, the focus on Bolan’s 1ohm (green). Maximum current is 40A (10msec) dense and percussive take on unmistakable voice, the piano part of Ginastera’s First Piano stabbing in now and then, and that Concerto, from Brain Salad Surgery all-too-short guitar solo. [Sanctuary Records 5308195]. It’s The song was given unstoppable challenging, to say the least, with its motive power, and there was little powerful drumming and percussion, left but to wonder at just how well swinging from gentle piano to recorded was what, for so long, had thundering synth bass, with swirling been seen as disposable pop. programmed sounds and yes – even tubular bells. I was pinned to my HI-FI NEWS VERDICT seat, transported back to some vast OK, so there was some ribaldry arena around the time I was in Sixth when the Statement name was ABOVE: THD versus extended frequency; NAC S1 (1V Form, and loving every minute… fi rst announced, but the NAC S1/ out, black trace) and NAP S1 (10W/8ohm, blue trace) Another dozen or so tracks NAP S1 lives up to the title with a blurred by, each one seeming like a sound that’s much more than the HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS freshly-detailed shiny thing, and by Naim signature writ large: this is now I was rising to the challenge Power output (<1% THD, 8/4ohm) 795W / 1493W a truly magical amplifi er across a of trying to wrongfoot the Naim. Dynamic power (<1% THD, 8/4/2/1ohm) 790W / 1480W / 2610W / 1585W huge range of musical styles and Wagnerian trumpets? Tinglesome, listening preferences. It deploys Output imp. (20Hz-20kHz, NAC/NAP) 215-10ohm / 0.108-0.124ohm and delivered with total ease. Piano its power in a manner that’s not Freq. resp. (20Hz-100kHz, NAC/NAP) +0.0 to –13.8dB / +0.0 to –3.25dB duets? Beautiful in the simplicity about showiness or bluster, but Input sensitivity (for 0dBV/0dBW) 171mV / 88mV (balanced) with which the amps bring out the all about bringing the listener the performances intertwining, while A-wtd S/N ratio (for 0dBV/0dBW) 96.1dB (NAC S1) / 94.8dB (NAP S1) closer to what’s being played. recreating the sense of two big, Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, 1V/10W) 0.0003-0.007%/0.0002-0.0012% metal-framed wooden stringed Sound Quality: 90% Power consumption (Idle/Rated o/p) 103W / 1410W (NAC S1, 38W) instruments in a closely-defi ned 0 ------100 Dimensions (WHD, NAC/NAP S1) 270x940x412/256x940x383mm studio space. Accompanied voices?

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 35 Floorstanding three-and-a-half way loudspeaker Made by: Sonus faber SpA (Fine Sounds Group), Italy Supplied by: Absolute Sounds Ltd Telephone: 0208 971 3909 Web: www.sonusfaber.com; www.absolutesounds.com LOUDSPEAKER Price: £47,000 (Gold leaf fi nish, +£20k approx.) Sonus faber Lilium

Sonus faber assaults the high-end with the Lilium, a direct benefi ciary of research undertaken for the Aida Review: Ken Kessler Lab: Keith Howard

ith its Lilium fl oorstander, you have seriously low ceilings?) I’m Sonus faber has produced a assuming that it serves a similar role in more ‘realistic’ loudspeaker dispersion here, while it also acts as a W than the controversial limited dust cover. That was not an issue with the edition fl agship, The Sonus faber [HFN Feb Extrema, as the latter’s rear-fi ring woofer ’11]… if you can call £47,000 ‘realistic’. was vertically positioned and not a surface That six-fi gure speaker, the sire of this to attract falling particles. Suffi ce it to say entire family, elicited divided opinions, that, along with the vertical slits that are but none could argue with its genuine part of the Stealth Refl ex System, it made grandeur. The 103kg Lilium, too, is an KH’s life that more diffi cult [see boxout, equally imposing fl oorstander, one that p37 and Lab Report, p41]. also oozes luxury, its fi nish a match for the fi nest furniture. ‘A SCALED DOWN AIDA’ If, however, you lack taste, happen to The Lilium, like its larger siblings, is an be a Russian oligarch or a star on TOWIE, inordinately complicated system, and not an extra £20k or so will add the lacquered just because of a plethora of drive units gold-leaf fi nish (photographed here) in and the inevitably complex crossover. place of the red-stained or walnut wood Starting with the cabinet, Sonus faber sections. It’s not so much ‘gilding the has again mixed solid walnut and leather, Lilium’, more a case of gelding the Lilium, partly – it must be emphasised – to respect in my opinion. the ‘organic’ nature of all speakers from Not that I should kvetch about any the fi rm’s beginnings, the pioneering uses company pandering to the fi lthy rich: who of shaped woods and inspiration from the else can afford high-end audio these days? forms of acoustic instruments originating And if price concerns you, think of this as at nearby Cremona. costing £33,000 less than the magnifi cent Sonus faber itself calls the Lilium ‘a Aida [HFN Apr ’12], from which it is derived. scaled down version of the Aida’, tempered The Lilium’s resemblance to the Aida with a bit of the limited-edition Ex3ma and The Sonus faber is unmistakable. The [HFN Jul ’14]. All of the speakers of this cabinet is shaped in the form of company’s generation – The Sonus faber, Lilium, now-familiar ‘lyre’ cross-section, tapering Ex3ma and to a lesser extent the Olympica to the back and with sloped top. The lyre family [HFN May ’14 and Mar ’15] – are shape dates back a quarter-century to the exercises in eliminating vibration and original Guarneri Homage and its benefi ts spurious noise. The recipe for all includes are multi-fold, including the elimination separate enclosures for the subwoofer and of internal refl ections, added rigidity isolation of the tweeter and midrange in and – crucial if you married a hi-fi hater – their own sub-enclosure, and a ‘no port gorgeous looks. noise’ passive radiator inherited from the Another nod to Sonus faber’s historical Ex3ma design. precedents is the glass plate above the That beautiful, rounded lyre shape is the top-mounted infra-bass woofer. This recalls result of the triple curvature cabinet walls, the metal panel that was positioned on real artistry in wood, while the structure the back of the original Extrema, spaced is damped and ribbed to enable the to cover its rear-sited KEF B139 woofer as ‘total rejection of spurious vibrations and a form of ‘bass disperser’. Coincidentally, standing waves’. As fi rst seen in The Sonus it also served that speaker as a way of faber, the structure incorporates damping dealing with proximity to the rear wall, acting as its own back refl ecting surface, RIGHT: The complex 3.5-way topology and making positioning less of a concern. includes a top-mounted infra-bass bass unit Although the Lilium’s plate doesn’t with a diffracting cover, 28mm tweeter, affect room placement (unless, perhaps, 180mm mid and three 180mm woofers

36 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 STEALTH REFLEX

In a refl ex-loaded loudspeaker, port output is due to Helmholtz resonance between the mass of air in the port and the compliance (springiness) of the air contained within the enclosure. Above the resonance frequency the port output is in-phase with that from the driver and adds to it, thereby bolstering output; below resonance the port and driver outputs oppose, increasing bass roll-off to 24dB/octave from the 12dB/octave of closed box loading. Refl ex loading increases sensitivity and reduces distortion but there are downsides: airfl ow through the port can become turbulent, adding ‘chuffi ng’ noise at high outputs, and ‘organ pipe’ resonances can occur within the port tube itself. Sonus faber’s patented Stealth Refl ex system is termed ‘para-aperiodic’, ie almost non-resonant, because the inner surfaces of the port duct(s) are lined with sound absorbent material. It is claimed to provide a reduction in cabinet size, greater bass extension, reduced distortion and the elimination of port noise. KH

shelves made of CNC-machined When you see the Lilium’s owner’s and anodised avional aluminium, manual, you’ll be as grateful as I was that positioned at the top and bottom of someone else did the set-up (PM, in this each enclosure. case). And not just because of the size Also inherited from its forebears and weight: there’s a lot to this speaker, is the ‘Anima legata’ system. This the box even including a special suction uses structural ribs in the subwoofer tool for handling the glass plate (which enclosure and a steel rod that will also serve afterwards as a useful secures the tuned mass dampers, two tool for housebreakers). In addition to a differently tuned devices that oscillate rotary control on the upper back section in anti-phase to ‘erase micro-vibrations’. for setting the bass level, the wiring All the drivers possibilities mean are new Sonus faber that this speaker is designs. They include ‘That beautiful, adjustable to your a 28mm H28 XTR-04 rounded lyre heart’s delight. ‘Arrow Point’ damped Enabling this is the Apex Dome tweeter shape is real crossover, derived from with neodymium the company’s Paracross magnet, and the M18 artistry in wood’ technology and XTR-04 180mm mid with incorporating Mundorf’s neodymium magnet and CCAW wire on Supreme Silver/Gold/Oil capacitors and a composite former, to produce an eddy Jantzen inductors. It operates at 80Hz, current free voice coil. 250Hz and 2500Hz, and provides a choice The mid employs a diaphragm made of single wiring, bi- or tri-wiring, as well with ‘a real-time air-dried, non-pressed as facilitating a combination of multiple blend of traditional cellulose pulp, kapok, amplifi er confi gurations. kenaf and other natural fi bres’. Sounds like a blend of tea to me... To inhibit residual A NEW TRANSPARENCY cone coloration, the diaphragm is damped For the review, we used high resolution with a viscous surface coating. Behind recordings (192kHz/24-bit unless otherwise the tweeter/mid sub-baffl e is an acoustic stated), and CD transfers from an Astell & chamber, with a coaxial anti-compressor to Kern AK120, feeding the editor’s optimised remove cavity resonances and distortions. PC via a JRiver v1.9 music front end. It was Below this mini-baffl e are the three fed directly into Devialet 800 monoblocks W18XTR-16 180mm midwoofers. These via USB and wired to the Liliums with share the diameter and structure of the legacy Deltec Black Slink speaker cable. solo midrange unit because the company (Note that Devialet’s SAM bass correction feels it encourages better merging of the system was not available for the Lilium at relative spectra. The midwoofers feature the time of writing this review.) sandwich cones made of a syntactic foam As for positioning, the usual toe-in core and two external surface skins of is recommended, ideally an equilateral cellulose pulp. Further reinforcing the triangle with a minimum of 2m between bass are the SW26 XT-08 260mm the speakers and a similar minimum infra-woofer and its companion ABR distance to the hot seat. Suffi ce it to say [see KH’s boxout, above]. that these speakers will fi ll a huge room,

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 37 Fresh Ayre

With the introduction of the AX-5, Ayre has taken a fresh approach and breathed new life into the Integrated amplifier.

Integrating a number of unique innovations together has allowed Ayre to create an elegant single-chassis design, without sacrificing functionality and Ayre’s award-winning sound.

In the words of Charles Hansen (CEO & Head of R&D at Ayre): ‘In the simplest view, the Ayre AX-5 is an amalgamation of the Ayre AX-7 and the Ayre KX-R. Yet in another way, the AX-5 is the most radical integrated amplifier ever designed.’

For the full story please go to www.symmetry-systems.co.uk.

t: 01727 865488 e: [email protected] w: www.symmetry-systems.co.uk LOUDSPEAKER

PAOLO TEZZON

‘The Lilium is, with the exception of our Ex3ma, the fi rst Sonus faber to be developed with instrumentation more accurate and precise than previously available. These tools have not replaced the “humanistic approach” that has always been the foundation of our design philosophy, in which nothing is subordinated to human perception. ‘Listening remains the centre of our design process, but it is also true that the new tools, in particular our anechoic chamber, enable us to raise the levels of performance. Defi nition, transient speed, transparency and ability to correctly reproduce the silence – an essential component of music – are much improved. All this is combined in ABOVE: The tweeter and mid are located on a mini-baffl e, decoupled from the main baffl e and fi tted developing membranes for materials with its own acoustic chamber. Note the mini-baffl e’s ‘lyre shape’ recalling the Lilium’s cross-section able to reproduce sound in a natural way, without causing fatigue – a and, with their high sensitivity, will go loud When I’m Cleaning Windows – His 52 Finest traditional Sonus faber quality. enough without needing a kilowatt per 1932-1946 [Retrospective RTS 4104] is ‘We’ll move in two directions channel amp. Formby’s masterpiece, and it is a virtuoso after the Lilium – the fi rst is to performance… if you think the banjolele continue to develop speakers that NO SUBSTITUTE FOR SIZE can yield such an event. I have no idea are more reliable, with higher As I grow fonder of the Astell & Kern how many times I’ve played this, but the performance, while retaining the when it’s playing back high-res material, Devialet/Lilium combination eked out even essence of Sonus faber. But the or even transfers from decent CDs, I can more nuances than I’d heard before. brand is also moving in a second understand why PM loves his Devialet so Tiny licks, variations in Formby’s direction as we’re aware that today much. His system always sounds clean and lightning-fast strumming (he surely must people enjoy music in ways that are analytical – it needs to be as it is a testing be the Alvin Lee of the ukulele), more very different from traditional hi-fi tool as much as a source of pleasure – but sounds from the orchestra: it is impossible listening, using new technologies, I was not expecting my fi rst reaction to be to resist those hoary old reviewer clichés and mobile devices. This is especially one of exposure to even about lifting veils. I true for young people. greater transparency. wouldn’t be surprised if ‘So we are thinking of objects Normally, when faced ‘It’s impossible to ol’ George had a song that are able to keep pace with the with a behemoth the resist those hoary about that too… times, maintaining the Sonus faber size of the Lilium, or its Woodwinds and quality despite the different ways of natural competitors from old clichés about brass with more air, enjoying music. The Chameleon line Magico, Vivid, Wilson the trumpets especially [see News, p14] is the fi rst example and similar towering “lifting veils”’ punchy – the clarity of what you’ll soon see.’ fl oorstanders, the initial defi ed the limited effect is one of scale. However much we bandwidth of the recording. But that may love small two-ways – and I still adore banjolele break! Harmonics, decay, the LS3/5As with near-religious fervour – when plastic-y sound of the banjolele’s skin – it it comes to speakers there is no substitute was as if the recording had dropped 20 for size. In this respect, the Lilium is a years from its true vintage. classic tower, with its broad stage width Less crippled by audio arthritis is ‘The amply balanced by similar depth. Door Is Still Open To My Heart’ from This added transparency, while evident The Cardinals’ CD of the same name even with the best of the high-res material, [Collectibles COL9977]. Which is precisely actually showed its worth with two two decades newer than the Formby track. particular recordings – vintage mono! – This slice of classic doo-wop, aside from that I’d ripped from CDs. They spoke being so gorgeous a song that it sends volumes about the Lilium’s prowess… if chills down my spine, is always revealing of getting closer to the music is what this is a system because of the backing vocals and all about. They were, of course, tracks from the sax break. As for the lead vocals, they’re The Cardinals and George Formby. OK, so so velvety it’s as if Mel Tormé had a twin it pre-dates WWII, but the title song from singing half-an-octave higher.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 39 STYLE. PERFORMANCE. FUNCTION.

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Distributed by Henley Designs Ltd. T: +44 (0)1235 511 166 | E: [email protected] | W: www.henleydesigns.co.uk LAB REPORT SONUS FABER LILIUM Sonus faber claims 92dB sensitivity for the Lilium, a fi gure substantiated by our simple average of the FFT response data LEFT: In addition to its tri-wiring/ but not by our pink noise or music-weighted fi gures which tri-amplifi cation capability via three pairs suggest that 90dB is more representative. Nominal impedance of terminals at the bottom, bass level is 4ohm which accords well with our measured minimum modulus of 3.1ohm at a low 27Hz. Impedance phase angles can be adjusted by ±2dB for the room or are quite high but well enough controlled where the modulus personal taste via a three position knob is low for the minimum EPDR (equivalent peak dissipation resistance) to be a quite amplifi er-friendly 1.8ohm at 95Hz. ever heard, the closeness apparent The forward frequency response, measured at tweeter on every track. This particular version height at 1m [Graph 1, below] explains the disparity between the sensitivity fi gures. Below about 5kHz the response trend is was taken from the remastered fl at but above 5kHz the output steadily rises, suggesting that Unplugged in 192kHz/24-bit, and the fl attest response will be achieved slightly off-axis. Because every sparkling note, every plucked of this treble rise, frequency response errors are necessarily string had a presence so seemingly on the high side at ±5.1dB and ±4.5dB, respectively, just as pair matching was disappointing at ±2.3dB (200Hz-20kHz). real that ‘in the room’ almost seems The largest disparities occurred above 13kHz – below that insuffi cient. Transient attack? Nigh the matching was a superior ±1.0dB. Because of its many on perfect. It was a reminder of what drivers and the inaccessibility of the top-mounted infra-woofer one experiences in small folk clubs. and base-mounted Stealth Refl ex ports and ABR, the Lilium is a diffi cult prospect for near-fi eld bass measurement. Sure As that was the intention of the enough, our diffraction-corrected results inspired suffi cient Unplugged series, then Sonus faber’s confi dence only for estimating the output to be below 40Hz Lilium achieves everything MTV could (–6dB re. 200Hz), the frequency at which adjusting the bass have wanted. level control increases or decreases output by approximately 2dB. The CSD waterfall [Graph 2] evinces fast initial energy FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN decay but some low-level treble resonances are visible. KH ‘Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out’ had a glorious lilt, the piano accompaniment so authentic that I’m sure a pianist could tell the instrument’s manufacturer. The ringing, chiming note and the liquid fl ow… sitting still was not an option. I was at a loss to fi nd any area to criticise. So I brought out the big guns, The Beatles’ Rubber Soul from the 24-bit USB stick. Can 50 years really have passed ABOVE: Off-axis listening will ameliorate the post- since I brought home the LP version 5kHz treble lift. Pair matching is excellent <13kHz of this unequivocal masterpiece? The Lilium brought back that day in December 1969 when I queued to buy it. Pitter-patter stage right and the raunchy organ break in ‘I’m Looking Through You’, Ringo’s astounding drumming on ‘You dB 0.0 Won’t See Me’ – this was always my - 6 1.0 - 12 favourite Beatles album. The Lilium 2.0 - 18 3.0 made me fall in love all over again. - 24

The Lilium removed a layer of - 30 4.0 schmutz that opened the song HI-FI NEWS VERDICT 5.0 msec 200 1000 10000 in both the physical planes and Sonus faber has certainly Frequency in Hz >> removed a tiny trace of haze that rediscovered its ‘mojo’ for making simply rendered the sound more ABOVE: The Lilium’s cabinet is very well damped, but huge fl oorstanders. No, these are some low-level modes are revealed through the treble vivid. What I didn’t expect was an not of the same approach nor increase in perceived bass extension disposition of the much-loved HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS with ‘Wheel Of Fortune’, which has Homage models. Instead, they minimal instrumental backing. But exhibit what Brunello is to Barolo: Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83Vrms – Mean/IEC/Music) 92.4dB/90.2dB/89.5dB when the drums kick in at 1m 20s, two thoroughbreds differing Impedance modulus min/max (20Hz–20kHz) 3.1ohm @ 27Hz it’s almost a surprise and a shock. mainly in attitude. Stradivari/ 15.9ohm @ 1.4kHz Better still are the interwoven vocals Amati win on grace and subtlety, Impedance phase min/max (20Hz–20kHz) –42o @ 2.1kHz at 1m 50s, each so distinct that you Lilium on power and sheer scale. 45o @ 108Hz wonder if it was an early multi-track. My goodness, is this a truly Pair matching (200Hz–20kHz) ±2.3dB As I grow older and soppier, I magnifi cent loudspeaker. fi nd it increasingly more diffi cult LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) <40Hz / 38.1kHz/38.4kHz to listen to Eric Clapton’s ‘Tears In Sound Quality: 89% THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.4% / 0.8% / 0.2%

Heaven’. Its portrayal through the 0 ------100 Dimensions (HWD) 1600x491x705mm Liliums was as intimate as I have

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 41 Belt-driven turntable with manual speed control and unipivot arm Made by: VPI Industries Inc., New Jersey, USA Supplied by: Renaissance Audio, Scotland Telephone: 0131 555 3922 Web: www.vpiindustries.com; www.renaissanceaudio.co.uk TURNTABLE Price (including arm): £3750 VPI Prime/JMW 10 3D

With its fl owing curves, heavyweight build and 3D printed tonearm, this new deck from US vinyl veteran VPI blends tried-and-tested methods with cutting-edge tech Review: Andrew Simpson Lab: Paul Miller

ince taking the President’s seat at borrowed from the Classic range which is The Prime comes equipped with a new VPI Industries, Mathew Weisfeld, sandwiched between solid Delrin plates. 2mm-thick mat formed in an anti-static son of company founder Harry The lower plate terminates in a cone shape rubber, which looks and feels far superior SWeisfeld, has been on a mission that locates into the centre of a dedicated, to the supplied aftermarket felt mat to introduce budding audiophiles to the puck-like base packing a trio of ball that came with last year’s Scout 1.1. The joys of vinyl via a range of entry-level (and bearings fi tted into its underside. supplied threaded clamp is also top quality, upwards) decks bearing VPI’s moniker. Pressed into the Prime’s plinth is an and gets a stainless steel upper section First came the Traveler, which set out inverted bearing that’s lifted from the in place of the Scout’s all Delrin version, VPI’s stall for plug-and-play decks needing Scout 2 and Classic models, with a stainless making it three times as heavy. minimal set-up, followed by the Nomad steel shaft and 60 Rockwell chrome- For platter spinning duties, UK-bound (£999), which took the concept a stage hardened ball at its tip. This turns in a Primes boast a larger version of the Scout’s further by including an onboard phono phosphor bronze bushing with a PEEK dedicated low-noise 500rpm Hurst motor, stage, headphone amp and Ortofon 2M thrust disc residing in the platter. According in place of the 300rpm US market version. Red pick-up as part of the package. More to VPI, the platter belt’s side load is placed Like the US version this comes housed in recently came the Scout Jnr (£1550), at the centre of the spinning bearing to a solidly built cylindrical alloy case that which is a stripped back version of the minimise ‘teetering effects’. carries a push button on/off switch and Scout 1.1 [HFN Oct ’14]. The Prime’s 48mm-thick machined mains inlet socket, which can also be aluminium platter is also carried over upgraded to VPI’s SDS (Synchronous Drive A CONSISTENT AESTHETIC from the Classic/Scout 2 models, with System) at £1250 if bought with the Prime, The Prime sits at the other end of the its 9kg heft largely accounted for by a or £1500 separately. spectrum and serves to show that with stainless steel damping plate bonded to Mathew at the helm, VPI remains just as its underside. With this platter you can 3D PRINTED ARMTUBE focused on taking its know-how to new later upgrade to VPI’s Periphery Ring clamp Completing the package is a 10in variant of models aimed squarely at the high-end (£700), which rests on the outer edge of VPI’s unipivot JMW tonearm, appropriately market. The Prime is Mathew’s fi rst solo your LPs to hold them fl at. named the JMW 10 3D, with the 3D turntable design, with input from the rest of the VPI team and with Harry’s approval. Externally, it looks very much a modern VPI, continuing in the Scout aesthetic of black and silver with an exposed plinth and freestanding motor – contrasting with VPI’s more traditional Classic range, which have their motors housed internally within the deck’s wood-framed chassis [see HFN Apr ’11]. But rather than follow the predictable rectangular plinth approach, the Prime’s 38mm-thick vinyl-wrapped MDF plinth is elegantly shaped with sumptuous curves that make it stand out from the boxy crowd, while pushing its footprint out to over half a metre in width. From the ground up the Prime combines new with tried-and-tested VPI technologies. Its four isolating corner feet incorporate a fl exible rubber nut

RIGHT: Freestanding AC motor drives the 9kg alloy/steel platter with a rubber belt around its periphery with manual speed change. Curvy MDF chassis is steel-braced on its underside

42 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 element referencing its printed armtube rotating the counterweight on its off- ABOVE: Corner feet assemblies use a design [see boxout]. While the standard centre hole, or winding out the stainless combination of Delrin plates/cones, ball 9in arm offered plenty of easy adjustment, threaded outriggers fi tted on either side bearings and rubber for support and isolation. this 10in version goes much further and is of the upper bearing cup. Downforce is 10in 3D printed tonearm offers easy adjustment a tweaker’s delight, offering adjustment of via the traditional sliding counterweight VTA on-the-fl y and with clamping screws method (though you should measure it as supporting shelf with the needle dropped that can be secured by hand instead of close to the LP surface as possible), and in a run-out groove reassured me that very with fi ddly hex keys, which makes getting for anti-skate you can either rely on the little vibration is getting past those feet the deck up and running hassle-free. Simply tension of the exposed twisted arm wire into the replay chain, and in this respect site the chassis on a level platform, install loop alone, or call upon a nylon thread the VPI seems more akin to a suspended the four isolation pucks, add the platter and rotational weight, which I found more sub-chassis design than a rigid chassis one. and fi ne-tune levels via reliable here. the threaded feet. Lastly, remember DIGGING DEEP Now place the motor ‘The unipivot to fi t VPI’s trademark Using a Goldring 2500 moving-magnet within the deck’s left tonearm allows all rubber washer under cartridge [HFN Mar ’11], which I chose for cutout (VPI recommends your LPs to aid the its revealing nature, and with the deck having it protruding the musical detail clamp in reducing feeding my Primare R32 phono stage [HFN around 6mm proud of record warp effects. Jan ’12] and Musical Fidelity M6PRE/PRX the chassis) and fi t the to shine through’ Cue up an LP and amplifi ers [HFN Nov ’13], the VPI dug deep peripheral belt to the you immediately notice into each groove. upper pulley for 33.3rpm, or lower pulley the effect of the Prime’s isolation feet, I started with Ben Howard’s ‘The End for 45rpm. Both pulley sections also allow which give the deck a fl oating sensation by Of The Affair’ [I Forget Where We Were limited fi ne speed tuning via extra grooves. allowing it to gently move on its own axis a – Island 4701043] and fi rst impressions Next install your cartridge and align few degrees in the horizontal plane, while were that the Prime’s acoustic signature using the supplied steel jig, before setting at the same time feeling vertically stable. is certainly cut from a similar cloth to the its height. Azimuth can be set by either A quick knuckle wrap on the turntable’s Scout 1.1’s, albeit in a more substantial and luxurious fabric. Like the Scout, the 3D VISION Prime is no slouch, and it provides an honest window into the music, having an While 3D printing is becoming more commonplace at the development stage open top end that errs ever so slightly on in hi-fi circles, aiding prototyping before a design is fi nalised, seeing 3D printed the warmer side of the spectrum – but here hardware adorning the hi-fi products we buy is much rarer. With a background in the detail and overall sense of scale are CAD and 3D printing, Mathew Weisfeld was quick to bring this technology to VPI grander and more insightful. and exploit the advantages it brings to tonearm design, where a polymer based Ben Howard’s vocals sounded thickly arm tube is likely to be much lighter than its metal equivalent, while remaining textured via my Dynaudio Focus 260 rigid. ‘This was a crazy idea I threw at the wall almost two years ago,’ says fl oorstanders, and I was treated to Mathew. ‘We were working on re-engineered techniques, but the development each subtle nuance as his singing style was taking way too long and holding up production of our fl agship Classic Direct. intentionally blurred each word into the Using 3D printing techniques seemed the best approach since it could all be one next. With lesser decks, this can leave his piece and well damped.’ Because 3D printing extrudes the material outwardly – vocals sounding mushy and unfocused, but in the Prime’s case by using a high-temperature laser to build 0.001in layers of with the Prime all the detail was there for non-crystalline epoxy resin – each arm wand (including the headshell, fi ngerlift, me to hear clearly how each preceding tonearm tube, pivot housing and counterweight extension) takes a day to word helps to form the start of the print, before being hand-sanded and fi nished in textured paint before its wires, following one. shielding, uni-pivot thrust pad, stabilising and counterweights are installed. The echo of plucked guitar during the opening section was also noteworthy,

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Accuphase Tel: +44 (0) 1235 810 455 Leben E-mail: [email protected] R.T.Services Web: www.rtsaudio.co.uk AUDIO SALES DISTRIBUTION. ESTABLISHED IN 1986 Nagra Peak Consult LAB REPORT VPI PRIME/JMW 10 3D TONEARM While the Prime features a new chassis aesthetic, its 9kg alloy platter, 24-pole AC-synchronous motor and inverted bearing (with hardened stainless shaft, chrome ball/PEEK thrust pad and phosphor bronze bushing) are familiar VPI staples. As a result there are no surprises when it comes to wow and fl utter or rumble. The former is a low 0.06% (peak-weighted) with a very low 0.02% low-rate wow component – evidenced by the ‘sharpness’ of the W&F spectrum [Graph 1, below]. Absolute speed accuracy was –0.37% (centre pulley groove) while rumble, measured through its bearing, was low at –70.4dB and perfectly in line with earlier models [HFN Oct ’14 and Nov ’09]. The partnering 10in 3D tonearm features VPI’s familiar (JMW Memorial) unipivot bearing, which necessarily offers very low friction (<10mg). Stability is greatly improved by outriggers ABOVE: Exposed arm wire loop plugs into a junction box via a LEMO connector, fi xed either side of the housing below the bearing point. 3D letting you remove the arm wand in seconds. RCA sockets allow your choice of cabling printing brings with it the advantage of fashioning a one-piece tube and headshell at lower cost than casting and machining from alloy (and with a lower 9g effective mass), but the choice both for how the Prime gave it real soundstage depth, combined with a of material is limited to available polymers/resins. VPI screens clarity, and for how the deck allowed lack of unwanted background noise the inside of its printed armtube with copper but the plastic its ringing echo to extend way back during the quieter sections, created defi nes its rigidity so the tube’s main bending mode is a modest into the soundstage – further than a palpable sense of drama as the 130Hz, with low-Q harmonics/torsional modes at 290Hz and 410Hz. The simplicity of the structure is refl ected in the lack of I’m used to hearing. music began to emerge from way messy HF resonances – in all it’s a very ‘clean’ looking spectrum And when the tempo picked up back behind my speakers. [see Graph 2 and compare with the alloy JMW Scout tonearm, as it moved to the more progressive Bass depth and impact are also HFN Oct ’14]. Readers may view full QC Suite reports for part of the track, the soundstage notable Prime strengths, which I’d VPI’s Prime turntable and 3D tonearm by navigating to www. hifi news.co.uk and clicking on the red ‘download’ button. PM expanded dramatically left to right. fi rst really noted during the Laura In this section and with lesser decks Marling ‘You Know’ and ‘Breathe’ I’m used to hearing a suggestion tracks, with the Prime letting the of congestion, as though each plucked bass strings reach low instrument is jostling for space, enough to give them physical but with the Prime opening out presence, while ensuring they began the musical layers, I was treated and ended with real precision. instead to a much greater sense of Switching to a Denon DL-103R breathing space. moving-coil cartridge revealed more On some turntables the Goldring of the deck’s low-level capabilities. MM can sound almost too analytical, With Ásgeir Trausti’s ‘Hærra’ from his especially with the wick wound 2014 album Dýrð í dauðaþögn [One up, but aboard the Prime it was Little Indian TPLP1198] the Prime a perfect partner, as the unipivot quickly got to work in showing what ABOVE: Wow and fl utter re. 3150Hz tone at 5cm/sec tonearm allowed all the musical its heavyweight platter and solid (plotted ±150Hz, 5Hz per minor division). Wow is detail to shine through with an chassis were there for. very low while –0.4% pitch can be tweaked via pulley added sense of grace and cohesion. Bass notes kicked in with a defi nitive thud that gave the INKY-BLACK BACKGROUND Dynaudio speakers’ woofers a With the title track from Laura thorough workout. And it was not Marling’s Once I Was An Eagle [Virgin just bass volume that fl owed forth, Records 00602537358632], from it was the quality and detail of the the soft shakes of the tambourine lower notes that marked out the to the more pronounced strings and Prime’s performance. guitar work, the Prime served up each tone-colour with just the right HI-FI NEWS VERDICT amount of focus, without making As a newcomer to VPI’s stable, them either overly pronounced or the Prime offers a whole lotta ABOVE: Cumulative tonearm resonant decay sidelined in the mix. I regularly call turntable for the cash, especially spectrum, illustrating various bearing, pillar and ‘tube’ upon this 2013 album for reviewing considering its 10in tonearm vibration modes spanning 100Hz-10kHz over 40msec purposes, but rarely had I heard it alone costs £2k. From its quality sound so exciting as here. clamp right down to its funky HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS Whether it was down to feet, it’s clear that every aspect of Turntable speed error at 33.33rpm 33.21rpm (–0.37%) the armtube’s damping, the this deck has been considered for heavyweight platter, those isolation maximum performance and ease Time to audible stabilisation 5sec feet or a combination of all three, of use in a package designed to Peak Wow/Flutter 0.02% / 0.04% I cannot really say, but what I can make a style statement. Moreover Rumble (silent groove, DIN B wtd) –68.1dB attest to is how – in comparison to it offers a sound that’s gloriously Rumble (through bearing, DIN B wtd) –70.6dB my reference VPI Scout – the Prime’s expansive, deep and detailed. backgrounds seemed darker and Hum & Noise (unwtd, rel. to 5cm/sec) –55.1dB more inky-black. On Dire Straits’ Sound Quality: 82% Power Consumption 7W ‘Private Investigations’ [Love Over 0 ------100 Dimensions (WHD) 535x190x400mm Gold – Vertigo 6359 109] the

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 45 Pre & Class G power amplifi er. Rated at 200W/8ohm Made by: A&R Cambridge Ltd, Cambs Supplied by: Arcam UK Telephone: 01223 203200 Web: www.arcam.co.uk PRE/POWER AMPLIFIER Prices: £2750/£3000 (pre/power) Arcam C49/P49

Arcam’s latest preamp and partnering power amp is designed in Cambridgeshire, but built in upstate New York. British brains, American muscle – sounds like a plan Review: Andrew Everard Lab: Paul Miller

e’ve come a long way from yourself when you’ve ever thought in terms you can have them in silver to match your the A&R Cambridge A60. of almost £21,000 of Arcam amplifi cation! coffee table – black’s all you are getting. Almost 40 years, in fact: from In essence, this is a pretty simple W the age when every student MATT BLACK AND MENACING amplifi er combination: a pure analogue blew a good chunk of his or her fi rst grant The new Arcam amplifi ers have no preamplifi er, with not a sniff of a digital cheque – remember them? – on a hi-fi shortage of kit-rack presence: each unit is input or Bluetooth antenna, and a power system, Arcam has survived into the age around the size of one of amplifi er purely of the iPod and the student loan, adapting the company’s larger AV dedicated to driving along the way to the needs of the market. receivers, standing some ‘There’s always and controlling For a period it looked as if the company 170mm tall, and carries the reassurance speakers as well as had sold its soul to all things ‘i’, with off the whole ‘matt black the Arcam designers a growing range of little black boxes and slightly menacing’ of power yet to know how. Yes, you aimed at Bluetoothers, and a shift of its thing rather well, despite can add that digital production from Cambridgeshire to points a softly curved fascia. be unleashed’ stuff according to your even further East. Arcam is sticking needs – Arcam has a In reality, Arcam’s core hi-fi and home to its story that the FMJ branding on its matching CDS27 CD/network player at cinema products never went away, but fl agship range refers to the slogan ‘Faithful £800, and the C49 has an onboard power now they’re back with a bang, courtesy of Musical Joy’, but that sounds a bit wussy supply to provide juice for the company’s an amplifi cation line-up designed at Arcam for this new 49 series, which has about rSeries DACs – but as standard you get HQ, but built in the Rochester, New York, it more than a hint of the ‘Full Metal seven line-level inputs, one on balanced factory of Canada-based parent company Jacket’ machismo the company originally XLRs, and a moving-magnet phono stage, JAM Industries. And the real powerhouses mentioned some years back. So don’t ask if and pre outs on both RCA phonos and XLRs. of this latest reinvention are the hefty A49 integrated amp, yours for £3750 and claiming 200Wpc into 8ohm, and the preamp/power amp combination we have here, the C49/P49, selling for £2750 and £2999 respectively. Essentially, the pre/power is the A49 sawn in half – in layout if not in imposing stature – and of course benefi ting from the separation of those delicate preamp-level signals from the heavy lifting of the power amp stages. But if the standard 200W/8ohm, rising to 400W/4ohm, isn’t enough for you, the P49 power amp can be bridged into mono, comfortably more than doubling its power – which should be enough to give even the most recalcitrant speaker a spot of the old ‘didn’t see that coming’. I get the feeling Arcam’s getting off on all this power: its publicity for the amplifi ers tempts with the idea of an ‘ultimate system’ comprising a C49 with six bridged P49s tri-amping suitable speakers. Just ask

RIGHT: A single 1.5kVA toroidal power transformer has multiple secondary windings. These feed the lower and higher supply rails that service Arcam’s Class G output stage

46 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 LEFT: Arcam plays it simple, with little more than black on black input selectors and a large rotary volume on the C49 preamp, with switches for the P49’s two sets of loudspeaker outputs

And that’s almost it for the C49, apart boxout below], which Arcam believes gives GamuT m250i monoblocks [HFN May ’15], from a few niceties including the ability its power amp the best of both worlds. not to mention the Naim Statement NAC/ to convert the phono input into a further Balanced and RCA inputs are provided, NAP S1 reviewed in this issue (see p30). In line-in, to assign the XLR input to any of although those wanting to daisychain such illustrious company, Arcam’s 49-ers the source buttons, and to set any of the multiple power amps will fi nd there are are more than capable of standing proud, inputs to a fi xed, but adjustable, ‘Processor only RCA outputs for this purpose, with having that totally addictive sense of mode’ level – for example when combining switches to select between the two sets of limitless power coupled with the ability to the preamp with a surround processor inputs, adjust the gain (25dB or 31dB), and sound at turns big and majestic and subtle or receiver. Completing the package is a choose between stereo, bridged or dual and detailed. system remote handset. mono operation. The last of these feeds a Hefty and macho the C49 and P49 may The design of the preamp is balanced single input to both channels of the amp, look – and even more so when a brace of throughout, with dual mono volume which could be useful if you’re going for the power amps are deployed in bridged controls and input multiplexers to cancel a ‘long runs of interconnect and an amp form, as Arcam supplied for my amusement out distortion, and the internal layout is beside each speaker’ layout. as an adjunct to this review – but at clear and logical, complete with hefty heart these are amplifi ers bearing their power supply provision for a preamp. BIG AND MAJESTIC prodigious power with a certain degree The dual mono theme is continued I seem to have spent the last few months of insouciance, and just as at home at through to the P49 power amplifi er, which surrounded by high-power amplifi ers, ‘another glass of sherry, dear’ levels as they makes use of a Class G topology [see PM’s from the NAD M Series [HFN Apr ’15] and are when the devil on your left shoulder outshouts the angel on the right. ARCAM’S CLASS G Unencumbered by all that digital jiggery, and indeed pokery, the Arcam The quest to reduce amplifi er power consumption without sacrifi cing audio combo has a refreshingly direct sound, quality has never been more important [see Opinion, HFN Mar ’15]. Class D whether via the more than respectable technologies, where the output transistors are either switched fully on or off, are MM phono stage or its line/XLR inputs. I usually the most effi cient but are not without their engineering foibles. Class G, used both the Wadia 321 [see p56] and on the other hand, makes use of a conventional output stage fed from two or Arcam’s CDS27 as sources, and having tried more power supplies which are introduced according to signal demand. The them with both single-ended and balanced higher PSU rails are only switched in once the audio output rises above a certain inputs I’d strongly suggest you use the XLRs level – a method fi rst introduced by Arcam in its AVR600 [HFN Jul ’09]. Although for your primary source, simply because the Class G concept is at least 40 years old, Arcam’s refi ned version sees its PSU the Arcams deliver even better focus and smoothly track the audio level rather than switch abruptly between voltages. impact when so fed. This realisation of Class G is arguably closer to the BASH technology described in The publicity material suggests that our recent Investigation feature [HFN Feb ’15]. Certainly our lab testing revealed ‘We considered having a volume control little or none of the HF ‘glitching’ or distortion typically associated with the hard that went up to 11 – it really goes that switching of low to higher-power PSU rails [see Lab Report, p49]. PM loud!’, but that undersells the C49/P49 combination: yes, it goes loud if you

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www.gauderakustik-uk.co.uk LAB REPORT ARCAM C49/P49 It’s been over a decade since Arcam delivered us a genuine ‘high power’ amp but this new P49 model outstrips even the monoblock P1 [HFN Nov ’04]. The latter sustained 230W/8ohm with 278W/513W into 8/4ohm under dynamic conditions while the P49 nudges ahead with a continuous 2x245W/8ohm and a dynamic 290W, 570W, 1kW and 1.3kW into 8, 4, 2 and 1ohm loads [see Graph 1, below]. Over 1kW/4ohm would be anticipated in bridged, mono mode. The amp is also very ‘clean’ with a wide 91.4dB A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBW) and very low (midrange) distortion held to within 0.00025-0.0005% over its full 200W power bandwidth. THD necessarily increases with frequency, but 0.003%/20kHz is still very low indeed with only a suggestion of higher order harmonics to implicate PSU rail switching. From 20Hz-20kHz, the low-ish 0.025-0.065ohm output impedance (0.45ohm/100kHz) assists the fl at response which offers –1dB points below 1Hz up to 68kHz before falling to a sensible –3.3dB/100kHz. The partnering C49 preamp is clearly penned by the same author(s) and makes for a very sympathetic match. It offers a wide 94dB A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBV), an exceptionally wide ABOVE: A lot of blank metal on the rear of both preamp and power amp indicates frequency response with –1dB points of <1Hz to >100kHz and a healthy 5.5V maximum output from a (balanced) 46ohm the simplicity here. Worth noting (and using) are the balanced inputs and outputs for source impedance. As expected, distortion is also vanishingly the best sound, while the C49 has a power output for Arcam’s r-Series add-on DACs low with a minimum of 0.0001% midband to a maximum of just 0.0003% at 20kHz [see black infi ll, Graph 2]. Overall gain is want it to, but there’s rather more to without a doubt able to turn on +12.8dB (+25.1dB for the P49). Readers may view extensive QC it than that. Whether with the slam the sonic fi reworks with orchestral Suite test reports for the Arcam C49 preamp and P49 power amp by navigating to www.hifi news.co.uk and clicking on the and drive of some vintage Genesis warhorses such as Holst’s Planets, red ‘download’ button. PM – I’ve been especially enjoying early Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and albums such as Trespass [Charisma almost any ‘Best Bits of Wagner’ you 5190543 2 1] – or some more can mention, but is found a little delicate winsomeness courtesy of lacking when presented with well Fairport Convention’s ‘She Moves captured studio or larger acoustics. Through The Fair’ [the Chronicles There’s nothing actually wrong compilation: Island 984 880 8], the with the sound, and arguably the Arcam amplifi cation delivers a warm, focus is all on what’s being played but never slow or bloated view of rather than where it was recorded, the music, combined with excellent but with anything from the original detail and dynamics. recording of Britten’s War Requiem [Decca 414 383-2] to a bang up to SUREFOOTED BASS date hi-res set such as the Engegard ABOVE: Dynamic power output versus distortion into That enables it to make a fi ne fi st of Quartet’s recent disc of Schubert, 8ohm (black trace), 4ohm (red), 2ohm (blue) and voices and instruments, and place Britten and Haydn [2L-105-SABD] the 1ohm (green). Maximum current is 36.1A them convincingly in a soundstage, sound is just a little smoothed over while having the reassurance of and dry when it comes to ambience. plenty of power to be unleashed In essence, the appeal of the C49/ when you sneak up on it with some P49 is that it’s an amplifi er which real pomp-rock – eg, Thin Lizzy’s advances the Arcam sound way classic Live And Dangerous [Vertigo beyond the rather safe stereotype 532 297-2], where the Arcam does some have ascribed to its past and an excellent job of letting rip with lesser products. all the snarl and attack of the band, maintaining its powerful rhythmic HI-FI NEWS VERDICT chug even when volume levels are No shortage of swagger here, cranked up. The way the sound is from the substantial styling and ABOVE: THD versus extended frequency; C49 (1V out, underpinned with that hefty but build to the way the P49 delivers black trace) and P49 (10W/8ohm, blue trace) surefooted bass is at the heart of its power. But at heart this is a the appeal of the way the Arcams minimalist pre/power combo, HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS play music, but this is far from being eschewing the modern trend for a a one-trick solution: that low-end Power output (<1% THD, 8/4ohm) 245W / 420W built-in DAC, and delivers a sound clout is delivered as part of a total Dynamic power (<1% THD, 8/4/2/1ohm) 290W / 570W / 997W / 1.3kW refl ecting its design philosophy. package of musical involvement Yes, it’s a little smoothed-off, but Output imp. (20Hz-20kHz, C49/P49) 46ohm / 0.025-0.065ohm that’s hard to resist. whether with rock or classical Freq. resp. (20Hz-100kHz, C49/P49) +0.0 to –7.1dB/+0.00 to –3.29dB But this isn’t quite the most music it’s hard not to like this Input sensitivity (for 0dBV/0dBW) 229mV / 160mV (balanced) analytical amplifi er around, and it big-boned sound, and the sense can sound a little thick up at the A-wtd S/N ratio (for 0dBV/0dBW) 94.0dB (C49) / 91.4dB (P49) of ease with which it’s conveyed. extreme top end, meaning a little Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, 1V/10W) 0.00008-0.0003%/0.0001-0.0027% of the breathing space of highly Sound Quality: 78% Power consumption (Idle/Rated o/p) 61W / 640W (C49, 16W) atmospheric recordings is lost. 0 ------100 Dimensions (WHD, C49/P49) 433x171x410/433x171x425mm Switching to classical music it’s

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a“The Perfect DirectStream Wave represents Memory a new benchmark player. in audio* reproduction… in my view the PS *OfferAudio applies DirectStream when the Direct is Streamthe most DAC is musicallypurchased at andthe same technically time as the Perfectcapable Wave deviceMemory player.of any type that I’ve The PS Audio Powerbase isever an isolationhad the pleasure platform to evaluate”and a high-level mains conditioner. Frank Alles – Stereotimes • isolation system reduces the impact of sonic bass vibrations • high level conditioner providesCustomer pure clean quotes: mains direct to the components on the Powerbase “A joyous experience “With most components you get “Through all other digital PSawaits Audio’s with Perfect every CD Wave Memoryused to player them andis a ground-breakingthey cease to productsources, instruments that removes are all digitalplayed”. sound limitations, retrievingimpress but everything the DirectStream from your CDelectronic, collection while without through anyDM jitter – Shropshire or sonic loss. It sendskeeps perfect delivering digital the audio goods data via I2SDirectStream (HDMI) from they its solidall state memory directly to theconsistently. DirectStream The DAC. magic never sound real”. stops… Nothing but the music”. GN – West Midlands “The Perfect Wave Memory (PWM) player seemedIS – West to act Midlands synergistically with the DirectStream, enhancing the latter’s ability to retrieve the maximum amount of sonic information, and sounding even less “digital” in the

process”.“In my experience never before has there been a game changing component like PS Audio’s Perfect“I was struckWave by Direct the claim, Stream made DAC. by PSIt completelyAudio’s CEO Paul re-defi McGowan, nes hi-fi that theas processingwe have known done byit! theEasy enough DirectStreamto wax lyrical results about in superiordefi nition, playback soundstage, of CDs. I heard space, more transients, musical detail musicality from CD etc, than but I had what previously it does besthad. of This all detail is put was this genuinely huge smile higher on resolution your face manifested which just by won’tgreater go differentiation away. Much among of this the is thesounds sheer of pleasureinstruments of what and rhythmic you are patterns.hearing, Quite but itamazing”. is also the realisation that the years of searching are over, Robert Deutsch – Stereophile Feb 2015 you have fi nally found what you have been looking for.”

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South East - Guildford Audio 07979 515577 / Audio Venue W5 0208 567 8703 / Audio Venue Maidenhead 01628 633995 / Stereo Now 07870 192618 / Phase 3 Audio 01903 245577 / Stone Audio 01202 630066 / Unilet 0208 942 9567. South West - Audio Destination 01884 243584. Ireland - Cloney Audio 353 (1) 687 5951. Distributed by: Signature Audio Systems 07738 007776 l www.psaudio.com Two-way refl ex-loaded standmount loudspeakers Made by: UK Distribution SRL, Treviso, Italy Supplied by: Henley Designs Ltd, UK Telephone: 01235 511166 Web: www.operaloudspeakers.com; www.henleydesigns.co.uk LOUDSPEAKER Price: £2750 Opera Audio Callas II

Italy’s Opera Loudspeakers continues its tradition of beautifully made and achingly stylish designs with the introduction of the new Callas compact standmount Review: Adam Smith Lab: Keith Howard

wo of the greatest issues facing is made by SEAS to Opera’s specifi cations easily overheat or audibly distort. Opera the prospective purchaser of and based around one of its Excel models. is clearly confi dent of Scanspeak’s abilities high-end loudspeakers are the It features a rubber surround supporting in this area, as it utilises the same tweeter Tinevitable matching price tag, a polypropylene cone, in several other of its plus the general situation that high-end which is then annealed loudspeakers. typically means ‘large’. using a process which ‘I can only offer a Fortunately, if you are in the position to Opera suggests is fi rm “Bravo!” in the EQ SWITCHING afford a pair of capable loudspeakers but ‘delicate’ but confers The crossover that do not have considerable space available, increased cone rigidity direction of Opera unites the two your prayers may well have been answered. without diminishing drivers uses second Salvation in this case comes in the form of the material’s innate Loudspeakers’ order slopes on both Opera Loudspeakers’ new Callas model, damping properties. bass and treble and a compact standmount design retailing Two copper rings are used on the pole is split to allow bi-wiring or bi-amping. at £2750. This promises a great deal of piece of the woofer’s motor assembly, Connections are made using some truly performance in a neat and room-friendly reducing inductance and permitting the scrumptious ‘Opera’ branded gold binding package, wrapped up in an appealing gloss driver to operate over a wider walnut or mahogany fi nish. frequency range. Opera claims that this is up to STUNNING FIT AND FINISH 5kHz for the Callas’s Italians know a thing or two about style, so woofer although the it’s not unreasonable to expect that a new crossover is tuned to 2kHz, Opera loudspeaker won’t be a dull square well away from the driver’s box, and – as our pictures illustrate – this limits. Combined with a Callas model is most certainly neither peak driver displacement square nor dull. Frankly, the fi t and fi nish of 12mm, the result of the Callas loudspeakers is absolutely should be low distortion stunning and they are a stylish and elegant and minimal power break from the loudspeaker norm. compression at higher However, this latest Callas – we’re volumes [see Lab Report, calling it the Callas II – is rather more p55]. The driver is loaded conventional than its forebear, which to the rear of the cabinet boasted no fewer than fi ve tweeters on by a 55mm-diameter port. its cabinet. Two were located above and High frequencies are below the bass driver, with three more handled by a Scanspeak on the rear panel. These operated over 9700 tweeter, which hails different frequency ranges in an attempt from the company’s Classic to regulate the speaker’s high frequency Series, but using motor dispersion. For the new Callas, however, unit technology from these extra tweeters are no more and each the high-end Revelator loudspeaker simply uses the drivers that range. For the Callas, this can be seen on the front baffl e – there are means a 1in textile dome no hidden domes tucked away! with a moving mass of The drivers in question hail from 0.45g and, unusually, no Scandinavia, but from different countries ferrofl uid in the magnet and manufacturers. The 7in mid/bass driver gap. Ferrofl uid is employed in most tweeters for both RIGHT: The Callas II utilises drive units from damping and cooling, SEAS and Scanspeak and is clothed in a very so doing away with it stylish and sturdy MDF and plywood cabinet. requires some intricate The main curved body is available in high gloss design work to ensure the Walnut or Mahogany veneers fi nished product does not

52 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 posts that make the art of wrapping A TRIP TO THE OPERA loudspeaker wire almost a pleasure. Passive components include Mundorf capacitors Opera Loudspeakers was founded in 1989 and is based in Treviso, Northern Italy. and metal oxide resistors. It shares its headquarters with sister company, Unison Research, which may Additionally, there is a toggle switch on explain why Opera’s speakers are considered to be quite valve amp friendly! the rear of the cabinet that is claimed to From the beginning, the company aimed to make loudspeakers that successfully alter the output of the 300-3000Hz band combined the most advanced internal technology for optimum sound quality, by 2dB when operated. However, as can be with an exterior based around traditional Italian craftsmanship. The fi rst design seen from the Lab Report, its action seems to bear the Opera badge was the Caruso, named in honour of one of the great to be rather more subtle than this, with voices of the opera, Enrico Caruso. The Callas name followed soon after this and around 0.5dB of change instead. has endured, with the range undergoing several iterations. The present Callas Finally, everything is housed in a cabinet line-up consists of these standmounts plus the Grand Callas fl oorstander. This made from veneered MDF and curved £8500 masterpiece currently represents the pinnacle of the Opera range. plywood that boasts an internal volume of 14 litres. The thickness of the enclosure varies from 25 to 50mm and the reverse For auditioning purposes, I set the appeared to take a deep breath and side of the baffl e is milled in order to loudspeakers up on a pair of mass-loaded fi lled the aforementioned space most minimise air turbulence behind the woofer. Atacama SL-600 stands around three feet effectively. Across the midband they Behind the driver is located a layer of from the rear wall and 18in from the sides, projected superbly and almost seemed to open-cell foam with a pyramidal shape to and fed them with a mixture of digital have an enthusiasm for the task at hand. absorb internal refl ections. Naturally, the and LP source material through a Naim They picked fi ne instrumental detail from lack of parallel walls within the cabinet Supernait amplifi er. the depths of recordings with aplomb and also pays great dividends here. Due to the actually seemed as though they enjoyed construction of the more diffuse material, WORTHY OF THE NAME making music – which, for an inanimate Opera claims that no other absorbent is I really did promise myself that I would object, is quite some feat! required inside the cabinet, thus improving avoid poor Italian-related puns in this As a result, the soundstage set up by the the loudspeakers’ midrange performance. review but I have to say Operas was wide and deep, with a good that I can only offer sense of stability and precision from front a fi rm ‘Bravo!’ in the to back. Vocal projection was absolutely direction of Opera fi rst-rate with the output adjustment Loudspeakers, as the switch on its lower setting. Moving this Callas IIs really are to the upper setting to lift the midband molto bene. They do brought about a fairly subtle change, but a remarkable job of did bring performers within the recording impersonating much even further forward. larger loudspeakers Occasionally I felt that this veered and have a scale and towards making things just a little too dynamism that is ‘shouty’ but then my room does err highly addictive. towards the lively end of the scale. Perhaps Add in a fi ne this setting might well be of greater use sense of low-end if your listening space is better damped. weight and the Overall the action of this ‘midrange inevitable conclusion compensation’ seemed subtle, well-judged is that these are and did not unduly unbalance the speakers’ genuinely high-end underlying sonic character. loudspeakers, merely At the top end, that lovely SEAS tweeter handily scaled down more than proved its worth, by serving into a manageable up a deliciously crisp and clean treble. and room-friendly Those of you who have encountered other total package. ferrofl uid-free tweeters in the past may well For a reviewer, remember them turning your ears inside- moving from out with their searing performance – but fl oorstanding this was emphatically not the case with the loudspeakers Callas IIs. Naturally, one might reasonably to standmount expect nothing less from the likes of SEAS designs can often but I was still glad to encounter treble that be a rather nerve- was both pure and soft when required, but wracking experience, blessed with a fl eet-footed snappiness with especially given the right material. a larger room. Playing one of my regular ‘good music Fortunately, the buried in a bad recording’ test tracks in Callas IIs rose to the the form of ‘Only When I Sleep’ from challenge superbly, The Corrs’ Talk On Corners CD [Atlantic

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 53

LAB REPORT OPERA AUDIO CALLAS II Opera claims 89dB sensitivity for its new Callas, which accords well with our measured pink noise fi gure of 88.6dB. The quoted LEFT: Ported at the rear, the nominal impedance is accurate too: eschewing nonsense like back panel also plays host to ‘8ohms compatible’ Opera specifi es 4ohm with a minimum chunky and stylish bi-wiring input of >3ohm, which is entirely consistent with our measured minimum modulus of 3.5ohm. Impedance phase angles are terminals and a switch to ‘tweak’ suffi ciently well controlled that the minimum EPDR (equivalent its midrange response peak dissipation resistance) is 1.9ohm at 139Hz, a little higher and more amp-friendly than for many nominally 4ohm designs. my auditioning, the Operas The forward frequency responses, measured at tweeter sounded a little unsure of height at a distance of 1m, show an obvious concave trend through the presence band (which will tend to increase the themselves. I experimented apparent stereo image depth and slightly soften the overall with toeing them in a little sound) and a shelving up of output in the last half-octave to further and moving them away 20kHz [Graph 1, below]. Response errors 20Hz-20kHz are from the side walls which commendably low at ±2.8dB and ±2.4dB respectively for the pair. This is for the EQ switch in the ‘Plus’ position; in the ‘Minus’ helped somewhat, but this position the output drops by around 0.5dB in the range 1kHz- particular aspect of the track 4.5kHz. Pair matching is less exceptional at ±1.2dB, 200Hz- never quite came together in a 20kHz, but tightens to an admirable ±0.6dB below 13kHz. totally cohesive way. Diffraction-corrected nearfi eld measurement shows the bass output extends to 53Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz), a fair result for a speaker of this size and sensitivity. Roll-off begins gently below DEPTH AND IMPACT 200Hz and steepens at 70Hz which should bode well for clean In fact, while the bass offered bass in-room where careful placement relative to the walls will by the speakers was generally improve the apparent bass extension. The CSD waterfall very impressive, they were [Graph 2] evinces fast energy decay with only low-level resonances visible at treble frequencies. KH occasionally caught out. It defi nitely seemed as though the Operas fared better with something a bit faster and punchier, becoming a little less confi dent when things slowed down and required more detail and insight. I would say around 90% of 7567-83106-2] fazed the Operas the time I found myself marvelling not one little bit. They effortlessly at their bold and weighty nature, highlighted that this was a day when but with that remaining 10% they the mastering engineer possibly had sounded ever so slightly boxy – as a bad head cold, but they certainly with the Clapton track. ABOVE: The new Callas offers a very smooth bass didn’t give the jumbled, distorted That said, they certainly have response with a slight loss in presence band output and generally unpleasant overall plenty of impact and depth to rendering that I have heard from them, and they do a remarkable lesser loudspeakers. job of imitating something bigger, Instead they successfully revealed particularly when fed a rollicking that Andrea Corr’s voice is a truly bass line. This was highlighted by the delightful thing to behold and was opening to Lissie’s ‘Further Away’ in fi ne form on this recording. They from Back To Forever [Sony Music dB 0.0 even hinted that maybe there was 88883729961]. Here, the low end - 6 1.0 - 12 even a properly musical bass line action was punchy and taut, setting 2.0 - 18 3.0 lurking in there somewhere… In the rest of the track up perfectly. - 24 all, the result was surprisingly well - 30 4.0 crafted and listenable. HI-FI NEWS VERDICT 5.0 msec 200 1000 10000 Moving to something rather more Frequency in Hz >> The new Opera Callas sympathetic, ‘Hey Hey’ from Eric loudspeakers are beautifully Clapton’s Unplugged LP [Reprise ABOVE: Cabinet and mid/bass driver resonances are crafted and based around high Records 9632-45024-1] showed well controlled with only minor treble modes visible quality drive units. Their midband off the Callas II’s strengths much adjustment option is intelligently HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS more effectively. The live recording implemented and they have a was vivid and atmospheric and Eric sonic stature and rhythmical Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83Vrms – Mean/IEC/Music) 89.4dB/88.6dB/88.2dB was locked perfectly centre-stage. demeanour that belies their Impedance modulus min/max (20Hz–20kHz) 3.5ohm @ 236Hz His acoustic guitar even seemed to relatively compact dimensions. 16.5ohm @ 81Hz have grown in stature, such was the Through them, music is fun, Impedance phase min/max (20Hz–20kHz) –46o @ 102Hz immediacy and precision of each o addictive and enjoyable. Naturally, 41 @ 22Hz string pluck. hailing from Italy, they are also a Pair matching (300Hz–20kHz) ±1.2dB I did note that the initial treat for the eyes. foot-tapping as the song starts was LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 53Hz / 37.7kHz/31.9kHz a little uncomfortable, however. Sound Quality: 80% THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.7% / 0.5% / 0.1%

This is a very handy test of bass 0 ------100 Dimensions (HWD) 420x245x420mm timing and, for the fi rst time during

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 55 DSD-compatible USB DAC Made by: Wadia (Fine Sounds Group), New York, USA Supplied by: Absolute Sounds Ltd, UK Telephone: 0208 971 3909 Web: www.wadia.com; www.absolutesounds.com OUTBOARD USB DAC Price: £2798 Wadia 321

The latest in a long line of illustrious DACs from Wadia is beautifully built, with striking styling, serious heft and – well, quite a lot of fresh air inside. But how does it sound? Review: Andrew Everard Lab: Paul Miller

rom the get-go, Wadia has been noise through the speakers, but heard as a attractive. Partner it with the a315 stereo all about digital audio: unlike some warming of the bass. While I get the idea power amplifi er, which sells for just under companies which grew into the of keeping cabling as short as possible, it’s £3400 and rated at 150W/8ohm, and you Fdigital age, it was founded in the not hard to form an opinion that Wadia could have a very neat two-box solution. late 1980s, started out with DACs and has might have made life a bit simpler for itself A total of six digital inputs are provided, expanded in the other direction, adding had it made full use of the internal space. including two optical, three coaxial and a analogue components to its line-up. Anyway, on the plus side, the Wadia 321 high-speed USB, allowing the 321 to cater The 321, yours for £2798, isn’t just does go beyond many a DAC in that it’s both for conventional hi-fi sources and a digital-to-analogue converter – in designed to be used either in conventional music-playing computers. Drivers must be Wadiaspeak it’s a ‘Decoding Computer’, source/amplifi er/speaker systems or directly downloaded for PCs running Windows OS, echoing the product that started it all, into a power amplifi er or active speakers. though none are needed with Mac OSX the Wadia 2000, which carried the same To this end, the analogue outputs are of computers, and installation is a matter of description [see boxout, p57]. And just in variable level, delivering a claimed 0-4V ‘plug and play’. case you’re in some need of reassurance on the RCA outs and double that to the What is, however, somewhat unusual that this is something beyond the DAC balanced XLR connections, fi gures that for a modern DAC is that the 321 doesn’t norm, the company has made the 321 correlate with PM’s measurements. handle DSD fi les, even over its USB pretty large and hefty, to match its current Variable outputs on a DAC can help connection. Given that this is a product a315 and a320 power amplifi ers and the reduce your system’s box-count as well from a US company, where there seems m330 media server. as making that price-tag seem more to more of an appetite for DSD playback

LARGE FOOTPRINT Finished off with a sleek industrial design, these components combine a wraparound aluminium main case, complete with integral rubber-tipped feet, glass top panel and fi bre-optic illumination of the logos on the front and ‘lid’. However, there’s no getting away from the fact that this does give the 321 a somewhat large footprint, meaning some thought will be needed when it comes to installing it on a rack or other support. It’s over 45cm wide, and some 50cm deep including cables, so it may well overhang some conventional shelves. Peering inside, it’s clear that this size is mainly about providing a visual match with the likely partnering components from the Wadia catalogue. As our inside shot illustrates [see right] the PCBs and PSUs within are surrounded by quite a lot of fresh air. As noted in PM’s Lab Report, one effect of this ‘huddling together for comfort’ may be some low-level interaction with the main power supply: not actual

RIGHT: The core of Wadia’s 321 comprises a legacy Cirrus CS8416 digital input receiver (an Atmel chip for USB), CS8421 32-bit/192kHz upsampler and ESS ES9018S (eight-channel) DAC driving a fully balanced analogue output

56 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 than in almost any other market in the absolute phase of the analogue outputs ABOVE: In keeping with its clean lines, Wadia world, this could be viewed as a signifi cant from the listening position. keeps it simple when it comes to the 321’s omission. Instead, the 321 will handle a There are also buttons to ‘drive’ other controls – offering toggles for power, setup, max of 192kHz/24-bit via its optical and Wadia components, although a slight input selection and volume up/down coaxial inputs, and 192kHz/32-bit via USB. oddity is that the ‘on/standby’ button is marked, instead, ‘mode’. box’ DACs of yore – this is much more a SIMPLE SET-UP There’s also a little more fi ddliness than component designed to be put on display. It does this using a conventional digital is usual these days when using the 321 to analogue set-up with a Cirrus digital with a Windows computer – the driver’s STRIKES A GOOD BALANCE receiver and 192kHz/32-bit upsampler software control panel requires manual Wadia says the 321 has been designed to ahead of an eight-channel sample-rate setting, for be simple to use or, as it puts it, ‘factory ESS ES9018S ‘Sabre’ example, but it does confi gured allowing for immediate DAC, used here in quad ‘Wadia’s 321 allow the user to increase enjoyment of superb audio’ and that’s just balanced mode – ie, with combines the buffer size and trade about how it pans out in use. four converters per audio latency for reduced It also describes the sound of the 321 channel – for improved generosity with chance of dropouts. rather well: yes, it’s smooth, warm in the noise reduction and That aside, this is a bass and a bit on the lush side down there, to accommodate the rhythmic drive’ simple, fuss-free piece of but it’s also fast and attractive with overtly balanced output. equipment to set up and rhythm-driven music while at the same The set-up menu is very simple, merely use and, once in place does have a certain time delivering more than acceptable allowing the setting of automatic power off equipment-rack presence. levels of detail and ambience. after 30m with no signal, and the display We’ve come a long way from the best In other words, it’s extremely enjoyable of the fi rmware version the 321 is running. basic black – if solidly-built and impeccably- from the off, drawing a good balance These can be selected from the front-panel engineered – Wadia digital components between ease of listening and a satisfying or from the compact (but substantial) of the past, and the new line-up certainly hi-fi experience – and a remarkable number remote handset, which also offers obvious shows more signs of having some serious of products struggle a bit when it comes to functions such as input and volume control, industrial design input, making it both trading off those two attributes. muting, and the brightness of the rather striking looking and distinct from more Neither is the sound uncompetitive smart white-on-black dot-matrix display, conventional competition. This isn’t hi-fi to in a market sector where there’s not as well as the opportunity to switch the be hidden away, like the anonymous ‘black exactly a shortage of digital hardware. I tried it both as a source component and WADIA KNOW? as a digital preamp, pressing into service the Arcam C49 preamp and P49 power Some suggest that Wadia has become a bit ‘lifestyle’ under Fine Sounds, the amplifi ers [see p46], and while I have company stable it has been a part for nearly fi ve years, but there’s not much to admit I didn’t quite sit slack-jawed at sign of compromise in the design of the 321. Even that aluminium chassis/ the sheer wonderfulness of the sound I casework and glass top are, of course, non-magnetic and thus form a suitably was experiencing, the warm, bold and inert enclosure for the electronics. This, after all, is an engineering-led company, controlled sound of the 321 proved a founded by former 3M telecommunications engineers back in 1988, and setting perfect foil for the hard-charging, big- out its stall in no uncertain fashion with the 2000 Decoding Computer, launched boned sound of the Arcam amplifi cation. as the 1980s rolled into the ’90s, and using proprietary code-based upsampling What’s immensely likeable about the ahead of the digital-to-analogue conversion. The 2000’s 64x digital fi lter boasted Wadia’s sound is the way it manages to over 70,000 instructions a second to ‘fi ll in the gaps’ in its upsampled 16-bit CD combine generosity with good rhythmic signal and used interpolation techniques now widely employed in contemporary drive. Others, such as the Ayre QB-9 DSD DACs. Pioneer’s Legato Link was another early example of a digital fi lter that [HFN Jan ’15] manage to extract more snap traded poor stopband rejection for superior time-domain behaviour – something and slam from rock and pop tracks for the positively commonplace today in the quest to ‘smooth out the sound’ of digital, same kind of money. often criticised in its early days for its harsh and mechanical sound. Ironically, the But there’s a lot to like in the weight new-look 321 looks to employ a more conventional FIR digital fi lter. with which the 321 powers out vintage Clapton from his more commercial

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 57

LAB REPORT WADIA 321 Wadia’s S/PDIF inputs are upsampled to 32-bit/192kHz while USB inputs may be handled natively (48kHz as 48kHz etc) or upsampled (48kHz to 192kHz etc) via its driver software control panel. The PC USB drivers (sourced from CEntrance) still require the streamed sample rate to be set manually as we ABOVE: Wadia offers four S/PDIF inputs on its 321 (two coaxial, two optical) saw with Audio Research’s CD6 [HFN May ’14] – another of the Fine Sounds Group’s house brands. In another parallel, while alongside a single USB 2.0 port and single-ended plus balanced analogue outs the USB and S/PDIF A-wtd S/N ratios are almost identical at a (very impressive) 118dB, low-level resolution falls away quite period, the breathy opening to ‘Let ‘guilty pleasures’, ‘It’s My Party’ and dramatically (–9dB re. –90dBFs) via the former but stays true to It Flow’ from 461 Ocean Boulevard ‘Busy Doing Nothing’. Big, mad and ±0.1dB over a full 100dB dynamic range via the latter. This is [Polydor 811 697-2] having real hilarious, since you ask… clear from the THD vs. digital level plots [Graph 1, below] where the best-case distortion is a very low 0.00008-0.0005% over intimacy. And then, when the track Enough of this 1980s retro? Not the top 30dB of its dynamic range via S/PDIF (red trace). Note builds in scale and power, the quite: I loaded up the excellent that Mac USB performance was not tested. guitar line is both well-focused and ‘private gig’ release of Bill Nelson The S/PDIF and USB ins share the same high maximum 7.6V delivered with excellent character. and The Gentleman Rocketeers, output, a high-ish 550ohm (balanced) source impedance and spectacularly wide 137dB channel separation. The frequency Similarly Nick Lowe’s Jesus Of recorded live at Metropolis Studios response is common too, extending to –0.1dB/20kHz (48kHz Cool set [Demon FIEND CD 131], in 2011 [Salvo SVX001], and revelled media), –0.7dB/45kHz (96kHz) and –9.5dB/90kHz (192kHz). which can sound a little thin and in the ability of the Wadia 321 not Jitter is also similar between S/PDIF and USB and broadly edgy on some systems, not being only to allow Nelson’s guitars to unaffected by choice of (up)sampling – 1100psec (48kHz) and 550psec (96kHz). As the ‘jitter’ is largely accounted for by the highest of fi , benefi ts from the sing out of the mix, as he and his PSU-related sidebands, this could just as easily be an analogue richness on offer here. And this is band hammered through some intermodulation but the subjective impact – a warming of the brought to bear without impacting old Bebop Deluxe favourites, but bass – will be the same [see Graph 2, below]. Readers may view on the intelligibility of Lowe’s lyrics also place the listener fi rmly in the comprehensive QC Suite test reports for the Wadia 321’s or his already slight careworn voice, audience of Nelson fans invited for S/PDIF and USB inputs by navigating to www.hifi news.co.uk and clicking on the red ‘download’ button. PM while its impetus and sparkiness the performance. remain completely intact. There’s just a little more bite when playing music through the ENVELOPING SOUNDFIELD S/PDIF inputs rather than via USB, ‘So It Goes’, with its near-live feel but it’s a pretty close run thing, and and vintage guitars, rockets out none of the inputs disappoint. of the speakers, while the gentler Yes, with some more overtly mood of ‘36 Inches High’ benefi ts atmospheric recordings – think from the ability of the 321 to get choirs or small ensembles in massive you close to the music, while at the church spaces, or the likes of the LSO same time creating an enveloping Live label orchestral releases – the soundfi eld. It may not be quite as Wadia does slightly gloss over the edgy as I remember it when it was subtler details of air and ambience, ABOVE: Distortion vs. 48kHz/24-bit digital signal fi rst released, the better part of 40 and can at times sound just a shade level over a 120dB dynamic range. S/PDIF input years ago, but it comes up a treat shut-in, but what it does well is show (1kHz, red) and USB input (1kHz, black; 20kHz, blue) through the Wadia/Arcam system, that big and rich doesn’t always whereas on some set-ups it can just mean bloated and slow. be rather brittle and even irritating. That said, this is a hugely Feed the Wadia a truly lush commercial product with the appeal production job, such as those on of its dual functionality added to Up From The Dark [Rykodisc RCD a sound likely to please those who 10011] – the 1986 Dave Stewart listen to the hi-fi almost as much as and Barbara Gaskin compilation of it does those who listen to music. covers both poignant and amiably dotty, but deliciously recorded and HI-FI NEWS VERDICT engineered – and it’s really in its Beautifully built and with a element. The oh-so-’80s take on style all its own, the Wadia 321 ABOVE: High resolution jitter plot with 48kHz/24-bit ‘(I Know) I’m Losing You’, complete manages to combine value data (S/PDIF and USB are nominally identical) with Gaskin’s pleading voice and for money (in high-end terms) Stewart’s bonkers feedback-ridden with the fl exibility of both a HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS guitar solo, all set against a huge, standalone DAC and ‘digital Maximum output level (Balanced) 7.59Vrms at 570ohm chugging ‘orchestration’ sounds preamp’. The sound sometimes just magnifi cent. errs on the side of warmth and A-wtd S/N ratio (S/PDIF / USB) 118.5dB / 117.9dB It’s a real listen-in experience, richness rather than delivering Distortion (1kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.00053% / 0.00009% with both scale and subtlety, and I’m the last nuance of detail, but Dist. & Noise (20kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.0059% / 0.00017% afraid I was suffi ciently drawn in to for many listeners turned off by Freq. resp. (20Hz-20kHz/45kHz/90kHz) +0.0dB to –0.1dB/–0.7dB/–9.5dB indulge myself with the album’s two forwardness and disinterested in Digital jitter (48kHz/96kHz/USB) 1070psec / 550psec / 1160psec DSD, it could be just the ticket. Resolution @ –100dB (S/PDIF / USB) ±0.1dB / –35dB (see text)

Sound Quality: 80% Power consumption 7W (1W standby)

0 ------100 Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 454x86x508mm / 11.4kg

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 59 Fixed gain phono preamp Made by: Unison Research (A.R.I.A), Italy Supplied by: Henley Designs Ltd, UK Telephone: 01235 511166 Web: http://en.unisonresearch.com; www.henleydesigns.co.uk PHONO PREAMP Price: £1870 Unison Research Phono One

Vinyl fans with an eye for Italian style are in luck, as Unison Research introduces a new phono preamplifi er that aims to build on the strengths of its predecessor Review: Adam Smith Lab: Paul Miller

ven dyed-in-the-wool solid state afi cionados are often hard-pressed to deny the delights of a good Evalve phono preamplifi er, so here’s a ‘tweaked’ favourite, hailing from Italy’s Unison Research and new UK distributors, Henley Designs. The Phono One, a development of the company’s previous model, the Simply Phono, has witnessed some changes – a larger footprint and polished styling – and improvements under the skin. Naturally, it The gain of the unit is fi xed at 54dB ABOVE: The Phono One is activated via a is a little more expensive, but the Phono which suggests it’s an ideal match for rocker switch on its side. Vents in the partially One’s £1870 price tag certainly seems cartridges with a 2mV output. Additionally, exposed metal top plate aid cooling fair, given the excellent construction and a range of four capacitive and four resistive quality of fi nish on offer. loading options means that it should be orange, changing to green when the able to work with a wide variety of both muting deactivates. ELEGANT CHERRY WOOD CASE MM and MC types. (Possible downsides are Like the Simply Phono, the Phono One Although on fi rst glance it reminded me of hiss with very low output designs, or input derives its power from a separate PSU unit the 1970s Deccasound T-1000 tuner, I was clipping with higher output MMs.) connected to the main amplifi er through quickly won over by the elegant wooden The capacitance values on offer are 100, a multiway plug and lead. As the Phono top and front, supplied here in cherry 200, 320 and 420pF and the resistances One’s power switch is on the side of the (mahogany is available to order). The 20, 47, 100ohm and 47kohm. In addition, main enclosure, the PSU has no controls on exposed metal part of the case serves as a there is a space on the PCB to allow for the it and can thus be hidden out of sight. vent for the valves that are also a staple of installation of custom value resistors to suit Unison Research’s other audio designs. any special requirements although this is A LUSCIOUS MIDRANGE Here, Unison has implemented fi ve not mentioned in the handbook. Pushing the Phono One’s performance ECC83/12AX7 valves, one more than The RIAA circuitry is carried over from envelope, I chose cartridges at the the Simply Phono. There’s no practical the Simply Phono and is implemented opposite ends of the output spectrum, increase in the 52dB gain of the older passively. The PCB that carries the namely a Charisma Audio MC-2 (0.42mV) design but the latest Phono One does claim components is isolated from the case in and Ortofon 2M Black (5mV). In both cases, improvements in noise and distortion. As order to minimise the effects of vibration however, the Phono One showed itself to standard the unit is supplied with Russian and all internal connections are soldered be a highly accomplished and polished Tung-Sol 12AX7 devices – a well known and made using shielded wire. Switch-on music maker, with a particularly luscious tube that’ll not break the bank at around thumps and burbles are minimised through and fl uid midrange. £12 each when replacements are required. a delay circuit – the front panel LED shows With the Charisma MC-2 up fi rst and loaded with 100pF and 100ohm, the PHONO STAGES GALORE Phono One impressed from the beginning. It really got to the heart of instruments and The ongoing ‘vinyl revival’ has resulted in a wide variety of standalone phono offered a particularly fi ne level of upper stages. Given that many amplifi ers still lack a suitable input for this purpose, bass detail. I was especially pleased by the using a turntable means one of these devices is often a necessity. Ranging in way in which Timothy B Schmidt’s fretless price from a few tens of pounds to many thousands, there has never been a bass came expertly to the fore on The better time to buy a phono stage. The likes of Pro-Ject, Rega and Cambridge Eagles’ ‘New York Minute’ from their Hell Audio offer excellent, affordable designs that perform far better than their Freezes Over LP [Geffen SVLP 050]. humble price tags might suggest, while more and more companies such as As a result, Don Henley’s vocals were Unison Research are occupying the middle price ground. Of course, if money perfectly held in the centre of the image is no object then exotica from the likes of Whest Audio, Allnic, Tron and Music with the bass guitar easily located behind First Audio will fi t the bill. These examples, in particular, use very different and to the left of him. The overall sense technologies to achieve the same goal of ultimate LP equalisation and replay. of scale was most commanding, although I did feel that the kick drums later in the

60 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 LAB REPORT UNISON RESEARCH PHONO ONE Last tested fi ve years ago [HFN Jul ’10], the Unison Research Phono One has witnessed some running production ‘tweaks’ resulting in an improved input overload margin – more of which below – and a signifi cantly improved S/N ratio of 89dB (A-wtd, re. 5mV). The basic design remains unchanged with a bank of fi ve ECC83/12AX7 tubes buffering the input and output track were slightly lacking their ABOVE: The single set of RCA inputs are around a passive RIAA eq section. The equalised response is essentially unchanged from earlier models and fl at to within customary impact. confi gurable for loading only via two ±0.2dB between 20Hz-20kHz. However, while it extends out to However, the Phono One is a very banks of DIP switches. Gain is fi xed 100kHz (+0.23dB) it also plunges deep into the subsonic with a easy unit to listen to. And it sailed –3dB point of just 3Hz, so the Phono One may not be the ideal through a wide variety of musical Shifting down a gear further to match for systems with large, ported fl oorstanders [see black trace, Graph 1]. While the Phono One offers loading options material in a calm, unfl ustered way. Eric Bibb’s ‘Needed Time’ from a suitable for MC (20-100ohm) and MM cartridges (47kohm), its At times, however, I did feel that 45rpm cut of Spirit And The Blues gain is fi xed at +53dB and so is best suited for very high output perhaps the top end was a little too [Opus 3 LP19401] could almost have MCs or modest-output magnetics. soft, though a change in loading to been the Phono One’s raison d’être. The latter is arguably more pertinent for while the Phono One’s input overload has improved to 39mV (for 1% THD) 200ohm helped. Nevertheless some Bibb’s vocals were spine-tinglingly this still only represents a headroom of +17.8dB (re. IEC 5mV, softly brushed cymbals and hi-hats intimate and realistic, fi lling the or +25dB re. its 2.2mV input sensitivity). As the headroom tended to be a little too diffuse and space at the end of my lounge with necessarily scales with frequency, this explains the increase in lacked their customary metallic a scale and grandeur that was an distortion from a minimum of ~0.01% at 1-5kHz to 0.06% at 200Hz and 0.32% at 20Hz [see Graph 2, below]. The Phono leading edge. That said, however, absolute joy. One’s maximum output is more than required at 18V (from a the Unison Research was never dull ~525ohm source impedance) – perhaps Unison might consider or soporifi c to listen to, and had a TIME FOR THE ORTOFON trading 6-10dB of this output for an even higher input overload smoothness and sense of air to its Again, though, the double-bass margin in its future models? Readers may view a full QC Suite upper reaches that made it a very seemed a little too ‘fruity’ and, test report for the latest Unison Research Phono One preamp by navigating to www.hifi news.co.uk and clicking on the red compelling listening unfortunately, there ‘Download’ button. PM companion. was some faint hiss It picked up on ‘Eric Bibb’s breaking through the innate pace vocals were on the very quietest of tauter, more parts. Time then, for rhythmical material spine-tinglingly the Ortofon... very well and happily The extra made light work of realistic’ increase in output ‘Daniel’, from Bat meant that the For Lashes’ Two Suns album [The hiss disappeared, while the Phono Echo Label 6930191]. Natasha One now seemed to have gained Kahn’s vocals were as delicate and some extra confi dence in its lower tremulous as I could have hoped registers: double-bass on the Eric for, Ira Wolf Tuton’s bass line Bibb LP seemed in better focus. The ABOVE: RIAA-corrected freq. resp. from 5Hz-100kHz underpinning it beautifully, keeping top end had also gained a little more vs. output impedance from 20Hz-20kHz (red trace) the performance nicely connected. sprightliness, although cymbals could usefully have had a frisson of extra bite. Now, too, I made it through the full cut of DJ Shadow’s ‘The Number Song’ 12in single [Mo-Wax MWO86DJ] as the Phono One fi nally found its groove and settled into a solid rhythm. HI-FI NEWS VERDICT The Unison Research Phono One builds on the strengths of its ABOVE: Distortion versus frequency from 20Hz-20kHz Simply Phono model to offer a at 1V output. THD increases through bass and treble well-rounded performance with a useful range of loading options. HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

Some gain adjustment would Input loading 20, 47, 100ohm, 47kohm have been the icing on the cake Input sensitivity (re. 0dBV) 2.2mV to optimise the unit’s abilities with low output MCs but, as it Input overload (re. 1% THD) 39mV stands, it offers a very pleasing Max. output (re. 1% THD) / Impedance 18V / 504-780ohm and sophisticated sound that A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBV) 89.0dB suits MM or high output MCs Frequency response (20Hz-20kHz) – 0.18dB to +0.19dB

equally well. Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, re. 0dBV) 0.011–0.32%

ABOVE: Five ECC83 double-triodes are Sound Quality: 75% Power consumption 18W shared between input buffering and line 0 ------100 Dimensions (WHD) 373x58x246mm output stages. RIAA eq is passive

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 61 Semi closed-back, supra-aural headphone Made by: Aëdle SAS, Bois-Colombes, France Supplied by: Aëdle SAS Telephone: See website for worldwide stores Web: www.aedle.net HEADPHONES Price: £299 Aëdle VK-1 Classic

Many headphones strive to be stylish, few actually achieve it. Here’s a notable exception, and from a new name in audio. Can it meld haute couture with high-end sound? Review & Lab: Keith Howard

on’t be fooled: Aëdle is French anodised capsules). The fi t and fi nish are One last, unusual, inclusion in the box (think Citroën), although the impeccable, and wouldn’t be amiss in is a laser-engraved ID card that ‘will allow name, apparently, is a play on ’phones of even treble the asking price. you to discover surprises on our website’. Dthe Danish word ædel, meaning Included in the box are a 1.3m lead I looked but I couldn’t fi nd any – although ‘noble’ – a word that Aëdle uses a lot to terminated at either end in 3.5mm promotional offers and event invitations describe the materials from which its mini-jacks, one of which inserts into a are promised. headphone is made. socket in the left capsule. A longer, 2.4m Internally what makes the closed-back If the company is new to you then that’s cable, or an alternative 1.3m cable with VK-1 of particular interest is its 40mm drive because the VK-1 (VK stands for ‘Valkyrie’, integral microphone and remote control, unit. It has, of course, a neodymium-iron- although whether this signals Wagnerian are available as options. boron magnet system predilections is unclear) is the fi rst product A gold-plated ¼in jack – no surprise there – but of this start-up company, based in Paris and adapter and airline ‘The VK-1’s its diaphragm is titanium established in 2011. As you might expect adapter are supplied, diaphragm is in and that is unusual. of a French enterprise, the VK-1 is not together with a black Most headphones have assembled somewhere in China but in the lambskin travel pouch. titanium and that polymer diaphragms company’s own factory in Brittany. Behind Although the VK-1 is of some description, it are founders Raphaël Lebas de Lacour clearly intended for use is unusual’ though for reasons and Baptiste Sancho, two young men who on the move (the booklet I have never quite would appear to be of independent means quaintly declares that Aëdle specialises understood [see box-out for more on this]. or have deep-pocketed backers. in the design of ‘high-end nomadic audio Comfort is a vital factor with any products’) it makes little concession to headphone, and here the VK-1 scores AN AESTHETIC TRIUMPH minimising its bulk when being carried. well. It is light at just 200g with the short Aëdle is assuredly no garden shed Not only do the machined-from-solid cable. Its supra-aural, protein foam-fi lled, operation despite this being its only capsules not fold up into the headband, lambskin-covered earpads are soft, and the product thus far. The £299 VK-1 took two they don’t even fold fl at. Such is the price head clamping force is modest. (Should years of ‘intense research’ to develop and of the VK-1’s minimalist good looks, which you fi nd the clamping force excessive, the involved ‘the best French experts from such elaborations would compromise. instruction manual includes instructions many different fi elds’, with more than 30 on how to bend the headband to open people in total. The result is an aesthetic the capsules wider.) So while it isn’t as triumph. It is no ‘me too’ rehashing of comfortable to wear for long periods as hackneyed design themes or the artless a good circumaural design, it’s about as assemblage of expensive-looking materials good as a supra-aural design gets. (I’ll leave you to guess which examples I Note, though, that Aëdle recommends have in mind here). occasional treatment of the lambskin In fact it is probably the classiest-looking earpads with ‘a nourishing care or polish headphone I have ever set eyes on. While product’ and advises against storing the this review was in preparation news came VK-1 in moist or hot places. in that the VK-1 had, deservedly, won a There is further good news in that prestigious Red Dot design award 2015. – perhaps because the headband’s The version you see in our photographs leather sleeve has liquid silicone within it – with brown leather earpads and surrounding the spring steel – I heard no headband cover – is called the Classic evidence of structural resonance during Edition. Two other editions are available: the impedance test, where the headphone Legacy (with the same bright-fi nish is worn while pink noise is fed to the left capsules but black earpads and headband) capsule only. But less auspiciously, as and Carbon (like the Legacy but with black described in the Lab Report, I did have diffi culty in achieving a good seal between RIGHT: Closed-back capsules are turned from the left capsule and left artifi cial pinna 6066 aluminium. Connecting cable to the left during the testing, which may mean that capsule is available in long and short options, some users will fi nd it hard to achieve the latter with or without mic/remote controls consistent bass performance.

62 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 LEFT: Minimalist design is simple and stylish but doesn’t fold for carrying. Lambskin is used for the earpads, headband cover and soft pouch

the VK-1 has a response that falls at 12dB per octave below about 75Hz – even though Aëdle claims the fi tment of a ‘passive bass enhancement system’. So it’s a rather like listening to the satellites of a sub-sat system with the sub switched off. Given the choice between lean bass and excess bass, I always choose the former, but even if you share that mind-set you’ll almost certainly agree that the VK-1 takes bass-shyness a degree too far. General expectations today are that a headphone will plumb the lowest two octaves of the audible spectrum much better than the Aëdle does, and this will be a signifi cant disappointment to many potential buyers. But there’s a bigger issue in my opinion. The VK-1 also has an upper-mid/ lower treble excess that lends a forward, somewhat relentless quality to its sound. This masks subtleties of tonal colour and dynamics and probably accounts, at least in part, for what is a closed-in, less than expansive stereo image. Ok, so traditionally closed-back headphones have never been the equal of open-backs in this regard but in recent years I’ve heard a number of closed-back models that refute such easy pigeon-holing. Unfortunately, the VK-1 is It’s impossible to generalise about this variation. A second-generation Mac mini not among them. since some ears will mate better with the running Windows XP and JRiver Media For evidence as to why it sounds VK-1 than others. This is something to Center v19 acted as the music source, this way, note in the Lab Report the establish before purchase; for online sales feeding a TC Electronic Impact Twin audio 5dB hump in the diffuse-fi eld-corrected Aëdle offers a 10 days return policy. interface via FireWire and thence a Chord frequency response, centred on 1.6kHz Electronics QuteHD DAC via S/PDIF. and exacerbated by dips either side. Any MISSING IN REAL BASS One of the fi rst things to strike you emphasis in this part of the frequency For the listening, now that the Aurorasound when you begin playing music through the range results in a forward balance that may Heada [HFN May ’15] has been returned VK-1 is its bass, or rather a lack of it. In a seem initially impressive but wears thin. (sob), I used my Teac HA-501 headphone market where planar magnetic headphones amp [HFN Apr ’14] – a fi ne performer itself in particular are offering bass response that SOME TESTING TRACKS – with the damping factor control set to is near-fl at to below audibility, and many Enough generalisations, let’s advance ‘high’ in light of the VK-1’s large impedance others feature shelved-up low frequencies, to some specifi c musical examples. To investigate the bass I trawled through TITANIUM TRANSDUCERS the collection of tracks I’ve set aside for exactly this purpose: like Bèla Fleck And Provided that a loudspeaker or headphone diaphragm is thin enough, relative The Flecktones’ ‘Flight Of The Cosmic to its other dimensions, it behaves vibrationally like a shell rather than a plate. Hippo’, from the album of the same name In practice this means its bending resonances depend on the linear velocity [Warner 9 26562-2]; and Jennifer Warnes’ of sound in the diaphragm material: the higher this velocity, the higher the ‘Somewhere, Somebody’ and ‘Way Down frequency of the fi rst breakup mode. Short of exotic materials like synthetic Deep’ [The Hunter, Private Music 82089]. diamond and boron, this puts metals in pole position. But as they have little They all told the same story: it’s not that internal damping, the breakup modes need to be pushed above the working the VK-1 lacks bass, at least not what many range of the driver. In headphones with a single full-range driver, this means people think of as bass (which is actually above the audible range. Best is beryllium, with a sound velocity of about upper bass, not the lowest two octaves 13,000m/s. But beryllium is expensive and, in particulate form, highly toxic, so its or so). What it lacks is the low frequency use is rare. Aluminium, magnesium and titanium all have a speed of sound around extension required of true bass. 5000m/s, so the choice between them is usually made on other criteria. What you hear as a result is more of the harmonics than the fundamentals of low

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 63

LAB REPORT AËDLE VK-1 CLASSIC Aëdle claims 129dB sensitivity for the VK-1 – a ridiculous fi gure for either of the usual reference inputs, 1 milliwatt (1mW) or 1V. Our measurements recorded an average for the two capsules of 116.8dB for 1V input at 1kHz, equivalent to 101.9dB for 1mW at the nominal impedance of 32ohm. In fact 32ohm is exactly what we recorded as the minimum impedance over the audible range, with a maximum of 53.4ohm at the pronounced bass peak at 73Hz. This large variation is suffi cient to cause a 0.9dB frequency response variation with a headphone preamp of 10ohm source impedance, or a 1.9dB variation with a 30ohm source impedance. The uncorrected frequency responses [Graph 1, below] carry three traces rather than the normal two. The reason for this is the large low frequency disparity between the conventional left and right capsule measurements (black and red traces), apparently caused by the left capsule not sealing correctly to the left artifi cial pinna. Because of this, the left capsule was also bass notes like the E-string of a bass ABOVE: Internally the 40mm diameter measured on the right pinna, with the improved result shown guitar, and more of the whack than drive units have neodymium magnets, of in the third (dashed grey) trace. This suggests that sealing the thump of a bass drum. course, but diaphragms are in titanium issues may be experienced by some users. On their correct The positive outcome is that the pinnae the two capsules recorded a disappointing matching error of ±10.4dB but this improved to ±6.6dB when both were VK-1 sounds clean and tuneful, not programme which suffers. Some measured on the right pinna (40Hz-10kHz). thickened as some headphones with tracks, like ‘Dreaming’ – a mix of The most notable features of the uncorrected response are extended bass can seem. But there’s piano and electronica – from Bugge the premature bass roll-off of 47Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz) and the a world of real bass missing here, Wesseltoft and Henrik Schwarz’s CD early peaking at about 2kHz. These are refl ected in the diffuse- fi eld corrected response [green trace, Graph 2] which should be inasmuch as headphones can deliver Duo [Universal Music 277041-9], something close to fl at for a neutral tonal balance. Instead the it, bereft of the physical impact were tonally recast but remained DF response shows a mild bass peak at 80Hz, a +5.6dB peak at delivered by loudspeakers. listenable, even enjoyable. Others, 1.6kHz (made worse by the 2dB dip at 500Hz), and a –4.8dB like ‘Country Dreamer’ from the dip at 5kHz. This doesn’t bode well for the VK-1 achieving solid bass or a subjectively even tonal balance. KH COULD WORK FOR SOME 96kHz/24-bit download of Wings’ The upper-mid/lower treble Band On The Run [HDtracks] and forwardness is, as I’ve said, more of ‘Black Beauty’ (a 88.2kHz/24-bit a problem, and it’s one that Aëdle conversion from the DSD128 really must work on eliminating if transcription of the Opus 3 the VK-1 is to succeed. In my review Showcase 1 download, available at of the Furutech ADL H128 [HFN www.dsdfi le.com), fared less well. May ’15] I mentioned the ‘Heiliger ‘Country Dreamer’ tends to Dankgesang’ movement from forwardness to start with, and Beethoven’s String Quartet Op.132 the VK-1’s extra dose just made it [Dreams & Prayers, Crier Records CR uncomfortable. The muted trumpet 1401] – a free download in DSD64 centre-stage in ‘Black Beauty’ is a or DSD128 from Native DSD. diffi cult instrument to reproduce in I enthused there about the the best of circumstances; via the ABOVE: Our left capsule (black trace) achieved a gargantuan size and sheer presence VK-1 it became positively strident. poorer seal than the right (red) with attendant loss in of the stereo image but were you It gives me no pleasure to say this bass output (grey shows left capsule on right ear) to hear this recording via the VK-1 given Aëdle’s genuine achievement you’d think I’d lost my marbles. with the VK-1’s aesthetics, but Through the Aëdle the string for the moment this headphone’s sound is so coloured that I struggle attraction lies in how it looks, not to describe it: what should be a how it sounds. sublime listening experience had me recoiling in deep disappointment. HI-FI NEWS VERDICT Yes it’s possible that, because As a headphone to be seen of the wide natural variation in wearing, the VK-1 ticks all the the size and shape of human ears, right boxes. It is stylish without some listeners will experience the being fl ashy, sophisticated VK-1’s tonal balance more positively. rather than gauche. Plus it ABOVE: 3rd-octave freq. resp. (red = uncorrected; But that hump in the DF-corrected is constructed and fi nished cyan = FF corrected; green = DF corrected) response means that most will hear to a quality that makes most something similar to me: a tonal other £300 headphones look HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS balance that renders a lot of classical cheapskate by comparison. Its Sensitivity (SPL at 1kHz for 1Vrms input) 116.8dB music all but unlistenable. ultimate sound quality rather The delightful third movement Impedance modulus min/max 32.0ohm @ 20Hz lets it down but the VK-1 remains (20Hz-20kHz) 53.4ohm @ 73Hz of Mozart’s Divertimento in E fl at, comfortable to wear if not ideally Capsule matching (40Hz-10kHz) ±10.4dB K375 [Linn Records CKD 47] was adapted to listening on the hoof. another notable casualty, sounding LF extension (–6dB ref. 200Hz) 47Hz as if the Scottish CO Wind Soloists Sound Quality: 65% Distortion 100Hz/1kHz (for 90dB SPL) 0.4% / 0.1% were busking in a Tube tunnel. 0 ------100 Weight (inc cable) 200g And, of course, it isn’t just classical

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 65 Battery-powered USB DAC and headphone amplifi er Made by: Oppo Electronics Corp., China Supplied by: Oppo BD UK Ltd, Norfolk Telephone: 0845 060 9395 Web: www.oppodigital.co.uk HEADPHONE AMP/USB DAC Price: £259 Oppo HA-2

With music from smartphones and tablets, and hi-res audio via computers, Oppo’s new rechargeable portable DAC/headphone amp is perfect for music on the move Review: Nick Tate Lab: Paul Miller

ppo, the ‘global electronics and sized case. Being portable, it comes with controls and one can end up accidentally technology service provider’, a built-in rechargeable 3000mAh lithium pushing the volume higher or lower. has good form with digital. It polymer battery which is good for over six The stitched leather casing doesn’t Oentered the AV arena making hours of digital music playback, or twice scratch easily in the pocket though, and very respectable Blu-ray players which that when working from its analogue input at 175g is light enough not to be overly not only looked but sounded better than with the internal DAC switched out. intrusive when you’re out and about. The most others, then more recently diversifi ed The supplied rapid charger can whisk matt aluminium fi nish will match your into headphones. Many manufacturers the battery up to three-quarters full in MacBook Air and its switchgear feels slick. have moved into this category of late, half an hour, or you can charge it via your As with every portable device, knowledge with mixed success, but the PM-1 Planar computer’s USB socket while you are of battery status is imperative and the Magnetic ’phones [HFN Jul ’14] turned out listening. Cleverly, it can give this power HA-2 has a fi ve-LED display so you’re never to be superb. The PM-2 followed [HFN Feb back, since it is able to function as a mobile caught short by a sudden power outage. ’15], and was equally fi ne value for money. power bank that will also charge your The unit has four sockets, two USBs Oppo’s HA-1 headphone amp [HFN mobile device. (Type A and micro B) on the bottom and Sep ’14] again showed that the company I found the Oppo nice to use, thanks in two 3.5mm affairs on the top. One is the is serious about sound quality, and now no small part to the rotary volume knob on headphone output and the other doubles we have the portable HA-2 version you see the top left of the machine, which is easy up as an analogue input or a line output – here. This has been designed to partner to operate and has a lovely smooth and meaning you can hook it up to your hi-fi . the forthcoming PM-3 headphone (to be positive action. It is said to work with all current reviewed next month). One mark against it, though, is the iDevices via its USB input (a suitable Apple lack of a ‘hold’ function, something every Lightning lead is supplied), and also works FOR THE STYLE CONSCIOUS Sony portable has had from the year dot – from a computer with a USB output and Portable audio is the current trend: just when on the move it’s too easy to jog the any Android device that supports USB On- as long haired, denim-wearing dudes The-Go and USB Audio Class. In these cases sashayed around with new Sony Walkman it takes the raw digital data stream from portable stereo cassette players in the the device and converts it with its internal early ’80s, now we have a new generation DAC, before amplifying it and sending the of bearded hipsters displaying their cool sound out from its headphone socket. credentials in their choices of headphone All Oppo products use the ESS Sabre32 and smartphone. DAC chip, a high quality modern design The missing link, of course, is the that has appeared in some very well portable headphone amplifi er – not least reviewed full-size digital converters. because the DACs and headphone driver The ES9018-K2M version used here is stages in smartphones are notoriously specifi cally for portables, and with its mediocre-sounding to anyone who hasn’t asynchronous USB interface is able to yet damaged their hearing with one. support high-resolution audio playback at The Oppo HA-2 makes a great case for up to 384kHz/24-bit PCM and DSD256. itself simply by being inserted between Interestingly, the maker says that there is – for example – an iPhone and PM-1 no digital signal processing in the HA-2, headphones, whereupon you can hear how suggesting that its novel ‘bass boost’ it instantly transforms sound into music! function – switched alongside the gain The HA-2 is aimed right at this selector – is done in the analogue domain. style-conscious market, which is why its The unit sports a Class AB headphone leather-clad alloy chassis looks so smart. It amplifi er stage, said to be a mixture of combines DAC and headphone amplifi er integrated circuits and discrete transistors, functionality in a compact smartphone- the latter specially selected and pair- matched. It has two gain settings, ‘High’ RIGHT: Gain and bass boost controls are is claimed to deliver 300mW into low located on the side of the slim case. There is also (16ohm) impedance phones, whereas ‘Low’ a highly informative battery condition indicator, is optimised for more sensitive, higher so running out of juice is hard to miss impedance earbuds. Either type can be

66 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 LEFT: The compact smartphone-sized matt aluminium case is covered in leather to prevent scratches, but is not removable. Alloy volume knob has a pleasingly smooth action

augmented with the bass boost function. Thankfully this is unintrusive and so proved quite useable, giving Oppo’s PM-1 useful extra weight when playing bright recordings, for example.

POLISHED DELIVERY Following this There are many portable headphone Kicking up with a ‘full fat’ amplifi ers on the market, with widely off with well uncompressed, 44.1kHz/ differing sonic performance. Considering recorded pop, and 16-bit CD rip of Steely Dan’s ‘Black the modest cost of the HA-2, I was Scritti Politti’s ‘Small Talk’ Friday’ (from Aja, MCA Records 811 745- expecting a decent sound and the Oppo (from Cupid And Pysche, 2), the sound took on a good deal more duly obliged. It’s not that dissimilar to Warner Bros 9 25302-2) was highly body and life, and the soundstage widened its siblings in the way it makes music, involving. Bass was decently fl uid and and deepened considerably. which is to say clean and had a fair degree of It also became a lot easier to focus detailed. You wouldn’t weight, and it moved on individual items in the mix, with the call this unit a romantic ‘Via the computer up to a very spacious electric piano work running right through performer, but it remains and Audirvana, and open midband the song holding tight and playing along extremely accomplished with lots of subtle with the lead instruments and vocal line. at excavating music from the Oppo could detailing. For example, Again the HA-2 proved itself to be clear, the digital datastream you could really get a clean and insightful, able to dig right into and serving it to you in stretch its legs’ feel for Green Gartside’s the mix and serve up a very animated a thorough, polished great, soulful voice, sound that really involves the listener. and professional way. In short, this DAC/ which sounded intimate and detailed with headphone amp sounds considerably more genuine insight into its unique timbre. FORMIDABLE MOBILE PACKAGE expensive than it actually is. The singer’s intonation was also carried Although a traditional hi-fi favourite, Aja Most people will use it with a well, the HA-2 taking you up close and isn’t a brilliantly recorded album – it’s very smartphone or tablet, so I tried the Oppo personal despite this being a compressed much of its time with a super-dry sound through my Apple iPhone and iPad, initially audio fi le. Treble was surprisingly sweet, – and the Oppo certainly conveyed this playing 256kbps AAC rips. Driving the with a decent sparkle to the hi-hat cymbal aspect, but didn’t let it intrude too much. highly revealing Oppo PM-1 headphones I sound. The music fl owed well, and never Some detailed and revealing DACs can be had expected a rather less enjoyable sound had the ‘sat upon’ quality that AAC fi les too matter-of-fact for their own good, but than I received. can sometimes present. the fi ne handling of the music’s dynamic accents meant that this listener never lost OPPO ON THE MOVE interest via the HA-2. Indeed the music came over as expressive and forceful, just Oppo may have been early to the high quality Blu-ray player market, but it’s as it should… late to the portable headphone amplifi er one. There are now a great many The £1100 Oppo PM-1 is a stiff load as products from a wide range of manufacturers on sale, spanning from Cambridge headphones go and required me to switch Audio’s DacMagic XS (£100), Arcam’s rPAC (£150) to Furutech’s ADL X1 (£400) to the high gain setting, but low gain was [all HFN May ’14] up to Chord’s Hugo (£1400). They’re all portable, battery or all I required for my Jays v-Jays foldable, USB-powered headphone stages with DACs built in, and they’re all good. With portable headphone. It’s a great sounding the possible exception of the Arcam, none of them can equal the slickness and design and offers a sense of rightness that portability of the Oppo. Sadly, you’ll have to pay over £1000 more than the cost is exceptional for its £30 price tag. The of the HA-2 to signifi cantly better its sound – the Chord is expensive for a good HA-2 worked extremely well with this too, reason. Don’t be surprised if the market continues to get more crowded and serving up a big, bold rendition of the competitive, because it’s a growing sector and with the poor sound from almost music. Partnered with an iPhone, the three all smartphones – plus the rise in sales of headphones – you can see why. For the products together made a formidable moment at least, the Oppo HA-2 has an awful lot going for it at the price. mobile music package, not least because there are times when some of us, at

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 67 
 
 

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  LAB REPORT OPPO HA-2 Despite its low price, the HA-2 is arguably the most profi cient battery-powered USB DAC/headphone amp we’ve tested in Hi-Fi News so far. The High/Low gain setting (+8.4dB/–1.9dB) infl uences both the HA-2’s maximum power and voltage output into high impedance ’phones, achieving 277mW/25ohm (High) and 173mW/25ohm (Low) with 3000mV/47kohm (High) and 2500mV/47kohm (Low). These fi gures suggest the HA-2 has more than enough clout to drive any sane headphone to palpably insane levels [see Graph 1, below] while the low output impedance (a steady 1.3-1.4ohm, including cables, regardless of gain setting) also promises a uniform system response with a signal loss of just 0.35dB. In practice, the response reaches way out to 100kHz with a mere ±0.1dB least, just don’t want to walk ABOVE: 3.5mm sockets for headphones variation and down to –0.2dB/20Hz and –3dB/5Hz. The bass around with thousands of pounds of and line out sit on top – the latter also boost function offers a +5dB lift centred on 40Hz but extends headphones in public view. doubling as the line input. The USB A and well into the upper bass [see dashed trace, Graph 2 below]. Moving on up to high resolution micro B connectors are beneath Via the USB input the maximum output is 840mV and 2710mV at 0dBFs via Low and High gain settings respectively, computer audio, and the Oppo was and with a best-case A-wtd S/N ratio of 96.8dB. Distortion is a switched from its USB-A socket input to behold. The Oppo PM-1/HA-2 uniformly low 0.001-0.0026% from 1kHz-20kHz but increases to micro USB type-B mode and my combination zeroed in on the violins at low frequencies, via all inputs, to 0.06%/20Hz and 0.25%/5Hz latest generation Apple MacBook and rendered them in a beautifully – loaded or unloaded [see red infi lls, Graph 2]. Digital jitter is as low as we’ve seen from a portable USB DAC at 160psec, a Pro deployed, running the new fi ne and considered way. The wiry, performance assisted in no small measure by Oppo’s choice Audirvana Plus 2.0.10. Again things sinewy feel was clear yet there of the jitter-busting ES9018 DAC from ESS. Readers may view took a major step forward. That wasn’t a touch of grain or harshness. comprehensive QC Suite test reports for Oppo’s HA-2 USB DAC/ same Steely Dan CD rip – previously At the same time, it carried the headphone amplifi er by navigating to www.hifi news.co.uk and played via an iPhone – sounded muted trumpets with great alacrity, clicking on the red ‘download’ button. PM better still via the computer running and served up a superbly smooth Audirvana, the HA-2 appearing to fl ute sound which sat accurately fi nally be able to stretch its legs. placed towards the back of the mix. With the Oppo PM-1 headphones Running the gamut of superlative now back in use, bass was now hi-res recordings, from Misty slightly stronger, midband a little from Kate Bush’s Fifty Words For cleaner and less muddled, and treble Snow (96kHz/24-bit WAV) to Alex fractionally sweeter. Moving to a de Grassi’s The Water Garden 192kHz/24-bit mastering of REM’s (DSD) showed the Oppo to be an ‘Texarkana’ (from Out Of Time, unerringly clean, crisp and detailed Warner Bros 7599-26496-2) and I performer. It’s not the best DAC/ was delighted by how much cleaner headphone portable on sale but it is and tighter things sounded. Again, exceptionally good at its price point, ABOVE: Continuous power output vs. distortion into it was very open, spacious and and punches far above its weight. 25ohm ‘headphone’ load (Low Gain, black; High, red) decently dimensional, although you Its ability to drive a diffi cult would never call it rich sounding – headphone load to high volume tonally it remained clean but didn’t levels, while showing no obvious really show the track’s full warmth. signs of strain, is important, as its fi ne built-in DAC which sounds far FREE OF ANY HARSHNESS more expensive than it has a right Listen to the same track via, say, the to. It’s this combination of power considerably pricier Chord Hugo and fi nesse that’s so alluring in portable DAC/headphone and it’s something so affordably priced. obvious that the Oppo is sucking a little of the colour of the recording HI-FI NEWS VERDICT out. Isaac Hayes’ ‘Shaft’ (from Not the world’s fi nest headphone ABOVE: Freq. resp. (black; bass boost, dashed) from Shaft, Original Soundtrack, Stax amplifi er (the HA-1 is ahead in the 5Hz-100kHz into 25ohm and distortion versus SCD24 8802-2) bore this out: it’s queue) but certainly one of the frequency (red, 1V; shaded, 40mW) from 5Hz-40kHz a wonderfully rich and sumptuous best value, the Oppo HA-2 offers sounding production from the early a consistently clean, accurate and HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS 1970s, yet the HA-2 made it sound open sound across a wide variety Maximum output (re. 0dBFs into 47kohm) 3.01V (High Gain) nearly as dry as Steely Dan’s Aja, of digital sources and formats, when in reality it isn’t. and does so with real élan. Nicely Max. power output (re. 0dBFs into 25ohm) 173mW (Low)/277mW (High) Even so, the track still sounded styled, well built and equipped Output Impedance (20Hz-20kHz) 1.3-1.4ohm breathtakingly detailed, very with useful features, this powerful A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBFs / 0dBV) 96.8dB (USB) / 98.1dB (Line) polished and highly enjoyable to portable DAC/amplifi er upgrades Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, re. 10mW) 0.00085–0.065% listen to. There’s a breathtakingly modern mobile devices from Freq. resp. (20kHz/45kHz/90kHz, 25ohm) +0.1 to –0.0dB/–0.3dB/–0.1dB deep and warm bassline to ‘Ellie’s sound sources to music makers. Walk Home’ and while it lost a Stereo separation (20Hz-20kHz) 105dB to 98dB little of its physicality, the delicacy Sound Quality: 83% Digital jitter (24-bit/48kHz) 160psec of the guitar, glockenspiel, fl ute 0 ------100 Dimensions (WHD) 68x157x12mm and string section was something

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 69

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w:audioemotion.co.uk e:[email protected] t:01333 425 999 Classical Companion BEHIND THE MUSIC WITH HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW Decca Records The mono era Along with a 53CD compendium, Decca has issued a 6LP box set of mono recordings (with a very long title). Christopher Breunig fi nds the repertoire choice unexpected

n 1929, when the young Decca’s 39mm-deep box each LP lives in a Edward Lewis joined the ÎLXT 2000 replica cover with lined paper inner Decca Gramophone Company series labels had sleeves. There’s a 15-page booklet Ihe suggested it should make gold lettering with artist photographs, one or two records to go with its turntables but on an orange session pictures and several early this idea was resisted. So he simply background 1950s advertisement repros. All the bought the company and the New (silver print for recording production details are Malden Duophone factory, and set the 5000 series) given with the contents listings. up the Decca Record Company. During the war period, Decca WHAT’S IN THE BOX? engineer Arthur Haddy was working CDs or LPs? A no-brainer you might on a sonar detection system to think… but at around £16 per vinyl aid in the location of U-boats disc Decca’s are less expensive than and distinguish these from Allied the stereo reissues at Speakers vessels. He developed RAF training Kingsway Hall in February 1946 but Corner, Hi-Q or Clearaudio. And we records with a wide frequency the LP replacement [LXT 2502] was vinyl diehards will certainly want to response which, postwar, led to the with his Geneva orchestra, the Suisse know how they sound. development of the ‘ffrr’ label (Full The fi rst Romande; the price was 39s 6d. The very fi rst LXTs were pressed Frequency Range Recording) for ÓDecca ‘Life-like… startling,’ said The on an abrasive mix. But the later domestic customers. long-playing Record Guide. The plastics were very Decca’s classical catalogue record was review in EMG (Ellis good, Decca LPs in the 78rpm era was modest in issued in 1950: Michael Ginn) Hand- ‘Kleiber’s having a run-in fl at comparison to HMV’s or Columbia’s Petrouchka Made Gramophone’s “Storm” makes with the playing but the fact that it offered superior with the Suisse July 1950 Monthly surface where sound quality was soon realised, and Romande Letter suggested that Toscanini’s a EMI’s had a lip and the fi rst UK ‘long-playing record’ set Orchestra. It a superior version Philips’ a convex a new standard. Ernest Ansermet was an obvious was ‘unimaginable’ non-event!’ tapered edge. (This had fi rst recorded Stravinsky’s choice for the and it was a good unique feature is Petrouchka with the LPO at new box set augury for the new medium. (EMG missing from the Optimal discs.) had begun making record playing Apart from the ‘ffrr’ sound equipment as early as 1923 and its characteristic itself, I discovered subscription magazine was a ‘bible’ a few years ago that previously for serious collectors.) unplayed LXTs I came across in a By 1950, Decca was producing local Oxfam shop had a defi nite records with artists such as replay ‘sound’ absent from the Ace Backhaus, Curzon, van Beinum, of Clubs reissues of those same Böhm, Kleiber, Krauss, Krips and recordings – presumably this was Münchinger. Periodically it would to do with the plasticity of the disc issue improved and renumbered material itself. The Optimal LPs share LXT recuts, eg, the Erich Kleiber that same sonic signature. Beethoven Ninth (1951, ’57, ’61). So what’s been chosen for the Sixty-fi ve years on, it is new box? Well, not the legendary celebrating its mono catalogue Kleiber Beethoven Fifth – of which with a 53CD set [478 7946] and, Linn Records produced a 1986 at the same price, a boxed 6LP transfer sounding quite unlike selection [478 8027] mastered at Decca’s [RECUT 02] – or even the Abbey Road Studios and superbly conductor’s 1953 ‘Pastoral’ with the pressed on 180g vinyl by Optimal Amsterdam Concertgebouw. (This (see www.theguardian.com/ was later reissued here in pseudo- music/2015/jan/07/-sp-vinyls- stereo [Eclipse ECS 549] but we also diffi cult-comeback). Inside the stout had a 1985 French Decca mono

74 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 import [1592105], sounding rather The boxed-in and monophonic.) è6LP set No, Decca has gone back to the ‘The Decca February 1948 version Kleiber made Sound – Mono with the London Philharmonic [78s, Years (The Birth then LXT 2587]. It was produced at of High Fidelity) Kingsway Hall by Victor Olof, and Vinyl Edition’ has the same, bracingly fast scherzo 478 8027 as at Amsterdam. But there’s a lot more character here, in fact – so a worthwhile choice, even if the soft playing appears as very distant. Here’s a ‘Storm’ to make Toscanini’s seem a non-event! The Ansermet Petrouchka has some stridency at high levels but the interpretation is still gripping enough for age limitations to be ignored and there’s a unique sense of authority about it. (You can get a free download at themusicparlour. blogspot.co.uk.) Canada in 1949 and was noted dated and the playing is good. Side for introducing Barber, Bloch and 2 is cut well away from the label. Hindemith to London audiences. Far more compelling, even There’s some lovely playing here, though replaced a decade later entirely attuned to the composer’s by an Ansermet stereo remake, idiom. (This 1956 recording, from current on Speakers Corner 180g Decca’s West Hampstead Studio, vinyl [SXL 2243], Albéniz’s Iberia is also on Naxos 9.80319 as a Suite (orchestrated by Enrique Arbos 44.1kHz/16-bit download.) from the piano score) and Turina’s In 1956 Jean Martinon conducted Danzas fantásticas are with Ataúlfo the LPO in two Suites from Lalo’s Argenta and the Paris Conservatoire Eduard van ballet Namouna – music which so Orchestra, recorded in 1953 and ëBeinum, excited Debussy as a student. The produced by John Culshaw [LXT whose fi ne plot was about a slave girl won in a 2889]. It’s a fi ne reminder of a Britten Peter wager and the staging novelty was conductor who died aged 45 as the CLASSICS Grimes ‘Four Sea that, in ‘Valse de la Cigarette’, the result of an avoidable accident. Interludes’ and dancer did indeed have to light a My ‘Essential Recordings’ boxout PHILIPS Passacaglia are cigarette. Martinon made a later DG below is a pointer to things you

PHOTO: PHILIPS CLASSICS PHOTO: in the new stereo version, but this Kingsway might come across and should snap Decca LP set Hall LP [LXT 5114] sounds hardly up at once if in good condition. PICK OF THE BOX SET Eduard van Beinum’s fi ne Decca symphonic legacy – Haydn and ESSENTIAL RECORDINGS Mozart, Brahms, Bruckner, etc – has been set aside in favour of the ‘Four Beethoven Symphony No 4, Amsterdam Bizet Jeux d’enfants etc, Chabrier Suite Sea Interludes’ and Passacaglia from Concertgebouw/Josef Krips LXT 2874 Pastorale, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra/ Britten’s Peter Grimes (the Dutch The Austrian conductor’s Decca (later Edouard Lindenberg LXT 2860 conductor had premiered Britten’s Philips) LPs were ‘hit and miss’ but this was a This charming programme – in demonstration- Spring Symphony in 1949) with delightful disc, bubbling with good humour. worthy sound – was by a now almost forgotten its original Young Person’s Guide conductor. It’s included in the mono CD set. coupling, later replaced by Handel Britten Serenade, Les Illuminations, on ACL 162. This new transfer [LXT Peter Pears/Dennis Brain/NSO Strings/ Mozart Symphonies Nos 28 and 29, Suisse 2886] makes the ‘Storm’ in Grimes Eugene Goossens LXT 2941 Romande Orch/Peter Maag LXT 2840 sound positively arthritic on the Ace Pears’ 1954 Serenade had the magical horn This introduced many LP collectors to of Clubs pressing. Stunning sound playing of the young Dennis Brain. (You had to Symphony No 29, also a Klemperer favourite. and, for me, the pick of this set. pay six-pence extra to get the words!) Chamber music is represented Mozart ‘Haffner’ Symphony/Haydn by the Rachmaninov Cello Sonata, Dvorak Symphony No 7, Hamburg RSO/ ‘Miracle’ Symphony, LPO/Concertgebouw/ with Zara Nelsova and the classical Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt LXT 2807 Eduard van Beinum LW 5262/LW 5317 keyboard artist Artur Balsam [LXT Bearing the old numbering ‘No 2’ this was one Two 10in reissues typify van Beinum’s stylish 5228]. Of Russian background, of the German conductor’s fi nest LPs. work in the classical symphonic repertoire. Nelsova had come to the UK from

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 75 STEVE SUTHERLAND Steve edited NME from 1992-2000, the Britpop years, launching NME.com and reviving the NME Awards. Previously he was Assistant Vinyl Release Editor on Melody Maker. Among his many adventures he has been physically threatened BEHIND THE MUSIC WITH HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW by Axl Rose, hung out awhile with Jerry Garcia and had a drink or two with Keith Richards... Japan Tin Drum (180g vinyl) Was the band’s fi nal studio album modern music’s most magnifi cent hoax? As Tin Drum is reissued on 180g vinyl, Steve Sutherland recalls a meeting with David Sylvian

‘ ock ’n’ roll is really all about sex. Non-Revelation. Where rock ’n’ roll has they’d become a big band, sort of elder There’s a lot of other things in it, immolation in its genes, Japan seemed statesmen to the New Romantic movement but that’s the number one thing.’ set on preservation. And where just about who admired their unfl appable poise. R So said the late, great Lux everyone else in Thatcher’s Great Britain Like Pulp’s relationship to the later Interior, head honcho of The Cramps. was shouting ‘F*** art, let’s dance!’, Japan’s Britpop movement, Japan had toiled Others have called it the devil’s music, gigs were like gallery installations. through their gauche phase in a past life, blamed it for overheating the senses, starting out in Catford as New York Dolls accused it of turning upstanding young SOMEWHAT OBSESSED devotees, adopting new names (David Batt citizens into juvenile delinquents. Self-aware to the point of stasis, Japan became David Sylvian) and all manner of But whatever has been said in praise were objective rather than subjective and faux junkie campery. Somewhere along the and condemnation of rock ’n’ roll, one somewhat obsessed with nailing their own line they took over where Roxy Music left thing’s for sure: no way were Japan a rock process. They released albums called Quiet off when Eno quit and Ferry turned gigolo, ’n’ roll band. They weren’t mad for it, didn’t Life and Gentlemen becoming all feign doing the dirty on stage and had very Take Polaroids before studiedly obtuse. little inclination to get down on it. 1981’s Tin Drum ‘Japan took over where Sylvian, made What they actually were, though, is a and a live requiem Roxy Music left off up like a porcelain hard one to fi gure out, even 25 years after entitled Oil On Canvas doll, was dubbed they called it a day. Where rock ’n’ roll is after they suddenly when Eno quit and the Most Beautiful all about high spirits and derring-do, Japan split. Their surfaces Man In The World, appeared petrifi ed of emotion. In fact, they were clear and bold, Ferry turned gigolo’ and that very same appeared petrifi ed full stop. Not scared their brush strokes world seemed their petrifi ed but actual sculptural petrifi ed. calculated, their art works impressive. But oyster when Tin Drum and its attendant Where most bands tend to hi-jinks, what on earth was it all about? three singles did miraculously smart Japan sought out a kind of monastic I was intrigued and, working at the time business in the charts. discipline. Where most singers are great for Melody Maker, sought out the answer, Miraculous because this was an album big show-offs, David Sylvian seemed only to be rebuffed time and again. They named after a German novel by Günter to be doing some Master’s degree in didn’t need to talk. Almost by accident Grass written in 1959 about a kid who refuses to grow up, full of songs by a band named Japan all about China. Or Chinese culture. Or something. Oriental-ish sounding, full of Mick Karn’s fretless bass swoops and Richard Barbieri’s synth swathes, it was kind of an imaginary travelogue, kind of... Listening to it now, Tin Drum was all concept. All concept. There’s nothing whatsoever behind it. No explanation. No impulse (except, perhaps, evasion). It’s a grand folly, like one of those oriental pagodas built in the grounds of English Country houses. It is out of time and yet of its time. It may even be modern music’s most magnifi cent hoax. Back then, though, I was wrestling with songs called ‘Talking Drum’, ‘Cantonese Boy’, and ‘Still Life In Mobile Homes’ – all lush allusions to... Gawd knows what. The veneer was gorgeous, the nation swooned. Japan pictured in the early ’80s (l-r): Steve Jansen (percussion), Mick Karn (bass guitar), And then they split up. David nicked Mick’s ìRob Dean (guitar), Rich Barbieri (keyboards) and David Sylvian (vocals and guitar) girlfriend and that was that.

76 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 Priced £16.25, the 180g vinyl reissue of ìTin Drum on the Universal Back To Black label is available online at www.juno.co.uk

It took nearly three more years to get me in front of the man. He sipped ice-cold milk and wore shades throughout our brief encounter. Since Japan, he’d been pretty much a recluse and it felt as if he was easing himself, politely but somewhat reluctantly, back into the spotlight to promote his fi rst solo LP, Brilliant Trees. And so, utterly impressed by what he’d done but not remotely understanding it, I put a theory to David Sylvian. But before I recount said theory, I’d just like to remind you that this was 1984, I was a pretentious young(ish) hack and poetic idea of emotion recollected in ‘The actor Tom Conti did an interview if you’d been a Japan fan on the trail of tranquillity... plus, of course, the old a long, long time ago on TV and he was this interview for as long as I had, you chestnut about natives not wanting their asked why he didn’t do interviews too too might well start spewing pseudo- photographs taken lest it steal a piece of often and he said, “Because if people see intellectual codswallop once in the calm their soul, but we’ll let that one slide. me on TV, they’ll fi nd the characters I play presence of the great man. Again, Sylvian seemed politely attentive less believable...” He’s right. You can’t see What I said was something like this: I and encouragingly onside. past the image of pop stars. People can’t wondered whether the lack of personality ‘Yes, I tended to write on refl ection, escape it. I don’t think actors should do in Japan’s music and the obsessive after going through something rather than interviews, then you’d become so much maintenance of poise might be hiding a writing about a certain thing when I was more involved in the roles they play. And lurking horror, an unspoken suspicion that going through it, because I used to think it’s the same with musicians.’ when all externals are stripped away, the you couldn’t get the best viewpoint like Not long after our interview, David essential self might turn out to be nothing that. I would always try to make it maybe a Sylvian wiped off all his make-up, grew a but a void acted on by its environment, an little less personal-sounding so that people beard and disappeared into jazz. Apocalypse Now of the soul. could relate to it more... or,’ and here he checked himself, ‘...or maybe I would A GOOD OBSERVATION disguise it. Maybe I was too afraid to show RE-RELEASE VERDICT Sylvian, as I recall, seemed a little fl attered it that openly or maybe I was not capable... Reissued as part of the Universal label’s that I’d expended so much brain work ‘...I think I was a little insecure writing Back To Black campaign, this limited pondering his product. with Japan... I’m a sensitive person... You edition 180g pressing comes in a sleeve ‘It’s a good observation,’ he declared. (I can become aware of every nerve in your bearing an exact reproduction of the may have blushed!) ‘It’s something I wasn’t body so that as soon as you’re touched… I original LP artwork and includes a voucher consciously aware of, that I must have don’t actually like being touched at all by to download an MP3 version of the album. pushed to the back of my mind. You have strangers… I fi nd I’m very uncomfortable The original release has been criticised to hope it’s not true, otherwise it makes in the public eye… I try not to sell myself in by some for sounding a tad opaque but everything you’re doing totally invalid.’ any way that feels wrong for the true, real the sound here is immaculate. The looping Suitably emboldened that we were me... but in pop you’re constantly standing rhythms pop and set the pace while all simpatico, I set about more theorising: in front of the work and saying, “This is other instruments and vocal parts enjoy Japan were doubt disguised as confi dence, mine, I created it”. You’re constantly in the adequate space and attention. Our copy if I were a philistine, style over content, way, crowding the work, and people look was fl at and fl aw-free too. HFN a beautiful symmetry frail as an eggshell, at you and read the interviews and see the Sound Quality: 90% refl ective rather than ‘happening’, frigid reason before they see the work. That’s 0 ------100 settings over teeming situations, emotion really the wrong way round. The work suspended in aspic, like the romantic should live for itself.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 77 VINYL ICONS

BEHIND THE MUSIC WITH HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW

Various Artists Nuggets This groundbreaking compilation album of singles made by US garage bands in the 1960s would not only help spawn the punk rock movement of the late ’70s but would see an entire cottage industry of small labels unearthing and resurrecting lost musical gems Words: Johnny Black

78 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 harmingly subtitled ‘Original Artyfacts From the First CPsychedelic Era, 1965- 1968’, Nuggets is the fi rst, and probability the last, compilation album to achieve the accolade of Side Hi-Fi News Vinyl Icon. ì one of Sure, there have been other the original infl uential compilations but, on the Nuggets whole, the format tends to be a pure compilation marketing exercise designed either on Jac to ensnare consumers by including Holzman’s a stack of hit singles (think of the Elektra label endless NOW series), or loss-leaders intended to introduce them to Tower music they might not otherwise ìlabel encounter (Columbia’s legendary promo shot of Rock Machine Turns You On or The Standells Island’s You Can All Join In). whose ‘Dirty Nuggets was neither, because Water’ Jac Holzman, founder and head recorded in honcho of New York City’s massively 1965 was the infl uential Elektra Records, had a second track radically different vision of what on the album a compilation might be when he dreamed it up in 1971. The ì Electric RIGID RADIO Prunes sheet of pop culture and didn’t fi t into any meeting, Jac told me about an idea ‘AM radio despised “long” tracks, music for the obvious marketing niche. he had for an album called Nuggets, loosely defi ned as anything that single ‘I Had But Holzman was a busy fellow, which would be a compilation of exceeded three minutes,’ he has Too Much To a major music biz executive who the one good song on otherwise revealed. ‘This was true throughout Dream’ and didn’t have the time to track down forgettable albums. He gave me a the ’50s and ’60s. Even our Doors 1969 Reprise those lost songs. Enter Lenny Kaye. list of about fi ve songs, the only one single, “Light My Fire”, had to chop publicity I remember being a Little Anthony Robby Krieger’s incendiary guitar photo of the EVER MODEST And The Imperials track from their solo to fi t the rigid AM formula. band Although he later found fame as the brief psychedelic period. So Jac gave It’s what made me think about the guitarist in The Patti Smith Group, me a $750 advance to start work on snappy, short rock and roll singles Publicity Kaye was at that time eking out a this project.’ that had jump-started AM rock radio, íshot of living as a Greenwich Village record This was the seed that Kaye at its beginnings.’ The Magic store clerk and part-time journalist. turned into Nuggets, one of the Holzman envisioned an album Mushrooms Holzman had fi rst most infl uential comprised entirely of what he taken by encountered him rock anthologies considered to be lost gems, great Ted Cahill in in 1970, when his ‘“This was no ever released. tracks that had fallen by the Philadelphia name and face K-Tel bargain TV Little Anthony wayside, slipped through the cracks in 1966 appeared in an And The Esquire magazine ragbag, but Imperials fell by feature entitled the wayside, as ‘Hot 100 Of The a serious study”’ Kaye unearthed Music Business.’ ‘I lost and near- was chosen as the token rock writer,’ forgotten classics such as ‘I Had Too says the ever-modest Kaye, ‘so Jac, Much To Dream Last Night’ by The who liked rock writers, because he Electric Prunes, ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’ had a label with artists who lent by The Seeds and ‘You’re Gonna themselves to critical analysis, called Miss Me’ by The Thirteenth Floor me up and asked if I’d like to work as Elevators. By mid 1971, Kaye had an independent scout for Elektra.’ provided Holzman with a list of 50 As things worked out, Elektra tracks, and the idea expanded from didn’t much care for the acts that a single album to a double set. Kaye brought to its attention, but Kaye’s rationale was that by the luckily, he had another string to early ’70s, ‘Rock had gotten a little his bow. ‘In the course of our fi rst top heavy, a little too confessional.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 79 VINYL ICONS

PRODUCTION NOTES Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman was famed for his lifelong devotion to state-of-the-art audio. ‘I loved the technology as much as the music,’ he has revealed. ‘Even as a kid I would take toilet-paper rolls and wrap aluminium around them and scratch the surface to see if I could make a sound. I got my fi rst disc-recorder in the ’40s, using aluminium acetates.’ From the day he started Elektra in New York City in 1950, Holzman’s company established a peerless reputation as one of the foremost ACE RECORDS providers of high quality recordings Magic Mushrooms. Got out of the The – folk and classical in the ’50s, and car, found the record and headed off ëSeeds then thinking-man’s rock in the ’60s. into the sunset.’ and German ‘Magnacord put out a very good It was exactly this sort of picture sleeve tape recorder in 1950, which was haphazard, instinct-driven process for their portable,’ he remembers. ‘I would that Kaye applied to choosing tracks 1967 single put that on my motor scooter, with for Nuggets. ‘There are things like ‘Pushin’ Too a mic, a mic stand, a couple of rolls Nuggets was more grass roots. With “My World Fell Down” by Sagittarius Hard’, which of tape and a set of headphones, progressive rock in full bloom, these or “Run Run Run” by The Third Rail appeared on and go record in people’s homes. I were the tracks that were caught on the original Nuggets that are a Side Two of would edit the tapes, and take them betwixt and between. They were not long way outside the boundaries of Nuggets to Peter Bartok, an engineer who had the rigid singles of the early ’60s, garage rock,’ he states. built a special equalizer, and then we but not the long-form explorations Indeed, the term ‘garage rock’ Lenny would master from the original tape.’ that had become typical.’ did not exist at the time and, in íKaye Things had changed by 1972. Holzman, an unusually astute his sleeve notes, Kaye employed pictured in Once Lenny Kaye had made his boss, has said he could see that, the descriptor ‘punk rock’, which 2012 selection of tracks, the resulting stack ‘This was no K-Tel didn’t gain wider of tapes was taken for mastering to bargain TV ragbag, ‘“Elektra said the currency until ‘Let’s Elektra Sound Recorders at 962 La but a serious several years ê Talk Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles. study. Already I album was never later. For Kaye, it About Girls’ John Haeny, Elektra’s Chief could sense that was not a single by The Engineer in New York, had designed we were on the going to recoup sound or style Chocolate the new Los Angeles studio, so that cusp of a time that defi ned Watch Band when Nuggets was pieced together, when doctoral my advance”’ the tracks kicked off Elektra Sound Recorders was an candidates would that became Side Four. The eight-track facility with a solid-state be writing dissertations on the Nuggets, but the serendipitous band split console, using the 3M M-56 8-track history of rock.’ combination of a specifi c period in 1970 but to 1in tape recorder and a 3M M-79 of time, a handful of technological reunited in 2-track mastering machine which NO LIMITATIONS innovations and an attitude. 1999 Haeny considered, ‘quite good, With the passage of time, Between 1965 and 1968, he though... the unstable electronics Nuggets has become a byword reckons, ‘there was a great were a total pain.’ for psychedelia and garage rock, infl ux of new sonic ideas Lenny Kaye believes the Nuggets but Kaye takes pains to point out coming into the music, tracks were largely transferred direct that he had no such genre-specifi c an explosion of, for from whatever tapes the original limitations in mind when he devised example, guitar tone, companies supplied, but suspects his list. ‘That original list was all the emergence of that a few may have had to be over the place. I think if I’d had a the Fuzztone, copied straight from vinyl 45s. better idea of what I was doing it the Farfi sa organ wouldn’t have been such a good sound, sneering album. In 1967, I remember, I did lead vocals... all my fi rst cross-country trip by car of these things and I would have the radio on. I formed part of remember hearing “Just Like Romeo the template And Juliet” by Michael And The for what Messengers as we got near Chicago, would come so I stopped the car, got out and to be known found the single in a shop. Same as garage rock.

P MONAGHAN thing with “It’s A Happening” by The But it still wasn’t the

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summed up in the name – Nuggets – Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era.’ Sonically, given the many and various circumstances in which the tracks were recorded and the variety of sources from which they were mastered, it’s a remarkably Elektra founder Jac Holzman coherent listening experience. ìcaught on camera in 2010 This is one of those rare items where imperfections in the quality second psychedelic era where it all of the audio serve mostly to became open-ended. They were still ORIGINAL VINYL EDITION (1972) enhance the illusion of travelling constrained by parameters like the Nuggets, a lush gatefold item back in time to an era when things need to have a three-minute single.’ [Elektra – 7E-2006], hit the shops were, er, different. As Jac Holzman defi ned it in Mick in a startling, not to say mind- Houghton’s book Becoming Elektra expanding, cover by Abe Gurvin 8-TRACK CARTRIDGE (1972) [Jawbone Press, 2010], ‘Garage who had been working for Elektra Setting aside the quirks bands were the natural outgrowth for several years. and idiosyncracies of the of high-quality, inexpensive At fi rst glance it’s just a understandably short-lived 8-track recording gear that they could brilliantly coloured kaleidoscope format, so much is lost in this set up in the garage, where they but look a little closer and you see version [Elektra, T-82006] that it’s rehearsed and recorded. Only Lenny a young couple in the front seats hard to think of any reason to own Kaye had noticed the musical trend- of an open-topped car, their minds it, other than completeness. For lines that connected these bands being blown by the music surging starters, there are only 25 tracks as 4CD BOX SET (1998) to The Stooges and The MC5, who from the car radio. opposed to the album’s 27, and of This was probably the ultimate were fuelled by the same energy.’ It’s now hard to imagine course the format reduces Gurvin’s Nuggets reissue [Rhino, R2 75466], Nuggets adorned in any other way, gorgeous artwork to a size which expanding the compilation to a THE RIGHT EARS but Gurvin was not the fi rst choice. does it no justice. generous 118 tracks, beautifully When the double-album fi nally ‘Jac Holzman gave me a lot of remastered by Bill Ingot and appeared in 1972, it was critically leeway to put Nuggets together,’ incorporating additional sleeve acclaimed but didn’t exactly fl y off points out compiler Lenny Kaye. notes. ‘The Rhino box was a the shelves. ‘I remember getting a ‘For example, he didn’t say “Nay” fabulous thing,’ says Kaye. ‘I gave letter from Elektra saying that the when I wanted it to be a double them the list of what would have album was never going to recoup album or when I turned down the been on the second Nuggets, my advance, so they were stopping fi rst three covers, because they and they took it on from there. sending me royalties,’ recalls Kaye. were too artsy and didn’t really Otherwise I was not involved. They ‘I had a little chuckle over that.’ express the energy of the music. expanded it, doing what I might Happily, the small coterie of Then they found Abe Gurvin who have hoped to do in 1972.’ This is discerning buyers who did shell out created that beautiful cover…’ the one you need. for Nuggets turned out to be the The album also included people who would set the industry inner sleeves featuring Kaye’s SINGLE CD (2006) alight in the mid-’70s. erudite track-by-track notes. ‘My SIRE REISSUE (1976) However, if you fi rmly believe small ‘It did fi nd the right ears,’ points two models for Nuggets,’ he Sire’s re-issue [SASH 3716-2] is always more beautiful, here is out Kaye, ‘it became a touchstone explains, ‘were some TV-advertised featured different and, I’d argue, Rhino’s highly desirable remastered for ’70s bands like The Ramones in compilation albums called Mr inferior, cover art. Let’s move on. version of the original album on a CBGB’s and elsewhere, and seemed Maestro, pretty standard oldies single compact disc [Rhino, 5101- to fi nd a place all over the world so compilations that gathered recent CASSETTE (1984) 12419-2] in a miniaturized replica ended up being reissued.’ hits together, often featuring a This bizarre item [Rhino, RNC 025] of the original gatefold sleeve. As well as helping to inspire gang of motorcycle hoodlums featured just 14 of the better- the punk revolution, Nuggets pictured on the cover. known Nuggets tracks, and seems 40TH ANNIVERSARY LP (2012) also spawned a small industry of ‘The other inspiration was the to serve little purpose other than Forty years after the original LP’s imitators worldwide, who put out blues compilations done by Yazoo as an introduction to the full-length release, Rhino issued a double compilations with titles such as Records, things with names like version of the album. album on 180g vinyl [Rhino, Pebbles, Rubble and Back From The Blues Of South Eastern Georgia 812279711 R1-2006] which Grave, each of them digging deeper 1927-32, and the scholarly notes included an essay by Jac into the vein Kaye had fi rst mined. that came with them. So I kind of Holzman and updated release To this day, the opening tape for combined both of those ideas. notes from Kaye. These were Kaye’s day job band, The Patti Smith I wanted to make an album on a separate inner sheet so Group, consists of reggae tracks he that was great to listen to, not as to ensure that the replica compiled as a reggae ‘Nuggets’, actually geared towards scholars artwork remained as faithful confi rming, as he himself says, ‘The or maniac collectors, but I did to the original release as Nuggets idea can be applied to any want it to be possible. Jac Holzman was style of music, or any regional style knowledgeable, aged 81 when this 2012 or... whatever you like.’ which I think is reissue hit the shops.

JUNEJUNE 20201515 | www.hiw fi news.co.uk | 83 CLASSIC VENUES

BEHIND THE MUSIC WITH HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW The Gaumont, Southampton With the decline in cinema, the largest theatre in the South of England cleared its stage to host concerts by many of the most famous rock and pop acts touring the country. Steve Sutherland brings you the story of The Gaumont in Southampton...

he reviews were not kind. ‘Nothing can match it for tastelessness and Tboredom,’ read one. ‘An insult to intelligence… an affront to sensibility… an abomination to the eye,’ read another. ‘…The worst movie ever made.’ The movie in question is Myra Breckinridge, a 1970 20th Century Fox adaption of a Gore Vidal novel about a transsexual starring Rachel Welch, Mae West and Farrah Fawcett. But the fact that it’s rubbish is not the reason I’m sat up here in the circle of the Southampton Gaumont booing the director. Oh no, I’m venting my displeasure some seven years before he even got to BEN MILLS make his fi rst, and unsurprisingly The have chosen to boo because... The star turn is South African only, Hollywood fi lm. ì venue well… because quite simply the crooner Danny Williams who will I’m booing him because, although opened in bloke who’s about to sing isn’t The sing his smooth number one hit my poor old dad has shelled out 1928 as The Beatles, who have just released the version of ‘Moon River’ from the several shillings he could hardly Empire. Today splendiferous ‘Please Please Me’ and movie Breakfast At Tiffany’s. I’ll boo afford to take the seven-year-old me, it is called the already consigned geezers like the him too, and my dad will never take my mum and my two-year-old sister Mayfl ower one about to sing to a cemetary us to a pantomime again. to see the Christmas panto Babes In known as Squaresville. Fear not though reader. This is The Wood, I am not a happy camper. Bill not a sorry tale. I’ll be returning to I should make it clear that íHaley & SILLY NUMBER ONE The Gaumont shortly for a show everyone around me is cheering His Comets The bloke, by the way, is Mike Sarne that, not to put too fi ne a point like crazy but I, much to the rising appeared in who is playing Simple Simon and on it, turns out to be a bit of a annoyance of my poor old dad, February ’57 has just had a silly life-changer. number one hit But before that, produced by the ‘Kids sell bottles some history. Our mad professor of what purports venue opened himself, Joe on the 22nd of Meek. It’s called to be Bill Haley’s December 1928 ‘Come Outside’ as the Empire and the lass who bath water’ Theatre, part of mostly refuses his the Moss Group’s desperate advances on the record theatre chain. Pretty soon movies is Wendy Richard who will go on took over from stage productions to fulfi l her cockney future as the and in 1942 it was annexed by The buxom Miss Brahms in Are You Being Gaumont Group, then the Rank Served and the heroically put-upon Organisation who made it a chief Pauline Fowler in Eastenders. outpost on its touring circuit. Pauline isn’t with us tonight With a capacity of just under two but leggy eyes-and-teeth showbiz and a half thousand, it’s the biggest stalwart Anita Harris is (Maid venue in the South of England and Marion!), as is Mr Leslie Sands at the attracts the stars accordingly. piano, the Dagenham Girl Pipers and Our story really hots up on the Ms Julie Watts and her Southampton 23rd of February 1957 when Bill Juveniles, whatever they are. Haley and His Comets appear on the

84 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 13th date of the tour that imported Girl rock ’n’ roll to the UK. ëgroup The kiss-curled Bill is 32 years old The Crystals and has been pretty much obsolete pictured in back home in the States since the 1963 recent chart ascent of sexier young bucks like Elvis Presley. Cliff Nonetheless we’re mental for Bill, ì Richard a crowd of four thousand jostle to And The greet him at Waterloo Station when Shadows he arrives into London. wave to fans ‘The second battle of Waterloo!’ in 1962 screams the British press, who are looking for cheap thrills after Rolling The Blackboard Jungle, the movie è Stones doesn’t get to headline over that featured Bill’s big anthem, offi cial tour this newcomer and his fl ash-in- ‘Rock Around The Clock’, had seen programme the pan rocking nonsense. The delinquent Teddy Boys riot in the for 1965 estimable Shirley Bassey steps in cinemas and tear out the seats. details The and picks up the slack. Gaumont Skiffl e-meister Lonnie HOLY WATER show Donegan puts down a week’s Bill’s pretty stunned by his reception residency in November and the – he has to be smuggled out of Chuck following March Buddy Holly venues disguised as a policeman êBerry brings his Crickets to town and kids are selling bottles of what pictured in as part of his one and only purports to be his bath water like 1958 British tour. The 24th of June they were holy relics! But the tour 1958 should have been a stunner The wonderful girl group passes without too much incident. but Jerry Lee Lewis never makes The Crystals play in March ’64, on Soon-to-be pop stars Paul it to Southampton. Hijacked by a bill that also features Manfred McCartney, George Harrison, reporters at Heathrow with Myra Mann. Chuck Berry’s in town in May, Pete Townshend and Graham Gale Brown, his 13-year-old bride, headlining over rockabilly rebel Carl Nash all catch a gig, and the resulting hullaballoo sees the Perkins, Geordie blues-belters The at The Gaumont, Bill plays tour cancelled before it makes it Animals and scouse chart-botherers ‘See You Later Alligator’, down to the Solent. The Swinging Blue Jeans, who at ‘Shake Rattle & Roll’ and, Homegrown hunk Cliff some stage exit the tour after of course, ‘Rock Around Richard rocks The Gaumont adverse audience reaction. The Clock’ over two shows in March of ’59. Also in May, The Dave Clark supported by Vic Lewis & When he returns Five do The Gaumont on a bill that His Orchestra (featuring in November his boasts The Hollies and The Kinks. drummer Andy White who backing band And The Who are here in April ’66 will replace Ringo on The have changed their thundering through ‘I Can’t Explain’, Beatles’ ‘Love Me Do’ single), name from The Drifters (an ‘Substitute’ and ‘My Generation’. comic singing duo Kenneth American vocal group didn’t Earle & Malcolm Vaughan, look kindly on the competition) to BEATLES ’N’ STONES and a tin whistle player called The Shadows. By October of ’62, Not to be outdone, The Rolling Desmond Lane. Joy! one of those Shadows, bad boy Jet Stones come to town at least four August ’57 also sees another Harris, has quit to do his own thing times in the ’60s. Their fi rst visit is American rockabilly hopeful Charlie and is to be found at the venue in October 1963 when they play a Gracie saunter by, his hoity-toity with his Jet Blacks supporting soul set of covers including ‘Can I Get A British co-star Dorothy Squire singer Sam Cooke and the mad Witness’, ‘King Bee’ and ‘Memphis quitting the tour in disgust that she daddy of them all, Little Richard. Tennessee’. They return a year

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 85 Guildford t. w. Audio 01483 537 577 www.guildfordaudio.co.uk e. m. [email protected] 07979 515 577

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Poster ëfor The Beatles’ May 1963 now the Mayfl ower Theatre and appearance caters to the kind of shows you see on Broadway and in the West End. The Oh yeah, but before we go ç Led – about that second personal Zeppelin Gaumont encounter I promised 1973 show you earlier. It occurs on the 21st was one of of January 1973 when the mighty their last Led Zeppelin breeze in to play what before John turns out to be their last city-by-city Bonham died UK tour before they take to playing stadia. Earls Court and Knebworth John are the only shows they’ll play íDeacon, henceforth in the UK and then John Brian May Bonham will pop his clogs. and Freddie later, playing two shows and fi nally in May 1977 in what is called Mecury in ’76 headlining a bill which includes Inez the Jubilee leg of their Day At The GONE IN FOUR HOURS and (right) and Charlie Foxx and The Mojos. Races Tour in which Bo’ Rap gets the Tickets to the gig cost a quid and ticket stub In the September of ’65 they’re full mega rock treatment. sell out in four hours, the shows from The back again, with The Spencer Davis Genesis pass through a couple of opening with ‘Rock And Roll’ and Gaumont gig Group and Unit 4 Plus 2 in tow, times too – in October ’73 they’re closing with the exalted triumvirate closing their set with the stunning Selling England By The Pound and in of ‘Dazed And Confused’ (Jimmy Kate ‘Satisfaction’. They fi nally bow out April of ’75 it’s all about The Lamb Page taking the violin bow to his ê Bush of The Gaumont circuit for good on Lies Down On Broadway. Wings also Gibson Le Paul to Wagnerian effect), 1979 tour the 9th October 1966, the last date descend, performing the opening ‘Stairway To Heaven’ (lighters aloft!) programme on a 12-venue tour, night of their and ‘Whole Lotta Love’ headlining over Ike Wings Over The (heads duly banged). & Tina Turner and ‘Kate Bush has a World Tour in I vividly recall The Yardbirds. wireless headset, September of ’75. Robert Plant dedicating And The The Eighties ‘Misty Mountain Hop’ to Beatles play too. rigged up using bring Ozzy ‘the Rizla factory down Their Gaumont Osbourne, freshly the road’. Me and my appearances begin a coathanger’ solo having been mates, we titter about in May 1963 on a booted out of it all the way home, tour where they usurp the headline Black Sabbath, on his Blizzard Of Oz much to the annoyance slot from US country giant Roy Tour (October, 1980) and The Police of my long-suffering dad Orbison halfway through due to (Ghost In The Machine Tour, July who’s driven some 20 the crowds going crazy for them. ’82), but the gigs are drying up and miles to pick us up. They return in glory in December the theatre undergoes a renovation He’ll never do it of the same year and then again in and a name change in 1987. It’s again. We’ll hitch-hike. November 1964, supported by Mary Wells and Tommy Quickly.

SIGNATURE THEME More rich pickings in the ’70s include Kate Bush who brings her Lionheart Tour to So’ton in April of 1979, the theatrical performance greatly enhanced by her pioneering use of a wireless headset, rigged up using a wire coathanger. Queen also drop by – thrice! Their fi rst visitation is in November 1974 on their Sheer Heart Attack Tour, then in November ’75 on their Night At The Opera Tour where they introduce parts of their signature theme, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, and CARL LENDER

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ALBUM REVIEWS: VINYL

BOB DYLAN The Times They Are A-Changin’ Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-421 (two 45rpm LPs) Released in January 1964, Dylan’s third studio release was pivotal because it was his fi rst to feature only his own compositions. It was also a monumental statement of protest, made all the more remarkable when one appreciates that the singer was still only 22! (In fact, he would turn 23 the following May.) It is a lean, stark release, but no less rich with imagery; its dark stance presages the fi nal releases from his friend, Johnny Cash. And look at the material: ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’, ‘With God on Our Side’, ‘One Too Many Mornings’, ‘North Country Blues’ and six more of that quality and brilliance. Mobile Fidelity has – again – performed a fantastic service for fans of the Zim. Astonishing! KK Sound Quality: 93% 0 ------100

ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS SIMON CAMPBELL THE ‘5’ ROYALES The Twain Shall Meet The Knife The Harbingers Of Soul Sundazed LP5488 (180g vinyl) Supertone STR03V (180g vinyl) History of Soul HOS1 (180g vinyl) Following 1967’s Winds Of Change, this Although Campbell’s second LP came with Perfect timing: The ‘5’ Royales have been superior LP from ’68 delved further into a reminder that the singer-songwriter is a inducted into the 2015 Rock and Roll the hippie zeitgeist. Thanks to two tracks British Blues Award nominee, it’s not blues Hall of Fame, receiving the Early Infl uence that were US (but not UK) chart hits – ‘Sky as I know them – and it would be a shame if Award. And do they deserve it! This fi ne 16- Pilot’ and ‘Monterey’ – the album enjoyed anyone bought it expecting something akin track collection features their biggest hits, reasonable success. Penned entirely by to the work of Eric Bibb or Seasick Steve. this R&B outfi t from the 1950s marrying the band, and with Burdon having bought This is more an amalgam of many folk-ish doo-wop, gospel and jump blues to create a into the Summer of Love shtick, it opens genres, primarily British but with more sound that helped forge rock ’n’ roll. Among with ‘Monterey’, an ode to the rock festival than a whiff of Americana, from a refi ned their champions are Mick Jagger, Steve where the band had performed, which is performer of the down-home/‘back porch’ Cropper and Eric Clapton, these two citing also said to be the moment when Burdon school of performing. Six delicate tracks, Lowman Pauling as a guitar hero. And the embraced Flower Power. Despite the with sublime sound – while the seventh and songs? ‘Dedicated To The One I Love’ was dated sentiments, this is an inventive and last? Yup: pure swamp blues. Modern vinyl covered by The Shirelles and The Mamas & powerful album, and ‘Sky Pilot’ remains a irony continues: as is the fashion, inside is the Papas, ‘Tell The Truth’ was covered by remarkable anti-war statement. Full marks a code for a free high-res digital download. Ray Charles and ‘Think’ by James Brown & to Sundazed for this and its predecessor. KK The FLAC version is terrifi c. KK The Famous Flames. Try topping that! KK Sound Quality: 89% Sound Quality: 90% Sound Quality: 89% 0 ------100 0 ------100 0 ------100

90 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 AUDIOPHILE: DIGITAL COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD

DOUG MACLEOD THE MOODY BLUES JOHNNY THUNDERS Exactly Like This The Magnifi cent Moodies Looking For Johnny Reference Recordings RR0135 (HDCD) Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 22473 (two discs) Jungle/MVD Visual MVD 6544D (DVD) Deservedly winning awards all over the After Fleetwood Mac’s blues-to-rock Among punk’s many casualties, Johnny place for his mix of acoustic blues, uptown metamorphosis, no other band so changed Thunders is adjudged to be one of the jazz and R&B, MacLeod has long been its style like The Moody Blues. Before the genre’s greatest losses. A founder member an audiophile fave because of Reference concept albums that made them stadium of The New York Dolls, without whom Recordings’ productions. This latest set is fi llers, the Moodies were a soul/blues/R&B- The Sex Pistols, et al, would not even immediately involving, the sublime sound based outfi t like most bands during the exist, Thunders left an extensive body of reeling you in with its natural tenor. All ‘British Invasion’ of the early ’60s. This work with the Dolls, his later band The of the tracks are originals, but the fun is stunning expansion of their fi rst LP from Heartbreakers and other ventures, most of identifying his infl uences, most of which are 1965 – centred around the hit ‘Go Now’ which have been bootlegged or released worn on his sleeve. The opener is the kind and augmented by more than 40 bonus posthumously. His death was cloaked in of rock ’n’ roll homage that Brian Setzer tracks – gives us pretty much everything mystery and this documentary attempts to could cover, while the other ten tracks before the band re-emerged during the shed light on the matter. Augmented by a include pure slices of Tony Joe White-style hippie era with Days Of Future Passed. host of extras, it is a fascinating tale unlike swamp rock, the sort of slow burners Keb’ Differing drastically from that album, the any other rock saga, as it leaves space for Mo’ favours and more. A modern blues full story makes their transformation seem conjecture. If we knew the answers, what album – if you can handle the oxymoron. KK that much more unlikely… and epic. KK would happen to the legend? KK Sound Quality: 91% Sound Quality: 86% Sound Quality: 88% 0 ------100 0 ------100 0 ------100

THE BAND The Last Waltz Mobile Fidelity UDSACD 2-2139 (two SACDs) In the annals of ‘greatest-ever rock concerts’, the Band’s farewell, held at Winterland in San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day, 1976 (the fourth Thursday of November, to non-Yanks), ranks among the highest. Because this group was so infl uential – and few would downplay their contribution to roots music, alt.country and other genres celebrating Americana/ Canadiana – the guests they attracted were all A-listers: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, The Staples, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Paul Butterield and others of that calibre. Alternating the guests’ music with Band classics, the set is a representation of the state of music of the day and perfect testament to a musical legend. KK Sound Quality: 92% 0 ------100

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 91 ALBUM REVIEWS

HI-RES DOWNLOADS

PUNCH BROTHERS The Phosphorescent Blues (96kHz/24-bit; FLAC) www.highresaudio.com; Warner Music/Nonesuch There’s nothing like being ambitious: according to Punch Brothers lead singer and mandolin player Chris Thile, this album grew out of the question ‘how do we cultivate beautiful, three-dimensional experiences with our fellow man in this day and age?’. So we have songs about recognising a song – the epic ‘Familiarity’, BOBBY HUTCHERSON et al all ten minutes plus of it – and about Enjoy The View (96kHz/24-bit; FLAC) shining your light by holding a smartphone www.highresaudio.com; Blue Note 001977902 vibes, and assured rhythm-keeping by in the air at a gig, complete with a backing The veteran vibes player Bobby Hart. It’s a relaxed, good-time set of chorus comprising vocals submitted by fans, Hutcherson marks his return to tunes, played by a bunch of old masters these two topping and tailing the set. All the venerable Blue Note label with completely at ease with themselves and sound a bit icky and navel-gazing? Far from this all-star set, produced by label what the others are doing. it: with the assured production of T Bone president Don Was and with an all-star If you’re after ragged-edge Burnett, some serious dynamics and close line-up including saxophonist David improvisation, it may be better to look focus on the performers, this set is at turns Sanborn, organist Joey DeFrancesco, elsewhere, but if you’re into great attention-grabbing, unpredictable, quirky and drummer Billy Hart. None of musicians doing what they do best, and and sincere. It swings from folk to classical these stalwart performers are exactly given the space in the sound-picture to to even a little rocky, but all in a good way, strangers to the recording studio thanks shine, then look no further. AE and is hard not to like. AE to extensive careers. As you might expect, this is a joyful Sound Quality: 95% Sound Quality: 90% set, with DeFrancesco’s Hammond 0 ------100 0 ------100 bouncing off Hutcherson’s understated

OUR PROMISE LAB REPORT LAB REPORT

Following our Investigation feature [HFN, Jun ’11] where we examined the claimed quality of high-resolution downloads, Hi-Fi News & Record Review is now measuring the true sample rate and bit-depth of the HD music downloads reviewed on these pages. These unique reviews will be a regular source of information for those seeking new and re-mastered recordings offered at high sample rates A genuine 96kHz recording but not There’s clearly some heavyweight and with the promise of delivering without some ‘hot’ ultrasonic content production talent thrown at this album [green trace, Graph above] that’s as likely but levels of noise suggest either the very best sound quality. (Note: to be distortion from the percussion mic analogue recording or mastering at some asterisk in headings denotes technical feed as true >20kHz harmonics. Some point in the ‘96kHz chain’. Very little reservation explained below.) PM tracks also have a parasitic at ~38kHz. PM instrumental content beyond 30kHz. PM

92 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD

BLANK & JONES RICHARD SCHUMACHER MOZART Relaxed Jazzed 2 (44.1kHz/24-bit; FLAC) Right Of Way (44.1kHz/24-bit; FLAC) Requiem, K626; Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, www.highresaudio.com; Soundcolours SC0138 www.highresaudio.com; Straightvibe Records/Brokensilence 11885 K339; Soloists/Bach Collegium Japan/Masaaki Blank & Jones is not so much a band as Accomplished guitarist Richard Schumacher Suzuki (96kHz/24-bit; FLAC) a brand: a duo of producers specialising was born in Boston (1955) but grew up in www.eclassical.com; BIS BIS-2091 in trance, techno and electronica, based Hamburg. In his mid-twenties he returned Masaaki Suzuki turns to Mozart and the in Köln, Germany and with a dozen or so to Berklee College of Music to study jazz unfi nished Requiem. The principal question albums and even more singles to their composition and arrangement. Back in here is whose edition do you perform, and name since they got together to create Germany in the 1990s he formed the Vibe in this recording Süssmayr’s completion Sunrise back in 1997. All of which might Tribe jazz collective project and his own is used together with additions by Joseph suggest what to expect here: banging Straightvibe Records label dedicated to Eybler with an added ‘Amen’ fugue choons, and a bit of ambient trippiness, jazz and world music. Despite Right Of Way (discovered in 1960) after the Lacrimosa. right? Erm, no: here the duo teams up being an analogue recording, ironically it An alternatively scored Tuba mirum follows with German pianist and composer Marcus delivers that rather ‘dark’ and dry sound the second of two Vespers settings from Loeber to create an album all about reminiscent of the many ‘audiophile’ 1779-80. This is a cleanly sung Requiem but intimately recorded solo piano, playing releases from Tom Jung’s digital-pioneering somewhat polite and ordinary: a complete gentle, melodic pieces. And that’s about it: DMP label. It sounds great, with a good contrast with the earthy, more urgent this is, as the title suggests, a relaxed, slow- sense of space around the instruments Dunedin Consort/Linn, which sounds far paced set of tracks, none of them especially and plenty of bass punch, even if leading- more authentic to me [HFN Jul ’14]. This BIS memorable but all suitably chilled out. The edges sound artifi cially smoothed-over production tends to favour choruses over piano sounds nicely weighted and detailed, and the sense of acoustic over-damped. the orchestra, although timpani are very and the whole thing might be just the thing Schumacher’s playing is divine alongside prominent and the four soloists are widely to play at a dinner party (or a laid-back hi-fi stellar tenor sax and trumpet contributions spaced stage-front. The British soprano has show demonstration). AE from Bill Evans and Michael Stewart. JB more character than her colleagues. CB Sound Quality: 85% Sound Quality: 75% Sound Quality: 70% 0 ------100 0 ------100 0 ------100

LAB REPORT LAB REPORT LAB REPORT

Although only recorded at a CD sample An analogue recording that was This is the genuine article – a non- rate of 44.1kHz, the 20kHz bandwidth subsequently digitally mastered at the upsampled rendering at 96kHz which is more than suffi cient to capture the CD rate of 44.1kHz (but with 24-bit is more than suffi cient to capture the full bandwidth of this solo piano. Peak quantisation), it’s only the very quietest massed vocals and accompanying levels are sensibly below 0dBFs and post- interludes that will benefi t, subjectively, orchestra [‘Dies Irae’ on Graph, above]. production is free of compression. PM over the silver disc’s 16-bit coding. PM The music remains a matter of taste. PM

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 93 traditional philosophy modern design

Triode 25 Class AB Push-Pull amplifi er

Th e Triode 25 is a Class AB Push-Pull integrated amplifi er that utilises four EL34 tubes in the output stage for increased power output from a valve design. It can operate in two modes (Triode and Pentode) and has a switchable feedback level to suit the sound performance of any system. Th e additional manual bias adjustment ensures long-life and optimum performance from the supplied valves. On top of four Line level inputs, the USB Type-B input is DSD compatible and can also handle studio-quality 32-bit/384kHz audio fi les. Th e Triode 25 off ers a perfect combination of tradition and modernity.

Distributed in the UK by Henley Designs Ltd. T: +44 (0)1235 511 166 | E: [email protected] | W: www.henleydesigns.co.uk ALBUM REVIEWS

ROCK COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD

HUSKY RESCUE The Long Lost Friend Special Edition Catskills Records RIDCD025 Husky Rescue is a criminally under-exposed Finnish electronic combo whose fourth album, The Long Lost Friend, appeared only as a self- released item in 2013. Its eight haunting tracks are expanded to 24 for this special edition, which includes not only rare 7in releases but also an entire new album, Hypnopompic, featuring the group’s impressive new line-up. As well as shimmeringly gorgeous electro-pop songs with meltingly luscious vocals by Johanna Kalen, we get computer-synth wiz Marko Nyberg’s richly atmospheric instrumental compositions in partnership with composer Anthony Bentley. Not just the most imaginative, but probably the most sonically sumptuous electronica album we’ll hear this year. JBk Sound Quality: 95% 0 ------100

JORMA KAUKONEN JAMES AND THE ULTRASOUNDS SAYCET Ain’t In No Hurry Bad To Be Here Mirage Red House Records Red House 282 Madjack Records CD-MJ-026 Meteores Music MM005 Here’s an extraordinary thing: a venerable This Memphis-based quartet has been Saycet is actually Parisian Pierre Lefeuvre, psychedelic era axe hero successfully re- kicking up a storm on the local bar-band who holds down a day job as chief sound inventing himself as a folksy septuagenarian scene for ages but, fi nally, you can peek engineer at the Pompidou Centre. This singer-songwriter. Admittedly, Kaukonen’s into the heart of their punked-up rock ’n’ is a luscious-sounding album, combining fi rst major band was the psychedelic roll volcano. Frontman James Godwin is a elements as diverse as (you guessed it) Jean folk-rockin’ Jefferson Airplane, and he did no-holds-barred Dylanesque vocalist and Michel Jarre-style danceable pop instros to reinvent himself in the ’70s as a nimble- lyricist who would have been at home in more contemporary chilled ambient tunes fi ngered acoustic picker in his ragtimey New York City’s CBGBs in 1976, and his with vocals by Phoene Somsavath, which duo Hot Tuna, but to do it again in 2015 band knocks up a frantic facsimile of the verge into territory formerly mapped out on an album of delightful original songs poppier aspects of The Velvet Underground, by Human League, Annie Lennox and other and imaginative reinterpretations of well- with songs that rarely stretch beyond 3m. ’80s electro-pop icons. What separates loved folk-blues standards is one heck of an ‘Fran Got Sectioned’ and ‘Party Dracula’ Saycet from most offerings in this genre achievement. Impeccably recorded in his pretty much tell you what to expect most is the warmth and humanity of the music, home studio, this is a must for any devotee of the time, but ‘Streets Get Slick’ suggest making it accessible to fans of folktronica of understated folksy picking and the there’s a signifi cantly subtler band lurking songstrel Ellie Goulding or even, at a wisdom only achieved with years. JBk inside which will reveal itself later. JBk stretch, dance-pop queen Lady Gaga. JBk Sound Quality: 89% Sound Quality: 87% Sound Quality: 93% 0 ------100 0 ------100 0 ------100

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 95 SEE, London Symphony Orchestra LSO Live HEAR & FEEL Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the THE DIFFERENCE... London Symphony Orchestra We offer some of the fi nest continue their much-praised music reproduction systems available on the market Mendelssohn exploration. today, from entry level to elite brands. Our range of products has been

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JAZZ COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD

KEVIN EUBANKS & STANLEY JORDAN GILAD ATZMON & THE ORIENT POLLY GIBBONS Duets HOUSE ENSEMBLE Many Faces Of Love Mack Avenue MAC1092 The Whistle Blower Resonance RCD-1022 9 (CD + DVD} These two guitar wizards fi rst thought Fanfare Jazz FJ1501 Last year, the gifted singer found her jazz about teaming up in 2011. After touring In the late 1990s Atzmon played with Ian feet on My Own Company, an album with together briefl y, they recorded this album Dury And The Blockheads and last year he James Pearson’s trio which includes the in Eubanks’ own well-equipped studio. Both guested on Pink Floyd’s The Endless River. award-winning ‘Midnight Prayer’, co-written play piano too, so you hear Eubanks at the But he’s been leading his Orient House Ens. with Pearson. Meanwhile, having seen keys accompanying Jordan’s guitar on Thad for 15 years and this is the group’s eighth her on video, George Klabin of Resonance Jones’ ‘A Child Is Born’ while Jordan returns album. As the Israeli who became a pro- brought Gibbons to California to record the favour on Miles’s ‘Blue In Green’. More Palestinian activist, Atzmon is more than with pianist/arranger Tamir Hendelman, typical, perhaps, is the opening ‘Morning controversial, and some concerts have long-time Diana Krall guitarist Anthony Sun’ where Jordan’s two-handed ‘touch been cancelled after Jewish community Wilson, violinist Christian Howes and technique’ and Eubanks’ fl eetest fi ngering protests. Yet he continues to prove that the rhythm team of Kevin Axt and Ray build up a shimmering web of sound. Yet he’s one of the most arresting sax players of Brinker. You can see them doing some this isn’t a battle where virtuosi try to outdo today. At fast tempos he’s commanding, in of the same songs, like the classic Sarah each other. It’s a true collaboration of ballad mode he offers an intensity to stand Vaughan vehicle ‘After Hours’ and Rickie Lee kindred spirits, creating a warm, engaging comparison with Parker’s – Atzmon is a Jones’ ‘Company’, live in front of a studio and relaxing musical experience. SH musician who can’t be ignored. SH audience, on the bonus DVD. SH Sound Quality: 85% Sound Quality: 80% Sound Quality: 90% 0 ------100 0 ------100 0 ------100

KYLE EASTWOOD Timepieces Jazz Village JV 570034 For his seventh album as leader, the bassist has rebuilt his long-established quintet with two new members. Still on board are British pianist Andrew McCormack and trumpeter Quentin Collins, but they’re now joined by Australian saxophonist Brandon Allen and London-based Cuban drummer Ernesto Simpson. Eastwood says he wanted to pay his debt to the jazz of the late 1950s and early ’60s, music he’d loved since introduced to it by his famous dad, and this line-up is perfectly equipped for the task. For example, a fast and furious workout on Horace Silver’s ‘Blowin’ The Blues Away’ has Allen doing just what the title says, and there’s fabulous hard-bop ensemble work from the two horns, while McCormack shines too. A treat. SH Sound Quality: 90% 0 ------100

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 97 ALBUM REVIEWS

CLASSICAL

BRAHMS Serenades 1 and 2 Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Riccardo Chailly Decca 478 67775 Brahms’s two orchestral Serenades (rather lesser in scope, No 2 is scored with double winds and two horns, but has no violins) were not much known until Kertesz’s LSO/Decca LPs appeared in 1968; then an equally fi ne Boult/ LPO set was issued a decade later by EMI. In the new booklet note Chailly refers to Boult’s readings as providing a clue for his tempo for the long opening Allegro molto of No 1. These new Leipzig recordings match the feeling of his (award-winning) ‘stripped down’ Brahms Symphonies cycle and while I didn’t particularly warm to that set, this ‘prequel’ is gloriously played, conducted and recorded. This is a defi nitive coupling. CB Sound Quality: 95% 0 ------100

BEAMISH/DEBUSSY WALTON TRIFONOV LIVE The Seafarer/La Mer (arr. Beamish) Symphony 2; Cello Concerto; Improvisations on an Piano works by Chopin, Liszt and Scriabin Sir Willard White, Trio Apaches Impromptu of Benjamin Britten Daniil Trifonov Orchid Classics ORC100043 (96kHz/24-bit at theclassicalshop) Paul Watkins, BBC SO/Edward Gardner DG 479 3795 For their debut recording, Trio Apaches Chandos CHSA 5153 (SACD hybrid; and up to 96kHz/24-bit) This is a repackaging of two recitals: asked Sally Beamish for a transcription of La Walton changed the dedication of his Carnegie Hall 2013, Steinway D; and in Mer as a companion piece to The Seafarer: Second Symphony to George Szell, but slightly less good sound, Teatro la Fenice, a setting of a pre-10th century poem found revisiting his 1962 Cleveland LP – abrasively 2010, Fazioli F308. The young Novgorod at Exeter Cathedral (following an account severe – I wondered if it did the work that pianist, trained in Moscow and Cleveland, of a sea voyage, the principal theme is the many favours. Gardner’s new recording has played Scriabin’s Sonata No 2, the Liszt and mariner’s spiritual life ashore). Constantly plenty of energy and it would be hard to Chopin’s Op.28 Preludes at his NY debut; fascinating as ‘reimagined’ for piano trio, choose between it and Martyn Brabbins’ on and in Venice all Chopin – three Mazurkas, the Debussy works extremely well – the one Hyperion – different views of the work with the Andante spianato, etc, concluding with spot which doesn’t quite satisfy is the big each conductor. There’s also the lighter, Sonata No 3. Martha Argerich has described tune for cellos 4m 37s into (i). Trio Apaches more colourful Litton/Decca. Paul Watkins’s his fi ngerwork as ‘technically incredible’ make the music sound very French, and it Elgar Concerto has proved immensely but it’s the unwavering musical focus in has been fi nely engineered at St George’s, rewarding and his new Walton is similarly these performances, to match his often Bristol. The booklet has the texts but says detailed and scrupulous. (The Piatigorsky/ astonishing lightness and dexterity, that too little about the Beamish piece. CB RCA bears a unique sense of identity!) CB impresses. A pianophile’s ‘must-have’. CB Sound Quality: 85% Sound Quality: 85% Sound Quality: 90% 0 ------100 0 ------100 0 ------100

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34:86
;96633 OPINION Paul Miller Editor Technician and writer on all things audio for some 30 years, Paul Miller took over the editor’s chair in 2006. He invented the QC Suite, used across the audio industry Price of progress Much is made of the price of fl agship high-end hi-fi separates, says Paul Miller, but not all that glitters is ‘audio jewellery’ – the best is very low volume, very high cost, precision engineering

ur exclusive technical review of Naim’s incredible Statement amplifi er necessarily touches Oon the – er – touchy subject of its price tag. At £155k, the NAC S1 preamp and NAP S1 monoblock combo is certainly the costliest amplifi er we’ve ever reviewed in Hi-Fi News. It’s probably the most expensive (production) amplifi er in the world, although a Constellation Reference Altair/Hercules II Mono would likely run it close... Our reviewer, Andrew Everard, adroitly second-guesses the naysayers by applying the predictable hi-fi /automotive HENRIQUES HIFICLUBE.NET JOSÉ VITOR COURTESY, analogy. Yes, the Statement costs as ABOVE: All 50 pairs are already sold but the fi nal set of Magico’s celebratory M-Project much as a premium Bentley (for whom loudspeakers were briefl y on demonstration at Imacustica in Portugal in late March Naim is its ICE partner), but Bentley not only has a more substantial turnover metalwork’. There’s blue smoke coming out into an acoustically improved back than the Salisbury specialists but it’ll also of the FD’s calculator just in time for you chamber for even lower distortion. But sell rather more of its cars than Naim to add, ‘and after an indecent number of after all the prototyping by Magico’s will shift Statements worldwide. Frankly, prototypes I want my fi nal sample built and contractors, only 50 units were built. when a company aims to sell units in fettled entirely by hand... several hundred It’s the same story with the 180kg the tens, rather than thousands, then its skilled man hours per amplifi er should do cabinet – edge-free top and bottom economy of scale is almost non-existent. the trick’. Like I say, a crazy proposal. But, plates, a curved front baffl e fashioned if you really had made the bid, how much from a single slab of alloy, fl anked INDECENT PROPOSAL? do you think that amplifi er would cost you? by lacquered carbon-fi bre sides and Still think £155k is implausibly high for Suddenly, although £155k remains the stuff structurally reinforced by a complex this product? Let’s spin the argument of dreams, this fi gure, for your personal aluminium skeleton. The tooling for each around and imagine for project, no longer seems piece is bespoke – the cost astronomical one crazy moment that so unrealistic. – while the reject rates for infi nitesimally you’d addressed the ‘£155k, for your small blemishes in the carbon weave or board at Naim Audio BESPOKE HI-FI imperceptible variations in the alloy’s and asked them to personal project, I was struck by this hard anodising are excruciatingly high. build you a one-off (or ‘commissioning’ Even with Magico’s relatively even 50-off) amplifi er. no longer seems approach to hi-fi design affordable S3 [HFN Nov ’14] and S5 [HFN ‘Cost-no-object and so unrealistic.’ during a conversation Dec ’12] fl oorstanders, you can save at least 750W/8ohm with Magico’s Alon Wolf yourself £5000 simply by opting for its per channel’ you’d about his very limited proprietary M-Coat fi nish rather than say, ‘devote the cream of your R&D edition M-Project fl oorstanders. Fifty pairs the traditional hard-anodising. Same and production engineering staff for as were budgeted for and fi fty duly sold at speaker, different fi nishing process and a many years as it takes and if you can’t US $130k, or thereabouts. So much about direct refl ection of the exhorbitant cost fi nd the components you need then this incredible loudspeaker seems to be a of large-piece anodising, not to mention build them from scratch or have the ‘one-off’. The tweeter’s 28mm beryllium/ the number of wasted panels sent for most prestigious technology suppliers diamond dome was modelled to push recovery. Scale this up a few-fold and we fabricate the parts for you.’ its high-frequency performance beyond can start to appreciate why monumental You pause for breath and then, Magico’s original 26mm unit, all without cabinets the size of those that embrace ‘I want unique casework, so that’ll increasing the moving mass. It also uses a the M-Project and new S7 [see News, mean customised tooling for all the new and massive motor assembly loaded p14] cost as much as they do.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 103 1RORVVRIÀQHGHWDLO

Audio Physic : Music can put a smile on our faces, grab our attention and capture us in its web of expression when, and only when, all artists and all instruments hit the nail on the head and all of the details come together to form a great composition. This can only be achieved when even the tiniest detail makes the perfect contribution towards the overall piece and this is exactly what makes truly great orchestras, groups or individual artists stand out from the crowd.

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Recommended amp power 10-120 W Recommended amp power 40-350 W Recommended amp power 25-200 W Impedance 8 Ohm Impedance 4 Ohm Impedance 4 Ohm Frequency range 55 Hz - 33 kHz Frequency range 25 Hz - 40 kHz Frequency range 29 Hz - 40 kHz Sensitivity 87 dB Sensitivity 89 dB Sensitivity 91 dB (stands not included) audioemotion music is our passion w:theaudiobarn.co.uk w:audioemotion.co.uk t:01279 454 860 t:01333 425 999 OPINION BarryPaul Miller Fox TechnologyEditor journalist BarryTechnician Fox trained and writer in electronics on all things with audio the RAF for andover worked 25 years, as Paula patent Miller agent, took overbut he gavethe editor’s that up chair to enter in 2006. journalism. He invented He is onethe ofQC the Suite, world’s used top across technology the audio writers industry Tricky bits What the hi-fi world wants is hi-res, says Barry Fox, but delivering this content at lower data rates is the real holy grail. With more than one way to achieve it, will we witness a format war?

t seems a safe bet that the next big thing in hi-fi will be hi-res streaming, with 96kHz/24-bit music playing on Idemand. But when and how? French online music service Qobuz recently held a ‘Music Is Back’ press briefi ng (with surprisingly few hi-fi press invited) and handed out promotional material which promised hi-res streaming ‘early this year’. Obviously not too early this year, though, because in March Qobuz was still saying it was ‘early days yet’. CEO Yves Riesel and Business Development Director Benoit Rebus admitted that they still have no sure way to get the data rate below 3 or 4Mb/s. But they are ‘working with Meridian’ on using MQA bit reduction [Investigation, ABOVE: Original tracks in ProTools ready to be downmixed using an Auro software decoder HFN Apr ’14]. Meridian people were present and confi rmed this. ago to get more bits into less bandwidth, our ears. So we can use the LSB to carry without quality loss – just like MQA. the instructions for re-construction.’ RIVAL SYSTEM In Belgium recently, Auro inventor Auro’s coding technology is currently Hi-res high priests Linn will support Wilfried Van Baelen showed me how it is used in cinemas around the world Qobuz, the company said later. But Linn possible to mix two – and he claims, up (although curiously not yet the UK) and, Technical Director Keith Robertson is not to four – hi-res channels into one channel Van Baelen says, is available as a 160 yet an MQA convert. and recover them Euro software upgrade for high-end ‘Moving to 24-bit in hi-res. For an AV amps from Auriga, Denon, Marantz, streaming would be ‘Auro’s technology acid test demo McIntosh and Trinnov. awesome, a major he used industry The coding self-adjusts, using more or step forward,’ he is available as a standard ProTools less of the LSB space to suit the dynamic told me. ‘We will editing software range of the music content. support any codec software upgrade for with an Auro coder that’s open and high-end AV amps’ and mixed two NEW AND CLEVER widely used. If MQA completely different So far I’ve found surprisingly few people is open and widely hi-res mono song in the UK hi-fi world who are aware used we will support it. But MQA is an tracks into one Auro PCM track. An Auro of this clever system. But suggestions announcement right now. There is no software decoder recognises instructions made in the original patents, and the technical information that is public. buried in the PCM to un-mix and play the demo I heard, leave little doubt that There’s no commercial information that two tracks completely separately. Auro coding could be used for reducing is public. The authentication system and This trick is possible because the four or the bandwidth needed for stereo PCM how it will work is not public.’ so Least Signifi cant Bits of 24-bit PCM audio streams. I suspect Sony’s mysterious So now seems a good time to are deep in the noise fl oor and lost by most LDAC may work in similar fashion. mention a rival system, called Auro. consumer equipment. The hi-fi world wants hi-res. Hi-res Although this was developed for ‘If the full dynamic range from needs a new and clever way to reduce immersive cinema sound with Atmos- 24-bits were reproduced we would only bits. And there is already more than one style voice-of-god speakers, it is based experience it once because our hearing way to achieve this. Let’s hope that hi-res on very clever PCM technology that would be permanently damaged,’ notes streaming is not now bogged down by a was developed and patented ten years Van Baelen. ‘Blood would be coming out of new format war.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 105

OPINION BarryPaul Miller Willis JournalistEditor for top American audio-video publications WhileTechnician his main and interest writer on is high-endall things audio,audio forBarry some Willis 30 also years, writes Paul about Miller thetook culinary over industry,the editor’s visual chair art in and 2006. theatre He invented for a huge the variety QC Suite, of US used newspapers across the and audio magazines industry A persistent format A renewed interest in vinyl among music fans in the US means record bins have begun to appear in the unlikeliest of places. What’s needed now, says Barry Willis, is an interest in quality turntables

ntil this past January, I believed RIGHT: Record bin at that the resurgent interest in Whole Foods organic vinyl records was a passing grocery store offering Ufancy – an exercise in nostalgia new 180g vinyl LPs for the middle-aged music lovers among and (below) a VPI us, and an exercise in retro-cool for the Traveler turntable younger crowd. I’m not so sure anymore. Most hip recording artists now release new albums fi rst on vinyl, followed after a respectable interval by CD, downloads, and streaming. It’s almost become a matter of professional pride to launch new releases this way. The music-buying public can’t seem to get enough of it. According to impressive statistics published in the March 14th edition of Billboard magazine, sales of vinyl records in the US grew by 52% in 2014, a year in which sales of digital overall. Spain, Italy, and Sweden all saw in the most unlikely places, such as at albums declined by 9.5%. solid gains in 2013. The biggest drop in a Whole Foods, the organic grocery chain. major market was in Japan, which saw a A bin at one such store was chock-a- TEN-YEAR SURGE decline in sales of 16.75%. block with audiophile recordings priced The growth was in keeping with a steady Worldwide sales of recording in physical from $25 to $60 each. ten-year surge for vinyl. In 2005, unit formats (CD and LP), fell by 11.7% in 2013 Arrayed nearby (and de rigueur) were sales of vinyl were 857,000, but in 2014 to $7.73 billion, from the previous year’s assorted headphones, accompanied exceeded 9m, a $8.75. Physical by the most hideous collection of very sales total for that formats still account cheap record players imaginable: ‘Record year estimated ‘Recent gains made for more than half Man’ and ‘Crosley’ brands, uninspiring at $325m. The (51.4%) of the plastic devices with short and, I suspect, average cost of by vinyl means it’s industry’s global ill-fi tting arms, maybe a quarter-Watt of manufacturing a revenues, compared built-in amplifi cation, and sporting a pair vinyl album was no longer statistically to a fi gure of 56% the of tiny on-board loudspeakers. $5.50, while the insignifi cant’ previous year. average retail price Recent gains made NEXT ASSIGNMENT was $36.11. Oh, by vinyl, especially in Presumably the proximity of these and most buyers of new vinyl were under view of declining CD sales, have lifted it out related items takes advantage of a the age of 35. of the ‘statistically insignifi cant’ category. record buyer’s impulse, but half-speed The International Federation of the Billboard’s report also mentioned that masters and 180g pressings deserve Phonograph Industry (www.ifpi.org) major record pressing plants in the States better than a disposable close-and-play. publishes its own report on global music have added substantial numbers of new or How about a sweet little VPI Traveler? sales. Most recent fi gures available (as of refurbished presses, and that one, United Or anything from Pro-Ject – affordable March 2015) are for the 2013 calendar Record Pressing of Nashville, is building a quality. There are many good record year, with a total of $15 billion in sales second plant near its current one, and that players out there, new and vintage alike. worldwide, a decline of 3.9% from 2012. the new one will run 16 presses – not a This industry’s next big assignment Streaming and subscription services minor investment. is to make this fact stick in the minds of in 2013 exceeded $1 billion, a 51% gain These numbers are both fascinating and fi rst-time vinyl buyers. Ultimately it could worldwide, accounting for 27% of total encouraging, but the surging interest in lead to a renaissance of interest in high- digital sales. Both Europe (0.6%) and the vinyl has led to some almost comical retail performance audio gear. Wouldn’t that US (0.5%) enjoyed growth in music sales exposure. Record bins are now popping up be a pleasant outcome?

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 107 Discover the IsoTek Effect

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For your free brochure: IsoTek products are distributed by Sound Fowndations. +44 (0)1276 501 392 [email protected] www. soundfowndations.co.uk www.isoteksystems.com | www.shop.isoteksystems.com Discover IsoTek www.facebook.com/isoteksystems OPINION Jim Lesurf Science Journalist Jim Lesurf has spent a lifetime in audio, both as an engineer at UK hi-fi company Armstrong and reader in Physics and Electronics at St Andrew’s University Top tips Cartridge tip mass is rarely discussed these days, but it can have a signifi cant effect on the way your vinyl sounds. Jim Lesurf compares how the issue is addressed by MC and MM cartridges

hile they’re loved by many audiophiles, I’ve never really liked moving-coil W cartridges. In part this was because for quite a while I was forced by circumstances to listen to one I hated. I won’t name and shame it now, but at the time it was being used for demos because so many others thought it was the bee’s knees. To my ears it sounded like a horse’s behind in full song. That said, I have nothing against moving-coil in theory. It’s just that in my view many examples suffer in practice from a problem few mention. High effective tip mass. This means that the LP’s groove walls have to apply a lot of force to move the stylus. And the higher the frequency you want to replay, the greater this force becomes. ABOVE: Review of Shure V15/III in HFN Aug ’73 and the original Stereo Dynetic model from 1964

RECORD WEAR It was due to these problems that compliance and high mechanical Back in the ’60s and ’70s, the main fi rms like Shure put a lot of effort into damping – not something the user can concern people had when it came to this developing moving-magnet cartridges that easily adjust. And low compliance and issue was record wear. But, as research had a very low tip mass. high damping tends to increase further by people like Walton and Kelly in Hi-Fi Alas, this mechanical effect has often the pressure the vinyl has to exert. This News and Gramophone magazines been confused with an entirely electronic can adversely affect other aspects of the had shown, there were other audible resonance that tends to occur with MM cartridge’s performance. consequences due to the vinyl being designs. Here the culprit is the pick-up squashed out of coils, which usually A COMEBACK? shape by the huge have a very high Most of the old MM designs with ultra pressures involved. ‘Vinyl walls act like a inductance. This low tip mass are no longer available. And One is a risk of can ‘ring’ against even many good current MM designs increased distortion. spring against which the electronic load tend to have much bigger diamond tips The second is a of the cables and that the old V15s. Although, these won’t reduction in how the tip mass can RIAA amplifi er input. have their coils adding to the mass to loud a sound can be resonate or ring’ It’s an effect that be shoved about by the vinyl. Given the played without the HFN’s John Crabbe recent growth in interest in LPs, I wonder stylus leaping out of diagnosed and if low-mass MM cartridges will make a the groove – or ploughing a new one! exploited back in the day to improve the comeback? Especially as some less costly The third is a form of mechanical response of the Shure V15 series. designs have survived by being used by resonance where the relatively squashy Since this effect is electronic it can be another kind of ‘MC’, or should I say ‘DJ’. vinyl walls act like a spring against which manipulated directly by the user carefully If nothing else, ease of stylus the tip mass can resonate or ring. The choosing just the right input resistance and replacement is attractive to those who result tends to be that the cartridge’s capacitance for their RIAA preamp. just want to go on playing LPs with no output rises with frequency until it hits Sadly, you’ll have no such luck if your fuss. Recently there has been a campaign a peak, then falls away again. This is the stylus has a very high tip mass. Then the to persuade Technics to give its direct- ‘peaked treble’ effect you can see in equivalent is to ensure that the mechanical drive turntables a rebirth. Maybe we many published measurements. suspension of the (MC) stylus has a low should call on Shure to resurrect its V15!

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 109 by “Compared to many high-end cables whose bulk and rigidity (or fragility) seem contrived to make their installation as arduous as possible, Black Rhodium’s Duet DCT++ CS is a positive joy to hook up. But while the cable is unusually ‘bendable’ its sound has real spine – its bass powerful and robust while the treble is smooth rather than incisive or biting. Certainly one for the shortlist, the Duet’s warm quality is suited to sharp-sounding systems.” Paul Miller, Hi-Fi News, March 2015


 


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music is our passion

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www.audioemotion.co.uk audioemotion tel: 01333 425999 OPINION Steve Harris Contributing Editor Steve Harris edited Hi-Fi News between 1986 and 2005. He loves jazz, blues music, vinyl and vintage hi-fi and anything that makes good music come to life A history of high-fi delity Predictions and opinions on the future of audio can be amusing with hindsight. Steve Harris dips into a book by Audio Amateur editor Ed Dell and fi nds there are some puzzles still to be solved

s I write this it’s almost exactly RIGHT: The two years since Edward T Dell, late and fondly- Jr passed away peacefully, remembered A having not long since Edward Thomas celebrated his 90th birthday at his home Dell, Jr, founder in Peterborough, New Hampshire. It was and publisher of only in 2011, when he was 88, that Dell Audio Amateur relinquished the reins of the publishing in the US, and his business that he’d started in 1970. 1993 book Of Ed Dell had lived through the history Mockingbirds And of high-fi delity from its beginnings and, Other Irrelevancies as the founder, publisher and editor which collects of The Audio Amateur and related his editorials of publications, he was part of that history previous decades for more than 40 years. All this came to mind when, by chance, a friend loaned me a copy of the little book that Ed Dell published Reporting on the November 1977 AES Fisher became involved, the classic in 1993, Of Mockingbirds And Other conference that saw digital recording ‘shoebox’ shape initially specifi ed by Irrelevancies. Thanks again, Ashley! demonstrated by Mitsubishi, 3M and the consultants BBN had been fatally Soundstream, Dell commented: ‘It was widened to give more seating capacity. FREE RANGING overwhelmingly evident that the digital era Dell’s piece continued: ‘While I This isn’t a book about building is upon us in audio... the digital revolution applaud the efforts being made in the equipment. It’s a collection of Dell’s will have far wider consequences than any new discipline of psychoacoustics, I think free-ranging editorials from the fi rst of us can probably anticipate.’ we would do well to study a lot more 20-odd years of The Audio Amateur. The But he also added presciently that carefully those classic structures we title comes from an early piece, written ‘The PCM format chosen seems quite have that are such miracles of acoustic when Dell was still adequate, but others excellence and why they work.’ living in a suburb ought to be tested of Philadelphia, ‘“Why do we seem experimentally BEYOND IMAGINATION telling how he’d before we are locked Ed Dell lived to see change and progress sometimes wake incapable of building into what may be in electronics that went beyond anything early, before the a “just a little too he could have imagined in the 1970s. hum of commuter good acoustical limited” format.’ But the music world still admires the traffi c started, to environments?”’ Two years before classic old venues, while the troubles of a beautiful dawn this, in November the Avery Fisher Hall are still to be solved. silence broken only 1975, Dell reported: It’s ironic that such problems should by the mockingbird’s call. ‘A few weeks back, the Philadelphia still affl ict the one major concert hall It’s amusing to fi nd Dell in May Orchestra and the Boston Symphony that has been funded by a great hi-fi 1972 welcoming another kind of announced nearly simultaneously, that they pioneer. But in November 2014, faced dawn, the start of video gaming, with would no longer use Fisher Hall at Lincoln by the need to raise $500 million to the early Magnavox Odyssey ‘ping Center for concerts... The reason? Bad refurbish the Hall, the Lincoln Center pong’ games console: ‘We salute acoustics.... Why do we seem incapable of authorities announced they would Magnavox for what we consider a most building good acoustical environments? remove Fisher’s name in order to sell the innovative and positive development Even when we hire outfi ts like Bolt, Beranek naming rights to the highest bidder. for TV entertainment. With the way TV and Newman to do the designs – a giant So the Hall will fi nally lose its historic programming is going, intelligent people consulting fi rm at the top of the fi eld.’ audio-industry connection. But perhaps need some alternate use for the machine When built, originally in 1962, as those ‘Ailing Acoustics’, as Dell called much of the time...’ the Philharmonic Hall before Avery them 40 years ago, will be fi xed at last.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 111 Send in your views to: Sound Off, Hi-Fi News, AVTech Media Ltd, Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF or email your views to: letters@hifi news.com – YOUR VIEWS please use ‘Sound Off’ in your subject fi eld

Why vinyl scores

Correspondents express their own opinions, not those of Hi-Fi News. We reserve the right to edit letters for publication. higher than hi-res Correspondents using e-mail are asked to give their full postal address (which won’t be published). Letters seeking advice AVERAGE REVIEW RATINGS SHOW VINYL TO BE SUPERIOR will be answered in print on our Sound Off pages, but due to time constraints we regret we’re unable to answer questions on buying items of hi-fi or any other hi-fi queries by telephone, post or via e-mail. Over the past couple of years Hi-Fi News has enthusiastically promoted hi-res downloads and written about the demise of vinyl, SACDs and TOO FEW UK SPEAKERS! CDs. Yet in the April issue I note the following... Album Reviews: Vinyl – average score given READER ASKS FOR MORE ALL-BRIT BUILT MODELS 90.3%, Audiophile: Digital – Blu-ray, SACD and As a reader of Hi-Fi News over Review series. As you will be CD, average score given 90.3%, Album Reviews many years, I am disappointed by aware, Harbeth’s fi rst loudspeaker Hi-res Downloads – average score given 78%. the lack of reviews of loudspeakers was the HL Monitor, a model Album Reviews Rock – (you do not specify what made in the UK by companies that which was the same size as the 2ft3 you were basing the review on, vinyl, CD or are 100% British. Many well known BBC LS3/6 monitor. Harbeth still download), average score given 90%, Album English makes are now foreign manufactures a loudspeaker that is Reviews Jazz – (you do not specify what you were owned, such as Wharfedale. British based on the classic 2ft3 cabinet. basing the review on, CD or download) – average companies’ products, like those This is the Super HL5plus. score given 85%. Album Reviews Classical made by Harbeth and Proac, etc, Could I make a suggestion? (SACD and CD and vinyl), average score given are rarely reviewed. Meanwhile, As a way to combine the past with 80%. Given the above scores why would I want to continental makes such as the present, how about a feature switch to hi-res downloads? In fact vinyl seems to Cabasse and Dali are not only comparing the original Harbeth come out as the preferred source! tested but are often featured on the HL monitor with the modern Mr J Jarvis, via email front cover of the magazine. Harbeth SHL5? I feel it would make ALBUM I appreciate that HFN must look fascinating reading... REVIEWS far and wide to fairly represent the Martyn G Miles, via email ALBUM REVIEWS: VINYL COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD THE GRATEFUL DEAD American Beauty Mobile Fidelity MFSL2-429 (two 45rpm LPs) This is a giant American ‘hero’ band I just don’t get. However, this is one of their more range of loudspeakers available accessible, post-too-much-acid releases and one that I have no doubt was a key element in reviving roots music, foreshadowing alt. country and other genres of a more musical bent. What’s undeniable is musicianship of and living in the EU makes it Paul Miller replies: While it’s always an order that leaves one breathless. From the plaintive to the easy-going, this 1970 follow- up to the equally-accessible Workingman’s PINPINKNK FLOYD Dead, the album is a feast of country-style Endless River (96kHz/24-bit; FLAC)* MARAIS (96 Six Suites for Oboe; Christopher Palameta, et al CRAIG ARMSTRONG pickin’ to embarrass any Mumford. Also www.highresaudio.cwww.highresaudio.com; Warner Music Group/Columbia (44.1kHz/24-bit; FLAC) It’s Nearly Tomorrow (96kHz/24-bit; WAV/FLAC/ALAC)* out on SACD, this 45rpm version has sonic This is either tthe long-awaited 15th and www.naimlabel.com; BMG/Chrysalis 538013154 www.highresaudio.com; Audax ADX13702 easier for potential buyers to have tempting to give more space to value to dazzle audiophiles and Deadheads. Ƃ nal album frofrom Pink Floyd, or a collection This solo outing from award-winning Born in Paris in 1656, Marin Marais studied (Footnote to the above: I worshipped the New of edit-suite swsweepings lashed together composer Craig Armstrong was started Ƃ gure.) KK the viol under Sainte Colombe and worked Riders Of The Purple Sage. Go with some new material and, given the when he was in Australia working on the under Lully in the court orchestra. He variable soundsound-quality on offer here, the music for the recent Baz Luhrmann remake wrote over 800 pieces for viol, many in Sound Quality: 92% latter descriptdescription isn’t without justi of Ƃ cation. suite form and the Canadian oboist has The Great Gatsby. Take all that on Based on recorecordings for board, and you’ll probably have an inkling 0 ------100 The Division transcribed six of those here. (The baroque access to audio equipment made the ‘home team’, HFN is very Bell in 1993/4 (and already rejected for of what to expect from the generous 17 oboe was Ƃ rst heard in a work by Lully a release back in 1994 as tracks that are on offer here, 11 of which The Big Spliff), year after Marais was born and it quickly it’s intended aas both a tribute to Richard are instrumental – it sounds pretty much became very much in demand in France.) Wright and whwhat Dave Gilmour calls ‘a like The suites are typically in seven-movement Ƃ lm music, the songs having a distinct 21st-century PPink Floyd album’, and while air of being rolled out to underpin the form – Prélude, Courante, Sarabande, it has delighted Floyd fanatics, it adds little end titles of a movie. The sound has good overseas. That is a positive. much an international title read Menuet, etc – with a few concluding Gigues to the collectiocollection of the casual listener. In instrumental de having descriptive titles: ‘La Chicane’, ‘La Ƃ nition given the big, lush fact, it’s more a case of ‘spot the source’ if arrangements of most of the tracks here, Badine’, ‘La Petite’. Palameta is set forward you’re familiar with the back catalogue, and but there’s nothing to trouble even fairly of accompanying continuo instruments – comparing this 96kHz/24-bit version with modest systems, let alone stretch anything theorbo, harpsichord, bass viol and baroque the standard CDCD-quality release, there’s not designed for high-resolution playback. guitar – in a shallow soundstage. His playing You appear to link similar by literate audiophiles the world much gained, aand arguably the slightly Armstrong says ‘I see it as quite a romantic is clean, expert but for my taste somewhat rag-bag nature of the content is more album’, so it’s one to sit back and let wash too earnest. Sample before buying, to see if obviously revearevealed. over you. Whether you’ll want a second AE the music engages your interest. CB Sound QualitQuality: 70% play is another matter. AE y: 70% Sound Quality: 65% Sound Quality: 75% 0 ------100 products in HFN. For instance, if over. We’re also one of the very few - 0 ------100 VARIOUS ARTISTS 0 ------100 OTIS SPANN The Birth of Funk BILLY JOEL Walking The Blues Glass Houses History of Soul HS02 (mono; 180g vinyl) LLABB REPORTREPOR Pure Pleasure CJS 9025 (180g vinyl) A new label to me, History of Soul is mining LAB REPORT Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-385 (two 45rpm LPs) Aaah, my all-time favourite blues pianist, LAB REPORT In January 2013, I gave the SACD of this deep into the R&B archives with the drive and what is arguably his Ƃ nest LP, from you feature a new amplifi er you hi-fi magazines to provide credible and hunger of a Northern Soul fan who 90%, because it deserved it. It was Joel’s 1960. This is primarily solo piano with Ƃ lled with semi- 1980 smash hit, with the superb ‘You May craves street-cred. This LP is Spann’s vocals, though a few tracks feature Be Right’ and ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll To obscure material from both well-known and Robert Jr Lockwood on bass and St Louis Me’ as standouts. Clearly a product of the all-but-forgotten R&B giants, the 15 tracks Jimmy on vocals on four tracks. While the era, with crystalline sonics and production adhering to the ‘birth of funk’ premise: material penned by Spann and St Louis values that favoured a sparkly sound music typically 50-60 years old and often refer to an older one. Then, and repeatable measurements on Jimmy is classic – the title track, ‘Evil Ways’, anticipating digital, it works because of predominantly of a New Orleans cast. James ‘Going Down Slow’ and similar compositions a mix of bombast and Ƃ nesse – pure Joel, Brown is present with the scorching ‘I’ve of that calibre – the magic is in the sound: so to speak. Transferred to two slabs of Got Money’, alongside Bill Doggett, Billy this is one of the most life-like blues piano vinyl spinning at 45rpm, it’s a shade more Stewart, Earl King and Huey ‘Piano’ Smith, recordings I have heard this century. It rings natural-sounding, but no less visceral. The plus lesser-known practitioners like Eddie Tracks 1919-21 21 are upsamples of 44.1kHz and chimes, with air around the performers, The harmonic reach of this baroque oboe of course, you have your Vintage loudspeakers and it’s this in-depth snap of the SACD is preserved, but there’s Bo and Porgy & the Polka Dots. All tracks material while thet remainder, in addition Another download that’ll light the 96kHz Spann brought back to life and performing is clearly >20kHz, beyond the bandwidth a hint more air and the vocals are warmer. possess a massive funk component. You’ll to betraying variousvar spuriae [see Graph], LED but which is evidently an upsample for you privately, in your listening room. KK of this 44.1kHz rendering prepared for The SACD is still divine, but this is worth an KK forget that it’s all monophonic… are 96kHz encodesencod of mixed content from 44.1kHz. Tracks 3, 4 and 12 are KK Spann? The Man. release on CD. Interestingly, the feed extra point. Not just for fans. including archivearchiv analogue tape and direct upsamples while the remainder Sound Quality: 87% from the microphone looks to have a Sound Quality: 91% digital recordingsrecording made at 48kHz. PM [see Graph] show excess ultrasonic noise Sound Quality: 91% 0 ------100 notch Ƃ lter at 18.6kHz [see Graph]. PM coverage that acts as a magnet to 0 ------100 almost as if downsampled from SACD. PM 0 ------100

APRIL 2015 APRIL 2015 | www.hiƂ news.co.uk | 93 progressive speaker manufacturers 90 | www.hiƂ news.co.uk | 0092-09392-093 HDHD Music Musi 4c PMCBPFS 17/2//1515 16 1 576:5 037:03_v4_PMCBPFSP.indd 93

indd Sec3:90 16/2/15 14:54:12 from all continents. It’s the reason 090-098 Music_v4_CBSPPFPM. why you’ll read about the latest high- ABOVE: Vinyl and hi-res review pages from HFN Apr ’15 end Sonus faber before it’s seen in Italy or a Wilson or Magico before Christopher Breunig replies: Our rock, jazz and it’s reviewed in the US. classical reviews are based on CD copies unless This same penetrating review specifi ed otherwise in the headings, as this is the style may also be the reason a very medium the record companies uses for reviewers. The few loudspeaker brands fi ght shy of availability in various formats is shown by the icons supplying us their products, despite adjacent to the cover pictures. repeated requests. I’ll leave readers The ratings will vary according to the author of the to work this out for themselves, but review. With KK’s vinyl reissue page it is likely that he’ll the (small) list certainly doesn’t be reviewing well-produced 180g pressings meriting include the likes of KEF, B&W, PMC, a high rating. The ‘Hi-Res Downloads’ pages involve Monitor Audio, Kudos Audio, et al. different reviewers with perhaps different priorities and And neither does it include in all cases the percentages involve a degree of ‘is this Harbeth or Spendor, two companies album worth buying’, or with historical transfers have that have recently demonstrated to balance musical worth against sound quality. ‘re-inventions’ of cherished classics. Furthermore some downloads don’t match up to So, Martyn, I hope you’ll be pleased their technical billing, which is why the Editor runs his to learn that reviews of both the lab reports so you know exactly what you are buying. ABOVE: The Harbeth Super HL5plus Harbeth Super HLplus and Spendor So I don’t think your averaging can really suggest any standmount – see www.harbeth.co.uk SP100R2 Classic are in the pipeline. inferiority, even if the team has at least two vinyl lovers!

112 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 YOUR VIEWS 8 Lanes On Your Streaming vs silver disc Entertainment READER PITS HIGH-END CD TRANSPORT AND DAC AGAINST HI-RES REPLAY OF TRACKS

Having discovered that I could send sounds clearer, crisper and has a far Superhighway music fi les from a hard disk drive or more detailed and three-dimensional USB pen to a DAC via my Oppo BDP- sound when played on CD. The 105EU Blu-ray player without needing ripped track sounds less distinct and to have a computer in operation, it fl atter in perspective. was time to have a play. Following Mr Lange’s letter in Since its origins in the early The highest resolution my then the March ’15 Sound Off pages, I 1980’s, Ethernet, and the Local dCS Elgar plus DAC could handle repeated the comparison with the fi le Area Network (LAN) systems was 96kHz/24-bit. This meant I could on a 4GB USB drive plugged into the RJ/E it enables, has become the Forestst compare a hi-res version of a track USB1 input on my Oppo BDP-105EU, copper plumbing of the digital from Amy Duncan’s Cycles Of Life as recommended by Paul Miller. The age. Originally deployed only album download from the Linn site CD still wins hands down. Tracks over coaxial cable, the Ethernet with the same track on CD. It did from Burlesque by Bellowhead only protocols (IEEE 802.3) now sound better – a bit like comparing confi rmed the impressions. So, a also apply to fibre-optic and the SACD layer of a hybrid disc with poorer but happy consumer. The hard RJ/E “Category” (Cat 5, 5e, 6, 6e, 7) Cinnamon the CD layer when heard on my dCS disk drive has been disconnected. cables. These 8-conductor (4 Verdi La Scala player. Is the comparison a fair one? We twisted pairs) Cat cables are the Encouraged by a friend who was are often told in HFN that streaming 8 lanes which stream or transport busily ripping all of his CDs to hard outperforms silver discs. If my Oppo your digital entertainment to disk, I downloaded dBpoweramp and player is passing the fi le to the DAC equipment a foot away or several ripped a few discs. It was tediously without doing any processing to it, rooms aways. slow. Using a second computer and then my very good transport is clearly adding a second external CD-ROM better than the streamed fi le. There RJ/E AudioQuest refers to its Vodkaa drive to each meant I could now rip is a ‘but’, of course: dCS transports pre-terminated leading-edge four discs simultaneously. upsample to DSD frequency and Cat 7 cables as the RJ/E Series … I now wondered where, in send the data to the DAC as a single RJ for the RJ45 connector the scheme of things, download bitstream at 2.8224MHz, so perhaps standard to the application, resolution compared with that of the comparison is not a fair one. and E for Ethernet. For SACD (1-bit DSD at 2.8224MHz). Phil Thorogood, via email AudioQuest, the highest Cat 7 Twenty-four times 96kHz gives RJ/E standard (with all 4 pairs 2.304MHz – quite close, but Paul Miller replies: Your last sentence Diamond using correctly differentiated presumably to get resolution hits the nail on the head, Phil – there are twist rates and individually higher than SACD one would need a lot of variables in your comparison. I’ve shielded) is only the solid 192kHz/24-bit. The DAC I owned at used the Oppo BDP-105D (the latest ’105) foundation to which AQ then the time would not go higher than as a transport to deliver media from its adds better materials and 96kHz and so hi-fi lust began. USB1 and network inputs out to different Cat 600 unique-to-AQ additional Pearl Eventually, after a home DACs via its S/PDIF connection and I’ve technologies. demonstration, a dCS Scarlatti DAC not had equal success with every pairing. took up residence together with a Sometimes the same fi le sounds superior The particulars of the RJ45 Paganini transport and clock. delivered via PC to the DAC’s USB input, connectors have also received It is very impressive at how other times it’s better read from a drive extreme attention. The plugs good CD can sound when done connected to the BDP-105D and ushered Cat 700 used on the Vodka and Diamond Pearl really well and now the silver disc over S/PDIF. The fact that discs read models (and available for use is outperforming the computer fi le. within the Paganini sound better than fi les with bulk Cat 700 models), For example, the title track from Joji delivered over S/PDIF just proves you feature a unique patented Hirota’s wonderful album The Gate have a very fi ne transport, nothing else. transition-compensating

Cat 700 system which reduces reflections Forest caused by the impedance mismatch where 4 twisted pairs meet a straight line of 8 plug contacts. What does this all mean? Simple Cat 700 Carbon ... better sound!

ABOVE: The dCS Paganini transport can upsample CD data to DSD before transmitting it

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 113 Sabrina AT OXFORD AUDIO

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ˆThursday 21 May 2015 ˆSaturday 20 June 2015 Monthly Vinyl Music ž12-7pm ž11-4pm Club, Monday's at 6.30pm OME OMC ˆ oxford music event Naim Day featuring new 7XUQWDEOH 3KRQRVWDJH oxford music club 1H[WGDWHV Super Lumina cables & 'D\ZLWKH[SHUWVIURPDOO 0D\-XQHDQG NAC-N 272 streaming 0DQXIDFWXUHUV+HDU -XO\ pre-amp with DSD(SACD) 0RGHOVIURP0LFKHOO ¿OHVXSSRUW7KHWRS%ULWLVK 3UR-HFW 5HJD +L)LPDQXIDFWXUHU WIRELESS YOUR VIEWS FRONTIER? Making sense of MQA WILL MERIDIAN’S SYSTEM ALLOW THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TO REINTRODUCE DRM?

Does the world really need another Neither is MQA merely a bit-reduction high-resolution audio format? Files system, as Barry Fox has suggested. It is that are 96kHz/24-bit and 192kHz/ a technology that encompasses the entire 24-bit audio sound superb, but the audio chain from studio to home in a way difference between high-resolution that is unique, both in its philosophy and releases and 44.1kHz/16-bit CD audio its realisation. It is not ‘a scam’ and it does is not always audible because it not include DRM. I have been assured by depends on the quality of the original Bob Stuart that the third patent to which masters. To my ears, the superiority of Barry referred in his original Opinion high-resolution audio is only audible piece [HFN Mar ’15] is not part of MQA, in about one-third of the ‘high- which is why my April Investigation article resolution’ albums I’ve obtained. made no mention of it. While reducing the fi le size of high-resolution audio is a worthy Barry Fox replies: Nice point about DRM. idea, Meridian’s MQA system [see Let’s never forget that the reason the Investigation, HFN Apr ’15] is not world ‘went MP3’ was the squabbling exactly lossless, and the system has failure of the music industry and the SDMI an authorisation key system which (Secure Digital Music Initiative) to agree will restrict by whom, and under what on a secure/better alternative to MP3. circumstances, the high resolution Personally I still believe that 44.1kHz/ Not only are wires still very much the audio will be playable. This is yet 16-bit CD quality, if done well, is plenty lowest-distortion highest-performance another music industry scam to good enough for most domestic listening. way to send both analog and digital reintroduce DRM. And existing music But because I am not as young as I was, I audio information, but when it comes servers and high resolution portable am open to attack along the lines of ‘you to sending power, “wireless” is just players will not be equipped to couldn’t hear the difference anyway’. a nifty science project, not part of a decode MQA’s high-resolution audio. My reply to that is, come on a birding home entertainment rig. As for advancing the cause of walk and see who can hear a Goldcrest. quality audio, more could be gained I have the greatest technical respect The challenge of not adding distortion if record companies were to release for Bob Stuart and Peter Craven (and as AC power goes from the wall to the music that is both better recorded Keith Howard), and have said many times electronics, and the challenge of not and mastered. that I sincerely hope that MQA does adding distortion as audio power is sent Philip Cohen, Florida what is promised, does not include DRM to a loudspeaker, are almost the same. and does not bog us down in another The amount of energy transferred Keith Howard replies: As Mr Cohen has format war. The problem is that hard through these cables, and the size of clearly not yet heard MQA, he might be fact information on MQA has been very the associated magnetic fields, puts well advised to keep his powder dry. sketchy, and released in dribs and drabs, them in a different class from all other It is not just ‘another high resolution at different events in different countries. audio and video cables. audio format’ but an attempt to reorder Currently, the only people who have Speaker cables need to maintain the criteria applied to the capture and a reasonable idea of what MQA exactly perfect integrity across the audio band dissemination of audio that refl ects better does and does not do will have signed a and then some, while AC cables only how the human ear works. Apparently this Non-Disclosure Agreement, which means have to try to be perfect in a narrower message still hasn’t registered. they are unable to talk about it. band. AC cable design is therefore a subset of speaker cable design because AC cables are subject to almost all the same distortion mechanisms, and benefit from almost all the same damage minimizing techniques. For the most sophisticated power- transfer cables, for the best sound and video, please visit audioquest.com for more details.

ABOVE: Meridian’s Bob Stuart (centre) announces MQA’s tie-in with Tidal earlier this year audioquest.com

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 115 YOUR VIEWS

In the lap of the Quads READER DETAILS HIS 40-YEAR QUEST TO BUILD DEDICATED AMPS FOR BARGAIN SPEAKERS

I recently came to the end of what I termed a ‘project’, but on refl ection it dawned upon me that the process had taken 40 years! It all began in about 1975 when I was working as a lab technician at the BBC Designs Department in London. One lunchtime I spotted a pair of Quad electrostatic loudspeakers for sale in the window of REW in Charing Cross. They were brand new and were on sale at £120 each. That must have been a bargain, even in 1975. I bought them and was delighted, ABOVE: Reassembled unit showing amp (left) and speaker inverted to show underside of amp though I couldn’t afford the amplifi er I would have liked (probably a Radford). its separate plate at leisure while the Was this the end of the quest? My Rotel integrated amp could not thickness and large area of the plate Not quite. One of my Quad tweeter handle the Quad’s capacitive load so I formed a decent heatsink. panels developed a rupture and had to pad-out the speaker loads with I was now working at EMI Radar in could be caused to spark if really 4ohm high power resistors – far from Hayes, which was a manufacturer of high signal levels were applied. I ideal. I started saving the pennies... military equipment. There was plenty of contacted the German company Quad By chance, one of my colleagues old military grade stock, so it was easy Musikwiedergabe GmbH as I knew at the BBC had set about designing a to obtain most of the parts I needed it had obtained the old Quad jigs power amp specifi cally for the Quads for the amps from laboratory spare and fi xtures. It made sense to have and gave me a couple of printed circuit stock. The only parts I had to purchase the tweeter panels changed on both boards for my own use. The design was were the mains transformers and the speakers in order to retain proper a push-pull transistor circuit using the power supply electrolytic smoothing balance. I authorised and paid for the then widely employed 2N3055 silicon capacitors. I saw some surplus stock work and the units were returned to me NPN power transistors. I wired up the advertised in Wireless World and just after Christmas 2014. boards, but life intervened and it wasn’t bought four massive capacitors – one The new treble panels have until 1978 that I returned to the task. each for the positive and negative introduced more ‘bite’ and incisiveness The basic idea was to create what is supplies on each amplifi er. I strapped into the sound. One eye-opener was The now termed a ‘monoblock’ amplifi er for the capacitors to the plate with nylon Rolling Stones’ GRRR!, which I bought each speaker. For each Quad I made a ties. The capacitance value was of on Blu-ray disc on the strength of Ken shelf from 15mm MDF. This shelf was the order of 250,000µF. The amps run Kessler’s recommendation in HFN. just short of the width of the speaker and for several minutes after the power is I played this on a small Sony Blu-ray jutted from the back by about 150mm. switched off. Separate supplies were player which has an S/PDIF output that It could now be screwed fi rmly to the provided for the low power circuits. I routed into a Naim NDX. The sound underside of the speaker frame. This should have been the end of and the brilliance of the re-mastering is I was then able to get hold of some the saga, but there were a few more astounding. Even an early single like ‘It’s 3.5mm-thick aluminium and had a plate twists to come. During the mid ’90s, All Over Now’ emerged in impressive cut for each speaker. I then secured the Finnish company Gradient started stereo. It allows a renewed appreciation these plates to the undersides of the producing dedicated subwoofers for and enjoyment of material that I had newly fi tted shelves. This meant that Quad electrostatics. The Gradient considered ‘old hat’. each amplifi er could be assembled onto system comprised a pair of speaker Nick Villans, via email units, one for each channel, with each assembly containing two 10in woofer Steve Harris replies: I’m full of admiration units arranged side by side, forward for Nick’s DIY work, and it’s great that his facing. Each assembly formed a plinth old Quads are making the most of modern upon which a Quad unit is placed. sources. It is interesting that Nick heard The three feet are removed from such a striking improvement after both treble the Quad, which is then secured to panels had been replaced. When there’s the subwoofer assembly with wood been a gradual deterioration over time, the screws. The fi nal result looks good as loss of treble can go unnoticed until it’s fi xed. the Gradient units are self-effacing and The same goes for the bottom end. When the Quads are raised by about 30cm, I had my own pair of secondhand Quads which is helpful in terms of acoustics refurbished, with the power supplies brought as it raises the listening height of the up to spec, suddenly I had bass, and never ABOVE: Reader Nick’s Quads up and running speakers to about couch level. really felt the desire to add subwoofers.

116 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 YOUR VIEWS

CD isn’t dead yet WHY NOTHING BEATS THE SILVER DISC FOR SHEER EASE OF USE

Barry Fox really hit the spot when you fi nd programs like foobar2000, writing about PC back-up in his April JRiver and others if you are a Opinion. I share exactly the same beginner? It’s not easy. view and his tip to try restoring a If you go into a superstore and buy backed up music fi le onto your PC a laptop and ask them what options hard drive to see if it is truly backed are provided to play high resolution up is a good one, which I shall try. fi les on an appropriate DAC – For 44.1kHz/16-bit fi les I don’t have including DSD – they look at you as this problem because I still buy CDs if you are an alien. And if I ask them and then rip them. This means that I to prepare the PC with programs like keep the CDs as ‘negatives’. Hi-res Foobar2000 or JRiver that are ready fi les I burn to a DVD as I do not trust for DSD DoP so that you can just PC HDDs. I have seen too many plug’n’play when you arrive home problems with them in other contexts. they smile weakly and decline. An aspect of computer audio So, why not go with streamed We’ve Got that is not often mentioned is how music, you may ask? The easy complicated it still is to use a PC as answer is that I am not interested. My Your Back ... a music server. Sound quality is not music will be available to me for as the problem; it is the operational long as I live or as long as I want. I Your Front and Your Sides! part. I tried to introduce my wife to have full control over it. I have friends the concept. Once she had JRiver on now complaining that music libraries screen it worked out quite well. Then created some years ago in some of RCA plugs for the back suddenly a warning screen appeared the well-known subscription music bearing the words: ‘Do you want to services are no longer fully available allow a program to take over?’. It was as some tracks have been withdrawn. time for an automatic update of JRiver. Meanwhile, my wife has given 3.5mm plugs for portables Another time the PC turned off while me clear instructions on the matter. and more we were using it to play music due ‘I do not care if you rip fi les using to a large Microsoft update, another computers or whatever, but you had time an update of Java, and so on.... better make sure there will always be DIN plugs for the back A further barrier comes when it is a CD player in the house that works. time to buy a new laptop. As Windows The brand doesn’t matter because does not support more than 96kHz/ they all work the same and have 24-bit you need to fi nd and download the same kind of buttons and our iPod plugs for underneath a USB driver fi le and different fi les are amplifi er has a button clearly marked required for different outboard DACs. “CD”. This is real plug’n’play and it is A second problem is that many a standard I understand.’ retailers and distributors often do not I agree with her. The CD player is 3.5mm socket for extension know. Few support the fi les needed certainly not dead yet. cables from their homepage and if they Robert Petersson, Sweden do, I’ve found the instructions are often very poor. And then there’s the Barry Fox replies: Always a pleasant From solid conductors, superior metals software needed to play music fi les surprise to be agreed with. My hobby (conductors and plugs) and low-interaction and set up a PC to do this. How do horse has for a long while been that bglneZmbhg mh :Jl Ghbl^&=bllbiZmbhg computers (and smartphones and tablets) with the power of a megaton bomb are Lrlm^fZg]:Jl=b^e^\mkb\&;bZlLrlm^f% sold like bags of sweets to people who – Zeeh_:n]bhJn^lmlikho^g]blmhkmbhg& through no fault of there own – don’t know how to use them, but then don’t take the minimizing ingredients are used to ensure time and trouble to learn how to use them. maZmZee^b`amfh]^elh_;kb]`^l ?Zeel So they end up infected with viruses, cables bring you beautiful music, clear and bogged down with clutter and corrupted fi les. They then lose all their dialogue and thunderous sound-effects. photos and music when they buy a new device in the vague hope it will not succumb in the same way. But I fear readers would rebel if I wrote too many ABOVE: CD – plug’n’play the ol’ school way computer tips in a hi-fi magazine.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 117 VINTAGE HI-FI Sansui AU-317II amplifi er

From the golden age of Japanese hi-fi comes a sturdy little amp packed with all the features you could need. But can it still punch above its weight on sound? Read on... Review: Tim Jarman Lab: Paul Miller

he original Sansui AU-317 was launched at a time when all the major Japanese manufacturers Twere on something of a roll. Between them, they had refi ned the art of producing hi-fi equipment to a stage where reliable, high performance, units could be produced at any price point while the low value of the Yen made their components very competitive in export markets. This was 1978, very close to ‘peak Japan’ in vintage audio terms. Sansui liked to present itself as a serious manufacturer that only made hi-fi products – you couldn’t at this stage buy a Sansui TV set or portable radio, although in later years this rule would be relaxed. Back in the late 1970s, though, Sansui’s slogan ‘All hi-fi , everything hi-fi ’ held true, in contrast to the Matsushita company, which could sell you anything from a basic rice cooker to a Technics turntable good enough for use in a commercial radio station. ABOVE: The MkI line-up of the small-chassis Sansui 17 series amplifi ers: AU-117, AU-217 and AU-317. POPULAR RANGE Cosmetically they all looked similar, but each step provided more facilities and greater power As was common at the time, Sansui’s amplifi er range comprised a sequence of most of the series, the key change in all neat and appearing at fi rst like a more models with minor differences at each cases being greater power output. The substantial NAD 3020 [see HFN Nov ’12]. step so as to cater for all requirements Sansui AU-317II seen here was introduced The die-cast rack mount handles and budgets. The 17 amplifi er series was in 1980 and was rated at 60W per channel are largely decorative in a domestic inaugurated with the AU-317 (50W per – a solid fi gure for an amp of this size. environment but send some none-too- channel), AU-517 (65W) and AU-717 The 17 series was offered in two chassis subtle messages about ‘professional (85W), all of which met with a high level of forms. The small chassis was used for quality’ – an important factor for acclaim from reviewers in the UK. everything up to the AU-317, the large 1970s hi-fi man. While some Japanese The popularity of the range saw Sansui chassis for the AU-417 and up. The latter manufacturers, notably Sony, made its units fi ll in some of the numbers with extra type is a typical slab of Japanese heavy progressively smaller, more minimal and models, such as the AU-117, AU-217 and metal but the former are more pleasingly more fi nely fi nished, and jewel-like as the AU-417, then introduce MkII variants of proportioned, the AU-317II looking range ascended, Sansui’s approach was simpler. It made them bigger, blacker and with more knobs on.

GENEROUSLY EQUIPPED The AU-317II rests at the ideal point of this particular curve in that it has all the features one could want without things getting out of hand. In basic specifi cation terms it was a typical amplifi er product of the day, but now it seems positively

LEFT: By 1980 the MkII model had appeared. Pictured here in Sansui’s 1980 catalogue are the AU-317II and AU-417 with matching tuners

118 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 generous in offering DC-coupled outputs, Further down the signal path, the tone ABOVE: The AU-317 MkII would win no awards a built-in MM phono stage, plenty of line controls were separated from the power for styling, but everything one could need is level inputs, switchable tone controls, a amplifi er circuit and made defeatable. In here. Controls are clearly labelled and pleasant headphone socket, a well-executed tape the AU-117II and AU-217II they were part to use though the mono mic input is a gimmick loop and the option of a decent matching of the power amplifi er and had to remain tuner in the form of the TU-317. active all the time. If you so wished, Sansui could sell you Since the outputs of the AU-317II’s a suite of matching components to build TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS power amplifi er were coupled directly to a whole system around your AU-317II By opting for the AU-317II over the lesser the loudspeakers with no transformers or and this was not just limited to the usual AU-117II and AU-217II models, the buyer capacitors in the way a protection circuit tuner, cassette deck and turntable. A mixer received a similar was needed. This used unit called the AX-7 was also available, unit fi tted with some a relay to disconnect which allowed an extra four sources to worthwhile technical ‘It sounded vivid the loudspeaker be blended into the sound and recorded improvements. Of and fast – typical load automatically if if necessary – a real boon for budding course there was more anything went awry. musicians. Racks were also offered which power, 60W per channel for a DC-coupled Another Japanese allowed the whole system to be stacked instead of 40W, not speciality, the stepped and secured in place using the rack mount that this alone makes Japanese amp’ attenuator type volume ears, forming an intimidating bank of much difference in control, was also knobs, lights and matt black alloy. the perceived volume levels that can be present and in the AU-317II it was the real These truly were the glory days; in a few achieved. Perhaps more usefully the phono deal, not just a cheap potentiometer with short years the value of the Yen would soar stage was of a more sophisticated six- a clicker attached to the back. The power and Sansui would be reduced to selling transistor-per-channel design with claimed supplies were also generous with further plastic midi-systems and unremarkable lower noise and greater headroom fi gures, electronic regulation for the rails which fed personal stereos – a real shame. important when vinyl was the main source. the low-level stages. EASY INTEGRATION The AU-317II isn’t a diffi cult amplifi er to integrate with modern equipment. High quality RCA sockets, made by Sansui itself, are used for the inputs and there is plenty of room around them for the bulky types of plugs that are currently popular. Shorting contacts inside each socket mute any unused functions so you won’t hear a loud hum through the loudspeakers if you accidentally select a vacant input. The loudspeaker outputs are well engineered spring clips so it will be necessary either to cut the plugs off your loudspeaker cables or employ adapters, as I did. Using the amplifi er presents no problems either; there are no ergonomic quirks and everything is exactly where you would expect it to be and works in an entirely conventional manner.

LEFT: A racked system built around the AU-317, a plethora of knobs against matt black fascias. Sansui sales material was full of technical detail

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 119  




 


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VINTAGEVINTAGE HHI-FII-FI

RIGHT: An interior view, messy perhaps but the components the Japanese used in the late ’70s were top quality. Sensitive sections are protected by a metal screen, bottom right

Even though this model pre-dates CD by a few years there is a useful auxiliary input that is ideal for any modern line level source. Slightly confusingly it is labelled ‘tape/aux’, even though it is solely an input and offers no recording facility. A proper tape loop is provided for that purpose and this works completely independently from the aux input. The protection circuit means that the amplifi er switches on silently and without any pops, bangs or other histrionics. After a few seconds a relay engages and you are ready to go. All the controls operate with typical Japanese slick precision. Only the volume knob is metal (the rest are moulded plastic) but the quality of construction is clear. The tone controls have a more restricted range than is usual, though they can be bypassed and always sounded solid and in control. needed. The opening piano chords were completely if they are not needed. Typically for a DC-coupled Japanese design well defi ned even if I did notice a lack of Any half decent Japanese amplifi er the sound was vivid and fast – not the most central focus as the other instruments of this period needs subtle perhaps, but came in. The reason for this was hard to a useless trinket or always full of life. Tonally place as simpler parts of the recording two and, sure enough, ‘For the price of the amp was neutral were full of detail and there was no Sansui has added both a just a few decent with no apparent suggestion of dullness. high-fi lter switch and a premature curtailment This was minor gripe and only really mono microphone input LPs you can have of the response at either evident when judged against a very high complete with a variable frequency extreme. Its standard of quality. Repeated listening mixing control. I cannot a quality amp’ character was dry and to this, and a range of other discs, at think of a use for either, matter of fact, each increasingly high volume settings showed other than to keep the knob count up. part of the overall sound picture presented no deterioration in the presentation until as correctly scaled without any undue things got really anti-social. TIM LISTENS emphasis. There was no booming bass, On a further positive note, Kate’s I tested the AU-317II using my usual forward midrange or jangling treble here. distinctive vocals can easily get out of hand Cyrus CD8 SE2 CD player, Monitor Audio In fact it all worked together very well. with a system which isn’t working well PL 100 loudspeakers and Chord Calypso Playing Kate Bush’s ‘James And The together, but the Sansui was able to keep cables. The amp’s 60W per channel rating Cold Gun’ [from The Kick Inside, EMI CDP 7 them correctly in check – a good result. appeared plausible in terms of subjective 46012 2] the ample power reserve seemed performance. It played loudly with ease to drive the song along with the energy it BROAD IMAGE Youssou N’Dour’s ‘7 Seconds’ [Chaos 660508 2] demonstrated the Sansui’s ability to construct a convincing soundstage, which consisted of a broad image that fi lled the gap between the loudspeakers and extended a little way beyond them on each side. Within this landscape both vocalists (Neneh Cherry also features on this recording) were easy to place and although the mix is clearly the result of a lot of work done in the recording studio, everything seemed to have a stable position. Again, though, the soft focus of the midband was noted. I can’t recall another amplifi er of

LEFT: Hook-ups for the MkI model; the AC outlets and pre/power amp links had disappeared from the MkII. The TU-317 tuner shown is a fi ne addition once you own the amp

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SANSUI AU-317II (Vintage) Aside from improvements in rated noise and distortion, the MkII boasted some 10W extra output over its forebear, the AU-317. This, and more, was met in practice with the AU-317II achieving a full 2x75W/8ohm and 2x105W/4ohm with 103W/8ohm and 156W/4ohm available under dynamic conditions. Into lower impedances, protection limits the output to 166W/2ohm and 95W/1ohm, equivalent to a maximum current of just under 10A [see Graph 1, below]. Distortion was originally specifi ed as <0.03% ‘at or below rated power output’ although this does not refer to frequency. Again, in practice, the AU-317II achieved a far lower 0.001-0.003% distortion through bass and midrange frequencies over its full 60W rated power bandwidth. I took the preferred results from its left channel here as our sample incurred a higher 0.004-0.045% via its right channel, indicating ABOVE: From the rear this could be just about any Japanese amp of this period. some (understandable) age-related weakness! Via frequency, There are enough inputs for a full system but the speaker terminals are spring-clips distortion held to a low 0.001-0.005% from 20Hz-20kHz at 10W/8ohm [see Graph 2, below]. The output impedance is moderate at 0.145-0.225ohm this type that produces this effect. The protection circuit is effective from 20Hz-20kHz, rising to 1.17ohm at 100kHz, so there’s The dry character took away some of in keeping the output transistors some variation in extreme HF response with undulating the low-end warmth that I’m used to safe but some people can break speaker loads. Into 8ohm the response has –3dB points of hearing in this track, but this is really anything. As things stand, it 2Hz-85kHz, the latter falling away to 73kHz, 57kHz and 41kHz (–1.0dB/20kHz) into lower 4, 2 and 1ohm loads. The AU-317II just a matter of personal preference probably isn’t worth the hassle and is also slightly noisier than most modern transistorised amps and loudspeaker choice. expense of rebuilding a badly blown- with an A-wtd S/N ratio of 78dB (re. 0dBW), but this is far from In short, this isn’t a ‘muscle amp’ up example; it’s simpler just to fi nd debilitating. Readers may view a full QC Suite test report for in the manner of bigger Sansui one in working order. Similarly, the Sansui AU-317II integrated amplifi er by navigating to www. hifi news.co.uk and clicking on the red ‘Download’ button. PM amps like the AU-919, but it is a ignore ragged specimens with rusty good deal more useful when it tops, chewed-up front panels and comes to features than the lower- knobs missing – there are plenty of powered A&R A60 [Vintage Review good samples out there. next month] and NAD 3020 – its An easy to resolve weakness competitors of the day. And even concerns a couple of small resistors though the greater power on offer in the preamp stage which fail did not appear to provide greater with age and result in distortion subjective level than these two or complete loss of either channel. rivals, the sound seemed to be more Replacement is simple once you consistent at high levels. realise the whole front of the chassis hinges up for service inspection, as BUYING SECONDHAND the internal layout isn’t the neatest The AU-317II has proved to be a and can be a bit daunting if you ABOVE: Dynamic power output versus distortion (up durable model that presents few don’t know about this feature. to 1%) into 8ohm (black trace), 4ohm (red), 2ohm reliability concerns. As with any Cash values are currently (blue) and 1ohm (green) speaker loads amplifi er, it is still worth budgeting marginal, which means that you get for the cost of having the bias and a lot of amplifi er for your money. offset adjustments set up properly For fhe price of a few decent LPs by an engineer, as they are bound to you can have a quality piece of kit have drifted in the last 35-odd years. that should still have decades of life This should not be too expensive. left in it. The matching TU-217 and TU-317 tuners are also both super reliable and highly recommended. HI-FI NEWS VERDICT Typical of a whole generation of Japanese designs, the Sansui ABOVE: Distortion versus extended frequency, 5Hz- AU-317II is a capable and very 40kHz, at 10W/8ohm (left channel, black; right, red) likeable amplifi er which even now should fulfi ll the majority HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

of listening needs. Functional Power output (<1% THD, 8/4ohm) 75W / 105W and sturdy, if the sound is to Dynamic power (<1-2% THD, 8/4/2/1ohm) 103W / 156W / 166W / 95W your taste then these can be an absolute bargain if bought Output impedance (20Hz–20kHz) 0.145–0.225ohm shrewdly. It pays to be selective Frequency resp. (20Hz–100kHz, 0dBW) +0.2dB to –3.9dB as there are a lot of examples Input sensitivity (for 0dBW/60W) 20mV / 156mV about, so even a mint-condition A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBW/60W) 78.3dB / 96.1dB

sample won’t break the bank. Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, 10W/8ohm) 0.001–0.0053%

Sound Quality: 77% Power consumption (Idle/rated output) 19W / 230W ABOVE: Specifi cation sheet for the 50W 0 ------100 Dimensions (WHD) 430x110x340mm AU-317, 30W AU-217 and 15W AU-117

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk | 123 FROMFROM TTHEHE VVAULTAULT MC pick-up cartridges We travel back to 1982 and join Martin Colloms as he investigates exotic moving-coil models from Denon, Dynavector, Kiseki, Koetsu and Linn...

t is almost two years since my Hi-Fi last look at some of the most News costly moving-coil cartridges I[see HFN Nov ’80]. During the Sept intervening period there has been a great expansion in numbers of these 1982 expensive cartridges and not all of them can be covered here. Each month We have chosen the new and less HFN will bring expensive Black Koetsu at £350; the you an article latest Dynavector Karat Diamond at from our vast a new reduced price of £350 and archive of the latest and most costly Denon – features and the DL-305 – costing £370. reviews from An obvious competitor to the yesteryear Koetsu Black has emerged in the form of the Kiseki Blue at £350 and we’ve also included an updated review of the Linn Asak DC-1200K, ABOVE: The new kids on the block at the time of this HFN review were from Dutch which featured back in the company Kiseki, its ‘Blue’ ‘Wood’ and ‘Agate’ models on display (l-r) at an ’80s show November 1980 round-up. A current lttok/Sondek (Valhalla) Thorens TD125 was pressed into The body design does present was extensively used with both felt service. Amplifi cation was by Sony some problems when attempting and Audio Ref mats and, where Esprit and Mission 776/777, with to mount it fi rmly in a tonearm. appropriate, a Mission 774 in a Quad ESL-63, Spendor BC1, and Made from a relatively soft plastic, Celestion SL6 speakers. Mastertape and possessing mounting channels comparison replay was used via an rather than the more desirable IEC/NAB Revox B77. complete holes, it is not possible to bolt the cartridge in very fi rmly DENON DL-305 – a marked contrast to the strong Denon has long been active in the arrangements of the Kiseki or moving-coil fi eld and its classic Koetsu, for example, which have DL-103 model has been produced metal mounting plates. for many years now, the design However, Denon has used its chosen for use at NHK, Japan’s expertise to better effect elsewhere; broadcasting organisation. Fitted for example, the cantilever is a thin- with a spherical stylus, the 103 wall boron tube cut away at the tip. remains a fi ne cartridge even by Here, a tiny, grain-oriented diamond today’s standards. Although some stylus is precisely cemented. Denon mild tracking limitations are present, uses its own process to produce the Denon has pursued a policy of boron tube, which is said to have refi ning stylus tip and trackability. an amorphous or non-crystalline If taken to the limit the latter structure (crystalline boron is tends to dictate high compliances, extremely brittle) while the diamond while a correspondingly low body splint is of rectangular section mass becomes another objective. 100μm x 50μm, ground to what In this way the relatively high mass Denon calls a ‘special elliptical’ but rigidly inert structure of the geometry. Claimed effective tip 103, with its moderate and well mass is 0.17mg, a very low value. balanced compliance (mass 8.5g, The moving-coil assembly is a compliance 12cu), has given way to wound cruciform, with the magnetic the low mass and high compliance yoke geometry optimised to reduce of Denon’s most costly model to variations in output level which date, the DL-305, (5.8g mass, 33cu might otherwise occur under large compliance). stylus defl ections. While Denon’s

124 | wwwww.hiww.h. ifi newnews.co.uks.co.uk | JUNJUNEUNE 202015015 coils are wound with more turns suspicion of a ‘feathery edge’ to for direct insertion by the gemstone than usual, generating a higher the vocals, especially breath splint. Further developments output level, the coil’s resistance noises and sibilants. resulted in the 100D, a is also correspondingly higher and Compared with the diamond cantilevered the true power output is then quite best examples, the version possessing typical of the genre. In using a small stereo presentation astonishing bandwidth, coil assembly Denon employs a very lacked a little of the and earlier this year strong rare earth alloy magnet to space and ambient a revised version was recover a reasonable voltage. solidity available released carrying the on recordings. One new insignia ‘17’, this SUBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE listener commented corresponding to the When the 305 was tried in the lttok that he felt less already rather short tonearm the low frequency and involved with the music when cantilever being reduced high magnitude of the subsonic the 305 was wired in, though from 2.3 to 1.7mm (most resonance resulted in signifi cant despite these comments it must be models are 4-6mm). stylus defl ections. The output lacked said that this is a fi ne cartridge, but ABOVE: The This reduction was ostensibly suffi cient stability for sensible possibly not suffi ciently competitive ‘17’ insignia of to produce a further improvement evaluation and the Mission 774 in its exalted price category. the Dynavector in performance but also permitted tonearm was therefore employed DV17D refers to the use of a much smaller diamond as an alternative. With mild viscous CONCLUSION the cantilever, from which the cantilever must be arm damping, the 305 proved much Good as it is, and undoubtedly which measures cut, thus lowering the price from more stable in its relationship to the representing a substantial technical a relatively short the original £500 to a slightly more record, and auditioning could begin achievement, in my view the 1.7mm. lf a dry comfortable £344. at the optimum 1.3g downforce. DL-305 fails to justify its price. but open and On a recent test I was less than Basic factors were disposed of Perhaps with the treble rise neutral balance is convinced by the new 17D and relatively quickly with trackability controlled and a stronger body with your goal, the 17D Dynavector must have shared some considered excellent and tracing improved mounting, plus a much could be the right of my misgivings, as it was happy to distortion generally low. Tonally it lower compliance commensurate model for you supply a second sample of revised sounded clean with a 1.8g to design when this new review was and open, clearly 2g downforce, commissioned. The fi rst had a lacking the oft- ‘The DV17D joins the judgement high compliance (34cu) requiring encountered that select band of would then 1.4g for a sensible tracking angle, moving-coil agree with the but then exhibiting poor vertical richness, although high performance price. It must, linearity due to limited cantilever surface noise however, be excursion. The new version tested was a little more exotic cartridges’ said that if low here has a revised suspension with obtrusive than tracking force a 2g nominal downforce and a usual. This was partly due to the low was the main objective, then the much lower compliance of 8cu. The downforce being less effective at DL-305 is one of the fi nest MC latter’s low value gives control of the groove cleaning and partly because models in current production, and vertical defl ection of this very short of the mild lift occurring at high would certainly be kind to records. cantilever, which is something of an frequencies. Defi nition was fairly about turn for Dynavector. good in the bass but not as taut or DYNAVECTOR DV17D Inevitably some degree of well focused as the best examples. The Dynavector series of gemstone trackability compromise must ensue, In the midband it sounded sweet cantilevered cartridges has made but the important thing is whether and pleasant but it lacked some rather patchy progress over the or not it sounds better. I can of the character known on certain several years since its introduction. immediately confi rm that it does. voices, while the treble lift gave a I was lent one of the very fi rst Built on a lightweight 5.3g body, pre-production Rubys, expected this polyester moulding is reinforced to sell for around £100, and this with glass fi bre for added rigidity. black-bodied example sounded Mounting is via a small, almost magnifi cent, proving the theoretical rectangular, top face, with internally soundness of the high cantilever LEFT: The Denon threaded holes. Despite the stiffness/low damping approach. DL-305 features reinforcement, these are of limited Alas, within weeks it failed, the a thin-wall boron strength and I have known instances stylus bonding to the sapphire tube cutaway of enthusiasts using epoxy resin cantilever proving inadequate. at the tip allied adhesive to cement permanently in A second went the same way, to a tiny-grain place short sections of threaded rod. while a third suffered cantilever diamond stylus. These provide high strength fi xed rotation. In fact the latter problem If low tracking bolts for fi rmer attachment, a factor affl icted a signifi cant proportion force is the main of renewed importance in the light of production models later on, and objective, then of the recent lowered compliance, the tip bond problem was fi nally the DL-305 is one since energy coupling to the arm solved by laser drilling the cantilever for the shortlist will be greater.

JUNEJUNUNE 202015151 | www.hiwwww .hihifi news.co.uknewsws.co.coo.ukk | 125 OfÀcial UK Importer: www.decentaudio.co.uk [email protected] Tel: 0560 2054669

z HFN_A4_Ad_Template.indd 1 22/01/2015 16:28 Internally thee iss yyourouo r prpprimeimme obobjective,bject with are suitable and no special loading is construction is non ttonalono ala ccharacterhar or required. The agents provide a note unusual, primarilyarir ly ememphasis,mphasis, then the to the effect that the performance to allow suffi cientcient 17117D7D cocouldu be the reaches optimum after about 15 underside clearanceearancn e rirrightght mmodel for you. hours’ playing time, and that a with such a shshortort 65% relative humidity at 22° is also cantilever. ThThee coccoilil KISEKIKISEEK BLUE benefi cial. The 15-hour running-in assembly, mumuchch TheThT e KiKKiseki is the period is unexplained. smaller than uusual,suuall, brainchildbrb aia ncn of a The spec quotes a 1.6-2.2g consists of 40 turns off 111 JaJapaneseapanen enthusiast downforce range and we adopted micron silver wire, the assemblyly whwhoho hahhas spent many years 2g for test. At 11.4g body mass it is approximately 1mm square, and is developingdeveeloopip moving-coil certainly no lightweight, but it has mounted on the upper surface of modelsmom delss aandndn their associated a moderate compliance of typically the diamond cantilever adjacent ABOVE: The ststep-uptepp-u- p dedeviceseviv cec and head amps. 13cu and is suited to a wide range to the suspension. With a 30ohm Kiseki Blue sports Mr Fokadukaddu sesett a number of targets of arms in the 4-13g effective mass coil resistance the output voltage is an elliptical for his Kiseki Blue – a name derived range. The fair degree of subsonic reasonable at 40μV/cm/s but in real diamond stylus from the cobalt blue anodised resonance control suggests that terms the power is low at so 50μW and comes with a fi nish of the magnesium aluminium arm damping is unnecessary and and a good low noise moving-coil cantilever made alloy body. The latter is machined that higher mass arms, though not input on the amplifi er is essential. from aluminium from solid bar to maximise the theoretically ideal, would work well. Judging by the latest sample, the alloy reinforced by mechanical integrity and link the 17D is suited to medium-high mass a boron overlay. generator fi rmly to the generous SUBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE arms, and even a 25g mass model One for systems fl at mounting plate. Good coupling The Kiseki has a legitimate claim to is permissible, with no additional with a slightly between cartridge and arm mount be included in the ‘super’ cartridge damping required. exuberant upper is thus assured where sensible group. The sound possessed midrange and platform headshells are employed. that integrated, solid and stable SUBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE a delicate well As with the Koetsu here, unusual character which makes listening Rated highly on audition, the 17D controlled treble and high quality materials are that much more relaxed. Despite the provided a highly controlled and utilised, with special care taken obvious technical similarities with stable output of a dry, neutral over the material and form of the Koetsu Black, in fact the two character. Disc surfaces were the suspension damping unit. A did not sound alike. If anything, the comparatively quiet, indicating good miniature lathe was built to wind Blue appeared somewhat lighter stylus geometry and groove fi t, while the coil assemblies, these using and airier with a more explicit and the bass was clean and tight, the ultra high purity, slightly more midrange well detailed and open, oxygen-free forward treble with a lively transparency. Treble copper wire. The ‘The Kiseki is a register – taken information was reproduced without damper rubber very fi ne cartridge alone the latter emphasis or smearing, showing fi ne was chosen was one of the transient control plus a smooth, fl at to maintain of undoubted best heard, with subjective frequency response. performance a remarkable Very slight mistracking occurred consistency musical quality’ shading of fi ne on some complex peaks – and, of particularly with detail. The sound course on ‘silly’ recordings such as respect to temperature, as many was transparent and well focused the Telarc 1812 – but in general moving-coils are susceptible to and low in the usual distortions as most programme material was temperature variations. well as groove tracing anomalies. handled with a reassuring stability The cantilever is of thin wall The midrange was sweet with a and confi dence (the original 17D aluminium alloy reinforced by a pleasant character, and the bass was tracked extremely well, but lacked boron overlay. An elliptical diamond clearly to a high standard, providing this feeling of confi dence). stylus is fi tted, a type similar to that good weight, depth and fi rmness. In presentation, the 17D was used for the current Dynavector Stereo images demonstrated depth more forward than classic cartridge Diamond, and comprises a tiny and precise left-right patterns, examples, with a trace of veiling miniature rectangular splint, which though the former was reduced and fl attening of perspectives in the in these two cartridges has the somewhat on occasion by the treble, dimensions of depth and ambience. long axis aligned with that of the which sounded a little in front of cantilever, instead of across it as the mid register. Ambience was well CONCLUSION its usually the case. Provided that reproduced, though with less feeling In my view this latest version of the the tip is ground from the new axis, of weight that we are used to. The Diamond joins that select band of this procedure does increase the exposition of detail on complex high performance exotic cartridges. strength of the cantilever tube at passages was exceptional. Here, preference is a matter of taste, the tip, reducing the size of the to some degree, and the 17D is cross cut aperture. CONCLUSION well worth trying to see whether it With the coil resistance at The Kiseki Blue is a very fi ne would suit your particular system. lf 5.3ohm (inductance negligible) and cartridge of undoubted musical a clean, open and neutral balance a moderate output, most headamps quality and technical merit. As such,

JUNEJUNUNE 202015151 | www.hiwwww .hihifi news.co.uknewsws.co.coo.ukk | 127 FROMFROM THETHE VAULTVAULT it begins to justify its elevated price. blur and splutter over the heavy However, its particular character modulation. This ability is more than suggests that some care should be mere tracking and concerns the taken when matching it to other resolution of fi ne detail. components – it would happily Tonally it is distinctly different, partner a system with a slightly providing a frequency balance much exuberant upper midrange and a nearer to neutrality. Depending on delicate well controlled treble. your point of view, the Rosewood is musical and the Black a trifl e on the KOETSU BLACK ‘hard’ side; alternatively, it could be The creator of this model, Yosiki said that the Black is correct and the Sugano, was not attempting to Rosewood essentially too rich. produce a less expensive Rosewood However, neither viewpoint when he developed the Black. prevents these two models sounding Rather he was trying to improve very good in the appropriate system. some parameters and yet at the The resulting subsonic resonance ABOVE: The now The Rosewood defi nes a rich, sweet same time make the manufacture a is pretty lively, with a 15dB rise classic Koetsu balance of great and evident low little easier so that higher quantities suggesting that damping would Black features frequency power which lends an could be produced. help, but when extensively tested a step-tapered impression of great depth and The various Koetsu models have in our lttok arm, lacking a damping cantilever made space, with a fi rm feel to ambient been popularly described by their facility, the results were, in fact, so entirely of boron. information. The Black is lighter casing material and colour. The good that this cartridge must clearly Bass was tight and more forward in the mid, with Rosewood was previously reviewed, be regarded as a marginal case with and focused explicit detail, but more of a frontal and a superior version encased in regard to the need for damping. and the overall effect in terms of image perspective onyx is also available, known rather The output pins are of normal presentation and depth. Ambience is nonetheless confusingly as the Black Level. The size and are better spaced, making consistently very well portrayed and stereo new model reviewed here costs the Black easier to install than the musical over a localisation is particularly crisp. rather less and earlier model. wide variety of The treble was not only of employs a solid, As with the material very good quality but appeared black anodised ‘The Linn Asak Rosewood, to unite with the midrange in a aluminium still sets a very special care balanced manner quite lacking the alloy body and has been taken disembodied effect noted with inevitably perhaps high standard for over the choice certain other top-class cartridges. it is called the and form of With some models the treble Black. Two strong its price category’ the suspension register above 5-8kHz is elevated, complete-hole damper and it is or even mildly coloured, and mounting lugs allow the cartridge to here that a good proportion of the draws attention to itself, but this is be fi rmly bolted to the arm. ‘Koetsu sound’ resides. certainly not true of the Black. Some characteristics are similar A particular quality was not fully to those of the Rosewood version, SUBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE BELOW: A appreciated until the most recent namely the same coil impedance of No doubts were expressed Koetsu Black test amplifi er was used – the Sony 5ohm; the very high output power concerning the excellent sound in service. Two Esprit. A certain lack of stereo (calculated to be 1600μW) and the quality of this cartridge. Surprisingly, strong complete- precision on treble transients, which wide bandwidth. For the Black the it did not resemble the Rosewood hole mounting was thought to be a programme frequency response is specifi ed at very closely except in its ability to lugs allow the fault and heard with many +2dB, 10Hz-50kHz, using a sensible remain clear and detailed through cartridge to be cartridges, was in fact found to be high mass arm. musical passages of high complexity, fi rmly bolted to reproduced correctly using the Black The cantilever is made entirely where ordinary cartridges simply the arm when a preamplifi er of suffi cient of boron in a step-tapered form, quality was employed. and a more conventional means The bass performance was as of stylus tip attachment is used. tight and focused as we have yet On the Rosewood only the tiny heard, and overall the presentation tip section cone was brazed by its was secure and stable. Piano was back face to a fl at, ground onto the notably well reproduced with an cantilever. With the new Black, the almost tactile immediacy. tip is inserted in a short slot with adhesives used both above and CONCLUSION below to secure it. The Black was consistently musical Meanwhile, body mass is reduced over a wide variety of material, from the 12g of the Rosewood promoting a feeling of confi dence (higher still for the company’s Onyx and possessing great integrity over cartridge) and compliance has the audio range. Reproduction been upped slightly in an effort to from vinyl disc can never be entirely improve trackability. satisfactory, but a cartridge such

128 | wwwww.hiww.hwwh. ifi newnnews.co.uks.cco.uuk | JUNJUNEE 20201515 as this can do an exceptional job in providing the optimum subjective result. Within its extravagant price context, therefore, the Black can perhaps be said to represent value for money. Some may prefer the original Rosewood (soon to be replaced by another version), but I think the Black is more faithful to the original sound. (In contrast to the Asak, when the ‘Black’ was used in the Linn/lttok combination, an Audio Ref mat was preferred to the Linn felt mat.)

LINN ASAK DC-2100K When asked for an explanation of the complicated name for this by Also in HFN this now well established model, the Linn designer said (perhaps in jest) month in 1982 that it represented ‘DC to (two) and maintained at a comfortablyf bl ABOVE: The one hundred (kHz) – the effective warm 22ºC (plus) temperature, the pages from the CHICAGO CES bandwidth’. Of such are Linn myths audio output is very good indeed. September 1982 John Atkinson reports on hi-fi made! This review is a brief update lts midband was particularly fi ne, issue of Hi-Fi News developments, with some asides on the previous test, as the model demonstrating a tonal purity and which saw Martin on the evils of coax and the has essentially remained unchanged. musical quality of the highest Colloms assess signifi cance of ‘tunes’, plus a Made for Linn in the Supex order, this allied with a splendid the strengths of a piece by Enid Lumley on the factory, the Asak comprises a transparency and sense of depth, range of moving- virtues of wood and air. lightweight, medium output, space and ambience. coil cartridges moving-coil manufactured to Linn’s The bass was extended, with both new to SOUNDINGS own design and specifi cation. A well focused transients and a lively, the market and by Donald Aldous. low tip mass model, fi tted with a tuneful quality, while the treble relatively well fi rst-rate Vital stone, the aim was to was well above average, possessing established. The FM RADIO produce a top class cartridge at a considerable detail plus a natural magazine cover Angus McKenzie’s round-up. passably realistic price. frequency balance and perspective. was by Geoff Hunt, Rigidily constructed, it may Occasionally this was an area of who decided THE DIRECT METAL DISC be securely fi tted to a tonearm, weakness with slight tinkly or tizzy to depict the Martin Colloms examines though when used with Linn’s effects noted. Dynavector and Teldec’s new process, and excellent socket-head bolt kit, some In general, it rated as a good Kiseki models as considers its implications. reasonable care should be taken to tracker, with the kind of stable ‘spacecraft’ avoid cracking the body focused sound typical of top class HOW SHOULD IT GO? designs, but it could sometimes be In the second of three articles SUBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE caught out and just how serious on musical basics, Bernard While a number of tonearms can this is may depend on the particular Keeffe discusses accuracy, give good results with the Asak, it sample concerned, as well as the phrasing, and the unexpected. is undoubtedly the lttok which does preferred programme. it justice. When carefully aligned ARMSTRONG POSTSCRIPT CONCLUSION Martin Colloms looks again at Despite minor reservations, mostly LEFT: A low tip the ‘730’ preamplifi er. concerned with tracking, the Asak mass model fi tted continues to set a very high with a fi rst-rate FOUR BUDGET CASSETTE DECKS standard for its price category, Vital stone, the Mike Jones hears the JVC DD5, and conveys a substantial Asak DC-2100K Technics RS-M230, Marantz proportion of the qualities was specifi cally SD1030 and Hitachi DE-57. expected of a super-fi model. designed to A good Asak will concede partner Linn’s FOUR LOUDSPEAKERS little to the most costly Ittok tonearm. Alvin Gold listens to the cartridges currently available, Unsurprisingly it is Celestion SL6, B&W LM1, Linn particularly if used in a with this arm that Sara and Celestion110. suffi ciently good quality it shines, though it tonearm. I have no problem gives little to the RECORD REVIEWS in recommending the Asak but most costly MCs Classical issues and collections, concede that for some its defects when partnered plus rock, jazz, folk and popular. may be too serious. with other arms

JUNEJUNUNE 202015151 | www.hiwwww .hihifi news.co.uknewsws.co.coo.ukk | 129

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Black dem 379 B&W CDM1se in cherry, excellent used 349 Conrad Johnson Premier Six phono preamplifi er used Call Cary Audio CD306 Pro, near mint boxed used 3249 Audio Analogue Class A Integrated - HUGE! dem 3999 B&W CDM1nt boxed, excellent used 299 Consonance Cyber 40 phono stage dem 599 Chapter Audio Sonnet CD & Nevo remote dem 1999 Audio Project ap60 integrated dem Call B&W DM601s3, vgc+ used 299 Garrard 401, Jelco 750 12” arm, new plinth and lid used 1199 Audio Research Ref 610 Monoblocks, vgc boxed used 14299 Chord ‘One’ CD player dem 1799 B&W DM602s3, vgc+ used 249 Garrard 401 Motor Unit, Bastin serviced used Call Audiolab 8000Q/Ms, silver, excellent boxed used 899 Chord Qute EX DAC, excellent boxed dem 799 Castle Howard, excellent used 349 Graham Phantom Supreme 12”, SME cut dem Call Audiolab 8000C excellent boxed used 199 Consonance CD120 Linear dem 399 Castle Chester vgc later versions used 1999 Graham Slee Fanfare Gramamp 3 used 179 Audiolab 8000P vgc boxed used 299 Consonance CD2.2, new sealed new Call Davone Ray, vgc in walnut, great! used 1999 Hadcock 242 Export, boxed dem 599 Audiolab 8200A vgc boxed dem 499 Consonance Droplet, vgc+ dem 899 Eminent Technology LFT8, some marks used 499 Lehmann Black Cube phono stage dem 199 Audion Sterling Plus KT88 Integrated boxed dem 499 Creek Destiny Integrated CD player, boxed dem 699 Epos M22 in Cherry dem 549 Inspire ‘Full on’ Technics 1210/Plinth/PSU/SME M2 arm used 1899 AVI Lab Series Pre/Power, excellent remote used 1749 Cyrus Discmaster/Dacmaster, vgc+ used 399 Ferguson Hill FH007&8 ‘desktop’ audio set boxed used 349 Linn Majik LP12 with arm cart, near mint boxed used 1499 BAT VK50se preamplifi er, vgc+ used 2499 Cyrus CDXT2, mint boxed just back from Cyrus used 649 Final 400 Electrostatics with ES400 Sub dem 999 Linn Sondek, Ittok, Troika, boxed new lid used 1199 Bryston 4Bsst2, excellent boxed, used 2999 Cyrus CD8, boxed remote used 299 Focal Electra 1008, mint boxed dem 2249 Linn Sondek, Ittok, boxed new lid used 999 Bryston B100sst excellent boxed used 2249 Cyrus CD7Q chip, vgc+ used 279 Linn Sondek, Ittok, nice condition used 899 Chapter Audio Couplet Power Amplifi er dem 1999 Cyrus dAD3, remote, vgc+ used 199 Focal Electra 1028, mint boxed dem 2749 Linn Sondek, Lingo, Naim Aro, superb used 2499 Chord Electronics CPM2650 Integrated, ex boxed used 2499 Cyrus CD8se, boxed remote used 449 Focal Electra 1038, mint boxed dem 3999 Linn Sondek, Grace 707, basik psu, VGC+ used 599 Chord Electronics CPA3200/SPM1200E used 3749 Denon DNP720AE, near mint boxed used 199 Gallo Nucleus Reference 2, rare, superb & boxed used 1999 Linn Sondek, Naim Aro, Staff build Armageddon used 2499 Consonance Cyber 10 Integrated dem 799 EAR Acute 3, mint boxed dem 3749 Heco Celan 500 in Silver dem 499 Linn Lingo, excellent used 599 Consonance Ref 8.8 integrated valve amp dem 999 Exposure 2010CD, remote used 199 Heco Celan 300 in Mahogany dem 399 Linn Basik Plus, vgc+ used 149 Consonance Cyber 211 monos c/w Pavane valves dem 2999 Goldenote Koala , near mint boxed used 759 Heco Statement in gloss black, £3k new dem 1499 Lyra Erodion Step up used 1499 Creek OBH21, excellent used 119 Inca Design Katana cd player (no remote) used 149 Kef Q100, brand new, sealed box new 249 Michell Hydraulic Reference, Fluid arm, excellent used 779 Creek 4330mk2, excellent used 119 Kelvin Labs DAC, rare used 199 Kudos C10, boxed vgc and cheap used 999 Michell Tecnoarm A in black as new mint boxed used 449 Cyrus aCA7.5, excellent boxed remote used 249 Leema Elements CD player sealed box new 749 Leema Xandia Mk1 in black new 2499 Michell Syncro/RB250/Eroica, great condition used 499 Cyrus Power, vgc+ used 199 Linn Majik CD, just factory serviced, excellent! used 749 Leema Xero in Mahogany dem 349 Michell Focus with Hydraulic platter and Linn arm used 349 Cyrus XPower, excellent boxed used 599 Linn Karik 3, excellent boxed remote used 499 Living Voice IBX R2 in stunning Zebrano, excellent used 2249 Michell Orbe, DC motor, SME V boxed used 3499 DartZeel NHB108B, excellent £20+k new used 7999 Marantz CD6003, excellent boxed used 149 Mark & Daniel Maximus with treble extenders £2500ish dem 999 Moth phono stage dem 249 Denon PMA1500AE, excellent used 749 Marantz CD17, remote, excellent used 399 Mark & Daniel Mini in Grey inc. Marble cabinets. dem 699 Musical Fidelity XLPSV8 phono stage dem 199 Graaf GM50B Mk11 Integrated dem 2999 Marantz CD63Ki, remote, boxed excellent used 149 Martin Logan Mosaic, excellent boxed used 699 NAIM Aro, excellent boxed used 1499 Graaf GM100 valve power amp dem 1999 Marantz NA7004, nr mint boxed used 349 Martin Logan Quests, superb sound, reduced used 1299 NAIM Stageline S excellent boxed used 199 Jolida Envoy 211 Monoblocks, £7k new, superb used 1999 Meridian 506/20 with MSR used 399 Martin Logan Prodigy, excellent used 3499 NAIM Stageline N vgc used 179 Leema Hydra 2, vgc+ boxed used 1899 Meridian G08, remote boxed used 1199 Martin Logan Summit X, ex demo dem 8999 Oracle Delphi, Zeta, due in used 999 Merdian 563 DAC reasonable condition used 149 Leema Elements Amplifi er, excellent dem 899 Mission 782se nr mint boxed used 199 Project Phonobox SE phonostage, excellent value dem 99 Meridian 500 Transport, excellent boxed used 599 Leema Tucana 2, excellent dem 1899 Mission Freedom 5, vgc in Rosewood used 399 Project RPM 10 turntable with arm and platform dem 849 Meridian 602/606 combo with remote used 799 LFD LS1 linestage, reasonable shape used 299 Mission 752, rosewood excellent used 179 Project Debut Carbon, exellent boxed used 199 Metrum Acoustics Octave NOS Dac used 549 Linn Majik Kontrol & 4100 Power, excellent used 1499 Monitor Audio RS8 excellent dem 399 Project Xpression mk2, arm and cart used 199 Micromega MyDac, excellent boxed used 179 McIntosh C22 & MC275 Commemoratives, boxed used 6999 Monitor Audio GX300, ebony near mint boxed new 1999 Project RPM 4 Turntable/Arm with cover, great! used 249 Micromega Leader, remote used 99 McIntosh MA5100, excellent! used 749 Monitor Audio GX 5.1 Home Cinema set BARGAIN new 4999 Project Perspective, Speedbox SE, Shure V15Mx used 599 Musical Fidelity 3.5 CD dem 399 Meridian 501V preamp, excellent used 299 Monopulse Model S new 699 Rega Planar 2, RB250, excellent boxed used 179 Musical Fidelity KW SACD, new laser, upgraded ps used 1249 Meridian 501 Pre used 349 Rega RP3 Elys2 cartridge, excellent boxed used 399 Musical Fidelity M1 DAC, excellent boxed used 329 Monopulse Model A speakers new 1499 Micromega IA100, great integrated, boxed dem 599 Rega RP6, Exact cartridge, vgc boxed used 649 Musical Fidelity M1 CDTB dem 499 Monopulse Model C new 399 Moon W7RS, excellent used 4499 Roksan TMS 2 with Reference PSU, boxed as new used 2899 Musical Fidelity M3 black boxed dem 499 Musical Fidelity MC6 Floorstanders, boxed vgc+ used Call Musical Fidelity M3i, excellent boxed, REDUCED used 549 Scheu Laufwerk mk2 with Unipivot tonearm, due in used Call Musical Fidelity M1Clic new 699 NAIM Nsat x 4, NCent and NSub, boxed excellent used 1749 Musical Fidelity A1000 Two box monster Integrated! used 999 SME 3012, excellent used 799 Musical Fidelity XDac, excellent used 199 NAIM Ovator S400, excellent dem Call Musical Fidelity A1 FPB Preamp and PSU, excellent used 399 SME 3009/3, excellent boxed used 249 Myryad Z20DAC, excellent boxed used 199 NAIM Credo, excellent used 399 Musical Fidelity 550K Superchargers, sealed boxes! used 1999 SME V, excellent, boxed, due in used 1499 NAIM CD5i, excellent boxed used 449 NAIM SBL, vgc+ used 699 Musical Fidelity X-T100 Integrated dem 249 SME V12, nr mint boxed dem Call NAIM DAC, nr mint boxed dem 1499 NAIM SBL mk2, vgc+ used 999 Musical Fidelity Pre 8 and 2 x MA65 chrome fronted used 799 Technics 1210, near mint, Alphason Xenon used 599 NAIM CD5si, near mint boxed used 699 Nola KO speakers in black dem 3999 NAIM NAP100, vgc+ used 499 Technics 1210, near mint boxed used 399 NAIM CDS3, excellent boxed, remote used 1899 Nola Micro Grand Reference inc stands, £15k new dem 5995 NAIM NAC82, excellent boxed used 899 Technics SL110 with SME 3009 used 499 NAIM CDi, excellent boxed used 599 PMC GB1, excellent, new boxes used 599 NAIM NAP250, olive excellent boxed used 899 Thorens TD150, SME3009 good condition new 299 NAIM CD3.5, vgc used 299 PMC Twenty 21, excellent boxed, ex dealer demo used 899 NAIM NAP250, very late olive excellent used 1099 Thorens TD160 HD turntable new 1199 NAIM CDX2, excellent boxed used 999 PMC Twenty 22, excellent boxed, ex dealer demo used 1399 NAIM NAC42.5/NAP110, vgc used 349 Thorens TD160, Audio Technica arm, boxed used 249 NAIM CDX2, 2009, excellent boxed used 1399 PMC Twenty 23, excellent boxed, used 1599 NAIM NAP250, excellent late boxed olive used 1199 Thorens TD160,Rega arm, replinthed, lovely! used 349 Oppo BDP83se, excellent boxed used 399 Proac D38 in Yew, boxed fair used 2499 NAIM NAP150, excellent boxed used 349 Thorens TD209 turntable package dem 699 Peachtree DACit, excellent dem 199 Proac D28, good condition in cherry boxed used 1999 NAIM NAC202 with NAPSC, boxed used 1199 Thorens TD2030 Blue turntable new 999 Prima Luna Prologue 8, ex demo boxed dem 1299 Proac D18, good condition in cherry boxed used 1399 NAIM AV2/NAPV175, remote, excellent boxed used 1199 Thorens TD125 c/w SME3009, excellent used 399 Quad 99CDP, excellent REDUCED used 349 Proac Studio 140 mk2, nr mint boxed dem 1199 NAIM NAP180, excellent boxed used 599 Tom Evans Groove, 0.85mv/100 ohm, excellent used 849 Rega Planet 2000, excellent used 199 Proac Studio 110, excellent boxed used 499 NAIM NAIT 5, excellent remote boxed used 449 Townshend Elite Rock c/w Excalibur, boxed excellent used 799 Rega Apollo R, excellent used 449 Proac Studio 115, excellent boxed dem 749 NAIM NAC152/NAP155XS, excellent boxed used 1199 Transfi guration Orpheus L, good condition used 799 Rega Apollo 35th Anniversary, excellent used 449 Quad 21L Floorstander used 199 VDH Colibri M/C cartridge dem 2999 NAIM NAC90/NAP92, vgc used 349 Rega Io DAC, excellent used 149 NAIM NAP250, chrome bumper used 699 Quad 11L2, excellent boxed used 249 VDH Condor M/C cartridge new 1999 Rega Saturn, excellent boxed used 599 Red Rose Rosebud £2.5k new with (used) stands dem 799 Voyd, Voyd, split phase psu and RB900 used 1499 Neutonia Salis Integrated, classy Restek built used 399 Roksan Kandy K2CD, excellent boxed used 449 Onix OA32 Integrated, excellent used 299 REL Sterling, black ash vgc used 149 VPI Scout, JMW arm excellent used 999 Rotel RCD965BX, excellent boxed used 99 Revel M22, excellent boxed new 599 Wilson Benesch Act 1 Tonearm, nr mint superb used 799 Onix OA25 Integrated, excellent used 399 Sugden Masterclass CD original version used 999 Revolver RW45 fl oorstander in Cherry dem 699 Pathos Logos Integrated dem 1999 TAG McLaren DAC 20, excellent used 249 Revolver Cygnis Gold in Black, £14k new dem 4995 Placette Audio Passive Linestage dem 599 Tube Technology Fulcrum CD transport dem 699 Sonus Faber Elipsa, superb boxed used 5999 Prima Luna Prologue 3 Preamplifi er vgc+ used 649 Tube Technology Fulcrum DAC (inc DAC64 chip) dem 899 Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor, boxed used 1199 Radio/Recorders Prima Luna Prologue 2 Integrated, good shape dem 799 Yamaha CD-S3000 near mint dem 2249 Spendor A6, in Walnut excellent boxed used 999 Arcam Alpha 10DAB tuner, excellent used 149 Prima Luna Prologue 3 Preamplifi er, REDUCED dem 749 Sunfi re True Sub Subwoofer dem 399 Arcam T61, vgc+ used 79 Puresound L300 valve preamp dem 3599 Tannoy Prestige Autograph Mini, ex boxed used 999 Cyrus FM7, vgc+ used 149 Quad 99 Pre/Power, excellent, remote, Quadlink used 649 Denon TU1800DAB, excellent boxed used 179 Quad 405, from used 199 AV/Accessories/Cables Thiel CS7.2, vgc, just refurbished… used 2499 Musical Fidelity A5DAB, sealed box used 499 Quad 33/303, vgc, serviced used 299 Audeze LCD2 excellent dem 599 Totem Mani Signature, boxed near mint used 2999 NAIM NAT03, excellent used 199 Resolution Audio Opus 21 S80 Integrated dem Call Audeze LCDXC excellent dem 899 Totem Mite in black dem 449 NAIM NAT01 and NAPST chrome, serviced , vgc+ used 899 Renaisance RA02 Monos, vgc and excellent value used 499 Beyer Dynamic T1, vgc boxed used Call Totem Rokk in mahogany, excellent used 249 NAIM NAT101 & SNAPS, excellent £500 NAIM service used 899 Roksan Kandy K2 Power, nr mint boxed dem 499 Bryston BHA-1 Headphone amplifi er, superb dem 999 Totem Sttaf, near mint boxed new 999 Nakamichi DR10, excellent used 249 Sugden Masterclass Monoblocks, in titanium used 3999 Cyrus PSXR, excellent from used 279 Usher N6311, transit damaged to clear dem 499 Nakamichi DR1, vgc used 199 Sugden A21a line Integrated dem 999 Elemental Audio Equipment Rack dem 499 Usher Mini Dancer 2 in Maple, excellent boxed dem 2999 Nakamichi BX2, excellent used 149 Sugden Masterclass Pre/Monos in Graphite used 6499 Elemental Audio speaker stands dem 499 Vandersteen Quattro, accessories, transformers etc used 2999 Nakamichi 580, near mint boxed used 249 Sugden Masterclass Pre/Monos in Titanium used 6499 Ergo AMT phones with Amp 2 (£2.5k new) dem 1499 Velodyne DD18 sub in black dem 1999 Pioneer CT91a reference used 199 Sugden Masterclass Integrated in Titanium dem 2749 G+W T2.6F Valve headphone amplifi er, excellent used 159 Veritas H3 (Lowther drivers) in gloss black, 100db dem 2999 Pure 701ES DAB Tuner used 89 TagMcLaren 60iRV, excellent boxed used 299 Grado GS1000 and RA1 amplifi er used 599 Wilson Audio Duette, excellent dem 4899 Revox PR99, crated used 799 Talk Electronics Hurricane/Tornado Pre/Power used Call Isotek Nova power conditioner dem 1199 Wilson Benesch Actor fl oorstanders dem 1999 Tandberg TCD440a, superb! used 499 Tannoy TA1400, excellent boxed used 599 Lehmann Rhinelander used 199 TEAC V8000S, superb used 299 TEAC Distinction A1000 Integrated, ex demo dem 599 Musical Fidelity M1 HPAB dem 399 TEAC X1000M, serviced, superb used 599 Trio LO7C good condition used 249 Musical Fidelity TripleX power supply new 199 Special system deals TEAC X10R, serviced, superb used 599 Unison Research Preludio Integrated, excellent boxed used 1199 NAIM XPS DR, ex demo dem 2599 Consonance Ping CD/AMP dem 599 Technics RS1500 in fl ightcase near mint used 2499 Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated dem 999 NAIM XPS, excellent boxed dem 1499 Linn Classik Movie 05, excellent boxed used 699 Rotel RT1080, excellent used 149 Unison Research S2k Integrated, excellent dem 699 NAIM HiCap, various used Call NAIM Uniti 24/192, excellent used 1349 Yamaha KX1200 excellent used 199 Yamaha AS500, excellent boxed used 179 ProAudio Bono Reference Platform dem 399 Orelle EVO CD and Amp was £2700 used 799 Yamaha CT7000, vgc used 499 Yamaha A-S3000, nr mint boxed dem 1999 Stax SR404/SRM006tii, stand, cover etc boxed used 999 Yamaha CXA5000/MXA5000 as new boxed dem Call Tel: 01642 267012 or 0845 6019390 Email: news@ 2ndhandhifi .co.uk Huge range of high end brands Expert system matching advise Used high end hi-fi bought and sold Part exchange welcome All items checked and guaranteed Major credit cards accepted HI-FI E X CHANGE GUARANTEED HIGH QUALITY NEW & PRE-OWNED HI-FI: LLATESTATEST 4400 Isotek Vision GII £250 Isotek Vision GII £250 Nordost Sort Kone AC (x3) £140 Plinius CD-101 £1,800 Transparent Audio Music Link Plus £135 Sonus Faber Amati Homage £7,990 Kubala Sosna Anticipation £190 Audio Research DS450 (New-sealed box) £5,750 Cardas Audio Golden cross tone arm cable £370 McIntosh C2500 £4,500 Artisan Silver Cables Digital (Pure Silver 1m) £180 Wadia 381i £3,990 Kondo KSL vc tone arm cable £480 Audiolab 8200 CDQ £650 Welborne Labs DRD45 monos Rectifying psu £1,995 Nottingham Analogue Wave Mechanic £250 Transparent Audio Reference digital balanced £480 Wadia Digimaster X64.4 £990 Avantgarde Acoustics Duo 2.2 & 225 subs £6,490 Boulder 2060 £14,990 Elac FS 207.2 £450 Focal JM Lab Diablos Utopia III & Stands £4,590 Nordost Vishnu Power Cable £250 Boulder MM/MC Phono stage & psu £1,795 Acoustic Energy AELITE THREE £350 Alon Phalanx £4,990 Vertex AQ Mini Moncayo Speaker Links £360 Wadia S7i £7,990 Linn classik £350 Focal JM Lab Alto Utopia £4,750 VPI Classic 2/JMW 10.5i & SDS psu £2,490 Meridian Audio DSP 5200 £7,500 Talk Electronics Storm 2 Integrated amplifier £200 Plinius CD-Lad (pre- processor by-pass) £390 PS Audio P300 Power Plant £460 Meridian Audio DSP 7200 £16,500 Ruark Rapsody £200 Naim Audio CDX2 £1,490 Primare Cdi 10 £550 Bryston BP-26 and MPS-2 £2,200

CD PlayersPlayers and DACs Avalon Arcus £3,450£3,450 Audio Note KegonKegon £35,000£35,000 Krell Evolution 202 £5,990£5,990 Accuphase DP500 £2,490 Avalon Time £57,600 Audio Research DS450 (New-sealed box) £5,750 Linn Klimax Kontrol £4,250 Arcam rDAC + Squeeze £250 Avantgarde Acoustics Duo 2.2 & 225 subs £6,490 B.A.T. VK-255 SE £3,700 Luxman C800f £8,990 Audio Aero Capitole Signature £3,300 B&W htm 2D £2,800 Bel Canto Ref 1000 M (Mk2) Mono blocks NEW £4,300 Mark Levinson No 326s Reference Audio Aero La Source £29,500 B&W DM 70 Continentals £1,800 Bel Canto Ref 1000 monos £1,990 Dual Mono Pre £8,170 Audio Aero La Fontaine £17,500 B&W Matrix 800 £5,990 Beyond Frontiers Audio Tulip w/ DAC £8,500 Mark Levinson No 380 £1,790 Audiolab 8200CD £600 Beauhorn B2.2 Revelation £1,800 BMC Audio CS2 Integrated/ Power Amplifi er £4,595 McIntosh C2200 £3,750 Audiomeca/ Pierre Lurne Mephisto CD Transport £790 Dali 300 MK2 in Rosewood £1,650 BMC Audio M2 Monoblocks £9,190 McIntosh C2500 £4,500 AVI Series 21 MC4 Reference £690 Eclipse TD512, A502 + Stands £2,000 Boulder 2060 £14,990 Musical Fidelity Kw Phono £1,450 Bel Canto Dac3 £2,199 Eggleston Works SAVOY £15,000 Chord Electronics 1200c £1,690 Nakamichi 410 £198 Bel Canto USB Link 24/96 £349 Elac FS 207.2 £450 Chord Electronics SPM 5000 MK1 £3,800 Plinius CD-Lad (pre- processor by-pass) £390 Bluenote Stibbert valve improved £1,800 Focal JM Lab Diablos Utopia III & Stands £4,590 Conrad Johnson Prem 8A monoblocks £4,950 Sony TAE 900 £2,990 BMC Audio BDCD1.1 Belt Drive CD Player £3,195 Focal JM Lab Electra 1028Be £2,695 Crimson Electronics 640 E3 Monoblocks £3,399 Tom Evans The Vibe pre & Pulse power supply £2,750 BMC Audio PureDAC £1,290 Focal JM Lab Grande Utopia III EM £121,999 Edge NL Reference Monoblocks £34,990 Cambridge Audio dacmagic plus £165 Focal JM Lab Scala Utopia 3 £18,999 Edge NL12.1 £8,900 VTL TL 6.5 Signature Line Pre £9,990 CEC TL0X £9,990 Focal JM Lab Stella Utopia III EM £47,990 Gryphon Antileon £5,990 Turntables/Arms/Cartridges & Phonostages Copland CDA822 £650 Focal JM Lab Alto Utopia £4,750 Halcro DM 88 Monoblocks £24,950 Aesthetix IO Eclipse £15,590 Cyrus CD8X £400 Focal JM Lab Diablo Utopia III & Stands £8,100 Halcro DM38 with 220/110 V transformer £8,500 Astin Trew AT8000 phono £450 Esoteric P05 D05 £5,500 Gamut S5 £9,490 Jadis ja-250 £15,000 Audio Research PH8 black £3,890 Krell EVO 505 (110v) £3,395 Genesis Technologies Genesis G200. Jeff Rowland model 3 £2,450 BMC Audio MCCI Phono MC £2,300 Krell Evolution 525 £5,990 4 box system £12,990 Jeff Rowland Model 3 Monoblocks £2,500 Boulder MM/MC Phono stage & psu £1,795 Krell KPS20il £1,490 Genesis Technologies 5.3 £7,500 Karan Acoustics KA M2000 £22,990 Cello Cartridge £4,000 Krell KPS25sc £2,995 Hansen Audio Emperor £32,500 Krell EVO 302 £5,500 Clear Audio Insider Gold £1,000 Marantz UD 9004 £2,690 Hansen Audio Prince V2 £18,000 Krell FPB 200 £1,750 Mark Levinson No 31.5 Reference CD Transport £3,590 Hansen Audio The Knight £9,900 Lamm Lamm M1.1 £6,990 Clear Audio da Vinci V2 £2,890 Mark Levinson No 512 CD/SACD £12,255 Heco celan 500 £550 Leema Acoustics Corvus £999 Dr. Feickert Analogue NG High-Precision Mark Levinson No 512 CD/SACD £7,995 JBL 250 Ti £2,890 Linn klimax Solos £8,995 Cartridge Alignment Tool £149 Mark Levinson No 31 & 30.5 Transp/Dac £7,450 KEF Moun £85,000 Luxman M800A stereo power £8,990 ELP LT-1LRC £3,500 Mark Levinson No 31.5 Reference CD Transport £3,500 Krell resolution 3 £2,700 Mark Levinson No 33H £9,900 EMT 950 Broadcast Turnta Fabulous McIntosh MCD1100 £7,490 Living Voice Auditorium £1,350 Mark Levinson No 532 £17,362 BBC Wide body £6,500 Meridian Audio 508 £600 Loewe Reference stand speaker £1,400 Mark Levinson No 532H Reference Gale GT2101 Turntable £7,990 Micro Seiki CDM2 £1,490 Martin Logan Summit £5,500 High current Dual Mono Power Amp £7,500 Jan Allaerts MC1B mk1 £1,495 MICROMEGA Microdac £295 Martin Logan Summit £4,490 Mark Levinson No 532H stereo power amp £4,995 Klyne Audio Arts 6PE mm/mc £1,950 Moon 300D £850 Martin Logan Logos Centre £890 McIntosh MC275 (2 Available) £4,250 Kuzma Stabi (wood) & Ref psu £1,990 Musical Fidelity M6 CD £899 Martin Logan Request £1,550 Musical Fidelity 308 K Mono-blocks £650 LFD MCT SE Phono mc £3,500 NAD M51 £1,100 Meridian Audio DSP 5200 £7,500 Naim Audio Nap 180 £600 Manticore Mantra £300 Naim Audio CDi £650 Meridian Audio DSP 7200 £16,500 New Audio Frontiers NAF Performance 2A3 £4,000 Marantz tt15s1 £825 Naim Audio CDX2 £1,490 Merlin VSM MXR £6,495 Plinius SA 250mkIV £3,495 Nottingham Analogue Wave Mechanic £250 Opera Consonance Droplet CDP 5.0 £1,295 Mission 765 £400 Rotel RB-1510 £295 Origin Live Digital Stylus Force Gauge £65 Perreaux DP32 £1,475 Mission 753 £250 Sony TAN R1 monoblocks £8,990 Pink Triangle Export/ Zeta £1,495 Plinius CD-101 £1,800 PMC Twenty 22 £1,350 Soulution Audio 711 upgraded from 710 £29,990 Roksan Xerxes/Artemiz £1,400 Plinius CD Player101 £2,400 Quad ESL 2905 £3,750 Tenor HP 300 £15,500 SME 312s £2,050 Plinius CD101 £1,890 Revel Ultima Studio 2 NEW £8,490 Tom Evans Linear A £3,850 SME Model 10A turntable £4,250 Primare BD32 £3,500 Rogers LS3/5A & AB1 Subs £1,595 Tube Technology Genesis Monoblocks £1,390 SME Model 30/12A £21,995 Proceed CDP CD/HDCD player £995 Roksan K2 TR-5 £600 VTL MB 450-III Signature Monoblocks £14,500 R&T Audio Design Orpheus mk2 £500 Ruark Rapsody £200 Welborne Labs DRD45 £1,690 SME Model 30/2A £8,790 Shanling CDT300 £1,795 Sonus Faber Amati Homage £7,990 Welborne Labs DRD45 monos Rectifying psu £1,995 SME Series V Gold plated arm £2,395 Theta Compli £1,595 Sonus Faber Amati Anniversario GR £11,990 YBA Passion 1000 monoblocks £7,890 SME Model 20/12A £11,567 Wadia 381i £3,990 Sonus Faber Cremona £2,000 SME Model 20/3A £7,990 Pre Amplifi ers Wadia S7i £7,490 Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage Palladio SME Series V (gold print) £2,490 Audible Illusions Modulus 3A £2,250 Wadia Digimaster X64.4 £990 Reference LE £6,750 SME Series V-12 £3,668 Audio Innovations L1 £240 Wadia i171 £400 Spendor A3 £600 Sonic frontiers SFP-1 Phono £750 Audio Research LS25 (mkI) £1,800 Wadia S7i £7,990 Spendor s100 £1,500 Sony TTS8000 with Resinamic Sound B.A.T. VK-53 SE £8,240 Yamaha S2000 CD/SACD £695 Titan 3Way £1,295 RS-8000 plinth £1,500 BMC Audio DAC1PreHR £3,495 Transmission Audio M1I £1,750 Sumiko Pearwod Celebration II £1,150 Loudspeakers Boulder 1010 Pre £6,950 wharfedale 1950’s Corner Horns £6,990 Thorens TD 126 mkIV £590 Acoustic Energy AELITE THREE £350 Bryston BP-26 and MPS-2 £2,200 Wilson Audio Watt Puppy 7 £7,490 Acoustic Preference Gracioso 2 £4,990 C.A.T SL1 Ultimate £7,295 Tri-Planar MK UII £2,890 Wilson Audio WATT Puppy 7 £7,490 Adam Audio Compact Active Version £1,295 Cary SLP 98L £2,295 van den hul Colibri PXC £2,750 Wilson Audio Watt Puppy 7 £6,750 Alon Phalanx £4,990 Classe Audio CP - 800 £4,000 Voyd Reference+ Ref psu + Cyalene+ Wilson Audio WP8 £10,995 ATC SCM300 ASL Monitors £17,500 Classe Audio CP 500 £2,100 AN IO LTD & AN7c £20,990 Wilson Audio Maxx 3 £49,500 ATC SCM300AT based custom model £8,550 Concordant Exquisite + Exclusive £1,250 VPI TNT 4 Flywheel RB1000 £4,500 Audio Acoustics FUNDAMENTAL K2 £5,995 Power Amplifi ers Crimson Electronics 710 Pre Amp £3,995 VPI TNT MK2.5 suspension £2,490 Audio Physic Virgo 3 £1,950 Aesthetix Atlas Mono Blocks £9,990 Gryphon Sonata Allegro £5,490 VPI Classic 2/JMW 10.5i & SDS psu £2,490 Audio Physic Tempo 3i £675 Astin Trew At 5000 £400 Jadis JPS2S £9,990 Wheaton Tri-Planar MK IV £1,795 Aurousal A1 MK £445 ATC S1A2-150 £2,200 Klyne Audio Arts 7LX3.5 & phono £2,790 Wilson Benesch ACT 0.5 £750 100s more bargains online now list your items FREE at www.choice-hifi .com today!* www.choice-hifi .com Email: info@choice-hifi .com Telephone: 020 8392 1959 / 07768 720456

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Stockists of: s!RCAMs"7s&OCAL s,INNs.AIMs0-# s2EGAs2OTELAND-/2% CARTRIDGES MICHELL ENGINEERING AUDIO TECHNICA AT-ART9 ORBE HR POWER SUPPLY AUDIO TECHNICA AT-OC9/111 ORB SE ORBE PLATTER KIT AUDIO TECHNICA AT33EV GYRODEC ORBE CLAMP KIT AUDIO TECHNICA AT-F7 BRONZE GYRODEC SECURE COVER AUDIO TECHNICA AT-F2 BLACK GYRO SE UNI COVER (IGH3TREET (AMPTON7ICK AUDIO TECHNICA AT150MLX TECNODEC TECHNOWEIGHT +INGSTONUPON4HAMES ZYX R100 TECNO ARM A GYRO BEARING 3URREY+4$! BENZ MICRO ACE SL BENZ MICRO GLIDER SH PLEASE PHONE Tel: BENZ MICRO WOOD SL Open:4UES 3ATAM PM PLEASE PHONE FOR PRICES FOR PRICES www.infidelityCOUK FREE ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY

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Transform a good system 6HQVLEOHKLðVLQFHQVLEOHKLðVLQFH · Rega · Harbethh · Croft into a great one! · Spendorr · Michell · Devialett Saffron WWaldenalden www.radlettaudwww.radlettaudio.co.ukio.co.o ukk Low amplitude ground borne vibration (microtremors) are ever present and 01799 599080 [email protected] pass through all buildings and solid supports and into your Hi-Fi system, including speakers. www.soundcinergy.co.uk

Dealerz HFN_A4_Ad_Template.inddHFN_ Directory_Dec13.inddA4_Ad_Template.indd 135 1 Eliminate them with Townshend Seismic Isolation and hear the difference. Dealerz HHFN_A4_Ad_Template.inddFN_ Directory_Dec13.inddA4_Ad_Template.indd 135 1 Exposure, Focal, Linn, Marantz, Michell, Monitor Audio, Okki Nokki, Onkyo, Wider deeper stereo stage Greater clarity and separation Ortfon, Project, Rel, Roksan, Trichord

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Neighbour friendly zDealer HFN_A4_Ad_Template.inddHFN_ Directory_Dec13.inddA4_Ad_Template.indd 135 1 Townshend offers a complete program for isolating ALL Hi-Fi components. 223/10/201318/12/20131/11/2013 11:26112:305:02

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ForFor moremore informationinformam tiono oror bebestest aadvicedvice on SSeismiceeismiic IsolationIsolation vivisitsit www.townshendaudio.comwww.townshendaudioo.com eemailmail or pphonehone us on +44 ((0)0) 2200 89897979 2155.2155. To advertise in this section please call Jo Holmes on 01689 869 919



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#4 IAN HARRISON HIFI SALE! UP TO 40% OFF! TEL: 01283 702875 [email protected] PHONOSTAGES CARTRIDGES TURNTABLES TONEARMS TRICHORD AUDIO TECHNICA MICHELL MICHELL z1 4HFN_A4_Ad_Template.indd8-149 Classified Pages OCT 1 33.indd 149 TOM EVANS ORTOFON PRO-JECT REGA 01/08/2013 11 GRAHAM SLEE DENON THORENS SME* LEHMANN AIR TIGHT SRM TECH GRAHAM WHEST AUDIO KOETSU EAR MOTH ANATEK GRADO AMAZON AUDIO ORTOFON QUAD GOLDRING AUDIO TECHNICA PRO-JECT CLEARAUDIO BENZ MICRO DENON ROKSAN ICON AUDIO ROKSAN INSPIRE CARTRIDGE MAN PURE SOUND ZYX MUSIC HALL HELIUS PRO-JECT CARTRIDGE MAN REED EAR YOSHINO DECCA LONDON AMG Up to 30% off clearance items ROTHWELL TECHDAS MOERCH PLEASE PHONE TO CONFIRM PRICE & AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO ORDERING. ALL GOODS ARE BRAND inside Hatfields-Furnishers Peartree Rd Colchester CO3 0LA NEW & BOXED WITH FULL U.K GUARANTEES. NO EX-DEM OR EX-DISPLAY GOODS. NO GREY IMPORTS. 01206 732 236 GOODS ARE NOT SUPPLIED ON APPROVAL. SORRY NO GENERAL CATALOGUES. PLEASE PHONE OR WRITE FOR SPECIFIC REVIEWS, BROCHURES OR PRICES. [email protected]/[email protected] *CALL FOR DETAILS ESTABLISHED 1986. MAIL ORDER ONLY FROM; IAN HARRISON, 7 MILL HILL, REPTON, DERBY, DE65 6GQ TEL: 01283 702875 9am-9pm INCLUDING SUNDAYS.

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TO ADVERTISE HERE PLEASE CALL JOANNA HOLMES 01689 869 919 To help ensure accuracy, your classifi ed advertisements must be submitted by email or post... MARKETPLACE Please email your entries to: letters@hifi news.com

box and manual. Will post or can Fidelity A308cr dual mono THE PLACE TO collect (Hull). Email: steve@solwise. preamplifi er £600, (silver). All less BUY & SELL AUDIO co.uk. Tel: 01482 672866 (works) than 100 hours use from new, all still immaculate with original boxes, EQUIPMENT & ACCESSORIES MICHELL Technoarm, all black, remote and instructions. They’ve new. Unused. £350. Rega RB300 been protected from new in an arm, modifi ed by Origin Live and audio rack in my smoke and pet free extra height adjustment rings. home. I’m happy to demonstrate Boxed, Mint condition. £250. (but please bring a power amp – Tel: 01505 346791 mine already sold). NOW FREE Tel: 07500 804700. Email: REGA 3/full Isokinetik upgrades, [email protected] 2. AMPLIFIERS Email: [email protected]. must be seen and heard, £250. Tel: 00974 66312709 Buyer collects. RB 1250 arm, Cardas QUAD system. ESL 989 speakers ARCAM P49 200wpc stereo rewired plus Michell Technoweight, (black) plus 99 Series preamp, CD power amplifi er, as brand new. AUDIO Note AN-K speakers, yew, can be removed, £200 plus p&p, player, tuner, 909 stereo amp. All Collect from NW London. £2500. 18 months old, unmarked £1300 bought as one with Goldring 1042, components in excellent condition Tel: 07956 121013 (£1950 new). Fabulous, cohesive new cart £400. Buyer collects. and serviced by Quad. £2000. sound. Tel: 01952 728773 Email: [email protected]. Tel: [email protected] 01983 299236 AUDIO Research Vsi55 integrated Tel: 01606 784767 amp, remote, manual, valves biased. LINN Ninka fl oorstanding 12. MISCELLANEOUS Pristine. Moving house. £1450. speakers, maple fi nish, good SME 10 plus Series V tonearm Bargain. Tel: 01487 814015 condition. Can demo, £300 ono. purchased from Walrus in March STYLISH matching pair of Tel: 01285 860967 2012. Full set of exemplary manuals, specially made cupboards for a LINN Kolector preamp good set-up tools, soft cover and packing record collection. As new, beech condition, three outputs, suitable QUAD 11L speakers, piano gloss crate, etc. Pet and smoke free fi nish, bevelled glass doors for easy for tri/bi-amping, includes remote maple, pristine condition, never household. Only a very signifi cant viewing. Three sturdy fi xed shelves control handset, £250 ono. been thrashed. £150. (£380). upgrade to a SME 20/3 and new in each give eight compartments. Tel: 01782 515693 Tel: St Albans 842769. Email: prices from SME drives the sale of a Outside measurements: 39x57x [email protected] cherished turntable. Mint condition 41cm (whd). £350 pair ono. Buyer 4. CD/DVD PLAYERS £4000 (£6800). Tel: 07730 796204. collects. Tel: 07932-863141. Email: PROAC Tablette Anniversary Email: [email protected] [email protected] SONY SCD-777ES direct stream standmount speakers, rosewood, digital/fi xed pick-up mechanism boxed, mint, £849. Tel: 07583 MICHELL Tecnoarm, black, CLASS A amplifi er power supply, for sale, £800 ono. Tel: 07903 640342. Email: grahamhd842@ boxed £350. ProJect Tubebox S self-contained free-standing unit, 887774/01224 485204 hotmail.com phono stage, black, £125. Both suits John Linsley Hood’s 1969/1996 pristine with nine months use. designs and similar amplifi ers, best SUGDEN CD21SE, boxed, AUDIO Physic Virgo III, pair. Tel: 01353 665059 offer will be accepted, can post if new laser fi tted by Sugden, £1600. Cash please. Good condition. needed. Tel: 0207 4998729 £899. Tel: 07583 640342. Email: Boxes, etc. Will dem. Buyer collects. NORTHWEST Analogue slate [email protected] Tel/text: 07738 227477 plinth, Garrard 301, SME 3009, mint. 13. WANTED MBL 121 speakers, mint. Music First NAIM NDS and 555 ps used for JBL LX33 loudspeakers, rosewood Audio Copper preamp. TOP quality hi-fi separates and less than 12 months, bought last fi nish, excellent condition, in original Tel: 07770 772647 complete systems, Naim, Linn, May, sale includes the two Naim packaging, £200. Cyrus, Meridian, Audio Research, etc, burndy cables and a Naim powerline Tel: 01922 644775 11. SYSTEMS fast, friendly response and willing to mains lead. This set up today costs travel/pay cash. Tel: 0781 5892458 £13,885 to buy new. I am looking for ACOUSTIC Energy AE1 Mk3 MUSICAL Fidelity A3.2 RDS £8500. Tel: 01782 515693 SE. Immaculate condition. Only tuner, £300 (all silver). Musical WANTED Quad 44 preamp, grey 250 pairs made. All packaging and Fidelity A308cr 24-bit upsampling with phono sockets, non workers 5. DACS manuals. £1000. Audition welcome. CD player, £500 (silver). Musical considered. Tel: 01758 613790 Email: alex.ferguson3@ntlworld. AUDIOPHILLEO2 with com. Tel: 07706169968 pure power USB/SPDIF converter PLACING AN ADVERTISEMENT IN THE HI-FI NEWS CLASSIFIEDS SECTION £475. (Purchased one year ago for REL T5 subwoofer, two years old, Fill in your advertisement copy here... ££765.) Tel: 01202 515474. Email: light use, absolutely as new, manual Please write the product category number that best suits your equipment in the [email protected] and leads. Regret no box, can demo. fi rst square. The product categories are: 1 – Accessories; 2 – Amps; 3 – Cables; New £450, asking £375. 4 – CD/DVD players; 5 – DACS; 6 – Software (CDs, records etc.); 7 – Speakers; 8 – MOON 300D DAC. New, unused, Tel: 01582 867139. Email: Tuners; 9 – Turntables; 11 – Complete Systems; 12 – Miscellaneous; 13 – Wanted in manufacturer’s unopened box. [email protected] Version 1. Full manufacturer’s We will insert the telephone number you want to appear in your advertisement(s) warranty. Retail price £1450. 8. TUNERS as many times as is needed. You only need to fi ll it in once and it only counts as Offered at £775. UK postage one word – even if you run multiple adverts. £27, worldwide on request. Tel: AUDIOLAB 8200T DAB tuner 07770473999. Email: michael.colm. silver/excellent con/latest model [email protected] OLED display/boxed £300 ono. Tel: 079361 84450 STELLAVOX DAC ST2. Boxed. Offers around £500. 9. TURNTABLES Tel: 0208 8575923 GARRARD 301 in excellent 7. SPEAKERS condition, mounted on plinth with cover, £300, buyer collects. (West MARTIN Logan Montis London). Tel: 01895 625636 loudspeakers in a dark cherry fi nish. Tel (to appear in advert): Perfect condition, boxed, very little DYNAVECTOR DV20X2L MC use (eight months old), superb cartridge. £350. Like new. Very little Please post this completed coupon to Hi-Fi News magazine, MyTimeMedia Ltd, Enterprise sound quality. £6250 ono. Pictures used – perhaps ten hours. Not even House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, TN8 6HF, or email your advert to letters@hifi news.com available on request. run in yet! Complete with original Hi-Fi News accepts no responsibility for description or condition of items advertised.

134 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 To advertise in this section please call Jo Holmes on 01689 869 919

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DEM ...... £1495 DENON DP-1200 SPECIAL EDITION (INC.ARM/CART.)...... RARE ...... £495 THEIL CS 1.5 (ONE OWNER FROM NEW) ...... BOXED ...... £895 MERIDIAN 501 PRE AMP ...... MINT/BOXED ...... £395 ANTIQUE SOUNDLABS MINI PHONO 2 BOX ...... VGC ...... £295 JOHN SHEARNE 2.5 INTEGRATED AMP...... 1 OWNER ...... £375 MICHELL ISO/HERA PHONO STAGE ...... EXCLT ...... £299 VALVE AMPS JOHN SHEARNE 3.5 POWER AMP ...... 1 OWNER ...... £375 JOLIDA JD801A KT88 INT.1 OWNER ...... EXCT/BOXED ...... £695 LECTOR REMOTE PRE AMP ...... MINT/BOXED ...... DUE WOODSIDE AUDIO M-50 EL-34 MONOBLOCS ...... EXCLT ...... £1495 LOUDSPEAKERS MELODY M88Q KT88 MONOBLOCS ...... MINT/BOXED ...... £2250 TRANSPORTS/CD/DACS ART ALNICO 8 6 MONTHS OLD (£10.000) ...... MINT/BOXED ...... £5750 SPARK 300B X 4 INTEGRATED COMPLETE RE-VALVE ...... EXCLT ...... DUE TECHNICS SLP-1200 LITTLE USED...... BEAUTIFUL ...... £495 MARTIN LOGAN CLS (NEW PANELS) DEPTH SUB...... TBA ...... DUE AUDIO RESEARCH LS-22 (£750 REMOTE UPGRADE)...... 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Editorial Team Advertisement Team We Live At... Editor • Paul Miller Advertising Sales • Joanna Holmes MyTimeMedia Ltd, Art Editor • Steve Powell Tel • 01689 869 919 Enterprise House, Features Editor • Patrick Fraser joanna.holmes@hifi news.com Enterprise Way, Reviews Editor • Chris Breunig Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF Test & Measurement • Paul Miller Subscriptions Tel: 0844 412 2262 New, renewals and enquiries... Outside UK: +44 (0) 1689 869 840 Photography UK: www.hifi news.co.uk Andrew Sydenham Tel • +44(0)1858 438798 8MK\Z_ Email: [email protected] Hi-Fi News is a member of the Management Team USA/Canada: Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) Group Editor • Paul Miller Tel • (001) 866 647 9191 and of EISA (www.eisa-awards.org) d\[`Xck[ Group Art Editor • John Rook Rest of World: Head of Production • Julie Miller Tel • +44 (0) 1689 869 896 HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW, ISSN 2042-0374, is published monthly with an additional issue in January by AVTech Media Ltd, Group Advertising Manager • Email: [email protected] a division of MYTIMEMEDIA Ltd, Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF, UK. The US annual subscription Joanna Holmes price is 65GBP (equivalent to approximately 108USD). Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named Air Business Ltd, c/o Subscriptions Manager • Kate Hall Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. Chief Executive • Owen Davies US Postmaster: Send address changes to HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW, Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Chairman • Peter Harkness Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at CDS GLOBAL Ltd, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough, Leicester, LE16 9EF. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.

JUNE 2015 | www.hifi news.co.uk |137 LAST WORD

experience, but recounting glitches I hadn’t even suffered. Throughout all of this, Charlie was doing OFF THE his best. Out of respect for the excellent sound quality and Ayre’s efforts, I agreed to write off the whole megillah. But was I shirking the responsibility of journalist- as-consumer advocate even though other LEASH! voices were revealing that all was not well KEN KESSLERER TETELLSELLS IT LIKE IT IS.IS...... on Sugar Mountain? Predictably, Pono could continue to claim that all was still in the Ken Kessler describes beta stage. But that is making excuses for one of the most hateful the Pono’s too-hasty launch. Using the Pono is unpleasant because the consumer products he’s screen is too small and the touch response too eager to select unwanted tracks or experienced. What is it? functions. The hardware is nasty, especially fter fi ve months of despair, hating designer whose team ensured the Pono’s when compared to Sony’s slick NWZ-A15 at the Pono player with a passion superlative sonic performance. less than half the price. The Pono’s physical I only ever displayed before for The demo Pono (in a cheesy rubberised controls are limited to volume and an on/off A Bose, the device fi nally started to yellow case) came pre-loaded with two Neil button that also pauses, but nothing like the operate with a semblance of competence. Young albums, Harvest and Storytone, at the Sony’s ‘game pad’. Without warning, after countless failed highest level of Pono encoding: 192kHz/ attempts, it fi nally showed up as a drive 24-bit FLAC. I compared the sound to the PRICE IS RIGHT on my Mac, so I could upload some music. iPod, Astell & Kern AK120 portable and Indeed, it’s only price that works in the Then, just as quickly, it stopped. playback via Fidelia through my Mac. With Pono’s favour against its real competitors, This dilemma is new to you because I took Pono-supplied music, it was dazzling. But the the A&K players and Sony’s high-end NWZ- a vow of silence about Pono after my early player itself, the touchscreen interface and ZX2 costing a lot more. But they’re built like encounters with the most hateful consumer the entire half-baked experience were, at mechanical wristwatches. The Pono is built product in my experience since trying to best, off-putting. like a plastic digital watch as sold in petrol connect scanners or printers to PCs in the Nothing I did, armed with two PCs and stations. I’m too disillusioned to proffer the era before USB. It defi es belief. two Macs, allowed me to connect the player full litany of curses, like the lack of Bluetooth to its website. To give you some idea of the on audiophile grounds. Huh? You don’t have SLAVISH FAN site’s importance, a Pono without access to to use Bluetooth, but it sure is handy if you A brief recap: being a slavish fan of Neil it is almost as unusable as an iPod without own a Jambox or Foxl. Young, I bought into the Kickstarter Pono iTunes. The sole saving grace, unlike the As for the website, I’m still not able to campaign, ordering the iPod, is the slot for access much of it. At the time of writing limited edition Buffalo a MicroSD card, so I (early March), the site won’t update my Springfi eld player. While ‘The Pono was could load that, but Ponos to the latest fi rmware level – despite awaiting its arrival, I dazzling with the not access the internal the message saying ‘Would you like to reported on this pending 64GB storage. And I update to v1.05?’ high-resolution music pre-loaded Neil hate to say it, but you But maybe this isn’t about hardware. It’s player for a couple of can hear a difference about software, with Pono hoping to be the mainstream publications, Young albums’ between music that’s high-res riposte to iTunes. The bait is the giving it the benefi t of stored on the internal excellence of the pre-loaded 192kHz/ the doubt. Its gestation period, however, memory and on the MicroSD card. 24-bit material, with the promise of proved to be pachydermic. Emails jockeyed back and forth, basically purchases from the site sounding as good. Both the hardware and the website were hinting that I was either computer-illiterate, But Neil, no matter how good they may subject to delays. Because the Kickstarter cursed or simply a putz. ‘Nobody else has sound, I for one will not be buying Led Ponos were released at drip-feed speeds had these problems,’ they reassured me with Zeppelin’s catalogue for the 12th time. No, prior to Christmas 2014, I secured a review hippie/we-wish-we-were-Apple superiority. not even my beloved Buffalo Springfi eld unit thanks to the good graces of Charlie So I Google’d ‘Pono Problems’ and found justifi es it, though you caught me out with Hansen of Ayre, the hugely respected audio whole chat rooms not only echoing my Kickstarter. Never again.

ON TEST: PLUS: î Exclusive: KEF Blade 2 fl oorstanders î Investigation: HFN’s guide to phase distortion July Issue î Exclusive: Constellation Inspiration amps î Vintage Review: A&R Cambridge A60 integrated th î Exclusive: Thales TTT-Slim turntable î Classical Companion: Beethoven’s Pastoral Sym. MAY î Exclusive: Unison Research Triode 25 î From The Vault: T. Holman on amps & speakers on sale29 î Exclusive: Benchmark SMS1 loudspeakers î Vinyl Icons: ELO’s Out Of The Blue

138 | www.hifi news.co.uk | JUNE 2015 “To say the Continuum S2 comes highly recommended is putting it mildly – this is the kind of amplifier I could happily live with and never feel the need to upgrade ever again” (Alan Sircom – Editor HiFi Plus)

are not created equal.

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‘The GS150 is not only the fi nest sounding but also the most beautiful stereo amplifi er Audio Research has ever built’ - José Victor Henriques, Hi-Fi News & Record Review

Modern retro – that’s the thinking behind the new Audio Research G Three new models lead off the G Series. The GSPre preamplifi er, with Series. It pays tribute to the original designs of company founder William it’s internal tube-powered phono stage and integrated headphone Z. Johnson, while at the same time encapsulating the very latest thinking amplifi er. The powerhouse GS150 stereo power amplifi er, capable of on tube amplifi er design. Welcome siblings to this famous family, sitting 155W per channel and the GSi75 integrated amplifi er, combining many comfortably alongside it’s already legendary Reference range. of the attributes of the preamp and power amp in a single chassis, and delivering 75W per channel. It makes use of an all new output tube, the Tung Sol KT150: from the company responsible for the famous 6550, launched 60 years ago, this For any advice and your nearest Audio Research dealer, ask Absolute new design is destined to fi nd a place throughout the Audio Research range. Sounds...everytime.

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