YBA Design YA201 Integrated Amplifier and YC201 CD Player Chris Martens Finds Himself Listening with His Eyes…As Well As His Ears

Home , Barry Bales, Cheryl Pawelski, Jon Tiven, Simon Hale, Stuart Duncan

IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 164 I SEPTEMBER 2006

100 COVER STORY Meridian 808 Signature Reference CD Player Sue Kraft reviews the new reference model from the company that made the first-ever musical-sounding CD player. Robert Harley comments.

54 Six Overachieving Audio Systems You Can Afford Does high end always mean high-priced? We think not, as these six affordable systems will demonstrate. Chris Martens leads the way.

35 Munich High End 2006 Roy Gregory reports from Germany’s premier audio show.

EQUIPMENT REPORTS

31 Absolute Analog: Pro-Ject RM-9.1 Turntable System A very good turntable just got better—Jim Hannon looks at the latest from Pro-Ject. 67 DALI IKON 6 Loudspeaker Affordable excellence from Denmark. Robert E. Greene reports. 70 A Cable Survey Neil Gader on winning wires from Crystal Cable, Nordost, and TARA Labs. 74 YBA Design YA201 Integrated Amplifier and YC201 CD player Chris Martens finds himself listening with his eyes…as well as his ears. 78 Aerial Acoustics Model 9 Loudspeaker The latest offerings from Michael Kelly delivers the goods. Jacob Heilbrunn reports. 82 Cary Audio CD 306 CD/SACD Player Excellent Super Audio sound from Cary, says Robert Harley. 89 Audio Research 300.2, Classé CA-M400, and McIntosh MC 501 Power Amplifiers Tom Martin ponders why amplifiers are so important.

THE CUTTING EDGE 110 Music-Minded Controllers, Part 3: Attractive Opposites Can multichannel controllers satisfy the music lover the way a good preamp can? Alan Taffel listens to Arcam’s FMJ AV9 and Halcro’s SSP100. 120 MBL 5011 and 6010D Linestage Preamps, 1521A CD Transport, and 1511E DAC Can any solid-state and digital components seduce a pair of grumpy ol’ tube ’n’ analog guys? Jon Valin and Wayne Garcia report.

2 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 132 Pass Labs XA160 and X600.5 Monoblock Power Amplifiers

Anthony H. Cordesman spins a tale of two amplifiers. founder; chairman, editorial advisory board Harry Pearson editor-in-chief Robert Harley VIEWPOINTS editor Wayne Garcia executive editor Jonathan Valin managing and Bob Gendron 6 Letters music editor acquisitions manager Neil Gader 139 Manufacturer Comments and associate editor news editor Chris Martens equipment setup Danny Gonzalez editorial advisory board Sallie Reynolds COLUMNS advisor, cutting edge Atul Kanagat

15 Editorial senior writers John W. Cooledge, Anthony H. Cordesman, Gary Giddins, Robert E. Greene, Fred Kaplan, 16 Industry News Andrew Quint, Paul Seydor, Alan Taffel reviewers and contributing writers 21 Future TAS—New Products on the Horizon Soren Baker, Greg Cahill, Dan Davis, Andy Downing, Jim Hannon, Jacob Heilbrunn, John Higgins, Sue Kraft, Mark Lehman, Ted Libbey, David McGee, Derk 24 START ME UP: Rotel RX-1052 and Richardson, Don Saltzman, Aaron M. Shatzman, Outlaw Audio RR 2150 Stereo Receivers Max Shepherd Rare-bird sightings by Jim Hannon—two stereo receivers that focus on design/production Design Farm, Inc. publisher/editor, AVGuide Chris Martens the music. web producer Ari Koinuma

Absolute Multimedia, Inc. chairman and ceo Thomas B. Martin, Jr. TAS JOURNAL vice president/publisher Mark Fisher advertising reps Cheryl Smith BASIC REPERTOIRE: (512) 891-7775 42 Bluegrass, Part 2 Marvin Lewis, David McGee wraps up his two-part journey through the annals of MTM Sales bluegrass by chronicling bluegrass’ modern manifestations and (718) 225-8803 reprints and e-prints: Jennifer Martin, Wrights recommending the recorded essentials of its new traditions. Reprints, Toll Free: (877) 652-5295, Outside the U.S.: (281) 419-5725, [email protected] subscriptions, renewals, changes of address: Phone (888) 732-1625 (US) or (815) 734-5833 MUSIC (outside US), or write The Absolute Sound, Subscription Services, PO Box 629, Mt Morris, 148 Recording of the Issue IL 61054. Ten issues: in the US, $42; Canada $57 (GST included); outside North America, $67 Theater of Voices/Fretwork: The Cries of London (includes air mail). Payments must be by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express) or US funds drawn on a US bank, with checks payable to 143 Classical Absolute Multimedia, Inc. Reviews of Golijov’s Ainadamar, Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, Foulds’ editorial matters: Address letters to The Editor, The Dynamic Triptych, Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6, a Prokofiev Absolute Sound, PO Box 1768, Tijeras, New Mexico 87059, or e-mail [email protected]. box set, R. Luke DuBois’ Timelapse, Die Walküre on SACD, and two classified advertising: Please use form in back of issue. Everest classics on LP. newsstand distribution and local dealers: Contact IPD, 27500 Riverview Center Blvd., Suite 400, Bonita 153 Jazz Springs, Florida 34134, (239) 949-4450 The scoop on the latest from Patricia Barber, Frank Kimbrough, David publishing matters: Contact Mark Fisher at the address below or e-mail [email protected]. Hazeltine, and Kidd Jordan, plus box sets from Fats Waller, Miles Davis, Publications Mail Agreement 40600599 and John Coltrane, and a new audiophile-grade Nat “King” Cole LP. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Station A / P.O. Box 54 / Windsor, ON N9A 6J5 161 Rock, Etc. E-mail: [email protected] Reviews of more than a dozen new albums and reissues, including the Absolute Multimedia, Inc. 4544 S. Lamar, Bldg. G-300 latest from Tom Petty, Thom Yorke, Frank Black, Comets on Fire, Austin, Texas 78745 phone (512) 892-8682 · fax (512) 891-0375 Sonic Youth, Espers, and Rhymefest as well as box sets on Bob Wills, e-mail [email protected] The Byrds, Gram Parsons, and 50s rockabilly. www.theabsolutesound.com

176 The TAS Back Page Retrospective: The QUAD ESL-57 by Jonathan Valin.

© 2006 Absolute Multimedia, Inc., Issue 164, September 2006. The Absolute Sound (ISSN #0097-1138) is published ten times per year, $42 per year for US residents, Absolute Multimedia, Inc., 4544 S. Lamar, Bldg G300, Austin, Texas 78745. Periodical Postage paid at Austin, Texas, and additional mailing offices. Canadian publication mail account #1551566. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Absolute Sound, Subscription Services, PO Box 629, Mt Morris, IL 61054. Printed in the USA.

4 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 LETTERS

Nielsen’s Folly nuts as Abraxas, Kind of Blue, Revolver, End Theory played back through an While a lot of ink has been spilled over Innervisions, and Are You Experienced?. Audible Illusions preamp, Marsh ampli- Robert Harley’s editorial from Issue BG, Greg Kot, and Soren Baker have fier, and Aerial Acoustic 7Bs. 160, I think far more important issues taken great pains to point this out, but So, what is the answer to this conun- were raised by Bob Gendron’s editorial they write only for the music section— drum? Nielson also hates today’s movies, from Issue 159 and the response in it’s high time the equipment reviewers but permit me to answer the question Issue 160 by Mr. Nielson. Nielson joined the party. with a quote from one (Mo’ Better Blues): excoriated BG for having the temerity Mr. Nielson’s letter proves the cen- “The people don’t come because you to suggest that, to expand the high tral point of Bob Gendron’s editorial: grandiose motherfuckers don’t play shit end’s customer base, product reviewers Too many audiophiles and equipment that they like. If you played the shit that might want to demonstrate that they reviewers dismiss any music recorded they like, then people would come, sim- listen to different kinds of post-70s after the 70s as unworthy of attention ple as that.” music, including hip-hop. (unless, of course, the music was record- Rest in peace, Jay Dee. Nielson did not stop there. He ed by an artist who rose to fame in the CHIDI J. OGENE derided hip-hop as the product of “a 70s). I do not mean to denigrate 70s garbage culture” and lamented that artists: I have, and listen to frequently, all “rich suburban” kids were listening to of the albums (meaning LPs) mentioned Nielsen, Encore it. I’ve waited in vain for someone to above. But, as Gendron correctly points I am writing to you in response to Mr. jump into the fray and set Mr. Nielson out, to attract new hobbyists we have to Nielson letter, which appeared in the straight, but none of The Absolute show them—using examples relevant to latest issue of TAS (161). I met the late Sound’s editors or other subscribers them—how playback over a high-end lamented English DJ John Peel back in seems inclined to do so. Permit me to system would deepen their appreciation 1996 in Hamburg, Germany, while he say a few words. for the music they love (and expand their was shooting a feature called “Autobahn Nielson’s letter certainly was musical horizons, to boot). I speak from Blues” for BBC Channel 4. While in the racist—what exactly is the “garbage cul- experience: The sampled jazz in A Tribe city, he also visited the independent FM ture” he considers to have birthed hip- Called Quest’s records led me to Ron radio station FSK, and then after that, hop? And why is it a particular problem Carter (and thence to Miles Davis), we all went and checked out a live con- that rich suburban kids (read: white) are Freddie Hubbard, Andrew Hill, and cert by the John Spencer Blues listening to that music? But my main Horace Silver. You might say that the Explosion, who were playing that night. beef is his contention that hip-hop is strange alchemy of hip-hop and the high I have been listening to his shows on uncreative “MIDI patch stuck on repeat” end turned me into a jazz-head. But none BFBS and FSK since then. music. To the contrary, today’s avatars of of that would have happened without the Alas, as we all know, John is not hip-hop—such as OutKast, The Roots, epiphany I experienced hearing The Low- with us anymore. But what I learned The Neptunes, and Kanye West, among many others—rely heavily on live instrumentation, drawing from other genres like soul, jazz, funk, and rock to Upcoming in TAS create musical works that are the most exhilarating, and diverse, in today’s popular music. Don’t take my word for it: Our really big 2006 Editors’ Choice List Go and listen to records like Aquemini Ascendo M loudspeaker and Speakerboxx/The Love Below by OutKast, Late Registration by Kanye Rega Apollo CD player West, Do You Want More??? or Things Fall Apart by The Roots, or The Low End Paradigm Reference Signature S8 loudspeaker Theory by A Tribe Called Quest. All of these albums are destined to ascend to Arcam FMJ CD 36 and C 31 preamp the pantheon of great recorded music of the last century, and will take their Vienna Acoustics Beethoven loudspeaker rightful place besides such hoary chest-

6 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 LETTERS

from this most gracious and generous of the most celebrated improvisational acts behind these Japanese mini-LP CDs? Do human beings is that just because you of all time, depended upon a MIDI you have any info? Are they considered to don’t like other people’s taste in music or patch stuck on repeat? be audiophile-quality recordings or just a a particular genre that they’re into does BTW, MIDI (musical instrument marketing ploy? The artwork and pack- not mean that that music or that genre is digital interface) is not synonymous with aging seem to be very nice (much better worthless and that you should immedi- looping. It’s just another tool in the cre- than the norm), but what about the actu- ately dismiss them. As Peel himself once ative palette, allowing string players to al music on the CD? said: “The worst snob is the music snob!” explore flute sounds, turn tom-toms into WILLIAM CHILDRESS I am not into hip-hop myself, but I tympanis, keyboards into brass sections, am pretty sure that I have more adven- etc. If Mozart were alive today he might turous taste in music than Mr. Nielson. very well utilize MIDI technology to More Exotics, Please He considers hip-hop to be “garbage audition parts and conceptual voicing in I’ve been a long-time reader of both music from a garbage culture that glori- a non-destructive environment. Stereophile and TAS. I’ve always been fas- fies gangs.” I remember Peel playing The guy keeps referring to garbage. cinated by “exotic” speaker technology, quite a lot of early Fugees records when Perhaps before passing judgment, he having gone through Infinity EMIT, they were still hot. should first look to his own uniformed, ESS Heil AMT, Apogee ribbons (Slant 6, Bob Gendron is the only writer in ignorant, arrogant, useless opinion. Stage), Quad 988, Elac AMT, Elac the field (hi-fi or even music journals, Keep fighting. Ribbon supertweeters, and Piega for that matter) that I identify with and COLIE BRICE Ribbon Coax mid/tweeters. can relate to. The records he reviews are MOBILE FIDELITY How about a discussion and compar- always of great interest to me. Proof? ison reviews of some exotics? Just listen to the latest record by Edith KEITH Frost, It’s a Game. Obi, Anyone? What also makes my day is when I see I am an avid reader of the magazine and great underground records reviewed in thoroughly enjoy it. Bravo on adding a Get Off the Couch! TAS, like Animal Collective’s latest, feels. few more issues per year. I have been col- To me at least, an absolute sound must Mr. Nielson mentions Neil Young’s lecting CDs for the last 20 years. have the ability to reach out and touch Prairie Wind as an example of great Though I have auditioned SACD, my me physically. Nature has programmed music. Sure...an artist whose best work is collection is too vast to replace, thus I in us the need to feel the presence of real- behind him. For a younger generation of soldier on with CDs. In addition to the ity. I suspect that stereo components are music enthusiasts at least, he has nothing standard record store stuff, I seek out one bearer of this role. Secondly, the emo- interesting to say anymore, except of higher-quality CDs whenever tional part of this reality comes from the course...nostalgia. While one can surely possible—DCC Gold, Sony Mastersound, musical performance and the recording enjoy an artist like Young, I can also rec- MFSL, Rhino Handmade, Reference from the hands of the engineer. Certainly, ommend to you, Mr. Nielson, the work Recording, etc. the microphones are a hindrance to cap- of Eric Clapton in the 90s. The most bor- My question concerns the remasters turing the absolute sound, but the HP ing of all artists, no doubt! ( I am sure coming out of Japan, the so-called “obi” list, especially the LP selection, do convey that Peel would agree on this one!) mini-LPs. Very little information is on the joy we witness in a live concert. ROGER RAHAL the Net about them (other than that At times we are aware of a certain they are “collectable” and usually marked constriction of the sound waves at the 200% to 300% above usual CD edge of the frequency range or the smear- Nielsen’s Third markup). I have bought a few, and do ing of the images on the stage. Here we I just read [Mr. Nielson’s] letter. What a notice differences. Primarily they seem experience the problems of an absolute pompous, arrogant ass! It’s precisely this to be remastered at a higher volume. sound without the natural blending of elitism that suffocates the high-end Some CDs such as Santana seem to be a dimensionality of a live event. industry and repels would-be audiophiles. bit clearer, less veiled, more airy around Of course the absolute sound does Generally blanket statements are the instruments; however, I also notice a exist. Just get off the couch and go to a indicative of profound ignorance; this bit too much clinical scrubbing to the concert. I am sure exposure to a live con- reader’s letter is no exception. Like any voices; they almost seem to loose some cert will help the readers appreciate the genres, hip-hop, jam rock, electronica, of their harmonic cohesion and warmth. essays written in TAS; the magazine is etc. have their own prodigies and Aside from the fact that they are a dif- pushing for a better reality. poseurs. Since when has Phish, one of ferent remastering job, what is the story MORGAN HEW

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 11 LETTERS

SACDs via the Web The demise of the independent music stores, combined with large national stores as the primary source for purchasing recorded music, has severely limited the choices of music available. The selection of titles at these national retail stores is primarily limited to a handful of “best sellers.” I now buy my music online at large music stores, such as Tower Records, and small music specialty stores, such as The Elusive Disc. The advent of the CD in the early 1980s prompted me and a multitude of other music lovers to replace our existing vinyl records with the CD versions. The advent of the MP3 player and the ease of down- loading music, legally or illegally, have resulted in a significant negative impact on the recorded music industry, as well as on consumers who enjoy listening to music played back at a higher resolution than the MP3 format. The SACD format, especially when the music is recorded in multichannel using DSD recording, is astounding. The DVD-A format also provides excellent audio reproduction but is encumbered by a lack of ease of use. The high-resolution audio formats are destined to be only a niche product for yup- pies who enjoy classical and jazz music unless a method for increasing the variety of albums is devised. I’d like to propose a method of buying specific albums previously released on CD, which are re-mastered and then re-issued in the SACD/CD format, as well as obtaining current releases in the SACD/CD format, ideally including multichannel versions. This service would hopefully be available from all record company labels through a spec- ified Web store. An individual would list an album that he wished to purchase at a preset price. When enough individuals committed to purchasing the album to make its release profitable for the record label, the album would then be manufactured. Hoping that the new high-definition video formats will also provide a universally accepted platform for high-resolution audio reproduction is foolhardy. CORY COOKINGHAM

12 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 LETTERS

Realism Roundtable find the writing to be out of character I enjoyed reading your roundtable dis- with the rest of the magazine. It smells cussion on the realism of sound repro- a bit of advertising rather than opinion. duction. When reading it a second time, (Is the text submitted by the manufac- I realized that the only issues mentioned turer?) I derive little value from it. related to: 1) speakers; 2) recording; and I note that TAS will review the 3) room. Olive Music Server in an upcoming I can’t agree more, even if I would edition. [Issue 163, in fact.—Ed.] I put speakers in third position. It’s a big suspect products like this will hold sig- relief to see that all the analog/digital, nificant marketshare in five years, and cable, power cords, etc. issues didn’t whatever extra attention might be come up. They only offer a different col- given to this technology and its appli- oring of the sound, but don’t influence cation is appreciated. Perhaps it is too realism as much as the above. late, but it would be helpful if the You might continue with a discus- review would provide some informa- sion of how relevant sonic realism is in tion on Codec Lossless compression and the first place, as most of today’s record- other lossless music-storage options. ings are artificially constructed in the For example, are the formats equal to a studio. As the studios don’t supply the common CD? Do they manage 24/96 details of the recording, no one has a clue or other “denser” signals well? How how it should sound. Hence the realism can one rip a CD to Codec? (I spent a debate comes down to the live recording little time seeking info and download- of real instruments in a real space. ing a Codec program on the Web, but Keep up the great work. I haven’t been able to make it work.) ANDREAS What are good music-storage programs? As some better for classical music? Maybe it would not be too late Basic Repertoire Is Great! for a sidebar addressing these types of I want to congratulate you and your questions or even a semi-regular col- editorial team for publishing your Basic umn on the subject. Repertoire columns. It is exactly these HANS SHRADER articles, which provide an excellent short history of composers and their music, as well as a comparative discog- Congrats! raphy, that distinguishes TAS from Congratulations on your latest issue! other publications and keeps it tied to From Jonathan Valin’s outstanding its venerable roots. Where else can you review of the MAGICO Mini—sounds read about two important twentieth- to me like it’s more than worth its ask- century musicians in one edition and ing price—to HP’s special edition and African musicians and their music in extra long Workshop (oh, how I long to another. How about something on hear that E.A.R. turntable!), to budget 1960 Latin jazz, or Bartók and his peers items like the Music Hall, Epos, NHT, in an upcoming edition? While I sus- and NAD, to your continued analog cov- pect that there are many interests com- erage, to new items like the Olive server, peting for space in TAS, if I might you guys are clicking on all cylinders! voice one music lover’s opinion: more, But perhaps most of all, I appreciate more, more articles on musicians, their your great music overage. Love the on- music, and the recordings. going “Basic Repertoire” series, as a jazz As long as I am writing, I do have fan, the latest on Free-Jazz Guitar was other opinions: I find Future TAS out of most welcome, and each issue helps me place. Even though Barry Willis is linked to discover all kinds of new recordings. to the column (as writer or organizer?), I JIM JAMESON

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 13 editorial

Are Audiophiles Really Music Lovers?

Wayne Garcia

his question has probably been around ever Wilco, or Monk, or my current bender, 20th-century classi- since the term “audiophile” was coined, cal, I plunge in head first), I get bored to tears listening to but it’s one that deserves re-asking every the same tracks all the time. And here I must add this: now and again. Before I chime in, howev- When I sit down to listen to music I typically (though as er, I’m not going to claim that there’s a time dictates not always) play entire albums, not just a few right or wrong answer, or even just one well-worn tracks. I’m astonished when reviewers write single answer (though naturally I have my things like, “Over the XYZ speaker system, the music own rather opinionated point of view). sounded so good I listened to the entire album!” Wow. What I can do is share what I’ve observed Really? Sorry, but I just don’t get it. Did Richard Strauss over the past 30 odd years in this hobby really have nothing left to say after the opening fanfare of (first in high-end audio retailing and for the past dozen or Also Sprach Zarathustra? Are we so quickly bored that we Tso on the publishing side), what writers and readers of this need to lift the tonearm or push the stop button as soon as and other audio magazines seem to be listening to, what I we’ve had our jollies? Are we listening to music or our stere- hear manufacturers demo-ing their gear with at shows, and os? The answer, of course, is both—that’s why we’re audiophiles. what I know about dealer showrooms. And based on these Now, I’m all too aware that evaluating new components collective observations I’d say that some audiophiles are true means having a benchmark to gauge with, and at some point music lovers, with a wide, eclectic, and limitless thirst for in the process it’s not only natural but necessary to pull out new musical discoveries, and record collections that reflect shopworn favorites. The trap for reviewers, though, is that we their musically adventurous nature, where sound quality is not only risk boring ourselves, we risk boring our readers. And important but a distant runner up to musical content. Some citing the same limited number of discs review after review audiophiles are sound lovers, with audiophile “approved” tends to make them all read the same. I don’t think I’m alone record collections built from the received wisdom of this in saying that my eyes start to glaze over when I see certain and other publications, where musical content is relegated warhorse titles listed in a review. (I’m sure you can easily write to a secondary consideration. Some audiophiles are equip- your own list.) Oh, I’m guilty, too. If not of listing audiophile ment lovers, with limited record collections based almost clichés then at the very least of relying a little too heavily on solely on audiophile label releases. Here, sonic thrills take recordings I’ve listed in previous reviews. So I’m challenging total precedence over the music. But I think most audio- not only my colleagues but also myself when I say, get thee to philes fall into another category that I would call limited the record store, discover some new treasures, and use them in music lovers—people who listen to the same stuff, much of future audio reviews. it what they loved when they were growing up, over and And where to find them? In this regard, I’m especially over and over again (with the enthusiastic support of the proud of our upfront music features and back of the book audiophile reissue labels, that never seem to tire of reissuing music section, which typically runs a richly informative 18 their reissues over and over and over again). To my way of pages. Under the guidance of our managing and music editor thinking this seems backasswards. Presumably (though I Bob Gendron, our staff reviews any number of discs in the could be wrong), the majority of us got into this hobby classical, pop, and jazz fields that intrigue me. From each sec- because we love music, and presumably (though here I’m tion I make a list of the titles that seem of particular interest, almost certainly wrong) it’s the constant discovery of new and regularly purchase from it. This is partially because as music that keeps us in this hobby and helps to keep it, and TAS editor I feel the need to stay informed, but it’s mainly us, fresh. As an equipment reviewer, even though I’m a self- because I’m one of those guys who have an insatiable thirst for confessed serial-binger (when I get into something, say, new musical pleasures.

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 15 industry news

Chris Martens Down the Tubes: Leading Tube Manufacturer Threatened by Russian “Racketeers?”

n the period between mid-May and early In fall of 2005, R.B.E. offered factory building that ExpoPUL occupies. I June, 2006, both The New York Times and Matthews $400,000 for his company—an Kramer reports that “R.B.E.’s director in NBC News began covering an emerging offer that Matthews, for obvious business Saratov, Vitaly V. Borin, said he wanted to news story whose implications are of fun- reasons, politely declined. Since then, buy (the ExpoPUL) factory for the damental concern to all who prize vacu- R.B.E. has stepped up pressure on building it occupies and then sell it to um-tube-powered audio equipment. Matthews to sell, both through legal an unidentified investor.” Reinforcing Specifically, the story involves the poten- means and, Matthews alleges, otherwise. this idea, Mendenhall says that, to tial hostile takeover by Russian Business One problem is that, as Andrew Kramer R.B.E., “the (ExpoPUL) factory and its Estates (R.B.E.) of the Saratov, Russia- of The New York Times notes, “just near production capabilities represent a based tube manufacturer ExpoPUL—a ExpoPUL is a factory that makes electron- prime piece of real estate.” company that reportedly supplies more ic components for military hardware.” If the takeover occurs, ExpoPUL’s new than two-thirds of all vacuum tubes used Apparently, if Matthews does not agree to owners would likely shut down all tube- in musical/audio applications worldwide. sell, R.B.E. may try to invoke a Russian manufacturing operations, and re-sell the ExpoPUL builds the popular Sovtek- Federal Security Service (or F.S.B., succes- property. If this happens, not only would brand vacuum tubes now featured as stan- sor to the K.G.B.) regulation which stip- specialized tube-manufacturing processes dard equipment in multiple musical ulates that a military factory cannot exist and equipment be lost, so would the price- instrument amplifiers and high-end audio beside a company with foreign capital. less expertise of ExpoPUL’s 930 employ- products. Sovtek’s OEM customer list Matthews said in an interview with ees—some of whom have been in the tube- includes high-end audio companies such Preston Mendenhall of NBC News that, making business for more than 30 years. as Antique Sound Labs, Atma-Sphere, apart from actions threatened through The outcome of the issue is not yet Audio Note, Audio Research Corpor- F.S.B. regulations, agents presumably act- settled, but representatives of three of ation, Cary Audio, Manley Laboratories, ing on behalf of R.B.E. had “used jack- Matthews’ largest long-term clients— Melos, Muse, Pathos, Rogue Audio, Viva, hammers to stir up dust in the facility” Fender, Korg, and Peavey—have written Unison, VTL, and more. (which requires clean-room-like condi- to the Russian government on Expo- Today, ExpoPUL is owned by tions for precision tube assembly), had PUL/Sovtek’s behalf. American Mike Matthews, 64, who is per- shut down the elevator used for removing For additional information, see haps best known among musicians as the toxic waste materials from the plant, and Andrew E. Kramer’s article “From Russia, designer of many of the classic Electro had illegally shut down electricity to the With Dread,” which appeared on May 16, Harmonix-brand sound-effects boxes used factory. For these and other reasons, 2006, in the International Business sec- by guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Matthew’s characterizes the would-be tion of The New York Times. See also Page, and Carlos Santana. Like many TAS buyers of his company as “racketeers.” Preston Mendenhall’s article and video- readers, Matthews appreciates the warmth Of particular concern is the suggestion taped interview “On the Volga, key to and harmonic richness that tubes afford, so that R.B.E. seeks ExpoPUL, not to assume rock ’n’ roll sound faces ax,” which was in 1999 he acquired ExpoPUL, partly control of tube-manufacturing operations, updated on June 6, 2006, and is archived because of the strong niche business but to acquire and then re-sell the land and on the MSNBC Web site. opportunity the firm represented, and partly to ensure a long-term source of high-quality tubes. Over the past eight Audyssey’s Audiophile-Grade years under Matthews’ guidance Expo- PUL’s production has quadrupled and its Room EQ System: Fuzzy Logic workforce has doubled, with the firm now selling approximately $600,000 of tubes for Clearer Sound? per month. ExpoPUL would be a happy audio success story had not the threatened n May 30, 2006, Los Angeles, California-based Audyssey Laboratories R.B.E. takeover appeared on the horizon. Oannounced the Audyssey Sound Equalizer and Audyssey MultiEQ Pro software

16 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 package—a room-equalization system that could have signifi- greater-than-$5M research program conducted at the cant implications for audiophiles. In an interview with TAS, Immersive Audio Laboratory within the USC Integrated company co-founder Dr. Chris Kyriakakis (Associate Professor Media Systems Center. A central objective of the research proof Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California) gram was to develop a comprehensive understanding of the explained that while the Audyssey system is targeted primari- negative effects of room acoustics on sound reproduction, and ly toward high-end home-theater and multichannel-music then to address those negative effects. enthusiasts, it offers clarity and resolution sufficient to satisfy The resulting system uses MultiEQ Pro software and a audio purists (e.g., users of systems based on low-powered SET calibrated microphone/mic preamp to take elaborate, in-room, amplifiers and high-sensitivity loudspeakers). While room EQ channel-by-channel measurements of time/frequency response systems, per se, are nothing new, the radical Audyssey system characteristics from up to 32 different listening positions. breaks new ground both in terms of the technologies it applies Then, MultiEQ Pro applies advanced proprietary “fuzzy logic” and of the end results it aims to achieve in the listening room. techniques to calculate custom, 1024-point EQ correction pro- Unlike other EQ systems, the Audyssey Sound Equalizer grams for each speaker in the system—programs that offer corrects both for time and frequency-response problems with much more precise equalization than competing graphic or remarkable precision, creating correction programs that pro- parametric EQ systems. Correction programs, in turn, are vide a whopping 1024 correction points per speaker. What is downloaded into the powerful, DSP-driven Audyssey Sound more, the system provides correction not just for one central Equalizer, which is inserted in the signal path between pre- “sweet spot,” but for every listening position in the room. If amps (or multichannel controllers) and power amplifiers. that claim sounds far-fetched, it helps to know that the Having briefly auditioned the Audyssey EQ system in two Audyssey system was born out of an intensive five-year, different settings, we can offer some preliminary observations

18 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 on its performance. First, the system works as advertised, $2500, and must be installed by the dealer (or a custom smoothing tonal balance and improving frequency-response installer). Installation/set-up fees, if any, are determined by the accuracy across multiple listening locations. But beyond these dealer. Once installations are complete, dealers provide clients changes, two of the system’s most striking effects are improved with a detailed set of before/after response graphs to document image localization and significantly improved soundstaging. the beneficial effects of the EQ system. Systems can be cali- Second, the system gives positive results in systems based both brated for maximally flat frequency response, or given some on mid-tier and on higher-performance equipment. degree of response-curve shaping to suit users’ tastes. A com- Nevertheless, we found the system’s effects seemed clearer and plete set of each client’s system-correction programs are stored easier to appreciate when heard through better-quality speak- on a server at Audyssey Labs so that, in the event of an acci- ers and electronics. While the Audyssey EQ system helps mid- dent, the programs could be re-installed at a later date. grade components sound their best, it cannot and does not Audyssey Labs was founded in 2002 by Prof. Kyriakakis turn sonic sows’ ears into silk purses. Third, the system com- (co-founder and now director of USC’s Immersive Audio pensates for many, though not all, room problems such as “hot Laboratory), Prof. Tomlinson Holman (Professor of Film spots” or “dead zones.” Wisely, Audyssey limits the amount of Sound at the USC School of Cinema & Television, co- boost that can be applied at any one of its 1024 correction founder of the USC Immersive Audio Laboratory, developer points per speaker to a maximum of 9dB. Audyssey CEO of the THX system, and designer of the classic Apt/Holman Michael Solomon points out that the Audyssey system is best stereo preamplifier), Dr. Sunil Bharitkar (DSP specialist and used in conjunction with, and not as a substitute for, high- lead researcher behind the Audyssey system), and Philip quality room-acoustic treatments. Hilmes (a systems-engineering specialist formerly associated The eight-channel Audyssey Sound Equalizer sells for with DirecTV). &

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 19 new products on the horizon

chris martens Onkyo A-9555 Digital Integrated Amplifier and DX-7555 CD Player For those adept at reading between the lines, the opening sentence of Onkyo’s press release says a mouthful: “In a break with the consumer electronics industry’s long-standing infatuation with multichannel audio, Onkyo has introduced a high-end two-channel digital integrated amplifier and a CD player.” Onkyo says its $699, 100Wpc A-9555 integrated amplifier offers “a unique implementation of hybrid class ‘D’ amplification,” termed VL Digital, which will eventually appear in many more Onkyo products. The A-9555 features seven stereo inputs, including a high-quality phonostage with “discrete RIAA equalization.” The $599 DX-7555 CD player features a “super-precision clock circuit” with tolerances of ±1.5ppm. Interestingly, users can even manually adjust the clock frequency “for a degree of sonic imaging control.” The DX-7555 incorporates a Wolfson DAC circuit with user-selectable profiles for Sharp (flat to 20kHz) or Slow (gradual high-frequency roll-off) response curves. onkyousa.com

Usher Audio V-Series Loudspeakers We suspect Usher Audio’s new V-Series speakers will enhance the company’s already strong reputation for delivering excellent value for money. Usher USA’s Stan Tract says the V-models were designed for two-channel and home-theater applications, incorporating “the same caliber drivers as in (Usher’s higher-priced) 6-Series” speakers. V-models feature solid wood veneer finishes, but also are “front-slot-ported to allow for in-cabinet installation.” Models include the V-601 monitor ($700/pair), V-602 and V-604 floorstanders ($1040 and $1480/pair, respectively), and the V-603 L/C/R speaker ($620 each). True story: At a recent hi-fi show, Usher played the V-601s alongside its $14,400/pair BE10 floorstanders, accidentally leaving a “Now Playing” placard atop the BE10s. No one caught the discrepancy until an Usher representative figured things out and moved the placard to the small monitors. When he did, gasps of astonishment could be heard from the audience. It’s a good sign when $700 speakers get mistaken for models twenty times their price. usheraudio.com

Oppo Digital DV-970 HD Universal Player For the unimposing sum of $149 Oppo Digital offers its DV-970 HD universal player, which plays DVD-Audio/Video, SACD, HDCD, CD, DivX, and Kodak Picture CDs. It also provides an HDMI interface and supports HD video upconver- sion to 720p/1080i. Impressive though these features are, they would mean nothing to most TAS readers but for one simple fact: This little player sounds astonishingly good for the money (so say audio-oriented colleagues at our sister magazine, The Perfect Vision). Is the Oppo a world beater? No. Will it leave listeners shaking their head in happy disbelief? Yes. If you’ve not yet listened to high-resolution digital audio in DVD-Audio or SACD formats, the DVD-970 HD gives you a remarkably inexpensive way to get in the game. The only hitch is that you’ll soon discover the Oppo needs (and deserves) high-quality interconnect cables likely to cost more than the player does. Deal with it. oppodigital.com

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 21 Valve Audio Predator Hybrid Integrated Amplifier From Doornpoort, South Africa come Valve Audio products, which are distributed in this country through Music Direct. Valve Audio was founded in 1994 by Schalk Havenga, who cites an in-depth discussion with Jeff Rowland (of Jeff Rowland Design Group) as a source of inspiration that led him to launch the company. Valve Audio specializes in hybrid tube/solid-state, “best of both worlds” amplifiers. A perfect example would be Valve’s new $3000 200Wpc Predator hybrid integrated amplifier. The Predator is a “true dual-mono design” (only a transformer is shared between the two channels) based on “four Sovtek 6922 dual-triode tubes, plate-loaded directly to four pairs of new generation MOSFET transistors.” The result, Valve says, is an amplifier that delivers “fast-paced timing, solid bass, and natural tonality.” The Predator provides three RCA inputs, one XLR input, and an RCA tape loop. valveaudio.co.za

Naim Audio and NetStreams Create NaimNet—a High-End, Network-Enabled, Multiroom Audio System The British firm Naim Audio is well respected for its purist audio components, while Austin, Texas-based NetStreams has been making waves with its StreamNet distributed audio/video system, which sends uncompressed digital audio signals via local networks to any room in the house (or even to remote locations). Joining forces, the firms have created NaimNet, one of the most performance- oriented multiroom audio systems yet offered. NaimNet components are built by Naim and adhere to Naim sound-quality standards, but embed NetStreams’ network interface, data transport, and system control technologies. NaimNet-enabled components include four different NaimNet music servers (including the two-box, audiophile-oriented NS REF server), the NNT01 DAB/FM four-zone tuner, the NNC01 multi-input preamplifier and room player, the NNP01 room amplifier, and the NNP01 concealed room amplifier. Assemble these components under the guidance of a qualified installer, and you’ll have a multiroom audio system even audiophiles can embrace. naimusa.com

Canton Vento Reference 1 DC Loudspeaker Standing 56.3" tall, and weighing 194 pounds, the five-driver, 3-1/2-way Vento Reference 1 DC floorstander is the “largest, most accurate, and best performing loudspeaker” the German firm Canton has built. The speaker’s more-than-1"-thick, curved sidewalls are constructed of seven layers of fiberboard pressure-laminated to form a “monocoque structure.” Inside, the cabinet is divided into four isolated chambers, the largest of which forms a bottom- vented bass-reflex enclosure for two long-throw 12" aluminum woofers. Higher up, a pair of 7" midrange drivers flanks a single ADT-25 aluminum-manganese tweeter. The lower midrange driver operates from 180Hz to 3kHz, while the upper driver covers only the range from 180 to 400Hz, to “supplement output in the demanding midbass range.” Canton’s engineering head Frank Göbl says the $30,000 speaker “is intended as a definitive statement—the ultimate expression of Canton’s design philosophy and manufacturing capabilities.” canton.de

22 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 start me up

Rotel RX-1052 and Outlaw Audio RR 2150 Stereo Receivers

Jim Hannon All but forgotten in the age of the audio/video receiver, two stereo-only models focus on the music

Over the past several decades, Rotel has gained a solid reputation among audiophiles for good- sounding gear that’s reasonably priced, and the $899 RX-1052 definitely fits this mold. It is an interesting synthesis of the “tried and true” and the “new.” This stereo receiver employs proven techniques to produce better sound, like using good internal parts and external binding posts, and a beefy, custom multichannel AVRs toroidal transformer mated with high- took off and the venerable stereo receiver quality storage capacitors. Pick this practically disappeared from sight. When unit up and you’ll realize you’re not uring the audio boom peri- I was asked to review a couple of new dealing with a lightweight. Appealing od of the late 1960s and receivers from Rotel and Outlaw specifi- to analog lovers, Rotel includes a decent 70s it was quite common cally designed for two-channel applica- moving-magnet phonostage, so there’s to see stereo receivers, not tions, I thought, “Are these guys nuts?” no need to add an external phonostage if D only as part of dorm-room Both Rotel and Outlaw Audio may you want to spin vinyl. systems but also in more sophisticated be crazy like foxes. Rotel recognizes that As for the new, the Rotel can dis- and costly setups. The audio shops of the many audiophiles and music enthusiasts tribute audio and composite video to day, often located outside the gates of prefer stereo sound for their serious lis- four rooms or different locales in and local colleges, moved these audio equiv- tening (and rightly so). For its part, around your house, but you’ll need to alents of a Swiss army knife like hot- Outlaw Audio suggests that although add amplifiers to power the other three cakes, and GIs were able to buy hulking millions of AVRs have been sold, only a pairs of loudspeakers. What’s very slick receivers made in Japan for ridiculously small percentage of households use more is that each “zone” has independent low prices. While most of these flashy than two speakers. I can’t verify this source selection and volume adjustment, receivers suffered sonically compared to claim, but with the explosive growth of so you can play jazz in one room from a their separate counterparts, they made it two-channel digital sources like the iPod, CD while others listen to vinyl or the very easy for many music enthusiasts to a high-quality stereo receiver makes a lot radio in different rooms, or switch to jump on the audio bandwagon. That’s of sense from both a practical and sonic “Party Mode” and play the same source how I got my start in this hobby. The standpoint. Indeed, what sets these two throughout the house. While I consider market’s enthusiasm for receivers waned receivers apart from most AVRs is the the basic video capability a bonus con- in the 1980s and early 90s, and with the quality of their sound, and that is the pri- venience feature in a stereo receiver that advent of home-theater systems, sales of mary focus of this comparison. sounds this good, some videophiles will

24 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 Outlaw also has a separate subwoofer output along with analog bass management to help integrate satellite speakers with a sub. (I never expected to see this in a stereo receiver.) While both the Rotel and Outlaw have good moving-magnet phonostages, the Outlaw can also drive moderately-low-output mov- be disappointed that the Rotel is limit- listening and recording, balance con- ing-coils, like my Koetsu. In contrast to ed to composite-video switching. trols, and headphone jacks. the Rotel, the Outlaw sports an external The first thing you’ll notice about Despite its retro looks, the Outlaw processor loop, a headphone jack with a the Outlaw is its unique industrial Audio RR2150 is a thoroughly modern level control, and preamplifier and ampli- design, reminiscent of a large art-deco design. While it lacks the whole-house fier stages that can easily be decoupled to table radio. It has a thick, multilayered audio-video functionality of the Rotel, allow use with other electronics. front panel and its customized knobs the Outlaw outpoints its more expensive Since Outlaw Audio’s products are and controls all have a solid feel. For its rival on a bunch of other features. It only available factory-direct, they can be $599 price I would have expected the allows easy connections to an iPod or sold for less than if they went through a Outlaw to deliver around 60 watts per other MP3 player via its 3.5mm front- distribution channel. For some, the sub- channel, but like the Rotel it’s rated at panel AUX input, or streaming audio stantial cost savings will be worth the 100Wpc, which is sufficient to drive from a computer via a USB connector on tradeoff of not having a dealer nearby. But most loudspeakers you’re likely to throw the rear. The “RetroReceiver” almost although the Outlaw provides a boatload at it. Both receivers have AM/FM begs you to hook up your iPod and com- of features at a modest price, how does its tuners, independent source selection for puter to step up your sound quality. The sound stack up against the Rotel?

26 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 Comparing these two receivers may ment (and many far beyond), these On phono, while the Outlaw had seem a bit unfair, like a welterweight receivers do not sound electronic, enough gain to drive my Koetsu quietly, fighting a middleweight. For many, a bright, flat, or anemic. Yes, each can lose this combo had enough warmth to melt $300 savings can mean the difference its composure on some dynamic peaks, ice. However, the Outlaw really seemed between being able to afford an audio but so do several more-costly units. to come into its own with the higher- component or not. Yet the Outlaw is Each of these receivers reproduces output Sumiko Blackbird cartridge. good enough to move up in weight class massed strings and voices more natural- Compared to the Rotel, the Outlaw had and compete toe-to-toe with the Rotel. ly than most integrated amplifiers in a fuller, richer sound from the lower The Outlaw’s sound is smooth, big and this price class, and you can listen to midrange down, but the Rotel was supe- bold, dimensional, and engaging, either for hours without feeling like a rior from the midrange through the whereas the Rotel’s is more refined, neu- dentist is taking a drill to your ears. The highs. Cymbals had more shimmer and I tral, and detailed, with better pace, Outlaw’s harmonic richness at times had preferred some of my favorite female rhythm, and timing. me thinking I was listening to tubes, singers, like Ella Fitzgerald or Mirella Yet, despite these differences, these but this smoothness comes at the Freni, on the Rotel. Still, it was pretty units have a lot in common musically. I expense of blunting the leading edges of close. Both of these phonostages easily tried them with the Eben X-3 speakers, transients on instruments like piano and outpoint many of the inexpensive sepa- which cost over $17,000, and was sur- drums. This is much better, in my opin- rate phonostages I’ve auditioned. prised at how musical they sounded. ion, than the lean, hard sound one often While the Outlaw’s tuner has slight- While neither receiver is reference qual- hears with modestly priced transistor ly better specs, which may make a dif- ity, each possesses sonic attributes asso- gear. It also masks some of the faults of ference if you live in the boondocks, the ciated with high-end gear. Both have many less expensive sources and speak- tuner competition was essentially a reasonable dynamic range, with good ers. The Rotel is more neutral and trans- draw, with both units performing well timbre, detail, and imaging. In stark parent, and has slightly less distortion and sucking in my favorite regional sta- contrast to most AVRs in this price seg- than the Outlaw on dynamic peaks. tions. Substituting a better antenna

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 27 arguably makes more of a difference and stable with the Rotel, and its audible transformer hum if I left it on than can be found between these two better pace, rhythm, and transient for awhile with no music playing, tuner sections. Voices were natural, speed produces a different brand of rather than in standby mode. However, without excess sibilance, and I found excitement. While I found my toes after inserting a Chang Lightspeed myself enjoying the wide range of reper- tapping more with the Rotel, you power conditioner, the problem disap- toire offered on the FM dial. But those may prefer the somewhat bigger pres- peared and hasn’t returned. Better still, blasted commercials made me seriously entation of the Outlaw. there was less grain and blacker back- think about a satellite subscription. I would be remiss if I did not grounds when both receivers were Soundstaging is likely to be an report my first Outlaw review sample, plugged into the Chang. area of disagreement among those an early production unit, failed after a The Outlaw Audio RR-2150 and moving into the hobby. Both week, but no harm was done to the the Rotel RX-1052 are attractive and receivers spread the soundstage nicely speakers. Unfortunately, it took several compelling entry points for all those between the speakers, but the Outlaw months to get another unit as the pro- who desire musically engaging sound throws the image somewhat forward duction issues had to be resolved and at a modest price; both prove that which creates the sensation of more demand for the unit was high. The sec- stereo receivers can be viable for critical depth. Although instruments and ond unit has performed flawlessly. For listening. Their overall sonic perform- voices are somewhat “supersized” by those of us who must get their hands ance is much better than the AVRs I’ve the Outlaw, the presentation is more on new audio components as soon as heard in this price class, and their dramatic, particularly when coupled they start to ship, my advice is that it flaws, compared with far more costly with its richer lower registers. I can often pays to wait a few months. And separates, are typically sins of omission. see many saying, “Yeah, baby!” wait I did. The Rotel was not without The Outlaw Audio’s broad feature set However, images are more accurate fault either. It occasionally had an seems more “in tune” with today’s dig-

28 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 ital lifestyle; yet, for whole-house audio appreciate what a great bargain it is. Its and basic video the Rotel is the answer. appealing warmth and larger-than-life Although the Outlaw has suffered sound may just knock you out. Those SPECIFICATIONS slightly in this comparison to the more listeners who demand a more neutral Rotel RX-1052 refined sound of the Rotel, make no balance with slightly better detail, Power output: 100 watts per channel into mistake—the RetroReceiver is compet- transparency, and transient quickness, 8 ohms itive with some of the best integrated will dig a bit deeper into their wallets Audio only inputs: Phono (MM), CD, tape, amplifiers I’ve auditioned at its price, and spring for the Rotel. Either way, and tuner (internal) like the NAD C 352. When you con- it’s really good to discover a couple of A/V inputs: Four audio and composite sider that the Outlaw has a tuner, stereo receivers that are legitimate video for A/V sources phonostage, bass-management func- entries into the world of high-perform- Dimensions: 17" x 4 .5" x 14.25" tionality, and more power, you begin to ance audio. & Weight: 30.4 lbs.

Outlaw Audio RR 2150 MANUFACTURER INFORMATION Power output: 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms ROTEL OF AMERICA OUTLAW AUDIO Audio inputs: Phono (MM/MC), video, CD, 54 Concord Street P.O. Box 975 tape, external processor loop, 3.5 mm North Reading, Massachusetts 01864 Easton, Massachusetts 02334 aux, 1 USB input, tuner (internal) (978) 664-3820 (866) 688-5297 Dimensions: 17.1" x 5.75" x 15" rotel.com outlawaudio.com Weight: 27 lbs. Price: $899 Price: $599

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 29 absolute analog

Pro-Ject RM-9.1 Turntable System

Jim Hannon A very good turntable just got better— a look at the latest from Pro-Ject

everal years ago processing are changed to insure that I purchased a the plinth will not break due to the Kiseki Purple extra weight of the steel Heart Sapphire plate. These differ- S cartridge (then ences are said to distributed by Sumiko) from for- reduce noise, resulting mer Bay Area audio retailer dB in blacker backgrounds Audio. Its set-up guy, John and better bass articula- Hunter, mounted the Kiseki on tion and extension. Due my SOTA Star and ETII rig, and to improvements in the then recommended that I leave it fabrication and painting with him for 24 hours so he could processes, the fit and fin- run the cartridge in, allow it to ish of this new version settle, and then make final adjust- makes it look like a more expen- ments. Hunter’s setup was so good sive ’table, too. Unfortunately, that I didn’t make any changes to it these revisions are not available as for a few years. Now John Hunter is upgrades for current RM-9 owners, Sumiko’s President, and he has assem- but stay tuned—there are others bled a team that shares his passion for that are. all things analog. So how does this new Pro-Ject Among Sumiko’s latest imports is only dissipates energy better than the sound? The short answer is that its per- the $1499 Pro-Ject RM-9.1, which is old version but is both lighter and formance is much closer to that of a designed by Heinz Lichtenegger in stiffer, as well. The “jointless” armtube costly rig than to an entry-level one. Vienna and built at Pro-Ject’s factory in and headshell evoke memories of the Coupled with the Sumiko Blackbird the Czech Republic. A revised version SME V that I once owned, but the arm cartridge, a high-output moving-coil of the RM-9 that was reviewed a few is actually closer to a Wilson Benesch that is sold along with the RM-9.1 at a years ago in these pages, this mass- design because of the carbon-fiber $300 discount,1 the sound is smooth loaded, belt-driven turntable differs application. The old plinth’s simple yet detailed, the soundstage is wide, from the original in ways that are sig- foot arrangement of rubber, plastic, and and the low end has authority. Massed nificant but not always obvious. The felt has given way to a more massive strings lack the upper-midrange glare inverted bearing, tear-drop-shaped machined-aluminum cone that uses a one hears with some moving-coils in plinth, separate motor pod, acrylic Sorbothane layer between the plinth this class, and can even sound lush. platter, solid-brass record clamp, and and the cone foot. And though the size Voices and saxes are particularly seduc- tonearm-bearing structure are the same and shape of the plinth remain the tive; images are stable; and transparen- in both the RM-9 and the RM-9.1. So same, a steel plate has been added to cy, transient quickness, and inner detail what’s left? Well, enough that this new the underside to significantly increase are all good. The RM-9.1 rivals the entry might instead have been called mass and to focus the dissipation of Rega P5/Exact combination in its sur- the RM-90. The single-piece arm tube energy around a single point. prising lack of groove and surface noise, is now molded from carbon fiber. It not Additionally, the MDF material and and it’s easy to listen to for hours with-

1 Packages are also available with the Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 or the Blue Point Special EVO III.

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 31 out any aural fatigue, even with modest “Ground-It Deluxe” is still being final- on entry-level turntables, and the electronics like the Rotel and Outlaw ized, but should be under $400). It Sumiko Blackbird’s performance comes receivers I review elsewhere in this matches the beautiful dark grey lacquer close to that of some higher-priced and issue. Yet because it doesn’t really do finish of the RM-9.1 and is filled with lower-output moving-coils. Better still, anything wrong and is true to the “granulate” (metal shavings). Just place the sound of this combo can be taken to music, the RM-9.1 wasn’t out of place it on a level surface and use either three new heights by adding the “Ground-It in my reference system. Admittedly, it or four of the supplied cones. In combi- Deluxe” base and a good external speed fell short of the reference’s performance, nation with a speed controller, it made controller. The low noise of this RM- primarily in the areas of soundstage- the music emerge from a blacker back- 9.1 system might even fool you into depth, delicacy, air, and timbre. ground, with more rhythmic drive and thinking you’re listening to a digital However, when you consider that you transient quickness, and more articu- front-end until you notice how rich, can buy the entire Pro-Ject system for late and controlled bass. These options natural, and engaging the music less than the price of my Graham ton- definitely narrowed the performance sounds, and how long your listening earm, I was surprised that the perform- gap with my reference. sessions last. & ance gap wasn’t wider. As much as I liked the RM-9.1, While I enjoyed the sound of the there are a few things I would recom- stock configuration, the performance mend doing right away to improve its SPECIFICATIONS of this Pro-Ject can be taken up anoth- performance. First, swap out the sup- RM-9.1 turntable er level with the addition of a few plied phono cable with a higher-quali- Bearing: Inverted thrust “options.” The RM-9.1’s inverted- ty interconnect and a piece of ground- Type of drive: Belt bearing design produces speed stabili- ing wire. (Since the tonearm terminates Tonearm: Pro-Ject 9cc with adjustable VTA ty that is quite good for a model in this into a set of gold-plated RCAs on the and azimuth class. On demanding material like the back of the plinth, swapping intercon- Speeds: 33-1/3 and 45 rpm Chopin Ballades [RCA] and the nects is easy.) Next, put something like Dimensions: 17.7" x 7.1" x 11.9" Carmen Fantaisie [Decca/Speakers a mouse pad or a sheet of Sorbothane Weight: 30 lbs. Corner], it allowed both Rubinstein’s under the motor housing (if you have to piano and Ricci’s violin to “sing” more wait to purchase the “Ground-It Blackbird cartridge than “warble.” Several higher-priced Deluxe” base). Last, use a gentle touch Type: High-output MC ’tables I’ve heard couldn’t match this on the tonearm cueing lever or else Output: 2.5mV level of performance, unless one used you’ll miss the first few notes on the LP. Weight: 9.6 grams an outboard speed-control box. And, While the carbon-fiber arm has a lot Recommended Tracking Force: 1.8 to 2.2 yes, Pro-Ject offers an optional Speed going for it, with adjustable VTA (but grams Box SE ($549), which adds a larger not during play) and azimuth, its power supply, electronic speed regula- “hanging weight” anti-skate mecha- ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT tion, and pitch control. Since I didn’t nism is not as refined as some you’ll MFA Venusian preamp (modified); VPI Aries (updated with TNT V platter/bearing); Graham 1.5 tonearm with 2.2 bear- With the RM-9.1, Pro-Ject has made an already good ing; Koetsu Black cartridge; Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 DAC; Prima Luna Six design much better, and without raising the price power amplifiers; Eben X-3, Hyperion HPS-938, and Quad ESL-57s (PK modi- have the Speed Box on hand, I used my find on more costly arms. But this is a fied) loudspeakers VPI SDS with the RP-9.1 and the minor quibble. pitch became utterly stable, the bass I am reminded of the 1980s when DITRIBUTOR INFORMATION more solid, and the soundstage better companies like SOTA, Linn, and Oracle focused. I would definitely try out the continually refined their ’tables in SUMIKO Speed Box SE and see if it produces order to leapfrog each other. With the 2431 Fifth Street similar gains in your system. RM-9.1, Pro-Ject has made an already Berkeley, California 94710 Placing Pro-Ject’s new base, the good design much better, and without (510) 843-4500 “Ground-It Deluxe,” under the RM-9.1 raising the price. Like some of its com- sumikoaudio.net tightened up the bass, lowered the petitors, notably the Rega P5 and VPI Prices: $1499 ($1999 as tested with overall noise floor, and improved both Scout, it includes an arm that is far Sumiko Blackbird cartridge, which is focus and clarity (pricing on the superior to the stock arms you’ll find $799 when sold separately)

32 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 tas journal

Munich High End 2006

Roy Gregory

or readers familiar with the shows organized by deal- in the nature of that venue sent understandable ripples of con- ers or magazines that typify the U.S. scene outside of sternation through the community here, but now, and despite CES, High End 2006 in Munich offers quite a con- a couple of missteps along the way, the organizer, The High trast. Whilst it started life as a hotel-based event in End Society, has hit its stride and its show is back at the top. F Frankfurt, it moved three years ago to a modern, The show itself is spread across three floors, two offering a ultra-high-tech convention center on the outskirts of the range of large conference rooms and the ground floor a huge Bavarian regional capital. The original Frankfurt event was a area divided into booths and prefabricated sound rooms. I pillar of the European scene and the most important show this know, the very idea of demonstrating hi-fi in the equivalent of side of the Atlantic. The change in venue as well as the change a giant trailer park sends a shiver down the spine, but in reali-

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 35 ty the sound is no better or worse than a lot jects as varied as first-order crossover slopes of hotel shows I’ve endured. It also allows a in theory and practice and the sound of tremendous density of exhibits, cutting cables and the effect of different drive sys- down on the walking that made a visit to the tems on turntable sound (with Frankfurt show double up as a hiking holi- speakers/demonstrators drawn from manu- day. Add the availability of a large, open facturers and magazines), and you can appre- seating area and pleasant, naturally bright ciate why this show manages to combine the environment, helped by the massive atrium, interests of trade and public alike. the sheer variety of food options on offer, and When it comes to the sounds on offer, regular live music drawn from all genres, and the best results were to be heard in the con- you can begin to understand the number of ference rooms, which are spacious and airy, honest-to-God family groups (yep, including all pale grey minimalism and expanses of wives and children) visiting the show, some- glass, providing the perfect backdrop thing you rarely if ever see in the U.K. or U.S. against which to project a brand identity. It As if feeding on that theme, several exhibitors was apparent that some companies exploited were also offering live music to supplement the potential rather better than others. The their demonstrations or displays, while same is true of the sonic challenges, so noth- Bosendorfer and Elac both offered live-versus- ing new there then. recorded comparisons. Back that up with a full Frankfurt always seemed to attract program of lectures and presentations on sub- more than its fair share of impressive loudspeakers, a trend that has happily PIEGA TC70X transferred to Munich. Big news from

36 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 Avantgarde was a complete revision and rationalization of its Basshorns and the Short versions and suddenly the Trio starts range. The Uno is no more, replaced by a pair of models, the to look like a lot of speaker for the money. (avantegarde- Picco and incredibly cute Nano, which serve to demonstrate the acoustic.de) basic building blocks. Two active subs are offered, the SUB225 KEF surprised audiences with a “secret” demo in which its drawn from the Duo, and the larger SUB231. The Nano lodges prototype speakers were hidden within cylindrical fabric shrouds its tweeter trumpet in the front face of the sub, the mid trum- hung from the ceiling. At the end of each day it unveiled the pet held on a framework above. In contrast the Picco sees both monsters within, massive columns—ovoid in section—with no the mid and treble horns piercing the taller box of the 231, a fewer than five bass units flanking a refined version of the estab- construction first seen in the Primo with its stacked, hybrid lished Uni-Q mid/treble driver. Round the back were a further horn subs. two bass units which could be switched on, not to augment the Moving up the range, the Duo is joined by the Duo Grosso, bass output but to cancel it, resulting in a cardioid low-frequency employing the 231 in a Nano-style configuration. Then comes dispersion pattern offering greater continuity with the midband. the Mezzo, a single-sub Primo. But the really big news is the The “with and without” demonstration was persuasive, with a application of the Short Basshorn modules developed for the more lucid, transparent, and communicative quality to the Primo to the top of the range Trio. This pairs the familiar midrange, underpinned by a lighter, more agile and tactile bass. three-trumpet arrays with a pair of hybrid horn woofers that The examples on show were a long way from being a product, but extend the range covered by the horn-loaded drivers without this approach looks extremely promising when allied with KEF’s resorting to the cost and impracticality of the massive, quarter- other technologies. (kef.com) quadrant Basshorn modules. The Short Basshorns offer the More conventional in appearance and certainly more com- same active drive system and electronics in a cabinet of nearly pact, the Piega TC70X speakers were delivering superb sound the same volume but far more conventional shape and finish. driven by a complete suite of the excellent and often underrat- Factor in a 6500 Euro price difference between a pair of ed Cyrus electronics. Their slim cabinets contain a pair of 8"

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 37 BURMESTER B30

escape their home borders, But two items that really stood out were a re-engineered and now 12" version of Brinkmann’s Breur-alike tonearm (brinkmann- audio.com) and a very neat box from AXISS distribution that looks for all the world like a digital stylus balance (well, it makes one of those, too), which actually works the suspension of your new cartridge to run it in without trashing the stylus. Admittedly more of a dealer/reviewer tool, I’ve just got to get me one of these. (axiss-usa.com) Present only as a prototype but fascinating for all that, a record cleaner was shown by Audiodesk (makers of the CD lathe and washing machine). It’s compact, slotted pulp-cone woofers, loaded by a rectangular port and cleans both sides simultaneously and quickly, and, if it can be teamed with an extremely unusual two-way, concentric ribbon made to work, represents the first truly novel solution to clean- driver. Resolution and transparency were the order of the day, ing discs since Harry Weisfeld launched the original HW16. rather than floor-rattling bass extension, but there was a U.K. stalwart Naim Audio continued its relentless move beguiling fluidity and ease to the music from this superbly upmarket with the appearance of production samples of the integrated system. (piega.ch) CD555/555PS combination first seen at last September’s Another brand showing innovative and high-value product London show. The player and external power supply retail for was DALI, with its new IKON range. With a choice of three nearly twice the price of Naim’s previous flagship, the floorstanders, two mini-monitors, two center-channels, a sub, and a rear surround, DALI covered most bases, whilst employing the combination soft-dome/ribbon-tweeter technology seen in the Helicon series in much more affordable packages. Equally appealing for multichannel or two-channel applications, these look ready to shake up the mid-market. (dali.dk) Bolzano Villetri added a newer, lower-priced range below its extensive and sumptuously finished 5000 and 3000 series omnis. Aimed at the A/V and surround-sound market, the front pair plus subwoofer offered an interesting alternative to more conventional approaches, with an expansive and notably relaxed sound, even using a basic DVD player as source. I can’t comment on the veracity (or otherwise) of its extravagant claims regarding the novelty and efficacy of its unusual opposed-driver configuration, but if it can build on these results then the performance of its products will speak for itself. (bolzanovilletri.com) Finally, Burmester was playing the new B30, smaller brother of the B100 that has so impressed HP of late. At a Euro asking price of 7900 this was doing a fabulous job of showcasing Burmester’s new 061 upsampling CD player. Again, the emphasis was on wide-open, high-resolution sound, but just when you thought that was all that was on offer, this system surprised you with some real rhythmic drive and musical authority—all delivered with effortless grace. (burmester.de) Naturally there were hordes of heavy-weight turntables on show, most of which will never (and probably should never)

ANTJE DECKER AND ELAC’S FS 609 X-P1

38 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 CDS3/XPS, although in Naim tradition the CDS3 player can nels driven). For the seeming minority who want quality over be upgraded with the 555PS, somewhat easing the pain of tran- quantity from its A/V setup, this Rotel looks like a seriously sition for existing owners desperate to stay at the top of the interesting proposition. Meanwhile those who just want quality Naim tree. The sound of the new player is significantly more two-channel sound can rest assured that old faithful is keeping detailed, focused, and dynamically sophisticated than older ahead of the game. (rotel.com) Naim machines, with impressive stability to its staging. This report only scratches the surface of a crowded and Whilst the dedicated fan will need no convincing, this is one incredibly busy show, packed with interesting product old and Naim product that seems set to find its way into non-Naim systems, rubbing shoulders with audio’s elite. Meanwhile, for those on a budget Naim has also launched the Hi-Line interconnect, based around its novel, mechani- cally decoupled 5-pin DIN Air-PLUG. (naim- audio.com) The show also provided first sight of Rotel’s revamped 06 budget electronics, a totally revised development of the excellent 02 series backed up by the matching RDV-1092 DVD player and RSX-1057, an A/V receiver that combines HDMI inputs with 75 watts of power (all chan-

BRINKMANN’S 12-INCH ARM

40 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 ROTEL’S BUDGET STACK

real star was its new Trident speaker, a 250kg behemoth that nonetheless represents a chopped down version of the four- box Poseidon system seen at last year’s CES. The two massive cabinets each contain four actively driven 8" bass units that combine remote-control operation of their adjustable Q-factor with a -3dB point at 16Hz. Meanwhile, the high sensitivity and easy drive characteristics of the symmetrical mid/treble array make it compatible with high-quality/low-powered amps—although Gryphon was using a massive Antileon stereo chassis. new. However, it would be remiss of me not to leave you with The sound was everything you’d want from a 70,000 Euro price a brief taste of one of the real highlights, one that isn’t currently tag and a product of this quality and capability is enough to distributed in the U.S. Gryphon is an established name in make its omission from the U.S. scene a major oversight. The high-end circles, renowned for both sound quality and the combination of the sheer power and scale of a full orchestra at excellence of its visual design. The latter was perfectly embod- one with the intimate presence, delicacy, and emotional range ied in a prototype preamp with a portable front panel operating of the solo cello breathed life into Jacqueline du Pre and the via wireless connectivity—stylish, practical, and oh-so-impres- BBC symphony. More than worth the airfare on its own. sive for your non-audiophile friends (and their wives). But the (gryphon-audio.dk) &

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 41 tas journal

Basic Repertoire Bluegrass’ Modern Manifestations and New Traditions

David McGee

The second and final part documenting the recorded essentials of bluegrass. The first part, “The Golden Age of Bluegrass,” appears in Issue 160.

ven as a younger generation of bluegrass players— perfectly evokes the heartache of good love gone wrong. What musicians who were raised on rock ’n’ roll from the Monroe wrought in his disciples’ lives is dramatically empha- 1950s and 60s and discovered roots music either sized on 2003’s The Three Pickers, which teams Watson with through exposure to Harry Smith’s Anthology of Scruggs and Skaggs in a show that was televised as part of PBS’s E American Folk Music or via the early 60s folk revival Great Performances series. Gospel, traditional country, break- and subsequent emergence of Bob Dylan—was coming of age, downs, folk tales, and a heaping helping of Monroe songs and Bill Monroe continued to cast a long shadow over the music he’d reminiscences form the night’s repertoire; needless to say, hot created and nurtured over the course of a couple of decades. picking is the order of the day—check out the fiery licks these Membership in Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys became a rite of passage, instrumental masters trade on Monroe’s “Feast Here Tonight,” a sure-fire ticket to bluegrass respectability. and the vocals brimming with emotive power. The Three Pickers Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt were the most was one 2003’s best albums, proof enough that the then-80- influential of the early Monroe graduates (see year-old Watson, an American treasure, had yet to lose a step. Part One of this article for a detailed exami- Watson’s distinguished recording career has yielded a deep, nation of that duo’s legacy), but many others powerful catalog. A partial checklist of essential Watson passed through the Monroe ranks and went albums would include his first commercial recordings made on to make significant contributions to the during a brief association with old-time fiddler Clarence bluegrass canon. If the list included only Ashley, Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley, The Original Folkway Jimmy Martin, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, and Ricky Skaggs, Recordings: 1960-1962; his debut as a solo it would be breathtaking. But there are many others who also artist, preserved on Doc Watson at Gerdes’ cut their teeth on the Monroe doctrine. Folk City, recorded, produced, and remas- In 1963, Monroe factored into the beginning of an important tered by Peter K. Siegel, who captures Doc’s career that wasn’t launched from the Bluegrass Boys’ platform. At intricate flatpicking style and harmonics, as the time his path crossed Monroe’s, Arthel “Doc” Watson, from well as every shading of his warm, laid-back Deep Gap, North Carolina, and blinded by a childhood illness, singing and between-songs patter. Some of was creating a stir among young audiences captivated by his the earliest Ashley-Watson recordings are a authenticity and deeply soulful singing and guitar picking. In an bit muddy, but Siegel gives Watson great presence on the Gerdes’ association that was to endure for some 17 years, Monroe and disc, making it easy to understand why the word went out from Watson were booked as a package on the college and festival cir- these shows that an important artist had come down from the cuits, each artist helping to expand the other’s audience, as well as mountains. Watson’s decade-plus tenure on Vanguard Records, illustrating by example the intimate relationship between Watson’s from the early 60s to the early 70s, is the focus of the must-have rural old-time music and Monroe’s classic bluegrass. four-CD box, The Vanguard Years, which features 16 previously Smithsonian Folkways documented this historic twin bill in unissued tracks; and though most of his legendary collabora- 1993 on Volume Two of a set titled Live Recordings, 1963-1980: tions with his late son Merle remain in print, a good place to Off the Record. Apart from his brother Charlie (okay, maybe Del start assessing the unusual synergy between father and son is McCoury too, who can be heard on Volume 1), Monroe had his with a two-fer, 1977’s Lonesome Road and 1978’s Look Away. ideal harmony singer in Watson, whose bass support to Monroe’s Backed by a band that includes Texas fiddler Johnny Gimble high lonesome wail on “What Would You Give In Exchange For and Gove Scrivenor on harmonica, Doc and Merle step it up Your Soul” makes for a chilling entreaty, just as the tenderness in and go on these LPs—the band’s propulsive drive lending the the two men’s voices meshing on Monroe’s “Memories of You” affair a discernable oomph.

42 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 and the Seldom Scene (with Duffey) lasted well beyond that abbreviated time frame. What happened in those two years is amazing judging by the sheer quality of the playing, the brava- do with which young pickers attacked their new music, the depth of the original songs, and the number of important musicians who emerged then and continue to be productive and in demand today as elder statesmen in a revitalized bluegrass field. Listen today to the driving sound of Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, the tender, pop-influenced stylings of Alison Krauss and Union Station, or the out-there workouts of those upstart young ‘uns Nickel Creek, whose music references sources as varied as Bill Monroe, J.S. Bach, and Pavement. All are directly descended from events that happened long before any of these artists emerged (literally in the case of the 20-something Nickel Creek trio, the oldest of whom was born in 1977); all are indebted to some degree to the ideas that sprang from the MODERN MANIFESTATIONS minds and music of John Hartford, Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Clarence White, Vassar Clements, Norman Blake, hereas it’s a no-brainer to pinpoint Monroe as the father Sam Bush, John Duffey, J.D Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, W of bluegrass, determining the origins of the late 60s to Mike Auldridge, and others who had a moment, or many early 70s progressive or urban or “newgrass” movement is a moments, of note in the rise of progressive bluegrass as a viable dicey proposition. Maybe it was even earlier than historians offshoot of the Monroe doctrine. have figured; maybe it started with Jim and Jesse McReyolds, Hartford, for instance, in 1971 put together the Aereoplane who always seemed to cotton to the thrust of straight-ahead Band in Nashville, with Norman Blake on guitar, Tut Taylor on rock ’n’ roll, and in 1964 cut an entire album of Chuck Berry dobro, Vassar Clements on fiddle (Randy Scruggs, Earl’s son, songs with a bluegrass treatment. Or maybe it started with one played bass in the studio but was not a touring member) and, of the greatest bluegrass groups of all time, the Country with David Bromberg producing, came forth with a free- Gentlemen, who were at the forefront of a fertile wheeling, concise masterpiece of barnburners and wry bluegrass/country scene in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore Hartford-penned love songs (“Blame It On Joann,” a song in area in the 50s and 60s. Boasting two of the most inventive instru- mentalists in bluegrass history in mandolin player John Duffey and banjo man Eddie Adcock, the Gentlemen were known to venture into jazz progressions and advanced approaches to soloing while bringing a fresh point of view to the bluegrass repertoire, by embracing material from non- bluegrass songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Check out the essential four-CD box set, The Early Rebel Recordings: 1962-1971, for an idea of how far ahead of the game the group was in its heyday. This much is fact: 1971 through 1973 were fertile for the progressives, although storied outfits such as J.D. Crowe & the New South, New Grass Revival,

Del McCoury

44 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 which the irony is as deep as Tom T. Hall’s on “Pamela emanating from Los Angeles’ KCET. Warner Bros. promptly Brown”) that blazed like Monroe’s finest breakdowns, stomped offered a deal to the band billed as Muleskinner; two weeks like classic rock, and sprouted counterculture attitude at every later, supplemented by Jerry Garcia’s bassist John Kahn, the turn. Long out of print, the original recordings, plus outtakes group cut a self-titled album that was released and deleted from and previously unissued tracks, were returned to market in the catalog in record time. Muleskinner’s influence was negli- 2002 on Rounder Select’s Steam Powered Aereo-Takes, an album gible—it came and went so quickly—but its lone studio without which, according to Sam Bush, “there would be no album, Muleskinner, and the TV show soundtrack, Muleskinner ‘newgrass’ music.” Live, prove the outfit was thinking way outside of the bluegrass Bush wasn’t laying around watching things happen in 1971. box. On the studio album, for instance, the Rowan-Jim That was the year he assembled Courtney Johnson (banjo), Curtis Roberts-penned “Runways of the Moon,” concerning a tortured Burch (guitar), and Harry soul’s journey through life, Shelor (a.k.a. Ebo Walker, boasts a beautiful close har- bass) as New Grass Revival. mony sound reminiscent of (Walker bowed out and was the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the replaced by John Cowan, not Rodeo approach (which only a solid bass player but White had a major role in one of the finest male vocalists shaping), but ends in a flurry to emerge from the progres- of psychedelic guitar sive world.) Avatars of the noodling unlike anything progressive movement, New heard on a bluegrass album Grass Revival held forth for prior to Nickel Creek’s most 18 years, adding guitarist Pat recent record. Flynn and banjo-barrier- Rowan next popped up, breaker Bela Fleck to its line- also in 1972-73, with up when Johnson and Burch Grisman, Clements, and hung it up. In all configura- Kahn, as charter members of tions, NGR was fearless, dar- the Garcia-led roots outfit ing, and entertaining; and Old & In the Way, playing a with a taste for pop-influ- repertoire spanning the clas- enced melodies, the group sic bluegrass of Monroe and clearly set the stage for the the Stanley Brothers, to the 90s bluegrass explosion spear- forward-looking stylings of headed by Krauss. NGR’s cat- the Country Gentlemen, to alog is rich and varied, but a the ornate 50s pop of The splendid double-CD overview Platters (via a cover of “The recounts the magnitude of the Great Pretender”), to the group’s achievement. Appro- hard-edged rock of the Stones priately titled Grass Roots: The (by recasting “Wild Horses” Best of New Grass Revival, the as an easygoing shuffle, less album includes most of the tortured than the original vital studio cuts as well as but possessing a certain seven previously unissued live bucolic charm, nonetheless). recordings. Alison Krauss Old & In the Way existed for Many a progressive blue- some nine months and 30 grass road runs through Peter Rowan, the former Bluegrass Boy gigs (which have produced two live albums, both released on who has demonstrated a Zelig-like quality for participating in Grisman’s Acoustic Disc label), but Garcia’s high profile in the momentous musical events. In 1973, shortly after he and fid- rock world drew attention to the group’s efforts, and especially dler Richard Greene had left the rock group Seatrain, he joined to its attitude, explained succinctly by Rowan in liner notes to with guitarist Clarence White (late of the Byrds), former the live Breakdown: “We felt instinctively that this robust style Kweskin Jug Band banjo player Bill Keith, and mandolin play- could handle any type of tune. If we could pick it or sing it, then er David Grisman (who had departed from the rock group it was ours.” Earth Opera, which had also been a stop for Rowan) for a one- Such was West Coast progressive bluegrass—a fleeting time-only appearance on a nationally televised bluegrass show moment of creativity and inspired playing. On the East Coast,

46 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 traditionalist veterans J.D. Crowe (who spent six years in artists in guitarist John Starling, bassist Tom Gray, banjoist Jimmy Martin’s band) and the aforementioned Duffey assem- Ben Eldridge, and, most crucial of all, dobro virtuoso bled bands built to last, i.e., New South and the Seldom Scene, Auldridge. When they get going, the Seldom Scene players respectively. attack their music with verve and intellect, finding new In 1975, J.D. Crowe & the New South (band and eponymous ways to energize traditional bluegrass fare and taking unex- first album) made its Rounder debut, and Crowe subsequently pected approaches to pop, rock, and blues. A box set is sore- became a Monroe-like magnet for a new generation of top-draw- ly and conspicuously missing from the Seldom Scene cata- er bluegrass and country artists. His original New South line- log, but the group’s first three albums, titled Act I, Act II, up—by far his most versatile—included Rice on guitar, Skaggs and Act III are essential. Act I, released in 1972, features on mandolin, Douglas on dobro, and Bobby Sloan on fiddle and interpretations of Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans” bass. All were virtual unknowns at the time they joined New and James Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James,” as well as a jaw- South; all have gone on to distinguished careers (especially dropping take on Monroe’s “With Body and Soul.” Act II, Skaggs, who had massive mainstream country success in the 80s, from 1973, is notable for a cool rendition of Ricky Nelson’s before returning to bluegrass full-time and winning Grammy “Hello Mary Lou” and a moving reading of John Prine’s Awards as a matter of course). poignant lament, “Paradise.” Act III, also from ’73, contains Formed by Duffey in 1971, the Seldom Scene achieved a haunting treatment of Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back commercial success far beyond that of its friendly newgrass Home” and a lovely cover of Bob Wills’ “Faded Love.” As competitors. Never big on touring (the group name is an alternative to buying three albums, the 1994 single-disc telling), the band’s influence rests almost solely on its Best of the Seldom Scene, Vol. 1 contains several of the above- recordings. An esteemed mandolin player and tenor vocal- mentioned songs as well as numbers from the band’s fourth ist, Duffey surrounded himself with a Murderer’s Row of album, Old Train.

48 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The highest-profile artist to emerge from the first class NEW TRADITION of progressives has been Bela Fleck, whose solo career has taken him far away from bluegrass into eastern and third rogressive bluegrass injected its traditional sire with contem- world musics, into jazz (Tales From An Acoustic Planet, Vol. Pporary fervor, propulsion, and attitude while fully respecting 2, released in 1975, teams him with Chick Corea, Edgar the parent style’s fundamentals. Commercially, it wasn’t much of Meyer, and Branford Marsalis), and even into classical, a factor in the larger world of contemporary country. It was then where he’s won a Grammy for his 2001 Perpetual Motion as it had been since the mid-50s—a niche music, popular at fes- album recorded with classical guitarist John Williams, tivals and fairs but otherwise lacking much media presence or Nickel Creek’s mandolin wunderkind Chris Thile, and the sales juice. most celebrated young violinist of the day, Joshua Bell. His This changed band the Flecktones (Howard Levy on interstellar harmon- swiftly in 1987 ica, Victor Wooten on bass, and Roy “Futureman” Wooten with the arrival of on his mad-scientist drum machine/guitar-synth combo) 16-year-old prodi- plays anything and everything with consummate ease and gy Alison Krauss enthusiasm. The mere appearance of this odd character in so with her first many strange musical lands can only be seen as a positive Rounder album, (though classical critics deride him as a dilettante), because the exquisitely wherever he lands, bluegrass tends to surface in some form. beautiful Too Late And that ain’t a bad thing, for the music or for folks who to Cry. Hailing might not have taken an interest in bluegrass prior to from Champaign, Fleck’s arrival. Illinois, Alison and brother Victor

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 49 were encouraged by supportive parents in their childhood musical but of all music (maybe too expansive when it includes covering pursuits. First taking up violin, Alison gravitated to fiddle after Todd Rundgren, but if you buy the premise you buy the bit, as discovering bluegrass, and it was her prowess as a player that Johnny Carson once noted). In addition to traditional tunes and spurred Rounder to sign her at age 14. What might not have been originals, Krauss draws material from contemporaries such as so evident when Krauss was that age certainly was by the time her Shawn Colvin and Karla Bonoff, and has championed promising solo debut was released: She had a magnificent, crystalline voice new songwriters such as Robert Lee Castleman, now a regular and an advanced sense of a song’s narrative and emotional arc. Hers contributor to the Krauss songbook, with two of his most pen- was neither a high lonesome bluegrass voice nor a rural, country etrating numbers, “Let Me Touch You For Awhile” and “The voice nor a wispy pop voice, but something almost beyond catego- Lucky One,” featured on New Favorite—the most essential of rizing—ethereal, airy, fragile, but sturdy, it could put the hurt in several potent Krauss long-players. A single-disc retrospective a heartbreaker like no one else’s. of the first five albums, 1995’s Now That I’ve Found You: A Her 1989 album, Two Highways, introduced her band, Collection, sold five million copies—an unprecedented number Union Station. Its current longstanding members include gui- in bluegrass history—and is a must-own retrospective of the tarist Dan Tyminski (who gained considerable attention for his artist’s formative work, populated as it is with a lovely cover of role as George Clooney’s singing voice in O Brother, Where Are Lennon-McCartney’s “I Will,” a lilting treatment of the Thou?, notably for his keening version of “I Am a Man of Foundations’ 1968 pop hit “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You,” Constant Sorrow” on the soundtrack), bassist Barry Bales, Ron and a funky, bluesy take on Little Feat’s “Oh Atlanta.” Block on banjo and guitar (his 2001 solo debut, Faraway Land, Krauss was at the forefront of another unparalleled develop- is an overlooked gem), and progressive dobro master Jerry ment in bluegrass history. On her third album, she began pro- Douglas, the only musician who remains from the original ducing herself and in doing so opened the door for other female Union Station lineup. No matter who’s backing her, though, artists-as-producers in country and bluegrass. She works at high- Krauss sticks to her expansive definition not merely of bluegrass end Nashville studios (Seventeen Grand is a long-time favorite)

50 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 and favors one of the top engineers in the business, Gary Paczosa, appearances. No longer a plain, conservatively dressed country as her right-hand man (referring to him in liner credits as “the girl from Missouri, Vincent sports blonde highlights and out- sixth member of the band”). Remastering has done wonders for fits herself in black leather and slinky low-cut dresses. Still, her the bluegrass recordings of the 40s and 50s, when the standard music remains basic bedrock bluegrass with a progressive practice was to emulate in the studio a band’s live presentation of thrust. The finest version of The Rage is found on 2001’s The playing around one microphone. This “one mic” concept is hal- Storm Still Rages, when the lineup included the dynamic young lowed in bluegrass lore, but has its limits as a studio concept. fiddler Mike Cleveland and banjoist supreme Tom Adams, and Krauss’ recordings have always been remarkable sonically for the repertoire ranged from Ernest Tubb’s “Driving Nails In My their clarity and delicate balance between instruments and voice, Coffin” and Hank Williams’ “My Sweet Love Ain’t Around” to as well as for a heady, atmospheric quality that serves only to two Vincent-penned gems, the urgent love song “Cry Of the enhance the music. That greater care is now taken—and more Whippoorwill” and a feisty tribute to Monroe, “Is The Grass money spent—to assure a state-of-the-art soundscape for blue- Any Bluer,” everything blessed by expressive musicianship and grass artists is a direct result of Krauss’ success. Vincent’s aching cry of a mountain voice. After Krauss, Rhonda Vincent is the most recognizable and Krauss also connects the traditional to the progressive via commercially appealing female bluegrass artist. Like Krauss, her production on the first two Nickel Creek albums. Siblings she has taken control of her music in and out of the studio, Sean (born 1977) and Sara Watkins (born 1981) teamed with either co-producing or producing all of her recordings since mandolin prodigy Chris Thile (born 1981) when all were mere going back to pure bluegrass in 2000, following a couple of sprights, initially playing in a San Diego pizza parlor before mainstream country recordings. Her band The Rage has shift- building an enthusiastic following on the festival circuit. ed personnel far more than Union Station, but top-notch play- Signed by Sugar Hill, the trio found a simpatico producer in ers are always on board, notably Vincent’s brother Darrin, with Krauss and two Grammy nominations for its eponymous fiddler Stuart Duncan and guitarist Bryan Sutton also making debut. A New York Times article gushed over the youthful trio’s

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 51 “pan-cultural” ethos and all but declared Nickel Creek the instrumental rumination titled “Scotch & Chocolate,” but musi- bluegrass Beatles. cal explorations lean heavier towards folk and dark edgy pop. Close, perhaps. On the essential Nickel Creek debut, the musi- Even as Nickel Creek and Thile explore new turf, the tradi- cians cull stylistic statements from folk, classical, pop, country, tional very much has its place in contemporary bluegrass. After Celtic, and jazz, adeptly deploying these elements over the course serving a near-year-long tenure in 1963-64 as one of Monroe’s of a dozen mostly original songs that are by turns haunting and Bluegrass Boys, North Carolina native Del McCoury set out on exhilarating. Krauss is all over Nickel Creek, especially in the sus- a solo career, working the burgeoning Pennsylvania-Maryland- tained dreamy ambience that pervades most tracks. Virginia circuit in his spare time away from his day jobs. In Yet Nickel Creek is a band that prides itself not on rising to 1987, he cut an album (The McCoury Brothers) for Rounder with the challenge but in redefining the challenge each time out. his brother, but the course of his career was altered first in 1981 Hence, the deserved critical ballyhoo and emotional investment in when he welcomed into his band his then-13-year-old son the work of three young people who weren’t even born when the Ronnie, a mandolin whiz who has been named the International progressive movement flourished, but who have gone back and Bluegrass Music Association’s Mandolin Player of the Year for picked up the basics from Monroe on, then added stylistic eight consecutive years, and again in 1987, with the arrival in approaches from outside the bluegrass realm to become a kind of the professional ranks of his other son, Rob, a banjo-picker par new progressive movement all their own. The band’s third album, excellence. As the Del McCoury Band, this quintet—rounded 2005’s Why Should the Fire Die?, produced not by Krauss but by out by engaging bassist Mike Bub (replaced by Alan Bartram on Eric Valentine and Tony Berg, is driven by tales of troubled rela- the group’s stirring new gospel album, The Promised Land) and tionships and wrenching interior monologues addressing love fiddler Jason Carter—has made the distinctions between pro- gone awry, with the producers packing the soundscape with infor- gressive and traditional irrelevant, so advanced is the soloing, so mation in the form of sonic buzzes, clicks, sighs, and bleeps that compelling is the musicians’ emotional commitment, and so serve as an electronic Greek chorus signaling another relationship piercing is Del’s quintessential high lonesome tenor. shorting out. There is a countrified, jubilant instrumental Del has written solid originals (his “I Feel the Blues Moving (“Stumptown”) and an unsettling, melancholic bluegrass-based In” from 1990’s Don’t Stop the Music should become a bluegrass standard), and Ronnie McCoury, who has also become the band’s producer, always has a barn-burning instrumental to add. Otherwise, the McCourys range far and wide for material, from usual suspects to mainstream country writers such as Lefty Frizzell and Harlan Howard, to folk rockers on the order of Richard Thompson (whose “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” has become a beloved McCoury standard) to classic American pop a la Frank Sinatra (“Learnin’ the Blues”), even embracing renegade country in cutting Steve Earle’s “If You Need a Fool” and then collaborating with Earle on The Mountain. In addition to the must-have Promised Land, Rounder’s single-disc overview of McCoury’s 1987-1995 tenure with the label, High Lonesome and Blue, offers a succinct portrait of Del and the boys coming of age, as well as including some interesting Del solo cuts from back in the day. An essential McCoury collection might well contain every album the band has released, but most certainly has to include 1996’s The Cold Hard Facts, 2001’s Del and the Boys, and 1992’s Blue Side of Town, incorporating the Patty Loveless title tune, Earle’s “If You Need a Fool,” and Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s “That’s Alright Mama.” Basically, any Del McCoury Band album is a primer in bluegrass that at once looks forward even as it embraces the music’s core values of yore. And McCoury isn’t alone. Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, Mountain Heart, Ricky Skaggs, the Grascals, Blue Highway, Ralph Stanley, Jim Lauderdale, Marty Stuart—bluegrass embraces its elder statesmen, draws in established country artists who revitalize their careers by returning to the source of their inspiration, and welcomes young practitioners steeped in tradition but ready to move the music into the future. It’s a true and timeless thing, as Mr. Bill knew way back when. &

52 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006

Overachieving Audio Systems You Can Afford 6Chris Martens Does high end always mean high-priced? We think not, as these six affordable systems demonstrate

ost veteran audiophiles been two or three decades ago. In fact, a good many can recall watershed audio systems that people (and especially young people) have had no first- helped turn them into lifelong devotees hand exposure to high-quality music systems. Worse Mof music reproduction in the home. still, some who have had a first taste of the high-end Those systems were probably as diverse in configu- experience have walked away with mixed feelings, the ration as the individuals who put them together, yet joy of hearing lifelike sound combined with the trauma they had three characteristics in common. First, they of acute sticker shock. Stated simply, it’s hard for oth- raised sound quality to threshold levels that trig- ers to fall in love with a hobby they’ve either never expe- gered “Eureka!” moments, serving up listening experienced or believe they could not possibly afford. riences so fine (and refined) that we found them irre- Things ought not to be this way because today’s best sistible. Second, they brought music alive as never entry-level and mid-priced components are sounding before and became for us true music-discovery better than ever. What may be lacking, though, is the machines. And finally, they were affordable and know-how necessary to put together synergistic systems played—to borrow a sports phrase—above the rim; that are affordable and exceed sonic expectations. And that is to say, they offered extraordinary perform- that’s where we come in. The staff of The Absolute ance, but at ordinary (or at least manageable) Sound has come up with six proposed affordable high- prices. Once these factors come together, there can end audio systems, each of which holds the potential to be no turning back. Or can there? play above the rim—in some cases way above the rim. Today, music and music playback systems vie with We hope our recommendations will benefit those look- many other art forms and entertainment options for ing to assemble great first systems or planning high-per- individuals’ discretionary incomes and their even more formance system upgrades at reasonable costs. Prices precious free time. As a consequence, ownership of an for our suggested systems range, in even thousand-dol- audio system is no longer a given, as it might have lar increments, from $1500 to $6500.

54 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 System One: $15OO TOTAL (BEFORE CABLES, POWER CONDITIONER) = $1478

Cambridge Audio 540A integrated amplifier $439 Review, Issue 162 Cambridge Audio 540C CD player $439 Review, Issue 162 ERA Design 4 loudspeakers $599 Review, Issue 162

with circuitry including a custom, low-jitter clock and very-high-quality Wolfson 24- bit/96kHz DACs—the same ones, says Harley, “found in some players costing $3000.” In audio as in pizza, better ingre- dients make for better results. The Era Design 4 loudspeakers, whose design was influenced by Michael Kelly of Aerial Acoustics, offer unexpected- ly big sound from a small package. What usually floors listeners about these diminutive two-way mini-monitors are the huge, open soundstages they present, and the remarkably hearty and potent midbass dynamics they deliver. Style-conscious buyers will be interested to know that all Era speakers feature ambridge Audio’s 60Wpc 540A integrat- exquisite furniture-grade wood finishes, and can be ed amplifier and 540C CD player are ordered with matching audio furniture from Era’s sister modestly priced, but they neither look company, Sona Design. nor sound like entry-level components. This little system is all about conveying the Both offer tube-like smoothness in the nuances and inherent warmth and richness of live upperC midrange and treble, clear and grainless music—for not a lot of money. midrange, and rich, full bass that conveys the round- ness of acoustic basses and the dynamic punch of Considerations: System One does not offer deeply electric ones. Unlike many low-priced components, the extended bass, nor can it play extremely loudly for sus- Cambridge pair delivers an open and spacious sound- tained periods of time (but Cambridge Audio’s clever stage, giving listeners a sense of the air and space “CAT5” circuit will eventually intervene to prevent dam- between instruments and voices. What makes these age should the amplifier be driven too hard for too components sound so good? Build-quality, for one long). Note that the Era speakers should be used with thing. The amplifier, notes TAS Editor-in-Chief Robert rigid, high-quality speaker stands. For these reasons, Harley, features “a sizeable toroidal transformer, gen- System One works better in small-to-mid-sized rooms, erous heatsinking, metal-film resistors throughout, and will be most satisfying for listeners who enjoy gold-plated jacks and quality binding posts,” and even music played a moderate volume levels. a “high-quality motorized Alps-brand volume control.” For a system that offers a bit deeper bass exten- The CD player, in turn, features a scratch-built, sion, that can play somewhat more loudly, and that Cambridge-designed transport mechanism and control requires no speaker stands, consider the $699/pair circuit (with a laser and optical pickup sourced from Epos ELS 303 floorstanders (reviewed in this issue) as Toshiba). The player offers a streamlined signal path, an alternative to the Eras.

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 55 System Two: $25OO TOTAL (BEFORE CABLES, POWER CONDITIONER) = $2496

Music Hall a25.2 integrated amplifier $599 Review, Issue 163 Music Hall cd25.2 CD player $599 Review, Issue 163 Revel Concerta F12 loudspeakers $1298 Review, Issue 157

usic Hall provides the core electron- damped at times, these speakers make the most of ics for System Two in the form of its the bass drive capabilities of modest amplifiers. What 50Wpc a25.2 integrated amplifier is more, the F12s are blessed with real, dedicated and cd25.2 CD player, both of which midrange drivers that give the speaker an unexpect- offer midrange clarity and nuance, as edly lively and refined sound. Finally, the F12’s highs Mwell as sparkling, crystalline highs. Stated simply, are clear and smooth, though somewhat dry. musical transparency is the strong suit of these com- In pairing the Revels with the Music Hall compo- ponents, meaning that both have the ability to tease nents, our thought was that each would benefit from out the delicate inner details that can spell the differ- the complementary (and offsetting) strengths and ence between good and great sound. weaknesses of the others, leaving listeners to enjoy TAS reviewer Sallie Reynolds found both Music the best of all three products: the rich, powerful bass Hall components had merit, but that the cd25.2 was of the Revels, the midrange subtlety of all three com- “the star” overall—especially once she replaced the ponents, and the pure, shimmering highs of the Music CD player’s standard power cord with a beefier, higher- Halls. Best of all, listeners enjoy near full-range sound quality aftermarket cord. With that upgrade in place, for under $2.5k. Sallie found the cd25.2’s sound opened up considerably, achieving even bet- Considerations: To get ter tonal balance and the most from the Music resolution. (Newcomers, Hall pair consider using we realize how strange a good, modestly-priced this power cord discus- power conditioner, and sion must seem. But also try upgrading the the fact is that the cd25.2’s power cords. sound of most compo- Even with these nents improves signifi- enhancements, some cantly with power cord might want an amplifier upgrades.) with more vigorous bass The only significant than the a25.2 affords. weakness of the Music Two alternatives that Hall components is a offer decent measures tendency toward mid- of transparency and bet- bass thinness (more ter bass would be NAD’s noticeable in the amplifi- C320 BEE (50Wpc, er than the CD player), $399) or C352 (80Wpc, but this is where the $599, reviewed in underlying synergies of AVguide Monthly 9) inte- System Two come into grated amplifiers. play. Revel’s three-way, four-driver Concerta F12 floorstanders are near full-range loudspeakers that are extremely easy to drive, and that offer hearty and surprisingly extended bass. Though the F12’s bass can sound a hair under-

56 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 System Three: $35OO TOTAL (BEFORE CABLES, POWER CONDITIONER) = $3399

Arcam Solo stereo receiver/CD player combo $1599 Review, Issue 156 DALI IKON 6 loudspeakers $1595 Review, this Issue

System Three achieves sophisticated sound where, especially through the broad midrange of the music, details emerge with a gentle, ystem Three leverages the strengths of unforced clarity that brings to mind the sound of even Arcam’s remarkable 50Wpc Solo—a combi- higher-performance systems. nation stereo receiver/CD player. The word TAS reviewer Chris Martens chose to Considerations: Because it is based on a combina- describe the 50Wpc Solo was “suave,” tion receiver/CD player, System Three can be tricky to Smeaning that it offered “smooth, cohesive, and self- upgrade in an incremental way. This may not be a confident” midrange with generous amounts of resolu- concern for you, but it is a point to bear in mind for tion and articulation. The Solo will appeal to enthusi- individuals who can’t resist tinkering with a good asts who want to enjoy musical details, but without the thing (you know who you are). Bear in mind, however, pain of inappropriate brightness or edginess. While that you may have to invest quite a bit more than the the Solo may sacrifice the “nth” degree of transparen- price of the Arcam Solo to achieve decisively superi- cy, it does achieve a sophisticated, well-balanced or sound. sound that will never turn and bite the listener. Finally, If you prefer a system based on separate compo- unlike many cost-constrained receivers, the Solo incor- nents, however, consider the core electronics packages porates an excellent FM tuner that easily reveals qual- we recommend for Systems Four, Five, or Six, below. ity differences between the playback systems used at local radio stations. It’s fun to have the option of sam- Some Guidelines for Newcomers (and pling new musical material over the airwaves. Reminders for Veterans) Rounding out the system are DALI’s easy-to-drive Make live music your standard. Train your ears by exposing them IKON 6 floorstanders. To appreciate what DALI has to plenty of live music (preferably unamplified—or at least lightly achieved with this speaker, we urge you to hear a pair amplified—live music), and then trust what they tell you about the of DALI’s excellent multi-thousand dollar per pair sound of hi-fi components. Helicons first, and then sample the IKONs. Are the award-winning Helicons the better speakers? Certainly. Listen, listen, and listen. Our recommendations will point you in directions that produce delightful sonic results, but remember that our But, is Helicon design “DNA” readily and sonically words are no substitute for you going out to hear components for your- apparent in the IKONs? You’d better believe it is, and self. You may have to travel a ways to audition the less common prod- in spades. In particular, the IKONs—like the ucts we recommend, but the end results will be worth the extra effort. Helicons—use a two-driver upper midrange/treble module based on a fabric-dome tweeter plus a ribbon Work with a competent dealer with whom you have good rap- port. A good dealer can add a huge amount to the equipment buy- driver to generate airy, extended, and beautifully ing experience, provided he or she is well attuned to your needs and defined highs. They also use Helicon-inspired wood tastes. Great dealers often have the uncanny ability to come up with pulp/composite mid/bass drivers to reproduce system solutions neither you (nor we) might have considered. Some midrange and bass frequencies in a soulful, expres- also offer in-home product-trial programs. sive way. The IKON 6’s bass extends to just below 40Hz, but TPV reviewer Barry Willis observed that they Don’t forget necessary accessories. Interconnect and speaker cables can have a huge impact on sound quality, as can power con- create the illusion of going even lower than that. Best ditioners. We do not provide specific cable or conditioner recom- of all, the IKON 6s offer sufficient articulation to take mendations here, but recommend setting aside an additional full advantage of all the finesse the Arcam Solo has to offer. 10–20% of your budget (beyond the cost of core system components) for cables and other necessary accoutrements. CM

58 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 System Four: $45OO TOTAL (BEFORE CABLES, POWER CONDITIONER) = $4349

Naim Nait 5i integrated amplifier $1350 Review, AVguide Rotel RCD-1072 CD player $699 Review, Issue 146 Paradigm Reference Studio 100 v3 loudspeakers $2300 Review, TPV 57 & 69

aim’s Nait 5i is a superb integrated ampli- stereo.” The Studio 100 is a three-way, five-driver fier, not just “for the money,” but also in a design that features an aluminum-dome tweeter, a broader, absolute sense. AVguide Monthly mica-polymer mid/bass driver, and three mineral-filled reviewer Tom Martin observed that the polypropylene woofers. Together, these drivers produce solid-state Nait 5i provides the harmonic near full-range sound that is evenly balanced from top Nrichness and rightness of a good tube amplifier, so that to bottom, with excellent transient speed that makes “each instrument sounds like itself, playing in a real the Studio 100s sound quick and articulate across the acoustic space,” adding that it gives “the sense of the board. Over time, these speakers win listeners’ hearts freeing the instruments or opening by gently revealing layer upon them up.” At the same time, the layer of midrange and treble amplifier also offers the clarity and textures, while delivering definition of a good transistor bass that is tight, tuneful, design, yet without etching or and—thanks to three overemphasizing the leading edges woofers sharing the work- of notes. Finally, Martin says, the load—unstrained. Two small 50Wpc Nait 5i delivers an unexpect- drawbacks are that the edly powerful sound, even “on big Studio 100s offer good, but orchestral or rock dynamic swings.” not entirely holographic imag- The award-winning Rotel RCD- ing, and occasional hints of 1072 CD player offers good clarity dryness in the highs. But and remarkable freedom from these shortcomings pale noise. TAS reviewer Alan Taffel alongside the many things the says the RCD-1072 “has the low- speakers do well. est noise level of any CD player I’ve System Four offers essential- heard at any price,” noting that it ly full-range sound, with good “presents an unimpeded path to measures of focus and definition, the music.” Because the Rotel plus a welcome touch of magic— presents music against a silent courtesy of the Naim amplifier. backdrop, Taffel notes, “musical lines and instrumental Considerations: For best results, details stand out as if in bas- upgrade the Rotel’s power cord relief,” as do tonal colors and and try placing the player on transients. The only drawback is ceramic tone cones such as those that the Rotel somewhat de-emphasizes offered by DH. These upgrades help the sense of air surrounding instruments. The RCD- clean up a slightly hard-edged quality 1072’s bass and dynamics may be slightly softer than the player occasionally exhibits. those of more costly players, but overall the Rotel is, in The system will play loudly enough to satisfy many Taffel’s words, a player that “allows music, and the listeners, but for extra headroom try the 100Wpc YBA instruments that make it, to emerge in stark glory.” Design YA201 integrated amplifier we recommend for Paradigm’s Reference Studio 100s are brilliant do- System Five. all floorstanders whose diverse strengths The Perfect Finally, for maximum openness and optimal imag- Vision reviewer Gary Altunian (a confirmed multichan- ing, use high-quality speaker cables with the nel enthusiast) credits with “rekindling my interest in Paradigms, and experiment with bi-wiring.

60 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 System Five: $55OO TOTAL (BEFORE CABLES, POWER CONDITIONER) = $5489

YBA Design YA201 integrated amplifier $1499 Review, this issue Rega Apollo CD player $995 Review pending Spendor S8e loudspeakers $2999 Review, Issue 155

BA Design’s 100Wpc YA201 integrated amplifier combines stunning industrial design, terrific build-quality, and engaging and sophisticated sound. The sophistica- tion flows from the amplifier’s exceptionally Yexpressive midrange, which effortlessly reveals intimate inner details within the music. Moreover, the YA201 offers good transparency and lively dynamics that span most of the audio spectrum, making the amplifier a leader in its price class. One other area where the amp shines is in reproduction of soundstage depth, contributing to a satisfyingly three-dimensional presentation. Only in direct comparison to top- tier components does the YA201 show a slight degree of softness at the frequency extremes, good but not fabulous bass definition, and a missing smidgeon of overall resolution. But when heard on its own, the YA201 impresses listeners as the accomplished, pol- ished, well-balanced performer it is. The best CD players in the $2500–$4000 range routinely uncover hidden levels of information in familiar CDs, but the amazing thing is that Rega’s sub- of an octave of low bass, and that they like, as $1000 Apollo player does the same thing, and almost Reynolds says, “a few extra watts.” But overall, this as effectively as premium-priced players do. The Rega speaker’s magic-per-dollar quotient is high. offers much greater transparency, sharper focus, and Drawing on the strengths of three truly special better resolution than other players we’ve heard at its components, System Five takes listeners well down price. Yet for all its definition, the Apollo has a deli- the road toward top-tier sound—and for less than the cate, almost feathery way of handling high-frequency price of a not-so-nice used car. details, plus foundational bass that is rock-solid and beautifully controlled. Considerations: The Spendor S8es offer ample bass, Completing System Five are a pair of British but low-bass aficionados might want some bass rein- Spendor S8e two-way floorstanders, which, as TAS forcement. To supplement the S8es, try adding a REL reviewer Sallie Reynolds pointed out, are “among the Q108e subwoofer (reviewed in TAS 156). heirs to the BBC true monitors of yore.” The S8e is not The YBA YA201 is a fine solid-state amplifier, but Spendor’s most expensive S-series model, but it may for those who prefer tube-powered front ends for their be the best-balanced speaker in the range. The S8es added harmonic richness, consider Vincent’s SV-236 do all things well, offering what Reynolds termed “gor- hybrid integrated amplifier (reviewed in TAS 156). geous midrange and treble,” and “clean, clear, dra- The Rega Apollo is an exceptional player, but one matic bass.” Add to these virtues seamless driver inte- area where more costly players can beat it is in repro- gration, fine imaging and soundstaging, and the ability duction of front-to-back depth cues. If you crave this to play loudly without strain, and you have a speaker quality, and are willing to trade off some detail and res- that’s easy to love and live with over time. The only olution to get it, consider YBA Design’s $1499 YC201 caveats are that the S8es can’t do the bottom 3/4ths CD player (reviewed in this issue).

62 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 System Six: $65OO TOTAL (BEFORE CABLES, POWER CONDITIONER) = $6645

Naim Nait 5i integrated amplifier $1350 Review, AVguide Rega Apollo CD player $995 Review pending Acoustic Zen Adagio loudspeakers $4300 Review, Issue 162

rom the outset, we planned to high-resolution envelope hard, yet they base our top budget system on remain, notes Reynolds, “tolerant if not Acoustic Zen’s exceptional completely forgiving of badly recorded Adagio loudspeaker, and to help music.” The beauty is that the Adagios those speakers achieve optimal give listeners more of what they buy good soundF in a still-affordable system, we recordings for, yet without punishing them turned once more to the same Naim Nait with strident, rough edges. Reynolds 5i integrated amplifier used in System adds that the Acoustic Zens “handle full Four. What makes this match work is the orchestras better than any speakers I fact that the Adagios are easy to drive, have had in my house.” One small note of fairly sensitive, and—in our experience— caution: Because the Adagios sound surprisingly responsive when powered by unstressed at high volume levels you may really good small amplifiers. And the Naim be tempted to play them more loudly than is good—so good, in fact, that it easily is wise. But that, as they say, is a high- holds its own even in lofty company (for quality problem to have. example, TAS Editor-in-Chief Robert Harley System Six dazzles listeners with the once recommended a system that paired pure, undistorted sound of live music, giv- the Naim with an $11,700 pair of Wilson ing a very satisfying taste of what high- Audio Sophia loudspeakers!). end audio is all about. For our source component, we again chose Rega’s Apollo CD player. Our Considerations: Give the Acoustic Zens a thought: The Apollo is surpassed only by minimum of 100 hours of break-in for players that cost substantially more. maximum openness, and be aware, dur- This brings us to Acoustic Zen’s beau- ing setup, that they are extremely heavy tifully-made, three-driver, two-way Adagio (ask a friend to help you position them). transmission-line loudspeakers. The We think you’ll like what the Rega Adagios’ strengths parallel those of the Apollo does, but for even higher per- Spendor S8es, but go further to achieve formance (at a considerably higher better bass extension (down to about price) try Musical Fidelity’s A5 CD player 30Hz), more expansive dynamics, and with vacuum tube output stage even higher levels of sonic purity. TAS (reviewed in TAS 155). reviewer Sallie Reynolds said, “The The Naim does a lot with its 50 watts Adagios are so free of distortion that per channel, but for more power (or the sounds usually lost in ‘noise’—soft harmonic characteristics of a tube-pow- sounds that get masked all too easily— ered front end) try Vincent’s 100Wpc SV- were coming through.” Like the Rega CD 236 hybrid integrated amplifier (reviewed player, the Adagios push the edges of the in TAS 156).

64 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

DALI IKON 6 Loudspeaker Affordable excellence from one of Denmark’s finest speaker companies

Robert E. Greene

hate small speakers,” a bring it down to smooth and flat. (In my famous audiophile-re- experience, DALI speakers are designed for cording producer once listening without toe-in). The IKON 6 puts said to me, and who quite a bit of high-frequency energy into the “Icould fail to understand room—wide dispersion is one of DALI’s his point? For decades, the high end mottos—so you will probably want to have seemed to think that the way to make an your room quite “soft” acoustically. But entry-level speaker was to offer the top within that context, the intrinsic sound of two-thirds of a speaker that would have the treble is excellent. been good if its bottom third were added The IKON 6 really delivers the goods back in. Not the DALI IKON 6. Its dynamically. DALI gives a figure of 111dB as $1600 price may be modest, but it is a a maximum SPL. While I did not push to substantial floorstander that never levels nearly that high, the IKON 6 is effort- sounds small in any negative way. less sounding; I was getting realistic orches- The first thing I listened to was tral dynamics with no sign of incipient stress. Barenboim’s Tristan und Isolde [Teldec]. Try that with a mini-monitor! And the Its brooding Wagnerian darkness and IKON 6 is high sensitivity—91dB/1W/1m. occasionally overpowering intensity all I was using one of my usual high-powered came through on the IKON 6. At last, an amplifiers, but it was never working hard. A affordable speaker with heft and guts! few watts will already get you rocking, and The bass and dynamics allow orchestral one can even use this speaker with an SET. It music to have real power, and they let is a benign amplifier load, too, according to rock music rock out, too. the manufacturer. If you have yet to make While it is the bass and dynamics your fortune, here is a speaker that will run that separate the IKON 6 most obvious- fine off an inexpensive receiver. And the ly from the mini-monitors of similar IKON 6 is ideal for those who want to exper- price, the treble is where the IKON 6 iment with the sound of tube classics like the most obviously exhibits innovation. Quad II (old or resuscitated) or Marantz 8B. Because here you’ll find the unique DALI No speaker, and certainly no inexpen- dome/ribbon hybrid tweeter that was sive speaker, is really completely neutral, originally developed for the company’s and the IKON 6 is not without sonic char- far more expensive Euphonia line. acter, having, as it does, a forwardness in the And very successful it is. Guitars, for midrange as well as in the treble as I noted example, have the combination of preci- above. Although the speaker’s overall bal- sion and treble snap they have in real life, ance is quite smooth, the midrange is pro- without any nastiness. And high percus- jected a bit in the mix. This may be a delib- sion is unusually convincing. The top erate choice. While using a multi-thousand notes of the piano also have their natural dollar EQ like the Z Systems with a budget plangency. And though the treble actual- speaker might seem odd, I could not resist ly rises somewhat on the “hottest” axis, it’s pulling down the mid (and the middle-to- only a problem if you aim the speakers directly high-treble) a bit. And I did prefer the at your listening position. Toeing the speakers result, even when the EQ was with an inex- slightly out will largely if not quite entirely pensive analog device from DOD. For many

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 67 equipment report

The IKON 6 is surprisingly detailed for what is, IKON 6 as such—it’s just acoustics. Careful placement is always good. Note, after all, almost a mass-market-priced speaker too, that the IKON 6 is sensitive to the listener’s vertical position, and the best people this may not be a major point, up realistic dynamics and bass extension. sound may require tilting the speaker, in nor perhaps even a disadvantage. After The IKON 6s do not plumb the very my case back slightly to match my lis- all, British reviewers have managed to bottom octave to any extent. This is, tening height and distance. When you turn this kind of sound into an appar- after all, a middle-sized speaker with two have it right, you’ll know it. Images ent virtue by semantics: code word 6.5" woofers. But the port tuning (the lock in and tonality is optimized. The “agile,” for which read “a little leaner port is huge) is at 36Hz, and the speaker IKON 6s, like all wide dispersion speak- in the low mids and upper bass than it goes firmly down to around 40Hz in ers, needs some room to the sides to real- really ought to be.” room, enough to give solidity to piano ize their full imaging potential. Away In any case, the midrange-forward sound and orchestral music, as well as from walls, they do the vanishing and character is not extreme in the IKON 6, most rock. To the very small extent that soundstaging tricks of narrow-fronted but it is there. I suppose that people who the IKON 6s sound lightweight at all, speakers very nicely, while retaining are involved in midband neutrality one is really hearing the midrange good center focus. above all else, whose main and almost prominence. Certainly one is again in To return to the sensitivity ques- only goal is audio life is absolute perfec- another world here from the mini-moni- tion, there is at least some evidence tion of the soprano voice (and I was once, tors, whatever their midrange virtues. that a certain dynamic linearity at low to some extent, one of these) may instead Watch out for Allison effect, levels is attached to drivers with high decide to spend this kind of money on though. Like all floorstanders, the sensitivity. Whether this is an over- the LS3/5a or one of its derivatives and IKON 6 needs careful position to avoid riding concern is a question for each successors, with their nearly perfect creating a hole somewhere in the mid- listener, but speakers that have high midrange, even at the penalty of giving bass. This is nothing to do with the sensitivity might also be expected to

68 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report be linear at very low levels, which suppose. With careful placement and some people believe is connected to setup (and for a balance freak like me a SPECIFICATIONS perceived detail. But for whatever rea- little reduction of the mid-prominence Type: 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker son the IKON 6 does provide a and a mild treble cut) the results are a Driver complement: Two 6.5" wood-fiber detailed picture of things, such as the lot closer to the more expensive designs cone woofers, one 1" soft-textile dome intricacies of piano note decay, the lit- than most speakers in the IKON 6’s tweeter, one .75" x 1.75" ribbon super- tle rings and shifts attached to the price range. tweeter dying of the tone, and is surprisingly The whole thing is rather surpris- Frequency response: 37Hz–30kHz detailed for what is, after all, almost a ing. These speakers are manufactured Sensitivity: 91.5dB mass-market-priced speaker. not in China but in DALI’s own Impedance: 6 ohms Of course, it would be more than a European factory—and DALI also has to Recommended amplifier power: 25–150 watts little extraordinary if a speaker at this deal with the decimated dollar when it Dimensions: 7.5" x 39.4" x 13" price point offered anything like the comes to U.S. pricing. Yet here they are: Weight: 41 lbs. performance of speakers many times the amazing quality, and a true bargain for cost. And switching back to my Harbeth the price. As I listened to the 6’s effort- M40 or to the now discontinued DALI lessly reproducing the orchestral music MANUFACTURER INFORMATION Grand did give a more neutral and of Rachmaninoff and Richard Strauss, I smoother sound, increased coherence thought how power, substance, and clar- DALI USA and refinement, more bottom-octave ity really matter with the orchestral 3957 Irongate Road extension, and all the other things that music of the late 19th and early 20th Bellingham, Washinton 98226 people who spend much more money centuries. If these sonic qualities are (360) 733-4446 expect, and sometimes even get. similarly meaningful to you, I think you [email protected] On the other hand, to my ears, the will like these speakers very well, dali-usa.com IKON 6 gets a lot closer than one might indeed, just as I did. & Price: $1600

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 69 equipment report

A Cable Survey On the Upgrade Trail? Winning wires from Crystal Cable, Nordost, and TARA Labs

Neil Gader

he high-end pastime known as “upgrading” comes as naturally to an silver quality overlays the fabric of her audiophile as breathing in and out. While no one category can be singled vocals; it implies “detail,” but unless your out as the most cost-effective upgrade, cables—so easy to swap—might speaker is rolled in the treble, the added be the most instantly gratifying. Even though some of my colleagues con- presence isn’t welcome. Also the Micro’s sider wire-reviewing about as much fun as a sleep-over at Camp Gitmo, I not as authoritative in the bass as I’d like, T and at the lowest volume levels there’s enjoy the process. The cables assembled here, from Crystal Cable, Nordost, and TARA Labs, all have pedigrees that are unassailable. And upgraders take note—they some loss of character in instruments like each hit significantly different price points. Please also consider that the cables were tympani, bassoon, or acoustic bass. tested as speaker-wire/interconnect tag teams. They were designed as partners, and In terms of soundstage perspective that’s generally how they tend to be sold. the Micros always sounded as if the microphones were a couple of inches closer to the orchestra or soloist—an gle as easily as a necklace from impression that slightly diminished Cartier or Tiffany. the reverberant nature of larger Preconceptions about physi- acoustic spaces. Soundstage width was cal size aside, the CrystalSpeak excellent, but, while depth is better Micro plays big and clean. Like a than average, I found myself wanting sonic windshield wiper it sweeps more-complex layering of string sec- the soundstage clear of dust and tions. On balance, however, the Micros grime. Orchestral images snap are arguably one of the most transpar- into focus, and the sensation of ent cables I’ve heard to date. pace and speed is immediately apparent. Tonally, the Micro combo is midrange-neutral with a little lift in the treble and lag in Nordost Baldur Speaker the bass. It’s ultra-swift in tran- Cables and Baldur sient response with a turbine-like Interconnects smoothness that rhythmically propels the music forward, as if s the most affordable cables in the tempos had been increased. There is no Asurvey the Baldurs performed Crystal Cable: Crystal- blurring or smearing of notes, even when uncommonly well. They were evenly Evgeny Kissin unleashes a series of light- balanced, with the tonal composure and Speak Micro and Crystal- ning-strike piano arpeggios or summons midrange solidity that I’m so fond of Connect Micro Interconnect a swirl of harmonics from his Steinway with Nordost wire. Baldur improves on during Glinka’s The Lark [RCA]. Blue Heaven in every respect,1 and by rystal Cable of the Netherlands However, there’s a region in the tre- virtue of its greater resolution and trans- C describes its wire as “micro-sized,” ble where the Micro suggests a modest parency draws ever closer to Valhalla. and it ain’t kidding. Jewel-like, this coloration. It can be heard in the har- Whereas the Blue Heaven can sound a skinny-mini could be mistaken for piano monic structure of a voice like that of a bit whitish and hair-trigger, Baldur has wire, and if you’re not careful it will tan- cappella artist Laurel Massé. A bleached, greater effortlessness, with a welcoming

1 A budget staple of my reference system for years.

70 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

Tonally, Baldur has a small Nordost closes down slightly, as if emphasis or “push” in the there’s a narrow ridge in the upper fre- midrange that can energize quencies where it peaks and settles back violin sections a mite. Also, down. Likewise, brass sections tend to during Glinka’s Russian congeal a bit, and celli had a more wiry and Ludmilla Overture from character. Reiner’s Chicago [RCA], All in all, the Baldur may not be as the violin section pushes focused as the Crystal Micro or as forward as if gently spot- weighty as the TARA RSC Air 1, but its lit. Soundstaging in gener- possesses a rewarding balance of criteria al was solid, but the rear of (and extreme affordability) that makes it the soundstage lacked some tough to beat on this playing field. definition, and various midrange warmth and treble bloom. It orchestral sections often sounded a little imparts a firmer more extended low-fre- crowded together. TARA Labs RSC Air 1 quency undercarriage which benefits a Perhaps my most interesting conclu- wide range of orchestral material. And sion during this survey was the way each Speaker Cables and RSC with its class-leading low-level resolu- of the cables seemed to emphasize a dif- Air 1 Series 2 Interconnects tion I found myself isolating the small- ferent treble coloration. For example, est acoustic details in very specific areas when Emmylou Harris hits the upper he TARA Labs RSC cabling arrived of the soundstage. Baldur also has a but- octave of her range (in her duet with T on my doorstep in the wake of a tran- tery way with transients, making them Mark Knopfler from All The scendent listening experience with rounder, without etch or hardness. Roadrunning [Warner Bros.]), the TARA’s brutally expensive Omega

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 71 equipment report

cables—an event that has good conscience, I would proved to be both a blessing have no problem living with and a curse.2 With expectations any of these wires for the long running well into the red, how term. Although they have differences, would the RSC Air 1 measure up? In they are all uniformly excellent fact, I can hear a great deal of Omega in is the most expansive upgrades. There are no losers in this the voicing of the RSC, particularly in the (depth and width). Instrumental images bunch, but there is, happily, one win- effortless way that it plays louder, hits seem more settled onto the stage, like a ner—you. & dynamics a little harder, and digs a little genuine performance where you can deeper. Of this trio it’s also the mellowest sense the dampening qualities of the hall wire, imparting a resonant, darker charac- as it reflects and diffuses reverberant ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT ter. This is an appealing trait if you enjoy sound. The trait was also consistent Sota Cosmos Series III turntable; SME V cello and bass viols like I do. during Dianne Reeves’ “One For My pick-up arm; Shure V15VxMR cartridge; Complementing its lower-midrange tonal Baby” from the Good Night, and Good MBL 1531, Sony DVP-9000ES, and performance, the RSC Air 1 is also a spe- Luck soundtrack [Warner], where the Simaudio Moon Supernova digital players; cialist in larger-scale dynamics and seems ambience retrieval of acoustic piano and Plinius 9200 and MBL 7008 integrated to glory in the midbass octaves. Of all the bass becomes thicker, the macro- and amplifiers; ProAc Studio 140, ATC cables I’ve listened to recently, with the micro-elements of the performance SCM20-2, MBL 121, and Pioneer 2EX exception of the preternatural Omega, the more fully revealed. loudspeakers; REL B3 subwoofer; RSC exhibits a dynamism that verges on The TARA is dynamically lively on Synergistic Research Spec REL intercon- the propulsive. It has a way of extracting vocals of all stripes. But there is still a nect and power cord; Vitrual Dynamics the micro-dynamic “touch” (even in the dry quality to Emmylou Harris’ vocal Master, Wireworld Silver Electra & Kimber lower octaves) heard on pianist Warren during “If This Is Goodbye.” It never Palladian power cords; Richard Gray line Bernhardt’s So Real [DMP]. And its open grows strident, but there is a bit of fine conditioners; Sound Fusion character seems to find “air” in the tight- white grit powdering the treble—a turntable stand est spaces between notes and images. characteristic that all the cables of this But unlike the more forward Crystal survey shared to varying degrees. MANUFA CTURER INFORMATION and the Nordost, the TARA establishes It’s an American pastime, crowning a different relationship with the orches- winners and vanquishing losers whenev- CRYSTAL CABLE tra/soloist and the venue. Its soundstage er competitors take the field. But in all 29 Sunrise Lane Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 (201) 785-1055 What’s in a Cable? crystalcable-usa.com rystal Cable’s Micro Series (developed in cooperation with Siltech) uses mul- Prices: CrystalSpeak Micro, $2600/3m tiple silver conductors and a clever innovation—in order to increase surface ($2725, biwire); CrystalConnect Micro, Carea (and improve current flow) Crystal injects gold to fill the gaps between $599/1m, $1119/2m conductors. Isolation is achieved with a triple wrap of Kapton film, and finished with a silver-braided shield, wrapped in a Teflon jacket. Crystal also uses an ingenious TARA LABS INC. splitter that allows the user to add cable length or swap terminations (or go from sin- 550 Clover Lane gle wire to biwire) with the twist of the splitter ring. Ashland, Oregon 97520 Nordost’s Baldur is one of three models that make up Nordost’s new Norse line. (541) 488-6465 It brings reference-line technology (think Valhalla) to down-to-earth prices. The 26 taralabs.com individual silver-on-copper conductors are manufactured and insulated using Prices: RSC Air One, $2350/10' pr Nordost’s proprietary Class 1 FEP extrusion process and widely spaced into ($1950/8' pr); RSC Air 1 Series 2 Nordost’s trademark flat-ribbon style. The interconnects use Nordost’s Micro-Mono Interconnects, $995/1m, $1195/2m filament technology with twin silver-plated copper conductors. TARA Labs’ RSC Speaker cables are designed around 10+ gauge 8N copper with 24 individually insulated conductors (48 for each channel) helixed around Teflon air- NORDOST tubes in separate positive and negative runs for each channel. The Series 2 version 200 Homer Avenue of the RSC Air 1 interconnect includes upgrades to the Air-Tube core technology that Ashland, Maine 01721 is central to TARA Labs’ designs. It includes an increased separation between the (508) 881-1116 shield and the central Air-Tube that houses the OF8N copper conductors. NG nordost.com Prices: Baldur speaker, $1379.99 3/m; interconnect, $499.99/1m, $674.99/2m 2 The blessing is that I heard them; the curse is that I can’t afford them!

72 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

YBA Design YA201 Integrated Amplifier and YC201 CD player Listening with the eyes…as well as the ears

Chris Martens

Even before you hear these units, completely engrossed in the music. they make a strong impression with their Interestingly, the YC201’s midrange exotic appearance. All YBA Design com- strengths are not born of exceptionally ponents share common chassis sizes and high resolution. Oh, the resolution is faceplate designs; to add a touch of mys- certainly good, perhaps very good, but it tery, YBA deliberately omits traditional is not the main event. The midrange silk-screened product names, model excellence flows from an elusive combi- numbers, and switch-function labels. nation of factors, including timbral Powered down, the units look nearly accuracy, tonal richness, a hint of identical, with nothing to detract from warmth, and the ability to allow sounds their sculptural simplicity save for the to emerge from and recede back into a logo, a stylized letter “Y.” Once the units quiet noise floor in a strikingly realistic are powered up, their normally blacked- way. More than many players in this out display windows are bathed in soft price range, the YC201 reminds listen- blue-gray light, with graphics and text ers that air is a fluid medium, in which that make component identity and con- the reverberations of various instru- trol-button functions clear. ments interact in complex ways, much The designers at YBA clearly like the ripples generated when a hand- burned midnight oil to get the appear- ful of pebbles is thrown into a still pool. ance of its components just so, an effort Put all these qualities together and you the firm’s Web site explains through this have a player whose sound is sumptuous slogan: “We also listen with the eyes….” and seductive. When I first saw the YC201 and This is quite clear on a high-quality YA201, I found them so beautiful (and recording of complex orchestral materi- he French high-end audio beautifully made) that I thought they al, such as David Chesky’s Concerto for firm YBA, which takes its surely would cost a small fortune. But Violin and Orchestra from Area 31 name from owner and they don’t. Selling for $1649 apiece, [Chesky]. The first movement starts founder Yves-Bernard both are highly credible mid-tier offer- with a complicated rhythmic theme car- T André, has just launched ings. Over time I’ve come to perceive ried by tympani, handclaps, and a YBA Design—a brand-within-a-brand the amp as the stronger performer of the celeste, and then unfolds into an angular whose components are performance ori- two; but let’s start by discussing the CD and yet strangely sweet opening state- ented, yet affordably priced. YBA player, since its sonic strengths form the ment from the solo violin. The YC201 Design replaces YBA’s former Audio core of what is also special and right would highlight, in turn, the earthy Refinement line, offering components about the amplifier. punch of the tympani, the sharp “pop” developed in France, but manufactured The YC201 is a 24-bit/192kHz of the handclaps, and the mysterious in Asia to hold costs down. In terms of upsampling CD player whose most dis- ring of the celeste, and then shift gears aesthetics and sound quality, however, tinctive characteristics are terrific to nail the incisive sound of the violin. YBA Design products are significantly midrange finesse and liquidity—a cer- At the same time, it did an excellent job more ambitious than the Audio tain smooth, urbane, soulful sound that of portraying the decay of the various Refinement models they replace. Two sweeps listeners into the flow of the instrumental voices within the reverber- great examples are the YC201 CD play- music. The player is so beguiling, I ant recording venue, and an exceptional er and YA201 integrated amplifier—the would sit down planning to listen for job of reproducing soundstage depth first YBA Design components to reach just a few minutes, only to look up and cues, so that the soundstage seemed to our shores. realize I was halfway through a disc and extend far behind the loudspeakers,

74 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

almost making me feel as though I could acoustics of the recording space became One minor glitch: My review sample get up from my chair and walk out into clear and the guitar seemed almost eeri- came with faulty control logic, making it the stage. ly present. Increased volume levels also respond to remote control buttons meant My favorable assessment was tem- made for clearer low-level dynamic for use with the YC201 CD player. YBA pered by two small but noticeable sonic contrasts, and an across-the-board will probably have this problem straight- ened out by the time you read this. A certain smooth, urbane, soulful sound that Summing up, YBA Design’s YC201 is a lovely CD player to look at and one sweeps listeners into the flow of the music blessed with seductive midrange sound. The only thing holding it from class shortcomings. First, the YC201 lacks a improvement in focus and resolution. leadership is stiff competition from new bit of the resolution that today’s best As for tonal characteristics, down mid-priced entries. The YA201 inte- mid-priced CD players achieve. Rega’s low, the YA201 sounded hearty and grated amp, on the other hand, is a class sub-$1000 Apollo, which I had on hand warm yet clear, though without the last leader because it offers the same for comparison, retrieved significantly word in low-frequency transient midrange magic as the YC201, plus more musically relevant information. response or “traction” (that is, the abili- greater transparency and better response Second, the YC201 slightly softened ty to control woofers firmly and precise- at the frequency extremes. Most impor- details and dynamics at the frequency ly). Several class D amplifiers I’ve eval- tantly, these components convey real extremes—a characteristic that may be uated lately offer better bass perform- musical joie de vivre. & part of the player’s almost eerie smooth- ance than the YA201 does, though I ness, but that was not, strictly speaking, think this amp could hold its own accurate. Neither of these is a damning against like-priced integrated ampli- flaw by any stretch of the imagination, fiers and separates (e.g., the NAD C SPECIFICATIONS but together they made me think the 162/C 272 pair). Highs were delicate, YC201 CD player YC201 was leaving some sonic potential sweet, and pleasantly extended, though Outputs: One stereo analog (RCA), one on the discs unfulfilled. the YA201 did not provide the razor- digital (coaxial) The YA201 amplifier is a 100Wpc sharp treble transient response and Dimensions: 15.35" x 5.1" x 15.35" solid-state integrated design whose transparency that some listeners crave Weight: 25.35 lbs. sonic strengths parallel those of the and that certain higher-priced ampli- YA201 integrated amplifier YC201, but with two important differ- fiers deliver. Even so, the YA201’s tre- Power output: 100 Wpc @ 8 Ohms ences. First, at its best, it offers substan- ble characteristics make it somewhat Inputs: Six stereo analog (RCA) tially more transparency and resolution; forgiving of overly bright associated Dimensions: 15.35" x 5.1" x 15.35" second, it delivers crisper response at components, while still preserving a Weight: 33.07 lbs. upper and lower frequency extremes. I healthy measure of clarity. say “at its best,” because the YA201 As with the YC201, the broad cen- ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT could sound almost like two different ter of the midrange is where the YA201 Rega Apollo CD player; Musical Fidelity amplifiers, depending on playback vol- shines, delineating layers of musical Tri-Vista SACD player; Wilson Benesch ume. At low-to-moderate levels, it subtleties in ways that make many mid- Full Circle analog system; Musical sounded pleasing, but overly polite, priced components sound simplistic. Surroundings Phonomena phonostage; with tone colors that seemed somewhat What makes the YBA’s midrange special Epos ELS 303 and Paradigm Reference washed out. But with the volume turned is an extraordinary expressiveness. For Signature S8 loudspeakers; RGPC power up, the amplifier’s character changed example, it reveals how the notes of Paul conditioner, Cardas interconnect and dramatically for the better. With added Winter’s saxophone on Icarus [Epic, LP] speaker cables volume tone colors became richer and begin with a rise in pressure at the more vibrant, and instrumental and mouthpiece, followed by initial bursts of vocal timbres were infused with life. sound as the reed starts to vibrate, and DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION One recording that crystallized this finally bloom as the air column inside impression was Philip Hii’s classical the sax begins to resonate. Granted, AUDIO PLUS SERVICES guitar rendition of the Chopin many good integrated amplifiers catch 156 Lawrence Paquette Industrial Drive Nocturnes [DSG]. At low levels, both these distinctions to some degree, but Champlain, New York 12919 Hii’s guitar and the acoustics of the not with this kind of assuredness on (800) 633-9352 recording venue sounded flat and a bit inner details. This midrange sophistica- ybadesign.com like high-end “elevator music.” But tion and richness make the YA201 an audioplusservices.com with the volume turned up, the awful lot of amplifier for the money. Prices: $1649 each

76 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

Aerial Acoustics Model 9 Loudspeaker The latest offering from designer Michael Kelly delivers the goods

Jacob Heilbrunn

cientists say that we’re not supposed to anthropomorphize objects, which is a fancy term for ascribing human qualities to things like cars or computers. But in the case of the S Aerial Model 9 loudspeaker, it’s pretty hard to resist that temptation. Like its designer Michael Kelly, a veteran loudspeaker builder, the 9 is tall and slim, and reserved but surprisingly powerful. I can say this with some confidence because when I first met Kelly I was slightly apprehensive. Would he have the strength to help me carry the two imposing boxes containing his new babies into my living room? Not to worry. Kelly easily helped me heft the not-incon- siderable weight of the Aerials into my room. Similarly, I wondered, at first glance, whether the Model 9s with their relatively small drivers would be able to pack a punch. Score another one for Kelly. They delivered the musical goods in spades. Although it’s imperfect, the multi-driver tower Model 9 represents a big advance over the venerable 10T, and I would rank it among the most

The first thing that leaps out at you is how much shrewd engineering went into the 9

enjoyable loudspeakers I’ve heard. The Model 9, which is the little brother of the 20T, is an extremely coherent speaker that doesn’t err to any extreme. It’s calm, controlled, unflappable, simply a pleasure to listen to. It does very little to the signal, but that gives you the chance to tailor the sound to your liking. The first thing that leaps out at you is how much shrewd engineering went into the Model 9. Kelly has gone to some lengths to keep the front of the speaker as narrow as possible. This not only helps the speaker disappear quite nicely, but also, as he explained, helps avoid reflections. He’s also created a deep cabinet to control resonances. The cabinet itself is extremely inert to avoid, as much as possible, colorations that impinge upon the sound. Of course, it’s impossible to eliminate resonances completely, but

78 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

the Model 9 goes a long way toward fect square, about the worst area you sively. The splendid linear character of accomplishing that goal. Kelly is a big could devise for a stereo. What’s more, the speaker meant that no one frequency fan of using spikes to tighten up the the speakers weren’t really broken in, spectrum overshadowed another, partic- bass; he has constructed a special base for which compounded matters. After I ran ularly on rock, which could reach deaf- the loudspeaker and also supplies footers them in for a week, they began to sing ening levels on the Aerials with no sense in case you have delicate floors. If you (notice that I said “began”—it takes of strain. do, use ’em. The weight of the loud- hundreds of hours before they’re really One reason that the speakers played speaker will plunge the spikes through ready for primetime). Later on, I moved so effortlessly was that they are quite hardwood. Kelly, like many other speak- them downstairs into the basement, high in sensitivity at 90dB. There’s er designers, also uses a port that fires where they went from sounding good something to be said for a higher-effi- downward onto the floor for more con- to superb. ciency loudspeaker—I had the volume stant loading. Having lived with planars for such a about half of where I usually do on the When Kelly set up the speakers in long time, I was eager to hear the raw big Magnepans. After experimenting my living room, he was far from satis- power of dynamic drivers. The Model 9 with both tubes and solid-state, I ended fied. The bass was boomy and the did not disappoint. Whether I was lis- up running all tubes on the Aerials. The sound got aggressive when we turned tening to Led Zeppelin, the Rolling combination of the Messenger preamp up the volume. He was frustrated. I Stones, or Lil’ Kim, the speakers dis- and the VTL 750s on the Aerials was wasn’t. My usual space for listening is played excellent authority. Drum and sublime. The midrange was creamy and in the basement, which was being gut- cymbals came through with pop and siz- luscious without being bloated. ted. The living room was almost a per- zle, driving the music forward propul- Listening to the Aerials, I was riveted by

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 79 equipment report

I would rank it among the most enjoyable loudspeakers I’ve heard That’s nothing to be sneezed at: a few years ago, before I was a reviewer, I called Aerial with a question about a their combination of detail and smooth- in a different area: bass. While the mid- subwoofer that wasn’t behaving proper- ness. I came away in disbelief, not only bass was taut, I never felt that the down- ly. Kelly answered the phone and of the quality of the amazingly musical ward-firing port was an unmitigated promptly analyzed the problem in the products VTL makes but also of the neu- blessing. In my living room, it was very most affable manner. I was extremely trality of the Aerial loudspeakers. They difficult to tame the bass, but I chalked impressed both by his precise diagnosis provided a translucent window into that up to lousy room dimensions. In the and his professional courtesy. whatever equipment preceded them. basement, which is significantly larger, With Aerial’s long history of produc- So well did the speakers image that the bass was indeed tighter, but not ing and standing behind its products, I you can hear precisely when a singer has beyond reproach. There is a slight ten- have no hesitation about recommending shifted a few inches from the micro- dency to bloat and boom in the nether the Model 9; it recommends itself. When phone. This isn’t the kind of thing that regions, and I suppose Herculean efforts an acquaintance who isn’t an audiophile I obsess about, but it does let you know at finding the right spot for room can- but loves music recently dropped over to that the speaker is doing a great job on cellations might have solved the prob- hear the speakers, he sat down and lis- overall image stability, which, in the lem. But I never could. Don’t get me tened. And listened. Then he looked at case of the Aerials, was rock-solid. The wrong: On rock music, the added me and asked, “Where can I buy them?” soundstage itself is not forward with the emphasis supplied by the port was a How much more needs to be said? & Aerials—it hangs right between the guilty pleasure. But on classical and speakers and can billow into a vast can- jazz, I wasn’t as convinced. The port did- vas, when a recording calls for it. The n’t swallow up the midrange or treble, SPECIFICATIONS crunch of an orchestral string section but it was a mite intrusive at times. Type: Three-way, six-driver floorstanding playing fortissimo had an undeniable Alas, this, I suspect, is one of the loudspeaker heft to it that made it sound achingly inevitable drawbacks of the double-duty Driver complement: Four 7.1" bilaminate close to the real thing. When you hear that loudspeakers have to play nowadays woofers; one 6" bilaminate midrange; that kind of dynamic oomph come out since home theater has become such an one 1" titanimum-dome tweeter of nowhere, it has a jump factor that’s important part of the marketplace. My Frequency response: 30Hz–22kHz always a thrill. Ears aquiver, I almost own druthers are for sealed loudspeakers Sensitivity: 90dB shot out of my seat when I heard it. and subwoofers—I want them to sound Nominal impedance: 4 ohms Consistent with the Aerials lineari- as tight as possible. Recommended amplifiers power: 50–500 ty, the highs never sounded etched or It’s also the case that the Model 9 watts astringent. On the contrary, the Aerials was not as open, transparent, and fast as Dimensions: 11" x 47.7" x 18.1" soared into the upper parts of the hemi- the Magnepans or SoundLab loudspeak- Weight: 116 lbs. (bases: 27 lbs.) sphere with great sang-froid. Some ers. Nor did the Model 9 have as big a might feel that the highs were rolled front-to-back soundstage as those two ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT off. I didn’t. The highs on the Aerials critters. But then what does? The trade- EMM Labs Meitner CDSD Transport and were integrated into the rest of the off—ah, that ugly word that always rears DCC2 dac/preamp; Messenger preampli- sound, which, I think, is exactly how it its head in the audio world—is that fier; Classé Omega monoblock and VTL should be. The tweeter should never dynamic speakers have more pop and 750 monoblock amplifiers; Magnepan stick out, even if it initially sounds slam than their planar brethren. Plus, 20.1 loudspeakers with Mye stands; Jena more exciting that way. After an hour or they’re much easier to drive and don’t Labs cabling and power cords; Shunyata so, it will sear your ears. I wholly take up the space of planar behemoths. Hydra-8 power conditioner admired the fact that it was impossible However much I may remain addict- to hear where the tweeter was crossed ed to planars, I was bowled over by the over, and that it didn’t appear to rise in overall performance of the Aerials. I’m MANUFACTURER INFORMATION volume as it ascended in frequency. hard-pressed to think of a better value, Having worked overtime to tame the which is what Kelly seeks to supply. He’s AERIAL ACOUSTICS CORPORATION Magnepan ribbon tweeter, I’m always not interested in creating megabuck 100 Research Drive wary of a hot treble that can really loudspeakers (depending on finish, the Wilmington, Massachusetts 01887 impact the midrange—that is, obscure Model 9 ranges from $8800–$9800). aerialacoustics.com it—to a greater extent than you might What he supplies is decades of hard- (978) 988-1600 think possible. earned engineering experience, coupled Price: Variety of finishes, from smooth No, my nit to pick with the Aerial is with a rock-solid line of products. black, $8800 to Titanium Gloss, $9800

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 81 equipment report

Cary CD 306 CD/SACD Player Not another “me-too” player, but one that adds some interesting twists

Robert Harley

ary Audio made a name for outputs, can be used as a digital upsam- sound that puts smoothness ahead of res- itself with vacuum-tube pling device or as a digital-to-analog olution, but rather the result of a tube- power amplifiers, primari- converter for external sources, and even like rendering of midrange timbres, ly the single-ended triode lets the user select the upsampling rate. warm and full bass, and spacious sound- C variety. Indeed, it was a If that weren’t enough, the transport staging. passion for SET amplifiers that inspired mechanism is a gorgeous piece of engi- Much of the CD 306’s appeal, I Dennis Had to found Cary Audio neering created from scratch by Cary. think, stems from its gorgeous presenta- Design in 1989. The company now Throw in a slew of purist design tech- tion of the lowermost four octaves. The makes a wide range of tubed and solid- niques and high-end parts and you’ve entire bottom end had a weight, state power amplifiers and preampli- got the makings of one fascinating play- warmth, and lushness that served as the fiers, including multichannel units. er (see sidebar for technical details). foundation of the player’s overall excel- With this background rooted in a I’ll start with the 306’s CD perform- lence. Acoustic bass had a wonderful nearly 100-year-old technology, it comes ance. The player was musically seduc- round and resonant quality that con- veyed the instrument’s size and con- Much of the CD 306’s appeal, I think, stems struction. Listen to Edgar Myer’s bass on the disc Skip, Hop & Wobble [Sugar Hill] from its gorgeous rendering of the lowermost with Jerry Douglas and Russ Barenberg. four octaves Through the CD 306, the instrument was richly textured, harmonically as a surprise that Cary Audio has joined tive, yet I find it difficult to describe nuanced, and reproduced with a full the digital party with an extremely why. The player didn’t sound overtly measure of weight and depth. Despite interesting and sophisticated new spectacular in any one area, but exhibit- the CD 306’s tilt toward a warm and CD/SACD player—the CD 306 ed a fundamental musical rightness of rich bottom end, it was articulate, reviewed here. the kind that results in listening sessions detailed, quick, and clean. This wasn’t a The CD 306 is no ordinary CD play- extending well into the night. There was big, sloppy bass that emphasizes weight er. Rather than a “me-too” unit based on an ease to the presentation reminiscent at the expense of detail. The 306’s com- conventional parts, techniques, and fea- of a great tubed amplifier, although the bination of tremendous bottom-end heft ture sets, the CD 306 adds some inter- CD 306 was anything but “tubey.” The and fullness with precise pitch defini- esting twists. The machine plays SACDs ease was not the result of an overly tion and dynamics was addictive. These (two-channel), has digital inputs and romanticized interpretation or of a soft qualities of the 306 were exploited to

82 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

Features and Operation he 306 incorporates a host of features that blur the line between con- Tventional product categories. In addition to playing CD and SACD (two-channel only), the 306 offers digital inputs for decoding external digital sources. The 306 can thus function as a digital-to-analog converter for up to four digital sources. Signals connected to these digital inputs can alternately be routed to one of the three digital-output jacks, with the 306 performing upsampling in user-selectable increments. Put in 44.1kHz at the input and get 44.1kHz, 96kHz, or 192kHz at the output for decoding by an external digital- the fullest by the BAT VK-600SE league compared with other SACD to-analog converter. In addition to the monoblocks and Wilson MAXX 2 loud- machines, and sounded much closer to standard digital inputs (AES/EBU, coaxial, speakers, products with stunning bass what I hear from the EMM gear. TosLink), the 306 has an i.LINK input for presentation in their own right. Compared with the excellent and beauti- connection to an SACD machine with It’s also hard to describe the 306’s fully built $3000 Sony SCD-XA9000ES i.LINK output (i.LINK is Sony’s implemen- sound because it changed with the multichannel player, the CD 306 was tation of FireWire [IEEE1394], which in upsampling. I found myself using differ- considerably smoother in its rendering of this case is used to transmit high-resolu- ent upsampling ratios depending on the instrumental timbre and more spacious, tion digital audio from an SACD player to the CD 306). recording. and had more satisfying bass weight and The 306’s upsampling circuit will, The CD 306’s HDCD decoding definition and greater overall clarity. The however, most often be used when simply was a welcome touch. Decoding SCD-XA9000ES is, however, multichan- using the CD 306 as a CD player. You can HDCD titles brings out a greater sense nel and half the price of the Cary. select upsampling rates of 96kHz, of space and low-level detail. This is The EMM Labs gear was a different 192kHz, 384kHz, 512kHz, or 768kHz (in particularly true of Keith Johnson’s story. In my past experience, SACD addition to no upsampling) from the front recordings on the Reference Record- playback quality fell into two categories: panel or remote control. Upsampling is ings label. There are a surprising num- the EMM products and everything else. used only for CDs, not SACDs. ber of HDCD-encoded discs available Ed Meitner’s SACD products were sim- I didn’t understand the front-panel because the Pacific Microsonics Model 1 ply better. button marked “2-Ch/Multi-Ch.” As a two- channel-only player, the button seemed and Model 2 professional HDCD In a head-to-head comparison of the superfluous. The SACD format mandates encoders are also regarded by many mas- EMM Labs and CD 306 playing very that multichannel discs also contain a tering studios as the state-of-the-art in high-quality SACDs (the TAS/Telarc two-channel mix; one would expect a two- analog-to-digital conversion. sampler, and discs from Chesky and channel player to default to the two-chan- As great as the 306 sounded on CD, DMP), I found that the Cary was the nel version. (By contrast, many DVD-As are the player was absolutely spectacular on first player in the same company as the multichannel only, with a two-channel mix SACD. All the qualities I enjoyed about EMM Labs. The EMM had a smoother created on the fly in the player based on the 306 with CD were taken to another and softer treble with a greater sense of control codes contained on the disc.) level when playing the best-sounding overall ease, but the Cary’s bass was The CD 306 is also unusual in that it incorporates decoding of High-Definition discs the SACD format has to offer. I’m warmer, fuller, and more musical. I also Compatible Digital (HDCD) discs. In my invariably disappointed with the SACD thought the Cary surpassed the EMM view, HDCD is a worthwhile technology that sections of CD/SACD players because on orchestral fortes; the Cary main- should be incorporated in more players. I’ve lived with what is considered by tained its composure and refinement A large and comprehensive front- general consensus to be the state-of-the- during big dynamic swings, while the panel display shows all the usual informa- art in two-channel SACD playback: the EMM tended to harden textures on loud tion, as well as the oversampling rate and EMM Labs/Meitner DCC2 processor and and complex passages. Significantly, the whether the disc is a CD, SACD, or HDCD- CDSD transport, linked by a proprietary CD 306 is the first SACD playback I’ve encoded CD. Output is on balanced XLR interface and separate clock lines. The heard in my system to challenge the jacks and unbalanced RCAs. RH Cary machine was clearly in a different EMM Labs’ gear.

84 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

Under the 306’s Hood

ary Audio is one of only six true SACD licensees in the tion (PCM) for conversion to analog by PCM DACs, the DSD bit- world. This allows them to buy the dual CD/SACD laser stream has its own dedicated electronics and DACs. When Cassembly from Sony and build the transport mecha- playing original DSD recordings through the 306, the signal nism from scratch. The transport appears to be quite a piece never undergoes PCM conversion. This is how the SACD format of work, at least looking at it from the top through the top should be judged and compared with CD. panel’s round glass window that proudly showcases the The digital signal processing for the upsampling is per- gleaming machined-aluminum transport. The sled, drawer, formed by an Analog Devices ADSP. This chip is used in con- and other parts are all custom-machined with what appears junction with a Pacific Microsonics PMD200 HDCD decoder. to be fine precision. Each of the two signal paths (PCM and DSD) employs four The chassis is simply stunning. The rounded faceplate DACs for fully differential operation. The digital bitstream for merges with the side and top panels, with no screws visible each channel is split into a balanced signal, and then convert- from anywhere on the chassis front, sides, bottom, or back. ed to analog with two DACs per channel. This differential oper- This structure sits on four machined isolation cones. The ation creates a truly balanced output at the XLR jacks. In CD machine exudes taste and class. players without differential DACs, the single DAC’s output is The player has two separate decoding chains, one for CD split into a balanced signal in the analog domain, adding an and one for SACD. Unlike many players that convert SACD’s additional active stage to the signal path. An additional advan- Direct Stream Digital (DSD) bitstream into pulse-code modula- tage of differential DACs is that any noise or distortion com-

86 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

mon to the DACs will cancel when the signal are eventually summed. This means the CD 306 has a whopping eight digital-to-analog converters: left +, left –, right +, right – for the PCM signal path, and an identical configuration of different DACs for the SACD signal path. The CD 306 also has eight analog output stages, all of them discrete (no op-amps, save for the mandatory current-to-voltage converter in the PCM signal path). The analog circuits are direct coupled (no capacitors in the signal path). The power supply is also impressive. It features two large transformers and all-discrete regulation for the digital and analog circuits (IC regulation is used on the supplies to the control electronics). As a result of all this circuitry—two separate signal paths, differential DACs, eight analog output stages, lots of discrete power-supply regulation—the CD 306 runs very hot. In fact, this is the warmest-running CD player or digital product I’ve encountered. The entire chassis acts as a heat sink and is warm to the touch. Power consumption is 65W. Given the extremely high build-quality, custom transport mechanism, gorgeous met- alwork, tweaky design and implementation (the eight DACs, for example), I would have expected the CD 306 to cost much more than $6000. RH

Conclusion It was hard to put my finger on exactly SPECIFICATIONS why I found the CD 306 so musical, but Type: Two-channel CD and SACD player about its fundamental musicality there Analog outputs: Balanced on XLR jacks, unbalanced on RCA jacks was no doubt. It’s easier to describe what Digital inputs: Coaxial (RCA jack), the Cary CD 306 isn’t: dry, thin, hard, AES/EBU (XLR jack), TosLink optical, cold. Find your own antonyms to those i.LINK (FireWire) descriptors and that’s what the CD 306 Digital outputs: Coaxial (RCA jack), is. In addition, the 306 is the Swiss army AES/EBU (XLR jack), TosLink optical knife of CD players: It upsamples for Control port: RS232 remote-configuration output on its analog audio jacks and interface upsamples for conversion by an outboard Dimensions: 17.75" x 4.5" x 14.5" processor, acts as a digital-to-analog con- Weight: 37 lbs. Price: $6000 verter for other digital sources, and decodes HDCD discs. The player is also ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS gorgeous to look at and use, with metal- Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio MAXX 2; work that would be at home in much Amplification: Balanced Audio more expensive products. Finally, the Technologies VK-600SE monoblocks; attention to detail in the circuit design is Mark Levinson No.326S preamp; Cables exemplary. The fact that Cary went to and interconnects: Nordost Valhalla, MIT the trouble and expense of eight DACs Oracle. Power conditioning: Shunyata and analog output stages so that they Research Hydra-8, Hydra-2, Anaconda and could provide separate and optimized Python power cords; room by Acoustic Room Systems signal paths for CD and SACD, as well as fully differential DACs for both formats, says much about the designer’s MANUFA CTURER INFORMATION commitment to sound quality. In short, the Cary 306 is highly rec- CARY AUDIO DESIGN ommended not just for its sound quality, 1020 Goodworth Drive features, and build, but also because in Apex, North Carolina 27539 today’s world $6000 for a machine of (919) 355-0010 this caliber is a stone-cold bargain. & caryaudio.com

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 87 equipment report

Audio Research 300.2, Classé CA-M400, and McIntosh MC 501 Power Amplifiers Why are amplifiers so important?

Tom Martin

ower amplifiers are perplexing beasts. From experience I know that a panel of P listeners can listen to three different pairs of high-quality speakers and describe the differences between them as “significant” or even “huge.” But that same panel, when listening to three amplifiers back to back, will rarely describe the differences with the kind of force and magnitude they apply to descriptions of loudspeakers. I don’t think that is too surprising, given that test group of amplifiers should have rela- with the unusual feature of having trans- the differences among speakers in fre- tively mainstream prices (for high-end former-coupled outputs (as you would quency response, power response, and audio that is). While it is interesting to typically find on a tube amp). The MC phase response are much greater than find that some esoteric and very expen- 501 delivers 500 watts into a 2, 4, or 8 those one finds in amplifiers. The per- sive technology provides unusual bene- ohm load, and is priced at $9400/pair. plexing part is that, when you talk to fits, I wanted to think about amplifier With the burgeoning Class D market members of the listening panel over a differences in a way that would apply getting some buzz, the Audio Research beer, you find that they often consider more generally. Finally, I chose ampli- 300.2 stereo amp seemed a natural. the differences between amplifiers to be fiers with obvious circuit differences, to While ARC calls this a Class-T design as important as the differences between maximize the chance that I would find (because it uses the Tri-Path module), in speakers, if not more so. Assuming that those important sonic differences. a broad sense it is a switching amplifier experienced listeners aren’t crazy, you Representing the traditional class with similarities to Class D designs. It have to ask: “What about amplifiers is A/B transistor-amplifier camp for this delivers 300 watts per channel into 8 so important, even if it is subtle?” session was the Classé CA-M400 ohms, and 500 watts into 4 ohms, and is comparatively inexpensive at $3995 for My first thought about these monoblocks was two channels. Finally, I included my reference Musical Fidelity kW 750, that they sounded rich, warm, and relaxed because I am familiar with it and because it easily fits into this power Recently, I rounded up a group of monoblock. With 400 watts output into spectrum (750 watts per channel at 8 amplifiers to shed some light on this 8 ohms, and 800 watts into 4 ohms, the ohms, 1100 at 4 ohms). question. I wanted to work with ampli- Classé easily met my definition of high- With all this power capability on fiers that are relatively high powered, powered. The CA-M400 retails for hand, a few of you will want to be mainly because my speakers—MBL $10,000 per pair, which from my assured that adequate AC supply was 101Es—are pretty inefficient (82dB) and research was toward the high side of part of my test rig. To address this, I provide a 4-ohm load. With these speak- average for this level of power. Next, I connected each amplifier to a dedicated ers, I didn’t want clipping behavior to tested the McIntosh MC 501 20-amp circuit. This is relevant only dominate my listening. I thought the monoblock, which is a transistor design because many high-powered amplifiers

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am not sure, but it almost seemed that MC 501 couldn’t completely get a grip on the MBLs. No nasty sounds were ever emitted, but the MC 501 never came fully alive in my setup, either. I then switched in the Classé CA-M400s. My first thought about these monoblocks was that they sounded rich, warm, and relaxed. Like the McIntosh amplifiers, the CA-M400s sound smooth, though by comparison they don’t quite have the sense of continuousness that the MC 501s deliver. At the same time, the CA-M400s seemed very happy with the MBLs dynamically, sounding powerful, rhythmic, will not meet their rated spec on a 15- continuousness of the MC 501 is on a and controlled. After extended listen- amp circuit. Logically a 15-amp circuit higher plane. ing, I came to think that these ampli- tops out at about 300 watts per chan- On strings, for example, you hear fiers offered plenty of transparency and nel, continuous, for a traditional stereo what the bow is doing quite well, but high-frequency delineation, but it was amp. I think it unlikely that the con- the sound of the bow and the sound of as though their lower distortion in the tinuous demand during my listening the resonance from the body of the treble made them sound a bit darker at would ever have bumped up against instrument seem to be completely inte- first. Later on, this simply seemed natu- this limit, but I did my best to take it grated. Similarly, as electric guitar notes ral and unforced. out of the equation. decay, you find that the sound just seems I am a big fan of the Mahler sym- I could bore you with other aspects to be there as one unified thing, rather phonies. These are large and sometimes of my test setup, but I won’t. than a collection of elements. densely orchestrated pieces that can put I started by listening to each ampli- components to the test. With the fier for about a week, and then rotated Classé, as the sound ramps up (which in them in and out of my system in pairs. The MC 501 sounds Mahler is pretty frequently) it felt less This took some effort, but the differ- pinched and strained than it did with ences were easy to hear, particularly in more continuous than some other amps, and yet at the same longer listening sessions. That isn’t to the typical amplifier, time I could clearly hear what was imply that the differences were what I going on at the instrumental level. My expected. in that each instrument only reservation was that the Classé First up was the McIntosh MC 501. seems whole and seemed a little reserved, particularly in The basic character of the MC 501 the high frequencies. revolves around smoothness. This isn’t complete At this point, I was excited to try achieved by rolling off the highs, which the Audio Research 300.2. The by the way are appealingly delicate and In other respects, I would say the McIntosh and the Classé sound different, well delineated. Rather, the MC 501 has MC 501 sounds as though it were voiced but not dramatically so. I figured a com- less grain than we are ordinarily accus- with a very good tube power amplifier as pletely different amplifier technology tomed to. To put this in a positive sense, a reference. It isn’t the most transparent would shake things up, and I was right. the MC 501 sounds more continuous amplifier, because instruments seem to The Audio Research immediately than the typical amplifier, in that each emerge from an ever-so-light fog. This, sounded more dynamic than the other instrument seems whole and complete. I for some, will resemble the sound of live amps in this group. Drums and plucked think continuousness is a better descrip- music. In the lower frequencies, the MC instruments like guitars really stood out tor of what you hear from amplifiers like 501 delivers a firm foundation, though in the mix with this amplifier, and bass the MC 501, because other good ampli- the midbass lacks some of the control was very well defined. I also appreciated fiers do not sound grainy. It is only by one might wish for. Dynamically, the the sense of instrumental delineation comparison that you realize that the MC 501 is on the polite side of things. I that the Audio Research provided,

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although by comparison I realized I er remarked on the uncanny way in inevitably something is “off” and we’d couldn’t really hear anything that I which piano seemed tonally and dynam- like to correct it. You can try this with couldn’t hear on the Classé. It just ically right. Those of you who have lis- any element in the listening chain, of seemed that some instruments had a tened to live piano and then to record- course. However, after months of listen- brighter light shining on them. This ings will know that piano is quite diffi- ing to these amplifiers, I would say that brilliance came without a sense of stri- cult to reproduce. This makes sense: The power amplifiers lend themselves well to dency on, say, violin. Very impressive. piano has a very wide frequency range this sort of adjustment, provided that The troubling thing about the and is extremely dynamic. I came to the tuning you need is in certain areas. 300.2 is that I didn’t find it to sound think of the Musical Fidelity amplifier But, which areas? completely natural. Something about as quintessentially well balanced. It isn’t The first thing I looked at was the the way it treats the leading edge of the most dynamic, or the most transpar- way the amplifiers treated the frequency transients seemed slightly too caffeinat- ent, nor does it have the best bass, but it range. This seemed natural, because ed. Exciting and even involving, but not does almost everything very well, with many descriptions of how equipment quite right. the result that it sounds good on many sounds attend to the handling of differ- I tried Neil Young’s Prairie Wind different types of music. ent frequencies—bright, warm, light, etc. I’d have to say that I didn’t find big differences in this arena. But, since we’re talking about tweaking at this stage, I would also say that the McIntosh and Musical Fidelity were slightly warmer sounding than the ARC, for example, but not much. The Classé had a different balance as well, with ever so slightly less treble energy than either the McIntosh or the Musical Fidelity. Still, across the spectrum the emphasis on different instruments was very similar from amp to amp. Perhaps this is why, in a quick A/B test, many people don’t sense that [Reprise] and even though this CD has a At this point in the review process, I amplifiers sound very different. very warm mix, on the 300.2 the sibi- started thinking that all four amplifiers Much listening did highlight that lance of Neil’s voice was exaggerated. were really good: intelligently designed these four amplifiers do sound different Acoustic guitar sometimes was rendered by people with a real sensitivity to when you think about how extended as a bit jangly sounding, as if it were music, but with different viewpoints they seem to be at the frequency being played on an instrument with a about what constitutes the ideal. From extremes. I would say, for example, that metal resonator. At the same time, some this vantage, amplifier design has the Musical Fidelity and the McIntosh reissues of analog recordings sounded reached such a high state of develop- have a more rounded sound, and the about as alive as I’ve ever heard them, ment that you can tweak the sound of Audio Research sounds more extended. without sounding harsh or cold. Whatever problem the 300.2 has, it seems to occur in a very narrow band and My overwhelming sense was that differences is reduced dramatically when the amp in this area were more intellectual than has had 24 or 48 hours to warm up. Tri- Path claims that their modules adapt to musically essential the characteristics of specific transistors, so maybe this long warm-up period is your system by choosing the right But before you rush to the conclusion part of the technology. amplifier and the unfortunate side that one of these approaches is right, and I should mention the Musical effects will be pretty small. That’s nice the other wrong, let me say that by Fidelity kW 750, even though it wasn’t because many audiophiles, whether they “rounded” I mean that I could imagine under test per se. In one sense, the kW like to admit it or not, are interested in the frequency response being slightly 750 can be summed up by its amazing choosing amplifiers to tune their sys- “n”-shaped, and by extended I mean that performance on piano. More than any of tems. It is a fact of life that with all the I could imagine the frequency response the other amplifiers, the kW sounds hard work and good intentions we put being slightly “u”-shaped. Some might right on solo piano. Listener after listen- into putting our systems together, imagine that the extended approach is

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more accurate, but one might equally say that the rounded shape is more musically natural. In a particular system, one approach might be more complementary than the other. My overwhelming sense, though, was that differences in this area were more intellectual than musically essential. Call me a heretic, but my strong impression was that I could easily say one amp was more extended than another, but it didn’t factor into how musically involving the amplifier was. As I let the sound of these amps sink in, the next thing I noticed was how each amplifier handled the representation of instruments in space. What became apparent rather quickly is that some of the amplifiers, particularly the Classé, present a deep soundstage perspective. In contrast, the Audio Research and the McIntosh have a more forward presentation. I say forward here, not in the sense of aggressiveness, but in the sense that you seem to be seated closer to the instruments. I don’t mean to seem wimpy, but it isn’t hard to imagine a group of people split over which approach is right. Depending on your system one could be either helpful or problematic. Because I use MBL speakers, which create a big, deep soundstage, I found that the amps with a deep perspective fit with what I expected, but the other amps didn’t really interfere with my listening. I also noticed that the image specificity of each amp is different. I would call the Audio Research somewhat diffuse in its imaging, meaning that instruments are not presented with pinpoint placement. By contrast, the McIntosh is more focused in that instruments appear to have very specific locations. Possibly because of my speakers, I tended to prefer the more focused approach. However, I know from discussions with many reviewers on our staff that the diffuse approach seems more like what you hear in the concert hall, and that makes sense to me. In any event, I wouldn’t rate the differences on this dimension between these amps to be particularly large. For a really different approach to image specificity, you need to try a tube amplifier in my experience. So, system-tuning is certainly abetted by amplifier selection. The only problem is that to do this you would be well advised to drop the idea that any given amplifier is better or worse than other amplifiers. In other words, you have to think about certain sonic parameters in a new way—a way that is less good-vs.-bad and more an attempt to get at the qualities being delivered. An example may help. Think of hair. You could think about it in terms of “dirty” or “clean.” One would be bad and the other good. That, I think is the way we normally think about audio equipment. But in the case of hair you could also think of “blonde” and “brunette.” Here we are talking about qualities, not about good and bad. You might have a prefer- ence, but it is hard to argue that one is universally better than the other. So, with well-engineered modern amplifiers, you have to think in relatively neutral terms about what you really want to do. To illustrate how this might be done, consider my listening notes presented as three graphs: I think you can get a reasonable idea about some aspects of

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these amplifiers from the graphs, but it vagueness about what it means. It per- lack thereof. The McIntosh seemed isn’t so easy to say which is “best.” To do haps does some damage to the full idea, slightly sluggish on big orchestral that, you have to know your system, but by continuousness I mean a lack of dynamics, though it never sounded your preferences, and your needs. At grain coupled with a sense of purity and harsh or unpleasant. The Classé, in con- least if we’re in the tuning mindset. wholeness for each note. If transparency trast, did a good job of sounding punchy That’s fine, and I stand by it, but most often is noticed at, say, the orches- while at the same time maintaining a after another month of listening, I tral level, continuousness is an attempt sense of control over the leading edges of sensed that there is another dimension to describe transparency down at the transients. By controlling the leading to the question of why experienced instrumental level. How does the bow edge of transients, the Classé avoids audiophiles think of amplifiers as so sound on the string? Does it sound real? sounding hashy, but at the same time important. What unites these two related ideas lets the instruments come through quite Having taken my listening notes in this case is that both transparency and clearly. The Audio Research provides an and written the first part of this review, continuousness seem to stem from the instructive comparison, in that it puts a I had the chance to listen to some music dynamic behavior of each amplifier. I little extra emphasis on each transient. without thinking too much about it. got an insight into this while visiting This nicely spotlights each instrument, The great thing about this phase of the HP for a listen to the ASR Emitter II. and sounds even more lively than the process is that you can look down after The ASR in Harry’s system renders Classé, but at times this transient-han- awhile and see which amplifier is con- soundstage depth and width more clear- dling also creates a richness and some nected the most. As I noticed which ly than on any other system I’ve heard. If fog over the whole presentation. This amp got the most playing time, I was you think about it for a moment, the can sound very nice, but it isn’t what I struck by the fact that I really enjoyed cues that signal that a reflection is com- would describe as ideal dynamic behav- listening to it much more than the other ing from, say, the right rear or the center ior (again, I should note that warm-up amps. I think part of that is because it fit rear of the stage are relatively low level time makes a big difference with the nicely with the strengths and weakness- in comparison with the initial sound ARC design). es of my system. But I don’t think that from the orchestra. So, rendering them Over time I concluded that ampli- gets to another important matter. accurately requires handling very small fiers that don’t get the leading edge An age-old concept is still at the signals well. It seems consistent with my right may initially sound more dynamic, leading edge of amplifier design and, experience that doing this isn’t so easy, but they don’t sound as natural, and they under the right conditions, can make a at least in big amplifiers. reduce the sense of musical involvement. big difference in how musically involv- Having observed this soundstaging As the number of instruments increase, ing a really good system can be. That accuracy in HP’s system, in hindsight this effect gets more problematic, so that concept is transparency. I’m not surprised that I also observed massed orchestral works can sound I am well aware that transparency that the ASR sounded very clear, and yet slightly confused or congested. has a bad name in some circles. Certainly it has a timbre that makes tube aficiona- I am describing this in technical- we have all heard what might be called dos happy. The key thing is that when sounding terms because our language for fake transparency—as an example, the you get microdynamic behavior right, small dynamic events is rather thread- elevation of the treble range to make you get improvements without tradeoffs. bare. Language problems aside, the things sound clear. Yet certainly clarity I noticed a version of this with the important thing about the connection is what we’re talking about when we say CA-M400 as well. It reaches back into between dynamics and transparency is transparency, or in other words the sense the hall quite well and presents each that it helps us to understand why trans- that the proverbial veil has been lifted instrument clearly, yet has a very natu- parency may now come without a trade- between the listener and the source. ral, maybe even warmish, tonal balance. off. In fact, better transparency comes From time spent with these four ampli- The McIntosh has a similar tonal bal- with better spatial presentation and bet- fiers I would say that modern amplifier ance, but doesn’t seem to reach into the ter timbre. The lack of a tradeoff makes design has allowed a great step forward hall as vividly. The Audio Research can the best new amplifiers very significant in real transparency. That is to say, the reach back into the hall pretty well, when measured by their impact on better amplifiers today sound clearer though I always felt this ability varied musical involvement. than others, while oftentimes showing a with the instruments being played. There are some very fine amplifiers complete lack of the artifacts we associ- Basses, cellos, and horns were very well on the market. In this small grouping, ate with artificial transparency. portrayed, but violin at times, and gui- none of the amplifiers sounded even A critical sub-component of trans- tar more often, sounded more forward. remotely bad, in the sense that I can say parency is what has been called continu- I noticed that the amps I had under some receivers sound bad. Even more, ousness. Continuousness puzzles many, test had different performance on bigger each amplifier had attributes that make as well, though more from a certain transients, with similar side effects or you sit up and realize that each design-

96 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 equipment report

An age-old concept is still at the leading edge of amplifier design and, under the right SPECIFICATIONS conditions, can make a big McIntosh MC501 Type: Fully balanced mono transistor difference in how musically power amplifier with autoformer output Power Output: 500 watts into 2, 4, or 8 involving a really good system ohms Inputs: One single-ended (RCA), one bal- can be. That concept is anced (XLR) Dimensions: 17.5" x 9.5" x 14.75" transparency. Weight: 91.5 lbs.

Classé CA-M400 er had a mission that was pursued with match is the fault of some flaw in your Type: Fully balanced mono transistor real passion, making each amp special other equipment, your setup, or your power amplifier in a way. The McIntosh is the champion room, and thus additional changes for Power Output: 400 watts into 8 ohms, of liquid continuousness. The Audio the better will be required. This is a 800 watts into 4 ohms Research is amazingly dynamic sound- harder approach than the tuning Number and type of inputs: One single- ing. The Musical Fidelity makes piano approach, but probably the better one. ended (RCA), one balanced (XLR) and voice sound startlingly real. And I had originally assumed that differ- Dimensions: 18.5" x 8.75" x 17.5" the Classé is relaxed. And those are sim- ent amplifier technologies would be the Weight: 82 lbs. ply examples. key to how this step forward in trans- Audio Research 300.2 From the perspective of tuning parency would occur. Now I don’t think Type: Balanced stereo class-T power your system, one or another amplifier that is quite right. Just as the advent of amplifier might prove a good match. But, for solid-state amps pushed tube amp Power Output: 300 watts/channel into 8 some, that won’t be enough. If you are designers and vice versa, I think we will ohms, 500 watts/channel into 4 ohms interested in the quest for musical see Class D and probably true digital Number and type of inputs: One single- involvement, then I think you’ll want amplifiers push more traditional solid- ended (RCA), one balanced (XLR) to start by looking for amplifiers that state designs. Certainly from this test Dimensions: 19" x 7" x 14.5" take a step forward in real transparency and other listening I’ve done recently, Weight: 39.2 lbs. and continuousness. It might be that the first generations of Class D (and sim- such an amp isn’t the ideal match for ilar) amplifiers show enormous promise. ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT your existing system, but you’ll hear At the same time, I’ve been amazed at Musical Fidelity A5 and Lector CD play- new aspects of the music and you prob- the excellence of age-old class A/B amps ers; Musical Fidelity KW preamp, ably won’t feel punished by the process in delivering transparency without pain. Conrad-Johnson MET 1 preamp; Musical as you might have been with amplifiers No doubt there will be near-religious Fidelity KW 750 and Nuforce Reference as recently as a few years ago. Moreover, battles over which approach is better. 9 amplifiers; MBL 101e loudspeakers, I would suggest that any tuning mis- But either way, it is real progress. & Tara Labs The Zero speaker cable and 0.8 interconnects

MANUFACTURER INFORMATION

AUDIO RESEARCH CORPORATION CLASSÉ AUDIO, INC. MCINTOSH LABORATORY, INC. 3900 Annapolis Lane North 5070 François Cusson 2 Chambers Street Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 Lachine, Québec Binghamton, New York 13903 (763) 577-9700 H8T 1B3, Canada (607) 723 3512 audioresearch.com (514) 636-6384 mcintoshlabs.com Price: $3995 Classéaudio.com Price: $4700 each Price: $5000 per channel

98 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 Meridian 808 Signature Reference CD Player Sue Kraft

From the company that made the first-ever musical-sounding CD player—a new reference model to dream about

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alk about the mother of all dream available now—and for many years to come—on CD. Celebrating its 20th anniversary as the inventor of the very assignments. Ten years ago, as an first audiophile-quality CD player, Meridian has marketed the audiophile civilian, I had to liter- limited edition as the finest CD playback it presently has to ally beg the local hi-fi dealer for a offer. Every component of this precision-built dream-machine has been handpicked for its sonic merits, right down to the last brief, in-home audition of the capacitor and resistor. now classic Meridian 508.24 CD For comparative purposes, it would’ve been nice had I been able to conduct a shootout of all the top-flight players current- player. The store owner cautioned ly available. But then in a perfect world, I’d be 30 years he’dT have to stand in my living room and wait younger and in a bikini on the cover of Sports Illustrated, instead for me to finish during the demo, but changed of bent over a keyboard trying to describe the indescribable. (If you’re going to dream, you might as well dream big.) I’ve had his mind when I (jokingly) mentioned how I the opportunity to experience a number of upper-echelon CD sometimes preferred the uninhibited freedom players in recent years, and although I wouldn’t complain if I of listening au naturel. (Trust me folks, this is had to live with any one of them, overall, I’d easily rate the 808 as the best I’ve heard to date. a near foolproof tactic to discourage pesky hi- The toughest part of this review has been trying to decide fi dealers and manufacturers from hanging which of the 808’s qualities impressed me the most. There were several that just plain skyrocketed off the charts. The first is a around to watch while you listen. spaciousness and three-dimensionality that I can’t imagine get- Today, in a particularly delightful reversal ting any better. The 808 has an eerily realistic soundspace that of fortune, TAS Editor Wayne Garcia noncha- lantly dropped me an e-bomb wondering if I Every component of might be interested in reviewing none other this precision-built than the Meridian 808 Signature Reference, which just happens to be the best CD-only play- dream-machine has back system ever offered by the world leader in been hand picked for its digital technology. Could anyone with more sonic merits, right down than a single brain cell possibly say no? to the last capacitor The Meridian 808 couldn’t be more perfect for someone like me, who has no need for a player with video capabilities and resistor and two decades worth of compact discs sardined into every nook and cranny of her house. I jumped on the SACD band- can fool you into thinking you’re a fly on the wall in the record- wagon early when the Sony SCD-1 was first introduced, only to ing studio. I say “fly on the wall” because, depending on the be sorely disappointed a year or two later when there were still recording venue, you can hear the walls, including the ofttimes only a few hundred SACD titles available. Next time around, elusive backwall. As far as depth of soundstage is concerned, you I’ll keep a tighter grip on my wallet until there’s sufficient can’t get any deeper than that. Spatial cues and boundaries are so music to go along with the new high-resolution formats. clearly defined that you’ll sense air and (in live recordings) bod- At present, with SACD as well as DVD-Audio nearly ies in front of you. It’s rather uncanny at first, as I initially defunct, the 808’s only mission in life is to extract every last thought my listening abilities had finally become so well honed bit of information possible from the millions of titles that are I could predict notes before they were played. What I was hear-

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ing was the 808’s astonishing level of infinitesimal inner detail tipping me off with the slightest bit of air or body movement Inside Meridian’s 808 that a note was about to be played. I also thought I heard musi- s with Meridian’s 800 CD/DVD player, the cal notes (some kind of percussive instrument) traveling down 808 starts with a specially selected triple- the side wall in my listening room. One time it was so distinct, beam, multi-speed DVD-ROM drive. The I turned my head to follow it past where I was seated. Like I said, drive makes multiple passes over sec- uncanny. (Or perhaps, I’m finally ready for the rubber room.) tions of the disc where errors are detect- Next, but no less impressive, is the startling speed and Aed, reportedly reducing the need for error correction supremely powerful yet superbly effortless dynamics of the by a hundredfold. The datastream from the disc is 808. In last issue’s review of the Credo loudspeaker, I attributed then buffered by the first of four FIFO (first-in, first-out) nearly jumping out of my skin while listening to Stanton buffers. Data enter the buffer with imprecise timing Moore’s Flyin’ the Koop [Blue Thumb] to the McCormack and are clocked out with a low-jitter clock.These FIFO DNA-500 amplifier. Though 500W of power is certainly capable of turning your bass driver into a sledgehammer, the 808 buffers are employed at various stages in the digital- deserves the credit for turning that sledgehammer into a wreck- processing chain. The output clock that controls the ing ball. It isn’t the loudness that makes you jump, but the DACs is located on the analog-output card right next lightning fast contrast between soft and loud. It’s like someone to the DACs. Because of these anti-jitter measures, sneaking up behind you in the dead of night and setting off a Meridian claims the 808 has the lowest clock jitter of firecracker. These stunningly natural dynamic contrasts were any CD player they’ve measured—less than 90 also evident in the quietest passages—you didn’t need to be picoseconds, with the jitter frequency held below blasting off cannons to hear the force, speed, and precision of 0.1Hz. In most CD players and digital processors, the every last note. (To clarify, the use of the word “force” here does- jitter is highly correlated with the audio signal, increas- n’t mean the music is forward or in your face. I am referring to ing the audibility of jitter-induced sonic artifacts. the way a note is naturally propelled from an instrument.) The 808 is also special in its application of propri- With all due respect to the Meridian G08, in comparison etary digital signal processing (DSP) to upsample the to the 808, the sound was rather crude, unrefined—and slow. I 44.1kHz, 16-bit data to 176.4kHz, 24-bit for conversion couldn’t help but laugh the first time I did a side-by-side com- to analog. The DSPs also run Meridian’s “Resolution parison. I wasn’t laughing at the G08, but rather at the dra- Enhancement” algorithm. The player employs more matic difference between the two players. What’s scary is that powerful DSPs (three devices with a combined com- the G08 is still better than a whole lot of other CD players out puting power of 150MIPS) than any previous player, there. (It’s been my reference source since I first wrote about the which allows Meridian to run more sophisticated Meridian G Series system back in Issue 152.) upsampling and resolution-enhancement algorithms. On track 17 of Andreas Vollenweider’s Cosmopoly [Kin Kou] More powerful DSPs also provide greater precision in the flute sounded thin and shrill with the G08. Image outlines the intermediate calculations (in the 808’s case, 72- were somewhat blurred and indistinct, even overlapping at bit), resulting in less requantizing error in the final 24-bit times. Funny thing, though: You’d actually think it sounded output signal. pretty good until you plugged in the 808. When listening to the same cut through the 808, I found myself wishing I knew The analog output stage is an all-new design, as is more about the intricacies of woodwind instruments so I could the power supply. The balanced output signal is cre- better understand and describe what I was hearing. The identi- ated in the analog domain after the DACs.This means cal notes were now full-bodied, clear, and distinct, while also there’s an additional active stage in the analog sig- notably faster and propelled with greater force and precision nal path for the balanced outputs compared with through the instrument. The comparison wasn’t even close. the unbalanced jacks. Along with vocals, piano has to be one of the most difficult The 808 is available with an optional built-in pre- instruments to accurately reproduce on a sound system. I can amplifier (808i) for those who require the flexibility of recall in the early days always bringing a solo piano recording additional analog and digital inputs. Both versions along to auditions, as I believed if the piano was right, every- come with analog balanced and unbalanced out- thing else would be right as well. I was almost always disap- puts, which can be either fixed for connection to an pointed. Again, with all due respect to the G08, listening to Jeff outboard preamplifier or variable to connect directly Bjorck’s Pure Piano Panoramas [BMI] I could hear notes, but there to an amplifier. Either the 808 or 808i will output high- was no piano. Or at best, the piano itself was relatively indistinct. resolution upsampled digital audio for connection Through the 808, the front-to-back depth of the soundstage was directly to Meridian’s digital loudspeakers. RH and SK so clear I could “see” exactly where the piano was positioned along with the performer playing it. I could follow hands mov-

102 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 Cover Story

So, at $12,995 does the Meridian 808 sound three times better than the G08 retailing for just under $4k? I wish I could conclusively say it does, but how do we measure such things? Some may think it’s more than three times better. I do know you’ll have a tough time going back to the G08 after hearing the 808, and I’m not just saying that so you’ll run out and re-finance your home to buy one. I’m saying that because I’m having a tough time going back to the G08, and I can’t imagine any card-carrying audiophile or music lover who wouldn’t. High-resolution aside, I’m aston- ing along the keys. Each note had exceptional weight, clarity, ished by the amount of information still left to be extracted from body, and extension at both frequency extremes. It sounded as if a 20-year-old format, the compact disc. Based on two decades of the keys were attached to a massive instrument, instead of just listening almost exclusively to digital, I feel confident in saying floating around in space—pretty spectacular, actually. there can’t be a company more qualified to do the extracting than The only downside to this player (if you can call it a down- Meridian. For those who are wondering, I bought the 508.24 and side) is that results will vary according to the quality of the never looked back. If I could afford it, I’d already own the 808 recording as well as associated equipment. A bad recording is a Signature Reference. bad recording. As my grandmother use to say, you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. That said, I spent a fair amount of Robert Harley comments on the time listening to vintage rock with surprisingly good results. A body can only sit for so long like a statue in the sweet spot scrib- Meridian 808 bling notes. This time around I stretched my legs with The Best I’ve had a Meridian 808 in my reference system for about three of Rare Earth [Motown]. It felt good to relive a few moments months and frankly, can’t imagine my system without it. For from my youth, even if it meant walking hunched over for three starters the 808 has a wonderfully detailed and highly resolved days until I could straighten my back again. presentation. I was simply floored by the 808’s ability to present Before concluding, I’d like to briefly mention (with a spot fine nuances of instrumental timbre, micro-dynamic shadings, more detail) how the 808 compares to a few other players I’ve and low-level spatial cues. No detail, no matter how small, heard, like the Wadia 861se and Audio Aero Capitole. I have to escaped the 808’s scrutiny. Instrumental timbre was presented rely on my aging memory here, so I can’t be too specific. While with such a wealth of inner detail that the instrument sounded the 861se is built like a tank and performs well in many respects, more lifelike and less like a synthetic recreation. In fact, the 808 it has a rather pronounced sonic signature that in my view pre- makes many other digital front-ends sound coarse by comparison. vents it from being a contender. There’s just too much coloration This extremely high resolution is also responsible, I believe, for my taste. (With a whole slew of new Wadia products on the for the 808’s spectacular sense of soundstage size, depth, air horizon, it might be interesting to hear how those compare.) The between images, and its vivid portrayal of the surrounding Capitole, on the other hand, is extremely detailed and musical, acoustic. The impression of clearly delineated instruments but doesn’t hold a candle to the impressive dynamics of the 808, bathed in, but distinct from, hall reverberation was the best I’ve at least not in the version that I auditioned. Without a direct com- heard from digital. Moreover, depth was presented along a con- parison, it’s tough to say whether or not the Capitole trumps the tinuum from the soundstage front to the deepest recesses of the 808 when it comes to musicality, but I’d venture it’s in the same soundstage rear rather than along a few discrete steps. Quiet league in that regard. instruments at the back of the stage were audible even in the

It sounded as if the keys were attached to a massive instrument, instead of just floating around in space— pretty spectacular, actually

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presence of louder instruments. The 808’s spatial presentation Listening to the 808 and thinking about how it differs from must be heard to be believed—and this from Red Book CD. other highly regarded digital front ends I’ve heard reminded me of One might infer from this description that the 808 is analyti- the difference between hearing a microphone feed and then the play- cal and cold, sacrificing musicality for resolution. But in what is back of that feed from 1/2" analog tape. I had this experience often surely the 808’s greatest triumph, the player delivers this vast when I was a working recording engineer. The excitement of getting amount of information to the listener in a totally natural, musical, good sound from the microphones was inevitably tempered by the graceful, and involving way. In fact, the 808 had a somewhat laid- degradation imposed by the storage medium, even high-quality ana- back perspective, along with a tremendous sense of ease. There was log. The microphone feed had a certain life, presence, and realism— absolutely no hint of the etch, forwardness, or hype that one often the result of its high resolution without exaggerated detail—that hears from digital that tries to be “high resolution.” Real musical was lost after storage on tape. The recording process scrubbed off a information is presented in the gentle way that one hears in live bit of the low-level information and in the process, some of the music, not as hi-fi fireworks. The 808’s combination of ease and music’s magic. That’s how I feel about the 808 in relation to many resolution is unprecedented in my experience. The result was an other digital sources—many of which cost more than the 808. It says impression of physical relaxation on one hand and heightened much about the Meridian’s combination of ease and resolution to intellectual and emotional stimulation (by the music) on the other. invite the prodigious comparison with a microphone feed. I must also comment on the 808’s extremely smooth, Many British products, including those from Meridian, refined, and liquid midrange and treble. Timbres were free could be described as polite and reserved, favoring refinement from grain and glare, and the top end lacked the metallic qual- over big dynamics, deep bass extension, and the ability to rock. ity often heard from CD. Reproduction of upper-register piano The 808 breaks free from this stereotype with an extremely big, notes is often marred by a glassy sheen on leading-edge tran- robust, and viscerally thrilling sound on rock and large-scale sients; the 808 exhibited less of this phenomenon, allowing orchestral music. The midbass leans toward articulation rather higher playback levels and a more involving experience. than warmth, but the extreme bottom-end is solid and punchy.

106 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The 808 also exhibited a remarkable sense of ease during loud, dense passages; the music remained coherent rather than degen- erating into a collection of sounds. Finally, the 808 is an outstanding DVD-Audio player. Yes, SPECIFICATIONS the 808 plays most DVD-A discs, although you’d never know Formats: CD Audio, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 that from Meridian’s literature or even from reading the front- Type of outputs: Analog balanced and unbalanced; digital S/PDIF, panel logos. I tried more than a dozen DVD-A titles and every one coax with MHR plus aux coax played. In fact, it was a joy to play DVD-A titles without navi- Dimensions: 18.9" x 6.9" x 16.2" gating a menu system on a video display. It was with DVD-A Weight: 40 lbs. discs that truly revealed the extent of the 808’s resolving power and musicality. As great as the 808 is on CD, DVD-A discs take ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT the machine’s sonic performance to the next level. & Meridian G08 and Marantz PMD-320 CD players; AVA Ultra DAC; Meridian G02 control unit, Sonic Euphoria passive, and Van Alstine MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION Ultra preamps; Meridian G57, Atma-Sphere Novacron OTL, and McCormack DNA-500 amps; Coincident Super Eclipse, Von MERIDIAN AMERICA INC. Schweikert VR4jr, B&W 800D and 704 speakers; Coincident TRS, 8055 Troon Circle, Suite C Paul Speltz anti-cable, and Harmonic Technology speaker cables; Austell, Georgia 30168 Harmonic Technology and Audio Magic interconnects; Cardas RCA to (404) 344-7111 XLR adapters; Elrod, JPS power cords; Bright Star Audio and [email protected] Symposium Svelte shelves; Chang Lightspeed Encounter; PS Audio meridian-audio.com Ultimate outlet; Echo Busters, ASC room treatment Price: $12,995

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 107

The Cutting Edge

Music-Minded Controllers, Part 3: Attractive Opposites

Alan Taffel

Can multichannel controllers satisfy the music lover the way a good preamp can?

an two digital controllers with directly performance variance between inputs. In contrast, Halcro’s opposed strengths and weaknesses both flagship is a renegade, turning the normal hierarchy on its qualify as being “music-minded”? That head. The SSP100 delivers its best—and worst—performance is, despite divergent philosophies and in wholly unexpected places. Yet given the right source com- sonics, can both meet the challenge of ponents connected to the right inputs, each of these controllers doing justice not only to film sound- proves itself capable of making glorious music. tracks, which are the raison d’être of these Ccomponents, but also to stereo and multichannel music? The Arcam FMJ AV9 answer is yes—but it all depends on your sources. The AV9, like many freshly released controllers, owes its exis- All controllers exhibit some degree of sound variation, tence to the gush in popularity of HDMI, a digital interface depending upon the input in use. The standard hierarchy, from that can carry both high-definition video and high-resolution best to worst, is: multichannel analog inputs, which typically multichannel audio over a single cable. After a year of sitting offer the most direct signal path and the fewest gainstages; the on the sidelines while HDMI proliferated in DVD players and nearly-as-pristine stereo analog inputs; digital inputs, which HD displays, controllers are finally assuming their natural role necessitate one D/A format conversion before sending the sig- as HDMI transport and switching points. To that end, the AV9 nal through the analog stage; and lastly, stereo analog inputs not sports no fewer than five HDMI inputs and one output. set to bypass mode, for they entail two format conversions plus But this controller is more than an HDMI-equipped suc- DSP processing. cessor to Arcam’s celebrated AV8. Although the latter’s basic The new Arcam AV9 ($5749) and Halcro SSP100 ($9990) audio circuitry was untouched, the new model incorporates two could not be more at odds over how closely they adhere to this proprietary materials dubbed “stealth mats” and “masks of hierarchy. The Arcam hews strictly to convention and, as if to silence.” Aside from proving that a geek contingent is alive and punctuate its chosen pecking order, exhibits an unusually wide well within Arcam, these technologies demonstrate the degree

110 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

to which analog signals benefit from reductions in electromag- unceremonious nose dive, and the sound becomes quite closed- netic and RF interference. The AV9 also permits greater set-up in. Sluggish rhythms, soft transients, and constricted dynamics precision and flashes a more readable front-panel display than also rear their unwelcome heads. The sonic toll of this mode is did the AV8. serious enough that I recommend using it only to synthesize To appreciate how music-minded (and analog-minded) surround channels, if you must, from stereo sources. the AV9 is, consider its approach to analog bypass. When Not surprisingly, given the Arcam’s strict adherence to the this mode—available for each and every analog input—is standard controller hierarchy, its best sound derives from the invoked, the Arcam doesn’t just circumvent digital process- multichannel analog input. Compared even to the stereo ing, as do most controllers. Instead, it actually shuts down its analogs in bypass mode, this input supplies noticeably meatier digital circuits to protect delicate analog signals from digital bass, a more open top end, and a purer midrange (without a trace of steel in vocals). On orchestral material, such as “Mars” The AV9 once again goes further by permitting users Usage Notes

to independently set he Arcam is refreshingly simple to set up. Inputs and outputs are clearly labeled, the subwoofer levels for music manual is terrific, and the configuration and film sources menus are straightforward. To borrow jargon from the personal computer industry, the AV9 Tdelivers a great “OOB” (out of the box) experience. noise contamination. Only the thrice-as-expensive Theta Nor is flexibility slighted by all this clarity. For example, Casablanca with Six Shooter goes further; it devotes a com- home-theater denizens will appreciate that speaker pletely separate chassis to each domain. Arcam’s solution, distances can be set down to the inch, rather than the while not as extravagant as Theta’s, is undeniably elegant and usual feet. The unit does not feature a front-panel TFT much more cost effective. display, but its VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) read- In the area of bass management, which invariably betrays a out is large and easily deciphered from a distance.The controller’s commitment to music, the AV9 likewise excels. universal remote, too, is a model of intuitive operation. There are provisions for up to three subwoofers (though they The Halcro’s flexibility—but not its OOB—is compa- must all play the same thing—stereo subs aren’t supported), rable to that of the Arcam. The crossover can be set and the crossover point is settable to within 5Hz. This level of with 5Hz granularity,and there is even an oh-so-rare pro- granularity enables a far better blend than the crude ten—or vision for stereo subs. For those collecting DVD-As, with even twenty—hertz adjustments offered by competing con- their menu-driven interface,the front-panel TFT display is trollers. But get this: The AV9 once again goes further by permitting users to independently set subwoofer levels for music a godsend. However, the Halcro is not particularly intu- and film sources—another highly music-minded consideration. itive to set up, and the manual is by turns confusing and The AV9’s features clearly reveal its designers’ devotion to incomplete. This task is best left to the dealer. music—particularly analog music—and that orientation holds I should also note that this is the second SSP100 we true for the unit’s sound. When set to bypass mode, the stereo received for testing. The original unit suffered from analog inputs deliver a warm yet vibrant presentation. strange sonic and operational anomalies. The manu- Rhythms, as evidenced by the lively “Stumptown” track from facturer declared that sample defective and provid- Nickel Creek’s When Will the Fire Die [Sugarhill], contribute ed an updated replacement. Yet this second unit still strongly to the sound’s inviting appeal, as does imaging, which exhibits glitches. The front-panel display flickers when- can be as focused or expansive as the music demands. In this ever a new screen comes up, and midway through mode, vocals betray a slightly “steely” quality, and the AV9 the review process the remote “forgot” all its com- shaves high frequencies just enough to sacrifice some air and mands. There are also a few ergonomic design goofs, immediacy. But the experience is more than salvaged by the including a touchscreen remote that spreads basic aforementioned virtues, along with engaging dynamics and commands across three pages, forcing constant tog- crisp transients. gling to access the desired screen. Halcro has indi- From this highly satisfying baseline, the sound can be made cated that the operational glitches have already either better or worse by changing inputs or modes. To go the been addressed, and we have invited them to pro- wrong direction, simply switch an analog input out of bypass vide a third sample for evaluation. AT mode, thereby calling in the digital armada. The highs take an

112 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

from the EMI LP of Holst’s The Planets, the Arcam proves a bit plan. Detail resolution (except at the very lowest levels) and darker tonally than my reference preamplifier, but no less rhythms are likewise excellent. However, both upper frequen- engaging thanks to a veritable smorgasbord of virtues. cies and dynamics feel squashed, leading to an airless, lacklus- Dynamics are a gripping combination of finesse and ferocity; ter quality. Tonally, these inputs are skimpy in the bass, ren- rhythms hold together no matter what else is going on; timbres dering them lightweight compared to their analog counter- spill forth in a rainbow of colors; images assume stable posi- parts. And vocals once again sound slightly metallic, which tions upon a broad, deep (though not particularly high) sound- makes for less relaxing listening. The digital inputs’ transient stage; and neither grain nor glare mars the source’s analog puri- and imaging prowess do serve movies well, but they simply ty. Did I mention the killer bass? don’t let music “breathe” in the manner of my reference The differences between the Arcam in this mode and my DAC—or the AV9’s own stellar analog inputs. reference preamplifier fall into decidedly subtle territory. Sure, Halcro SSP100 The SSP100 was designed The SSP100’s priorities and performance particulars differ not only from the Arcam, but from every other controller I know. Rather to sound its best with than viewing itself as principally an audio component with bare- essential video connectivity and switching, the Halcro elevates digital inputs, and it video to equal-partner status. Witness the scads of digital (four HDMI inputs, one output) and analog video interfaces, coupled delivers the best digital with an unusually comprehensive ability to transcode between them. Further, this controller can scale standard-definition video sound I have heard from all the way up to HDTV’s maximum resolution of 1080p. So in addition to traditional audio-related duties, the SSP100 can credi- any controller, at any price bly assume the role of an external video processor. From an audio feature perspective, this controller is equal- the reference’s incrementally superior resolution allows me to ly unconventional. Unlike the preponderance of its competition, hear more air and longer hall reverberation, and renders tran- the SSP100 simply does not ascribe to an analog-über-alles credo. sients more snappily. But this is a clear case of diminishing Digital is its mantra. And so there are no analog bypass provi- returns. The Arcam’s lovely multichannel input delivers 90% sions for any of the single-ended stereo inputs. Analog purity, for of the reference’s performance at one-fifth the price. Needless to single-ended sources, can be had only by going through the say, I would suggest using this input whenever possible, multichannel input. Balanced sources fare slightly better; there including to connect your best stereo analog source. are both multichannel and stereo inputs that support pure ana- My predilection toward the AV9’s analog inputs is rein- log. (Why the balanced stereo input offers an analog bypass forced by its digital performance which, as American Idol’s while the more common single-ended inputs do not is a puzzle.) Randy Jackson might say, is “just alright, man.” The internal The Halcro’s feature set is not the only thing biased toward Wolfson DAC is very quiet, which nicely sets off the music, and digital; so is its sound. Confounding expectations and logic, the imaging is so good it can sort out even the most complex stage SSP100’s multichannel inputs are not its best sounding. Actually,

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 115 The Cutting Edge

they are its worst. That’s right: Even the non-bypass-able stereo to the opening track of Lucinda Williams’ superb Live @ The inputs, with all their underlying digital rigmarole, sound better. Fillmore CD [Lost Highway]. The Halcro easily conveys the While this is difficult to understand, it is easy to hear. small textural and timbral details that make this a riveting live The multichannel inputs are sweet sounding but overly recording, and any high-frequency or dynamic reticence is mild restrained. Timbres and dynamics fall into too narrow a range enough to only modestly dial back Lucinda’s almost uncom- to be engaging, while high frequencies are too restrained to fortably close vocals. This track demonstrates just how little sound open. Nor do the slack rhythms and weak bass help mat- these inputs betray their digital underpinnings, and makes a ters. To be sure, the sound is not all bad. Bass may be shy but strong case that an analog-bypass option is superfluous. it’s tight, and transients are clear and clean. Another plus: In a way, though, all this analog analysis is beside the point. Background noise and grain are vanishingly low. Overall, The SSP100 was obviously designed to sound its best with digi- though, the negatives outweigh these assets, sabotaging the tal inputs, and it delivers the best digital sound I have heard from grand gestures and timbral diversity of large-scale recordings, any controller, at any price. Coming in digitally accords a major like the aforementioned Planets LP, as well as the airiness and uptick in the involvement factor, thanks to greater transient def- expressivity of more intimate sessions, such as the Michael inition, a much more realistically airy high end, and sharper Wolf Trio’s 2am [Cabana Boy]. dynamic contrasts. The unparalleled bass performance lends real But not to worry, because the analog stereo inputs, digi- gravitas to the piano’s lower octaves, as on “The Conversation” tized though they may be, sound inexplicably better. They from the Michael Wolff disc, and highs and lows are in perfect retain the multichannel inputs’ warm liquid sound and detail balance. Nor do the amped-up transients call undue attention to resolution, but are more tonally fleshed out and dynamic. So, themselves. The plucked mandolin passages on the Nickel Creek despite some digital degradation in the form of fuzzy imaging CD, for instance, manage to be clean and crystalline without a and a loss of the multichannel’s analog ease and lack of grain, hint of unnatural hype. the stereo inputs are the more satisfying and involving. Listen Yet, for me, the most ingratiating element of the SSP100’s

116 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 digital inputs is their way with musical analog, though its digital performance is SPECIFICATIONS lines. Here I refer not merely to melodic respectable. If most of your music Arcam AV9 lines, though they are certainly impor- sources are analog—including CD and Decoding Formats: Dolby Digital, Dolby tant. Rather, I am speaking of the won- DVD players with analog outputs—the Digital EX, DTS, DTS-ES, Dolby Pro drous array of movement that music AV9 would make a formidable center- Logic II(x), DTS Neo:6, LPCM, THX embodies. Aside from melodic lines, there piece for a combined home- Ultra2, THX Surround ES and ES, THX are dynamic lines, and even lines created theater/music system. Contrarily, the MusicMode by the shifting timbres within, say, a clas- Halcro SSP100 prioritizes digital sonics sical works’ orchestration. The Halcro and features above all, and for appropri- Inputs: Stereo analog (8), multichannel makes them all uncommonly lucid. ate sources the result is superb. Of analog (1), coax digital (5), optical digi- Following them becomes not only easy, course, none of the SSP100’s digital tal (2),composite video (5), S-video (5), but a joy. goodness would be audible if it didn’t component video (3), HDMI (5) The Halcro’s internal DAC, which also encompass a truly fine analog stage. Outputs: Stereo analog (3), multichannel outperforms my reference unit in several Sadly, there seems to be no satisfactory analog (1), coax digital (1), composite respects, is bound to embarrass whatev- way to directly access it. If there were, video (3), S-video (2), component video er is in your CD player. So if you have a this controller’s analog source perform- (1), HDMI (1) digital output on that thing, use it. ance would presumably equal or better Dimensions: 17" x 5.2" x 14.2" Ditto your DVD player, for the Halcro’s that of its digital inputs. And that Weight: 20 lbs. digital prowess extends to film sound- would be quite something. As it stands, track decoding, where it dispenses those with primarily digital sources, and benchmark-caliber performance. the requisite cash, should place the Halcro SSP100 In philosophy, features, and sonic SSP100 at the top of their music-mind- Decoding Formats: Dolby Digital, Dolby priorities, the Arcam AV9 is all about ed controller list. & Digital EX, DTS, DTS-ES, Dolby Pro Logic II(x), DTS Neo:6, LPCM, THX Ultra2, THX Surround EX Inputs: Stereo analog (11), multichannel analog (2), coax digital (4), optical digital (2), composite video (6), S-video (6), component video (4), HDMI (4) Outputs: Stereo analog (4), multichannel analog (1), coax digital (2), optical digital (1), composite video (4), S-video (3), component video (1), HDMI (1) Dimensions: 17" x 7" x 16" Weight: 30.9 lbs.

MANUFACTURER INFORMATION

ARCAM Audiophile Systems, Ltd 8709 Castle Park Drive Indianapolis, Indiana 46256 (317) 841-4100 www.aslgroup.com Price: $5749

HALCRO AUDIO (USA) INC. 871 Grier Drive, Suite B-1 Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 (702) 270-9307 www.halcro.com Price: $9990

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 117 The Cutting Edge

MBL 5011 LINESTAGE PREAMP

MBL 5011 Linestage Preamp, 1521 A CD Transport, and 1511 E DAC Wayne Garcia

Can any solid-state and digital components seduce a pair of grumpy ol’ tube ’n’ analog guys?

t’s no secret to followers of this hobby that solid-state ments in low-level, tonal, and dynamic resolution. Likewise, electronics and Red Book CD players have recently not only are the best CD players traversing a similar sonic path- advanced to previously unheard—and for some, per- way, they’re somehow piecing digits together in a way that haps, unimagined—levels of musical performance. makes them musically involving to a degree most analog lovers Indeed, recent articles in these very pages have dis- never thought possible. That said, there’s good…and then cussed how the best of today’s solid-state electronics are there’s spectacularly good. exhibiting far lower levels of noise (and its attendant Which rather quickly brings me to the products made by grain)I and tonal darkness than designs of even the relatively the German outfit MBL. But before I explain why the MBL recent past, while at the same time showing large improve- items under review here have for me redefined their respective

120 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

MBL 5011 BACK PANEL

categories, I need to touch on something that both reviewers tonal richness and beauty, dynamic shading as well as wallop, and readers should remember—unless you’ve heard something and a riveting involvement with every aspect of the music mak- either in your own system or one you know intimately well you ing. (And by the way, this isn’t MBL’s most costly level, nor haven’t really heard it, or at least not to a degree that makes for even by a long shot the most expensive gear out there, though an authoritative opinion. So even though my amigo Jon Valin at $8382 for the linestage, $9130 for the transport, and $8910 has been touting MBL’s gear for the past few years, and I, along for the DAC, ’taint exactly cheap, either.) with pretty much all who have heard them, have walked away Never before have I experienced solid-state and digital raving about the company’s presentations at the past few CESes, components with the rich and lifelike tone colors I’m hearing it wasn’t until I actually heard these components in my own here, or ones with the kind of transparency that allows you to room that I was able to comprehend just how astonishing imagine you’re “seeing” into a recording and “around” the play- MBL’s achievements with electronics are. (At shows, after all, ers and their instruments. Never before have I known any solid- it’s all too easy to be razzle-dazzled by the company’s exotic state and digital with such a convincing projection of “bloom,” looking Radialstrahler speakers.) For those who dare to dream attended by a lingering, ghostlike decay of notes and as deeply of components that marry the best of tubes with the best of layered depth of soundstage. And perhaps most tellingly, never solid-state, who fantasize not about big-bosomed beauties but before have I experienced the kind of emotional pull, intellec- about a CD player that will instead let them enjoy digital play- tual involvement, and sheer musical joy with solid-state and back nearly as much as analog, MBL’s designs come closer than digital components than I am experiencing with this stuff. any other I’ve heard. Now, I’m not saying that the MBL components sound like As planned, this trio came my way when Bill Parish of tubes. They do not in ways I’ll discuss below (and which GTT Audio visited in March to deliver and set up the Kharma Jonathan tackles in some fresh ways in his companion piece Mini-Exquisite speakers, which were another highlight of the that follows on the 6010 D). What they manage to do is offer last CES. But eager as I was to hear the Minis, I decided that a pretty wonderful mixture of what we appreciate in the sound before we placed them in my listening room I first needed to of both transistor and vacuum tube electronics. And rather than hear the MBL electronics on my reference speaker of the past 16 say the MBL gear sounds “musical,” let me instead say that the months, Kharma’s Ceramique Reference Monitor 3.2. One by MBL gear brings the music and its recorded space into my one Bill and I began replacing the gear I had been listening to room in a way that frankly makes me care not a fig if the chas- with the MBL components. Now, what I’d been living with was sis are filled with tubes, transistors, or jellybeans. hardly chopped liver. It was in fact the very fine and beautiful- For instance, if you were to play the beautiful-sounding sounding Hovland HP-200 preamp I reviewed in Issue 162, Deutsche Grammophon CD of the Mutter/Levine reading of along with Hovland and Nordost Valkyrja cables, an Arcam Berg’s Violin Concerto, you’ll notice a startlingly expansive digital transport, and Musical Fidelity’s excellent Tri-Vista 21 soundfield of tremendous depth—though not necessarily DAC (Hovland’s RADIA and Kharma MP-150s did amplifica- width, the one area in which the MBL electronics are merely tion duties). Each replacement—first preamp, then DAC, then good, as opposed to exceptional—gorgeously rich and convinc- transport—resulted in similar ear-opening and eye-popping ing tone colors, and a remarkably tiered dynamic range that experiences. For this phase of the process, we used but a single finds Mutter’s violin sharing a dialogue-like exchange with piece of music—the gorgeously played and recorded other string players before the entire orchestra rushes in for a Stern/Bernstein version of the Barber Violin Concerto [Sony]. near chaotic and absolutely thrilling climax. This is a complex We’d play the first and second movements, switch in a piece of and occasionally busy composition that the MBL stuff not only MBL gear, and play them again. Each switch brought dramat- handles with ease but conveys in a way that allows the com- ically improved levels of transparency, resolution, depth, air, posers intentions to shine through, unmolested. As JV points

122 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

MBL 1521 A CD TRANSPORT out, the MBL sound is a touch darker, perhaps a shade more beware. Because these products make listening to CDs such a beautiful than life, but in tandem with its remarkable air, fresh, lively, and deeply involving experience, you’re likely to transparency to the recording venue, and outstanding detail, I’d start spending large chunks of your discretionary income on all say that’s a compliment. kinds of new music. I know that I have. And this ability to bring the recording site home is one of the reasons the MBL designs bring music so fully to life. Take György Ligeti’s brilliant dark comic opera Le Grand Macabre [Sony]. This 1998 live recording from Paris presents a sound- MBL 6010 D Preamplifier stage so magically laid before your listening seat, along with a spooky-palpable sense of the theater’s ambience (there’s a bit of Jonathan Valin audience noise and mild laughter) that makes you a part of the event. Ligeti’s complexly scored orchestra and small ensemble ince I plan to compare the MBL 6010 D of singers are defined not only by exquisitely solid image place- linestage preamplifier—the big brother to the ment but also by an unusual three-dimensionality—one that 5011 that Wayne just extolled—with the best layers the musicians and singers back from the front plane of tube preamplifier I’ve heard, the Audio Research the Kharma Minis, and also allows you to track the singers Corporation Reference 3 (reviewed in TAS 159), movements across the stage, next to and around one another. I want to start by talking a bit about tubes and This recording also highlights the virtues of solid-state—the transistors. ability to deliver hard and fast transients with pistol-shot-like SIn our next issue, reviewer Jacob Heilbrunn notes that the speed, and a bottom end that has a mind-bending combination twain shall never meet, and he’s right. The trouble is he’s also of richness, weight, and explosive power. This is by far the most wrong. The two don’t sound more alike in important specific “live” sounding system I’ve experienced in my home. ways, but they do sound more alike in important general ones. Now, this, and any review, is of course not only a review of the Let me explain. If you were to map the anatomy of a musi- items under scrutiny but of the entire system or systems it has cal note, it would divide neatly into three sequential parts or been part of. Therefore, credit must also be given to the associat- phases: the attack or transient phase, the steady-state tone ed items listed at the end of this article and especially to Kharma’s phase, and the decay phase. All three are essential to creating a marvelous Mini Exquisite, which I’ll report on next issue. lifelike semblance of the real thing, but all three are more or One final thing about the MBL sound—and this relates less fudged by both the recording and playback process. especially to the 1521A CD transport and 1511 E DAC: Buyer What typically goes wrong, to my ear, is something that

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 125 The Cutting Edge

might be called “timing errors”—that is, errors in the realistic reproduction of the duration of each event (and each event has a different duration). As jitter does in digital recording and playback, timing errors in analog recording and playback tend to distort—to artificially expand or condense—the little slices of time (and the dynamic/harmonic information that is contained in them) that constitute each phase of a note’s sound. Typically tube playback makes everything sound “longer,” like the sostenuto pedal on a piano— MBL 6010 D i.e., it expands a note’s duration, enriching its colors and tex- PREAMPLIFIER tures but softening its impact. Harmonics seem to linger in the air longer with tubes; the air itself seems to be more present; instruments seem larger and more forward on the soundstage. amplifier, followed shortly thereafter by the Audio Research At the same time the sharpness of instrumental attacks seems Reference 3 preamp and Reference 210 amplifier, shook my slightly dulled—too spread out over time. Consequently, faith in this paradigm. Not that you would mistake the sound instrumental outlines are more splayed out and fuzzier, bigger of MBL for ARC; they both still shine where transistors and and less focused. tubes customarily shine. The thing of it is they also shine where Typically solid-state playback makes these same events transistors and tubes customarily don’t. sound “shorter,” like the damping pedal on a piano—i.e., it Although I’ve already used this musical example in my condenses a note’s duration, slightly desaturating tone color review of the ARC Reference 3 and Reference 210, it is worth and abbreviating slow-developing textures, but increasing clar- repeating because it so clearly points up the difference between ity and focus in the way that the clean sharp lines of a pen- the MBL 6010 D and every other preamp I’ve heard. and-ink drawing do compared with the thicker, softer lines of Towards the end of the first movement cadenza in a pencil sketch. Harmonics don’t seem to be as richly devel- Montsalvatge’s Concerto Breve for piano and orchestra oped as they are with tubes; the sense of air around each note [London], pianist Alicia de Larrocha plays a loud chord sforzan- (and of air expanding and collapsing with the building up and do (i.e., suddenly and forcefully) and then uses the sostenuto decaying of dynamics and tone—what I call “action” or pedal to sustain the harmonics. The note goes on for several sec- “bloom”) is lessened; instruments seem slightly smaller, more onds, and at its finish, after each of the piano’s tone colors has focused, and less forward on the soundstage. At the same time died away, a single very-low-level enharmonic overtone contin- the sharpness of both starting and stopping transients is ues to sound for a time before it finally and unmistakably stops, enhanced; consequently, instrumental outlines are sharper and and the note ends. more distinct, and large-scale dynamics have greater and more This is a classic example of instrumental decay—the low- lifelike speed and impact. level harmonic and dynamic information at the tail end of a To put this difference more positively, transistors are faster note. In this case, decay is more marked because of the use of on the uptake, and better at reproducing that part of the note the sustain petal and the moment of rest that follows it, but in where speed and concision matter most—the attack or tran- general it holds to the outline of any instrument’s decay. sient phase. Tubes are slower to start, and better at reproducing In the past, tubes have been the indisputable champs of those parts of the note that develop more gradually over time— decay, and of very low-level resolution of tone color and dynam- the steady-state tone and decay phases. Both gain strategies ics. Even though they are often noisier than solid-state, they have trouble shifting speeds, and even at their best both only still hold onto notes longer, spinning them out more fully than approximate the actual durations of real-life musical notes. transistors do. This is the way things stood until fairly recently. Yeah, With the MBL 6010 D, this paradigm was, for the first some solid-state had begun to slow down enough to let you time, turned on its head. No other preamp that I’ve heard can smell the roses; and some tubes had gained significantly in clearly and audibly sustain Alicia de Larrocha’s sostenuto (or pre- transient speed and clarity. But, as Jacob correctly notes, the serve something like the back-of-the-stage echo of Ian and fundamental virtues (and vices) of tubes and solid-state have Sylvia’s voices on the “Texas Rangers” cut of Northern Journey remained more or less the same. [Cisco/Vanguard]) as fully and completely as the 6010 D—not The arrival of the MBL 6010 D preamp and MBL 9011 even the great (and it is) Audio Research Reference 3. As I’ve

126 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

already noted, listening through the ARC Ref 3, you would be Miller’s Steinway in Mario Davidovsky’s Pulitzer Prize-win- hard put to decide exactly when that piano note ends and ning Synchronisms No. 6 [Turnabout], for instance, the 6010 D silence begins; the sound just sort of dithers away into the makes it plain that the composer is consistently using Moog- slightly higher noise-floor of the tube preamp. With the 6010 synthesized sounds to modulate the piano’s attacks and decays. D, the end of that note is like a bank vault door closing. Likewise, when composer Luciano Berio has violinist Romuald Nor does the 6010 D’s uncanny grip on the timing of notes Tecco sound a quarter-tone to make a brief surprisingly askew just apply to decays. It does timbre (the steady-state tone phase) harmony with Dennis Russell Davies’ piano in “Due Pezzi” with astonishing richness, and, of course, it retains solid-state’s [Philips], the 6010 D’s uncanny way with this “bent” note’s superb transient response on the attack phase. The net result of color and duration gives you a crystalline sense of the Bartókian the MBL’s very low level of “timing error” is a huge increase in wit of the piece—and of the virtuosity with which Berio typi- resolution with few or none of the usual solid-state penalties cally writes for individual instruments. paid in the desaturation of tone colors and loss of fine textures. What is the reason for this sudden increase in solid-state The 6010 D is the highest-resolution preamp I’ve yet heard— resolution, particularly with longer-duration events, like the and, simultaneously, the least analytical sounding. In fact, it is build-up and decay of timbre? HP has recently argued that the downright gorgeous. improved resolution of the best gear is due, across the board, to The truly wonderful thing about having all this beauty, a significant lowering of the noise floor. However, I’m not cer- energy, and resolution on tap is how much the 6010 D can tell tain that the 6010 D’s very low noise and very high bandwidth you not just about where, when, and how individual instru- are all that make it such a standout, although I am sure that ments are being played, but also about the way in which an these things contribute greatly to its excellence. entire piece of music is designed to work. By so clearly preserving MBL makes a big deal about the quality of the 6010 D’s the timing of the dynamics and harmonics of pianist Robert power supply (so, BTW, does ARC with its Reference 3), and

128 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 I’m inclined to think that, in both instances, power supply is transients to the extent that tubes once did; nor is it anything the key. Part of the difference between solid-state and tubes— like a slouch at the frequency extremes. While not quite the part of the reason for their characteristically different timing inexhaustible dynamo that is the MBL 6010 D, the Ref 3 errors—is the speed with which they dispense their energy. comes surprisingly close to that new paragon (closer, actually, With their quicker rise times, solid-state preamps and amps than I gave it credit for when I reviewed it), and exceeds the were always better at events that called for sudden bursts, like 6010 D in certain important respects (for which, see below). transients or big dynamic swings, and because of their advan- So is the MBL 6010 D the “perfect” preamp? While it tage in bandwidth this inherent speed was also available at the comes closer to these laurels than anything else I’ve heard, no, frequency extremes. The “slower,” more bandwidth-limited, it is not. but more continuously available power (because, unlike tran- First, it is persistently a bit darker and prettier than life. I sistors, tubes have no on-off cycles) of tube preamps and amps doubt if either of these colorations will bother anyone much, made them better at providing energy for slower-to-develop, but, for the record, they are there. longer-duration events, like the buildup and decay of timbres. Second, while it has more detail overall than anything else out This has now changed. It’s as if the MBL 6010 D has not there, some information escapes it. Here we come, again, to the only much greater reserves of power on tap, but it has also devel- classic tube/transistor crossroads. The 6010 D cannot be beat from oped another gear—a sostenuto pedal of its own, if you will— the plane of the instruments—which, characteristically with the so that it no longer treats everything like a transient and, there- MBL, are set back a bit in the soundstage—to the rear walls of the by, shortchanges the development and decay of timbre. At the hall or studio. It will reproduce any musical event that occurs in same time, it is also fair to say that the ARC Reference 3—with this portion of sonic space more fully than any other piece of elec- its greatly improved bandwidth, lower noise floor, and signifi- tronics I’ve heard in my home. But…from the plane of the instru- cantly beefed-up power supply—no longer blunts starting ments forward to the listener, the Audio Research beats it out.

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 129 The Cutting Edge

What I am referring to here is the way instrumental voices SPECIFICATIONS are projected towards you and recede back as dynamics build 5011 Preamp and wane—what I call action or bloom. The MBL 6010 D is Inputs: Seven (one balanced XLR, six single-ended RCA) certainly not devoid of bloom, but compared to the ARC it is Outputs: Six in two groups. Group One: Two XLR, one RCA; Group just a bit more static in imaging, where the tube preamp is Two: One XLR, two RCA alive with the ebb and flow of musical energy. Dimensions: 18" x 6.1" x 15.7" Third, the MBL’s soundstage depth and height are terrific, Weight: 42 lbs. but its stage width seems just a tiny bit narrower or, at least, Price: $8382 more compacted than the ARC’s. This is probably a psychoa- 6010 D Preamp coustic effect, because the ARC is a somewhat bigger imager Inputs: Eight (two balanced XLR, six single-ended RCA) than the MBL and not as dark or warm as the 6010 D, and the Outputs: Six in two groups. Group One: Two XLR, one RCA; Group air between and around instruments is therefore easier to sense. Two: One XLR, two RCA The difference between the sound of these two preamps is Dimensions: 21" x 9" x 12" actually small but profound: The MBL 6010 D reproduces LPs Weight: 77 lbs. and CDs in a way that seems to take you to the recording site— Price: $18,920 with it you are there in the studio with the musicians. The ARC 1521 A CD Transport Reference 3 reproduces LPs and CDs in a way that seems to Drive: Die-cast metal frame; 3-beam laser, glass lens bring the instruments from the recording site into your Type of outputs: One XLR, two RCA home—with it the musicians are there with you in your room. Dimensions: 18" x 6.3" x 16" Weight: 44 lbs. Which presentation do I prefer? Well…that depends on Price: $9130 my mood. For the greatest transparency to the source, for that time-warp feeling of being an eavesdropper at the recording 1511 E DAC session, the 6010 D is nonpareil. For the greatest life-likeness, Type of inputs: XLR, RCA, BNC, TosLink (glass optional) for that chill-up-the-spine sense of hearing instruments sound Type of outputs: One digital (RCA), three analog (two RCA, one XLR) Dimensions: 17.7" x 4.4" x 15.7" as if they are in the room with you, the ARC Reference 3 is Weight: 33 lbs. marginally superior—but only marginally. Frankly I can live Price: $8910 more than happily with either preamp—and do. (I should note that the 6010 D gives you the option of a solder-in phonostage board that is as good as anything short of top-line stand-alone MANUFACTURER INFORMATION phonostages like the Lamm, Aesthetix, ARC, or ASR. The ARC does not have this built-in phonostage option.) MBL OF AMERICA Of course, if you want to get a taste of both contemporary 6615 East Sleepy Owl Way solid-state and tube strengths, just use the old-tried-and-true Scottsdale, Arizona 85262 method of pairing the 6010 D with the tube Reference 210 (or (480) 563-4393 the ARC Ref 3 with the solid-state MBL 9008); I’ve heard both [email protected] mix ’n’ match combos, and they sound fantastic. & mbl-germany.de

WG’s Associated Equipment Redpoint Model B turntable; Tri-Planar VII arm; Shelter 90X cartridge; Artemis Labs LA-1 linestage and PL-1 phonostage; Hovland HP-200 preamp and RADIA power amp; Kharma MP-150 monoblock amps; Kharma Ceramique 3.2 and Mini Exquisite speakers; Kubala-Sosna Emotion interconnects, speaker cables, power cords, and Expression digital cable; Tara Labs Zero interconnect and digital cables, Omega speaker cables, and The One power cords; Nordost Thor power distribution center; Finite Elemente Spider equipment racks; Hannl record cleaning machine, L’Art du Son LP and CD cleaning fluids

JV’s Associated Equipment Walker Proscenium Gold record playing system and Kuzma Stabi XL turntable with Air Line arm; Clearaudio Titanium and London Reference cartridges; MBL 1611 E transport/1621 A digital-to-analog converter; Lamm LP2 Deluxe and Audio Research PH-7 phonostages; MBL 9011 and 9008 monoblocks and Audio Research Reference 200, and Lamm ML2 amplifiers; MBL 101, Ascendo M, and MAGICO Mini loudspeakers; Tara Labs “The Zero” interconnect, Tara Labs Omega speaker cable, Tara Labs “The One” power cords; Shakti Hallographs; Winds Arm Load meter; Clearaudio Matrix record cleaning machine; Cable Elevators; Walker Audio Velocitors; Walker Audio Valid Points; Walker Custom Equipment Stand; Richard Gray Power Company 600S/Pole Pig

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 131 The Cutting Edge

Pass Labs XA160 and X600.5 Monoblock Power Amplifiers

Anthony H. Cordesman A Tale of Two Amplifiers

his is not a review for audiophiles who have blun- power amplifiers, speaker cables, speakers, and listening rooms. dered into the wrong magazine and think that all I also should stress that the two amplifiers involved—the amplifiers sound the same. It is an exploration of Pass XA160 and X600.5—do sound very much alike. They two new amplifiers from the same designer and should. They are both made by Pass Audio Labs; they are firm, of how their sound differs in nuance, and how both designed by teams led by Nelson Pass; they are built on they differ in terms of their interface with different the same chassis; they both have the same basic “super sym- speakers. It also is in some ways a warning about metry” and two-gainstage circuit topology. They also are Tamplifier reviews and system interfaces, and about the need to both expensive high-end products where cost is a minor con- carefully listen to the synergy—or lack of it—between your straint on performance; both sell for $18,000 the pair.

132 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

Both designs are based on long evolutionary experience. want it to be both neutral and “musical” in the sense that it is Nelson Pass is one of the most famous amplifier designers in revealing and does not color or exaggerate, but also is not “ana- the high end, and the design teams he has led both at lytic” or fatiguing. Threshold and at Pass Labs have consistently pursued accuracy Pass Labs has delivered what I personally want in one of my and sonic purity, not gimmicks or fashion. Like most of the best reference components ever since it introduced its Aleph series. I high-end designers, Pass has gotten have paid close attention to the Pass steadily better. Each generation of X-series ever since, and when the amplifiers he has produced has been a series of events that led to this review bit cleaner, has better low-level tran- Pass Labs has began, I was using the Pass X600. sients and dynamics, and is sweeter delivered what I Shortly after the XA160 was intro- and more detailed. He has also been duced, however, I replaced my Pass consistent in the way he “voices” his want in a reference X600.5 with it. I chose the XA160s amplifiers: open and detailed, not over the X600.5s because—like many warm and forgiving; extended highs component ever preceding Class A designs and tube and flat levels of upper midrange ener- designs—they offered a slight advan- gy; equally flat mid and upper bass, since it introduced tage in terms of nuance in low-to-mid- with no gimmicks to give the sound its Aleph series level passages. They improved the air, more punch and “rhythm.” life, harmonic integrity, and low-mid Like most audiophiles, I’m not level dynamics of the music. They also willing to make one more compromise tilted the timbre slightly towards the than I have to. I want both power and nuance. I want an ampli- upper bass and lower midrange—which helps compensate for fier that can drive virtually any speaker, regardless of character the bright upper midrange and close-in perspective of far too and load. I want it to sound exactly the same every time I turn many modern recordings. Plus my main reference speakers—the it on, so I can be sure that I hear the real differences between TAD-1s and Theil 7.2s—have very extended highs and more the components I’m reviewing in my reference system. I also upper midrange energy than most reference-quality speakers.

The Key Design and Technical Differences Between the XA160 and X600.5

he primary design and 1000, and the XA160 has a nominal well for us, but this is a company that technical differences damping factor of 30. In terms of usually has at least some Class A between the XA160 and basic design, the XA160 is a pure amplifiers for sale, and as the Aleph X600.5 are in their output Class A design while the X600.5 has series faded,we looked to build Class T circuitry and power. The a Class A initial gainstage, but the A X amplifiers. They would not have differences in their specifications output stage only operates in Class the higher power of the AB circuits for distortion, frequency range, A at low-to-medium-low power lev- and they would operate less effi- and flatness of response are virtu- els before shifting to Class B. ciently. An XA160 would deliver 160 ally negligible. The X600.5, howev- I asked Nelson Pass to explain watts and the X600 output 600 watts, er, is a 600-watt amplifier into 8 the difference in design and sound but they both required the same ohms, and the XA160 is 160 watts; quality from his perspective, and he amount of resources and idled at 500 the X600.5 has a maximum cur- put it this way: “The very first X watts or so. rent of 25 amps and the XA160 of amplifier was the X1000 and was “The X.5 and XA have a slightly 7 amps. The X600.5 has a faster intended to illustrate the capability different customer base. The X.5 slew rate. of the SuperSymmetric circuit by delivers more power and a lot more The power output of the X600.5 delivering more high-quality power current. It is appropriate to tougher increases to 900 watts into 4-ohm with two gainstages than anyone loads and for more cost-sensitive loads. The power of the XA160 had ever seen. Of course, we fol- customers. The XA sounds better in drops sharply into lower imped- lowed that up with the rest of the X general, but this assumes 6-ohm ances. The X600.5 has a nominal product line. impedance or higher, and lesser damping factor of approximately “The Class AB X amplifiers did very power requirements.” AHC

134 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

These differences between the X600 and XA160 occurred, larly speaker- or cable-sensitive. In fact, it is much less sensitive however, as much because of amplifier and speaker interactions than many high-end solid-state amps and many vacuum tube as because of the inherent sonic character of the two amplifiers. amps. It is, however, more sensitive than the X600. Moreover, I gave something up in switching to the XA160s. As Accordingly, when Pass announced the X600.5 and any reviewer can tell you, there is often only a marginal corre- claimed it had more of the virtues of the XA160, but still had lation between the technical measurement of an amplifier’s all the power I wanted, asking to audition it was an obvious power and its real-world musical performance in a given sys- choice. You don’t have to be a reviewer, or even an audiophile, tem. The X600s, however, had much more apparent power to want the best of both or all worlds in a single option. than the XA160s with my relatively power-hungry TAD-1s Well, I didn’t get the perfect solution or the ultimate best and Theil 7.2s. There was a very clear loss of high-level dynam- of both worlds. The XA160 still outperforms the X600.5 in ic capability and musical energy and life with full orchestral the areas where it outperformed the X600. This comes through music and grand opera, and not just with sonic spectaculars. if you compare the two amps with a highly revealing and cali- These differences were not significant with more efficient, brated recording like the new Dolby Labs “Resolution easier-to-drive, or less-capable speakers. The Polk LSi-15 is effi- Project”—an extraordinary musical test record that compares cient enough in any actual system and listening room that the same selections of jazz and classical music at different dig- amplifier power is less important. It cannot reproduce the same ital sampling rates from the lowest up to 24-bit/192kHz. level of dynamics as the TAD-1 and Thiel 7.2. The Quad 989 The X600.5 is, however, a serious sonic upgrade from the is a very good speaker, but lifelike, high dynamic levels are also X600. It does everything better in the areas where the XA160 is simply not its forte. With the Polks and Quads, the XA160 still better and is a very close match. It does better in high-level was clearly the better choice, and one that did not involve any dynamics and the deep bass than the X600. It also shows that meaningful sonic sacrifices. power really does make a difference. Music comes more alive. At the same time, the XA160 did not do as well with a truly What sometimes seems like a touch of hardness in your speakers difficult load like the Spendor BC-1. The amp loses nearly half or source material is revealed to be the amplifier’s limitations in its rated power into four-ohm loads, and my reference speakers handling sudden loud peaks. The same, strangely enough, can be are nominally 4-ohm speakers. It did not have the X600’s amaz- true of the softness or lack of detail in sustained organ swells. ing capability to control the speaker almost regardless of load. High-power amplifiers almost always seem to have better This became equally clear in terms of some aspects of the Thiel control over the speaker, particularly in the bass. This is true C7.2’s performance at more moderate listening levels, and in even in tube amplifiers with low damping factors, but it is control over the bass in the TAD-1. The XA160 is not particu- especially true of solid-state amps with high damping factors.

136 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 The Cutting Edge

The low bass is more powerful and cleaner, the midbass is SPECIFICATIONS tighter, and the transition from the upper bass to lower Pass XA160 midrange is cleaner. Power Output: 160 watts into 8 ohms If you have a speaker that can be biamped, you can have the Dimensions 19" x 11.5" x 22" best of both worlds. Put a pair of X600.5s on the woofer and a Weight 150 lbs. pair of XA160s on the midrange and treble. This was the ideal Pass X600.5 solution with my TAD-1s, although I should stress I live in a Power Output: 600 watts into 8 ohms detached house with reasonably tolerant neighbors. There is the Dimensions 19" x 11.5" x 22" little matter, however, of cost. The combination of a pair of Weight 150 lbs. XA160s and X600.5s is some $36,000. Moreover, biamping does impose some minor trade-offs of ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT its own. You’ll get an argument on this from some of the best VPI TNT HX-X turntable and HWJr 12.5 arm; Van den Hul Black Beauty, reviewers and designers in the business. But to me, biamping Sumiko Celebration, and Koetsu Onyx Cartridges; McIntosh MVP-861 always imposes at least some cost in the coherence of solo SACD/DVD-A/DVD player; PS Audio Lambda CD transport (modified); TacT 2.2X digital preamp-room correction-equalizer-D/A convertor; Pass instruments, solo voice, and great chamber music and jazz Xono phono preamp; Pass X0.2 stereo preamp recordings. Important as combining high-level dynamic contrasts with midrange air and sweetness can be at very high lev- MANUFA CTURER INFORMATION els, there is no such thing as a free launch (pun intended). We are talking about two great amplifiers here, some of the PASS LABORATORIES best equipment around. The Pass Labs XA160 and X600.5 P.O. Box 219, Foresthill Road should definitely be on your auditioning list if your taste in Foresthill, California 95631 sound is anything like mine, and if it isn’t, you should audition (530) 367-3690 them anyhow simply to hear them and decide whether or not passlabs.com your taste has changed. & Prices: $18,000 each manufacturer comments

Aerial Acoustic Model 9 Loudspeaker speakers in Jacob’s new listening room since it was under Our design goal for the Model 9 was to exceed the bench- construction. We set up temporarily in an untreated, square mark performance of its predecessor, the Model 10T, while room, which exhibited the usual glare and lumpy bass com- improving both sensitivity and appearance. As with the 10T, mon to such rooms. Normally we like to verify that the final we also wanted to provide performance comparable to speak- setup is good. I can only guess that placement was not opti- ers at double its price. mum (dynamic speakers generally require different position- Exceeding the 10T’s midrange and treble openness, nating than planars), or that the new room, whose dimensions uralness, and transparency was particularly difficult. The and wall treatments were changed, was not yet familiar. Our result speaks for itself as Jacob’s comments reveal. experience, and that of our customers, is that the Model 9 In the bass, we used 4 expensive, long-stroke 7.1" does not have the problems noted. woofers to provide exceptional quickness and control with Once again, we appreciate this opportunity and welcome the cone area equivalent to a 14" woofer, but without the any questions. We hope readers will seek out and visit dis- larger driver’s limitations. This is also how we increased playing Aerial dealers so they can hear for themselves what power handling and achieved 90dB sensitivity. Low fre- Jacob found so special in the new Model 9s. quency extension was not sacrificed. Downward venting MICHAEL KELLY was used to provide more constant loading and better AERIAL ACOUSTICS placement flexibility than rear venting. The front baffle is 8.5" narrow for good imaging. The slim profile cabinet is well-braced for low coloration, and has large internal vol- Arcam AV9 Controller ume for deep bass extension. We are so happy you like our AV9 processor. As to your Regarding overall performance, we appreciated Jacob’s impressions of the sonics of the AV9 we see no issue with various comments such as “luscious midrange, overall Alan’s conclusions. He seems to have hit on exactly what smoothness, detail, authority, image stability, splendid lin- Arcam intended to do. John Dawson, the founder of Arcam, earity, and dynamic ease.” We would like to add that these writes “Arcam balanced the sound of analog inputs of the characteristics are constant from quiet to thunderous levels. AV8/9 to suit analog (i.e. mostly music) playback, whereas During our visit, we did not have a chance to hear the [we] realized the digital inputs were most likely to be asso-

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 139 ciated with movie playback from DVD or a set-top box, so tinuously for best sound. With its great efficiency the 300.2 [we] engineered the replay via these to be a little more for- runs cool and does not heat up your room. ward in presentation, to suit the additional clarity required “Many audiophiles… are interested in choosing ampli- by that medium.” fiers to tune their systems.” This is part of the system-build- The only other comment we felt should be added is that ing process in which the combined components must be Arcam also offers an upgrade for all existing AV8 owners. They synergistic—they must sound right together, in the best only need to contact their local dealer to find out the details. sense, not merely having two wrongs balance each other out BOB SCRANTON, VP SALES & MARKETING to make a right. Yes, we have a musically involving amplifi- AUDIOPHILE SYSTEMS, LTD er, but the other components that precede it in the system must be as musically involving as possible, too, because an amplifier as good as the 300.2 cannot compensate for their deficiencies. ARC 300.2 Amplifier And, thank you for buying the 300.2, Tom; we hope you Thank you for including our 300.2 amplifier in your com- will enjoy it for many years to come. parison. We are pleased that you saw fit to compare the 300.2 DAVID GORDON, SALES MANAGER, NORTH AMERICA to the McIntosh and Classé amps which retail for $4200 and AUDIO RESEARCH CORPORATION $6000 more, respectively. I could afford a wonderful preamplifier or pair of speakers for the difference in cost! Tom mentions several times that the 300.2 improved MAGICO Mini Loudspeaker dramatically after it had 24 to 48 hours of warm-up. We I know this sounds terribly self-congratulatory, but we couldn’t think the improvement is even greater after a week, improv- be happier with The Absolute Sound’s glowing review of the ing smoothness and image focus. Because it idles at a mere MAGICO Mini (from Issue 163). Although we like to think that 50 watts, probably drawing less electricity than the light we design and build loudspeakers to satisfy our own internal cri- bulb on your desk, the 300.2 is intended to be left on con- teria for excellence, there is still no small measure of gratification

140 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 when an experienced and critical reviewer such as Jonathan Valin that. We decided that we would continue to make the best so firmly places his stamp of approval on our efforts. loudspeakers possible, and quite frankly, live with profit mar- That said, I would like to acknowledge and say something gins that are substantially lower then the industry standard. about the 800-lb. audiophile gorilla alluded to in this review As a result, MAGICO is still an ultra-boutique builder (and in Robert Harley’s wonderful take on the MAGICO of cost-no-object projects, but now we just make a few more Ultimate that appeared in TAS 160), i.e., the “high-end” cost of them for people who can look at our design, parts, mate- of “high-end” equipment. I know this is a passionately argued rials, construction techniques, and most of all, sonic per- sticking point for many TAS readers for a wide variety of rea- formance, and recognize that other ugly economic reality— sons, both economic and psychological. When I made the deci- that in the end, most often, you do get what you pay for. sion to re-envision MAGICO as a legitimate loudspeaker man- ALON WOLF ufacturer after years of being known as an ultra-boutique MAGICO builder of cost-no-object one-of-a-kind projects, I had to face that ugly (but perhaps obvious) economic reality that most Crystal Cable products in this and almost every other industry are designed After our start, which was indeed made with the help of and built to some targeted price point determined by market Siltech, Crystal Cable is a separate, independent company, research, tea leaves, or the demands of investors, stock holders, with its own R&D, production and design team, and a com- or corporate executives demanding a return on the dollar. But pletely different set of distributors. when push came to shove, every time we tried to introduce Crystal Cable uses coaxial construction, with one silver- some compromise in design, parts/materials selection, or man- gold solid-core conductor, Kapton isolation, silver shield, ufacturing quality for the sole purpose of making a MAGICO and a Teflon outer jacket. We do not have multiple silver speaker less expensive, I was unhappy. Why? Because by defi- conductors; our ultra-thin conductor is made of pure silver nition compromise means that some aspect of the speaker’s per- with gold infusions to fill molecular gaps. formance, whether functional or aesthetic, had to be less than GABI VAN DER KLEY, PRESIDENT/CEO the best that I could imagine. And I just couldn’t live with CRYSTAL CABLE BV

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 141 music CLASSICAL

Classical Caps

Golijov: Ainadamar. Dawn Upshaw, soprano; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Robert Spano, conductor. Sid McLauchlan, producer; Wolf-Dieter Karwatky, engineer. Deutsche Grammophon B0006429. Music: #### 1/2 Sonics: ### 1/2

svaldo OGolijov— born in Argen- tina, trained in Israel and the U.S.—possesses one of most distinctive and immediately appealing compositional gifts to come along in some time. His sure dramatic instincts are apparent in Ainadamar, an “Opera in Three Images,” presented with the strongest possible advocacy by a cast fea- René Jacobs turing Dawn Upshaw and supported by the musically omnivorous Robert Spano notic rhythmic grooves. The chorus and his Atlanta forces. employs only women, who often func- Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito. Soloists, “Ainadamar” is Arabic for “fountain tion more like back-up singers in a pop RIAS Kammerchor, Freiburg Baroque of tears.” It’s the name of an ancient well production than an operatic chorus. Orchestra, René Jacobs, conductor. near Granada where the Spanish poet There are flamenco guitars and percus- Richard Lorber, producer; René Möller, and playwright Frederico Garcia Lorca sion, and seamlessly integrated elec- engineer. Harmonia Mundi 801923.24. was killed by Falangist soldiers in 1936. tronic effects. Upshaw sings with Music: #### 1/2 Sonics: #### The central character in Golijov’s work sweep, tremendous emotional range, is the actress Margarita Xirga, who and linguistic security—the libretto, by a Clemenza di remembers back from the vantage point David Henry Hwang (M Butterfly) was LTito was, with of the late 1960s to her early collabora- translated into Spanish by the compos- the concurrently tions with Lorca—with some guilt, as er. Her final “Yo soy la libertad” (“I am written Die Zauber- she fears she might have saved him. In freedom”) is radiant. Lorca, who was flute, Mozart’s last the work’s central “image,” Margarita is homosexual, is portrayed by mezzo- opera. Despite con- transported back to 1936 and her failed soprano Kelley O’Connor with an taining some of the effort to get Lorca to join her abroad. androgynous gracefulness. master’s finest music, it’s hard for modern The final part of the opera returns to DG’s sound is dynamic and timbral- listeners to accept its acres of recitatives and Margarita’s present: Lorca appears to ly smooth, with satisfactory dimension- the unbelievable goodness of the Roman thank the actress for keeping his art, and ality. When Lorca is shot, the spent Emperor, whose Enlightenment ideals of thus freedom, alive. She is redeemed, shells hit the ground with disturbing morality and mercy lead him to pardon his and can then die herself. verisimilitude, before the gunfire wife-to-be and his closest friend, who con- Golijov’s advanced tonal language, morphs into a kind of hip-hop beat. A spired to kill him. infused with Latin/Iberian and Middle must-hear. ANDREW QUINT So a willing suspension of disbelief is Eastern elements, is irresistible, the FURTHER LISTENING: Golijov: Ayre required to imaginatively enter the plot and music frequently driven along on hyp- (Upshaw); Kronos Quartet: Nuevo characters, and to revel in Mozart’s music.

Star Ratings Key: # Poor ## Fair ### Good #### Excellent ##### Extraordinary

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 143 music classical

Jacobs helps us by investing the opera with spending time as a boy with his family dramatic fire that closes the temporal and in Italy near Mount Etna. He remembers Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6. musical distance between the opera and the mountain sometimes puffing white St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Yuri Temirkanov, today’s listener. He takes liberties—adjust- smoke from its restless depths, its snow- conductor. Anna Barry, producer; ing dynamics and tempos, and modifying covered peak at other times cloaked in Andrew Mellor and Neil Hutchinson, the recitatives which the composer farmed soft pink light. That description aptly engineers. Warner Classics 623544. out to a student. Most of all, Jacobs makes sums up Dynamic Triptych for piano and Music: #### Sonics: #### the opera come to life, his singers delivering orchestra (1927-29), a piano concerto that those recitatives with vibrant conviction. moves from pounding ostinati to beauti- emirkanov The outstanding cast idiomatically ful serenity, all punctuated by a string T and the St. embellishes coloratura passages. Mark section that occasionally plays quarter Peterburg Padmore is a firm-voiced Tito, convincing tones that evoke the sense of falling in a Philharmonic as he wrestles with his conscience. The key dream. This is modern music that antic- have this music in figure is Sesto, Tito’s impressionable young ipates Bartók, Martinu, and Prokofiev their bones—the friend seduced into betrayal by Vitellia, a while remaining firmly grounded in the orchestra, then nasty piece of work who’s a walking bundle Romantic era. the Leningrad Symphony, premiered of hate, greed, and jealousy until she, too, Written shortly after Foulds’ sprawl- both works back in 1937 (the 5th) and sees the light at the end. Mezzo-soprano ing War Requiem (at the close of the 1939 (6th) under the legendary Bernarda Fink is first-rate as Sesto, persua- Great War), Dynamic Triptych is com- Yevgeny Mravinsky, and it’s often sive in her portrayal of a good man (it’s a posed of three movements (in sonata played by the ensemble under the direc- pants role) who does wrong and hates him- form) that alternately explore mode, tion of many conductors, including self for it. Soprano Alexandrina color, and rhythm. The seven-note mode Temirkanov, Mravinsky’s successor at Pendatchanska’s Vittelia never overdoes of the toccata-like opening movement the orchestra’s helm. the villainous bit, and her change of builds upon compositional explorations A decade ago, Temirkanov made heart is as credible as the text allows. The of Foulds’ earlier “Old Greek Legend” highly regarded versions of these works remainder of the cast and chorus is excel- and creates a setting for Donohoe’s for RCA, but this new Warner Classics lent, and the period orchestra digs in; bravura performance. The slow second disc boasts comparable, if more expan- just listen to the rip-roaring Overture. movement, with those dreamy quarter sive, interpretations. This Fifth was Heard in both CD and SACD stereo, tones, casts what Foulds called “rainbow recorded at a 2005 concert in the engineering is lifelike, with plenty hues” as a backdrop for romantic piano Birmingham, England. It’s a bit more of bite to the instruments and strong themes. The third movement is con- leisurely than it needs to be in some bass; the period drums really register. structed around a persistent rhythm— places—not least in the opening move- Voice-orchestra balances are excellent, 2/4 plus 3/4 plus 4/4—that drunkenly ment, whose grotesque march parody and the transparent studio sound emu- swings from march to waltz time before could have more edge, and in the Largo, lates a small opera-house performance. A a dramatic climax. whose more flowing tempo in boon for Mozartians. DAN DAVIS The remaining works are much less Temirkanov’s earlier version more effec- FURTHER LISTENING: Mozart: Cosi fan tutti adventurous. April—England (Impression tively sustained tension. The finale is (Jacobs); Mozart: Marriage of Figaro (Jacobs) of Time and Place) is a bubbling ode to the slowest of seven CD versions I audi- Spring. Music-Pictures III has been called tioned, but it’s hard to fault the meas- Foulds’ Pictures at an Exhibition. The Song ured buildup of its ominous march, John Foulds: Dynamic Triptych, Music- of Ram Dass is an exquisite miniature gaining power as it progresses to an Pictures Group III, April—England, The based on an Indian-style melody. Keltic ambiguous if powerful ending. Much Song of Ram Dass. Peter Donohoe, piano; Lament reflects Foulds’ reputation as a ink has been spilled on Shostakovich’s City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, composer for theater scores and light fare. political intentions in this symphony, Sakari Oramo conductor. Tim Oldham, Sonically, this is a marvelously bal- but there’s no need to add to that rising producer. Warner Classics 62999. anced recording that blends Donohoe’s tide—Temirkanov makes it musically Music: ### 1/2 Sonics: ### thrilling piano work with an orchestra coherent and moving. and conductor that have a firm grasp on The Sixth is as successful. An oddly n the liner the demanding dynamics and composi- structured work, its first movement is Inotes to this tional twists presented in Foulds’ works. considerably longer than the remain- impressive re- The only fault is the disappointingly flat ing two combined. Temirkanov avoids cording, British soundstage. GREG CAHILL the pitfall of making those final move- composer John FURTHER LISTENING: John Foulds: Three ments seem like alien growths grafted Foulds’ son Mantras; Alwyn: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 onto the first. The orchestra’s winds Patrick recalls and 2, Sonata alla toccata (with Donohoe) shine with terrific solos, and the final

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Presto finds Shostakovich at his bleating trumpets. The grim Sixth is ious idea: Take wildest after a Rossinian passage in also outstanding, its Largo interrupted every song that which the strings quote the William by threatening rhythms and brass erup- hit No. 1 on the Tell Overture (think Lone Ranger!). tions, and the finale’s triumphal ending Billboard “Hot Generally fine engineering, but you’ll destabilized by an ominous march and 100” chart from have to find the sweet spot on the volume orchestral screams of pain. The Seventh, 1958 to 2000 control to fully reveal the Fifth’s detail and from 1952, is more genial but with sar- and digitally impact, as it lacks the RCA version’s castic touches such as the ominous bass analyze each for its average timbre (or greater dynamic contrasts. The Sixth, ostinato that contradicts the apparently what he calls the music’s “spectral aver- recorded live in St. Petersburg this cheerful melodic line in the finale. age” of key and register); realize a sonic January, is as detailed, and the vivid, Gergiev’s not a subtle conductor, so equivalent of this average by means of a upfront sound delivers greater impact. DD he’s in his element in the raw violence statistical algorithm run through FURTHER LISTENING: Shostakovich: of these works, less so in lyric passages Max/MSP and Jitter programs; allocate Complete Symphonies (Barshai); where he short-changes elements of one second of playback time for each Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 (Ancerl) elegance and brooding slow move- week the song occupied the No. 1 slot; ments defeat his ability to maintain and voilà!, Billboard, a 37-minute tension. Still, there’s plenty to admire. sound work in four parts, compressing Prokofiev: Complete Symphonies. London The First may be a tad too heavy and 857 hit songs into a time-lapse Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, con- lacking in style, but the orchestral out- “overview of pop history in the United ductor. James Mallison, producer; bursts are handled well and the playing States,” as DuBois calls it. He fills out Jonathan Stokes, engineer. Philips superb. This set’s an attractive way to the CD with similar treatments of the 4757655 (four CDs). Music: #### own all of Prokofiev’s symphonies, but preludes and fugues from J.S. Bach’s Sonics: ### individual works have more eloquent The Well Tempered Clavier and the exponents—Abbado in the Third, soundtrack from Casablanca. f Prokofiev’s Ancerl in the Fifth, Malko in the First Anyone suffering from a music-listen- Oseven sym- and Seventh, to mention a few. ing variant of OCD might have a whale of phonies, the most Kuchar’s budget-priced Naxos is as time trying to identify the snippet that popular are the good, as is Jarvi’s on Chandos. represents Wayne Fontana & the Mind Mozartian First, The 2004 concert was taped live at Benders’ “Game of Love” or Culture whose neo-classic the London Orchestra’s acoustically Club’s “Karma Chameleon” or any other style helped dis- challenged Barbican Center home, and chart-topper during Billboard, for which pel the composer’s image as music’s Bad the sound is far from state-of-the-art, an imbedded video with artist names and Boy, and the mock-heroic Fifth, for its imposing an aural scrim between stage track titles is included. Everyone else will irresistible melodies and energy. The and listener. The wooly bass and slight- have to settle for whatever intrigue they Second’s a motoric 1920s “Age of Steel” ly blurred details are scant progress, find in the dense, chord-like stop-and- work that substitutes big bangs for since Dorati’s 1959 Fifth on Mercury start swaths of texture and pitch. musical interest. The Third is drawn and Malko’s 1955 Seventh on EMI Excellent sonics which render the from Prokofiev’s opera The Fiery Angel, sound more dynamic and immediate. electronic tones in sumptuous velveteen and though more interesting, it also Still, the engineering is on par with along a deep, narrow, vanishing-point venerates noise. The Fourth, heard in most of today’s orchestral releases and perspective between speakers greatly both its original 1930 version and its better than many. DD enhance the listening experience and 1947 extended final form, is a rework- FURTHER LISTENING: Prokofiev: especially help the ten-minute Casablanca ing of Prokofiev’s The Prodigal Son bal- Symphonies (Kuchar); Prokofiev: Piano treatment achieve a kind of fog-like let; many of the symphonies include Concertos (Gergiev) mystery and ambient beauty lacking in strokes typical of his stage music. the other pieces. Ultimately, DuBois’ The Fifth’s melodic richness is delicious sound and furious thinking joined to ingenious orchestration and R. Luke DuBois: Timelapse. DuBois, don’t signify “nothing,” but they don’t firm structure, further enhanced by producer. Cantaloupe 1035. draw us into the kind of experience the rewarding complexities—like the way Music: ## 1/2 Sonics: #### concept promises. the opening flute-bassoon theme DERK RICHARDSON returns in menacing brass and percus- ive-star concepts do not necessarily Further Listening: Brian Eno: Ambient 1: sion, and the finale’s ambiguous coda Fyield five-star music. For Timelapse, Music for Airports, Plunderphonics: whose false optimism is undercut by R. Luke DuBois came up with an ingen- Greyfolded 1969-1996

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tion. In the first ing hours to midnight with dozens of decades of the personages colorfully represented, as the SACD seventeenth cen- five singers continually alter the charac- tury, it became ter of their voices and accents. Both sec- E ISSUE the rage for tions end with an appealing, madrigal- RECORDING OF TH respected English like summation. In the margins next to composers to the texts, Harmonia Mundi provides incorporate the distinctive vocalizations explanations of terms that will certainly The Cries of London. Theater of Voices; of London’s working class, plying their be unfamiliar to contemporary listeners: Fretwork. Nicholas Parker, producer; goods and services, into musical works. “frumenty” is cereal with milk; a “close- Parker and Brad Michel, engineers. Hybrid This enchanting disc from Paul Hillier’s stool” is a chamber pot. multichannel. Harmonia Mundi 807214. Theater of Voices and peerless viol con- The Cries set by Thomas Weelkes Music: #### 1/2 Sonics: #### sort Fretwork offers several of these, all and Richard Dering views the same from musicians born in the later 1500s. reality but is subtly different in effect. ostly, the actual sounds of daily life The best-known composer here is Good humor abounds, as (in the M accompanying the 99.999% of Orlando Gibbons, highly regarded in Weelkes work) the folks on the street human existence before Thomas Alva his lifetime for sacred music. His two- are not just hawking mackerel, salt, and Edison are forever lost. Here’s an excep- part Cries takes us from the early morn- apple pie but also seeking information

Matthias Grünewald, the artist-hero of his great opera HOT WAX Mathis der Maler—art and politics were, finally, separate New vinyl releases (though Hindemith was only too well aware that the fas- cists didn’t look at things this way). While the concerto has Hindemith: Violin Concerto/Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3. been recorded often (most notably by Stern and Bernstein), Joseph Fuchs, violin; London Symphony Orchestra, Eugene this exciting, expertly played, very-well-recorded (at Goossens, cond. Bert Whyte, recording engineer. Classic London’s Walthamstow Hall, no less) Fuchs/Goossens ver- Records/Everest SDBB-3040 (200-gram LP). sion is entirely worthy of purchase—the gem of these Music: 1/2 Sonics: #### #### Classic/Everest reissues. Little needs to be said about Pictures at an Exhibition. It Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition/Night on Bald Mountain. is witty, colorful, evocative, and astonishingly original, and London Symphony Orchestra, Malcom Sargent, cond. Bert Ravel’s orchestration of what was written as a piece for solo Whyte, recording engineer. Classic Records/Everest SDBB- piano is famously celebrated. Alas, this performance is pret- 3053 (200-gram LP). Music: Sonics: ### ### ty close to awful. Though Classic, in its PR, tries to spin Sargent’s lethargic conducting into something interesting, it he first of Hindemith’s eight concer- is not. It is dull and torpid. This is one I would avoid—not tos, the Violin Concerto was composed T so much because of the sound, which is good but not great, in 1939—the year that the Second World but because of the performance. War began—and yet, hearing it, one A word or two on Bert Whyte’s recordings. At his would never guess that the world was Everest label, Whyte pioneered stereo recording on 35mm falling apart (as one would from, say, the film rather than 1/2" magnetic tape. (Mercury’s 35mm second movement of Bartók’s recordings came later, though, like Whyte, Merc, too, Divertimento for String Orchestra or the always used a minimalist miking setup.) The advantages of whole of Hartmann’s Concerto Funebre the larger format offered by 35mm film were said to be bet- for Violin and String Orchestra, both of ter frequency response and linearity and higher signal-to- which were also composed in 1939). Big, noise ratios, though some folks found the sound of original raw-boned, and romantic, Hindemith’s Everests a bit hot and “glassy.” concerto has the soar and sweep of a great Classics has taken great pains to get the tape-to-disc nineteenth-century concerto and, in its transfer process just right, using a vintage Westrex 1551 alternation of the violin part and the orchestral parts, some tape machine, with specially built tube playback electronics. of the concertante style of the eighteenth. Yet it couldn’t be To my ear, the results are a complete success. Classic’s Len more twentieth-century in its expressively chromatic but Horowitz and Bernie Grundman have tamed the hot high fundamentally tonal idiom, or more timeless in its joyous end of Everests without touching their famously lovely tex- energy and invention. Though he went into exile in the tures and dynamics, and vast soundstaging. Bravo to both! U.S. to protest the Nazi regime, for Hindemith—as for JONATHAN VALIN

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on a missing horse—blind, minus a leg, Act II, or an arriving Valkyrie in Act III. and possessing “a great hole in her arse Wagner: Die Walküre. John Bröcheler Timbrally, the sound is smooth with a and there your snout.” Dering also pro- (Wotan); Lisa Gasteen (Brünnhilde); Stuart solid bottom end. vides a slapstick rural version of this Skelton (Siegmund); Deborah Riedel Most of the singers for the entire slice-of-life treatment, The Country (Sieglinde); Richard Green (Hunding); Adelaide Ring, of which this set is the Cries, and William Cobbold’s New State Opera of South Australia, Asher first installment, are capable Fashions, in a more traditional verse set- Fisch, conductor. Maria Vandamme and Australians. There are two world-class ting, surveys the era’s interpersonal and Ian Perry, producers; Phil Rowlands, engi- Wagnerians here, German John romantic terrain. neer. Hybrid multichannel. Melba Bröcheler and Lisa Gasteen (who hails These quasi-documentary pieces are 301091-94 (four discs). Music: ### from Down Under). A good Wotan and broken up on the disc by purely instru- Sonics: ### 1/2 Brünnhilde count for a lot in Die mental selections by Gibbons and Walküre and things are best when Dering. The ensemble sonority pro- his Die they’re on stage. Bröcheler’s nicely duced by the six-member Fretwork is T Walküre is the paced second act monologue and the intoxicating—rich, beautifully bal- first complete opera’s last scene between father and anced, and technically secure, lending Wagner opera to daughter are highlights; Brünnhilde’s flawless intonation and complete clarity appear on SACD. Act II encounter with the doomed to the independent voices. Also pro- It’s not, of course, Siegmund is another. Act I—no Wotan grammed are two unaccompanied part- the first in sur- or Brünnhilde—is a disappointment. songs and three “echo duets” by Michael round sound: considering only the Ring, Stuart Skelton’s voice has a baritonal East. Finally, there’s Thomas there are six cycles on DVD, complete or quality that’s appealing in quieter pas- Ravenscroft’s haunting ballad, The Three in progress, all with a multichannel sages but, when the part’s high and Ravens, gorgeously sung by soprano Elsa option. But those are relatively low-fi loud, lacks the ring and heft of the best Torp and supported by the other vocal- DTS or Dolby Digital, which cheats the heldentenors. Deborah Riedel’s ists and bowed instruments. listener out of some of the composer’s Sieglinde is richly and securely sung, The sound is a pleasure, with both luxuriant orchestral syntax. but, as Hunding, Richard Green doesn’t voices and viols sumptuously repro- Melba’s live recording was made sound nearly fearsome and abusive duced. Multichannel possibilities are with 65 microphones. The final product enough. Asher Fisch, an experienced knowingly exploited. In Gibbon’s Cries, sounds like it was mixed for atmosphere Wagner conductor from Israel, favors voices appear sparingly in the rear chan- rather than attempting to document a brisk tempos, sometimes to the detri- nels; in Weelkes’ work, a single vendor real-life acoustic, in this case the ment of the dramatic effect, as with approaches from the distance, passes by, Adelaide Festival Center. Voices, with Wotan’s Farewell, which is robbed of a and then recedes behind the listener. You rare exception, are upfront, but the little of its tender poignancy. don’t have to be an early music enthusi- orchestral recording allows Wagner par- The lavish packaging includes useful ast to thoroughly enjoy this gem AQ tisans to wallow in the richly scored notes and a German/English libretto. AQ FURTHER LISTENING: Les Travailleurs de strings and brasses as never before. The Further Listening: Wagner: Arias (Bryn la Mer (The Harp Consort); Bolivian rear channels occasionally output direct Terfel) (SACD); Wagner: Orchestral Music Baroque (Florilgium) (SACD) sound—Hunding’s horns at the close of (SACD)

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Jazz Caps

Frank Kimbrough: Play. Matt Balitsaris, though, not enough to distract from the talking drum to his pizzicato and arco producer and engineer. Palmetto 2118. show. FRED KAPLAN bass) and Drake, whose percussion arse- Music: #### Sonics: ### 1/2 FURTHER LISTENING: Herbie Nichols nal includes tabla and frame drum as Project: Love Is Proximity; Bill Evans: well as traps set, and who adds his voice rank Kim- Explorations to “Unity Call.” African and Eastern fla- Fbrough is a vors abound, and implicit tales of pianist of spare anguish, contemplation, struggle, and rhapsodizing. Kidd Jordan, Hamid Drake, William Parker: liberation emerge from improvisations His music sways Palm of Soul. Steven Joerg, Parker, and given such titles as “Living Peace” and and swoons, not Drake, producers. Aum Fidelity 038. “Last of the Chicken Wings.” because he em- Music: #### Sonics: #### A tightly centered soundstage bellishes a chord or throws in a triplet emphasizes the trio’s sticky interplay, but because he plays just the precise ike Fred while its depth draws listeners in and notes and color tones to achieve his LAnderson in allows room for instruments to define effect—and nothing more. It’s a delicate Chicago and themselves. The sonics are clear, right trick few have mastered, but Vinny Golia in up to the sharpest percussion attack, but Kimbrough is one of them, and it lets Los Angeles, sax- especially warm in the mid and low him get steamy with a lyrical ballad ophonist Edward ranges where Jordan’s taut timbres and without crumbling into sentimentality. “Kidd” Jordan Parker’s rubbery strings tend to operate. A longtime member of Maria has been as overlooked by the general DERK RICHARDSON Schneider’s Jazz Orchestra and a co- jazz audience as he has been revered by FURTHER LISTENING: Kidd Jordan, Alan leader of Ben Allison’s various bands, the fortunate players he’s mentored over Silva, William Parker: Emancipation Suite he’s headed only a few albums, and Play, the decades. He’s been performing and #1; Billy Harper: Black Saint a trio session, is his best. One reason may recording for nearly 50 years, with cred- be the drummer, Paul Motian, sounding its ranging as far a field as Ray Charles, as remarkably original and energetic as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Patricia Barber: Mythologies. Barber, he did in Bill Evans’ trio nearly a half- Cannonball Adderley, and Cecil Taylor, producer. Blue Note 0946359564. century ago. He keeps time, skips ahead and yet he will still be considered a “dis- Music: #### Sonics: #### of and behind the beat, puts a pulse in covery” by many. the rhythm, then electroshocks it. He Palm of Soul is an ideal place to make hen Patricia pounds the snare with brushes, whisks it the acquaintance of the 70-year-old New WBarber with sticks, all the time spicing, push- Orleans native’s mature tenor saxophone name-checked ing, yanking, or sometimes just quietly stylings. Recorded in Brooklyn a month Erebus and Zeus swooshing behind Kimbrough’s dreamy after Jordan was uprooted by Hurricane in the song “Moon” meditations. They work best with the Katrina, this trio date features the dream on 2002’s Verse ballads. Listen to “Lucent,” a stirring rhythm section of drummer Hamid album, fans might number, where Motian speeds up the Drake and bassist William Parker, play- have assumed she had at least a passing pace while Kimbrough stays slow and ers thoroughly versed in both Jordan’s interest in Greek folklore. Barber’s lat- steady, building a fine, tense simmer. totally improvised approach and person- est, Mythologies, shows that the The bassist, Masa Kamaguchi, isn’t alized musical vocabulary and syntax. Chicago-based jazz singer, pianist, quite Scott LaFaro, or for that matter Jordan taps the tenor’s full range, from and songwriter is not only well-versed Ben Allison, but he adds a jaunty twist meaty lower registers to squawky highs in archetypes and ancient tales, but to the anchor. and “split reed” polyphonics. Confi- savvy enough to bring them into the The sonics match what we’ve come dently toying with pitch, he weaves ser- jazz idiom. to expect from this spirited indie jazz pentine lines that often have an Eric Composed in 2003 after Barber won label. Excellent balance, clarity, and Dolphy-like conversational quality as a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship dynamics, but lacking a bit of body in they slither through the kaleidoscopic Award, Mythologies is an invigorating the bass and a bit of air in the spaces textures and spaces created by Parker and ambitious song cycle that draws around the instruments—just a bit (adding guimbri, gongs, bowls, and inspiration from the characters in Ovid’s

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 153 music jazz

be hilariously fun as well as awesomely artful. Though known to some as a brilliant pianist and the great composer of such original songs as “The Jitterbug Waltz,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” and “Honeysuckle Rose,” Thomas “Fats” Waller, with his bug-eyed mugging and often-sardonic vocalizing, represents for many the ultimate jazz comic. Had he not died at age 39 in 1949, he might have transcended that role and joined a higher pantheon of humorous jazz artists that includes Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Dizzy Gillespie. If You Got to Ask divides 66 performances from 1926 through 1943 into three 22-track discs: “Fats Waller Sings and Plays Fats Waller,” “Fats Waller: Strictly Instrumental,” and “Fats Waller Sings and Plays Around with Tin Pan Alley.” It rep- Patricia Barber resents only a portion of the material recorded by the stride-piano peer of Willie Metamorphoses. Barber had caught Mary jazz choir, and is typical of the splendid “The Lion” Smith and James P. Johnson, Zimmerman’s New York stage adapta- production that graces all of Barber’s who also branched out on pipe and elec- tion of the Roman poem and was so albums. As a producer and arranger, she tric organ, led both the rambunctious- moved that she started penning songs creates clean atmospherics that are but-tight combo known as “His Rhythm” built around its timeless themes. The sparse yet richly textured—the piano and an orchestra, and left behind a legacy result—previewed on Verse and via the and vocals are lifelike, the guitar work of timeless material. But it offers a well- politically charged “Whiteworld” on subtle, the bass resonant, and percussion rounded portrait of the rotund genius, 2004’s live A Fortnight in France—is simmering. Give this girl another grant. including favorites such as “The Joint Is beautiful and brilliant. GREG CAHILL Jumpin’,” “Squeeze Me,” “African Here Barber largely foregoes her FURTHER LISTENING: Patricia Barber: Ripples,” “Hold Tight (Want Some characteristically dense, layered elec- Verse; Cassandra Wilson: Thunderbird Seafood, Mama),” and “Your Feet’s Too tric-guitar sonics, opting for an Big”; renditions of standards “St. Louis acoustic-oriented quartet that provides Blues,” “Star Dust,” “I’m Gonna Sit Right plenty of breathing space. The stripped- Fats Waller: If You Got to Ask, You Ain’t Down and Write Myself a Letter,” and “I down arrangements—sometimes little Got It. Orrin Keepnews, producer. Legacy Can’t Give You Anything But Love”; a more than piano, bass, and brushes— 832672 (three CDs). Music: #### 1/2 bounty of dazzling piano solos; and buoy- caress the oft-dreamy sentiments, Sonics: ### ant collaborations with Jack Teagarden, Barber purring her way through songs Benny Carter, Bunny Berigan, and others. about unrequited love (“Pygmalion”), hile jazz Miraculously free of tape hiss, the lust (“Hunger”), ambition (“Icarus: For Whas earned sonics give Waller’s vocals full-blooded Nina Simone”), and conceit its position as presence right up front, and though the (“Narcissus”). Exceptions to the less-is- “America’s classi- slightly muted piano apparently couldn’t best rule are the eco-friendly rap cal art form,” this be brought more forward in the mix, the “Phaethon” (the album’s only misstep) new three-CD reeds and brass solos are hefty and bright, and funky “White-world/Oedipus,” the anthology, pack- the rhythm guitar, drums, and cymbals latter featuring Neal Alger’s wah-wah aged with a crisply realistic. Most importantly, every guitar, Michael Arnopol’s electric and bonus DVD of track bubbles with the serious fun that acoustic basses, and Eric Montzka’s mil- the wonderful makes this music equally worthy of rent itaristic drum beats. promotional parties and concert halls. DR The record’s closer, “The Hours,” is shorts known as FURTHER LISTENING: Duke Ellington: an expressive piano ballad that blossoms “soundies,” provides a vivid and thor- Jumpin’ Punkins; James P. Johnson: The with the addition of the Choral Thunder oughly enjoyable reminder that jazz can Original James P.Johnson, 1942-1945

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comers: Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, want to stick to Acoustic Sounds’ 45rpm The Miles Davis Quintet: The Legendary bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer LP issues, but for the rest of us, as well Prestige Quintet Sessions. Bob Weinstock, Philly Joe Jones. Coltrane and Garland as those not inclined to spend $50 per producer. Prestige 4444 (four CDs). are brilliant throughout, as is Davis, and title, the sonics on both sets will get you Music: #### Sonics: #### the rhythm section establishes its place most of the way there. GC in jazz history as one of the best. FURTHER LISTENING: Jackie McLean: Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane: Workin’, Steamin’, Cookin’ and Prestige Profiles: Mood; Charlie Mingus: The Complete Riverside Recordings. Relaxin’ already have been available on East Coasting Orrin Keepnews, producer. Riverside/ vinyl, Red Book CD, 20-bit K-2 remas- Concord 30027 (two CDs). Music: ### 1/2 ter CD, and 24-bit SACD. The materi- Sonics: ### al—which sounds spectacular—is arranged chronologically according to SACD recording date, and repackaged in a hardcover portfolio with a 40-page David Hazeltine, George Mraz, Billy booklet that includes period photos and Drummond: Manhattan. David Chesky, a comprehensive essay by Bob producer; Nicholas Prout, engineer. Dual- Blumenthal. And then there’s that low- layer SACD. Chesky Records SACD310. fi bonus disc. It features two tunes from Music: ### 1/2 Sonics: #### 1/2 The Tonight Show with Steve Allen, a hard- swinging romp through Oscar avid Chesky Pettiford’s “Max is Making Wax” and a Dseems finally lyrical version of Rodgers and Hart’s to be doing what ballad “It Never Entered My Mind,” he has long want- plus six other live tracks. ed to do—put- The two-CD Thelonious Monk with ting out jazz half century ago, the jazz world John Coltrane: The Complete Riverside records that are A shimmered with the golden sounds Recordings fleshes out the original 1957 nearly as solid musically as they are son- of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and album with material that, for the most ically. Over the years, his audiophile John Coltrane—a holy trinity of sorts. part, appeared on the 15-disc Thelonious label has issued a handful or two of good During the mid to late 50s, they met on Monk: The Complete Riverside Recordings, jazz albums and several cartloads of stage and in the studio in much-cele- and seems timed to ride the wave of dross. (Chuck Mangione, anyone? brated unions that produced a handful of publicity that propelled the recent Blue Didn’t think so.) Now he’s throwing now-classic albums. The common factor Note hit release Thelonious Monk Quartet commercial caution to the wind and on these two new compilations is tenor with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall. The putting out a series of dual-layer SACDs player Coltrane. 20 stereo and mono tracks included here under the rubric “The New York The Miles Davis Quintet: The represent Monk’s core repertoire, record- Sessions.” Top-notch New York jazz Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions gathers ed between April and July 1957, and musicians, very comfortable in one five albums—The New Miles Davis finds pianist Monk in trio, quartet, and another’s company, assemble before a Quintet, Workin’, Steamin’, Cookin’, and septet settings with bands that include single-point microphone at the acousti- Relaxin’—onto three 24-bit digitally saxophonists Coltrane, Coleman cally splendid St. Peter’s Church and remastered CDs and includes a fourth Hawkins, and Gigi Gryce, as well as just do what they do, with no compres- disc of previously unreleased radio and bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummers Art sion or manipulation, either in the cir- TV broadcasts as well as embedded Blakey and Shadow Wilson. cuitry or the music. sheet-music transcriptions. These leg- The only previously unreleased Manhattan, the first release in the endary studio tracks were recorded material is a 51-second septet rendering series, is nothing adventurous—a piano between May and October 1956 at a pair of the spiritual “Abide with Me” (a first trio playing standards—but it’s exem- of sessions before being parceled out take) and an alternate take of plary nonetheless, not at all a routine over a two-year “Crepuscule with Nellie” (which appears walk-through. David Hazeltine is an period. The bop five times). If you don’t already own the agile pianist, specializing in the spright- masterworks fea- bulk of this material, it’s well worth ly single-note line with the chord tossed ture Davis’ cele- checking it out in that it captures Monk in a bit short or long of the “right” brated first quin- at a creative juncture when he recorded moment, for surprise. George Mraz, a tet of then- his breakthrough Brilliant Corners. staple of straight-ahead jazz (he’s backed youthful up-and- Serious audio- and jazz-philes will Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Stan

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HOT WAX New vinyl releases

Nat “King” Cole & His Trio: After Midnight. Lee Gillette, original producer; Ron McMaster, Steve Hoffman, Kevin Gray, remastering. Capitol/Pure Pleasure Records PPAN W782 (two 180- gram mono LPs). Music: #### 1/2 Sonics: #### at “King” Cole gained so much fame Nand fortune as a tremolo crooner backed by schmaltzy string orchestras that few remember he practically invented the modern jazz piano trio in the 1930s and was a coolly dexterous pianist himself. After Midnight, recorded in 1956, marked here. Tizol, a veteran of Ellington’s band, just doesn’t fit; his his return to the trio format after a long stretch of big-band vibrato smears with Cole’s, till they both drown in syrup. sessions, and there’s no better place to start—or finish—for Ah, but where the backdrop is straighter, the King’s voice is catching a glimpse of his glow. His early trios usually con- irresistible—so warm and rich, such insouciant articulation sisted of piano, bass, and guitar. His later ones added drums and unruffled storytelling passion. (hence the finessing phrase “and his trio”). The sound, like many Capitols from the era, is sweet and On this album, he adds a fifth man, rotating, track to warm. And the 180-gram remastered pressing, from the track, from Willie Smith on alto sax, Harry “Sweets” Edison British company Pure Pleasure Records, is superb. It’s mono, on trumpet, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Stuff Smith on but there’s no sense of horizontal squeeze; there’s plenty of violin. The most vibrant songs are with Stuff Smith, a woe- depth, every instrument sounds like itself, you hear all of fully overlooked jazzman (except to other jazz violinists, them plainly. Nat and each of the soloists are in the room. who, to the extent they’re worth much, have emulated him). The tracks are stretched across two LPs. One-and-a-half of Listen to “I Know That You Know,” where his gruff tone and them are devoted to deleted tracks, none better than those complex harmonies sharpen the edges of Cole’s flowing that were kept but none worse either. FK arpeggios. The other Smith, Willie, plays lush lines behind FURTHER LISTENING: Nat Cole, Lester Young, Buddy Rich: the King on his tunes. Strangely, Edison, who was hitting Giants Three; Stuff Smith: The Complete Verve Stuff Smith new peaks elsewhere around this time, plays perfunctorily Sessions (Mosaic box)

Getz, Art Pepper, and Benny Carter, to album. The standard CD layer sounds crashes. The ambience is palpable, name a few), takes the album’s star turn, excellent enough. But switch to the though the engineer, Nicholas Prout, walking up and down the 4/4 lane, SACD layer, and it’s like someone pulled has taken care not to overdo it. It sounds inverting chords as he goes in ways that back a thick curtain. The music billows natural. Chesky has taken a leap with spin whole new angles on the melody. with air. You can hear, practically feel, it this one, in all measures. Here’s hoping Billy Drummond, the drummer, pushes heaving forth from the instruments and the rest of the New York Sessions have the hi-hat cymbals with spaciousness basking all around them. The piano has sound this good and music better still. and vigor. that just-right mix of liquid and percus- Manhattan marks a very auspicious If this disc sounded merely good, it sion; you sense the instrument’s size, and beginning. FK would make for very pleasant listening; the overtones linger overhead like a bou- FURTHER LISTENING: Jon Faddis: I’d recommend it. But it sounds fantas- quet. The woody bass thumps and Remembrances; Hank Jones: Upon tic, maybe better than any Chesky jazz plucks. The drum set rattles, sizzles, and Reflection

Music Editor Bob Gendron’s System BAT VK-300x integrated amplifier; Gallo Nucleus Reference3 loudspeakers; Rotel RSX-1065 receiver; Sony SCD- CE775 SACD player; Panasonic DVD-RP91 DVD-A player; Clearaudio Champion turntable; Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridge; Bright Star Audio IsoRock GR3 speaker supports; Synergistic Research, MIT, Monster Cable, and Audioquest cables and interconnects; SolidSteel 5.5 rack

158 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 music POPULAR

Rock, Etc.

Comets on Fire: Avatar. Tim Green, producer. Sub Pop 704 (CD and LP). Music: #### Sonics: ### 1/2

ursting forth Blike a just- discovered reel- to-reel tape from an Electric Kool- Aid Acid Test, Comets on Fire’s “Dogwood Rust” saunters out of its hazy domain with a crooked bass line, thun- dering rhythm, and snorkeling distortion that remain in constant motion while the psychedelic tune swims about, physically doubling as amoeba-shaped lava-lamp bubbles that projected onscreen behind the Winterland’s stage in the late 1960s. It’s now nearly 40 years later, but San Francisco’s Comets Comets on Fire on Fire remain at home in any era as long as audiences are willing to take voice and words about demons, styles are given a talking-to on the hard- spontaneously combustible cosmic trips. vengeance, and judgments keeping the stomping “The Swallow’s Eye,” com- As the opener to their fourth album otherwise gorgeous track swathed in plete with squealing frequency waves, attests, the quintet hasn’t lost its procliv- haunted darkness. Stretching out even beefy jamming, and dueling fuzz-blast- ity for freak-out garage rock. Yet on longer, “Sour Smoke” is similarly devoid ed leads, as well as on “Holy Teeth,” a Avatar, they turn over a new leaf, sur- of out-of-control tendencies. An in-step gnashing throwback to the band’s earli- prising not only with intense, fast-paced march, it follows the lead of an invisible er phases. Parked in the middle of explosions—here in far lesser supply baton, the hypnotic sway seemingly Avatar, they are foot paths for where the than on 2004’s supreme Blue Cathedral— building and dragging onlookers out of quintet has been and is headed. but with tender-footed arrangements and houses until, at the half-way mark, a Recorded within spitting distance of swirling soulfulness marked by chant slightly alters the pace and adopts a chicken farm at Prairie Sun Studios, Hammond organ washes, waltzing piano a churchy undercurrent. the location where Tom Waits cut Bone notes, and oven-warmed chords. Although this is a band whose mem- Machine, the album claims an every- Anchored by the guitar tandem of Ethan bers refuse to limit themselves to one thing-happens-in-the-room dynamic Miller and Ben Chasny, the Comets also outlet—Miller pairs with Sunburned despite the existence of select overdubs. expand into Southern rock and modern- Hand of the Man’s John Moloney for In the same way the band’s music creative jazz territories on “Jaybird,” the Howlin’ Rain; drummer Utrillo harkens back to but doesn’t replicate a bridge a whipping post that’s roundly Kushner is involved with Colossal Yes; past period, the sonics avoid the artifi- flogged before radioactive feedback and percussionist/echo electronics maestro cially clean, digital hardness that vacuum-tube-sucking distortion carries Noel Harmonson experiments with plagues many contemporary releases. the song towards a peaceful abyss. The Born on the Fourth of July; and most The soundstage isn’t the deepest, but rhapsody “Lucifer’s Memory” climbs famously, Chasny blows minds with his feel, temperature, texture, and balance aboard a gentle melody and a moaning Six Organs of Admittance—Comets on are just as they should be. BOB GENDRON riff that momentarily references the Fire share a common denominator in FURTHER LISTENING: Grateful Dead: Live/ “Star-Spangled Banner,” Miller’s throaty raw blues and freeform rock. The latter Dead; High Rise: Live

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 161 music popular

Thom Yorke: The Eraser. Nigel Godrich, producer. XL Recordings 40200 (CD and LP). Music: ### Sonics: ### 1/2

or over 15 Fyears, Radio- head has con- founded expectations. So it makes perfect sense that with the band about to enter the studio to begin work on its highly-anticipated seventh album, lead singer Thom Yorke would quietly release his solo debut, The Eraser. Musically, the album takes its cues from the Oxford quintet’s electronic for- ays (think “Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors” and “The Gloaming”), Yorke and producer Nigel Godrich constructing a Thom Yorke technological forest where cold, crisp beats are overgrown with lush synth lyrics, which deal in crisis of identity 1993, the now-reunited quartet’s vocal- arrangements like warm Georgia kudzu and existential observations, are typical- ist-guitarist has issued a whopping eleven blanketing a craggily elm skeleton. The ly cryptic, though lines like “I want to albums. Two of those, 1993’s Frank Black tech-heavy angle is no surprise; Yorke eat your artichoke heart” make one hope and the subsequent Teenager of the Year, has long talked up the influence of Can, Yorke is saving some of his better mate- are outstanding. The others are fair to Neu!, and Autechre on his band’s later- rial for his other project. good. None are horrible, though nearly period work. More surprising is how The sonics, as with every Godrich- every release would have benefited from familiar the album sounds, as if it were produced Radiohead album, are univer- the selective paring lesser tracks and constructed Frankenstein-like from sally excellent. The sympathetic han- waiting until a greater whole was in Radiohead’s library of sonic fragments. dling of the vocals is especially welcome, place. If Black followed this approach, The plodding piano on the title track Yorke’s angelic pipes ringing out clear he’d have four excellent records rather echoes the delicate “Pyramid Song”; the and crisp. The soundstage isn’t particu- than a hit-and-miss cornucopia. warped drum patter on “Cymbal Rush” larly wide, though it seems to be by But Black is anything but conven- hints at the Dali-esque belches on design, as if to heighten the music’s tional, and while neither he nor the “Backdrifts”; the medic-alert blips that claustrophobic feel. ANDY DOWNING Pixies have ever been the most exhilarat- close “Harrowdown Hill” could have FURTHER LISTENING: Bjork: Vespertine; ing live performers, there’s never been been lifted from “Idioteque.” Twilight Singers: Twilight any doubting his songwriting skills, But unlike previous Radiohead which on Fastman Raiderman are the best albums, where Yorke’s voice is often they’ve been in more than a decade. looped, mashed, and chopped (and Frank Black: Fastman Raiderman. Jon Tiven, There’s also another factor at play— sometimes extruded backwards, as on producer. Back Porch 59695 (two CDs). Black’s company, which includes The the skittish “Like Spinning Plates”) to Music: ### 1/2 Sonics: ### 1/2 Band’s Levon Helm, Buddy Miller, become another just another part of the Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson, and a gag- musical tapestry, Godrich here convinces eadline news gle of legendary session players from Yorke to leave his vocals unblemished— Hfor most Motown, Stax, Muscle Shoals, and Phil a wise decision, as Yorke responds with a artists, word of a Spector’s Wrecking Crew. Comprised of series of haunting performances. His Frank Black dou- 27 tracks cut at four different sessions, voice prowls like a skulker on “Skip ble album is this is the Memphis-flavored surprise of Divided,” hits that knee-buckling understandably the year—a rhythmic buffet of barstool falsetto on “Atoms For Peace,” and greeted in many boogies, R&B shuffles, and country-rock grunts and growls through the propul- circles with casual albeit lingering curios- strummers unified by laidback tempos sive tick-tock of “The Clock.” The ity. Since the Pixies initial breakup in and loose chemistry. What shines here

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isn’t the bald artist’s affable weirdness tions without sacrificing the soulful but the bands’ effortless musical blend, authenticity of his heritage. As compared Rhymefest: Blue Collar. Kanye West, Just punctuated with mellow tones, porch- with his early-career collaborations with Blaze, et. al, producers. J 70731 (CD and LP). swing grooves, jazzy percussion, and the flamenco group Ketama and English Music: ### 1/2 Sonics: ### 1/2 crisp harmonies. folk/jazz bassist Danny Thompson in the With guitarists Steve Cropper and group Songhai, and his 2004 jazz elping Kanye Reggie Young joining saxophonist Jack crossover with trombonist Roswell Rudd, HWest write Kidney, Black and company stroll down the Malian master of the 21-string kora and produce his heartbreak row during “My Terrible (West African harp) pulls back on radical anthemic hit Ways” and kick up bluesy dust on experimentation on Boulevard de “Jesus Walks” “Elijah,” a harmonica honking in the dis- l’Independence. But this gorgeous record- gave under- tance as the group sways to pedal-steel ing of variations on Afro-Cuban salsa and ground Chicago twang. It’s one of the few occasions where traditional themes from West Africa’s hip-hop veteran Rhymefest a jolt of Black’s voice is urgent. Most of the time, ancient Mandé culture is no less ambi- recognition within rap’s inner circle. It he’s as calm as the music, gorgeously tious; overall, it may be his most exciting. also set the stage for his long-delayed sewn together by rollicking pianos, sim- The second in a three-part series major-label debut, overseen by West. ple beats, fluorescent organs, and cawing called “The Hotel Mandé Sessions” (the The 16-cut collection delivers on the slide accents. Black’s trademark absur- first was the Grammy-winning In the lyrical and sonic sides, but a few unfor- dist poetry (“Kiss My Ring”), aw-shucks Heart of the Moon with late guitarist Ali tunate missteps keep the release from luck (“It’s Not Your Moment”), and geo- Farka Touré), Boulevard features Diabaté’s being top-shelf. graphical travelogues (“The Real El Symmetric Orchestra, a scintillating and As one would expect because of his Rey”) are present throughout, yet noth- almost completely acoustic big band that affiliation with West, Rhymefest has ing upstages an organic consistency that performs most Friday nights in Bamako’s plenty of lyrical agility. On the bombas- gives the 41-year-old a credible blue- Hotel Mandé. Diabaté ranks as the tic, brassy “Dynomite (Going Postal),” eyed-soul-derived success. world’s greatest kora player by virtue of the rapper explains why he takes a Listeners that pay close attention will extending the innovations of his father, decidedly non-bling stance in his be able to discern minor sonic differences who took the instrument beyond its tra- music. “Blue Collar rap/Why I call it between material recorded at Dan Penn’s ditional role of accompanying praise that/[Expletive], I know more real Nashville studio and Cowboy Jack singers and perfected simultaneous bass [brothers] at U-Haul than hall crack.” Clement’s place, for instance, but Fastman lines, rhythm parts, and melody solos. These lines and this song represent Raiderman possesses unforced warmth and Here, with an all-star band taking care of Rhymefest at his core best: punchy liveliness. Organically rich and relaxingly business, Diabaté concentrates on single- lyrics delivered over a strong beat. He dynamic, the production does everything note runs and arpeggios that cascade atop accomplishes the same on the braggado- short of beckoning the listener to plop polyrhythmic flows, bounce against cio “Fever” and on “More,” a piano- down on a couch, close their eyes, and hard-edged drums, engage in call-and- driven meditation on being a rapper become lost in the pick-up sounds made responses with thrilling singers (includ- struggling and striving for success. “All by some of the best studio musicians the ing Kasse Mady Diabaté) and lead elec- Girls Cheat” playfully and skillfully world has known. BG tric guitarist Fanta Mady Kouyaté, and examines games women run on men FURTHER LISTENING: Frank Black: Frank Black; get colored by soul-jazz legend Pee Wee when they’re being unfaithful while Wilson Pickett: The Exciting Wilson Pickett Ellis’ horn charts and Simon Hale’s “Build Me Up,” with a hilarious off-key string arrangements. chorus sung by the late Ol’ Dirty The bright, crisp kora notes are Bastard, features Rhymefest disappoint- Toumani Diabaté: Boulevard de l’Independence. treated to clean, front-and-center repre- ed rather than devastated by a failed Nick Gold, producer; Jerry Boys, recording sentation on a wide and deep sound- relationship. and engineering. World Circuit/Nonesuch TK. stage, as are the balafon and flute parts Surprisingly, West delivers a bland Music: #### Sonics: ### 1/2 and piercing lead vocals. The only quib- beat and sounds less than inspired on ble with the otherwise pristine sonics is his guest turn on “Brand New.” Then s much as an artificial feeling of distance between again, even Rhymefest acknowledges Aany other some of the percussion and choral vocals the throwaway sound of the song, rap- world-music and the rest of the natural-sounding ping “This is just a old beat he had lay- star, Toumani ensemble. DERK RICHARDSON ing around” at the end of the last verse. Diabaté has FURTHER LISTENING: Roswell Rudd/ And when Rhymefest tries to sound forged innova- Toumani Diabate: Malicool; Mory Kante: tough, as on the boasting session tive collabora- Sabou “Chicago-Rillas,” he doesn’t sound

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credible and lacks the flair that makes Sweet on 1989’s Giant, an anything- fleet of hall of fame rock talents. his other material enjoyable. but bomb that figured in A&M’s deci- Displaying vocal colors and tech- A debut that possesses above-aver- sion to drop him. nique beyond her years, her singing age lyrics and strong production, Blue On the follow-up, Sweet and com- modulates between the raspy, note- Collar fails to deliver only when pany ditched the drum machines and bending urgency of Janis Joplin and Rhymefest stretches beyond his com- recorded the basics live. The six-string the sly seduction of Bonnie Raitt. mon man raps. SOREN BAKER wizards’ solos, spontaneous fills, and Backed by her high-torque guitar- FURTHER LISTENING: Kanye West: The colorfully stitched intros, as well as the based blues band the Nocturnals, College Dropout; Talib Kweli: Quality bass parts, were carefully overdubbed to Potter’s sophomore Nothing But The the point where it’s difficult to tell that Water is a rewarding homage to 70s- the whole isn’t live. The production era rock n’ blues. Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend (Legacy swings with radio-friendly promise and Hailing from rural Vermont, Edition). Fred Maher, Sweet, and Simon cuts with electrified rawness, glows Potter was a film student at Upstate Askew, original producers; Darren with soft-to-the-touch warmth, and New York’s St Lawrence University Salmieri, reissue producer. blares with intentional dryness. Vocals when in 2004 she began playing cov- Volcano/Legacy 78549 (two CDs). and guitars are placed front and center, ers with drummer Matthew Burr. The Music: #### Sonics: ### 1/2 drums off to the sides, clearing a direct band gradually added originals to its route to feelings of bitterness setlists, fleshing out as a quartet with riginally (“Thought I Knew You”), recovery (“I the additions of singer/guitarist/har- Oreleased in Wanted to Tell You”), happiness (“I’ve monica player Scott Tournet and October 1991, Been Waiting”), and hopefulness bassist Bryan Dondero. Potter ably Matthew Sweet’s (“Winona”). The remastered version accompanies herself on guitar and Girlfriend could boasts a wider and deeper soundstage, Hammond B3 organ. Unadorned and have come out and rids some of the digital demons straightforward, the songs form a lyri- today, next common to releases of the era. cal string of collisions and pile-ups month, or in 1978. A zephyr of bright- Legacy’s deluxe edition of Girlfriend encompassing ex-boyfriends on parole, ly strummed hooks, romantic moods, contains a second disc titled Goodfriend, obsessions, and tugs of war between smooth singing, and levitating dreami- initially given away as a gift to grass- artistic independence and longing. ness, the record gets thisclose to power- roots supporters that helped push the Standout themes include the assertive pop and pop-rock perfection. album. A mix of home demos, live adios of “Toothbrush and My Table,” Sweet’s harmless, edge-free voice takes, and covers of Neil Young’s self-doubt and reappraisal in the drips heartfelt emotion, his narratives “Cortez the Killer” and John Lennon’s Memphis-soul-lined “Ragged Comp- simple albeit collective tales that con- “Isolation,” it provides formative any,” and respect on the Bayou blues nect with anyone who’s ever contem- insight and crackles with roughed-up burner “Treat Me Right.” Potter chan- plated relationships in a coffee shop or acoustic and plugged-in arrangements. nels her inner Muddy Waters on scribbled wistful poems in a notebook. The pinnacle moment of Sweet’s career, “2:22” and gives the title track back- For the singer, they were personal there’s never been a better excuse to fall to-back interpretations. thoughts, many of the emotionally tur- in love with Girlfriend. BG Shooting for circa 1973 authentic- bulent verses concerning the simulta- FURTHER LISTENING: Jellyfish: ity, the band laid tracks down in the neous dissolution of his marriage and Bellybutton; Pete Droge: Find A Door legendary Hayburn Theater, built in embrace of a future wife. Yet Girlfriend 1868 and located on the Goddard transcends time not due to lyrics but College campus in Plainfield, because of effervescent melodies, cozy Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: Nothing Vermont. The sound is natural and harmonies, and diversified songwriting But the Water. Potter and Matt Burr, pro- reverberant, with lively dynamics, that spoke off into balladic, country- ducers. Ragged Company 590. adequate bass, and accurate instru- and-western, blue-eyed soul, psyche- Music: ### 1/2 Sonics: ### mental textures. Dimensionality and delic, and post-punk territories with- imaging are fine; drums are comfort- out ever breaking their pop leash. Then race Potter ably setback a couple feet. A DVD there’s the are-you-kidding-me cast of Gmay be only containing five cuts from a perform- accompanying guitarists, including 22 but her sassy ance captured by Vermont Public Television’s Richard Lloyd, k.d. lang instincts and siz- Television is included as a bonus. steel-player Greg Leisz, Richard Hell zling vocals sum- NEIL GADER and the Voivods’ Robert Quine, and mon inevitable FURTHER LISTENING: Shelby Lynne: I Am Lloyd Cole. The latter pair helped comparisons to a Shelby Lynne; Tift Merritt: Tambourine

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that speaks/sings the lyrics according to realized here as a sturdy bluegrass shuf- Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: I Stand Alone. Ian how the spirit moves him. fle fueled by Cline’s whimsical dobro Brennan, producer. Anti 86814. Ragged but right, his voice is an punctuations. Music: ### Sonics: ### instrument of gentle spirit and great Sonically, producer Ian Brennan character. It strains at times—he almost close mikes Jack’s voice and guitar, dis- n a year when taps out vocally trying to reach for effect penses with any aural embroidery, and IBruce Spring- in what remains of his upper register in keeps all supporting instruments (heard steen captured the traditional suicide ballad “Willy only on seven of the 16 songs) at a dis- the vitality and Moore”—but never fails to hit the emo- crete distance in the background. He humanity of Pete tional markers. Elliott has a grand old understands it’s Jack’s show and, you Seeger’s cata- time turning T. Texas Tyler’s honky- might say, stands back and lets it all be. logue, it seems tonk heartbreaker “Remember Me” on DAVID McGEE only fitting that Ramblin’ Jack its head with rumbling, chortling cho- FURTHER LISTENING: Bruce Springsteen: Elliott—compatriot to both Seeger and ruses, yet never lets the tearjerk get The Seeger Sessions; James Talley: Woody Woody Guthrie, and indefatigable away. Most of the record is simply Jack Guthrie and Songs of My Oklahoma Home champion of the American folk song— and his elegantly picked and strummed should have his own say in these mat- acoustic guitar, but a few numbers find ters. I Stand Alone, a title that has haunt- him with supple, understated support The Handsome Family: Last Days of ing resonance at a time when most of from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Wonder. No producer credit. Carrot Top Elliott’s contemporaries are absent voic- X/Knitters drummer DJ Bonebrake, Records 040. Music: ## 1/2 Sonics: ### es, either dead or failing, doesn’t follow and guitarist/dobro player Nels Cline. the Springsteen model of injecting the Lucinda Williams shows up for a boozy ormer big- old tunes with a rock n’ roll musculari- duet vocal on Ernest Tubb’s “Careless Fcity dwellers ty; rather, Jack does what the Boss once Darling,” and sounds like she belongs. now residing in described as the modus operandi of the Conversely, Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Albuquerque, the poets of “Jungleland.” To wit, he stands Tucker is completely out of her element Handsome back and lets ’em all be, telling tall tales while warbling unsteadily on the ever- Family is the in a straightforward, reportorial voice green “Driving Nails In My Coffin,” husband and wife

Tom Petty’s American Homecoming Bob Gendron In a great frame of mind, Petty has left behind the acrimo- Tom Petty: Highway Companion. Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, ny of 2002’s The Last DJ. Blacklisted by radio stations because and Petty, producers. American 44285 (CD and two-LP). of its condemnation of corporate broadcast logistics and Music: #### Sonics: #### unimaginative programmers, it remains Petty’s only album not arley-Davidson. Jack Daniel’s. Marshall to achieve gold status. Kicked off with a variation on John Lee H Amplifiers. Fender Instruments. All Hooker’s universal “Boogie Chillin’” riff, the album-opening are connected at the hip to rock n’ roll and “Saving Grace” hums like a trusty Ford Mustang cruising down American tradition. To this list you can add the Pacific Coast Highway, the protagonist running from place Tom Petty. An artist that prototypically to place in search of inner peace and salvation. Outfitted with epitomizes pure American music, his recent playful and vivid rhymes such as “Pretend I’m Samuel deal with the American Records imprint Clemens/Wear seer-sucker and white linens,” “Down South” couldn’t be more fitting. The move reunites the 55-year-old witnesses more journeying, Petty reflecting as he plots a return veteran with label owner and producer Rick Rubin, who to his roots, a prolonged vacation that sees him offer up his stock helmed the boards for 1994’s Wildflowers, Petty’s timeless sec- for a place to stay. “This Old Town” serves as a geographical ond solo album. Made only with Heartbreaker Mike Campbell metaphor for busted dreams, while the chugging “The Big and longtime associate Jeff Lynne, the casual Highway Weekend” is the opposite, a kick-up-the-dust anthem for escap- Companion is Petty’s first solo effort since, its dozen songs revis- ing life’s daily grind. iting many of his traditional themes—mystery, exploration, Throughout, Petty keeps arrangements simple and tem- self-discovery, wandering, leisure. pos steady, his nasally drawl in fine form. He turns inward on

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team of Brett and Rennie Sparks. White Stripes among them: after a Rennie writes dark and wittily wicked while, it’s pretty much impossible to Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk and Rockabilly. lyrics filled with mystery, wanderlust, not become repetitious. James Austin and Cheryl Pawelski, produc- and violence (Greil Marcus has said they The opener, “Your Great Journey,” ers. Rhino 73346 (four CDs). contain “everyday surrealism”), sings a song about death, sounds a lot like Music: #### 1/2 Sonics: ### backup and occasional lead vocals, and many another Handsome title. The has been known to gently strum an music slowly chugs along to Brett’s eeking of sex Autoharp, banjo, or ukulele. Brett vocal while a plaintive pedal steel cries Rand Bardahl, writes the songs, plays a slew of instru- behind. “Tesla’s Hotel Room” picks up as sleek and swift ments, and records most of the couple’s in a similar vein, as does “These Golden as a Harley, and as music in their home studio on a Mac Jewels,” which to these ears seems like fleeting as its computer. The prolific pair has racked an ill-advised attempt to do Tom practitioners and up seven CDs since 1995’s Odessa. Waits, complete with a three-wheeled fans’ misguided Last Days of Wonder is the duo’s lat- carnival-wagon tempo, barely youth, rockabilly est, and it’s one of the partnership’s least strummed banjo, and woozy saw. has spent most of satisfying efforts. Oh, these two are tal- Things pick up on occasion, but sadly, its lifetime as an ented enough. At their best, Brett’s the record never reaches lift-off. underground twangy voice, simple tunes that typical- The sound is remarkably good given phenomenon since surfacing in 1953 with ly play to a country, waltz, or gentle the low-fi-high-tech recording technolo- Bill Haley and breaking out in 1954 at rock rhythm, and Rennie’s lyrics evoke gy. Vocals are clear, the odd array of Sun Records. Until the Stray Cats rocked the ugly-beauty of the American under- instruments sound quite natural and are this town in the early 80s, rockabilly’s lone belly. In the Handsome’s world, the nicely spaced, and the whole production, national hit had been Carl Perkins’s funhouse mirror is both cracked and which is basically Brett’s, has a warm, epochal “Blue Suede Shoes” (included irresistible. The problem with the new almost creamy quality. WAYNE GARCIA here). So why this box set of four CDs and record is one that faces most duos, the FURTHER LISTENING: The Handsome 101 cuts? Maybe because America has pro- Family: Singing duced precious little music as original, Bones; Jenny Lewis: deceptive simple, timeless—even as cul- Rabbit Fur Coat turally revealing of its time—as rockabilly.

the bare-bones “Square One,” a lullaby that along with the mournful “Damaged by Love” recalls his Wildflowers moods. Jangling chords, bushy acoustic strumming, and casual beats supply the foundations for Petty’s rhythmic bridges and punchy, to-the-point refrains. Campbell’s lead-, pedal- and slide-guitar accents color the lyrical images, and Lynne’s bass keeps grooves grounded. Cozy and warmly inviting, the music blows like a summer breeze, country and rock elements lending looseness and snap. Petty sounds himself sounds rejuve- nated, relieved of pressures and eager to relay soulful tales concerning drifting travels and weary experiences. The producing collective takes a hands-off approach, the sonics glowing with golden hues and organic tones. Organ passages radiate; guitar strings have resonance and weight; instruments remain individually separated. The soundstage is open, wide, and airy, the brightly chiming intro to “Ankle Deep” evocative of a reunion of Traveling Wilburys members. At the finish of the album-closing “Golden Rose,” a keyboard echo fades into the distance, the music pulling safely and soundly into the garage for the night. FURTHER LISTENING: Tom Petty: Wildflowers; Tom Brosseau: Empty Houses Are Lonely

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Emerging largely from poor Southern undiluted weirdness in the form of, oh, Wisely presented in chronological families, rockabilly artists chronicled the Hasil Adkins’ stripped-down howl order, the tracks show the group’s mores and rituals of their world and, at “Chicken Walk” and Freddie and The steady evolution from tuneful folkies (a the same time, captured the zeitgeist of Hitch-Hikers’ searing “Sinners.” still-undeniable cover of Bob Dylan’s post-war America like no other music of The sound is a magnificent yawp, the “Mr. Tambourine Man”) to psychedelic its day. It was a mongrel music, its slap producers making sure the guitars blaze folkies (the towering “Eight Miles bass having been a fixture in hillbilly and roar like they’re in the room with High”) to dusty, country & western boogie and honky-tonk bands since the you, and pushing vocals way out front, folkies (the Louvin Brothers’ pious ‘40s. Its guitar stylings—and rockabilly the better to stand up to the six-string “The Christian Life”). The first two was about the guitar, pure and simple, as onslaughts. Much credit to Dave Schultz discs are comprised of must-haves like Deke Dickerson explains in a terrific and Bill Inglott for superb remastering “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything liner-notes essay—beared witness to the that erases any doubt as to the source of There Is a Season)” and “So You Want influence of masters ranging from T-Bone rockabilly’s eternal allure. DM to Be a Rock ‘N Roll Star,” which show Walker to Merle Travis to Les Paul. FURTHER LISTENING: Brian Setzer: Crosby, McGuinn, and Gene Clark Lessons learned from these giants, and Rockabilly Riot; Various: The Sun Records exploring the range and power in their from long nights thrashing it out in Collection majestic three-part harmonies. A sur- honky tonks, produced rockabilly’s own prising gem is the previously unre- six-string titans—Perkins, Scotty Moore, leased “Lady Friend,” a Crosby tune James Burton, Cliff Gallup, Paul The Byrds: There Is a Season. Various pro- that turns (turns, turns) heartbreak Burlison—gifted, dedicated axemen who ducers. Columbia/Legacy 77388 (four into a horn-fueled call-to-arms. The stand toe-to-toe with the best in any CDs, one DVD). Music: #### trio is equally impressive when it genre of American popular music, and Sonics: ### 1/2 reigns itself in, as on the eggshell-frag- still touchstones for the pickers that have ile “Goin’ Back.” followed. Their artistry leaps out of this Gram Parsons: The Complete Reprise The third disc pulls cuts from the set, but most of the cuts are obscure Sessions. Parsons and Rik Grech, produc- oft-overlooked Sweetheart, a foray into recordings by obscure artists made for fly- ers. Rhino/Reprise 74669 (three CDs). country music defined as much by by-night labels. And most are totally Music: ### 1/2 Sonics: ### Lloyd Green’s mournful pedal steel as it wonderful, outrageous performances, is by the presence of the enigmatic drenched in reverb in tribute to the true etween their Parsons. “I Am a Pilgrim” shuffles like king, Elvis, who’s smartly represented Binception in a pack mule traipsing across a desert here not by his most obvious contribu- 1964 and uncere- vista. Green’s pedal-steel playing—as tions but rather by the pure-D explosion monious split in fluid as liquid mercury—drives “One “Baby Let’s Play House,” the hiccupping, 1973, the Byrds Hundred Years From Now.” “Hickory stuttering vocal model on which most withstood Wind” sounds like the last dance at a rockabilly singers based their style, and numerous lineup deserted Old West saloon. A collection the grinding “One Night of Sin.” shifts—David of hit-and-miss live cuts makes up the The tracks pulsate not only with sex- Crosby’s exit final disc, the quality gap highlighted ual energy (although there’s plenty of that prior to The by a pair of Dylan covers: a stark, har- in cuts like 1958’s “Little Girl” by John Notorious Byrd monica driven “It’s Alright Ma (I’m & Jackie, the latter supplying multi- Brothers, Gram Only Bleeding)” and a surprisingly list- orgasmic moans throughout and whisper- Parsons signing less reading of “Positively Fourth ing “little boy” in a lascivious tone) but on for Sweetheart Street.” The sound quality is equally with a zest for living life to its fullest of the Rodeo—to spotty, especially on the live selections. measure, rockabilly’s greatest gift to its create a musical The album-culled tracks sound compa- era. All the gods are accounted for— legacy as endur- rable to previous Legacy reissues, which Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee, ing as the jingle- highlight the bright tones in Eddie Cochran, Ricky Nelson, Buddy jangle of Roger McGuinn’s guitar but don’t offer much Holly—and so is the genre’s true rarity, McGuinn’s 12- in terms of low-end swing. For pure the female artist, represented by fiery string Rickenbacker. The first such sonics, the Sundazed mono LPs still sides from Barbara Pittman (Sun’s lone effort since Legacy’s now out-of-print provide the best value among Byrds distaff signing), Wanda Jackson, Janis 1990 box set, There Is a Season, a com- reissues, offering a depth and warmth “The Female Elvis” Martin, and a young prehensive four-disc, one-DVD pack- that the CDs just can’t match. Jackie DeShannon, who covers Elvis’ age, collects the best of these moments After his one-album stint in the “Trouble.” There’s more than a dollop of from the band’s incomparable career. Byrds, Parsons tooled around Europe

170 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 TAS CLASSIFIEDS

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WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 171 music popular

ed), with the lonesome sighs solid body of work he produced for of pedal steel captured espe- MGM, Liberty, and Kapp, winding up cially well. The sound is a with three cuts from his final studio ses- noticeable upgrade from the sions with an all-star lineup of former GP/Angel release, with a Playboys. In terms of telling the story of wider, more natural sound- Wills’ remarkable musical odyssey, the stage, though it remains a only alternatives to this set are two Bear questionable investment for Family import boxes, the 14-disc Faded those who already own both Love 1947-1973 and an 11-disc/one- albums. The third disc, DVD box San Antonio Rose, which fea- comprised of alternate tures a thorough, diligently researched takes, is a bit grainy, though biographical essay by Rich Kienzle, who it’s noteworthy for the per- does the same for this release. However, formances of its inspired at $195 and $260, respectively, they are vocalists. AD strictly for completists. FURTHER LISTENING: The Not so Legends of Country Music. Flying Burrito Brothers: The Produced by Gregg Geller and impecca- Gilded Palace of Sin; R.E.M.: bly remastered by Vic Anesini, even the New Adventures in Hi-Fi threadbare Fort Worth Doughboys tracks have been restored to a dynamic immediacy, and the vintage Wills and Playboys Bob Wills and His Country recordings are clean and sonically rivet- Gram Parsons Playboys: Legends of Country ing—Leon McCauliffe’s driving, distorted Music. Gregg Geller, produc- guitar solo on the rambunctious “Get with the Rolling Stones, experimented er. Columbia/Legacy 93858 With It,” which sounds like the moment with drugs, and generally acted like a (four CDs). Music: #### 1/2 when Emmett Miller’s ebullient pop rock star before settling in to record a Sonics: #### stylings met the propulsive thrust of Louis pair of solo records before his death in Armstrong’s Hot Five and Hot Seven out- 1973. These two albums, along with a arking the fits, pops right out of the speaker as if he’s third disc of studio outtakes, are collect- Mcentennial sitting in the room. Never mind that the ed on The Complete Reprise Sessions, a box of Bob Wills’ song also anticipates the advent of rocka- set that begs a single question: Why? birth, this four- billy by some 20 years. Five tracks are pre- That’s not a knock on the music, CD box set final- viously unissued, including a jazzed-up which is universally excellent. Parsons’ ly gives fans of big-band arrangement, lifted from voice—a windswept croon—has a the King of Tommy Dorsey, of Franz Liszt’s dreamy quality that adds a sense of Western Swing a “Liebestraum,” featuring a scintillating quiet desperation to Dust Bowl ballads sweeping steel-guitar scintillating solo by “Take ‘er like “She” and “In My Hour of overview of an Away” Leon and a rollicking horn chart on Darkness.” But with GP and Grievous American vision- which players swing mightily. Otherwise, Angel already available as an economic ary’s musical the bill of fare is the essential canon of single-disc set, this release reeks of a legacy in a cost-efficient, well-annotated blues, jazz, pop, Dixieland, and country cash grab, offering little in terms of package. Though his work has been with which Wills defined western swing, added value—the reason why its rating anthologized to the hilt, no domestic with assistance from some of the best is docked by a full star. Only Parsons release approaches the ambition of this musicians ever to walk the planet, from completists will be intrigued by the collection. McCauliffe to the brilliant guitar- pointless interview segments included It begins at the beginning, with ist/arranger Eldon Shamblin, the wild- here as bonus tracks, though some casu- Wills’ 1932 recording debut with the eyed piano pounder Al Stricklin and tow- al fans might find the occasional thrill Fort Worth Doughboys (with Milton ering vocalist Tommy Duncan. Not to listening while Parsons and backing Brown on vocals) on “Sunbonnet Sue” mention Wills himself, who belts out the vocalist Emmylou Harris try to find and “Nancy Jane”; proceeds to embrace blues he loved, adds evocative fiddle lines, themselves on alternate takes of “That’s the monuments the artist erected during urges the band on, and calls out solos like All It Took” and “Streets of Baltimore.” his productive tenure with ARC and no one before or since. The sonics are fair to good on the Columbia Records from 1935 to 1947; Legends of Country Music lacks only the first two discs (radio interviews exclud- and adds a sampling of the generally inclusion of any live cuts as found on the

172 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 Where To Buy

The Absolute Sound is available throughout North America at Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Tower Records

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WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 173 music popular

various volumes of The Tiffany by any stylistic boundaries, improvising American music great. DM Transcriptions, which capture a great at will, nothing prearranged in the way FURTHER LISTENING: Asleep At the band (circa 1946-47) in its element— of solos. Otherwise, stop by here to find Wheel: Riding with Bob; Bob Wills & His inventive and electrifying, undaunted out both what made Bob holler and Texas Playboys: The Tiffany Transcriptions

HOT WAX New vinyl releases

Sonic Youth: Rather Ripped. Sonic Youth and John Agnello, pro- Espers: Espers II. Greg Weeks, producer. Drag City 310. ducers. Goofin’ 011/Geffen 757. Music: ### Sonics: ### 1/2 Music: ### 1/2 Sonics: ### 1/2 ccording to Wikipedia, the wenty-five years into its convention- AInternet’s free-encyclopedia proj- T defying career, Sonic Youth still boast ect, “…the term esper refers to an the same musical core—Thurston Moore individual born capable of using (guitar), Kim Gordon (bass, guitar) and telepathy and similar paranormal Lee Ranaldo (guitar)—all of whom con- mental abilities; it apparently derives tribute in some form to songwriting and from extra-sensory perception (‘ESP’) vocals. With the departure of produc- via the English occupational suffix, thus being literally er/multi-instrumentalist Jim O’Rourke, Rather Ripped relies ‘ESP-er’…also the name for…parapsychologists and ‘ghost on the chemistry of these founding members more than any hunters,’ who take the name to mean ‘Extraordinary SY album since 1998’s A Thousand Leaves. Supernatural Phenomena Explored and Revealed.’” The band maintains many of its hallmarks—the alter- This description reveals much about the music being made nate tunings, the sing-speak lyrics—but everything about by Espers, a psychedelic folk-rock group that began as a trio (its Ripped sounds tighter and, dare say, more conventional. self-titled debut appeared in 2004) and has since doubled into Tracks rarely stretch longer than four minutes, and where a sextet of three men and three women. Recent photos of the guitars would once gnash and snarl they now practically band show them attractively posed in the woods, standing near gleam, making this, in many ways, SY’s prettiest album. and sitting atop a huge oak, variously longhaired, bearded, Gordon takes the lead on the best of the songs—“Tur- booted, panchoed, and looking very late 1960s. quoise Boy,” “Reena,” and “Jams Run Free”—singing with The group’s second LP opens with synth and twittering surprising confidence over the dreamy backdrops. “Turquoise atmospherics before “Stairway To Heaven”-like finger- Boy” is especially charming, opening with a gorgeous key- picked acoustic guitars, cello, and flute kick in to create a board melody and muted guitar line that passes through like droning acid-folk vibe that is only heightened by the high a welcome breeze before everything spirals out-of-control harmony vocals that follow. “Crimson tides flowing fluid four minutes in, the guitars building to a whirling cyclone. and wild/Draw those tears and kneel to the day/Mud will Harder-edged tracks like “Sleepin Around” are less success- flow, greener grass to grow/Worry not, your time here was ful, the straight-ahead chug offering little of interest aside well,” they sing. If this all sounds a little too precious (or from Moore’s pavement-scraping six-string and the steady pretentious), Espers has more to offer—enough more to hand of drummer Steve Shelley. Better is woozy album-clos- make this record a highly enjoyable, nearly hypnotic experi- er “Or,” the tune floating in limbo while drums rumble like ence. Some songs follow a similarly trippy track, but others, far-off thunder, chimes warn of unseen trains, and Moore such as “Children of Stone” and “Moon Occults the Sun,” poses a series of rock n’ roll “chicken or the egg” questions have a heavier, thicker, rock-driven feel. Fairport Convention (“What comes first? The music? Or the words?”). The casual and Pentangle seem like obvious influences, but so at times development makes the cut sound as if it could stretch on for do Led Zeppelin and English minstrelsy. hours, but it abruptly ends just three minutes in, a concise Espers use a wide range of instruments to achieve their close to an album that’s as taught as it is tuneful. sound, including recorder, electric bass, gongs, bells, dul- The acoustics on the LP are a slight improvement over cimer, 12-string and electric guitars, organ, and various the CD, offering more separation between instruments and effects generators. The recording captures them all in a very giving a warm glow to the shimmering guitar work, each fine sounding and well-balanced mix that is reasonably chord ringing out in crystalline detail. The low-end isn’t open and airy if not possessed of a lot individual detail. handled with nearly as much grace, the drums occasionally Burn some incense, light a bong, switch on the black light, coming across a bit muddied at best. AD and become transported. WG FURTHER LISTENING: Dinosaur Jr.: Bug; Blonde Redhead: FURTHER LISTENING: Espers: Espers; Fairport Convention: Misery Is a Butterfly Unhalfbricking

174 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006 tas retrospective

QUAD ESL-57 Loudspeaker

Jonathan Valin

f someone were to ask me to pick the single best stat has over other drive sys- loudspeaker of the early stereo era, I’d consider tems—in harmonic distortion giving the nod to the Magneplanar I-U’s or, levels, in impulse response and maybe, the KLH 9’s. But, all things considered transient speed, in phase coher- (including the impact the speaker has had on ence, in mass and inertia. Happily, the design of subsequent loudspeakers), for you don’t have to know about these me there would be only one legitimate things; you can hear them. Ichoice: Quality Unit Amplifier Domestic’s ESL-57. Issue in and issue out I (and First marketed in 1957—although “Walker’s other TAS writers and editors) talk little wonder” had been previewed (to the conster- about the ideal of a “single-driver” nation of every other speaker manufacturer in Great sound—a sound that has no audible Britain) in 1955—the QUAD ESL-57 was the first seams, that has the same color, commercially available electrostatic loudspeaker. It remained in speed, resolution, distortion (or lack production until 1981 and is still being sold used, refurbished, thereof) from top to bottom. What we’re and new, though QUAD no longer supports it or stocks really talking about—at least what I’m real- replacements parts. ly talking about—is the sound of the QUAD ESL-57. From an Essays and books (most recently Ken Kessler’s QUAD: The honest 45Hz to about 12kHz, it is that veritable “window on Closest Approach [IAG]) have been written about QUAD’s resident the orchestra” (the phrase was actually Peter Walker’s) that we engineering genius Peter Walker, and his brilliant solution to the all aspire to possess, with a sound so clear, sweet, lifelike, and problem of building a loudspeaker that worked by means of elec- beguilingly of a piece (someone once compared it to lying in a trostatic rather than magnetic force. The idea had been around hammock on a summer’s day) that it is hard, in some ways, to since before the turn of the twentieth century, but outside of contend that we’ve made substantial progress in loudspeaker microphone applications no one had been able to turn it into a real- design since it was introduced. ity. As Chris Beeching notes, in his brilliant essay in the Winter Oh, I’ve certainly heard speakers that will outperform the 1998 issue of The Listener (www.qsandd.com/reviews/eslrev-l- ESL-57s in the bass and topmost treble, that will throw a con- w98.htm), it was F.V. Hunt’s pioneering book Electroacoustics— siderably wider and taller soundstage (though not a deeper with its key suggestions that a ’stat’s diaphragm must have a con- one), that will play louder and hit harder, that have more pres- stant charge (rather than just a constant voltage) and that two ence and inner detail, and that are far less demanding when it stator plates with a central diaphragm in between them (rather comes to amplification and far less easy to break. But I haven’t than a single stator plate with a diaphragm fixed in front of it) heard one yet that will go from the softest pianissimo to fortis- would result in a superior “push-pull” design—that helped simo with the same astonishing ease and clarity. Indeed, it is Walker to the first successful electrostat. The miracle is that this the ESL-57s resolution at whisper-levels—its ability to play so first electrostat also turned out, in my opinion, to be the best. quietly so clearly and gracefully—that gives it such dynamic It isn’t much to look at—a squat “box” about three feet jump on big crescendos. wide and two feet tall that sits on three-inch wooden legs, like When Jürgen Scheuring, designer of the excellent Ascendo a large space heater. Only the ESL-57 isn’t a box. The only M loudspeaker, visited me a few weeks ago, I asked him what wooden parts, outside its feet, are the hardwood frame that speaker had most influenced his own designs. He (like so many holds the three ’stat panels (two bass panels and one centrally others before him) answered: “The QUAD.” For its unrivaled located treble panel), stators, and protective dustcover in place, influence on speaker design, for the still-unsurpassed sonic stan- and houses the transformer and high-voltage power supply at dards of midrange purity and single-driver coherence it set, the the speaker’s bottom rear. What looks like a three-foot-by-two- QUAD ESL-57 deserves the honor I’ve bestowed on it. Now, go foot box is, in fact, one big, three-foot-by-two-foot driver. forth and find a pair of used or refurbished ones, mate them up Almost the entire front (and rear) surface area produces sound. to a fine low-powered amp, put on a record, and hear for your- I don’t have the space to go into the advantages an electro- self what the past fifty years of fuss have been all about. &

176 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND I SEPTEMBER 2006