Music.Gear.Style. No.27 February 2010 OMG! We’re Not Square Anymore! Superlative Performance: The YG Acoustics Anat Studio Speakers Speakers for Everyone: A Group of Great Small Speakers From Snell, ERA, Penaudio and More MartinLogan’s Custom Shop Waterfall Acoustics Glass Speakers We Revisit The Spica TC-50: Still Great After All These Years Bob Gendron Goes to Toronto To Catch Guns N’ Roses In Fine Form New Music from ECM and more! Stereotypes Sound City Audio Classics Shelley’s Stereo Audio Vision S F Daytona Beach, FL 32114 Denville, NJ 07834 Vestal, NY 13850 Hi Fi Center San Francisco, CA 94109 386-253-7093 973-627-0083 607-766-3501 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 415-641-1118 818-716-8500 Sound Components The Sound Concept Home Theater Concepts Audio FX Coral Gables, FL 33146 Bedford Hills, NY 10507 Morton, IL 61550 DSS- Dynamic Sacramento, CA 95825 305-665-4299 914-244-0900 309-266-6640 Sound Systems 916-929-2100 Carlsbad, CA 92088 Audio Advisors Sound Image Audio and Global Sight & Sound 760-723-2535 Media Enviroments West Palm Beach, FL 33409 Video Design Group Sussex, WI 53089 San Rafael, CA 94901 561-478-3100 Carrollton, TX 75006 262-820-0600 L & M Home Entertainment 415-456-1681 972-503-4434 Tempe, AZ 85285 Independence Audio Freeman’s Stereo 480-403-0011 Pro Home Systems Independence, MO 64055 Advanced Home Charlotte, NC 28216 Oakland, CA 94609 816-252-9782 Theater Systems 704-398-1822 Joseph Cali Systems Design 510-653-4300 3800 Watts. Plano, TX 75075 Santa Monica, CA 90404 Definitive Audio 972-516-1849 Hi Fi Buys 310-453-3297 Overture Bellevue, WA 98005 Nashville, TN 37211 Winnington, DE 19803 360 lbs. 425-746-3188 Speaker Shop 615-832-3121 Systems Design Group 302-478-6050 Amherst, NY 14226 Redondo Beach, CA 90278 Audio Design 716-837-1557 Electronic System 310-370-8575 Devastating Bass. Fairfield, CT 06825 Consultants 203-336-4401 Aspen, CO 81611 Sunny Components 970-925-1700 Covina, CA 91724 © 2007 JL AUDIO, Inc. For more information on our complete line of subwoofers, please visit your local authorized dealer or www.jlaudio.com. Subwoofers pictured with grilles removed. In Canada contact GemSen Distribution at www.gemsen.com. 626-966-6259 U.S. PATENTS: #5,734,734 #5,949,898 #6,118,884 #6,229,902 #6,243,479 #6,294,959 #6,501,844 #6,496,590 #6,441,685 #5,687,247 #6,219,431 #6,625,292 #6,744,902 #D472,891 #D480,709 Other U.S. & Foreign patents pending. 11. PUBLISHER’S LETTER t o n e s t y l e 13. NEW CONTRIBUTORS 14. TONE TOON By Liza Donnelly MartinLogan Custom Shop 87 A New Level of Excellence features Fight Cancer, Buy a Watch! 94 Hublot Teams Up With Depeche Mode Old School: In the Fight Against Teen Cancer The Spica TC-50: Still Amazing 16 After All These Years By Jeff Dorgay The Art of Jeff Ham: From McDonald’s to Mick Jagger Budget Gear: 97 87 22 The Naim Stageline: A Solid Performer By Jeff Dorgay Cool Shooters: 97 Journeyman Audiophile: 103 Create Your Own Ice Shot Glasses 64 The PK-KI Amplifier With Help From Fred Another Rare Pearl from Marantz By Jeff Dorgay 64 The Waterfall Iguascu EVO 10 4 Transparent French Beauty Media Decor: 22 112 Turn Your Flat Screen Into A Work of Art 6 TONE A U D I O NO.27 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 0 7 music previews 28. LIVE Music: The TONE Staff Covers 117. Apple’s New iPad Guns N’ Roses, Chris Botti, Steve Earle and City and Colour 118. ZYX Omega X Phono Chartridge 119. MartinLogan’s Motion 4 Speakers 44. Current Releases: Fresh Releases in the 121. The J-Corder Technics 1500 Pop/Rock World By the TONE Staff reviews 60. Four from ECM... By Richard Colburn 122. Headphone Planet: 75. Audiophile Recordings: One to Buy, Two to Toss The Bad Plus, John Coltrane and By Jeff Dorgay 117 Johnny Hartman, The Flaming lips, Yo La Tengo, Grant Green, The 128. The Snell K-7 Doobie Brothers and Dean Peer Mighty Mites! By Jerold O’Brien By Jeff Dorgay 134. YG Acoustic Anat II Studio Speakers By Jeff Dorgay 144. The KEF xQ-20 Una Voce By Jerold O’Brien 152. Mark&Daniel Maximus Diamond+Speakers By Mark Marcantonio 160. Penaudio’s Rebel 3 Affordable Speaker Surprises By Steve Guttenberg 172. Era Design 5 Good Things in Small Packages By Rich Kent Pg. 51 Elvis Costello and the Attractions 181. SLUMMIN’ Classics on the cheap Live At Hollywood High City and Colour 182. Manufacturers Index Chicago 8 TONE A U D I O NO.27 160 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 0 9 hile working on the review The major development of Ringo’s latest album Y Not, you’ll notice right away is the one of his favorite phrases change in our layout, from the kept coming to mind, some- square format we’ve used since thing about “getting by with a Issue 1 to the more standard Wlittle help from my friends.” I thought about vertical rectangle. We’ve made that a lot while putting together this issue. the switch for two reasons: to So, I would really like to dedicate this issue, accommodate laptop users which marks our new format, to our friends. who will now be able to read Even though I spend most of my wak- the PDF in landscape (horizon- ing moments immersed in music and HiFi, I tal) format, having the two page spread can’t be everywhere. Our readers often tip fill your screen, and to be ready for Ap- us off about new things that we’ve missed ple’s new iPad, which is due out at the at shows, or about the current buzz on vari- end of March. By the iPad launch, we ous internet forums. This often leads to a will have an eBook version of TONE- review or interview because if that many Audio that will read perfectly on the people are excited about something, we device. So you could take TONEAudio want to find out why. Sometimes our read- with you wherever you go. As soon as ers let us know about music that is off the we work out the logistics with Apple, beaten path, which almost always leads to a you should be able to pick up our mag- positive, new experience. azine from the iBook store as well. But for this issue, our friends went Last but not least, I’d like to thank above and beyond the usual goodwill. I’d staff cartoonist, Liza Donnelly for pro- like to thank Ken Mercereau for taking care ducing this issue’s cartoon in color. This of covering the Steve Earle concert. I just will be a permanent update as well. had some oral surgery and had to leave the I hope you enjoy the new look of show early after a major headache set in. To TONEAudio. And again, I can’t thank make matters worse, Earle’s management you all enough for helping us get by would not allow any photographs taken at this issue. the show. So I thought we were washed up. But staff member (and walking musical encyclopedia) Terry Currier happened to be sitting in the front row with his wife, Karen, who grabbed a few shots with her point- and-shoot to save the day. Assistant music editor Bob Gendron went all the way to Toronto to cover Guns N’Roses, only to be told the morning of the show that no photo access would be grant- ed. But loyal fan Andy Choe snuck a cam- era into the show and shot the outstanding photos you see on page 27. Ahhh, reminds me of the good old days when I used to sneak cameras into concerts. 10 TONE A U D I O NO.27 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 0 11 CONTRIBUTORS Lou Brooks Ken Mersereau We are honored to feature the work of master illustrator Lou Brooks on our cover this issue. Portland resident Mersereau is responsible His work has appeared on the covers of Time for the Steve Earle review on page 36, but his and Newsweek, on MTV and too many other musical taste goes beyond that. He and his son places to mention. He even redesigned Uncle Grant can often be found banging their heads at Pennybags and the Monopoly logo for Parker a Slayer concert when no one is looking. Brothers in the 80s! Mersereau can always be depended on to find An east coast native and one time race car the best microbrews and curry in town, as well driver, Brooks has retired the race car and as having a keen eye for budget vinyl. relocated to California, but he hasn’t retired his wacky sense of humor. Richard Colburn Richard has been in the world of high end audio since the early ‘70s, working for Mirage, Audioquest and KEF to name a few. Known to play some monstrous bass riffs in his spare time, his extensive knowledge of jazz and prog music will be an asset to our music coverage. Colburn joined our music section last issue with his coverage of the Stanley Clarke/Chick Corea/Lenny White concert and takes his game to the next degree of difficulty with a few of ECM’s latest this issue.