Stereophile 2012-02

MUSIC ISSUE
i
FEBRUARY 2012
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THERE ARE AS MANY OPINIONS

AS THERE ARE EXPERTS
AS WE
SEE IT
by ART DUDLEY
Art Dudley muses on the subject of
what actually constitutes "progress" in audio.
t h i s is s u e :
A Brief H istory of th e Lost

hildren, for the m ost part, are norm al hum an
W ere smiling on the outsideloveless though we
remain, we surely have the best-looking inflatable dolls on
beings w ho like to m ake believe that theyre
extraordinary, ju s t for fun. Adults, on the o ther
the planetb u t a few o f us disappear from tim e to time.
hand, are delusional creatures w ho enjoy pretend
Those are the ones w ho, having conditioned themselves
ing that theyre norm al, simply for their ow n peace o f
not to expect too m uch, finally lose interest altogether. For
mind.
them , the glass is still half full, b u t its half full o f som ething
that tastes funny.
O f the latter, hardcore audiophiles such as you and I are
***
the m ost extrem e: W e wish w e could return to the w om b
o f normalcy, if only to hear She Loves You again for
And y e t. . .
the first rime, w ith all the w onder and astonishm ent and
Every now and then the fever breaks and one o f us
fu 11-body glee that has been beaten out o f us by disease and
comes to and says: I just took a wrong turn somewhere, that's all.
baldness and unpleasant companions.
I d like to go home now, please. And off
W e w ant to go backso, naturally,
they go.
w e mash our foot on the gas and surge
Ive seen how they do it. (At least,
forward. Last years audio break
Ive seen how some o f them do it.)
W e w i s h w e c o u ld
They simplify. A few o f them even
through didnt do the job? Tom orrow s
r e tu r n to th e w o m b
cheapifybut only if it makes sense to
will surely be better. T he sums w eve
o f n o r m a lc y , if o n ly to
spent have left us unsatisfied once
do so. For the m ost part, people get
again? T he answer is clearly to throw
back hom e by deciding that it makes
h e a r S h e L o v e s Y ou
even m ore m oney at the problem. W e
m ore sense to have a relatively small
a g a in f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e . num ber o f very good things rather
drive ourselves crazy, buying and as
sembling music systems that are m ore
than a room full o f crap. They decide
and m ore complex, less and less like
that they cannot, for the rest o f their
the wonderful machines that brought
lives, cart around all that ju n k theyve
us such joy in the first placeand then w e brood and we
accumulated. Theyre right.
insult each other on the Internet and w e w onder w hy our
For some, the m ost appealing road o u t o f now here is
children are happier than we are. W h at fools we mortals be!
to buy one very good, timeless am plifierperhaps even
* * *
one very good integrated am plifierand then be done w ith
H eres another o f our crazy ideas: T he longer w e live
it. For others, it will be that last record player, or perhaps
w ith a given technology, the better we expect it to be.
even C D player.1 Some o f the sm artest m oney will be
T hat works well enough w ith some things. Its com m on,
spent on loudspeakers that their prospective ow ners, in
n o t to m ention reasonable, for people to expect that cars
their m ost serene m om ents, sim ply know they can live
will be safer, m ore efficient, and m ore pleasant to use this
w ith forever. (H int: Those speakers will be subtle and
year than last, or that the medical arts will keep us alive
elegant in appearance, and they w o n t look o u t o f place in
a room full o f records, books, and pictures o f loved ones.
and feeling well for longer, or that next sum m er the local
Dairy-Freeze will provide an even bigger and grander
T hey will be, literally, speakers for life.)
selection ot flavors.
O u r industry continues to make tilings that are w orth
B ut that w orks only w h en the technology in question
having. (I have far greater hope for us than for the music
industry; w hile the form er continues to try, the latter has
has m ade things distinctly, unam biguously, and inarguably
better than they w ere before it cam e along. A nd in audio,
poisoned itself w ith the excreta o f its ow n greed.) Even if
the surplus o f products that ought to be obsolete b u t are
domestic audio never catches on w ith the youngunthink
notfar from it, in som e caseshas reined in o u r e n th u
able, I know, in the face o f all our bloviation on that topic!
siasm for th e future. Yes, despite the doleful predictions
it will continue, for a while, to serve our own efforts to
o f Jo h n Philip Sousahe believed that, in a w orld w here
make tangible sense o f an intangible art form. O u r success
at that, and not our sad attem pts to pretend we understand
everyone had access to recordings m ade by w orld-class
and enjoy their music, w ould be the thing that finally
musicians, average people w ould no longer have any
wish to singrecording and playback technologies have
makes listeners out o f our children.
im proved p eo p les lives, m aking it possible to hear m usic
Art Dudley (art.dudhy@sorc.com) lives in upstate N ew York with
that was once utterly unavailable to them . B u t unlike the
his wife, daughter, and various pets.
autom otive arts, in w hich perform ance goals are unam
biguous and enjoy nearly universal agreem entchiefly, to
1 I believe there is still room in the marketplace for perfcctioiiist-quality CD
players. But I also believe its now the duty of anyone reviewing such things to ask
get from Point A to Point Bdom estic audio has yet to
every one of their manufacturers: How many disc transports and converter cliips
succeed to the satisfaction o f all concerned. In hi-fi, there
have you set aside so that those expensive macliines can be kept in service for
more than a few years?
is no Point B.
stereophile.com February 2012
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FEATURE
63
Book Review: K E F 50 Years of Innovation in Sound
John Marks reviews Ken Kessler's history of English loudspeaker

manufacturer KEF.
65
Records To Die For
While the world of music seems to be leaning towards ephem

era, our annual "Records To Die For" feature asks Stereophile's
editors and writers to choose the musical masterpieces that have
stood the test of time: the ones they could not live without. See if
you agree with their choices.
EQUIPMENT REPORTS
82
Bricasti Design M l D/A processor

by John Atkinson
93
GoldenEar Technology Triton Two loudspeaker

by Robert Deutsch
103
87
Weiss D AC202 D/A processor

by John A tkinson
87
dCS Debussy D/A converter

by John A tkinson
121
Rega DAC D/A processor

by John A tkinson
124
Totem Beak
by Robert Deutsch
124
Parasound Halo JC 3 phono preamplifier

by Robert J. Reina
124
Vendetta Research SCP-2 phono preamplifier

by Robert J. Reina
B&W DB1 subwoofer

by Larry Greenhill
113
FOLLOW-UPS
126
PTE M M M C phono preamplifier

by John A tkinson
Acoustic Geometry Curve System

room treatments
by Erick Lichte
See our comprehensive equipment report archive

at www.stereophile.com
Stereophile (USPS #734-970 ISSN: 0585-2544) Vol.35 No.2, February 2012, Issue Number 385. Copyright 2012 by Source Interlink Magazines, LLC. All rights reserved. Published monthly
by Source Interlink Media, LLC., 261 Madison Ave.. 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2303. Periodicals Postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Subscription rates for one year
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COLUMNS
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As We See It
49
The Entry Level
Stephen Mejias finds N AD s C 515BEE CD player

offers great sound for just $300.
A rt Dudley ponders what it would take to get off the audio

upgrade treadmill.
55
11
John Marks on a new competition, inviting readers to put

together an adventurous yet popular orchestral concert season.
Letters
Readers offers ideas on how Stereophile could be better and

compliment us on what we do right, confirm Tom Conrad's
recent declaration that jazz is alive and well, ask why phono
cartridges have to cost so much, and share their thoughts on
what our hobby is about.
Get on your Soapbox! Visit the forums at

www.stereophile.com.
17
Industry Update
High-end audio news, including the dealer-sponsored events

taking place in February and March 2012, Roksan founder Touraj
Moghaddam's new cables, and discussions of music DVDs and
the lamentable quality of live amplified sound.
Want to know more? Go to the "News Desk" at

www.stereophile.com for up-to-the-minute info.
25
129
The Fifth Element
Record Reviews
Just when her career seemed in danger of slipping into parody,

Dusty Springfield made the journey to Bluff City to make the
classic Dusty in Memphis album. February's "Recording of the
M onth" is Analogue Productions' new reissue on 45 RPM vinyl.
131
Manufacturers' Comments
Fi, Pangea, Ortofon, Bricasti, GoldenEar, Bowers & Wilkins, Rega,

and Wadax comment on our coverage of their products.
138
Aural Robert
One of the most creative forces in indie rock makes a masterpiece

in record time. Robert Baird on The Black Keys.
Sam's Space
Sam Tellig replaces his wallwarts w ith the Pangea Au

dio P-100 power supply and checks out the Musical
Fidelity V-CAN M k.ll headphone amplifier.
33
Analog Corner
Michael Fremer digitizes his vinyl w ith the Wadax

PRE1 preamplifierand loves what he hears!
41
Listening
A rt Dudley enthuses about Ortofon's Xpression

pickup head and lives w ith the latest version of
Shindo's Haut-Brion tubed power amplifier.
INFORMATION
136
134
135
134
A u d io M a rt
M anufacturers Showcase
Dealers' Showcase
A d ve rtise r Index
p. 33
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February 2012 stereophile.com
Striking Gold
Violin virtuoso Nicola Benedetti is a prodigy by any definition.
She won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Award at the age of 16 and
has since played in concerts at major venues all over the world.
Nicola knows a thing or two about musical accuracy and the power of music.
This is why she chooses Monitor Audio when she listens.
Experience the power and grace of the new Gold GX Series...
This was a deeply pleasurable and

enlightening experience.
Mark Fleischmann
Home Theater
Sept, 2011
If this kind o f perform ance is mirrored

through the rest o f the range, this could
be one o f M onitor Audio's finest line-ups
to date. Vive la revolution."
WHAT Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision
Sept, 2011
The G X300s will definitely grab the

attention o f the Avalon, YG. and Wilson
crowd."
James Davies
GX Dealer - First Im pression
A bsolute A udio Video, Calgary, AB
Aug, 2011
For a complete listing of Gold GX Dealers,

please visit www.monitoraudiousa.com
(800) 667-6065
CD) MONITOR AUDIO

y
d e s i g n
f o r
s o u n d
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ta k e heed!
FEED BA CK TO T H E ED ITO R
W hat you need
Editor:
You know what Stereophile needs? A
monthly centerfold. Just like Playboy.
Wouldnt that be grand?
Ken Podolski
kpodolski@wideopenwest.com
W hat did we do?
Editor:
W hat did you do? All sources are out of
the Pioneer SP-BS41-LR speaker. You
raved about it too much, it would seem.
Tony Freeman
a)reemau4608@att.net
As we go to press, the Pioneer SP-BS41-LR
is out o f stock, but the speaker has not been
discontinued. 'Phis outstanding little speaker
will be availablefrom the Pioneer website in
a matter of months. Ill be sure to hold on to a
pair this time.
Stephen Mejias
You've come a long way
Editor:
Stereophile, youve comc a long way.
Recently, through the purchase and

restoration of a vintage Pioneer receiver
and Sansui tuner, I came to read reprints
o f audio reviews from the 1970s and 80s.
Talk about a shockin the reviews from
the 70s and 80s there was little to no
discussion o f the sound of the equip
ment being reviewed. For example, at
the end of a page-and-a-half review of a
power amplifier, the only comment on
its sound was: We are happy to say that
the HK-870 performs every bit as well in
the listening room as in the lab: Its sound
cannot be faulted in any respect. Even
when driven into clipping, it behaves as
gracefully as one could hope.
Yep, that was it, and no, I havent got
a clue as to how it soundsbut at least
its graceful when it clips. So keep
the prose coming, even if I do chuckle
at it every now and then. Besides, the
descriptive review can always be used
to titillate the wife: Hey, honey, youre
still extremely well defined, and as fast
on bottom as on top. (My thanks to Mr.
Fremer.)
Bert Paul
Address withheld by request
Utterly joyous music
Editor:
I am in my second year of my Stereophile
subscription and I feel compelled to ex
H ow m any a u d io p h ile s tra v e l to o th e r p e o p le s

h o u s e s to h e a r th e ir sy stem s?
press my thanks to John Swenson, whose
review of American Legacies, by the Pres
ervation Hall Jazz Band and the Del McCoury Band, in Octobers issue (p.193),
persuaded me to purchase this CD
purely on the basis of his comprehensive
reviewnot something I normally do. I
defy anyone with a pulse and a nanogram
of musical appreciation not to find this
album utterly joyous!
Keep up the good work. Neil Mason
Clovis, CA
nmason28 @hotmail.com
A musical gem
Editor:
Thank you, David Sokol, for recom
mending Wrecking Ball, by Emmylou
Harris, in February 2011 [Records To
Die For]. Its a real gem. I find it curious
how difficult it is to select, at any given
time, an album or two that one could
say is both one of your favorites and
well recorded; one could make a case
for so many, depending on the time (at
50, there has been some time) and ones
frame of mind. As a longtime audiophile,
I have always appreciated both good
music and as good a reproduction of
music as I could afford. There is nothing
quite as relaxing and/or exhilarating as
the satisfaction of putting on a great LP or
CD and having the sound quality match
the performance of the artist.
On die other hand, there is nothing
quite as disappointing as finding a great
performance and not being able to listen
to it without plugging your nose, or hav
ing to relegate it to the car.
I would like to offer a couple o f my
own nominees for Records To Die For
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should
be sent as faxes or e-mails only
(until further notice). Fax: (212) 915-4167.
E-mail: STIetters@Sorc.com. Please note:
We are unable to answer requests for
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(Im sure you get a million): Marc Cohns

The Rainy Season and Jacqui Naylors Shel
ter. The Rainy Season is one of the finest
records I have, and it has endured the test
of time, never losing its appeal. Naylor, a
relative unknown, has become one of my
favorite artists; her version of the Stones
Miss You is flat-out awesome. This gal
should be huge; Im not sure how she
missed the boat.
I find it ironic that you followed up in
the next issue with a feature on Majestic
Silver Strings, wliich included Bill Frisell,
who does some of the greatest guitar
playing Ive ever heard (it gives me goosebumps every time I hear it), in Lyle
Mayss Alaskan Suite.
Michael C. Lynn Sr.
mlynn@newlifedigitalmedia.ami
Ruffling feathers
Editor:
Im slowly getting caught up on my
Stereophiles, and I just noticed something
very interesting. Over and over again
I hear people complain about various
aspects of the audiophile world (reviews
of expensive gear, whether or not certain
cables or tweaks make an audible dif
ference, should recordings imitate live
performances or imitate an ideal, etc.),
and over and over again I read Stereophile
articles that address these issues very
precisely and accurately.
In the June 2011 As We See It,
once again, a writer for Stereophile
verbalizes a completely rational and ac
curate assessment of our hobby. I would
like to add an additional assessment of
what could be going wrong with many
o f our kin.
I am one of that exceedingly rare
species o f human: the professional jazz
musician. O ne thing Ive noticed about
our jazz world is how a large percent
age o f the up-and-coming musicians
have a check me out mentality. They
all complain how nobody goes out to
hear jazz anymore, yet they rarely go
out and support other musicians. Theyll
complain about how nobody showed up
to their gig at such-and-such club, yet
11
S I A - o
2 5
What Does $1000 A W att Sound
Like? - Neil Gader
Vitus SIA-025 Review / The Absolute Sound, December 2011
The SIA-025 is a
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b rim m ing w ith
enough fin e ly w ro u g h t
perform ance skills to
challenge all com ers.
...every self-respecting
The Vitus Audio
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ta c tile inner d e ta ils obligation to listen to oneif just
virtu a lly dow n to
fo r the hedonistic pleasure of
th e fin g e rp rin ts on a bearing witness to the seductive
m usicality of one of the high
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ends finest offerings.
m anufacturer
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LETTERS
they hardly ever go to that same club to

simply hang and listen. I preach the dig
and be dug mentality heavily whenever
I have a student or present a master
class. If you want people to show an
interest in w hat youre up to, then you
need to show an interest in what they
are up to.
What Im realizing is that that mentality
shows up across the board in all aspects of
life. [Micliael] Lavorgnas article last June
just unlocked that connection for me.
Check my system out, check my record
ings out, me me me me. How many
audiophiles travel to other peoples houses
to hear their systems? I have a few jazz
musicians here in NYC who do system
hops: lunch and listening one place,
dinner and listening at another, and (gig
schedule permitting) a late-night hang with
someone who doesnt live in an apartment.
O f course, the people Im thinking about
also go out to hear music and support the
scene. Its a mindset and a way of life.
It seems absolutely insane to me that
audiophiles could be considered hermits,
yet local concert attendance is down
(especially in this country), and the only
tiling I can think of is the me-me-me
mentality of an exceedingly large seg
ment of our population. If you think that
your power cable or DAC or something
sounds the best, drag it to someone elses
house for a listen in their system. I dare
you. Its not a competition, its music.
Thanks to Stereophile for raffling
peoples feathers!
Phil Palomhi
Phil@philpalomhi.com
The King is dead?
Editor:
In his December 2011 As We See It,
Thomas Conrad, eloquently as always,
echoed my thoughts on the widely held
belief that jazz is dead. This genre was
my inspiration for my entering the world
o f audio and music, and continues after
60 glorious years of listening. Jazz will die
only when people lose their humanity.
The King is deadlong live the King.
Des Stanley
djazz@telkomsa.net
Long live the King!
Editor:
Thank you, Thomas Conrad, for your
December As We See It: Despite W hat
Youve Heard, Jazz Lives.
Steve Guttenbergs take on the subject
last May had a certain technical sensibility
that I like to think fell a bit short o f the
big picture, but was still interesting. The
root system that is jazz can be surprisingly
vast for anybody less traveled, and your
column expanded the system further.

I punched the Record button a few
bars into the Justin Bieber slot on The
American Music Awards to thank you for
an interesting column. The word ja zz
has gone so far beyond the record-store
pigeonhole that I have no doubt that the
root system will find even Mr. Biebers
soul in time. At the Fleet Foxes concert at
the Greek in Berkeley (boy, did they love
the acoustics in that stone bowl), they
broke into 16 bars of a straight-ahead 4/4
and somewhat of a walking bassa brief
injection of the jazz root to let us know
they know. We were already in love with
this band, but that riff put them smack
dab in the mob.
A note for all the disillusioned elderly
who own multiple copies of their favorite
artist who has passed on or is about to:
There is hope, and it, too, comes via the
root system. Possibly youre a Miles Davis
fan? In particular, of the tone from Ron
Carters dark brown bass fiddle, Herbie
Hancocks piano, Tony Williamss time
played on that small Gretsch kit with
cymbals made in heaven, and those vibratoless notes of Miles and Wayne Shorter?
Live in Europe 19671 Dont think, get it!
The Jimi Hendrix Experience at San
Franciscos Wmterland, 1968: N ot jazz?
Listen againMitch Mitchell, an English
bopper if ever there was one. One of the
few times the stage was set up on the
long wall in Winterland, which acousti
cally loaded the arena perfectlyyou had
to be there. Even if you were, youll need
this recording of the eventjust to remem
ber how magic it was.
Malcolm Baba
Capitola, CA
hahafink@comcast.net
W h y do cartridges cost so much?
Editor:
Been a loyal Stereophile reader for over 10
years.
I currently have two systems, one
widi an integrated amp and one with
separates, both digital. I am very curious
about vinyl, but afraid to dive deeper into
an already expensive hobby. W hat I dont
understand is why a phono cartridge
can cost so much. W hat goes into the
making, materials, assembly, and design
that can bring the price of a cartridge into
sometimes four or five digits?
And Stephen Mejias, keep those
anecdotal accounts of your Hoboken or
Brooklyn adventures along with your
product reviews. They are refreshing, and
bring back memories of when I lived in
Hoboken.
Patrick Diec
Fort Lee, NJ
patrick.diec@citi.com
Patrick, while some cartridges are mass

produced, the best are assembled by hand
and require skill setsfe w possess. Assembling
their very tiny, precision parts is as much art
as science, and involves tuning" suspensions,
which can be very time consuming. Produc
ing perfect diamond styli, often with very
complex geometries, can be costly, as can the
machining o f cartridge bodies. Cartridges in
which the motor is integrated into the body
require a high level o f machining precision,
which can also be expensive. Often (but
not always), the top o f the line is the same
cartridge as the models below, but with the
very best build quality and producing the
best specifications.
This does not necessarily mean that the
more you spend, the better the cartridge will
sound or measurecartridges at the very tops
o f the various lines can be overpriced, while
a $60 Sluire M 91xE can sound wondeiful.
A n LP groove containsfar more information
than the Shure can retrieve, but when properly
set up, even that cartridge should be enough
to convince you that vinyl playback offers a
great deal o f sonic pleasure and musical value.
However, I suggest spending more than $60.
Michacl Frcmcr
Thanks for your thoughtful letter, Patrick. The

question o f why some cartridges carry such ex
traordinary price tags is an interesting one. A s
far as I can see, a lot o f it is down to the need
for hand selection. I know o f one cartridge
manufacturer that buysfinished cantilever/
stylus assembliesfrom a subcontractor who
specializes in same. These are not cheap things
in and o f themselves, given the shrinking
market and consequent lack o f economies o f
scale. B ut to make matters worse, the cartridge
maker then must carefully examine each can
tilever/stylus, and ends up discarding as much
as 80% o f them, for imperfect alignment,
poorly shaped tips, etc. That one cartridge now
has a wholesale value o f several hundred dol
lars, and we havent even got past the needle!
Theres more to it than that, and I wouldnt
suggest that you have to lavish that sort o f at
tentionor moneyon a product in orderfor it
to be acceptably good. But i f its the best youre
after. .. well, its gonna cost.
-A r t Dudley
Where we're going
Editor:
My mind was cranking out agreements
as I read John Atkinsons As We See It
in September 2011, on audio shows and
China-located manufacturing. Regard
ing the decrease in high-end audio
showrooms these days, I operate without
bricks and mortar because the overhead
in money and staffing has discouraged
me from doing so. The lingering desire
to set up a bricks-and-mortar retail
13
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14
outlet is offset by questions of how

much financial increase would actually
result. Granting the benefits of product
exposure, still, audiophiles these days
are often expert shoppers as well. The
exceptions are established audiophiles
who want items like new Mark Levinson
products, which is hard for customers
to avoid dealing with someone like me;
and then my communication with such a
customer doesnt rely on having a bricksand-mortar portal.
I also resonated with JAs observations
on offshore manufacturing. Back when
they started saying that information
was the new product to make money
on, I was neck-deep in manufacturing
tangible products that people were
buying (an approach that John m en
tioned his father extolling). I cant help
but agree. The bottom line is people
want product, and you either have to
make the product and sell it, or buy
it and resell it. I moved to the latter
approach in my business because it
was easier on me, both physically and
mentally, but at the expense o f risking
my obsolescence in the market. W hen
I made a unique product for market I
was always in demand, but the more I
relied on others creativity and produc
tivity to provide marketable products
for me to sell, the less essential I became
to buyers.
Obviously, offshore labor is less costly,
and therefore useful to the entrepreneur.
Try to find qualified (or unqualified)
labor in America to work at that wage
level. The only ones doing it locally are
dedicated artists, oftentimes starv
ing artists. For the record, I respect
them and their real contributions to
the world, in terms of their honorable
efforts and valuable products, provided
often without great personal economic
reward, but with the reward of fulfilling
our God-given nature to be creative and
productive.
Coming off of this acknowledgement
of the higher aspects of our God-given
natures, I believe the best hope for highend audio resides in that very character
istic. Though people are constantly try
ing to sell it, most people despise junk.
Lower quality is never a coveted thing.
I know the temptation to be a snob and
say that the common folk and the
Joe Six-Packs cant appreciate true
quality. I even hear a lot o f young geeks
make statements about high-end audios
great overemphasis on performance
but I realize that they are making their
underinformed statements from a lack
of practical experience in the audio field.
Escaping hubris helps one realize that

others really are smart enough to want
quality, as best they can ascertain what
that is; when they do get a handle on it,
that is what they want. We arent selling
overpriced merchandise to unsuspecting
victims, but providing quality products
to persons who know what theyre look
ing for.
Im 57, and come from a foundation
of the early era of great stereos and
musical playback pleasure. The younger
crowd today doesnt have that founda
tion, and really knows only mini-style
personal audio (mostly at 128kbps). As
Catastrophe Theory states, I dont think
we can take this generation back to
the 1960s, for not-so-obvious precipice
drop-offs that have occurred from back
then till now will block that rearward
journey. Today we have the popular
ity of home-theater surround sound
and higher-quality car audio, for which
bricks-and-mortar outlets abound. Its
about musical pleasure again, just as in
the 1960s. The future will probably he
much more modern than most of us
ourselves are, with liigh resolution from
the cloud feeding [computer] systems
powered by class-D amplification driv
ing visually discreet speakers.
David Wilbanks
Lake St. Louis, M O
daueathometheatre@gmail.com
Audio nostalgia
Editor:
Thank you very much for all the reviews
of tubed integrated amps this fall. It made
me nostalgic for the Dynaco SCA-35
integrated I used as a college freshman in
1970 at Indiana University. Fortunately,
a different SCA-35, purchased in 2004
via the Internet, was sitting in the base
ment, so for the last two weeks I have
been once again enjoying EL84 (6BQ5)
output-tube sound. O f course, this
SCA-35 has been modified a bit (NOS
tubes, new power-supply components,
grounded power cord, bypassed tone con
trols), and I am using an outboard tubed
phono preamp (Transcendent Sound
Phono) with a K&K step-up transformer,
and much better turntable, cartridge, and
speaker components (Rega P5, Ortofon
Rondo Bronze, Triangle Celius Esw)
than in 1970. The sound quality is very
impressive.
Reading about the constant stream
of computer-audio gear is interesting
and a bit challenging, but for now it is
easier to read than implement. Actu
ally, using a computer and, especially,
software has a higher price than I want
LETTERS
to pay in terms of setup and tweaking,

especially given the inevitable changes
in software drivers and OS versions.
After a long workday involving lots of
PCs and the instruments o f an analyti
cal chemistry lab, the last thing I want
to wrangle with before enjoying some
music is a computer problem. But keep
the computer-audio articles coming;
problems are smoothing out quite a lot,
compared with even two or three years
ago.
Robert C. Klute
I A T lnrernation.il
is continually earning
gnStton for the highest
performance-ttf-prke ratio of all
-ompante* We hear dally from
who tell us the performance
any of those
at prices that ,^re
. We produce a fu ll line of
cables including audio, digital, video, power
cable* .>nd a high end USB 2 cable, as well as
various accessories.
Kirkwood, M O
robert.klute@copidien.com
Audio nirvana for $35

Editor:
I have a pretty nice setup in my music
room. I wont say it broke the bank,
but its been a very satisfying system.
Lately, though, my listening pleasure
has increased immensely through the
addition of a tubed headphone amp.
And it cost me a grand total of $35 or
so, delivered from Australia. Sure, it was
a kit: the K272A Stereo Tube Preampli
fier/Headphone Driver, from Oatley
Electronics. But it came complete with
two low-power-consumption Raytheon
subminiature pentode tubes that just
sing to my ears. W ith the Oatley hooked
up to a $20 portable C D player I once
carried on my commutes to Jersey City,
a solid $1.50 cable from Monoprice, and
a pair of Sony MDR-V6 headphones,
Im digging that tube sound and marvel
ing that this state of audio nirvana didnt
cost an arm and a leg. W ho wouldve
Sam Alcorn
thunk it?
rlle
7^
Pern)rm/Utc&
a
< uv
/iffth Y u i/n i Prict

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e-mall latinternational@>verizon.net
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While there, you can read insightful facts
that demystify the hype in wire and cable
technology.
Complete product information and pricing
is available on our web site or call our toll
free number to speak with a real person
who will answer your questions and can
advise you on the use of cables in your
system. 800 321 2108
L A T IN TERN A TIO N A L
Cherry Hill NJ
Lewisburg, PA
sralcom@dejazzd.com
Restoration
Editor:
W hy am I recapping a 1973 receiver?
Rebuilding a classic bicycle? W hy is
Art Dudley restoring an old turntable?
It could be to save a little o f our souls.
Remember, we were going to change
the world. Instead, we have consumed
it.
But a well-made receiver cased in
wood, a hand-built bicycle made of
steel, a carefully made turntable, are not
consumed. Each is like an orchard, a place
always needful of hands. We have forgot
ten in our minds that we are more than
our thoughts. When we sit with a rag to
polish a turntable part, bicycle chrome,
or receiver faceplate, it takes a certain
moment: We watch them change, and
we, too, change. In that moment, we are
restored.
Bert Paul
Waldenpond@comcast.net
T he revolutionary new M agico Q speaker is now at

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Monday - Friday 10 AM - 6 PM
Weekends and Evenings by appointment
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you listen
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w w w .w e in h a rtd e s ig n .c o m
15
All the glory of the creator

(plus the refreshm ent of the soul).
Hallelujah with the new Focus Series.
T h e n e w F o c u s S e ries. T h e epitom e of beauty and tra n s p a re n cy. H o ly gh o st.
Proudly introducing Dynaudios latest driver unit generation: Newly developed woofers with improved voice coil and spider
assemblies, even stronger magnets and optimized die-cast aluminum driver baskets. New soft dome tweeters with Precision
Coating, further-refined crossover designs and an improved cabinet design. Get a Handel on it at your Dynaudio dealer.
And read on at www.dynaudio.com/new_focus
All there is.
dYnaudio
AUDIO N E W S & V IE W S
Those promoting audio-related

seminars, shows, and meetings should
e-mail the when, where, and who to:
stephen.mejias@sorc.com at least eight weeks
before the month of the event. The deadline
for the April 2012 issue is January 24, 2012.
s u b m is s io n s :
UK: LONDON, CHISWICK

Paul Messenger
Touraj M oghaddam is one o f British
hi-fis m ost creative and interest
ing engineers. An Iranian expatriate
educated in England, he first appeared
in the mid-1980s as a cofounder of
Roksan, and as the designer o f the
radical Roksan Xerxes turntable, argu
ably the most serious challenger to the
hegem ony o f the Linn Sondek.
For the past 25 years M oghad
dam has been responsible for creating
dozens o f Roksan com ponents across
all product categories. However, while
still associated w ith the company, his
passion for high-end audio has led him
to spend m uch o f the last few years
delving into the complex w orld o f con
necting cables, and to finding that these
can have dramatic effects on the overall
sound o f a system. After some years
o f experim enting w ith his ow n system
and those o f high-end enthusiast
friends around the world, M oghaddam
has launched a new company, Vertere
Acoustics (www.vertereacoustics.com),
to make and m arket a range o f cables
he has developed, called Pulse.
The nam e is well chosenM oghaddam s intent is to maximize the
wavefront integrity o f a pulse signal.
To cover the very wide bandwidth
and dynamic range o f audio signals, he
uses m ultiple conductors o f varying
diameters alongside quite different
shielding and ground returns. The
Pulses come in four grades o f steadily
increasing sophistication and price: the
Pulse-C, -B, and -R, and, at the top,
the hand-built Pulse, w hich includes
ultrafine, Teflon-coated Microline
strands o f silver-plated copper. Differ
ent strand formulations are used to suit
the different types o f signals generated
by phono cartridges, line-level sources,
and volum e-controlled pre-out sockets.
A Pulse-X speaker cable is also avail
able. T hroughout the line, particular
attention is paid to the design and
constmction o f Verteres Reference
connectors.
I claim no particular expertise in
cables, but my initial impressions have
been very positive, the story behind
the cables seems a good one, and
Touraj M oghaddam him self has an im
pressive track record. Vertere and Pulse

could well be names to watch.
SPAIN: BELLATERRA
CALENDAR OF
INDUSTRY EV EN TS
ATTENTION ALL AUDIO SOCIETIES: We
Jason Victor Serinus
have a page on the Stereophile website
O ne o f the m ost im portant sopranos

o f the early music movementtruly
one o f the great singers o f our time
has died. M ontserrat Figueras, who
together with her husband, viola da
gamba master Jordi Savall, revivified
vast amounts o f Medieval, Renaissance,
and Baroque repertoire, succumbed last
N ovem ber to cancer at age 69.
Diagnosed in 2010, Figueras con
tinued to record and perform through
August. She died at her hom e in Bellaterra, Spain, w ith her husband and
children Arianna and Ferran at her side.
A strikingly beautiful woman,
Figueras was possessed o f a clear, shin
ing soprano tinged w ith sadness. Hers
was not the chaste, androgynous purity
o f the quintessential English early
music soprano, or the sunny sound o f
unblem ished youth; it was the sound
o f a knowing w om an w ho loved,
longed, and m ourned with rare dignity
and grace.
I shall never forget the effect M ont
serrat Figueras made with her surprise
entrance at a Cal Performances concert
that she and her family presented at
First Congregational C hurch in Berke
ley perhaps six years ago. As the lights
dim m ed, we in the audience were
surprised to hear a lone, radiant voice
shower upon us from the balcony
behind. The remarkable glow and
clarity o f that sound, and its haunting
resonance, cut right to the heart.
Figueras ability to convey the hopes,
loves, and grief o f people long past,
especially the people o f 16th and 17th
century Spain, distinguished the large
num ber o f recordings she and her
husband made w ith the ensembles
they helped found betw een 1974 and
1989: H esperion X X (renamed Hesperion X X I in the new millennium),
La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and Le
Concert des Nations. T heir record
ings increased in frequency after they
founded the Alia Vox label in 1998.
Those discs, w ith their costly, increas
ingly elaborate packaging, extremely
devoted to you: w w w .stereophile.

com /audiophile-societies. If you'd
like to have your audio-society
inform ation posted on the site, e-mail
Chris Vogel at info@ vcable.us.
Please note that it is inappropriate for
a retailer to promote a new product line
in Calendar" unless this is associated
w ith a seminar or similar event.
ARIZONA
I Wednesday, February 29, 7-9pm :
The Arizona Audio Video Club w ill
hold an open m eeting at Esoteric
Audio. Store ow ner Gary Jherpe
w ill present gear from Aesthetix,
Graham Engineering. Mark Levinson,

Rockport Technologies, VTL, and
others. A raffle is planned and parking
is free. For more info, visit www.
azavclub.org. Nonm embers should
RSVP to w ootsm usic@ live.com .
CALIFORNIA
: 1Sunday, January 29, 2-5pm : The Los
Angeles and Orange County Audio
Society w ill hold its m onthly meeting at
Definition Audio Video (2 9 3 4 W ilshire
Boulevard, Santa M onica). Featured
gear w ill include electronics from N AD
and Simaudio and loudspeakers from
Dynaudio and Sony A raffle is planned
and lunch w ill be served. Guests,
visitors, and new members are invited,
and parking is free. For more info, visit
www.laocas.com or call Bob Levi at
(714) 281-5850.
I Sunday, February 2 6 ,2-5pm: The
Los Angeles and Orange County Audio

Society will hold its m onthly meeting
at H iS Stereo (841 E. W hittier Boulevard,
La Habra). Featured gear will include
electronics from Audio Research
Corporation and Theta Digital and
loudspeakers from GoldenEar and
Magnepan. A raffle is planned and lunch
will be served. Guests, visitors, and new
members are invited, and parking is free.
For more info, visit www.laocas.com
or call Bob Levi at (714) 281-5850.
17
INDUSTRY UPDATE
COLORADO
Saturday, February 11, 3-7pm : Tweek
Geek (7 0 7 5 Um ber Court, Arvada)
w ill host an open house. On a Higher
Note's Philip O 'H anlon w ill be on
hand to present the Luxman PD-171
turntable and Vivid Audio Giya G3
loudspeakers. Space is lim ited. RSVP:
(3 0 3 ) 653-6341. For m ore info, visit
www.tw eekgeek.com .
MICHIGAN
Thursday, M arch 8, 5 -9 p m : Overture
Audio (618 S. M ain Street, Ann
A rb o r) w ill host an evening o f music
and discussion w ith Lars Kristensen
of Nordost, Costa Koulisakis of
Simaudio, and Kevin W o lff of Vienna
Acoustics A com plete range of
products, from entry-level to cost-noobject, w ill be auditioned. For more
info, visit w w w .overture-audio.com or
call (7 3 4 ) 662-1812.
M INNESOTA
Tuesday, February 21, 7-9 pm : The
Audio Society of Minnesota w ill

hold its m onthly m eeting at the
literate liner notes, pan-nationalistic

hum anitarian embrace, and carefully
recorded hybrid SACD multichannel
sound, won a host o f awards.
W hen I interviewed Savall in the
spring o f 2006, shortly before he was
to guest conduct the Philharmonia Ba
roque Orchestra in the San Francisco
Bay Area, I asked him how he had first
m et Figueras:
W e m et in class, w hen we were
both studying cello around the age o f
22 or 23, he explained. M y teacher
was not very comfortable w ith the
way I played Bach. M ontserrat would
remain behind, listening from the
hallway. W hen Id leave the class, shed
always say to m e very softly, D ont
worry. You play very well. [laughing
This was a fantastic feeling that lasted
the whole day.
After using the cello to play a lot
o f music that was w ritten for viola da
gamba, Savall decided to explore the
earlier instrum ent. W hen he evenUially arrived in Barcelona, he received
a call from Ars Musicae, a group in
w hich Figueras sang. T he ensembles
director told him they had a viola da
m usicdirect
its the m usic th a t m a tte rs
gamba for him if he w anted to play it.

As he later learned, the im petus for
the call was a suggestion from Figueras
that a young cellist nam ed Jordi Savall
m ight be interested in exploring the
instrument.
I first heard M ontserrat sing w hen I
was in the group, Savall said. She was
so great. She has a very natural voice,
so special, and so sensitive. This was
the beginning o f everything [chuckling].
The two began perform ing as a
couple in 1966. After moving to Swit
zerland to continue their studies at the
Music Academy and Schola C antom m
Basiliensis, they married in 1968.
O ne w onderful anthology that
includes recordings Figueras made for
a num ber o f labels between 1976 and
2008 is La Barclta dAmore (Alia Vox AV
9811). H er extremely accomplished
technique and the haunting effect o f
her sound in M onteverdis madrigal,
Lam ento della Ninfa, are extraordi
nary. Equally captivating is the m anner
in which, on the album Ninna Nanna,
Figueras transformed the simplest o f
lullabies into enduring testaments to
m aternal love. She is sorely missed.
ph.s,8coo-449-8333 O
INDUSTRY UPDATE
UK: BROADCASTS
Paul Messenger
Around die end o f the last millennium,
the major players o f the consumerelectronics industry decided to bring
us high-resolution digital audio and
launched, almost simultaneously, die
SACD and DVD-Audio formats.
For several reasons, I was skeptical,
not to say som ewhat cynical. T w o rival
com peting formats was likely to be bad
news for both, digital rights manage
m ent issues dogged the early years,
and I thought it unlikely that the many
music enthusiasts w ho had already
replaced their LPs w ith C D s would
be persuaded to so soon repeat the
process. I didnt believe that either for
m at offered enough extras in terms
o f features or perform ance to inspire
serious sales, a viewpoint that history
has largely vindicated. However, after
exploring the specifications o f the
DVD-A, I speculated that the form ats
capabilities m ight have been better
exploited by creating multichannel
versions o f classic albums rather than
simple surround versions. This could
allow enthusiasts to explore favorite
YOUR
albums in m uch more detail, and ul

timately create their ow n mixes. Such
an idea was roundly pooh-poohed at
the time; my contacts in the music biz
had a decidedly paternalistic attitude o f
You get w hat we give you and like it
or lump it.
Ten years on, the increasingly
em battled music biz m ight consider
being a little m ore conciliatory to its
customers and creative in its thinking
especially as this customer, for one,
already has m ost o f the stereo music he
wants or needs, and tends to be under
w helm ed by m ost new releases.
Although the opportunity for ones
ow n hi-rez multitrack mixes may have
passed, I have becom e a fan o f the
T V series, Classic Albums, produced
by Eagle Rock Entertainm ent, that is
equally fascinating in a different way.
Instead o f simply playing the music,
each program delves deep into the en
tire recording process, interviewing the
musicians, engineers, and producers re
sponsible, and often visiting the actual
studios, lacing up the master tape (or
whatever), then using the mixing desk
to illustrate how specific musical details
Pavek M useum of Broadcasting

(3517 Raleigh Avenue, St. Louis
Park). Dennis Petrich, a productdesign engineer at Audio Research
Corporation, w ill discuss the
company's latest digital products.
Refreshments w ill be served. Guests,
visitors, and new mem bers are invited.
For m ore info, visit httpv/sites.google.
com /site/audiosocietyofm innesota.
OHIO
Thursday, February 2, 3-9 pm :
Audible Elegance (9 4 6 4 M ontgom ery

Road, C incinnati) w ill host an
open house w ith David Salz of
Wireworld For m ore info, visit www.
audibleelegance.com. RSVP: (513)
793-3737.
Thursday, February 16, 3-9 pm :
Audible Elegance (9 4 6 4 M ontgom ery
Road, C incinnati) w ill host an open
house w ith M ike M arko, national sales
manager for Arcam. For more info,
visit ww w.audibleelegance.com . RSVP:
(513) 793-3737.
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fa c e b o o k
f a s f lS &
3?
were brought up in the final mix.

The anecdotes are sometimes
wonderful. I particularly enjoyed
Herbie Flowers explaining w hy he
overdubbed an electric bass atop the
double bass w hen creating one o f the
most famous bass intros in the rock
canon: W alk on the W ild Side, from
Lou Reeds Transformer. T here was this
crafty little thing us session musos used
to get up to___If you overdubbed, by
putting another instrum ent down, you
got double the money!
A lthough interm ittently broadcast
on U K T V at running times o f about
50 minutes, each installment o f Classic
Albums is also available, often at m uch
greater length, on DVD, and some on
Blu-ray. Obviously, the sound o f these
DVDs w ont m atch the audio quality
o f the original albums, but theyre not
intended to; rather, theyre adjuncts or
appendices that invariably bring new
perspectives to old favorites.
T here are currently m ore than 30
titles in the series, and I m ust have half
o f them . T here are obvious absen
teesthe Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob
Dylan, the Beach Boysbut if s still
a greatly varied roster o f some o f the
best milestones o f rock and pop music
o f the past 50 years.
UK: LONDON,
CANTERBURY
P aul M essenger
Like any music nut, I like to go to

concerts regularlybut the entire
procedure tends to be unpredictable,
and can prove decidedly fraught. Clas
sical concerts tend to be pretty good
in term s o f predictable enjoyment,
assuming no hassles in traveling to and
from the venue (which itself adds some
uncertainty)the venues themselves are
well established, and no amplification is
involved. B ut anything elseeven folk
music in a small venuewill m ost likely
be subjected toand suffer fromsome
degree o f sound reinforcement.
The PA system may be large or
small, good or bad. Sometimes its
essential, and gives very good results.
B ut those results depend on three
distinct factors: the PA system itself,
the acoustic o f the venue, and the
sometimes whimsical decisions o f the
sound engineer flying the desk. Any
one o f these can scupper the music,
and all too often does. O nly about half
the nonclassical concerts I attend have
m ore or less satisfactory sound, but the
really good ones are tally m em orable
experiences well w orth the cost and
effort. I recently enjoyed a fabulous

concert by Alison Krauss & U nion Sta
tion at Londons Royal Festival Hall. It
all came together: excellent venue, PA,
and engineering.
The bad ones are costly wastes o f
tim e best forgotten. They often end
w ith m e simply walking out, driven to
do so by the sound engineer driving
the PA into disortion. M y local folk
club in W hitstable, Kent, operates in a
delightful 18th-centtiry building that,
in size, shape, and construction, is not
unlike an early church on the East
Coast o f the US. I really enjoyed the
duet o f Robin W illiamson and John
R enbourn early last year, because the
PA wasnt pushed too hard. A few
m onths later, I walked out o f a gig
by the O yster Bandthe sound was
horrible and too loud. I tried to protest
that so m odest a venue needs no am
plification at all, but to no avail.
A few weeks later, Norwegian
saxophonist Jan Garbarek and the
four-voice Hilliard Ensemble convinc
ingly proved my point, filling the far
larger space o f C anterburys enorm ous
cathedral w ith no need for amplifica
tion o f any kind. Indeed, Garbarek
deliberately and intelligently used the
cathedral acoustic as part o f the per
formance, which was fascinating. True,
the shape and stonework o f a gothic
cathedral is intended to provide natural
amplification; still, the experience
unequivocally proved that acoustic
instruments in smaller spaces tend
only to suffer rather than benefit from
sound reinforcement.
Obviously, large venues and electric
instruments inevitably require am
plification and therefore pose greater
problems. T he success o f sum m er
festivals held in the open air may well
have som ething to do w ith avoiding
unpredictable venue acousticsbut
replace them w ith unpredictable
weather. Nowadays you dont seem to
get m uch choice: popular musicians
play festivals in the sum m er and halls
in the winter.
I find the whole festival thing a bit
o f overkill: too m any artists over too
m any days. Id m uch rather attend a
specific gig, but that means choosing
a good combination o f venue and PA
and hoping for a decent engineer. As
far as London is concerned, Id happily
return to the Royal Festival Hall, the
Brixton Academy, and IndigO , (the
small venue next to the O , Arena), but
will give a wide berth to the reopened
Alexandra Palace.
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INSIGHTS ON ALL THINGS AUDIO
SAM'S
SPACE
b y SAMTELUG
Sam gets the juice for his system
from a Pangea power supply and
tries out the Musical Fidelity V-CAN Mk.ll.
t h i s is s u e :
M emory Training
CBSs Scott Pelley looked on incredulously, like a cat
ready to pounce. B ut you cant nam e that third one?
Oops.
W hat happened inside Rick Perrys brain? The BBCs
M e neither.
Daniel Nasaw, based in W ashington, rounded up a virtual
Simonides is said to have invented the art of
panel o f psychologists and neuroscientists. . . and our friend
m em ory training. T h e story, probably apocryphal, goes
Foer (see ww w.bbc.co.uk/news/m agazine-15684676). The
like this:
experts seemed to agree that the governors problem was
At a banquet, Simonides stood to recite an ode in honor
limited cognitive horsepower, or som ething like that.
o f Scopas, a Thessalian noblem an, w ho may have paid for
John Guzowski, professor o f neurobiology at the U ni
the feast, the ode, and m uch more. As soon as Simonides
versity o f California, Irvine, weighed in: O nce he missed
sat down, a messenger tapped him urgently on the shoul
naming the departm ent o f energy the first time, the stress of
der and signaled him to com e outside, w here two m en on
that event strongly impaired the neural
horseback were hot to tell him something: T
T he
h ebuilding
i n f o was
rm a tio n age
mechanisms of m em ory retrieval.
about to collapse.
Sian Beilock, professor o f psychology
m ig h t b e m a k in g
So
it did. M om ents after Simonides
at the University o f Chicago, studies
o u r i n t e r n a l m e m o r i e s the interplay betw een cognition and
crossed the threshold, unscathed, the
banquet hall was reduced to a rabble o f w o r s e a s o b e r in g
stress: In Mr. Perrys case, as Nasaw
marble, dust, and mangled bodies. In the
paraphrased her, he was searching his
aftermath, frantic relatives couldnt iden t h o u g h t f o r s o m e o n e
brain for the third governm ent agency,
tify their loved ones. B ut let our friend
w h o p u r p o r t s to
but other thought processes intruded.
Joshua Foer tell it:
Beilock
then told the BBC that Perry is
re m e m b e r th e so u n d
Simonides sealed his senses to the
worrying about screwing up, and that
o f h i-fi e q u i p m e n t
chaos around him and reversed tim e in
takes away from im portant resources
his m ind-----[He] caught a glimpse o f
that otherwise he could use to search his
he h e a rd even
each o f the banquet guests at his seat,
m emory.
m o m e n ts ago.
carrying on oblivious to the im pending
A rthur B. M arkm an, a psychologist
catastrophe___[He] opened his eyes. H e
at the University o f Texas, has fol
took each o f the hysterical relatives by
lowed G overnor Perry close-up, from Austin. His book
the hand a n d . . . guided them , one by
Smart Thinking: Three Essential Keys to Solve Problems, Innovate,
one, to the spots in the rubble w here their loved ones had
and Get Things Done came out on January 3. In it, Prof.
been sitting.
M arkman reveals his proprietary three-part formula for
Good stuff, w hether true or not. Foers book is Moonwalkm em ory retention and retrieval. The first two departm ent
em em ber Simonides o f Ceos, the fifth-century

G reek poet (ca 556-468 BCE)?
ing with Einstein: The A rt and Science o f Remembering Everything
(Penguin Press, 2011; due out in paperback February 28). I

recom m end the booknot necessarily for purchase.
Foer maintains that O u r culture has transform ed from
one that was fundam entally based on internal m em ories
to one . . . based on m em ories stored outside the brain, in
books, museum s, or on URLs (p.19). W hy waste tim e learn
ing stuff w hen all you need to know is w here to find it?
T he inform ation age m ight be making our internal
m em ories worsea sobering thought for som eone w ho pur
ports to rem em ber the sound o f hi-fi equipm ent he heard
even m om ents ago. A nd m em ory training is probably not a
waste
o fatime.
Perry in
pickle
Ask Texas Governor Rick Perry w hat happened w hen
his internal m em ory failed him during a debate am ong
Republican presidential candidates on N ovem ber 9. As youll
recallor notPerry was asked to name the three depart
m ents he would abolish if elected President. Lets see. The
departm ents o f education . . . commerce. Andum.
I cantthe third one, I cant, Perry told debate
m oderator Jo h n Harwood.
namescommerce and educationshoved dow n that

third one that he wanted to pull out, Professor M arkman
observed o f Gov. Perry. And at the same time hes think
ing about w hat hes supposed to say, so he has no resources
around to pull out that third one.
Ill borrow a copy o f M arkm ans book from the libraryif
I can remember.
O u r friend Foer suggested competitive m em orization,
as practiced by his friend Cicero. N o t Cicero, Illinois, but
the Rom an senator, orator, and philosopher (106-43 BCE).
Foer told the BBC: If it had been Cicero up there on stage,
part o f his debate prep w ould have involved creating an im
age in his m inds eye o f the three departm ents he w anted to
talk about.
Was you chums w ith Cicero, Josh? Just joshing, o f course.
Powerless Sam
If I seem m ore testy than usual, its because I was hom e sit
ting in the dark again. First it was Hurricane Irene at the end
o f August, to aiin Labor Day. T hat took out our pow er for
exactly a week. T hen came the surprise Halloween snow25
: ! SAM'S SPACE
CONTACTS
Musical Fidelity Limited
Web: http://tem pohighfidelity.com
24-26 Fulton Road, W em bley

Middlesex, England H A 9 OTF, UK
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Fax: (616) 885-9818
Web: www.wsdistributing.com
Fax: (617) 33 6 -3 4 8 6
storm, to wreck our favorite holiday

my wife, Marinas, and mine.
T he lights w ent out for us at 2:41pm
the Saturday before Halloween, after
the second m ovem ent o f Francks
Symphony in D Minor, in a 1980
concert recording o f Kiril Kondrashin
conducting the Bavarian Radio Sym
phony Orchestra. T he same disc also
has a rousing perform ance o f RimskyKorsakovs Russian Easter Festival
Overture (CD , BR Klassik 900704). Id
w rite it up for R 2D 4 but I have two
other choices.
Made In
8 0 0 -2 6 2 -4 6 7 5
Syracuse, NY, U.S.A.
BenchmarkMedia.com
PRODUCT
In the Soviet U nion, they kept the

lights on, M arina offered, helpfully.
(In todays Russia, not always.)
Stalin would have shot people, I
shot back. W reckers. Saboteurs. En
em y agents. Khrushchev w ould have
sent those in charge to power plants in
Siberia. T he good old days. Actually,
the head o f Connecticut Light and
Power, Je ff Butler, did [ahem] resign.
As I sat with our cat in the cold,
I thought w hat to do. Review stuff
w ithout listening? N ah, Id get caught.
Rehash old reviews? N ix that. Safer
to take up imaginative auditioning: I

set up the equipm ent, look at it, and
imagine the sound.
I returned the ProAc Tablette An
niversary speakers I had reviewed last
D ecem ber to the music room this
time with my LFD LE IV integrated
amplifier (See Sams Space, January
2011). W ith other stuff in for review, I
hadnt been able to give this combina
tion m uch time before.
Earlier, Id spread the ProAcs far
apart, and about a third o f the way into
the room; I listened through them as
m uch as to them . This time, I placed
the speakers about 4 from the front
wall and 3' from the sides. I still like
nearfield listening, so I m oved my
listening chair into the middle o f the
room , imagining w hat I m ight hear if I
had power. I wasnt distracted by actu
ally having to listen.
After the lights came back on, a
w eek later, I discovered that Id latched
on to a very special synergy. This amp
and these speakers are perfect for one
another: classic British sound, through
and through.
These speakers w ith this amp gave
E.cwth nq Audio
Ml 11AN S<>tl
SAM'S SPACE ) )
tubes a run for the m oney in exactly

the area m ost im portant to me: truth
o f timbre, harm onic immediacy. Call
it w hat you will. D o the notes cohere?
D o instrum ents and voices sound like
instrum ents and voices, or som ething
artificial? Is the harm onic structure in
register, or have notes som ehow been
throw n off? Some French hi-fi scribes
refer to la restitution sonore.
Aside from very deep bass and loud
sound-pressure levels, this was some o f
the best sound Ive heard in m y music
room since moving into the house
nearly 35 years ago. Then I tried the
Musical Fidelity X-Pre preamplifier
with X-PSU power supply, along with
my Quicksilver Silver 88 m ono amplifi
ers. The tubes imparted m ore light and
life to the sound, but not by a long shot.
Sometimes, in a hurry to get things
done, I miss the best combinations.
The ProAc Tablettc Anniversary
speakers may not need the best source
com ponents and the finest amplifica
tion you can give them , but w hen you
do, they respond.
I also tried my Sun Audio SV-2A3
amplifieragain w ith the Musical
Fidelity com bo o f X-Pre and X-PSU.

Stunning sound, lifelike harmonics,
great immediacybut I feel that the
ProAc Anniversary Tablette needs
m ore than 3.5W to open up with
dynamic ease. The sound was com
pressed. Ten watts should be fine. Re
m ind m e to reinstate the Alnic T-1500
300B amplifier.
Perfect sound for nearly 30 years
and then some
Did you know that 2012 marks the 30th

anniversary o f the Compact Disc? It was
introduced in Japan in October, 1982,
and here in the US the following year.
Like Mark Twains death, reports o f its
demise have been greatly exaggerated.
The 33.33rpm LP was a compro
mise. Ask those w ho produceor who
have heard45rpm vinyl records, which
are far superior, especially dynamically.
Slowing the sound from 45 to 33.3rpm
makes the music sluggish. RCA got one
thing right: 45rpm from David Sarnoff
vs 33.33rpm from William S. Paley (the
famous WSP, or Wisp). Sarnoff and
Paley loathed one another, and perhaps
rightly so. They were the Bill Gates
IB Q SM H D R
Stereo Pre-Amp w ith Remote Control
DAC / Headphone Amp / USB
and Steve Jobs o f their day. (I m et only

Wisp, not General Sarnoff.)
The 33.33rpm speed was chosen be
cause it was a) arbitrarily, one-third o f
100, and b) the slowest speed at which
radio-program transcription discs could
be recorded w ithout serious sonic
compromise. There were m any non
commercial 33.33rpm discs before the
LP was invented by Peter Gold
marknamely those radio transcrip
tion discs. Before W orld W ar II, RCA
test-m arketed some 33.33rpm vinyl at
least once, maybe twice. Tonearms and
cartridges gouged the grooves; each
disc had, essentially, one good play, as
did 78rpm childrens vinyl at the time.
The LP was a team development at
CBS Labs, mainly in Stamford, C on
necticut, but also in N ew York City. If
any one person stands above the others
involved, it m ight be a Belgian im
migrant, engineer, and passionate music
lover named Rene Snepvangers. H e
died in 1956. Was proper credit posthu
mously snatched from Snepvangers and
from other m em bers o f the develop
m ent team? W ho can say, but the LP
was a developmenta systemand not
INNOVATORS
IN
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SAM'S SPACE i i )
an invention. W illiam S. Paley deserves

credit as the LPs godfather. He
did not pinch pennies. God
dard Lieberson o f Columbia
Records deserves credit, too.
Sadly, RCA introduced
45rpm discs w ith that big
hole in the middle, which
made them look like chil
drens records. T hats w hat
they remained: vinyl for
teeny-boppers. Classical buyers
turned their noses up and their
thum bs down, as did jazz buffs.
RCA could have made 12" 45rpm
releases, even if it m eant that most
symphonies (or albums) spread across
two discs. Charge a prem ium price.
And pay royalties on the size to Wisp?
O nly recently has that idea gained
traction, at least w hen it comes to
classical music. A 12" 45rpm record
sounds incomparably superior to a 12"
33.33rpm disc.
CBS might have made a shortplaying (SP) 33.33rpm disc to comple
m ent the long-playing (LP) one. RCA
did introduce the extended play (EP)
45rpm record. There were those at
CBS Labs w ho suggested exactly that: a
short LP. I m et some o f them , 30 or 40
years ago. Give Paley credit for focus:
he nixed the SP. W e are introducing
a long-playing, not a short-playing
record, he told his team. This is hearsay,
but from pretty good sources. C olum
bia Records did issue and authorize 10"
LPs, which never caught on.
Sonically, o f course, 78rpm was the
speed o f choice, and shellac, not vinyl,
the surface o f choice: Ask the ghost o f
Elvis, or Clark Johnsen, up in Boston.
John Atkinson knows more about
this than I do, but there were those
in Britain, especially at Decca, w ho
opposed 33.33rpm because the records
turned too slowly, putting a drag on
the sound.
Like the LP, the C om pact Disc
was initially made for classical music:
Its m axim um playing tim e was set to
accommodate a full perform ance o f
Beethovens Symphony 9. N o clicks,
no pops, no scratches, no surface noise,
no turning over the disc after the
second m ovem ent. And I dont have
to w orry our cat m ight go crazy from
spinning vinyl and ruin my whole rig,
all $153,946 w orth. (H e has come close
to wrecking m y Rega turntable.)
Interesting that theres so little new
classical vinyl. N o dem and, I guess.
Meanwhile, new classical C D releases
are abundant, especially from smaller
labels. M aybe someone can organize a

celebration o f the C D s first 30 years.
Mikey? Artie? Ivor Tiefenbrun? Harry
S. Pearson? H erbert von Karajan was
right: All else is gaslight.
I know about gaslight thanks to Jeff
B utler and C onnecticut G overnor Dan
Malloy. I am absolutely positive that
Rick Perry w ould have done a better
jo b o f keeping our lights on, if not his
own.
H ow to wrest the best from a flawed
formatin my case, my beloved and
deeply respected Com pact Discis
similar to trying to w rest the best
from another highly compromised yet
venerable format: the 33.33rpm vinyl
disc. In a way, Sarnoff was right: the LP
should have been shorter.
I have som ething for you:
Pangea Audio P-100 regulated power
supply
I knew youd be excited. This should

be a page-turner. B ut if you own a
Cambridge Audio D A C Magic, a
Musical Fidelity V-DAC (or any other
V-series components, Series I or II), or
a Wadia 170i transport, you should be
excited. You can use it w ith the Cam
bridge Audio 540P and 640P phono
stages, too.
All cables are included and clearly
labeled, making the unit idiot-proof.
They even include an IEC-style AC
pow er input cable. Sofinallywe
know w hat the D A C Magic and the
V -D A C or V -D A C M k.II sound like
w hen given a goosed-up pow er supply.
I should point out that the P-100
itself costs less than many audiophile
pow er cables: $99.99. Also, it is to be
used only w ith the aforementioned
approved devices.
W hy do so many inexpensive
products come pre-disabled w ith mere
wall warts? Because, typically, the most
expensive part o f any electronic hi-fi
product is the power supply. T he way
to offer cheap products cheap is
to supply a cheap, off-the-shelf
wall w art and tell die custom er
this is okay. W hich it is. Okay.
Maybe its to a manufac
turers advantage to use wall
warts to keep budget gear
in its proper place; ie, not
infringing on the sales o f more
expensive models. It would
not do for a $429 DAC to
approach the perform ance o f an
$800 DAC. A wall w art can stop that.
I am especially galled w hen a m anu
facturer states that any power supply
other than the supplied wall w art will
invalidate the warranty.1
If you own one o f the Cambridge
Audio or Musical Fidelity models
listed above, then I suggest that $99.99
for a Pangea P-100 is the best hundred
bucks you could spend. W ith online
retailer Audio Advisors money-back
guarantee, all you have to lose is the
shipping chargea very small risk.
As soon as you open the box, you
know you hold som ething substan
tial. T he P-100 may weigh m ore than
the audio device youre using it with.
T heres a chunk o f iron in there, said
W ayne Schuurman, o f Audio Advisor.
Yes, theres iron there: an inductor...
a choke-regulated power supply of the
very type so highly touted (and utilized)
by Musical Fidelity's Antony Michaelson
in his more expensive products.
To use the P-100, disconnect your
wall wart, plug in the appropriate cable
for the approved device youre using,
then turn on the device. (M ost wall
warts lack an o n /o ff switch.) Be sure
to label your wall warts w ith masking
tape, so youll know w hich goes w ith
w hich com ponent.
The typical tiny wall w art cant ac
commodate a choke-regulated power
supply and thus does a poor jo b o f
filtering AC line noise going into or
coming out o f the com ponent it pow
ers. A crappy wall wart can allow noise
from, say, a digital device to escape
back into your A C line.
A proper power supply requires
money and careful engineering. The de1 There is also the fact that wallwart supplies tend
to be UL-approvcd, which I believe alleviates the
audio manufacturer of having to obtain additional
UL approval for its productsJohn Atkinson
29
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SAM'S SPACE i i )
signer o f the Pangea P-100

too. I also had the original
is Peter Madnick, o f Audio
V -C A N to compare.
Alchemy fame. O ne o f the
T he V -C A N Mk.II
things he had to do was en
sells for $199, just like the
sure that the power supply
original V -C A N , w hich I
didnt hum inside its chassis.
reviewed in May 2008. You
I asked him about regulated
get essentially the same
pow er supplies.
com ponent, in a m uch
Regulated pow er sup
nicer-looking brushedplies contain ICs, which
alum inum case. T he Vlimit their output voltage
C A N M k.II looks elegant,
to a precise value despite
almost Roman. Call it
the incom ing voltage, thus
neo-classical. I w ould take
making them stable regard
the V -C A N M k.II on looks
less o f drifts in the incom
alone. Musical Fidelitys
Antony M ichaelson told
ing A C line voltage. In the
case o f the P-100, these are
me that there are some
linear devices instead o f
m inor sonic improvements,
digital, thus reducing the
but I forget w hat they are.
am ount o f high-frequency
Oops. I could hear little
Musical Fidelity's V -C A N M k.llmuch more conservatively styled than the Mk.l.
noise coming along with
difference betw een the VC A N and V -C A N M k.II
the regulated D C voltage.
little V -D A C M k.II sounded bigger.
T he P-100 has a pow er transformer
in direct comparisons through my
Da. It sounded like a D A C w ith a big
pow er supply. T he noise floor was
to reduce the incom ing A C line volt
A TH -A D 900 headphones, a superla
age to the levels we need. M ore im por
lower. Low-level details in recordings
tive combination.
tant, the P-100 contains a com m on
becam e m ore apparent, m ore clearly
As w ith the V-D A C Mk.II, the Pan
delineated. Piano recordings became
mode choke. This is essentially two
gea P-100 lifted the performance o f the
identical low-pass filters, one on
m ore im m ediate: the attacks and
V -C A N M k.II to a m uch higher level,
each side of the low-voltage AC line,
decays o f the notes. W hen I played
and in m uch the same way. I found the
coupled to each other in a way that
the piano, the part I liked m ost was
sound cleaner, m ore dynamic, more
attenuates high-frequency noise going
hearing the notes go away. C on
sweetly extended, less electronic. The
risk, especially w ith phones like the
in both directions. Thus we reduce any
sidering my musical skills, this was
noise attem pting to come in on the
A-T ATH-AD900s, is that you w ont
understandable.
A C line, as well as noise com ing back
Moreover, the Pangea P-100 took
be able to go back to listening to your
regular hi-fi rigyou know, speakers
from the pow er device trying to go out
a certain electronic edge off the m u
sicvoices and strings, especially. Im
and stuff.
to the A C line.
I had the setup all ready to go
not faulting the perform ance o f the
I like the fact that the V -C A N Mk.II
w hen the lights came back on: M usi
V -D A C M k.II. For another $99.99,
has both Vi" and /s" mini headphone
cal Fidelity M 1C D T C D transport
its performance became all the more
jacksyou dont need an adapter.
and V -D A C M k.II w ith Pangea
convincing, and did so more in musical
The lack o f an onboard USB D AC is
pow er supply, LFD LE IV integrated
than in hi-fi terms. This was not just
understandable at the price. M y only
amplifier, and ProAc Tablette A n
about the retrieval o f information.
complaint is that its very easy to pull
niversary speakers. All I did to focus
This was about la restitution sonore. The
the V -C A N M k.II off your table or
the sound was move my listening
Pangea Audio P-100 is for those w ho
nightstand w hen you mg on your
w ant to w rest the very best from their
headphone cord. You can usually solve
chairT h e T h ro n eback and forth in
this with some sticky tack.
small increm ents.
budget gear.
W hen I change interconnects,
O f course, you could use both
speaker cables, or A C cables, I m ight
Musical Fidelity V -C A N Mk.II
the V -D A C M k.II and the V -C A N
headphone amplifier
hear a subtle im provem ent in the
M k.II w ith tw o Pangea P-100 pow er
I can see the headline in the Audio
supplies. O r you could use M usi
soundo r ju st a difference thats no
cal Fidelitys V -PSU M k.II pow er
difference. W ith the Pangea P-100,
Advisor catalog: T U R N Y O U R Vsupply, w hich can pow er up to three
the im provem ent was so great that
C A N IN T O A N IG H T L IG H T FO R
cognitive interference kicked inthe
O N LY $99.99.
V-series com ponents and thus elim i
im provem ent precludes my ability
W ayne Schuurman at Audio Advi
nate as m any wall w arts. T h e V -PSU
M k.II costs $249 and m akes for a
to fully describe it. I lack cognitive
sor sent m e two Pangea P-lOOs so I
w ouldnt haw to flit from room to
firepower. M y constant companion,
tidy installation. I do n t have one yet.
Montaigne, would understand.
room, attaching them to different
B ut I like m y D A C and headphone
Com pared to the wall w art supplied
Musical Fidelity V-series co m ponentsam p fed by com pletely separate
w ith the V-series gear, the Pangea
like the V -C A N Mk.II, which arrived
pow er supplies.
during our second pow er outage. I
kicked up the perform ance o f the M u
Now, if W ayne Schuurman could
sical Fidelity V -D A C M k.II a notch.
had the mini-system ready to go at
help us get rid o f all wall warts . . .
O r two. O r three. W h o knows how
bedside, with my Sony Discman D When the lights are on, Sam Tellig
many notches?
25S and Audio-Technica A TH -A D 900
(sam.tellig@sorc.com) usually likes listening
Seriously. Dynamics improved. T he
headphones. My Koss Porta-Phones,
to CDs rather than LPs.
31
rm...amazed that humans

can create such beauty.
Stephen Mejias, www.stereophile.com
Y C 3
A C D U
S T I C S
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Tel.
801-726-3887
theabsolutesound
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INSIDER VIEW S ON EVERYTHING V IN YL
ANALOG
z^CORNER
b y MICHAEL FREMER
For his 200th "Analog Corner,"
Mikey auditions a phono preamp that
horror!digitizes its input.
t h i s is s u e :
W adax Does Analog Digitally

ther than for archiving and iPod use, is there any
good reason to digitize vinyl playback? Pure Vi
nyls Rob Robinson thinks so. His software offers
RIAA and dozens o f digital-domain equalization
curves that he claims are inherently superior to any analogdom ain filtering. O nce recorded flat, the high-resolution
files can be conveniently played back using any curve (even,
sometimes, the correct one!).
Yes, there are almost daily program updates, and viruses,
corruption, program crashes, and hard-drive failures can
wipe out your entire music collection. B ut lets not go there.
Theoretically, digital-domain phono equalization has perfect
frequency response, as well as being free o f noise. C om po
nent tolerances a n d /o r drift from specified values o f the
RIAA netw orks resistors and capacitors dont exist in the
digital domain.
O f course, such perfection begs the $64,000 question:
O nce converted back to analog, is the signal transparent to the
source, or is some essential analog quality lost along the way?
O f course it can be transparent, say the digital apolo
gists. At a depth o f 24 bits, no problem .
Impossible! say the frightened Luddites. O nce convert
ed to digital, its inherently different. You cant p u t H um pty
D um pty back together again.
W adax, based in Spain and Switzerland, has been
around since the 1970s, and o ff my radar screen for almost
their entire history. Theyve now introduced the PRE1, a
superbly engineered and built universal digital preampli
fier ($32,500 w ith optional phono stage, as reviewed; stock
version costs $27,800) that combines A /D conversion for
analog sources w ith D /A conversion for digital ones.
Before A /D conversion o f its phono input at
24-bit/96kH z, W adaxs linear, gain-adjustable N ano Volt
amplifier steps up the voltage from either a m oving-m agnet
or a moving-coil input. Gain for both M M and M C car
tridges is adjustable in three steps, the ideal being m axim um
possible gain w ithout triggering die Analog Overload w arn
ing light. T he digitized analog goes next to W adaxs pro
prietary M usIC chip, w hich contains digitally program m ed
filters, tim e-dom ain reconstruction, and linearization to
apply the RIAA equalization. A fter reconversion to analog,
that signal is available via output set 1 or set 2, in single
ended or balanced mode.
W adax is in the process o f creating a database o f phonocartridge models that will allow the curve to be tailored to
compensate for a specific cartridges response anomalies.
Given sample-to-sample variations in perform ance within
even a single expensive model, such compensation will
be provided only for those characteristics com m on to all
samples o f a given model.
B ut Wadax has also come up w ith a Custom M apping op
tion that uses a W adax-proprietary test lacquer to m ap the
perform ance o f the buyers own combination o f turntable,
tonearm , cartridge, and phono cable. Either the dealer or the
custom er plays the disc, and captures the results on a digital

recorder. The data are then sent via the Internet to Wadax,
which crunches the num bers and returns to the custom er a
program for his W adax PRE1 that combines RIAA equaliza
tion w ith corrections to the frequency and phase responses,
among other things, including compensations for any chan
nel imbalance and even the effect o f tonearm resonances.
The company claims that their C ustom M apping process
measures and quantifies m ore than 100 prim ary parameters,
and many m ore secondary ones. Left sketchy was precisely
how many parameters are actually adjusted by the correction
software. O ne claimed result o f the process is that the com
pensated input also presents an ideal load for the cartridge.
According to Wadaxs Javier Guadalajara, m ore than
6.4GB o f data per second move betw een the m usIC
chip and the P R E ls high-speed memory, perform ing all
necessary calculations with 128-bit mathematical accuracy.
H e added that the systems analysis works w ith 1.2Hz
resolution, which is im portant for such things as tonearm
resonances and low-bass mechanical cffects that affect the
full audioband.
Guadalajara says that the measurements, particularly the
time-related ones, require the use o f very sophisticated sonarand radar-based techniques to prevent the data masking
33
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induced by short-term variations in

turntable speed. As an aside, he told
me that the m usIC chip includes a
signal-processing toolbox that can
also be used to correct speakers and
electronic circuits, and that because
the parameters o f the P R E ls A /D ,
D /A , and amplification circuits are
known, they, too, can be corrected by
the process.
The Physical Plant
Even an acknowledged digiphobe

(thats me!) should find all o f the
above intriguing, but what about the
PRE1 itself?
D epending on the setting o f an
internal switch, the PRE1 can operate
in one o f six modes: as a line-level
preamplifier, a pream p w ith a D A C, a
pream p w ith phono stage, a stand
alone DAC, a standalone phono stage
w ith a step-up amplifier, or an A /D
converter. W hile it would have been
possible to have reviewed it configured
as a phono pream p w ith its line-level
output sent to an analog preamp, I
chose to use it as a fully functional
pream p w ith A /D and D /A convert
ers and phono stage, since thats how I
think it will be m ost often used.
T h e P R E ls elegant, award-winning
industrial design is by the Spanish firm
Ochoa y Diaz-Llanos (h ttp ://o c h o
aydiazllanos.com). W adaxs massive
Mechalock clamshell chassis, milled
from tw o 95-lb blocks o f specially
form ulated alum inum alloy, provides
control o f both electromagnetic inter
ference and mechanical resonances.
(The PRE1 itself weighs 44 lbs.) A
five-step process finishes the chassis
w ith neoprene microspheres to reduce
microresonances. Every circuit-board
screw is precisely torqued, depending
on the size and material o f screw and
its placement, using custom-calibrated
tools. W hew!
Take a look inside and you im
mediately realize the seriousness o f
this ultra-high-tech product. The
circuit boards are packed w ith m ore
than 1500 surface-m ount parts, some
proprietary, including the tw o 480-pin
M usIC chips, both m ounted on an
eight-layer board along w ith some 500
other parts.
The P R E ls chrom ed rear panel
has one B N C and four S /P D IF
digital inputs, which can accept up to
24-bit/192kH z signals, a TosLink input
capable o f up to 2 4/96, and a 2 4 /4 8
USB port. T here are two line-level,
single-ended analog inputs, but one is
The Wadax PREVs industrial design is by the Spanish firm Ochoa y Diaz-Llanos.
disabled w ith the addition o f the phono

option, leaving but one for your cas
sette deck, FM tuner, or phono stage.
Also on the back are two sets o f
analog outputs, single-ended and bal
anced. D epending on how the PRE1 is
configured, one set can output the cor
rected and one the uncorrected phono
signalor, if you have two cartridges,
both can be measured and one output
assigned to each. T heres also a B N C
w ord-clock output.
Unfortunately, as delivered, my re
view sample did not include any digital
output facilities for archiving digitized
recordings, but shortly before deadline,
W adax announced a new Generation
4 digital board that has both inputs and
outputs. Units purchased by distribu
tors, retailers, or end-users w ithin 90
days o f the boards release date o f
D ecem ber 1, 2011, will be upgraded at
no additional cost. O lder units can be
upgraded for an unspecified charge.
Too bad about that timingit would
have been interesting to bring to the
January 2012 C onsum er Electron
ics Show files from digitized vinyl
playback that had been corrected in the
digital dom ain and that had been pro
cessed w ith a pure analog system. That
way I could get feedback from the at
tendees w ho look forward each year to
the hi-rez digital recordings I make o f
LPs played on my C ontinuum Audio
Labs setup o f Caliburn turntable, C o
bra tonearm , and Castellon stand.
In addition to beefing up the input
stages im m unity to jitter, the Gen4
board incorporates an A ES/EB U input
and a PureA D C-m ode B N C output
jack that can be used to store send digi

tized analog sources, including the Cus
tom M apped phono input, at 2 4 /9 6
resolution into any digital recorder
equipped with an S /P D IF input.
O n the P R E ls front panel, volume
and input-selector knobs flank a large
LED screen with a red dot-matrix
display. T he only disadvantage o f such
minimal design is that if you lose the
remote control, youll have to access the
rear panel to reach the power switch.
The remote itself is handsome, and
unusually narrow and elegant looking,
with inlaid pushbuttons for direct input
selection, polarity inversion (for both
the analog and digital inputs), Volume,
Balance, and Mute. Wadaxs attention
to detail includes a magnetically secured
battery cover so seamlessly integrated
into the remotes undersurface that you
m ight miss it. Wadax gives up nothing
to Bang & Olufsen in terms o f indus
trial design and executionand thats
saying a lot.
The P R E ls instruction manual is a
loose-leaf binder that communicates a
desire on W adax1s part to provide the
buyer w ith a luxurious experience. Its
w hat one should expectand w hat one
doesnt always getw ith a high-perfor
mance audio product costing $32,500.
Out of the Box
The PRE1 has two sets o f outputs. O ne

set o f outputs gives you the standard
RIAA curve, the second set an im
proved RIAA curve. H ow can there
be an improved curve?
According to Javier Guadalajara,
the standard curves implementation
35
i ANALOG CORNER
is based strictly on amplitudephase is

not taken into account. However, his
measurements o f various cutter-head
systems have produced a consistent set
o f time-domain (phase) errors that he
felt could and should be corrected. That
version o f the RIAA curve is available at
the Improved pair o f outputs. However,
the ultimate way to experience Wadaxs
approach to LP playback is to have it
customized for your analog front end.
Thats w hat I did.
CONTACTS
WADAX, S.A.
Francisco remiro, 2 Ed D3,
28 0 2 8 M adrid, Spain
Tel: (3 4 ) 91-355-02-17
Web: www.wadax.eu
US d is trib u to r: Rick Brown,
W adax US
Tel: (612) 817-1599
Web: w w w .w adax.us,www.rbhifi1.com
Setting Up the Phono Input
O n delivery day, Javier Guadalajara and

Wadaxs US importer, Rick Brown,
arrived w ith a PRE1 and the test lac
quer. The W adax sat on an HRS rack,
on a set o f the newest footers from
Stillpoint. I connected the Caliburn
Cobra tonearm s RCA plugs to the
phono input and S /P D IF outputs o f
my M eridian Sooloos music server, a
vintage Audio Alchemy D D S'Pro C D
transport and my BPT-modified Alesis
Masterlink hard-disk recorder to the
PRE1, and listened to some analog
and some digital recordings, using the
Standard RIAA curve output (obvi-
ously, digital inputs bypass this part of

the signal processing).
I listened briefly to uncorrected
digitized LPs; the W adax was sonically undistinguished compared to the
Ypsilon VPS-100 phono pream p into
cither the darTZcel N PIB-18NS or
Ypsilon PST-100 M k.II pream pli
fier. T h en it was tim e to m ap my
systems analog front end by playing
the test lacquer w ith the O rtofon A90
cartridge, the P R E ls analog output
feeding a handheld digital recorder.
Guadalajara then spent a few hours
analyzing and cmnching data on his
elusive
/ d isc
*
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laptop, stored the corrections on a USB

flash drive, and inserted that into the
USB port on the back o f the PRE1. This
automatically routes the data to and
reprograms one o f the m usIC chips.
In the real world, the buyer or deal
er would play the lacquer and record
the data, which would then be sent to
W adax in Europe via the Internet. The
file containing the corrective informa
tion would be sent back the same way,
to be uploaded to a USB drive for
installation in the PRE1.
W hile Guadalajara cranched his
numbers, I used the Sooloos to check
out the sound o f the P R E ls DAC. As
this is Analog Corner, Ill say only
that the DA C produced texturally
supple, solid, grainless, finely articu
lated three-dimensional images similar
to those produced by the Simaudio
M oon Evolution 650D DAC-transport
into an analog preamplifierbut even
m ore smooth, graceful, and especially,
transparent. T he Wadax D A Cs bass
performance was similarly texturally
solid, supple, nimble, and well con
trolled; again, the W adax was margin
ally superior to the 650D in these
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ANALOG CORNER ) ) J
areas. W ell-recorded high-resolution

files produced almost velvety-rich yet
detailed images on a pleasingly spacious
and airy soundstage, and didnt sound at
all digital in the pejorative sense.
However, the backgrounds produced
by the PRE1 were noticeably blacker
than I can recall having heard from my
system, perhaps in part because o f the
integration into a single com ponent o f
DA C and preamp, which obviated the
need for analog interconnects. O nly the
dCS Scarlatti system I reviewed in Au
gust 2009, via its variable output, pro
duced such aural blackness. Toggling
back and forth betw een the Wadax
and the Simaudio 650D into the M BL
6010D analog preampw hich itself is
very quietmade clear ju st how black
and rich those W adax backdrops were.
Custom-Mapped Analog
Once the mapping information had

been uploaded, the first record I played
was Analogue Productions two-disc
45rpm edition o f Stan G etz and Joao
Gilbcrtos Getz/Gilberto (Verve/Ana
logue Productions AVRJ 8432-45),
which Id ju st played unmapped.
Air Tight & Shelter

MC Cartridges
Lyra MC Cartridges
The fully-loaded PRE1 has a fu ll set o f inputs

and outputs.
Com pared to pure analog playback,

the unm apped playback was far less
compelling in term s o f transparency,
delicacy, image three-dimensionality,
and especially palpability, and seemed
harmonically undernourished com
pared to the riches offered by the Ypsi
lon VPS-100 phono preamp (although,
as w ith its digital playback, the W adaxs
backgrounds were pitch black). T h en I
listened using C ustom Mapping. The
biggest and m ost immediately audible
differences were in image solidity,
soundstage depth, and transients that
struck an ideal balance betw een speed
and delicacy. B ut w hat drew from m e
an im m ediate O h wow! (not that I
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saw!) was the sonic pictures overall
coherence and its obvious tonal neu
trality. N othing stuck out. Gilbertos
finger-plucked guitar was notably front
and center, each pluck precise and
palpable. His voice was equally well
focused, precisely placed in threedimensional space and tonally well
balanced, w ith a transparent, physical
quality to consonants (such as p) that
rendered them more lifelike. The
interplay between Gilberto and pianist
Antonio Carlos Jobim was as cleanly
rendered as Ive heard it.
Astrud Gilbertos voice was appro
priately feathery, but not quite as
dramatic and upfront as Im used to
which could have been because the
P R E ls phono stage had ironed flat the
cartridges high-frequency nonlincarities. The same was true o f G etzs tenor
saxit sounded dense and physical,
w ith an ideal balance o f reed and
brass. And w hen Jobim took his piano
solo, the certainty and delicacy o f the
ham m ers hitting the strings and the
freedom from breakup produced from
me another O h wow!
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ANALOG CORNER ) ) )
Getz/Gilberto may have sounded a

bit dark compared to w hat Im used
to hearing from this album, but Id be
hard-pressed to say that the cymbals
and drum s didnt sound correct, or that
the saxophone sounded m uted. I dont
think anyone reading this would have
know n they were listening to digital
(O h wow!), especially because the
PRE1 phono stages major sin was o f
omission: instrum ental decays seemed
consistently too short and less than
fully realized. Recordings w ith notable
reverberationparticularly music
recorded live in big hallsseem ed drier
than expected.
Javier Guadalajara and Rick Brown
were happy w ith the results. They
didnt hype me, but they did hang
around for a few hours as I played DJ,
spinning records I thought w ould be
revealing, including the remarkable
Clarinet Summit, by Jim m y Ham ilton,
Alvin Batiste, Jo h n Carter, and David
M urray (LP, India Navigation 1062);
and organist Larry Youngs Unity (LP,
Blue N ote/M u sic M atters 4221).
More Drive, Please
W hen MBLs Radialstrahler 101E

M k.II loudspeakers arrived for
review (to be published in April), it
became apparent that while the Wadax
PRE1 had enough output to drive
MBLs Reference 9011 monoblocks in
digital input mode, that wasnt the case
with vinyl.
A simple program m ing update via
the P R E ls USB port should have pro
duced greater output, but I was unable
to get that to w orkso a second PRE1
arrived that did. Even so, Id say that
the W adax isnt a good m atch for sys
tems w ith the M BL 101E M k.II, or for
any super-insensitive speaker. W hile
the sound was as Ive described and the
backgrounds were still black, w hen no
music was playing I heard m ore noise
than I w anted to.
and listened to w hat that produced.

I was comparing the $28,000
Ypsilon phono pream p (add nearly
$3000 for the step-up transformer),
the $28,000 darTZeel pream p, and
the $8000 Simaudio M oon Evolu
tion 650D D A C-transporttotal cost
almost $68,000 (plus however m uch
you w ant to spend on analog and
digital cables)to a $32,500 all-in-one
pream p, phono stage, and DAC. For
pure digital playback, in m any ways the
PRE1 came out on top. If there was a
downside to its digital performance, it
was a slight softness and lack o f sparkle
and vitality in the highest highsand
if you like tube w arm th, the Wadax
didnt deliver.
B ut if you like a smooth, rich,
artifact-free extreme top end, youll
love the PRE1. T he lower octaves
were fully realized in every way. As
I w rite this Ive got the M eridian
Sooloos swimming (its like the iPods
IN HEAVY ROTATION
1) Beethoven, Symphonies 1-9 (Paavo
Jarvi, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie
Bremen), 180gm LPs (9 )
2 ) Johnny Cash, The Fabulous
Johnny Cash, C o lum b ia /lm pex 180gm
LP
3) Art Blakey and the Jazz Mes

sengers, Like Someone in Love, Blue
N o te /M u s ic M atters 180gm 45 rpm
LPs(2 )
4 ) Ella Fitzgerald and Louis

Armstrong, Ella and Louis, V erve /
Analogue Productions 180gm 45rpm
LPs(2 )
5) James Taylor, JT , C o lu m b ia /M o
bile Fidelity Sound Lab 180gm LP
6 ) Mendelssohn, Symphony 3 (Peter

Maag, London Symphony), London/
ORG 180gm 45 rpm LPs (2 )
7) Gil Evans Orchestra, Great Ja zz

Begging the Question
Standards, W orld Pacific/Pure Plea
I was listening to a top-notch turntable,

tonearm , and cartridge. T he O rtofon
A90 is am ong the m ost tonally neutral
cartridges Ive yet heardwhich is
why I bought it. It would have been
interesting to install a noticeably bright
an d /o r etched cartridge, or maybe even
a budget model, and Custom M apped
that to hear if superb analog/digital
playback can be achieved on the car
tridge cheapor to have gone another
step down, installed an inexpensive car
tridge in a modestly priced turntable,
sure 180gm m ono LP
8 ) Herb Ellis, Nothing But the Blues,

Verve/Speakers Corner 180gm LP
9 ) Steve Earle, I'll Never Get Out of
This W orld Alive, New W est 180gm

LP
10) Various Artists, The Secret M u

seum of M ankind, Vol.1: Central Asia
192S-48, O uternational LPs (2 )
Visit musicangle.com for full reviews.
Shuffle mode), and M cCartneys

bass in Something, from the 24-bit
remastering o f the Beatles Abbey Road,
sounds as rich, full, and well controlled
as Ive ever heard it digitally repro
duced.
For straight-up all-analog play
back o f LPs, Ill still take the Ypsilon
VPS-100 phono stage, and I think you
would too. In two areas it was clearly
noticeably superior to the Wadax
instead o f being merely different: in
instrumental harm onic complexity,
and, especially the decays o f instru
m ents soundsthe way notes trail off.
T he Wadax had the black for sure, but
notes dropped into it prematurely.
W hat Would Ludwig Say?
A superbly conducted and performed,

limited-edition set o f Beethovens sym
phonies recently arrived: Paavo Jarvi
conducting the Deutsche Kammcrphilharmonie Bremen, recorded in D SD at
the 2009 Salzburg Festival (see www.
kam m erphilharm onie.com /en/C D s.
html). The multitrack digital tapes were
remixed to analog tape specifically for
this set, which is pressed on nine highquality, 180gm LPs and sumptuously
packaged.
I grew up on the 1960s-era
Beethoven cycles o f H erbert von
Karajan (D G G ) and O tto Klemperer
(EMI), and Jarvis takes on these warhorses are paced m ore quickly w ithout
giving up any o f the grandeur. Even if
you know these symphonies by heart,
these performances will thrill you. The
recording goes for clarity o f line and
instrum ental balance over ambience,
but its not overly spotlit, and the
multim iking is expertly stitched into a
close but coherent perspective.
I w ent back and forth between
the all-analog through the Ypsilon
VPS-100 phono stage and digitized
analog through the PRE1, and while
the Ypsilon prevailed in ways subtle
and significant, the digitized version
through the Wadax was too close for
comfort. I doubt anyone would know
which was digital and which was pure
analog. I dont say that lightly.
W ith the exception o f those w hove
spent large sums on their LP play
back chains, its likely that many vinyl
fans will find that swapping out their
phono and line preamps for the W adax
will produce a significant step up in
analog sound.
Did I ju st write that?
Michael Fremer (michaelfremer@sorc.com)
is self-described as a "giant walking opinion."
39
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IN SEARCH OF THE EXCEPTIONAL
LISTENING
b y ART DUDLEY
t h i s is s u e : Ortofon's new Xpression pickup head,
Shindo's latest Haut-Brion amplifier, and 10 awful
records are matched by their equally awful cover art.
M atters of E xpression
hono cartridgesalong w ith mothballs, hobnails,
laundry bluing, hot-w ater bottles, lighter fluid, fur
coats, and typewritersare am ong the m ost outdat
ed o f consum er goods: To m ost people w ho make
their living in the w orld o f consum er electronics, every new
cartridge that hits the shelves is little m ore than a cough
ing spasm from the death-room dow n the hall. You can
imagine, then, the w elcom e accorded new samples o f the
even m ore anachronistic pickup head, which combines phono
cartridge, headshell, and barbell into a product one seldom
sees outside the school librarians ju n k drawer. N ew pickup
heads, which tend to look the same as old pickup heads,
are m anufactured in pessimistic quantities, and seldom get
much attention.
O rtofon, the Danish firm thats been in business
longer than any other m anufacturer o f phono
gear, has confounded all that w ith the
Xpression ($5399): an entirely
new moving-coil pickup head
designed from the ground up.
It has surprised even me.
T h e Xpression derives
from the O rtofon M C A90,
a technically advanced
moving-coil cartridge that
our ow n Mikey Frem er
has called revolutionary. T hat
limited-edition product
com bined a num ber o f
innovations, including a tiny
cylindrical field-stabilizing
elem ent (FSE), to counteract
disturbances in the magnetic field, and a wide-range dam p
ing (W R D ) system, m ade o f tiny rubber and platinum discs,
said to enhance both tracking and timbral neutrality. But the
A90s real calling card was the m anufacturing process used
to create its body: selective laser m elting (SLM), whereby
individual particles o f stainless steel are welded together, one
layer at a time, to create a complex, hom ogenous stmcture
in which density and self-damping ability are m ore than
merely random.
Lest you think that SLM is ju st another initialism cooked
up by a m anufacturer or its advertising agency, I can as
sure you that it isnt. This com puter-driven manufacturing
technique, though still in its infancy, has already gained a
foothold in the manufacturing o f titanium-alloy orthopedic
appliances, w here the need for precision and consistency is
obvious.1
Thus the O rtofon Xpression is a unique blend o f the
new and the old. Its compliance is on the low side, and
the pickup heads 28gm mass is com m ensurate w ith that.
1 For evidence of this, search YouTube for university student Joel Millers very
clever video, Microstructure-Property Relationships in Ti2448 Components
Produced by Selective Laser Melting: A Love Story.
The recom m ended downforce is a substantial but not scary

2.6gm. Impedance and output are lowish, at 4 ohms and
0.3 mV, respectively, and the stylus profile is am ong the
m ost advanced on the m arket: a highly polished sample o f
O rtofons Replicant 100.
This new O rtofon is designed and built as a drop-in re
placem ent for any G-style pickup head. (I measured a colletto-stylus dimension o f precisely 52mm.) It has an SME-standard four-pin connector at one end and an axial finger-lift at
the other, both gold-plated. T he Xpression looks decidedly
equine from some angles, but w hen viewed dircctly from
its left side it resembles the
head and neck o f a friendly,
googly-eyed Brontosaurus.
Used in either my EM T
997 or Schick tonearm and
loaded w ith m y Audito
rium 23 step-up transformer,
the Xpression proved itself to
be m uch m ore explicit than my
original SPU m ore detailed, more
open, more tactile, m ore revealing o f
nuance and techniquew ithout sounding the
least bit hi-fi. T he new O rtofon sounded every bit
as solid, colorful, dramatic, and forceful as the old one. (I
admit, I w ouldnt normally have expected such solidity,
such lack o f fussiness, from a pickup w ith other than a
spherical stylus tip.) The Xpression offered insights at
which my Bakelite-bodied SPU has only hinted. The
one that stands out in my m em orychiefly because
Im still listening to the record as I w rite thisis the
m anner in which drum m er Dave Mattacks draws out
his more broadly spaced cymbal crashes throughout Fairport
Conventions House Full (Hannibal H N B L 1319): difficult to
describe, easy to appreciate and enjoy.
Playing Ravels M a mere Icrye, w ith Ernest A nserm et and
the Suisse Rom ande Orchestra (LP, Decca SXL-2062),
the Xpression astonished m e from the first few measures.
Each orchestral swell came across w ith a degree o f force
and impact suggested by no other cartridge Ive owned: It
was almost as if the O rtofon were magnifying the dynamic
contrasts within the recordingan effect not unlike that o f
the H om m age T1 and T 2 phono transformers Ive w ritten
about in past columns. Tonally, the Xpression was m ore ex
tended in its treble range than my SPU, but n o t to the point
o f brightness, nor at the expense o f low-frequency richness.
The contrabassoon that makes its entrance during the Prelude
was just as deep and weighty w ith the Xpression as with the
older SPU and was better defined in pitch and presence.
The O rtofon Xpression was so outstandingly dynamic
and communicative that I began to mistrust my senses:
D uring its first day in my system, did I select, by chance,
recordings that ju st happened to show it off? I stopped that
afternoon, and swapped back in my standard O rtofon SPU.
41
( i LISTENING
T he difference was real: Love my older

O rtofon though I do, the Xpression
was clearly m ore dramatic, w ith no
penalty in texture or color.
Bear in mind: W hile the O rtofon
Xpression found m ore and w ider
dynamic contrasts w ithin otherwise
average-sounding records, it did not
improve the sound o f records that
were poor to begin with. (File under:
This shirt will not make you fly.) Many
selections on Crosby, Stills & N ashs
debut album rem ained dense and
woolly. Fritz Reiner and the Chicago
Symphony O rchestras The Reiner
Sound still sounded dull. Enos delight
ful Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy
still had a little too m uch bite in the
treble. Sir Colin Daviss recording,
w ith the English C ham ber Orchestra,
o f M ozarts Symphonies 28 and 38
still had a peculiar and hard-to-define
congestion and m idrange glare. B ut the
Xpressions high-tech stylus profile was
as quiet in the groove as anything else
Ive tried, m aking it easier than usual
for m e to enjoy heavily w orn samples
o f otherwise good recordings.
T he Xpression confounded more
than my expectations regarding neww-old technologies (see As W e See It

on p.3): Delighted though I am to see
and hear such a product in the second
decade o f the 21st century, the Xpres
sion brings w ith it a certain disregard
for convention and for the staid logic
o f com m ercenot unlike the best
music. T hat such a technologically ad
vanced company can still take a chance
such as this is a blessing.
A Haut with a heart of gold
The products o f Sliindo Laboratory

occupy an uncrowded space in the
audio market: not quite mass-produced,
not quite bespoke. Virtually all o f Ken
Shindos amplifiers and preamplifiers are
designed around parts from his extensive
collection o f vintage tubes, capaci
tors, resistors, and the like, and o f the
necessities that remainespecially the
distinctive steel casework, made to order
for each modelSliindo orders only 10
or 20 at a time. Subsequent production
runs are determined by a combination
o f consumer demand and sufficient
reserve supplies o f vintage parts.
T hat approach brings with it the
opportunity for Shindo-san to revise

every m odel virtually at will. Those
changes can be major or m inora sin
gle-ended amplifier called the Lafon,
w hich has been built w ith three very
different pow er tubes over the years, is
a fine example o f the form erand the
designer appears to regard them as ar
tistic variations rather than as improve
m ents per se. Just as there are different
sonic and musical characteristics to ev
ery Shindo amplifier modelmany o f
w hich would otherwise seem similar,
based solely on pow er outputso there
are often distinctions betw een different
samples o f the same Shindo model.
The latter idea has taken shape in
the m ost recent edition o f the Shindo
Haut-Brion (511,000), a stereo ampli
fier designed around com plem entary
pairs o f the famous 6L6 pentode tube.
In recent years, during which the
brands following in N orth America
has seen the m ost growth, the uniquely
styled H aut-Brion has stood out as the
only Shindo amplifier whose vacuum
tubes are all contained inside a single
enclosure; consequently, the HautBrion was also the only Shindo amp
LISTENING ) ) )
that lacked a separate tube cage.

The first Haut-Brions2 used two
output pentodes and two 6AW 8A
triode/pentodes per side, w ith negative
feedback applied only w ithin the input
section. After one or two production
runs, Ken Shindo introduced some
unheralded changes: T w o of the four
6AW 8A triode/pentode tubes w ere re
placed w ith 6EJ7 pentodes, andmore
radicallya small am ount o f global
feedback was introduced, from the
output-transform er secondaries back
to the pentode halves o f the 6AW8As.
T he latter change in particular was
credited for m aking that version o f the
H aut-Brion m ore loudspeaker-friendly
than its immediate predecessor. N o
specs are available for the Shindodesigned Lundahl output transformers,
b u t while measuring that version o f
the amp I noted significantly more
output pow er driving a 16-ohm load
than an 8-ohm load.
T hat version o f the H aut-Brion
sold out last summer, prom pting Ken
2 The Haut-Brions early history is hazy, hut there
are rumors of an even earlier version than this,
possibly designed around a different power tube.
Caged heat: Shindo's latest Haut-Brion am plifier.
Sliindo to take yet another fresh look

at the m ost expensive stereo amp
in his product line. T he new H autBrion, w hich became available in late
September, has a num ber o f tilings in
com m on w ith its immediate predeces
sorand ju st as m any differences.

First, die similarities: As w ith every
other H aut Ive seen, the new one uses
as its output tube the comparatively
rare 6L6GAY. (The G A indicates the
envelopes size and Coke-bottle shape;
ALLNIC A U D IO
.
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L IS T E N IN G
the Y denotes a tube base made to mil

itary specs from Micanol, a reddish-tan,
high-tem perature phenolic that is no
longer produced, and whose nam e has
since been appropriated by the makers
o f an anti-itch cream.) T he output
section is a fixed-bias design, w ith a
regulated bias supply and individual
adjustm ent pots for each o f the four
tubes; hefty 1-ohm cathode resistors
on all four output tubes simplify the
taking o f bias-current m easurements
w ithout lifting those cathodes appre
ciably above ground. T heres regulated
D C (about 260V) on the screen grids
o f the output tubes, but no signal
unlike Shindos similarly powerful
Corton-C harlem agne, the H aut-Brion
is not an Ultralinear designand those
screen grids are all tied together.
T he new H aut-Brion also uses
the same output transform er as its
predecessor: a C-core Lundahl model
made exclusively for Ken Shindo, to
his specifications. Each transform er has
only a single secondary coil, which I
w ould assume is optim ized for liighimpedance loudspeaker loads such
as Shindos own. The H aut-Brions
exceptionally large D enki mains trans
form er also appears unchanged from
the previous version, as does its large
power-supply choke. T he new H autBrion also shares w ith its predeces
sorand other Shindo modelsthe use
o f an internal EY88 diode tube, tied
to a center tap from one o f the mains
secondaries, to gradually ram p up the
rail voltage in an effort to prolong tube
life. All power-supply rectification is
accomplished w ith silicon devices.
N ow for the differences. First and
perhaps m ost im portant, the new
H aut-B rion does not use global feed
back, making it less suitable than its
predecessor for very dem anding loud
speaker loads (but see below). Second,
Ken Shindo has abandoned the 6EJ7
for this design and reverted to 6AW 8A

triode/pentode tubes, this time three
p er channel. As w ith other o f Shindos
driver circuits, I was unable to fathom
the intricacies o f this one, apart from
noting that there does indeed seem to
be some local feedback. Surprisingly,
given that there are fully three trio d e /
pentode tubes per channel, this itera
tion o f the H aut-Brion didnt appear to
have any more gain than its immediate
predecessor.
Speaking o f gain, its w orth m en
tioning that all contem porary Shindo
amplifiers are three-stage (as opposed
to two-stage) designs, and they all tend
T h e n e w H a u t-B rio n
does n o t u se
g lo b a l f e e d b a c k ,
m a k i n g i t le s s s u i ta b l e
th a n its p re d e c e s s o r
fo r v e ry d e m a n d in g
l o u d s p e a k e r lo a d s .
to have significantly higher gain than
m ost other commercial amps. For
that reason, Ken Shindos amps are
equipped w ith left- and right-channel
gain controls, so the user can adjust
gain and channel balance in accordance
w ith his or her system and room. That
brings to m ind another change in the
new Haut-Brion: Every other Shindo
amp Ive tried has sounded its best
w ith its level control(s) turned all the
way up, and w ith only the preamp
control used to adjust volume. But in
the new H aut-Brion Ken Shindo has
exchanged his usual Cosmos potenti
om eters for a pair o f Alps 250k ohm
potsand I found that I could adjust
the new am ps level controls with
absolutely no dim inution o f clarity and
CONTACTS
Ortofon A/S,
W eb: w w w .ortofon.us.
Stavangervej 9,
D K -4 9 0 0 Nakskov, Denmark.
Shindo Laboratory
Tel: (4 5 ) 54-91-19-15
Fax: (4 5 ) 54-91-19-11
Web: w w w .ortofon.com .
US d is trib u to r: O rto fo n Inc.,
5 0 0 Executive Boulevard, Suite 102,
Ossining, NY 10562.
Tel: (914) 762-8646.
Fax: (914) 762-8649.
Web: ww w.shindo-laboratory.co.jp.
US distributor: Tone Imports.
Tel: (6 4 6 ) 42 5-7800.
W eb: w w w .toneim ports.com .
) ) )
presence. A m ong other things, that

allowed m e to raise my pream p level
to a range where channel-to-channel
tracking is m uch better. (I admit: Im a
balance freak.)
Every Shindo amp Ive experienced
has also had a characteristic sound, and
the H aut-Brion is no exception. Each
H aut Ive heard, regardless o f version,
has sounded bignot in the somewhat
puffy m anner o f other amplifiers, but
solidly soas well as timbrally rich, and
slightly darker than average. N otw ith
standing that last quality, theyve all
been well detailed, w ithout blurring
or smoothing over textures, although
other Sliindo amplifiers can sound
stringier or reedier w hen need be.
T hat handful o f H auts equipped
w ith global feedback deserve special
m ention: They dont sound quite
as big as the ones w ithout, and they
sound considerably tighter and faster.
T he first such H aut-Brion I had in my
system was, quite simply, the rockingest Shindo amplifier Ive heard, yet
it still delivered the abundant tone and
touch for w hich the brand is known.
The new H aut-Brion lacked that
tightness, and the low-frequency tones
o f some instruments had very generous
decay times. B ut it generated the most
enorm ous soundfield Ive ever heard
in my hom efar bigger than even my
ow n Shindo Corton-Charlem agnes.
Even m ore noticeableand more
impressivewas the m anner in which
the latest H aut-Brion com m uni
cated the idea o f force. The amp was,
am ong other things, the pizzicato
king: W hen a string instrum ent was
plucked through the H aut-Brion, it
stayed plucked. I heard a fine example
o f this while listening to the Scherzo
o f Brittens Serenade for Tenor, H orn,
and Strings, Op.31, w ith R obert Tear,
Alan Civil, Sir Neville Marriner, and
the N orthern Sinfonia (LP, Angel
S-36788). Nuances o f touch on virtu
ally every instrum ent, from fingers on
a nylon-string guitar to w ooden sticks
on a drum kit, were laid bare as never
before. It struck m e that the switch
to the H aut-Brion was not unlike
swapping my two-way, dynamic Audio
N ote A N -E loudspeakers for a pair of
horn-loaded compression drivers. And
that thought led m e to w onder if the
combination o f a Shindo H aut-Brion
and a good pair o f horns m ight result
in some sort o f impact overdosethe
prospect o f which, I admit, has trem en
dous appeal.
Finally, theres the m atter o f styling.
45
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LISTENING ) )
T he original H aut-B rion appealed to

me from the first, partly for looking
like no other pow er amplifier Ive
seen, partly for the cleanness and sim
plicity o f its design: W h at appeared,
from the outside, to be a single,
seamless box was actually a six-room
housethree up, three dow nw ith all
the signal tubes arranged neatly be
hind a central Plexiglas window. T he
new H aut also works as architecture,
although this house is m ore in the
Federal style (save for a slight depar
ture from symmetry). H ere the box
has been replaced w ith a som ew hat
m ore traditional low-slung chassis, also
divided into three downstairs rooms,
the left and right sides o f w hich are
topped w ith removable transform er
covers o f mildly unequal size: mains
transform er and pow er-supply choke
on the left, o u tp u t transform er and
reservoir caps on the right. Ten tubes
live in the breezeway betw een those
structures, the w hole topped w ith Ken
Shindos m ost fanciful tube cage yet:
a dom ed affair, the untethered front
o f w hich suggests the visor o f a green
medieval helm et. W ay cool.
w ould top m y list), here are those

releases for w hich n o thing in the
firm am ent was in alignm ent, listed
from bad to w orst. (Popovers gets an
extra p o in t for com bining disposable
m usic, lam e design w ork, and inept
photography in one w retched, dated,
what-thc-hell-<7tt'-those-things pack
age.) Enjoy!
Truth in Advertising: 10 A wful

Records, 10 A wful Covers
List of the Month

Lists are good, shallow fun, and
capable o f suggesting deeper truths:
reason enough to m ake them a
m o n th ly thing. So in h o n o r o f the
60th anniversary o f the founding
o f the Eastm an W in d Ensem ble,
Ill start by offering m y choices o f
10 records o f dubious quality, the
contents o f w hich are accurately
reflected in th eir cover art. W hile
w e can all nam e at least ten very
good records w ith very good cover
art (the R olling Stones Sticky Fingers
10. Jo h n Lennon: M ind Games

9. A rthur Fiedler and the Boston
Pops: Saturday Night Fiedler
8. Lou Reed: Berlin
7. Alice Cooper: Billion Dollar Babies
6. Frederick Fennell, Eastman W ind
Ensemble: Wagnerfor Band
5. Tw isted Sister: Stay Hungry
4. Joe Perry: Let the Music Do the
Talking
3. West, Bruce & Laing: Whatever

Turns You On
2. Robyn Archer: The Ladies Choice

1. Frederick Fennell, EastmanRochester Pops Orchestra: Popovers
A rt Dudley (art.dudhy@sorc.com) lives
in upstate N ew York with his wife, daughter,
and various pets.
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We cant praise them enough... these are astoundingly good
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out of, I love the A6s. Theyre GRREAT! - Roy Gregory, HiFi+
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e
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47
o w
s y o u r
te n
y e a r o ld p r e a m
d o in g i
p r e a m p lifie r
O u rs is ju s t fin e thanks fo r asking. In fa c t th e

Stereophile magazine. W e are p ro u d th a t a
p e rfo rm a n c e a decade la te r (w ith a co uple o f
expensive pream p w ith Stereophiles Class A
B oulder, C o lo ra d o using A m e rica n -m a d e p a rts
A y re K -5 x e MP was re c e n tly aw arded a Class A ra tin g by

p ro d u c t in tro d u c e d in 2002 still o ffe rs w o rld -cla ss
re tro fitta b le updates along th e w ay). I ts also th e least
ranking, even th o u g h it is s till ca re fu lly h a n d -b u ilt in
v irtu a lly exclusively.
"... a fu ll bodied sound that revels in tonal colour, shape and texture... Build quality is exemplary
and better than most achieve even at twice this price.
Jason Kennedy, HiFi+
Its deathly quiet backgrounds allowed the K-5xe MP to step out o f the way o f the music... For what is these days a relatively
affordable price, it offers much o f the sound quality you can getfrom the megabucks solid-state preamps.
John Atkinson, Stereophile
A t A yre we push lim its. O u r passion is in designing p roducts th a t are years, o r even decades, ahead o f th e ir tim e,
like the K-5x pream p was in 2002. W e never stand still, and we never stop testing new ideas. But when
som ething is b u ilt to last, it shouldnt need to be replaced ju st because we continue to innovate. T h a ts why,
instead o f in tro d u cin g an endless succession o f new com ponents, we o ffe r reasonably priced
upgrades fo r o u r existing ones. Every single p ro d u c t we have ever made can be fully updated to
the latest version offered.
W e make p rod ucts th a t w e w o u ld buy. W e make p ro d u cts th a t you can keep. C heck w ith yo u r
local A yre dealer o r give us a call to fin d o u t m ore.
B o u ld e r, C o lo r a d o w w w .a y r e .c o m 3 0 3 .4 4 2 .7 3 0 0
BECAUSE HIGH-END DOESN'T

HAVE TO MEAN HIGH-PRICED
ENTRY
LEVEL
by STEPHEN MEJIAS
this issue: SM practices his rock-star poses while
listening to the NAD C 515BEE CD player.
Life and Stuff

P
laying a Compact Disc is nothing like playing a live

show.
W ild, right? This is ju st the latest o f the

profundities to explode into m y mighty brain
as I slouch on the orange couch, staring at stacks o f
CDs, contem plating life and stuff. It came to m e on a
lovely Sunday m orning. T he sun was shining, the birds
were cheeping, and I was still high from my bands
perform ance two nights earlier.
If youve ever played music o f any kindbut
especially rocknrollfor a crowd o f enthusiastic fans
and friends, you know the rush Im talking about.
T heres nothing like the energy that erupts from the
live perform ance, the blissful marriage o f process and
product. T he band makes m usic and the audience
hears itnothing betw een them but the lip o f the
stage. As the band gives, the audience, through cheers
The M ulti-Purpose Solution, live at M axwell's. From left: SM, Jim Teacher, Dan Prochilo,
David Caldwell, Alan ten-Hoeve.
and flailing limbs, gives in return. O ne fuels the other,
and a unique bond is formed. This is very different
from, say, creating a magazine: T he process occurs
another chance. T he sound o f the audience m em bers as they
months ahead o f the product, and theres often a great
sang along, their separate voices coalescing and growing into
distance betw een the perform ers (writers and editors) and
a massive, single voice raised high above the racket o f guitar
audience (readers).
amps and crash cymbals, is som ething Ill never forget.
I wish you could have been there to see our band, the
In the nights leading up to the show, I practiced diligently
M ulti-Purpose Solution, play. T he show took place at one o f
on my own. Standing in the center o f my listening room, I
the finest rock venues on the planet, M axwells in Hoboken,
tried to avoid knocking into my PSB Alpha B1 loudspeakers
N ew Jersey, and it was a w ild successa surprise to all
as I staick rock-star poses, snarled at my LP shelves, and
involved for many reasons, none greater than the fact that
riffed along on my Epiphone SG to our bands debut CD,
our band pretty m uch doesnt exist anymore.
the mps (CD, M int 400 M 4R00 18). The C D player, N A D s
In May o f last year, our old friend and rock colleague,
C 515BEE, m ustve w ondered w hat the heck was going on
Neil Sabatino o f M int 400 Records, had contacted our
as I constantly paused and reversed, paused and reversed.
front man, Jim Teacher. N eils band, Fairmont, w ould be
celebrating their 10th anniversary w ith a show in November, Totally neat
and he w ondered if our band, defunct since 2006, would
At $300, the C 515BEE is N A D s least expensive C D player.
reunite for the occasion. It was an interesting proposition.
Designed to match the C 316BEE integrated amplifier
W ed been asked to play shows in the past, but wed always
($380), the compact C 515BEE measures 17/8" W by 2%" H
found reasons to decline. This show, however, would be at
by 9!/2n D and weighs just 7.75 lbs. In terms o f fit and finish, it
Maxwells (where bands eat for free), and w e had six m onths
falls short o f the standard set by the big, hefty Emotiva ERCto prepare. It seem ed possible. Still, I was as surprised as
2 ($449), which I reviewed in December, but theres nothing
anyone w hen we actually agreed to do it.
chintzy about the NAD. In fact, I prefer its simple, m odest
After accepting the offer, w e tried our best to schedule
appearance over the Emotivas busy, showy design. And
regular rehearsals, but life and stuffwork, children,
anything thats easy on the back is a friend o f mine.
weddings, funerals, lower-back pain, upper-back pain,
O n the N A D s front panel, from left to right, are a pow er
untim ely snowstormsconspired against us. O ver the next
button, the disc tray, a modestly lit vacuum-fluorescent
six m onths, we managed to m eet for only three full-band
display, and two rows o f three buttons each: on top, Play,
rehearsals, and the third one wasnt all that encouraging.
Pause, and Stop; below those are O pen/C lose, and forward
W e were rusty. So w hen the tim e came to actually play
and backward Skip/Scan. So smooth and quiet was the
the show, each m em ber o f the band felt a certain degree o f
N A D s tray that inserting and removing C D s was always a
anxiety. It wasnt until w e were at Maxwells and had seen
pleasurenot unlike opening or closing the door o f a fine
the bar fill up w ith fans, friends, and family that we knew
automobile. O n the rear panel are an analog output, coaxial
nothing could go wrong. W e packed the house and rocked
and optical digital outputs, and a simple A C pow er cord.
furiously, this tim e know ing that we m ight never have
The m odels overall appearance is handsome and serene.
For footage of the show, go to tinyurl.com/7omchom
49
( ( I THE ENTRY LEVEL
The C 515BEE comes w ith a rem ote

control that allows the user to do all
sorts o f fun stuff: program tracks,
repeat a single track or a section within
a track (handy for practicing your
rocknroll moves), and adjust the dis
plays brightness. The rem ote is small
and lightyou w ont feel com pelled to
smash anyone over the head w ith it.
Surprisingly sm art for a $300 C D
player, the C 515BEE can play M P3and W M A -form atted recordings
burned to C D -R or C D -R W discsa
trick that even my $1100 Exposure
2010S cant pull off. Using the rem ote
control, the user can select playback
by scrolling through the M P 3 /W M A
folders and files. O nce a file is selected,
the C 515BEE displays the file type
and any available metadata (song title,
artist, album). Totally neat.
Tech talk
I wondered if there were special
design goals for the C 515BEE. N A D s
director o f technolog)' and product
planning, Greg Stidsen, explained that
the company wanted to reach a high
level o f performance at an affordable
CONTACTS
NAD Electronics International

633 Granite Court
Pickering, Ontario L1W 3K1, Canada
Tel: (905) 831-6555
Fax: (905) 837-6357
Web: www.nadelectronics.com
price: W hile $300 is not m uch in
audiophile terms, it is a major purchase
for many people, and we try to offer
the best possible musical performance
for the price. I appreciate Stidsens
acknowledgment o f the real world:
For m ost o f my friends, $300 is a crazy
am ount o f m oney for a C D player. He
continued: W hile perfection is not
possible at $300, a highly engaging
musical experience is entirely possible,
if you know w hat you are doing. To
that end, NA D developed a circuit lay
out to com plem ent their chosen active
devices: a Cirrus Logic 24-bit/192kH z
sigma-delta digital-to-analog converter
and an audio-specific Texas Instru
m ents 5532 dual op-amp.
M ore tech talk from Stidsen: A lot
o f people dont realize that m ost DACs

dont m eet their potential performance
due to manufacturing tolerances. A
perfect 24-bit D A C should have a
dynamic range o f 144dB, yet in prac
tice even the m ost expensive D A C s
only get to 135dB or so. Since C D is
only 16-bit, even a m oderately priced
24/192 D A C will easily accommodate
the 96dB dynamic range required
with perfect linearity. Circuit layout is
supercritical, as [are] correct decoupling
o f power supply and choice o f passive
com ponents and com ponent values.
How does N A D keep its prices low?
Stidsen explained that the company has
never invested in its ow n manufactur
ing factories, but instead benefits from
the economies o f scale and production
expertise offered by their overseas part
ners. The BEE in the com ponents
nam e stand for Bjorn Erik Edvardscn,
the m an behind the brand, and N A D s
director o f advanced development.
Leading a small team o f hardware and
software engineers at N A D s O ntariobased facilities, Edvardsen, along with
senior engineer Steve W ilkins, finetuned the C 515BEEs audio circuitry
...has all cables and no books! Over $2.5 m illion in cable

samples you can try at home. And w ith 20+ years o f cable
n a i l experience, we can help you short list the best options
to match your components.
Think o f your amp + speaker + speaker cable (or preamp +
amp + interconnect, etc.) as a circuit. Better cable matching to
your components w ill allow the components to function
better closer to their design ideals for better sound!
The Cable Company. The Cable Library.

A novel idea.
THE ENTRY LEVEL ) )
to achieve the best possible results

w ithin the set budget param eters.
I listened to the C 515BEE C D
player with my PSB Alpha B1
loudspeakers ($299/pair), N A D C
316BEE integrated amplifier ($380),
and A udioQ uest Rocket 33 speaker
cables ($299/10' pair) and Sidewinder
interconnects ($ 6 5 /lm pair). T he C D
player and amplifier sat on shelves
in my PolyCrystal equipm ent rack,
plugged into a Furutech e-TP60
pow er conditioner, itself plugged into
a Furutech G T X wall receptacle via an
A udioQ uest N R G X-3 pow er cord.
and a good sense o f air around the

dram s, but lacked some bass weight
and impact. M ore im portant to me, the
N A D showed off a really good sense o f
touch in the songs quieter passagesI
The BEE in the

components name
stand for Bj0m Erik
Edvardsen, the man
behind the brand,
and NADs director of
advanced
development.
A highly engaging musical experience

Unlike the Emotiva ERC-2, which had
impressed m e w ith its dynamic range
and muscular overall sound, the C
515BEE sacrificcd weight and exten
sion for a smoother, m ore coherent
sound. Self-Obsessed and Sexxee,
from Sonic Youths dark classic, Experi
mentalJet Set, Trash and N o Star (CD,
D G C 24632; sec Records To Die
For), sounded appropriately sinister
and compelling, w ith clear delineation
o f the thick, heavily distorted guitars
could almost feel the energy o f drum

m er Steve Shelley as he paired gentle
taps on the ride cymbals w ith solid
kicks to the bass drum. Further, the
N A D didnt miss a beat w hen the song
cleverly shifts from dueling minor-key
leads to chunky major-key chords.
Tire N A D also sacrificed some tonal
color and body for speed and impact.
In W om an Left Lonely, from Juke

box, C at Powers beautiful collection
o f covers (CD, M atador O LE 793-2),
time is loosely kept with wire brushes
sweeping the head o f a snare drum.
T hrough the NAD, this sweeping
sound was m ore o f a metallic scrape
than the breathy w hisper Ive grown
used to hearing, w hich made the song
sound as though it were played at a
slightly faster tem po and created an
illusion o f greater detail. T hrough my
Sony PlayStation 1, the wire bntshes
swept the snare head in a gentler,
m ore relaxed fashion, conveying a
greater depth o f expression from at
tack to decay.
But the Sony lacked the N A D s
spatial abilities, setting the songs musi
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rem ained free from its resonant
clang. Through the Sony, the
piano was m ore accurately
scaled in relation to the other
instruments.
B ut I loved the C 515BEEs
way w ith Lonely W om an,
from O rn ette C olem ans The
Shape o f Jazz to Come (C D , Atlantic
5182636). Rem arkable for its many
em otional twists and turns, Lonely
W om an has got to be one o f the m ost
gorgeous and thrilling jazz composi
tions ever captured on tape, and the
N A D presented it brilliantly, com
m unicating the swagger, the longing,
the sound o f adulation in C olem ans
drunken, w eeping alto saxophone, all
w ith impressive pow er and grace. For
its part, the Sony offered a m uch m el
lower, m ore analog-like presentation,
the horns especially sounding warmer,
rounder, less burnished. This was
good and bad: T h e Sony uncovered
a fluid, acrobatic grace in the trills o f
the horns at the end o f the piece, but
missed the staggering im pact o f those
same horns in the tracks opening
measures.
W h en I turned to R unning Away
from Melissa, from the mps, the N A D
rem inded m e that w ed recorded the
album on analog equipm enttape hiss
was clearly audibleand had acci
dentally recorded this track in m ono.
More im portant, however, the N A D
conveyed the full range o f em otion in
the music. W hen the guitars shift from
delicate arpeggios to heavily distorted
pow er chords and the drum s go from a
soft snare pattern to a thunderous, fullkit explosion, I couldnt help b u t throw
my arms in the air and clench m y fists
with the soaring music. For a brief
m om ent, I was almost there again, on
stage at M axwells.
A note about MP3s

They sounded surprisingly good
through the N A D C 515BEE. Toward
the end o f the evaluation period, my
dear (and totally hot) friend Kristen
asked m e to create a mix C D for her
upcom ing dinner party. O f course, I
made not one but six mix CDs, and lit
tered them w ith provocative tunes like
Je T aime . . . Moi N on Plus, Fever,
and Sweet Bacon. Before wrapping
the discs in black silk and dousing them
w ith eau de toilette, I tested them out
in the NAD. I figured Id ju st listen
N AD's C 515BEE CD player is sm art, attractive, and delivers smooth, coherent sound fo r ju s t $300.
casually while tending to other mat

ters, but the sound was so vibrant and
compelling that I was invariably drawn
back into the listening room. Through
the NAD, it was easy to ignore the
timing errors and squashed dynamics
that typically make low-bit-rate MP3s
so unsatisfying.
Abandoning the CD?

Have you heard? The word on the In
ternet is that major labels will abandon
the Com pact Disc by the end o f 2012.
(See www.side-line.com/news_com
ments.php?id=46980_0_2_0_C.) This
is big news. I f s all over the Facebooks.
Even Natalie and Nicole are talking
about it.
W hy would they stop making
CDs? N icole asked, innocently.
It was a cold Tuesday night and we
were at the girls apartment, listening
to Natalies new records. Okkervil
Rivers Black Sheep Boy had ju st come
to an end, and she was now cueing up
In the Grace o f Your Love, the excel
lent new album by T he Rapture. She
carefully lowered the cueing lever of
h er Music Hall USB-1 turntable and
raised the volume on her Audioengine
5 loudspeakers.
I havent bought a C D in years,
Natalie said. N obody listens to them
anymore.
Nobody?
Natalie was exaggerating, but are

h er words closer to the truth than
we realize? W riting for DailyFinance,
Rick Aristotle M unarriz examined
the topic in further detail, pointing
out that big-box stores like W almart,
Target, and Best Buy have been slash
ing away at their CD inventory, while
Amazon.com, Apple, and Google have
all recently introduced cloud-based
music-storage services (see www.
tinyurl.com/7nx8jjk). The change is
happening w hether we like it or not,
argues M unarriz:
W ireless phones and tablets are
m aking music portable for those that
dont see the point o f dedicated M P3
players. Digital music stores are beefing
up the quality o f their tracks.

If you dont feel it now, wait until
you see how few 2013 model cars
will come w ith C D players. As music
streaming gets easier and m ore seam
less, the percentage o f music fans that
dont have access to digital music will
continue to shrink.
W hen I asked N A D s Greg Stidsen
about this, he responded, As recently
as last year, C D sales were still slightly
m ore than downloads, so w e think
2012 is too soon to discontinue C D
production. O u r guess is that CD s will
continue as long as retailers w ant to
buy and sell them . A nother factor is
that there are still m any major markets
around the world that do not have reli
able access to the Internet.
T he problem will eventually be
end-of-life parts as overall CD -player
sales decline and new parts and tooling
become too expensive to initiate.
M eanwhile, in this issues As We
See It, Art Dudley writes: I believe
there is still room in the marketplace
for perfectionist-quality C D players.
B ut I also believe its now the duty o f
anyone reviewing such things to ask
every one o f their manufacturers: H ow
m any disc transports and converter
chips have you set aside so that those
expensive machines can be kept in
service for m ore than a few years?
According to Stidsen, N A D has an
ample supply o f transports and D A C
chips on hand for their C D players
good news, in my view. W hile we
are now seeing a leveling off o f [CD
player] sales, Stidsen said, w ed be
happy to be the last company produc
ing C D players.
For now, Im happy w ith the N A D
C 515BEE. Im buying the review
sample. W hile its unlikely that my
band will get together again anytime
soon, at least I can relive the magic o f
our last show by listening to the CD.
Now, please excuse me w hile I
practice my rock-star poses.
Stephen Mejias (stephen.mejias@sorc.com)
curses, hangs out with girls, and listens to
vinyl in Jersey City, NJ.
53
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M U S IC IS LO V E IN S E AR C H O F A W O R D .
- S I D N E Y L A N IE R
by JOHN MARKS
ELEMENT
this issue: Put on your thinking caps,

it's another reader write-in!
A New W rite-In Com petition!

ere we go again! C om e up
w ith a list o f classical pieces,
and if your list is one o f the
skillfully crafted winners,
youll w in your choice o f a single C D
from Stereophile%online store, and your
list and all the other winning entries
will be posted online for the admira
tion o f all and sundry. This years
write-in contest will be somewhat
^
more challenging than the last three,
but Im sure many o f you will be up
to it.
The premise is simple: Create seven
PACIFIC
SYMPHONY O R C H E S T R A
classical concert programs for a fantasy
CARL ST . CL AI R
symphony orchestras season. B ut to
make it m ore interesting, you cant pro
gram works by any o f these composers: Bach, Beethoven,
Brahms, Handel, Haydn, Mahler, M endelssohn, M ozart,
Schubert, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, or Wagner. D id you
catch the no Beethoven part? Good.
M y goal is to get people thinking about great orchestral
works that have fallen o ff the radar screens, o r at least
arent by the Top 12 composers. T here are m any secondrank composers w ho w rote first-rate music that is rarely
heard in conceit. However, I believe that over the past 40
years, orchestral program m ing in the US has substantially
narrowed, for a nu m b er o f reasons: lack o f conviction (or
lack o f the courage o f their convictions) on the part o f
conductors or boards; audiences that appear to be stuck in
the m ud; and lack o f tim e and m oney to rehearse unfam il
iar works.
The last m ight be the m ost im portant, in that some or
chestras m ight fear that their audiences arc m ore interested
in pointing out m inor lapses in perform ance than in listen
ing to unfamiliar music. Achieving note-perfect perform ances takes a lot o f rehearsal time, w hich costs a lot o f money.
B ut another factor may be that many regional orchestras
share their conductor w ith one or m ore other orchestras,
and because such fly-in conductors tend to repeat their
programs, their timidity is multiplied.
Please p u t together a season consisting o f nothing but
great works from composers w ho are not at the top o f the
usual rankings. Each fantasy-symphony concert should have
an opening w ork and a concerto for the first half; an inter
mission; and at least one m ajor w ork for the second half.
In place o f a concerto, there can be a major w ork for voices
an d /o r chom s w ith orchestra. You may also, if you wish,
devote an entire concert to one major w ork and forgo an
intermission, or program m ultiple shorter works in either or
both halves. Total playing tim e for each concert should run
from about 60 to no m ore than 100 minutes. I will judge
the entries by how the concerts w ork as concerts and how
the season holds up as a season. Are these concerts Id w ant
to attend? Is this a season Id w ant to

subscribe to?
Just as important, is this a season
that will attract new subscribers, and
attract listeners w ho are new to classi
cal music? You m ust strike a balance
betw een the familiar and the un
known, in both composers and pieces,
and betw een comforting and chal
(lihrociiiiiit
lenging in the character o f the music.
tuili MIitll|kt
I am not looking for obscurity for its
ow n sake. Your season m ust be able to
bring in as m uch m oney as any other
seasonthats the artistic challenge. I
w ant to be able to share the winning
lists with my musician friends and
have them say, Hey, thats an unusual
program that really works. Ill tell the conductors I know!
The Rules:
1) Entries m ust be received by February 29, 2012, at
stletters@ sorc.com, w ith the subject line Fantasy Sym
phony. O nly one entry per person, please. Please provide
your real nam e. W inners names, cities, and states will be
m ade public, b u t n o t their e-m ail addresses. All entries
becom e the property o f Source Interlink M edia. Stereophile
employees, and audio- and m usic-industry professionals
(as distinct from musicians and singers), may subm it lists
fo rju d g in g hors-concours, b u t they will n o t be eligible to
receive prizes.
2) Your list m ust consist o f classical compositions for
seven fantasy symphony-orchestra concert programs, as
outlined above. N o alternate picks, please. You m ust provide
the composer and the full title o f each work; additional
information, such as key or opus number, is not necessary.
Each composition m ust be the subject o f at least one
commercial recording that is currently available, w hether
new, used, on-dem and, or via download.
3) Please do not provide explanations. T he logic o f your
selections and their attractiveness should be self-evident.
Similarly, please do not nom inate soloists for any concertos
you program.
4) Judging will be entirely on the basis o f the likelihood
that a real symphony orchestra scheduling your fantasy
season will enjoy a series o f smashing artistic, critical,
popular, and financial successes.
5) Judging will be by John Marks.
6) Each o f the 12 w inners will receive a single C D o f his
or her choice from the Stereophile online store.
My Fantasy-Symphony Season
H ere are my seven fantasy-symphony concert programs.
Concert 1
T orn Takemitsu: From M e Flows What You Call Time
(1990) (32 min.)
55
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THE FIFTH ELEMENT ) ) )
Intermission
Frederick Delius: Piano Concerto

(1906) (22 min.)
Ralph Vaughan Williams:
Fantasia on a T hem e by Thom as
Tallis (1919) (14 min.)
T T : 68 min.
Strauss
Four Last Songs
Sungs with
Orchestra
Rosenkavalier
Suite
Concert 2
Jean Sibelius: Night Ride and
Sunrise (1907) (16 min.)
Renee Fleming
<100310* 5fMPHQHV
0 r N fS T * A
Alexander Glazunov: Violin

Concerto (1904) (22 min.)
Christoph
ts c h e n b a c h
Intermission
Jean Sibelius: Symphony 7 (1924)

(24 min.)
T T : 62 min.
Concert 3
Roy Harris: Symphony 3 (1938)
(16 min.)
Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs
(1948) (26 min.)
Intermission
H ow ard Hanson: Symphony 2,

Romantic (1930) (32 min.)
T T : 74 min.
Concert 4
Fikret Amirov: Struggle and
Immortality from A Tale o f Nasimi
(1969) (3 min.)
D m itri Shostakovich: Piano
Concerto 2 (1957) (22 min.)
Intermission
George Butterw orth: A Shropshire

Lad (1911) (11 min.)
Claude Debussy: La Mer (1905)

(24 min.)
T T : 60 min.
Concert 5
M ORTtN
F.S. Kelly: Elegy in Memoriam

Rupert Brookefo r Harp and Strings
L u x a e te r n a
(1915) (9 min.)
Ralph Vaughan W illiams: A n
Oxjord Elegy (l949) (24 min.)
POLYPHONY
B R IT T E N S IN F O N IA
S T E fU E N L A Y T O N
Intermission
M orten Lauridsen: L u x JEterna

(1997) (28 min.)
T T : 61 min.
Concert 6
Sir Jo h n Barbirolli: A n Elizabethan
Suite (1942) (l 1 min.)
Edward Elgar: Cello Concerto

(1919) (28 min.)
Intermission
Edward Elgar: Symphony 2 (1911)

(52 min.)
T T : 91 min.
Concert 7
M odest Mussorgsky: Dawn on the
Moskva River, from Khovanshchina
(1883) (8 min.)
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody
on a T hem e o f Paganini, O p. 43
(1934) (25 min.)
Intermission
Gustav Holst
GyOqo* Lige ti
L u x a ctcrn u
Boston Symphony Orchestra

William Steinberg
Gustav Holst: The Planets (1916)

(46 min.)
T T : 79 min.
Average T T : 71 min.
I think this proves that you can
exclude 12 top-shelf composers, yet
still have a captivating symphony
season. My season tries to balance
pieces m ost concertgoers may
never have heard in concert (the
Khovanshchina prelude) w ith pieces
almost everyone knows ( The Planets).
And unless I missed something,
with only one exception, my entire
season is all 20th century. (Yours, o f
course, doesnt have to be.)
Here are a few observations on
how I put together my fantasy sea
son, in hopes that a peek behind the
curtain will help you construct your
w inning entry. M uch o f the music I
program is relatively unfamiliar, and
some o f that music m ight be m od
erately challenging for those stuck
in the Top 100 Orchestral Pieces,
but none o f my picks are off-thewall or confrontational. Remember,
your season has to pull in real m oney
from audiences whose com fort zone
is m ore likely to be Your Mozart
M inute or Drivetime with Dvorak
on their car radio, than Pandoras
all-Lutoslawski channel (assuming
such exists).
My season has a definite archi
tecture: its a big tent, supported
by the three tentpoles o f the piano
concertossimply because piano is,
by far, the m ost popular concerto
instrum ent, followed by the violin
and the cello. Such are the realities.
In order to program a season that
is not a Q uixotic m oney pit, you
have to deal w ith the realities. O ne
program m ing goal was to avoid two
successive concerts w ith the same
kind o f soloist; eg, two piano concer
tos in a row.
T he first piano-concerto tentpole
is the Delius, hardly ever heard
but very approachable. T he middle
tentpoleShostakovichs Piano C on
certo 2is not heard nearly as m uch
as the purely M ozartean loveliness
o f its slow m ovem ent merits. T he
third pole is R achm aninoffs crowdpleasing Rhapsody. Thats the payoff
at the end o f the year for having
heard two piano concertos n o t likely
heard before.
Im mediately inside the outer tent
poles are the concertos for strings:
Glazunovs warmly Romantic one
57
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THE FIFTH ELEMENT ) ) )
for violin, and Elgars elegiac cello

concerto. Bracketing the middle
piano concerto are works for solo
voice (Strausss plangent orchestral
songs), for choir and orchestra
(Lauridsens L u x Aiternd), and for
speaker and choir and orchestra
(Vaughan W illiams A n Oxford
ful scintillation o f the Rhapsody

on a T hem e o f Paganini finds pre
echoes in the Mercury m ovem ent
o f H olsts The Planets.
If you dont recognize some o f
my selections, listen to them on
YouTube, via sound samples on
ArkivMusic.com or Amazon.com,
or check them O L it o f your public
library. I look forward to receiving
your entries! Surprise me! (You can
also send in constructive criticism
o f my season w ithout making up a
season o f your own. B ut theres no
prize for that.)
Elegy).
To keep the audience from

fleeing during the first concerts
interm ission, w hich w ould de
prive them access to the lum inous,
floating sound-w orld o f Takem itsus percussion concerto From
M e Flows W hat You Call Time, I
program m ed that first, keeping
the crowd-pleasing Tallis Fantasia
until last. Feel free to similarly
bend the rules for the greater goodif
youre going to w in, youll have to
think creatively, and in such practical
and pragm atic terms.
I tried to shape each concert so
that the pieces w ould illuminate
each other w ith o u t being clones o f
each other. Few people have heard o f
Azerbaijani com poser Fikret Amirov,
but I think the tw o brief, bracingly
My 2012 R2D4 Runners-up

energetic excerpts from his A Tale o f
Nasimi m ake a perfect curtain-raiser
for Shostakovichs Piano C oncerto
2, w hich itself begins energetically.
Similarly, B utterw orths A Shropshire
Lad rhapsody is a great setup for the
opening pages o f Debussys La Mer, as
Kellys unknow n Elegy is for Vaughan
W illiam s Oxford Elegy. I think that the
M ussorgsky and R achm aninoff shed
light on each other, and that the play-
C r im s o n
HS, C o se c a n t
Proton
As usual, there were m ore serious

contenders for my picks for this
years Records To Die For than slots
available. You really should check out
my two nearest runners-up: Kenny
Rankins Inside (CD, Sly D og SLY
3009, 1975/2010) and Eric W hitacres
Light & Gold (CD, Decca B0014850-02,
2010).
John Marks (john.marks@sorc.com) cant
remember a time when he wasnt searching
for the perfect sound.
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A ll photographs by Michael Schneider

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TH ER E AR E B O O K S O F T H E H O U R ,
A N D B O O K S OF A L L T IM E
BOOK
REVIEW
by JOHN MARKS
KEF: 5 0 Years o f Innovation in Sound
By Ken Kessler and Dr. Andrew Watson.

GP Acoustics International Limited,
2011. $89.99. Hardcover, 12" by 12" by
0.9" 216 pp. ISBN 978-988-15427-4-8.
Available from selected KEF dealers and
Amazon.com.
1en Kesslers latest coffeetabler (my favorite publish;
. . . . . .
K
ing-industry insider neologism) celebrates the
50th anniversary o f the founding o f KEF Electron
ics by docum enting the history o f the venerable loudspeaker
manufacturer. W hile the book doesnt quite start w ith a
bang, it does start w ith an evocative vignette. T he year was
1979, the place the ballroom o f Buckingham Palace. H er
Majesty the Q ueen, about to present KEFs founder, Ray
m ond Cooke, w ith the medal representing his having been
made an Officer o f the M ost Excellent O rder o f the British
Empire (OBE), inquired, perhaps formulaically, This is for
loudspeakers?
Cooke replied (the proper verb m ight be deadpanned),
High-fidelity stereo loudspeakers, M aam.
W hat is important to realize is diat it had been only 18 years
between this ceremony and KEFs founding, in Kent, in a
Nissen hut, Britains W W I-era ancestor of Americas W W II
Quonset hut: shabby. From such humble beginnings to Em
pire-wide and worldwide recognition in 18 years: not shabby.
T he book has 20 chapters, hundreds o f photographs, four
appendices, a list o f products, a bibliography, and a thorough
index. Production values are on a par w ith Kesslers books
about Q uad and M cIntosh, although the cover is, I think
characteristically for KEF, a bit self-effacing. (Art director
H enry N olan designed all three.) The page layout is out
standing, as is the photography.
Tliis tim e around, Kessler is joined by a collaborator, Dr.
Andrew W atson. W atson was H ead o f both Acoustics and
Technical Com m unications at KEF, which gave him insider
knowledge o f the companys volum inous archives. The
books organization is roughly chronological. However, in
the heart o f the book, the chapter divisions are by product
line, such as T he KEF Reference Series and Coda II and
Coda 7. T he thread that continues throughout KEF: 5 0
Years oj Innovation in Sound comprises interviews w ith some
30 employees, w ith the occasional diverting sidebar.
KEFs Reference 105.2 was among the first super
speakers I heard, ca 1981. My own loudspeakers at the time
were I.M. Frieds Q /2 s; my predisposition to admire the
105.2 had been w hetted by notices in the audio press (most
likely including Audio magazine), and by the cool factor of
the speakers recessed red LEDs, which allowed the user to
zero in the tw eeter/m idrange modules while leaving the bass
modules squared up with the room boundaries.
The 105.2s sound was as m uch a revelation as had been
my encounter a few years before w ith Chartw ells LS3/5a
w hich used KEF drivers. H ad I know n then w hat I know
now, I w ould have bought the 105.2s once and bought them
right. In his Foreword, Kessler states

that, betw een KEF drivers being the
heart o f the BBCs LS3/5a and various
all-KEF-made models, he believes that
he has listened to KEF products more
than to those from any other company.
It should surprise no one that Ray
m ond Cooke was a m u sic-loving Royal
Navy veteran o f W W II whose wartime
experience added to his earlier techni
cal training. O r that he spent a year as a design engineer at
the BBC before, by increments, creating him self a jo b at
W harfedale, one o f the then-reigning British speaker com
panies. B ut a corporate takeover o f W harfedale indicated to
Cooke that if he w anted to see his new ideas realized, hed
have to strike out on his own.
Cooke and KEFs achievements are actually rather easy to
summarize. C ooke and his coworkers reduced the average
size o f hom e loudspeakers w ith adequate bass from 9-10
cubic feet to about 2 cubic feet (both C ooke and Kessler
credit the late Edgar Villchur, o f AR, with his parallel inven
tion o f the so-called acoustic-suspension woofer). They were
the first to begin large-scale production o f drivers w ith cones
made o f materials other than paper, the first to apply Fast
Fourier Transform analysis to the measuring o f loudspeak
ers, and am ong the first to apply m odern quality-control
principles to driver manufacture.
Early on, Cooke made the executive decision that the
potential benefits o f selling raw drivers to competitors
outweighed the obvious negative o f thus helping those
competitors up their own games. In short order, an interna
tional Whos Who o f speaker makers, from Englands IM F
(later T D L ) and Scotlands Linn to Italys Sonus Faber and
the USs W ilson Audio Specialties, were using KEF drivers.
The signal success was the B110 4.5" mid/woofer, which was
used in the BBCs LS3/5a m inim onitor design. Counting
only examples licensed by the BBC, some 50,000 pairs o f
the LS3/5a were made100,000 BllOs. At its peak, KEF was
making a total o f 10,000 raw drivers, o f all types, per week.
It seems to m e that KEF, like many other old-line
manufacturers, spent a certain am ount o f time wandering
in the deserta period I date from ju st after they made 500
final pairs o f the LS3/5a in piano gloss black. In time, a
series o f unfortunate events resulted in KEFs being put
into receivership. Luckily, outside investors deem ed KEFs
heritage w orth preserving and building on. GP Acoustics
International has revitalized the company with flagship
productsthe M uon and the Blade, both covered here in
loving detail, and the more-affordable Reference seriesand
w ith renewed attention to marketing, o f which KEF: 5 0
Years o f Innovation in Sound is an example.
KEFs future looks bright, and its past is educational
fun to read about. Again, well done, Ken. Highly recom
m ended.
John Marks (john.marks@sorc.com) divides his time between
listening to recordings o f the violin and planning to make recordings
o f the violin.
63
Does your system play the room?

Introducing RoomPlay custom voicing
D ear Audiophile:
As Ive traveled aro u n d N o rth A m erica, voicing readers'
system s, th re e th in g s have b e c o m e very obvious:
1) A udiophiles have sta n d a rd s th a t are sim ply to o low.
im p o rta n t c o m p o n e n t will always be yo u r room . P ro p er

voicing yields greatly en h a n c ed dynam ics, presence, live
liness, to n e, and so u n d stag in g . T herefore, y o u r m usical
involvem ent is e n h a n c e d as well.
They accep t m u c h less th a n th ey
T hats w hy the th in g th a ts been
deserv e (and m u ch less th a n th ey
m ost edifyingan d gratifyingto

m e is th a t my voicing clients are
paid to get).
2) I t s n o t really th e ir fa u lt.
no longer replacing co m p o n en ts.
They sim ply d o n t have a reference
T h e y a re o ff th e e q u ip m e n t
for how good th e ir system can be.
m erry -g o -ro u n d . These days, they

shop for m u sic .
3) A d d re ssin g h o w e le c tro n s
travel in w ire an d e le c tro n ic s is
Glen F.: Jim , I c a n t tell y o u h o w
one th in g addressing how so u n d
m u c h m o r e in v o lv in g m y sy ste m
w aves are lau n ch ed in to th e ro o m
is now. [M y w ife] lis te n e d to on e
an d h ow th e y are received at th e
o f h e r fa v o r ite records la s t n ig h t
listen in g seat is far m o re critical
a n d sh e w as a s to n is h e d w ith th e
a n d pays far bigger dividends.
changes. S h e ev en s e n t a te x t m e ss
age e x p la in in g to m e h o w sh e n o w
P laying the Room

R o om P lay is m y c u sto m v o icin g serv ice. Im ag in e
fe e ls m o re p a r t o f th e m u sic !*
Jerry P.: I t ea sily rep resen ted th e b e st b a n g fo r th e b u c k
th a t y o u r listening ro o m h as no w alls, no ceilings, a n d no
th a t I ve sp e n t o n m y sy stem over th e years. T h a ts a s g lo w in g
speakers. T he m u sician s have assem b led to play a special
a n e n d o r s e m e n t a s I c o u ld m a k e a n d I m a k e it w illingly!*
co n ce rt, ju st for you. You feel th e em o tio n al im p act o f th e

m usic th e n ext day, as if it h ad b e e n a live co n cert.
To learn m o re a b o u t Room Play, a n d w hy a c u sto m

voicing session can be th e big
I call it "playing th e room . H ence, Room Play.
gest im p ro v em e n t you can m ake
Srajan E baen, 6M o o n s.co m , c o m m e n te d o n m y p e r
in yo u r system , go to w w w .G et-
sonal system :
W ith m y eyes closed, I a tte m p te d to o b ta in a n a u r a l
s ig n a tu re o f th e room . I c o u ld n t. N o th in g . There w a s very
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it w as e x ce ed in g ly ta c tile . T h a t w a s clea rly th e r e s u lt o f

m e tic u lo u s se tu p ... In sh o rt, Jim h a d b a n is h e d f r o m m y
PSIf you have a significant in
a w a re n e ss a ll re m in d e rs o f m e c h a n ic a l s o u n d so urces a n d
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iW
OUR EDITORS PICK THE MOST

MEMORABLE RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME
R E C O RD
CV ^ V >
AT A TIME IN HISTORY
when die music business seems less interested in making
anything o f lasting value than in churning out disposable
musichits intended to be consumed for a few days via iPod,
then left behindthe notion o f cherishing the masterpieces, the
records to die for, seems a lost art. Yet its exactly that state of
beingas when Lady Gagas latest outfit commands a bigger
spotlight than the recent Pink Floyd reissuesthat makes our
annual Records To Die For feature that much more essential.
Most audiophiles first amass a pile o f music, then go out and
get them some high-end gear. They may love their brushed
knobs and pretty lights, but ultimately its about consuming the
musicletting that timeless, resonant stuff fill your head and
your heart with an endless supply o f endlessly varied dioughts
and feelings. Somehow, real musicthe melodies youd die
fordoesnt get old or lose its power. A new era gives it new
meanings, and amplifies diose youd discovered in the past.
Its art you can count ontunes diat stand the test of time.
Every year; we ask our contributing editors, bodi hardware
and music, to choose two collections o f music they cherish, and
to (briefly) tell us why. W hat follows are their impressions for
2012. Being truthful and unswayed by fashion are hallmarks of
this magazine, and things are no different here in R2D4. So
please enjoy these self-evident musical truths. Hopefully, theyll
remind you o f some o f your own. Keep listening! -Robert Bainl
Note: If a recording listed here has previously been reviewed in Stereophile,
whether in Record Reviewsor in past editions o f Records lb Die For" the
volume and number o f the pertinent issue appear in parentheses at the end o f
the review. For example, a listing o f (X X X IV - II)" means that a review o f
the recording appeared in Voi34 No.11 (November 2011).
65
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
DAVID R. ADLER
JOHN ATKINSON
STEVE WINWOOD
Steve Winwood
Island 842 774-2 (CD). 1977. Steve W inw ood, Chris
Blackwell, M ark M ille r M undy, prods.; Phill Brown,
eng.; Robert Ash, Ray Doyle, asst, engs.; Lee Hulko
(S terling Sound), CD m astering. AA D . TT: 37:25
TME M U S IC o r l I O l
CWCUIui lAMfll
BRIAN CARPENTER'S
GHOST TRAIN ORCHESTRA
HotHouse Stomp: The Music of 1920s
Chicago and Harlem
Brian Carpenter, trum pet, harmonica, voice; Dennis
Lichtman, clarinet; Andy Laster, alto saxophone;
M a tt Bauder, alto & tenor saxophone, clarinet;
Curtis Hasselbring, trom bone; Ron Caswell, tuba;
Brandon Seabrook, banjo; Mazz Swift, violin, vocals;
Jordan Voelker, viola; Rob Garcia, drums
Accurate 5 062 (CD). 2011. Danny Blume,
eng., mix. DDD? TT: 38:46
Its great to hear pre-swing big-band

charts done up in high fidelity. But
Boston-based trumpeter Brian Carpenter
takes liberties with music by Charlie
Johnson, Fess Williams, Tiny Parham,
and McKinneys Cotton Pickers, setting
his Ghost Train Orchestra apart from
your typical trad-jazz repertory group.
Several G T O members have avant-garde
pedigrees, which accounts for the free
wheeling spirit (and occasional m odem
improv) on these tracks. Carpenters eru
dite liner notes bring to life the history
o f the period. And his song choices
dig Stop Kidding, by the startlingly
innovative John Nesbittshed light on
long-forgotten areas o f jazzs past.
RALPH PETERSON'S UNITY PROJECT

Outer Reaches
Ralph Peterson, drum s; Jovan Alexandre, tenor
saxophone; Josh Evans, tru m p et; Pat Bianchi,
organ; David Fiuczynski, g uita r (tracks 10,12)
Onyx M usic (CD). 2011. Ralph Peterson,
Pat Bianchi, engs., mix. DDD? TT: 78:47
D rum m er Ralph Peterson, thunder

ous yet supple, is ju st the guy to tackle
Woody Shaw classics T he M oontrane,
Beyond All Limits, and Katrina Bal
lerina. The form er 1980s young lion
is now m entoring serious new talent,
represented here by Josh Evans and
Jovan Alexandre in the front Ene. Their
soloing is ferocious, their horn person
alities uncom m only rich and warm (and
beautifully captured). Pat Bianchi brings
a Larry Young vibe, and Fuze adds
McLaughlin-esque shredding on two
cuts, b u t Peterson isnt after replication:
his originals, dedicated to m om , dad,
and wife, give a personal dimension to
w hat is surely a highlight o f 2011.
66
PETER GABRIEL
New Blood (Special Edition)
w ith Ane Brun, M elanie Gabriel, Thom as Cawley,
vocals; New Blood Orchestra, Louisa Fuller
(leader), Ben Foster (conductor)
Real W orld 0 0 0 3 8 (2 CDs). 2011. Peter Gabriel, prod.,
arr.; John M etcalfe, prod., arr., orchestrations, mix;
Dickie Chappell, mix, eng.; Scott Barnett,
Tobias Froberg, engs. DDD. TT: 2:32:06
I finished reading Walter Isaacsons

biography o f Steve Jobs as I prepared to
write these brief reviews, and was struck
by how adeptly Jobs re-created himself.
H e was not an artist as such, but Jobss
life illustrates how the artist who doesnt
keep evolving ultimately fails. By that
measure, Peter Gabriels career is a con
tinuing success, even if this 2011 album
comprises second examinations o f his
earlier songs. Gabriels Scratch M y Back,
which featured empathetic arrangements
by John Metcalfe o f other peoples
songs, was one of my 2011 R2D4
picks; in N ew Blood, Metcalfe applies his
orchestral imagination to a selection of
Gabriels own material. And again, there
is no dram kit, no rhythm section. The
sound of the orchestra, recorded at Air
Lyndhurst in London, is rich and large,
reminiscent o f that on Joni Mitchells
Both Sides Non/, from 2000, which was
also recorded there. Occasionally the
space on the accompaniment stands
too much in contrast to the closeness o f
Gabriels voice, particularly in the final
track, Solsbury Hill, which, for reasons
explained in the booklet, is separated
from die rest of the album by almost five
minutes of ambient sound. T w o favorites
o f mine from Securit), WallFlower and
San Jacinto, are here, along with two
favorites from So, In Your Eyes and
D ont Give Up, though Norwegian
singer Ane Brans excessive vibrato in
the latter takes some getting used to after
die glory o f Kate Bush in the original,
and the purity o f Paula Cole in 1994s
Secret World Live version. The second
C D mainly comprises the orchestral
backing tracks, which, if musically
incomplete, bear witness both to the
inventiveness of Metcalfes arrangements
and die completeness o f Gabriels
musical imagination.
At the fall 2011 AES Convention in New

York, I was invited to take part in a work
shop 0 11 The Loudness Wars, chaircd
by Thomas Lund of T C Electronic. As
part of die preparation o f my segment, I
went hunting for rock albums with re
spectable dynamic range. N ot surprisingly,
I couldnt find any from this century
that werent dynamically compromised
But among the jewels I did discover
was Steve Winwoods first solo record.
Overshadowed in sales by the subsequent
Arc o f a Diver, the LP release o f Steve
Winwood was in constant rotation 011 my
Linn at the end o f the 1970s, and when
I ripped the CD into my iTunes library,
Pure Musics meters informed me that
this album had as much dynamic range as
a good classical recording, its crest factor
exceeding 20dB much o f the time. Musi
cally, die album wears its 35 years well.
From the loping rhythm of die opener,
Hold On, to the anthemic closer; Let
Me Make Somediing in Your Life,
bodi written with die late Jim Capaldi
and featuring die dream team of Willie
Weeks on bass and Andy Newmark on
drums, youre stmck by the sparseness of
the soundstage created by engineer Phill
Brown, despite the many instrumental
flavors created by Winwood. (N ow this
is an audiophile recording! I commented
in my AES presentation.) But the track
that sticks in your memory is the only
survivor from the original sessions,
Vacant Chair, cowritten with the late
Vivian Stanshall in memory o f Graham
Bond. Alan Spenners bass and John Susswells drams underpin a hypnotic guitar
riff from Julian Marvin as a multitracked
Winwood chants o-ku nsu-kun no-ko:
in Yoraba dialect, die dead are weeping
for the dead
JIM AUSTIN
MAJtC A N D RE
H A M L IN
MARC-ANDRE HAMELIN
Live at Wigmore Hall
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
W orks by Alkan, Beethoven-Alkan, Busoni,

Chopin-Balakirev, M edtner
Hyperion CDA66765 (CD). 1995. Ates Orga,
prod.; Ken Blair, eng. DDD. TT: 71:56
O ne reason I like this recording is that

I owned it for years before I was able
to sort it out aurally, and it was a better
system that made that possible. In that
sense, it played a part in my discovery
o f good sound. Another reason I like it
so much: Its one of the m ost realistic
renderings o f a back-of-the-theater
perspective that Ive heard. Musically,
its a purists nightmare: a m ovem ent of
Beethovens Piano Concerto 3 and part
o f Chopins Concerto 1, both arranged
for solo piano. Several piecesincluding
Alkans Trois Grandes Etudes, one each
for left, right, and both handsare in
tended for showing off. I love it anyway.
CLARK TERRY
Duke with a Difference
Clark Terry, tru m p et, arr.; Johnny Hodges, alto
saxophone; Paul Gonsalves, tenor saxophone;
B ritt Woodm an, Q uentin Jackson, trom bone; Billy
Strayhorn, piano; Luther Henderson, celeste; Tyree
Glenn, vibes; Jim my Woode, bass; Sam Woodyard,
drums; M arian Bruce, vocals; M ercer Ellington, arr.
Riverside/OJC RLP-1108/OJC-229 (LP). 1957/1990.
O rrin Keepnews, prod.; Jack Higgins, Jack
M atthew s, engs. A A A . TT: 38:09
Practically a D uke Ellington re c o rd eight Ellington tunes played by five

Ellington horns, plus D ukes bassist
and drummer, Strayhorn on piano, and
several other musicians w ith connec
tions to the orchestrabut with a twist.
Theres no shortage o f small-group
Ellington records, but here the style is a
bit more m odern (for 1957) and im provisational. T here is, apparently, a very
good-sounding m ono version o f this,
but my O JC reissue is great-sounding
stereo. The sound is woody, airy, blatty,
and great. G ood times.
ROBERT BAIRD
THE LOUVIN BROTHERS

Satan Is Real
C ap ito l/L ig h t in the A ttic LITA 075 (2 LPs/CDs).
1959/2011. Ken Nelson, orig. prod.; orig. eng.
n ot listed; M a tt Sullivan, exec. & reissue prod.;
Josh W right, exec, reissue prod.; John Baldwin,
rem astering. A D A /A D D . TT: 70:36
Although m uch o f their material had

sacred connections, the glorious sounds

o f Charlie and Ira Louvins singing
was a profound influence on secular
musictheir close, high harmonies are
especially reflected in the music of the
Everly Brothers and the Byrds. Here,
w hat may be their recorded masterpiece
gets the deluxe reissue treatment, dianks
to Seattles superlative Light in the Attic
crew. Thankfully, the albums already
excellent sound has been retained, and
its unforgettable original artworkdie
brothers in white suits, behind them a
looming red devil and roaring hellfireis
left untouched. Instead o f a tribute re
cord in which contemporary performers
take stabs at their favorite Louvin tracks,
disc 2 o f this set collects 14 recordings
from the Louvins entire catalog, each
selected by a m odern admirer: Lucinda
Williams, Mark Lanegan, Beck, Jim
James, M. Ward, among others. Judging
by the choiceswhich include The
Great Atomic Powei; W hen I Stop
Dreaming, and Knoxville Girlmany
o f the decidedly secular and very non
country alt-rock generation are big fans.
Even better, the entire set is also available
on two gorgeous 180gm LPs.
OTIS REDDING
The Great Otis Redding Sings
Soul Ballads
A tc o /4 M en w ith Beards 4M 105 (LP). 1965/2011.
No prod, or eng. listed. ADA. TT: 33:59
While the late, great Otis Redding

whose tragic death in December 1967
robbed the world o f a singer whose
potential seemed unlimitedwas always
great shouting out T ry a Little Tender
ness and his odier upbeat hits, it was his
pleading way with ballads diat was at the
heart o f his prodigious talent. Coming
after his 1964 debut album, Pain in M y
Heart, and its hit, die ballad These Amis
o f Mine, diis collection of slower num
bers was where the greatest soul singer
o f diem all established his elemental
connection widi the Stax house band of
Steve Cropper (guitar), Donald Duck
D unn (bass), Booker T Jones (organ/
keys), and Al Jackson Jr. (drums)not to
mention the Memphis horns: Wayne
Jackson (trumpet), Charles Packy Axton
(tenor sax), and Floyd Newman (baritone
sax). The horn charts on nearly every a it
are superb, though those in Reddings I
W ant to Thank You, and Axtons accents
in Delbert McClintons Keep Your
Loving Amis Around Me, arc textbook
examples of the Stax brass sound. The
album ends with the classic, snappy Mr.
Pitiful, which shows that Redding can
also wend his vocal way through a mean
groove. This new 180gm pressing from 4

Men with Beards is an improvement over
the original mono and stereo pressings;
while those sounded decently crisp and
dynamically acceptable, diis new edition
is m uch more spacious and detailed.
LARRY BIRNBAUM
KENYA DANCE MANIA

Various Artists
Earthworks 3-1024-2 (CD). 1991. Trevor Herman,
prod.; Frank A rkw right, mastering. AAD. TT: 72:05
The Kenyan benga style blends Congolese,

Zimbabwean, and Soudi African dancepop widi die music o f die Luo people
o f soudiwestem Kenya. This collection
includes killer benga hits of die 1970s and
80stightly meshed confections of sweet,
sliglidy melancholy singing (mainly in
Swahili or Luo), rhythmically twining
guitars, hard-punching horns, throbbing
bass lines, and clipped, diumping drums.
Among the artists are Gabriel Omolo,
whose Lunch Time went gold in 1973;
H.O. Kabaselleh, whose career was
interrupted by a prison term for sedition;
Les Wanyika, a spin-off from the mostly
Tanzanian group Simba Wanyika; and
Wanyika Super Les Les, a spin-off from
Les Wanyika. Most compelling, however,
is die military band Maroon Commandos,
whose stately 1976 smash, Charonyi Ni
Wasi, is surpassed only by dieir stomping
1989 hit, Mawakaribishwa Na Maroon.
CAL TJADER & STAN GETZ

Sextet
Stan Getz, tenor saxophone; Cal Tjader, vibraphone;
Eddie Duran, guitar; Vince Guaraldi, piano;
Scott LaFaro, bass; Billy Higgins, drum s
OJC Remasters O JC -32690-02 (CD). 1958/2011.
Sol Weiss, orig. prod.; Nick Phillips, reissue prod.;
Joe Tarantino, remastering. AAD. TT: 42:47
This breezy-cool 1958 Fantasy date

brought together Stan Getz with his
then-unknown sidemen Billy Hig
gins and Scott LaFaro, and Cal Tjader
with his sideman Vince Guaraldi and
Guaraldis own sideman (with his own
mo), Eddie Duran. Although the group
had never previously played together
and didnt rehearse, diey clearly clicked,
and die session went down in one take.
67
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RECORDS TO DIE FOR
Getz is in especially good form, bopping

smoothly in his best Lestcr-Young-mectsCharlie-Parker manner, but Tjader, in
a straight-ahead setting rather than his
usual Latin-jazz context, manages to keep
up. H ie unheralded Duran and Guaraldi,
belying his reputation for commercial
ism, are surprisingly solid, while Higgins
and LaFaro are simply superb. Laid-back
or up-tempo, every track is strong, but
Guaraldis briskly swinging composition
Ginza Samba, foreshadowing Getzs
bossa nova collaborations with Charlie
Byrd and Joao Gilberto, is irresistible.
ARIEL BITRAN
PHISH
Rift
Elektra 61433 (CD). 1993. Barry Beckett, prod.; Pete Greene,
Kevin Halpin, engs.; Greg Parker, asst, eng.; Chris
Bailey, Tom Walters, studio assts. AAD.? TT: 67:54
If dieres any place to start with diis

wacky prog-jam-jazz-funk outfit, its
definitely Rift. A fan favorite, this record
served as a transition for the band (the
Rubber Soul of their studio recording ca
reer), moving from loose-tied but lifting
jams (Lawn Boy) into more o f the same
equally elongated yet highly structured
guitar solos, this time surrounded by
condensed progressive-rock song struc
tures. Compositions on their following
record, Hoist, saw a quick departure from
this formula, stripping away both the
long-fomi guitar melodies and prog-rock
tendencies. Rift kicks off with die gallop
ing title track, which features transcen
dent modal development from guitarist
Trey Anastasio and superb piano playing
from Page McConnell. The album then
unfolds to show the many sides of Pliish:
Sparkle on the irreverent side, H orn
on the pretty side, or Its Ice to show
off that funky angular thing they do best.
In Fast Enough for You, one o f the
few Phish ballads, Gordon Stone lingers
over the track with haunting pedal-steel
work. R ifts most addictive number, The
Wedge, starts with a deep bass groove
thats swallowed by an organ swell and
punctuated by Anastasios quick stops and
starts. Also on this record is All Tilings
Reconsidered, Phishs rendition o f the

N P R theme. Recorded by Muscle Shoals
veteran Barry Beckett and mastered by
Bob Ludwig, the sound 011 this record is
clear and expansive.
KURT ROSENWINKEL
STANDARDS TRIO
Reflections
Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar; Eric Revis, bass;
Eric Harland, drum s
W om m usic W O M 0 0 0 2 (CD). 2 00 9 . Kurt
Rosenwinkel, prod., mix; A nders Chad Tidemann,
Stephanie Chan-Tidemann, exec, prods.;
Andy Taub, eng.; Ben Liscio, asst, eng.; M ichael
Perez-Cisneros, mastering. DDD. TT: 50:52
Take these. Art, the friendly office mail

man at Stereophile, hands m e three guitar
CDs: one from Hendrix, another from
Mike Stem, and the third by Kurt Rosen
winkel. I listened to all extensively, yet I
keep going back to one: Rosenwinkcls
Reflections, on which his use o f interweav
ing chord inversions, pushed along by
chromatic bass lines and supported by
leading tones on his top strings, provides
pensive melodics surrounded by rich har
mony, and exemplifies the frill scope widi
which all o f the electric guitar can be
used for jazz music. In East Coast Love
Affair, an original composition, Rosen
winkel sweep-picks mellow arpeggios for
tasteful nuggets of speed, piquing ones
ears for just a moment, then descends the
fretboard in gentle bursts o f unresolved
chords. This album provides endless
tension and release, one expansive and
subde run after another. Eric Harlands
kick-drum pattern in Miles Daviss Fall
is hypnotic and groovy, an infectious
beat diat evolved from a jam on Q-Tips
hit single Vivrant Tiling. Sound-wise,
that same kick dmm has body and flesh,
cymbals shimmer with each light splash,
and die guitars blunted yet crisp tone
chums out from Rosenwinkels Fender
Twin. Rosenwinkel doesnt try to be
off-the-wall or revolutionary with his
techniquejust cool through tone, inven
tive through his application o f m odem
guitar techniques, and original with each
thoughtful pick. He succeeds, wildly.
BOMBA ESTEREO
Blow Up
Nacional 18122 0 2 8 0 9 (CD). 2 0 0 9 . Simon M ejia,
prod.; Julian Salazar, prod., eng.; Felipe Alvarez,
eng. DDD. TT: 4 4:5 4
Colombias Bomba Estereo knocked

it out o f the park with Blow Up, one
o f the trippiest, m ost infectious dance
records o f 2009. A swirling, rocking
mix o f cumbia rhythms, hip-hop, and
electronics propelled by singer-rapper
Li Saumets seductive and explosive
vocals and Simon Mejias surreal guitar,
bass, loops and electronics, this 12-song
C D leaves no doubt that Colombia
is now exporting some o f the fiercest
music on the planet. Break out Fuego
and La N ina Rica at your next party
and turn it into a throbbing sweat fest!
DONNA THE BUFFALO

Live from the American Ballroom
W ild life M usic W M 0 0 1 (2 CDs). 2001. Donna the
Buffalo, prods.; Alex Perialas, eng. DDD. TT: 119:54
Live records rarely hold up in my book,

and a two-CD live set is a stretch. But
Donna die Buffalo is not your average
live band. In diis sextet, songwriting
craftsmanship, a lofty cosmic perspective,
and two superb front singers (songwrit
ers Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins) meld in
geosynchronous orbit with zydeco cross
currents, rocking country accents, and the
bodacious grooves diat only wild-eyed
souls with steel guitars, fiddles, accordions,
mb boards, and the obligatory rompin,
stompin rhythm section can generate in
front o f an ass-packed, wild-whooping
crowd! Big energy and songs that will stay
in your headand in steady rotation on
your stereofor years to come.
THOMAS CONRAD
Billy Bang
vitro*
DANIEL BUCKLEY
BILLY BANG
Vietnam: The Aftermath
Billy Bang, violin; Sonny Fortune, flute; Frank Lowe, tenor
saxophone; Ted Daniel, trumpet; John Hicks, piano;
Curtis Lundy, bass; Michael Carvin, drums; Ron Brown,
percussion; Butch Morris, conductor ("TET Offensive")
Justin Time JUST 165-2 (CD). 2001. Billy Bang, Jean-Pierre
Leduc, prods.; Jim Anderson, eng. DDD? TT: 71:21
We lost Billy Bang in 2011. H e died

o f cancer at 63 after a difficult, highly
69
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2012 Wireworld, Inc.
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
creative life. M ost o f the difficulty

came because he was drafted into
the US Army out o f high school and
was thrown into jungle combat two
days after landing in Vietnam. H e was
haunted all his life by his war experience,
but he turned it into his one master
piece, this album. In Bangs hands, a vi
olin could scrape and keen and shriek,
or sweetly sing, or weep. His dirge for
his fallen comrades, M om ents for the
KIAMIA, is like a bayonet through
your heart, (xxv-9)
BILL FRISELL
Disfarmer
Bill Frisell, e le ctric & acoustic guitars, loops,
m usic boxes; Greg Leisz, steel guitars, mandolin;
Jenny Scheinman, violin; V ikto r Krauss, bass
Nonesuch 478524-2 (CD), 2 00 9 . Lee Townsend,
prod.; Tucker M artine , eng. DDD? TT: 71:41
This is one of Bill Frisells minor works. It

gets under your skin like few o f his major
ones. Michael Disfarmer was a photog
rapher in Heber Springs, Arkansas, who
shot portraits o f poor people in the Great
Depression. His work was discovered
many years after his death. Frisells album
o f new songs and old country tunes was
inspired by die silence o f Disfarmers
photographs. Many tracks are under two
minutes, miniatures blending American
rural string-band traditions and jazz. The
music is as stark and unexplained as the
faces in Disfarmers photographs. Those
faces look startled by how hard life is,
yet undefeated.
Traverse City, Michigan, does perhaps

the best jo b o f capturing the magic
o f Browns performances. Its well
recorded and nicely produced, and the
opening cut, Just By Myself, is alone
w orth the price o f admission.
KRISKRISTOFFERSON
Jesus Was a Capricorn
M onum ent KZ 31909 (LP). 1972. Dennis Linde, Fred
Foster, prods.; Tommy Strong, M o rt Thomasson,
Gene Eichelberger, engs. A A A . TT: 31:21
W hen I bought this record sometime

in the late 70s, on the recommendation
o f a friend, I thought it sucked. For the
life o f me, I couldnt understand the
fuss about Kris Kristofferson as a singer
or a songwriter. A lot o f time has gone
by since then, and Ive both developed
a grudging respect for Kristofferson
as a songwriter and grown to like this
album a lot. Its a little uneven in places,
but mostly its compelling, catchy, and
sounds excellent, showcasing Kristof
ferson, then wife Rita Coolidge, and a
W hos Who o f backing musicians.
ROBERT DEUTSCH
BRIAN DAMKROGER
FOLLIES
New Broadway Cast Recording
M usic & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
PS Classics PS-1105 (2 CDs). 2011. Tommy Krasker, Philip
Chaffin, prods.; Bart Migal, eng. DDD. TT: 106:57
GREG BROWN
The Live One
Red House CD 78 (CD). 1995. Greg Brown, prod.;
Don Julin, eng. DDD. TT: 69:24
Perhaps best known for his appearances

on A Prairie Home Companion, folkie
Greg Brown has an impressive discog
raphy o f solid, catchy, and usually rel
evant tunes. Its hard to pick a favorite
disc, but even harder to argue that his
studio work, good as it may be, doesnt
pale in comparison to his intimate,
inclusive live shows. The Live One,
recorded in 1994 in JR s Warehouse in
PS Classics have outdone themselves

with diis release. Following in die tradi
tion o f the great Columbia cast record
ings made under die supervision of
Goddard Lieberson, the PS recording
o f Follies lias captured die brilliance o f
Sondheims score and o f die performances
in the current Broadway revival. The
recording includes snippets o f dialogue
that provide settings for the numbers
where needed, so you really get a feeling
that youre at a stage performance. This is
also the most complete recording o f the
score, which will please musical-theater
fans w ho were disappointed with the
abridged presentation o f the Original
Broadway Cast recording.
Follies is a complex work, widi some
numbers that are pure pastiche and others
that are book songs, advancing the

plot and establishing character. Theyre
done to perfection by the large cast, led
by Bernadette Peters, Ron Raines, Jan
Maxwell, and Danny Burstein as die older
couples. Peterss rendition of Losing
My Mind is simply heartbreaking. The
sound quality is excellent, with an ideal
balance o f singers and orchestra. For
lovers of musical theater diis lias to be the
Recording o f the Year.
ROD GILFRY
My Heart Is So Full of You
Rod G ilfry, baritone; C hristopher Denny, piano
N arratus 0 7 (CD). 2 00 6 . No prod, o r eng. listed.
DDD. TT: 69:57
W ith a repertoire that extends from the

baroque to contemporary opera, Rod
Gilfry m ust be about the most versatile
baritone around. H e has also shown an
affinity for performing in musicalshe
was great last sum m er as Frank Butler
in A nnie G et Your Gun, at the Glimmerglass Festival. This live recording
o f Gilfrys one-m an cabaret show
includes some well-known musicaltheater showpieces for baritone (Some
Enchanted Evening, If Ever I W ould
Leave You, Joey, Joey, Joey), all per
form ed with impeccable musicianship
and em otional involvement. Theres an
unusualand very movingcombina
tion o f Thad Joness A Child Is Born
and O h W hat a Beautiful M orning.
Christopher Denny provides sensitive
piano accompaniment throughout.
My favorite track is Wrestling,
which recounts the story of how Gilfiy
was teased by his high school wrestling
coach for missing a match to sing with
the sissies o f the choir, goading him
to sing Mary Had a Little Lamb to
demonstrate his singing prowess. The
results? Well, you have to listen for
yourself, but I can tell you that diis track
brought tears to my eyes. For a live
pickup, the recording quality is fine, widi
just die occasional microphone pop.
ART DUDLEY
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS
71
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS

The Boatman's Call
Mute/Reprise 46530 (CD). 1997. Flood, prod.; Paul
W right, Paul Hicks, Paul Corkett, engs. DDD. TT: 51:53
Fifteen years after its release, Nick Caves

10th studio album remains one of the
most consistently moving pop albums I
know: 12 songs, mostly about extinguished
relationships (one of which is said to have
been widi singer PJ Harvey), wherein
die writer blends raw candor widi poetic
distance while maintaining a uniquely
(for rock) spiritual perspective diroughout.
Piano and organ dominate, along widi die
brilliant electric bass playing o f Martyn P.
Casey. N o matter where you find yourself
in diis generally down-tempo collection,
the next minor chord is never more than
one measure awayand thats a key part of
its dark charm. Wonderful stuff.
CHRIS THILE & MICHAEL DAVES

Sleep With One Eye Open
Nonesuch 527603-2 (CD). 2011. Chris Thile, M ichael
Daves, prods.; Vance Powell, Joshua Vance Smith,
M ark Petaccia, engs. DDD. TT: 49:17
A man walks into a bar, orders a beer; and

starts a conversation. Nothing earthshaking thereexcept the man in diis story
was mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile,
the bar was die Baggot Inn in Green
wich Village (now shuttered), and the
conversation was o f the musical variety,
with guitarist-singer Michael Daves, a
Georgia-born bluegrass musician whose
whip-crack style is best described as highstrung and lonesome. The classically trained
Thile and the raw-energy Daves hit it off
in a big way, and the result was Sleep With
One Eye Open: two voices, two acoustic
instruments, and 16 well-worn country
numbers, 110 fewer than three o f which
were written by die late, great Lester
Flatt. Pure magic.
pad music, this Mancini outing features

top West Coast musicians including
Art Pepper on clarinet (!), Pete Candoli, Shelly Manne, Larry Bunker, and
Johnny Williams (the John Williams
o f Star Wars fame) on piano and harpsi
chord. The harpsichord gimmick wears a
bit diin, but Mancinis arrangements re
main otherwise fresh and inventive. The
opener, Bobby Timmonss Moanin,
will floor you dianks to die astonish
ing Living Stereo sound, engineered
by the still great Al Schmidt at RCAs
Music Center of the World. N ot one of
Mancinis more commonly found RCAs,
but well worth finding, even if you use it
only as a demo disc to show your friends
w hat CDs just cant do.
TOM RUSH
The Circle Game
Elektra EKS-74018 (LP). 1968. A rth u r Gorson, prod.;
Bruce Botnick, Brooks A rthur, engs. A A A . TT: 38:16
Tliis quintessentially moody New

England winters evening album is where
many listeners first heard the songs of
Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jack
son Browne. Rush covers Tin Angel,
Something in the Way She Moves,
Urge for Going, and Sunshine,
Sunshine, among others, and sequences
them to chronicle the arc o f a relationship.
Crack studio cats Bernard Purdie, Eric
Gale, Buddy Lucas, and Herbie Lovelle
provide backup, along with the occasional
string section. Preppy and tasteful (per
haps a bit too), with cover photography
by Linda Eastmanand, of course, given
the engineering pedigree, the sound is
superb on the tan Elektra label.
LARRY GREENHILL
MICHAEL FREMER
an audiophile classic. It was recorded with

two analog Nagra recorders in Stockholm
at the Stampen Jazz Club in December
1976 by Gert Palmcrantz, who used
two microphones to capture the five
musicians. H e also captured ambience
cues, the musicians talking, audience
movements and whispers, die clinking of
cuderyeven die sounds o f another music
session taking place downstairs. The LP
and die lii-rez digital files best render
the amazing sense of space Palmcrantz
captured, as heard in Limehouse Blues
and my favorite recording o f solo vibra
phone, Im Confessin. Though now in
its fourth decade, the album continues to
sell over 4000 copies a year, and to be a
standard test record for ambience, soundstaging, and upper-midrange values.
OSCAR'S MOTET CHOIR

Cantate Domino
W orks by Adam, Berlin, Bossi, Gruber, Handel,
Olsson, Reger, Rutter, Vogler, W alther
M arianne M elinas, soprano; A lf Linder, organ;
Torsten Nilsson, Oscar's M o te t Choir
Proprius 7762 (LP), SACD 7762 (SACD/CD). 1976/2005.
Jacob Boethius, prod.; Bertil Alving, eng.; Torbjorn
Samuelsson, remastering. AAA/AD D . TT: 51:37
In the early 1980s, a series o f LPs

produced by the Swedish label Proprius
quickly became standards for testing
new equipment among die New York
audiophile community. Bossis Cantate
Domino, for choir; tnimpets, trombones,
and organ, opens the album, followed by
Swedish folk songs and music by Handel,
Olsson, and others. O ne friend began
calling the second track, O Helga Natt
(O h Holy Night), die audiophile
anthem. N o wonderits an astounding
recording. Marianne Mellnass startlingly
clear and lovely soprano, suspended in a
huge space, is confronted by a powerful
chorus and a diunderous organ. Although
my LP lias been played to death and now
has prominent ticks and pops, its dynamic
rangebetween the crystal-clear Melinas,
the powerful choms, and die solid organ
notesstill tests the limits of my system.
STEVE GUTTENBERG
ARNE DOMNERUS QUINTET
Jazz at the Pawnshop, Vol.!
HENRY MANCINI
Combo!
RCA LSP-2258 (LP). 1961. Dick Pierce, prod.; Al
Schmidt, eng. A A A . TT: 36:47
A combination o f cool jazz and whats

today referred to as space-age bachelor
72
Arne Domnerus, saxophone; Lars Erstrand,

vibraphone; 8engt Hallberg, piano; George Ridel,
bass; Egil Johanson, drum s
Proprius PROP 7778-7779 (2 LPs), PROP 7778
(SAC D /C D ), 2 4 -b it/8 8 k H z FLAC files (H D tracks).
1 977/2005. Jacob & Erland Boethius, prods.;
G ert Palmcrantz, eng.; A ndrew Lang, d igital
remastering. A A A /A A D ? ADD?. TT: 69:12
Ja zz at the Paumshop, released by Proprius
in the late 1970s on two LPs, also became

RECORDS TO DIE FOR
DOROTHY ASHBY
Afro-Harping
D orothy Ashby, harp, unknown m usicians
Cadet B0000027-02 (CD). 1968/2003. Richard Evans,
prod., arr.; Kevin Reeves, mastering. AAD? TT: 36:00
Dorothy Ashbys Afro-Harping is a time

capsule o f sorts, a late-1960s soul-jazz
romp that perfectly evokes an era. Deep,
string-driven grooves like Soul Vibra
tions and Life Has Its Trials had me
reelin back in the days o f black lights,
beads, and incense. Ashbys harp playing
owes a lot to guitarist Wes Montgomery,
and shes funkier than Alice Coltrane.
The title tracks live-in-the-studio soundscape is deep and wide; play this C D in
the dark to get the fiill effect.
YIM YAMES: TRIBUTE TO

ATO 8 8 0 8 8 2 16 6 7 2 4 (CD). 2 00 9 . No prod, or eng.
listed. AAD ? TT: 26:35
I ju st recently stumbled on My M orn

ing Jackets frontm an Yim Yamess
heartfelt EP, Tribute To: covers o f six
George Harrison songs recorded in
2001, ju st days after Harrison passed
away. W hen Yames sings A lifetime
is so short, from Love You To, if s
impossible to hold back the tears.
Recorded on Yamess cousins analog
Fostex eight-track reel-to-reel machine,
Tribute Tos feel is blissfully free o f Pro
Tools, and the stripped-down acoustic
arrangements provide a new opportu
nity to appreciate Harrisons exquisite
songcraft. The quiet Beatle indeed.
female singers and the insistent reedy

sound o f the khene, a Loatian bamboo
m outh organ. O n the Wobble side are
his circular subterranean bass lines, guitar,
and mashed percussion. The result is pos
sibly the best East Meets W est collabora
tion ever. If you buy only one Laotian
D ub record this year, diis should be it.
ROXY MUSIC
For Your Pleasure
Virgin 8 47449 2 (CD). 1973. Roxy M usic, Chris
Thomas, John Anthony, prods.; John M iddleton,
John Punter, engs. AA D . TT: 42 groovy m inutes
In a pivotal scene in the 2008 film

Flashbacks o f a Fool, set in early-70s
England, two kids m im e to Roxy M u

sics If There is Something in a way
that so perfectly captures the era it had
me flashing back and playing Roxy al
bums for weeks. W hich rem inded me
that their second album is the best of
the bunch, by a note or two. It features
Bryan Ferrys C ount Chocula voice and
the classic lineup, including Eno, and
nothing can beat the closing numbers
on each side o f the original LP: In
Every D ream H om e a Heartache and
For Your Pleasure. Nothing.
DAVID LANDER
ROBERT JOHNSON
C olum bia/Legacy 8 8697-85907-2 (2 CDs).

1936-37/2011. Stephen C. LaVere, prod.; Steve
Berkowitz, A&R supervision; Seth Winner,
mastering. TT: 111:16
O rnette Coleman, a lto saxophone; Don Cherry,

pocket trum pet; Charlie Haden, bass; Billy Higgins,
drum s
A tla n tic/R h in o S D 1317 (LP). 1959/2010. Nesuhi
Ertegun, prod.; Bones Howe, eng. AAD. TT: 38:14
Pull up a seat and watch two musical

universes collide. Jah Wobble has created
a series o f Asian D ub discs, each focused
on a different region. Theyre all good,
but this is my favorite. Wobble craftily
assembles a stack of tracks capturing
1000-year-old Southern Laotian folk
styles, then melts them down with
1000-foot-tall dubby bass lines. O n the
Laotian side are beguiling male and
The Duke stretched out some o f his

classics for his first LP, and die result is
one o f the most gorgeous jazz albums
ever. The arrangements veer, w ithin one
song, from straight swing to Ravelian
tone poems to Tin Pan Alley riffs with
Sondlieimian harmonic complexity. It
was recorded in 1950 (by Fred Plaut,
who later miked Kind oj Blue), yet the
dynamics, depth, and timbral accuracy
are astonishing. Mark W ilder did the
D SD remastering from the original
analog tapes, but this is a conventional
CD. Somebody, put this out on 2 4 /96
digital or 180gm vinyl! (xxvii-9)
The Complete Recordings:

The Centennial Collection
The Shape of Jazz to Come
30 H ertz HZCD12 (CD). 2 0 0 0 . Jah W obble, prod.,

mix. ADD? TT: 68 ecstatic m inutes
Duke Ellington, piano

C olum bia/Legacy CK 8 70 4 2 (CD). 1 9 5 0 /2 0 0 4 .
George Avakian, prod.; Fred Plaut, eng.; M ark
W ilder, DSD remastering. ADD. TT: 55:24
rma
ORNETTE COLEMAN QUARTET
Molam Dub
Masterpieces by Ellington
FRED KAPLAN
JON IVERSON
JAH WOBBLE
DUKE ELLINGTON AND

HIS ORCHESTRA
A revolutionary album (its title proved

truly prophetic), forever fresh and brac
ing, ifs also melodic (a point widely
missed back in 1959)even sometimes
romantic, and rivetingly so. The news
here is that Rhinos LP sounds so m uch
better than not only the C D (whew)
but the original Atlantic pressing:
w ider dynamics, pluckier bass, brassier
trum pet, an airier alto sax. Its not the
best-sounding jazz album or the bestsounding O rnette, b u t its one o f the
best jazz albums, and its now worthy
o f a high-end stereo. That's w orth
celebrating, (xix-2 , xxxiv- 2)
BOBBY SHORT
Celebrates Rodgers & Hart
Bobby Short, vocals, piano; Beverly Peer, bass;
Richard Sheridan, drum s, percussion
A tla n tic 81320-2 (CD). 1975. Lew Hahn, prod.;
George Piros, mastering. A AD . TT: 76:05
Robert Johnson, the consummate

country bluesman, and the urbane club
singer Robert Bobby Short epitomize
disparate musical genres. Their lives dif
fered radically in span and style. John
son had some success as an itinerant
musician before dying at age 27 in 1938,
while the dapper Short dished out tunes
at M anhattans posh Cafe Carlyle for
more than three decades after his star
was lit by a 1968 concert with Mabel
Mercer, the patron saint o f cabarets.
They did have things in common, these
Roberts who sang in saloons. Short left
home to begin his career at age 12 in 1936,
73
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
so they were briefly contemporaneous

performers. Both were black, and though
Short was spared the life in the Jim Crow
Soudi that Johnson endured, he experi
enced his share of bigotry while touring
early on. Both also achieved prominence
at about the same time Johnson via 1961
and 1970 reissues o f his recordings diat
fed the eras appetite for authentic acoustic
blues, and Short on a wave o f interest in
more sophisticated fare.
Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Keith Rich
ards, and a host o f others are Johnson
disciples, but many listeners have yet to
hearken to his message. If you still doubt
the power o f Delta blues, consider this
album o f all 29 songs the master re
corded. Its chapter and verse, replicated
from newly obtained originals, and it
could convert you. (xxxiv-7)
If you care to sample the cabaret
music m enu, begin w ith this record
ing or another showcasing Shorts
sizzling selections from the American
popular songbook. Prior to his death
in 2005, Short became the darling o f
supper-club society by interpreting its
creators w ith irrepressible ebullience,
from Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, and
Cole Porter through Vernon D uke
and Vincent Youmans. His singing
was as heady as the atm osphere at his
Christies estate auction, w here pho
tocopies o f the lavish com m em orative
catalog w ere needed to m eet dem and,
and Shorts Bechstein piano fetched
$132,000.
sons playing is not familiar in a directly

referential way, yet its melodically and
harmonically rich and generous and in
viting. Ive never heard Milford Gravess
fury sound so enmeshed, and Gary
Peacock is stunning. This is a strange
amalgam o f musical stuff that adds up
to one musically magical experience.
Its about evolution, said Davidson.
BILL DIXON ORCHESTRA

In ten ts a n d Purposes
Bill Dixon, trum pet, flugelhorn; George Marge,
English horn, flute; Robin Kenyatta, alto
saxophone; Byard Lancaster, alto saxophone,
bass clarinet; Jim m y Cheatham, bass trom bone;
Catherine Norris, cello; Jimmy Garrison, Reggie
W orkm an, bass; Robert Frank Pozar, drums; M arc
Levin, percussion
International Photograph LSP-3844 (CD). 1967/2011.
Jonathan Horw ich, reissue prod. AAD ? TT: 41:66
Recorded in 1967, Intents and Purposes

sounds like Debussy covering Miles
transcribed by Webern for a small anny
o f free-jazz improvisers. This music sim
mers and shimmers with voices, sounds
and silences stepping in and out o f time,
and really doesnt sound like anything
else except great art. To my way of think
ing, anyone and everyone interested in
music should own their very own copies
o f Bill Dixons Intents and Purposes. It
would make the world a more thought
ful place. W hen I play, whether you like
it or not, I mean it, Dixon said.
RICHARD LEHNERT
p
fig
MICHAEL LAVORGNA
A s r a u v C lass * 5
gSS
ANDERSON
O rch e stral M m k * I
I'umt CtMrrrtv
Ik r lM tN iV n n
I MkHr-t atklh-
Ih v iiw
MK I w w lO rrtn C n
LEROY ANDERSON
O rchestral M usic, Vols. 7-5
LOWELL DAVIDSON
Lowell D avidson Trio
Lowell Davidson, piano; Gary Peacock, bass;
M ilford Graves, percussion
ESP 1012 (CD). 1 9 6 5 /2 0 0 8 . Tom Abbs, prod.
manager; Steven W alcott, tape transfer,
remastering; A rt C rist, eng. A A D ? TT: 4 4 :0 8
This is Lowell Davidsons only record

ing, and w hat a beautiful piece o f music
it is. Davidson studied pianoforte at
age 4, composition at 8, harm ony at 12,
organ and then piano at 15. H e gradu
ated from Harvard on a full scholarship
with a degree in biochemistry. David
74
Leonard Slatkin, BBC Concert Orchestra. W ith :

Jeffrey Biegel, piano; Kim C riswell, soprano;
W illia m Dazeley, baritone.
Naxos Am erican Classics 8.559313,8.559356,
8.559357, 8.559381,8.559382 (5 CDs). 2 0 0 8 . Neil
Varley, prod.; M a rvin Ware, Neil Pemberton, Paul
W aton, engs. DDD. TTs: 61:54, 54:51,61:49,60:26,
52:16(4:51:16)
W hen did Americans o f a certain age

imprint on the music of Leroy Anderson
(1908-1975)? W hen they heard The
Syncopated Clock at the beginning of
CBSs The Late Show? Played The Phan
tom Regiment in eighth-grade band, or
A Trumpeters Lullaby in high school,
or The Typewriter in college? The
thousandth hearing, on any given Christ
mas, o f Sleigh Ride? The first hearing

o f Blue Tango, Serenata, or The
Girl in Satinto certain 12-year-olds,
the heights and depths o f dark romantic
mystery? I dont know. All I know is that
this sniff spouts from a vein o f American
music as deep and vital as any romanced
by Greil Marcus in Mystery Train. A defi
nition o f kitsch is something that appeals
to popular or lowbrow taste and is often
o f poor quality. Poor quality? Ander
son composed and arranged with the
meticulous care o f a master craftsman.
To say that he wrote light music with
great tunes is like saying W agner wrote
long operas: obvious but irrelevant.
W hen he wasnt writing hits for Arthur
Fiedler and the Boston Pops beginning
in the 1930s, Anderson worked as an
orchestral arranger, and those skills are
everywhere audible here. His four suites
o f Christmas carols, one each for strings,
woodwinds, brass, and full orchestra, are
a collective tour de force o f the orchestrators art. And if sentimentality is un
earned feeling, Anderson worked hard
to earn his sentiments, writing perfect
countermelodies; in nearly every compo
sition here, a haunting descant casts a
darker shadow for the (usually) sunny
main theme. His senses o f rhythm, syn
copation, counterpoint, contrary motion,
orchestral voicing, and gentle musical
wit are as impeccable as Gershwins, and
as authentically American. Among the
60-odd works on these five discs are 10
world-premiere recordings, all worth
hearing. The piano concerto will surprise
you in its fluidity and tunefulness, even
for Anderson, and pianist Jeffrey Biegel
does not condescend to the work. All of
Andersons arrangements for his single
musical, Goldilocks, are here.
Andersons music lias never been
better conducted, played, or recorded.
Leonard Slatkin lovingly sculpts each
phrase as if it were the most evanescent
Delius, die most gracile Mozart; die BBC
Concert Orchestra are eager accomplices.
The acoustic o f The Colosseum, Town
Hall, Watford is palpable in recordings
miked at a distance diat sounds...
respectful. This music limns in sound
the world that every character o f Mad
Men, and most o f my and my parents
generations, believed we were being
prepared to take our roles in. It was not
our or Andersons fault that that world
was a lie, or no longer tenable, or never
quite existed, or was fast vanishing even as
Anderson so lovingly embodied in sound
its ideal of perfectly poised geniality. Im
glad his music is what remains.
exotica (def.): things that are excitingly different.

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RECORDS TO DIE FOR
ROBERT LEVINE
a.
MOZART
Violin Concertos 3-5, K. 216, 218, 219
Andrew Manze, violin, conductor; The English Concert
Harm onia M undi H M U 807835 (CD). 2 00 6 . Robina
G. Young, prod.; Brad M ichel, eng. DDD. TT: 75:45
Andrew Manze, like, totally rocks, dude;

he has a stupendous ear for detail. Con
certo 3 opens with an instantly catchy
melody, and Manze tapers the end o f it
oddly but interestinglyhe make you
wonder whats next and softens its cocky
attitude. His solo entry' in die Adagio is ex
quisitely ghostly; he walks into the divine
setting on tiptoe and keeps the mood o f
sweet sadness going. The lack o f vibrato
in die higher registers is haunting here
and in the first movement o f Concerto
5, where it shows up widi a whisper of
an Adagio in die midst o f a nicely jolly A l
legro. And the facts that Manzes tone can
be Rill and his attacks startlingly strong
tell us diat hes making a choice. Again, in
Concerto 4s opening movement, Mozart
keeps the orchestral register low and the
solo violin very high-flying; lie must have
wanted just such a textural difference,
and Manze is careful to make it clear.
By the time we get to the rambunctious
Turkish music in this concerto, with
its bows basiling wildly into the strings,
we realize that Mozarts love o f contrasts,
which he found funny, is being gloriously
honored here. The English Concert is
more than adept: die horns and winds
arejust right, and die strings16 of
themdiink and play as one. Manze
composed all of the cadenzas, and theyre
as interesting and idiomatic as if Mozart
himself had written them. The recording
is ideally balanced; the soloist conies out
o f die orchestral fiber exactly as needed,
and all balances are natural, (x x i x -4)
SZYMANOWSKI
Songs of a Fairy-Tale Princess,
Harnasie, Love Songs of Hafiz
Iwona Sobotka, soprano; Katerina Karneus, mezzosoprano; Timothy Robinson, tenor; City of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle
EMI Classics 44352 2 (CD). 2 0 0 6 . Stephen Johns,
prod.; M ike Clements, eng. DDD. TT: 65:13
The two song cycles recorded here are

more than tinged with Orientalisms, die
East filtered through French pastels. The

first, Songs o f a Fairy-Tale Princess, consists of
just tliree songs, each a coloratura gem
that sometimes lapses into sheer vocalise,
die texts left behind. Bird-like soprano
Iwona Sobotka sings them splendidly.
Love Songs o f Hafiz is based on transla
tions of 14th-century Persian poetry;
their late-Romantic textures, die use
o f percussion bodi high and low, and
their expressive honesty are warm and
tempting. Szymanowski wisely uses a
darker; mezzo-soprano voice to express
the intermingling images of nature and
desire, and Katarina Karneus caresses each
languorously. Sandwiched between the
cycles is a ballet, Harnasie, peculiarly scored
for tenor, chorus, and orchestra. This is
forwardly propulsive, rhythmically jerky,
occasionally Stravinsky-like music that
perfecdy suits die subject o f a bride being
willingly abducted on her wedding night
by bandits in the Carpathian Mountains.
The textures are on a grander scale
here, still strangely ediereal at times, but
intercut with more earthbound sounds:
blocks and, possibly, a whip enter die
soundscape, and the xylophone goes wild.
All o f the music is gripping and thrilling,
filled with hannonic and orchestral sur
prises, and Sir Simon Ratde and the City
o f Birmingham Orchestra and Chorus
obviously feel passionately about i t The
performances and sonics are exemplary.
ERICK LICHTE
melancholic harmonies of the Beach Boys

themselves. The SM iLE Sessions restores
his original vision, and offers a glimpse
of what might have been had Wilson
been able to find die mental energy and
emotional support to finish his magnum
opus in 1964. Hearing The S M iL E Sessions,
I finally understood diat diis album truly
deserves its mythical status as one of
musics greatest unfinished works. I also
recommend you find online the boodeg
Alternate Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE.
TRIO MEDIAEVAL
Folk Songs
Anna M aria Friman, Linn Andrea Fuglseth, Torunn
0 s tre m Ossum, vocalists; Birger Mistereggen,
percussion, Jews harp
ECM New Series 2 0 0 3 (CD). 2007. M anfred Eicher,
prod.; Peter Laenger, eng. DDD. TT: 61:35
In my opinion, Trio Mediaeval have re

defined the art o f ensemble singing. W ith
their amazing match of voices, fearless
singing, and peerless taste in music, Anna
Maria Friman, Tomnn 0strem Osum,
and Linn Andrea Fuglseth are the great
est girl group ever. Among dieir many
great albums helmed by ECM s Manfred
Eicher, my favorite is Folk Songs, a col
lection of ancient Norwegian songs that
brings out all of die groups vocal beauty,
humor; and pathos. Lighdy accompanied
by percussionist andjew s-harp player
Birger Mistereggen, this album is at turns
searing, icy, sensual, and stoic. Each song
bears witness to the groups ability to
make music as a triune organism that
thinks, feels, breathes, and sings as one.
The sound quality is among the best Ive
heard.
JOHN MARKS
THE BEACH BOYS

The SMiLE Sessions
C apitol T-27664 (2 CDs). 2011. Brian W ilson, prod.;
W ilson, M ark Linett, Alan Boyd, Dennis Wolf,
com pilation prods. ADD. TT: 7 9 :2 0 /6 4 :0 6
While Brian Wilsons 2004 completion

o f his abandoned SM iLE project may
have been a personal triumph, I was left
with the feeling I was listening to a com
petent cover band trying to recapture the
feel, and perhaps the reason, for Wilson
and Van Dyke Parkss phantasmagorical
trip dirough America. The 2004 album
lacked Wilsons modular recording, his
wrecking crew session musicians, and,
most important, the sun-drenched yet
MICHEL LEGRAND
Legrand Jazz
M ichel Legrand, arr., conductor; H erbie M ann, flute;
Phil Woods, alto saxophone; John Coltrane, Ben
Webster, tenor saxophone; Donald Byrd, M iles
Davis, A rt Farmer, trum pet; Bill Evans, piano; Paul
Chambers, bass; others
Universal M usic France 8 3 0 074-2 (CD). 1958 /2 0 0 3.
No prod, or eng. listed; Alexis Frenkel, remastering.
AAD. TT: 44:41
This has to be the ultimate 1950s

Phenomenal Jazz Sleeper Recording.
77
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
Michel Legrand is usually thought

o f as the composer o f syrupy movie
music such as T he W indmills o f "your
Mind, from The Thomas Crown Affair.
However, thats less than entirely fair.
Legrand was always at least one rung
above the level o f a journeym an Tin
Pan Alley songsmith. His score for
The Umbrellas o f Cherbourg was a truly
epochal achievement, in that there is no
spoken dialogue in the entire film: it is
all sung. Legrand also cowrote W hat
Are You Doing the Rest o f Your Life
and You M ust Believe in Spring.
T he total outlier in Legrands
discography is this oft-overlooked
product o f three 1958 sessions at
Columbias 30th Street studio in N ew
York, where he didnt play piano and
isnt credited as a composer. Instead,
the 26-year-old Legrand shaped up
the sessions, w rote the charts and
conducted 11 standards by Armstrong,
Basie, Beiderbecke, Ellington, Gillespie,
Goodman, M onk, Reinhardt, among
othersfrom A N ight in Tunisia
to Round M idnight. T he earliest
session is the attention magnet; it
features Miles Davis, Jo h n Coltrane,
Phil Woods, Bill Evans, and Paul
Chambers. (Tracks from the three
sessions are interleaved in the running
order.) T heres not m uch variability
in the quality o f the sessions, because
Legrands inventive arrangements are
so engaging. Miss it at your peril, (xix-2 )
KLAUS TENNSTEDT
The Great EMI Recordings
M usic of Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Dvorak,
Kodaly, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky,
Prokofiev, Schubert, Schumann, R. Strauss, W agner
Klaus Tennstedt, Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago
Symphony, London Philharmonic & Choir, BBC Chorus
EMI Classics 94433 (14 CDs). 1978-91/2011. Various
prods., engs. A D D /D D D . TT: 15:54:44
I think no one said it better than Norman

Lebrecht in The Maestro Myth: Perhaps
this was [Tennstedts] secret, the sensation
that each perfonnance could be his last.
Each event was both an undreamed
privilege and an act o f desperation, die
fulfillment o f a lifelong ambition and
a confrontation with naked fear. If I
had to sum up Tennstedts approach to
conducting in one phrase, it would have
to be monumental architecture frill of
luscious sound and self-evident sincerity.
Standouts here include a disciplined but
charming Dvorak Symphony 9, a delib
erate and very dynamic Brahms German
Requiemand, with the Chicago Sym
phony, an electrifying, majestic live per
formance of Mahler's Symphony 1 diat is
more matter-of-fact than numinous. As
78
good an introduction to the big classics

as many boxed sets and better than most,
and therefore a great gift.
STEPHEN MEJIAS
SONIC YOUTH
Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star
DGC DGC24632 (C S /C D /LP ). 1994. Butch Vig,
prod., eng.; John Siket, asst, eng.; Howie W einberg,
m astering. A A D TT: 47:37
THE FLAMING UPS

Clouds Taste Metallic
W arner Bros. 45911 (C S/C D /LP). 1995. The Flaming
Lips, Dave Fridmann, prods., engs. ADD? TT: 47:37
ExperimentalJet Set, Trash and N o Star,
Sonic Youths 10th record and the last

to feature their classic lineup (Thurston
M oore and Lee Ranaldo on guitars,
Kim G ordon on bass, Steve Shelley on
dnims), was released during my senior
year in high school. I owned it on cas
sette, and Id be sure to grab it before
jum ping into my friend Kims car for
long rides down Interstate 4, from D el
tona to O rlando or Daytona Beach or
now here at all. All w e ever needed was
a full tank o f gas, the highways broken
w hite lines, and a starlit sky to lead us
on and on. U p front, Kim and Stepha
nie w ould roll down the windows
and exhale thick smoke from their
M arlboros, w hile in the darkness o f the
cluttered back seat I nodded my head
to the confident, relentless rhythms,
searched for meaning in the strange
lyrics, and com m itted to m em ory
every bold and violent guitar line.
Inside our minds, I imagine, we heard
the same thing: the sound o f freedom
and possibility. Perfect and purposeful
from beginning to end, Experimental
was recorded by Butch Vig at N ew
York Citys Sear Sound and mastered
by H ow ie W einberg at Masterdisk.
T he sound is ju st like the musicopen,
beautiful, alive, (xvii-11 )
A year later, I had moved from Florida
back to New Jersey and was attending
Fairleigh Dickinson University, where I
fell in love with a blue-haired, red-lipped
girl named Michelle. O ne painfully
cold winter night, just before Christmas,
she grabbed my hand and pulled me

along as she raccd to catch the last bus
from Teaneck to Hoboken. W e arrived
at a small rock club called Maxwells,
to see a band I knew nothing about.
The Flaming Lips, she told me, are
amazing! I was skeptical until the band
took die stage. After four clicks o f the
dm m sticks, die side walls and ceiling
and everydiing within sightmike stands,
monitors, even die bands gearwent
ablaze with strings o f bright Christmas
lights. It was in diis dream o f color
that the Lips tore through Christmas
at the Zoo, Lightning Strikes the
Postman, Kims Watermelon Gun,
and the rest of Clouds Taste Metallic,
making very clear that the band was
on the verge o f superstardom. W hile
that live performance remains one of
my all-time favorites, listening at home
is an experience completely different
but no less magical. Recorded by Dave
Fridmann, Clouds Taste Metallic leaps,
whizzes, and twirls through the listening
room with enough vibrant, realistic color
and impact to pull m e back in time and
send chills dirough my entire body.
PAUL MESSENGER
SYD BARRETT
Wouldn't You Miss Me?
The Best of Syd Barrett
H arvest/C apitol 5 32320 2 (CD). 2001. Syd Barrett,
Peter Jenner, M alcolm Jones, Roger Waters, David
Gilmour, Rick W right, prods. AAD ? TT: 73:24
In my opinion, w hen Syd Barrett left

Pink Floyd, he took the bands sense o f
hum or w ith him. M uch o f that hum or
reem erged in the two solo albums, The
Madcap Laughs and Barrett, that he made
at either end o f 1970, and which make
up m ost o f this 22-track compilation.
Barretts hum or is classic British
whimsy, very m uch in the tradition o f
W alter De la Mare and Lewis Carroll,
so it m ight not have universal appeal.
But hum or is a rare flower in the rock
jungle, and the m nes are as imaginative
as the lyrics; this is a rare treat, and a
poignant rem inder o f w hat might
have been.
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
JONI MITCHELL
Mingus
A sylum AS 53 091 (LP), W arner Bros. 7559605572
(CD). 1979/1986. Joni M itchell, Steve Katz, mix;
Henry Lewy, Jerry Solomon, eng., mix; Bernie
Grundman, mastering. A A A /A A D . TT: 37:20
O ne of die least well known o f Joni

Mitchells albums, Mingus is frequently
and unjusdy overlooked. Yet its die
default Mitchell that finds its way onto my
turntable, dianks to a combination o f fine
musicianship from the Weadier Report
crew (Wayne Shorten and Jaco Pastorius at
his very best) and excellent sound (on my
LP). Although the rap interludes between
tracks can become tedious with repeated
playing, it has arguably die finest version
o f The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines
Ive ever heard, with Mitchells impeccable
timing matching the bands.
FRED MILLS
engs. AAD. TT: 75:47
The term alt-country is a cliche

nowadays, but in 1984 it was decidedly
outre for a group to come out sport
ing buckskins and Levis to serve up
twangy, pedal steel-adorned ditties o f a
Gram Parsons/Burrito Brothers/Byrds
tilt. Cali mavericks the Long Ryders
did ju st that, and their Native Sons
album was groundbreaking enough to
carve out a niche on college radio. This
reissue adds their debut EP and early
demos, proving that while they were
well versed in country, bluegrass, and
folk, at the end o f the day they were
an American band frilly immersed in
rocknroll and its many variants, from
cosmic cowboy and country-rock to
jangly pop and garage/psych.
work by W ilson as well. Although

Gagas work centers around her vocals,
keyboards, and synth programming,
nearly two dozen guest musicians
appear on Born This Way. I hear more
Kraftwerk and less M adonna on this
album, but Gagas greatest deviation
from her typical M O is the current hit
You and I, a hard-rock power ballad
that wouldnt be out o f place on a Dana
Fuchs Band recording.
KALMAN RUBINSON
ROBERT J. REINA
HOLLAND BAROQUE SOCIETY
WITH MILOS VALENT
Barbaric Beauty: Telemann &
18th-Century Dance Transcriptions
LADY GAGA
LED ZEPPELIN
IV
A tla n tic SC-7208 (LP). 1971. Jimmy Page, prod.;
A ndy Johns, eng. A A A . TT: 42:25
Everyones heard the tale, possibly apocry

phal, of Robert Plant driving around the
Northwest one afternoon when he hears
a local radio station, in die middle o f a
fluid drive, cue up Stairway to Heaven.
As die story goes, Plant phones in and
pledges 50 bucks if the DJ promises to
never play it again. Well, recendy, my
10-year-old discovered Led Zep in a big
way, to die point where hes making me
play Stairway in die car every morning
on die way to school. W ere at 23 spins
and counting. But you know what? The
song is just as thrilling now as when I first
heard it in the winter o f 71, and played
it over and over. O ther tracks on the
LPthe Sandy Denny-powered Battle
o f Evermore, the thuggish blooze of
W hen the Levee Breaks, the tight-pants
swagger of Rock and Rollstill thrill,
too. Im a teenager all over again, (xxv-ii)
THE LONG RYDERS

Native Sons: Deluxe Reissue
Prima SID -024 (CD). 2011. Henry Lewy, Paul
McKenna, Earle Mankey, Ethan James, p ro d s./
Born This Way

Streamline B0015373 (CD). 2011. Lady Gaga, V incent
H erbert, prods.; Olle Romo, Dave Russell, Rafa
Sardina, engs. DDD. TT; 61:12
GARY WILSON
Electric Endicott
Western Vinyl WEST079 (CD). 2010. Gary W ilson,
prod., eng. DDD. TT: 32:08
These latest releases by Lady Gaga and

Gary W ilson have so m uch in common.
Both are perfectionist performance art
ists whose onstage personae leave some
enchanted and others aghast. Both are
musical talents wdio blend disparate
musical genres, acoustic and electronic
textures, and multiple instruments to
create an intoxicating pair o f releases
that are intellectually stimulating yet
unusually accessible. W ilson continues
in his vein o f crooning about all o f those
w om en in his past w ho either left him
behind or never let him get close. As
usual, he supplies all o f the instalments
and voice work, but separates many of
the songs with short instrumental inter
ludes that are either largely electronic
or acoustic in a traditional jazz setting. I
hear as m uch Bacharach as I hear Bjork
and Jo h n Cage in Electric, and Im
pleased to hear some rare acoustic piano
Arrangem ents by M ilos Valent & Tineke Steenbrink

o f w orks by Telemann and reconstructions of
contem porary dance music.
M ilos Valent, leader, violin, voice; Jan Rokyta, flutes,
cim balom ; Holland Baroque Society
Channel Classics CCA SA 31911 (S ACD/CD). 2011.
Jared Sachs, prod., eng. DDD. TT: 77:32
This marvelous disc, drawn from

several archives, presents dance music
from the Eastern Europe o f presentday Poland, Slovakia, and H ungary
that Telemann would be likely to have
known. Each track is a suite o f dances
that includes related pieces by Tele
mann. O ne offers H ungarian themes
familiar to us from the works o f Liszt
and Bartok; another is a basketful of
traditional Jew ish melodies o f the time.
All are ingratiating, melodic, and color
ful. Relating them to the interdigitated
Telem ann is fascinating, b u t musicol
ogy aside, this disc is arranged, played,
and recorded with such flavor and zest
that its a thoroughly delightful experi
ence for the music lover
and audiophile.
KORNGOLD: SYMPHONY IN
F-SHARP MAJOR
Much Ado About Nothing
Marc Albrecht, Orchestra Philharmonique de Strasburg
Pentatone Classics PTC 5186 373 (S ACD/CD). 2010.
W olfram Nehls, prod., eng.; Job Maarse, prod.;
Philipp Knop, eng. DDD. TT: 67:41
Korngolds only symphony, completed

in 1952 after his long and successful
79
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
hiatus as a Hollywood film composer,

shows us what might have happened
to the centuries-long middle-European
symphony tradition had not two world
wars intervened and scattered that tradi
tion to Russia and Scandinavia. Richly
invested with colorful orchestrations and
graceful shaping, this symphony is char
acterized by an apposition and reiteration
o f melodies reminiscent o f the leitmotiv
concept diat infonned Korngolds film
music. Tins and the incidental music
from Much Ado About Nothing, his first
Hollywood success, are played with
panache and precision by the Strasbourgers and are presented in a clear, deep
soundstage that reveals all the details of
Korngolds brilliant scoring.
LELAND RUCKER
'O
r 'A
GILLIAN WELCH
The Harrow & the Harvest
Acony ACNY1109 (CD). 2011. David Rawlings, prod.;
M a tt Andrews, eng. AAD. TT: 45:58
O n this album, eight years in the m ak

ing, singer-songwriter Gillian W elch
and guitarist David Rawlings, longtime
partners w ho perform as the band
Gillian Welch, have actually become
one instrument, one voice. Except
for a banjo, a trace o f harmonica, and
some knee slapping, its just tw o voices
and tw o guitars working in perfect
equanimity. T he 10 songs, all cowritten
by the pair, often seem foreboding and
desperate, but youre not quite sure
why. Iconic Civil W ar images linger
and fade: cam ptown m en, Gatling
guns, silver daggers, Tennessee, Ashe
ville boys, six white horses, the Dixie
line. And, oh, the whiskey. N o wasted
notes. N o frills. This is the best argu
m ent for not hurrying music I have
ever heard. Fully realized folk music.
M ARKUSSAUER
ones life doesnt mean theres no place

for hope and resilience. T he sound is
stark, disjointed, yet strong and pro
pulsive, and a wonderful reflection of
the lyrics. Kudos to producer Richard
Russell. A must-have album.
TINARIWEN
Tassili
A n ti- 87148-2 (CD). 2011. Jean Paul Romann, prod.,
eng.; Ian Brennan, prod.; A ndris Balins, Jake Eckert,
Tom Schick, M ark W heaton, engs. DDD. TT: 53:54
Tinariwen is a Touareg group. Their

music is traditional Arab desert,
tem pered w ith a strong awareness o f
W estern traditions, especially those
W estern traditions that take their roots
from Africa; eg, the blues. This latest
recordthe first to be partially sung
in Englishwas recorded in a tent in
South Algeria, w ith just a few ovcrdubs
and the addition o f the Dirty D ozen
Brass band on one track. The feeling is
relaxed, confident, positive: the perfect
antidote to stress, and a wonderful
record to com e hom e to. T he sound is
fairly dry, w hich I like, and lucid.
DAVID SOKOL
TEDDYBEARS
Devil's Music
Big B eat/A tla n tic 2527035 (CD). 2011. Teddybears,
prods.; Seb Roc, Herman Soderstrom, Graham
Marsh, Janne Hansson, Joe Corey, engs. AAD. TT;
3 4 :0 6
Teddybears are a longtim e Swedish

production team that appears onstage
and in videos in bear outfits. W ho
knew they secretly w anted to retrofit
rocknroll? But thats ju st w hat theyve
done here. Rocknroll? O h, it used
to go like that; now it goes like this.
Rocket Scientist, w ith a sexy vocal
from Eve, lays down the termsIm
the robot Elvis rocking m y bionic
pelvis . . . I am the killer shaking up
some old rock and roll, fooland of
fers up the refrain o f the year: T hem
drum machines aint got no soul.
Elsewhere, G et Fresh W ith You bor
rows unashamedly from Louie Louie
but sets it in a present-day inner-city
neighborhood, and Cee Lo Green
raids the funk pantry for the catty
Cho Cha. T he crem e de resistance is
Devils Music, which gives the classic
Bo D iddley/Johnny Otis shave-and-ahaircut riff a M ohawk, snips courtesy
R obert Johnson, Eddie Van Halen, and
Jim m y Page. Better watch out for that
devils music / Its got a hold o f my
soul. O h yeah.
80
GIL SCOTT-HERON
I'm New Here
XL 4 09 6 2 52 (CD). 2010. Richard Russell, prod.;
Rodaidh M cDonald, eng., mix; Ichiho Nishiki, eng.
DDD? TT: 28:25
R 2D 4 is a strange place for an

obituary, but this magazine needs to ac
knowledge somewhere the passing o f
Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011). H e was
variously described as the godfather
o f rap and hip-hop, the black Dylan,
and many other things, but attempts to
label G SH w ith a neat, concise catchphrase have always been futile, and
necessarily fall short o f doingjustice to
an artist w ith such a broad outlook. His
musical roots were in blues, funk, and
rock, but what m ade him special were
his lyrics, and the wonderfi.il baritone
voice that conveyed those words
straight into the hearts and minds o f
his fans, w hether he was singing or
speaking. His last album, Im N ew Here,
is clearly the w ork o f an old man, but,
like Johnny Cashs American Recordings,
it shows that accepting the darkness in
THE MAMA'S AND THE PAPA'S

If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
M C A MCAD-11739 (CD). 1966/1998. Lou Adler,
prod.; Bones Howe, eng. A A D ? TT: 34:56
Probably the only misstep on this, the

L.A. quartets timeless debut album,
is the ungram m atical inclusion o f
those pesky apostrophes in the groups
nam e. B ut musically the collection is
above reproach, a com bination o f such
mellifluous, ear-catching originals as
Monday, M onday and Go W here
You W anna Go, and swanky covers
o f songs by Leiber-Spector, LennonM cCartney, and P.F. Sloan. Primary
songw riter Jo h n Phillipss gift for m ar
rying evocative lyrics (Stopped into a
church / 1 passed along the way ) to
gorgeous harm onies was already frilly
evident w hen California D ream in
first burst onto the radio in late 1965,
and nearly 50 years after its release,
the song still sounds dark and chilly
RECORDS TO DIE FOR
. . . and w arm and fuzzy. O ver the

next few years, Phillips and company
w ould tu rn out a string o f sm art radio
confections that refuse to grow old.
B ut this is w here that fascinating
blend o f folky hipness and grounded,
meticulous songcraft and arranging
took root.
SON VOLT
Trace
W arner Bros. 46010-2 (CD). 1995. Son Volt, Brian
Paulson, prods.; Hans Buff, Steve M cKinstry, engs.
AAD ? TT: 42:12
Its a funand maybe impossibleex

ercise to pick the best album to come
out o f the ashes o f alt-country darlings
U ncle Tupelo, and W ilco has certainly
waxed a couple records to die for
(Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is
Born). B ut Trace, the debut from Jay
Farrars then-fledgling band, is such a
consistent affair in term s o f tuneful
ness and sound that it would also be
a wise choice. Its a musical jou rn ey
filled w ith torrents o f ragged, screech
ing guitars leavened w ith m elodic
tw ang and that bit o f innocence that
comes from Farrars old-soul voice
and from his songs, w hich m orph
masterfully from one to the next
while evoking dark nights, faraway
places, and rime fading away. T he one
nonoriginal here, the album -ending
Mystifies M e, from Ron W oods
1974 beauty, I ve Got M y O w n A lbum to
Do, fits in sweetly, (xix-i)
JOHN SWENSON
za o f Zooropa. Its not surprising that

this feat nearly destroyed the group;
rebirth aint pretty, but its w orth
it. T he original release still sounds
gloriousM ysterious Ways, U ntil
the End o f the W orld, Even Better
T han the Real Thing, and O n e are
all defining m om ents in rock history
but the B-sides and remixes o f disc 2
flesh out this music so well that this
is one o f the few examples o f an an
niversary release that actually improves
on the original.
THE WILD TCHOUPITOULAS

The Wild Tchoupitoulas
Fontana Island 1625399082 (CD). 1976/1991.
Allen Toussaint, prod., eng. AAD. TT: 37:12
This is one record I never grow tired o f

listening toit keeps revealing deeper
secrets 35 years after it was made. The
W ild Tchoupitoulas represent the
core identity o f the legendary Neville
family of New' Orleans. Family elder
George Landry, aka Big C hief Jolly
in this Black Indian gang, enlisted the
help o f N ew Orleans funk pioneers
the M eters, led by his nephew Art
Neville on keyboards, and their
producer, Allen Toussaint, to record
a collection o f Mardi Gras Indian
chants arranged for a full band. Art
and his three brothersCyril, Aaron,
and Charlesw ould go on to form the
Neville Brothers after singing together
here. Classic Black Indian folklore
Brother John, M eet de Boys on the
Battlefront, Indian Red, Big C hief
G ot a Golden C row nwas codi
fied for general consumption on this
session, and N ew Orleans music has
never been the same.
SAM TELLIG
U2: ACHTUNG BABY

20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Island Universal B 0016043-02 (2 CDs). 1991/2011.
Daniel Lanois, Steve Lillywhite, Brian Eno, prod.,
mix; Flood, eng., mix. ADD. TT: 78:30
O nly the greatest rock bands are able

to com pletely transform their music
in response to the changing culture
they rcflect. U 2 achieved this feat on
the rem arkable Achtung Baby, which
allowed the band to m orph from the
1980s arena rock displayed on Rattle
and H um to the interactive extravagan
SCHUBERT
Impromptus & Dances
Impromptus, D.899 Nos. 1-4, D.935 Nos. 1 & 2;
Landler (excerpts); Waltzes, D.145 & D.980
Vassily Primakov, piano
Bridge 9327 (CD). 2010. Becky Starobin, exec, prod.;
David Starobin, prod.; Viggo Mangor, eng.; Adam
Abeshouse, mastering. DDD. TT: 76:22
Schubert didnt dance, or so the liner
notes say. I dont, either. B ut Schubert

was prolific in com posing dances
some 400 in all. Primakov offers an
unconventional program o f 12 w altz
es, 13 landler (in a suite compiled by
his teacher, Vera Gornostaeva), and six
im prom ptus. T he total tim e is 76:22,
so this is a very generous helping o f
Schubert. T he im prom ptus are the
m ore substantial works, and Primakov
has exactly the right touch: light, lyri
cal, dark w hen he needs to be. Listen
especially to the Im prom ptu D.899
No.4 in A -flat. . . and D.935 No.2, in
the same key. Few pianists so capture
the light and the life that was (briefly)
Schuberts. T he perform ances seem
to radiate from w ithin. Like all piano
releases from the Bridge label, this
one is very well recorded, albeit a
little up close. Some m ore atm osphere
o f Carl N ielsen Hall, in O dense,
D enm ark, m ight have been welcome;
then again, maybe not. The sound
o f the H am burg Steinway D does
strike m e as clangy some o f the tim e m ore like a fortepiano than a piano.
Perhaps this was the desired effect.
A superb disc.
HANDEL
Water Music, Suites in F, G, D;
Rodrigo Overture
M arc M inkowski, Les M usicians du Louvre-Grenoble
Naive V5234 (CD). 2010. Jean-Pierre Loisil, prod.;
Laure Casanava-Pere, eng.;
Etienne Grossien, asst. eng. DDD. TT: 67:32
Together, these three suites comprise

the com plete Water Music, music
w ritten by Handel for King George
Is big river party on the Tham es
on July 17,1717. Never m ind that
Marc M inkowski and Les Musiciens
du Louvre-G renoble are French,
n o t English; Handel wasnt Eng
lishnor, for that matter, was King
George. Anyway, the music itself is
m ore French, G erm an, and Italian.
T he ensem ble playing is superb, and
exquisitely recorded. T he horn playing
is immediate, alive, ravishingreally.
T he horns almost bray. Imagine try
ing to lift a harpsichord onto a barge;
the barge m ight tip over and sink. So
H andels musicians appear to have left
the harpsichord behind. M inkowski
uses one. T he filler is the overture to
H andels opera Rodrigo, composed in
1711. Interesting that the Water Music
seems to reflect it. This has become
m y favorite recording o f the Water
Music. You probably have at least
one otherby Pinnock, Gardiner,
Mackerras, etc. G et this one, too.
81
E Q U IP M E N T R E PO R T
JOHN ATKINSO N
Bricasti Design Mi
D/A CONVERTER
ack in the late 1980s, it seemed a good idea: Separate

a C D players transport section from its D /A circuitry
so that each could be optimally designed, and, as
D /A technology improved, the sound o f your CD
player could he upgraded by replacing the outboard D /A
processor. H ie catch was that the transport and D /A chassis
needed to be connected w ith a serial data link: S /P D IF
in optical or electrical flavors, or balanced A ES/EBU . To
m inim ize die num ber o f cables required, the format o f that
link em bedded the clock data w ithin the audio data, which
rendered the link sensitive to interface timing uncertainty, or
jitter. (See Bits Is Bits?, by Malcolm Hawksford and Chris
D unn, w w w .stereophile.com /features/396bits/index.hm il.)
Overcom ing the effects ofjitter back then required heroic
engineering at heroic prices. In February 1992, when we re
viewed the M ark Levinson No.30 Reference D /A processor
from Madrigal Audio Labs, which successfully addressed the
interface problem, it cost a staggering $13,950. But the No.30
also illustrated an advantage o f the standalone D /A proces
sor: It was not limited to the C D s 44.1kHz sample rate and
16-bit w ord length. T he N o.30 was originally a 20-bit device
operating at 44.1 and 48kH z; subsequent upgrades allowed it
to handle 24-bit data at sample rates up to 96kHz, and to de
code H D C D datastreams. But again, this all came at a price:
the upgraded version, the No.30.5, released in 1994, cost
$15,950 (see http://tinyurl.com /8y4w jqm ); the final version,
No.30.6, from 1999, cost $16,950 (see www.stcrcophile.
corn/digitalprocessors/159/index.hmil).
I bought the 1992 review sample o f the No.30, and
purchased both the .5 and .6 upgrades. The N o.30 was my
reference D /A processor until 2009, w hen its separate power

supply stopped working. T he failure was hardly surprising
the unit had been powered up almost continually for 17 years.
Unfortunately, although Madrigal had com m itted to
supporting their Reference products indefinitely,1 H arm ans
purchase of Madrigal and the subsequent closings o f first the
Connecticut facility that used to manufacture M ark Levinson
products, then o f Lexicons Massachusetts facility, where
Levinson production had been moved, m eant that H arm an
would no longer repair broken No.30.6sor any other old
M ark Levinson gear.
I have since discovered a Massachusetts dealer that offers
M ark Levinson repair by experienced staff,2 and have shipped
them my No.30.6 for surgery. In the meantime, Ive been
auditioning 21st-century D /A processors that are claimed to
offer state-of-the-art performanceincluding the subject o f
this review, the M l ($7995) from Bricasti Design Ltd.
The Bricasti M l
I had been alerted to the existence o f the M l by the August

2011 installment o f John Markss column, The Fifth Ele
m ent (www.stereophile.com /content/fifth-elem ent-67).
Fast, detailed, effortlessly powerful, musically revealing.
Fatigue-free listening, he wrote, concluding that the M l
offered The best digital playback I have heard. John offered
1 Props to McIntosh Labs for making the same commitment and living up to it.
This, to me, is what high-end audio should be about: customer support ot the
same caliber as the products performance.
2 The Service Bench, 227 Carnegie Row, Norwood, MA 02062. Web: www.
hometheaterconcepts.com.
SPECIFICATIONS
Description Description
24-bit, 8x-oversampling
delta-sigma digital/analog
converter w ith seven choices
of reconstruction filter.
Digital inputs: AES/EBU
on XLR, S/PDIF electrical
on RCA and BNC, S/PDIF
optical on TosLink. W ordclock input on BNC. Analog
outputs: 2 stereo (1 XLR, 1
82
RCA). Sample rates handled:

44.1-192kHz. Maximum
output level: 4V, balanced
(adjustable); 2V, single
ended. O utput impedance:
4 0 ohms (balanced or
single-ended). Frequency
response (44.1kHz sample
rate): 10Hz-20kHz,
+0 /-0 .2 d B . Dynamic range:
>120dBA. THD+noise at
1kHz: 0 .0 0 0 6 % at OdBFS,
0 .0 0 0 4 % at -30dBFS. Jitter:
8ps at 48kHz, 6ps at 96kHz.
Power consumption: 28W
(6 W in standby).
Dimensions 17" (432m m )
W by 2.5" (6 4 m m ) H by 11
(2 8 0 m m ) D. Weight: 12 lbs
(5.5kg).
Finish Black anodized
aluminum.
Serial Number of U nit

Reviewed Demo 2.
Price $7995. Approximate
number of dealers: 25.
M anufacturer
Bricasti Design Ltd.,
123 Fells Avenue,
Medford, M A 01255.
Tel: (781) 306-0420.
www.bricasti.com.
ERIC SWANSON
BRICASTI DESIGN M1 D/A PROCESSOR
to send m e the M l for m easurem ent and some listening.

Well, he didnt so m uch offer as order.
N o t that I needed m uch persuadingthe M ls lineage
ties it to my M ark Levinson No.30.6. Bricastis cofounders,
Casey Dowdell and Brian Zolner, had respectively been
a DSP-software engineer and international sales manager
at Lexicon before H arm an International closed its N ew
England operations.3 W hile Bricasti writes all its ow n signalprocessing software, it contracts out some o f the hardware
engineering to AeVee Labs, a company in N ew Haven,
Connecticut, founded by Bob Gorry, w ho used to be C hief
Engineer at Madrigal Audio Labs.
T he M l is Bricastis second product, the first being the M7
reverberation engine, aimed at the pro-audio market. Housed
in a single 17"-wide black chassis w ith bm shed-alum inum
control knob and pushbuttons and a central red alphanumeric
LED display, the M l bears a superficial resemblance to Mark
Levinson products o f yore. Clockwise from the bottom left,
the six pushbuttons control Display brightness, input Status,
Input select, Filter select, Aux input S /P D IF or word-clock
select, and Enter. W hen one o f the first five buttons is pushed,
the rotary control allows you to scroll through the choices
offered, which are then selected by pressing Enter.
O n the center section o f the rear panel are the IEC AC
inlet, the power switch, and four transformer-isolated digital
inputs: A E S/E B U on an XLR, S /P D IF electrical on an
RCA, S /P D IF optical on die usual TosLink jack, and a B N C
jack that can be switched either to S /P D IF (default) or
W ord Clock, the latter allowing the M l to be slaved to other
3 Dowdell and Zolner presented a master class on high-end product design,
The Fine Line between Voicing and Design, at the Audio Engineering Society
Convention in New York on October 20,2011. From the abstract: When the
design brief of a digital to analog conversion system calls for performance regard
less o f cost, a series of known concepts can be put in place. W hen performance is
the highcstpriority, the execution and fine tuning of these concepts changes the
design brief and project schedule.
digital devices. Unusually, there is no USB port, but there

is a remote trigger jack. To the left and right o f this central
area are the analog output sections, each offering balanced
signals via an X LR jack and unbalanced via an RCA. Each
o f these sections also has a small back-lit level-trim control
for the balanced output, adjustable from + 8 to +22dBm
(1.95-9.75V). T he default output level is +14dBm (3.9V).
Internal LEDs on the circuit board glow a soft red through
the M l s perforated side panels; the effect is elegant and at
tractive. The M l m ns hot; after the review sample had been
powered up for a day, its top panel stabilized at 103F (39C).
Technology
O ther than a central signal-processing board and its switch
m ode power supply, the M l s internal constmction is dual
mono. The analog circuitry for each channel is constructed
on an Arlon printed-circuit board (another echo o f Mark
Levinson gear); the layouts o f the two channels components
m irror each other. Each channel is powered by its own
toroidal AC transformer m ounted behind the front panel,
followed by extensive voltage regulation.
The selected digital input is fed to a large Analog Devices
ADSP-21368 SH A RC digital signal-processing chip. This ap
pears to include the S /P D lF receiver, and also manages the
front-panel display and controls, synchronizes the clocking o f
each channels D /A converter, and provides the oversampled
reconstruction filters. Also on this board are a Xilinx FPGA
chip and another Analog Devices processor, an ADSP-BF532
Black Fin chip. Each channels oversampled and low-passfiltered data are fed to its board via ribbon cable, where
theyre converted to analog with an Analog Devices A D 1955
24-bit/192kH z chip. The AD 1955 is a two-channel part, but
in the M l, each chip is operated in differential-output mode
for increased dynamic range. T he D /A converters differential
current outputs are followed by four liigh-slew-rate (250V/(j.s)
MEASUREMENTS
' used Stereophile's loan sample of
the top-of-the-line Audio Precision
SYS2722 system to measure the
Bricasti Ml (see www.ap.com and
the January 2008 "As We See It," http:/'
tinyurl.com/4ffpve4); for some tests, I
also used my vintage Audio Precision
System One Dual Domain and the Miller
Audio Research Jitter Analyzer.
RCAs, sourced from output impedances

of 58 and 29 ohms, respectively, at all fre
quencies. Both sets of outputs preserved
absolute polarity (ie, were non-inverting),
the XLRs being wired with pin 2 hot.
I examined the impulse response of
each of the seven filters by feeding the
M1 digital black data into which I had
inserted a single sample at full scale. The
F ig .2 Bricasti M l, Filter 1, frequency response at

-12dBFS into 100k ohm s w ith data sampled at:
44.1kHz (le ft channel green, right gray), 96kH z (le ft
cyan, righ t magenta), 192kHz (le ft blue, righ t red).
(0 .2 5 dB /vertica l div.)

-12dBFS into 100k ohms w ith data sampled at:
44.1kHz ( le ft channel green, righ t gray), 96kH z (le ft
cyan, righ t m agenta), 192kHz (le ft blue, righ t red).
The Bricasti's electrical inputs suc

cessfully locked to datastreams with
sample rates ranging from 44.1 to
192kHz; the TosLink input would not lock
to datastreams with sample rates greater
than 96kHz, which is normal. As supplied
for review, the M1s maximum output
level was 4.3V from the balanced XLR
jacks and 2.01V from the single-ended
L . .. .
.
Fig.1 Bricasti M l, Filter 4, im pulse response (4m s
tim e window ).
84
BRICASTI DESIGN M1 D /A PROCESSOR
Filter 4: Low-delay filter w ith fvill attenuation at Nyquist

Frequency but higher passband ripple.
Filter 5: Second version o f a half-band filter with 6dB
attenuation at N yquist frequency.
Filter 6: Low-delay filter starting at 18kHz and full
attenuation at Nyquist frequency.
N one o f these filters is a minimum-phasc or apodizing type,
but given the flexibility o f the M ls DSP platform, I dont see
why such filters couldnt be offered as a firmware upgrade.
Sound Quality
O ther than the digital processing board, th e M i's construction is tru e dual-m ono.
op-amps, these Analog Devices AD843s, which are followed

in turn by two discrete-transistor output buffer sections, one
balanced, one unbalanced.
H ie AD 1955 includes a digital-domain volume control,
but this is not used in the M l. T he D /A converter chip also
has an internal reconstruction filter, this available as Filter
0 in the Bricastis Filter m enu, and described in the manual
as a basic half-band filter w ith 6dB attenuation at the
Nyquist Frequency. T he other six filters are Bricastis own.
They are:
Filter 1 :20kH z bandwidth, stop-band at Nyquist
Frequency w ith low ripple and high attenuation.
Filter 2: Similar to 1, w ith a filter o f slightly gentler slope.
Filter 3: Steepest slope, highest bandwidth.
Because the M l lacks a USB input, I used the Empirical

Audio Off-Ramp4 U S B -S /P D IF converter I reviewed in
Decem ber 2011 to take the audio data from the Mac mini I
use as a music server, connecting its output with a 75-ohm
B N C cable to the Bricastis Aux input. For silver discs, I con
nected the A E S/E B U output o f my Ayre Acoustics C-5xeM1>
universal player to the M l w ith a i m length o f D H Labs
Silver Sonic cable.
The first order o f business was to choose a reconstruction
filter. Like John Marks, I felt Filter 0 was flat and uninvolving.
However, while Johns favorite was Filter 4 ,1 felt this tended
to smooth over fine detail a little. I ended up doing almost
all my auditioning with Filter 6, w hich I felt struck the right
balance between the presentation o f detail and the ability to
throw a deep, well-defined soundstage. W ith Filter 6, Ray
Browns double bass in Exactly Like You, from his Soular
Eneigy (24/192 ALAC file ripped from DVD-Audio, HiRez
Music HRM2011), had exactly the right balance between
the body o f the instruments tone and the leading edges o f
the notes. And Gene Harriss piano on this recording had an
almost crystalline clarity but without sounding forced.
That piano had presumably been close-miked, but the
M l s sympathetic way w ith piano extended to more distantly
m iked instruments. For example, the 9' Steinway D used
filters all had similar time-symmetrical,

linear-phase impulse responses; fig.1 was
taken with Filter 4. However, the fitters did
differ in their frequency-domain behavior.
Fig.2 shows the response of Filter 1with
data sampled at 44.1kHz (green and gray
traces), 96kHz (cyan, magenta), and
192kHz (blue, red). This filter has a sharp
rolloff just below 20kHz with 44.1kHz
data, though the higher sample rates follow

the gentle rolloff seen above 10kHz. Both
96 and 192kHz roll off earlier than with
other D/A processors, the responses being
-3dB at 33 and 55kHz, respectively. Fig.3
shows the behavior of Filter 4. The 96 and
192kHz responses are identical to Filter 1,
but some passband ripple is now evident
at 44.1kHz. This is generally felt not to be
a good thing, but John Marks actually pre

ferred the sound of Filter 4 to the other six.
Fig.4 shows the response of Filter 6, which
I preferred, while fig.5 shows the response
of Filter 0, which neither of us liked but
which gives the widest bandwidth at all
sample rates.
The MTs channel separation (not
shown) was superb, at >125dB in both

44.1kHz (le ft channel green, righ t gray), 96kH z (le ft
cyan, righ t magenta), 192kHz (le ft blue, right red).

44.1kHz (le ft channel green, righ t gray), 96kH z (le ft
cyan, righ t magenta), 192kHz (le ft blue, righ t red).
F ig .6 Bricasti M1, ' / 3-octave spectrum w ith noise

and spuriae o f dithered 1kHz tone at -90dBFS, w ith:
16-bit data (to p ), 2 4 -b it data (m idd le), dithered
1kHz tone at -120dBFS w ith 2 4 -b it data (b o tto m ).
(R ight channel dashed.)
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BRICASTI DESIGN M1 D /A PROCESSOR
by Robert Silverman in his recording o f Liszts Sonata in B

M inor (CD, Stereophile STPH008-2) had superb w eight to
its low frequencies, yet w ithout sounding muddy. And the
supportive acoustic o f Albuquerques First U nited M ethodist
C hurch was nicely resolved.
W hen I recorded the Elgar Piano Q u in tet at the 1998
Santa Fe C ham ber Music Festival for release on Bravo! (CD,
Stereophile STPH014-2), I had to m ike the players closely
because we w erent allowed to turn off the air-conditioning
system o f St. Francis Auditorium. In postproduction I used
a Lexicon PCM 90 digital reverberator to produce a synthe
sized acoustic that matched, as closely as I could judge, the
sound o f the hall. As D /A converters have im proved over
the years, I w orry that their increasing transparency will
eventually unmask the difference betw een the artificial and
real acoustics on this CD . The Bricasti surprised m e w ith the
Elgar; its reproduction o f this perform ance pushed the string
quartet and piano farther back in the soundstage compared
with my expectations. W hile there was no audible conflict be
tween the residual reverb o f the auditorium and that produced
by the Lexicon, the overall balance was more reverberantas if
the reverberation tails were being more clearly resolvedthan
I rem em bered hearing w hen I mastered the C D using the
Levinson No.30.6.
This high degree o f resolution, however, was not achieved
by exaggerating detail, w hich w ould emphasize a recordings
flaws. I do m uch o f m y classical radio listening these days
via the Internet, using m y Logitech Transporter. W ith this
connected to the M l via S /P D IF , I could enjoy live classical
concerts from Chicagos W FM T, for example, w ithout be
ing rem inded overmuch (other than the missing top octave)
that the music was being squeezed through a lossy pipe.
So the Bricasti M l offered superb soundstaging, extended
and weighty low frequencies, and a cleanly musical midrange.
H ow did it measure up against other well-regarded DACs?
Comparisons
I first compared the Bricasti M l with the Weiss DAC202
($6670, reviewed by Erick Lichte in January 2012), and
then with the dCS Debussy ($10,999, reviewed by Michael
Frem er in January 2011), which since its review has had its
USB input updated to handle audio data with sample rates
up to 192kHz. The DAC202 was connected via an Audio
Q uest FireW ire cable to my Mac minis FireW ire port. The
hard drive containing my T im es library was connected via
another AudioQuest FireW ire cable to the DAC202. (The
odier option, connecting the drive
between the Mac mini and the
The
DAC202, resulted in occasional
Bricasti Mi
clicks.4) As the Mac cant send
audio data simultaneously
offered superb
through its USB and FireW re
soundstaging,
ports, for direct comparisons I fed
extended and
the Weisss AES/EBU output
to the Bricasti M l or the dCS
weighty low
Debussy. Playback was with Pure
frequencies,
Music, and the output levels o f all
three processors were matched to
and a cleanly
within 0.1 dB at 1kHz.
musical
Erick Lichte called it cor
midrange.
rectly: The Weiss DAC202
sounds smoother than the dCS
Debussy. However, w hen I listened to Singing the Blues,
from Robert Plant and Alison Krausss Raising Sand (24/96
ALAC file converted from FLAC, R ounder/H D tracks
11661), the Weiss, set to its slow-rolloff Filter B, sounded
softer in the bass than both the English and the American
4 I at first thought these clicks due to digital clipping, but the M ls display menu
includes the option to individually log the numocrs of digital overs for the left
and right channels. There were none, so I had to look for a different solution to
the problem, which was to change the FireWire cable setup.
measurements, continued
directions beiow 1kHz and still 113dB at

the top of the audioband. For reasons of
consistency with the digital tests I have
performed since 1989, my first test of a
processor's dynamic range is to sweep
a /i-octave bandpass filter from 20kHz
to 20Hz while the processor decodes
a dithered 1kHz tone at -90dBFS. The
results of this test are shown in fig.6:
with 16-bit data (top pair of traces), all

that can be seen is the spectrum of the
dither noise used to encode the signal.
With 24-bit data (middle pair of traces),
the noise floor drops by 20dB, implying
that the M1 has almost 20 bits' worth
of dynamic range, easily enough to
allow the decoding of a dithered tone at
-120dBFS (bottom traces). This is excel
lent performance, and, just as important,

the lowering of the noise floor with the
greater bit depth has not unmasked any
supply-related spuriae. FFT analysis con
firms this excellent resolution (fig.7), and
no harmonic distortion components can
be seen, though a supply component at
180Hz is now evident in the left channel
at a roots-of-the-universe -137dBFS!
*>>
F ig .7 Bricasti M l, FFT-derived spectrum w ith noise

and spuriae o f dithered 1kHz tone at -90dBFS, w ith:
16-bit data (le ft channel cyan, righ t m agenta), 24b it data ( le ft blue, righ t red).
F ig .8 Bricasti M l, waveform of undithered 1kHz

sinewave at -90.31dBFS, 16-bit data (le ft channel
blue, righ t red).
F ig .9 Bricasti M l, waveform o f undithered 1kHz

sinewave at -90.31dBFS, 2 4 -b it data (le ft channel
blue, righ t red).
87
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BRICASTI DESIGN M1 D/A PROCESSOR
Analog o utputs on the le ft and right; d igital inputs in the center.
processors. This is not a step in the right direction through

the Sonus Faber Amati Futura speakers I have in for review,
which themselves are balanced on the w arm side o f neu
tral. Although Filter A sharpened a bit the definition o f the
DAC202s low frequencies, it still didnt match the clarity of
the Bricastis bass. B ut in Vigilante M an, from Ry Cooders
Live at the Record Plant (Sausalito),July 7 1974 (16/48 ALAC file
converted from FLAC, downloaded from Wolfgangs Vault),
the percussive nature o f Rys playing o f the acoustic guitar had
more palpability with Filter B, the instrum ent hanging there
in space, than it did with the Debussy or Bricasti.
The Bricasti, with Filter 6 and fed A ES/EB U data from
the Weiss, had bigger, deeper, better-defined low frequencies,
the bass guitar on Ry Cooders interpretation o f Alfred Reeds
H ow Can a Poor M an Stand Such Times and Live? provid
ing m ore o f a foundation to the music.
Set to Filter B, the Weiss seemed a little kinder to old
recordings, which was particularly welcome w ith the very
revealing TAD Com pact Reference CR1 speakers. Smokey
Robinsons T he Tracks o f M y Tears is a favorite o f mine,
not least because o f die artful poetry o f the lyricsMy smile
is the m akeup I wear since my breakup w ith youand the
C See more in-depth reviews online at:

www.stereophile.com/equipment-reviews.
way, in the chorus,

the horns emphasize
Take a good look at
m y face and youll
see my smile seems
out o f place by taking
an extra two measures
to play the same fig
ures. B ut this m id-60s
recording suffers from
the usual M otow n ills o f analog tape distortion and hiss, and
overload on the vocals. The Bricasti sounded a little brasher
than the Weiss in its handling o f the inevitable combination
o f these mastering problems and the mid-1980s transfer to
digital on Smokey Robinson and the Miracles Greatest Hits
CD. Even with its apodizing filter, the Debussy was even
less kind to this almost-half-century-old recording than the
Bricasti, sounding too lean.
For further comparisons with die dCS Debussy, I fed USB
data to the Empirical Off-Ramp4, then connected the OffRamps S /P D IF output to the Bricasti and its AES/EBU output
to the dCS. (While the Bricasti can handle data with sample rates
greater than 96kHz over a single-wire connection, the Debussy
cant, so I couldnt do A /B comparisons with 192kHz files with
diis setup.) Again, levels were matched at 1kHz, using the D e
bussys level control. Fed natural-sounding material, such as
my Santa Fe Cham ber Music Festival recording o f Brahmss
Piano Q uartet 2, from Encore (16/44.1 ALAC file ripped from
CD, Stereophile STPH011-2), I was hard-pressed to hear any
significant difference between die M l and the Debussy. Both
gave full weight to the piano, both were true to the somewhat
astringent tones o f the violin, viola, and cello, and each threw
a wide, deep soundstage.
B ut after m uch listening, and swapping the digital connec
tions to the two processors halfway through the comparisons
Looking at how the Bricastis noise floor

changed with differences in signal level,
nothing was evident other than what could
be attributed to the Audio Precision's
gain-ranging circuitry, so I haven't shown it.
Similarly, all that could be seen in the graph
of the M1's linearity error was the recorded
dither noise, so I haven't shown that either.
With its very low background noise and ex
cellent linearity, the Bricasti's reproduction
of an undithered tone at exactly -90.31dBFS
was superbly symmetrical; the three DC
voltage levels and the Gibbs Phenomenon
"ringing" on the waveform's leading edges
were all cleanly defined (fig.8).1With un
dithered 24-bit data, the result was a good
representation of a sinewave, despite the
very low signal level (f ig.9).
1 The significance of this test is that in the 2scomplement encoding used in the Compact Disc,
the transition from 0 to +1LSB involves just the
LSB changing value, while the transition from 0 to
-1LSB involves all 16 bits changing value. It there
fore offers a quick way o f identifying bit-magnitude
errors (though with modern delta-sigma D /A
converters, such errors are very rare).
Harmonic distortion into high imped

ances was very low, and predominantly
the third and fifth harmonics (fig.10),
these respectively lying at -110dB
(0.0003%) and -119dBFS (0.0001%).
These odd-order harmonics rose by
10dB into the punishing 600 ohm load
(fig.11), and were joined by the second
and fourth harmonicsbut in absolute
terms, they are all still very low in level.
The Bricasti's performance in the high-
F ig .1 0 Bricasti M l, spectrum of 50H z sinewave,

DC-1kHz, at OdBFS into 100k ohms (le ft channel
blue, righ t red; linear frequency scale).
level, high-frequency intermodulation test

depended on which reconstruction filter
was selected. The levels of the differ
ence tone at 1kHz and the higher-order
intermodulation products at 18 and 21kHz
were the same with all filters and were
all very low in level, but the best rejection
of ultrasonic images of the 19 and 20kHz
tones was with Filter 0 (fig.12), the worst
with Filter 4 (fig.13). Although a couple
of aliasing products are visible in the
Fig.11 Bricasti M l, spectrum of 50H z sinewave, DC1kHz, at OdBFS in to 6 0 0 ohm s (le ft channel blue,
righ t red; linear frequency scale).
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BRICASTI DESIGN M l D/A PROCESSOR
to minimize the effect o f that variable, I felt the Bricasti

sounded both very slightly w an n er and offered a slightly
more transparent view o f the soundstage. W ith many classical
recordings this warm th was a good thing, but with Vytautas
Sriubikiss performance o f J.S. Bachs Flute Sonata in E M inor
(24/96 ALAC file, downloaded from Lessloss Music), the
continuo bassoon sounded a little too tubby; through the
Debussy, it sounded m ore natural.
T he main area o f difference
The Bricasti Mi am ong these three processors
was their imaging. T he dCS
is a worthy
correctly limns the outlines
o f acoustic objects witliin the
successor
soundstage, whereas the Bricasti
to the Mark
did a better jo b o f presenting
Levinson
the bodies o f the objects within
those outlines. T he Weiss bal
N0.30.6 as
ances both aspects o f imaging,
New Englands b ut at the expense o f a toostakeholder in sm ooth sound. Each processor
offers a different feature set
state-of-the-art also
that will m ake it m ore suitable
D/A processors. for some systems than oth
ers. The Weiss and dCS offer
digital-domain volume controls that will allow their owners
to dispense w ith a preamplifier, and com puter connectivity
for files w ith sample rates up to 192kHz, via FireW ire and
USB2.0, respectively. Tire Bricasti M l is less well featured,
but offers sound quality that, on balance, I preferred to the
other tw o processors.
Conclusions
I agree w ith John Marks: Bricasti Designs M l is a Class
A+ digital processor. I would add that it is priced relatively
reasonably for w hat it offers in terms o f both sound and build
quality. For my own needs, I would have preferred two A E S/

EBU inputs rather than one, though the lack o f a USB input
can be readily compensated for by using one o f the asynchro
nous USB adapters from (in ascending order o f price) Musical
Fidelity, Halide, or Empirical Audio. But all things considered,
the Bricasti M l is a worthy successor to the Mark Levinson
No.30.6 as N ew Englands stakeholder in state-of-the-art
D /A processors. Enthusiastically recommended.
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
Digital Sources Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP& DX-5 universal
players; Apple G4 Mac mini running OSIO.5.8, iTunes 10,
Pure Music 1.84; Shuttle PC with Lynx AES16 soundcard &
dual-core AMD Athlon processor running Windows 7, Foobar
2000, Adobe Audition 3.0; dCS Debussy, Weiss DAC202,
Logitech Transporter D/A converters; Halide S/PDIF Bridge,
Empirical Audio Off-Ramp4 USB-S/PDIF converters.
Preamplifier Ayre Acoustics K-5xeMP.
Power Amplifiers Classe CT-M600, MBL Reference 9007
(both monoblocks).
Loudspeakers BBC LS3/5a, Sonus Faber Amati Futura, TAD
Compact Reference CR1.
Cables Digital: DH Labs Silver Sonic, AES/EBU; AudioQuest
Coffee, Belkin Gold, USB; AudioQuest Diamond, FireWire.
Interconnect (balanced): AudioQuest Wild. Speaker:
AudioQuest Wild. AC: PS Audio Lab, manufacturers' own.
Accessories Target TT-5 equipment racks; Ayre Acoustics
Myrtle Blocks; ASC Tube Traps, RPG Abffusor panels;
Shunyata Research Dark Field cable elevators; Audio Power
Industries 116 Mk.ll & PE-1, APC S-15 AC line conditioners
(computers, hard drive). AC power comes from two dedicated
20A circuits, each just 6D from breaker box.J o h n A tk in s o n
audioband with Filters 4 and 6, these are

still at -130dB or lower and are therefore
inconsequential.
The Bricasti Mi's rejection of jitter
was one of the best I have measured;
any jitter-related spuriae lay below the
resolution limit of the Miller Analyzer.
The cyan and magenta traces in fig.14
show the spectrum of the M1's analog
output while it decoded a 16-bit version

of the diagnostic J-Test signal via its
TosLink input. The spectral lines visible
are the residual odd-order harmonics of
the low-frequency squarewave; these
are not accentuated in any way, nor are
any other sidebands visible other than
a single pair at 180Hz, these lying at
almost -140dB. With the 24-bit version
of the J-Test (blue and red traces),

all the squarewave harmonics have
disappeared, and the central spike that
represents the 11.025kHz tones has nar
rower skirts. Jitter rejection was just as
impressive via the M1s AES/EBU and S/
PDIF inputs.
Bricasti Design's Ml has state-of-the
-art measured performance J o h n A tk in s o n
F ig .1 2 Bricasti M1, Filter 0, HF interm odulation

spectrum , D C-30kH z, 19+20kHz at OdBFS into
100k ohms (le ft channel blue, right red; linear
frequency scale).
F ig .1 3 Bricasti M l, Filter 4, HF interm odulation

spectrum , D C-30kH z, 19+20kHz at OdBFS into
100k ohm s (le ft channel blue, right red; linear
frequency scale).
F ig .1 4 Bricasti M l, high-resolution jitte r spectrum of

analog output signal, 11.025kHz at -6dBFS, sampled
at 44.1kHz w ith LSB toggled at 229Hz: 16-bit data via
TosLink from AP SYS2722 (le ft channel cyan, right
magenta), 24-bit data (le ft blue, right red). Center fre
quency of trace, 11.025kHz; frequency range, 3.5kHz.
91
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E Q U IP M E N T REPORT
ROBERT DEUTSCH
GoldenEar Technology
Triton Two
LOUDSPEAKER
isiting the high-end audio exhibits at a C onsum er

Electronics Show, its easy to get desensitized to
the price o f equipm ent. A nice-looking, two-way,
stand-m ounted loudspeaker costing $10,000/
pair. Yes, it sounds very good. H eres another one, for only
$5000/pair. Seems like a bargain in comparison.
At the 2011 CES, I wander into the GoldenEar Technology
room. Sandy Gross, cofounder o f Polk Audio and Definitive
Technology, w ho started up this new company w ith form er
Definitive partner Don Givogue, welcomes me. The speakers
are the G oldenEar Triton Twos: slim floorstaudcrs, their
cabinets covered in black cloth, and som ehow rem inding me
o f the original D C M T im e W indows.
Gross is about to play an excerpt from a recording o f
John Rutters Requiem. Its a piece that challenges ju st about
every aspect o f sound reproduction: theres an orchestra, a
soprano soloist, a chorus, a pipe organ, and the acoustics o f
a large concert hall. W im py speakers need not apply. I listen,
expecting to be underw helm ed.
Whoa! The low bass o f the organ so fills the room that I
look for subwoofers in the corners. The orchestra and chorus
have great presence. T heres a believable sense o f space.
These are some speakers! H ow much?
$1249.99 each. $2499.98/pair. T hat includes built-in
pow ered subwoofers.
I gotta review them .
Description and design

W hen it comes to die priority o f a products appearance in de
ciding on a purchase, audiophilesat least the male cohort that
comprises the vast majority o f those devoted to this hobbyare
SPEC IFIC A TIO N S

Description Three-way
floorstanding loudspeaker.
Drive-units: 1.06" by 1.31"
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon
(HVFR) tweeter, tw o 4.5" cone
midrange units, tw o 5" by 9"
cone woofers powered by an
internal amplifier, tw o 7" by 10"
passive radiators. Crossover
frequencies: 150Hz, 3.5kHz.
s te r e o p h ile .c o m
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
Frequency range: 16Hz-35kHz.

Sensitivity: 91dB/2.83V/m.
Nominal impedance: 8 ohms.
Recommended am plifier
power: 2 0 -5 0 0 W . Built-in
subwoofer amplifier: class-D,
1200W.
D im ensions 4 8 " (1230m m )
H (w ith base, no spikes) by
5.25" (135m m ) W fro n t by
7.5" (1 9 0 m m ) W rear by 15"

(3 8 5 m m ) D. W eight: 6 0 lbs
(27.3kg).
Finish Glossy piano black
w ith black cloth.
Serial N um bers O f U n its
Reviewed 1010 00235,
1010 0 0 2 7 3 (au ditioning );
1010 0961,1010 0 9 7 9
(m easuring).
Pricc $ 2 499.98/pair.
A pproxim ate num ber of
dealers: 150.
M a n u fa ctu re r GoldenEar
Technology, PO Box 141,
Stevenson, M D 21153.
Tel: (410) 998-9134.
Fax: (410) 3 5 6 -0 8 0 8 .
w w w.goldenear.com .
G O L D E N E A R T E C H N O L O G Y T R IT O N T W O L O U D S P E A K E R
a strange lot. W e like to say that the only thing that matters
is sound quality; w hat a product looks like is relegated to the
somewhat pejorative W fe Acceptance Factor. Yet more than
one audio designer has told me that, whatever people may say,
a products appearance is o f profound importance in determin
ing its appealand not ju st because o f the little woman. O ne
designer said, If I somehow managed to design the perfect
speaker but it was ugly, nobody would buy it, no matter how
good it sounded. Contrast diis widi the form follows function
principle o f industrial design, and you haw a potential conflict
between appearance and functionality.
T he GoldenEar Triton T w o strikes m e as representing an
unusually felicitous combination o f appearance and function.
Eschewing the fine furniture look o f some high-end
speakers, and not likely to attract attention solely for its
appearance, the Triton T w o has an elegance o f its own:
streamlined, w ith a curved, tapered shape, a small footprint,
and a base plinth and top plate finished in shiny piano black.
T he narrowness o f its front baffle not only contributes to its
slim appearance, but is functional in reducing the effects o f
diffraction. The sidewalls are nonparallel, to reduce internal
standing waves. According to Sandy Gross, the cloth sock
that covers the speaker is not ju st for appearance, a n d /o r
a cost-effective way o f finishing the cabinet, but serves an
acoustical purpose, providing additional dam ping o f the cab
inet walls. T he cabinet itself is made o f high-density Medite,
a form o f fiberboard, w ith considerable internal bracing, and
features a separate subenclosure for the midrange drivers.
This subenclosure is itself divided, by an angled board, into
two sub-subenclosures o f unequal size.
T he Triton T w o uses high-tech drivers o f GolderEars
ow n design, made especially for them . T he tweeter, which
G oldenEar calls a High-Velocity Folded Ribbon (HVFR), is
a variation o f an accordion-like ribbon transducer, the Air
M otion Transformer, invented by Oscar Heil. T he claimed
The Triton Two's tw eeter is a developm ent of the Heil A ir M o tion Transformer.
advantages o f such a design include a sm ooth, extended

frequency response, extremely low distortion, superb disper
sion characteristics, excellent dynamic range and detail, and
superior impedance match o f its diaphragm to the air. The
tw eeter is vertically flanked by two 4.5" midrange units, each
o f which has a Multi-Vaned Phase Plug (MVPP) and a pro
prietary computer-optimized cone topology. These drivers
are crossed over to the tw eeter at 3.5kHz, but the H V FRs
frequency response is specified as extending to 35kH z. The
m idrange-to-tw eeter crossover is basically 12dB/octave,
but has additional com ponents to provide phase alignment.
There is also a Zobel netw ork across the tweeter.
Then theres the bass section. Low on each side panel is
M EASUREM ENTS
^ ^ y ^ j h e GoldenEar Triton Two's
B-weighted sensitivity
on its tw e e te r axis was
J L
91 dB /2.83V /m , w h ich both
agrees w ith the specified figure and is
sig nifica ntly higher than the norm . The
electrical im pedance (fig.1) drops below
4 ohm s in the m idrange and above the
audioband. Though there is a com bina
tion o f 4.2 ohm s m agnitude and -4 5
electrical phase angle at 150Hz, due to the
high-pass filte r in the feed to the midrange
units, the speaker w ill not be too difficult
for the partnering am plifier to drive.
Although the traces in fig.1 are free
from the small discontinuities that would
im ply the existence of cabinet resonances,
there is a small peak o f unknown origin
in the m agnitude trace between 5 0 0
and 60 0 H z. Investigating the vibrational
behavior of the enclosure walls w ith
a sim ple plastic-tape accelerometer, I
found a strong resonant m ode at 66 4H z
on both the rear panel and on the side
94
panels o f the speaker level w ith the m id

range units (fig.2). I w ould have thought
this m ode too high in frequency and of
too high a Q uality factor (Q ) to have
audible consequences. In addition, taking
this m easurem ent required removing
the cloth "sock," which w ill provide some
dam ping for higher-frequency cabinet
M-MU
<UN
vibrations. However, RD did com m ent on

som e occasional coloration in the m id
range at high playback levels th a t m ight
be the result of this behavior.
Fig.3 separately plots the acoustic
outputs of the Triton Two's passive section
(black trace) and its powered woofer
section. The blue trace in the left of fig.3
\
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INN
COMO
AMD
tomo ,
a
A /
/V /
Ar
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at
-so
.***
10*
Ml
Mi
MO
Fig.1 GoldenEar Triton Two, electrical impedance

(so lid ) and phase (dashed). (2 o hm s/ve rtica l div.)
Fig.2 GoldenEar Triton Two, cum ulative spectraldecay p lot calculated from o utp ut of accelerom eter
fastened to center of side panel adjacent to lower
m idrange u nit (M LS d riving voltage to speaker,
7.55V; measurem ent bandw idth, 2kHz).
F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 2 s t e r e o p h i le . c o m
w hat looks like a KEF B139 oval bass driver. These are actual
ly 7" by 10" passive devices called Quadratic Planar Infrasonic
Radiators, said to function like a transmission line but with
superior transient performance and control. These subbass
radiators, m ounted low on the side panels, take advantage o f
floor coupling as well as acoustical coupling with each other.
The actual bass heavy lifting is carried out by the two 5"
by 9", ultra-long-throw Q uadratic Sub-Bass drivers m ounted
on the f o n t baffle. These are driven by a 1200W class-D
amplifier, also o f GoldenEars design. T he intrinsic total
harm onic distortion o f the amplifier circuit before the ap
plication o f negative feedback is said to be less than 0.1%.
T he crossover frequency to the subwoofer section is fixed
at about 150Hz, w ith the low-pass itself and the subwoofer
equalization done in the digital domain, allowing for greater
accuracy o f filter points com pared to an analog crossover.
T he crossover param eters were developed through both
measurem ent and critical listening. T heres a knob on the
back panel for setting the subwoofer level.
The design o f the Triton T w o was refined by an engi
neering team o f nine in Arnprior, outside Ottawa, O ntario,
utilizing a developm ent facility w ith a full-sized calibrated
anechoic cham ber of the same size as the one at Canadas
National Research Council, also in Ottaw'a. T he speakers
themselves are made in China.
Setup
T he Triton Twos were delivered by Sandy Gross and M att

Grant, a m em ber o f the engineering staff at GoldenEars
developm ent facility, and set up w ith their help. The base
plinth comes separate from the speaker itself, to which it is
attached w ith bolts. Spikes are supplied, but we first listened
to the speakers w ithout them , which eased the tweaking of
the speaker positions.
Gross, Grant, and I spent a couple of hours listening to the
speakers, measuring and adjusting the speaker-to-listener dis

tance so that it was the same for each speaker, then adjusting
the toe-in angles to get the smoothest lateral spread of sound
and the most precise imaging. The final positions o f the speak
ers nim ed out to be similar to what I've found optimal with
odier speakers in my listening room: a nearly perfect equilateral
triangle fonned by the speakers and the listening position. The
speakers were toed in slightly,
so diat dicir tweeter axes point
A m a jo r
ed just a few inches to the sides
o f my head w hen I sat in die
a d v a n ta g e o f
listening chair. Although die
h a v in g a b u iltTriton Twos turned out not
to be die sort o f speakers with
in s u b w o o f e r
which the tiniest adjustment of
w i t h a le v e l
position causes the soundstage
c o n tr o l is t h a t
to either collapse or come into
perfect focus, they definitely
you can set up
benefited from carefi.il adjust
th e sp e a k e rs
m ent o f die setup parameters.
Once all three o f us were satis
f o r o p ti m a l
fied with die setup, we installed
im a g in g w i t h
die spikes, which produced a
n o tr a d e - o f f in
worthwhile improvement in
imaging focus.
b a ss re sp o n se .
A major advantage o f hav
ing a built-in subwoofer with
a level control is that you can
set up the speakers for optimal imaging with no trade-off
in bass response: If the sound w ith the speakers positioned
for best imaging is somewhat bass-shy, you can ju st turn up
the subwoofer levels, at least up to the point where the subs
start to distort. B ut this still leaves the question o f exactly
how high the subwoofer level should be set. W e listened to
several CD s that provide not only a good test o f bass exten-
is the nearfield output of the woofers; it

peaks between 50 and 90Hz, and rolls off
sharply above 125Hz. There is a vestigial
notch in the woofer output at 32Hz
that I assume coincides w ith the tuning
frequency of the mass-loaded passive
radiators on the Triton Twos sides; indeed,
the radiators' output (green trace) does
peak at this frequency, but it also has

significant output in the octave above
that frequency. Both the woofers and the
passive radiators roll off quickly below the
latters tuning frequency. The complex
sum of the powered section's nearfield
outputs (red trace) basically covers the
tw o octaves between 25 and 100Hz.
Fig.3 GoldenEar Triton Two, anechoic response on

tw eeter axis at 50", averaged across 3 0 horizontal
w indow and corrected fo r m icrophone response,
w ith nearfield response of midrange units, plotted
below 350H z (black); and nearfield w oofer (blue)
and passive radiator (green) responses and th e ir
complex sum (red), plotted below 350Hz.
Fig.4 GoldenEar Triton Two, lateral response

fam ily at 5 0", norm alized to response on tw eeter
axis, from back to front: differences in response
9 0 -5 o ff axis, reference response, differences in
response 5 -9 0 o ff axis.
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
The response of the Triton Two's m idrange units (fig.3, black trace) rolls off
rapidly below 150Hz w ith w hat appears
to be a fou rth -orde r slope. The upperfrequency balance is fairly uniform , but
w ith slight lacks of energy in the m id
range and m id-treble. The ripples in the
Triton Two's high-frequency o u tp u t w ill
be due to reflections from the perforated
cage in front of the drive-units. They w ill
not be audible. I repeated this measure
m ent w ith o u t the speaker's cloth cover
ing. The difference (no t show n) was a
slight increase in the tw eeter's output.
W hile fig.3 suggests that even w ith the
cloth cover in place, the tweeter's output
is a bit hot in the top octave, this w ill add
a little air to the sound rather than sound
ing tipped up. However, the Triton Two's
lateral dispersion (fig .4 ) suggests that,
in a typical room, this slight excess w ill
also be offset by the fact th a t the tw eeter
becomes m ore directional in the same re
gion, the result being a neutrally balanced
95
sion but also the blend o f the m id- and low bass. I let Sandy
Gross, w ho o f course has extensive experience w ith these
speakers, set the subwoofer levels, and the results sounded
fine to me. However, after he and G rant had left, I did some
more o f tweaking o f the subwoofer levels, using the test
tones on Stereophiltfs first Test CD (Stereophile STPH002-2)
and the AudioTools app for the iPhone4. Adjusting the
subwoofer level to produce a more nearly flat measured
response dow n to 20H z resulted in the Triton Tw os level
controls being set at 12 oclockconsiderably higher than
Grosss 9 oclock setting.
W hile the bass w ith these settings was certainly impres
sive, over tim e I came to feel that it was too generous, too
bass-heavy. I then turned dow n the sub-level control a little
at a time, each tim e listening for the change in sound, even
tually ending up about halfway betw een the level that Gross
had set and the one based on my measurements.
Amplification
I used three amplifiers in my evaluation o f the Triton Two: the
Audiopax Model 88 Mk.II (30Wpc, tubed) and the Simaudio
Moon Evolution W -7 (150Wpc, solid-state) power amplifiers,
both paired with Convergent Audio Technologys SL-1 Renais
sance tubed preamplifier; and, as a real world alternative, the
PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium integrated amplifier (35Wpc,
tubed; review in the works). My observations o f the Triton
Tw os sound represent a sort o f averaging o f w hat I heard
across the three amplifiers, with differences as noted.
Sound
I think o f loudspeakersand o f audio systems in generalas

potentially providing two sorts o f sonic illusion: transporting
m e to the concert hall or recording studio in which the re
cording was made (I am there), and bringing the performers
into my listening room (They are here). T he Triton Twos
The m idrange unit's phase plug features small fins.
were able to conjure up both, but were particularly adept

at the first. Listening to Live, a familiar disc o f 10 operatic
arias and duets recording in concert w ith Luciano Pavarotti
and Mirella Freni (CD, London 421 862-2), I found that,
w ith my eyes closed, it was easy to imagine that I was at that
concert, sitting well back from the stage, the voices precisely
focused in space w ith a quite stunning sense o f realismand
this is by no means an audiophile recording.
The General Image and Resolution Test on the Chesk)
Jazz Sampler & Audiophile Test CD, Vol.2 (JD68) has four musi
cians entering a church, playing a shaker, maraca, hand drum,
and w ooden block. They march around, circling the micro-
treble, as RD found in his auditioning.
Overall, this speaker's off-axis behavior
is sm ooth and even. In the vertical plane
(fig.5), suckouts develop in the m id-treble
for extrem e off-axis angles, but the Triton
Two m aintains its balance over quite a
wide w indow centered on the tweeter
axis, which is 39" from the floor.
In the tim e domain, the GoldenEar's
step response on the tw eeter axis (fig .6 )
Fig.5 GoldenEar Triton Two, vertical response family at

50", normalized to response on tweeter axis, from back
to front: differences in response 15-5 above axis, refer
ence response, differences in response 5-15 below axis.
96
suggests th a t the tw eeter and the tw o

midrange units are all connected in posi
tive acoustic polarity, and th a t the decay
of the tw eeter's step blends sm oothly
into the start of the midrange units' step
This indicates optim al crossover design.
A lthough it can't be seen in this graph,
the powered woofer is also connected
in positive polarity. The cum ulative
spectral-decay plot (fig 7) is com m end-
ably clean, though the reflections from

the grille give a rather hashy-looking
picture in the top octave.
Its measured performance indicates that
GoldenEar's Triton Two is a well-engineered
loudspeaker w ith a neutral balance and
extended low frequencies. I will be holding
on to the review samples so that I can write
a Follow-Up review on how they sound in
Fig.6 GoldenEar Triton Two, step response on

tw eeter axis at 5 0 " (5m s tim e window, 30kH z
bandw idth).
Fig.7 GoldenEar Triton Two, cum ulative spectraldecay p lot on tw eeter axis at 5 0 " (0.15ms risetim e).
m y OWn lis te n in g ro o m -Jo h n Atkinson
phone three times, playing their instruments,

w hooping and hollering along the way. Its a
lot o f fun, even if it isnt great music. Played at
a realistic level (ic, fairly loud), this recording
was almost scary in its presence, the sound of
these percussion instrum ents precisely located
in space and the movements of the musicians
unambiguous in their clarityat one point the
musicians seemed to cross the room behind me,
producing the They are here illusion.
This is outstanding performance for any
loudspeaker, particularly one w ith a relatively
m odest price. T he soundstage was quite high:
m ore than a foot above the 48"-high top o f the
speakers, which is ju st the way I like it. D epth
was dependent on the recording, but didnt
seem to be lim ited by the speakers. Playing the
image depth test from the Chesky disc, which
has clickers recorded from 5' to 70' from the
mike, I could hear clear differentiations be
tw een the clicks recorded at 50', 60', and 70'.
This is as good as or better than Ive heard
from any speakers in my room.
In term s o f tonal balance, the Triton T w o
was pretty well spot-on, neither emphasiz
ing nor neglecting any part o f the frequency
range. Ribbon tweeters have a reputation for
being highly detailed but tending toward extra
brightness, as Id found w ith the ribbon o f the
M onitor Audio Platinum PL200 (see my review
in the April 2010 issue). However, GoldenEars
folded-ribbon tweeter was detailed without
sounding too bright. Treble emphasis can show
up in a variety o f ways, the m ost annoying for
m e being a hardening o f vocal sibilants.
Thankfully, this problem was absent w ith
the Triton T w o, except for recordings that
were m iked too closely a n d /o r used m icro
phones w ith a pronounced treble peak. If any
thing, the highs were a touch on the soft, sweet side.
The Triton T w os midrange was fundamentally neutral.
For me, the most im portant test of midrange neutrality is the
reproduction o f voices. Some people can tell w hether a pianist
is playing a Steinway or a Bosendorfer, or w hether a violin is a
Stradivari or a Guarncri. I cantand as long as I like the music
and the musicians playing, I dont really care about the instrument. (Well, within reason.) But each hum an voice is unique,
and I want a speaker (and, o f course, the rest o f the system) to
maintain each voices unique timbre. Sometimes Im familiar
with a singers voice from live perfonnances, which provides a
point o f reference. In those cases, the Triton T w o was uncom
monly successful at producing sounds that resembled what I
remembered hearing from the singer in concert.
Rod Gilfry is a baritone whose repertoire ranges from
M ozart to Sondheim, and, unlike m ost opera singers, he sings
musicals with the appropriate style and vocal production, not
afraid to sing softly w hen the material requires it. I heard
him last sum m er as Frank Butler in a production o f Annie
Get Your G u n at the Glimmerglass Festival, a production that
also starred the great dramatic soprano D eborah Voigt in a
charm ing perform ance that did not for a m om ent sound like
a slumming opera diva. Gilfry sounded great, singing with
appropriate swagger in Im a Bad, Bad M an, and romantic
tenderness in The Girl That I Marry. I bought his recording
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
M y Heart Is So F u ll o f You (CD, Narratus
Productions, 07), and w hen I played it at

home, I was struck by how m uch the sound
o f his voice resembled w hat I had heard
from the Glimmerglass stage. (Look for this
recording in my Records To Die For list
ing elsewhere in this issue.) Sylvia M cN air
is another opera singer w ho can manage to
not sound like one; her album Sure Thing
(CD, Philips 442 129-2), featuring the music
o f Jerom e Kern, is a longtime favorite o f
mine, and though I havent heard M cNair
*
live, listening to this disc through the Triton
Twos, I had the feeling that this is ju st what
she m ust sound like in person.
A nother major strength o f the Triton Tw o
was its bass: extended and powerful to a de
gree that was hard to credit to such modestly
sized enclosures, with a good match o f the
low to midbass. For speakers o f this size, re
gardless o f the driver complement, I normally
expect in-room bass extension to 40H z, or
a few H z lower if you have a room mode
that boosts the lower frequencies. GoldenEar
Technology claims 16Hz for the Triton Two;
that may be a bit optimistic, but still, the
speakers bass extension was impressive. W ith
the subwoofer level adjusted to produce the
most optimal match with the rest o f the au
dioband, bass drums and organ-pedal notes
came over w ith authority, and string basses
were neither lightweight nor overemphasized
(apart from a 50H z emphasis that Ive found
w ith a num ber o f speakers, and which I be
lieve is a room mode). W hen I tested with
the low-frequency tones on Nordost Corporations System Set-Up & Tuning Disc
(CD, Nordost C D N O R 101), the 24H z
note was clearly there, 21H z was weaker
but still audible, but 18Hz was not. Ill
be interested in John Atkinsons measurements of the Triton
T w os bass extension.
D epending on the amplifier driving it, the Triton Tw o
could play loud w ithout sounding discomfited. As expected,
the 150W pc Simaudio W -7 amplifier was the best perform er
in this respect, but the Audiopax and PrimaLuna amps were
both able to drive the GoldenEars to levels as high as I would
want. Eiji O ue and the Minnesota Orchestras recording o f
Mussorgsky-Ravels Pictures at an Exhibition (H D C D , Refer
ence RR-79CD) came across with real authority, the bass
drum and organ providing an underpinning thats merely
hinted at by speakers lacking the bottom octave. Even though
the Triton T w os subwoofer has its ow n amplifier, it sounded
different depending on the main amplifier being used, the
Simaudio producing the tightest, most extended bass. By
contrast, the two tube amplifiers, especially the Audiopax,
were ahead in terms o f harm onic accuracy.
As well as having m ore-than-respectable high-level
dynamics, the Triton T w o also excelled at microdynamics:
the musics subtle ebb and flow. I greatly admire the musi
cianship o f Sylvia M cN air and Andre Previn on Sure Thing.
M cN air is at one w ith the music and lyrics, and Previn gives
a lesson in the art o f accompaniment. In a num ber like The
Folks W ho Live on the Hill, the interplay o f singer and pia-
97
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nist is exquisite, and I was able to follow it all easily through

the Triton Twos.
Is it possible for a speaker (or other audio com ponent) to
be too detailed, to have too m uch resolution? Ive seen this
question debated in audio forums; m y answer is N owith
some qualifiers. In general, I w ant a speaker that lets me
hear more o f the music thats cncodcd in the digital data or
in the LP groove, but that may also let in m ore o f the noise,
and if that noise (ie, nonmusical sounds) is too prom inent,
then it becomes difficult to enjoy the music. T here are
speakers on the m arket that have a reputation for being
highly detailed, o f being able to resolve the tiniest o f differ
ences, but that are rejected by many audiophiles, w ho find
them too fatiguing to listen to
the long run. A t the other
The Triton Two in
end o f the spectrum are speak
ers that have an easy-on-themaintained
ears, musical tonal balance,
a high level
but are weak at resolving the
of resolution
musics fine detail.
W hether by deliberate
while never
decision or as a byproduct o f
sounding
com ponent choices and other
hyperresolving aspects o f the design process,
the Triton T w o maintained a
or clinical.
high level o f resolution while
never sounding hyperresolving
or clinical. T heres a point about five seconds into Cileas
Lam ento di Federico, from M ario Lanzas Livefrom London
(CD , RCA 61884-2), at w hich someoneperhaps Lanza
himselfhum s a note thats part o f C onstantin Callinicoss
piano introduction. T he note is faint, but its there, and the
Triton T w o let m e hear it. Through the Triton T w o it was
also easy to hear the effects o f various system tweaks, such as
N ordosts Platinum Sort Kones vs the w ooden blocks under
my Ayre Acoustics CX-7eMP C D player.
Ive tried to catalogue the Triton T w os many sonic virtues,
but I w ould be remiss if I didnt m ention that it had one
characteristic that sometimes detracted from the illusion o f
the sound being produced by actual musicians and singers
in my room. Some box colorations sometimes made me
aware that I was listening to speakers. These were mostly
w hen music was being played quite loud, and w ere more
apparent w hen I listened from o ff axis rather than in the
sweet spot. This was by no means a deal-breaker, and it was
evident only occasionally, but this is one area o f performance
in which the Triton T w o could be improved. At w hat price
that im provem ent, however, is a different question. Speaker
manufacturers like W ilson Audio, Hansen, YG Acoustics,
and Magico have gone all out in their efforts to subdue box
colorations, but their speakers are in a price range an order
o f magnitude higher than the Triton T w os!
Comparisons
T he last two speakers I reviewed were the M onitor Audio

Platinum PL200 ($8000/pair, April 2010) and the Focal
C hom s 8 2 6 W Anniversary Edition ($3495/pair, N ovem ber
2010), both floorstanders of about the same size as the Triton
Tw o. The obvious question was how the GoldenEars Triton
T w o would compare w ith these m ore expensive speakers.
N ot an easy question to answer. The Monitors and Focals
were returned to their distributors some time ago, so I wasnt
able to make direct comparisons w ith the GoldenEars. Al
though I dont think auditory m em ory is quite as unreliable
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
as some people claim, I w ouldnt w ant to bet the farm on

the accuracy o f my recollection o f sounds I heard a year
ago. Perhaps an even greater problem is presented by sub
sequent changes in my system. Since I reviewed the PL200
and Chorus 826W, I have replaced PS Audios Power Plant
Prem ier AC regenerator with their PerfectWave Power
Plant 5, now use N ordost Platinum Sort Kones rather than
wood blocks under the Ayre CX-7eMP, and have substituted
a Hi-Fi Tuning Supreme fuse for the stock fuse in the CAT
SL-1 Renaissance preamp. These changes add up to a very
significant overall sonic im provem ent that w ould present a
confounding variable for comparisons w ith the Triton T w o
even if my auditory m em ory w ere perfect. This is not a
copout, but reality.
But there are a few things I can say w ithout going out too
far on a limb. O f the three speakers, the Triton T w o had by
far the most extended and powerful bass. T he ported woofers
o f the PL200 and the Chorus 826W, while certainly respect
able in their performance, simply couldnt match the bass
from the powered built-in subwoofer o f the Triton Two.
As for the more subtle and subjective aspects o f sound
quality, and for the m om ent putting aside the confounding
variables o f system changes, the GoldenEar was very m uch
in the same sonic league as the other two speakers, the
M onitor having perhaps a notch higher resolution, at the
cost o f a touch o f brightness. In soundstage depth and width
and precision o f imaging, the Triton Twos were easily a
m atch for the other two speaker pairsneither o f which is
exactly a slouch in tins departm ent.
Judgm ents o f a products appearance are also subjective,
but the M onitor Audio Platinum PL200, with its handrubbed wood veneer, was the m ost beautiful o f the three to
my eye, though I find the Triton T w o attractive as well. But
if you w ant your speakers to look like pieces o f furniture, the
PL200and, to a less
er extent, the Focal
C hom s 826W will
be more to your taste.
I was able to di
rectly compare the
Triton T w o with my
reference speaker,
the Avantgarde U no
Nano, a horn hybrid
with a powered sub
woofer ($ 17,000/pair
w hen last available;
the G erm an company
is currently having
problems with N orth
American distribu
tion). The U no N ano
is, overall, the better
speaker: its able to
produce the illusion
o f live music more
successfully than the
Triton Tw o, with
high-level dynamics
that the GoldenEar
cant match. This, o f
course, comes at a
cost: you could buy six
W oofers are driven by a 1 0 0 0 W am p.
pairs o f Triton Twos
99
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ORTOFON 2M BRONZE $399
"more than likely the spiritual heir to the venerable (and

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- STEREOREVIEW.COM
ORTOFON 2M RED $99

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2009
EDITORS'
CHOICE
AWARD
...one sophisticated and musical cartridge - fo r the price

of a nice dinner fo r two.
-
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The ORTOFON 2 M BLACK is quite possibly the best moving

magnet cartridge on the planet. W ith a nude Shibata diamond, it
retrieves information from the groove effortlessly, and flawlessly.
The 2 M Black is easy to recommend fo r music lovers of all types."
- NEIL
GADER. The Absolute Sound
ORTOFON 2M BLUE $225
2009
EDITORS'
CHOICE
AWARD
"The ORTOFON 2 M RED raises the bar fo r budget

cartridge performance. You w on't find a cartridge in the
range th a t pulls m ore detail from the groove. Sonically,
the 2 M Red is transparent, convincing, and accurate."
In a Nutshell then, the new ORTOFON 2 M BLUE AND RED moving magnet cartridges
offer a thoroughly m odem sound th a t suits todays albums. Both are highly revealing
and an engaging listen th a t is nothing other than very impressive a t the price.
HIFI WORLD REVIEW
for the price o f a pair o f U no Nanos, and still have money left
over for some really good interconnects. But if price is not a
deterrent, the Avantgardes will give you a closer approximation
o f live music.
The fact is, I was quite content to listen to music through
the Triton Twos. In my high-end system, whose speaker
cables cost more than the GoldenEars, there was no indication
that the speakers were a weak link in the chain. I was in no
hurry to switch back to my Avantgardes.
Conclusions
Given die technology that these speakers represent, not to

m ention their sound quality, I would not be surprised if they
retailed at around S10,000/pair. B ut they cost only a fourth
o f that: $2499.98/pair. I dont know how GoldenEar can
sell the Triton T w o at that price and still make m oney for
themselves and their dealers. Having the speaker being made
in China certainly helpsbut nowadays m ost speakers, even
ones w ith pedigreed names, are made there. Sandy Gross
wrote, in an e-mail, W e lavish the same care, expertise and
experience that is usually reserved for the highest-priced
high-end speakers on every GoldenEar speaker we create.
W e do it because w e canand because we know that you
will enjoy and appreciate the result.
Finally, a caveat about auditioning these speakers at a
dealer: T he Triton Tw os relatively low price means that
dealers will likely combine them w ith electronics and source
com ponents o f similarly m odest prices. This will not bring
o u t these speakers best. O ne audiophile told m e that hed
ASSOCIATED E Q U IP M E N T
D ig ita l sources A yre A coustics CX-7eMP CD player.
Pream plifiers Simaudio M oo n Evolution P-7, Convergent
A udio Technology SL-1 Renaissance.
Power A m p lifie rs A udiopax M odel 88 M k.II monoblocks,
Sim audio M oon Evolution W-7.
Loudspeakers A vantgarde Uno Nano, Focal Chorus 8 2 6 W
Anniversary Edition, M o n ito r A ud io Platinum PL200.
Cables Interconnect, speaker, AC: N ordost Valhalla.
Accessories Totem A coustic Beaks, PS A ud io PerfectW ave
Power Plant 5 power conditioner, A rcici Suspense Rack,
PolyCrystal a m p lifie r stands, Furutech RD-2 CD
demagnetizer, N ordost AC and TC Sort K onesRobert Deutsch
heard the Triton Tw os at a dealer driven by a midpriced

hom e-theater receiver (writh w ho-know s-w hat source) and
was not that impressed w ith the sound. Im not surprised. A
speaker can reproduce only the signal its fed; if you give it
a mediocre signal, it can produce, at best, mediocre sound.
The Triton T w o is good enough to deserve associated
equipm ent o f high qualityw hich doesnt necessarily mean
high price. C om bine it with som ething like a PrimaLuna
ProLogue Prem ium integrated amp, an O ppo BDP-95 uni
versal Blu-ray player, and N ordost Leif cables, and you have
a seriously good system for less than $7000 that will take
you through these recession-prone times.
In today's market of stiff' competition among

affordable loudspeakers, the 10.1 presents
extraordinary value for money, with many
strengths that suggest a considerably higher
price, and no meaningful weaknesses."
Diamond 10.1 - Stereophile
Robert Reina
...easily the best speaker Ive heard for $350... "

Diamond 10.1 CNET/ The Audiophiliac
- Steve Guttenberg
an incredible value considering they are priced

at only S I 299 per pair. They earn my highest
recommendation.
Diamond 10.7 - Enjoy the Music
Tom Lyle
100% of components in every Wharfedale speaker are

manufactured in-house with no m iddle vendors. This
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quality for an unrivaled value.
Wharfedale USA / Sound Import, LLC

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LARRY GREENHILL
Bowers & Wilkins DBi

SUBWOOFER
lthough many high-end audio products are described

as revolutionary and as breakthroughs in design
w hen new, m ost audiophile com ponents now on
the m arket have not changed our way o f relating
to such products in the way the iPad has done. O nce in a
while, a new audio product does move in that direction by
enabling the audiophile to do install a product and optimize
its perform ance in a different way.
'Tire last applies to the Bowers &Wilkins Groups new D B I
subwoofer: In addition to its automated room-compensation
system, which samples over a w ider bandwidth and adjusts
for more room modes than does that o f the competition, the
D B ls m enu-driven controls can be conveniently adjusted
from a laptop com puter rather than the user having to stretch
to reach them on the subs front panel.
Externals
Like most subwoofers these days, the D BI has its own amplifier,
uses equalization to generate powerful deep bass output from a
small enclosure, and contains a self-optimizing setup program.
This approach has proven more popular with buyers than subs
that rely on a large enclosure to generate deep bass.
SPECIFICATIONS
D e scriptio n Powered
subw oofer in sealed
enclosure. D rive-units: tw o
12" long-throw Rohacellcone woofers, each w ith
3.66" voice-coil and
11-lb m agnet. Frequency
response: 17-145Hz, i43dB .
Passband of au tom atic room
com pensation: not stated.
Low-pass filte r: 40 -12 0H z
(adjustable), slope, phase.
High-pass filte r: no option.
Total harm onic d isto rtion :
not specified. A m plifier:
1 0 0 0 W RMS. Rated power
consum ption: 3 0 0 W . Input
impedance: 15k ohms.
Signal/noise ratio: >100dB.
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
Inputs per channel: stereo

unbalanced (RCA); m ono
LFE, unbalanced (RCA);
and m ono balanced (XLR).
Controls: 5 presets, input
sensitivity, gain, graphic
equalization, low-pass
frequency, slope, phase,
room com pensation, auto o n /
standby, trigg er on/standby,
trigg er preset switching,
RS-232 au tom ation control.
Included: detachable IEC
power cord; 4 spiked feet, 4
rubber feet; ow ner's manual;
USB-connected soundcard
to be inserted in firs t USB
p o rt in ow ne rs com puter;
interconnect cable from
second USB p o rt in ow ner's

com puter to DB1 input panel
(serial RS232 connector);
calibration m icrophone (XLR
jack); cable from m icrophone
(XLR) to soundcard
(m in ija ck); line-level
interconnect from soundcard
Price $ 4 5 0 0 . Approxim ate

num ber o f dealers: 250.
W arranties, parts & labor:
5 years drive-units, 2 years
electronics.
M a n u fa ctu re r Bowers &
ou tput (m in ija ck) to DBI

in pu t panel (RCA).
D im ensions 19.3" (4 9 0 m m )
H by 18.1" (4 6 0 m m ) W by
16.2" (410) D. W eight: 97 lbs
(44 kg).
BN112BH, England, UK.

Tel: (4 4 ) 01903-221500, Fax:
(4 4 ) 01903-221501. Web:
w w w .bow ers-w ilkins.co.uk.
US distribu to r:
Finishes Piano Black Gloss,

Cherrywood, Rosenut.
Serial N um ber o f U n it
Reviewed 0 0 0 0 6 3 5 . System
v.1.0.0.0.0, DSP v.1.0.0.435.
W ilkin s Group, Ltd., Dale

Road, W orthing, W est Sussex
B&W G roup N o rth Am erica,

54 Concord Street, N orth
Reading, M A 01864-2699.
Tel: (9 7 8 ) 66 4-2 870 .
Fax: (9 7 8 ) 664-4109.
w w w .bow ers-w ilkins.com .
103
B O W E R S & W IL K IN S D B 1 S U B W O O F E R
Measuring about a foot

and a half wide and tall and
16" deep, the DB1 has two
opposed, 12" drive-units. O n
the rear panel beneath the
styling groove that runs all
the way round the enclo
sures base are the input
connectors: m ono RCA for
<
)
k
)
k
)
low-frequency effects (LFE)
from a hom e-theater proces
sor; stereo unbalanced RCA
from a stereo preamplifiers
The DB1 uses tw o 12" drive-units, powered by a 1 0 0 0 W am plifier.
auxiliary main outputs;
m ono XLR; minijacks for
a trigger o n /o ff signal and for the room -com pensation test
left and right control buttons can be used to toggle between
signals from the systems soundcard; a D B-9 serial input
different presets, w hile the up and dow n buttons control the
subwoofers output gain. Pressing and holding the central
to receive control signals via RS232 from the ow ners PC
button brings up the D B ls setup mode. T he left- and right(sorry, Mac users); and an IEC inlet for the detachable
arrow buttons bring up various m enu screens, w hile the up
pow er cord.
and down buttons select items w ithin a m enu, and the cen
Beneath the groove on
I controlled
the D B ls front are the large
ter button saves selections and moves on to the next m enu.
o n /o ff switch (with powerSelecting Audio from the Setup m enu brings up a m enu
the DBi with
on LED) and the controls,
o f adjustable output features, including choice o f preset,
B&Ws SubApp
grouped in a diamond
low-pass filter settings (slope and turnover frequency), the
program.
input sensitivity level (a red LED flashes if you overload the
aattern o f five pushbuttons
input), gain, norm al or inverted polarity, and phase. There
(up, down, left, right, and
Set-Up), for navigating the various m enu screens that come
is a separate m enu for a five-band equalizer (20,28, 40, 56,
up on the extremely bright but tiny (1" square) organic LED
and 80Hz), each band adjustable from +5 to -lOdB. W ith
display next to them . W hen the D B I is first ttirned on, the
all the levels o f the D B I set to their default value o f OdB,
B&W ROOM ACOUSTICS COM PENSATION

esting subwoofers is not as lonely
a business as I had thought.
One Stereophile reader, Darren

Gum, wrote to criticize m y use in
reviews of extra hardware to achieve more
transportable subwoofer setups; eg, the
virtual spectrum analyzer in m y Velodyne
DD-18 subwoofer, and Bryston's 10B-SUB
outboard electronic crossover ($2395;
reviewed in M ay 1994 and November
2005), which I used w ith subwoofers that
didn't have high-pass feeds for the satellite
speakers. Gum worried that most audio
philes wouldn't have access to the extra
gear, and that different results might have
occurred had I used only m y ears.
His argum ent made sense. M ost read
ers set up their subwoofers by ear, unless
s i t m non*. t*t*
m
]
the dealer comes by to "tune the usystem.
n '3 * I
IS
25
32 ii W
S3 M Itt 125 lit 2M
Using m y ears to set a subwoofers polar

ity, m atch its ou tput to tha t of the Quads,
and set its low-pass filter's frequency
w ould either w ork as well as m y extra
gear or not. I decided to try it both ways:
I first set up the B&W DBI using only
my ears, then set it up again using my
measuring gear.
Before setting up the DB1,1 measured
the Quads room response using the
signal generator and spectrum analyzer
built in to the Velodyne DD-18 subwoofer
(reviewed in June 20 04 , www.stereophile.
com /sub w o ofers/60 4velod yne/in de x.
h tm l) that sits at the center of m y room s
front wall. Clearly, using Velodyne's elec
tronics was not part of the B&W 's setup
instructions, but had proven helpful in
setting up other subs.
itiotmc t u r n . vnm
SfiTEI! W E
15
2 25
32 <9
EXI1/SM
S3 St IN 125 IU
Fig.1 Quad ESL-989, in-room response, 2 0 -2 0 0 H z,
Fig.2 B&W DB1, in-room response, 2 0 -2 0 0 H z ,
no subw oofer (25dB vertical range).
Room Acoustics C om pensation off, (25dB vertical

range). Note peaks at 45 and 65Hz.
104
I
|
A fte r setting the DD-18's volume con

trol to "0 " so that its 18" drive-unit would
remain silent while I took measurements
of the B&W, I rested the Velodyne calibra
tion mike on the back of m y listening chair,
at m y seated ear height of 37" above the
floor and triggered a repeated 2 0 -2 0 0 H z
sweep tone that I fed into the Auxiliary in
put of m y Bryston BP-26 preamplifier. The
Velodynes sweep signal revealed that the
Quads' output was relatively flat down to
80Hz, then fell 10dB by 35Hz (fig.1). I then
measured the DBTs uncorrected in-room
response, which revealed strong output
from 20 to 100Hz, w ith prom inent room
modes evident at 45 and 65H z (fig.2).
Following the online instructions, I set
up B&W 's Room Acoustics Compensation
program by plugging the DBTs soundcard
KlOW NSIW. KWE
M D KSPWK
in
IS
J J 25
32 <e 5
BT1/WE
$3 M IM 125 M M
Fig.3 B&W DBI, in-room response, 2 0-2 0 0 H z, Room

Acoustics Compensation on (25dB vertical range).
Note th a t peaks at 45 and 65Hz are lower in level.
B O W E R S & W IL K IN S D B I S U B W O O F E R
available on the control panel: naming the presets, and launch

ing the D B ls Room Acoustics Compensation routine. The
tools needed to run that last itema calibration microphone,
four connector cables, and a USB-connected soundcard that
generates the necessary test signalsare included with the
subwoofer. W ith SubApp, the D B I can take m easurements
o f the room, then adjust its internal equalizer to compensate
for up to four room -m ode peaks w ithin its operating range.
Internals
The D B ls construction, fully described in a white paper posted

at www.bwgroup-support.com/reference.hdnl, includes: two
mechanically opposed 12"
woofers separated by a par
A h ig h ly f le x ib le
tially open internal partition;
c a b le is u s e d to
1"-thick walls o f M D F with
%"-thick bracing panels to
p r e v e n t tin s e l
minimize vibration; digital sig
f r a c tu r e s fro m
nal processing (DSP) circuits
to run the menu-based control
d e v e lo p in g
system rather than physical
in t h e D B ls
switches; home automation
in te r n a l w irin g
capability; and the 1000W
switching amplifier; equalized
fro m th e d riv e rs
to produce linear output. Like
the JL Audio Fathom f212, the c o n s t a n t m o tio n .
D B I lacks a high-pass filter to
shape die bass response o f the main speakers, it being assumed
that this will be taken care o f by the preamplifier/processor or
A /V receivers bass management function.
Inside, th e DB1 features B&W 's "M a trix " construction.
the subwoofer has the T H X standard sensitivity o f 109dB

spl at lm for an input o f IV RMS.
Because I found its display panel difficult to see from my
listening chairmy right-channel Q uad ESL-989 speaker
blocked m y viewI controlled the D B 1 w ith B & W s SubApp program, w hich is compatible w ith W indow s XP, as
well as Vista and W indow s 7 (both 32- and 64-bit versions).
N o t shipped w ith the subwoofer, it m ust be downloaded
from www.bvvgroup-support.coni. SubApp provides graphi
cal user interface controls for the D B ls gain, phase, polarity,
and equalization, and enables two additional functions not
Room Acoustics Compensation, continued

into a USB port on my W indows laptop;
connecting one cable to the soundcard's
minijack connectors to send its test signals
to the sub. and another to receive the feed
from the calibration mike: and plugging a
third, long USB-to-RS232 cable from a sec
ond USB port on my laptop into the RS232
connector on the DBTs service panel.
That done, I ran B&W's SubApp W indows
program. W hen I first clicked the onscreen
Run button, the DB1 played some rapidly
stepped test tones, then stopped and
indicated that the volume level was too
low for it to take a measurement. I checked
and found a loose connection in a cable
plugged into the soundcard output. I fixed
it, then successfully reran the compensation
routine, which involved the A pp taking
eight different measurements, w ithout the
Quads connected (fig.3).
To set up by ear, I turned the Quads
back on and matched the DBTs volume,
analyzer showed a surprisingly flat in-room

response (fig.4). The sound was spec
tacular, especially playing organist James
Busby's recording of Herbert Howells
Master Tallis's Testament, from Pipes Rhode
Island (CD, Riago 101, no longer available).
I was delighted to hear extraordinarily
tight, clear, sustained organ-pedal notes
reproduced w ith good pitch definition and
solidity, and w ith enough power to shake
loose objects in m y listening room.
To set up by gear, I returned the DBI
to its factory default settingsno room
compensationby selecting a new Preset
to clear out the previous Room Acoustics
Compensation settings. I ran SubApp
a second time, and used my laptop's
keyboard to adjust the virtual gain sliders
UtLCWC DlGIld Mil*
SVSIE* KSWSf
in SubApp to match the outputs of the DBI

and the Quads while watching the resulting
room-response curve on the TV monitor.
I then adjusted the DBTs low-pass filter
frequency to achieve the flattest line on the
sweep signal display. The display showed
that a low-pass frequency of 70H znot
the 80 H z I'd used beforeand a low-pass
filter slope of 24dB/octave gave the fla t
test line representing the room response.
Finally, I found that setting the DBTs phase
to 9 0 gave the flattest response on the TV
monitor, not the default 0 setting I'd used
before (fig.5). I loaded the new settings
into Preset 2," then again played Master
Tallis's Testament. I heard the same clean,
deep bass, and this tim e it was even more
focused and solid Larry Greenhill
iiisiia. i n 1
SflTEn K S W S
gg
EW/MlS
phase, and polarity settings, ran the Room

Acoustics Compensation, and listened for
the tightest bass. I left the DBTs low-pass
filte r at its default setting of 80Hz, and
selected a low-pass filter slope of 2 4 d B /
octave. I saved these settings as Preset 1.
To m y surprise, the Velodynes spectrum
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
IS
2 25
32
63 $
1M I X
lit ?
Fig.4 Quad ESL-989, in-room response, 2 0 -2 0 0 H z ,

w ith B&W DBI subw oofer set up by ear (25dB
vertical range).
IS
7t
25 32
it
58 63 8 Itt 125 161 2tt
Fig.5 Quad ESL-989, in-room response, 2 0-2 0 0 H z,

w ith B&W DBI subwoofer, Room Acoustics Compen
sation on, set up by Velodyne measurement, in-room
response (25dB vertical range).
105
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B & W stuffed two 12" drivers into the smallest enclosure

possible and reduced the resistance o f the drivers spiders
and dampers at the extremes o f the cones 1.6" range o f travel
by using a pliable progressive-roll spider, a voice-coil o f rela
tively small diameter (75mm). T he woofer cones are made
stiff by using a composite o f carbon-fiber skins over a core
o f Rohacell. A highly flexible cable is used to prevent tinsel
fractures from developing in the D B ls internal wiring from
the drivers constant m otion.
The D B ls internal electronics include a signal input circuit
board that connects the analog input to digital, a m other
board, a DSP board, the amplifier and its power supply, and
an auxiliary power supply to run the digital circuits w hen the
sub is in standby mode. T he DSP functions are handled by
an Analog Devices Sigma chip; this equalizes the subwoofer,
provides low-pass filtering and phase control, adds a five-band
graphic equalizer, runs the room-compensation software, and
generates an impact overlay preset to enhance hom e-theater
sound effects. The D B I can store five user presets.
Automatic Room Acoustics Compensation

O ther subwoofers I have reviewedincluding the Velodyne
DD-18, REL Studio III (O ctober 2004, www.stercophile.
com/subwoofers/1004rel/index.html), and Revel Ultima
SUB-30 (N ovem ber 2004, www.stereopliile.com/
subwoofers/1104revel/index.html)have provided test tones
and equalizer controls, but require the ow ner to interpret
the findings and make the appropriate adjustments. More
recently, JL Audios Fathom fl 13 (September 2007, www.
stereopliile.com /subwoofers/907jl/index.htm l and Fathom
f2l2 subs (April 2010, www.stereopliile.com /subwoofers/
jl_audio_fathom_f2l2_powered_subwoofer/index.html)
are shipped w ith a self-adjusting firmware routine that uses
calibration microphones and internal signal generators and
processors to optimize the subs frequency response in the

listeners room by adjusting its output to compensate for a
single peak room mode. However, only the B & W D B I lets
its ow ner run its automatic optimization program and adjust
its set-and-forget controls (eg, gain, polarity, phase) from the
listening chairthough its necessary to connect a PC to the
subwoofer with the long linelevel cables (supplied).
The B&W DBi
The D B ls Room Acoustics
has one of the
Compensation program probes
the listening room with a tone
easiest and
sent to the subs input, then
quickest
setup
samples its audio output in the
routines Ive
room w ith eight closely bunched
measurements taken by the
encountered
supplied mike. After analyzing
with a
the results, it applies four-band
equalization to correct the four
subwoofer
m ost prom inent resonance
of this
room peaks in the subs range by
sophistication.
reducing its output in a narrow
band around each peak. The
procedure gathers information over a passband o f 30-140H z,
and gathers additional information below 30Hz. However,
the D B ls ability to adjust for more than one peak is inversely
related to the size o f the area in which measurements have
been taken. T he smaller the area, the greater num ber of
peaksup to fourfor w hich the program can compensate.
If the ow ner takes measurements over an area wide enough
to include several listeners, the program will adjust for only
the most prom inent room mode.
Setup
I unpacked the D B I and moved it into the right corner o f
my living room, behind one o f my Q uad ESL-989 speakers,
positioned so its control panel and display faced out into the
room, and each o f its two drivers faced one sidewall. The
Quads sat 8' apart, 5' from the front wall and 3' from the
sidewalls, slightly toed-in to my listening chair and driven by
a Mark Levinson N o.334 dual-mono solid-state amplifier.
M y chair was 10' from each Quad. The D B I was connected
to the outputs o f my Bryston BP-26 preamplifier via two 6m,
unbalanced, line-level interconnects.
The B & W D B 1 has one o f the easiest and quickest setup
routines Ive encountered w ith a subwoofer o f this sophisti
cation. Setup took less than 10 minutes, w hether by ear or by
gear. (See Sidebar, B & W Room Acoustics Compensation).
Sound
T h e fr o n t pan e l fe a tu re s a s m a ll b u t v e ry b rig h t o rga n ic-LE D display.
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
Keeping true to D arren G um s request in die sidebar, I evalu

ated the sound o f the D B I w ithout the help o f the Bryston
lOB-SUBs high-pass filter to restrict demands on die Quads
to play very low bass. This helped maintain the Quads uppermidrange and treble transparency, but caused their protection
circuits to kick in during loud bass peaks. For example, both
Quads shut off at the beginning o f Mark Flynns kick-drum
introduction to Blizzard Limbs, from Attention Screens
Live at Merkin Hall (CD, Stereophile STPH018-2). However,
I liked the Quads unfiltered, full-range sound so much that
I dialed back the preamplifiers volume to avoid triggering
further shutdowns.
From the start, I enjoyed the D B ls ability to move air,
its superb pitch definition, and its ability to integrate its own
deep bass w ith the Quads midbass. I was m ost impressed
107
1 9 2 K H Z / 2 4 B I T & 9 6 K H Z / 2 4 B I T H IG H - R E S O L U T IO N D O W N L O A D S
L IN E R N O T E S A N D A L B U M A R T
K.D. LANG FLEETS

U2 i T B
ROLW
: ERIC CLAPTON
STEVIE WONDER
CER*- ANTONIO
CARLOS JOBIM
EDENCEI
KAT-fiRitiiia
KATE BUSH
JOHNNY CASH
RYCOODERj* METALLICA
* THE CARPENTERS
STEVIE RAY
VAUGHAN
DONALD FAGEN
BYRON JANIS
TALKING
HEADS
ISAAC HAYES MARK KNOPFLER
VIENNA
PHILHARMONIC
FOREIGNER
NATALIE MERCHANT
PAUL SIMON *132
ELTON JOHN '
FAITH HILL *
LOUIS ARMSTRONG *fl
THE MOODY BLUES
STEELY DAN
STAN GETZ J]
BARENAKED LADIES
!EAGLE HILARY
HAHN
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER
ORCHESTRA LORIN MAAZEL BILLIE HOLIDAY
DEREK &
THE DOMINOS
I RUSH
* CARLY SIMON*
SAM COOKE
DIANA KRALL
ROBERT PLANT
HERBIE HANCOCK
SONNY ROLLINS
THE ANIMALS
JARRETT
ROB THOMAS
EVANS TRIO j*
CLAUDIO ABBADO
HDtrackifjrffefs the/cleepest and wi
HAnCO CK
MILES DAVIS
r K
KEITH
p n t i
a v a ila b le fo f d o w n lo ad
Not a believer yet? Try a
album download! Hear the difference
w ith the D B ls pow er while producing clean, tuneful low

frequencies. T he fortissimo bass-drum strokes in the second
m ovem ent o f Stravinskys The Rite o f Spring, w ith Esa-Pekka
Salonen conducting the Los Angeles Philharm onic (S A C D /
CD , D eutsche G ram m ophon 00289 477 6198-2), seemed to
ju m p out into the room w ith trem endous speed and impact.
I heard the same punch from the bass percussion in another
performance o f Rite, by the M innesota Orchestra under Eiji
O ue (H D x DVD-R, 24-bit/176kH z, Reference RR-70). The
D B I captured the distorted, menacing bass synth that opens
D eeper Wells, from Em m ylou Harriss Spyboy (Eminent
EM-25001-2), as well as the stark impacts o f the explosive
timpani strokes in Yoshihisa Tairas Hierophonie V, perform ed
by the Kroumata Percussion Ensemble (CD, BIS BIS-232).
T he D B ls tuneful bass pow er allowed it to not only re
produce the bass notes o f pipe organs, but also to reliably cre
ate room lock: w hen an organ note massively vibrates the air
in my listening room w ithout boom. This clean depiction of
deep bass pow er was apparent at even lower volumes, such
as the soft but stunning deep pedal note that ends the excerpt
from Jo h n Atkinsons recording o f Elgars Dream o f Gerontius
on Stereophilts Test C D 2 (CD, Stereophile STPH004). The
massive, almost infrasonic organ note that ends Timothy
Seelig and the Turtle Creek Chorales performance o f Lord,
Make M e an Instrum ent o f Thy Peace, from John Rutters
Requiem (CD, Reference RR-57CD), was stunning in its
pow er and beauty. T he D B I helped the Quads create a deep,
broad soundstage on which deep pedal notes, fall choir,
and harp surged out from Rutters A Gaelic Prayer, on the
same disc, and delivered the rumbling pulses that underpin
Gnomus, from Jean Guillous performance o f his transcription
o f Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition (CD, Dorian D O R 90117). M ary Prestons raucous
T h e B& W
interpretation o f the Toccata o f
W idors O rgan Symphony 5,
D B i prOVOO
on Organ Odyssey (CD, Referto b e a re a l
ence RR-113CD), was equally
.
.
dramatic with the D BI.
p o c k e t ro c k e t,
T he DB1 aiso reveaied the
p ro d u c in g
fro m a
r e l a ti v e ly
S m a ll
.
ta u t, p o w e rfu l
d e e p b a s s w ith
O u ts ta n d in g
characteristic bass timbres o f

Other instruments, such as: the
taut, dense energy o f Michael
Arnopols double-bass in the introduction to Too Rich for My
Blood, from Patricia Barbers
Cafe Blue (CD , P rem onition/
Blue N ote 5 21810 2); the harsh
fm
dd.cr. ofl?avid U^ T S
bass didgendoo, which dnves
Rainforest W onder on his

p itc h .
Didgeridoo Spirit (CD, Indigenous
, r- *.
Australia IA2003 D); the distinct
tonal steps o f Glen M oores
plucked double-bass notes in
The Silence o f a Candle, from O regons Beyond Words
(CD, CheskyJD 130); the delicate bass-guitar line that
Jerom e Harris threads am ong the other instruments in The
Mooche, from the Jerom e Harris Q uintets Rendezvous
(CD, Stereophile SPTH013-2); the double-basses playing
the sustained low G in the introduction to Richard Strausss
Also sprach Zarathustra, from Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati
Pops Time W ay (CD, Telarc CD-80106); and the fabriccovered mallet used on the bass drum in H. O w en Reeds
La Fiesta Mexicana, from Fiesta! (CD, Reference RR-38CD).
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
ASSOCIATED EQ U IPM E N T
Analog Sources Linn Sondek-Lingo turntable with Lingo
power supply, Ittok tonearm; Spectral cartridge; DaySequerra FM Reference Signature tuner.
D ig ita l Sources Bryston BCD-1 CD player, Bryston BDP-1
digital transport with USB-2 flash drives and external USB
hard drive, Bryston BDA-1 D /A converter, NetGear W N -350
wireless router connected to BDP-1 via Ethernet.
P re a m p lifie r Bryston BP-26.
Power A m p lifie rs Mark Levinson ML-2 monoblocks, No.334,
No.27.5, No.532H.
Loudspeakers Quad ESL-989; Velodyne DD-18, JL Audio
Fathom f113 subwoofers.
Cables Digital: Bryston, Hosa AES/EBU; W ireworld Starlight
Coaxial S/PDIF. Interconnect: Mark Levinson Silver, Red
Rose Silver One, Totem Acoustic Sinew single-ended, Pure
Silver, Bryston balanced. Speaker: QED X-TUBE 400, Pure
Silver R50 biwire double ribbon, Ultralink Excelsior 6N OFHC,
Coincident Speaker Technology CST1.
Accessories Bryston Universal Silver BR-2 remote control,
Torus RM-20 Power Isolation Unit, ATI SLM-100 analog soundlevel meter. Listening room: 26' L by 13' W with 12' H semi
cathedral ceiling, moderately furnished with sound-absorbing
furniture. Left wall has large bay window covered by Hunter
Douglas Duette Honeycomb fabric shades. Rear of room opens
through 8 by 4' doorway into 25' by 15' kitchen.larry Greenhin
Comparisons
Listening also to the Velodyne DD-18 ($4999) andJL Audio
Fathom f ll3 ($3600) subwoofers allowed me to better grasp
the characteristics o f the B & W D B I ($4500). The similarly
priced DD -18 has a high-pass filter and a larger driver (18"),
and uses servo correction; its audible bass power seemed
on a par with the D B ls. The D B I and Velodyne produced
the m ost room lock. T he less-expensive JLA Fathom fl 13
had slightly better pitch definition. I heard a deeper, wider
soundstage w hen I had two fl 13 subwoofers playing in
stereo, compared with the single D BI, but I didnt have two
identical pairs o f D B I s or Velodynes to determ ine if either
could do as well. Even with these differences, however, I
could easily live with any o f these subwoofers.
Conclusions
The B & W D B I proved to be a real pocket rocket, produc
ing from a relatively small enclosure taut, powerful deep bass
with outstanding pitch definition. Add to that its fine cabine
try and the ease and convenience o f running B & W s Room
Acoustics Compensation software and setup adjustments
from my listening chair, and the D B I really excelled.
As a two-channel guy, I would have preferred that B & W
included a switchable high-pass filter for managing the bass,
so that I could obtain that extra bit o f dynamic range from
my Quads w ithout clipping, but the combination o f D B I
and ESL-989s sounded so good that it more than offset my
frustration with having to keep the volume lower. However,
D B ls ability to blend sonically with my Q uad electrostatics,
more than justifies its high asking price. And the ability to
fine-tune its performance from the listening chair is a truly in
novative step in making subwoofer setup easier, more feasible,
and ultimately more reliable. These strengths put the D B I on
my short list o f recommended subwoofers.
109
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Is Vivid Audio's G 1 Giya the best loudspeaker I have ever heard ? Yes."
Wes Philips, Stereophile July 2010 (USA)
"Its hard to stress ju st how well the G 1 Giya addresses the problem s that
usually afflict loudspeakers, it m anages to seem ingly elim inate perceived
distortion a n d reveal the m usic in a ll its dynam ic, tonal a n d tem poral glory."
Jason Kennedy, HIFi->- issue 70 (UK)
"It is the Giya's so u n d that steals the show, conveying m usic with obvious
neutrality, an unadorned m idrange, quick transients, an d deep, pow erful
low frequencies."
Marc Mickelson. The Audio Beat February 2010 (USA)
VIVID AUDIO UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY 5

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ERICK LICHTE
Acoustic Geometry Curve System

ROOM TREATM ENTS
or a few weeks each year in the high sum m er of

Minnesota, the corn sold from rickety roadside stands
is so sweet and tender it is best eaten unadorned.
For the wise and lucky nibbler willing to forgo

condiments, the rewards o f eating these naked kernels are
the pure taste o f M idwestern soil and sun transformed into
a juicy, golden confection. Ive begun to w onder if the yearly
encounter with this magnificent and ephemeral sweet corn
reminds M idwesterners o f the joys o f simplicity and plainness.
T hough my hypothesis is a stretch, it sure w ould explain
a great deal about the M idwestern mentality. Perhaps

M idwesterners subtly learn from this corn that if we get too
fancy or try too hard, we can often screw up w hat nature has
already made perfect. Conversely, w e learn that no am ount
of fancy accoutrements will make a bad ear o f bland, mealy
corn come alive in the m outh.
W hat Ive learned from room acoustics, room treattncnts,
and room corrections are very like the lessons Ive learned
from eating the sweet corn o f summer. Like drenching in
butter a starchy ear o f corn, theres just no way you can
SPECIFICATIONS
D e scriptio n Versatile
accessories to solve room
acoustics problems.
D iffu s o rs (all 4 2 " H):
CRV1442D Small D iffuso r
A bso rbe rs (a ll 4 2 " H):

CRV1442A Small Absorber
(14" W ), $245.99. CRV2142A
M ed iu m A bsorber (21" W ),
$299.99. CRV3142A Large
M ed iu m D iffuso r), $574.90.

Accessories CRVSTAND2041
(14" W ), $274.95. CRV2142D

M ed iu m D iffuso r (21
W ), $349.95. CRV3142D
Large D iffusor (31" W id th ),
$399.95.
A bsorber (31" W ). $349.95.

C om er Traps (a ll 4 2 " H):
CRVTRAP M e d iu m Corner
Trap (21" W, includes
VC 48 Voice Curve (4 8 " H),

$179.95.
Finishes Prices based on
G uilford fr701, Anchorage
and A coustic Suede. A ll
oth er sizes and fabric options
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
CR VCT2042 Corner Trap

fram e and CRV2142D
Stand gobo (4 2 " H), $174.95.

CR VCT2042 Corner Trap
fram e (4 2 " H). $224.95.
quoted on an individual basis.

A pp roxim ate num ber of
dealers: online fo r now.
M a n u fa ctu re r Acoustical
Surfaces, Inc., 123 Columbia
C ourt N Chaska, M N 55318.
Tel: (8 8 8 ) 227-6645.
Fax: (9 5 2 ) 448-2613.
w w w .acousticgeom etry.com
113
s te r e o p h ile
IN G R A N D T R A D IT IO N
NEW YORK CITY

PRESENTS
APRIL 13th- 15th
A U D IO
K Ix a v
&
show
THE WALDORF - A 5 T O R I A
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A C O U S T IC G E O M E T R Y C U R V E S Y S T E M R O O M T R E A T M E N T S
make a bad room sound great. If your listening rooms floor

vibrates like a kettle drum , your walls are glass, and your
ceiling only 6' high, all I can say is: Good luck. Every attem pt
Ive heard to treat a fundamentally bad-sounding room with
panels and equalization at best trades off one sonic problem
for another. O n the other hand, w hen a decent-sounding
room is turned over to a company selling panels or corrective
components, often the natural goodness o f the room s sound
is destroyed in a quixotic quest to even out the bass response
or null every standing wave. Though such rooms m ight end
up measuring better, they dont always sound better. Adding
too many acoustic panels to an okay-sounding room is akin
to ruining the perfect ear of
UJ .
.
corn w ith too m uch salt.
L is te n in g
So it was with a sense ofhope
i n f la t- w a ll,
that I encountered Acoustic
o v e r lv d e a d
Geometrys new Curve System
o f room treatments. Unlike

r o o m s is u n f u n . most products designed to treat
W e d o n t liv e
rooms by absorbing sounds,
,
.
the Curve System treats room
in a n e c n o ic
acoustics predominantly
c h a m b e rs!
through diffusion. I was in-
J o h n C a ld e r
m gued
th c aPProacly n d as
AcousUc Geometry products

are made close to where I live,
in Chaska, Minnesota, I thought it might be convenient and
fun to see if I could get my room to sound a little better. I called
John Calder o f Acoustic Geometry, told him about my rooms
size and materials and what its made of, and he sent a pallet of
products to my door.
The Curve system joined EL's Revel F30s in his listening room note the butcher
block stand in the center.
w ere extraordinarily sensitive to phase-based directional

cuesif you couldnt accurately locate a twig snap, you were a
saber-toothed tigers lunch. The importance o f acoustic phase,
along with a lot of experimentation, brought me to cylindrical
diffusors, which are a tried-and-true design from the 30s.
Theyre beautifully phase-coherent (unlike quadratic-residue
diffusion), relatively affordable, and can be implem ented with
predictable results.
Curvology
Behind the Curve
John Calder came to designing room -treatm ent products

by way o f the recording studio. I started recording in the
deaden-everything-with-fiberglass acoustics o f the 70s,
which was a sonic nightmare, he says. In the late 70s, I was
a recording engineer [Neil Diamond, Joe Cocker, The Band]
at Kendun Recorders, a legendary studio in Burbank, where
Tom Hidley had built one o f his signature octagonally sym
metrical, lava-rock-diffusion control rooms. I learned through
long experience that properly diffuse
rooms sound far more natural than
nondiffuse rooms. This exposure
to leading-edge acoustics gave me
a real underpinning o f acoustical ex
perience. I later used that experience
to design and build control-room
and studio treatments for myself and
others. Thats w hat led me to start
Acoustic Geom etry in 2010.
While diffusion is rarely used in
the smaller space o f a listening roomI
know a num ber o f manufacturers and
audiophiles who believe diffusion can
have no meaningful effect in a listening
room o f average sizeCalder hears it dif
ferently. To that end he has designed the
Curve System to primarily diffuse sound in
a phase-coherent way: Listening in flat-wall,
overly dead rooms is unfun. W e dont live
in anechoic chambers! For millennia, weve
existed in naturally diffuse spaces, from forests
to caves to baroque churches. As a species,
The Curve System comprises a num ber o f models, each 42"

tall, and samples o f all o f which I had on hand for review.
There are three sizes o f DiffusorSmall (14" wide), Medium
21" wide), and Large (31" wide)and three sizes o f Absorber
each the same width as the corresponding Diffusor). Theres
also a 21 "-wide C om er Trap whose front face is a Medium
Diffusor. The front baffle o f each Curve model is, well, curved,
the arc o f each model size based on a radius of different length.
According to Calder, having Diffu
sors o f different sizes in your room
is very important, as repeating the
same size o f arc over and over along
the same wall would result in audible
comb filtering. Many fabric choices
are available for die front panels, and
custom fabric covers can be ordered.
Each Curve System model is built
on a w ooden frame with, on the back,
a wedge-shaped cleat for hanging the
product from a matching piece attached
to the wall. I liked this method o f installa
tion: The user can run a horizontal piece o f
wood along the length o f a wall, then adjust
each Curve units placement w ith great ease
xibility. As Ill show later, dialing these
babies in will amply reward the listener.
Panels can be m ounted vertically or horizon
tally. The front curved surfaces o f the Diffusors
are made o f a bio-degradable material that will
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
The D iffusor has a curved fro n t surface.
115
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reflection points o f m y sidewalls, two M edium Diffusors

($349.95) at the second-reflection points, a C om er Trap
($574.90) at each end o f the front wall, two Small Dif
fusors ($274.95) on the sidewalls even with my listening
seat, a M edium Absorber hung on my front wall in front
o f my glass patio door, and a Large Diffusor ($399.95) hung
behind my listening positionall in all, $3699.52 w orth o f
Curve System. I listened with this configuration for a few
weeks, to let my ears grow accustomed to it. W ith any new
addition to my system, I find
it best to set it up and live
with it for a while before get
W ith a n y
ting too judgmental.
That first configuration
n e w a d d itio n
certainly improved my room s
to m y s y s te m ,
sound. I heard a little less bass
I f in d i t b e s t
overhang, and felt I could
hear m ore o f each recordings
to s e t i t u p a n d
own sonic signature and less
liv e w i t h i t
o f my room seach recording
sounded a bit m ore distinct
f o r a w h ile
from every other recording.
b e fo re g e ttin g
Thankfully, the Curve System
to o ju d g m e n t a l .
in no way made my room
sound lifeless or dead. It still
sounded like my room, just
better. At this point I took some measurements using John
Atkinsons calibrated M ighty Mike II and H olm Acoustics
H olm Impulse program. JA will report in a future issue what
the measurements reveal.
keep its
shape and
diffusive prop
erties for a very
long time, says
Acoustic Geome
try. W hen I pressed
for m ore informa
tion, Calder wouldnt
say what the material
actually is. It looked to
m e like a cross betw een body
arm or and egg cartons. H eck if I know w hat it is. Behind it is
a thick sheet o f recycled cotton (denim, from the looks o f it),
with metal screens on the units ends covering the holes to the
space behind each arc. Each units rear panel is covered widi a
sheet o f thick vinyl, which Calder calls his Mass-Loaded-Vinyl
(MLV) membrane. According to him, MLV is highly efficient
compared to fiberglass for absorbing bass; combined with
their diaphragmatic absorption, Curve Diffusors help control
low- and midbass frequencies and diffuse everything else. In
fact, thats my basic acoustic philosophycontrol the bass and
diffuse the rest, with the right balance o f absorption.
The Absorbers are essentially the same design as the Dif
fusors, but have an acoustically transparent rather than a
solid diffusing front and dont include the MLV m embrane;
instead, they give the cotton open access to the room. The
C orner Trap is a triangular wooden frame filled w ith re
cycled cotton; a M edium Diffusor serves as the faceplate. Its
among the lightest corner traps I have encountered.
ASSOCIATED E Q U IP M E N T
In Treatm ent
My listening room is 11' 8" wide by 18' long, with 8' ceilings
at the front and 7' ceilings behind the listening position. The
floor is concrete, with a very thick pad and shag-I mean
friezecarpeting. W hen I remodeled and renovated the room
a little over a year ago, I even had the studs shimmed out to
make the double-hung drywall on the sidewalls nonparallel.
Even naked, its a good-sounding roomall my audio buddies
agree that Im lucky to have this space. Normally, the room
is nominally treated with four Echo Busters panels along the
sidewalls, placed at the points o f the first and second reflections.
Until the Curve System, I hadnt triedo r even felt the need
to mess with the sound m uch more.
M y initial com plem ent o f Curve System models comprised
two M edium Absorbers ($299.99 each) placed at the firsts te r e o p h ile .c o m
Curve Ball
After Id lived with the Curve System for about a m onth,
John Calder called, wanting to give my treated room a listen.
I invited him over one afternoon and we listened to some
tunes. At one point, I got the hankering to play for him one
o f the choral C D s Id produced for Cantus and that JA had
engineered. I left the music playing as I searched for the right
disc, my back to the listening area. All o f a sudden, I was
aware that the sound o f my system had drastically changed.
W hat did you do? This sounds way better!
I switched the Absorbers and the Diffusors positions,
he said.
Indeed, now the Diffusors were diffusing the first sidewall
reflections and the Absorbers were absorbing the second re
flections. I found the difference astounding. H ie tonal balance
was completely unaffected by the flip-flop o f the panels, but
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
D ig ita l Sources Sony Vaio laptop com puter; Bel Canto

Design CD 2 CD player. Benchmark DAC1 & DAC1 HDR,
Bel Canto DAC 3.5 VB (w ith VB-1 power supply),
W eiss DAC202, dCS Debussy D /A converters.
Power A m p lifie rs Rogue A ud io M 180 m onoblocks.
Loudspeakers Revel Performa F30, A tla n tic Technology AT-1.
Cables Digital: Stereovox HDVX coaxial, Silver Sonic D-110
AES/EBU. USB: Cardas Clear. Interconnect: Sain Line Systems
Pure (balanced). Speaker: Kim ber Kable BiFocal X. AC:
Sain Line Systems Reference.
Accessories Shunyata Research Hydra 8 power
conditioner Erick Lichte
117
A
A
X
U
P
E
O
N
N
O
A
A
/
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the soundstage was m uch more clearly defined, with greater

separation of instruments yet with a more cohesive spread
from left to right. Soundstage depth was also noticeably better,
with great front-to-back layering o f sounds. Most important,
I felt I had to concentrate less to follow the music and let my
stereo fool me into believing a live event was occurring. It was
one o f the more shocking m om ents o f my audiophile life.
I had initially positioned the Curve panels according to
conventional wisdom, to absorb the first reflections. But
clearly, in my room , diffusing the first reflections gave m e a
far m ore rewarding sound. Calder him self believes in diffus
ing the first reflections, diffusing
the walls and ceiling at the 90
points, straight across from my
The Acoustic
ears, and then absorbing sub
Geometry
sequent reflections. Removing
Curve System the Diffusors from the firstreflection points, or replacing
is a relatively
them w ith Absorbers (either the
Curve Absorbers or my own
novel and
Echo Busters) diminished the
inexpensive
realism o f the stereo image in a
approach
m ajor way. I never would have
thought diffusing the first reflec
to room
tions would be so important,
treatment.
but in my room the results were
clear, predictable, and, dare I say
it, magical.
In the weeks after Calders adjustments o f the panels, I
really began to get a handle on how to dial in the Curve Sys
tem to my room. Ultimately, I found that the Large Diffusor
really didnt work thereI preferred the sound o f my system
w ithout it. I liked the area behind my listening position to
sound more live than dead, the live sound immersing me
more deeply in the music. I also discovered that the precise
placement o f the Diffusors made a difference in my systems
soundstaging. Using a full-length mirror, I dialed the Diffusors into place so that the first reflections hit
each Difftisors curve ju st past the apogee o f the
arc, closer to my listening seat. These proved to
be the optimal positions, giving me the widest
soundstage and greatest overall clarity.
Later in my time w ith the Curve System, I
had Calder swap out two M edium Absorbers
for two m ore M edium Diffusors. I then stacked
the Diffusors two high at the first-reflection
point, which gave me even better soundstag
ing. Around this time I also borrowed, from an
audio buddy o f mine, a few absorbing panels
made o f fiberglass by Ready Acoustics. I set two
of these up at the second-reflection points and
two more in front o f the Curve C orner Traps,
with the Small Diffusors flanking m y listen
ing chair. This configuration produced the best
sound Ive had in my room. The added absorp
tion from the Ready Acoustics panels tightened
up the bass without overdamping the room,
while the Curves were still able to w ork their
magic in clarity and soundstaging. I was able to
have my sweet corn and eat it, too.
from my home in Minnesota to Portland, Oregon, to conduct

some fabulous choirs and continue my graduate education as
a choral conductor. I have to admit that, right now, my life as
an audiophile feels a bit diffuse. I miss my old listening room,
especially how it sounded with the Acoustic Geom etry Curve
System completely dialed in. N o t only have I had to say
goodbye to my hom e and listening room, but, more impor
tant, to all o f my friends and family. My wife and I are having
a great time in Portland, but we miss the people we love in
the Midwest. As I write this review, I especially miss my audio
buddies, w ho would come over, drink beer, geek out over
tubes and cables, and sing Islands in the Stream and Mr.
Roboto with me until 2am. They made this hobby fun for
me, and I hope I made it fun for them. Thanks, Chris, Kurt,
and Chris. My new listening room in Portland is a dedicated
studio space that should sound great, but I w onder if it will
ever feel as sweet as my old room in Minnesota. Ive come to
the conclusion that listening rooms sound only as good as the
memories created in them.
The Acoustic Geometry Curve System is a relatively novel
and inexpensive approach to room treatment. The attractive
shapes o f the various models, and the flexibility o f fabric
choices, should make for a nice visual addition to any listening
room. The absorptive qualities o f their cotton and vinyl will
damp and tame some unwanted liveliness, and their method
o f diffusion deserves to be heard. I was m ost impressed with
the Curve Systems ability to treat my room w ithout robbing
the musics life.
I have one caveat: If your room requires more absorption
than mine did, especially in the bass, you may need to augment
the Curve System w ith some m ore traditional, fiberglassbased absorbers. If, like most audiophiles, you have money
and/or space enough for only two panels o f acoustic treatment,
I highly recommend you Qy diffusing your first reflections
w ith the Curve Diffusorstheir effects in my system became
addictive, and added to my enjoyment of listening in ways I
could not have predicted.
Diffusion
Sum m er has gone, the sweet-corn stands have
been packed up for the winter, and Ive moved
" F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
A great listening room should be measured by m em ories o f music, laughter, and foolish dancing.
119
NOWW
ITHM
OREINTENSEHUES
"There is no doubt in my mind that the

Acoustics Anat III Signature is one of t h a
very few loudspeakers on the planet th a fl
is in the exalted category of first rank!" in
my audio experience. I have only known
few (far too few) speakers that occupy this)
place...most speakers fall short, and
disappoint noticeably in one way or another
...but given my extended listening to this
design, and the exceptional results, I must
now add the YG Acoustics Anat III Signature
as outfitted in our listening room to that
exclusive group.
Dr. David W. Robinson

Editor-in-Chief, Positive Feedback Online
http://www.positive-feedback.com
As some graceful piano came slowly

tinkling into the room, I was immediately
struck by the system's combination of scale
and delicacy. And when the first voice came
in, it was one of those holy shit moments.
And when the second voice came in, it was
another one of those holy shit moments.
And when the two voices came together,
all I could do was sit there and grin like a
dummy, in awe of the texture and tone and
exquisite delineation of images. And then
the percussionfast and clean and
authoritative. It added up to a compelling
complete performance, just as sonically
impressive as it was emotionally involving.
Stephan Mejias, Stereophile.com
Tons of body, weight, speed, great, big and

open. How big can a flamenco guitar be?
read my notes from the sonically impressive
YG Acoustics room.
Michael Lavorgna, Stereophile.com
...It all comes together. And it is

shockingly good. The effect is not the minor
improvement that youd expect from a
crossover tweak. It is a fundamental, even
radical, change.
Anat Reference III Signature
Marshall Nack
Senior Assistant Editor, Positive Feedback
Kipod II Signature
GTT Audio & Video
ww w.gttgroup.com
AUDIO & VIDEO
av@gttgroup.com tel: 908.850.3092 Long Valley, l\IJ
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SECOND THOUGHTS, REVISED MODELS,

& CONTINUED EXPERIENCE.
FOLLOW-UP
/
by ROBERT DEUTSCH,
ROBERT J. REINA, & JOHN ATKINSO N
t h is is s u e :
The Rega DAC, Totem Acoustic Beak,

Parasound Halo JC 3, and
PTE M MMC face further scrutiny.
Rega DAC D /A processor
In his May 2011 column, Sam Tellig enthused about die sound
o f the new DAC from UK-based Rega Research.1 The Rega
DAC had a richness, a fullness o f tone, an analog sense o f ease,
that I had not hitherto heard from digital, save for SACD, Sam
wrote. I heard a naturalness, an organic quality to the sound___
I enjoyed that richness of tone: body, weight, authority.
Jon Iverson listened to the Rega DA C while preparing
his review o f the Peachtree Audio iDac in the O ctober 2011
issue. W hile Jo n agreed w ith Sam about the Regas low
frequencies, he wasnt convinced that this was a benefit.
Com pared with the Peachtree, the Rega had a slightly
heavier feel in the bottom end and added girth to voices (I
was surprised at how noticeable this bass boost was), he
wrote, while his ex-audio retailer listening buddy Bruce
Rowley added that, against Jo ns long-term reference, the
Benchmark DAC 1, the Rega [sounded] w arm er but a bit
fuzzy.. . . the Rega adds body to vocals.
It seems obvious that both Sam and Jon were describing
the same character but differed in their value judgments,
something diat might well have been system dependent. (This
is why Stercophiles reviewers always list their review systems.)
There was also some debate about the Rega D A Cs USB
input. As Sam wrote, this uses the Burr-Brown PCM2707
USB receiver chip, which is limited to data rates o f 48kH z
and below and word lengths o f 16 bits. According to the
Regas designer, Terry Bateman, the DA Cs PCM2707
reclocks the incoming datastream on the fly, in order to
avoid data loss and reduce jitter. I had assumed that by this
Bateman was referring to the statement, in Burr-Browns
datasheet for the PCM2707, that it employs SpAct architecmre, [Texas Instrum ents] unique system that recovers the
audio clock from USB packet data. Sam reported Bateman
as saying that this is w hat would be achieved by DACs that
use an asynchronous USB connection.
Ayre Acoustics Charles Hansen took issue w ith that
statement. In a letter published in the July 2011 Stereophile
(p.133), he w rote that the Rega DA Cs USB receiver oper
ates in w hat is called adaptive mode, in which the DA C is
completely controlled by the computer. The optimal means
o f operating an audio USB interface, w rote Hansen, is called
asynchronous, in which timing errors in the incoming
datastream are absorbed by a small buffer and the audio data
are clocked out by a local, fixed-frequency master clock.
In an asynchronous USB receiver, H ansen continued, the
D A C is in charge of the entire system, and the com puter is
slaved to it. By contrast, the master audio clock in an adap
tive USB D A C must be variable in frequency. (This allows
the unit to adapt to the timing variations in each computer.)
B ut if all else is equal, a variable-frequency clock will always
have higher levels o f jitter than a fixed-frequency clock.
I asked Regas US distributor to send m e a sample o f the
1 Tlie Rega DAC costs $995. Rega Research, Ltd., 6 Coopers Way,
Temple Farm Industrial Estate, Southend 0 11 Sea, Essex, England SS2 5TE, UK.
Web: www.rcga.co.uk. US distributor: Sound Organisation,
11140 Petal St., Ste. 350, Dallas, TX 75238. Tel: (972) 234-0182.
Web: www.soundorg.com.
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
Rega D A C so I could investigate diis m atter for myself. I

also subjected this sample (serial no.01631) to my usual set
o f tests, using Stereophiles loan sample o f the top-of-the-line
Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see www.ap.com and the
January 2008 As W e See It); for some tests, I also used my
vintage Audio Precision System O ne Dual Dom ain and the
M iller Audio Research Jitter Analyzer. As well as driving
the Rega DA C w ith S /P D IF data from the Audio Precision
analyzers, I used a MacBook running Mac OS 10.6.8 and
Pure Music 1.8 to play test-signal files.
Before doing any testing, I took a look under the hood
to confirm diat the Rega DAC does use the Burr-Brown
PCM2707; it does. For its S /P D IF inputs it uses a Wolfson
W M 8805 transceiver chip, which will handle data with sam
ple rates o f up to 192kHz. This feeds two Wolfson W M8742
D /A chips, a 24-bit/192kHz part; the pair o f chips can be seen
in the photo o f the Regas innards, just above the legend Best
Used W ith EL84 Valves on the printed circuit board. (The
EL84, aka the 6BQ5, is a small power pentode tube made
famous by its use in the classic Vox AC30 guitar amplifier.)
Via its S /P D IF inputs, the Rega DAC successfully locked
to data with sample rates o f up to 192kHz. W hat I found
most interesting about the Rega DAC is that it offers 10 dif
ferent digital filters, selected w ith a pushbutton on the front
panel. At sample rates up to 48kHz, these filters are described
in the owners manual as: 1) Linear-phase half-band filter, 2)
Minimum-pliase soft-knee filter, 3) Minimum-phase halfband filter, 4) Linear-phase apodizing filter, and 5) M inimumphase apodizing filter. At higher sample rates, the filters of
fered are: 1) Linear-phase soft-knee filter, 2) Minimum-phase
soft-knee filter, 3) Linear-phase brickwall filter, 4) M inimumphase apodizing filter, and 5) Linear-phase apodizing filter.
Sam didnt try the filters with recordings o f data rates high
er than 44.1kHz, but wrote that, while Rega recommends
using Filter Setting 1 as the default, you might find that Filters
4 and 5 have their charms. The apodizing filters should offer
quicker, cleaner, clearer transients, and thats exactly what
Sam heard, especially from Filter 4, though he did add that
the filters effects are subtle. Fig.1 shows the impulse response
o f Filter 4 at 44.1kHz. It is indeed a linear-phase filter, as evi
denced by the fact that the ringing occurs symmetrically be
fore and after the transient peak. Im not sure why, therefore,
Rega refers to this as an apodizing filter, which, as originally
1 21
F O L L O W -U P
defined by Peter Craven, has a null at

the Nyquist Frequency (half the sample
rate) and therefore eliminates the pre
ringing. Perhaps Rega means that Filter
4s ringing is lower in frequency than
the original datas Nyquist frequency o f
22.05kHz, and that it still has a null at
that frequency.
By contrast, fig.2 shows Filter 5s
impulse response; this is a m inim um phase type, as specified, w ith all the
ringing following the transient. Filters
2 and 3 have impulse responses that
appear identical to that o f Filter 5.
Filter 1 has an impulse response very
similar to that o f Filter 4. As can be
seen from these impulse responses, the
Rega D A C s output preserved absolute
polarity (re, was non-inverting). The
Regas m axim um output level was
n o t affected by the choice o f filter; it
measured 2.17V at 1kHz, sourced from
a fairly low impedance o f 620 ohms.
Turning to the frequency domain,
Filter 3 gave the slowest rolloff at all
sample rates (fig.3), Filters 4 and 5 the
earliest rolloff (fig.4), as youd expect
from their apodizing nature. All the
filters offered superb ultrasonic image
rejection, however. Channel separa
tion at 1kHz was also superb at 106dB,
R -L , and 109dB, L -R , decreasing to
80 and 85dB at 20kH z, respectively,
1
Seems clear enough.
due to the inevitable capacitive cou

pling betw een channels.
T he top pair o f traces in fig.5 shows
a 1/3-octave spectral analysis o f the
Regas outputs while it decoded dith
ered 16-bit S /P D IF data representing
a 1kHz tone at -90dBFS. H ie traces
peak at -90dBFS, suggesting very low
linearity error (not shown), and while
the left channels noise floor (solid
trace) is dom inated by the dither noise,
the right channels (dashed trace) has a
peak at 60H z, implying some magnetic
coupling from the pow er transformer.
A t -llO dB FS, however, this is not
going to be audible. Increasing the bit
depth to 24 (middle traces) lowered
the noise floor by lOdB, implying al
m ost 18-bit resolution, though this did
unm ask a slight am ount o f supply-re
lated 120Hz content in both channels
at a negligible -126dB, confirmed by

FFT analysis (fig.6). This is sufficient
resolution to allow the Rega to re
produce a dithered tone at -120dBFS
(fig.5, bottom traces). The Rega
correctly represented an undithered
sinewave at -90.31 dBFS w ith 16-bit
data (fig.7) and 24-bit data (fig.8).
The power-supply-related spuriae
can also be seen in fig.9, which show's
how the Regas noise floor varies in
level as the signal level changes. Though
the variation is small, w hat did concern
m e was the appearance o f sidebands at
120H z with a signal at OdBFS. Only
the lower sideband is shown in this
graph; extending the measurement
bandwidth to 10kHz shows a clearer
picture o f the sidebands (fig.10). This
graph was taken into the demand
ing 600 ohm load; a regular series of
harmonics can be seen, with the second
and third the highest in level, at -86dB
(0.005%) and -89dB (0.0003%), respec
tively. Increasing the loading to the be
nign 100k ohms didnt change the levels
o f the harmonics, other than to reduce
the second harmonic to -90dB (not
shown). The Rega DAC offered very
low levels o f intermodulation distortion,
w ith the only differences between the
filters affecting how m uch ultrasonic
content was present. Fig.11 shows the
Y
1
i
4
Fig.1 Rega DACt Filter 4, response to single sample

at OdBFS, 44.1kHz-sampled data (4m s tim e
w indow ).
Fig.2 Rega DAC, Filter 5, response to single sample

at OdBFS, 44.1kHz-sampled data (4m s tim e
w indow ).
Fig.3 Rega DAC, Filter 3, frequency
response at
-12dBFS in to 100k ohms w ith data sampled at:
192kHz (le ft channel green, righ t gray), 96kHz
(le ft cyan, righ t m agenta), 44.1kHz (le ft blue, right
red). (0 .2 5 dB /vertica l div.)
* TI
a
40
**
-vm
J L lii
Fig.4 Rega DAC, Filter 5, frequency response at

-12dBFS into 100k ohms w ith data sampled at:
192kHz (le ft channel green, righ t gray), 96kH z (le ft
cyan, righ t m agenta), 44.1kHz (le ft blue, righ t red).
122
Fig.5 Rega DAC, 1/3-octave
spectrum w ith noise

and spuriae o f dithered 1kHz tone at -90dBFS,
w ith: 16-bit data (to p ), 2 4 -b it data (m idd le),
dithered 1kHz tone at -120dBFS w ith 2 4 -b it data
(b o tto m ). (R ight channel dashed.)
ta
Fig.6 Rega DAC, FFT-derived spectrum w ith noise

and spuriae o f dithered 1kHz tone at -90dBFS,
w ith : 16-bit data (le ft channel cyan, righ t m agenta),
2 4 -b it data (le ft blue, rig h t red).
F O L L O W -U P
spectrum w ith 44.1kHz data and Filter

1, fig.12 with 44.1kHz data and Filter 5,
which were the two extremes. N one of
the filters featured the poor image rejec
tion typical o f non-oversampling DACs,
or the slow-rolloff filters featured in
some other DACs.
The Rega D A C s jitter rejection via
its S /P D IF input was good w ith re
spect to data-related sidebands, which
lie at the residual level w ith 16-bit
J-test data (fig.13, cyan and magenta
traces), and are absent with 24-bit
J-Test data (blue and red traces). H ow
ever, pairs o f sidebands can be seen at
the supply-related frequencies o f 120
and 240H z, w ith the M iller Analyzer
estimating their level as equivalent to
273 picoseconds peak-peak.
Turning to the Regas USB input,
Apples USB Prober utility identified
the device as a USB Audio D A C by
Burr-Brow n from T I, and confirmed
that it operated in Isochronous adap
tive mode. Bit resolution was listed as
16, and the sample rates supported
were 32, 44.1, and 48kH z. T he Regas
perform ance via its USB input was
identical to that from the S /P D IF in
puts, other than the restricted bit depth
and sample rate. This was true also o f
the D A C s jitte r spectrum w ith USB
data (fig.14), which was m arred by the
same supply-related sidebands. H ow

ever, sidebands at the adaptive-polling
interval-related frequency o f lk H z
are absent in this graph. In addition,
the central spike that represents the
Fig.7 Rega DAC, Filter 1, waveform o f undithered

1kHz sinewave at -90.31dBFS, 16-bit data (le ft
channel blue, righ t red).
Fig.8 Rega DAC, Filter 1, w aveform o f undithered

1kHz sinewave at -90.31dBFS, 2 4 -b it data (le ft
channel blue, rig h t red).
Fig.9 Rega DAC, spectrum
o f 1kHz sinewave,
D C -lkH z, at: OdBFS (le ft channel blue, right red),
-40dBFS (le ft cyan, rig h t magenta), -60dBFS (le ft
blue, righ t red). (Linear frequency scale.)
Fig.10 Rega DAC, spectrum o f 1kHz sinewave, DClkH z, at OdBFS in to 6 0 0 ohm s (le ft channel blue,
righ t red; linear frequency scale).
Fig.12 Rega DAC, Filter 5, HF interm odulation

spectrum, D C -30kH z, 19+20kHz at OdBFS into
100k ohms (le ft channel blue, righ t red; linear
frequency scale).
Fig.13 Rega DAC, high-resolution jitte r
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
spectrum of
analog o u tp u t signal, 11.025kHz at -6dBFS, sampled
at 44.1kHz w ith LSB toggled at 229Hz: 16-bit data
via 15D TosLink S/PDIF from AP SYS2722 (le ft
channel cyan, righ t m agenta), 2 4 -b it data (le ft blue,
rig h t red). Center frequency o f trace, 11.025kHz;
frequency range, 43.5kHz.
11.025kHz tone w ith USB data in this

graph is as well defined and narrow as
it is w ith S /P D IF data, suggesting that
the large am ount o f the random lowfrequency jitter that is often evident
w ith adaptive USB products is also
absent. The Rega D A C s USB input
is well sorted, as its English designer
would say.
Overall, the Rega DAC offered
respectable measured performance for
$995. B ut I am concerned about the
120H z sidebands that accompany
high-level tones. Psychoacoustic mask
ing theory suggests that these side
bands will be too close in frequency
to the musical tones to be perceived.
O n the other hand, Paul
has
written, in the English magazine Hi-Fi
News & Record Review, that he has
found that the presence o f low-frequcncy sidebands in other processors
correlates w ith the perception that a
products bass is larger than life, even a
touch ponderous. A lthough m y mea
surements show that the Rega D A C s
frequency response is flat to below
20H z, both Jo n and Sam described the
Regas low frequencies as being exag
gerated, which m ight correlate with
this measured problem. Otherw ise, it
remains a puzzle. -J o h n A tkinson
Miller
Fig.11 Rega DAC, Filter 1, HF interm odulation

spectrum , D C-30kHz, 19+20kHz at OdBFS into
100k ohm s (le ft channel blue, righ t red; linear
frequency scale).
Fig.14 Rega DAC, high-resolution jitte r spectrum

o f analog o utp ut signal, 11.025kHz at -6dBFS,
sampled at 44.1kHz w ith LSB toggled at 229Hz: 16bit data via USB from M acBook (le ft channel blue,
right red). Center frequency o f trace, 11.025kHz;
frequency range, 43.5kHz.
123
" e x t r a o r d in a r ily
p o w e r fu l...
u n c o lo r e d ...
n a t u r a l"
- John Atkinson, Stereophile
Totem Acoustic Beak
Erick Lichte m entioned Totem

Acoustics Beak, w hich costs $125/
pair, in his follow-up review' o f the
Totem Forest loudspeaker in Jan u
ary 2010. T he Beak is a bullet-shaped
device, about 2" high by 1.5" in
diameter, thats intended to be placed
atop a speaker to control parasitic
resonances.2 1 was given a pair o f
these m ore than 10 years ago, and
have tried them w ith various speak
ers. W hile Erick didnt find the Beaks
to m ake any difference to the sound
o f the Forests or any o f the other
speakers he had to hand, my experi
ence was different. Som etim es the
Beaks m ade a positive differencea
sm oother, m ore extended treble, and
im proved imagingand at other times
(as w ith the big D unlavy SC-IVs) no
difference at all. T hey never m ade the
sound worse.
I tried the Beaks on the GoldenEar
Triton Tw os that I review elsewhere in
this issue mostly on a w him , w onder
T h e Jo se p h A u d io P ulsar
ing if it was possible to make this
15" High, 8 1/2" W ide.
excellent-sounding speaker sound
Spectacularly Deep.
even better. To test the Beaks effects,
G et the full sto ry at
1 first listened to track 3 o f the Chesky
Jazz Sampler & Audiophile Test CD, Vol.1
w w w .josephaudio.com
(Chesky JD 37) w ith nothing on top o f
the speakers, then placed a single Beak
"D evastatingly right"
at the top o f each speaker, at the center
"The Pulsars are
front edge, and listened again.
ve rita b le light-sabers"
The difference was subtle yet signifi
Steven Stone, The Absolute Sound cant. W ith a Beak atop each speaker,
the highs seemed to have m ore clarity
"F o r th o se o f y ou w h o have
and extension, the percussion instru
dre am e d o f o w n in g relative ly
m ents greater presence, and Ana Carco m p a ct stand m o u n t m o n ito rs
am s voice was m ore tightly focused
th a t really d o convey th e sense o f
in the soundstage. W ithout the Beaks,
re p ro d u cin g (near) full-rang e bass,
although everything was still there,
y o u r loudspeaker
the imaging was less sharply defined,
has arrived!"
the highs a bit subdued. I repeated the
- Chris Martens, The Absolute Sound
comparison many times w ith various
CDs, w ith similar results. The degree
o f im provem ent varied with the
I J o s e p h A u d io I
recording, but I always preferred the
sound w ith the Beaks in place.
T he Triton T w o is an excellent
E f fo r tle s s M u s ic a lity
speaker, with or w ithout the ToE x c lu s iv e T e c h n o lo g y
(8 0 0 ) 4 7 4 - H IF I (4 4 3 4 )
124
2 Totem Acoustic, 9165 rue Clianip dEau, Montreal,

Quebec H IP 3M3, Canada. Tel: (514) 259-1062.
Fax: (514) 259-4968. Web: www.totcmacoustic.com.
tem Beaks. However, at least in my

room and keep in mind that, w ith
a resonance-related effect, room
acoustics can play an im portant role
the im provem ent w rought by the
Beaks was such that I w ouldnt want
to be w ithout them . At $12 5/pair, the
price is reasonable for w hat you get
the Beaks are m ade using precision
machining, their exact shape and the
lines incised in the metal determ ined
through listening tests as well as
com puter simulationsand the sonic
im provem ent m ight be proportionally
greater.
- R o b e r t Deutsch
Parasound Halo JC 3
I was intrigued by a sentence in

Brian D am krogers rave review o f the
Parasound Halo JC 3 phono preampli
fier1 in the O ctober 2011 issue: The
simplest way to describe the JC 3 is as
a Vendetta SCP-2 [phono preampli
fier] executed with integrated rather
than discrete circuits. As Ive used a
Vendetta SCP-2 as my reference phono
stage in my most expensive reference
system for 22 years now, I thought it
would be interesting to get a Halo J C 3
in-house and compare them especially
as both were designed by John Curl.
(J. Gordon Plolt reviewed the Vendetta
for Stereophile in June 1988; see www.
stereophile.com /phonopream ps/640/
index.html.)
M y love affair w ith the Vendetta
SCP-2 has w aned not one jo t in the
last two decades. I was smitten with
how delicate low-level dynamic
articulations em erged from its black
backgrounds, and how it rendered all
vocal and instrumental textures with
crystalline clarity and precise delinea
tion o f holographic images on a deep,
wide soundstage. T he SCP-2s greatest
strength was its deep, precise, uncol
ored, thundering bass, and the most
effortless sense o f high-level dynamic
slam Id heard from any component.
I began in 1989 w ith the A version of
the Vendetta, which possessed all the
3 The Parasound Halo JC 3 costs $2350. Parasound
Products, Inc., 2250 McKinnon Avenue,
San Francisco, CA 94124. Tel: (415) 397-7100.
Fax: (415) 397-0144. Web: www.parasound.com.
attributes m entioned
above, and sounded dead
neutral except for a very
slight bite in the lower
high frequencies. W hen
I sent that unit back to
John C url at Vendetta
for its B upgrade, that
bite was eliminated. A
few years later, w hen I
had my SCP-2B upgrad
ed to D status, all o f its
strengths were improved
by another notch.
The Vendetta SCP2D is the quietest audio com ponent
Ive ever had. Every rime I changed
a com ponent in my system, I needed
to touch the Vendettas cabinet to feel
the slight w arm th that verifies that its
on (it has no pilot light)turning the
pream plifiers volume up to max gave
me no hint. Its also the m ost reliable
com ponent Ive ever had in my system.
T he SCP-2 has no o n /o ff switch;
except for two moves o f house and
the two trips back to Curl for updates,
my SCP-2 has been turned on for 22
years, and has run flawlessly the w hole
time.
A bout 10 years ago, Jo h n C url asked
Gifted
listener
Audio
A Real Hi Fi Shop
W here M usic
Still M atters
if Id like a significant update to the
Vendetta, based on the phono stage
hed incorporated into his C T C Blow
torch preamplifier ($15,000), which
hed designed with Carl Thom pson
and the late Bob Crum p. But w hen
he indicated that the changes in the
sound would be m ore significant than
the B and D upgrades, I declined. I was
afraid to risk the loss o f m y SCP-2D s
gorgeous sound, or lack thereof.
Although it5s no longer available, its
significant that the solid-state SCP-2
has rem ained in my reference system
longer than any other electronic
com ponent, given my preference for
S in c e 1 9 8 9 , t h e
H a v e n f o r M u s ic
L o v e rs in
th e
W a s h in g to n D C
M e tro A re a .
A y r e A c o u s tic s
B ry s to n
G ra d o
L in n
M agnepan
M a ra n tz
Known By The
C om panies We Keep
M a r k L e v in s o n
N itt y G r itty
R ega
Since 1977. Enduring Products. Endearing Relationships. Passion for Music.

R .E .L .
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Acoustics Benz Micro Clear Audio
Crestron Grado Magnepan
Martin Logan McIntosh Music Hall
NAD Niles Paradigm Peachtree
Pro-Ject Revel Runco
Savant Sennheiser Sumiko
Transparent Wadia Wilson
and more...
Sonus Faber
T ra n s p a re n t
T h ie l
V a n d e rs te e n
V ie n n a A c o u s tic s
V T L
Design, Installation,
Calibration, Service
Trade-Ins & Consignm ents
welcome
Visit soon.
5 7 2 0 P ic k w ic k R o a d
C e n t r e v ille , V ir g in ia
Wilson Sasha
7 0 3 -8 1 8 - 8 0 0 0
105 W hitney Avenue, New Haven, C T 06510 203-777-1750
Tues -F ri 10am-6pm Sat 10am-5pm Evenings by appointment
w w w .g ifte d lis te n e r.c o m
w w w .take5audio.com
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
125
F O L L O W -U P
expensive tubed gear. O ver the last 20

years Ive listened to m any different
phono stages in the hom es o f Ste
reophile reviewers and friends, in the
reference systems o f audio designers,
and at shows and dealers. M any of
these products have had prices in four
and five figures, but Ive never had the
slightest interest in considering any o f
them as potential replacements for the
Vendetta SCP-2D.
In a conversation I had w ith him
in the 1990s, speaker designer Dave
W ilson, o f W ilson Audio Specialties,
described Jo h n C url as the m aster o f
low-level signal amplification.4 The
m arket in used audio gear apparently
agrees: The SCP-2 is the only preamp
Im aware of, other than vintage tubed
M arantz and M cIntosh models, that
currently trades for m ore than twice
its original price. As I cranked up
the Parasound Halo JC 3 ($2350), I
thought it would be a tall order for this
ragged and relatively affordable phono
stage to approach the perform ance o f
m y Vendetta.
The Halo JC 3s neutral, detailed
midrange made it a good match for
well-recorded jazz piano discs. W hen
I played Bill Evans at the Montreux
Jazz Festival (45rpm single-sided LPs,
Verve/Classic 6-8762), Evanss piano
was reproduced w ith all its w oody tim
bres intact, and w ith a sense o f natural
and linear microdynamics. T he high
frequencies were pristine, extended,
and airy. I could hear all o f the upper
harm onics o fjo lin R enbourns steelstring flattop guitar in his The Nine
Maidens (LP, Flying Fish FF378). Simi
larly, Miles Daviss trum pet in Surrey
w ith the Fringe on Top, from Steamin
(LP, Prestige 7200), had the requisite
sharp metallic bite as well as a long,
silky reverberant decay. M y favorite
version o f D uke Ellingtons Caravan
is the rockabilly arrangem ent from
Santo & Johnnys eponym ous album
(LP, Canadian American CALP1001).
Despite the rapidity o f Santo Farinas
phrasing, every note o f his blazing
pedal-steel solo chim ed like a golden
bell on its own bed o f air.
T he Parasounds high-frequency re
alism dovetailed nicely w ith its perfect
reproduction o f transients. T he tran
sient coherence o f A rt Blakeys dram
m ing in Bobby T im m onss M oanin,
from Art Blakey and theJazz Messengers
4 In that same conversation I learned that Wilson
and I used the same analog front-end in our
reference systems: a Koetsu Urushi cartridge loaded
at 100 ohms into a Vendetta SCP-2.
126
(LP, Blue N ote BN4003), made it very

easy to visualize the panoramic display
o f Blakeys kit, as he put every one
o f his drums and cymbals through its
paces w ith a wide range o f timbres and
dynamic envelopes. And it was easy to
follow every subtle dynamic nuance o f
the N ew Jersey Percussion Ensembles
battery o f instrum ents in Charles
W uorinens frequently cacophonous
Ringing Changesfor Percussion Ensemble
(LP, Nonesuch 71263).
The Parasounds bass reproduction
was beyond reproach. In Lords Tun
dra, from his Ucross (LP, Jazz Planet
JP5002-1), Dean Peers eight-string
electric bass was thundering, clean, and
precise throughout its range, with no
trace o f compression or overhang, or
loss o f bottom -end clarity. My acid test
for high-level dynamic slam are the tutti
passages in Bluesville, from C ount
Basics 88 Basie Street (45rpm LPs, Pab
lo/Analogue Productions 2310-901). In
these jfj passages there was no hint of
strain, compression, or limiting, and the
brass and rhythm sections slammed m e
in the chest as if I were hearing them in
live performance.
I listened to m ost o f the above re
cordings through the Vendetta SCP-2
as well. I was am azed that, w ith respect
to transient articulation, timbral purity,
low- and high-level dynamic articula
tion, and bass extension and control,
I could hear no difference whatever
betw een the two phono stages through
m y m ost revealing reference system.
In tw o areas, however, the Vendetta
produced a slight im provem ent over
the Parasound. First, there was a bit
m ore high-frequency purity; I was able
to hear m ore subtle upper-frequency
harm onic information. For example,
in the W uorinen percussion work,
the various metals o f the different
percussion instram ents sounded more
distinct from each other. Second, the
Vendetta revealed a bit more hall
sound, air, decay, and ambience w ith
w ell-recorded jazz and classical music.
O therw ise, it was staggering how
similar the two models sounded. These
small differences were w hat youd ex
pect to hear betw een the standard and
signature versions o f a hypothetical
preamplifier, the latter boasting slightly
m ore expensive com ponents in the
same circuit.
T he Parasound Halo JC 3 re-created
at least 90% o f the performance o f my
Vendetta SCP-2D phono stage. Those
thinking o f shelling out for a used
Vendetta are likely to be ju st as satisfied
w ith a new Parasound. And they can

spend the savings on a new cartridge.
R o b ert J. R eina
Precision Transducer Engineering

MMMC Phono Preamplifier
W hen Michael Frem er reviewed
this $1595 phono pream plifier from
Precision Transducer Engineering
(PTE) in the O ctober issue (p.31),
he liked its sound via its moving-coil
input.5 D ra m textures were believ
ableas were, generally, the percus
sive attacks, he w rote, adding that
T he bottom end was well developed,
helping to produce rich lower strings,
w arm French horns, and an envelop
ing hall sound. Macrodynamics, while
no match for the Einstein [Audio
Turntables Choice]s, were very
good, particularly for $1595. H e was
less impressed by the sound o f the
PTEs M M input, however, feeling it
sounded flat, cardboardy, and glary.
PTEs Jim Rush w rote to say that
hed made changes in production to
the M M M C s m oving-m agnet sec
tion that had improved its sound, so
Michael shipped the review sample
(serial no.l006M ) back to Rush to be
updated. U pon its return, I measured
it using Stereophile1s loan sample o f the
Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see
the January 2008 As W e See It and
www.ap.com).
The voltage gain o f the M M M C s
M M input was 40.1 dB, via the M C
input it was 58.5dBboth well suited
to the task. Both inputs preserved ab
solute polarity (ie, w ere non-inverting).
As set by Michael for the review, the
M C input impedance was 100 ohms
at all frequencies, and the M M input
impedance was 39k ohm s at the fre
quency extremes, 45k ohms at 1kHz.
The output impedance was a low 100
ohm s at high and middle frequencies,
rising to 1220 olnns at 20H z, presum
ably due to the physically limited size
o f the output coupling capacitor.
The RIAA equalization was su
perbly accurate in the audioband, with
excellent matching betw een channels,
though an increasingly positive error
developed at ultrasonic frequencies,
reaching + ld B at 100kHz (fig.1).
Channel separation at 1kH z was
good, at 80dB R -L and 86dB L-R,
and didnt decrease significantly at the
frequency extremes. The M M inputs
unweighted, wideband signal/noise
5 Precision Transducer Engineering (PTE), PO Box
6327, Orange, CA 92863. Tel: (714) 722-4613.
Fax: (714) 997-2904. Web: www.pteacoustics.com.
F O L L O W -U P
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Fig.1 PTE Phono Preamplifier, response w ith RIAA

correction (le ft channel blue, righ t red; Id B /ve rtica l
div.).
Fig.2 PTE M M M C Phono Preamplifier, MC,

spectrum o f 1kHz sinewave, DC-10kHz, at 4 V into
6 0 0 ohms (le ft channel blue, righ t red;
linear frequency scale).
Fig.3 PTE M M M C Phono Preamplifier, MC,

spectrum of 19+20kHz sinewaves, DC-24kHz, at
2V into 100k ohm s (linear frequency scale).
ratio w ith the input shorted was better

in the right channel, which measured
78.5dB, than in the left, at 73.5dB. Both
figures are referenced to 1kH z input at
5mV and are improved by A-weighting, to 89.6 and 85.5dB, respectively.
The M C inputs ratios, again taken
with the input shorted but now ref.
1kHz at 500[iV, were 70.1 dB left and
69.3dB right, unweighted, wideband;
and 77.1 dB in both channels w hen Aweighted. T he PTE is a quiet pream
plifier, the main source o f noise being
some residual 60 and 180Hz hum ,
presumably stem m ing from magnetic
interference from the A C transformer.
Overload margins were excel

lent, the M M input not reaching 1%
T H D +noise until the input level at
1kHz was 116.5mV, which is a margin
o f 27.3dB (ref. 5mV). T he 20H z
margin was similarly good, though that
at 20kH z dropped to a still adequate
12.7dB. Via the M C input, the margins
at 20H z and 1kHz were almost 31 dB,
and a still excellent 28dB at 20kH z.
It is unusual for a phono preamplifier
to offer better overload margins via its
M C input than its M M input.
At typical levels, distortion was very
low, at about 0.003% via the M M
input and 0.04% via the M C input.
Fig.2 shows the spectrum o f the PTEs

output while it reproduced a 1kHz
tone via its M C input at 4V into the
worst-case load o f 600 ohms. The in
put level was 4.75mV; ie, almost 20dB
above the nominal 500(1V level. Even
so, the only distortion harmonics that
poke their heads above the noise floor
are the second at -114dB and the third
at -116dB. Interm odulation distortion
was similarly very low (fig.3).
The updated Precision Transducer
Engineering M M M C Phono Pream
plifier now offers superb measured
perform ance via both its M C and M M
illp U tS .
Jo h n A tkinson
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CLASSICAL
ROCK I POP
JAZZ
RECORD REVIEWS
oaxing a singer to
cuts written by those outside the
E D IT O R S PIC K
stretch always sounds
song-mill establishment that give
like a good ideathat
the album its most distinctive
is, until the singer is
flavors: Eddie H inton and Donnie
standing in the same recording
Frittss Breakfast in Bed, John
booth used by Aretha Franklin
Hurley and Eddie Wilkins Son
and W ilson Pickett, and suddenly
o f a Preacher Man, and Randy
her confidence, never brim m ing
N ew m ans I D ont W ant to
to start with, drops through the
H ear About It Anymore. In feet,
floor and she cant or w o n t sing
while Son o f a Preacher M an
a note. Add to this that Dusty
was the hit single that made the
album a blockbuster, its a stretch
Springfield was already a sticky
perfectionist w hod self-produced
o f three songs at the end o f side
m ost o f her records and wasnt
A o f the original LP (side 2 of
this edition) that anchors Dusty
happy w ith the songs to be
in Memphis. In Randy New m ans
recordeddespite the fact that
m ost o f them were straight out o f
saga o f neighbors talking, Spring
the Brill Buildingand you have
field employs a crying tone:
the recipe for an all-time classic
A in t it sad, said the woman down
record, right?
the hall
In his autobiography, Rhythm
That when a nice girlfalls in love
and the Blues (1993, Knopf;
A int itjust too bad she had toJail
p p 2 2 2 -2 2 4 ), producer Jerry
For a boy who doesnt careJor her
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
W exler rem em bered the Dusty in
at all.
Memphis sessions this way: I was
T hats followed by the
criticized for taking Dusty down
album
s finest, funkiest arrange
A tla n tic/A n alo g ue Productions APP 8214-45 (tw o 4 5rpm LPs).
Southeveryone said the South
m ent: o f Goffin-Kings D ont
1969/2011. Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, A rif M ardin, prods.; Ed
Kollis, eng.; Kevin Gray, 4 5rpm m astering. A A A . TT: 76:40
was for R&B, not popbut I had
Forget A bout M e, w here
PERFO RM ANCE
a hunch. You w ont hear m uch o f
Reggie Youngs guitar soloing
a black influence in her voice, yet
S O N IC S
never lets up for a m om ent, and
shes deeply soulful, her intona
the rest o f the players lock in an
tion pure. As w ith Aretha, I never
easy groove thats the epitom e
heard her sing a bad note.
W ayne Chips M om ans American
o f M em phis soul. And Breakfast in
Later in the book, Springfield gave
Studios, at 827 Thom as Street in north
Bed is made an unlikely tour de force
her side o f the story. All Jerry did
M emphis. Reggie Young (guitar),
thanks to A rif M ardins slow, sym
was talk about Aretha, rem em bers
Bobby W ood (piano), Bobby Em
phonic arrangem ent, a classy hornDusty, and I was frankly intimidated.
m ons (organ, electric piano), Tommy
section break, and Springfield pushing
her feathery voice to its upper limit in
If theres one thing that inhibits good
Cogbill (bass), and G ene Chrism an
the verses.
singing, its fear. I covered the fear by
(drums). The instrum ental tracks they
recordedw hich Springfield too flus
being in pain. I drove Jerry crazy.
As w ith all 45rpm remasterings,
Its really no surprise that the ses
tered to sing w hile in M emphis, later
the higher groove velocity has made
sions were strenuous. A bottle blonde
sang over in a N ew York studioare
possible the extended high frequencies
w ho favored beehive hairdos, elaborate
m odels o f taste and refinement.
and lower noise that make this edition
gowns, and Cleopatra eye makeup,
T he songs here are split between two
a marvel o f sound.
Dusty Springfield was a symbol o f the
distinct writing camps. The majority
Despite having told Stanley Booth
pre-rock swingin sixties. H er album
come from such Brill Building teams
that the barbeque down in M em phis is
sales by the tim e o f these sessions in
as Barry M ann and Cynthia Weil
really something, Dusty Springfield
N ovem ber 1968, were slumping, her
(Just a Little Lovin), and especially
never returnedb u t this album, her
image was beginning to look frumpy,
Gerry Goffin and Carole King (D ont
debut for Atlantic Records, gave her
and she was finding it harder to con
Forget About M e and three others).
career perm anent relevance. T he fact
nect w ith younger listeners. In short,
O ther songwriters represented include
that during these sessions she m en
Michel Legrand (the faux psychedelia
fearful or not, she needed to stretch.
tioned to W exler that he should sign a
T he engine on Dusty in Memphis
o f T he W indmills o f Your M ind)
new English group, Led Zeppelin (he
the grease that m ade it go, if you will and Bacharach-David (In the Land of
did), only adds a final sparkling touch
to this still surprising opus.
was the absolutely unsurpassed playing
Make Believe). But while the entire
Robert Baird
o f the studio musicians at Lincoln
album is an unqualified success, its the
R EC O R D IN G
OF TH E M ONTH
Dusty in Memphis
s t e r e o p h i le . c o m
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
129
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A N Y CLOD CAN HAVE TH E FACTS;

HAVING O PINION S IS AN ART
MANUFACTURERS'
COMMENTS
Erratum: Epos Epic 2 price
Apparently, terminal confusion set in
when we prepared Bob Reinas review
o f the Epos Epic 2 loudspeaker in the De
cember issue. O f all the prices we quoted
at various times in the review, the correct
price of this excellent-sounding bookshelf
speaker is $799/pair. O ur apologies to
Epos, distributor Music Hall, and to read
ers who were misled.
John Atkinson
very ambitious project. At least I would

like to get the wall warts out of the audio
chain so that every circuit sounds as good
as it can. We are working on that. A few
more surprisingand surprisingly afford
ableproducts are coming down the pike
from Peter and the gang at Pangea.
Now if I could just remember the
third tiling I wanted to say. . .
Good Listening.
Wayne Schuurman
Audio Advisor
Fi prices
Editor:
I just glanced at the 2012 Stereophile Buy
ers Guide at a newsstand. W hat happened
on the prices on my stuff? I didnt look at
them all (I will), but the prices on some
of the amps arc way off. 300B mono pair
$12,200? W hat I sent in was $6000.
Ive recently raised some of my prices,
mainly due to the fact that Im now
using a different output transformer, but
theyre nowhere near the prices in the
Buyers Guide.
Don Garber
Fi
John Atkinsons policy is to list pricesfor
monoblock amplifiers and loudspeakers as the
price per pair, as that is how people buy them.
At some point in the editing of the 2012 Ste
reophile Buyers Guide, Fis monoblock prices
were doubled, and at a laterpoint the suffix
/per pair was added to each. All prices of other
Fi products were listed correctly. Ariel Bitran
Ortofon Xpression
Editor:
Ortofon would like to thank Art Dudley
for his comprehensive review of our
Xpression cartridge. We greatly appreci
ate Mr. Dudleys attention to the fine
nuances diat make diis cartridge a worthy
consideration for those wishing to explore
the boundaries of vinyl playback while still
focusing on linear and neutral reproduction.
Despite its unusual design, the Xpression
is proof of Ortofons unchanging commit
ment to innovation in die field of analog
playback technology. One tiling diat we
would like to note is that the 28gm car
tridge weight includes diat of its integrated
headshell, wliicli yields a proper match
widi die vast majority of bayonet-style,
removable-headshell tonearms. Louis Dorio
Ortofon
Bricasti Design Ml
Pangea Audio P-100
Editor:
I really enjoyed Sam Tclligs article, and
got a kick out of the opening, about Si
monides. I cant remember the last time I
read an interesting high-end audio articlc
that began with a great story about die
ancient Greeks.
Sitting down to write this reply, I have
three things I want to say. Now I just
have to remember them.
I am pleased that Sam liked the per
formance of the compact upgrade power
supply we created for the Cambridge
Audio DacMagic and Musical Fidelity
V-DAC. Im just sorry the P-100 doesnt
have enough storage capacity (memory)
to keep Sams system playing during the
frequent power outages he seems to be
suffering lately. But then it would cost a
lot more than $99.99.
As far as getting rid of all the wall-wart
power supplies at Sams house, thats a
F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2
Editor:
The Bricasti M l is an upgradeable prod
uct, and as John Atkinson points out, the
SHARC DSP we are using is capable of
implementing more complex and differ
ent filter types than the first set he tested
in die review unit. Subsequently, based
on user feedback, we have upgraded
the currcnt-production M l to add three
more filters that are of the same family
as Filters 4 and 6. These have passbands
of 19.5k, 19k, and 18.5kHz, and give the
user more gradations between what John
Marks preferred: Filter 4, with a passband
of 20kHz; and Filter 6, with a passband of
18kHz. We are currently developing and
listening to additional filters, and expect
that several new filters will be incorporat
ed into the M l over time. All new filters
will, of course, be made available as free
upgrades to owners of existing M is.
Brian Zolner
Bricasti Design
Terminal confusion, memory loss,

bizarre schizophrenia, utter delight,
and the suspension of disbelief.
t h is is s u e :
GoldenEar Technology Triton Two

Editor:
I have delighted in reading and rereading
Robert Dcutschs review of our Triton
Two Tower, and all I can say is Thank
You, Thank You, Thank You. My team
and I were totally thrilled, and it really
helps to make all die hard work worth
while. I have been reading Stereophile since
the days of J. Gordon Holt, in the early
1970s, and have always tried to design
loudspeakers in keeping with my concept
of what Stereophile is all about: providing
us with a means of bringing ourselves
closer to the music and musicians we
love. Robert absolutely gets it, and his
first paragraph under Sound describes
what for me lias always been the most
important aspect of the magic of a great
system and, of course, great loudspeak
ers. I call it the suspension of disbelief. I
found diat the level of detail that Robert
has gone into in describing what he heard
is almost revelatory in its insightfulness. I
am also very pleased diat he (and his wife)
appreciated the aesthetic that we follow
in terms of industrial design. We like
simple, elegant, and well executedlike a
Brancusi sculpture.
Loudspeakers, as we all know, are the
most imperfect elements of the playback
chain. We strive to make ours as good as
humanly possible, and hopefully continue
to learn and improve as we develop our
art and the skills of our craft. One other
point: We have, as have most manufactur
ers, encountered an ongoing escalation of
costs from the time Don and I originally
priced the Triton Two, almost two years
ago. Neodymium has skyrocketed, and
labor; exchange rates, and general infla
tion have clearly been rising. In order to
keep pace, the retail price of the Triton
Two will go from $1249 each to $1499
each on Febraary 1. Sandy Gross, President
GoldenEar Technology
Bowers & Wilkins DB1

Editor:
We would like to thank Larry Greenhill
for his thoughtful and thorough review
of our DBI subwoofer. His many musical
references make clear that our goal for
the DBI was achievedan immensely
powerful sub suitable for larger home
theaters but retaining a very high level of
musicality. There are a number of sub131
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woofers that succeed in one context or

the other, precious few that manage both.
As Larry points out, our SubApp program
was designed to ensure a satisfying result
in real-world rooms.
Doug Henderson, VP Sales & Marketing
Bowers & Wilkins
Rega Research DAC
Editor:
Thank you for letting us reply to your
revisiting o f the Rega DAC, which was
largely brought about by the overt and
unwarranted criticism leveled at our
design methodology by another manu
facturer that you were happy to publish
without inviting a similar privilege of
reply.
I also understand that you agreed, via
Steve Daniels at The Sound Organisation,
our US distributor, to speak with Roy
Gandy (Regas owner) regarding matters
arising, but that call never materialized.
I do not intend to resurrect the asyn
chronous debate, nor is it Regas ethos
to commcnt publicly about any other
manufacturer, its products, or its design
philosophy, so all comments will be
strictly directed at the bizarrely schizo
phrenic review.
It appears that Sam [Tellig] loved the
DAC; John Atkinson was less positive.
Charles [Hansen] criticized the USB
input, but John says it is well sorted.
Jon [Iverson] and Sam described the low
frequencies as exaggerated, but John
[Atkinson]s measurements show a flat
response to below 20Hz. Paul Miller
from Hi-Fi News is dragged in to sup
port this, which is strange; as far as I am
aware, he has never had the product for
consideration.
What, dear reader, are you to conclude
from this?
Subjectivism sucks, and so, it would
appear, does objectivism.
Might I suggest that your own ears
be the judge, and invite you to compare
the Rega DAC with other manufactur
ers products costing significantly more,
and hope that you agree with thousands
of customers and numerous publica
tions worldwide that think that the Rega
DAC offers exceptional performance for
relatively little outlay?
Let me know your thoughts.
Paul Darwin, UK Sales Coordinator
Rega Research
Wadax PRE-1
Editor:
We at Wadax are delighted with
Michael Fremers illuminating and in
sightful review. His statement, I doubt
anyone would know which was digital
and which was pure analog. I dont
say that lightly vs his highly regarded
all-analogue reference components are
validation of our design objectives being
met. O ur proprietary musIC chip com
bined with one box signal convergence
is the architecture for this paradigm
shifting performance.
The future promise is even brighter.
Wadax will introduce the Hennes
optional plug-in server board at the 2012
CES. W th the PRE1 + Hermes con
nected to outboard storage, the full native
128-bit data format of the musIC chip
can be stored.
In closing, Wadax has been involved in
R&D activities for more than three de
cades, a collaboration of Angel Guadalaja
ra, Founder, and his son Javier Guadala
jara, CTO. Wadax S.A. was incorporated
in 2005.
Rick Brown
North American Importer and Managing
Director, Wadax
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T rib u ta rie s ......................
S8
A c o u s tic S o u n d s . . .
A u d io A d v is o r ......... .1 4 ,1 0 6
...128
C2
A u d io e n g in e ........... .........3 0
E m otiva A u d io
......... . . . . 3 4
M u s ic D i r e c t ........... . .18-19,
A u d io w a v e s ............. . . . . 116
Fidelis A u d i o ............. . . . . 7 6
.4 0 , 9 0
A x p o n a ...................... . . . . 118
F urute ch ...................... . . . .8 8
M u s ic a l F id e lity
A y re A c o u s tic s
G alen C a rol A u d io .. .. .135
M u s ic a l S u rro u n d in g s .........
.... 48
. . . .........6 8
B e n c h m a rk ............... . 2 6 -2 7
G e t B e tte r Sound . . . . . . 6 4
.........52
Bob C a r v e r ............... .........56
G ifte d Liste ne r A u d io . . 1 25
M y s te re ................... .........75
BSG T echn ologies
G TT A V ........................ . . . 1 2 0
N eedle D o c to r ___ .38, 4 6 ,
H a m m e r to n e ............. 4 2 - 4 3
................. 6 0 -6 1 , 9 2 ,1 0 0 ,
H e ad R oo m ................. . . . 9 0
........................110-111,130
. ...........6
C a ble C o m p a n y . . .
. .5 0 -5 1
U p scale A u d io
............. 10?
U s e d c a b le .c o m .............
135
V e rm o n t Teddy Bear .. .136

1?
V itu s A u d i o ...................
V on S c h w e ik e rt A u d io
86
135
V o o d o o C a b le ...............
W a rn e r M u s ic G ro u p
. ..76
W a v e le n g th A u d io
59
15
C a m b rid g e A u d io .. . . . . C 4
H D tra c k s ................... . . . 1 0 8
N o rd o s t ................... .........62
W e in h a rt D e sign .........
C E n tra nce
JL A u d i o ...................... .2 0 , 21
O liv e M e d ia ............. . . . . 4 4
W h a rfe d a le Loudspeakers,
............... .........8 8
........... . . . 1 2 4
O n a H ig h e r N o te .. . . . . 1 1 2
U S A ..............................
101
C ry s ta l C a b le ........... . . . . C3
JPS L a b s ...................... .........8
O p p o D ig ita l ........... . . . . 1 0 6
W ire w o rld ......................
70
CSA A u d io ............... . . . . 1 2 7
KEF .............................. . . . . 2 8
Pass L a b o ra to rie s .. .........5 4
W S D is t r ib u t in g ...........
86
K e v r o ............................ .........9
P rim aLuna ............... .........24
YG A c o u s tic s
3?
........... . . . . 1 0
S ilte c h ........................ ...........4
C h e s te r G ro u p
....114
D a vid Lew is A u d io .
....133
Joseph A u d io
K im b e r Kable
...............
The A d Index is provided as a courtesy. T he publisher is not liable fo r incorrect injonnation or excluded listings. Advertisers should contact their sales representative to correct or update a listing.
134
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t h is is s u e :
They made it fast. They made it fun.

And it ain't Led Zep.
D um m y T rap
or the first tim e ever, The
Black Keys have simply
jam m ed up an album. W ith
the release o f E l Camino, its
all about spontaneity.
W e didnt rehearse, we didnt
talk about it, we didnt do any
demos, I didnt w rite any songs,
Dan Auerbach says quietly over the
phone from his hom e in Nashville.
Literally, we did nothing. W c ju st
showed up at the studiothats all
w e did. Wc started recording w ith
a guitar amp and a guitar and drum s, in the same room, ju st
improvising. W e w erent thinking about Brothers, which
w on two Gram m y awards in 2010. W e w erent thinking
about an audience. W e w erent really thinking about any
thing other than m aking a fun record.
Even the lyrics, even those were kind o f like, not rushed, but
they were certainly. . . it wasnt like Id been working on songs
for a year or two. It was all a very m uch from-scratch diing.
H i at thing, E l Camino, that snapshot o f w here singerguitarist Auerbach and drum m er Patrick Carney were, is
one o f the m ost masterful, upbeat, and outright fun records
theyve ever made. T he album s title, w hich is Spanish for
T he Road, could also refer to the famous Chevy carpickup o f the 1970s. T he album cover photo o f the bands
broke down Plymouth touring van (which is decidedly not
an El Cam ino) may fool those n o t up on their 1970s cars.
Its w hat Auerbach calls the bands dum m y trap. Despite
Auerbachs assertion that he and Carney had never made an
album so quickly or with so little planning, one o f the duos
greatest strengths, it seems to my ears, has always been their
ability to make each o f their seven albums, beginning with
The Big Come Up (2002), a salient m om ent in their wondrous
artistic journ ey from Akron, O hio, to indie-rock stardom.
After a m om ent o f silence, Auerbach reluctantly agrees.
W ere ju st making records. If w ed have made this album a
couple m onths later, it w ould sound different. Its all about
w here o u r head is at that m om ent. I can listen to every one
o f them and say, O h yeah, I rem em ber that. I rem em ber
where w e were. I rem em ber w here w ed go eat lunch. I
rem em ber w hat we were listening to in the car.
Since their debut, the Keys have made one great record after
anotherThickfreakness, Rubber Factor}', Magic Potion, Attack &
Releaseslowly adding layers o f instruments and ideas to a base
o f loud, raw, deliberately distorted blues-rock until their music
has little in common with that other rust-belt duo with a color
in its name, The W hite Stripes. Like most musicians w ho make
exceptionally original music, the BK boys are famously cranky
about having any musical kinships, and often deny that theyre
a blues band at alldespite their awesome reimagining of bluesrock, and Auerbachs reverence for the late Junior Kimbrough.
Collaborations are another sore subject. Carney was asked
138
by the U K newspaper The Indepen

dent (July 9,2010) about the host o f
older artists w ho now w ant to tap
into the duos creativity and cool,
and his answer was perhaps the
most classic BK quote ever. W eve
been asked to do that a lot o f times,
Carney said, dismissively. Helping
someone w hos made years o f bad
music make good music is bullshit.
A project w ith Z Z Top fell through.
Rod Stewart told Rolling Stone he
wanted to work w ith the Keys, but
nothing came o f it. It was just talk. H es been wearing no
sleeves, so m uch hairspray, and getting so many blow jobs.
N othing that comes out o f that guys m outh is believable.
W hile they often mention hip-hop as a primary influence,
soul and R&B are also deep in the Keys creative DNA. W hen
a fan-boy journalist innocently asks over the phone whether
Little Black Submarines, a spectacular acoustic-tums-electric
tune from El Camino, lias a weight reminiscent of die kind of
thump once conjured by Led Zeppelin, Auerbach delivers a
swift booting: W e kept recording it, we werent satisfied widi
any one take. We recorded four or five versions in completely
different styles. W e ended up using the first half o f one of the
acoustic versions, and the last half o f one o f the electric versions.
I never listen to Led Zeppelin. Ive never owned or listened to
an album. I dont think Ive ever artually listened to Stairway to
Heaven . . . but then, everybody hears things differently.
El Camino was produced by D anger Mouse (aka Brian
Burton), w hos half o f Gnarls Barkley with Cee Lo Green
and w ho previously produced the Keys Attack & Release
(2008). Its as rockn roll as the pair have ever beena tune
like Sister qualifies as full-on riff rock. The albums sound,
while still raw and distorted in spots, is in general more
dynamic and detailed than in the past.
I think about how a record sounds for sure, because I
own a studio and make records, Auerbach says. I really love
the sound o f Brothers. Its got a great mix o f minimal miking,
very minimal track counts, and m odem mixing techniques.
This record was engineered by Brians engineer, Kennie
Takahaslii. A nd hes more o f a m odern engineer, so he uses a
lot more mikes, and its just a different sound. Different
playing and faster tem pos call for different EQs. If w ed E Q d
the songs on this record like we did on Brothers, it would
sound too muffled. O n El Camino] theres not those wide
open spaces for the ow end to bloom and live, you know.
W hen we made this record, I tried to keep my head out
o f that world. Kennie engineered the way he would engineer.
But I cant be thinking about engineering w hen Im trying to
make a record. I had to be more about the big picture.
And painting it fast.
Music critic Robert Baird (robert.baird@sorc.com) welcomes a
vibrant discourse on music and musicians.
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MUSIC ISSUE

B&W's highly rated DB1 sub

NADS GREAT-VALUE CD PLAYER

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stereophile.com February 2012

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Book Review: K E F 50 Years of Innovation in Sound

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Stephen Mejias finds N AD s C 515BEE CD player

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