Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i Stereophile

“No one’s buying music anymore: They’re renting it.”—John Atkinson, keynote speech, AXPONA 2018 Streaming music isn’t new. US companies have been doing it since the 1920s, when it was discovered that multiplexing—the then-new practice of combining multiple signals over a single conductor—could be used to send live or recorded music over public power lines. The first of those companies was Muzak LLC. File that away. In the middle-class world in which I was raised, my family had a tidy little house, plenty of food, clean clothes, and excellent medical care. My sister and I attended good public schools, and we lived in a neighborhood where there were lots of other kids our age. Apart from safer cars, the ability to buy our favorite fruits and vegetables year-round, over-the-counter steroids, Gore-Tex,…

ATTENTION ALL AUDIO SOCIETIES: We have a page on the Stereophile website dedicated solely to you: www.stereophile.com/audiophilesocieties. If you’d like to have your audio-society information posted on the site, e-mail Chris Vogel at info@XLinkAudio.com. Please note that it is inappropriate for a retailer to promote a new product line in “Calendar” unless this is associated with a seminar or similar event. CALIFORNIA ▪ Sunday, September 30, 1–5:30pm: The Los Angeles & Orange County Audio Society will hold its monthly meeting at Sunny’s Audio Video in Covina (1370 E. Cypress Street). Sunny’s will feature speakers from DALI, KEF, T+A Elektroakustik, Wilson Audio, and more. Electronics will be by Audio Research, Brinkmann, Bryston, Dan D’Agostino, Meridian, NAD, Naim, Rega, T+A, Technics, etc. Cables are from Audience and AudioQuest. A special feature on…

At a recent dealer event in Seattle, after being impressed by the musical rightness of an Audio Research Corp. LS28 preamplifier and VT80SE power amplifier driving a pair of Sonus Faber Guarneri loudspeakers, I spoke with ARC’s Dave Gordon about reviewing one of the company’s new amplifiers. Less than a month later, two ARC Reference 160M tubed monoblock amplifiers ($30,000/pair) were headed my way. Soon thereafter I received a huge, pallet-bound stack of boxes as tall as my neck: the two monoblocks, plus one ARC preamp—their hefty, one-piece Reference 6 (REF 6) line preamplifier ($14,000), which Michael Fremer reviewed in December 2016.1 Standing on tiptoe to disassemble that tower and get everything into my music room and set up? Loads of fun! Light of weight, but … When Dave Gordon…

Digital Sources dCS Paganini SACD/CD transport & Scarlatti clock & Vivaldi DAC & Network Bridge; Linksys router with two TP-Link gigabit Ethernet media converters, multimode duplex fiber-optic cable; external hard drives, USB sticks, iPad Pro. Preamplifier Audio Research REF 6. Power Amplifiers Dan D’Agostino Master Systems Progression monoblocks, Pass Laboratories XA200.8. Loudspeakers Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia 2. Cables Digital: AudioQuest Diamond, Wireworld Platinum Starlight Cat8 (Ethernet); Nordost Odin 1 & Odin 2 & Valhalla 2 (USB). Interconnect, Speaker, AC: Nordost Odin 2. Accessories Grand Prix Monaco rack & amp stands, 1.5” Formula platform; Nordost QB8, QX4 (2), QK1, QV2 power accessories; Audience aR2p-TOSOX, Tweek Geek Dark Matter Stealth (with High Fidelity & Furutech options) power conditioners, GreenWave AC filter, AudioQuest NRG Edison outlets; Nordost Sort Lifts (speaker cables); Marigo Clear…

As the Aida weighs a backbreaking 364 lb, I drove my test gear to Mikey Fremer’s place to measure the speakers in situ. After I’d done the in-room measurements, my plan was to perform the quasi-anechoic measurements in Mikey’s driveway. Sonus Faber’s reps had placed one of the speakers on a wheeled dolly and rolled it from the listening room to the garage. However, for the first day in weeks, it was raining, and with no end to the downpour in sight, I ended up measuring the Aida in the garage with the door open. I could position the speaker well away from the sidewalls, but reflections of its output from the ceiling and floor limited the anechoic time window used for the analysis to 3ms, which reduces the measurements’…

Description Three-way, floorstanding, bass-reflex loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) berylliumdome tweeter, 7" (178mm) beryllium-cone midrange, three 7" (178mm) X-PALcone woofers. Crossover frequencies: 450Hz, 2.4kHz. Frequency response: 45Hz–45kHz, ±2dB (on axis); 45Hz–20kHz, ±2dB (30° off axis). Low-frequency extension: 23Hz. Impedance: “compatible with 8 ohms.” Sensitivity: 93dB (in room), 90dB (anechoic). Maximum input power: 300W. Recommended amplification: 15–500W. Finishes Carbon Black, Vanta Black, Harmony White (high gloss); Aria Blue, Sonic Silver (metallic gloss); 18 custom finishes. Dimensions 46.7" (1185mm) H by 9.5" (241mm) W by 16.8" (427mm) D. Weight: 94.8 lb (43kg). Serial numbers of units reviewed AGG5219403J08, AGG5219404J08; “Crafted in Canada.” Price $17,000/pair; custom finish, add $2550/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 70. Warranty: 5 years. Manufacturer Paradigm Electronics Inc., 205 Annagem Boulevard, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2V1, Canada. Tel: (905) 564-1994. Web: www.paradigm.com.…

Analog Sources Turntables & record players: AMG Giro G9, Linn Sondek LP12 Valhalla (with SME M2-9 tonearm), Pioneer PLX-1000. Cartridges: AMG Teatro; Denon DL-102, Zu Denon DL-103; EMT TSD 75 SFL; Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue; Hana EL, SL, SL Mono; Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum; My Sonic Lab Eminent Ex; Shure SC35C. Digital Sources HoloAudio Spring “Kitsuné Tuned Edition” Level 3, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Analog 2 DACs; JVC XLZ1010 CD player (used as transport). Preamplification Bob’s Devices CineMag 1131, Dynavector SUP-200, Emia Phono, My Sonic Lab Stage 1030 step-up transformers; Emotiva XPS-1 Gen2, Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III RIAA, Musical Surroundings Phonomena II+, Tavish Design Adagio phono preamplifiers; Pass Laboratories HPA-1, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium, Rogue Audio RP-7 line-level preamplifiers. Power Amplifiers Bel Canto Design e.One REF600M (monoblocks), First Watt SIT3, Pass Laboratories…

I measured the Constellation Performance Centaur II 500 using my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 “As We See It”1). Before I test an amplifier, I precondition it with both channels driving a 1kHz tone at one-third power into 8 ohms for an hour. At the end of that time, the Constellation’s enclosure was hottest toward the rear of the top panel, at 101.3°F (38.5°C). The voltage gain at 1kHz from the speaker terminals into 8 ohms measured 25.9dB for both balanced and unbalanced signals, and 12dB for the Direct input. All sets of inputs preserved absolute polarity (ie, were non-inverting). The unbalanced input impedance was 10k ohms and the balanced input impedance 20k ohms, both from 20Hz to 20kHz. These impedances are significantly lower than the specified…

Description Two-channel, class-D integrated amplifier with DAC. Inputs: 2 pairs single-ended (RCA), 1 pair single-ended (RCA) MM phono, 2 pairs TosLink, Bluetooth. Outputs: 1 pair single-ended (RCA), subwoofer; two pairs five-way binding posts, speaker; 1/4" stereo jack, headphones. Dynamic power: up to 210W into 2 ohms. THD, 20Hz–20kHz: <0.03% (100mW–40W, 8 and 4 ohms). Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, ±0.3dB. Continuous output power: 50Wpc into 4 or 8 ohms. Voltage Gain: 47dB digital, 37dB analog. Input sensitivity, 40W into 8 ohms: 250mV. Signal/noise: >95dB (A-weighted, –12dBFS input, ref. 1W into 8 ohms). Channel separation: analog, >85dB (1kHz), >70dB (10kHz); digital, >80dB (1kHz), >70dB (10kHz). Damping factor (20Hz–20kHz): >100. Dimensions 17.1" (435mm) W by 2.75" (70mm) H by 11.2" (285mm) D. Weight: 10.8 lb (4.9kg). Serial number of unit reviewed H79C328 01624. Price…

Swedish Analog Technologies LM-09 Editor: We want to thank Michael Fremer and Stereophile for their review of the LM-09 pickup arm. Five years ago, in the hallway of the Munich High End Show, Michael was kind enough to give me the opportunity to show him what we believed would be a breakthrough in vinyl playback. Today, SAT has customers in 21 countries on four continents, and the number of owners is increasing toward 100. Many of them became interested in the original arm after reading the Stereophile review published in 2015, and in speaking with existing owners, who are always proud to share their experiences with other enthusiasts. To all the owners, and those who are patiently waiting to receive their new arms, we thank you for your trust and…

Why are high-end components so expensive? Editor: In virtually all phases of electronic equipment, especially solid-state, prices for various components have fallen so dramatically that nominal prices today might be substantially less than nominal prices of the past. Thus, we might expect a high-end amp from the 1960s or ’70s at, say, $6000, would cost $3000 today for equivalent performance. We see this effect clearly with mid-fi receivers. They achieve power levels and distortion performance that we’d have lauded in past years. But in fact, high-end prices seem to reach ever higher levels: $100,000, even $200,000 for power amps and preamps. Manufacturing processes for mechanical equipment—eg, turntables—get ever more refined. Prices should be going down, not up. What’s going on? Either today’s very expensive stuff should be incredibly better than…

COMPONENTS LISTED HERE have been formally reviewed in Stereophile and have been found to be among the best available in each of four or five quality classes. Whether a component is listed in Class A or Class E, we highly recommend its purchase. Each listing—in alphabetical order within classes—is followed by a brief description of the product’s sonic characteristics and a code indicating the Stereophile Volume and Issue in which that product’s report appeared. Thus the May 2018 issue is indicated as “Vol.41 No.5.” Some products listed have not yet been reported on; these are marked (NR), for “Not Reviewed.” We recommend that you read any product’s entire review before seriously contemplating a purchase (products without reviews should therefore be treated with more caution)—many salient characteristics, peculiarities, and caveats appear…

Description Fully balanced, class-AB tubed monoblock power amplifier. Tube complement: four KT150 (output), two 6H30 (gain stage). Inputs: unbalanced (RCA), balanced (XLR). Three sets of speaker output taps: 4, 8, 16 ohms. Output power: 140W continuous, 20Hz–20kHz (21.5dBW). Frequency response: 0.5Hz–110kHz, –3dB at 1W. Power bandwidth: 5Hz–70kHz, –3dB. Input sensitivity: 2.4V RMS balanced for rated output (25.5dB gain into 8 ohms). Input impedance: 300k ohms balanced, 100k ohms single-ended. Output regulation: ca 0.6dB into 16 ohm load to open circuit (damping factor: ca 14). Signal/noise: 101dB, re: 0dBW A-weighted. Overall negative feedback: 14dB. Slew rate: 13V/μs. Rise time: 2.0μs. Power requirements: 400–700W, 260W at idle, 1W off. Dimensions 17.25" (438mm) W by 10" (254mm) H by 17.7" (450mm) D; with handles, 19.25" (489mm) D. Weight: 56.2 lb (25.5kg) net, 73.2 lb (33.2kg)…

Analog Sources Turntables: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn (with Castellon stand), Technics SL-1000R, VPI Avenger. Tonearms: Swedish Analog Technologies SAT & SAT LM-09, Kuzma 4Point. Cartridges: DS Audio Master 1 (plus equalizer); Grado Epoch (mono); Lyra Atlas, Atlas SL, Atlas SL Mono, Etna, Etna SL; Miyajima Laboratory Zero (mono); Ortofon MC Century Anna A95. Digital Sources dCS Rossini CD Player, AVM 8.2 preamplifier-DAC, Lynx Hilo A/D-D/A converter, Meridian Digital Media System, Pure Vinyl & Vinyl Studio software. Preamplification darTZeel NHB-18S, Ypsilon MC-10L & MC-16L step-up transformers; CH Precision P1 (with X1 power supply), Ypsilon VPS-100 phono preamplifiers. Power Amplifiers darTZeel NHB 458 monoblocks. Loudspeakers Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx. Cables Interconnect: Chord Company Sarum T (S/PDIF), Luminous Audio Technology Silver Reference, Stealth Sakra & Indra, TARA Labs Zero Evolution & Zero &…

I used DRA Labs’ MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Paradigm Persona 5F’s frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 for the nearfield responses. Paradigm specifies the Persona 5F’s anechoic voltage sensitivity as 90dB/2.83V/m. My estimate was slightly lower, at 88.7dB(B)/2.83V/m, but this is still higher than average. The Paradigm’s impedance is specified as “compatible with 8 ohms.” The impedance drops below 6 ohms between 70Hz and 1kHz, and reaches a minimum magnitude of 2.85 ohms just below 20kHz (fig.1). There is also a combination of 5 ohms and an electrical phase angle of –50° at 73Hz; I think this speaker would work best with an amplifier compatible with 4 ohm loads. The traces in fig.1 are free from the small wrinkles that…

Description Two-way, stand-mounted, rear-ported dynamic loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1” (25mm) dual-pole AMT tweeter; 8” (200mm) woofer with silver thread/graphite-woven cone and cast frame. Crossover frequency: 2.8kHz. Frequency response: 41Hz–30kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 86.5dB/W/m. Impedance: 6 ohms nominal, 7.15 ohms average, 3 ohms minimum. Recommended amplification: 30–300W. Dimensions 13" (330mm) H by 10.8" (275mm) W by 10.8" (275mm) D. Weight: 32 lb (14.5kg). Finishes Black Pearl; nine premium woods. Serial numbers of units reviewed LA180412 (both). Price $1795/pair; premium finish, add $185/pair; exotic finishes, add $300/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 24; also sold direct if no retail outlet is available. Warranty: 7 years. Manufacturer Legacy Audio, 3023 E. Sangamon Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702. Tel: (800) 283-4644, (217) 544-3178. Fax: (217) 544-4644. Web: www.legacyaudio.com.…

Analog Source Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with Lingo power supply, Linn Ekos tonearm, Linn Arkiv B cartridge. Digital Sources Roon Nucleus+ music server; Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP universal player; PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream D/A converter; Ayre Acoustics QA-9 USB A/D converter. Preamplification Channel D Seta L phono preamplifier. Power Amplifiers Bricasti Design M15, Lamm Industries M1.2 Reference (monoblocks). Loudspeakers Dynaudio Special Forty, Tidal Audio Akira, Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia Series 2. Cables Digital: AudioQuest Coffee (USB) & Vodka (Ethernet), Canare (15’, AES/EBU), DH Labs (1m, AES/EBU), Esperanto Audio (S/PDIF). Interconnect: AudioQuest Wild Blue. Speaker: AudioQuest K2. AC: AudioQuest Dragon Source & High Current, 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.II…

I measured the NAD C 328 using my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 “As We See It”1). Because class-D amplifiers emit relatively high levels of ultrasonic noise that would drive my analyzer’s input into slew-rate limiting, all measurements were taken with Audio Precision’s auxiliary AUX-0025 passive low-pass filter, which eliminates noise above 200kHz. Looking first at the line-level analog inputs: With the NAD’s volume control set to “0.0dB,” the maximum voltage gain at 1kHz into 8 ohms measured 25.6dB from the speaker terminals and 1.2dB from the headphone terminals. Increasing the volume setting to “+12dB” increased the gain by exactly 12dB from both sets of outputs. The line inputs preserved absolute polarity (ie, were non-inverting), and the input impedance was 15k ohms at low and middle frequencies,…

When you add more bits to a digital format, you add more potential volume levels. A 16-bit system has 65,536 unique levels; a 24-bit system increases that 256 times, to 16,777,216 levels. It seems reasonable, then, to use the word resolution to describe what you gain when you add more bits. Apparently, though, it isn’t. Benchmark’s John Siau told me in an e-mail exchange that if a digital system is properly dithered, those discrete levels don’t really exist—and on further thought, it makes sense. “If the digital audio is TPDF dithered”—TPDF stands for Triangular Probability Density Function, the best kind of dither—“the bit depth determines the SNR of the digital channel but does not limit the ‘resolution’ or number of ‘volume levels,’” Siau wrote. “It is precisely equivalent to adding…

I attend at least a couple of dozen classical-music performances each year. I also read reviews of recordings and live performances, and have even dabbled in writing them. Why, then, do I find classical music reviews so frequently annoying? It’s the vocabulary. In these reviews I often see words that I rarely see used elsewhere: scintillating, irresistible, delightful. One venerable reviewer for Gramophone magazine has used the word “beguiling” 100 times in some 900 reviews. When I read such words, I envision the poor music critic writhing in his (occasionally her) listening chair, approaching an involuntary state of aesthetic ecstasy. The vocabulary of classical music reviews is oddly codified. A conductor’s or performer’s mainstream artistic choices are “exemplary.” A laudable but undistinguished recording “has much to commend it” (especially when…

UK: CRANAGE, CHESHIRE Paul Messenger The UK’s North West Audio Show is held each year at the end of June, in the village of Cranage, in Cheshire. When I attended this year, I was surprised by how much it had grown since the only other time I’d visited, in 2016. With only some 60 exhibitors, including a number of dealers, NWAS might still be small compared to the Bristol Hi-Fi Show or Munich’s High End; nonetheless, it was big enough that I couldn’t cover it properly in a single day and the whole experience was thoroughly entertaining. I was particularly intrigued to encounter a brand-new company, Node Audio, and its first-ever product, the Hylixa—a compact, ovoid loudspeaker that at first reminded me of the speakers made by well-known Japanese brand…

This Audio Research amplifier presented a measuring challenge. It has balanced and single-ended inputs, two different modes of operation, and three output-transformer taps. It is therefore 12 different amplifiers. I performed full sets of tests using its balanced input in both Triode and Ultralinear modes from the 4 ohm and 8 ohm output taps, then repeated some of the tests using its single-ended input and the 16 ohm tap. After I installed the tubes, I used the Tube Monitor button on the front panel to make sure all was well with the KT150 output tubes—all four LEDs illuminated green, indicating no problems. One point on the output stage mode: the central LED on the front panel glows green for Ultralinear operation, blue/white for Triode. However, unless you’re looking directly at…

Description “Three and two-thirds-way” reflex-loaded, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1.1" (28mm) damped-apex silk-dome tweeter, 7.1" (180mm) natural fiber, viscous-damped midrange driver, two 8.7" (220mm) sandwich-cone woofers, 12.6" (320mm) Nano Carbon Fiber/foam core Infra (sub) woofer; rear-firing Sound Field Shaper comprises 1.1" (29mm) damped-apex silk-dome tweeter and two 3.15" (80mm) midrange drivers. Crossover frequencies: 55, 150, 200, 3000Hz. Frequency range: 18Hz–35kHz. Sensitivity: 92dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Recommended amplification: N/A. Power handling: 100–1000W (without clipping). Dimensions 68" (1725mm) H by 19" (482mm) W by 30.7" (780mm) D. Weight: 363.8 lb (165kg). Finishes Wenge (wenge veneer, maple inlays), Red (stained walnut veneer, black inlays), both with black leather. Serial numbers of units reviewed: 014 (both). Price $130,000/pair, including dedicated carbon-fiber pedestals. Approximate number of dealers: 20. Warranty: 5 years. Manufacturer Sonus Faber, Via…

Since its founding in 1982, Paradigm has developed and sold high-value loudspeakers. When my wife and I acquired our weekend house in 1992, I selected a pair of Paradigm Esprit/BP speakers for our audio system there. Shortly thereafter, however, I wanted to take my big step into multichannel, and it seemed that the Esprits’ bipolar radiation would present problems for multichannel sound in my relatively small room. Back then, Manhattan still had many audio salons; after shopping around, I replaced the Esprit/BPs with Paradigm’s Reference Studio/60 v.2s, and in 2004 stepped up to the v.3s.1 Although I reviewed succeeding versions of the Studio/60 and acknowledged their sequential improvements, the v.2s remained my reference speakers in Connecticut for more than 10 years. Despite that, I had not ever considered Paradigm speakers…

Digital Sources Oppo Digital UDP-105 universal BD player, Baetis Prodigy-X PC-based music server running JRiver Media Center 24, exaSound e38 D/A processor, QNAP TVS-873 NAS. Preamplifiers Audio Research MP1, Parasound Halo P 7, SPL SMC 7.1. Power Amplifiers Benchmark AHB2, Classé Sigma Mono monoblocks, Parasound Halo A 31. Loudspeakers Bowers & Wilkins 802 D3. Cables Digital: AudioQuest Coffee (USB). Interconnect: AudioQuest Earth/DBS (balanced), Kubala-Sosna Anticipation (RCA), VoVox Sonorus Muco (XLR-DB25). Speaker: AudioQuest Oak/DBS biwire. AC: Kubala-Sosna Emotion, SignalCable MagicPower 20A. Accessories AudioQuest Niagara 5000, Brick Wall 8R series power conditioners; CyberPower 850PFCLCD AC filter (supplied with Baetis server). Listening Room 24' L by 14' W by 8' H, furnished with 2 MSR Acoustics Dimension4 SpringTraps (front corners), 2 Ready Acoustics Chameleon Super Sub Bass Traps (sides), moderately sound-absorbing furniture. Large…

I used DRA Labs’ MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Legacy Studio HD’s frequency response in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 for the nearfield responses. My estimate of the Studio HD’s voltage sensitivity was 85.6dB/2.83V/m, slightly below the specified 86.5dB/2.83V/m. The Legacy is specified as a 6 ohm load; with both its rear-panel toggle switches in the upward position, its impedance dropped below 6 ohms in the midbass and mid-treble, with a minimum magnitude of 2.64 ohms at 81Hz, and a demanding combination of 5 ohms and an electrical phase angle of –62.5° at 51Hz (fig.1). Though the impedance remains above 6 ohms for most of the treble and midrange, I think this speaker would work best with an amplifier that is comfortable driving…

Description Solid-state stereo power amplifier. Inputs: 1 pair unbalanced (RCA), 1 pair balanced (XLR), 1 pair Direct (XLR), 12V trigger (3.5mm jack), control (USB). Outputs: 2 pairs speaker binding posts. Power output: 500Wpc into 8 ohms (27dBW), 1000Wpc into 4 ohms (27dBW), 1600Wpc into 2 ohms (26dBW). Frequency response: 10Hz–100kHz, +1/–0.5dB. Voltage gain: 26dB (balanced & RCA), 14dB (Direct). THD+N: <0.05% at 1kHz, rated power. Noise: <70μV (500kHz bandwidth). Signal/noise: 116dB ref. 250W. Input impedance: 100k ohms unbalanced, 200k ohms balanced. Output impedance: 0.05 ohm. Dimensions 18.75" (476mm) W by 11.5" (292mm) H by 24.25" (616mm) D. Weight: 150 lb (68kg) net. Finish Brushed natural aluminum or black-anodized aluminum. Serial number of unit reviewed 1104181401. Made in the USA. Price $55,000. Approximate number of dealers: 15. Warranty: 3 years, parts…

Analog Sources Kuzma Stabi S turntable & Stogi tonearm; Thorens TD 124 Mk.I turntable, Jelco 350S tonearm; Denon DL-103, Hana EL, Ortofon Quintet Bronze cartridges. Digital Sources Apple MacBook computer running Audirvana Plus; LG BD550 Blu-ray player (as transport); Halide DAC HD, PS Audio NuWave DACs, Western Digital T2 Mirror Drives (2). Preamplification Auditorium 23 A23, Lounge Audio Copla MC step-up transformers; Heed Audio Quasar phono preamplifier; Shindo Laboratory Allegro preamplifier. Power Amplifier Shindo Laboratory Haut-Brion. Integrated Amplifier Heed Audio Elixir. Loudspeakers DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93, Elac Debut B6, Klipsch Heresy III, Quad S2. Headphones Master & Dynamic MH40. Cables Interconnect: AudioQuest Chicago & Water & Yukon, DiMarzio M-Path, Morrow Audio MA-1, Shindo Laboratory, Triode Wire Labs American & Single-Ended RCA. Speaker: AudioQuest Castle Rock, Auditorium 23, Tellurium Q Black,…

EDITOR’S PICK RECORDING OF THE MONTH BERIO, BOULEZ, RAVEL Sinfonia, Notations I–IV, La Valse Ludovic Morlot, Seattle Symphony Orchestra; Roomful of Teeth Seattle Symphony Media SSM 1018 (CD, 2.0- and 5.1-channel downloads at 24/96). 2018. Rosalie Contreras, Elena Dubinets, exec. prods.; Dmitriy Lipay, prod., eng.; Alexander Lipay, eng. DDD. TT: 58:20 What ties Luciano Berio’s boundary-breaking Sinfonia for Eight Voices and Orchestra (1968–69) to Pierre Boulez’s out-there Notations I–IV for Orchestra (1945/1978) to Maurice Ravel’s progressively off-kilter La Valse (1906–1920)? The Seattle Symphony’s about-to-depart music director, Ludovic Morlot, cites their “ingenious transformation of pre-existing musical material or styles.” I’m also inclined to say that it’s their descent into chaos, even madness, which these performances transcend with an impeccably controlled, highly refined aesthetic, which I auditioned in 24/96 2-channel. The five-movement…