Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2014 i Stereophile

BY JASON VICTOR SERINUS THIS ISSUE: Will high-end audio always be the preserve of the economically elite? Thinking Outside the Niche With increasing frequency, many audiophiles and industry professionals have accepted that the quest for highest-quality sound quality is a luxury and esoteric pursuit that, by its very nature, can appeal to only a small niche market. According to this view, the masses—the 99%, if you will—are either satisfied with Pioneer, Bose, Samsung, Dr. Dre, and iPhone/Android/tablet sound; can’t tell the difference between quality and dreck; or will never have the money or imagination to move beyond lowest-common-denominator sound. To the extent that the vast majority knows anything about highend audio, it regards it as an absurdly overpriced indulgence and a target for their disdain. Disdain, it seems, goes both…

LINE PREAMPLIFIER The experience left me doubting my ears. After I’d performed all the measurements of Ayre Acoustics’ KX-R preamplifier ($18,500) to accompany Wes Phillips’s review in our November 2008 issue,1 I spent a weekend listening to it. To my astonishment, the sound of my system with a Transporter D/A processor feeding the preamplifier was better than when the DAC fed the power amplifier directly. Through the KX-R, images sounded more tangible, and the sound was better focused, despite the signal’s having been passed through not just another set of interconnects but also through the preamp’s input and output socketry, switches, a volume control, printed circuit-board traces, and active and passive parts. Logically, you’d think that having nothing in the signal path would have less of a degrading effect than…

Description Single-box digital-to-analog converter. Tube complement: four 3A5, one 5654, one 7233. Formats supported: all PCM and DSD codecs (AIFF, WAV, DSF, etc.). Incoming sample rates accepted (USB, AES/EBU, coax): 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, 384kHz; DSD 64 & 128. Digital inputs: 1 optical (TosLink), 1 USB, 1 AES/EBU (XLR), 2 coaxial (RCA). Analog outputs: 1 pair balanced (XLR), 1 pair singleended (RCA). Output: 2.5V RMS. Output impedance: 150 ohms. Frequency range: 20Hz–20kHz. THD: <0.1%. Dimensions 16.75” (430mm) W by 5.85” (150mm) H by 11.3” (290mm) D. Weight: Serial number of unit reviewed 25512. Price $11,900. Approximate number of dealers: Not disclosed. Manufacturer Allnic Audio, 1105 Sicox Tower 513-14, Sangdaewon-1dong, Jungwon-gu, Songnam City, Kyungki-do 462-806, South Korea. Tel: (82) 31-777-9447, (82) 70-8708-4468. Fax: (82) 31-777-9448. Web: www.allnicaudio.com. US…

Description Stereo control preamplifier with DSP-based speaker/room correction and 24-bit A/D & 32-bit D/A conversion. Inputs: 2 analog at +17dBu (XLR, RCA), 5 digital (TosLink, S/PDIF RCA, S/PDIF BNC, AES/EBU XLR, USB), 1 XLR microphone with 48V phantom power. Outputs: 4 analog (L/R Main XLR & RCA, L/R Woofer XLR & RCA), 1 full-range digital (BNC), RS-232 port and USB port for computer control. DSP: Dual Analog Devices SHARC 32-bit floating point. System latency: typically 15ms with speaker correction. Crossover slopes: 6–300dB/octave. Analog input impedance: 50k ohms. Balanced output level: 4.4V RMS default, 2.0V RMS minimum, 8.8V RMS maximum. Unbalanced output level: 2.2V RMS default, 1.0V RMS minimum, 4.4V RMS maximum. THD: 0.0005%, analog– analog. Dimensions 17.8” (430mm) W by 3.8” (97mm) H by 12.8” (325mm) D. Weight: 14 lbs…

MUSIC HALL IKURA TURNTABLE AND TONEARM Motor: DC synchronous. Speeds: 33 1⁄3 & 45rpm (manual change). Speed deviation: }0.9%. Wow & flutter: }0.15%. Rumble: below –70dB max. Platter diameter: 11.81” (303mm). Platter weight: 2 lbs (0.91kg). Armtube material: aluminum. Effective tonearm length: 8.92” (228.6mm). Tonearm weight w/o counterweight: 250gm. Effective tonearm mass: 11gm. Overhang: 0.7” (18mm). Mounting distance of arm base: 212mm. Compatible cartridge weights: 2.0–16.0gm. Power supply: 115V/60Hz or 230V/50Hz. Power consumption: 2VA. Dimensions 20.2” (513mm) W by 6” (152mm) H by 15.25” (387mm) D (with dustcover closed). Weight: 20 lbs (9.1kg Serial number of unit reviewed 000165. Price $1200 (with Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge). Approximate number of dealers: 30. Warranty: 1 year. Manufacturer Music Hall, 108 Station Road, Great Neck, NY 11021. Tel: (516) 487-3663. Fax: (516) 773-3891.…

THIS ISSUE: Rogers High Fidelity, Miyajima, Ortofon, PrimaLuna, DEQX, and Music Hall comment on our reviews of their products. Miyajima Madake Editor: Thank you, as always, Michael and Stereophile, the highest-quality audio publication available, globally, today. As many know, I have claimed the Miyajima Mono Zero to be the best phono cartridge ever made. This new Madake stereo cartridge changes that. So—as many also know, a rare event—I will shut up now!!!! Robin Wyatt Robyatt Audio Rogers High Fidelity PA-1A Editor: Thanks to Michael Fremer for taking the time to perform a critical review of our newest addition to the Rogers High Fidelity line—our PA-1A phono preamplifier While we at Rogers High Fidelity always select components that sound good, we take special care to select components that meet the US…

TAKE HEED! Unless marked otherwise, all letters to the magazine and its writers are assumed to be for possible publication. In the spirit of vigorous debate implied by the First Amendment, and unless we are requested not to, we publish correspondents’ e-mail addresses. Welcome, Mr. Reichert Editor: I’m glad to see that Herb Reichert is writing for Stereophile. I remember him from the days of Listener magazine, and it’s good to see that Herb hasn’t lost his abilities both to be interesting and to entertain. And it’s great to read a writer who asks questions in addition to providing answers. —Paul Secor joanpaul26@aol.com Caught another one Editor: How do you catch a new generation and introduce them to the wonder of music? I have an answer: something old, something cool,…

Description Remotecontrolled line preamplifier. Analog inputs: 4 balanced (pin 2 hot), 4 unbalanced. Analog outputs: 2 pairs balanced on XLRs (pin 2 hot), 2 pairs balanced tape (pin 2 hot). Other inputs/outputs: 2 AyreLink ports. Gain range: Variable Gain Transconductance topology in 60 steps of 1dB. Frequency range: DC–250kHz. Signal/noise and channel separation: not specified. Input impedance: 2 megohms, balanced; 1 megohm, unbalanced. Output impedance: 150 ohms, single-ended (when used with an adapter); 300 ohms, balanced. Power consumption: 35W (65W maximum when volume control operated). Dimensions 17.1” (438mm) W by 3.7” (95mm) H by 11.4” (292mm) D. Weight: 40 lbs (18kg). Serial number of unit reviewed PROTO-1; firmware rev.F Price $27,500 (upgrade from KX-R costs $9000). Approximate number of dealers: 40. Manufacturer Ayre Acoustics, Inc., 2300-B Central Avenue, Boulder, CO…

Description Solid-state D/A processor with volume control and remote control. Digital inputs: S/PDIF, TosLink optical, BNC, AES/EBU, BT100 Bluetooth. USB audio input: USB Type B conforming to Audio profile 1.0 or USB Audio profile 2.0 (user selectable), 1.0 or USB Audio profile 2.0 (user selectable). Analog audio outputs: balanced (XLR), unbalanced (RCA). Headphone output: 1 1⁄4” (6.35mm); supports 600 ohm headphones, but 300 ohms max recommended. DACs: dual Analog Devices AD1955, 24-bit. Upsampling: Analog Devices Black Fin ADSP-BF532 32-bit DSP performing ATF2 upsampling to 24-bit/384kHz. Filters: Linear Phase, Minimum Phase, Steep. Sample rates supported: USB Audio 1.0, 16–24-bit/32–96kHz; USB Audio 2.0, 16–24-bit/32– 192kHz; TosLink, 16–24-bit/32–96kHz; S/PDIF, 16–24-bit/32–192kHz; BNC, 16–24-bit/32–192kHz; AES/EBU, 16–24-bit/32– 192kHz; BT100 Bluetooth receiver, A2DP plus aptX. Maximum power consumption: 40W. Dimensions 16.8” (430mm) W by 4.5” (115mm) H…

Digital Sources Sony XA-5400ES SACD/CD player; Oppo BDP-105 universal BD player; Baetis XR2 PC-based music server; exaSound e28, Mytek Stereo 192-DSD D/A converters. Preamplification Audio Research MP1 multi-channel preamplifier, Meridian HD621 HDMI audio processor & 861 Reference v8 digital surround controller. Power Amplifiers McIntosh Labs MC303, Parasound Halo A 31. Loudspeakers Bowers & Wilkins 800 Diamond, Bryston Middle T; JL Audio Fathom f113 subwoofer. Cables Digital: Black Cat Veloce, van den Hul Flat 180 HDMI, AudioQuest Vodka HDMI, AudioQuest Carbon USB. Analog: AudioQuest Cheetah/DBS balanced. Speaker: AudioQuest Mont Blanc/DBS biwire. AC: AudioQuest NRG-10, JPS Aluminata. Accessories Environmental Potentials EP-2450 power conditioner, CyberPower 850PFCLCD (for Baetis server). —Kalman Rubinson…

Contrary to what some industry pundits claim, the dividing line between “Red Book” and “hi-rez” audio is: 20-bit/44.1kHz—that is, 20 true bits, not mere nominal bits. I’m not saying that DSD, DXD, and 192kHz do not sound “better.” I’m saying that most of the ills of “Red Book” sound can be traced back to its resolution of 16 bits. Resolution is more important than frequency response, I feel, in large measure because, for much program content, there isn’t much musical information above 20kHz. For example, the workhouse rock’n’roll dynamic microphone, Shure’s SM57, tops out at 15kHz. Only the finest recordings of orchestras, pianos, or other acoustic instruments, made with microphones with extended frequency response and with high-quality preamps and converters, can show off the benefits of higher sampling rates. The…

ATTENTION ALL AUDIO SOCIETIES: We have a page on the Stereophile website devoted to you: www. stereophile.com/audiophile-societies. 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, December 7, 11am–3:30pm: The Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society will host its 21st Annual Society Gala and Awards Banquet in the Grand Ballroom of the Holiday Inn, Buena Park (7000 Beach Boulevard). Chad Kassem, president of Acoustic Sounds, will receive the Founder’s Award for 2014 and provide the keynote address. Other special presenters include Michael Fremer, senior contributing editor of Stereophile; Dr. David W.…

Analog Sources Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with Lingo power supply, Linn Ekos tonearm, Linn Arkiv B cartridge Digital Sources Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP universal player; Apple 2.7GHz i7 Mac mini running OS10.9.4, iTunes 11, Pure Music 2.0, Audirvana Plus 1.5.10; Auralic Vega, PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream D/A processors; dCS Vivaldi upsampling D/A system; Ayre Acoustics QA-9 USB A/D converter. Preamplification Channel D Seta L phono preamplifier; Pass Labs XP-30 line preamplifier. Power Amplifiers Pass Labs XA60.5 monoblocks, Audio Research Reference 75. Loudspeakers Triangle Signature Delta, Nola Metro Grand Reference Gold, BBC LS3/5A, KEF LS50, Revel Performa3 M106. Cables Digital: AudioQuest Coffee, Belkin Gold USB, Kubala-Sosna Elation! AES/EBU, Transparent USB (dCS Vivaldi). FireWire: AudioQuest FireWire 400 (prototype). Interconnect (balanced): AudioQuest Wild Blue (D/A processors), Ayre Acoustics (disc player), Kubala-Sosna Elation! (preamp to…

Digital Sources Apple MacBook Pro computer (2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD) running OS 10.6.7, Audirvana Plus, iTunes 11.1.5, Sonic Studio Amarra 2.5, Songbird 1.9.3, XLD; Western Digital NAS Device (2TB); Oppo BDP-103 universal BD player; Meridian (formerly Sooloos) Digital Media System (Control 15, QNAP TS-669 Pro NASApple iPad Air, iPod Touch 1G, iPhone 4S. Digital Processors: Antelope Audio Zodiac Platinum DSD DAC & Voltikus Power Supply, AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC, Benchmark DAC1 USB & DAC2 HGC, Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS, MSB Analog DAC. Preamplifier Marantz AV7005 in Pure Direct Mode. Power Amplifier Classé CAM 350 monoblocks (2). Loudspeakers MartinLogan Prodigy & BalancedForce 212 subwoofers (2). Headphones Grado HP1. Cables AudioQuest Victoria (for DragonFly). USB: Audio-Quest Diamond, Cardas Clear. S/PDIF: Cardas Neutral Reference, XLO. Line Level: Kimber…

Description Tubed, remotecontrolled, stereo integrated amplifier. Tube complement: six 12AU7, eight EL34; KT88 or KT120 tubes also available. Inputs: 5 pairs RCA, 1 pair home-theater bypass. Outputs: 4 & 8 ohms. Subwoofer output: RCA. Headphone output: 1⁄4” stereo jack. Rated output power into 8 ohms, 1% THD: triode mode, 40Wpc (EL34, 16dBW), 42Wpc (KT88, 16.23dBW), 45Wpc (KT120, 16.53dBW); ultralinear mode, 70Wpc (EL34, 18.45dBW), 73Wpc (KT88, 18.63dBW), 85Wpc (KT120, 19.3dBW). Frequency response, ±1dB: 7Hz–65kHz (EL34), 7Hz– 70kHz (KT88), 7Hz–75kHz (KT120). THD (1W/1kHz): <0.1%. Signal/noise: 92dB (EL34, KT88), 93dB (KT120). Input sensitivity: 320mV (EL34, KT88), 360mV (KT120). Input impedance: 100k ohms. Power consumption: 470W (EL34), 480W (KT88), 540W (KT120). Dimensions 15.9” (410mm) W by 8.1” (210mm) H by 15.2” (390mm) D. Weight: 66.3 lbs (30.1kg). Serial number of unit reviewed R577972 (auditioning);…

Piano Concertos 18 & 19 Mitsuko Uchida, piano, conductor; Cleveland Orchestra Decca 4786763 (CD). 2014. Dominic Fyfe, prod.; Ian Doble, eng. DDD. TT: 60:48 PERFORMANCE 4.0/5.0 SONICS 4.0/.5.0 Here are two of the six piano concerti Mozart composed in 1784. The opening of Concerto 19, K.459, a playful military theme, is remarkable—Mozart will use “playful military” again in Le nozze di Figaro, in the title character’s witty reprimand to Cherubino, “Non piu andrai.” But think about it—who else writes “playful military” anything? The full two-minute orchestral intro ends and the piano takes over the march: Here Uchida plays a strict, mezzo-forte staccato, hearty but poised. She’s more aggressive as the music calls for it. Her playing of the Allegretto, with its flute and oboes toodling above, returns to and advances…