MBL Radialstrahler 120 loudspeaker $21,400 Review
November 5, 2021 Comments Off on MBL Radialstrahler 120 loudspeaker $21,400 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/mbl-radialstrahler-120-loudspeaker
The MBL 120s sound big and full—voluptuous at times, especially when you turn up the volume, which I did often, though not to excess. Because the Radialstrahler drivers radiate sound in all directions, they avoid the hazards of beamy tweeters and shout-at-you midrange drivers. I love how the sound seems to float in the air rather than be fired at you. Many instruments and voices sound natural. The 120s elevate musical material—they maximize but don’t exaggerate what’s there, like dressing to highlight your best features.
Unlike some speakers, the MBL 120s don’t favor one genre of music over another—which is essential for my eclectic tastes. Wallflowers they ain’t: Immersive and involving, these speakers are built for fun. Their sound, though always substantial, tends to stay detailed without getting thick or muddy.
The MBL 120s can be addictive. I’m not here to be a bad influence, but if you’re not careful, you might need to call your nearest dealer
CLASSÉ DELTA PRE STEREO PREAMPLIFIER AND DELTA STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER $12,999 REVIEW
November 5, 2021 Comments Off on CLASSÉ DELTA PRE STEREO PREAMPLIFIER AND DELTA STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER $12,999 REVIEW
This RTR tape has piano and violin. Violin is particularly edgy when there is harmonic distortion in the amplification signal path. The Deltas have very low distortion, so the violin sounded fabulous here, i.e., smooth but detailed. This smoothness can result from having low distortion but also from a rolled off high frequency response. The bench test results in this review show the reason.
The five tracks on this tape are “Danse Macabre” by Camille Saint-Saens, “Zigeunerweisen” by Pablo de Sarasate, “Bloch Nigun” by Bloch, “Introduction & Tarantella” by Pablo de Sarasate, and “Meditation” by Jules Massenet, all composed in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Again, the tape was recorded by UltraAnalogue Recordings, and it is a modern recording, not an old tape from the 1950s or 1960s. It is a copy of a copy of the original master tape. The owner of the recording company builds violins as his main business and records various classical musicians himself. He made the bow for the violinist in this recording.
I am more of a fan of the piano than the violin, but this paring is certainly wonderful. However, the violin “Meditation” track by Massenet is one of my favorite compositions.
Low-level detail is present in this tape as in the IPI tape reviewed above. This detail includes the rustling of clothing. It really adds ambiance that is just not there in digital recordings. This is what I wanted to hear with the Deltas, and it was there.
Clarus Crimson Loudspeaker and Interconnect Cables Review
November 4, 2021 Comments Off on Clarus Crimson Loudspeaker and Interconnect Cables Review
Considerable thought and care has gone into the design of these cables. On its website, Clarus, or, to put it more precisely, Jay Victor, the chief engineer of the company, explains in detail the methodology that he has employed to construct them, including the use of three different oxygen-free copper conductors for the bass, midrange, and treble frequencies, all manufactured with Ohno Continuous Casting. While a white paper on the company’s website discusses in detail different approaches to constructing cables, it is (understandably) coy about the geometry it employs, other than to remark, “These are not simple cables, and many years of experiments and research went into their development. The conductor geometry itself is quite unique and complex, and there is nothing similar on the market.”
Maidstone Review
November 4, 2021 Comments Off on Maidstone Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/made-maidstone
Working initially with a modest amplifier and no special system alignment, first impressions were a little disconcerting. The Maidstone sounded rather low-key and distant, noticeably rich in tonal balance. I persevered and experimented with equipment combinations and placements, ultimately finding that I couldn’t short-change this speaker and get away with it. Thus a Krell FPB650/Conrad-Johnson ART/Krell KPS25s lineup predominated – some £60,000+ worth of drive electronics! Meanwhile, a Linn LP12 Lingo/Naim Aro/Koetsu Rosewood Signature II deck provided analogue material via XTC and Conrad-Johnson Premier 15 phono equalisers.
Rockport Technologies Atria II Loudspeaker $27,500 Review
November 3, 2021 Comments Off on Rockport Technologies Atria II Loudspeaker $27,500 Review
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2021/9/12/m9484k93bdqrg5ihagdunk1qdm0yk2
Just before I left for Toronto, a pair of extraordinary, very expensive loudspeakers arrived on the island (Nov 19 review publication), and while in Toronto, I had a great listening session at Corby Audio in nearby Hamilton, featuring Don Corby’s spectacular home made speakers with JBL drivers, a horn, and crossovers by Allnic Audio’s Kang Su Park. I also got to listen to a pair of Avantgarde DUO Mezzo loudspeakers with a superb T+A DAC and spectacular AirTight 10W mono blocks. You’ll have to wait for the Nov 19 review to read about the newly arrived speakers, but comparison with the other speakers to the Atria IIs was instructive. The massive, brilliant homebuilts would probably sell for 200K plus if Don Corby ever made another set and the stunning Avantgardes were $90,000. Both speakers considerably more than the Atria II’s price of ($27,500/pair). So, a pretty silly comparison. But a comparison in almost real time, nonetheless. The Atrias held their own with these mighty masterpieces, remarkable for what is considered a somewhat reasonable price these days for a virtuoso loudspeaker of this quality. And a virtuoso is certainly what the Atria II is.
Grandinote Shinai Class-A integrated amplifier
November 3, 2021 Comments Off on Grandinote Shinai Class-A integrated amplifier
Even though the Shinai offers a nice dose of bloom and gentle warmth, importantly, there’s absolutely no excess of warmth and also no “saddle” effect, in which the midrange is structurally dialed back compared to the bass and treble. Principally, the amp just sounds linear, and it adapts to the music. When playing Toni Braxton or Anita Baker, the Shinai delivers the music with what seems like a subtle golden glow but as soon as you play something spicy like Robert Palmer’s You Are In My System, or basically, anything produced by Michael Frank, the amp immediately flexes its muscles, throws out any idea of sugar-coating and slaps me right in the face with its immediate dynamics! It may sound as if I am being overly dramatic, but really, I am not exaggerating. Whenever I play something spicy, it comes out as such, totally unrestrained.
It’s the seemingly impossible: a very neutral and linear amplifier that is fast, expressive, and dynamic but equally lush, liquid, and seductive, but this is exactly what the Shinai + Combo Stand achieves.
The ampsandsound Bryce Monos $12,000 a pair Review
November 2, 2021 Comments Off on The ampsandsound Bryce Monos $12,000 a pair Review
This bass response was partially due to the KT120, but was primarily due to the fixed bias nature of the amplifier. In tube amp design there is a debate over whether fixed bias designs or cathode bias designs are better. Fixed bias will almost always produce better bass, but it may make the amp less dynamic and airy. The Bryce Monos though had it all, great bass and airy and extended highs. Whether it was Alanis Morissette or Mika, trumpets or cymbals, these amps simply delivered in extensions and airiness.
Like ampsandsound’s other single-ended amps the Bryce Monos have a reference midrange. Voices appear to float in the center of my listening room. It draws you in with a texture that makes you want to reach out and touch the invisible person singing in the center of your room. Closing your eyes, you can begin to make out the movements of the singers jaw. This is not an overload of detail, but simply the Bryce’s ability to render an incredibly high resolution experience. This is particularly apparent on The Mountain Goats, Jordan Lake Sessions album. As John Darnielle belts out the word to “This Year” you can feel the emotional toll the year has taken on him, as well as the rest of the band. You can also very clearly hear the room he is in. The saxophone remains locked in place, swinging on the stage in a disturbing but shockingly realistic way. I realized I was literally hearing the saxophonist rock back and forth to the beat.
Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Loudspeakers $8000 Review
November 2, 2021 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 Loudspeakers $8000 Review
https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1061-bowers-wilkins-805-d4-loudspeakers
Let me just tackle this up front: The 805 D4 is not a neutral loudspeaker. Nor did Bowers & Wilkins intend for it to be. They use a combination of measurements and real-world listening to voice their creations, and they don’t rely on another’s reference curve. So, if you’re looking for ruthless tonal linearity, look elsewhere, my friend. Likewise, if you prefer a rolled-off top end (you know, the kind that is forgiving to even the poorest source material), the newest Bowers & Wilkins two-way will not be your cup of tea, either. But if you’re after something altogether more vivid and exciting, if you don’t want to listen so much as to be thrilled, then the 805 D4 may be your endgame bookshelf speaker.
Audio Research VT100 power amplifier $4495 Review
November 1, 2021 Comments Off on Audio Research VT100 power amplifier $4495 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-research-vt100-power-amplifier
Timbral Coherence: With the VT100 it became irrelevant to speak about how the amplifier recreated the bass, the midrange, the highs. The amplifier did not break down a musical event into its component tonal parts. Given a good recording, the VT100 recreated the timbral architecture of the voice or instrument as a single, coherent musical event.
Given a very good recording, the VT100 caused me to throw my notebook away. I recently acquired a bunch of Classic Records jazz reissues and, using the VT100, set out to undertake a comparison of the LPs with my originals. With each recording, I lost sight of my mission. By the end of the listening sessions, I realized I’d never even bothered to dig out the originals. The Classic reissues sounded so lifelike I didn’t care what the originals sounded like.
QUESTYLE M12 INLINE USB AMP/DAC REVIEW $139
November 1, 2021 Comments Off on QUESTYLE M12 INLINE USB AMP/DAC REVIEW $139
As implied by my designation of Amp/DAC, the M12 is more of a Current Mode Amplifier with a built-in DAC than a DAC and Amplifier combination, that is to say, that it is the Amplifier that makes this sound great. The tonal balance is pretty much linear, while the bass extension and control, as well as the musicality, are everything you expect from a Class A Current Mode Amplifier, without generating excessive heat. It drives most IEMs well, though it is not totally forgiving of bright IEMs, IE: it gives you what goes into it, and though not the most powerful inline amp out there it will drive most portable headphones without problem.
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