Published: 1. October 2012, No. 101 Headphone amplifiers – apart from DACs with a USB input – have been the hit of the last two years. As you can easily imagine, their popularity is related to the popularity of other media, such as the computer as a sound source and the undisputed supremacy of Apple and its iPod / iPhone / iPad in the role of a sound source. These two components – the computer and the portable player (and more recently the tablet) forced the manufacturers to return to products that seemed history (DACs – Digital to Analog Converters) or that seemed doomed to forever stay a niche (headphones and headphone amplifiers). That is one of the examples of how the audio industry can be revived. Maybe not quite the way the majority of us would have imagined, but fresh blood in the industry is fresh blood after all and we should enjoy it – even if we expected a different blood type… With the renaissance of headphones came an opportunity for many tiny or even micro-manufacturers; often companies with just one full-time employee – their owner. In Poland, there are a lot of businesses of that type, one of which I have recently discovered – White Bird Amplification. Its first amplifier that I came across was the Virtus-01, using KT88 tubes in the output stage, coupled directly with headphones (OTL design - Output Transformerless). It was a very successful amplifier, becoming also a new reference for the manufacturer. Not for long. During my review of the Virtus-01 Mr. Piotr Bocianek, the WBA owner, let me know that he was working on an even better design, based on the ‘cult’ tubes, the directly heated 300B triodes operating as a SET (Single-Ended Triode), that is with a single active component in the output stage, operating in class A. The amplifier arrived in an identical packaging as the Virtus-01, i.e. in a large Styrofoam box closed at the top. Its enclosure is larger than that of the Virtus-01 and at first glance it looks as if it were adapted from the Grand Twin Pro design. But it is not – the Grand Twin Pro is a lot smaller than the Virtus 300B. The latter measures 347 x 70 x 250 mm and thus has a little narrower front panel and is slightly lower (in case of the GTP I rely on its description on the manufacturer’s website; I measured the Virtus 300B myself). Mr. Bocianek’s new amplifier has an enclosure made of bent steel and aluminum sheets. The front panel is made of an acrylic plate imprinted from behind. The Virtus-01 had a gray front; here it is black. The headphone output is also different than that of the Virtus-01. The 300B features two separate outputs – one to drive headphones with an impedance of 100 to 300 Ω, and the other for 300-600 Ω headphones. Theoretically, that excludes all designs with a 32 Ω impedance, such as the new, limited edition Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro (32 Ω), as well as Grado models and the HiFiMAN HE-4 (38 Ω, see HERE), the HE-500 and the HE-6 (respectively - 38 and 50 Ω, see HERE)., We will see if it is true, connecting to the WBA amplifier the HE-500s and the HE-6s. And probably also the Beyerdynamics. For this review the amplifier has been equipped with the Electro-Harmonix 300B EHG tubes. The tube driving the 300B, the 6H30Pi “super twin triode,” also comes from Electro-Harmonix. However, for comparison Mr. Bocianek put in the box another classic tube – the gold pin version of Tesla E88CC. We will also give it a listen. White Bird Amplifications products featured so far in “High Fidelity”: REVIEW: White Bird Amplifications VIRTUS-01 headphone amplifier, see HERE SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: A Day at Jazz Spot 'Basie'. Selected by Shoji "Swifty" Sugawara, Stereo Sound Reference Record, SSRR6-7, SACD/CD (2011). Air, Love 2,Archeology/Virgin/EMI/The Vinyl Factory, 53361, 2 x 200 g LP ( Art Farmer and Jim Hall, Big Blues, CTI/King Records, KICJ-2186, "CTI Timeless Collection 40", CD (1978/2007). Bill Evans & Jim Hall, Intermodulations, Verve/The Verve Music Group, UCCV-9342, CD (1966/2008). Bill Evans, Selections from Bill Evans Live at Top of The Gate, Resonance Records, blue vax 10”, Limited Edition No. 270, 180 g LP (2012). Czesław Niemen, Postscriptum, Polskie Nagrania, SX 1876, LP (1980). Depeche Mode, See You. Extended Version, Mute Records, CDMUTE 18, SP CD (1982/1991). Depeche Mode, World in my eyes/Happiest girl/Sea of sin, Mute/Sire/Reprise, 21735, maxi-LP (1990). Johann Sebastian Bach, Sonatas&Partitas, skrzypce - Henryk Szeryng, Sony Classical France/Sony Music Japan, SICC 840-1, 2 x CD (1965/2007). Julie London, Julie is her name. Vol. 1, Liberty Records, LPR 3006, LP (1955). Komeda Quintet, Astigmatic, Polskie Nagrania Muza/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 905, "Polish Jazz Vol. 5", CD (1966/2004). Kraftwerk, Minimum-Maximum, Kling-Klang Produkt/EMI, 3349962, 2 x SACD/CD (2005). Kraftwerk, Techno Pop, Capital Records/KlingKlang/Mute Records, STUMM 308, digital master, 180 g LP (1986/2009); reviewed HERE. Miles Davis, Milestones, Columbia/Mobile Fidelity, UDSACD 2084, Special Limited Edition No. 4234, SACD/CD (1958/2012). Paul McCartney, Kisses On The Bottom, Universal Music LLC [Japan], UCCO-3038, SHM-CD (2012). Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here, EMI Records, 029880, digital master, 180 g LP (1975/2011). Portishead, Dummy, Go! Discs Limited/Universal Music [Japan], UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011). Simone Kermes, Viva! Simone Kermes Sings Vivaldi, Deutsche Grammophon/Archiv Production, 477 9843, CD (2007, 2008/2011). The Beatles, Rubber Soul, Parlophone/Apple/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-51116, CD (1965/1998). The Doors, L.A. Woman, Electra Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-12721, CD (1971/2007). Ultravox, Vienna, Chrysalis Records/EMI, 23436527, "Remastered Definitive Edition", 2 x CD (1980/2008). Japanese editions available from The Virtus 300B amplifier in terms of fit the specific earphones reminds me very much another headphone amplifier reviewed in the April issue of HF (No. 96). It is the Funk Tonstudiotechnik LAP-2.V3 (see HERE) solid state amp. Both devices have similar sonic color, but that’s not the main point. The thing is that the Polish amplifier works significantly better with high impedance headphones. And it sounds much better with headphones designed for recording studios. Just as the LAP-2.V3 does. Now, why is that? Damn if I know. I thought about that during the Funk Tonstudiotechnik review and I found no reasonable answer, either. There is no magic to it; it’s all physics, hence there must be some specific correlation between the changes in impedance, efficiency and frequency response. But what particular relations are involved, I do not know. One thing is certain – the headphones that usually sound well or very well with a wide range of amplifiers, the Sennheiser HD800, the AKG K701 and the HiFiMAN HE-500, in this case did not sound as well as I would have liked. OK, I’ll say it, what the heck: I did not like that sound. While I could bear what I got from the HE-500, despite their low impedance, I could not listen too long to either the Sennheisers or the AKGs. The sound was thin and distant with not very high dynamic range. Midrange resolution was fantastic, especially with the Sennheisers, but in the long run it was not listenable – at least I could not listen to it. Nevertheless, I cannot exclude the possibility that it has to do with my personal listening preferences; that my private war against sound sharpening and brightness, in the name of which I am able to accept or even to like a slight weighting of midrange, spreads to include the amplifier. It’s just that while the head tells me just such a scenario, my heart dictates something else. Namely, that we cannot get used to light or bright sound, that there is some fundamental error to it, which makes us tired instead of deriving pleasure from music. And that a slight weighting of sound is much more acceptable, and you can even make friends with it; it may grow on us over time and become another aspect of our look at music. And such was the sound, incredibly saturated, very close, slightly weighted in lower midrange, that I received from the Virtus 300B paired with my over ten years old Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro (600 Ω). It was a bit like listening to my Leben with the “Bass Boost” knob at +3 dB, which I use quite often. I repeated that to a large extent with the 32 Ω (!) Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro Limited Edition and it would be worth listening to their “regular” high-impedance version. It should sound really good. But, as I said, it was my old Beyers that sounded so well that I happily listened to them for a few days, without feeling the need to return to my own system. Despite the fact that, in the end, it was better. The reason for that is that the Virtus 300B amplifier has certain sonic characteristics that we look for in tube amps, especially the 300B. It is incredible three-dimensionality, great resolution and selectiveness. There really is something to that tube and even if you do not “feel” it, it’s worth listening to such system so that you know what others talk about. What we get is very close and saturated sound. It makes you feel like sitting among the musicians, right where the microphones stand. Midrange is thick and palpable. No matter what the recording. I think it’s the “inventory benefit” of the accentuated lower midrange. The HiFiMAN HE-500 performed even better in that range but – as I said – the presentation was too distant, somewhat “lacking balls”, hence my preference for the Beyers. The thickness, density I mention was contagious; once you hear it you look for it everywhere. Even a single instrument in an old recording – the violin of Henryk Szeryng in Bach’s partitas – was able to fill the space in our head, to permeate it, to show what we are waiting for, i.e. playing technique, composition, emotions, presentation. But that is not a system “dedicated” to this kind of music – not at all! It coped very well with the rendition of low bass on Portishead’s album Dummy and the energy and drive on Depeche Mode CDs. The sound was dynamic and had an internal “drive” propelling everything forward. I mentioned the bass – I had no idea that my DT-990 Pro can go that low. The presentation was not super-coherent, but that is something these headphones cannot do (hence my suggestion about the DT-770 Pro). Despite that, the bass was within my tolerance limits and did not disturb the presentation. And it was really low and saturated! Tube comparison - Electro-Harmonix 6H30Pi vs Tesla E88CC I said in the introduction that in addition to the 6H30Pi I found in the box from Mr. Bocianek the Tesla E88CC. The former, as far as I understand, is standard. However, as always with tube amps, tube rolling is an integral part of the whole fun. The review was conducted with the 6H30Pi and then I swapped it for the Tesla. That has not changed much the amplifier tonal balance. While treble slightly weakens as does bass, the changes are, however, so small in that they can be disregarded in the final assessment. Much larger differences that can influence our choice concern the resolution of various sonic ranges and their presentation. In the end, it is a different sound. The Tesla brings more peace, better vividness and better resolution in midrange. Vocals were a bit fuller, but above all better positioned in the three-dimensional (within limits) soundstage. Also, their bodies were better defined. A slight hardening of higher midrange– only audible in this perspective – disappeared; to achieve that with the 6H30Pi it required a careful headphones selection. Let me repeat – it was much more vivid and smoother sound, with nicer midrange. However, I would not write off the Elecro-Harmonix tubes. What’s more, I come to the conclusion that they are two EQUIVALENT tubes, differing only in their character. The “Super-triode” is more selective and has better resolution at both ends of the sonic range. Bass is better articulated and defined. Also treble is shown stronger, more precisely. The higher bass is clearer and more contoured. After several hours of tube rolling – which is not healthiest for them; you should wait for the tube to cool down, otherwise you shorten its life significantly – I could not decide which I would choose for myself. Each of these tubes, and there are still more to choose from, has something in itself and each of them offers a competent, comprehensive presentation. Maybe, just maybe, I would have gone with the Tesla, were it not for the fact that the 6H30Pi so beautifully fills the bass of the Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro. And how about the 300B replacement? In this case, the Electro-Harmonix sounded better than the Create Audio, i.e. fit better the sonic character of the amplifier. If I were to swap them for something else, it would be carbon tubes, such as Sophie. But it will not bring about as significant change as the input stage tube. Conclusion The top and low end of the amplifier, regardless of the input tube, seem to sound differently than midrange. It’s not even so much the tonal balance, although the lowest bass and high treble (more so with the Tesla than the EH) seem slightly withdrawn, but really just a bit. It concerns the resolution and selectivity of these ranges. I have no doubt – midrange with any of the two test tubes is simply outstanding, and perhaps that is why both ends of the sonic range seem to be inferior in this respect. Treble is a bit dull (compared with midrange), and the low end is not as selective as, e.g., with the Leben or – not mentioned before – with another headphone amp reviewed in the same issue of HF, the Ear Stream Sonic Pearl. The latter did not have such saturated midrange, such strong bass, but had better treble, cleaner, with more resolution. What is interesting is that the Sonic Pearl is a solid state amp; the Virtus 300B being a tube amp should actually be the king of treble. The amplifier averages various recordings to some degree. They all sound strong, deep and full. Yet not all have been recorded in such a manner. But maybe that is the strength of this unit. What do we expect from listening to music at home? I for one look for moments when my suspicion, my disbelief is temporarily suspended, the moments when I am taken “there”, when all that surrounds me disappears. It is easier to achieve on headphones than on speakers, as headphones physically cut us off from the outside world. However, to be able at the same time to convey emotions, mood, to evoke emotion in the listener the presentation must be coherent. The Virtus 300B, although not being perfect, can provide that. It is able to draw us into its world if we just allow it to do so. The choice of headphones is, however, critical and may be unacceptable to many. In my opinion, pairing the Virtus 300B with top models from AKG, Sennheiser or HiFiMAN will not be the best choice. Your opinion may be different but I’m not “buying” that. In that respect, the Virtus-01 proved to be a better, much more versatile amplifier. On the other hand, the Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro (and the DT-770 Pro) are an ideal match, as if they were designed for the 300B. The amplifier is really inexpensive when you consider the cost of tubes alone. Its finish quality is not as refined as the above mentioned Sonic Pearl, but it is much cheaper. I will not sound equally well with all headphones and in this case first you need to buy the amplifier, then to choose matching headphones. Testing methodology The White Bird Amplifications Virtus 300B amplifier was tested in an A-B comparison, with the A and B known. Music samples were 2 minutes long; whole albums were also auditioned. The reference point was the Leben CS-300 XS [Custom Version] modified amplifier (push-pull EL84), and the Ear Stream Sonic Pearl amplifier (solid state). The following headphones have been used during auditions: the Sennheiser HD800, the AKG K701, the HiFiMAN HE-6 and the HE-500, the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro Limited Edition 32 Ohm and the DT-990 Pro (Vintage). The Sennheiser and the HiFiMAN headphones were connected via the Entreq Konstantin 2010 cables (reviewed HERE). During the testing the amplifier was connected to CD players – my Ancient Audio Lektor AIR V-edition and Human Audio Libretto HD as well as a turntable – the Goldenote Valore Italian Job (Limited Edition # 014 ) with the Babele MM and Miyajima Laboratory Kansui cartridges. I used a power cord and interconnect from Ear Stream. The amplifier sat on its own feet, placed on a wooden shelf of the BaseSolid VI [Custom Version] rack from Base Audio. I first used the Electro-Harmonix tubes that normally come with the amplifier but later I swapped them for the Tesla E88CC in the input stage, and the Create Audio Golden Jazz Series 300B in the output (see HERE for the comparison of the Electro-Harmonix and Create Audio tubes). DESIGN The Virtus 300B from White Bird Amplifications is a tube headphone amplifier with a solid state power supply. The input stage employs the Electro-Harmonix 6H30PiEH gold pin dual triode; the output stage is based on the 300B Gold power triode from the same manufacturer. Front and back panel The unit is quite large. Its enclosure is made of bent steel sheets and the front panel of an acrylic plate. The plate is imprinted from behind with knobs descriptions, the manufacturer’s logo and the name of the product. There are two knobs – a volume control and a power switch. Two headphone jacks are located on the far left and right sides – the left one for 100-300 Ω and the right one for 300-600 Ω impedance. In the center, between the knobs there is a small LED indicating power-on. The back only features an IEC mains socket and two pairs of RCA connectors – input and output (pass-through). On the upper panel we have sockets for the three tubes and two round plastic ventilation grilles. In my opinion they look a bit out of place - the whole housing is very solid, sensibly designed, and these are so… plasticky. Next to the 300B sockets we can see small LEDs to indicate a tube failure. Underneath, there is another vent, covered with a prettier, but not particularly impressive plastic mesh. The unit stands on four sharp cones with the accompanying spacers lined with thick rubber pads. Mr. Bocianek makes the following comment on the LED indicators for the 300B tubes: "The amplifier is equipped with two electronic breakers with the response time of about 2 microseconds, serving as short circuit protectors in the event of a crack or burn of the 300B triode cathode filaments, usually resulting in a full short circuit. A tripped breaker cuts off power from the power supply which is indicated by the red LED, located in front of each 300B tube socket. The breaker can also be tripped on heavy overload which is harmful to directly heated cathodes. The open breaker resets on powering off the amplifier but not sooner than 15 seconds, when the cathodes cool down. Naturally, if either of the tubes is faulty in the manner described above, the breaker will trip again. This protection is to prevent damage to the headphones in the event of a short circuit between the cathode and anode in the 300B tube, which does happen, although admittedly very rarely. It is possible to listen with two pairs of headphones but there will be a marked decrease in the output voltage. Of course, it can be increased, but always at the expense of signal to noise ratio.” Interior All circuits are mounted on a few PCBs. Four of them comprise the power supply, one houses amplifier components. The power supply features two toroid transformers – separately for the anode voltage and the filament voltage. Tube heater filaments are powered by regulated DC supplies, separate for the left and right channel. The supplies feature numerous filter capacitors from different manufacturers. The anode voltage appears to be rectified and pre-filtered for all tubes. There is a bridge rectifier and several capacitors. The amplifier PCB is small; a ceramic socket for the input/driver tube is soldered to it. We can also see metal and ceramic resistors and Wima capacitors, as well as large Nichicon Muse capacitors, soldered from the bottom side. They serve as coupling capacitors between the output stage tube and the headphones (blocking the DC at output stage). Power tubes sockets are mounted to the bottom plate on long spacing bolts. Alps “Blue Velvet” potentiometer is used for volume control. The interior houses many cables and the whole looks like a well-made prototype. Technical specifications (according to manufacturer): Power consumption: ca. 40 VA 230 VAC Frequency response: 10 Hz - 75 kHz Output power: 2 x 300 mW Distortion:

Published: 1. October 2012, No. 101 “I am writing this as a fan of Highfidelity.pl portal and a fledgling audio manufacturer. I have been interested in Hi-fi basically from primary school, when I assembled and ran first electronic circuits, including simple radios and acoustic amplifiers.” So began the e-mail I found in my inbox last June. The author was Mr. Michał Wyroba who decided to turn his passion into a business (the entire letter can be read in the Hyde Park section HERE). It is an amazing moment, the moment of taking from a hobby to a profession. For most manufacturers I know it’s a dream come true. And most of them started much like Mr. Wyroba, that is by taking their first major steps in the world of DIY. He made his first designs for himself and shared his results with other DIY enthusiasts. The next step was to offer his products for sale. They were manufactured in very short series, housed in standard Hammond enclosures. In the words of Ear Stream owner, the point was to sell the best sound for the least money. He seems to have succeeded because after some time he felt like doing more. However, the transition from a hobby, i.e. DIY, to a marketable product is a big jump that caused many a good business to go down the tubes. One has to assume that all DIY products are a kind of ‘working prototypes’ in that there are no two, e.g., amplifiers looking and sounding the same. Each one is individual and unique. What is an advantage in the DIY world, in the world of “marketable” or “in-store” audio, or whatever else we call it, is unthinkable – they are flaws. The objective still is to sell the best product for the least money (at least I assume so), but there are other aspects that need to be taken into consideration: safety, reproducibility, customer service, attractive design, promotion, R & D funds, etc. Not to mention the additional costs such as dealer margins. It seems that Ear Stream will not, at least for now, be concerned with the latter – the owner has opted for a direct sales model, calculating the final price of his products so that it contains only his own profit margins. What will come of this? I have no idea. Each of the two basic sales models, direct sale and distribution sale, has its advantages and disadvantages. When I was arranging a meeting with Mr. Wyroba I did not know that. I only knew him from his e-mail. But I saw some potential which I hoped to explore. We agreed, therefore, that he would bring to me his Sonic Pearl headphone amplifier and his interconnect to connect it to my CD player. I was expecting a lot, but when I saw the amp when I took it in my hand, I knew immediately that it landed. It is a fantastically well-made device with a really interesting design. There is little that can be changed about headphone amplifier design – it’s basically a volume knob, headphone jack, and possibly some switches and indicators. However, the Sonic Pearl is more than just another minor variant of the well-known design. First of all we need mention its excellent, solid and very nice enclosure manufactured from thick aluminum sheets. I have kept for this review a white version of the amplifier, the hit of the last two seasons, but I have also seen a black colour version and I really liked it. The front panel naturally features a volume control knob but of an unusual shape, with a large indicator of volume level, resembling an oversized LED. On the both sides are a headphone jack socket and a tiny, red LED. That’s it. The whole is rounded off with very nice lettering, including the company’s logo. The amplifier is fully manufactured in Poland. When you get a chance to see it, you should understand my excitement. All that, as it turns out, was made possible through teamwork: Mr. Tomasz Szafarczyk (Mill-Tech Pro, Śleszowice 253, 34-210 Zembrzyce) is responsible for artistic design and enclosure manufacturing; the enclosure is made on multi-purpose CNC machines. Ear Stream logo design and Sonic Pearl screen prints, cable labels and website layout is the work of Mr. Dominik Szrama; his designs can be seen HERE. As it turns out, one of its customers is another headphone specialist, White Bird Amplifications; we reviewed its Virtus-01 amplifier HERE . Electronic circuit design and the final assembly of the Sonic Pearl, as well as Ear Stream cables confectioning is handled by Mr. Michał Wyroba. The Sonic Pearl is not only a headphone amplifier, but also a linear preamplifier. It has only one input and one regulated output. The output is disconnected when the headphones are plugged into their socket. The amplifier can be ordered in the following variants: color – white, anthracite feet and lettering, amber or red LED, color – charcoal and gold lettering, blue LED, Pre out – disconnected by plugging in the headphones or constantly active, preamp – gain equal (default) or any lower than 14 dB for headphones; the latter only with disconnected pre out. For the review, along with the amplifier I also received two pairs of interconnects – the Signature for 1,599 PLN / 1 m and the Velocity, 999 PLN / 1 m. Their design is based on a ready-made cable, selected after careful listening tests, with a proprietary method of cable joining and soldering, terminated with excellent Neutrik RCA connectors (with a sliding ground connection). Mr. Wyroba strongly prefers solid-core cables, or alternatively Litz wire for shielded line level cables. He also brought a power cord of his own design which has been used to power the reviewed amplifier. SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: A Day at Jazz Spot 'Basie'. Selected by Shoji "Swifty" Sugawara, Stereo Sound Reference Record, SSRR6-7, SACD/CD (2011). Audiofeels, Uncovered, Penguin Records, 5865033, CD (2009). Depeche Mode, Abroken Frame, Mute Records Limited, DMCD2, Collectors Edition, SACD/CD+DVD (1982/2006). Depeche Mode, Ultra, Mute Records Limited, DMCDX9, CD+DVD (1997/2007). Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Ella and Louis, Verve/Lasting Impression Music, LIM UHD 045, UltraHD CD (1956/2011). Enya, Shepherd Moons, Warner Music UK/Warner Music [Japan], WPCR-13299, SHM-CD (2009) J.S Bach, Three Sonatas for Violoncello and Hapsihord, Janos Starker (wiolonczela), Zuzanna Růzičkova (klawesyn), Denon, COCO-70745, "Crest 1000", CD (2004). Jean Michel Jarre, Magnetic Fields, Dreyfus Disques/Epic/Sony Music, 488138 2, CD (1981/1997). Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach. Toccata and Fugue, dyr. Leopold Stokowski, Leopold Stokowski & His Symphony Orchestra, EMI Classic, TOCE-91077, "Best 100 Premium", HQCD (1960/2010). Johann Sebastian Bach, Cello Suites, Richard Tunnicliffe, Linn Records, CKD 396, SACD/CD (2012). Johann Sebastian Bach, Partitas, Preludes & Fugues, Glen Gould, Sony Classical, SM2K 52 597, "The Glen Gould Edition", 2 x SBM CD, (1993). Józef Skrzek, "Pamiętnik Karoliny", Polskie Nagrania/Metal Mind Productions, MMP CD 0535 DG, CD (1978/2009). King Crimson, In The Court of the Crimson King, Atlantic/Universal Music [Japan], UICE-9051, HDCD (1969/2004). Komeda Quintet, Astigmatic, Polskie Nagrania Muza/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 905, "Polish Jazz Vol. 5", CD (1966/2004). Kraftwerk, Minimum-Maximum, Kling-Klang Produkt/EMI, 3349962, 2 x SACD/CD (2005). Ludwig van Beethoven, Overtures, dyr. Sir Colin Davis, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Sony Music Direct (Japan) TDGD-90013, "Esoteric 20th Anniversary", SACD/CD (1986/2007). Me Myself And I, Takadum! Met Remixes, Creative Music, 001, 2 x CD (2012). Portishead, Dummy, Go! Discs Limited/Universal Music [Japan], UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011). The Beatles, Rubber Soul, Parlophone/Apple/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-51116, CD (1965/1998). The Eagles, Hotel California, Asylum Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-11936, CD (1976/2004). Japanese editions are available from The Sennheiser HD800 are my primary headphones. Together with the modified Leben CS-300 XS [Custom Version] they make a pair that has yet to be beaten. Other headphones that I have, or have heard, of course, also have their own advantages, and I cannot pass by the clarity and bass of the HiFiMAN HE-6 and the HE-500, the cream midrange of the AKG K701 or the extraordinary selectiveness of the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro (Vintage) and the DT-770 Pro Limited Edition 32 Ohm. Nothing, however, brings it all together as well as the Sennheiser HD800. At least, that is my opinion. The headphones, however, are only one side of the equation in which the other side is equally important – the headphone amplifier. And here, to be honest, I have not yet heard anything better than my Leben. Horribly expensive (after all modifications, with platforms and spacers it is about 20,000 PLN), with an expensive power cord, it is simply the best headphone amplifier I have ever heard. And while in case of headphones a few other models have showed some possible areas for improvement in the Sennheisers, none other amplifier offered anything better than the Leben. Maybe except mains hum which sometimes can be irritating on the Japanese amplifier paired with high-impedance headphones and which should not be there. The Sonic Pearl is the first amplifier that shows two areas where the Leben can be improved – the pureness of treble and the sound attack. These two elements alone set the Polish amplifier apart and elevate it to a position where it stands heads and shoulders above the rest. For even though it is not a perfect amp and has its own sonic character, even though in the end I still choose my Leben, nevertheless, for about one third of the cost of the CS-300 XS [Custom Version] we get something that will guarantee comfortable listening. Sonic Pearl with the Sennheiser HD800 I began listening to the Sonic Pearl paired with the trusted residents of my system, the Sennheiser HD800. From the first moment I could hear what was later only strengthened and confirmed by subsequent recordings – the pureness of treble, unprecedented sound attack and excellent, smooth upper midrange. Never before, perhaps only in the most expensive speaker systems, have I heard such good piano. It is a notoriously difficult instrument, difficult to interpret by sound engineers. Each piano recording is actually an interpretation of what can be heard live. Should we choose a more direct sound, with less reflections, or how we set the balance between the left and the right hand, what about perspective, etc. – these are just a few choices that must be made by the sound engineer responsible for the recording. The Sonic Pearl interprets recordings in its own way. It shows the instrument in a fairly short perspective, as if we were sitting about 3-4 meters in front of the open lid. Not too many sound reflections, regardless of the recording I chose. Sound attack, the essence of piano sonic color and its expression, was fantastic. They say that listening to a good, new piece of audio equipment or actually listening to the CD record on such device we discover something new, something we have not heard before. It is true, although in my case it happens more and more rarely. Not that I have heard it all, as I hope to discover new things for the rest of my life, but I no longer find these discoveries particularly moving. Maybe I’m jaded, who knows… Anyway, the Sonic Pearl for a moment gave me that thrill of excitement and I let it take me on a journey. First of all, I listened to Glenn Gould’s recordings issued by Sony in the collection The Glen Gould Edition, a 1993 remaster using the SBM (Super Bit Mapping) process. That “invention” of Sony, designed to reduce quantization errors during conversion from the 20-bit resolution master tape to the 16-bit format required by the CD standard, seems to be no longer used by the company. In retrospect, I think that it was one of Sony’s better ideas. The sound of the piano or the organ was smooth, velvety. It provided plenty information on the attack, the technique of playing. It did that without losing coherence which allowed combining all details into one overriding whole, into a musical composition. That is what the Polish amplifier showed flawlessly. It was clean. It was thick. It was natural. That piano really sounded, at least in the upper registers, in the way I have not heard before. The same was true with other instruments – the violin, the cello, and the harpsichord. For example, J.S. Bach’s Three Sonatas for Violoncello and Harpsichord performed by Janos Starker (cello) and Susan Růžičková (harpsichord), recorded in the Prague home of the former, sounded truly captivating due to excellent presentation of micro-details, perfect connection between each phase of the sound. It was an attempt to recreate the live sound with its dynamics and vitality. But these recordings also showed something else which – I assume – is manufacturer’s deliberate choice. What I mean is the setting of color accent. At first glance, listening to electronic or rock music recordings may give an impression of somewhat light bass, of the accent being moved somewhere around 1 kHz. You can even get the impression that there is no bass, especially coming directly from the Leben. And there is something to it. There “almost” is… Listening to Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra performed by Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, originally issued by Decca and remastered in K2HD by Winston Ma, you can hear excellent bass with great resolution. You can hear it not only in the famous opening, with a deep growl, but also in the end of Prelude when the only instruments are double basses. Similarly, listening to Enya’s albums, recently released on SHM-CD, you could appreciate what was going on in the bass department. The thing is that the whole was lacking the kind of saturation I am accustomed to. It eventually boils down to the question of what, in our opinion, constitutes “the absolute sound.” The Sonic Pearl makes an attempt to reproduce the live sound, as if trying to skip the recording phase. Hence its outstanding clarity and dynamics. The problem is that music presentation at home is a different reality than the live event. It depends on the particular recording techniques and the very fact of sound registration, permanently changing the reality and making it a kind of “interpretation” of which I said before. With the Polish amp we get everything very clean, very smooth and devoid of brightening. Usually, if bass is lacking and instead we are presented with lots of treble and upper midrange, it's simply a crude trick used to emphasize certain aspects of the sound. Here, the sound is very refined and its reception is not based on any tricks. It is, however, clearly a “set-up” sound. What do I miss about it? Well, midrange and bass saturation. The Sonic Pearl makes all recordings sound “modern”, i.e. there is no patina of time, which – at least that’s how I see it – is quite clear. I, for instance, listening to Rubber Soul by The Beatles from the old 1998 remaster, an album issued by Toshiba-EMI, could not help the feeling that it sounds very similar to what the sound engineers attempted to achieve on the latest remaster of the band catalog from 2009 (see HERE). I noticed a similar thing with remasters of Polish music, such as Diary of Carolina by Józef Skrzek or albums from LIM – I already mentioned Also Sprach… but we can also add to this Ella and Louis by the pair Fitzgerald and Armstrong. The thing is that compared to the Ear Stream amplifier, everything or nearly everything else sounds like a wet cloth. And, let me say it right away, I once already used that term in my review of the Harpia Acoustics Dobermann (New) speakers, which I used for a few years (see HERE.) It’s a very similar situation – the amplifier from my Krakow colleague is incredibly fast, open, clean, very well showing any jumps in dynamics, resembling what we know as the real, live sound. Richer in experience with my current reference speakers, the Harbeth M40.1 Domestic (reviewed HERE), I must say that I personally miss some “body”, some saturation in the Ear Stream sound presentation. To some degree they are artifacts I mostly know from playback sound, not the live sound, but – I repeat – such is the reality of audio: the recorded presentation is different than the live event; they are two different worlds. The home presentation is thicker, more tangible, which is to compensate the lack of “visuals”. And it is no coincidence that this setup sounded extremely similar to the top electrostatic set from STAX, once reviewed by me (see HERE). Without a direct comparison it is difficult for me, however, to say something more specific about that similarity. Sonic Pearl with the HiFiMAN HE-500 and Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro Limited Edition 32 Ohm In order to verify what I heard with the Sennheisers I sat down for testing with a bunch of other headphones I have. Pretty soon it became clear that the AKG K701 did not make a good match. The amplifier simply exposed their flaws - treble lacking definition, midrange that can sound a bit “plasticky” and the lack of low bass. They are still one of my favorite pairs of headphones and they sound great with many amplifiers. Nevertheless, they have their problems which in this case completely overshadowed their advantages. I was very curious to see how such current- and voltage-efficient, clean-sounding amplifier will sound with the very demanding HiFiMAN HE-6 headphones (reviewed HERE). To drive them properly it was necessary to set the amplifier volume control near the maximum but I had no problem with that. The Sonic Pearl handled it easily and I could not hear any distortion indicating audio compression or clipping problems. Except that it was not quite the sound I was expecting, i.e. it was actually slightly worse than with the Sennheiser HD800. It was a bit dull and its color still bothered me, with not enough weighted bass. Two other headsets that the amplifier sounded interestingly enough for me to use them interchangeably with the HD800, were the HiFiMAN HE-500 and the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro Limited Edition 32 Ohm. The former brought more weight to the system, while maintaining the excellent dynamics. The sound was smooth, very selective, with well-presented sound layers, differentiation of dynamics, etc. It gained some depth and midrange had better saturation. But it was the anniversary version of Beyerdynamics that gave me some kind of “golden mean”. The dynamics was outstanding, perhaps even better than with the HD800, in addition to excellent selectivity and large space (the HiFiMANs tend to draw everything closer to the listener). That was a really good listen! Out of curiosity, I blasted off my recently refurbished (see HERE) Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro (Vintage) and they were good, too. Space was actually even larger except that upper midrange was slightly emphasized, which is usually imperceptible but here easy to pinpoint. And so I stayed with the DT-770. The sound of that setup drew my attention with lots of details I had never heard before. It was a really interesting performance. In front of me (actually in my head, but listening a lot on headphones makes me think of recordings as if everything were in front of me) was a clear musical presentation, with quite well portrayed bass and outstanding dynamics. I could comfortably listen to this setup, interchangeably with my reference system. They were not equal; the Leben paired with the Sennheisers is still, in my opinion, better at showing the differences in color, it has a more saturated sound, but I gladly accepted these changes for the advantages of which I wrote above. The limited edition of Beyer headphones I have is characterized by very low impedance (32 Ω), so the volume knob was barely off zero. Channel balance, however, was perfect. I am sure that Ear Stream is able to release a special version of the amp adapted for this type of load. Conclusion The Ear Stream Sonic Pearl amplifier is a good example of how well-made and refined, in terms of both its design and sound, may be a product from a new, tiny manufacturer, if the people behind it know what this is all about. And it is about conveying emotions, the spirit of music. This can be achieved in a variety of ways because, ultimately, the "absolute sound" is an idea, not a real thing, and even the live sound is not what we get at home. It is of course an important reference point, but only one of many; neither the final one nor most important. Ultimately, the “value” of a given audio product is defined by how much it helps us get to the music and how it helps the music pull certain strings in us. It is in this respect that the Sonic Pearl performs in the way you might expect from a mature, thought-out product. This is not another “me too!” kind of amp, either in terms of its sound or design. It is unique in every way. But it is not quite what I have in my reference system – for better or for worse. It lacks fully saturated midrange and does not equally well differentiate color. There is not enough fleshy bass. While the latter may be a matter of individual taste, color differentiation is something objective. And although the reviewed amplifier is unique, it still slightly averages the nature of various recordings and presents them all in a similar way – vibrant, illuminated, extremely dynamic. But not all records are like that and the Leben with the Sennheisers show these differences significantly better. It’s just that you need to pay about four times as much for that. So if the Pearl’s sonic character matches your taste it will be difficult to beat in many areas, regardless of the competition price. However, a listen with your particular headphones is necessary. I cannot but mention again its aesthetics which is just fantastic! I do not know if it’s a coincidence or not, but the amplifier ideally matches the design and finish of the CanCans headphone stand from Klutz Design (reviewed HERE). They make a “natural” pair. Testing methodology The Ear Stream Sonic Pearl amplifier has been tested in an A-B comparison, with the A and B known. Music samples were 2 minutes long; whole albums were also auditioned. The point of reference was the Leben CS-300 XS [Custom Version] modified amplifier. The following headphones have been used during auditions: the Sennheiser HD800, the AKG K701, the HiFiMAN HE-6 and the HE-500, the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro Limited Edition 32 Ohm and the DT-990 Pro (Vintage). The Sennheiser and the HiFiMAN headphones were connected via the Entreq Konstantin 2010 cables (reviewed HERE). During the testing the amplifier was connected to the two CD players – my Ancient Audio Lektor AIR V-edition and the Human Audio Libretto HD. I used a power cord and interconnect from Ear Stream. The amplifier sat on its own feet, placed on a wooden shelf of the BaseSolid VI [Custom Version] rack from Base Audio. DESIGN The Sonic Pearl is a headphone amplifier and a preamplifier, with the former being its primary usage, confirmed by the lettering on the front panel – “Headphone Amplifier”. It has been tested accordingly. The enclosure is made of thick aluminum sheets, bolted in the corners to four aluminum blocks. The enclosure components are manufactured on CNC machines, hence the perfect fit. It is painted white (as in the reviewed unit) or black. What draws our attention on the front panel is a large dome-shaped volume control knob made of aluminum. A similar shape can be found in other amplifiers, to mention the Meridian G Series, but it’s still an attractive design. The knob features a sizeable black ball, half-sunk in its surface. It is not a LED but simply a volume level indicator. The only active, i.e. illuminated indicator is a red miniature LED, indicating the power-on state. There is also a 6.3 mm headphone jack socket. The back panel sports a pair of stereo line input and output RCA connectors. The output is used to drive a power amplifier and is only active when the headphones are disconnected. On plugging in the headphones into the socket on the front panel, the output line signal is disconnected. An EIC mains socket features an integrated switch and fuse. The interior confirms what I learned in a conversation with Mr. Wyroba when he brought his amplifier for the review. Firstly, the circuit design is simplified to maximum – both the amplification stage and the power supply. It is the result of many years of research. Initially, the circuit design was very complicated but has evolved over time. The gain stage is built on a single IC and the power supply is a fairly simple, discrete voltage controller. Actually, there are two cascaded controllers. Bridge rectifier is built on fast-switching “soft recovery” diodes; there are also four large filter capacitors – rarely seen Elna TONEREX. In the Elna catalog they are listed just below the Cerafine. Power is provided by an averagely sized toroid transformer. Unlike common design practices, the transformer is bolted rigidly to the bottom panel. Normally, it is mechanically decoupled with e.g. a rubber washer. However, according to Mr. Wyroba the better the circuit design, the less need of any mechanical decoupling. In fact, for this particular design he tried various washers under the transformer, made of metal, glass, ceramic, and wood. He observed that the sound was better with more rigid washers and was best without any washer. Similarly, the amplifier’s feet are simply four aluminum discs bolted rigidly to the bottom of the enclosure. A possible upgrade may be replacing them with discs with ceramic ball bearing (such as Franc Audio Accessories, reviewed HERE, or finite elemente), but certainly not with rubber feet! Power supply is mounted on two separate universal PCBs (they are not custom designed PCBs) with some connecting wires. All of them are solid-core (the owner of Ear Stream firmly believes that stranded wire is characterized by adverse electro-mechanic effects - each single wire interacts with surrounding wires). A single star earth point layout is used. From the input connectors the signal goes via long wires to a small “automotive type” Alps potentiometer mounted on a solid aluminum block to the front panel. From there it goes to the gain stage PCB. It features two, one per channel, Analog Devices ICs (unfortunately, I could not determine the model number). They are surrounded by very good tantalum capacitors, more Elnas and some other types of capacitors, carefully selected for a given task. After amplification, the signal is sent to the (non-gold plated) headphone jack socket and from there to the output connectors. The line output is coupled via two capacitors with a total capacity of 20 µF.

Published: 1. October 2012, No. 101 “The aim of designing the new Excellence series was to extend our offer to include the cables that combine the technologies used in Ultra Reference i Red Series with a respect to preserve a reasonable price. It was the initiative of our satisfied customers. So here is the newest series of cables! Its name ‘Excellence’ speaks for itself. Just as previously, with the Ultra Reference series, we warmly welcome to our listening room. You will be able to see both working and prototype versions of the whole Excellence series. The IC alone has five different prototypes in addition to several working versions, terminated with various plugs of different length. We provide coffee and guarantee good fun.” This is how Audiomica Laboratory promotes its new series of cables on the company’s website. And it’s worth taking seriously the invitation to visit their listening room because Gorlice, their home town, is a really cool place. We have already introduced the company in our review of their Grey series cable system (see HERE), so I will not repeat myself. Let me just say that it was in “High Fidelity” that Audiomica Laboratory had its premiere. This time we will review the Excellence series – the Erys interconnect, the Celes speaker cable, and the Ness power cord. Just as before, I treat them as a complete system; accordingly, they will replace my whole reference cable system (see bottom page for details). According to the manufacturer, Erys Excellence is the best-shielded cable in its offer. It uses no less than five separate screens - two made of an aluminum foil and three of a dense copper braid. Each braid has a different density of braid weave and they are counter-woven, with the density of each selected experimentally. This technique is also used in the Ultra Reference series. The hot solid-core wire made of oxygen-free monocrystalline OCC copper (Ohno Continuous Casting) is embedded in a Teflon insulation foam. The outside jacket is a red protective mesh. The RCA plugs have silver-plated contacts. A version of this cable with a filter is also available and it costs 3,740 PLN. We have tested the basic version, without the filter. The Celes speaker cable – for the review ordered with silver-plated BFA banana plugs – is based on the older Dolomite Reference design. In comparison to the original design, the conductors’ cross section has been increased, by adding more wires. Now each of the eight strands (four ‘positive’ and four ‘negative’) consists of eighty micro-wires. The conductor material has also been changed – now it is OCC copper (Ohno Continuous Casting), the same as featured in the Erys interconnect. Cable screen is also made of copper (that’s right, it is a shielded cable). The cable jacket is a red protective mesh, like the other cables of this series. To round out the full set we have the Ness Excellence power cord. Its main design objective has been the best protection against electromagnetic noise. To that end, the cable features an extra conductor, not participating in signal transmission. It “eliminates interference by neutralizing the mutual electric current induction through the magnetic field generated by neighbouring wires. The first tests with the use of oscilloscope proved the rightness of such solution.” The cable have four wires, each consisting of 85 micro-conductors made of OCC copper. Three of the wires are: positive, negative and cable protection, and the fourth is not connected to anything. The cable is shielded with copper braid. The plugs on both sides look like Wattgate, but I'm not sure about that – they are wrapped with shrink sleeve. Each cable comes in a nice wooden box with a certificate including the cable’s name, its length, the name of the person who made it and the person responsible for quality control. It looks very professional. Audiomica products featured so far in “High Fidelity”: REVIEW: (system) Gray Mica Transparent GLD analog interconnect + Diamond Gold speaker cable + Volcano Transparent AC power cord; see HERE SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: A Day at Jazz Spot 'Basie'. Selected by Shoji "Swifty" Sugawara, Stereo Sound Reference Record, SSRR6-7, SACD/CD (2011). Bill Evans & Jim Hall, Intermodulations, Verve/The Verve Music Group, UCCV-9342, CD (1966/2008). Clifford Brown & Max Roach, Brown and Roach, EmArcy/Mercury M.E. [Japan], PHCE-3085, "2496 spectrum Rainbow CD", CD (1954/1998). Depeche Mode, Abroken Frame, Mute Records Limited, DMCD2, Collectors Edition, SACD/CD+DVD (1982/2006). Depeche Mode, Ultra, Mute Records Limited, DMCDX9, CD+DVD (1997/2007). Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Ella and Louis, Verve/Lasting Impression Music, LIM UHD 045, UltraHD CD (1956/2011). Jean Michel Jarre, Magnetic Fields, Dreyfus Disques/Epic/Sony Music, 488138 2, CD (1981/1997). Johann Sebastian Bach, Sonatas&Partitas, skrzypce - Henryk Szeryng, Sony Classical France/Sony Music Japan, SICC 840-1, 2 x CD (1965/2007). Johann Sebastian Bach, Cello Suites, Richard Tunnicliffe, Linn Records, CKD 396, SACD/CD (2012). Józef Skrzek, "Pamiętnik Karoliny", Polskie Nagrania/Metal Mind Productions, MMP CD 0535 DG, CD (1978/2009). King Crimson, In The Court of the Crimson King, Atlantic/Universal Music [Japan], UICE-9051, HDCD (1969/2004). Komeda Quintet, Astigmatic, Polskie Nagrania Muza/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 905, "Polish Jazz Vol. 5", CD (1966/2004). Kraftwerk, Minimum-Maximum, Kling-Klang Produkt/EMI, 3349962, 2 x SACD/CD (2005). Paul McCartney, Kisses On The Bottom, Universal Music LLC [Japan], UCCO-3038, SHM-CD (2012). Portishead, Dummy, Go! Discs Limited/Universal Music [Japan], UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011). The Beatles, Rubber Soul, Parlophone/Apple/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-51116, CD (1965/1998). The Eagles, Hotel California, Asylum Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-11936, CD (1976/2004). Japanese editions are available from Reviewing the Audiomica Laboratory cable system has been a most interesting experience. This is not the best cable I know, nor is it the leader in its price group. After a dozen hours of listening and numerous (several dozen times) swapping between the reference system and the reviewed AL system, I think about it in completely different categories. Its sonic character is very clear from the beginning and do not need a PhD to say “how it sounds.” It's just that it takes time to interpret it properly and, eventually, to appreciate it. The Excellence Series cable system sounds warm and very coherent. Midrange dominates, with higher treble and lower bass clearly withdrawn. What is present between these two far ends is shown in a clear, tangible, very intimate way. Despite the fact that, at first glance, nothing is drawn close-up, the background is not boosted. With good electronics and speakers the cables from Gorlice sound very, very sensual. I cannot find a better word to describe my experience while listening to one CD after another, but I do not think we need any other – it is just pure sensuality. Take the cymbals, for example. The Excellence emphasizes their sound attribute related to their weight, their mass. In most cases, audio cables from budding manufacturers, especially if based on ready-made wires from the Far East, sound rather bright and “thin”. The manufacturers that select, customize and “tune” those ready-made products have a clearly distorted view of what is most important about sound. By sharpening its color, highlighting its attack they hope to achieve a better resolution, spaciousness, selectivity, etc. All of these are very important only that they come AFTER something else; they result from something else. What is it? Phase coherence, internal ordering, and – above all – calmness (I am not talking about calming of dynamics, but about the absence of internal, artifactual tension). The Audiomica cables are completely different. They could be described by the exact opposites of what I wrote above. At the same time, while sharpness, brightness, elevating the tonal weight of sound, etc. are clearly bad for me, because they ruin the perception of music, the reviewed cables offer something really interesting, something positive. As I said, their sonic color is rather warm. There is not much higher treble and midrange is slightly rounded. That characteristic is always there, with any type of music and its production and it seems permanent. For example, the vocal of the Portishead singer was lower in the mix, its sometimes a little shrill higher treble, clearly poorly recorded, sounded milder with the Audiomica, and the whole seemed to have a better mastering. Similarly, Henryk Szeryng’s solo violin, from the Parisian 1955 recording, seemed to be warmer and closer to me, the listener. But it was not a simple “warming” in the common (in audio) sense of the word. The point was rather that after withdrawing or removing some, slightly annoying, parts of recordings we got what was left, not something “in surplus.” And what was left was wholeness, the “weight of instruments”; what remained was calm. As I said, after some listening I came to the conclusion that the foreground is not drawn closer to us. The common problem with slightly warm (no matter where the impression of “warmth” comes from) products is that they usually show the foreground closer to the listener, somewhat unnaturally forward. Here, everything seemed to be in good proportion - from the back of the stage to the first line. Although, I must say, they are not the kind of cables that would help magnify or extend the soundstage. Their less articulated treble results in the soundstage being not as expansive, not “seen” in such a long distance, as with brighter, more detailed cables. It’s just that with the reviewed cable system you get it all better ordered, with better shown relations between the instruments, more attractively presented spatial aspects that usually escape, covered with bright treble; you get the depth of the instruments themselves. The saturation of midrange is what will transform the majority of audio components, connected with the Excellence cables, into something much more sophisticated. And I am a little worried that less discriminating listeners (I apologise for that term as I absolutely do not want to insult or offend anyone but the truth is that some are more discriminating than others; the latter have a wonderful way of development!), or those who have their own vision of audio system sound, not quite synonymous with “natural” sound, may turn up their nose. The Audiomica cables are for those who want to have very pleasant, very natural sound, with all the obvious shortcomings arising from the very nature of signal transmission and the price range we are talking about. Another problem is that the audio systems that would benefit most from such “tuning” are usually pretty inexpensive and spending 10,000 PLN for cables, while the whole system including the speakers cost about the same, may seem a bit silly. Well, not for me. For even though the reviewed cables will successfully fit in audio systems with Krells, Luxmans, Accuphases or Ayons (just to name a few), they will only help finish off a properly matched (if this is the case) system; will give it a finishing touch. However, in systems with Audiolabs, Marantzes, Cambridges, Denons etc. they will be a revolution. It is there that they will bring order to a usually chaotic soundstage, smooth out a little detached and frequently over-bright treble, and will give the whole some refined depth and “patina”. It’s a bit like coming to an exclusive furniture store, looking at a piece of furniture and knowing that it feels just right, that this is “our” bed, wardrobe, chair or whatever catches our eye. The cables from Gorlice do the exact same thing with music. Conclusion It has been a very interesting experience (each review is a kind of experiment). The Audiomica Laboratory cables proved to be much more interesting than their price tag implies. They are not for everyone and they have their drawbacks. Let's list them briefly, allowing each customer individually decide: reserved higher treble, lack of really low bass, slight slowing down of dynamics. Among their advantages we can mention fullness, coherence, fantastic presentation of instruments’ bodies, large virtual sources and fine mid- and upper bass. The latter works with every recording – be that the already mentioned Portishead, or double bass from the last McCartney’s album, or Clifford Brown and Max Roach’s jazz on their album Brown and Roach. It is not the deepest bass in the world, or the fastest, but is very coherent on the above albums. There was only one album where the instruments were presented somewhat smaller – Intermodulation by Bill Evans and Jim Hall. But it is the specifics of this particular recording, with limited sonic range from the bottom and the top. Here, the size of the instruments seems to be also built by the bass higher harmonics, including high registers – and these are the withdrawn with the Audiomica cables. The overall character of these cables is quite clear. It will not suit everybody nor will everybody like it. If, however, you are fed up with disorder, or if you look for some inner sense in your favourite music, or if your system needs some “rehab” – the Audiomica Laboratory Excellence Series cables are just for YOU! Have a deep think about them, even if they cost about the same as your whole electronics.

Published: 1. October 2012, No. 101 If I recall correctly the first time I had ever heard about Ardento was in September, or beginning October 2010. At that time I conducted review of some products of PAB, and it was its owner, who told me about „remarkable Polish open baffles”, that were to be presented on, soon to come, AudioShow in Warsaw. I, as well as every other audiophile, have my own sound preferences, that are probably obvious if you read at least some of my review, which doesn't change the fact, that I always do my best to cover each reviewed product as objectively as possible. I've had horn speakers for many years now, but I dreamed about having OB speakers from the moment I visited a friend and heard his giant ones (I mean triple leaf-door big) with single wide-range PHY drivers. It was my dream and it was to stay a dream only, as such huge OBs require a lot of space around them – at least 2 meters from back wall, there must be some space between them and sidewalls, plus the sweet spot should be at least 3-4 m away from them – that means they require large room to perform at their best. Unfortunately I don't have such a room. So when I heard about Ardento being OBs, not too big themselves and performing well in a room of a size of mine (24 sqm) I knew I had to give them a try. Obviously AudioShow is not a place for a critical listening session (of any product), but you get at least an idea about sonic characteristic of particular product, which lets you decide whether to get a serious audition or not. So I waited anxiously for AudioShow, also because I knew that Ardento would be presented in two rooms, in two different systems which would give me a better idea about how they sounded. I think that model called Zendo was presented during the Show – a large woofer with paper diaphragm and a nice wide-ranger delivering the rest of frequency range. Manufacturer drove them with a Sophia Electric 300B SET – my favorite kind of amplifier. The acoustics of the room was as poor as it always is in the Sobieski Hotel, but despite that I kept coming back to this room many times, as I truly enjoyed the sound of this system. And I don't mean that it was some perfect sound, or the best sound of the Show – not necessarily, but it was „my” sound, with fantastic midrange, impressive (non-bass-reflex) bass, so I didn't care about lack of upper treble. This was in fact a debut of Ardento at the very beginning of their activity, so it took a long time before we agreed with the owner and designer, Mr Tomasz Flanc, a loan of his speakers for a review. Before that one of my friends bought early version of Alter, and in this way I witnessed an evolution of this model, and my friend's search for a perfect amplifier to drive these speakers. The most obvious difference between Alter speakers and Zendo is an additional driver – a ribbon tweeter, also wide-range driver is different, obviously also crossover had to change, and the size and look of open baffle. The aforementioned evolution of reviewed model was mostly a search for the best wide-range driver for this particular project (not necessarily the best ever made), also this driver was installed in replaceable panel, so it was easy to swap whole panel with one driver for another one. After extensive trials Mr Tomasz decided that the best choice was a driver from Hungarian company Sonido, that you might already be familiar with, if you read my review of BodnarAudio horn speakers (read HERE). It is not exactly the same model of driver, but already than I mentioned that these unknown (at the time) Hungarian drivers might be a serious alternative for much more famous brands like Fostex, and maybe even Lowther. On the other hand Michal's (that's the friend, owner of Alter, I mentioned before) long search for a proper amplification was in fact quite a turn-around of the initial idea – he had one of the best 300B SETs I know – AirTight ATM-300, and he was looking for speakers that would offer full range sound with it. Ardento Alter were supposed to be such speakers but it turned out that they were a bit too difficult load for this amplifier. Yes, there was amazing midrange, sweet, open treble, but obviously driving 15'' woofer to its full potential was too much to ask of the Japanese amp. During his search (that I partially witnessed) he found out that the „proper” output power should be at least at 20W, regardless if it was a tube or solid-state amp. He tried many amplifiers and finally found a one (actually two) that ended the search – these were monoblocks with GM70 power tubes. Long story short – a search for perfect speakers for a great 300B SET ended with finding great speakers and replacing amplifier witm more powerful one. Bottom line – keep your mind open – sometimes we focus so much on finding a better amp/source/speakers/cables for our system that we don't even consider changing some other element of the setup, which sometimes might be what we really need. SOUND Recordings used during test (a selection): Cassandra Wilson, New moon daughter, Blue Note; CDP 7243 8 37183 2 0, FLAC. Metallica, Metallica, 511831-1, 4 x LP. AC/DC, Live, EPIC, E2 90553, LP. Pink Floyd, Wish you were here, EMI Records Japan, TOCP-53808, FLAC. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin, Atlantic/Warner Music, WPCR-11611, FLAC. Etta James, Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson, Blues in the Night, Vol.1: The Early Show, Fantasy, B000000XDW, CD/FLAC. The Ray Brown Trio, Soular energy, Pure Audiophile, PA-002 (2), LP. Dire Straits, Communique, Vertigo, 800 052-2, FLAC. Rodrigo y Gabriela, 11:11, EMI Music Poland, 5651702, FLAC. Arne Domnerus, Jazz at the Pawnshop, FIM XRCD 012-013, FLAC. Arne Domnerus, Antiphone blues, Proprius, PRCD 7744, FLAC. Renaud Garcia-Fons, Oriental bass, Enja, B000005CD8, FLAC. Keith Jarrett, The Köln Concert, ECM/Universal Music Japan, UCCE-9011, FLAC. As I mentioned it took me quite a long time to get Alters for a review, and I think there were two main reasons why I finally succeeded – first of all it seemed that he, as a designer, was finally happy with the result he achieved and started to treat it as final version, secondly he and I were both fans of 300B SETs and that worked to my advantage. In fact Mr Tomasz story (as a designer) started, as in many cases of audio designers, when he couldn't find a product on a market that would satisfy his needs, and he needed speakers that would sound good enough with his tube amplifier. As a resourceful guy he decided to give it a try and build a pair for himself. Obviously it took him years to get where he's now with his top model Alter, but when he finally got some results he was happy with, he decided to share them with other audio enthusiasts. Because let's make it clear – especially early Ardento models were created for people with certain sound preferences – to those who value most this wonderful, dense, smooth midrange, and were ready for some sacrifices in both frequency range extremes areas. Most people I talked to during/after AudioShow 2010 told me they really enjoyed the sound in Ardento room, but at the same time most of them complained a bit about treble extension. My guess it Mr Tomasz heard a lot of these comments and decided to do something about it, so maybe that's the reason of creating Alters? This new model sports additionally, as I already mentioned, a very good Fountek ribbon tweeter, thus offering a truly full-range sound. But let's start from the very beginning. The speakers were brought to my place in two solid, wooden crates that were cleverly designed to protect speakers from damage or any scratches (especially considering black, glossy finish) during transport. For the Customer it's a first sign that company treats its job, and its customers, very seriously taking care of all details including proper packaging. Speakers themselves are made up of two main parts – a solid base, that rests on four feet, holding crossover inside it, and the baffle with drivers installed in it and a MDF frame around it. The baffle is slightly tilted towards the back. There are two black grills for both, front and back side of the speaker. In my eyes it looks really good, nicely finished – these should look good in every living-room they might land in. Taking their price into consideration it shouldn't be surprising but on the other hands I've seen some even more expensive products looking much worse. After removing a front grill I found the front of the baffle also beautifully finished, with black, but this time mat color, and all drivers solidly bolted to the baffle. I have to confess – the look of 15'' paper cone, a wide-ranger and a ribbon tweeter in non-bass-reflex cabinet was like a dream came true. Taking the back grill off allows you to take a look at the back of all drivers plus it gives you an access to bass, midrange and treble adjustments. The two latter are simply pots giving you control over volume of mid and upper range. To adjust volume of bass you need to replace, or take out a capacitor mounted in a socket next to speaker bindings. Mr Tomasz always brings speakers to new owners and helps them adjust especially the volume of bass to the particular room, and of course to the personal preferences of a new user. Usually it is done once – so just chose one of two capacitors, or leave the socket empty. With „regular” speakers all you can do about exaggerated bass is to fiddle with speakers placement (sure you can deal with room's acoustics but if that's your living room you don't want to do that, do you?). Here, it is quite simple – too much bass, replace a cap. As the operation is so simple (socket – no soldering) if the you change the room later or you preferences change you can play with caps again. Adjusting volume of midrange and treble is even simpler with pots so if you really want to, you could adjust both even for every single album you play. So my first impressions were remarkably good – great look, user-friendly, no bass-reflex (I know, I know – but that's my „thing”), simple solutions allowing to adjust sound to particular room and preferences, high sensitivity (93dB), impressive frequency range (35Hz-40kHz) – from my point of view, all pros and no real cons. Well, maybe there was one thing that bothered me a bit (considering that I was hoping I could drive these beauties with 300B SET) – 4Ω impedance. But on the other hand Mr Tomasz told me that it was somehow special version as he left the wide-range drivers uncut, which was supposed to make them even easier load for an amplifier. So I started the first listening session with my modified (Tom Willis replaced output transformers with the ones from Diavolo) ArtAudio Symphony II and... what I heard reminded my listening experience from sessions at Michal's – amazing midrange, colorful and smooth, crisp, sparkling treble, but no real power at the bottom one would expect from 15'' woofer. So even though I loved voices of Kari Bremnes, or Patricia Barber, the sound of small bells and some other percussion instruments were amazingly vibrant, vivid, but my favorite double-bass didn't have that power, didn't go as deep as it could, so I was a bit disappointed. So I switched to my other amplifier – solid-state Modwright KWA100SE with LS100 tube preamplifier. This set offers a really good performance with outstanding (for a solid-state) midrange. I had to be a bit careful because, as I mentioned before, the wide-range driver wasn't cut off, so it might have been in danger if I suddenly decided to use full power of my amp. OK, there was no real danger, as I had neighbors I needed to think about and thus kept volume at reasonable levels anyway. What this system offered with Ardento simply chained me to my couch for many hours. In fact for the next couple of days I spent as much time as I could spare looking for more and more music just to check how it would sound on Alters. Well, obviously I have a thing for a 15'' paper cones – not so long ago I was almost equally impressed with Bastanis Matterhorn, which in fact I bought after the test for myself, as I couldn't let them go. Those were horn speakers, now I had an open baffle, but they had some things in common, important things for me – no bass-reflex, 15'' paper-cone woofer that delivered powerful, rich, heavy bass, high sensitivity, amazing midrange and also damn good, sparkling treble. Mr Tomasz (designer) told me that it was a wide-range driver that the whole speaker was built around. The woofer and ribbon tweeter were there to support it at frequency extremes, where wide-range driver didn't do so well as in the midrange, upper bass and lower treble. And when listening to Alters I could fully agree with that. These speakers delivered remarkable midrange – smooth, rich, colorful – that sound reminded me the best single driver (usually horn) speakers. That's what made vocals and acoustic instrument sound so well. The common disadvantage of single-driver solutions are rolled off treble and bass but it's not a case here! One might be a bit concerned about how the combination of very clean, transparent, detailed sounding ribbon tweeter might co-sound with kind of „soft” sound of a wide-range driver. One might think that in contrast to the „softness” of midrange, treble might sound bright and harsh. And the other way around – such a transparent, clear sounding, sparkling treble might make midrange sound dull, fuzzy, slow, not transparent. But there is nothing to worry about here – there is a great balance between treble and midrange, plus it can be adjusted (using the controls on the back of the speakers) so that it might fit one's preferences perfectly. And last but not least there is THE BASS. I do realize that there are some bass-reflex designs that sound good, even very good, but it's the minority among all manufactured nowadays. So I will keep claiming that bass-reflex solution is not a good one, it was created because manufacturers wanted to supply people with smaller, narrow-front speakers, that would better fit small rooms. Nowadays most speakers are made this way and what's worse most people think that it's how speakers should sound, and when there is no boomy bass from b-r port they don't like the sound. For me it is this boomy sound coming from b-r port that takes a big part of enjoyment of listening to the music, away. OK, I'm old-fashioned but for me a large, paper-cone woofer, at least 15'' in diameter, is the only way to reproduce natural sounding bass. That's why I loved so much Bastanis Matterhorns, and that's why now I loved Ardento Alter even more. It is also about the size of the diaphragm – 15'' can move a lot of air creating a lot of pressure and allowing listener to feel the bass, especially comparing to saller drivers even if they come in pairs. The large cone, like the one used in Ardento, delivers powerful, mighty even, well differentiated, tuneful bass, which is kind of a foundation, base for the rest of the frequency range. The only thing some other speakers do better is speed – some can offer faster bass, but there are only very, very few that can (in reality, not just on paper) go deeper down than Alters do. Recently one of the Readers demanded that we use „more popular” music genres during out test – like trash-metal or hip-hop. Well, I won't, simply because conducting reviews should be a pleasure for me, which means my favorite music must be involved. I'm not judging which music is better or worse – I just like some music, and I don't like some other – why would I listen to something I don't like? But having speakers like Ardento I had to play Metallica's black album, even though I don't listen to it to often. It's definitely not trash-metal, there is no ultra-fast kick drum involved, but there is a lot of power, low, mighty bass (from kick drum and bass guitar), there are some nicely taken cymbals, and electric guitars too. All that doesn't make it an „audiophile” recording (not even on my special, 4LP version) but it's a nice test for dynamics, bass extension, ability to convey huge amount of energy. The Alters passed the test with flying colors, not only with spectacular performance but also with a very nicely organized one – there was no fuzziness that is always there when this album is played from CD, and is sometimes there if the system can't handle that much energy at once, as accumulated in this recording. This reproduction of Metallica wasn't also so flat, instruments, sounds had some „flesh” on them, there was some depth to the soundstage too. That's what large cone driver is about – it moves large volume of air and lets listener not only hear, but also feel the low end. I had also a lot of fun when playing AC/DC's Live album (also from vinyl). That's no audiophile recording either, but it's so energetic, dynamic, involving that, if you like rock and roll, you must enjoy it, especially if it's delivered by speakers like Ardento. Not only was the presentation real TNT, not only the intense, explosive atmosphere of the concert was conveyed, but also, I think for the first time, Brian Johnson's vocal sounded so clear I could actually understand pretty well most texts. There is more to the music than just rock'n'roll. Well, in fact I listen mostly to vocal and acoustic music so I had to stop enjoying performance of fantastic Aussies and move on. I wanted to listen to a piece, that after I played it with Hansen Prince V2, became an ultimate bass extension test for me. It's an AquaMarine tune from Isao Suzuki's Blow up album. It became my benchmark as no other speakers I had a chance to listen too since my review of Hansen, could perform so well in this aspect, going that low and with so much weight, power even in the lowest notes. Ardento Alter were first that came close, not very close but close enough to call them impressive. I think the bass extension was similar to Hansen's but there was not that much weight at the very bottom. But a great recommendation for these speakers was my not noticing any deficiency in bass extension or weight – I mean, when I listen to that piece on other speakers I immediately realize that they are not able to deliver all the bass that is there in the recording – here I didn't have that feeling. Sound was very natural, realistic – I could hear plucked strings, lots of wood, fast attack and long, rich decay – everything that makes a great sounding bass. Yes, of course after such a great experience with Isao Suzuki I had to move to my favorites – Ray Brown and Renaud Garcia Fons, to hear the sound of their fabulous basses. I mentioned that probably dozen times before, so sorry if you have to read that again and again – in my opinion only „old-fashioned” designs (horns, open-baffles, infinite baffles) with large, usually paper-cone woofers, are capable of a true, natural presentation of that mighty instrument. The bass reproduced by Alters (or Matterhorns) gets as close to what I know from live concerts, as possible – the raw power, the huge scale of sounds that it is capable to play, lots of wood in the sound, plus all those small details – fingers sliding along strings, gentle knocks on wood, and so on. Yes, most of those details are usually delivered by high quality speakers, but only very few of them can do that in such an unforced, natural way. Also wide-range Sonido and Fountek's ribbon tweeter delivered stunning performance, especially when it came to acoustic music (but it wasn't limited only to it). Vocals were amazing – smooth, rich, with texture and timbre nicely laid out. What a remarkable performance Etta James gave, signing for me, all that amazing energy, her heart and soul put into her singing so well, so realisticly conveyed by Alters. In her best years she gave most thrilling performances and some recordings captured that amazingly well. As she is so engaged, involved in her signing, you also simply can't ignore that - you can clearly „see” all emotions – sadness, joy, anger – everything is there so convincingly delivered by those remarkable speakers. My room is the smallest ((24sqm) Mr Tomasz recommends his speakers for, but even though I managed to find such a setup for them, that I got powerful, heavy bass and outstanding, three-dimensional, precisely layered soundstage. Each of these elements is important when it comes to creating an illusion of participation in some wonderful musical event, performance. In this particular case Etta was there, maybe 2 meters away from me, in the middle, behind there there was a band with each musician occupying well defined piece of space, plus there was this very agitated, involved audience, which made me feel like I was a part of it. If that's still not enough Alters presented also all the acoustic surrounding which simply put, brought the whole concert straight to my room, without any effort from my side – it just happened. Most of what I just described comes from a great work of a wide-range driver, but „most” not „all of it”. Sonido does its job damn well but also ribbon tweeter pours a stream of sweet but vibrant, crisp details, over listener. And there is also that fantastic 15'' woofer, delivering powerful, tuneful, well extended bass that in fact also helps midrange sound better – that's what I learned when I added a subwoofer to my previous horn speakers – with subwoofer in play midrange sounded richer, fuller - better. What's most amazing and important about these speakers is great balance between all parts of frequency range, coherence that only very few speakers I know, offer. As their designer said – the concept of Alters was to build them around a very good wide-range driver – that's a concept really close to my heart, as there is 80, sometimes even more percent of the music inside midrange, so treating this part of the range as a key one, makes a lot of sense for me. Obviously to have a fullrange speaker you can't use only one wide-range driver – you need some woofer and tweeter. The big challenge is to make these 3 drivers work together in such a coherent way that they still sound like a single driver. I believe that Mr Tomasz succeeded like very few before him. The result is a great reproduction of almost any music you throw at Alters. It was also achieved by combining high quality drivers, but not the best, or the most expensive ones available. That's what building good speakers is about, right? Not just choosing the best drivers available and putting them together in one cabinet (which hardly ever works), but finding elements that work together so well, that the final result is better that one would expect by a simple sum of single elements. These speakers offered one of the best presentations of acoustic music I've ever heard, and the simplest answer to the question why is: because of their so coherent and natural sound. It did not matter whether it was bass, acoustic guitar, saxophone or trumpet – each and every time I was like: wow, it is so real, it's happening right here in my room. I listened to as many records as I only could with all sorts of music I usually listen to and there was not even one that I didn't like. Indeed, these are not speakers that would make poor recordings sound great – don't count on that. The better quality recording the greater presentation by Alters. If the recording was poor, well it was somehow more listenable than usually but without hiding flows of the recording, but rather just not exposing them too hard. Among the recordings I listened to, there was not a single one these speakers couldn't handle. To be honest most albums sounded better then ever (with just few exceptions like Hansen, Avantgarde Acoustic, and also Bastanis did not fall to much behind in terms of great performance). Mighty, truly extended, unconstrained, tuneful bass, so energetic, maybe not the fastest I ever heard, but fast enough to deal with rhythm and timing so I don't think many would complain about it. There is this rich, smooth, intense colorful, amazingly palpable midrange, comparable only to the best single-driver speakers. And there is also nothing wrong about strong, clear, clean, crisp and vibrant treble, that's also very airy and well differentiated. And, as already mentioned, all those element combine together so well, creating a smooth, coherent whole offering vivid, truly involving, full of emotions presentation. There is one more thing – such a wonderfully performing speakers, capable of competing with even more expensive from well known brands, are made in Poland. Bravo! There is one more thing I'd like to share with you. The ambition of Mr Tomasz is to offer a (almost) complete system to his customers. For now, apart from speakers themselves, you might also buy cables, made of the same material (silver) as internal cabling of Alters. You can't buy only cables – IC, SC and PC come only as a set with speakers (of course if customer is interested) – they are not sold separately, as Ardento is not a cable manufacturer, as Mr Tomasz said. Together with speakers I received a speaker cable and I must say it sounded damn well – most systems would benefit from using cables same as the ones used inside speakers. There is also one product available for customers already – it's a D/A converter, that I also had a chance to listen to for a short time, and while the price (4 kPLN without or 5 kPLN with USB input) is not among lowest on market, but in my opinion it is still a bargain for such a good sound. There is also, soon to come, a 300B amplifier, that will complete the system (you will need some source – CD transport or computer). Basing on what I already heard I guess it will be hell of a system. I'll keep my fingers crossed! Summary Robert Bastanis managed to build great speakers using only two drivers, and he achieved the sound I loved and couldn't resist, also because they sounded so well with both, 300B SET and a solid-state amplifier. Mr Tomasz created a three-way speakers in a „vintage” open baffle style, that offer even fuller, richer hence better sound than Matterhorns, but on the downside these can't be fully driven by a single 300B tube. Ardento Alter sounded perfectly with Ayon's Triton III, a tube amp delivering up to 60W per channel in triode mode, by a friend of mine drove Alters with a 30W Jadis I-35, and that wattage was absolutely enough, and the speakers sounded great. I did not witness that but I was told that a PSE 300B (so with 3 tubes per channel) drove these speakers with ease, which means that, say, 15W should be enough to get it all these speakers are capable to offer/deliver. That's not an inexpensive product, but I dare to say that comparing to what that amount of money can buy from well-known brands, Ardento Alter are a bargain, because of their performance, but also look. And they can be partnered with both tube amps (I would recommend no less than 15W) and solid-state – the only factor that really matters is how good the amp is. With Modwright's amplification they sounded damn well, which means that any good solid-state will do, so even if you're looking for speakers for s-s amp don't count Ardento out – try first. There are not speakers for anyone – I'm pretty sure that people who like bass-reflex sound might not be delighted with these, but on the other hand maybe you should give Ardento a try? Maybe bass-reflex is not the best solution available? It's a good thing to find out for yourself. One more important thing about reviewed speakers - with Ardento you get remarkable sound a great look. DESIGN Ardento Alter are w three-way open-baffle speakers. The main part of the baffle is made of 28mm HDF finished with black mat color. The side are made of 38mm MDF plates. These are finished with black, „glossy” lacquer, but the final „glossy” effect is achieved via dabbing several layers of lacquer and polishing each of them separately! This design sports three drivers: Fountek NeoPRO 5i ribbon tweeter, Sonido SFR 175 Alnico wide-range driver, and modified Eminence Beta 15" woofer. The drivers are mechanically isolated from each other – they are fixed in a 'soft' way – screws go through front wall freely and are fixed from the back side using rubber washers (in this way the influence of vibrations of one driver doesn't effect the others). The internal cabling is made of mono-crystal silver, that undergoes thermal processing (annealing and cryogenic treatment). Each speakers sport a pair of single WBT speaker bindings - WBT 0703 (with cryogenic treatment). Sonido is the „primary” driver that reproduces most of the frequency range, while the ribbon tweeter and 15" woofer do an auxiliary work, where the Sonido „can't do anymore”. The crossover for Sonido and Fountek is as simple as possible but using high quality passive elements. For bass woofer manufacturer used a circuit „enhancing lowest bass performance”. Technical specification (according to the manufacturer): Frequency response: 35-40.000 Hz Sensitivity: 92dB (for bass), from 0 to over 100dB for the other two drivers (adjustable) Impedance: 4 Ω Dimensions (WxSxD): 51,4 x 128 x 32 cm (depth of the base actually) Weight: 42 kg/pc.

Published: 1. October 2012, No. 101 "Studio Oslo are excellent nearfield monitors. They sport a single widerange driver which allows user to comfortably listen to them from as close as 1 meter range. One can put them on the desk and enjoy all aspects of musical presentation: timbre, spacing, dynamics, rhythm." These are exactly sentences opening a manual for the speakers under review. Everything about them is bit different than it usually is. At the first glimpse – just simple, active, computer speakers like many others available on the market. But after a closer look, after realizing who designed and made them you might want to reconsider, or at least get curious. The Studio Oslo were made by Ancient Audio, which means by Jarek Waszczyszyn – its owner and designer. Everybody who knows the brand knows very well that Ancient Audio manufacture rather expensive, very expensive and extremely expensive CD Players and amplifiers, and occasionally also loudspeakers (in fact at the very beginning of its activity this company manufactured the latter, and CDs and amps came later). I've been using Jarek's (yes, we know each other very well so I'm going to skip „Mr” if you don't mind) CD Players for years - first there was Lektor Prime, and than (still today) I've been using a special V-edition of Lektor AIR. The latter, even though it sits exactly in the middle of AA's players range, is very expensive and so are Ancient Audio's amplifiers. But while expensive all those products offer still a great price/sound quality ratio. Additionally one of the best systems I've ever heard (that belongs to one of Cracow Sonic Society's members) is build around Jarek's CD Player and amplifier (see HERE). And now company offering high-end, expensive products suddenly offers loudspeakers that absolutely don't fit the profile. Why would Jarek need them in his range? When I asked him that he simply told me that he had this idea, because in many recording studios he saw many small monitors sounding really crappy. And he also reminded me that he did it once before, when creating another product „incompatible” with the rest of the range – WING speakers built for John Tu, the owner of Kingston Technology – you can read the whole story HERE). Knowing many designers I realize that they have hundred of ideas for new products and they try to test as many of them as possible. But there are designers and there are designers who are company's owners at the same time and the latter must think ahead trying to estimate if and how particular product would fit into their range, and how they would be perceived by customers, and whether or not it would be possible to manufacture them on larger scale, and last but not least – would anybody really need such product. Surely there are even more questions that have to answer to themselves before starting production. Than there is cost calculation, proper documentation has to be prepared, and than a prototype has to be transformed into a PRODUCT. So there is a long, long way from the idea of a product to a PRODUCT that can be offered to customers. So I'm pretty sure that Jarek had a nice idea, wanted to try it out, but in the same time he must have thought carefully about all those changes that audio market has been undergoing in the last years, and the great role of a computer audio – many people nowadays listens to the music sitting in front of their computers. And that's great - finally!!! I've been planning for at least a year to shake Jarek up a bit to make him realized that audio world had changed and that he would have to adapt, but for whatever reason I actually never have... It turns out I didn't have to – something is going on in Ancient Audio which is great. But I'm still about to ask next questions: "where the hell are D/A converters with Ancient Audio logo on them???", "where are headphone amplifiers???", "where is, promised a long time ago, digital input for Lektor AIR???". Or in short: "where are the products everybody is looking most for, right now???". To be clear, Ancient Audio has already developed most of those products and all it has to do is to implement production. So it seems that the herewith reviewed loudspeakers are the first answer to actual audiophile's demand A.D 2012. Our Ancient Audio reviews so far: AWARD: 2011 Yearly Award for Ancient Audio Lektor AIR V-edition, see HERE TEST: Ancient Audio Lektor AIR V-edition - Compact Disc Player, see HERE AWARD: Yearly Award 2009 for Ancient Audio Silver Grand Mono, see HERE TEST Ancient Audio Silver Grand Mono – power amplifier, see HERE AWARD: Yearly Award 2008 for Ancient Audio Lektor Grand SE, see HERE TEST Ancient Audio Lektor Grand SE - Compact Disc Player, see HERE COVERAGE: Ancient Audio in USA (reprise), see HERE TEST Ancient Audio Lektor V - Compact Disc Player, see HERE AWARD: Yearly Award 2006 for Ancient Audio Lektor Prime, see HERE TEST Ancient Audio Lektor Prime - Compact Disc Player, see HERE COVERAGE: Antwerp – Silver Grand amplifier premiere, see HERE COVERAGE: ANCIENT AUDIO SILVER GRAND – premiere, see HERE COVERAGE: Ancient Audio Harmony loudspeakers, see HERE As we can read at the beginning of the manual the ambitions of Ancient Audio's owner were bigger than just delivering a good sound for desktop users. The speakers he designed were to be also „monitors”, fully capable of reproduction of an original audio signal not only from mp3 files played on a computer but also from digital „master-tapes” played in a recording studio. That's why he called them „near-field monitors” - these were studio monitors that could be used placed very close to the sound engineer - right behind, or even on the console. The point is that one would expect exactly the same from small speakers to be used in a desktop system. To achieve that Jarek decided to use a widerange driver, because he realized that proper integration of more than one driver in an environment when one listens from a very close range, would be very difficult if not impossible. The choice of particular driver was in fact a clou of a whole project. I know that he experimented a lot with different drivers but ultimately for this particular project he chose Dayton Audio RS100-4 – a solid driver with aluminum diaphragm. Obviously these are not the first near-field monitors with wide-range driver – there were some other designs too, and the most famous probably was Fujitsu Ten Eclipse (see HERE). Fujitsu speakers are quite large though and extremely expensive. The goal for Ancient Audio monitors was to make them as small as possible and smooth integration with as many different rooms as possible. If you want to understand these speakers even better you might want to read an article written by the designer himself, see HERE. SOUND Recordings used during review (a selection): A Day at Jazz Spot 'Basie'. Selected by Shoji "Swifty" Sugawara, Stereo Sound Reference Record, SSRR6-7, SACD/CD (2011). Bill Evans & Jim Hall, Intermodulations, Verve/The Verve Music Group, UCCV-9342, CD (1966/2008). Clifford Brown & Max Roach, Brown and Roach, EmArcy/Mercury M.E. [Japan], PHCE-3085, "2496 spectrum Rainbow CD", CD (1954/1998). Depeche Mode, Abroken Frame, Mute Records Limited, DMCD2, Collectors Edition, SACD/CD+DVD (1982/2006). Depeche Mode, Ultra, Mute Records Limited, DMCDX9, CD+DVD (1997/2007). Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Ella and Louis, Verve/Lasting Impression Music, LIM UHD 045, UltraHD CD (1956/2011). Jean Michel Jarre, Magnetic Fields, Dreyfus Disques/Epic/Sony Music, 488138 2, CD (1981/1997). Johann Sebastian Bach, Sonatas&Partitas, skrzypce - Henryk Szeryng, Sony Classical France/Sony Music Japan, SICC 840-1, 2 x CD (1965/2007). Johann Sebastian Bach, Cello Suites, Richard Tunnicliffe, Linn Records, CKD 396, SACD/CD (2012). Józef Skrzek, "Pamiętnik Karoliny", Polskie Nagrania/Metal Mind Productions, MMP CD 0535 DG, CD (1978/2009). King Crimson, In The Court of the Crimson King, Atlantic/Universal Music [Japan], UICE-9051, HDCD (1969/2004). Komeda Quintet, Astigmatic, Polskie Nagrania Muza/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 905, "Polish Jazz Vol. 5", CD (1966/2004). Kraftwerk, Minimum-Maximum, Kling-Klang Produkt/EMI, 3349962, 2 x SACD/CD (2005). Paul McCartney, Kisses On The Bottom, Universal Music LLC [Japan], UCCO-3038, SHM-CD (2012). Portishead, Dummy, Go! Discs Limited/Universal Music [Japan], UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011). Stardelay, A New High Fidelity Tripout, Linn Records, 24/44,1 WAV. The Beatles, Rubber Soul, Parlophone/Apple/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-51116, CD (1965/1998). The Eagles, Hotel California, Asylum Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-11936, CD (1976/2004). Step I – computer's linear output These speakers offer amazing spacing. I know, I know – talking about space with speakers placed just 1 meter apart might seem silly, but believe me – it is not. This spacial effect was quite similar to what I know from headphones – there is only like 15-20cm distance between driver and nobody is complaining. Also in real life most speakers working in studios are placed quite close to each other. But let's leave that for know – all you need to do is to give those speakers a chance and listen to them for yourselves. Just play anything, I started with mono recording of Sony Rollins's Tenor Madness (24/96). Yes, exactly – it was a mono recording that impressed me so much at the very beginning of my listening sessions, as I „saw” a deep, perfectly layered soundstage. And I mean 'perfectly' not just as for "this type of speakers” but simply, objectively „outstanding”. When you listen to certain stereo recordings like for example Stardelay's Orange Park from A New High Fidelity Tripout album (24/44,1, available from Linn Records) this amazing spacing effect is even more distinct, more intense. To be honest the simpler recording techniques the better final effect as proven by Charlie Haden's and Antonio Forcione's Heartplay (Naim 24/96). The width of the soundstage isn't bigger than distance between left and right speaker, but depth is really impressive. Whatever is happening in the front (as it was recorded) is presented on the line between speakers, so by moving speakers closer to your listening place (or moving them further away) you might decide how close this first plane would actually be from you. The closer you'll move the speakers to you the deeper soundstage will be. OK, but the most important question considering the small size of these speakers, use of widerange single drivers, and knowing that these come from a very reputable manufacturer, the most important question must be: „how these speakers sound like”? The answer that comes to mind immediately is „unbelievably well". Mostly because of that wonderful, so precisely defined, huge space. That's what catches attention first of all. When you finally get used to it you'll start noticing another thing - coherence. A single driver mean no crossover, no phase shifts between drivers. It also means not so wide frequency response. But in this particular case when we deal with so small speakers that are used so close to our ears, limitation of frequency range can not be perceive as a real weakness. What's left is coherence. And it's outstanding. I already mentioned Rollins, now have to add Keith Jarrett's Koeln Concert (24/96), Peter Gabriel's Scratch My Back (24/96) or hi-res version of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon (24/96) – all these recording (and in fact also all the other I listened to), so different, with different leading instruments (piano, vocal, guitar and drums), sounded absolutely even, coherent. But ultimately these are small monitors, to be placed on a desk or table, with mini-drivers, in a tiny enclosure. So they must have their obvious limitations. For example there is no bass, which should be obvious. There is no way around laws of physics (at least for now). Yes, the outstanding coherence throughout the whole range result in higher harmonics suggesting lower bass, except it is not really there. You might be under impression that everything is there, but you need to realize that this is only a psychoacoustic effect – the higher harmonics, when properly reproduced, create some kind of „virtual” bass, and by that I understand that they make our brain „reconstruct” bass notes basing on information delivered by signal and patterns „build into” the brain. That's what's happening here. But it doesn't change the fact that there is only very little bass here. It might be obvious if we take a closer look to the size of phantom images – there are pretty small. They are defined by the distance between speakers but also by the existence/volume of bass, especially the upper one. Here it is done quite well, better than by mo son's speakers, but it is still not the level that we know from more „conventional” monitors. You can do something about it by increasing distance between speakers or by adding a subwoofer to the equation. Step II – computer's USB output + D/A Hegel HD2 The change from computer's linear output to DAC's output is pretty easy as all input of those active monitors are active all the time. So all you have to do is to change output in a software you use to play music. I started the comparison with Ryuichi Sakamoto & David Sylvian duet's World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed) piece, included in Sylvian's Sleepwalkers album. The difference was quite clear and it defined the way I perceived those speakers. I found their resolution impressive, surprisingly impressive. The selectivity they offer is very good, but it is the resolution (meaning ability to differentiate several elements connected with timbre, dynamics, texture and so on) is truly impressive. Sound delivered by Hegel was bit „lighter” than one delivered by linear output of my computer. When I switched to DAC it became clear that the lower (audible) notes before were, in comparison, not so pure, clear. One might think that such a small speakers could not be able to show that, as they could never create enough air pressure, but against all odd, they do show that. The resolution also improves and thus upper frequencies become sweeter, softer, more spacial. Sound is even less „attached” to speakers, and sound gets closer to the listener. The change is clear, easy to realize, it's like some kind of nervousness that before we did not realize existed, now is gone. Just to be perfectly clear – these are still tiny speakers so they can't deliver large volume of sound. Sound seemed to come directly from my laptop's screen – and it seems to be an idea of their designer. When playing a recording with a lot of uncompressed bass (like Haden's bass), these small speakers sometimes are not capable to deliver large peaks of dynamics. But if bass was compressed like in Katarzyna Nosowska'sKto? (16/44,1), Floyd's or Depeche Mode's recordings (24/44,1) speakers did just fine. Even if it's a bit surprising, there is some logic behind it. Step III – linear output of a HiFiMAN HM-801 player Finally I got back to linear output but this time of a portable audio player. I've been using HiFiMAN's player for quite some time now, as this is the best portable player I know. It's large, not very user-friendly, but it offers remarkable sound. The Manufacturer already works on its new version - HM-901, but it is not available yet. I started this session with Dream Theater's On The Back Of Angels (24/44,1). The presentation was large in scale, with very good selectivity and dynamics. Everything seemed bigger and closer than when played from a computer either via linear output or via Hegel DAC. Presentation was very dynamic, energetic. I can't say that speakers „disappeared” from the room as there was this coloration of mid-bass, that was slightly homogeneous and bit „box-like”, which was a result of „collaboration” between speakers and the desk they were put on. Using some sort of rigid stands for the speakers improved that aspect significantly while at the same time totally ruined the look of the system and its style... With both Dream Theater and Yello from Pocket Universe the space was huge, rich, continuous. And that's probably w reason why one could, or actually should buy these speakers for his computer (or some other system). I've never heard something like that from desktop speakers and I have never expected something like that would even be possible. And since resolution is outstanding, differentiation surprisingly good, this remarkable spacing is a bonus, and at the same time it's something that most of our audiophile friends simply can only dream about even with their „serious” systems. Summary When I found out about these Ancient Audio speakers I was truly surprised, as they did not fit the profile of that manufacturer, know from high-end products. After this review I think I finally understand why Jarek designed these loudspeakers – visiting many studios, listening to desktop audiophile's systems he simply couldn't stand what he heard. Plus he can make some money of them – man has to live, right? Studio Oslo monitors can't replace large studio monitors – it would be silly to think that. But I've never heard so good computer/desktop speakers before. What's more – I dare to say that apart from bass extension, Ancient Audio speakers outperform famous Yamaha monitors (those with white diaphragms) which in comparison seem very colored, and their resolution is poor. In comparison to Studio Oslo they sound like some broken radio. The problem is that most sound engineers already got used to those distortions and stopped noticing them. But that’s not my problem anymore. Jarek's speakers are a great tool if you run a small studio, and they would also complement nicely desktop system. These are beautiful speakers for two reasons – first of all its their design, secondly it's an amazing, remarkable sound especially when you consider that they are very cheap for studio monitors and quite expensive for computer speakers. I can't really see any competition for them, unless we take much larger monitors into consideration. "Drama", speed, attack, resolution, liquidity – all those are very strong advantages of Studio Oslo. You can use them in many different ways – apart for systems I described in this review, I used them also with my favorite radio - Tivoli Audio Model One. The latter has only one own speaker but in fact that a tuner with nice stereo, linear output. Combined with tested speakers it sounded great! Plus the design of this small radio fitted speakers design really well. So if you own any Tivoli and think about adding some speaker to it – Studio Oslo is the best possible choice! Test methodology This is product quite different than anything we usually test for "High Fidelity". It doesn't mean it is worse, or better, but that it belongs to a group of quite „untypical” audio products. The Ancient Audio Studio Oslo monitors were tested in four places: working with laptop, that I work on, placed on solid table, working with desktop computer, placed on a desk, and on stands connected to a variable output of Ancient Audio Lektor AIR V-edition CD Player, and last but not least connected to linear output of Tivoli Audio Model One radio. When working with computers, speakers were connecter either to linear audio outputs (integrated in soundcards) or via external D/A converter with USB input - Hegel HD2. I also tried separately a portable player HiFiMAN HM-801. I used 2xRCA/mini-jack iChord cable to connect speakers with computers and portable player. Testing was a A-B comparison with A and B known. Musical samples were 2 minutes long. I listened to whole albums as well. My reference speakers were Harbeth M40.1 (in main system) and desktop speakers Tangent EVO E4 (with computer). DESIGN Ancient Audio Oslo Monitor are a one-way active speakers designed to work in computer-based systems – in small recording, mastering, mixing studios based on a computer. The cabinets are truly tiny – even when put on a side it can be easily covered with a copy of the „Stereophile" and there is still a lot of space left underneath it. The cabinet is made of MDF, and enforced inside with a horizontally placed bar. They are finished with a beautiful, natural veneer, but also a „high-gloss” finish is available. The front and back panels are tilted, and a front is very narrow. They sport a single, nice looking Dayton Audio RS100-4 widerange driver. It features a 3" cone is made of black, anodized aluminum, a heavy-duty 6-hole cast frame and a large magnet. There is a phase plug in the middle of a diaphragm, and the rubber suspension. Driver works in a small cabinet with hardly any damping and a bass-reflex with a port in lower part of its rear. Distance from a base is kept with a small, painted black, wooden block in the front, and a metal spike in the back. A practical advice – you need to put some nonslippery rubber under this wooden block, otherwise each time you touch a speaker it will move. I think also that a separate metal spike and a feet underneath it is an overkill – one piece solution should be more practical, and then I would also place some nonslippery rubber under this feet. As already mentioned, these are active speakers. The amplifier for both speakers, and also inputs are installed in one of the speakers, the one with volume control pot on a front. Whole electronic circuit is mounted on two PCBs bolted to an aluminum plate. The latter is placed inside cabinet on back panel. Electronic circuit comprises of two modules – input and power amp. The XLR inputs deserved a separate PCB (in any studio signal is usually transferred in a balanced form) that includes also a de-balancer as the amplifier is not a balanced one. Amplifier is based on a single Philips TDA8566Q chip. It is capable of delivering up to 30 W (AB class). It is cooled by a back panel and a radiator attached to it. The circuit is quite simple and obviously high quality passive elements were used. Part of a circuit (input I think) is hidden under some black, rubber-like material. I guess it is supposed to cover some proprietary Ancient Audio solutions and most likely also to damp vibrations. It is probably the part described by the designer as "Analogue Signal Processor". As his text (mentioned at the beginning of this one) explains, this circuit's job is to minimize driver's resonances. Because this speaker can deliver quite impressive dynamics. There is also another example of vibration damping – connections for RCA inputs on PCB are covered with transparent silicone. Signal from one speaker to the other is send via long RCA cable that looks like taken from some desk lamp – I wouldn't be surprised at all if that was in fact where this cable came from... Speakers sport more than one inputs – linear RCA input, (1 V rms), intended for connecting a CD Player, a pair of XLR inputs (also 1 V rms), and another pair of RCA input (this time 0,5 V rms), intended for connection of some mobile devices like phones, computer outputs and so on. All inputs are active. The is also a single output that might deliver a mono signal for a subwoofer. Additionally there is a tonal control – with two knobs placed on the rear of a speaker you can adjust bass and treble, which in fact I did lowering treble a bit and adding some bass. The whole circuit is powered with external power supply that looks like taken from a laptop – that means that DIY guys could surely come up with some upgrade of this PS. These speakers look great and sound amazingly well. What I lack are descriptions on rear panel. These were placed on a small plate attached to the bottom of one speaker, and in manual, but it's not very helpful if you need some information quickly. I guess that such cut backs were forced by „budget” considerations – these speakers don't come cheap, and all those small things, detail would made them even more expensive.

Published: 1. October 2012, No. 101 That meeting was supposed to be different. Maybe not totally different but special. The plan of course was to meet and listen to music, have some conversation and friendly discussion over good wine, but this time I also wanted to celebrate the 100th edition of “High Fidelity” magazine. Krakow Sonic Society is in fact its integral part; it is the magazine’s “social emanation” and its “human face.” It arose from the need to investigate certain things in a group of people, to examine audio components which I could obviously test myself, but which sometimes require more than a single opinion; instead of a collective “wow” they require a variety of opinions and different points of view. As I wrote in my editorial to the 100th edition of HF (see HERE), initially our meetings at Janusz’s, because it was his audio system that started it off, were informal and were an extension of so called Audioszołki (“Small audio shows”) whose publication in “Audio” magazine had just ended. It all worked out well in the end, but initially no one had any idea it would be so. After our first few meetings and listening sessions I decided to systematize them somehow, to put them in some kind of a frame, and so was born the idea of a “Society”, based on Western (mainly the U.S. and Britain) organizations of this kind. They usually bring together fans of music presented in the best possible quality, paying attention to every aspect of the music reproduction process, with particular emphasis on audio components, media and accessories. That was the beginning of 'Krakow' (for “High Fidelity” is located in Krakow) ‘Sonic’ (concerning all aspects of sound) 'Society' (it could as well be called a 'group', 'club', 'association' or something like that). We meet at one of the three houses of our members – since "always" at Janusz’s, since a couple of years at Rysiek S., and more recently also at Tomek’s. We also met a few times at Marcin’s. There was also an away meeting (see HERE). It was not supposed to be like that. The initial plan was that the meetings will be held in a larger room, perhaps an audio salon listening room, and will be open to all. But, as often happens, life got in the way of our plans. First of all, we could not agree on a meeting place without causing controversy in the so-called “audio business” – the level of animosity (not to say hatred or envy), the temperature of the conflicts between different audio salons, distributors, etc., the questions "why at HIS?!" or " Why THERE?!" heard over and over again resulted in our decision to meet at our houses, friendly places where we could focus on what is most important to us – the sound. And it seems that it will stay that way. The obvious downside of that solution was a drastic reduction in the number of participants. It depended on the room capacity and the owner’s tolerance (or his wife’s, which was the same thing anyway). A smaller number of participants meant less diversity of opinions and it largely excluded so called “fresh blood”. However, over time it turned out that these drawbacks could be turned into advantages. Gradually, a group of people was formed who were accustomed to the rigors of auditioning (this is very important!) and to its methodology, a group of people with good or very good audio equipment at home, people knowing and liking music and – perhaps most importantly – liking each other. I could always count on them, at any time, knowing that if I say that we are meeting in two days at this or that house, for we have a special guest or we have a certain audio product just for a short while, they would all come, without a murmur. Meeting topic And so after eight years there came the 85th KSS meeting which coincided with the 100th edition of HF. I decided it was high time to honor my friends somehow. Before we started our listening session I handed them special certificates attesting to their membership in the Society and small memorabilia, including photos from different events. Special Associate Member Certificates are waiting for our guests from abroad who came to visit us in the past. In order to keep us focused on listening I also prepared two products for auditioning: the Acoustic Revive RAF-48 anti-vibration platform and First Impression Music Ultra HD CDs. Since they are perhaps not particularly special in themselves, in order to raise the bar I prepared a comparative listening test. In the first part of the meeting we focused our attention not on the platform as such, but on its new version, with the top shelf made of hickory wood instead of Finnish birch. Its frame is now also made of hickory. As it turns out, the new platform boasts improved shelf leveling and faster inflation time. The top shelf is not made of plywood but small wooden planks glued together. The test was not meant to confirm that the platform "works", because that is clear to us (most of us use them; some of us have two or three of them), but rather to find out how the sound changes with the new type of wood from which the shelf is made. Testing system: ∙ CD player: Ancient Audio Lektor Grand SE, see HERE ∙ Power amplifier: Ancient Audio Silver Grand Mono, see HERE and HERE ∙ Speakers: Sonus faber Electa Amator (I), see HERE ∙ Interconnects: Acrolink Mexcel 7N-DA6300, see HERE ∙ Speaker cable: Tara Labs Omega, see HERE ∙ Power cord: Acrolink 7N-PC9100, see HERE ∙ Mains conditioner: Ancient Audio First generator ∙ Accessories: Acoustic Revive, see HERE and HERE The second part of the meeting was devoted to something equally cool – comparing two versions of the same CD from Mr. Winston Ma, on his record label First Impression Music, issued under its sub-label Lasting Impression Music. Mr. Winston Ma issues his latest album in the U.S., and prepares them with UltraHD technology, using a 32-bit mastering. You may remember that FIM is a company focusing on advances in mastering and pressing of CDs. Through his personal contacts, Mr. Ma was often the first to implement such techniques as XRCD, XRCD2, XRCD24, K2HD and others – and now UltraHD. His favourite, I think, is XRCD (eXtended Resolution Compact Disc), which manages through appropriate techniques to achieve an equivalent of 20-bit resolution on regular CD, without any additional decoders. One of the iron rules of XRCD pressings in each of its three variants was that we only get 2000 copies of any CD. The reason for that is that they limited the number of glass masters used to press the CDs and the number of CDs pressed with one master. Normally one glass master is used to press a dozen thousand CDs, despite the fact that the master wears out resulting in the less regular pits and lands on CDs. No big deal, apparently, since any CD player will play such CDs. However, it appears that these CDs rely heavily on error correction system and that always results in an increase of jitter. You can easily hear it as sound deterioration, regardless of what so called "objectivists" say, claiming that "a bit is a bit". These observations of how CD pressing techniques impact the sound was quickly recognized by companies other than JVC, which holds the patent on XRCD. I'm talking of course about SHM-CD (Super High Material CD), the idea of JVC and Universal Music Company and HQCD (HiQuality CD) from Toshiba-EMI, being a response to SHM-CD. The last, for now, manufacturer to join this exclusive "club" is Sony Music Japan with its Blu-Spec CD, meaning CDs pressed on Blu-ray pressing machines. All of these CD variants (because they are not "formats") I described in February 2009, in my editorial Compact Disc alive forever? (see HERE), and in May of the same year there was a Krakow Sonic Society meeting (# 64, see HERE), during which we compared regular CD editions with SHM-CD, HQCD and Blu-spec CD versions. Let me remind you that the conclusion of both of these texts was not clear, i.e. we did not rush to exchange our CD collections, nor did we cry over the quality of the older technology. Most new recordings sounded better, but not all, and the changes were not consistent, in that it was not quite possible to pinpoint what it is exactly that the new technology brings. Since then, however, much has changed. Now, without a hint of hesitation I point to Blu-spec CD as bringing the greatest improvement, followed by SHM-CD, and finally HQCD. Each one of them is a big step forward. Why did we not recognize it right away? I'm not sure; I can only speculate. I think it was probably due to musical material preparation, that it needed some further development. They were only first attempts, first released titles and I think the owners of patents did not yet quite know what they could do with them. But let’s get back to XRCD. As I said, one of the basic assumptions of this method of master preparation and CD pressing was strictly limited number of copies made of one glass master. But what would happen if they used it to press more copies? Would they really differ from those pressed earlier? This question can be answered indirectly. Mr. Winston Ma offers his CDs in two versions - the classic version and the "First 2000 pressings!" with a metal plaque on the CD cover and a suitable inscription. For our listening test we used G.F. Handel’s Messiah performed by Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Anders Öhrwall, originally released by Proprius, and now by Lasting Impression Music (regular version - LIM UHD 029, limited edition - LIM UHD 029 LE). SOUND: Acoustic Revive RAF-48 vs. Acoustic Revive RAF-48H Listening test had a character of A-B/B-A comparison, with the A and B known. First (A) was the original platform, sitting under Janusz’s CD transport (he has another one under his monoblocks but we focused on the CD transport). We then changed it for the new version (B) and in the end we came back to the original one. I collected all our comments after the listening session. CDs used during listening test: Eric Burdon, Eric Burdon Declares War, Navarre Collection, ASR 10604-2, gold-CD. Herb, Al, Zoot, Serge, The Four Brothers .... Together Again!, RCA/BMG Japan, BVCJ-37347, K2 CD. Kraftwerk, Minimum-Maximum, EMI, 334 996 2, 2 x SACD/CD. Modern Talking, The Collection, Sony Music, 5439142, Limited Edition, No. 0420, K2HD CD. Peggy Lee, Black Coffee, Decca/Verve/Universal Music Japan, UCCU-9631, SHM-CD. Peggy Lee, Mink Jazz, Toshiba-EMI, TOCJ-9327, CD. This Mortail Coil, Filigree & Shadow, 4AD, CAD 3X05 CDJ, HDCD. A-B comparison Janusz The Kraftwerk album seems to me to sound better on the new platform. But the tonal balance was slightly raised – it was higher, brighter, more flashy. Everything was different, rather than better or worse. But - after all, we can all hear it - the change is quite substantial; the new platform makes other changes in the sound than the older version. But I would have to live with it for a little longer before I could decide if I change something. Mirek I am quite skeptical about all those platforms. To be honest, I've never heard any changes at home. Today, unfortunately, I cannot say anything so far because I'm still impressed with my Certificate ... Tomek The older version, with the shelf of Finnish birch proved to be, in my opinion, worse – apart from the final track. There it seemed to better fit the track character. The new platform adds expression, explicitness to the sound. At first glance, these things always seem to be better - but I would need to spend more time with it to see whether it would not bother me in longer listening. Rysiek S. The new platform is simply better with more rhythmic repertoire. It better shows the rhythm, better emphasizes dynamics changes; is "livelier". I was a little worried how it would affect tonality, but it was good. The new presentation lost only once, with Peggy Lee’s album Black Coffee. There, the vocal lost some depth on the new platform, its multidimensional presentation was a little poorer. I think it was the only weak point of the new platform. Generally, I'm for it. And, answering the question asked at the beginning, of course, the differences are clear, large and repeatable. They were shown surprisingly well on the Modern Talking album. Jarek It is the first time I was sent to the corner during listening (though I did not do anything...). From this perspective, I hear everything a little different than usual. But I will say straight up that although I'm a skeptic, an engineer through and through, I cannot but admit that the differences are clear and they show particularly well with different repertoire. With electronic music the change on the new platform is definitely positive. And I'm sensitive to this because recently tuning the new Wings (Ancient Audio Wing (New) speakers - ed.) I tortured them for a long time with different electronic music. The new platform made the sound more open, it had better dynamics and wider soundstage. However, in my opinion the older platform works better with vocals. Rysiek B. I have a clear-cut verdict - in my opinion, you did not pay attention to treble on the older platform. It was drier and less differentiated. On the new platform treble was simply better and stronger. Maybe that is why Janusz thought that the tonal balance was raised. For me the new platform is simply better. B-A comparison Mirek I will repeat what I said earlier - I'm as skeptical about all such inventions. This time it seemed to me, however, that in the second comparison, i.e. coming from the new to the old platform, the differences between them were better visible. And, I have to admit, they are there. It was clearly audible with Eric Burdon’s album that sounded better on the new platform - the vocal was more natural, more powerful and deeper. The same with vocals from This Mortail Coil album - and it somewhat contradicts what you said before about the vocals. Maybe we just got used to the change and we see both platforms in the same light, as something familiar? On the old platform all recordings miss some drama. Tomek The four saxophonists, the recording that we all know by heart, sounded dramatically worse after returning to the old platform. Really, the difference between them didn’t seem so clear before. Unless Srajan Ebaen is right and we should not drink wine while listening... But I prefer my version - wine or not, it is clear now that the new platform is better. For me, the old one is an "evil darkness." I say 3 times “NO” to the old one. Rysiek S. I confirm - Burdon sounds much better on the new one. Better rhythm, dynamics, more sound between the speakers. The saxophonists - I am not quite convinced, I'm not sure which sounded better. It was certainly different. Slower tracks this time sounded much better than when going from the old to the new. Rysiek B. As for me, the saxophonists sounded better on the old one. There was fullness and differentiated details. Burdon - here I have no doubt that it sounded better on the new one. Bass was definitely better. The Hammond organ and vocals, for me, were better shown on the old platform. This Mortail Coil - it seems to me that on the old one I had a larger, more expansive soundstage. For me personally, the RAF-48H is the first product from Acoustic Revive, and I have heard almost all of them, that is not a step forward, and maybe even a step back. Jarek Well, Ryszard, as usual, has a dissenting opinion ... But it's good, very good. I was struck, even though I'm sitting in the corner, by better spatiality of music on the new platform. The saxophones for me had better resolution, better differentiation. This Mortail Coil - on the new platform it could be heard, how the album had been recorded. I know that the listener wants music, not engineering, but for me 'beautiful' means 'true', and I had a much truer sound with the new platform. This of course is a matter of aesthetics, taste, but I find the new one more convincing. I think that every new thing from Acoustic Revive is better - I really do not know how they do it ... Janusz We must accept some common platform - ultimately it is what we like that matters. We have no way of checking, how a particular track should REALLY sound. We come to this in small steps by comparisons and choices. Compared to the previous listening when I would say that the old platform won 3 to 1, now I have mixed feelings, and I'm not sure that the old platform has an edge. Rhythm, pulse – they are better on the new one. Organicity - half and half. I find it hard to choose. If I were to decide to swap one for the other I’d say NO. But if I were to buy one of them for myself and I didn’t have either, I would buy the new one. Conclusion In the beginning I asked all the listeners a fundamental question: "Can you hear any difference?" I asked it a little out of duty, because the differences were there and they were large. However, as evidenced by the statements of the participants (for the sake of argument somewhat abbreviated) the differences have been confirmed, but at the same time, it turned out that not every change must be necessarily for the better. We all agreed on the fact that the RAF-48H version, made of Hickory wood, is much more showy, striking. It has more powerful bass and deeper midrange. Janusz mentioned raised tonal balance, but I think it was just the opposite, i.e. the balance went down. The feeling of stronger treble came from the fact that there was much more information, more of it was clear. That's why every track with stronger rhythm as the base, even the already mentioned Modern Talking (I brought that album for fun, to let off some seriousness, but its presence was validated by the fact that it’s released by Sony as a K2HD disc!) sounded cooler, stronger, more similar to the live sound. The strong point of the older platforms is the way it shows vocals. Since both bass and treble are a little weaker with it, a bit smaller than with the Hickory version, midrange comes more to the front – a well-known thing. That’s why the participants pointed to Peggy Lee’s album as the one that demonstrates the advantages of the "normal" version of the platform. But the longer we listened to the new one, the more we appreciated it, which could be seen in the comments after returning from the Hickory to the ordinary version. SOUND - Georg Friedrich Händel Messiah, Lasting Impression Music; "regular" version vs. Limited Edition version This part of audition had the character of A-B-A comparison, but with A and B unknown. Hence, it was a blind listening test. The listeners were informed that they’re listening to the "left" or "right" CD. No one, including myself, knew which one is the "regular" and which is the limited edition version. The appropriate stamp is only on the cover; the discs look identical. Janusz My first, colossal impression: the right meant depth, better space. Beautiful vocals. The left was brighter, background noise was better heard. It’s amazing how these two versions differ from each other. I hear the same changes every time you change the CD – it’s really incredible! But when we came back again to the right, I liked it, too... If I had to choose, I’d go for the left. Rysiek S. The left sounded loudly, noisily, with "empty" space. The right was much better weighted down. After coming back to the left I could even better appreciate the sound production on the right; I could hear singer’s throat vibration. If I had to choose, I’d be going with the right. Mirek There is nothing to say – the right sounded much better. Cleaner and with more different sound components; it was more vivid. The third test came out worst for the left, i.e. after returning from the right to the left version. The right - by far the better one. Rysiek B. I can hear the differences, which to me is a little strange. I like the right one much better - more space, freedom, just more going on. I have no doubts - the right wins. Jarek The differences are indeed quite pronounced. The right had better acoustics, more vividness. In certain registers, vocals on the left seemed terribly noisy, almost unpleasant. Conclusion The differences between the two versions of the same disc boiled down to one single thing: only one of them was pressed with a new, relatively little used glass master. The difference in sound was just incredible. The left CD sounded bright, light and flat. The right one showed vividness, much better vocals presentation. Interestingly, for a moment you could think that the left side version has better resolution, because it had more tape noise (the material was recorded on the Nagra IV-S analog reel-to-reel tape recorder) and large room background noise. It seems, however, that it happened only because the instruments and especially vocals were flat and withdrawn. The right side version showed them much fuller, slightly masking the noise. Not that it was not there; of course, its level was similar, but we heard it differently. The most surprising thing was not HOW these versions differ, but that they differ AT ALL. All characteristics of the sound named by the listeners coincide with what is normally associated with XRCDs - perhaps things like special limited editions, proper care of the master quality, are not the result of oversensitivity of some audio freaks, but a real problem. After all, we listened to both CDs on one of the top transport mechanisms, the Philips CD-Pro2 LH, with outstanding error correction. Yet, the differences were very clear. The left CD was the "regular" edition (LIM UHD 029), and the right one – the Limited Edition (LIM UHD 029 LE). Information about manufacturers: ACOUSTIC REVIVE Contact: Yoshi Hontani 3016-1 Tsunatori-machi, Isesaki-shi Gunma Pref. 372-0812 | Japan tel.: +81-270-24-0878 | fax: +81-270-21-1963 e-mail: e-hontani@musonpro.com Website: Acoustic Revive Country of origin: Japonia FIRST IMPRESSION MUSIC Contact: Winston Ma 17530 Ne Union Hill Rd # 150 | Redmond, WA 98052-3387 | USA tel.: (425) 883-3330 e-mail: support@fimpression.com Website: www.firstimpressionmusic.com Country of origin: USA

Published: 1. November 2012, No. 102 It would seem that audio components are inanimate objects, dead by definition. We, audiophiles, naturally anthropomorphize them giving them human traits for we are attached to them both emotionally and – well – financially. However, that doesn’t change what I just wrote: components are dead. Period. Yet it’s also true that despite their objective deadness some components set off a reaction in US which makes them less dead; they become a little more “alive”. Then we do something that we wouldn’t think to do with another product and even if we did it would be rather figured out than “received”. That was exactly what happened with a tiny thing that one day arrived at my house from Italy. LYM 1.0T PHONO integrated amplifier to which I refer manufactured by Italian Lysis-May SRL is more or less half the size of a school notebook. One can put an XRCD disc on it and although the map will slightly sticking out on one end the other end will be conceal deep in the shadow. Still, however, we deal with an integrated amplifier additionally equipped with a phono stage! As one can easily guess the baby must operate in class D to work at all without overheating and to deliver – as declared by the manufacturer – 2 x 17 W into 4 Ω and 2 x 10 W into 8 Ω. Amplifiers working in that class are based on one of a few of modules from well-known manufacturers. This time it is no different. The Lym 1.0T is built on TA2024C from Tripath, the author of a patent for “Class T” being a variant of class D. The amplifier is one of the two models currently offered by LYM, or to be more precise one of the two versions of the same model. Mr. Matteo Malguzzi, head of the company, explains it thus: Dear Mr. Wojciech Pacula, I hope you are enjoy listening music come out from our little amp. I write to inform you that the updates made on the model (LYM 1.0T PHONO new coils, new response curves, more power) are available just for this model. Anyway customers will be able to request these updates for the LINE version at a cost of 30 euros (ampli 230 + power supply 30 + upgrades 30= 290). Thanks again for your precious time you give us. Best regards Matteo Malguzzi LYM AUDIO” And it was the amp that inspired me to something we don’t often do but that was self-evident at that moment, as if the LYM 1.0T PHONO set off something in me, as if it said something to me… I received a clear impulse: to set up an audio system around the amplifier. I had two inputs at my disposal, a line input and a MM phono input. You may or may not believe me but nearly at the same moment came to my mind both accompanying components I had no doubts would sound perfect with the LYM. First of them was the rLINK converter, a completely new model from Arcam. I knew it would be OK as I’d recently reviewed for “Audio” its little brother from the same “litter”, so to speak, the rPACK converter with USB input. The rLINK has two S/PDIF digital inputs – TOSLINK and RCA. Both accept signal up to 24-bit 192 kHz. The unit is housed in a small, very solid and simply lovely die-cast aluminum enclosure. There’s only one LED on the top panel, lighting in different colors to indicate the status of the device. The DAC is powered by a walwart power supply. The choice of turntable was also immediately clear to me although in this case I took advantage of the fact that it was almost next door at Eter Audio, Music Hall’s distributor. That’s where I fetched the Music Hall mmf-2.2 from, equipped with a Tracker cartridge custom manufactured by Goldring for Roy Hall. I already knew the turntable as I’d reviewed it for "Audio". I plugged the DAC into the line input and the turntable into the phono input. I deliberately did not choose speakers for that system. That’s a part entirely dependent on customer’s room size, music taste, aesthetics, etc. At the end of the review, however, I will give a few clues that are worth noting. Testing methodology The components played only with each other, I compared them as a whole (system) against my reference system in which the DAC equivalent was Ancient Audio Lektor Air V-edition CD player, the amp equivalent was the combination of the Ayon Audio Polaris III [Custom Version] preamplifier and the Soulution 710 power amplifier while the turntable equivalent was the Xtension 10 turntable from Pro-Ject I was just reviewing for “Audio”. The DAC was coupled to a number of sources. First of all to the Philips CD-Pro2 LF drive in the Ancient but also to the Blu-ray drive in Cambridge Audio Azur 751BD (see HERE). The Cambridge player also worked as media player, fed via Ethernet from a small Synology NAS and from flash memory sticks. I used speaker cables and analog interconnects from Acoustic Revive (solid core) and a new digital cable from Ear Stream. SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: CDs and SACDs A Day at Jazz Spot 'Basie'. Selected by Shoji "Swifty" Sugawara, Stereo Sound Reference Record, SSRR6-7, SACD/CD (2011). Carol Sloane, Little Girl Blue, Sinatra Society of Japan, XQAM-1036, HQCD (2010). Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Jean-Michel Jarre, Magnetic Fields, Dreyfus Disques/Epic, EPC 488138 2, CD (1981/1997). Komeda Quintet, Astigmatic, Polskie Nagrania Muza/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 905, "Polish Jazz Vol. 5", CD (1966/2004). Kraftwerk, Minimum-Maximum, Kling-Klang Produkt/EMI, 3349962, 2 x SACD/CD (2005). Portishead, Dummy, Go! Discs Limited/Universal Music [Japan], UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011). Sting, Sacred Love, A&M Records, 9860618, Limited Edition, SACD/CD (2003). Sting, Songs From The Labyrinth, Deutsche Grammophon, 170 3139, CD (2006). Sting, The dream of the blue turtles, A&M Records/Mobile Fidelity, UDCD 528, gold-CD (1985/1990). The Beatles, Rubber Soul, Parlophone/Apple/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-51116, CD (1965/1998). Thom Yorke, The Eraser, XL/Warner Music Japan, WPCB-100001, CD (2006/2007). Vangelis, Spiral, RCA/BMG Japan, 176 63561, K2, SHM-CD (1977/2008). Yo-Yo MA & Bobby McFerrin, Hush, Sony Music/Sony Music Hong Kong Ltd., 543282, No. 0441, K2HD Mastering, CD (1992/2012). Audio files David Sylvian, World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed) + Angels [z:] David Sylvian, Sleepwalkers, P-Vine Records, PVCP-8790, WAV, rip z CD. Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Kankawa, Dear Myself [z:] Kankawa, Organist, T-TOC Records, UMVD-0001-0004, Ultimate Master Vinyl, 24/192 WAV; review HERE. Keith Jarrett, January 24 1975. Part I [z:] Keith Jarrett, Köln Concert, WAV 24/96, HDTracks.. Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook, Searching [z:] Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook, Sleeps With The Fishes, 4AD, GAD 710 CD, WAV, rip z CD. Sonny Rollins Tenor Madness [z:] Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, WAV 24/96, HDTracks.. Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) [z:] Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto, WAV 24/96, HDTracks. The Alan Parsons Project, Sirius + Eye In The Sky [z:] The Alan Parsons Project, Eye In The Sky, WAV 24/192, rip z DVD-A. Vinyl LPs AC/DC, If You Want A Blood, Atlantic, ATL 50 532, LP (1978). Brendan Perry, Ark, Cooking Vinyl/Vinyl 180, VIN180LP040, 2 x 180 g LP (2011). Budka Suflera, Cień wielkiej góry, Live 2011 + studio 1975 (box), Polskie Nagrania Muza/Budka Suflera Productions, BSP 05-2011, 2 x 180 g LP + 2 x CD; review HERE. Komeda Quintet, Astigmatic, Polskie Nagrania Muza/Polskie Nagrania, XL 0298, "Polish Jazz Vol. 5", LP (1966/2007). Kraftwerk, Autobahn, King Klang Produkt/EMI, STUMM 303, Digital Master, 180 g LP (1974/2009); review HERE. Mel Tormé, Oh, You Beautiful Doll, The Trumpets of Jericho, Silver Line, 904333-980, 180 g LP (2000). Japanese editions available from The amplifier is amazing in every way. The fact that it’s small and inexpensive is but a surprise we get quickly used to. The real revelation is its sound. If I hadn’t seen what I saw nor had I known what I knew I’d think I was listening to a not particularly powerful yet quite expensive tube amp. It was only when I heard the amp go into clipping different for solid state than tube that showed me the employed technology. Still, however, trying to guess the price would be much harder. The amplifier presents us with full, large sound with excellent dynamics. That’s not some chirp-chirp but well-developed, muscular presentation with excellent bass foundation. Knowing LYM’s power output and price level its low extension is simply shocking. It was not deterred by nearly infrasonic drums from the new Dead Can Dance album Anastasis or low electronic rumble from Jean-Michel Jarre and Vangelis. The former album is very little compressed and the drum beat on track no. 2 regularly overloaded the amplifier, indicated by a flashing orange LED on the faceplate. However, since we are not too sensitive to low-frequency distortion and because that just happens to be the frequency band in which even the best speakers show greatest distortion that didn’t really bother me. The sound was very low, powerful and yet very – as I said, a result of psychoacoustics – clean. Albums by Jarre (Magnetic Fields) and Vangelis (Spiral) were much easier since here bass is shallower and more compressed. Hence, it was possible to play them louder. All three albums proved it to be effortless presentation, without compression, which is amazing for an amplifier with such comparatively low nominal power and virtually no overload margin. The other frequency extreme was basically a mirror of the low end – treble was well extended, clean and simply attractive. Amplifiers operating in class D almost always – with a few exceptions – tend to have rather limited bandwidth. That’s the result of the employed technology and an interaction of the output stage and speaker cables forming a part of the low-pass reconstruction filter at the output. Here that limitation has somehow been minimized. I’m not saying it’s been fully eliminated but it was not particularly audible. Only on recordings with higher sampling rates than the CD, like 96 and 192 kHz, it could be perceived as a slight closing of the spectrum, somewhat less defined acoustics and less air. But even they sounded very good and the CD sounded perfect. I began my review from describing color, especially at both edges of the operating bandwidth as they usually pose a major problem to that type of amplifiers. In this case you will be surprised at how attractively, how cool they can be presented by an amplifier costing about as much as a plug in my power cord. Although one needs to remember an even cheaper DAC that fed the amplifier! Sticking to my last illustration let me put it this way: the system sounds insanely well and can be had for less than two plugs in my power cord… But there is more. While bass will surprise us and treble will leave us in amazement, we’re in for a real shock listening to what’s going on in midrange department. You may have already guessed that presentation is deep and powerful and that vocals have great texture. Sure they do. Another revelation in addition to bass and treble extension, however, is an uncanny ability to differentiate midrange. Even though I first mentioned electronic music, most of my listening tests – what I started and ended with – involved vocals-centered music, whether jazz, rock or classical. With every next album I was surprised how well it all fit together, how well it was united. There was no urge to analyze anything as I wasn’t annoyed by excessive details, “something this or that” didn’t suddenly jump out at me and instead I got coherent, consistent presentation. Key to all that, however, was differentiation. The converter and the amplifier showed great differences between recordings. That The Eraser is highly compressed and not very clean, and that Anastasis by DCD has been recorded with fantastic energy, and that the 1997 remaster of Magnetic Fields is quite warm and limited on top and bottom, or that the tracks collected on Carol Sloane’s Little Girl Blue are radically different from each other, etc. All of that was naturally and simply audible. Of course it was impossible to say precisely WHAT exactly and HOW it was changing because ultimately resolution and selectivity were limited, but one would have a general idea about the changes. In the end it’s not an expensive system (one would actually have to call it very cheap but for the fact that manufactures don’t like their product called “cheap”…) and can’t do some things. Yet within its limitations it’s wonderful. And although upon further reflection I might say that the system is slightly warm I would really need to bend over backwards. Normally that type of presentation is perceived as natural. Despite coherence and interaction of all sound elements such as color, dynamics, resolution, selectivity, space presentation, texture, etc. the amplifier, since that’s the central component here, doesn’t lump it all together. It does unify some things – I’ve already said that one won’t hear exactly HOW something is done only that it IS done. To give an example, the system clearly demonstrated that Sting’s solo debut album, even in the best digital edition I have, Mobile Fidelity Gold CD, has been recorded quite average, despite common opinion to the contrary. It also showed that Ten Summoner’s Tales has been recorded better and that Sacred Love is very bad while Songs From The Labyrinth is embarrassing. The amplifier doesn’t homogenize anything and yet lets us enjoy each album. The only one I couldn’t really listen to was the last of the above mentioned Sting’s albums. Turntable Phono input is what sets that amp apart from its “linear” brother. Although I started my listening tests with digital sources, it is the sound of an inexpensive turntable plugged into the LYM 1.0T PHONO that will undoubtedly be more important. The overall presentation remains the same as with the Arcam rLINK DAC. It’s a big sound with high dynamics and excellent extension on both ends. Bass is less controlled and not as well differentiated as with the Arcam but such are ills of inexpensive turntables and cartridges. We won’t find much improvement for that kind of money. Still, there is no hum or oscillations. What happens with particularly low bass such as on Brendan Perry’s album Ark is that bottom end is more suggested than fully realized. Treble on the other hand is more vivid than from digital sources regardless of the origin of master source material, i.e. whether digital or analog. It was well shown by Komeda’s album Astigmatic or more precisely its 2007 re-edition. I'm not sure what the master source was but I’d bet it was a digital remaster. The album sounds really good regardless and the Lym Audio amplifier offered strong, very nicely accented not exaggerated treble. Actually, everything will sound good because the amplifier imposes its own perspective –full of energy yet with a slightly sweetened upper midrange. Interestingly, it’s more audible with digital material; with analog even though still highlighted and not perfect, midrange presentation is somewhat flatter and a bit more withdrawn. The amplifier very well shows the differences in the dynamics of various material. Not everyone will like it but such are the charms of vinyl where the quality of pressing is much more important than on the CD (although even there it’s important – see HERE). And some pressings are simply bad such as the AC/DC live 1978 album If You Want Blood. Musically it’s great and it’s a good opportunity to listen to Bon Scott but the sound quality is rather poor. All its weaknesses – inferior dynamics, limited bandwidth and flat soundstage – were very well exposed by the Italian amplifier. We also need to mention how it builds soundstage since it’s different than with digital material. I think that’s a general problem of inexpensive turntables and something you can’t avoid. What I mean here is that vocals are a bit further away from the listener; they are rather behind the speakers’ line than on it. Even vocals that are always shown very close up, such as Mel Tormé on Oh, You Beautiful Doll album containing historical recordings retrieved from shellac or Krzysztof Cugowski on the concert version of the album Cień wielkiej góry from the box set by the same title (reviewed HERE), this time were a little more distant, not so moving in their closeness. I heard the same thing before on the Perry’s album. The presentation itself was brilliant yet I couldn’t help but notice that. Perhaps at this price level some undeniable issues with vinyl are simply more obvious than the problems with digital sources? Who knows… The soundstage, by contrast, its size and sheer sound intensity appear unbeatable with vinyl. Digital sources in that comparison come out very nice, well-ordered but somewhat “empty”. Vinyl creates a semi sphere in front of us, behind the speakers, wide and high, not limited by them. We play Dead Can Dance or Kraftwerk’s Autobahn and immediately hear that – expansiveness, size, momentum. At the same time the whole soundstage is further away from us than with the Arcam DAC. Conclusion The Italian amplifier that sat at the heart of this system is excellent. Although class D is still not quite linked with high-quality sound in this case it is synonymous. Obviously, I know some inexpensive amplifiers operating in Class AB, better equipped and larger, coming from well-known manufacturers such as NAD and Music Hall that are also very cool. But if I only had two (or three) source, including a turntable, I think I’d choose the Lym Audio. Its sound is unpretentious yet impressive enough to keep the listener before the speakers. The Arcam rLINK and the mmf-2.2 LE from Music Hall proved a perfect fit for that sound. The former is an absolute stunner, doing great not only with the CD but also with high-res files. And it has two inputs making it possible to hook it up with both a CD or Blu-ray transport and a TV at the same time (with optical cable). I knew the Music Hall before and I knew what to expect from it. Again, it only confirmed its class. I didn’t choose particular speakers for this review because they’re the biggest variable and the spread can be huge. Yet I can think of several “safe bets” that you must try with the system. Among floorstanders these would be the Polish Pylon Audio Pearl or the Monitor Reference 4 from British Monitor Audio. Alternatively, going a step higher, the Castle Knight 4. An example of stand-mount speakers would be the Knight series from Castle and something from Monitor. All of them have been tested by me personally. That way we’ll get a really great, very versatile, compact and inexpensive system. It will prove an excellent entry into the wonderful world of audio for any beginner music lover. I’d start setting it up from the amplifier. The system receives RED FINGERPRINT award. Previously the award has been given to: Dynaudio Focus 260 floorstanding speakers; reviewed HERE D/A USB Musica Ibuki Digital converter; reviewed HERE JPLAY software audio player, reviewed HERE Pro Audio Bono Acrylic AP anti-vibration platform, reviewed HERE Hegel H70 integrated amplifier, reviewed HERE Leben CS-1000P integrated amplifier, reviewed HERE ModWright LS 36.5 linear amplifier, reviewed HERE Octave Jubilee linear amplifier, reviewed HERE DESIGN LYM 1.0T PHONO Mr. Matteo Malguzzi sent me a detailed description of his amplifier. Lym Audio is definitely not a manufacturer that wants to hide anything. The amp is very small and measures just 192 mm x 139 mm x 61 mm. It weighs mere 550 g. The encloure is made of rigid aluminum panels. The unit’s small dimensions additionally improve rigidity. The front is a bit thicker than the other sides. It sports a small volume knob that doubles as a power switch, a small, pretty toggle switch to select the input and two LEDs. The white one indicates power-on while the orange signals overload. The latter is not on all the time and shows real, instantaneous overload. If it flashes from time to time there’s no need to worry. The rear panel features solid, gold-plated speaker terminals, two pairs of RCA inputs and a connector for an outboard power supply. The latter is a simple laptop power supply unit. The whole circuit is mounted on a single sensibly laid out PCB. The quality of assembly is high. Right next to RCA inputs (plain; only grounding is gold plated) there’s a small PCB soldered to the main PCB. The input PCB contains three surface mount, excellent LME49860 chips from National Semiconductors working in the phono stage section. All components are surface mount. The circuit has two sections – power supply and RIAA correction. The correction is circuit fully passive with zero feedback. The PCB is double sided with one side used as a ground. From the input PCB the signal is first fed to the mechanical input selector, then to a small “automotive-type” Alps potentiometer and in the end to Tripath TA2024C, soldered without heat sink. The PCB actually has holes for the heat sink. The output LP filter is two-stage with different inductors, including excellent inductors from Wurth, expensive and highly valued. On the side there is a small voltage controller section, additional filtering voltage from an outboard, switching-mode power supply. High quality, clean assembly work. rLINK The Arcam DAC is housed in a tiny but excellent enclosure, resembling a miniature of rDAC. The top and sides are one cast aluminum alloy, and the bottom is bent sheet steel, also forming the front and rear panels. The bottom is finished with a thick rubber “sole” to prevent slipping and moving the unit. On the one end we have digital connectors and power socket for an external wallwart PSU, the other end sports a pair of RCA gold plated analog line outputs. The electronic circuit is mounted on a single PCB. At the input is an IC with input selector. D/A converter is an advanced Burr-Brown PCM5102, capable of receiving signal up to 32-bit and sampling rates up to 384 kHz! Measurable parameters may not be impressive, with the signal-to-noise ratio of 112 dB (the unit is designed for mobile devices), but the theoretical capabilities are enormous. The chip comprises not only DAC with selectable digital filters, but also I/U converter, low-pass filters and a complete output stage with an amplifier and buffers. Hence the PCM1502 is coupled virtually directly to the output jacks. Note that at the input there is Wolfson WM8804 digital receiver that “sets” the input parameters at 24/192. A neat, nice device. mmf-2.2 The Music Hall turntable is a classic, low mass non-decoupled design, with a 9 inch gimbal bearing tonearm. Its base is made of 29 mm MDF board painted black (also available in red) to resemble piano lacquer finish. The left side of the base, at the rear, features a milled irregularly-shaped cutout for the motor. It's a small synchronous affair powered by an external wallwart 16 V AC power supply. Rotational speed is changed manually. One needs to remove the platter, move the drive belt from the upper part of a disc mounted on the motor shaft to the bottom and put the platter back. The disc is made of aluminum and has wide flanges between the two diameters. Motor torque gets transferred via a short, flat rubber belt to a plastic, average size (143 mm) sub-platter. Embed in it is a steel spindle being the axle to support the platter and the record while the other end of the spindle forms part of the main platter bearing. Its other part – sleeve and bed – is made of brass. Lubrication is by Teflon-based oil that should last several years. If necessary, the manufacturer suggests using a few drops of Mobile 1motor oil. The platter is made of 2 mm extruded aluminum, painted black. A wide flange makes it look higher than it actually is. The flange is designed to add weight to the platter rim and improve rotation stability. A thin felt mat is placed on the platter. The tonearm is a Pro-Ject gimbaled model with an aluminum tube of the same diameter and bearings with steel blade and sapphire bed. Counterweight is a small, brass cylinder, painted black with a plastic ring showing the scale in grams. The plastic shaft along which it moves is slightly lowered in relation to the tonearm tube, bringing the counterweight point of gravity nearer to the needle level (that’s good). Anti-skating is a classic assemble of string with a weight attached to a short rod, protruding from the back side of the tonearm bearing. Audio signal is fed via stranded copper wire to RCA connectors. There is no option to connect another interconnect. The turntable sits on three feet (two in front) made plastic and vibration-damping elastomer. The whole package includes a transparent anti-dust lid that needs to be lifted or – even better – taken off to play records. We also get a small plastic weight for cartridges, a 45 rpm (7 ") singles adapter and a plastic strip to set the cartridge geometry. The turntable comes with a nice mounted and properly aligned Music Hall Tracker cartridge custom manufactured by Goldring. That’s an MM cartridge with elliptical stylus than can be inexpensively replaced – if needed –with a new one. Its tracking force is 1.5-2 g, 1.75 g being recommended value. For me it sounded slightly better with 1.9 g – there was a bit less treble but bass had more body. Lysis-May Lysis-May SRL Matteo Malguzzi Via A. Manzoni, 84 | 21028 Travedona Monate (Va) | Italy tel.: 0332 978405 | fax: 0332 977609 e-mail: info@lysismay.it Website: www.lysismay.it Arcam - distribution in Poland Audio Center Poland ul. Malborska 56 | 30-646 Kraków | Polska tel.: 12 265 02 85 | 12 265 02 86 | fax: 12 425 64 43 e-mail: audiocenter@audiocenter.pl Website: www.audiocenter.pl Music Hall - distribution in Poland Eter Audio ul. Malborska 24 ǀ 30-646 Kraków ǀ Polska tel./fax: 12 655 75 43 e-mail: info@eteraudio.pl Website: www.eteraudio.pl

Published: 1. November 2012, No. 102 People from Human Audio are not easy to reach. Even though it was them who came up with the suggestion to test this combo, i.e. a CD player with a digital input and a USB-S/ PDIF converter, later on I had a hard time to contact them about the specifics (time, postage, etc.). The system arrived with no manuals and there are no manuals on the manufacturer’s website either. In that respect, then, at the beginning I had to rely on Srajan Ebaen’s text from “6moons.com” who apparently had been more fortunate. He quotes fragments of e-mails from our (i.e. Polish) Hungarian brethren (see HERE) which turned out to be helpful. That’s right, I could not resist not to recall the connection between our two countries A couple of days earlier I saw on the news that in the Polish town of Namysłów a statue of the king Stefan Batory was erected, donated by Hungarian partner-city – Kisköre (see HERE) and a day earlier I had my weekly stroll with my daughter and visited Kraków’s cathedral where the remains of Batory are buried and his tombstone erected (see HERE). Well, despite the fact that expensive Tokajs are more than just a wine for me and despite frequent references to Hungary in Poland, communication with Human Audio was a bit of a problem. I put it down to them being overloaded with work, though. I am familiar with a lack of time of Jarek Waszczyszyn, the owner of Ancient Audio, and how hard it is for him to find a while to get away and talk, even though we both live in Kraków and roughly half an hour bus drive apart. I can relate. It was even easier to forget the nuisance as after a while the communication channels opened and a manufacturer’s representative, Krisztian Neukum, turned out to be more than helpful in providing both specifics of the combo as well as their “background”. I recalled Jarek and Ancient Audio not without a reason. Next to our Hungarian king (his Hungarian roots being equally important in my country as the fact that he was a good king of POLAND) and a certain common affinity for drinks and swords another link between our two nations is a similar design idea for a CD player, shared by both Jarek and Human Audio people. The player is a top-loader which is not strange at all, except for the fact that the CD here is totally exposed. The concept itself was almost simultaneously conceived (as far as I know; if not correct me, please) by Polish Ancient Audio and Japanese 47 Labs of Mr. Kimura. Picked up later by a score of other manufacturers it has become public property. The fact people from Human Audio benefited from. As can be gleamed from Srajan’s review the company started around 2010 – Mr. Neukum (signed as Chris in e-mails) wrote that they had started “quite recently” and the test was published in January 2011 (the Libretto player). Later sent materials were more specific stating their première was at Home Cinema & HiFi Show in WestEnd Hilton Hotel in Budapest in 2010. Even then, the company offered thoroughly thought through products, where the most important purpose was to clear the signal from all types of noise generated by power voltage. After a number of trials the conclusion was that the voltage from conventional home power networks has to be completely separated from the devices. Nothing serves better here than the battery. Mr. Krisztian Neukum, the head of sales of Human Audio explained that to me in his e-mail as follows: "In the course of our search we could not find solution equal to pure battery power. Hence our conclusions and research and in effect – battery power as a part of our devices.” And then: “The Libretto HD has got separate batteries for digital and analog sections, powered directly with no DC/DC converters to increase voltage. A small charger for the batteries is not a part of the device but is outside. For that reason the power voltage is never in the proximity of the player. Even the charging process is active only when the player is switched off. With the batteries fully charged the Libretto HD can run for 24 hours without charging.” And a bit later: “Soon we plan introducing an optional, solar charger which will allow us to rid completely of power grid at home.” The last statement is particularly interesting – next to an ultra-clean power it is also an expression of a modern approach to the environmental issues presented by Human Audio, which is frequently referred to in the company philosophy. Krisztian Neukum himself addressed the issue a couple of times in his e-mails stating that protecting the environment is one of the more important issues when designing their devices. Solar energy is one thing, the other being materials used for housing CD players and an amplifier (with power supplies). Human Audio uses solid bamboo for housing, a very fast growing grass (the bamboo is actually grass, not a tree), which can be regrown in almost no time at all. As is the case in well thought through designs that is not the only thing that matters. I do believe that equally important for HA people was the fact that bamboo is really a superb looking material which lends its look in turn to the devices it houses. Before I had the chance to see it myself, the Libretto HD looked really cool on the photos. After I took it out of the well-designed box, after I placed it on the shelf I realized its aesthetic value and how much energy (renewable energy, vital energy of a human being) has been put in exterior design of the reviewed devices. That part of the process was not left to chance either. The person responsible for the components’ look was Mr. András Göde – the head of Kroki design company. The company itself is not a big one and its members are: András Göde: exterior design Attila Juhász: tests, consulting Peter Büdszenti: research, tests, prototypes Krisztian Neukum: sales, production, quality control Apart from the player there came the Tabla USB-S/PDIF digital-digital converter. This little box, battery powered via USB cable, employs M2Tech modules (we reviewed their system HERE) i.e. an XMOS chip. It supports sampling rates from 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz and works in asynchronous mode clocking the signal independently from the computer. SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: CD i SACD Ash Ra Tempel, Ash Ra Tempel, MG Art/Belle, 101780, SHM-CD (1971/2010). Assemblage 23, Bruise. Limited Edition, Accession Records, A 128, 2 x CD (2012). Carol Sloane, Little Girl Blue, Sinatra Society of Japan, XQAM-1036, HQCD (2010). Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Depeche Mode, Enjoy The Music....04, Mute, XLCDBONG34, maxi-SP (2004). Depeche Mode, John The Revelator, Mute, LCDBONG38, maxi-SP (2006). Hilary Hann, Bach - Concertos, dyr. Jeffrey Kahane, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon, Universal Music LLC [Japan], UCCG-50058, SHM-CD (2003/2011). Hilary Hann, Hilary Hann Plays Bach, Sony Classical, SK 62793, Super Bit Mapping, 2 x CD (1997). J. S. Bach, Sonatas & Partitas, wiol. Henryk Szeryng, Sony Classical/Sony Music Japan, SICC 840-1, 2 x CD (1965/2007). Jean-Michel Jarre, Magnetic Fields, Dreyfus Disques/Epic, EPC 488138 2, CD (1981/1997). Monserrat Figueras, La Voix De L'Emotion, AliaVox, AVSA9889A+B, 2 x SACD/CD (2012). Simone Kermes, Viva!, Archiv Production, 477 9843, CD (2007-2008). Tadeusz Woźniak, Tadeusz Woźniak, MUZA Polskie Nagrania/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 1289, CD (1974/2010). Ultravox, Vienna, Chrysalis/EMI, 23436527, Remastered Definitive Edition, 2 x CD (1981/2008). Vangelis, Spiral, RCA/BMG Japan, 176 63561, K2, SHM-CD (1977/2008). Yo-Yo MA & Bobby McFerrin, Hush, Sony Music/Sony Music Hong Kong Ltd., 543282, No. 0441, K2HD Mastering, CD (1992/2012). Audio files Assemblage 23, Rain Falls Down WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Bruise, Accession Records, A 128, Limited Edition, 2 x CD (2012). Audiofeels, Sounds of Silence, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Audiofeels, Uncovered, Penguin Records, 5865033, CD. Bob Dylan, Blowin' in the Wind, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin', Columbia/Mobile Fidelity, UDSACD 2081, SACD/CD (2012). David Sylvian, World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed) + Angels, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] David Sylvian, Sleepwalkers, P-Vine Records, PVCP-8790, CD. Dead Can Dance, Anabasis, WAV 24/44,1 kHz [z:] Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Kankawa, Dear Myself, 24/192 WAV [z:] Kankawa, Organist, T-TOC Records, UMVD-0001-0004, Ultimate Master Vinyl, 24/192 WAV; review HERE. Keith Jarrett, January 24 1975. Part I, WAV 24/96 [z:] Keith Jarrett, Köln Concert, WAV 24/96, HDTracks.. Me Myself And I, Elytom Encon, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Me Myself And I, Do Not Cover, Creative Music, 005, CD (2011). Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook, Searching, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook, Sleeps With The Fishes, 4AD, GAD 710 CD. Sonny Rollins Tenor Madness, WAV 24/96 [z:] Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, WAV 24/96, HDTracks. Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars), WAV 24/96 [z:] Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto, WAV 24/96, HDTracks. The Alan Parsons Project, Sirius + Eye In The Sky, WAV 24/192 [z:] The Alan Parsons Project, Eye In The Sky, DVD-A. Japanese editions of CDs and SACDs are available from Libretto HD as a Compact Disc player Listening to the Hungarian player in the company of the Lektor AIR V-edition from Ancient Audio (see HERE) gave me a good insight into what is going on with the Libretto HD. The cross comparison with the exceptionally well made and similarly priced Marantz SA-11S3 with an onboard DAC, asynchronous USB input and based on the latest Tenor chip (24/192) allowed me to somehow place the sound on my personal ladder. Above all I have to say that it has a very similar character of music making to my Lektor. Very pleasant vocal textures, expansive sound stage, splendidly exposed tonal differences. The Libretto HD is smoother in midrange than the Polish player, more sort of “lingering” and, in a sense, “warmer”. It is not as warm as e.g. vocals presented by another Polish player based on tubes and TDA1541 DAC from Philips, the Nirvana from Dubiel Accoustic (see HERE). The Nirvana is unequivocally warm and without inverted comas at that. There it was the choice of D/A converter and using non-oversampling design as well as particular choice of output tubes that emphasized a part of bandwidth. A tube based power supply played no small part either. Here the result owes to the battery based power supply and output transformers. I am sure of both of these things but I lean to a belief that the power supply is the chief “culprit” here. It is not classic “warmth”, though, which is usually due to coloration. After all, emphasizing any given frequency band is really coloration, no matter if we like the result or not. In the Libretto HD player it is a derivative of much smaller distortions, not of fiddling with the linearity of musical range. I have seen that in other high quality devices and it has always been the same story: we reduce distortion to a really low level taking care that what’s left is of even-order nature and the result is similar to the reviewed player. This is really a great scenario! And so difficult to achieve at that – it’s easy to say “reduce distortion” especially while we have – as is the case with the Libretto HD – zero-feedback analog output stage. It is evident, though, that the result can be achieved by “cleaning” power supply. I know that not only because I had a chance to listen to Ancient Audio players with different power sources but also because I am aware of the effects different power cords and power strips have on sound. The former have little or no effect with the Libretto HD as the device is powered through a battery based power supply charged via an external charger. . It must be said that battery power leaves its signature on the sound of such powered device. No doubt about it. You can, of course, screw it up as the next thing as it happens now and again since battery power has its limitations and idiosyncrasies which are difficult to explain (for instance changes in sound when using power cells of different design) but it can prove to be something special as well. You can’t probably eat a biscuit and have it; it is possible, though, to fine tune certain aspects of sound to such perfection that you can die happy… In the Libretto HD it’s all about the already mentioned smoothness and “lingering” of midrange. This range is incredible and listening to records with violins, like for example Hilary Hann and her Bach Partitas or her beautiful Bach Concertos issued by Deutsche Grammophon was a deeply satisfying experience. The sound was expansive, with panache and slightly forward midrange. Yet it’s not unequivocally “such” or “such” sound. It’s sufficiently complicated internally and multithreaded to escape a simple description. Tonality is set a little higher than in the Lektor AIR V-edition but lower than in the Marantz SA-11S3. Bandwidth seems to be less extended in both directions than in the Lektor, particularly in the lower end. This last statement asks for a few words of explanation. The Hungarian player is not “light” by any means, it does not sound dry, heavens forbid. Comparing with the majority of digital players it would seem to have more body (certainly more than the Marantz). It is simply because the Polish Ancient is exceptional in that respect and only the Solution 745 SACD player (see HERE) could achieve a similar feat. The Libretto HD sounds powerfully, the sound is full and low but it can still be improved. I am not talking about simple “bass extension” or “weight” for all of that is here as it should be. I am talking about saturation and differentiation of that range. Let me give an example. I conduct my tests in my apartment in a small block of flats. The block is in an extremely quiet part of Kraków; not too many neighbors around with the majority of them at work during the day (working to pay off their mortgages). So, I don’t particularly worry about the volume I listen to. With an honorable exception of my down-floor neighbor Mr. Adam Ziemianin. Playing something with a stronger bass beat is kind of stressful to me because without my knowledge I might be meddlin’ in or disruptin’ the process of a new song being begotten. What if I am interfering with the creative process of an author of lyrics of a well-known Polish folk band SDM? And I am ignorant of this… Mr. Adam has nothing but a nice smile for me, he has never even as much as mentioned to me that I might have ruined his work flow, that the rhythm due to me is not the one, but… I am particularly self-conscious while playing the new Dead Can Dance album Anastasis, and more precisely track no. 2 Anabasis with a powerful long decaying drum (kettle drum?). The Lektor presents this drum powerfully, low, with saturated color. Does not elongate it nor make it shorter; everything sounds long enough to create kind of a framework for the whole track. The Libretto HD presents it strongly, the instrument is full bodied but it decays faster and does not have that many details and aliquots as with the Lektor. The difference might not be that big, the Marantz and most of other CD players have an even more shallow presentation and simplify the sound further, but it is there. With the Polish player I was sure that Adam Ziemianin was seriously thinking of moving out, while the Hungarian player could only convince my neighbor to reach for a glass of something with a kick in it… I would like to go back to what is most important in this player – to dense, pure midrange. Its balance is set a little higher than that of the Lektor – I think I have already mentioned that. Despite that, when we play on the Libretto HD small jazz bands, classical – preferably chamber – music, folk etc., it seems that midrange is incredibly warm and deep. Taking it apart into elements we come back to what I just wrote, with lesser selectivity and less of breath, less conviction of being THERE, yet the weight of presentation in some self-contradictory way is a result of merging all of this, as if resolution which is absolutely superb in midrange was pushing everything in the listener’s direction, as if it was revealing better PRESENCE of each sound and sound plane, etc. And since we mentioned sound planes – the sound stage of the Hungarian player is just lovely. Foreground is quite close to us; it is not aggressive but states its presence here and now. The more distant planes are somewhat drawn forward, there is no such “extension” as with a good analog or the best digital but it is very good indeed. And all because the intensity of presentation distract our attention from what I stated above. Libretto HD jako DAC + Tabla I don’t know if you remember what Srajan Ebaen once wrote in one of his reviews – for him the CD is done with so if a CD player does not have digital inputs then he, Srajan, refuses reviewing such. For exactly that reason he did not review the superb Passeri player from Singapore manufactured by Loit (see HERE). Because he understands, though, that others, such as me, could hold to a different opinion, he published on “6moons.com” (see HERE) the review which had been published earlier in English in “High Fidelity”. He had no such problem with the Libretto HD. Calling devices such as the Libretto HD or, mentioned earlier, the Marantz SA-11S3 “players” is probably an anachronism. I had no idea myself which road it was going to take and for a long time I assumed that CD or SACD players with digital inputs were just that – “players with digital inputs”. Now I see that this position cannot be held onto any longer and it is time to verify that. Adding digital inputs to a digital player (of any type, because it is also valid with audio file players – see the Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 that I reviewed for “Audio”) results in it no longer being just a player but becoming (also) a D/A converter. Hence, in my opinion, manufacturers calling their devices CD/DAC or SACD/DAC describe them correctly. I still do not acknowledge terms like ‘CD/SACD’ cause they are illogical and misleading. Each SACD is also a CD player. In any classification a broader term that includes a narrower one becomes the superior one. Nobody of a sound mind would say “Blu-ray/CD player”, would they? Playing CDs is intrinsic to the BD format as well as to SACD. Sitting, then, in front of the Libretto HD we deal with a multifunctional device. Although we have one digital input only, hence our options are somehow limited, yet it should be enough for most applications. We could connect an audio file player for instance, or a USB to S/PDIF converter and play the music directly from a computer. For those who want to do just that, the manufacturer prepared the very interesting Tabla converter, based on the circuit employed in the M2Tech, supported by a proprietary battery power supply (on the M2Tech system see HERE). Exactly that system, i.e. the Libretto HD as a DAC plus the Tabla with the proprietary S/PDIF umbilical terminated with BNC terminals, I had for a review. After downloading and installing a driver (from the M2Tech website) in a dialogue window on the computer we can see an information ‘HiFace 1.0.3 Usb to Spdif (44.1 Khz – 192 Khz)’ confirming the provenance of the USB receiver. After just a few tracks the difference between the same album played from the CD and its digital version was evident, whether FLAC or WAV (in that case I could not tell big differences between those two codecs). First of all, audio files sounded in a bigger, more tangible way than their “physical” versions. They were more spectacular and virtual sources were bigger and closer to the listener. That can be appealing, no doubt about it! If someone holds to the conviction that digital sound is conservative or even sort of lifeless, the Tabla can present a completely different face of the sound – unrestrained, dynamic and active. What’s interesting it was especially true with CD quality audio files (I am talking about the specifications not the recording quality as that may differ) not hi-res. The latter were presented with more care; they were more vivid (paradoxically) and had more breath. They were closer to what we know from vinyl. CD files had emphasized bass which somehow lacked control. The already mentioned Anabasis by Dead Can Dance with its drum was slightly bigger than it should be, the drum lacked a definite moment of decay. Higher midrange was a bit stronger than from CDs. But precisely those anomalies were the reason that the sound was so unrestrained and expansive. And midrange (below 800 Hz) was even smoother, “warmer” than with the same records played from the Libretto HD. The Tabla is a fine, interesting converter with a distinctive character of presentation, especially with audio files of CD quality. Conclusion The Libretto HD is superbly made and the design is just fantastic. Both of these things put it significantly higher in my hierarchy than the Lektor AIR V-edition which I use on a daily basis. All those little details, like more intuitive disc loading, beautiful design etc. It also sports a digital input, the feature long announced by Ancient Audio that never saw the light of a day. On the flip side is a too small display, at least for me, and the lack of information about digital signal parameters, not even whether the input is synchronized or not. The sound is so exceptionally smooth and saturated that it seems warm but really is not – the sound is too pure, too polite. Tone is great although set slightly higher than in my Lektor. Both space and differentiation, particularly of bass and treble, are better in the Polish player. When both these sources stood side by side for two weeks, both on the Acoustic Revive RAF-48H platforms, I could choose whichever I wanted and when I felt like listening for pleasure through my headphones I usually settled with the Libretto HD. This device appeals to my aesthetic. I could additionally listen to music from my computer without having to use an external DAC, which was a nice bonus. The Tabla was very helpful here, a cool device with evident sound signature which would not appeal to seekers of truth at any cost. The sound of the Tabla is modified in such a way as to avoid any references to digital origins of the played audio files. Late at night, though, I couldn’t care less, enjoying beautiful, expansive sound from my files, particularly those in hi-res. Despite all that I can’t deny the fact that the Lektor AIR V-edition presents slightly better differentiated sound and that its tonal balance is set slightly lower which makes it a better partner for my “big” system with speakers. The Lektor’s soundstage is unbeatable and only the best turntables could compete here. If I had to choose between those two I would have a problem indeed. Testing methodology The Libretto HD player was compared to a reference player i.e. the Ancient Audio AIR V-edition as well as to the Marantz SA-11S3 SACD player. A separate reference point were two turntables – the AMG Viella V12 and the Pro-Ject Expression 10. The player sat on the Acoustic Revive RAF-48H platform, same as the reference player. The platforms sat on the top surface of my Base http://www.baseaudio.pl IV Custom rack. Testing had a character of A-B comparison with A and B known. Music samples were 2 minutes long; whole albums were also auditioned. The player was connected to a preamp via the Acoustic Revive http://www.acoustic-revive.com RCA-2.0PA interconnect. Sources Srajan Ebaen, Fortepiano & Duoforte, "6moons.com", January 2011, see HERE [accessed 19.09.2012]. Srajan Ebaen, Libretto HD & Tabla, "6moons.com", June 2011, see HERE [accessed 19.09.2012]. DESIGN Libretto HD Libretto HD is a top-loaded battery powered Compact Disc player with a D/A converter. The device is divided into a “clean” and “dirty” section. What is unusual though is that the “clean” division houses all audio circuits including the CD drive, the other one houses power supply i.e. batteries as well as the display with all the controls. It takes a while to get used to it but we soon realize that it is the only sensible solution and that everybody else got it wrong. Human Audio cannot claim the idea, tough, as I have seen it before in VTL http://www.vtl.com preamps. Both modules have bamboo made enclosures; one is almost tempted to say “wooden” but the bamboo is a type of grass not wood. The drive section is similar to what we can find in 47 Labs and Ancient Audio devices – the disc is completely exposed. In order to listen to music one has to place the disc on the drive spindle, press the button to read the disc TOC (Table Of Contents) – traditionally done by a micro-switch in the tray – and voila. I happen to forget about the button in my Ancient Audio which can be irritating – the player displays information as if it was already done except that it is the info of the previously loaded CD. The Libretto HD has a more elegant solution. The player recognizes whether the disk is loaded or not. After the disk is removed the little red light next to the TOC button illuminates and leaves no doubt as to your future action. Similarly to the Polish player one can see the drive spindle with its characteristic “mushroom cap” end to receive the disk weight as well as optics through the cutouts in a metal element that adds to the rigidity of the top of the enclosure. Unlike in the Lektor, the one in the Libretto HD is made with much greater care. It is milled of solid aluminum with an engraved logo, rigid and elegant. Disc weight is also aluminum, needless to say, nicer than the one in my Lektor player. The rear panel sports high quality output and input connectors (from Neutrik?) – analog XLRs and RCAs as well as a digital BNC. There is also a multi-pin, gold-plated socket for an external power supply and controller. The transport does not have traditional feet; it sits on the LIBRA decoupling platform from Hungarian Audio Libra. This is a “rigid” base utilizing a similar principle to the Ceraball anti-vibration feet from finite elemente and the Ceramic Disc from Franc Audio Accessories. It consists of three parts. The first is a glass plate with three concave sphere sections placed on the triangle plane. Steel balls are placed in the spheres’ centers and the transport sits on them, resting on three round glass plates attached to its bottom. As I said, it is a “rigid” platform – people from Human Audio follow the same mental process as other designers whom I keep in high regard. To the ones already mentioned I would add Ken Ishiguro from Acoustic Revive – all of them consider this the only sensible way of coupling. People subscribing to that point of view consider flexible coupling unacceptable as it hides the problems instead of solving them. I will only add that this is a worldwide concept as it is applied in Japan, Germany, Poland and Hungary. Inside we can see the Philips CD-Pro2 LH transport mechanism which is coupled to the bottom of the enclosure with metal bolts. Under the drive there is a big PCB with a smaller one directly above. Both are coated with some black vibration-absorbing material that also hides the details of the components used. The only thing you can spy is that there are two D/A converters, one for each channel, and that I/U conversion (I think) is based on ICs while amplification and filtering is built on JFETs. Output coupling transformers rarely seen in CDs are from American Jensen. Output stage works in class A with zero feedback. What draws our attention are strips of a very soft material glued in many different places, on PCBs, amplification components and around the relay. Power supply/controls Power supply looks similar to the player while being taller and much heavier. The reason for its weight is the fact that it houses two separate, big batteries – one for digital section and transport and the other one for the analog section. It also sports a display, transport mechanism controls and an infrared sensor. The display is a small, green dot-matrix type with two lines one above the other. After the CD is loaded it shows the word “Libretto” and the lower line displays total time. After pressing ‘play’ the upper line reads ‘disc’ with the time of the track below. One could use bigger digits! Twice as big in fact! Maybe an OLED display could do the job? Next to it, we have got four toggle switches to control the transport and to switch the power. It is a very interesting solution, nothing like buttons. I took to it very easily. There is no button for input selection – e.g. a digital one. This function is moved to a remote where also sporting a button to switches off the display. The remote is also housed in bamboo and has only basic buttons – there is no direct access to tracks or a TOC button. We can turn the display off, though. After switching to a digital input the display reads ‘DAC mode’ – no additional information about the signal, whether it’s synchronized or not, what the sampling ratio is not to mention the word length. I consider it a serious overlook. And finally a little LED visible through one of the glass discs under the power supply – if the light is green the batteries are fully charged. Red light means our playing time is soon over. Tabla The Tabla converter is housed in an aluminum-made enclosure with acrylic front and rear panels. The front sports two LEDs – green, telling us that the signal is coming and amber signaling the charging process. Charging only takes place when audio signal is off. When the converter receives audio signal, charging is switched off. On the rear panel there is a USB input and an S/PDIF output with a BNC connector. Human Audio encourages strongly using digital cables terminated with such terminals. We were provided with one for our review. The system is assembled on two PCBs. The smaller one is simply an M2Tech converter based on the Xilinx chip with two lovely clocks next to it, separate for the 44.1 and 48 kHz frequency families. There is one more for the input circuit working in a synchronous mode. This board is soldered to a bigger one with the power supply system and two batteries. It sports very good Dale resistors, another clock underneath and Wolfson WM8804 chip. Interestingly, it looks like we have a digital receiver here with high jitter resistance which receives the signal from the USB-S/PDIF converter, recloaks it and sends outside. The output is transformer coupled. One can’t ask for more.

Published: 1. November 2012, No. 102 HE-300 are the only full-size dynamic headphones offered by an American company HiFiMAN. Founded in 2007 by Mr. Fang Bian it has direct ties with China, the country of his ancestors where its products are manufactured and some of them, e.g. headphones, are also designed. The person responsible for the latter is Mr. He whose name features in every model type of full-size headphones. The company was founded with one goal on Mr. Bian’s mind - manufacturing and selling the best possible and the most affordable magnetostatic headphones (also called planar or orthodynamic). The HE-300 is an exception to this rule being dynamic headphones, the least expensive in the whole line. It would be a mistake, however, to pass them over only because they lack flat diaphragms with sputtered flat voice coil vibrating between magnetic assemblies on both sides of the diaphragm. Their outer design, the cable, and even the drivers are of the highest quality. Everything, besides drivers, looks almost identical to the more expensive models. Large earcups, metal bridge, high-quality cable (fully replaceable), velour earpads, tight clamp on the head. Of course, there are some differences – the cups are made of silver plastic (the cups color is a distinguishing feature between various models), and the leather-clad padded bridge is not particularly refined nor is the leather genuine. Nevertheless, it would be a shame not to try out that second last model from the manufacturer (I haven’t had a chance yet the listen to the newest HE-400). All the more so as two of the other models I’ve tested, the HE-500 and the HE-6, stayed with me as reference headphones. HiFiMAN products featured so far in “High Fidelity”: REVIEW: HiFiMAN HM-602 media player + EF-5 headphone amplifier + HE-4 headphones, see HERE REVIEW: HiFiMAN HE-500 | HiFiMAN HE-6 headphones, see HERE SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: Assemblage 23, Bruise. Limited Edition, Accession Records, A 128, 2 x CD (2012). Carol Sloane, Little Girl Blue, Sinatra Society of Japan, XQAM-1036, HQCD (2010). Niemen & Akwarele, Sukces, Muza Polskie Nagrania/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 354, "Niemen od początku - III", CD (1968/1996). Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Depeche Mode, Enjoy The Music....04, Mute, XLCDBONG34, maxi-SP (2004). Depeche Mode, John The Revelator, Mute, LCDBONG38, maxi-SP (2006). Hilary Hann, Hilary Hann Plays Bach, Sony Classical, SK 62793, Super Bit Mapping, 2 x CD (1997). J. S. Bach, Sonatas & Partitas, wiol. Henryk Szeryng, Sony Classical/Sony Music Japan, SICC 840-1, 2 x CD. Jean-Michel Jarre, Magnetic Fields, Dreyfus Disques/Epic, EPC 488138 2, CD (1981/1997). Simone Kermes, Viva!, Archiv Production, 477 9843, CD (2007-2008). Ultravox, Vienna, Chrysalis/EMI, 23436527, Remastered Definitive Edition, 2 x CD (1981/2008). Vangelis, Spiral, RCA/BMG Japan, 176 63561, K2, SHM-CD (1977/2008). Yo-Yo MA & Bobby McFerrin, Hush, Sony Music/Sony Music Hong Kong Ltd., 543282, No. 0441, K2HD Mastering, CD (1992/2012). Japanese editions available from I compared the HE-300 primarily against my reference Sennheiser HD-800 as well as the magnetostatic HiFiMAN HE-500. It didn’t take me a long listen to conclude that the HE-300s are much different from both. They are the first headphones from that company that seem to sound “warm”. I put quotation marks here because that’s not fully true and is probably an oversimplification; however, that’s how they sound initially. Still, it needs to be noted that that’s how they were described and commented on both by Mike, the editor of “Headfonia”, and Brent Butterworth in his review for “Sound + Vision”. We will come back to that later. The main thing to be said is that the reviewed headphones deliver strong, very rhythmic bass. All sounds in the bottom range are slightly emphasized and “picked up”, i.e. not so much inflated but somehow “noted” and “appreciated”, which is not the same as a simple bass emphasis. Strong performance just below 100 Hz and above 42 Hz, the base frequency for the double bass, is evident and has been confirmed by “Sound + Vision” measurements demonstrating that the headphones maximum impedance (up to 94 Ω) occurs at 68 Hz resulting in a 2.4 dB increase in the frequency response. That’s something beyond discussion. That gives an excellent foundation to the rest of the frequency range. Putting the HE-300s on the head we are immediately isolated from the surroundings. Isolation is fantastic for an open design, almost as good as with the closed headphones, and we are immediately “immersed” in the sound. It is a deep, substantial and dense. And it’s primarily that “density” that makes us perceive the sound as “warm”. Besides, treble is rather withdrawn which only strengthens that impression. But, let me repeat, that is not a “warm” sound per se. The reason for that is that upper midrange is quite strong. Not so much the whole band as rather its narrow section but it can be heard as a slight hardening of some higher vocal parts and other instruments, such as the trumpet. Just to be clear, that strengthening is not unpleasant. It’s not brightness, grain or impurity. I’d say it’s something like a stronger accent. With that kind of accent or emphasis within that frequency zone there can be no question of “warmth”. Let’s go back to the beginning then. Strong bass and very high culture of sound meant that for over a month before formal auditions I’d been listening to the headphones paired with the HiFiMAN HM-801 portable player. In my opinion it’s probably the best player of that type currently available. With the HE-300 it makes a lovely pair indeed. The sound from this duo was dense and strong. With classical music the uniform emphasis of the said narrow bass range was slightly distracting but after getting used to it I had no other objections. Actually, it just so happened that on that system I preferred to listen to more rhythmic recordings, to electronics and rock rather than jazz or classical music. These headphones are, in my opinion, perfectly suited to generating low, really low sounds, to a slightly closed headstage, to close-up presentation rich in massive bass. Feet were dancing away, hands were clapping the rhythm when I listened to remixes on the limited edition of the album Bruise by Assemblage 23. Rain Falls Down that’s not available on the “regular” release resonated with power in a dark, disturbing way, hiding some secret. The same was true with remixes of Enjoy The Silence… 04 by Depeche Mode from their single by the same name. Both the strong, hypnotic “Richard X Extended Mix” remix of the song, and – an even better – “Cicada Mix” remix of World In My Eyes were shown fantastic by the HE-300. I had no doubt that they are just the right headphones for that kind of music. I sat down and listened, listened and sat down – you just need to experience that yourself! However, for proper auditions I paired the HE-300 with my reference headphone amplifier – the Leben CS-300XS [Custom Version] and a brilliant amplifier built into the Marantz SA-11S3 SACD player. The latter completely surprised me. I have just reviewed a Marantz system with the said player and the PM-11S3 amplifier for Polish “Audio” and I treated the headphone output in the “Player” as an add-on, the same as it’s almost always treated by manufacturers. I was proved wrong. In this case the developers approached the matter very seriously and in addition to a normal line output they included another, almost identical output stage dedicated for the headphones, built around a few HDAM S3modules and discrete power transistors. That makes the unit a high performance headphone amplifier integrated with an SACD player and a DAC as the Marantz sports a digital input. Both amplifiers instantly showed why the Sennheisers HD-800 are much more expensive. There was no doubt they build bigger, better arranged virtual sources, provide better tonal balance and most of all have better resolution. Despite that, I spent most of my time with the Leben and the Marantz paired with the HE-300 on my head. Why? Because it’s good playing. Not quite “audiophile” in the sense that one hears what was done and why and that the main concern was certainly not fidelity to the recording material but loyalty to a vision. After all, maybe THAT is audiophilism… Be that as it may, with the kind of music material I mentioned it was great. There was meat, weight, dynamics, good selectivity, no sharpening. And I think it probably sounded even better with the Marantz. It seems that all the headphones need is simply a headphone amplifier with a slightly lighter tonal balance and everything returns to normal, at least when it comes to bass volume. HiFiMAN HE-300 + Music Hall ph25.2 I’ve known of the ph25.2 for a long time. Preparing for the reviews of Music Hall turntables and D/A converters, especially the dac25.2 and dac25.3, I also read about that headphone amplifier. Despite that I didn’t fully realize it existed. No, I don’t pose any paradoxes. It’s probably a fairly common phenomenon when we KNOW of something yet we don’t fully REALIZE it exists, at least not consciously. We are aware of something at some basic level of perception but it never gets further to turn into reflection about that SOMETHING. In this case, there was a simple reason for that: the spotlight was dead on the dac25.3 D/A converter sporting multiple digital inputs and a headphone amplifier. Selling (in Poland) for 2,390 PLN it seemed to be a far superior choice than the 2,000 PLN ph25.2 being “only” a headphone amplifier. And yet, after taking a closer look at the latter that approach seems flawed for the ph25.2 is an exceptionally well made amplifier. The headphone section of the dac25.3 is somewhat of a “throw-in”, a small addition to the DAC. Let’s see what we have in turn in the ph25.2: two Swiss Neutrik headphone outputs, durable, miniature 6N16B tube in the SRPP input section, soldered directly to the PCB, two inputs - CD and Aux selectable by a toggle switch on the front panel, preamp direct out, audiophile grade RCAs from American CMC, low-noise, hefty R-core transformer powering four independent power supplies, two buffered headphone outputs sporting TPA6120 chips (one per channel) that can work simultaneously, precise Alps Type 27 Japanese potentiometer with 0.5 dB accuracy located next to input connectors with an extended shaft, solid, rigid 12.5 mm aluminum front panel. Can you see that ladies and gentlemen? So much “goodies” for so little! And it all lay fallow because someone else stole the show (the dac25.3). Until one day someone from Eter Audio distribution collecting a component from me after review wouldn’t say that “maybe I’d listen to something else,” that “I hadn’t have it yet,” and that “they (at Eter) were in a shock”. Why not? All the more so that I was just reviewing the HE-300 headphones that seemed to me the right partner for that amplifier. As it turned out they’re not just partners but nearly a perfect couple complementing each other. Eventually I only listened to the HE-300 paired with the HM-801 portable player or with the ph25.2, driving the latter with either the HM-801 or my reference player. The sound of that system is not as fat and not set as low as with the HM-801 or the Leben. On the one hand, I missed some of that meat and pressure. On the other, however, only then had I such lovely soundstage with so well presented instruments’ bodies and spatial relationships between them. In case of headphones it’s of course difficult to talk about “soundstage” as such, especially with conventional recordings (not binaural; incidentally, it’s worth paying attention to one of Chesky brothers’ latest initiatives, see HERE), but each recording has its own “world” that with the headphones on our head becomes our world, too. The HE-300s show that perfectly transporting us into another space, another reality, perfectly isolating from the outside world without causing strange effects usually accompanied with closed headphones. The Music Hall added something more to that – a very deep perspective. The amplifier paired with the reviewed headphones creates something spectacularly different, better than most other systems. It turns out that most recordings contain vast amounts of spatial information, not only about what’s in front of us but also about the whole area around us. That system can and does show it. Indeed, I was in a shock – to refer to what people from Eter Audio said to me – listening to the edition of Czesław Niemen’s album Success released in the Niemen od początku series. That’s the last version approved by the artist, thus being binding, definitive. Niemen prepared the material on his own, in his home studio, using emerging at that time digital technology in 20-bit resolution (quite a big deal back then). I never really noticed that, apparently trying to detach the mono sound from the center in front of us (and with headphones, which he often used, from the center of the head) he slightly manipulated the recordings, adding counterphase information. Fortunately, that’s not some crude job quite common in the 70s. It really gave a good spatial effect. The sound is mono, of course, but it’s placed IN FRONT OF us, not IN OUR HEAD. As if it were a binaural recording. Such discoveries, such flavors will wait for us time and time again. But even the sound as such is really lovely with the reviewed system – strong, palpable and pure. A slight drawback is not high enough midrange saturation and the lack of lower bass – that’s something we won’t get in that system. However, if we are able to get over it we will enter into a completely different space where there’ll be only us and music, even the audio gear will disappear. And that’s what this game is all about, isn’t it? Summary The HE-300, the first dynamic headphones offered by HiFiMAN sound completely different planar headphones from the manufacturer – the HE-500, HE-4 and HE-6. They are less selective, less open but they offer more powerful bass. That – paradoxically – makes them a better fit in most audio systems. They are simply more forgiving and just have that “groove”… They are quite easy to drive although the HD800s are clearly louder and can be driven by even tiny amps. Despite that, the HE-300 worked very well with portable players, both the HiFiMAN HF-801 and the iPod Classic 160 GB. They look nice which is also important. They sounded perfect paired with the Music Hall ph25.2 headphone amplifier. The attached cable turned out to be pretty good. Its replacement for the Entreq Konstantin 2010 cable will bring in a slightly better resolution but makes little sense from the economic point of view. The only problem turned out to be the quite “vibrant” plastic earcups painted in silver. Pretty stiff speaker cable made even gentle knocks to the cable result in quite a loud sound in the headphones caused by vibrating plastic earcups. It might be worthwhile to dampen it from the inside (and easy access) thin strips of bitumen mat. This should also improve the sound quality. Testing methodology The headphones were compared in an A/B test with known A and B using 2 min long music samples against the following headphones: HiFiMan HE-500; see HERE, Sennheiser HD800, AKG K701; see HERE, Bayerdynamic TD-770 Pro (Limited Edition 32 Ω) Beyerdynamic DT-990 PRO (Vintage); see HERE. Both the Sennheiser and HiFiMAN headphones were equipped with Konstantin Entreq 2010 cable. Entire albums were also auditioned. I used the following headphone amplifiers to drive the headphones: Leben CS-300 SX [Custom Version]; see HERE, Synergy HiFi 6F3; see HERE, Ear Stream Sonic Pearl; see HERE, headphone amplifier in Marantz SA-11S3SACD player , Music Hall ph25.2. The amplifiers and the player sat on the Acoustic Revive RAF-48H anti-vibration platform; see HERE. In addition to the headphone amplifiers the flowing portable players were used during testing: HiFiMAN HM-801, iPod Classic 160 GB. Sources HiFiMAN HE-300 Reviews, “Head-Fi”; see HERE [accessed 14.05.2012]. Mike, Hifiman HE-300: The Dynamic Driver, “Headfonia”, 5 August 2011; see HERE [accessed 14.05.2012]. Brent Butterworth, HiFiMan HE-300, “Sound+Vision”, 27 January 2012; see HERE [accessed 14.05.2012]. Marcusd, Hifiman HE300 – Hifiman Goes Dynamic!, “Headfonics”, 18 September 2011; see HERE [accessed 14.05.2012]. Jude, Chesky Records makes a high-rez album for Head-Fi'ers--in binaural!, “Head-Fi”, 04.09.2011; see HERE [accessed 26.09.2012]. DESIGN The HE-300 are dynamic open headphones, so far the only such design offered by HiFiMAN. The manufacturer is known not only for centering its offer on magnetostatic headphones but also for a close relationship with a large, loyal Internet community of its products users. It looks that introducing a new product Mr. Fang Bian carries out consultations with people from all over the world, releasing fixes for all reported issues wherever possible. The HE-300 have the same dimensions as other headphones from HiFiMAN and the same appearance. The only change is earcup color, here silver. The bridge and components supporting earcups are made of steel and they are what makes the headphones tightly clamped on the head. The bridge is covered with leather-like material and is padded in the point of contact with the head. The cups sport perfectly fitting soft, thick velour earpads. From the outside the diaphragms are protected by steel mesh. 50 mm drivers are mounted on a rigid plastic component that is screwed into the cup. That component divides the earcup into two parts –the ear side and the outside. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (AFTER MANUFACTURER) Driver: 50 mm diameter, dynamic drivers Impedance: 50 Ω Sensitivity: 93 dB @ 1 kHz, 1 mW Rated power: 30 mW Frequency response: 15 Hz - 22 kHz Weight: about 270 g Headphone cable is coupled with gold plated connectors characteristic to that manufacturer. With the HE-300 we receive “silver” cables according to company materials. The cables are very light and quite stiff. Each run consists of only a few wires that are naturally quite thick. The cable is terminated with a 3.5 mm mini-jack. Included we find a 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm adapter. The headphones are extremely comfortable and do not tire even after long listening sessions. One of the reasons is their light weight of only 270 grams Though at first we may have the impression of a slightly too tight clamp on the head, it is not true. The clamp is just enough to “close” the space before the ear – necessary to get low bass – but on the other hand non-fatiguing so that one doesn’t mind. The headphones sit perfectly on the head, probably best of all my headphones. The only problem I noticed is a quite “vibrant” behavior of the earcups. The headphone cable is pretty stiff (although not disturbing with the hearing), and each knock to the cable causes cup resonance. I think the cups should be damped from the inside with e.g. thin strips of sound absorbing material.

Published: 1. November 2012, No. 102 REF75 is the newest power amplifier offered by U.S. manufacturer Audio Research Corporation, introduced as a starting model in the prestigious Reference line. During the time of this review it was not yet listed on the manufacturer’s website. Moving up the price list, there is the REF150 and the two top models – the REF250 and the REF750. The “REF” stands for the ‘reference’ line while the numbers denote power output. Since these are all tube amplifiers, not solid state, such high power outputs denote that they cannot be SET devices. Indeed, all ARC power amps are push-pull, fully balanced designs, i.e. all stages – input, gain/drive and output circuits – are fully balanced. The manufacturer’s propensity for balanced designs, inherently resistant to any symmetrical distortion, is manifested in the fact that the amplifiers feature only XLR balanced input connectors. Another characteristic is that speaker binding posts only accept spade lugs and bare wire. The normally open ends for banana plugs are filled with golden pins that cannot be removed. And one more thing – the mains socket is designed for 20 A rated plugs, larger than the standard 16 A plugs, and as such is probably a bit of an excess. According to the manufacturer, the REF75 is housed in an enclosure reminiscent of ARC older, classic designs. The front panel sports two illuminated analog power/bias meters, one for each channel. The meters are rectangular shaped, reminding the 70s designs. Previously, round meters were used. Below each meter there is a knob to choose between power output and bias monitoring mode. The outer dimensions of the REF75 are the same as the of the REF150 amp. The front panel, handles and top cover are available in black or silver (natural). As it turns out, most of the circuit design is derived from the larger REF150 sibling, the main difference being the number of KT120 output tubes used – here we have a pair of matched KT120s per channel. The REF75 employs the latest “Wunderwaffe” in the tube world, an oversize variant in the 6550 / KT88/KT90 family of beam tetrodes, called KT120. At this time it is only offered by New Sensor Corporation, an American company with manufacturing plant based in Saratov, Russia, and offering tubes under Sovtek, Svetlana, Genalex and Electro-Harmonix brands. We met KT120 earlier in the Leben CS-1000P amplifier (see the review HERE). The input stage is a hybrid, solid state/tube circuit. That design was earlier used in ARC preamplifiers, such as the REF2 and the REF3. Each channel features a JFET at the input, followed by a single 6H30 dual triode as a driver tube. Audio Research products featured so far in “High Fidelity”: REVIEW: Audio Research Reference 5 SE linear preamplifier, see HERE SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: CDs and SACDs Abba, Gold - Complete Edition, Polar/Universal Music Japan, UICY-91318/9, 2 x SHM-CD (2008). Ash Ra Tempel, Ash Ra Tempel, MG Art/Belle, 101780, SHM-CD (1971/2010). Assemblage 23, Bruise. Limited Edition, Accession Records, A 128, 2 x CD (2012). Carol Sloane, Little Girl Blue, Sinatra Society of Japan, XQAM-1036, HQCD (2010). Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Depeche Mode, Enjoy The Music....04, Mute, XLCDBONG34, maxi-SP (2004). Depeche Mode, John The Revelator, Mute, LCDBONG38, maxi-SP (2006). Frank Sinatra, Sinatra Sings Gershwin, Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music Entertainment, 507878 2, CD (2003). Hilary Hann, Bach Concertos, dyr. Jeffrey Kahane, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon, Universal Music LLC [Japan], UCCG-50058, SHM-CD (2003/2011). Hilary Hann, Hilary Hann Plays Bach, Sony Classical, SK 62793, Super Bit Mapping, 2 x CD (1997). J. S. Bach, Sonatas & Partitas, wiol. Henryk Szeryng, Sony Classical/Sony Music Japan, SICC 840-1, 2 x CD (1965/2007). Jean-Michel Jarre, Magnetic Fields, Dreyfus Disques/Epic, EPC 488138 2, CD (1981/1997). Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music Entertainment, COL 480410 2, "Master Sound", Collector's Edition, Super Bit Mapping, gold-CD (1959/2005). Simone Kermes, Viva!, Archiv Production, 477 9843, CD (2007-2008). Tadeusz Woźniak, Tadeusz Woźniak, MUZA Polskie Nagrania/Polskie Nagrania, PNCD 1289, CD (1974/2010). Vangelis, Spiral, RCA/BMG Japan, 176 63561, K2, SHM-CD (1977/2008). Yo-Yo MA & Bobby McFerrin, Hush, Sony Music/Sony Music Hong Kong Ltd., 543282, No. 0441, K2HD Mastering, CD (1992/2012). Audio files Assemblage 23, Rain Falls Down WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Bruise, Accession Records, A 128, Limited Edition, 2 x CD (2012). Audiofeels, Sounds of Silence, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Audiofeels, Uncovered, Penguin Records, 5865033, CD. Bob Dylan, Blowin' in the Wind, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin', Columbia/Mobile Fidelity, UDSACD 2081, SACD/CD (2012). David Sylvian, World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed) + Angels, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] David Sylvian, Sleepwalkers, P-Vine Records, PVCP-8790, CD. Dead Can Dance, Anabasis, WAV 24/44,1 kHz [z:] Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Kankawa, Dear Myself, 24/192 WAV [z:] Kankawa, Organist, T-TOC Records, UMVD-0001-0004, Ultimate Master Vinyl, 24/192 WAV; reviewed HERE. Keith Jarrett, January 24 1975. Part I, WAV 24/96 [z:] Keith Jarrett, Köln Concert, WAV 24/96, HDTracks.. Me Myself And I, Elytom Encon, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Me Myself And I, Do Not Cover, Creative Music, 005, CD (2011). Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook, Searching, WAV 16/44,1 [z:] Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook, Sleeps With The Fishes, 4AD, GAD 710 CD. Sonny Rollins Tenor Madness, WAV 24/96 [z:] Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, WAV 24/96, HDTracks. Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars), WAV 24/96 [z:] Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto, HDTracks. The Alan Parsons Project, Sirius + Eye In The Sky, WAV 24/192 [z:] The Alan Parsons Project, Eye In The Sky, DVD-A. Japanese editions available from Audio Research REF75 is a chunk of good sound, good music. But what else can be expected from a manufacturer that has quality products in its blood and it seems that even a change of ownership – now it’s owned by Quadrivio SGR from Italy – and the death of its founder and “good spirit”, William Johnson, hasn’t changed that. What hasn’t changed either is the ARC “signature sound” that I hear in all their products. And what a sound that is! The Reference 75 sounds big and massive. Bass is saturated, full and strong; slightly emphasized in the 100-200 Hz range. This gives the sound the extra oomph and builds really large virtual sources. I can’t imagine a situation where one would call a system featuring the REF75 to sound dry, thin or light. There is no such option. There would have to be something seriously wrong with it for that to happen (e.g. forgetting to switch on active subwoofers in the Avantgarde Acoustics – which I once witnessed ...). The sound is thick and malleable. Bass is stronger than usual (in the range I mentioned) but that doesn’t affect midrange, doesn’t add weight to it. And such emphasis is easy to achieve – adding some midbass to get dark, thick, unhurried midrange. Here the pace is slightly restrained but not by said coloring. I will get back to that later. I was particularly interested in this aspect of presentation since there are many warm, slow tube amps out there and despite having their supporters, in the longer run they tend to sound tedious, tiring and boring. Of course I know that they are often paired with over-bright speakers to correct overall tonal balance, being treated as a kind of tone control. I would be hard-pressed to butt in and come down on that since it’s only natural to look for synergy in one’s audio system and that includes tonal balance. However, it seems there are some limits one shouldn’t venture beyond and forcibly warming the system with a slow, warm amp is exactly something like that. The ARC Reference 75 can help affect the tonal balance. As I said, it offers sound with strong, clearly emphasized bass. Yet it’s not senseless thumping nor is it dipping everything in amber to solidify it forever. It’s much more subtle. When we pair the ARC with the type of speakers such as Wilson Audio (which makes sense in that both manufacturers use each other’s products for their new designs, and they even have a common Polish distributor, audiofast), the somewhat dry, short bass of the latter will be fantastically complemented by the slight bass excess of the former. I was very interested to find out how that kind of sound affects treble. Strong, fleshy bass usually colors midrange. Here it is different. Bass, by its nature, sets the tone of this presentation regardless of chosen repertoire. But perhaps most important is what the REF75 does with midrange. It is big, not particularly selective but has good resolution. Both density and depth are at a good level. That creates a very atmospheric, immersive sound. I was extremely pleased to listen to some records that hadn’t sounded so well in my system for a long time (excluding my reference amplifier). Small ensembles sounded incredibly well. That is another interesting trait because such a large amplifier with such high power output is usually associated with high volume levels, with the kind of repertoire from Vader to Megadeth or from a concert album by Queen to imposing works of Mike Oldfield. And we would be right – the American amp can do that all really well. But what captivated me is the way it presents what’s small, what’s individual. The solo violin sounded beautiful – whether on an old recording of Henryk Szeryng or on a later one of Hilary Hann. Both albums are wonderful but have been recorded in a completely different way. The amplifier made them sound somewhat similar by providing a strong bass base yet did not disturb midrange. The presentation was dense, very emotional. I could get immersed in or wrapped around by it. It might have seemed dominated by midrange saturated with harmonics but it was not. Midrange was in a right proportion to upper range. There were just so many sounds and so much going on but it happened through presence, palpability, proper saturation and decay, not by over detailness. Equally interesting were albums featuring vocals as the dominant instrument – from Me Myself and I through Audiofeels to the fantastic young Sinatra from the 40s on the album Sinatra Sings Gershwin. The latter features a track recorded in 1947 and originally issued on shellac titled I’ve Got A Crush On You that sounded simply spectacular with the American amp. Despite its age it perfectly captures the character of Sinatra’s vocals. The REF75 showed it very well adding some weight to the sound, which actually turned out for the better. It was the same or similar with other albums, such as the Japanese release of Gold – Abba’s hits or the Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin duet album etc. I could go on with many more albums because the amp treated them the same way – elevated them regardless of how they originally sounded and in a sense revived them. It was as though it had their sound pass through some kind of conditioner, giving them all its own imprimatur and that of its designers. All those who know Audio Research products, however, know that you must sacrifice something in return. You could get nearly everything but you’d have to pay three or even four times more. At 42,000 PLN the Reference 75 offers a whole lot of “sound” yet it also has its limitations. The first one concerns improvements in tonal balance. I think they are improvements, not problems, because they are inherent to and almost synonymous with ARC gear. First of all, bass is stronger than in the reference. It will be a blessing to lots of systems and many an album, but you have to keep it in mind assembling your own audio system. It can go down quite low and is fleshy but there is no such unrivaled, such well-controlled bass extension as that exhibited by the Soulution 710, the Accuphase A-200, etc. Except that these are solid state amps; a tube amp simply can’t overcome some limitations. Thus, unless we have such refined and expensive amps for a direct comparison, we will not even know what we are missing. All the more so as the REF75 bass isn’t sloppy by any means and is better controlled than e.g. in the Tenor Audio 175S I once reviewed, although the latter has solid state output stage, high power output and mighty price (see HERE). One just needs to carefully pair the ARC with the system and the speakers. For example, the Tabla USB-S/PDIF converter from Human Audio reviewed for the same “High Fidelity” issue, not the best example of bass control, added too much “goodness” to the REF75 sound. With fast transients decay was too long. Midrange is f…ing good, reminding a small, low powered SET amp, maybe just without its ultimate delicateness and ethereality. Everything else, presence, density, harmonies, etc. is present. Treble is most difficult to define because it simply IS. Seemingly slightly rounded, like midrange, but without unpleasant consequences. Its extent is dictated by a given recording and nothing else. One thing that can be pointed out as superior in more expensive ARC amplifiers is treble resolution and selectivity. Since in the REF75 these are slightly inferior to midrange, treble can be perceived to be quieter and darker. That was true e.g. with the quite warm in itself recording of Miles Davis’s So What from the gold edition of Kind of Blue released in the Master Works series. The cymbals seemed to be warmer than the rest of range and slightly hidden in the background. That is until they hit harder, until something struck in the background, until the recording opened up. In reality, treble is not at all withdrawn, nor is it warm or lacking. It can be full and resonant, clearly exemplified by the WAV 24/44.1 recording of the new Dead Can Dance album Anastasis issued on a USB in a special box set edition. Percussion instruments featured prominently on this album sound strong, vibrant, sometimes even piercing – just as (I assume) they should. Conclusion I already reached some conclusions above. I didn’t mean, however, my discussion of some inferior traits of the REF75, which ultimately is only a product of human hands, to obscure the main message of this review. That is a fantastic amp. If I were to mention them again it’d probably just to remind you to be aware of the fact that nothing is for free and that you need to carefully rethink the whole system the ARC would be paired with. I would see it in the company of well saturated, natural sounding components with well-controlled bass. A potential customer would be a fan of chamber, vocal or experimental music, even electronics; generally rather instrumental music, not bands from the stable of Accession Records – Assemblage 23, Diorama, [: SITD:], Diary of Dreams – to name a few. With them, the amplifier will be too much involved in tonality and not enough in rhythm. It may seem paradoxical because it’s quite a big amplifier with high power output, equipped with KT120 power tubes to secure a better speakers control. And that’s probably true. It’s just that said power and control translate into exceptional ease in midrange and provide the amplifier with something more than just “good” presentation of vocals, violins, etc. They gave it the kind of magic that is just as difficult to get for that money as it is in more expensive products. It just happens or not, and money has nothing to do with it. DESIGN Although the REF75 is a tube amplifier, its design is different than 90% of devices of that type available on the market. From the outside it looks like a classic solid state amp and only numerous vent cutouts in the top and side panels indicate the need for efficient cooling. It is, however, convection cooling with (thankfully) no fan forcing air movement. Front and rear The REF75 is a tube power amplifier with solid state power supply. The unit is very large and looks very solid. Enclosure is not particularly rigid, but attempts to do so – what sets the tone is a thick, solid front panel with large, analog power/bias meters looking like those used in measuring equipment in the 70s. That’s also how studio amplifiers looked back then. The meters have been manufactured by Hoyt Electrical Instrumentation, an old (1904) American company whose founders manufactured meters as early as 1890! They are located symmetrically with a large mechanical power switch in the center, accompanied by a green LED. Under each meter is a knob to switch placed on the manufacturer's typical shape. The knobs are used to switch between power output and bias monitoring for each output tube. Bias calibration must be done manually using a plastic rod (included). On both sides of the front panel are large handles, the same as those in classic studio and laboratory equipment. The rear is sparsely populated. It sports two balanced XLR inputs at the top, located quite far from each other. Below are gold plated speaker terminals, with separate taps for 4 Ω and 8 Ω. They are rather small and only accept spades or bare wire, not banana plugs. In the center is a small toggle switch to turn off meter illumination, two 12V trigger sockets and a 20 A IEC connector. Interior The interior is spacious, offering lots of free space around the tubes. The electronic circuit is mounted on a single PCB, located near the front. The audio signal from the XLR inputs via long cables gets to the front. The cables are three twisted lengths of stranded copper wire. As I said, they are long and vibrate hard. Moreover, they run right between the two power tubes – I’d rather they were not there. The input buffer and gain stage is built on JFETs. It is followed by a single Sovtek 6H30 dual triode per channel with rubber vibration damping rings to minimize microphonics. The 6H30 is a driver for output tubes. Output stage consists of two Tung-Sol KT120 beam tetrodes per channel working in push-pull AB class. Output stage coupling is a combination of “ultralinear” and Audio Research’s patented “partially cathode-coupled” topology, which is superior to conventional pentode or triode operation. Driver tubes have gold plated pins while the output triodes come with standard pins. The tubes arrive in a separate foam-lined box. To install them one needs to open the amp by removing the bent top and sides’ plate. The bias needs to be adjusted manually; adjustment points are conveniently accessed from the front panel. Bias adjustment range is shown on the front meters. The input JFETs are direct-coupled. Thus, the only coupling capacitors in the signal path are between the driver tube and the output tubes. They look very solid. The manufacturer claims that the capacitors are brand new design developed specifically for 40th Anniversary preamplifier. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER) Output Power: 75 W Frequency response: at full power - 7 Hz - 60 kHz (-3 dB) at 1 W - 0.7 Hz - 75 kHz Input sensitivity: 1.4 V (25 dB to 8 Ω) Input impedance: 300 k Absolute phase: not reversed (pin 2 = hot) Negative feedback: approximately 15 dB Rise time: 10 V / ms Hum and noise: < 0.06 mV RMS (-112 dB) Dimensions: 483 x 222 x 495 (WxHxD) Weight: 21.3 kg Solid state power supply is located in the center, between gain circuits. It’s divided into three sections with separate secondary windings for JFETs, anode and filament voltage and another for bias voltage (-75 V). What primarily draws our attention is a large capacitor bank for anode voltage filtering. It consists of 12 Nichicon capacitors, arranged in neat equal rows. Before them is a very complex voltage regulator system for the input JFETs, with many capacitors of different types and from different manufacturers. It’s worth noting that all rectifier diodes are bypassed with polypropylene capacitors to minimize diode switching noise. The transformers are mounted at the rear panel; the mains transformer in the center, with speaker transformers on both sides. There are not mounted directly on the bottom plate of the enclosure but instead are bolted to a large channel bar additionally stiffening rear enclosure section. The output transformers are small but – as it was once explained by Eva Manley – what matters most in push-pull configuration is the quality of transformer steel sheet and the precision of the windings, not the size. The enclosure is made of bent sheet metal and its top corners reinforced with additional angle bars forming a sort of “cage”. The top panel forms a whole with the sides – it’s bent sheet metal with lots of small interior cooling slots. The unit sits on five rubber feet, four in the corners and the fifth in the center.

Published: 1. November 2012, No. 102 The story of Modwright is not so different from many others. Its owner, Dan Wright, started with modifying products of other brands, and finally he decided he was ready to offer his own products to the customers. The mods he offered (in fact he still does) included adding to Sony, Transporter, and later also Oppo players a tube output stage. So it wasn't a real surprise when the first own products of Modwright were tube devices – preamplifiers (the top model even with separate, also tube, power supply) and a phonostage. From the very beginning manufacturing its products inland, and not in Asia, was the philosophy of this company. The other part of company's philosophy seemed to be reasonable prices that combined with great quality and remarkable sound „branded” Modwright brand-name with great price/quality ratio. Some wondered how it was possible considering that the devices were manufactured in USA. Many audio fans often complain about products being either too expensive or offering poor quality due to savings in production. It is possible, as Modwright (or Schiit Audio, and some others) proved, to make smart savings in production costs, that still allow to offer reasonable price without any compromise in performance. It is not such a big problem to put most of your devices in the same enclosure, is it? And if you do, buying/manufacturing say 1000 pieces of given enclosure will cost you less then 300 of one kind, 400 of second, 100 of third and 200 of fourth, right? It is as simple as that. On the other hand Dan Wright keeps his designs simple – I think he uses just two sizes of enclosures (most devices fit in smaller and only KWA 150 needs bigger one), and they are everything but fancy. No dozens of blinking LEDs, no several switches, buttons, no cosmic displays, writings and so on – you find here only what's really needed. OK, one exception, or two maybe (probably mostly because of Far East customers who love this type of things) – a backlit logo, and some LEDs inside casing (in power amps, that, fortunately, can be switched off), plus the option (that is charged additionally) of ordering Modwright devices in black. I would rather not see those LEDs inside, but I realize that it's quite popular these days – some manufacturers install LEDs even in tube equipment... (even a highly reasonable guy like Tom Willis from ArtAudio does that). I've been a proud owner of Modwright's KWA100SE power amp and LS100 tube preamplifier (both black, yes!). To be honest when I, a valve fan, became a reviewer I realized that I couldn't be one with only 300B SET. But I needed some solid-state amp that would not only drive most speakers that came for review, but also sounded in a way that would please me. The reason I chose Modwright set (except for reasonable pricing) was the sound it offered, with one of the best, richest midranges I've ever heard from (at least reasonably priced) solid-state. Surely part of a credit goes to a tube preamplifier, but also power amp doesn't offer perfectly neutral, but rather slightly warm sound. That's why I liked its sound and for reviewer's purposes all I had to do was to slightly bias that warmth. That richer, smoother, bit warmer sound was also a reason why I chose SE version over regular (no SE) one. The latter offered too „cold”, too „dry” sound for my taste, and I doubted I would listen to it with pleasure over longer periods of time. LS100 on the other hand might be the least expensive preamp in Modwright's portfolio today, but ever since I have it, it never stopped amazing me with its remarkable sound (especially since I replaced stock tubes with better ones). Plus LS100 was also the first of Dan's even cleverer devices, that might be equipped with optional expansion cards to be installed inside – a MM/MC phonostage or D/A converter. Sure there are companies that have been doing it for a long time, like Accuphase for example, but it doesn't mean it is not smart to do the same thing. To be honest when I bought my LS100 both optional cards were still at „work in progress” stage, so only recently I had a chance to listen for couple of days to this new phonostage, that worked and sounded great! But until now I didn't have a chance to check out the DAC. Fortunately KWI200 is based on the same idea – there are optional expansion cards with phonostage (although solid-state one) and DAC. And for the purpose of this test I received an amplifier equipped with both additional devices so I could test them too. The KWI200 is the newest Dan Wright's baby – the first integrated in (not so long) company's history. I've been reading news about this product before it was actually introduced to the market and for whatever reason I drew my own conclusion, that it would be and integrated combining LS100 with KWA100 (or SE). What it really said, I think now, was that the sound should be the same, not the design, as the KWI200, as I discovered only after it was delivered to my place, was a strictly solid-state device. No wonderful valve glow then... That's also how I realized that the phonostage must be different from the one installed optionally in LS100, as that one was a tube device. My fault – I did not ask details of the device before the Distributor delivered it to me, but on the other hand I studied Modwright's webpage and information about those optional D/A converters and phonostages for LS100 and KWI200 are really scarce there... Maybe Dan could do something about it? SOUND Recordings used during this test (a selection): AC/DC, Live, EPIC, E2 90553, LP. Arne Domnerus, Jazz at the Pawnshop, Proprius, ATR 003, LP. Big Joe Maher, Mojo, Wildchild!, 02352, CD. Bobby Battle Quartet, The offering, Mapleshade, 01332, CD. Cassandra Wilson, New moon daughter, Blue Note; CDP 7243 8 37183 2 0, FLAC. Dead Can Dance, Spiritchaser, 4AD/Mobile Fidelity, MOFI 2-002, 180 g LP. Kari Bremnes, Ly, ais, B001PK3LZ0, CD. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin, Atlantic/Warner Music, WPCR-11611, FLAC. Midnight Blue, Inner city blues, Wildchild!, 09352, CD. Miles Davis, Sketches of Spain, Columbia Stereo, PC8271, LP. Patricia Barber, Companion, Premonition/Mobile Fidelity, MFSL 2-45003, 180 g LP. Pink Floyd, Wish you were here, EMI Records Japan, TOCP-53808, FLAC. V.A. Mozart, Le Nozze di Figaro, Harmonia Mundi HMC 901818.20, FLAC. Verdi, Il Trovatore, RCA Red Seal 74321 39504 2. As I already mentioned, or at least suggested, KWI200 uses the same size casing as KWA100/SE or LS100. Obviously it differs in small details, but dimensions are the same. What stroke me first, when I saw this amp was a symmetry. Two large knobs (volume control, and input selector), two push buttons (on/off switch and home theater bypass) and two... displays. Especially this last „detail” is what makes this device different from most competitors. First of all they display LARGE signs, that are EASILY readable even from large distance, and that's an obvious advantage. Secondly there are two separate displays... OK, I'll leave that to your taste, but I'd rather had a single display, maybe split in 2 parts, but still a single one. But that's just me. Luckily for me I could use a magic button on the remote control (to be clear it's the one named ... standby – it's because that's the same remote as used for LS100, and possibly some other devices too) and turn displays off, so they stopped bothering me. Before I did that I could (very clearly) see that one of them displays actual volume, and the other showed me which input was active at the moment. Of course the front panel sports one more element – a backlit logo, but that's it – no other fancy details. The back panel looks definitely „richer”. Solid, gold-plated speaker bindings are placed close to both edges – left and right respectfully, and the power inlet sits exactly in the middle. All other ins and outs are gathered in 2 groups. On the left side there are 3 pairs of linear (RCA) inputs, a pre-in, and a XLR input. On the right there are 12V trigger outputs, a pre-out, and, if installed, DAC's and phono's inputs. One of the clever and really handy features, that I don't think I've seen in any other brand's products, are two sets of inputs/outputs description – one placed below and one above sockets. The latter is upside down so can be easily read when you bend over the device. Simple, clever, costless and convenient. So why nobody (or almost nobody) else does that? As I already mentioned this device can be remotly controlled, and it features exactly the same remote as LS100 – smart saving again. So except for a backlit logo there are no fancy, sound unrelated features, but there are some, costless that are simply convenient for a user. And these small things also played their role when I chose Modwright's devices for my reviewers system. There were few stages of my test. I started using KWI200 as an integrated amplifier with a computer connecter as a source via Lampizator USB transport and TeddyDAC on one hand, and Salvation with ESELabs phonostage on the other. The intention was clear – to compare it with my KWA100SE + LS100 rig, that might be treated as alternative, although bit more expensive one. One advantage of KWI200 is obvious – almost double the power (200W vs 130W into 8Ω), but in my case, with Bastanis Matterhorn it didn't matter at all, and as I was about to find out, neither it did with Ascendo C8 Renaissance. No doubts with some really difficult loads it will matter. How does KWI200 sound? I would say, it sounds like... Modwright. What does it mean? Dan Wright's amps are solid-states but they sound more like tubes, or maybe class A transistors. Which means they are very likable even for tube fans like me. There are some attributes of the sound that make that happen – slightly warm, rich and smooth midrange, punchy, well extended, but rather bit rounded bass, and last but not least open, detailed, strong treble, that is crisp but without any hint of risk of brightness (unless you play some poor recording of course). All way back to the top of Modwright's portfolio, each amplifier seems to have the same set of attributes, adding only even more goodies on top, making sound more and more sophisticated, more liquid. Considering the fact that for now the KWI200 is the first and only integrated designed by Dan, there is no direct competitor, because each power amp has to be auditioned together with one of preamplifiers, and already the least expensive one, LS100, is damn good. But after this listening session if I had to make some assessment, I would say that sonicwise KWI200 is somewhere between KWA100 and KWA100SE, in my opinion of course. The SE version of KWA100 is a significant upgrade over regular version. When I was auditioning both of them to chose the one for myself, I found the sound of SE much more mature, more complete, better even then the sound of (non SE) KWA150 (although KWA150SE is another huge step up, no doubts about it) – I'm not sure if I should say that in public considering price difference between KWA100SE and KWA150... . To put it in another, simpler way – the combination of 100SE with LS100 offers, in my opinion, better performance than KWI200, but the latter wins when compared to KWA100+LS100 set (although I couldn't do a head-to-head comparison with this set). Why? Because even though it is a strictly solid-state amplifier it still delivers very smooth, colorful midrange, that keeps tube fan really happy. Yes, there is a price to pay – slightly warm, ergo not perfectly neutral sound – so what? Who cares if that's what makes this sound so natural, palpable, rich. Vocals are beautifully rendered with natural timbre, texture, with tones of emotions that make the performance sounding live-like. There is also a bonus – you don't need to be afraid of sibilants – Modwright will not „cancel” them, but rather make them more... likeable, or at least less disturbing, more natural sounding. Another strength of KWI200 is large, nicely layered soundstage, with lots of air, and precisely placed, 3-dimensional images of each instrument. Yes, there are some (more expensive) solid-state amplifiers that deliver even better defined 3D images, give them even more „body”, but that happens with amps priced 2-3 times higher. What's most important (surely for me) is that this integrated amplifier delivers liquid, musical presentation, that is so „listener-friendly”, relaxed, effortless, almost... tube like. Maybe I shouldn't have written that as it might discourage some solid-state fans, but these are facts – this is not a „classic” sounding solid-state amp. Music flows freely, breaths, there is fast attack and wonderful decay, reverberations, nicely relayed acoustic surrounding and so on. I really appreciated the way this amp presented small details, subtleties that often remain hidden behind the main events on the stage, but here being equally important elements of the presentation. Especially that it worked not only for details happening in the front, but also for those appearing deep into the soundstage. And even though this is a solid-state device the sound never got dry, which annoyed me a lot with many other devices of that kind. Modwright's integrated is quite a punchy fellow – oversized transformer does its job very well, allowing KWI200 to present its dynamic, powerful face. At the beginning I mentioned that this amp, as all other Modwrights, offered extended, punchy but slightly rounded bass. And in general I still think that it's a good description of that sound, but... it turned out, that KWI200 was able to surprise me, offering very punctual, taut bass. After that discovery I kept on listening to confirm that and one thing I realized was that KWI acted a bit like class A amps, that needed a lot of time before delivering their top performance, and that counts especially for bass range. At the beginning bass might be slow, even boomy, but in time it becomes faster, more punchy, taut. Secondly my impression was that KWI200 is more „sensitive” to quality of the recording than other amplifiers I know. I mean recording with nicely caught tight, fast bass sounded just like that, but if the recording showed just a hint of „loose”, boomy bass, KWI200 did what this kind of device is supposed to do – it amplified that, proving clearly that this recording was not perfect. Anyway the ability of delivering punchy and taut bass was some surprise for me, because despite many similarities with KWA100 (and SE), in this particular aspect it reminded me rather of the top model, KWA150SE. The main difference between my rig and KWI200 was this slight touch of valve charm delivered by LS100, that made the sound even smoother, more liquid, richer and more palpable and at the same time maybe even more dynamic. I have a confession to make here – I have no idea why, when conducting this part of the test, I didn't use a pre-in input to connect LS100 to KWI200. There is no excuse for me. Although it is rather unlikely that anyone would buy KWI200 together with LS100 so the information about such an experiment wouldn't be useful anyway. My guess – such a set should sound even better than integrated alone. Next time came to check out optional devices – D/A converter and phonostage. These are smart solutions for people who want to keep their system as simple as possible, meaning with as few devices, as possible. In fact you could have a very simple system – a computer as a source of signal, KWI200 and speakers and that's all you need. Additionally the pre-in input allows you to integrate this amp with home theater system, which some customers might also find helpful if they need to combine HT system with stereo in one room. Of course any serious audiophile will chose integrated device only if it offered satisfying performance. Many audiophiles claim the separate devices sound better then integrated ones, the latter being a compromise between convenience of usage and sound quality. But on the other hand, already mentioned Accuphase proves that integrated does not necessarily mean a worse performance. As I already mentioned it took Dan Wright quite a long time to introduce this D/A converter to the market. On one hand some people were waiting and getting anxious, but on the other that long waiting time clearly shows Dan's attitude – a new product must be 100% ready before it gets released. I don't know about you but I truly appreciate such attitude. DAC features two digital inputs – S/PDIF (coaxial), and USB. There isn't much about this device on Modwright's webpage, except for information that it includes 24/192 Asynchronous USB. I found somewhere information that the main DAC chip is Burr Brown PCM 1794. To use USB input with PC you need a driver, that is delivered on a CD – I had no problems with its installation, nor using this input afterward. My PC (WIN 7) saw Modwright as external sound card, called... XMOS, which gave me an answer regarding the USB chip used for USB input. DAC, regardless of which input I used, offered very clear, pure sound – that was my first impression. Clarity and transparency „attacked” me from the very first tune, later followed by openness and lots of details. Although it was difficult to analyze the sound of the D/A converter alone, I was under impression that it was supposed to complement the sound of KWI200. As I mentioned before amplifier offered slightly warm sound. D/A converter on the other hand seemed to deliver more neutral sound, which, in total, resulted in more neutral sound of the whole system. And while I preferred the sound of TeddyDAC, that offered even more air, that was even more open, palpable, denser, but it was rather a matter of personal taste, than the objective advantage of one converter over the other. Which, by the way, proves how good Modwright DAC is, considering price difference between those two devices. I'd say that the sound of reviewed converter reminded me more of a Hegel HD11 – neutral, clean, transparent, with lots of details and quite big, nicely layered soundstage. This review gave me another opportunity to confirm my thesis that in most cases USB converter offers a better performance than connecting computer directly to USB DAC (in MOST cases, not all of them!). Indeed, it sounded better either with Lampizator, or Stello U3 than when connected directly. Sound was richer, smoother, more organic, palpable, and delivered more emotional insight. These were not some huge differences. As I mentioned several times before, an USB converter doesn't introduce some fundamental changes/improvements to the sound, only subtle ones, but significant enough to enjoy what you hear even more, as the music gets more natural, more involving. In my opinion gentlemen of Modwright did a really good job, designing a very good D/A converter, that might compete with standalone devices similarly priced, and which, at the same time, complements the sound of KWI200 very well. I left the phonostage for a dessert. I had a chance to audition the tube version inside LS100 and was really impressed with its performance. I also had a chance to review a SWP 9.0 SE phonostage some time ago, that is not produced anymore but was also a damn good phono. In fact Dan gave up the latter when he introduced phonostage to be installed in LS100 which makes it a successor of the SWP 9.0 SE. And I think it is a worthy successor even though less pricy. The version offered for KWI200 is the first solid-state phonostage, and it is quite inexpensive with a price tag of only 1.000 PLN. There are not so many high quality MM/MC phonos on the market. I don't own any MM cartridge presently but it so happened that during that time I had Goldrings 2100 and 2300, and Ortofon VMS 10SE mkII, plus I had a chance for head-to-head with brilliant Manley Chinook. Obviously I will not claim that Modwright delivered the same class of performance as Manley did, but with those inexpensive MM cartridges differences were not so big, which proves that reviewed phono is a very good one. It delivered a vivid, energetic sound, with powerful bass, great rhythm and a crisp, detailed treble. Manley was able to give some more weight to the midrange, which I slightly missed when using Modwright, but you need to remember that MM cartridges, especially the inexpensive ones, are not the best midrange performers, and the integrated phono just presented what cartridges delivered. When it came to working with Koetsu Black, Modwright proved it can perform with high quality MC cartridge also pretty well, delivering smooth, liquid, coherent sound. Of course it wasn't fully capable of presenting everything Koetsu had to offer, but this cartridge costs like 5-6 time more than the phonostage so it is rather unlikely that anybody will use this setup in real life. But it was important that Modwright was able to deliver Koetsu's sonic character – bit warm, amazingly liquid and smooth. Regardless of which cartridge I used the upsides of each presentation were always clarity of sound, dynamics and pace&rhythm. Most of the records I played sounded good, at least, and some of them very, very good. I bet that most people using cartridges MM or MC up to, lets say, 2.000 PLN mark, should be satisfied with what KWI200 with optional phono can deliver. Of course you could look for standalone phonostage, but it would probably cost more. Considering also additional cost of cables you might be forced to spend 2-3 time more to achieve a better sound. I must admit that Dan Wright managed to surprise me again. I know most of his works, I own 2 of his products, and 1 with his modification, and still each time he releases something new I want to find out whether this time he's done it again, has he again created an extraordinary product delivering wonderful performance for reasonable price. And yes, he has. KWI200 has similar sonic signature, as all Modwright's product have, plus now he offers a device that proves that he keeps tabs on market trends. These demand from manufacturers to deliver high quality sound of all-in-one devices. So you get an integrated amplifier, that might include high quality D/A converter and phonostage inside, plus it features a HT bypass and it's remotly controlled. D/A converter sports both, coaxial S/PDIF and asynchronous (of course) 24/192 USB input. Phonostage works with both MM and MC cartridges. And last but not least KWI200 delivers 200W to 8Ω loads which is more than enough for most loudspeakers on the market. What more could you expect? From my point of view it could also make me a nice cup of coffee, but it gives you a kick even without caffeine, so it's probably even healthier this way. DESIGN KWI200 is the first and only (as for today) integrated amplifier in Modwright Instruments portfolio. It's a dual-mono design, working in A/B class, delivering up to 200W at 8Ω (400W at 4Ω). It's a solid-state design with MOSFETs working in output stage. The device sports a solid aluminum casing, with silver or black (charged extra) finish, that seems to be exactly the same as the one used for most Modwright's devices. Front panel is very symmetrical and it features two large knobs (volume control and input selector), two small push buttons (on/off switch and HT bypass) and two (!) displays (one showing volume, and other an active input). Right in the middle there is a large, back lit logo. Back panels sports a lot of sockets. Solid, gold plated speaker bindings are located close to left and right edges, and the power inlet sits right in the middle. Than there are two groups of sockets. On the left side there are 3 linear inputs (RCA), a pre-in (RCA), and one XLR input. On the right side there are 12v trigger outputs, a pre-out, and, if optional DAC and phono are installed, inputs for those two (coaxial S/PDIF and USB for DAC, and a pair of RCA inputs for phono). A clever, user-friendly solution are two sets of sockets descriptions – a „regular” one placed under sockets, and the other one given upside down above sockets, so that one can read them when bending over the device and looking on back panel from the top side. The top cover is kind of a grill which surely helps to keep things relatively cool (or at least bit cooler) inside. What was a surprise for me was that KWI200 seemed to produce less heat than my KWA100SE. Inside we find an impressive 1,5 kVA transformer, and two large, blue radiators at both sides of the casing with MOSFETS fixed directly to them. There are 8 large capacitors surrounding transformer, with total capacity of over 234,000μF. Most of the circuit is mounted on a large board. The KWI 200 uses a digitally controlled analog volume control with buffered input to the Solid State Music Stage, which is a single, direct-coupled input stage designed by a „tube” legendary DIY guy, one Alan Kimmel. As already mentioned there are two optional expansion cards that can be installed inside KWI200 – a solid-state MM/MC phonostage, and based on Burr Brown PCM 1794 chip D/A converter with coaxial S/PDIF, and fully asynchronous 24/192 USB input build around XMOS chip.

Published: 1. November 2012, No. 102 "As far as the Fonica name is concerned, Grupa Kapitałowa Complex S.A. bought the trademark FONICA at some point, and the current firm has nothing to do with former Fonica, except for being in the same business of making turntables. [...] If you want to contact the designer I think it's best if you contacted an audiophile, who made foundation of this company happen – Mr Radosław Łodziato." It's a part of the emails exchange I did with Ms Paulina Banaszewska, a Development Manager for Audio-Fonica Sp. z o.o., a company that now owns Fonica brand name. That was the first time I ever heard about Mr Łodziato so I googled him, which was pretty simple. On the Complex Holding webpage it says: "The graduate of the Economic-Sociological Faculty of the University of Łódź, holder of Master''s degree in economics. Since May 2006 the Vice President of the Executive Board of Complex IQ responsible for financial matters. In the years 2004-2005 financial director in AON COMPLEX in Łódź. In the years 1997-2004 linked with BRE BANK S.A. in Warsaw Branch in Łódź, where he was employed on the following positions: credit inspector, the head of credit department and credit risk consultant. He was born in Łódź in 1973. Interests: automotive industry, sports (shooting)". Meaning he's my peer. So how come that a successful businessman, a financial guy obviously, suddenly gets the idea of founding an audio company? And the one making turntables? Reappearing of Fonica brand on a market is a big deal. It is one the of most recognizable Polish audio brands after all, that is kind of a symbol of analogue equipment for most people, let alone audiophiles. I'm betting that most of older HighFidelity Readers had a piece of equipment once with Fonica logo on it. I know I had. As a 15 years old I was digging dikes to earn money to buy myself a fantastic (at least then) GS 464 turntable with a simple tonearm, and a stroboscope to set the proper speed. Believe it or not but my brother is still using it today. Some of you probably had Adam (GS 424), Bernard (GS 434) or Daniel (G-1100 Fs) turntable – the latter equipped with sensors, automatic, that I had also used for some time in my life. But than the Compact Disc CDF-101 made by Fonica, the very first Polish CD Player was a reason why I didn't go to my prom. I had only so much money to go to the prom or to buy this CD Player – the choice was simple for me... Fonica is simply a piece of Polish audio history. Let's not forget the Bambino turntable introduced to the market in 1963 (WG 252 version) that was a king of all parties in our country in 1960ties, becoming a symbol of its times. Łódzkie Zakłady Radiowe Fonica (ZWAT, ŁZR Fonica, T-4) was founded in 1945 as a sister company to Państwowe Zakłady Tele i Radiotechniczne in Warsaw. At the beginning they manufactured telephones and only in 1953 they released their first turntable - model G-53 (it will be the 60th anniversary next year!), that was in fact a first Polish mass-manufactured turntable ever. In 1956 company introduced the first turntable with an integrated tube amplifier. A year later turntables made 40% of total output of Fonica, which resulted in a decision to transfer the production of telephones to other company and focusing on audio related product. In 1958 company's name was changed to Łódzkie Zakłady Radiowe and 2 years after that, in 1960 they finally adopted the name Fonica. 1970ties were a period of company's prosperity due to licenses company bought from Telefunken, Thomson, and later from Tenorel (for cartridges). The demand for their products was so big that they had to outsource motor manufacturing to a company Silma, located in Sosnowiec. In 1970 Fonica manufactured in total 461 000 turntables. The 1989, the year of a great political breakthrough in Poland treated this company rather brutally. They made only 1000 turntable a year. In 1991, after some strikes, the decision was made to close down the company. Some efforts were still made to find new investors, mostly in Korea, by three companies Kyungbang Ltd, Kyungbang Machinery and, since 1998, Daewoo couldn't bring the company to its previous greatness. Finally company was shot down in 2002. For long 10 years there was nothing but nostalgia. And than this year (2012) out of a blue I received information about re-activation of Fonica, well the brand at least. It was sent to me by Ms Paulina Banaszewska, and was send on behalf of the new company – Audio-Fonica – the new owner of the brand-name (but not the logo) Fonica. The owner and main shareholder is the Complex S.A. As you can read in some company's materials: "The decision to re-activate the Fonica brand was a result of obvious increase of public interest in analogue records players." That might have been one of the reasons but I'm pretty sure that it was Mr Łodziato's drive to preserve this historical Polish brand that made it really happen. Sure economical factor had to be taken into consideration too, but for such a huge company as Grupa Kapitałowa Complex, it was probably only a secondary one. Sources "Wikipedia", Łódzkie Zakłady Radiowe Fonica, see HERE Michał Jadczyk, Andrzej Joński, Tadeusz Kowalski, Jerzy Wojtas, Technika naprawy gramofonów i wzmacniaczy, Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności, Warsaw, 1974. Władysław Kutze, Tom kultury. Lata 60., Warsaw 2008. Gerhard Weichler, Thorens. The fascination of a living legend, Engelskirchen 2006. Wojciech Markiewicz, Zabójczy sukces, "Polityka", nr 32 (2153), 08.08.1998. Koreańczycy ponoszą straty, "Rzeczpospolita", 26.05.1998, see HERE [dostęp 26.09.2012]. Audio-Fonica, company's internal documents. SOUND Records used for this test (a selection) Air, Love 2,Archeology/Virgin/EMI/The Vinyl Factory, 53361, 2 x 200 g LP ( Andreas Vollenweider, Caverna Magica, CBS, 25 265, Halfspeed Mastered, LP (1983). Bill Evans trio, Waltz for Debby, Riverside Records/Analogue Productions, APJ009, "Top 25 Jazz", Limited Edition #0773, 2 x 180 g, 45 rpm LP (1961/2008). Brendan Perry, Ark, Cooking Vinyl/Vinyl 180, VIN180LP040, 2 x 180 g LP (2011). Budka Suflera, Cień wielkiej góry, Live 2011 + studio 1975 (box), Polskie Nagrania Muza/Budka Suflera Productions, BSP 05-2011, 2 x 180 g LP + 2 x CD. Chet Baker Quartet, Chet Baker Quartet feat. Dick Twardick, Barclay Disques/Sam Records, Limited Edition, 180 g LP (1955/2011). Chico Hamilton Quintet, Chico Hamilton Quintet feat Buddy Collette, Pacific Jazz Records, PJ-1209, LP (1955). Czesław Niemen, Postscriptum, Polskie Nagrania, SX 1876, LP (1980). Depeche Mode, Personal Jesus 2011, Mute Records Ltd, 12BONG43, 33 1/3 rpm maxi-single (2011). Depeche Mode, World in my eyes/Happiest girl/Sea of sin, Mute/Sire/Reprise, 21735, maxi-single (1990). Diana Krall, All for You, Verve Music Group/ORG,ORG 006, 2 x 180 g LP (1996/2009); review HERE. Eberhard Weber, Chorus, perf. Jan Garbarek, Ralf-R. Hübner, ECM Records, ECM 1288, LP (1985). Frank Sinatra, In the Wee Small Hours, Capitol Records/EMI, 88654 12, 180 g LP (1955/2009). John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic/Rhino, R1 512581, "Atlantic 45 RPM Master Series", 2 x 180, 45 rpm (1960/2008). Kate Bush, 50 Worlds For Snow, Fish People, 72986615, 2 x 180 g LP (2011); review HERE. Komeda Quintet, Astigmatic, Muza Polskie Nagrania /Polskie Nagrania, XL 0298, "Polish Jazz Vol. 5", LP (1966/2007). Kraftwerk, Autobahn, King Klang Produkt/EMI, STUMM 303, Digital Master, 180 g LP (1974/2009); review HERE. Kraftwerk, Techno Pop, Capital Records/KlingKlang/Mute Records, STUMM 308, digital master, 180 g LP (1986/2009); review HERE. Mel Tormé, Oh, You Beautiful Doll, The Trumpets of Jericho, Silver Line, 904333-980, 180 g LP (2000). Queen, Innuendo, EMI Records Ltd., 67988 13, 180 g LP (1998/2009). Yaz, Upstairs at Eric's, Warner Bros. Records/Mobile Fidelity, MOFI 1-020, "Silver Label", Special Limited Edition No. 2044, 150 g LP (1982/2012). F-600 turntable turned out to be a hard to classify device. Usually all I need are just a few well known pieces, maybe records to describe like 90% of device's sound. The more expensive item the longer it takes, the more elements influence the outcome but in general the same rule applies – the first impression tells me most of what I need to know, and later I only get to fill in some blanks, only sometimes I had to slightly modify one or two elements of what I learned during first minutes with the device. It was different with F-600. At the beginning I was slightly disappointed with the sound. Maybe I was expecting too much, or maybe I just needed some time to realize what this sound was really about. Possibly both reasons played their part. So it took me quite some time to realize and to start to appreciate what Mr Radosław Łodziato did, and to understand what he had to do to get to this final result. The first, extremely important piece of information we get when starting an audition of a new turntable is a sound of a stylus touching the groove. Having heard this sound hundreds times with different cartridges and turntables I've learned an ability to deduct the sound of particular setup basing on this very sound. The first sound coming from Fonica was big, dark, warm and massive. In this very first moment there was no „visible” central element, also when it came to the whole soundstage, but this sound simply occupied a large space between speakers. And that's what you get when playing the record too. The first album I played was a digital remaster of Kraftwerk's Autobahn - I knew this recording by heart, also in this particular version. The disappointment I mentioned before came from a different (to what I knew) presentation with voices and keyboard's sounds fused into the background. When played using other, similarly priced and more expensive, turntables the soundstage is clearly layered, and each layer is clearly separated from others, and is more three-dimensional. That's what for example Transrotor Zet1 (see HERE) delivered, and I mentioned this particular device because the shape of Fonica's chassis might have been inspired by this Transrotor. Fonica delivered powerful, solid sound, no doubts about that, but it seemed to me that its selectivity and resolution weren't good enough. OK, sometimes you might sacrifice one in favor of other, but when both are poor there is no good sound. And the Fonica F-600 did not present neither, at least not at the beginning of the audition. I was pretty sure there was no need for any more mechanical break-in as I spinned the platter for over a week before I started to listen to the music, so in fact I was very close to packing it back to the box and sending it back to the manufacturer without writing this review. Fortunately I didn't do it – I decided to carry on the test following the procedure I adapted a long time ago, that includes multiple playbacks of the different tunes with different changes of cartridge's, and if possible tonearm's, setups. Already the second (Diana KrallAll for You) and third (Komeda Quintet, Enigmatic) record proved my first impression wrong. Next records allowed me to figure out why. To get there I had to change slightly VTA, and input impedance for Kanusi cartridge from 400 to 200 Ω. It took me 36 seconds to do that. It turned out that this turntable was fully capable of a differentiation between recordings depending on how the master tape was prepared. The basic difference was whether the master tape was digital or analogue. The pressings of digital tapes sounded were somehow tonally leaner (and it's not about a bass – I'd get back to it), dull. No, I don't mean they sounded bad. When you get used to such a sound you might find out that Autobahn, andTechno Pop, and Depeche Mode's remasters, and Yaz (Yazoo) might sound pretty nice, quite well actually. But when you compare to these above mentioned Diana Krall, and Analogue Productions remasters, and even (which is an exception) a Komeda's record (that I'm pretty sure was pressed from digital master tape) sounded clearly better. The top range was amazingly vibrant, crisp, rich, without being too bright. The phantom images had a much better, richer texture and more depth. This turntable doesn't deliver particularly wide soundstage, but the volumes of voices and instruments are rather large, and the depth of presentation also very good, and that creates a very good, although bit different than offered by most turntables (that can throw a really wide soundstage, wider than distance between speakers), perspective. Here the presentation is more focused, and more rhythm oriented. But what;s most important is that this is definitely not a dark, dim sound. Waltz for Debby by Bill Evans Trio from the first series Top 25 Jazz Analogue Productions (45 rpm), or John CColtrane's Giant Steps (double 45 rpm record from Rhino label), presented amazingly strong, rich, and very nicely differentiated treble. Although the latter record presented a bit less of that treble than the former, which proved that Fonica was fully capable of differentiating two various, but coming from the same time, recordings. But even if the „analogue” pressings sound better than the ones done of digital master tapes it doesn't mean that the latter become unlistenable or unenjoyable so you won't listen to them anymore. The advantage of F-600 is that despite it shows you the weaknesses of the recording (doesn't matter if that's a weakness of master tape, mixing, pressing or whatever), after get passed the unpleasant surprise of how poorly some records sound, and you get used to this way of presentation, you'll be still able to enjoy seemingly inexcusable EMI's re-editions made of digital master tapes like 2009 Queen's Innuendo, or three Frank Sinatra's records, (for example In The Wee Small Hours) from the same year (obviously not a good year for EMI's vinyls). Because even though these will sound worse than analogue, or even other, better digital remasters, they will give us a better perspective, a new experience we can learn from. So, even though I just said, that most records pressed from digital master tapes might sound bit better or worse, but usually not as good as from analogue one, you still can't just throw them all into a „trash” basket and forget them. I still heard in my mind a wonderful sound of Analogue Productions records, Komeda's record (which was a wonderful surprise!), Mobile Fidelity records from "regular" line (Silver Label is pressed from digital masters), or finally some original pressings from 1950ties and 1960ties, I still appreciated and enjoyed listening to a lot of the best records with „digital origin” like The Doors box (has anyone compared this one with the newest, analogue remaster from Analogue Productions?), ECM records like, for example Eberhard Webers's Chorus performed by Jan Garbarek and Ralf-R. Hübner, and many others. OK, maybe these did not sound as good as the best „analogue” ones, but still very good, so I could enjoyed those with satisfaction. And once you cross that bridge and see that at least some digitally recorded music delivered on vinyl sounds good, much better in fact that I thought it did after first Kraftwerk's record I listened to on Fonica, you might also become more open to the idea that some contemporary records pressed from hi-res digital masters, like for example 50 Words For Snow by Kate Bush (DAA, see HERE) might offer a hypnotic sound. The piece opening this record, Snowflake, includes not only Kate Bush but also her son, Bertie, singing. His bit childish falsetto was delivered by Fonica with incredible emotional depth, and I know very few turntables, even among more expensive ones, that can do it equally well. To find out what this turntable is capable of takes more time that it usually does – if you want to try for yourself remember to give it a try for a long time. What might help is an absence of pops and crack – many designs that are build to offer great detail and selectivity find themselves in a trap, as often pops and cracks come along with these qualities. But not in the case of F-600! And while at the beginning I thought that it was achieved by some treble roll-off, records of Komeda, Coltrane, or Evans proved me wrong, delivering strong, crisp, vibrant cymbals. Fonica delivers a truly dark background and a very smooth, silky even, sound. The sound itself might be bit brighter or darker, stronger/more directed, or slightly rolled-off but it is recording dependent. But unless you use some very dirty records, you'll never get much pops and cracks. Plus there is one more element that in fact „makes” the sound of this turntable – it's the bass. Large part of it is stronger than the rest of frequency range. It is well extended, maybe not so taut, but very rhythmic which I confirmed listening to many „club-like” remixes of Depeche Mode's recordings. The attack was immediate and well defined. A good presentation of punchy bass is usually delivered by heavy mass-loaders, and F-600 does it even better than most turntables at the given price tag. You can hear it even in jazz recordings but you can really experience it once you listen to some electronic music. Summary Since mid-bass is stronger than midrange voices seem to sound bit lower than usually. I heard it with Bertie, Krall, or Sinatra. This modification was obvious and beyond discussion. It doesn't mean that the sound was ruined – all you have to do it to be aware of that and wisely chose other elements of your system. I also mentioned already some other weaknesses of this turntable: the width of the soundstage is not impressive, selectivity could also be better (by selectivity many mean just how detailed sound is, but there is more to this term than that), and the sound is rather warm. But what is really the most important thing is how do you perceive the sound as a whole, and not just some single elements of that sound. And the whole sound of F-600 is really, really good. It is not perfectly neutral sounding deck but it is clear that there is some concept of how it should sound behind all choices made by its designer. Sound of F-600 is rich, dense and strong. It differentiates various recordings nicely and makes the good ones sound remarkably well. There are very few cracks and pops, although surface noise is not so low and it is heard rather in lower than upper midrange. This is really nicely build and finished turntable, with an arm with very handy VTA adjustment, and it is a Polish concept. And it is sold under legendary brand-name Fonica. I must say it is a very interesting debut of this company (well it is a debut as only the name is familiar, company is in fact new). Congratulations!!! Test methodology I put the turntable on Base IV Custom rack, on wooden shelf and additionally on Acoustic Revive RAF-48H platform, but uninflated. It worked with 2 phonostages: RCM Audio RCM Audio Sensor Prelude IC (solid-state) Manley Chinoock (tube). Wyposażony był w dwie wkładki: Miyajima Labs Kansui Denon DL-103SA. Porównywany był do gramofonów: Transrotor Zet1 Matt White, see HERE Pro-Ject Extension 10 During the test for comparison I used also a Pathe Wings PSW-650 clamp weighting 650 g. This time I listened to the whole records not just single tunes. DESIGN F-600 is a new Fonica turntable. It is a brand name belonging to a manufacturer called Audio-Fonica Sp. z o.o.. It is a non-suspended design, with belt drive, and a motor with external speed controller. It is delivered with Rega RB300 tonearm additionally equipped with a handy VTA adjustment that might be used also „on-the-fly”. It is classified as a mass-loader and it uses mass to damp vibrations, but in fact it is not particularly heavy, weighting only 12,3 kg. On the other hand the weight is significantly bigger than is case of most Rega or Pro-Ject products. The design reminded me of a Transrotor Zet1, at least by the shape and material used for the deck's base. It is made of black acrylic shaped after four-leaf clover, and there is no additional damping. The 298 mm platter is also made of acrylic. There is also a thick felt mat placed on the platter. Other, metal elements are made of brass, which bring to mind products of Ancient Audio. Similarity goes even further as the Fonica's F-800 model reminded me strongly the one-time turntable made by Jarek Waszczyszyn (Ancient Audio) for known musician Jarek Śmietana: granite base, acrylic platter, belt drive and so on. Of course that's just some similarities that came to my mind – most likely Mr Radosław Łodziato had never seen AA's turntable (as there was only one piece ever made). You can see brass elements here and there and it, together with black acrylic, is responsible for visual impressions, very good one I might add. Three cones under the turntable (one in the back and two in the front) are made of brass, also the clamp is made of brass, the VTA adjustment, motor enclosure, and its controller's casing are also all brass. And the plaque with company's logo is brass too. The key elements of the base, an inverted sliding bearing was developed in-house, the „female” part is made of brass, and the „male” part is a small ball made of zirconium dioxide - a material that, according to manufacturer, has a strength comparable to that of a diamond. The bearing is lubricated with some dense oil. The roller with zirconium dioxide ball at one end is made of steel. The roller has been turned as a one piece together with a spindle. I think that the spindle has slightly too big diameter - Analogue Productions records fitted here nicely, but most others I had to push down quite hard, and than it was quite some problem to take them off. The clamp is quite heavy – it weights 932 g and it is shaped similarly to those of Pathe Wings. It is equipped with two rubber damping rings, plus the level on the top. To achieve perfect level you only need to make sure that the shelf you put table on is actually level. The three brass cones under the deck should be pushed all way in, as they do their job best than. These are also equipped with rubber rings that decouple them from the base. The motor is placed in a cut-out in the back left corner of the base. The cutout is quite tight, and padded with rubber band that on one hand decouples motor from the deck, but also keep it attached to it. The spin i transmitted to the platter from a small platter fixed on motor's ax, with a rubber belt. The motor seems to be an AC one. It is controlled by an external controller with oscillator, placed in cylinder shaped enclosure with on/off switch, a button changing speed, and two blue LEDs indicating current ( 33 1/3 or 45 rpm) speed, on top. The controller connects to the motor with a cable, that sports plugs the same as those used in Pro-Ject decks, and the controlled is powered from a 18V power supply plugged directly to power outlet. The tonearm is an OEM version of Rega RB300. This is a well known and appreciated design. The arm features a beautifully cast one piece arm tube and headshell, closely toleranced bearings, rigid bearing housings and magnetic frictionless bias compensation. The only downside is lack of VTA adjustment. But Fonica solved this problem designing their own solution – a very nice and handy one. Signal is delivered via gold-plated RCA sockets and no IC comes with the device, which might be a good idea as probably no one would use it anyway, but rather other one of his own choosing... The turntable is delivered in surprisingly small wooden case. I would suggest changing the way the hinges are mounted, as the transport company dealt with those already during the first shipment... The inside of the case is filled with stiff foam that protects all elements of turntable pretty well. I have one more suggestion for a manufacturer – he could think about some cover for this model, as both acrylic body and felt mat attract dust like hell.

Published: 1. November 2012, No. 102 TONEAudio, published by Jeff Dorgay with considerable help from his wife, American, web-only magazine is the best looking audio magazine I know. Only single issues of Japanese quarterly Stereo Sound can offer similar quality. Although the magazine is relatively young as it started in 2005 (a year later than High Fidelity), it has now become one of the highest recognized audio magazines in the world. I liked its form since its first issue; I loved the photographs, the format, the drawings, and the square covers. I can say without any shame that the non-standard format of “High Fidelity” cover – incidentally, also square – is a direct result of my fascination. The whole magazine had been published in a square shape until issue no. 27 from February 2010, rectangular-shaped, with a most amusing cover on which a woman cries out (in a balloon) “OMG! We're Not Square Anymore!” As you can see, the magazine publishers can’t be accused of the lack of humor or a lack of taste. I didn’t need to ask Jeff why the change. Just about the same time Jeff started collaboration with Zinio, a large publishing company that distributes digital magazines, books, etc. that can downloaded to many portable devices, tablets and computers. „The Absolute Audiophile” from Italy has also been published through Zinio. I wrote reviews for its first three issues that were published but the magazine “forgot” to pay me and our collaboration ended. For a magazine to be distributed through Zinio it needs to be prepared exactly the same way as for printing, in a PDF or similar format. However, “TONEAudio” hasn’t abandoned audiophiles to their own – all issues have been publically available and one only needs to pay for the “Premium” high-resolution versions. For some time, between issue no. 29 and 34, both versions were free, and let me say that the high-res version looked simply insane! Nothing lasts forever though and the magazine recently stopped collaboration with Zinio and has only been available in a classic version. It goes without saying that I was as happy as a child at the thought of talking to and interviewing Jeff Dorgay, the magazine’s founder, co-owner and publisher. Here’s what I learnt… Wojciech Pacuła: For a start, tell me please how did you start an audio magazine? What I mean is when, where, who... Jeff Dorgay: I've been thinking about my own hi-fi magazine, since I was a teenager, but TONEAudio began as an idea when I moved to the Pacific Northwest in the summer of 2003. Officially we launched our first issue at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) in 2005. Why did you do that, what did you need it for? I was writing for about 15 camera magazines at the time and The Absolute Sound as well. It was like having 16 girlfriends, all wanting something else! A lot of fun, but tough to keep it all straight after a while. Writing for TAS after reading it for the past 30 years was fantastic, but I knew it would be budget integrateds forever, I was never going to get access to great gear there, so I started thinking about just going for it. With almost 600 camera reviews under the belt, I didn't think it would be that tough, as I had been a commercial photographer all my life and my wife Jean (who is the designer of TONEAudio) was a great art director, so I felt we had the basic building blocks "in house." How did you decide about the format of your magazine? Most if not all internet based magazines are published as regular web pages while you decided to publish TONEAudio in the PDF format. Having spent the prior 20 years in print advertising and magazine production for other clients, we both could see that print was on the way out. But the main reason we became a PDF magazine was so that we could set advertising rates well below what the print magazines had to charge. It meant we could be an addition to most companies' advertising/marketing budgets, that we would not be predators to the print magazines. I didn't want to take business away from them, I wanted to help expand the audience. Your magazine looks exactly like print magazines (OK, actually better than most of them…); where did you get the money for it? It must be VERY expensive to prepare and published such great looking magazine, right? We worked for nothing for the first two years. Just as I was about to quit TAS, because I felt it would not be ethical to start my own magazine while working for them, Wayne Garcia fired me, telling me my writing was “not up to TAS' high standards.” Ironically, a few of my camera reviews were picked up by the New York Times that week, so I thought it was a sign that it was time to make the move. It ended up being the best move. We chose the PDF format, because we wanted it to look like a great print magazine, just without cutting down the trees to do it. I think it helped people make the transition a lot easier. Even today many websites are tough to navigate, and ultimately people lose interest. But in the "issue" format, it's easy to store it on your computer, laptop or tablet and read it in bits as you would a paper magazine. How did you find right people for your magazine? In the beginning, I called a few friends that I had worked with for years on other magazines and they were happy to get on board. After that, they all found us. Our staff is really the key to our success. I've got some great writers here. Do you think that printed magazines will become extinct? I think they will become extinct when they can no longer sell enough advertising to support the printing and mailing cost. Now that it's getting easier and less expensive for online magazines to add interactive and video content to the mix, it will be tougher for print magazines to keep up with that as well. But the nice thing about a print magazine is that you don't have to shut it off 20 minutes before landing, or upgrade the software, so I think print will be with us for some time. As someone who earned their living in print for a long time, I'd certainly be sad to see them go. What web magazines can learn from print magazines one and vice versa? There's really only one lesson for all of us – CONTENT. As Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres always tells me, "if you have compelling content, people will read you, no matter what you're printed on." In this case, it's probably an iPad instead of a paper magazine. What are the strengths of web based magazines? And their weaknesses? The strongest point of a web based magazine is the ability to deliver content quicker than a print magazine, and the ability to get world wide distribution a lot faster. I think the weakness of online back when we started was that online did not have the perception of value and prestige as print, but as the audience gets younger, that is changing. Now with the iPad, Kindle Fire, Android and other tablets, you can read an online magazine anywhere you would read a print magazine. I find it a lot easier to find more information about a particular product with an online magazine, because if you are reading a print magazine, you have to put it down, fire up your laptop and try and find what you want. With an online publication, you just open a new browser window and find the necessary info. How did you come up with the name TONEAudio? My wife will tell you I love to name things. I like titles that are all encompassing, so TONE was perfect, it meant light and dark, loud and soft, even a tint or coloration - all things that apply to audio AND music. However we found a magazine in Australia named TONE, so we changed the name to TONEAudio. Please tell me something about yourself. I've spent my life immersed in music and have met all of my closest friends as a result of music and hi-fi. TONEAudio combines all of the things I'm interested in, audio, music and other fun things: Cars, cameras, watches, great things to eat and drink, etc. Nothing has changed today, I work on TONE from the time I get up until the time I go to bed, I'm always listening to music, fiddling with gear or attending live music. It's a dream come true. The late Dick Clark said that if you do what you love for a living, it's no longer a job. What do you aim for with TA? A million readers. How should a reader approach your magazine's reviews? I think you should try and get as much information as you can from a review, whether it's ours or anyone else's. I see a good review as something that describes the product well enough that you want to go to your local dealer or hifi show and investigate for yourself to see if you like it as well. If we've described a component accurately enough that after an audition, you purchase it and enjoy it, then we've done our job - we've helped you to improve your system. That is my goal with all of our reviews. What do you listen to for pleasure, at home? That changes every day, every hour. There isn't much music I don't like. Could you list 10 albums you’d recommend to High Fidelity readers as must listens? Not really, I listen to so much, as in the question above, it changes all the time. By the end of the day, I'd think of 100 more! But I would suggest just trying 10 albums you've never heard of, no matter what they are. Get as far away of listening to the "audiophile standards" as you can. What is the future of our audio hobby; is there any future? I hope so, or we're all out of a job! But seriously, as long as people love music, they will need something to play it on. Whether it has the form it does now, we'll see about that. Is streaming the future if audio? For some people. I don't know if it's as popular as the media and message boards think it is. It's 50/50 for me. I have a lot of albums, yet I have 9300 CD's on my Sooloos music server (Meridian Digital Media Systems, see HERE - ed.). And I've kept ALL of the discs as a backup of last resort. I think the streaming experience has to be painless to be intriguing. We're not quite there yet, but it's getting better all the time. How about CD players then? Same as above. I certainly know a lot of people that don't want to be bothered with ripping, tagging and cataloging, but that's not a large enough representative sample to be accurate. On a recent trip to the Naim factory, they were certainly building a lot of CD players! In my system, contrary to popular opinion, a disc still sounds better when played through the transport of my dCS Paganini than it does played from a server or even a computer running Amarra or Pure Music. I've tried most of them, yet playing the disc still wins the day. But I love the convenience of having so much music at my fingertips, so it is very valid. I probably listen to 70% of the music I hear every day via the Sooloos. Even more as we get closer to deadline! Have you noticed reel-to-reel movement? What do you think about that? I think it's crazy, but that being said, I have a Revox A77, B77 and a Studer B67! I love the format and love the sound. A big pair of reels spinning is a wonderful thing. (See HERE and HERE - ed.). But with no meaningful software available, I think it will remain strictly for the hardcore enthusiast. I love what the Tape Project guys are doing, but they are handicapped by the prices they have to charge to be viable. And I'm just not paying $500 for The Staple Singers Greatest Hits. Could you tell me a few words about audio magazines in the US? And how they differ from European magazines? I don't see that much difference really, other than they tend to cover the gear that is more regionally available. Now automotive magazines, that's a different story! Thank you very much. Pleasure :) JEFF DORGAY - ROOM I Main system consists of: - ARC REF 5SE preamplifier and Robert Koda K-10 - ARC REF Phono 2SE phono stage, Pass XP-25 phono stage, Qualia Indigo phono and Simaudio MOON 810LP - BAT VK-60SE monoblocks, Pass Labs XA-200.5 monoblocks Turntables: - AVID Acutus REF SP w/Triplanar and Lyra Atlas - AVID Acutus REF SP w/SME V or 309 and Lyra Kleos - Zu modded SL-1200 - Stock Thorens TD-124/SME 3009/Ortofon VMS 20mk. II - AVID Volvere SP/SME 309/Grado Statment 1 - AVID Volvere SP/Funk Firm FXR/Rega Apheta Digital: - dCS Paganini (four box stack, Vivaldi on the way) - Sooloos Control 15 server (RedBook files only) - Aurender S10 server (High res files only) Tape: - Nakamichi Dragon - Nakamichi 700II - Revox A77 and B77, both high speed, 1/2 track - Studer B67, 1/2 track GamuT S9 speakers Others: - GIK Room treatments - Running Springs Dmitri, Maxim and Haley PLC's (each on dedicated 20A lines) - Cardas Clear and AudioQuest Sky cable - Running Springs Mongoose power cords JEFF DORGAY - ROOM II Linn LP-12/Shure V15, AVID Volvere SP/SME V, Ortofon Cadenza Bronze VPI Classic 1, Lyra Kleos Mono (2nd VPI Classic at the factory being fitted for an Eminent Technologies ET 2.5 Carbon Fiber arm. AMG V-12 w/Sumiko Palo Santos waiting for me to install a turntable shelf! Both rooms are next to each other, so I just run a second set of interconnects from the analog outputs of the dCS stack, so the Paganini is a reference component for both systems. Auditioning the Light Harmonic for possible use in room two. Speakers are Acoustat 1+1 with in wall JL Fathom sub, alternating with Dynaudio Confidence C1 II. This room is much smaller (13 x 16) and is used primarily for smaller speakers. Full compliment of GIK room treatments here as well, with excellent results. Monk Audio Phono takes care of a couple of tables, and the ARC REF Phono 2 (not SE model in this room) handles the AVID and the AMG.

Published: 3. December 2012, No. 103 The newest series from PMC that is Professional Monitor Company is the Twenty series. Prepared for the manufacturer’s 20th anniversary it is much more affordable than most other products offered by this British manufacturer based in Luton, north of London. And it seems at the moment to be the apple of PMC eye. But one needs to keep in mind that in addition to studio behemoths such as the MB2i, the MB2XBDi or the BB5i speakers that really define PMC image we also find speakers with the letters T, G, F, O, P, and E in front of the symbol, belonging to the so-called iSeries. Just as the once reviewed OBi1, speakers with unique looks and sound. The GB1i speakers I would like to have a closer look at this time is the smallest floorstanding design from the manufacturer. Slim, with a slender front baffle, using only two drivers - a soft dome tweeter and paper coated midbass woofer. The latter is quite small, only 140 mm in diameter. It is, however, loaded into a long labyrinth with a large vent located at the bottom of the front panel. The dome tweeter is from Norwegian SEAS, modified to PMC order. Its dome is made of material called SONOLEX. The predecessor of the GB1i was the GB1 model developed on the basis of the award-winning FB1 and OB1. It is worth noting that there is also a special version of the reviewed speakers, the GB1i Signature. Transmission Line Transmission line is the PMC trademark. The manufacturer’s innovative proprietary version is called ATL for "Advanced Transmission Line". Owing to that the small speaker with a tiny woofer is quoted to have bass extension to 29 Hz. ATL is simply a long tunnel or labyrinth inside the cabinet, suitably shaped and damped – here consisting of three sections – rear-loading the woofer. Normally, the energy from the back of the speaker (which amount is equal to that from the front side) is either suppressed (closed enclosure design), radiated directly to the room (open baffle design) or partially suppressed and partially (at a specific frequency) radiated in ported or bass-reflex designs. Transmission line promises to recover that energy across a full driver bandwidth. These designs used to much more popular and were pioneered in commercial designs by John Wright. He developed them in his own manufacturing company, IMF Electronics. PMC is an immediate successor of these ideas (a very interesting article on that subject appeared in "Hi-Fi News & Record Review": Steve Harris, Landmark loudspeakers, Vol. 59 No. 06, June 2012, pp. 14-18). Let’s add that Wright subsequently founded TDL ("Transmission Line Developments"). The original idea of the transmission line emerged at Stomberg-Carlson, which in the 30s patented in the United States the idea of a long tube acoustically loading the rear of the speaker. It was subsequently jointly developed in the 60s by Arthur R. Bailey from Bradford Institute of Technology and Arthur Radford. In 1965 "Wireless World" magazine published Bailey’s article on the subject that remains valid, titled A Non-Resonant Loudspeaker Enclosure Design, in which he showed practical applications of the theoretical work of Radford. Steve Harris writes in the article IMF Pro Monitor that the name “transmission line” was derived from electrical engineering by the way of analogy. PMC products featured so far in “HIGH FIDELITY”: REVIEW: TWENTY.22 standmount speakers, see HERE REVIEW: OB1i floorstanding speakers, see HERE REVIEW: PMC OB1+ standmount speakers, see HERE SOUND A SELECTION OF RECORDINGS USED DURING AUDITIONS: A Day at Jazz Spot 'Basie'. Selected by Shoji "Swifty" Sugawara, Stereo Sound Reference Record, SSRR6-7, SACD/CD (2011). Ash Ra Tempel, Ash Ra Tempel, MGART/Belle, 101780, SHM-CD (1971/2010). Carol Sloane, Little Girl Blue, Sinatra Society of Japan, XQAM-1036, HQCD (2010). Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, "Special Edition Hardbound Box Set", CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012); Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, Vertigo/Universal Music Ltd. Hong Kong, 5483572, XRCD2 (1985/2000); Elgar Delius, Cello Concertos, wyk. Jacqueline Du Pré, EMI Classic, 9559052, 2 x SACD/CD (1965/2012). Fauré, Requiem, dyr. Michel Corboz, Erato/Warner Music Japan, WPCS-12545, SACD/CD (1972/2012). Hilary Hann, Hilary Hann Plays Bach, Sony Classical, SK 62793, Super Bit Mapping, 2 x CD (1997). Manuel Göttsching, E2-E4. 30th Anniversary, MGART, 404, CD (1981/2011). Maria Peszek, Jezus Maria Peszek, Mystic Production, MYSTCD 214, CD (2012). Pink Floyd. The Wall, EMI/EMI Music Japan, Digital Remaster, 2 x CD (1979/2011). Suzanne Vega, Nine Objects of Desire, A&M Records, 540 583 2, CD (1996). The Beatles, Abbey Road, Apple/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-51122, CD (1969/2000). The Modern Jazz Quartet, European Concert. Volume One + Two, Atlantic/East West Japan, AMCY-1186-7, "Atlantic Jazz Collection, 50 Years", K2HD, 2 x CD (1960/1998). This Mortal Coil, HD-CD Box SET: It’ll End In Tears, Filigree & Shadow, Blood, Dust & Guitars, 4AD [Japan], TMCBOX1, 4 x HDCD, (2011). Tomasz Stańko Quartet, Lontano, ECM, 1980, CD (2006). Vangelis, Blade Runner Trilogy. 25th Anniversary, soundtrack, Universal Music K.K., 550689 4, 3 x CD (1998, 1991/2007). Japanese editions available from Humphrey Britton-Johnson in his letter to "Hi-Fi News & Record Review," titled From IMF to PMC writes as follows: Having thought PMC speakers were for pop, rock and ‘head-bangers’ I was won over by the company’s OB1s a few years ago, after auditioning numerous floorstanders with classical recordings. I’m now appreciating PMC’s PB1i, which has awesome dynamics and insight. It’s the best for ‘mighty Mahler’ symphony recordings and outstanding for modest orchestral forces too. Far too good fo head-bangers! I don’t know whether it was intentional but the letter’s author very accurately describes the general sonic characteristics of the reviewed GB1i. They are speakers with universal, exceptionally even sound. The PMC speakers are not large. They are rather kind of "matchsticks" - quite tall and slim. Despite that, they offer considerable sound volume, much larger than standmount speakers for comparable money. What sets them apart from standmounters, some of which can also demonstrate low bass extension - see the Twenty.22 from the same manufacturer or the Callisto III from RLS (reviewed HERE), is a much more natural, unrestrained presentation. To go really low in a small enclosure with a small woofer some compromises had to be made, starting with sensitivity and ending with lower dynamics. Yet the GB1i can "breathe", is alive and does not show noticeable compression. The latter is of course present, after all it’s a small woofer, but we perceive it more on a subliminal level, not directly. I will say more: the reviewed speaker is one of the very few designs – not being a large or a very large box – that easily cope with dynamics differentiation. It shows, for example, how much compressed dynamics is on the Remixes 2. 81-11 album with new versions of Depeche Mode songs; how radically different the tracks are from one another. I had no problem finding out where the artist had gone too far with compression, where poor sampling choices killed off vitality in the recording leaving a flat “something”. The same is true of The Beatles Abbey Road which only comes "alive" at higher than "background" levels of sound. Apparently, the mix was made at a relatively high sound pressure in the recording engineer’s room and the album begins to sound good at a similar volume level during home audition. The GB1i has no problem with showing these correlations. It’s almost certainly a result of extraordinarily even frequency response down to low end. I'm not sure whether the 29 Hz quoted by the manufacturer is possible at home. In my opinion it’s rather closer to 39 Hz – the lowest double bass note, about 41 Hz, sounded full but electronic music going lower still was not as full as with the Harbeth M40.1. Nevertheless, it is almost a full range speaker. Many floorstanders could only dream of such a result. And the reviewed speakers do not sound monotonous, non-differentiated. At first, the speakers may appear totally unattractive. We get very even presentation without sonic fireworks. With a bit of imagination we can imagine the letter M (for ‘monitor) in the company logo in bold – it is indeed a “monitor” sound (not to say “monitoring”). Nothing stands out or steps out of line, and definitely not the bass. The latter can sound very attractive and fleshy but only when it finds some “ground” for that. As on Maria Peszek’s album Jezus Maria Peszek or on Lontano by Tomasz Stańko Quartet. For it's not that something needs to pump the bass, it's a matter of a well-engineered recording where the sound is natural, with a proper base, breath and volume. It’s not simply “bass” in the sense of a single low frequency generated by keyboard or the lowest string played on bass guitar. Such thinking is simplistic, ignorant – sorry for being blunt… What I mean is the kind of presentation that has depth, is natural and full. And it was the recordings from Lontano that best showed what I’m saying and that the GB1i coped with without any problems. The title track opening the album develops slowly, calmly, but from the very beginning we get a rendering of a large space, kind of a holographic image with emerging large virtual sources, some closer others further away, all well differentiated and natural in their “presence”. The PMC speakers can’t do it as capably as the Harbeths, my reference speakers, or even – I remember that well – the larger model from the company, the OB1i (reviewed HERE). But for their size and their price they compare very, very favorably. It is difficult to point out a particular sub-range which would be more or less "important". As I have probably demonstrated it’s not bass that "rules" here, despite that type of connotation associated with transmission line. But treble is not accented, either. It is not bad; the speaker sports quality tweeter, very well "joined" with midrange. It's just that you need to be aware of its limitations. It will not play with dense and full sound. It complements the whole rather than creates it. While dynamic and quite selective, it is not really resolved. And it’s no use deceiving oneself that it’s the “best of the best” among tweeter for it is not. Its strength lies in a proper level setting, its exemplary “fusing” with the rest of the sound range and – evidently – good phase coherence. The sound reproduced by these speakers shows a trait that I value very highly – calmness. No flicker in sound image. That translates into very good spatial resolution. The speakers correctly show the sounds on both sides of the listener or behind him/her, provided they are in the recording. Soundstage depth is pretty good, although I had much better results with the speakers strongly toed in, with their axes crossing about 50 cm in front of me. That almost always works with smaller monitors and speakers with good phase coherence (not so much with the Harbeths M40.1 as their fronts are too broad for that, acting as open baffles). The GB1i are made for such experiments! With that positioning I had narrower, but much better organized soundstage with close-up foreground and ample depth. Please, try that at home - sound focusing is a few lengths more accurate. Conclusion If you think that transmission line in general and PMC speakers in particular are for “rockers”, then think again, sitting in front of the GB1i, preferably with a nice drink in hand. Try to free yourself from stereotypes and prejudices for, in this case especially, they are foolish and make us fools. Play anything classical – first some solo violin, then a large symphony orchestra – and see how they both sound equally “vigilant”. Play some jazz from the 50s and 60s, for example Monk, Coltrane, Armstrong, Ellington, Richie, anything – and see your jaw drop (be careful with your drink). And it's not because it's a perfect speaker. It is not. It’s because it’s so well put together and because all design choices such as transmission line serve a purpose, rather than prove any point. I’ve already mentioned a couple of weaker points, like the not entirely full and not quite resolute treble. I would add to that one more thing, a shortening of after-sounds. The sound of the GB1i is well controlled and kept in check and in this case (remember, it's one of PMC least expensive speakers) it affects after-sounds – they are quickly suppressed, without full decay. Soundstage is wide and deep but it seems to lack proper sound decay. It's probably partly due to a slight suppression of lower midrange dynamics, something that is not particularly audible in itself but comes out somewhere else. The speakers are cute, modestly sized and very attractively, solidly made. They do not dominate the interior. They do require a fairly powerful amplifier. Their sensitivity is below average and although their quoted nominal impedance seems high, they need a capable amp. It might be worth thinking of a tube amp; it will saturate treble and upper midrange which is just what’s needed. Testing methodology The speakers were tested in A/B comparison with A and B known. The reference point was "High Fidelity" reference speaker, the Harbeth M40.1. Musical samples were 2 minutes long. After the actual test whole tracks were also auditioned. The speakers sat on the accompanying spikes and those in turn on marble slabs. They were aimed at the listener’s ears as well as with axes crossing in front. Similarly to the Monitor Audio Monitor MR4 reviewed in the same issue of "High Fidelity", the GB1i is one of the nowadays less frequent designs with dual speaker terminals. In this case, the two pairs of speaker terminals for the tweeter and midbass sections accordingly can be coupled by “jumpers” installed between the two sets. As always, they should be discarded immediately after removing the speakers from packaging. In their place one should use short jumpers, preferably from short lengths of one’s speaker cable. As I said in the Audio Monitors review, instead of jumpers I used something else, much better. I wrote about it once in my editorial: if you I’m forced to do that by certain conditions (length, positioning, etc.) I use during tests the Acoustic Revive SPC-PA speaker cable. It’s a top cable from that manufacturer, made of an oval solid-core wire terminated with proprietary RBN-1 banana plugs (Acoustic Revive does not recommend soldering!). The company also has its own solution to the problem of dual speaker terminals, much better than jumpers. It’s the BWA-4 “Bi-Wire Adapter” featuring two connectors at one end and four at the other. The adapter comes ready with short lengths of cable, the same as the one used in SPC-PA. All we need to do is to install banana plugs (four per channel) and we have an elegant, very “purist” bi-wiring with a classic cable. That’s what I did with the PMC speakers. DESIGN The GB1i is a floorstanding speaker from British PMC. It is a two-way design, with transmission line loaded midbass woofer. In this model, the transmission line has a length of 2.4 m and it terminates with a rectangular vent on the bottom of the front baffle, sealed with sponge. It looks very elegant, much better than bass-reflex vents. The transmission line length is calculated in such manner that the air pressure from the back of the speaker is in phase with the front side pressure. The cabinets are finished in real wood veneer, also on the inside, in four different colors. Bottom plinth is made of black lacquered MDF. With it, the spikes protrude beyond the outline of a fairly narrow speaker cabinet. Interestingly, the plinth is not solid featuring two cut out holes, diminishing its weight. It seems that has been done deliberately, as if the speaker sounded better this way. Speaker drivers come from Norwegian SEAS, after slight modification. The 27 mm SONOLEX soft dome ferro-fluid cooled tweeter is crossed-over at 2 kHz. Its front is covered with metal plate featuring concentric angled slots. The plate reinforces the tweeter front but also somehow seems to help control sound waves propagation. Below the tweeter is the 140 mm woofer with coated paper cone and cast magnesium basket. The cabinet interior is heavily damped with sponge. Due to the presence of transmission line the cabinets are exceptionally solid. The speaker has dual gold plated terminals with gold plated jumpers between them. The jumpers should be treated as a "transport" or "exhibition" accessory only serving to prove that the speaker works. They need to be replaced them as soon as possible with real jumpers. The speakers arrive with a very well-written, really helpful user manual. SPECIFICATIONS (ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER) Frequency Response: 29 Hz-25 kHz Nominal Impedance: 8 Ω Sensitivity: 87 dB (1 W / 1 m) Crossover Frequency: 2 kHz Recommended Amplifier Power: 40-200 W Effective length of transmission line: 2.4 m Dimensions (HxWxD, without stand): 870 x 155 x 234 mm Weight (each): 10.5 kg Available veneer: Walnut, Cherry, Oak, Black Ash DISTRIBUTION IN POLAND: MJ Audio Lab tel.: (22) 397 79 08 | (22) 397 79 07 tel. kom.: +48 888 693 711 | +48 506 063 857 e-mail: office@mjaudiolab.pl WWW: mjaudiolab.pl SOURCES Humphrey Britton-Johnson, From IMF to PMC, "Hi-Fi News & Record Review", Vol 57 No. 11, November 2012, s. 106. Steve Harris, Landmark loudspeakers, "Hi-Fi News & Record Review", Vol 57 No. 06, June 2012, s. 14-18. Steve Harris, IMF Pro Monitor,"Hi-Fi News & Record Review", Vol 57 No. 04, April 2012, s. 122-126. Peter Thomas, Transmission lines, materiały firmowe PMC, John Crabbe, The Truth About Transmission Line, "Hi-Fi News & Record Review", 1993. Arthur R. Beiley, A Non-Resonant Loudspeaker Enclosure Design, "Wireless World", October 1965, s. 483-486; available in PDF formatTUTAJ.

Published: 3. December 2012, No. 103 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF HARBETH!!! The Monitor 30 (or M30) was developed in 1997 to work in the BBC studios. Its first, “home” version was called the Monitor 30 Domestic. The speaker was designed to be a successor to the BBC LS5/9 studio monitor. This year we celebrate its 15th anniversary! The original M30 shared the tweeter with the flagship M40.1 and had a mid/bass drive unit of the same diameter as and looking similarly to the mid-woofer in the top Harbeth model. The diaphragm in the M30, however, was made of the first version of the RADIAL plastic material patented by Harbeth while the mid-woofer cone in the M40.1 boasts its newer version called RADIAL-2X (according to Alan Shaw on the manufacturer’s online forum). Although the driver in the M40.1 looks almost identical to the one in the M30, it has been optimized to work as a midrange driver in a closed chamber. The launch of the Monitor 30.1 Domestic coincides with the 35th anniversary of Harbeth – wish the name had been changed to the M35… As could be expected the new model features a new very sturdy RADIAL-2 mid/bass woofer. The tweeter has also been upgraded. Harbeth manufactures most of their driver units in-house, except for tweeters. The latter are manufactured by SEAS from Norway, to Harbeth owner Alan Shaw’s required specifications. A new, refined crossover has been redesigned with the latest sophisticated computer-modelling software. My primary goals - says Alan Shaw - were to improve the integration of the two drive units for a wider listening experience and to optimise the frequency response. Both of these were solved with a comprehensive review of the crossover network. Improved computer simulation since 1997 has definitely allowed me to push the audio boundaries, and truly the M30.1 is a great all-rounder at home and in the studio. From the outside, the new model looks almost identical to the previous one. The only exception is that now it sports a single pair of speaker terminals in place of a previous double pair and that’s a good move. It is still, however, a two-way front-vented design. The vent is very short, which makes it close to a lossy cabinet design. The speakers are beautiful – I received for a review a model in Rosewood veneer finish, the same as my M40.1 being part of my reference system. I'm deeply in love with my M40.1, like all my family. I have had them for almost two years and each time I sit down to listen I'm glad that they are with me. However, it is the M30.1 that swept us off our feet – they look like a child of the M40.1, as if they sprouted out of the bigger model – very similar, but even cuter looking… The speakers are designed, manufactured and packaged as pairs, with a serial number bearing encoded information about which one is left and right. It is all about the best pairing of the speakers. The manufacturer has every single copy stored in a database in case the speaker needed driver exchange. Although the speakers are paired, they are not a mirror image of each other. The vent in both speakers is on the left side, above the tweeter. Only the front grilles mirror each other; each sports a Harbeth logo so the logos can be either to the inside or the outside of the enclosures. The speakers should have their grilles on – that’s how they’re designed and measured. Except that they lose then some of their incredible beauty. The Harbeth stands are a whole subject on their own that applies to all models. I have written before about associated problems and how they can be solved, discussing the stands for my M40.1 custom made by Mr. Ken Ishiguro, the owner of Acoustic Revive. I will only say that except for this one spectacular example, the Japanese use exclusively wooden, light, open stands looking like stools (tabourets). In other countries it is different, but there’s something to it… What’s important is that the tweeters are the ears height. Harbeth products featured so far in “High Fidelity”: ∙ REVIEW: Harbeth M40.1 DOMESTIC loudspeakers, see HERE ∙ AWARD OF THE YEAR 2011: Harbeth M40.1 DOMESTIC loudspeakers, see HERE ∙ REVIEW: Harbeth M30 DOMESTIC loudspeakers, see HERE ∙ REVIEW: Harbeth Super HL5 loudspeakers, see HERE ∙ REVIEW: Harbeth COMPACT 7SE-3 loudspeakers, see HERE ∙ REVIEW: Harbeth P3ESR loudspeakers, see HERE SOUND A SELECTION OF RECORDINGS USED DURING AUDITIONS: Assemblage 23, Bruise. Limited Edition, Accession Records, A 128, 2 x CD (2012). Carol Sloane, Little Girl Blue, Sinatra Society of Japan, XQAM-1036, HQCD (2010). Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, "Special Edition Hardbound Box Set", CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Depeche Mode, Enjoy The Music....04, Mute, XLCDBONG34, maxi-SP (2004). Diary of Dreams, Panik Manifesto, Accession Records, EFA 23452-2, CD (2002). Elgar Delius, Cello Concertos, wyk. Jacqueline Du Pré, EMI Classic, 9559052, 2 x SACD/CD (1965/2012). Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, Take It Easy, Pablo/JVC, JVCXR-0031-2, (1973/1987). Hilary Hann, Hilary Hann Plays Bach, Sony Classical, SK 62793, Super Bit Mapping, 2 x CD (1997). Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself, Sony Music [Japan], SICP-1387, CD (2007). Novika, Tricks of Life, Kayax, 013, CD (2006). Pat Metheny Group, Offramp, ECM, ECM 1216, CD (1982). Portishead. Dummy, Go! Disc Limited/Universal Music [Japan], UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011). Radiohead, The King Of Limbs, Ticker Tape Ltd, TICK001CDJ, Blu-spec CD. The Montgomery Brothers, Groove Yard, Riverside/JVC, JVCXR-0018-2, XRCD (1961/1994). This Mortal Coil, HD-CD Box SET: It’ll End In Tears, Filigree & Shadow, Blood, Dust & Guitars, 4AD [Japan], TMCBOX1, 4 x HDCD, (2011). Vangelis, Spiral, RCA/BMG Japan, 176 63561, K2, SHM-CD (1977/2008). Yo-Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin, Hush, Sony Music/Sony Music Hong Kong Ltd., 543282, No. 0441, K2HD Mastering, CD (1992/2012). JJapanese editions available from Every speaker I review is primarily driven by my reference amplifier which for me is a reference voltage and current source with high damping factor, ultra-wide frequency response and minimal distortion. It's sort of a laboratory device to which I hook up the reviewed speakers. The Soulution 710, for that’s what I’m talking about, sounds insanely good but its primary characteristic is "disappearing" from the audio path. If, however, I hear that in that configuration given speakers exhibit some - bigger or smaller - anomalies or I simply feel that they need another approach, I try to listen to them driven by something completely different, something that turned its OWN CHARACTER into an advantage. I search, inquire, write emails, make phone calls – shortly speaking I try to determine what is recommended, what has already proved and why. With the Harbeths I knew right away what they needed… First, however, I took them for a compulsory round with the already mentioned reference amplifier. In that combination the Harbeths immediately showed very colorful, full midrange and surprisingly deep low bass. The latter was strong and full on tracks from the Portishead album. It really rocked. The bass was also low and deep on This Mortal Coil tracks, further accompanied by fantastically sized soundstage that added to the recordings momentum and scale, not resulting from the speakers’ dynamics, somewhat curtailed at the macro level. Treble was slightly but not markedly rounded. The frequency band containing the frequencies of the 'p' and 'f' consonants was even slightly stronger than that of the M40.1, reminding the P3ESR (see HERE). It wasn’t a sharpening for the 's' and 'c' were in a good proportion to the rest of the frequency band, but rather a slight "refreshing" of the band. When the speakers appeared on the market, Alan Shaw wrote of their "openness", their better detailness - and that’s easily audible. Midrange is what’s most important about these speakers and nobody expected anything else. It is formed in a characteristic way. Upper midrange is withdrawn which, compared with other speakers, makes the M30.1 seemingly darker and less open. However, excellent resolution of all Harbeth designs does not allow any sound muddiness, any dampening – there’s still a lot going on there! - even a short demo will show that. The most energetic sonic range is part of the frequency band between 300 and 800 Hz. Right exactly where human voice is "born". All vocals are accordingly slightly promoted and enhanced. That is, however, achieved by their "perfecting" or "sprucing", not by pushing them forward. These are speakers that allow the listener to enjoy the music, experience it not only on an intellectual but also an equally important emotional level. They don’t force anything; hence the absence of instruments thrown right in front of our faces although the speakers can be generally described as "warm". As I said, the M30.1 has its own recognizable character. One could say that it’s a "trademark" character of Alan Shaw’s speakers. That’s a valid assumption, however one must bear in mind that there are actually two lines in this manufacturer offer – although very similar and both markedly different than other manufacturers, yet distinct from each other. One is a very warm sound. That’s it. A good representative of that line was the M30.1 predecessor, the M30 (Monitor 30 Domestic, see HERE) and the Compact 7SE-3 (see HERE). On the other hand, we have more accurate, more expressive speakers such as the P3ESR and the Super HL5 (see HERE). In this company the M40.1 is a separate being, beyond these boundaries. The M30.1 sonics set it somewhere in the middle, between the Super HL5 and the M30. Harbeth M30.1 + Heed Audio Obelisk Si/X-2 Listening to the M30.1 we have an impression of their high dynamics. It's not entirely true; after all they are stand mount speakers. That impression, however, is overwhelming and mainly due to excellent dynamics of individual instruments; micro rather than macro dynamics. The speakers driven by the reference amplifier quite clearly show the modification of the frequency band. There are two peaks – at treble (the 'p' and 'f' sounds) and at higher bass. While I didn’t mind the former at all, the latter over time bothered me more and more. Mainly because it resulted in a rather uniform sound. Strong and expressive bass on the majority of recordings was a bit tedious. I had to do something about it. I could go on describing my quest, coming up with various "inventions", digging through the archives, but it's not necessary. Perhaps it might help my image or something but I won’t go there. The truth is more banal: I knew immediately what I should do. Do you remember Audio system for the mature, an article in which I described my proposition of a system for discerning music lovers that can be had for pretty decent money? If not, I encourage you to have a look HERE – it will be easier to understand the situation with the Harbeths. In short, there are setups that sound good anytime, anywhere. In that particular case, I described the Spendor SP1 speakers and the Heed Obelisk Si amplifier (old version). Each of them had its own distinct character, quite similar by the way, but put together they went far beyond the usual sum of the parts. They made beautiful music. It’s no different in this case. After finishing the review for "Audio" of the Heed Audio Obelisk Si with the Dactilus 1.2 DAC card and the Obelisk DT transport I felt unsatisfied. It's not even because of the measurements that showed that the amplifier has very low power margin, high noise and high distortion, since I know all that from tube amps. My primary concern was that the option highly recommended by the manufacturer, i.e. making the Obelisk Si the center of one’s audio system, with a digital input and a DAC didn’t quite prove itself. Analog inputs make the amplifier sound incomparably better! The review compared a particular system against another similar system (from Cyrus), where the DAC built in the amplifier was incomparably better and there's nothing I could do about it. Therefore, it seems to me that Heed needs to verify its view on the said DAC board. It's a cool little unit but clearly from a much lower league than the Obelisk Si! And you can’t put together so equipped amplifier and transport in a system comparable with proposals from the competition. The Obelisk Si must have a much better source! Therefore, the Harbeth M30.1 came very handy. For the Obelisk Si is their natural partner, as if tailored to measure. The amplifier costing 5,590 PLN (now available in white - have a look at the photos), beefed up with the X-2 outboard power supply for 3,190 PLN allowed me to bring out the best from the speakers. Yes, that’s right: the reviewed speakers sounded now more satisfying, more "appropriate" than with the thirty times more expensive reference amplifier. Of course not because the Heed, even equipped with the X-2 power supply is better than the Soulution 710 and the Polaris III [Custom Version] which I use; that’s not my point. It’s because the amplifier sounds very synergistic with the Harbeths (not just the M30.1); they make a true SYSTEM. In such company the Harbeth M30.1 still had rather pointy, somewhat colored higher bass, sometimes a little dull. That’s characteristic of these columns, something you need to live with. Now, however, the bass was substantial, so to speak, and simply correct, encased in "soft tissue" that can normally be heard with much more expensive speakers (and larger, to begin with). Midrange deepened further, gaining even more breath. Although the speakers damp decays fairly quickly, that does not apply to musical instruments themselves or their direct sound that is thick and full, with excellent 3D depth, showing contours, not just a flat image. Sound volume with the Heed was slightly lower than with the Soulution but still, in comparison to other speakers, its size was insane. It was also true about soundstage - very expansive, large, wide and quite deep. I once already mentioned that – the Harbeths interoperate differently with the listening room than classical speakers. Because their body resonates, playing an important role in generating sound, the sound is emitted in a fairly wide field in a wider than usual range (not only to the front and the higher, the more directional). The result is something like a "sphere" of sound, a rather warm sphere with us sitting in its center. There is no high selectivity or detailness, as they are commonly understood. The sounds are clear; fluid and rounded rather than pointy. I hope that my description is understandable. Treble was a bit calmer than with the Soulution, but that’s what the Heed sounds like, slightly warm. It did not, however, lack resolution nor was it damped. I would even say that it now seemed to be more sophisticated in decays, depth, and richness. Cymbal crashes left afterimage, something like aftertaste; they were not dry. Actually, 'dry' is the exact opposite of what can be written about the M30.1. It's a rich, full sound, saturated, if not sometimes slightly oversaturated - certainly not dry or thin. Everything is shown in that way, which on the one hand shows that color differentiation here is averaged but which will at the same time be strongly preferred by most participants of this game, i.e. people listening to music, as being closer to what they expect from listening at home. Analytical speakers that lack fullness can sound extremely impressive. However, if they are not refined, if they don’t show internal sound structure, just its outline, they become terribly tiring. The M30.1 will never get us anywhere near that point, unless our eyes close themselves late at night. Their sound is immersive, primarily due to its richness. With these speakers you can listen to the solo violin, as on the Hilary Hann’s album, or to electronic music of the likes of Diary of Dreams and Assemblage 23 (it sounded fantastic!), as well as watch movies. The latter will be a real revelation for many movie lovers. Nothing ruins a home cinema session as much as squeaky, dry, unnatural actors’ voices, coming from a flat, low-cost central speaker below the TV screen. People – don’t go there! Most 5.1/7.1 surround systems suffer from an inappropriate use of multi-channel system technical capabilities and attribute mono sound to the central channel, without expanding it to the sides. Watching the same movie in stereo, with the M30.1, we can hear the soundtrack much better; the voices are simply natural. Conclusion And that is perhaps the key characteristic of the speaker, although non-musical - its versatility and universality. It is generally believed that Harbeths are speakers dedicated to special occasions, recordings with vocals in the lead role, or chamber music, possibly some electronic music not requiring high sound volume. For one, it's not entirely untrue (that type of music will sound excellent, other types just very good), and two, the M30.1 as well as the M40.1 actually show just the opposite. They are exceptionally versatile designs, slightly warm but also open, with which everything will sound at least good. Everything, with no exceptions. Poorly recorded material will be enhanced and purist recordings will show such microdynamics, so fast drum hits and cymbal crashes that most speakers considered to be "fast" and transparent will seem broken in comparison. Their character when it comes to color is slightly different than previous designs from Harbeth and it clearly shows its designer Alan Shaw’s attempts to exceed certain limitations that have always been present in his speakers. What we are talking about here is closed sound, dark color and low macro dynamics. You can hear now that the tweeter is more opened and that higher bass is slightly "tweaked". I think that’s OK but I wouldn’t go any further. In my opinion that particular tweeter, even though it’s very, very good, simply can’t be pushed further and shouldn’t be too much exposed. Each speaker design is a set of compromises and tradeoffs, usually quite large. It is also true in this case. However, they are so well chosen that the sound is stunning. And surprisingly versatile. It's just that you need to stay alert and carefully select the accompanying components. It won’t do to connect the best amplifier available on the store shelf, because it will likely be “fail”. Likewise, you can’t connect just any tube, because the fail will be even more disastrous. What you need is an amplifier with “character”. And it has be a character agreeing with Harbeth’s vision of the world. I have already written a lot about one possible direction – it’s the Heed Obelisk Si with the X-2 external power supply. I used the 180i interconnect from the new Explorer line of cables from Siltech, costing 2,190 PLN (1 m) and I’d stick to that. At the time of this review the Polish distributor did not yet have speaker cable and power cord from the same line. Another obvious choice is Leben. Each version of the CS300 amplifier will be spot on. Ideally, though, the CS600P (or the CS1000P, but in this case I’d prefer the older model). The third possibility is ASR Emitter I (a review of the Emitter II can be found HERE). I heard the Harbeths driven by these amps in many systems and they sounded great. Surely there are other equally interesting matches, so it’s worth experimenting. However, I write about what I know well and what worked not only for me – the above examples are "sure things". The M30.1 are not ideal speakers, because you can hear color modification and their differentiation, whether of macro dynamics or of color or, finally, of space is somewhat uniform. The Harbeths simply see the world of music through rose-colored glasses. If that’s something we like they may well become speakers for life. If I had enough space (or a second, smaller system) I’d buy them and listen to them, with different electronics, in turns with my M40.1. DESIGN The M30.1 are stand mount speakers from Harbeth belonging to the prestigious Mastering Series Professional Monitor Speaker line from that manufacturer. The reason is that there are two versions differing only in finish – a home version called Monitor 30.1 Domestic and a professional studio version called Monitor 30.1. In short, the M30.1. They are stand mount, two-way speaker design with vented midbass woofer. The vent is located on the front panel, to the side, above the tweeter. The tweeter is a soft dome design with a heavy, cast front and mesh in front of the diaphragm, a large, dual-drive system and a large compartment in the rear, damping in a controlled manner the energy coming from the back side of the diaphragm. The T25-HB tweeter is manufactured by Norwegian SEAS to Alan Shaw’s specifications (hence the letters 'HB'). The tweeter belongs to the prestigious Excel series. Its 26 mm dome is called Sonotex. The LFHAR200S woofer is manufactured by Harbeth. It has a very stiff, heavy, cast basket and a large magnet with a second, small ring (magnetic shielding?). Its diaphragm is made from material patented by Harbeth, called RADIAL-2. It’s a form of polypropylene. The front suspension is reverse fold rubber. The tweeter is bolted to the front baffle from the front and the woofer from behind. The new woofer differs from the previous RADIAL version primarily with revised suspension (according to Alan Shaw’s blog). Cabinet design is very characteristic for this manufacturer. The walls are not very thick but they are solid. They are strengthened from within with two wooden braces forming the letter 'T'. Midbass woofer magnet rests at their intersection. TECHNICAL DATA (according to the manufacturer) Design: two-way, ported Frequency response: 50 Hz - 20 kHz (+/- 3 dB in free space, measured from 1 m with grilles on) Nominal impedance: 6 Ω Sensitivity: 85 dB / 1 W / 1 m Suggested amplifier output power: ideally over 45 W Maximum power: 150 W Dimensions (HxWxD): 460 x 277 x 285 mm Finish: cherry, tiger ebony, eucalyptus, maple and rosewood Weight (each): 13.4 kg The front and rear are not glued but bolted onto the frame with multiple bolts. The crossover board is mounted to the rear panel from within, and the rest of surface is damped with a thin layer of bitumen mat. The crossover is quite extensive - one can see four iron-core coils and eight capacitors (polypropylene). Apparently it features a bass trap to linearize impedance, making the speakers an easier load for lower powered amplifiers. Interestingly, the crossover board comes from an older model, the 2007version, with mounting space for a double pair of terminals. As you can see Alan does not like to waste anything; it can always come in handy. The interior is damped with thick layers of foam - both on the sides and the rear. The signal is fed via a single pair of gold-plated terminals, the same as in the M40.1. That is a weak point of this design - the terminals can’t be properly fastened and are of quite poor quality. The front grille is spread out on a metal frame that is mounted on the front baffle. The manufacturer recommends listening with the grilles on. Due to the speaker’s unusual size/aspect ratio it is recommended to use a slightly lower than normal stands - I think that the lower edge of the speaker should be about 40-45 cm from the floor, depending on how high we sit. The tweeter should be at ears height. A beautiful speaker, beautiful engineering, beautiful sound. A true classic. DISTRIBUTION IN POLAND Audio System Contact: tel.: (22) 662-45-99 | fax: (22) 662-66-74 e-mail: kontakt@audiosystem.com.pl Website: www.audiosystem.com.pl Sources 35th anniversary monitor upgrade..., "Newsletter", May 2012, Issue 29, s. 1, HERE The secrets behind M30.1 grille..., "Newsletter", July 2012, Issue 31, s. 1, czytaj HERE WWW: www.harbeth.co.uk

Published: 3. December 2012, No. 103 Products from this part of Europe, which means – as Milan Kundera and Andrzej Stasiuk named it (see anthology Moja Europa) – Middle Europe, rarely truly get to the consciousness of Western Europe's, or Western's customers. Some brand names, usually coming from small manufacturer's get lucky and achieve some level of success There (beyond Iron Curtain), but there are still very few of them. Lets name them to be clear. There are Polish Ancient Audio, Lampizator and Gigawatt , Lithuanian Reed and Turntables.lt, Slovak JJ Electronic and Canor (former Edgar), Hungarian Human Audio and Heed Audio, Serbian Trafomatic Audio, just to name few, most obvious examples. One exception on that list is Pro-Ject Audio Systems, but in fact that's an Austrian company that has Czech company SEV Litovel s. r. o. making products for them. Both Srajan at "6moons.com", and us at "High Fidelity" we've been trying hard to change that status quo (see also "Enjoy The Music.com", that publishes my reviews of Polish products) but the results are not satisfying. The „old”, well known brands from Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, Great Britain, France, USA, or Nordic countries still exist in most audiophiles minds and the only ones deserving trust. I will not call such attitude a wrong one, as I partially understand it. Most of us are afraid of new, unknown things that we don't know what to expect from. Even though it's been already more than 20 years since Polish Solidarity initiated the bloodless revolution in our part of Europe, the Iron Curtain still seems to exist. The West doesn't even remember it all started in Poland as for them it is about the Fall of Berlin Wall, which was only a consequence of changes initiated in Poland. That is why I was so surprised by the success of the Estonian company Estelon. Very enthusiastic reviews in "Positive Feedback Online" and "TONEAudio" (see the review with chief editor HERE) came out of the blue. The CES Innovation Award was as surprising. Not because these speakers are not worth, simply because the place of their origin obviously wasn't a problem. The only thing that mattered were the speakers themselves and how they sounded. And I must say I was impressed by those speakers too. Visiting one of the rooms during High End 2012 in Munich I was totally seduced by the sound of X Diamond (driven by Vitus Audio amplification with CD Player LOIT - see HERE) and hence the Best Show award for this particular system. X Diamond, I listened then, are top model in a line of 4, that complements additionally of floorstanding XA, that look exactly the same as Diamond, and have the same dimensions - 1370 mm height, 450 mm width (maximum) and 640 mm depth (maximum), another bit smaller floorstanding model called XB, and a standmounting model XC. I've learned that it all started with herewith reviewed XA model. These are speakers of a quite extraordinary look with the shape reminding a clepsydra with smaller upper part that hosts two drivers – midrange and tweeter – and the bigger lower one hosting a woofer. The shape called E-lon has been developed by Mr Alfred Vassilkov after many years of studying the effects of soundwaves reflections, diffraction and so on. Mr Alfred speaks of "musical instrument", although not in common sense of this word used for „resonant” cabinets of Harbeth or Spendor. The cabinets seems to be made of some kind of composite – as it is a proprietary Estelon's solution they are not willing to share the details. Anyway it seems that there is some similarity in a way the cabinets are made between Estelon and companies like Wilson Audio and Hansen Audio. All transducers used by Estelon are products of German Accutone with ceramic diaphragms, and the woofer has a sandwich dome. It looks a bit like the small monitor with midrange driver placed above tweeter was put on top of a subwoofer. Woofer is supporter by a rear ported bass-reflex. These are 3-way speakers with single pair of speaker bindings from the WBT top line. Internal cabling comes from very expensive Kubala-Sosna wires. The herewith reviewed speakers have already received twice (2011 and 2012) the CES Innovation Award in High Performance Audio category. SOUND Recordings used during this test (a selection): David Sylvian, Sleepwalkers, P-Vine Records, PVCP-8790, CD (2010) Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, "Special Edition Hardbound Box Set", CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012); Depeche Mode, Enjoy The Music....04, Mute, XLCDBONG34, maxi-SP (2004). Elgar Delius, Cello Concertos, wyk. Jacqueline Du Pré, EMI Classic, 9559052, 2 x SACD/CD (1965/2012). Eva & Manu, Eva & Manu, Warner Music Finland, 5389629, CD (2012). Hilary Hann, Hilary Hann Plays Bach, Sony Classical, SK 62793, Super Bit Mapping, 2 x CD (1997). Jim Hall, Concierto, CTI/Mobile Fidelity, UDSACD 2012, SACD/CD (1975/2003). Maria Peszek, Jezus Maria Peszek, Mystic Production, MYSTCD 214, CD (2012). Miles Davis, Milestones, Columbia/Mobile Fidelity, UDSACD 2084, SACD/CD (1958/2012). Novika, Tricks of Life, Kayax, 013, CD (2006). Pat Metheny, What's It All About, Nonesuch/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-14176, CD (2011); The Beatles, Yellow Submarine, Parlophone/Apple/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-51121, CD (1969/1998). This Mortal Coil, HD-CD Box SET: It’ll End In Tears, Filigree & Shadow, Blood, Dust & Guitars, 4AD [Japan], TMCBOX1, 4 x HDCD, (2011). Japanese CD and SACD editions available from The loudspeakers of this size, with such a large bass woofer, with top notch drivers, and last but not least. So expensive must provoke particular expectations. Surely everyone will expect powerful, punchy bass, great dynamics, power and so on. And these expectations are fulfilled by Estelons. There is drama, power, large scale of sound, and amazing volume of sound. You won't get that from small speakers, no matter how hard they try. There is also a proper vertical scale to the sound, which, in my experience, can be delivered only by tall speakers. But you'd need much better understanding of audio world to say more about Xas only by looking at them. Because the choice of drivers, the way they were applied, and the special enclosures were composed together into something that is beyond standard assessment criteria. Because Estelon will deliver quite sophisticated but still emotionally inert material, like from This Mortail Coil box, in tonally neutral fashion. On the other hand, when presented with a warm musical material, that doesn't include to much energy in upper range, like Jim Hall's Concierto, or Miles Davis Milestones, they will deliver nice, warm performance. Again – when fed with bit melancholic material from Path Metheny's solo album What's It All About they will sound melancholic, and with passionate, even though filled with some sadness, recordings from the latest Maria Peszek's album Jezus Maria Peszek (Marysiu, I'd like to congratulate you on this fabulous recording!!!) they will present passion and melancholy at once. Simple? Just neutral speakers that deliver whatever they get? It surely looks that way at first but there is much more to it. These Estonian speakers have their own distinct way of delivering sound, they model it and probably to some extend modify it. I think they „amplify” the distinctive features of each music material we send to them. I guess that is why the Maria Peszek's album was such a profound experience, that's why I chilled out so nicely with Eva&Manu recording sent to me by Anssi Hyvönen, the owner of Amphion (his speakers where used in the process of creation of that recording), only to get tormented with This Mortail Coil in the end of a day. And so on... . Everything in this presentation is deep, rich. It seems to be a proprietary feature of well applied ceramic drivers and I had heard that already before – for example from (most) Avalons and Isophons. Estelons offered the same but at the level I'd never heard before, as this richness, lushness even of the sound that made it bit warm -ish, was perfect, and not exaggerated, which happens often with other speakers with the same drivers. On the other hand you have to appreciate extraordinary resolution these speakers deliver. Apart from one, narrow sub-range (lower midrange) they offered as much resolution, as rich and „vigilant” sound as Harbeth M40.1. In some other sub-ranges (top treble, lowest bass) Estelon's resolution is clearly better than Harbeth's. I was stunned and amazed by their bass, and to that extent it happened to me only once before when I auditioned Hansen Audio Prince v2. It's being quite some time already since than but I still remember the sound of Canadian speakers and it's been a reference for me ever since. Starting now I'll have to references. When it came to assessment of treble Harpia Dobermann (New), with metal tweeter, were a nice reference to compare to, and the Sonus faber Electa Amator (I), owned by Janusz – member of Cracow Sonic Society, with original Esotar Dynaudio tweeter. These are my two treble references, that I'm closely familiar with. The Estelon's ceramic, reversed dome reproduces treble in a different way, more creamy one, so at the beginning I was under impression that it wasn't as „fast”, as open as the above mentioned two. But in fact it offers much richer, more precise sound than Dobermann's SEAS tweeter, as it offers better depth of sound, delivers treble with more „weight” and these are features Dobermann's lack a bit. After giving it more consideration I think that after all only above mentioned Sonus faber speakers are a worthy opponent, even though they deliver treble in their own, bit different way – more open, more direct, with even more details. But we have to remember that these are only small monitors, that are simply unable to deliver a full scale of sound. Lets get back to the bass range one more time as in fact it might be the key to Estonian speaker's sound. As I mentioned before it seems that Estelons play exactly what is delivered to the, keeping sonic characteristic of each piece of music. But at the same sound it also seems that the tonal balance is rather bit lower than usually. I mean it feels this way, like there was some small but noticeable accent put in a lower band. The midrange and treble seems to be blended together perfectly, meaning I can't hear clearly the crossover point. I mean I can hear it a bit but it doesn't come from some changes in tonality or dynamics but rather from natural directivity of a tweeter. Anyway the bass range is the most important factor in the whole presentation. The way Estelons reproduce bass reminded me, to some extent, the way studio monitors do it. I mean some „true” studio monitors used for „monitoring” and not juts any bookshelf ones. I'm thinking Amphion Kripton3, Harbeth, large Tannoys. In such cases on one hand a very rich, extended bass with great resolution, hence very clear is delivered, but on the other is doesn't dominate the presentation. When some strong impulse come it is delivered with full power, but when there is time to deliver something in the midrange or treble, bass stays „quiet” making speakers sound a bit like shelfstanders. Of course bass is always active but when needed it just makes a perfect base for midrange, blending into it, supporting it which results in better spacing, with more 3-dimensional imaging of instruments. That's exactly what it did for Metheny's guitar. Although this is a solo recording of an acoustic guitar, sounding bit dark I admit, but still an acoustic guitar which means there is no bass, but still I could feel the bass woofer working, creating some pressure. It built some aura, some foundation for midrange driver and tweeter, helping them to deliver whatever they were asked to without any fatigue. On the other hand when it is required it will deliver real slam. Like in Maria Peszek recording, like in David Sylvian's, like in some by Depeche Mode. It is huge, it has power but it is very well controlled, articulated, never gets boomy, never „pretends” to give some sound. The pace and rhythm factor is an another of their advantages. When reproducing recordings of some huge spaces, with some particular „mood”, like for example Blade Runner soundtrack, they deliver the whole universe built in front of us. And you can never ever hear bass-reflex working. If I was to compare the „character” of these speakers to my Harbeths, I would say that if British speakers were choleric, Estelons would be rather sanguine. Of course that is a far fetched analogy, but I wanted to point you to some direction. If you audition them after such an expressive speakers like Harbeth's M30.1, M40.1, or so selective ones like Amphion's Kripton3, or totally sonically different Avantgarde Acoustic's horn, you will find Estelons sounding... „ordinary”. Maybe even boring. You'll think that there is nothing particular going on in the sound. And it will last until you adapt to this way of presentation, until something „clicks”, falls in place in your head. Because audio is an art of choosing. Designers have to chose, their companies have to make choices, and finally clients make choices to. So if you get a chance to audition these speakers let the music flaw while you relax, adapt. I'm pretty sure that even if that won't be your final choice, you will notice some things in that presentation, that you will lack with any other speakers. You will miss this amazing, immaculate smoothness and clarity of sound that gives you an impression of some warmth. They also seem to restrain some portion of expression – like the lower midrange and upper bass were slightly quieten down. I'm pretty sure of that as it reflected in a bit tighter space delivered by these speakers in This Mortail Coil, and some gentle „grip” over female voices. Interestingly it did not concern male voices. This modification of sound doesn't really influence in any way the assessment of the sound but it gives it some particular character which might or might not be, what each of us expects. I'm pretty sure that this a component of the above mentioned limitation of expression. I heard something similar with other speakers sporting ceramic drivers. I think that it might a part of a price that designer of such speakers have to pay to achieve perfect sonic alignment of ceramic transducers. Listening to the Estelons I can't really pinpoint the exact frequency where this „restrain” is happening. Maybe there is a little bump around 2 kHz but this could be an effect of my rooms acoustics rather than speakers themselves. These are the first loudspeakers I know that while having so flat frequency response measured show no weaknesses during listening sessions. Usually when measurements are perfect something doesn't sound right one way or the other. I did not find anything „wrong” here. Some designer's choices – yes, but very reasonable ones, giving good sonic effects. As I mentioned before Estelons generate huge soundstage. These speakers „breathe” and differentiate recordings in this aspect very well. The depth of the soundstage is extraordinary, and it goes for the size itself, but also for the ability to present each item in particular place. The soundstage has also proper height, which is not the case for many smaller speakers. Sound is not constrained to the speakers, maybe apart from a part of treble, which is caused by directivity of ceramic tweeter. Midrange and bass drivers deliver sound from between speakers, from around them, even from behind, but never directly from speakers. The phantom images, meaning an illusion of voices instruments and so on, are very solid – can't find a word better describing it as „solid”. They are not just spots in the space but rather whole „blocks”. Maybe not perfectly 3D ones, as that is achieved only by small monitors, but distinctive enough, with their own structure, character and so on. It doesn't matter if they are shown closer to us or further to the back of the soundstage – the feeling of a „presence” is always the same. These are speakers that never loose focus even down the depth of soundstage. Summary Expensive speakers usually offer damn good sound. Rarely, less expensive ones like Sonus faber Electa Amator (I), Harbeth M40.1 or Amphion Kripton3, are also capable of delivering so sophisticated sound that most of us can fully enjoy it and spend the rest of our lives with it, taking huge pleasure in listening to the beloved music, regardless the medium it is stored on. But Estelon XA get you to think. They cost much more but they offer more. They are capable of differentiating sizes also in depth, differentiate bass, integrate everything into one, coherent entirety – to get all that will cost you a lot. And only than you'll get what Estelons offer. Your first impression will tell you that their expression is somewhat restrained, maybe even that sound is rolled off a bit, and they always follow sound signature of the reproduced recording. Sound seems a bit warm, but it's not really warmed up. The „warmth” you can hear comes from very low level of distortions. I get it form time to time from reviewed amplifiers or speakers, and it usually means that they offer great resolution despite not that good selectivity. The latter must come from somewhere else. These speakers are huge and look as such. Their round shapes might save you from being intimidated, but when I placed them next to Harbeths M40.1 they dominated British speakers with their size completely, despite the fact that Harbeths are huge monitors. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of drivers with ceramic diaphragms. I'm aware of their virtues that are clear each time I listen to speakers equipped with those drivers and driven by proper amplification, but I personally prefer more expressive sound, even if it is, objectively, bit more colored. That is my personal view/choice and I;m sure many Readers disagree. Good for them – that's what our hobby is about – different choices. Estelons are the first speakers that allowed me to enjoy fully virtues of ceramic drivers. I know that even more expensive Avalon models could do the same thing but I never had a chance to listen to them in my room, although I heard them during some fairs and exhibitions. But I had a chance to experienced the XA model in my room and I know they are worth every penny you need to pay for them... Test methodology The XA Estelon speakers are truly large and heavy. They are much larger that my Harbeth M40.1, that I directly compared them to, and reminded me rather Amphion Kryptony3, that I reviewed directly before XA. Despite their size the same placement that worked for Hansen Prince v2, and before that for Avantgarde Acoustic Uno Picco and now works for Harbeths was also optimal for Estonian speakers. There were no issues with bass nor soundstaging. I spend some time choosing the best amplification for them. Manufacturer declares the minimum amplification power as 20W since the speakers feature high sensitivity and flat impedance. But I tend to disagree – Estelons love power – the more the better. But not only raw power matters but also its quality. If what you care most is top neutrality, Soulution 710 should be a perfect choice. Still solid-state but with bit more creamy sound than Vitus Audio, offered in Poland by the same distributor as Estelon, will be a better choice. If you'd rather had less neutral, more characteristic sound you should try something like McIntosh Mc275 (I had an „anniversary” version at my disposal). Yes, tube amp will do too, but not some low-watt SET, but rather powerful one!!! Another option – top version of ESR Emitter II (see HERE). Testing was a A-B comparison with A and B known but it wasn't a direct comparison and moving such a huge speakers was a true challenge. Musical samples were 2 minutes long, but after official listening sessions I listened to full albums too. DESIGN XA is a three-way, bass-reflex, floorstanding speaker made by Estonian company Estelon. It's rounded shaped cabinets were to exclude corner reflections, and to isolated mid-woofer and tweeter from bass-woofer. Cabinets are made from some kind of crushed marble based composite, that might be delivered in one of many colors of. These speakers are massive with almost 1400 mm of height, depth going up to 640 mm and weighting around 85 kg (a piece) net, and 140kg in a solid shipment case! That's why even Polish Distributor – RCM – decided to hire some movers to bring these speakers to me. They were very happy that I tested only stereo system and not 5.1... Drivers come form Accutone - a 30 mm (1,2 ") tweeter comes with reversed ceramic dome, and protective grill; a 180 mm (7") midwoofer also comes with ceramic diaphragm, a metal grill and rubber suspension, and a 280 mm (11") bass woofer comes with sandwich diaphragm with outer ceramic layer. Crossover is located at the bottom of the cabinet, that needs to be removed if you want to get to the crossover. Expensive internal wiring comes from Kubala-Sosna. Speaker binding posts are pure copper, 0705 model of Nextgen series by WBT. You can roll in the speakers to your apartment on some nice rolls but for listening you need to replace them with spikes. You'll get those in a very nice box, with manual, white gloves, and a piece of polish material for the cabinets. Spikes called QTC Spikes are made by German company Viablue. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (according to manufacturer): Frequency response: 25-28 000 Hz Power rating: 200 W Nominal impedance: 6 Ω (min. 3,5 Ω at 60 Hz) Sensitivity: 89 dB/2,83 V Min. amplification power: 20 W Dimensions (HxWxD): 1370 x 450 x 640 mm Weight (piece): 85 kg POLISH DISTRIBUTOR RCM S.C. 40-077 Katowice | ul. Matejki | Polska tel.: 32/206 40 16 ǀ 32/201 40 96 | fax: 32/253 71 88 e-mail: rcm@rcm.com.pl www: www.rcm.com.pl Sources Sten Tamikivi, A Year With Estelon, "Sten Tamkivi's Seikatsu", see HERE [available: 09.10.2012]. Roger Gordon, Estelon XA Loudspeakers, "Positive Feedback Online", Issue 58, see HERE [available: 09.10.2012]. Jeff Dorgay, The New Estelon XA Loudspeakers, "TONEAudio", No 34, December 2010, see HERE [available: 09.10.2012].

Published: 3. December 2012, No. 103 I like Audio Show. It’s the most tiring audio show in which I participate and yet at the same time the most interesting, most fascinating. It’s fascinating mainly due to the people. It is the human factor that’s most important in music and its reproduction, and it defines the products we listen to (so says an audiophile) or with which we listen to music (so says a music lover). During this year’s show I had the opportunity to meet with my readers – greetings to all of you! – manufacturers, including foreign guests, distributors, and simply friends, most of whom I only get to see in Warsaw, on this one occasion. The fact that after the AS I feel like I've worked non-stop for a week is of course my problem, not the readers. Only that it defines what you are reading. It has to do with the size of the event. Anyone who came this year to the three hotels, Radisson Blu Sobieski, Golden Tulip and Bristol knows that just to walk through so many rooms is already a challenge. Add to that the seminars, auditions, pictures, and most of all conversations, even brief but numerous, and you will have an overall view of the event. Despite all that, I like Audio Show; I like coming to the show and talking, listening, taking pictures (this year using flash for the first time - I have mixed feelings about the result). It's an incredible amount of energy I try to absorb and retain as long as possible. The sheer amount of work put into the preparation of exhibitor rooms deserves our great respect. Add to that the kind of money they need to put into it, the time they sacrifice, and in many cases their health they put at risk. I can’t forget about that when I walk into various rooms and listen to even the worst sounding systems. I may be getting old or something but I find more and more interesting everything that's going on "outside" the sound than the sound itself. The sound depends on so many factors, most of which beyond the reach of exhibitors, that it’s a miracle that in hotel rooms, after less than a day and night of preparations, with such and no other mains power, acoustics, noise generated by the visitors, in the heat and stuffiness, they manage to achieve so good, often very good results. Assessment of the phenomenon of sound during the show, for that’s what we’re talking about, is therefore much more difficult than it might seem at first glance. Still, one can’t get away from it. Hence, our yearly awards for the best sounding systems - primarily from High-End show in Munich, but also from Audio Show in Warsaw. As always, please bear with us for the absolute arbitrariness with which they are awarded. The sound during the shows varies from minute to minute; it often happens that I enter a room and hear a poor album (musically and sonically) and my response is always the same - to escape. But I try to stay at least for another track or two to see whether there’s some improvement or whether the same flaws are repeated time after time. But even then I can’t be sure whether the amp was sufficiently warmed up, or whether someone hadn’t made some stupid mistake that would be corrected a moment later. That’s something completely beyond my control and my opinion of the sound is necessarily based on the short impressions. I can’t help it – that’s what it is and will be in the future. Therefore, I suggest reading this reportage and watching the accompanying pictures more as a kind of signpost and a list of products than as a detailed assessment of what was happening. Of course, there must be some evaluation since I have an opinion about what I've heard, but even I know that such opinions are based on a moment in time, not on many hours of reliable auditions. It’s not a review where I control the majority of variables but rather some kind of a gap in the chaos into which I'm trying to push with my ears and my camera. And I am quite sure that most of you will have different, often diametrically different opinions on various presentations and on the event itself. I heard from my friend who came to the show on Saturday that it was his worst AS ever. - And did you hear the system with the Thiels? - I asked. - No… I didn’t… - And did you come to the Everests presentation? – I continue. - Yes, it was great! - Did you like the Kondo? - I have to say it was the best presentation from Mr. Szemis I'd heard so far. - And what do you think about the presentation of Armin and the Avantgarde speakers? - The best sound from these speakers in that room! - So what is it you did not like? - I asked, a little annoyed. - Well, somehow generally, I don’t know… It's a real conversation I had on Tuesday after the event, showing that the evaluation Audio Show can be radically different, and yet we find common points between each of the visitors. This year's show was bigger and better publicized than the previous seemingly unbeatable edition. I think that the plans were somehow thwarted by the politics (it always screws something up…), because people were afraid of what was to take place on Sunday and preferred to stay at home or even leave Warsaw for the weekend. Despite that, the show was very well visible - four television crews, many unrelated journalists, a big advertising supplement in "Gazeta Wyborcza" newspaper - it all costs exorbitant money and takes a lot of preparation. Bringing the guests from abroad is expensive, too - both those leading the seminars (Wally Malewicz and Chris Connaker), as well as journalists, for example Mary and Henk from "6moons.com" magazine. I know that next year promises to be even better, that there are already first plans, but here and now it was really very good. RADISSON BLU SOBIESKI HOTEL To be able to visit each room in a single day (and that’s the amount of time I have for it) and to have all prepared in advance (and not) conversations requires careful planning. This year I had several long agreed shows, including the above mentioned seminars and they largely determined my plans. I started from the Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel, because that’s where the organizer’s office is and where you receives a press badge. Since I arrived an hour early I wanted to take advantage of the time to learn of the changes introduced to the system by Mr. Ken Ishiguro, the owner of Acoustic Revive, for some people a crazy magician and shaman and for others, myself included, a visionary seeing and hearing things that we are just learning. It also determined the direction in which I moved around, starting from the top floor, from the room no. 701. My curiosity was fueled both by what AR products bring to my own system and my friends’ systems, but also by a wide stream of e-mails I get concerning a review of LAN cables from that manufacturer. And that's why the XEO Dynaudio system in which Mr. Ishiguro applied his "inventions" should be put in a glass cabinet, preferably with the guest from Japan himself, to demonstrate what most audiophiles and non-audiophiles do not believe or even ridicule. Believe me, a short demonstration can change an extreme skeptic into a neophyte preaching the "good news" to everybody. Quartz, coasters, spacers, cables, and many others at first glance absurd accessories brought to the system audible changes that accumulated changing the sound beyond recognition. The best proof that only demonstrations, not quoting textbooks (or scripts - who buys books these days?), make sense in audio is that the most outspoken converts turned out to be people from… Acoustic Revive distributor. Talk to them and hear in their voices the newly found faith and the same certainty I heard. Apparently they knew it all before but - as it turns out – didn’t quite trust themselves. Welcome to the club! Speakers: JBL Everest DD66000 + Electronics Mark Levinson Distribution: R. Bałys | www.jbl.pl Electronics Rega + Speakers: GURU QM10TWO + cables Albedo + platforms Monolith Audio Distribution: this.pl | www.rega.this.pl Speakers: i Electronics Avantgarde Acoustic + Electronics Octave i Ayon + turntable Transrotor Distribution: Eter Audio | www.eteraudio.pl System Dynaudio XEO + akcesoria Acoustic Revive Distribution: Eter Audio | www.eteraudio.pl System DIY Audio Exhibitor: audiostereo.pl Electronics Amare Musica + Speakers: Clockwork Producent: Amare Musica | amaremusica.pl Speakers: + Electronics TAD Distribution: Audio Center Poland | www.audiocenter.pl Speakers: Duevel + Electronics Cary Audio + kable Tara Labs Distribution: Audio System | www.audiosystem.com.pl Speakers: Sonddeco Producent: Sounddeco | www.sounddeco.pl Speakers: Franco Serblin + Electronics Jadis + turntable TW Raven + Electronics Thöress Distribution: Grobel Audio | www.audio.grobel.com.pl Speakers: Bodnar Audio + Electronics EntreQ, M2Tech, Calyx Producent: Bodnar Audio | www.bodnaraudio.com Distribution: GFmod Audio Research | www.gfmod.pl Speakers: Estelon + Electronics Viruts Audio, RCM Audio + turntable AMG Distribution: RCM | www.rcm.com.pl Producent: RCM Audio | www.rcmaudio.pl Speakers: Thiel + Electronics VTL + turntable VPI Distribution: HiFi Club | www.hificlub.pl The room adjacent to the one with very well sounding Octave electronics Dynaudio speakers (unfortunately I did not find Mr. Hoffman, the owner of Octave) was occupied by Rega distributor, this.pl. In addition to the new products from the "R" line it showcased for the first time in Poland the GURU speakers, model QM10TWO. The electronics sat on specially prepared platforms from Monolith Audio. The system was inexpensive but it was there I heard one of the better, i.e. most complete and competent systems at the show, regardless of the price. It’s no coincidence that in the last year (or two years ago), as far as I remember, it was also Rega products that drew most positive comments from the visitors. This time the distributor repeated the same trick, but with other speakers and new electronics. A full, smooth, very well-balanced presentation. Another room I surely wanted to visit was the one housing a system from Kondo, costing some 2,300,000 PLN (that’s right, over two million!) and it turned out to be a good example of the fact that one visit is just like the Lotto result – a hit or miss. I visited the room about 10.15 AM, right after the show opening with only distributor’s foreign guests present. The sound could be described as nondescript at best. The displayed products had my highest admiration and respect but only in terms of aesthetics, in theory - I could not hear any of what is written about them. Of course it was not a bad sound; its potential could be heard in each and every detail but didn’t even come close to what I have at home. Each next person I met was saying, however, that Kondo sounds "better", "good" and "very well", and finally, at the end of the event, one of my friends said that for him it’s "the sound of the show". Was it due to the system warming up during the day (after all, it’s tubes, lots of tubes) or to some minor tweaks - I do not know. But one must admit – these are beautiful, gorgeous toys… Downstairs, the room no. 608 was the nest of the team from "audiostereo.pl" portal, under the banner of DIY Audio. There you could see and listen to audio components and ask their designers questions concerning their individual designs collectively referred to as DIY. These are not products in the full sense of the word but rather individual, unique creations. Often, they are so clear manifestation of their designer personality that it is difficult to speak about the correctness of their presentation; at most about a better or worse realization of a certain vision. What I heard in the room 608, however, belonged to a different category. Genuine, cool, addictive sound leaving space for the artist whose album was played and at the same time with such organized priorities that I could hear the designer’s choices. I do not know how the guys did it; after all, each of the products came from someone else (or so I think) and I don’t think they were doing a casting before the show for the best fitting components. Well done! Another interesting place was the Amare Musica room. The manufacturer located in the room no. 507 on the fifth floor showed the finished products - the De Forest preamp on EML30A triodes for 20,000 PLN (plus VAT) and the Trinity monoblocks (for 40,000 PLN plus VAT), with two parallel directly heated 300B triodes driven by EML20B. Very nice visual design, great finish, and above all convincing, very well arranged and saturated sound prompted me to a longer listening. I think that the Clockwork speakers partnering the amplifier, really great, also added to the fact that one wanted to come back to that room. I hope I will soon get a closer look at Amare Musica electronics because we have an appointment for a review. I heard quite different sound, at least at first, in the room of Akkus, selling high-quality electronic components as well as drivers, including own speaker designs. Audio Show saw the premiere of two models from the Redwine series, built on the most expensive ceramic drivers from Accuton, including the CELL tweeter. They were driven by Manley electronics, but an equally important part of the system were racks, platforms, spacers and feet from Pro Audio Bono. They look great and at the same time have a positive impact on any device and speaker we put on them. The sound of the system was a bit distant and did not sweep me off my feet. One had to sit down for a moment only to find out that everything was there, nothing missing. Except that it was not a "show off". The same situation repeated later in Bristol Hotel, with the Estelon speakers. As usually, a very warm and simply good atmosphere waited in the room with products from GigaWatt. Focused primarily on markets outside Poland where its fame grows, the manufacturer obviously has not forgotten its roots. Since its offer consists of products designed to improve power quality, such as conditioners, power strips, power cords, mains sockets and plugs, during shows and exhibitions it must have recourse to components from other manufacturers. This year they were the Audiovector speakers, speaker cables and interconnects from Sevenrods, an Accustic Arts CD player and, I think, the key to success – the Baltlab Endo 2 integrated amplifier. In addition to powerful, fantastically designed conditioner housings one’s attention was drawn by brand new Gigawatt sockets for installation in its products or on the wall. They are reminiscent of Furutech, at least when it comes to aesthetics, but it’s good to have SUCH a design. There’s nothing to be ashamed of as their mechanical design was fully GigaWatt. I also spent a longer time in the TAD room. Last year saw its Polish premiere and based on that experience the people from Audio Center Poland rented this year a completely separate room and chose the Compact Reference 1 stand mount speakers for auditions. For the first time one could see and listen to the M600 top monoblocks. Demonstrations were led by TAD head of sales in Europe, Mr. Frank van Leuvenhaege. An extremely nice, composed person who knew exactly what to say and when. The success of the presentation was not undermined by the price of the system – 165,000 PLN. One could also enjoy what could be heard in the Audio Consulting room, a distributor of such brands as Audioplan, Isem Audio and Pure Sound. I heard the speakers before and I can’t say a single bad word about them, but this year I think it was helped by a good job of the electronics, including the Pure Sound L300preamplifier, with a 300B tube in the power supply. Beautifully finished, impressive for its size it brought calm and composure to the system. I am sure that the final success was helped by components from French Isem Audio – a CD player and a power amplifier. Good job! In the room no. 301 it was hard to talk about good sound – the speakers were put in the corners so as to not get in the way and no one really listened to anything. The Fonica room, for that’s what I’m talking about (I have no idea why in the show guide the company is called Audiofonica), enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere of a reception, helped by a bottle of cognac on the table and glasses featuring the company logo. It was probably meant to create a welcome atmosphere to talk to both the company’s owner and the turntables’ designer. The show witnessed the launch of two new models - the least expensive F-400 and a designer model with the base in the shape of a violin key. The latter will probably come to me for a review I will prepare for "Enjoy The Music.com" magazine. I still remember the excitement accompanying the review of the RLS Callisto III. The tiny, beautifully crafted monitors had such well-ordered sound that I could wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone looking for speakers for small rooms. The more so that their bass was like in much larger designs. According to Jerzy Rokoszewski, the owner of RLS, the new model was necessitated by the end of manufacturing of the midbass driver. The new one sounds slightly different, does not have quite as low extension, but bass is supposed to be better integrated with midrange. The Callisto IV model is already ordered for a review. And that's because I really liked how it sounded with the Struss R150 amplifier, the Bryston media player / DAC and cabling from Artech. Extraordinary aesthetic experience, both in terms of sound and outward appearance waited for me in the room no. 315 occupied by Galeria Audio, distributor of such brands as Davone, Bauer Audio, Manley, Leema Acoustics and others . The Davone Ray speakers, 60s stylized, set horizontally, sold with stands being an extension of that aesthetic looked and sounded beautiful and very stylish. They primarily drew my attention; however, I was equally excited by the Bauer Audio DPS2 turntable with the stock tonearm. A beautiful example of common sense and a great ear. Once I reviewed its earlier version, with a different arm, which differed substantially from the recent base design (see HERE). The turntable is already ordered for a review. If it works out, I would also like to listen to the Ray speakers (for a recent review of the Mojo model see HERE). There are distributors of the leading brands others can only dream of. One of them is Audio System from Warsaw. It often adds to its offer good, interesting, iconic brands and you need to keep an eye on it to avoid missing out on anything. It is often the only opportunity to listen to legendary products that have never before reached Poland. These are mostly new brands but it happens sometimes that Audio System gets to “manage” a brand previously represented by another distributor. Such is the case of Duevel from Germany. This year its speakers were paired with the Cary Audio CAD-300 SEI amp on 300B tubes, an SACD player from the same manufacturer and top cables from Tara Labs – the Omega and the Zero. The sound was great not diminished by the fact that the speakers previously featured in House M.D. TV series (paired with QUAD electronics)… JBL Everest DD66000 + Mark Levinson It’s not every day that one has a chance to listen to speakers referred to by their manufacturer as its best design in its entire history, quite long in case of JBL. And yet that’s exactly how the Everest DD66000, launched to celebrate the manufacturer’s 60th anniversary, were presented at this year's Audio Show. As you may have noticed I have a weakness for speakers with large bass woofers and each of these speakers is equipped with two (!) 15-inch drivers, one responsible for the range between 30 and 150 Hz and then handing it over to the other one extending up to 700 Hz. Next, we might say in line with JBL "tradition", there is a horn-loaded compression driver and finally a horn super-tweeter. It’s only fitting that such speakers should be accompanied by suitable electronics - in this case top Mark Levinson models: No.53 monoblocks, No.326S preamp and No.512 player. Audition took place in one of Sobieski’s larger rooms suffering, like all others, with problems with acoustics, not to mention the on-and-off air condition. Despite all that, it was one of the best presentations at this year's show. Powerful, well-controlled bass, smooth, juicy, colorful midrange and incredibly vibrant treble – cymbals sounded simply unearthly (or actually very "earthly", i.e. authentic) – all presented in a very coherent way, with huge resolution and the kind of freedom only a very few speakers can offer. Now all you need is to shell out a bit over six hundred thousand zlotys, put that system in a well-adopted room sized 100 square meters or more and forget any further changes for life… Which is what I wish myself and all of you. Marek Dyba Speaking of that distributor and taking the opportunity offered by this reportage let me jump to the next presentation where one could see two things well worth the wait, which I did not expect to see. In the Galleria II and III halls were presented not only my beloved Harbeths M40.1 but also the Avalons Isis and electronics from Constellation Audio. The latter is an expensive and highly respected brand, the result of joining forces by several leading US audio designers. The show was a chance to listen to the Centaur stereo power amp and the Virgo preamp. A characteristic feature of the latter is a detachable front panel which also serves as a convenient remote control unit. The preamp is already ordered for a review. But let’s get back to the third floor. The big surprise for me came from Linnart that I somehow lost sight of and thought it no longer existed. I realized I was wrong when I saw it in the room it shared with the manufacturer of the Zontek turntable. The sound coming from JBL speakers may not have been particularly inspiring but I put that down to the show conditions. I wouldn’t mention it at all, coming from the viewpoint that it only makes sense to talk about good products, were it not for the fact that both the turntable and the electronics looked really great and they reflected their manufacturer’s knowledge, self-esteem and respect for the customer, as well as real enthusiasm. Naturally, these are only a few selected systems that sounded or looked good, or at least showed such promise, which could be heard in the Sobieski Hotel. It is my own choice and does not need to agree with yours. The presentation of the JBL Everest DD66000 speakers and top Mark Levinson electronics is covered in a separate entry above. I will only add that the No.512 CD player, which you could hear in Warsaw, came to me for a review straight after the show. BRISTOL HOTEL Each year my route looks very similar: I come to Warsaw on Saturday morning, about 9:00, and I go to the Sobieski Hotel. Around 14:00 I walk through Artur Zawisza Square (bearing the name since 1929) and five minutes later I get in the Golden Tulip Hotel. Earlier, when the show was held in two hotels, about 16:00 I went from Sobieski straight to Bristol. This year it was different. For a long time getting ready for two seminars – one dedicated to analog audio and turntables, led by Waldemar "Wally" Malewicz, and the other centered on digital technology or more precisely on the recommended methods of playing audio files, run by Mr. Chris Connaker, the chief editor of "Computer Audiophile" online magazine (some say 'portal' – there seems to be no clear-cut line between the two). One of them turned out to be, at least for me, far from satisfactory, the other one – simply brilliant. However, because of them I had to change my usual route – I went to Bristol straight from Sobieski as the seminars were scheduled at 15:00 and 16:00, respectively. Chris Connaker | "Computer Audiophile" www.computeraudiophile.com I’ve been gearing up for Chris Connaker’s presentation for a long time. Computer audio is in fact a hot topic still raising more questions than answers. Somebody like Chris is probably the best source of information and knowledge on the subject. It seems, however, that either my expectations concerning the presentation were too high or maybe the chief of "Computer Audiophile" was just warming up trying to reach and engage the Polish audience. Or perhaps the culprit was the failing projector that was supposed to display what was happening on Chris’s laptop - I don’t really know. One thing is for certain – although I heard two or three interesting things, all the rest was pretty basic and of no use for me. A somewhat chaotic nature of the seminar didn’t help things, either. Tomek, my friend who came to the seminar on Sunday, was quite satisfied with it so maybe they managed to get it better organized. And what was it that I expected? First of all, I hoped that Chris would present, one by one and from the beginning to the end, how to set up a proper system for playing audio files from the computer, showing potential pitfalls and tricks and giving practical advice on what to set up and how. I didn’t get any of that. He is a very nice person whose knowledge I deeply respect but I left his meeting unsatisfied. Wally (Waldek) Malewicz | MS MechEng www.wamengineering.com Mr. Malewicz is over 70 years old and he seems to have fun with it. He looks much younger, so does he move and behave. His inner joy radiates outward and affects what he does, which is now turntable technology. And he is recognized worldwide as a leading expert in that field. Some of his inner harmony and certainty as to whether it is, what it does what it does well you one could pick up during the seminar. Jokes, anecdotes, light manner of speech - all of that combined made his lecture very interesting, despite the fact that some presented things were rather obvious to all participants. For me, however, it was an opportunity to look at the presented material from a different perspective - not of a practician (that too) but mostly of a skilled theoretician for whom the turntable is simply an exercise in mathematics and physics. I learned a few tricks and I received a package of personal experience which I intend to put to a good use. For example, if the cartridge manufacturer recommends VTA range between 1.8 g and 2.2 g we should choose 2.1 g, not the arithmetic mean of 2.0 g. Of course, it’s a trifle but it is such tiny details that add up to something much bigger. The lecture raised huge interest and the small Reymont room rented by RCM could not seat even half of those who wanted to listen to Mr. Malewicz. Maybe next year, if he is persuaded to come again, it might be worth thinking about a larger room? Or maybe even of a few lectures, each dedicated to various audience? It’s really worth it because he is a person who knows WHAT he wants to say and is also great at HOW to do it. My great appreciation and thanks! Wojciech Pacuła The first room I wanted to visit in Bristol was Kiepura occupied for several years now, in place of previous great shows of such products as Sonus faber and Gryphon, by Eter Audio with products from Avantgarde Acoustic, Accuphase, Ayon Audio, Transrotor and now also Siltech. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get in for the presentation and since I didn’t want to wrestle with some short-tempered music lovers / audiophiles waiting in line for entry, I went instead into the Moniuszko room, situated right next to the cloakroom. I’m glad I did. Each hotel where the AS is held has better and worse areas. They are also so called "cursed" rooms where nothing has ever sounded good. In Sobieski it’s the Galeria I; in Bristol it’s the said Moniuszko. As it turns out, the curse can be broken, one only needs to choose appropriate speakers (because they are usually the culprit) and to use one’s head to do something about the room acoustics. This year, the Galeria I was shattered by the JBL Everest DD66000 and the curse was broken. I believe something similar happened in the Moniuszko room. This year was the first time I heard something that really hooked me, not just left me in the position of respectful silence. It was not a perfect "something" because, for me, there was a little too much treble and dynamics was a little bland, yet knowing the problems with the acoustics in that room, bearing in mind the experience of the previous years (e.g. LINN presentation) I was very impressed with the sound of a system presented by fastaudio. It looked pretty simple, though it cost a small fortune and was actually highly advanced. The source was the latest top dCS Vivaldi system. Consisting of three units – an SACD transport, a master clock and a DAC – it aspires to be the ultimate source. Since the D/A converter features a built-in digital preamp, the system did without a classic preamp altogether and the digital system was coupled directly to a power amplifier - in this role Dan D’Agostino Momentum stereo amplifier. It was driving Wilson Audio Sasha W/P speakers. The sound was excellent. Full, with low, soft bass and very well set midrange. Excellent harmonics saturation, which was missing in previous years. It was really a pleasure to listen to it. After leaving the Moniuszko I finally managed to squeeze into a presentation led by Armin Krauss, a representative of Avantgarde Acoustic. Needless to say it was fully professional, both in terms of the presented system, as well as Armin himself. Respect. Another point on my "must-see" map was the room of RCM from Katowice with the Estelon XA, AMG Viella V12 turntable and electronics from Vitus Audio. It was very calm, non-aggressive sound that one needs to grow up to, get used to and fall in love with. Then there is no turning back. It is worth noting that the system featured the new RCM Audio THERIAA preamplifier. Since I had the opportunity to review the first available unit (the review will appear in December issue of "Enjoy The Music.com") I know it's bound to become a new revelation, after its earlier incarnation the Sensor Prelude IC. This is one of the best phono stages I have ever heard, regardless of price, technology and stories that go behind them. My next stop was Jarek Waszczyszyn’s room where – somewhat of a shock to many visitors – he presented his new Studio Oslo computer (Jared calls them " studio") active monitors supported by his new subwoofer I hadn’t heard before. For me the sound volume was a little too high but I guess nobody got out of the room without a clear opinion. I liked it although it must be said that not everyone did. And finally the room with ESA speakers, Nagra electronics and an AVID turntable (distributed by Intrada) where analog and digital versions of the same albums were being compared. Somehow it happened that everybody preferred vinyl… VTL+Thiel, Hi-Fi Club This year Hi-Fi Club decided, for the second time in the history of the Warsaw show, to present a "non-McIntosh" system. Its highlight was the latest Thiel CS2.7 speakers driven by VTL electronics, including the MB450 monoblocks in their third version and a reference preamplifier. The source was a VPI turntable. Already on listening to the first track from Words of Love by David Munyon one couldn’t but notice a phenomenal realism of vocals’ presentation, which was later confirmed by listening to Sting. The balance between all the instruments was short of ideal, but the high notes on the "Made in Stockfish" album came out a little too dry. Listening to the accordion on the Fracanapa track from the Audiophile Spectrum compilation I had no doubt that we are dealing with the highest quality sound. Emotions associated with this instrument have been very faithfully conveyed. The opening notes of the rhythm section in Children of Sanchez by Chuck Mangione revealed some dynamic compression, but objectively speaking it was a most demanding test and I can’t think of any speakers the size of the CS2.7, in this particular room of the Bristol Hotel, to pass it with flying colors. In conclusion I must admit that it was one of the best sounding systems of this year's Systems Audio Show, maybe even deserving a place on the podium. Tomasz Folta GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL I have never been at such late hours at the Golden Tulip. Little did I know then that it was so nice in the late afternoon - I was there at 17:30 - and in the early evening and that one can listen to presentations with so much comfort. Let me start with the two presentations that my visit - the room (or, rather, "hall") with Sounddeco speakers and the room occupied by the head of Jadis. Let's start with the Polish company as one could already see through the windows the first groups of supporters of one or the other, or even a third and a fourth vision of the free and independent Poland, getting ready for the next day demonstrations during Polish Independence Day, November 11th. It is thus only fitting to give our manufacturers a little head start. Sounddeco is a completely new brand on the map of Polish audio. However, Witowa manufacturer that created the brand is not unknown. Having its own specialized machinery it is primarily a manufacturer of the most expensive door systems on the Polish market and of other specialized woodwork elements. For many years, it has also been an OEM manufacturer of speaker cabinets for many Polish but also foreign brands (unfortunately, their names are confidential). At the show it presented the entire gallery of sample cabinet designs, demonstrating how complex products it is able to manufacture; among them, the most obvious are those ordered by Harpia Acoustics. Sounddeco is meant to become a way to show own abilities in speaker design and manufacturing - from A to Z. The speakers presented at the show, nice, inexpensive, equipped with drivers from American SB Acoustics, sounded surprisingly well. Freely, without noticable compression, without any peaks or dips in the frequency response, etc. And that points to a good workmanship behind them. We will hear more of this company, I'm sure of that. At the other end of the price spectrum, but as we shall see only apparently so, was a presentation prepared by Grobel Audio, led by Mr. Patrick Calmettes, the head and owner of Jadis Electronics. He is a very nice, kind, gentle man, and an interview with him was a sheer pleasure. So was listening to a new system with his new I35 integrated amplifier in the lead role. The system was conceived as a "budget" one, of course, provided one understands what “budget system” means when it consists of components from such manufacturers as Franco Serblin with the Accordo speakers, the TW Raven One turntable equipped with the Koetsu Rosewood Signature cartridge, the Thöress phono preamp and the Jadis JD3 Evolution CD player. The system was chosen in such a way that none of its components cost more than 20,000 PLN. The turntable went over that limit but if we take into account the base and tonearm separately, it would be OK. Such set up system sounded very, very, very nice. Even, smooth, seemingly without compression. A slightly warm sound of all individual components didn’t turn it into a mush and instead conveyed vividness and imagery that you would not find in much more expensive systems. I could happily live with that sound, despite the fact that its entire cost is less than my cables alone… CONCLUSION Every year I feel that I was somewhere, to someone not walked in, I saw something, with someone I have not met, not greeted. And I’m always 100% right. Coming back home, sitting down to segregate and process the photographs, when I get to realize my mistakes and omissions (whether intentional or not, that’s not the point) I am usually overtaken by an immense sense of guilt. For I am aware of the vast amount of work put into the show by the exhibitors. Watching my friends and acquaintances but also complete strangers barely able to keep on their feet on Saturday morning (unless, of course it is the "merit" of alcohol :) I know I owe them much gratitude and respect. For while it's a part of their business, it’s how they earn a living, I benefit from their work just like other visitors do. And for that they deserve sincere thanks and honest recognition! As always, so also this time some demonstrations were a success and some rather not. Who or what is to blame for that – the exhibitors, the products, other factors - I don’t know. It is largely Russian roulette. Nevertheless, one can’t ignore the message that can be learned from companies that are always perfectly prepared in terms of both their image and sound in their (let’s take, for example, the rooms with Monitor Audio and Cambridge Audio or the presentation by Avantgarde Acoustic). If one has the skills and is lucky with the room choice, it is entirely possible to achieve a very good sound even in such difficult, hotel conditions. And sometimes you just need top components to overcome even the worst acoustics. So happened with the Everest DD66000 system from JBL (I wonder when we will see newer models of these speakers, the DD67000 or the DD65000 models?) paired with electronics from Mark Levinson in the notorious Sobieski Hotel room where nothing sounded good. And so it was with the Sounddeco speakers in a huge hall at the Golden Tulip and Franco Serblin’s tiny speakers in a large room several rooms away. Other systems that stood out in terms of sound were the Cambridge Audio system and the Monitor Audio speakers, the tiny Callisto IV RLS and many others that I have already mentioned above. I had an extraordinary pleasure of meeting the readers of "High Fidelity" whom I immediately offer my sincere apologies for not having the time to talk with them. If it's any excuse, I didn’t have time for anyone. I dashed through the show as a racer stopping only when something caught my attention. With the additional seminars and demonstrations, the event has its own logic and dynamics. I do not yet have statistics from the organizers but it looked very good. Despite the fact that the majority of potential Sunday visitors got scared away by groups of “true” and “more true” Poles running from the left to the right and back again, from one monument to another and across every possible square in Warsaw, and simply gave up on this year’s Audio Show altogether. And yet what we do could potentially be a kind of contact point for all of us, regardless of our political choice, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation or - yes, yes! - home audio system. Music is the most beautiful emanation of the human spirit and taking care of it so it doesn’t get damaged, distorted or degraded by devices used to reproduce it is something noble and important. And that's what’s really worth focusing on and dedicating to. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!

Published: 3. December 2012, No. 103 The name Ascendo is surely familiar to many HighFidelity Readers. Not only have we had a distributor (Soundclub) in Poland for some time now, but also Wojtek has already reviewed Ascendo SYSTEM ZF3 S.E. some time ago. I, on the other hand, did a review of a System F model for HiFiChoice. I'm also sure that if you read any reviews, or maybe auditioned Ascendo speakers for yourself, you already know that these are speakers different, at least in some ways, than most other available on the market. German designers of these loudspeakers use namely some quite unconventional solutions. It happens to be true also for herewith reviewed C8 Renaissance. They are part of a different line (different than two models mentioned before) called C, but these are no ordinary „boxes” either. Just have a look on attached pictures. First of all what category C8 fall into? They are called „standmount” as they come with stands, but they are large enough (80cm height) for floorstanders. But that's not all that makes them different. How many drivers do they sport? One? If you take a closer look you will notice that the driver in the front baffle is a coaxial driver, so there are in fact two transducers. Now have a look at the back panel – there is a ribbon driver (called by Ascendo TOS), so there are three? You might think that only until you start listening to them – none of these drivers can deliver SUCH an impressive bass performance. Indeed, there is another driver, 21 cm Kevlar bass woofer mounted inside cabinet, and „communicating” with the outside world via port placed on front baffle, below coaxial driver. So a four-way speaker? Yes, unless you switch off the TOS unit, cause than it will be a 3-way not 4-way anymore. I told you there were unconventional speakers... SOUND Recordings used during the test (a selection): Marcus Miller, A night in Monte Carlo, Concord Records, B004DURSBC, CD. The Ray Brown Trio, Summer Wind, Concord Jazz, CCD-4426, CD. Luis Armstrong & Duke Ellington, The Complete Session, Deluxe Edition, Roulette Jazz 7243 5 24547 2 2 (i 3), CD. Al di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia, Friday night in San Francisco, Philips 800 047-2, CD. Keith Jarret, The Köln Concert, ECM, 1064/65 ST, LP. Beethoven, Symphonie No. 9, Deutsche Grammophon, DG 445 503-2, CD. Renaud Garcia-Fons, Arcoluz, ENJ94782, CD. Carlos Santana, Shaman, Arista, B00006IR5V, CD. Eva Cassidy, Eva by heart, Blix Street 410047, FLAC. Cassandra Wilson, New moon daughter, Blue Note; CDP 7243 8 37183 2 0, FLAC. Georges Bizet, Carmen, RCA Red Seal 74321 39495 2, CD/FLAC. John Lee Hooker, The best of friends, pointblank, 7243 8 46424 26 VPBCD49, CD/FLAC. Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones, Live At The Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981, Eagle Rock Entertainment, B0085KGHI6, CD/FLAC. John Mclaughlin and Carlos Santana, Love devotion, surrender, SONY, B0000AKY7R, CD/FLAC. It looks like both of us, Wojtek and me, had similar experience with Ascendo speakers. We know they can offer amazing sound but to get there one has to make some effort and spend some time adjusting the system, speakers positioning in a room and so on. Because these are surely not a type that can be placed anywhere in a room, plugged to any amplifier and will sound great just like that. I wasn't so fortunate to have at my disposal few amplifiers, sources and cables to chose the optimal ones, but I did what I could to, at least, position speakers in my room in the best possible way. And that took some effort and sweat, as I even re-arranged my room at some point to give these speakers more space. It was the least I could do to let those, very promising speakers sing. Before we get to the sound I'd like to mention the TOS, a ribbon, magnetostatic tweeter, sitting in upper part of a rear baffle and thus firing towards back wall. Whether you use it or not depends first of all on its how far it sits from the back wall – if it's too close you'd probably have to turn it off. Of course there is also a matter of personal preference – if you rather enjoy using Ascendo without TOS working – go ahead, switch it off. As for me, I like strong, crisp, vibrant treble, huge soundstage filled with air surrounding each instrument, good presentation of recording's ambiance. That's exactly what I get from a dipole Gemini tweeter in my Matterhorns, and that's exactly what TOS delivers if you give it a chance. Obviously each user has to decide for himself, but if you care for my advice – give TOS a chance, and give it on some longer distance, as you might have to get used to it. In my opinion it's definitely worth a shot. As I already mentioned these large, but still, monitors, might get you by surprise with their powerful, hefty bass. One might be even more impressed if unaware of a bass woofer hidden inside cabinet. Obviously it depends on what kind of music will start the auditioning session. In my case it was, by coincident, Isao Suzuki's Blow up recording. I guess, I mentioned Aquamarine tune, opening this record, already many time, as since I listened to it on Hansen Audio Prince V2 speakers, it became kind of a benchmark of speaker's bass capabilities. To be exact it allows to assess how well extended it is, and whether or not it goes down to the very bottom with proper weight and richness. Hearing that bass on not so big C8 one risks a classic „jaw dropping” experience. Isao Suzuki's bass goes in this piece down to the very gates of hell, and the sound has full energy, richness to the very bottom. Well it wasn't so perfect as with Hansens, but still it sounded better than many bigger, floorstanding speakers did. Only few loudspeakers are capable of such rich, deep, tuneful and nicely differentiated sound of that amazing instrument played by brilliant musician. The bass is not only strings and not only huge soundboard. It's about the proper balance between both. So when it's played, the sound is not just a short pluck of a string, as it's followed by resonance in a soundboard that in fact might have more weight and last longer than the sound of string itself. Some speakers that deliver very tight bass can't really play bass so well, as they tend sometimes to cut the resonating sound, delivered by soundboard, short which destroys the beauty of its sound. But Ascendo, even though few would complain about their grip, play bass in an amazingly true, realistic way, presenting its whole complexity, and richness. At least I was so amazed that after that first recording of Suzuki I continued with more great bassists including, of course, Ray Brown, confirming again and again my preliminary impressions. And than I „jumped” to Marcus Miller and his electric bass guitar. The point is that often speakers that play bass in such an amazing way don't deal with short, tight electric bass so well and that's exactly how Marcus Miller usually plays. Some speakers have a problem following a speed of Marcus play. Ascendo surprised me again dealing with relaying immediate attack and a fast decay, or quite the opposite – nice long decay, effortlessly, making it sound easy to deliver. I was also impressed with great timing and the level of energy delivered by C8. It seemed only natural to move to some rock music – using both Salvation and AD FONTES turntables I played the black Metallica record, AC/DC's Live and Pink Floyd's The Wall, among other records of course. That allowed me to confirm all previous observations – there was a strong, energetic sound, with hefty bass, and impressive pace&rhythm that I truly enjoyed a lot – all that delivering so much fun and distracting me from my „reviewer's responsibilities”. On the other hand there was not so much to analyze – none of this recordings is an example of a perfectly realized one. Even the special edition of Metallica, even though the best one I know, isn't, not even The Wall, which is quite good but still not an exemplary recording. What's interesting in the latter (apart from music and lyrics, or course) are all these special effects/sounds – helicopters, explosions and so on, plus spatial effects, that guys from PF loved so much. All these elements might be a subject of an assessment. That's where TOS comes really handy because it increases significantly ability of C8 speakers to create huge, detailed, very well, precisely aligned space. I'm not saying that without TOS all that is gone – of course not. But this ribbon tweeter helps to create even bigger, more convincing space, makes it easier to watch everything that is happening somewhere there deep down the soundstage. That's why Ascendo portrayed so amazingly well all those spatial effects on Amused to death. There was only one step from Roger Waters to Muddy (the latter playing fantastic concert with guys from Rolling Stones) and later I just carried on with electric blues, including such masters as John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton, BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. After spending the whole day with this music I realized that for future reviews I should rather use some music I don't like. Why? Because when I started to play my favorite blues I wouldn't stop until I realized that my neck hurt from rocking my head, my toes hurt from tapping the floor and that the whole day passed by without me really noticing. Since the very interesting Oprah's review with Steven Taylor (that you can find on You Tube) was still fresh in my memory I had to check my toes for any signs of deformation (if you don't know why, you should really check out this review). They were OK but I had to wonder, what would happen if I were an owner of C8 Renaissance for some time? Well, the joy these speakers brought, delivering blues with fantastic pace&rhythm, in a way that allowed me to truly feel this music, was definitely worth the pain of hurting feet and neck. Blues might not be the most sophisticated music of all, but still each of these musicians is brilliant and relaying that in such an accurate way is a tough task for many speakers, but not for Ascendo. You might think that any system, any speakers can play the blues, but I heard many speakers that couldn't deliver either pace&rhythm, or feeling, or mood, and with just one of those elements missing blues wasn't blues anymore. Speakers have to deliver this music in such a way that listener can feel it and as a blues fan I have to say that there were not so many systems that let me enjoy blues that much, as reviewed speakers did. Ascendo C8 plus my ModWright amplification „felt” the blues damn well, period. Yet another step and off we go from blues to jazz. I decided to spin a disc with recording of another two guitar masters – Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin. That's another recording from years ago, and might also not be the perfectly realized one, but despite of that, or maybe because of that (?) listening to it with Ascendo in my system was a great, refreshing experience. Santana's bit syrupy, very emotional guitar sounded sweet, lush even, but somehow creating a perfect harmony with more stringent, though as sophisticated John's guitar. Speakers delivered every detail, every subtlety in each musician's play so nicely captured in the recording. It's not easy to deliver so sweet sound of the electrical guitar in a way that leaves no doubts that it is in fact an electric guitar and not some keyboard pretending to be one – there must be still some roughness, sharpness in the sound, it's always there, when guitar plays, no matter what. The other guitar, more raw sounding, with sharper edges of each sound really complemented Santana's, like it couldn't really exist without the other, like only together they created a whole. As I mentioned this is also not an example of a perfectly made recording, but while listening to it with C8 in my system I didn't think about it even for a second – it was all about music, emotions, about being involved in a wonderful experience. German speakers makes you listen to the music, not to the sound. And it's not about hiding flaws of the recording, about making sound more beautiful, nicer than it really is – Ascendo don't do that, as they don't really have to. It's about fantastic coherence of the presentation, about how natural it is – so it's bit like with live concert – something must be really, really off to take away the pleasure, the enjoyment the performance gives you. So until there are some critical mistakes made during recording's processing you just tend to accept it as it is. But still if for whatever reason you want to analyze the recording you will find its flaws in Ascendo's sound – they are there. An example – after above mentioned recording I decided to play Santana's Shaman, and this time from the very first piece it was obvious that this recording was a victim of so called „loudness war”. The C8s were not willing to cover that up – as the saying goes: sh.t in sh.t out. Their capability of focusing listener's attention on music, instead of sound, is amazing but it has its limitations, and obviously Shaman went beyond their limits. Another example – most recordings of U2. I love the music but I hate the sound and Ascendo couldn't do much about it – sound was flat, bright, no real space, and not even TOS unit could do anything about it. You can't blame them for it – there is no magic, so they won't make poor recording sound great. They do relay the true nature of each recording focusing listener's attention rather on music than on the sound, which helps to enjoy, at least to some point, even those less than perfect recordings. That's quite a rare feature – most so „truthful” speakers like the reviewed ones deliver all the flaws of every recording in such a way, that usually you can't enjoy them anymore. Other speakers, that make some recordings sound better, nicer, do so but at the cost of lower resolution, roll off at both frequency range extremes and so, which is not, what most audiophiles expect. The Ascendo C8 combine the ability of delivering truth about recordings, with another ability of exposing their musical virtues. That make brilliant recordings sound fantastic, but also allows to enjoy these bit less perfect ones, each time getting a taste of what's most important, most valuable in each of them. C8 can satisfied even such a „mid-range freak” like me. From my point of view it is the presentation of vocals and acoustic instruments that is the basic feature of any loudspeaker if I am to consider it even for my own personal use (hypothetically of course). Of course I moved already past the times where midrange was all I needed to enjoy music, but it is still very important to me, and both range extremes should only compliment the midband. If I have to I can accept some compromise in treble or bass, but never in the midrange. The point is that there are almost no compromises when it comes to Ascendo. Even though these are „only” monitors they deliver powerful, well extended and tuneful bass, vivid, detailed, airy (especially with TOS on) treble, and both these range extremes combine with rich, smooth, colorful midrange in a wonderful, coherent way. Vocals sound like they were delivered by good widerange speakers – palpable, rich, emotional , sensual and with proper texture. C8 are capable of delivering amazingly intimate presentation of vocals, that gives listener an impression like the signer was singing only for him standing just a meter or two away. That's also how I perceived most recordings of acoustic instruments – my favorite acoustic/classic guitars delivered rich, strong sound, all the small details – fingers sliding along strings, touching the soundboard and so on. The way of presentation was very convincing, it was easy to forget I listened only to the recordings and not to Paco de Lucia, Paco Pena and others. Also brass instruments sounded very true, vibrant, with beautifully relayed tone, with palpability on a level that I rarely experienced. Midrange, namely, just as other parts of the band, is very well differentiated, it's offered with great resolution, selectivity and clarity which allows listener to follow any instrument he likes without much of an effort, no matter how big the band is. Let me repeat one more time – the TOS unit takes a lot of credit here, so I can't really imagine too many people turning it off. It enhances the size of soundstage, its precision, clarity, ambiance, there is more air with it on, it helps to create more 3D images on the stage. It helps even the great piano to sound fuller, richer, more powerful, more realistic. You want proof – I suggest a session with Jarret's Koeln concert. You will experience (yes, experience) this fabulous concert in a way you probably never did before. I was simply surrounded with the audience and all of us, together enjoyed and admired what an extremely talented guy could do with his piano, simply having fun. What I still needed to be sure that these were complete, versatile speakers was their performance in large, classical music. Beethoven's 9th Symphony on one hand, and Carmen with amazing Leontyna Price on the other – these are two recordings I like to you during my tests. The former proved that C8 were fully capable of relaying huge dynamic range of that recording. It was hard to imagine by the looks/size of these speakers that they would deal with dynamics and scale of this symphony, but they did very well, where many, bigger speakers failed before them. They did also very well on low listening levels, delivering as many details as at much higher volume levels. Listening to Carmen using Ascendo you have to appreciate and admire the mastery of Leontyna Price. I guess this particular recording was also the most comprehensive test of the reviewed speakers. Wonderfully palpable, sensual and very clearly articulated vocals, the power and clarity of the orchestra, huge, precisely defined soundstage with singers and choirs moving on it most of the time – all that delivered with utmost precision and every detail included in the recording. You could simply „see” it all happening in front of you, you could feel true emotions and be touched by the story – a spectacular performance. Summary Ascendo C8 Renaissance seem to be a true achievement of German designers. It is one of the not so many products, that despite significant price are, in my opinion, not only worth every penny you have to pay for them, but, comparing to the competition, even more than price would suggest. First of all I think that most people could not say, in a blind test, that these were standmounted speakers. Secondly despite the fact, that when TOS unit is on, these are 4-way speakers, they offer amazingly coherent sound. Both range extremes are too nicely extended to tell (still in a blind test) that these are single-driver speakers, but for me they surely sounded as one in terms of coherence. There are very few speakers (at least that I know of) that offer so much more than one would expect judging by their look. Of course there are many small monitors that deliver exaggerated bass to pretend being bigger, but even if they can full you at the first moment you quickly realize that it doesn't sound right. But not in Ascendo C8 case – yes, the sound seems bigger, more powerful, more dynamic than you'd expect judging by their size, but the longer you listen to them the clearer it becomes that there is no cheating here, that the designers managed to push these speakers to the limits, but without crossing the line. There is a sweet, smooth, palpable midrange, crisp, airy, vibrant and spacial treble, and powerful, well extended, tuneful bass with a nice grip and very good timing. But what amazes even more is this coherency of the sound, how well all 4 drivers work with each either delivering sound reminding single-driver speakers. Knowing economic reality in our country I can't say that these are inexpensive speakers – 25 kPLN for most Poles sounds way too much to pay for speakers, but at the same time it's not a „crazy” price yet, and the price/value factor is damn good comparing with competitors from the same price level. I'd say that if you consider purchasing speakers from 20 to maybe even 40 kPLN price range for 20-35sqm room (Manufacturer suggest they are intended for use in rooms < 100 m3) you should definitely add C8 to your list of speakers for auditioning. DESCRIPTION Ascendo C8 Renaissance is a large 3/4-way, standmounted speaker, using proprietary Ascendo's solution called SASB, and a ribbon tweeter unit call by the Manufacturer a TOS. The former is about using two drivers the reproduce lower midrange and bass. One driver sits on the front baffle, and the other inside cabinet, working is a closed box, while the other side of the diaphragm radiates to the other chamber that is ventilated with a port placed on front baffle. The outer driver is current damped with semi-symmetrical band pass. Unit working inside cabinet is a 21cm Kevlar driver, and the unit on a front baffle is a coaxial driver with 17cm woofer with XP cone and a 25mm Neodymium-fabric-tweeter. A switchable TOS unit, which is a ribbon tweeter is placed on the back baffle and works in another, small, closed chamber. Speakers sport a double binding posts which allows to drive them with a single amplifier, but also to use bi-wiring or bi-amping. Monitors are to be placed on special bases equipped with adjustable cones underneath, and finished with black, piano lacquer. There are five round deepenings in the upper surface of the bases – before putting speakers on bases one needs to put five rubber dampers into these. Speakers are available in one of five different finishes – 4 natural veneers and a black, piano lacquer. Technical data (according to the Manufacturer): Dimensions: 28/80/40 cm (without base) Base dimensions: 40/30,5/40 cm Speaker's weight: 35kg Base's weight: 14kg Frequency response: 29 Hz – 32 kHz Power: 350 W Impedance: 6Ω Sensitivity: 88 dB/1W/m POLISH DISTRIBUTOR Soundclub Contact: ul. Skrzetuskiego 42, 02-726 Warszawa tel.: 22 586 32 70, fax: 22 586 32 71 e-mail: soundclub@soundclub.pl Webpage: www.soundclub.pl

Published: 3. December 2012, No. 103 Anssi Hyvönen belongs to a group of manufacturers-visionaries. I don’t mean to say he has some supernatural powers or that he goes “where no man has gone before,” but rather that he has a clear vision of what he should be doing and how. Amphion Loudspeakers Ltd. founded by him in 1998 in Kuopio in Finland, the owner of Amphion brand, is based on a strong foundation – the love of music. Although that sounds like a truism as all manufacturers declare something more or less similar, in his case it seems to be true. Doug Schneider in his article for "Soundstage" titled Standout Demo - Amphion 2010 writes that Anssi believes that music not only belongs to all of us but also that listening to it is beneficial for our human nature. The way Amphion wants to bring people closer to music is through the designing speakers most of us can afford, speakers that are “pocket friendly”. “Amphion creates loudspeaker solutions which enrich people’s lives by providing a means to experience the beauty of pure natural sound in their homes - at any time - without unreasonable financial sacrifices" - says Anssi. This is confirmed in the review of the Amphion Argon 1 speaker by Marek Dyba who had an opportunity to talk with people from Amphion during his trip to the factory (and not only there - see his article Finland - the land of thousands of lakes and good sound HERE), when he writes: Anyone who visited Finland had the opportunity to see that while we can envy the Finns their magnificent nature, their country is visibly not as rich as its Scandinavian neighbors. Hence, the Finns seem to have a very hands-on approach to all aspects of life and - most importantly - are apparently not willing to spend a fortune on audio gear. As I was told both by Anssi Hyvönen (the owner Amphion) and Mr. Mark Zakowski (the owner of probably the biggest audio salon in Helsinki), Finland high-end market is virtually non-existent. That's why the Krypton sells mainly abroad and back home Anssi sells mostly monitors (for one, they are cheaper than floorstanders, and two, most Finns do not have large listening rooms). And this way we put in a single sentence the words “cheaper” and “Krypton” – a true coincidentia oppositorum. For, if we were to take seriously the words of the company’s owner, both those on the Amphion’s website and those quoted during interviews, the speakers that we are just about to review shouldn’t exist at all. The words “cheap” and “Krypton” stand in contrast to each other at every level, starting with the idea and finishing with the end result. And yet they do exist. Why? The question can probably be answered in several ways, but we need to start with the most obvious, given by Anssi: there is demand for such speakers abroad. The audio market, both consumers, distributors and audio press, rates any manufacturer by its top product. It’s different than the world of film or literature where you are as good as your LAST movie or book. In audio what counts is not what’s the latest but what’s the best. And the best very often (predominantly) goes with what’s the most expensive. But I think there’s something more to it; that Anssi and his team saw in that demand from customers from “outside” their chance to show what they can do when cost is not an issue, and to bring their concepts and ideas into a logical development, to the extreme. One can probably assume that they just wanted to prove themselves. The company was founded in 1998 and the website says that the “Amphion project” is almost 15 years old. That would mean that the idea for these speakers emerged right back when Amphion started. This would, however, be somewhat illogical - if the Krypton was to be a response to the demands of foreign markets, it needed time to “mature”; the demand had to have some basis, that is, the company’s previous speaker designs. So it appears that when the websites and Amphion materials refer to “15 years” it doesn’t mean the Krypton as such but rather initial basic concepts and ideas by which the speakers from Finnish company became known at home and abroad, in the recording studios and at homes of music lovers and not the same. Among those ideas number one is U/A/D. As we read, it stands for Uniformly Directive Diffusion. By creating equal dispersion of sound waves the anomalies caused by wall, floor and ceiling reflections are to be minimized and consequently allow the listener to become more independent, at least to some extent, from room acoustics. The claim that speakers “disappear” from the room can be found in every other brochure from speaker manufacturers. Some of them understand it more in terms of aesthetics, others in terms of music perception. Among the latter one may find various “schools” – either correcting speakers’ directionality (narrow) by adding a horn in front of the driver, or opting for sound dispersion in omni-directional designs, or finally attempting to control sound dispersion in yet another way. In the case of Amphion we deal with the latter. The Krypton³ is a three-way design, with a titanium tweeter and two proprietary paper-papyrus midrange drivers (which – let's say it – means wood and cane :) on its both sides. It’s the D’Appolito configuration, which uses the results of the work of Mr. Joseph D. D’Appolito, first described in his paper “A Geometric Approach to Eliminating Lobing Error in Multiway Loudspeakers.” In this configuration two midrange or woofer drivers are placed vertically above and below the tweeter and operate in parallel implementing the 3rd order crossover. Anssi says that his design solves several problems related to dispersion in such a system, i.e. improves the directional characteristics and creates a true point source above 160 Hz. Midrange drivers’ diaphragms are manufactured in-house by Amphion and have a distinctive, yellowish hue, and are corrugated in a round pattern known from stage speakers or designs from the 50s and 60s. The diaphragm corrugation is performed on a specially-built machine. It is supposed to improve driver response at lower frequencies. Company materials say that corrugated 8 inch drivers behave like ordinary 4 inch drivers, while maintaining the advantages of a large diaphragm. Both midrange drivers work in their own chambers, side vented by holes drilled in the shape of an acute triangle. The manufacturer has long been using this solution and its benefit is confirmed, at least for me, by the fact that Franco Serblin came up with an almost identical idea in his Ktêma speakers (see HERE). That commands respect. As a result, generated sound wave has cardioid shape, known primarily from the recording studio and is used to describe the way the microphones “hear”. It’s not, as usual, a semi-circle but rather a shape resembling a cross-section of the human brain, with a semicircular forehead, two rounded rear-looking sides and the “stem”. This is supposed to: allow the Amphion speakers to sound good even in small rooms help with positioning the speaker near large windows, allow to sound good in rooms with poor acoustics. The Krypton³ reduces reflections from both the side walls and back wall by up to 20 dB. As Robert E. Greene writes in the article Finish Magic : “The Krypton 3s joins this honor roll of designs that really address the problem of the room around them, and address it with remarkable success.” This opinion is even more valuable to me in that its author, the editor of "The Absolute Sound", uses as his reference the same speakers I do - Harbeth M40.1 monitors. AMPHION products previously featured in “HIGH FIDELITY” REVIEW: Amphion ARGON 1 speakers, see HERE REPORTAGE: Finlandia - w krainie tysięcy jezior i dobrego dźwięku, see HERE SOUND A selection of recordings used during auditions: Assemblage 23, Bruise. Limited Edition, Accession Records, A 128, 2 x CD (2012). Carol Sloan, Little Girl Blue, Sinatra Society of Japan, XQAM-1036, HQCD (2010). Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, PIASR311CDX, Special Edition Hardbound Box Set, CD+USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012). Depeche Mode, Enjoy The Music....04, Mute, XLCDBONG34, maxi-SP (2004). Diary of Dreams, Panik Manifesto, Accession Records, EFA 23452-2, CD (2002). Elgar Delius, Cello Concertos, wyk. Jacqueline Du Pré, EMI Classic, 9559052, 2 x SACD/CD (1965/2012). Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, Take It Easy, Pablo/JVC, JVCXR-0031-2, (1973/1987). Hilary Hann, Hilary Hann Plays Bach, Sony Classical, SK 62793, Super Bit Mapping, 2 x CD (1997). Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself, Sony Music [Japan], SICP-1387, CD (2007). Novika, Tricks of Life, Kayax, 013, CD (2006). Pat Metheny Group, Offramp, ECM, ECM 1216, CD (1982). Portishead. Dummy, Go! Disc Limited/Universal Music [Japan], UICY-20164, SHM-CD (1994/2011). Radiohead, The King Of Limbs, Ticker Tape Ltd, TICK001CDJ, Blu-spec CD. The Montgomery Brothers, Groove Yard, Riverside/JVC, JVCXR-0018-2, XRCD (1961/1994). This Mortal Coil, HD-CD Box SET: It’ll End In Tears, Filigree & Shadow, Blood, Dust & Guitars, 4AD [Japan], TMCBOX1, 4 x HDCD, (2011). Vangelis, Spiral, RCA/BMG Japan, 176 63561, K2, SHM-CD (1977/2008). Yo-Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin, Hush, Sony Music/Sony Music Hong Kong Ltd., 543282, No. 0441, K2HD Mastering, CD (1992/2012). Japońskie wersje płyt CD i SACD dostępne na As usual in case of such grand, stately, simply large speakers we subconsciously expect a torrent of sound and the kind of bass that sweeps us out of the room. This is understandable and relates to experiences from music concerts, where the larger the “boxes” the better - there the interrelation I'm talking about is even clearer. In home environment one also meets this type of designs but it needs to be added that they are intended only for large or very large rooms. In smaller spaces they fail miserably. At home, in case of top designs that interrelation is hidden deep by numerous layers of other characteristics, and often disappear altogether. The Krypton³ will surprise in this respect even seasoned music lovers and audiophiles (not to mention music lovers-audiophiles…). With the majority of recordings where accent is on midrange, treble or midbass the speakers will sound like mid-sized monitors. Such Harbeth M30.1, which is more or less the size of Amphion’s midrange-treble section, sounds larger, more expansive, echoing to some extent what large floorstanders do. What does it mean that the Kryptons sound as monitors? Well, it means extreme precision, fantastic dynamics, great selectivity and resolution. If I blind listened to them, i.e. behind the curtain, as long as I didn’t play something more energetic in the low end, say an album by Portishead, Depeche Mode, or other electronic music, I’d swear I was listening to studio monitors suspended above the mixing board. The discrepancy between what you see and what you hear is so big that it takes a lot of time to get used to, i.e. to build a new "image" of the speakers with their appearance and sound. All the more so as it’s not a design that is easy to describe in one sentence, or even a few. It’s multi-dimensional, with each aspect of its sound combined, usually on several levels, with others, emerging from others, flowing from them and being mutually conditioned. Take, for example, the volume of sound. That characteristic describes how large, physically expansive the sound is, or more precisely, virtual sources are. Almost always it’s something characteristic for a given design, resulting from the amount of midbass and lower midrange and harmonic saturation. There speakers with low volume and there are high-volume speakers. Interestingly, it’s not necessarily related to the amount of bass! The Amphions are different. In their case, there is no "big (or small) volume of sound", but rather " big (or small) volume of this particular recording." The Krypton³ show differentiation a few lengths better than every (or almost every, to somehow safeguard myself) other speaker I've ever heard. They let you forget that speakers have limits and let you look into the recording deeper than other designs. Hence, one can perfectly hear the difference between the volume of Portishead debut album and for example Imogen Heap’s Speak for Yourself. The latter, apparently more spectacular recording, with lots of spatial information, etc. turned out to be much "thinner", smaller than the former. Despite the fact that Portishead debut album reminds a mono demo tape with little frills. And yet it was that "demo" recordings that had beautiful, big sound with wonderfully focused foreground sources. The same happened on purist acoustic recordings featuring only vocal and the guitar - Hush-A-Bye by Carol Sloane (from 1959) and Take Love Easy by Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass (from 1974). I must say that Sloane’s album left much more impression on me and Fitzgerald’s recordings, previously regarded by me as a rather round and warm (read - "large"), were much smaller than the much older recordings of Carol Sloane. The ability to differentiate is actually, I think, the key to these speakers. Volume is just one of many characteristics that the Amphions show more accurately than the vast majority of other speakers, including studio monitors. The same is true about dynamics. The latter seems pretty normal during the first period of "acclimatization". "Normal" is a good word, in every respect, and it would seem the goal to pursue. That "normal", however, is only normal in the context of other speakers, not reality. In the "real world" dynamics is incomparably greater than that of even the best home speakers. In fact, every speaker we listen to at home compresses sound. Only huge PA speakers approach real dynamics somewhat, unfortunately killing off resolution and color at the same time. And perhaps here lies incredible, growing popularity of "vintage" speakers featuring large paper cone woofers with paper/cloth suspension and horn loaded tweeters, etc. They simply have much more efficient energy transfer than conventional speakers. The Krypton³ appear like coming from a different story. Maintaining good tonal balance, high selectivity and resolution (in that order), they show all nuances of dynamics as good as very large horn speakers. Be that changes in cymbal crashes, such as on Groove Yard by The Montgomery Brothers or the full of expression cello of Jacqueline du Pré from her album with Elgar's Cello concertos – every single thing was clear and had a deeper meaning. It wasn’t art for art's sake (i.e. "trick"), sweating over that element just so “other talk about it.” Such perfect presentation of changes of dynamics is needed by the speakers to show more natural instruments and vocals. Only so much and so many. This results in an insanely high sound definition, definition of individual instruments. It’s not a "live", "flat", "clear", "warm" or "cold" sound, or any other in its own. It largely (because the speakers do have their own character, as I’ll show later) depends on the recording. Not fully, as there is no such thing as "transparent" speaker in the "real world", yet the Amphions do it better, I think, than all the speakers I've ever heard. This translates into an incredibly rich sound - the "presence" of performers, the definition of each single, particular instrument and its function in the recording’s broader plan, and fantastic presentation of the true nature of various instruments and vocals. It particularly struck me with the guitar. I’ve already mentioned two albums but I spent most time with albums by Wes Montgomery, both with his brothers as well as solo. The sound of guitar played through guitar amp, especially when recorded with a microphone, not line out to a mixing console, is completely unique. On the one hand, the distortion introduced by guitar effects (that is their role) and an overdriven guitar amp are quite repetitive. Each guitarist has his own set of effects and favorite amp and even if he plays with tone, depth, feedback, etc., it is still within a certain, defined "set". Or so it is shown "home" speakers. But if that’s true then why the hell all those guitarists are so particular about their specific guitar, amp, etc.? Why bother if it all sounds the same? The Krypton³ show what it's all about. That electric guitars differ from each other in tone depth, its texture, also in 3D size. In expression, small changes of attack and color. In various character of distortion. Another cliché (and I thought I'm not trivial), but I have to say that with these speakers you simply hear everything better. More accurate, more selective than with the Harbeths M40.1. The latter still have some characteristics of sound and only they make me weak at my knees. But it was the Amphions that showed what the Alan Shaw’s speakers are missing. In this state of mind I listened to Offramp by Pat Metheny Group. It’s one of my favorite albums and I didn’t reach for it by a loose association of the type "Scandinavian speaker calls for a Scandinavian label." For neither is ECM that released the album Scandinavian, but German, nor is Metheny Scandinavian; it wasn’t even recorded in Europe but in the USA. While it was mixed and engineered in Oslo by John Erik Kongshaug, a Norwegian, but it’s not something I remember every day and it wasn’t what guided my choice. The album was meant to show me how well the speakers can join material recorded in an infant stage of digital recordings into one whole. The Amphions did something more. They showed a lively, rich nature of the sound, the amazing depth and volume of instruments, exactly the same as before on the Portishead album. They also showed exceptionally well what these speakers do with bass. And it’s the kind of bass we don’t quite expect. It is short, clean, without clear definition and hardly punctual. It only speaks when there’s something to say. It’s not stretched out or dragging along. But there is no hard attack. With the above mentioned du Pré cello it showed what one might even call a soft "underbelly", because it was velvety smooth. With electronic music on Diary of Dreams album it was strong and tight. No softness at all. Its color was just like the color in the recording (which I monitored on headphones). But we need to keep in mind the unusual – although not wholly – design of these speakers. Bass woofers are located on one side and the speakers can be set with the woofers facing inside or outside. The choice will be dictated by the size of our listening room, speakers distance from the walls, from the listener, etc. Anssi Hyvönen writes what follows: Dear Wojtek - hello again! I learned you’re getting ready to audition the Krypton³. Unfortunately, we did not have time to warm them well. I am very sorry for that. Taken straight out of the box they may seem a bit "thin" in midrange. When it comes to positioning, I would try them first with woofers facing inward. It's a safe choice in most rooms. If you prefer a broader soundstage, you can give the outside setting a try, but in this case you need to devote more time and attention to proper positioning, sufficient toe in, accurate adjustment both horizontal and vertical. You can use the directional nature of the tweeter to adjust the angle of toe in. Feel free to experiment with speakers toe in, aiming them in front of you and directly at yours ears and choose an option you like best. Another difference is with tilting the speakers back. Due to a really good sound propagation you need to pay attention to speakers perfect acoustic "match" - it's worth spending more time on it. A few millimeters can bring unimaginable changes. Your sincerely, Anssi Hyvönen As you can see, it is worth working a bit harder on proper positioning - each change results in a significant modification of sound. For me, the best setting was with the woofers facing inside and speakers aimed almost straight at my ears, only slightly toed in. What’s important - so powerful speakers showed no excess bass in my not very large (25 m2 plus 15 m2 open space) room. The sound was very good. Nor was any problem was sitting close to them. It is clear that the efforts to control sound propagation produced excellent results. However, it should also be clearly stated that such design, i.e. with woofers radiating outwards, not straight ahead, gives some side effects. I heard it every time when I had such designs at home. Compared to speakers with all drivers facing forward, in the listener’s direction, speakers such as the Krypton³ are less punctual, show more limited definition. Although the Amphions are special in this respect, I had no doubt that as long as the instrument was exactly the middle of soundstage (as Portishead electronic bass or bass on the Montgomery’s album), the sound was exactly the same as from the best classical designs – tight but full, with good definition and texture. If the instrument is moved in any direction, or if it’s in counterphase then the definition is worse, without the feeling of "here and now". The differences are not large enough to be a nuisance, but there are there once again confirming what I know about such designs. I also heard a slight color modification near the crossover frequency between the woofer and midrange. Anssi indicates that over time lower midrange gets better. Indeed, each next time I came back to listen it seemed to me (it's probably the best word) that there is more body, flesh that it’s more meaty. At the same time, however, I heard that these speakers will never be as saturated as the Harbeth M40.1 - no chance for it. The Krypton³ have stronger treble, more direct and detailed, and the same can be said about lower midrange. I do know that the Harbeths tonal balance is shifted down and that bass is boosted by a few decibels. And that’s where the meaty midrange come from. That’s suits me just fine. I take it without batting an eye. The Amphions show everything with greater precision, selectivity, i.e. they are more accurate to the "letter" of the recording. At the same time, however, they are not as faithful to its "spirit," or something "outside" of features that are usually mentioned. We are talking about absolute high-end and it has nothing to do with duels at lower price levels – here it is more a matter of taste than criticism. But I would not be fair to the reader, I would not be fair to myself if I did not say that I liked this particular aspect, i.e. midrange saturation, its his fullness and meatiness, more in the Harbeths. And that it is for me - at the moment - the most important aspect of any speaker. There is, however, an element that is absolutely unique for the Amphion. I've heard it a few times with cheaper speakers from that manufacturer, but it never was so clear, so tangible, I never sat brooding over audio, and over the fact that this road has no end and that when we climb the - seemingly - last hill, it turns out we face another, even higher. It's about soundstage. Reading the description of the Krypton³, the company’s philosophy, reading Anssi’s statements, we can’t but notice that there are three elements that constitute the brand, that are its distinguishing features, something that separates it from other loudspeakers manufacturers. The first is the affordable prices. We already talked about it and as we know that it doesn’t concern the reviewed speakers. The second is the quest for absolute fidelity to the source material (recording), known mainly from recording studios. And we have it here - as I said, the Krypton³ sound like small monitors. With the kind of bass the latter will never have. And the third element - space. The speakers are designed for maximum time coherence. Controlled dispersion of sound waves makes them to a large extent from room acoustics. But most important goal for the designers was probably a more natural sound wave propagation across the frequency range. And hence an improved D'Appolito configuration, lossy midrange driver chamber, proprietary midrange driver diaphragms and a special element before the tweeter. It all adds up to give spectacular results but not the ones you could imagine. These are not acres of space extending on the sides of the speakers. At first it seems that the soundstage is squeezed in between the speakers and that nothing happens beyond them. If that’s so it means they need to be further away. And again. And some more. Until we collapse from exertion or (which is preferable) sit down surprised – for right in front of us a window opens on authentic, almost disturbingly natural reality. But it will always remain between the speakers. The further apart they are, the larger and freer the virtual sources. However, regardless of our efforts with positioning the Amphions, from the very beginning they show beautiful focus and coherence. There is 3D like with small monitors and there is oomph and momentum like with big speakers. But there are also elements that elude us or blurs with most speakers. Just like the sounds behind us and on our sides. The Krypton³ not simply show them, but rather "cast" a holographic image around us. These sounds are strong and clear, not veiled. I have never heard anything like that from two speakers; even 5.1 systems (or, while we’re at it, 7.1) are not able to show it so naturally, so spectacularly. Conclusion The Krypton³ are Amphion's crown. Not a pearl, not a pride, but crown. Although they cost a lot of money, compared with the top speakers from other manufacturers, except perhaps Harbeth and Spendor, they are relatively inexpensive. They are beautifully made and have behind them a real man of flesh and blood with solid footing and, above all, with a vision of how things should look like. Their sound is spectacular. Extremely precise, devoid of coloration and annoying "flicker" of sound contours, with strong, saturated bass. It is a true monitor, without any further comment. Its color is more "fresh" than "mature". Lowed midrange is not as saturated as what’s above and below. Selectivity is phenomenal, resolution very good. Soundstage, when the speakers are properly positioned, will embarrass the vast majority of multi-channel systems, no matter how many channels are harnessed for this task. Real, authentic, worked out and not imagined high-end. DESIGN The Krypton³ from Finnish Amphion is a powerful floorstanding passive speaker. It is a three-way, four-driver vented design. Each driver covers about 3.2 octave range which is often taken as the most optimal solution. The tweeter is a 25 mm titanium dome loaded into a large "horn" or rather Waveguide Integrator of the same diameter as the two midrange drivers above and below. Lower than normal crossover frequency, according to Anssi, helped eliminate typical D'Appolito configuration problems with interference and created horizontal and vertical symmetry, with the exact acoustic center on the tweeter axis. The midrange drivers are manufactured jointly by SEAS and Amphion. SEAS provides baskets and drive systems, and Amphion manufactures the 200 mm paper- papyrus diaphragms. They are extruded in a special machine so as to form characteristic concentric “ribs”. Anssi says that the drivers work as if they were about half the diameter, while maintaining the advantages of large speakers. These three drivers form the D'Appolito system. The dome tweeter from Norwegian SEAS has a sealed chamber (visible through the bass-reflex vent) and is crossed over at 1600 Hz. Midrange drivers chambers have a special design developed by Amphion. Inside they form triangular-shaped chambers, tapering towards the rear. The chambers are not sealed – on the sides there are holes that form a pattern repeating the chamber shape. The chamber are dampened from the inside. With this treatment, the sound wave emitted by midrange drivers is cardioid shaped and help the speakers better integrate with the listening room. Both drivers operate in parallel in the range between 160 Hz and 1,600 Hz. The 254 mm (10 ") woofer has aluminum made diaphragm. It sports thick rubber front suspension and a very large double magnet. The woofer is mounted on the cabinet’s side so speakers can be positioned with the woofers facing inside or outside. Interestingly, the cabinets feature woofer holes on both sides with one of them sealed with MDF. It seems that allowed to simplify cabinet manufacturing. The speakers are manufactured in a beautiful factory near Kuopio, co-owned by Amphion. From the inside the woofer magnet rests on a support specially designed for that purpose. Because of that the whole acts as one large component. The woofer is loaded into vented enclosure with one vent located between the midrange drivers chambers. The cabinet is strengthened at the bottom with quite complex rims and damped with foam rubber. There is a single pair of speaker terminals made of pure copper coated with palladium. Internal wiring is proprietary - a silver plated, ultra-pure copper stranded wire composed of 240 single wires. A separate run of silver wire serves to improve grounding. The woofer is coupled by two parallel cables. The crossover network is assembled on a PCB and mounted to the plate with speaker terminals, which I couldn’t unscrew. The picture shows, however, polypropylene capacitors and air coils. The cabinet is gorgeous – finished with natural veneers, with two grilles on both sides of the cabinet, covering the woofer and the sealed hole on the opposite side, of which I spoke. This is a fantastically built speaker, beautiful, solid, with a number of its own "patents". TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER) Design: 3-way, ported Tweeter: 1'' Titanium + Waveguide Integrator Mid-Woofer: 2 x 8" paper-papyrus Woofer: 10'', aluminum Crossover Point: 160 Hz /1200 Hz Impedance: 4 Ω Sensitivity: 89 dB Frequency response: 22 - 30 000 Hz (+ / -3 dB) Recommended amplifier power: 25 - 300 W Dimensions (H x W x D): 1370 x 240 x 470 mm Weight: 72 kg Finish: white or natural veneer: birch and walnut SOURCES Doug Schneider, Standout Demo - Amphion 2010, "Soundstage!", see HERE [accessed: 03.10.2012]. Wikipedia [accessed: 03.10.2012]. Robert E. Greene, Finish Magic, "The Abso!ute Sound", Issue 223, May/June 2012, pp. 110-114.

Published: 3. December 2012, No. 103 AMG Viella V12 + AMG 12J2 REVIEW: No. 98, June 2012, see HERE Precision engineering achieved by the best audio manufacturers is stunning. Take, for example, AMG. Preserving the purity of line, design simplicity and compact size Mr. Werner Roeschlau, AMG’s owner, managed to design the Viella V12turntable which is a true work of art. Together with the manufacturer’s 12J2 12" tonearm they create the absolute high-end tandem. The beauty of design and manufacturing goes hand in hand with a beautiful well-ordered sound. The turntable will bring out the best from each LP without falling into a romantic exultation, usually obscuring the essence - music presentation. I wouldn’t change anything in it and just enjoy the music as long as I breathe… Master Tape Sound Lab - For going back to the roots REPORTAGE: No. 98, June 2012, see HERE The revival of reel to reel is, paradoxically, related to the digital revolution that takes place right before our eyes, i.e. the transition from physical media to computer files. But it is not only and merely nostalgia - analog tape still remains the best known musical medium. Even vinyl is merely an attempt to approximate what can be found on 1/4 inch analog tape played at 15 ips. But this is a very expensive hobby, even in such a luxurious world as audio. Therefore, the company that stakes everything on one card – or rather tape - and says "I call" to the new formats must be noticed. And if it does it so well, so endearingly as Master Tape Sound Lab, it must be awarded. Mr. Todor Dimitrov, head of MTLS, did something that seemed unattainable – he persuaded Kostas Metaxas to make his tapes recorded over the years available to a wider audience. That is how the MTSL catalog - in many ways a reference - came to be. Congratulations! Taku Hyodo Leben HiFi Stereo Company Japanese artists, designers in the audio world do not need awards and honors. They work on the assumption that their designs, their creations speak for themselves, and they are satisfied with knowing that what they do is good. It is no different with Mr. Taku Hyodo, the owner and chief engineer of Leben HiFi Stereo Company, in short - Leben. And yet the CS-300 and CS-660P tube amps, and now the CS-1000P, only to mention the most notable products of the last three years, have already become legendary. They are beautiful, manufactured with heart and soul and they sound like a dream. The CS-300, as well as its subsequent versions, proves to be a great headphone amplifier – it is a reference for "High Fidelity" editorial team. We wish Mr. Hyodo many more so successful, so wonderful products! SPEC RSA-V1 REVIEW: No. 97, May 2012, see HERE The audiophile market has its own prejudices and stereotypes. One of them is (almost) an axiom, according to which the best sound is offered by SET tube amps, then PP tube, followed by solid state class A and PP, and the rest is crap, simply a waste of time. Amplifiers operating in class D are often thrown in this "trash". How much one can go wrong! The Japanese from SPEC Corporation who designed the RSA-V1 integrated amplifier gave everyone the finger, a flip on the nose, even if not intentionally (OK, knowing the Japanese, I'm actually sure that it didn’t even crossed their mind), offering a high-end amplifier with class D output section. The amplifier sounds like a wonderful SET amp but with a much better frequency extension and higher dynamics. Warm, fantastically defined sound from a small box? Yes, you can! All you need is a comprehensive approach, high-quality components, well thought out chassis, extremely refined in this case, and we get something that changes our view of reality. It's a stereotype breaker, hopefully one of many. ModWright Instruments LS 36.5 REVIEW: No. 100, August 2012, see HERE It's easy to reward, recognize, elevate, point the finger at anything that is both the best and the most expensive. Although it is an extraordinary achievement to design a device placed at the very top, it's even harder to come up with something not much inferior for a fraction of the cost. Dan Wright, head of ModWright Instruments, knows how to do it. And it can be heard – the LS 36.5 preamp designed by him sounds like a dream. Made entirely in the U.S. it has a solid chassis and well thought out, sensible electronic circuit with quality passive components. The unit can be upgraded with an outboard tube power supply which further enhances its value. For that money it's simply a killer! Manley CHINOOK REVIEW: No. 98, June 2012, see HERE Eva Manley, head of Manley Laboratories, Inc.. is a remarkable woman. She is a manager of a group of guys, engineers who are not usually willing to come to compromise. Somehow she still manages to be something of a catalyst to extraordinary products from Chino, California. One of them, still considered as the reference by many reviewers, is the Steelhead phono stage. Our award-winning Chinook is its scaled down version, a less expensive counterpart, manufactured according to the same procedures and using similar components and systems. Fortunately, this is not a "reduction" but rather a completely new proposal building on Steelhead’s strengths while also adding something new, especially harmonic saturation of the whole frequency range. An American device, manufactured entirely in the United States by extremely competent people, designed to sound equally well ten or twenty years after the purchase. A small classic. Audio Research REF75 REVIEW: No. 102, October 2012, see HERE A lot can be said of the Americans as a people. Depending on our likes and dislikes, the level of knowledge and ignorance, we may say that they are enterprising, resourceful, lazy, fat, arrogant, insensitive, always smiling, cheerful, and hard-working. Knowing American audio manufacturers I would first say that they are reliable. A good example of that would be the Reference 75 power amplifier awarded by "High Fidelity". Its design is unique. Common sense combined with experience resulted in a large yet classic-looking product that will be equally attractive in a few or a dozen years. Amplifier’s sound refers to the best years of the manufacturer - it is a bit warm, smooth, rich in harmonics. Hook it up with speakers that will not spoil that and we will have an amplifier for life. Amphion KRYPTON3 REVIEW: No. 103, November 2012, see HERE My meeting with Anssi Hyvönen during this year's Audio Show (2012) was a big experience for me. It confirmed everything I’d already known of him through exchanged e-mails and my assumptions based on listening to his top speakers. He is a very warm, wise man, pursuing his passions and goals in such a way as to not hurt anyone - whether his employees or, for example, the nature. Without overusing it, "good" would probably be the word to briefly describe Anssi. And it can be felt listening to his speakers, headed by the Krypton3. Precise and even frequency response, phenomenal soundstage and insight into the recording as if we were sitting in the recording engineer’s room – these are the main features. Strengthened by an inner harmony and consistency that keep the sound from being clinical and bright. Timeless design and sound with a concrete, good (and I was not to overuse it…) person behind. Ardento ALTER REVIEW: No. 101, September 2012, see HERE That is a classic example of a niche product - a little known company, unless you remember it from the Audio Show 2010. Ardento offers speakers that are not only - remarkably – based on an open baffle design, but additionally come at a price that seems crazy in Polish conditions. Although addressed to a specific group of people, apparently "vintage", the Altera offers splendid, full-band, energetic and sophisticated sound that in comparison with more well-known competitors make their price not just crazy but also an insane bargain. Consistency, fluidity, saturation and musicality from the lowest bass to the highest treble, combined with excellent workmanship and finish, can win over many an unrepentant supporter of bass reflex design. Some of the best speakers I've ever heard, they sound equally well with tube and solid state and they are a Polish product – full respect! Dynaudio CONFIDENCE C1 SIGNATURE REVIEW: No. 103, November 2012, see HERE Another product closely associated with the company’s owner, not only by his signature on a special aluminum plaque on the rear panel. The C1 from the Confidence line was for Mr. Wilfried Ehrenholz, Dynaudio’s owner, a dream speaker. That was what he chose and used for many years in his own home audio system. The launch of "anniversary" models allowed, however, for such clear improvement to many elements of this speaker that they resulted first in the Confidence C1 II model and then the special Confidence C1 Signature. That amazing, small speaker delivers huge sound and great bass. Its treble can be exemplary for all other speakers, regardless of their price. Its value is further increased by the fact that it’s a special, limited edition. We are thus dealing with a collector’s item, a reference speaker from the owner of the company that sells even several times more expensive designs - that speaks for itself… Intended rather for small rooms and high current efficient amps, it will provide hours, days, weeks and years of musical ecstasy. Harbeth M30.1 REVIEW: No. 103, November 2012, see HERE Any changes in companies like Harbeth occur rarely and only in exceptional circumstances. For example, if they manage to design a new speaker model that will be significantly better than the previous one. Such changes are thus rare and never apply to the whole offered line but only selected products. Yet when that happens, it is a kind of celebration - we receive something as perfect as - first – the M40.1 and now its smaller version, the M30.1. It's a fantastic, modestly sized speaker that driven by an appropriate amplifier is able to compete with any speaker from other manufactures, especially, but not exclusively, in vocals’ presentation. Alan Shaw can be really proud of his design! Monitor Audio MONITOR REFERENCE MR4 REVIEW: No. 103, November 2012, see HERE I will be brief – to design something so good for such little money is an art and a challenge, not only to the designer but also the accountant who watches over the budget. In the MR4, but also the MR6 if we’re talking about it, the manufacturer managed to combine all that in such a way that others may learn from that. Very mature, balanced sound which, to quote the review, "offers something that 90% of currently available speakers do not: "a soul", or whatever one calls it, something that makes the music "alive". Audiomica Laboratory EXCELLENCE SERIES: Erys + Celes + Ness REVIEW: No. 101, September 2012, see HERE Polish manufacturers face an uphill task. Or rather in general, manufacturers from countries that are not included in the "center". That is also true when it comes to audio products. Therefore, it takes many years of patient and painstaking work to achieve a position of a trustworthy, reliable manufacturer. Audiomica Laboratory from the Polish town of Gorlice is still a young company, with everything before it. Its cables, such as the Excellence series, however, may already compete with recognized American, British and Japanese products. Saturated, slightly "analog" sound of the cable system that we reviewed in the September, "Polish" issue of "High Fidelity", make the electronics connected by it benefit from some of its advantages which can only come out for the better. Purist Audio Design CORVUS Presto Revision REVIEW: No. 98, June 2012, see HERE Whether we are pleased with our purchase related to the audio system largely depends on our expectations. Therefore, it is important to listen to individual components at home. We can then find products that change our perception of sound. On many systems, such "revelation" will be Corvus cabling system in the Presto Revision version, from U.S. manufacturer Purist Audio Design. Warm, slightly weighted sound will help many systems gain weight and body, and regain proper color. The bonus is their specific characteristic – they "release" tension, nervousness from the recordings, allowing everything to sound as it should. Ear Stream SONIC PEARL REVIEW: No. 101, September 2012, see HERE According to GfK research agency one of the few sectors in specialized audio, in addition to analogue, that boasts a rapid growth is headphones and related products. Everything that is associated with them is therefore a priority for manufacturers that know something about it. Hence I see a bright future for Ear Stream of Mr. Michał Wyroba, having its registered office in my beloved Kraków. All the more so as his debut is an absolutely mature product, both in terms of circuit design as well as sound and enclosure. The latter is often a problem for most of manufacturers - here we have a model example of how it SHOULD be done. And furthermore precise, open, ultra-fast sound! HiFiMAN HE-300 REVIEW: No. 102, October 2012, see HERE Dynamic headphones enjoy less attention than planar, i.e. magnetostatic or electrostatic. It is believed that only the latter can be fast and transparent enough to reproduce fast transients. Without getting into the debate, we can say that this is not entirely true. Lower than high-end price levels are anyway dominated by classical designs with dynamic membrane and that’s where we need to look for better and worse products. The HE-300's from HiFiMAN of Mr. Fang Bian, an American of Chinese origin, is one of the leaders. It is the only dynamic headphones design in the manufacturer’s offer and is immediately remarkable. Saturated, deep, beautiful sound, great ergonomics are just something "for the starter". You will discover all the rest during long, comfortable session with your favorite music. Audeze LCD3 REVIEW: No. 100, August 2012, see HERE Although I do not consider myself a great expert on headphones, since I took to them quite recently thanks to the HiFiMAN planars (classic dynamic headphones somehow never appealed to me, despite my numerous attempts with different brands), yet based on my past experience I dare say that the Audeze LCD3 are one of the best headphones manufactured today. The American company was founded by people passionate about designing and manufacturing headphones that would sound as good as their own, perfect dream headphones. And although there is no such a thing as a perfect product, it is now difficult for me to imagine that one could get a fuller, more natural, saturated, full-range (!) and surround sound from two tiny drivers pressed against the ears.