umbers show how much the world of hobbyist magazines has changed. In a book entitled EISA. Looking Back, Moving Forward published in 2007, which was to add splendor to the 25th anniversary of the EISA reward, we read that the German “Stereo” magazine had an impressive circulation of 70,000 at that time (according to the then Editor-in-Chief, Matthias Böde). In the interview that you are reading now, the present boss, Michael Lang, talks about 17,000 copies (controlled circulation). Even if he adds that it is assumed that each copy is read by two readers, the difference is enormous. However, this is what the world of the second decade of the 21st century looks like and the number of issued “Stereo” copies makes it reach a top position among other printed audio magazines. As we read both in the abovementioned book and on the official EISA website, “Stereo” is the oldest German hi-fi magazine, established in 1973. Every year, 12 issues and usually two special editions are published (Phono, Digital, Exclusive HighEnd), as well as the HiFi Catalogue (Jahrbuch) with a list of all tested and still available products. “Stereo” has always focused on “listening to music from a pure audiophile’s perspective, even if sometimes it has dealt with surround sound and home cinema systems” (read more HERE). It is one of three German magazines with the highest circulation, beside “Audio” and “Stereoplay”. We talk about equipment, music and audiophile press with Michael Lang, the managing director of the magazine. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Please tell us something about yourself. MICHAEL LANG: I´m 54 years old and I was born in the wonderful city of Cologne where I have been living all my life. I’ve never left the city for more than 5 weeks and would only do it if was forced to. It is similar with my wife – we have been married for 23 years now and plan to go on until we are old and grey. We have 2 wonderful daughters. I´ve been a Hi-fi maniac since I got my first open reel, the Grundig TK20 at the age of 8. So, the open reel was the start of my career in the world of Hi-fi, indeed. I used to spend hours at the radio, first with a microphone, later on with a so-called “Diode Cable” – a 3-pin mono DIN-cable (later used by the Naim and Linn companies) to make my own records because I couldn´t afford to buy records. The next step was my first stereo recorder – the Philips 4414. I really loved it because it hat separate buttons for every function and not a “Multi-knob” like most other tape recorders in that price range. Oh Lord, those were great times! WOJCIECH PACUŁA: How did you start working for Stereo? MICHAEL LANG: I started working in the field of professional Hi-fi in the mid of my twenties as a retailer in Cologne. I was impressed by Rogers and Cabasse speakers, and then by the early Kappa, Quad and Pieg models. Turntables were not valued too much at that time, but we had a lot of fun in demonstrating what the Thorens 520 with the Grado Signature tonearm (I still have one) and the Grado Pickup cartridge could do, compared to early CD-players. Our analog crown at that time was the Audiomeca J1 – still a wonderful turntable. It was a time when people did not expect to hear any difference between amplifiers, until they compared an Arcam Alpha with a Kenwood or Harman. Such experience would turn their world upside down... There came a day when I had to ask myself what I would like to do with my life as a young father and husband. I gave up thinking about my own shop when I heard that “Stereo” was looking for someone to earn money for the magazine by selling its advertising space. To do this in a serious way, they needed a person who knew what dealers, distributors and manufacturers expected, and could offer them the right solutions. I did not intend to do that for more than two years or so, but I was successful and enjoyed doing this job so much that I have stayed in the company for nearly 17 years now. 5 years ago I got the chance to try something new and I became part of the editorial team – a dream of my youth came true! So – here I am! There´s nothing I could do better than Hi-fi and nothing I´d like to do more. I love being part of this crazy family  WOJCIECH PACUŁA: What do you like in audio and what do you dislike? MICHAEL LANG: I like to meet all these obsessed people looking for a little bit of musical truth – people who can talk the whole evening about a tiny detail that changes everything - at least in their opinion. I guess we need those explorers who have an idea of sound and not only of circuits and technical details or, even worse, only of product prices. I really do dislike products that cost a fortune but are made in a silly way and sound poor. I have often criticized them in recent years in articles that I have written after attending audio exhibitions. Yes, I know that some of these high-tech solutions will be used later on in cheaper and more affordable products – that´s ok with me. But the majority of extremely expensive products are uninspiring for me – they are built only because there´s a market niche for them. I really do believe that such an attitude makes the Hi-fi or high-end hobby less attractive for those who love music and want what is best, but see that there is no way for them to save enough money to come close to those products. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: How many people work for “Stereo” magazine? MICHAEL LANG: Altogether there are 13 people: 6 of them working as editors, a measuring engineer, a photographer, a secretary, a layouter, a storage employee, a graphic designer and a person who deals with advertising. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: How many people read your magazine? MICHAEL LANG: On average, we sell 17,000 copies of each issue and each is read by at least two Hi-fi fans. We are controlled by IVW [a German abbreviation for Informationsgemeinschaft zur Feststellung der Verbreitung von Werbeträgern, i.e. Information Community for the Assessment of the Circulation of Media – Editor’s note], so everything we sell is open to the public and official. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: What is your reviews policy? MICHAEL LANG: We want to find out about the character of the reviewed device and describe the technical aspects of its construction, as well as craftsmanship and sound – in a specific system.  We have dedicated two listening rooms of more than 40 m2 and 20 m2 for this purpose. A test consists in comparing the given product with a similar one within the same price range, as well as with our reference products. We spend as much time on listening as it is necessary before we express our opinion. Our verdict is given on a percentage scale with a maximum of 100% (where 100% is the highest, absolute quality), as well as with regard to the price/quality ratio (with relation to sound quality), craftsmanship and material quality, and, to some extent, functionality. The verdict here is given using one to five stars (poor to outstanding) We do not always want to write the first review of a given device, but we always want to be the best when it comes to reviewing new products. :) WOJCIECH PACUŁA: How does the German audio market differ from the British audio market, for example? MICHAEL LANG: I guess there is no bigger audio market in Europe, perhaps even worldwide, with so many products. For nearly every company, Germany is the key market. Producers assume that if they can make it there, everything is possible for them. That makes it hard for customers to make the right choices. It is also difficult for dealers – most consumers want a wide range of choices, and that requires room and money. Distributors and manufacturers also have a difficult job to do, because there are so many dealers, some selling with only little margin. It is hard for everyone to earn good money on this market when you can only sell a little amount of any product. Nevertheless, there are many Hi-fi and high-end dealers in Germany who have “classic” stores and do their main business there, not online. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: What is unique about your market? MICHAEL LANG: Again, dealers. You will find at least one or two dealers in any middle-sized town of 50,000  to 100,000 residents – more than anywhere else, as far as I know. So, tough business is guaranteed and every dealer has to find their own market niche. And, of course, each dealer has a “big neighbor” – Saturn or Media Markt – that grabs a lot of potential customers. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: What is the advantage and what is the greatest weakness of web-based magazines? MICHAEL LANG: The big advantage is that you can write as much as you like about anything, you don´t have to meet any deadlines, you publish an article when it is ready. There is also no problem with volume and a restricted amount of pages. The big disadvantage is that most online magazines do so – they blow up every stupid thing just to keep the reader longer on their page, which helps them earn more money. The information that a reader can find there is often poor and the customer usually wastes their time online reading it – everybody who is familiar with surfing the Internet knows how much time is wasted on looking for information... WOJCIECH PACUŁA: How about printed magazines? MICHAEL LANG: Our disadvantage is that we are a little bit slow in reporting information and that we have an imposed structure that makes a lot of planning and discipline necessary. However, the advantages of print are enormous: we have time to check any product thoroughly until we learn everything about it; every single article is controlled by a proofreader, and we can also prepare every magazine cover and every single picture in a report or review with passion. We measure the products that we test in our own laboratory. Looking for perfection, we sometimes devote a whole day to make the front page cover look exactly the way we want it to look. And, of course, there is an obvious difference in perception between looking at a sheet of paper in your hands and a screen in front of you. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Do you think that hi-res files are the future of high-end audio? MICHAEL LANG: They will probably be the future for maniacs who are a small target group of consumers. I´m sure these files will be accompanied by vinyl. And, as data storage is getting cheaper and data transfer is faster than ever, this will be possible and affordable for every music lover. However, I´m not quite sure if this will be ideal for musicians. The case of Spotify and Tidal shows that this solution is, in many respects, interesting for consumers, but there is a big question which still remains unanswered: how can the majority of musicians economically survive in this situation? WOJCIECH PACUŁA: How about vinyl and CD? MICHAEL LANG: Vinyl will live on. This is the only system that people will be able to use in a hundred years. It is because every single step from production to reproduction is quite simple and easy to understand. So, if machines that we are currently using refuse to work on, there will always be someone to repair or to rebuild them. The CD has had its time and it will stay with us for a while, maybe a decade, and then it will remain a format that will be talked about as a system that had been accepted by many, but loved by few. It will disappear slowly with time. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: What is your recipe for assembling a good audio system? MICHAEL LANG: First of all: take your time! Then I would start choosing speakers, because it is where you have to compromise the most. The compromises are related to your room, the location of the speakers, their look and your wife. When this is done, go to a dealer you trust and let him work for you: bring a turntable, an amp, a CD player or a streaming device, a rack, cables, etc. – until the sound blows you off your feet. And then buy everything right there and don´t curse about the price – money is secondary to long-lasting pleasure. The price (per day) of a system which will give you satisfaction for a decade or more is tiny. WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Please tell us about 10 albums that “High Fidelity” readers should buy. 1. JACK WHITE, Blunderbuss It is the definition of today’s rock music. Powerful, fancy and with a writer/singer/guitar player who knows his idols and their music very well. 2. STEVEN WILSON, Hand. Cannot. Erase. It is the best album of the year 2015 so far. It is intelligent both when it comes to music and lyrics – I haven´t heard a similar concept album for many years. It’s an art which I used to think was lost forever. 3. THE ROLLING STONES, Sticky Fingers Its remastered version has just been re-issued. It is a must-have not only for Rolling Stones fans, a record full of drugs and blues. It is indispensable and very close to perfection. 4. PATTI SMITH, Horses The record is 40 years old – no dust, no rust. And the artist still performs live on stage, and is still as angry as before. 5. BEATLES, Abbey Road Are you in a bad mood? Go and listen to “Here comes the sun”. If that doesn´t work, check if you’re still alive. 6. DEEP PURPLE, Made in Japan Do you know any better live album? If yes, I’m willing to listen. 7. Di MEOLA, LUCIA, McLAUGHLIN, Friday Night in San Francisco Yes, I know, most of us have heard it too many times. But after a few years of ignoring it, putting it back on the turntable always feels like coming home. 8. THE WAR ON DRUGS, Lost in a dream It is an idiosyncratic, intensive, unique album. It takes serious listening, usually several times – but it´s worth it. 9. ERIC CLAPTON, Crossroads If you want to understand white blues, listen to this album. By listening to it you will learn what excellent musicians can do together when the band is more than just a couple of guys. 10. RODRIGO, Concierto de Aranjuez, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields  It’s a record which makes a rocker sensitive to classical music. It is smooth, dynamic and passionate. Come on, rock fans – give it a listen! WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Describe your audio system, please. Speakers: Infinity IRS Beta, with an active crossover, restored and modified – old, big, requiring good amplifiers Amplifiers: - bass amps: 2 x Threshold SA 11 (mono) Class A 150 W/8 Ω - Mid/High Amps: Audio Research Classic 120 (mono, tubes) – the favorite amps of Arnie Nudell who has developed the Beta speakers - preamp: Aesthetix Calypso Signature (tube design) Phonoamp: Aesthetix Rhea Signature (tube design) – tubes even in the first stage of amplification. It produces a little bit more noise than its solid state colleagues, but the color, smell and speed of its sound remain unmatched. Gain and impedance can be changed using a remote control; there are three independent inputs; a special version with 3 x RCA and 2 x XLR inputs, and a double RCA and XLR output. Some aspects of the Aesthetix Calypso Signature sound: excellent dynamics and a little warmth on the one hand, and an incredible set of XLR and RCA connections – ins and outs, each doubled – on the other hand. It is perfect for my system with the Classic 120 amplifiers, directly connected via XLR and via RCA using the active speaker crossover. Turntable: Voyd Reference with an independent subchassis and three motors. It has definitely been created “by ear”, not on a drawing board. Cartridge: Benz Micro LPS CD player: Linn Karik – reliable, still well-sounding, lacking detail and punch a little bit, but as I mostly listen to LPs, it´s not that important to me D/A converter: Exogal Comet – a real surprise offering an excellent quality/price ratio, created by former Wadia boys. Made in the USA. Interconnects and speaker cables: Cardas Golden Cross – old, but offering the kind of tonality that I prefer in my system. Power cables: NBS – ok, this is the freaky thing in my system. The moment to laugh at me. Power strip: Vibex. A big system needs a big power strip. It is durable and well-made, with enough connections for all that equipment. Filters: none, though I have tried a  lot. The longer I listened to them, the sooner I wanted to get rid of them. Rack: Audio Magic – a compromise between music and living. “THE EDITORS” series has included: SRIDHAR VOOTLA, “Hifitoday.com”, INDIA, journalist, see HERE STUART SMITH, „HIFI PIG Magazine”, FRANCE (BRITTANY), see HERE SCOT HULL, “Part-Time Audiophile”, USA, editor-in-chief, see HERE ART DUDLEY, “Stereophile”, USA, editor-at-large, see HERE Helmut Hack, “Image Hi-Fi”, Germany, managing editor, see HERE DIRK SOMMER, „HiFiStatement.net”, Germany, chief editor, see HERE MARJA & HENK, „6moons.com”, Switzerland, journalists, see HERE CHRIS CONNAKER, “Computer Audiophile”, founder/chief editor, see HERE MATEJ ISAK, "Mono & Stereo”, chief editor/owner, Slovenia/Austria; see HERE Dr. DAVID W. ROBINSON, "Positive Feedback Online", USA, chief editor/co-owner; see HERE JEFF DORGAY, “TONEAudio”, USA, publisher; see HERE CAI BROCKMANN, “FIDELITY”, Germany, chief editor; see HERE STEVEN R. ROCHLIN, “Enjoy the Music.com”, USA, chief editor; see HERE STEPHEN MEJIAS, “Stereophile”, USA, assistant editor; see HERE MARTIN COLLOMS, “HIFICRITIC”, Great Britain, publisher and editor; see HERE KEN KESSLER, “Hi-Fi News & Record Review”, Great Britain, senior contributing editor; see HERE MICHAEL FREMER, “Stereophile”, USA, senior contributing editor; see HERE SRAJAN EBAEN, “6moons.com”, Switzerland, chief editor; see HERE YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE, WANT TO BE THE FIRST TO KNOW? JOIN US ON TWEETER: UNIQUE PHOTOS, UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, NEWS!!!

didn't expect Geoff Merrigan, Tellurium Q's CEO, to offer a new flagship model so quickly after the release of the Ultra Silver. It was/is an excellent cable and it came from a company that has quite a stable portfolio, that does not have to use any and every novelty that comes to the market. They have a reputation to uphold, a reputation based on the scientific approach to designing their cable with a focus on phase distortion. I can only guess that something must have happened that made Tellurium Q release next model shortly after remarkable Silver model. As usually with Geoff we won't know what that was. Geoff keeps it to himself, as always. I was amazed how much he told me when I prepared my Ultra Silver review – usually he says nothing or he refers to company's website, where one can read a bit about product's philosophy, about how company gets with their products where it does, but without divulging concrete information on materials, technologies, conductor's geometry an so on. OK, one might find out after careful read that mat finish of contact areas turned out to offer lesser performance than a polished one, as the former involves materials that degrade performance (more HERE). From the letter I received I understood that the name of the new line of Tellurium Q products came rather from the final sonic effect, than from a material these cables were made of. This is a short fragment of this letter: The Silver “family” is characterized by sound normally attributed to silver cables. […] We initially prepared pure silver connectors and we compared them with connectors having various thicknesses of silver plating. We found out that connectors thickly plated with silver outperformed not only thin-plated, but also pure silver connectors. Based on our experiments, we determined the optimal silver layer thickness that guarantees the best sound. Forgive me, but I will not reveal our findings so as not to make work easier for our competitors… The cables with pure silver connectors just sounded muted and muffled, at least in comparison with the connectors that we have used in the cables that you have got for the test. It is not what experts would expect. As you can see this cable sports a copper wire heavy silver-plated with silver-plated connectors. What's a difference between Diamond and Ultra – remains unknown. TELLURIUM Q in “High Fidelity” REVIEW: Tellurium Q ULTRA SILVER – interconnect + speaker cable, see HERE AWARD OF THE YEAR 2014: Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND + BLACK DIAMOND + BLACK POWER - interconnect + speaker cable + power cable, see HERE REVIEW: Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND + BLACK DIAMOND + BLACK POWER - interconnect + speaker cable + power cable, see HERE Micro-Test: Tellurium Q ULTRA BLACK – speaker cable, see HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Tellurium Q IRIDIUM 20 – power amplifier, see HERE Recordings used for the test (a selection) Venecie Mundi Splendor, wyk. La Reverde, Arcana A 387, CD (2015). Ariel Ramirez, Misa Criolla, José Carreras, Philips/Lasting Impression Music LIM K2HD 040, K2HD Mastering, “24 Gold Direct-from-Master Edition UDM”, CD-R (1964/2009). Chet Baker, Big Band, Pacific Jazz Records/Toshiba-EMI Limited, TOCJ-9442, "Super Bit Jazz Classics", CD (1957/2002). Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Ella and Louis, Verve/Lasting Impression Music LIM UHD 045, UltraHD CD (1956/2010). Enya, Enya, BBC Entertainment BBC CD 605, CD (1987). George Michael, Patience, Aegean | Sony Music UK 515402 2, CD (2004). J.S. Bach, English Suites 1, 3 & 5, wyk. Piotr Anderszewski, Warner Classics/Warner Music Japan WPCS -12882, CD (2014). Radiohead, Kid A, Parlophone/EMI 27753 2, CD (2000). Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto, Verve/Lasting Impression Music LIM K2HD 036, K2HD Mastering, “24 Gold Direct-from-Master Edition UDM”, CD-R (1964/2009). The Oscar Peterson Trio, We Get Request, Verve/Lasting Impression Music LIM K2HD 032, K2HD Mastering, “24 Gold Direct-from-Master Edition UDM”, CD-R (1964/2009). Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] Reference – a key word ‘Reference’ is defined by Słownik języka polskiego (Polish language glossary) as ‘usually an opinion about somebody who applies for a job, informing about one's qualifications, attitude and honesty’. So giving someone a reference means issuing an opinion on him, one assumes it's appreciative one. The word is often used in the same context in technical texts – a reference meaning: recommendable, or simply “the best one”. But one might use also a bit different meaning – in audio we use well known devices/system as reference for other ones we need to assess – reviewer's system, in this context, becomes a “reference system”. Each reviewer builds his system so that it becomes his “reference” for all other devices/systems that he needs to assess. This gives them a starting point, something to compare reviewed items to. I do realize that we tend to emphasize some differences, exaggerate them to make things easier for Readers to understand. Obviously we need to keep it under control not to get too much out of proportion. And what happens when we compare product A with B, it is not a blind test, A is our reference product and B is under review and we find out that B could easily replace A in our system? That's sort of philosophical question and there is no one “right” answer to that. Sound What we can do is to try to pint out differences between them – in this particular case to tell you about differences between Tellurium Q Silver Diamond and Tara Labs Omega Onyx speaker cable that I've been using for 5, maybe even 6 years now. The differences are mostly minor, with one of the cable taking the lead for some of them and the second one for others. The reviewed cable is the only one, except for two top Siltech models, Double and Triple Crown, that I could replace my Tara Labs with and, while realizing that in some aspects it offers slightly worse performance, still be happy due to those aspect where it outperforms my cables. Silver Diamond delivers an amazingly rich, dense sound. Obviously these two features are attributes of all Tellurium Q cables I know, but obviously to a different extend. I think that with this cable focus on these sound features really came to a full fruition. OK, I can't know whether this is IT, whether this is Geoff's the last word in these aspects. It is possible that he will surprise us some day with an even better product. Let's not forget that for some time Tellurium Q believed that they wouldn't be able to offer even better products than Silver line… But they obviously managed to achieve that and what we get is an incredibly rich, full, natural sound. Anyway – richness and fullness of the sound, two wonderful features of my Tara Labs cable are what I lack mostly when reviewing other cables. And even if some of them can offer that it comes at a cost of speed, resolution or dynamics. There are many cables that render beautiful, palpable phantom images and wonderful timbre. But they have problems with dynamics, with soundstage – they bring presentation closer, too close to the listener taking part of phantom images bodies and loosing part of soundstage depth. Silver Diamond does a fabulous job presenting large, palpable vocal and the accompanying acoustics. When it comes to a recording “massacred” by a producer, who compressed sound, brought closer to listener everything presented in the depth of the soundstage, a good system with these cables will show us that quite precisely. But, as any other high quality, refined product, it will also show us what exactly happened, and what this producer intended to achieve in this way. In other words it will do both – show the intention of music's producer and the means he used to achieve it. That translates into the full musical spectacle that includes all the elements: sound, techniques used in its production, and the result – the music. It is even easier to achieve as Geoff Merrigan's and Colin Wonfor's cables never show any harshness in an upper midrange (nor in treble in result). It is important, because at the same time sound is very resolving and very well differentiated. Each recording has its own character, its own “climate” - not only the one related to the music itself, but also to its recording/mastering/production, and even particular release. And yet it is also a very open sound. Tellurium Q never tries to show a nicer version of the recorded sound, no rounding or smoothing of the sound, no “soft” edges and so on. The upper treble is vibrant, crisp, and that's where Siltech and Tare Labs are able to show even more information, something of an “aura”, but the differences are really, really small. Tellurium Q was the only speaker cable I knew that could compete in this aspect with the best performing cables. I couldn't detect any shifts in tonal balance – sound always seemed “normal”, meaning the way I expected it to. I think that most people when comparing it with other cables will find its sound bit richer than with others, like it adds some weight to the sound. I also thought so at the beginning and spend a considerable amount of time listening to recordings where any sort of coloration would have been obvious and unwanted – I mean ones with vocals and piano. And I found out that Silver Diamond added absolutely nothing. It was all about natural richness and density of the sound, and about above average number of information delivered in bass range. It might sound “richer” than other cables simply because these others are not able to deliver comparable richness and as much information as Tellurium Q can. Not even my Tara Labs, although it comes really close. Everything that happens in front of us is perceived as presented a bit closer to us, like these elements carried a bit more energy than the others. There is a lot of energy throughout the whole range but there is also an impression of a full control of everything that is happening. What we get is a well controlled presentation with a lot going on within but that is also very coherent. It's like the way music is supposed to sound comes from the recording and the system, but Tellurium Q cables are there to ensure everything goes smoothly. Comparison with the best cables I know, Tara Labs Omega and Siltech Triple Crown clearly proved that Silver Diamond is a remarkable product. Both Tara and Siltech deliver bit more information about acoustics of the instruments, about musicians' technique. These are tiny differences showing us that these cables are slightly more resolving. On top of that Siltech Triple Crown adds something I haven't heard with any other cable – and absolute inner-calm and top refinement. Tara offers slightly better dynamics and resolution. Summary Treated as it is, without any comparisons Silver Diamond speaker cable will delight every music lover, every seeker of a remarkable sound. It offers everything one might expect from a highest quality cable. Dense, rich sound, resolution and selectivity and outstanding bass range. Soundstage has great depth which allows recording made in such a way that sound surrounds listener, like the ones by Waters and Kortez – to sound spectacular. Since we are talking about a company with “technical profile”, that treats expensive products with a large dosage of distrust, such a great performing cable should not have happened. And yet – here it is. RED Fingerprint. Due to their design Tellurium Q cables are pretty stiff. Since inside there are two thick runs of conductor separated with a dielectric this cable bends only in one direction. If there is no other choice it might be easier to twist this cable rather than bend it. Silver Diamond has this very solid look. It sports a classic, black sleeve with aluminum elements “closing” the opening where two wires come out of the sleeve. These cables come with solid silver-plated banana plugs. One might order them with silver-plated spades too. It's internal design makes it a bi-wire cable but it can be ordered with single connectors. Cables come is a cartoon, lacquered box – it looks nice but it is obviously only a necessity and not an element that would create an additional value for this product. With cables comes a bonus – A system enhancement CD. 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hen a manufacturer once known of his “sound-improving” accessories that many considered “voo-doo” (or worse, decides to offer regular audio components there must a reason for that. In fact Stein Music introduced first products already some time ago but still today a CD Player or an amplifier with their logo is sort of a surprise. So why would they offer electronic components? There is only but one reason – they believe that can offer something different from all other components on the market. Also they probably assume that only by proposing their own elements they can realize their idea of a good sound. The Amp 2 Stateline actually is different. There are some markers that came from DIY segment in amp's DNA, plus some proprietary ideas about how each section of the device and different elements contribute to the final sound quality. The external design is hardly extravagant. It sport „mainstream” proportions with 460mm in width and 85mm in height, and its weight (6,5kg) isn't also very special. It sports a black, acrylic front panel with brushed steel knobs – another classic solution. Presence of digital inputs also places this device among other mainstream products. One has to peak under the hood to realize what Stein did in their own way – power supply, output stage and DAC: 1. Instead of linear power supply, widely considered a “better” choice, Stein used an integrated switching mode one by IBM. They added a lot of filtering capacitors and 5 voltage regulators. 2. Instead of transistors, widely recognized as optimum solution, Stein used NXP TDA1552Q circuit. It is well known and liked among DIY aficionados. It works in Class B, and in bridged mode it delivers just 2 x 22W (8Ω) output. 3. DAC is build around an old, by highly valued chip, TDA1543 by Philips. It's a 16bit non-oversampling chip, so any signal from USB and RCA inputs has to be initially down-sampled (if necessary). One can forget about playing hi-res files. The idea behind this product could be broken down to: optimization, tuning, lesser evil. And such an approach is not that uncommon among audio manufacturers. To combine elements together so that they together create a high quality sound take a lot of time and effort. Which is possible actually only in small companies, whose budgets, profit/loss accounts are treated differently than in large corporations. As other examples I could name Clones Audio, with their 25i amplifier based on LM3875 chip, Dubiel Accoustic, that in their CD Player Nirvana used Philips TDA1541 DAC chip, or SPEC, who uses wood as material for chassis for their devices and for their feet, plus refined capacitors – like they do in Amp 2 Stateline (more HERE). There are two version of this amplifier, a „standard” (8600 PLN) and „Signature” (11 300 PLN) one, the latter using better, higher quality elements. Signature also sports a better USB receiver which allows it to accept PCM signal up to 24/192, as opposed to 24/96 for standard version. All the rest is identical in both versions and so are measurements for both units. STEIN MUSIC in „High Fidelity” TEST: Stein Music HARMONIZER SYSTEM H2 BLUE SUN | BLUE DIAMONDS – sound improvement devices, see HERE Recording used for this test (a selection): Charlie Haden, The Private Collection, Naim Label naimcd108, 2 x CD (2007). Chet Baker, Big Band, Pacific Jazz Records/Toshiba-EMI Limited TOCJ-9442, "Super Bit Jazz Classics", CD (1957/2002). Count Basie, Count Basie Live at the Sands (before Frank), Warner Bros. Records/Mobile Fidelity MOFI UDSACD 2113, “Special Limited Edition No. 197” SACD/CD (1998/2013). Dominic Miller & Neil Stacey, New Dawn, Naim naimcd066, CD (2002). Ed Sheeran, X, Warner Music UK/Warner Music Japan WPCR-15730, CD (2014); George Michael, Patience, Aegean/Sony Music UK 515402 2, CD (2004). Michael Jackson, Xscape, Epic 3053662, CD (2014). Sting, All This Time, A&M Records 212354-2, SP CD (1991). The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Sheriff, Atlantic Records/Warner Music Japan WPCR-25129, “Atlantic 60th”, CD (1964/2006). Yes, The Yes Album, Atlantic Records/Warner Music Japan WPCR-15903, “7 inch mini LP”, SACD/CD (1971/2014) Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] If I was to point out a single reason for many music fans and audiophiles to disagree with the direction today's audio industries seems to be taking it would be a tonality. Fighting for the lowest possible distortion level large Japanese manufacturers in 1970ties and 1980ties forgot that not all distortions degraded music and that what people could hear was even more important than what they could measure. As a result of such approach many of their products offered mediocre sound, with a flat, lifeless tonality. It is very unfortunate that many designers still think like that today. Stein company won't be able to change that – they are simply too small. But what they can do is to propose their own concept of sound and to try to get at least some people interested in it. I mean those people who won't accept a mediocre sound offered by others. A tonality as presented by the amplifier under review is its key feature. It offers a truly refined performance in this aspect – sound is dense, rich, with excellent treble. This excellence is based on how vibrant it is, how unrestrained, and how well differentiated. I haven't heard anything like that even from tube amplifiers, at least not from similarly priced ones and it is tube amps that are recognized as the best in rendering percussion cymbals, acoustic surrounding of instruments and so on. But even such an excellent treble is only an extension of midrange. I enjoyed listening not only very natural sounding vocals recorded in 1950ties, but also some mainstream albums where compression, distortions or digital clipping are nothing unusual – like, for example, George Michael's Patience or Michael Jackson's Xscape. Michael's voice was presented up close, in a warm, intimate way – just as it was supposed to be. Unfortunately in the recording voice is a bit harsh, with some sibilants, which becomes very obvious in those fragments with a long reverb. Stein was able to smooth it out a bit, but there was no roll-off. I like this album and this time I was able to truly enjoy it. There is one more reason for me to enjoy this album – its cover was designed by a Pole, Grzegorz Jakóbek (Greg Jakobek). Many years before that, in 1964, another album with a cover created by our another fellow-countryman Stanisław Zagórski (who designed also many other, mostly jazz albums' covers) was released. I'm talking about The Modern Jazz Quartet's The Sheriff. Stein did a great job with a rhythm, offered a dense sound, a lot of music “behind” main sounds with created a large volume of these. This recording also revealed something that w potential buyer of this amplifier would have to face: the way that low range is presented. I am pretty sure that this would be exactly the same choice Stein designers faced while developing this product and I bet they made a conscious choice, a choice of lesser evil. I experienced the same choices before taken by creators of wonderful, Italian amplifier - Lym Audio LYM 1.0T Phono. Namely there is no perfect control of bass. At least in comparison to some powerful solid-state amplifier like one by Naim for example, or Cambridge Audio, Marantz, Denon and many other renown manufacturers. I remember that similar performance was delivered by some tube amplifiers like Leben CS-660P and, to a lesser extent, Audio Research Galileo GS150 (Polish). Stein delivers a very nice tonality of bass. Low range supports midrange of treble seamlessly and it never takes over, never dominates presentation. It's a true support, base for all the upper part of the range. But it can hardly deliver an exemplary performance of a bass guitar or double bass, or a fast leading edge. It's like it plays legato, keeping sounds together rather than separate them. Fortunately it doesn't mean that we get a slow performance. This amplifier offers a great dynamics and a rhythm belongs to its strong qualities too. It might seem that with less than perfect definition and differentiation of the bass keeping the rhythm could be problematic but actually it isn't. One wouldn't really notice that with some peaceful music, small bands and so on, but when listening to Michael's Amazing, Ed Sheeran's Bloodline from X, or even to Rush Hour from New Dawn by Dominic Miller & Neil Stacey, if amplifier didn't perform well in bass area the whole performance would have been a disaster. Amp 2 Stateline, Signature version is a different type of beast though – it played these tracks with passion, with fire, without compression, without problems with overblown bass. In fact I liked this performance better than many others delivered by much more powerful amps that has problems with harmonics and with coherence of the presentation. Sure – a large room, speakers that are a difficult load for amp, too big distance between listener and speakers – such situations will cause this amp to run out of juice and than one will get a flat, lifeless performance. So one has to build a system in a reasonable way and upon doing so will be awarded with a performance build upon described positive features of the sound and avoiding potential troubles that I mentioned. Digital input Using a TDA1543 chip with no oversampling, determines a sonic characteristic of delivered performance. Sound is rather warm, with not that much treble nor details. But is also very coherent and natural, or at least that how one perceives it. Bass is hardly well extended but not even once I missed that extension – both Portishead from Third, and Charlie Haden from his 50th birthday's concert sounded really good and performance in both cases was really involving. I shall recommend to treat these digital inputs as a sort of invitation to enjoy the music. Sound won't be particularly resolving nor selective, and acoustic surrounding of the instruments won't be well differentiated. But at the same time these input will give us a chance to change the sound of our CD Player in a very special way – only the very expensive Players offer such a beautiful coherence and fluidity of the sound as Stein does. If you buy a nice CD Transport, like for example Cambridge Audio CXC, you'll be rewarded also with a nice drive and focus of the presentation. Summary Small amplifiers with a very short signal's path using high quality components have a few things in common: a beautiful timbre, fast sound and no brightness. Most of us call such performance: natural. This German amplifier delivers just that, avoiding potential issues of many DIY projects that often are just clones of some commercial products. The tonality of the presentation is not manipulated in any way. There is no compression and no emphasis in bass range. Amp 2 Stateline Signature Version will be a perfect partner for a refined system with, say, Harbeth, Spendor, Castle, Sonus faber, Xavian loudspeakers and a nice quality CD Transport. It delivers a classic performance, it communicates music in a very convincing, beautiful way. The one thing that some might find to be an issue is bass – very nice one, but not particularly well defined, nor controlled. Make is really good – the device’s looks tells us that it comes from professionals. It is one of the least expensive amplifiers I know that I can recommend to pair with even twice as expensive speakers. You might want to compare it with a powerful amps your friend have – most of them will be impressed. Many small audio manufacturers can't find their way around a single issue – they are not able to produce a nice looking chassis for their product, A solid, functional one – sure, but not a really good looking one. It is one of the reasons why such specialized product don't attract too much attention when placed on Showroom's shelf next to a product that comes from one o major manufacturers. Front and back But this is not the case. The Amp 2 Stateline, although pretty small, looks really good, some might say it sport a “noble” look. Front panel is made of a thick, black acrylic. Steel input selector and volume control knobs nicely contrast with the black acrylic, and so does the on/off switch. Despite the fact that I don't like blue LEDs in this particular case the one that indicates that device is one looks very nice. Also the other one indicated a sync link between DAC and device delivering signal (a CD Transport or computer) did not bother me. There are as much as six inputs – four analogue RCA ones and two digital ones – USB and S/PDIF (RCA). The latter in a Signature version are supposed to accept signal up to 24bits and 192kHz but since I haven't found any driver for Windows system I couldn't use that feature. Instead I used a signal of maximum resolution of 24/96. I found an interesting piece of information on one of Stein's distributor's webpage saying that digital signal is processed without oversampling. This means that manufacturer had to use one of the old, Philips DAC chips that accept signal up to 16bits and 44,1kHz. On the rear panel, except for analogue and digital gold-plated inputs and speakers posts one shall find Stein owner's signature – it's a Signature version after all, isn't it? Chassis is made of hick, steel plates and put on four wooden walnut feet – it tells us a story of a small, quality-oriented manufacturer who simply can afford such exotic solutions in the name of sonic quality. Inside The insight unveils even more such exotic solutions. First of all one finds out that manufacturer based his amplifier on a popular chip TDA1552Q. It is bolted to a large radiator. Inside there are four amplifiers, 11W each, that might be bridged, as they are here. It is an amplifier with negative feedback which allowed to achieve a low level of mostly even (so listener “friendly”) harmonics – they went down to 0,2%. Manufacturer justifies the choice of the particular circuit with w very short signal's path. Internal cabling delivering signal to speaker outputs is made of copper solid-core wires. Input section sports only two transistors, one of them works in a correction circuit so outside signal's path. Before that signal from input goes to a selected Alps pot. There some quality elements here like Beyschlag 020 resistors and Siemens/Epcos MKP capacitors. The DAC section is build using SMD technique. Only the DAC chip itself, Philips TDA1543 sits in a socket. USB input uses CMedia CM6632a chip that accepts signal up to 24bits and 192kHz. Next to it there are three precise oscillator – a necessary element for any high quality DAC. A power supply is very special. Small manufacturer usually praise linear PS with large power transformers. Stein obviously disagrees – they decided to use SMPS designed by IBM. As we can read in manufacturer's materials: „we found out it was a perfect partner for our device assuring much better performance than any classic PS with transformer. It also turned out to be different than any other SMPSs”. There are five voltage regulators and large SMPT capacitors with total capacity of 36 000µF. Different capacitors were chosen for filtration, depending on their sonic signature. As much as 30 of them (6600µF) are highly valued OsCons. The all were mounted on a single PCB placed over power supply that is closed in a shielding housing. The other ones come from Panasonic (FC), Capxon and Jamicon. Remote The remote deliver with amplifier is a “learning” one. We can “teach” it also other components and not just this amp. It's a simple, elegant solution, although so many buttons take user longer time to learn. There is a stand for remote – it needs to be fixed to, wherever user want to placed it, and then it will be really useful. It is a well taught-through, solid device. Specifications (according to manufacturer:) • Power: 2 x 20W • THD: 0,2% • Analogue inputs: 2 x RCA • Digital inputs: 1 x USB + 1 x S/PDIF (RCA) • Dimensions: 460 x 85 x 330mm (SxWxG) • Weight: 6,5kg [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/stein/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/stein/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/stein/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"]] [/hfgallery]

eople who write about connecting cables used in the audio industry are very rarely completely sure where they were produced (Made in …). It is easiest to determine this in the case of a few Japanese, American or British manufacturers, as well as one Dutch and one Swedish cable producer, but a lot of companies tend to conceal the place of origin of their products, especially if we are talking about inexpe nsive cables that are usually manufactured in Taiwan or China. It is because the “Made in China” label does not always evoke positive associations (no matter if this is justified or not). When I wrote about Purple Rain cables manufactured by the Polish company Melodika in 2013, I had already dealt with cables produced in Poland. I would like to remind you that we tested Hotline cables from the Spiral Tech series (White/Red/Silver/Blue models) in “High Fidelity” (No. 26) already in July 2006 The brand had been brought to life by Chillout Studio– an audio salon and, later on, also a distributor. As far as I know, Hotline is now lying dormant and is not operating. The concept of the cables was simple – the idea was to produce the best and most inexpensive cables possible, manufactured wholly in Poland. People from Chillout Studio made use of the fact that one of the biggest cable manufacturers in Poland, TELE–FONIKA Kable S.A. (previously called Kabel), is located in Cracow. It is an industrial cable manufacturer which has little to do with audio. Therefore, it was necessary to consult the concept with technologists and to carry out tests to obtain a product which would suit Chillout requirements regarding the cable’s sound quality and price. In my opinion, the aim was accomplished successfully. From my point of view, these were the first trailblazing attempts in Poland to create a cable from scratch. There was a problem both with convincing engineers that the concepts made sense and convincing factory owners that such small product series made sense from the perspective of the whole production. Ten years later, the situation seems to have become a bit different, which can be observed in the case of the latest cable series manufactured by another Polish distributor – the owner of Melodika brand. Melodika was founded by Mr. Rafał Koc, the owner of the distribution company Rafko (e.g. HiFiMAN, Musical Fidelity and others). His cable brand originated in 2010 when the first cable series – Purple Rain, which we tested in 2013 – was designed. The cables were inexpensive, well-made and, considering their price, provided excellent sound quality. Afterwards, the time came for the “lower” Black & White series, designed mainly for fitters. A part from cables, the series also includes speaker sockets designed to be installed in walls. Since the beginning, the company cables have been produced in Poland, so they have borne the label “Made in Poland”. The only “foreign” element are cable plugs, most often made in China. The same business model has been applied to the latest series of Melodika cables – Brown Sugar, which includes two types of cables: the BSC2330 and the more expensive 2450, numerically labeled in accordance with their diameter (ø): 2 x 3.3 mm2 and 2 x 4.5 mm2, respectively. We are testing the latter one. The names, as it is easy to infer, refer to the cable (dielectric) colors. Brown Sugar cables are technically much more complex than Purple Rain cables and, therefore, they are also more expensive. The 2450 is made of OFC 99.9999% using Spiral Litz Technology, in which each guide is separately insulated and twisted. All the guides are wrapped and encapsulated together in an outer covering. Like in other technologically advanced cables (e.g. Cardas), there are cores having different diameters in one braid (Multi-Gauge Core technology). In this case, these are wires of the following diameters (ø): 8 x 0.21 mm2 + 4 x 0.33 mm2 + 12 x 0.13 mm2. The technology is aimed at minimizing the skin effect. The dielectric material used in the cable is LDPE (foamed low-density polyethylene) – one of the cores is white and the other one is brown, and everything is covered with transparent insulation. The cables are directional. Brown Sugar can be ordered by the meter, for 149 PLN/m. However, the manufacturer also offers a terminated version of the cable, with plugs – very nice-looking “Made in China” Monkey Cable Banana (MBP4) connectors. Their main component is made of gold-plated (24k) polished copper and the cable is fitted in the plug through clamping at two points, without solder. Bought separately, 4 plugs cost 149 PLN. The Brown Sugar version that we used in the test had plugs terminated by the manufacturer and costs 1449 PLN/2 x 3 m. Design and functionality The name of the cable suits it very well – the transparent outer layer of insulation allows us to see the white and the brown core inside. The whole cable looks very nice and esthetic. The impression it makes on us becomes even more positive due to the sturdy plugs. Unfortunately, I do not know what the box looks like – I got the cables in a substitute packaging. The tested Brown Sugar cable is constructed using Spiral Litz Technology, so it consists of quite thick braids of separately insulated and twisted wires – two cores brought together in one outer covering. Such a construction makes the cable a little more rigid than cord cables. Therefore, it is necessary for US to arrange it, rather than expect that IT will arrange itself. However, it is not too rigid to be impossible to bend, even at a small angle – in this respect it is very user-friendly. The tested cables were compared to two other cables: The test was carried out as a multiple ABA comparison, A and B known. I used the cables both in the reference system, with the Soulution 710 power amp, and with the inexpensive D-class Audiomatus AS125 power amp. During the test, the cable was supported using Rogoz Audio 3T1/BBS cable stabilizers. I admit it is a gimmick, but I could not resist the temptation – the first recording that I used to compare the Melodika cable to the reference cables was Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones. While one reason for doing that is obvious, another one is that, some time ago, a remastered version of Sticky Fingers including the song was released. Its ultimate version, i.e. the Platinum SHM-CD is available in Japan and it is worth having. However, it does not provide us with all the fantastic things that we get with the special versions, e.g. the abovementioned Brown Sugar featuring Eric Clapton, which can be found on the second CD in the Sticky Fingers [Deluxe Edition] box – that is why it is worth buying both these records. Even that short introduction helped me to preliminarily define the character of the new Melodika cables. The subsequent albums broadened, deepened and strengthened the impression, but did not change anything about it. It is because I could hear from the very beginning that I was dealing with a cable characterized by a very “even” tone, having quite distinct sound characteristics. At first sight, the way that the cable presents music – in a focused and even a little detached manner, devoid of nervousness – brings it close to products of the Swedish Supra company. Indeed, when it comes to dynamics, they are very similar cables. As far as they are concerned, it is hard to talk about an explosion of energy, or an instant and straightforward attack or decay. There is rather a very short “reflection” before the attack, a soft entrance into sound. That would be the opposite of the almost immediate hit or snap that we get with The Chord Company cables. However, Supra cables deliver clearly dark sound characterized by withdrawn treble, while the tested Brown Sugar cable is “open”. It is not audible at first due to the soft attack, but if we try out a naturally-sounding album, such as the incredibly good P.U.R. Collective album Nichi Nichi Kore Ko’nichi, or the fantastic remaster of Serge Gainsbourg’s Histoire de melody Nelson, we will hear as much treble as it is necessary – neither too little, nor too much. I had a very similar feeling while listening to the recordings and focusing on bass extension. At first sight, when it comes to albums whose sound is rather based on the midrange, like the abovementioned Stones album, we mainly hear the midrange. However, if we play something with better-filled low range, we will hear strong, more saturated bass. This does not have to be electronic music – e.g. Oxygene 10 remixes sounded spectacular, but this can also be demonstrated by good jazz, such as Polka by Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet. The subsequent albums confirmed what I heard at the very beginning – there are no extremes in the sound of the tested Brown Sugar cable – it is neither too dark, nor too bright, neither too withdrawn or too tangible. I do not know if this was the manufacturer’s intention, but some kind of a balance between individual components has been achieved. So, if we compare different cables at a store, when they are quickly changed, it may appear that Melodika cables come across worse than cables which deliver more explicit sound. It is because they are not showy. However, it is their important advantage – we will discover them slowly, understanding and appreciating them better with time. Chord, Supra, Oyaide, etc. cables are excellent, but they immediately and clearly show us what they are, and therefore do not develop with time. Melodika cables are different, they evolve with us – within their limitations, but they still do. It is a very, very good thing. Summary However, we get all of that “by the way”. It is a cable that neither imposes or enforces itself, nor calls our attention. Its medium-level selectivity does not allow it. In this respect, it can be placed somewhere between Chord and Supra, just like the Mogami NIII-2804 cable that we tested some time ago The dynamics is lowered, but without any exaggeration – it is enough to turn the volume up even by 1 dB to restore everything to normality. It is an honest, inexpensive and good cable which will work well in any audio system – it will not destroy or change anything in it, but will ensure comfortable listening, even for a few hours. Technical specifications (according to the manufacturer) Conductor material: OFC 99,9999% (6N) Directionality: yes Gauge: 2 x 4,5 mm² OTHER: braid: 2 x (8 x 0,21 mm² + 4 x 0,33 mm² + 12 x 0,13 mm²) Core resistance : 5,1 Ω/km Core capacitance : 115 pF/m Inductance: 0,5 μH/m Warranty: 5 years [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/meliodika/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

uman memory is not always reliable, so I had to go back to the "High Fidelity" archive to find out when I tested one of Lukasz Fikus products for the first time. It turns out that it was in March 2012, so more than three years ago. It was the DAC Level 4 with the associated music player, called by the TranspOrt. Later I listened to USB converter, and finally the DAC Level 7 in the company of the monoblock amplifiers using Russian GM70 tubes. Each of these products showed great class and they definitely were to my taste. Therefore, I am always eager to reach out for new products coming from Mr Fikus. The second reason is no less important - I support Polish products / brands / companies and I'm not going to stop doing that. There is no shortage in our country of really good and very good products and not only in the audio industry, even though it is that which interests us most. More and more Lampizator reviews are appearing which allows me to follow company's development, which reveals progress not only in terms of sound quality, but also for what is for many also very important, aesthetics. Just do a little search with "Uncle Google's" help to see that this is still one of most widely recognized Polish brands around the world.. Last time we met (during the previous review) Mr Fikus told me straight out that he somehow neglected the Polish market focusing on foreign ones, with the US market leading the way. And that's probably why there are so many usually very well written reviews of products coming from this Polish brand in the US and also in such exotic (to us) countries like Australia. However the company's attitude towards the Polish market is changing now, just as promised by Mr Lampizator. They recently exhibited at the Audio Show in Poland (from the next edition the name for our National Audio Show changes to Audio Video Show - by the way), and there are also new entry-level items available in their portfolio allowing less-wealthy music enthusiasts to join the band, too. I must admit that after the last test I did, the Level 7 DAC, a long time I was missing this device that gave me so much joy in communing with the music. For a long time my main sources have been the turntable and the computer. After listening to many DACs with different price levels (probably as a fan of the analogue approach) I hit the ranks of those who committed themselves to the DSD files playback over PCM (just preference, not to judge what's better). And when it came to DSD files Lampizator used a simplest possible solution without any chip on-board or conversions involved, and only with appropriate filters, and as a result, in my humble opinion, he was and still is beating all competition I have heard by not a small margin. It's one of the best known examples to me confirming the old truth that "the simpler the audio device is, the better the sound". There is for sure a possibility to find some DACs which will play better PCM files, but from my point of view as a declared DSD fan, it doesn't matter. My main interest is DSD playback so the fact that PCM does not sound quite as good as the other makes little difference and is easy to live with anyway. Therefore, since few months my ears are constantly enjoying Big 7 sound (more or less at the time I tested Level 7 the company decided that it is going to be a "Big 7" - a model in a single housing as part of the main product range, whereas the two-box Level 7 will be made only by special request). Shortly after I bought it Mr. Fikus said that customers are pushing him to do even greater model, and at that time he even had this name in his head - the Golden Gate (yes, the famous bridge in San Francisco). So finally, when the new flagship DAC hit the markets worldwide, with the price, let me say: well worth its worldwide reputation, I could not resist the temptation to see whether there is still a possibility to raise the bar even higher - in relation to already outstanding Big 7 DAC. Golden Gate As with most Lampizator models GG also is a fully customizable product - meaning as on the top of what comes as a standard, the customer can choose amongst a range of options for their DAC. Mr. Fikus provided for this test a Full-Monty, balanced version of the GG DAC, with the latest DSD module (now supporting 256kHz files - my Big 7 plays "only" 64 and 128), additional volume control module (so I could connect it directly to my ModWright power amplifier without using a separate line stage). With an extra line input employed in this DAC with VC I was not only able to simplify connections by using the DAC directly, but such a DAC with analogue inputs could host my phono stage as well, reducing need for having pre amp at all. Of course the choice of digital inputs is vast. Our sample on test in addition to basic USB input (type B), was also equipped with the AES/EBU input and two S/PDIF inputs (RCA and BNC – switchable). Only one analogue input comes as a standard with the VC unit - and it is an RCA input. One more however can be added at extra cost. Outputs in the fully-balanced machine: RCA (unbalanced) and XLR (balanced). The single-ended version of the DAC just has the single unbalanced RCA output of course. Because the version I tested was fully balanced, then in addition to the rectifier tube and a pair of output valves there are two more of type 101D - replica Western Electric valves currently produced by Psvane. A significant change from the unbalanced version is that not all the tube options are available in this version. It's one of the fantastic features of the Big 7 - the possibility of multiple tube rolling. For my every day listening I am using the cheaper version of the 101D which comes as a standard with the Big 7 DACs. I fell in love with a pair of 6A3 NOS valves I had been lent for review as well. For vocals sometimes I use my precious Western Electric 300B, although a loan pair of NOS 45s did it even better and with PX-25 and 2A3 which I also tried the DAC sounds equally excellent. In the balanced version choice is more limited. Mr Fikus himself prefers these WE101D Psvane replicas in his circuit, but balanced GG can be used also with 300B and PX-4, but not 45 or 2A3 however. In front of the quad of output tubes proudly stands the rectifier - here it is an Emission Labs type 274 dual diode - obviously chosen not by accident. In its place, you can put others, but following Mr Fikus advice - this brings the best out of the circuit. External differences if compared to the Big 7 are obvious. Firstly, the Golden Gate has a large part of the housing made of brushed and lacquered copper - that brings a bit of a resemblance to Kondo, but in the end where to get inspiration from, if not the best? Lampizator's copper however, and I'm talking here about the colour purely, looks more "coppery" than the Japanese - meaning the copper colour over the chassis is more vivid. The visual effect is very impressive indeed. Front remains virtually unchanged - that's somehow Lampizator's hallmark - a thick piece of aluminum in silver or black (optional) color. A small display in the VC equipped version is available in choice of four colors, as is the famous "eye," or the letter "O" in the logo if you wish. Single knob on the front matches a choice of fascia - that's all. To be honest - I liked the front plate look from the first unit I tested. Though it seems that for the Golden Gate possibly something more sophisticated could be created to match its looks even better and depart it from the traditional look the remaining range offers, better matched to its copper casing Well perhaps, but that's just my opinion. Volume control knob is the same, but in the Big7 it served also to navigate through the menu of your device - here, this function was abandoned. Knob still manually by-passes volume control but switching inputs is left to remote control exclusively. The latter today is more versatile, good-looking, but it lacks the aesthetics of the DAC itself. It is not the end however and a dedicated RC to match Golden Gate's copper glamour is already under development. Another difference that can not be seen at first glance are the feet - at the bottom of the device there are three pairs of rubber feet mounted - the unit is extremely deep so it comes in handy, but also, if your rack is short, then the DAC will be standing on 4 feet only giving the unit stable working conditions. Apart from them, there is also another set added. This are three wobbly devices sporting a pair of aluminum discs equipped with hard surfaced semi-spherical indentations to hold a ball between them. The upper one is permanently attached to the bottom of the unit, bottom ones with the ball put into the place goes under them. This solution is used today by many companies (eg. Symposium, read HERE, Polish), although they differ in (mainly) the material from which the bearing elements are made. According to the designer, such "roller-blocks" make the sound better, more present and realistic and significantly better separated from the speakers. For the record it have to be said, while Lampizator does not offer any standard power cord coming with its product, our review sample had been delivered with separate power cord. On that occasion it was Sablon Audio's Corona Reserva, which Wojtek tested in August (read HERE). As the test came out so well and even the DAC's designer recommended to use it to justify Golden Gate's quality, I was also was keen to give it a go. Well, yes I forgot about another "little thing". Now the Golden Gate comes in a huge, solid, stage case. The case inside is lined with perfectly formed foam to secure the product during delivery. There is enough space inside to create a compartment for equally safe delivery of the tubes in their own boxes. This is nice touch as they are not cheap themselves and equally precious. Such a solution was unavoidable, because the majority of Lampizator products will take a long, often intercontinental journey to the future prospective owners - and in this package it will for sure arrive without damage. Also if the owner decides to send it back to the factory for an upgrade, thanks to this package the item will be safely returned even from the farthest corner of the Earth. By the way, it shows company's forward thinking too - the Golden Gate can be a chart-topping product today, but that does not mean that in the future there won't be some upgrades available... ŁUKASZ FIKUS Constructor, owner "As an engineer, I am a doubting Thomas kind of person. I have to touch the tissue, test it, verify the problem - to believe. I simply can not stand any mysterious voodoo-spells like explanation which I read a lot of in the audio industry. Falling into this category is also very expensive so-called "Boutique" electronic parts. Often 100 or even 1,000 times more expensive than the basic sort of parts with the same parameters, but no boutique branding. Dealing daily with a very demanding audiophile customers, I'm exposed to continuous pressure for the use of such parts to build our most expensive product range however. I lost the energy to fight this argument back, that it makes no sense to throw money that way and it is better to buy an expensive pair of speakers perhaps, to allow the system overall to fly higher. Or holiday on Bali if you wish. I was purely a tilting at the windmills. I fought until the moment when I gave up. The situation turned 180 degrees, and I said: you want expensive parts - fine, there you go. All I can buy - I will and I'll apply all those most expensive parts in one time to our flagship DAC the BIG-7. And so was born the Golden Gate. Then we had to choose only the parts that together make sense. Voice the unit right as it is not just about the parts in the end. Here one can find a whole array of the most recognized brands of the world: Furutech, WBT, Mundorf, Jupiter, DUELUND, ClarityCaps, Kendeila, Vishay, and the like. On top of this materials such as horrendously expensive solid copper and that means virgin sourced from mined ore with proper purity, not recycled one. Also wood, silver, Teflon (for insulation), even tin containing silver and gold. In my view - total madness! And, I must admit, I was ready to put my bet on that the changes can not heard. And I would lose - now I know it. It can be heard like crazy. Particularly in very expensive systems where the Golden Gate usually becomes a part. I don't know why this happens but the music takes you in her possession, becomes engaging, makes you want to listen to it over and over again and all thoughts about hardware just disappear, they become invalid. It's like a pheromone, is something that defines what the whole audiophile culture should be about. Well now OK, I am converted. Doubting Thomas believed." Recordings used for testing (a selection): AC/DC, Back in Black, Sony B000089RV6, CD/FLAC. McCoy Tyner, Solo: Live from San Francisco, Half Note Records B002F3BPSQ, CD/FLAC. Michael Jackson, Dangerous, Epic/Legacy XSON90686F96, FLAC 24/96. Isao Suzuki, Blow up, Three Blind Mice B000682FAE, CD/FLAC. The Ray Brown Trio, Summer Wind, Concord Jazz CCD-4426, CD/FLAC. Renaud Garcia-Fons, Oriental bass, Enja B000005CD8, CD/FLAC. Leszek Możdżer, Kaczmarek by Możdżer, Universal Music 273 643-7, CD/FLAC. Michał Wróblewski Trio, City Album, Ellite Records, CD/FLAC. Arne Domnérus, Antiphone Blues, Proprius PRCD 7744, CD/FLAC. Rodrigo y Gabriela, 11:11, EMI Music Poland 5651702, CD/FLAC. Rachmaninow, Symphonic dances, Etudes-tableaux, Reference Recordings HRx, 24/176, WAV. Natural jazz recordings, fonejazz, DSD64. Thirty years in classical music, fonejazz, DSD64. Mozart, Piano concertos, Eugene Istomin, Reference Recordings HRx. Pavarotti, The 50 greatest tracks, Decca 478 5944, CD/FLAC. Hans Zimmer, The Dark Knight Rises, WaterTower Music B008645YEE, CD/FLAC. Buddy Guy, Born to play guitar, RCA/Sony 88875120371, CD/FLAC. Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro, dyr. Teodor Currentzis, MusicAeterna Orchestra, Sony Classical B00GK8P1EG, CD/FLAC. Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington, The Complete Session. Deluxe Edition, Roulette Jazz 7243 5 24547 2 2 (i 3), CD/FLAC. Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] Well, this test was - at least to me - not just a comparison, but Golden Gate vs. Big7 duel. I think you perfectly understand my statement here. You are putting a new element into the system, which plays music back so wonderfully that for the months after you can not get away (OK, I have to tear myself away to review other things), and here the manufacturer comes back again to say about newer product that: "It will blow your socks off..." compared to your already beloved machine, which already left you bare footed, so? Sock-less already what do I have to lose? Especially that he claims in the same time that it is basically the same thing just beefed up, kind-of "on steroids like". It turned into the fact that what I still can loose is my spine. DACs are perhaps not the most heavy components in the audio rig (even though Lampizator DACs are bigger and heavier than many others), but other toys on my racks, unfortunately, are. I did not have too much time available for this write up, and our hero arrived just in time when I was loaded already with other equipment. So we ended up at the beginning with the Golden Gate struck between two turntables and connected directly to the XLR inputs of my ModWright amp. First day then it played the music only being used purely as a... linear pre-amplifier, which allowed me to finish my test of the phono pre-amplifier. It replaced in this duty my ModWright and was doing really well. It became apparent that my LS100 was a slightly warmer sounding device. Goldie seemed to be very clear and transparent when tested with the Avid Pulsare 2, which is known as a very transparent and neutrally sounding phono stage and Goldie not only prevented loss of this quality, but even didn't provide slightest changes to the original unit's voicing. What became immediately clear and obvious is that the Golden Gate was able to drive my ModWright power amplifier without a smallest trace of problem. With the analogue input on board, when used as a pre only it was in the same class with my home resident line stage and actually could permanently replace an external preamplifier in my system. And the simpler the system the better, according to many. And I have agree with them that there is definitely something right about that. The pre-amplifier module in this Lampizator DAC was not even the subject of the test, but as the situation forced that to happen it has to be said that it did it's duty and performed very well, in fact surprisingly well. The next day I could start listening (though still not directly compare the GG vs Big7) to the Golden Gate as a DAC, still directly connected and controlling my KWA100SE. For clarification: my streaming PC is using JRiver set up to convert on the fly each file (except native DSD) to DSD 128. The Big 7 did already prove itself to be capable of brilliant DSD files playback, perfect for PCM files converted to DSD and finally very good for PCM itself. As both DACs share the same circuit (although the Golden Gate's engine supports DSD256 and Big 7's does not), I assumed, therefore, that there won't be any major differences in playback in this respect. Such a software setup is also very convenient as whatever files come in also come out with no need for switching, or getting annoying sudden silence in the room when the format changes in the stream. An attempt to set the conversion to DSD256 failed - on my computer files kept coming out choked, with hiccups I can not stand. So as I do not have the native DSD256 files I ended up listening to the DSD128 stream. As I was expecting to have my socks blown off, as I have been told I felt a bit disappointed at first. Do not get me wrong. It all had been played absolutely right and many elements reminded me of what my Big 7 does for me on daily basis or even Level 7 did as well in the past. But there was no WOW factor to the extent I set up my mind to expect. The playback was remarkably smooth, with breathe-easiness, consistence, vividness. As always beautifully involving. Then it came for the 1st time to my mind that it might be the "freshness" factor which is responsible for that. As the unit was a new build and not settled, delivered to me after last minute agreement I started to think that I should give it a little more use before taking any notes. As it kept changing during this session and I wasn't aware how much, if any time had been already put on it after initial testing I set up a playlist and left it playing some music in the background all day long. I was listening with pleasure, but without any critical analysis. After a few hours on my playlist there appeared DSD files, from Holst's Planets under Zubin Mehta recording. The difference between this album and vinyl, which I also have, is that here in addition to the Planets was also added as a bonus the music from Star Wars. As a big fan, awaiting for the next part of the cult saga to be screened, once the first sounds of the soundtrack appeared I put a volume up, in fact, I turned up the volume beyond the limit of decency (in relation to my neighbors) and finally I started to feel that I am actually losing my socks ! It seemed that the DAC began finally play up to the expected level. Finally, I started to hear when the balanced Golden Gate DAC's presentation clearly outperformed my DAC. I'm talking about the dynamics of both: the orchestra at the macro level and the level of individual instruments, sounds even, the speed of the attack, about the impression of immediate presence of large and powerful, but also the quietest and most delicate, and yet, thanks to its excellent separation, clearly audible sounds. In each of these aspects, the new flagship dominated the Big 7 clearly (to certain degree of my memory). For me it was a real musical feast, the next phase of preparation for "The Force Awakens" and during a few days I was listening to the DAC constantly and kept returning to the track after track with delight. Next tunes which followed by were equally dynamic - soundtracks from Gladiator and The Dark Knight, the new album of Buddy Guy, as well as one of my favorite Lee Ritenour's albums. All praise previously expressed regarding speed, immediacy and the rapid fire dynamics had been confirmed 100%, and on the Buddy Guy's music it could be additionally appreciated how great Lampizator is in leading the rhythm of the recording, as well as complies with the difficult task of serving music with perfect timing. I love the blues, but the fact it is simple in notation does not mean it has no demand for the playback quality. Pretty much the opposite. To keep your hands clapping and your legs tapping the rhythm or your head nodding constantly it have to be played superbly, with feeling, with a great sense of rhythm to make the finicky fan (read: me) to forget about God's World and sink into a simple, but very addictive rhythm. In this case, it took me maybe five seconds, despite the fact that the disc was new to me and listened to maybe twice before. Most important however was that when I went back to listening at normal volume levels my socks still kept blowing off and I could not help it - so it was not just the effect of listening to the music loud. Sometime after midnight (where's the day gone ??!) there appeared on a playlist the great Miles Davis. A disk which I am listening to continuously for several months now and it never made me bored - Tribute to Jack Johnson. An amazing, hypnotic powerful act (plus, of course, the masterful trumpet and drums). Absolute departure! Extremely voiced, shiny metal, firmly guided bass, natural (yeah ... natural - electrical :)) keys, and on top of this the golden TRUMPET! Goldie (as you probably noticed, I nicknamed the Golden Gate DAC) was able to create an unprecedented climate, the kind of in which a man without a second thought falls headfirst with a smile on his face. Reflection came only when the last note silenced - it was absolutely lovely, fantastic and brilliant, but I could not quite distinguish it from the memory if referred to at last 10, perhaps 15 listening sessions I had with my Big7. I could not really determine what the difference really was. So let's skip two days, when I managed to fit both machines into the system and listen to them face to face - although it should be noted that the Big 7 was connected - inevitably - to the line input of my power amplifier, not balanced as the Golden Gate and with a new and better cable – absolutely genial Hijiri IC from Mr. Kiuchi (test HERE). I will say it this way: in my opinion, single-ended DAC, like my beloved SET amplifiers has after all one, maybe a little, but for me still significant advantage over the flagship Lampizator product - the phantom images are even more tangible, palpable, even better filled. The issue here is not even a specific placement it puts of the event on stage (SE Goldie should then raise bar even further), and even the way it sketches contour (because there probably also the Golden Gate has an advantage), but rather in a more tangible fulfillment of these contours, in giving them the appropriate weight, the body that you can almost touch. It is difficult to describe it better. Golden Gate is building a great and multi-layered scene. It can play with good material very precisely, without losing that precision neither on width or depth. Therefore the Big 7 created, to my ears, images more holographic, making the presence of Jarrett's piano or Miles' trumpet in my room more realistic and Patricia Barber's singing two meters away from me more life-like. Once again - the Golden Gate gave a similar impression, but into my ears with a lower intensity. Well, what could I do with a feeling like that? Well, nothing - the audio is always a compromise. The Big 7 with a good SET will create a different kind of musical spectacle than balanced the Golden Gate with balanced power amplifier. Such is the reality, the rest is a matter of your personal preferences. RCA Thinking about it at that moment it reminded me what Mr Fikus said when he brought me his latest DAC. According to his words when using the DAC in the RCA rig - only one pair of tubes is used: the one positioned closer to the back of the unit, just like in SE DAC. First row, closer to the listener should be left where they are, but those making actual playback can be exchanged for another pair. I connected the Golden Gate's RCA line outputs, using the same reference Hijiri IC into the linear RCA input in my ModWright. The answer to all my doubts came clear after a few minutes of listening - if I was myself able to afford to buy the Golden Gate DAC I should do it immediately. As already I have established dominance of the balanced GG over unbalanced Big 7 in the balanced system in most aspects (actually all except the one mentioned above) as clearly audible there was nothing more left to find. When I connected it to the line input, maybe dynamics dropped a tad, perhaps not quite as sensational immediacy of each attack being present, but it seemed like they were better than the Big 7 anyway. However, the intensity of the materialization of each source was equally apparent in both machines. All right, alright, it was probably more than a little bit better, but I found it hard to admit even to myself. Perhaps because it is difficult to find the way to enjoy your own reference after encounter a much better device which ownership remains difficult to afford. PCM In the end I decided to see how the Golden Gate handles PCM files. I did not expect a revolution, because of the internal structure of both DACs remains the same. But since the DSD files sounded better, might it just be the case for PCM? Surprisingly - yes, they sounded better. It was still not level of DSD performance, but PCM gained not only growth with transparency and equally resolution, but also with the tonal balance and musicality. It's interesting, because - if I understand well - the layout of the circuit is the same. So the only changes result from the use of better components and balanced structure. Anyway changes are for sure present and definitely positive. DSD still, I think, sounds much better, but the PCM sounds better than before too. Interestingly, there are some rumors that Lampizator is now working on a new implementation for his PCM-in, of course to premise them to sound much better, maybe even as good as, DSD ... In the last however I won't believe before I can hear it, but it's probably a good direction of work. Having the opportunity to listen to the last DAC from Soulution: model 560, costing as much as the Golden Gate, I can say that Lampi actually might need to do some job to improve PCM playback more, though regarding DSD playback, in my opinion, of course, Lukasz Fikus can still sleep easy - the whole competition in that department is far behind what he has achieved. Though somehow I am convinced that he does not sleep quietly at all and probably he is already planning to bring some more surprises to the daylight... Knock, knock: Polish DAC for over 90,000 PLN... Made in Poland DAC with a 90,000 PLN price tag ?!? I can imagine lots of people probably tapping their heads significantly right now with their fingers. Unfortunately there are many Polish audiophiles like that, against which/whom I personally, also here in "High Fidelity" am keeping my crusade going. Unfortunately the famous government slogan " It's good, because it's Polish" still doesn't catch up with many of my countrymen. Although, to my joy, the proportions begin to change and the number of users is growing for Polish equipment. Meanwhile the Polish designers, in this case Mr Lukasz Fikus, but not only him, are constantly proving that native products are no worse than Western imports. And certainly not when you compare the sound quality. As for the aesthetic yet still few things can be improved though progress is clear, even taking the Big 7 as an example (especially the version I have, that no longer is the latest and had been replaced with a visual sibling to the GG, but made of steel instead). Copper housing makes a job and "stands out". No doubt about that. The front panel I personally like but to emphasize the uniqueness of the Golden Gate I think something different / nicer / better unified with its overall aesthetics could make it stand out even more... For the interior, where the point-to-point assembly had been replaced by large printed circuit boards, it is difficult to have any objections. The quality matches here the well-recognized companies - top parts all over the place from Furutech , WBT and Neutrik sockets, to Mundorf, Jupiter, or DUELUND alike capacitors - in no way inferior if anyone would like to confirm against any other high-end competitors. The feet with roller-balls excel as well, and their performance also brings significant improvement to the sound. Visually, I can only put a critical note on the rear panel of the device - top quality sockets is one thing, but the descriptions under realized with stickers is the other. Still labels do the job and never fall down but some people might not like it. Hearing that they are already working on their own remote control, which surely will have much better presence than now included universal one, I am convinced that sooner or later, for the sake of peace, Mr Lampizator will also prepare rear panels to equally high standard to match the rest. What matters to me however is a judgment made purely on the sound quality. I said it once and I am going to say that again: In the case of "native" DSD playback the Golden Gate has no competition. FULL STOP. Sure, I have not listened to all the DACs around the world, but did hear enough to reach this simple conclusion - conversion doesn't improve things at all, the subject must be addressed in easiest possible way - just like Lukasz did it. It is the most similar to analog playback, which so far is most natural to me and is sounding closest to how instruments (mainly acoustic) really do sound live. Summary This balanced Golden Gate DAC combines musicality, beautiful timbre reproduction, tangibility, fluidity and smoothness of playing with an explosive (as needed) dynamics and punctual bass, with great rhythm keeping, with openness, spaciousness and voicing from another galaxy. Interestingly, from my point of view, the PCM also sounds better than on my Big 7's - but similarly again, despite the progress achieved with DSD going back to PCM files does not hurt at all and one can live easily without setting his streaming PC to permanent on fly conversion mode. More of that, being balanced, its pre-amplifier module has no problem driving any balanced power amplifier and it holds this duty very well indeed. In fact it does it so good that if I could afford it I would sell my pre-amplifier. And to sum up. As this is fully customizable unit, meaning that one might order himself exactly what he needs, plus some extra cosmetics like front panel, switch and display colors. Each choice has obviously an impact on the final price of the device, so the client can get a device adapted to his needs and a few thousand Euros cheaper if you just do not need the optional components, or even choose the basic unbalanced version. As if that was not enough, so in the future (of course for an extra fee) the gates stay open and one will be able to change these options, or adopt his existing Lampizator DAC when something new comes up or a system change. That is another money saving solution as one doesn't have to sell his existing machine on s/h market and lose money on it. Not to mention that the custom approach offered here is not available from majority of the main stream suppliers, and if is, to some extend it always comes with much bigger bill to pay for. Golden Gate's size is roughly the same as Big 7's – so to be honest, as for a D/A Converter, it is huge! 500 (G) x 440 (S) x 280 mm (W – together with rectifier tube I tested it with) suggest rather an amplifier than DAC. Its weight - 16kg is also not something one sees often in the word of D/A Converters. Golden Gate holds two DACs inside it – one can see only one USB input but DSD and PCM signal go to completely separate sections. GG sports not only a USB input but also others. Which ones? It depends a lot on customer's needs. The version under review offered: AES/EBU, and a coaxial one, although with two different connectors: RCA and BNC. This version included also an optional volume controlled (sort of resistors leader) and a pre section with a single RCA input which allowed me to use GG also as a preamplifier for my phonostage. The main part of the chassis – a cover with side walls – is made of copper, stamped and powder clear-coated which ensures that copper won't change color for many years. Same cover holds five high quality, Teflon tube sockets made by CNC. These sockets, as standard, host four Psvane 101D Western Electric replicas, and an Emission Labs 274 rectifier. It looks damn good! Front panel is same as it's „always” (meaning as far as I remember) been – a thick aluminum plate in silver (or optionally on black) with a small monochromatic display (in one of four optional colors), a Lampizator logo with the famous „eye” - „O” backlit using same color as display, and a knob that is a volume control only (in Big7 it allowed also to move around in device's menu). The bottom and rear panel are in fact one piece of a black colored steel. It hold, apart from already mentioned digital inputs, also analogue outputs – XLR and RCA. If the pre section is also on board one will find there also another pair of RCA sockets – a linear input that is. Sockets come from manufacturers like: Furutech, WBT and Neutrik – one of the best available on the market. There is also a IEC socket with voltage switch, and the on/off switch. The whole chassis sports 6 (!) rubber feet, but for those who demand best solutions manufacturer proposes three so called roller-blocks. Golden Gate is, for now, delivered with a universal remote control, but a much nicer looking, copper one is under development and should be available soon. The device is delivered in a solid case together with tubes. Inside one won't find point-to-point connections anymore. Instead there are few nicely designed blue PCBs with the largest one holding an analogue section. What makes Golden Gate different from Big7 is a whole selection of highest quality components like: ATOM Vishay first capacitor after the tube, Mundorf M-Lytic HV electrolytes in second stage of PSU, Mundorf Foil MKP capacitors in third, final stage of power supply just before the tube anode and output capacitors are the huge Jupiter-Copper 1uF caps bypassed by Duelund Pure Silver caps. From USB input signal goes into the same chip, as in Big7 – Amanero. Then signal travels either to PCM module or a separate DSD one (user has to choose that manually). The former works in dual-mono configuration. We don't know which chip is used, what we know is that is is capable of processing signal up to 32 bits and 384 kHz. The later is a proprietary solution developed by Lampizator. It accepts DSD64, 128 and 256 (Big 7 does not accept DSD256). It is an array of filters, no chips are used, no data manipulation. Then signal goes directly to the grid of DHT (Direct Heated Triodes). It is a particularly minimalist design and that's what makes it so unique and so amazingly sounding. There are some Polish accents within the design two – chokes and a large transformer with multiple secondary windings come from Mr Leszek Ogonowski, our own, Polish specialist know in audio worlds mainly (although not exclusively) for his transformers for tube amplifiers. During the test Golden Gate was used with Sablon Audio Corona Reserva power chord supplied by Mr Fikus. [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/th/14.jpg" big="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/14.jpg" src="foto_testy/1509/lampizator/14.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

hen few years ago most companies „upgraded” their USB converters/USB DAC abilities from 16bit/48kHz to 24/96 few decided to resist this trend. Maybe you remember the UD-1 Pro D/A Converter by King Rex? It used Burr Brown PCM2702 chip, even then already outdated. And yet it offered an amazing performance which I described in my review getting myself „under fire” from those „High Fidelity” Readers who appreciated only cutting edge solutions. It turned out that I wasn't the only one who truly appreciated such „outdated” solutions as Bent Holter, an engineer from already renown, although still fighting for its place on the market, Norwegian company Hegel, talked during presentation on High End Show in Munich about how an older generation, synchronous chip, if properly implemented, would sound much better than a newer generation, asynchronous one. Each manufacturer though, has to follow and fulfill market's or customers' expectations. And the trend on the market has been recently clear – an ability to play high-resolutions files seems a must (the higher the resolution the better). And, in theory, it makes sense. Today's standard requires that D/A converters accept PCM signal of up to 24/192 resolution. Manufacturers who want to impress potential customers offer DACs that accept 32 bit/764 kHz PCM signal and up to DSD256. Music servers made today have to fulfill the same requirements to be truly up-to-date. It seems that HD30 has been created as an answer for customers' demands. Just like another, quit fresh product - Naim NAC-N 172 XS, Hegel is something even more than just a D/A Converter. In fact HD30 could be described as: 1. A streamer – it sports an Ethernet port and so it can play music streamed from network. 2. A D/A Converter – there are as much as six digital inputs, including three TOSLINKs, RCA, BNC (all S/PDIF) and AES/EBU (balanced version of S/PDIF). 3. A preamplifier – a digital one (with only digital inputs and digital volume control) but still. So how should we call this device? I guess that over time some new classification of audio products will be introduced/agreed upon, but for now there isn't a widely accepted one. Naim chose a simple solution for their NAC-N 172 XS, a device with exactly the same functionality as Hegel – they called it a streamer, preamplifier and D/A Converter in a single body. And yet, Naim puts this device among other „Stereo Preamplifiers” and starts its description with: „For a start, the NAC-N 172 XS is a very high performance and inherently musical preamplifier”. Only then they also name it as: „streaming preamplifier”, pointing out its primary function – first of all it's a preamplifier with streaming function. Manufacturer calls this functionality: „DLNA Digital Media Renderer”. Streamer's capabilities are limited to: PCM (WAV, AIFF), FLAC, Ogg and mp3 files with maximum resolution of 24 bits and 192 kHz. Signal might be delivered via Ethernet ports or using AirPlay. Connecting a DAC to a system seems nothing special at all, nothing to elaborate about. But obviously for creators of HD30 the DAC function is the most important one and thus it is called so. This review is a world's premiere of this device. HD30 worked as DAC in my reference system with two digital sources: Ancient Audio Lektor AIR V-edition CD Player and Chord Red Standard Mk III. Signal was delivered using Siltech Eagle Eye 75 Ω digital cable. My trusted HP Pavilion dv7 with Windows 8.1, 8 MB RAM, 128 GB SSD + 320 GB HDD and Jplay software player worked as an alternative source. DAC was powered using Crystal Cable The Absolute Dream power chord. Comparison between balanced (XLR) and linear output was performed connecting both directly to the inputs of my Soulution 710 power amp. For both connections I used Acoustic Revive interconnects: RCA-1.5Triple C-FM and XLR-1.5Triple C-FM. Hegel's preamplifier section was assessed via connecting it directly to two power amplifiers: Soulution 710 and Accuphase P-6200, and later using two preamplifiers: Ayon Audio Spheris III and Accuphase C-3850. HEGEL in „High Fidelity” REVIEW: DA25 – D/A Converter, see HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Hegel H200 – integrated amplifier, see HERE (Polish) REVIEW: Hegel H70 – integrated amplifier, see HERE BEST PRODUCT 2011 AWARD: Hegel P30+H30 – preamplifier + power amplifier, see HERE REVIEW: Hegel P30+H30 – preamplifier + power amplifier, see HERE Recordings used for the test (a selection) Bach, Violin Concertos, dyr. Yehudi Menuhin, EMI/Hi-Q Records HIQXRCD9, XRCD24, CD (1960/2013). Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, Ella and Louis, Verve/Lasting Impression Music LIM UHD 045, UltraHD CD (1956/2010). George Michael, Patience, Aegean | Sony Music UK 515402 2, CD (2004). Jean Michel Jarre, Essentials & Rarities, Disques Dreyfus/Sony Music 62872, 2 x CD (2011). Kortez, Bumerang, Asfalt Records JB 029 2CD, CD (2015). Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (I), Atlantic/Warner Music 826325, “mini LP”, CD (1961/1994). Michael Jackson, Xscape, Epic 3053662, CD (2014). Miles Davis, In A Silent Way, Columbia/Mobile Fidelity UDSACD-2088, “Special Limited Edition, No. 1311”, SACD/CD (1969/2012). Pat Martino, Hombre, Prestige/JVC VICJ-41574, K2 CD (1967/2006). Radiohead, Kid A, Parlophone/EMI 27753 2, CD (2000). Tool, 10,000 Days, Volcano Entertainment 819912, CD (2006). Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] I've worked in audio industry for the last 20 years. When I worked in a recording studio and with concert sound systems I used to think that describing sound was easy, that everybody spoke the same language and appreciated the same sound features thus easily separating “good” sound from a “bad” one. Over time I learned that most of my friends and professional colleges couldn't hear some things or just wanted not to hear them. Also vocabulary used to describe sound was rather limited thus not allowing to convey full information about it. In this context entering the world of a home audio systems was very exciting as I finally could use tools to describe what I heard that were unacceptable in “pro audio” world. But this initial delight was only temporary as I realized that despite the fact that vocabulary describing hi-fi had been developed for 50 years there was still no one standard language that would allow to create a description that would be understood in the same way by all. Listening to HD30 this old realization came back to me. Every now and then I receive emails from our Readers who claim that Hegel products often offer harsh or bright sound. When faced with such opinions that contradict my own experience with Norwegian devices I simply don't know what to say. I can hear something totally different and I would never say that Hegel sounds “bright”, or “harsh”. So when listening to HD30 I also tried to find a reason of such a different perception of Hegel sound by some people. It is hard to say whether I found the right ones, but let me give you some suggestions that might be useful for you next time you listen to one of their products. Let me start with a statement that Hegel amplifiers offer darker sound than HD30. What I mean by that is that the latter delivers amazingly clean midrange, especially its upper part, which forbids us from perceiving this sound as “warm” - which is how I perceived H70, H100 and H200 (and a pre+amp system I’ve reviewed once for Polish „Audio” magazine). More careful analysis led to discovery that in fact the general tonal balance was very similar in all these devices and what made a difference was the quality of (upper) midrange – HD30 performed in this area better than any other Hegel component I knew. This Converter delivers very open, clear, dynamic sound. Its presentation is remarkably “civilized” - just a few years ago I wouldn't have used this description for any digital device and today it can be used to describe more and more of them. This level of clarity of the sound combined with impressive dynamics could turn some lesser quality systems or those with poor tonal balance into “screamy” ones. When one delivers to loudspeakers a signal very rich with information but not a very clean one, or with some shifts in tonal balance, or there is some problem within a system with balance between resolution and richness of the sound, then the result – sound coming from speakers, might be a bit too “heavy” in the upper midrange. But if one uses HD30 in a well performing, well balanced system using unbalanced cable and an external preamplifier (I'll get back to that in a moment) one should hear a smooth, creamy sound with w wonderful, open midrange. As I already said – this is an unusually “civilized” sound without even so much as a hint of any harshness or brightness. Whole range is quite rich, including bass that is also nicely extended and properly defined right to the very bottom. There simply can not be any harshness in the sound because HD30 does the same thing as all Hegel products – it smoothens out the attack phase. I remember CD and SACD Players made by Wadia in their best period. If I didn't know any better I would have said that Wadia just released a new product. These Players offered quite a characteristic performance, but it was a very enjoyable one. I think they could be a main source in many systems still today. HD30 follows old Wadias' track. It delivers a “modern” performance, meaning that it isn't either “tube” nor a “solid-state” one. When I compared it with tube output of my Lektor CD Player I couldn't really tell that these two devices used different technologies. Yes, the Ancient Audio CD Player is a better digital source. But having a chance to compare these two sources directly in the same system I can boldly claim that the difference is surely not a great one. CHOICES XLR vs RCA But to achieve this level of performance one has to connect Hegel properly. My experience tells me that most devices offer better performance when connected with RCA cables. The idea behind balanced devices and balances signal transfer is surely a great one and I wish it could be properly implemented some day. Unfortunately the theory behind it assumes two identical halves of the signal and in real live they are never exactly the same. It might be one of the reasons why Hegel might sound a bit harsh sometimes. The XLR connection, regardless of the usage of a preamplifier or driving directly a power amp might result in a bit “harder” sound. I can even understand why some might like it. But the Hegel itself offers a bit rounded, smooth attack and pushing it towards this “harder” sound changes its character a bit. In my opinion it contradicts the general concept of the sound proposed by Hegel – it is surely a specific sound but a well balanced one. Preamplifier vs direct connection While a choice between RCA and XLR introduces only a slight modification of the sound, using an internal preamplifier means a more profound sonic change, in my opinion it is a change for worse. One of the aspects that surely got worse was imaging – a very good one with external preamplifier, and much less precise, palpable with internal one. Upper midrange looses part of its clarity and expressiveness while emphasis shifts towards treble. That's not how I like my music played and I believe that a classic, analogue preamplifier is able to provide a better sound quality. You have to remember the context here – I compared Hegel with the Ayon Spheris III preamp that costs 120 000 PLN in a system with Soulution 710 power amplifier that added another 150 000 PLN to the bill. I guess that when working with power amp from adequate price range difference difference between HD30 and preamplifier will be much less significant and this Hegel's functionality will be highly appreciated by its owner. HD30 when offered a chance delivers a true high-end performance. Sound is rich, dense even, with open midrange and no emphasis in treble area. And I mean even with far from perfect recordings like Michael Jackson's Xscape or beautiful Bumerang album by Kortez. On these albums there is a lot of compression on vocals so it is easy to present them in a bright/harsh fashion and to emphasize sibilants. Hegel never ever does that. Before I start to summarize this review I'd like to mention one more key advantage of this device. I had to try really hard not to mention that before but I did it on purpose so that you could better understand characteristic of HD30's presentation. But to give you a full picture I need to mention finally that this new Hegel's true strength is spacing – huge, convincing soundstage. This is one of the advantages usually attributed to turntables and pretty rare when it comes to digital sources (dCS and Ancient Audio players are among few exceptions from this rule). Hegel skilfully combines a rich acoustic surrounding of instruments with general acoustics of the recording. At the same time it greatly presents consequent layers of the soundstage from the front to the back. It's not about how any of these features is great by itself, what matters is that they plays a great part in creating a wonderful music spectacle – I was truly impressed. For example on Kortez album they created a huge space surrounding listener using just stereo speakers (an effect similar to the one obtained once with Qsound system). With Hegel I could feel this dense, large space around me – it was even bigger than with Lektor AIR. Sounds seemed to be sustained bit longer which made acoustics less “dry”. Even on mono recordings instruments breathed like with high quality analogue sources. Summary Digital technologies are being constantly improved and progress is quite significant. And so HD30 performs equally well as the old Wadia Players and falls really not far behind today's twice as expensive. It does not offer as rich lower midrange as those and not so holographic imaging. But the soundstage it creates, the spacing is remarkable. It might work as a preamplifier too, but I would rather treat that as added value useful for those who can't at the moment afford a high quality stand-alone preamp. Hegel will show its true value when combined with high quality, active preamplifier especially when connected via RCA cable. Interestingly the streamer works really well, so well that there is no need to play music from a computer via USB. Yes, there are better performing streamers on the market but this one offers a really nice, rich sound. Knowing that this is in fact just a bonus to the device we bought we should be simply grateful and enjoy its performance. When we treat it as a D/A Converter what we get is a high-end product. One could combine it with a high quality stand-alone streamer and that should result in a very, very good performance. But I would encourage you to forget about market's trends for a moment and combine Hegel with a high quality CD Transport. I'm pretty sure that many of you will start to appreciate CD (maybe again). RED Fingerprint Hegel calls HD30 a D/A Converter – writing on the rear panel reads: „HD30 High End Digital to Analog Converter”. But as we already know D/A conversion is just one of its functionalities – it is also a streamer and it offers a volume control. So what we actually get is a streamer with digital inputs and digital preamplifier, all in one box. Front and rear panels If you look at HD30 you will surely notice similarity with Hegel's amplifiers, especially with H70. The thick, slightly curved front panel looks really good. It sports a large blue LED display. It presents information on active input and volume level. The later uses a scale from ‘0’ to ‘101’, with the latter indicating that the volume control is actually by-passed. Unfortunately no information is displayed regarding input signal – no word depth, sampling frequency or file format. Nothing even indicates whether DAC is synchronized with the source. When working with DLNA server Hegel indicates that with a small dot on a display. There are two knobs on both sides of the device – one operates input selector the other volume control. The whole chassis is made of aluminum – alu plates are bolted together. HD30 sports three feet made of aluminum and rubber – two in the front and one in the back. The main on/off switch sits on the rear panel next to IEC socket which might be a suggestion to leave the device on at all times. When it comes to digital devices it is important to provide precise oscillator with optimum working conditions – these are insured when device remains on all the time. HD30 offers a lot of digital inputs: 3 optical Toslinks, one RCA and one BNC SPDIFs and one AES/EBU. Additionally there is also an USB input placed right next to Ethernet port. One will find a small switch next to USB port that actually changes its operating mode – it can accept PCM signal up to 24/96 and than it requires no drivers, or it can also accept files of even higher resolution and than driver is required. There are both types of analogue outputs: RCA and XLR, both with solid, gold-plated sockets. Inside The whole electronic circuit spreads on two PCBs – the bigger one hold D/A Converter section, the smaller one: streamer and USB input. Each of them includes also a completed power supply section. There are separate toroidal power transformers for streamer and for DAC. The electronic circuits are shielded from power transformers. IEC power inlet is integrated with a RF filter. Taking the internal design into consideration one can easily tell that this are: a streamer and a DAC put together in one chassis. The streamer section is based on Microchip Technology module that sports a separate (from controlling section) power line. The more advance DAC section uses even three power lines. All inputs sport matching transformers. Input section uses the AK4118 chip (a digital receiver for 24/192 signal), the AK4137 (VERITA's sampling frequency asynchronous converter that coverts any input signal into 32 bit / 768 kHz one) and the AK4127 (asynchronous converter that coverts any input signal into 24 bit / 192 kHz one). VERITA is a very interesting product as apart from its up-sampling feature it is also able to convert PCM signal to DSD and the other way around. I'm curious which role does it play here. The actual DAC chip is AK4490EQ – actually there are two of them, one per channel. It is another very interesting new chip capable of accepting PCM signal up to 32-bit and 768 kHz but also a 11,2 MHz DSD (Direct Stream Digital). Japanese manufacturer called its architecture: Velvet Sound, and it utilizes 5 selectable digital filters. Remote Hegel always offered nice, solid remote controls and we get one also this time. Small buttons of RC8 give user access to streamer's, DAC's and preamplifier's functions. With a compatible computer one might use this remote also to control a software music player. Specifications (according to the manufacturer) Accepted PCM signal: up to 24bits, 192kHz Digital inputs: AES/EBU, BNC, RC, 3 x TOSLink, USB, Network Linear outputs: RCA + XLR Frequency range: 0Hz-50kHz Distortion:

here are more and more Polish companies that make good looking, great sounding and well packed audio products. And that's great! We, Poles, finally get to „capitalize” the great intellectual potential, experience and musical background and turn it all into brilliant devices for music reproduction. It seems that finally it doesn't matter anymore whether particular product come from Poland, Japan or Great Britain. There are and always will be some differences between countries as these reflect different history, economy level and technological development of each country. But such a specialized market as audio is a place where products from different countries can meet on the same/similar level as they are all made by true passionates. Even more so as all designers start from the same place, for example using technologies created by large companies. These could be some circuits, transistors, D/A chips, solutions for signal transfer/coding, but also such elements as class D amplifier modules. When it comes to the latter, at least when used for high quality devices, they come from just few highly specialized manufacturers. Recently I've encountered mostly those made by Bang & Olufsen. This Danish company established in 1925 for years has been a synonym of luxury, sophisticated, innovative BeoMaster receivers and BeoGram turntable. Today it still carries this legacy on with their BeoLab line. Yet, I think that today the biggest source of revenue are solution they developed and license to other companies and OEM modules. Among the latter it seems that the most popular ones are ICEPower modules - analogue class D amplifiers with power supply already integrated in these modules. ICEPower modules are used by many manufacturers, small and big ones, and they final results differ significantly. Although it might seem that all one has to do is to put ICEpower into some nice chassis, add inputs and outputs, plus some preamplifier section it is definitely not so. Practice proved that it is quite challenging to arrive at really good final result (performance). These modules work at high frequencies and generate a lot of noise. They offer large frequency range but at the same time quite small headroom. They are quite sensitive to vibrations and to the quality of speaker cables. They have advantages too – high power output, low power consumption and small size. And that's a reason why only few companies managed to manufacture high quality products with these modules on board. Among those we reviewed recently I'd like to mention products of Jeff Rowland (see HERE) and Polish Audiomatus (see HERE ). Last year another Polish company joined “the ranks” - Sosnowiec based elinsAudio. The system they proposed, Mille, proved that class D amplifiers were able to deliver true high-end performance. At the same time this case confirmed Jeff Rowland's words: if you reach for the main price, it's gonna cost you. So even when Mille system was combined into one device, Concerto, it is still not cheap. But one has to take into consideration that one gets exactly the same input and preamplifier section as offered in Mille. It is not battery powered but there is a space available that might be used for this purpose. The output section is a smaller, re-sized version of the one used in Mille. Concerto is an integrated, one-box amplifier, although with clearly separated sections that hold power supply, preamplifier section and power stage. It is able to deliver 2 x 250 W @ 4 Ω and it sports 4 linear inputs. There is no remote control – it seems that many Polish designers agree that it is simply bad for sound quality – such companies as: Audiomatus, Haiku and Linear Audio Research, and for example also Japanese Leben, seem all to agree on that. The chassis is not very big, looks really good and one can barely detect any heat coming from it. Make & finish are simply perfect. JANUSZ SENDEK | co-owner, designer IRENEUSZ CHWASTEK | co-owner, logistics WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Could you tell me why did you decide to build an integrated amplifier? ELINSAUDIO: We knew we would have to offer also and integrated amplifier from the very beginning. Simply every respected manufacturer needs to be able to offer something to people who need a relatively small amplifier with all needed functions and also relatively inexpensive (I realize how it sounds). What did you have to compromised to achieve your goal? First of all – output power. One can't simply put a 1000W amp in a small chassis together with preamplifier section and advanced power supply. But we believe that nobody really needs that much power. Mille was designed to work well with the most demanding, low efficiency and current-hungry loudspeakers. Concerto, with its 250W output, is by design an all-rounder that should work fine with most dynamic speakers and smaller Magnepans too. Which part of creating this amp proved most difficult? From designer's point of view an integrated amplifier is the biggest challenge. One has to put into one, small chassis elements that “don't like” each other, like power transformer that might interfere with input stage, or, like in this particular case of Concerto, output stage working in class D and highly sensitive preamplifier section with high gain. And let me remind you that SMPS's noise spectrum is quite wide from several kHz up to 2-3 MHz. Is there anything you could have done to arrive at even lower price point but you didn't? Obviously we did not want to degrade sound quality which is why the preamplifier section is mostly identical with the one in Mille. We even used the same resistor ladder volume control knowing that even the best pots, knowing that even the best potentiometers show differences between two channels. The ladder with 0,1% tolerance insures almost perfect balance and as a result a very good stereo effect. What is the role of the preamplifier section in audio device; why not use a passive attenuator? The answer is very simply - dynamics! Amplifiers with passive volume control are able to offer detailed, musical and sweet sound. But if you want to feel at least some effect of orchestra's tutti you need, in my opinion, an active preamplifier. In this particular case of Concerto we also tried to achieve a certain, analogue effect using preamplifier section. We used the same trick that is known from tube amps – we wanted to have mostly even harmonics in our distortion spectrum. Why did you use capacitors before output stage? OK, now I know you checked carefully topology of our amplifier :) We didn't need a double DC blocking, we just prepared Concerto for a future addition of a pre-out. When applied it will make quite a good preamplifier of this device, and after adding also batteries (amplifier is already ready for that) sound quality should be very close, if not identical, with what Mille preamplifier offers. Which resistors and capacitors you use and why? In signal's path we use tin foil SCR capacitors, as we believe that these are one of the best ones for gain stages. In PS we use Nippon-Chemicon and Panasonic from FC line, these simply represent a solid standard quality. It's good that you asked me also about resistors – these are manufactured to our specification in Cracow by a company called TELPOD and in our opinion, these are the best resistors available on the market regardless the price. We tested a lot of different resistors and these Polish ones turned out to be the best! I'd like to use this occasion to send my best regards to all HighFidelity Readers! ELINSAUDIO in „High Fidelity” YEARLY AWARD 2014: elinsAudio MILLE – linestage + power amplifier (a system), see HERE TEST: elinsAudio MILLE – linestage + power amplifier (a system), see HERE Recordings used for the test (a selection): Agitation Free, 2nd, Vertigo/Belle 101723, SHM-CD (1973/2010). Charlie Haden, The Private Collection, Naim naimcd108, 2 x CD (2007). Dominic Miller & Neil Stacey, New Dawn, Naim naimcd066, CD (2002). Ed Sheeran, X, Warner Music UK/Warner Music Japan WPCR-15730, CD (2014); George Michael, Patience, Aegean | Sony Music UK 515402 2, CD (2004). Hilary Hahn, Hilary Hahn Plays Bach, Sony Classical/Sony Music Japan Entertainment SICC 30087, "Best Classics 100 | No. 78", Blu-spec CD2 (1997/2012). Krzysztof Sadowski, Three Thousands Points, Polskie Nagrania MUZA/GAD Records GAD CD 031, “Polish Jazz vol. 47”, CD (1975/2015). Michael Jackson, Xscape, Epic 3053662, CD (2014). The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Sheriff, Atlantic Records/Warner Music Japan WPCR-25129, “Atlantic 60th”, CD (1964/2006). Yes, The Yes Album, Atlantic Records/Warner Music Japan WPCR-15903, “7 inch mini LP”, SACD/CD (1971/2014). Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] 17 000 PLN is a lot of money, even for a piece of audiophile equipment. Even more so in this case of an integrated amplifier without D/A converter, with only 4 linear inputs and without remote control. Plus it comes from a small, rather unknown Polish manufacturer. But one doesn't have to be an experienced audiophile to decide after first few minutes that an extended listening session with Concerto is a good idea. Those who already are experienced will find this experience not only pleasant but also eyeopening. This amplifier offers a similar sound as high power tube amplifiers. But one might also find some common ground with performance of some low power but high current output tube amps. As an example of the first group I would name German Octave amps, like V 80 SE integrated for example, and as a representative of the other group - Ayon's Crossfire Evolution SET power amps. At the same time there is little, if any, resemblance to what Japanese Leben, French Jadis, or Polish Ancient Audio tube amplifiers offer. The best match in terms of sound character would be, to no surprise, Jeff Rowland's integrated, Continuum SII. Concerto delivers dense, saturated, energetic performance. It delivers more powerful bass than my own reference system and it is still very well controlled and amazingly energetic. Phantom images seem large and palpable. Imaging focuses on the front of the stage. Frequency range is nicely extended – it is a rich, expressive sound that won't let any speakers to remain “cold”, “dry”, or “dull”. The sum of all these sound features focuses listener's attention on music. There is nothing that impresses/strikes us at first to become tiresome after a while. But it is this kind of performance that allows listener to quite quickly realize whether this is what he/she wants. The decision will be based on whether or not particular person likes how energetic and how “analogue” (as the gentleman from elinsAudio called it in the interview) this sound is. It reminded me my impression of listening to suspended design turntables like, for example, Linn or Avid. One of the key features of the sound is control. High output power suggests that this amp should control speakers very well but from experience I know that it is not always so and sometimes smaller (with smaller output) amplifiers work with particular speakers better than more powerful ones. Besides – power corrupts. It is easy to create an amp offering hundreds of Watts of power but it does not guaranty high quality performance. Often the more power the lesser sound quality. Fortunately not always. Talented designers manage to combine these two features. The best of them find a way to turn high power into real advantage. Probably that's why I felt like every sound coming from Concerto had something inside, something that made my blood flowing faster. Don't get me wrong – it was really subtle but it allowed even those not-so-perfect recordings to live and breathe, to communicate with a listener. A size of phantom images was impressive due to their density and their mass. There was a slight emphasis placed on the lower midrange – the key part of the range that carries most information – this was a good sort of emphasis. Treble carried a lot of energy but it was rather sweet than particularly selective. The general selectivity was pretty good, although not excellent – that's an inherent feature of this type of amplifiers. Sound was quite resolving, also in treble range but this resolution came from the depth of the sound, from many different things happening in the sound and not from a high count of details. Soudstage was large. This slight emphasis on upper bass and lower midrange helped, because phantom images were nicely defined and had a “body”. Rooms' acoustics and reverb were nicely presented. Since all instruments seemed rather big, those placed in the back of the soundstage seemed closer to the listener – everything that is further away from us seems smaller and delivers less low range sounds. In this case there is always a lot of bass, also coming from instruments in the back of the stage. During my sessions system never lacked power. This amp was capable of delivering real power, real energy to the speakers and thus it delivered a powerful bass. One thing you have to keep in mind – with this amp there will always be a lot of bass. It integrates with the rest of a range nicely but it adds “weight” to presentation. In most cases you I welcomed this effect, but in some other, like when listening to solo violin I felt like the instrument was “heavier” than usually. Summary Concerto is a really refined design that might invigorate any system. Not by making it sound brighter, not by any kind of sound coloration, but by injecting it with tones of real energy. Bass is what makes it sound different than many other amps, because there is a lot of it, it is rich and tuneful. Same goes for the other range extreme – it is quite an achievement to combine such a nice richness with a good differentiation of a treble. One thing is sure – one won't ever get bored with this amplifier. What's more – it should have no trouble driving in a quite refined way most speakers available on the market, including Magnepan, so the ones that are the real reason for elinsAudio to try to conquer the world markets. Bravo! I was prepared for that, as Mille set the bar already high: the Concerto amplifier is particularly heavy despite the fact that is not very big. And yet it weights 17 kg. What contributes mostly is a very solid, steel chassis and a large power supply. I've never before seen such a solid chassis made of bent sheets – usually solid ones are build up of thick plates bolted together. Elements for chassis are made by two companies – front comes from Italy, the rest from Poland, form Katowice to be exact. Chassis sports solid, gold-plated feet and gold-plated, small volume control and input selector's knobs. Front and rear panels Concerto looks exactly the same as the preamplifier from Mille system – there are ellipses engraved on the front that represent orbits of planets – one of this planets is represented by an amber LED, indicating that the device is on. On the back there are two pairs of gold-plated speakers posts and four pairs of RCA inputs. RCA sockets come from highly regarded CMC company. Of course there is also an IEC power inlet with mechanical on/off switch. Whenever this switch is placed on the back of the device it might be a suggestion that this unit should stay on all the time. Since it's a class D amp power consumption is very low so it shouldn't be a problem. Inside The inside of this amp will be a huge surprise to those who never looked inside one of elinsAudio products – the designer is absolutely (positively) crazy about the role of power supply. Who else would use such a huge, oversized transformer and crazy big total filtering capacity for just two transistors per channel working in a preamplifier section? – well, guys from elinsAudio do that which reminded me other “freaks” from German ASR. To power up a single circuit in preamplifier section in their Emitter II integrated that build a huge, external power supply, that could be replaced with a battery supply. And the battery was even bigger than the large integrated amplifier (more HERE). A separate power supply (with transformers secondary windings) works for input relays and soft start circuit. The main power transformer comes from a Polish manufacturer Toroidy. It is placed in a separate, shielded section, that hold also a complete, stereo output stage integrated with power supply. It is a Bang & Olufsen ICEpower 250asx2 module working in an analogue class D. The preamplifier stage with its own power supply sits on a large PCB that is bolted to an element damping vibrations. There are only two resistors per channel here (working in class A). Signal from these goes, via nice SCR capacitors to the output stage. Before signal gets to transistors it is attenuated. When creating a downsized product designer have to make some difficult decisions about which elements can be removed or replaced. In this case one thing was out of question – the resistor ladder had to stay as the classic potentiometers degrade quality of the sound significantly. So the ladder stayed, placed in a large housing with a long axis reaching front panel. Input selector based on relays sits in another, much smaller housing. Remote There is no remote control. Specifications (according to manufacturer) Power: 2 x 250W/4Ω (THD = 0,1%) Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz (+/- 0,25dB) THD+N: 0,008% (1 W) Dynamics: 112dB Damping factor: ≥ 400 Peak current output: 30A Dimensions: 450 x 115 x 405mm (W x H x D, with knobs) Weight: 17kg [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/elins/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/elins/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/elins/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

QSound is a recording/mixing process used in many radio recordings based on a processing algorithm and used to make sound appear to be in 3D whilst using only 2 speakers. Source: www.giantbomb.com, read HERE patial sound has developed mainly thanks to the cinema. The first stereophonic system was Fantasound, created by Walt Disney’s engineers to be used in Fantasia – an animated film from the year 1940. At that time, the term “stereophonic” was not synonymous with “two-channel” – sound was recorded on three tracks, based on research carried out by Graham Bell who thought that it was the optimum number of channels. With time, for practical reasons, the central channel has been given up and three-channel tapes (e.g. Miles Davis – Kind of Blue) are mixed to two channels. When we use the term “stereophonic” today, we mean: “two-channel”. With time, it was logical to increase the number of channels (and speakers, as a result). However, the boom for multi-channel systems took place much later – in the 1970s and 80s. First, these were analog (Dolby Surround) and then digital (Dolby Digital and DTS) systems. They let film-makers achieve spectacular effects – mainly in movies and then in home cinema systems. Even though some companies tried to popularize quadraphonic (four-channel) systems in audio, in the end it was in vain. It is worth noticing that audio multi-channel systems that exist today are just “on the margin” of today’s technology. When we think of “surround”, we automatically associate this term with the cinema. QSOUND However, there are ways of obtaining an illusion of surround sound with the use of two channels. In the case of headphones, binaural recordings. When it comes to speakers, one of the most interesting tools is the QSound system. It is a coding system which makes it possible to use two speakers (channels) to provide spatial sensations outside the “virtual window” created between two speakers. The system was created by the Canadian company QSound Labs founded by Larry Ryckman (CEO), Danny Lowe and John Lees, based on psychoacoustic tests carried out on a large group of listeners. The system is based on recording many monophonic tracks on an analog tape (it is one of the requirements) and processing each of them in DSP circuits, based on a program written for this purpose. The tape is finally mixed to two channels. It is a system in which the end user does not need any decoding device to obtain spatial sound – all the work is carried out by the record producer. The system was first used in Coca Cola’s Hilltop Reunion Superbowl commercial (1990) and then in the soundtrack for a popular TV series The Wonder Years. From our point of view, the use of QSound in music records is much more important – and there is plenty to talk about. The first CD recorded using the technology was Madonna’s album The Immaculate Collection (Warner Bros., 1990). A year later, the first album made from A to Z with the use of the system – Sting, The Soul Cages (A&M 75021-6405-2, 1990) – was released. So, it must be admitted that the company managed to make the right people interested in its idea. This statement is even more justified due to the fact that those two albums were followed by other ones. The QSound company’s website: www.qsound.com lists over 60 albums coded using this algorithm, pointing out the most important ones: Madonna, The Immaculate Collection (1990) Sting, The Soul Cages (1991) Europe, Prisoners in Paradise (1991) Julian Lennon, Help Yourself (1991) Paula Abdul, Spellbound (1991) Roger Waters, Amused to Death (1992) Paul McCartney, Paul is Live (1993) Sophie B. Hawkins, Whaler (1994) Pink Floyd, Pulse (1995) Rick Wright, Broken China (1996) Pink Floyd, Is There Anybody Out There? - The Wall Live (2000) Roger Waters, In The Flesh (2000) After the company had been active in the field of music for some time, it quickly signed some contracts with computer game producers and focused its attention on them. The quick development of home cinema systems, including ones that simulate multi-channel sound, has eliminated such sophisticated systems as the QSound. Just 11 years passed between the first and the last album release. If you are interested in the subject, you can find more information HERE. ROGER WATERS, AMUSED TO DEATH One of the most active artists from the list is Roger Waters – both when it comes to solo projects and working with Pink Floyd. His most interesting and well-known album is Amused to Death. Released in 1992, it was the third solo album of the bass-guitarist and vocalist of Pink Floyd. It was produced by Patrick Leonard and Waters, with the help of Nick Griffiths. The recording took place in London and the USA in The Billiard room, Olympic Studios, CTS Studios, Angel Studios, Abbey Road Studios and others. The album was recorded by Hayden Bendall, Jerry Jordan and Stephen McLaughlan, and mixed by James Guthrie. Amused to Death is a concept album which concentrates on the influence that mass media and mass culture have on people, with special focus on television (people would not dare to think at that time that its role would be taken over by the Internet). The first track on the album is The Ballad of Bill Hubbard, with a monologue of Alfred “Raz” Razzell, a veteran of WWI, talking about war-related traumatic experiences. From the very beginning, the album has belonged to the absolute canon of musical and audiophile presentations because of its excellent sound quality, but mainly thanks to amazing spatial effects that it owed to the QSound system. Listening to the dog barking at the beginning of the recording became a synonym of “initiation” and if a system presented the barking dog correctly, i.e. on the side and far behind the “window”, it was regarded to deliver “spatial” sound. It was clearly a simplification, as space is defined mainly as the location of instruments (i.e. where they are situated in relation to one another) in some acoustics, but it has been accepted that this is the most important moment on the album (in the case when it is listened to by an audiophile). The record was released as a double vinyl album and on a Compact Disc by Columbia Records – a label which is owned by Sony Music. The CD for the whole world, except for Japan, was pressed in Austria, in a Sony’s pressing plant (Columbia COL 468761 2). Therefore, people from almost every country obtained exactly the same version. It was different in Japan. As many as three versions of Amused… were released there: a classic one, an aluminum pressed CD (Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) SRCS 5913) and two gold pressed versions – one of them intended for the American market, released as part of the Sound Master series and with exactly the same cover design as the “regular” version sold in Japan. In 2005, a series of Roger Waters albums was released in Japan in an “mini LP” version, with recreated vinyl discs covers (let me remind you that the CD cover from the year 1992 featured a close-up of a small photo from the centre of the black LP album cover decorated with embossed letters). This edition of Amused… was produced using the original master. Considering the popularity of the album, it is hard to understand why its first remastered (or rather remixed and remastered) version was released as late as in 2015. REMASTER 2015 In 2013, ElusiveDisc, an American online store where I regularly buy records, offered me the opportunity to make an advance payment to buy a new version of Waters’s album. The Analogue Productions company was to be responsible for the remaster and, which is something new, for the remix (i.e. using multi-channel master tapes and not the stereophonic master). The firm, known mainly for its excellent reeditions of LP discs, also on 200g Vinyl 45 RPM, had had experience in the field, as it had already released a remaster of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Again, James Guthrie was responsible for operating an analog mixing console, while Patrick Leonard and Rogers Waters were in charge of production. Something unexpected must have occurred during the process, as we were only able to get to know the results of the cooperation as late as in August 2015. It is most probably because of the fact that, initially, only a stereophonic version was to be produced. In the end, a surround 5.1 version was also released. So, this is an unprecedented situation: a huge corporation charges a small independent company with the task of producing and releasing a vinyl version of an important album. It was double, heavy vinyl pressed in the USA in the Analogue Productions company’s pressing plants, with its master. It is available in two versions – released by Analogue Productions and Sony Music. It must be said clearly (which is, so far, confirmed by all sources), that the discs are identical in the case of both releases, as they were produced in the same pressing plant. The only differences are related to the envelope – the one in the Sony version is a bit thinner and the color of the inside is different. When it comes to digital versions, each of them is distinctly different. There have been a few (at least five) releases: a regular CD version (Sony Music | Columbia | Legacy), a CD + Blu-ray version (Sony Music | Columbia | Legacy), a Blu-spec CD2 version (Japan) (Sony Music Labels | Legacy), a Blu-spec CD2 + Blu-ray version (Japan) (Sony Music Labels | Legacy), a hybrid SACD/CD (Columbia/Legacy/Analogue Productions). The Blu-ray discs contain a stereophonic, multi-channel 24 bit, 96kHz PCM version, while the disc released by Analogue Productions features a stereophonic, multi-channel DSD version. PCM and DSD signal were coded directly from analogue tapes. Apart from these, you can also buy a DSD file. Comparing so many formats would be so hard that I gave the idea up already at the beginning and focused only on CD versions. The following ones were taken into account: the 1st European CD version 1992 (Columbia), the 1st Japanese CD version (Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), the Japanese mini LP reedition 2005 (Sony Music Direct (Japan) Inc.), the regular CD Remaster version 2015 (Sony Music | Columbia | Legacy), the Japanese Blu-spec CD2 Remaster version 2015 (Japan) (Sony Music Labels | Legacy), the hybrid SACD/CD Remaster 2015 (Columbia/Legacy/Analogue Productions). As you can see, we did not test the gold pressed version. It is available, but its price on eBay starts from 150 dollars (plus the customs duty and shipping costs). I have also seen one offer on the Polish website Allegro.pl – the CD cost over 500 PLN! Therefore, we did not test this version. Fortunately, I was able to borrow it later and I will say a few words about it at the end of the article. Having subsequently listened to all the versions, we compared the best one (in our opinion) to the first European version at the end of the meeting. After listening to each version, I asked the listeners how they would evaluate it and what they thought about it. I usually chronologically report what each person said, but this time the material was much broader and the results of our “investigation” were inconclusive. So, to make the article easy to digest, I have synthesized what the listeners said. To warm up, we listened to a few records produced using QSound – e.g. to Sting’s single All This Time (from The Soul Cages album) and to the Polish Abraxas band’s album 99 recorded and mixed by Jacek Gawłowski (!) – the same man who won the Grammy Award for “The Best Jazz Album 2014” several years later (that was Włodek Pawlik’s album and Jacek was responsible for it sound). Already during the first part of the session, it became clear that the ability to hear “real space” coded by the QSound system is determined by the very specific place where the listener is situated. The further away a listener is located from the axis between the speakers, the worse his or her perception of the spatial effect is. There were even situations in which the location of spatial effects was completely disrupted, which was pointed out by listeners sitting on the sides. Some effects, normally heard far away to the left or right side of a listener placed at the axis between the speakers were heard as located precisely in the middle of the sound stage by listeners who were sitting on the sides. The spatial effect is achieved more fully in the case a listener is located closer to the speakers than when he or she sits further away (more than distance between the loudspeakers themselves). Austria 1992 vs Japan 1992 As Rysiek B. said, “both versions came across fantastic”. The European version provided such good sound that most of the listeners did not clearly favor the Japanese one, which usually happens. As Wiktor said, the European version is nicer and more interesting, while the Japanese one is smoother, as if a little hazy. Wiciu pointed out that the latter was a little louder and had a more explicit bass range. Rysiek S. said it was more dirty. Tomek, Marcin, Bartosz and Justyna did not share these views. They said that the Austrian version was sharper and more vociferous. Bartek said that the attack in the Japanese version was smoothed (in a positive way), i.e. the version seemed more pleasant. According to Justyna and Marcin, the Japanese version was stronger and louder, which had already been noticed by Wiciu. They all pointed out stronger “presence” of the vocal (although it is the same mix, these two versions were produced in two different pressing plants). As it seems, stronger bass in the Japanese version resulted in more saturated lower midrange and a more “present” vocal. Japan 1992 vs. Japan 2005 The listeners’ opinions were also different when it came to comparing both Japanese versions (let me remind you that we are talking about the same master from the year 1992). However, everyone emphasized that the 2005 version sounds louder – so, it seems that the signal had been processed in some way before pressing. For Bartek, the changes were positive, though they were not big (significant). For him, a drawback was “a limited breadth of the sound stage”. Rysiek S. also said this version was better, but the differences were enormous for him. As he said, “the 2005 version was undoubtedly much better”. Also Wiktor definitely opted for the new version. He talked about spectacular detail, which was not tiring, though. Rysiek B. clearly said that the new version was better, saying that it was “unambiguously better”. He also mentioned better guitars – they were blander in the 1992 version, which would confirm the observations from the first comparison. Marcin did not notice any bigger differences, apart from greater loudness, neither did Wiciu. Justyna talked about very similar sound, perhaps except for bass which was a bit deeper in the new version. Japan 2005 vs. Japan 2015 (BSCD2) While the participants remained quite calm while listening to the first versions, big emotions appeared during the comparison of the original albums and their remasters. Before, the listeners got divided into two camps: those who preferred the clearer and stronger Japanese version from the year 2005 and those who valued the milder and smoother Japanese version from the year 1992. Now, there was Rysiek S. who claimed that the new Japanese Blu-spec CD2 (BSCD2) version was “dramatically bad” – the sound was “narrowed and matt”, and everything was taking place in a “tunnel” between the speakers. Wiciu said similar things. For him, the problem was, again, a worse bass range in the remaster. Tomek started his comment by saying: “The remaster must have been prepared for people who will use mp3 files and little headphones”. In his opinion, the dynamics and female vocals were the weaknesses of the version. He claimed that only Waters’s vocal was presented with a better “body”, that it was fuller and characterized by better tone and volume. Wiktor added that the remaster was “simply boring, worse as regards its tone and not transparent enough”. Bartosz and Marcin thought the opposite. For Bartosz, the BSCD2 version was “about 500 times better” – the sound was nicer and more dynamic, and the spatial elements were also more present. Marcin added that “the tone was much more elegant and smoother”, “perhaps rounded, but it showed its claws where necessary”. Justyna shared their opinion and said she thought that the sound of the BSCD2 version was nicer and more pleasant. Analog Productions (the CD layer from the hybrid SACD/CD) vs. Japan 2015 (BSCD2) The differences between the pressings (the master was the same in both cases) of Analogue Productions and Sony were significant. Summarizing, they were similar to what we had heard before while listening to the European 1992 version and the Japanese 1992 version, but it was “the other way round”. All the listeners pointed out the smoother, more pleasant sound of the AP version. At the same time, the differences in the listeners’ opinions became much stronger. Rysiek B. said: “the American version is by far better”. For him, BSCD2 sounded as if it was “played on a portable device”. Even though this is an obvious exaggeration, Rysiek B. was accompanied by Wiktor who thought that the Analogue Productions version was much more interesting as regards the tone, more balanced, very “musical” and much better when it came to stereophonics (“the dog!”). Rysiek S. said that “undoubtedly, the sound stage was much broader with the BSCD2 version”. Nevertheless, for him, just like for Wiktor, that was a step back when compared to the Japanese version from the year 2005. Bartosz spoke less ambiguously when he said that, for him, the BSCD2 sounded much better. The AP version was bland for him and “its dynamics was subdued – just like in the case of any CD layer from a hybrid disc”. Only Tomek, Justyna and Wiciu claimed that although the differences mentioned by the other listeners were audible, they were so small that there was no point taking them into account. There were much bigger differences between the original versions and their remasters. CONCLUSIONS In an interview for the “Rockline” magazine on 8th January 1993, Roger Waters said that he had not been able to fulfill all his plans concerning the production of Amused To Death. For example, he had wanted to include samples of a dialogue from Stanley Kubrick’s movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in the album, from the monologue of the dying HAL9000. Kubrick refused, claiming that it would open doors for other people to ask him a favor, which he wanted to avoid. There were people who thought that the refusal was Kubrick’s revenge, as he could not forget that Pink Floyd had not allowed him once to use music from Atom Heart Mother (1970) in the movie A Clockwork Orange (1971). We will never learn the truth – Stanley Kubrick died in 1999. Finally, Waters got what he wanted. After the director’s death, he was allowed by his inheritors to use sampled HAL’s speech in Perfect Sense, part I, during In the Flesh concert tour. The tour material was released on a disc encoded in QSound. While remixing Amused To Death, Waters fulfilled his dream and added HAL’s words to the existing material. The so-called “remaster 2015” is not exactly the same CD that was released in 1992. Some of its parts have been changed by bringing forth or withdrawing instruments, voices and effects, and by adding something new here and there. Therefore, the comparison of the 1992 version with the new one was not only related to sound quality, but also referred to different artistic visions. I think that this was the difference between the listeners – some of them clearly preferred the old version and others liked the new one more. However, the differences in sound cannot be ignored. Having completed the listening session, I asked the listeners to rank the versions. Almost everyone (except for Wiktor) placed the European Remaster 2015 on the last position. Below you will see the ranking provided by each participant after some reflection. First, I would like to summarize the differences briefly. The European 1992 version was really good. The Japanese 1992 version was smoother, fuller and I liked it more. The gold plated 1992 version is even better in these respects and it is the best release for me. It is closely followed by the Japanese Remaster 2015 (the Blu-spec CD2 version). What they have in common is smoothness, fluidity, fullness and high internal complexity of the musical message. All the remaining versions, especially the one of the year 2005, seem to be too vociferous for me, while the very good AP version appears to be too subdued. However, some of the listeners did not share these views. While talking to one another, we came to the conclusion that we all hear exactly the same things, but we assess them in different ways. What was an advantage for one person, constituted a drawback for another listener and vice versa. So, the meeting ended with no definite conclusion – this time you will have to carry out the whole process yourselves. I only sincerely hope that our observations will help you make the choice. This is how the participants in the meeting voted: Rysiek B. and Wiktor 1. The Japanese 2005 version 2. Analogue Productions, remaster 2015 3. The European 1992 version 4. The Japanese 1992 version 5. BSCD2, remaster 2015 6. The European remaster 2015 Wiciu 1. The Japanese 1992 version 2. The Japanese 2005 version 3. Analogue Productions, remaster 2015 Rysiek S. 1. The Japanese 2005 version 2. The European 1992 version 3. Analogue Productions, remaster 2015 4. The Japanese 1992 version 5. BSCD2, remaster 2015 6. The European remaster 2015 Justyna 1. BSCD2, remaster 2015 2. The Japanese 2005 version Tomek 1. The Japanese 1992 version 2. The European 1992 version 3. The Japanese 2005 version 4. BSCD2, remaster 2015 5. Analogue Productions, remaster 2015 6. The European remaster 2015 Bartek and Marcin 1. BSCD2, remaster 2015 2. The Japanese 2005 version 3. The Japanese 1992 version 4. The European 1992 version 5. Analogue Productions, remaster 2015 6. The European remaster 2015 SYSTEM USED DURING THE LISTENING SESSION Compact Disc transport: Ayon Audio CD-T Preamplifier/DAC: Ayon Audio STRATOS Power amplifier: Accuphase A-70, test HERE, also read HERE Speakers: Dynaudio C4 Signature Speaker cables: Acrolink 7N-S8000 ANNIVERSARIO Interconnects: Acrolink 7N-DA2090 SPECIALE, test HERE Power strip: Oyaide MTS-4e, test HERE [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/kts98/th/14.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/kts98/14.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/kts98/14.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

ecently I read something that confirmed what I long suspected, that Japanese companies have something that we, so called Western people have lost somewhere on the way. Researches checked over 2 million firms and brands to choose 20 000 oldest ones, still active today that also operate longer than 100 years. The results were quite surprising – over 3000 of them, existing for more than 200 years came from Japan, over 800 from Germany, more than 200 from Holland and almost 200 from France. Almost 900 companies operating for more than 100 years employed less than 300 people. Why Japan? As it reads on „BrandTransactions” blog, there are 7 firms in Japan older than 1000 years. One can find also a list there of the oldest firms, see below, and 6 of the first 11 firms is also from Japan: established 705, Keiunkan, Japan, hotel established 717, Hoshi, Japan, hotel established 717, Koman, Japan, hotel established 771, Genda Shigyo, Japan, paper bags established 803, St. Peter, Austria, restaurant established 885, Tanaka-Iga, Japan, religious objects an souvenirs established 886, Royal Mint, Great Britain, mint established 970, Nakamura Shaji, Japan, building contractor established 1000, Goulaine, France, winery established 1000, Marinelli, Italy, foundry established 1009, Sakan, Japan, hotel Jan Astner, Najstarsze marki i firmy świata, „BrandTransactions”, Apr. 2nd. 2011, [as per: Sept. 03rd 2015]. Looking for a reason for some many oldest businesses coming from Japan one interpretation seems particularly interesting – most of these long existing companies have always run by families. In Japan even many big concerns, like Honda for example, still operate this way. Only when there is no suitable successor in current CEO's family someone from outside family can be selected. But even than such a person is not just a manager hired to do a job, but rather a new member of family, so to speak, who plans to stay in the company for a long time. There are such old (although not that old) family businesses also in audio industry. One of them, soon to become 60 years old, is the British SME Limited. It was founded in 1959, when Alastair Robertson-Aikman (1924-2006) designed a first tonearm. A commercial product based on this first design, model 3009, was released in September, later the same year. Initially due to manual assembly process only 25 pieces a week were produced. But this tonearm in Mk.1 and Mk.2 iterations was made until the beginning of present century and thus it reached a staggering total number of over a million sold units! After Alaistar's passing (on Nov 3rd 2006) his son, Cameron, took company over which means that SME has been under one family management throughout its whole history. And nothing indicates that it could change any time soon. As many manufacturers of this kind, SME's portfolio includes only few products – tonearms and turntables – that rarely undergo any changes. So when it finally comes to introducing a new product it is a big deal. Beginning of 2015 SME released such a new product - a turntable called Model 15. It is positioned between Model 10 and Model 20/3 in company's offer. Model 15 is described by a manufacturer as „ultimate in recovery vehicles”, and it seeks to emulate the excellence of Model 20/3 and 30/2 in a more compact body. The model 15 sub-chassis is suspended on thirty purpose molded 'O' rings and pillars, that SME's well deserved reputation is based on. The aluminum, damped platter (4,6 kg) together with sub-chassis weight 18,5 kg. It uses a BrushLess Direct-Current motor with an electronic motor controller that uses a high performance microprocessor. It allows playback of 33,33, 45 and 78 RPM records. The SME 309 SPD (228, 6 mm | 9”) tonearm seems a natural partner for Model 15, but one could use also 9 and 10 inch arms from other manufacturers. We received this deck partnered with 309 for a review. I must say that this is a very attractive design – it is still quite compact but looking at it one can simply feel that this is a real SOMETHING. The deck (without tonearm) is called simply Model 15 and it costs 31 990 PLN, and a deck with SME 309 arm is called Model 15/A and the price tag says: 40 790 PLN. SME was delivered for test together with 309 tonearm and Shelter 5000 cartridge, but I also tried it out with Miyajima Laboratory Madake and Zero. I used three different phonostages: RCM Audio Sensor Prelude IC and Sensor 2, and also with Amare Musica Diamond ASPIRIAA. Both turntable and phonostages were placed on Acoustic Revive RAF-48H platform and Franc Audio Accessories Classic feet on my Finite Elemente Pagode Edition rack. Signal from arm to phonostage was delivered via SME cable. As my reference I used for this test Acoustic Signature Thunder with three motors (review for „EnjoyTheMusic.com”) and Transrotor Zet 3 Infinity (two motors, TMD bearing and rack). SME in „High Fidelity” REVIEW: SME MODEL 20/3A + Dynavector DRT XV-1s + Vitus Audio SP-102 (SYSTEM) - turntable + cartridge + preamplifier, see HERE REVIEW: SME MODEL 10A – turntable, see HERE (Polish) Records used for test (a selection): Bach To Moog, Music on Vinyl | Sony Classical MOVCL019, 180 g LP (2015). Bill Evans, Selections from Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top Of The Gate, Resonance Records HLT-8012, “Limited Edition #270”, Blue Vax 10” LP (2012). Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, Warner Bros./Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL-2-441, “Special Limited Edition No 3000”, 2 x 180 g, 45 RPM LP (1985/2014). Frank Sinatra, The Voice, Columbia/Classic Records CL 743, “50th Anniversary”, Quiex SV-P, 180 g LP (1955/2005). Jean-Michel Jarre & Tangerine Dream, Zero Gravity, The Vinyl Factory VF184, 45 RMP, 180 g LP (2015). Julie London, Julie is Her Name. Volume Two, Liberty/Analogue Productions APP 7100, 180 g LP (1958/2014). Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio, Midnight Sugar, Three Blind Mice/Cisco TBM-23-45, “Twenty-Fift Anniversary Limited Edition, No. 0080/1000”, 45 RPM, 2 x 180 g LP (1974/2004). Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] If one tried to attribute a type of personality to a brand, for SME, for their approach to their products and their sound philosophy one should use a word: professionalism. Słownik języka polskiego issued by Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN (Warszawa 2007) defines “professionalism” as „somebody's high skills and high quality of job done by this person”, it also adds that “this word is usually used to express appreciation”. Something that is professional “is made by people highly skilled at what they do”. So when used to describe an audio brand it would mean a well thought-through design, with properly balanced proportions, with careful selection of acceptable compromises. The final effect must be in accordance with designers ideas, must be exactly as it was supposed to be. Manufacturer takes a full responsibility for it and it is ready to back the choices they made with some serious arguments. But one should not forget about other meaning of this word – professional means also detached; one can't be professional and emotionally involved at the same time. To really perfect something one has to be able to keep some distance from it to assess it properly. SME Model 15 with 309 tonearm fulfills all requirements of any meaning of the word: “professional”. It is a turntable that is able to balance emotional involvement and some detachment. It was surely more difficult to achieve the latter because when creating products with limited budget, and Model 15 belongs to this kind – it is not easy to achieve resolving sound and good differentiation without using means like: an emphasis in upper midrange and in the attack phase. When one wants to avoid the latter one should let it go and focus efforts on achieving good resolution and focus. But in this particular case SME engineers didn't completely let go – they found some compromise here. Model 15 does not sound bright nor dry. Sound is rich and bass presentation is good. Sound is also nicely differentiated. Whenever recording includes a powerful, well defined bass, like on Jarre and Tangerine Dream maxi-single, it is presented just as intended. One will not just hear it but also feel its power. On the other hand when bass has natural timbre and dynamics, like double bass on Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio's album, this turntable shall never make the bass sound “harder” than it is, it might actually even make it sound “softer” at the very bottom end. One can always count on a lively, agile, dynamic low range, as opposed to what most mass-loaders offer which is particularly taut bass without real fire in it. Both range extremes seem slightly rolled-off. They are extended, one can hear lowest and highest notes, but the further up and down the range the lesser focus and imaging. This way of presentation is somehow similar to that of turntables that excel in sound richness at the cost of differentiation, but SME does that in a more balanced way, taking no shortcuts. I could easily hear everything I just described but it never bothered me, never spoiled the pleasure of listening to the music. The soundstage is created in front of the listener, between speakers. Within this “window” everything is presented in a particularly orderly, clean, well defined way. It's not only about exact placement of each instrument on the stage, but also about well differentiated timbre of each of them. The latter is particularly important for this type of presentation. This slightly detached performance is compensated or complemented with a particularly good timbre differentiation. And this creates impression of a very rich presentation. The soundstage is quite deep, but it doesn't excel. It can also move closer to listener, even surround him – that's what happens on Jarre’s maxi-single, or the new re-issue of Roger Waters' Amused to Death. I can hardly imagine someone who wouldn't be fully satisfied here. The advantages of more expensive turntables are not that easy to point out. It's like the difference between Air Force One and Air Force Two both made by TechDAS. On one hand difference is obvious, on the other it is really hard to describe it, one has to think really hard before spilling it out. And even than the description might be still ambiguous. The same goes for this SME. Without going into details one might just say that what it offers is a high quality performance, a very “honest” one. Spending more money will give us a richer sound, better definition in both range extremes and deeper soundstage. Soundstage will be also even more precise and there might be less noise from record's groove. There will be some gain in sound volume, and one will enjoy even better impression of instruments texture. Summary This turntable is both – precise and full of passion. It has its limitations but it manages to overcome them so that they don't spoil the pleasure of listening to the music. It offers a well differentiated, colorful, dynamic, particularly vivid sound. SME is able to offer a nice, interesting sound even when playing less-than-perfect records like, for example, digitally recorded Brothers in Arms, or Julie London album recorded using solid-state equipment in 1958. The shortcomings of such recordings are perceived as a certain flavor, a curiosity and not a flaw as such. It is one of the products that will be offered for years and won't need any improvements. It will also set a bar, pretty high, for many other manufacturers who will treat it as a reference. Model 15 is a suspended design but with relatively heavy sub-chassis and platter (4,6kg) – together they weight 11kg. Whole deck weights 18,5kg. Its shape seems to be a combination of those of Model 10 and Model 20/3. It seems that designers decided to reject all unnecessary elements. What was left was almost round shape with diameter only slightly bigger than platter's. Plus there were these three pillars with 30 O-rings used to suspend sub-chassis. To prevent horizontal movement an additional O-ring was used under chassis that pulls it in the opposite direction than the belt. Model 15 sports a substantial clamp with a shape that shadows a shape of the whole deck which makes it very comfortable to use. The pillars and motor are mounted on the chassis. Turntable is driven by a 3-phase, brushless outrunner inductance motor with 8-pole Neodymium magnets and 3 integrated Hall position sensors. The electronic motor controller uses a high performance microprocessor, optimized for motor control. The controller looks really nice and it is easy to operate. Small buttons are used to turn on and off selected speed - 33,3, 45 or 78 RPM. Belt drives a sub-platter and the main platter is placed over it. SME uses a wide, flat belt. Motor sits under the platter so it is not visible. Platter is extensionally damped, the top surface being diamond-turned with a fine scroll. This method of finishing upsets a myriad of tiny fibers which interface with the underside of the record. A perfectly executed design. [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1510/sme/th/14.jpg" big="foto_testy/1510/sme/14.jpg" src="foto_testy/1510/sme/14.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

ars & Ivan was established in October 2000 and its first product was a tube amplifier – the Art Phone. In 2003, Lars & Ivan showed their first series of tastefully designed speakers at the IFA trade fair in Berlin. Coherent, good design is one of the most important features that distinguish the company from other manufacturers and this pertains to the logotype, packaging, as well as to devices themselves. Of course, sound is also important – in 2007 the company was given “The Best Desktop Speakers” award by “What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision” magazine. I met people from Lars & Ivan during the High End show 2014 in Munich. Then, my attention was attracted by the beautifully looking headphone amplifier THA-21. We arranged to conduct its test (but we agreed to wait until it went on sale). In the meantime, I asked the company representatives to send me a small tube headphone amplifier designed to be used with portable devices, mainly (though not only) with Apple products. The THA-8 model was sent to me from Hong Kong, as the company is based there. Soon afterwards, Mr Steve Harris from the AudioPlus company contacted me. He supports Focal France in the area of contacts with specialist press. Not knowing that the THA-8 has just been sent to me, he suggested testing in-ear Focal headphones called the Sphear. There are no coincidences, so I accepted the offer with pleasure. It was because I thought that I would see how the two similarly priced products work together. My curiosity was even greater due to the fact that there is something unique about both these devices – vacuum tubes are used in the amplifier and the headphone membrane is loaded with bass-reflex. The Sphear is a special product for Focal. Mr Simon Matthews, the company’s Group Director of Design, says: “the Sphear attempts to distil all that we hold important into the smallest product we have ever made at Focal.” The company has assumed that sound quality and user comfort are equally important and should not “compete” with each other. The headphone drivers have a dynamic design, but with a miniature bass-reflex system. The element that comes into contact with the ear canal is specially profiled and made of memory foam. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Lars & Ivan THA-8 The Lars & Ivan amplifier is quite large for a portable device. It is difficult to talk about “mobility” in its case – it is a travel amplifier rather than a mobile one – i.e. you can take it with you on a plane or train, or use it in a hotel. While on the move, you will be irritated by its size and weight. The device is packed in a very elegant nice box made of black cardboard. The company logo drawn with transparent lacquer is located on the top of the box. Inside the box, we find the following elements: • a user’s manual, • two mini-jack/mini-jack (four-ring) cables – a short and a long one, • a USB/micro-USB adapter • two pairs of transparent silicone bands, • a black semi-transparent amplifier case, similar to smartphone cases. Everything is nice and neat – apparently, it has been designed by someone who had given it a lot of thought. The amplifier is excellently made of aluminium components with a small aluminium volume knob coupled with the power switch. A miniature green LED turns on when the amplifier is switched on. There are mini-jack sockets on both sides of the LED – a line and a headphone input. Another line input is located at the bottom of the device – it is a so-called “pass through”, i.e. an input parallel to the first one. The only active input is the one to which we connect the plug and there is no switch that would allow us to choose between the inputs. At the bottom there is also a charging port – fortunately, it is a micro-USB port, so we can use a smartphone charger, for example. The electronic circuit is mounted on one board. Amplification is achieved in two miniature vacuum tubes operating as the input buffer and in MUSES8820 integrated circuit in the output stage. Volume is controlled using a (miniature) Alps potentiometer with four terminals. Four-ring inputs and outputs are used. So, apparently, the designer’s intention was for the amplifier not to interrupt controlling the smartphone using headphones when the two devices work together. A lithium-ion battery is used in the amp. After charging, it can operate for 16-18 hours. The amplifier operated flawlessly during the whole test. It is worth stressing that it makes some noise, which is typical for vacuum tubes. When longer connectors were used, feedback sometimes occurred on high frequencies – i.e. very quiet, subtle, high-frequency hum could be heard. Short cables made it possible to get rid of it. Focal SPHEAR The headphones are delivered in a small nice box. While opening it, we instantly know that we will find a premium product inside, although the price does not indicate that. The type of materials used and the arrangement of different elements have been properly selected and well thought out. The box contains the headphones, a tiny case to hold them, three pairs of silicone tips, as well as three pairs of replaceable memory foam tips of different sizes. These are dynamic headphones loaded with a bass-reflex system. They look very nice thanks to a combination of black high-gloss lacquer and steel finishing elements. A microphone to use while talking on a smartphone is located in a tiny cylinder, while smartphone player control is located in a round element in which the left and the right headphone cable come together. It is a simple and very convenient solution, which I have checked myself. The Sphear headphones are very nicely made and solid. The main housing is made of rigid durable plastic which forms a tunnel to be put in the ear, while the bass-reflex system is located in a chamber at the back. Like in speakers, the rear part of the membrane in Sphear is used to boost bass. The manufacturer informs us directly that the “bass level in Sphear has been slightly increased for mobile use in noisy environments.” At the back, the headphone is enclosed using a stainless steel ring and grille for increased robustness. The large-diameter driver (10.8 mm) has an irregular shape and reinforced edges – it is a coil vapour-deposited onto a Mylar membrane. The workmanship, packaging and accessories are all excellent here. SOUND The L&I amplifier and Focal headphones worked together very well. Each allowed the other one to fully demonstrate its strengths, without emphasizing its weaknesses (every product has some, no matter what its price is). The amplifier is characterized by saturated sound which is best shown in the midrange. However, this is not a “warm” amp, but, let me repeat myself, a saturated one. Lars & Ivan THA-8 When compared to the Samsung Core smartphone headset jack, the change was enormous. I carried out a large part of the listening tests during the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition http://chopincompetition2015.com/?lang=en, i.e. using super-demanding material. I most often listened to digital Internet radio through a Polish Radio application and, I must admit, the sound was really nice. THA-8 made sound “break free” from the headphones and helped achieve much better sound spaciousness. In the case of AKG Y50 headphones the change was also noticeable, although the Focal headphones sound better and all the changes could be heard more clearly with them. The amplifier very nicely guides the bass, although it does not go low and softly ends near 50 – 60 Hz. The lowest piano, double bass, bass guitar or electronic sounds are present mainly thanks to their higher harmonics. However, as the midrange sounds smooth, nice and pleasant here, the tone did not rise and the musical message was not shaded (thinned). Also heavier sound, such as from Maroon 5 V album and Opeth Pale Communion was simply good – meaty, dense and exquisite enough to stop me from thinking “what would it be like if…” and looking for another system. I think that this is largely due to well-matched tone. Without brightening or pumping up the bass, the amp produces coherent and dense sound. I recommend it to anyone who does not mind its considerable size and wants to have a tube in their signal path – it really works! Focal SPHEAR The amp performed very well and the Sphear headphones had a significant contribution to the overall effect. Although I used different headphones during the listening tests, including very expensive ones, it was this small system that was best balanced and it gave me the most pleasure. It is because the little French headphones are characterized by well-differentiated saturated sound in which a slight emphasis on the lower midrange does not destroy anything. On the contrary, it contributes to the overall good impression due to building large phantom images, large volume and a large musical message. This is useful both in the case of Oxygene by Jarre, available in the form of a 24-bit file, and Grau im Licht – the latest Diary of Dreams’ album which I obtained in the form of 16-bit WAV files. The Sphear headphones are so sophisticated that changing to 24/192 files instantly resulted in brightness, better dynamics and more space. I must say that most of the albums that I listened to in this way were jazz and classical music albums (e.g. Linn Records). Although rock and pop also benefit from the inoffensive but open sound of the headphones, the more demanding music genres allow the device to realize its full potential. A comparison with large headphones instantly shows that the Focal headphones produce lighter sound without low bass and that they have averaged dynamics. However, when I used the best in-ear headphones that I know (ones representing the most expensive products in their category – sold at the price of 1000 USD!), i.e. AKG K 3003i Aluminium, everything became balanced again. That is right, AKG headphones were better at everything, mainly at showing the colours of music and bass, but it did not bother me so much while I used the Sphear. Even without comparing their price, I could say that even though the French headphones are a little bit worse, the difference is not big enough to make anyone buy AKG instantly. What is more, after adding the difference in price to the equation, it is hard not to get the impression that the French headphones are sold for a half of the price. These are excellent, inexpensive, perfectly made headphones, additionally equipped with well-profiled tips, thanks to which they fit the ear very well. I recommend them with all my heart! Well-deserved RED Fingerprint Technical specifications (according to the manufacturer)) Lars & Ivan THA-8 Output power: 180 mW/16 Ω | 22 mW/300 Recommended headphone impedance: 16 Ω – 300 Ω Total harmonic distortion + noise (THD+N):

hen in January this year I received an email from Mr Hari Strukelj of Natural Sound asking if I was willing to review one of Audio Tekne's products I had no idea whether this would be a one time gig or maybe I would be given a chance for more encounters with products by this Japanese brand, that had made so much fuss during last two editions of Warsaw Audio Show. Even the first test turned out to be a chance for me to experience two, „entry” level devices: TEA 2000 phonostage and TFM 2000 amplifier (see HERE). Despite the fact that these were two least expensive products both were absolutely remarkable – TEA 2000 until this day was the best phonostage I had a chance to listen to (and that's not only my opinion, as there were more people who had a chance to audition it). The amplifier, although a push-pull design (as many Readers know I am a huge fan of SET amps), although using a completely unknown to me triode 6AS7G, also offered an astounding performance. To be honest I love this sort of reviews – I receive some very special product for a review, plug it in and then... I don't want to turn it off. I don't need to eat, to sleep, I live feeding from music delivered by such audio device until... until the very sad day comes, when I have to give/send it back. And in this particular case both devices spent quite a long time with me so giving them back was even more painful. Fortunately for me, and any other brand fans, its distributor, Natural Sound saw a great potential in Polish market and decided to stay here for good. That gave me a chance to ask for some other AT products for next review and here we go. To be honest (again :) ) I hope this is still not the last one... It so happens in AudioTekne range (but is also true for other high-end products) that the better (more expensive) device the bigger its weight. My and Jacek's backs can attest to that! We had to bring the whole set and than carry it from a car up to my 4th floor apartment. What did I get this time? Well, this time I got devices closer to the top of the line (one of them actually is top of the line). TFA 9501 TFA 9501 is Mr Imai's top of the line preamplifier (and the heaviest device in this test – 55 kg out of the box!). Why is it so heavy? One of the reasons is a build-in power supply for... the top of the line mono phonostage, TEA 9501. In other words – if you want to buy the latter you don't have a choice – TFA 9501 is also a must. But of course one can buy preamplifier without phonostage. Solution used for volume control in this preamplifier is quite interesting. The TFM 2000 amplifier, I previously reviewed, sport stepped attenuator that made setting a required level precisely quite difficult. For this preamplifier Mr Imai also used attenuators (and not classic pots) but yes, two of them – a „classic” one for output signal, but it is the second one that makes it interesting because it allows user to adjust input signal from a source. This solution was chosen by Mr Imai for its sonic advantages. It might not be the most convenient volume control I know, but it is quite precise so setting a required volume level isn't a problem anymore. I can assure you that unless you change volume every 5 minutes you shall get used to this system quickly, although it is true that if you need to „mute” system quickly using source selector will do job faster. Tubes Mr Imai uses two types of power tubes for his amplifiers – the above mentioned 6AS7G, or the legendary 300B. He prefers the former and uses also the latter only because his customers expected him to. The mono amps that came for test this time use two 300B per channel, of course in push-pull configuration. ‘Of course’, because that's the only solution our designer utilizes in his amps. Interestingly, despite high price of these devices one won't find any expensive, NOS triodes delivered along. No Western Electric, no other „legendary” brands. What one gets are Russian Electro-Harmonix valves. It's not about price of such tubes, or their availability. Mr Imai simply does not recognize their special value. What really matters, what makes AT amplifiers sound so good are SuperPermalloy transformers, and to some, much lesser extent, also Carbon elements that damp vibrations. Tubes, as Mr Imai concluded after his experiments, do not influence sound quality significantly, especially over extended period of time. According to him best NOS tubes might at the beginning sound better than regular tubes from current production, but after some, short time, this difference is gone. Therefore there is no use to invest money in usually super-expensive NOS valves. Usually I don't agree but this test proved me wrong as you will later read. As I own only 2 WE tubes I couldn't really call Mr Imai on his claim. So I did the only thing I could – I accepted Mr Imai's claim as a fact and decided to only assess his claim by what I was about to hear. Also logic told me that Mr Imai knew what he was talking about. Let's be frank – selling his products at prices that he does, the designer could just easily add 5-10% more to the price tag and offer some super-tubes if this could give him an advantage over competitors. Also I am pretty sure he would do it if he believed that it would be sonically beneficial. Spoiler alert! TM 8801 speak for themselves proving that even inexpensive 300B tubes are able to deliver mesmerizing performance. One more interesting thing about this mono amplifiers – they weight „only” 28 kg each – not so much comparing with the other two devices in this test. TEA 8695 The last piece of this puzzle is a phonostage – the mid-level model TEA 8695 (that weights „only” 43,5 kg). Like other AT phonostages it works only with MC cartridges. The only adjustment available for user is a gain switch that allows one to lower it by 10 dB. There are two inputs for low and high impedance pickups and two analogue outputs (RCA and XLR + a small output selector. All these devices look more or less the same – Mr Imai consequently uses the same appearance for all his creations – of course one might like it or not. As for me – at the beginning I wasn't trilled with this kind of vintage appeal, but the more time I spent with AT products the more they grew on me. I needed some time to fully accept this aesthetics but as for the sound – I've been in love since the very first session with the first AT product. I could understand those who wouldn't want to put something looking like that in their living room but I wouldn't mind, I wouldn't mind at all! One more interesting finding common to all these three devices (four if you count two power amps) – each of them sports not only RCA inputs but also XLR ones (preamplifier offers also and XLR output). I had to ask Hari about it and he told me that these were not truly balanced designs but they were equipped with XLR connectors for users' convenience. It took us a lot of time and effort to bring all these devices to my room and unpack them. After some rest I had to figure out where to place all items as at this time I still had Robert Koda system in my room together with Cessaro Chopin speakers. Finally I decided to use first the phonostage with Koda system, later to listen to full AT setup and finally to try to compare these two remarkable systems. AUDIO TEKNE in “High Fidelity” TEST: Audio Tekne TFM 2000 + TEA 2000 – integrated amplifier + phonostage, see HERE Recordings used for this test (a selection): AC/DC, Highway to hell, EMI SVLP 325, LP. Arne Domnerus, Jazz at the Pawnshop, Proprius ATR 003, LP. Cannonball Adderly, Somethin' else, Classic Records BST 1595-45, LP. Dead Can Dance, Spiritchaser, 4AD/Mobile Fidelity MOFI 2-002, LP. Dżem, Detox, DZEM SC 001/91, LP. Georges Bizet, Carmen, RCA Red Seal SPA 25 064-R/1-3, LP. John Williams, Star Wars, 20th Century Records STEC 264/65, LP. Keith Jarrett, The Koeln Concert, ECM 1064/65 ST, LP. Lou Donaldson, LD+3, Blue Note MMBST-84012, LP. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia CS 8163, LP. Milt Jackson Ray Brown, It don't mean a thing if you can't tap your foot to it, Pablo Records 2310-909, LP. Mozart, Cosi Fan Tutte, dyr. Teodor Currentzis, MusicAeterna Orchestra, Sony Classical B00O1AZGD6, LP. Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones, Live At The Checkerboard Lounge. Chicago 1981, Eagle Rock Entertainment B0085KGHI6, LP. Patricia Barber, Companion, Premonition/Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-45003, 180 g LP. Pink Floyd, The Endless River, Parlophone Records 825646215478, LP. Vivaldi, Le Quatro Stagioni, Divox/Cisco CLP7057, LP. Japanese CD editions are available from [REKLAMA5] Listening to Koda system with AT phonostage already gave me a taste of what to expect. Replacing my phonostage (ESE Labs Nibiru) with TEA 8695 resulted in a shock, that I already mentioned in my Koda review. Sure, the price difference between these two is gigantic, so the so much more expensive phonostage should easily outperform the cheaper one, but considering the fact that all other elements of the analogue front end (deck+arm+cartridge) remained exactly the same and they should have been a bottleneck preventing AT from presenting its top performance, its absolute supremacy did come as a shock. The next step – moving to listening to a full AudioTekne setup still with Cessaro Chopin speakers and Jorma cables did not bring that kind of shock anymore – it simply couldn't have as both these systems delivered top-high-end, although different in character, performance. But there was quite a surprise when I heard what Mr Imai did with the sound of 300B valves. I guess at least some of you had a chance to listen to at least one amp build around this triode. Most of such amps offer absolutely captivating midrange but both range extremes seem slightly rolled off. Monoblocks of Italian manufacturer Tektron proved already before that what really decides about final sound is the design rather than tubes themselves. TM 8801 is another prove of this claim. Star Wars In terms of dynamics and bass tightness AudioTekne amps equalled Koda's performance, although the latter offered slightly better bass extension and bit more slam. For whatever reason, or maybe I know the reason – the upcoming premiere of The Force Awakens, the first album that landed on Mr Sikora's Basic turntable was a... Star Wars soundtrack. Some years ago I bought from Allegro or eBay some French issue of this album, that I always thought to be not bad, but surely not a particularly good one (assuming that there is any available? I don't know but I heard rumor about upcoming new box edition – I need to talk to Santa about it...). The Audio Tekne system played this record in a way that reminded me robustness and dynamics of a high quality cinema sound system with one important difference – I was the one who decided about volume level. Yup, I played loud but not as loud a they do in cinemas where usually I can't even hear my own thoughts. Obviously it was also much more refined presentation. I felt shivers going down my spine when I heard The Main theme and later also The Imperial March. The Japanese setup delivered amazingly dynamic, clean, unrestricted performance, refined and coherent too. I also liked bass a lot – powerful, rich, well defined – maybe Koda had a slight advantage here, but still what AT had to offer was simply remarkable. Such a lower end combined with open, airy, amazingly vibrant treble clearly contradicted a common opinion of what 300B tubes had to offer. It seemed that Mr Imai might have listened to his customers and used 300B triodes but he had also done everything in his power to achieve performance „compatible” with his sound philosophy. I really wish I could write something like: „I didn't like it”, or „it's not how 300B is supposed to sound like”. I wish I could but I can't. I liked it. Hell! I loved what I heard! As a result this particular album (that before I'd played maybe a year ago or so) was played during this test almost every day and each time it gave me goos bumps and each time I discovered some new details unknown to me up to this moment. And all that with a recording that I had thought to be mediocre at best. Milt Jackson & Ray Brown The next album I retrieved from some dark corner was one by Milt Jackson and Ray Brown and again it wasn't some super-duper audiophile edition as it came from Pablo Records. I had not listened to this record when I reviewed the less expensive AT phonostage and after a short while I already wished I had! I didn't think I'd ever heard such an amazingly vibrant, lively Milt Jackson's vibes. I could feel as each sound made my ear drum (and most of the bones in my body) vibrate. It was this type of vibrancy that almost hurt, 'almost” being a key word here, as it meant it sounded, to my delight, very live-like, very real. I think that even someone who had never heard a vibe before would have known why this instrument was called “vibes”. And those who had heard it live would have known that AudioTekne delivered vibes performance in the most „right” way – not playing some smooth, round, gentle sounds but rather balancing on the rough/sharp side of things, and surely also remarkably vibrant - just like AT setup delivered it. Did I already mention that this was exactly how this AT system sounded like? Yeah, I did. As for Ray Brown's double bass... well – Ray was Ray, even if he just played backup for other great musician. Outstanding selectivity of this system allowed me to follow the play of my favorite bassist at any moment of my choosing – whether he lead or just played in the background. This punctual, tight when needed, rich and tuneful bass totally mesmerized me. Sound was full, meaning with strings and wood conveyed in proper proportions, with fast attack and nice, long sustain – I just could stop listening to Maestro. Jazz at the Pawnshop After listening to this album, the next one in line was obvious to me - Jazz at the Pawnshop. I needed to find out whether Lars Erstrand's vibes would sound as convincing as Milt's. Hell yes, it did! Plus there was this extra something that this one of the best ever recorded jazz concerts provided each time (on high quality systems). 300B properly implemented in SET configurations always create amazingly realistic, convincing soundstage especially when playing live music captured in some real locations and not in studio. And there is this thing – ambiance that one can feel around when participating in live concert, the emotions that such an experience involves. I expected Mr Imai's system in this respect to fall, not far but still, a bit behind best SETs I knew but... even though I tried I couldn't really point out any weaknesses of this presentation. It felt like AudioTekne achieved this level of realism effortlessly, like it was the most natural thing in the world and this presentation wasn't in anyway worse than what best SET amps had to offer. I took maybe 10 seconds for me to completely immerse myself in Arne Domnerus band's music. There was no room for sound or recording quality analyses, for any comparisons and so on. There was only the music and the musicians who had such a fabulous time playing this concert just few meters away from me. I could “see” each of them, I could “feel” each instrument's body – that was a result of great selectivity AT delivered (combined with great recording obviously). I could see them all on this not so big stage, sometimes I even moved in my chair as if I wanted to “look” closer to some instrument hiding behind other one. I did that involuntarily as I forgot that I was still in my room. The presentation was amazingly coherent, well balanced and particularly expressive. Just few amplifiers/system I know were able to involve me in presentation they created in front of me in such a convincing way, or rather transfer me straight to the concert hall. This offered opportunity of something more than just listening to the music – it was about experiencing it and all the emotions it involved. I had so much fan that I could compare it only to the best live experiences. I had to re-play this album again to even try to analyze what I heard. Vibes sounded fantastic, there was even more air around it and the decay was very natural. An ambiance of a concert was perfectly conveyed, holography of the presentation was remarkable. And all that despite the fact that it wasn't SET producing this sound, that the sound wasn't what „normally” 300B offered. It was different – more powerful, less round, there was no warmth that SET usually added to the sound, and yet it was equally involving, equally convincing and as enjoyable as the best SET amp I knew. This last element is very important factor for me – I listen to the music several hours everyday, so I simply need an enjoyable, listener-friendly sound, otherwise I get tired already after short time and can't do my job. Audio Tekne offers more „audiophile” sound, I mean it is more „high fidelity” one than most SET amps and yet, despite spending with this system even close to 16 hours a day I felt energized, happy and not worn out. This is very neutral presentation and yet also amazingly natural – these two features extremely rarely come together and when they do the result is simply astonishing! Rock’n’roll! When it came to listening to high quality recordings one of the things that attracted my attention were percussion cymbals. Perhaps those who read my previous review of AudioTekne set remember, that at first I thought it sounded rather dark. This time, despite very rich and powerful bass and midrange I didn't think even for a second that it sounded dark. Why? I think, because of this outstanding treble presentation, that was simply better than what most tube amplifiers I knew were able to deliver. First of all it was about this almost painful vibrancy of treble, with “almost” being a key word here – that's what made these cymbals sound so very special. Secondly AT set mastered dynamics and tonality shading, an ability to clearly present slightest changes in both which resulted in fabulous treble differentiation. Add to that lots of air, openness, abundance of details and nuances but pre I missed a bit of “sugar”, sweetness that most SETs deliver, but not AT, thus treble seemed a bit “tougher”, colder than SET's but in fact this was more true, more real-like presentation without any added elements that could make sound nicer. Until this test as a great fan of SET sound I would have said that I preferred such a bit “sugar-coated” presentation. But now I'm not so sure anymore. I simply can not deny that AudioTekne delivered an absolutely outstanding performance and that I loved it! It turned out that this type of performance served really well also such album as AC/DC's Highway to hell. Fast, taut, powerful bass with such a precise timing, plus this fabulous sparking, vibrant treble, plus clarity and richness of vocalist voice and these slightly rough electric guitars – that's how Rock'n'roll should be played. I couldn't just sit and listen, I had to play and sing along having so much fun! It was clear that this was no audiophile recording (again – no sugar-coating) but I couldn't care less, it was and endless stream of pure fan, pure energy. Playing one of Led Zeppelin records granted me similar experience – lots and lots of explosive energy, impressive dynamics and proper dose of this rock “dirt” - it was simply awesome! Is it better than SET? So the question is: does AudioTekne system offer a better performance than the best SET amps I know? Well, it's a question worth (almost) a million. What Audio Tekne offers seems a bit more versatile as it is fully capable of delivering astounding performance with rock music, that when played by SET amps is not as convincing. On the other hand I remember how ethereal was the sound, how even more palpable were phantom images when I had listened to live jazz recordings with Kondo Souga. Obviously it is not just about amplifier – the other elements of the system, especially loudspeakers, play a great role too. Listening to Koda system, that despite having some transistors on board sounded more tube-like for me (or should I say SET-like) and to the AudioTekne rig with Cessaro Chopin speakers I finally concluded that with these speakers I'd rather go with Koda. The Chopin's beryllium tweeters combined with this amazing, so sparking treble delivered by AT that by itself already balanced on a thin line that if crossed would have caused truly painful, tiresome experience, now actually happened to cross this line in some recordings. Koda, that offered bit “softer” (I use this word as no other, better one comes to mind) sound complemented these particular speakers in a bit better way creating an awesome musical spectacle. But when I replaced Cessaro with my Matterhorns (yes, I do realize they are much cheaper, they do not quite match level of performance of any of these two setups, but still sound great :) ) my preference shifted towards AudioTekne. Some say one should start building system from speakers, some say start from amplifier – it doesn't really matter which way one goes as long as all elements of this jigsaw puzzle fit perfectly together. I could try to compare also the third remarkable system I had a chance to review some time ago – the one with Kondo Kagura but I decided not to. Why? It was too long ago and then I didn't have neither best possible preamplifier, nor source, nor speakers so a comparison wouldn't be fair even if I wanted to. What I can tell you as a fact is that I could happily live with either of these three fantastic systems for the rest of my life and never ever whine about a need of a change. And if I were a (very) rich man I would buy myself all three of them and joggle with all components depending on my mood. Among these three reviewed systems Audio Tekne is the most complete one with the best phonostage I ever heard as a source, brilliant preamplifier and very unique sounding (but in a very good way) 300B power amps. And yes, there is this synergy effect between them that creates an added value. For two weeks (that somehow felt like much, much shorter time) these components together created a mesmerizing, immersive musical spectacle in my room so I spent there as much time as I only could listening to many, many records from my collection and enjoying each and every one of them. Even with those not-so-perfectly-recorded/pressed I was able to experience music in a very special, unique way. Summary I tried to find at least one record that would sound not so good on the AudioTekne system and I failed. High quality, audiophile recordings sounded amazingly well, probably better then ever. When it came to playing records of lesser quality AT setup did not try to sugar-coat their flaws but focused on delivering involving musical experience rich with true emotions. I was simply thrilled listening to Jarrett's concert from Koeln, to Miles on Kind of Blue, to Le nozze di Figaro, Carmen, Patricia Barber and Kate Bush, but I had a lot of fun listening to “regular” quality albums like Detox by Dżem, AC/DC, and, to my surprise, I even enjoyed latest U2 album. This system makes listener focus his attention completely on music, forgetting about sound and its quality. As for tube gear AudioTekne is pretty analytical, precise sounding but these features are there only to support a very realistic, convincing but also involving musical presentation. Very few tube amplifiers deliver such a great bass definition and control (with proper speakers I mean) and maybe even less of them is able to offer such resolving, clean and vibrant treble. Having such extraordinary range extremes AT does not forget about the key, mid part of the range. Maybe in terms of holography and palpability of the presentation this system could not quite match the best SET amps, but first of all this difference, if any, was a very small one, and secondly AT still provided more tangible, more three-dimensional performance than 99,9% of all tube and solid-state systems. All other aspect of the performance: tonality, timbral accuracy, richness, fluidity, smoothness, openness, differentiation and even dynamics were at top level unreachable for all but a very few top systems. Does a difference in performance between this system and the other one from AudioTekne I reviewed some months ago justify price difference? No, it does not – it's (unfortunately) not how it works in top-high-end world – 5-times the price won't ever give you 5-time better performance. Would I, assuming I could afford it, spend so much more to get such increase in performance as in this case? Hell, yes! Yes, I also think that spending THAT much money on audio system is crazy but I do also realize that it is a matter of perspective. Considering only the most important (for me) element of this whole hobby – the music – everything that takes me even just one step closer to the emotions comparable to those I can feel when listening to live music is worth any money. This AudioTekne system delivered an amazing amount of emotions that felt very, very close to live-like ones! Just like in case of all other AudioTekne products information on these products provided by manufacturer are scarce. As all of them also these three use characteristic enclosures placed on carbon anti-vibration feet. TFA 9501 Preamplifier Information provided on this top of the line preamplifier, TFA 9501, states that it uses double triodes 5965 or E180CC (either former or latter type). Altogether it uses 6 tubes. Just like in other products Mr Imai makes, these tubes sport carbon anti-vibration “hats”. To replace tubes one has to unscrew these pieces of carbon first. Tubes are placed in small spaces between six transformer housings. Transformers use SuperPermalloy cores (Ni79Fe15Mo5). An interesting thing about this design is that when used together with top of the line phonostage, TEA 9501, it acts as a power supply for it. On the rear panel one finds additional power outlets that, when unused, are secured with metal caps. One uses these to deliver power to TEA 9501 (if used together – TEA 9501 can not be used without TFA 9501). On the front panel there is the main on/off switch with a red indicator light that come on when device is switched on. Next to it sits another big, backlit push-button that turns on and off power supply for phonostage. Next switch turns record out. There are also four gold knobs. Two of them, the one on the left and the one on the right side, allow user to control volume, two inner knobs act as input selectors (the right one allows to select phonostage, the left one all other inputs). Rear panel sports XLR input and output, 5 linear inputs (RCA), Rec out, and RCA output (plus a small switch to select whether one uses RCA or XLR output). There is also IEC socket and above mentioned power outlets for external phonostage. This preamplifier an exclusive system of transformer sound attenuator called ATT: all transformers on the signal path use Super Permalloy cores, fixed bias, class A push-pull circuits. TM-8801 Power amplifiers TM-8801 power amplifiers sport 300B triodes in power stage and CR1006 rectifier. Similar to AudioTekne's preamplifiers also amplifiers use transformers with large Permalloy cores. Each amp uses two 300B tubes working in push-pull configuration in class A. Power tubes and rectifier are placed under protective metal grid fixed with the chassis with long screws. On the side, between transformers' housings manufacturer placed signal tubes with characteristic carbon anti-vibration “hat”. Behind transformer, close to the rear edge there are three large capacitors and a soft-start circuitry. Rear panel sports XLR and RCA inputs with a small selector switch between them, ground terminal, IEC socket and inconspicuous but smart speaker posts. TEA 8695 Phonostage TEA 8695 is AudioTekne's mid-level phonostage for Moving Coil cartridges. It's also a tube device using 6072A valves. It is equipped with push-pull amplifier stages, coupled with transformer. Transformer sports Super Permalloy Ultra large cores. It uses build-in step-up MC transformers and the RIIA is implemented with the LC topology. This phonostage uses no user-operable adjustments or settings except for a switch that allows to lower gain by 10 dB. On the front panel there is a single on/off switch and a red light that comes on when device is switched on. On the rear panel there are two RCA inputs, separate for low and high impedance MC pickups, ground terminal, XLR and RCA outputs with a selector and IEC power inlet. Specifications (according to manufacturer): TFA 9501 Inputs: Phono, CD, Tuner, Tape, AV, Aux. Max output signal Phono, CD, Tuner, Tape, AV, Aux : 3 Vrms Outputs: Rec Out; Pre Out XLR and RCA Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+/- 1 dB) Dimensions: 445 x 225 x 346 mm (W x W x D) Weight: 55 kg TM-8801 Inputs: RCA and XLR Input sensitivity/impedance: 1 V/3,3 kΩ Power: 15 W THD: < 0,3% (10 W/1 kHz) Frequency range: 10 Hz - 20 kHz (- 1 dB/- 3 dB) Noise: < 1 mV (8 Ω) Power consumption: 100 W Dimensions: 445 x 225 x 250 mm (W x H x D) Weight: 28,0 kg/pc. TEA 8695 Inputs: Phono: Only MC Low & High Max input level: Phono: Low 25mVrms,High 85mVrms Output level: 1.6Vrms(std) ; 11Vrms(max) Balance(XLR) & Unbalance(RCA) Outputs: XLR and RCA RIAA accuracy: +/- 1,5 dB (30 Hz - 15 kHz) Power consumption: 70VA Dimensions: 460 x 170 x 410 mm (W x H x D) Weight: 43,5 kg [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/th/14.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/14.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/audio_tekne/14.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

he Aventurin 6 Mk2 cartridge represents a third type of products offered by Stein Music, reviewed by our magazine. Just to remind you we already reviewed Harmonizer System H2 Blue Sun and Blue Diamonds and Amp 2 Stateline Signature Version integrated amplifier. This cartridge is one of this German manufacturer's „core” products despite the fact that, as logic suggests, this particular type of product has fewest elements that Holger Stein, the owner and chief designer, could do his „magic” with. And yet… Aventurin 6 Mk2 is a Moving Coil pickup designed for tonearms of a medium effective mass. All units are manually assembled and tested (which included listening tests) before they are packed and shipped to distributors. The external look of this cartridge suggests that it is build by a Swiss company Benz-Micro, and it is derived from their top models. But these are than modified according to Mr Stein's directions, and placed inside a body designed by German designer. The housing is made of a composite material combining natural mahogany timber with carbon fiber. This pairing of materials benefits from the amalgamated properties of the slightly warmer sound of the natural wood with the outstanding clarity of carbon fiber. The body is treated with a special Stein Music Maestro lacquer. The bronze base is made of a special alloy optimized for its acoustic qualities and it is not machined, but cast to get a tension free structure („stress free” – same assumption as used by some Japanese manufacturers like: Oyaide, Acrolink and Acoustic Revive). Holger Stein calls his design a “harmonic construction”. The pickup delivers 0,36 mV output and the recommended (VTF) lays in the range between 1,8 and 2,2 g. Robert H. Levi in his review (April 2013) claimed 1,8 g to be optimal in his system and he suggested to try a 1000 Ω loading apart from recommended 500 Ω (see HERE). Since this is our third encounter with Stein Music products it is about time to ask Mr Holger Stein a few questions. HOLGER STEIN Owner, designer WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Could you tell us why did you start your own company? HOLGER STEIN: I have started to experiment with soldering iron and screwdrivers on speakers when I was a child. But very soon I came to realize that I am not looking for coincidences in music, but reasons and solutions. As an audiophile I wanted to enjoy highest quality in sound and at the same time understand the science behind it. Ever since my goal has been to bring across as much as possible of good music in terms of sound, space and emotion. In order to do so, one has to understand the technology that creates qualitative music, but at the same time you have to understand that the application of technology is merely a tool in achieving the ultimate goal: to enable music to touch hearts. Stein Music emerged from this idea, it developed along this belief and it is today the philosophy for the entire team. It has actually become a way of life, valid for various situations, not only music, but certainly music is the most important My company was founded in two tiny rooms I rented, one for working, one for selling. Today I work and live in a spacious historic factory building with a lot of room for creativity the business has grown. However my attitude has not changed for almost three decades now: it is all about science and taste at the same time. They may be very different, but one does not go without the other and good audio quality needs both. What is your opinion regarding main products in system and so called 'accessories' – Which are more important and why?? Thank you for asking about "accessories", because it is very crucial. I have difficulties with the term accessories, because it sounds like they are less important. I rather call them "small solutions" or even "essentials" because I believe in the importance of every single detail. If any part of a system is not given the attention it needs, it is difficult to up stand the high standards. The adjustment of a minor part can make a huge difference and thus accessories can become substantial products. I could name several examples where a petty part has eventually brought an entire individual solution. It is important to understand in this context that we cannot improve music playback as such, but it is my mission to eliminate any disturber of music. Only if you eradicate as much disturbance as possible, the music will be able to unfold all its beauty. Thus there is no such thing as "accessories" made at Stein Music. I do not aim to bring new single parts on the market, but understand them as part of the many details, which scientifically contribute to the whole. When developing unique audio solutions it is often the sum of numerous details that creates the end products. What kind of sound you are looking for? What kind of music are you listen to? When I listen to music I want to experience emotional involvement. I want to sense what happened during the recording session and feel the emotions the artist felt. That is what I personally seek in music, it is not mere listening, it is about a feeling that is communicated on different levels. My systems are here "only" means for a purpose, namely to let music touch my heart. Many factors contribute to enjoyable music and there is no specific genre that entertains me. However, to name just one example I have very much enjoyed the Salzburg Festival in 2012. Listening to a recording of that concert on one of my systems instantly brings me back to that amazing event in Austria. If I was to name one kind of music I frequently listen to, it is Jazz but certainly not exclusively Tell us something about Maestro lacquer. Maestro Lacquer is a unique lacquer made out of entirely natural resins to improve resonance pattern of everything treated with it. The initial idea was to create something that does not muffle or even partly mute the music. Damping literally means loss of energy, energy that should be used for the music and nothing else. Thus we developed the lacquer and it contributes, like to many other items, to perfection in sound. It is also a typical example of my philosophy. There is scientific reason behind this lacquer and explanation why it functions and how. But at the end of the idea it is just another individual solution I developed because I saw the limitation of energy and wanted to come up with something where this energy was used for the music and not lost. What turntable do you have for your own pleasure? Presently I am using a Pyon Ultima with a self-designed tone arm. STEIN MUSIC in “High Fidelity” TEST: Stein Music AMP 2 STATELINE SIGNATURE VERSION – integrated amplifier, see HERE TEST: Stein Music HARMONIZER SYSTEM H2 BLUE SUN | BLUE DIAMONDS – audio enhancement accessories, see HERE Recordings used for this test (a selection): Sonda. Muzyka z programu relewizyjnego, GAD Records GAD LP 005, „Limited Edition Blue Dream Wax”, 180 g LP (2015). Brendan Perry, Ark, Cooking Vinyl/Vinyl 180 VIN180LP040, 2 x 180 g (2011). Brian Eno, Craft On A Milk Sea, Warp Records WARPCDD207, 2 x 180 g LP + 2 x CD + 24/44,1 WAV; John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic/Rhino R1 512581, "Atlantic 45 RPM Master Series", 45 RPM, 2 x 180 g LP (1960/2008). Johnny Hartman, I Just Dropped By To Say Hello, Impulse!/Original Recording Group ORG 027, 45 RPM, 2 x 180 g LP (1963/2013). Josef Hoffman, Piano, Miełodia M10-43479-80, „The World’s Leading Interpreters of Music, Part II. Piano, Harpsichord, Organ”, LP (1982). Julie London, Julie is her name. Vol. 1, Liberty Records LPR 3006, LP (1955). Rasmentalism, Za młodzi na Heroda, Asfalt Records ARW-112, “Limited Edition Gold Wax”, 2 x 180 g LP + 7” 45 RPM (2014). Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Smokin’ At The Half Note, Verve/Universal Music K.K. [Japan] UCJU-9083, 200 g LP (1965/2007). Japanese CD editions are available from [REKLAMA5] Robert H. Levi in his „Positive-Feedback Online” review wrote that Aventurin sounded completely different from any Benz-Micro cartridges despite the fact that they use the same part, very similar generator. It was a review of the first version of this pickup, and we have version II under review but I assume there is not that much of a difference between the two – concept must have remained the same and some improvement implemented. I do agree with Robert's opinion about significant difference but unlike him, who credited this difference mainly to much more impressive dynamics of Stein's cart, I believe that the key difference is the tonal balance set lower, deeper with Aventurin. This cartridge, made by Holger Stein seems to be en element that introduces a high level of refinement to a system. It delivers highly enjoyable, immersive performance. One gets everything that is expected from an expensive pickup and even more. It's about the way it creates sound in a particularly effortless way. It seems like it really takes no effort to produce such a fabulous performance while even the top models from Miyajima Labs and ZYX sometimes seem to “work” very hard to deliver. The most expensive models from these brands, namely: Madake and Q Premium Diamond) deliver larger, better defined instruments' bodies, are more resolving, but when it come to richness of the sound and tonality – Stein is a worthy opponent. Tonality is always presented by Aventurin 6 Mk II is a particularly nice way. This pickup is able to deliver good performance from both, not-so-good pressings and the best ones; compressed rock music, and ethereal but also highly dynamic music from most puristic recordings. Both sound good not because this cartridges delivers similar, average performance from both, but because it is able to present focus on the best elements of every recording. What we get is kind of a sound wall – the whole space between speakers is filled with sound. There is a lot of information presented in a very orderly, hence coherent, way. Never, not even with the Jozef Hofmann's recordings from 1936 and 1937 was there any impression of incoherence. Better, more expensive cartridges offer even better bass extension, are even more resolving, and for example Madake – delivers even bigger instrument's body. The latter paints images with thicker lines, and bass is not so well defined. On the other hand the whole presentation (with Madake) seems more palpable, more solid. The top ZYX cart dives deeper into all elements creating the music one listens to. That's what makes it it such a refined pickup. Surprisingly enough Stein doesn't really fall too far behind and it offers an amazing soundstage. It's the kind of presentation that makes listener feel like he's participating in a live performance – it takes us to an acoustic environment of the recording instead of bringing it to our room. It distances listener from performance a bit, which comes particularly handy when listening to jazz and classic music. And yet when I played some hip-hop and “heavier” electronic music there was groove, bit, bass, and lot of fun, too. Summary Despite the fact, that I could clearly hear some advantages of both Japanese pickups mentioned above, that I could hear that a mono cart Zero (Miyajima) offered more “sounds in sound”, each time I returned to Stein I was eager to hear what it would offer from each next record. I used it to listen to the music from a TV show Sonda, produced from a digital master, some hip-hop music by Rasmentalism from a limited edition single, and many other records that waited in a long line for the first listening session like, for example, the new issue of the Tron OST by Daft Punk. In short – this cart offered a very rich, highly enjoyable performance. Sure there are few carts that are even more resolving, offer better definition, but still I liked this lively, soulful performance of Aventurin 6 a lot! The box this cartridge is packed in already catches the eye. OK, one might say that this is normal – after all packaging is the first thing one sees and only then whatever is inside. And yet, many packagings of even high-end audio products are made only to protect what's inside them and not to make it more attractive for a buyer. The box Stein cartridge come in already communicates to the buyer that the maker not only did think every aspect of the product through but also had a very good taste. The outer shell is a carton box and inside one finds a metal box that brought to my mind a shoe polish box, but a bigger one. There is enough a filling material (paper) in carton box so that metal box stays in place. One has to unscrew a cover of the metal box to find a cartridge inside. The pickup is fixed to an acrylic ring with screws. After getting cartridge out one gains access to some documents, like measurements results, and a small velour bag. Inside the bag one finds a set of screws and a small level. The body of the pickup is square so the setup is quite simple. Robert H. Levi suggested a 500 or even 1000 Ω loading. For me 1000 Ω was OK,but a 400 Ω setting offered by RCM Audio phonostage resulted in a better, richer sound. Stein suggested the 1,8 g VTF and in fact I found it best. Aventurin 6 Mk II is a MC cartridge delivering (measured) 0,36 mV output signal, which is pretty low. Manufacturer indicates that for this cartridge to present its optimal performance phonostage should offer more than 60 dB gain. The body is made of mahogany wood reinforced with carbon fiber. It is coated with a special lacquer called: Maestro, that is also sold separately by Stein Music. The cantilever consists of a lightweight, rigid boron tube with the needle geometry optimized for low distortion and the cleanest tracking The „heart” of the Aventurin 6, a generator, is build on order by a Swiss company Benz-Micro, so no wonder it is very similar to the one we can find in top models of this brand. It sports neodymium magnets. Cartridge weights 11,5 g. Specifications (according to manufacturer): Output voltage: typical 0,32 mV (3,54 cm/s/45°, 1000 Hz) Frequency range: 10 Hz – 50 kHz Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+/- 1 dB) Output impedance: 12 Ω/1 kHz Channel balance: 80 µm Weight: 11,5 g [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/stein/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/stein/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/stein/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/stein/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/stein/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/stein/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/stein/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/stein/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/stein/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/stein/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/stein/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/stein/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/stein/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/stein/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/stein/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/stein/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/stein/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/stein/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/stein/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/stein/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/stein/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

he scale of the event was worthy of the car or arms industry, meaning industries much, much greater than a microscopic (in comparison) high end audio industry. At 2 p.m. Greenwich time, in London's Shard - the tallest building in the UK, an ingenuous, 310m tall architectural marvel, Chord Electronics presented to the world its newest creation. And not just any creation but a one with strict directions of following a very ambitious path passed from its “parents”. The purpose intended for the portable headphone amp/DAC Mojo (LINK) was extremely ambitious from the very beginning. It was supposed to combine two worlds, perceived as contradictory: the world of high quality audio with the world of portable devices so popular among young people today. A bold task, not easy to accomplish, as many other manufacturers already had found out. After all – any audio device that is supposed to offer high quality sound must be big and heavy, right? Can't just be some small, light box with hardly anything inside. But one can't expect people to carry around some big, heavy, often rather ugly piece of equipment just to take their music with them whenever they go. Chord already tried to “convert” fans of portable audio with their brilliant headphone amp/DAC Hugo. But I think that only when Chord's management saw great sales results of this device they understood that there is still some open space on the market they could try to conquer. Have a look at the look and size of Chord's bestselling product (even the manufacturer himself encourages customers to do so by presenting images directly comparing Hugo and Mojo) and you'll realize that it surely couldn't attract fans of portable audio. Hugo, although offering a fantastic performance, was too big to even be considered as a portable headphone amp/DAC. It might be used while traveling (I'll explain this small but important difference later), but surely not by young guys using their smartphones for almost everything they do. So one of Mojo designers' priorities was to make it truly portable device with great ergonomics. It is much smaller and lighter than Hugo but also more user-friendly. But is it enough considering that in these aspects the predecessor wasn't doing so good? DESIGN I am a great fan of Chord designers talents and as such initially I had a hard time trying to assess Mojo's looks. One one hand I could recognized some of Chord's “DNA” here on the other it was very different from other products of this British manufacturer. Some things did not change – a high quality aluminum case and characteristic ball-shape buttons known for example from its older brother's, Hugo – Hugo TT (LINK), design, that deliver also some information for user via different colors of backlit, proved Chord's origin. But there was no famous Chord's “glass window” allowing user to peak inside the device. It was replaced by a nice, stylish logo, much nicer than the one we can find on Hugo. As I already mentioned, I am a Chord fan, so I'm able to accept even quite a-typical design. But being objective I have to admit that this looks won't convince everybody. Even more so because comparing it to other portable devices like, for example, AK Junior by Astell&Kern its look is not particularly appealing. Me personally, I didn't care about its appearance and I didn't feel like hiding it from my friends because of its “ugliness”. Things worked bit differently when I used it a tram – people looked at me with disapproval – how can he use such a large device? Well, this was the very first review of Mojo so when I conducted it people didn't really know the device just yet. OPERATION OND FUNTIONALITY One of the most important things about portable devices is how easy it is to operate them. Nobody wants to waste time struggling with a device while moving. Mojo's operation is pretty simple though. It sports only three buttons – on/off (no 1) volume up (no 2) and volume down (no 3). As I already mentioned all three of them (including on/off one) serve also as an interface for user. For example, if two volume control buttons light up green it means user might plug his headphones in without risking immediate deafness. When these two button warm user with red color it's better not to put cans on until volume is dialed down. It seems like a smart solution that allowed manufacturer to save some space and probably also some costs, although it takes a bit of time to get used to it. After a while of using Mojo I started to treat this solution as natural one, but when I started to use it I had some troubles understanding what exactly Mojo tried to tell me. It is worth mentioning that Mojo remembers the volume setting. It makes user's life easier – one can set the optimal volume once and forget about it, which is not the case with smartphones for example, that don't remember setting and each time one wants to listen to the music one must set required volume again. Another advantage of this device is a short battery charging time. Manufacturer declares 4 hours time for full charge and I can only confirm this fact. What's more – while charging Mojo one can still use it which means one doesn't have to stop listening when battery needs to be charged. And finally the most difficult (for me) question – is Mojo actually a portable headphone amp/DAC or not really. Answering that question is difficult because I think there is no one correct answer to that. No doubts Mojo might be a remarkable traveling companion. It is a perfect solution if you're traveling and you can put it in your laptop bag and use it in train, on plane, or in hotel. It will offer amazing musical experience in those places where, most of us anyway, so far had to spend time without them. Well, after explaining to our friends/spouses/kids – living travel companions why we prefer to listen to the music instead of talking to them, but I can live with that. Mojo would make for a great desktop device too – it takes a very little space on the desk, sports USB input which allows us to connect it with computer and forget about the outside world. I'll elaborate later on that but let me mention already that during my time with Mojo not even once had I used my nominal desktop reference device – three times as big, iDSD Micro by iFi Audio, that until this moment I'd considered the best option for desktop computer audio. Another interesting option is an ability to drive two pairs of cans at the same time. Mojo had enough power to drive simultaneously quite a difficult load, Sennheiser HD800 and even more difficult to drive Audeze LCD-3. Well, OK, with these two plugged at the same time Mojo had a really hard time, but considering its size and size of these headphones it should have died immediately. But it didn't which is admirable – respect! But is it really a portable device? Could one really use it while commuting, or spending time in the city center? To be honest – I don't really know. On one hand the new Chord is, especially considering its high-end performance, a small device, easy to operate. On the other hand it is actually not that small compared to, say, a smartphone (unless what one has is something like Samsung Galaxy Note). When you combine it with some high-end player, like one of the FiiO or HiFiMAN devices – such system would be even less portable. You won't find too much understanding or approval in the eyes of people passing by. SOUND I assessed headphone amplifier/DAC Mojo in few different environments/situations. It worked as a part of my desktop system where I could compare it with iFi Audio iDSD (price tag around 2500 PLN, so the same as Mojo). I used it also when traveling, with my HP laptop as a source, and I compared it with much less expensive Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS (around 600 PLN). Obviously I tried it also when I went out, using USB adapter I connected it to my phone (Samsung Galaxy A3) and, using a coaxial cable, together with HiFiMAN HM-901 (priced at around 4100 PLN). Anybody who listened to any Chord device in controlled environment know, more or less, what to expect from any other device coming from this manufacturer. Mojo definitely keep similar sonic signature, offering almost identical experience as the 10 000 PLN Hugo TT. Considering its price, Mojo does everything nearly perfectly so it is difficult to point out particular sound feature that stands out. In fact there are at least few of them. First of all sound is so rich with details, like there was a bunch of sounds that were not there before. The bass range impressed me particularly because of its remarkable definition and control. It is powerful, punchy, but it never dominates the presentation, it plays its role. Using this solid bass foundation, midrange is amazingly rich, dense and dynamic which makes the performance simply immersive. Treble deserves a separate mention as it is very rich with details, but never too bright, screamy or tiresome. As a result Mojo (and few previous Chord products) offers another important advantage – there is no limit for volume level – it may play very loud without side-effects (I mean on sound quality as playing loud surely might impair hearing). It happened many times that I realized after a while that I'd been using some crazy volume level disturbing other members of my family. Even when pushed to crazy levels, Mojo delivered elegant performance like no other device I knew, and I meant any, from similar or even higher price levels. Another key feature of this presentation is its coherence. All elements come nicely together, support and compliment each other. At the same time sound is particularly resolving and soundstage is really wide surprising listener with its scale. Listening to numerous albums I was always able to point out precisely phantom images placed withing soundstage in a very natural, “correct” way. But the coolest thing about this device is that is capable of delivering a remarkable performance no matter what album one throws at it. Whatever genre, band, label, even recording quality – Mojo treats them all equally, meaning allowing them to present what's really best, most valuable in them. I remember how thrilled and amazed I was listening to one Beatles album after another, and we all know that none of them offers actually an “audiophile” quality. But with Mojo sound became not only acceptable (I still mean a sound quality not music itself) but simply good. Same happened when I enjoyed some Slayer albums including the famous Reign in Blood from 1986 and the latest release, the Repentless. Mojo simply enhanced, improved the experience, fun and I could easily point out how. And yet the best possible experience waits for those who's libraries contain tones of high quality recordings. Listening to the latest album by Aquavoice, Water Music & Other Early Works, recordings of Peregrin ensemble or the first ever album recorded in a Sistine Chapel (Cantate Domino by Sistine Chapel Choir) moved the experience beyond anything I heard before, it was a pure magic. Yes, each time Mojo overlaid its sonic signature on every recording but it was done for their benefit, to help them present their best “face”. I think that the best summary of this review is telling you that Mojo switched on my special “mode”, the one that tells me to listen to every possible piece of music I love just to check out how they sound on this device. Needless to say – they all sounded fantastic! Summary So, what should one do with such a hard-to-classify headphone amplifier as Mojo? One one hand it outperforms all competition in its price range. On the other it is supposed to be a portable amp/DAC and it's really not, it better fits more “traditional” high-end setups (although does listening via laptop/tablet as a source of signal in a hotel room really falls under “traditional” category?). If you ask me – I could live happily with Mojo for a long time, until Chord release another mind blowing product, that is. Will it convince today's teenager to use it with his/her phone? I sincerely doubt that. Will it convince people who just entered the world of high quality audio and look for a good performance to be achieved in combination with their laptops/tablets? I bet that these features combined with excellent performance and very reasonable price will convince many of them. I am absolutely sure of that. It might not be the most portable design, but it fully deserves RED Fingerprint for sound quality! Specifications (according to manufacturer): Inputs: Micro USB (up to 32 bit/768 kHz), Coax – mini Jack (up to 32 bit/768 kHz), Toslink (up to 24 bit/192 kHz), Micro USB – for charging Output power: 35 mW/600 Ω, 720 mW/8 Ω/1 kHz Output impedance: 0,075 Ω Dynamics: 125 dB THD (3 V): 0,00017% Weight: 180 g Dimensions: (S x W x G): 60 x 22 x 82 mm

rogress, at least in Audio-video industry is often expressed via miniaturization. It is one of the features that people who hardly know anything about audio industry, who use radios and portable devices, usually name. The revolution started by Japanese manufacturers in 1950ties was possible due to development of new technologies, like transistors for example, and later chips, but also due to miniaturization of music mediums - Compact Cassette at first and Compact Disc later. It seems that not much has changed in this matter since. Another revolution changed only one thing – medium. Today these are music files that make streaming music possible. So what I find interesting is not the phenomenon itself but the fact that experienced audio journalist devote so much time to it. For example, Barry Willis in his monthly column in „Hi-Fi News” magazine wrote about overwhelming popularity of wireless Bluetooth speakers manufactured by brand that until this moment had been associated rather with high-end audio. He appealed to audio industry pointing out that young people found elaborate audio systems appropriate only for „old people”. He also claimed that taking that into consideration audio industry should reconsider its position (Barry Willis, Paradigm Shift, „Hi-Fi News” October 2015, p. 121). But let's think about it for a moment – wasn't it always so? The young people always preferred as „mobile” audio devices as possible, that always wanted fun most of all, and the „old people” (so say – older then 25) expected more from their audio systems. The later developed their systems over time to achieve more and more refined sonic results. One of the most sophisticated ways of expressing how important music is for audio system owner is playing it using a turntable. Transrotor Infinity These and some other thoughts accompanied me during the whole operation which brought this turntable worthy of the most sophisticated systems to my room. I'm calling it an “operation” because this test is quite different from all others. My intention is to show you how wonderful our hobby is especially when it comes to vinyl playback. I also want to show you that unlike in digital playback world, here one has a chance to improve one's analogue front-end almost indefinitely. In this particular case one can start with a 17 kPLN turntable and upgrade it until it reaches a price level of 60 kPLN. How can one do that? By upgrading it step by step, element by element and doing it in any order. On Transrotor's Polish website one can find something, that I've seen maybe once or twice on any audio manufacturer's site – a configurator. One has to choose a link with particular model. There one finds information about the basic configuration and its price. The standard configuration for Zet 3 includes: acrylic chassis „black nero” aluminum platter, 70 mm thick, 12 kg Transrotor TR-800-S tonearm (selected units of Jelco) MM Uccello cartridge aluminum platterweight. I did review such version once. But that's just a starting point. This model might be upgraded in many ways – using “configurator” one has to add or take away some parts and one gets the information about the cost of such upgrade. I'd suggest starting with replacing tonearm with, for example, TR5012, which is a modified version of SME 312. It requires also a SME arm-board Next step could be, for example, replacing standard bearing with TMD (Transrotor Magnet Drive) one. It's a special type of bearing that consists of two halves. The lower one is fixed to the axle and driven by the belt. The upper one sits in ball bearings to carry the platter. Coupling between the two halves is magnetic via small embedded but very powerful Neodymium magnets. As the motor rotates the lower half, the magnetic field drags the upper half with it. This solution is used in the most expensive Transrotor models (see HERE). But one could start also with something different – twin motors instead of a single one. That involves also upgrading power supply for them – one has to purchase Konstant M2 Reference PS with two, synchronized outputs. Which upgrade should be done first – the answer to that you shall find while reading next part of this review. There is also another approach one might take – for the basic version of Zet 3 one might purchase a rack designed for this turntable that turns it into much more sophisticated record player. It also allows safe placement of twin motors. And once one buys this rack there is another step to be taken – one could acquire a second tonearm for this deck. For this test we equipped Zet 3 with a 9'' SME M2, as the second arm, which hosted a Miyajima Laboratory Zero mono pickup. 12” tonearm worked with Madake also by Miyajima. So let’s sum up all potential elements and upgrades: Deck: 12 990 PLN Tonearm SME 12”: TR5012: 13 990 PLN Arm-board for SME 12”: 1990 PLN Tonearm SME M2 9”: 5590 PLN Arm-board for SME 9”: 1290 PLN TMD bearing: 2990 PLN Additional motor (also Konstant M2 Reference PS is required for this upgrade): 1690 PLN A long belt for the twin motor setup (version with standard bearing and two motors): 239 PLN An additional base for motors placed next to the deck: 2 x 490 PLN RACK (white/black acrylic), hand-polished aluminum: 12 990 PLN Total: 58 538 PLN TRANSROTOR in „High Fidelity” TEST: Transrotor DARK STAR SILVER SHADOW – turntable, see HERE (Polish) TEST: Transrotor ZET 3 (New Version) – turntable (twin motor version), see HERE TEST: Transrotor ZET 1 MATT WHITE – turntable, see HERE (Polish) INTERVIEW: JOCHEN RÄKE, Transrotor, see HERE COLUMN: DIRK RÄKE and Transrotor ARTUS FMD (for 130 000 EUR) in Krakow, see HERE TEST: Transrotor ARGOS – turntable, see HERE TEST: Transrotor SUPER SEVEN LAROCCIA – turntable, see HERE (Polish) TEST: Transrotor FAT BOB S – turntable, see HERE Records used during test (a selection) MONO Clifford Brown and Max Roach, Study In Brown, EmArcy Records/Universal Music Japan UCJU-9072, 200 g LP (1955/2007). Dinu Lipatti 3, Werke von J. S. Bach und D. Scarlatti, EMI Electrola C 047-01 406 M, LP (?). Dwa Plus Jeden, Nowy wspaniały świat, Polskie Nagrania XL 0866, LP (1972). Frank Sinatra, The Voice, Columbia/Classic Records CL 743, Quiex SV-P, “50th Anniversary”, 180 g LP (1955/2005). J. S. Bach, The Works of Johan Sebastian Bach - IX. Research Period/Series A: Cantatas, Archive Productions ARC 3162, LP (?). The Beatles, Revolver, Parlophone/EMI 963380415, 180 g LP (1966/2015). STEREO Brendan Perry, Ark, The End Records | Cooking Vinyl | Vinyl 180 VIN180LP040, 2 x 180 g LP (2011). Depeche Mode, Personal Jesus, Mute Records Ltd/ Sire/Reprise, 21328-2, 12” maxi SP (1989). Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, Warner Bros./Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL-2-441, “Special Limited Edition No 3000”, 45 RPM, 2 x 180 g LP (1985/2014). John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note/Analogue Productions AP 81577, “The Blue Note Reissues | 45 RPM Limited Edition # 2365, 180 g LP (1957/2008). Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio, Smokin’ At The Half Note, Verve/Universal Music K.K. [Japan] UCJU-9083, 200 g LP (1965/2007). Japanese CD editions are available from [REKLAMA5] Listening to the Zet 3 made me feel like I came home – to a nice, cozy, safe place. I remember my experiences with Zet 1 and Zet 3 in both versions very well – I mean with a single, and twin motors. All these presentation had surely one thing in common – something I'd call a “charming” character. Listening to the music using these decks was highly enjoyable. There are surely some other machines available at similar price that offer faster, more dynamic, more precise sound, but first of all all these features never come together, it's always either or, and secondly none of these turntables offers what each Zet does: charm. Step 1. SINGLE MOTOR The basic configuration of Zet 3 is already w solid one. It preserves all attitudes of Zet 1, meaning rich, warm sound adding better definition and selectivity to the mix. Sound offered by Zet 3 is also more open. When reviewing this version once I wrote that in this aspect it reminded me another Transrotor model, Super Seven LaRoccia. Already then I noticed particularly low level of a background noise, and definitely fewer pops&cracks than usually – both features highly appreciated. This time, with this special rack, these qualities further improved. Second motor allows Zet 3 to achieve even higher level in this respect. But even with a single motor and TR 800-S (a selected Jelco) tonearm these feature reach level achievable for most competitors regardless the price level or technologies used. Step 2. TWIN MOTORS + RACK One may purchase the Zet 3 turntable for a very reasonable, as for the high-end performance, price. But it's main advantage is in fact the large number of upgrades that might be implemented. One, who wants to buy a turntable and just stay with it without any significant changes should rather buy Zet and just maybe after some time upgrade its tonearm to, say, 12'' SME. But if one plans to constantly upgrade one's analog front-end one should seriously consider acquiring Zet 3. Adding the second motor turn out to be a very good idea. I mentioned that already before but this time I had a chance to check also how important for the performance is an additional platform for these 2 motors (more HERE). Changes introduced by second motor were easily audible – sound became more vivid, richer with information. And I don't mean that the sound became more detailed – it's rather about it being more resolving. Sound seemed bit darker but it was so because it was richer and more natural. Already at this point we've reached a level of performance that many music lovers dream about and most of them will never actually achieve. It the midrange that focuses listener's attention. Not because it is emphasized but because we are used to problems with this part of the frequency range and thus we try to find those in each presentation. With Zet 3 we find none hence we are in kind of a shock. Even if we did experience even better performance before we have to admire what even this almost basic version of Zet 3 with twin motors has to offer. Such a rich, soft but in a good, natural way, sound is what a refined high-end is about. One should know that this turntable has its specific sound signature. Top treble is slightly rolled off and rather sweet and there is a gentle emphasis on the mid-bass. The more expensive turntables, including Transrotor's, don't have to use these two features to achieve the same thing as Zet 3 does – an amazing spacing and almost complete lack of cracks&pops. The soundstage is remarkably large, rich, deep and dense. Zet 3 transports performing musicians and vocalists to our room minimizing an influence of room's acoustics on the presentation – it might seem as if the recording was actually done in our room. It is an incredibly immersive experience. I felt like running to the music shop to buy more records, to be able to experience more and more of wonderful music. But I also dove into darkest corners of my vinyl collection to find album I had not listened to for a long time. The quality of the recording wasn't that important anymore as even records cut from digital mother tapes of CD quality (like many vinyls released recently by Polish labels) offer more than CD with the same source material. It didn't also really matter what kind of music it was, although recordings that required higher level of drive, rhythm and precise attack sounded better on some other turntables (from Transrotor and some other brands). But those delivering these particular sound features in a better way wouldn't be able to do it in such an amazingly spacious way, with this surprising inner calm that Zet 3 offered. Such a low level of cracks&pops is something most music fans would give almost anything for. I listened to many old records I had that usually quite loudly announce their age when played on most deck, but not this time – they sounded really beautifully. I realized the downsides of each of them but it was rather a memory of playing them back on other turntables rather than actually hearing them with Zet 3. Also the level of background noise was extremely low. Mono recordings I listened to using mono cartridge were very palpable, rich and presented close to the listener. Phantom images seemed large and natural. Presentation of the same records with stereo pickup was similar, but with mono one it was even more nuanced, warmer sounding. Step 3. TWIN MOTORS + RACK + TMD BEARING Replacing standard bearing with a TMD one is very simple. One takes the platter off, unscrews (from the bottom) a long screw and takes the whole bearing together with its base out. One has to replace motors bases and also replace pulleys on their axes for with smaller ones. Then put the new bearing in, fix it with a screw, put two short belts (instead of 1 long one) on. Put platter on. It takes maybe 10 minutes. These 10 minutes transforms this turntable in a way that no previous upgrade did – neither switching from TR-800S tonearm to TR-5012, nor adding a second motor, nor placing the whole device on the special rack. The new turntable, as I think it deserves to be called that, offers quite a different tonality of its presentation and it is hard to believe that replacing only the main bearing and one long belt with two shorter ones could bring such significant change in sonic character. Before this upgrade Zet 3 was already a wonderful machine, taking us for a trip to a different, musical world – smooth, warm, highly enjoyable. Now it became a new deck that takes us even closer to the music. It might seem like not much of an improvement but actually it is huge! It is not just an evolution but rather a revolution. Performance is much more precise, more 3D, with much better developed both range extremes. Sure, it's still not a top, ultra-precise presentation of TechDAS Air Force Two, because this one still has sonic signature of Zet 3. But now Transrotor's sound become much more similar to those of SME, TechDAS, or Acoustic Signature rather than Linn Sondek LP12 and top Avid, namely ACUTUS REFERENCE models. The latter reminded me rather of the Zet 3 with standard bearing. I have to admit that after replacing standard bearing with TMD I missed, for some time at least, some elements of the presentation offered by former. But at the same time I realized that there was no going back. After experiencing influence of TMD I knew I couldn't sacrifice this fantastic resolution, better definition to go back to this richer, more palpable sound. But I could understand why some might want to stick with standard version. Fully equipped Zet 3 also with TMD delivers more natural and more neutral sound. With a standard bearing sound seemed more intimate, with TMD more open, more realistic. The attack was more precise, faster. Bass seemed slightly warm but it seemed to be an intricate feature of this design. But the fully upgraded version mastered dynamics and tonal shading. Also this slight emphasis on midrange, obvious with standard bearing, now disappeared. The basic version of Zet 3 offered performance that was usually associated with “analogue” or “tube” sound, and with TMD it sounded more like an analogue master-tape. Fully upgraded Zet 3 version, that I called for this test: Infinity, combined warmth and definition. Neither of them is exaggerated. Soundstage still amazed with its volume, but the perspective listener observed it from changed. With this version listener sees a window to the recording between speakers, standard version brought performers to listener's room. TMD delivered more, like “more music in music”. Standard version offered its own creation (a brilliant one if you ask me), upgraded version offers high fidelity to whatever was written in the groove. Summary Vinyl is a wonderful music medium. It offers its own, unique in many ways, performance and a mechanical nature of its reproduction brings it closer to a human nature, human needs. It also easily comprehensible unlike digital form of music (that, in my opinion, might one day deliver even better sound quality, but not yet) is completely detached from us, humans, and from music. With Zet 3 all that meets in one point. Original design of the device, an opportunity for many upgrades resulting in even better, and/or different performance is something that makes this deck a life-time choice. Whichever version, whichever state of upgrade, Zet 3 always offers a distinct performance – it appeals to our sensitivity, to our dreams of “analogue” sound. That's what we get or in fact even more than expected. Whoever will fall under Transrotor's spell won't ever regret it. Even the basic version of this turntable open a door to a new, exciting world of vinyl records. Once opened these door shall never close. RED Fingerprint Deck I already reviewed a basic and twin motors version before so lets repeat some basic information. Zet 3 is a non-suspended mass-loader. The plinth is made from two plates of acrylic separated with a layer of aluminum – it constitutes a 45mm thick sandwich. The acrylic is black, and the aluminum has its edge polished. The plinth is cut in a characteristic way – it looks like a four leaf clover. It is supported with three feet – two in the front and one in the back. All of them are adjustable via large knobs placed on top of them. Feet end with pins with spherical tips that are placed on large, aluminum disks The disks are glued to silicone rings. This is the only place where a springy element was used. In the middle of the plinth there is a wide and high (for a turntable) cylinder, weighing 4kg, which houses the inverted bearing of the platter. Just like in the ZET1, platter was mounted in such a way that the center of gravity is quite high despite the fact that the common solution is to put it as low as possible – obviously Mr Raeke had his reasons for that. The platter is made of aluminum – it is 72mm thick and weighs 12kg. The bottom of the platter is not flat, but has concentric rings, which work as a flywheel. On top of the platter there is a layer of hardened vinyl. The platter is supported on a small sub-platter, which is made as one component together with the spindle. The standard bearing might be replaced with a TMD (Transrotor Magnet Drive) one. Its dimensions are almost identical but its design it totally different. Replacing bearing involves also some additional modifications (that are best performed by a trusted Transrotor dealer). With regular bearing drive is transmitted from motor's pulley to platter with a long rubber belt. With TMD installed drive is transmitted to a lower part of the bearing, which has much smaller diameter. replacing platter with a one matching new bearing, replacing motor's base (or bases) with a one of smaller height, replacing belt with a shorter one (or ones if one's using two motors), replace pulleys on motor's axis (on both if twin motor are used). In both versions a double synchronous motor is placed inside a heavy, aluminum housing. When two motors are used they should be placed on heavy bases within proper cut-outs in decks base. They should be connected with a large Konstant M2 Reference power supply that also synchronizes both motor together. It also allows electronic speed change. The turntable weights around 26 kg and measures 450 x 400 x 180 mm. Tonearms Standard version of Zet 3 is delivered with TR 800-S arm, which is an OEM version of Jelco ST-250. I have to admit that I like it a lot despite the fact that it is quite a simple design. And the 12” Transrotor TR-5012 is without any doubt a much better arm. To mount it on this deck one has to replace an armboard for 9” tonearms for a 12” one. But if you do it don't throw the 9” one away – it might come handy if you decide to use second arm. TR-5012's cable is terminated with a 5-pin DIN connector. Arm comes fitted with Van den Hul D 501 Silver Hybrid cable. Transrotor also offers few models of phonostage, including a fully balanced, two-box one. If one keeps the replaced armboard one might use it to mount a second tonearm. In my case it was used for a 9'', “S-shape” SME M2. It sports a detachable headshell which allows user a fast interchanging of few of the with different cartridges. If you do that you' be very close to becoming a... Japanese. Rack The rack that I also received for this test was the first unit that distributor ever brought to Poland. It was designed to aesthetically match Zet 1 and Zet 3 decks. Three lower shelf, that might be used to place a phonostage, even a two-box one, have the same shape and thickness as the acrylic elements of turntable's chassis. The top shelf is bigger as it has to accommodate not only the deck but also twin motors. The shelf are supported with massive, thick, aluminum pillars. They are fixed with solid, brass screws. At the bottom one finds four, large cones ending with ceramic balls – same ones as used for TMD bearing. These are placed on four, large aluminum discs. A turntable placed on this rack look simply fabulous – it is not just a deck anymore but a piece of an applied art. What's more – the design does not look massive at all. Place you Zet on this rack and it will attract attention of every visitor, audiophile or not. Specifications (according to manufacturer) Chassis: 45 mm thick acrylic-aluminum sandwich Platter: 70 mm, 12 kg, aluminum Standard equipment/features: tonearm TR 800-S, cartridge MM Uccello, platterweight aluminum Dimensions (W x D x H): 450 x 400 x 230 mm Weight: around 34 kg [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/transrotor/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

was that close to falling asleep while waiting for the final results of 17. International Chopin Competition that were presented after midnight. The list of awarded musicians was also quite surprising, as my favorite was Kate Liu, and I also keep my fingers crossed for Aimi Kobayashi from Japan. A bronze medal for an American pianist of Singapore origin managed to sweeten my disappointment but only a bit. But that's the story that repeats itself almost every time – results of this one the the biggest, most important competitions, usually surprise. So just to be clear with the facts let me remind you the list of winners: I place (30 000 €) and gold medal went to SEONG-JIN CHO II place (25 000 €) and silver medal went to CHARLES RICHARD-HAMELIN III place (20 000 €) and bronze medal went to KATE LIU IV place (15 000 €) – ERIC LU V place (10 000 €) – YIKE (TONY) YANG VI place (7000 €) – DMITRY SHISHKIN DIANA KRALL ON A SCENE I listened to most performance via radio live transmissions, and starting from the 3rd stage I followed all of them except the ones that collided with Diana Krall's concert in Warsaw Torwar Hall. Tuesday night three of us were coming back home from her concert. It seems that this artists sees herself as first of all a pianist and only secondly as vocalist – hence my mention of piano competition. Krall let us all know in many different ways that her idol was Nat „King” Cole. She did it using music played before concert, also using stage scenography that brought to mind cabaret and revue from 1920ties and also just by telling us that. And Cole, although remembered by most as a voice singing Unforgettable was a jazz pianist, who also happened to sing. During the show microphone often seemed to be for Diana as annoying element as the long, blond hair and she moved both away quite often. I mentioned hair on purpose – piano, vocal are one thing and the beauty is the other – one come along with the other really nicely. The Canadian looks fantastic and her photos from the session for Glad Rag Doll album have many fans around the world. The performance was carried out in an absolutely amazing fashion but a group of professionals who really liked to play together and nicely followed a script of the show written by Anthony Willson, a guitarist and composer supporting Diana since 2001 in her live performances and studio recordings. RECORDING OF DIANA KRALL Ms Krall was very lucky from the very beginning of her career having right people working with her, also those who recorded her music. Tommy LiPuma produced her music from the very beginning and that a guy with a pair of very good ears. He's a former Senior Vice-President of Elektra Records, produced Natalie Cole album, created 7 platinum albums and won a Grammy Award. Between 1994 and 2011 LiPuma almost never left the GRP/Verve Records studios. Right at the start he met Diana Krall and led her to her success – he produced 12 albums with her, with When I Look In Your Eyes with over 2 million copies sold, and the next one, The Look of Love debuted in Billboard's Top 10 and sold in over 4 million copies. For the Live in Paris from 2002 LiPuma received his third Grammy Award. In 2009 he retired. The Quiet Nights album was the last he did together with Krall. Glad Rag Doll, Diana's 11th studio album was produced by Diana Krall and T-Bone Burnett, and the latest one, Wallflower, by David Foster. It's also her 12th studio album, but her discography included also 3 concert albums and 3 DVD releases. DIANA KRALL ON DIFFERENT RELEASES LiPuma ensured high quality sound of Diana Krall's recordings, providing her with best sound engineers and trying not to “mess” with the sound too much. Her recordings used during audio shows around the world confirmed that his approach was the correct one, and Krall being a part of the mainstream music, recipient of Grammy Awards, constant presence in many radio stations protected her from being labeled (as Sara K. once was) as an “audiophile” artist. In her case though, sound quality is as important element of her image as music itself. Another key role in her success was played by late Doug Sax, who mastered her recordings in Mastering Lab. Since the input material for her albums was that good it seemed a good idea to released it not only in a regular CD format but also in higher quality ones. And it did happen. Some albums were released as XRCD24 discs prepared by Mr Kazuo Kiuchi in JVC studio (2 titles), on DVD-Audio (1 title), SACD (2), Blu-ray Audio (1), as well as on vinyl (Original Recordings Group; 6 albums). What's more, some of them are also available as Platinum SHM-CD (2), and the latest one, Wallflower on SHM-CD. Plus there are also 24/96 FLAC files. FORMATS Using fresh memories from a really good concert where Diana was singing in almost identical fashion as on her records, we decided to perform a comparison of different formats of her recordings. Below the list of what we actually had at our disposal: WALLFLOWER Compact Disc (“Foreign music – Polish price”) vs SHM-CD ALL FOR YOU Compact Disc vs XRCD24 THE LOOK OF LOVE SACD/CD (layer CD) vs XRCD24 vs FLAC 24/96 THE GIRL IN THE OTHER ROOM Compact Disc (singiel Temptation) vs SACD/CD (layer CD) vs Platinum SHM-CD vs FLAC 24/96 GLAD RAG DOLL SHM-CD vs FLAC 24/96 COMPARISON For our test we used Ayon Audio CD-T CD Transport and Aurender X100L music server – both delivering signal to Ayon Audio Stratos DAC. It was an A/B/A comparison with A and B known. From each album we chose one song, sometimes, if needed, also a second one. And one more thing – during these meeting we handed Justyna a certificate of Cracow Sonic Society membership. WALLFLOWER Compact Disc (“Foreign music – Polish price”) vs SHM-CD Marcin In my opinion Japanese version does not “crush” other one. A difference is audible but not that big. SHM-CD offers smoother sound, with less irritable bass, it seems as if its creators did a bit more “polishing” of the material. To be honest I expected more significant difference. But if I was to choose version for me I'd chose SHM-CD. Bartek I liked SHM-CD more. Smoother sound, choir seemed to be closer, more palpable. Bass was getting on my nerves a bit – there was too much of it for my taste. But this version, in general, offered more elegant, smoother, more “orderly” performance. Every aspect, except for bass, gave SHM-CD advantage. Tomek No doubts - SHM-CD is better. It presented some inner-calm, bass wasn't that boomy like with Polish release. That's where I disagree with Bartek – bass didn't bother me at all. But differences between both releases were not that significant. Wiktor The SHM-CD offered more smooth sound, bass was less boomy and that's what makes it better choice for me. One can hear a higher quality “pressing”, there is less unnecessary noise accompanying sound. On regular CD Diana Krall seemed too big. The differences between released weren't too big, though. Rysiek B. This time I can't really name obvious winner. For me these sounded like two totally different recordings, like they used different mastering – so I don't agree with you guys! CD offered better dynamics, better tonal differentiation, vocal sounded as if the microphone was placed very close. SHM-CD offered more musical sound, a bit like what we heard during concert from some distance. There were less details, it might have been even a bit boring. ALL FOR YOU Compact Disc vs XRCD24 Marcin I preferred XRCD24 – it sounded cleaner, clearer, more vibrant. This made it sound slightly harsher too. There was a big difference between these two releases. Bartek I chose XRCD24. And I have a theory now - with Wallflower differences were not significant because the recorded material was of much better quality. All… doesn't sound as good. XRCD24 offers higher dynamics and sounded much clearer – which is what I look for in music. On CD sibilant disturbed me a bit from time to time, and yet this version wasn't as open as the other one. Tomek I like XRCD24 more. Why? Because there was more of this vibe and depth that we witnessed during the concert few days ago. Also this strange noise was gone as well as sibilants. This is significantly better release. Wiktor For me the difference wasn't that big, although it was surely there. I chose XRCD24, that's a no-brainer. Although I think that if we used a different system for this comparison, choices might be different, because brighter sibilants on CD, and sort of reverb on vocal could make an impression. Rysiek B. The CD offered an artificial, studio sound. Flat, lacking musicality, annoying. XRCD24 delivered much better sound, music sounded much more live-like. For me the most important factor was that both direct sounds and their reflections were equally well differentiated, which CD version lacked. THE LOOK OF LOVE SACD/CD (CD layer) vs XRCD24 vs FLAC 24/96 Marcin The hybrid disc sounded way to harsh, with exaggerated tonality, that's why I rejected this version. For me it was a battle between XRCD24 and FLAC file. File seemed more resolving, but on the other hand XRCD24 delivered more melodic, more enjoyable sound. Both are equally good and a momentary choice would depend on a momentary mood. Bartek The Hybrid offered worst sound – flat, uninvolving. File offered brightest sound of them all. But I can't really chose between XRCD24 and file. Tomek I don't think that differences between both CDs were significant. But, for me, a difference between XRCD24 and a file was huge. I my opinion file lacked some richness, density. Although it has some advantages too like very natural vocal that reminded me of what I heard during concert few days back. I also can’t really pick one preferred version. Wiktor I immediately counted hybrid disc out. It lacked details, substance. There were some, although rather small differences between XRCD24 and file. File offered more details, they were presented in a more distinct way. But on the other hand dynamics was surely better on XRCD24. I won't be original when I say that I also can't choose the best version. Rysiek B. In my opinion this is the album with highest recording quality so far. I liked SACD and XRCD24 equally despite the fact that until recently I simply did not accept hybrid SACD/CDs. As for the file I also noticed lesser dynamics, but I'd also say the whole presentation was “flat” and uninvolving. THE GIRL IN THE OTHER ROOM Compact Disc (singiel Temptation) vs SACD/CD (layer CD) vs Platinum SHM-CD vs FLAC 24/96 Marcin The CD (single) sounded worst. Too much treble, definitely too little bass. No doubts the Platinum sounded best! Third place goes to 24/96 file and second to hybrid. Bartek Quality of this recording isn't surely that good. And still Platinum simply destroys all other versions beyond any doubt. File sounded flat and with too much bass. On the other hand it presented better treble than CD and hybrid. I was surprised by how coherent hybrid was – it also offered more bass than CD but it still sounded good. But again - Platinum crushed them all. Tomek For me the order (from the best to the worst) is as follows: Platinum – file – CD – hybrid. Hybrid lacked nuances that even CD offered. But I agree - Platinum did crush them all. It offered smoother, involving, nicer sound. It transforms not so good (I mean the music on it) album into truly immersive experience. Good sound quality offered by a file surprised me, especially its dynamics, although it was slightly “turned up”. For less experienced listeners file might be the most attractive version. Wiktor I liked CD version – it offered a decent sound. Hybrid was like taking a step back. Less details and sound seemed matt in comparison. Platinum on the other hand was a huge step forward! There was so much information in this version that I could hardly imagine that there could be even more. This was a clear winner. File offered same quality as hybrid, so both occupied third place, as second went to CD. Rysiek B. I have to agree with Marcin, and not with Wiktor: CD version was the worst beyond any doubt. Surprisingly again the hybrid version sounded very well. But Platinum surpassed them all with its sound quality – I was totally immersed in music, tapping the rhythm with my feet. File sounded much better than in previous comparisons with quality on pair with hybrid, despite the fact the these two offered different sound character. GLAD RAG DOLL SHM-CD vs FLAC 24/96 Marcin I had to repeat listening to both versions to find out that SHM-CD was better after all. These recordings offer quit unusual sound, I mean having certain style, so at first it is not easy to realize what is really important in it. Anyway the differences are not big. SHM-CD offered better dynamics, spacing, instruments very really breathing – that's what file version lacked. Bartek I choose SHM-CD, although differences were not big. Disc offered more distinct, more precise presentation which better fulfilled my expectations. Tomek I definitely choose SHM-CD. After the concert in Torwar I realize that this music is, among other things, about large dynamic contrasts between fragments with Diana playing very quietly and those when she hit keys with power. CD offered me a concert-like experience – musicians played loud and than quietly, and sometimes something in between. File delivered flat sound, a bit “nervous” which annoyed me as I knew it shouldn't have sounded like that! Wiktor This time differences were quit significant. With SHM-CD one could clearly hear this “convention” chosen for this album, it was easy to accept it, to feel it. File simply didn't sound right. For me the difference between the two was probably the biggest we heard today and it was the worst file we heard today. Rysiek B. Both: producer and sound engineer should be sent to prison – I completely don't get this specific “convention” they chose. Whatever they actually wanted to achieve the result is very poor. I haven't heard such a “mess” in any recording for years. I'd like to warn everybody not to buy this album, despite the fact it is one of Tomek's favorites… SUMMARY Marcin There were two things that surprised me most during this listening session. First involves Wallflower and a very small difference between SHM-CD and the cheap version "Foreign music – Polish price" both from Empik. The second surprise – there was no case when a Hi-Res file sounded better than a disc. I mean yes, in some cases file was better than one of the disc editions, but there was always another disc that was clearly better than file. Bartek Diana Krall's albums, although often offering really interesting, good music, not always come with high sound quality. For a one remarkable album (like the latest Wallflower) there are 2-3 offering mediocre sound quality (at best). But the sound quality is never too bad for a fantastic release not to be able to fix at least some problems with it. The best proof for this claim are the Platinum SHM-CD releases. Any other versions of the same album when confronted with Platinum SHM-CD become unbearable. Also other special releases like “regular” SHM-CD or XRCD24 offer some improvements in sound quality. Also Hi-Res files usually deliver better quality than standard CD, no matter whether it comes from Europe or USA. File might sound a bit brighter and have some inherent issues of this format but still they sound more “truthfully”, they are more detailed and simply more enjoyable. Tomek This session inspired by the Warsaw concert of Diana Krall proved once again that one should invest in Japanese releases, obviously not because of their prices but because of sonic advantages. The Platinum SHM-CD is an indisputable winner of tonight's comparison, as it delivered an unparalleled realism and dynamics (despite the fact that this disc was obviously recorded at lower volume level and we did not adjust volume for it). I also have to admit the Hi-Res files surprised me tonight and it was a very positive surprise. I even heard some positive comments from colleagues here who had probably never said a good word about files before – this means a lot. There was also a negative surprise (for me I mean) – it was a complete lack of understanding of the concept of the Glad Rag Doll album by some participants. On the other hand I have to admit that it took me half a year before I fully understood it and started to like it a lot. Wiktor Comparing different Diana Krall recordings using a reference system surprised me with a small scale of differences between tested releases/formats. Only the Platinum version clearly outperformed all the rest clearly proving that improvement of sound quality is still possible, as some formats are able to deliver even more information about recordings than the others. The standard CD version are still doing a good job and in my opinion for many mid-class audio systems it might be the dominant format for many years to come. Opinions about files quality very quite diversified, which in part might be explained with prejudice towards this format. To be clear, I'm one of those who would never sacrifice even little sound quality for the convenience of using audio files. Obviously one needs a certain level of system's performance to properly assess these, sometimes quite small, differences “Hit of the night” was surely Platinum SHM-CD, absolutely worth every penny one has to pay for it. All other formats fall far behind in terms of sound quality. [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/kts99/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/kts99/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/kts99/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/kts99/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/kts99/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/kts99/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/kts99/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/kts99/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/kts99/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/kts99/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/kts99/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/kts99/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/kts99/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/kts99/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/kts99/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/kts99/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/kts99/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/kts99/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

Selecting photographs for this year’s coverage of the Audio Video Show exhibition resembled the Massacre of the Innocents – I have chosen fewer than 150 from almost 1000 pictures that I took during the two days that I spent in the Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel, Golden Tulip Hotel and at the National Stadium. Then, I had to eliminate even more photographs to make the report sensible and prevent it from becoming a garbage heap. It is because what the organizer of the event (the Adam Mokrzycki Services company) had claimed before the AVS started came true. They informed the public that “the Audio Video Show has been growing exponentially. Although it is hard to believe, we have just broken the hardly beatable last year’s record of over 110 conference and demo rooms booked by our exhibitors. At this organizational stage, 141 rooms have already been booked and the number is still growing. This result only strengthens the Audio Video Show’s position as the second largest hi-fi exhibition in Europe.” The organizer’s opinion was commonly confirmed by visitors, exhibitors and foreign guests experienced in visiting different shows of this type, often spending weeks and months travelling from one exhibition venue to another. Raveen Bawa, a representative of the dCS company, said that although Munich (which would be ‘the largest’ exhibition implied by the organizer) is still the most recognizable audio exhibition in Europe, the one in Warsaw is not inferior to it, but even more attractive in some respects. Gabi van der Kley, the CEO of Crystal Cable, had the same opinion. She smothered me with kisses, saying that the event was fantastic and that organizing it at the Stadium was a great idea. I think I am not the only one who thinks that moving the event from the Brystol Hotel and organizing the opening ceremony at the National Stadium (I will call it ‘the Stadium’ from now on) has made the whole exhibition reach a completely new, very high level. Choosing this location had seemed to be a mistake to many exhibitors before the event. The pointed out bad room acoustics, large distance from the main event (Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel which I will refer to as ‘Sobieski’), to the “incompatibility” of the place with the character of the exhibition, etc. I understand their doubts and objections – after so many years in hotels it was hard to imagine such a drastic change of the venue. However, it was the most important and at the same time the best decision since it was decided that the Audio Show (the predecessor of the AVS) would start to be organized. To demonstrate the meaning of the “apology”, let me just describe the reaction of Gabi van der Kley who declared that she would lobby for organizing Dutch audio and video fairs at the ultra-modern Philips Stadium (built in 1913 and recently renovated), the seat of the PSV Eindhoven sport’s club. The character that the event assumed at the new location is of the greatest importance here. Broad corridors, access to toilets, cleanliness and breathing space are the basic distinguishing characteristics of the venue. Then, it is important to mention the comfortable atmosphere of the place. We owe it to crowds of ordinary people who came with their whole families, young people who would spend hours in headphone sections, the presence of many record companies, as well as the aesthetics of the venue. Coming back to Sobieski, I felt claustrophobic – not only due to a lack of space, but also owing to a completely different atmosphere. I think it was the first time I had realized so clearly what opinion people from outside the audiophile industry have of us: we are concentrated on our problems and do not see anything else apart from them. However, there is a whole big world around us! The Stadium opened up our audio world and let fresh air enter it. That may be the best possible gift for the Polish audio market. THE BEST OF THE BEST High attendance rates, both with reference to visitors and exhibitors, have a specific impact on such events. For a journalist, the result is the excess of almost everything – places to visit, people to meet, systems to test and devices to describe. The two past years were already marked by cutting it fine, being on the run and hardly managing to do it all. This time I simply had too little time and energy to do everything that I had wanted. I think it is necessary to accept that I won’t be everywhere and won’t see everything on such occasions. Therefore, the choice of systems that I present below, the sound of which, in my opinion, deserved special attention, is even more arbitrary. It was all very simple: I have chosen the systems in which everything was “all right” when I entered a given room and had time to sit in it for a while. It might have been different a moment after or before, with different music. However, at that given moment it was what it was and I want to emphasise the very specific moments that gave me most pleasure. BEST OF THE BEST AUDIO VIDEO SHOW 2015 I. Studer + Chord + Cabasse + Pro-Ject + Cardas + Rogoz Audio However, what I have written above does not apply to the three main awards. The Voice system with a copy of a master tape played with the Studer 807 tape recorder was a revelation. While listening to the Beatles, it was possible to understand why some people complain about digital technology – so far, the same effect has not been achieved in the domain of digital records. It is one of the “sounds of the exhibition” – a system created by the Voice company, based on Chord products that we have tested, including the CD RED Reference One MkIII player (to be tested in December). Speakers – Cabasse Pacific 3 SA. Source: three devices – the Pro-Ject RPM 9 Carbon turntable, DAC Chord DAVE and the Studer 807 tape recorder. It was all placed on a Rogoz Audio table. II. Ayon Audio + Lumen White + Siltech + Transrotor This is the absolute forefront of the “sounds of the exhibition” – the Lumen White “White Light Anniversary” speakers with Ayon Audio electronics and a Transrotor turntable, the test of which you were given in a printed form with catalogues at the entrance to the exhibition venue. Music was played from a file player. It does not mean that you cannot play music on a very high level from a file – for another year in a row, we could hear magic in the Nautilus company room, in a system prepared in cooperation with Gerhard Hirt. Demonstrations took place in a room in which concerts were organized in the previous years (because of that this year’s concert was cancelled by the organizer of the exhibition), which is very difficult when it comes to acoustics. People from Nautilus put a lot of effort to alleviate the problems. The “canopy” over listeners looked strange but fulfilled its role. Master of the ceremony – Gerhard Hirt, the owner of Ayon Audio. III. Destination Audio + Entreq However, it was not the only flawless system with files in the main role – Destination Audio is a tiny Polish “boutique” company. The sound that I heard from its horn speakers was outstanding. Niemen’s voice that I know inside out was incredibly natural. Additionally loaded low midrange did not spoil anything, but added realism to the whole thing. That was incredible pleasure! Horn speakers with a wooden Destination Audio midrange horn. It was possible to achieve this effect thanks to company electronics with 45 tube power amps (1.5 W per channel!), and also – perhaps above everything else – Entreq cables and conditioners. A lot of wood, tubes and a fantastic effect. BEST SOUND 2015 AUDIO VIDEO SHOW 2015 TAD + Naim + Wireword + Chord One of the best-sounding systems of the exhibition – TAD Compact Evolution One speakers with Naim electronics, including, among others, the NAC-N272 streaming preamplifier and the NAP250 DR power amplifier. Melodika + Indiana Line An excellent-sounding inexpensive system placed in the corner of a room, based on Melodika speakers (prototype), with the company’s Brown Sugar cables (our Award of the Year 2015) and Indiana Line Puro electronics. Bravo! Audiomachina + Einstein Audio + SME + RCM Audio + CEC Just like many other visitors, I was looking for a subwoofer or large speakers when I entered the RCM room, but I saw tiny Audiomachina CRM II standmount speakers. A test of the Pure NSE model will be carried out in HF in December. The system was based on Einstein Audio electronics, the SME Model 15 turntable and the CEC CD5 CD player. Most of these brands have been given the HF Award of the Year 2015. Amare Audio + Harpia Acoustics + JR Audio The Amare Audio room with Harpia Acoustics speakers. Among novelties, you could see an unusual DAC – upsampling all signals to DSD and then just an analogue filter, i.e. a DAC without a classic digital-to-analogue converter. A test soon in “High Fidelity”. Equilibrum + Enerr + Atoll I spent more time listening to this system, as it was worth it – the sound was extremely full and “analogue”, although the source was a file player. In the system, there were Equilibrum Athmos S7 speakers and Enerr Transcenda power cables. The source was an Atoll player/preamp and a power amp of the same manufacturer. Atohm + Atoll One of the best-sounding systems of the exhibition – Atohm GT 2.0 speakers driven by Atoll electronics: the CD400 player and the IN400 integrated amplifier. The sound was dynamic, clear and full. Fortunately, accurate and empty sound can be heard less and less often at exhibitions. AVCON + Trafomatic + Triode Wood, tubes and style – everything that I like. AVCON Avalanche Reference Monitor speakers on AVCON stands, with the Trafomatic SM-300B amplifier and the CD Triode TRV-CD4SE player. Beautiful, noble sound. Sveda Audio + Jadis + Verictum + Audio Research Yes, I enjoyed being there a lot. Excellent saturation and resolution. Sveda Audio speakers (home audio version, as Sveda Audio is a “studio” company) accompanied by the Jadis I-88 amplifier, the CD Audio Research player and Verictum accessories. A novelty at the back – the Verictum Demiurg power cable. Its test will be published in HF in December. Jadis + Franco Serblin + ReVox Another system with Jadis I-88 and excellent sound again – calm, saturated and full. The source was the ReVox PR99 MkIII reel-to-reel recorder and there were Franco Serblin Ktêma speakers. Ypsilon Electronics + Magico + Kronos Audio + Tara Labs To be honest, the Magico company does not usually make a very good impression on me during exhibitions. They manufacture very demanding speakers that need time to adjust to a given interior. However, the S7 model delivered excellent sound, at least in my opinion. It was driven by Ypsilon Electronics, with a Kronos turntable as the source. THE END “High Fidelity” has been a media partner of the exhibition in Warsaw for years. This year’s edition of the exhibition was special. For the first time, it was organized not only in hotel rooms, but also in conference rooms of the national Polish football stadium. What is more, instead of two days it lasted three (on Friday it was possible to start the ‘tour’ from 4 p.m.). The promotional activity of the organizer was incredibly intensive – 150 large-format banners were put up in Warsaw. News informing about the event was shown by 9 TV stations and some of it was broadcast live on breakfast television. During the broadcasts, celebrities such as Marek Sierocki, Smolik, Hirek Wrona, Paweł Edelmann and many others encouraged viewers to attend the exhibition. On Polsat TV, the exhibition was one of the three main topics of the evening news. This resulted in an influx of people who were looking for good sound, design and music but were not audiophiles and do not intend to become audiophiles. It was a fantastic experience – I did not feel like leaving the Stadium as all these people brought very good vibrations to the place. However, Sobieski will remain the main venue of the Audio Video Show, as no other place has so many available rooms. Compared to the Stadium, the hotel lost a lot of its charm, but this may result in something good – it is enough to take better care of cleanliness and the aesthetics of rooms, think of good lighting and information for the press a long time before the exhibition. It is a hotel which will remain the “cave” of audiophiles, but one supplied with “young blood”. The most intimate place, with only eight rooms, was the Golden Tulip Hotel. However, it is where I found as many as three systems that produced simply beautiful sound. Three in eight! It may be a place to talk, meet and celebrate in peace. I kindly thank those of you who came to the 100th meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society. Let me remind you that we compared subsequent versions of records by The Beatles – a Japanese version with an older remaster, an European remaster of 2009, a Japanese version with the same remaster and finally the SHM-CD version, also with a remaster from 2015. At the end we decided to conduct a blind listening test of a song from John Lennon’s Double Fantasy album: a Japanese CD version, a SHM-CD and a Platinum SHM-CD. A report from the meeting will be published in “High Fidelity”. It was nice to meet you, that was a very positive experience! Congratulations to all the exhibitors – the amount of work put in the event is unimaginable – my back starts to hurt me when I think about it – respect to you all. In December we will publish more accounts of the exhibition, also written by our readers. See you next year! [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/016.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/016.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/016.jpg" desc="We start with the Radisson Blue Sobieski hotel. The very impressive Triangle Magellan Grand Concert speakers were driven by McIntosh electronics."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/017.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/017.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/017.jpg" desc="A novelty from Arcam – Solo in one, or actually two new versions – stereo and muti-channel all-in-one systems with a Blu-ray drive. The Arcam Solo soundbar presented above."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/018.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/018.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/018.jpg" desc="A view from above of the record stand of the Naim Label company – vinyl records were the most popular."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/019.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/019.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/019.jpg" desc="The Samsung company with its new 4K/UHD TV line and a curved screen – at the moment, it is one of the most interesting market offers of this type."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/020.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/020.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/020.jpg" desc="One of the most important components of the Voice system was a Rogoz Audio table. It was designed and manufactured by Mr Janusz Rogoż (in the photo)."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/021.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/021.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/021.jpg" desc="Mr Milan Weber, the CEO of Voice, holding a BBC case which contains a priceless first copy of the master tape with “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” of The Beatles. In a moment we will listen to it and fly away."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/022.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/022.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/022.jpg" desc="The host of the meeting, Piotr Metz, is showing one of many records of The Beatles that he has. He has probably collected all of them."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/023.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/023.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/023.jpg" desc="I am not sure, but this is most probably the DIY room of the audiostereo.pl forum. The sound was incredible! Unfortunately, I did not note down what the system components were. Nevertheless, congratulations!"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/024.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/024.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/024.jpg" desc="The crew of the HiFi Station salon – Grzegorz (to the right) and Patryk (to the left). Behind them, the wonderful Karis II speakers of the Italian company Diapason – wooden casing and excellent sound."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/025.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/025.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/025.jpg" desc="The dyaudio.pl room, also very interesting. On the floor, in red lacquer, MariuszElektro GM70 tube amplifiers and speakers on the sides (starting from the inside): Hermes, Pteterycz, Marian."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/026.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/026.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/026.jpg" desc="Diapason speakers, the Astera model on the company’s stands. The source (transport) used was a tube Triode CD player, the signal amplifier was the tube Ars Sarum Gran Filarmonia and the converter was Aqua La Voce. The cables had been supplied by Albedo and the power supply by the Ansae company, celebrating its 10-year presence at the exhibition. "] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/027.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/027.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/027.jpg" desc="That was really cool – an operating (moving) speaker of the Polish STX company. As it can be seen, it is an advanced and a very elegant construction."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/028.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/028.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/028.jpg" desc="Mr Jacek Hrynkiewicz-Struss, the owner of the speaker company Rebel HiFi. He is standing next to Classic 10 speakers that cost only 3200 PLN, although they have cool Scan Speak transducers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/029.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/029.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/029.jpg" desc="CubeAudio Bliss speakers with the company’s 8-inch F201 full range driver."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/030.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/030.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/030.jpg" desc="The Egg-Shell Prestige 12 WKT tube amplifier which not only looks beautiful, but also has original volume control: a wooden ball on the side is the gyroscope-based remote control."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/031.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/031.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/031.jpg" desc="This room smelt beautifully of fresh air. The stands and the casing of the power amplifier were made of it. The cables: Sulek Audio company. The speakers: a licence version of the Stirling Audio BBC 3/5a speakers. A very pleasant place."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/032.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/032.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/032.jpg" desc="A broad offer of the Fonica company – different shapes, designs and sound. The products shown during the AVS were just exhibits."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/033.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/033.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/033.jpg" desc="A very nicely made and surprisingly inexpensive Fezz Audio Silver Luna amplifier. Even the regular price of 3999 PLN seems to be a bargain price."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/034.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/034.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/034.jpg" desc="An extremely good-looking “vintage” system: Phase Style tube amplifiers (integrated amp, preamp and monoblock) – straight from Lvov. An Ad Fontes turntable on the platform."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/035.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/035.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/035.jpg" desc="Silver cables – Sound Y.P. Laboratorium."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/036.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/036.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/036.jpg" desc="The room of the GigaWatt company and Q21 audio salon: Boenicke speakers, Wile Louis tube amplifier, Wile Sarah CD player (Philips TDA 1543 D/A), GigaWatt PC-4 EVO conditioner (our Award of the Year 2015)."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/037.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/037.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/037.jpg" desc="AudioCave is a distribution company which is apparently starting to develop. During the exhibition, it showed Pathos and Audia Flight electronics as well as German Physiks omnipolar speakers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/038.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/038.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/038.jpg" desc="Mr Kazuo Kiuchi was the host in the Combak Corporation room. Apart from its two-piece CD player, pre-amplifier and power amplifier (we have tested all these products), one could listen to Trenner & Friedl speakers that we also tested."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/039.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/039.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/039.jpg" desc="The beautiful 440 Audio turntable in one room together with Brodmann speakers, ZenSati cables and Electrocompaniet electronics."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/040.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/040.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/040.jpg" desc="The wonderfully-looking interior of the Wiener Lautsprecher Manufaktur Anton preamplifier. Apart from line outputs there is also Bluetooth, a phono stage and a headphone amplifier."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/041.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/041.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/041.jpg" desc="Retro Audio is a company which specializes in servicing and renovating vintage audio equipment. "] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/042.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/042.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/042.jpg" desc="One cannot question the Chinese position on the audio market – the balanced Audio-gd headphone amplifier. It is standing on the all-in-one NovaFidelity X40 system (amplifier, streamer, CD drive/riper) – yes, Nova Fidelity is the new name of Coctail Audio products."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/043.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/043.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/043.jpg" desc="Infado is a Polish company which offers active Boson speakers corrected in DSP Sharc circuits, in a closed housing. The designer wanted to achieve the best possible phase compensation between transducers. The system only needs a source with a digital input."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/044.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/044.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/044.jpg" desc="Tiny devices of the Taga Harmony company – HTA-700B V.2 headphone amplifiers and speakers, and very nice figurines of jazz musicians standing on the speakers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/045.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/045.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/045.jpg" desc="The ASC Pentoda company (ASC Dyrzbański Zaorski) with horn speakers and the company’s amplifiers. The company exhibited A and B line amplifiers. The source was a Unitra turntable."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/046.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/046.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/046.jpg" desc="The Polish Radion Audio company was set up in 1992. It offers technologically and mechanically advanced systems: a CD player, a preamplifier/DAC, monoblocks and three-way speakers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/047.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/047.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/047.jpg" desc="Pylon Audio showed its representative speakers from the Diamond series – 20 and 25. Really cool sound indeed."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/048.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/048.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/048.jpg" desc="Modestly placed in a corner, there is a premiere product – prototypes of Emerald speakers that we have been preparing from scratch with Pylon. Just for this purpose, the company started producing its own transducers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/049.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/049.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/049.jpg" desc="More valuable than gold – professionals specializing in products manufactured before 1989. They work for the Nomos company."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/050.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/050.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/050.jpg" desc="And this is the crew of the Nomos company – they are inviting everyone who would like to experience the charms of vintage systems. To the right – Ms Olga Nowińska whose columns you can sometimes read in HF."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/051.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/051.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/051.jpg" desc="Vintage, but a novelty – Graham Audio 5/8 speakers (to the right) and smaller ones (5/9) that we use in our HF B System."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/052.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/052.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/052.jpg" desc="Classic sound and style again: the Systymdek 3D Signature turntable, ART Audio amplifier and ART Loudspeakers from the Signature series. Natural, pleasant, engaging sound, to be listened to for hours."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/053.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/053.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/053.jpg" desc="The electronics and speakers of the Russian company Auris Audio – leather, wood, tubes, i.e. luxury. In the photo, the integrated amplifier Fortino 655 and new speakers based on Davis drivers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/054.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/054.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/054.jpg" desc="InAudio speakers with full range drivers, driven by a tube amplifier."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/055.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/055.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/055.jpg" desc="Perhaps, finally, GoldenNote company products will return to the Polish market – these are fantastic devices, such as the Mediterraneo turntable presented in the photo. "] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/056.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/056.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/056.jpg" desc="It was the first time I had seen the electronics of the Dutch company Van Medevoort. In two series, we will find integrated amplifiers, preamplifiers, DACs and also a CD transport."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/057.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/057.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/057.jpg" desc="This year, Ancient Audio is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It is developing a series initiated by the P-3 processor, offering the A-1 integrated transistor (!) amplifier and a headphone amplifier with the P-1 sound processor."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/058.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/058.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/058.jpg" desc="Bryston electronics from Canada and Larson speakers from Sweden. The latter have an untypical design, which allows them to be placed directly next to a wall. It is something like a mini version of Paul Voight’s Voight Domestic Corner Horn speakers (1932). "] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/059.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/059.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/059.jpg" desc="Genuine, cool sound from speakers that we have just given the Award of the Year 2015 – the Dynaudio Contour S 5.4 LE. Here with an Octave integrated amplifier, a SACD Accuphase player and a Transrotor turntable. Delicious!"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/060.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/060.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/060.jpg" desc="Officially distributed in Poland for the first time – the electronics of the Italian company Norma Audio Electronics, accompanied by Xavian speakers and Isol-8 power conditioner."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/061.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/061.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/061.jpg" desc="Long time no see! Studio 16 Hertz speakers, here with the Amplifon SET 42 tube (NOS GM70) amplifier. The single-ended design output as many as 42 W per channel."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/062.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/062.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/062.jpg" desc="Audio Academy is preparing to celebrate its round anniversary next year. Right now, we get a new Rhea model – it is a two-way design with Scan-Speak and Seas speakers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/063.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/063.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/063.jpg" desc="The Polish Muarah Audio company prepared an exceptional presentation – using its turntable and amplifiers, it invited us to enter the world of the SQ quadraphonic records. Also the decoder in this system is the company’s own design."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/064.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/064.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/064.jpg" desc="A very successful demonstration of the top Canton speakers (the Reference 1 K model), accompanied by Audio Research electronics."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/065.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/065.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/065.jpg" desc="We move to the Golden Tulip Hotel. Here we have Polish Avatar Audio Holophony speakers No. 4 accompanied by the company cables and a file player."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/066.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/066.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/066.jpg" desc="Enormous Gauder Akustik Berlina RC9 speakers and the equally big power amplifier Vitus Audio Masterpiece. The sources were the TechDAS Air Force One turntable and the CD CEC TL0 V3.0 transport."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/067.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/067.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/067.jpg" desc="The wall of fame – this year’s “High Fidelity” awards for RCM products. Below, the company’s phono stages – Sensor 2 and THERIAA."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/068.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/068.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/068.jpg" desc="The most expensive system of the exhibition, with the Living Voice Vox Olimpian speakers and Kondo electronics. The total cost: 7 million PLN."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/069.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/069.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/069.jpg" desc="It is an absolute surprise for me – a prototype of the Ayon Audio Conquistador preamplifier. It even aims to beat my Spheris III – we will see! Volume control has not been changed, but the tubes are completely different."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/070.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/070.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/070.jpg" desc="Already next year, Forza Audioworks is going to offer new products – at the moment I am still using Noir Hybrid HPC headphone cables (to the right)."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/071.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/071.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/071.jpg" desc="More products that have been given the Award of the Year 2015 by “High Fidelity” – Mogami cables."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/072.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/072.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/072.jpg" desc="Welcome to Paradise! The main exhibition entrance at the Stadium."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/073.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/073.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/073.jpg" desc="Monster headphones with Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature – the Roc Freedom (to the left) and Roc Black Platinum models. Contrary to what we may expect, they are sold at an affordable price."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/074.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/074.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/074.jpg" desc="One of the most important changes in a large speaker company, which brings a certain (Kevlar) era to an end: new Continuum membranes of midrange speakers, accompanying diamond domes in the 800 Diamond series of the Bowers & Wilkins company."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/075.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/075.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/075.jpg" desc="My beauties! Analogue Tivoli radios (without digital synthesis!), One model. My radio is the brown-cream one, in the upper row in the middle. They have a stereophonic output – you can connect headphones to the radio."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/076.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/076.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/076.jpg" desc="The headphone zone prepared by MP3Store.pl, with premiere products such as SoundMAGIC P55, HP150 and Phiaton MS500."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/077.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/077.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/077.jpg" desc="Omnipolar Zeta Zero Orbital360 band speakers in an atmospheric setting. Power of up to 2400 W, frequency response from 14 Hz to 100 kHz. Made in Poland."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/078.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/078.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/078.jpg" desc="The central “figure” of Krakow Sonic Society presentations – the dCS Rossini player/streamer standing on a Rossini clock."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/079.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/079.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/079.jpg" desc="A new version of Hansen Audio speakers, The Dragon Legend E model in leather. Power amplifiers and the Tenor Audio preamplifier with the most powerful version of 350M HP monoblocks, as well as a SACD player – the Soulution 741."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/080.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/080.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/080.jpg" desc="From behind, the power amplifier Boulder 2110 looks just as good (or maybe even better) as at the front. The element that is especially worth thinking about is the heavy-working power cable socket."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/081.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/081.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/081.jpg" desc="The KBL Sound Reference Power Distributor that we use in the HF reference system, with Furutech sockets and a wooden stand."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/082.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/082.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/082.jpg" desc="A stand with Ultrasone headphones and Asus amplifiers/DACs."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/083.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/083.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/083.jpg" desc="This is still the old, not the new Sennheiser Orpheus, but tickets for the listening test were distributed very quickly. The source was the two-piece DC901/DP900 Accuphase SACD player."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/084.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/084.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/084.jpg" desc="One of the best prepared presentations – Pass Audio electronics and Elac speakers. The latter benefit from the experience of Andrew Jones who came up with the idea of TAD speakers and developed them. The speakers look brilliant and produce excellent sound. It seems that we will hear a lot of good things about Elac soon. "] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/085.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/085.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/085.jpg" desc="The AKG N90Q headphones that cost almost 6000 PLN. We pay for sound, the logotype of Quincy Jones and also for the possibility of controlling the sound stage. There are three available modes: “Standard”, “2.1 Studio” and “5.1 Surround sound”."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/086.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/086.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/086.jpg" desc="Philips is one of the founding companies of the contemporary audio industry. Now it is focusing on lifestyle products, but with a technological backup. The photo presents unique speakers from the Fidelio series."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/087.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/087.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/087.jpg" desc="A display of Pro-Ject turntables prepared by the Voice company."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/088.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/088.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/088.jpg" desc="Let us get used to new headphone brands – at the moment, this is the most important product of all manufacturers. The photo shows the Master&Dynamic MH40 model. The price is not too high (€399)."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/089.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/089.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/089.jpg" desc="Technics is powerfully entering the market, offering products such as an all-in-one system with the wonderful SU-C501 CD top-loader. A good comeback."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/090.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/090.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/090.jpg" desc="The “Polish room” from the High End 2015 exhibition in Munich: hORNS speakers by Auto-Tech with beryllium membranes, My Sound tube amplifiers (with a preamplifier) and the JR Audio turntable."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/091.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/091.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/091.jpg" desc="And everything is clear :) Let me add that there is a white Mummy speaker in the middle (hORNS by Auto-Tech). "] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/092.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/092.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/092.jpg" desc="Crystal Cable Minissimo Arabesque – great speakers driven by an Accuphase system."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/093.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/093.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/093.jpg" desc="Tonsil speakers with many different types of finish – they received a lot of interest."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/094.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/094.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/094.jpg" desc="A view of the two floors of the hall – the headphone zone is on the lower floor and the vinyl zone on the upper. "] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/095.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/095.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/095.jpg" desc="The latest version of active Goldmund Logos 1N-2N speakers corrected in a DSP circuit, making use of solutions applied in a much more expensive Logos Anatta model. Not that the 1N-2N are cheap – they cost €107 000 per pair."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/096.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/096.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/096.jpg" desc="Our friend – Mr Jacek Gawłowski with his son. Apart from a Grammy award, remasters of Niemen’s and other Polskie Nagrania artists’ catalogues, Jacek has also made speakers that he uses in his studio. He may show them at the Stadium next year and then we will organize some presentation together – please get ready!"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/097.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/097.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/097.jpg" desc="I saw them in Poland for the first time, my dreamt of JBL-e Everest DD67000."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/098.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/098.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/098.jpg" desc="And everything is clear again – the Loewe room. At the back – the Stadium stands."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/099.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/099.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/099.jpg" desc="Keith Monks DiscOveryOne – the precision vinyl record cleaner. Next to it there is John Monks, the son of the company founder – Keith Monks, aka “The Record Doctor”. As he told me, he is going to hire a nurse to accompany him and in January he is going to present a brand new product that I will get for tests in February, perhaps even with the nurse :)"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/100.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/100.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/100.jpg" desc="Radek Pasternak from the Nautilus company, carrying a printed version of the Transrotor Zet3 Infinity test for you – respect!"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/101.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/101.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/101.jpg" desc="One of the vinyl stands – here we have Robert Nowak with Harry Bellafonte’s and Makeby’s record."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/102.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/102.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/102.jpg" desc="Mr Sikora standing behind his own (AllMet Audio), immaculately designed and refined J. Sikora turntables."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/103.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/103.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/103.jpg" desc="The J. Sikora Basic Special Edition turntable with bronze elements and an absolute premiere – the 14-inch Kuzma 4Point arm. The top turntable with a table will soon be brought for tests to my place (the turntable itself weighs over 100 kg)."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/104.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/104.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/104.jpg" desc="The Cessario Chopin speakers that have recently been tested by Marek Dyba, driven by KR Audio amplifiers. The Kronzilla SXI integrated amplifier in the middle with the powerful VA200 power amplifiers on the sides. The source was the CD Accustic Arts player."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/105.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/105.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/105.jpg" desc="It is a complete PS Audio system, consisting of the PerfectWave/DirectStream CD/file player and the BHX Signature 250 power amplifier. In this system, power supply was the domain of the P5 Power Plant conditioner. All of it is constructed in Boulder, Colorado."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/106.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/106.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/106.jpg" desc="It was in this room, prepared by the Ostapowicz Audio Consulting company, where Smolik stayed for a while. The system included the brilliant Kaiser Acoustics Kavero! Chiara speakers. There were also Auralic amplifiers and a DAC – signal was transmitted from an Auralic Aries file transport."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/107.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/107.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/107.jpg" desc="When we changed the source from a really good file player to a turntable (an old direct-drive Luxman model), the sound was incredible! The system included Bodnar Audio Sandglass Piano Edition speakers and active SSC-10 subwoofers. The electronics are “workshop” Bodnar Audio products."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/108.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/108.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/108.jpg" desc="One of the most beautiful pieces of audio furniture on the market – the Bassocontinuo, here in leather finish, sewn manually. It is beautiful!"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/109.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/109.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/109.jpg" desc="At 12 on Sunday, in the room of the distribution company Natural Sound, a comparison of a master tape from a Studer tape recorder with live singing of Andrea Celeste took place – unfortunately, at the same time I had a presentation of the Krakow Sonic Society – what a pity! The material, played by Mr Robert Vigo, the head of the Analogy Records recording studio and company, sounded fantastic through the FM Acoustic system. The black version of the Zontek turntable also delivered very good sound."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/110.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/110.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/110.jpg" desc="The Studer 870 in the Natural Sound room. The tapes are the first copies from the Analogy Records master tape."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/111.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/111.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/111.jpg" desc="Fonnex is a Polish distributor, actually represented by a couple of professionals: Ms Agnieszka Zgoła and Mr Nobumasa Mori. They offer, among others, Final headphones – beautiful, expensive and clearly desired also by women. The Pandora Hope X model is presented in the photo."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/112.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/112.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/112.jpg" desc="A comparison of Final headphone membranes from the Sonorus X and VIII series."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/113.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/113.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/113.jpg" desc="Apart from perfect cables, the Audioquest company also offers fantastic headphones. A board in the hall with disassembled Nighthawk headphones demonstrated that these are complex, well though-out constructions. Congratulations!"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/114.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/114.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/114.jpg" desc="LampizatOr and its D/A converters with headphone amplifiers. It seems that I will soon receive one of them and test it. Next to them there is the “DSD Komputer” – a file player in a completely new housing."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/115.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/115.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/115.jpg" desc="The CEO of Franc Audio Accessories has a head full of great ideas! If he only can, he puts some of them into practice. A good example is this power strip – it is integrated with an anti-vibration platform and has a natural leather finish sewn manually by a professional leatherworker."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/116.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/116.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/116.jpg" desc="And this is another version of the same platform. In the picture there are also KBL Sound Himalaya cables that were given our Award of the Year 2015, placed on KBL Sound cable stands."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/117.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/117.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/117.jpg" desc="A system prepared by the Audiofast company with a turntable in the main role – this is the top Acoustic Signature Thunder model with the TA5000 arm and Soundsmith cartridge. There is Audio Research Ref Phono 2SE and Ref 5SE electronics, as well as the new Ref 150SE power amplifier. The speakers are, of course, Wilson Audio Sabrina speakers."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/118.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/118.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/118.jpg" desc="A Zontek system with the brilliant Zontek High End turntable, as well as the company’s preamplifier and amplifier. The Berlin Reference R speakers with a wooden horn are from the dc10audio company."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/119.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/119.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/119.jpg" desc="Unusual designs of the ESA company accompanied by a complete Avid HiFi system. Here we are talking about a new representative design, operating in a Red House dipole."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/120.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/120.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/120.jpg" desc="During the exhibition I finally had an opportunity to meet Juliette Shigo, the head of exports of the Advance Acoustic company. We could listen to the top speakers of the French company – the X-L1000 Advance Paris model. The band, high effectiveness (98 dB) and high power are just their most important features."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/121.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/121.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/121.jpg" desc="The object of desire, also for me – the Queen turntable by Rega with the logo of the Queen band. The model was prepared on the occasion of publishing the whole catalogue of the band on vinyl."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/122.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/122.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/122.jpg" desc="People from ForTune are also musicians – a live trumpet is what we like!"] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/123.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/123.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/123.jpg" desc="In this way we invited you to the 100th meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/124.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/124.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/124.jpg" desc="We will write about the meeting (or actually two meetings) in December – the 100th meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society during which we compared different CD editions of The Beatles. Even children participated in it :) The meeting at 12:00."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/125.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/125.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/125.jpg" desc="Raveen Bawa, a representative of the dCS company, is one of the most pleasant people in the audio industry. It was thanks to his help that the meeting took place."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/126.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/126.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/126.jpg" desc="The source used during the 100th meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society was the new dCS Rossini player which also has digital inputs and can be used as a file player. Below there is the Rossini clock that has been specifically designed to be used with the player, brought by Mr Raaven. We will publish a test of both these products already in December (we had been planning to do it in November, but we preferred to wait for the clock)."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/127.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/127.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/127.jpg" desc="Marek Dyba, known to you not only from “High Fidelity” (to the right). He joined us during the meeting at 1 p.m."] [img mini="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/th/128.jpg" big="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/128.jpg" src="foto_testy/1511/avs2015/128.jpg" desc="Participants in the meeting at 1 p.m. One of them was also a fourteen-month-old Julia who sat with her parents and listened all the time :) As her dad writes, “that was her first audio exhibition – on Saturday she spent 8 hours at the Stadium and on Sunday she was there for a shorter time, but she was lucky and managed to listen to The Beatles even though she had no ticket. It was a very nice meeting, see you next year!” In this way, Julia becomes a honorary member of the Krakow Sonic Society – we are making a certificate for her!"] [/hfgallery]

Real Sound Processor SPEC RSP-901EX I mentioned Mr Shirokazu Yazaki many times and he was also so kind to write for us a story of his life (My private story of audio). He is one of the secret heroes of the audio world, who, which is usually the case in Japanese order of things, hid his name behind some brands like Teac, Pioneer, and some other industry giants. SPEC company allowed him to realize his own ideas and to guaranty them with his own name. Together with other two fantastic engineers, Banno-san and Yamakawa-san he created remarkable devices including the hereby awarded loudspeaker „processor”. Yazaki-san shall soon retire and the other two gentlemen will take over. Review: No. 133 June 2015, see HERE Remaster NIEMEN | REMASTER 2015 In my opinion not often enough do we realize that music is a part of our historical and cultural legacy and I mean also popular music, as we actually „live” it everyday. Protecting this legacy is one of the most important duties of every country particular music belongs to. Polskie Nagrania (Polish Recordings), that inhereted Polskie Nagrania MUZA's archives for years has been running a complex program of remastering of the most important Polish recordings and we own them big thanks for that. But none of the previously released works were as important as the Czesław Niemen's Works 2015 Remaster. Fortunately the right people were chosen for the job – Ms Eleonora Atalay and Mr Jacek Gawłowski. Together they created something that represents the best work of Polish remastering engineers, something that others might learn a thing or two from. The analogue versions (vinyl records and maybe even analogue tapes) still wait for their time to come but digital version created by these two might be easily called ultimate ones. Descriptions: No. 121, June 2014 see HERE | No. 134 July 2015, see HERE Award: BIG RED Button Preamplifier + power amplifier Einstein THE PREAMP + THE SILVER BULLET OTL Volker Bohlmeier, the owner of Einstein, belongs to the most calm people I know. There are few of them in audio industry and all of them own companies whose names are synonymous with top performance but also with reliability. Them being so calm comes, I suppose, from their confidence – they know exactly how to get to satisfying both sides (them and customers) results. Believe me – it is not so with every audio manufacturer. Einstein The Preamp and The Silver Bullet OTL mono amplifiers are results of many years of constant development, improvements and ingenious ideas which their performance and aesthetics perfectly reflect. A very solid make and original design – that's what makes these devices a high-end class ones. One listens to them with a great pleasure but they can also be used as professional tools – that's how Dirk Sommer, Chief Editor of hifistatement.net and sound engineer of Sommelier du Son uses them. Einstein products are a part of his reference system that also includes Studer A80 as analogue sources. Review: No. 136, September 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Digital to Analogue Converter totaldac D-TWELVE A digital audio world has been divided between small, sometimes even one-man specialized firms and some big ones. The latter base their products on a complex digital processing, sophisticated filtering, the former try to get back to the roots. Vincent Brient's Totaldac represents the latter. The man decided to build from scratch something that the big companies take for granted – D/A converter, most often available as a small chip. Vincent does not use of-the-shell solution, he decided to build a discrete resistor ladder (i.d. soldered separately) with transistors used as switches between resistors. He added his proprietary digital filter, refined analogue filters and created a 3-box D/A Converter (plus 3 power supplies), fully capable of competing in terms of sound quality with the best digital sources available on the market today. Use it with top quality CD Transport and you're in heaven. Review: No. 132, May 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Power cable Harmonix X-DC STUDIO MASTER MILLION MAESTRO We live in times when power cables seem to be one of the most important parts of high-end audio systems. It was not that long ago when they were treated just as accessories and now they moved up the ladder to become one of the „stars”, at least equally important as any other component. If you haven't found that out for yourself until now – it is high time to try. If you can't hear a difference introduced by power chords it means that there is something wrong with the system, that it needs some work or even replacement… Cable that comes from Mr Kazuo Kiuchi is a work of an artist. His products are used in JVC remastering studios where material for K2 HD and XRCD releases is prepared. Kiuchi-san himself is a producer of many XRCDs and analogue records, including whole phenomenal Hi-Q series with classical music. There is nothing much to write about here - X-DC Studio Master Million Maestro is THE best power cable I ever tested in my system (and I already use damn good cables) and the one that I truly wish I could use for all components of my system. Yeah, my dreams are that simple :) Review: No. 133, June 2015, see HERE Award: GOLD Fingerprint Analogue interconnect Siltech TRIPLE CROWN As it turned out I was simply waiting for the Triple Crown series. Being fully aware that sky is a limit, that a better cable can be made one day I awarded GOLD Fingerprint to Mr Edwin van der Kleij and his Triple Crown series as my token of appreciation for his remarkable achievement. Explaining this award I wrote: „Even if (or maybe rather when) in the future a new even better cable will come to life, this present reference series will always (in my mind) be an example for everyone to follow.” Great engineering - a result of years of work of metallurgist, electric engineers and mechanics - Triple Crown is the best of the best. Review: No. 134, June 2015, see HERE(Polish) | HERE Award: GOLD Fingerprint Loudspeakers AudioMachina PURE NSE There have been no significant changes in technologies used for loudspeakers for the past 100 years. There were some improvements regarding magnets, diaphragm materials, filters, cabinets – but that's all that the industry was able to come up with. Not even electro- and magnetostatic drivers changed that, nor the NXT. But when these „antique” techniques land in truly capable hands, they can make speakers that could take us straight to the world of mechanically recorded world of music that is beautiful, natural, real. AudioMachina loudspeakers act as a relay between this world and listener, they do just that and nothing more. And that's exactly what audio is about. Pure NSE are top-quality loudspeakers, one of the best in the world. Review: No. 140, December 2015, see HERE Award: GOLD Fingerprint LOUDSPEAKERS Advance Acoustic KUBIK K11S Most people think of Advance Acoustic as a manufacturer of electronics. But lets not forget that first products they ever made were speakers and these won them their first customers. Kubik K11S can be placed in almost any room, they can be placed far apart or close to each other, they can play loud or very quietly always offering similar, rich and slightly warm performance. These are also quite big loudspeakers and very well made too. All that at reasonable price! Review: No. 132, April 2015, see HERE (Polish) Award: RED Fingerprint Audiovector SR3 SUPER „The Danes know how to make a speaker” – this sentence is a great summary of our test of SR3 Super. The Danes at Audiovector not only know how to make a speaker, they also enjoy making them – one can easily recognize that when talking to them. Such approach allows them to create speakers that differentiate recordings in a great way but also allow user to just relax while listening – all one has to do is to take care of correct placement of the speakers. Make&finish is another great advantage of these Danish speakers. Review: No. 129, January 2015, see HERE (Polish) Divine Acoustics ELECTRA GENERATION 3 Very unusual looks, cabinet proportions and also extraordinary finish rarely translate into equally interesting performance. Usually it is just about making product different to attract customer's attention, or even to distract him from the performance. Divine Acoustics loudspeakers look great and are surely very different from all other speakers so they can't be confused with products of any other brand. They offer very clean, refined, high quality sound too. Review: No. 137, October 2015 , see HERE Dynaudio CONTOUR S 3.4 LE Specjalne wersje produktów powstają od lat 80. XX wieku i stały się częścią świata audio. Nie zawsze jednak dają poprawę dźwięku, która by takie działania uprawomocniała. Przypadek Dynaudio S 3.4 LE jest inny – to prawdziwe dzieła sztuki, które na tyle przewyższają podstawowy model, ze możemy mówić o nowej wartości. W opisie ich budowy znajdziemy stwierdzenie „wykonanie i wygląd – wybitne”. Co tylko potwierdza to, co czytamy w relacji z odsłuchu: „jeśli tylko większy model zmieści się wam w pokoju, jeśli budżet domowy to wytrzyma, to nie ma się co zastanawiać – S 3.4 LE to realny, prawdziwy high-end z ludzką twarzą. Zasłużony RED Fingerprint to tylko formalność.” Test: No. 139, listopad 2015, czytaj HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Harbeth SL5Plus Famous predecessors of these speakers, BBC monitors, were designed to be used in studios. SL5 Plus preserves all of their advantages adding something more – they allow listener to simply enjoy music and not only one that is perfectly recorded. But to be perfectly honest – yes, they sound best when playing high quality recordings. They perform especially well playing classical and jazz music. Beautiful speakers, classic dimensions and looks. A choice for many years. Review: No. 135, August 2015, see HERE JBL Model 4319 CONTROL MONITOR JBLs deliver equally good, involving performance whether they play rock, jazz, classical or electronic music. They deliver detailed sound but present music as a whole without dissecting it into small pieces. Spacing is amazing – a room around disappears together with all problems of everyday life, and all is left is wonderful music. Timeless, classic design. These might as well be the last speakers you'll ever buy. Review: No. 134, June 2015, see HERE (Polish) Pylon Audio SAPPHIRE 25 Just as I wrote in my review, these speakers can easily be the least expensive element of the system and yet they won't be the weak link. One can use them with refined systems, as well as with Class D amplifiers and „they will offer nicely differentiated, uncolored performance unlike other speakers from this price range”. Review: No. 132, May 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Sound Project NINA This is an anniversary product, loudspeakers to celebrate 20 years of renown Polish company Sound Project. These are wonderfully made, small monitors offering open, direct sound with a really nice bass range too. They have a way of making system one uses them in sound more classy, better. Congratulations! Review: No. 139, November 2015, see HERE (Polish) Thrax LYRA Surely Bulgarian company Thrax is not known for making speakers – they are amplifier specialists. And yet the uncompromising design, Lyra, offer a performance that might be matched only by the best studio monitors. They deliver remarkably transparent and „direct” performance. Use them with warm sounding amplifier and you can enjoy fabulous sound also at home. Ingenious design! Review: No. 129, February 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Trenner&Friedl ART Small things are beautiful! Cliche, right? And yet these two nice Austrians, Mr Trenner and Friedl managed to bring this cliche to life in a way that deserves to be recognized by International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sevres. And if that's how cliche looks and sounds like, I'd like ten of these, please - 2 for each room. A classic form, beautiful make and finish, surprising dynamics and mesmerizing performance – absolutely deserved Award for this tiny speakers from the land of Haydn and Strauss! Review: No. 134, July 2015, see HERE Xavian PERLA With make&finish of best Italian furniture, Perla deliver rich, vibrant, high quality sound. They'll do a great job in smaller rooms delivering very natural and classy performance. These speakers are also capable of differentiating recordings. One can easily see and hear that these speakers were made by Italian. Mr Roberto Barletta must be proud of how well he managed to implement everything we value Italian speakers for, into such a small, stylish body. Review: No. 135, August 2015, see HERE HEADPHONES Headphones AKG Y50 My daughter has been holding onto Y50 from the very day she got them despite the fact that there are maybe 20 different pairs of cans at home she could choose from. And I know exactly why – these are very nice looking cans, particularly comfortable to wear and they sound great too. It was our countryman, Rafał Czanecki, who created design for these cans – that's additional value. Review: No. 135, July 2015, see HERE (Polish) Headphone amplifier + headphones OPPO HA-2 + PM-3 The company that at first offered us great, inexpensive DVD and Blu-ray Players today offers, among other products, also a very good portable system with certain sonic signature, that is able to find depth and emotion in every piece of music. As I wrote in my review – this is one of the best looking and offering best value headphone systems in the world. It offers also a great opportunity to those who are not audiophiles but who want to try what all this „high quality sound” fuss is about. Review: No. 136, August 2015, see HERE (Polish) INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS Accuphase E-470 Accuphase constantly changes, year after year, model after model. So each next model brings some surprises. E-470 belongs to the most interesting ones – it's an integrated amplifier that can replace even more expensive pre+power amp sets from other brands. It offers fantastic functionality, too. Brilliant piece of equipment. Review: No. 131, April 2015, see HERE Advance Acoustic X-i120 A large, impressive amplifier from French manufacturer. Who could resist its large VA meters? Nobody, I guess. Even more so since the sound is also charming – large in scale, warm, simply very, very enjoyable. And there is a bonus too – a very good headphone output. Test, No. 131, March 2015, see HERE (Polish) Audia Flight FL THREE S This device allows user to „see” music from a new perspective, to hear it like it sounds in concert hall. It delivers refined performance in a particularly calm (in the best possible meaning of this term) way. Equally good with speakers as it is with headphones. Perfect make&finish. Looks great on a wooden rack/platform – it represents Italian style after all! Review: No. 134, June 2015, see HERE (Polish) Ayre AX-5 TWENTY Amazingly well built, sounding like angel's choir – that's a short version of the review. It delivers warm, intimate but also resolving sound. Dynamics and soundstage – both exceptional. Fully capable of driving even most difficult loads (speakers) to deliver a very pleasant, unoffensive performance. Review: No. 138, October 2015, see HERE (Polish) elinsAudio CONCERTO Fitting two devices into one chassis isn't easy. elinsAudio managed to do just that – Concerto includes a high quality preamplifier and a power amp in a single, sturdy chassis. An unique aesthetics is a bonus that users shall appreciate even after years of usage. A beautiful amplifier! Review: No. 138, November 2015, see HERE Haiku BRIGHT Mk3 Wiktor Krzak, owner of Haiku is a perfectionist. If he recognizes that a remote control diminishes sound quality he will simply not use it and he won't be convinced with any arguments. Maybe this kind of approach is what allowed him to create such a fantastic amplifier as Bright Mk3. It delivers refined, sophisticated sound that is very hard to find at this price range. Review: No. 131, April 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Mark Levinson №585 №585 is more than an amplifier as it includes also a D/A Converter and a fantastic one, I must add. The sound is very palpable, but also open, carrying lot of information. This product offers a great value and it comes from a manufacturer who's been a symbol of reliability for 40 years straight. Review: No. 130, April 2015, see HERE Stein AMP 2 STATELINE SIGNATURE VERSION A small amplifier from a manufacturer associated with audio „accessories” offers great value. It delivers tonally beautiful fast sound that lacks any signs of harshness or brightness. Most would use a simple word: natural, for this type of sound. Despite relatively low power I couldn't detect any hints of compression and any emphasis in bass area. As I recommended in my review – if you have one, take it to one of your friends who has a large, powerful amp – seeing his face after direct comparison will be priceless, I guaranty that :) Review: No. 138, November 2015, see HERE Trilogy 925 Nic Poulsen proposed an integrated amplifier that is a culmination of his efforts to deliver a musical, natural sound. It's a hybrid design with tubes in the input stage placed in a very well designed chassis. It charms listeners with colorful, nuanced, spatial sound. Wonderful device delivering amazing performance. Review: No. 130, March 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint POWER AMPLIFIERS Audiomatus AS125 Audiomatus is a manufacturer who started flirting with class D amplifiers when most audiophiles still didn't even want to look at them, let alone listen to them. Audiomatus was right, serious audiophiles were wrong. Now years of playing with this technology allow Polish manufacturer to offer great sounding amplifier at exceptionally attractive price. It delivers smooth, rich, dense sound that carries a lot of information too. Review: No. 137, October 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint PREAMPLIFIER + POWER AMPLIFIER AudioTekne TFA 9501 + TM 8801 + TEA 8695 I am pretty sure that you know this anecdote about an American and a Pole commenting something extremely beautiful? The former says something like: O my god! It's wonderful, remarkable, beautiful! The latter chooses words bit differently saying most likely something like this: „holy s..t! That's f....g beautiful, I can't f...g believe it!” Well, being a Pole I could use the latter description for AudioTekne system, but I can't really do it in public, can I? To be honest that's more or less what I was saying after carrying (with a friend but still) all these components to my apartment and setting them up in my room. But after listening to the first side of the first record I forgot about being sore and tired and started to hear this song being played in my head again and again: „Heaven, I'm in heaven...”. And I was in heaven until the very sad day when this absolutely amazingly performing system left my apartment. One of the best three systems that I ever hosted in my room and probably one of the best there are! Although still not top of the line from AudioTekne... That couldn't go unrewarded! Review: No. 139, December 2015, see HERE CD PLAYER + INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER Denon DCD-50 + PMA-50 One of the giants of audio world prepared two nice looking and nice sounding devices, offering smooth, pleasant performance. They look particularly good, are user-friendly, and can also drive Denon's headphones. That makes it a system suitable for a bedroom, or a kitchen, or in case of non-audiophile music fans it could be simply the main system at home. Review: No. 135, July 2015, see HERE (Polish) Soul Note SA300 + SC300 This Japanese system is something that happens only on rare occasions – it's a true, complete system and not just few devices put together by accident or for convenience. The amplifier sports digital inputs and a high quality headphone output. The CD Player will do its job even in expensive systems. Just as I wrote in my review: „one should stick with such people and such product, all the rest are unworthy one's attention…” Review: No. 131, March 2015, see HERE (Polish) STEREO SYSTEM Preamplifier + power amplifiers + loudspeakers Koda TAKUMI 15 + TAKUMI 70 Cessaro CHOPIN As I stated in my review – it pays off to be persistent. In this particular case I was rewarded with remarkable musical spectacle created by this system that I had to wait for for a long, long time. Although Robert Koda components are hybrid designs combining tubes and transistors, their performance reminded me of the best SET amps I knew. This system delivers amazingly refined, sophisticated performance with no downsides. One can easily forget that this is just an audio system reproducing music that was recorded elsewhere. I reviewed Takumi with Chopin speakers just before Audio Tekne system arrived – I nominated both for the Yearly Awards as both were remarkable. Maybe it's a good thing that I can't afford any of them as it would be an unsolvable problem, to choose between them I mean! It was probably the best month of my audiophile life – I spent it with two of three best systems I know. Sometimes it's really great to be a reviewer! Review: No. 139, December 2015, see HERE DIGITAL SOURCES D/A Converter/ music server Hegel HD30 Hegel working as a DAC is undoubtedly a high-end performer. Use a high class CD Transport as a source and you might forget about hi-res files playback – you won't need it anymore and love your music like never before. Those who like files as a music medium will also like what HD30 has to offer. Review: No. 138, November 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint D/A Converter/headphone amplifier Chord HUGO TT Hugo TT proves that an audiophile manufacturer with long tradition is able to understand needs of today's market. Chord prepared a device that when used in a high quality system with loudspeakers will become its heart, and when used in computer based system with cans it will become heart and brains of its operations. Its DAC section is pure and simple remarkable, and its headphone amp is a very good one. It is one of the few DACs at this price level that is able to easily present differences between files of different frequency sampling, as well as between PCM and DSD formats – most DACs simply are not resolving enough to be able to do that. Review: No. 135, August 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Digital to Analogue Converter LampizatOr GOLDEN GATE As for today the balanced version of Golden Gate DAC is a culmination of many years of hard work of Mr Łukasz Fikus. During last few years we've witnessed a great development of Lampizator's portfolio and we've been watching a well deserved success the company achieved and what's worth emphasizing, mostly on very demanding foreign markets. One doesn't success in America, for example, by accident, and that's where most Lampizator products actually go. This award is granted in part for the international success of this Polish company that makes me really proud as it is still one of very few Polish manufacturers who conquered foreign markets. But this is also well deserved award for possibly the best DSD DAC available today, and for sure the best I had a chance to listen to. Remarkable performance is one thing and an opportunity given to every user of shaping sound to one's preference simply by tube rolling is another. Golden Gate is a „wet dream” of each true tube aficionado. That is why I had no choice but to present this award to Lampizator Golden Gate! Review: No. 138, November 2015, see HERE Compact Disc Player C.E.C. CD5 Rumors suggesting death of CD are surely exaggerated. Truth is that only now designers show us what this format is truly capable of. CD5 by Japanese company CEC gives its user an impression of dealing with unique mechanical product as it uses a belt drive. CD5 delivers rich, deep, refined sound and its inner calm and coherence are simply remarkable. Review: No. 130, July 2015, see HERE ANALOGUE SOURCES Phonostage RCM Audio SENSOR 2 The first version of this device has been a part of „High Fidelity's” reference system for many years. Even though I had a chance to review many, even much more expensive competitors during these years, I never felt like replacing it. Sensor 2 clearly outperforms its predecessor in every aspect. It offers well balanced, precise but never bright nor „screamy” sound. Both range extremes are powerful, rich and precise, bass extension is outstanding and its control impressive. Review: No. 137, October 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Cartridge Miyajima Laboratory MADAKE The best cartridge from my favorite Japanese manufacturer, Mr Noriyuki Miyajima. Cantilever sports a small piece of a Madake bamboo, the same that Thomas Edison used for a filament of his first bulb. One can not buy this kind of bamboo anywhere. The only way to get it is to receive it from Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine. Warm, rich, „human” sound, so easy to fall in love with. Review: No. 133, June 2015, see HERE Award: GOLD Fingerprint CABLES Speaker cables Tellurium Q SILVER DIAMOND Every true music lover will be delighted with the performance of these cables and every ever-searching for the best sound audiophile shall be impressed too. Silver Diamond offers rich, dense sound, resolving and selective and with simply put – fabulous bass. Soundstage depth impresses, and the recordings made to surround listener with the sound will do just that in a very convincing way. After this test we decided to purchase a set of Silver Diamond to be used in our reference systems. Review: No. 138, November 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Speaker cables Melodika BROWN SUGAR One could think that only making the top of the line products is difficult for a manufacturer. But it's not true. In fact the most challenging job is to prepare an entry level product that would truly satisfy audio beginners with its performance and its looks. The more respect I have for the job done by guys from Melodika, as their Brown Sugar cable does a good job of not messing with any aspect of the sound. In this price range? That makes it a king! Review: No. 137, November 2015 , see HERE Analogue interconnect + speaker cable KBL Sound HIMALAYA It is hard to compete with renown brands on high-end market. But when man knows what and how to make than comparing his products with those of famous brands may bring very interesting results. Himalaya by KBL offers a remarkable performance – a rich, dense, precise, slightly dark sound that will be a great complement of many refined, high-end systems. Review: No. 137, October 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Analogue interconnect Hijiri MILLION This cable has to offer a very open and at the same time very rich sound. It is also particularly refined but it shall prove its value in every kind of system – it's the best confirmation of Mr Kazuo Kiuchi's artistry. He is a true master in everything he does. Review: No. 136 September 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Analogue interconnect + speaker cable MOGAMI NIII 2803 + 2804 These cables look like a shoelace, but they sound like ones of these garden-hose-thick-like cables – Mogami offer warm, rich sound signature, but with nicely extended treble, too. One wouldn't probably be able to brag about them in front of one's friend as it's difficult to even see them on the floor, but they do a lot of good for the system! Review: No. 136 September 2015, see HERE POWER Power conditioner + power cord Gigawatt Model 4 EVO (v. DCB) If the power has to be filtered, has to be „conditioned” it should be done in Gigawatt's way. Their most expensive power conditioner is perfectly made and it brings something of ultimate tidiness and order to the system. It should be treated as equally important component of a system as any other. It shall provide not only improvement of the performance of the whole setup but also its protection. Review: No. 130, March 2015, see HERE Award: GOLD Fingerprint ACCESSORIES Anti-Vibration Cable Stabilizers Rogoz Audio 3T1/BBS Rogoz Audio Cable Stabilizers are quite large, look very good and are build using solutions developed by this Polish manufacturer. One can easily see what one pays for and then as easily hear their influence on the sound. These elements bring sound closer to live-like, deeper, more sophisticated experience. When used in expensive setups they will help to get more music from the sound. Review: No. 137, October 2015 , see HERE Passive EMI/RFI filter Verictum X BLOCK There are many products of this type used by industry, although most don't look as good as these passive RFI/EMI filters. In audio they are not commonly used despite the fact that each high quality product should have such filter built-in. But they don't. For those without on-board filters X Block will do a very good job improving decreasing noise and thus offering black background and delivering more natural, softer sound. We bought three of these filters for our „High Fidelity” reference system. Review: No. 137, October 2015, see HERE J.S. Bach Motety Fabio Bonizzoni, Capella Cracoviensis Alpha 199, Compact Disc This Capella Cracoviensis recording was released by French label Alpha. The album with complete recording of Johann Sebastian Bach Motets is a result of series of concerts that took place in the first quarter of 2014 and another session performed in Krzysztof Penderecki European Music Center in Lutosławice. The sound on this album is well balanced and somehow appropriate for this particular music. Music is performed by great artists who truly understand played and sang material, who are really committed to what they do. This results in special ambiance that can be found in this recording, which is sort of inherent feature of all Alpha releases. Review: No. 140, December 2015, see HERE (Polish) Award: RED Fingerprint Bach To Moog Craig Leon | Jennifer Pike, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Music on Vinyl | Sony Classical MOVCL019 180 g Long Play Moog synthesizer as a main character accompanied by Sinfonietta Cracovia, material mastered by Jacek Gawłowski – that's Bach To Moog album. All these elements offer a new, interesting insight into works of the Leipzig cantor. Sound is warm and rich, and the key role plays the mighty Moog System 55. Wonderful album! It is also a beautiful release nicely prepared by Music on Vinyl. Review: No. 137 October 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint AQUAVOICE, Early Recordings Zoharum ZOHAR102-2 2 x Compact Disc | plik Sound of both discs is tonally balanced, following a direction set by a Virgin 4-disc release of Tangerine Dream. In fact it might be even better than the latter. It is more resolving, with better selectivity and differentiation. Both frequency extremes are nicely extended but listener's attention is focused on the midrange as this part of the range holds most information. Great music and a very good sound quality too. Review: No. 137 September 2015, see HERE (Polish) Award: RED Fingerprint | BIG RED Button P.U.R. COLLECTIVE Nichi Nichi Kore Ko’nichi For-Tune 0056 (006) Compact Disc What an album! It's a recording of pure energy, swing (however that sounds like), free jazz improvisations and just Music. And there is this phenomenal realization – that's how jazz should be recorded! Review: No. 136 September 2015, see HERE Award: BIG RED Button SKALDOWIE Skaldowie. 50 lat Kameleon Records BOX – 12 x Compact Disc Limited edition No. 175/250 Music is an artistic legacy, even if we're talking about so called „popular” music. That's why it needs to be preserved, protected. And while it is done it should be done in style, like Kameleon Records did with this box with Skaldowie works. It offers everything one should expect: fantastic sound, properly, carefully reproduced original covers, and a great box. This release together with 2015 Niemen Remaster show other the way – that's how it should be done. Review: No. 136, September 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint | BIG RED Button EUGENIUSZ RUDNIK Miniatury Requiem Records 100 | 2015 BOX 4 x Compact Disc „Kostka Rudnika” is one of the most beautiful Polish releases of 2015. Sound quality only confirms this impression. This release preserved richness of the analogue tape, i.e. very characteristic harmonics, many small details, nuances that vinyl records released many years ago simply did not offer. When needed sound is very palpable, on other occasions particularly profound. Soundstage is impressive – although created, artificial it plays important role in artists vision. Review: No. 136, September 2015, see HERE Wyróżnienia: RED Fingerprint | BIG RED Button RYSZARD SYGITOWICZ Bez grawitacji Wifon/GAD Records GAD CD 029 Compact Disc | REMASTER This Sygitowicz albums cheers man up whether it is a rainy of sunny day because it includes hit after hit. Also the remaster is a great job – it offers rich, full sound. I loved sound of guitars as with their timbre very accurately presented. It's a great, instrumental rock music with some catchy melodies, interesting instrumentation, played in a very natural, effortless way. Review: No. 136, September 2015, see HERE Award: BIG RED Button PINKROOM Unloved Toy Creative Farm Production CFCD 003 Compact Disc Such albums show the best, non-over-thought side of progressive rock. Unloved Toy is a well sounding, musically interesting album. I recommend it for all fans of good music, also because it is one of these albums that you'll want to listen again and again to. Review: No. 136, September 2015, see HERE Award: BIG RED Button SŁAWEK JASKUŁKE Sea Kayax Music KAYAX 079 Compact Disc One should listen to this album to find out the way a piano might sound like when extensive sound effects are used. In this case it sounds in particularly rich way. This album might be your stress-release “medicine”, instead of other recordings of sea waves or some other voices of nature. Rolled-off treble and emphasis on lower midrange make listener feel like he's under water watching things happening there. Fantastic album! Review: No. 132, April 2015, see HERE (Polish) AIDAN BAKER & IDKLANG In The Red Room Karlrecords KR021 180 g Long Play One can find some echoes of works of Brian Eno, and surely of Robert Fripp on In The Red Room album. It is a complete, finished work characterized by a minimalist beauty and melancholic energy – these are the key features of this music. A wonderful cover, and very well pressed vinyl offering rich, full sound – that's what makes this album special. This work combining elements of drone, ambient and krautrock music enriched with some psychedelic sauce is a must-have for any electronic music fan. Review: No. 140, December 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet POLKA Agora 268138801 Compact Disc It is a great accomplishment to play jazz in 21st century in such a way. Classic swing and yet it's not boring, nor tiresome. To record jazz in 21st century in such a way it's even greater accomplishment. Powerful, energetic sound, beautiful bass, fantastic dynamics – this recording was done in fully analogue studio and it's quite obvious once you start listen to it. Great job! Review: No. 130, March 2015, see HERE MIRACULA. MEDIEVAL MUSIC FOR SAINT NICHOLAS performed by Ensemble Peregrina/Agnieszka Budzińska-Bennett 180 g Long Play | Tacet 213 Ensemble Peregrina together with our fellow-countryman Ms Agnieszka Budzińska-Bennett recorded an album with medieval songs linked to saint Nicholas. It amazes with both, sound quality and remarkable performance. Voices are particularly resolving, and room's acoustics conveyed in a wonderful manner. Sound definition is also fantastic. Sound is very open and one can tell, that sound engineer, Mr Spreer, is really good at his job. I perceived it as a very analogue sounding recording comparable to those from the golden age of audio. Miracula… is a wonderful release confirming Tacet's status of one of the best labels on the market. Review: No. 130, March 2015, see HERE Ed Sheeran X (Deluxe Edition) Asylum | Atlantic/Warner Music Japan WPCR-15730 Compact Disc This album has but one flaw – it's too long. Perception could be much better if it was released as a double album. Apart from that – this is an unending list of hit tracks. Ed Sheeran obviously knows how to create good, dense tracks that never get old. On high quality system this album will deliver good sounding, rich, spacial sound with great dynamics of guitar, drums and other instruments. After few session this album simply got stuck in my head. Review: No. 130, March 2015, see HERE JERZY MILLIAN TRIO Bazaar Polskie Nagrania MUZA/GAD Records GAD CD 017, Compact Disc Polskie Nagrania MUZA/GAD Records GAD LP 003, Long Play There is no way this album goes unrewarded. Both releases, CD and vinyl, offer fantastic tonal balance, rich, resolving sound, and above all – all these elements worked for and with music to deliver outstanding performance. This is piece of timeless, phenomenal music. It is also one of the best examples of GAD Records „remastering school”. His label never delivers any poor releases. Review: No. 129, January 2015, see HERE Award: RED Fingerprint

o called „vertical integration” is an arrangement in which the supply chain of a company is owned by that company. In a particular case of an audio company it means that it controls sound from the recording stage until the reproduction stage using loudspeakers or headphones. And there are few such companies, like Linn and Naim for example. They own separate brands that are involved in recording and releasing albums (respectively: Linn Records and Naim Label) but are also designing and manufacturing audio components like: sources (turntables, music servers, and Naim also CD and HDCD Players), amplifiers, cables and loudspeakers. So each such company controls the whole way the signal has to go through – from a recording till its reproduction in a audio system. Combak Corporation works in a similar way. Its owner, Mr Kazuo Kiuchi co-owns XRCD (eXtended Resolution Compact Disc) patents, is a producer of albums that are remastered in JVC's (Victor Company of Japan, Ltd) studio. It might not be exactly the same as producing music recorded in one's own studio, but it's close enough and it creates an opportunity of working with much wider musical spectrum. His company offers a CD Player and a D/A Converter sporting K2 digital filters, linestage and power amplifiers – all of them under the Reimyo brand. Harmonix brand is used for cables and anti-vibration elements. Loudspeakers also have their own brand – before it was Bravo!, and now it is Encore. ENC-5 Kiuchi-san loves tubes and classic recordings of 1950ties and 1960ties – both jazz and classical music. He also prefers small monitors. So it is no surprise that also his latest speakers, Encore ENC-5, are small, stand-mounted ones. These loudspeakers sport SEAS coaxial drivers, with aluminum dome tweeter placed in a center of a fiberglass mid- lowrange driver. Encore use closed cabinets made of few types of wood. Each cabinet sports also Harmonix anti-vibration elements placed in key areas. The inside is gently damped with small wood pieces. A crossover's design is very simple. It uses few polypropylene capacitors and hand made air-core coils. It uses no resistor! ENC-5 are designed to work as near-field monitors, so they should be placed close to listener. Mr Kiuchi calls them “studio monitors”, because in recording and mastering studios they use speakers for near-field listening. To even further minimize an influence of the rooms' acoustics Mr Kiuchi follows the Perfect Bass Balance theory in his design. These speakers are quite easy load so can be driven even by a low-power tube amplifiers – manufacturer declares a nominal impedance value of 8 Ω and it only occasionally falls below 7 Ω. Frequency range reaches from 70 Hz to 25 000 Hz, with +/-2 dB, and bass goes as low as 55 Hz with -6 dB. KAZUO KIUCHI Owner, designer WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Why didn't you this time design large, floor-standing loudspeakers? KAZUO KIUCHI: I have visited very many number of music lovers and their listening room is not the size that big size speaker can play. The room is also a part of system and acoustically very important. Big size speaker shake the room and room produce their own acoustic sound. The most of speakers on the market is designed to handle big power and play very loud not musical. There is many big problem in designing speakers. What is important for you in loudspeaker design and what do you want to achieve by your constructions? Important mission of audio system is to Faith-to-Original reproduction and nothing else, including speaker design. Every piece of my product is designed based on this concept. This is only where music lovers can meet original intention of music writer, composer, conductor, artists. Every piece of CD soft. It is stored them and history, life of time, love etc. Please listen and compare ENCORE with any other speakers in term of musicality and reality, not volume of sound. What music did impress you recently? What music would you recommend to „High Fidelity” readers? Performance out of the most of systems, I guess, you only get 30 to 40% only. Many of system owners make chose the sound they prefer and not music. They like big and loud sound where there is no musicality and No art-of-music. When I present my systems and sound of my system, every listeners got shockingly surprise. Some listeners drop their jaws for the sound never experienced, and some other have become mesmerized. This is what music should deliver and I am experiencing excitement in making my product and XRCD music soft. COMBAK CORPORATION in HF TEST: Harmonix X-DC STUDIO MASTER MILLION MAESTRO – power cable AC, see HERE TEST: HIJIRI HGP-10R “MILLION” – analogue interconnect, see HERE TEST: Harmonix TU-666M „BeauTone” MILLION MAESTRO 20th Anniversary Edition – anti-vibration feet, see HERE TEST: Harmonix X-DC350M2R Improved-Version – power cable AC, see HERE TEST: Harmonix RS15-ANV – anti-vibration platform, see HERE CRACOW SONIC SOCIETY, meeting #72: KAZUO KIUCHI (Combak Corporation) in CRACOW, see HERE TEST: Harmonix HARMONIC-STRINGS HS101-EXQ EXQUISITE + α1 speaker cable + speaker cable anti-vibration supports, see HERE • TEST: Harmonix HS-101-GP + HS-101-SLC - interconnect RCA + speaker cable, see HERE TEST: Reimyo DAP-999EX LIMITED – D/A Converter, see HERE TEST: Reymio CAT-777 MkII - linestage, see HERE TEST: Reimyo + Harmonix + Bravo! – Combak Corporation system, see HERE Recordings used for this test (a selection): Paganini For Two, Gil Shaham, Göran Söllscher, Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Music Ltd, Taiwan 480 246-5, XRCD24 (1993/2009) Bach, Violin Concertos, Yehudi Menuhin, EMI/Hi-Q Records HIQXRCD9, XRCD24, CD (1960/2013) Bill Evans Trio, Portrait in Jazz, Riverside/Victor Entertainment, VICJ-61322, K2HD CD (1959/2005) Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, Rosary Sonatas, viol. Rachel Podger, Channel Classics CCS SA 37315, 2 x SACD/CD (2015) Jerzy Milian, Milian 80 | 1956-2004, GAD Records GAD CD 026, CD (2015) John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note/Esoteric ESSB-90123, SACD/CD (1957/2015) w: 6 Great Jazz, “MasterSound Works”, Blue Note/Esoteric ESSB-90122/7, 6 x SACD/CD (2015) Mirt, Solitaire, Bôłt Records BR ES18, “Polish Radio Experimental Studio”, CD (2014) Nahorny Sextet, Chopin Genius Loci, Confiteor 005, 2 x CD (2010) Pat Martino, Hombre, Prestige/JVC VICJ-41574, “Heritage of Jazz – II Prestige 50 | 18”, K2 CD (1967/2006) Sławek Jaskułke, Sea, Kayax 079, CD (2014); Wes Montgomery, Echoes of Indiana Avenue, Resonance Records 195562, CD (2012) Zygmunt Krauze, Spatial Music, Bôłt Records BR 1019, CD (2013) Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] It is said that knowing man or people behind particular product – not necessarily an audio one – helps to understand its purpose and function. I have to agree with that and I'm speaking from my experience. The smaller, more specialized manufacturer, the more true is there in this saying. In other words – understanding Encore means also getting to know Mr Kazuo Kiuchi better. Because Kiuchi-san creates products for his own, private audio system. The system he and his wife, a professional singer, use to listen to the music and to assess recordings he produces (for XRCDs in JVC studio). He creates them for himself and then shares them with others, thus sharing his private life with us. So it came as no surprise that these were “specialized” products. I can't call them „universal”, because they clearly work better when playing some recordings and not so well when dealing with others. They never sound poorly. But once we hear the “right” sort of recordings played by Encore we know exactly that they were created for this type of music and we can feel it in our gut. By when forced to play music that doesn't suit them they become bit nervous and sometimes slightly aggressive. Assuming that we have fulfilled these two basic conditions (proper system and music selection) the first thing that we realize the the scale of the sound that is defined as “amount of the sound” delivered over chosen unit of time. It is something that (in jokes) we describe as “the actual content of sound (music) in sound (music)”. Already the previous Combak Corporation monitors called Bravo! Were in this respect unique, but Encore exceeds even further. Our eyes see small speakers bu our ears enjoy large scale, rich sound. This effect is particularly present when listening to jazz recordings from 1950ties and 1960ties, especially using high quality Japanese releases that take particularly good care of a refined midrange. The soundstage is huge. Listener feels like in the center of a huge bubble that is usually created by large, horn speakers like, for example, JBL ones from Monitor series. Density of the sound is enormous, simply beyond any scale. Evans' piano had depth and size that most large speakers would never be able to reproduce, as well as this amazing vibrancy and smoothness of Jerzy Milian vibes. Same happened when I listened to guitars played by Pat Martino on El Hombre, or Wes Montgomery on Echoes…. Each of these recordings were presented with fabulous richness as well as with impressive resolution. Probably nobody would really call these speakers particularly selective, just as nobody calls sound from analogue master-tape selective. In these cases selectivity seems like a core feature, something that is simply there to “support” other sound features and not just to impress listener. It definitely supports richness and resolution of the sound. Sound seems slightly warm and dense. But it is not achieved by “warming this sound up” but due to this remarkable resolution – it's a phenomenon one should remember about: the better selectivity the more detailed sound, but selectivity by itself tends to make sound too bright; on the other hand the better resolution the (subjectively) warmer, richer sound gets while remaining highly detailed. Japanese release of Bill Evans Trio's Portrait in Jazz comes with insert that, among other things, says that in When I Fall In Love in the left channel one could hear drop-outs. With Encore one can hear them as clearly as if one was present in the studio during recording. It is perceived as an inherent element of this recording, or as its curiosity so it doesn't bother listener at all. These two element – high resolution and large scale presentation give us a general idea about what Encore have to offer. Soundstage is quite expansive in all dimensions. To hear this effect at its best one should take time to find optimal placement for the speakers. To be clear - whatever the placement they offer decent performance but only if you make an effort and find the optimal one you'll be rewarded with this coherent, rich soundstage. Like with Sławek Jaskułke album Sea – that was really something! – lots of special effects that made piano sound like it was playing under water and a final result of remarkable depth and palpability. Jazz is not the only genre that Encore delivers in a particularly beautiful way – it does a great job of playing electronic and classical music too. With some reservation – when it comes to electronic music the one that sounds best is the particularly dense, rich kind. When it comes to powerful, rhythmic pieces like Jarre's Téo & Téa, speakers' performance lacks openness. Recordings with compressed sound, emphasized attack phase do these speakers no good. There is more treble, more details, but lesser coherency and liquidity. But if you listen to Zygmunt Krauze on Spatial Music, or Mirt's Solitaire you are going to be thrilled. Also baroque music, but played on period instruments sounds amazing. I think it shows perfectly Encore's preferences: the more harmonics, the richer, deeper sound, the better, more enjoyable performance. Summary Small boxes measuring 217 x 300 x 217 mm sporting a 175mm mid- low-range driver working in a closed enclosure should not be able to deliver low bass. I happened to witness not once and not twice such a phenomenon where a designer treated such situation not as a problem, something impossible, but as a challenge that helped him to build something special. Mr Kiuchi chose a loading method for a larger of two drivers that resulted in great coherency of the sound. And this coherency allows listener to forget about limitations of these speakers. It is obvious that what we can hear comes from monitors, but we are aware of that because of previous experience rather than because of what we can actually hear. Encore are perfect choice for small rooms especially to play the music genres I mentioned above. High sensitivity and impedance might suggest using low-power tube amplifiers, which is true but only if one uses them actually in a small room as a near-field monitors. In other cases powerful amp will be a better choice. One should follow these suggestions and make an effort when finding an optimal placement for these speakers – in return Encore will offer an amazing performance. The Combak Corporation webpage calls these speakers „State-of-the-Art Near-field loudspeaker”. They are small, two-way monitors using the SEAS H1384-08/06 coaxial driver operation in closed enclosure. Mid- and low-range is reproduced by a driver with fiberglass, yellow diaphragm. In its center instead of dust cup there is the second driver – a metal tweeter. Crossover frequency is set at 2800 Hz. The ENCORE’s design follows a closed enclosure principle based on Perfect Bass Balance theory, allowing a bass roll-off of 12dB octave ideally compensated by boost of room reflections often associated with listening rooms. The nominal impedance of the ENCORE is 8 ohms and rarely drops below 7 ohms . To unleash the true potential of the ENCORE, the recommended amplifier should have higher electrical output current and quality. When such amplifiers are used ENCORE can also play impressively in large listening rooms up to 80 square meters. The following speaker models offered by Mr Kiuchi differed mostly with their enclosures. In this case enclosure is made of few wooden elements and “tuned” to achieve required resonance control. Resonances are an inherent feature of any speaker enclosure – in this case it is about resonance control. Part of the system that allows such control are Harmonix anti-vibration elements placed in the key parts of the speaker that look like Harmonix anti-vibration feet. Even the logo on the front baffle is an anti-vibration element. Rear panel sports additional piece of wood that also helps to control resonances. This piece of wood is a reason why speakers posts had to be placed quite far away from each other. These are gold-plated posts that look like those used in my Harbeths – honestly I'm not a great fan of them. There are two color versions available – black and Russet (side walls are still black but all others are finished with Russet veneer). Driver is protected with a black, metal grid. Specifications (according to manufacturer) Drivers: • 176 mm fiberglass • 25 mm, coaxial aluminum dome Frequency range: • 70-25 000 Hz (+/-2 dB) • 55 Hz/-6 dB Sensitivity: 86 dB/2,83 V/1 m Nominal impedance: 8 Ω Crossover frequency: 2800 Hz Recommended power amplifier: 20 – 150 W Dimensions: 217 x 300 x 217 mm Grill: metal grid, diffraction and early reflections free. Finish: black or Russet Weight: 6,16 kg/PC. Kazimierz Jonkisz Energy 6 Hour With Ronnie ForTune 0070 | 045 Medium: Compact Disc Released: Sept. 25th 2015 In 1978 he, as the first drummer ever, started his own jazz band. Many currently well know musicians played at some point in one of his bands. Musicians like: Krzesimir Dębski, Janusz Skowron, Maciej Strzelczyk, Andrzej Olejniczak, Maciej Sikała, Krzysztof Popek started their careers this way. Kazimierz Jonkisz recorded almost 70 albums throughout his career. He took part in recording many most important Polish jazz recordings like, for example, Zbigniew Namysłowski's „Winobranie”. His first own album called Tiri Taka was released in 1980 and today it belongs to prestigious „Polish Jazz” series. Ronnie (Ronald Edward) CUBER is an American saxophonist best known as baritone sax player. His first notable work was with Slide Hampton, Maynard Ferguson and Lee Konitz. These two musicians met for only 6 hours when they recorded a lot of material that after selection was placed on this album. These 6 hours were enough to prepare material for six tracks – their own compositions and some standards, rehearse them and record them in Studio Tokarnia. The recording was done on November 17th 2014 in Studio Tokarnia in Warsaw. SOUND ForTune really knows how to choose best musicians but also sound engineers for their releases. I wrote it because the Kazimierz Jonkisz album is very coherent and stylish. It sends listeners back to 1950ties not only because of the music itself but also because of style of the production of this album. It was recorded over a single day and most likely at 100% (at least that's what I thought when I was listening to it). It is particularly meaningful music delivered with a full, rich sound. I appreciated natural, realistic timbre of double bass that did not sound anything like a bass guitar. Drums placed in the left channel sounds like recorded from some distance but it is very lively, with vibrant, rich sound of both, drums and cymbals. Even when on Ivy track some reverb was added to baritone saxophone it still sounds very good, there is no artificial brightness, nor is the sound overly detailed. Sound is rich, essential, dense and palpable. Great sounding album with highly enjoyable music. Highly recommended! Sound quality: 10/10 [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/encore/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/encore/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/encore/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/encore/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/encore/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/encore/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/encore/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/encore/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/encore/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/encore/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/encore/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/encore/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/encore/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/encore/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/encore/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/encore/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/encore/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/encore/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/encore/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/encore/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/encore/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

ow our memory works is still a mystery. We know where memories are stored, we can literally point out parts of our brain responsible for that. But the answer to a question of how it actually works still eludes scientists. They know some, they assume some but they can't be really certain. It is possible that artists might help to find an answer. It is them who, using their intuition, gut feeling, some mysterious insight into things that remain mystery for most of us, are able to point out some directions for where we should look for answers. For me a particularly important clue comes from Karl Ove Knausgård: Memory is not a quantifiable value in human life. Simply because our memories are not a perfect reflection of truth. What and how we remember is not directly based on facts. We remember what is good for us. Memory is quite pragmatic, tricky, it might not be malicious or treacherous but it does everything possible to satisfy its host not necessarily reflecting the truth. It sends some elements into the deepest ends of the memory, others it twists so much that they are nothing like the original facts, some others are kept but completely misunderstood, and few, very few are kept in their original shape. The point is that we never get to decide which facts are to be kept in the best possible way and which are not. Karl Ove Knausgård, My struggle. Part three, translated by Iwona Zimnicka, Kraków 2015, p.17 Keith Louis Eichmann Knowing that please ask yourself what do you remember about Bullet Plugs. For many of you this name does not even ring a bell – it is perfectly normal. Those who are familiar with the name probably can't really remember anything more about it. Most (among those familiar with the name) will remember that these are RCA plugs, used for analogue and digital interconnects, that use minimal quantity of metal, with signal and ground wires having only a single contact point each with a socket. Shortly after these plugs entered market many manufacturers realized that they improved the sound of cables featuring them so many of them started to use them. Even such big fishes as WBT were effected by Bullet Plugs – these changed their approach to connections. As result WBT designed new type of plugs and sockets – we know them as NextGen. Later other manufacturers followed, like Mundorf and Furutech, for example. Today massive, metal sockets are not synonymous with „high class” anymore, they just indicate an approach a manufacturer using them prefers. Bullet Plugs were designed by Keith Louis Eichmann, and Australian scientist and were released in 1999. Today it might seem that the idea itself was very simple. But as any other simple solution also this one is ingenious in its simplicity, even more so because nobody had done anything like that before. Some time later company Eichmann Technologies, that offered these plugs and finished cables disappeared for the market. The patent for the plugs was later utilized by ETI Research (test HERE), and today by another company KLE Innovations, a new enterprise by Keith Eichmann and Patricia Eichmann. Let me remind you that, for example, Kuzma use these plugs for their tonearm cables. Rob Woodland I like Keith Eichmann's (aka KL) idea from the very beginning. I tested plugs in both, copper and silver versions, and later also cables and anti-vibration elements always right after they were released. Credit for that goes to Rob Woodland, an Australian audio distributor, audiophile, music lover, and designer, who, at the time, propagated news about Mr Eichmann's invention all over the world. For years we've been exchanging emails and finally we managed to meet during one of the Munich High End Shows. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly which one. In 2005 just out of the blue Rob sold his company and seemed to disappear from the face of the world. Until this year that is when he sent me an email which brought all the above mentioned facts to my mind. This time Rob took on making of digital cable, a USB one to be exact and a one that, he claims, offers certain advantages over other products. And yet it is reasonably priced. This cable made by Rob is branded Curious. ROB WOODLAND Owner, designer WOJCIECH PACUŁA: Please tell us about your history. ROB WOODLAND: I was involved in electronics from a very early age. In primary school at the age of nine or ten, I looked after the school’s PA system. That set the scene for later life when I built loudspeakers and turntable bases during my university days. I was Queensland distributor for Mission loudspeakers in the seventies, spent a year setting up a Hi-Fi shop in Brisbane in 1982, and then moved into organizing Hi-Fi shows during the eighties. In the late nineties I met inventor Keith Eichmann, who had a unique design for an RCA plug. I licensed Keith’s technology and set about manufacturing and distributing the Bullet Plug and other Eichmann creations – cables and resonance control devices. I caught the inventing bug myself and designed the CablePod (binding post) and Bayonet Plug (banana plug) based on sound quality as the primary concern. I sold the business in 2005 and am now semi-retired, building loudspeakers and DACs – and enjoying life as a DIY audiophile and music lover. How did you start thinking about USB cable? A few years ago I moved to a computer-based music source. There is no doubt this is the future for music reproduction – but it took several years of fine tuning to get the performance I was looking for. I changed the power supply, footers under the server, PCI card and software, but still had a slightly flat and lifeless sound. It had to be better. That’s when I started to look at the USB cables. Many people will tell you that USB cables can’t make a difference, but I had a variety of wires on hand, so I started experimenting. And what do you know? Every wire combination I tested had a varying impact on sound quality. I also started to evaluate high-end USB cable designs. And while these cables delivered more detail than standard USB printer cables, they still sounded flat and two-dimensional. So began a 12 month quest to discover a USB cable design that would deliver a truly three dimensional, musical sound – like the real thing. I left no stone unturned. I tested different diameters of wire, different metallurgy, shielding, dielectrics, ground techniques, how to deal with the 5V power leg and so on. All the time listening. And after a while I built up a set of parameters for a USB cable that worked for the delivery of music, rather than just delivery of data. So – the enquiring mind came to the fore. Hence the name “Curious”. What is the biggest problem with USB transmission? The first problem is that we treat USB in relation to its role in computing – in delivery of data at high speed – rather than in its role in an audio system delivering music. I believe these require different thinking. For example, one high-end cable I evaluated claims to be the fastest cable on the market. And yet, it doesn’t sound very good. It has plenty of detail – but the sound stage is two dimensional, with a lack of separation between instruments. So, “speed” of data delivery may not be essential for music reproduction. The other problem is what I call a “reactionary” problem. USB operates in a noisy environment within the computer server. Many cable designers react to this noise by going to extraordinary lengths to shield the data wires. However, USB carries the signal in differential mode that allows noise to be canceled at the receiving end – in a similar manner to “balanced” analog cables. In my experiments, shielding of data wires introduces more problems than it solves. In saying that, I do believe in shielding for the 5V power leg and the ground leg. Why engineers deny importance of good USB cables – they all think that it is irrelevant. Engineers work on delivery of “data” via USB, and this includes speed of delivery. Packets of data should arrive in tact from one end of the cable to the other. And this is correct for most areas of computing. I have no argument here. However, delivery of “music” in the form of data packets appears to require a different protocol. It may be a result of jitter. It may be transmission of noise on the ground. It may be capacitive reactance resulting in differential mode noise. All these factors can mess with the sound. What I do know is that USB cables make an audible difference - so I’ve worked hard to develop a USB cable that delivers beautiful music. Do you think that hi-res file playing is mature already? Computer or dedicated player? We’re still in early days when it comes to HD music. Over coming years we’ll see improvements across the board as we learn how to use computers for music reproduction. Software will play an important role. Just look at “Fidelizer” and how it improves the performance of windows based servers. Meridian has their new MQA system for recording and playback. Technology is improving at a rapid rate. And while I use a computer server because I enjoy tweaking, I’m sure dedicated players will be the preferred source in the future. What are the most important problems now? I don’t see too many problems. I see plenty of solutions as the Industry matures. Different people are working on better sounding USB PCI cards, some are working on better power supplies – while I’m working on better sounding USB cables. Put it all together, and computer-based audio systems are improving all the time. Music sounds better than ever. Recordings used for the test (a selection): Opus 3 DSD Showcase 1 (5,6 MHz), Opus 3, DSD128 (2013) Yesterdays Klipsch II DSD128, Opus 3, DSD128 (1954/2013) Alan Parsons, Eye in The Sky, Arista/Analogue Productions, rip z DVD-A, WAV 24/192 (2005/1982) Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), Atlantic, rip z SACD, DSD (1967) Art Pepper, Intensity, Contemporary Records, rip z SACD, DSD (1960) Clannad, Nádúr, ARC Music/HD Tracks, FLAC 16/44,1 (2013) Dead Can Dance, Anastasis, [PIAS] Entertainment Group PIASR311CDX, "Special Edition Hardbound Box Set", USB drive 24/44,1 WAV (2012); Dżem, Zemsta nietoperzy, Pronit/remaster Damian Lipiński, DSD (1987/2015) Jean Michel Jarre, Electronica Project Sony Music 88875108352, 2 x 180 g LP + CD + USB 24/96 FLAC (2015) John Coltrane Quartet, Ballads, Impulse!, rip z SACD, DSD (1962) Lars Danielson & Leszek Możdżer, Pasodoble, ACT Music, WAV 24/88,2 (2007) Nat "King" Cole, Love is the Thing, Capitol/Analogue Productions, rip z SACD, DSD (1957/2010) Perfect, Unu, Tonpress/remaster Damian Lipiński, DSD (1982/2015). Sting, The Soul Cages, A&M, rip z CD, WAV 16/44,1 (1991/1998) Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] Digital cables, including USB ones, change the signal they transfer thus changing the sound. The nature of these changes as for today is not fully investigated, let alone understood. Today we might discuss the effects of these changes, i.e. How the sound's character is changed. When someone tells you that it is not true, that the digital signal with zeros and ones that is buffered and asynchronously re-clocked on the receiver's end is insensitive to jitter, noise and other distortions you should thank him for a valued input, say good bye and go your own way. That's a theorist who hasn't checked his theory in real life. There are audible differences between USB cable and not just when you compare one used to connect your printer with an audiophile quality, shielded, with separate 5V run and solid plugs. Differences found in such comparison could be probably explained on engineering level. But the differences are these too when one compares audiophile quality cables coming from different manufacturers, and I mean those who really know what they're doing. Cables utilizing high quality conductors, properly shielded and terminated. Just like in this particular case when I compared Rob Woodland's Curious USB cables with my personal reference Acoustic Revive USB-1.0SPS, with separate runs for signal and power. Differences – the basics After years of trying different USB cables out I think that it is possible to describe some general differences introduced by higher quality cables. Obviously it is my opinion that I can back up only with results of my own experiments. But since my findings are the same each time regardless of what cable I listen to I hope that they might help you find your own „golden mean”. It is particularly easy to describe my findings using the best USB cable I ever heard - Curious USB. When comparing a generic USB cable with one designed for audio the biggest difference should be much better focus offered by the latter. Generic cables deliver quite „dirty” sound. It's like particular sounds could not find their harmony and thus what we get is a disorder that has very little to do with music – and keep in mind that music happens in time. Even the smallest time shifts, either short or long term, ruin a musical spectacle. The second key difference is in dynamics. Not optimal computer settings, less than optimal signal delivered to DAC, poor quality USB cable – each of these elements decreases dynamics, makes music sound lifeless. That's exactly why I still find files hard to accept as music medium and that's why my digital reference medium is still a CD. And finally – range extension – generic cable rolls off both range extremes. But it does not emphasize midrange, as tube amplifiers do – it just cuts off treble and bass offering nothing in return. Differences – Curious USB And now lets put everything I just wrote upside down. Rob's cable is nothing like what I just described. I think you'll find much more interesting my impressions about comparing it to some other, top quality USB cables. Comparing two high quality cables the differences we find are of much smaller scale. Small shifts in dynamics, range extension, focus are still important but not the most important factors. High quality cables differ with how resolute they are, how selective, how the background of the music is presented, how good is the imaging, how well they present even smallest changes. Curious USB turned out to be more resolving cable than Acoustic Revive. Differences were not big as Japanese cable was a damn good cable, but they were clearly audible. Sound was more open, more direct. To use a comparison that some of you might find easy to comprehend – if Australian cable was a reel-to-reel Acoustic Revive was a turntable (sound-wise). Both fully capable of delivering amazing performance but not identical. Curious USB delivers an open sound that is never too bright. Especially when DSD files were played they sounded naturally soft, rich and very realistic, just like the best SACD Players I knew. Bass differentiation was particularly good and it depended on recording and DAC quality. I was truly surprised by its dynamics. I still wasn't able to say that it was much better than usually (from computer I mean), it still wasn't quite it. But for the first time, especially with DSD files, I didn't feel like I was missing something. I wasn't particularly happy about it either – it was just there, presented in a very natural way so it didn't attract any attention. Summary After already many years of experience with music files used as a source of music but also to record music (when I worked as producer) I still believe that there is more to discover than we already have. The more we know the more new questions arrive. That is why this “format” becomes more and more interesting from my point of view. There is clear progress and a chance for further development. We've learned some things already. For example we know that DSD files, either recorded already in this format or transferred from analogue tapes usually sound more natural than PCM files (any PCM ones, even hi-res). Doubling sampling frequency of DSD files further improves sound quality. USB cable's quality is a key to convey all these improvements. That's why such people like Rob Woodland are so important for the future of music reproduction. His cable is a great proof of his understanding of the problem, of his musical sensitivity, and its price about his fairness. Fantastic, outstanding USB cable. Fully deserved RED Fingerprint. Curious USB comes in hand-made, cartoon box with home-printed yellow label. Inside one finds a cable and a piece of paper with information about USB cables in general and this one in particular. On the inside side of the box cover there is a yellow card with a short instruction informing user that after connecting source with DAC using this cable user should take proper care to keep a copper wire as far from the main cable run in a sleeve as possible. The cable is pretty flexible. It sports a nice sleeve with some silver elements and yellow endings with brand's logos. What makes it different from most USB cables is a separate, shielded copper wire connecting plugs at both ends. It is a power wire delivering 5 V voltage required by some D/A Converters. ENYA Dark Sky Island Label: Aigle Music | Universal Music UK/Warner Music Japan WPCR-17045 Released: Nov. 20th 2015 Format: Mini LP CD Dark Sky Island is the 8th studio album by Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, known rather as Enya. Her career started in 1980. She, together with her family, became a member of the band called Clannad. She became really famous after she started her solo career in 1986, when BBC broadcast a TV series called The Celts with music written by her. The album with the soundtrack was initially released under the title Enya (1987), and in 1992 it was re-issued with different cover and title - The Celts. Her best selling album The Watermark with a great hit Orinoco Flow was released in1988. Throughout her carrier she sold more than 80 million records. She started to work on material for a new album called Dark Sky Island already in 2012. The album's title was inspired by the designation of the island of Sark as the world's first “dark sky island” and a series of poetry books on islands from Roma Ryan The album's title track was the first song to be written for the album and the Echoes In Rain was the last one. Enya recorded Dark Sky Island with her long-time lyrics Roma Ryan and producer Nicky Ryan. Enya did all vocals and played all instruments except for double bass on Even in the Shadows. The album was released as standard version but also as „Deluxe” one with additional tracks and also on vinyl. It is the first Enya's album released on vinyl since the 1992 re-issue of The Celts. We are reviewing the CD Delux version released by Warner Music Japan. SOUND Those who know previous Enya albums will feel very familiar with this one too. Vocalist has created her own style years ago and it's been unmistakable ever since. Leonard Cohen created similarly unmistakable style in men's word. Dark Sky Island is surely more coherent set of tracks that are also more interesting compositions. Among them there are also some hits that are often played on radio. Sound wise this album reminded me of her debut album Enya. The first release prepared by Nimbus Records was a perfect example of how warmth and selectivity of the sound might be nicely combined. The new album offers similar sound. The soundstage is rendered close to the listener although the vocalist herself is presented sometimes in a very close, palpable way and sometimes deeper in the mix. Sound is rather warm and round. There is not that much depth to the soundstage, but the width is quit impressive. It is the best album Enya released for years and with best sound quality too. It is surely worth having. enya.com www.wmg.com Sound quality: 7-8/10 [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/curious/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/curious/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/curious/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/curious/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/curious/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/curious/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/curious/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/curious/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/curious/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/curious/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/curious/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/curious/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/curious/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/curious/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/curious/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/curious/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/curious/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/curious/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]

he question that first might come to mind when one is presented today with a CD Player, especially a very expensive one is: „who needs a CD Player in the second decade of 21st century?!” Such a question might be based on a believe that not only the future but already the present belongs to devices playing music from files, whether these take form of specialized computers (so called music players) or just regular computers. And not just any files but hi-res ones, of course. It might seem that a Red Book CD offering 16 bit/44 kHz material can not compete with DSD128 or DXD files. Especially in the eyes of young people but it also might be true for self-respecting audiophiles and music lovers and for them CD might seem as as obsolete medium as, for example, wax cylinders. DEAD END? Don't worry – I'm not going to try to convert you to become CD format fans – I realize that I would fail if I tried. Convenience, easy access, technical parameters of hi-res files – all these things are hard to dispute, so I'll leave them be, these are good arguments for using music files. But I will tell you why I believe that it is still a CD that offers best sound quality among digital formats (sometimes SACD is as good, although that's another story). While comparing PCM files, including hi-res ones with CD I always perceive the former as „flat” sounding and I mean both, in terms of emotional expression and dynamics. Compared to these good CD releases, including Platinum SHM-CD, seem to be true volcanos of dense, rich energy. Their offer smooth sound instead of artificially polished one which is offered by most music servers that try to sound like an analogue source. The high resolution of music files, in my opinion, never actually translates to truly resolving sound. These two terms are not equivalent. DSD files are somewhat different though. These offer really good sound. And yet, I still choose sound offered by a high quality CD Player, or SACD Player over them. Each of you can perform such comparisons yourself. If you do that using budget or even mid-level devices results might differ – depending of system qualities, personal preferences and means used to connect used components. In a top-high-end system I have never heard any music server that would have truly caught my attention, that I would have liked to have. Some were interesting, inspiring even but I was always relieved when I returned to listening to a CD Player. I'm not saying that I'm right, I'm just expressing my opinion. Some manufacturers believe – that's a key word here – that the future lays in music files. Linn, for example, already few years ago gave up making CD Players in favor of their music servers. They claim that only the latter might compete in terms of sound quality with vinyl record. On the other hand Mr Paul Stephenson, Naim's director, said in his interview for „HIFICRITIC” that a perspective of achieving more in terms of sound quality with music files than with CD is simply fantastic. But he also clearly stated that we are not there yet, that there is a long road ahead. The ultimate goal of music files, he said, is to surpass CD's sound quality (see.: Paul Stephenson, The Naim Story, by Chris Frankland, „HIFICRITIC”, January/February/March 2015, Vol.9/No1, p.29). Naim offers many high quality music servers, as they are one of the pioneers of the market. But they also offer CD Players (as well as Cambridge Audio). So if their director says, that it's going to take still a long time before sound quality achieved with files surpasses that of a CD, there might be something to it, right? Some might try to discredit what he says because he's been also claiming for years (as so have I) that WAV files sound better than FLAC ones (because of lesser involvement of a DSP in a process). But that's not a serious argument against him. RED REFERENCE MKIII HDSD So finally we've arrived to the subject of this test, the Chord Red Reference MkIII Compact Disc Player. It is their top model, quite expensive one, that sports some unique solutions. The Philips CD Pro 2LF transport is not placed horizontally like it usually is when used in other top-loaders (regular Players – see HERE), but at 45° angle. That's why Red's looks is unique – one can't mistake it with any other product. The DAC section also differs from any other. Signal read from CD is re-clocked by a precise oscillator and then sent to an upsampler and later to digital filters. These are Chord's proprietary WTA filters - Watts (after designer's, Robert Watts's, name) Transient Aligned. They minimize transient and timing errors and reconstruct digital signal using user-selectable sampling frequency: 44,1, 88,2 or 176,4 kHz. These filters are implemented in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) with and might be updated in future by a simple update to EPROM memory chip. This data is fed to the rear XLR and optical output connectors and also via a dual data bus to the digital to analogue conversion electronics. Based on the QBD 76 DAC the digital signal is converted from 176.4KHz to analogue audio. The DAC also features RAM buffer technology that sequentially takes in all the data, re-times, it then sends it out giving jitter free operation. Player features also an USB input that can be fed signal from a computer or music server. As I already mentioned disc has to be placed in the transport at an angle which is not particularly comfortable. Knowing that manufacturer together with Player delivers also a CD-Lift by Tommy Larsen from Denmark that helps with the issue. Transport chamber is protected with a heavy, aluminum cover that is opened and closed using a small motor. This mechanism is not perfectly quiet compared to dCs or Accuphase products and it reminded me a solution used in Loit Passeri Player. It is quite impressive. Red Reference MkIII is a CD Player. It's creators do not advertise it as a DAC, which is probably a good idea since it's digital inputs accept only a PCM signal up to 24 bit/192kHz resolution. That proves once more how fast is the progress in D/A conversion over last few years. This model premiered only three years ago! I tested it using mostly CDs – that's how it sounded best. I did a short test of USB input too, and it sounded OK. If you're a CD fan who occasionally list I compared this device with my Ancient Audio Lektor AIR V-edition CD Player and with dCS Rossini CD Player using an external Rossini Clock. Red was placed on Finite Elemente Pagode Edition and powered via Crystal Cable The Absolute Dream. I used Siltech Triple Crown analogue interconnect to deliver signal to Ayon Audio Spheris III preamplifier. As always I used my Soulution 710 power amplifier and Harbeth M40.1 loudspeakers. There was an additional element I used for some time – FP10 speakers with a tweeter working in a horn by Polish company Horns. I conducted an A/B/A comparison using 2 min. long samples as well as full albums. To complete albums I listened mostly at night using Bakoon International HPA-21 headphone amp and HiFiMAN HE-6 cans (with Forza AudioWorks cable). CHORD in „High Fidelity” REVIEW: Chord MOJO – digital-to-analogue converter/headphone amplifier | RED Fingerprint | see HERE TEST: Chord HUGO TT - digital-to-analogue converter/headphone amplifier | RED Fingerprint | see HERE TEST: Chord CPA 3000 | SPM 1200 MkII - linestage + power amplifier | RED Fingerprint | see HERE Albums used for testing (a selection) Bach Rewrite, wyk. Orzechowski, Masecki, Adamus, Capella Cracoviensis, Universal Music Polska | Decca 375 457 5, CD (2013). Art Pepper, Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, Contemporary Records/JVC VICJ-42524, K2 CD (1957/2006). Bokka, Don’t Kiss And Tell, Nextpop | Warner Music Poland 46020072, CD (2015). Depeche Mode, Personal Jesus , Mute Records Ltd/Sire/Reprise, 21328-2, maxi SP CD (1989). Dire Straits, Dire Straits, Vertigo/Universal Music LLC (Japan) UICY-40008, Platinum SHM-CD (1978/2013). Frank Sinatra, Live at the Meadowland, Universal Music Company/Universal Music LLC (Japan) UICY-1458, SHM-CD (2009). George Michael, Patience, Aegean | Sony Music UK 515402 2, CD (2004). J. S. Bach, Die Kunst Der Fuge, wyk. Marcin Masecki, Lado ABC C/13, CD (2012). John Coltrane, Coltrane’s Sound, Atlantic/Rhino R2 75588, CD (1964/1999). Josef Hofmann, Chopin, Nimbus Records NI 8803, “Grand Piano Series”, CD (1997). Siekiera, „Nowa Aleksandria”, Tonpress/MTJ cd 90241, 2 x CD (1986/2012). Suzanne Vega, Nine Objects of Desire, A&M Records 540 583 2, CD (1996). Tom Yorke, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, Hostess | LANDGRAB RAB001J, CD (2015). Japanese issues available at [REKLAMA5] FREQ | BUF HiFiElements Red Reference MkIII offers two digital filters, that might be also used combined – upsampling and buffer. For obvious reasons the most interesting setting were extreme ones – no upsampling and buffer with “0” value. Lets start with the former. Upsampling has been known and used for many years and most likely I've got to know all of the solutions. At first it did sound quality a lot of good – later it turned out that it simply minimized jitter, which resulted in better sound quality. When manufacturers realized how important low jitter was for sound quality and learned how to minimize it upsampling became, in my opinion, obsolete. Vivaldi system that I listened to some time ago confirmed that as it sounded better with upsampling turned off. Chord offers equally good sound with (but only when set to 176,4 kHz as 88,2 kHz delivered colored, dull sound) and without upsampling. When used sound becomes deeper at the cost of a fraction of sound's openness and crispness, but this cost is so small that no one would really care. Even more so as the sound of this Player with upsampling and maximum size of buffer takes sound to whole other league. From the moment I found it out I listened to it only using these settings. When buffer is not used sound seems more dynamic and more selective. But it's actually not true – sound lacks substance, density which allows listener to absorb delivered information in a quicker way. Maximum buffer value translates into rich, dense sound and 3-dimensional imaging (that seemed flat before in comparison). Also treble presentation becomes more refined. Cymbals have proper weight, and sibilants are present but clearly not because they are caused by a Player but because of the whole production process. Bass is deeper, with better extension and control even though it is also richer and more powerful. Once one listens to Red with these settings this sound stays in one's mind for a long time. My sound preferences are related to me listening mostly to CDs which most likely won't change any time soon. Especially because high end CD Players offer such a refined sound that listening to vinyl records and than going back to CDs isn't a problem anymore. It rather involves change of the perception of the original (music) and not change of sound quality. Some time ago designers finally arrived at the moment when previous limitations of a Red Book CD format didn't matter anymore and its full potential could be utilized. So it didn't come as a surprise that Chord delivered resolving, rich performance that lacked any digital artifacts. Instruments were presented with “real” body, sounded very vibrant. Presentation was truly deep and refined. I mean it was rich, saturated both in micro scale, within each and every instrument, and in macro scale which involves acoustics, reverberations, relations between instruments and so on. There was no sign of this dry, “light” (meaning lacking richness) sound of CD Players made years ago. Timbre of each instrument seemed very natural, too. Tonal balance was slightly shifted towards upper and lower parts of the range which resulted in, already mentioned, rich midrange. Two-box systems like CEC TL0 3.0 + DAC Reimyo DAP-999EX Limited, or Accuphase 900/901 (test in „Audio”), also Ancient Audio CD Players – Grand SE and AIR – and most of all four-box dCs Vivaldi sounded differently, emphasizing midrange a little bit more. But it is not as simple as it would be if I discussed differences between inexpensive devices where differences would come from choices made by their designers, dictated by budget limitations. In this case the differences come from the way sound is built – timbre is in fact a side effect of that process. Chord is first of all about amazing transparency, truly remarkable, but also about perfect spacing. To achieve these two sound qualities one needs a very resolving and very rich sound. What's more – to convey a large, dense, palpable space one needs also a very good presentation of low frequencies that should be very well extended but also coherent with the other parts of the range – that's exactly what Chord offers. Transparency translates into more information – that should be obvious. So I could better hear breathing of Dave Gahan in acoustic version of Personal Jesus than it was conveyed by my Lektor AIR, or Accuphase Players. Spacing on Nimbus Records release was better, and percussion cymbals were more metallic on John Coltrane's and Art Pepper's albums. And all that without any sign of artificial brightness. There were no more sibilants in George Michael's voice on Patience, and the new Bokka album did not get more incisive. Transparency offered here reminded me of the one I knew from reel-to-reel master tapes rather than from vinyl records. Those of you who had a chance to familiarize with both analogue medium know that they are quite different. What Chord offers is a genuinely better selectivity and transparency, and not emphasizing the attack phase of the sound. It is still a highly refined, soft sound but with priorities set differently than in other digital players that I mentioned before. Maybe with the exception of dCS Vivaldi and Ancient Audio Lektor Grand SE that could offer equally crispy cymbals, equally exceptional ability to differentiate even smallest changes of dynamics, intensity and so on. All other Players that I know hide these information bit deeper. And even if one could find these information somewhere one would have to look much harder. Chord offers it right up integrated with the very fabric of music. Transparency is very important but what makes Chord so special is a combination of transparency with richness. Richness is usually associated with natural sound, which is something that vinyl fans appreciate so much, that people who re-activate “antique” techniques like horns and 16-bit non-oversampling DACs. Chord Players delivers very coherent, organic sound with unparalleled immediacy. Clarity of the midrange is not as superb as treble's and bass', which reminded me of how 16-bit Philips chips built sound, but without their limited resolution and selectivity. I mentioned how spacious this presentation was in terms of transparency and selectivity. But using only these two features would not be enough for the Player of such, highest quality. Few minutes with Red is enough to describe soundstage it delivers as dense, rich, full. All elements are palpable and seem to be natural in size. But the phantom images are rendered closely to listener. The ones situated in the back of the soundstage are moved closer to the front, and those in front stay where they belong. As listener I had an impression of a very rich soundstage with many events happening on it. Even more so as Red perfectly reproduces the scale of each instrument in a way it was recorded (not the real scale but a recorded one). That's why sound has a big scale. One has to realize that the further away from the front of the stage phantom images are the worse is the differentiation of their scale – all seem rather large and sport sort of a “halo” around their body. The already mentioned Depeche Mode vocalist is placed clearly in the back of the stage, but with Chord he was moved closer to the front, more or less to the same layer as the guitar. Same happened with Carol Sloane vocal on Hush-a-bye. In orchestral recordings, like in Bach Rewrite, the electrical instrument in the front (Wurlitzer and Rhodes) seemed placed quite close to the acoustic ones behind them – cellos and violas. All instruments played in perfect harmony, music was presented with great clarity and nicely differentiated. But instruments seemed placed closer to each other than usually. Summary There are no perfect CD Players (nor other audio devices) so some sound modifications are unavoidable. The ones I pointed out in Red most likely are the results of choices its designers made, and limitations of technology itself. They also make sense, I mean discussing them makes sense but only when top quality devices are discussed and differences between them and we have to keep in mind that by discussing these differences we talk about individual preferences rather that some universal principles. Red Reference MkIII presents a wonderful, musical world with all of its elements being equally important, making sense, and being highly likable. This device sheds a lot of light into each recording without making them sound bright. Bass is nicely extended and perfectly controlled. Midrange is rich although not as resolving and as silky as both range extremes. It delivers large scale phantom images. The back of the soundstage seems to be brought closer to the listener because images of the instruments playing there are large. Red is a great all-rounder that will last in your systems for many years because of its sound and build quality. Chord devices might be used as model mechanical designs other could learn from. It includes the Red Reference MkIII Player with its chassis suspended on four metal rods, mounted on four, solid feet. Chassis is made of thick aluminum plates – that constitutes a very stiff structure. There are two finishes available – black, or natural aluminum; in both cases feet are made of a silver, polished steel. Front and top panel It's not a real top loader although it does not sport a classic drawer either. It is more similar to the former though, as z CD is placed over the axis of the motor. The difference being the axis that is not vertical but placed at 45° angle. The mechanism sports a large, aluminum lid moved by a small motor. This motor is a bit noisy and the movement of the cover is not as smooth as the movement of a drawer in dCS or Accuphase Players. It reminded me a solution I'd known from Loit Passeri Player, manufactured in Singapore. Players features Philips CD Pro-2LF transport mechanism that sits on springs. The whole transport mechanism is separated from both, power supply section and digital inputs, as well as from DSP and DAC section. Manufacturer decided to replace the element where user puts a disc on with a metal one to use a magnetic clamp. The clamp works together with the lid so it had to be rather small. The lid features a small 'window' that allows user to see a spinning disc – it reminded me of the first CD Players in history like: Philips CD100 and Sony Goront. On top panel one finds sort of magnifying glass that allow to have a look at digital filter circuits. Front panel holds two rows of push-buttons including those to change the buffer value and sampling frequency. In 2012 in his review for „Hi-Fi World” Rafael Todes described a bug in Player's software – one could change sampling frequency only when one of the digital inputs were chosen When CD was used this function was inactive. Obviously nothing changed in this matter as the unit under review behaved in exactly the same way. Rear panel Rear panel sports an abundance of connectors including analogue outputs (XLR and RCA), digital inputs – AES/EBU, TOSLink and USB (HD), and digital outputs – TOSLink, RCA (S/PDIF) and double AES/EBU. Sampling frequency of the digital output signal is user selectable. One finds there also BNC sockets that can be used to connect device with external word-clock, or to connect external device with Red's internal clock. In theory these were added to help integration within digital recording/mastering studio but I wonder if one could use it also with one of the audiophile class word-clocks available on the market. Inside Inside is divided into two parts with a horizontal aluminum plate. In the upper section there is a DAC with filters, USB input and DSP. DAC is a discrete design – its a arrangement of resistors, transistors and capacitors soldered on a PCB. There is also a separate digital filter – it's a large DSP with implemented upsampler and buffer. Usually most of this functions are implemented in a single, integrated DAC chip. As we already know this is almost the same D/A Converter circuit as used in Chords DAC QBD76, with only some small changes. It sports Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) designed by Rob Watts. By a simple operation of replacing EPROM memory it can be re-programmed and improved (to achieve better sound quality) – one doesn't have to replace the whole DAC! Inside signal is converted and sent via filter of a 76 bits and 176,4 kHz precision. Next there is a 7. order „noise shaping” filter of a 64 bits precision with 2048 oversampling. Do you remember CD Players advertised as offering “8x Oversampling”? – I wonder what would their creators say for „2048 x Oversampling” :) DAC features RAM used to store incoming signal and re-clock it, which is a way to significantly reduce jitter. Below the space is occupied by a SMPS, with double power filters and also the section with digital outputs with separate precise oscillators. Remote This remote control is a 'hybrid' design – the main body is made of plastic but it sports sort of aluminum “armor'. It might mot look particularly well, but it should provide durability. This remote might be used to control any Chord device which is a reason why it sports many buttons. I wish manufacturer offered a separate, small remote dedicated to the CD Player, maybe including volume control for preamplifier – that would make operating Red much simpler. Specifications (according to manufacturer) THD: < -107 dB (1 kHz, 24 bits/44,1 kHz) S/N: > 120 dB Channel separation: > 125 dB/1 kHz (> 100 dB/22 kHz) Dynamic range: 122 dB Switchable digital inputs: • 1 x AES/EBU • 1 x TOSLink Digital outputs: • 1 x BNC • 1 x TOSLink • 2 x AES XLR (2 x 176,4 kHz) Switchable RAM buffer: Position 1 - No Buffering Position 2 - Minimum Buffering Position 3 - Maximum Buffering Word clock input: 44,1 kHz/BNC Output max: • XLR – 6 V rms • RCA – 3 V rms Output impedance: 75 Ω Dimensions: 420 x 140 x 325mm (S x W x G) Weight: 14 kg BOKKA Don’t Kiss And Tell NextPop | Warner Music Poland 46020072 Medium: Compact Disc Release date: Oct/2/2015 BOKKA is quite a particular phenomenon in Polish music. Just like once nobody knew identities of Daft Punk members, today we don't know who any of five musicians in masks, members of BOKKA are. Music from their first album was described by journalist as a mix of synthpop, dreampop, shoegaze and electronic psychedelia, sometimes placed between The Knife, Lykke Li, and Brian Eno. According to Robert Amirian, chief of NEXTPOP, the Don’t Kiss And Tell album can not be classified within one particular musical style. It would be easy to call it just an alternative pop using with a lot of electronic instruments, a damn good rhythmic section, overdriven guitars and a characteristic voice of a charismatic vocalist known as Y. Two versions of the album were released – a basic one and a special one with two additional tracks and with a special plastic cover with black stripes. SOUND It is difficult to assess such a highly processes sound that has no equivalent in a real world so the only reference one might use is sound of other recordings representing the same music current. The second Bokka album offers some help because musicians use some elements known from other albums – like guitars in Unspoken that reminded me The Cure from Disintegration, like synthesizers in Let It referring to works of New Order, or a keyboard opening It’s There, that many might know from Dead Can Dance albums. Sound on this album is rich and well based on bass. The latter might not be particularly well defined, but it is not boomy either. There is enough bass to keep upper treble in line so that it does not get 'screamy' even though vocals are overblown and presented in a lo-fi style. Album features also a nice, wide, three-dimensional soundstage. Sound is not particularly clear, nor selective, nor resolving. But these are not features one would expect from an album with this type of music. I'd say that for this type of music it is a well balanced recording. There are many small details, nuances that become important when one listens to this album using high quality system. And of course music itself is really good, better than from debut album. Recommendation! Sound quality: 6-7/10 www.bokkamusic.com [hfgallery] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/05.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/05.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/05.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/06.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/06.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/06.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/07.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/07.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/07.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/08.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/08.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/08.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/09.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/09.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/09.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/10.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/10.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/10.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/11.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/11.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/11.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/12.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/12.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/12.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/13.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/13.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/13.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/14.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/14.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/14.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/15.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/15.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/15.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/16.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/16.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/16.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [img mini="foto_testy/1512/chord/th/17.jpg" big="foto_testy/1512/chord/17.jpg" src="foto_testy/1512/chord/17.jpg" desc="HighFidelity.pl"] [/hfgallery]