The Cutting Edge

IN 

THIS ISSUE 

ISSUE 164 ■ SEPTEMBER 2006 

100 COVER STORY 

Meridian 808 Signature Reference CD Player 

Sue Kraft reviews the new reference model from the company that made 

the first-ever musical-sounding CD player. Robert Harley comments. 

54 Six Overachieving Audio Systems You Can Afford 

Does high end always mean high-priced We think not, as these six 

affordable systems will demonstrate. Chris Martens leads the way. 

35 Munich High End 2006 

Roy Gregory reports from Germany’s premier audio show. 

EQUIPMENT REPORTS 

31 Absolute Analog: Pro-Ject RM-9.1 Turntable System 

A very good turntable just got better—Jim Hannon looks at the latest 

from Pro-Ject. 

67 DALI IKON 6 Loudspeaker 

Affordable excellence from Denmark. Robert E. Greene reports. 

70 A Cable Survey 

Neil Gader on winning wires from Crystal Cable, Nordost, and TARA 

Labs. 

74 YBA Design YA201 Integrated Amplifier and 

YC201 CD player 

Chris Martens finds himself listening with his eyes…as well as his ears. 

78 Aerial Acoustics Model 9 Loudspeaker 

The latest offerings from Michael Kelly delivers the goods. 

Jacob Heilbrunn reports. 

82 Cary Audio CD 306 CD/SACD Player 

Excellent Super Audio sound from Cary, says Robert Harley. 

89 Audio Research 300.2, Classé CA-M400, 

and McIntosh MC 501 Power Amplifiers 

Tom Martin ponders why amplifiers are so important. 

THE CUTTING EDGE 

110 Music-Minded Controllers, Part 3: Attractive Opposites 

Can multichannel controllers satisfy the music lover the way a good 

preamp can Alan Taffel listens to Arcam’s FMJ AV9 and Halcro’s SSP100. 

120 MBL 5011 and 6010D Linestage Preamps, 1521A CD 

Transport, and 1511E DAC 

Can any solid-state and digital components seduce a pair of grumpy ol’ 

tube ’n’ analog guys Jon Valin and Wayne Garcia report. 

2 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND ■ SEPTEMBER 2006

132 Pass Labs XA160 and X600.5 Monoblock Power 

Amplifiers 

Anthony H. Cordesman spins a tale of two amplifiers. 

VIEWPOINTS 

6 Letters 

139 Manufacturer Comments 

COLUMNS 

15 Editorial 

16 Industry News 

21 Future TAS—New Products on the Horizon 

24 START ME UP: Rotel RX-1052 and 

Outlaw Audio RR 2150 Stereo Receivers 

Rare-bird sightings by Jim Hannon—two stereo receivers that focus on 

the music. 

TAS JOURNAL 

42 BASIC REPERTOIRE: Bluegrass, Part 2 

David McGee wraps up his two-part journey through the annals of 

bluegrass by chronicling bluegrass’ modern manifestations and 

recommending the recorded essentials of its new traditions. 

MUSIC 

148 Recording of the Issue 

Theater of Voices/Fretwork: The Cries of London 

143 Classical 

Reviews of Golijov’s Ainadamar, Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, Foulds’ 

Dynamic Triptych, Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6, a Prokofiev 

box set, R. Luke DuBois’ Timelapse, Die Walküre on SACD, and two 

Everest classics on LP. 

153 Jazz 

The scoop on the latest from Patricia Barber, Frank Kimbrough, David 

Hazeltine, and Kidd Jordan, plus box sets from Fats Waller, Miles Davis, 

and John Coltrane, and a new audiophile-grade Nat “King” Cole LP. 

161 Rock, Etc. 

Reviews of more than a dozen new albums and reissues, including the 

latest from Tom Petty, Thom Yorke, Frank Black, Comets on Fire, 

Sonic Youth, Espers, and Rhymefest as well as box sets on Bob Wills, 

The Byrds, Gram Parsons, and 50s rockabilly. 

founder; chairman, editorial advisory board 

Harry Pearson 

editor-in-chief Robert Harley 

editor Wayne Garcia 

executive editor Jonathan Valin 

managing and Bob Gendron 

music editor 

acquisitions manager Neil Gader 

and associate editor 

news editor Chris Martens 

equipment setup Danny Gonzalez 

editorial advisory board Sallie Reynolds 

advisor, cutting edge Atul Kanagat 

senior writers 

John W. Cooledge, Anthony H. Cordesman, 

Gary Giddins, Robert E. Greene, Fred Kaplan, 

Andrew Quint, Paul Seydor, Alan Taffel 

reviewers and contributing writers 

Soren Baker, Greg Cahill, Dan Davis, Andy Downing, 

Jim Hannon, Jacob Heilbrunn, John Higgins, Sue 

Kraft, Mark Lehman, Ted Libbey, David McGee, Derk 

Richardson, Don Saltzman, Aaron M. Shatzman, 

Max Shepherd 

design/production Design Farm, Inc. 

publisher/editor, AVGuide Chris Martens 

web producer Ari Koinuma 

Absolute Multimedia, Inc. 

chairman and ceo Thomas B. Martin, Jr. 

vice president/publisher Mark Fisher 

advertising reps Cheryl Smith 

(512) 891-7775 

Marvin Lewis, 

MTM Sales 

(718) 225-8803 

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U.S.: (281) 419-5725, jmartin@wrightsreprints.com 

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176 The TAS Back Page 

Retrospective: The QUAD ESL-57 by Jonathan Valin. 

© 2006 Absolute Multimedia, Inc., Issue 164, September 2006. 

The Absolute Sound (ISSN #0097-1138) is published ten times per year, 

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L E T T E R S 

Nielsen’s Folly 

While a lot of ink has been spilled over 

Robert Harley’s editorial from Issue 

160, I think far more important issues 

were raised by Bob Gendron’s editorial 

from Issue 159 and the response in 

Issue 160 by Mr. Nielson. Nielson 

excoriated BG for having the temerity 

to suggest that, to expand the high 

end’s customer base, product reviewers 

might want to demonstrate that they 

listen to different kinds of post-70s 

music, including hip-hop. 

Nielson did not stop there. He 

derided hip-hop as the product of “a 

garbage culture” and lamented that 

“rich suburban” kids were listening to 

it. I’ve waited in vain for someone to 

jump into the fray and set Mr. Nielson 

straight, but none of The Absolute 

Sound’s editors or other subscribers 

seems inclined to do so. Permit me to 

say a few words. 

Nielson’s letter certainly was 

racist—what exactly is the “garbage culture” 

he considers to have birthed hiphop 

And why is it a particular problem 

that rich suburban kids (read: white) are 

listening to that music But my main 

beef is his contention that hip-hop is 

uncreative “MIDI patch stuck on repeat” 

music. To the contrary, today’s avatars of 

hip-hop—such as OutKast, The Roots, 

The Neptunes, and Kanye West, among 

many others—rely heavily on live 

instrumentation, drawing from other 

genres like soul, jazz, funk, and rock to 

create musical works that are the most 

exhilarating, and diverse, in today’s popular 

music. Don’t take my word for it: 

Go and listen to records like Aquemini 

and Speakerboxx/The Love Below by 

OutKast, Late Registration by Kanye 

West, Do You Want More or Things 

Fall Apart by The Roots, or The Low End 

Theory by A Tribe Called Quest. All of 

these albums are destined to ascend to 

the pantheon of great recorded music of 

the last century, and will take their 

rightful place besides such hoary chestnuts 

as Abraxas, Kind of Blue, Revolver, 

Innervisions, and Are You Experienced. 

BG, Greg Kot, and Soren Baker have 

taken great pains to point this out, but 

they write only for the music section— 

it’s high time the equipment reviewers 

joined the party. 

Mr. Nielson’s letter proves the central 

point of Bob Gendron’s editorial: 

Too many audiophiles and equipment 

reviewers dismiss any music recorded 

after the 70s as unworthy of attention 

(unless, of course, the music was recorded 

by an artist who rose to fame in the 

70s). I do not mean to denigrate 70s 

artists: I have, and listen to frequently, all 

of the albums (meaning LPs) mentioned 

above. But, as Gendron correctly points 

out, to attract new hobbyists we have to 

show them—using examples relevant to 

them—how playback over a high-end 

system would deepen their appreciation 

for the music they love (and expand their 

musical horizons, to boot). I speak from 

experience: The sampled jazz in A Tribe 

Called Quest’s records led me to Ron 

Carter (and thence to Miles Davis), 

Freddie Hubbard, Andrew Hill, and 

Horace Silver. You might say that the 

strange alchemy of hip-hop and the high 

end turned me into a jazz-head. But none 

of that would have happened without the 

epiphany I experienced hearing The Low- 

End Theory played back through an 

Audible Illusions preamp, Marsh amplifier, 

and Aerial Acoustic 7Bs. 

So, what is the answer to this conundrum 

Nielson also hates today’s movies, 

but permit me to answer the question 

with a quote from one (Mo’ Better Blues): 

“The people don’t come because you 

grandiose motherfuckers don’t play shit 

that they like. If you played the shit that 

they like, then people would come, simple 

as that.” 

Rest in peace, Jay Dee. 

CHIDI J. OGENE 

Nielsen, Encore 

I am writing to you in response to Mr. 

Nielson letter, which appeared in the 

latest issue of TAS (161). I met the late 

lamented English DJ John Peel back in 

1996 in Hamburg, Germany, while he 

was shooting a feature called “Autobahn 

Blues” for BBC Channel 4. While in the 

city, he also visited the independent FM 

radio station FSK, and then after that, 

we all went and checked out a live concert 

by the John Spencer Blues 

Explosion, who were playing that night. 

I have been listening to his shows on 

BFBS and FSK since then. 

Alas, as we all know, John is not 

with us anymore. But what I learned 

Upcoming in TAS 

Our really big 2006 Editors’ Choice List 

Ascendo M loudspeaker 

Rega Apollo CD player 

Paradigm Reference Signature S8 loudspeaker 

Arcam FMJ CD 36 and C 31 preamp 

Vienna Acoustics Beethoven loudspeaker 


L E T T E R S 

from this most gracious and generous of 

human beings is that just because you 

don’t like other people’s taste in music or 

a particular genre that they’re into does 

not mean that that music or that genre is 

worthless and that you should immediately 

dismiss them. As Peel himself once 

said: “The worst snob is the music snob!” 

I am not into hip-hop myself, but I 

am pretty sure that I have more adventurous 

taste in music than Mr. Nielson. 

He considers hip-hop to be “garbage 

music from a garbage culture that glorifies 

gangs.” I remember Peel playing 

quite a lot of early Fugees records when 

they were still hot. 

Bob Gendron is the only writer in 

the field (hi-fi or even music journals, 

for that matter) that I identify with and 

can relate to. The records he reviews are 

always of great interest to me. Proof 

Just listen to the latest record by Edith 

Frost, It’s a Game. 

What also makes my day is when I see 

great underground records reviewed in 

TAS, like Animal Collective’s latest, feels. 

Mr. Nielson mentions Neil Young’s 

Prairie Wind as an example of great 

music. Sure...an artist whose best work is 

behind him. For a younger generation of 

music enthusiasts at least, he has nothing 

interesting to say anymore, except of 

course...nostalgia. While one can surely 

enjoy an artist like Young, I can also recommend 

to you, Mr. Nielson, the work 

of Eric Clapton in the 90s. The most boring 

of all artists, no doubt! ( I am sure 

that Peel would agree on this one!) 

ROGER RAHAL 

Nielsen’s Third 

I just read [Mr. Nielson’s] letter. What a 

pompous, arrogant ass! It’s precisely this 

elitism that suffocates the high-end 

industry and repels would-be audiophiles. 

Generally blanket statements are 

indicative of profound ignorance; this 

reader’s letter is no exception. Like any 

genres, hip-hop, jam rock, electronica, 

etc. have their own prodigies and 

poseurs. Since when has Phish, one of 

the most celebrated improvisational acts 

of all time, depended upon a MIDI 

patch stuck on repeat 

BTW, MIDI (musical instrument 

digital interface) is not synonymous with 

looping. It’s just another tool in the creative 

palette, allowing string players to 

explore flute sounds, turn tom-toms into 

tympanis, keyboards into brass sections, 

etc. If Mozart were alive today he might 

very well utilize MIDI technology to 

audition parts and conceptual voicing in 

a non-destructive environment. 

The guy keeps referring to garbage. 

Perhaps before passing judgment, he 

should first look to his own uniformed, 

ignorant, arrogant, useless opinion. 

Keep fighting. 

COLIE BRICE 

MOBILE FIDELITY 

Obi, Anyone 

I am an avid reader of the magazine and 

thoroughly enjoy it. Bravo on adding a 

few more issues per year. I have been collecting 

CDs for the last 20 years. 

Though I have auditioned SACD, my 

collection is too vast to replace, thus I 

soldier on with CDs. In addition to the 

standard record store stuff, I seek out 

higher-quality CDs whenever 

possible—DCC Gold, Sony Mastersound, 

MFSL, Rhino Handmade, Reference 

Recording, etc. 

My question concerns the remasters 

coming out of Japan, the so-called “obi” 

mini-LPs. Very little information is on 

the Net about them (other than that 

they are “collectable” and usually marked 

200% to 300% above usual CD 

markup). I have bought a few, and do 

notice differences. Primarily they seem 

to be remastered at a higher volume. 

Some CDs such as Santana seem to be a 

bit clearer, less veiled, more airy around 

the instruments; however, I also notice a 

bit too much clinical scrubbing to the 

voices; they almost seem to loose some 

of their harmonic cohesion and warmth. 

Aside from the fact that they are a different 

remastering job, what is the story 

behind these Japanese mini-LP CDs Do 

you have any info Are they considered to 

be audiophile-quality recordings or just a 

marketing ploy The artwork and packaging 

seem to be very nice (much better 

than the norm), but what about the actual 

music on the CD 

WILLIAM CHILDRESS 

More Exotics, Please 

I’ve been a long-time reader of both 

Stereophile and TAS. I’ve always been fascinated 

by “exotic” speaker technology, 

having gone through Infinity EMIT, 

ESS Heil AMT, Apogee ribbons (Slant 6, 

Stage), Quad 988, Elac AMT, Elac 

Ribbon supertweeters, and Piega 

Ribbon Coax mid/tweeters. 

How about a discussion and comparison 

reviews of some exotics 

KEITH 

Get Off the Couch! 

To me at least, an absolute sound must 

have the ability to reach out and touch 

me physically. Nature has programmed 

in us the need to feel the presence of reality. 

I suspect that stereo components are 

one bearer of this role. Secondly, the emotional 

part of this reality comes from the 

musical performance and the recording 

from the hands of the engineer. Certainly, 

the microphones are a hindrance to capturing 

the absolute sound, but the HP 

list, especially the LP selection, do convey 

the joy we witness in a live concert. 

At times we are aware of a certain 

constriction of the sound waves at the 

edge of the frequency range or the smearing 

of the images on the stage. Here we 

experience the problems of an absolute 

sound without the natural blending of 

dimensionality of a live event. 

Of course the absolute sound does 

exist. Just get off the couch and go to a 

concert. I am sure exposure to a live concert 

will help the readers appreciate the 

essays written in TAS; the magazine is 

pushing for a better reality. 

MORGAN HEW 

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 11

L E T T E R S 

SACDs via the Web 

The demise of the independent music 

stores, combined with large national 

stores as the primary source for purchasing 

recorded music, has severely limited 

the choices of music available. The selection 

of titles at these national retail stores 

is primarily limited to a handful of “best 

sellers.” I now buy my music online at 

large music stores, such as Tower 

Records, and small music specialty 

stores, such as The Elusive Disc. The 

advent of the CD in the early 1980s 

prompted me and a multitude of other 

music lovers to replace our existing vinyl 

records with the CD versions. The advent 

of the MP3 player and the ease of downloading 

music, legally or illegally, have 

resulted in a significant negative impact 

on the recorded music industry, as well as 

on consumers who enjoy listening to 

music played back at a higher resolution 

than the MP3 format. The SACD format, 

especially when the music is recorded in 

multichannel using DSD recording, is 

astounding. The DVD-A format also provides 

excellent audio reproduction but is 

encumbered by a lack of ease of use. The 

high-resolution audio formats are destined 

to be only a niche product for yuppies 

who enjoy classical and jazz music 

unless a method for increasing the variety 

of albums is devised. I’d like to propose a 

method of buying specific albums previously 

released on CD, which are re-mastered 

and then re-issued in the SACD/CD 

format, as well as obtaining current 

releases in the SACD/CD format, ideally 

including multichannel versions. This 

service would hopefully be available from 

all record company labels through a specified 

Web store. An individual would list 

an album that he wished to purchase at a 

preset price. When enough individuals 

committed to purchasing the album to 

make its release profitable for the record 

label, the album would then be manufactured. 

Hoping that the new high-definition 

video formats will also provide a universally 

accepted platform for high-resolution 

audio reproduction is foolhardy. 

CORY COOKINGHAM 


L E T T E R S 

Realism Roundtable 

I enjoyed reading your roundtable discussion 

on the realism of sound reproduction. 

When reading it a second time, 

I realized that the only issues mentioned 

related to: 1) speakers; 2) recording; and 

3) room. 

I can’t agree more, even if I would 

put speakers in third position. It’s a big 

relief to see that all the analog/digital, 

cable, power cords, etc. issues didn’t 

come up. They only offer a different coloring 

of the sound, but don’t influence 

realism as much as the above. 

You might continue with a discussion 

of how relevant sonic realism is in 

the first place, as most of today’s recordings 

are artificially constructed in the 

studio. As the studios don’t supply the 

details of the recording, no one has a clue 

how it should sound. Hence the realism 

debate comes down to the live recording 

of real instruments in a real space. 

Keep up the great work. 

ANDREAS 

Basic Repertoire Is Great! 

I want to congratulate you and your 

editorial team for publishing your Basic 

Repertoire columns. It is exactly these 

articles, which provide an excellent 

short history of composers and their 

music, as well as a comparative discography, 

that distinguishes TAS from 

other publications and keeps it tied to 

its venerable roots. Where else can you 

read about two important twentiethcentury 

musicians in one edition and 

African musicians and their music in 

another. How about something on 

1960 Latin jazz, or Bartók and his peers 

in an upcoming edition While I suspect 

that there are many interests competing 

for space in TAS, if I might 

voice one music lover’s opinion: more, 

more, more articles on musicians, their 

music, and the recordings. 

As long as I am writing, I do have 

other opinions: I find Future TAS out of 

place. Even though Barry Willis is linked 

to the column (as writer or organizer), I 

find the writing to be out of character 

with the rest of the magazine. It smells 

a bit of advertising rather than opinion. 

(Is the text submitted by the manufacturer) 

I derive little value from it. 

I note that TAS will review the 

Olive Music Server in an upcoming 

edition. [Issue 163, in fact.—Ed.] I 

suspect products like this will hold significant 

marketshare in five years, and 

whatever extra attention might be 

given to this technology and its application 

is appreciated. Perhaps it is too 

late, but it would be helpful if the 

review would provide some information 

on Codec Lossless compression and 

other lossless music-storage options. 

For example, are the formats equal to a 

common CD Do they manage 24/96 

or other “denser” signals well How 

can one rip a CD to Codec (I spent a 

little time seeking info and downloading 

a Codec program on the Web, but 

I haven’t been able to make it work.) 

What are good music-storage programs 

As some better for classical 

music Maybe it would not be too late 

for a sidebar addressing these types of 

questions or even a semi-regular column 

on the subject. 

HANS SHRADER 

Congrats! 

Congratulations on your latest issue! 

From Jonathan Valin’s outstanding 

review of the MAGICO Mini—sounds 

to me like it’s more than worth its asking 

price—to HP’s special edition and 

extra long Workshop (oh, how I long to 

hear that E.A.R. turntable!), to budget 

items like the Music Hall, Epos, NHT, 

and NAD, to your continued analog coverage, 

to new items like the Olive server, 

you guys are clicking on all cylinders! 

But perhaps most of all, I appreciate 

your great music overage. Love the ongoing 

“Basic Repertoire” series, as a jazz 

fan, the latest on Free-Jazz Guitar was 

most welcome, and each issue helps me 

to discover all kinds of new recordings. 

JIM JAMESON 


e d i t o r i a l 

Are Audiophiles Really Music Lovers 

This question has probably been around ever 

since the term “audiophile” was coined, 

but it’s one that deserves re-asking every 

now and again. Before I chime in, however, 

I’m not going to claim that there’s a 

right or wrong answer, or even just one 

single answer (though naturally I have my 

own rather opinionated point of view). 

What I can do is share what I’ve observed 

over the past 30 odd years in this hobby 

(first in high-end audio retailing and for the past dozen or 

so on the publishing side), what writers and readers of this 

and other audio magazines seem to be listening to, what I 

hear manufacturers demo-ing their gear with at shows, and 

what I know about dealer showrooms. And based on these 

collective observations I’d say that some audiophiles are true 

music lovers, with a wide, eclectic, and limitless thirst for 

new musical discoveries, and record collections that reflect 

their musically adventurous nature, where sound quality is 

important but a distant runner up to musical content. Some 

audiophiles are sound lovers, with audiophile “approved” 

record collections built from the received wisdom of this 

and other publications, where musical content is relegated 

to a secondary consideration. Some audiophiles are equipment 

lovers, with limited record collections based almost 

solely on audiophile label releases. Here, sonic thrills take 

total precedence over the music. But I think most audiophiles 

fall into another category that I would call limited 

music lovers—people who listen to the same stuff, much of 

it what they loved when they were growing up, over and 

over and over again (with the enthusiastic support of the 

audiophile reissue labels, that never seem to tire of reissuing 

their reissues over and over and over again). To my way of 

thinking this seems backasswards. Presumably (though I 

could be wrong), the majority of us got into this hobby 

because we love music, and presumably (though here I’m 

almost certainly wrong) it’s the constant discovery of new 

music that keeps us in this hobby and helps to keep it, and 

us, fresh. As an equipment reviewer, even though I’m a selfconfessed 

serial-binger (when I get into something, say, 

Wayne Garcia 

Wilco, or Monk, or my current bender, 20th-century classical, 

I plunge in head first), I get bored to tears listening to 

the same tracks all the time. And here I must add this: 

When I sit down to listen to music I typically (though as 

time dictates not always) play entire albums, not just a few 

well-worn tracks. I’m astonished when reviewers write 

things like, “Over the XYZ speaker system, the music 

sounded so good I listened to the entire album!” Wow. 

Really Sorry, but I just don’t get it. Did Richard Strauss 

really have nothing left to say after the opening fanfare of 

Also Sprach Zarathustra Are we so quickly bored that we 

need to lift the tonearm or push the stop button as soon as 

we’ve had our jollies Are we listening to music or our stereos 

The answer, of course, is both—that’s why we’re audiophiles. 

Now, I’m all too aware that evaluating new components 

means having a benchmark to gauge with, and at some point 

in the process it’s not only natural but necessary to pull out 

shopworn favorites. The trap for reviewers, though, is that we 

not only risk boring ourselves, we risk boring our readers. And 

citing the same limited number of discs review after review 

tends to make them all read the same. I don’t think I’m alone 

in saying that my eyes start to glaze over when I see certain 

warhorse titles listed in a review. (I’m sure you can easily write 

your own list.) Oh, I’m guilty, too. If not of listing audiophile 

clichés then at the very least of relying a little too heavily on 

recordings I’ve listed in previous reviews. So I’m challenging 

not only my colleagues but also myself when I say, get thee to 

the record store, discover some new treasures, and use them in 

future audio reviews. 

And where to find them In this regard, I’m especially 

proud of our upfront music features and back of the book 

music section, which typically runs a richly informative 18 

pages. Under the guidance of our managing and music editor 

Bob Gendron, our staff reviews any number of discs in the 

classical, pop, and jazz fields that intrigue me. From each section 

I make a list of the titles that seem of particular interest, 

and regularly purchase from it. This is partially because as 

TAS editor I feel the need to stay informed, but it’s mainly 

because I’m one of those guys who have an insatiable thirst for 

new musical pleasures. 


i n d u s t r y n e w s 

Chris Martens 

Down the Tubes: Leading Tube Manufacturer 

Threatened by Russian “Racketeers” 

In the period between mid-May and early 

June, 2006, both The New York Times and 

NBC News began covering an emerging 

news story whose implications are of fundamental 

concern to all who prize vacuum-tube-powered 

audio equipment. 

Specifically, the story involves the potential 

hostile takeover by Russian Business 

Estates (R.B.E.) of the Saratov, Russiabased 

tube manufacturer ExpoPUL—a 

company that reportedly supplies more 

than two-thirds of all vacuum tubes used 

in musical/audio applications worldwide. 

ExpoPUL builds the popular Sovtekbrand 

vacuum tubes now featured as standard 

equipment in multiple musical 

instrument amplifiers and high-end audio 

products. Sovtek’s OEM customer list 

includes high-end audio companies such 

as Antique Sound Labs, Atma-Sphere, 

Audio Note, Audio Research Corporation, 

Cary Audio, Manley Laboratories, 

Melos, Muse, Pathos, Rogue Audio, Viva, 

Unison, VTL, and more. 

Today, ExpoPUL is owned by 

American Mike Matthews, 64, who is perhaps 

best known among musicians as the 

designer of many of the classic Electro 

Harmonix-brand sound-effects boxes used 

by guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy 

Page, and Carlos Santana. Like many TAS 

readers, Matthews appreciates the warmth 

and harmonic richness that tubes afford, so 

in 1999 he acquired ExpoPUL, partly 

because of the strong niche business 

opportunity the firm represented, and 

partly to ensure a long-term source of 

high-quality tubes. Over the past eight 

years under Matthews’ guidance Expo- 

PUL’s production has quadrupled and its 

workforce has doubled, with the firm now 

selling approximately $600,000 of tubes 

per month. ExpoPUL would be a happy 

audio success story had not the threatened 

R.B.E. takeover appeared on the horizon. 

In fall of 2005, R.B.E. offered 

Matthews $400,000 for his company—an 

offer that Matthews, for obvious business 

reasons, politely declined. Since then, 

R.B.E. has stepped up pressure on 

Matthews to sell, both through legal 

means and, Matthews alleges, otherwise. 

One problem is that, as Andrew Kramer 

of The New York Times notes, “just near 

ExpoPUL is a factory that makes electronic 

components for military hardware.” 

Apparently, if Matthews does not agree to 

sell, R.B.E. may try to invoke a Russian 

Federal Security Service (or F.S.B., successor 

to the K.G.B.) regulation which stipulates 

that a military factory cannot exist 

beside a company with foreign capital. 

Matthews said in an interview with 

Preston Mendenhall of NBC News that, 

apart from actions threatened through 

F.S.B. regulations, agents presumably acting 

on behalf of R.B.E. had “used jackhammers 

to stir up dust in the facility” 

(which requires clean-room-like conditions 

for precision tube assembly), had 

shut down the elevator used for removing 

toxic waste materials from the plant, and 

had illegally shut down electricity to the 

factory. For these and other reasons, 

Matthew’s characterizes the would-be 

buyers of his company as “racketeers.” 

Of particular concern is the suggestion 

that R.B.E. seeks ExpoPUL, not to assume 

control of tube-manufacturing operations, 

but to acquire and then re-sell the land and 

factory building that ExpoPUL occupies. 

Kramer reports that “R.B.E.’s director in 

Saratov, Vitaly V. Borin, said he wanted to 

buy (the ExpoPUL) factory for the 

building it occupies and then sell it to 

an unidentified investor.” Reinforcing 

this idea, Mendenhall says that, to 

R.B.E., “the (ExpoPUL) factory and its 

production capabilities represent a 

prime piece of real estate.” 

If the takeover occurs, ExpoPUL’s new 

owners would likely shut down all tubemanufacturing 

operations, and re-sell the 

property. If this happens, not only would 

specialized tube-manufacturing processes 

and equipment be lost, so would the priceless 

expertise of ExpoPUL’s 930 employees—some 

of whom have been in the tubemaking 

business for more than 30 years. 

The outcome of the issue is not yet 

settled, but representatives of three of 

Matthews’ largest long-term clients— 

Fender, Korg, and Peavey—have written 

to the Russian government on Expo- 

PUL/Sovtek’s behalf. 

For additional information, see 

Andrew E. Kramer’s article “From Russia, 

With Dread,” which appeared on May 16, 

2006, in the International Business section 

of The New York Times. See also 

Preston Mendenhall’s article and videotaped 

interview “On the Volga, key to 

rock ’n’ roll sound faces ax,” which was 

updated on June 6, 2006, and is archived 

on the MSNBC Web site. 

Audyssey’s Audiophile-Grade 

Room EQ System: Fuzzy Logic 

for Clearer Sound 

On May 30, 2006, Los Angeles, California-based Audyssey Laboratories 

announced the Audyssey Sound Equalizer and Audyssey MultiEQ Pro software 


package—a room-equalization system that could have significant 

implications for audiophiles. In an interview with TAS, 

company co-founder Dr. Chris Kyriakakis (Associate Professor 

of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California) 

explained that while the Audyssey system is targeted primarily 

toward high-end home-theater and multichannel-music 

enthusiasts, it offers clarity and resolution sufficient to satisfy 

audio purists (e.g., users of systems based on low-powered SET 

amplifiers and high-sensitivity loudspeakers). While room EQ 

systems, per se, are nothing new, the radical Audyssey system 

breaks new ground both in terms of the technologies it applies 

and of the end results it aims to achieve in the listening room. 

Unlike other EQ systems, the Audyssey Sound Equalizer 

corrects both for time and frequency-response problems with 

remarkable precision, creating correction programs that provide 

a whopping 1024 correction points per speaker. What is 

more, the system provides correction not just for one central 

“sweet spot,” but for every listening position in the room. If 

that claim sounds far-fetched, it helps to know that the 

Audyssey system was born out of an intensive five-year, 

greater-than-$5M research program conducted at the 

Immersive Audio Laboratory within the USC Integrated 

Media Systems Center. A central objective of the research program 

was to develop a comprehensive understanding of the 

negative effects of room acoustics on sound reproduction, and 

then to address those negative effects. 

The resulting system uses MultiEQ Pro software and a 

calibrated microphone/mic preamp to take elaborate, in-room, 

channel-by-channel measurements of time/frequency response 

characteristics from up to 32 different listening positions. 

Then, MultiEQ Pro applies advanced proprietary “fuzzy logic” 

techniques to calculate custom, 1024-point EQ correction programs 

for each speaker in the system—programs that offer 

much more precise equalization than competing graphic or 

parametric EQ systems. Correction programs, in turn, are 

downloaded into the powerful, DSP-driven Audyssey Sound 

Equalizer, which is inserted in the signal path between preamps 

(or multichannel controllers) and power amplifiers. 

Having briefly auditioned the Audyssey EQ system in two 

different settings, we can offer some preliminary observations 


on its performance. First, the system works as advertised, 

smoothing tonal balance and improving frequency-response 

accuracy across multiple listening locations. But beyond these 

changes, two of the system’s most striking effects are improved 

image localization and significantly improved soundstaging. 

Second, the system gives positive results in systems based both 

on mid-tier and on higher-performance equipment. 

Nevertheless, we found the system’s effects seemed clearer and 

easier to appreciate when heard through better-quality speakers 

and electronics. While the Audyssey EQ system helps midgrade 

components sound their best, it cannot and does not 

turn sonic sows’ ears into silk purses. Third, the system compensates 

for many, though not all, room problems such as “hot 

spots” or “dead zones.” Wisely, Audyssey limits the amount of 

boost that can be applied at any one of its 1024 correction 

points per speaker to a maximum of 9dB. Audyssey CEO 

Michael Solomon points out that the Audyssey system is best 

used in conjunction with, and not as a substitute for, highquality 

room-acoustic treatments. 

The eight-channel Audyssey Sound Equalizer sells for 

$2500, and must be installed by the dealer (or a custom 

installer). Installation/set-up fees, if any, are determined by the 

dealer. Once installations are complete, dealers provide clients 

with a detailed set of before/after response graphs to document 

the beneficial effects of the EQ system. Systems can be calibrated 

for maximally flat frequency response, or given some 

degree of response-curve shaping to suit users’ tastes. A complete 

set of each client’s system-correction programs are stored 

on a server at Audyssey Labs so that, in the event of an accident, 

the programs could be re-installed at a later date. 

Audyssey Labs was founded in 2002 by Prof. Kyriakakis 

(co-founder and now director of USC’s Immersive Audio 

Laboratory), Prof. Tomlinson Holman (Professor of Film 

Sound at the USC School of Cinema & Television, cofounder 

of the USC Immersive Audio Laboratory, developer 

of the THX system, and designer of the classic Apt/Holman 

stereo preamplifier), Dr. Sunil Bharitkar (DSP specialist and 

lead researcher behind the Audyssey system), and Philip 

Hilmes (a systems-engineering specialist formerly associated 

with DirecTV). 

& 


new products on the horizon 

chris martens 

Onkyo A-9555 Digital 

Integrated Amplifier and 

DX-7555 CD Player 

For those adept at reading between the lines, the 

opening sentence of Onkyo’s press release says a 

mouthful: “In a break with the consumer electronics 

industry’s long-standing infatuation with multichannel 

audio, Onkyo has introduced a high-end two-channel digital integrated amplifier and a CD player.” 

Onkyo says its $699, 100Wpc A-9555 integrated amplifier offers “a unique implementation of hybrid class ‘D’ 

amplification,” termed VL Digital, which will eventually appear in many more Onkyo products. The A-9555 features 

seven stereo inputs, including a high-quality phonostage with “discrete RIAA equalization.” 

The $599 DX-7555 CD player features a “super-precision clock circuit” with tolerances of ±1.5ppm. Interestingly, 

users can even manually adjust the clock frequency 

“for a degree of sonic imaging control.” The 

DX-7555 incorporates a Wolfson DAC circuit 

with user-selectable profiles for Sharp (flat to 

20kHz) or Slow (gradual high-frequency roll-off) 

response curves. onkyousa.com 

Usher Audio V-Series Loudspeakers 

We suspect Usher Audio’s new V-Series speakers will enhance the company’s already 

strong reputation for delivering excellent value for money. 

Usher USA’s Stan Tract says the V-models were designed for two-channel and 

home-theater applications, incorporating “the same caliber drivers as in (Usher’s 

higher-priced) 6-Series” speakers. V-models feature solid wood veneer finishes, but 

also are “front-slot-ported to allow for in-cabinet installation.” Models include the 

V-601 monitor ($700/pair), V-602 and V-604 floorstanders ($1040 and $1480/pair, 

respectively), and the V-603 L/C/R speaker ($620 each). 

True story: At a recent hi-fi show, Usher played the V-601s alongside its 

$14,400/pair BE10 floorstanders, accidentally leaving a “Now Playing” placard 

atop the BE10s. No one caught the discrepancy until an Usher representative figured 

things out and moved the placard to the small monitors. When he did, gasps 

of astonishment could be heard from the audience. It’s a good sign when $700 

speakers get mistaken for models twenty times their price. usheraudio.com 

Oppo Digital DV-970 HD Universal Player 

For the unimposing sum of $149 Oppo Digital offers its DV-970 HD universal player, which plays DVD-Audio/Video, 

SACD, HDCD, CD, DivX, and Kodak Picture CDs. It also provides an HDMI interface and supports HD video upconversion 

to 720p/1080i. Impressive though these features are, they would mean nothing to most TAS readers but for one simple 

fact: This little player sounds astonishingly good for the money (so say audio-oriented colleagues at our sister magazine, 

The Perfect Vision). Is the Oppo a world beater No. Will it leave listeners shaking their head in happy disbelief Yes. 

If you’ve not yet listened to high-resolution digital audio in DVD-Audio or SACD formats, the DVD-970 HD gives 

you a remarkably inexpensive way to get in the game. The only hitch is that you’ll soon discover the Oppo needs (and 

deserves) high-quality interconnect cables likely to cost more than the player does. Deal with it. oppodigital.com 

WWW.THEABSOLUTESOUND.COM 

21

Valve Audio Predator 

Hybrid Integrated Amplifier 

From Doornpoort, South Africa come Valve Audio products, 

which are distributed in this country through 

Music Direct. Valve Audio was founded in 1994 by 

Schalk Havenga, who cites an in-depth discussion with 

Jeff Rowland (of Jeff Rowland Design Group) as a source of inspiration that led him to launch the company. 

Valve Audio specializes in hybrid tube/solid-state, “best of both worlds” amplifiers. A perfect example would be 

Valve’s new $3000 200Wpc Predator hybrid integrated amplifier. The Predator is a “true dual-mono design” (only a 

transformer is shared between the two channels) based on “four Sovtek 6922 dual-triode tubes, plate-loaded directly 

to four pairs of new generation MOSFET transistors.” The result, Valve says, is an amplifier that delivers “fast-paced 

timing, solid bass, and natural tonality.” The Predator provides three RCA inputs, one XLR input, and an RCA tape 

loop. valveaudio.co.za 

Naim Audio and 

NetStreams Create 

NaimNet—a High-End, 

Network-Enabled, 

Multiroom Audio System 

The British firm Naim Audio is well respected 

for its purist audio components, while Austin, 

Texas-based NetStreams has been making waves 

with its StreamNet distributed audio/video system, 

which sends uncompressed digital audio signals via local networks to any room in the house (or even to remote locations). 

Joining forces, the firms have created NaimNet, one of the most performanceoriented 

multiroom audio systems yet offered. 

NaimNet components are built by Naim and adhere to Naim sound-quality 

standards, but embed NetStreams’ network interface, data transport, and system control 

technologies. NaimNet-enabled components include four different NaimNet 

music servers (including the two-box, audiophile-oriented NS REF server), the 

NNT01 DAB/FM four-zone tuner, the NNC01 multi-input preamplifier and room 

player, the NNP01 room amplifier, and the NNP01 concealed room amplifier. 

Assemble these components under the guidance of a qualified installer, and you’ll 

have a multiroom audio system even audiophiles can embrace. naimusa.com 

Canton Vento Reference 1 DC Loudspeaker 

Standing 56.3" tall, and weighing 194 pounds, the five-driver, 3-1/2-way Vento 

Reference 1 DC floorstander is the “largest, most accurate, and best performing loudspeaker” 

the German firm Canton has built. 

The speaker’s more-than-1"-thick, curved sidewalls are constructed of seven layers 

of fiberboard pressure-laminated to form a “monocoque structure.” Inside, the 

cabinet is divided into four isolated chambers, the largest of which forms a bottomvented 

bass-reflex enclosure for two long-throw 12" aluminum woofers. Higher up, a 

pair of 7" midrange drivers flanks a single ADT-25 aluminum-manganese tweeter. 

The lower midrange driver operates from 180Hz to 3kHz, while the upper driver 

covers only the range from 180 to 400Hz, to “supplement output in the demanding 

midbass range.” 

Canton’s engineering head Frank Göbl says the $30,000 speaker “is intended as 

a definitive statement—the ultimate expression of Canton’s design philosophy and 

manufacturing capabilities.” canton.de 


s t a r t m e u p 

Rotel RX-1052 and Outlaw Audio RR 2150 

Stereo Receivers 

Jim Hannon 

All but forgotten in the age of the audio/video receiver, 

two stereo-only models focus on the music 

During the audio boom period 

of the late 1960s and 

70s it was quite common 

to see stereo receivers, not 

only as part of dorm-room 

systems but also in more sophisticated 

and costly setups. The audio shops of the 

day, often located outside the gates of 

local colleges, moved these audio equivalents 

of a Swiss army knife like hotcakes, 

and GIs were able to buy hulking 

receivers made in Japan for ridiculously 

low prices. While most of these flashy 

receivers suffered sonically compared to 

their separate counterparts, they made it 

very easy for many music enthusiasts to 

jump on the audio bandwagon. That’s 

how I got my start in this hobby. The 

market’s enthusiasm for receivers waned 

in the 1980s and early 90s, and with the 

advent of home-theater systems, sales of 

multichannel AVRs 

took off and the venerable stereo receiver 

practically disappeared from sight. When 

I was asked to review a couple of new 

receivers from Rotel and Outlaw specifically 

designed for two-channel applications, 

I thought, “Are these guys nuts” 

Both Rotel and Outlaw Audio may 

be crazy like foxes. Rotel recognizes that 

many audiophiles and music enthusiasts 

prefer stereo sound for their serious listening 

(and rightly so). For its part, 

Outlaw Audio suggests that although 

millions of AVRs have been sold, only a 

small percentage of households use more 

than two speakers. I can’t verify this 

claim, but with the explosive growth of 

two-channel digital sources like the iPod, 

a high-quality stereo receiver makes a lot 

of sense from both a practical and sonic 

standpoint. Indeed, what sets these two 

receivers apart from most AVRs is the 

quality of their sound, and that is the primary 

focus of this comparison. 

Over the past several 

decades, Rotel has gained a 

solid reputation among 

audiophiles for goodsounding 

gear that’s reasonably 

priced, and the 

$899 RX-1052 definitely 

fits this mold. It is an 

interesting synthesis of the 

“tried and true” and the 

“new.” This stereo receiver 

employs proven techniques 

to produce better sound, 

like using good internal parts and external 

binding posts, and a beefy, custom 

toroidal transformer mated with highquality 

storage capacitors. Pick this 

unit up and you’ll realize you’re not 

dealing with a lightweight. Appealing 

to analog lovers, Rotel includes a decent 

moving-magnet phonostage, so there’s 

no need to add an external phonostage if 

you want to spin vinyl. 

As for the new, the Rotel can distribute 

audio and composite video to 

four rooms or different locales in and 

around your house, but you’ll need to 

add amplifiers to power the other three 

pairs of loudspeakers. What’s very slick 

is that each “zone” has independent 

source selection and volume adjustment, 

so you can play jazz in one room from a 

CD while others listen to vinyl or the 

radio in different rooms, or switch to 

“Party Mode” and play the same source 

throughout the house. While I consider 

the basic video capability a bonus convenience 

feature in a stereo receiver that 

sounds this good, some videophiles will 


e disappointed that the Rotel is limited 

to composite-video switching. 

The first thing you’ll notice about 

the Outlaw is its unique industrial 

design, reminiscent of a large art-deco 

table radio. It has a thick, multilayered 

front panel and its customized knobs 

and controls all have a solid feel. For its 

$599 price I would have expected the 

Outlaw to deliver around 60 watts per 

channel, but like the Rotel it’s rated at 

100Wpc, which is sufficient to drive 

most loudspeakers you’re likely to throw 

at it. Both receivers have AM/FM 

tuners, independent source selection for 

listening and recording, balance controls, 

and headphone jacks. 

Despite its retro looks, the Outlaw 

Audio RR2150 is a thoroughly modern 

design. While it lacks the whole-house 

audio-video functionality of the Rotel, 

the Outlaw outpoints its more expensive 

rival on a bunch of other features. It 

allows easy connections to an iPod or 

other MP3 player via its 3.5mm frontpanel 

AUX input, or streaming audio 

from a computer via a USB connector on 

the rear. The “RetroReceiver” almost 

begs you to hook up your iPod and computer 

to step up your sound quality. The 

Outlaw also has a separate subwoofer 

output along with analog 

bass management to help integrate 

satellite speakers with a sub. (I 

never expected to see this in a stereo 

receiver.) While both the Rotel and 

Outlaw have good moving-magnet 

phonostages, the Outlaw can also 

drive moderately-low-output moving-coils, 

like my Koetsu. In contrast to 

the Rotel, the Outlaw sports an external 

processor loop, a headphone jack with a 

level control, and preamplifier and amplifier 

stages that can easily be decoupled to 

allow use with other electronics. 

Since Outlaw Audio’s products are 

only available factory-direct, they can be 

sold for less than if they went through a 

distribution channel. For some, the substantial 

cost savings will be worth the 

tradeoff of not having a dealer nearby. But 

although the Outlaw provides a boatload 

of features at a modest price, how does its 

sound stack up against the Rotel 


Comparing these two receivers may 

seem a bit unfair, like a welterweight 

fighting a middleweight. For many, a 

$300 savings can mean the difference 

between being able to afford an audio 

component or not. Yet the Outlaw is 

good enough to move up in weight class 

and compete toe-to-toe with the Rotel. 

The Outlaw’s sound is smooth, big and 

bold, dimensional, and engaging, 

whereas the Rotel’s is more refined, neutral, 

and detailed, with better pace, 

rhythm, and timing. 

Yet, despite these differences, these 

units have a lot in common musically. I 

tried them with the Eben X-3 speakers, 

which cost over $17,000, and was surprised 

at how musical they sounded. 

While neither receiver is reference quality, 

each possesses sonic attributes associated 

with high-end gear. Both have 

reasonable dynamic range, with good 

timbre, detail, and imaging. In stark 

contrast to most AVRs in this price segment 

(and many far beyond), these 

receivers do not sound electronic, 

bright, flat, or anemic. Yes, each can lose 

its composure on some dynamic peaks, 

but so do several more-costly units. 

Each of these receivers reproduces 

massed strings and voices more naturally 

than most integrated amplifiers in 

this price class, and you can listen to 

either for hours without feeling like a 

dentist is taking a drill to your ears. The 

Outlaw’s harmonic richness at times had 

me thinking I was listening to tubes, 

but this smoothness comes at the 

expense of blunting the leading edges of 

transients on instruments like piano and 

drums. This is much better, in my opinion, 

than the lean, hard sound one often 

hears with modestly priced transistor 

gear. It also masks some of the faults of 

many less expensive sources and speakers. 

The Rotel is more neutral and transparent, 

and has slightly less distortion 

than the Outlaw on dynamic peaks. 

On phono, while the Outlaw had 

enough gain to drive my Koetsu quietly, 

this combo had enough warmth to melt 

ice. However, the Outlaw really seemed 

to come into its own with the higheroutput 

Sumiko Blackbird cartridge. 

Compared to the Rotel, the Outlaw had 

a fuller, richer sound from the lower 

midrange down, but the Rotel was superior 

from the midrange through the 

highs. Cymbals had more shimmer and I 

preferred some of my favorite female 

singers, like Ella Fitzgerald or Mirella 

Freni, on the Rotel. Still, it was pretty 

close. Both of these phonostages easily 

outpoint many of the inexpensive separate 

phonostages I’ve auditioned. 

While the Outlaw’s tuner has slightly 

better specs, which may make a difference 

if you live in the boondocks, the 

tuner competition was essentially a 

draw, with both units performing well 

and sucking in my favorite regional stations. 

Substituting a better antenna 


arguably makes more of a difference 

than can be found between these two 

tuner sections. Voices were natural, 

without excess sibilance, and I found 

myself enjoying the wide range of repertoire 

offered on the FM dial. But those 

blasted commercials made me seriously 

think about a satellite subscription. 

Soundstaging is likely to be an 

area of disagreement among those 

moving into the hobby. Both 

receivers spread the soundstage nicely 

between the speakers, but the Outlaw 

throws the image somewhat forward 

which creates the sensation of more 

depth. Although instruments and 

voices are somewhat “supersized” by 

the Outlaw, the presentation is more 

dramatic, particularly when coupled 

with its richer lower registers. I can 

see many saying, “Yeah, baby!” 

However, images are more accurate 

and stable with the Rotel, and its 

better pace, rhythm, and transient 

speed produces a different brand of 

excitement. While I found my toes 

tapping more with the Rotel, you 

may prefer the somewhat bigger presentation 

of the Outlaw. 

I would be remiss if I did not 

report my first Outlaw review sample, 

an early production unit, failed after a 

week, but no harm was done to the 

speakers. Unfortunately, it took several 

months to get another unit as the production 

issues had to be resolved and 

demand for the unit was high. The second 

unit has performed flawlessly. For 

those of us who must get their hands 

on new audio components as soon as 

they start to ship, my advice is that it 

often pays to wait a few months. And 

wait I did. The Rotel was not without 

fault either. It occasionally had an 

audible transformer hum if I left it on 

for awhile with no music playing, 

rather than in standby mode. However, 

after inserting a Chang Lightspeed 

power conditioner, the problem disappeared 

and hasn’t returned. Better still, 

there was less grain and blacker backgrounds 

when both receivers were 

plugged into the Chang. 

The Outlaw Audio RR-2150 and 

the Rotel RX-1052 are attractive and 

compelling entry points for all those 

who desire musically engaging sound 

at a modest price; both prove that 

stereo receivers can be viable for critical 

listening. Their overall sonic performance 

is much better than the AVRs I’ve 

heard in this price class, and their 

flaws, compared with far more costly 

separates, are typically sins of omission. 

The Outlaw Audio’s broad feature set 

seems more “in tune” with today’s dig- 


ital lifestyle; yet, for whole-house audio 

and basic video the Rotel is the answer. 

Although the Outlaw has suffered 

slightly in this comparison to the more 

refined sound of the Rotel, make no 

mistake—the RetroReceiver is competitive 

with some of the best integrated 

amplifiers I’ve auditioned at its price, 

like the NAD C 352. When you consider 

that the Outlaw has a tuner, 

phonostage, bass-management functionality, 

and more power, you begin to 

appreciate what a great bargain it is. Its 

appealing warmth and larger-than-life 

sound may just knock you out. Those 

listeners who demand a more neutral 

balance with slightly better detail, 

transparency, and transient quickness, 

will dig a bit deeper into their wallets 

and spring for the Rotel. Either way, 

it’s really good to discover a couple of 

stereo receivers that are legitimate 

entries into the world of high-performance 

audio. 

& 

SPECIFICATIONS 

Rotel RX-1052 

Power output: 100 watts per channel into 

8 ohms 

Audio only inputs: Phono (MM), CD, tape, 

and tuner (internal) 

A/V inputs: Four audio and composite 

video for A/V sources 

Dimensions: 17" x 4 .5" x 14.25" 

Weight: 30.4 lbs. 

MANUFACTURER INFORMATION 

ROTEL OF AMERICA 

54 Concord Street 

North Reading, Massachusetts 01864 

(978) 664-3820 

rotel.com 

Price: $899 

OUTLAW AUDIO 

P.O. Box 975 

Easton, Massachusetts 02334 

(866) 688-5297 

outlawaudio.com 

Price: $599 

Outlaw Audio RR 2150 

Power output: 100 watts per channel into 

8 ohms 

Audio inputs: Phono (MM/MC), video, CD, 

tape, external processor loop, 3.5 mm 

aux, 1 USB input, tuner (internal) 

Dimensions: 17.1" x 5.75" x 15" 

Weight: 27 lbs. 


a b s o l u t e a n a l o g 

Pro-Ject RM-9.1 Turntable System 

Jim Hannon 

A very good turntable just got better— 

a look at the latest from Pro-Ject 

Several years ago 

I purchased a 

Kiseki Purple 

Heart Sapphire 

cartridge (then 

distributed by Sumiko) from former 

Bay Area audio retailer dB 

Audio. Its set-up guy, John 

Hunter, mounted the Kiseki on 

my SOTA Star and ETII rig, and 

then recommended that I leave it 

with him for 24 hours so he could 

run the cartridge in, allow it to 

settle, and then make final adjustments. 

Hunter’s setup was so good 

that I didn’t make any changes to it 

for a few years. Now John Hunter is 

Sumiko’s President, and he has assembled 

a team that shares his passion for 

all things analog. 

Among Sumiko’s latest imports is 

the $1499 Pro-Ject RM-9.1, which is 

designed by Heinz Lichtenegger in 

Vienna and built at Pro-Ject’s factory in 

the Czech Republic. A revised version 

of the RM-9 that was reviewed a few 

years ago in these pages, this massloaded, 

belt-driven turntable differs 

from the original in ways that are significant 

but not always obvious. The 

inverted bearing, tear-drop-shaped 

plinth, separate motor pod, acrylic 

platter, solid-brass record clamp, and 

tonearm-bearing structure are the same 

in both the RM-9 and the RM-9.1. So 

what’s left Well, enough that this new 

entry might instead have been called 

the RM-90. The single-piece arm tube 

is now molded from carbon fiber. It not 

only dissipates energy better than the 

old version but is both lighter and 

stiffer, as well. The “jointless” armtube 

and headshell evoke memories of the 

SME V that I once owned, but the arm 

is actually closer to a Wilson Benesch 

design because of the carbon-fiber 

application. The old plinth’s simple 

foot arrangement of rubber, plastic, and 

felt has given way to a more massive 

machined-aluminum cone that uses a 

Sorbothane layer between the plinth 

and the cone foot. And though the size 

and shape of the plinth remain the 

same, a steel plate has been added to 

the underside to significantly increase 

mass and to focus the dissipation of 

energy around a single point. 

Additionally, the MDF material and 

processing are changed to insure that 

the plinth will not break due to the 

extra weight of the steel 

plate. These differences 

are said to 

reduce noise, resulting 

in blacker backgrounds 

and better bass articulation 

and extension. Due 

to improvements in the 

fabrication and painting 

processes, the fit and finish 

of this new version 

makes it look like a more expensive 

’table, too. Unfortunately, 

these revisions are not available as 

upgrades for current RM-9 owners, 

but stay tuned—there are others 

that are. 

So how does this new Pro-Ject 

sound The short answer is that its performance 

is much closer to that of a 

costly rig than to an entry-level one. 

Coupled with the Sumiko Blackbird 

cartridge, a high-output moving-coil 

that is sold along with the RM-9.1 at a 

$300 discount, 1 the sound is smooth 

yet detailed, the soundstage is wide, 

and the low end has authority. Massed 

strings lack the upper-midrange glare 

one hears with some moving-coils in 

this class, and can even sound lush. 

Voices and saxes are particularly seductive; 

images are stable; and transparency, 

transient quickness, and inner detail 

are all good. The RM-9.1 rivals the 

Rega P5/Exact combination in its surprising 

lack of groove and surface noise, 

and it’s easy to listen to for hours with- 

1 Packages are also available with the Sumiko Blue Point No. 2 or the Blue Point Special EVO III. 


out any aural fatigue, even with modest 

electronics like the Rotel and Outlaw 

receivers I review elsewhere in this 

issue. Yet because it doesn’t really do 

anything wrong and is true to the 

music, the RM-9.1 wasn’t out of place 

in my reference system. Admittedly, it 

fell short of the reference’s performance, 

primarily in the areas of soundstagedepth, 

delicacy, air, and timbre. 

However, when you consider that you 

can buy the entire Pro-Ject system for 

less than the price of my Graham tonearm, 

I was surprised that the performance 

gap wasn’t wider. 

While I enjoyed the sound of the 

stock configuration, the performance 

of this Pro-Ject can be taken up another 

level with the addition of a few 

“options.” The RM-9.1’s invertedbearing 

design produces speed stability 

that is quite good for a model in this 

class. On demanding material like the 

Chopin Ballades [RCA] and the 

Carmen Fantaisie [Decca/Speakers 

Corner], it allowed both Rubinstein’s 

piano and Ricci’s violin to “sing” more 

than “warble.” Several higher-priced 

’tables I’ve heard couldn’t match this 

level of performance, unless one used 

an outboard speed-control box. And, 

yes, Pro-Ject offers an optional Speed 

Box SE ($549), which adds a larger 

power supply, electronic speed regulation, 

and pitch control. Since I didn’t 

have the Speed Box on hand, I used my 

VPI SDS with the RP-9.1 and the 

pitch became utterly stable, the bass 

more solid, and the soundstage better 

focused. I would definitely try out the 

Speed Box SE and see if it produces 

similar gains in your system. 

Placing Pro-Ject’s new base, the 

“Ground-It Deluxe,” under the RM-9.1 

tightened up the bass, lowered the 

overall noise floor, and improved both 

focus and clarity (pricing on the 

“Ground-It Deluxe” is still being finalized, 

but should be under $400). It 

matches the beautiful dark grey lacquer 

finish of the RM-9.1 and is filled with 

“granulate” (metal shavings). Just place 

it on a level surface and use either three 

or four of the supplied cones. In combination 

with a speed controller, it made 

the music emerge from a blacker background, 

with more rhythmic drive and 

transient quickness, and more articulate 

and controlled bass. These options 

definitely narrowed the performance 

gap with my reference. 

As much as I liked the RM-9.1, 

there are a few things I would recommend 

doing right away to improve its 

performance. First, swap out the supplied 

phono cable with a higher-quality 

interconnect and a piece of grounding 

wire. (Since the tonearm terminates 

into a set of gold-plated RCAs on the 

back of the plinth, swapping interconnects 

is easy.) Next, put something like 

a mouse pad or a sheet of Sorbothane 

under the motor housing (if you have to 

wait to purchase the “Ground-It 

Deluxe” base). Last, use a gentle touch 

on the tonearm cueing lever or else 

you’ll miss the first few notes on the LP. 

While the carbon-fiber arm has a lot 

going for it, with adjustable VTA (but 

not during play) and azimuth, its 

“hanging weight” anti-skate mechanism 

is not as refined as some you’ll 

With the RM-9.1, Pro-Ject has made an already good 

design much better, and without raising the price 

find on more costly arms. But this is a 

minor quibble. 

I am reminded of the 1980s when 

companies like SOTA, Linn, and Oracle 

continually refined their ’tables in 

order to leapfrog each other. With the 

RM-9.1, Pro-Ject has made an already 

good design much better, and without 

raising the price. Like some of its competitors, 

notably the Rega P5 and VPI 

Scout, it includes an arm that is far 

superior to the stock arms you’ll find 

on entry-level turntables, and the 

Sumiko Blackbird’s performance comes 

close to that of some higher-priced and 

lower-output moving-coils. Better still, 

the sound of this combo can be taken to 

new heights by adding the “Ground-It 

Deluxe” base and a good external speed 

controller. The low noise of this RM- 

9.1 system might even fool you into 

thinking you’re listening to a digital 

front-end until you notice how rich, 

natural, and engaging the music 

sounds, and how long your listening 

sessions last. 

& 


RM-9.1 turntable 

Bearing: Inverted thrust 

Type of drive: Belt 

Tonearm: Pro-Ject 9cc with adjustable VTA 

and azimuth 

Speeds: 33-1/3 and 45 rpm 

Dimensions: 17.7" x 7.1" x 11.9" 


Blackbird cartridge 

Type: High-output MC 

Output: 2.5mV 

Weight: 9.6 grams 

Recommended Tracking Force: 1.8 to 2.2 

grams 

ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT 

MFA Venusian preamp (modified); VPI 

Aries (updated with TNT V platter/bearing); 

Graham 1.5 tonearm with 2.2 bearing; 

Koetsu Black cartridge; Musical 

Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 DAC; Prima Luna Six 

power amplifiers; Eben X-3, Hyperion 

HPS-938, and Quad ESL-57s (PK modified) 

loudspeakers 

DITRIBUTOR INFORMATION 

SUMIKO 

2431 Fifth Street 

Berkeley, California 94710 

(510) 843-4500 

sumikoaudio.net 

Prices: $1499 ($1999 as tested with 

Sumiko Blackbird cartridge, which is 

$799 when sold separately) 


t a s j o u r n a l 

Munich High End 2006 

Roy Gregory 

For readers familiar with the shows organized by dealers 

or magazines that typify the U.S. scene outside of 

CES, High End 2006 in Munich offers quite a contrast. 

Whilst it started life as a hotel-based event in 

Frankfurt, it moved three years ago to a modern, 

ultra-high-tech convention center on the outskirts of the 

Bavarian regional capital. The original Frankfurt event was a 

pillar of the European scene and the most important show this 

side of the Atlantic. The change in venue as well as the change 

in the nature of that venue sent understandable ripples of consternation 

through the community here, but now, and despite 

a couple of missteps along the way, the organizer, The High 

End Society, has hit its stride and its show is back at the top. 

The show itself is spread across three floors, two offering a 

range of large conference rooms and the ground floor a huge 

area divided into booths and prefabricated sound rooms. I 

know, the very idea of demonstrating hi-fi in the equivalent of 

a giant trailer park sends a shiver down the spine, but in reali- 


PIEGA TC70X 

ty the sound is no better or worse than a lot 

of hotel shows I’ve endured. It also allows a 

tremendous density of exhibits, cutting 

down on the walking that made a visit to the 

Frankfurt show double up as a hiking holiday. 

Add the availability of a large, open 

seating area and pleasant, naturally bright 

environment, helped by the massive atrium, 

the sheer variety of food options on offer, and 

regular live music drawn from all genres, and 

you can begin to understand the number of 

honest-to-God family groups (yep, including 

wives and children) visiting the show, something 

you rarely if ever see in the U.K. or U.S. 

As if feeding on that theme, several exhibitors 

were also offering live music to supplement 

their demonstrations or displays, while 

Bosendorfer and Elac both offered live-versusrecorded 

comparisons. Back that up with a full 

program of lectures and presentations on subjects 

as varied as first-order crossover slopes 

in theory and practice and the sound of 

cables and the effect of different drive systems 

on turntable sound (with 

speakers/demonstrators drawn from manufacturers 

and magazines), and you can appreciate 

why this show manages to combine the 

interests of trade and public alike. 

When it comes to the sounds on offer, 

the best results were to be heard in the conference 

rooms, which are spacious and airy, 

all pale grey minimalism and expanses of 

glass, providing the perfect backdrop 

against which to project a brand identity. It 

was apparent that some companies exploited 

the potential rather better than others. The 

same is true of the sonic challenges, so nothing 

new there then. 

Frankfurt always seemed to attract 

more than its fair share of impressive 

loudspeakers, a trend that has happily 

transferred to Munich. Big news from 


Avantgarde was a complete revision and rationalization of its 

range. The Uno is no more, replaced by a pair of models, the 

Picco and incredibly cute Nano, which serve to demonstrate the 

basic building blocks. Two active subs are offered, the SUB225 

drawn from the Duo, and the larger SUB231. The Nano lodges 

its tweeter trumpet in the front face of the sub, the mid trumpet 

held on a framework above. In contrast the Picco sees both 

the mid and treble horns piercing the taller box of the 231, a 

construction first seen in the Primo with its stacked, hybrid 

horn subs. 

Moving up the range, the Duo is joined by the Duo Grosso, 

employing the 231 in a Nano-style configuration. Then comes 

the Mezzo, a single-sub Primo. But the really big news is the 

application of the Short Basshorn modules developed for the 

Primo to the top of the range Trio. This pairs the familiar 

three-trumpet arrays with a pair of hybrid horn woofers that 

extend the range covered by the horn-loaded drivers without 

resorting to the cost and impracticality of the massive, quarterquadrant 

Basshorn modules. The Short Basshorns offer the 

same active drive system and electronics in a cabinet of nearly 

the same volume but far more conventional shape and finish. 

Factor in a 6500 Euro price difference between a pair of 

Basshorns and the Short versions and suddenly the Trio starts 

to look like a lot of speaker for the money. (avantegardeacoustic.de) 

KEF surprised audiences with a “secret” demo in which its 

prototype speakers were hidden within cylindrical fabric shrouds 

hung from the ceiling. At the end of each day it unveiled the 

monsters within, massive columns—ovoid in section—with no 

fewer than five bass units flanking a refined version of the established 

Uni-Q mid/treble driver. Round the back were a further 

two bass units which could be switched on, not to augment the 

bass output but to cancel it, resulting in a cardioid low-frequency 

dispersion pattern offering greater continuity with the midband. 

The “with and without” demonstration was persuasive, with a 

more lucid, transparent, and communicative quality to the 

midrange, underpinned by a lighter, more agile and tactile bass. 

The examples on show were a long way from being a product, but 

this approach looks extremely promising when allied with KEF’s 

other technologies. (kef.com) 

More conventional in appearance and certainly more compact, 

the Piega TC70X speakers were delivering superb sound 

driven by a complete suite of the excellent and often underrated 

Cyrus electronics. Their slim cabinets contain a pair of 8" 


BURMESTER B30 

slotted pulp-cone woofers, loaded by a rectangular port and 

teamed with an extremely unusual two-way, concentric ribbon 

driver. Resolution and transparency were the order of the day, 

rather than floor-rattling bass extension, but there was a 

beguiling fluidity and ease to the music from this superbly 

integrated system. (piega.ch) 

Another brand showing innovative and high-value product 

was DALI, with its new IKON range. With a choice of three 

floorstanders, two mini-monitors, two center-channels, a sub, 

and a rear surround, DALI covered most bases, whilst employing 

the combination soft-dome/ribbon-tweeter technology seen 

in the Helicon series in much more affordable packages. Equally 

appealing for multichannel or two-channel applications, these 

look ready to shake up the mid-market. (dali.dk) 

Bolzano Villetri added a newer, lower-priced range below 

its extensive and sumptuously finished 5000 and 3000 series 

omnis. Aimed at the A/V and surround-sound market, the 

front pair plus subwoofer offered an interesting alternative to 

more conventional approaches, with an expansive and notably 

relaxed sound, even using a basic DVD player as source. I can’t 

comment on the veracity (or otherwise) of its extravagant 

claims regarding the novelty and efficacy of its unusual 

opposed-driver configuration, but if it can build on these 

results then the performance of its products will speak for itself. 

(bolzanovilletri.com) 

Finally, Burmester was playing the new B30, smaller brother 

of the B100 that has so impressed HP of late. At a Euro asking 

price of 7900 this was doing a fabulous job of showcasing 

Burmester’s new 061 upsampling CD player. Again, the emphasis 

was on wide-open, high-resolution sound, but just when you 

thought that was all that was on offer, this system surprised you 

with some real rhythmic drive and musical authority—all delivered 

with effortless grace. (burmester.de) 

Naturally there were hordes of heavy-weight turntables on 

show, most of which will never (and probably should never) 

escape their home borders, But two items 

that really stood out were a re-engineered 

and now 12" version of Brinkmann’s 

Breur-alike tonearm (brinkmannaudio.com) 

and a very neat box from 

AXISS distribution that looks for all the 

world like a digital stylus balance (well, it 

makes one of those, too), which actually 

works the suspension of your new cartridge 

to run it in without trashing the 

stylus. Admittedly more of a 

dealer/reviewer tool, I’ve just got to get 

me one of these. (axiss-usa.com) 

Present only as a prototype but fascinating 

for all that, a record cleaner was 

shown by Audiodesk (makers of the CD 

lathe and washing machine). It’s compact, 

cleans both sides simultaneously and quickly, and, if it can be 

made to work, represents the first truly novel solution to cleaning 

discs since Harry Weisfeld launched the original HW16. 

U.K. stalwart Naim Audio continued its relentless move 

upmarket with the appearance of production samples of the 

CD555/555PS combination first seen at last September’s 

London show. The player and external power supply retail for 

nearly twice the price of Naim’s previous flagship, the 

ANTJE DECKER AND ELAC’S FS 609 X-P1 


CDS3/XPS, although in Naim tradition the CDS3 player can 

be upgraded with the 555PS, somewhat easing the pain of transition 

for existing owners desperate to stay at the top of the 

Naim tree. The sound of the new player is significantly more 

detailed, focused, and dynamically sophisticated than older 

Naim machines, with impressive stability to its staging. 

Whilst the dedicated fan will need no convincing, this is one 

Naim product that seems set to find its way 

into non-Naim systems, rubbing shoulders 

with audio’s elite. Meanwhile, for those on a 

budget Naim has also launched the Hi-Line 

interconnect, based around its novel, mechanically 

decoupled 5-pin DIN Air-PLUG. (naimaudio.com) 

The show also provided first sight of Rotel’s 

revamped 06 budget electronics, a totally revised 

development of the excellent 02 series backed up 

by the matching RDV-1092 DVD player and 

RSX-1057, an A/V receiver that combines 

HDMI inputs with 75 watts of power (all channels 

driven). For the seeming minority who want quality over 

quantity from its A/V setup, this Rotel looks like a seriously 

interesting proposition. Meanwhile those who just want quality 

two-channel sound can rest assured that old faithful is keeping 

ahead of the game. (rotel.com) 

This report only scratches the surface of a crowded and 

incredibly busy show, packed with interesting product old and 

BRINKMANN’S 12-INCH ARM 


ROTEL’S BUDGET STACK 

new. However, it would be remiss of me not to leave you with 

a brief taste of one of the real highlights, one that isn’t currently 

distributed in the U.S. Gryphon is an established name in 

high-end circles, renowned for both sound quality and the 

excellence of its visual design. The latter was perfectly embodied 

in a prototype preamp with a portable front panel operating 

via wireless connectivity—stylish, practical, and oh-so-impressive 

for your non-audiophile friends (and their wives). But the 

real star was its new Trident speaker, a 

250kg behemoth that nonetheless represents 

a chopped down version of the fourbox 

Poseidon system seen at last year’s 

CES. The two massive cabinets each contain 

four actively driven 8" bass units 

that combine remote-control operation 

of their adjustable Q-factor with a -3dB 

point at 16Hz. Meanwhile, the high sensitivity 

and easy drive characteristics of 

the symmetrical mid/treble array make it 

compatible with high-quality/low-powered 

amps—although Gryphon was 

using a massive Antileon stereo chassis. 

The sound was everything you’d want from a 70,000 Euro price 

tag and a product of this quality and capability is enough to 

make its omission from the U.S. scene a major oversight. The 

combination of the sheer power and scale of a full orchestra at 

one with the intimate presence, delicacy, and emotional range 

of the solo cello breathed life into Jacqueline du Pre and the 

BBC symphony. More than worth the airfare on its own. 

(gryphon-audio.dk) 

& 


t a s j o u r n a l 

Basic Repertoire 

Bluegrass’ Modern Manifestations 

and New Traditions 

David McGee 

The second and final part documenting the recorded essentials of bluegrass. 

The first part, “The Golden Age of Bluegrass,” appears in Issue 160. 

Even as a younger generation of bluegrass players— 

musicians who were raised on rock ’n’ roll from the 

1950s and 60s and discovered roots music either 

through exposure to Harry Smith’s Anthology of 

American Folk Music or via the early 60s folk revival 

and subsequent emergence of Bob Dylan—was coming of age, 

Bill Monroe continued to cast a long shadow over the music he’d 

created and nurtured over the course of a couple of decades. 

Membership in Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys became a rite of passage, 

a sure-fire ticket to bluegrass respectability. 

Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt were the most 

influential of the early Monroe graduates (see 

Part One of this article for a detailed examination 

of that duo’s legacy), but many others 

passed through the Monroe ranks and went 

on to make significant contributions to the 

bluegrass canon. If the list included only 

Jimmy Martin, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, and Ricky Skaggs, 

it would be breathtaking. But there are many others who also 

cut their teeth on the Monroe doctrine. 

In 1963, Monroe factored into the beginning of an important 

career that wasn’t launched from the Bluegrass Boys’ platform. At 

the time his path crossed Monroe’s, Arthel “Doc” Watson, from 

Deep Gap, North Carolina, and blinded by a childhood illness, 

was creating a stir among young audiences captivated by his 

authenticity and deeply soulful singing and guitar picking. In an 

association that was to endure for some 17 years, Monroe and 

Watson were booked as a package on the college and festival circuits, 

each artist helping to expand the other’s audience, as well as 

illustrating by example the intimate relationship between Watson’s 

rural old-time music and Monroe’s classic bluegrass. 

Smithsonian Folkways documented this historic twin bill in 

1993 on Volume Two of a set titled Live Recordings, 1963-1980: 

Off the Record. Apart from his brother Charlie (okay, maybe Del 

McCoury too, who can be heard on Volume 1), Monroe had his 

ideal harmony singer in Watson, whose bass support to Monroe’s 

high lonesome wail on “What Would You Give In Exchange For 

Your Soul” makes for a chilling entreaty, just as the tenderness in 

the two men’s voices meshing on Monroe’s “Memories of You” 

perfectly evokes the heartache of good love gone wrong. What 

Monroe wrought in his disciples’ lives is dramatically emphasized 

on 2003’s The Three Pickers, which teams Watson with 

Scruggs and Skaggs in a show that was televised as part of PBS’s 

Great Performances series. Gospel, traditional country, breakdowns, 

folk tales, and a heaping helping of Monroe songs and 

reminiscences form the night’s repertoire; needless to say, hot 

picking is the order of the day—check out the fiery licks these 

instrumental masters trade on Monroe’s “Feast Here Tonight,” 

and the vocals brimming with emotive power. The Three Pickers 

was one 2003’s best albums, proof enough that the then-80- 

year-old Watson, an American treasure, had yet to lose a step. 

Watson’s distinguished recording career has yielded a deep, 

powerful catalog. A partial checklist of essential Watson 

albums would include his first commercial recordings made 

during a brief association with old-time fiddler Clarence 

Ashley, Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley, The Original Folkway 

Recordings: 1960-1962; his debut as a solo 

artist, preserved on Doc Watson at Gerdes’ 

Folk City, recorded, produced, and remastered 

by Peter K. Siegel, who captures Doc’s 

intricate flatpicking style and harmonics, as 

well as every shading of his warm, laid-back 

singing and between-songs patter. Some of 

the earliest Ashley-Watson recordings are a 

bit muddy, but Siegel gives Watson great presence on the Gerdes’ 

disc, making it easy to understand why the word went out from 

these shows that an important artist had come down from the 

mountains. Watson’s decade-plus tenure on Vanguard Records, 

from the early 60s to the early 70s, is the focus of the must-have 

four-CD box, The Vanguard Years, which features 16 previously 

unissued tracks; and though most of his legendary collaborations 

with his late son Merle remain in print, a good place to 

start assessing the unusual synergy between father and son is 

with a two-fer, 1977’s Lonesome Road and 1978’s Look Away. 

Backed by a band that includes Texas fiddler Johnny Gimble 

and Gove Scrivenor on harmonica, Doc and Merle step it up 

and go on these LPs—the band’s propulsive drive lending the 

affair a discernable oomph. 


MODERN MANIFESTATIONS 

Whereas it’s a no-brainer to pinpoint Monroe as the father 

of bluegrass, determining the origins of the late 60s to 

early 70s progressive or urban or “newgrass” movement is a 

dicey proposition. Maybe it was even earlier than historians 

have figured; maybe it started with Jim and Jesse McReyolds, 

who always seemed to cotton to the thrust of straight-ahead 

rock ’n’ roll, and in 1964 cut an entire album of Chuck Berry 

songs with a bluegrass treatment. Or maybe it started with one 

of the greatest bluegrass groups of all time, the Country 

Gentlemen, who were at the forefront of a fertile 

bluegrass/country scene in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore 

area in the 50s and 60s. Boasting 

two of the most inventive instrumentalists 

in bluegrass history in 

mandolin player John Duffey and 

banjo man Eddie Adcock, the 

Gentlemen were known to venture 

into jazz progressions and 

advanced approaches to soloing 

while bringing a fresh point of 

view to the bluegrass repertoire, 

by embracing material from nonbluegrass 

songwriters such as 

Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. 

Check out the essential four-CD 

box set, The Early Rebel 

Recordings: 1962-1971, for an 

idea of how far ahead of the game 

the group was in its heyday. 

This much is fact: 1971 

through 1973 were fertile for the 

progressives, although storied 

outfits such as J.D. Crowe & the 

New South, New Grass Revival, 

and the Seldom Scene (with Duffey) lasted well beyond that 

abbreviated time frame. What happened in those two years is 

amazing judging by the sheer quality of the playing, the bravado 

with which young pickers attacked their new music, the 

depth of the original songs, and the number of important musicians 

who emerged then and continue to be productive and in 

demand today as elder statesmen in a revitalized bluegrass field. 

Listen today to the driving sound of Rhonda Vincent and The 

Rage, the tender, pop-influenced stylings of Alison Krauss and 

Union Station, or the out-there workouts of those upstart 

young ‘uns Nickel Creek, whose music references sources as 

varied as Bill Monroe, J.S. Bach, and Pavement. All are directly 

descended from events that happened long before any of 

these artists emerged (literally in the case of the 20-something 

Nickel Creek trio, the oldest of whom was born in 1977); all 

are indebted to some degree to the ideas that sprang from the 

minds and music of John Hartford, Peter Rowan, David 

Grisman, Clarence White, Vassar Clements, Norman Blake, 

Sam Bush, John Duffey, J.D Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, 

Mike Auldridge, and others who had a moment, or many 

moments, of note in the rise of progressive bluegrass as a viable 

offshoot of the Monroe doctrine. 

Hartford, for instance, in 1971 put together the Aereoplane 

Band in Nashville, with Norman Blake on guitar, Tut Taylor on 

dobro, Vassar Clements on fiddle (Randy Scruggs, Earl’s son, 

played bass in the studio but was not a touring member) and, 

with David Bromberg producing, came forth with a freewheeling, 

concise masterpiece of barnburners and wry 

Hartford-penned love songs (“Blame It On Joann,” a song in 

Del McCoury 


which the irony is as deep as Tom T. Hall’s on “Pamela 

Brown”) that blazed like Monroe’s finest breakdowns, stomped 

like classic rock, and sprouted counterculture attitude at every 

turn. Long out of print, the original recordings, plus outtakes 

and previously unissued tracks, were returned to market in 

2002 on Rounder Select’s Steam Powered Aereo-Takes, an album 

without which, according to Sam Bush, “there would be no 

‘newgrass’ music.” 

Bush wasn’t laying around watching things happen in 1971. 

That was the year he assembled Courtney Johnson (banjo), Curtis 

Burch (guitar), and Harry 

Shelor (a.k.a. Ebo Walker, 

bass) as New Grass Revival. 

(Walker bowed out and was 

replaced by John Cowan, not 

only a solid bass player but 

one of the finest male vocalists 

to emerge from the progressive 

world.) Avatars of the 

progressive movement, New 

Grass Revival held forth for 

18 years, adding guitarist Pat 

Flynn and banjo-barrierbreaker 

Bela Fleck to its lineup 

when Johnson and Burch 

hung it up. In all configurations, 

NGR was fearless, daring, 

and entertaining; and 

with a taste for pop-influenced 

melodies, the group 

clearly set the stage for the 

90s bluegrass explosion spearheaded 

by Krauss. NGR’s catalog 

is rich and varied, but a 

splendid double-CD overview 

recounts the magnitude of the 

group’s achievement. Appropriately 

titled Grass Roots: The 

Best of New Grass Revival, the 

album includes most of the 

vital studio cuts as well as 

seven previously unissued live 

recordings. 

Many a progressive bluegrass 

road runs through Peter Rowan, the former Bluegrass Boy 

who has demonstrated a Zelig-like quality for participating in 

momentous musical events. In 1973, shortly after he and fiddler 

Richard Greene had left the rock group Seatrain, he joined 

with guitarist Clarence White (late of the Byrds), former 

Kweskin Jug Band banjo player Bill Keith, and mandolin player 

David Grisman (who had departed from the rock group 

Earth Opera, which had also been a stop for Rowan) for a onetime-only 

appearance on a nationally televised bluegrass show 

emanating from Los Angeles’ KCET. Warner Bros. promptly 

offered a deal to the band billed as Muleskinner; two weeks 

later, supplemented by Jerry Garcia’s bassist John Kahn, the 

group cut a self-titled album that was released and deleted from 

the catalog in record time. Muleskinner’s influence was negligible—it 

came and went so quickly—but its lone studio 

album, Muleskinner, and the TV show soundtrack, Muleskinner 

Live, prove the outfit was thinking way outside of the bluegrass 

box. On the studio album, for instance, the Rowan-Jim 

Roberts-penned “Runways of the Moon,” concerning a tortured 

soul’s journey through life, 

boasts a beautiful close harmony 

sound reminiscent of 

the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the 

Rodeo approach (which 

White had a major role in 

shaping), but ends in a flurry 

of psychedelic guitar 

noodling unlike anything 

heard on a bluegrass album 

prior to Nickel Creek’s most 

recent record. 

Rowan next popped up, 

also in 1972-73, with 

Grisman, Clements, and 

Kahn, as charter members of 

the Garcia-led roots outfit 

Old & In the Way, playing a 

repertoire spanning the classic 

bluegrass of Monroe and 

the Stanley Brothers, to the 

forward-looking stylings of 

the Country Gentlemen, to 

the ornate 50s pop of The 

Platters (via a cover of “The 

Great Pretender”), to the 

hard-edged rock of the Stones 

(by recasting “Wild Horses” 

as an easygoing shuffle, less 

tortured than the original 

but possessing a certain 

bucolic charm, nonetheless). 

Alison Krauss 

Old & In the Way existed for 

some nine months and 30 

gigs (which have produced two live albums, both released on 

Grisman’s Acoustic Disc label), but Garcia’s high profile in the 

rock world drew attention to the group’s efforts, and especially 

to its attitude, explained succinctly by Rowan in liner notes to 

the live Breakdown: “We felt instinctively that this robust style 

could handle any type of tune. If we could pick it or sing it, then 

it was ours.” 

Such was West Coast progressive bluegrass—a fleeting 

moment of creativity and inspired playing. On the East Coast, 


traditionalist veterans J.D. Crowe (who spent six years in 

Jimmy Martin’s band) and the aforementioned Duffey assembled 

bands built to last, i.e., New South and the Seldom Scene, 

respectively. 

In 1975, J.D. Crowe & the New South (band and eponymous 

first album) made its Rounder debut, and Crowe subsequently 

became a Monroe-like magnet for a new generation of top-drawer 

bluegrass and country artists. His original New South lineup—by 

far his most versatile—included Rice on guitar, Skaggs 

on mandolin, Douglas on dobro, and Bobby Sloan on fiddle and 

bass. All were virtual unknowns at the time they joined New 

South; all have gone on to distinguished careers (especially 

Skaggs, who had massive mainstream country success in the 80s, 

before returning to bluegrass full-time and winning Grammy 

Awards as a matter of course). 

Formed by Duffey in 1971, the Seldom Scene achieved 

commercial success far beyond that of its friendly newgrass 

competitors. Never big on touring (the group name is 

telling), the band’s influence rests almost solely on its 

recordings. An esteemed mandolin player and tenor vocalist, 

Duffey surrounded himself with a Murderer’s Row of 

artists in guitarist John Starling, bassist Tom Gray, banjoist 

Ben Eldridge, and, most crucial of all, dobro virtuoso 

Auldridge. When they get going, the Seldom Scene players 

attack their music with verve and intellect, finding new 

ways to energize traditional bluegrass fare and taking unexpected 

approaches to pop, rock, and blues. A box set is sorely 

and conspicuously missing from the Seldom Scene catalog, 

but the group’s first three albums, titled Act I, Act II, 

and Act III are essential. Act I, released in 1972, features 

interpretations of Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans” 

and James Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James,” as well as a jawdropping 

take on Monroe’s “With Body and Soul.” Act II, 

from 1973, is notable for a cool rendition of Ricky Nelson’s 

“Hello Mary Lou” and a moving reading of John Prine’s 

poignant lament, “Paradise.” Act III, also from ’73, contains 

a haunting treatment of Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back 

Home” and a lovely cover of Bob Wills’ “Faded Love.” As 

an alternative to buying three albums, the 1994 single-disc 

Best of the Seldom Scene, Vol. 1 contains several of the abovementioned 

songs as well as numbers from the band’s fourth 

album, Old Train. 


The highest-profile artist to emerge from the first class 

of progressives has been Bela Fleck, whose solo career has 

taken him far away from bluegrass into eastern and third 

world musics, into jazz (Tales From An Acoustic Planet, Vol. 

2, released in 1975, teams him with Chick Corea, Edgar 

Meyer, and Branford Marsalis), and even into classical, 

where he’s won a Grammy for his 2001 Perpetual Motion 

album recorded with classical guitarist John Williams, 

Nickel Creek’s mandolin wunderkind Chris Thile, and the 

most celebrated young violinist of the day, Joshua Bell. His 

band the Flecktones (Howard Levy on interstellar harmonica, 

Victor Wooten on bass, and Roy “Futureman” Wooten 

on his mad-scientist drum machine/guitar-synth combo) 

plays anything and everything with consummate ease and 

enthusiasm. The mere appearance of this odd character in so 

many strange musical lands can only be seen as a positive 

(though classical critics deride him as a dilettante), because 

wherever he lands, bluegrass tends to surface in some form. 

And that ain’t a bad thing, for the music or for folks who 

might not have taken an interest in bluegrass prior to 

Fleck’s arrival. 

NEW TRADITION 

Progressive bluegrass injected its traditional sire with contemporary 

fervor, propulsion, and attitude while fully respecting 

the parent style’s fundamentals. Commercially, it wasn’t much of 

a factor in the larger world of contemporary country. It was then 

as it had been since the mid-50s—a niche music, popular at festivals 

and fairs but otherwise lacking much media presence or 

sales juice. 

This changed 

swiftly in 1987 

with the arrival of 

16-year-old prodigy 

Alison Krauss 

with her first 

Rounder album, 

the exquisitely 

beautiful Too Late 

to Cry. Hailing 

from Champaign, 

Illinois, Alison and 

brother Victor 


were encouraged by supportive parents in their childhood musical 

pursuits. First taking up violin, Alison gravitated to fiddle after 

discovering bluegrass, and it was her prowess as a player that 

spurred Rounder to sign her at age 14. What might not have been 

so evident when Krauss was that age certainly was by the time her 

solo debut was released: She had a magnificent, crystalline voice 

and an advanced sense of a song’s narrative and emotional arc. Hers 

was neither a high lonesome bluegrass voice nor a rural, country 

voice nor a wispy pop voice, but something almost beyond categorizing—ethereal, 

airy, fragile, but sturdy, it could put the hurt in 

a heartbreaker like no one else’s. 

Her 1989 album, Two Highways, introduced her band, 

Union Station. Its current longstanding members include guitarist 

Dan Tyminski (who gained considerable attention for his 

role as George Clooney’s singing voice in O Brother, Where Are 

Thou, notably for his keening version of “I Am a Man of 

Constant Sorrow” on the soundtrack), bassist Barry Bales, Ron 

Block on banjo and guitar (his 2001 solo debut, Faraway Land, 

is an overlooked gem), and progressive dobro master Jerry 

Douglas, the only musician who remains from the original 

Union Station lineup. No matter who’s backing her, though, 

Krauss sticks to her expansive definition not merely of bluegrass 

but of all music (maybe too expansive when it includes covering 

Todd Rundgren, but if you buy the premise you buy the bit, as 

Johnny Carson once noted). In addition to traditional tunes and 

originals, Krauss draws material from contemporaries such as 

Shawn Colvin and Karla Bonoff, and has championed promising 

new songwriters such as Robert Lee Castleman, now a regular 

contributor to the Krauss songbook, with two of his most penetrating 

numbers, “Let Me Touch You For Awhile” and “The 

Lucky One,” featured on New Favorite—the most essential of 

several potent Krauss long-players. A single-disc retrospective 

of the first five albums, 1995’s Now That I’ve Found You: A 

Collection, sold five million copies—an unprecedented number 

in bluegrass history—and is a must-own retrospective of the 

artist’s formative work, populated as it is with a lovely cover of 

Lennon-McCartney’s “I Will,” a lilting treatment of the 

Foundations’ 1968 pop hit “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You,” 

and a funky, bluesy take on Little Feat’s “Oh Atlanta.” 

Krauss was at the forefront of another unparalleled development 

in bluegrass history. On her third album, she began producing 

herself and in doing so opened the door for other female 

artists-as-producers in country and bluegrass. She works at highend 

Nashville studios (Seventeen Grand is a long-time favorite) 


and favors one of the top engineers in the business, Gary Paczosa, 

as her right-hand man (referring to him in liner credits as “the 

sixth member of the band”). Remastering has done wonders for 

the bluegrass recordings of the 40s and 50s, when the standard 

practice was to emulate in the studio a band’s live presentation of 

playing around one microphone. This “one mic” concept is hallowed 

in bluegrass lore, but has its limits as a studio concept. 

Krauss’ recordings have always been remarkable sonically for 

their clarity and delicate balance between instruments and voice, 

as well as for a heady, atmospheric quality that serves only to 

enhance the music. That greater care is now taken—and more 

money spent—to assure a state-of-the-art soundscape for bluegrass 

artists is a direct result of Krauss’ success. 

After Krauss, Rhonda Vincent is the most recognizable and 

commercially appealing female bluegrass artist. Like Krauss, 

she has taken control of her music in and out of the studio, 

either co-producing or producing all of her recordings since 

going back to pure bluegrass in 2000, following a couple of 

mainstream country recordings. Her band The Rage has shifted 

personnel far more than Union Station, but top-notch players 

are always on board, notably Vincent’s brother Darrin, with 

fiddler Stuart Duncan and guitarist Bryan Sutton also making 

appearances. No longer a plain, conservatively dressed country 

girl from Missouri, Vincent sports blonde highlights and outfits 

herself in black leather and slinky low-cut dresses. Still, her 

music remains basic bedrock bluegrass with a progressive 

thrust. The finest version of The Rage is found on 2001’s The 

Storm Still Rages, when the lineup included the dynamic young 

fiddler Mike Cleveland and banjoist supreme Tom Adams, and 

the repertoire ranged from Ernest Tubb’s “Driving Nails In My 

Coffin” and Hank Williams’ “My Sweet Love Ain’t Around” to 

two Vincent-penned gems, the urgent love song “Cry Of the 

Whippoorwill” and a feisty tribute to Monroe, “Is The Grass 

Any Bluer,” everything blessed by expressive musicianship and 

Vincent’s aching cry of a mountain voice. 

Krauss also connects the traditional to the progressive via 

her production on the first two Nickel Creek albums. Siblings 

Sean (born 1977) and Sara Watkins (born 1981) teamed with 

mandolin prodigy Chris Thile (born 1981) when all were mere 

sprights, initially playing in a San Diego pizza parlor before 

building an enthusiastic following on the festival circuit. 

Signed by Sugar Hill, the trio found a simpatico producer in 

Krauss and two Grammy nominations for its eponymous 

debut. A New York Times article gushed over the youthful trio’s 


“pan-cultural” ethos and all but declared Nickel Creek the 

bluegrass Beatles. 

Close, perhaps. On the essential Nickel Creek debut, the musicians 

cull stylistic statements from folk, classical, pop, country, 

Celtic, and jazz, adeptly deploying these elements over the course 

of a dozen mostly original songs that are by turns haunting and 

exhilarating. Krauss is all over Nickel Creek, especially in the sustained 

dreamy ambience that pervades most tracks. 

Yet Nickel Creek is a band that prides itself not on rising to 

the challenge but in redefining the challenge each time out. 

Hence, the deserved critical ballyhoo and emotional investment in 

the work of three young people who weren’t even born when the 

progressive movement flourished, but who have gone back and 

picked up the basics from Monroe on, then added stylistic 

approaches from outside the bluegrass realm to become a kind of 

new progressive movement all their own. The band’s third album, 

2005’s Why Should the Fire Die, produced not by Krauss but by 

Eric Valentine and Tony Berg, is driven by tales of troubled relationships 

and wrenching interior monologues addressing love 

gone awry, with the producers packing the soundscape with information 

in the form of sonic buzzes, clicks, sighs, and bleeps that 

serve as an electronic Greek chorus signaling another relationship 

shorting out. There is a countrified, jubilant instrumental 

(“Stumptown”) and an unsettling, melancholic bluegrass-based 

instrumental rumination titled “Scotch & Chocolate,” but musical 

explorations lean heavier towards folk and dark edgy pop. 

Even as Nickel Creek and Thile explore new turf, the traditional 

very much has its place in contemporary bluegrass. After 

serving a near-year-long tenure in 1963-64 as one of Monroe’s 

Bluegrass Boys, North Carolina native Del McCoury set out on 

a solo career, working the burgeoning Pennsylvania-Maryland- 

Virginia circuit in his spare time away from his day jobs. In 

1987, he cut an album (The McCoury Brothers) for Rounder with 

his brother, but the course of his career was altered first in 1981 

when he welcomed into his band his then-13-year-old son 

Ronnie, a mandolin whiz who has been named the International 

Bluegrass Music Association’s Mandolin Player of the Year for 

eight consecutive years, and again in 1987, with the arrival in 

the professional ranks of his other son, Rob, a banjo-picker par 

excellence. As the Del McCoury Band, this quintet—rounded 

out by engaging bassist Mike Bub (replaced by Alan Bartram on 

the group’s stirring new gospel album, The Promised Land) and 

fiddler Jason Carter—has made the distinctions between progressive 

and traditional irrelevant, so advanced is the soloing, so 

compelling is the musicians’ emotional commitment, and so 

piercing is Del’s quintessential high lonesome tenor. 

Del has written solid originals (his “I Feel the Blues Moving 

In” from 1990’s Don’t Stop the Music should become a bluegrass 

standard), and Ronnie McCoury, who has also become the band’s 

producer, always has a barn-burning instrumental to add. 

Otherwise, the McCourys range far and wide for material, from 

usual suspects to mainstream country writers such as Lefty 

Frizzell and Harlan Howard, to folk rockers on the order of 

Richard Thompson (whose “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” has 

become a beloved McCoury standard) to classic American pop a 

la Frank Sinatra (“Learnin’ the Blues”), even embracing renegade 

country in cutting Steve Earle’s “If You Need a Fool” and then 

collaborating with Earle on The Mountain. In addition to the 

must-have Promised Land, Rounder’s single-disc overview of 

McCoury’s 1987-1995 tenure with the label, High Lonesome and 

Blue, offers a succinct portrait of Del and the boys coming of age, 

as well as including some interesting Del solo cuts from back in 

the day. An essential McCoury collection might well contain 

every album the band has released, but most certainly has to 

include 1996’s The Cold Hard Facts, 2001’s Del and the Boys, and 

1992’s Blue Side of Town, incorporating the Patty Loveless title 

tune, Earle’s “If You Need a Fool,” and Arthur “Big Boy” 

Crudup’s “That’s Alright Mama.” Basically, any Del McCoury 

Band album is a primer in bluegrass that at once looks forward 

even as it embraces the music’s core values of yore. 

And McCoury isn’t alone. Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, 

Mountain Heart, Ricky Skaggs, the Grascals, Blue Highway, 

Ralph Stanley, Jim Lauderdale, Marty Stuart—bluegrass 

embraces its elder statesmen, draws in established country 

artists who revitalize their careers by returning to the source of 

their inspiration, and welcomes young practitioners steeped in 

tradition but ready to move the music into the future. It’s a true 

and timeless thing, as Mr. Bill knew way back when. & 


6 

Overachieving 

Audio Systems 

Chris Martens 

Does high end always mean high-priced 

We think not, as these six affordable 

systems demonstrate 

You Can Afford 

Most veteran audiophiles 

can recall watershed audio systems that 

helped turn them into lifelong devotees 

of music reproduction in the home. 

Those systems were probably as diverse in configuration 

as the individuals who put them together, yet 

they had three characteristics in common. First, they 

raised sound quality to threshold levels that triggered 

“Eureka!” moments, serving up listening experiences 

so fine (and refined) that we found them irresistible. 

Second, they brought music alive as never 

before and became for us true music-discovery 

machines. And finally, they were affordable and 

played—to borrow a sports phrase—above the rim; 

that is to say, they offered extraordinary performance, 

but at ordinary (or at least manageable) 

prices. Once these factors come together, there can 

be no turning back. Or can there 

Today, music and music playback systems vie with 

many other art forms and entertainment options for 

individuals’ discretionary incomes and their even more 

precious free time. As a consequence, ownership of an 

audio system is no longer a given, as it might have 

been two or three decades ago. In fact, a good many 

people (and especially young people) have had no firsthand 

exposure to high-quality music systems. Worse 

still, some who have had a first taste of the high-end 

experience have walked away with mixed feelings, the 

joy of hearing lifelike sound combined with the trauma 

of acute sticker shock. Stated simply, it’s hard for others 

to fall in love with a hobby they’ve either never experienced 

or believe they could not possibly afford. 

Things ought not to be this way because today’s best 

entry-level and mid-priced components are sounding 

better than ever. What may be lacking, though, is the 

know-how necessary to put together synergistic systems 

that are affordable and exceed sonic expectations. And 

that’s where we come in. The staff of The Absolute 

Sound has come up with six proposed affordable highend 

audio systems, each of which holds the potential to 

play above the rim—in some cases way above the rim. 

We hope our recommendations will benefit those looking 

to assemble great first systems or planning high-performance 

system upgrades at reasonable costs. Prices 

for our suggested systems range, in even thousand-dollar 

increments, from $1500 to $6500. 


System One: $15OO 

TOTAL (BEFORE CABLES, POWER CONDITIONER) = $1478 

Cambridge Audio 540A integrated amplifier $439 Review, Issue 162 

Cambridge Audio 540C CD player $439 Review, Issue 162 

ERA Design 4 loudspeakers $599 Review, Issue 162 

Cambridge Audio’s 60Wpc 540A integrated 

amplifier and 540C CD player are 

modestly priced, but they neither look 

nor sound like entry-level components. 

Both offer tube-like smoothness in the 

upper midrange and treble, clear and grainless 

midrange, and rich, full bass that conveys the roundness 

of acoustic basses and the dynamic punch of 

electric ones. Unlike many low-priced components, the 

Cambridge pair delivers an open and spacious soundstage, 

giving listeners a sense of the air and space 

between instruments and voices. What makes these 

components sound so good Build-quality, for one 

thing. The amplifier, notes TAS Editor-in-Chief Robert 

Harley, features “a sizeable toroidal transformer, generous 

heatsinking, metal-film resistors throughout, 

gold-plated jacks and quality binding posts,” and even 

a “high-quality motorized Alps-brand volume control.” 

The CD player, in turn, features a scratch-built, 

Cambridge-designed transport mechanism and control 

circuit (with a laser and optical pickup sourced from 

Toshiba). The player offers a streamlined signal path, 

with circuitry including a custom, low-jitter 

clock and very-high-quality Wolfson 24- 

bit/96kHz DACs—the same ones, says 

Harley, “found in some players costing 

$3000.” In audio as in pizza, better ingredients 

make for better results. 

The Era Design 4 loudspeakers, 

whose design was influenced by Michael 

Kelly of Aerial Acoustics, offer unexpectedly 

big sound from a small package. What 

usually floors listeners about these 

diminutive two-way mini-monitors are the 

huge, open soundstages they present, and 

the remarkably hearty and potent midbass 

dynamics they deliver. Style-conscious buyers will 

be interested to know that all Era speakers feature 

exquisite furniture-grade wood finishes, and can be 

ordered with matching audio furniture from Era’s sister 

company, Sona Design. 

This little system is all about conveying the 

nuances and inherent warmth and richness of live 

music—for not a lot of money. 

Considerations: System One does not offer deeply 

extended bass, nor can it play extremely loudly for sustained 

periods of time (but Cambridge Audio’s clever 

“CAT5” circuit will eventually intervene to prevent damage 

should the amplifier be driven too hard for too 

long). Note that the Era speakers should be used with 

rigid, high-quality speaker stands. For these reasons, 

System One works better in small-to-mid-sized rooms, 

and will be most satisfying for listeners who enjoy 

music played a moderate volume levels. 

For a system that offers a bit deeper bass extension, 

that can play somewhat more loudly, and that 

requires no speaker stands, consider the $699/pair 

Epos ELS 303 floorstanders (reviewed in this issue) as 

an alternative to the Eras. 


System Two: $25OO 


Music Hall a25.2 integrated amplifier $599 Review, Issue 163 

Music Hall cd25.2 CD player $599 Review, Issue 163 

Revel Concerta F12 loudspeakers $1298 Review, Issue 157 

Music Hall provides the core electronics 

for System Two in the form of its 

50Wpc a25.2 integrated amplifier 

and cd25.2 CD player, both of which 

offer midrange clarity and nuance, as 

well as sparkling, crystalline highs. Stated simply, 

musical transparency is the strong suit of these components, 

meaning that both have the ability to tease 

out the delicate inner details that can spell the difference 

between good and great sound. 

TAS reviewer Sallie Reynolds found both Music 

Hall components had merit, but that the cd25.2 was 

“the star” overall—especially once she replaced the 

CD player’s standard power cord with a beefier, higherquality 

aftermarket cord. With that upgrade in place, 

Sallie found the cd25.2’s sound opened up considerably, 

achieving even better 

tonal balance and 

resolution. (Newcomers, 

we realize how strange 

this power cord discussion 

must seem. But 

the fact is that the 

sound of most components 

improves significantly 

with power cord 

upgrades.) 

The only significant 

weakness of the Music 

Hall components is a 

tendency toward midbass 

thinness (more 

noticeable in the amplifier 

than the CD player), 

but this is where the 

underlying synergies of 

System Two come into 

play. Revel’s three-way, 

four-driver Concerta F12 

floorstanders are near 

full-range loudspeakers that are extremely easy to 

drive, and that offer hearty and surprisingly extended 

bass. Though the F12’s bass can sound a hair underdamped 

at times, these speakers make the most of 

the bass drive capabilities of modest amplifiers. What 

is more, the F12s are blessed with real, dedicated 

midrange drivers that give the speaker an unexpectedly 

lively and refined sound. Finally, the F12’s highs 

are clear and smooth, though somewhat dry. 

In pairing the Revels with the Music Hall components, 

our thought was that each would benefit from 

the complementary (and offsetting) strengths and 

weaknesses of the others, leaving listeners to enjoy 

the best of all three products: the rich, powerful bass 

of the Revels, the midrange subtlety of all three components, 

and the pure, shimmering highs of the Music 

Halls. Best of all, listeners enjoy near full-range sound 

for under $2.5k. 

Considerations: To get 

the most from the Music 

Hall pair consider using 

a good, modestly-priced 

power conditioner, and 

also try upgrading the 

cd25.2’s power cords. 

Even with these 

enhancements, some 

might want an amplifier 

with more vigorous bass 

than the a25.2 affords. 

Two alternatives that 

offer decent measures 

of transparency and better 

bass would be NAD’s 

C320 BEE (50Wpc, 

$399) or C352 (80Wpc, 

$599, reviewed in 

AVguide Monthly 9) integrated 

amplifiers. 


System Three: $35OO 


Arcam Solo stereo receiver/CD player combo $1599 Review, Issue 156 

DALI IKON 6 loudspeakers $1595 Review, this Issue 

System Three leverages the strengths of 

Arcam’s remarkable 50Wpc Solo—a combination 

stereo receiver/CD player. The word 

TAS reviewer Chris Martens chose to 

describe the 50Wpc Solo was “suave,” 

meaning that it offered “smooth, cohesive, and selfconfident” 

midrange with generous amounts of resolution 

and articulation. The Solo will appeal to enthusiasts 

who want to enjoy musical details, but without the 

pain of inappropriate brightness or edginess. While 

the Solo may sacrifice the “nth” degree of transparency, 

it does achieve a sophisticated, well-balanced 

sound that will never turn and bite the listener. Finally, 

unlike many cost-constrained receivers, the Solo incorporates 

an excellent FM tuner that easily reveals quality 

differences between the playback systems used at 

local radio stations. It’s fun to have the option of sampling 

new musical material over the airwaves. 

Rounding out the system are DALI’s easy-to-drive 

IKON 6 floorstanders. To appreciate what DALI has 

achieved with this speaker, we urge you to hear a pair 

of DALI’s excellent multi-thousand dollar per pair 

Helicons first, and then sample the IKONs. Are the 

award-winning Helicons the better speakers Certainly. 

But, is Helicon design “DNA” readily and sonically 

apparent in the IKONs You’d better believe it is, and 

in spades. In particular, the IKONs—like the 

Helicons—use a two-driver upper midrange/treble 

module based on a fabric-dome tweeter plus a ribbon 

driver to generate airy, extended, and beautifully 

defined highs. They also use Helicon-inspired wood 

pulp/composite mid/bass drivers to reproduce 

midrange and bass frequencies in a soulful, expressive 

way. The IKON 6’s bass extends to just below 

40Hz, but TPV reviewer Barry Willis observed that they 

create the illusion of going even lower than that. Best 

of all, the IKON 6s offer sufficient articulation to take 

full advantage of all the finesse the Arcam Solo has to offer. 

System Three achieves 

sophisticated sound where, 

especially through the broad 

midrange of the music, 

details emerge with a gentle, 

unforced clarity that brings to mind the sound of even 

higher-performance systems. 

Considerations: Because it is based on a combination 

receiver/CD player, System Three can be tricky to 

upgrade in an incremental way. This may not be a 

concern for you, but it is a point to bear in mind for 

individuals who can’t resist tinkering with a good 

thing (you know who you are). Bear in mind, however, 

that you may have to invest quite a bit more than the 

price of the Arcam Solo to achieve decisively superior 

sound. 

If you prefer a system based on separate components, 

however, consider the core electronics packages 

we recommend for Systems Four, Five, or Six, below. 

Some Guidelines for Newcomers (and 

Reminders for Veterans) 

Make live music your standard. Train your ears by exposing them 

to plenty of live music (preferably unamplified—or at least lightly 

amplified—live music), and then trust what they tell you about the 

sound of hi-fi components. 

Listen, listen, and listen. Our recommendations will point you in 

directions that produce delightful sonic results, but remember that our 

words are no substitute for you going out to hear components for yourself. 

You may have to travel a ways to audition the less common products 

we recommend, but the end results will be worth the extra effort. 

Work with a competent dealer with whom you have good rapport. 

A good dealer can add a huge amount to the equipment buying 

experience, provided he or she is well attuned to your needs and 

tastes. Great dealers often have the uncanny ability to come up with 

system solutions neither you (nor we) might have considered. Some 

also offer in-home product-trial programs. 

Don’t forget necessary accessories. Interconnect and speaker 

cables can have a huge impact on sound quality, as can power conditioners. 

We do not provide specific cable or conditioner recommendations 

here, but recommend setting aside an additional 

10–20% of your budget (beyond the cost of core system components) 

for cables and other necessary accoutrements. 

CM 


System Four: $45OO 


Naim Nait 5i integrated amplifier $1350 Review, AVguide 

Rotel RCD-1072 CD player $699 Review, Issue 146 

Paradigm Reference Studio 100 v3 loudspeakers $2300 Review, TPV 57 & 69 

Naim’s Nait 5i is a superb integrated amplifier, 

not just “for the money,” but also in a 

broader, absolute sense. AVguide Monthly 

reviewer Tom Martin observed that the 

solid-state Nait 5i provides the harmonic 

richness and rightness of a good tube amplifier, so that 

“each instrument sounds like itself, playing in a real 

acoustic space,” adding that it gives “the sense of the 

freeing the instruments or opening 

them up.” At the same time, the 

amplifier also offers the clarity and 

definition of a good transistor 

design, yet without etching or 

overemphasizing the leading edges 

of notes. Finally, Martin says, the 

50Wpc Nait 5i delivers an unexpectedly 

powerful sound, even “on big 

orchestral or rock dynamic swings.” 

The award-winning Rotel RCD- 

1072 CD player offers good clarity 

and remarkable freedom from 

noise. TAS reviewer Alan Taffel 

says the RCD-1072 “has the lowest 

noise level of any CD player I’ve 

heard at any price,” noting that it 

“presents an unimpeded path to 

the music.” Because the Rotel 

presents music against a silent 

backdrop, Taffel notes, “musical 

lines and instrumental 

details stand out as if in basrelief,” 

as do tonal colors and 

transients. The only drawback is 

that the Rotel somewhat de-emphasizes 

the sense of air surrounding instruments. The RCD- 

1072’s bass and dynamics may be slightly softer than 

those of more costly players, but overall the Rotel is, in 

Taffel’s words, a player that “allows music, and the 

instruments that make it, to emerge in stark glory.” 

Paradigm’s Reference Studio 100s are brilliant doall 

floorstanders whose diverse strengths The Perfect 

Vision reviewer Gary Altunian (a confirmed multichannel 

enthusiast) credits with “rekindling my interest in 

stereo.” The Studio 100 is a three-way, five-driver 

design that features an aluminum-dome tweeter, a 

mica-polymer mid/bass driver, and three mineral-filled 

polypropylene woofers. Together, these drivers produce 

near full-range sound that is evenly balanced from top 

to bottom, with excellent transient speed that makes 

the Studio 100s sound quick and articulate across the 

board. Over time, these speakers win listeners’ hearts 

by gently revealing layer upon 

layer of midrange and treble 

textures, while delivering 

bass that is tight, tuneful, 

and—thanks to three 

woofers sharing the workload—unstrained. 

Two small 

drawbacks are that the 

Studio 100s offer good, but 

not entirely holographic imaging, 

and occasional hints of 

dryness in the highs. But 

these shortcomings pale 

alongside the many things the 

speakers do well. 

System Four offers essentially 

full-range sound, with good 

measures of focus and definition, 

plus a welcome touch of magic— 

courtesy of the Naim amplifier. 

Considerations: For best results, 

upgrade the Rotel’s power cord 

and try placing the player on 

ceramic tone cones such as those 

offered by DH. These upgrades help 

clean up a slightly hard-edged quality 

the player occasionally exhibits. 

The system will play loudly enough to satisfy many 

listeners, but for extra headroom try the 100Wpc YBA 

Design YA201 integrated amplifier we recommend for 

System Five. 

Finally, for maximum openness and optimal imaging, 

use high-quality speaker cables with the 

Paradigms, and experiment with bi-wiring. 


System Five: $55OO 


YBA Design YA201 integrated amplifier $1499 Review, this issue 

Rega Apollo CD player $995 Review pending 

Spendor S8e loudspeakers $2999 Review, Issue 155 

YBA Design’s 100Wpc YA201 integrated 

amplifier combines stunning industrial 

design, terrific build-quality, and engaging 

and sophisticated sound. The sophistication 

flows from the amplifier’s exceptionally 

expressive midrange, which effortlessly reveals intimate 

inner details within the music. Moreover, the 

YA201 offers good transparency and lively dynamics 

that span most of the audio spectrum, making the 

amplifier a leader in its price class. One other area 

where the amp shines is in reproduction of soundstage 

depth, contributing to a satisfyingly three-dimensional 

presentation. Only in direct comparison to toptier 

components does the YA201 show a slight degree 

of softness at the frequency extremes, good but not 

fabulous bass definition, and a missing smidgeon of 

overall resolution. But when heard on its own, the 

YA201 impresses listeners as the accomplished, polished, 

well-balanced performer it is. 

The best CD players in the $2500–$4000 range 

routinely uncover hidden levels of information in familiar 

CDs, but the amazing thing is that Rega’s sub- 

$1000 Apollo player does the same thing, and almost 

as effectively as premium-priced players do. The Rega 

offers much greater transparency, sharper focus, and 

better resolution than other players we’ve heard at its 

price. Yet for all its definition, the Apollo has a delicate, 

almost feathery way of handling high-frequency 

details, plus foundational bass that is rock-solid and 

beautifully controlled. 

Completing System Five are a pair of British 

Spendor S8e two-way floorstanders, which, as TAS 

reviewer Sallie Reynolds pointed out, are “among the 

heirs to the BBC true monitors of yore.” The S8e is not 

Spendor’s most expensive S-series model, but it may 

be the best-balanced speaker in the range. The S8es 

do all things well, offering what Reynolds termed “gorgeous 

midrange and treble,” and “clean, clear, dramatic 

bass.” Add to these virtues seamless driver integration, 

fine imaging and soundstaging, and the ability 

to play loudly without strain, and you have a speaker 

that’s easy to love and live with over time. The only 

caveats are that the S8es can’t do the bottom 3/4ths 

of an octave of low bass, and that they like, as 

Reynolds says, “a few extra watts.” But overall, this 

speaker’s magic-per-dollar quotient is high. 

Drawing on the strengths of three truly special 

components, System Five takes listeners well down 

the road toward top-tier sound—and for less than the 

price of a not-so-nice used car. 

Considerations: The Spendor S8es offer ample bass, 

but low-bass aficionados might want some bass reinforcement. 

To supplement the S8es, try adding a REL 

Q108e subwoofer (reviewed in TAS 156). 

The YBA YA201 is a fine solid-state amplifier, but 

for those who prefer tube-powered front ends for their 

added harmonic richness, consider Vincent’s SV-236 

hybrid integrated amplifier (reviewed in TAS 156). 

The Rega Apollo is an exceptional player, but one 

area where more costly players can beat it is in reproduction 

of front-to-back depth cues. If you crave this 

quality, and are willing to trade off some detail and resolution 

to get it, consider YBA Design’s $1499 YC201 

CD player (reviewed in this issue). 


System Six: $65OO 


Naim Nait 5i integrated amplifier $1350 Review, AVguide 

Rega Apollo CD player $995 Review pending 

Acoustic Zen Adagio loudspeakers $4300 Review, Issue 162 

From the outset, we planned to 

base our top budget system on 

Acoustic Zen’s exceptional 

Adagio loudspeaker, and to help 

those speakers achieve optimal 

sound in a still-affordable system, we 

turned once more to the same Naim Nait 

5i integrated amplifier used in System 

Four. What makes this match work is the 

fact that the Adagios are easy to drive, 

fairly sensitive, and—in our experience— 

surprisingly responsive when powered by 

really good small amplifiers. And the Naim 

is good—so good, in fact, that it easily 

holds its own even in lofty company (for 

example, TAS Editor-in-Chief Robert Harley 

once recommended a system that paired 

the Naim with an $11,700 pair of Wilson 

Audio Sophia loudspeakers!). 

For our source component, we again 

chose Rega’s Apollo CD player. Our 

thought: The Apollo is surpassed only by 

players that cost substantially more. 

This brings us to Acoustic Zen’s beautifully-made, 

three-driver, two-way Adagio 

transmission-line loudspeakers. The 

Adagios’ strengths parallel those of the 

Spendor S8es, but go further to achieve 

better bass extension (down to about 

30Hz), more expansive dynamics, and 

even higher levels of sonic purity. TAS 

reviewer Sallie Reynolds said, “The 

Adagios are so free of distortion that 

sounds usually lost in ‘noise’—soft 

sounds that get masked all too easily— 

were coming through.” Like the Rega CD 

player, the Adagios push the edges of the 

high-resolution envelope hard, yet they 

remain, notes Reynolds, “tolerant if not 

completely forgiving of badly recorded 

music.” The beauty is that the Adagios 

give listeners more of what they buy good 

recordings for, yet without punishing them 

with strident, rough edges. Reynolds 

adds that the Acoustic Zens “handle full 

orchestras better than any speakers I 

have had in my house.” One small note of 

caution: Because the Adagios sound 

unstressed at high volume levels you may 

be tempted to play them more loudly than 

is wise. But that, as they say, is a highquality 

problem to have. 

System Six dazzles listeners with the 

pure, undistorted sound of live music, giving 

a very satisfying taste of what highend 

audio is all about. 

Considerations: Give the Acoustic Zens a 

minimum of 100 hours of break-in for 

maximum openness, and be aware, during 

setup, that they are extremely heavy 

(ask a friend to help you position them). 

We think you’ll like what the Rega 

Apollo does, but for even higher performance 

(at a considerably higher 

price) try Musical Fidelity’s A5 CD player 

with vacuum tube output stage 

(reviewed in TAS 155). 

The Naim does a lot with its 50 watts 

per channel, but for more power (or the 

harmonic characteristics of a tube-powered 

front end) try Vincent’s 100Wpc SV- 

236 hybrid integrated amplifier (reviewed 

in TAS 156). 


equipment 

report 

DALI IKON 6 Loudspeaker 

Affordable excellence from one of Denmark’s finest speaker companies 

Robert E. Greene 

small speakers,” a 

famous audiophile-recording 

producer once 

said to me, and who 

“Ihate 

could fail to understand 

his point For decades, the high end 

seemed to think that the way to make an 

entry-level speaker was to offer the top 

two-thirds of a speaker that would have 

been good if its bottom third were added 

back in. Not the DALI IKON 6. Its 

$1600 price may be modest, but it is a 

substantial floorstander that never 

sounds small in any negative way. 

The first thing I listened to was 

Barenboim’s Tristan und Isolde [Teldec]. 

Its brooding Wagnerian darkness and 

occasionally overpowering intensity all 

came through on the IKON 6. At last, an 

affordable speaker with heft and guts! 

The bass and dynamics allow orchestral 

music to have real power, and they let 

rock music rock out, too. 

While it is the bass and dynamics 

that separate the IKON 6 most obviously 

from the mini-monitors of similar 

price, the treble is where the IKON 6 

most obviously exhibits innovation. 

Because here you’ll find the unique DALI 

dome/ribbon hybrid tweeter that was 

originally developed for the company’s 

far more expensive Euphonia line. 

And very successful it is. Guitars, for 

example, have the combination of precision 

and treble snap they have in real life, 

without any nastiness. And high percussion 

is unusually convincing. The top 

notes of the piano also have their natural 

plangency. And though the treble actually 

rises somewhat on the “hottest” axis, it’s 

only a problem if you aim the speakers directly 

at your listening position. Toeing the speakers 

slightly out will largely if not quite entirely 

bring it down to smooth and flat. (In my 

experience, DALI speakers are designed for 

listening without toe-in). The IKON 6 puts 

quite a bit of high-frequency energy into the 

room—wide dispersion is one of DALI’s 

mottos—so you will probably want to have 

your room quite “soft” acoustically. But 

within that context, the intrinsic sound of 

the treble is excellent. 

The IKON 6 really delivers the goods 

dynamically. DALI gives a figure of 111dB as 

a maximum SPL. While I did not push to 

levels nearly that high, the IKON 6 is effortless 

sounding; I was getting realistic orchestral 

dynamics with no sign of incipient stress. 

Try that with a mini-monitor! And the 

IKON 6 is high sensitivity—91dB/1W/1m. 

I was using one of my usual high-powered 

amplifiers, but it was never working hard. A 

few watts will already get you rocking, and 

one can even use this speaker with an SET. It 

is a benign amplifier load, too, according to 

the manufacturer. If you have yet to make 

your fortune, here is a speaker that will run 

fine off an inexpensive receiver. And the 

IKON 6 is ideal for those who want to experiment 

with the sound of tube classics like the 

Quad II (old or resuscitated) or Marantz 8B. 

No speaker, and certainly no inexpensive 

speaker, is really completely neutral, 

and the IKON 6 is not without sonic character, 

having, as it does, a forwardness in the 

midrange as well as in the treble as I noted 

above. Although the speaker’s overall balance 

is quite smooth, the midrange is projected 

a bit in the mix. This may be a deliberate 

choice. While using a multi-thousand 

dollar EQ like the Z Systems with a budget 

speaker might seem odd, I could not resist 

pulling down the mid (and the middle-tohigh-treble) 

a bit. And I did prefer the 

result, even when the EQ was with an inexpensive 

analog device from DOD. For many 


equipment 

report 

The IKON 6 is surprisingly detailed for what is, 

after all, almost a mass-market-priced speaker 

people this may not be a major point, 

nor perhaps even a disadvantage. After 

all, British reviewers have managed to 

turn this kind of sound into an apparent 

virtue by semantics: code word 

“agile,” for which read “a little leaner 

in the low mids and upper bass than it 

really ought to be.” 

In any case, the midrange-forward 

character is not extreme in the IKON 6, 

but it is there. I suppose that people who 

are involved in midband neutrality 

above all else, whose main and almost 

only goal is audio life is absolute perfection 

of the soprano voice (and I was once, 

to some extent, one of these) may instead 

decide to spend this kind of money on 

the LS3/5a or one of its derivatives and 

successors, with their nearly perfect 

midrange, even at the penalty of giving 

up realistic dynamics and bass extension. 

The IKON 6s do not plumb the very 

bottom octave to any extent. This is, 

after all, a middle-sized speaker with two 

6.5" woofers. But the port tuning (the 

port is huge) is at 36Hz, and the speaker 

goes firmly down to around 40Hz in 

room, enough to give solidity to piano 

sound and orchestral music, as well as 

most rock. To the very small extent that 

the IKON 6s sound lightweight at all, 

one is really hearing the midrange 

prominence. Certainly one is again in 

another world here from the mini-monitors, 

whatever their midrange virtues. 

Watch out for Allison effect, 

though. Like all floorstanders, the 

IKON 6 needs careful position to avoid 

creating a hole somewhere in the midbass. 

This is nothing to do with the 

IKON 6 as such—it’s just acoustics. 

Careful placement is always good. Note, 

too, that the IKON 6 is sensitive to the 

listener’s vertical position, and the best 

sound may require tilting the speaker, in 

my case back slightly to match my listening 

height and distance. When you 

have it right, you’ll know it. Images 

lock in and tonality is optimized. The 

IKON 6s, like all wide dispersion speakers, 

needs some room to the sides to realize 

their full imaging potential. Away 

from walls, they do the vanishing and 

soundstaging tricks of narrow-fronted 

speakers very nicely, while retaining 

good center focus. 

To return to the sensitivity question, 

there is at least some evidence 

that a certain dynamic linearity at low 

levels is attached to drivers with high 

sensitivity. Whether this is an overriding 

concern is a question for each 

listener, but speakers that have high 

sensitivity might also be expected to 


equipment 

report 

be linear at very low levels, which 

some people believe is connected to 

perceived detail. But for whatever reason 

the IKON 6 does provide a 

detailed picture of things, such as the 

intricacies of piano note decay, the little 

rings and shifts attached to the 

dying of the tone, and is surprisingly 

detailed for what is, after all, almost a 

mass-market-priced speaker. 

Of course, it would be more than a 

little extraordinary if a speaker at this 

price point offered anything like the 

performance of speakers many times the 

cost. And switching back to my Harbeth 

M40 or to the now discontinued DALI 

Grand did give a more neutral and 

smoother sound, increased coherence 

and refinement, more bottom-octave 

extension, and all the other things that 

people who spend much more money 

expect, and sometimes even get. 

On the other hand, to my ears, the 

IKON 6 gets a lot closer than one might 

suppose. With careful placement and 

setup (and for a balance freak like me a 

little reduction of the mid-prominence 

and a mild treble cut) the results are a 

lot closer to the more expensive designs 

than most speakers in the IKON 6’s 

price range. 

The whole thing is rather surprising. 

These speakers are manufactured 

not in China but in DALI’s own 

European factory—and DALI also has to 

deal with the decimated dollar when it 

comes to U.S. pricing. Yet here they are: 

amazing quality, and a true bargain for 

the price. As I listened to the 6’s effortlessly 

reproducing the orchestral music 

of Rachmaninoff and Richard Strauss, I 

thought how power, substance, and clarity 

really matter with the orchestral 

music of the late 19th and early 20th 

centuries. If these sonic qualities are 

similarly meaningful to you, I think you 

will like these speakers very well, 

indeed, just as I did. 

& 


Type: 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker 

Driver complement: Two 6.5" wood-fiber 

cone woofers, one 1" soft-textile dome 

tweeter, one .75" x 1.75" ribbon supertweeter 

Frequency response: 37Hz–30kHz 

Sensitivity: 91.5dB 

Impedance: 6 ohms 

Recommended amplifier power: 25–150 watts 

Dimensions: 7.5" x 39.4" x 13" 



DALI USA 

3957 Irongate Road 

Bellingham, Washinton 98226 

(360) 733-4446 

info@dali-usa.com 

dali-usa.com 

Price: $1600 


equipment 

report 

A Cable Survey 

On the Upgrade Trail Winning wires from Crystal Cable, Nordost, 

and TARA Labs 

Neil Gader 

The high-end pastime known as “upgrading” comes as naturally to an 

audiophile as breathing in and out. While no one category can be singled 

out as the most cost-effective upgrade, cables—so easy to swap—might 

be the most instantly gratifying. Even though some of my colleagues consider 

wire-reviewing about as much fun as a sleep-over at Camp Gitmo, I 

enjoy the process. The cables assembled here, from Crystal Cable, Nordost, and 

TARA Labs, all have pedigrees that are unassailable. And upgraders take note—they 

each hit significantly different price points. Please also consider that the cables were 

tested as speaker-wire/interconnect tag teams. They were designed as partners, and 

that’s generally how they tend to be sold. 

Crystal Cable: Crystal- 

Speak Micro and Crystal- 

Connect Micro Interconnect 

Crystal Cable of the Netherlands 

describes its wire as “micro-sized,” 

and it ain’t kidding. Jewel-like, this 

skinny-mini could be mistaken for piano 

wire, and if you’re not careful it will tangle 

as easily as a necklace from 

Cartier or Tiffany. 

Preconceptions about physical 

size aside, the CrystalSpeak 

Micro plays big and clean. Like a 

sonic windshield wiper it sweeps 

the soundstage clear of dust and 

grime. Orchestral images snap 

into focus, and the sensation of 

pace and speed is immediately 

apparent. Tonally, the Micro 

combo is midrange-neutral with a 

little lift in the treble and lag in 

the bass. It’s ultra-swift in transient 

response with a turbine-like 

smoothness that rhythmically 

propels the music forward, as if 

tempos had been increased. There is no 

blurring or smearing of notes, even when 

Evgeny Kissin unleashes a series of lightning-strike 

piano arpeggios or summons 

a swirl of harmonics from his Steinway 

during Glinka’s The Lark [RCA]. 

However, there’s a region in the treble 

where the Micro suggests a modest 

coloration. It can be heard in the harmonic 

structure of a voice like that of a 

cappella artist Laurel Massé. A bleached, 

silver quality overlays the fabric of her 

vocals; it implies “detail,” but unless your 

speaker is rolled in the treble, the added 

presence isn’t welcome. Also the Micro’s 

not as authoritative in the bass as I’d like, 

and at the lowest volume levels there’s 

some loss of character in instruments like 

tympani, bassoon, or acoustic bass. 

In terms of soundstage perspective 

the Micros always sounded as if the 

microphones were a couple of inches 

closer to the orchestra or soloist—an 

impression that slightly diminished 

the reverberant nature of larger 

acoustic spaces. Soundstage width was 

excellent, but, while depth is better 

than average, I found myself wanting 

more-complex layering of string sections. 

On balance, however, the Micros 

are arguably one of the most transparent 

cables I’ve heard to date. 

Nordost Baldur Speaker 

Cables and Baldur 

Interconnects 

As the most affordable cables in the 

survey the Baldurs performed 

uncommonly well. They were evenly 

balanced, with the tonal composure and 

midrange solidity that I’m so fond of 

with Nordost wire. Baldur improves on 

Blue Heaven in every respect, 1 and by 

virtue of its greater resolution and transparency 

draws ever closer to Valhalla. 

Whereas the Blue Heaven can sound a 

bit whitish and hair-trigger, Baldur has 

greater effortlessness, with a welcoming 

1 A budget staple of my reference system for years. 


equipment 

report 

midrange warmth and treble bloom. It 

imparts a firmer more extended low-frequency 

undercarriage which benefits a 

wide range of orchestral material. And 

with its class-leading low-level resolution 

I found myself isolating the smallest 

acoustic details in very specific areas 

of the soundstage. Baldur also has a buttery 

way with transients, making them 

rounder, without etch or hardness. 

Tonally, Baldur has a small 

emphasis or “push” in the 

midrange that can energize 

violin sections a mite. Also, 

during Glinka’s Russian 

and Ludmilla Overture from 

Reiner’s Chicago [RCA], 

the violin section pushes 

forward as if gently spotlit. 

Soundstaging in general 

was solid, but the rear of 

the soundstage lacked some 

definition, and various 

orchestral sections often sounded a little 

crowded together. 

Perhaps my most interesting conclusion 

during this survey was the way each 

of the cables seemed to emphasize a different 

treble coloration. For example, 

when Emmylou Harris hits the upper 

octave of her range (in her duet with 

Mark Knopfler from All The 

Roadrunning [Warner Bros.]), the 

Nordost closes down slightly, as if 

there’s a narrow ridge in the upper frequencies 

where it peaks and settles back 

down. Likewise, brass sections tend to 

congeal a bit, and celli had a more wiry 

character. 

All in all, the Baldur may not be as 

focused as the Crystal Micro or as 

weighty as the TARA RSC Air 1, but its 

possesses a rewarding balance of criteria 

(and extreme affordability) that makes it 

tough to beat on this playing field. 

TARA Labs RSC Air 1 

Speaker Cables and RSC 

Air 1 Series 2 Interconnects 

The TARA Labs RSC cabling arrived 

on my doorstep in the wake of a transcendent 

listening experience with 

TARA’s brutally expensive Omega 


equipment 

report 

cables—an event that has 

proved to be both a blessing 

and a curse. 2 With expectations 

running well into the red, how 

would the RSC Air 1 measure up In 

fact, I can hear a great deal of Omega in 

the voicing of the RSC, particularly in the 

effortless way that it plays louder, hits 

dynamics a little harder, and digs a little 

deeper. Of this trio it’s also the mellowest 

wire, imparting a resonant, darker character. 

This is an appealing trait if you enjoy 

cello and bass viols like I do. 

Complementing its lower-midrange tonal 

performance, the RSC Air 1 is also a specialist 

in larger-scale dynamics and seems 

to glory in the midbass octaves. Of all the 

cables I’ve listened to recently, with the 

exception of the preternatural Omega, the 

RSC exhibits a dynamism that verges on 

the propulsive. It has a way of extracting 

the micro-dynamic “touch” (even in the 

lower octaves) heard on pianist Warren 

Bernhardt’s So Real [DMP]. And its open 

character seems to find “air” in the tightest 

spaces between notes and images. 

But unlike the more forward Crystal 

and the Nordost, the TARA establishes 

a different relationship with the orchestra/soloist 

and the venue. Its soundstage 

What’s in a Cable 

is the most expansive 

(depth and width). Instrumental images 

seem more settled onto the stage, like a 

genuine performance where you can 

sense the dampening qualities of the hall 

as it reflects and diffuses reverberant 

sound. The trait was also consistent 

during Dianne Reeves’ “One For My 

Baby” from the Good Night, and Good 

Luck soundtrack [Warner], where the 

ambience retrieval of acoustic piano and 

bass becomes thicker, the macro- and 

micro-elements of the performance 

more fully revealed. 

The TARA is dynamically lively on 

vocals of all stripes. But there is still a 

dry quality to Emmylou Harris’ vocal 

during “If This Is Goodbye.” It never 

grows strident, but there is a bit of fine 

white grit powdering the treble—a 

characteristic that all the cables of this 

survey shared to varying degrees. 

It’s an American pastime, crowning 

winners and vanquishing losers whenever 

competitors take the field. But in all 

Crystal Cable’s Micro Series (developed in cooperation with Siltech) uses multiple 

silver conductors and a clever innovation—in order to increase surface 

area (and improve current flow) Crystal injects gold to fill the gaps between 

conductors. Isolation is achieved with a triple wrap of Kapton film, and finished with 

a silver-braided shield, wrapped in a Teflon jacket. Crystal also uses an ingenious 

splitter that allows the user to add cable length or swap terminations (or go from single 

wire to biwire) with the twist of the splitter ring. 

Nordost’s Baldur is one of three models that make up Nordost’s new Norse line. 

It brings reference-line technology (think Valhalla) to down-to-earth prices. The 26 

individual silver-on-copper conductors are manufactured and insulated using 

Nordost’s proprietary Class 1 FEP extrusion process and widely spaced into 

Nordost’s trademark flat-ribbon style. The interconnects use Nordost’s Micro-Mono 

filament technology with twin silver-plated copper conductors. 

TARA Labs’ RSC Speaker cables are designed around 10+ gauge 8N copper with 

24 individually insulated conductors (48 for each channel) helixed around Teflon airtubes 

in separate positive and negative runs for each channel. The Series 2 version 

of the RSC Air 1 interconnect includes upgrades to the Air-Tube core technology that 

is central to TARA Labs’ designs. It includes an increased separation between the 

shield and the central Air-Tube that houses the OF8N copper conductors. NG 

2 The blessing is that I heard them; the curse is that I can’t afford them! 

good conscience, I would 

have no problem living with 

any of these wires for the long 

term. Although they have differences, 

they are all uniformly excellent 

upgrades. There are no losers in this 

bunch, but there is, happily, one winner—you. 

& 


Sota Cosmos Series III turntable; SME V 

pick-up arm; Shure V15VxMR cartridge; 

MBL 1531, Sony DVP-9000ES, and 

Simaudio Moon Supernova digital players; 

Plinius 9200 and MBL 7008 integrated 

amplifiers; ProAc Studio 140, ATC 

SCM20-2, MBL 121, and Pioneer 2EX 

loudspeakers; REL B3 subwoofer; 

Synergistic Research Spec REL interconnect 

and power cord; Vitrual Dynamics 

Master, Wireworld Silver Electra & Kimber 

Palladian power cords; Richard Gray line 

conditioners; Sound Fusion 

turntable stand 

MANUFA CTURER INFORMATION 

CRYSTAL CABLE 

29 Sunrise Lane 

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 

(201) 785-1055 

crystalcable-usa.com 

Prices: CrystalSpeak Micro, $2600/3m 

($2725, biwire); CrystalConnect Micro, 

$599/1m, $1119/2m 

TARA LABS INC. 

550 Clover Lane 

Ashland, Oregon 97520 

(541) 488-6465 

taralabs.com 

Prices: RSC Air One, $2350/10' pr 

($1950/8' pr); RSC Air 1 Series 2 

Interconnects, $995/1m, $1195/2m 

NORDOST 

200 Homer Avenue 

Ashland, Maine 01721 

(508) 881-1116 

nordost.com 

Prices: Baldur speaker, $1379.99 3/m; 

interconnect, $499.99/1m, $674.99/2m 


equipment 

report 

YBA Design YA201 Integrated Amplifier 

and YC201 CD player 

Listening with the eyes…as well as the ears 

Chris Martens 

The French high-end audio 

firm YBA, which takes its 

name from owner and 

founder Yves-Bernard 

André, has just launched 

YBA Design—a brand-within-a-brand 

whose components are performance oriented, 

yet affordably priced. YBA 

Design replaces YBA’s former Audio 

Refinement line, offering components 

developed in France, but manufactured 

in Asia to hold costs down. In terms of 

aesthetics and sound quality, however, 

YBA Design products are significantly 

more ambitious than the Audio 

Refinement models they replace. Two 

great examples are the YC201 CD player 

and YA201 integrated amplifier—the 

first YBA Design components to reach 

our shores. 

Even before you hear these units, 

they make a strong impression with their 

exotic appearance. All YBA Design components 

share common chassis sizes and 

faceplate designs; to add a touch of mystery, 

YBA deliberately omits traditional 

silk-screened product names, model 

numbers, and switch-function labels. 

Powered down, the units look nearly 

identical, with nothing to detract from 

their sculptural simplicity save for the 

logo, a stylized letter “Y.” Once the units 

are powered up, their normally blackedout 

display windows are bathed in soft 

blue-gray light, with graphics and text 

that make component identity and control-button 

functions clear. 

The designers at YBA clearly 

burned midnight oil to get the appearance 

of its components just so, an effort 

the firm’s Web site explains through this 

slogan: “We also listen with the eyes….” 

When I first saw the YC201 and 

YA201, I found them so beautiful (and 

beautifully made) that I thought they 

surely would cost a small fortune. But 

they don’t. Selling for $1649 apiece, 

both are highly credible mid-tier offerings. 

Over time I’ve come to perceive 

the amp as the stronger performer of the 

two; but let’s start by discussing the CD 

player, since its sonic strengths form the 

core of what is also special and right 

about the amplifier. 

The YC201 is a 24-bit/192kHz 

upsampling CD player whose most distinctive 

characteristics are terrific 

midrange finesse and liquidity—a certain 

smooth, urbane, soulful sound that 

sweeps listeners into the flow of the 

music. The player is so beguiling, I 

would sit down planning to listen for 

just a few minutes, only to look up and 

realize I was halfway through a disc and 

completely engrossed in the music. 

Interestingly, the YC201’s midrange 

strengths are not born of exceptionally 

high resolution. Oh, the resolution is 

certainly good, perhaps very good, but it 

is not the main event. The midrange 

excellence flows from an elusive combination 

of factors, including timbral 

accuracy, tonal richness, a hint of 

warmth, and the ability to allow sounds 

to emerge from and recede back into a 

quiet noise floor in a strikingly realistic 

way. More than many players in this 

price range, the YC201 reminds listeners 

that air is a fluid medium, in which 

the reverberations of various instruments 

interact in complex ways, much 

like the ripples generated when a handful 

of pebbles is thrown into a still pool. 

Put all these qualities together and you 

have a player whose sound is sumptuous 

and seductive. 

This is quite clear on a high-quality 

recording of complex orchestral material, 

such as David Chesky’s Concerto for 

Violin and Orchestra from Area 31 

[Chesky]. The first movement starts 

with a complicated rhythmic theme carried 

by tympani, handclaps, and a 

celeste, and then unfolds into an angular 

and yet strangely sweet opening statement 

from the solo violin. The YC201 

would highlight, in turn, the earthy 

punch of the tympani, the sharp “pop” 

of the handclaps, and the mysterious 

ring of the celeste, and then shift gears 

to nail the incisive sound of the violin. 

At the same time, it did an excellent job 

of portraying the decay of the various 

instrumental voices within the reverberant 

recording venue, and an exceptional 

job of reproducing soundstage depth 

cues, so that the soundstage seemed to 

extend far behind the loudspeakers, 


equipment 

report 

almost making me feel as though I could 

get up from my chair and walk out into 

the stage. 

My favorable assessment was tempered 

by two small but noticeable sonic 

shortcomings. First, the YC201 lacks a 

bit of the resolution that today’s best 

mid-priced CD players achieve. Rega’s 

sub-$1000 Apollo, which I had on hand 

for comparison, retrieved significantly 

more musically relevant information. 

Second, the YC201 slightly softened 

details and dynamics at the frequency 

extremes—a characteristic that may be 

part of the player’s almost eerie smoothness, 

but that was not, strictly speaking, 

accurate. Neither of these is a damning 

flaw by any stretch of the imagination, 

but together they made me think the 

YC201 was leaving some sonic potential 

on the discs unfulfilled. 

The YA201 amplifier is a 100Wpc 

solid-state integrated design whose 

sonic strengths parallel those of the 

YC201, but with two important differences. 

First, at its best, it offers substantially 

more transparency and resolution; 

second, it delivers crisper response at 

upper and lower frequency extremes. I 

say “at its best,” because the YA201 

could sound almost like two different 

amplifiers, depending on playback volume. 

At low-to-moderate levels, it 

sounded pleasing, but overly polite, 

with tone colors that seemed somewhat 

washed out. But with the volume turned 

up, the amplifier’s character changed 

dramatically for the better. With added 

volume tone colors became richer and 

more vibrant, and instrumental and 

vocal timbres were infused with life. 

One recording that crystallized this 

impression was Philip Hii’s classical 

guitar rendition of the Chopin 

Nocturnes [DSG]. At low levels, both 

Hii’s guitar and the acoustics of the 

recording venue sounded flat and a bit 

like high-end “elevator music.” But 

with the volume turned up, the 

acoustics of the recording space became 

clear and the guitar seemed almost eerily 

present. Increased volume levels also 

made for clearer low-level dynamic 

contrasts, and an across-the-board 

A certain smooth, urbane, soulful sound that 

sweeps listeners into the flow of the music 

improvement in focus and resolution. 

As for tonal characteristics, down 

low, the YA201 sounded hearty and 

warm yet clear, though without the last 

word in low-frequency transient 

response or “traction” (that is, the ability 

to control woofers firmly and precisely). 

Several class D amplifiers I’ve evaluated 

lately offer better bass performance 

than the YA201 does, though I 

think this amp could hold its own 

against like-priced integrated amplifiers 

and separates (e.g., the NAD C 

162/C 272 pair). Highs were delicate, 

sweet, and pleasantly extended, though 

the YA201 did not provide the razorsharp 

treble transient response and 

transparency that some listeners crave 

and that certain higher-priced amplifiers 

deliver. Even so, the YA201’s treble 

characteristics make it somewhat 

forgiving of overly bright associated 

components, while still preserving a 

healthy measure of clarity. 

As with the YC201, the broad center 

of the midrange is where the YA201 

shines, delineating layers of musical 

subtleties in ways that make many midpriced 

components sound simplistic. 

What makes the YBA’s midrange special 

is an extraordinary expressiveness. For 

example, it reveals how the notes of Paul 

Winter’s saxophone on Icarus [Epic, LP] 

begin with a rise in pressure at the 

mouthpiece, followed by initial bursts of 

sound as the reed starts to vibrate, and 

finally bloom as the air column inside 

the sax begins to resonate. Granted, 

many good integrated amplifiers catch 

these distinctions to some degree, but 

not with this kind of assuredness on 

inner details. This midrange sophistication 

and richness make the YA201 an 

awful lot of amplifier for the money. 

One minor glitch: My review sample 

came with faulty control logic, making it 

respond to remote control buttons meant 

for use with the YC201 CD player. YBA 

will probably have this problem straightened 

out by the time you read this. 

Summing up, YBA Design’s YC201 

is a lovely CD player to look at and one 

blessed with seductive midrange sound. 

The only thing holding it from class 

leadership is stiff competition from new 

mid-priced entries. The YA201 integrated 

amp, on the other hand, is a class 

leader because it offers the same 

midrange magic as the YC201, plus 

greater transparency and better response 

at the frequency extremes. Most importantly, 

these components convey real 

musical joie de vivre. 

& 


YC201 CD player 

Outputs: One stereo analog (RCA), one 

digital (coaxial) 

Dimensions: 15.35" x 5.1" x 15.35" 


YA201 integrated amplifier 

Power output: 100 Wpc @ 8 Ohms 

Inputs: Six stereo analog (RCA) 

Dimensions: 15.35" x 5.1" x 15.35" 



Rega Apollo CD player; Musical Fidelity 

Tri-Vista SACD player; Wilson Benesch 

Full Circle analog system; Musical 

Surroundings Phonomena phonostage; 

Epos ELS 303 and Paradigm Reference 

Signature S8 loudspeakers; RGPC power 

conditioner, Cardas interconnect and 

speaker cables 

DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION 

AUDIO PLUS SERVICES 

156 Lawrence Paquette Industrial Drive 

Champlain, New York 12919 

(800) 633-9352 

ybadesign.com 

audioplusservices.com 

Prices: $1649 each 


equipment 

report 

Aerial Acoustics Model 9 Loudspeaker 

The latest offering from designer Michael Kelly delivers the goods 

Jacob Heilbrunn 

Scientists say that we’re not supposed to 

anthropomorphize objects, which is a fancy 

term for ascribing human qualities to things 

like cars or computers. But in the case of the 

Aerial Model 9 loudspeaker, it’s pretty hard 

to resist that temptation. Like its designer Michael Kelly, 

a veteran loudspeaker builder, the 9 is tall and slim, and 

reserved but surprisingly powerful. 

I can say this with some confidence because when I 

first met Kelly I was slightly apprehensive. Would he 

have the strength to help me carry the two imposing 

boxes containing his new babies into my living room 

Not to worry. Kelly easily helped me heft the not-inconsiderable 

weight of the Aerials into my room. Similarly, 

I wondered, at first glance, whether the Model 9s with 

their relatively small drivers would be able to pack a 

punch. Score another one for Kelly. They delivered the 

musical goods in spades. Although it’s imperfect, the 

multi-driver tower Model 9 represents a big advance over 

the venerable 10T, and I would rank it among the most 

The first thing that leaps out 

at you is how much shrewd 

engineering went into the 9 

enjoyable loudspeakers I’ve heard. The Model 9, which is 

the little brother of the 20T, is an extremely coherent 

speaker that doesn’t err to any extreme. It’s calm, controlled, 

unflappable, simply a pleasure to listen to. It 

does very little to the signal, but that gives you the 

chance to tailor the sound to your liking. 

The first thing that leaps out at you is how much 

shrewd engineering went into the Model 9. Kelly has 

gone to some lengths to keep the front of the speaker 

as narrow as possible. This not only helps the 

speaker disappear quite nicely, but also, as he 

explained, helps avoid reflections. He’s also created a 

deep cabinet to control resonances. The cabinet itself 

is extremely inert to avoid, as much as possible, colorations 

that impinge upon the sound. Of course, it’s 

impossible to eliminate resonances completely, but 


equipment 

report 

the Model 9 goes a long way toward 

accomplishing that goal. Kelly is a big 

fan of using spikes to tighten up the 

bass; he has constructed a special base for 

the loudspeaker and also supplies footers 

in case you have delicate floors. If you 

do, use ’em. The weight of the loudspeaker 

will plunge the spikes through 

hardwood. Kelly, like many other speaker 

designers, also uses a port that fires 

downward onto the floor for more constant 

loading. 

When Kelly set up the speakers in 

my living room, he was far from satisfied. 

The bass was boomy and the 

sound got aggressive when we turned 

up the volume. He was frustrated. I 

wasn’t. My usual space for listening is 

in the basement, which was being gutted. 

The living room was almost a perfect 

square, about the worst area you 

could devise for a stereo. What’s more, 

the speakers weren’t really broken in, 

which compounded matters. After I ran 

them in for a week, they began to sing 

(notice that I said “began”—it takes 

hundreds of hours before they’re really 

ready for primetime). Later on, I moved 

them downstairs into the basement, 

where they went from sounding good 

to superb. 

Having lived with planars for such a 

long time, I was eager to hear the raw 

power of dynamic drivers. The Model 9 

did not disappoint. Whether I was listening 

to Led Zeppelin, the Rolling 

Stones, or Lil’ Kim, the speakers displayed 

excellent authority. Drum and 

cymbals came through with pop and sizzle, 

driving the music forward propulsively. 

The splendid linear character of 

the speaker meant that no one frequency 

spectrum overshadowed another, particularly 

on rock, which could reach deafening 

levels on the Aerials with no sense 

of strain. 

One reason that the speakers played 

so effortlessly was that they are quite 

high in sensitivity at 90dB. There’s 

something to be said for a higher-efficiency 

loudspeaker—I had the volume 

about half of where I usually do on the 

big Magnepans. After experimenting 

with both tubes and solid-state, I ended 

up running all tubes on the Aerials. The 

combination of the Messenger preamp 

and the VTL 750s on the Aerials was 

sublime. The midrange was creamy and 

luscious without being bloated. 

Listening to the Aerials, I was riveted by 


equipment 

report 

I would rank it among the most enjoyable 

loudspeakers I’ve heard 

their combination of detail and smoothness. 

I came away in disbelief, not only 

of the quality of the amazingly musical 

products VTL makes but also of the neutrality 

of the Aerial loudspeakers. They 

provided a translucent window into 

whatever equipment preceded them. 

So well did the speakers image that 

you can hear precisely when a singer has 

shifted a few inches from the microphone. 

This isn’t the kind of thing that 

I obsess about, but it does let you know 

that the speaker is doing a great job on 

overall image stability, which, in the 

case of the Aerials, was rock-solid. The 

soundstage itself is not forward with the 

Aerials—it hangs right between the 

speakers and can billow into a vast canvas, 

when a recording calls for it. The 

crunch of an orchestral string section 

playing fortissimo had an undeniable 

heft to it that made it sound achingly 

close to the real thing. When you hear 

that kind of dynamic oomph come out 

of nowhere, it has a jump factor that’s 

always a thrill. Ears aquiver, I almost 

shot out of my seat when I heard it. 

Consistent with the Aerials linearity, 

the highs never sounded etched or 

astringent. On the contrary, the Aerials 

soared into the upper parts of the hemisphere 

with great sang-froid. Some 

might feel that the highs were rolled 

off. I didn’t. The highs on the Aerials 

were integrated into the rest of the 

sound, which, I think, is exactly how it 

should be. The tweeter should never 

stick out, even if it initially sounds 

more exciting that way. After an hour or 

so, it will sear your ears. I wholly 

admired the fact that it was impossible 

to hear where the tweeter was crossed 

over, and that it didn’t appear to rise in 

volume as it ascended in frequency. 

Having worked overtime to tame the 

Magnepan ribbon tweeter, I’m always 

wary of a hot treble that can really 

impact the midrange—that is, obscure 

it—to a greater extent than you might 

think possible. 

No, my nit to pick with the Aerial is 

in a different area: bass. While the midbass 

was taut, I never felt that the downward-firing 

port was an unmitigated 

blessing. In my living room, it was very 

difficult to tame the bass, but I chalked 

that up to lousy room dimensions. In the 

basement, which is significantly larger, 

the bass was indeed tighter, but not 

beyond reproach. There is a slight tendency 

to bloat and boom in the nether 

regions, and I suppose Herculean efforts 

at finding the right spot for room cancellations 

might have solved the problem. 

But I never could. Don’t get me 

wrong: On rock music, the added 

emphasis supplied by the port was a 

guilty pleasure. But on classical and 

jazz, I wasn’t as convinced. The port didn’t 

swallow up the midrange or treble, 

but it was a mite intrusive at times. 

Alas, this, I suspect, is one of the 

inevitable drawbacks of the double-duty 

that loudspeakers have to play nowadays 

since home theater has become such an 

important part of the marketplace. My 

own druthers are for sealed loudspeakers 

and subwoofers—I want them to sound 

as tight as possible. 

It’s also the case that the Model 9 

was not as open, transparent, and fast as 

the Magnepans or SoundLab loudspeakers. 

Nor did the Model 9 have as big a 

front-to-back soundstage as those two 

critters. But then what does The tradeoff—ah, 

that ugly word that always rears 

its head in the audio world—is that 

dynamic speakers have more pop and 

slam than their planar brethren. Plus, 

they’re much easier to drive and don’t 

take up the space of planar behemoths. 

However much I may remain addicted 

to planars, I was bowled over by the 

overall performance of the Aerials. I’m 

hard-pressed to think of a better value, 

which is what Kelly seeks to supply. He’s 

not interested in creating megabuck 

loudspeakers (depending on finish, the 

Model 9 ranges from $8800–$9800). 

What he supplies is decades of hardearned 

engineering experience, coupled 

with a rock-solid line of products. 

That’s nothing to be sneezed at: a 

few years ago, before I was a reviewer, I 

called Aerial with a question about a 

subwoofer that wasn’t behaving properly. 

Kelly answered the phone and 

promptly analyzed the problem in the 

most affable manner. I was extremely 

impressed both by his precise diagnosis 

and his professional courtesy. 

With Aerial’s long history of producing 

and standing behind its products, I 

have no hesitation about recommending 

the Model 9; it recommends itself. When 

an acquaintance who isn’t an audiophile 

but loves music recently dropped over to 

hear the speakers, he sat down and listened. 

And listened. Then he looked at 

me and asked, “Where can I buy them” 

How much more needs to be said & 


Type: Three-way, six-driver floorstanding 

loudspeaker 

Driver complement: Four 7.1" bilaminate 

woofers; one 6" bilaminate midrange; 

one 1" titanimum-dome tweeter 

Frequency response: 30Hz–22kHz 

Sensitivity: 90dB 

Nominal impedance: 4 ohms 

Recommended amplifiers power: 50–500 

watts 

Dimensions: 11" x 47.7" x 18.1" 

Weight: 116 lbs. (bases: 27 lbs.) 


EMM Labs Meitner CDSD Transport and 

DCC2 dac/preamp; Messenger preamplifier; 

Classé Omega monoblock and VTL 

750 monoblock amplifiers; Magnepan 

20.1 loudspeakers with Mye stands; Jena 

Labs cabling and power cords; Shunyata 

Hydra-8 power conditioner 


AERIAL ACOUSTICS CORPORATION 

100 Research Drive 

Wilmington, Massachusetts 01887 

aerialacoustics.com 

(978) 988-1600 

Price: Variety of finishes, from smooth 

black, $8800 to Titanium Gloss, $9800 


equipment 

report 

Cary CD 306 CD/SACD Player 

Not another “me-too” player, but one that adds some interesting twists 

Robert Harley 

Cary Audio made a name for 

itself with vacuum-tube 

power amplifiers, primarily 

the single-ended triode 

variety. Indeed, it was a 

passion for SET amplifiers that inspired 

Dennis Had to found Cary Audio 

Design in 1989. The company now 

makes a wide range of tubed and solidstate 

power amplifiers and preamplifiers, 

including multichannel units. 

With this background rooted in a 

nearly 100-year-old technology, it comes 

as a surprise that Cary Audio has joined 

the digital party with an extremely 

interesting and sophisticated new 

CD/SACD player—the CD 306 

reviewed here. 

The CD 306 is no ordinary CD player. 

Rather than a “me-too” unit based on 

conventional parts, techniques, and feature 

sets, the CD 306 adds some interesting 

twists. The machine plays SACDs 

(two-channel), has digital inputs and 

Much of the CD 306’s appeal, I think, stems 

from its gorgeous rendering of the lowermost 

four octaves 

outputs, can be used as a digital upsampling 

device or as a digital-to-analog 

converter for external sources, and even 

lets the user select the upsampling rate. 

If that weren’t enough, the transport 

mechanism is a gorgeous piece of engineering 

created from scratch by Cary. 

Throw in a slew of purist design techniques 

and high-end parts and you’ve 

got the makings of one fascinating player 

(see sidebar for technical details). 

I’ll start with the 306’s CD performance. 

The player was musically seductive, 

yet I find it difficult to describe 

why. The player didn’t sound overtly 

spectacular in any one area, but exhibited 

a fundamental musical rightness of 

the kind that results in listening sessions 

extending well into the night. There was 

an ease to the presentation reminiscent 

of a great tubed amplifier, although the 

CD 306 was anything but “tubey.” The 

ease was not the result of an overly 

romanticized interpretation or of a soft 

sound that puts smoothness ahead of resolution, 

but rather the result of a tubelike 

rendering of midrange timbres, 

warm and full bass, and spacious soundstaging. 

Much of the CD 306’s appeal, I 

think, stems from its gorgeous presentation 

of the lowermost four octaves. The 

entire bottom end had a weight, 

warmth, and lushness that served as the 

foundation of the player’s overall excellence. 

Acoustic bass had a wonderful 

round and resonant quality that conveyed 

the instrument’s size and construction. 

Listen to Edgar Myer’s bass on 

the disc Skip, Hop & Wobble [Sugar Hill] 

with Jerry Douglas and Russ Barenberg. 

Through the CD 306, the instrument 

was richly textured, harmonically 

nuanced, and reproduced with a full 

measure of weight and depth. Despite 

the CD 306’s tilt toward a warm and 

rich bottom end, it was articulate, 

detailed, quick, and clean. This wasn’t a 

big, sloppy bass that emphasizes weight 

at the expense of detail. The 306’s combination 

of tremendous bottom-end heft 

and fullness with precise pitch definition 

and dynamics was addictive. These 

qualities of the 306 were exploited to 


equipment 

report 

Features and 

Operation 

The 306 incorporates a host of features 

that blur the line between conventional 

product categories. In addition 

to playing CD and SACD (two-channel 

only), the 306 offers digital inputs for 

decoding external digital sources. The 

306 can thus function as a digital-to-analog 

converter for up to four digital sources. 

Signals connected to these digital inputs 

can alternately be routed to one of the 

three digital-output jacks, with the 306 

performing upsampling in user-selectable 

increments. Put in 44.1kHz at the input 

and get 44.1kHz, 96kHz, or 192kHz at the 

output for decoding by an external digitalto-analog 

converter. In addition to the 

standard digital inputs (AES/EBU, coaxial, 

TosLink), the 306 has an i.LINK input for 

connection to an SACD machine with 

i.LINK output (i.LINK is Sony’s implementation 

of FireWire [IEEE1394], which in 

this case is used to transmit high-resolution 

digital audio from an SACD player to 

the CD 306). 

The 306’s upsampling circuit will, 

however, most often be used when simply 

using the CD 306 as a CD player. You can 

select upsampling rates of 96kHz, 

192kHz, 384kHz, 512kHz, or 768kHz (in 

addition to no upsampling) from the front 

panel or remote control. Upsampling is 

used only for CDs, not SACDs. 

I didn’t understand the front-panel 

button marked “2-Ch/Multi-Ch.” As a twochannel-only 

player, the button seemed 

superfluous. The SACD format mandates 

that multichannel discs also contain a 

two-channel mix; one would expect a twochannel 

player to default to the two-channel 

version. (By contrast, many DVD-As are 

multichannel only, with a two-channel mix 

created on the fly in the player based on 

control codes contained on the disc.) 

The CD 306 is also unusual in that it 

incorporates decoding of High-Definition 

Compatible Digital (HDCD) discs. In my 

view, HDCD is a worthwhile technology that 

should be incorporated in more players. 

A large and comprehensive frontpanel 

display shows all the usual information, 

as well as the oversampling rate and 

whether the disc is a CD, SACD, or HDCDencoded 

CD. Output is on balanced XLR 

jacks and unbalanced RCAs. RH 

the fullest by the BAT VK-600SE 

monoblocks and Wilson MAXX 2 loudspeakers, 

products with stunning bass 

presentation in their own right. 

It’s also hard to describe the 306’s 

sound because it changed with the 

upsampling. I found myself using different 

upsampling ratios depending on the 

recording. 

The CD 306’s HDCD decoding 

was a welcome touch. Decoding 

HDCD titles brings out a greater sense 

of space and low-level detail. This is 

particularly true of Keith Johnson’s 

recordings on the Reference Recordings 

label. There are a surprising number 

of HDCD-encoded discs available 

because the Pacific Microsonics Model 1 

and Model 2 professional HDCD 

encoders are also regarded by many mastering 

studios as the state-of-the-art in 

analog-to-digital conversion. 

As great as the 306 sounded on CD, 

the player was absolutely spectacular on 

SACD. All the qualities I enjoyed about 

the 306 with CD were taken to another 

level when playing the best-sounding 

discs the SACD format has to offer. I’m 

invariably disappointed with the SACD 

sections of CD/SACD players because 

I’ve lived with what is considered by 

general consensus to be the state-of-theart 

in two-channel SACD playback: the 

EMM Labs/Meitner DCC2 processor and 

CDSD transport, linked by a proprietary 

interface and separate clock lines. The 

Cary machine was clearly in a different 

league compared with other SACD 

machines, and sounded much closer to 

what I hear from the EMM gear. 

Compared with the excellent and beautifully 

built $3000 Sony SCD-XA9000ES 

multichannel player, the CD 306 was 

considerably smoother in its rendering of 

instrumental timbre and more spacious, 

and had more satisfying bass weight and 

definition and greater overall clarity. The 

SCD-XA9000ES is, however, multichannel 

and half the price of the Cary. 

The EMM Labs gear was a different 

story. In my past experience, SACD 

playback quality fell into two categories: 

the EMM products and everything else. 

Ed Meitner’s SACD products were simply 

better. 

In a head-to-head comparison of the 

EMM Labs and CD 306 playing very 

high-quality SACDs (the TAS/Telarc 

sampler, and discs from Chesky and 

DMP), I found that the Cary was the 

first player in the same company as the 

EMM Labs. The EMM had a smoother 

and softer treble with a greater sense of 

overall ease, but the Cary’s bass was 

warmer, fuller, and more musical. I also 

thought the Cary surpassed the EMM 

on orchestral fortes; the Cary maintained 

its composure and refinement 

during big dynamic swings, while the 

EMM tended to harden textures on loud 

and complex passages. Significantly, the 

CD 306 is the first SACD playback I’ve 

heard in my system to challenge the 

EMM Labs’ gear. 


equipment 

report 

Under the 306’s Hood 

Cary Audio is one of only six true SACD licensees in the 

world. This allows them to buy the dual CD/SACD laser 

assembly from Sony and build the transport mechanism 

from scratch. The transport appears to be quite a piece 

of work, at least looking at it from the top through the top 

panel’s round glass window that proudly showcases the 

gleaming machined-aluminum transport. The sled, drawer, 

and other parts are all custom-machined with what appears 

to be fine precision. 

The chassis is simply stunning. The rounded faceplate 

merges with the side and top panels, with no screws visible 

from anywhere on the chassis front, sides, bottom, or back. 

This structure sits on four machined isolation cones. The 

machine exudes taste and class. 

The player has two separate decoding chains, one for CD 

and one for SACD. Unlike many players that convert SACD’s 

Direct Stream Digital (DSD) bitstream into pulse-code modulation 

(PCM) for conversion to analog by PCM DACs, the DSD bitstream 

has its own dedicated electronics and DACs. When 

playing original DSD recordings through the 306, the signal 

never undergoes PCM conversion. This is how the SACD format 

should be judged and compared with CD. 

The digital signal processing for the upsampling is performed 

by an Analog Devices ADSP. This chip is used in conjunction 

with a Pacific Microsonics PMD200 HDCD decoder. 

Each of the two signal paths (PCM and DSD) employs four 

DACs for fully differential operation. The digital bitstream for 

each channel is split into a balanced signal, and then converted 

to analog with two DACs per channel. This differential operation 

creates a truly balanced output at the XLR jacks. In CD 

players without differential DACs, the single DAC’s output is 

split into a balanced signal in the analog domain, adding an 

additional active stage to the signal path. An additional advantage 

of differential DACs is that any noise or distortion com- 


equipment 

report 

mon to the DACs will cancel when the signal are eventually summed. This means the 

CD 306 has a whopping eight digital-to-analog converters: left +, left –, right +, right – 

for the PCM signal path, and an identical configuration of different DACs for the SACD 

signal path. 

The CD 306 also has eight analog output stages, all of them discrete (no op-amps, 

save for the mandatory current-to-voltage converter in the PCM signal path). The analog 

circuits are direct coupled (no capacitors in the signal path). 

The power supply is also impressive. It features two large transformers and all-discrete 

regulation for the digital and analog circuits (IC regulation is used on the supplies 

to the control electronics). 

As a result of all this circuitry—two separate signal paths, differential DACs, eight 

analog output stages, lots of discrete power-supply regulation—the CD 306 runs very hot. 

In fact, this is the warmest-running CD player or digital product I’ve encountered. The 

entire chassis acts as a heat sink and is warm to the touch. Power consumption is 65W. 

Given the extremely high build-quality, custom transport mechanism, gorgeous metalwork, 

tweaky design and implementation (the eight DACs, for example), I would have 

expected the CD 306 to cost much more than $6000. 

RH 

Conclusion 

It was hard to put my finger on exactly 

why I found the CD 306 so musical, but 

about its fundamental musicality there 

was no doubt. It’s easier to describe what 

the Cary CD 306 isn’t: dry, thin, hard, 

cold. Find your own antonyms to those 

descriptors and that’s what the CD 306 

is. In addition, the 306 is the Swiss army 

knife of CD players: It upsamples for 

output on its analog audio jacks and 

upsamples for conversion by an outboard 

processor, acts as a digital-to-analog converter 

for other digital sources, and 

decodes HDCD discs. The player is also 

gorgeous to look at and use, with metalwork 

that would be at home in much 

more expensive products. Finally, the 

attention to detail in the circuit design is 

exemplary. The fact that Cary went to 

the trouble and expense of eight DACs 

and analog output stages so that they 

could provide separate and optimized 

signal paths for CD and SACD, as well 

as fully differential DACs for both formats, 

says much about the designer’s 

commitment to sound quality. 

In short, the Cary 306 is highly recommended 

not just for its sound quality, 

features, and build, but also because in 

today’s world $6000 for a machine of 

this caliber is a stone-cold bargain. & 


Type: Two-channel CD and SACD player 

Analog outputs: Balanced on XLR jacks, 

unbalanced on RCA jacks 

Digital inputs: Coaxial (RCA jack), 

AES/EBU (XLR jack), TosLink optical, 

i.LINK (FireWire) 

Digital outputs: Coaxial (RCA jack), 

AES/EBU (XLR jack), TosLink optical 

Control port: RS232 remote-configuration 

interface 

Dimensions: 17.75" x 4.5" x 14.5" 


Price: $6000 

ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS 

Loudspeakers: Wilson Audio MAXX 2; 

Amplification: Balanced Audio 

Technologies VK-600SE monoblocks; 

Mark Levinson No.326S preamp; Cables 

and interconnects: Nordost Valhalla, MIT 

Oracle. Power conditioning: Shunyata 

Research Hydra-8, Hydra-2, Anaconda and 

Python power cords; room by Acoustic 

Room Systems 


CARY AUDIO DESIGN 

1020 Goodworth Drive 

Apex, North Carolina 27539 

(919) 355-0010 

caryaudio.com 


equipment 

report 

Audio Research 300.2, Classé CA-M400, and 

McIntosh MC 501 Power Amplifiers 

Why are amplifiers so important 

Tom Martin 

Power amplifiers are 

perplexing beasts. 

From experience I 

know that a panel of 

listeners can listen to 

three different pairs of high-quality 

speakers and describe the differences 

between them as “significant” 

or even “huge.” But that 

same panel, when listening to 

three amplifiers back to back, 

will rarely describe the differences 

with the kind of force and 

magnitude they apply to descriptions 

of loudspeakers. I don’t 

think that is too surprising, given that 

the differences among speakers in frequency 

response, power response, and 

phase response are much greater than 

those one finds in amplifiers. The perplexing 

part is that, when you talk to 

members of the listening panel over a 

beer, you find that they often consider 

the differences between amplifiers to be 

as important as the differences between 

speakers, if not more so. Assuming that 

experienced listeners aren’t crazy, you 

have to ask: “What about amplifiers is 

so important, even if it is subtle” 

Recently, I rounded up a group of 

amplifiers to shed some light on this 

question. I wanted to work with amplifiers 

that are relatively high powered, 

mainly because my speakers—MBL 

101Es—are pretty inefficient (82dB) and 

provide a 4-ohm load. With these speakers, 

I didn’t want clipping behavior to 

dominate my listening. I thought the 

test group of amplifiers should have relatively 

mainstream prices (for high-end 

audio that is). While it is interesting to 

find that some esoteric and very expensive 

technology provides unusual benefits, 

I wanted to think about amplifier 

differences in a way that would apply 

more generally. Finally, I chose amplifiers 

with obvious circuit differences, to 

maximize the chance that I would find 

those important sonic differences. 

Representing the traditional class 

A/B transistor-amplifier camp for this 

session was the Classé CA-M400 

My first thought about these monoblocks was 

that they sounded rich, warm, and relaxed 

monoblock. With 400 watts output into 

8 ohms, and 800 watts into 4 ohms, the 

Classé easily met my definition of highpowered. 

The CA-M400 retails for 

$10,000 per pair, which from my 

research was toward the high side of 

average for this level of power. Next, I 

tested the McIntosh MC 501 

monoblock, which is a transistor design 

with the unusual feature of having transformer-coupled 

outputs (as you would 

typically find on a tube amp). The MC 

501 delivers 500 watts into a 2, 4, or 8 

ohm load, and is priced at $9400/pair. 

With the burgeoning Class D market 

getting some buzz, the Audio Research 

300.2 stereo amp seemed a natural. 

While ARC calls this a Class-T design 

(because it uses the Tri-Path module), in 

a broad sense it is a switching amplifier 

with similarities to Class D designs. It 

delivers 300 watts per channel into 8 

ohms, and 500 watts into 4 ohms, and is 

comparatively inexpensive at $3995 for 

two channels. Finally, I included my reference 

Musical Fidelity kW 750, 

because I am familiar with it and 

because it easily fits into this power 

spectrum (750 watts per channel at 8 

ohms, 1100 at 4 ohms). 

With all this power capability on 

hand, a few of you will want to be 

assured that adequate AC supply was 

part of my test rig. To address this, I 

connected each amplifier to a dedicated 

20-amp circuit. This is relevant only 

because many high-powered amplifiers 


equipment 

report 

will not meet their rated spec on a 15- 

amp circuit. Logically a 15-amp circuit 

tops out at about 300 watts per channel, 

continuous, for a traditional stereo 

amp. I think it unlikely that the continuous 

demand during my listening 

would ever have bumped up against 

this limit, but I did my best to take it 

out of the equation. 

I could bore you with other aspects 

of my test setup, but I won’t. 

I started by listening to each amplifier 

for about a week, and then rotated 

them in and out of my system in pairs. 

This took some effort, but the differences 

were easy to hear, particularly in 

longer listening sessions. That isn’t to 

imply that the differences were what I 

expected. 

First up was the McIntosh MC 501. 

The basic character of the MC 501 

revolves around smoothness. This isn’t 

achieved by rolling off the highs, which 

by the way are appealingly delicate and 

well delineated. Rather, the MC 501 has 

less grain than we are ordinarily accustomed 

to. To put this in a positive sense, 

the MC 501 sounds more continuous 

than the typical amplifier, in that each 

instrument seems whole and complete. I 

think continuousness is a better descriptor 

of what you hear from amplifiers like 

the MC 501, because other good amplifiers 

do not sound grainy. It is only by 

comparison that you realize that the 

continuousness of the MC 501 is on a 

higher plane. 

On strings, for example, you hear 

what the bow is doing quite well, but 

the sound of the bow and the sound of 

the resonance from the body of the 

instrument seem to be completely integrated. 

Similarly, as electric guitar notes 

decay, you find that the sound just seems 

to be there as one unified thing, rather 

than a collection of elements. 

The MC 501 sounds 

more continuous than 

the typical amplifier, 

in that each instrument 

seems whole and 

complete 

In other respects, I would say the 

MC 501 sounds as though it were voiced 

with a very good tube power amplifier as 

a reference. It isn’t the most transparent 

amplifier, because instruments seem to 

emerge from an ever-so-light fog. This, 

for some, will resemble the sound of live 

music. In the lower frequencies, the MC 

501 delivers a firm foundation, though 

the midbass lacks some of the control 

one might wish for. Dynamically, the 

MC 501 is on the polite side of things. I 

am not sure, but it almost seemed 

that MC 501 couldn’t completely 

get a grip on the MBLs. No nasty 

sounds were ever emitted, but the 

MC 501 never came fully alive in 

my setup, either. 

I then switched in the Classé 

CA-M400s. My first thought 

about these monoblocks was that 

they sounded rich, warm, and 

relaxed. Like the McIntosh 

amplifiers, the CA-M400s sound 

smooth, though by comparison 

they don’t quite have the sense of 

continuousness that the MC 501s 

deliver. At the same time, the 

CA-M400s seemed very happy 

with the MBLs dynamically, 

sounding powerful, rhythmic, 

and controlled. After extended listening, 

I came to think that these amplifiers 

offered plenty of transparency and 

high-frequency delineation, but it was 

as though their lower distortion in the 

treble made them sound a bit darker at 

first. Later on, this simply seemed natural 

and unforced. 

I am a big fan of the Mahler symphonies. 

These are large and sometimes 

densely orchestrated pieces that can put 

components to the test. With the 

Classé, as the sound ramps up (which in 

Mahler is pretty frequently) it felt less 

pinched and strained than it did with 

some other amps, and yet at the same 

time I could clearly hear what was 

going on at the instrumental level. My 

only reservation was that the Classé 

seemed a little reserved, particularly in 

the high frequencies. 

At this point, I was excited to try 

the Audio Research 300.2. The 

McIntosh and the Classé sound different, 

but not dramatically so. I figured a completely 

different amplifier technology 

would shake things up, and I was right. 

The Audio Research immediately 

sounded more dynamic than the other 

amps in this group. Drums and plucked 

instruments like guitars really stood out 

in the mix with this amplifier, and bass 

was very well defined. I also appreciated 

the sense of instrumental delineation 

that the Audio Research provided, 


equipment 

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although by comparison I realized I 

couldn’t really hear anything that I 

couldn’t hear on the Classé. It just 

seemed that some instruments had a 

brighter light shining on them. This 

brilliance came without a sense of stridency 

on, say, violin. Very impressive. 

The troubling thing about the 

300.2 is that I didn’t find it to sound 

completely natural. Something about 

the way it treats the leading edge of 

transients seemed slightly too caffeinated. 

Exciting and even involving, but not 

quite right. 

I tried Neil Young’s Prairie Wind 

[Reprise] and even though this CD has a 

very warm mix, on the 300.2 the sibilance 

of Neil’s voice was exaggerated. 

Acoustic guitar sometimes was rendered 

as a bit jangly sounding, as if it were 

being played on an instrument with a 

metal resonator. At the same time, some 

reissues of analog recordings sounded 

about as alive as I’ve ever heard them, 

without sounding harsh or cold. 

Whatever problem the 300.2 has, it 

seems to occur in a very narrow band and 

is reduced dramatically when the amp 

has had 24 or 48 hours to warm up. Tri- 

Path claims that their modules adapt to 

the characteristics of specific transistors, 

so maybe this long warm-up period is 

part of the technology. 

I should mention the Musical 

Fidelity kW 750, even though it wasn’t 

under test per se. In one sense, the kW 

750 can be summed up by its amazing 

performance on piano. More than any of 

the other amplifiers, the kW sounds 

right on solo piano. Listener after listener 

remarked on the uncanny way in 

which piano seemed tonally and dynamically 

right. Those of you who have listened 

to live piano and then to recordings 

will know that piano is quite difficult 

to reproduce. This makes sense: The 

piano has a very wide frequency range 

and is extremely dynamic. I came to 

think of the Musical Fidelity amplifier 

as quintessentially well balanced. It isn’t 

the most dynamic, or the most transparent, 

nor does it have the best bass, but it 

does almost everything very well, with 

the result that it sounds good on many 

different types of music. 

At this point in the review process, I 

started thinking that all four amplifiers 

were really good: intelligently designed 

by people with a real sensitivity to 

music, but with different viewpoints 

about what constitutes the ideal. From 

this vantage, amplifier design has 

reached such a high state of development 

that you can tweak the sound of 

your system by choosing the right 

amplifier and the unfortunate side 

effects will be pretty small. That’s nice 

because many audiophiles, whether they 

like to admit it or not, are interested in 

choosing amplifiers to tune their systems. 

It is a fact of life that with all the 

hard work and good intentions we put 

into putting our systems together, 

inevitably something is “off” and we’d 

like to correct it. You can try this with 

any element in the listening chain, of 

course. However, after months of listening 

to these amplifiers, I would say that 

power amplifiers lend themselves well to 

this sort of adjustment, provided that 

the tuning you need is in certain areas. 

But, which areas 

The first thing I looked at was the 

way the amplifiers treated the frequency 

range. This seemed natural, because 

many descriptions of how equipment 

sounds attend to the handling of different 

frequencies—bright, warm, light, 

etc. I’d have to say that I didn’t find big 

differences in this arena. But, since we’re 

talking about tweaking at this stage, I 

would also say that the McIntosh and 

Musical Fidelity were slightly warmer 

sounding than the ARC, for example, 

but not much. The Classé had a different 

balance as well, with ever so slightly less 

treble energy than either the McIntosh 

or the Musical Fidelity. Still, across the 

spectrum the emphasis on different 

instruments was very similar from amp 

to amp. Perhaps this is why, in a quick 

A/B test, many people don’t sense that 

amplifiers sound very different. 

Much listening did highlight that 

these four amplifiers do sound different 

when you think about how extended 

they seem to be at the frequency 

extremes. I would say, for example, that 

the Musical Fidelity and the McIntosh 

have a more rounded sound, and the 

Audio Research sounds more extended. 

My overwhelming sense was that differences 

in this area were more intellectual than 

musically essential 

But before you rush to the conclusion 

that one of these approaches is right, and 

the other wrong, let me say that by 

“rounded” I mean that I could imagine 

the frequency response being slightly 

“n”-shaped, and by extended I mean that 

I could imagine the frequency response 

being slightly “u”-shaped. Some might 

imagine that the extended approach is 


equipment 

report 

more accurate, but one might equally say that the rounded 

shape is more musically natural. In a particular system, one 

approach might be more complementary than the other. My 

overwhelming sense, though, was that differences in this area 

were more intellectual than musically essential. Call me a 

heretic, but my strong impression was that I could easily say 

one amp was more extended than another, but it didn’t factor 

into how musically involving the amplifier was. 

As I let the sound of these amps sink in, the next thing I 

noticed was how each amplifier handled the representation of 

instruments in space. What became apparent rather quickly is 

that some of the amplifiers, particularly the Classé, present a 

deep soundstage perspective. In contrast, the Audio Research 

and the McIntosh have a more forward presentation. I say forward 

here, not in the sense of aggressiveness, but in the sense 

that you seem to be seated closer to the instruments. I don’t 

mean to seem wimpy, but it isn’t hard to imagine a group of 

people split over which approach is right. Depending on your 

system one could be either helpful or problematic. Because I 

use MBL speakers, which create a big, deep soundstage, I found 

that the amps with a deep perspective fit with what I expected, 

but the other amps didn’t really interfere with my listening. 

I also noticed that the image specificity of each amp is different. 

I would call the Audio Research somewhat diffuse in its 

imaging, meaning that instruments are not presented with pinpoint 

placement. By contrast, the McIntosh is more focused in 

that instruments appear to have very specific locations. Possibly 

because of my speakers, I tended to prefer the more focused 

approach. However, I know from discussions with many 

reviewers on our staff that the diffuse approach seems more like 

what you hear in the concert hall, and that makes sense to me. 

In any event, I wouldn’t rate the differences on this dimension 

between these amps to be particularly large. For a really different 

approach to image specificity, you need to try a tube amplifier 

in my experience. 

So, system-tuning is certainly abetted by amplifier selection. 

The only problem is that to do this you would be well 

advised to drop the idea that any given amplifier is better or 

worse than other amplifiers. In other words, you have to think 

about certain sonic parameters in a new way—a way that is less 

good-vs.-bad and more an attempt to get at the qualities being 

delivered. An example may help. Think of hair. You could 

think about it in terms of “dirty” or “clean.” One would be bad 

and the other good. That, I think is the way we normally think 

about audio equipment. But in the case of hair you could also 

think of “blonde” and “brunette.” Here we are talking about 

qualities, not about good and bad. You might have a preference, 

but it is hard to argue that one is universally better than 

the other. 

So, with well-engineered modern amplifiers, you have to 

think in relatively neutral terms about what you really want to 

do. To illustrate how this might be done, consider my listening 

notes presented as three graphs: 

I think you can get a reasonable idea about some aspects of 


equipment 

report 

these amplifiers from the graphs, but it 

isn’t so easy to say which is “best.” To do 

that, you have to know your system, 

your preferences, and your needs. At 

least if we’re in the tuning mindset. 

That’s fine, and I stand by it, but 

after another month of listening, I 

sensed that there is another dimension 

to the question of why experienced 

audiophiles think of amplifiers as so 

important. 

Having taken my listening notes 

and written the first part of this review, 

I had the chance to listen to some music 

without thinking too much about it. 

The great thing about this phase of the 

process is that you can look down after 

awhile and see which amplifier is connected 

the most. As I noticed which 

amp got the most playing time, I was 

struck by the fact that I really enjoyed 

listening to it much more than the other 

amps. I think part of that is because it fit 

nicely with the strengths and weaknesses 

of my system. But I don’t think that 

gets to another important matter. 

An age-old concept is still at the 

leading edge of amplifier design and, 

under the right conditions, can make a 

big difference in how musically involving 

a really good system can be. That 

concept is transparency. 

I am well aware that transparency 

has a bad name in some circles. Certainly 

we have all heard what might be called 

fake transparency—as an example, the 

elevation of the treble range to make 

things sound clear. Yet certainly clarity 

is what we’re talking about when we say 

transparency, or in other words the sense 

that the proverbial veil has been lifted 

between the listener and the source. 

From time spent with these four amplifiers 

I would say that modern amplifier 

design has allowed a great step forward 

in real transparency. That is to say, the 

better amplifiers today sound clearer 

than others, while oftentimes showing a 

complete lack of the artifacts we associate 

with artificial transparency. 

A critical sub-component of transparency 

is what has been called continuousness. 

Continuousness puzzles many, 

as well, though more from a certain 

vagueness about what it means. It perhaps 

does some damage to the full idea, 

but by continuousness I mean a lack of 

grain coupled with a sense of purity and 

wholeness for each note. If transparency 

most often is noticed at, say, the orchestral 

level, continuousness is an attempt 

to describe transparency down at the 

instrumental level. How does the bow 

sound on the string Does it sound real 

What unites these two related ideas 

in this case is that both transparency and 

continuousness seem to stem from the 

dynamic behavior of each amplifier. I 

got an insight into this while visiting 

HP for a listen to the ASR Emitter II. 

The ASR in Harry’s system renders 

soundstage depth and width more clearly 

than on any other system I’ve heard. If 

you think about it for a moment, the 

cues that signal that a reflection is coming 

from, say, the right rear or the center 

rear of the stage are relatively low level 

in comparison with the initial sound 

from the orchestra. So, rendering them 

accurately requires handling very small 

signals well. It seems consistent with my 

experience that doing this isn’t so easy, 

at least in big amplifiers. 

Having observed this soundstaging 

accuracy in HP’s system, in hindsight 

I’m not surprised that I also observed 

that the ASR sounded very clear, and yet 

it has a timbre that makes tube aficionados 

happy. The key thing is that when 

you get microdynamic behavior right, 

you get improvements without tradeoffs. 

I noticed a version of this with the 

CA-M400 as well. It reaches back into 

the hall quite well and presents each 

instrument clearly, yet has a very natural, 

maybe even warmish, tonal balance. 

The McIntosh has a similar tonal balance, 

but doesn’t seem to reach into the 

hall as vividly. The Audio Research can 

reach back into the hall pretty well, 

though I always felt this ability varied 

with the instruments being played. 

Basses, cellos, and horns were very well 

portrayed, but violin at times, and guitar 

more often, sounded more forward. 

I noticed that the amps I had under 

test had different performance on bigger 

transients, with similar side effects or 

lack thereof. The McIntosh seemed 

slightly sluggish on big orchestral 

dynamics, though it never sounded 

harsh or unpleasant. The Classé, in contrast, 

did a good job of sounding punchy 

while at the same time maintaining a 

sense of control over the leading edges of 

transients. By controlling the leading 

edge of transients, the Classé avoids 

sounding hashy, but at the same time 

lets the instruments come through quite 

clearly. The Audio Research provides an 

instructive comparison, in that it puts a 

little extra emphasis on each transient. 

This nicely spotlights each instrument, 

and sounds even more lively than the 

Classé, but at times this transient-handling 

also creates a richness and some 

fog over the whole presentation. This 

can sound very nice, but it isn’t what I 

would describe as ideal dynamic behavior 

(again, I should note that warm-up 

time makes a big difference with the 

ARC design). 

Over time I concluded that amplifiers 

that don’t get the leading edge 

right may initially sound more dynamic, 

but they don’t sound as natural, and they 

reduce the sense of musical involvement. 

As the number of instruments increase, 

this effect gets more problematic, so that 

massed orchestral works can sound 

slightly confused or congested. 

I am describing this in technicalsounding 

terms because our language for 

small dynamic events is rather threadbare. 

Language problems aside, the 

important thing about the connection 

between dynamics and transparency is 

that it helps us to understand why transparency 

may now come without a tradeoff. 

In fact, better transparency comes 

with better spatial presentation and better 

timbre. The lack of a tradeoff makes 

the best new amplifiers very significant 

when measured by their impact on 

musical involvement. 

There are some very fine amplifiers 

on the market. In this small grouping, 

none of the amplifiers sounded even 

remotely bad, in the sense that I can say 

some receivers sound bad. Even more, 

each amplifier had attributes that make 

you sit up and realize that each design- 


equipment 

report 

An age-old concept is still at 

the leading edge of amplifier 

design and, under the right 

conditions, can make a big 

difference in how musically 

involving a really good system 

can be. That concept is 

transparency. 

er had a mission that was pursued with 

real passion, making each amp special 

in a way. The McIntosh is the champion 

of liquid continuousness. The Audio 

Research is amazingly dynamic sounding. 

The Musical Fidelity makes piano 

and voice sound startlingly real. And 

the Classé is relaxed. And those are simply 

examples. 

From the perspective of tuning 

your system, one or another amplifier 

might prove a good match. But, for 

some, that won’t be enough. If you are 

interested in the quest for musical 

involvement, then I think you’ll want 

to start by looking for amplifiers that 

take a step forward in real transparency 

and continuousness. It might be that 

such an amp isn’t the ideal match for 

your existing system, but you’ll hear 

new aspects of the music and you probably 

won’t feel punished by the process 

as you might have been with amplifiers 

as recently as a few years ago. Moreover, 

I would suggest that any tuning mismatch 

is the fault of some flaw in your 

other equipment, your setup, or your 

room, and thus additional changes for 

the better will be required. This is a 

harder approach than the tuning 

approach, but probably the better one. 

I had originally assumed that different 

amplifier technologies would be the 

key to how this step forward in transparency 

would occur. Now I don’t think 

that is quite right. Just as the advent of 

solid-state amps pushed tube amp 

designers and vice versa, I think we will 

see Class D and probably true digital 

amplifiers push more traditional solidstate 

designs. Certainly from this test 

and other listening I’ve done recently, 

the first generations of Class D (and similar) 

amplifiers show enormous promise. 

At the same time, I’ve been amazed at 

the excellence of age-old class A/B amps 

in delivering transparency without pain. 

No doubt there will be near-religious 

battles over which approach is better. 

But either way, it is real progress. & 


McIntosh MC501 

Type: Fully balanced mono transistor 

power amplifier with autoformer output 

Power Output: 500 watts into 2, 4, or 8 

ohms 

Inputs: One single-ended (RCA), one balanced 

(XLR) 

Dimensions: 17.5" x 9.5" x 14.75" 


Classé CA-M400 

Type: Fully balanced mono transistor 

power amplifier 

Power Output: 400 watts into 8 ohms, 

800 watts into 4 ohms 

Number and type of inputs: One singleended 

(RCA), one balanced (XLR) 

Dimensions: 18.5" x 8.75" x 17.5" 


Audio Research 300.2 

Type: Balanced stereo class-T power 

amplifier 

Power Output: 300 watts/channel into 8 

ohms, 500 watts/channel into 4 ohms 

Number and type of inputs: One singleended 

(RCA), one balanced (XLR) 

Dimensions: 19" x 7" x 14.5" 



Musical Fidelity A5 and Lector CD players; 

Musical Fidelity KW preamp, 

Conrad-Johnson MET 1 preamp; Musical 

Fidelity KW 750 and Nuforce Reference 

9 amplifiers; MBL 101e loudspeakers, 

Tara Labs The Zero speaker cable and 

0.8 interconnects 


AUDIO RESEARCH CORPORATION 

3900 Annapolis Lane North 

Plymouth, Minnesota 55447 

(763) 577-9700 

audioresearch.com 

Price: $3995 

CLASSÉ AUDIO, INC. 

5070 François Cusson 

Lachine, Québec 

H8T 1B3, Canada 

(514) 636-6384 

Classéaudio.com 

Price: $5000 per channel 

MCINTOSH LABORATORY, INC. 

2 Chambers Street 

Binghamton, New York 13903 

(607) 723 3512 

mcintoshlabs.com 

Price: $4700 each 


Meridian 808 Signature 

Reference CD Player 

Sue Kraft 

From the company that made the first-ever 

musical-sounding CD player—a new reference 

model to dream about 


Cover Story 

Talk about the mother of all dream 

assignments. Ten years ago, as an 

audiophile civilian, I had to literally 

beg the local hi-fi dealer for a 

brief, in-home audition of the 

now classic Meridian 508.24 CD 

player. The store owner cautioned 

he’d have to stand in my living room and wait 

for me to finish during the demo, but changed 

his mind when I (jokingly) mentioned how I 

sometimes preferred the uninhibited freedom 

of listening au naturel. (Trust me folks, this is 

a near foolproof tactic to discourage pesky hifi 

dealers and manufacturers from hanging 

around to watch while you listen. 

Today, in a particularly delightful reversal 

of fortune, TAS Editor Wayne Garcia nonchalantly 

dropped me an e-bomb wondering if I 

might be interested in reviewing none other 

than the Meridian 808 Signature Reference, 

which just happens to be the best CD-only playback 

system ever offered by the world leader in 

digital technology. Could anyone with more 

than a single brain cell possibly say no 

The Meridian 808 couldn’t be more perfect for someone 

like me, who has no need for a player with video capabilities 

and two decades worth of compact discs sardined into every 

nook and cranny of her house. I jumped on the SACD bandwagon 

early when the Sony SCD-1 was first introduced, only to 

be sorely disappointed a year or two later when there were still 

only a few hundred SACD titles available. Next time around, 

I’ll keep a tighter grip on my wallet until there’s sufficient 

music to go along with the new high-resolution formats. 

At present, with SACD as well as DVD-Audio nearly 

defunct, the 808’s only mission in life is to extract every last 

bit of information possible from the millions of titles that are 

available now—and for many years to come—on CD. 

Celebrating its 20th anniversary as the inventor of the very 

first audiophile-quality CD player, Meridian has marketed the 

limited edition as the finest CD playback it presently has to 

offer. Every component of this precision-built dream-machine 

has been handpicked for its sonic merits, right down to the last 

capacitor and resistor. 

For comparative purposes, it would’ve been nice had I been 

able to conduct a shootout of all the top-flight players currently 

available. But then in a perfect world, I’d be 30 years 

younger and in a bikini on the cover of Sports Illustrated, instead 

of bent over a keyboard trying to describe the indescribable. (If 

you’re going to dream, you might as well dream big.) I’ve had 

the opportunity to experience a number of upper-echelon CD 

players in recent years, and although I wouldn’t complain if I 

had to live with any one of them, overall, I’d easily rate the 808 

as the best I’ve heard to date. 

The toughest part of this review has been trying to decide 

which of the 808’s qualities impressed me the most. There were 

several that just plain skyrocketed off the charts. The first is a 

spaciousness and three-dimensionality that I can’t imagine getting 

any better. The 808 has an eerily realistic soundspace that 

Every component of 

this precision-built 

dream-machine has 

been hand picked for its 

sonic merits, right down 

to the last capacitor 

and resistor 

can fool you into thinking you’re a fly on the wall in the recording 

studio. I say “fly on the wall” because, depending on the 

recording venue, you can hear the walls, including the ofttimes 

elusive backwall. As far as depth of soundstage is concerned, you 

can’t get any deeper than that. Spatial cues and boundaries are so 

clearly defined that you’ll sense air and (in live recordings) bodies 

in front of you. It’s rather uncanny at first, as I initially 

thought my listening abilities had finally become so well honed 

I could predict notes before they were played. What I was hear- 


Cover Story 

Inside Meridian’s 808 

As with Meridian’s 800 CD/DVD player, the 

808 starts with a specially selected triplebeam, 

multi-speed DVD-ROM drive. The 

drive makes multiple passes over sections 

of the disc where errors are detected, 

reportedly reducing the need for error correction 

by a hundredfold. The datastream from the disc is 

then buffered by the first of four FIFO (first-in, first-out) 

buffers. Data enter the buffer with imprecise timing 

and are clocked out with a low-jitter clock.These FIFO 

buffers are employed at various stages in the digitalprocessing 

chain. The output clock that controls the 

DACs is located on the analog-output card right next 

to the DACs. Because of these anti-jitter measures, 

Meridian claims the 808 has the lowest clock jitter of 

any CD player they’ve measured—less than 90 

picoseconds, with the jitter frequency held below 

0.1Hz. In most CD players and digital processors, the 

jitter is highly correlated with the audio signal, increasing 

the audibility of jitter-induced sonic artifacts. 

The 808 is also special in its application of proprietary 

digital signal processing (DSP) to upsample the 

44.1kHz, 16-bit data to 176.4kHz, 24-bit for conversion 

to analog. The DSPs also run Meridian’s “Resolution 

Enhancement” algorithm. The player employs more 

powerful DSPs (three devices with a combined computing 

power of 150MIPS) than any previous player, 

which allows Meridian to run more sophisticated 

upsampling and resolution-enhancement algorithms. 

More powerful DSPs also provide greater precision in 

the intermediate calculations (in the 808’s case, 72- 

bit), resulting in less requantizing error in the final 24-bit 

output signal. 

The analog output stage is an all-new design, as is 

the power supply. The balanced output signal is created 

in the analog domain after the DACs.This means 

there’s an additional active stage in the analog signal 

path for the balanced outputs compared with 

the unbalanced jacks. 

The 808 is available with an optional built-in preamplifier 

(808i) for those who require the flexibility of 

additional analog and digital inputs. Both versions 

come with analog balanced and unbalanced outputs, 

which can be either fixed for connection to an 

outboard preamplifier or variable to connect directly 

to an amplifier. Either the 808 or 808i will output highresolution 

upsampled digital audio for connection 

directly to Meridian’s digital loudspeakers. RH and SK 

ing was the 808’s astonishing level of infinitesimal inner detail 

tipping me off with the slightest bit of air or body movement 

that a note was about to be played. I also thought I heard musical 

notes (some kind of percussive instrument) traveling down 

the side wall in my listening room. One time it was so distinct, 

I turned my head to follow it past where I was seated. Like I said, 

uncanny. (Or perhaps, I’m finally ready for the rubber room.) 

Next, but no less impressive, is the startling speed and 

supremely powerful yet superbly effortless dynamics of the 

808. In last issue’s review of the Credo loudspeaker, I attributed 

nearly jumping out of my skin while listening to Stanton 

Moore’s Flyin’ the Koop [Blue Thumb] to the McCormack 

DNA-500 amplifier. Though 500W of power is certainly capable 

of turning your bass driver into a sledgehammer, the 808 

deserves the credit for turning that sledgehammer into a wrecking 

ball. It isn’t the loudness that makes you jump, but the 

lightning fast contrast between soft and loud. It’s like someone 

sneaking up behind you in the dead of night and setting off a 

firecracker. These stunningly natural dynamic contrasts were 

also evident in the quietest passages—you didn’t need to be 

blasting off cannons to hear the force, speed, and precision of 

every last note. (To clarify, the use of the word “force” here doesn’t 

mean the music is forward or in your face. I am referring to 

the way a note is naturally propelled from an instrument.) 

With all due respect to the Meridian G08, in comparison 

to the 808, the sound was rather crude, unrefined—and slow. I 

couldn’t help but laugh the first time I did a side-by-side comparison. 

I wasn’t laughing at the G08, but rather at the dramatic 

difference between the two players. What’s scary is that 

the G08 is still better than a whole lot of other CD players out 

there. (It’s been my reference source since I first wrote about the 

Meridian G Series system back in Issue 152.) 

On track 17 of Andreas Vollenweider’s Cosmopoly [Kin Kou] 

the flute sounded thin and shrill with the G08. Image outlines 

were somewhat blurred and indistinct, even overlapping at 

times. Funny thing, though: You’d actually think it sounded 

pretty good until you plugged in the 808. When listening to 

the same cut through the 808, I found myself wishing I knew 

more about the intricacies of woodwind instruments so I could 

better understand and describe what I was hearing. The identical 

notes were now full-bodied, clear, and distinct, while also 

notably faster and propelled with greater force and precision 

through the instrument. The comparison wasn’t even close. 

Along with vocals, piano has to be one of the most difficult 

instruments to accurately reproduce on a sound system. I can 

recall in the early days always bringing a solo piano recording 

along to auditions, as I believed if the piano was right, everything 

else would be right as well. I was almost always disappointed. 

Again, with all due respect to the G08, listening to Jeff 

Bjorck’s Pure Piano Panoramas [BMI] I could hear notes, but there 

was no piano. Or at best, the piano itself was relatively indistinct. 

Through the 808, the front-to-back depth of the soundstage was 

so clear I could “see” exactly where the piano was positioned 

along with the performer playing it. I could follow hands mov- 


Cover Story 

ing along the keys. Each note had exceptional weight, clarity, 

body, and extension at both frequency extremes. It sounded as if 

the keys were attached to a massive instrument, instead of just 

floating around in space—pretty spectacular, actually. 

The only downside to this player (if you can call it a downside) 

is that results will vary according to the quality of the 

recording as well as associated equipment. A bad recording is a 

bad recording. As my grandmother use to say, you can’t make a 

silk purse out of a sow’s ear. That said, I spent a fair amount of 

time listening to vintage rock with surprisingly good results. A 

body can only sit for so long like a statue in the sweet spot scribbling 

notes. This time around I stretched my legs with The Best 

of Rare Earth [Motown]. It felt good to relive a few moments 

from my youth, even if it meant walking hunched over for three 

days until I could straighten my back again. 

Before concluding, I’d like to briefly mention (with a spot 

more detail) how the 808 compares to a few other players I’ve 

heard, like the Wadia 861se and Audio Aero Capitole. I have to 

rely on my aging memory here, so I can’t be too specific. While 

the 861se is built like a tank and performs well in many respects, 

it has a rather pronounced sonic signature that in my view prevents 

it from being a contender. There’s just too much coloration 

for my taste. (With a whole slew of new Wadia products on the 

horizon, it might be interesting to hear how those compare.) The 

Capitole, on the other hand, is extremely detailed and musical, 

but doesn’t hold a candle to the impressive dynamics of the 808, 

at least not in the version that I auditioned. Without a direct comparison, 

it’s tough to say whether or not the Capitole trumps the 

808 when it comes to musicality, but I’d venture it’s in the same 

league in that regard. 

So, at $12,995 does the Meridian 

808 sound three times better than the 

G08 retailing for just under $4k I 

wish I could conclusively say it does, 

but how do we measure such things 

Some may think it’s more than three 

times better. I do know you’ll have a 

tough time going back to the G08 

after hearing the 808, and I’m not 

just saying that so you’ll run out and 

re-finance your home to buy one. I’m 

saying that because I’m having a 

tough time going back to the G08, 

and I can’t imagine any card-carrying 

audiophile or music lover who 

wouldn’t. 

High-resolution aside, I’m astonished 

by the amount of information still left to be extracted from 

a 20-year-old format, the compact disc. Based on two decades of 

listening almost exclusively to digital, I feel confident in saying 

there can’t be a company more qualified to do the extracting than 

Meridian. For those who are wondering, I bought the 508.24 and 

never looked back. If I could afford it, I’d already own the 808 

Signature Reference. 

Robert Harley comments on the 

Meridian 808 

I’ve had a Meridian 808 in my reference system for about three 

months and frankly, can’t imagine my system without it. For 

starters the 808 has a wonderfully detailed and highly resolved 

presentation. I was simply floored by the 808’s ability to present 

fine nuances of instrumental timbre, micro-dynamic shadings, 

and low-level spatial cues. No detail, no matter how small, 

escaped the 808’s scrutiny. Instrumental timbre was presented 

with such a wealth of inner detail that the instrument sounded 

more lifelike and less like a synthetic recreation. In fact, the 808 

makes many other digital front-ends sound coarse by comparison. 

This extremely high resolution is also responsible, I believe, 

for the 808’s spectacular sense of soundstage size, depth, air 

between images, and its vivid portrayal of the surrounding 

acoustic. The impression of clearly delineated instruments 

bathed in, but distinct from, hall reverberation was the best I’ve 

heard from digital. Moreover, depth was presented along a continuum 

from the soundstage front to the deepest recesses of the 

soundstage rear rather than along a few discrete steps. Quiet 

instruments at the back of the stage were audible even in the 

It sounded as if the keys were attached to a massive 

instrument, instead of just floating around in space— 

pretty spectacular, actually 


Cover Story 

presence of louder instruments. The 808’s spatial presentation 

must be heard to be believed—and this from Red Book CD. 

One might infer from this description that the 808 is analytical 

and cold, sacrificing musicality for resolution. But in what is 

surely the 808’s greatest triumph, the player delivers this vast 

amount of information to the listener in a totally natural, musical, 

graceful, and involving way. In fact, the 808 had a somewhat laidback 

perspective, along with a tremendous sense of ease. There was 

absolutely no hint of the etch, forwardness, or hype that one often 

hears from digital that tries to be “high resolution.” Real musical 

information is presented in the gentle way that one hears in live 

music, not as hi-fi fireworks. The 808’s combination of ease and 

resolution is unprecedented in my experience. The result was an 

impression of physical relaxation on one hand and heightened 

intellectual and emotional stimulation (by the music) on the other. 

I must also comment on the 808’s extremely smooth, 

refined, and liquid midrange and treble. Timbres were free 

from grain and glare, and the top end lacked the metallic quality 

often heard from CD. Reproduction of upper-register piano 

notes is often marred by a glassy sheen on leading-edge transients; 

the 808 exhibited less of this phenomenon, allowing 

higher playback levels and a more involving experience. 

Listening to the 808 and thinking about how it differs from 

other highly regarded digital front ends I’ve heard reminded me of 

the difference between hearing a microphone feed and then the playback 

of that feed from 1/2" analog tape. I had this experience often 

when I was a working recording engineer. The excitement of getting 

good sound from the microphones was inevitably tempered by the 

degradation imposed by the storage medium, even high-quality analog. 

The microphone feed had a certain life, presence, and realism— 

the result of its high resolution without exaggerated detail—that 

was lost after storage on tape. The recording process scrubbed off a 

bit of the low-level information and in the process, some of the 

music’s magic. That’s how I feel about the 808 in relation to many 

other digital sources—many of which cost more than the 808. It says 

much about the Meridian’s combination of ease and resolution to 

invite the prodigious comparison with a microphone feed. 

Many British products, including those from Meridian, 

could be described as polite and reserved, favoring refinement 

over big dynamics, deep bass extension, and the ability to rock. 

The 808 breaks free from this stereotype with an extremely big, 

robust, and viscerally thrilling sound on rock and large-scale 

orchestral music. The midbass leans toward articulation rather 

than warmth, but the extreme bottom-end is solid and punchy. 


The 808 also exhibited a remarkable sense of ease during loud, 

dense passages; the music remained coherent rather than degenerating 

into a collection of sounds. 

Finally, the 808 is an outstanding DVD-Audio player. Yes, 

the 808 plays most DVD-A discs, although you’d never know 

that from Meridian’s literature or even from reading the frontpanel 

logos. I tried more than a dozen DVD-A titles and every one 

played. In fact, it was a joy to play DVD-A titles without navigating 

a menu system on a video display. It was with DVD-A 

discs that truly revealed the extent of the 808’s resolving power 

and musicality. As great as the 808 is on CD, DVD-A discs take 

the machine’s sonic performance to the next level. & 

MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION 

MERIDIAN AMERICA INC. 

8055 Troon Circle, Suite C 

Austell, Georgia 30168 

(404) 344-7111 

info@meridian-america.com 

meridian-audio.com 

Price: $12,995 


Formats: CD Audio, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 

Type of outputs: Analog balanced and unbalanced; digital S/PDIF, 

coax with MHR plus aux coax 

Dimensions: 18.9" x 6.9" x 16.2" 



Meridian G08 and Marantz PMD-320 CD players; AVA Ultra DAC; 

Meridian G02 control unit, Sonic Euphoria passive, and Van Alstine 

Ultra preamps; Meridian G57, Atma-Sphere Novacron OTL, and 

McCormack DNA-500 amps; Coincident Super Eclipse, Von 

Schweikert VR4jr, B&W 800D and 704 speakers; Coincident TRS, 

Paul Speltz anti-cable, and Harmonic Technology speaker cables; 

Harmonic Technology and Audio Magic interconnects; Cardas RCA to 

XLR adapters; Elrod, JPS power cords; Bright Star Audio and 

Symposium Svelte shelves; Chang Lightspeed Encounter; PS Audio 

Ultimate outlet; Echo Busters, ASC room treatment 


The Cutting Edge 

Music-Minded Controllers, Part 3: 

Attractive Opposites 

Alan Taffel 

Can multichannel controllers satisfy the music 

lover the way a good preamp can 

Can two digital controllers with directly 

opposed strengths and weaknesses both 

qualify as being “music-minded” That 

is, despite divergent philosophies and 

sonics, can both meet the challenge of 

doing justice not only to film soundtracks, 

which are the raison d’être of these 

components, but also to stereo and multichannel music The 

answer is yes—but it all depends on your sources. 

All controllers exhibit some degree of sound variation, 

depending upon the input in use. The standard hierarchy, from 

best to worst, is: multichannel analog inputs, which typically 

offer the most direct signal path and the fewest gainstages; the 

nearly-as-pristine stereo analog inputs; digital inputs, which 

necessitate one D/A format conversion before sending the signal 

through the analog stage; and lastly, stereo analog inputs not 

set to bypass mode, for they entail two format conversions plus 

DSP processing. 

The new Arcam AV9 ($5749) and Halcro SSP100 ($9990) 

could not be more at odds over how closely they adhere to this 

hierarchy. The Arcam hews strictly to convention and, as if to 

punctuate its chosen pecking order, exhibits an unusually wide 

performance variance between inputs. In contrast, Halcro’s 

flagship is a renegade, turning the normal hierarchy on its 

head. The SSP100 delivers its best—and worst—performance 

in wholly unexpected places. Yet given the right source components 

connected to the right inputs, each of these controllers 

proves itself capable of making glorious music. 

Arcam FMJ AV9 

The AV9, like many freshly released controllers, owes its existence 

to the gush in popularity of HDMI, a digital interface 

that can carry both high-definition video and high-resolution 

multichannel audio over a single cable. After a year of sitting 

on the sidelines while HDMI proliferated in DVD players and 

HD displays, controllers are finally assuming their natural role 

as HDMI transport and switching points. To that end, the AV9 

sports no fewer than five HDMI inputs and one output. 

But this controller is more than an HDMI-equipped successor 

to Arcam’s celebrated AV8. Although the latter’s basic 

audio circuitry was untouched, the new model incorporates two 

proprietary materials dubbed “stealth mats” and “masks of 

silence.” Aside from proving that a geek contingent is alive and 

well within Arcam, these technologies demonstrate the degree 



to which analog signals benefit from reductions in electromagnetic 

and RF interference. The AV9 also permits greater set-up 

precision and flashes a more readable front-panel display than 

did the AV8. 

To appreciate how music-minded (and analog-minded) 

the AV9 is, consider its approach to analog bypass. When 

this mode—available for each and every analog input—is 

invoked, the Arcam doesn’t just circumvent digital processing, 

as do most controllers. Instead, it actually shuts down its 

digital circuits to protect delicate analog signals from digital 

The AV9 once again goes 

further by permitting users 

to independently set 

subwoofer levels for music 

and film sources 

noise contamination. Only the thrice-as-expensive Theta 

Casablanca with Six Shooter goes further; it devotes a completely 

separate chassis to each domain. Arcam’s solution, 

while not as extravagant as Theta’s, is undeniably elegant and 

much more cost effective. 

In the area of bass management, which invariably betrays a 

controller’s commitment to music, the AV9 likewise excels. 

There are provisions for up to three subwoofers (though they 

must all play the same thing—stereo subs aren’t supported), 

and the crossover point is settable to within 5Hz. This level of 

granularity enables a far better blend than the crude ten—or 

even twenty—hertz adjustments offered by competing controllers. 

But get this: The AV9 once again goes further by permitting 

users to independently set subwoofer levels for music 

and film sources—another highly music-minded consideration. 

The AV9’s features clearly reveal its designers’ devotion to 

music—particularly analog music—and that orientation holds 

true for the unit’s sound. When set to bypass mode, the stereo 

analog inputs deliver a warm yet vibrant presentation. 

Rhythms, as evidenced by the lively “Stumptown” track from 

Nickel Creek’s When Will the Fire Die [Sugarhill], contribute 

strongly to the sound’s inviting appeal, as does imaging, which 

can be as focused or expansive as the music demands. In this 

mode, vocals betray a slightly “steely” quality, and the AV9 

shaves high frequencies just enough to sacrifice some air and 

immediacy. But the experience is more than salvaged by the 

aforementioned virtues, along with engaging dynamics and 

crisp transients. 

From this highly satisfying baseline, the sound can be made 

either better or worse by changing inputs or modes. To go the 

wrong direction, simply switch an analog input out of bypass 

mode, thereby calling in the digital armada. The highs take an 

unceremonious nose dive, and the sound becomes quite closedin. 

Sluggish rhythms, soft transients, and constricted dynamics 

also rear their unwelcome heads. The sonic toll of this mode is 

serious enough that I recommend using it only to synthesize 

surround channels, if you must, from stereo sources. 

Not surprisingly, given the Arcam’s strict adherence to the 

standard controller hierarchy, its best sound derives from the 

multichannel analog input. Compared even to the stereo 

analogs in bypass mode, this input supplies noticeably meatier 

bass, a more open top end, and a purer midrange (without a 

trace of steel in vocals). On orchestral material, such as “Mars” 

Usage Notes 

The Arcam is refreshingly simple to set up. 

Inputs and outputs are clearly labeled, the 

manual is terrific, and the configuration 

menus are straightforward. To borrow jargon 

from the personal computer industry, the AV9 

delivers a great “OOB” (out of the box) experience. 

Nor is flexibility slighted by all this clarity. For example, 

home-theater denizens will appreciate that speaker 

distances can be set down to the inch, rather than the 

usual feet. The unit does not feature a front-panel TFT 

display, but its VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) readout 

is large and easily deciphered from a distance.The 

universal remote, too, is a model of intuitive operation. 

The Halcro’s flexibility—but not its OOB—is comparable 

to that of the Arcam. The crossover can be set 

with 5Hz granularity,and there is even an oh-so-rare provision 

for stereo subs. For those collecting DVD-As, with 

their menu-driven interface,the front-panel TFT display is 

a godsend. However, the Halcro is not particularly intuitive 

to set up, and the manual is by turns confusing and 

incomplete. This task is best left to the dealer. 

I should also note that this is the second SSP100 we 

received for testing. The original unit suffered from 

strange sonic and operational anomalies. The manufacturer 

declared that sample defective and provided 

an updated replacement. Yet this second unit still 

exhibits glitches. The front-panel display flickers whenever 

a new screen comes up, and midway through 

the review process the remote “forgot” all its commands. 

There are also a few ergonomic design goofs, 

including a touchscreen remote that spreads basic 

commands across three pages, forcing constant toggling 

to access the desired screen. Halcro has indicated 

that the operational glitches have already 

been addressed, and we have invited them to provide 

a third sample for evaluation. 

AT 



from the EMI LP of Holst’s The Planets, the Arcam proves a bit 

darker tonally than my reference preamplifier, but no less 

engaging thanks to a veritable smorgasbord of virtues. 

Dynamics are a gripping combination of finesse and ferocity; 

rhythms hold together no matter what else is going on; timbres 

spill forth in a rainbow of colors; images assume stable positions 

upon a broad, deep (though not particularly high) soundstage; 

and neither grain nor glare mars the source’s analog purity. 

Did I mention the killer bass 

The differences between the Arcam in this mode and my 

reference preamplifier fall into decidedly subtle territory. Sure, 

The SSP100 was designed 

to sound its best with 

digital inputs, and it 

delivers the best digital 

sound I have heard from 

any controller, at any price 

the reference’s incrementally superior resolution allows me to 

hear more air and longer hall reverberation, and renders transients 

more snappily. But this is a clear case of diminishing 

returns. The Arcam’s lovely multichannel input delivers 90% 

of the reference’s performance at one-fifth the price. Needless to 

say, I would suggest using this input whenever possible, 

including to connect your best stereo analog source. 

My predilection toward the AV9’s analog inputs is reinforced 

by its digital performance which, as American Idol’s 

Randy Jackson might say, is “just alright, man.” The internal 

Wolfson DAC is very quiet, which nicely sets off the music, and 

imaging is so good it can sort out even the most complex stage 

plan. Detail resolution (except at the very lowest levels) and 

rhythms are likewise excellent. However, both upper frequencies 

and dynamics feel squashed, leading to an airless, lackluster 

quality. Tonally, these inputs are skimpy in the bass, rendering 

them lightweight compared to their analog counterparts. 

And vocals once again sound slightly metallic, which 

makes for less relaxing listening. The digital inputs’ transient 

and imaging prowess do serve movies well, but they simply 

don’t let music “breathe” in the manner of my reference 

DAC—or the AV9’s own stellar analog inputs. 

Halcro SSP100 

The SSP100’s priorities and performance particulars differ not only 

from the Arcam, but from every other controller I know. Rather 

than viewing itself as principally an audio component with bareessential 

video connectivity and switching, the Halcro elevates 

video to equal-partner status. Witness the scads of digital (four 

HDMI inputs, one output) and analog video interfaces, coupled 

with an unusually comprehensive ability to transcode between 

them. Further, this controller can scale standard-definition video 

all the way up to HDTV’s maximum resolution of 1080p. So in 

addition to traditional audio-related duties, the SSP100 can credibly 

assume the role of an external video processor. 

From an audio feature perspective, this controller is equally 

unconventional. Unlike the preponderance of its competition, 

the SSP100 simply does not ascribe to an analog-über-alles credo. 

Digital is its mantra. And so there are no analog bypass provisions 

for any of the single-ended stereo inputs. Analog purity, for 

single-ended sources, can be had only by going through the 

multichannel input. Balanced sources fare slightly better; there 

are both multichannel and stereo inputs that support pure analog. 

(Why the balanced stereo input offers an analog bypass 

while the more common single-ended inputs do not is a puzzle.) 

The Halcro’s feature set is not the only thing biased toward 

digital; so is its sound. Confounding expectations and logic, the 

SSP100’s multichannel inputs are not its best sounding. Actually, 



they are its worst. That’s right: Even the non-bypass-able stereo 

inputs, with all their underlying digital rigmarole, sound better. 

While this is difficult to understand, it is easy to hear. 

The multichannel inputs are sweet sounding but overly 

restrained. Timbres and dynamics fall into too narrow a range 

to be engaging, while high frequencies are too restrained to 

sound open. Nor do the slack rhythms and weak bass help matters. 

To be sure, the sound is not all bad. Bass may be shy but 

it’s tight, and transients are clear and clean. Another plus: 

Background noise and grain are vanishingly low. Overall, 

though, the negatives outweigh these assets, sabotaging the 

grand gestures and timbral diversity of large-scale recordings, 

like the aforementioned Planets LP, as well as the airiness and 

expressivity of more intimate sessions, such as the Michael 

Wolf Trio’s 2am [Cabana Boy]. 

But not to worry, because the analog stereo inputs, digitized 

though they may be, sound inexplicably better. They 

retain the multichannel inputs’ warm liquid sound and detail 

resolution, but are more tonally fleshed out and dynamic. So, 

despite some digital degradation in the form of fuzzy imaging 

and a loss of the multichannel’s analog ease and lack of grain, 

the stereo inputs are the more satisfying and involving. Listen 

to the opening track of Lucinda Williams’ superb Live @ The 

Fillmore CD [Lost Highway]. The Halcro easily conveys the 

small textural and timbral details that make this a riveting live 

recording, and any high-frequency or dynamic reticence is mild 

enough to only modestly dial back Lucinda’s almost uncomfortably 

close vocals. This track demonstrates just how little 

these inputs betray their digital underpinnings, and makes a 

strong case that an analog-bypass option is superfluous. 

In a way, though, all this analog analysis is beside the point. 

The SSP100 was obviously designed to sound its best with digital 

inputs, and it delivers the best digital sound I have heard from 

any controller, at any price. Coming in digitally accords a major 

uptick in the involvement factor, thanks to greater transient definition, 

a much more realistically airy high end, and sharper 

dynamic contrasts. The unparalleled bass performance lends real 

gravitas to the piano’s lower octaves, as on “The Conversation” 

from the Michael Wolff disc, and highs and lows are in perfect 

balance. Nor do the amped-up transients call undue attention to 

themselves. The plucked mandolin passages on the Nickel Creek 

CD, for instance, manage to be clean and crystalline without a 

hint of unnatural hype. 

Yet, for me, the most ingratiating element of the SSP100’s 



Arcam AV9 

Decoding Formats: Dolby Digital, Dolby 

Digital EX, DTS, DTS-ES, Dolby Pro 

Logic II(x), DTS Neo:6, LPCM, THX 

Ultra2, THX Surround ES and ES, THX 

MusicMode 

Inputs: Stereo analog (8), multichannel 

analog (1), coax digital (5), optical digital 

(2),composite video (5), S-video (5), 

component video (3), HDMI (5) 

Outputs: Stereo analog (3), multichannel 

analog (1), coax digital (1), composite 

video (3), S-video (2), component video 

(1), HDMI (1) 

Dimensions: 17" x 5.2" x 14.2" 


Halcro SSP100 

Decoding Formats: Dolby Digital, Dolby 

Digital EX, DTS, DTS-ES, Dolby Pro 

Logic II(x), DTS Neo:6, LPCM, THX 

Ultra2, THX Surround EX 

Inputs: Stereo analog (11), multichannel 


(2), composite video (6), S-video (6), 


Outputs: Stereo analog (4), multichannel 


(1), composite video (4), S-video (3), 


Dimensions: 17" x 7" x 16" 


digital inputs is their way with musical 

lines. Here I refer not merely to melodic 

lines, though they are certainly important. 

Rather, I am speaking of the wondrous 

array of movement that music 

embodies. Aside from melodic lines, there 

are dynamic lines, and even lines created 

by the shifting timbres within, say, a classical 

works’ orchestration. The Halcro 

makes them all uncommonly lucid. 

Following them becomes not only easy, 

but a joy. 

The Halcro’s internal DAC, which 

outperforms my reference unit in several 

respects, is bound to embarrass whatever 

is in your CD player. So if you have a 

digital output on that thing, use it. 

Ditto your DVD player, for the Halcro’s 

digital prowess extends to film soundtrack 

decoding, where it dispenses 

benchmark-caliber performance. 

In philosophy, features, and sonic 

priorities, the Arcam AV9 is all about 

analog, though its digital performance is 

respectable. If most of your music 

sources are analog—including CD and 

DVD players with analog outputs—the 

AV9 would make a formidable centerpiece 

for a combined hometheater/music 

system. Contrarily, the 

Halcro SSP100 prioritizes digital sonics 

and features above all, and for appropriate 

sources the result is superb. Of 

course, none of the SSP100’s digital 

goodness would be audible if it didn’t 

also encompass a truly fine analog stage. 

Sadly, there seems to be no satisfactory 

way to directly access it. If there were, 

this controller’s analog source performance 

would presumably equal or better 

that of its digital inputs. And that 

would be quite something. As it stands, 

those with primarily digital sources, and 

the requisite cash, should place the 

SSP100 at the top of their music-minded 

controller list. 

& 


ARCAM 

Audiophile Systems, Ltd 

8709 Castle Park Drive 

Indianapolis, Indiana 46256 

(317) 841-4100 

www.aslgroup.com 

Price: $5749 

HALCRO AUDIO (USA) INC. 

871 Grier Drive, Suite B-1 

Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 

(702) 270-9307 

www.halcro.com 

Price: $9990 



MBL 5011 LINESTAGE PREAMP 

MBL 5011 Linestage Preamp, 1521 A CD 

Transport, and 1511 E DAC 

Wayne Garcia 

Can any solid-state and digital components 

seduce a pair of grumpy ol’ tube ’n’ analog guys 

It’s no secret to followers of this hobby that solid-state 

electronics and Red Book CD players have recently 

advanced to previously unheard—and for some, perhaps, 

unimagined—levels of musical performance. 

Indeed, recent articles in these very pages have discussed 

how the best of today’s solid-state electronics are 

exhibiting far lower levels of noise (and its attendant 

grain) and tonal darkness than designs of even the relatively 

recent past, while at the same time showing large improvements 

in low-level, tonal, and dynamic resolution. Likewise, 

not only are the best CD players traversing a similar sonic pathway, 

they’re somehow piecing digits together in a way that 

makes them musically involving to a degree most analog lovers 

never thought possible. That said, there’s good…and then 

there’s spectacularly good. 

Which rather quickly brings me to the products made by 

the German outfit MBL. But before I explain why the MBL 

items under review here have for me redefined their respective 



MBL 5011 BACK PANEL 

categories, I need to touch on something that both reviewers 

and readers should remember—unless you’ve heard something 

either in your own system or one you know intimately well you 

haven’t really heard it, or at least not to a degree that makes for 

an authoritative opinion. So even though my amigo Jon Valin 

has been touting MBL’s gear for the past few years, and I, along 

with pretty much all who have heard them, have walked away 

raving about the company’s presentations at the past few CESes, 

it wasn’t until I actually heard these components in my own 

room that I was able to comprehend just how astonishing 

MBL’s achievements with electronics are. (At shows, after all, 

it’s all too easy to be razzle-dazzled by the company’s exotic 

looking Radialstrahler speakers.) For those who dare to dream 

of components that marry the best of tubes with the best of 

solid-state, who fantasize not about big-bosomed beauties but 

about a CD player that will instead let them enjoy digital playback 

nearly as much as analog, MBL’s designs come closer than 

any other I’ve heard. 

As planned, this trio came my way when Bill Parish of 

GTT Audio visited in March to deliver and set up the Kharma 

Mini-Exquisite speakers, which were another highlight of the 

last CES. But eager as I was to hear the Minis, I decided that 

before we placed them in my listening room I first needed to 

hear the MBL electronics on my reference speaker of the past 16 

months, Kharma’s Ceramique Reference Monitor 3.2. One by 

one Bill and I began replacing the gear I had been listening to 

with the MBL components. Now, what I’d been living with was 

hardly chopped liver. It was in fact the very fine and beautifulsounding 

Hovland HP-200 preamp I reviewed in Issue 162, 

along with Hovland and Nordost Valkyrja cables, an Arcam 

digital transport, and Musical Fidelity’s excellent Tri-Vista 21 

DAC (Hovland’s RADIA and Kharma MP-150s did amplification 

duties). Each replacement—first preamp, then DAC, then 

transport—resulted in similar ear-opening and eye-popping 

experiences. For this phase of the process, we used but a single 

piece of music—the gorgeously played and recorded 

Stern/Bernstein version of the Barber Violin Concerto [Sony]. 

We’d play the first and second movements, switch in a piece of 

MBL gear, and play them again. Each switch brought dramatically 

improved levels of transparency, resolution, depth, air, 

tonal richness and beauty, dynamic shading as well as wallop, 

and a riveting involvement with every aspect of the music making. 

(And by the way, this isn’t MBL’s most costly level, nor 

even by a long shot the most expensive gear out there, though 

at $8382 for the linestage, $9130 for the transport, and $8910 

for the DAC, ’taint exactly cheap, either.) 

Never before have I experienced solid-state and digital 

components with the rich and lifelike tone colors I’m hearing 

here, or ones with the kind of transparency that allows you to 

imagine you’re “seeing” into a recording and “around” the players 

and their instruments. Never before have I known any solidstate 

and digital with such a convincing projection of “bloom,” 

attended by a lingering, ghostlike decay of notes and as deeply 

layered depth of soundstage. And perhaps most tellingly, never 

before have I experienced the kind of emotional pull, intellectual 

involvement, and sheer musical joy with solid-state and 

digital components than I am experiencing with this stuff. 

Now, I’m not saying that the MBL components sound like 

tubes. They do not in ways I’ll discuss below (and which 

Jonathan tackles in some fresh ways in his companion piece 

that follows on the 6010 D). What they manage to do is offer 

a pretty wonderful mixture of what we appreciate in the sound 

of both transistor and vacuum tube electronics. And rather than 

say the MBL gear sounds “musical,” let me instead say that the 

MBL gear brings the music and its recorded space into my 

room in a way that frankly makes me care not a fig if the chassis 

are filled with tubes, transistors, or jellybeans. 

For instance, if you were to play the beautiful-sounding 

Deutsche Grammophon CD of the Mutter/Levine reading of 

Berg’s Violin Concerto, you’ll notice a startlingly expansive 

soundfield of tremendous depth—though not necessarily 

width, the one area in which the MBL electronics are merely 

good, as opposed to exceptional—gorgeously rich and convincing 

tone colors, and a remarkably tiered dynamic range that 

finds Mutter’s violin sharing a dialogue-like exchange with 

other string players before the entire orchestra rushes in for a 

near chaotic and absolutely thrilling climax. This is a complex 

and occasionally busy composition that the MBL stuff not only 

handles with ease but conveys in a way that allows the composers 

intentions to shine through, unmolested. As JV points 



MBL 1521 A CD TRANSPORT 

out, the MBL sound is a touch darker, perhaps a shade more 

beautiful than life, but in tandem with its remarkable air, 

transparency to the recording venue, and outstanding detail, I’d 

say that’s a compliment. 

And this ability to bring the recording site home is one of 

the reasons the MBL designs bring music so fully to life. Take 

György Ligeti’s brilliant dark comic opera Le Grand Macabre 

[Sony]. This 1998 live recording from Paris presents a soundstage 

so magically laid before your listening seat, along with a 

spooky-palpable sense of the theater’s ambience (there’s a bit of 

audience noise and mild laughter) that makes you a part of the 

event. Ligeti’s complexly scored orchestra and small ensemble 

of singers are defined not only by exquisitely solid image placement 

but also by an unusual three-dimensionality—one that 

layers the musicians and singers back from the front plane of 

the Kharma Minis, and also allows you to track the singers 

movements across the stage, next to and around one another. 

This recording also highlights the virtues of solid-state—the 

ability to deliver hard and fast transients with pistol-shot-like 

speed, and a bottom end that has a mind-bending combination 

of richness, weight, and explosive power. This is by far the most 

“live” sounding system I’ve experienced in my home. 

Now, this, and any review, is of course not only a review of the 

items under scrutiny but of the entire system or systems it has 

been part of. Therefore, credit must also be given to the associated 

items listed at the end of this article and especially to Kharma’s 

marvelous Mini Exquisite, which I’ll report on next issue. 

One final thing about the MBL sound—and this relates 

especially to the 1521A CD transport and 1511 E DAC: Buyer 

beware. Because these products make listening to CDs such a 

fresh, lively, and deeply involving experience, you’re likely to 

start spending large chunks of your discretionary income on all 

kinds of new music. I know that I have. 

MBL 6010 D Preamplifier 

Jonathan Valin 

Since I plan to compare the MBL 6010 D 

linestage preamplifier—the big brother to the 

5011 that Wayne just extolled—with the best 

tube preamplifier I’ve heard, the Audio Research 

Corporation Reference 3 (reviewed in TAS 159), 

I want to start by talking a bit about tubes and 

transistors. 

In our next issue, reviewer Jacob Heilbrunn notes that the 

twain shall never meet, and he’s right. The trouble is he’s also 

wrong. The two don’t sound more alike in important specific 

ways, but they do sound more alike in important general ones. 

Let me explain. If you were to map the anatomy of a musical 

note, it would divide neatly into three sequential parts or 

phases: the attack or transient phase, the steady-state tone 

phase, and the decay phase. All three are essential to creating a 

lifelike semblance of the real thing, but all three are more or 

less fudged by both the recording and playback process. 

What typically goes wrong, to my ear, is something that 



might be called “timing errors”—that is, 

errors in the realistic reproduction of the 

duration of each event (and each event has 

a different duration). As jitter does in 

digital recording and playback, timing 

errors in analog recording and playback 

tend to distort—to artificially expand or 

condense—the little slices of time (and 

the dynamic/harmonic information that 

is contained in them) that constitute 

each phase of a note’s sound. 

Typically tube playback makes 

everything sound “longer,” like the sostenuto pedal on a piano— 

i.e., it expands a note’s duration, enriching its colors and textures 

but softening its impact. Harmonics seem to linger in the 

air longer with tubes; the air itself seems to be more present; 

instruments seem larger and more forward on the soundstage. 

At the same time the sharpness of instrumental attacks seems 

slightly dulled—too spread out over time. Consequently, 

instrumental outlines are more splayed out and fuzzier, bigger 

and less focused. 

Typically solid-state playback makes these same events 

sound “shorter,” like the damping pedal on a piano—i.e., it 

condenses a note’s duration, slightly desaturating tone color 

and abbreviating slow-developing textures, but increasing clarity 

and focus in the way that the clean sharp lines of a penand-ink 

drawing do compared with the thicker, softer lines of 

a pencil sketch. Harmonics don’t seem to be as richly developed 

as they are with tubes; the sense of air around each note 

(and of air expanding and collapsing with the building up and 

decaying of dynamics and tone—what I call “action” or 

“bloom”) is lessened; instruments seem slightly smaller, more 

focused, and less forward on the soundstage. At the same time 

the sharpness of both starting and stopping transients is 

enhanced; consequently, instrumental outlines are sharper and 

more distinct, and large-scale dynamics have greater and more 

lifelike speed and impact. 

To put this difference more positively, transistors are faster 

on the uptake, and better at reproducing that part of the note 

where speed and concision matter most—the attack or transient 

phase. Tubes are slower to start, and better at reproducing 

those parts of the note that develop more gradually over time— 

the steady-state tone and decay phases. Both gain strategies 

have trouble shifting speeds, and even at their best both only 

approximate the actual durations of real-life musical notes. 

This is the way things stood until fairly recently. Yeah, 

some solid-state had begun to slow down enough to let you 

smell the roses; and some tubes had gained significantly in 

transient speed and clarity. But, as Jacob correctly notes, the 

fundamental virtues (and vices) of tubes and solid-state have 

remained more or less the same. 

The arrival of the MBL 6010 D preamp and MBL 9011 

MBL 6010 D 

PREAMPLIFIER 

amplifier, followed shortly thereafter by the Audio Research 

Reference 3 preamp and Reference 210 amplifier, shook my 

faith in this paradigm. Not that you would mistake the sound 

of MBL for ARC; they both still shine where transistors and 

tubes customarily shine. The thing of it is they also shine where 

transistors and tubes customarily don’t. 

Although I’ve already used this musical example in my 

review of the ARC Reference 3 and Reference 210, it is worth 

repeating because it so clearly points up the difference between 

the MBL 6010 D and every other preamp I’ve heard. 

Towards the end of the first movement cadenza in 

Montsalvatge’s Concerto Breve for piano and orchestra 

[London], pianist Alicia de Larrocha plays a loud chord sforzando 

(i.e., suddenly and forcefully) and then uses the sostenuto 

pedal to sustain the harmonics. The note goes on for several seconds, 

and at its finish, after each of the piano’s tone colors has 

died away, a single very-low-level enharmonic overtone continues 

to sound for a time before it finally and unmistakably stops, 

and the note ends. 

This is a classic example of instrumental decay—the lowlevel 

harmonic and dynamic information at the tail end of a 

note. In this case, decay is more marked because of the use of 

the sustain petal and the moment of rest that follows it, but in 

general it holds to the outline of any instrument’s decay. 

In the past, tubes have been the indisputable champs of 

decay, and of very low-level resolution of tone color and dynamics. 

Even though they are often noisier than solid-state, they 

still hold onto notes longer, spinning them out more fully than 

transistors do. 

With the MBL 6010 D, this paradigm was, for the first 

time, turned on its head. No other preamp that I’ve heard can 

clearly and audibly sustain Alicia de Larrocha’s sostenuto (or preserve 

something like the back-of-the-stage echo of Ian and 

Sylvia’s voices on the “Texas Rangers” cut of Northern Journey 

[Cisco/Vanguard]) as fully and completely as the 6010 D—not 

even the great (and it is) Audio Research Reference 3. As I’ve 



already noted, listening through the ARC Ref 3, you would be 

hard put to decide exactly when that piano note ends and 

silence begins; the sound just sort of dithers away into the 

slightly higher noise-floor of the tube preamp. With the 6010 

D, the end of that note is like a bank vault door closing. 

Nor does the 6010 D’s uncanny grip on the timing of notes 

just apply to decays. It does timbre (the steady-state tone phase) 

with astonishing richness, and, of course, it retains solid-state’s 

superb transient response on the attack phase. The net result of 

the MBL’s very low level of “timing error” is a huge increase in 

resolution with few or none of the usual solid-state penalties 

paid in the desaturation of tone colors and loss of fine textures. 

The 6010 D is the highest-resolution preamp I’ve yet heard— 

and, simultaneously, the least analytical sounding. In fact, it is 

downright gorgeous. 

The truly wonderful thing about having all this beauty, 

energy, and resolution on tap is how much the 6010 D can tell 

you not just about where, when, and how individual instruments 

are being played, but also about the way in which an 

entire piece of music is designed to work. By so clearly preserving 

the timing of the dynamics and harmonics of pianist Robert 

Miller’s Steinway in Mario Davidovsky’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 

Synchronisms No. 6 [Turnabout], for instance, the 6010 D 

makes it plain that the composer is consistently using Moogsynthesized 

sounds to modulate the piano’s attacks and decays. 

Likewise, when composer Luciano Berio has violinist Romuald 

Tecco sound a quarter-tone to make a brief surprisingly askew 

harmony with Dennis Russell Davies’ piano in “Due Pezzi” 

[Philips], the 6010 D’s uncanny way with this “bent” note’s 

color and duration gives you a crystalline sense of the Bartókian 

wit of the piece—and of the virtuosity with which Berio typically 

writes for individual instruments. 

What is the reason for this sudden increase in solid-state 

resolution, particularly with longer-duration events, like the 

build-up and decay of timbre HP has recently argued that the 

improved resolution of the best gear is due, across the board, to 

a significant lowering of the noise floor. However, I’m not certain 

that the 6010 D’s very low noise and very high bandwidth 

are all that make it such a standout, although I am sure that 

these things contribute greatly to its excellence. 

MBL makes a big deal about the quality of the 6010 D’s 

power supply (so, BTW, does ARC with its Reference 3), and 


I’m inclined to think that, in both instances, power supply is 

the key. Part of the difference between solid-state and tubes— 

part of the reason for their characteristically different timing 

errors—is the speed with which they dispense their energy. 

With their quicker rise times, solid-state preamps and amps 

were always better at events that called for sudden bursts, like 

transients or big dynamic swings, and because of their advantage 

in bandwidth this inherent speed was also available at the 

frequency extremes. The “slower,” more bandwidth-limited, 

but more continuously available power (because, unlike transistors, 

tubes have no on-off cycles) of tube preamps and amps 

made them better at providing energy for slower-to-develop, 

longer-duration events, like the buildup and decay of timbres. 

This has now changed. It’s as if the MBL 6010 D has not 

only much greater reserves of power on tap, but it has also developed 

another gear—a sostenuto pedal of its own, if you will— 

so that it no longer treats everything like a transient and, thereby, 

shortchanges the development and decay of timbre. At the 

same time, it is also fair to say that the ARC Reference 3—with 

its greatly improved bandwidth, lower noise floor, and significantly 

beefed-up power supply—no longer blunts starting 

transients to the extent that tubes once did; nor is it anything 

like a slouch at the frequency extremes. While not quite the 

inexhaustible dynamo that is the MBL 6010 D, the Ref 3 

comes surprisingly close to that new paragon (closer, actually, 

than I gave it credit for when I reviewed it), and exceeds the 

6010 D in certain important respects (for which, see below). 

So is the MBL 6010 D the “perfect” preamp While it 

comes closer to these laurels than anything else I’ve heard, no, 

it is not. 

First, it is persistently a bit darker and prettier than life. I 

doubt if either of these colorations will bother anyone much, 

but, for the record, they are there. 

Second, while it has more detail overall than anything else out 

there, some information escapes it. Here we come, again, to the 

classic tube/transistor crossroads. The 6010 D cannot be beat from 

the plane of the instruments—which, characteristically with the 

MBL, are set back a bit in the soundstage—to the rear walls of the 

hall or studio. It will reproduce any musical event that occurs in 

this portion of sonic space more fully than any other piece of electronics 

I’ve heard in my home. But…from the plane of the instruments 

forward to the listener, the Audio Research beats it out. 



What I am referring to here is the way instrumental voices 

are projected towards you and recede back as dynamics build 

and wane—what I call action or bloom. The MBL 6010 D is 

certainly not devoid of bloom, but compared to the ARC it is 

just a bit more static in imaging, where the tube preamp is 

alive with the ebb and flow of musical energy. 

Third, the MBL’s soundstage depth and height are terrific, 

but its stage width seems just a tiny bit narrower or, at least, 

more compacted than the ARC’s. This is probably a psychoacoustic 

effect, because the ARC is a somewhat bigger imager 

than the MBL and not as dark or warm as the 6010 D, and the 

air between and around instruments is therefore easier to sense. 

The difference between the sound of these two preamps is 

actually small but profound: The MBL 6010 D reproduces LPs 

and CDs in a way that seems to take you to the recording site— 

with it you are there in the studio with the musicians. The ARC 

Reference 3 reproduces LPs and CDs in a way that seems to 

bring the instruments from the recording site into your 

home—with it the musicians are there with you in your room. 

Which presentation do I prefer Well…that depends on 

my mood. For the greatest transparency to the source, for that 

time-warp feeling of being an eavesdropper at the recording 

session, the 6010 D is nonpareil. For the greatest life-likeness, 

for that chill-up-the-spine sense of hearing instruments sound 

as if they are in the room with you, the ARC Reference 3 is 

marginally superior—but only marginally. Frankly I can live 

more than happily with either preamp—and do. (I should note 

that the 6010 D gives you the option of a solder-in phonostage 

board that is as good as anything short of top-line stand-alone 

phonostages like the Lamm, Aesthetix, ARC, or ASR. The 

ARC does not have this built-in phonostage option.) 

Of course, if you want to get a taste of both contemporary 

solid-state and tube strengths, just use the old-tried-and-true 

method of pairing the 6010 D with the tube Reference 210 (or 

the ARC Ref 3 with the solid-state MBL 9008); I’ve heard both 

mix ’n’ match combos, and they sound fantastic. & 


5011 Preamp 

Inputs: Seven (one balanced XLR, six single-ended RCA) 

Outputs: Six in two groups. Group One: Two XLR, one RCA; Group 

Two: One XLR, two RCA 

Dimensions: 18" x 6.1" x 15.7" 


Price: $8382 

6010 D Preamp 

Inputs: Eight (two balanced XLR, six single-ended RCA) 

Outputs: Six in two groups. Group One: Two XLR, one RCA; Group 

Two: One XLR, two RCA 

Dimensions: 21" x 9" x 12" 


Price: $18,920 

1521 A CD Transport 

Drive: Die-cast metal frame; 3-beam laser, glass lens 

Type of outputs: One XLR, two RCA 

Dimensions: 18" x 6.3" x 16" 


Price: $9130 

1511 E DAC 

Type of inputs: XLR, RCA, BNC, TosLink (glass optional) 

Type of outputs: One digital (RCA), three analog (two RCA, one XLR) 

Dimensions: 17.7" x 4.4" x 15.7" 


Price: $8910 


MBL OF AMERICA 

6615 East Sleepy Owl Way 

Scottsdale, Arizona 85262 

(480) 563-4393 

mblusa@cox.net 

mbl-germany.de 

WG’s Associated Equipment 

Redpoint Model B turntable; Tri-Planar VII arm; Shelter 90X cartridge; Artemis Labs LA-1 linestage and PL-1 phonostage; 

Hovland HP-200 preamp and RADIA power amp; Kharma MP-150 monoblock amps; Kharma Ceramique 3.2 and Mini 

Exquisite speakers; Kubala-Sosna Emotion interconnects, speaker cables, power cords, and Expression digital cable; Tara 

Labs Zero interconnect and digital cables, Omega speaker cables, and The One power cords; Nordost Thor power distribution 

center; Finite Elemente Spider equipment racks; Hannl record cleaning machine, L’Art du Son LP and CD cleaning 

fluids 

JV’s Associated Equipment 

Walker Proscenium Gold record playing system and Kuzma Stabi XL turntable with Air Line arm; Clearaudio Titanium 

and London Reference cartridges; MBL 1611 E transport/1621 A digital-to-analog converter; Lamm LP2 Deluxe and 

Audio Research PH-7 phonostages; MBL 9011 and 9008 monoblocks and Audio Research Reference 200, and Lamm 

ML2 amplifiers; MBL 101, Ascendo M, and MAGICO Mini loudspeakers; Tara Labs “The Zero” interconnect, Tara Labs 

Omega speaker cable, Tara Labs “The One” power cords; Shakti Hallographs; Winds Arm Load meter; Clearaudio 

Matrix record cleaning machine; Cable Elevators; Walker Audio Velocitors; Walker Audio Valid Points; Walker Custom 

Equipment Stand; Richard Gray Power Company 600S/Pole Pig 



Pass Labs XA160 and X600.5 

Monoblock Power Amplifiers 

Anthony H. Cordesman 

A Tale of Two Amplifiers 

This is not a review for audiophiles who have blundered 

into the wrong magazine and think that all 

amplifiers sound the same. It is an exploration of 

two new amplifiers from the same designer and 

firm, of how their sound differs in nuance, and how 

they differ in terms of their interface with different 

speakers. It also is in some ways a warning about 

amplifier reviews and system interfaces, and about the need to 

carefully listen to the synergy—or lack of it—between your 

power amplifiers, speaker cables, speakers, and listening rooms. 

I also should stress that the two amplifiers involved—the 

Pass XA160 and X600.5—do sound very much alike. They 

should. They are both made by Pass Audio Labs; they are 

both designed by teams led by Nelson Pass; they are built on 

the same chassis; they both have the same basic “super symmetry” 

and two-gainstage circuit topology. They also are 

both expensive high-end products where cost is a minor constraint 

on performance; both sell for $18,000 the pair. 



Both designs are based on long evolutionary experience. 

Nelson Pass is one of the most famous amplifier designers in 

the high end, and the design teams he has led both at 

Threshold and at Pass Labs have consistently pursued accuracy 

and sonic purity, not gimmicks or fashion. Like most of the best 

high-end designers, Pass has gotten 

steadily better. Each generation of 

amplifiers he has produced has been a 

bit cleaner, has better low-level transients 

and dynamics, and is sweeter 

and more detailed. He has also been 

consistent in the way he “voices” his 

amplifiers: open and detailed, not 

warm and forgiving; extended highs 

and flat levels of upper midrange energy; 

equally flat mid and upper bass, 

with no gimmicks to give the sound 

more punch and “rhythm.” 

Like most audiophiles, I’m not 

willing to make one more compromise 

than I have to. I want both power and nuance. I want an amplifier 

that can drive virtually any speaker, regardless of character 

and load. I want it to sound exactly the same every time I turn 

it on, so I can be sure that I hear the real differences between 

the components I’m reviewing in my reference system. I also 

Pass Labs has 

delivered what I 

want in a reference 

component ever 

since it introduced 

its Aleph series 

want it to be both neutral and “musical” in the sense that it is 

revealing and does not color or exaggerate, but also is not “analytic” 

or fatiguing. 

Pass Labs has delivered what I personally want in one of my 

reference components ever since it introduced its Aleph series. I 

have paid close attention to the Pass 

X-series ever since, and when the 

series of events that led to this review 

began, I was using the Pass X600. 

Shortly after the XA160 was introduced, 

however, I replaced my Pass 

X600.5 with it. I chose the XA160s 

over the X600.5s because—like many 

preceding Class A designs and tube 

designs—they offered a slight advantage 

in terms of nuance in low-to-midlevel 

passages. They improved the air, 

life, harmonic integrity, and low-mid 

level dynamics of the music. They also 

tilted the timbre slightly towards the 

upper bass and lower midrange—which helps compensate for 

the bright upper midrange and close-in perspective of far too 

many modern recordings. Plus my main reference speakers—the 

TAD-1s and Theil 7.2s—have very extended highs and more 

upper midrange energy than most reference-quality speakers. 

The Key Design and Technical Differences Between 

the XA160 and X600.5 

The primary design and 

technical differences 

between the XA160 and 

X600.5 are in their output 

circuitry and power. The 

differences in their specifications 

for distortion, frequency range, 

and flatness of response are virtually 

negligible. The X600.5, however, 

is a 600-watt amplifier into 8 

ohms, and the XA160 is 160 watts; 

the X600.5 has a maximum current 

of 25 amps and the XA160 of 

7 amps. The X600.5 has a faster 

slew rate. 

The power output of the X600.5 

increases to 900 watts into 4-ohm 

loads. The power of the XA160 

drops sharply into lower impedances. 

The X600.5 has a nominal 

damping factor of approximately 

1000, and the XA160 has a nominal 

damping factor of 30. In terms of 

basic design, the XA160 is a pure 

Class A design while the X600.5 has 

a Class A initial gainstage, but the 

output stage only operates in Class 

A at low-to-medium-low power levels 

before shifting to Class B. 

I asked Nelson Pass to explain 

the difference in design and sound 

quality from his perspective, and he 

put it this way: “The very first X 

amplifier was the X1000 and was 

intended to illustrate the capability 

of the SuperSymmetric circuit by 

delivering more high-quality power 

with two gainstages than anyone 

had ever seen. Of course, we followed 

that up with the rest of the X 

product line. 

“The Class AB X amplifiers did very 

well for us, but this is a company that 

usually has at least some Class A 

amplifiers for sale, and as the Aleph 

series faded,we looked to build Class 

A X amplifiers. They would not have 

the higher power of the AB circuits 

and they would operate less efficiently. 

An XA160 would deliver 160 

watts and the X600 output 600 watts, 

but they both required the same 

amount of resources and idled at 500 

watts or so. 

“The X.5 and XA have a slightly 

different customer base. The X.5 

delivers more power and a lot more 

current. It is appropriate to tougher 

loads and for more cost-sensitive 

customers. The XA sounds better in 

general, but this assumes 6-ohm 

impedance or higher, and lesser 

power requirements.” AHC 



These differences between the X600 and XA160 occurred, 

however, as much because of amplifier and speaker interactions 

as because of the inherent sonic character of the two amplifiers. 

Moreover, I gave something up in switching to the XA160s. As 

any reviewer can tell you, there is often only a marginal correlation 

between the technical measurement of an amplifier’s 

power and its real-world musical performance in a given system. 

The X600s, however, had much more apparent power 

than the XA160s with my relatively power-hungry TAD-1s 

and Theil 7.2s. There was a very clear loss of high-level dynamic 

capability and musical energy and life with full orchestral 

music and grand opera, and not just with sonic spectaculars. 

These differences were not significant with more efficient, 

easier-to-drive, or less-capable speakers. The Polk LSi-15 is efficient 

enough in any actual system and listening room that 

amplifier power is less important. It cannot reproduce the same 

level of dynamics as the TAD-1 and Thiel 7.2. The Quad 989 

is a very good speaker, but lifelike, high dynamic levels are also 

simply not its forte. With the Polks and Quads, the XA160 

was clearly the better choice, and one that did not involve any 

meaningful sonic sacrifices. 

At the same time, the XA160 did not do as well with a truly 

difficult load like the Spendor BC-1. The amp loses nearly half 

its rated power into four-ohm loads, and my reference speakers 

are nominally 4-ohm speakers. It did not have the X600’s amazing 

capability to control the speaker almost regardless of load. 

This became equally clear in terms of some aspects of the Thiel 

C7.2’s performance at more moderate listening levels, and in 

control over the bass in the TAD-1. The XA160 is not particularly 

speaker- or cable-sensitive. In fact, it is much less sensitive 

than many high-end solid-state amps and many vacuum tube 

amps. It is, however, more sensitive than the X600. 

Accordingly, when Pass announced the X600.5 and 

claimed it had more of the virtues of the XA160, but still had 

all the power I wanted, asking to audition it was an obvious 

choice. You don’t have to be a reviewer, or even an audiophile, 

to want the best of both or all worlds in a single option. 

Well, I didn’t get the perfect solution or the ultimate best 

of both worlds. The XA160 still outperforms the X600.5 in 

the areas where it outperformed the X600. This comes through 

if you compare the two amps with a highly revealing and calibrated 

recording like the new Dolby Labs “Resolution 

Project”—an extraordinary musical test record that compares 

the same selections of jazz and classical music at different digital 

sampling rates from the lowest up to 24-bit/192kHz. 

The X600.5 is, however, a serious sonic upgrade from the 

X600. It does everything better in the areas where the XA160 is 

still better and is a very close match. It does better in high-level 

dynamics and the deep bass than the X600. It also shows that 

power really does make a difference. Music comes more alive. 

What sometimes seems like a touch of hardness in your speakers 

or source material is revealed to be the amplifier’s limitations in 

handling sudden loud peaks. The same, strangely enough, can be 

true of the softness or lack of detail in sustained organ swells. 

High-power amplifiers almost always seem to have better 

control over the speaker, particularly in the bass. This is true 

even in tube amplifiers with low damping factors, but it is 

especially true of solid-state amps with high damping factors. 



The low bass is more powerful and cleaner, the midbass is 

tighter, and the transition from the upper bass to lower 

midrange is cleaner. 

If you have a speaker that can be biamped, you can have the 

best of both worlds. Put a pair of X600.5s on the woofer and a 

pair of XA160s on the midrange and treble. This was the ideal 

solution with my TAD-1s, although I should stress I live in a 

detached house with reasonably tolerant neighbors. There is the 

little matter, however, of cost. The combination of a pair of 

XA160s and X600.5s is some $36,000. 

Moreover, biamping does impose some minor trade-offs of 

its own. You’ll get an argument on this from some of the best 

reviewers and designers in the business. But to me, biamping 

always imposes at least some cost in the coherence of solo 

instruments, solo voice, and great chamber music and jazz 

recordings. Important as combining high-level dynamic contrasts 

with midrange air and sweetness can be at very high levels, 

there is no such thing as a free launch (pun intended). 

We are talking about two great amplifiers here, some of the 

best equipment around. The Pass Labs XA160 and X600.5 

should definitely be on your auditioning list if your taste in 

sound is anything like mine, and if it isn’t, you should audition 

them anyhow simply to hear them and decide whether or not 

your taste has changed. 

& 


Pass XA160 

Power Output: 160 watts into 8 ohms 

Dimensions 19" x 11.5" x 22" 

Weight 150 lbs. 

Pass X600.5 

Power Output: 600 watts into 8 ohms 

Dimensions 19" x 11.5" x 22" 

Weight 150 lbs. 


VPI TNT HX-X turntable and HWJr 12.5 arm; Van den Hul Black Beauty, 

Sumiko Celebration, and Koetsu Onyx Cartridges; McIntosh MVP-861 

SACD/DVD-A/DVD player; PS Audio Lambda CD transport (modified); 

TacT 2.2X digital preamp-room correction-equalizer-D/A convertor; Pass 

Xono phono preamp; Pass X0.2 stereo preamp 


PASS LABORATORIES 

P.O. Box 219, Foresthill Road 

Foresthill, California 95631 

(530) 367-3690 

passlabs.com 

Prices: $18,000 each 

Arcam AV9 Controller 

We are so happy you like our AV9 processor. As to your 

impressions of the sonics of the AV9 we see no issue with 

Alan’s conclusions. He seems to have hit on exactly what 

Arcam intended to do. John Dawson, the founder of Arcam, 

writes “Arcam balanced the sound of analog inputs of the 

AV8/9 to suit analog (i.e. mostly music) playback, whereas 

[we] realized the digital inputs were most likely to be assomanufacturer 

comments 

Aerial Acoustic Model 9 Loudspeaker 

Our design goal for the Model 9 was to exceed the benchmark 

performance of its predecessor, the Model 10T, while 

improving both sensitivity and appearance. As with the 10T, 

we also wanted to provide performance comparable to speakers 

at double its price. 

Exceeding the 10T’s midrange and treble openness, naturalness, 

and transparency was particularly difficult. The 

result speaks for itself as Jacob’s comments reveal. 

In the bass, we used 4 expensive, long-stroke 7.1" 

woofers to provide exceptional quickness and control with 

the cone area equivalent to a 14" woofer, but without the 

larger driver’s limitations. This is also how we increased 

power handling and achieved 90dB sensitivity. Low frequency 

extension was not sacrificed. Downward venting 

was used to provide more constant loading and better 

placement flexibility than rear venting. The front baffle is 

8.5" narrow for good imaging. The slim profile cabinet is 

well-braced for low coloration, and has large internal volume 

for deep bass extension. 

Regarding overall performance, we appreciated Jacob’s 

various comments such as “luscious midrange, overall 

smoothness, detail, authority, image stability, splendid linearity, 

and dynamic ease.” We would like to add that these 

characteristics are constant from quiet to thunderous levels. 

During our visit, we did not have a chance to hear the 

speakers in Jacob’s new listening room since it was under 

construction. We set up temporarily in an untreated, square 

room, which exhibited the usual glare and lumpy bass common 

to such rooms. Normally we like to verify that the final 

setup is good. I can only guess that placement was not optimum 

(dynamic speakers generally require different positioning 

than planars), or that the new room, whose dimensions 

and wall treatments were changed, was not yet familiar. Our 

experience, and that of our customers, is that the Model 9 

does not have the problems noted. 

Once again, we appreciate this opportunity and welcome 

any questions. We hope readers will seek out and visit displaying 

Aerial dealers so they can hear for themselves what 

Jacob found so special in the new Model 9s. 

MICHAEL KELLY 

AERIAL ACOUSTICS 


ciated with movie playback from DVD or a set-top box, so 

[we] engineered the replay via these to be a little more forward 

in presentation, to suit the additional clarity required 

by that medium.” 

The only other comment we felt should be added is that 

Arcam also offers an upgrade for all existing AV8 owners. They 

only need to contact their local dealer to find out the details. 

BOB SCRANTON, VP SALES & MARKETING 

AUDIOPHILE SYSTEMS, LTD 

ARC 300.2 Amplifier 

Thank you for including our 300.2 amplifier in your comparison. 

We are pleased that you saw fit to compare the 300.2 

to the McIntosh and Classé amps which retail for $4200 and 

$6000 more, respectively. I could afford a wonderful preamplifier 

or pair of speakers for the difference in cost! 

Tom mentions several times that the 300.2 improved 

dramatically after it had 24 to 48 hours of warm-up. We 

think the improvement is even greater after a week, improving 

smoothness and image focus. Because it idles at a mere 

50 watts, probably drawing less electricity than the light 

bulb on your desk, the 300.2 is intended to be left on continuously 

for best sound. With its great efficiency the 300.2 

runs cool and does not heat up your room. 

“Many audiophiles… are interested in choosing amplifiers 

to tune their systems.” This is part of the system-building 

process in which the combined components must be 

synergistic—they must sound right together, in the best 

sense, not merely having two wrongs balance each other out 

to make a right. Yes, we have a musically involving amplifier, 

but the other components that precede it in the system 

must be as musically involving as possible, too, because an 

amplifier as good as the 300.2 cannot compensate for their 

deficiencies. 

And, thank you for buying the 300.2, Tom; we hope you 

will enjoy it for many years to come. 

DAVID GORDON, SALES MANAGER, NORTH AMERICA 

AUDIO RESEARCH CORPORATION 

MAGICO Mini Loudspeaker 

I know this sounds terribly self-congratulatory, but we couldn’t 

be happier with The Absolute Sound’s glowing review of the 

MAGICO Mini (from Issue 163). Although we like to think that 

we design and build loudspeakers to satisfy our own internal criteria 

for excellence, there is still no small measure of gratification 


when an experienced and critical reviewer such as Jonathan Valin 

so firmly places his stamp of approval on our efforts. 

That said, I would like to acknowledge and say something 

about the 800-lb. audiophile gorilla alluded to in this review 

(and in Robert Harley’s wonderful take on the MAGICO 

Ultimate that appeared in TAS 160), i.e., the “high-end” cost 

of “high-end” equipment. I know this is a passionately argued 

sticking point for many TAS readers for a wide variety of reasons, 

both economic and psychological. When I made the decision 

to re-envision MAGICO as a legitimate loudspeaker manufacturer 

after years of being known as an ultra-boutique 

builder of cost-no-object one-of-a-kind projects, I had to face 

that ugly (but perhaps obvious) economic reality that most 

products in this and almost every other industry are designed 

and built to some targeted price point determined by market 

research, tea leaves, or the demands of investors, stock holders, 

or corporate executives demanding a return on the dollar. But 

when push came to shove, every time we tried to introduce 

some compromise in design, parts/materials selection, or manufacturing 

quality for the sole purpose of making a MAGICO 

speaker less expensive, I was unhappy. Why Because by definition 

compromise means that some aspect of the speaker’s performance, 

whether functional or aesthetic, had to be less than 

the best that I could imagine. And I just couldn’t live with 

that. We decided that we would continue to make the best 

loudspeakers possible, and quite frankly, live with profit margins 

that are substantially lower then the industry standard. 

As a result, MAGICO is still an ultra-boutique builder 

of cost-no-object projects, but now we just make a few more 

of them for people who can look at our design, parts, materials, 

construction techniques, and most of all, sonic performance, 

and recognize that other ugly economic reality— 

that in the end, most often, you do get what you pay for. 

ALON WOLF 

MAGICO 

Crystal Cable 

After our start, which was indeed made with the help of 

Siltech, Crystal Cable is a separate, independent company, 

with its own R&D, production and design team, and a completely 

different set of distributors. 

Crystal Cable uses coaxial construction, with one silvergold 

solid-core conductor, Kapton isolation, silver shield, 

and a Teflon outer jacket. We do not have multiple silver 

conductors; our ultra-thin conductor is made of pure silver 

with gold infusions to fill molecular gaps. 

GABI VAN DER KLEY, PRESIDENT/CEO 

CRYSTAL CABLE BV 


m u s i c CLASSICAL 

Classical Caps 

Golijov: Ainadamar. Dawn Upshaw, 

soprano; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra 

and Chorus, Robert Spano, conductor. 

Sid McLauchlan, producer; Wolf-Dieter 

Karwatky, engineer. Deutsche 

Grammophon B0006429. 

Music: ★★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

René Jacobs 

Os v a l d o 

Golijov— 

born in Argentina, 

trained in 

Israel and the 

U.S.—possesses 

one of most distinctive 

and immediately appealing 

compositional gifts to come along in 

some time. His sure dramatic instincts 

are apparent in Ainadamar, an “Opera in 

Three Images,” presented with the 

strongest possible advocacy by a cast featuring 

Dawn Upshaw and supported by 

the musically omnivorous Robert Spano 

and his Atlanta forces. 

“Ainadamar” is Arabic for “fountain 

of tears.” It’s the name of an ancient well 

near Granada where the Spanish poet 

and playwright Frederico Garcia Lorca 

was killed by Falangist soldiers in 1936. 

The central character in Golijov’s work 

is the actress Margarita Xirga, who 

remembers back from the vantage point 

of the late 1960s to her early collaborations 

with Lorca—with some guilt, as 

she fears she might have saved him. In 

the work’s central “image,” Margarita is 

transported back to 1936 and her failed 

effort to get Lorca to join her abroad. 

The final part of the opera returns to 

Margarita’s present: Lorca appears to 

thank the actress for keeping his art, and 

thus freedom, alive. She is redeemed, 

and can then die herself. 

Golijov’s advanced tonal language, 

infused with Latin/Iberian and Middle 

Eastern elements, is irresistible, the 

music frequently driven along on hypnotic 

rhythmic grooves. The chorus 

employs only women, who often function 

more like back-up singers in a pop 

production than an operatic chorus. 

There are flamenco guitars and percussion, 

and seamlessly integrated electronic 

effects. Upshaw sings with 

sweep, tremendous emotional range, 

and linguistic security—the libretto, by 

David Henry Hwang (M Butterfly) was 

translated into Spanish by the composer. 

Her final “Yo soy la libertad” (“I am 

freedom”) is radiant. Lorca, who was 

homosexual, is portrayed by mezzosoprano 

Kelley O’Connor with an 

androgynous gracefulness. 

DG’s sound is dynamic and timbrally 

smooth, with satisfactory dimensionality. 

When Lorca is shot, the spent 

shells hit the ground with disturbing 

verisimilitude, before the gunfire 

morphs into a kind of hip-hop beat. A 

must-hear. 

ANDREW QUINT 

FURTHER LISTENING: Golijov: Ayre 

(Upshaw); Kronos Quartet: Nuevo 

Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito. Soloists, 

RIAS Kammerchor, Freiburg Baroque 

Orchestra, René Jacobs, conductor. 

Richard Lorber, producer; René Möller, 

engineer. Harmonia Mundi 801923.24. 

Music: ★★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★★ 

La Clemenza di 

Tito was, with 

the concurrently 

written Die Zauberflute, 

Mozart’s last 

opera. Despite containing 

some of the 

master’s finest music, it’s hard for modern 

listeners to accept its acres of recitatives and 

the unbelievable goodness of the Roman 

Emperor, whose Enlightenment ideals of 

morality and mercy lead him to pardon his 

wife-to-be and his closest friend, who conspired 

to kill him. 

So a willing suspension of disbelief is 

required to imaginatively enter the plot and 

characters, and to revel in Mozart’s music. 

Star Ratings Key: ★ Poor ★★ Fair ★★★ Good ★★★★ Excellent ★★★★★ Extraordinary 


m u s i c classical 

Jacobs helps us by investing the opera with 

dramatic fire that closes the temporal and 

musical distance between the opera and 

today’s listener. He takes liberties—adjusting 

dynamics and tempos, and modifying 

the recitatives which the composer farmed 

out to a student. Most of all, Jacobs makes 

the opera come to life, his singers delivering 

those recitatives with vibrant conviction. 

The outstanding cast idiomatically 

embellishes coloratura passages. Mark 

Padmore is a firm-voiced Tito, convincing 

as he wrestles with his conscience. The key 

figure is Sesto, Tito’s impressionable young 

friend seduced into betrayal by Vitellia, a 

nasty piece of work who’s a walking bundle 

of hate, greed, and jealousy until she, too, 

sees the light at the end. Mezzo-soprano 

Bernarda Fink is first-rate as Sesto, persuasive 

in her portrayal of a good man (it’s a 

pants role) who does wrong and hates himself 

for it. Soprano Alexandrina 

Pendatchanska’s Vittelia never overdoes 

the villainous bit, and her change of 

heart is as credible as the text allows. The 

remainder of the cast and chorus is excellent, 

and the period orchestra digs in; 

just listen to the rip-roaring Overture. 

Heard in both CD and SACD stereo, 

the engineering is lifelike, with plenty 

of bite to the instruments and strong 

bass; the period drums really register. 

Voice-orchestra balances are excellent, 

and the transparent studio sound emulates 

a small opera-house performance. A 

boon for Mozartians. 

DAN DAVIS 

FURTHER LISTENING: Mozart: Cosi fan tutti 

(Jacobs); Mozart: Marriage of Figaro (Jacobs) 

John Foulds: Dynamic Triptych, Music- 

Pictures Group III, April—England, The 

Song of Ram Dass. Peter Donohoe, piano; 

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, 

Sakari Oramo conductor. Tim Oldham, 

producer. Warner Classics 62999. 

Music: ★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★ 

In the liner 

notes to this 

impressive recording, 

British 

composer John 

Foulds’ son 

Patrick recalls 

spending time as a boy with his family 

in Italy near Mount Etna. He remembers 

the mountain sometimes puffing white 

smoke from its restless depths, its snowcovered 

peak at other times cloaked in 

soft pink light. That description aptly 

sums up Dynamic Triptych for piano and 

orchestra (1927-29), a piano concerto that 

moves from pounding ostinati to beautiful 

serenity, all punctuated by a string 

section that occasionally plays quarter 

tones that evoke the sense of falling in a 

dream. This is modern music that anticipates 

Bartók, Martinu, and Prokofiev 

while remaining firmly grounded in the 

Romantic era. 

Written shortly after Foulds’ sprawling 

War Requiem (at the close of the 

Great War), Dynamic Triptych is composed 

of three movements (in sonata 

form) that alternately explore mode, 

color, and rhythm. The seven-note mode 

of the toccata-like opening movement 

builds upon compositional explorations 

of Foulds’ earlier “Old Greek Legend” 

and creates a setting for Donohoe’s 

bravura performance. The slow second 

movement, with those dreamy quarter 

tones, casts what Foulds called “rainbow 

hues” as a backdrop for romantic piano 

themes. The third movement is constructed 

around a persistent rhythm— 

2/4 plus 3/4 plus 4/4—that drunkenly 

swings from march to waltz time before 

a dramatic climax. 

The remaining works are much less 

adventurous. April—England (Impression 

of Time and Place) is a bubbling ode to 

Spring. Music-Pictures III has been called 

Foulds’ Pictures at an Exhibition. The Song 

of Ram Dass is an exquisite miniature 

based on an Indian-style melody. Keltic 

Lament reflects Foulds’ reputation as a 

composer for theater scores and light fare. 

Sonically, this is a marvelously balanced 

recording that blends Donohoe’s 

thrilling piano work with an orchestra 

and conductor that have a firm grasp on 

the demanding dynamics and compositional 

twists presented in Foulds’ works. 

The only fault is the disappointingly flat 

soundstage. 

GREG CAHILL 

FURTHER LISTENING: John Foulds: Three 

Mantras; Alwyn: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 

and 2, Sonata alla toccata (with Donohoe) 

Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6. 

St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Yuri Temirkanov, 

conductor. Anna Barry, producer; 

Andrew Mellor and Neil Hutchinson, 

engineers. Warner Classics 623544. 

Music: ★★★★ Sonics: ★★★★ 

T emirkanov 

and the St. 

Peterburg 

Philharmonic 

have this music in 

their bones—the 

orchestra, then 

the Leningrad Symphony, premiered 

both works back in 1937 (the 5th) and 

1939 (6th) under the legendary 

Yevgeny Mravinsky, and it’s often 

played by the ensemble under the direction 

of many conductors, including 

Temirkanov, Mravinsky’s successor at 

the orchestra’s helm. 

A decade ago, Temirkanov made 

highly regarded versions of these works 

for RCA, but this new Warner Classics 

disc boasts comparable, if more expansive, 

interpretations. This Fifth was 

recorded at a 2005 concert in 

Birmingham, England. It’s a bit more 

leisurely than it needs to be in some 

places—not least in the opening movement, 

whose grotesque march parody 

could have more edge, and in the Largo, 

whose more flowing tempo in 

Temirkanov’s earlier version more effectively 

sustained tension. The finale is 

the slowest of seven CD versions I auditioned, 

but it’s hard to fault the measured 

buildup of its ominous march, 

gaining power as it progresses to an 

ambiguous if powerful ending. Much 

ink has been spilled on Shostakovich’s 

political intentions in this symphony, 

but there’s no need to add to that rising 

tide—Temirkanov makes it musically 

coherent and moving. 

The Sixth is as successful. An oddly 

structured work, its first movement is 

considerably longer than the remaining 

two combined. Temirkanov avoids 

the pitfall of making those final movements 

seem like alien growths grafted 

onto the first. The orchestra’s winds 

shine with terrific solos, and the final 



Presto finds Shostakovich at his 

wildest after a Rossinian passage in 

which the strings quote the William 

Tell Overture (think Lone Ranger!). 

Generally fine engineering, but you’ll 

have to find the sweet spot on the volume 

control to fully reveal the Fifth’s detail and 

impact, as it lacks the RCA version’s 

greater dynamic contrasts. The Sixth, 

recorded live in St. Petersburg this 

January, is as detailed, and the vivid, 

upfront sound delivers greater impact. DD 

FURTHER LISTENING: Shostakovich: 

Complete Symphonies (Barshai); 

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 (Ancerl) 

Prokofiev: Complete Symphonies. London 

Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conductor. 

James Mallison, producer; 

Jonathan Stokes, engineer. Philips 

4757655 (four CDs). Music: ★★★★ 

Sonics: ★★★ 

Of Prokofiev’s 

seven symphonies, 

the most 

popular are the 

Mozartian First, 

whose neo-classic 

style helped dispel 

the composer’s image as music’s Bad 

Boy, and the mock-heroic Fifth, for its 

irresistible melodies and energy. The 

Second’s a motoric 1920s “Age of Steel” 

work that substitutes big bangs for 

musical interest. The Third is drawn 

from Prokofiev’s opera The Fiery Angel, 

and though more interesting, it also 

venerates noise. The Fourth, heard in 

both its original 1930 version and its 

1947 extended final form, is a reworking 

of Prokofiev’s The Prodigal Son ballet; 

many of the symphonies include 

strokes typical of his stage music. 

The Fifth’s melodic richness is 

joined to ingenious orchestration and 

firm structure, further enhanced by 

rewarding complexities—like the way 

the opening flute-bassoon theme 

returns in menacing brass and percussion, 

and the finale’s ambiguous coda 

whose false optimism is undercut by 

bleating trumpets. The grim Sixth is 

also outstanding, its Largo interrupted 

by threatening rhythms and brass eruptions, 

and the finale’s triumphal ending 

destabilized by an ominous march and 

orchestral screams of pain. The Seventh, 

from 1952, is more genial but with sarcastic 

touches such as the ominous bass 

ostinato that contradicts the apparently 

cheerful melodic line in the finale. 

Gergiev’s not a subtle conductor, so 

he’s in his element in the raw violence 

of these works, less so in lyric passages 

where he short-changes elements of 

elegance and brooding slow movements 

defeat his ability to maintain 

tension. Still, there’s plenty to admire. 

The First may be a tad too heavy and 

lacking in style, but the orchestral outbursts 

are handled well and the playing 

superb. This set’s an attractive way to 

own all of Prokofiev’s symphonies, but 

individual works have more eloquent 

exponents—Abbado in the Third, 

Ancerl in the Fifth, Malko in the First 

and Seventh, to mention a few. 

Kuchar’s budget-priced Naxos is as 

good, as is Jarvi’s on Chandos. 

The 2004 concert was taped live at 

the London Orchestra’s acoustically 

challenged Barbican Center home, and 

the sound is far from state-of-the-art, 

imposing an aural scrim between stage 

and listener. The wooly bass and slightly 

blurred details are scant progress, 

since Dorati’s 1959 Fifth on Mercury 

and Malko’s 1955 Seventh on EMI 

sound more dynamic and immediate. 

Still, the engineering is on par with 

most of today’s orchestral releases and 

better than many. 

DD 

FURTHER LISTENING: Prokofiev: 

Symphonies (Kuchar); Prokofiev: Piano 

Concertos (Gergiev) 

R. Luke DuBois: Timelapse. DuBois, 

producer. Cantaloupe 1035. 

Music: ★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★★ 

Five-star concepts do not necessarily 

yield five-star music. For Timelapse, 

R. Luke DuBois came up with an ingenious 

idea: Take 

every song that 

hit No. 1 on the 

Billboard “Hot 

100” chart from 

1958 to 2000 

and digitally 

analyze each for its average timbre (or 

what he calls the music’s “spectral average” 

of key and register); realize a sonic 

equivalent of this average by means of a 

statistical algorithm run through 

Max/MSP and Jitter programs; allocate 

one second of playback time for each 

week the song occupied the No. 1 slot; 

and voilà!, Billboard, a 37-minute 

sound work in four parts, compressing 

857 hit songs into a time-lapse 

“overview of pop history in the United 

States,” as DuBois calls it. He fills out 

the CD with similar treatments of the 

preludes and fugues from J.S. Bach’s 

The Well Tempered Clavier and the 

soundtrack from Casablanca. 

Anyone suffering from a music-listening 

variant of OCD might have a whale of 

time trying to identify the snippet that 

represents Wayne Fontana & the Mind 

Benders’ “Game of Love” or Culture 

Club’s “Karma Chameleon” or any other 

chart-topper during Billboard, for which 

an imbedded video with artist names and 

track titles is included. Everyone else will 

have to settle for whatever intrigue they 

find in the dense, chord-like stop-andstart 

swaths of texture and pitch. 

Excellent sonics which render the 

electronic tones in sumptuous velveteen 

along a deep, narrow, vanishing-point 

perspective between speakers greatly 

enhance the listening experience and 

especially help the ten-minute Casablanca 

treatment achieve a kind of fog-like 

mystery and ambient beauty lacking in 

the other pieces. Ultimately, DuBois’ 

delicious sound and furious thinking 

don’t signify “nothing,” but they don’t 

draw us into the kind of experience the 

concept promises. 

DERK RICHARDSON 

Further Listening: Brian Eno: Ambient 1: 

Music for Airports, Plunderphonics: 

Greyfolded 1969-1996 



SACD 

RECORDING OF THE ISSUE 

The Cries of London. Theater of Voices; 

Fretwork. Nicholas Parker, producer; 

Parker and Brad Michel, engineers. Hybrid 

multichannel. Harmonia Mundi 807214. 

Music: ★★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★★ 

Mostly, the actual sounds of daily life 

accompanying the 99.999% of 

human existence before Thomas Alva 

Edison are forever lost. Here’s an exception. 

In the first 

decades of the 

seventeenth century, 

it became 

the rage for 

respected English 

composers to 

incorporate the distinctive vocalizations 

of London’s working class, plying their 

goods and services, into musical works. 

This enchanting disc from Paul Hillier’s 

Theater of Voices and peerless viol consort 

Fretwork offers several of these, all 

from musicians born in the later 1500s. 

The best-known composer here is 

Orlando Gibbons, highly regarded in 

his lifetime for sacred music. His twopart 

Cries takes us from the early morning 

hours to midnight with dozens of 

personages colorfully represented, as the 

five singers continually alter the character 

of their voices and accents. Both sections 

end with an appealing, madrigallike 

summation. In the margins next to 

the texts, Harmonia Mundi provides 

explanations of terms that will certainly 

be unfamiliar to contemporary listeners: 

“frumenty” is cereal with milk; a “closestool” 

is a chamber pot. 

The Cries set by Thomas Weelkes 

and Richard Dering views the same 

reality but is subtly different in effect. 

Good humor abounds, as (in the 

Weelkes work) the folks on the street 

are not just hawking mackerel, salt, and 

apple pie but also seeking information 

HOT WAX 

New vinyl releases 

Hindemith: Violin Concerto/Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3. 

Joseph Fuchs, violin; London Symphony Orchestra, Eugene 

Goossens, cond. Bert Whyte, recording engineer. Classic 

Records/Everest SDBB-3040 (200-gram LP). 

Music: ★★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★★ 

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition/Night on Bald Mountain. 

London Symphony Orchestra, Malcom Sargent, cond. Bert 

Whyte, recording engineer. Classic Records/Everest SDBB- 

3053 (200-gram LP). Music: ★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 

The first of Hindemith’s eight concertos, 

the Violin Concerto was composed 

in 1939—the year that the Second World 

War began—and yet, hearing it, one 

would never guess that the world was 

falling apart (as one would from, say, the 

second movement of Bartók’s 

Divertimento for String Orchestra or the 

whole of Hartmann’s Concerto Funebre 

for Violin and String Orchestra, both of 

which were also composed in 1939). Big, 

raw-boned, and romantic, Hindemith’s 

concerto has the soar and sweep of a great 

nineteenth-century concerto and, in its 

alternation of the violin part and the orchestral parts, some 

of the concertante style of the eighteenth. Yet it couldn’t be 

more twentieth-century in its expressively chromatic but 

fundamentally tonal idiom, or more timeless in its joyous 

energy and invention. Though he went into exile in the 

U.S. to protest the Nazi regime, for Hindemith—as for 

Matthias Grünewald, the artist-hero of his great opera 

Mathis der Maler—art and politics were, finally, separate 

(though Hindemith was only too well aware that the fascists 

didn’t look at things this way). While the concerto has 

been recorded often (most notably by Stern and Bernstein), 

this exciting, expertly played, very-well-recorded (at 

London’s Walthamstow Hall, no less) Fuchs/Goossens version 

is entirely worthy of purchase—the gem of these 

Classic/Everest reissues. 

Little needs to be said about Pictures at an Exhibition. It 

is witty, colorful, evocative, and astonishingly original, and 

Ravel’s orchestration of what was written as a piece for solo 

piano is famously celebrated. Alas, this performance is pretty 

close to awful. Though Classic, in its PR, tries to spin 

Sargent’s lethargic conducting into something interesting, it 

is not. It is dull and torpid. This is one I would avoid—not 

so much because of the sound, which is good but not great, 

but because of the performance. 

A word or two on Bert Whyte’s recordings. At his 

Everest label, Whyte pioneered stereo recording on 35mm 

film rather than 1/2" magnetic tape. (Mercury’s 35mm 

recordings came later, though, like Whyte, Merc, too, 

always used a minimalist miking setup.) The advantages of 

the larger format offered by 35mm film were said to be better 

frequency response and linearity and higher signal-tonoise 

ratios, though some folks found the sound of original 

Everests a bit hot and “glassy.” 

Classics has taken great pains to get the tape-to-disc 

transfer process just right, using a vintage Westrex 1551 

tape machine, with specially built tube playback electronics. 

To my ear, the results are a complete success. Classic’s Len 

Horowitz and Bernie Grundman have tamed the hot high 

end of Everests without touching their famously lovely textures 

and dynamics, and vast soundstaging. Bravo to both! 

JONATHAN VALIN 



on a missing horse—blind, minus a leg, 

and possessing “a great hole in her arse 

and there your snout.” Dering also provides 

a slapstick rural version of this 

slice-of-life treatment, The Country 

Cries, and William Cobbold’s New 

Fashions, in a more traditional verse setting, 

surveys the era’s interpersonal and 

romantic terrain. 

These quasi-documentary pieces are 

broken up on the disc by purely instrumental 

selections by Gibbons and 

Dering. The ensemble sonority produced 

by the six-member Fretwork is 

intoxicating—rich, beautifully balanced, 

and technically secure, lending 

flawless intonation and complete clarity 

to the independent voices. Also programmed 

are two unaccompanied partsongs 

and three “echo duets” by Michael 

East. Finally, there’s Thomas 

Ravenscroft’s haunting ballad, The Three 

Ravens, gorgeously sung by soprano Elsa 

Torp and supported by the other vocalists 

and bowed instruments. 

The sound is a pleasure, with both 

voices and viols sumptuously reproduced. 

Multichannel possibilities are 

knowingly exploited. In Gibbon’s Cries, 

voices appear sparingly in the rear channels; 

in Weelkes’ work, a single vendor 

approaches from the distance, passes by, 

and then recedes behind the listener. You 

don’t have to be an early music enthusiast 

to thoroughly enjoy this gem AQ 

FURTHER LISTENING: Les Travailleurs de 

la Mer (The Harp Consort); Bolivian 

Baroque (Florilgium) (SACD) 

Wagner: Die Walküre. John Bröcheler 

(Wotan); Lisa Gasteen (Brünnhilde); Stuart 

Skelton (Siegmund); Deborah Riedel 

(Sieglinde); Richard Green (Hunding); 

State Opera of South Australia, Asher 

Fisch, conductor. Maria Vandamme and 

Ian Perry, producers; Phil Rowlands, engineer. 

Hybrid multichannel. Melba 

301091-94 (four discs). Music: ★★★ 

Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

This 

Die 

Walküre is the 

first complete 

Wagner opera to 

appear on SACD. 

It’s not, of course, 

the first in surround 

sound: considering only the Ring, 

there are six cycles on DVD, complete or 

in progress, all with a multichannel 

option. But those are relatively low-fi 

DTS or Dolby Digital, which cheats the 

listener out of some of the composer’s 

luxuriant orchestral syntax. 

Melba’s live recording was made 

with 65 microphones. The final product 

sounds like it was mixed for atmosphere 

rather than attempting to document a 

real-life acoustic, in this case the 

Adelaide Festival Center. Voices, with 

rare exception, are upfront, but the 

orchestral recording allows Wagner partisans 

to wallow in the richly scored 

strings and brasses as never before. The 

rear channels occasionally output direct 

sound—Hunding’s horns at the close of 

Act II, or an arriving Valkyrie in Act III. 

Timbrally, the sound is smooth with a 

solid bottom end. 

Most of the singers for the entire 

Adelaide Ring, of which this set is the 

first installment, are capable 

Australians. There are two world-class 

Wagnerians here, German John 

Bröcheler and Lisa Gasteen (who hails 

from Down Under). A good Wotan and 

Brünnhilde count for a lot in Die 

Walküre and things are best when 

they’re on stage. Bröcheler’s nicely 

paced second act monologue and the 

opera’s last scene between father and 

daughter are highlights; Brünnhilde’s 

Act II encounter with the doomed 

Siegmund is another. Act I—no Wotan 

or Brünnhilde—is a disappointment. 

Stuart Skelton’s voice has a baritonal 

quality that’s appealing in quieter passages 

but, when the part’s high and 

loud, lacks the ring and heft of the best 

heldentenors. Deborah Riedel’s 

Sieglinde is richly and securely sung, 

but, as Hunding, Richard Green doesn’t 

sound nearly fearsome and abusive 

enough. Asher Fisch, an experienced 

Wagner conductor from Israel, favors 

brisk tempos, sometimes to the detriment 

of the dramatic effect, as with 

Wotan’s Farewell, which is robbed of a 

little of its tender poignancy. 

The lavish packaging includes useful 

notes and a German/English libretto. AQ 

Further Listening: Wagner: Arias (Bryn 

Terfel) (SACD); Wagner: Orchestral Music 

(SACD) 


m u s i c JAZZ 

Jazz Caps 

Frank Kimbrough: Play. Matt Balitsaris, 

producer and engineer. Palmetto 2118. 

Music: ★★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

Frank 

Kimbrough 

is a 

pianist of spare 

rhapsodizing. 

His music sways 

and swoons, not 

because he embellishes 

a chord or throws in a triplet 

but because he plays just the precise 

notes and color tones to achieve his 

effect—and nothing more. It’s a delicate 

trick few have mastered, but 

Kimbrough is one of them, and it lets 

him get steamy with a lyrical ballad 

without crumbling into sentimentality. 

A longtime member of Maria 

Schneider’s Jazz Orchestra and a coleader 

of Ben Allison’s various bands, 

he’s headed only a few albums, and Play, 

a trio session, is his best. One reason may 

be the drummer, Paul Motian, sounding 

as remarkably original and energetic as 

he did in Bill Evans’ trio nearly a halfcentury 

ago. He keeps time, skips ahead 

of and behind the beat, puts a pulse in 

the rhythm, then electroshocks it. He 

pounds the snare with brushes, whisks it 

with sticks, all the time spicing, pushing, 

yanking, or sometimes just quietly 

swooshing behind Kimbrough’s dreamy 

meditations. They work best with the 

ballads. Listen to “Lucent,” a stirring 

number, where Motian speeds up the 

pace while Kimbrough stays slow and 

steady, building a fine, tense simmer. 

The bassist, Masa Kamaguchi, isn’t 

quite Scott LaFaro, or for that matter 

Ben Allison, but he adds a jaunty twist 

to the anchor. 

The sonics match what we’ve come 

to expect from this spirited indie jazz 

label. Excellent balance, clarity, and 

dynamics, but lacking a bit of body in 

the bass and a bit of air in the spaces 

around the instruments—just a bit 

though, not enough to distract from the 

show. 

FRED KAPLAN 

FURTHER LISTENING: Herbie Nichols 

Project: Love Is Proximity; Bill Evans: 

Explorations 

Kidd Jordan, Hamid Drake, William Parker: 

Palm of Soul. Steven Joerg, Parker, and 

Drake, producers. Aum Fidelity 038. 


Like 

Fred 

Anderson in 

Chicago and 

Vinny Golia in 

Los Angeles, saxophonist 

Edward 

“Kidd” Jordan 

has been as overlooked by the general 

jazz audience as he has been revered by 

the fortunate players he’s mentored over 

the decades. He’s been performing and 

recording for nearly 50 years, with credits 

ranging as far a field as Ray Charles, 

Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, 

Cannonball Adderley, and Cecil Taylor, 

and yet he will still be considered a “discovery” 

by many. 

Palm of Soul is an ideal place to make 

the acquaintance of the 70-year-old New 

Orleans native’s mature tenor saxophone 

stylings. Recorded in Brooklyn a month 

after Jordan was uprooted by Hurricane 

Katrina, this trio date features the dream 

rhythm section of drummer Hamid 

Drake and bassist William Parker, players 

thoroughly versed in both Jordan’s 

totally improvised approach and personalized 

musical vocabulary and syntax. 

Jordan taps the tenor’s full range, from 

meaty lower registers to squawky highs 

and “split reed” polyphonics. Confidently 

toying with pitch, he weaves serpentine 

lines that often have an Eric 

Dolphy-like conversational quality as 

they slither through the kaleidoscopic 

textures and spaces created by Parker 

(adding guimbri, gongs, bowls, and 

talking drum to his pizzicato and arco 

bass) and Drake, whose percussion arsenal 

includes tabla and frame drum as 

well as traps set, and who adds his voice 

to “Unity Call.” African and Eastern flavors 

abound, and implicit tales of 

anguish, contemplation, struggle, and 

liberation emerge from improvisations 

given such titles as “Living Peace” and 

“Last of the Chicken Wings.” 

A tightly centered soundstage 

emphasizes the trio’s sticky interplay, 

while its depth draws listeners in and 

allows room for instruments to define 

themselves. The sonics are clear, right 

up to the sharpest percussion attack, but 

especially warm in the mid and low 

ranges where Jordan’s taut timbres and 

Parker’s rubbery strings tend to operate. 


FURTHER LISTENING: Kidd Jordan, Alan 

Silva, William Parker: Emancipation Suite 

#1; Billy Harper: Black Saint 

Patricia Barber: Mythologies. Barber, 

producer. Blue Note 0946359564. 


When Patricia 

Barber 

name-checked 

Erebus and Zeus 

in the song “Moon” 

on 2002’s Verse 

album, fans might 

have assumed she had at least a passing 

interest in Greek folklore. Barber’s latest, 

Mythologies, shows that the 

Chicago-based jazz singer, pianist, 

and songwriter is not only well-versed 

in archetypes and ancient tales, but 

savvy enough to bring them into the 

jazz idiom. 

Composed in 2003 after Barber won 

a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship 

Award, Mythologies is an invigorating 

and ambitious song cycle that draws 

inspiration from the characters in Ovid’s 


m u s i c jazz 

Patricia Barber 

Metamorphoses. Barber had caught Mary 

Zimmerman’s New York stage adaptation 

of the Roman poem and was so 

moved that she started penning songs 

built around its timeless themes. The 

result—previewed on Verse and via the 

politically charged “Whiteworld” on 

2004’s live A Fortnight in France—is 

beautiful and brilliant. 

Here Barber largely foregoes her 

characteristically dense, layered electric-guitar 

sonics, opting for an 

acoustic-oriented quartet that provides 

plenty of breathing space. The strippeddown 

arrangements—sometimes little 

more than piano, bass, and brushes— 

caress the oft-dreamy sentiments, 

Barber purring her way through songs 

about unrequited love (“Pygmalion”), 

lust (“Hunger”), ambition (“Icarus: For 

Nina Simone”), and conceit 

(“Narcissus”). Exceptions to the less-isbest 

rule are the eco-friendly rap 

“Phaethon” (the album’s only misstep) 

and funky “White-world/Oedipus,” the 

latter featuring Neal Alger’s wah-wah 

guitar, Michael Arnopol’s electric and 

acoustic basses, and Eric Montzka’s militaristic 

drum beats. 

The record’s closer, “The Hours,” is 

an expressive piano ballad that blossoms 

with the addition of the Choral Thunder 

jazz choir, and is typical of the splendid 

production that graces all of Barber’s 

albums. As a producer and arranger, she 

creates clean atmospherics that are 

sparse yet richly textured—the piano 

and vocals are lifelike, the guitar work 

subtle, the bass resonant, and percussion 

simmering. Give this girl another grant. 

GREG CAHILL 

FURTHER LISTENING: Patricia Barber: 

Verse; Cassandra Wilson: Thunderbird 

Fats Waller: If You Got to Ask, You Ain’t 

Got It. Orrin Keepnews, producer. Legacy 

832672 (three CDs). Music: ★★★★ 1/2 


While 

jazz 

has earned 

its position as 

“America’s classical 

art form,” this 

new three-CD 

anthology, packaged 

with a 

bonus DVD of 

the wonderful 

promotional 

shorts known as 

“soundies,” provides a vivid and thoroughly 

enjoyable reminder that jazz can 

be hilariously fun as well as awesomely 

artful. Though known to some as a brilliant 

pianist and the great composer of 

such original songs as “The Jitterbug 

Waltz,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” and 

“Honeysuckle Rose,” Thomas “Fats” 

Waller, with his bug-eyed mugging and 

often-sardonic vocalizing, represents for 

many the ultimate jazz comic. Had he 

not died at age 39 in 1949, he might 

have transcended that role and joined a 

higher pantheon of humorous jazz artists 

that includes Louis Armstrong, Cab 

Calloway, and Dizzy Gillespie. 

If You Got to Ask divides 66 performances 

from 1926 through 1943 into three 

22-track discs: “Fats Waller Sings and 

Plays Fats Waller,” “Fats Waller: Strictly 

Instrumental,” and “Fats Waller Sings and 

Plays Around with Tin Pan Alley.” It represents 

only a portion of the material 

recorded by the stride-piano peer of Willie 

“The Lion” Smith and James P. Johnson, 

who also branched out on pipe and electric 

organ, led both the rambunctiousbut-tight 

combo known as “His Rhythm” 

and an orchestra, and left behind a legacy 

of timeless material. But it offers a wellrounded 

portrait of the rotund genius, 

including favorites such as “The Joint Is 

Jumpin’,” “Squeeze Me,” “African 

Ripples,” “Hold Tight (Want Some 

Seafood, Mama),” and “Your Feet’s Too 

Big”; renditions of standards “St. Louis 

Blues,” “Star Dust,” “I’m Gonna Sit Right 

Down and Write Myself a Letter,” and “I 

Can’t Give You Anything But Love”; a 

bounty of dazzling piano solos; and buoyant 

collaborations with Jack Teagarden, 

Benny Carter, Bunny Berigan, and others. 

Miraculously free of tape hiss, the 

sonics give Waller’s vocals full-blooded 

presence right up front, and though the 

slightly muted piano apparently couldn’t 

be brought more forward in the mix, the 

reeds and brass solos are hefty and bright, 

the rhythm guitar, drums, and cymbals 

crisply realistic. Most importantly, every 

track bubbles with the serious fun that 

makes this music equally worthy of rent 

parties and concert halls. 

DR 

FURTHER LISTENING: Duke Ellington: 

Jumpin’ Punkins; James P. Johnson: The 

Original James P. Johnson, 1942-1945 



The Miles Davis Quintet: The Legendary 

Prestige Quintet Sessions. Bob Weinstock, 

producer. Prestige 4444 (four CDs). 


Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane: 

The Complete Riverside Recordings. 

Orrin Keepnews, producer. Riverside/ 

Concord 30027 (two CDs). Music: ★★★ 1/2 


Ahalf century ago, the jazz world 

shimmered with the golden sounds 

of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and 

John Coltrane—a holy trinity of sorts. 

During the mid to late 50s, they met on 

stage and in the studio in much-celebrated 

unions that produced a handful of 

now-classic albums. The common factor 

on these two new compilations is tenor 

player Coltrane. 

The Miles Davis Quintet: The 

Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions gathers 

five albums—The New Miles Davis 

Quintet, Workin’, Steamin’, Cookin’, and 

Relaxin’—onto three 24-bit digitally 

remastered CDs and includes a fourth 

disc of previously unreleased radio and 

TV broadcasts as well as embedded 

sheet-music transcriptions. These legendary 

studio tracks were recorded 

between May and October 1956 at a pair 

of sessions before being parceled out 

over a two-year 

period. The bop 

masterworks feature 

Davis’ celebrated 

first quintet 

of thenyouthful 

up-andcomers: 

Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, 

bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer 

Philly Joe Jones. Coltrane and Garland 

are brilliant throughout, as is Davis, and 

the rhythm section establishes its place 

in jazz history as one of the best. 

Workin’, Steamin’, Cookin’ and 

Relaxin’ already have been available on 

vinyl, Red Book CD, 20-bit K-2 remaster 

CD, and 24-bit SACD. The material—which 

sounds spectacular—is 

arranged chronologically according to 

recording date, and repackaged in a 

hardcover portfolio with a 40-page 

booklet that includes period photos and 

a comprehensive essay by Bob 

Blumenthal. And then there’s that lowfi 

bonus disc. It features two tunes from 

The Tonight Show with Steve Allen, a hardswinging 

romp through Oscar 

Pettiford’s “Max is Making Wax” and a 

lyrical version of Rodgers and Hart’s 

ballad “It Never Entered My Mind,” 

plus six other live tracks. 

The two-CD Thelonious Monk with 

John Coltrane: The Complete Riverside 

Recordings fleshes out the original 1957 

album with material that, for the most 

part, appeared on the 15-disc Thelonious 

Monk: The Complete Riverside Recordings, 

and seems timed to ride the wave of 

publicity that propelled the recent Blue 

Note hit release Thelonious Monk Quartet 

with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall. The 

20 stereo and mono tracks included here 

represent Monk’s core repertoire, recorded 

between April and July 1957, and 

finds pianist Monk in trio, quartet, and 

septet settings with bands that include 

saxophonists Coltrane, Coleman 

Hawkins, and Gigi Gryce, as well as 

bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummers Art 

Blakey and Shadow Wilson. 

The only previously unreleased 

material is a 51-second septet rendering 

of the spiritual “Abide with Me” (a first 

take) and an alternate take of 

“Crepuscule with Nellie” (which appears 

five times). If you don’t already own the 

bulk of this material, it’s well worth 

checking it out in that it captures Monk 

at a creative juncture when he recorded 

his breakthrough Brilliant Corners. 

Serious audio- and jazz-philes will 

want to stick to Acoustic Sounds’ 45rpm 

LP issues, but for the rest of us, as well 

as those not inclined to spend $50 per 

title, the sonics on both sets will get you 

most of the way there. 

GC 

FURTHER LISTENING: Jackie McLean: 

Prestige Profiles: Mood; Charlie Mingus: 

East Coasting 

SACD 

David Hazeltine, George Mraz, Billy 

Drummond: Manhattan. David Chesky, 

producer; Nicholas Prout, engineer. Duallayer 

SACD. Chesky Records SACD310. 

Music: ★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★★ 1/2 

David Chesky 

seems finally 

to be doing what 

he has long wanted 

to do—putting 

out jazz 

records that are 

nearly as solid musically as they are sonically. 

Over the years, his audiophile 

label has issued a handful or two of good 

jazz albums and several cartloads of 

dross. (Chuck Mangione, anyone 

Didn’t think so.) Now he’s throwing 

commercial caution to the wind and 

putting out a series of dual-layer SACDs 

under the rubric “The New York 

Sessions.” Top-notch New York jazz 

musicians, very comfortable in one 

another’s company, assemble before a 

single-point microphone at the acoustically 

splendid St. Peter’s Church and 

just do what they do, with no compression 

or manipulation, either in the circuitry 

or the music. 

Manhattan, the first release in the 

series, is nothing adventurous—a piano 

trio playing standards—but it’s exemplary 

nonetheless, not at all a routine 

walk-through. David Hazeltine is an 

agile pianist, specializing in the sprightly 

single-note line with the chord tossed 

in a bit short or long of the “right” 

moment, for surprise. George Mraz, a 

staple of straight-ahead jazz (he’s backed 

Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Stan 



HOT WAX 


Nat “King” Cole & His Trio: After Midnight. Lee Gillette, original 

producer; Ron McMaster, Steve Hoffman, Kevin Gray, remastering. 

Capitol/Pure Pleasure Records PPAN W782 (two 180- 

gram mono LPs). Music: ★★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★★ 

Nat “King” Cole gained so much fame 

and fortune as a tremolo crooner 

backed by schmaltzy string orchestras that 

few remember he practically invented the 

modern jazz piano trio in the 1930s and 

was a coolly dexterous pianist himself. 

After Midnight, recorded in 1956, marked 

his return to the trio format after a long stretch of big-band 

sessions, and there’s no better place to start—or finish—for 

catching a glimpse of his glow. His early trios usually consisted 

of piano, bass, and guitar. His later ones added drums 

(hence the finessing phrase “and his trio”). 

On this album, he adds a fifth man, rotating, track to 

track, from Willie Smith on alto sax, Harry “Sweets” Edison 

on trumpet, Juan Tizol on trombone, and Stuff Smith on 

violin. The most vibrant songs are with Stuff Smith, a woefully 

overlooked jazzman (except to other jazz violinists, 

who, to the extent they’re worth much, have emulated him). 

Listen to “I Know That You Know,” where his gruff tone and 

complex harmonies sharpen the edges of Cole’s flowing 

arpeggios. The other Smith, Willie, plays lush lines behind 

the King on his tunes. Strangely, Edison, who was hitting 

new peaks elsewhere around this time, plays perfunctorily 

here. Tizol, a veteran of Ellington’s band, just doesn’t fit; his 

vibrato smears with Cole’s, till they both drown in syrup. 

Ah, but where the backdrop is straighter, the King’s voice is 

irresistible—so warm and rich, such insouciant articulation 

and unruffled storytelling passion. 

The sound, like many Capitols from the era, is sweet and 

warm. And the 180-gram remastered pressing, from the 

British company Pure Pleasure Records, is superb. It’s mono, 

but there’s no sense of horizontal squeeze; there’s plenty of 

depth, every instrument sounds like itself, you hear all of 

them plainly. Nat and each of the soloists are in the room. 

The tracks are stretched across two LPs. One-and-a-half of 

them are devoted to deleted tracks, none better than those 

that were kept but none worse either. 

FK 

FURTHER LISTENING: Nat Cole, Lester Young, Buddy Rich: 

Giants Three; Stuff Smith: The Complete Verve Stuff Smith 

Sessions (Mosaic box) 

Getz, Art Pepper, and Benny Carter, to 

name a few), takes the album’s star turn, 

walking up and down the 4/4 lane, 

inverting chords as he goes in ways that 

spin whole new angles on the melody. 

Billy Drummond, the drummer, pushes 

the hi-hat cymbals with spaciousness 

and vigor. 

If this disc sounded merely good, it 

would make for very pleasant listening; 

I’d recommend it. But it sounds fantastic, 

maybe better than any Chesky jazz 

album. The standard CD layer sounds 

excellent enough. But switch to the 

SACD layer, and it’s like someone pulled 

back a thick curtain. The music billows 

with air. You can hear, practically feel, it 

heaving forth from the instruments and 

basking all around them. The piano has 

that just-right mix of liquid and percussion; 

you sense the instrument’s size, and 

the overtones linger overhead like a bouquet. 

The woody bass thumps and 

plucks. The drum set rattles, sizzles, and 

crashes. The ambience is palpable, 

though the engineer, Nicholas Prout, 

has taken care not to overdo it. It sounds 

natural. Chesky has taken a leap with 

this one, in all measures. Here’s hoping 

the rest of the New York Sessions have 

sound this good and music better still. 

Manhattan marks a very auspicious 

beginning. 

FK 

FURTHER LISTENING: Jon Faddis: 

Remembrances; Hank Jones: Upon 

Reflection 

Music Editor Bob Gendron’s System 

BAT VK-300x integrated amplifier; Gallo Nucleus Reference3 loudspeakers; Rotel RSX-1065 receiver; Sony SCD- 

CE775 SACD player; Panasonic DVD-RP91 DVD-A player; Clearaudio Champion turntable; Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood 

cartridge; Bright Star Audio IsoRock GR3 speaker supports; Synergistic Research, MIT, Monster Cable, and 

Audioquest cables and interconnects; SolidSteel 5.5 rack 


m u s i c POPULAR 

Rock, Etc. 

Comets on Fire: Avatar. Tim Green, 

producer. Sub Pop 704 (CD and LP). 

Music: ★★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

Bursting forth 

like a justdiscovered 

reelto-reel 

tape from 

an Electric Kool- 

Aid Acid Test, 

Comets on Fire’s 

“Dogwood Rust” saunters out of its hazy 

domain with a crooked bass line, thundering 

rhythm, and snorkeling distortion 

that remain in constant motion 

while the psychedelic tune swims about, 

physically doubling as amoeba-shaped 

lava-lamp bubbles that projected 

onscreen behind the Winterland’s stage 

in the late 1960s. It’s now nearly 40 

years later, but San Francisco’s Comets 

on Fire remain at home in any era as 

long as audiences are willing to take 

spontaneously combustible cosmic trips. 

As the opener to their fourth album 

attests, the quintet hasn’t lost its proclivity 

for freak-out garage rock. Yet on 

Avatar, they turn over a new leaf, surprising 

not only with intense, fast-paced 

explosions—here in far lesser supply 

than on 2004’s supreme Blue Cathedral— 

but with tender-footed arrangements and 

swirling soulfulness marked by 

Hammond organ washes, waltzing piano 

notes, and oven-warmed chords. 

Anchored by the guitar tandem of Ethan 

Miller and Ben Chasny, the Comets also 

expand into Southern rock and moderncreative 

jazz territories on “Jaybird,” the 

bridge a whipping post that’s roundly 

flogged before radioactive feedback and 

vacuum-tube-sucking distortion carries 

the song towards a peaceful abyss. The 

rhapsody “Lucifer’s Memory” climbs 

aboard a gentle melody and a moaning 

riff that momentarily references the 

“Star-Spangled Banner,” Miller’s throaty 

Comets on Fire 

voice and words about demons, 

vengeance, and judgments keeping the 

otherwise gorgeous track swathed in 

haunted darkness. Stretching out even 

longer, “Sour Smoke” is similarly devoid 

of out-of-control tendencies. An in-step 

march, it follows the lead of an invisible 

baton, the hypnotic sway seemingly 

building and dragging onlookers out of 

houses until, at the half-way mark, a 

chant slightly alters the pace and adopts 

a churchy undercurrent. 

Although this is a band whose members 

refuse to limit themselves to one 

outlet—Miller pairs with Sunburned 

Hand of the Man’s John Moloney for 

Howlin’ Rain; drummer Utrillo 

Kushner is involved with Colossal Yes; 

percussionist/echo electronics maestro 

Noel Harmonson experiments with 

Born on the Fourth of July; and most 

famously, Chasny blows minds with his 

Six Organs of Admittance—Comets on 

Fire share a common denominator in 

raw blues and freeform rock. The latter 

styles are given a talking-to on the hardstomping 

“The Swallow’s Eye,” complete 

with squealing frequency waves, 

beefy jamming, and dueling fuzz-blasted 

leads, as well as on “Holy Teeth,” a 

gnashing throwback to the band’s earlier 

phases. Parked in the middle of 

Avatar, they are foot paths for where the 

quintet has been and is headed. 

Recorded within spitting distance of 

a chicken farm at Prairie Sun Studios, 

the location where Tom Waits cut Bone 

Machine, the album claims an everything-happens-in-the-room 

dynamic 

despite the existence of select overdubs. 

In the same way the band’s music 

harkens back to but doesn’t replicate a 

past period, the sonics avoid the artificially 

clean, digital hardness that 

plagues many contemporary releases. 

The soundstage isn’t the deepest, but 

feel, temperature, texture, and balance 

are just as they should be. BOB GENDRON 

FURTHER LISTENING: Grateful Dead: Live/ 

Dead; High Rise: Live 


m u s i c popular 

Thom Yorke: The Eraser. Nigel Godrich, producer. 

XL Recordings 40200 (CD and LP). 

Music: ★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

For over 15 

years, Radiohead 

has confounded 

expectations. 

So it makes 

perfect sense that 

with the band 

about to enter the studio to begin work on 

its highly-anticipated seventh album, lead 

singer Thom Yorke would quietly release 

his solo debut, The Eraser. 

Musically, the album takes its cues 

from the Oxford quintet’s electronic forays 

(think “Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors” 

and “The Gloaming”), Yorke and producer 

Nigel Godrich constructing a 

technological forest where cold, crisp 

beats are overgrown with lush synth 

arrangements like warm Georgia kudzu 

blanketing a craggily elm skeleton. The 

tech-heavy angle is no surprise; Yorke 

has long talked up the influence of Can, 

Neu!, and Autechre on his band’s laterperiod 

work. More surprising is how 

familiar the album sounds, as if it were 

constructed Frankenstein-like from 

Radiohead’s library of sonic fragments. 

The plodding piano on the title track 

echoes the delicate “Pyramid Song”; the 

warped drum patter on “Cymbal Rush” 

hints at the Dali-esque belches on 

“Backdrifts”; the medic-alert blips that 

close “Harrowdown Hill” could have 

been lifted from “Idioteque.” 

But unlike previous Radiohead 

albums, where Yorke’s voice is often 

looped, mashed, and chopped (and 

sometimes extruded backwards, as on 

the skittish “Like Spinning Plates”) to 

become another just another part of the 

musical tapestry, Godrich here convinces 

Yorke to leave his vocals unblemished— 

a wise decision, as Yorke responds with a 

series of haunting performances. His 

voice prowls like a skulker on “Skip 

Divided,” hits that knee-buckling 

falsetto on “Atoms For Peace,” and 

grunts and growls through the propulsive 

tick-tock of “The Clock.” The 

Thom Yorke 

lyrics, which deal in crisis of identity 

and existential observations, are typically 

cryptic, though lines like “I want to 

eat your artichoke heart” make one hope 

Yorke is saving some of his better material 

for his other project. 

The sonics, as with every Godrichproduced 

Radiohead album, are universally 

excellent. The sympathetic handling 

of the vocals is especially welcome, 

Yorke’s angelic pipes ringing out clear 

and crisp. The soundstage isn’t particularly 

wide, though it seems to be by 

design, as if to heighten the music’s 

claustrophobic feel. ANDY DOWNING 

FURTHER LISTENING: Bjork: Vespertine; 

Twilight Singers: Twilight 

Frank Black: Fastman Raiderman. Jon Tiven, 

producer. Back Porch 59695 (two CDs). 

Music: ★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

Headline news 

for most 

artists, word of a 

Frank Black double 

album is 

understandably 

greeted in many 

circles with casual albeit lingering curiosity. 

Since the Pixies initial breakup in 

1993, the now-reunited quartet’s vocalist-guitarist 

has issued a whopping eleven 

albums. Two of those, 1993’s Frank Black 

and the subsequent Teenager of the Year, 

are outstanding. The others are fair to 

good. None are horrible, though nearly 

every release would have benefited from 

the selective paring lesser tracks and 

waiting until a greater whole was in 

place. If Black followed this approach, 

he’d have four excellent records rather 

than a hit-and-miss cornucopia. 

But Black is anything but conventional, 

and while neither he nor the 

Pixies have ever been the most exhilarating 

live performers, there’s never been 

any doubting his songwriting skills, 

which on Fastman Raiderman are the best 

they’ve been in more than a decade. 

There’s also another factor at play— 

Black’s company, which includes The 

Band’s Levon Helm, Buddy Miller, 

Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson, and a gaggle 

of legendary session players from 

Motown, Stax, Muscle Shoals, and Phil 

Spector’s Wrecking Crew. Comprised of 

27 tracks cut at four different sessions, 

this is the Memphis-flavored surprise of 

the year—a rhythmic buffet of barstool 

boogies, R&B shuffles, and country-rock 

strummers unified by laidback tempos 

and loose chemistry. What shines here 



isn’t the bald artist’s affable weirdness 

but the bands’ effortless musical blend, 

punctuated with mellow tones, porchswing 

grooves, jazzy percussion, and 

crisp harmonies. 

With guitarists Steve Cropper and 

Reggie Young joining saxophonist Jack 

Kidney, Black and company stroll down 

heartbreak row during “My Terrible 

Ways” and kick up bluesy dust on 

“Elijah,” a harmonica honking in the distance 

as the group sways to pedal-steel 

twang. It’s one of the few occasions where 

Black’s voice is urgent. Most of the time, 

he’s as calm as the music, gorgeously 

sewn together by rollicking pianos, simple 

beats, fluorescent organs, and cawing 

slide accents. Black’s trademark absurdist 

poetry (“Kiss My Ring”), aw-shucks 

luck (“It’s Not Your Moment”), and geographical 

travelogues (“The Real El 

Rey”) are present throughout, yet nothing 

upstages an organic consistency that 

gives the 41-year-old a credible blueeyed-soul-derived 

success. 

Listeners that pay close attention will 

be able to discern minor sonic differences 

between material recorded at Dan Penn’s 

Nashville studio and Cowboy Jack 

Clement’s place, for instance, but Fastman 

Raiderman possesses unforced warmth and 

liveliness. Organically rich and relaxingly 

dynamic, the production does everything 

short of beckoning the listener to plop 

down on a couch, close their eyes, and 

become lost in the pick-up sounds made 

by some of the best studio musicians the 

world has known. 

BG 

FURTHER LISTENING: Frank Black: Frank Black; 

Wilson Pickett: The Exciting Wilson Pickett 

Toumani Diabaté: Boulevard de l’Independence. 

Nick Gold, producer; Jerry Boys, recording 

and engineering. World Circuit/Nonesuch TK. 

Music: ★★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

As much as 

any other 

world-music 

star, Toumani 

Diabaté has 

forged innovative 

collaborations 

without sacrificing the soulful 

authenticity of his heritage. As compared 

with his early-career collaborations with 

the flamenco group Ketama and English 

folk/jazz bassist Danny Thompson in the 

group Songhai, and his 2004 jazz 

crossover with trombonist Roswell Rudd, 

the Malian master of the 21-string kora 

(West African harp) pulls back on radical 

experimentation on Boulevard de 

l’Independence. But this gorgeous recording 

of variations on Afro-Cuban salsa and 

traditional themes from West Africa’s 

ancient Mandé culture is no less ambitious; 

overall, it may be his most exciting. 

The second in a three-part series 

called “The Hotel Mandé Sessions” (the 

first was the Grammy-winning In the 

Heart of the Moon with late guitarist Ali 

Farka Touré), Boulevard features Diabaté’s 

Symmetric Orchestra, a scintillating and 

almost completely acoustic big band that 

performs most Friday nights in Bamako’s 

Hotel Mandé. Diabaté ranks as the 

world’s greatest kora player by virtue of 

extending the innovations of his father, 

who took the instrument beyond its traditional 

role of accompanying praise 

singers and perfected simultaneous bass 

lines, rhythm parts, and melody solos. 

Here, with an all-star band taking care of 

business, Diabaté concentrates on singlenote 

runs and arpeggios that cascade atop 

polyrhythmic flows, bounce against 

hard-edged drums, engage in call-andresponses 

with thrilling singers (including 

Kasse Mady Diabaté) and lead electric 

guitarist Fanta Mady Kouyaté, and 

get colored by soul-jazz legend Pee Wee 

Ellis’ horn charts and Simon Hale’s 

string arrangements. 

The bright, crisp kora notes are 

treated to clean, front-and-center representation 

on a wide and deep soundstage, 

as are the balafon and flute parts 

and piercing lead vocals. The only quibble 

with the otherwise pristine sonics is 

an artificial feeling of distance between 

some of the percussion and choral vocals 

and the rest of the natural-sounding 

ensemble. 


FURTHER LISTENING: Roswell Rudd/ 

Toumani Diabate: Malicool; Mory Kante: 

Sabou 

Rhymefest: Blue Collar. Kanye West, Just 

Blaze, et. al, producers. J 70731 (CD and LP). 

Music: ★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

Helping Kanye 

West write 

and produce his 

anthemic hit 

“Jesus Walks” 

gave underground 

Chicago 

hip-hop veteran Rhymefest a jolt of 

recognition within rap’s inner circle. It 

also set the stage for his long-delayed 

major-label debut, overseen by West. 

The 16-cut collection delivers on the 

lyrical and sonic sides, but a few unfortunate 

missteps keep the release from 

being top-shelf. 

As one would expect because of his 

affiliation with West, Rhymefest has 

plenty of lyrical agility. On the bombastic, 

brassy “Dynomite (Going Postal),” 

the rapper explains why he takes a 

decidedly non-bling stance in his 

music. “Blue Collar rap/Why I call it 

that/[Expletive], I know more real 

[brothers] at U-Haul than hall crack.” 

These lines and this song represent 

Rhymefest at his core best: punchy 

lyrics delivered over a strong beat. He 

accomplishes the same on the braggadocio 

“Fever” and on “More,” a pianodriven 

meditation on being a rapper 

struggling and striving for success. “All 

Girls Cheat” playfully and skillfully 

examines games women run on men 

when they’re being unfaithful while 

“Build Me Up,” with a hilarious off-key 

chorus sung by the late Ol’ Dirty 

Bastard, features Rhymefest disappointed 

rather than devastated by a failed 

relationship. 

Surprisingly, West delivers a bland 

beat and sounds less than inspired on 

his guest turn on “Brand New.” Then 

again, even Rhymefest acknowledges 

the throwaway sound of the song, rapping 

“This is just a old beat he had laying 

around” at the end of the last verse. 

And when Rhymefest tries to sound 

tough, as on the boasting session 

“Chicago-Rillas,” he doesn’t sound 



credible and lacks the flair that makes 

his other material enjoyable. 

A debut that possesses above-average 

lyrics and strong production, Blue 

Collar fails to deliver only when 

Rhymefest stretches beyond his common 

man raps. 

SOREN BAKER 

FURTHER LISTENING: Kanye West: The 

College Dropout; Talib Kweli: Quality 

Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend (Legacy 

Edition). Fred Maher, Sweet, and Simon 

Askew, original producers; Darren 

Salmieri, reissue producer. 

Volcano/Legacy 78549 (two CDs). 

Music: ★★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

O riginally 

released in 

October 1991, 

Matthew Sweet’s 

Girlfriend could 

have come out 

today, next 

month, or in 1978. A zephyr of brightly 

strummed hooks, romantic moods, 

smooth singing, and levitating dreaminess, 

the record gets thisclose to powerpop 

and pop-rock perfection. 

Sweet’s harmless, edge-free voice 

drips heartfelt emotion, his narratives 

simple albeit collective tales that connect 

with anyone who’s ever contemplated 

relationships in a coffee shop or 

scribbled wistful poems in a notebook. 

For the singer, they were personal 

thoughts, many of the emotionally turbulent 

verses concerning the simultaneous 

dissolution of his marriage and 

embrace of a future wife. Yet Girlfriend 

transcends time not due to lyrics but 

because of effervescent melodies, cozy 

harmonies, and diversified songwriting 

that spoke off into balladic, countryand-western, 

blue-eyed soul, psychedelic, 

and post-punk territories without 

ever breaking their pop leash. Then 

there’s the are-you-kidding-me cast of 

accompanying guitarists, including 

Television’s Richard Lloyd, k.d. lang 

steel-player Greg Leisz, Richard Hell 

and the Voivods’ Robert Quine, and 

Lloyd Cole. The latter pair helped 

Sweet on 1989’s Giant, an anythingbut 

bomb that figured in A&M’s decision 

to drop him. 

On the follow-up, Sweet and company 

ditched the drum machines and 

recorded the basics live. The six-string 

wizards’ solos, spontaneous fills, and 

colorfully stitched intros, as well as the 

bass parts, were carefully overdubbed to 

the point where it’s difficult to tell that 

the whole isn’t live. The production 

swings with radio-friendly promise and 

cuts with electrified rawness, glows 

with soft-to-the-touch warmth, and 

blares with intentional dryness. Vocals 

and guitars are placed front and center, 

drums off to the sides, clearing a direct 

route to feelings of bitterness 

(“Thought I Knew You”), recovery (“I 

Wanted to Tell You”), happiness (“I’ve 

Been Waiting”), and hopefulness 

(“Winona”). The remastered version 

boasts a wider and deeper soundstage, 

and rids some of the digital demons 

common to releases of the era. 

Legacy’s deluxe edition of Girlfriend 

contains a second disc titled Goodfriend, 

initially given away as a gift to grassroots 

supporters that helped push the 

album. A mix of home demos, live 

takes, and covers of Neil Young’s 

“Cortez the Killer” and John Lennon’s 

“Isolation,” it provides formative 

insight and crackles with roughed-up 

acoustic and plugged-in arrangements. 

The pinnacle moment of Sweet’s career, 

there’s never been a better excuse to fall 

in love with Girlfriend. 

BG 

FURTHER LISTENING: Jellyfish: 

Bellybutton; Pete Droge: Find A Door 

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: Nothing 

But the Water. Potter and Matt Burr, producers. 

Ragged Company 590. 


Grace 

Potter 

may be only 

22 but her sassy 

instincts and sizzling 

vocals summon 

inevitable 

comparisons to a 

fleet of hall of fame rock talents. 

Displaying vocal colors and technique 

beyond her years, her singing 

modulates between the raspy, notebending 

urgency of Janis Joplin and 

the sly seduction of Bonnie Raitt. 

Backed by her high-torque guitarbased 

blues band the Nocturnals, 

Potter’s sophomore Nothing But The 

Water is a rewarding homage to 70sera 

rock n’ blues. 

Hailing from rural Vermont, 

Potter was a film student at Upstate 

New York’s St Lawrence University 

when in 2004 she began playing covers 

with drummer Matthew Burr. The 

band gradually added originals to its 

setlists, fleshing out as a quartet with 

the additions of singer/guitarist/harmonica 

player Scott Tournet and 

bassist Bryan Dondero. Potter ably 

accompanies herself on guitar and 

Hammond B3 organ. Unadorned and 

straightforward, the songs form a lyrical 

string of collisions and pile-ups 

encompassing ex-boyfriends on parole, 

obsessions, and tugs of war between 

artistic independence and longing. 

Standout themes include the assertive 

adios of “Toothbrush and My Table,” 

self-doubt and reappraisal in the 

Memphis-soul-lined “Ragged Company,” 

and respect on the Bayou blues 

burner “Treat Me Right.” Potter channels 

her inner Muddy Waters on 

“2:22” and gives the title track backto-back 

interpretations. 

Shooting for circa 1973 authenticity, 

the band laid tracks down in the 

legendary Hayburn Theater, built in 

1868 and located on the Goddard 

College campus in Plainfield, 

Vermont. The sound is natural and 

reverberant, with lively dynamics, 

adequate bass, and accurate instrumental 

textures. Dimensionality and 

imaging are fine; drums are comfortably 

setback a couple feet. A DVD 

containing five cuts from a performance 

captured by Vermont Public 

Television is included as a bonus. 

NEIL GADER 

FURTHER LISTENING: Shelby Lynne: I Am 

Shelby Lynne; Tift Merritt: Tambourine 



Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: I Stand Alone. Ian 

Brennan, producer. Anti 86814. 

Music: ★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 

In a year when 

Bruce Springsteen 

captured 

the vitality and 

humanity of Pete 

Seeger’s catalogue, 

it seems 

only fitting that Ramblin’ Jack 

Elliott—compatriot to both Seeger and 

Woody Guthrie, and indefatigable 

champion of the American folk song— 

should have his own say in these matters. 

I Stand Alone, a title that has haunting 

resonance at a time when most of 

Elliott’s contemporaries are absent voices, 

either dead or failing, doesn’t follow 

the Springsteen model of injecting the 

old tunes with a rock n’ roll muscularity; 

rather, Jack does what the Boss once 

described as the modus operandi of the 

poets of “Jungleland.” To wit, he stands 

back and lets ’em all be, telling tall tales 

in a straightforward, reportorial voice 

that speaks/sings the lyrics according to 

how the spirit moves him. 

Ragged but right, his voice is an 

instrument of gentle spirit and great 

character. It strains at times—he almost 

taps out vocally trying to reach for effect 

in what remains of his upper register in 

the traditional suicide ballad “Willy 

Moore”—but never fails to hit the emotional 

markers. Elliott has a grand old 

time turning T. Texas Tyler’s honkytonk 

heartbreaker “Remember Me” on 

its head with rumbling, chortling choruses, 

yet never lets the tearjerk get 

away. Most of the record is simply Jack 

and his elegantly picked and strummed 

acoustic guitar, but a few numbers find 

him with supple, understated support 

from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, 

X/Knitters drummer DJ Bonebrake, 

and guitarist/dobro player Nels Cline. 

Lucinda Williams shows up for a boozy 

duet vocal on Ernest Tubb’s “Careless 

Darling,” and sounds like she belongs. 

Conversely, Sleater-Kinney’s Corin 

Tucker is completely out of her element 

while warbling unsteadily on the evergreen 

“Driving Nails In My Coffin,” 

realized here as a sturdy bluegrass shuffle 

fueled by Cline’s whimsical dobro 

punctuations. 

Sonically, producer Ian Brennan 

close mikes Jack’s voice and guitar, dispenses 

with any aural embroidery, and 

keeps all supporting instruments (heard 

only on seven of the 16 songs) at a discrete 

distance in the background. He 

understands it’s Jack’s show and, you 

might say, stands back and lets it all be. 

DAVID McGEE 

FURTHER LISTENING: Bruce Springsteen: 

The Seeger Sessions; James Talley: Woody 

Guthrie and Songs of My Oklahoma Home 

The Handsome Family: Last Days of 

Wonder. No producer credit. Carrot Top 

Records 040. Music: ★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★ 

Former 

bigcity 

dwellers 

now residing in 

Albuquerque, the 

Handsome 

Family is the 

husband and wife 

Tom Petty’s American Homecoming 

Bob Gendron 

Tom Petty: Highway Companion. Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell, 

and Petty, producers. American 44285 (CD and two-LP). 


Harley-Davidson. Jack Daniel’s. Marshall 

Amplifiers. Fender Instruments. All 

are connected at the hip to rock n’ roll and 

American tradition. To this list you can add 

Tom Petty. An artist that prototypically 

epitomizes pure American music, his recent 

deal with the American Records imprint 

couldn’t be more fitting. The move reunites the 55-year-old 

veteran with label owner and producer Rick Rubin, who 

helmed the boards for 1994’s Wildflowers, Petty’s timeless second 

solo album. Made only with Heartbreaker Mike Campbell 

and longtime associate Jeff Lynne, the casual Highway 

Companion is Petty’s first solo effort since, its dozen songs revisiting 

many of his traditional themes—mystery, exploration, 

self-discovery, wandering, leisure. 

In a great frame of mind, Petty has left behind the acrimony 

of 2002’s The Last DJ. Blacklisted by radio stations because 

of its condemnation of corporate broadcast logistics and 

unimaginative programmers, it remains Petty’s only album not 

to achieve gold status. Kicked off with a variation on John Lee 

Hooker’s universal “Boogie Chillin’” riff, the album-opening 

“Saving Grace” hums like a trusty Ford Mustang cruising down 

the Pacific Coast Highway, the protagonist running from place 

to place in search of inner peace and salvation. Outfitted with 

playful and vivid rhymes such as “Pretend I’m Samuel 

Clemens/Wear seer-sucker and white linens,” “Down South” 

witnesses more journeying, Petty reflecting as he plots a return 

to his roots, a prolonged vacation that sees him offer up his stock 

for a place to stay. “This Old Town” serves as a geographical 

metaphor for busted dreams, while the chugging “The Big 

Weekend” is the opposite, a kick-up-the-dust anthem for escaping 

life’s daily grind. 

Throughout, Petty keeps arrangements simple and tempos 

steady, his nasally drawl in fine form. He turns inward on 



team of Brett and Rennie Sparks. 

Rennie writes dark and wittily wicked 

lyrics filled with mystery, wanderlust, 

and violence (Greil Marcus has said they 

contain “everyday surrealism”), sings 

backup and occasional lead vocals, and 

has been known to gently strum an 

Autoharp, banjo, or ukulele. Brett 

writes the songs, plays a slew of instruments, 

and records most of the couple’s 

music in their home studio on a Mac 

computer. The prolific pair has racked 

up seven CDs since 1995’s Odessa. 

Last Days of Wonder is the duo’s latest, 

and it’s one of the partnership’s least 

satisfying efforts. Oh, these two are talented 

enough. At their best, Brett’s 

twangy voice, simple tunes that typically 

play to a country, waltz, or gentle 

rock rhythm, and Rennie’s lyrics evoke 

the ugly-beauty of the American underbelly. 

In the Handsome’s world, the 

funhouse mirror is both cracked and 

irresistible. The problem with the new 

record is one that faces most duos, the 

White Stripes among them: after a 

while, it’s pretty much impossible to 

not become repetitious. 

The opener, “Your Great Journey,” 

a song about death, sounds a lot like 

many another Handsome title. The 

music slowly chugs along to Brett’s 

vocal while a plaintive pedal steel cries 

behind. “Tesla’s Hotel Room” picks up 

in a similar vein, as does “These Golden 

Jewels,” which to these ears seems like 

an ill-advised attempt to do Tom 

Waits, complete with a three-wheeled 

carnival-wagon tempo, barely 

strummed banjo, and woozy saw. 

Things pick up on occasion, but sadly, 

the record never reaches lift-off. 

The sound is remarkably good given 

the low-fi-high-tech recording technology. 

Vocals are clear, the odd array of 

instruments sound quite natural and are 

nicely spaced, and the whole production, 

which is basically Brett’s, has a warm, 

almost creamy quality. WAYNE GARCIA 

FURTHER LISTENING: The Handsome 

Family: Singing 

Bones; Jenny Lewis: 

Rabbit Fur Coat 

Rockin’ Bones: 1950s Punk and Rockabilly. 

James Austin and Cheryl Pawelski, producers. 

Rhino 73346 (four CDs). 

Music: ★★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★ 

Reeking of sex 

and Bardahl, 

as sleek and swift 

as a Harley, and as 

fleeting as its 

practitioners and 

fans’ misguided 

youth, rockabilly 

has spent most of 

its lifetime as an 

underground 

phenomenon since surfacing in 1953 with 

Bill Haley and breaking out in 1954 at 

Sun Records. Until the Stray Cats rocked 

this town in the early 80s, rockabilly’s lone 

national hit had been Carl Perkins’s 

epochal “Blue Suede Shoes” (included 

here). So why this box set of four CDs and 

101 cuts Maybe because America has produced 

precious little music as original, 

deceptive simple, timeless—even as culturally 

revealing of its time—as rockabilly. 

the bare-bones “Square One,” a lullaby that along with the 

mournful “Damaged by Love” recalls his Wildflowers moods. 

Jangling chords, bushy acoustic strumming, and casual beats 

supply the foundations for Petty’s rhythmic bridges and 

punchy, to-the-point refrains. Campbell’s lead-, pedal- and 

slide-guitar accents color the lyrical images, and Lynne’s bass 

keeps grooves grounded. Cozy and warmly inviting, the music 

blows like a summer breeze, country and rock elements lending 

looseness and snap. Petty sounds himself sounds rejuvenated, 

relieved of pressures and eager to relay soulful tales concerning 

drifting travels and weary experiences. 

The producing collective takes a hands-off approach, the 

sonics glowing with golden hues and organic tones. Organ 

passages radiate; guitar strings have resonance and weight; 

instruments remain individually separated. The soundstage 

is open, wide, and airy, the brightly chiming intro to “Ankle 

Deep” evocative of a reunion of Traveling Wilburys members. 

At the finish of the album-closing “Golden Rose,” a 

keyboard echo fades into the distance, the music pulling 

safely and soundly into the garage for the night. 

FURTHER LISTENING: Tom Petty: Wildflowers; Tom Brosseau: 

Empty Houses Are Lonely 



Emerging largely from poor Southern 

families, rockabilly artists chronicled the 

mores and rituals of their world and, at 

the same time, captured the zeitgeist of 

post-war America like no other music of 

its day. It was a mongrel music, its slap 

bass having been a fixture in hillbilly 

boogie and honky-tonk bands since the 

‘40s. Its guitar stylings—and rockabilly 

was about the guitar, pure and simple, as 

Deke Dickerson explains in a terrific 

liner-notes essay—beared witness to the 

influence of masters ranging from T-Bone 

Walker to Merle Travis to Les Paul. 

Lessons learned from these giants, and 

from long nights thrashing it out in 

honky tonks, produced rockabilly’s own 

six-string titans—Perkins, Scotty Moore, 

James Burton, Cliff Gallup, Paul 

Burlison—gifted, dedicated axemen who 

stand toe-to-toe with the best in any 

genre of American popular music, and 

still touchstones for the pickers that have 

followed. Their artistry leaps out of this 

set, but most of the cuts are obscure 

recordings by obscure artists made for flyby-night 

labels. And most are totally 

wonderful, outrageous performances, 

drenched in reverb in tribute to the true 

king, Elvis, who’s smartly represented 

here not by his most obvious contributions 

but rather by the pure-D explosion 

“Baby Let’s Play House,” the hiccupping, 

stuttering vocal model on which most 

rockabilly singers based their style, and 

the grinding “One Night of Sin.” 

The tracks pulsate not only with sexual 

energy (although there’s plenty of that 

in cuts like 1958’s “Little Girl” by John 

& Jackie, the latter supplying multiorgasmic 

moans throughout and whispering 

“little boy” in a lascivious tone) but 

with a zest for living life to its fullest 

measure, rockabilly’s greatest gift to its 

era. All the gods are accounted for— 

Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee, 

Eddie Cochran, Ricky Nelson, Buddy 

Holly—and so is the genre’s true rarity, 

the female artist, represented by fiery 

sides from Barbara Pittman (Sun’s lone 

distaff signing), Wanda Jackson, Janis 

“The Female Elvis” Martin, and a young 

Jackie DeShannon, who covers Elvis’ 

“Trouble.” There’s more than a dollop of 

undiluted weirdness in the form of, oh, 

Hasil Adkins’ stripped-down howl 

“Chicken Walk” and Freddie and The 

Hitch-Hikers’ searing “Sinners.” 

The sound is a magnificent yawp, the 

producers making sure the guitars blaze 

and roar like they’re in the room with 

you, and pushing vocals way out front, 

the better to stand up to the six-string 

onslaughts. Much credit to Dave Schultz 

and Bill Inglott for superb remastering 

that erases any doubt as to the source of 

rockabilly’s eternal allure. 

DM 

FURTHER LISTENING: Brian Setzer: 

Rockabilly Riot; Various: The Sun Records 

Collection 

The Byrds: There Is a Season. Various producers. 

Columbia/Legacy 77388 (four 

CDs, one DVD). Music: ★★★★ 

Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

Gram Parsons: The Complete Reprise 

Sessions. Parsons and Rik Grech, producers. 

Rhino/Reprise 74669 (three CDs). 


Between their 

inception in 

1964 and unceremonious 

split in 

1973, the Byrds 

withstood 

numerous lineup 

shifts—David 

Crosby’s exit 

prior to The 

Notorious Byrd 

Brothers, Gram 

Parsons signing 

on for Sweetheart 

of the Rodeo—to 

create a musical 

legacy as enduring 

as the jinglejangle 

of Roger 

McGuinn’s 12- 

string Rickenbacker. The first such 

effort since Legacy’s now out-of-print 

1990 box set, There Is a Season, a comprehensive 

four-disc, one-DVD package, 

collects the best of these moments 

from the band’s incomparable career. 

Wisely presented in chronological 

order, the tracks show the group’s 

steady evolution from tuneful folkies (a 

still-undeniable cover of Bob Dylan’s 

“Mr. Tambourine Man”) to psychedelic 

folkies (the towering “Eight Miles 

High”) to dusty, country & western 

folkies (the Louvin Brothers’ pious 

“The Christian Life”). The first two 

discs are comprised of must-haves like 

“Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything 

There Is a Season)” and “So You Want 

to Be a Rock ‘N Roll Star,” which show 

Crosby, McGuinn, and Gene Clark 

exploring the range and power in their 

majestic three-part harmonies. A surprising 

gem is the previously unreleased 

“Lady Friend,” a Crosby tune 

that turns (turns, turns) heartbreak 

into a horn-fueled call-to-arms. The 

trio is equally impressive when it 

reigns itself in, as on the eggshell-fragile 

“Goin’ Back.” 

The third disc pulls cuts from the 

oft-overlooked Sweetheart, a foray into 

country music defined as much by 

Lloyd Green’s mournful pedal steel as it 

is by the presence of the enigmatic 

Parsons. “I Am a Pilgrim” shuffles like 

a pack mule traipsing across a desert 

vista. Green’s pedal-steel playing—as 

fluid as liquid mercury—drives “One 

Hundred Years From Now.” “Hickory 

Wind” sounds like the last dance at a 

deserted Old West saloon. A collection 

of hit-and-miss live cuts makes up the 

final disc, the quality gap highlighted 

by a pair of Dylan covers: a stark, harmonica 

driven “It’s Alright Ma (I’m 

Only Bleeding)” and a surprisingly listless 

reading of “Positively Fourth 

Street.” The sound quality is equally 

spotty, especially on the live selections. 

The album-culled tracks sound comparable 

to previous Legacy reissues, which 

highlight the bright tones in 

McGuinn’s guitar but don’t offer much 

in terms of low-end swing. For pure 

sonics, the Sundazed mono LPs still 

provide the best value among Byrds 

reissues, offering a depth and warmth 

that the CDs just can’t match. 

After his one-album stint in the 

Byrds, Parsons tooled around Europe 


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Gram Parsons 

with the Rolling Stones, experimented 

with drugs, and generally acted like a 

rock star before settling in to record a 

pair of solo records before his death in 

1973. These two albums, along with a 

third disc of studio outtakes, are collected 

on The Complete Reprise Sessions, a box 

set that begs a single question: Why 

That’s not a knock on the music, 

which is universally excellent. Parsons’ 

voice—a windswept croon—has a 

dreamy quality that adds a sense of 

quiet desperation to Dust Bowl ballads 

like “She” and “In My Hour of 

Darkness.” But with GP and Grievous 

Angel already available as an economic 

single-disc set, this release reeks of a 

cash grab, offering little in terms of 

added value—the reason why its rating 

is docked by a full star. Only Parsons 

completists will be intrigued by the 

pointless interview segments included 

here as bonus tracks, though some casual 

fans might find the occasional thrill 

listening while Parsons and backing 

vocalist Emmylou Harris try to find 

themselves on alternate takes of “That’s 

All It Took” and “Streets of Baltimore.” 

The sonics are fair to good on the 

first two discs (radio interviews excluded), 

with the lonesome sighs 

of pedal steel captured especially 

well. The sound is a 

noticeable upgrade from the 

GP/Angel release, with a 

wider, more natural soundstage, 

though it remains a 

questionable investment for 

those who already own both 

albums. The third disc, 

comprised of alternate 

takes, is a bit grainy, though 

it’s noteworthy for the performances 

of its inspired 

vocalists. 

AD 

FURTHER LISTENING: The 

Flying Burrito Brothers: The 

Gilded Palace of Sin; R.E.M.: 

New Adventures in Hi-Fi 

Bob Wills and His Country 

Playboys: Legends of Country 

Music. Gregg Geller, producer. 

Columbia/Legacy 93858 

(four CDs). Music: ★★★★ 1/2 

Sonics: ★★★★ 

Marking the 

centennial 

of Bob Wills’ 

birth, this four- 

CD box set finally 

gives fans of 

the King of 

Western Swing a 

sweeping 

overview of an 

American visionary’s 

musical 

legacy in a cost-efficient, well-annotated 

package. Though his work has been 

anthologized to the hilt, no domestic 

release approaches the ambition of this 

collection. 

It begins at the beginning, with 

Wills’ 1932 recording debut with the 

Fort Worth Doughboys (with Milton 

Brown on vocals) on “Sunbonnet Sue” 

and “Nancy Jane”; proceeds to embrace 

the monuments the artist erected during 

his productive tenure with ARC and 

Columbia Records from 1935 to 1947; 

and adds a sampling of the generally 

solid body of work he produced for 

MGM, Liberty, and Kapp, winding up 

with three cuts from his final studio sessions 

with an all-star lineup of former 

Playboys. In terms of telling the story of 

Wills’ remarkable musical odyssey, the 

only alternatives to this set are two Bear 

Family import boxes, the 14-disc Faded 

Love 1947-1973 and an 11-disc/one- 

DVD box San Antonio Rose, which features 

a thorough, diligently researched 

biographical essay by Rich Kienzle, who 

does the same for this release. However, 

at $195 and $260, respectively, they are 

strictly for completists. 

Not so Legends of Country Music. 

Produced by Gregg Geller and impeccably 

remastered by Vic Anesini, even the 

threadbare Fort Worth Doughboys tracks 

have been restored to a dynamic immediacy, 

and the vintage Wills and Playboys 

recordings are clean and sonically riveting—Leon 

McCauliffe’s driving, distorted 

guitar solo on the rambunctious “Get 

With It,” which sounds like the moment 

when Emmett Miller’s ebullient pop 

stylings met the propulsive thrust of Louis 

Armstrong’s Hot Five and Hot Seven outfits, 

pops right out of the speaker as if he’s 

sitting in the room. Never mind that the 

song also anticipates the advent of rockabilly 

by some 20 years. Five tracks are previously 

unissued, including a jazzed-up 

big-band arrangement, lifted from 

Tommy Dorsey, of Franz Liszt’s 

“Liebestraum,” featuring a scintillating 

steel-guitar scintillating solo by “Take ‘er 

Away” Leon and a rollicking horn chart on 

which players swing mightily. Otherwise, 

the bill of fare is the essential canon of 

blues, jazz, pop, Dixieland, and country 

with which Wills defined western swing, 

with assistance from some of the best 

musicians ever to walk the planet, from 

McCauliffe to the brilliant guitarist/arranger 

Eldon Shamblin, the wildeyed 

piano pounder Al Stricklin and towering 

vocalist Tommy Duncan. Not to 

mention Wills himself, who belts out the 

blues he loved, adds evocative fiddle lines, 

urges the band on, and calls out solos like 

no one before or since. 

Legends of Country Music lacks only the 

inclusion of any live cuts as found on the 


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various volumes of The Tiffany 

Transcriptions, which capture a great 

band (circa 1946-47) in its element— 

inventive and electrifying, undaunted 

by any stylistic boundaries, improvising 

at will, nothing prearranged in the way 

of solos. Otherwise, stop by here to find 

out both what made Bob holler and 

American music great. 

DM 

FURTHER LISTENING: Asleep At the 

Wheel: Riding with Bob; Bob Wills & His 

Texas Playboys: The Tiffany Transcriptions 

HOT WAX 


Sonic Youth: Rather Ripped. Sonic Youth and John Agnello, producers. 

Goofin’ 011/Geffen 757. Music: ★★★ Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

Twenty-five years into its conventiondefying 

career, Sonic Youth still boast 

the same musical core—Thurston Moore 

(guitar), Kim Gordon (bass, guitar) and 

Lee Ranaldo (guitar)—all of whom contribute 

in some form to songwriting and 

vocals. With the departure of producer/multi-instrumentalist 

Jim O’Rourke, Rather Ripped relies 

on the chemistry of these founding members more than any 

SY album since 1998’s A Thousand Leaves. 

The band maintains many of its hallmarks—the alternate 

tunings, the sing-speak lyrics—but everything about 

Ripped sounds tighter and, dare say, more conventional. 

Tracks rarely stretch longer than four minutes, and where 

guitars would once gnash and snarl they now practically 

gleam, making this, in many ways, SY’s prettiest album. 

Gordon takes the lead on the best of the songs—“Turquoise 

Boy,” “Reena,” and “Jams Run Free”—singing with 

surprising confidence over the dreamy backdrops. “Turquoise 

Boy” is especially charming, opening with a gorgeous keyboard 

melody and muted guitar line that passes through like 

a welcome breeze before everything spirals out-of-control 

four minutes in, the guitars building to a whirling cyclone. 

Harder-edged tracks like “Sleepin Around” are less successful, 

the straight-ahead chug offering little of interest aside 

from Moore’s pavement-scraping six-string and the steady 

hand of drummer Steve Shelley. Better is woozy album-closer 

“Or,” the tune floating in limbo while drums rumble like 

far-off thunder, chimes warn of unseen trains, and Moore 

poses a series of rock n’ roll “chicken or the egg” questions 

(“What comes first The music Or the words”). The casual 

development makes the cut sound as if it could stretch on for 

hours, but it abruptly ends just three minutes in, a concise 

close to an album that’s as taught as it is tuneful. 

The acoustics on the LP are a slight improvement over 

the CD, offering more separation between instruments and 

giving a warm glow to the shimmering guitar work, each 

chord ringing out in crystalline detail. The low-end isn’t 

handled with nearly as much grace, the drums occasionally 

coming across a bit muddied at best. 

AD 

FURTHER LISTENING: Dinosaur Jr.: Bug; Blonde Redhead: 

Misery Is a Butterfly 

Espers: Espers II. Greg Weeks, producer. Drag City 310. 

Music: ★★★ 1/2 Sonics: ★★★ 1/2 

According to Wikipedia, the 

Internet’s free-encyclopedia project, 

“…the term esper refers to an 

individual born capable of using 

telepathy and similar paranormal 

mental abilities; it apparently derives 

from extra-sensory perception (‘ESP’) 

via the English occupational suffix, thus being literally 

‘ESP-er’…also the name for…parapsychologists and ‘ghost 

hunters,’ who take the name to mean ‘Extraordinary 

Supernatural Phenomena Explored and Revealed.’” 

This description reveals much about the music being made 

by Espers, a psychedelic folk-rock group that began as a trio (its 

self-titled debut appeared in 2004) and has since doubled into 

a sextet of three men and three women. Recent photos of the 

band show them attractively posed in the woods, standing near 

and sitting atop a huge oak, variously longhaired, bearded, 

booted, panchoed, and looking very late 1960s. 

The group’s second LP opens with synth and twittering 

atmospherics before “Stairway To Heaven”-like fingerpicked 

acoustic guitars, cello, and flute kick in to create a 

droning acid-folk vibe that is only heightened by the high 

harmony vocals that follow. “Crimson tides flowing fluid 

and wild/Draw those tears and kneel to the day/Mud will 

flow, greener grass to grow/Worry not, your time here was 

well,” they sing. If this all sounds a little too precious (or 

pretentious), Espers has more to offer—enough more to 

make this record a highly enjoyable, nearly hypnotic experience. 

Some songs follow a similarly trippy track, but others, 

such as “Children of Stone” and “Moon Occults the Sun,” 

have a heavier, thicker, rock-driven feel. Fairport Convention 

and Pentangle seem like obvious influences, but so at times 

do Led Zeppelin and English minstrelsy. 

Espers use a wide range of instruments to achieve their 

sound, including recorder, electric bass, gongs, bells, dulcimer, 

12-string and electric guitars, organ, and various 

effects generators. The recording captures them all in a very 

fine sounding and well-balanced mix that is reasonably 

open and airy if not possessed of a lot individual detail. 

Burn some incense, light a bong, switch on the black light, 

and become transported. 

WG 

FURTHER LISTENING: Espers: Espers; Fairport Convention: 

Unhalfbricking 


tas retrospective 

QUAD ESL-57 Loudspeaker 

Jonathan Valin 

If someone were to ask me to pick the single best 

loudspeaker of the early stereo era, I’d consider 

giving the nod to the Magneplanar I-U’s or, 

maybe, the KLH 9’s. But, all things considered 

(including the impact the speaker has had on 

the design of subsequent loudspeakers), for 

me there would be only one legitimate 

choice: Quality Unit Amplifier Domestic’s ESL-57. 

First marketed in 1957—although “Walker’s 

little wonder” had been previewed (to the consternation 

of every other speaker manufacturer in Great 

Britain) in 1955—the QUAD ESL-57 was the first 

commercially available electrostatic loudspeaker. It remained in 

production until 1981 and is still being sold used, refurbished, 

and new, though QUAD no longer supports it or stocks 

replacements parts. 

Essays and books (most recently Ken Kessler’s QUAD: The 

Closest Approach [IAG]) have been written about QUAD’s resident 

engineering genius Peter Walker, and his brilliant solution to the 

problem of building a loudspeaker that worked by means of electrostatic 

rather than magnetic force. The idea had been around 

since before the turn of the twentieth century, but outside of 

microphone applications no one had been able to turn it into a reality. 

As Chris Beeching notes, in his brilliant essay in the Winter 

1998 issue of The Listener (www.qsandd.com/reviews/eslrev-lw98.htm), 

it was F.V. Hunt’s pioneering book Electroacoustics— 

with its key suggestions that a ’stat’s diaphragm must have a constant 

charge (rather than just a constant voltage) and that two 

stator plates with a central diaphragm in between them (rather 

than a single stator plate with a diaphragm fixed in front of it) 

would result in a superior “push-pull” design—that helped 

Walker to the first successful electrostat. The miracle is that this 

first electrostat also turned out, in my opinion, to be the best. 

It isn’t much to look at—a squat “box” about three feet 

wide and two feet tall that sits on three-inch wooden legs, like 

a large space heater. Only the ESL-57 isn’t a box. The only 

wooden parts, outside its feet, are the hardwood frame that 

holds the three ’stat panels (two bass panels and one centrally 

located treble panel), stators, and protective dustcover in place, 

and houses the transformer and high-voltage power supply at 

the speaker’s bottom rear. What looks like a three-foot-by-twofoot 

box is, in fact, one big, three-foot-by-two-foot driver. 

Almost the entire front (and rear) surface area produces sound. 

I don’t have the space to go into the advantages an electrostat 

has over other drive systems—in 

harmonic distortion 

levels, in impulse response and 

transient speed, in phase coherence, 

in mass and inertia. Happily, 

you don’t have to know about these 

things; you can hear them. 

Issue in and issue out I (and 

other TAS writers and editors) talk 

about the ideal of a “single-driver” 

sound—a sound that has no audible 

seams, that has the same color, 

speed, resolution, distortion (or lack 

thereof) from top to bottom. What we’re 

really talking about—at least what I’m really 

talking about—is the sound of the QUAD ESL-57. From an 

honest 45Hz to about 12kHz, it is that veritable “window on 

the orchestra” (the phrase was actually Peter Walker’s) that we 

all aspire to possess, with a sound so clear, sweet, lifelike, and 

beguilingly of a piece (someone once compared it to lying in a 

hammock on a summer’s day) that it is hard, in some ways, to 

contend that we’ve made substantial progress in loudspeaker 

design since it was introduced. 

Oh, I’ve certainly heard speakers that will outperform the 

ESL-57s in the bass and topmost treble, that will throw a considerably 

wider and taller soundstage (though not a deeper 

one), that will play louder and hit harder, that have more presence 

and inner detail, and that are far less demanding when it 

comes to amplification and far less easy to break. But I haven’t 

heard one yet that will go from the softest pianissimo to fortissimo 

with the same astonishing ease and clarity. Indeed, it is 

the ESL-57s resolution at whisper-levels—its ability to play so 

quietly so clearly and gracefully—that gives it such dynamic 

jump on big crescendos. 

When Jürgen Scheuring, designer of the excellent Ascendo 

M loudspeaker, visited me a few weeks ago, I asked him what 

speaker had most influenced his own designs. He (like so many 

others before him) answered: “The QUAD.” For its unrivaled 

influence on speaker design, for the still-unsurpassed sonic standards 

of midrange purity and single-driver coherence it set, the 

QUAD ESL-57 deserves the honor I’ve bestowed on it. Now, go 

forth and find a pair of used or refurbished ones, mate them up 

to a fine low-powered amp, put on a record, and hear for yourself 

what the past fifty years of fuss have been all about. &

The Cutting Edge

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