Hi-Fi News 2019 09 UK

SEPTEMBER 2019 WWW.HIFINEWS.CO.
UK
THE HOME OF REAL HI-FI
VI
NY
Exclusive
L ICO
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REVIE
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FOXTROT
Focal
Kanta No3
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Pro-Ject’s
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Behind the music
Bands and merchandising –
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26-27 October
THE • PLUS 18 pages of music • VINYL RE-RELEASE The Modern Lovers debut LP UK £5
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• OPINION 12 pages of letters & comment • VINTAGE Ferguson CD 03 player
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CONTENTS
SEPTEMBER 19
VINYL & RECORD REVIEWS NEWS AND OPINION
78 Classical Companion 15 Welcome

This month Christopher Breunig A message from the editor
brings you his pick of the recorded 16 News
works of the enigmatic Soviet Luxman unveils belt-drive deck, new
pianist Sviatoslav Richter phono-equipped Naim amps,
80 Vinyl Release Brit-built CD player, Moon flagship
Steve Sutherland hears the 180g amp and streaming DAC
reissue of The Modern Lovers’ 19 UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2019
debut LP, an album whose influence A preview of our October show
rippled through punk and pop alike 20 Show Blog
82 Vinyl Icon Now in its fourth year, Hong Kong’s
With its prog-rock epic ‘Supper’s Audio Visual Expo is a platform for
Ready’, Foxtrot took Genesis to the affordable hi-fi. Bob Hawkins reports
brink of the big league. Mike Barnes 28 Investigation
looks at the recording of the album As sales of physical discs decline,
88 Meet The Producers 46 Focal Kanta No3 musicians are seeking alternative
She was the first to commit hip-hop French company tops off its Kanta revenue streams. Johnny Black casts
to vinyl and in doing so put rap range with a floorstander using an eye over music merchandising
on the map. Steve Sutherland has inventive tech. How does it sound? 103 Opinion
the story of Sylvia Robinson 50 Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T/ Insider comment on the hot audio
92 Music Reviews Pre Box RS2 Digital topics of the day from Barry Fox,
Our selection of audiophile LP Top-loading transport, tube output Barry Willis, Christopher Breunig,
and hi-res downloads reviewed by stage option, selectable filters... can Jim Lesurf and Steve Harris
our specialists alongside the latest this CD player/DAC do for digital 114 Sound Off
rock, jazz and classical albums what the brand’s decks did for vinyl? Reader seeks floorstanders to suit a
56 YBA Passion IA350A small room, a closer look at speaker
DEFINITIVE PRODUCT REVIEWS What’s this? An amp with a built-in distortion, the rewards of pre-loved
DAC stage that boasts a power switch hi-fi, plus the price of premium vinyl
36 dCS Rossini Transport/ all of its own? We explore the dark 138 Off The Leash
DAC v2 side with an integrated built to thrill Could a new wave of reel-to-reel
How does this two-box digital 60 Auris Audio Euterpe tape decks really be on the horizon?
hub compare to the company’s Costing a third as much as the firm’s Ken Kessler on the rumours and the
fully integrated Vivaldi One? flagship offering, is this tube-driven realities of keeping the format alive
42 SME Model 12A headphone amp/DAC a sure-fire bet?
Could this premium turntable 64 Klipsch RP-600M
package with 309-based tonearm Titanium tweeter, Tractrix horn...
included persuade you to upgrade? this budget bookshelf loudspeaker is
built for business, but can it deliver?
68 KLH Ultimate One
Debut headphones boast beryllium
drivers and ebony wood earcups and
all for under £300. We take a listen...
72 Cambridge Audio
AXC35/AXA35
CD player/amp promise to deliver the
perfect balance between price and
performance. There’s a challenge...
ABOVE: From Beatles wigs to branded
VINTAGE booze... music merchandising has a long
history but it has exploded in
122 Vintage Review recent years. Why?
How do yesterday’s classics shape up See p28
today? We test a slimline CD player
from 1985 – the Ferguson CD 03 BSCRIBE!
SUBSCRIBE!
128 From The Vault
Basil Lane looks at developments in
stylus design and the van den Hul tip
ABOVE: Bold looks and a beryllium tweeter in particular, as we dig into HFN’s Special
Save 75%Christmas offer:
on digital with a
for Focal’s Kanta No3 loudspeaker. See p46 vast archives and return to Aug ’80 print subscription
Three issues for Seejust
page£3!
See p120
60
82
57
SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 3

TAP Polarizer
Method to reduce polarization
distortion in a signal cable.
Patent Pending
PATENTED SCIENCE.
OBSERVABLE MEASUREMENTS.
DEFINITIVE RESULTS.
Shunyata Research’s many published patents and objective measurements stand out in an industry
where price inflation and hyperbole have become the norm. From the world’s finest recording studios
to life-saving medical imaging systems, Shunyata Research delivers on the promise of scientific
innovation and dramatic results. Following, are the hallmarks of a company committed to patented
science, measurements and definable achievement.
SHUNYATA RESEARCH: US PATENTS
Method to reduce distortion

in an audio cable using
ferroelectric substances.
Patent Number:
US 6,545,213
DFSS™ Patent Number: US US 7,694,917
Method to eliminate RFI, EMI
and other interference in a
power supply.
Patent Number:
US 7,196,892
Power conditioner that

actively corrects A.C. line
NIC™ Patent Number: US 8,658,892
harmonic distortion.
Patent Number:
US 7,256,638
Cable elevator that neutralizes

static electric interference.
Patent Number:
US 7,694,917
QR/BB™ Patent Number: 10,031,536
Device that reduces AC
power line noise using
ferroelectric substances.
Patent Number:
US 8,658,892
Method to reduce dielectric

distortion in signal
DTCD™ Measurement Comparisons
transmission cables.
Patent Number:
US 8,912,436
Method to improve
instantaneous current delivery
in an AC to DC power supply.
Patent Number:
10,031,536 ȅTRON™ Measurement Comparisons (Before & After)
Shunyata Research Inc.

shunyata.com Inter-Cardiac Tracing Comparisons (Before & After)
Distributed in The UK and Ireland by The Shunyata Distribution Company

Guillaume Boyer // t. 0330 223 3769 // shunyata-uk.com
THIS YEAR!
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EISA AWARDS 2019-20

Celebrating the year’s best products
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The 2019-20 EISA Awards will be announced on August 15th 2019
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SEP/19
RIGHT: Pro-Ject packs a host of
digital know-how into its new
ajor Tom
M
RS2 series CD transport
and DAC, see p50 may not have
walked on the
moon, but he
does share his
anniversary with the Apollo 11
mission and the late, great Neil
Armstrong. In July 1969 as the
Saturn V rocket roared out of our
atmosphere on the first stage
of that half million mile round half century ago is still favoured
trip, back on terra firma David by so many audiophiles today,
LEFT: KLH re-enters the hi-fi scene with Bowie’s first hit single, ‘Space thanks in no small part to the
its Ultimate One headphones. Beryllium Oddity’, was released to a newly precision engineering of today’s
drivers for just £300? See p68... astronomically-savvy audience. hardware. SME has been a key
Both left an indelible mark player in the vinyl scene, not
on a generation – so 50 years just for 50 but a full 60 years,
on, not only are we celebrating and this issue features its latest
the achievement of the Apollo turntable and arm combination
11 mission but we can also [p42], the latter taking its cues
indulge ourselves with a special from the recent top-flight
7in anniversary EP box set of the Synergy package [HFN Mar ’19].
iconic Space Oddity.
One EP carries the
original mono mixes, ‘The Rossini SACD
with ‘Wild Eyed Boy From
Freecloud’ on the B side,
transport/DAC was
while the other features the stuff of sci-fi’
2019 mixes of the same
tracks by Bowie’s engineer and By way of contrast, it’s
co-producer Tony Visconti. equally amazing to think
Listening to what, arguably, that the processing power of
was to become Bowie’s signature today’s digital audio products
tune, it’s impossible not to be outstrips that available to the
MUSIC: Foxtrot, the album that put be transported back to an era Apollo 11 mission by a factor of
Genesis on the rock map, is our Vinyl Icon when all of us – of an age – had many millions... Back in 1969
(p82), while Jonathan Richman’s proto- an expectation of moonbases, computer software was still in its
punk debut Modern Lovers, now on 180g men on Mars, and so on. That infancy, so while the world was
LP, is lauded by Steve Sutherland (p80) particular zeitgeist may have gazing skyward, the idea of dCS’s
fizzled out but, like the vinyl LP, Rossini SACD transport and DAC
RIGHT: Hi-Fi News & RR is the UK’s perhaps we might soon realise a [p36] was, quite simply, still the
representative of EISA’s Hi-Fi Expert revival of interplanetary travel. stuff of science fiction...
Group. Editor Paul Miller took over as It’s salutary to remember that
EISA’s President in June 2016 the dominant hi-fi format of a PAUL MILLER GROUP EDITOR
HI-FI NEWS’ EXPERT LINE UP: THE FINEST MINDS IN AUDIO JOURNALISM BRING THEIR EXPERIENCE TO BEAR ON ALL AREAS OF HI-FI & MUSIC
BARRY FOX DAVID PRICE KEN KESSLER KEITH HOWARD STEVE HARRIS ANDREW EVERARD STEVE SUTHERLAND
Investigative journalist An avid collector of is a long-serving has written about Former Editor of this has reviewed hi-fi for worked on Melody
supreme, Barry is the audio treasures, and contributor, luxury hi-fi for 40 years, and very title from 1986 over 30 years and Maker and then edited
first with news of the life-long hi-fi addict, goods writer and edited Hi-Fi Answers through to 2005. A is still effortlessly NME from 1992-2000,
latest developments DP lends his ears champion for the for nine. KH performs lifetime in audio and enthusiastic about new the Britpop years. Steve
in hi-fi and music and experience from renaissance in valves our speaker and a love of jazz makes technology, kit and brings a unique slant to
technologies analogue to digital and ‘vintage hi-fi’ headphone lab tests Steve a goldmine discovering new music our Vinyl Release pages

NEWS We reveal the latest products and upcoming events
Luxman PD-151
ICONIC JAPANESE BRAND BOOSTS THE VINYL REVIVAL
Priced at £4500, the latest turntable from Luxman – the
PD-151 – hardly rates as entry-level but undercuts the current
PD-171A [HFN Dec ’13] by a significant £1000. Belt-driven
and with an integral S-shaped pick-up arm, the PD-151 claims
effective isolation from external vibration thanks to an under-
slung suspension system beneath its 10mm aluminium top plate.
Drive is from a newly-developed brushless DC motor which
provides three-speed operation (33.3/45/78rpm), with fine
adjustment on each. Speed selection and trimming are effected
via rotary controls on the front face of the plinth, leaving the
top plate entirely control-free but for the cueing lever of the
statically-balanced Jelco pick-up arm. The latter features
a detachable magnesium headshell for easy cartridge
swapping while overhang adjustment is via slots for the
cartridge mounting bolts. Weighing 4kg, the platter is
machined from aluminium with a diamond-cut surface
finish and runs on a main bearing with stainless steel
shaft, brass radial bearing and PEEK thrust bearing.
A 4mm acrylic dust cover is also supplied.
Luxman Corp., Japan, 01480 447700; www.luxman.com
Two new Naims Brit

Brit-built
built player
3RD GENERATION NAIT XS AND SUPERNAIT MITCHELL & JOHNSON’S S800 DISC SPINNER
Naim Audio has made what it claims are
significant performance upgrades to its Nait
XS and Supernait to create the £2199 Nait XS3
and £3499 Supernait 3 integrated amplifiers. STREAMING ATLAS
Audio cable specialist Atlas Cables
One of the most important changes is that has launched three new Cat6-
both models now include MM phono inputs bandwidth streaming cables:
comprising three stages – gain, passive EQ Equator, Hyper and Mavros Grun. All
and gain/active EQ – which incorporate an LF three feature solid OFC conductors
response that falls between the classic RIAA and and polyethylene insulation – solid Promoted as flying the flag for specialist UK
IEC replay curves. This, says Naim, combines in the Equator but foamed in the manufacturing in the Brexit era, the £1299
two costlier cables. Mavros is
good bass extension with sufficient attenuation compatible with Atlas’s Grun earthing
S800 is a new CD player from London-based
of infra-bass warp and ripple signals to prevent system. Prices range from £82.50 Mitchell & Johnson. A front-loader with unusual
midrange intermodulation issues. The EQ through £160 to £485 for the rotary controls either side of the disc tray for
capacitors are all through-hole types to ensure shortest 0.75m lengths, rising to the transport functions, the S800 features
resistance to microphony. Other key features £125/£245/£655, respectively, for an ESS Sabre chip for digital-to-analogue
are Class A headphone amplifiers, Alps Blue the longest 5m cables. conversion and offers both unbalanced
www.atlascables.com
Velvet potentiometers for volume control, reed analogue output on RCAs and a balanced
relay input switching, larger toroidal mains BRAUN AUDIO output on XLRs. The CD mechanism is ‘Europe-
transformers and a Naim Discrete Regulator After a 28 year absence from the sourced’ while the casework is made in the UK,
(DR) powering the preamp circuits. hi-fi market, German electronics with assembly in the UK too. Internally a linear,
Naim Audio Ltd, Salisbury, 01722 426600; manufacturer Braun is to start rather than switched-mode, power supply is
www.naimaudio.com selling audio equipment again later used, featuring a Noratel Xtraquiet toroidal
this year, beginning with updated mains transformer. When partnered with other
versions of its slim LE loudspeakers
introduced in 1959. Details and Mitchell & Johnson items, the Power Link trigger
prices have yet to be announced but input provides for synchronised power on/off of
the reborn LE range will be unveiled a complete separates system. Available finishes
at IFA Berlin in early September. are satin black or satin silver.
www.braun.com Mitchell & Johnson, London, 0845 643 5064;
www.mitchellandjohnson.com
16 | www.hifinews.co.uk | SEPTEMBER 2019

We reveal the latest products and upcoming events NEWS
Reaching for the Moon Pro-Ject X gets a boost

SIMAUDIO LAUNCHES FLAGSHIP INTEGRATED AMP AND DAC X2 TURNTABLE PACKAGE BUILDS ON ENTRY-LEVEL X1
Pro-Ject has beefed up its popular X1 turntable [HFN Aug ’19]
to create the £999 X2. Key features are an MDF plinth, DC-
to-AC generator board which provides a clean supply to the
motor, revised suspension for the motor and a longer one-piece
aluminium/carbon composite pick-up arm that incorporates
both VTA and azimuth adjustment. Pro-Ject’s Pick-IT 2M Silver
cartridge is an option. The platter is machined from solid acrylic
and there are four plinth finish options – walnut, satin black,
satin white and high gloss
black. Finally, the X2
is supplied with Pro-
Ject’s Connect-IT
low capacitance,
interconnect
cable.
Pro-Ject
Simaudio, the company behind most accomplished digital-to- Audio
the Moon brand of high-end analogue converter Moon has Systems,
separates, has launched two ever built’, the £13,700 780D Austria,
new items claimed ‘to offer v2 also features a Roon Ready 01235 511166;
performance way beyond network streamer. In addition, www.project-audio.com,
their price’ and ‘permanently USB, AES/EBU, three coaxial, www.henleyaudio.co.uk
alter listeners’ expectations of two optical, Ethernet, Wi-Fi,
audio quality’. The £13,000
Moon 700i v2 integrated
and aptX Bluetooth inputs are
provided, with sample rate HI-FI NEWS? JUST ASK...
amplifier delivers a specified compatibility up to 384kHz Please reserve/deliver my copy of Hi-fi News
If you can’t always find a copy
175W/8ohm output, rising to (PCM) and DSD256. on a regular basis, starting with issue....................
of this magazine, help is at
350W/4ohm, and offers four SimAudio Ltd, Canada,
hand! Complete this form, Title................First name........................................
line-level unbalanced inputs 450 449-2212;
hand it in at your local store Surname..................................................................
on RCAs and one balanced www.simaudio.com,
and they’ll arrange for a copy
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of each issue to be reserved
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for you. Some stores may
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Grand isolation to be delivered to your home.

Just ask!
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ISOACOUSTICS DELOS ISOLATION PLATFORMS
IF YOU DON’T
IsoAcoustics has introduced same footprint but is 76mm
WANT TO MISS
a range of ‘butcher block’ thick and suitable for loads
turntable isolation platforms of up to 24.9kg, while the
AN ISSUE...
which do indeed look like larger 2216M1 and 2216M2
butcher blocks – until you (£600 and £700) measure
spot isolators set into the 560x405mm have six isolators
underside. There are four and can be used with decks of
DELOS models, all constructed up to 45.4kg and 40.8kg.
of maple. Smallest is the £400 IsoAcoustics Inc, Canada,
1815M1 (455x380mm, 45mm 03301 222 500;
thick) which incorporates four www.isoacoustics.com,
isolators and is usable with
turntables of up to 29.5kg.
www.scvdistribution.co.uk Upcoming Events
The £500 1815M2 has the IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR HI-FI DIARY
09-11 AUG Hong Kong AV Show; www.audiotechnique.com/av-show/
06-08 SEP Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2019, 6700 North Gaylord
Rockies Blvd, Colorado, USA; www.audiofest.net
06-11 SEP IFA Berlin, The International Funkausstellung, Germany;
http://b2c.ifa-berlin.de
26-27 OCT The UK Hi-Fi Show Live, Ascot Racecourse Grandstand,
Ascot Berkshire SL5 7JX; www.hifishowlive.com
08-10 NOV Warsaw Audio Show, Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel, Warsaw,
Poland; https://audioshow.pl

Tickets EVENTS Latest from the UK’s only high-end hi-fi show
On Sale
Now live.com
www.hifishow
Ascot Grandstand 2019

Now in its 7th year, and hosted at the prestigious
Ascot Grandstand, the UK’s only dedicated high-end
audio show boasts the ‘who’s who’ of world-class hi-fi
ê Mains regenerators do
not come any bigger than PS
Audio’s DirectStream Power
Plant P20 [HFN Apr ’19]. It
hosts a total of 13 AC outlets
divided into five zones, two
of which are designated high
current for the connection of
power amplifiers. Experience
the improvement in sound
é A firm favourite with audiophile visitors to the achieved by detaching your
Hi-Fi Show Live, Esoteric will be returning with system from ‘the grid’.
a host of glorious separates including the N-03T
network transport, the P-05X SACD transport,
D-05X DAC and C-03Xs/S-03 pre/power amps – all
played through some choice Marten floorstanders
ì Avantgarde’s iconic horn speakers
ê With its brand named after the ancient ocean were premiered to a UK audience at
sunfish, you can bank on Mola-Mola offering last year’s Hi-Fi Show Live. This year,
products that are equally intriguing, and with a and with so much more space to
performance that’s class-leading. Take a dip with breathe in, come hear the Avantgarde
the Tambaqui DAC – an outboard version of the Duo Mezzo XD fill the Ascot Parade
Makua preamp’s PWM digital stage [HFN Aug ’17] Ring suite with spectacular sounds.
– at the UK Hi-Fi Show Live.
7th October
26--27
Advance ti
Ad tickets
ckets
k are on sale for the
t UK’s premier high-end
audio event – The UK Hi-Fi Show Live, hosted at the Ascot
Racecourse Grandstand, High Street, Ascot on Saturday
26th and Sunday 27th October 2019. Tickets cost just £20
(£30 for a weekend pass) via www.eventbrite.co.uk or via
the link on the www.hifishowlive.com website. We are also
offering a concessionary £15 day pass for subscribers of
Hi-Fi News and Hi-Fi Choice (details on the
insert included with all subscriber
copies). See website for further
ç Constellation Audio information, brand listings
is promising an heroic and seminars.
performance courtesy
of these Hercules II
monoblocks, rated at a
phenomenal 1.1kW/
8ohm. Experience the
apex of high-end sound
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the UK Hi-Fi Show Live

SHOWBLOG Sights and sounds from around the globe
Hong Kong AV Expo 2019

Words & pictures: Bob Hawkins
Now in its fourth year and

taking place over three
days, the Audio Visual
Expo held in Hong Kong
once again proved to be a
great success. More than
6000 eager audiophiles
attended on the first day
alone, which was a record,
no doubt boosted by
the public bank holiday
dedicated to Dragon Boat
Racing. The show, though local distributors and exhibitors
modest in size, is set over such as KingSound and Knight
four floors in two adjacent Stereophonics – both of which
buildings, The Regal demoed a variety of striking
Kowloon and Royal Garden products – were components from
Hotel, in the region’s lively a number of well-known British
Tsim Sha Tsui district. The HK$60 (£6) entry fee included a free brands like Naim, Cambridge Audio, Rogers, Chord and ProAc,
SACD and programme guide – a very generous offer. all of which are doing very well in the Asian market. Overall,
As always, the aim of the event is to bring ‘affordable the event attracted more than 12,000 attendees and organiser
hi-fi’ to the ears and eyes of the public and on the whole the Ken Wong of the Hong Kong-based audio visual web magazine
show achieved this. Rubbing shoulders with offerings from Feversound was delighted with the outcome.
‘No preamp needed,’

quipped Bricasti’s Brian
Zolner while introducing
the M3 Direct Stream
DAC. Why? Because it can
be used as a line stage to
drive power amps directly
using its analogue level
control. DSD is handled
by Bricasti’s proprietary
1-bit analogue converter
www.bricasti.com
The 14-M Broadcast is Earbuds and the cables that go with them are audio’s
an active monitor from equivalent of jewellery in Hong Kong, the braided versions
Swiss company PSI Audio alone costing up to £800. Appealing to both male and
and at 243x163x170mm female music lovers alike, not only is there a huge market for
(hwd) is ideal for those these aftermarket cables but the sheer choice is dizzying.
with smaller apartments.
Built-in amplification for
both woofer and tweeter
is said to produce 70W
and 30W, respectively,
with volume controlled
by a knob on the front.
Weighing just 5.5kg and
with a carry handle, it’s
also aimed at pro users
wanting a speaker for use
on outside broadcasts.
www.psiaudio.swiss

The spotlight is on value for money in the case of

Dual’s CS 600 belt-drive turntable [HFN May ’19]. It
comes with a height adjustable arm that’s unique to
the model, though no cartridge. The platter is driven Focal Kanta No3 speakers [see p46] in Solar Yellow dominated the Aria
by a DC motor with electronic speed control offering Audio zone where they were driven by a pair of Soulnote A2 monoblocks
33.33, 45 and 78rpm. www.decentaudio.co.uk and the company’s C1 CD player/D2 DAC. The room was packed as the
speakers were put through their paces. A Lightspeed power conditioner
and Entreq grounding box completed the set-up. www.focal.com
Another active
speaker only this time
from Holland, the
Dutch & Dutch 8c
comprises twin 8in
subs, an 8in midrange
driver and a 1in
tweeter all driven by
Class D amplification.
Thanks to Ethernet
connectivity and a
mobile app, music
can be streamed to
the speaker, and it
features on-board
DSP too. www.
dutchdutch.com
To celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2017, Rogers decided to relaunch a

number of its iconic products along with one or two new ones. Here’s the
company’s Cadet V integrated amp. Running in Class A, with four superb-
looking 300B triode valves on board, it is said to produce 23W per channel
from 4 and 8ohm speaker outputs. www.rogers-hifi.uk
When it comes to
affordable audio these
little beauties fit the bill.
The Edifier S880DB is a
Hi-Res Audio certified
standmount speaker
that’s just at home on
a desk where it can
This slick-looking integrated amp arrived all the way connect to a PC via
from Greece. The Tsakiridis Aeolos Ultra promises an USB. It boasts a built-in
action-packed performance thanks to a rated 70W amp, DAC, Bluetooth
per channel from its two pairs of KT150 tubes. It can 4.1 connectivity, and a
run in triode or pentode mode – the top-mounted remote. In addition to
meters indicating right/left channel plate current. It the usual volume/tone
also comes with a remote. www.tsakiridis-devices.com controls it offers four EQ
modes. www.edifier.com

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With CDs in Hong Kong costing around HKS140 (£14)
and commercial rents on the up it was no surprise that
both HMV and Hong Kong Records closed their bricks
and mortar stores. Edifier is now emerging as a low-cost
streaming alternative, which is also providing some fine
loudspeaker and headphone choices. www.edifier.com
Knight Stereophonics is a family business based in Hong Kong, and its

room housed one of the most spectacular-looking set-ups at the show
thanks in the main to the use of two of its huge Heracles monoblocks.
Weighing 55kg apiece and topped by a sparkling 212 pentode tube
the amps are said to push out 80W. www.knightstereophonics.com
Sherry Chung, MD of HK’s Sound Concepts, is making
waves in a male-dominated industry. She founded the
Spanish company company in 1990, having worked in audio since 1978.
Kroma’s mid market She’s seen here with ATC’s Richard Newman having
Mimi loudspeakers were recently completed a deal to install ATC’s pro products
new to Hong Kong and at Jackie Chan’s studios. www.hksoundconcepts.com
sounded uncoloured and
lively thanks to the use
of a Hiquphon tweeter
and 6.5in mid-woofer
mounted in a Krion
cabinet. Impedance is
quoted at 8ohm and
sensitivity 90dB/W/m.
Weighing just 16kg and a
little under 40cm tall they
are shown here with their
side panels finished in
‘true 24k’ gold leaf.
www.kromaaudio.com
By chance I spotted a pair of Mission’s QX2 loudspeakers on a stand

being run by Onkyo Base. Each 320mm-tall enclosure houses a 38mm
tweeter above a 15cm mid/bass driver and boasts aluminium plates
on both top and base panels. The speakers are available in a choice of
blackwood, rosewood, walnut and white finishes. www.mission.co.uk
How about this? A TT1Mk2 belt-drive turntable from UK

company Edwards Audio on an 18mm plinth complete
with EA202 arm and custom made 12mm acrylic platter
– though here it’s covered by a mat. It can be bought on
its own or as a package with a Talk Zephyr C100 or C200
MM cartridge. www.talkelectronics.com

Taiwanese-based
Lawrence Audio
showed a variety of
speakers from its Bird
and Instrument ranges.
From the left are the
Violin, Mandolin, Dove
Diamond and Bulbul
models. Each speaker
consists of a vented
MDF cabinet with the
Violin boasting a rear-
firing ribbon tweeter,
front-facing Air Motion
tweeter and a 200mm
mid-woofer. Sensitivity
is given as 86dB/W/m Grimm Audio’s CC1 master clock (middle of stack) was
by the company. www. originally developed for use in recording studios but has
lawrenceaudio.com since won fans among audiophiles. It’s used here with
Weiss’s DSP502 Roon-ready digital signal processor and
Medus DAC to create a sound that was truly transparent.
www.grimmaudio.com; www.weiss.ch
Fresh from the US

came this trio of
Balanced Audio’s
more affordable
components: the
solid-state VK-23SE
preamp, VK-P6 phono
stage and VK-3000SE
integrated amp said
to deliver 150W/ch.
The preamp boasts
a 140-step volume
Radar Audio’s clever arrangement of back-to-back dems provided this control while the
compact array of medium-priced Naim kit flanked by ProAc’s Studio phono stage employs
SM100 speakers. An NDX2 streamer [HFN Sep ’18], Supernait 2 amp no fewer than ten
[HFN Nov ’13], Hi Cap DR PSU and Uniti Core server were all neatly 6SN7 tubes. www.
housed in a Fraim Base on a Fraim Level unit. www.naimaudio.com balanced.com
All’s quiet as dealers await the crowds who are yet to arrive. Local
company Aria Audio, established in 2009, laid on an Aladdin’s cave of
audio and video treats from companies such as Amphion, BMC, PSI and
Soulnote at special prices just for the event. The big Cinenova 7 on the
far right of the table is a multichannel amp. www.aria-audio.com
I met an old friend at the show – a vintage Garrard 301

transcription turntable, beautifully housed in a four-ply
wooden plinth chosen and designed to help reduce
unwanted vibrations. Originally launched in 1954, this
idler-drive motor unit is fitted here with an SME 3012R
tonearm equipped with an Ortofon SPU cartridge.

Cas Oostvogel, NAD’s
EU Brand Manager,
demo’d the new M10
BluOS streaming amp
[HFN Jun ’19]. An all-
in-one solution, set-up
is simple: just add
speakers and a tablet.
This compact amp
has everything: Dirac
room correction, an
ESS Sabre DAC and Métronome’s AQWO [HFN Mar ’19] is the first SACD
customised Class D player to be offered by the company. A top-loader
power modules from with a touchscreen, there’s a choice of six digital
Hypex. It’s certainly on filters and an optional tube output stage for those
my Xmas list. seeking a warmer sound. www.metronome.audio
www.nad.com
Two new hybrid ESL loudspeakers have been I guess my old Stax SR3
launched by local manufacturer Kingsound in electrostatic earspeakers
the form of the Princess lll [left] and Queen V. don’t look a lot different from
The latter speaker is said to have a frequency this pair of Kingsound KS-H3
response of 45Hz-22kHz while the Princess lll ‘Emperors’ given their shape,
is rated at 55Hz-24kHz. Both are competitively but there the similarity
priced designs that sound pretty decent too. ends. Frequency response is
www.kingsaudio.com.hk quoted as being 6Hz-48kHz,
sensitivity 109dB, while
weight is given as 420g.
www.kingsaudio.com.hk
Seated audiophiles listen keenly to a live

performance by one of the guest singers who
took to the stage each day to perform to a
packed room. A professional music console
was hooked up to a pair of ATC loudspeakers
with the performer holding a basic cardioid
hand-held mic. It still sounded very good
though and was one of the show’s highlights.
Here’s the distinctive-

looking Brooklyn DAC+
from Mytek [HFN Aug
’17] which doubles as
Next
month
a headphone amp and
preamp. It supports LPCM
up to 192kHz via its S/PDIF
inputs, and up to 384kHz
via USB. DSD64, DSD128 Hi-Fi News unveils the
and DSD256 are also
handled via USB. An MQA EISA 2019-2020 Hi-Fi Awards
decoder completes a tidy
package. www.mytek.com

INVESTIGATION
Bop ’til you shop...

Johnny Black examines the booming business of music merchandising
RIGHT: From
‘flasher buttons’
to dog food...
Original ads for
Elvis Presley
merchandising
that would
see Billboard
predict in late
1956 that the
star would earn
more than $20m
from branded
products in that
year alone
Skelter agency and the Bravado

merchandising operation, both of
which are owned by Sanctuary.’
So there was the M-word again
– merchandise. It’s been around
for years but, in the last couple of
decades, merchandise has assumed
a very powerful place in the music
business hierarchy. Yes, music is
still at the core of the business but
ere’s a story I wish I didn’t director at the powerful M&C to a large extent nowadays, its
BELOW: New
York punk band
The Ramones in
the late ’70s (l-r)
– Johnny, Joey,
H have to tell. Unfortunately,
not to tell it would mean
ignoring the alarming
truth that recorded music is no
longer – at least commercially –
Saatchi advertising agency, he
dropped the following bombshell.
‘Free downloading means that the
music created by artists is no longer
the thing that earns them money.
importance lies in the fact that it
drives punters to buy other more
profitable products.
SHIRT TALES
manager Danny always the most important element Tours, merchandise and One of the first moments this
Fields wearing in the recorded music industry. other artist-brand change became apparent came
an original band Way back in 2008, partnerships are at the start of the new millennium
t-shirt (see inset during an interview I was where the money when it was reported that The
also), Tommy and conducting with John lies now.’ Ramones (three of whom were
Dee Dee Parker, an account I knew he already dead) had now sold more
was right, and t-shirts than records. No-one would
the point was be surprised to learn that Pink Floyd
hammered and The Rolling Stones sell t-shirts by
home not the million, but The Ramones?
long after They had never scored a gold disc
when Universal during their entire career. Death
Music bought the has always been considered a good
Sanctuary Records career move for a rock star, but that
group. Talking to Rod fact was rarely made clearer than
MacSween, a co-founder of the ITB when it was reported that the day
agency, he explained why. after Joey Ramone died in 2001,
‘In my opinion they’re not one American clothing chain put in
after the record company,’ he an order for 10,000 units. By 2008,
stated. ‘They want the Helter they had sold 1.5m t-shirts. And
28 | www
www.hifi
hifinews co uk | SEPTEMBER 2019
news.co.uk
the t-shirts were just the tip of the RIGHT: A fan
iceberg. Other profitable Ramones favourite –
merch includes hoodies, flip-flops, Beatles Remco
shower curtains, mugs and posters. dolls from 1964
But just how profitable is this and (far right)
merchandising lark? The Licensing original ad for
Industry Merchandisers’ Association ‘the authentic’
reported in 2016 that the global Beatle wig
music merchandise market (of
which t-shirts are a big part) was
worth $3.1bn, up 9.4% from the
$2.83 billion generated in 2015.
BRIAN WILKINS
So how did it come to this?

Before I reveal all, let me state that skirts, blouses, belts, wallets, charm
if I ever read one more feature bracelets, necklaces, hats, gloves,
claiming that merchandising mittens, book-ends, toy guitars,
started when The Beatles lipstick, cologne, stuffed ‘hound
conquered America in 1964, I’m dogs’, greeting cards and soft
going to hunt down its author drinks. Later that year, a Billboard
and bury him in a Kiss Kasket. feature predicted that the Presley
(Yes, that’s a real thing. It’s a merchandising campaign would
limited edition $5000 coffin that ‘eclipse sales of $20,000,000 before
was added to the Kiss range of the end of the year’.
merchandise in 2001.)
ABOVE: The Rock ’n’ rollers from the 1950s BEATLES BLUNDER
FOR THE RECORD Beatles pictured were no different. In early 1956, A range of Cliff Richard merchandise,
The earliest instance of music in Feb 1964 Elvis Presley had famously asked including necklets and heart-shaped
merchandising I can find dates back after arriving merchandiser Hank Saperstein lockets, went on sale in the UK in
to January the 5th, 1908, when at JFK Airport ‘Can you really sell November 1959.
Franz Lehar’s popular operetta in New York. this stuff?’ when So, by the time The
The Merry Widow was playing at Their US invasion Saperstein showed ‘An elite cadre Beatles invaded
Chicago’s Colonial Theatre. The him a range of the USA in 1964,
poster outside stated that the
had begun,
but so had the products that might
of artists can the business of
‘Merry Widow Waltz in both disc and
cylinder records for phonographs’
concept of music
merchandising –
be sold with his
name and/or image
sell t-shirts merchandising
rock ’n’ roll was
is available at the theatre. In other decades before attached. The answer for up to $200’ already well
words, the recorded music itself was was yes, so in late July, established. In fact,
the merchandising item. Elvis and his manager Colonel Parker far from creating the market, Brian
As the decades rolled along, received an advance of $22,500 Epstein all but missed the boat.
music stars found innumerable ways against 45% of royalties He allowed a Chelsea-based
of enhancing their and licensing fees. Then businessman, Nicky Byrne, to
income that were Saperstein set set up a company called Seltaeb
not, strictly speaking, about making Ltd to oversee Beatles-related
merchandising, but did Presley- merchandising. But Byrne cut a deal
help establish the idea themed whereby he earned 90% of profits,
that the popularity they denims, leaving just 10% to be split between
had achieved through t-shirts, Epstein and his Moptops.
their music was a bobby-sox, Byrne negotiated deals in the
marketable commodity sneakers, USA to manufacture Beatles wigs,
in its own right. dolls, egg cups, t-shirts, sweatshirts,
Bizarre as the notion trousers, perfume, scarves, liquorice
of a singer promoting and even empty cans said to contain
cigarettes sounds to ‘Beatle breath’. By the time Brian
modern ears, The Bing Epstein realised his blunder, Byrne
Crosby Chesterfields had raked in untold millions.
Show ran on CBS in the The lesson was learned very
USA from 1949 to 1952, quickly by more astute music biz
and Crosby appeared in numerous ABOVE: entrepreneurs like publisher Don
magazine ads extolling the virtues Packaging Kirshner who, along with television
of those gaspers. Bing also endorsed for Bing producers Bob Rafelson and Bert
Mastercraft pipes, Zonolite home Crosby’s brand Schneider, manufactured a Beatles-
insulation, and his own brand of ice of ice cream, inspired TV pop band, The Monkees,
cream, perhaps to soothe his throat and the singer in 1966. One major difference
after all those ciggies. in 1951 (right) was that, for The Monkees,

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INVESTIGATION
LEFT: Kath
LEFT harine of their fans are right there in the
H
Hamnett’s s large venue, and lots of them really want
g t-sh
slogan hirts
h to take home a memento of the
d
as adopte ed by night. As Bob Mould of Husker Du
FrankieeGGoes To astutely pointed out, ‘You can’t
Hollyw wood
w download a t-shirt’. That, in a
( left) and
(far nutshell, is why it was possible by
Wham!
W April 2004, for Britney Spears to rake
in $30m from merchandise during
her Onyx Hotel tour.
METAL MERCHANT
Later the same year, merchandising
company Signatures Network
O O
BELOW: Ozzy revealed that Ozzy Osbourne had
merchandising was part of the b
Osbourne e on passed the $50 million mark in
plan from day one. Disastrously stage in 2 2017 merchandise sales. This was a record
for Kirshner and Co, the runaway 1984,
1984 it was near impossible
i ibl to
t walk
lk andd ((right)
i ht poster for a heavy rock performer, with
success of The Monkees (they down any street in the UK without for the 2018 much of revenue derived from sales
outsold The Beatles and Rolling encountering at least one ‘Frankie Ozzfest. The at his annual Ozzfest events, which
Stones combined in 1967) enabled Says Relax’ t-shirt, popularised by annual event was
the group to wrest power from Frankie Goes To Hollywood. launched in 1996
Kirshner. Undismayed, Kirshner next
invented The Archies, a cartoon MUSIC FOR FREE
group whose songs were sung by But the single biggest driving
session players and whose voices on force in the rise and rise of
TV were dubbed by actors. In this rock and pop merch was the
format, the band were unable to change from physical recorded d
rebel against Kirshner, because they media, whether that meant
literally did not exist. vinyl, cassette or CD, to digitall
In those early years, profitable downloads. When peer-to-peer
merchandise deals were generally file-sharing service Napster
limited to the world’s sprang into
biggest artists but, existence
as the years went ‘The driving in 1999, it
by, that situation meant that
began to change.
force was the fans could
It’s generally agreed
that AC/DC had
change from acquire their
music for
the first tour that physical media’ nothing. This, BELOW: Released
made more out of combined with the in 1969, The see a variety of heavy metal and
merchandise than from ticket sales. onset of streaming giants like Spotify Archies’ single hard rock bands tour the US and
It’s also widely conceded that heavy and Pandora, forced musicians to ‘Sugar, Sugar’ sometimes Europe.
metal bands (AC/DC, Iron Maiden, find new ways to make money. was a No 1 in But it’s not all plain sailing.
Motörhead, etc) blazed the trail for Suddenly, live touring became both the US and Robert Smith of The Cure revealed
the classic rock t-shirt – logo on the more important and, significantly, UK. The band to me that during the band’s Curiosa
front against a black background, on a tour an artist can sell lots of were cartoon Tour in 2004, ‘We each got to think
ideally with tour dates on the back. merchandise, because thousands characters up a merchandising item to sell,
One major change and I came up with the idea of a
came in the ’80s when water bottle
bo on a belt. But it turned
artist t-shirts started to o thatt w
out we couldn’t sell it with
be sold through retail watee
er in, because if the water
outlets, and pop bands waas contaminated, we’d get
started to regain some ssued. So it had to be sold as
of the merchandising a container and belt with a
ground they’d lost to sseparate bottle of branded
metal. Memorably, in water, which you used to
their 1983 video for fill the container yourself’.
‘Wake Me Up Before You It’s this kind of issue
Go Go’, Wham! wore a that’s perhaps the one
Katharine Hamnett print, reason why the tried-and-
‘Choose Life’, prompting ttested t-shirt remains a
millions of fans to acquire peerennial sure-seller. Kanye
similar shirts. And, by West and Justin Bieber are
Wes
W
2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 31
SEPTEMBER 201
The legend returns
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it was an instant hit. Kiseki Blue, PurpleHeart, BlackHeart, Agate, Lapis Lazuli were the
products of legend. Sadly the advent of CD meant cartridge manufacturing had to be
wound down, as the world embraced digital.
The interest and growth in vinyl in recent years meant there was a new demand for
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Made in limited numbers, each Kiseki is a true musical masterpiece.
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AN INSIDER’S TAKE ON THE MERCHANDISE EXPLOSION
A
Stteve Parker is uniquely placed to
look
lo back on how merchandising
has
ha impacted the face of the music
buusiness. As well as having been a
manager
m and agent for artists as
diiverse as 10cc, John Martin and
Uriah
Ur Heep, he now owns and edits
Audience
Au magazine, a globally
diistributed publication for the
ontemporary live music business.
co
‘When I started managing bands
n the early ’70s,’ Parker tells me,
in
‘you virtually had to pay people to
LEFT: Labels and wear a t-shirt with your artist’s logo
bottles for Iron on it. But wearing a band’s t-shirt
Maiden’s Trooper was a real sign of allying with the
beer, and Status group, because you could only get the shirts at gigs. By the 1980s,
Quo’s Piledriver however, retail clothing shops were starting to sell artist t-shirts.
ale. Iron Maiden That meant teenage girls who knew nothing about the bands could
is said to have buy the shirt because they thought it looked cool.
among the elite cadre of artists sold over 20m ‘Nowadays, it’s about building your artist into a brand, and
who can sell t-shirts for up to $200, pints of its there’s money in it if you do it right, but there are significant costs
often via one-off boutique pop-up beverage since it involved getting the items manufactured and, in the case of t-shirts,
shops rather than off a table in was launched in having them printed. Then you have to package them, transport
the vestibule of a venue. However, March 2013 them, and pay a commission – maybe 20% – to the venue. You need
even at the lower end of the chain, to create a space in which to sell them, and pay people to actually
if a small indie artist or band can ABOVE RIGHT: sell them, maybe another 10%. So the
shift 20 or 30 t-shirts at a show, it Steve Parker, margins are tight. But if you carry the
can make the difference between past manager of right merchandise, such as t-shirts and
survival and extinction. John Martyn and tour programmes, it can be profitable.
Uriah Heep and ‘You can also have a live LP available
HIP HOPS current agent for for sale at concerts. We do it with 10cc
We’ve already seen that merch 10cc (inset) by recording one of the early shows on a
doesn’t have to be just t-shirts, and tour, and we can have it ready for sale in
the Kiss Kasket probably takes the BELOW: Dr Dre, the venues ten days later, with the tracks
biscuit for the weirdest example, founder of Beats in the right order, and a message from
but it’s worth mentioning that many Electronics, and the band, which is what the fans want.
artists have launched their own who according ‘A word of warning though, if you
branded alcoholic beverages, from to Forbes was over-order on tour merchandise you can
Iron Maiden’s Trooper beer to Carlos the world’s be left with a ton of stuff you can’t get
Santana’s Supernatural Rose wine. most succesful rid of when the tour ends, because you have to create new merch for
Ghostwave,
stwave, a New Zealand outfi outfit,
t, musician in 2012 every tour
tour. People come to a show and they want to take a souvenir
went on ne step p further in 2013 away with them, even if it’s just a keyring or a lanyard. With the rise
when th heyy llaunched
h d the
h world’s ld o y can have on-demand t-shirts so you don’t
of online, however, you
first playyable beer bottle. Using h y ere. Also, t-shirts can now be sold
have to store them anywhe
Edison’ss cylinder recording system, o
online even after the tour has ended, because there are fans
the band i l ‘Here She
d’s single h Comes’ i Japan, Russia
in i andd elsew
l where who will buy them.’
was etched around the surface
of the bottle
b //
[see https://vimeo. .
com/68 8007497]. ]. signifi
ficant was that Dre Beats Headphones brand, and
Earlie
er this yyear, Rihanna hadn’t actuallyy released he raked in a bundle more two
launche ed her own Parisian fashion a
any musici iin that
h year. In years later when Apple bought the
house, FFentyy Maison,
i i h a llavish
with i h act hiss millions
fact o s cacamee company for an ear-watering $3bn.
bash in Paris,, but the fact that llargelyy from In the early days of rock ’n’ roll, it
made it obvious that merchandise sales of was not unknown for unscrupulous
could be e more significant than his managers to exploit young hopefuls,
music came in 2012 when Forbess even taking the shirt off their backs
magazin ne declared Dr Dre, when they fell from grace. Anyone
with hiss $110m income, to starting out in the music business
have be een the yyear’s most today would be well advised to hang
successfful musician. What onto that shirt at all costs. It might
made thishis statistic so just be their salvation.

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absolutesounds.com [email protected]
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analogue converters? Well yes, and the
capable of handling content at up to
384kHz/24-bit and DSD128, and can
upsample content in lower formats up to
those maxima. It’s compatible with Spotify
Connect, Deezer and Tidal, has MQA
a pair of XLRs, will accept PCM at up to
384kHz and DSD64/128 in DoP format or
dCS-encrypted native DSD. The last of these
meets the SACD standard requirement
that data must be transmitted, box to box,
Rossini Player continues in the range as a decoding built-in (as of the current v2.0 in a protected format, which is a slightly
pure Red Book device because, at the time firmware), and is also Roon-ready, the last archaic anti-piracy measure given that it’s
it was developed, dCS was unable to source of these also opening it up to playing hi-res now perfectly possible to rip SACD discs
a suitable SACD/CD combination transport. music streams available via the Qobuz to DSD files with the right software and
Now, however, all that’s changed, Studio and Sublime+ services, as does dCS’s hardware, should one be so inclined.
and the new dCS Rossini Transport’s dual own Mosaic platform.
laser mechanism will handle both kinds The latest Rossini DAC can also play CONVERSION CONUNDRUM
of silver disc, but – as the name suggests from USB media via USB-A as well as As an aside, it’s worth noting that, when
– this is a purely digital device. It has no network sources, has a USB-B asynchronous using the Rossini Transport with the DAC to
onboard DACs, but does feature built-in port for direct connection from a computer play SACDs, the transmission is carried in an
upsampling for CDs all the way to DSD/ or similar device, and legacy S/PDIF digital encrypted DSD format whichever settings
DXD output. It will set you back £16,500, inputs – two coax and one optical. Apple you choose on the disc player. You can play
while the partnering Rossini DAC, now AirPlay is also supported via the network CDs and elect to upconvert them in the
running updated firmware and also able to connection, which is on Ethernet with a Transport to DXD or even DSD, but they
upsample 44.1kHz/16-bit to DSD/DXD, is second loop-through connection to share will default back to encrypted DSD when
£17,089. So you have a choice: a one-box the connection with other devices. you switch to the SACD layer of a disc.
CD-only Rossini at £19,999 or this two-box
CD/SACD-playing package knocking on the
door of £34,000.
PUNCHING THE CLOCK

If you decide to add to the stack the Rossini
Clock, which takes over master clock duties
from the transport/DAC’s internal provision,
you can up the ante to just under £40,000.
But before you gasp ‘For a disc player?’
(too late?), that’s not quite the whole
story, as the DAC also doubles as a network
audio machine, with the ability to play
not just from local storage but also online
streaming services, utilising the dCS Mosaic
streaming interface launched at this year’s
Munich High End Show [see boxout, p37].
What’s more, the DAC can also be used as
preamplifier connected directly to a power
amp or a pair of active loudspeakers.
That makes the DAC a perfectly viable
one-box solution for those who have
moved on from playing discs and into
RIGHT: The dual laser CD/SACD mechanism

[lower centre] features a 2mm steel frame,
cast aluminium disc tray and is flanked by two
screened PSU transformers [blue] feeding the
transport and digital electronics

LEFT: While not as
curvaceous as the
Vivaldi, the sculpted
panels of the Rossini
Transport and DAC
still retain the dCS
aesthetic. Menus
may be navigated via
the rotary [DAC, top]
and array of buttons
[both] but dCS’s huge
IR remote [p41] and/
or Mosaic App [below]
are easier to use
Once in the DAC, the signal – whatever I said, this is one section of the DAC with on the DAC. These allow for CDs to be
its source – can be upsampled: the which to experiment, but a neat feature, replayed via encrypted DSD64, DXD, or
standard is multistage DXD conversion, should you find a setting that works for DSD128 via DoP, using the twin AES/EBU
with an option of PCM-to-DSD if required. you, is that this choice will be memorised outputs, while a single AES/EBU or S/PDIF
There’s also a selection of filter settings for the content sampling rate in use. sees CD and SACD output by default as
available, offering subtle The analogue outputs 44.1kHz/16-bit PCM.
tailoring of the sound, with on the Rossini DAC extend
up to six modes available for ‘DSD has the to both RCAs and balanced DRIVING LESSONS
PCM-based content, one for
MQA, and five for DSD [see
edge in snap, XLRs, with the maximum
level adjustable in the
On both units a minimal array of buttons
accesses the menu and allows adjustments
PM’s boxout, p39]. space, detail menu system depending
on its role in your system –
to be made. The various pictograms take
As ever, the choice of some familiarisation, but the complexity
these filters will be a matter and drive’ full level can be set to 0.2, reflects the wide range of facilities on
of personal taste, and I found 0.6, 2 or 6V. By contrast offer here, which even extend to phase,
the differences between the ‘PCM’ filters to with all the flexibility on offer in the DAC, channel swap and balance on the analogue
be so small as to be inconsistent depending the Transport is relatively simple – well, outputs. You can even log into the DAC
on the content being played. The DSD apart from those upsampling options for using a computer on the same network, or
filters, which affect the suppression of out CD playback, which duplicate those found use the Mosaic app, and change the name
of band noise, did have a more obvious of the inputs and even the DAC itself –
effect of gradually softening the sound. As should you find yourself
with a network and a
w
MOSAIC FOR MUSIC number of attached
n
Rossini
R devices.
Just about every company involved in It’s all very impressive,
network streamed audio seems to be annd remarkably flexible,
working on improving the all-important if maybe not for the
user experience – the way we interact ffaint-hearted. I’ll admit to
with our music collections and streaming having
ha a few ‘now why’s
services, from searching for a favourite it doing that?’ moments
piece to exploring the darker corners of alo ong the way during the
what’s available. The dCS approach is co ourse of this review!
called Mosaic, a combination of hardware That apart, both
and software technology that’s governed by ya uniits are of massive
Mosaic Control app running on Android or Apple iOS smartphones
martphones and ta tablets. It build, if perhaps overly so for many a hi-fi
comprises a Mosaic Processor running on the network hardware of dCS products, equipment rack given that the Transport
and thus can be enabled on all current models via a firmware update. It brings stands some 18cm tall, on top of which
together the user’s own network music collection plus Deezer, Qobuz, Roon, space will be required for airflow. But these
Spotify, Tidal, AirPlay, Internet radio, podcasts, and music stored on local USB products are clearly beautifully designed,
devices. It presents them all in a unified interface, making browsing simple, and assembled and finished, right down to
allowing listeners to move more or less seamlessly between the various ‘sources’ the sleek and substantial remote control
and services. Mosaic is supported with online guides and forums on the dCS handset controlling both [see p41]. My
community pages where there are QR codes to download the Mosaic Control app. only slight quibble would be that the space
for discs in the Transport’s loader was not

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DAVID STEVEN
LEFT: The 96 latches SACD playback has been key to
(a matrix of 2x48) that the dCS credo for the best part of
comprise the Rossini’s two decades, beginning with the
Ring DAC core are Sony-based Verdi transport in 2001
clearly visible here, and most recently revisited in the
driven via two Xilinx single-chassis Vivaldi One [HFN Feb
Spartan DSPs sitting ’18]. That is until the new Rossini
alongside [see also CD/SACD transport was launched
boxout, below] this year. We asked dCS CEO David
Steven whether this lower cost
solution was part of a new roadmap.
‘The Rossini CD/SACD Transport
just a snug fit for SACDs and CDs, but a that newfangled streaming stuff, you’ll is not so much pointing the way
tight one, making loading and unloading be hard-pressed to find a more revealing, ahead for dCS as an affirmation of
slightly fiddly, while PM’s lab work noted dramatic and involving way of doing so. our commitment to our customer
that switching the units into standby may Eschewing the delicate classical or limpid base and the silver disc format,’
turn off the displays, but it doesn’t seem to jazz, I went straight in with the 2001 SACD says Steven. ‘When we launched the
reduce the power consumption. release of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s original Rossini range there was no
‘Rage Hard’ [ZTT ZTT177SACD], switching SACD mechanism that met our spec,
COMING CLEAN between upsampled CD to direct DSD64 so dCS customers who wanted to
Time to come clean: I have to admit that on the epic title track from Welcome To migrate from Paganini and Scarlatti
these days I don’t play discs, be they CD or The Pleasuredome. Here the Rossini pairing to Rossini hit a dead end.
SACD, too often. New arrivals are ripped did an excellent job of bringing the CD ‘We have always seen ourselves
either using a computer (for CDs) or an layer up close to what SACD could deliver, as a DAC company first and foremost
early Sony PS3 (SACDs), and after that it’s but the DSD layer just had that edge in but we see the physical disc format
just a matter of calling up files from the snap, space, detail and sheer pounding having a long [commercial] tail’.
server. No wonder I find myself buying drive. The bass rumbled and bounced Hence dCS continued looking
more storage with monotonous regularity. against the punchy percussion, and the for an SACD mech that met its
In reviewing the Rossini pairing, however, massive scale of the track was delivered requirements for use in the Rossini
the discs came out of storage and nostalgia with drama and slamming dynamics. platform. ‘We came across the D&M
reigned, this also giving me the chance to o mechanism, tested it extensively
play disc and file versions back-to-back. and then set about building the
The executive summary? Yes, it may Rossini SACD Transport’ said Steven.
be jaw-droppingly expensive, but if you ‘The Vivaldi One uses Esoteric’s
want to play discs side-by-side with all VRDS-Neo mechanism, so we had
to go back to scratch with the
NUMBER CRUNCHING Rossini Transport as everything was
new.’ The end result is not only this
While the Rossini DAC incorporates Rossini SACD transport but a mkII
up to six digital filter settings DAC that offers network streaming,
[depending on sample rate – USB for direct computer connection,
see Lab Report, p41], both the CD and SACD playback... and all
transport and DAC allow the with dCS’s proprietary Ring DAC
upsampling of lower-rate LPCM sources (352.8kHz
ces to DXD (352 8kHz and 384kHz with technology at its core.
44.1kHz and 48kHz base sample rates) and either DSD64 or DSD128. The Scarlet
Book specification disallows transcoding from SACD to high-rate LPCM. What you
choose will inevitably exert some subjective impact, not least because the LPCM
to DSD option releases more ultrasonic requantisation noise into your system.
This is illustrated by the inset Graph which shows a 20kHz/16-bit signal from CD
upsampled/transcoded into DXD [black], DSD64 [red] and DSD128 [green].
Again, whatever your choice, all data is processed through dCS’s proprietary
Ring DAC which aims for the pure monotonic conversion of a genuine ‘single-
bit’ DAC via the operation of a PWM bitstream-style converter. Here DXD data is
truncated (and DSD downsampled) to an average of 4.6 bits whose 24 possible
values are are mapped to the 48 ‘identical’ current sources that comprise the
Ring DAC. (This resistor matrix is visible in the picture at the top of this page.)
This approach differs from traditional PWM DACs that use these bits to control
the length of time a single current source is held open or closed. Instead, dCS’s
48 current sources can never be truly identical in size so the mapping of bits
is randomised (three mapping options are offered in the menu), ‘smearing’
harmonic distortions into an inaudible increase in white noise. PM

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LAB
REPORT
DCS ROSSINI TRANSPORT/DAC V2
Comparisons with the fully integrated Vivaldi One [HFN Feb
’18] reveal this two-box, and slightly more affordable, solution
to be very, very close indeed in performance. For example the
6V analogue output option still has a fabulously low, cable-
agnostic 760mohm source impedance (560ohm for the One)
and offers a variable output up to 5.88V. The A-wtd S/N ratio is
some 4dB lower than the One’s at 113dB, however, and low-
level resolution good to ±0.1dB at –100dBFs (and ±1.2dB to
–120dBFs). Distortion is fractionally higher, but still vanishingly
low: down to 0.00002% at –10dBFs and no higher than 0.0002%
over the top 30dB of its dynamic range through bass and
midrange. At 20kHz distortion falls between 0.00015-0.0004%
over the top 30dBFs [see Graph 1, below, and note the Y scale
now extended down to –140dBFs from –120dBFs].
The Rossini combination does improve on the Vivaldi One
with respect to digital jitter at <30psec vs. <50psec with DSD64
ABOVE: Transport [bottom] offers CD and downsampled SACD digital out on S/PDIF and at all LPCM sample rates. Uncorrelated, noise-like, jitter is
also reduced in the latest Rossini DAC. The Rossini’s underlying
(coax and BNC) and AES (XLR). Upsampled DXD and native SACD is output on dual-AES
code may run on a single FPGA, rather than a pair, but it is
connections. Clock in/outs are mirrored on DAC [top] with three S/PDIF ins, one USB-B, essentially unchanged, so frequency responses still depend on
USB-A, dual-AES and LAN plus single-ended (RCA) and balanced (XLR) analogue outs your choice of digital filter. Filters 1-4 and 6 are linear phase
types delivering a ruler-flat ±0.02dB response (20Hz-20kHz) with
CD, albeit with variable stopband attenuation (125dB, 35dB,
This super-crisp sound, with musically rewarding, with ‘Sultans Of
12dB, 6.1dB and 120dB respectively). Filter 5 is a minimum
monumental weight when required, Swing’ coming up fresher than one phase type with a –0.5dB/20kHz response and 125dB stopband
was also much in evidence with could imagine. rejection. Filters 5 and 6 are not available to 48kHz/96kHz files
Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here but reappear with 192kHz data – the responses with Filters 1-6
[Analogue Productions CAPP 33453 STREAMING SUPERLATIVES reaching out to –3dB points of 78kHz, 80kHz, 48kHz, 58kHz,
28kHz and 48kHz, respectively [see Graph 2, below]. PM
SA], the slow burn of ‘Shine On ‘Wide open’ doesn’t even cover it.
You Crazy Diamond’ having lovely This two-box player digs deep into
tinkling detail and spaciousness a recording, providing as much
before that signature guitar break spine-tingling insight as any listener
and the rich, tight bass and drums could want. And it does it whatever
it unleashes. The sound was solid, you play, breathing new life into
breathtaking and almost three- familiar CDs, or sparkling with well-
dimensional in the room – with this engineered SACDs, and sounding
much information, there really is no magnificent when streaming music
need for surround effects, whether from local storage or online services.
real or ‘re-imagined’. The scintillating live recording of
Mahler 3 by the Gürzenich-Orchester
DSD DELIVERS Köln under François-Xavier Roth
Cooling things down a little with [Harmonia Mundi HMM90531415; ABOVE: Distortion vs. digital signal level over a 120dB
Dire Straits’ first album [Vertigo 48kHz/24-bit download] is treated to range (1kHz/24-bit, red; 1kHz/CD, black; 20kHz, blue)
UIGY-9032], again the native DSD real drama and striking atmosphere
signal path proved to have just through the Rossini pairing, the
that little more openness than the light and shade of the massive first
upsampled CD layer could muster. movement capturing the attention,
But, again, it was a close thing, with and the whole 90+ minutes of
th g
the gap narrowing the work flying by, so firmly is the
a Ie
as experimented listener immersed in both the
w the various
with composition and the performance.
D filter settings,
DSD
t m
the more extreme HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
o which can soften
of
Whether you are clinging on to
down the sound to
dow ABOVE: Frequency responses with 192kHz data (Filter 1,
your CD collection, rediscovering
‘w at’s the fuss all
‘wha black; 2, red; 3, cyan; 4, green; 5, grey; Filter 6, orange)
music on SACD or bridging the
a ut?’ levels. Back
abou
divide between physical and
o o
off on the filters HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
file-based music, this remarkable
a let the sound
and
dCS duo brings out the best of Maximum output level / Impedance 5.88Vrms / 760mohm (XLR)
breathe, and you
everything you throw at it, with
h e a presentation
have A-wtd S/N ratio (LPCM / DSD) 113.1dB / 112.9dB
the reassurance of firmware
a fascinating as it’s
as Distortion (1kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.00007% / 0.00018%
updates to keep it up to speed
with wherever music goes. Distortion & Noise (20kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.00028% / 0.00042%
LEFT: Multifunction
Unashamedly in the top flight of Freq. resp. (20Hz-20kHz/45kHz/90kHz) +0.0 to –0.0dB/–0.dB/–dB
remote includes input
hi-fi, it rewards the investment Digital jitter (48kHz/96kHz / DSD) 15psec / 10psec / 30psec
selection, volume,
with spectacular performance.
filter and upsampling Resolution @ –100dB/–120dB ±0.1dB / ±1.2dB
modes, phase plus Sound Quality: 88% Power consumption (Transport/DAC) 15W/21W (14W/20W standby)
direct track selection, 0 - - - - - - - - 100
Dimensions (WHD) / Weight (Transport) 444x125x435mm / 15.6kg
repeat and prog. play

Belt-driven turntable/arm with electronic speed control
Made by: SME Limited, Steyning
Supplied by: SME Ltd
Telephone: 01903 814321
Web: www.sme.co.uk/audio
TURNTABLE Price (with arm): £7949
SME Model 12A

The company has introduced a second turntable package, priced to appeal to a new
generation of customers and upgraders alike. Could it be the answer to all your needs?
Review: David Price Lab: Paul Miller
t was the Synergy [HFN Mar ’19] that sturdy cast aluminium base. The upper now for some 30 years, and is essentially a
I saw SME strike out in a new direction,

following its aquisition in late 2016
by the Cadence group. The company’s
first ever turntable package, the Synergy
came with an arm derived from the SME IV,
part of the chassis hosts the tonearm, the
bearing assembly and inner platter along
with a belt-drive motor that’s isolated by
rubber bands. The main bearing is 19mm in
diameter and machined from high-chrome
‘cost cut’ V with detachable headshell.
UPGRADE OPTIONS
Some purists may still throw their arms up
in despair at this headshell arrangement,
Ortofon Windfeld Ti cartridge and boasted tool steel while the 4.6kg main platter is but the coupling system that SME employs
an integrated phono stage made by Nagra. machined from aluminium and shared with for the 309 is extremely solid and has
It also came with a £14,950 price tag. both the company’s Synergy proven not to compromise
Now SME has reinvigorated its turntable and Model 15 [HFN Oct ’15]. sound quality. The armtube
portfolio still further with the introduction The platter starts up ‘It pounded itself is a one-piece design
of a far more affordable package.
Costing £7949, the Model 12A comes
swiftly when you select the
desired speed by pressing
along with made from magnesium
and employs constrained
equipped with a 309 tonearm, though the button on the electronic thrilling slam layer damping. Its bearing
no cartridge or phono stage. But if you’re control unit. This PSU/speed housing is a beautifully
thinking the deck’s other component controller has a case made and power’ made affair with top quality
pieces look a little familiar, that’s because from high-quality aluminium bearings that give the arm
they’re shared with their costlier brother. and uses a closed-loop servo system run by a silky feel when hand-cueing. Should you
SME’s Chief Executive Officer Stuart a microprocessor. Three speeds are offered wish, there’s also the option to specify
McNeilis says the main reason the company – 33.3, 45 and 78rpm – with ±0.01% fine a Series IV or V tonearm when ordering
decided to introduce the Model 12A was pitch speed adjustment, plus a ‘lock’ LED the deck, though at extra cost. For my
to fill the gap created by the exit of the to confirm when the deck is running at listening, the 309 arm was fitted with a
Model 10, previously SME’s entry level exactly the desired speed. £2699 EMT JSD 6 MC cartridge [HFN Jun
deck. ‘The Model 12A provides a much As for the supplied 309 tonearm, this ’19] and the deck’s heavy, threaded record
higher specification and performance than uses mono-crystal silver internal wiring clamp was used throughout the session.
the outgoing Model 10,’ he says, ‘with the sourced from co-brand Crystal Cable, as Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of
modern look and style of the Synergy.’ opposed to the ‘off-the-shelf’ 309 which the Model 12A is the range of
The result is a package that’s as likely to has vdH cable. The 309 has been on sale finishes offered – and from a
appeal to the well-heeled music lover who
isn’t necessarily into the rarified world of
hi-fi as it is to a generation of audiophiles
now looking to upgrade older high-end
turntables from other brands.
HEAVY METAL
Weighing 25.9kg in total, the Model
12A is extremely heavy compared to your
average British audiophile deck. Finish
is immaculate while the deck exudes
the same quality feel one has come to
expect from a company whose products
have been at the forefront of precision
audio engineering for decades. As with
the Synergy, it’s a multi-storey ‘trilateral’
design, as SME describes it, having a
RIGHT: With core components derived

from the Synergy deck, the Model 12A
employs the same speed controller and
features a 4.6kg damped alloy platter with
SME’s familiar diamond-turned top surface

2 9
company that until now has adopted the are layered in a fashion that dissolves the ABOVE: Seen here in (very) Dark Blue livery, the
Henry Ford ‘any colour you like as long as barriers between you, the listener, and the Model 12A is supported on four large, polymer-
it’s black’ approach. Alongside the regular recording studio. As everything snaps into damped adjustable feet. The partnering 309
SME finish you can now specify your new focus, you become aware of the accuracy tonearm is re-wired with silver Crystal Cable
deck in either Dark Grey or, as pictured of the stereo imaging and the manner
here, Dark Blue [see boxout, below]. in which the tape effects are locked to a it throughout the song with ease. Sandii
particular part of the soundstage, rather & The Sunsetz’s ‘Living On The Front Line’
HOUSE MUSIC than floating around nebulously. [Immigrants; Yen Records YLR-28004] is a
The Model 12A will be familiar to those True, the deck’s unmediated sound quirky electropop track from the early ’80s,
who have previously heard – or owned – an means that at times this track loses some and one of those recordings that keeps
SME turntable in that it retains the Steyning of its mystery – its ‘romance’ if you like. getting better the more you listen to it.
company’s ‘house sound’. This can perhaps While the recording can seem like the The Model 12A dug deep to reveal vast
best be described as being ‘clean’, neutral audio equivalent of an impressionist amounts of information, the lead guitar
and even-handed. It’s a presentation that’s painting when heard on other decks, the clear to hear through the entire track.
extremely difficult to dislike. contrast here couldn’t be more stark. On lesser decks the instrument can
The way the deck can take you to the However, if you’re seeking a turntable easily become crowded out, subsumed
heart of the music is invigorating. Play The package to transcribe almost exactly into the overall ‘fray’ of what is a busy,
Cocteau Twins’ ‘Lazy Calm’ [Victorialand; what’s present in the groove, then this is it. condensed and compressed pop song.
4AD CAD 602] and suddenly you find Stereo imaging is one of the Model Here it was pinned in space with true
yourself re-evaluating your thoughts on this 12A’s real strengths. Indeed, it is one of the precision, rather than fading in and out,
serene ’80s mix as the Model 12A scythes few high-end decks that is truly successful popping up every now and again from
through the haze of the dreamy, reverb- at conveying the precise location of all the behind the lead vocals and percussion.
drenched production. Now you begin to various musical strands in a mix. The result Again, the Model 12A revealed the
appreciate the way in which the vocals and is that the listener is able to focus on any ‘tiered’ nature of the production, with
heavily-processed electronic keyboards particular instrument or vocal and follow different layers set behind one another, all
carefully marshalled, ensuring this was no
NOW IN COLOUR... longer a morass of sound. Indeed, anyone
with a Model 12A may find themselves
SME’s CEO, Stuart McNeilis, says that black will always be his company’s deliberately choosing densely produced
trademark colour. ‘This is in line with our founder’s design requirements and programme material, just to experience
specification finish,’ he told HFN. ‘However, in recent years we’ve experimented, how skilfully the deck ‘unpacks’ it all!
and released some different colours for select products – namely the Model 10
and Model 12A – as a result of customer feedback and market research.’ It was FOUR ON THE FLOOR
this very customer input that caused SME to offer the Dark Blue and Grey colour This is not to say that the turntable
variants on the new turntable. ‘The objective was to introduce an elegant and succeeds only in ‘hi-fi’ terms, because it’s
current colour theme to complement the traditional and popular black finish. clearly a highly engaging and involving
Indeed, there are plans to extend the colour range of the Model 12A in the performer with a variety of material –
near future by way of a colour selector/configurator at the point of sale, and on whether it be a highly polished production
the SME website, which will include aspects of customisation. The price point or not. Flowered Up’s ‘Weekender’
will remain the same for all colour variants.’ As well as being a replacement for [Heavenly HVN 16X] is a punchy indiepop
the Model 10, NcNeilis says the idea behind the Model 12A was ‘to attract a single from the early ’90s that showed how
new generation of SME customers, with its modern appeal, high specification, deftly the deck handles complex rhythms.
superior performance and attractive price point’. The Model 12A is not a turntable that
aims to tempt with euphony. Rather, it’s

The Vitus Audio RI-101 Reference Integrated Amplifier
State of the Art design. State of the Art performance.
Vitus Audio has long been the master of integrated amplifier design; the RI-100 that precedes
this new model had been in production, essentially unchanged, for around 8 years. The new
RI-101 incorporates many design changes behind the familiar aesthetics to lift the audio
performance to a new height.
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New streaming board option

To give even greater flexibility and
Ethernet port gives access via convenience, as well as the existing
Vitus Audio app to streaming onboard DAC option (USB, Toslink,
services, Internet Radio and AES, S/PDIF) there is now also a
local storage (e.g. Melco, Streaming Board available, giving
NAS).
access to services such as Tidal,
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and wifi capability included.
Hear the new RI-101 at one of our dealers -
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www.kogaudio.com
Distributed by
[email protected]
KOG AUDIO 024 7722 0650 www.vitusaudio.com
LAB
REPORT
TURNTABLE SME MODEL 12A
The Model 12A’s platter, bearing and motor are clearly derived
from the Synergy deck [HFN Mar 19], as is the MOSFET-based
PSU/speed controller. Once again, the 4.6kg alloy platter spins
up within four seconds while the wow and flutter, and rumble,
specifications are as close to that of the Synergy as production
tolerances might predict. So, our sample was also a mere –0.05%
adrift in absolute speed while the peak wow remained at a
respectably low 0.015% [see Graph 1, below]. Peak flutter was
actually slightly lower at 0.030% (versus 0.035%) and visible here
in a reduction in amplitude of the shoulders at ±20Hz. The same,
or similar, 19mm chrome-steel spindle and bearing registered
a mere –71.5dB through-groove rumble, improving to –72.7dB
with the record clamp in place. Once again, the through-bearing
rumble is quieter still at just –74.7dB (DIN B-weighted).
The partnering 309 tonearm, despite not being a ‘one-piece’
tube/headshell, is arguably a simpler design than either the
Synergy or Series IV [HFN Jun ’10] – the adjustment and locking
for the underslung counterweight, for example, lacking those
convenient ‘finger controls’. However, the tapered tube, bearing
yoke and counterweight rail are all still fashioned from a single
magnesium alloy die-casting, and even with the robust locking
collar for the headshell, the effective mass is still just 10g.
Comparing the resonant spectra [waterfall, Graph 2] is intriguing
– like the SME IV and Synergy, the first bending mode occurs
at around 150Hz but the principal higher-Q harmonic/twisting
a matter-of-fact performer, ABOVE: The combined outrigger/ mode occurs at a higher (midrange) 680Hz here. So the 309
preferring to hammer out low-end tonearm base is part of SME’s ‘trilateral’ will have a different ‘tone’... Finally, as expected, the pre-loaded
leading edges like a virtuoso ‘four subchassis, supported on three damped bearings offer almost zero friction and no detectable play. PM
on the floor’ drummer. The result columns, and also holding the bearing
was that ‘Weekender’ pounded
along with thrilling slam and power, the general confidence and poise
the deck sounding surefooted and of its presentation. There’s also a
wonderfully secure. The focus was subtle tonal warmth that invests
on solidity and grip, and in particular bass with real weight. This strong
I loved the way it revealed the and gutsy sound is underpinned by
relationship between the hi-hat, the deck’s fine speed stability, which
snare and bass drum patterns. ensures every bass guitar or double-
bass note is a meaningful occasion.
NAILED DOWN Dance music dominated by
Having reviewed the Synergy with its heavily-modulated bass synthesisers
SME IV-derived tonearm and made such as Uncle Bob’s ‘Burly House’ ABOVE: Wow and flutter re. 3150Hz tone at 5cm/sec
comparisons in the past between [Stress Records 12STR 7] gains some (plotted ±150Hz, 5Hz per minor division)
the stock IV and 309 arms on several welcome extra heft thanks to this
decks, it was illuminating to hear the low-end warmth. A vintage techno
‘tickled up’ 309 on what is a very track, sub-bass runs right through
similar platform to the Synergy. it, and the Model 12A certainly isn’t
Grace Jones’ ‘My Jamaican Guy’ shy about showing this. It delivered
[Warm Leatherette; Island Records the sort of visceral thump only a
ILPS 9722] is a great reggae-tinged true high-end turntable is capable
song with some serious percussion of, the stylus feeling as if it was
work from the rhythm section nailed down into the groove.
hosted by Sly and Robbie. If the 309
arm here differed from the Synergy’s HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
modified IV it was only that the
This is a no-nonsense, compact,
percussion’s subtle dynamic accents ABOVE: Cumulative tonearm resonant decay
user-friendly package that will cut
were not quite as fully resolved and spectrum, illustrating various bearing, pillar and ‘tube’
to the heart of the musical mix to
that the periodic bass drum ‘thunk’ vibration modes spanning 100Hz-10kHz over 40msec
reward with a sound that’s taut,
was perhaps a shade diminished.
precise and highly detailed. Add
Otherwise the Model 12A HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
the superlative build quality and
made more than a fine job of the
you have a package that punches Turntable speed error at 33.33rpm 33.32rpm (–0.05%)
track, giving an admirably focused,
far above its weight when it
detailed and controlled take on Time to audible stabilisation 4sec
comes to value for money. And
it. And there were plenty of other Peak Wow/Flutter 0.015% / 0.030%
while its new finish options may
aspects to enjoy, such as the deft
still lack the ‘razzmatazz’ of some Rumble (silent groove, DIN B wtd) –71.5dB / –72.7dB (with clamp)
handling of the cymbals which had
rivals, many will want the deck for Rumble (through bearing, DIN B wtd) –74.7dB
a tightly defined and tonally pure
precisely this reason.
sound that glistened out of the mix. Hum & Noise (unwtd, rel. to 5cm/sec) –60.1dB
As you would expect from an SME Sound Quality: 90% Power Consumption 5W (<1W idle)
turntable, the Model 12A sounds 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 370x178x350mm / 25.9kg
‘meaty’, and that’s not just down to

Floorstanding three-way loudspeaker
Manufactured by: Focal-JMlab, France
Supplied by: Focal-JMlab UK Ltd, Salisbury
Telephone: 0845 660 2680
Web: www.focal.com
LOUDSPEAKER Price: £9000
o
Focal Kanta N 3
The latest – and largest – model in Focal’s Kanta range
combines its signature style with innovative materials
Review: Andrew Everard Lab: Keith Howard
ou might be tempted to see the rest of the drivers feature the company’s
Y Focal Kanta range as Utopia-lite:

while the loudspeakers in what
is now a three-strong lineup are
one-piece designs, lacking the adjustable
articulation of the flagship offering, they
Flax cones. True, Focal isn’t the only
manufacturer using beryllium for its
tweeters, but it was one of the pioneers
when most others were avoiding what is
a tricky and potentially hazardous material.
do echo the company’s Utopia style [HFN
Dec ’18]. This is done by shaping the front FLAX RETURN
baffle so that, in the £9000 Kanta No3 we The tweeter here is a 27mm design, using
have here, the two bass drivers are in a Focal’s third-generation Infinite Acoustic
section of baffle sloping gently back from Loading (IAL3) for control of rearward
bottom to the midpoint where the tweeter radiation, while the Flax drivers comprise a
is mounted, while the midrange driver at 16.5cm midrange unit above the tweeter,
the top is slanted slightly downwards. and two 21cm bass drivers below. The Flax
Viewed head-on the effect is almost drivers use a Tuned Mass Damper surround
imperceptible, but it’s to manage resonances
revealed when you take – first seen in the Sopra
a three-quarter or side-on
‘There’s no No2 [HFN Sep ’15] – and
view of the cabinet, which
also reveals the two-shade
stinting on the the company’s Neutral
Inductance Circuit in the
finish available on the drama or all the motor to linearise the
speakers [see boxout, magnetic field regardless
p47]. Whichever finish you clever hi-fi stuff’ of the voice-coil position.
choose, the speakers are Why Flax? Well, Focal
immaculately built and finished in the Focal legend has it that the company was
factories, with drive units also engineered looking for an alternative to paper for
and assembled in-house. lower-cost driver cones still capable of
high performance, and came across this
BIRTHDAY PARTY natural material, best-known for its use in
That’s been a hallmark of the company making linen fabric. The hollow nature of
throughout its 40-year history, which is flax means it’s half the weight of fibreglass,
being marked this year with celebratory while its low elasticity is ideal for use in
special editions of some products, from an cones required to be rigid as well as light,
ultra-exclusive evaporated metal finish on and it also has good damping properties.
one high-end model, in a production run In the Focal cone, first seen in the Aria
of just four pairs, through to an exotically range, the flax is sandwiched between
packaged headphone system and a limited two thin layers of glass fibre, giving the
edition car speaker offering. driver its ‘organic’ look. The material is also
The Kanta range kicked off with the much more ecological than the plastics
Kanta No2 floorstander [HFN Jan ’18], or foams used in other drivers, and also
followed later by the No1 standmount [HFN has the benefit of not being prey to the
Jun ’19], and this larger No3 floorstander. fluctuations of global oil prices.
Focal likes to see the speakers in terms of What’s more, these drivers – first
the rooms to which they are best suited: introduced in 2013 after five years of R&D
the No1, it says is good for rooms up to – are now a proven technology, having
25m2, the No2 for rooms of 25-40m2, and
the No3 for rooms of up to 80m2. RIGHT: Focal’s curved (time-aligned) baffle
The Kanta speakers have inherited is fashioned from a high-density polymer and
two in-house driver materials for which hosts two bass/mid and one dedicated mid
Focal is highly regarded: the tweeter uses driver with glass fibre/flax laminate cones. The
an inverted dome of beryllium while the inverted treble dome is a Focal beryllium unit

COLOUR COMBINATIONS
As if the design of the Kanta No3 wasn’t attention-grabbing enough,
a wide range of finishes is available, starting with Black High Gloss for
the main body, and Black Lacquer for the baffle. This is very much the
conservative choice even though the shades are slightly
different, and make the flax colour of the
drivers, and their metal trim rings, really
stand out. Or you can go for more striking
effects, combining either the black with a
range of gloss baffles (Gauloise Blue, Carrara
White or Solar Yellow), or the wood veneer
with Gauloise Blue, Warm Taupe, Dark Grey
or Ivory matt baffle finishes. You can be as
understated or as eye-catching as you want
within this choice of finishes, and while not
every ‘look’ will be to all tastes, that’s sort
of the point... À chacun son goût, as they
probably say at Focal HQ in Saint-Étienne.
been used in both the bargain

Aria range and the previous Kanta
models. And they have one more
advantage for Focal: not only are
the drivers made in France, the flax
from which they are constructed is something to be said for the £2599 Aria
also grown nearby… 948 speakers driven in anger, as they’re a
There’s more innovation going riot [HFN Aug ’15]. I immediately realised
on in the main shell of the cabinet that the Kanta No3 stands apart from the
which is moulded into shape two smaller models. Head and shoulders
from multiple plys of wood, thus above them, one might say.
removing unnecessary joins (and Sure, a pair of £9000 speakers ought to
points of weakness) and increasing sound rather good, but there’s an easy-
rigidity, while that sculptural front going rightness about the No3’s sound
baffle is made from high density that’s not always a given, even at this price
polymer into which the drivers are level or above. From the first few tracks
mounted. Multiple ‘Powerflow’ played, it was obvious that the characterful
ports are used to front and rear nature of some of Focal’s other speakers
to avoid compression effects, and is entirely absent from the biggest Kanta,
the grilles, separate ones which replaced by an air of culture and control
fit over the midrange and bass achieved without stinting on the drama or
units, leaving the tweeter always all the clever hi-fi stuff.
exposed behind its mesh cover, are These are speakers fully able to sweep
attached magnetically, leaving you away with a driving rock track or
a clean look when removed. a symphony orchestra at full chat, with
The outrigger feet on which the a powerful yet tight and tuneful bass, and
speakers sit not only spread the a totally involving view of the music. But
load for greater stability, but also then they’re also just as capable at tickover
have the effect of appearing to levels, playing music with consummate
lighten the speakers visually and smoothness while still drawing you in.
reduce their bulk – no mean task That driver layout has clear benefits
when the Kanta No3s weigh when it comes to soundstaging and focus,
46kg apiece. Focal amusingly as is clear when playing Rachel Podger’s
quotes that mass ‘with front sparklingly elemental ‘Four Seasons’
grille’, as if that makes all with Brecon Baroque [Channel Classics
the difference! CCSA40318; DSD]. This takes a familiar
series of works and manages to find new
POPULAR CULTURE insights and new passion in the depiction
It didn’t take long to form an opinion of of the changes throughout the year. While
the sound. Having some time ago come to keeping Podger’s virtuoso performance
the view that the Kanta range is the sweet firmly centre-stage, as it should be, the
spot of the Focal lineup – though there’s speakers also conjure up a wonderfully

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26-27th October
#HiFiShowwLive
The M6 PRE and M6 PRX is a fully balanced audiophile system; beginning to end. With a
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great flexibility, excellent build quality, beautiful visuals and excellent value for money.
M6 PRE M6 PRX
Fully balanced Class A pre-amplifier Fully balanced dual mono construction
Universal connectivity: line, phono, digital 2x 230 watts rated power output per channel
Line inputs: 2 pairs XLR & 4 pairs RCA Extremely low wide band distortion levels
Home theater bypass input Circuit layout optimises noise levels
Phono input (MM & MC) Choke regulated power supplies
24/96 USB-B input (async.) for computer audio 4 pairs speaker output connectors (banana)
Pre-amp outputs (XLR & RCA) Inputs: XLR & RCA (switchable)
Fixed line out (RCA) Loop output connection (RCA)
Black or silver finish Black or silver finish
Distributed by Henley Audio

T: +44 (0) 1235 511 166 | E: [email protected] | W: www.henleyaudio.co.uk | : HenleyAudioUK | : HenleyAudio
LAB
REPORT
FOCAL KANTA No3
We weren’t quite able to confirm Focal’s claimed sensitivity for
the Kanta No3 of 91dB, our pink noise and ‘music’ figures of
LEFT: Supplementary rear ‘Power
89.9dB and 89.5dB SPL respectively for 2.83V at 1m suggesting
Flow’ reflex port sits above single 4mm that 1dB lower (or 90dB) is a more realistic figure. We’ve often
binding posts – no bi-wiring/amping is seen Focal resort to low impedance to achieve high sensitivity
possible here. Substantial, spiked alloy from its speakers and it’s no different here. While quoting an
outriggers ensure stability 8ohm nominal impedance Focal admits to a minimum of 3ohm,
suggesting rather a 4ohm nominal rating. We measured a
slightly lower minimum of 2.9ohm and large impedance phase
turns gentle and plaintive until angles at low frequencies which together reduce the EPDR
it’s unleashed into slashing and (equivalent peak dissipation resistance) to a punishing low of
shimmering screams, while all the 1.2ohm at 82Hz. So the Kanta No3 is not a speaker to partner
with amplifiers at all reticent about delivering high current.
weight of Roger Taylor’s big kit is Forward frequency responses for the pair, measured at 1m
much in evidence to dramatic effect. on the tweeter axis [see Graph 1, below] show very fair errors of
±3.9dB and ±3.6dB, respectively, despite an obvious ‘BBC dip’
SLINKY SOUNDS through the presence band and rising output close to 20kHz.
These response errors would have been lower still but for the
Other vaguely contemporaneous
narrowband suckout at 7kHz. (Ignore the dip below 300Hz
rock tracks flowed out from the which is an artefact of the measurement’s time windowing.)
Kanta No3 loudspeakers as my Pair matching over the same 200Hz-20kHz frequency range is
enjoyment of what they could do outstandingly good at ±0.6dB. Diffraction-corrected summed
nearfield measurements showed the bass response to extend
grew. The driving rhythm section
down to 42Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz). Focal speakers have commonly
of Genesis surged through the title not produced such clean cumulative spectral decay waterfalls as
track from Abacab [Virgin CBRCD some competitors, and that too is the case here [see Graph 2].
102], with all those keyboard stabs Ridges in the plot – repeated in both speakers of the pair – show
swirling and jangling through the a series of resonances above 5kHz. KH
mix. Meanwhile, the slow burn of
Steely Dan’s ‘Babylon Sisters’ [from
Gaucho; MCA 0602498605103] was
wide open and slinky, with a lovely
focus on the instruments and the
backing vocals in particular.
This big, focused and layered
sound was also very well-suited
to the lush production values of a
spot of yacht rock – well actually,
perhaps the ur-yacht track, Toto’s
‘Africa’ from Toto IV [CBS 450088
2]. Forget the noticeable whiff of ABOVE: The Kanta No3’s response shows a broad
cheese and give up on trying to trough through the presence band and notch at 7kHz
work out what on earth the lyrics
are banging on about. Through the
Kanta No3 the smiles begin with that
opening percussion, grow with the
great thump of bass, and continue
throughout the taut gutsy sound, dB 0.0
the synth fills beautifully clear, as are -6 1.0
the vocals and those lyrics. Oh well, - 12
2.0
lifelike image of the ensemble, and you can’t win them all! - 18
8
3.0
the recorded acoustic. - 24
4.0
Switching to Bach, in the hands HI-FI NEWS VERDICT - 30
of the great Jacques Loussier Trio, 5.0 msec

OK, so speakers over 1.2m tall 200 1000 10000
the ‘Toccata and Fugue in D Minor’
Frequency in Hz >>
aren’t ever going to vanish into
[from The Best Of Play Bach, DSD64 ABOVE: Cabinet is well damped but (midrange) driver
the room, and Focal’s choice
from Telarc SACD-63590] shows resonances are visible through the treble at 5-10kHz
of finishes, and that ‘floating’
that the beauty of the speakers is in
support, mean the Kanta No3
their subtlety and speed, bringing HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
is always going to be a talking
out layers of detail and keeping the
point. But these floorstanders are Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83Vrms – Mean/IEC/Music) 89.8dB/89.9dB/89.5dB
bass and drums crisply rhythmical
even more about go than show, Impedance modulus min/max (20Hz–20kHz) 2.9ohm @ 102Hz
and well-weighted without ever
providing a glorious fluidity of 34.0ohm @ 25Hz
subsuming Loussier’s piano.
music-making, detail and focus, Impedance phase min/max (20Hz–20kHz) –71o @ 62Hz
That same glorious tonality and
and sense of sheer power when 42o @ 3.5kHz
insight is also much in evidence on,
required. It all comes together to Pair matching/Response Error (300Hz–20kHz) ±0.6dB/ ±3.9dB/±3.6dB
of all things, Queen’s ‘Millionaire’s
make this a very special choice. LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 42Hz / >40kHz/39.6kHz
Waltz’ from A Day At The Races
[Island UIGY-9514]. John Deacon’s Sound Quality: 88% THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.2% / 0.2% / 0.1%
(often overlooked) bass is deft and 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Dimensions (HWD) 1280x386x520mm
tuneful and Brian May’s guitar at

CD transport/network-attached DAC
Made by: Pro-Ject Audio Systems, Austria
Supplied by: Henley Audio Ltd, UK
Telephone: 01235 511166
Web: www.project-audio.com; www.henleyaudio.co.uk
CD PLAYER/DAC Prices: £2150 (CD transport) / £1750 (DAC)
Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T /

Pre Box RS2 Digital
Far from being just cute and compact, Pro-Ject’s Box Design range is now all grown up
– as this high quality CD/DAC/preamp combination so vividly demonstrates
Review: Andrew Everard Lab: Paul Miller
onsidering where Pro-Ject’s generation of ultimate CD transports’, and The CD Box RS2 T is built around
C Box Design range started, it’s

come a very long way. It all
began with a compact and very
affordable phono stage, the original Phono
Box, launched as an interface between
of course it’s based around a dedicated
CD mechanism. That’s not always a given
even in high-end CD playing
hardware, but is a good sign.
Actually, it’s a very good ‘This is an
StreamUnlimited’s CD-Pro mechanism and
the Blue Tiger CD-84 servo system, the
latter integrated into the
solid aluminium body of the
transport assembly itself,
the company’s wildly successful lineup of
turntables – which arguably spearheaded
sign, for the top-loading CD
mechanism here isn’t even
exceptional and further stabilised by
being mounted in a carbon
the entire ‘vinyl revival’ – and the amplifiers one of the (very few) off-the- CD player... fibre chassis with vibration
of the time, many of which had long since shelf options available, but a dampers. The drive is
dispensed with inbuilt phono equalisation. custom design, the result of with benefits’ finished off with a new alloy
At the last count, sales of the Phono Box co-operation between Pro- clamp, balanced to ensure
were well into the hundreds of thousands, Ject and Michael Jirousek, formerly of the the disc sits perfectly on the motor spindle.
so it’s hardly surprising that the company Philips CD development team which was Pro-Ject says this is its ‘best CD transport
capitalised on that success with a rapidly based in Pro-Ject’s home city, Vienna. ever and the perfect partner for so many
growing, and increasingly ambitious, range
of compact components. These culminate
in the duo we have here, the £2150 CD
Box RS2 T CD transport and £1750 Pre Box
RS2 Digital DAC/headphone amp/preamp,
available in either black or silver.
TRANSPORT OF DELIGHT
The arrival of these new components shows
just how diversified the Box Design range
has become. For each kind of component,
from phono stages to CD players and DACs,
there’s a series of models at different levels.
It can make for a somewhat confusing read
when you have the entire catalogue before
you, and while of course you can mix and
match across the various series, the devil
is in the detail when identifying at which
level a product sits.
At the moment the RS2 models are
at the pinnacle of the offering, but the
Box Design catalogue contains no fewer
than six CD-playing devices, including two
transport-only models – the CD Box DS2 T
in addition to the RS2 T we have here.
Pro-Ject says that the RS2 T is ‘the next
RIGHT: XMOS-based USB solution [top left] and

Ehong Bluetooth receiver [centre] feed a dual-
mono ESS9038 DAC stage [underneath] with
balanced solid-state and 6922EH tube outputs
[right] including motorised volume [lower right]

LEFT: These two
backlit displays
carry a wealth of
information from full
track, time and CD
text for the transport
[top unit] to the
selected input, PCM/
DSD source data, bit
depth, incoming/
upsampling rate(s),
choice of digital and
analogue filter for
the partnering Pre
Box RS2 Digital DAC
[bottom unit]. The
configuration menu is
also navigated via the
DAC’s display
currently existing premium quality DACs’. problems inherent in conventional digital inputs, as well as built-in Bluetooth and
By way of flexibility, the CD Box RS2 T has connections [see PM’s Lab Report, p55]. USB-Type B ‘computer audio’ connections,
a choice of digital outputs on the rear, Unsurprisingly, the Pre Box RS2 Digital the last capable of handling PCM-based
including optical and coaxial S/PDIF, and has a matching HDMI I2S input, designed files at up to 768kHz/32-bit and DSD512.
AES/EBU on an XLR socket. to slave the transport to the preamp/DAC/
headphone amp’s master clock. Obviously, DUAL MONO DACS
AROUND THE CLOCK in considering the two Pro-Ject boxes as a Under the bonnet, Pro-Ject has levered-
But the weapon of choice when using CD-playing system, this was the connection in a pair of ESS Sabre ESS9038 DACs in
the CD Box RS2 T in tandem with the Pre used, but to ensure its compatibility with dual mono configuration, alongside seven
Box RS2 Digital will be its HDMI output, as wide as possible a range of digital selectable digital filters [see PM’s boxout,
which carries the digital signal in I2S sources, the Pre Box RS2 Digital also has below left], MQA decoding plus the option
format along with a separate Masterclock one coaxial, two of
o two analogue filters,
feed. In theory, at least, this synchronising optical and one operating above
clock feed should eliminate many of the AES/EBU digital 25kHz or 120kHz. The
DAC offers switchable
PRO-JECT’S PULSES upsampling to
384/352.8kHz:
Not only does Pro-Ject offer solid-state and 6922EH-based you
y can leave it off,
tube output options but it also includes seven different only
o upsample MQA
digital filter ‘recipes’. Based on the algorithms we saw files or upsample
in the Pre Box S2 Digital [HFN Aug ’17] – but minus its everything,
e and also
‘Optimal Transient’ mode – the ‘Linear Phase Fast’ [black turn
t reclocking on
traces, inset Graph], ‘Brickwall’ and ‘Apodising’ options or
o off, which may be
are all steep roll-off types, their impulse responses showing g advantageous
a with files
pre- and post-ringing (echoes) but achieving a superior rejection of alias images at higher sampling rates. Finally you can
(120dB, 103dB and 89dB, respectively) and offering the flattest responses. switch between the company’s bespoke
The ‘Minimum Phase’ filters eliminate pre-echoes but have greater post- solid-state and triode valve output stages.
ringing, the ‘Fast’ version yielding a 94dB stopband rejection and –0.1dB/20kHz Both of these are fully balanced in
response while the ‘Slow’ filter, with just three post-ripples, offers 21dB and operation and are kept permanently
–5.1dB/20kHz, respectively. The ‘Linear Phase Slow’ option has just two pre/ powered up, and selecting between them
post ripples, delivering a mere 16dB suppression of aliasing images and a merely diverts the signal. Variable-level
–3.6dB/20kHz response. Hybrid digital filters, combining linear and minimum outputs are provided on both RCAs and
phase characteristics, are becoming commonplace and Pro-Ject’s ‘Corrected XLRs – unusually there’s also a single set
Phase Fast’ is quite typical [red traces, above]. This offers a superior 97dB alias of RCA/XLR analogue inputs – and the
rejection but a response (–12dB/20kHz with CD and –24dB/45kHz with 96kHz headphone output is on a 6.35mm socket.
media) that shows obvious in-band rippling. PM Slender aluminium-clad remote
handsets are provided for both the units

“The M-150 from MicroMega’s M-One series is
surely this year’s most intriguing new integrated
amplifier”
By Paul Miller, EISA President
“It’s remarkably capable, flexible and well sorted, the MARS room
correction is convincing, and the performance is similarly
impressive: able to sound at turns lusty and supremely delicate
and above all consistently in control.”
By HiFiNews
Ireland Midlands North
South West London Scotland South
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HEINZ LICHTENEGGER
RIGHT: Lifting the
lid reveals Pro-Ject’s The founder of Pro-Ject, Heinz
choice of CD-Pro 8 Lichtenegger is as dedicated to his
mechanism from mission in life as he was when he
StreamUnlimited. started making the company’s first
It features an turntables almost 30 years ago. Ask
alloy/carbon-fibre him where his company is going,
chassis mounted and he says ‘We are fighting for hi-fi
on a proprietary stereo as we fought for analogue
suspension turntables in the ’90s. What we
won’t be making is some integrated
one-box streaming speaker which
[see p55], along only gives a mono sound!’.
with offboard But he acknowledges that the
power supplies. development of modern digital
Inevitably the systems involves a degree of co-
Box Design range operation, as is the case with the CD
also includes Box RS2 T: ‘The CD drive involved
uprated power an investment of millions of Euros,
supplies, should which we alone can’t support, but
you wish to try them later. you will see many brands, even
those making way more expensive
SEDUCTIVE SWING players, using this mechanism.
The rubric of this review was to test RS Mono, a 125W monoblock selling for ‘This also happened with the
the two boxes together as a CD-playing £699. The latter is quite a monster by Box [StreamUnlimited] S700 streaming
solution, though I was curious to find out Design standards, with the usual 22x20cm board, where we and Naim were
what the Pre Box RS2 Digital could do footprint but standing a lofty 7.2cm tall! the lead customers, and others
when fed from either a computer or a So, at the better part of £4k, the including Musical Fidelity and
Melco music library with higher-resolution Pro-Ject two-box digital front-end is quite Krell followed. There’s no other
content. But most of my listening was a chunk of change if you view it just as a way to make this high technology
carried out with the two boxes in HDMI/I2S CD player – which of course you shouldn’t affordable to the consumer.’
harness, the digital filter set to its flattest – but the performance conforms to that Unlike some recent Pro-Ject
position, upsampling on (as this gave a old Hollywood idea of all the money being designs, the Pre Box RS2 was an
little more sparkle to the sound) and using up there on the screen. This isn’t just a entirely in-house project. Discussing
the solid-state option for the output stage. very good CD player: it’s an exceptional the small form-factor of the Box
I did experiment with all the various CD player, with benefits. That’s clear Design series, he says ‘You realise
options on offer – and there are so many whatever music you choose to play from very fast that the highest costs are
that the harmless fun old favourites to recent in the cabinet and the mechanical
will stretch out for days, releases. For example, parts, not the electronics – the only
not hours, I suspect – ‘The harmless spinning the latest Rickie way to reach a sensible price is to
without reaching any solid
conclusions as to which
fun will stretch Lee Jones album, Kicks
[OSOD OSOD02], the
reduce the size of the box, also
improving its feel and rigidity. We
configuration would be out for days, not Pro-Ject duo gives believe that the modern customer
the best all-round choice. fabulous insight into the wants smaller products, and not big
However, I eventually hours, I suspect’ slightly laconic Southern- boxes that are mainly empty’.
came back to the settings tinged covers, and a
above for most of my listening. In fact, if seductive swing to the backing musicians
you’re hoping to read the old saw about while still maintaining that clarity. And with
switching in the valve stage transforming the oh-so-tight harmonies of ‘Nagasaki’ its
the sound into something richer, more detail rendition is overshadowed only by
mellifluous and organic, you’re going to be the fun you’ll be having.
disappointed. To these ears it just seemed
a bit softer, and I was happy to go back to BORN TO BOOGIE
the crisp, clean detail of solid-state. Slip back in time to the multilayered
That’s really what this new Pro-Ject synths of Tomita’s Snowflakes Are Dancing
RS2 duo is all about – well, that and the [RCA Red Seal RD 84587] where the
almost jewel-like appeal of miniature hi-fi sonic depths of the recording, and the
separates with a reassuring feel of solidity soundstaging, come up afresh in both the
and quality. You could even add on one of bass weight on offer here and the sense of
the company’s similarly compact power swirling midband and treble.
amplifiers, such as the 2x110W-rated Amp This is most notable in ‘The Engulfed
Box RS (£799), complete with a tube buffer Cathedral’, where the effect is almost three
stage, or the similarly-equipped Amp Box dimensional, not only in its solidity, but

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LAB
REPORT
PRO-JECT CD/PRE BOX RS2 T/DIG.
For a pair of ostensibly simple-looking small boxes, this Pro-Ject
duo packs-in a couple of days’ worth of lab test features! The
two pairs of 6922EH triodes that form the tube output option,
for example, are an addition to the solid-stage output. Distortion
and noise are slightly increased [see Graph 1, below], though this
is an increase in 2nd-order harmonic from 0.0055% to 0.008%
only (1kHz/0dBFs) while the A-wtd S/N falls slightly from a very
respectable 113dB to a still very fine 110dB in tube mode. The
maximum 4.1V balanced output is unaffected by choice of
solid-state/tube stage but the output impedance does increase
from 173ohm to 320ohm (the latter increasing still further to
1.74kohm at 20Hz), respectively.
There is no impact on the Pre Box RS2’s digital performance,
of course, which is influenced to a greater degree by your choice
of digital filter [see boxout, p51]. Using the default ‘Linear
Phase Fast’ filter, the response reaches out to –0.1dB/20kHz,
–0.9dB/45kHz and –2.1dB/90kHz with CD/48kHz, 96kHz and
192kHz media, respectively, with –0.14dB/20kHz, –0.6dB/45kHz
and –1.8dB/90kHz achieved via the ‘Minimum Phase Fast’ filter.
Distortion falls to as low as 0.00015% over the top 30dB of its
ABOVE: Digital outs from the CD transport [top] include Toslink, coax, AES/EBU and dynamic range through bass/midrange frequencies and 0.0006%
I2S on HDMI. The DAC [bottom] includes Bluetooth, USB-B, HDMI, coax, AES/EBU and at 20kHz. There are synchronous clocks for 44.1kHz and 48kHz-
based digital sources, offering an accuracy of ±20ppm, while
two Toslink inputs, plus single-ended (RCA) and balanced (XLR) analogue in/outputs
jitter, via the clock-linked HDMI/I2S interface falls to 220psec
[see black spectrum, Graph 2]. There is more low-level spuriae
also in its ability to wrap the listener required, but – as hinted at with the present via the S/PDIF and USB inputs with 24-bit data [red
in sound. Not bad for a recording Tomita recording – the combo can spectrum, Graph 2] but correlated jitter is lower at 160psec.
that won’t see 35 again! also sound ravishing with layered, Low-level linearity is good to ±0.1dB over a 100dB range. PM
Talking of old recordings, ZZ ethereal recordings, and you don’t
Top are marking their half-century get more so than Cambridge’s St
with Goin’ 50 – a 3CD package John’s College Choir, recorded in
containing remasters of 50 songs. their own chapel, on the Locus Iste
Played on the Pro-Ject RS2 duo, the set [Signum SIGCD567].
taster 18-track single disc version
[Rhino 0604497851621], released REAL IMPACT
in advance, has all the swagger you The sheer precision of the
could want from these remasters, performances is jaw-dropping,
from the unstoppable charge as is the way the engineers have
of ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ to that captured them in the reverberant
gloriously textured guitar solo on chapel acoustic, in which voices just
‘Cheap Sunglasses’. The two-box CD hang with wonderful focus. ABOVE: Distortion versus digital signal level over
player certainly digs deep, and these Even familiar works, such as a 120dB dynamic range – solid-state (1kHz, black;
recordings provide the paydirt. John Tavener’s ‘The Lamb’ and the 20kHz, cyan) and tube o/p (1kHz, red; 20kHz, green)
Without a doubt this RS2 Bruckner piece that gives the album
transport and DAC can boogie when its title, have a freshness and real
impact here, and in that the ability
of the Pro-Ject RS2 duet plays a very
significant part. Without a doubt,
the CD Box RS2 T/Pre Box RS2 Digital
combo is Pro-Ject’s most impressive
‘digital’ offering to date.
HI-FI NEWS VERDICT

If Pro-Ject is attempting to lead
ABOVE: High resolution jitter spectra (48kHz/24-bit
a CD revival, as it did with LPs in
LPCM, red; and via CD over HDMI, black with mkrs)
the company’s earliest days, then
it has a pretty serious dog in the
fight in the form of this two- HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
box combination. Not only does Maximum output level / Impedance 4.12Vrms / 174ohm (XLR out)
all the engineering effort pay
A-wtd S/N ratio (CD / USB / Tube) 113.0dB / 112.9dB / 109.5dB
dividends in a sound combining
Distortion (1kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.0055% / 0.00015%
solidity with vibrant detail, but
the DAC/pre/headphone amp Dist. & Noise (20kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.0045% / 0.00061%
also has the ability to inject new Freq. resp. (20Hz-20kHz/45kHz/90kHz) +0.0 to –0.1dB/–0.9dB/–2.1dB
ABOVE: Smaller
life into everything up to and Digital jitter (CD / USB) 220psec / 160psec
remote offers vol,
including top-rate DSD files.
input select, filter Resolution @ –100dB (CD / USB) ±0.2dB / ±0.1dB
choice and menu navigation for the Pre Sound Quality: 88% Power consumption (RS2 T/RS2 Digital) 4W/23W
Box RS2 while the larger handset adds 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 206x78x200mm / 3kg
direct track access to the CD Box RS2 T

Integrated amplifier with USB DAC. Rated at 115W/8ohm
Made by: YBA, Bures sur Yvette, France/Shanling, China
Supplied by: Nintronics Ltd, Herts
Telephone: 01707 320 788
Web: www.ybahifi.com; www.nintronics.co.uk
INTEGRATED AMP/DAC Price: £4500
YBA Passion IA350A

Being ‘designed in France and built with passion’, the IA350A integrated amplifier from
YBA’s Passion series promises high quality with more than a sprinkling of Gallic flair...
Review: Adam Smith Lab: Paul Miller
good hi-fi system should invoke digital section via a rear panel switch, an escape this necessity, but I found it to be
A ‘passion’ in the listener – be that

an urge to crank-up the volume,
to play an air guitar or wave an
imaginary baton. French brand YBA knows
this only too well, bestowing this particular
option that YBA claims improves sound
quality when using the analogue inputs.
The digital inputs will accept LPCM up to
192kHz/24-bit only – some might bemoan
the lack of MQA, DSD or DXD compatibility
a straightforward process with no issues.
DUAL-MONO DESIGN
On the output side of things, the IA350A
offers one set of loudspeaker terminals that
moniker on its penultimate lineup of or consider that perhaps 192kHz isn’t will accept spades, 4mm plugs or, indeed,
models. Coming in below its Statement sufficiently ‘high resolution’ for 2019. bare-wire connections. A single pair of
units, but above Design, Heritage and Personally, I feel there’s plenty to tickle the unbalanced analogue outputs allows the
Genesis, the six-strong Passion range also sonic palate at these lower, but still ‘high- IA350A to be used as a preamplifier, or
includes the PRE550/AMP650 pre/power res’, data rates and there was nothing in drive one or two active subwoofers. The
amplifiers [HFN May ’18]. my digital library the IA350A wouldn’t play. amplifier also has a coaxial digital output
Filling the Passion series ranks are the In order to use the USB-B computer to feed an alternate choice of DAC.
CD430 CD player, CDT450 CD transport, input with a Windows PC, a driver must Internally, the IA350A is dual-mono
PH150 phono preamp and the £4500 be downloaded from the YBA website. in design, using two 320VA UI core
IA350A integrated amplifier we have here, With this installed, the IA350A needs to be transformers to feed linear power supplies
rated at 115W/8ohm [see PM’s Lab Report, reconfigured as the default audio device on for each channel. A smaller power supply
p59]. The natural/silver anodised finish seen your PC and music files ‘pushed’ using your sits between these for the digital circuitry
in our pictures is the only option, by the choice of playback software. Mac users [see inside shot, below]. The output stage
way, as black versions are not available.
The IA350A is an elegant proposition,
offering two unbalanced line inputs on
RCAs and one balanced on XLR, labelled
CD, Video and XLR, respectively. The
‘Video’ connection can be reconfigured to
bypass the volume control, using a series
of commands on the slim remote handset
[p59]. Sadly, there is no obvious indication
of the input setting, so care needs to be
exercised here in case the amplifier is left in
power amp/full gain mode.
No RIAA phono input is fitted or even
available as an aftermarket upgrade, but
YBA does offer three suitable standalone
phono stages, with its stablemate from the
Passion series, the PH150, at £4250.
DEFEAT SWITCH
The digital side of the IA350A is a little
more comprehensive, with no fewer than
five inputs. These include standard coax,
a USB-B socket for computer connection, a
USB-A port labelled ‘iPod’, an AES/EBU input
and an I2S option via an RJ45 connector.
Unusually, it’s possible to de-power the
RIGHT: Essentially a dual-mono design with

two PSU transformers [lower left/right] feeding
a power amp with two pairs of output devices
per channel [on heatsink, centre]. Separate PSU
[lower middle] serves USB DAC stage [top right]

hosts complementary power transistors system, the IA350A grabbed my attention ABOVE: The sleek, minimalist front panel offers
from ON Semiconductor, designed for from the first bars of music I played. It’s the volume and source selection, plus a basic status
high-power audio applications, and these sort of amplifier where you spin a familiar display. The power switch is craftily hidden
are securely bolted to a chunky heatsink in track and suddenly find yourself sitting up under the front left-hand edge of the chassis
the centre of the amplifier. and listening as if for the first time. I had
The internal construction of the it in the back of my mind that the less- around ‘–40’ on the display. Should your
amplifier is excellent, although this should than-flat nature of the measured frequency thing be sensitive loudspeakers, then the
not come as a surprise bearing in mind response [see PM’s boxout, below] might IA350A will work very well indeed with
that it’s built by Shanling in endow the unit with an them, without resulting in excessive output
China, which has a proven extreme tonal balance, but at the bottom of the volume range.
track record in this regard. ‘Leaving the not a bit of it. The IA350A At the outset, I made use of the Naim
The internal wiring is all
neat, the CE mark on the
digital circuits has a strong, commanding
sonic presence but remains
CD player’s analogue output into the
amplifier’s CD input and left the power for
rear panel is a valid version
and the primary earthing
in the dark is faithful to the essence of the
musical performance.
the digital circuitry switched on. Like this,
the IA350A projected vocals magnificently
arrangement of the mains the way to go’ In addition, the IA350A with a superb sense of atmosphere and
input socket is also correct. has a wonderful underlying space. Diana Krall’s performance on ‘I Don’t
A handful of manufacturers from this part grip and authority. It goes impressively loud Know Enough About You’ from her Love
the world still get it wrong! with ease and rarely betrays a hint that it’s Scenes CD [Impulse IMP-12342] was lifelike
not entirely in control of the speaker at and located securely between my speakers.
TRUE GRIP hand. At the same time, the lower overall
For my time spent listening with the gain of the unit means that there is plenty DIGITAL DEFEAT
IA350A, I partnered it with a Naim CD5 of range available on the volume control. I switched off power to the amplifier’s
XS CD player, using both its analogue and This covers some 80 indicated steps and digital section and re-visited the album
digital outputs, connected through to PMC I found a comfortable listening level to be to discover this time that a slight ‘haze’
Twenty5.24 speakers [HFN May ’17]. In this across the midband that I had
not previously detected was now
21ST CENTURY GAIN removed and an additional frisson
of crispness had appeared across
There was a time (BCD – Before CD) when the
t top-end. True, there was still a
tape and tuner line outputs struggled sense
s of the treble ‘hanging back’
to reach 500mV, and the overall gain – slightly,
s but the upper octaves
the amplification factor – of integrated were
w just that little bit better
amplifiers was often as high as 40-45dB defi
d ned – silences were ‘blacker’
(x100 to x178) to accommodate such and low-level detail was brought
feeble levels. Modern line level sources nto slightly bolder relief. Leaving
in
including DACs, disc players and even phono thhe digital circuits in the dark is
stages rarely offer less than a 2V maximum cllearly the way to go when using
output these days, so high levels of gain in a partnering
artnering integrated amp are the
th IA350A in pure analogue mode.
unnecessary. Nevertheless, very few amp brands have engineered a reduced Returning to Diana Krall, and now the
level of gain, despite all the advantages in noise and distortion this might bring. backing double-bass was also deep and
Constellation [HFN Dec ’17] is a rare exception, but YBA is all but unique in gloriously detailed. Any fears that the lift in
offering just +23.6dB (x15 via its balanced input) with its IA350A. This explains output towards the bottom-end might have
why the finest ±0.5dB steps of its volume control operate over the top 30dB of resulted in boom or wallow were instantly
its dynamic range (0 to –60 on the volume scale), before dropping to ±1.5dB dispelled. Instead, the IA350A gripped
steps over the next 15dB (–61 to –70) and coarser steps to complete a full 75dB the PMC’s bass drivers like an iron hand
dynamic range at –79 on the volume scale. But there’s another reason why in a velvet glove, never missing a beat,
the IA350A sounds so rich and smooth – it has a ‘shaped’ frequency response but neither threatening to overpower. As
with a +1dB bass boost operating over its lowest four octaves coupled with a someone who loves a deep and solid low-
‘sweetened’ treble of –0.25dB/10kHz and –0.45dB/20kHz [see inset Graph]. PM end but runs a mile at the first sign of bass
unruliness, this was music to my ears.

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LAB
REPORT
YBA PASSION IA350A
Although the IA350A embodies many of YBA’s core design
ideals, it is not a ‘half power’ version of the AMP650 [HFN May
’18]. I discuss the relatively low +23.6dB gain and cleverly
sculpted frequency response offered by the IA350A in my boxout
[p57], and while it does betray a similar 2nd/3rd harmonic
distortion trend to the AMP650 (consistent at ~0.02-0.03%
ABOVE: Three line ins (two on RCA, one balanced on XLR) are joined by pre outs over 1-80W/1kHz/8ohm) the levels of PSU noise are lower and
the A-wtd S/N improved by 10dB to 81.5dB (re. 0dBW). Versus
(RCA) and two sets of 4mm speaker outlets. DAC stage may be switched on/off and frequency the modest levels of compensation (feedback)
includes USB-B (computers), USB-A (‘iPod’), coax (S/PDIF), XLR (AES/EBU) and RJ45 (I2S) employed by YBA mean that distortion climbs quickly above
10kHz, reaching 0.14%/20kHz and 0.35%/40kHz at 10W/8ohm.
Bringing the tempo up somewhat portrayal and indicating that the Subjectively this is not troublesome because the harmonics
lie well outside the audioband. Power output is just within
also proved that the IA350A had IA350A’s ‘old school’ DAC stage still specification at 2x120W/8ohm and 2x180W/4ohm while there’s
absolutely no problem in carrying a has plenty of life in it! sufficient latitude in the power supply to accommodate 163W,
tune when offered something more 302W and 450W into 8, 4 and 2ohm loads under dynamic
challenging. The synthesised bass PURE INSTINCT conditions [see Graph 1, below].
The digital board is based on the (very) tried-and-tested
line from Underworld’s ‘Jumbo’, Firing up the PC and moving to the
CS4398 DAC, originally launched in 2002, and supporting
taken from their Beaucoup Fish CD USB computer input, the IA350A up to 192kHz/24-bit LPCM. Maximum preamp output here is
[Junior Boy’s Own JBO1005438] also lost none of its substantial bass 2.3V from a 96ohm source impedance, the stage offering a
thumped out with drive and impact, or sweet-sounding top. It was just as generous 107dB A-wtd S/N ratio and a response that rolls away
to –0.13dB/20kHz with CD/48kHz media down to –1.7dB/45kHz
but the IA350A never once gave any pure sounding too, with little grain
(96kHz files) and –7.5dB/90kHz (192kHz files). Jitter is well
signs of discomfort. Additionally, to spoil the experience. The double- suppressed (typically ~75psec) and while distortion increases
the swirling synth effects in the bass from Patricia Barber’s ‘Bye Bye slightly over the top 10dB of its dynamic range [see Graph 2,
background remained clear to hear Blackbird’ from her Nightclub album below] reaching 0.0006-0.009% at 0dBFs, it drops to a minimum
once the main bass line kicked in, [Blue Note 7243 5 27290 2 9] of 0.0005-0.0006% at –15dBFs. PM
which is not always the case. The arrived with precision, landing with
IA350A made sure everything in the real impact before delicately fading
mix could be easily distinguished. away. The piano was also located
At the top end, the fall in well up within the performance,
response did not make the amplifier underpinning Patricia’s vocals to
sound particularly soft, though there good effect and contributing to
was a slight tendency to push high the fine sense atmosphere building
frequency effects back further into throughout the track.
the soundstage. Diana Krall’s piano Sure enough, image depth was
on the earlier track was not quite a little foreshortened at times
as forthright as it can be, and the and there was arguably less of
backing hi-hats in Donald Fagen’s the incisive punch heard via the
‘Snowbound’ from his Kamakiriad CD input and the Naim CD player. ABOVE: Dynamic power output versus distortion into
CD [Reprise Records 9362-45230-2] Logically, the difference in balance, 8ohm (black trace), 4ohm (red), 2ohm (blue) and
seemed slightly further away than both tonal and dynamic, between 1ohm (green) speaker loads. Max. current is 16.4A
normal. So while the IA350A never the digital and analogue inputs
sounded muted, it does typically will boil down to the distinct
offer what might be described as implementations of the YBA DAC
a ‘smoothly detailed’ stage and that of your preferred CD
top-end presentation. player, but it’s useful to have the
Restoring the juice option. For the purist who’s yet to
to the IA350A’s digital go ‘super hi-res’, there’s still plenty
stage, I also tried to engage the senses here.
the Naim CD player‘s
digital output into the HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
amp’s coaxial digital
YBA can be rightly proud of the
input. The character ABOVE: Distortion vs. USB 24-bit digital signal level
IA350A amplifier, for not only
of the sound remained over a 120dB range at 1kHz (black) and 20kHz (blue)
is it superbly built and finished,
very similar albeit with
but it has a good selection of
a slightly more vivid HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
digital and analogue inputs
tonal colour across the
and outputs upon which to Continuous power (<1% THD, 8/4ohm) 120W / 180W
midband. This played
base a comprehensive system.
into the hands of Dynamic power (<1% THD, 8/4/2/1ohm) 163W / 302W / 450W / 270W
Most importantly, though, its
Donald Fagen’s backing Output impedance (20Hz–20kHz) 0.059–0.088ohm (96ohm, pre)
sound combines clarity with
strings, delivering a
an authority and commanding Freq. resp. (20Hz–20kHz/100kHz) +0.95 to –0.45dB/–4.8dB
slightly more forthright
presence that really is quite Digital jitter (USB at 48kHz/96kHz) 70psec / 73psec
captivating. Passion by name, it is A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBW/0dBFs) 81.5dB (Analogue) / 106.7dB (Dig)
LEFT: Multifunction
passionate by nature!
remote includes input Dist. (20Hz-20kHz; 0dBW/–3dBFs) 0.028–0.12%/0.0006–0.0090%
selection, volume (and a Sound Quality: 84% Power consumption (idle/rated o/p) 51W / 396W
volume preset), mute and 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 430x108x380mm / 15.4kg
display dimming

Headphone preamp/DAC. Rated at ‘0.9W’ (no load specified)
Made by: Auris Audio, Serbia
Supplied by: Elite Audio Ltd, Fife
Telephone: 01334 570 666
Web: http://aurisaudio.rs/en; www.eliteaudiouk.com
HEADPHONE AMP/DAC Price: £1499
Auris Audio Euterpe

At a third of the price of the Nirvana headphone amplifier reviewed in June, Auris
Audio’s Euterpe promises valve, er, Nirvana for solo listeners with lighter pockets
Review: Ken Kessler Lab: Paul Miller
s one approaches gear at lower on with indications for both low and high which I duly used to hook up my MacBook
A price points, every pound matters

that much more. It’s simply a
fact of life: the customer for Auris
Audio’s Nirvana high-end headphone amp
[HFN Jun ’19], at £4900, might be cavalier
voltage. At the back is the main on/off
switch, an IEC three-pin socket for AC and
a captive lead to connect to
the Euterpe via a multi-pin
connector located at the ‘Scintillating,
Pro. On the top of the unit, in addition
to the selector toggle, are three valves
protected by four black
metal crossbars and the
handsome wooden side
about issues such as value-for-money,
features, finish or other details. Not so the
bottom of the back panel.
Other connections offered
sizzle-free cheeks. They determine
the unit’s height and are
prospective client for Auris Audio’s £1499
Euterpe, because the market is over-
are RCA phono sockets for
one line-level source and a
treble: another shaped to allow it to serve
as a headphone stand – a
burdened with serious competitors and line output, so you could box ticked’ nice touch. The main unit’s
money is more of a determinant. also use this as a two-source dimensions with which to
Staring me in the face, as I review the preamp. There’s also a built-in ESS Sabre- be concerned are those of the footprint,
Euterpe, is a permanent fixture on my desk: powered DAC [see PM’s Lab Report, p63], at 160mm wide and 230mm deep, adding
Quad’s PA-One [HFN Feb ’15], which sells accessible only via USB-B connector, stability to the 280mm-tall unit.
for £100 less. It’s daring me to compare On the front is a rotary volume control
it with the Euterpe, especially when it that also acts as the on/off switch,
comes to facilities. Also, while the PA-One illuminating or extinguishing the orange
is equipped with 6SL7 and 6SN7 double LEDs on the power supply. There’s another
triodes, our sample of the Euterpe was orange LED on the front of the Euterpe,
fitted with two PL95 tubes and one ECC81. between a pair of toggle switches and
Users can specify EL95s [see PM’s above the headphone socket, which flashes
boxout, p61] so I rummaged through my briefly until the unit is fully on. Warm-up
spares boxes to see if Auris Audio chose from cold takes mere minutes.
the best for the application. I am happy to
report that 1) the combination as supplied TOGGLE TALK
bettered what I could come up with, and That lone headphone socket accepts only
2) it also offered the most punch, oomph a ¼in jack so balanced output, for those
and sheer power, should you own hungry who swear by it, is not addressed as it is
headphones or have a self-destructive on the Nirvana. On the left side of the
penchant for ear-bursting levels. socket is the toggle for choosing Source A
(line input) or B (digital) and on the right a
TUBE CHOICE choice between high and low impedance
As this unit arrived without formal (headphone) output.
instructions, I had to rely on my wits to Let’s deal with the latter right off, so
set it up. Which means that even were I you don’t get distracted. As there was,
witless, I would have had it up-and-running to my ears, merely a drop in level every
in minutes. The only item that needed time I flicked the switch, sometimes with
explaining was the toggle on the top plate, a loss of openness, I used the selector
to choose between PL95 and EL95 tubes. according to sound quality model-by-model
As for the rest, it’s utterly rather than according to the specs of the
straightforward. The beautifully-made, headphones, though I typically preferred
95x63x185mm (whd) extruded-metal the low position every time. My litany of
power supply [pictured, p63] sports two cans included Audezes from both ends of
orange LEDs on the front, showing power the catalogue – the Sine (30ohm) and the
LCD-4z (15ohm), Beyerdynamic DT48
RIGHT: A single ECC81 double-triode drives (25ohm) and the venerable Sennheiser
one PL95 pentode per channel [top]. High HD414 Anniversary (52ohm version).
and low headphone output imp. options Sources included reel-to-reel tape, vinyl
are selected by a toggle as is the choice of via TechDAS Air Force III Premium/TDC01
analogue (line) and digital (USB) inputs Ti [HFN Jun ’19 and Sept ’14] and

19
RIGHT: Almost self-explanatory – the better in this area – although I found
left toggle chooses line-in or DAC, right myself frustrated by the first sector of
toggle selects high or low impedance the volume control. Lots of travel with
and rotary combines volume and on/ hardly any gain, then – whoosh – a
off. The wooden frame also acts as a sudden increase in volume (headphone
headphone stand sensitivity depending, of course).
Turning to LPs, I’d just pillaged the
local HMV, knocking out vinyl at £6.99
a pop and couldn’t resist Nina Simone’s
I Put A Spell On You [Philips PHS 600-
172]. I’d forgotten how sublime was
the recording: wall-to-wall sound and
digital feeds from Wolfgang’s Vault, a natural acoustic to support the
Tidal and others. Suffice it to say, the piano, rich strings and punchy sax in
DAC section sounds very smooth... an utterly audiophilic manner.
Jazz titles like this, abetted by
SUMPTUOUS SOUNDS classical and easy listening, created
While on the subject of the DAC, and the whole ‘hi-fi experience’ back in
being in the mood for distaff vocals, the 1950s, because it was ‘grown-
I was delighted to locate Carly ups’, not teens, who could afford the
Simon’s 2009 performance of ‘You’re first hi-fi systems. This half-century-
So Vain’ [via wolfgangs.com], an old recording, aside from amazing
unplugged studio performance with content which would have been
her son Ben and loads of acoustic arresting even via two paper
guitars. Even with the closed-back cups and a piece of string,
cans, the sound extended beyond were complemented by
my ears, being delightfully open the Euterpe’s sumptuous
and particularly enjoyable behaviour. I was reminded of
because of their the Nirvana, about which I wrote,
harmonising. OK, the ‘This is the romantic, lush, less-clinical
years were showing on alternative [to solid-state], which is my
Carly Simon’s voice but it way of saying it is so tube-y that it plays on
gave the performance a veracity one’s valve-vs-transistor prejudices’.
of the warts ’n’ all type. the lack of deep bass in the recording –
What the DAC section of the Euterpe not, I emphasise, the Euterpe’s fault. SONIC SPECTACULARS
ensured was a smoothness and absence of To my surprise, three hours passed In this respect, then, it begs to be
edginess, despite Simon’s being a new(-ish) during which neither headphones compared to Quad’s PA-One rather than
recording, whereas Bonnie Raitt’s Madison nor the Euterpe drove me back to my the host of solid-state headphone amps
Square Garden dates back exactly 40 years, loudspeakers. The unit was proving
p g vying
y g for the same sum. While many
to September 1979, and was betraying eminently listenable, even vvalve headphone
h amps give
its age in a different way. This was no though not the quietest off yyou a direct conduit to tube
example of wide dynamics so much as wide headphone amps – the noise
no – low-level, it is hoped,
soundstage, though the scale made up for Quad isn’t that much or
o irritatingly humming
if not – there are those
PENTODE POWER of us who prefer it to
the more clinical nature
We are used to seeing the latest generation of pentodes of transistors. Simone’s
gracing the royalty of high-end audio’s tube amps, even if textured vocals were
popular bulbs like the KT120 and KT150 are more properly delivered
d with every
described as Kinkless (beam) Tetrodes. But there are also subsets nuance
nu accounted for, but
of pentodes specifically designed for low power applications, e of sibilance and sounding
free
and the PL95, with its low 300mA heater consumption, is one such h a
authentically breathy.
example [seen flanking the ECC81 triode, inset picture]. Auris Audio It was time
t for sonic spectaculars,
can supply the Euterpe with an alternate EL95 tube but its heater filament has so I fired up the Otari and dug into my
different requirements and so you must select between them via a toggle switch treasure trove of reel-to-reel tapes.
on the top of the black chassis. The tube is configured in single-ended mode A cult is developing for the once-forgotten
here, so power output is restricted further [see Lab Report, p63]. Moreover, miracles on the Command label, so forget
while the Euterpe’s source impedance may be switched, the ‘Low’ setting is finding them for a fiver. With slogans
still rather high at 68ohm, resulting in a 7dB loss in output driving the likes of like ‘The greatest advance in sound…
the HiFiMan Aryas [HFN Aug ’19] or, creating greater subjective uncertainty, since high fidelity was invented’ and ‘For
producing equivalent swings in response if the headphone has a low and variable discriminating people who desire the
impedance trend. For predictable results, stick to high impedance ’phones. PM finest in sound’, and with Enoch Light
at the helm, these are just the ticket for

Vertere Acoustics MG-1 B&W 800 D3 JBL L100 Classics
£6950.00 £22500.00 £4000.00
Proac K3 Luxman SQ-N150 Sonus Faber Amati

£9750.00 £3000.00 £23500.00
Mark Levinson No.585 Wilson Audio Sabrina Auralic Aries G2

£11999.00 £18998.00 £3899.00
Part exchange and 27 Bond Street 36 Queen Street

Ealing Maidenhead
interest free credit available London W5 5AS Berkshire SL6 1HZ
T 020 8567 8703 T 01628 633 995
E [email protected] E [email protected]
audiovenue.com
BRANDS INCLUDE Anthem, Arcam, Audeze, Audio Research, Audiophile Base, Audioquest, Auralic, Astell & Kern Dagastino Inc, Bowers & Wilkins, Chord, Classe Audio, Control 4, Devialet,
Esoteric, Focal, Hana, JL Audio, Kaleidescape, KEF, Koetsu, Krell, Luxman, Mark Levinson, Martin Logan, Michell Engineering, Musical Fidelity, Naim Audio, OPPO, PMC, Primaluna,
Proac, Project, PS audio, Quadraspire, Questyle, Rotel, Ruark Audio, Sennheiser, SONOS, Sonus Faber, Spectral Furniture, Vertere Acoustics, Wilson Audio, Yamaha, and many more…
LAB
REPORT
AURIS AUDIO EUTERPE
This product is a story of two halves: a single-ended tube
headphone amp and an ESS Sabre DAC/triode tube preamplifier
LEFT: CConnectivity could not be
– and they are quite distinct. As we saw with the Nirvana [HFN
s
simpler – line-level inputs and preamp Jun ’19], Auris Audio’s specifications need to be interpreted with
o p on RCAs with a digital input on
outputs some latitude. In this instance the ‘0.9W power output’ is closer
( upporting 384kHz/32-bit and
USB-B (su to 25mW at 1% THD, 200mW at 3% THD and 425mW at 5% THD,
D
DSD128 8). Note PSU connection [bottom] all at 1kHz into an ‘average’ 25ohm load [black trace, Graph 1].
900mW might be possible, but at a commensurately higher
a EL95
and 5/PL95 toggle [top] distortion... Into very low (8ohm) loads, the Euterpe will muster
110mW at 5% THD [red trace, Graph 1]. The maximum voltage
co ict
confl ct between sounds in front output is 5500mV into a high 1kohm load but the response –
of you, and sounds in your head. particularly the low frequency response – benefits from loading.
Into high impedances the roll-off begins at 80Hz (–3dB re. 1kHz),
he main virtues? The clarity,
But the falling to –12.5dB/20Hz. With a 25ohm load the bass response
the speeed, the freedom from the improves to –2dB/20Hz while the HF extension is slightly
curses oof either digital processing or ‘sweetened’ from –0.4dB/20kHz (high load) to –1.5dB/20kHz
whatever stands between a master
whatev (into 25ohm). Noise is not especially low and the A-wtd S/N ratio
is 10-20dB behind the best at 80dB (re. 10mW/25ohm).
tape annd an LP? In spades.
By contrast, the USB DAC/triode preamp stage offers a more
generous 102dB A-wtd S/N ratio, and the maximum output at 1%
BEYON
OND VALUE THD is 2.1V from a high 695ohm source impedance. Distortion
Big ban nd recordings such as this falls to a minimum of 0.007% through the midrange at –35dBFs
to –40dBFs [black trace, Graph 2] but is typically 20-40dB (10-
deliver inspiring levels of impact
100x) higher at 20kHz [cyan trace, Graph 2]. The ESS DAC has
whi
which,h wwhile best savoured via excellent inbuilt jitter suppression but PSU modulation brings
loudspe eakers, still have much to this to (a limited) 380psec here. Regardless of 192kHz etc,
offer thhe headphone user, even incoming file formats the response is determined by the DAC’s
w
when robbed of realistic downsampling to 96kHz, so –3dB/40kHz (or –12dB/40kHz with
96kHz inputs) is the practical bandwidth of the DAC/preamp. PM
dimensional scale and
d
appearing in miniature in
one’s head. Skull-filling it
on
may
m be, but the freedom
from distraction when
transported by ’phones to
a private listening space is
simply
s beyond value.
the closest listening one can get: Such is the quality of the transfer
via cans. Bob Haggart And His that, even with so much going
Orchestra’s Big Noise From Winnetka on, the direct feed begs forensic
[Command RS 4T 849] is a 1960s inspection and – despite those
interpretation of the big band residual noise levels – the Euterpe
sounds of the 1930s and 1940s, is transparent enough to allow the ABOVE: Continuous power output versus distortion
with the sort of ‘fidelity’ that we sort of focused attention to the (black,
ack, into 25ohm load; red, low imp 8ohm load)
still dream about. Transient speed: tiny details that might even be
check. Bombastic bursts: present overwhelmed by speaker playback.
and accounted for. Scintillating, Auris Audio has ensured that
sizzle-free treble: another box ticked. its Euterpe imposes little on the
Prairie-wide openness: yup. sound, but what it does contribute
I listened intently to the is a warmth that some (like me)
recordings via Wilson Sasha DAW find irresistible – even if it may be
loudspeakers [HFN Mar ’19] before euphonic thaumaturgy.
donning cans to see how much
scale they could approximate, while HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
accounting for the inescapable
Here’s where you have to choose
ABOVE: Distortion versus 24-bit digital signal level
between head and heart, or
over a 120dB range at 1kHz (black) and 20kHz (blue)
between being a savvy consumer
or a whack-job audiophile: this is
one of the sweetest headphone HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
amps I’ve used for under £2000, Maximum output (re. 0dBFs into 47kohm) 2.1V (preamp out, 1% THD)
it’s fun to use and looks great but Maximum power output (25ohm, 5% THD) 425mW (headphone out)
is limited in flexibility, it’s quirky,
Output Imp. (20Hz-20kHz, line/headph.) 695ohm/ 68/272ohm
has a mediocre volume control
and swiftly let’s you know if it’s A-wtd S/N ratio (0dBFs; re. 2V/10mW) 101.7dB / 80.3dB
overdriven. I could happily live Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, re. 10mW/25ohm) 0.8–17%

with it, but I know it would often Freq. resp. (USB, 20Hz-20kHz/45kHz) +0.0 to –1.2dB/–15.6dB
frustrate me.
Digital jitter (USB, 48kHz/24-bit) 380psec
ABOVE: A substantial outboard PSU Sound Quality: 78% Power consumption 25W (2W standby)
feeds separate supplies to the tube and 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 160x283x230mm / 4.1kg
digital circuits of the Euterpe

Two-way standmount with horn-loaded tweeter
Made by: Klipsch Group, Inc., Indianapolis, USA
Supplied by: Henley Audio, Oxfordshire, UK
Telephone: 01235 511 166
Web: www.klipsch.com; www.henleyaudio.co.uk
LOUDSPEAKER Price: £625
Klipsch RP-600M
Redesigned from the ground up, Klipsch’s all-new Reference Premiere series leverages
over 70 years of loudspeaker history. We audition the largest of its bookshelf trio...
Review: David Price Lab: Keith Howard
ith no shortage of standmount port noise. There’s also a set of bi-wirable zesty sort of performer that definitely
W loudspeakers vying for our

attention, any newcomer
needs to stand out from the
crowd. And few stand out as boldly as
Klipsch’s £625 ‘Reference Premiere’ series
binding posts that take standard banana
plugs or bare wire up to 12-gauge and,
over the baffle, a removable magnetic
grille cover. The speaker comes supplied
with some very small self-adhesive rubber
causes you to sit up on the sofa and pay
attention to the music. At the same time,
it’s a little uneven sounding. There’s a
bump that makes the upper bass sound
a tad more gutsy than perhaps it should
RP-600M, arriving from a company with an feet, which the user can stick on or leave given the size of the loudspeaker, and
auspicious portfolio of exciting-sounding off at their discretion. the tweeter is typically lively and, on
horn-loaded loudspeakers [HFN Jun ’19], I found the RP-600M easy enough occasions, even hard-sounding.
all dating back to the first ever Klipschorn to position, although you
model launched in 1946. don’t want it too close to a
On the face of it the RP-600M is boundary wall, for it needs
pretty conventional – it’s a smallish at least 50cm of breathing
(399x202x301mm, hwd) two-way, ported space for optimum bass
standmount design. It’s also one of three performance. A slight toe-in
RP standmount/bookshelf models, the helped sharpen-up the stereo
partnering £500 RP-500M and £400 imaging too. Otherwise
RP-400M smaller and more affordable still. it’s equally unfussy about
So far, so average – the partnering
but from here Klipsch amplifier. I used a
takes a walk on the ‘A drum rim- beefy Cambridge
wild side. There are Audio Edge W but
various key facets to
shot is almost discovered it was
this design, including
the company’s ‘hybrid
as startling as just as happy on the
end of Icon Audio’s
Tractrix’ horn-loaded a firecracker’ Stereo 40 valve
tweeter [see boxout, amp [HFN May ’19].
p65] and the bass/mid driver with its spun In both cases, a Chord Hugo
copper ‘Cerametallic’ cone. Its 25mm 2 DAC [HFN Aug ’18] was
titanium dome tweeter is sunk into a employed as my main source.
satin-black silicon composite front baffle
while the 165mm bass driver employs a REAL CHARACTER
mix of ceramic and aluminium, said to At a time when some might
be especially rigid and light. Knitting the argue the standmount market
drivers together is a second-order crossover is becoming a little too
comprising a total of five components. homogeneous, the Klipsch
RP-600M’s ‘warts and all’
INNER FLARE approach to music-making
Although designed in the USA, this speaker is nothing if not distinctive.
is made in China. Its cabinet is decently This is a genuine, old school
finished for the price, with an attractive ‘character loudspeaker’.
vinyl wrap in a choice of ebony and walnut It’s one of the ‘Marmite’
finishes – but weighing in at 7.3kg it’s products that you are either
hardly the most sturdy in this market going to love... or not.
segment. The ‘knuckle rap’ test suggests Superficially, it’s a bouncy,
that its 15mm MDF panels are less well
damped than some rivals, if without being RIGHT: The 6.5in spun copper
flimsy [see KH’s Lab Report, p67]. ‘Cerametallic’ bass unit is joined
Around the back, the bass reflex port by a vented 1in titanium tweeter
has a specially contoured inner flare that’s loaded via a square (90x90o)
claimed to reduce air turbulence, for lower Tractrix profile horn

So there’s a suggestion of the old DRIVE TIME
fashioned ‘boom ’n tizz’ sound that once
characterised US loudspeakers. This makes None of the classic horn flares behave in reality as supposed by their inventors,
rock, pop and R&B music sound very so Klipsch’s trademarked Hybrid Tractrix Horn aims to enhance the performance
upbeat, but lovers of jazz might think it a of the original tractrix flare, introduced in the UK in the mid-1920s by Paul Voigt
little uncouth just as classical music fans as a superior option to the exponential alternative. Michael Buratto, Klipsch’s
will crave a more balanced presentation. product manager for its component audio division, explains that it is key to the
design of the RP-600M, as it is to the company as a whole. ‘The horn maximises
SPEED DEMON high frequency sensitivity, focus and dynamics, while this newest generation
There’s certainly an unpredictability uses special materials and geometry. The hybrid geometry tractrix design is
about the RP-600M’s response to a piece shaped to reduce diffraction and horn resonance, which are partially responsible
of music! Visioneers’ ‘Oil And Water’ for the “midrange forward” sound of traditional horn-loaded designs. Reducing
[Hipology; BBE Omniverse BBE176ACD], these qualities leads to a smoother, more balanced sound while maintaining the
a good example of modern urban music, improved detail and sensitivity the horn provides. This helps to make the
with a strong rap vocal line and a soulful RP-600M among the most efficient in its class.’ KH
electronic backing track, was lapped up
by the RP-600M. In fact it loved it, giving
added impetus to the bass drum and bass was the lead vocal. The overall effect was The Visioneers’ track was great fun to
synthesiser work that punched the song quite arresting, the speaker reaching out listen to, but even the laid-back, early ’80s
out into the room. At the same time, the and successfully grabbing my attention. funk of Shakatak’s ‘Easier Said Than Done’
snare drum sound was fast and well lit, as The downside was that bass seemed [Nightbirds; Polydor POCP-2031] came over
to tail off quite quickly with great gusto. The cymbal work here
below its upper bass was fast and cutting, while the lead piano
sweet spot, and there was more animated than you hear from
was some hardness in most budget loudspeakers.
the upper midband. The only caveat centred around what
Male vocals, for was going on much lower down. Here
example, came over there was some slurring, and it made
as slightly shouty and itself known in the way bass guitar
forward. While this notes decayed. It was as if the speaker
wasn’t excessive by cabinet was joining in by adding some
any means, there’s a artificial sustain. This was by no means an
definite ‘footprint’ to unpleasant sensation, but it certainly made
the way this speaker for an inaccurate presentation.
makes music...
It was the sheer BORN TO BE WIDE
speed and attack Considering its diminutive dimensions,
of the RP-600M the RP-600M can be applauded for the
that I found most way it fills the room with sound. There’s
enjoyable, especially certainly a sense that its Tractrix horn is
when it came to the helping here, giving this little Klipsch a
upper registers where more commanding nature than it might
the horn-loaded otherwise have. For example, Kate Bush’s
tweeter is doing ‘Running Up That Hill’ [Hounds Of Love; EMI
most of the heavy CDP 7 46164 2] enjoyed an appropriately
lifting. Super-quick ethereal airing, this little speaker serving
and fleet-of-foot, up a wide soundstage that filled my
this is a speaker that largish listening room better than one
takes obvious care in would expect. This was helped by the
resolving the leading slightly ‘fulsome’ upper bass, which gave
edges of instruments, additional, if slightly artificial, physical
so when you hear weight to the proceedings.
the sound of a drum The synthesiser work dominating the
rim-shot it’s almost as track was seriously expansive, as were
startling as hearing a the vocals, and the overall effect was of
firecracker go off. a vast, windswept soundscape. Only in
This also paid real terms of stage depth was the RP-600M less
dividends when it impressive, clustering all the elements of
came to the midband the mix around the plane of the speakers.
and treble registers, This made for a slightly two-dimensional
there being no sense presentation, though it must be said that
of notes slurring. the sheer width of the acoustic served to
This all ensured that divert one’s attention from this.

LAB
REPORT
KLIPSCH RP-600M
We’re becoming habituated to Klipsch making enthusiastic
claims for its speakers’ sensitivity (repeated in online ‘reviews’),
LEFT: Rear Tractrix port
and the RP-600M fits the mould. Klipsch says it generates
is sculpted to reduce 96dB SPL at 1m for 2.83V input – which, if true, would be
turbulent airflow. The pairs an outstanding result – but our tests recorded exactly 89dB,
of bi-wire/bi-amp screw averaged for the pair, on pink noise. This is still a good result,
terminals accept banana but the 7dB gap to Klipsch’s specification is a vast one. In part
the sensitivity is achieved through the use of low impedance.
plugs or bare wire up to Despite Klipsch’s vague ‘8 ohms compatible’ specification, this
12-gauge in thickness is a 4ohm design. We measured a minimum modulus of 3.4ohm
and sufficiently high impedance phase angles to drop the EPDR
this speaker’s greatest (equivalent peak dissipation resistance) to a minimum of 1.8ohm
at 129Hz. This makes the RP-600M averagely difficult to drive for
talent is its deftness of a modern loudspeaker, but not as easy as the crib sheet implies.
touch where dynamics Forward frequency response was measured at 1m on the axis
are concerned. It of the horn-loaded tweeter [see Graph 1, below]. The traces are
is tremendous at very uneven – to the tune of L/R response errors of ±5.8dB and
±5.9dB, respectively. A wide suckout between 1kHz and 2.5kHz,
imparting the subtle
and a high treble peak at 17kHz, are principally responsible,
accents of players, the former in particular surely colouring the RP-600M’s sound.
communicating the A pair matching error of ±0.7dB over the same 200Hz-20kHz
innate energy and frequency range is a much better result. Also creditable is
the bass extension of 40Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz), determined by
emotion in music.
diffraction-corrected nearfield measurement. LF output shelves
The Donald Byrd jazz down below 140Hz before falling off at 24dB per octave below
piece showed this in 45Hz. Despite the horn-loaded tweeter, the CSD waterfall [Graph
spades, thanks to the 2, below] is mostly clean in the treble, but the 17kHz peak
speaker’s dynamic and suppresses the level of modes at 2-5kHz. KH
articulate presentation
you really had the sense
of great session men
playing along intuitively
with one another. Yes,
it struggled with music
on the grander scale –
its ability to track big
As for the positioning of images musical crescendos at relatively high
in the soundstage, this proved to listening levels wasn’t so impressive
be something of a disappointment – but overall it made for a hugely
too, which is surely down to the enjoyable, if not addictive, listen.
RP-600M’s cloudier handling of The same was true with the ABOVE: Response is quite uneven, with a depressed
low-level detail. Though the speaker expansive power pop of Simple midrange allied to a rising treble above 10kHz
has a vibrant and well-etched sound, Minds’ ‘Oh Jungleland’ [Once Upon
listen more closely and elements A Time; Virgin CDV 2364]. Again,
located at the back of the mix aren’t turning the volume up high had
particularly well resolved. the speaker huffing and puffing
somewhat, but it delivered a feisty
SUBTLE ACCENTS and determined performance all the dB 0.0
Cue up Donald Byrd’s ‘Say You’re same, ensuring the track jumped -6 1.0
Mine’ [The Cat Walk; Blue Note 0946 right out at me in a manner that was - 12
2.0
3 74226 2 5] and there’s a certain nothing if not huge fun. - 18
8
3.0
opacity to the sound. Hard struck - 24
cymbals failed to slowly decay away HI-FI NEWS VERDICT - 30 4.0
but instead disappeared. Nor was 5.0 msec

This is not for prospective 200 1000 10000
there much sense of the spatiality Frequency in Hz >>
purchasers wanting a generic
of the recording studio, the music ABOVE: There’s one mode below 1kHz but resonances
all-rounder that’s as neutral as
just ‘being there’ rather than associated with the horn treble are mercifully low
you can get for the money. But
having a precise sense of where the
those seeking a charismatic
instruments involved were located. HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
budget standmount with oodles
You could say that the RP-600M
of ‘get up and go’ should seriously Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83Vrms – Mean/IEC/Music) 91.2dB/89.0dB/88.3dB
lacks definition in the way the
consider auditioning the Klipsch Impedance modulus min/max (20Hz–20kHz) 3.4ohm @ 192Hz
human eye begins to struggle to
RP-600M. Peppy and punchy, 25.7ohm @ 2.1kHz
resolve objects in low light – things
it’s one of the most characterful Impedance phase min/max (20Hz–20kHz) –51o @ 105Hz
just aren’t as crisp as they could be
affordable speakers I’ve heard in a 62o @ 1.3kHz
in the middle and far distance.
long time – one that could almost Pair matching/Response Error (200Hz–20kHz) ±0.7dB/ ±5.8dB/±5.9dB
Still, let’s not forget that the
have come from another era. LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 40Hz / 21.6kHz/22.1kHz
RP-600M is a budget speaker, and
one that’s more gifted in some areas Sound Quality: 80% THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.8% / 0.3% / 0.2%
and more compromised in others 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (Each) 399x202x301mm / 7kg
than its blander rivals. Arguably,

Open-back circumaural headphone
Manufactured by: KLH Audio Speakers, Noblesville, Indiana, USA
Supplied by: Muto Communications, LLC
Telephone: +1 833-554-8326
Web: www.klhaudio.com
HEADPHONES Price: £299
KLH Ultimate One

Beryllium drivers, sustainable hardwood, real leathers, price – these debut open-back
’phones tick all the boxes. But do they offer the ultimate in sound quality?
Review: Keith Howard & Christopher Breunig Lab: Keith Howard
ention beryllium and digit available in either ebony, which KLH says is press against the earlobes: the tips of mine
M counters begin to whorl in the

imagination. Unquestionably
the very best metal from
which to construct a headphone or
loudspeaker diaphragm – because the
sustainable, or zebra wood. The latter costs
extra and is available as a special order.
Comfort is pretty good. The headset
weights 349g (measured, 340g specified)
which isn’t featherweight
poked outside them. Having experienced a
number of headphones recently that have
ovoid earpads to accommodate the outer
ear more naturally, I find this pinna assault
increasingly annoying.
speed of sound through it is over twice but less than that of many On the face of it the
that of aluminium, magnesium or titanium audiophile headphones, ‘As I listened Ultimate One might
– its use has historically been constrained
for two reasons. First, beryllium is
planar magnetics in
particular. The clamping
to the piano appear quite well adapted
to use on the move.
dangerous stuff to use in a manufacturing force is low at 4.1N for a sonata I uttered As well as being fairly
environment; and second, it’s expensive. 150mm head width and light, it has capsules that
For proof of the latter look around you at, the headband is sufficiently a silent "yes!"’ rotate sufficiently for
say, TAD’s loudspeakers or Focal’s Utopia well padded not to chafe it to lie flat within the
[HFN Feb ’17] and Stellia [HFN May ’19] on the pate. What lets the side down supplied zip-up hardshell case. A cloth
headphones. The Focals, both equipped a little – although the same can be said drawstring carry bag is also provided
with drivers having beryllium diaphragms, of countless other headphones – is the should the case be too bulky. But this is
cost about £3500 and £2800 respectively. circular earpads that, although thick and another headphone that appears rather
So the arrival of the KLH Ultimate One squishy, are sufficiently small not just to schizoid in this regard because its 2m
is an eyebrow raiser for two reasons.
asons. One, terminated in TRS mini-jack plugs at
cable, term
it marks the unexpected renaisssance of a both ends, is manifestly too long for use
famous audiophile name, albeitt one best on the hooff, just as it’s shorter than ideal
known for electrostatic speakerrs. And two, for use with h a conventional hi-fi system
it uses 50mm ‘pure beryllium’ d i
drivers (
(for which a screw-on sleeve adapter is
while asking just £300 of you – not as provided to convert the input connector
a first payment on the never-ne ever, to a ¼in jack). Also, there’s no mic or
but as the full cost of ownership.p. i li e remote control to enhance
in-line
convvenience when the headphones
SILVER SERVICE a e used with a smartphone.
are
Beryllium isn’t the only costly
feature that the Ultimate One WELL DAMPED
W
boasts, either – its cable uses E
Expecting all this and beryllium
silver Litz conductors, with diaphragms for £300 may be
individually insulated silver a case of asking too much, of
strands. How does KLH do it at course, but I suspect many
the price? Part of the answer Ultimate One owners will
must lie with the Ultimate One swap
s out the supplied cable
being made in China, although iin frustration for something of
that is hardly unusual. mo ore convenient length – either
Construction of the sho orter or longer – but not with
Ultimate One is otherwise prettyty the sstandard cable’s silver Litz
conventional, with circular capssules
l c ductors, which seems a shame.
condu
having deep circular earpads with O e positive about the cable is that
One
lambskin on the inner surfaces for
f p te a braided sheath – it does
– despit
comfort and cowhide externallyy for not gen nerate high levels of capsule
durability. The real wood earcupps are noise w when it rubs against clothing
o furniture. This may well have
or
RIGHT: A mix of lambskin and cow whide somethi hing to do with the Ultimate
for the earcups and headband, mac chined One’s strructure being well damped at
and polished ebony and black meta alwork g frequ
high quencies but there is evidence
are all finished to a very high stand d
dard j
– subjective e and objective – of headband
68 | www.hifinews.co.uk | SEPTE
EMBER 2019
9
LEFT: Swivel yokes and ample rachet lock
headband adjustment is provided. A 2m silver
litz cable with ¼in adapter attaches to left
earcup. Not shown is compact zipped carry case
substantially unaffected by a compromised

earpad seal, and those that are sensitive
to it. Of recently measured open-backs the
Quad ERA-1 [HFN Aug ’18], Meze Empyrean
[HFN Dec ’18] and HiFiMan Arya [HFN Aug
’19] are all in the first group, whereas
the MrSpeakers Ether 2 [HFN Jul ’19] and
the Ultimate One fall into the latter. The
Ultimate One is a good deal less sensitive
to leakage past spectacles or though hair
than the Ether 2, but its bass/lower-mid
tonal balance may nonetheless change
from user to user.
TRAIN OF THOUGHT
The first thing I discovered when donning
the Ultimate Ones [writes CB] was, due to
their low clamping force, they tended to
slide forwards (or off) if I looked down – eg,
standing up to change a disc. No means a
deal-breaker, but something to remember.
But on to the listening! For high-res files
I used a Mytek Brooklyn DAC/amp [HFN
Aug ’17] with my Macbook Pro running
Audirvana 3.5 software, while for analogue
tests a Beyerdynamic A2 headphone amp
[HFN Sep ’17] was pressed into service.
Prompted by letters in last month’s
Sound Off pages from our railway
enthusiast readers, I dug out my old
ASV Transacord LP, Rhythms Of Steam
[ATR 7033], made by Peter Handford in
resonance at lower frequencies. This is at 60Hz appears to be associated with one the late ’50s. Night-time freight trains
at sufficiently low level that there’s no of these resonances, as does the response recorded near Newark trundled through
obvious coloration of pink noise played glitch just above 1kHz. my head from right to left, the first of them
over one capsule only, but some carry-over Arguably more serious in practice is presented in such a way that I almost felt
of sound towards the inactive capsule that the Ultimate One is slightly sensitive I could stretch out an arm and touch it.
can still be heard. Measurement confirms to the integrity of its earpad seal [see Lab Then a struggling second passed in the
that the headband does resonate at low Report, p71]. This is normal for closed-back other direction, closer and taking its time,
frequencies, most obviously when it is lifted designs but open-backs like the KLH tend sounding very much ‘in the head’.
off the artificial head. The dip in response to form two distinct groups: those that are From bygone realities to even earlier
fiction, and Alan Bennett reading from
KLOSS AND KLIPSCH AA Milne’s House At Pooh Corner [BBC
Records’ REC 493; mono]. The voice was
Audio engineer and entrepreneur Henry Kloss joined forces with Malcolm S Low rather thickened with the Ultimate Ones
and Josef Anton Hoffmann to form the Cambridge, Massachusetts, company and expressive nuances in the narration
KLH Research & Development in 1957. With a 500-strong workforce it was soon consequently dulled a little, although
shipping 30,000 speakers a year across six continents. Key models were the diction was clear enough. With stereo and
Model Eight ‘high-selectivity’ radio, Model Nine full-range electrostatic speaker Kate Bush’s track ‘Hounds Of Love’ [The
– developed in conjunction with Arthur Janszen – a solid-state portable record Whole Story; EMIKBTV 1] the Ultimate Ones
player and the first reel-to-reel recorder to feature Dolby noise reduction. KLH darkened the vocal colour for which Bush
was purchased in 2017 by Klipsch/Voxx executive David P Kelley and relocated to opts and the low register accompaniments
Indiana. Following Kloss’s original concept, CEO Kelley’s aim is to build world- had more of a thump, but the overall
class loudspeakers and electronics at affordable prices, starting with a range presentation was musical and engaging.
of bookshelf and home theatre designs and Model Eight and Nine updates. The The Schubert Impromptus which András
Ultimate One headphones were launched at the 2019 MTV Movie & TV Awards, Schiff plays on his c.1820 fortepiano [ECM
Santa Monica, alongside a Bluetooth in-ear wireless version, the Ultimate Two. CB 4817252; 96kHz/24-bit – see p94], with
its extraordinary ‘as new’ quality, unfolded

.
.
.
LAB
REPORT
KLH ULTIMATE ONE
Inevitably the central question for the Ultimate One is: does it
really behave like an upmarket beryllium-diaphragm headphone
when it costs a tenth the price? Starting with sensitivity,
it’s a little below average. KLH claims 97dB for 1mW, which
corresponds to 111.9dB for 1V across the nominal 32ohm
impedance. We measured a little less than this – 109.4dB at
1kHz, averaged for the two capsules – which is roughly 6dB
lower than typical for a modern moving-coil ’phone. However,
impedance is a little higher than specified, the left capsule
having a minimum of 33.8ohm and a maximum of 38.7ohm
across the audible range – a variation sufficient to cause only
small changes in frequency response of 0.25dB for a preamp
with a 10ohm source impedance, or 0.53dB via a 30ohm source.
Uncorrected frequency responses for the two capsules
[see Graph 1, below] indicate an obviously shelved-up but
well extended bass, and more energy than typically seen
immediately above the familiar 3kHz peak. In the diffuse-field
corrected response [green trace, Graph 2], which more closely
matches perceived frequency response, these features result
ABOVE: While soft and comfortable for off textures at full
f ll llevel,
l this didn’t
hi did in a distinctly shelved-up bass and upper treble. Normally this
most users, some may find those earcups prevent my marvelling at Ravel’s could be expected to result in something of a ‘boom and tizz’
a little too limited in internal volume. use of orchestral colour. Cymbals tonal balance but the fact that the Ultimate One is sensitive
to the quality of its earpad seal, losing a chunk of bass output
Overall this is not a heavy headset possessed a sheen, there was a
if the seal is compromised by, for example, hair or spectacles
mournful solo bassoon in the middle [see Investigation, HFN Aug ’19], suggests that many users will
with a combination of simplicity and section, a soaring of woodwinds experience less bass emphasis than the graphs suggest. But this
sophistication which the Ultimate like birds in flight, and castanets... will be hit or miss, varying between users. The point of using
Ones’ revealing qualities served Moreover, low strings and percussion a beryllium diaphragm, of course, is that its superior stiffness
should render it much less prone to breakup resonances.
handsomely. The rippling start to confirmed the Ultimate Ones’ And indeed, the Ultimate One’s CSD waterfall (not shown) is
D899 No 2 certainly grabs attention adroitness with subtle dynamic and unusually clean except for a high-Q mode at around 6kHz. KH
with these headphones. spatial detail, while showing off
My one reservation concerning a bright, clean treble.
Steven Osborne’s Hyperion To bring the listening to a stirring,
recording of Beethoven’s last piano if sinister, orchestral conclusion
sonata, Op.111 [CDA68219; review I turned to Sir Andrew Davis’s new
next month], is about the metallic Chandos recording of Berlioz’s
timbre of his close-mic’d Steinway. Symphonie Fantastique with his
The Ultimate Ones did this no Toronto SO [CHSA5239; 96kHz/
favours and it was a relief to turn 24-bit], where the church bells in
instead to the Till Fellner live version the finale are evidently real.
on ECM [481 6837]. The lucidity The Ultimate Ones exactly
of his counterpoint playing is an pinpointed their position in the
absolute joy and with the Ultimate soundstage, while the low-register
Ones I just sat through the complete rhythmic patterns and bass drum ABOVE: The Ultimate One’s unequalised responses
performance uttering a silent ‘yes!’ near the ending (also in sharp focus) (L/R, grey/red; averaged 3rd-octave, black) show a
along the way at what he did. had a vivid insistence – in contrast strongg bass [[see below]] and p
presence band output
p
to the shimmering upper strings
ORCHESTRAL COLOUR opening with harps in ‘Le Bal’.
In 1982, producer John McClure These were rendered with exquisite
made a lush-sounding programme transparency, along with real weight
Aisle Seat – Great Film Music with to the double-basses – superb!
John Williams conducting the Boston
Pops Orchestra [Philips 65 14 328; HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
digital LP]. As the music segued from These debut headphones offer
the climax of the E.T. ‘Flying Theme’ excellent value for money. Finish
into the main theme by Vangelis is superb, the styling familiar and
for Chariots Of Fire you could hear not all listeners will be bothered
where everything was coming from, by that low head clamping effect ABOVE: Third-octave freq. resp. (red = Harman
and the track’s rhythmic appeal that can cause the ’phones to corrected; cyan = FF corrected; green = DF corrected)
was well presented by the Ultimate slide forwards. Sonically they offer
Ones. Again the soundstage was a detailed treble and consistent HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
contained within the head, a likeable ‘in the head’ presentation. Bass Sensitivity (SPL at 1kHz for 1Vrms input) 109.4dB
characteristic of these ’phones. may be influenced by the user’s
DG’s producer for Seiji Ozawa’s Impedance modulus min/max (20Hz-20kHz) 33.8ohm @ 1.0kHz
hair or spectacles but the One’s 38.7ohm @ 39Hz
Ravel series from the mid ’70s was insightful and engaging sound Capsule matching (40Hz-10kHz) ±12.6dB
the great Thomas Mowray. Rifling will surely win out.
through my box set [2740 120], LF extension (–6dB ref. 200Hz) <20Hz
I selected the atmospheric Alborada Sound Quality: 85% Distortion 100Hz/1kHz (for 90dB SPL) 0.4% / <0.1%
del Gracioso orchestration, and 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Weight (headset only) 349g
while there was some thickening

Integrated CD player & amplifier. Rated at 35W/8ohm
Made by: Cambridge Audio Ltd, PRC
Supplied by: Audio Partnership PLC, London
Telephone: 0203 514 1521
Web: www.cambridgeaudio.com
CD PLAYER/AMPLIFIER Price: £299 (each)
Cambridge Audio
AXC35 / AXA35
Is the no-frills CD player/amplifier combo making a comeback? Cambridge Audio is not
alone in thinking so, but its latest AX series also looks to offer uncommonly good value
Review: Adam Smith Lab: Paul Miller
hether a car, hi-fi component a digital display that carries information labelling inputs both the right way up and
W or a general electronic
gadget, the promise of
‘trickle-down’ technology
from a flagship model is always an alluring
prospect. Cambridge Audio is the latest
about source selection, volume level and
various menu items. There are four line
level inputs available, on RCAs, labelled A1-
A4. A fifth, ‘Aux In’, is available on the front
panel through a 3.5mm jack socket, and
upside down, a simple but incredibly handy
feature when leaning over the back of the
amplifier trying to identify which is which.
EXTERNAL DAC
to claim such an advantage, with the has an additional 10dB of gain to improve Better news still is that the AXA35 comes
assertion that its new AX models ‘take compatibility with the (typically) lower pre-fitted with a MM phono input that
design and innovation cues from the CX output of portable audio players. Plugging will also accommodate high-output
and Edge [HFN Nov ’18] hi-fi ranges’. into this front panel socket automatically MCs. Bearing in mind Cambridge Audio’s
The AX series replaces the Topaz range selects the input but as the selector button outboard phono stages have typically fared
and currently consists of a six-strong lineup. is shared by the A1 input, you cannot very well indeed, having one included in
First up are the £229 AXA25 and £299 forcibly select ‘A1’ while a plug is in ‘Aux In’. this amplifier is potentially a big bonus.
AXA35 stereo amplifiers, accompanied The rear-mounted USB-A socket might Finally, the unit has a front-mounted
by the matching AXC25 and AXC35 CD also be a source of confusion because the 6.35mm headphone socket that, like the
players, also £229 and £299, respectively. AXA35 has no internal DAC – this port is phono input and digital display, does not
According to parent company Audio offered purely as a charging socket for your feature on the cheaper AXA25 model.
Partnership, the AX range will shortly be USB devices. Also at the rear are a set of The partnering AXC35 CD player is
completed by the £349 AXR85 and £449 good quality loudspeaker binding posts, another stylish, well-finished unit and this
AXR100 stereo receivers. while Cambridge continues its tradition of will play CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs and home-
Apart from the neat styling, smoothly
sculpted fascia edges and the use of a front
support bar rather than individual feet
(which, admittedly, does look very smart),
I did struggle to find much to relate the
AX models to their top-flight brethren,
and Cambridge Audio itself didn’t have
much to say on the subject either. The only
other exception is that the silver model
is no longer silver – it is ‘Lunar Grey’ – a
very appealing colour that ensures the
AX components stand out from any bog-
standard silver competition.
HEART OF TEXAS
The AXA35 amp is a sleek-looking model
boasting a power rating of 35W/8ohm
from a pair of Texas Instruments output
modules [see PM’s Lab Report, p75, and
picture, right] – 10W up on the cheaper
AXA25. In the centre of the front panel is
RIGHT: The AXA35 integrated includes a

toroidal transformer and linear PSU [lower left
and centre] feeding power amp modules [on
heatsink, centre right]. Line, phono RIAA and
input switching are on the rightmost PCB

burned discs hosting MP3 and WMA files. why Cambridge Audio has a reputation for ABOVE: Hints of the CX and Edge series
It makes use of a Wolfson WM8524 DAC good quality budget designs. The AX35 aesthetics can be glimpsed here – the amp [top]
to service its unbalanced outputs, but a combination served up a clean, detailed offering a 3.5mm input, headphone, line/phono
coaxial digital S/PDIF output is also fitted and flowing sound with a pleasing weight selection, menu and volume; the CD player
should you wish to upgrade through an and sense of impact to their performance [bottom] track access and time/track display
external DAC. This latter connection is that can often be lacking at this price level.
not present on the more Right through the treble contrast to some of the more raucous
affordable AXC25 player. octaves, this Cambridge budget designs that have graced the
The amp and CD player ‘Give them a Audio pairing offered up market over the years.
are both supplied with impressive clarity, with The ability of the AX35s to develop a
Cambridge Audio’s system
proper bangin’ little trace of hardness. meaningful sense of soundstage width and
remote control which,
though perfectly functional,
tune and The Usher S520’s tweeters
can be unforgiving in this
depth was a little limited, the latter more
impressive than the former, but it was
lacks the metal top plate of they love it!’ respect but the AXA35 their hesitance in projecting confidently
the handsets from the Azur seemingly treated them out into the room that was arguably
range. Both items are slick and refined, with kid gloves and the results were crisp most disappointing. So, on the track
with only an occasional delay on the yet composed. There was an almost velvety ‘Afterglow’ from her eponymous debut CD
CD player’s eject function betraying the assuredness here that, while an absolute [Bright Star Records BRIGHTCD10], British
affordable price of these separates. delight, did not quite embody the sheer singer-songwriter Harriet was positioned
level of forensic clarity that more expensive well into the centre of the performance,
COMING CLEAN designs can muster. But the AXC35 and but resolutely within the plane of the
With the AXC35 and AXA35 paired up AXA35 were never less than neatly and loudspeakers. I would normally expect to
and feeding Usher S520 loudspeakers on cleanly detailed, with a very easy-going and hear her brought more forward, and clear
Atacama SL-600 stands, I was reminded essentially transparent nature – a marked of the backing instruments.
BUDGET ESOTERICA ON THE METAL

That said, the AX35’s tonal palette was
The concept of the budget amp with audiophile pretention really took root in pleasingly broad. Donald Harrison’s
the 1980s with the NAD 3020. Until that point, the ‘affordable’ amplifier was soprano saxophone on the track
merely treated as the first step on the upgrade ladder. Naturally, once NAD had ‘Shadowbrook’ from The Power Of Cool
established this new market sector other models followed, including the Rotel [Castle Communications ESJCD 238] had
RA-820, Mission Cyrus One and, latterly, the Pioneer A-400. By the 1990s low-cost just the right amount of metallic rasp to
CD players had truly taken off so the NADs, Pioneers and Rotels of the hi-fi world sound really believable, and the backing
found themselves with partnering models. The budget digital system was born. bass and fretless bass were distinguishable
Cambridge Audio designed some well-regarded separates in the 1970s and and well presented. Once again, the subtle
delivered the ground-breaking CD1 player in 1984 [Vintage Review, HFN May cymbal effects throughout the track were
’14], but it was in the mid ’90s, following its acquisition by Audio Partnership, impressively delineated thanks to the
that its assault on the budget market commenced. The A1 amplifier kicked top-end clarity of the AX35 pairing. This
things off in 1995 and various CD players were also offered, but it was not until pitter-patter was rarely diminished as the
2003 and the arrival of the Azur range that each amplifier had a dedicated CD performance progressed, a consistent
partner [HFN Sep ’04]. The Azur models were on the books for some eight years, presence that served to refresh and
finally superseded by the Topaz and now AX series. Despite advances in digital illuminate the music at hand.
technology and the use of streaming services, it looks like there’s still plenty of The good things continued with ‘The
life yet in the classic budget amplifier and CD player pairing. Certainty Of Chance’ from The Best Of
The Divine Comedy [Setanta SETCD100]

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LAB
REPORT
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AXC35/AXA35
Seeing an amplifier rated at a mere 35W/8ohm recalls the classic
integrateds from Rotel, NAD and, of course, Cambridge itself in
the ’70s and ’80s [see boxout, p73]. In practice Cambridge Audio
is more generous and so the AXA35 delivers closer to 2x40W/
8ohm and 2x60W/4ohm with sufficient in reserve to support
peaks of 51W, 84W, 83W and 60W (or 7.8A) into 8, 4, 2 and
1ohm loads, respectively [10msec, <1% THD – see Graph 1,
below]. So this is a beefy enough amplifier for most 88dB+
sensitivity/‘8ohm’ budget speakers. Overall gain has been
reduced to a sensible +36.2dB but the A-wtd S/N ratio is 5-6dB
below average at 79dB (re. 0dBW) and the response is slightly
ABOVE: Four line inputs, MM phono and pre/tape outputs join 4mm speaker cable ‘shaped’ with a very gentle roll-off below 100Hz and above
10kHz, amounting to a mere –0.2dB at 20Hz and 20kHz.
posts on the amplifier [top]. The USB-A port supports 5V charging only. CD player Distortion is impressively consistent at 0.0016–0.025% across
[bottom] has no digital inputs – just analogue out on RCAs and S/PDIF out on coaxial the rated 35W/8ohm power output (20Hz-20kHz).
The partnering AXC35 CD player offers an ‘average’ 104dB
where the AXC35 and AXA35 Comedy CD back to ‘I’ve Been To A A-wtd S/N from a maximum 2.10V output, while the 930ohm
source impedance (rising to 1.06kohm/20Hz) is a little high. THD
again launched into the track Marvellous Party’ was a hoot as the
falls to a modest 0.0019% through bass and mid frequencies
with controlled enthusiasm. The Cambridge Audio duo made a great over the top 30dB of its dynamic range [black trace, Graph 2],
introductory drum roll rumbled job of lead singer Neil Hannon’s increasing to 0.031% at high (20kHz) frequencies [blue trace].
across the soundstage in a fluid soft murmurings during the verses, Jitter is well suppressed at 145psec and the response is flat to
within ±0.06dB, 20Hz-20kHz. Cambridge has chosen a hybrid
and confident manner more typical and then hit their stride with the
type digital filter [see p51] offering a modest 58dB stopband
of a costlier and more powerful thumping techno beat that explodes rejection but with reduced transient pre-ringing. However,
combination, while the percussion in the choruses. Give them a proper time domain analysis also indicates that the left/right channels
was snappy and Neil Hannon’s vocals bangin’ tune and they love it – are inadvertently offset by one sample period (0.0226msec),
clear and passionate-sounding. bashing it out with both confidence possibly through an error in one of the shift registers. PM
and punch.
TREAT OF A BEAT With inbuilt phono stages still
When time came for the chorus, a rare thing on budget amplifiers,
however, there was a little sense it would have been remiss of me
of discomfort. This section of the not to spin some vinyl through the
track is typical of Divine Comedy’s AXA35 amplifier. I connected up my
grander work where bold orchestral usual Michell GyroDec SE/SME 309,
elements are developed in concert complete with an Ortofon 2M Black
with the main band. When this pick-up, and while this might be
took flight the Cambridge duo rather more ‘high-end’ than a likely
seemed slightly overwhelmed, partnering turntable, the sound
rendering the track a little muddled revealed in an instant that this
and introducing a slight sense of phono stage is no last minute, ABOVE: Dynamic power output versus distortion into
compression across the midband. spec-sheet boosting addition. 8ohm (black trace), 4ohm (red), 2ohm (blue) and
Rather than soaring outwards, the The AXA35 remained its 1ohm (green) speaker loads. Max. current is 7.75A
whole performance shrank into itself composed and confident self and
somewhat, leaving the admittedly even developed a better sense
firm low-end to carry the track. of stereo depth than I had been
Talking of experiencing via the CD input. The
bass, the AXA35 phono input is definitely a forte of
showed off the AXA35, suggesting it will power
another common the heart of both budget CD and
‘Cambridge trait’ vinyl-playing systems successfully.
for not only were
the low frequencies HI-FI NEWS VERDICT
typically solid,
The Cambridge Audio AXC35 and
detailed and ABOVE: THD versus 16-bit CD digital signal level over
AXA35 CD player and amplifier
blessed with a a 120dB range at 1kHz (black) and 20kHz (blue)
have a great deal to recommend
good stop/start
them. They are stylish, well made,
clarity, when things HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
and combine to offer a wealth
became more
of facilities and connectivity. Continuous power (<1% THD, 8/4ohm) 41W / 60W
dance-orientated,
In sonic terms, both are fine
they lapped up Dynamic power (<1% THD, 8/4/2/1ohm) 51W / 84W / 83W / 60W
performers and uphold the
a decent beat. Output imp. (20Hz–20kHz, Amp/CD) 0.070–0.12ohm / 928-1060ohm
Cambridge Audio tradition of
Skipping the Divine
offering budget separates that Freq. resp. (20Hz–20kHz/100kHz) –0.19 to –0.23dB/–2.15dB (Amp)
comfortably punch above their Distortion (20Hz-20kHz, 0dBFs/0dBW) 0.004–0.031%/0.0016–0.025%

LEFT: Direct track
weight. The AXA35’s phono stage A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBFs/0dBW) 104.3dB (CD) / 79.4dB (Amp)
access, repeat and
is no slouch, either.
program play are Digital Jitter 145psec
offered on the system Sound Quality: 82% Power consumption (idle/rated o/p) 13W / 120W (3W, CD)
remote, with input 0 - - - - - - - - 100
Dimensions (WHD / Total weight) 430x83(75)x335mm / 10kg
and vol. for the amp

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Icon Audio have a valve amplifier to suit all purposes. From 15 watts per channel to 80w integrated or 16w to 250w We manufacture 15 different
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Classical Companion
BEHIND THE MUSIC WITH HI-FI NEWS & RECORD REVIEW
Sviatoslav Richter
Pianist
Held back from performing in the West until he was 45, the Odessa musician could be
idiosyncratic or sound overwrought. Christopher Breunig looks at his life and legacy
‘ ait until you hear
è The the young Richter was largely self-
W Richter’ was the

reaction to praise
when Soviet pianist
Emil Gilels made his 1955 States
debut. And whereas he and violinist
CBS LPs
from Richter’s
1960 Carnegie
Hall debut
recitals became
taught as a pianist until, aged 22,
he went to study in earnest with
the great Heinrich Neuhaus. At the
audition Neuhaus declared him ‘a
genius – the pupil I’d been waiting
David Oistrakh both performed collectors’ items for’ but later feared he’d taught him
with American orchestras that year, nothing, although Richter himself
audiences had to wait a further said he learned how to master tone.
five before the authorities allowed
Gilels’ Ukrainian colleague to appear PROKOFIEV PREMIERES
at Carnegie Hall, New York, and in Prokofiev was sufficiently impressed
Boston and Chicago. to allow him the April 1940
Before that Sviatoslav Richter premiere performance of his
had travelled to play in Bucharest, Piano Sonata No 6 and No 9 – also
Prague, Budapest, Warsaw – and recital disc with the Op.12 dedicated to Richter. (Richter
even in China. In 1958, he recorded
concertos by Mozart, Prokofiev,
Rachmaninov, and Schumann with
í Sviatoslav
Richter
portrait taken at
Fantasiestücke and Waldszenen [DG
DGM 18355], taped at the Prague
Rudolfinum in Nov ’56, which first
deplored the composer’s constant
denigration of Rachmaninov’s music.
‘Why? Because he was influenced by
the Warsaw Philharmonic under his La Grange de focused Western attention on his it.’) Richter’s one appearance as
Witold Rowicki and Stanislaw Meslay Festival, exceptional talents. a conductor came in Feb ’52
Wislocki (produced by Polskie near Tours, In a televised homily pianist Glenn when he premiered the Prokofiev
Nagrania and issued here by DG). which he set up Gould (for some reason speaking in Symphony-Concerto dedicated to
But it was Richter’s 1957 Schumann in 1963 pure English RP, with no trace of his cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who
native Canadian) nominated Richter played like a man possessed.
as the exemplar of ‘a musician intent Richter was awarded the
on bypassing the mechanism of the Stalin Prize in 1949 which led to
instrument to create a direct link international tours and was later
between himself and declared ‘People’s
the score’, helping Artist’. (He liked to
the listener to feel at ‘“Richter had a elude his ‘minders’
one with the music when abroad,
rather than the
kind of energy slipping out into
performance per se.
Artur Rubinstein said
which tended the city streets at
nightime.) When
hearing his Ravel had to crush you”’ he met his future
moved him to tears. wife the singer
The gentle Soviet and Russian Nina Dorliak, at a memorial service
conductor Rozhdestvensky, who in 1943, he was sleeping under
only accompanied Richter in two Neuhaus’s piano and then living in
concerts, found that he was ‘Too shared accommodation. A week
powerful for me, he had a kind of after he introduced himself to her
energy which tended to crush you he had moved in and they were
rather than help you collaborate’. together for 55 years.
Sviatoslav Richter was born in Richter’s first London visit was
1915 to musical parents (who would in 1961, when the Manchester
PHOTO: GÉRARD PROUST
later separate, his father executed Guardian critic Neville Cardus

for alleged espionage in 1941) thought him ‘provincial’. Liszt
and early on showed an interest in Concerto performances with
both painting and music. His father Kondrashin and the LSO were
gave him some basic lessons but recorded at all-night sessions at

Walthamstow Town Hall with Wilma
Cozart and Robert Fine for Mercury/
Philips. In fact the early 1960s found
è DG’s
9CD set
[477 8122] has
him on RCA, DG, EMI and Philips almost all of
labels. Notable releases included the his important
five Beethoven Cello Sonatas with recordings for
Rostropovich and the legendary Feb the label from
’58 Sofia recital with Mussorgsky’s 1958-62
Pictures At An Exhibition, Liszt’s
Valses Oubliées and Feux Follets, etc.
At that time he met Benjamin
Britten, and they began playing
together at Aldeburgh and with
Rostropovich. In 1970 they recorded
Britten’s Piano Concerto at Snape
Maltings [Decca 417 3082] but
a far more gripping live version from
May ’67 appeared on the Russian
Revelation label, with Svetlanov
accompanying [RV 10060].
Richter intensely disliked his
1960 Chicago recording of Brahms’s overwhelming odds – the music’s pedal, and finally dragged off by
Piano Concerto No 2 with the argument and line… a mystical police when crowds outside hissed
Austrian-born American conductor distillation of lyrical genius’. his playing of a long Bach fugue.
Erich Leinsdorf accompanying [RCA There’s also a complementary
LSC2466]. Though it received critical FARCICAL FUNERAL book with appendix details of
acclaim, he preferred instead his EMI To get the clearest picture of everything Richter kept in or
remake a decade later with Maazel the man, you need to see the dropped from his vast repertory
Monsaingeon documentary detailed and a commentary on recordings
below. Made during Richter’s last he’d listened to [Notebooks And
two years (he died of a heart attack Conversations; Faber & Faber].
in 1997) he talks openly to camera, The Beethoven Triple Concerto
the film interspersed with war-time, he made in Berlin with Oistrakh and
PHOTO: WERNER NEUMEISTER/DG
musical and home-life footage – Rostropovich, Karajan conducting,
ë Richter’s
two
recording
Richter seemed a boisterous figure
with friends around him. Most
notably there’s the fiasco of Stalin’s
he found ‘dreadful… I disown it
utterly’. And he never forgave
a missing upbeat cue when
encounters with funeral, Richter flown to Moscow in they recorded the Tchaikovsky
Herbert von a plane filled with wreaths, thought Concerto together in the Vienna
Karajan left him to be planting a bomb when stuffing Musikverein in Sep ’62. ‘Disgraceful
and the Orchestre de Paris – an unhappy man paper under a non-working piano pigheadedness’ he declared.
a distinctly stodgy alternative.
Late in life his recitals involved
having the house lights dimmed ESSENTIAL RECORDINGS
with a small lamp placed near the
keyboard, Richter mostly reading Beethoven recital RFH, June 1975 Karajan) the Triple Concerto, Schumann’s
from scores. At the end, he’d stand ICA Classics ICAC5084 Fantasie Op.17, Concertos with Muti, Maazel,
chastely with hands clasped and The Sonata Op.2:3 and the Op.126 Bagatelles et al, Mozart sonatas with Oleg Kagan.
his head angled to one side – the are followed by a mighty performance of the
posture of a butler! Hammerklavier Sonata, Op.106. Richter The Enigma
The intimacy achieved suited Ideale Audience International 3073518 (DVD);
him better than, say, the impersonal The Art of Sviatoslav Richter 3073514 (Blu-ray)
space of the Festival Hall, and one Decca 476 2203 (two Presto CDs) Bruno Monsaingeon’s documentary with
of my treasured memories was the Solo pieces by JS Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Richter (in his 80s) speaking with candour,
1989 recital in memory of EMI’s Haydn, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov and Schubert plus graphic historic footage.
impresario Walter Legge at the recorded part live in various venues.
St James’s Church, Piccadilly. I think Rachmaninov & Tchaikovsky Concertos
the opening Moderato of Schubert’s Richter The Master Pianist DG 479 4884 (96kHz/24-bit download)
Sonata in G, D894, lasted a full Warner Classics 2174112 (14 discs) The controversial VSO/Karajan Tchaikovsky
half-hour. As Bryce Morrison wrote All the EMI studio recordings from 1961-80, No 1 with the earlier Warsaw recording of
in his review (still online: Sviatoslav including the Schubert Wanderer Fantasy, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2, Rowicki
Richter Blog: Novembre 2011) it had Beethoven’s Tempest Sonata and (with conducting. Available from Presto Classical.
the ‘capacity to sustain – against

STEVE SUTHERLAND
Vinyl Release
Steve edited NME from 1992-2000, the Britpop
years, launching NME.com and reviving the
NME Awards. Previously he was Assistant
Editor on Melody Maker. Among his many
adventures he has been physically threatened
by Axl Rose, hung out awhile with Jerry Garcia
and had a drink or two with Keith Richards...
The Modern Lovers

The Modern Lovers
There’s not a dud among all nine tracks here, declares
Steve Sutherland as he listens to the recent 180g
reissue of Jonathan Richman’s proto-punk debut LP
ccording to that top old egghead as close buddies. There’s Jerry Harrison who up by a wonderful number called ‘I’m
A Brain Eno, ‘The first Velvet

Underground album only sold
10,000 copies, but everyone
who bought it formed a band’. One of
those is a weird young man from a place
plays ace garage rock keyboards and soon
moves on to join Talking Heads, then Tom
Tom Club. And there’s David Robinson, a
crisp drummer who winds up in The Cars.
In the short time things are working out
Straight’ which fingers one of his earliest
bandmates, John Felice, as Hippie Johnny.
However, the song doesn’t make it onto
the album we’re here today to eulogise,
so we’ll let that one lie.
called Natick, some 17 miles West of between them in Boston, Jonathan calls
Boston, Massachusetts. The little guy’s them The Modern Lovers, a well-thought- CRAZY MOVE
name is Jonathan Michael Richman and out name for a group obsessed with The Modern Lovers play gigs on the local
he was once so obsessed with The Velvet romance and cultural motion. circuit incongruously supporting Aerosmith
Underground that he quit school and Lou Reed has quit The Velvet and the like, and pretty soon they’ve
skipped off to New York to seek them out. Underground in a huff after the recording gained the kind of reputation that attracts
He crashed for a while on their manager of their fourth LP, Loaded, the attention of record
Steve Sesnick’s sofa, then moved into and Jonathan determines to companies on the look out
a fleapit of a hotel for a few months from grab the baton and further ‘Richman for the next new thing – or,
whence he kind of stalked Lou Reed & Co their legacy, with a splash failing that, the thing that
until the Big Apple and lack of funds drove of Iggy & The Stooges, his
stood at the does what they’ve already
him back home. Here he decided to form
his own band because ‘I was lonely and
other main musical squeeze,
on the side. Jonathan is
mic, refusing got but even better.
Jonathan’s bunch fall
figured that way I’d make friends’. drawn to the light and the to sing a note’ into the first category and,
I guess you’ve surmised already that themes of his songs take after a local critic writes:
this Jonathan chap is no ordinary wannabe on wholesomeness, respect for the past, ‘Their music is… powerful, danceable,
star The
rock star. e friends
frien makes,, after a false
nds he makes abhorrence of drug-taking – which makes sinister and funny all at the same time’,
start or ttwo, are
st his Modern Lovers the ultimate outsiders A&M and Warner Brothers start sniffing
well
w
we ll mmatched as in an era when getting blitzed and around, both financing the group to demo
ba andmates if
a proselytising about year zero are all the in Los Angeles. The A&M sessions are
sshort-lived rage. It’s an attitude that’s neatly summed helmed by in-house producers, but Warners
put them in with ex-Velvet Underground
founder John Cale. Both sessions go
well enough and Jonathan decides, not
surprisingly really, to sign with Warners and
continue to work with Cale.
So far so hunky dory. But then
something freaky happens. Jonathan gets
it into his head that the sounds they’ve
been making are too aggressive, too loud.
So when the group returns to record,
Jonathan moves into Emmylou Harris’
house in Van Nuys and steadfastly refuses
to revisit the songs he’d demo-ed, driving
Cale and his bandmates crazy.
There were some other sessions with
Kim Fowley who, characteristically, declares
he’s going to make them ‘a nerdy Led
Zep’. But that’s all hot air. Warners insists
the group play their old numbers live,
especially the one they’d planned as a
single – a rocker called ‘Roadrunner’. But
ì Jonathan Richman takes a break during a soundcheck in 2016 and (inset) the
Beserkley label for the single ‘Roadrunner’, which hit No 11 in the UK charts
Jonathan stands firm and when the record
company execs haul their suits down to

ì Priced £17.99, the 180g silver vinyl
reissue of The Modern Lovers is available
online from www.whatrecords.co.uk
see him at The Bottom Line, he stands at

the mic and refuses to sing a note. One by
one everyone splits; Jonathan’s LA golfing
buddy Gram Parsons fatally overdoses in
the desert, Jonathan gets sad and Warners
loses interest… bye bye Johnny.
And that might well have been that
except for a guy called Matthew Kaufman
who’d set up a record label for the band he
managed, Earthquake, with some money
he’d made in a lawsuit against the studio
who made Sam Pekinpah’s The Getaway.
The Steve McQueen/Ali McGraw movie
was a big success. It had also used some musical simplicity, driving rock ’n’ roll, and The two most famous are, of course,
of Earthquake’s music without permission, gawky emotional confessions makes The ‘Roadrunner’, the ultimate two-chord late-
hence the windfall. Modern Lovers one of the most startling night driving song based on The Velvets’
of proto-punk records… it establishes the ‘Sister Ray’ which goes on to be a freak hit
GOING BESERKLEY tradition of the geeky, awkward social in the UK, and ‘Pablo Picasso’, who ‘didn’t
Kaufman had been on the staff at A&M, outcast venting his frustrations’. get called an a**hole when he tried to pick
where Earthquake had been signed, and All of this is true. Amazingly, for up girls’, which David Bowie covered.
had been involved in The Modern Lovers’ a hotch-potch of demos which reached It’s literally wonderful stuff and,
demo sessions. When he hears that way back to 1971, Modern Lovers really without wishing to diminish Jonathan’s
Jonathan was out on his lonesome he offers does stand up as a unified, entirely later solo work (That Summer Feeling is
him a deal, and Jonathan, delighted, starts satisfying whole, as brilliant and celebrated sublime), as the neon sign read for his gig
recording new, gentler stuff on Kaufman’s a debut as Television’s Marquee Moon, at Hammersmith Odeon in 1977, ‘The
Beserkley label. Eventually he has a new The B-52’s’ eponymous first one, MGMT’s Modern Lovers – the most fun you can have
band and an album ready to go, which he Oracular Spectacular, The La’s’ only effort, with your clothes on’.
calls Jonathan Richman And The Modern The Ramones, The Stone Roses, The Doors
Lovers. Nevertheless, Kaufman, while and, yup, The Velvet Underground & Nico.
supportive, still has a yen for the old outfit RE-RELEASE VERDICT
and, with Jonathan’s begrudging approval, HIT THE ROAD Listed on Rolling Stone magazine’s
sets about acquiring the rights to both the The nine tracks are all of such character 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums
A&M and Warners sessions. that there are no duds. Briefly, and to of all time, The Modern Lovers’
And so it is, in 1976, The Modern Lovers do none of them the full credit they influential debut album appeared
is released, four years after most of the deserve, they are: ‘Astral Plane’ (can’t get in the UK in 1976 on the Beserkley
tracks were recorded. Truth be told, it a girlfriend, dreams about her); ‘Old World’ label [BSERC 1] with a further 16
doesn’t sell a million overnight yet it is (loves his parents and the 1950s); ‘She years elapsing before we saw the
rightly hailed by the critics as an instant Cracked’ (a girl he fancies takes drugs, CD [Rev-Ola CREV 007CD]. Music On
classic. High priest of alternative scribblers but he doesn’t); the sinister ‘Hospital’ Vinyl has now released a 3500-copies
Lester Bangs reckons ‘only one in 20,000 (which is acknowledged on the sleeve as limited edition 180g pressing in silver
has the nervy genius of Iggy or Jonathan ‘donated’ by Jerry Harrison because he [MOVLP1681], the sleeve replicating
and is willing to sing about his adolescent had the only copy of the original tape, the original artwork, of course. We
hangups in a manner so painfully honest as and a track that sort of follows on from enjoyed a flat quiet-surfaced disc. HFN
to embarrass half his audience’. ‘She Cracked’); ‘Someone I Care About’; Sound Quality: 85%
Others say stuff like: ‘You could almost ‘Girl Friend’ (doesn’t just want sex, wants
0 - - - - - - - - 100
believe Jonathan is the Buddy Holly who a relationship); and ‘Modern World’
lived to become middle-aged’. And ‘Its (appreciates today as much as yesterday).

VINYL ICONS
Genesis Foxtrot
Could a group of ex-public school boys cut a path to the charts with an album packed
with tricky time signatures and pseudo-classical pomp? Finished in just five days, this
1972 release was to see the band finally rock, on a scale that was to make their career
Words: Mike Barnes

enesis might be among
G the 30 biggest-selling
rock artists of all time
but they were never
really intended to be a rock group.
If all had gone to early plans they
è The
band in
the early ’70s
(l-r): Collins,
Rutherford,
would have remained an essentially Banks,
anonymous songwriting team. Hackett and
Their creative efforts began Gabriel
in 1967 towards the end of their
time at Charterhouse public school
in Surrey. The pupils at that
august academic institution
were groomed for careers in
business or the civil service,
the ownership of a guitar without even hearing
viewed as a minor form of their music.
insurrection. And so Peter With King slipping
Gabriel, Tony Banks, Michael out of the picture,
Rutherford and Anthony Genesis secured a
Phillips were clearly misfits… deal with the fledgling
But although their idea of Charisma label in 1970
becoming something like a home and made Trespass, their
counties answer to Holland-Dozier- first album proper. This
Holland, or Lieber & Stoller, went saw Gabriel on vocals and flute,
by the wayside, music-biz svengali
Jonathan King – one of the few who é Label
for the
Rutherford on bass and 12-string
guitar, Banks on keyboards and
JEAN-LUC OURLIN
picked up on their first demo – paid album with 12-string, Phillips on guitar, and
just £10 for them to re-record some Charisma’s John Mayhew on drums. The group
of their material in a better studio. ‘Mad Hatter’ were knocked back when Phillips,
artwork who was uncomfortable playing live,
KNOCKED BACK quit. Then Mayhew was asked to so while Genesis kept their melodic
The teenage group decided they
might as well do it all themselves
and named themselves Genesis.
ì Gabriel
on stage
in Toronto in
leave, as Genesis wanted to recruit a
drummer who was more of writer.
The successful applicant was Phil
nous, they moved away from
standard pop-song formats to write
stories-in-song, creating a fantasy
After a single and a so-so pop debut 1974 as ‘The Collins who’d drummed and sung world that attracted more and more
album, From Genesis To Revelation, Watcher Of in the band Flaming Youth. Their fans. On Nursery Cryme (1971), they
released in 1968, the band decided The Skies’ new lead guitarist recorded a take
to turn professional with the ethos was Steve Hackett, on contemporary
‘Some of their
ê
that all songwriting credits would Shot whose Melody press hysteria
be split among everyone who had
appeared on a recording. Charisma
from Maker ad they had
answered. Hackett
songs have surrounding the
invasion of the
They secured enough backing (l-r): Hackett, had never heard of strange sexual poisonous umbel
from friends to purchase amps, Rutherford, Genesis and so he on the song ‘The
instruments and a PA. But they were Gabriel, went to WHSmith in undercurrents’ Return Of The Giant
soon running up debts and one Collins and Sloane Square and (as Hogweed’, which
agency advised them to give up, Banks advised by Gabriel) asked to listen to recasts the plant as a malevolent
‘Stagnation’ from Trespass in one of creature that’s out for revenge.
the shop’s audition booths, to get an
idea of what they were about. AGEING RAPIDLY
Like many groups who became Banks has said that, early on, the
part of the early ’70s progressive musicians were ‘hopeless with
rock milieu, Genesis had grown women’ but some of their songs
up listening to pop, soul, and have strange sexual undercurrents
psychedelia. In fact Gabriel cites – as in ‘The Fountain Of Salamacis’,
Otis Redding as one of his main taken from a poem by Ovid, which
influences. But they wanted to leave is the story of Hermaphroditus who
that music to those who could play is transformed into an intersexual
it better than they could, being. And on ‘The Musical Box’ a
Instead, they concentrated on young boy ends up ageing rapidly
establishing their own identity into an old man and, overcome by
through a more personal style. And desire, tries to bed his playmate

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VINYL ICONS
PRODUCTION NOTES
The recording sessions for Foxtrot
took place at Island studios, London,
during Aug/Sept ’72. Charisma was
keen, in Banks’ words, for Genesis
to ‘lighten up’ and make a more
commercially successful record
than Nursery Cryme and so Bob
Potter, who had recently engineered
for Charisma’s top-selling act,
Lindisfarne, was drafted in. He
wanted to cut the solo mellotron
intro to ‘Watcher Of The Skies’ –
which regularly elicited cheers when
it opened the band’s live shows.
The group then brought in David
Hitchcock, who had worked the Cynthia before the child’s nanny Friday’ is a darkly
previous year with Caravan on In The manages to intervene, killing the humorous and
Land Of Grey And Pink. Hitchcock, in ‘bearded child’ in the process. satirical swipe
turn, changed engineers, bringing in The group’s sound was becoming at property
John Burns (who produced the next increasingly powerful, with Hackett developers
three Genesis albums). At that point and Banks’ guitars and keyboards persuading
Genesis had only one backing-track often woven together in complex elderly residents
down on tape and just five more days harmonic lines, with mellotron of Harlow to
to finish the entire album. giving it pseudo-classical clout. leave their houses
‘My role with Genesis was to try
to work out what was in their heads STRANGE ALLURE
to allow redevelopment ‘in
the interests of humanity’. é Rear
sleeve
and make it feasible to get that onto By contrast were the delicate The track ‘Can-Utility And design by Paul
tape. And there was so much to fit passages of 12-string guitars that The Coastliners’ – its title being Whitehead
had caught Hackett’s ear when he a tortuous pun on King Canute
first heard Trespass
and which he would
describe as having a ‘Mellotron gave
– is one of the
most musically
adventurous
ë The
band
pose in 1974
‘slightly fey, feminine
quality’. Finally, Paul
the Genesis pieces on the
album. ‘You’ve got
for an Atlantic
promo shot
Whitehead’s macabre sound pseudo- folk meets jazz
cover painting of a
girl playing croquet
with severed heads
classical clout’
drumming, meets
classical influences,’
said Hackett, ‘the
ç Tony
Banks
checks over
only added to the group’s strange hybrid that the band was capable of his keyboards
allure. Nursery Cryme sneaked into is embodied in that fourth song’. in 2007
in there that it was more a logistics the UK Top 40, but Genesis really This was leading up to the
exercise,’ Hitchcock said later.
With ‘Supper’s Ready’, Genesis
were concerned that they would
made their name with Foxtrot,
which charted at No 12.
While his fellow band members
musical main course, the 23-minute
‘Supper’s Ready’. With lyrics written
entirely by Gabriel it takes the
ê The
single
‘Watcher Of
have to do full 23m takes, but looked like typical longhairs, Gabriel, listener on a cinematic journey The Skies’,
Hitchcock – who’d produced who had initially been a diffident, that starts with the ‘Lover’s Leap’ in German
Caravan’s similarly lengthy ‘Nine reluctant frontman, went one section, with a couple undergoing picture sleeve
Feet Underground’ – suggested they stage further, unleashing his inner
‘could record it in segments and cut exhibitionist. He appears in a
them together in a master track,’ photograph on the inner gatefold
to use his words. ‘Or record and mix sleeve, having shaved a good few
them separately and cross-fade.’ inches into his centre parting.
In ‘Willow Farm’ Gabriel sings And with eyeliner and an ornately
‘Mum to mud to mad to dad’, embroidered round-necked shirt
his voice apparently changing he came across like some kind of
from female to male and back ancient Egyptian cult leader.
again. Although this sounds as if The music on Foxtrot was
it might have been done by tape tougher still, with ‘Watcher Of
manipulation, ‘Peter came up with an The Skies’ beginning with a stately
idea that he wanted to do the vocal solo mellotron overture before the
through helium,’ he says. ‘And so we entrance of the convulsive main
had to get helium into the studio.’ riff, largely in 7/4. ‘Get ’Em Out By
SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifi

S hifinews.co.uk | 85
Alternate Format
Discography
Further remastering took place
in 2007, on a two-disc set remixed
by Nick Davis, and remastered at
Metropolis studios in London by
Tony Cousins. It comprised a stereo
CD and DVD with the tracks also
ì Tony Banks with Phil Collins

and Mike Rutherford, in 2006
mixed for 5.1 surround sound.
Extras on the DVD comprised
an interview and two 1972 live
a spiritual transformation (based on performances – one from Brussels
a paranormal event experienced by and another from Rome [Virgin
Gabriel’s wife Jill) and goes through 50999 519552 2 9].
episodes full of references to the ORIGINAL VINYL LP CASSETTE AND 8-TRACK An SACD hybrid version of
Book Of Revelations, the Egyptian Foxtrot was released on Charisma The sole 8-track cartridge release of this release was issued in Europe,
pharaoh Ikhnaton, and the legend Records in the UK in Oct ’72 in Foxtrot was in Canada on Buddah also in 2007 [Charisma 50999
of Narcissus, who is turned into a a textured gatefold sleeve with records in 1972 [CAS8-1058]. 519522 2 9], the DVD now with
flower. ‘A flower?’ enquires Gabriel the ‘Mad Hatter’ label – adapted That year there were a number 96kHz/24-bit DTS Surround Sound,
rather camply in a pause, which by Paul Whitehead from John of cassette releases worldwide while two years later a remastered
leads into ‘Willow Farm’, a pastiche Tenniel’s illustration for Alice’s all on Charisma. The UK cover single stereo CD, featuring Davis’s
of sorts of ‘Teddy Bears’ Picnic’. Adventures In Wonderland [CAS featured a close-up of the fox from 2007 mix, was issued in European
It also demonstrates Gabriel’s 1058]. Some early pressings came Whitehead’s painting with ‘Genesis’ territories, on Charisma/Virgin
love of The Goons, and Spike with the inner bag advertising in a different font from the LP [50999 265700 2 0/GENCDY 3].
Milligan in particular. The singer other Charisma releases. [7208 553]. Most other releases Last year saw the release of
describes a kind of halfway house to Early US pressings came out displayed the front half of the LP a Japanese CD from the original
the afterlife, peopled by grotesques, through Buddah Records although cover painting, but the Netherlands master tapes in the Hi-Res UHQCD
with the unforgettable image of that was only apparent from Dolby cassette had a reproduction format for use with MQA-enabled
‘Winston Churchill dressed in drag’. reading the small print on the of the entire painting on the front players while also being compatible
LP label. But when Foxtrot was cassette cover [7164 011]. with standard CD players [Virgin
FOXY FLAMBOYANCE re-pressed in 1972 for the US and UICY-40192].
Momentum gathers with the Canadian market it was released
instrumental ‘Apocalypse in 9/8 on Atlantic [78 00391]. Most of AUDIOPHILE LPs
(Co-Starring The Delicious Talents Of the releases in European territories Charisma Classic Records released
Gabble Ratchet)’ and an epic finale through the ’70s were in gatefold the first US audiophile LP on
in which the couple reach some sort sleeves on Charisma with the heavy vinyl in 2001 [see record
of salvation as Gabriel envisages the catalogue number 6369 302. label, below], in a single sleeve
building of ‘a new Jerusalem’. Where The Japanese version (1977) [CAS 1058]. In 2008 Rhino put
the concert venue would allow, on Charisma, via the Nippon out a 180g version based on Nick
Gabriel would hold a fluorescent Phonogram Company [RJ-7303], Davis’s remix. It had the Charisma
tube and as the lights went down had a single sleeve with lyrics ‘Mad Hatter’ label, with Rhino
with the fadeout ending, he would translated into Japanese on the and Atlantic logos printed on
be hoisted up on a wire – a true inner sleeve and a brown and it [R1 518005]. A 180g LP was
progressive rock ascension! orange obi-strip [see below]. COMPACT DISC also released that year in Europe
‘Suppers Ready’ was inspired, In 1984, the UK LP reissue Foxtrot was released on CD in the with a gatefold sleeve [Charisma
clever and funny, with memorable on Charisma had a different UK and Europe on Virgin/Charisma [5099943384617; GENPLY 3].
tunes and lyrically much to unravel. catalogue number [CHC 38] on the in 1985, in a front cover with just
It could be taken as seriously or not new light and dark blue LP label the fox and whale detail from
as the listener desired. It also made with a smaller Mad Hatter image. Paul Whitehead’s painting [CASCD
Gabriel, who already had a name of This was distributed by Virgin. 1058]. The 1986 Japanese CD had
biblical import, into a rock seer who Another reissue that same year the full LP cover painting folded
knew more than you, albeit with his came out on Virgin/Charisma with over for the front insert of the CD
tongue in his cheek. the green Virgin Records label with case. There was a leaflet with titles
Paul Whitehead’s striking cover a small Mad Hatter logo and the and lyrics translated into Japanese
painting for Foxtrot has a fox in a same catalogue number. and a gold Obi strip [32VD-1027].
red dress on an ice floe in the sea, The US CD, released in 1988, had
with four mutated huntsman as the the artwork similarly displayed
four horsemen of the apocalypse, [Atlantic 81848-2].
standing thwarted on the shore, and The LP front cover artwork In 2014 Rhino/Atlantic/
with other visual in-jokes. was restored to the 1994 UK and Charisma released a half-speed
Inspired by this image Gabriel Europe release, this time solely mastered version on 180g vinyl in
made his onstage persona ever on Virgin [CASCDX 1058] on the the US and Canada [R1 516778].
more flamboyant over the coming Definitive Edition Remasters series. But the most recent LP was one
years, firstly appearing in a similar Remastered by Chris Blair, Geoff released in 2018, remastered by
red dress and fox’s head in Dublin in Callingham and Nick Davis at both Miles Showell and based on the
Sept ’72, much to his bandmates’ Chiddingfold and London studios, it Nick Davis mix [Charisma/UMC
surprise. But that’s another story. included an eight-page booklet. 00602567489795].

Meet the Producers
Sylvia Robinson
From early fame in the ’50s as part of an R&B duo, this New York-born producer was
to change pop music culture forever by creating the world’s first ever rap smash hit.
Steve Sutherland on the life and work of the woman they call the ‘Mother of hip-hop’
-a-a-a-a-nd… Action!
A There’s this young guy

minding his own business
outside the McDonald’s
on the corner of Palisade Avenue in
Englewood, New Jersey, when an
î Promo
shot
of Sylvia
Robinson
issued in
Oldsmobile 98 pulls up to the kerb. 1972. At
A teenaged boy jumps out, races the time she
over to the guy and shouts: ‘Casper! was running
Where you been? You were due in All Platinum
the studio on Monday!’. Records
Casper shuffles his feet, looks which she had
down at the sidewalk and comes founded with
over all coy and evasive. ‘Casper!’ then-husband
the kid shouts. ‘What goin’ on?’ Joe Robinson
Casper sighs and softly explains
that he won’t be showing up at the
studio this Monday, next Monday
or any Monday ever since his dad,
ALAMY
guy, works in a pizza parlour, ‘My Man’ is Guy O’Brien, part
always rappin’, so they pull of Jersey’s One On One Crew. He
up outside Crispy Crust Pizza. is beckoned, duly moseys over,
climbs into the car and spills his
SWEET SUCCESS considerable verbals all over the
The mate goes in and comes back backing tape. He’s good too, at least
out accompanied by this massive as good as Hank. The boss decides
fellow called Henry ‘Hank’ Jackson. if it works fine with one, it’ll work
Hank then climbs mega with two, but
who’s a radio DJ, has warned him
off having anything to do with their
arrangement. Something to do with
ë Sleeve
for
Robinson’s
into the back of the
car and explains that,
apart from flippin’
‘She cues them just then another
young dude who’s
been clocking
some dodgy past dealings. Pillow Talk LP dough, he manages
from the control the action sidles
The kid grumbles at Casper. Tells
him he’s stuck his neck out for him.
and label for
the UK single,
a club act from the
Bronx called The Cold
booth. It’s done over. This is Mike
Wright. He pops
The kid is the boss’s son and he’s both released Crush Brothers and in one take’ his head through
told the boss that Casper’s a crack in 1973. it’s their tapes that the window and –
MC. He tells him the boss is about to Robinson he raps along to while he works. The kaboom! – the boss has got a trio.
make him a star, putting his voice on had written boss slips a cassette into the car’s Heading back to the studio, the
a record. Tells him he’s passing up the song for tape deck and Hank duly freestyles, three get on it, the boss, ‘feels chills
the chance of a lifetime. The backing Al Green but very impressively. all over my body’ and tells them,
track’s done. It’s all systems go. he turned Unbeknown to them, watching ‘Right, the three of you are married’.
Casper just shrugs. The kid lets it down as all this action from across the street Within a few hours they are
fly a curse and wanders back to the being too is another of the son’s school friends transformed into Wonder Mike, Big
car where he, the boss and a mate risqué and he now approaches the car, Bank Hank, and Master Gee, aka
of the kid’s chew over what to do points to Hank and says, ‘He’s all The Sugarhill Gang. And the boss?
next. The mate says he knows this right, but my man’s vicious’. In case you haven’t guessed already,

her name is Sylvia Robinson and she
is head of Sugar Hill Records. Seeing
as this extraordinary tale, although
ë Sleeve
and
label of
true, is panning out like some Spike Shirley And
Lee script, let’s just flashback for a Company’s
moment to fill in her back story. Shame... LP,
produced by
LOCAL CELEBRITY Robinson
Sylvia Vanderpool is born in Harlem
in 1935. By the age of 13 she’s
recording ‘Little Boy’ as a singer for
Savoy Records and is something of a
ì Sleeve
of
Grandmaster once he gets the dancers riled
local celebrity. By 15 she’s dropped Flash & The up with a series of wild call-and-
out of school and is recording Furious responses, Sylvia has an epiphany.
novelty records like ‘I Went To Your Five’s The ‘I see him talking to the kids
Wedding’ and ‘The Ring For Jubilee’. Message, the and see how they’d answer back,’
Eventually the minor hits dry title track of she recalled later. ‘He would say
up and Sylvia takes to typing for a which sold a something every now and then,
living and dating a player called Joe million copies like, “Throw your hands in the air”,
Robinson, a renowned hustler and in around a and they’d do it. If he’d said, “Jump
racketeer, who assumes the role month in the river”, they’d have done it…
of her manager, puts her together A spirit says to me, “Put a concept
with an older guitar teacher called
Mickey Baker and markets them as
Mickey & Sylvia. The stuff they do is
ì Johnny
‘Moe’
Moore, Billy
like that on a record and it will be
the biggest thing you ever had”.’
And so it is that rap as we know
so sexy audiences assume they are a Brown and Al family and, in 1968, fed up with and the world loves it, is born. Here
couple and in 1956 they hit pay dirt Goodman of being ripped off, found their own she is in the studio now with her
over a rewritten Bo Diddley riff with The Moments, record company, All Platinum trio of proteges. She creates the
‘Love Is Strange’, which goes Top 20. pictured in Enterprises, specialising in soul. Their track in one take, give or take a
By the time she’s 20, Sylvia 1970 successes – ‘Not On The Outside’ couple of patch-ins to Mike’s lines.
knows the ins and outs of a studio and ‘Love On A Two-Way Street’ She cues them from the control
intimately and, now married to
Joe, begins producing here and
there, helming Joe Jones’ ‘You Talk
ê R&B duo
Mickey
& Sylvia
for The Moments; ‘Shame Shame
Shame’ for Shirley And Company –
are written and produced by Sylvia,
booth, pointing at each one in turn
to butt in. It is raw and exuberant
and works near as dammit like
Too Much’ for Roulette, and ‘It’s pictured who also writes, sings and produces clockwork bar this ludicrous
Gonna Work Out Fine’, the first in 1956, ‘Pillow Talk’ that sees her riding high moment when Hank is rapping and
hit for Ike and Tina Turner, her the year of on the disco curve at No 3 in the suddenly the phone rings. It’s his
efforts uncredited by the innately their Top 20 Billboard charts during 1973. boss from the pizza parlour who
sexist music industry. Moving to hit ‘Love Is says if Hank ain’t back in his apron
Englewood, Joe and Sylvia start a Strange’ RAP IS BORN in 15 minutes, he’s fired.
By the end of the decade, though, As it so happens, 15 minutes
All Platinum is anything but. Pretty is exactly the length of ‘Rapper’s
much bankrupt, Sylvia and Joe put Delight’, which is way too long
a new label together with some for the radio. Sylvia won’t budge.
financial help from industry gangster The record remains unedited and
Morris Levy. They have a name – thus blanked by just about every
Sugar Hill – but they are out of synch radio station that might have lent
with prevailing tastes and staring a sympathetic ear until a chap
down the barrel of failure until Sylvia called Jim Gates, a jock at WESL, in
attends a birthday party arranged St Louis, does the deed and almost
by her niece at a disco club called overnight Sylvia’s proved right.
Harlem World. DJing that night is a ‘An order for 5000 records
fellow called Lovebug Starski and comes in off a few plays,’

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MEET THE PRODUCERS
1956 1968 1973 1975 1980 1982 1983

Robinson claims Written and Robinson returns Another smash The 15m-long Party chants give Drugs, addiction
she wrote the produced by to the spotlight single written by song that put way to cold social and tales of inner
lyrics for Mickey Robinson, on herself for this Robinson, Shirley rap on the map, commentary and city struggles
& Sylvia’s ‘Love Is its release The ’70s proto-disco And Company’s The Sugarhill Grandmaster as Grandmaster
Strange’ while Bo Moments’ ‘Love shmooze, with ‘Shame Shame Gang’s ‘Rapper’s Flash & The & Melle Mel’s
Diddley says he On A Two-Way lyrics dissolving Shame’ goes Delight’ sells Furious Five’s ‘White Lines
composed them. Street’ goes into bouts of on to become 2m copies and ‘The Message’ (Don’t Do
Still, the song is to No 3 on the heavy breathing. one of the first earns Sugar Hill changes rap’s It)’ secures
a hit, peaking at Billboard Hot ‘Pillow Talk’ is international Records $3.5m direction forever Robinson’s
No 20 in the US 100 chart another No 3 hit disco hits rap legacy
recalls Sylvia. ‘Then it starts getting shut out of the sessions, Grandmaster & Melle Mel so
played all over. We can’t press it fast except for a brief skit where the public will be fooled into
enough – you have to order it and the group is ‘arrested’. thinking they’re getting a bit
wait weeks for the next shipment.’ Mel adds his own lyrics to more Flash. Without doubt,
Bootee’s, including the line, one of the most stunningly
FLASH POINT ‘A child is born with no state graphic tracks to emerge
Once they spot the potential of of mind’, which he’d used in the ’80s, it still hits hard
hip-hop on vinyl, more vocal and on Flash’s debut release, some 35 years on.
lyrical talents clamour to climb ‘Superrappin’’. Sylvia also Of course, all good things
aboard. One such hopeful outfit is claims composers credits. come to an end and, with
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Going where no rap track the kick-start Sugar Hill has
Five who, under Sylvia’s production, had ever ventured before, given it, hip-hop and rap develops
front 1981’s brilliant mash-up, ‘The
Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash
‘The Message’ is massive with its
ear-worm refrain of, ‘Don’t push é Picture
sleeve
rapidly leaving the label behind.
Records such as ‘Check It Out’ by
On The Wheels Of Steel’ and the me ’cos I’m close to the edge’. In of the 1981 Wayne & Charlie (The Rapping
eternally astonishing ‘The Message’ 2012 a Rolling Stone poll hails it the ‘Adventures Dummy), betray Sylvia’s enduring
in 1982, which will greatest rap song of Of’ single by taste for tacky novelty, she turns
sell a million copies in all time. Naturally, Grandmaster down a video made for ‘White Lines’
around a month. ‘“White Lines” Sylvia then attempts Flash by a film student named Spike Lee
‘The Message’ to follow it up with and starring a young Laurence
still hits hard
begins when Duke
Bootee (Edward
Fletcher), one of
some 35 years
‘The Message II
(Survival)’, released
in 1983, but it
ê Wonder
Mike of
The Sugarhill
Fishburne while a young dude who
calls himself LL Cool J sends the label
nine demo tapes and hears nothing
the Sugar Hill studio after its release’ isn’t as good or as Gang on back, eventually signing with the
band, starts messing successful. Again stage in 2015 emerging Def Jam which sells over a
around on the piano in his mother’s Flash is absent. He’s been ousted million copies of his debut LP, Radio.
basement intending to create a song from his own group.
with the boisterous feel of Zapp’s Whatever, the label does have OLD-SCHOOL CRED
‘More Bounce To The Ounce’, a big one last magnificent hurrah in the The inevitable financial troubles
dance floor hit. When he plays the shape of ‘White Lines (Don’t Do come to a head and in 1995 the
track to Sylvia Robinson, she decides It)’, a typical slab of Sugar Hill Robinsons sell the rights to their
it will suit Flash very nicely thank genius. Superimposed over an catalogue to Rhino Records,
you, even though he and his Five are uncanny approximation of a retaining the publishing so
initially reluctant to have anything track called ‘Cavern’ by Liquid they still collect on Sugar
to do with it due to the lyrical Liquid, Sylvia and Melle Mel Hill songs through sales,
content being so dark. compose a lyrically ironic radio play and every time
They consider it neither fit for a celebration of clubland’s another act samples them
party nor the street. However, one rampant cocaine lifestyle, to add some old-school
member, Melvin Glover aka Melle think better of it, add the credibility to their own
Mel, agrees to try recording it as a ‘Don’t Do it!’s to keep track. Sylvia Robinson’s heart fails
duet with Duke Bootee. Hearing an radio happy and then on the 29th of September 2011.
early take of the song, Flash then release it under the Last heard, Warner Brothers have
changes his mind, but he’s already misleading aegis of her biopic in pre-production.

ALBUM
REVIEWS
AUDIOPHILE: VINYL
JENNIFER WARNES
Another Time, Another Place
Impex IMP6032 180g vinyl
The much-loved Warnes marks 50 years in
the business with only her ninth album. For
an Oscar/Grammy winner, she’s happy to sing
backing for others (including my hero, Chris
Hillman), but when she puts her name on the
sleeve, the material has to match that artistic
highpoint of her career: that LP’s worth of
Leonard Cohen songs. Here she again shows
her skills as a peerless interpreter, with
songs by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Mickey
Newbury, Mark Knopfler, et al. Warnes moves
faultlessly from genre to genre, and the
Bernie Grundman-mastered sound – with rich
pedal steel, Hammond organ, slide guitar, a
choral group and much more – makes it wholly
deserving of the Impex imprint. Just buy it! KK
Sound Quality: 90%

0 - - - - - - - - 100
LIGHTNIN’ HOPKINS STACEY KENT CURTIS MAYFIELD

California Mudslide (and Earthquake) Close Your Eyes Super Fly
Modern Harmonic/Sundazed MH-8005 (coloured vinyl} Pure Pleasure/Candid CJS9737 (two 180g discs) Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-481 (two 45rpm LPs)
Released exactly 50 years ago, well From 1997, Kent’s debut, backed by a Which is better – this or Isaac Hayes’ Shaft?
after the blues had been revived and quintet with husband Jim Tomlinson on Who cares? The reality is they’re both stellar
the remaining living legends had been sax, and it’s remarkable. OK, she was a late examples of soundtracks that work as whole
rediscovered and honoured, this album starter, at the ripe old age of 30, but she’d albums without the films they accompany.
eschewed the trend to modernise by paid her dues at Ronnie Scott’s. Apparently, Yes, the impact is increased if you know the
staying resolutely sparse and rural. All Humphrey Lyttelton heard the demos, movies, but this hit from 1972 is as good as
the tracks are originals, one of its themes which arrived unannounced, and became any of Mayfield’s solo LPs, and it perfectly
– especially the sleeve image – being a champion of this New Jersey-born jazz conveys the moods necessary to augment
mildly ecological and so relevant today. singer. You can hear why, as she works one of the true classics of that most urban
What distinguishes this from Hopkins’ through 11 less-covered selections from of genres, the ‘blaxpolitation flick’ and its
earlier work is stellar sound quality, one the Great American Songbook, remarking tale of America’s inner city drug culture. It
of the unexpected benefits of the blues in a Billboard interview, ‘With this album, yielded classics including the remarkable
greats being rescued during their dotage. I was trying to give a mixture of things that ‘Pusherman’ and ‘Freddie’s Dead’, and the
Haunting stuff, the Texas bluesman people know and gems that got lost, songs sound is right up there with Hayes’ epic. It’s
observing Southern California in the 1960s that might get missed out of the great also on SACD [MFSL UDSCD 2204] and that,
and yet sounding like it’s the 1930s. KK standard repertoire’. Wow, did it pay off. KK too, is a knock-out. KK
Sound Quality: 85% Sound Quality: 90% Sound Quality: 90%

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AUDIOPHILE: DIGITAL COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD
AMERICA RHYTHM ART DUO LILS MACKINTOSH

Classic Album Collection – The Capitol Years Carousel – Music For Percussion Celebrating The Art & Spirit of Music 4
Caroline CAROLR103CD (six discs) Marten Recordings MRCD04 STS Digital 6111104
Covering the six albums released for Capitol No, not a rival to Kodo drumming, but a Carousel isn’t the only audiophile
Records during 1979-85, this is an ideal stunning sonic experience from the Swedish throwback CD this month: STS Digital
companion to the earlier box dealing with speaker brand, Marten. Predominant here continues its series of superbly-recorded
the Warner Bros years, 1971-77. Although is the vibraphone, its chilling resonances titles with a wonderful 17-track set of
less successful in the 1980s, the duo hadn’t ticking every high-end demonstration standards by award-winning Dutch jazz
lost any of their glossy, gorgeous sound, box, but also bells, triangles and other vocalist Lils Mackintosh. Dealing with the
consistently a feast of harmonies sounding instruments that are mainly struck, bass, audiophile stuff first, STS provides a detailed
like a cross between Richie Furay/Timothy B a lone vocal and flute solos I can relate to listing of the equipment used in the session,
Schmit-period Poco and – understandably – my wife’s playing (now that’s what I call an even including the name of the rack
The Eagles (a pinnacle of soft rock, it must A/B comparison). Material comes from John supplier. As for the music, Mackintosh is a
be remembered, that America pre-dated). Cage, Lou Harrison and Tōru Takemitsu, sublime stylist who deals respectfully with
All of the material has been remastered, and it’s at times joyous, moody or even ‘My Man’, ‘Cry Me A River’, ‘God Bless The
two of the CDs include a brace of bonus forbidding. This is an old-school audiophile Child’ and others (showing a clear affinity
tracks each, and a great booklet addresses release, straight out of the 1979 JVC/ for Billie Holiday) with a neat ability to
the contributions of no less than Argent’s Sheffield Lab/Crystal Clear playbook. Maybe slip into staggering impressions of myriad
legendary Russ Ballard. KK it’s time the genre was reassessed? KK vocalists. This is a gem, so seek it out. KK

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CHET ATKINS
Superpickers/Picks The Best
Vocalion CDLK4610 (quadraphonic SACD)
Forgive the self-indulgence, but I just can’t get
enough of super-slinky guitarist Chet Atkins,
and Vocalion has done us a huge favour by
pairing these titles from 1967 and 1973. The
Grammy-winning Picks The Best features his
inimitable, country-flavoured takes on material
including ‘Colonel Bogey’ from Bridge On The
River Kwai, Marty Robbins’ ‘El Paso’ and ‘You’ll
Never Walk Alone’ while on Superpickers he
shares the studio with Nashville giants Weldon
Myrick, Johnny Gimble, Charlie McCoy, Hargus
Robbins and others. They work their magic on
‘City Of New Orleans’, ‘Mr Bojangles’, an eerie
‘Sweet Dreams’ and others in a languid style,
both albums’ surround-sound elements limited
to the atmospheric. An absolute joy! KK
Sound Quality: 90%

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ALBUM
REVIEWS
HI-RES DOWNLOADS
DOMINIQUE FILS-AIMÉ
Nameless (88.2kHz/24-bit, FLAC; MQA)
www.highresaudio.com; Ensoul Records (no catalogue number)
In common with Bruce Levingston’s
American Citizen, also reviewed this month,
this second album from Montreal singer-
songwriter Fils-Aimé takes its lead from
the struggle for civil rights in America, and
in particular from a Maya Angelou poem,
‘Still I Rise’. So it’s no surprise that it opens
with the singer’s take on Abel Meeropol’s
BRUCE
BR
RUCE LEVINGSTON
LEVINGSTON bleak ‘Strange Fruit,’ made famous by
American Citizen (192kHz/24-bit; DSD64/128) Billie Holiday and much performed by
www.nativedsd.com; Sono Luminus DSL92228 which is C Price Walden’s reflective many others. In Fils-Aimé’s hands it
Based on a concert pianist Bruce ‘Sacred Spaces’. As you might have becomes spare and haunting, backed with
Levingston performed at the opening realised from the context, the theme multilayered vocals, and setting the tone
of the Civil Rights Museum in of the whole album is citizenship, the for the minimal arrangements on the rest
Mississippi, American Citizen at first struggle to achieve it and the sense of of the album, with a tight, sympathetic
seems like a strange mix – selections belonging that results. Those threads band behind the voice, notably on the title
from current American composers and are served beautifully by Levingston’s track. It’s a captivating sound, treated to a
muzurkas by Chopin – but it definitely masterful playing, and realised by a powerful, wide-range recording to keep the
works. It opens with the piece from gloriously open recording, especially listener riveted – and it ends with a similarly
which it takes its title, Nolan Gasser’s in the DSD128 guise auditioned and enthralling all-vocal reading of the classic
‘American Citizen’, which is itself tested here. AE ‘Feeling Good’. AE
inspired by a 1930s painting of John
Wesley Washington, born a slave Sound Quality: 90% Sound Quality: 85%
some 90 years earlier. It sets the tone
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for the whole set, the centrepiece of
OUR PROMISE LAB REPORT LAB REPORT

Following our Investigation feature
[HFN, Jun ’11] in which we examined
the claimed quality of high-resolution
downloads, Hi-Fi News & Record
Review is now measuring the true
sample rate and bit-depth of the HD
music downloads reviewed on these
pages. These unique reviews will be
a regular source of information for
those seeking new and re-mastered
recordings offered at high sample rates Recorded in 352.8kHz DXD on Merging Recorded at 88.2kHz, and recorded right
Technologies hardware, this capture up to the 0dBFs endstops, there is some
and with the promise of delivering
of a Steinway piano was subsequently evidence of clipped samples with the
the very best sound quality. (Note:
truncated and upsampled to DSD64 [red, slaps/claps of percussion. Otherwise this
asterisk in headings denotes technical peak; cyan, RMS] and to DSD128 [black]. looks like the real deal, not an upsampled
reservation explained below.) PM Both offer sufficient bandwidth. PM CD file! Also available in MQA. PM

COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD
ANDRÁS SCHIFF DOE PAORO GUY BRAUNSTEIN, BBC SO/KIRILL

Schubert Sonatas & Impromptus (96kHz/24-bit, FLAC) Soft Power (96kHz/24-bit, FLAC; MQA)* KARABITS
www.highresaudio.com; ECM 4817252 www.highresaudio.com; Anti/Epitaph 2758320 Tchaikovsky Treasures (96kHz/24-bit, FLAC; DSD64)
András Schiff’s third Schubert programme OK, so this isn’t an album by Doe Paoro www.highresaudio.com; Pentatone PTC5186747
for ECM comprises the Piano Sonatas in – the singer’s real name is Sonia Kreitzer Guy Braunstein is a former Berliner
C-minor, D958, and in A, D959, together – and if the cover picture makes you think Philharmoniker principal (2000-13) and
with the three Klavierstücke D946 and doe-eyed John Lewis Christmas ad vocals, his ‘treasures’ here comprise the three
four Impromptus D899. Recorded at the you’re going to be wide of the mark. For Tchaikovsky works for violin and orchestra –
Bonn Beethoven-Haus, Schiff plays his her third album she’s collaborated with the Concerto, Valse Scherzo and Sérénade
own c.1820 Franz Brodmann fortepiano producer Jimmy Hogarth, who has worked Mélancolique – together with his own
which he finds ideally suited to the music, with the likes of Duffy and Amy Winehouse three short transcriptions from Swan Lake
‘quintessentially Viennese in its timbre and – and boy does it show! There’s some big and Eugene Onegin. He’s following in the
tender mellowness’. (ECM’s booklet has a voice stuff going on here, along with a tradition of Auer here, he says, which few
technical specification and full description.) mixture of rock, blues, more soulful ballads of his contemporaries now find time for.
The first shock is hearing how pristine it and ‘wall of sound’ production – notably in The recordings were made at Walthamstow
sounds – even from top to bottom and ‘Fading Into Black’. There’s no shortage of Assembly Hall last June. Braunstein gets
certainly ideally suited to the shorter, brass when required, deployed liberally to terrific support from Karabits and the BBC
popular pieces. I also found the slow give some of the tracks a very rich sound. SO – real tension in the Violin Concerto’s
movement of D959 revelatory, especially Paoro has co-authored all of the songs here, transition (ii)–(iii) for example. But while
in those wildly disturbed passages, so often but with different writers for each one, so there’s no doubting the soloist’s technique,
troublesome for the listener with a modern this sounds more compilation than of a of course, his constant preoccupation
grand. The Brodmann is quite closely piece. Despite a so-so sound, verging on with tonal changes, little dynamic and
balanced in Stephan Schellmann’s recording the murky from time to time, this is still a timing alterations, seemed to me to draw
but engagingly clean. CB rewarding listen, if not revelatory. AE attention away from the music itself. CB

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LAB REPORT LAB REPORT LAB REPORT
The fortepiano typically has a slightly Also available with MQA encoding, Pentatone also offers this as an SACD and
more extended harmonic (frequency) the plain vanilla 96kHz FLAC file has DSD file, but the original recording looks
range than a grand, and so it is here, problems of its own – the vocal/ to be at 96kHz. The solo violin stretches
more than adequately captured by the percussion mix having likely spent time out to 30kHz here – good dynamic range
bandwidth of this 96kHz recording. One at 48kHz during recording or mixing. but some low-level noise and a spurious
spurious sampling tone, at 48kHz. PM Evidence of clipped samples too. PM tone at 28kHz [black spectrum]. PM

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ALBUM
REVIEWS
ROCK COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD
THE NATIONAL
I Am Easy To Find
4AD 4AD0154
Eight albums into their careers, most artists
are slowing down, running out of ideas, playing
safe. Apparently nobody told this to The
National. I Am Easy To Find is easily their most
adventurous outing yet, but it is as accessible
as it is imaginative. The band, led by singer
and songwriter Matt Berninger, has boldly
stepped away from their usual indie rock modus
operandi to embrace the potential of sombre
string orchestrations plus prominent vocal
contributions from enormously gifted female
singers Lisa Hannigan, Sharon Van Etten, Mina
Tindle, Kate Stables and Gail Ann Dorsey. These
women don’t merely supply sweet harmonies or
backups, they take over the songs they sing. An
unalloyed delight from start to finish. JBk
Sound Quality: 95%

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THE HOLD STEADY TAFFY MUNGO’S HI FI x EVA LAZARUS

Thrashing Thru The Passion Deep Dark Creep Love More Fyah
French Kiss Records FKR103 Club AC30 AC3016032 Scotch Bonnet Records SCOB070
It’s been over five years since Brooklyn’s Despite being unashamedly lo-fi, messy and This is a splendid little something for
Hold Steady last treated us to an entire indistinct, there’s something enormously long hot summer days. Mungo’s Hi Fi
album’s worth of their rocky goodness but appealing about Taffy. Vocalist Iris (they all is a Glasgow-based sound system and
their seventh is finally here and the layoff go by mononyms) floats her pure gossamer- production triumvirate founded in the early
has done them a power of good. Craig delicate voice through a jangly, mesmeric years of the new millennium by the DJs
Finn remains an arrestingly powerful singer web of distorted howling feedback guitars, Craig MacLeod, Tom Tattersall and Doug
and an always captivating lyricist – drole, underpinned by trip-hoppy drums and Paine. They’ve been pretty prolific ever
sardonic and witty – sounding very much cyclical bass lines, but somehow the overall since, producing collaborative albums with
at home in the expanded lineup which effect is curiously soothing. They’re based in the likes of Prince Fatty, Kenny Knots and
benefits enormously from the return of Tokyo, and much of what they do is clearly Charlie P, but this time they’re fronted by
multi-instrumentalist keyboard wiz Franz inspired by the shoegaze faction of Britpop Eva Lazarus whose versatile voice has been
Nicolay. They lost some traction in the early (Ride, Lush and Slowdive) but, filtered heard soaring through tracks by Swindle,
2010s, but cuts like ‘You Did Good Kid’, through their Japanese perspectives, it Jus Now and Gentlemans Dub Club, and the
‘Entitlement Crew’ and ‘T-Shirt Tux’ are the becomes something entirely their own, combination is very sweet indeed. When
equal of any of their early classics, and this blending furious energy with transcendent you need to chill to a seismic bass-heavy
is an album longtime fans will cherish. JBk melodic beauty. JBk dancehall groove, this’ll fit the bill. JBk

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ALBUM
REVIEWS
JAZZ COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD
ALAN BARNES ANDREW McCORMACK WES MONTGOMERY

Alan Barnes + Eleven Graviton: The Calling Back On Indiana Avenue: The Carroll
Woodville Records WVCD151 Ubuntu Music UBU0025 DeCamp Recordings
Here the prolific British saxophonist It was in 2006 that pianist Andrew Resonance Records HCD-2036 (two discs; mono)
indulges in a 60th birthday celebration McCormack emerged fully-fledged as a A sixth tranche of previously unheard
that looks back to the great jazz albums solo artist with Telescope. Since then he’s recordings of the great guitarist, mainly
of his birth year, particularly Art Pepper + toured extensively with Kyle Eastwood from the ’50s. Some tracks on preceding
11. Trombonist Mark Nightingale wrote while finding time for many other projects, Resonance issues came from the late
the arrangements for Barnes’s specially including his own genre-bending Graviton. pianist/arranger Carroll DeCamp, but this
convened 12-piece band, on tunes ranging For their eponymous 2017 debut, the wasn’t known then, so now Resonance’s
from ‘Take Five’ to Monk’s ‘Little Rootie band notably included Shabaka Hutchings, Zev Feldman fulfils a promise to credit
Tootie’. Barnes is heard on clarinet and with vocals by Eska. But Graviton’s second, DeCamp in full. Dates and personnel are
baritone as well as alto sax, but all nine hardly less, stellar lineup features Josh unknown, but there are Nat Cole-style trio
horn players get solo space as well as Arcoleo, tenor sax, while Noemi Nuti (on numbers, organ trios and a sextet with
zipping through Nightingale’s demanding harp last time) provides lyrics and sings horns. You get Wes’s well-known pieces
charts – with an attractive immediacy, as them. Inspired by ancient creation myths, such as ‘Four On Six’, ‘West Coast Blues’ and
the music was recorded live in a hall rather McCormack’s eclectic music follows ‘the ‘Jingles’, jazz standards like ‘Whisper Not’
than in a studio. And Horace Silver’s ‘Blowin’ classic hero’s journey’ from chaos through and even ‘So What’, and other favourites
The Blues Away’ makes a romping finale. SH confrontation to final calm. SH like ‘The End Of A Love Affair’. SH

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JOEL ROSS
Kingmaker
Blue Note 7755528
In its 80th year, Blue Note is digging as deeply
as ever into its much-mined archives. But the
label tirelessly promotes new young jazz talent
too and here vibraphonist Joel Ross, already
heard with pianist James Francies, makes
his debut as leader. Ross, still only 23, was
fortunate enough to meet and learn from the
late vibes legend Bobby Hutcherson while a
student. For his own album, he chose bassist
Harish Raghavan as producer and brought in
his own Good Vibes band, with alto saxophonist
Immanuel Wilkins, pianist Jeremy Corren,
bassist Benjamin Tiberio and drummer Jeremy
Dutton. They complement Ross’s abundant
technique and harmonic mastery with real
energy and drive. SH
Sound Quality: 90%

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ALBUM
REVIEWS
CLASSICAL COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD
SIBELIUS
Lemminkäinen Suite; Spring Song; Suite – Belshazzar’s Feast
BBC SO/Sakari Oramo
Chandos CHAN 20136 (downloads to 96kHz/24-bit resolution)
When with the CBSO, Sakari Oramo recorded
the Sibelius symphonies for Erato – No 4 Radio
3’s ‘Building a Library’ choice – and other
shorter pieces. But not these. Lemminkäinen,
the Four Legends, includes the ‘Swan Of
Tuonela’, of course, and it’s atmospherically
done here (Alison Teale cor anglais) while the
buildup of ‘Lemminkäinen’s Homeward Journey’
has an exciting ‘live’ feel contrasting with
the poise of Spring Song (which has, albeit, a
characteristic triumphal penultimate section
with bells). In the 1906-7 theatre music for
Belshazzar’s Feast Sibelius turned his hand
persuasively to oriental music representation
while remaining instantly recognisable. CB
Sound Quality: 90%

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ELGAR MENDELSSOHN R STRAUSS

Enigma Variations; Cello Concerto; Falstaff Overtures Ein Heldenleben; Suite Der Rosenkavalier
NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini; Gregor Piatigorsky, NYPSO/ CBSO/Edward Gardner RSNO/Thomas Søndergård
John Barbirolli; NYPSO/Artur Rodzinski Chandos CHSA5235 (downloads to 96kHz/24-bit resolution) Linn Records CKD510 (downloads to 192kHz/24-bit resolution)
Somm ARADNE 5005 (mono; downloads to 44.1kHz/16-bit res) This fifth SACD in Gardner’s CBSO series has This third very recent Heldenleben (properly
This isn’t the 1952 RCA Enigma Variations eight overtures (it includes the oratorio allotted six tracks unlike last month’s
but a 1949 Tosanini broadcast with some Paulus and the little-known Athalie and Petrenko CD) comes with the delicious
astonishing playing – ‘Troyte’ or the finale ‘Trumpet’) in performances of exemplary 1944 Rodziński adapted Rosenkavalier
the high points. But it’s too often grimly balance. And Gardner always seems to find Suite. Those opening horn whoops,
driven (‘G.R.S’, a worst case). Huge dynamic the most apt tempi – A Midsummer Night’s incidentally, represented an orgasm – or
range here. It’s good to hear the growly Dream, for instance, has a magical lightness so EMI’s Walter Legge told the great player
Piatigorsky in one of his only two known and swiftness, and the first section of Calm Dennis Brain! Søndergård’s interpretation
accounts of the Concerto (1940), most Sea… (as I suggested in HFN Jul ’19 – p67) sounds utterly idiomatic, while the main
touching in the bitter-sweet final section has a great sense of atmosphere. The work [my July Classical Companion] is
of (iv). Barbirolli matches him all the way – Birmingham Town Hall acoustic is quite dry, compelling characterised, nothing missed,
much faster topping and tailing (iv) than in Ralph Couzens’ engineering first-class, with boldly recorded too. The Hero’s ‘fulfilment’
his later years. With seven cuts, Rodziński’s the time-span, 2014-18, barely noticeable. seems not quite attained in Søndergård’s
1943 Falstaff in cloudy sound shows a high These are versions of distinction, with finale, I thought – a contrast with the
standard of playing in unfamiliar music. CB nothing sounding merely dutiful. CB otherworldly Petrenko realisation. CB

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OPINION
Barry Fox
Technology journalist
Barry Fox trained in electronics with the RAF and worked as a patent agent, but he
gave that up to enter journalism. He is one of the world’s top technology writers
Get in Formation
Turntable replay can now be transmitted via Bluetooth technology. Barry Fox takes a look at
B&W’s solution to music shared around your home, both from analogue and digital sources
‘ ust the facts, ma’am,’ as Sgt Joe RIGHT: B&W’s
J Friday said in the old TV series

Dragnet – or more accurately as
comedian Stan Freberg said he said.
Different hi-fi companies react very
differently to questions on facts.
£3500 Formation
Duo speakers are
shown here in a
black finish on
their optional £700
I recently asked the tech people at stands. The duo is a
one hi-fi company about a Bluetooth two-way with carbon
wireless turntable it is marketing with dome tweeter and
the promise that it will be hard to tell the Continuum bass/mid
difference between wired and wireless driver, which is also
play. I asked for some information on seen in the 700 series
tests done and technical specs.
A reply came back with a web link that
said music can be streamed from the
turntable to any Bluetooth receiver at up response to follow-up questions was an device. Where aptX HD is not supported
to 48kHz/24-bit resolution. extremely refreshing one. by a phone or other music source, the
B&W now has its own wireless Formation system will default to other,
A FINE MESH technology, following a recent merger lower quality forms of Bluetooth audio.
I asked for confirmation that the deal with Silicon Valley-based start-up EVA
turntable is Bluetooth only – not Wi-Fi – Automation. Formation uses the mesh THE WAY TO GO
because the data rate for 48kHz/24-bit principle on standard Wi-Fi frequencies Serious audio folk will usually be using
stereo is around 2.3Mb/s. So the wireless at 2.4 and 5GHz, so that an SSID network a hi-res digital music source, so will not
link from the deck must be compressed, name and password need only be entered be under the Bluetooth cosh. And once
which does not sit well with the promise once and is then shared round the whole music content is inside the Formation
of hi-res sound. Also, home system. Meshing is system, it is shared between loudspeakers
in order to deliver the not new. So what exactly and spaces using the Wi-Fi mesh network
claimed quality the
Bluetooth receiver must
‘Serious audio makes the Formation
Wireless system different
and not via not Bluetooth.
The second Formation radio works
be capable of handling folk will not be from more basic, and with a home Wi-Fi access point which
the aptX HD compression much cheaper, systems? is pulling in audio from the Internet. It
system, which many put under the Says Andy Kerr, doesn’t have to bother with other jobs,
receivers are not. So how
does this fit with the
Bluetooth cosh’ Director of Product
Marketing: ‘Most wireless
and thus there is no need for buffering.
The third radio handles in-room wireless
promise of hi-res from any network and streaming connection which can synchronise all the
Bluetooth receiver? ‘We already have a systems use a single radio, which time- speakers, including a subwoofer, with an
review plan in place for this product and, slices so that it can do everything it has to accuracy of one microsecond.
with respect, it doesn’t currently include do. So it’s continually hopping between The fourth controls the room-to-room
you,’ was the reply from the company. different jobs. We use four completely wireless connection of speakers. And says
Bowers & Wilkins recently announced separate radios, which are all designed to Andy, ‘Because there is no time-slicing
its new Formation wireless speaker do different jobs’. and workload sharing, the Formation
system, which is intended primarily for A Bluetooth radio is used to get music Wi-Fi links can work with uncompressed
networking digital source music (NAS, into the system, from a device such as 96kHz/24-bit resolution PCM audio’.
USB storage, Internet streaming) to a a phone which is being used as a music If anyone really wants to network vinyl
hi-res wireless network, but can also be store. Formation supports Bluetooth aptX room-to-room, Formation is probably the
used with an extra ADC box to connect HD coding, which B&W confirms uses way to go. But no wireless magic can
analogue components such as a high-end compression to handle up to 48kHz/ alter the fact that a turntable will need
turntable. After my earlier experience, 24-bit coding, but aptX HD can only be attention every 20m or so, if one wants to
B&W’s frank and fact-based launch and used if supported by the transmitting flip sides on an LP record.

OPINION
Barry Willis
Journalist for top American audio-video publications
While his main interest is high-end audio, Barry Willis also writes about the culinary
industry, visual art and theatre for a huge variety of US newspapers and magazines
The forest and the trees

For listening satisfaction would you put ‘accuracy’ before ‘musicality’, asks Barry Willis, who
thinks too much specialisation within the hi-fi industry is slowing down advancements in audio
n old adage has it that ‘to a RIGHT: Some
A man with a hammer, everything

looks like a nail’. It means, of
course, that we tend to look at
the world through a keyhole of our own
experience and expertise.
audiophiles never
listen to live music
but base their
standards on
recordings, which
Some years ago I read an enlightening by their nature are
but dispiriting tale by a journalist with studio determined
persistent discomfort in her lower back. by the electronics
She embarked on a series of visits to and mastering
various experts in search of a cure. processes involved
These experts said she needed physical
manipulation, therapy, surgery, natural
foods, exercise – better footwear even,
while an ergonomics expert mentioned
improved seating. There was probably
a germ of truth in each recommendation,
but not the whole truth. belief long ago, but it persists, especially that the two sources converge as one.
among technophiles who rarely hear live Now multiply this problem by dozens
SONIC TRUTHS music. The hi-fi field is full of people in a of instruments and voices and it’s clear
As I write this in late May, the American perpetual, solipsistic loop of recordings- that an accurate depiction of the original
audio community is engaged in a and-playback. Their reference standard performance will never happen.
recurring debate: which is more isn’t even a simple performance with
important for listening satisfaction, acoustic instruments, but the mic feed ELUSIVE GOAL
accuracy or musicality? To an outsider as heard in a recording studio, a sound This impossibility is due partially to the
this might seem an absurd discussion, already altered by electronics. extreme specialisation of experts in
like so many audiophile issues. If an ‘Accuracy to what?’, we might ask. our field. We have some who know all
audio system sounds like music, then it Do we mean tonal accuracy? That is there is to know about digital signal
must be both accurate relatively easy to processing or amplifier circuitry, room
and musical, right? realise, or at least, to acoustics, loudspeaker phase relations or
Apparently this naive
assumption couldn’t be
‘What is the point approximate. Dynamic
accuracy? Desirable,
the physics of turntables. Each believes
that leveraging his expertise will take
more wrong, to judge of a hi-fi system if but rarely achieved us one step closer to the elusive goal
by the passion shown by most playback of realistic playback, but each bit of
on both sides. not the enjoyment systems. How about expertise is a hammer seeking a specific
Forced to choose,
I’d go with ‘musicality’
of music?’ spatial accuracy?
Damn near impossible.
nail. We need more generalists – audio
engineers who are music lovers first, with
every time. What Imagine listening a deep passionate drive to understand
is the purpose of a hi-fi system if not to a solo trumpeter standing a few feet human hearing and emotional response,
the enjoyment of music? Yet some away – a point source reaching your and recording and playback, on a
audiophiles are incapable of this sort two ears more or less simultaneously, comprehensive global level.
of enjoyment, because they’re locked accompanied by assorted reflections from As in many other fields, specialisation
into ‘critical listening’ mode and believe the nearby environment. may be retarding audio advancements.
that recordings represent some sort of Now record that trumpeter to any Reliable statistics, for example, indicate
unassailable truth about sonic events. number of channels you wish. In stereo that 66% of predictions made by
The fact that the presentation of a playback, you’ll hear two trumpets economists are wrong. They know too
recording can be altered in the mastering reaching your two ears. With a decent much about too little. An investment
studio and by any piece of playback hi-fi system, there may be a spot in the programme based on ignoring such
gear should have put the lie to this room where your brain will pretend predictions would certainly succeed.

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OPINION
Christopher Breunig
Music Journalist
Christopher Breunig trained as an architect but became won over by music and
collecting classical recordings. He was Hi-Fi News’ Music Editor from 1986-2000
Encore!
The time has past when collectors looked out for the deletions axe about to fall. Everything
worthwhile has probably come back in one form or another, says Christopher Breunig
nyone who remembers
A collecting their new recordings

as LPs will also recall the
outrage readers of Gramophone
expressed when the companies deleted
catalogue items that weren’t selling.
It was, the letters suggested, a moral
responsibility to keep everything available
indefinitely. Gramophone would forewarn
collectors of impending deletions, as did
the little subscription publication from
EMG called The Monthly Letter.
PHOTO: MEDICI TV
VINTAGE BRUM
Fortunately, collectors nowadays know
that things which disappeared are just
as likely to return – if only in large
box sets. The Australian CD publisher ABOVE: New DG 180g Karajan LPs include the 1988 live recording of Tchaikovsky’s Piano
Eloquence is always digging into the Concerto No 1 with Evgeny Kissin, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Offenbach Overtures
past with half-forgotten names such as
Paul van Kempen, Peter Maag, or Moura yet another old Karajan LP back on my local Sainsbury’s started stocking
Lympany reappearing, while the online vinyl (most recently his Rimsky-Korsakov heavy vinyl classic pop records the only
retailer Presto Classical has its own Scheherazade, Offenbach Overtures and customers I ever saw getting them were
reissue label, licensing deleted product the controversial 1988 Tchaikovsky Piano middle-aged men. But to judge from the
from Universal – now that Decca, DG and Concerto No 1 with Evgeny Kissin). budget turntables from Pro-Ject, etc,
Philips seem no longer interested in re- there must be a younger buyer following
marketing single discs at midprice. NOSTALGIC DADS in his dad’s footsteps and testing out the
Those big box sets, however, are a Warner Classics, too, have new LPs out medium. I also see that the charity shops
gift to music-lovers who missed previous this year, notably Barbirolli’s Brahms are more acutely aware of price values
outings, if they can cope with the outlay Symphony cycle from 1966-7 with the these days. A few years ago one North
involved. For instance, DG’s ‘Complete Vienna Philharmonic London Oxfam had
Maurizio Pollini’ (58 CDs!), equates (now viewed in a more everything marked at
to £2.75 per disc; similarly Warner’s
CBSO 12CD box with Louis Frémaux
kindly way by critics
than when it first came
‘Charity shops 99p but £5.00-10.00
is the present norm,
recordings works out at £3. Incidentally, out) and his Mahler are more acutely with classical CDs
those were from a golden period in EMI Symphony No 9 with priced at just £2.50.
stereo engineering, although the French the Berlin Philharmonic. aware of price Surprisingly, when
conductor’s work in Birmingham soon
became undervalued when the young
There’s also the violinist
Ginette Neveu, whose
values these days’ I mention downloads
to friends they mostly
Simon Rattle stepped into his shoes. centenary year is marked say ‘I can’t stand
In every sense, then, what goes around with reissues from 1946/48 originals them’, but if I want to save a little and
comes around. And this certainly applies of Chausson’s Poème and duo pieces have the music to hand within half-an-
to the 180g classical vinyl reissue. by Debussy and Ravel with her brother hour I’d far rather get my new releases
A counterpart to the old printed deletion Jean. Both died in an air crash in 1949. as FLACs than pay postage and wait for
lists we can now browse the Internet Her legendary Brahms and Sibelius Violin three days. Burn to a CD-R if you want and
music retailers and not only read page Concerto recordings have survived print the jpeg cover, or just keep WAV
after page of imminent new releases continuously into the digital era. conversions on your computer. That way
but in many cases sample sound excerpt I do, however, wonder about the age you can also feel smug about not adding
tracks. ‘Good Lord!’ I think when I see group that buys these things – when to the waste plastics mountain.

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OPINION
Jim Lesurf
Science Journalist
Jim Lesurf has spent a lifetime in audio, both as an engineer at UK hi-fi company
Armstrong and reader in Physics and Electronics at St Andrew’s University
Proms prospect
Jim Lesurf is concerned about proposed changes to existing broadcasting stations and how
these will affect the reception of his favourite Prom concert programmes over the coming years
s I write this I’ve just obtained RIGHT: The BBC
A my copy of the BBC Proms

Guide for the 2019 season. The
good news is that, as usual, the
programmes offer an excellent selection
of music which will be broadcast on BBC
Guide to the 2019
Sir Henry Wood
Promenade concert
programmes can
be purchased at all
Radio 3 and BBC TV. However, a potential good newsagents
snag is also starting to loom! or viewed online at
When TV broadcasting ‘went digital’ www.bbc.co.uk/
many years ago, the most obvious change proms
was a dramatic increase in the number of
stations available. This is because digital
methods can be used to group stations
together into ‘multiplexes’. However,
a large chunk of the relevant frequency
band has now been sold off to the highest
bidders, and this may squeeze out some
TV and radio stations.
unless these ‘orphan’ stations are found viewers but not others. I’ve been trying
STING IN THE TAIL a new home on another multiplex, access to find out more about what will happen.
In my case the process was illustrated by via terrestrial broadcasting might end. But the powers that be have been a bit
a radio spectrum measurement I made coy about releasing some critical details
recently. This showed the output from STOPPING WORKING before the events take place. Maybe this
two transmitters – Durris and Angus. This is where we enter the area of is down to caution, or perhaps because
A single transmitter radiates nine digital uncertainty. In theory, the other even they aren’t yet sure what will
multiplexes, each occupying one of the multiplexes can be upgraded from the happen – or what they can do about it!
old TV channels. In total, these nine initial ‘T1’ encoding standard to the
digital multiplexes provide over 100 TV newer ‘T2’ method. That would give ON THE LOOKOUT
stations and at least 30 radio stations. them more capacity and compensate I and others who use Terrestrial TV will
However, the Angus broadcasts – which for the reduced number of multiplexes. probably be OK for this year’s Proms, but
give the strongest signal where I live – are But it means that older TVs that can only I’m less confident about 2020 and up
in the frequency range understand the initial until 2022. The current plan is that two
from 700MHz up, which system would stop multiplexes will cease no later than the
means they will have to
be moved or switched off.
‘BBC engineers working altogether!
Alternatively, if this
end of June 2022. But maybe experience
might alter that. As I understand it,
Where I live, this dubbed this the change isn’t made, OfCom has said the companies taking
process will happen in shifting BBC Four HD, over the 700MHz band are responsible
Sept and Nov 2019. In “Old Grannie etc, means evicting for dealing with interference to these TV
itself this is a matter of some other TV and radio broadcasts up until they cease. However,
shuffling the deckchairs.
Problem”’ channels. It’s an example given how unimpressed I was by the
Its main impact is that I’ll of what BBC engineers way the earlier 800MHz ‘clearance’ was
have to do a tedious ‘rescan’, so my TV, dubbed the ‘Old Grannie Problem’ handled, I have my doubts.
etc, can still find the stations I want. But when faced with changing from older Hence I’m writing about this so HFN
there is a sting in the tail... broadcasting systems to newer ones. readers can keep an eye out for problems,
Two of these multiplexes will at some The two threatened multiplexes and be aware of the possible causes.
point be shut down, not simply moved. will be left in place for a while and To find out more, go to www.digitaluk.
They currently provide a number of become surrounded by new telecom co.uk/operations/700mhz_clearance/
stations, one example being BBC Four transmissions. Which means a period clearance_events_in_2019 and elsewhere
HD, used for many Proms broadcasts. So, when interference problems will hit some on the DigitalUK website.

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OPINION
Steve Harris
Contributing Editor
Steve Harris edited Hi-Fi News between 1986 and 2005. He loves jazz, blues music,
vinyl and vintage hi-fi and anything that makes good music come to life
A right mixup
What’s the distinction that should be made between ‘remastering’ and ‘remixing’ older recordings?
Steve Harris discusses The Beatles’ back catalogue reissues and welcomes Atmos for a jazz icon
ike those old favourites RIGHT: Miles Davis’s
L ‘professional’ and ‘monitor’,

‘remastered’ is a term that gets
abused nearly as often as it’s used.
So what does it really mean?
At DSD-guide.com, which promotes
son Erin Davis (left)
and Miles’s nephew
Vince Wilburn the
drummer, at the
exclusive screening
high-rate DSD music online, an article of the Dolby Atmos
about remastering concludes: ‘In general, version of Kind Of
a simple conversion is not considered Blue sponsored by
remastering. Remastering is a process PMC at The High End
that achieves the requirements of the Show in Munich
final format to best reach the listener’.
If you buy a product that’s described
as remastered, you might expect that the
engineers have gone back to the original
studio master, and have lovingly made
a new transfer that will sound better remastering for The Beatles (The Original Whole books have been written about
than previous releases. Studio Recordings) all-stereo box set, and how The Beatles’ records were made, and
for The Beatles In Mono box. the same is true of the 1959 Miles Davis
BEATLING AROUND In 2014, though, the mono editions studio album Kind Of Blue.
Often enough, this won’t have been were remastered yet again for the 14-LP
possible, and they will have had to use vinyl series and box set The Beatles In BLUE ATMOS TEST
a source that’s some generations Mono. This time the original mono tapes Sixty years on from the original sessions,
removed from the original. You can even were fed almost unchanged through an Kind Of Blue was heard for the first
find the word ‘remastered’ attached to analogue desk to the cutting lathe. time in Dolby Atmos, thanks to British
CDs and LPs that have been dubbed from For those Original Studio Recordings loudspeaker manufacturer PMC.
existing CDs or LPs. On the other hand, digital remasters, the engineers had used PMC USA’s Maurice Patist had been
many engineers have modern techniques given ‘very special permission by the Miles
done fantastic work of on-screen editing Davis Foundation to remix Kind Of Blue
with what, in more than
one sense, we now call
‘Even over an old and de-noising,
but they had been
and Sketches Of Spain into Dolby Atmos’,
working with David Rideau and Steve
‘old masters’. With The car radio you’d working strictly with Genewick from Capital Studios.
Beatles’ albums, uniquely the stereo and mono But should this really be called
perhaps, it helps know things masters. They hadn’t a ‘remix’? After all, the original recording
tremendously that the ever gone back to the pre-dates the development of multi-track
original analogue master
had changed’ individual instruments techniques. I think it could better be
tapes have been properly and vocals on the just called a ‘mix’, as it’s not a re-work of
archived at Abbey Road Studios. multi-track masters. So this was definitely something that’s been done before.
When The Beatles albums were first remastering, not remixing. At the show, PMC played the Atmos
remastered for CD in 1987, George But in 2015 came Giles Martin’s remix mix through its flagship Fact Fenestria,
Martin chose the mono versions of the of the 1 singles collection, rebalancing with Wafer on-wall speakers for the
first four, but he went back to the multi- instruments and voices, updating the surround and height channels, plus pro
track tapes and did new stereo mixes of sound rather than simply being faithful subwoofers. Miles’s son Erin Davis and his
Help! and Rubber Soul. In 2000, 1, the to the original. And he did the same with nephew, drummer Vince Wilburn, were
CD collection of Beatles No 1 singles, his 50th anniversary remix of Sgt Pepper. on hand. Hopefully there will eventually
was a mega success, and after this it was If you heard one of the tracks even on be a commercial release. But, a bit like
decided to remaster the albums, again. an old car radio, you’d instantly know The Beatles’ early albums, there seems to
In 2009, after four years’ work, a team things had changed. This was definitely be a growing band of listeners who prefer
led by the late Allan Rouse completed the remixing, not just remastering. Kind Of Blue the old way. In mono.

Send in your views to:
Sound Off, Hi-Fi News, AVTech Media Ltd,
Suite 25, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF
or email your views to: letters@hifinews.com –
YOUR VIEWS please use ‘Sound Off’ in your subject field
Cost of cables
PLEA FOR REVIEWS OF MORE REALISTICALLY PRICED WIRES
Correspondents express their own opinions, not those of Hi-Fi News. We reserve the right to edit letters for publication.
Correspondents using e-mail are asked to give their full postal address (which won’t be published). Letters seeking advice From time to time, HFN runs a cable review as
will be answered in print on our Sound Off pages, but due to time constraints we regret we’re unable to answer questions on
buying items of hi-fi or any other hi-fi queries by telephone, post or via e-mail.
per the TCI King Cobra Bi-Wire in the July issue.
For some reason, all these cables appear to be
very expensive. I am not in any particular cable
SMALL-ROOM SPEAKERS ‘camp’, but perhaps some more realistically

priced ones ought to be reviewed. I couldn’t
FINDING FLOORSTANDERS FOR A TRICKY SPACE help noticing someone offering a pair of speaker
cables for a third of their original £9000 price in
I want to buy a pair of speakers I was reading that there are a the Marketplace section of the very same issue.
for use in a room that measures number of speakers, such as the Martyn Miles, via email
3.5x4m (lxw). My amp is a Creek Rega RS3, that have been designed
Evolution 50A integrated, which specifically with small rooms in Paul Miller replies: Our in-depth cable reviews
I use with a Creek Evolution mind. I also like the idea of the (does anyone else measure cables?) are certainly an
50CD CD player. At first I was RS3’s side-mounted bass drivers. occasional treat and typically feature intriguing designs
considering standmount speakers, However, given that my hi-fi rack with prices to match. Nevertheless, Martyn and fellow
but after reading reviews of some stands 50cm tall I am assuming readers should look out for a few more affordable
of the more compact designs in that it will interfere with the sound cables featuring in an up-coming ‘Budget Esoterica’.
HFN I realised that when used with if I were to place speakers like the In the meantime, why not turn to our Marketplace
a sturdy set of stands many occupy RS3s with their bass drivers firing pages for some bargains!
just as much space as do some inwards. Am I right, or could I
smaller floorstanders. simply set the speakers up with the
So while I am quite tempted to side-mounted bass drivers firing
go with floorstanders, the issue outwards, towards the side walls?
is that I would like to place each Of course, a better solution
speaker cabinet around 25cm from would be if you were able to
the rear wall of the room and about recommend an up-to-date
150-180cm apart, either side of a alternative to the RS3, which would ABOVE: TCI’s King Cobra Bi-Wire costs £2100 (5m pair)
hi-fi rack measuring 50x150x50cm cost about the same, match my
(hwd). Also, the door to the room Creek electronics well and work
is positioned such that it will be
parallel to the speakers. This
means that I have to leave room
in that small space. As for my taste
in music, I enjoy ’60s, ’70s rock,
hard rock, alternative rock and
WhitWorld
OUR HI-FI WORLD THROUGH THE EYES OF WHITWORTH
behind the door for it to open. symphonic classical works.
August Raül, via email
Andrew Everard replies: Yes, the

Regas – whether a secondhand pair
of RS3s or the current RX3s – are
designed to be tolerant of being
positioned quite close to a rear wall,
but as you say having the side-
firing woofers pointing toward your
equipment rack might not be a good
idea, not least due to fact your system
may be affected by the vibrations.
Having the woofers pointed
outward might be a solution, but that
depends on the space to the side
walls. I’d be considering some more
conventional speakers. The B&W 603
[HFN Dec ’18], at around the same
price as the RX3, is exceptional value
for money, and comes with port bungs
to tune the bass output, while the
standmount KEF R3 [HFN Dec ’18]
is an extremely powerful-sounding
ABOVE: Priced at £1249, B&W’s 603 smaller speaker, and might well suit
offers class-leading sound for the money your set-up extremely well.

JITTE RBUG USB Filter
YOUR VIEWS
Budget bliss
WHEN A SINGLE HI-FI SYSTEM JUST WON’T DO
Paul Miller’s ‘Welcome’ page in the

June issue caused me to grin rather
than grimace at the giant can of
worms he opened. I am truly spoilt
in having an understanding wife, Can a £39 insect make all
but also the resources to indulge your CD files sound better than
his point that no one system is all Hi-Res?
things to everybody. Over the years Yes and no: Using the same
my enjoyment has been in finding equipment and a quality DAC, a 24/96
components that give me musical file (for example) will always sound
better than a CD 16/44.1 file … but,
pleasure rather than total perfection. even a single JitterBug will often
Living in a two-storey house allow a CD file to be more musical and
means having one central listening more emotionally stimulating than
location, but there’s no point having ABOVE: Secondhand satisfaction in the a Hi-Res file without the benefit of a
JitterBug.
a hi-fi system in another room if form of the Yamaha NS1000M from 1974
it sounds unsatisfactory. Despite Noise is the problem. Real noise—
the kind you can’t hear directly. Most
being an utter cheapskate when it secondhand. And the source? An often, the word “noise” is used to
comes to my second system I have MP3 player from China, bought on describe tape hiss or a scratch on a
been lucky enough to assemble eBay for $3.25AU (£1.80). OK, it’s just record, but these sounds aren’t noise;
a set-up using only secondhand the board, has no case and runs on they are properly reproduced sounds
that we wish weren’t there.
gear. An older Yamaha receiver, a USB power, but I’m not complaining.
Problem noise is essentially random,
pair of Yamaha NS1000M speakers My main stereo system comprises resonant or parasitic energy, which
and a 6in Audio Pro sub doesn’t a pair of Martin Logan Summit X has no meaning. It can’t be turned
sound like much but together these loudspeakers [HFN Nov ’09] with into discrete sounds, but it does
components excel. The whole Parasound Halo JC1 monoblocks compromise signal integrity and the
performance of everything it touches.
lot has cost me $305AU (£170) and a Musical Fidelity CLiC source
[HFN Jun ’11] with a dCS Puccini for JitterBug’s dual-function line-
conditioning circuitry greatly reduces
SACD and CD replay. Despite the the noise and ringing that plague both
heavy hitters in my main set-up it’s the data and power lines of USB ports,
my contention that the Yamaha system whether on a computer, streamer,
has satisfaction and enjoyment home stereo or car audio front-panel
USB input.
beyond all consideration of its price.
A single JitterBug is used in between
The lust exhibited by audiophiles devices (i.e., in series) as shown
for the very latest gear can cause below. For an additional “wow”
them to overlook the inherent merits experience, try a second JitterBug
of many secondhand components. into another USB port on the same
device (such as a computer). Whether
Products that were outstanding from the second port is vacant, or is
even five or more years ago are still feeding a printer or charging a phone,
worth considering today, not only as JitterBug’s noise-reduction ability is
a way to save money but as a path to likely to surprise you. No, the printer
won’t be affected—only the audio!
maximum musical satisfaction.
Bruce Mibus, Australia While a JitterBug helps MP3s sound a
lot more like music, high-sample-rate
files have the most noise vulnerability.
Paul Miller replies: Bruce is one of many Try a JitterBug or two on all your
HFN readers who are clearly enjoying equipment, but never more than two
both contemporary and vintage hi-fi per USB bus. There is such a thing as
too much of a good thing.
systems. And why not? Who drinks
the same wine every weekend
or orders exactly the same meal
every time they visit a restaurant?
OK... some of us perhaps. But
otherwise variety is as much
the spice of music as it is life,
and with hi-fi’s rich history of
products there are countless
combinations of old and new
ABOVE: Electrostatic excellence – the kit – some quite unexpected –
MartinLogan Summit X hybrid speaker that will bring a smile to your face.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE SOUND & VISION
g you
Helpine the
mak your
of
most cinema
home O W!
OUT N
IN EVERY ISSUE
Kit reviews, movies & TV, accessories, systems, insight,
opinion, competitions & more
Q www.homecinemachoice.com Q facebook.com/homecinemachoice Q @hccmag

New DragonFlys!
YOUR VIEWS £89 Black & £169 Red
Powerful, Immersive
Sound fromComputers
Plea for physical discs
WHY CLASSICAL MUSIC DOESN’T LEND ITSELF TO STREAMING AND SERVER ‘HIT RATES’
and Mobile Devices!
I was interested to read Barry Fox’s

Opinion piece in the April issue
discussing streaming and download
services. I presume his experience
is more in the fields of jazz and pop
music whereas mine is more in the
classical, although many of the issues
he raised may be similar.
Like Barry, I am more interested
in a physical product. The majority
of classical CDs often involve one or
more longer works. Opera recordings
usually require more than one CD
(typically two to three, or even more
for Wagner!). Due to the language
issue it is much preferred if translated ABOVE: In 1984 the Solti Wagner Ring
text is included (DVDs may include cycle appeared as a 15CD set, in 1997 as a
sub or supertitles). This is particularly 14CD pack, and in 2014 on one Blu-ray disc
the case if it is an unfamiliar language
such as Russian/Cyrillic script. become familiar with what I call the
Because of the relative older age ‘standard repertoire’, I seek out music
profile of the classical audience that I haven’t yet experienced.
(in my experience) I suspect more M J Greenaway, via email
of them want a physical product, Four years ago, AudioQuest shook the
although even this may be changing Barry Fox replies: It clearly costs more to hi-fi world with our first DragonFly
faster than I think. The fact remains press and warehouse discs – even burn DAC–Preamp–Headphone Amp—the
that some lesser known byways of short runs to order – than store them on rare audio product that brought more
the repertoire could well disappear online service servers. Nevertheless, the compelling sound to all music lovers,
altogether, as was the case after the online services still have to ‘rotate’ their playing high-res files to MP3s on per-
LP era when regular ‘future deletion’ catalogues, replacing the least popular fectionist systems and modest laptops.
lists would appear in Gramophone ‘long tail’ music with alternative less
magazine [see p107]. popular material. This is why I scour Now, the new DragonFly Black and
Obviously it does not pay to keep secondhand and remaindered music DragonFly Red exceed their prede-
tracks on servers if the ‘hit rate’ is so racks for long tail CDs, which I can then cessor in every way, delivering more
low that they are accessed so rarely keep for as long as I like. And I get to beautiful music, boasting software
they don’t pay for their keep. Having enjoy them in 44.1kHz/16-bit quality. upgradability, and providing compat-
ibility with Android and Apple iOS
mobile devices.
Karajan regardless
INCORRECT NUMBER FOR TONE POEM BUT STILL THE SAME PERFORMANCE
While Black offers more clarity, depth
and category-defining value than ever
before, the take-no-prisoners Red pro-
In his July Classical Companion, catalogue number. Both mono and stereo vides even more finesse, resolution,
Christopher Breunig gave the wrong were released here in Dec ’59, EMG’s torque and more than enough pow-
catalogue number for the first Karajan Monthly Letter review suggesting ‘the er to drive even the most demanding
stereo Ein Heldenleben. It should mono pales alongside the stereo, which headphones.
be SLPM 138025 and not LPM18550, has fine separation and spread’ (my first
The word is out: DigitalAudioReview.
which is the mono version. While the copy had part of the ‘Battle’ sequence
net’s John Darko calls DragonFly Red
first stereo version by Reiner was duplicated on both sides!).
and Black “the finest examples of ev-
not issued here on LP until 1965, The available 180g vinyl reissue
the mono was released on HMV in figured in my ‘Essential Recordings’
eryman hifi to ever grace these pages.
1955. At that time EMI was still in boxout – with the correct number! Older Their value quotients explode the dial.”
partnership with RCA. readers will know that HMV’s early ’50s Let the joyful experience begin!
D Mansell, via email catalogue featured RCA recordings –
Toscanini, Reiner, et al. The real surprise
Christopher Breunig replies: Indeed, my was that a number of fine stereo RCAs
quick reference to John Hunt’s Karajan first appeared here under the Decca
discography led me to quote the mono aegis as midprice Victrola LPs.

YOUR VIEWS
Reviewing premium priced vinyl

WILL THE HIGH PRICE OF LPS KILL THE VINYL REVIVAL AND JUST HOW DO HFN’S REVIEWERS AFFORD THE DISCS?
Reading his review of the Mobile eg, in the case of

Fidelity One-Step release of Stevie Ray hi-fi equipment. Now
Vaughan’s album Texas Flood in the July the prices: a £10 CD
issue had me wondering whether the (ex-VAT) probably
eminent Mr Kessler has to purchase all costs the label £4-£7
the vinyl albums he reviews. Or is he all in, more for LPs.
lucky enough to have them ‘donated’ for The cited audiophile
the purpose of reviewing? One-Step LPs cost
The reason for my question has a commensurately
direct bearing on KK’s reviews as a large more because of the
number of these albums are now priced production of the high-
beyond the pockets of most mortals who quality vinyl and the
are still keen on vinyl and will generally methodology. What’s
buy a number of albums at once. Three more, One-Step LPs
or four albums at standard prices can be are produced in tiny,
expensive enough these days without finite quantities and
taking into consideration discs that do not benefit from the reductions in unit ABOVE: Lulu’s Decade: 1967-1976 collection
come in just short of £200 each! Can prices of, say, an Ed Sheeran title sold in and Flamin’ Groovies’ Gonna Rock Tonite!
these discs really justify their price tag? the millions, which come only with the scale BELOW: Album reviews from HFN Mar ’19
What’s more, when I read in the June of manufacturing. Buying LP sleeves, for
issue Barry Fox quoting Abbey Road example, from a printer in quantities of 2000, nearly £200 for One-Step LPs and £75+ for
mastering engineer Miles Showell means costs of three or four times as much mainstream box sets, every field – especially
saying that he ‘has concerns that low as buying them in batches of 20,000. high-end audio – has a luxury sector with
budget record players will eventually As for the discs being ‘donated’, once unavoidably forbidding pricing. That’s just
kill the hi-fi vinyl revival’, could not the played an LP cannot be re-sold as new, so a fact of life, from cars to clothing, watches
high price of new vinyl be as equally it is easier for a label to write off the CD or to wine. With all of these, any perceived
to blame? And I don’t just mean the LP as a promotional item. This also applies improvements are a mix of the objective
limited edition releases that are all to one as expensive as a MoFi One-Step, and the subjective, but especially relative to
but impossible to obtain, but the many of which precious few are sent out, and one’s income. I can splash out occasionally
remastered editions where the price then only to the calibre of magazines that for a £30 bottle of wine, but not one costing
ceiling appears to be rising all the time. will review them properly, eg, audiophile £300, but I do not consider this grounds for
Gordon Dunsmuir, via email publications, for addressing an audience bemoaning the existence of the latter nor
able or willing to purchase them. attacking those who can.
Ken Kessler replies: Mr Dunsmuir raises a I can speak only for my two pages of It’s all about personal priorities – which
number of points, which I will try to answer. reviews in HFN, but I write primarily about is why most audiophiles aren’t millionaires,
Re: review copies. All consumables are sent discs re-released to higher audio standards, but ‘mortals’ who saved and prioritised to
to magazines for review gratis, (eg, wine so the main thrust is about the sound, not satisfy their passion for sound quality. Which
for wine mags), unless when of a high unit the music – is there really anything else to is precisely why I will gladly drop £75 on a
cost and the possibility of then sending the say about Sgt Pepper or Music From Big CD box set of a favourite artist, but not on a
item to the next reviewer demands its return, Pink? Which reminds me: I may be the only couple of Cohiba cigars. The choice is yours.
reviewer on the planet who
buys a substantial number of ALBUM
REVIEWS
the titles reviewed, especially AUDIOPHILE: VINYL
AUDIOPHILE: DIGITAL
COMPACT DISC SUPERAUDIO DVD
THE BEATLES BLU-RAY VINYL DOWNLOAD
exotic CDs/SACDs which I feel The Beatles

Apple 02567 57201 (four LPs; also
Simply astonishing: Giles Martin’s
anniversary remastering of The
six CDs + Blu-ray, 02567 57195)
50th
White Album m
m
only sourc ces
supplants bootlegs that were the
our readers ought to know about for the outtakes, while presenting
mythical Esher Demos as a coherent,
whole. The original double was
the near--
re-miixed
heroic, bu
this takes one of their most adventurous
ut
((iff
The Eshher
fractious) albums to new heights.
– eg, the recent White Album Demos, predating the 1990s ‘unplugged
trend, show the group at work,
with casu
acoustic versions of familiar tracks,
as we
’
ual,
ell as
ake
eg, their ta
l
reams of unreleased material,

Milk Sea’. ason
In a sea o
and Imagine box sets, and the on Jackie Lomax’s ‘Sour

especially y THE EAGLES EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS
full of truly astounding box-sets,
this month, it was hard choosing
a ‘winner’ – Legacy
The Island Years THE SOUTHER-HILLMAN-FURAY BAND
Asylum R2 563613 (12 discs + DVD The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band
but this it must be. KK
+ Blu-ray)
Caroline CAROLR084CD (six discs)
One hopes that this is everything
The In between their boisterous-if-thick
Man In The Moon MITMCD36
Eagles released, including a CD’s
Lulu, The Action and Flamin’ worth of The 1974 debut from what should
Sound Quality: 95% singles, the live Hell Freezes Over
punk contemporaries and R&B-driven
Dr been a supergroup, ex-Byrd/Burrito
have
- - 100 DVD and Feelgood, this deliriously energetic Hillman,
0 - - - - - - the Farewell Tour Blu-ray, but the outƂt Richie Furay from The Buffalo SpringƂ
word brought back high-energy rock ’n’ eld
‘complete’ is dangerous. That said, roll in the (via Poco) and Souther, a singer-songwriter
this punk era of the mid ’70s. But unlike
and its 15LP equivalent purport their who supplied The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt,
to offer equally-frenetic, safety-pinned colleagues,
Groovies collections. I am in such. As a now-Ƃnished body of work

the death of Glenn Frey, few can
equal
it for consistency, but then I do have
soft spot for this band which aggravated
a
after the ’Rods could actually play, and
deserve
to be rediscovered. Like an anglicised,
speeded-up J Geils Band – whose
Drivin’ Man’ they covered – they
‘Hard
et al, with hits. They only lasted
because of artistic differences –
one considers that Furay and Hillman
for two LPs
ironic when
the calmer elements of their respective
were
purists, punks and pedants – including mixed bands. Brief span aside, this made
wild originals and wisely-chosen No 11 in
effect subsidising the music many of their colleagues. But the

music?
Superlative playing, fabulous harmonies
and impeccable material: ‘Lyin’ Eyes’,
‘Desperado’, ‘Hotel California,’ ‘Take
It Easy’
gems, eg,
‘96 Tears’. This 98-track set covers
Ƃrst three studio LPs and other work
1975-9, beefed up with live material
more bonus releases than you could
their
from
and
the USA and the 12 tracks, evenly
among them, are better than history
Alas, like Poco, this group didn’t
divided
tells.
ƃy as high
as their fellow, avian-named country-rock
and much more. KK ever colleagues, but it’s worth hearing
business with my own money. Sound Quality: 90%

0 - - - - - - - - 100
hope to acquire in their original
Sound Quality: 90%

0 - - - -
form. KK loved their other efforts. KK
Sound Quality: 85%

if you
- - - - 100 0 - - - - - - -
As for cheap turntables

- 100
LITTLE WILLIE JOHN THE KINKS

THE BAND The Kinks Are The Village Green PPreservat
Music From Big Pink
Fever BMGAA09BOX (three LPs + Ƃve CDs
e 7in single
+ three SIMON AND GARFUNKEL
mono)
Sundazed MH-8055 (white vinyl LP; l are
tials Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
LPs + 7in single + CD + Blu-ray) Oh, dear: my Kinks Kredenti
In any other month, this would have
Capitol 06025674805325 (45rpm
killing the vinyl revival, sales For purists, the main strength of
this risk as I do not consider this the
e Mobile Fidelity UDSACD2199
Despite
assuredly scored ‘best of’ honours. but I st After the One-Step LP of Bridge
superbly remixed/remastered 50th reduced to Something Else or Arthur, b Over Troubled
Little Willie John long ago being Water, it’s refreshing to note that
Anniversary celebration is the version
on
of the hard- Its ‘legendary’ status justiƂes wha its sonic
‘nearly-forgotten’ status outside brilliance was not restricted to
two 45rpm LPs. But this game-changing 12-track the most extensive album expans that album:
core R&B/blues community, this this is just gorgeous. Audiophiles
album, a cornerstone of roots music
and
uential that even more than the McCarrtney s have
collection from 1956 was so inƃ
of LPs have held firm, but alt.country (as well as a teaser for
‘Basement Tapes’) has been augmented
six bonus tracks on the two digital
surround mix on the Blu-ray and
Dylan’s
by
discs, a
its worth is impossible to gauge.
its gems are the original version
sumptuous song, a hit for Peggy
Among
of the title
Lee and covered by
Sgt Pepper. The original mmono a
LPs, the European 12-trackk versi
outtakes, pic-sleeve singless, a fa
hardback book, a lavish bo ox... Be
long appreciated S&G’s blend of
the superlative production values,
musicianship from the best of
vocals,
peerless
studio denizens
and other virtues rarely revealed
over a car
Elvis, ‘Need Your Love So Bad’, composed radio, when the duo produced
photographic material beƂtting
such a recognition after years of cult st hit-after-hit. This
budget turntable sales are

by
by his older brother and made famous e reco is one to savour, and a ƃag-waver
monumental record. One of rock’s
most
hits, all numerous reissues) for the for SACD: the
Fleetwood Mac, plus other genre mournful ‘Homeward Bound’, urban
incredible debuts, it gave us ‘This
Wheel’s
the age of us no major hits, but the ttitle tr darkness
performed with panache belying aoof in ‘The Dangling Conversation’,
On Fire’, ‘Tears Of Rage’, ‘The Weight’, relevant than ever in the eera the delicate,
six 18-19 when he recorded them. A textbook n iits o evocative title song. ‘A Simple
‘Chest Fever’, ‘I Shall Be Released’ and
only 30, a genuine masterpiece on Desultory
case of a cursed life, John died at Philippic’ remains a trite, embarrassing
Rolling available as a single LP and 2CD
slowing down. This, however, other classics. A worthy No 34 on

Stone’s Top 500 Albums of all time.
Sound Quality: 95%

KK but his legacy is forever. KK
Sound Quality: 90%

- - 100
Sound Quality: 90%
0 - - - - - -
but you can’t have everything.
Sound Quality: 95%

piece
Here’s praying
MoFi reissues the rest of their catalogue.
KK
- - -
ABOVE: Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Texas Flood

- - - 100 0 - - -
- -
differs from territory to territory. 0 - - -

0 - - - - - - - - 100
100 | www.hiƂnews.co.uk | MARCH

2019
as recently reissued on MoFi [UD-1S 2-005] Lastly, regarding the price of MARCH 2019 | www.hiƂnews.co.uk
| 101

Loudspeaker distortion
SPIDERS, SUSPENSION STIFFNESS AND SOURCES OF NONLINEARITY...
I note that when reviewing amplifiers

you measure distortion at output
powers from 1W to maximum. Yet you
only quote loudspeaker distortion at
a nominal 1W. While browsing the
web for information on distortion with
respect to dynamic loudspeakers,
I found a research article published
in October 2016 by the International
Journal of Engineering Research
and Application [see www.ijera.
com/papers/Vol6_issue10/Part-3/
O0610039194.pdf].
This clearly shows that the ‘spider’,
which is that part of the suspension
responsible for centering the voice
coil in the magnetic gap, increases
its resistance to displacement as the
displacement increases. This can ABOVE: Philips’ 22RH544 motional
only result in the non-linearity of the feedback loudspeaker from 1976
loudspeaker increasing as the input
power increases. more than centre the voice coil in the
Methods for counteracting this magnet gap. It provides most of the
have been put forward, including restoring force which returns it to its
motional feedback – as Philips did rest position when no signal current is
in the 1970s – and digital signal flowing. That restoring force is, as Mr
processing. However, these are Ford notes, nonlinear and together with
complications I’m sure the purists nonlinear Bl(x) – ie, motor force versus
would prefer to avoid. Would it not be displacement – a principal determinant
better for the manufacturers of drivers of loudspeaker distortion behaviour (there
to develop ways of varying the driving are others). Motional feedback and DSP
force of the magnet/coil assembly can indeed be used to counter these
dependant on displacement? sources of nonlinearity, although in the
One way may be, in a driver case of motional feedback the efficacy
having a short coil/long gap motor, is limited to low frequencies (where
to graduate the magnetic field so diaphragm displacement and hence
that at the rest position, the coil is in distortion are highest).
the weakest part of the field, and that But designing a motor system which
as the coil moves away from rest, it
enters a stronger part of the field.
I feel that this, in conjunction
increases force factor with displacement
to counter increasing stiffness of the
suspension with displacement would be
EXTREME?
with other recent innovations, such asking for trouble. One of the benefits
as DALI’s ‘soft magnetic material’,
should result in a major improvement
of increasing suspension stiffness (and
decreasing force factor) is that it provides
IT IS NOW!
in speaker distortion. This would a self-limiting action which prevents
be most apparent in small two- the driver being subject to mechanical
way speakers, where the existing damage if over-driven – a protection no
nonlinearity must also contribute speaker designer would want to forgo.
some intermodulation distortion. Harmonic distortion is always
Mike Ford, via email accompanied by intermodulation
distortion on complex signals such as
Keith Howard replies: Firstly, we do music, and in most circumstances IM
not measure loudspeaker distortion at products substantially exceed the level of
an input power of 1W – that would be harmonic products and are much more
bizarre. We measure distortion at an audibly objectionable. Interested readers
output level of 90dB SPL at 1m. with the necessary back issue can learn
The spider (aka suspension) of more about this from ‘The Weighting
a moving-coil loudspeaker does a lot Game’ [HFN Dec ’01].

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VINTAGE HI-FI
Ferguson CD 03 CD player
This slimline design was fashioned with Yuppies in mind yet packed tried-and-tested
tech from premium Sony products. How does it shape up today? It’s time to find out
Review: Tim Jarman Lab: Paul Miller
hen it comes to CD players,
W Ferguson has a claim to fame,

for its CD 01 [HFN Jan ’19] of
1984 was the first machine
to appear from a British household name.
The player’s Sony origins also meant it
stood out from the crowd. At the time,
manufacturers wishing to gain a foothold
in the rapidly growing market for CD
players, but who lacked the R&D resources
to build machines of their own, usually
went to Philips for the hardware. Sony’s
players were considered to be top of the
market, the Japanese company’s carefully
cultivated image only helping to justify
their premium prices.
LIFESTYLE CHOICE
Although the CD 01 made no lasting
impression on UK audiophiles, Sony
continued to cooperate with Ferguson, ABOVE: The size of the disc and mix of
providing the basis for the CD 02 that drawer compared to the rest of the facilities were slightly
followed and the CD 03 seen here. The fascia shows how small the CD 03 is. The different. This model was
CD 02 was based on the Sony CDP-102, blue pegs support the disc during loading available in the UK, but it tended
a highly specified machine which, in Sony to be offered as part of Sony’s top-line
livery at least, sold well in the UK. The Philips and Hitachi had done in Europe ‘Compact’ packaged systems. Perhaps the
CD 03 of 1985 was smaller and neater, and Japan respectively. However, the basic variant that sold in the greatest numbers
mirroring perfectly the idea that the CD design behind the CD 03 could be found in the UK was the Aiwa DX-770. Aiwa had
was now part of the uncluttered, stylish in a wide range of models. The direct Sony been under the control of Sony since the
lifestyle to which the ‘upwardly mobile’ equivalent was the CDP-33, sold mainly late ’60s but design autonomy had been
members of mid ’80s society aspired. on the home market in Japan. The more maintained, allowing, for example, Aiwa
Sony never attempted to court the widely exported CDP-30 was technically to outpace Sony in terms of cassette deck
market for ‘your name here’ players, as almost identical, although its fascia design technology for most of the 1970s.
TINY CHIPS
Aiwa’s first two CD players had been
completely independent designs with
almost no Sony content whatsoever. Key
parts like optical units, servo motors and
the main circuit elements were all either
produced in-house or sourced from the
likes of Yamaha and Burr-Brown. However,
the internal rationalisation that became
a necessary part of corporate Japan at
around this time forced Aiwa finally to
accept a Sony product as its own, although
LEFT: The ‘Reset’ label for the stop button gives

away the CD 03’s Sony origins. Clear and simple
to operate with no hidden controls or functions,
the model was perfect for first time CD users

a unique fascia and colour scheme was board, increasing reliability and reducing ABOVE: Neat and elegant with classic ’80s
devised to hide the fact. production costs. One full-sized item that details, the CD 03 is an attractive player. The
Technically, all these machines was carried over was the CX20017 DAC, an ‘Ferguson CD’ logo survived from the CD 01,
employed a mixture of existing and new old favourite since the days of Sony’s debut with the Thorn group’s emblem just to its left
ideas. A simply constructed mechanism player, the CDP-101 [HFN Jan ’12].
held a Sony KSS121A optical block along built for use in hi-fi systems have always
with an inexpensive DC brush-type motor CLASSIC LAYOUT been about the same size. Indeed, even
for the disc spindle. Both these items took Although some of the more upmarket Sony though great progress has been made in
up much less space inside the player’s models now boasted separate DAC chips the miniaturisation of electronics since the
cabinet than did their counterparts in for each channel, the CDP-33, Ferguson CD introduction of the format, few designers
the earlier models. The laser tracked the 03 and Aiwa DX-770 struggled on with one appear to have been keen to exploit the
disc on a sled mechanism non-oversampled chip, possibilities this brings.
that was driven along by time-shared between Still, the CD 03 is deceptive. It actually
another DC brush-type ‘This CD player left and right channels. has the same proportions as a conventional
motor through a rack and
pinion arrangement. In
is what great Smoothing, and alias
rejection, was achieved
player but is smaller in every dimension,
so despite its rather bland and derivative
this respect the Ferguson
CD 03 differed from the
vintage hi-fi with high-slope, low-pass layout it is an attractive little unit. And
while the ‘Stop’ key is labelled ‘Reset’,
analogue filters that bit
company’s more elaborate is all about’ steeply beyond 20kHz [see giving away the player’s Sony origins,
CD 02, which used a fast- PM’s Lab Report, p127]. otherwise this compact machine is fairly
access linear motor for this purpose. While an effective option for use in simple conventional in terms of its ergonomics.
The CD 03’s servo, error correction and players, the days of this classic layout were
decoding functions were all performed numbered. The cost of DAC chips was SONY SLICKNESS
by chips taken from Sony’s D-50 portable falling just as the format’s ‘wow’ factor was When it comes to using the CD 03, as
player [HFN Jan ’13] and not one of its on the wane and so traditional ‘number with the CD 01, the display can prove
full-sized machines. These tiny, surface- war’ tactics were beginning to be used to somewhat confusing when a disc is first
mounted components meant that it was help sell players to the public. loaded. After the TOC is read, the display
now easy to get all the important parts Perhaps the most striking thing about shows ‘0’, making one think that the
of the player onto a single printed circuit the CD 03 is how small it is. CD players disc has not been read successfully. This
is normal though, and a track number
appears as soon as playback starts.
Basic track programming is now possible
(the CD 01 did not have this facility) but
the A-B repeat function has been lost, so
this remains a very basic machine. Although
not as sturdy as the CD 01, the CD 03
still feels well made and operates with
traditional Sony slickness. Its output level is
LEFT: In the UK, the technically identical Sony

CDP-30 ( pictured below) was the nearest
equivalent player to the Ferguson CD 03,
despite its slightly different fascia arrangement

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VINTAGE HI-FI
RIGHT: Using miniature components from the
Sony D-50 meant the entire circuit could be
constructed on a single printed board, although
the full-sized DAC from the CDP-101 was used
standard and traditional RCA-type sockets

are used, so integration with almost any
partnering equipment is straightforward.
TIM LISTENS
Being able to compare the sound of the
Sony CDP-101, Ferguson CD 01 and the
CD 03 revealed a general improvement as
the models progressed. This is in marked
contrast to Philips, who – to these ears at
least – peaked early with its original 14-bit
machines. Sony’s work seems not to have
centred on the fundamental tonality of the
player, which stays substantially constant
over the models, but on the ‘structure’ of
the sound and stereo imaging.
While some of the CDP-101’s distinctive
stark character is now absent, the CD 03
still possesses a hard, slightly cold sound
with a pronounced midband and a tight,
dry bottom end. It isn’t unpleasant, but
means the player needs to be partnered As an example, the gentle cymbal been placed or belong centrally in the mix
carefully to give the most pleasing results. line that opens ‘Space Dog’ by Tori Amos being slightly smeared across something
One area in which these early linear [Under The Pink; East West 7567-82567-2] of a gap in the middle. The effect becomes
(eg, no digital filter) players have a real sounds delicious on the CD 03, although less pronounced in the lower registers but,
advantage is in treble the chunky bass line that to my ears, is more obvious in the mid and
clarity. Philips machines follows could do with high treble areas.
with their 4x oversampling ‘It reminds us a little more heft and It is with large scale orchestral pieces
can sound a bit cloudy
and diffuse at times when
how classic body. With simple, close-
mic’d pieces like this the
where one notices this the most, since
the spread of sound is naturally large
compared to the pin-sharp
focus that the simpler
albums were limited spatial resolution
of the DAC isn’t a major
and one instinctively knows where each
instrument should appear. The prelude to
Japanese approach can meant to sound’ limitation and one can Act III of Wagner’s Lohengrin [Deutsche
deliver. Sadly, the single imagine that with a Grammophon 453 485-2] sounded as if the
DAC approach also seems to muddle up forgiving amp and speakers this simple, string section had been pushed firmly to
the exact positioning of instruments and back-to-basics approach could bear fruit. the left and the brass exiled to the extreme
performers in the soundstage, although the In practice, the CD 03’s soundfield right, with only an occasional mighty
CD 03 shows a progressive improvement tends to pool around each loudspeaker, cymbal crash making it to centre stage.
over its predecessors in this respect. with instruments and voices that have
SILVER MACHINE
In fairness, you need a large, well set up
listening space for these issues to become
readily apparent, and it is unlikely the
makers of any of the machines in this series
expected them to be used in this way. Still,
it serves to underline the superiority of the
competing upsampling digital filter and
twin DAC arrangement, with its improved
phase linearity, which would become
universal by the end of the decade.
Chances are that the young and trendy
owners of new CD 03s would have been
enjoying the immaculately produced studio
pop of the time rather than ploughing
LEFT: Exploded view shows the simplicity of

the mechanical arrangements inside the CD 03.
The gears which drive the tray are vulnerable
components that need to be checked carefully

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LAB
REPORT
VINTAGE HI-FI FERGUSON CD 03 (Vintage)
Arguably rarer still than the Ferguson CD 01 player [HFN Jan ’19],
this CD 03 variant is not a wholesale evolution on the original.
Yes, it shares the same CX20017 non-oversampled, time-shared
16-bit DAC as Sony’s inaugural CDP-101 [HFN Jan ’12], together
with a later KSS-121A transport mechanism that reads yet-to-
have-been-invented CD-R discs with slick efficiency. However,
while the output buffer offers a full 2.1V instead of 2V, and peak
level distortion is reduced from 0.00075% to an even lower
0.00034% [black trace, Graph 1 below], the A-wtd S/N ratio is
unchanged at 98.4dB and the source impedance is far higher at
1.63-1.76kohm. So the CD 03 will be less cable agnostic than
either the CD 01 or any of the early Sony players.
That there’s a different analogue filter chip between the DAC
ABOVE: Rear panel could not be simpler, with a fixed mains cable and standard RCA and output buffer in the CD 03 is also indicated by its stopband
sockets while cool running circuitry means no ventilation slots or external heat sinks rejection – a figure of 41dB putting the CD 03 far closer to
Sony’s CDP-101 than the 90dB achieved by the CDP-11S and
through classical set pieces. Here based on this one design. As ever, Ferguson CD 01. That said, the reconstructed response is just
fractionally smoother, albeit with a bass lift here, while the
the machine makes perfect sense, a the condition of the optical unit is
impulse response [inset, Graph 2] demonstrates a less aggressive
spin through Level 42’s 1985 album critical, but oddly the chances of ripple/ringing. As before, the 0.0113msec offset between left
World Machine [Polydor 827 487-2] finding a good one are favourable, (black) and right (red) is a function of the sequential left sample-
revealing all the sheen and sparkle the passage of time having weeded by-right sample conversion of this ‘mono’ DAC.
Low level resolution is improved in the CD 03, the boosting
that was this generation of players’ out most of the weak ones by now.
of detail at –90dBFs and –100dBFs seen with the CX20017 DAC
calling card. Effortlessly brisk and A brisk reading of the disc’s TOC is is just half that recorded for the CD 01 at +3.5dB to +3.8dB,
brightly lit everywhere it matters, a good sign; spinning away for ages respectively. Jitter was not measurable in 1985 but the CD 03
the CD 03 makes it clear what the and doing nothing are not. follows the same mild data-induced pattern we saw in the CD
digital future then had to offer. It is more likely that you will find 01, albeit slightly higher in this model at 770psec. In practice
this might just as easily be a function of production variation. PM
True, one could argue that the players in which the loading gears
bass is perhaps a little clipped, but that drive the tray have failed. In
the treble ‘bite’ is superb, making the interests of quiet running the
me want to listen to the entire first one in the train was made from
album non-stop. In a way this player resilient plastic and in some cases
is like a little silver time machine, this is now beginning to decompose.
winding the clock back three-and-a- A banging, rattling sound as the
half decades and reminding anyone tray opens and closes is a sure sign
listening how these classic albums that the gear is beginning to lose its
were meant to sound. This is what teeth and it cannot be repaired.
great vintage hi-fi is all about and in While a skilled modeller should
this respect the CD 03 delivers. be able to replicate the parts with
little difficulty (as was necessary with
BUYING SECONDHAND our sample) replacements are not ABOVE: Distortion versus 16-bit CD digital signal level
The Ferguson CD 03 isn’t an easy currently available commercially. over a 120dB range (black = 1kHz; blue = 20kHz)
player to find these days, though Electronically, the cool-running
the CDP-30 and Aiwa DX-770 crop circuit has proved reliable, although
up from time to time. The following the quality of the soldering could
observations apply to all models in some cases be better. Therefore,
all manner of intermittent and
otherwise baffling faults can often
be cured with a careful run around
with a hot soldering iron.
HI-FI NEWS VERDICT

Although the Ferguson CD 03 is
ABOVE: No digital filter, so no pre-ringing on the
a somewhat obscure player, the
impulse response! Response [above] is broadly flat
chances of finding an example
of one of the models sharing its
DNA is reasonably high. Not state HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS
of the art, but still considered Maximum output level / Impedance 2.10Vrms / 1.63-1.76kohm
and well designed, this is a great A-wtd S/N ratio 98.4dB
machine for anyone looking for
Distortion (1kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.00034% / 0.0083%
that authentic 1980s sound. It
has all the style you’d expect from Distortion & Noise (20kHz, 0dBFs/–30dBFs) 0.0055% / 0.0012%
the ‘Designer Decade’ too, so if Frequency response (20Hz-20kHz) +0.15 to –0.36dB

you want to spend a little time Digital jitter 770psec
back there, find one of these.
Resolution @ –90dB/–100dB +3.5dB / ±3.8dB
Sound Quality: 75% Power consumption 7W
ABOVE: The Aiwa DX-770 (second from 0 - - - - - - - - 100 Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 354x70x270mm / 6kg
top) was a popular variant of this design

FR
ROM
OM THE VAULT
Improving groove contact

Basil Lane looks at stylus progress and the van den Hul tip
arbon is one of the most
C common and versatile

elements found on Earth.
In its purest form it has
the odd characteristic of being what
chemists call allotropic. That is to
say, it can appear in more than one
distinct form of the same state.
Carbon’s two main allotropic
forms are diamond and graphite,
each of which has unique properties
of great value. Graphite can be
used for pencils when moulded into
thin rods with clay, it is valuable
as electrodes in various chemical
processes, it can be used to make
crucibles, or as a lubricant. The
Hi-Fi diamond, however, is completely varied applications is an extremely ABOVE: Three views of the van den Hul
different in its mechanical properties specialised skill found in only a few
News and is noted not only for the great factories around the world. Most of
stylus as used on the Goldring G900/IGC
Aug 1980 beauty of its cut crystals when used

by a jeweller, but also for being the
the diamond tips used for pick-up
styli are processed in Japan, with
In recent years more light has
been shed on the effects of other
Each month hardest substance known to man. Switzerland and Germany also parameters, to show that the
HFN will bring Hardness is a property which playing a leading role. idealised geometry conceived by
you an article suggests resistance to frictional the stylus designer is often not
from our vast wear, and it is this factor which CRYSTAL MAZE met in practice, either because
archive of makes the diamond of such Designing a stylus tip also requires of difficulties in manufacture, or
features and great interest to manufacturers great skill, and an understanding because of rapid wear producing
reviews from of pick-up styli. Cutting, grinding of the basic crystal structure of the a less than optimum shape of tip.
yesteryear and polishing diamonds for their diamond. Typically, a well formed The starting point is the cutter
crystal looks like an octahedral rod, blade that forms the original disc
but the internal make-up of the groove. lt is in the shape of a
crystal lattice – or pointed chisel [see
array of atoms that Fig 1, p129] in
make up this rod – ‘The stylus-tip which the actual
is more complex. cutting edges
The structure of designer is are rounded to
the lattice looks
like a tight pyramid
concerned with a radius of about
two microns. The
of atoms, and the four features’ included angle of
way in which these the groove when
pyramids interface produces a series unmodulated is about 90o, although
of angles to the main surfaces of the this can reduce to as little as 60o
rod, which can be easily cleaved or with heavy modulation (if one views
cut to produce the multi-faceted the groove across the modulation
brilliants often used by the jeweller. waveform at its steepest points
The stylus-tip designer is instead of at right angles to the
concerned with four principal mean groove path).
features: (1) the final mass of the Because the disc rotates at a
tip, (2) the hardness of the surfaces constant radial velocity, the actual
eventually placed in contact with linear velocity of the disc beneath
the walls of the disc groove, (3) the the cutter varies from the outer
geometry of these contact surfaces, to the inner grooves. This means
and (4) the ease of manufacture. Of that the physical wavelength of a
these, the first and the third have pure tone recorded at the outer and
been the most publicised, since they inner grooves will be different. The
seem to be more closely related to shortest wavelength will be found at
the quality of reproduction. the innermost groove. For example,

FAR LEFT: (top to
bottom) Denon
103 (conical tip
with too much
adhesive); Denon
DL103D (finest
Denon tip); ADC
XLM III (note
asymmetric shape
of this sample);
Shure V15 III (note
rough unpolished
grinding
LEFT: (top to
bottom) Coral
777EX (so-called
elliptical contacts
actually conical);
Audio-Technica
ATSL20A (note the
overground
Shibata tip);
Pramanik tip on
B&O MMC600
(area where
groove is traced
has a variable
radius); Shure V15
IV (dubbed
‘hyper-elliptical’
but contact
portion appears to
be conventionally
elliptical
a half-cycle at 15kHz will occupy however, we shall assume that the RIGHT: (top to [see Fig 2, p131] having a radius,
only about seven microns at a radius smallest radius of modulation that bottom) Ortofon for microgroove LPs, of typically
of 6cm (the approximate minimum the stylus has to trace accurately will FF15XE II; Ortofon between 12.5 to 25 microns.
radius of a record groove), but at the be about seven microns. SL20Q; Ultimo Clearly, when compared with the
maximum radius of about 14.5cm Two other factors of groove Dynavector 30C figure given for the half wavelength
will occupy about 16.6 microns. geometry are important. During with Paroc tip of a 15kHz signal at the smallest
cutting, the material chiselled from (note similarity to disc diameter, the 12 micron tip is
LAND AHOY! the groove is normally completely Pramanik tip); unable to trace the recorded signal,
The actual minimum radius of removed, but at the same time Stanton 681EE while larger diameters will skate
curvature at the modulation a certain amount is displaced or (note double across such modulations.
waveform crests due to a 15kHz squeezed up to form ‘lands’ at the elliptical tip)
signal will depend also on the top edge of the groove. Should a BODY DOUBLE
amount of sideways excursion of the stylus be of large enough radius to This led eventually to the
cutter, and at such a high frequency ride on these lands then distortion is development of the elliptical or
this is bound to be small. For the bound to occur, since the amount of bi-radial stylus which, if viewed
purpose of this simple discussion, material found at this point will be at the point of contact with the
variable. The second factor concerns LEFT: Fig 1 – the groove, clearly shows two radii [see
the bottom of the groove, which cutting stylus, in Fig 3, p131]. The smaller of these
tends to accumulate rubbish of all which the actual can vary from five to ten microns,
sorts. Again, if the stylus design cutting edges are which suggests that the elliptical
permits the tip to explore this part rounded to a profile should at least be capable of
of the groove, reproduction will be radius of about inserting its radius within our crucial
marred by extraneous noise. two microns. The seven microns (representing the
Early stylus tips were usually included angle of smallest audio signal wavelength).
designed as truncated cones having the groove when Nevertheless it still may not trace
an included angle of about 55o unmodulated is the equivalent waveform motion
rounded off at the tip into a ball about 90o with absolute accuracy.

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FR
ROM THE VAU
ULT
the impedance of the mechanical LEFT: Fig 2 – suffered, resulting in a distortion
system. Naturally, the risk of serious vertical and plan of the designer’s original shape,
indentation is high, leading to section of a or in poor mounting of the tip on
permanent groove deformation. conical stylus, the cantilever. In a presentation by
In the case of the elliptical tip which has its Mr van den Hul at the Spring High
the contact area is extended in the tip rounded off Fidelity Show, he made the following
vertical direction by merging the into a ball points, quoted from his speech:
small side radius (5μ) into a relatively ‘Due to the vertical orientation
large major radius (18μ), the latter BELOW: of the original disc cutter, the
approximating to that normally Fig 3 – bi-radial modulation in all record grooves
used on a spherical tip (0.7mil). This, stylus which, if has a vertical orientation. [Not to
coupled to lower moving masses at viewed at the be confused with the direction of
the tip, reduces the load on the disc point of contact ‘vertical’ motion, which is not truly
grooves and reduces record wear. with the groove, vertical for other reasons.] The
shows two radii replay tip should also retain this
NEW TIP DESIGN – small and large exact orientation. Where there are
In the case of the latest types of
stylus tip, which include the Shure
Hyperelliptical, the Shibata and the
Pramanik, this vertical contact is
elongated still further by using even
larger effective radii for the vertical
plane of the contact surface. But
now, Goldring has taken the idea
one stage further by adopting a new
tip design for its G900/IGC cartridge.
The tip originated from Aalt Jouk van
den Hul, and the letters IGC stand
Finally, a further development for ‘intimate groove contact’. deviations, tracing is not correct
occurred with the advent of Having examined the other tip and fails to have a defined direction
quadraphonic discs, and in particular designs available [see images, p129] [see Fig 4, below]. For example, the
the CD-4 type which van den Hul became Shibata displays a poor tracking line
required that the convinced that there because of the combination of a
stylus should scan ‘What are the were two common BELOW: Fig 4 basic conical shape with additional
frequencies well above
20kHz to detect the
exact features misconceptions
about these designs.
– says vdH,
‘modulation in all
planes, producing a 3D curve which
does not have an exactly vertical
special carrier signals of the van The first was that record grooves contact line. One can also examine
without wiping the production versions has a vertical the rounding of the tip in the plan
modulations from the den Hul tip?’ exactly followed orientation. The view, where the radius may not be
groove. Thus appeared the geometry of the replay tip should constant. This parameter affects
the Shibata tip and several others original design and were of a high also retain this harmonic distortion...
of similar design. Their virtues have standard of finish. The second was exact orientation. ‘Because of the small contact
been further explored with the that the contact area of the latest Where there are radius of the new tip, only a
adoption of the long-contact profile. designs remained constant. deviations, tracing very small part of the groove is
A theoretical study showed the is not correct and traced. The positive aspect of
HIGH RISK latter to be far from true and that, fails to have a the new tip shape is that the tip
To go back to the spherical tip for a for example, at high frequencies the defined direction.’ movement exactly follows the
moment, referring to Fig 2 it can be point of contact
seen that each of the two contact would rotate
areas will be at a point – or at least around the minor
a small disc due to indentation of radius (viewed in
the vinyl. The only situation in which plan) and could
this shape tends to change is when vary considerably
the radius of the groove modulation in size. Secondly,
approaches that of the tip, in which he was able to
case the contact approximates to demonstrate
a line parallel to the groove wall. that due to the
This only happens precisely when manufacturing
the radius of the tip exactly fits the techniques
radius of modulation. adopted to obtain
The small contact areas carry the the multiple radii
total forces acting on the tip arising on many of the
from playing force, acceleration, later designs,
and the interactions of these with production quality

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THE PLACE TO APOGEE Caliper floorstanding 12. MISCELLANEOUS

ribbon speakers, taupe (cream),
BUY & SELL AUDIO mint, with special dust covers.
Require bi-wiring or bi-amping,
BEN Duncan Pure Power mains
conditioner as sold by the Hi-Fi
EQUIPMENT & ACCESSORIES £1000, no offers. Cash against
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2. AMPLIFIERS CHORD 2Qute DAC complete
CASTLE Harlech S1, £300,
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include original drive units. Black
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CARTRIDGE Man The

Conductor Air Bearing tonearm.
Original box plus air pump, tubing,
accessories and spares. Excellent
with MCRU linear power supply. oak finish, SEAS treble unit. condition, £1250. Buyer collects
ONKYO A9010 amplifier. Well Immaculate condition. £500. Tel: 074944 56770 from South Manchester. Email:
regarded budget design, 45W per Collection from South London. [email protected].
channel, five line inputs plus one Tel: 07796 878504 8. TUNERS Tel: 0771 772 4773
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Six months old, one month’s use, MERIDIAN 566 DAC/processor. ROKSAN Kandy KT1 tuner, great 13. WANTED
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collects from north Birmingham. system on the cheap. £250. Cash Buyer collects from Romford. LINN chassis and cover from late
Tel: 0121 308 6669 only. Weston-Super-Mare. Buyer Tel: 079517 33437 1990s series. Numerik, power amp
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ELECTROCOMPANIET DAY Sequerra FM studio tuner. panel. Mains input socket and power
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demo, £1850. Tel: 07555 263931 outputs. Mint condition, boxed, Tel: 01256 770634
FOCAL Aria 926 floorstanders manual. Cost new £3500. Sensible
TOM Evans Audio amplifier in walnut. New April 2016. Mint offers. Tel: 01347 823467 ARMSTRONG 600 series
combo. Original Vibe preamp and condition with boxes and manual. tuner or receiver. Working or not.
Linear A power amp. The Vibe has £995. Buyer collects (mid Wales). 9. TURNTABLES About £45 plus agreed postage.
a standard power supply and the Email: [email protected] Tel: 01938 553559
Linear A has Tom’s new binding posts SME M2-9 tonearm. All original
upgrade. Selling as a pair. No boxes TANNOY DC6T speakers in packaging, tools, instruction book. FAULTY amps and CD players
so collection preferred from South excellent condition. Serial No: Little used. As new, mint, £795. from Cyrus, Arcam, Linn, Naim, etc.
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miles. Excellent condition, valves Anniversary XT bi-wire cable. £250. Tel: 077808 88686 Tel: 07506 793547
have had less than 70 hours’ use. Collection only. Tel: 07909 776879
£5500 ovno. Tel: 07725 525001. GARRARD 401, chassis only GARRARD three-speed
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cable. 2.5m pair with banana plugs. good condition, £75. Ruark Sabre II, Email: [email protected] condition. Tel: 01269 595271
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FR
ROM THE VAU
ULT
groove modulation. Tracing of
these frequencies is impossible with
larger and more crudely shaped
tips. Therefore many cartridge
manufacturers were forced to
“build in” a cantilever resonance
to produce a higher output at high
frequencies to flatten the overall
output frequency curve. This also
produces loss of definition...
‘In the case of multi-radial
tips, the contact “islands” move
round the tip as the stylus traces
a modulation wave in the wall. This
can produce incorrect tracing, and
intermodulation distortion results
[and also Doppler distortion].’
Finally, the van den Hul stylus TOP: Original
BACK TO THE GRIND
So exactly what are the design
is produced by specially devised
grinding and polishing techniques
pages from the
Aug 1980 issue
Also in HFN this
features of the van den Hul tip? that have raised the consistency of of HFN in which month in 1980
In appearance, it has a very slim geometry, from sample to sample, Basil Lane looked
wedge-shaped profile [see Fig 5, to a level not previously obtained in at developments ANOTHER PURIST TECHNIQUE
below] having an unusually long tip manufacture. in stylus design, Tony Faulkner discusses a
contact line formed by adopting a Van den Hul claims that by going paying particular neglected microphone system.
vertical plane major radius of about back to examine the original design attention to the
80 microns. Because the leading and of the cutter and then using as van den Hul tip. THE RECORD BUSINESS
trailing surfaces are formed from much as possible from this source The cover shows a Adrian Hope continues the
two large-radius conical shapes, in designing the new tip, he has photomicrograph second part of his investigation.
the contact radius in plan view is produced a more optimal stylus than of a stylus tip
a constant over a large part of the anything previously available. Also, taken by van den FM RADIO
tip and is close to four microns. by paying attention to the problems Hul over which are By Angus McKenzie.
Van den Hul points out that of surface finishing and mounting, imposed images
the tip is formed from a carefully he can offer greater consistency of five diamond SHURA CHERKASSKY
selected square section rod of in the geometry of the tip when octahedrons Andrew Keener talks to
diamond oriented so that the mounted in the cantilever. The a singularly devoted pianist.
contact radii are formed from particular geometry used produces
the side walls, which are harder. an exactly vertical contact line, SUBJECTIVE SOUNDS
The use of the square shank also with no curvature, while the small By Paul Messenger.
ensures considerable accuracy in the contact radius ensures any effects
alignment of the tip with relation from rotation of the contact point GILLIAN WEIR
to the cantilever. This is a fault that when tracing groove modulations Shirley Harris interviews
he maintains is common to many of short wavelength are minimised. a noted lady of the organ loft.
other tips, especially where a round
section rod is used. DISC QUALITY THE ORCHESTRAL RAVEL
The claims will have to be tested by Andrew Keener considers the
review, but the Goldring cartridge music and recordings.
does appear to offer advantages
over other designs aiming for TEN PICK-UP CARTRIDGES
the same objectives. However, in Noel Keywood hears the
attempting to approach the shape Nagaoka MP50, Ortofon LM30,
of the cutter more closely (without Goldring G900/IGC, Glanz MFG
producing a cutting blade) van 71E, Shure M97HE, Satin M117S,
den Hul may have overlooked the LEFT: Fig 5 – Westrak 501PH, Coral MC81,
possibility that maintenance of close-up of the van Fidelity Research FR1 Mk3 and
cutting styli is not always as good den Hul tip. With the Empire EDR9.
as it should be, so the groove could a major radius of
have a less than ideal shape. His about 80 microns FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKERS
tip might be less tolerant of such in the vertical The Acoustic Research AR91
situations. Nevertheless, this should plane the very slim and AR92, Monitor Audio
not be an argument for diluting wedge-shaped MA2, Tannoy Cheviot II and
the design of the replay tip, but profile has an Wharfedale TSR 110 are
emphasises the need to improve disc unusually long assessed by Trevor Attewell.
quality at all stages of production. contact line

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Your old tonearms, cartridges, spare
parts and hi-fi accessories (SME, Decca, for audio in West Yorkshire.
Proudly representing Naim Audio, Rega,
Ortofon, Thorens, Garrard, EMT).
Focal, Neat Acoustics, Chord Company,
Complete lots bought, Because we listen Dynavector, Quadraspire, Custom Design,
nothing refused. Cyrus and ATC with more to follow.
Contact:
[email protected]
or Tel: 003539531922 [email protected] 01943 850 650 dnaaudio.co.uk
ORANGES & LEMONS

IAN HARRISON HI FI
HEADPHONES:
SENNHEISER, BEYER, ERGO, GRADO, We are the only
PSB, AUDIOQUEST, AUDEZE, UK retailer where
ULTRASONE you can audition
and compare
HEADPHONE AMPLIFIERS: the complete
CREEK, FIDELITY AUDIO, Vivid Audio
GRAHAM SLEE, ICON AUDIO, speaker range.
LEHMANN, PROJECT, SUGDEN WWW.SIXAUDIO.CO.UK
PLEASE PHONE OR EMAIL ENQUIRIES TO:
oandlhifi.co.uk [email protected]
01403
02079242040 - London SW11
bowers & wilkins rega sonos linn naim atc pmc arcam tellurium q TEL: 01283 702875 713125
chord co neat dynaudio rotel rel sennheiser chord electronics
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www.hifilounge.co.uk &&&" &" &&#
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01767 448121
www.highendheadphones.co.uk
Uk's only dedicated
demo facility for
high-end
headphones

$$$ "
IAN HARRISON HI FI
6HQVLEOHKLðVLQFH
HARBETH MICHELL
· Rega MONITOR 40.2 £POA ORBE £POA
· Harbeth SUPER HL5PLUS £POA ORBE SE £POA
MONITOR 30.1 £POA GYRO £POA
· Croft HLC7ES-3 £POA GYRO SE £POA
· Spendor P3ESR £POA TECNODEC £POA
40th ANNIVERSARY £POA TECNOARM £POA
· Luxman MODELS ACCESSORIES £POA
· Michell
FREE UK DELIVERY!!
· EAR
Saffron Walden www.radlettaudio.co.uk [email protected]
01799 599080 [email protected] TEL: 01283 702875
To advertise in this section
please call Sonia Smart on 01689 869 919
ACAPELLA
ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE
ACOUSTIC SOLID
AIR TIGHT
ALPHASON
AMAZON AUDIO
AMG
ATACAMA
IAN HARRISON HIFI
SALE! UP TO 40% OFF!
TEL: 01283 702875 [email protected]
HELIUS
HIFI RACKS
ICON AUDIO
IKEDA
INSPIRE
IXOS
KOETSU
KUBALA-SOSNA
QED
QUAD
QUADRASPHIRE
REED
ROKSAN
ROTHWELL
SENNHEISER
SOUNDSMITH
SPECIAL OFFERS!!
VAN DEN HUL MC10 SPECIAL
ORTOFON CADENZA BLUE
ORTOFON 2M BLACK
ORTOFON 2M BLUE
ORTOFON QUINTET BLUE
£775
£950
£445
£160
£299
Mavros
BENZ MICRO LEHMANN SOUNDSTYLE
BEYER LUXMAN ORTOFON QUINTET RED £210
SRM TECH
BLACK RHODIUM MICHELL SUGDEN MICHEL ORBE £POA
BLUESOUND MOERCH SUMIKO MICHEL ORBE SE £POA
CABASSE MOTH SUPRA
CARTRIDGE MAN MUNARI KOETSU £POA
T+A WHEST AUDIO TWO.2 £POA
CREEK MUSIC HALL
CUSTOM DESIGN MUSIC TOOLS TAYLOR ACOUSTICS
TECHDAS WHEST AUDIO THREE SIGNATURE £POA
DECCA LONDON MY SONIC LAB
EAR YOSHINO NAGAOKA THORENS WHEST PS4ORDT £POA
EMT NORSTONE TOM EVANS EAR/YOSHINO £POA
EPOS OPERA AUDIO TRACK AUDIO BLACK RHODIUM £POA
ERGO ORIGIN LIVE TRANSPARENT
TRICHORD TRANSPARENT £POA
FIDELITY AUDIO ORTOFON
GOLDRING PARASOUND VALVET PRO-JECT £POA
GRADO PEERLESS VAN DEN HUL GOLDRING £POA
GRAHAM PRO-JECT WHEST AUDIO BEYER £POA
GRAHAM SLEE PSB WIREWORLD
HANA PURE SOUND ZENSATI LEHMANN AUDIO £POA
HARBETH Q ACOUSTICS ZYX SENNHEISER £POA
PLEASE PHONE TO CONFIRM PRICE & AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO ORDERING.
ALL GOODS ARE BRAND NEW & BOXED WITH FULL U.K. GUARANTEES.
NO EX-DEM OR EX-DISPLAY GOODS. NO GREY IMPORTS. GOODS ARE NOT
SUPPLIED ON APPROVAL. SORRY NO GENERAL CATALOGUES
PLEASE PHONE OF WRITE FOR SPECIFIC REVIEWS, BROCHURES OR PRICES.
* CALL FOR DETAILS ESTABLISHED 1986
MAIL ORDER ONLY FROM; IAN HARRISON, 7 MILL HILL, REPTON, DERBY, DE65 6GQ atlascables.com
TEL: 01283 702875 9am-9pm INCLUDING SUNDAYS
Dealer Directory
& Record Review
EDITORIAL TEAM
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If you want to hear a pair of

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LAST WORD
OFF THE
for the upper Revox models, the much
coveted models from Technics or entry-level
Studers. A new machine with commercial
appeal for audiophiles, then, will have to be
LE S !
offered for under £5000 – if that’s do-able.
Here’s why: any decent used machine –
whether an affordable TEAC, Akai, Pioneer,
Sony or Aiwa deck, or even something
nearer Revox level – will need servicing
KEN KESSLE
ER TE
ELLS IT LIKE IT IS...
. before one entrusts it with fresh or pre-
recorded tapes, either irreplaceable old
Despite not appealing ones which are fragile or new ones which
to the money men, it’s are expensive. From what I can tell, and
depending on what level of servicing is
a format whose future is required, from a basic overhaul to a full
rosy, says Ken Kessler restoration or offering intense modification,
add to the budget anything from £200 to
hile our show reports bring you Probably the biggest bombshell, however, £1500. Or more.
W images and insight from hi-fi

shows across the globe, the
zeitgeist is often much harder
to convey. So huge is the Munich High End
Show that even trying to cover all the new
was the alliance between Thorens, one of
audio’s oldest brands, and Ballfinger – one of
the youngest. The latter has been the only
manufacturer of new open-reel decks for
a few years, save for rumoured professional
WORTH THE EFFORT
With that in mind, and assuming one wants
a single machine with all three standard
speeds, both ¼- and ½-track capability and
products would fill so many pages (print or sources or prototypical dream-ware like the the handling of spools up to 10in – in other
even website) that it would be impractible. much-anticipated Metaxas unit and the words, a modern equivalent of the Technics
But the atmosphere? The trends? If the now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t Revox. But RS1500/1700 – then £4000-£5000 seems
crowded show held in May is anything to go what appeared on the Thorens stand was reasonable. At least, it does in the rarefied
by [HFN Jul ’19], maybe the ‘high-end’ has very real: a playback-only machine produced strata of high-end audio.
a rosier future than I imagined. for the company by Ballfinger, and it could If that sounds elitist, then let me add that
be the herald of a new wave of tape decks. reel-to-reel tape has never been a populist
THORENS BOMBSHELL It is not my place to spread rumours, not format, and not just because the software
What’s certain is that LPs are no longer least because it puts undue strain on the itself is expensive. It’s also inconvenient,
niche, while my crusade – reel-to-reel tape – subject of said rumours, while also possibly requires constant attention (for instance,
enjoyed a presence even I couldn’t have jinxing them. But I do know of at least one cognisance of magnetic fields, humidity and
imagined in my wildest, most company seriously mooting temperature changes for the health of the
optimistic dreams. Turntables the creation of an affordable tapes) and demands perpetual maintenance
were everywhere, including ‘This could open-reel machine to meet of the hardware. But, as anyone who’s heard
the two most radical I’ve ever
seen, TechDAS’s Air Force Zero
herald a new the demands of those who
want to avoid the challenge
it done right, it’s worth it.
Unlike the reborn LP, open-reel tape will
and the Wilson Benesch GMT wave of tape of finding a used deck that never appeal to the money men, never find
prototype, both with six-figure may or may not be repairable, its way onto the high street, never be
prices. Affordable models were machines’ serviceable, useable or anything other than a niche within a niche.
so plentiful that they started dependable. Vendors such as Despite this, hardy souls who love their
to blur into one. Indeed, there were more eBay have seen prices on a near-vertical music to a level beyond mere passion are
new turntables than you’d have found at a trajectory, so that may no longer be a prepared to do whatever it takes to keep
hi-fi show in ’82. cost-effective means of going open-reel. those spools a’spinning.
Meanwhile, reel-to-reel tape was enjoying However, as the playback-only Thorens Thus, if some brave manufacturer does
a two-pronged renaissance, both in terms of will probably cost in the region of £10,000- manage to create a worthy, comprehensive
hardware and software. A number of rooms, £12,000, its appeal is limited to the seriously machine for the same price as a superlative
among them Joseph Audio and EAR/Yoshino, well-heeled. Despite the above caution, turntable/arm/cartridge combination, then
were using it as a primary demo source, superlative secondhand machines can be he won’t just deserve profits. He’ll also earn
while there was also a notable increase in found for under £500, around a £1000 for the adulation of the most nirvana-seeking
vendors of pre-recorded tapes. a good Revox or Tandberg, £1500-£2000 audiophiles on the planet.
PLUS:
Oct Issue EXCLUSIVE TESTS:

î T+A SDV 3100 HV streaming DAC/Pre
î Luxman PD-151 turntable
î AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt
î EISA Awards: World’s media chooses its fave hi-fi
î Vintage Review: Dual 606 turntable
î Classical Companion: Elgar The Symphonies
on sale30AUG th
î Aurender A30 music server
î ELAC Alchemy PPA-2/DDP-2/DPA-2
î From The Vault: We crack open HFN’s archive
î Vinyl Icon: Richard & Linda Thompson’s Shoot...

P
Pioneering
g world
w ld class
l audio
d products
PS Audio’s Power Plant Mains Regenerator is

the best solution for your HiFi system.
When performance matters, why compromise?
PS Audio Power Plant Regeneration vs Power Conditioning
What is power conditioning? An AC mains conditioner is only able to filter out a very limited range of impurities such as noise carried on
the line. It can do nothing to provide a pure AC waveform at a usefully low output impedance.
What is regeneration? Regeneration takes the incoming feed from the AC mains and rebuilds it into a perfect waveform, with power
reserves that overcome the restrictions created by high impedance lines and provide components with the cleanest, most robust power
source possible.
In summary, power conditioners are passive collections of capacitors, resistors, transformers, and coils of wire which cannot add missing
energy back onto the power line. Power Plants use active components, like those found in large and powerful audio amplifiers, to store
and release energy for peak demands (up to 35 amps UK), rebuild the AC signal, and produce clean, clear, distortion-free, regulated AC
for your equipment.
PS Audio Power Plant vs other regenerators

Looking back to the late 1990’s, PS Audio invented AC mains regeneration for HiFi, and patented the technology. Back then, we used
cutting-edge technology to develop our original “P” series Power Plants, which were great products for their time. We’ve learned a lot
since then and we can see that they had their limitations: a 300-600w Power Plant will struggle to keep up with today’s system load, and
will almost always be reaching its limits in everyday use. Transient response and instant power demands will be squashed, resulting in a
less dynamic performance from your system.
That’s why at PS Audio we abandoned this technology, long ago. Fast forward 20 years, and we’re on our fourth generation of Power
Plants---but the competition still uses that old technology today.
Bottom line is, through patented technology our latest Power Plants are decades ahead.
Why are our new PS Audio Power Plants better than any other regenerator ever produced? Their output impedance is an order of
magnitude lower than any other units, provided unsurpassed drive and reserve capabilities. We use a single, powerful, Class A/B
amplifier to deliver the pure AC waveform, which allows us to control the output impedance to extraordinarily low levels. Our newest
technology provides output impedance of 1/10th to 1/50th that of anything else on the market.
PS Audio Power Plant Regeneration

Contrary to popular belief, the biggest sonic improvements are not in increased purity of the sine wave although that is important.
The biggest improvements come from lowered output impedance and the ability to meet instant peak current demands. Thanks to its
incredible efficiency, a PS Audio Power Plant can deliver peak current in excess of 35 amps (UK). This means we can provide twice the
power of “competitive” units, at 1/10th the output impedance. These advantages allow PS Audio Power Plant owners to comfortably run
their entire systems with high current, unrestricted power at the world’s lowest output impedance.
To understand which of our new Power Plants is best suited to your HiFi system and for
a demonstration please contact one of our specialist dealers.
Distributed by Signature Audio Systems | 07738 007776 | www.psaudio.com

“The Magico S1 MkII is, quite simply, outstanding.
Very highly recommended!”
S1 Mk II, Alan Sircom - Hi-Fi+
“I feel I’d be hard-pressed to come up with a

better performing speaker at their price point.”
S3 Mk II, Josh Givorshner - soundstageaustralia.com
“..it has power and majesty, excellent resolution,

natural timbres, deep, dynamic, authoritative and
very well timed bass, combined with huge well
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“...a true, all out attack on the state-of-the-art in

music reproduction.”
S7, Myles B. Astor - Positive Feedback
absolute sounds ltd.

International Distributors & Consultants of Specialised Hi-End Audio & Video Systems
58 Durham Road, London, SW20 0T W T: +44 (0)20 89 71 39 09
W: www.absolut esounds.com E : info@absolut esounds.com
For Your Nearest Dealer Please Visit The Absolute Sounds Website

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SEPTEMBER 2019 WWW.HIFINEWS.CO.

THE HOME OF REAL HI-FI

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High-end audiophile quality at a realistic price

Designed and hand-built in England since 1985

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Two new Naims Brit

16 | www.hifinews.co.uk | SEPTEMBER 2019

Reaching for the Moon Pro-Ject X gets a boost

Grand isolation to be delivered to your home.

SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 17

Ascot Grandstand 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 19

Hong Kong AV Expo 2019

Now in its fourth year and

‘No preamp needed,’

20 | www.hifinews.co.uk | SEPTEMBER 2019

The spotlight is on value for money in the case of

To celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2017, Rogers decided to relaunch a

SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 21

fact8 signature fact12 signature

Knight Stereophonics is a family business based in Hong Kong, and its

By chance I spotted a pair of Mission’s QX2 loudspeakers on a stand

How about this? A TT1Mk2 belt-drive turntable from UK

SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 23

Fresh from the US

I met an old friend at the show – a vintage Garrard 301

24 | www.hifinews.co.uk | SEPTEMBER 2019

Seated audiophiles listen keenly to a live

Here’s the distinctive-

SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 25

Bop ’til you shop...

Skelter agency and the Bravado

So how did it come to this?

SEPTEMBER 2019 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 29

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