The rest is straightforward. Apollo–R shares the same Starship Enterprise-shaped CD lid as Rega’s Isis; the dark-red readouts mirror those of the past Apollo. Upon power-up, the Apollo–R is ready to play in about 30 seconds.

We will have a full review in a few weeks, after the Apollo–R has more hours on the clock. My initial impression? Highly favorable. The new model exceeds the old in every way. Yep, if you’re on the fence about trading in your old Apollo for this one, get off and do it. Rega CD players have always had an analog-like smoothness—occasionally even too much so for this writer—but never sound harsh.

Following tradition, Rega drives the cricket ball straight home here, as this model retains its predecessor’s lush midrange yet features more extension at both ends of the frequency scale. A quick listen to Bachman Turner Overdrive’s “Free Wheelin” from Audio Fidelity’s recent Not Fragile remaster conveys real grunt, where, when spun on the previous model, the music comes across as too polite.

On Donald Byrd’s “Say You’re Mine” from The Cat Walk XRCD, drums explode from a soundstage painted between my MartinLogan Montis loudspeakers. The percussion claims speed, texture, and quality I never dreamed possible from a $1,000 CD player. When going back to the original Apollo, everything just sounds smaller.

The original Apollo has always been a favorite to suggest to friends that want a great CD player for about $1,000. The Apollo–R takes such recommendations up several notches. I’m very impressed that Rega made so many improvements while holding the price steady at $1,095. And, while excellent on its own, using the Apollo-R as a transport with the new Rega DAC super-sizes the package and still holds the line on price (to $2,000) for the combination. Stay tuned for a full review.

While it’s tough to pigeonhole modern speakers according to such parameters, speakers from Denmark seem to share a natural tonality and an ability to capture the essence of instrumental texture without calling attention to their presence. Dali excels at these aspects. Its new F5 Fazon loudspeaker takes prior achievements two steps further by combining timeless styling with great sound and a small footprint.

Available in gloss black, white, or red, the Dali F5 is gorgeous to behold and will look right at home in the most fashionable of homes. Best of all, at $4,495, the F5s are affordable works of art.

Details, Details

Beautiful woodwork is a Danish hallmark, and Dali has always offered great cabinets. Throwing a wrinkle into traditionalism, the curvy F5s are machined from a block of aluminum. The speaker features an absence of parallel surfaces in order to keep to a minimum any cabinet resonance.

The three-driver complement works in a 2 ½-way configuration, with the crossover points set at 800 and 3200Hz, respectively. Dali maintains that their incorporation of wood fibre mixed into the pulp cones utilized in the dual 5-inch woofers are significant contributors to the model’s natural sound; adding increased cone stiffness and a more randomized structure. It also helps with the inner damping of the cone, a claim that only a few minutes of listening confirms as true. I have a personal preference for soft-dome tweeters; I’m always willing to forgo a smidge of ultimate resolution in the service of timbre. And here, the F5 delivers with a 1-inch soft dome tweeter that, as Ice-T would’ve said before he became a “Law and Order” mainstay, keeps it real.

A pair of banana jacks flush-mounted in the silver bases and a tiny compartment that allows you to completely conceal your speaker cables round out the form-and-function factor. Acoustically transparent speaker grilles magnetically attach; your décor and offspring will decide whether they should be left on or off.

Grilles aside, you should have the F5s playing music in a few minutes. Thanks to fairly wide dispersion, they will not suffer terribly if not aligned just right. If you are in the position to fuss over speaker placement, the F5s yield a bit more bass extension if you can keep them about 18 inches from the rear wall. Since the tweeters rise only 29 inches from the floor, lower seating grants the best imaging performance.

Finally, don’t let the 87db sensitivity frighten you: These speakers are incredibly easy to drive and work equally well with tube, transistor, or Class D amplification. Anything from 25 watts per channel and above should get the job done.

The F5’s Evaporative Nature

The F5’s bass response is solid but not overbearing. At first blush, one might think the speakers slightly thin because the upper-mid bass response isn’t goosed to provide a false sense of thickness. However, when called upon to move air, the pair of 5-inch woofers is mightier than the spec sheet suggests. Sampling Peter Gabriel music, old and new—via Genesis’ Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and his more recent Scratch my Back, respectively—the speakers dispense ample impact. Via the F5s, there’s more than enough oomph on “Back in NYC” to sound convincing and hold at bay any thoughts of a subwoofer. Moreover, textures present in the acoustic bass line of “Heroes” on Gabriel’s latest record affirms that’s what is sonically conveyed is anything but one-note bass.

The F5s often remind me of my favorite mini monitors’ midrange clarity. Yet the former take up a smaller footprint than my Harbeth P3ESRs on Sound Anchors stands. Tracking through Pat Metheny’s new What’s It All About? demonstrates how well these speakers keep pace with the guitar icon’s fretwork and harmonics without becoming lifeless and flat.

Of course, enthralling midrange and ample bass don’t alone make a fantastic speaker. Thanks to the small woofers, the F5s offer the degree of coherence required to effortlessly disappear in a room. The resolution will convince you that something very special is happening—an experience that allows you to ease back in the chair and focus on the musical event. Vide, “I’m a King Bee” from Grateful Dead’s Fillmore East: April 1971. The record boasts a wide range of texture and complexity that challenges the best speakers. Answering the bell, the F5s create a wide soundstage that mimics the Fillmore’s hall ambience.

Fatigue-free Finesse

Many speakers make impressive showings during a 10-minute demo. You know the drill: A salesperson plays some plucky guitar bits, runs through some female vocals, and even spruces it up with a touch of classical music or piano fare. It’s often all presented at high decibel levels. Still, you walk away impressed, perhaps so smitten that you reach for your wallet. But somehow, after a few extended listening sessions, those new speakers lose their luster and you’re right back to where you started.

A natural feel, which might initially make the F5s slightly less exciting, is what will keep you enthralled with them down the road. Even after full-day sessions with the F5s, they never become tiring. As much as a crammed Sooloos music server gnaws at my inner DJ and tempts me to spin singles, I find myself listening to many records all the way through with the F5s—truly the mark of a great speaker. I just want to stay in the groove, whether it’s with yet another version of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon or Girls’ Father, Son, Holy Ghost.

No, the F5s do not present the finite level of “pinpoint imaging” that some more decidedly audiophile speakers possess. However, they throw a full-bodied and three-dimensional soundfield. The wood blocks and triangle in Serge Gainsbourg’s “Douze Belles Dans la Peau” from Chant a la Une illustrate this strength. The triangle sporadically pops in all around the room, while the wood blocks are distinctly left of center and somewhat diffused, sounding just like a pair of wood blocks when I strike them in my listening room.

Dynamics are equally impressive. Although small woofers can only move a finite amount of air, these speakers’ woofers give a gold-ribbon performance when faced with heavier fare. Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and the Who present no problem. But, if your tastes tend towards the heaviest metal, I suggest adding one of Dali’s subwoofers. AC/DC’s “Back in Black” comes across just fine, but Danzig’s “Am I Demon” requires a stronger push over the cliff. Just as important as dynamics, the F5s retain their open character at low volume levels—not always an easy trick and, perhaps, even more telling of a given speaker’s linearity.

Well? Hello, Dali.

Dali F5 Loudspeakers
$4,495/pair

www.dali-speakers.com (factory)
www.soundorg.com (US importer)

Peripherals

Digital Source Sooloos Control 15 with dCS Paganini stack
Analog Source Avid Diva SPII/SME 3009/Ortofon SPU
Phono Preamplifier ARC PH6
Preamplifier Burmester 011
Power Amplifier Conrad Johnson MV-50C1, Channel Islands D500 Mk.II, McIntosh MC 452
Cable Cardas Clear

As you can see, break-in using our patented Cheeshead Break In Protocol is winding up and the rest of the review copy will be headed your way next week, so stay tuned.

But things move fast in computer audio. And just like its main competitor, Sooloos (which became part of Meridian about 18 months ago), QSonix found an equally capable partner in Wadia, a longtime pioneer in the world of high-performance digital audio. Wadia has since contributed a purpose-built digital output board that not only offers 24/192 output, but does so via USB, SPDIF, Toslink and Balanced EBU connections, allowing the new Q205 to claim far better sound than the original as well as sound on par with Wadia’s best CD players. Thanks to these enhancements, the Q205’s audio performance is commensurate with its interface.

(QSonix remains committed to legacy users. Those owning Q105 systems can upgrade their software to the current version, which allows iPad access. Anyone desiring the digital output board is afforded a liberal trade-in towards a Q205. Since everything is nearly completely new inside the Q205, simple upgrades are not possible.)

Like the Sooloos, the QSonix has always showcased a highly intuitive interface—the key to an excellent music server. Much like comparing Apple’s iPad to the Android tablet, both devices do things their own way. But they both offer the most information and make use of a touch screen that’s laden with album art, meaning you can access your music the way you remember it—by the cover.

The Q205 sells for $7,450 to $8,250, depending on whether you purchase the 1TB or 2TB version. Or you can buy it without the touch screen for about $1,200 less and control the server via an iPad. It stores 2700 CDs in lossless format (FLAC or WMA), or 1500 uncompressed WAV files per terabyte. Countless arguments abound on the virtue of lossless vs. WAV, but everyone save those with canine hearing will be hard-pressed to hear the difference between FLAC and WAV.

Presently, the Q205 handles a maximum of 2TB, which means 5400 CDs will be the limit, assuming all your files are in 16/44 format. High-resolution audio files are two-to-four times the size of CD-quality files, so take that into account if you prefer hi-res music. However, Weaver hinted that as soon as QSonix can finish certification of a few enterprise-level 3TB hard drives, the latter will be an option for those with bigger-than-average music collections.  He claims QSonix “insists on the enterprise drives because they have much greater durability than the standard drive you buy at a computer store.”

Test Environment

We put the Q205 through its paces with a handful of great DACs: the dCS Debussy, Naim DAC, and the Wadia 381i that we have been using for some time. The QSonix performed equally well with all of them. Sound quality wasn’t diminished with either the spdif, abs/ebu, or USB outputs. However, the optical (Toslink) sported somewhat lower fidelity.

Because the Wadia 381i forms such a synergistic match with the Audio Research REF 150, sans preamplifier, I did the bulk of listening with this configuration. For those that don’t require an analog input, this combo makes for an excellent system, as Wadia’s patented Digital Volume Control eliminates the need for a preamplifier. A pair of B&W 802 Diamond speakers, with Cardas Clear interconnects and speaker cable, rounded out the system. An AudioQuest Diamond 110-ohm digital cable linked the Q205 and the 381i.

Functionality

Setting up the Q205 is painless, and only requires two cables between the touch-screen monitor and server, a cable between the Q205 and your DAC of choice, and power. Both the monitor and Q205 use wall-wart power supplies— 12-volt for the Q205 and 9-volt for the monitor. After the individual pieces are connected, the Q205 needs to be connected to your Ethernet network via a standard RJ-45 cable.

A simple, menu-driven group of set-up screens will have you importing your CDs in minutes. This is when you choose the quality level for ripped files: uncompressed WAV, lossless WMA, or MP3. While the Q205 will rip files as WAV, it will not allow you to import WAV files that you previously ripped elsewhere. The current version of the software supports virtually all popular audio file formats:  MP3, WMA, Lossless, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A and Apple Lossless, including 24 bit versions. Files can be easily imported via the Ethernet network or directly through one of the USB ports using an external hard drive or thumb drive.  The system also features advanced media recognition capabilities that will automatically retrieve album art and metadata including composer information, album reviews and playlist suggestions.

Once setup is complete and music imported, it is not necessary to keep the Q205 tethered to your Ethernet network. Even if disconnected, the Q205 can still import CDs without metadata, and upon reconnection, you can update your library at a later date. Should you be inclined for a mix disc, or one of your original CDs becomes irreparably damaged, the Q205 lets you burn a CDR from the music in your collection—another handy feature the competition lacks.

User Environment

Once loaded, your music can be viewed in album art or library mode, with all data accessible via a touch screen of your choice. As with the setup, if you do not want to use a touch screen or iPad, a regular computer monitor and mouse will work, albeit at the sacrifice of some slickness.

The QSonix operates via playlists that you create and, if you so desire, save. The playlist appears on the right third of the monitor; the rest of the data occupies the left two-thirds of the screen. Merely drag tracks or whole albums over to the playlist, and the music begins.

The key to QSonix software is spontaneity. No matter how much music you’ve selected, a change of mood or direction requires no more than a touch. You can insert a track, tracks, or an entire album inside a current playlist or start fresh. If you’re feeling indecisive, random play is always a great option.

Cooler Than Cool

Everything I’ve mentioned makes the Q205 an amazing music server. But the QSonix iPad app puts it at the head of the pack—and by a considerable margin. Unlike all of the other major servers, which merely provide an awkward iTunes-like interface, QSonix ports the entire app to your iPad.

Now you can sit on your couch with a gigantic Wall-e beverage in hand and surf your music collection via album art. This is the way to roll, and once you get used to it, you’ll never want to go back. The iPad is incredibly handy when you have a group of friends over to listen. Just pass the pad around and let everyone have a shot at being DJ. Weaver’s market research concurred with my own unofficial findings: Most people remember music by the album art, and many do not want a gigantic computer screen in their listening room.  For anyone that does, a QSonix 15”, 17”, or 19” touch screen can be put on a coffee table or wall-mounted.

Settings preferences and media loading are the only parts of the QSonix interface missing from the iPad. You will either need that touch screen or a standard flat-screen monitor and PC mouse. At first, this seemed inconvenient, but in retrospect, it’s probably not a great idea to allow drunken party guests to have the ability to erase your music library.

Liberation from a tethered monitor also allows for the freedom of either putting the Q205 in another room (so it is out of sight) or simply mounting it in your rack. Where the Q105 made just enough noise that keeping it in a closet proved a good idea, the current model is so silent that you will not hear the fans even when sitting within close proximity.

Those wanting to use the Q205 in a multiple-system capacity can utilize the direct digital outputs in one system and the USB output as a separate zone. Both zones can be accessed via iPad or computer, and can simultaneously stream different music.

Fun, Fun, Fun

Perusing someone else’s music server is somewhat like sneaking a peek at your kid sister’s secret diary. So I couldn’t resist pushing play on “I Am a Girl Like You” from Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper. I’ll take Barbie over Patricia Barber any day, but one song is enough. Kidding aside, Barbie never sounded better, and it was easy to discern the perky track’s multiple overdubs and vocal processing.

Serious listening began in earnest with some recent 24/96 rips from my DVD-A collection, starting with Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s “Still You Turn Me On.” The progress the Q205 made over its predecessor became instantly evident.  The low bass had plenty of authority and low-level detail. Indeed, this server has gone from middle of the road to the front of the pack. Another quick comparison with MoFi’s Gold CD of Beck’s Sea Change revealed the same parity—the ripped file sounded identical to the original, if not a little bit more liquid in presentation. After hours of listening, it was unnecessary to go back to the CD tray for playback; the Q205 is that good. Digging deeper into the QSonix collection, I found a copy of Frank Zappa’s Trance Fusion and could not resist playing my favorite cut, “Ask Dr. Stupid.” See why a music server is so much fun?

Moreover, hi-res files proved easy to integrate into the Q205. No glitches with playlists containing tracks of varying sampling rates, and the QSonix software allows effortless and artifact-free switching, another plus.

Tweaks

Jay Leno once said car guys are either “wrench turners or check writers.” The same applies to computer audio disciples.  Because the Q205 takes care of most everything with its closed architecture, there isn’t much to tweak or change. But I suggest two things:  A good digital cable to go between it and your DAC, and a high-performance battery power supply from Red Wine Audio.  One of the latter’s Black Lightning supplies will take the Q205 completely off the grid and eliminate RFI caused by wall warts. Plugging the Q205 into a Black Lightning noticeably lowers the grain and takes the already high-quality playback a step closer to perfection.

Sound Quality, Functionality, and Portability

While I’m someone who always considered a music server a convenience component first and an audiophile component second, the QSonix Q205 changed my thinking. It not only raised the bar for the level at which a music server can perform, the device leaves its peers the dust. Its only limitation? The 2TB storage limit, which should be an issue for just a very small percentage of users requiring storage of greater than 4000 – 5000 CD’s.  We will be installing a QSonix system in our editor Bob Gendron’s system shortly to see how it fares long term.  Stay tuned.

QSonix Q205 Music Server

MSRP: $6,600 – $8,200 (depending on configuration)

www.qsonix.com

Peripherals

Preamplifier                                    Audio Research REF 5, Wadia 381i

Power Amplifier                                    Audio Research REF 150

DAC                                                Wadia 381i

Speakers                                     B&W 802 Diamond

Cable                                                Cardas Clear, AudioQuest Diamond (digital cable)

Power                                                Running Springs Maxim PLC

Longtime Rega enthusiasts might be surprised that the price of the Brio-R is $300 more than that of the previous model, which has been around for about 12 years. However, the new version offers substantial gains even as it occupies a much smaller footprint. Think of the $895 Rega Brio-R as the Lotus Elise of integrated amplifiers; it’s not quite what you’d expect until you get behind the wheel. And yes, the “R” stands for remote.

Make sure to use both hands when unpacking the Brio-R. The compact box is fairly heavy, weighing in at about 20 pounds. Peaking inside shows that Rega didn’t allow a square millimeter of space to go to waste. The Brio-R features the same enclosure as the Rega DAC we reviewed earlier this year, the shared approach keeping costs low and quality high. No detail is left to chance; the remote-control circuitry is even given its own separate power supply to ensure signal purity. Poking around inside reveals one pair of output transistors per channel, high-quality film caps, and a very short signal path.

Small Yet Strong

Despite its smaller box, the new Brio packs a bigger wallop than its predecessor. And there’s never been a more perfect example of specs not telling the whole story. While the previous Brio 3 is rated at 49 watts per channel and the new model at only 50 watts per channel (73 watts per channel into 4 ohms), Rega claims the new output stage can reasonably drive outputs “as low as 1.7 ohms.”

Indeed, while the last Brio struggled with low-impedance speakers, the Brio-R effortlessly sailed through. Driving a pair of Magnepans usually translates into the kiss of death for most small integrated amplifiers (and a few larger ones, as well), but the Brio-R did a very respectable job of powering the notoriously power-hungry MMGs reviewed in this issue. It’s also worth noting that my Cambridge Audio 740C (rated at 100 watts per channel) was not up to this task. Moreover, the Rega had no problems driving my vintage MartinLogan Aerius. A reasonably priced integrated that can tackle Magnepans and MartinLogans without problem? High marks are in order.

Like the prior Brio, the Brio-R features an onboard MM phonostage, also improved in sound quality and sensitivity. In the past, users that didn’t utilize a Rega phono cartridge complained about a lack of gain in the phonostage, an issue that required serious twisting the volume control to achieve reasonable listening levels. With a sensitivity of 2.1mv, the Brio-R had no troubles reaching full volume at the 12:00 level when outfitted with a Sumiko Blackbird cartridge, which boasts an output of 2.5mv. Thanks to its quietness, I was even able to use a Grado Master1, which has an output of only .5mv (47k loading). Doing so necessitated setting the volume at almost 2:00 for the maximum level, but the Brio-R remained up to the task.

Setup and Controls

The Brio-R will have you listening to music in a jiff. The spartan front panel shares the same design brief as the Rega DAC, with a power button on the left, volume control on the right, and a button that requires a touch to toggle between inputs. The mute control is only accessed via the remote, which also allows for volume level and input switching.  And the Brio-R can only be turned on and off from the front panel.

Around back, five inputs and a fixed level output made for an excellent match with my recently restored Nakamichi 550 cassette deck, which incidentally is almost the same size as the Brio-R. For the tapeheads, the output has a level of 210mv.

The only caveat? Input one is the phono input and not marked as such. Plugging in a line-level source here will cause a hateful noise at best and blown tweeter at worst, so proceed with caution. If you’re not a vinyl enthusiast, get a pair of Cardas RCA caps, if for no other reason than to prevent a mishap. Rega turntables do not have ground wires. But if you’re using a ‘table that has one, the ground screw is underneath the amplifier’s rear face.

The Brio-R uses a standard IEC AC socket, so those that enjoy swapping power cords can geek out all they want. However, the RCA jacks and speaker binding posts are so close together that some cables will not be compatible. And while the average consumer that purchases a Brio-R may not step too far into the world of premium cables, the amplifier is good enough to warrant doing so. Given the restricted space, speaker cables with spades are almost out of the question; grab bananas or banana adaptors.

Sounds Like Separates

Resolution often sets separate components apart from integrated amplifiers. The Brio-R has an overall clarity that I have never experienced at this price—and I’ve heard my share of much more expensive pieces that struggle to sound this good. After all, only a handful of sub-$3k amplifiers provide true high-end sound; the Brio-R belongs at the top of that short list. It truly sounds like separate components.

At the beginning of John Mellencamp’s “Sweet Evening Breeze” from Human Wheels, a Hammond organ faintly enters from the far back of the soundstage, barely registering a whisper. Other inexpensive integrateds I’ve sampled (except for the PrimaLuna ProLogue1) don’t resolve this. Or, what does come through is flat and on the same plane as the rest of the music—a blurry rendition. Oingo Boingo’s “Nothing Bad Ever Happens” from Good For Your Soul has similar textures, with multiple layers of guitars and keyboards that, via substandard gear, blend together and smear. By yielding genuine dimensionality, the Brio-R is a budget component that you can listen to for hours on end, fully engaged in the presentation.

The amp claims a fair share of headroom as well. Whether listening to KISS, with or without a symphony orchestra, the Rega didn’t run out of steam until played at very high volumes. Switching to the 99db sensitivity Klipsch Heresy IIIs (also reviewed this issue) resulted in a completely different situation. This combination achieved near rave-level SPLs with Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral. The opening drumbeats to “Big Man With a Gun” were big and powerful, yet the little Rega didn’t seem to break a sweat.

Your favorite speaker with a sensitivity rating of between 87–91db should prove a more than acceptable match for the Brio-R’s power amplifier section.

Vinyl Adventure

The phonostage in the Brio-R should prove a perfect match for anything in the $100-$600 range and when used with the Rega RP1 and its Performance Pack, an upgrade that includes the Bias 2 MM cartridge. The latter features a tonal balance slightly tipped toward the warm side of neutral, helping less-than-stellar LP pressings sound their best.

For example, a friend that brought over budget treasures purchased for fewer than $3/each couldn’t believe the performance wrought by the RP1/Brio-R combination. Again, the Brio-R’s phonostage offers excellent resolution and a very smooth upper register. And while the RP1/Bias combination turned in a great show, switching to the P3-24 and Blackbird offered a substantial helping of “what the analog fuss is all about.”

Good Things Do Come in Small Packages

The Rega Brio-R sets the benchmark for an $1000 integrated amplifier and then some.  While it’s easy for those that regularly hear the world’s best (and often most expensive) gear to get excited about great sound, it’s truly thrilling to hear this level of sound quality from an amplifier with an $895 price tag. Music lovers on a budget no longer have to sacrifice quality. This one could make a crazed audiophile out of you where you least expect it.

-Jeff Dorgay

The Rega Brio-R

MSRP:  $895
Manufacturer Information:

www.soundorg.com (US)

www.rega.co.uk (UK)

Peripherals

Digital source                        Simaudio 750D, Cambridge 650BD

Analog source                        Rega RP1 w/Bias 2, Rega P3-24 w/Sumiko Blackbird

Speakers            Magnepan MMG, Klipsch Heresy III, Vienna Acoustics Hayden Grand, Spica TC 50

Cable                                    Audioquest  Columbia

Power                                    IsoTek EVO3 Sirius

Apr. 8
Good news, tube lovers, the ElectroMotions are very tube friendly…   Now that the speakers have about 100 hours on the clock, I’ve had the chance to use them with a wider range of amplifiers.  Encouraged by the results with the Octave MRE 130 monoblocks, which produce just over 130 watts per channel, I moved on to some lower powered amplifiers and it’s all good.  Both my recently upgraded Conrad – Johnson MV 50 and the new PrimaLuna Dialog 4 ampflifiers (approx 40 -50 wpc.) are driving the ElectroMotion’s with ease, utilizing the four ohm taps.  More info to follow!

And, to answer the main question that is probably on your mind, it DOES sound as good as it looks, perhaps better!

Here’s a tweek that really works.  It’s been common knowledge for some time now that getting your cables up off the carpet will improve the clarity and focus of your system.  Sure you can cheese out and use styrofoam cups and a variety of other things, but nothing provides as elegant a solution as the Dark Field Elevators.