Features
Quincy Jones: Leave Some Space for God
By Ben Fong-Torres
Old School: We Revisit the Audio Research SP3
By Marc Phillips
Budget Gear: Cambridge Audio’s DAC Magic
By Jeff Dorgay
The Vinyl Anachronist: Singing the Orofon Blues
By Marc Phillips
Tone Style
SIHH Watch fair
Ken Kessler Goes Watch Shopping in Switzerland
Canon EOS 5D Mk. II
The Sequel is Better
Elac’s Magic Cube
Pop Art Subwoofer for Your Desktop Stereo System
Magna Cart
Just Go Buy One!
The Meridian i80
iPod Dock for Your F80 Table Radio
Dual Level Pro
Level Application for Your iPhone
MartinLogan Purity
MartinLogan’s Compact Powered Floorstanders
The Adidas Adizero Adios
The Most Excellent Yellow Shoes You Will Ever Own
Primare DVD-i 10
An All-In-One 2.1 Media System
Rega’s Lime Green P3-24 Turntable
And it Comes in Seven Other Awesome Colors, Too!
Music
Live Music: Fountains of Wayne, Cross Canadian Ragweed
and Supreme Beings of Leisure
By The TONE Staff
A Chat With Jon Auer:
Former Posies Guitarist Tells Us About His New Album and
His Approach to Songwriting
By Marc Phillips
The Return of Wild Man Fischer:
Stop Paying Big Bucks on eBay!
By Jeff Dorgay
Current Releases:
Fresh Releases in the Worlds of Pop, Rock and Jazz
By The TONE Staff
Audiophile Recordings:
Foghat, Crosby Stills and Nash, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes,
Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa and Four SACD Blue Note Releases
Gear Reviews
Mighty Mite
The New Compact BPS Phono Preamplifier From Nagra
By Jeff Dorgay
Magnepan’s 1.6
A Panel Favorite
By Jeff Dorgay
The NAT Plasma R Preamplifier
Big Sound, Great Price
By Jeff Dorgay
The New HP Touch Smart Computer
Don’t Let it Fool You, It’s a Killer Music Server
By The TONE Staff
WLM LaScala Monitors
Understated Beauties
By Marc Phillips
Conrad Johnson’s New Sweet Spot
The New Classic Preamplifier and LP66 Power Amplifier
By Marc Phillips and Jeff Dorgay
Product Update: Rega Elicit
We Test the New Internal MC Phono Stage
By Jeff Dorgay
Grado’s New Master 1 Phono Cartridge
Moving Iron Excellence
By Jeff Dorgay
The DeVore Gibbon Nines
They’re One Larger
By Marc Phillips and Jeff Dorgay
Headphone Planet
Rocking Out With the New Grado SR-60 “i” Phones
by Jerold O’ Brien
Slummin’
We Score a Vintage McIntosh Tuner, Cheap!
After dropping $190 to $300K on the beautiful Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed, you probably won’t blink twice opting for the $6900 Naim audio system. Exclusive to Bentley, this system excelled at reproducing every type of music and produces a wide soundstage that extended “well beyond the windshield pillars.” No other car and audio combination delivers this level of isolation from the outside world.
It was “love at first sight” when we unpacked these beautiful Belgian towers, and we found them to be dynamic and neutral while possessing a huge sweet spot. At $50K, these speakers also require quality amplification to sound their best, but their relatively high efficiency made them the perfect match for premium SETs from the likes of WAVAC. We concluded that they could be “the last speakers you need to buy.”
Combining the “stunning immediacy” of SETs with the reliability of a solid-state design, this 15wpc amp from the kitchen table of Nelson Pass was extraordinarily composed and detailed. The F3 surpasses the performance of most tube amps in its ability to remain absolutely quiet while retaining complete control of the lower frequencies. If you want to make the SET plunge but are put off by the idea of constant re-tubing, this is the solution.
With 101 dB efficiency and 11-ohm impedance, the Druids can be mated to flea-powered SETs and high-powered monoblocks equally. Using a full range driver mated to a super-tweeter, the Zus were extended in the bass and very dynamic. While they require careful set-up to sound their best (which includes Zu speaker cables), these Druids were “one of the most enjoyable speakers” we’ve heard.
Take an old Denon 103, replace the plastic body with one made from milled aluminum and you have one of the most intriguing and blissful cartridges that has ever sold for under $400. You may have to pinch yourself when you mount this heavy (14g) cartridge on your expensive analog rig and still have a sound that is supremely musical. Oh, and it works wonders for inexpensive ‘tables such as the Technics SL1200 as well.
This beautifully made SET amp is “detailed, smooth…and expensive” and made us think of Ferraris and Porsches while it was in our systems. $7500 for 10wpc may seem crazy, but this amplifier is work of art. It’s also “merciless with anything you attach to it,” so choose your other components very carefully in order to be rewarded with “some of the best sound you will ever hear.”
This beautiful and compact floorstander is comprised of two separate enclosures for the drivers, and can be positioned with the low frequency driver facing toward either the front or back. This results in a very flexible speaker that excels in both small and larger rooms, presenting a huge soundstage in a variety of room placements. Sound from the Rienzis consistently “expanded beyond room boundaries.”
This British-built solid-state phono preamp sounded “tight and dynamic with fantastic inner detail” but is still able to provide a balanced soundstage that is neither forward nor laid-back. While some audiophile desire a more warm and natural presentation form analog, the Whest will satisfy those who require a “ruthlessly revealing” tool that also counts impressive holographic imaging among its strengths.
The first dock for iPods that truly makes this format sound great, the Wadia can produce CD-quality sound as long as you hook it up to a decent DAC. Offering the same impressive Wadia build and design in a much smaller chassis, the 170 retails for only $379 yet provides “everything you require from good digital.” We found it to be a truly revolutionary product.
We loved the original Wadia 581, but this “i” version adds full digital inputs and variable output so that you can plug it directly into a power amplifier. The 581i, unlike its predecessor, now plays SACDs as well, rekindling our excitement for that format. The Wadia is so versatile, it’s very easy to “make it the center of your digital universe,” especially considering the ability to upgrade software in the future.
This 200wpc hybrid powerhouse from South Africa provides just a touch of warmth that differentiates itself from its solid-state competition. The Predator produces a truly textured sound that will satisfy tube die-hards and may be an excellent and solid anchor for systems in the five to ten thousand dollar range. It’s a winner if you’re “dedicated strictly to the music.”
We were looking for a turntable that could accommodate two tonearms to perform cartridge and tonearm comparisons, but little did we know that we would find one that offered so much performance at a relatively modest price. This German rig offers most of the performance of many five-figure rigs, making those behemoths seems a little indulgent. “The gap is not that big,” we summarized, so we bought it.
This lightweight and compact update to the legendary TD-160 offered a fast and exciting sound due to new plinth materials that control resonances. With the included SME, the Thorens provided a very precise sound, allowing listeners to hear “new details in familiar recordings.” It’s easy to set up as well, providing an almost “plug and play” experience.
Form follows function with these funky-looking yet exquisitely crafted loudspeakers, and its large ported enclosure with triangular top created a soundscape that was “very open and dynamic.” The 506’s high sensitivity made them a perfect match for many SET amplifiers, and we found that we could rock at very high listening levels even with just a couple of 300Bs at the helm.
Battery power may be the future of phono stages, and we felt that this relatively affordable model from designer Ron Sutherland was one of the quietest preamps available at the $1000 price point. Throw in 16 “D” batteries, and you’ll have great analog sound for around 1200 hours. The Ph3D was “energetic and expansive,” and emerged as a top contender in a very crowded field.
This reworking of the venerable classic features new drivers and builds upon the strengths of the original¨Ü (we even compare them directly to an older pair of Rogers LS3/5as). Perfect for small rooms and near-field listening (for which they were originally intended), these are much more balanced mini-monitors and will not sound dated, unusually small or ordinary. The version with Cicable external crossovers are also reviewed.
This updating of the classic British Class A integrated will warm up your soul as well as your listening room. Modestly powered, the A21SE still offered a surprising amount of headroom while still sounding about as “tubey” as solid-state can get. “The pinnacle of audio simplicity,” the Sugden is the perfect amp for those who consider themselves music lovers first.
After reviewing quite a few cost-no-object analog rigs over the last few years, we’re absolutely smitten with this one. Paired with the Tri-Planar mk. VIII arm, the SG-2 offers a HUGE sound for a relatively affordable price. It’s simple, beautiful and offers an exquisite level of fit and finish. We chose it as our Product of the Year in the analog category, and we recommend that you audition it before writing a check for one of those mega-buck contenders.
If you’re wondering whatever happened to SOTA, maker of some of the finest turntables throughout the ’80s, you’ll be happy to know they’re still around and still making great products. The Nova V features vacuum clamping via a very quiet air pump, and offers an innate sound quality that is lush yet balanced. The SOTA features a “classic look with fantastic performance…that never goes out of style.”