Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to vacuum tubes. There’s always something special about a low-powered tube amp and a pair of fairly sensitive speakers. Bob Carver’s latest, the Black Magic 25 is a perfect example. Sporting a fairly compact chassis size and tube compliment (1-12AU7, 2-12AX7’s, and 4-EL34s) the Black Magic certainly made some great music here, paired with our Zu Dirty Weekends and the Heretic A-1614s.

Build quality is robust, yet sparse, and the amplifier is a cinch to use. There is a handy meter on the front panel that can be used as a tube tester, as well as for setting the output tube bias. Carver claims that their unique circuit means you don’t need matched output tubes, yet our experience with only one bias control for four tubes suggests otherwise.

The amp runs cool, and provides a sound not as romantic as a vintage Mcintosh, Marantz or Dynaco amp, yet still delivers plenty of tubey, midrange magic that you’d expect. And of course, with only three input tubes, you can roll em’ if you’ve got em’ to fine tune and experiment.

Thanks to careful design, this little jewel plays louder than you would expect a 25Wpc amp to play, even with less efficient speakers like a pair of Harbeths, or your favorite LS3/5a variation on the theme.

Definitely a good thing in a small package!

https://www.bobcarvercorp.com/black-magic-25

The new no.31 Reference Subwoofer is a substantial improvement.

If you aren’t paying close attention, you might easily mistake REL’s new no.31 subwoofer for one of their outgoing reference models. Upon close inspection, aside from the new super-coolio carbon fiber badge, the rear facets of the cabinet top are beveled – a further effort to refine the shape and eliminate resonance.

We often discuss break-in time in terms of days and hours, yet the difference between the no.31 and RELs past is immediate. The no.31 is faster, more nimble. If you only think of the low-frequency augmentation provided by a subwoofer as a single sonic shade, be prepared to have your paradigm reset.

Those familiar with the effect of adding one (or more) REL subwoofers to their system, will be equally impressed. John Hunter and his team have pushed the possibility of what a subwoofer can add to a high performance audio system further than ever.

$7,000 ea.

Please click here to visit the REL site, for full specifications. We’ll have a full review shortly.

The New VT-150 rocks…

You know we had a great time with LSA’s VT-70, featuring EL-34 power. Jerold O’Brien even
bought the review sample. It’s a pretty incredible little amp for the size and definitely for the
price.

However, 35-40 Watts per channel isn’t always enough for everyone. Bam, they just introduced
the latest VT-150 model, sporting four KT-88 tubes. Following the PrimaLuna and McIntosh
playbook, the tubes are “branded” with the LSA logo. Nice touch.

The newer (and heavier) amplifier now pushes out about 75 Watts per channel, and the bias
can be dialed up to work with the KT-150 tubes for close to 100 Watts per channel. Those of
you not familiar, keep in mind those last 20 Watts are gonna set you back about $600, (for a
set of KT150s) so if you HAVE to have it, that’s the cost of more juice. The rest of you will do
just fine with the KT88s.

Thanks to the careful attention paid to component choice and transformer construction, the
VT-150 is a class leader, just like the VT-70. Slightly less sweet, but more extended at both ends
of the frequency spectrum, as it is with all other amplifiers utilizing this tube.

We’ll have a full review shortly, but our initial impression is VERY favorable!

www.underwoodhifi.com

If you are still committed to the compact disc, Aqua Audio’s LaDiva transport and Formula xHD DAC is the loveliest combination I’ve had the pleasure to listen to. Period.

We currently use their LaScala DAC in system two with excellent results. Good as the LaScala is, this combination is an entirely different movie.

Long before the days of streaming, the Naim CD555/PS555 was our digital reference, and it was fantastic – but it played CDs and nothing else. Fortunately, you can add other digital sources (including Aqua’s excellent LIN Q streamer) to this stack and take care of everything digital but SACDs.

Much like vinyl is an old format refined to the hilt, I submit the same approach for the compact disc. The Aqua combination is liquid, lush, organic, and highly engaging. Where my other digital reference, the dCS Vivaldi ONE, resolves a bit more detail, the analog-like quality the Aqua pair provides feels more like listening to top-notch analog. There’s a little more tonal saturation, and It’s so inviting. If you’re of the maximum detail persuasion, it might not be for you, but this pair will fool you every time into thinking you just might be listening to a record. That’s the highest praise we can offer.

If you have an extensive collection of CDs that you have no intention of getting rid of and you want an end-game player, I can think of nothing finer.

www.aquahifi.com (mfr)

https://www.facebook.com/arcadiaaudiomarketing (NA distributor)