TONEAudio MAGAZINE The Concierge of High End Audio

These large monitors are unique in that they can be used with or without stands. The wood veneers, made from renewable resources, are exceptionally attractive as well. The DA-2s provided a laid-back presentation that felt organic and will appeal to listeners who want to be “music lovers” instead of audiophiles, which makes sense when you consider that they were designed and built by a musician.

This Canadian amp had “stunning good looks and high build quality” while offering plenty of low-level detail amid an amazingly low noise floor. While the sound will never be mistaken for “tube-like,” the CA-2100 did many things a valve amplifier cannot, like bringing out “the tiny details in the recording that will keep your interest piqued.”

These Class-D monoblocks are small and chunky in size, but they have tons of “dynamic capability and very powerful, controlled bass.” They’re also versatile and played well with almost any speaker we could throw at them. Ultimately we felt that the D-100s had “big performance, quality and value in a compact package.”

Not many entry-level audio products cost $60,000, but this ‘table/arm combo from Australia still basks in the shadow of its $125,000 older brother, the Caliburn. We found it to offer the best analog sound we’ve heard, but it made us feel guilty about our mortgages and our childrens’ college funds. It’s a breathtaking product for the discerning few.

If you still need to be convinced about the sonic superiority of vinyl in an age of excellent digital sound, the TEA-1 phono preamplifier will remind you why you bought that expensive turntable in the first place. This tubed unit is CJ’s statement product¨Ü in terms of analog playback, and it sounded “precise, glorious, severely transparent and full of natural energy.”

It’s no secret that these amplifiers have remained the reference at the TONE mothership almost since the beginning, considering that they work well with every loudspeaker that has come through the door. The 350 offers almost unlimited power as well as an unprecedented level of realism, even at modest SPLs. In our book, the Premier 350 is “as good as it gets.”

An enhanced triode design, this 250wpc amplifier provides the “punch, power and control” of solid-state with a warmth typical of tubes, straddling the sonic attributes of both technologies. The volume can be turned way up on this baby without inducing fatigue, and you may find this to be the one amp with which you “could live happily ever after.”

Despite its small chassis, the solid-state CA200 offers 185wpc and uses some of the same circuitry as the Premier 350 power amplifier and Premier 18LS preamplifier. This model isn’t “your Dad’s CJ anymore,” offering a sound that is accurate, powerful and dynamic. If you’re not excessively obsessed about audio, the CA-2100¨Ü “will be all you’ll ever need.”

At $25K, the ART 3 preamplifier may cost more than most audiophile’s entire systems, but this limited edition C-J¨Ü had us muttering the dreaded B-word (“best”) over and over. We also speak with Lew Johnson about this state-of-the-art design and how it came to fruition, revealing how the ART series 3 is worth every single penny of its asking price.

We’ve had the privilege of listening to many great preamplifiers over the years, but we absolutely love this C-J due to its combination of “musical involvement and neutrality coupled with accuracy.” The ultimate reviewing tool, the ACT 2 series 2 delivered the maximum amount of resolution without harshness, and we felt that it represented the pinnacle of audio performance.

Designed to be placed under turntables, this wall-mounted shelf combines carbon fiber and acrylic and works wonders for vinyl lovers who have listening rooms with suspended floors. Increased volume levels were enjoyed as well, which makes this a worthwhile analog accessory once audiophiles have everything else dialed in.

This $1000 cartridge blurs the performance line between moving coil and moving magnet designs and may be the most balanced MM cartridge we’ve heard. Warm and romantic like an entry-level Koetsu, the Maestro will elevate the performance of Regas and SL-1200s to new levels, and may also find a place as a “daily driver” in some very expensive analog rigs as well.

These German floorstanding towers were finished in silver lacquer that highlighted the aluminum woofers, but the sound was surprisingly laid-back and not in the least metallic. Bass was “nice and taut,” and the 807 DCs offered a “great full range sound that was very easy to listen to.” While they won’t rock at ear-splitting levels, they are a “strong contender in the $3500 category.”

Digital-to-analog converters are making a big comeback due to some of the newer technologies, and this tiny two-box unit took our iPods to “another level of transparency and dynamics.” This unit becomes even more affordable by using a wall-wart transformer instead of the outboard power supply, but for $775 total you can have a sound that might have been “the death of analog” if the VDA-2 had been introduced 20 years ago.

This relatively affordable amp-preamp combo from the legendary ultra-high-end audio company is dead quiet both electrically and mechanically, and was “exhilarating to listen to on a number of levels.” Possessing the same level of fit and finish as their flagship line of products, this pair was more than happy to be split up and used with other brands but offered an unusually high level of synergy together.

This kit phono stage is “DIY gear at its finest” due to the thorough instructions and the excellent results. Once built, this $325 phono stage easily competed with much more expensive commercial designs, and with an upgraded power cord and NOS tubes it went a few more clicks up the scale. “Fire up the soldering iron and enjoy this one!” we exclaimed.

“Small but mighty” is how we described this versatile DAC, and felt it was excellent at elevating the performance of affordable digital transports. We also appreciated the fact that Benchmark includes a headphone jack in the DAC-1, and that the whole package was extremely neutral in sound. The Benchmark was the very first recipient of ourOutstanding Value Award.

This solid-state preamplifier was a “real KAPOW experience” due to its stunning dynamics and powerful presentation. Bass control, texture and definition were sublime, causing us to place the BAT at the top of the $6000 to $7000 preamp heap. Even the $500 phono section option was well worth it-at least until you save enough money for one of BAT’s $10K models.

The middle model in BAT’s P10 phono stage line features dual mono power transformers, making this component heavier and more substantial than most integrated amplifiers. Despite a full complement of tubes, this phono preamp sounds “dynamic and tonally accurate” with just a touch of romance. “The difference is in the subtlety,” we found, noting that the BAT epitomized finesse.

This entry level phono preamp from BAT is so substantial in size and weight that you might mistake it for a power amp! The VK-P5 was “a joy to listen to,” offering an amazing helping of resolution for a $2000 product. The tubed BAT is also tonally neutral and very quiet, even when used in single-ended mode.

Small but exceptionally stylish, these stand-mounted monitors from B&W feature an aerodynamic speaker enclosure, a Kevlar woofer cone, a dimpled port and a curved cabinet that looks great in any d_©cor. They offered neutral sound as well and performed particularly well in small rooms. We felt that the “drop dead gorgeous” looks and stellar performance made this speaker “tough to beat.”

“A fully balanced and differential design from start to finish,” CX-7e is a simple yet elegant CD player that hinted at greatness, even at its relatively affordable price. When used in balanced mode, the Ayre produced a “magic” quality that’s usually found in much more expensive machines. The beefy power supply also provided additional heft and power to the presentation. It’s also extremely easy to use and operate.

The Volvere was extremely easy to get up and running, and within minutes we were impressed with “how much more music was lurking in the grooves” compared to more affordable analog rigs. An upgrade path will allow owners to take the performance even further, but in its stock form this Avid “will get you more than waist high into the waters of great analog performance.”

We called the gorgeous Ascendants “masters of detail,” and found that these $13K floorstanders came fairly close in overall performance to the $70K Avalon Sentinels. “Finesse” seems to be the operative phrase here, with the Avalons providing an extraordinarily clear window into the original music event. You’ll get “fooled into thinking that it just might be the real thing.”

For less than $2000 you can have these beautifully designed floor-standing speakers that are four feet tall, weigh 100 pounds and even have an active subwoofer inside the cabinet that’s powered by an honest-to-goodness 350wpc Class AB amplifier. The four-way Strata Minis not only pass the WAF with flying colors, but they offer a sound that’s “very impressive for the money.”

These slim floorstanders have an exceedingly small footprint (just 10″ by 6″!) , but they offer tight, punchy bass that is more typical of a single 8-inch woofer than a pair of 5 1/4″ drivers. In fact, these nicely-finished speakers may trick visitors into thinking you’ve stashed a subwoofer somewhere in the room. For the price of a decent pair of speaker stands, the EL525Ts work with even moderately low-powered amps and have “more than enough juice to get the job done.”

Very similar in design to the Technics SL1200, this $300 direct-drive turntable actually surprised us with its “low-frequency slam and solidity.” We dug the fact that it played 78s or could serve as a DJ ‘table if we wanted to get our scratch on. As long the internal phono stage is disabled, the Audio-Technica is “hard to beat” if you’re a vinyl lover on a budget.

Built into a chassis that’s bigger than many power amplifiers, the PH7 offers an unusually high amount of features for a phono stage such as remote-controlled cartridge loading, which we found particularly enjoyable. This tubed unit also enjoys ARC’s legendary reputation for reliability and ease-of-use, and does “everything you could ask, providing you only have one turntable.”

How good can a $100 pair of interconnect cables be?¨Ü “Damn good!” we concluded. While they don’t offer the same amount of clarity and resolution as the expensive stuff, we felt that these cables would be perfect for systems under $10K and allow music lovers to spend their hard-earned cash elsewhere, like on music. The IC-3s are “a steal at this price.”

If you’re looking for a great pair of speaker cables for around $100, your search has ended. Audio Arts uses a simple 14-gauge silver-coated OFC copper wire and places it in an attractive blue jacket, making these the best-looking cables for the money as well. While there was a trace of grain compared to the expensive stuff, these cables will make DIYers put away their soldering irons for good.

These cables from Audience were relatively inexpensive and flexible, making them the perfect choice for audiophiles who frequently swap equipment around. We found them to be neutral as well as picked them whenever we didn’t want to change the overall balance of an existing system.

This battery powered solid state phono stage with “op amps under the hood” defied our expectations by “knocking one out of the park.” This two-box unit has an acrylic case and looked “very racy” on our equipment racks while offering one of the quietest presentations we’ve heard from vinyl. We determined that the tone, pace and ultimate dynamics from the ASR Basis will “capture your soul.”

While not the last word in resolution, these small and affordable monitors excel at providing detail at low to medium listening levels (which is not an easy thing). They are “exceedingly musical,” however, and you may not miss those occasional details. If you’re a beginning audiophile or are building a second system, we “can’t recommend them highly enough.”

These small and relatively affordable monitors from Wisconsin surprised us their precise imaging and their ability to completely disappear in a room. We gave them an Exceptional Value Award for their transparency and musical accuracy, and we found that they’re very easy to match to a subwoofer even though the bass is nicely extended without one.

Back in 2006 we gave the $1700 ACI Sapphire XL loudspeakers one of our Exceptional Value Awards, and we were curious to see if the $800 Emeralds would do the family proud. This small stand-mounted two-way excelled in smaller rooms and found its calling as a nearfield monitor or part of a desktop system. When supplied with quality amplification, the Emeralds defied expectations.

A Wisconsin native, Jeff built his first amplifier from a schematic in the RCA tube manual at age 14. His hi-fi sales career came to an abrupt end when he told a customer to take his big check up the street to the local Levinson dealer for much better equipment. 15 years as a commercial photographer led to writing about the rapidly expanding world of digital imaging at the turn of the century, writing for Macworld, CNet, Studio Photography and many others.

He has also been a consultant to Adobe, Roland DGA and Olympus Cameras. He still takes a very active role in the images produced for TONEAudio, contributing a major portion of the magazine’s visuals.

These days, the Pacific Northwest is home, where you can find him in the local record stores, or under the hood of a car, working on an article for his latest venture, Heel & Toe Magazine

You can also follow him on Substack, talking about anything BUT audio, here…

Lindsey Buckingham is one of those rare musical geniuses that defy categorization. Much like Prince or Todd Rundgren, Buckingham is a man with a multitude of talents that is very comfortable on either side of the mixing board and has been responsible for a large part of the Fleetwood Mac sound for the last 30 years. Not to mention he’s a hell of a guitar player.

He opened his set in Portland with a few cuts from his new CD, Gift of Screws, which will be released September 16, and moved seamlessly into “Go Your Own Way”. He bounced in and out of his past solo efforts along with many of his favorites from the Fleetwood Mac days all evening, sprinkling in the new material along the way. Read More »

Hey all,

Sorry about the long delay in posting. As our music editor likes to say, it’s been “Crazy” around here, just lost track of time with the holidays. Read More »

Club Mix columnist Scott Tetzlaff is flying into town tomorrow to join us for the Portland showing of The Herbaliser at the Doug Fir Lounge. It should be a great show, so if you live in our neighborhood, drop by and say hello. Just look for the old gray haired guy in the bright yellow hoodie, that will be me! Read More »

What can brown do for me? Find my Naim CD555, and pronto!

I was informed today, that my Naim CD555 player that was due to arrive today had not been entered into the UPS system since the 21st of this month and that they had no idea where it is or if I would get it anytime soon. Read More »

After a solid week of play, and me getting next to nothing done, I must admit the MartinLogan CLX is quite amazing. Adding the Descent i subwoofer with one more on the way, I’ve got some more heavy lifting to go, but this is an incredible speaker.

I had an absolute blast on my visit to MartinLogan yesterday. The place is huge!

You couldn’t ask for a nicer group of people to buy speakers from, the ML mothership has the same level of organization of the Ferrari F1 team. Nothing is out of place, everyone knows their job and their attention to detail is awesome.

But at the end of the day, I got my reward. Read More »

Staff writer Jerald O’Brien and I took a quick road trip up to Seattle to check out the beginning of Todd Rundgren’s new tour to support the album “Arena”.

If you are a Todd fan, do not miss this tour. He is at his best, doing all of the Arena album live with some fun Todd oldies mixed in. Read More »

Getting ready for the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver next month, I was looking over the photos we took driving (ugh) to RMAF two years ago.

This one stood out.

While I can’t remember where this was, I do remember that it was very windy outside and we immediately turned on Led Zeppelin very loud when we all got back in the car. What else do you do at the Point of Rock?

What the heck am I doing up on the roof of the TONEAudio office with power tools and no shoes? You will never know. It’s a Northwestern thing.

However, we did get something productive today.

Watch our website tomorrow for concert updates and a review of the IeGO power cord.

The man responsible for most of Fleetwood Mac’s commercial success showed the Portland crowd he’s still got it tonight.

With no opening act, Buckingham took the stage and left everyone screaming by the time he was done almost 2 and a half hours later.

Watch for more pictures on our website in the concert section and a full concert report and review of his new album in the October issue of TONEAudio. If you are a fan, the tour just started on the 7th. Check his website for tour details.

Always the sucker for advertising and spicy food, I had to check this one out. Watching a few TiVo’d episodes of The Jon Stewart Show back to back, I was bombarded with about 300 commercials for Taco Bell’s newest creation, The Volcano Taco.

So I gave in. Read More »

Just got back from the CEDIA show in Denver and back at my desk.

In addition to seeing all of the people in the industry that we work with on a regular, there was some fun stuff to see as well. While this show does not provide the listening environment that CES or RMAF does, everything is in one place, so it is very easy to navigate.

Here are two products that really caught my eye, the new compact system from McIntosh and the Utopia Be from JM Labs/Focal. All that Mac needs is a handle! It’s a serious compact though, with the internals from their 301 player and 75wpc of discrete power, no class-D here!

The new Utopia flagship speaker will come in at about $175 K and will debut for all of us to hear at the RMAF in Denver, beginning of October. It will be in the Audio Unlimited suite matched with a stellar system, so make sure you see this one if attending the show.

The new REGA Elicit integrated amplifier is here.

80 watts per channel, on board MM phono stage and very beefy.

It is part of the new series of upscale components from REGA that started with the Ios phono stage. And we all know how great that was!

Watch for a full review in the next few weeks on our website in the spotlight section.

www.rega.co.uk

It’s been somewhat of a lost six weeks here at TONE, but we’ve been very busy getting organized for the fall season of shows.

We will be attending CEDIA next week in Denver, the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and of course CES in January. So if you see us zooming around, stop and say hello. We look forward to talking with you.

And to top it off, I now have a clean desk. I’m savoring this picture because this doesn’t happen often.