SoundStage! Access | SoundStageAccess.com (GoodSound.com)

Details: Written by: Vince Hanada; Created: 01 September 2011

Anthem MRX 500 Great Buy Paradigm Electronics, based in Ontario, Canada, has been building loudspeakers for over 25 years. Since the beginning, the Monitor series has been Paradigm’s bread-and-butter line of speakers, but through the years, Paradigm has steadily pushed against its boundaries of price and performance, introducing first the Reference series and then the pinnacle of its loudspeaker technology, the Signature series. Mainstream consumers such as I benefit enormously from the trickle-down effect: many components and technologies developed for the Signature models eventually find their way into the Reference and Monitor lines.

That trickle-down effect is also alive and well within the product lines of Anthem Electronics, now a division of Paradigm. The much-vaunted Anthem Room Correction (ARC) software was introduced in the Anthem Statement D2 A/V preamplifier-processor, which retailed for $7500 USD. Now ARC appears in Anthem’s more affordable components -- including the audio/video receiver reviewed here, the MRX 500 ($1500).

Read more: Anthem MRX 500 A/V Receiver

Details: Written by: Doug Blackburn; Created: 15 September 2011

AudioQuest Forest There’s been a lot of controversy about whether different USB cables could possibly make differences in the sound quality of music, as the data sent from the computer are typically buffered and reclocked by the DAC. But the same can be said of digital coaxial and digital AES/EBU connections used between a disc transport and a DAC, and I think that by now most people have accepted that those cables do make audible differences.

I was curious about USB cables transmitting digital signals from computer to DAC before, during, and after my recent review of the Wavelength Audio Proton USB DAC. Thanks to AudioQuest, I had an opportunity to listen to three of their USB cables.

Details: Written by: Ron Doering; Created: 15 August 2011

Great Buy It all began innocently enough. From time to time my editor, Jeff Fritz, drops me a line asking what, if anything, I’d like to review. Sometimes he narrows my choice to speakers or amplifiers, but most recently the question seemed to be wide open, as if anything were possible. I took a look at my system, rubbed my chin a bit (always helps me think), and in a flash it came to me: a digital-to-analog converter! I’ve got a CD transport, a coax cable -- I’m perfectly set up to review a DAC. Bring it on! I sent Jeff a short list of models from the usual suspects and expected to be in business in no time.

“I don’t know, Ron,” said Jeff. “Tell me what your computer setup is. Are you on a PC? What version of Windows are you running? Are you using music-server software? Do you have a soundcard?”

Hegel HD2 And that’s how I got into computer-based high-end audio. I never saw it coming.

As far as Jeff was concerned, if I was going to review a DAC, it had better be one with a USB input -- which is pretty much all anyone is making these days anyway. As Jeff gently but firmly reminded me, the future of high-end audio is in playing high-resolution files downloaded via the Internet, and this was my opportunity to catch the train. After acquiring the necessary software and music files, then learning all I could from friends and colleagues who had experience in this brave new world of the high end, I caught quite a strong buzz in the chat rooms about a small company from Oslo, Norway.

Details: Written by: Ron Doering; Created: 01 August 2011

Proudly designed and manufactured in Denmark, the Dynaudio DM 3/7 is the sixth loudspeaker I’ve reviewed for the SoundStage! Network. Of these, only the Legacy Studio HD and the DM 3/7 are not made in China. That may not be statistically significant, but then again I haven’t been intentionally seeking Chinese-made products to review, so it does suggest a strong inclination among manufacturers. To applaud Dynaudio for bucking this trend (at least for now) is to understand that the cost savings from Chinese manufacture can be significant, should result in higher profits, and can be passed on to the consumer in the form of lower retail prices.

In view of this, the DM 3/7, at $2000 USD per pair, may seem to be at a disadvantage, and at least superficially, the speaker exhibits some obvious cost-saving measures. Want a real-wood veneer? Not available. Expect complicated, multiway crossovers and a multitude of drivers? Not here. How about a complex cabinet with discrete sections for each driver -- or, better yet, an exotic tweeter? Sorry. What you do get in the DM 3/7 is a practical loudspeaker from a company with decades of experience in design and manufacture, and a stellar reputation for excellent sound.

Read more: Dynaudio DM 3/7 Loudspeakers

Details: Written by: Vince Hanada; Created: 01 July 2011

Arcam Solo rDac Great Buy Arcam, based in Cambridge, England, is a manufacturer of high-end audio gear with a strong track record of innovative electronics, including amplifiers, CD players, and A/V receivers. A look at Arcam’s current product line reveals many models that seem at first glance conventional, but on closer inspection it becomes clear that each has something that makes it unique. One example is the Stealth Mat, used in Arcam CD players to reduce electromagnetic interference -- a detail that other companies often seem to overlook.

My history with Arcam goes back 25 years, to when I was a teen and in the market for my first integrated amplifier. This was my first foray into hi-fi -- I had no clue what to look for. I narrowed down my choice to a Kenwood amp or the simple-looking Arcam Alpha Plus. The Kenwood had a more powerful amplifier section and flashier looks; the Arcam was tiny in comparison, with an understated matte finish, and produced only 35Wpc. But the Arcam sounded better, so I bought it. The Alpha Plus led me, years later, to the Arcam Delta 290, and began my journey into true high fidelity.

The subject of this review is another innovative Arcam product, the Solo rDac. Selling for an affordable $479 USD, this standalone digital-to-analog converter constitutes an attempt to produce better sound than most entry-level components can, for a very low price.

Details: Written by: Ron Doering; Created: 15 July 2011

Thorens TD 309 In a world of cell phones, smart phones, iPods, iPads, and other personal electronic devices, the word obsolete is the kiss of death. Without the newest gear, you may not be able to run the latest software, including the most up-to-date apps. Worse yet, being stuck with last year’s model means that the gadget’s, and therefore your, coolness factor is now gone. This, my friends, is the downside of quickly evolving technology.

Vinyl records and their playback systems don’t have this problem. Firmly in the realm of “plateau” technology, the science of LP production peaked and froze decades ago with the 33.33rpm stereo format. Assuming you don’t write off vinyl playback as obsolete by definition (some do; I don’t), the advantages are compelling. Not only are there billions of used LPs in circulation; new and reissued titles are coming out each year from the likes of Rhino, Speakers Corner, and Sundazed Records, among others. Also, compared to tape-based media, which has proven to age not at all well, vinyl (and its acetate forebears) was built to last for a very long time, if not forever. And, as we see reported from time to time in the popular press, spinning vinyl has become a very cool thing to do among hipsters both young and old.

This state of affairs has not only been keeping manufacturers of turntables afloat 30 years after they all “should” have gone out of business, it is propelling them to design entry-level turntables that are user friendly and are capable of extracting the superb sound good vinyl is capable of delivering. Amazingly, all this is occurring in a post-CD world in which the reproduction of music with low noise and high dynamic range is taken for granted. The storied Thorens company appears to have stepped up to meet these challenges with the neat, and in some ways quite remarkable, TD 309 turntable ($1849.95 USD in black; add $50 for red).

Read more: Thorens TD 309 Turntable

Details: Written by: Doug Blackburn; Created: 15 June 2011

Wavelength Proton Great Buy Wavelength Audio and its founder-owner, J. Gordon Rankin, are known to high-end-audio enthusiasts for their highly regarded tubed preamplifiers and power amplifiers. It may be a surprise that a company dedicated to the optimization of tubed gear would be makers of USB DACs at all, and even more of a surprise that Rankin has become one of the go-to guys for accurate information about setting up and using USB DACs with computers.

Rankin developed Streamlength, an asynchronous USB software that quickly earned considerable respect within the high end. In asynchronous data transfer, the DAC controls the timing of the data sent by a computer, which in theory should reduce timing errors, aka digital jitter. Streamlength is used in Ayre Acoustics’ acclaimed QB-9 and a few other USB DACs, as well as in Wavelength’s own Proton and other DAC models. If you like tubes and USB DACs, Wavelength may have just what you’re looking for -- each of their three more expensive DACs has a tubed analog output stage.

Some USB DACs don’t specify whether or not they use asynchronous data transfer, but it’s a good bet that such DACs are not asynchronous. Asynchronous data control isn’t the only property of a USB DAC that influences sound quality, but Rankin is convinced that you can’t get top-flight sound from a USB DAC without it. He believes that, as USB playback technology continues to develop, all the best USB DACs will be asynchronous.

Details: Written by: Roger Kanno; Created: 01 June 2011

Great Buy It’s been nearly ten years since I first reviewed, then bought, Bel Canto’s PRe6, which was then a high-quality multichannel analog preamplifier. At the time, the only way to extract the high-resolution multichannel tracks from SACDs and DVD-Audio discs was through a disc player’s analog outputs.

A decade later, SACDs and DVD-As are practically nonexistent, and two-channel DACs, especially those with USB inputs, are experiencing a resurgence. Streaming music from a home computer or a computer network is gaining in popularity even within high-end-audio circles.

Bel Canto Design e.One DAC2.5 High-end-audio manufacturers such as Bel Canto Design are embracing the concept. Not only do all of BC’s current DACs feature built-in preamplification, but two of them also have 24-bit/96kHz-capable USB inputs (as does their integrated amp). This greatly simplifies and lowers the cost of assembling a high-quality, two-channel digital audio system. I was provided for review their e.One DAC2.5 ($1995 USD), which sits between their entry-level DAC1.5 ($1395) and the top of their line, the DAC3.5VB ($3495).

Details: Written by: Ron Doering; Created: 15 May 2011

Mordaunt-Short Mezzo 9 As hi-fi manufacturers go, Mordaunt-Short can be counted elders, having gotten their start in 1967. More than four decades and a few changes of ownership later, the company has kept its successful business model intact: producing high-end loudspeakers that are affordable, or at least obtainable, by most music lovers. With its current stable of six families of speaker models, all designed to be used in both music-only and home-theater setups, Mordaunt-Short should have something for everyone.

Description

The Mezzo 8, a tower floorstander ($2495 USD per pair), is top dog in this kennel of six models. The other Mezzos include another tower floorstander, the 6; two bookshelf models, the 1 and 2; the 5 center speaker; and the 9 subwoofer. (There are no Mezzos 3, 4, or 7.) The Mezzo line itself slides in between the lower-priced Aviano series and Mordaunt-Short’s considerably more expensive top line, the Performance models. All Mezzo speakers are video-ready, being magnetically shielded, relatively easy for an A/V receiver to drive, and reasonably compact. My review samples came clad in Black Ash; Light Oak and Dark Walnut finishes are also available.

Details: Written by: S. Andrea Sundaram; Created: 01 May 2011

Great Buy With the explosive growth of computer-based music systems, external digital-to-analog converters (DACs) have again become all the rage. Of particular interest are those that can connect directly to a computer via USB or FireWire. Direct connection is not only convenient and saves the expense of an extra component, it also has the potential sonic benefits that result from eliminating the many problems of the S/PDIF protocol. It baffles me why some of these USB DACs -- even very expensive ones -- still support sample rates up to only 48kHz. That completely negates the primary sonic advantage of a computer-based system: the ability to play music at resolutions higher than that possible from CDs. The Furutech GT40 is not only a 24-bit/96kHz-capable USB DAC and headphone amplifier, it also incorporates a moving-magnet (MM) and moving-coil (MC) phono stage and an A/D converter, with which you can record your LPs at 24/96 -- all for the very reasonable price of $525 USD. And if the GT40 can perform all of these functions well, then it must be counted a veritable bargain.

Furutech ADL GT40 Furutech, a Japanese company, has been around since 1988. Most audiophiles are familiar with their well-regarded power products -- wall sockets, AC cords and filters, line conditioners, etc. -- and their extensive line of interconnects and various audio connectors, but the GT40 is Furutech’s first bona-fide audio component. That fact notwithstanding, from the moment I extracted the GT40 from its shipping carton, I could see that I was dealing with not a prototype but a finished product.