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Details: Written by: Hans Wetzel; Created: 01 September 2013

Note: Measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link.

Amphion Ion+ It’s probably not the most politically correct thing to say, but I’m a fan of stereotypes. No, they frequently don’t hold up to scrutiny. Yes, it can be offensive when one incorrectly assumes that a stereotype holds true for an individual case. But when it’s more likely than not that a stereotype holds true, I think it’s fair game for its judicious use as a generality. For instance, I once asked out a girl I met at a Starbucks. She was a tall, pretty blonde who spoke a Germanic-sounding language. I assumed she was Swedish (she was), liked IKEA (she did), and was superdirect about everything (total understatement). A summer fling ensued, followed by an ill-advised breakup via facial literature. I should have known it wasn’t meant to be; in her native, meatball-loving Swedish, her name means “she-wolf.”

Which brings me, circuitously, to Amphion. The Finnish company makes loudspeakers with a distinctly Northern European, avant-garde appearance. Many of their models have rounded, minimalist shapes and are finished in a clean matte white. Founder Anssi Hyvönen suggested that I give an extended listen to his diminutive Ion+ speaker, which is available in white or black, with 11 grille colors to choose from. White was the obvious choice for the speakers, and I said that I’d love the blue grilles, if a pair were available. To which Anssi replied, “We make them. Of course we have them.” I inferred, perhaps wrongly, that his statement was followed by an unspoken “You idiot.” So, like the Swedes, Finns can be pretty direct. I suspected the Ion+ would have a similar demeanor.

Read more: Amphion Ion+ Loudspeakers

Details: Written by: Roger Kanno; Created: 15 August 2013

Bel Canto Design e.One mLink These days, with so many DACs, integrated amplifiers, and preamplifiers sporting USB digital audio inputs, you’d think that USB audio converters -- devices that convert USB signals to S/PDIF digital audio signals -- would be a vanishing breed. For those who’ve never used one, a USB converter allows the USB output of a computer to be connected to any component with a standard S/PDIF digital audio input. Granted, there aren’t all that many manufacturers making those devices anymore, and most manufacturers typically have only one USB converter in their product lines. But considering the number of legacy DACs, A/V processors, and receivers out there that lack USB inputs, and the surging popularity of streaming music from computers, Bel Canto may be on to something in having recently introduced three new models to replace their USB Link 24/96.

The Nuforce DDA-100 Direct Digital integrated amplifier that I use in one of my systems has a USB input, but the Anthem Statement D2 A/V processor in my reference system can accept digital audio signals only via its HDMI and S/PDIF inputs. To stream digital signals from my computer to the Anthem, I need a USB converter. So the decision to review Bel Canto’s e.One mLink USB converter ($375 USD) was a logical one.

Details: Written by: Vince Hanada; Created: 01 August 2013

Primacoustic Great Buy There are widely varying opinions about acoustic room treatments. Some say it is very important, while it never crosses the minds of others. There are also differing opinions about which types of room treatment, absorbers or diffusers, are most effective. As with everything in life, one size does not fit all. The answer is, It depends -- on your room’s size, layout, and furnishings, the type of speakers you have, and your personal preferences. With all of the room-treatment products out there, it’s daunting to figure out how much is enough, and what you should buy.

Primacoustic, a division of Radial Engineering, Ltd., based in Port Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada, thinks that their solutions will help many of the music-listening and home-theater rooms out there. Their bread and butter has been providing acoustic treatments for commercial markets and recording studios; most recently, they’ve begun to make inroads into the residential market. Their product offerings range from bass traps, absorbers, and diffusers to speaker isolation and ceiling diffusers.

I stumbled on Primacoustic by accident. A local audio representative, Len Gerling, of Gerling Ventures, asked if I’d be interested in trying out one of the Primacoustic kits, which are packaged for recording studios but can be adapted for use in homes. Being of the it-never-crossed-my-mind camp, I eagerly said yes. I gave Primacoustic my room dimensions and they offered the London 10, which sells for an affordable $499.99 USD.

Details: Written by: Hans Wetzel; Created: 15 July 2013

PSB Alpha PS1 Great Buy When there’s a car accident on a major road, traffic invariably slows to a crawl, even if the accident hasn’t blocked the road. This is born less of altruism than of deeply seated, morbid curiosity. I’m proud when I stay strong and breeze right by the mayhem without so much as a fleeting sidelong glance, but deep down, I want to look. When my gaze remains fixed straight ahead, I’m fighting nature.

Something similar happens when most of us, especially non-audiophiles, hear deep bass. The rest of the sound could be utter and complete garbage, but without fail, there will be those who find themselves entranced by the superfluous bass a speaker can produce.

Recently, I played my father the soundtrack score of The Dark Knight, by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer, through an epic pair of Vivid Audio’s Oval V1.5 two-way loudspeakers ($7500 USD per pair). I had his rapt attention for 30 seconds before his gaze returned to the obscure book he’d been perusing -- he’d realized that he wasn’t hearing properly deep bass. No matter that he probably hasn’t heard sound that good in his entire life -- he lost interest when he didn’t hear sounds in range that comprises a mere 0.0025% of the range of human hearing. Hmm.

Details: Written by: Hans Wetzel; Created: 01 July 2013

Rogue Audio Sphinx Great Buy These days, there are lots of integrated amplifiers available for under $2000. Many are solid-state, some use vacuum tubes, and a few harness both technologies. Rogue Audio’s Sphinx is a member of the last group.

The Sphinx ($1295 USD) was born in Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania -- about two hours from my apartment in Philadelphia -- and most of its parts are made by US suppliers. At 25 pounds, the 15.5”W x 5”H x 17”D Sphinx feels solid, but is easy to unbox and maneuver. The amp, available in black or silver, has an industrial, craftsmanlike vibe. This is not to say that it’s not well made, but I got the impression that the thick aluminum faceplate and trio of machined knobs were appropriated from a 1970s-era receiver. Rogue goes old-school here, and a glance at the Sphinx’s innards made it clear that it’s not just an aesthetic thing.

Details: Written by: Sathyan Sundaram; Created: 15 June 2013

Bel Canto e.One C7R All receivers, whether two-channel or multichannel, switch among line-level sources. In A/V receivers, particularly the cheaper ones, the numbers of line-level RCA inputs have been reduced in exchange for more HDMI ports. This trend has been less pronounced among stereo receivers and integrated amplifiers -- the last integrated I reviewed had seven analog line inputs. So I was surprised to see only one line input on Bel Canto Design’s new e.One C7R two-channel receiver. I thought, This is going to work only if the DAC and phono stage and tuner are all really good, as there’s only one slot for an outboard upgrade.

Bel Canto Design, founded in 1990 and based in Minneapolis, do all of their design and manufacturing in the US. Among other goals, they focus on the DAC as the center of the audio system, and emphasize energy efficiency and compactness. The e.One C7R ($2995 USD) has a built-in USB DAC and phono stage, and its half-width case matches the appearance of the other models in Bel Canto’s full line of products, which include a CD player and a CD transport. Folded up in the C7R’s box is a poster featuring a glamour shot of the wide variety of these models, displayed together in a starkly empty room.

Details: Written by: Jeff Fritz; Created: 01 June 2013

Pro-Ject Stream Box The Pro-Ject Stream Box DSA ($1699 USD), from Pro-Ject Audio Systems of Austria, combines more features into one box than I’ve ever seen in a component designed for stereo operation. Yes, a multichannel home-theater receiver might do more. But for a two-channel stereo component, this little guy has it all . . . and the kitchen sink.

Known mostly as a maker of turntables, Pro-Ject introduced their Box Design series of microcomponents at the High End show in Munich, Germany, several years ago. As of this writing, I count over 25 Box Design models on the Pro-Ject website. They seem to be multiplying . . .

Details: Written by: Hans Wetzel; Created: 15 May 2013

KEF R900 Great Buy The value proposition is a difficult one to measure. The natural inclination is to buy the biggest, the fastest, the best. If one is buying a Ford Mustang, for instance, a V6 motor simply isn’t an option. It’s all well and good that it makes over 300hp and looks the part, but as soon as you pull up next to a 5.0-liter variant with 412hp, it’s all for naught. Of course, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with the “base” Mustang -- except for the fact that a Mustang is supposed to have eight cylinders rumbling under its hood. To V6 Mustang owners out there, I say, you’re doing it wrong. The counterargument would proceed that some people don’t need anything more than a V6. “But this gets better gas mileage, and look how much money I’ll save!” That’s true. And yet it matters so little to me it almost hurts.

In late 2012, when I was looking for a pair of loudspeakers to replace my excellent but idiosyncratic Mirage OMD-28s, fellow writers suggested I check out KEF’s R series. Last year, when Doug Schneider reviewed KEF’s R500 ($2599.98 USD per pair), he compared that floorstander favorably with Revel’s flagship, the Salon2 ($22,000/pair). I immediately looked up the specs of KEF’s top R model, the R900. Biggest speaker in the line? Check. Two 8” woofers per cabinet? Check. Most expensive speakers in the line? At $4999.98/pair, they certainly are. Other SoundStage! Network contributors kindly counseled that something like the R700, with its 6.5” woofers and $3699.98/pair price, might be the better option. “Better fit for your room,” they said; “more affordable,” they said.

I promptly ordered a pair of R900s.