lssue58

t4.50

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REPRODUCING THE RECORDEDARTS

Exotica
Hovland
Ref3A
Dartzeel

SpinDoctors
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Electrocom
OriginLive
SRMTech
AriesAudio
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 REVIEW.
EOIJIPMENT

ThedarTZeel
preamplifier
NHB-1BNS
Binns
byChris

Of all of the components that make the most sonically pure and devoid of red anodisingwith a mustard gold
up a hi-fi system,experienceshows character,adding nothingwhile acting front panel (which incidentally
'gateway' is much darker than the power
that it is the pre-amplifierthat presents as the for the system that
the biggestenigma.The task it everythingelse connects to. And the amplifier) and I guessthis is a look
has to perform is, in theory, pretty truth is that for all the interestingand that you will either love or hate - me,
straightforward;directing the signal highly competent audio equipment I I'm making no comment. Further
'glitz'
from the desiredsource component have auditioned in a systemat home, enhancing the factor is the
and controlling the volume. the number of truly great pre-amps gold plated nameplatethat you send
Compared to the processof extracting that have left a lastingimpressioncan back to the manufacturerto have
information from the reflective be counted on the fingersof one hand. engravedwith the serial number and
surfaceof a CD or the groove of an The NHB 108power amplifier your name once you have purchased
LP, or driving massiveamounts of was the first product to appear from the unit. Front panel controls consist
power into a loudspeakerwhose iob Swissbased daRTzeel.A 100Watt of a power button, small togglesfor
consistsof converting electricity back per channel design that was the mute and mono (hurrah!) and two
into recognisableaudio, it should embodimentof simple,elegantand rotary controls for input selection and
'Enioyment
be a walk in the park. Its not even beautifullysymmetricalcircuitry,it volume that are labelled
'Pleasure
as if there is any gain needed, as the had a build quality and attention to Source' and Control'. A
output from an averageCD player detail second to none. It also sounded senseof humour lurking under the
is more than enough to drive most staggeringlygood. I was therefore seriousexterior?
power amplifiers into clipping. Hence only too happy to have it back while Internal construction is about as good
passives,although in the real world, auditioning the 18NSpre-amp,which as it gets,using selectedcomponents
considerationssuch as input/output is built as you might expect, in much and no lessthan twelve input boards on
impedance and the capacitance the same fashion.Imagine Swiss which the connectorsin one of the
of the cables hinder the attainable watch precision applied neaiestFinally, three multi
performance,while active circuitry to virtually every coloured Led indicators
provides a degree of isolation and aspectand indicate the statusand
stability againstsuch effects. operating conditions of
tho nra emnlifipr
Why then, am I so often forced to
conclude that the pre-amplifier The 18NShas
is the defining component of a four single-endedline-inputs
systemsultimate performance. togetherwith one balanced; the
And, while the limitations of RCA'sare duplicated by (darTZeel's
a poor source component proprietary) 50 Ohm BNC'sand there
or compromised power amp/ you begin is a phono input; yep, the darTZeelhas
loudspeakercombination are to get the picture; a fully fledged phono-stageon board,
relativelyeasyto identify, the pre-amp attention to detail and a irend that seemsto be returning.
often seemsto be a constriction or refinemeni is the order of the Outputs consistof the usual fixed
compromiseto sound quality that day. Aestheticallythe daRTzeelis level tape, balanced and RCA options,
manifestsitself in a far more subtle quite conventional in its shape and augmented'bythree separately
way. Of all audio components,the mechanical construction,but the buffered BNC'sspecifically for the 108
pre is the one that we expect to be metalwork is finished in an industrial power amp (the instruction manual )

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O nwpuENTREVIEW

talks of incorporating filters for bi or a small, unobtrusivestainlesssteel deliver up to twelve hours listeningin
tri-ampingat a future stage). box. althoughthis actuallyfunctions this mode. When switched off the unit
The electronic design has as a charger for the 18NS'onboard chargesthe batteries,and in the event
a number of interesting batteries.Iwill confessto of them being completely flat the
aspectsand some shared initial scepticism; 18will run, with slightlydiminished
philosophy with the performance,using the mains supply.
power amplifier. Not that I was able to investigate
Thus the circuitry this, as a testimonyto the
employs a simple, effectivenessof the power
symmetrical supply management
configuration this was a situation that
utilising discrete never occurred, and as
componentS with all other aspects
(rather than of the 18'soperation it
op-amps) performed seamlessly
where the fhrnr rnhnrrf fha

signal passes review. For those

through only of us used to leaving
six transistorsin the gear powered up, it's a
main gain stage.This deliversan new discipline having to
impressivelywide bandwidth, claimed remember to turn it off after
to be within ldB from 1Hzto lMHz, prevlous a session,but tellingly I could
with no overallfeedbackapplied. experience (now many hear very Iittle difference in
Each input has its own dedicated gain yearsago) with various designs quality between a cold start and a
stage,which remains permanently involving re-chargeableNi-Cadsled few hours of use.
connected and is activatedwhen me to conclude that the complications It could well be the combination
required.thus avoidingany kind of of using battery power were not of a number of different but related
switching in the signal path. Likewise, worth the lack of reliability and attributes,but I had an immediate
there is no potentiometeror resistor frustrationthat went with it - not to senseof a very clean, transparent
network in line with the audio, volume mention smoke and blown drive units. presentationwith no detectable fuzz
control being by passiveattenuation But thingshave changed;battery or smearingto cloud the leading
governed by a dedicated processor technology has moved on in leaps and edgesand subsequentbody of
via analogue optical couplers, bounds over the last few yearsdue sounds.And a wealth of detail; not
offering 192stepsin incrementsof to our insatiabledemand for mobile of the "l've played this track for
0.5d8. This leavesthe volume knob technology,and the state of the mains yearsand never heard the drummer
whirling like a dervishto make any supply is considerablyworse, partly fart variety" but more constructive
ground, while the remote rather over due to the rise of switch mode power information on note shape and
compensateswith sudden lurches up suppliesthat are now literally textural qualitiesthat enrich the
or down. Acceptance angle is narrow everpvhere. The music rather than distract from
but otherwiseit is a simple,tactile prospectof it. But I think the most
handset (unlike so many others). For completely persuasiveaspectot
once ihe balance control is subtle in isolating the darTZeel
action, rather than swinging wildly the audio has to do
left and right. The phono-stagefollows circuitry with wide
similar design criteria to the line- is now bandwidth
stage,utilising discretecomponents to more attractive coherence.
provide 60 db of gain, although both than ever.Which I'm convinced
this and the loadingare internally is exactly what the that the timing
adjustableusing a soldering iron; good darTZeeldoes, once the versesfrequency issues
for sound,bad for convenience. power switch is activated,relays are an important part of
The darTZeelcomes with a disconnect the power supply from breaking down psycho - acoustic
separatepower supply housed in the internal batteries,which then barriersthat allow music a more >

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 REVIEW
O TAUnUENT

F direct connection to the relevant parts while single-endedconnection was more important in a pre-ampthan
of the brain. In other words, the better considerablybetter, but still falling any other component in the system.
a piece of equipment is at doing this, shortof the custominterfacein The NHB 18NSis a highly desirable
the more relaxed I am listeningto terms of speed and focus. Using the product, and one of the very few
it and as a consequencelessaware darTZeelpre and power together that could successfullyfill the void
of the hi-fi. This particular aspectof proved an awesomecombination, but left by the Ayre K-1xe,a design that
performancewas highlighted by the I occasionallyfelt that alreadyrearrangedmy views on
Quad 2805electrostatics,which were it was almost pre-amplifiers.The darTZeel is
far more willing to do the spooky very close to being my ideal
holographicimagetrick with pre-amplifier;one that,
the darTZeelin the like well behaved
system,often children, is seen
completely but never
disappearing. heard.>f
While the
character of
the 18NSwas
essentially
neutral,Iwas
always conscious
of a very slight sense
of warmth to the sound;
not in an indistinct, hazy
valvelike way but more akin
'richness' N I C A LS P E C I F I C A T I O N S
to a slight hint of that TECH
accompanied the music, contributing
to a tactile senseof body and too perfect: Type: Battery poweredsolid-state

substancewith natural instruments perhapsa slightly sickly p r e - am p l i f i e r

and voices.Slightly more apparent sweetnessthat could occasionally Inputs: 4 x l i n e - l e v eIlR C Aa n d 5 0

using the phono-stage,reproduction have you yearning for a bit of OhmBNC)

from vinyl was supremely confident aggressionor rudenesswith certain XLRJ

1 x l i n e - l e v ellb a l a n c e d

and assuredin a way that had me music. Can you have too much of a 1 x p h o n o( M M o r I V C )

wishing I never had to play CDsagain. good thing? Maybe, but then both the Gain: L i n e- 1l d B

It maiored on flow and involvement Quads and the Spendor SP100Rare P h o n o- 3 0 t o 6 6 d B

over laid bare, concise (and possibly on the polite side. DarTZeelemploy B an d w i d t h : l Hz - I l\4Hz+0 -6dB

clinical) retrievalof detail that one or Rhedekoloudspeakers for product 0utputs: lx RCA

two other high-end phono stagesare development- which constitute quite 1 x b a l a n c e dX L R

better at. a contrast... 3x 50 OhmBNC

The darTZeelpower amplifier Ironically,sometimesthe better Dimensions x 170x 335mm

{WxHxDj:440
allowed me to examine differences a product is the less there is to Weight: P r e - a m2p3 K g
between the pre-amp'sthree write about it, and after a couple Powersupply3 Kg
output options. DesignerHerve of monthsspent listeningto the Price: f1 5900
Deletrazhas some passionateand darTZeelI am still strugglingto define
distinctiveviews on cables and signal certain aspectsof its performance. UKDistributor:
transmission;hence the unusual 50 As one would expect of a high-end Absolute
Sounds
Ohm BNCsocketsand the matching product of this calibre, it ticks all Tel.(44X0)20
89713909
cablessupplied with the unit. Not the right hi-fi boxes, but also makes Net.www.absolutesounds.com
unexpectedly,theseprovided the the important step forward that
best resultswith an obvious synergy ultimately cuts the ties that hold so Manufacturer:
between the two units: balanced many productsearthboundwhen darTZeel
AudioSA
operation via the XLRsseemed it comes to letting the music flow. Net.www.dartzeel.com
sluggishand indistinctby comparison And that, as I suggestedearlier, is

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