Issue 9 - Jan I Feb 2001

UK £3.95

REPRODUCING THE RECORDED ARTS

Super Conductor
Nordost Valhalla -
leaps tall buildings in a single bound

► Naim 5 Series
Nait 5 CD 5 Flatcap 2

.. Analogue
Clearaudio Gamma 5 2000
Clearaudio Master Ref
Lyra Helikon

Music
Thea Gilmore
► Louddspeaaken Blues Master from
Analogue Productions
BEtW COM 9 MT
Elac CL330 Jet
Orchid LWO
Kochel K200/SW200 09>
Carfrae Little Big Horn
Celestion 'A' Series Compact
9 771465 595011
 N T E G R I T Y

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email: [email protected]
Editor
Roy Gregory

Contributors
In memoriam
Dave Ayres
Chris Binns
Mark Childs
Pete Christie
Dave Davies Sidney Smith
Simon Groome
1922 - 2000
Jason Hector
Jimmy Hughes
Paul Messenger It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of one of hi-fi's legendary
Reuben Parry figures, a man who was central to the development of high fidelity in the home.
Chris Thomas
Sidney Smith, or Sid as he was universally known, was the chief engineer at
Photography Marantz and one of the pioneers of high-end audio in the USA. He worked
Simon Marsh alongside Saul Marantz in the creation of designs such as the Model 7 pre-amp,
products that are still sought after today, nearly 40 years on. His heritage lives
Cartoonist
Dave Davies on in the products of those such as Robert Hovland who worked with him all
those years ago.
Design
Like so many of us, Sid came to audio by accident, seeing it as a stop-gap way
Creative Byte
Unit 12, Albany Business Park
of supporting a burgeoning career as an operatic and choral tenor. But as with
Cabot Lane, Poole, Dorset other things to which he turned his hand, he demonstrated a natural genius for
BH17 7BX audio engineering. He was to be responsible for the development of scores of

Printed By
influential products that still affect our view of hi-fi today.
Stones The Printers, Banbury His personal life was a mirror of his professional success, and he continued
to sing as well as developing an abiding passion for astronomy, Being Sid this
Hi-Fi+ is published six times
led to the design and creation of several innovative and respected telescopes.
a year by; Hi-Fi+ Publishing Ltd
But his final project outlasted even his enthusiasm. As a member of the Sea Cliff
The Editorial Office United Methodist Church he undertook the installation of its pipe organ, firstly
can be contacted at;
as a member of the planning committee and later in collaboration with noted
Hi-Fi+ Editorial
Unit 12, Albany Business Park designer Carl Weiss. After Weiss' untimely death Sid took it upon himself to
Cabot Lane complete the organ's specifications by filling in the remaining ranks, a task he
Poole, Dorset
so nearly completed by the time of his own passing. Sid never lost his interest
BH17 7BX
United Kingdom in audio engineering, and his final work was on valve amplifier designs with
Tel. (44)(0)1202-659308 Loricraft Audio.
Fax. (44)(0) 1202-659540
Net. www.hifiplus.com
In addition to his wife Marilyn, Sid is survived by his three daughters, Jennifer,
All Rights Reserved. Patricia and Laura. Memorial donations can be made to the American Cancer
Not one word of Hi-Fi+ may be society or the Sea Cliff United Methodist Church Pipe Organ Fund, Downing
reproduced without the written
Avenue and Carpenter St, Sea Cliff, New York 11579, USA.
consent of the Editor We are
perfectly happy to co-operate,
but we don't want quotations
to appear out of context.
 A lot of changes - and
still rather a lot of money.

Speakers as universally revered as our Reference Series are

a tough act to follow. After all, what can you do to improve on
excellence?
Rather a lot, as it happens. Take the high order crossovers,
for example. They've been completely redesigned, using
advanced polypropylene capacitors for even greater lucidity..
And every crossover is further fine-tuned to match the
parameters of each individual drive unit. We even
found ways of making the drivers themselves
with greater precision to iron out the slightest
sonic imbalance.
Having perfected the acoustics, we turned
to aesthetics. Hence the choice of five
stunning contemporary finishes - exquisitely
book-matched veneers, now including Cherry
and the highly figured pale Albina Burr, with
corners carefully radiused to eliminate residual
edge diffractions. In all, literally hundreds of
painstaking improvements were made.
So many small improvements can make a
big difference to sound quality - and these do. You'll find
the Reference Series-Two vastly more accomplished than
its illustrious predecessors. Sweeter. Purer. Even more
lavishly detailed.
Like all the best things in life, they still don't come cheap
- but to anyone who really appreciates sound, they're better
value than ever.

Reference series KEF

MODEL SHOWN IS THE REFERENCE SERIES MODEL Three-Two IN ALBINA BURR. ROSETTA BURR ANO ALBINA BURR ARE PREMIUM FINISHES ONLY AVAILABLE ON MODELS Three-Two and Four-Two. KEF AND UN-O ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS. UNl-O IS PROTECTED UNDER GB PATENT 2
236929 US. PAT NO. 5,548,657. WORLDWIDE PATENTS PENDING. FOR DETAILS ON KEF REFERENCE SERIES PLEASE CONTACT KEF AUDIO (UK) LIMITED. DEPT XXXX, FREEPOST MA1332. ECCLESTON ROAD, TOVIL, MAIDSTONE. KENTME15 6BR. FREEPHONE 0800 7315620. WWW.kef.COm
Contents

Equipment+

Regulars The Real Deal - budget gear that works

5 News 104 Roksan Kandy KC! CD Player

8 Columns and KAI Integrated Amplifier
18 Letters to the Editor
Audio Smorgasbord
Features
109 A non-contact CD cleaner,
22 It's a Dirty Job. . new thinking in cables and
The long awaited third installment of the Ringmat Support System.
our investigation into mains and your
hi-fi system.
Music+
32 Life At The Top. ..
Loudspeaker designer Phil Ward looks
at the choices available (and the Feature
problems they entail) when it comes
114 Thea Gilmore - a challenging
to reproducing high frequencies.
change of direction from
36 Orchid LWO Loudspeaker
the Nairn Label.
40 Elac 330 Jet Loudspeaker
44 Kochel K200 I SW200 Horn Speaker
and Sub-Woofer Music Reviews
48 B&W COM 9 NT Loudspeaker
120 Popular and Contemporary Music
125 Sonic Satori
54 The Nordost Valhalla
128 Jazz
Mono-Filament Cables
130 Classical
134 Audiophile Recordings
System Review 139 Blue-Print for Blues Men -
the Analogue Productions
62 The Nairn 5 Series -
original blues recordings
CD 5, Nail 5 and Flatcap 2

Departments
Equipment Reviews
17 Subscriptions
72 Carfrae Little Big Horn
112 Back issues
78 ClearAudio Master Reference Turntable
and Master TQ-I Tonearm
84 Celestion A Series Compact
Loudspeaker
88 Lyra Helikon Cartridge
90 ClearAudio Gamma S 2000 Cartridge
94 Muse Model 9 Multi Standard
Digital Player
98 Bow Technolooies Warlock Pre-amp
and Walrus Power Amp
 Where else can
you compare all
these products:
Avantgarde, Argento,
Audio Synthesis,
Advantage, Audio
Lumley S.B.S Physics, Audio
New from Lumley these fantastic Refinement, Apollo,
new models with 'FASS' must be Audion, Audio Note,
seen and heard Audio Research, Audio
Analogue, Anthem,
A.V.I., A.T.C., Acoustic
Acapella Energy, Atacama, Base,
The Acepella Vialuns are absoultely Balanced Audio
stunning. The Plasma Tweeter has to Technologies,
be the worlds best Beyerdynamic, Boulder,
Bow, Bose, Burmester,
Cabasse, Carfrae Horns,
Covergent Audio
B.A.T. Technology, Chord,
Copland, Cadence,
One of the top U.S. valve ranges
Cable-Talk, Celestion,
watch out for the new 6 channel AV
amplihc-i Copulare, Clear Audio,
Dunlavy, Echo-Busters,
Eggleston-Works,
Advantage Electrocompanient,
Most definately the best Advantage Graham, Goertz,
around Goldring, Grado, Hales,
Harbeth, Hovland, Jarno,
JM Labs, Karma, Koetsu,
Kreil, KEF, Klipsch,
Lumley, Lyra, L.A.T.,
Kreil Lavardin, Meadowlark,
The reference yesterday, today Musical Technology,
,n*'° and tomorrow Magnum Dynalab, Marsh
Sound Design, Marantz,
Martin Logan, Mitchell,
Musical Fidelity, Neat,
Hovland Nordost, Opera,
The worlds finest pre-amp? Optimum, Ortofon,
Come and compare against B.A.T. PASS, Orchid, Parasound,
C.A.T. ADVANTAGE, BOULDER, etc Plinius, Pathos, Project,
Passlabs, Pro-ac, Piega,
Pink Triangle, Primäre,
QED, Quad, Rei, SME,

Where to
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yr Royal We specialise in room tuning advice and matching and balancing a complete Stands Unique, Target,
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Our aim at Sounds Of Music is to provide you with all the best and latest
products and all the best news and technology, as well as giving the very best
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 NEWS COLUMNS

Great Karma ------------------------------- by Roy Gregory -------------------------------

The recent Kempton Park high-end Kilos each(I) you at least feel like effects in the mid and treble. The
event, organised by Zentek was a small you’re getting something for your end result is massive, imposing but
but exclusive gathering. It set out to money That makes each speaker surprisingly friendly, in stark contrast
offer the general public an opportunity a serious four man lift. to the angular and threatening
to hear serious stereo systems in a In case you hadn't guessed, the persona of a speaker like the Grand
rather more sympathetic and relaxed Kharmas take the notion of an inert Slam, or the sheer, over powering
atmosphere than the frenetic and cabinet to new extremes. The cabinet size of a Grand Utopia.
claustrophobic confines of the itself is created from slabs of polymer All that money and only three
Hammersmith Novotel. The results material, each machined out to provide drivers? Ah yes, but they're not just
achieved were excellent, and 1 wouldn't the irregular internal cavities for the any drivers. Bass unit is a 13" Kevlar
be surprised to see this becoming drivers, and then effectively stood on sandwich, whilst a Focal inverted
an annual event with a much wider end and bonded together with an titanium (not titanium oxide) dome
distributor base than this year. Even so, elastomeric compound. The sloping provides the high frequencies. The
visitors had the opportunity to sample baffle provides time alignment for the use of the metal rather than ceramic
the delights of the Acapella Violon three drivers, while large, sculpted tweeter is rather surprising given the
Plasma/Horn Hybrid in a much more wooden cheeks soften the appearance choice of midrange unit: a 7" ceramic
appropriate space, the latest incarn­ and help prevent nasty diffraction dish from Eton in Germany It might
ation of the Lumley Monarch 2000, look like a cereal bowl, but this is one
and a whole host of electronics and serious driver, and Kharma use it wide
front ends from the Zentek and Audio open, without any crossover between
Reference stables. Sound quality was it and the amp. All of which makes
impressive, as was the response of the the incredibly seamless integration
visiting public. of the drivers even more remarkable.
But the star of the show for me Combine that with a performance
was the Kharma Exquisite Reference which reaches flat down to 30Hz and
I B loudspeaker, making an extra­ you've got the basis for a seriously
ordinarily impressive UK debut. How interesting product.
impressive? Well, having worked the But that’s not the whole story either.
show on Friday and Saturday, I dragged Listen to music and these things just
myself out of bed a couple of hours flat disappear, which is pretty neat trick
early on Sunday morning for the two given their size. I have never heard any
hour drive to Kempton nst so that box speaker with a more natural tonal
I could have a few hours undisturbed balance, less cabinet signature, and
listening to the beasts. Worth the which manages to sound so small and
effort? Absolute!yi yet wide bandwidth at the same time.
Few of you will be familiar What is more, that cabinet rejects
with the Kharmas so I guess I'd resonant energy so effectively that the
better start at the beginning. Despite music is totally free of the smearing and
photographic appearances (in confusion that we all normally have to
which they look disarmingly cute put up with. The immediacy of the
and normal) the Exquisite !Bs directly coupled midband is matched
are both extremely large and top and bottom (which indicates an
hugely expensive. £35300 exceptionally clever crossover) and
a pair including the essential the rigidity and mass of the whole
stands, to be exact. Mind system seems to translate far more
you, at five feet tall and 260 of the signal into noise, rather than £>

5
 NEWS COLUMNS

£> cabinet vibration. The Exquisite IBs single-ended mono-blocks, a system

sound far more dynamically and which while extravagant is well short
Meet The Reviewer
Another lamb to the
musically direct than any speaker with of the total excess that’s all too possible.
slaughter... I mean addition
their moderate 9ldB efficiency has any The relative easy drive characteristics
to the reviewing team.
right to. Combine that level of musical and wonderfully believable presentation
involvement with the neutrality, have put the Kharmas straight into that
extension and sonic invisibility that ' If I ever have the space and money ...’ Phil Ward
I've already mentioned and you’ve got category, along with Avante Garde’s
an absolutely stellar performer. Music Trios. In the meantime, and for those Hi-Fi Experience
simply happens between and behind of us without the space or the money, Fraught.

them, apparently independent of the Kharma also produce cheaper models Five years in the 80s as Design Engineer at

system. Low level information and starting with a £4000 floorstanding two­ Mordaunt-Short.

dynamics are amongst the best I’ve way, How much you lose along the way Sixyears as Design Manager at Canon Audio.

heard, and the whole performance we’ll find out when we get to review Three years as Design Engineer and Project

just makes so much musical sense. them, but while we’re waiting for that, Manager at Nairn Audio. Did time as a spotty

This was the last of the IBs, with the if you get a chance 10 hear a pair of teenager reading Hi-Fi Answers and queuing

IC being available by the time you the big ones, it’s well worth a journey! in the Unilet Sale. Amateurish electric and

read this. Apparently, the revision upright bass player.

offers greater bass extension and even For further information contact:
better high frequency resolution' System
At Kempton the IBs were playing Sounds Of Music Nairn CDX, nac 52/supercap, nap 250, SBL.

with the ClearAudio Master Reference/ Tel. (44)(0) 1892-547003

Graham Nightingale combination, the (44)(0)1892-539595 Desert Island Discs
Hovland pre-amp and a pair of Lamm Fax.(44)(0) 1892-547004 (Note: This is an impossible task - the list would

be completely different a few minutes later)

David Sylvian - Dead Bees On A Cake

Keith Jarrett - Well Tempered Klavier

Successful Shows In Steve Winwood - Steve Winwood

Laurie Anderson - Strange Angels

Dublin and Manchester Graham Fitkin - Hard Fairy

Eberhard Weber - Chorus

Arva Part - Passio

Simultaneous shows in Dublin and by Cloney Audio, and again it was Garbarek/Hilliard - Officium

Manchester achieved great success a well attended event with good sound Prefab Sprout - 38 Carat Collection

despite managing to clash with quality and brisk levels of business. Lyle Mays - Lyle Mays

both England and Ireland rugby This is a family show in every sense of Joni Mitchell - Don Juan's Reckless Daughter

internationals, the Manchester derby the word, with Noel’s entire extended Stina Nordenstam - And She Closed Her Eyes

and each other. Hi-Fi+ was at both clan apparently on tap (at one stage Bach Cello Suites - Any

events (the hi-Ii shows, not the rugby there were no fewer than eight women
matches) and we were really waiting to meet and greet visitors Books
impressed with the enthusiasm and at the show reception!) but it was The Blind Watchmaker - Richard Dawkins

interest of the people attending. especially nice to see the high The Alexandria Quartet - Lawrence Durrell

The Manchester show was situated proportion of couples and families

at the Airport Hilton Hotel, and talking that turned up. Film
to exhibitors they have consistently I had a great time in Dublin, and Brazil or maybe The Usual Suspects

commented on the quality of the our people in Manchester were

rooms, and the quality and quantity of similarly enthusiastic about the show Luxury
the visitors. Too many hi-Ii shows end there. Events like these, and the Fridge full of Cloudy Bay

up in venues where it is impossible to earlier Chester show, underline the

create a decent sound, which rather value of getting out and talking to the Indulgence
defeats the object. public as well as the importance Steinberger Electric Upright Bass

The Dublin show was organised of doing it properly, >cQ:

6
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COLUMN

Playing The System

------------------------------------------------ by Roy Gregory ----------------------------------------------

Sometimes it's hard to appreciate solution to some as yet unimagined element in a review system, and part
the myriad tweaks that inhabit the sonic glitch. And therein lies the rub. of that means ringing the changes.
average reviewer's house, and the It's all very well having all these bits It's not enough to simply list six
problems that go with them when it and pieces, it's remembering what different cables, you need to explain
comes to writing reviews. Enough they all do that's the problem. (At this what prompted you to change them,
exotic cables to turn the cupboard point Victoria suggested that I simply and why you settled on the final
under the stairs into a snake pit might invite all subscribers to an audio choice. In other words, what exactly
seem like an attractive proposition, jumble, but being the editor has did it contribute? The answer to
but for the reviewer it's very much certain advantages - like final say this question is fundamental in
a necessary evil. And the problem over what actually reaches print for being able to assess the suitability
isn't limited to the simple practicalities instance.) of a product you are trying to slot
of storing such difficult objects, Another tendency is what I call into an existing system, as well as
ones with minds of their own and "force of habit" behaviour. Basically, revealing the cost implication of
a tendency to become intertwined it consists of taking things for granted associated but necessary ancillary
that puts the crowd at a college disco - this rack worked for the last three equipment. Am I overstating the
to shame. You need these cables, amplifiers I've used so it's going to case? I don't think so.
and all the other accessories, to do work for this one too. The problem I recently got a call from CB
your job properly, but at the same lies in the fact that this cuts both inviting me to help him optimise
time the sheer proliferation actually ways. On the one hand you might not the sound of the Bow Technologies
complicates matters. be hearing just what the equipment amps. That's not unusual, as we
I had a bit of a sort out a few in question can do, or on the other regularly poll second opinions on
months back and actually discovered you might be hearing exactly what it review product, and it's always
cones and spikes I'd forgotten existed, can do, but only in the context of sensible to have a second pair of
and a few so old that they're no some very particular (and possible ears (and hands) around before
longer in production. "Better put expensive) circumstances. One way you start ringing the changes in
them all in the same place" I thought, you belittle the performance of any system. It's simply too easy to
"that way you'll be able to find them the amp, the other you belittle the get carried away, and end up going
when you want to." So saying, I set contribution of the rack, cables, round and round in circles. Having
aside a shoebox, and as each new mains lead and all the other ancillar­ discussed CB's concerns in some
cone or set of cones was unearthed ies. Sometimes, reading reviews you depth, I turned up armed with
it was duly consigned to its allocated get the impression that the product a few suitable suggestions.
slot. The trouble is, I ran out of shoe­ under test performed in a vacuum, The obvious starting point was
box. Better sub-divide by category, devoid of an associated system and support, as the system has migrated
I thought. I ended up with three ancillaries. Other times you get a list to the far end of Binns' palatial
separate shoeboxes, two of them as long as your arm, defining every listening room, and the amps were
close to overflowing! That's a lot of element of the system, the tweaks, sat on a couple of record storage
cones and spikes, but throwing any a whole range of cables and the cabinets. Out came the RDC cones
away is of course, totally out of the phase of the moon. Frankly, each and titanium Pulsar Points, along
question. You just never know when is equally useless. with various support boards, and we
that pair of steel/nylon composite The answer is to ensure that started to experiment. I won't bore
cones is going to provide the perfect you define the contribution of each you with the tortuous details of all ^

8
 COLUMN

► the permutations, but we settled (or best solution in every circumstance. faintest idea why that might be.
rather the amps did) on a set of Let's look at another example. The morals of this story are clear.
Pulsar Points under the pre-amp and When I first got the Pulsar Points one Anybody who underestimates the
RDC cones under the power amp. of the first 'alternative systems' that contribution of the ancillaries in his
These provided some much needed I tried them in belongs to Nigel. We or her system is unlikely ever to hear
impetus and body to the sound, as tried them under his Densen DM12 its full potential. Unfortunately the
did a change from SPM interconnects and found that whilst we liked the situation is complicated by the fact
to Clearlight ones (which although clarity and dynamic precision of the that the benefits of any given cable
they use slightly aluminium version they also robbed or tweak are product specific. It's one
different technology pursue the the system of some weight. Moving up of the reasons that we always ask
same performance parameters as to titanium solved the problem nicely manufactures for their views when it
Nordost's bistltrst-fii cables). But -at a price. Now I bumped into Nige comes to cables and accessories for
what fascinated me was the specific the other day and he'd finally gotten equipment that comes for review.We
nature of the improvements. Put RDC round to getting some aluminium also insist on everything from mains
cones under the pre-amp and you Pulsar Points of his own. Lo and cables to spikes and cones when we
simply lost the weight and dynamic behold, he's using them under his receive a system.

presence in the music. Put the power amp. When I looked a little quizzical The other thing that springs to
amp on the Pulsar Points and it he flashed an evil grin and replied mind is that, having spent so much
became hard and metallic, losing “Ah yes, but I'm using four'" Our time recommending people to seek
bass texture and shape. Jn other words, original listening was based on sets out and try these kind of accessories,
you need to find the right support of three supports (triangulation and its nice to have both their sonic value
under each element in the system. all that malarkey). Sure enough, and cost effectiveness underlined.Like
Whilst a product like the titanium three Points still produced the same I said at the beginning, it's easy totake
Pulsar point will always improve on result, but adding the forth makes them for granted. Reaffirmation is
a simple shelf, it's dangerous to all the difference, at least under the a wonderful thing .... But more on
assume that it is necessarily the DM12. And no I haven't got the that next time. ►+
9
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 COLUMN

Coffee s Corner
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- by Paul Messenger -----------------------------

Hi-Ii is just one of several of flavour that was missing from

obsessions in my life. I'm regular supermarket beans,
also seriously addicted compared to what I'd come to
to coffee, and it's not take for granted from my 'home
just the caffeine that's roast' beans. I simply couldn't
responsible. Although get a decent cup out of the super­
one is all about trying market beans, so a day or so later
to get subtle musical I managed to get to
messages through to a branch of coffee
the ear/brain, while and tea specialist
the other is focused Whittards. The
on the other sense coffee beans I got
organs of taste from here were at
and smell, the least drinkable,
two passions though still not
are not that a patch on what
dissimilar in some I was used to.
crucial respects. By the fourth day
It's maybe stretching the point I was getting
to state that making a decent cup desperate. I rang my regular coffee
of coffee is a bit like setting up supplier, the Monmouth Coffee
a serious hi-fi system, but both panic, not straight away that is. I rang Company and ordered a kilo of
procedures require paying similar the guy who services my car to ask roasted Guatemala beans for
attention to the fine detail through­ about local welders, but there was immediate dispatch. I also went
out the 'chain' if best results are a problem. The roaster is aluminium, onto the web to find a new roaster,
going to be achieved. Eyebrows and the local welder was fresh out like the rather clever (if pricey)
were raised when 1 worked on Hi-Fi of rods for his TlG machine. It was one a friend had recently acquired
News some twenty years ago, as going to take at least a week and over the internet from America.
I brought in a coffee grinder and probably two. I still didn't panic. Both arrived within a couple of
filter to avoid the dreaded 'instant' My partner was shopping the follow­ hours of each other, two days later,
(a strange brew that bears only a ing day, and could surely pick me immediately helping to lift my black
passing resemblance to real coffee). up some of Safeway's finest roasted mood and alleviate the withdrawal
The relevance of the analogy beans to tide me over. symptoms. However, the interesting
was forcefully brought home the That she did, so I popped them bit was the opportunity it presented -
other week, when the handle fell in the grinder and made myself a comparative review of 'shop-
off my coffee roaster. (I'll get back a cup. Yeeeeuuughl I was quite roasted' and 'home-roasted' beans.
to roasting in a few paras). I didn't shocked at the amount and quality OK, it sounds pretty ^

11
 COLUMN

^ obsessional to roast one's own coffee things down once the roasting is each kind of bean has its own
beans. It's all down to the EEC. First finished. Apart from making as 'spectrum'. Under-roast a batch of
they tried (and failed) to stop us much noise as a hair dryer, this beans and the 'bass' seems weak
using 4mm plugs and sockets to Hearthware machine is altogether - the taste is thin, lacking body and
connect our amps to our speakers, more civilised, as it collects all the richness, though the 'high notes'
then they decided (round about chaff in the lid, and only half-fills come through strongly (a little too
1996) that coffee retailers should no the kitchen with smoke and pungent- strongly). Over-roast the beans and
longer roast beans on the premises, but pleasant odours. it screws up the 'top notes', adding
because it represented a fire risk. Monmouth's roasted Guatemalan coarseness and bitterness.
'Shop roasted' no longer exists, and beans at least got me out of my I particularly like the Guatamalan
you might have noticed that one of ' haven't had a decent cup for days' beans, which are good for espresso
the lovelier smells disappeared from gloom and irritation. The interesting machines as well as filter coffee,
our high streets a few years back, bit came when I used the new roaster for their notably wide taste 'band­
so now all we get is a disgusting on Monmouth's green Guatemalan width'. Freshly roasted, the 'top end'
combination of fast foods and beans. The first roast was too light, is beautifully even and extended,
artificial alleged 'fragrances'. the second too dark, but at the but as the days pass, the 'top notes'
Coffee is now roasted away from third attempt I got the roast just literally evaporate away, making
the shops, so it's therefore bound to right, and was amazed at how the brew duller and much less
be less fresh when you come to buy obviously superior the flavour was interesting, even though the 'body'
it. Does a few days really matter that compared to the same beans is retained.
much? If you've never tried roasting obtained already roasted from One of the bonuses of home
your own, you'll never knowl the shop a few days earlier. roasting is that you can keep a variety
I've only been doing it since Coffee merchants will often tell of different green beans (they last
the EEC stuck its oar in, and (until you that ground coffee is good for for months without deterioration),
it broke) only with a relatively three days, and whole roasted beans and ring the changes for the sheer
primitive and inexpensive (around for thirty days. These people belong pleasure of it. Every type has its
£30, if you can find one) hand- to the same extended family as those own recognisable character, and
cranked covered-saucepan affair, who promised us that CD would bring l regularly enjoy beans from
used on the gas stove. It proved pure perfect sound forever. Of course Ethiopia, Kenya, India and Java.
difficult to achieve both eveness a thirty day shelf life is convenient I can vouch for the high quality of
and consistency, filled the kitchen from a distribution point of view, but Monmouth's beans, not only from
with (rather nice smelling but as soon as roasted coffee beans are my own experiences but also those
decidedly pungent) smoke, and exposed to the air, they start to lose of several friends. >+
covered the gas hob with flecks of flavour. Vacuum sealing is the only
chaff. Even so, as soon as I'd tried way to preserve the full flavour of
home-roasted beans, their superiority roasted beans, and until some coffee
over those purchased already roasted merchant offers small enough packs
was immediately obvious. of vacuum-sealed beans to last *Monmouth Coffee Mail Order,
The new roaster* is a much a household just a day or two, Tel. 0207 645 3561.
neater affair. It's electrically powered I shall carry on roasting my own.
and roasts the beans by blowing When trying to think of words *Hearthware Precision coffee
very hot air up between them, to describe the differences in taste roaster, see www.hearthware.com
keeping them agitated and giving between various beans and roasts,
a beautifully even and predictable I quickly found myself lapsing into UK voltage model costs £130
roast. The hopper is glass, so you the sort of terms I use when from Whittard's Chelsea branch,
can watch if you want, and interrupt discussing hi-Ii equipment. Yes it's Tel. 0207 819 6404.
the programmed cycle if your beans sad, but no more so than some of
are getting too dark, though once the vocabulary I've heard from those According to the website,
you've worked out the timing for who write about wine. an alternative source is
a particular type of bean, the whole I tend to think of coffees as Tel. 0207 729 4411.
cycle is automatic, the machine having 'bandwidth', with 'bass',
blowing through cold air to cool ' mid' and 'treble' 'notes', and

12
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COLUMN

by Jimmy Hughes

Last issue, I set down a few thoughts Were the musical structure more messing about with over-dubs and
regarding tempo, timing, and the way exposed - the slow movement of signal processing, PD will suffer.
hi-fi systems subjectively alter the a piano sonata, say - rather than A hi-fi system that's poorly balanced
apparent speed at which a piece orchestrally coloured, it would tonally will lack good PD, especially
of music is played and influence perhaps seem a little ordinary if there's an excess of treble. This
rhythmic vitality This issue I want to What elevates it from the mundane partly explains why CD and digital
look at the other main component of is Mozart's imaginative orchestration, recordings seem more prone to
music - pitch. If I'm trying out a new his subtle use of instrumental colour poor PD than good analogue - the
tweak, or making changes to cables and harmony The music's wonderfully top-ends too frisky!
or support stands, it's differences in scored, and being able to hear every It even happens naturally You can
pitch reproduction I listen out for. detail adds an extra dimension to go to a live orchestral concert and see
For me, being able to hear the one's listening pleasure. the cello section bowing away like
precise pitch of each note is vital. Mozart calls for constantly crazy, fingers flying all over the neck,
Everything springs from it. If you changing combinations of instruments yet be unable to hear precisely what’s
haven't got good pitch reproduction, to colour and flavour the sound. being played. Not all concert halls
you haven't got anything. Why? It makes all the difference when you achieve ideal balance - often you have
Because it's absolutely fundamental. can discern the individuality of (say) to sit in the right place. Although hi-Ii
If a hi-Ii system faithfully recreates a paired oboe and flute, and also is often spoken of as a poor substitute
changes in pitch cleanly and precisely, follow the cellos quietly harmonising for the real thing, a good recording on
it's usually able to do everything else. their tune. At one point, the cellos a good system can clarify detail lost in
It'll have excellent tempo and suddenly sing out, breaking free the concert hall, bringing you closer
superb clarity There'll be a good from accompanying the winds. to the composers intentions.
sense of dynamic inflection, retaining It's a wonderfully liberating moment. Something else is the ability of
the shape and rhythmic vitality of the And being able to hear it brought a hi-Ii system (and recording) to
playing. In short, the music will fresh insights into music I thought fully 'encompass' the range of notes
communicate because the essential I knew fairly well. being reproduced. This is difficult to
ingredient (pitch) is being properly Of course the wider picture is describe in a few words. Essentially,
recreated. The only thing that might important too. It's not just about detail. it boils down to recreating each note -
be lacking is a wholly natural tonal But in many ways the totality is in high or low - with the fullness and
balance. But more on this later. the detail. When you can hear such depth it had in real life. Yet curiously
A hi-Ii system (or recording) with detail it became clear just how much it's not about wide bandwidth as
good pitch definition is easy to listen care and preparation the composer such - wide bandwidth in itself
to. You don't have to struggle to hear lavished on the music. Sounds doesn't guarantee good PD.
what's going on. When several voices became living breathing things that Subjectively, it's the difference
or instruments sound at once, clarity mean something. Instead of bass notes between the notes sounding widely
between lines remains excellent being shapeless heavy grunts, they've spaced and distinct, or all pulling
and individuality is maintained. As got pitch and tonality All at once towards a vague centre point. The
I write this, the slow movement of there's a directing intelligence behind most common example of this is 'one
Mozart's Prague symphony plays - Ton both music and performance. note’ bass, where all bass notes sound
Koopman's live Tokyo recording on Lots of different things can erode much the same. No matter how the
Erato - and it's marvellous to hear the clear pitch definition (PD). It starts scoring alters, there's little variation
wind writing reproduced so clearly with the recording. If there's too much in tone colour or texture. b

14
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 COLUMN

^ So, listen out for a sense of low in Ton Koopman's performance of cert hall or opera house are never those
notes being properly low, and high Mozart's Prague symphony as clearly right at the front. There's always a point
notes being properly high. And ask as I did listening to it at home? Who around a third to halfway back where
yourself - is the note being 'reached'. knows'. And, who cares? If Erato's the ratio of direct and indirect sound
This isn't merely a hi-fi thing; you can recording (and a hi-Ii system's seems just right, giving the sound an
apply it to musicians. The real masters reproduction of it) totally satisfies the alluring sweetness and tonal sheen.
have the technique to encompass listener, it's enough - the job's done. If you asked me if there's any one
each note, so that tone, volume, and The clues the ear needs to deter­ thing specifically that ensures good
pitch are solid and precise. It always mine clear differentiation of pitch pitch definition, I'd have to say no.
sounds as if they've got ample time are mainly based in the mid-range. Yet It's down to a number of inter-related
to shape and inflect each note. As ironically it's this part of the frequency factors; good balance between the
your technique improves, the whole spectrum that many hi-Ii systems repro­ mid-band and bass/treble extremes,
process becomes easier - allowing you duce poorly. It's not always obvious a sympathetic room in which to listen,
to control things like pitch, attack, and when things are wrong. Unlike deep high quality equipment that's extremely
dynamics more precisely. powerful bass or brilliant sparkling compatible, being sat at a suitable
A hi-fi system is a musical treble, the mid-band isn't sonically distance from the speakers, and the
instrument too. It has to convincingly alluring. So your attention's easily quality of your recordings.
portray a vast range of tonalities and distracted by what's happening at Tonal balance is perhaps the most
textures. From the pin-point brilliance frequency extremes, away from the important single factor of the above,
and attack of a triangle, to the weight all-important centre. and it's interesting to note that changes
and power of a large bass drum; from So far, I've talked about pitch to the upper mid-band - in the 1kHz to
the percussive attack of a piano, to definition as though it were purely 3kHz range - can subjectively enhance
the smooth velvety warmth of massed down to correct tonal balance and or weaken pitch definition. This part of
violins. It's a pretty tall order' high quality equipment. However, the the frequency range is sometimes called
But recreating 'accurate' sound is manner in which the sound reaches the presence region, and a slight degree
only the start. There are two kinds of the ear also has a big part to play. of emphasis here make things sound
high fidelity; high fidelity in terms of A worst-case scenario would be sitting sharper and more forwardly balanced.
sound quality, and high fidelity to the very close to highly directional loud­ However, taken too far, the sound
music. The first deals with the produc­ speakers, ears on axis with the tweeter, grows shrill and shrieky; the tonal
tion of a natural believable sound. and the speaker grilles off - ie the way balance exhibits an unpleasant 'hard'
The second is more concerned with most people listen! quality, and the music starts to sound
recreating the music and performance If that describes your hi-fi set-up, try percussive and crude. Some very old
so that it convinces on an emotional this experiment. Put a recording on, recordings have this sort of sound,
level. It's the faithful portrayal of every listen for a minute or so, then stand up caused partly by resonances in primitive
shift of tone colour and dynamic and listen. Next, (if possible) move microphones and a peaky frequency
inflection that recreates the expressive­ further away from the speakers. Finally response. But although unatural, such
ness of the original performance. (with the music still playing) listen from characteristics can actually enhance
Suppose you were in a hall listening outside the room. Notice any difference? pitch definition, and make the music
to an orchestra and it was possible to I think you'll find it easier to follow (and performance) sound more power­
walk around as the music played. In the totality of the music when you're ful, articulate, and aggressive than it
every part of the hall you'd hear 'natural' not directly in the line of fire so to speak. was in reality.
sound, simply because it's a live event The closer you get to the speakers, the A reduction of emphasis in this
and you're there in person. But, the harder it is for the sound to form region increases tonal openness,
orchestra would sound better in some a coherent integrated whole. Individual enhancing sweetness. But, taken too
parts of the hall than in others. Clarity, speaker drive units, with their different far, the music loses presence and
detail, tone quality would only be at phase and amplitude responses, can detail, paradoxically sounding both
their optimum in certain areas. stick out like a sore thumb when you bright, yet soft and dynamically
When we listen to a recording of listen right up close. recessed. Consonants are soft, making
music, most of us have no idea of how Of course it's a bit of a joke to say words less intelligible. Systems with
it actually sounded at the time. How your system sounds better and better the this problem can actually sound quite
could we? We weren't there. Did the further away you get from it, but it even pleasant, but won't communicate the
Tokyo audience hear the wind writing holds true live; the best seats in a con­ passion and drama of great music. ►+
16
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or via the web-site at www.hifiplus.com

Dear Sir, method take even longer, being mostly of time. The bottom line would be more
Regarding the Issue 1 review of the VP! a speech based programme? expensive cables. That's why we offer
cleaning kit. The phone and fax no. 2 Does the signal level matter, ie the Toaster to dealers. It spreads the
for Absolute Analogue does not seem is it the integral of time and signal that investment and allows them to offer
to exist, and BT do not have them matters? My new interconnects are added value to all their customers, not
listed (plus there is no address).Can between the pre-amp and power amps just the ones that buy Nordost products.
you help? via the active cross-over. So only one set Persevere with your Blue Heavens,
Regards, is seeing a full range signal, the other but you ’ll get a far quicker result if you
Chris Livingstone-Lubwama two get the upper and lower frequency use a decent wide bandwidth signal.
London SW19 bands individually Dave Sprake, Nordost ^K) Ltd
3 When might l expect to have a
The current distributor for VP! products set of decently burnt-in cables? Dear Sir,
in the UK is The Cherished Record Co. One question, which you might l hope this is of relevance and not just
who can be reached on(44)(0)1579- consider asking of Nordost is why they a waste of your time, but I'm ill at the
363603 or at www.cherished-record- don't supply burnt-in cables. moment and out of sheer boredom
companyco.uk. They generally have Marilyn Butt, E-mail decided to pull out my Audioquest
both the HW16.5 and HW17F in stock, Sorbothane (big) feet from under my
along with a complete range of spares The man from Nordost, he say: CD player and amp and put them
and accessories. Cable burn-in is a function of under my stand mounted B&W 603 S2s.
Absolute Analogue are confining amplitude and bandwidth, so a speech Under the former they had made a
their activities to their re-issue label and based signal will definitely take longer subtle improvement, but under the
the distribution of the Plinius amplifiers than a wide bandwidth signal of the latter l can only describe the change
from New Zealand. They can be reached kind used in the Cable Toaster, which as astounding.
at (44)(0)2084598113 or actually extends well beyond audible l know that l only have a very
[email protected]. RG frequencies. When we send cables for cheap set-up compared to the type of
review we like to toast them for at least gear you review in your magazine, but l
Dear Sir, two weeks, and find that a music have been quite careful about speaker
The review of the Nordost burn-in signal still provides a final polish. On placement and choice in order to get
device compares the benefits of this that basis, a speech only signal could be the best out of my system. Therefore
device with the use of a burn-in CD. expected to take a couple of months to l have gone through many different
l have recently bought a set of achieve a similar result, but that's a configurations and could never have
Nordost Blue Heaven interconnects and guess as I've never been patient enough imagined the difference that isolating
I'm in the process of burning them in. l to try it. The best solution would be to the speaker from their environment
don't have a burnt in set to compare have your dealer run your cables in with would make. l thought l had done
against and am undertaking the burn-in a Toaster, using phono to din adaptors pretty well so far.
using my tuner (and Radio 4): five days to make the connections. Considering the magnitude of the
so far and counting. They still sound a As regards supplying cables ready change this has made, and the relative
little bit fierce. But l don't have a virgin burnt-in, it simply isn ’t practical. In economy (£75) of using the feet, you
set to compare against and l may still the UK alone we sell thousands of may find it interesting experimenting
be oversensitive to their first use. individual cables in a year To provide for yourself. There may be an article in
A couple of questions each with a two-week burn-in would it for you?
1 Does it matter what sort of signal require a massive investment in Cable Regards,
is used to burn cables in? Will my Toasters, not to mention a huge amount Peter Olsson, E-mail

18
 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

^ Sounds good to me. Given the excel­ another instance of trying to get it right and search for his name and just follow
lence of the results achieved with the rather than simply getting it first RG the threads.
Townshend Seismic Sinks in Issue 3 I Anyone else who is so insulting
can easily believe the magnitude of the Dear Sir, would get kicked off a newsgroup but
improvement you describe. I will look Having just re-read the article from he must know the people that run
into this, but in the meantime let's put it issue 6, I thought I'd give you my own them. I must admit that the threads
in the public domain and see what other comments regarding my experience normally have hi-Ii arguments for the
people think of this idea. RG with hi-Ii and the internet. I have been first four or so postings, but then it just
enthusiastic about the two subjects for turns into "handbags at six o'clock"
Dear Sir, approximately the same time - ie as I the latest argument turned into a
I wonder whether you could tell me was getting into the internet, I was discussion about whether W Golfs
whether you are going to run a review realising that I should stop buying run better on 98 octane than 95.
on an SACD machine in the near future Rickenbackers with any spare cash and Hilarious. Stewart is one of that strange
please? As a late-comer to digital, I start changing the way I listen to music. breed of HiFi enthusiasts who actually
find myself reading lots of hype about This would have been about 1992, hates everything.
SACD and a little about DVD-A (which luckily I was then at a company who As for the home reviews on
has been tempered with I t ic knowledge allowed me free internet access. audioreview.com, it's quite easy to
of the Verance encoding) and would Although I had and still have vast weed out the rubbish and personally
be interested in the comments of knowledge of what goes on up to the I actually value these opinions more
your reviewers on some of this mastering stage, the world of hi-Ii was than most. If I want to know whether
newer technology. very confusing to me; terminology, the Linn Genki would match the Quad
Thanks for your time. opinions and engineering. 44 preamp this is where I would start.
Daniel. E-mail So I started to use the internet to Surely the people that have parted
build up my knowledge of my new with their own cash would give a good
Obviously both SACD and DVD-A are instantly addictive hobby. I used opinion, and some of them are
matters of significant moment to the hi-fi Audioreview.com and audiolit.com as shockingly honest.
industry and enthusiasts alike, which is places to start - as well as the Linn Web As a Quad lover and user (am I the
why we regularly report on the current site, (with the excellent Arm and Cart only one left?) I must totally recom­
state of play However, when it comes to acrobat file that should be downloaded mend the Quad World Web site - it puts
reviewing machines I'm reluctant to rush by every LP 12 owner), but the biggest all hi-Ii mags to shame with the quality
to judgement The acid test of any new reward and entertainment comes from of info and pictures. Magazines don't
high-bit format will be in replaying the newsgroups. mention Quad much these days and it
recordings made with the equivalent Arrogant, misinformed, nationilistic, is this web site and the people that I
technology, and not just meaningless rude, argumentative, and occasionally have met from it that have kept my
demonstration tracks either. Let's face it, informative, newsgroups like enthusiasm going.
with what's at stake do you think any­ rec.audio.uk and rec.hi-end made What do I want next from the Web -
body is going to be stupid enough to put fascinating reading. easy, on-line, paying subscriptions to my
out a dual layer demonstration disc Most of the stars of the group are favourite hi-Ii magazines like yours and
which doesn't exhibit clear superiority for still there - but I really should mention The Listener. I would pay the same
the new technology? What then is the two. Russ Sadd, gives technical answers price happily if I could download it or
value of any review based on discs of in a real precise way with little of his you email it to me: magazines take up
this type. own views. He is one of the first people a LOT of space in my cupboards you
In order to gain any real insight I'd turn to in trouble. I've found his know and I am loathe to throw
into a new format you need a whole advice to be more helpful and forth­ them out.
range of real recordings of real music coming than any dealer (save for the
to work with, preferably from a range late Denys-Tricketts) I have used. Have a look at the newsgroups -1
of sources. Ideally these should include BUT the real entertainer is Stewart think you could do a monthly light­
a combination of new recordings Pinkerton, he is just SO argumentative, hearted article on Stewart (I hate every­
and older or current analogue ones in an entertaining way-1 must admit thing and everyone) Pinkerton on his
transcribed into the new format, thus that he winds me up, but still once a own.
demonstrating its capabilities both as week I will go to (and I recommend
a storage and archival medium. It's just you try the same) w^dejanews.com Tim Groves, E-mail fTor1

19
 COUNTDOWN TO

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EQUIPMENT REVIEW

" It's A Dirty Job..."

making music from the mains.

---------------------------------------------- by Roy Gregory ----------------------------------------

Way back in Issue 4 I promised computer, dishwasher, fridge, central but they were the easiest thing to
you some rather more structured heating, children etc. Additionally, hand.... honest!). For the purposes of
conclusions to my investigation of the fact that its layout places the hi-fi's this exercise the turntable sat fallornly
the mains and their (considerable) power source on the opposite side of to one side, neglected.
influence over the performance of the house from the main fuse board We started with the Densen based
your hi-fi system. Well, ever since, I've makes for a long ring main and system, it being a lot easier to work
been awaiting the completion of a increased vulnerability to RE These with, and the first thing we did was to
listening room wired exactly as per attributes (plus the inconsequential listen to it running from the standard
the Russ Andrews method, and the fact that the floorboards were coming ring and an off the shelf extension
opportunity to get both Russ and up anyway) made it the perfect block and leads, reasoning that this
myself in the same place at the same choice. The room itself measures is how most systems end up being
time to listen to it. Why did I need Russ about seven metres by five, and is used. After a while we switched the
present? Because he was bringing his not without its own set of acoustic extension block's plug from the
latest distribution blocks and gadgets, problems, not least of which is a glass standard ring to the specially installed
along with a spectrum analyser to 'wall' on one of its long sides. Lower Russ Andrews version. This consists
actually look at what was happening than the rest of the ground floor it of a separate Proteus YXI domestic
on the mains. already enjoys a separate ring-main consumer unit, as specified by Russ
The room in question is a standard which powers nothing but the table but available from most electrical
family lounge, albeit one that's devoid lamps. Finally; and just to make things retailers: We paid extra for one
of TV and video, belonging to Guy one even more interesting, the resident supplied by RATA and treated with
of our readers, and his wife Katy As system consists of DNM electronics DeoxlT contact enhancer (c£50). To
part of a family home it suffers all the (a 3C Primus and a pair of PAis with this were connected the two 40' runs
normal pollutants: of Kimber High Current mains cable
(£40/ft), joined at the other end by a
double, unswitched 'Super Socket',
again treated with Deoxit (£17). The
Kimber mains cables employ the
same woven construction as their
special large signal and speaker cables, which
power supplies) with helps them reject RF noise.
their stated preference for Tot that little lot up and it comes
solid-core mains wiring. Given to around the £1000 mark, so it needs
the possibility of anomalous to offer a substantial improvement in
results 1 thought it prudent sound quality We weren't disappointed.
to take along a Densen Beat Despite the comparatively quiet
integrated amp to slot between the standard main, the Kimber Ring
Helios 1 CD player and the Audioplan brought with it a far quieter musical
Kontrast 11 speakers, along with the background, better separation and
Nordost Valhalla cables (I know, I know, space between the instruments and ..

22
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ greater dynamic range, important to all which is going to hold your attention and out via Hubbell connectors, so that
kinds of music but especially apparent and entertain you. Worth a thousand you can daisy chain more than one
on the upbeat and largely acoustic pounds? Even on its own the answer block if you have to. With a three foot
'Unforgiven' (Bap Kennedy Domestic would be yes, however, this is just the Kimber High Current Power Kord to
Blues LSO710 - a fabulous country rock foundation hook it up to the wall the cost is £350,
album that y'all should own) being the effect is well
used as the test track. Right from the worth the outlay.
count-in the differences A further
were obvious, with improvement in
greater immediacy dynamic range
and presence, and (albeit less
far more natural dramatic than
vocals. The whole with the
sound became ring-main)
fuller and much was combined
less tinny, with notes with much better
from the plucked separation and tonal
upright bass which were naturalness. The three
simply non-existent before! acoustic guitars and mandolin
But breaking down the changes layer and were far more distinct, one from
in this way tends to diminish the there is much. another, whilst the Dobro lost a rather
overall effect. The abiding impression much more to come nasty steely edge which some might
was one of much greater presence and from it. Next step was to see as definition but which actually
colour to the music, and much greater add the eight-way, star-earthed has nothing to do with the sound of
interest too. The other really obvious ‘Power Block' in place of the standard the real instrument. Musically more
thing, and one that was to increase the extension lead. This triangular section important however was the significant
more Kimber cables we put into the ABS construct manages to cram its improvement in rhythmic and timing
chain, was the dramatically lower noise sockets into a surprisingly small integrity. Again, right from the first
package. lts non-metallic chords the difference was obvious, the
construction is a band playing as a whole and with far
theme which more purpose and energy. The all
recurs through­ important musical momentum which is
out the Russ so vital to this track was starting to
Andrews build. Adding a pair of five foot
products, Kimber High Current Power Kords
and is (£156 each) simply adds to the effect.
considered The drums become hollow constructs
essential to with a skin and tuning rather than
their superior just a dull thud, tonal and technical
sound quality. subtleties in the playing of the guitars
Given the well start to emerge.
documented and Fully Kimber-ed, it was time to
clearly audible benefits investigate the application of separate
of plastic casework on parallel filters. First we used the RATA
floor. Whilst this obviously, audio electronics it's a claim 'Noise Sniffer' to listen to the effects
contributes to the other I'm happy to entertain without the of what we'd done already. This clever
benefits (especially tonal and benefit of exhaustive A/B testing. little device converts noise and
dynamic range) it's worth pointing it out Besides, I've already done that with the harmonics on the mains into all to
as a separate issue simply because it's Audioplan PowerStar and PowerStar S, audible and distinctly unpleasant
so startling. and it certainly works there. The Power audio signals, played back iar and
Now, none of this was subtle and Block also offers a binding post for a understandable - the sound of
all of it is vitally important to a system separate external earth, and mains in the system.
►
23
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ The improvement was huge. Final step was to add the 'Super grainy, grey and colourless, with no
The increase in transparency and Purifier' (£350 - and more of the same) dynamic range, bandwidth or rhythmic
spatial coherence was hard to credit. and connect the external earth to the and musical organisation. In fact, it
The texture of instruments was Power Block. This last addition was the demonstrated just how much most of
dramatically improved, especially the most surprising of all. I've been running us put up with and adapt to on a
drum skins, while the discs on the a separate earth for so long that I'd daily basis.
tambourine which had been a faintly forgotten what it does. Add the sodden In the evening we repeated the
irritating rattle were now individually ground and the degree to which the demonstration for the room's owners,
and perfectly new mains set-up was opening the both on the Densen system and there
resolved. The window and the effect was hard to own DNM set-up. The proof of the
credit. The system lost a whole layer of pudding was the look on Katy's face
fine grain while the tonal palette simply when I told her I had to take the whole
blossomed. Rhythmic flow and the lot away (for photography). Fortunately
sense of energy simply pored into the they already own a block and mains
room and by now the system, and the leads, so the addition of a Silencer and
band, were really cooking. The whole Super Purifier was a somewhat sweeter
sound was far more stable and rooted, pill to swallow.
as much a question of its solidity as One other question remained to
the bandwidth. be resolved: the ring versus spur
That's a pretty hyperbolic set of debate. Obviously we were ideally
vocals too were descriptions, and by equipped for the comparison and it
much clearer and articulate, both the now you could seemed a shame to miss the
words and their meaning more clearly be forgiven for opportunity. Thankfully
understood. All of sudden you simply dismissing this as Russ was only too happy
had much greater access to what the "reviewer speak" to disconnect one of the
performance and song were all about. and exaggeration. cable runs at both the
To elicit this kind of improvement After all, that wall socket and DCU,
from something so apparently simple level of meaning that I didn't
is more than just a party trick. It improvement have to get to close to
actually demonstrates a profound would have live electricity. In all
understanding of what effects the rendered the seriousness, don't try
sound of the system, a fact which was original system this at home unless
made even more apparent by the next unrecognisable, you really do
box of tricks, the £250 'The Purifier'. wouldn't it? know what
This continued along the you're doing!
same track as The Silencer Listening once
but rought an even more again revealed
fundamental improvement. clear differences.
A square-ish ABS box that again Running as a spur
plugs in parallel to the system, this introduced an insubstantial
produced a real increase in the solidity, quality to the sound and an
focus and presence of the instruments. edge of spit and tizz to the
Sonically it was if it centred each treble. Voices were much
sound, concentrating its previously weedier with far less
diffuse energy and preventing it from presence, while there was
bleeding out into the soundstage. But a noticeable increase in grain.
it also works the same way in the Restoring the ring restored the
time domain, placing notes far more Absolutely. A balance, removing the intrusive treble
precisely in relation to each other. The brief return to the original set-up quality, revealing the tonal range and
sense of ensemble playing and purpose demonstrated just how flawed it had reinjecting the weight that had gone
improve again, adding to the dynamic been, to the extent that it was now missing from the bass. The other issue
swings that the band can make. genuinely unlistenable: compressed, is induced noise, to which a ring

24
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Il is potentially more vulnerable. Kimber largely pointless anyway, given that Without paying proper attention to the
users don't need to worry so much mains interference effects are variable foundations it's foolhardy to extend a
about this because of the cable's by their very nature. And let's not forget house. Like-wise, inadequate mains will
woven construction. However, having that 'high fidelity' actuallystands for severely limit the benefits of upgrades
heard the difference, and given the something - nothing added, nothing made to your system. You simply won't
performance of The Silane er. I'd still taken away Wander from that path and be able to hear them past the lousy
opt for the ring regardless of cable. you're lost. Completely mains that makes up your music.
At close to £500 these changes may If you are going to build a high We listened to two systems, one
not sound that big a deal, but performance engine you start with the at around £5500 + cables, the other
believe me, fuel, and the same applies to a costing nearer to £9500 all in. Both
hi-fi system. The mains is systems were transformed by the
like the foundation of quality of the mains supply The
your hi-fi building. benefits on the DNM system weren't
The deeper and quite as obvious as with the Beat: a
more solid that combination of the Beat's destructive
they are. foundation and tendencies and the stellar dynamic
Not only are the higher you performance of the Valhallas, which the
they fundamental can build. DNM solid core cables simply couldn't
to the performance of Unfortunately, if match. In other words, the Beat offered
the system, but they fall you build a more to work with
in a category four-storey while the Nordost cables opened the
which it is hard house on the foun­ window that much wider. But in both
to achieve by H«««) dations of a garden systems, the benefits were little short
changing y shed, it may well look the of jaw dropping. In this context the
anything else. part but its structural integrity expenditure of around £2000 was an
Sure, you could and solidity are going to be equivalent absolute no-brainer. Bear in mind that
get a smoother treble to the shed that should have been Russ also offers the £500 Purifier Block
or fuller bass by changing the there. Pretty soon the cracks will start which includes a Purifier and a Silencer
cables or equipment, but that is to show and the house will be unin­ along with the eight sockets in a single,
to misunderstand what is going on habitable. In hi-fi terms, that house is more cost effective package. Also
here, and cuts right to the heart of just like a system, and without a proper consider that you can achieve further
the problem. foundation it's your long term musical benefits by installing Silencers adjacent
When you listen to music, what you enjoyment that suffers. to noise sources on other rings. The
are actually hearing is the mains. Your The problem is conclusion is simple. Ignore the
acoustic signals are created out of the mains and you'll only
chopped up energy that comes out realise a fraction of
of the wall socket. The so soso so-soso the performance
takes and uses that energy, but it's potential in your
fundamental quality is still there. Your equipment - and
equipment can (and does) bend the that's one awfully
signal out of shape, altering what's costly mistake. Il
there. The problem is that with the
mains then it's either there or it isn't.
Any quality that doesn't make it into
the !EC socket on the back of your
equipment can't be replaced after the that it's also
event. Any attempt to do so involves roughly equivalent
gross aberrations in the signal, all of to a midi-system.
which come at a cost elsewhere (audio Any kind of serious
signals are a bit like a balloon full of hi-fi is much more like a
water - push them in at one place and skyscraper' The implications
they stick out at another!) and are are clear

25
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Back In The Real World ...

E> Although our test provides But before we get into that, there's them and because they are
definitive answers to the questions one last point. The effects of mains representative of a given approach.
concerning mains quality, how much treatment are cumulative, one layer So, at the end of each section I've
you can do about it, and what effect it building on the next. What that means also listed the alternatives we've tried
has on system performance, it doesn't is that you don't get the full benefit of and recommend. Again this isn't an
tell you what to do. We applied one, your mains leads and distribution block exhaustive list, but it helps to indicate
highly developed set of products to the until you do more work further the sheer variety of options out there.
problem. There are others we could upstream, or add a separate earth etc. Once again, a fairly modest system
have used, as well as other techniques I'm not saying that you won't get was employed: the Roksan Kandy
and approaches. As I said earlier, the a worth-while electronics driving the Living Voice
problem with mains inte-rference is improvement. It Avatars (a textural and tonal
that it is constantly variable, both in will be magnifying glass if ever there was
terms of specific effects and the one) sitting on the rather excellent
differing environments of IsoBlue rack which made swift
individual systems. We connections a doddle. Cabling
were keen to apply the was Quattro-Fil and SPM,
test in a "real" chosen for its unforgiving
home, one that nature and the opportunity
actually proved to investigate mains/signal
relatively benign, cable interaction.
at least as far Step One - A Decent
as external Extension
interference goes. Block And Mains Leads
The results achieved simply
indicate that noise from Fed straight from the wall
within the system is just using standard leads the
as big a problem as system really didn't sound
external interference. bad, a testimony to my
In fact most people end up fundamentally good mains
approaching the problem from the clearly audible and cost effective. But supply. A little small and grey perhaps,
other end, starting with mains leads each step you make will extract more but what should you expect from
and ending up with a purpose installed benefit from the bits you've already budget electronics? The answer
ring constructed from "audio" type bought, until a dedicated ring is an awful lot more.
mains cable, a fact born out by Russ provides the necessary fundamental Substituting a True Colours
who sells more of this stuff than foundation to the whole kit and Industries six way block (£100) and
anyone else in the country, so he has caboodle. Starting with mains leads mains leads (from £80 ea.) was a far
a fairly good handle on the market. may seem a bit like tackling the tip of from subtle improvement. Using the
Simple practicality dictates it, and the iceberg, and it is. The fact that even same Bap Kennedy track there was
bearing that in mind let's look at the this is so effective simply indicates just simply more energy, more dynamic
various levels of commitment that form how big the iceberg is. range, more colour and more drama.
the ladder that leads to a dedicated In looking at the various steps you Right from the count in there was a
solution. We could do it with the Russ can take I've chosen to use a variety greater sense of both a coherent space
Andrews products we've already dis­ of different products from different and a coherent band. The first (false)
cussed, and I've done just that at manufacturers. Whilst they are all strum off to the left suddenly had
home, but I reckon it could be useful recommendable in them-selves, I've attack and the body and harmonics of
to look at a few of the alternatives. chosen them more because! know an unmistakably nylon strung guitar. ^

26
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

.. The lead vocal, easily submerged Step Two

on this track, was better separated - Adding Some Isolation
and far more expressive, as were the
many and various guitars. The overall The next step is to introduce some
effect was much more solid and filtering into the equation. In the Russ
altogether bigger. Now the band had Andrews set-up this was placed
some presence“, a leader and a bit in parallel, and certainly
of purpose. there are many people
Not bad for a set of mains leads who abhor the idea
huh? Stiff and awkward to use the TC!s of placing a filter in
are well wrer? the effort. Why? Well, line with the mains
there's all of the above of course, but supply. In general I'd
the real bonus is the adrenaline shot agree, however there
that they give the whole system. This are exceptions to this
is an infectious dance track which rule. I've talked at great
played Jive has them packing the floor. length about the
Introduce the TCis and the music just Audioplan mains prod­
takes off. They really put the dance ucts several times before,
back into proceedings, wind! is exactly but I make no apologies for
what they should do. Given their revisiting them here because they
modest cost they really do represent represent possibly the most developed unfused which probably helps them to
the minimum you should be spending, set-up out there, and there are a few sound better, they are reversible which
even in the context of a budget system. new wrinkles in their game-plan. means that it is far simpler to optimise
The Audioplan system is modular, mains polarity for each unit (an
Alternatives: meaning that you can build it up over important and oft overlooked aspect of
Music Works the course of time, and offers two system set-up simply because it's such
LAT International performance levels, the standard a pain to do with UK mains plugs). The
Kimber range and the 'S' range. It's the latter FineFilter 'S' also offers a switchable
Audioplan and more ground filter as well as three separate
Nordost expensive main filter characteristics, of which
option we are more later
taking here. In use the Audioplan system
The chain starts instantly established a wider and
with the Fine Filter deeper soundstage, a more natural
'S' (dm900), an inline tonal balance and wider tonal palette.
RF filter. Into this is The effect of the ground filter was
plugged the PowerStar 'S' enormous (nearly as great as the
(dm800) seven-way star-earthed impact of the separate ground in the
distribution block. Like Russ' products Russ Andrews system) and all listening
this has eliminated all but absolutely was done with it in the 'on' position.
essential metal elements. The CD That first strum was now both more
player is the fed via a PowerP!antlOO tactile and way outside the lefthand
'S' (dm900) isolation transformer, speaker, the voices on the count-in
while the amp connects directly more individual and identifiable.
to the centre socket of the The sense of added space extended
PowerStar. All the leads (from to the playing, with rhythmic subtleties
dm300 ea.) are heavily damped more apparent and the difficult
to prevent mechanical ascending guitar run in the first break
resonance and arrive fitted (which so many systems fudge) more
with continental plugs. That complete, dextrous and intelligible.
may seem like a disadvantage Likewise the bass drum which now
but not only are these plugs possessed discernible pitch, volume ..

27
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ and a floor to sit on. The lead vocal as demonstrating just how carefully more disjointed results. I'll return to
was better again but its inflections and you need to approach both filters and the KE-Power at a later date - with the
the lift as he enters the chorus were the mains. KE mains leads to matchl
much more natural. Dynamic-ally the By way of a more compact option
Audio-plans matched the TCls at the 1 also tried the eight-way KE-Power Alternatives:
filtered distribution block (£795). This The Chord Co.
arrived with a length of its own mains Step Three - The Surface Spur
lead attached via a Hubbell
"try, connector. In the absence of Unfortunately it's not always possible
. any of the KE mains leads to start messing with the household­
(£35 ea) I opted for electrics and fitting dedicated rings
J»................. X Nordost El-Dorados. or spurs. The house may be rented,
M The result had or it may simply be impractical. In
plenty of power this instance the best option is to
' but was lacking carry the dedicated wiring as far back
wide end WX * the tonal subtlety, as possible. Assuming you can't get
while offering ' j F space and texture beyond the wall socket then the next
a much tidier yF of the Audioplan
overall scaling, set-up. In fact,
especially when it comes ' reverting to the
to micro dynamics. Nordost extension
So what about block provided superior
that switchable performance with
filter? I started with it set to better control, focus
normal and established a decent feel and much greater
for what was going on before setting it subtlety Not as subtle
to position 2. The difference was as the Audio-plan, and
marked and interesting. The sound without its colour and best thing is to use a massive isolation
became bigger, bolder, more dramatic transparency,but more transformer like the Moth Marketing
in scale but at the same time more dynamic and punchy. Pure Power (£450). Of course
rounded and sweeter. Altogether more Does that make the KE-Power designer Ben Duncan
florid if you like. Switching to position 1 a failure? Absolutely not. It simply has his own
altered things again. More compact, underlines the importance of using
solid and purposeful than either 'nor­ matching sets of mains kit. Mixing and
mal' or 2 it was the setting I finally set­ matching mains leads is just as
tled on. It had the effect of lifting and problematic as mixing and matching
projecting the vocal in interconnect and speaker views on dedicated mains systems
a far more cables, only it tends to (see Issue 3) which involve placing a
satisfying way It have musically much Pure Power at the DCU, but the
made the arrangement employed here repre­
' normal' position sents a less permanent solution.
sound a little ragged and Using the Pure Power brought
insubstantial while 2 a dramaticdrop in the noise floor
was positively murky and corresponding increase in
in comparison. Your transparency. Now you could
choice of setting is see right to the back of the
going to depend on the soundstage and the music had
equipment you use, and something approaching the sort
even the room it's in, and of solidity and foundation that
whilst it goes against the the dedicated ring provided.
‘straight-line' grain, I have to say The combination of solidity and
that it's a really useful facility, as well delicacy was immediately ^

28
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Your priorities should be a

Suppliers
dedicated ring, quality leads and
a clean earth (a subject we'll
Kimber and Russ Andrews Products
cover next issue). Once you've
Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd
got all those you can start
Tel(44)(0)1539-825500
playing with exotic
Fax.(44)(0)1539-825540
cables and other
Net. www.russandrews.com
devices, although
it's a lot easier to
Audioplan Products
.. apparent in do the job
Audioplan
the guitar properly once.
Tel. (49)(0)7246-1751
picking and If you are
Fax. (49)(0)7246-5255
tambourine, going to lay
Net. www.audi-o-plan.de
both of which a dedicated
stepped, solid spur or ring,
Chord Products
and real out of the do it with
The Chord Co.
mix. Interestingly proper cable,
Tel. (44)(0)1722-331674
the Pure Power was even if it means
Fax. (44)(0)1722-411388
equally effective with sticking to standard
Net. www.chord.co.uk
either the Audioplan or cables for a while. It'll
Nordost mains set-ups, pay off handsomely in the
Nordost Products
and made the benefits of end, as well as making a very
Nordost (UK) Ltd
using the matching signal cable in each real difference in the meantime. And
Tel. (44)(0)1352-730251
case that much more apparent. remember, for most people this is a
Fax. (44)(0)1352-731273
gradual process which they undertake
Net. www.nordost.com
Alternative: by stages. You can start at either end
AudioPlan of the chain, but remember, once
LAT Products
you've decided on a set of products or
Audusa and Co.
Conclusions a particular approach then stick with it.
Tel. (44)(0)208-241-9826
Mixing and matching different prod­
Fax. (44)(0)208-241-0999
The benefits of a truly dedicated ucts will undermine or even undo the
Net. [email protected]
mains supply cannot be over benefits. It's actually pretty
emphasised - the mains is the
Music Works Products
foundation on which your
Music Works
music is built. You may
Tel. (44)(0)161-491-2932
or may not be able to
Fax. (44)(0)161-428-3633
go to the extremes
outlined in
Ke-Power Products
the opening
UKD
section of
Tel. (44)(0)1753-652669
this article, but
Fax. (44)(0)1753-654531
however much
Net. www.ukd.co.uk
you do or don't
do to ensure
True Colours Industries Products
a clean mains
True Colours Industries
supply, you straight forward to
Tel. (44)(0)7710-196949
ignore at the achieve good mains,
Fax. (44)(0)2890-469200
peril of a woefully and in the context of
Net. www.true-colours.com
underperforming most upgrades, it's
system and the likelihood of surprisingly cheap. Do
a string of expensive but ultimately it now. It's the biggest musical
unfulfilling upgrades. bargain out there. >fa

29
 CHORD EFFECT!

The first time you hear

your sound system with

Chord interconnecting cables

will be the first time you’ve

really heard it.

Be warned - the effect can

be shattering

Your eyes and ears will be

the
opened. Your music will
CHORD
never sound the same again

Specify Chord cables

Hear the light

FOR SALES AND INFORMATION LL: 01722 331674

FAX: 01722 411388 E-MAIL: [email protected] OR VISIT US AT WWW.CHORD.CO.UK
Why settle for
anything else
when you can OWI1 something
this good!
The PowerBlock
",.. capable of making a fabulous difference
to clarity and stereo imagery that needs to
be heard to be appreciated. Brings out the
best in your system; makes a difference that
can't easily be obtained by other means."
Jimmy Hughes, Hi-Fi Choice,
Issue 206, October 2000.

Call us on
UK FREEPHONE
0800 373467
for full details and a free
brochure pack
quoting ref: AHP1200.

Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd., Cable Upgrade Scheme

FREEPOST NWW881A, KENDAL, LA8 9ZA.
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Tel:+44 (0) 1539 825500 Fax: +44 1539 825540
E-mail:[email protected] www.russandrews.com Free Delivery
EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Life At The Top

Speakers and high frequencies
------------------------------------------------------------ by Phil Ward ---------------------------------------------------

Somehow we seem to have an the marvel of the all singing WjM having just written
inherent feel and understanding for (if not dancing) "eight WSiP the above, it occurs to
bass. Maybe there's something about inch two-way", a tweeter me that there's a few contem­
it's physical nature. The fact that we was, well a tweeter, and porary products out there that
can see a bass driver move or feel most likely either a Seas ' still follow much the same philosophy
the blast of air from a reflex port. Hl07 or a Audax HD25. and recipe.
Or the fact that bass is untroubled Now, before anybody reaches for In the mid to late eighties there
by directivity or diffraction makes it the pen to write a correcting letter to were three events, and for “events"
easier to imagine we understand. the editor, yes there were alternative read products, that were probably
Bass seems somehow to be founded approaches to HF around at the time: responsible for moving the focus of
in a time and space domain close to Wharfedale's “Isodynamic" tweeter; UK based designers' and enthusiasts'
ours. But further up the audible range Linn's and Naim's use of the Scanspeak attention to include the stuff above
any physical connection and gut 02008; The KEF T27 that found it's 3kHz. One was the Celestion SL6
understanding becomes more way into a good few “kit" products; with it's tweeter from a one-piece
ephemeral. And when we consider Mordaunt-Short's use of the Isophon copper dome and former. The second
the realm of the tweeter? What on KK7 and KK9 in the Festival and was the Roksan Darius with it's tweeter
earth is all that about? We may as well Pageant; The Audax HD34 that wasn't (the ubiquitous Audax HD25?) sus­
be talking Star Trek style pure energy really a tweeter (it ran out of breath pended peculiarly and precariously
beams for all the intuitive grasp. But before !SkHz) but owed it's wider on springs. And the third was KEF
the role of the tweeter is really not all hi-fi applications to the fact that it and Seas simultaneously (or so it
that tough to understand, it only was used in a couple of BBC radio seemed to me, despite KEF's patent
seems that way. High frequency studio monitors where output above application and litigious sabre rat­
sound has all the same characteristics !SkHz was “unnecessary". But these tling) realising that the availability
as low frequency sound - it's just were exceptions not the rule. The of neodynium-iron-boron magnets
busier, writ smaller and more at the rule was 25mm soft dome. made a tweeter small enough to
mercy of reflection and diffraction And the typical design process? sit on the pole-piece of a bass/mid
from objects of our kind of size. It's You concentrated hard on your driver and therefore a true co-planer,
also, in it's own way, just as significant bass/mid unit (primarily trying to dual-concentric driver a practical
a contributor to the chances of get the polypropylene cone to stick proposition.
a speaker making music. to the rubber surround), scratched Ironically, none of these technique
High frequencies weren't always your head a bit about the flapping and ideas was really new Metal dome
seen as much for the speaker engineer cabinet walls and then half blindly tweeters had been around for a while.
to write home about. Cue history screwed the tweeter of choice in Philips had a 25mm aluminium dome
lesson....Twenty years ago the tweeter the top half of the baffle (oh and in their OEM catalogue in early eighties
was often close to an afterthought. you reversed it's polarity to make but withdrew it for lack of interest
When the world of loudspeaker the system measure flat(ish) on-axis). (the tweeter manufacturer equivalent
design was so wrapped up in the Voila! Another Mission 770 look-alike, of turning down The Beatles?)
wonder of new cone materials and and sometimes sound-alike. Of course, and Yamaha with the NS 1000, ^

32
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ a speaker probably never equaled in really) could depend on how you sell because customers missed seeing
terms of the application of materials screwed it to the baffle. Metal domes two drivers.
technology, managed to produce with true piston operation to, well, Fast forward fifteen years and the
remarkable mid and HF domes in nearly 20kHz could work. And locating bit above 3kHz is given the attention
beryllium. Meanwhile, Roksan were the tweeter at the apex of a cone in speaker design that it always
far from the first people to advocate brought in practice all the theoretical actually warranted. There's few brand
decoupling the tweeter but the benefits of consistent, dispersion new ideas or techniques - although
Darius, perhaps because of the and easy driver integration. Ironically, some new driver developments from
"purity" of it's decoupling technique KEF apparently found Uni-Q a difficult Vifa-Scanspeak are creating a stir
and the visibility of the - just a far greater appreciation and
springs, was the one understanding of the problems to be
that stuck in folks
minds. And KEF's \ I solved and issues and compromises
involved. So what are the high
Uni-Q? Despite / frequency options if you're
the granted US a speaker designer developing
and UK patents,
% a killer product for the mid
I for one, saw in to high-end?
other product and ---- —---- Well, as is so often the
read in publications and case, the answer is that "it
patent documents, enough depends". The practical
prior art to have some
doubts that the
® options available to any
designer as far as tweeters
patent examiners @ are concerned are all
in question were wrapped up in the
living on quite the
same planet.
@ compromises inherent
in the bigger picture.
In public, You can’t just decide
speaker designers
scoffed at these
0 on a particular high
frequency, philosophy,
three wacky, new-
!angled techniques.
®- without making sure
that the rest of the
In private we had a disturbing
A system is compatible. And similarly,
feeling that the bar had been raised you can't decide on a bass/mid
a notch or four. We were right. strategy unless the top end dovetails
Suddenly, tweeters and how they were nicely Welcome to the world of
used were big news. Manufacturers holistic speaker design. Say for
with no in-house tweeter capability example you're convinced that
scoured the world for metal domes the route to loudspeaker heaven
and at the same time those who is a two-way moving coil system
opened their minds and listened with high sensitivity and wide HF
found that Celestion, Roksan and dispersion. For high sensitivity, say
KEF were onto something. The sound a true 90dB, you're going to need
of a tweeter (the whole speaker a large(ish) diameter bass/mid ^

)>)>
33
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

► driver with relatively low moving mass. resonance at least an octave below competent soft dome tweeters
And for wide dispersion you'll most other similarly dimensioned from any number of Far Eastern
naturally be looking at a 19mm dome tweeters. This means it's quite capable manufacturers for less than a couple
tweeter. But unless you have a piece of reaching down to knit with a limited of quid - the typical UK branded
of smart technology to deploy you'll bandwidth bass/mid unit - even with Chinese built budget box lives by
be facing problems, for the bass unit a crossover as low as 2kHz. The them. The Scanspeak costs around an
will almost certainly be a paper technology of the 02008 isn't rocket order of magnitude more. In contrast,
coned device with a ragged and science but simply the combination "planer" tweeter technologies have
narrow response above 1.5kHz or so of rear cavity loading, braided lead- simply never been subject to the
and the tweeter, with it's fundamental out wires and a very high production engineering refinement
resonance typically not far shy compliance suspension that might make them competitive.
of 2kHz, will be struggling to system carefully Maybe the engineering challenges
perform below 3kHz. There'll optimised to allow are such that the refinement could
be an unholy mess right in the generous dome never be achieved to the same
middle of the ear's highest displacement with low degree anyway
sensitivity band - just where distortion. Of course the And metal domes? Well there
you don't need it. So the first benefits of the 02008's low is a small cost issue and a larger, but
thing to appreciate about fundamental resonance, low distortion, not insurmountable manufacturing
tweeters, even before you decide lack of delayed resonance and wide issue (metal domes, especially one-
between dome, inverted dome, dispersion and are felt not only with piece dome and former designs, are
19mm, 25mm, ribbon, electrostatic, systems that feature a low crossover generally tougher to manufacture than
air motion, metal, fabric, and how it frequency In fact, if you were going soft-domes), but probably a more
is to be screwed to the box, is that to specify a soft dome tweeter significant factor in
they are subordinate to the overall to include the characteristics metal domes
performance aims of the system as that are widely believed not seeing-off
a whole. to be worthwhile in terms their soft dome
Going back to our hypothetical of fundamental musical cousins is the "aural
high sensitivity, wide dispersion ability you'd write signature" that a good
two-way then, what strategies could a document that pretty number of listeners remain
possibly be brought to bear in order much described the uneasy about. And what causes the
to overcome the fundamental 02008/2010. signature? At the risk of answering
difficulty of the bass/mid driver But however smart a tweeter, a question only by over-simplifying
not reaching the tweeter? Well the Scanspeak is still a soft dome the issues, the "problem" with metal
ignoring for a moment the possibility driven at the edge by a moving coil. domes can only really be down to
of designing a three way system so And firstly, as any fan of planer one or two phenomena. Firstly,
that a mid-range driver fills in the speakers will tell you, there's no perhaps some folks just don't like
gap, or of invoking some yet to be substitute for driving a light weight the stark accuracy of metal domes
discovered cone material that extends diaphragm equally over it's full area. when it is presented with the
the useful response of the bass/mid And secondly, as any fan of metal particular "dome tweeter" mix of
driver an octave or two higher, our dome will tell you there's no dispersion and delayed resonance
best bet is to see if there's a tweeter substitute for a diaphragm that artifacts? Secondly, maybe the
technology out there that can help. retains pistonic operation to 20kHz. characteristic high-Q dome resonance
There is, and in fact, in the Scan­ So why hasn't the electrostatic or just above "audibility" is more
speak 02008 19mm dome, it's been ribbon (and it's "air motion trans­ significant than traditional text-book
around for twenty years or so. former" derivative), or metal dome psycho-acoustics would have us
The 02008 (and later 02010) is tweeter taken over from the soft believe. I've written "audibility"
an unusual beast in that despite its dome? Well, cost for a start. The in quotations because, there's
low moving mass, reasonably high moving coil tweeter is, in engineering much speculation around these
sensitivity (around 90dB at 1m for terms, a pretty simple device and well days about the significance of
2.83V) and wide dispersion (from suited to manufacture on automatic audio above 20kHz. There seems
small dome size), it has an extended lines in vast numbers. It's perfectly to be some serious evidence that,
low end response and a fundamental possible to find fundamentally while we don't "hear" these very >
34
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ high frequencies, we are aware of bellows of an accordion, and this a dipole with opposite phase front
their presence or absence. And there helps it overcome one of the major and rear radiation lobes. The bass/
is undoubtedly audio information problems with conventional planer mid unit has omni, tending as
in terms of instrumental overtones tweeters - diaphragm displacement. frequency rises, to directional
present above 20kHz. Maybe we In either electrostatic or ribbon radiation. Bearing in mind that
should expect that, if we are aware tweeters, diaphragm displacement both the body loudspeaker research
of very high frequencies, a !OdB is limited either by the necessarily and design literature, and much
peak at, say, 22kHz with its associated small distance between the plates practical experience, points over­
delayed energy, would be significant. or the rapid fall-off in magnetic whelmingly to the conclusion that
Of course this sudden speculation flux density further away from the rapid changes of dispersion with
about very high ircyuon audio magnet. So, despite the very low frequency are a pretty bad idea,
isn't remotely associated with the big moving mass - typically around 15% it seems odd that so many moving-
money interests behind high sampling of a dome tweeter - and consequent coil/planar hybrids display just
rate software formats and the sudden increase in radiation efficiency, such a characteristic. I wonder
rash of add-on super tweeters. That's planer diaphragms have to be pretty if a significant factor in the limited
just a happy accident. large to achieve adequate voltage penetration of planar tweeters is
Lumping electrostatic and ribbon sensitivity and maximum level. simply dogmatic resistance to
tweeters together under the term In using a pleated diaphragm the screwing them to the front of
"planer" might give the impression Heil skins this particular cat slightly a box and suppressing the rear
that they are much the same beast. differently as the pleats improve output.
However, although the end result radiation efficiency significantly And speaking of screwing
- a light diaphragm driven over it's (hence the "transformer" monicker). tweeters to a box. The common
full area - is similar, their operational But the pleats also increase moving sense of decoupling a tweeter from
principles are completely different. mass to a point where it's pretty the chaotic resonant environment
Electrostatics operate on the pro­ much equivalent to a 25mm dome, that is the front panel of a speaker
pensity of charged plates to attract or so the Heil still needs enclosure can be revealed
repel one another depending upon a pretty large diaphragm. 80 80 by one simple sum. Say,
the polarity of the charge. If one of And a large diaphragm, we have a tweeter dome
the charged plates is a suspended whether it's with a maximum peak
diaphragm (or as is usually the 80 part of to peak diaphragm
case, a charged diaphragm is ¿¡¡¡¡fo- a Heil, JET displacement of Imm
suspended between two plates), ^k3BSSEr or electrostatic (that's a tweeter working
and the voltage on the fixed plates is brings limited pretty hard). And say we have
modulated by the signal, audio 80 high frequency information in our music that is
output will result. Ribbon tweeters, dispersion. So 60dB below peak displacement.
of which these days the Elac JET and yes, there's advantage In the context of the potential
the (30 year old) Heil Air Motion to be gained from planer tweeters - dynamic range of CD, let alone
Transformer are probably the best low mechanical resonance, low 24/96 formats, 60dB down is small
known examples, operate on exactly distortion, less delayed resonance beer. To reproduce that information
the same moving-coil "motor" and perhaps less susceptibility to 60dB down the tweeter dome will
principle as dome tweeters. In the thermal compression - but in narrow need to move only one thousandth
case of ribbons however the and dipole dispersion there's also of a millimetre. Now, next time
conducting coil is usually "printed" a price to be paid. you're playing some music, touch
onto a flat diaphragm suspended in The dispersion of a typically the front panel of one of the
a magnetic field (in early designs the large planer tweeter not only falls speakers and ask yourself if its
ribbon was effectively a 80808080 80 turn away quickly at high frequencies moving more than one micro-metre.
coil). As signal current flows through (and asymmetrically unless it is I'll wrap up with a question.
the coil the diaphragm moves. square) but also, if it is used Has anybody ever heard a system
Describing ribbon diaphragms as unenclosed (and most often they with a properly decoupled and
flat however is to do the Heil AMT are), is characteristically at odds with enclosed ribbon tweeter? Now
a disservice. The Heil features dispersion from an enclosed bass there's an idea, but remember,
a pleated diaphragm, rather like the or mid unit. The planer tweeter, is you read it here first.

35
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Orchid Precision Audio

LWO Loudspeaker
-------------------------------------------------------- by Roy Gregory -----------------------------------------------------

Some products just sound the way they This is one case in which appearances MDF, the latter rebated and bolted in
look: conrad-johnson amps produce are definitely deceptive. place. Even without the slate plinth
big, solid soundstages, imbued with The Orchid LWO is a squat and this is a seriously heavy speaker, testi­
a honeyed golden glow; the sound of extremely compact floorstander. mony to the massive construction and
Spectral is crisp, clean and uncluttered, It's also immensely solid. The cabinet impressive magnet assemblies on the
with wonderful attention to detail. And walls are a 40mm thick MDF sandwich Hie! and Volt drivers. Anybody trying
what about the Martin-Logan CLS? on the review pair, although plans are to pick one up is in for a big surprise.
Then there are those that don't, Their second big surprise will arrive
sonic surprise packages that catch when they realise that this is, and again
you unawares. It's difficult to name despite appearances, a two-way speaker
a less impressive looking speaker design. A very unusual two-way it has
than Linn's Sara 9, a foursquare box to be admitted, but two-way none the
too big to be little and too little to less. Let's ignore that 4" driver sat in the
be big. It had all the graceless middle of the baffle for a while, and
clumsiness of the average teenage concentrate on the bits that do the
boy, just without the spots. But the work. The bass-mid unit flies firmly in
9, devoid of the uncouth honk of the the face of fashion by being an 8"'
earlier versions, and driven by a Bextrene caned driver from Volt. Not
decent amp, brought music to bouncy, only is it uncommonly large by todays
energetic, joyous life, stripped of all the standards, but there's not so much
hi-fi inhibitions that infected so many as a whiff of paper or carbon-fibre
of its contemporaries. What it lacked anywhere. Most current two-ways use
in subtlety it more than made up in something closer to a 6" driver, as the
sheer fun. You didn't just listen to Saras, cone behaves better up into their 3kHz
you experienced them, and at a time crossover regions, which is why
when hi-fi was taking its first steps on designers abandoned the once
a downward spiral toward sterility standard 8"' drivers in the first
and boredom, they came as a very place. Of course, that argument
memorable breath of fresh air. only holds true if you run your mid­
But what, you might well ask, has range driver that high. Orchid only take
the Linn Sara got to do with Orchid's the Volt up to l.SkHz, which means
LWO? It's not like they've got a lot in they have to be using a pretty freaky
common, what with the LWO being afoot to tweeter - and they are.
a floorstanding three-way. Except that, change the outer The Heil AMT (for Air Motion
like I said at the start, appearances can half of the carcass to solid hard­ Transformer) is a focused field ribbon
be deceptive. What bmoelit the Sara wood which, as well as improving design. The massive wedge that you
to mind as I listened to the Orchid the external finish, will create a can see on either side of the diaphragm
was a combination of things: its near constrained layer constructed from is just half of the unit's symmetrical
wall siting, compact dimensions, the two dissimilar materials. (No bad thing magnet assembly. Big? These magnets
fact that it's actually a genuine two­ when it comes to dissipating dominant are huge! Big enough to make credit
way speaker but uses three drivers, resonance in a cabinet panel.) The cards quiver at a range of several
but most of all, the sheer fun factor. front and rear baffles are both 25mm metres, big enough to bend watch |>

37
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Ii hands before your very eyes. So, if you the best bass balance. That was at problem and are looking at replacing
carry your cards in your breast pocket about 12cms in my room, allowing the the spikes with a pair of cones for the
and wear a watch with an expensive small slot port that loads the bass driver back and a couple of different heights
movement then it's a good idea to a little room to breath. Toe them in for the front. That should work fine as
remove them both before you pick up slightly and hey presto. Until you try small increments can be achieved by
the tweeter end of the Orchid. to fit the spikes that is. The slim slate simply moving the front cones forward
In fact, the Heil has long been both bass simply doesn't offer a substantial or back. My only other set-up gripe was
something of a legend and one of my enough ground for the ferrules, and the the massive binding posts used for the
high frequency favourites, and it was the 6mm spikes are in danger of pulling bi-wire terminals. These simply won't
presence of the elusive beast that first them free if the speaker is tilted. The accept 4mm plugs, so if that's what's
drew me to these speakers in the first shallow depth also prevents any great on your cables you'll need to change
place. However, closer examination range of adjustment, which is a more them for spades. Of course, this is less
shows that Orchid designer David Mate serious problem as the horizontal lobe of a problem if you are buying (rather
eschews the conventional approach of the tweeter is very narrow, making than simply reviewing) the speakers.
advocated by the unit's manufacturer, Electronics pose no real problem, and
and instead of mounting it as a dipole I drove the LWOs with a whole variety
he actually uses the AMT with of things from the Densen Beat on
a sealed rear enclosure. He makes up. The one option I didn't run was
a compelling argument for the a powerful valve amp, but I suspect,
technique, pointing out that the for reasons that will become clear,
lower efficiency is offset by far more that this could be a marriage made
predictable dispersion and frequency in heaven.
balance. Put another way, you lose Did I say these speakers are fun?
the voluminous soundstage associated And how! Take the characteristically
with di-poles, but you can place meaty, beaty, big and bouncy bass
the speaker close to a wall without performance of the Volt driver, and
suffering comb-filter effects and the combine it with the impressive
ethereal lack of substance that goes resolution, speed and presence of
with them. The speed, detail and the Heil (especially when used
peerless resolution that have always in a closed back configuration)
typified the Hiel drivers remain intact. and you've got exactly the kind
Which finally brings us to the of ingredients that make for
crossover, and that extra driver. David a entertaining outcome. Shawn
Mate employs the four-inch Fane driver Colvin's ‘A Few Small Repairs'
at spot frequencies to smooth the (Columbia 484327 2) stands as
transition between the main units in a testament to producer John
what he terms a Trinary crossover. Levanthal's art. A careful
Thus, all three drivers operate in phase patchwork of the
at the crossover point itself. No less delicate (voice,
controversial is the choice of crossover acoustic guitar and
frequency. 1500Hz places it right slap mandolin) and the driven
bang in the middle of the all-important (drums, bass and electric guitars)
midrange, a position most designers baffle angle the Orchids provide plenty of urge
avoid like the plague. Add to that the absolutely critical to the rollicking, propulsive bass and
fact that this is a hybrid speaker trying to the overall balance. searing Fender, whilst preserving the
to blend two essentially disparate I experimented with various cones and jangly acoustic guitar and winsome
driver technologies and any filter ended up using a single inch tall brass vocals, allowing them the space
network will have its work cut out. one under the front centre of the to coexist with the music's more
Serious weight aside, positioning plinth, simply tilting the speaker on boisterous elements. The bass seems
the Orchids is dead straightforward. its rear edge, which worked fine for deeper and more powerful than it has
Start with their backs to the wall and my close-ish listening position. I under­ any right to, while the match flare and
ease them forward until you achieve stand that Orchid are aware of the puff at the track's close is so real ^

38
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ it's spooky, underlining the Heil's were positionally indistinct, blending through the prog-rock detritus of my
combination of presence and natural­ and shifting with the violins in small formative years was almost embarrass­
ness. Unlike so many ribbons it's not ensemble works. At the same time, the ingly enjoyable. Feeling the need to
just about speed and resolution, bass while refreshingly positive and restore some damaged credibility
although they're present in abundance, purposeful, lacked a little of the textural I detoured through Elvis Costello via
but about the ability to project and detail that should be present on good London '.s Calling. The compact little
track shifting energy levels. The end acoustic recordings. It's tempting to Orchids responded in a way that no
result is that sounds are driven into point a finger at driver integration, but speaker their size should be capable
the room with their natural harmonic for once the sheer presence of the Volt of. If the W doesn't stand for wild
weight as well as their correct speed is well matched by its partner, easing then it should!
and dynamic range. Want to hear it in things considerably Perhaps it's down Neat and (relatively) petite, the
action? Just leave the disc spinning and to dispersion patterns, which are far Orchid LWO is a wonderful conundrum.
listen to the sheer solidity and edge on harder to blend. On the surface it breaks all the rules:
the distorted guitar line that drives 'Get How important is it? Musically it's complex and compact, uses an
Out', giving the song its vitriolic it's relatively unobtrusive, and exotic driver of a genre renowned for
bitterness. This is exact­ certainly doesn't prevent its fragility and crosses over to it at
ly the kind of the LWOs from delivering a frequency that is right slap in the
abuse that acoustic music in an middle of most designer's no-go area.
sends most enjoyable and engaging It's expensive, rather old fashioned to
ribbon or elac- manner, but it does look at and above all it's a hybrid, all
trostatic owners mean that they lean of which means that it has absolutely
lunging for the | slightly toward rock, no right to work. But it does. It displays
volume control. £ pop or larger scale a joyous disregard for the "accepted
Not with the classical works, wisdom" of hi-Ii aficionados, and
Orchids. The loud­ where their rhyth­ underlines it with a musical perfor­
er it is the more mic power and mance that reminds us exactly what's
they like it. ability to respond missing from all too many hi-Ii systems
With its solid and gracefully to all these days. Under the circumstances
tactile bass response but the most there can only be one appropriate
linked to that effortless­ excessive parting comment; "Shine on you
ly open top end and lust demands crazy diamond'"
for life, what could be really come
more appropriate than the i nto their
opening fanfare of Mahler's own.
3rd Symphony, especially as
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
a brand spanking new 180g
re-issue of the Solti/LSO Type: Two way, hybrid
performance has just rear ported.
arrived (Speakers Corner/ Drive Units: Volt 8" Bextreme
Decca Set 385-6). Forsaking Heil AMT
my more normal Maazel/Vienna Efficiency: 89dB/watt @ 1M
version I gave the Solti a whirl, and Likewise, the Bandwidth: 38Hz - 19.SKHz +/- 3dB
sure enough the thunderous opening near-wall positioning Connections: Bi-wire terminals
with its stacked brass tuttis burst forth will inevitably compro­ Dimensions (HxWxD): 838x300x355mm
in all its glory (even to the slightly mise the stage depth and sense Weight each: 45Kg
truncated top which robs the brass of acoustic which is so crucial to mall Finishes: Black, Cherry and
of some air and shimmer on this scale acoustic works. However, stick Mahogany hardwoods
recording). But as the first movement to rock and power-pop and you'll Price: £3995
developed I became aware of a band not be disappointed - you'll be Orchid Precision Audio
of confusion or congestion across the ecstatic. Female vocalists from Dinah Tel/Fax: 01608 684694
mid. Switching to smaller scale works Washington through to Nina Hagen www.orchid-precision-audio.co.uk
brought it more clearly into focus. Violas were deliver with gusto, while a trawl

39
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Elac CL330 Jet Loudspeakers

-------------------------------------------------------------- by Pete Christie --------------------------------------------

I am a sucker for a clever pitch. There of a toolbox, never to see the light of When I say "big", I mean "bigger
have been several occasions in my life day again! as the CL330's still rank as a small
when, even though I knew for sure I bought one. speaker in real terms. The one-piece
that I was being conned, the skill and Yes, I don't know where it is now. extruded aluminium cabinets,
plausibility of the patter, in my opinion, No, it didn't work. measuring 10" high by 7" across the
deserved the outlay of a few quid on Of course, what I should have widest bit, do not appear large when
some totally useless bit of kit. done was buy the one the bloke was viewed from the front. Their largest
I once spent a depressingly wet actually demonstrating. I knew that dimension is their depth - 14". The
and dismal afternoon wandering one worked' review pair were finished in silver
around a local market when my The point of the anecdote is lacquer, and their interesting "upside­
attention was attracted to a bloke simple. I am always intrigued by down keyhole" shape certainly
demonstrating yet another "wonder radical design, and though I am provoked more than a little interest
tool". You know the type of thing exceedingly cynical, there is still from anyone who saw them.
I mean, ideal home exhibition standard enough enthusiasm and optimism I was extremely impressed with
fodder. Usually it's apple core removers, left to at least try anything at least the stands - an area of disappointment
"super sponges" which, although being once - just in easel with the smaller Jet CL310's. These
the size of a first class stamp can (and So here we go again. Back in Issue were fairly uninspiring, and were swiftly
before your very eyes, do) hold at least 3 I was waxing lyrical about some disposed of in favour of some­
a gallon of liquid, or "miracle stain sensational silver thing more solid. The CL330
removers" which can safely and quickly things that stands however are stunningly
remove all trace of any substance were called slender, and elevate the
known to mankind from any surface. Elac CL310 loudspeaker 30" from the
Anyway, this guy was demonstrating Jet loud­ floor. They are superbly
a "wonder-knife". Not only a "stay­ speakers. sculpted silver supports
sharp" blade that was guaranteed to Here was with their own built-in
cut swiftly and safely through every­ a prime cable management that
thing from paper to reinforced con­ example succeeds in tidying away
crete, but also a cunning attachment of something any trace of dependency
that could cut glass, trim tiles and, that proved that upon something as
if used correctly, would trim beards a radically different mundane as an amplifier!
and moustaches. design could actually The spikes, levelling and locking
As usual, all these features were deliver the goods. I was totally system deserve special mention.
demonstrated completely successfully impressed with them, and at the We've all seen spikes before. With
to the small multitude that had by now time, it was intimated that there most speaker manufacturers, it
gathered around. Amid the gasps of would be a bigger version on the always seems that it's as though
incredulity and "oohs and ahhs" of way Having lived with the small || the ideas run out when they
appreciation, I heard that little bell ones for a few weeks, I did wonder come to the spikes, and they
ringing in my head. This is the bell why there was a need for a larger then fall into the "anything
that rings to tell me that I'm about to version (or as RG calls them "Jumbo 1 with a point on it" school of
be had, and that there is absolutely Jets" ha-ha), as the CL310's delivered thought. Not so the Elacsl
no way that anyone will be able to more than enough wallop for my The spikes are big and
stop me from handing over a crisp room. Be that as it may, a few weeks business-like.
fiver for another bit of tat that will no ago two large boxes arrived and
doubt find a home in a dark corner lo and behold, BIGJetsl

41
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ A three-point levelling system is used, didn't take long for some of our more same name (Go! Discs 82 513-2), it was
the two front spikes are locked tight "switched-on" customers to gravitate fairly obvious that the Elac philosophy
to the stands, and the rear spike is towards the place where the sound was which had so impressed me with the
adjusted and locked by a beautifully coming from. This resulted in animated little CL310's was more than abundant
finished flywheel. The loudspeakers listening sessions where I could only in their bigger brothers. The sound
have recessed location dimples and get into the room if was totally natural. Having learnt
sit snugly on the spikes, and to I was carrying cups from my CL310 experience, I had
increase rigidity (and stop the of tea for the crowd "toed-in" the speakers so that they
speakers from being knocked who had taken were pointing directly at me. The
off), the whole lot is up residence. image was precise and hugely "out-of­
secured by two locking Adjectives speaker". And there was that tweeter
rods, again, superbly abounded' again. I'd almost forgotten how
engineered to ensure "Stunning", impressed I was way back in issue 3!
a perfect fit. "Bizarre", For those who didn't read that
The completed "Incredible", particular review, I've included
assembly looks "Very Strange" the relevant passages for both
stunning - when -1 could go on, the tweeter and the bass unit.
the covers are off! but I hadn't
1 don't like the actually listened The Tweeter
covers. In my in real detail as yet. Tweeter is perhaps not the best
opinion, no I wasn't going to term to use. Think of a tweeter, and
speaker should either. Several people you think of a typical dome-like
have metal covers. requested them for construction. Not the Elac tweeter.
It was apparent that "home trials", so I was It is, according to the information pack
repeated removal forced to wait a fort­ I received, a seven-piece construction
and replacement night for my turn! I must with the business end comprising of
would (and did) cause point out that this doesn't a folded lamellar foil membrane
scratching to the surrounding edge usually happen, so it was fairly obvious offering 10 times the surface area
of the cabinet. They may protect the that these were therefore fairly unusual of a normal 25mm conventional
silver bass drivers, but should be loudspeakers, dome design. This device is driven
removed for listening purposes, and !will by an extremely strong magnetic
as they do absolutely nothing for attempt to system composed of
the sound quality add customer neodymium rods,
So, what about the sound quality? comments creating high
I was pretty certain that the speakers within my efficiency with
would destroy my lounge at home, so own review, an outstanding
I elected to do the trials at the shop. as I feel dynamic range.
I set up a system comprising the that their I can't argue
Myryad MA240 preamp/MPIOO power opinions with that,
amp (still warm from their review in are every largely due
issue eight), and a Marantz CD! 7 Kl bit as valid to the fact
Signature CD player. I bolted the lot as my own. that I don't
together using Nordost Red Dawn Alone at last! have the
interconnects and speaker cable, I reconfigured the system, remotest idea
turned it all on and let it run for a few and after a suitable warm-up what it means!
days to get used to each other. period, I returned suitably armed What I do know
This was a mistake. with a slack handful of CD's (the is that I had the
Not the running-in. Doing it in usual suspects), a cup of coffee, and impression that the
a shop - that was the mistake. began listening. tweeter started lower, and
Even behind two sets of closed Immediately the opening bars of went higher than most tweeters I have
doors, it was fairly obvious that some­ acoustic guitar began on 'Wild Wood' heard. Also, the top end appeared
thing amazing was going on, and it from the Paul Weller album of the seamless and very fast.

42
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ The B^ Driver They seemed to revel in the 120 Watt This may not be the best recording
What we have here is a l 15mm (4") power availability; and as the volume of the fifth. It may not be the best
diameter driver. Yes, 4". Now, that has crept up, stayed totally in place. performance of the fifth. But in my
got to be too small for any deep stuff - Which brings me to one of the opinion, it is one of the best-recorded
right? I would like to pass on some comments made by one of our performances. So I played it. The result
more information from the manufact­ customers. He had rigged the speakers was remarkable. The sheer excitement
urer. This is not a mere bass driver. up to his (large) Cyrus system, and of the piece literally shook the walls.
It is a long-stroke woofer which is though he was completely sold on the I let the disc run to its conclusion and
rumoured to produce the best possible performance at a fairly high volume thoroughly enjoyed every moment.
large-signal behaviour, and most linear level, at background level, the system Everything that the smaller Elacs
frequency response possible. Also, lacked cohesion, and the had done, the CL330's managed to do
what's with the shiny stuff? This is excitement factor better. OK, at £2500 they're not exactly
a 0.2mm aluminium layer which has dropped off cheap, but they combine superlative
been bonded to a more traditional considerably design with astonishing sound quality
pulp fibre cone to create a sandwich I'm sure that there will be some who
membrane. This not only stiffens the won't like the look of them, but
overall construction, but actually acts that has always been the
as a damper, muting any spurious, burden of a radical
unwanted distortion. design. I have totally
enjoyed these little silver
The CL330 sports a larger bass gems. So have a lot of our
driver, 180mm (7") diameter, customers (including the one
though the principle of who bought two pairs!). They
construction is identical. might be small, but as I said
As I said, the acoustic earlier - their largest dimension
guitar was natural, clear and is their depth. 11-+
real. When the bass guitar began, the
warmth and depth struck me, and TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
it was also completely focused within Having been
the track. As were the drums. As was down the Type: Two way, bass reflex
the voice: centrally placed and in front path of Crossover Frequency: 2700 Hz
of the speakers. A quiet track, and the "which cables Power Handling: 80/120W
relaxation of the performance was to use where" when I played with the Frequency Response: 40Hz - 30kHz
totally convincing. CL3 l O's, I also had this problem and Sensitivity: 88dB
I then put my copy of Mr. love I think I can identify the cause of this Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms
Pants by the ubiquitous Ian Oury anomaly He was connecting a pair of Recommended Amplifier 30 - 200 Watts
(Ronnie Harris Records OUR!) and Chario Academy's to the Cyrus using Warranty: 10 years
selected track 5, 'Itinerant Child', van den Hui CS122. There's nothing Dimensions (HxWxD):: 274x188x360mm
turned the volume up a tad and sat wrong with CS122. I like CS122. But Finishes: Black, silver, green,
back. From the opening beat, the I found that it doesn't suit Elacs at blue (lacquer)
song just rolled along, the back-line all well. The substitution of Nordost Price (inc. stands): £2,500
grooving along behind fat; acerbic Red Dawn or Blue Heaven with the
lyrics of Mr. Oury. Wonderful stuff, and corresponding interconnects made Distributor:
getting better all the time! The bass a huge difference to the performance, Sennheiser UK Ltd.
notes were handled exceedingly well, especially at lower volume levels. Tel: (44)(0)1494-551551
and managed to reach depths so low, With orchestral pieces, the Fax: (44)(0)1494-551550
it was difficult to persuade myself sheer scale of the soundstage was
that there wasn't a subwoofer lurking astounding. I played Beethoven's Manufacturer:
in the system. Sth Symphony, performed by the Elac Phonosysteme Gmbh
For a four Ohm load, the Myryad Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Web: www.elac.com
amp was having absolutely no conducted by Carlos Kleiber E-mail [email protected].
difficulty in driving the speakers. (Deutsche Grammophon 447 400-2).

43
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

The Kochel K200/SW200 Hybrid

Horn Loudspeaker System
-------------------------------------------------- by Roy Gregory

It's sometimes said that anticipation the poor old horn. width out of your electrostatic/horn/
is the enemy of sound judgement, But even if you get to grips with the ribbon driver? Just stick a moving-coil
a peculiarly apposite phrase in the sound of horn speakers, and you've got bass unit in a box and do the low
context of hi-fi in general and review­ the system to drive them to their best frequencies that way Of course, you'll
ing in particular. The heavy weight of advantage, you're still only half way have to accept all kinds of problems
expectation stands against so many home. The problem with horns is when it comes to trying to integrate
products that whole generations of that they're big, no, make that huge. the two halves of the speaker to create
hi-Ii enthusiasts have simply passed Given the bandwidth - size - efficiency a coherent whole, a bit like trying to
them by: I'm not listening to that, equation that governs all loudspeakers, seamlessly match the rear end of an
I know it will be awfull The sheer and given the high elephant to the front end of a giraffe,
stupidity of such a stance (and efficiency of but that's the price of practicality And
we all do it) beggars belief. horn systems, even taking that lot on the chin you
Perhaps we really do any sort of don't necessarily gain that much. The
deserve the products bandwidth most successful horn hybrids that I've
we so often get. at all comes experienced to date are the Avante
Few products polarise with cabinet Garde Trio and Acapella High Violon,
prejudice the way horn dimensions both of which are large, complex and
speakers can. For one person in which you very costly Unfortunately the cheaper
they represent truth, light and two-way plus sub-woofer Avante Gardes
the only way, whilst another are much more manageable but not in
will tell you that they curdle milk. the same league as the big Trio with
One loves the immediacy and three trumpets a side and four
dynamic range, the other cringes active subs. Yet their popularity
at the colouration levels. vi; > .■ can only be partly attributed
seems to be little or no common to their arresting looks,
ground. However, there is also an which seems to indicate that
undeniable increase in interest in anyone who can crack the
horn designs, related to and driven horn hybrid thing should be
by the current fashion for single­ onto a good thing. Enter then,
ended triode amplifiers. But whilst can conceal the Kochel K200.
the horn/triode match looks good children and Kochel speakers are designed
on paper, our experience is rather lose pets. and built in Korea, and we reviewed
different, with the horn all to often Practicality and domestic their large full range (-ish) three-way
revealing the weaknesses of the SET considerations are clearly not on model in Issue 3, concluding that it
rather than revelling in its strengths. the agenda. You can fold horns to offered a near perfect introduction
And whilst that's more of a comment make them more manageable, but to horn speakers for the uninitiated.
on the standard of rather too many each corner creates problems and The K200 is a smaller two-way design
SET designs, amplifiers that are scrab­ their growth (like so many horns) which claims a rather optimistic -6dB
bling in the wake of the band-wagon, is exponential. point of 50Hz. You might get that if
based more on commercial interest Which brings us, with a kind of you wedge them right into a corner,
than technological conviction, it's chilling inevitability to the notion of but that rather defeats the object.
not a situation that actually helps a hybrid. Got problems getting band- Used about twelve inches out from ^

45
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

...... the long wall of my listening room If the nicely judged dimensions of is that with a little time and effort the
l would guess they turn the corner at the K200 add to its appeal, it's the SW200/K200 combination will achieve
about 60-65Hz which puts them on SW200 that makes it into something superb integration, the subwoofer
a par with a stand-mounted mini­ really rather special. This relatively adding real power and weight to the
monitor At nearly a metre tall, 34cm compact box contains a pair of 8" lower registers without interfering
wide and 40cm deep, that makes drivers, mounted back to back with the midrange speed and clarity
them a mighty large LS3/5a. in a labyrinth Generally, you shouldn't notice a sub
Mind you, no Rogers ever enclosure until you turn it off. The low frequency
had dynamics like and driven roll-off of the K200s is such that this
this! The K200 by a 100 Watt maxim doesn't really apply, however,
uses an 8" paper­ amplifier. the quality of the bass from the SW200
cone bass-mid l can't even is such that you really are unaware of
driver back begin to it as a separate entity
loaded by the describe the So Kochel have cracked the
horn. Tweeter is enclosure so practicalities. The K200 is manageable
a I" horn loaded simply imagine and attractive, and they've successfully
dome which, some­ a Bose Acoustic mated it to a subwoofer using some­
what unusually, Canon (a long pipe thing other than horn loading. With
employs a soft with a driver a third those not inconsiderable achievements
diaphragm. These are of the way down its out of the way we can finally worry
generally avoided because you length) folded up into about the sound.
can get problems if the pressure on a box. That's the nearest l ran the Kochels with a variety
both sides of the diaphragm becomes approximation l can make, and whilst of equipment but ultimately settled
uneven, as it will do in a horn. In l don't think this qualifies as a horn on the Monarchy Audio SM 70 single
practice it seems to work fine, even loaded sub-woofer, it's clearly ended solid state amplifier supplied
down to the rather low a lot closer than the average to partner the speakers by Wollaton
l.75KHz cross-over point, reflex box used in most AN Audio (and a steal at £595) and either
however this may be to do systems. (When it costs so a Marsh MSD P2000t or Klimo Merlin
with the chosen treble much to build a genuine full pre-amp (the former superior for noise
balance, a point to which I'll range speaker, why do so many and resolution levels, the latter for
return. One shortcoming that people assume that buying the overall musical flow, tonal shape
needs sorting is the spikes sup­ extra bass in a separate box is and sonority). Source was either the
plied. They're useless. l settled on going to make it any cheaper?) Clearlight or ClearAudio turntables,
RDC I cones instead. Back panel controls allow you used with Accurate and Insider
The review samples came in to vary level and cross-over point Reference cartridges.
a rather unconvincing piano black, as well as the all important The first thing you need to know
but the proportions and shape are absolute phase. about this speaker system
actually rather pleasing. Given a pale You could is that it doesn't
wood veneer which would make more write a book sound like
of the curved surface of the horn, on sub­ a traditional
l think that the results would actually woofer set­ horn. It is
be very attractive, with or without the up, so I'll limit tonally even
grille. The K200s offer enough low myself to and both tonal­
frequency extension to be used on pointing out ly and dynami­
their own, as much as the Beauhorns that proper cally consistent
that PM reviewed in the last issue integration actu­ top-to-bottom.
for instance. However, even with ally takes a period There are no
a relatively depressed efficiency of weeks, involving violent hot-spots
of 95dB (the Beauhorns are near- careful adjustment and no shelves
erl05dB!), this is still one hell of settings and siting in the frequency
of a big box for the bandwidth on across a whole range of response. In fact, it's
offer. Bring on the sub-woofer. music. But the good news really rather well ..

46
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

D> behaved and not at all uncouth. How canon and fireworks of the instrum­ to being disappointed when the time
much of this is down to the fact that ental punctuation. It's a powerful track came for them to depart. I'm not
the tweeter response rolls quite early and these speakers give it to you live blind to their faults, but I find them
(-6dB at 20KHz) is a moot point, but it and kicking. a lot less intrusive than most of the
certainly balances the lightish bass if Likewise the propulsive rhythm alternatives. This is one book you
you use the K200s on their own. You'll section on 'Stand Back' (Rockin' really shouldn't judge by its cover.
want to check out the high-frequency Jimmy and the Brothers of the Night Ignore the fact that they're horns
extension for yourself, but personally, By The Light Of The Moon) is given and simply enjoy them for what
whilst I found that the Kochels lacked free reign. Pace and pitch definition they do best - bringing music alive
a little air, using Nordost SPM speaker are both spot on, lifting the song and in the home. >t
cables helped maintain the inform­ hurling it forward. The Kochels even
ation levels and I really didn't find manage to separate the backing
it a problem. vocals into two distinct contributions,
Played together, the K200/SW200 keeping the singers separate whilst
combination has weight and power their carefully metered contribution
on tap (enough to ripple my stays well and truly together in the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
bath water when Victoria great scheme of things.
gave the Gladiator Classical and jazz Kochel K200
OST some recordings make the Type 2-way Horn Loaded Spkr
serious stick.1). truncated top end Drivers 25mm horn loaded soft
It throws a more apparent, dome 200mm doped paper cone
huge soundfield although this is at Efficiency 95dB
well away from least partly a visual 1 mpedance 8 ohms
the speakers, and effect as the sound­ Bandwidth 50Hz - 20KHz ±6dB
if they can't quite stage doesn't extend Crossover Freq. 1.75KHz
match the sheer vertically much Weight 26Kgs ea.
scale of the K300s, above the top of Dimensions (WxHxD) 340x915x400mm
then they aren't far the speakers which Price £3150 (standard finish)
behind. The dragging seemingly chops
thuds that open ‘Wholly off the air and Kochel SW200
Humble Heart' (Martin height in the Type Active Subwoofer
Stephenson and the image. All I can Drivers 2x200mm
Daintees Gladsome say is that I honeycomb cones
Humour and Blue) advance noticed it I nput Impedance 10 Kohms
menacingly until the crashing but it didn't Power Amp 100 W into 4 ohms
tumble of the opening drum interfere with my Bandwidth 25 - 180Hz
cascade. The slightly disjointed musical enjoyment Weight 24Kg
rhythm clicks in and you're away. one iota. The Ricci/ Dimensions (WxHxD) 400x440x450mm
The mellowness of the melody Bizet Carmen Fantasie Price £950 (standard finish)
contrasts with the rude interjections (Decca SXL 2197) is a case in point.
from drums and guitars, the voice The violin is (some might say thank­ Distributor:
is suitably wry, the studio effects fully) slightly smoothed and robbed Wollaton Audio
used on both it and the backing of bite, but this is more than made Tel. (44)(0)1159-284147
vocals laid bare. The Kochels cut up for by its focus and sense of Fax. (44)(0)1159-280625
right to the heart of the music without purpose. As before, the castinets E-mail. [email protected]
dismantling it. Stephenson's lead are perfectly positioned in space Net www.wollatonaudio.com
vocal is immediate and separate, and time, while the muted under­
the sibilance slightly emphasised pinning of the double basses breaths Manufacturer:
(don't panic, it's on the recording), convincingly. Marshall Electronics Inc.
his almost spoken opening is paced By now you'll have gathered that Seoul, Korea
perfectly to integrate with the backing, I really enjoyed my time with the E-mail. [email protected]
the powerful swell of the rhythm, the Kochels, and I don't mind admitting

47
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

The B&W CDM 9 NT Loudspeaker

by Chris Binns

It's been six months or so since I in a Matrix cabinet. Technology filtered closer inspection.
reviewed the B&W 802 loudspeaker down from above is the way they The high frequency unit is a metal
(see issue no 7) and together with its describe it. dome unit with a neodymium
larger brother, the 801, it did much to magnet assembly, vented to allow
stretch and occasionally re-define rear radiation to pass through into
certain aspects of performance the rear chamber, which is effectively
currently available from moving coil a tapered pipe. Filled with absorbent
loudspeakers. Utilising technology material it soaks up the unwanted
developed for the original Nautilus energy from the back of the dome,
loudspeaker (the giant snail...), resulting in almost none of it being
they represented a more real world reflected back to adversely affect
implementation of the many years performance.
of research and financial investment. The mid-range unit is the same one
Inevitably expensive products, they used in the Nautilus 800 Series, and is
have carved themselves a considerable flexibly mounted in its own enclosure
niche in both the professional and to reduce transmitted vibration
high-end domestic market, so I don't between the chassis and cabinet.
think the bank manager would go for A bolt tensions this to the back panel,
the real world bit. Having lived with the and there is a transit clamp that
802's for a couple of months, I can say must be removed once the cabinet
that they were a fussy, but extremely is sited. The most striking feature
capable loudspeaker. I say fussy, but of this unit however, is its lack of
they required considerable thought as surround; the cone is in fact
to partnering equipment, the room, The question terminated by a polymer ring
and attention to setting up if they is, does it work? with a matching mechanical
were to deliver the goods. Much as The CDM 9 is impedance. Thus energy is
you would expect from a £6000 plus a tall, and I think, absorbed and dissipated
loudspeaker. quite elegant floor rather than reflected backs
Having seen the B&W research and .standing system, toward the voice coil where
development plant and talked to the with it’s CDM heritage it would cause coloration.
people responsible for the Nautilus visible in the form of the Not to be outdone, the two 165mm
designs, I know that one of the things sloping top, which now incorpo­ bass units are also unique. The cone
that particularly frustrated them was rates the new Nautilus derived tweeter assembly is almost covered by the large
that this level of technology didn't housing, time aligned with the cone dust cap, the rear of which is bonded
come cheap. There was a genuine units. The cabinet is reasonably solid, to the extended voice coil thus forming
desire to make it more universally and all edges are rounded off to an extremely rigid three-point assembly.
available, which of course meant less reduce diffraction, also enhancing This means that effectively the cone is
expensive product. The result is the their appearance. The real wood driven at two points, promising better
COM 9. No, you do not get a scaled veneers are to a high standard, and pistonic behaviour with less break up.
down 801, complete with moulded the whole speaker is nicely finished off. It also makes them look particularly
enclosures and a 15"’ bass unit, but Discarding the front cover reveals the menacing. The low output from these
what you do get is Nautilus derived bass and midrange units, an impressive is augmented by a front mounted
drive units in a relatively conventional sight. As I have already said, there is port, complete with B&W's flowport
enclosure. In fact the Nautilus 804 a lot of Nautilus technology here, and technology. What this actually means
employs virtually identical drivers, but the drive units themselves deserve is that the interior surface of the h

49
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

> pipe is contoured and dimpled like as one might expect, there were indeed well with the 802's, and proved to be
a golf ball to reduce turbulence. This distinct similarities to the 802, the most the case with the COM 9's. The Bow
should translate into minimal 'chuffing' obvious being that this was definitely Technologies, good as it is, has a refined
or wind noise when the port is active. not a loudspeaker that you could just and clean character that in conjunction
The crossover is built using high quality plank down and get music out of. What with the B&W's proved to be just too
selected components onto three I was getting at the moment was a very much, resulting in a very cold and
separate boards to eliminate interac­ flat, but abrasive sound, hard and impersonal sound quality.
tion, and bi wiring is offered via gold unforgiving with plenty of detail, but l felt that by now l was beginning
plated terminals, separating the bass no musical sense. to get somewhere. The COM 9's had
from the mid and top. adjustment was the positioning of lost their intimidating and analytical
l sited the COM 9's in the preferred the loudspeakers. By moving them character, and were now a lot more
location my living room, with about further apart to allow about eight feet friendly to listen to. Essentially, l would
six feet between them. The supplied between them' the soundstage seemed describe their sound as being quite up
spikes were fairly useless, and failed to to develop, whereas previously there front, or forward, both tonally and in
achieve any stability as such on my had been little or no depth to images, terms of their precision. In keeping
(hardly luxurious) carpet. With a now l could now hear music coming with the 800 series there is so much
speaker this tall, better spikes are not away from the speakers to create detail conveyed that it can sometimes
only desirable, they are essential, if a believable soundstage. The next become a challenge to keep in touch
only from a safety point of view. Cables alteration involved bridging the bi-wire with the music and not be distracted
to the COM 9's were the Nordost SPM, option - don't ask me by individual sounds. But once l had
which l used in bi wire mode to why, but things sounded adjusted to this, l began to appreciate
begin with, and amplification more integrated and what they were actually doing. The new
was the Bow Technologies, l had less of an illusion Rickie Lee Jones album It's Like This,
reviewed elsewhere in of listening to can present something of a challenge,
this issue. Time to play separate drive units. due in no small part to her voice which
some music .... Further benefits were can become very hard at times. An
As soon as l to be had on this album of covers, one is the Traffic song
put the first CD on, front by tightening 'Low spark of high heeled boys', and
alarm bells started the bass units, the B&W's conveyed the dark and
to ring. It was not which proved mysterious mood excellently, although
a pleasant experience, to be embarrass­ 1 was still bothered by a slight metallic
so l put the CD player ingly loose. edge that the tweeter seemed to bestow
on repeat and left the l also reverted on her voice. But this did recede with
room, firmly closing the to the Primary time, and just prior to writing this
door - for several days. This valve amps, a l went and had another listen. It had
was very reminiscent of how combination gone, and l was excited enough to dig
the 802's sounded when they that had out the original version of this song
first arrived ....Cold, and despite previously and give it a spin.
what l had been told, not really worked While l had the COM 9's in resi­
run in. l was actually working dence, I was listening to quite a diverse
away for the weekend, and so left range of music, due in no small part
the system running, which apart to the Helikon cartridge that was
from confusing visitors (who would encouraging me to travel the further
spend hours knocking, convinced reaches of my record collection and
that I was really in) probably acted pull out lots of old and sometimes
as a good burglar deterrent. Upon embarrassing music. And...out of the
my return, things had improved murky depths emerged lots of older
considerably, and to my relief, the Steely Dan tracks, particularly the first
tweeter had lost some of the fierceness album, Can't Buy A Thrill. This could
that had previously got me out of the have been potential suicide with
room so rapidly. Listening to some the B&W's, as I would have expected
different types of music, l realised that, their rather analytical nature to pull ^
50
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

I> these old recordings apart. Far from it. a Nairn 250 in the system, where it is the biggest problem, in so much
If anything, the more involving sound worked with considerable flair. Drum as they require plenty of current
from the turntable complimented the and bass music (The Third Eye and drive, but benefit from a more
9's superbly, giving real body and bite Foundation - Little Lost Soul) came open and relaxed character.
to the track 'Do It Again', propelling it across with great punch and consider­ Unfortunately, more often than not,
along with real feel. able dynamics which never lost the two are conflicting.
More boisterous orchestral music control, and the rhythmic foundation The CDM 9 has successfully
was handled well, a good example of the music suited the character of inherited much of the Nautilus
being Bartok's The Miraculous the Nairn particularly well. character. The plus points are the
Mandarin. This flamboyant music Regardless of partnering equip­ potential for incredible detail and
came across with all the dynamics ment, one thing I did notice was that resolution, low coloration and wide
intact, and yet plenty of fine detail the CDM 9's had a very distinct bandwidth. If you want realistic
in the quieter passages, par­ operating level, below which musical reproduction then these are
ticularly noticeable they just wouldn't deliver. The high priority items, and I suspect that
with percussion. music lost all sense of body the B&W's will prove a real temptation.
Less successful and sounded totally unrealis­ Much as I admire their attributes, it
was more tic - a bit like trying to listen concerns me how little provocation
serene music to something when you have they need to mechanise a musical
such as Arvo Part, a streaming cold. I can performance, and this is where the
Tabula Rusa, which imagine that if you were partnering equipment is so crucial;
didn't manage to using them late at night a delicate balancing act is required
flow in quite the in an apartment this to achieve satisfying musical
manner I am could prove extremely entertainment without letting the
accustomed to - it frustrating (or aggravat­ clinical approach take over.
lacked the mesmerising ing for the neighbours, Ultimately, the technology has
quality that the music depending on your a price - in the wrong system it will
should communicate. response). take control and strangle the music,
Having been mentally At the end of the but get it right and the benefits are
comparing them to the day, to address my there to be heard.
Nautilus 802's, I had to remind question at the
myself that these loudspeakers beginning of this TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
are less than a third of the price, review as to
and inevitably there are some whether the Type: 3 Way vented
compromises. I sometimes had implementa­ box system
the impression of some discontinuity tion of the Frequency response: -6dB at 30 Hz - 30 KHz
between the bass and the rest of the Nautilus Sensitivity: 90 dB (2.83V @lM)
system, leaving the mid and top some­ technology has Nominal impedance: 8 ohms
what exposed. It was only occasional, survived a transplant (minimum 3 ohms)
and I suspect that it could well be into a mid priced loudspeaker, the Power handling: 50 - 200 watts
my room 'ducking out' at certain answer is yes, it has. It does, however Dimensions (HxWxD): 1000 x 220 x 315
frequencies. It is pretty Im ge - so the bring a number of problems with it. Weight: 26.5 Kg
bass units were having to work hard The CDM 9's are unfortunately every Finishes: Black Ash, Cherry,
to fill it. Not that there was ever any bit as demanding as their more Red Cherry
signs of complaint or audible stress, expensive relatives when it comes to Price: £1800
and the bottom end was quite even matching equipment and setting up,
with reasonable extension, under­ and my concern is that by moving Manufacturer:
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It was at this stage that I decided same won't often be said of successful See page 69 for stockists.
to substitute power amplifiers, putting matching equipment. Amplification

51
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 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Nordost Va I ha I la
Mono-Filament Cables
------------------------------------ by Roy Gregory ■——----- - ------------------------

Have you ever noticed how, when initial vibrant impulse. In came the from an audiophile recording. What
you listen to a live jazz group, you low thrumming of the Guitar swiftly made this worth the re-issue was the
can always hear the slapped bass followed by the opening flourish of the stellar performance, and if you don't
notes clear as a bell below the other first brass tutti, building into that hay­ believe me then listen to a few other
instruments. They're not as loud as the maker of a crescendo, and beneath it early 80s Pablo recordings. What's more
rest of the band, and nowhere near as all, standing firm and unperturbed was it's a record that I know inside out, and
penetrating as brass or piano, but they the weaving flow of the bass notes, and whilst I hadn't played it on this precise
simply float, independent of what the system before all the elements have
other instruments are up to, working been to hand for months
at their own level, giving the music at least. Yet it stopped
their own particu­ me in my tracks,
lar momentum. flooding my
Have you consciousness with
ever noticed how pleasurable surprise
totally inadequate hi-fi (and filling my body
systems are when it comes to with a thoroughly
reproducing this effect. They are either undignified desire to dance!).
low and slow robbing the notes of their Like I said, this is how it should be.
air and rendering them as earthbound A bit of 'Psycho Killer' (Talking
and, all too often, tuneless thuds; or Heads 77)? Never have I heard so
their truncated low frequencies give clearly the pluck and release of
a reasonably agile impression of the those bass notes, even under­
notes leading edges but rob them of not just the neath the relentlessly
the harmonic bloom that allows them strings but the driving piles of guitar, until
to float free of the rest of the low volume and even the manic energy of
frequency information. There's no substance of the soundbox too, clear those stacked, abrasive chords can't be
middle ground. I'm afraid that hi-fi of the floor on its spike. On into the sustained and they collapse, allowing
systems just don't do it for the upright opening solo and still it floats, adding the bass to finish what it started. Never
bass. Until now. that subtle propulsive push to proceed­ has the release of tension been quite
There I was playing Analogue ings that it does in life. I was captivated, as palpable or nearly as effective, and
Production's superb re-issue of Basie's my whole body seemed sucked into you know that I've played this album to
Farmer’s Market Barbeque (APJ029), the groove, this is what it should be death, partied it through student days,
and before I'd even settled into the like. But I guess you had to be there... hung on its every nuance. Yet here it
listening seat I knew that things would And as you weren't, and as I'm is, capturing my attention anew
never be the same again. 'Way Out supposed to act as a surrogate I How can I put this in perspective?
Basie' opened with Basie's familiar suppose I'd better spell it out. This is Well, back in Issue l I waxed lyrical
insistent piano chords and, glory be, a seventeen piece band I'm talking about the musical accuracy and trans­
the unmistakable accompaniment of about here, and still that bass just kept parency of the ruinously expensive
a living, breathing upright bass. James on going, quite distinct beneath even Nordost SPM interconnects and
Leary's undulating line simply breezed the most shattering crescendo (and speaker cables. In the couple of years
along, each note distinct in pitch and remember, we're talking Basie Big since they arrived, those cables and
time, each with that lovely lobe of Band at the top of their form). This the Quattro-Iii interconnect have
harmonic decay trailing off from the is an audiophile pressing, but it's far become as near indispensable as I>

55
EQUIPMENT REVIEW

anything in my system, an invaluable which he plugs in with a flourish. And

reviewing tool. They've reigned blow me if he isn't right. The system
supreme (despite my earnest endeav­ simply takes off: louder, more dynamic,
ours to seek out a more affordable more weight, better timing, much
alternative) until, very recently I finally more solid and most importantly,
discovered a viable alternative. Only to much, much more real. Going back to
discover that Nordost have moved the the SPM made it seem like bell-wire
goalposts again! And not just onto the and whilst that is partly a psycho­
next pitch or playing field. They're acoustic trick, the difference is real
gone. Way, way over the border. And enough, and it's huge. This had cable, the finalised
SPM? I find it difficult to listen to these nothing even remotely to do with the version of the cable
days without its previously minor law of diminishing returns.This was he’d played me before.
shortcomings standing out like a wart the demo that caused Victoria to say “Do the compar­
on the Mona Lisa's nose. "§£*%$@ me! If you can't hear that ison again" he
One day I got a visit from Lars. He you're so deaf you're dead" This was suggested, and
came to show me his titanium rack, the first time I heard a system wired sure enough,
and working with the Morgan mini entirely with mono-filament cables. not only did
system (£600 a box) he proceeded to Mono-filament - what's that then? the system
work his way up the Nordost cable It's a proprietary technique in which sound miles
range and his own titanium bits and a micro filament of Teflon is wound in better than before, but the Quattro-Iii
pieces until these mid-price electronics an elongated spiral along the length of had re-established a clear superiority
were producing a sound to die for. Just a conductor, thus spacing it from the over the Clearlights, a superiority
outer Teflon insulation and that was significantly extended by
creating a virtual air the substitution of the matching
di-electric. It first Valhalla interconnects. Picking up
appeared concealed the discarded Clearlights he looked
inside the Quattro-Iii at them and then said, “You know,
interconnect, followed that's a really fine cable for the money"
by the El Dorado mains I bit my lip. I tell you, it's so much more
lead and Silver Shadow digital difficult to be gracious in defeat.
interconnect. All are good products. Which brings us by a somewhat
All received excellent reviews in roundabout (but as we shall see,
this and other magazines. All are necessarily so) route to the Nordost
very expensive. Valhalla cables, the subject of this
Time for another interlude, and review: At first glance they look not
another visit from Lars. This time I was unlike their older, and cheaper(!)
hoping to ambush him with the brethren, although there's no denying
Clearlight interconnects, to see that the pearlescent white finish adds
if I could dent that complacency a touch of class, as does the cables'
ask their designer a little. We started out with the system greater girth. The Valhalla intercon­
who was in sitting wired with Quattro-fil and SPM and very nects are twice as thick as Quattro-fils,
in a state of shock beside me! Titanium nice it sounded too. Then I introduced carrying as they do eight rather than
rack, pulsar points, and Nordost out the Clearlights (at around a quarter four conducters, while the speaker
El Dorado mains cables, Quattro-Iii of the price of the Quattro-fils) and even cable is thicker and broader than SPM.
interconnects and SPM speaker cables; Lars had to admit to being impressed. Connectors are however, still the same:
that's some set-up. 'And you know" says Not as focused and transparent as the Neutrick phonos on the signal leads,
Lars, with one of those evil grins that Nordost leads but so much more weight the familiar low-mass 4mm plugs on
vikings do so well, “what the weakest and body, so much more purpose the speaker cable. And the price? Almost
part of this system is? It's the speaker in the music. But he's nothing if not exactly double that of the already
cable!" And as he delivers his punch­ resilient, and hastily papering over expensive SPM/Quattro-fil cables!
line there emerges from the depths of the cracks in his confident façade he Can they possibly be worth that
his bag a roll of broad flat black wire plugged in the new Valhalla speaker sort of money? 1 really wish that ^

56
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ I could say it wasn't so, but you only about as loud as the system is happy Add the foundation that you get from
need refer to the experiences recounted to go. Put on the Valhallas, making sure bass that arrives on time and in the
earlier to see that, correctly applied, they that you leave the volume the same right shape, lock in those hi-hats and
will provide an absolutely fundamental and repeat the treatment. It will be percussion touches and the mid just
improvement in almost any system. louder. Quite a bit louder. Loud enough snaps into focus. The Valhallas are at
And Oust as with the mains cabling to send you diving for the volume once more transparent than previous
reviewed elsewhere) the nature of the control, loud enough to de-centre your cables, but also dramatically more
improvement is such that it will be bass drivers as they struggle to cope present and immediate. The overall
near impossible to obtain it in any with the increased energy levels. effect is a serious injection of life into
other way. But you'll note the caveat, In other words, do it, but be careful. the proceedings, placing you much
"correctly applied". I can't stress how I opened this review by talking closer to the original performers.
important it is to use these cables as a lot about the bass, but don't make Which is where, finally, we reach
a system. Unless you have mono­ the mistake of assuming that low the most important point of all.
filament technology right through the frequencies are the only thing these We've all heard (or should that
signal chain you'll only receive a frac­ cables are about. It just happens to be be suffered) 'high definition' systems
tion of the performance described. the area in which most hi-fis are least that claim to extend performance to
Note the lesson of the Clearlight inter­ convincing, and consequently, the one such an extent that only the very best
connects, which used with SPM gave recordings are acceptable. Boy, have
the Quattro-fils a run for their money, they got it wrong. The Valhallas seem
but faded into insignificance once to work in exactly the opposite way.
they tried to take on the mono­ They let more of the recording
filaments on home ground. through which means that where
Expensive yes, but if you're they really score is with those
going to spend this kind mediocre recordings which can least
of money only a fool (a afford the losses imposed by more
very rich fool) doesn't lave conventional leads. Suddenly they
steps to ensure the maxi­ spring to life. No one would make great
mum return. It should also go claims for 77 as a great recording, but
without saying that they need play it through the Valhallas and listen
running in. The review set had to the power, precision and edgy
something over two weeks on the purpose of the playing. The
Cable Toaster, and still continued Nordost cables seem to pull down
to improve in use! the barriers between the various
Assuming you do it right, what elements in the system, pushing the
should you expect? I'll run through performance spitting and snarling
this relative to SPM/Quatrofil, partly out into the light of day. They just give
because it's the people who own these where improvements are you more of what is there, but some­
cables who are most likely to take the most obvious. In fact, the improve­ how the music always gets out first.
plunge, and partly because even those ment in dynamic range is Don't get the idea that these cables
who don't own them will have heard consistent right across the musical are coarse or ragged. They are just
them, either at a dealer's or at a show spectrum. High frequencies which as precise and focussed as the SPM,
As references go it's certainly amongst could sound a touch thin and exposed delineating dynamic steps and propa­
the most accessible. on the SPM/QF set-up have greater gating micro vibrational harmonics
The simple answer is more, or body and solidity, leading to much with just as much dexterity. It's just that
rather, MORE! The first thing that strikes better definition and air. Complex they can draw from a wider range,
you when you put the Valhallas into instruments like tambourines and colour with a broader palette. They can
a system is the massive increase in the beaded cymbals become the sum of jump so much further, more quickly,
overall energy level. This is no illusion. their distinct parts, and that definition and carrying more weight when they
The increase in dynamic range and applies even at the back of a loud and do it. Take all these attributes and
weight is real enough. Just crank the busy stage, in exactly the way that it combine them with the phase coher­
original system up to a goodly level applies to acoustic and electric bass. ence, speed and instrumental texture
and play something loud and dense, Of course the kicker is the midrange. provided by the existing Nordost ^

57
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ cables and the result is a performance Thing' from the first Suzanne Vega SPM bright or thin should think again;
which advances the state of the art not album (the Vivante Productions 180g the Valhalla has changed the rules.
in any one area, but on the broadest pressing) was like listening to a new And whilst it's expensive, I have once
and most important front of all, musical track. The soundstage blossomed both again to point out that there are a
coherence. Four things reside in my in size and presence; the guitars took whole range of even more expensive
current system which have resulted in on a new richness, attack and body; products out there. Does that make it
it being more musically satisfying and the bubbling punctuation in the bass a bargain? Monetarily it'll never be
making more musical sense than ceased its bilious excess and took on that, but musically? That's another
ever before. The Clearaudio Master shape and place. But it was the voice. matter. And just to ease the burden
Reference playback system provides The whole thing was dramatically those nice people at Nordost are
more information than I've ever lifted more natural, but the voice was just going to offer a trade-in on SPM.
from records before. But the Russ there. The merest hint of sibilance If you've got the funds I’d strongly
Andrews mains set-up, the Groove remained, the languid phrasing perfectly suggest you try it. That way you'll
phono stage, and most importantly at one with the instrumentation. end up deliciously ruined too! l>lfi
of all, the Nordost Valhalla cables, are
all about removing obstacles from the PRICES
path of that information. After all, isn't Valhalla Interconnect (1m pr): £2195-00
it better to remove a barrier than Valhalla Interconnect (1m balanced):
employ extra power to get past £2225-00
it? The proof of the pudding Per extra linear metre: £329-00
is in the listening and you
only have to hear what Ouattro-fil Interconnect (1m pr): £1250-00
all these products can Ouattro-fil Interconnect (1m balanced):
do with even modest £1280-00
equipment. Try it and Per extra linear metre: £250-00
you will be shocked.
How far can you Ouattro-fil Armlead (1.25m) £650-00
take the mono-filament
loom? All the way to Silver Shadow 75 Ohm (Phono or BNC 1 m)

the mains if you want. The £335-00

clarity, dynamics and punch Silver Shadow 110 Ohm (Balanced)
that you get from the El Dorado mains £375-00
leads are cut from the same sonic
cloth as the other cables, especially Valhalla Bi-Wire Speaker Cable (2m pr):
the increase in energy Overall I'll stick Special. Very special indeed. £4200-00
with the Russ Andrews or Audioplan The bottom line here is that I can't Per extra linear metre: £650-00
solution because they benefit from tell you how good these cables are.
their more sophisticated approach, The value of audio reviews has been El Dorado Mains Lead (2m): £400-00

but in a straight extension block and so undermined by the perpetual Per extra linear metre: £150-00

power leads set-up feeding a mono­ presentation of molehills as mountains

filament system then the El Dorados as to be almost totally debunked.When Distributor:
really score, offering extra drive, focus a truly important advance arrives the Nordost (UK) Ltd.

and dynamic range over the others. vocabulary to describe it has already Tel. (44)(0)1352-730251

Likewise, the Silver Shadow digital been appropriated and abused. I was Fax. (44)(0)1352-731273

interconnect seems to lock into the genuinely impressed by the SPMs, E-mail. [email protected]
system as a whole, gaining a measure feeling that they established new
of freedom and rhythmic subtlety But it standards in many important areas. Manufacturer:
was the Quattro-fil tonearm cable that The Valhallas have just rendered them Nordost Corporation

really shocked me. Substituting it for the obsolete as any sort of reference. Tel. (1)508-879-1242

excellent Hovland lead that I usually 'Tis ruined that I am. Fax. (1)508-879-8197

use on the SME produced a huge Those of you who come from the Net. www.nordost.com

improvement. Re-playing 'Small Blue world of Music Hose and found the

58
 DOST

Resonance Control
Digital

m technology Er Home Entertainment.

f NORDOST (UK) LIMITED

Unit 7, Aber Park Industrial Estate,
wr Road, Flint, Flintshire CH6 SEX, UK
Tel: +'14 (0) 1352 730251
+'14 (0) 1352 731273
i&enqiI: [email protected]

• NOROOST CORPORATION
4 20 Franklin Street, Framingham,
MA 01702 USA.
Tel: 508 879 1242
Fax: 508 879 8197
email: [email protected]

Please visit our web site at

www.noraost.com
 naim
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 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Nairn 5 Series Slimline Electronics

by Roy Gregory

In an industry in which polemic that come with that. Thirdly, issues like most important is the sonic character
opinions seem to be a way of life - cabling that can make or break mix and of the products. This is both one of
valve versus transistor, moving magnet match systems are taken care of for you, their greatest strengths and their most
versus moving coil, analogue versus cheaply and effectively, Because the intrusive weakness, depending on your
digital (the list goes on) - there are few designer of your electronics and speak­ point of view. Basically it all stems from
companies that can claim possession ers knows exactly what cabling will the premise that a hi-fi system should
of one corner, placing all comers be joining the whole lot together, its concern itself with the meaning of the
across the way in the other.Design characteristics and shortcomings (and music rather than trying to recreate a
approaches, complete technologies, all cables have them) are taken into facsimile of the original performance.
those are the rallying banners behind consideration as an essential part of Once you accept this, it radically alters
which the protagonists generally mass. the equation. It also means that you are your priorities when it comes to system
For a single company to hold such buying a known quantity, Nairn systems performance. The accurate presentation
exalled status is unusual to say the least, are amongst the most recognisable and of pitch and timing become paramount
yet wherever audio enthusiasts gather consistent out there. (those things which separate music
you'll find that, pro or anti, there are Everybody knows from noise, and which, historically, hi-fi
few who don't have an opinion on the exactly what to manufacturers had been taking entirely
subject of Nairn Audio and the equip­ expect, and for granted): at the same time traditional
ment they produce. Vociferous opinions concerns such as frequency response,
in the main, because Naim's customers stereo imaging and bandwidth all
exhibit an almost religious loyalty to become much less important. The
the brand, and for every action there butchering of a single sacred cow is
is an equal and opposite reaction. enough to bring howls of protest from
Why this should be (the pro side the traditionalists: you can imagine the
of the argument, if you like) is easy to the results effect of the wholesale slaughter
understand. Once you set foot on the that you hear of the complete herd. Beset on
Nairn road to audio nirvana, your course in a demonstra­ all sides, Nairn founder, the late
is cast in stone, your feet falling on the tion are going to Julian Vereker, along with his
easy steps of a clearly defined upgrade be a lot closer to erstwhile and even less diplomatic
path. Gone is that insidious, gnawing the results that you ally, lvor Tiefenbrun of Linn Products,
uncertainty that afflicts the mix and hear at home than argued their corner with gusto, which
match brigade - what do I change next is often the case. of course did nothing to calm the
and where should I get it from? That Finally, let's not ignore the virtues ruffled feathers of the audio establish­
sense of logical order is a persuasive of the company itself. Its products are ment. The fact that, in market terms at
commodity in a world where so many extremely reliable, and most changes are least, they went on to win the argument
customers suffer crises of confidence. retrofitable. The quality of its customer convincingly, merely entrenched the
But there are other benefits too. service is exemplary, and the company conflict even deeper. All of which is
Because of the upgrade path, there are itself is extremely successful, all of which historically interesting, but the fact
always people ahead of and behind means that anything you buy should give remains that the balance and musical
you on the trail, which means a ready a long working life, and if you do have presentation of a Nairn system differ, in
market for secondhand equipment, a problem or want it updated then the some cases quite radically, from most
easing your progress along the way, company will still be around to do it for of the competition.
Nairn equipment holds its value better you. All in all it's a powerful package The second and third factors are
than most, a serious consideration once and it's not hard to see why it attracts really extensions of this. The very
you start spending around a thousand the kind of customer loyalty that most difference of the Nairn approach and
pounds a box. Secondly, you are buying companies (in any field) would kill for. the electrical incompatibility of their
a system, along with all the very real Why then the opposition? Well, it products with other makes created a
benefits in terms of musical coherence rests on three main things, but by far the perception of institutional arrogance. >
63
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

.. Not only were Nairn products different, appeared, suddenly we had Nairn S Series as “Some of the best looking hi-fi
they were perfectly happy to be so, and products that would sit only too happily you’ve ever brought home:’ In fact, for
stand or fall on the response of the in other systems. The NBL was next and various reasons that we won’t go into,
market place. The fact that they are the svelte elegance of its lines was such she ended up actually collecting the
now one of the UK's largest and most a contrast to the stubbornly boxy speak­ review kit, so ’ownership’ might come
successful audio companies suggests ers we were used to that most of us did into this somewhere. However, as far as
that their confidence was well placed. a double take. The NAP5OO marked looks go, there’s no escaping the fact
However, it's not the first time that an a move up-market, and if the elevated that the new slimline electronics haven’t
excess of self confidence (and nobody price demanded an unprecedented just caught up with the competition,
that knew Julian would quibble with performance from a Nairn amplifier, it they’ve leapfrogged into the lead.
that description) has led to accusations also dictated dramatic improvements in And the new casework is more than
of arrogance. fit, finish and presentation. Of course, all just a pretty face. The front panel is
And to reinforce the point, Naim's these are expensive products and it was a Zinc die-casting, the top and bottom
plain Jane approach to aesthetics easy to see them as luxury items are identical aluminium castings, and
has almost wantonly that needed the benefits the sides are formed from extrusions.
ignored the advent of of an aesthetic Once machined, these components
industrial design within facelift. But now create an extremely rigid and inert
the hi-fi industry It was it’s the turn of the box, complete with all the internal
almost as if the “plain slimline series, Naim’s cheapest mounting hardware and bosses, ready
and proud of it" image was the electronics. Now we can no to accept the internal components.
visual equivalent of giving the longer ignore the changes that The end result is a box that is better
proverbial finger to the pretty are afoot. Where are they taking looking, that should be mechanically
boys that sold on looks: the company, and who’s invited superior, and which makes assembly

e
a stark reminder that it’s along for the ride? Lets take significantly easier.
the sound that matters. a look and see. What have Nairn done with their
Such obvious challenges to The S Series consists of the fancy new casework? Well, internally
the bristling egos that inhabit CD5, Nail S integrated amp, the CDS and Flatcap 2, which along
the microcosm called hi-fi could NATO S Tuner, Flatcap 2 power supply, with the Nail S form the review system,
hardly be ignored, and they weren't. NAC 112 pre-amp and NAP ISO power are essentially refinements of the 3
Which is why everybody interested in amp. They all share the same slimline Series models. You still get the die-cast
audio seems only too willing to offer casework and styling, and it is this swinging CD drawer, but the CDS now
an opinion on Nairn, their products that sets them apart from has a more sophisticated
and their way of doing things. their predecessors. onboard power
Of course, the clearest indications The new box has supply with sepa­
of a designer’s priorities are found in the a three bay rate sections for
cheapest products, laid bare by budget front panel that the analogue and
constraints. As you ascend the upgrade is derived from digital stages. Also,
ladder there’s extra money available the flagship and in common
to graft on those elements that get NAPSOO. Its with the other S
excluded by the Darwinian process of sculpted contours Series electronics,
evolving the most basic acceptable are complemented by the circuit boards are
performance. It’s no surprise that it’s a new illuminated badge, compliantly mounted
the cheapest products, the Naits, IBLs and far more importantly, wonder­ to offer further protection against
and CD3s, that have attracted the most fully tactile dome push buttons that mechanical interference. The Flatcap
scorn from the opposition, and the replace the utilitarian square latches of can now also power two units, such
fiercest loyalty from the devotees. the older products. To say that the new as the analogue stages of the CDS and
They took the “it’s the message that appearance is an improvement is a gross the separate Stageline phono section.
matters" doctrine to its logical extreme, understatement. Whereas the 3 Series In this system it supplies low noise,
and in the process they tested the 1 electronics were a constant source of regulated power to the CDS analogue
imits of aesthetic acceptability. embarrassed apology ("Yes darling, l stage and the Nait S’s pre-amp.
But the times they are a changin’, know they look awful, but they sound The Nail S is another story If the
and when the COX, XPS and CDS II really good'"), Victoria described the CDS and Flatcap 2 are refinements ^

64
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

[> on an existing theme, then the Nait is Living Voice Avatars also saw action, more appropriate match. This was the
more of a complete redesign. Not only the latter with a surprising degree of combination that I started with, and it's
is the output circuitry based on the success. But before we launch into the the one I spent most time with because,
topology developed for the NAP500, sound, two other things are worth a as a system it really clicked. Right from
but the pre-amp section and its power mention: the excellence of the remote the word go there was an easy pace
supply has been completely revamped. control, which would work flawlessly and coherence to music. Even really
At the centre of the line level circuitry from any part of the room, and the fact sweeping productions like 'The Coral
lies a micro-processor driven volume that I tended to play the system a little Atoll' from The Thin Red Line sound­
control, own wow from a ladder of louder than normal. Especially with the track (RCA 09026 63382 2) hung
discrete resistors. The same processor is NHTs it was much the happier for having together, and despite the limited band­
used to control switching and balance the volume control past the 12 o'clock width of the speakers (there's some
functions, as well as allowing the owner point, below which it could sound rather seriously subterranean bass on this
to adjust individual input sensitivities.. grey and lifeless, but this could be a track) the music was full of drama
And before you throw your hands up in function of that particular combination. and atmosphere, just as it should be.
horror at the idea of digital electronics The success of the Nairn/Living It's this ability to retain the creative
polluting the analogue environment, the Voice combination says a great deal tension in a piece that has always set
processor only powers up to respond to about the new slimline Nairn amps apart, and it's still present
a command, sitting dormant the rest of series. and correct in the 5 Series.
the time. There's also a unity gain option The carefully structured opening
should you (shudder') want to use the of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic
Nait with an processor. The pre-amp Dances (Telarc CD-80331,
runs from its own separate winding the Zinman/Baltimore
on the transformer (unless Symphony Orchestra
you are using the Flatcap 2 to performance rather than
power it) and all supplies are my more usual Johanos/ Dallas)
now double regulated. The Nait works really well on the Naims. The
5 is, of course, remote control, and careful structure and ramped dynamic
both it and the CD5 arrived with graduations are clear and convincing,
a Narcom system remote, which will but so too are the individual instrumen­
also drive the tuner. tal hues. The swelling momentum and
Hook-up is straight forward, although tension in the music makes perfect
those new to Nairn equipment might do sense, culminating in the release of
a double take at all those Din sockets, that shattering opening crescendo. The
and the fact that speaker cable aside, This efficient floorstander majors on accompanying cymbal crash is wonder­
you actually get all the necessary leads instrumental tone and a coherent sound­ ful for its colour and decay, the vibrant
supplied. wen a notional budget of stage. Naturalness is its middle name, promptings of the repeated violin motif
15% or so on cabling(and in many cases and the 3 Series would have been a mar­ build the tension, contrasting with the
that is inadequate) this no- a significant riage made in hell, the £2500 speakers skittering glissandi. The pause before
influence on the price and value of simply showing you the price you were the transition is perfectly pregnant, and
the final system. I used the slimline paying for the amplifier's snap and the layered woodwinds spreading the
electronics exactly as supplied, with rhythmic coherence. The 5 Series are new air of tranquillity show the greater
power straight out of the wall. The new altogether more rounded and balanced tonal sophistication of the new prod­
compliantly mounted boards mean that performers, tonally more sophisticated ucts. Music is not nearly as stark and
the sockets can wobble, and it's worth and with better low level detail. obvious as it was with the 3s, and if that
making sure that the cables aren't The Avatars make the most of their makes it less immediately approachable
dragging them against the casework strengths, the weaknesses being far less it's a price that I'll happily pay
and shortwii'cuoLA the suspension. intrusive. And before you ask, yes they Why is this? In sonic terms, I think
They were sat on my RDC rack and left did image. Not like a little valve amp it comes down to two things. The sound
to play music for a couple of weeks for sure, but well up there with the of the new amps is less edgy, a quality
before 1 sat down to any serious listen­ solid state competition. which made the older ones seem crisp
ing. Main speakers used were the NHT Back to the real world and the and dynamic. Instead, the 5 Series map
1.5s, although the Indigo Model Is and £600 NHTs, a more likely and certainly leading edges more woo;

65
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

II as well as the decay, or tail of the notes. jump and attack into the music. These you prefer the old sound, and there are
This increase in low level resolution is are jagged songs with a starkness all of some that will, misses the point. The 5
entirely consistent with improved power their own. Let the system pare them Series bring Naim's musical and
supplies and mechanical isolation, away any more and the results can be structural integrity to the mainstream,
while the loss of edge goes hand in quite nasty. The 5 Series stay just onside, which can only be a good thing. I've
hand with better isolation from the fastened to the rigidity of the drum enjoyed them enormously. I suspect
mains, as we've already seen in the tracks, revelling in the flexibility of the that even more customers are now
case of the CDS II and other Nairn melodies laid over the top. The title going to feel the same. Quite how
products. The results may be less track is a case in point. Over emphasise the opposition will feel I think you
dramatic, but they are also more real. the bass or leave the busy percussion can probably guess. Il
I've concentrated on a large scale exposed and your attention wanders
acoustic work because it's here that the from the heart of the song. The Naims
developments are most apparent. Switch get it just right. Like 1 said, these are
to small scale recordings like Kieran balanced performers. Balanced
TECHNICAL PECIFICATIONS
Kane and Kevin Welch's live album enough to handle the infamous
IIII21I3 (Dead Reckoning DEAR 0019) Slobberbone (punk meets country, Nairn CDS
and the new sophistication simply __ with all that entails!). Type: CD Player
grafts seamlessly onto the expected The aggressive Chipset: 18bit 4x Oversampling
rhythmic integrity. edge on ‘That Output Level: 2.0 V
On 'While I Was ls All' survives Output Impedance: 10 Ohms
Loving You' intact, not Remote Control: Yes
the increased rounded Dimensions (WxHxD) 432 x 58.4 x 301mm
tonal and or smoothed,
low level but there Nairn Nail 5
information in all its Type: Integrated Amplifier
brings out the i offensive Inputs: 6x Line Level (5 Pin Din)
naturalness in glory. As is Input Sensitivity: 75mV (User Variable)
the recording, the elastic Input Impedance: lOOKOhms
the clear phrasing, feedback, Outputs; 3x Tape
chemistry between general sense of desolation and the lx Pre-Out
the two performers strangely truncated coda. Fantastic. Output Level (Tape): 75mV
and the distinctive identity of their These electronics represent Power Output : 30W/ch - 80hms
separate instruments. The improvised a genuine step forward for Nairn. Remote Control: Yes
percussion "squeaks and scratches" They are better balanced than their Dimensions (WxHxD) 432 x 58.4 x 301 mm
from Kevin Welch lock into the insistent predecessors, more versatile and far,
rhythm and the music just springs to life. far better presented. In many respects Prices
It's a great recording, but on the Naims they offer levels of musical sophistication CDS £1125
it's sensational. How good? If I was that you used to only get much further Nail 5 £799
making my living from selling this kit up the Nairn ladder. In moving away Nato 5 £725
I'd be ordering a spare copy today. from the "Plain and proud of it" school NAC 112 £625
The smaller scale pieces are always of hi-fi design they retain their traditional NAP 150 £750
where smaller systems score. Their virtues whilst adding the aesthetic and Flatcap 2 £475
speed and agility counts for a lot. Wheel tonal sophistication that was previously Stageline £175
out another favourite, Shawn Colvin's the exclusive preserve of the competi­
excellent Steady On (Columbia 466142 tion. They might have lost the transient
2) and again the slimline 5 Series does edge and chopped bass that made the Manufacturer:
its stuff. Fabulous as an LP, the CD suffers 3 Series so obviously appealing: they've Nairn Audio Ltd
from a touch of hardness and an fleshed out the structural elements too, Southampton Rd
occasional slight glare. The Naims do which makes them less like a diagram Salisbury, SPl - 2LN

nothing to hide this, reminding me and more like reality, but the bottom Tel: (44)(0)1722 332266
where they've come from, but at the line is that the 5 Series will be more Net: www.naim-audio.com
same time they inject the necessary rewarding for longer. Whether or not

66
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Second Sight. ..
----------------------------- by Jason Hector ----------------------------

► So what happened to the 4 series? a beacon. Parked on shelves surrounded they are excellent devices. However,
Are they forever to exist, like the Nairn by my other Nairn gear the badges I think that fans of the 3 Series might
electrostatic loudspeakers or tape deck, looked a little garish and out of place find them something of a shock,
as a cult product that was just too good with both the old gear and the other- because they sound very different and
(read expensive) to be released? Could wise superb build quality of the new challenge some old and pretty well
their existence have been suppressed Perhaps it would be possible entrenched beliefs. I always felt that
by the audio Mafiosi? Well no the to mask the logo a little so the 3 Series excelled at presenting the
explanation is boringly light only escaped at the emotional content of the music at
simple, the edge and through the the expense of some subtlety in the
number 4 is letters, or move to message, a sacrifice which was usually
unlucky in the "smoked" plastic? worth making. The new 5 Series has
East and sales (Don't give up the taken a large step away from this
would have day job Jason! Ed.) compromise. There's a reduction in the 3
suffered, so five But enough of this petty criticism, Series' obvious dynamics, but in its
series it was.I am how do they perform, how do they place you get a certain poise and far
acting as second sound? I normally use an 82,Hi-Cap, more natural tonality. Although some are
reviewer on the 5 series, and 250 set-up to drive my Shahinian Arcs. bound to be less enamoured, personally
in my capacity as one of the resident Sources are an LP12, ARO, I believe the 5 Series will be capable of
Nairn users I have a whole different DV17D2 with providing much longer term listening
perspective (and set of prejudices) pleasure, as they are less fatiguing and
to RG. Firstly, I was a massive fan of the more evenly balanced, ultimately
3 series these boxes replaced, even drawing you further into the music.
though as Roy rightly says, the build The structure and timing is still there,
and appearance did leave a little to be it's just that now it's got its clothes on.
desired. But once you sat down and As I said less instantaneous appeal but
listened, the musical ride was more very satisfying over time. Are they better
than adequate recompense -1 just a Prefix and Hi-Cap to step than the 3 Series? Ultimately the answer
loved the sheer dynamism of the old up the signal, and a Micromega Duo has to be yes, but it's not really that
system. So what has changed and do transport and Pro Dae. The equipment simple: they are treading a very different
I think it's an improvement? sits on the excellent Hutter racks, and is path which makes direct comparison
Let's get the one disappointment hooked up with Music Works mains problematic and to some extent
out of the way before I fully recount leads. I simply plugged the 5 Series units mis-leading. If you compare them
my pleasure at using these new 5 series straight into the system, using their own and expect the 5s to
components, and that is the aesthetics mains leads and retaining the Prefix give you the same as
of the new badge. On the new units as, in yet another sign of the 3s but more so,
the whole semicircular badge is clear the times, the Nait 5 then you'll be
plastic with the naim logo moulded in arrived without its disappointed.
relief. Fine, except that it lights up like optional phono You have to
stage. This gave me approach the
ample opportunity new units on their
to explore the sound own ground to understand why
of the new products, they work. Ultimately it's irrelevant
both in their own right anyway, as the 3s are gone and the
and in the context of an older 5s are here to stay
Nairn set-up. So much for the generalities. The
Conclusions? Well I can safely say other part of my brief was to look t>
67
EQUIPMENT REVIEW

a little closer at the Flatcap2 and its the overall coherence of the music, Assuming you have a suitable
sonic benefits. RG always ran the system a neat trick if you can pull it off. Mind equipment support and aren't going
as a three box set-up with the power you, Nairn have been doing this sort to mess with the Nairn signal leads
supply connected. 1 also wanted to of thing with power supplies for many (and I personally don't think its worth
experiment with my Musicworks mains years. The NaitS had already impressed it with Nairn equipment) that leaves
leads as, unlike the 3 Series, the S me power-supply-less by the ease with the mains. In Issues 2 and 3 I reported
series are equipped with "proper" !EC which it allowed me to really fine tune on the extremely positive results I have
mains sockets, lending themselves to the downforce on a new Dynavector had with the Musicworks mains leads
more experimentation and tweakery l 7D2 cartridge by ear. It is a revealing and distribution block, success which
Adding the Flatcap2 to the CD amplifier, but with the improvements was at the time surprising, as my
player was nothing short of remarkable, wrought by Flatcap2 addition this previous experiments in this direction
the positive difference in sound quality amplifier became very transparent to had failed miserably So would the
making the Flatcap2 upgrade incredibly the source. It was now apparent that S series respond in the same way?
good value for the CDS alone. If you the NaitS is also a more powerful Simple answer, yes, although the
can't afford it when you buy a CDS don't amplifier than the rating suggests, gains were not as great as with the
listen to it or you won't be satisfied till and has also markedly improved on larger equipment I normally use.
you do have one. (And of course your the load tolerance of its predecessor In the Musicworks review I spoke
Nairn dealer isn't going to demonstrate Remember, these are of grunge removal as being the most
the benefits unless you ask him to Salisbury Watts and obvious improvement in the sound,
-1 don't think.) Don't get me wrong 30 of them which allowed both more detail
the CDS is a very good CD player for but also better coherence.
the money, its just that the Flatcap2 This was again apparent
puts in a different league. Put with the S Series but due,
simply, the system seemed I think, to the lower starting
to throw off some meta­ point the improvements
phorical shackles, the sound weren't quite so exciting. I still
really opening up into the think anybody buying this system
room with much more detail should try the leads, as they offer very
apparent. And here I mean musical good value once you have got the
detail, not just spurious information. Flatcap2 into the system.
For example, what had previously So was I tempted to downgrade?
been a steadily rising note was revealed No, because although they share
to be subtly stepped, a small but very attributes with the better gear they
important difference. Returning to simply don't do it as well! And should
the big system confirmed that the were more than enough to drive a 3 series user trade in? Probably
new presentation was correct, not that my Shahinian Arcs, the sound staying not. If you chose the 3 Series you
I really needed to check as it sounded clean to high levels. liked what it did, and as these
so much better that it had to be the Used as a system as intended, with devices are a little different they
original intention. the Flatcap2 powering both the CDS may not be the answer. I think
So far so good then, next the and the NaitS we had most of the best people in this position should
Flatcap2 was removed from the CDS of both worlds, although, I felt that save a little longer and try to reach
and attached to pre amp section of although the gains for each component further up the ladder.
the NaitS and again a marvellous were less than when they had The S Series components see
improvement was heard. This time we a Flatcap2 to themselves (shown using a slightly new direction for Nairn and
again gained detail, but this seemed to the Micromega CD spinner and LP I am pleased with the resulting
come from a reduction in the noise player as source to the NaitS) the equipment it has produced. These
floor. It removed a whole layer of murk sum improvement was still greater units produce a balance of virtues
from the system, injecting energy and than just powering one component. that was only previously available
quicker dynamics into the performance. So next step on the upgrade path looks much further up the Nairn hierarchy,
Each instrument in an ensemble was like a second Flatcap2 then. But are while retaining the typical Nairn
given a little more space to breathe and there cheaper improvements to be musicality and a real emotional
this was achieved without sacrificing had in the meantime? connection with the performance. 1>f3

68
 LISTINGS

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Basically Sound The Old School, School Road, Bracon Ashh, Norfolk Infidelity 9 High Street, Hampton Wick, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey
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Ro-deigh -;i-0 A.> High Street Rayleigh, Essex 01268 ;w,Rw Mike Manning 54 Bridge Street, Taunton, Somerset 01823 326688
Rayleigh Hi-Fi 132/4 London Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex()1702 435255 Ad Pg 61
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Mike Manning Audio 1 10 Middle Street, Yeovil, Somerset 01935 479361 Music Matters 10 Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
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H Radfords 12 James Street West. Bath, Avon 01225 446245 Music Matters 363 Hagley Road, Edgebaston, B'ham
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Acoustica 114 Wolverhampton Road, Stafford 01785' 258216 Music Matters 9 Market Street, Stourbridge, WeOst Midlands
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Cnstie Sound & Vision 48-50 Maid Marian Way, Nottingham IjChantry Audio 16-18A Eldon Street, Tuxlord, Newark, Nottingham
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69
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 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Carfrae Little Big Horn

--------------------------------------------------------- by Paul Messenger -----------------------------------------

Few speakers look more extraordinary Like Carfrae's swan-neck Big Horn, it's extension. Jim Carfrae's literature
than Carfrae’s Little Big Horn, and based around a single Lowther DX3 implies that the horn works down to
hardly any are more beautiful, in my drive unit, but where big brother's horn 50Hz, but my measurements indicate a
opinion and those of several visitors, is 3.3m long and fires into a corner, the practical in-room lower limit of around
who admired the faintly bizarre but LBH loads the rear of the Lowther by 80Hz for the horn section, leaving the
beautifully sculptured shape, the a forward-firing 2m tractrix-profile horn. subwoofer to take responsibility for the
delicious solid wood finishing, It's much more compact than the Big bottom two octaves.
and were fascinated by the Horn, uses MDF rather The Little Big Horn differs from the
large 'climb-through' than plywood, and other Lowther-driven speakers I've tried
hole in the middle. less real wood in making no attempt to horn-load the
The photographs veneer, so the front of the drive unit. I suspect the lack
are much more whole affair is of a short horn on the front is the reason
eloquent than much less why the LBH's output is just a little
mere words costly at £7,950 weak through the broad midband, but
in describing (against some such a horn will tend to add its own
a speaker which twenty grand for coloration which Jim prefers to avoid.
looks unlike any the Big Horn). One less happy consequence of the
other on the planet, Eight grand is still slightly weak output 400Hz-l.5kHz is
which makes perfect expensive for any that it leaves the characteristic Lowther
sense in form-follows-function pair of loudspeakers, and presence-band resonance (about an
terms, yet manages to do so with significantly (though not dramatically) octave wide centred on 2kHz) just that
considerable panache and a wickedly more than the two other Lowther-driven bit more exposed and obvious. The
gastropodic wit. speakers which have passed through treble proper is also stronger than
As the name suggests, this is my hands recently (the £5,000 average, with evidence of another
a horn-loaded design, a factor which Beauhorn Virtuoso in Hi-Fi+ issue 7, peak around 8-12kHz, but it remains
accounts for both the shape and the and the £6,000 Veritas H3 in Hi-Fi a notable achievement to create ^
bulk. And it is a bulky beast to be sure, Choice issue 191).
my own quite generously dimensioned The Little Big Horn can easily
room (4.3x2.6x5.5m) is probably just justify its premium, however, not just on
about the practical minimum. In truth grounds of aesthetic elegance (where
the Little Big Horn would fit more it's in a class of its own), but also
happily into rooms at least half as big because it cunningly incorporates an
again - and could happily fill a small active subwoofer as an integral part
church, should the opportunity present of the design. This is built into the
itself. But it doesn't loom the way separate teardrop-shaped box which
large speakers usually do, the curved supports and orients the horn proper.
profile, deep blue crackle finish (And you can christen it Custer's Last
around the horn profile and the hole Stand if you want to.)
through the middle all help minimise What we have in toto therefore is
the perception of a bulk which is a single full-range horn-loaded driver,
only really a handicap when you're which, in the Lowther tradition, has an
unpacking and struggling to manoeuvre extraordinarily high sensitivity (around
them into place. 105dB/W on my estimate), at the
Let's put the LBH into context. inevitable expense of limited bass

73
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

[> a high efficiency, mostly horn-loaded a group test on 12 'normal' loudspeakers very small, and I happily left the
speaker capable of delivering a full (averaging around £1,000/pair and subs connected up for the duration,
bandwidth in-room balance which 89dB/W sensitivity), and enjoying the worthwhile extra weight
(once I’d fiddled around a bit with these Carfraes instant­ and gravitas they brought to anything
the subwoofer controls for best .. . ly sounded like with serious bass content. The other
integration) held within +/4dB if 'real' speakers, slight weakness is that their dynamic
on a far-field in-room averaged ) where the tracking didn't always match the horns,
measurement from | others had been so the balance seem to shift very
20Hz to 14kHz. This mere pipsqueak slightly with level, but the overall
is a total contrast pretenders, integration was unexpectedly superb,
to the Beauhorn lacking genuine and I was only conscious of their
Virtuoso's " scale and limiting existence on odd occasions.
behaviour, j expression and The one fly in the ointment - more
which is delib- i V communication. of a dragonfly in fact - is that
erately tuned to - First off I didn't connect presence peak, which just
give a smooth up the subwoofers, and happens to be in the region
and flat midband, just listened to the horns of the spectrum where the
while gently rolling off the top and alone. This was very ear is most sensitive. This
bottom ends. beguiling, and honestly proved difficult to ignore,
The more time I spent looking at didn't seem as lacking at least when using my
the Little Big Horn, the more I became in bass extension as regular Nairn
impressed by the sheer cleverness, the measurements had (NAC52/NAP500)
not only of the overall concept but indicated. On speech it amplification, which
also the fine detail of the design. was particularly magical, itself has a rather
The driver is carefully arranged to be with great expression and shiny and forward
at seated ear height, and the boss a marvellous freedom from character, and
on which it's mounted is a seriously timesmear and chestiness. made me reluctant
chunky hardwood fabrication, cleverly Individuals somehow to listen at
put together to create patterns in the managed to sound more realistically high
grain orientation. Subtle hardwood distinctly individual, and levels. I could
curves frame the horn mouth, and the regional accents were probably live
profile of the subwoofer is curved too clearer and more easily with it, just as
(creating an irregular shape which will identifiable. On simple a I can live with
help avoid standing waves). material with little bass the slightly higher
Sonically I'm a bit of a sucker for content, such as string frequency peak of my
Lowther-driven speakers, and indeed quartets, the horn alone Rehdeko RKI 75s, but I'm
for high sensitivity speakers in was lovely rather more tolerant than
general, so the Little Big I half expected to find the sub­ most in this regard, and tend
Horns immediately 4 woofer a let down, as all to find most conventional speakers
ensnared me in their my previous (which usually show a presence dip)
enchantment. The experiences a little shut in.
sheer immediacy of trying to As I'd expected from show
and vividness of the use active demonstrations, the Little Big Horn
sound catches the subwoofers is rather in-yer-face, and not exactly
attention straight alongside high polite or smooth by conventional
away,, much of which efficiency standards. But that's partly because
comes down to the 'satellites' have it's exceptionally revealing of either
effortless and natural been tinged with the sources or amplification. The trick
way they reproduce disappointment. While the Little Big is to find the right components to
dynamic contrasts and shading. Horn's integral subwoofers did create a sympathetic whole. High
Most of the listening took place compromise the time coherence efficiency Lowther horns originally
immediately after I'd carried out very slightly, the effect was indeed stem from the era of low powered ^

74
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

I> valve amplification, and make natural Little Big Horns; given the Carfraes, I'd certainly suggest valve amplification
partners for the revival of interest in I probably would have chosen the is likely to be preferable to the solid
single-ended triode amps, especially GATEs (or something similar). state variety. Indeed, the enormously
as the impedance stays above There are many reviewers who try high sensitivity of the Little Big Horns
a comfortable 9 ohms throughout. to describe the sound of their favourite is a powerful incentive to go straight
Jim Carfrae had brought along a pair recordings, an approach I avoid, down the single-ended triode road, as
of monoblocks from Glass Audio Tube because it's highly unlikely that these the modest power outputs will be no
Engineering, the GATE SE300 (from happen to be your favourite recordings, handicap, and their sonic marriage
£3,335/pair, depending upon the or even that you'll enjoy them in the might have been made in heaven.
source of the 300Bs), which he felt same way that I do. I could ramble on As I sat ruminating while Radio 3
were a good match for the LBHs. about the brilliantly layered production was playing some Mozart, the thought
I've always had a soft spot for this of the Beastie Boys' Hello Nasty, the came over me that if I ever get to
type of amp, based on the magnificence lyrical lucidity of Eminem's Marshall retire from this loudspeaker reviewing
of its midrange reproduction but Mathers LE or the delicate and subtle game, this could well be the speaker
tempered by major interplay on the Grateful Dead's system to retire with. It's not perfect - no
reservations about Reckoning acoustic set. speaker is - but it's such a fine
bass softness. But I'd rather report on combination of the various qualities
However, Little Big the effect a speaker I personally rate most highly that
Horn's active sub system has upon my I reckon it would fill the bill very
means it does its ,, „ actual behaviour, as nicely indeed. Others might prefer
own thing in the -’jyj this seems much more the smoother, more mid-oriented
bass region, and the W » ' S meaningful. A major sound of the Beauhorns I reviewed
system amp doesn't ^Bntntntntnt ft strength of the Little a few months back. But I strongly
need to supply ''■’nt Big Horn is that it urge any reader interested in getting
any serious current , nt i makes even 'difficult' closer to the 'real thing' to take the
below SOHz. Major Olpi- material that much time to audition a Lowther-based
reservation dismissed. more accessible speaker system, as the combination
Measurements taken nt: than regular of single-driver coherence and massive
with the valve mono- nt* w, speakers. I found sensitivity brings its own unique
blocks showed the . 1 ' y myself listening to magic to the proceedings. l>c{}>
same presence peak as a lot more Radio
before, but above that font । 3 than usual,
region the treble output and getting
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
proper was some 2-3dB sucked into
less, and this is probably jZ the wonderful Type: Single driver horn with
a major reason for the altogether textures of active sub-woofer.
'kinder and less aggressive sound orchestral instruments Main Driver: Lowther DX3
which they produced. and instrumentation. Sensitivity: 105dB
In fact the combination was an I've now been listening to the I mpedance: <9 Ohms
absolute delight. Background hiss Little Big Horns continuously for Bandwidth: Horn -3dB at 18KHz
was reduced while hum increased about three weeks, across a broad Sub -3dB at 26Hz
slightly - but those seem to be the range of programming which includes Dimensions (WxHxD): 380xl350x950mm
inevitable consequence of going from a mixture of vinyl, CD and radio, Price: £7950
transistor to valve operation when plus an (un)healthy dose of day-to­
using a super-sensitive speaker. Best day television watching. Jim's coming Manufacturer:
of all was the way the SE300's classic back to pick them up tomorrow, and Carfrae Loudspeakers
thermionic sweetness took the 'fierce­ I'm not looking forward to his arrival Tel. (44)(0)1803 868461
ness’ and aggression out of the system. one little bit! Net. www.carfrae.com
It remains a moot point whether one With a speaker this coherent,
should choose an amplifier or the temporally and dynamically, choice Glass Audio Tube Engineering
speakers first. Given the Nairn amps of source and amplification compo­ Tel. (44)(0)1245 381784
I probably wouldn't have chosen the nents becomes extra critical, and

75
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 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

ClearAudio Master Reference Turntable

and Master TO-I Tonearm
----------------------------------------------------------- by Roy Gregory ---------------------------------------------

The ClearAudio Reference turntable, new model, and guess what? It costs and lead the power leads away and
reviewed in Issue 2, along with its twice as muchl (At this point anybody down through the central hole
Souther derived TQ-I linear tracking who has already read the Nordost provided. The next layer is a sandwich
tonearm costs a substantial £5475. review can be forgiven a touch of deja construction which supports the
Add another £1000 for the Accurate vu. I'm just waiting for the third seismic platter, and stands over and at 60
Power Generator and £2500 for an event, whatever that'll be) Let me degrees to the motor spider. Position
Accurate moving coil cartridge and introduce you then, to the ClearAudio the platter, plug in the motors and
that's one expensive front-end that sits Master Reference playback system, the string the belt and you're almost ready
in the corner of my room. Not, I have latest audio confection to spring from to go. Almost because the main
to admit, that I can justify the invest­ the creative imagination of analogue bearing arrives with a new, super
ment in material terms. The Reference chef Peter Suchy viscous grease which takes days to
is simplicity itself, and there's nothing actually settle evenly about the shaft.
terribly intricate or expensive about Set the 'table up and leave it running
the arm. As for the cartridge? I don't and when you return three or four days
think we even want to go there. later you'll find it's going way too fast.
The bottom line is that there are Peg it back on the APG and you
no fancy air-bearings or should be pretty near there, but
suspension systems, no it's still worth checking it over
contactless drive system the ensuing weeks (making sure
or adjustable damping, that you use a battery powered
nothing to impress the tech­ strobe). So, although the main
no weanies, nothing, lererv zip. assembly only takes about ten
minutes, they still manage to
All there is, is the sound. make you exercise your patience.
Of course, that's probably just as
Sound which, whilst it isn't well, as you've also got the Master TQ-I
perfect (what is?) brings clarity, to deal with. The new arm is identical
openness and vitality to the recorded in operating principle to the old one.
performance. These are the very It just looks like it's benefited from
qual-ities that so many turntables seem The Master Reference turntable is a US department of defence spending
to crush from the music, but play that an imposing structure, but it's also a programme. Gone are the injection
same recording on the Reference and natural outgrowth of the Reference. moulded end pieces, replaced with
the superiority of its portrayal, the The platter and bearing are essentially massive acrylic machinings and dura­
natural life and immediacy that flows similar, just beefier.The inverted bearing lumin horizontal bracing rods. Whereas
from the grooves will have you post now looks substantial enough to the Souther always seemed delicate
convinced. I liked it so much that hang a gate. The differences lie in the and spindly, the Master TQ-I is an
I bought one. Despite the material drive assembly and the decoupling absolute bruiser. I'm used to swinging
difficulties, and I'm not only talking between the motors and the platter. down the original arm, but even I was
about the £9K price tag. Building from the bottom, you first shocked by the sheer mass of the new
place the three-legged base that version. Unfortunately, along the way
But now they've done it again. supports the motor housings. This the Master TQ-I has lost the stub which
stands on three cones and provides once, long ago sat on the spindle, and
Just when I was getting comfor­ stainless steel plates for each motor. which now provides an easy reference
table with the current state of affairs, Next you simply place the motors, for alignment. Combine that with the
ClearAudio went and introduced a each on its little gaggle of gummy feet, Souther's notoriously difficult VTA

79
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ adjustment and it makes set-up a royal to hear what was happening at the real allowed music its full range of rhythmic
pain in the butt. If ever a tonearm was bottom end. Amps were the JA30s, expression. Rather than the energy
crying out for a simple jig to help with while cartridges varied, the .spectrum of the turntable dictating the
preliminary alignment then this is it. lion's share of the listening storage and release of musical energy,
And Peter, while you are about it, being with the Insider the Reference managed to stand
please, please do something about Reference. Naturally »»g.. aside, letting
the VTA. enough the the rhythmic
Once you've got it running, the ClearAudio .structure
effect of the various layers is actually Reference and stand intact
to place an extra layer between the and in shape,
platter and the outside world, and two providing the
between it and the motors. There's also discipline that
less belt contact to transmit motor allows the musi-
noise into the platter, and the three cians freedom to explore its
motor drive should improve speed limits. The result was at once
stability. The Master Reference arrived impressive (for its transparency)
with a specially built Acapella base, and engaging (because of its
itself a sophisticated variation on the rhythmic agility). But it
sand-box approach, and given the Clearlight Recovery wasn't perfect. The
size of the turntable I'd consider this turntables were cast in the performance was
an essential accessory. Heave it into unfortunate role of Aunt Sally. achieved at the
position, but remember to level it It doesn't take long to realise expense of some
before you start to build the record what the Master Reference is doing. .subtle shaping. The
player. And believe me, you will need Compared to the Reference it offers Reference is what I call
a substantial support. increased dynamic range, bandwidth a double dipper. It's not uncommon in
The Master Reference was used and a lower noise floor. It is more hi-fi, in fact it's a characteristic that it
with a variety of ancillaries, but the tonally even, top to bottom, and offers shares with the Nordost SPM cable.
key elements were The Groove and the a greater sense of power. But this is A slight drop in output in the upper
Nordost Valhalla cables, without which far from the whole story. It's not just a bass and lower treble et voila, speed,
the players true superiority over the question of what the Master Reference clarity and transparency. The price if
Reference and other 'tables would does, but the way that it does it that you overdo it is tonal thinness and
have been obscured. For most of the matters. There are plenty of turntables a lack of substance. The Reference
listening I used either the Audioplan whose menu of individual attributes judged it pretty well, but you can't hide
Kontrast 11 Is or the Living Voice makes them appealing until you realise it completely, as the Clearlight's superi­
Avatars, both valued for that the ingredients don't add up to or harmonic development reveals.
their natural musicality. a meal. Hi-Ii is about retrieving infor­ The Master Reference manages
1 also ran them with the mation, but music is about making to extend both the transparency and
Kochel sub-woofer, just sense of it. Mechanical separation of the Reference, whilst
transducers (turntables simultaneously correcting the
and speakers) are aberrations in its frequency balance.
trying to deal with Listen to the Corelli Concerto Grosso
minute vibrations whilst op. 6 no. 7 in D Major (Stuttgarter
vibrating themselves. Their Kammer-orchester, Tacet L74) and
own resonant signature is an focus on the separation, placement
essential part of the equation and harmonic complexity of the
as a whole. harpsichord. So often a jangling
The Reference broke new afterthought on baroque recordings,
ground by providing here it steps out and provides the
uncluttered clarity necessary continuo, properly support­
and micro dynam­ ive but vital and alive in its own right,
ics, combined with fragile and delicate yet surprisingly
a timing security which solid in the soundstage. The strings ^

80
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

I:> are muscular too. None of your weedy moods, one moment playful the next at the difference in price. However, let
original instruments here. The increase menacing, the big ClearAudio simply me assure you that they are far from
in harmonic develop-ment brings lets it flow, with effortless security and subtle when it comes to the credibility,
welcome substance and individuality undaunted dynamic the believability of the musical event.
to the violins, allowing you to follow range. There's no The Master Reference represents a
each player much more readily, as well huge step forward. It's still not perfect.
as his or her part in the complex l can hear the mechanical grain that's
patterns and counterpoints of the banished by an air bearing, and its lack
piece. Gone are the dips, and of an effective clamp combined with
the thinness with them, but the Master TQ-l's short armtube makes
combine that with a lower warps more of an issue than on
noise floor (better isolation) decks with a vacuum hold down
and wider dynamic range (I've seen Peter experiment with
(probably the drive system but it's a peripheral clamp), but overall it's
difficult to be sure) and you have the best compromise I've had at home.
that magical combination of presence Essentially stable and straightforward to
and transparency In comparison the use the Master Reference and Master
Reference lacks energy and sounds TQ-l offer a level of performance that
pared away, the Clearlight less keeps vinyl head and shoulders above
dynamic. These differences become any digital competition. Everyone
even more marked when you make should hear it - those who can will
the comparison using the Insider probably buy it. t>>
Reference cartridge. The superior low
level retrieval, texture and bandwidth sense that this complex and violently
of this ruinously expensi'. e beast stretch demanding music is ever confused or
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
the capabilities of a turntable to the stretching the turntable's dynamic or
full, marking its character in bold, information envelope. The sudden Type: Three Motor Turntable
and underlining as well! rhythmic shifts simply happen, the and Passive Linear
Enough of such considerations, it's orchestra scales the dynamic heights Tracking Tonearm
time to enjoy the Master Reference in unimpeded. But it's not all about power Speeds: 33 and 45rpm user
its own right (and while we still can - (a quality the Master Reference has in adjustable
there's no way that l can afford to keep spades), there's the low level resolution Power Supply: Sinewave Regeneration
this one in residence, much as I'd like and dynamic and tonal subtlety on Dimensions (WxHxD): 440x500x490mm
to). One example should suffice, the which that energy rests as well. The Lid: None
DCC re-issue of the Stokowski Villa­ piping nose flute survives in the path Finishes: Stainless Steel
Lobos Uirapuru (DCC LPZ1003). of the orchestra, the heavy and men­ Chrome (+ 10%)
Replayed on the Master Reference acing left hand of the piano is redolent Gold (+20%)
this music towers in its magnificence. with texture, adding to its menacing Clear or Black Acrylic
From the opening crash presence. The beauty of this turntable Price: Turntable £8490
through its shifting is that it builds from the bottom, Tonearm £3565
letting you hear into the structure
of the orchestra, all the elements Distributor:

that contribute to the crescendo, Audio Reference

rather than just relying on broad Tel. (44)(0)1483 575344
brush strokes and crude dynamic Fax. (44)(0)1483 301412
W swings. Sudden shifts don't phase E-mail. [email protected]
it, and nor do convoluted rhythmic Net. www.audioreference.co.uk
patterns, because it deals always at the
constituent level. Manufacturer:

These advances over the ClearAudio Electronic Gmbh

Reference are small in quantitative E-mail. [email protected]
terms, and many will look askance

81
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 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Celestion
'A' Series Compact Loudspeaker
by Pete Chrisite

I don't know about you, but sometimes rest of the “A” series, and were placed, the rubber plant, I set matters to rights
I amaze myself with my own ability to quite sensibly, out of harms way on and bolted them on to something or
be totally unaware of the blindingly a pair of wall-mounted speaker other and left them playing happily to
obvious. brackets in our demonstration room. themselves for a week or so to "run-in"
For instance, I put something down, That is when they disappeared. The before giving them a serious listen.
turn around, and it's gone. Completely rest of the models in the range were I have never been a "sizist" (is there
vanished. Not a trace. I tend to swear run-in and displayed around the shop, such a word?), and I have no problem
a bit, scratch my head, re-enact my last with a loudspeaker that is a mere 9 'h"
known movements, but to no high - as long as it works. l can also
avail. Whatever the object was - ^|g|| appreciate a good-looking design
pen, money, mobile phone, when I see it, and I can assure you,
reading glasses, car, elephant, these are very attractive loudspeak-
house, continental Europe, - do ll|| t ers.
you think I can find it? - Not a The cabinets are small, (but
hope! perfectly formed) - superbly
It is physically still there, but made out of braced MIDI; and
I am totally unable to see it. finely finished with a high
Sometimes, the only remedy quality veneer. The speakers
is to wait until there is a ripple in I was supplied with were cherry,;
the space-time continuum, and as though alternatives in black
if by magic, the missing whatever-it-is ash or rosewood are available.
reappears. This process can take Celestion have managed by
either five minutes, or in the case carefully "rounding-off" and
of the small key to my bedside table bevelling the edges to not only
(which I sensibly hid in a safe place reduce internal diffraction effects,
before going on holiday), forever. No but also to produce a cabinet
doubt, it is sitting somewhere in plain of distinction. In fact, the whole
view and I have probably moved it thing gives the appearance of
whilst looking for some other, more being a sculpted block of wood
recently misplaced object. that can also be used as a loud­
I tell myself that this is all part of speaker - no mean feat. Even the
the inevitable process of ageing, and but the compacts simply vanished. covers are seriously "chunky" and
that it is natural to be a bit forgetful. Luckily (unlike the key to my seem to be built to withstand the test
Quite soon, I am sure that I will start bedside cabinet), I found them again! of time. Removing them reveals
forgetting simple things like where In my defence, I feel that where a superbly engineered, champagne­
l live, my name, how to walk, eat and the Celestion “A” series contains mainly coloured anodised aluminium frame
dress myself, and how to use a word BIG speakers, the temporary misplac­ which houses a ferrofluid cooled
processoihhauo& * &A ing of the compacts (which really are 25mm titanium cooled tweeter, and
Which is what nearly happened compact!) is quite understandable. a serious-looking 100mm bass driver.
to the Celestion "/'\.' Series compact Anyway having rediscovered them The back of the box has a nicely
loudspeakers. They arrived with the lurking quietly behind the leaves of contoured plastic bass port, and I>

85
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

t> suitably high-quality gold-plated feeling of a pre-internet, pre-mobile Mercy by Bob Dylan (CBS 465800 2)
bi-wire binding posts. The whole thing phone, pre-digital doo-dah age, where into my Helios 2 CD player, selected
smacks of quality and good design. happiness was a warm valve, waiting track 5 - "Man in the Long Black Coat",
According to the info I was for the wireless to warm-up was and sat back to listen.
supplied with by Celestion, the A normal, and the telly was only used Impressive.
series are designed to reproduce all for an hour or so (on the strict under­ Clear, controlled, and tonally
modern sound sources (CD, Home standing that homework must have precise. The imaging was OK though
Theatre, Dolby Digital etc.) in all their been finished, and that the washing-up the top end seemed a little "squeaky",
depth and complexity. The drivers are had been done). In other words - they but after a bit of rearrangement so that
totally new, and designed individually look old-fashioned. They still work - the speakers were firing straight at me,
for each model using state-of-the-art wonderfully well, but (and I cannot the image became pin-sharp and
technology throughout. Laser Inter­ argue) aesthetically, they are boring any tweeter shrillness disappeared
ferometry has been used to measure looking brown boxes. completely. All the haunting, hypnotic
speaker kinetics. It says here that the I replaced them with the qualities of the song were
ability to analyse cone motion present in abun­
with such unprecedented dance, and I
accuracy found myself
has allowed being more
Celestion engi­ than slightly-
neers to bemused by
minimise the sheer
the scale of the
resonance and soundstage.
response peaks For
that distort the a small box,
sound field with they were
conventional speak­ certainly
ers. So with virtually producing
no coloration a big
or distortion, they create sound.
an undeniably sweeter and The clarity and pres­
distinctively natural sound. ence of the midrange and
We will come back Celestions, and waited for "someone" to top end were as good as one
to this later. notice. could hope for in
I gave them a quick It didn't take her long. a speaker at this budget, but what really
audition using whatever equipment made me sit up and take notice was
was in the demonstration room at the Going by the amount of "Oohs", the scale and depth of the bass.
time (Marantz CD, Rote! Amp I think) “Aahs", “Aren't they nice" and "Why Without being overblown in any way,
to get some sort of idea of their sonic can't we have a pair of those instead the bass notes were apparently going
qualities, and was immediately of those ugly old things" girly-type down to the cellar whilst totally main­
impressed with the results. OK, I was noises, I can immediately award them taining their tonal integrity.
busy and couldn't afford to give them eleven out of ten on the WCF (wife For most reviews, I mix up the
much time, but it was fairly obvious compatibility factor) scale. music types and see how things
from the brief try-out that they OK, so they look reasonable. respond, but with this test I tried
deserved a serious listen, preferably I admit that. I'm not a proud man. something a little different. I decided
at home. They sat on my purpose-built, Gust for fun) to play "follow the
So I took them home. stone speaker stands and looked as producer". Daniel Lanois produced
I like my old Rogers Ls3/Sa's. They if they had always been there. Solid Oh Mercy, so I hunted out as much
are my "reference point". When I am foundations in place, I plugged them as I could find from this Canadian
a bit unsure of what is really going on in to my Shearne Audio Phase 2 wizard.
in the world, my 1.53/Sa's remind me Amplifier using van den Hui CS122 The next song I played was
of good old British hi-fi. It's a warm speaker cable, shoved my copy of Oh "Washing of the Water" from the

86
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

£> piano accompaniment, and the spare, “so with virtually no coloration or When it comes to achieving a suitable
almost fragile vocal line came through distortion, they create an undeniably sound quality without taking over
brilliantly, warts and all. sweeter and distinctively natural the room, the Celestion people have
On to "I h- Joshua Tree by U2 sound". So 1 have. As far as 1 am managed to come up with a very
(Island CIDU2 6), and track 5, concerned, every loudspeaker in the suitable candidate. I don't think that
“Running to Stand Still"; a similar world will “colour" the sound in some these speakers are over-priced.
theme, with the light and shade way The Celestions are no different. I think they offer an alternative to
handled exquisitely by the loud­ The important fact is not whether those of us who have to live in the
speakers. Just to see how they would or not they give “coloration", but same room as the hi-Ii, and more
cope with a bit more “oomph", how any coloration is perceived importantly, have to live with others
I tracked back to “l Still Haven't Found by the listener. There is no true in the same room as the hi-fi.
What I'm Looking For". This is where reproduction. To attempt to achieve I'm not trying to sell you these
I found a small “niggle". I was getting this would mean not only having loudspeakers. I would like you to
rather too much top-end sibilance, the same equip-ment as was in the consider them if they are in your
especially from the vocals. At high recording studio control room, but size/budget area. If you get a chance,
volume, this was uuconiiortable, also having the same room give them an audition, preferably in
and slightly annoying. layout. As Homer said - the comfort and privacy of your own
I tried a couple “the truth ain't out there!" home. If you put them on suitably
of well-known The best any of us can rigid, dense supports, and experiment
squeaky do is to try and achieve a little on positioning, you may get
sibilants from our own close approxi­ the sort of pleasurable experience
my collection, mation to what we that I did.
but was mystified consider our own Will I be putting the LS3/5a's
to find that they personal truth to be. out to grass in favour of the Celestion
were relatively OK. (I think that makes "P:. Compacts - If you want my
After a bit of thought, sense?) And as far opinion on that, you'll have to
I decided that it was as I am concerned, ask my, missus'
down to a mismatch I am more than
with the Helios 2 happy with the
CD player, a machine particular version of
well-noted for its “bloody-minded­ the truth I achieved with
ness" when it comes to extraneous these speakers.
high frequencies. With a more polite I have a small room. Lots
CD player, I would not expect this of people have small TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
to be a problem. Having said that, rooms. There's nothing
it still annoyed me -1 was actually to be ashamed of there. Frequency Response: 80 Hz - 20 kHz +/- 2dB
enjoying myself. There are lots of loud­ Crossover Frequency: 3 kHz
I then went “straight for the speakers out there Power Handling: 75 Watts
throat", and put on one of my all­ in hi-Ii land. They Sensitivity: 87 dB
time favourite pieces of atmospheric range in price Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms
music. “Saint Ann's Gold" from the from as little as Magnetic Shielding: Yes
Daniel Lanois solo album Acadie £50 to as much Enclosure Volume: 5 Litres
(Opal/Warner Brothers 7599-25969-2). as you'd care Dimensions (WxHxD): 168x245x214mm
On this piece, the loudspeakers to spend. Weight: 4.6 kg
performed splendidly! The tweeters Price: £600
behaved themselves, and the impres­
sive soundstage managed to impress Manufacturer:
me a bit more. A hugely enjoyable Celestion Consumer division
listening experience from such Tel. (44)(0)1622-687442
a diminutive pair of boxes! Fax. (44)(0)1622-687981
Earlier in this review, 1 said that Net. www.celestion.com
I would return to the part that said

87
EQUIPMENT REVIEW

The Lyra Helikon

Phono cartridge
------------------------------------------------- by Chris Binns ---------------------------------------

I've been lying. Maybe that's open body design, while installation
putting it a little strongly.... is made comparatively safe by the
procrastinating, or avoiding the issue incorporation of a really sensible
might be more realistic. I could have stylus guard. Mounting and lining
impressed the hell out of the editor up can all be performed with this
by actually presenting this review in place, which for anyone who
before the required deadline has experienced one of those
(and I fully expect a dry witty heart stopping moments when
editorial comment to be inserted the screwdriver slips and sends the
at this point) but I didn't. As for arm skating across the turntable,
Nigel Crump of Path Premier, who is a positive aid to a healthier life.
imports the Lyra Helikon car­ The substantial top plate is threaded,
tridge .... Well Nigel, I had to be and the generator assembly is
absolutely sure. equipped with a solid boron
By the time you read this, the own to appear was the Clavis, which cantilever with a fine line type
game will be up. I can't imagine appeared some eight or nine years stylus, and a compliance that
that my bank manager will be ago if my memory is correct. This should suit a wide range of medium
particularly sympathetic to the was refined into the Clavis Da Capo, mass type arms.
notion of increasing my overdraft shedding the casework in the process, Confronted with a brand spanking
limit for the purposes of vinyl replay, and ultimately has undergone another new sample, I was not particularly
and all non-essential items, such as metamorphosis to produce the looking forward to running it in.
food, drink etc. have been crossed Helikon. As an aside, the original Changing records every twenty
off the Christmas list. Clavis did sound better with the case minutes or so becomes tedious in
So it must be more than just removed, the downside of course the extreme, but I have to admit that
a little obvious that I think the was that it became more vulnerable. straight from the box the Helikon
Helikon is a damn good cartridge. The Helikon comes packaged in was worth listening to. Yes, it did
What other reason is there for all a simple cardboard box (No leather improve with time, but apart from
this filthy talk of dishonesty and attache case ....) with Instructions one small surprise it showed none
bank managers? Read on. and specifications. A small point of the schizophrenic tendencies that
The Lyra cartridges have been I know, but it makes my life so much can sometimes afflict cartridges.
around for quite a while. Lyra is in easier to have all of the necessary Interestingly, it was also quite relaxed
fact the brand name for Scantech, information such as tracking weight about set up, and when the time
who have also been responsible for and loading recommendations came for me to fine-tune its
the manufacturing of cartridges for to hand. installation, it seemed to be relatively
companies such as Linn (the Archiv) Beautifully finished, the Helikon uncritical of small adjustments.
and Spectral. The first model of their is, as I have said, more or less an I started off with the tracking >
88
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ weight set at the manufacturers edged definition. Bass performance Almost overnight it developed a bit
maximum recommendation of 1.75 exhibited some change as time went more mid-range punch, as if it had
grams, and ended up reducing it to on, becoming more tuneful and open, been at the steroids. Snare drums
1.65 g with no apparent degradation. but remaining taut with instruments were now even crisper sounding with
Now there's a first. I used it in both such as kick drum and percussion. more attack, and string instruments
a Mission Mechanic and a Linn Some twenty years ago I was developed more immediacy, with
Ekos mounted on an LP12 with an working in a large London recording better texture to the sound. Listening
Armagedon power supply, feeding the studio when Talking Heads released to a recording of the Shostakovich
Pass Labs Aleph ono phono stage. their fourth album Remain in Light. Chamber Symphony became
Specified loading for the cartridge is When the first copy arrived in the a much more personal and intimate
a wide 100- 47000 ohms and there studio, all of the various artists and experience with this new found
are benefits to be had at both engineers working that day were authority, the sound of the cellos
extremes, but I imagine the final somewhat gobsmacked when they in particular had a vibrant quality
choice will be system dependent. first heard it. Listening to it today that was remarkable.
In my system I settled on a loading with the Helikon, I can hear exactly I don't really need to finish this
of 1200 ohms which for me yielded why The rhythmic impact and sheer review with a conclusion. The original
the best compromise. power of each track is tremendous. Clavis became something of a bench­
I listen to music on both CD and The complicated percussion tracks mark, costing £1195 before it was
records. When I get a good CD player were reproduced without any superseded. Nearly ten years later
to review I'm always happy that my confusion or smearing, and with comes the Helikon, refining what
ever-growing disc collection sounds more detail than I ever remember was already a great cartridge.
good, and after all, it does now hearing before. But, and I've saved the best bit until
represent a greater proportion of The last cartridge I used that last - at £1095 it's one hundred
my contemporary taste in music. really lifted my skirt was the pounds cheaper and with twice the
But I still buy vinyl, so it's not just Tubaphon PU 3 (see Issue 6) and output of the original, a lot easier to
nostalgia kicking in. But with I still consider it to be one of the use. And if that's not progress, I'll give
a product like the Helikon on the finest cartridges I have ever heard. up drinking. Hell, maybe I'll have
turntable, I can turn into a vinyl The Helikon graces music with the to - although I doubt even that would
addict. Did you ever have that craving same tactile quality that the Tuba­ convince my bank manager. ^^
when you were at school/college phon was so capable of, one of the
that made you run home and play fundamental things that can make
a particular record or track over listening to recordings so enjoyable.
and over again? Well I've got it now. Intriguingly, my recollections of the
I rushed today from the college PU3 were that it had more of an
where I teach to spend several hours 'organic', (dare I say earthy?) quality
feeling guilty while listening to to it; and a little more snap in the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
music. Why guilty? I should have mid range. By contrast, the Helikon
Type: Low output moving-coil
been writing this review. sounds very slightly mechanical in
Cartridge weight: 8.0g
The Helikon sounds delightfully its presentation. But don't forget that
Internal impedance: 5.5 ohms
refined, with no trace of hardness a) the Tubaphon is almost twice the
Tracking force: 1.6 - l.75g
or edginess. Possessing a top end price, and b) tracks at 2.5 grams
Output voltage: 0.5mV
response that just seemed to go on which might distress the more
Loading: 100 - 47000 ohms
forever with no discernible limit paranoid vinyl junkie. Frankly, I think
Compliance: 12 cu
gave all sorts of music an open it's horses for courses - a friend of
Price: £1095
quality that I have often missed mine has listened to both and found
with other designs. I was reminded the Tubaphon a little too 'head on'
Distributor:
of the Audioquest 7000 that l used for his taste; he promptly fell in love
Path Premier
to use - hardly suprising in view of with the Lyra.
Tel. (44)(0) 1844-219000
the fact that Scantech used to As we were discussing this, I felt
Fax. (44)(0) 1844-219099
manufacture that cartridge too. that the Helikon had more or less run
E-mail. [email protected]
Mid-range was similarly open with in and settled down. But it still had
plenty of detail, with an almost gilt one small surprise up it's sleeve....

89
EQUIPMENT REVIEW

ClearAudio Gamma 'S' 2000

Moving-Coil Cartridge
-------------------------------------- by Roy Gregory -----------------------------------

For many years, the Gamma represented have to deal with those nasty and very in a fixed height arm. Get it wrong and
ClearAudio's cheapest moving-coil fiddly recessed nuts and slot head it either sounds dull and disjointed or
cartridge, a way-point en route to the screws, you still have to stretch the bass light and aggressive. But once you
stars (well, the Pradikat or Accurate headshell wiring way forward to reach get it right the Gamma rewards you
anyway). It looked much like its more the pins. Fortunately Clear Audio with all the power and boogie factor
illustrious, and much more expensive supply a set of their excellent (and of the original, along with more detail
brethren, and shared the sheer verve very long) cartridge tags. You should and deeper bass. Whereas the older
and energy that they brought to vinyl use them, even if you don't absolutely version sounded fast but a bit trun­
replay, but at some cost in terms of have to, simply because they sound cated, the 'S' has a far more evenly
overall manners and practicality. Like better than most of what's out there tapered bass response which allows
the top ClearAudios the Gamma was and don't break. it to step back a little, offering a more
heavy, being built on a lead alloy body, natural perspective without any loss
and demanding when it came to of immediacy
tonearm quality Used right it was In fact, with its particular blend
capable of stunning results, but drop of virtues, I could see this being the
it into just any old record player and perfect cartridge for an LP12/ARO
the demands quickly started to out­ combination, especially one fitted
strip the strengths - rather like the with a Valhalla or Armageddon kit as
old Decca Gold in fact. opposed to the Lingo. The Gamma
Despite its long shelf life (another offers a similar sense of life and
thing it has in common with other involvement at the expense of
ClearAudios) the Gamma was clearly technical neutrality, fun and musical
falling by the wayside, overshadowed enjoyment at the expense of absolute
by the cheaper, wooden bodied Sigma accuracy If you are the sort of listener
and the new Victory models. Except who is prepared to ask the question
that none of these alternatives, despite "Accuracy to what?" then the Gamma's
superior balance and detail, could infectious performance could be right
match the older design's "life and soul I ran the Gamma in my Incognitoed up your street. If you feel like your
of the party" approach. Clearly time Rega RB300, and even the standard system could do with a lift then look
for a makeover! counterweight wasn't hanging off the no further, which is why I thought
What the Gamma desperately back. Mounted on the Clearlight that it might be a good idea to pass
needed was what all aging lotharios Recovery alignment was a doddle, it along to.....
can do with - tidying up and losing helped by the turntable's excellent
some weight. Enter the Gamma 'S' armbase with its built in VTA adjust­ Dave Davies
2000, redesigned and raring to go. ment. Just as well, as the Gamma is
It sports a new, all black finish (very just as sensitive to vertical tracking I've lived with a few cartridges
slimming), gold coils and most angle as the more expensive models - recently, some of them pretty fine.
importantly, an aluminium alloy and that means hyper critical. Tiny In fact 'fine' is the word, as neither
body which makes for a much more increments make very real differences my now aging Wilson-Benesche
manageable overall package. to the musical coherence, balance Carbon, or a brief acquaintance with
One thing that hasn't changed is and drive of the cartridge. Don't even an Ortofon Jubilee, have managed to
the mounting arrangements. You still think about trying to use this cartridge inject some much needed life into .,.
90
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

^ my record player. Very detailed, and tortoise by comparison). The snare on 'thump' than normal. This didn't bother
undoubtedly refined: bags of poise 'Stand Back' had real snap and the me, but if you're a Gyro owner, or use
and impeccable 808080’8080808080 but missing backing vocals provided their little a record clamp, take note. Secondly, the
that certain something that makes shove at exactly the right moment. Gamma lacks a little refinement. Whilst
a performance spark. They both sound These qualities combined to draw me it wrings just about every emotional
rather safe and familiar. Oh, okay right into the performance, and the drop from a performance, it simply
I admit it. I've had an affair and now record was played from end to end, doesn't draw the last amount of detail
the cartridge at home 80808080 just along with a vast pile of jazz, folk, from a recording, or arrange it in
a little bit boring. The excitement classical and blues albums that were nice orderly rows. Mind you, I don't
of living dangerously you see. dug out as the night wore on. Every­ think that was ever intended to be
It all started when Roy introduced thing seemed to take on a new vitality: its strength.
me to a rather cute ClearAudio Prefab Sprout's From Langley Park to By ClearAudio standards (and
Signature: how vivacious, what fun and Memphis, no slouch of a recording musical standards for that matter)
so much energy Life just hasn't been with any decent gear, was even more the new Gamma 'S' 2000 is a bargain.
the same since. (And if 118080 doesn't open and three-dimensional; The The more expensive Signature has all
sound like living dangerously, just you Meters' Struiiin ’, Sonny Rollins' Our Man the power of the Gamma, deeper bass
try fitting £1500 worth of someone in Jazz, Julian and bags of finesse, and I'm still
else's cartridge, and then leaving it in Bream' playing smitten. That's the cartridge I'm saving
a house with two teenagers and a cat, the Arnold for! In the meantime, the Gamma
not to mention a suddenly neglected Guitar Concerto, 2000 goes a long way to ward off the
and very possibly vengeful wife!) pangs, does so at a comparatively
The trouble is, all good things come modest price, and packs a ridiculous
to an end, and I was left broken amount of sheer musical enjoyment
hearted and musically bereft into its small,wide-bodied frame. What's
when Siggy transferred her to dislike?
>4>
affections elsewhere
(someone with the money
to support her properly, I dare say).
That was a year ago, and you'd
of thought I'd have learnt my lesson,
but no. When Roy rolled up clutching TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
this new and re-vitalised Gamma
Type: Low Output Moving Coil
2000 did I show him the door?
Cartridge Body: Aluminium Alloy
Did I hel!I I took him straight
Cartridge Mass: 4g
to the turntable. After all, why
Output Level: 0.6mV
install fragile and expensive
Cantilever: Boron Rod
exotica your-self when yu j'vo got
Compliance: 15cu
a tame editor to do it for you?
Stylus Type: Trigon Ill
Besides, it's all his fault anyway.
Ree. load: 50 ohms
Mounted in my Mission Mechanic the lot! Ihis is a cartridge that simply
Price: £800
(the rest of the kit is primarily Michell romps along, majoring on impact,
with an upgraded Michell Gyro (Orbe vitality and speed. Rather like an old
Distributor:
platter, clamp and sub-chassis), an Decca Gold (but with a lot more bass)
Audio Reference
Orea pre-amp, two stereo power amps the Gamma 2000 puts everything into
Tel. (44)(0)1483 575344
and an ISO/ Hera into Ruark Paladins), the life of the performance. It's hard
Fax. (44)(0)1483 301412
I bunged on an old favourite, Rockin' not to love it, warts and all.
E-mail. [email protected]
Jimmy and The Brothers of the Night. In fact, my only criticisms of the
Net. www.audioreference.co.uk
The musical involvement was back, Gamma S are minor, and seem almost
and then some, with powerful driving churlish. Firstly, its wider than average
Manufacturer:
bass, a slightly forward presentation body means that it tangles with the
ClearAudio Electronic Gmbh
and real speed (the other cartridges Michell clamp at the end of the run-out
E-mail.
seemingly had all the speed of a startled grooves resulting in more side end

91
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 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

Muse Model 9
multi-Standard Digital Player
---------------------------------------------------- by Jimmy Hughes ---------------------------------------

You could say it’s been an uncertain whence it came, so it was back to my Of course CD's 16bit/44.lkHz
time for high-end CD players these past ancient much-modified and re-clocked specification is limiting. But LPs
couple of years, what with the promise Pioneer PD-75. Shock'Horror1. When 1 cut from digital mastertapes with
of higher specification non-compatible tried to get the old girl up and running comparable specifications don't
Super CD formats in the offing. again, she wasn’t having it. Clearly, I’d sound like CDs. 20bit resolution has
Agreed, the Messiah’s been a long time been 'unfaithful’ one time too many. been available at the recording
coming. The gestation period has been I tried and tried. But electronic stage since the late '80s. While 24bit
enormously protracted - for political as Alzheimer’s had addled the player’s recording became possible in the
much as technical reasons. And this in brains and it wouldn’t recognise discs early '90s, so clearly home playback
itself has created further uncertainty when inserted. Happily, l was technology has seriously fallen behind
Certainly, if 1 were in the market able to lay hands the absolute state-of-the-art.
for a CD player in the 2k+ price on a Rote! RCD-991. Nevertheless, the very best modern
band, I’d be concerned to buy CDs sound outstandingly good, with
something future-proof; some­ more detail and a wider dynamic
thing that could be upgraded or range than many systems can handle.
converted at a later stage. Just in Clever noise-shaping algorithms seem
case. After all, if a new format did to be very successful at tricking the
come along, and you had to replace 16bit CD to recreate the
your CD player, you’d probably be increased performance
offered relatively little in part-ex for it - of hi-bit mastertapes. So,
no matter how expensive when new. But after how fascinating to try
The Muse Model 9 in basic form the superb a player that promises
plays CD and DVD-V including the Arcam it wasn't a little extra - just to see
small number of 24/96 stereo discs quite the same. The how far things can go. The
available, but can be converted to play Rote! sounded fairly lucid question is - did the Muse Model
DVD-A. So the option’s there if needed. and detailed, but the top-end 9 shatter that glass ceiling?
Costing £3250, it’s not exactly inexpen­ has a damped ‘shut-in’ quality Well, maybe not quite. But I'm
sive. But you do get an audiophile by comparison - and no amount certain there are shards of glass on my
standard hand-tuned product for your of tweaking could wholly eradicate it. carpet that weren't there before! Here's
money. One, moreover, that looks the Many times I’ve voiced the opinion a player with a beautifully natural
business as well as sounding it. I used that CD has a sort of in-built glass limpid sound - one that’s subtly detailed
it exclusively as an audio CD player, ceiling so far as absolute sound quality and articulate without being the least
but it could form the centrepiece of goes. It promises much, but reaches bit hi-fi. Tonal balance is very accurate;
a high-end DVD-V home cinema a certain standard and then goes no neither warm nor cool but just right.
installation. For the exceptionally further. There always seems to be Presentation is refined yet powerful,
well-heeled, an improved ‘Signature’ something holding back the sound in but not in an up-front, in-your-face,
version at £4000 is also listed. ultimate terms. To be fair, as the years blow-your-socks-off manner Terracing
The Model 9 arrived at an have passed and the standard of both of dynamics from loud to soft is
opportune moment; impeccable timing discs and machines has improved, the impressive, giving a sense of weight
in more senses than one. The Arcam glass ceiling has perceptibly risen too. and power to climaxes.
FMJ 1 reviewed a couple of issues back At best, one hardly notices any limita­ Best of all, there's outstanding
had recently been returned from tion at all. But it’s still there, l feel. separation and space around and I>

95
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

I>- between the notes, giving voices and also smooth and flowing. When I listen 9 tells me), it sounds like the hall
instruments increased dynamic to it, I trust what I'm hearing. It sounds acoustic in which the orchestra was
projection. CD, for all its superficial faithful, believable, plausible, correct. recorded rather than a characteristic
sharpness and detail, can sound It strikes me as both accurate and the electronics are superimposing on
curiously ‘flat' dynamically encourag­ authentic; truthful in every sense. the original sound. Stereo imaging was
ing you to play music more loudly You can point to certain sonic excellent - notable for its precision and
than you might otherwise want to, in qualities or characteristics (as I've solidity - while percussion sounded
order to achieve a sense of presence. already done), but there's never any incredibly tactile and crisp.
The Model 9 sounds full-bodied and sense of these things being super­ The famous prelude to Carmen
articulate without needing to be imposed on the recording by can easily seem 'noisy' and brash;
played loudly, filling the room the player. here it simply sounded bracing,
comfortably and easily with music. making the hairs on the back
At the same time, of the neck stand up in
the sound has what anticipation. Bravo' Some
I can only describe parts of L'Arlesienne (the
as gorgeous subtlety prelude, for example, with
and refinement. its strongly-bowed unison
The Muse model 9 .strings) can seem rather
is not perhaps an grainy and raw. Here
immediately impres­ the sound was
sive-sounding player, full-blooded and
and in any case immediate, with
needs two or three trenchant biting
days before it's at strings. Clearly my
its very best. But personal version of CD's 'glass
there's a rightness ceiling' has risen perceptibly
about things more or All of which makes me wonder
less from the moment Rather, it's liberating what's already how things might sound playing
you switch on; after that, there. As a consequence, it's not DVD-A material. Of course the sound
it just get better and better. The sound always easy to predict how the Model 9 should be better still. But early reports
is wide-ranging but beautifully will sound on a given recording. are mixed; some listeners have
composed; immediate and engaging, Quite a few discs I tried surprised expressed disappointment with DVD-A,
but also alluring. me - not just by sounding better especially compared to its SACD rival.
Trying to analyse the various than anticipated, but by revealing However, I feel sure any problems are
qualities that make the Model 9 hitherto unsuspected qualities and simply down to the teething difficulties
special, I'd say first and foremost characteristics. suffered by many new technologies
it’s the articulate presentation that's Want a fr'instance? Okay; the 1994 when first introduced.
apparent first. Play a good piano CD Philips recording of Bizet's Carmen However, DVD-A will need to get
and you'll notice how precisely the and L'Arlesienne orchestral suites with its act together quickly if it's to gain
notes start and stop. Rhythmically the the Orchestre de Paris conducted by consumer confidence. When ordinary
music has a very precise feel - as though Semyon Bychkov. It's been a while CD is reproduced well, it’s pretty damn
the Model 9 could turn on a sonic since I last played this disc, and on good. So good, it's probably all most
sixpence. There's no smearing; none past experience I'd not have said the listeners will ever want or need.
of the tendency for things to ‘spread', sound was all that special - just a nice Indeed, on this very point I have
that you find with lesser players. average Philips. But, via the Model 9, to say there were times when I sat
But while such clean precise I finally realised just how good the listening to the Muse Model 9 and
articulation improves the rendition of recording actually is. The detail's wondered if things could possibly
detail, it can (if taken too far) lead to remarkable, with lovely naturalness get any better.
a presentation that’s slightly cold and and clarity Okay I don't mean that literally;
analytical. Fortunately the Muse Perhaps there's a slight dryness of course, even the best can be
Model 9 doesn't fall into that trap. apparent, but (and this is what I meant improved. Perfection is unattainable,
It's as precise as one could wish, but earlier by saying I trust what the Model and in any case the Model 9 is ^

96
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

not even the final statement from way most people will use the player. whether one would reap the full
Muse. The Signature is their best shot. It was only near the end of the review benefit of its sonic excellence in
But that's not the point. When the period (when the player was returned such situations is a moot point.
reproduction of music reaches after photography) that I sampled I prefer to look on the Muse Model 9
a standard where you cease to be balanced working. It's a pity so few as a superlative CD player that's
aware of the mechanics used to amplifiers feature balanced inputs capable of being updated to
recreate the sound, you're 'there' - - it's not unduly expensive to reproduce DVD-A software as
at the threshold of perfection' implement, and it produces real and when it becomes properly
With the Model 9 at its best, gains in performance. available. Heartily recommended
there seemed to be I'othoa to those with deep pockets and
lacking. It was lucid and refined taste. Though not necessarily
informative, but at the in that order... >+
same time easy and
relaxed. The music
sounded focussed
and immediate,
without being
cold tonally or
overly analytical.
The top-end is
very free and
open-sounding, giving the
treble a nice sharp tactile quality.
1 think that's the thing 1 noticed most,
going over to the Muse from the Rote!. There's no doubt; balanced­
The latter wasn't anywhere near as operation enhanced this fine players TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
open and airy by comparison sound quality further still. There's
For normal use, the player has increased depth and transparency, Type: DVD-V player
a set of unbalanced analogue outputs plus improved sharpness and fine Sampling Rate: < 96 KHz I 24bit
using regular RCA type phono sockets. detail. Music reproduction is more Output level: 2.0v
However, for those with amplifiers that vivid and three-dimensional - more Outputs: 2 x Phono (Audio)
have balanced inputs, the Model 9 expressive and subtly nuanced - Balanced (Audio)
offers a set of balanced outputs. while delicacy and naturalness seem 1 x BNC (Digital)
Unusually, Muse have tailored things so enhanced. Stereo sounded more BNC Composite Video
that output levels between balanced pin-point precise too. 3 x BNC Component
and unbalanced are identical - usually, Every CD played sounded fresher Vdeo
a balanced output offers about 3dB of and more alive. All the praise S-Video
extra gain. I previously heaped on the Model 9 Dimensions (WxHxD): 440x90x290 mm
Simplistically, balanced working needs turbo-charging. Now, what was Finishes: Silver, Black
has an 'active' negative signal I saying just a few paragraphs back Price: £3250
independant of ground. The negative about being unable to imagine any­
functions dynamically - like the thing better? Me and my big mouth... Distributor:
positive, only in reverse. With Anyway, if you're lucky enough Audiofreaks
unbalanced operation, the negative to have an amplifier with balanced Tel. (44)(0)208-948-4153
is the same as earth or ground; inputs, the Model 9's balanced Fax. (44)(0)208-948-4250
ie OV Because I use a line-matching output option is definitely worth E-mail. [email protected]
transformer between CD player and taking advantage of. Net. www.audiofreaks.co.uk
amplifier, it's possible to utilise To sum up - an outstanding
balanced operation. audiophile grade CD player that Manufacturer:
The bulk of my listening was just happens to play movies too. Muse Electronics, Inc.
undertaken using the ordinary It could form the centrepiece of Net www.muisieiekcitronicis.com
unbalanced outputs, since that's the a home theatre system - though

97
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

The Bow Technologies

Warlock and Walrus Pre and Power Amps
------------------------------- by Chris Binns ------------------------------------------------

Fzzzz.... Bang. And a flash. The editor in went the Bow Technologies. recently simply didn't click, lacking
looked up and said, "another valve As a result the Bow amps ended up tension and any sense of interplay.
gone?"' 1 sighed. Such occurrences are being fed from my normal Meridian I can handle that! I just listened to loud
not uncommon in my system at the 508.24 CD player or the Linn with unsophisticated music for a while..
moment. Fond as 1 am of valve amplifi Ekos and the rather splendid Helikon Well, what did you expect?!
cation, the stress of running a pair of cartridge, and in the first instance The aesthetics of the Bow
large power amplifiers with lots of driving the Primary monitors. 1 gave components are something of a state­
output tubes is beginning to show, it a couple of days to bed down, and ment. Put it this way, it came as no
although to be fair 1 should add that ventured in for a listen. Initial results surprise to learn that Bo Christiansen
I am using them to evaluate valves for were promising, with most of the trained as an architect, and that this is
a forthcoming article on KT88's and hallmarks of a good solid-state the man who was also responsible for
6550s. Needless to say I was the Primare 928 and 200 series.
struggling with one of the less There is definitely a sculptured
promising brands look to the Bow products,
submitted for review, and most obviously with the pre
getting pretty fed up as amplifier where the controls
a consequence. Of are shrouded by a metal
course the editor was façade that forms a flying
in the room while front panel. It is purely
I was cursing and aesthetic, and looks as if
being petulant, it should be detachable,
saying that I was but it's not. The power
definitely going solid­ amplifier is relatively under­
state and that was stated, the only feature on
that. So 1 shouldn't the front panel is a block
really have been sur­ of LED's that spell out the
prised at the arrival of manufacturers name in
the Bow technologies sequence when powered up.
pre and power amplifier, the Warlock amplifier in place, and not too many Or so 1 thought. I was somewhat
and rather unflatteringly named Walrus. of the potential vices. The Walrus baffled by the lack of a standby switch,
In many ways, the timing couldn't obviously had no problem with awk­ assuming, as I always do when the
have been better. The Bow technolo­ ward loads, as (extremely) high levels power switch is located on the back
gies conducted itself with exactly were possible without any sign of panel, that it was designed to be left
the demeanour you would expect strain or hardening up, and the bottom switched on. It wasn't until consider­
of a high-end solid-state amp, and end performance was tight and extend­ ably later that I discovered that the
mercifully, behaved itself impeccably. ed with buckets of authority. Mid range centre of the 'o' in Bow was actually
The last thing I needed at this and top end were fine with nothing a switch. It's so beautifully executed
particular moment in time was missing as such, but somehow the that you'd never know that it's
a fussy, troublesome amplifier, and sound as a whole failed to really a separate part. What a fool .... but hey,
if ever there was an opportunity for communication with music that relied I didn't have an instruction book.
solid-state to get on and do its stuff, on anything other than sheer volume Remote control is provided in
this was it. So, out came the resident for impact. Most of the more gentle the form of the Wand, an elegantly
Primary pre and power amps, and string music that I've been listening to machined cylinder capable of £

99
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

.. controlling both the pre-amp and CD wrong with that, but my results with using Nordost SPM right through the
player. Having said that, you only orchestral music were rather less system, and I'll admit to being
actually get volume control over the successful. Talking Heads' Remain dubious, but the substitution proved
pre-amp, as remote input selection In Light sounded tremendous, and worthwhile. Although some of the
would necessitate the inclusion of the Bow was obviously doing a good incisive midrange detail and absolute
relays in the signal path and thus job of sorting out this rhythmically clarity was lost, the overall sound
compromise performance. A really complex music. In fact it seemed to was much more solid, dynamic and
lovely piece of design, in practice the thrive on it, helped by the first rate engaging to listen to. Removing the
Wand was not quite as ergonomic as signal from the Helicon. But at the SPM speaker cables and using various
I would of hoped, mainly due to the moment I felt that I was choosing other types resulted in a loss of
smooth aluminium finish being coherence, so I stuck with them.
rather slippery, and lending it I guess this is the exception that
a penchant for hiding amongst proves the rule.
the cushions of the settee. The next line of attack was
However, this wasn't the the supports. The addition
problem it might have of a trio of Pulsar Points
been if the thing had (unfortunately the expen­
actually worked. After sive titanium ones) under
checking the batteries, ■ the pre amp helped to
I conducted a few W. improve the fluidity and
experiments, the projection of the sound,
conclusions of which and putting Clearlight
were that unless you o Ml 9s RDC 2 cones under the
were facing the pre power amp introduced
amp it would not work some much needed
further than a few feet away, and the music for the system, rather than humanity and colour to proceedings.
acceptance angle was only about 30 what I wanted to listen to; a late I always seem to be going on
degrees. Results with the CD player night session of Bantock's Hebridean about running equipment in or
were a little better, but it seems symphony was just not as involving letting it settle down,
a shame to go to so much trouble as I wanted it to be. This melodic and but it does seem to be
and expense for it to be so ineffective. hauntingly romantic music seemed especially important
By comparison, I have a B&O system to fall out of the speakers without with large solid state
that I use in my bedroom - its remote enough projection to actually develop amplifiers where the
will operate from the garden, and any atmosphere. process can take days if
they are hardly a company that So far, I had literately just not weeks. From cold they
have compromised style for sound substituted the Primary tend to bombard the listener
quality. And I won't even mention system for the Bow with a welter of information,
the alternative uses for the wand Technologies amplifier whilst at the same time lacking
that various inquisitive visitors came and had not really any form or structure to hang it on.
up with. paid any atten­ (Ironically, your average valve power
The finish on all the Bow tion to system amplifier quite often springs to life
equipment is absolutely first class. set up. The first in a matter of minutes, getting the
All exposed aluminium has a high option as fundamentals right from the word go,
quality satin polish, and the build always was gaining bandwidth and detail as time
quality and fit is to a superb standard. to try some goes by.) But now with the above
Always something of a talking point different cables. The balanced tweaks in place and some more
for visitors, the overall effect is quite option proved disappointing (although running time under their belt, the
striking, and I'd guess that for many this may have been down to the Bows were beginning to sound a lot
people it exactly fulfils their idea of relatively low grade cables used), more together. It still did not have
what high-end audio should look like. and discussions with RG raised the that homogenous quality that a really
So where was I? Oh yes. Listening subject of the Clearlight Audio inter­ good thermionic amplifier seems to
to unsophisticated music. Nothing connects. To that point I had been possess, but the music was flowing ..

100
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

an exciting sense of precision. It had

The Warlock is a line level ore ampliin r with sound Every endeavour has been made to loam
a real feeling of effortless power,
five inputs, can? Iso which olio noth iwlacc«: the signal path as direct as possible, Imoie i
available on demand. The beauty
and single ended connection. The two sets of lack id a balance control.
of the Bow is that nothing phases it.
»inputs are also thus eiiuipncd. .sou a single Tnn poaoa amplifier ■ a dual mono affair
Play anything at any volume and
n«' output (together .'.¡tn input five) offers whose lucks belie i oa gm. It is ixlrcmciv
you know exactly what you are
a monitoring facility for either three headed heavy, due in part to no less than fom foaie
going to get.
tape dicks or a processor Back mains transformers and its Mil.si.mto- !it-,ir-
For me, ultimately the Bows miss
panel socketry is to a high standard, well smking. Iwo pairs of loudspeaker outputs and
the mark by failing to wrap me in the
||e|out and ,ims-,H>ie. rr.mt panel controls again balanced or single ended options feature
music. But you may not want that.
consist of an input selector, tape monitor, on the back panel along with the mains switch, j
If you play predominantly modern
standby and volume. A special mention is Circuitry is basically Mr>s - let. employing
music, and you want it delivered
made of inis in rhe instruction book, and if two pairs of high speed Toshiba output
stylishly, on time, every time, search
I understand correctly, the motorised Alps devices per channel, with minimal current
no further. They offer one hell of
potentiometer does not pass any signal, ■ feedback employed. Specified at 150 Watts
a performance, with exemplary
merely shorts a greater or lesser amount of per side into eight ohms, double the output
construction and ravishing looks.
it ■ : ground, thus slleviaiimj this critical is claimed into a four ohm load, promising
I want more, but I’m going to have
component of the potential to degrade the goad load tolerance.
to suffer for it. I'm heading back to
my valve amps, soldering iron and
fire extinguisher in hand.. , >+
Il in a far more enjoyable manner. voice, there is a lack of texture and
Listening to the Eva Cassidy disc, vibrational minutiae in the harmonic
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Live at Blues Alley it was now far structure that can rob this music of
easier to close your eyes and soak up some of its drama and feel, rendering Walrus power amplifier
some of the emotion in her voice. it a little less satisfying and meaningful. Power output: 1 SO watts rms into
Previously it had been an entirely The Bow's strengths lie in other 8 ohms
academic experience. areas. It's ability to maintain 300 4 ohms
composure when the going Power banwidth: 2 - 300KHz
gets tough is enviable, Input sensitivity: 2v for full output
and I would often find Input impedance: SOK ohms
that complex music Overall -ve feedback 20dB
that had traditionally- Dimensions:(WxDxH) 434x390x160mm
disintegrated into Weight: 33Kg
a mush was being Price: £299S
preserved with
considerable Warlock pre amplifier
integrity I suspect Input sensitivity: 0.3Sv
that the Walrus Input impedance: SOK ohm
power amplifier Output impedance: Less than 10 ohms
is the stronger part Dimensions:(WxDxH) 434x410x110mm
of the combination, and Weight: 12Kg
certainly using it with the Primary Price: £349S
pre-amp revealed an even and well
There is tempered performer, the sound Distributor:
of a culture
something quality of which remained consistent Path Premier
shock when going from a valve based regardless of loudspeaker load or Tel. (44)(0) 1844-219000
system to the ultra competence of a volume. I thoroughly enjoyed the Fax. (44)(0) 1844-219099
solid-state one. What I missed with the control and solid stability that the E-mail. [email protected]
Bow Technologies system was the inti­ Bow gave to more substantial music,
macy that I'm used to. Apparent in par­ thriving on unravelling complex layers Manufacturer:
ticular with more delicate material and patterns. It cruised through www.bowtechnologies.com
such as small scale strings or female demanding music, and it did so with

101
 MUSIC MATTERS
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 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

The Rea I Dea I

Roksan Kandy CD Player and Integrated Amp
-

--------------------------------------------------------- by Roy Gregory ---------------------------------

For a product to qualify for the Real remote control, as many inputs as you grounds of cost or style (after all, what
Deal it's got to offer sound that sets it are likely to need as well as a few self respecting designer wants a quarter
apart from the crowd. There are a huge rather nice touches that I'll be getting inch hole in his or her product?).
number of "me too" products cluttering to, a range of wacky colours and fit and Putting it round the back is a nice
up the bargain basement, and as tends finish that belies the affordable price compromise. Next to that is a switch
to be the case with clones, they don't and you've got a pair of very interesting that allows you to choose between
necessarily possess the spark of the products indeed. Of course, Roksan using the phono input via the built-in
product that inspired them. Sorting aren't exactly new to this game, and the moving magnet stage or as an
the wheat from the chaff can be more expensive Caspian range is both additional line level input. And the
a long and difficult process, and it's a critical and commercial success. loop on the back? The one labelled
not helped by conflicting reports in In many ways the Kandy remote out. That's a line level output
magazines and the disparity in some builds on that success, to run to a remote system in another
of the competitor's advertising combining the room. It's fixed level, so it doesn't
budgets. l mean, all those pages provide the popular add a power amp
of glossy photographs have got option (which is a big surprise) but
to add up to something, right? the provision of a pre-amp input means
But there's more to it than just that it is suitable for use with an out­
sounding good. In today's market place, board processor. So what gives? Look at
products are under increasing pressure the specs and you'll see that the Kandy
to offer a whole range of facilities amp is unusually butch for a product
and functions which stand in stark at this price (the Kandy boxes cost
opposition to the straight-line simplicity £495 each). There's a SOOVA
ideal that has dominated tu ii design transformer inside and rated
for so long. It's no good simply making Caspian experi­ output is 110 W/ch into 8ohms
the best sounding amp for £400. People ence with a and 210 into 4! Pick it up, and the
have got to buy it for you to stay in particularly clear substantial weight adds credibility to
business. The reality of the situation is vision of what's required those figures. What we have here is a
that nowadays, the successful designer in the next price band down. very versatile and completely specified
is the one who can incorporate the Okay, nice pitch but where's the amplifier which is capable of driving
demands of the market place without evidence? Well, as l said, there are just about any speaker it's actually
it impacting the sound quality of his a couple of unexpected touches on likely to meet. It reflects Roksan's
products, and that is a lot easier said the Kandys, as well as a few surprising belief that Kandy buyers want a one-
than done. omissions. Let's start with the amp, stop solution. They don't want to come
The Roksan Kandy range first because that's where they are most back again for an extra power amp,
caught my eye (or should that be ear) obvious. There's the normal rack of or have to buy add-ons in order to
at this year's Bristol show. Using just inputs and a tape loop, volume control have it do the basic jobs they need.
a CD player and a single integrated of course, and a standby (mode) It'll play records, it'll play headphones,
amp driving a small pair of Monitor button, just to keep everything nice it'll play with just about any speaker,
Audio speakers they were making and warm. The surprises start round but most of all it plays music.
one of the most musically enjoyable the back. Firstly there's a headphone Outwardly (even inwardly) there's
sounds in the whole hotel. Add to socket, exactly the kind of useful little to set the CD player apart. It's got
that a 'package' that includes system facility that so often gets dumped on some nice components in it, which ......

105
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

the crowd, without being different it worked really well. Speakers too
enough to alienate bridged the market, starting with the
people. The little Indigos and topping out with
system remote the Living Voice Avatars. Along the
is the usual way I tried the AudioPlan Kontrapunkt
button littered just to see how the amp managed an
affair, but at awkward load. I don't think it even
least it's got noticed, producing copious amounts
a decent of tuneful and propulsive bass from the
range of tiny cabinets. In fact the only display
operation of temperament I managed to coax
(is there any­ from the Roksans was a preference for
thing more their supporting furniture to be light
useless than and lively. A brief experiment with
a remote an Acapella platform was near to
control that only disastrous, making the sound ploddy
^ have trickled down from the functions from and disjointed. Returning to the
Caspians, and it has an unusually right in front of sunnier climes of an lsoblue rack
sophisticated and heavily regulated the product?). instantly restored the balance. This
power supply. But in practice its main In fact the only jarring note is the clash one peccadillo aside, it should be
contribution to proceedings is to between the blue display on the CD easy to get the Kandys to give of
make the most of the amp's available player and the red status lights on their best in just about any situation.
performance. That means feeding it the integrated amp. If you could turn It's hard to remember a less fussy set
a decent signal level with plenty of off the displays that would help, but of electronics.
dynamic range at the frequency that seems to be one of the few tricks So, given that they're easy to feed
extremes. Of course, that gives less that Roksan have missed. and keep, what sort of musical return
competent amplifiers rather a hard should you expect from the Roksans?
time, and use the Kandy CD with A wholesome one is the simple
another budget amp and answer. Their performance is all
more often than not about the music in its entirety,
you'll find it sounding rather than in detail. There is
loud and a bit uncouth. a tendency for designers
Rough round the edges working in this ultra competi­
if you like. But plug tive price range to rely on
it into its matching a welter of information to
amp and the whole blow the customer away
is very definitely in a quick dem - "Just
greater than the sum listen to that - you can
of the parts. Which hear the drummer's
is another reason why medallions rattling as he
this pairing constitutes goes for the wood blocks!" You just
the Real deal. know how irritating that's going to get,
The review units The Kandys were absolutely especially as all that 'information' isn't
arrived in silver finish, rather than trouble free in operation, and given the properly integrated into a coherent
one of the more colourful options design brief not surprisingly, happy to whole. The Kandys start at the other
(purple, turquoise or blue 1 believe) work with a whole host of cables and end of the spectrum, getting every­
and I have to say that they look an speakers without any obvious sulking thing in the right place before starting
absolute treat and far more expensive or complaint. I ran them with every­ on the dissection. The results are solid
than their actual price. One hi-fi buying thing from Chord Co. Rumour and and persuasive which leads to long
visitor guessed at £1300 a box, and Chorus up to Nordost SPM/Quattro-fil, term listening and satisfaction.
I can understand why. Styling is just settling for most of the time on the Did I say solid? Just listen to the
unusual enough to set them apart from former as more representative. Besides, thump-thump-smack of the classic ^

106
 EQUIPMENT REVIEW

[> bass-bass-snare intro to Slobberbone's other end of the scale. The clue is in your discs with and provide you with
'That is all' (Everything you thought the slight lack of atmosphere on the real musical pleasure for a very long
was right was wrong today New West more contemplative parts of Gladiator. time. It sounds as solid as it feels, and
Records 0739660212). No sooner It's a frisson of tension and anticipation if that doesn't sound particularly
has the brain adjusted to the notion that you get from this music on (much) enticing then feed it something
that these are proper, big, real drums bigger systems that is missing. By demanding and watch the opposition
(not the nasty, thin and insubstantial bigger I really mean more expensive, wilt or scream in protest. As Robert
virtual drums that seem to dominate but let's not lose sight of the fact that Cray might have said, it's a strong
pop music today) than it's under this is de facto mood music. That's its persuader. >cQri
assault from the cakiulatedly offensive whole raison d'etre.
grunge guitar. That's it. Four bars of Play the Sonora recording of
rock steady beat, thumped out of the Music for violin and guitar (SACC I 02)
drum kit and you're away But given and Delmoni's smooth and fluid style
the mayhem that's to follow it's difficult is immediately recognisable. Tonally
to overstate the importance of that his instrument is spot-on and it's in
rock solid foundation. It literally stops the right place, above and slightly
the rest of the track crashing round behind the seated David Burgess.
your ears, the way it does on so It's the relationship between the two
many small systems. The Kandys instruments that's at fault. Whilst the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
might rob it of a little edge and bite, structure of what they're playing is
but otherwise they give it to you, fine, the actual chemistry of the
Roksan Kandy KC1 CD Player
complete and unabridged in all its performance is lacking. They don't
DAC: PCM 1716 Delta Sigma
abrasive glory seem to be playing off of each other.
Transport: Sony
For something a little more refined How important is this? Only you
Output Level: 2.2 Volts
try the scale and power of the can say Do 1 know a cheaper option
Digital Output: Phono
Gladiator sound track. Big bold that does this most
Dimensions (WxHxD) 435x85x350mm
and dramatic it contains every difficult aspect of
Finishes: Silver, Black,
trick (and all the musical reproduction
Blue, Green,
any better? Not off
Purple, Gold
the top of my head.
Price: £495
The point here is
to let you know
Roksan Kandy KA1 Amplifier
what the
Inputs: 8 line, 1 switchable
Roksan's don't
to MM Phono
do (and no
Outputs: Tape, Remote Line
equipment
Input Impedance: 47 KOhms
does every­
Input Sensitivity: 500mV
thing -
Output Power: 110 W/Ch 8 Ohms
especially
210 W/Ch 4 Ohms
not at this
Dimensions (WxHxD) 435x85x350mm
price1). If you
Finishes: Silver, Black,
listen to a solid diet of
Blue, Green,
chamber music and jazz trios then
Purple, Gold
you'll possibly end up else where.
Price: £495
dynamic range) that Otherwise the Kandys are right on
Hollywood can throw at it. Again the the money You'll need to listen
Manufacturer:
unflappable stability and poise of the and compare.
Roksan Audio Ltd.
Roksans simply scale each successive The Roksan combination delivers
Tel. (44)(O)2O8-9OO-68O1
crest and crescendo. These electronics its music with aplomb. It's engaging
Fax. (44)(O)2O8-9OO-O734
are perfectly happy to play loud and and relaxing to listen to, and refresh­
Net. www.roksan.co.uk
large for as long as you can stand it. ingly free of strain. It's also stylish and
Their flaws, such as they are, lie at the utterly fuss free. It will simply play

107
 ________________

record cleaning machines: record cleaning fluid: tonearms:

turntables: incognito arm cables: arm rewire: pearl coolers:
sovtek tubes: thirty series amplifiers: phono stages: power
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balances: leyline cable systems: mains cables: accessories:
ringmat: statmat: decca cartridges: audiophile vinyl: audiophile
eds: cardas: densen: michell:
hfn accessories: record/cd care: liri|^^ ' JpB
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GROUP

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e-mail: [email protected] www.britishaudio.co.uk
 AUDIO SMORGASBORD

Discwasher CD HydroBath
- Non-Contact Cleaning System
--------------------------------------- by Simon Groome -----------------------------

which came as the most satisfying

This is the most innovative system for and one reservoir of cleaning fluid is
gain. The music from my CD player
removing foreign matter from all kinds good for up to one hundred CDs,
suddenly had more of the qualities
of digital discs l have come across. although it is recommended this is
(tonal and in terms of musical flow)
It's also very affordable, which makes completed in one "cleaning session",
that I normally associate with an
a nice change. In the past I Cave as the cleaning
analogue source. The gains varied
tried various methods of and drying agents
from disc to disc, with "audiophile"
cleaning dust, dirt, and will evaporate from
CDs, generally, profiting less than
grease from discs, with the solution. I was
"ordinary" pressings, but all improved
varying success, but astonished by the
in some respect. Even CDs that
up till now, all have results, with the
had already been cleaned using
involved contact with sound of cleaned
a different method
the playing-surface,
benefited from the
which always includes
Discwasher system.
some risk of scratching,
Having completed the
however small.
cleaning most CDs came
The Discwasher
out dry, although a few
system runs on either
had a small number
four KA size batteries,
of drops on them, but
or uses an optional
these dried off in
AC adapter. To use it you
a matter of seconds,
start by removing the filter
leaving no mark.
assembly, and fill the reservoir
While the Discwasher CD
to the required level, with
HydroBath is not perfect for those
approximately, 2fl.oz. of the supplied
wanting to clean just a few discs
CD6+ solution - refills of 6 fl.oz. a number of ways.
- due to the uneconomic emptying
can be ordered when needed. While these improvements
of the reservoir after each session
After replacing the filter, locate the were not as great as the upgrade of
- those with a large collection, and
CD - playing-surface down - over the a piece of equipment, neither were
time to clean a batch at a time,
centre spindle and press until it locks they subtle. There was more air, detail,
should not hesitate to try it. At just
into place. Once the cover is closed and life, making it easier to follow
£24.95, including enough solution
the system is ready to go - it is as and enjoy the music. The soundstage
for up to three hundred CDs, it
simple as that. Having pressed the increased, especially in depth, on
comes highly recommended.
start button the CD is spun, clockwise, a number of the discs, while bass
while the cleaning solution is pumped, and impact was often improved.
under pressure, onto the playing­ Recordings became much more
surface, creating a foaming action. believable, with more natural tones. Cleaning Fluid:
After about thirty seconds, the motor Images were larger, and more "there", 6 fl. oz. for £4.25
stops and the CD is spun in reverse, while instruments became smoother
at a higher speed, for fifteen seconds and more palpable. But, it was the Supplied by
longer, to dry the disc. There are removal of much of the harshness, ^^w.hififorsale.com
a clear set of instructions supplied, so often associated with digital, Tel. (44)(0)870 241 2469

109
AUDIO SMORGASBORD

Clearlight Audio Interconnects

- audio signals and microwaves
by Roy Gregory

Clearlight Audio, manufacturers of all Impressive in itself, this result becomes they work together brilliantly
things RDC and the excellent Recovery even more spectacular when you take The Clearlight has a thick, ovoid
turntable, left a pair of cables for me the price of the Clearlights into section, and whilst I wouldn't describe
to listen to on their last visit. Now, account. At well under £300 a pair it as stiff, it does link equipment in
not only is chez Gregory groaning they are less than a quarter of the a single, proud curve. The centre
under the weight of cables vying for price of the Quattro-fill section is wrapped in a nylon mesh,
attention, but my experience with terminated with small plastic cylinders
cabling suggests that you need to from which emerge short tails ending
be able to apply, it as a system (or in a Neutrik phono plug. There's no
loom) to the system in order directional preference marked (and
to get the best results. I couldn't hear one either), but there's
What was I supposed to a drain wire emerging from one end.
do with a single pair of Once I’d discovered the cable's sonic
one metre intercon­ virtues I was hot foot to the phone to
nects? Consequently it get a second set, and I find that the
was a fair while before best results come with a unified
I gave the Clearlights ground for all the drains, normally at
a listen, but when I did the pre-amp earth post (not that that
I rapidly discovered what is any great surprise given that it's
I'd been missing out on. how you should arrange
Regular readers will know that the drains in any cable
the resident cables in my system have loom, flying or not!).
been the Nordost Quattro-Iii inter­ In fact, the only down­
connects and SPM speaker cables, Where does that side that Ive discovered
spurning all comers until the arrival leave the single brand is that you are limited to
of the Valhalla designs reviewed theory when it comes to one or one and a half
elsewhere in this issue. Imagine my cabling your system? Well, intact as metre lengths.
surprise then when substituting the it happens. The thinking behind the Now think back a little to the
Clearlights for a length of Quattro-Iii approach is to ensure technological Lavardin amplifier reviews, where
actually brought about an improve­ continuity throughout the system's Lavardin's own interconnect proved
ment in overall vibrance, presence and cable loom, and the easiest (although to be one of the few cables that has
tonal colour. Compared to the Nordosts not failsafe) way of doing so is to shop proved preferable to the Nordost
it lacked the lowest level detail and from a single supplier. The Clearlight interconnects. Good in other situations,
a little of their refinement, but it cables are based on microwave it really sings with its own electronics.
compensated with wider dynamic transmission technology, a field that And, quelle surprise, it's a microwave
range and a greater sense of musical shares most of its concerns with the cable. In fact, whilst I'm not suggesting
purpose. I've discussed this (and thinking behind the Nordost cables. that they are made from identical
other comparisons) in the Valhalla Consequently, despite the apparent cabling, the oval section of the Clear­
review so I won't repeat myself here, physical differences they actually have light, hidden under the nylon sleeve,
but certainly in combination with a great deal in common, including bears an uncanny physical resem­
Blue Heaven or SPM speaker cables, conductor material, primary insulation blance to a pair of the Lavardin cables
the Clearlight is a potent performer. and theoretical concerns. In practice, run side by side. The small plastic £>

110
 AUDIO SMORGASBORD

.. 'cans' at each end of the Clearlight are results from this stuff". And once Meanwhile, anybody who wants to
simply cosmetic shrouds which allow again, the listening proved enlightening get the best from their SPM speaker
neat termination of the two co-axial in the extreme. cable, or finds the overall balance of
conductors into a single phono plug. So what are the conclusions to the Nordost pairing too thin for their
Cut again, to a recent visit from be drawn from all this. In the long system, now has a more affordable
a cable designer, carrying his latest term, microwave cables seem to offer option when it comes to matching
'breakthrough' product. Imagine his considerable promise in audio interconnects.
crestfallen expression when I took one applications. They could well be the
look and said "Ah, microwave cable". next big thing, and their relative For further Information:
Mind you, he brightened visibly when availability means that they could hififorsale.com
I followed it up with “I've been also be fairly affordable, at least Tel. (44)(0)870-241-2469
experiencing some really interesting compared to todays exotica. Net. ^ww-.hififorsale.com >i

The Ringmat Support System

------------------------------------------------- by Dave Ayers ------------------------------------------------

Picture the scene: it's February 2000 at introduction to a more detailed article and the Orbe is so beautifully machined
the Sound and Vision Bristol exhibition in the next issue. that no rocking modes are evident in
and RG and I are manning the hi-fi+ The Ringmat Support System the platter even without the nut.
stand and chewing over future articles. consists of a 12" diameter latex mat The setting up procedure for the
Wouldn't it be interesting, we mooted, with a moulded post that is laid onto tonearm when using the Ringmat
if we tried using the Ringmat Support the platter surface, having first removed system is quite different to 'conventional
System on a turntable designed with a any existing mat: a number of 12" wisdom' and will be covered in the next
clamped record/ hard platter interface. diameter colour coded plastic disks of issue. Needless to say it took some
We know that JMH (and photographer varying thickness which slot onto the considerable time to absorb this
SM) are much impressed using it in post, an LP version of the Statmat, alternative approach and to get things
place of felt mats (on a Kjzma and a Ringmat 330, and a damping disc just right. So was it worth all the effort?
LPl2 respectively): and we know that it for the record label. By varying the Time to make a cup of tea, and sit back
worked wonders on DNM's Reson Rota combination of the plastic discs, the and relax. Picking on a recent purchase
turntable, so how about using it in place surface of the platter can be raised of Santanas first album (£6.99 brand
of a clamp based record restraint? Well or lowered, thus allowing VTA to be new on vinyl, I couldn’t believe my
guess what? As the owner of a Michell adjusted to the optimum for each luck) I had a few preconceptions about
Orbe, I got the job. A quick raid on the record played. It's recommended how the sound would have changed
Ringmat stall and I'm away clutching to avoid record clamps or weights, from the standard Orbe clamped inter­
a bag of goodies before they know but as usual one should feel free to face. Typically the Orbe I SME V sound
what's hit them. So why, you might ask, experiment. None were used for the is fast and rhythmic with a rock solid
am I writing this in November for review, although JMH uses a Shun bass but on the other hand it can be
inclusion in issue 9 - I mean, how much Mook weight on his Kuzma. somewhat cold with a slight glassiness
time does this man need for heaven's Fitting the system to the Orbe threw to the top end. I predicted that the
sake. The answer is, of course, the usual up another complication. In order for sound would become warmer but
sorry tale of unexpected delays, blah the clamping mechanism to work looser and with less detail. Well, 1 was
blah blah. On the plus side, in the correctly, there is a raised centre to the half right, the sound did indeed
intervening time we have come to platter, created by the knurled locking become slightly warmer, but not in
realise that there is a lot more to say nut. This had to be removed to give any negative sense. There was no
about the product and its philosophies a flat surface for the latex mat to sit on, noticeable thickening of the sound,
than we originally thought, so we but I had no qualms about this, as the more an enrichment of the overall
have decided to present ties as an Ringmat system is not a rigid support, timbre. The multiple percussionists ..

111
AUDIO SMORGASBORD

of Santana were no less vigorous or fleet sate for the increased thickness of the 180gm playback to the detriment of
of foot (hand?), and if anything the audiophile pressing. Now up until this 120gm pressings.
enriched body to the drums increased point I've never got really hot and horny In the next issue I will examine why
their impact. In fact I was astounded by over Audiophile releases. Yes they've when it comes to the thickness of the
how much bottom end clout there was, (normally) got nice quiet surfaces, and discs used, size really does matter,
and what's more the bass seemed to they're sourced from original masters, but for now I'll finish by saying that
have been released from a straight but generally they've never sounded I have no intention of using the Orbe
jacket, flowing free to underpin the superior than my better standard in future without the Ringmat Support
complexity of the Latin rhythms. The pressings. In fact most of the people System. The changes it makes are
injection of life and dynamic 'jump' was I know who swear by them rarely play entirely positive and far from subtle -
astonishing (and extremely welcome - anything else. Now I think I know why even when the turntable is designed
witness embarrassing spectacle of I normally set my VTA for an average to use a clamp!
person old enough to know better 120gm pressing, which means for 180gm
dancing around like a lunatic). As for the angle is too small. Using the Price:
the glassiness - gone, banished, exiled. Ringmat Support System to optimise the Ringmat XLR -£50
The sound was still sharp, but it had VTA for the thicker records resulted in Ringmat Support System
lost its slightly unpleasant edge. absolutely superb results. The clarity, (incl. Ringmat) -£160
Great, and if that was the limit of impact, and sheer musicality of the disc Support System (excl. Ringmat) -£115
the mat's achievements I'd still be well was far in excess of what I've managed
happy But it was what happened next to wring from my system till now, and For further information:
that really got me thinking. Moving on to I'm not a major Supertramp fan either Ringmat Developments
the Speakers Corner 180gm vinyl release So why do Audiophile pressing junkies Tel. (44)(0)1277-200210
of Supertramp's Crime Of The Century play them exclusively? Perhaps because Fax. (44)(0)1277-201225
required a change of discs to compen­ their turntables are set up for optimum Net. www.ringmat.com

REPRODUCING THE RECORDED ARTS

Back issues
If you missed out on earlier issues
of HiFi+, and want to complete your
collection, you can order them by calling
+44 (0) 1202 659380
or by visiting our website:

www.hifiplus.com
Issue 1 - Sold Out, Issue 2 -£4.75
Issues 3-8 -£3.95.
Postage & packing: UK - Free. Europe - £I/magazine.
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112
 UVUVtV»

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MUSIC FEATURE

Thea Gilmore
--------------------- Interviewed by Reuben Parry ---------------------

Thea Gilmore is the 20 year old singer/ ever sees it says "she doesn't look like
songwriter whose second album that. She never looks like that. What are
The Lipstick Conspiracies represents you talking about? Why did you put
a radical new direction for the Naim that on the front cover?". Firstly, I do
label. In between live acoustic sets on look like that. Blatantly, I do.
the Saturday afternoon of the Manchester
Hi-Fi Show, she spoke to Reuben Parry RP. It is a photograph of you, there­
about her music and the future. fore you must look like that.

RP. Music journalists have been TG. Yes. Exactly. But we wanted to
falling over themselves to compare give a kind of different edge to it.
you with Joni Mitchell or Patti We wanted a cover that would depict
Smith. Are these fair comparisons? somebody who wasn't air brushed.
I didn't want a Britney Spears cover, or
TG. I think it kind of depends on what a Geri Halliwell cover because they're
viewpoint you take because in my all so perfect and, you know, I've got
opinion probably not. But then I would shit skin and I’m a little
say that anyway. I mean, I would like overweight and,
to be considered as an artist in my own you know so what!
right rather than be compared to other And that was kind
people. Actually you missed out the of the point.
prime example, Alanis Morissette, and
that really pisses me off quite seriously. RP. That makes
But, obviously, if you're going to be around again don't two of us... How
compared with anybody then Joni they and nobody's did you get into the
Mitchell... wow! that's great, but up for having a go music business?
I think it's a bit unfair to them. at the system at the Because if you're
moment. Everybody's playing along not a "big name" it
RP. In which case who do you feel like the good little kids and I'm going can be, as they say, "a shit business".
has influenced you? to be different. So there!
TG. I think no matter who you are, it's
TG. Oh God! I constantly get influences RP. Well, as you've brought that a shit business but if you're up to giving
from like everybody. I mean at the up I'll skip a few questions it a go and if you're really passionate
moment the big ones are Tom Waits and go straight to The Lipstick about speaking to people through
and Elvis Costello and Paul Westerberg Conspiracies. The title and the music then it's important to try to get
from The Replacements. That kind of artwork for your latest album through that. How did I get into it?
punk spirit is very much something that are very eye-catching. What kind Well, I kind of fell into it really. I always
really gets me at the moment. of statement are you trying to loved music. It was always a big part
make here and why? of my life. I was listening to Dylan
RP. When you were born it was records and Beatles records when
post-punk. So you're twenty years TG. It's really interesting that you're the I was a kid and I kind of missed the
too late! first person (interviewer) whose asked Spandau Ballet/Duran Duran era.
me about the artwork on The Lipstick Then what happened was I got told
TG. Well, you know, these things come Conspiracies, because every male that when I was at school that I had to [>

114
 MUSIC FEATURE

► find somewhere to do work experi­ with the melody) will think "this RP. No. If I was making a "bland"
ence, right. I was pondering over going woman can't be twenty. She's got statement on who I think you
to all kinds of weird and wonderful to be thirty five. She's got to have sound like I'd say Chrissie Hynde
places and then suddenly I just woke had a hard life and lived". on some of the rockier numbers.
up one morning and thought I'd like
to go to a recording studio, and there TG. I feel thirty-five sometimes. TG. Really?
was one a couple of villages down that But never mind that.
belonged to Dave Pegg from Fairport RP. Yeah! Especially on 'Generation
Convention, and I just wrote to him Y (which I'll come back to in a
and basically said do you fancy taking minute) and on some of the more
on a worky? On the first day I was there folkier tracks - Paula Cole, I think.
in swept Nigel (Stonier) in a leather
jacket, looking very rock ’n’ roll. He TG. That's really interesting.
was producing an album there. That's
how we met and we've kind of worked RP. Perhaps that's because of some
together ever since, really. of the music I listen to.

RP. Lipstick Conspiracies is TG. Paula Cole's great.

exceptional. Full of strong, well-
crafted and intelligent songs. RP. On 'Generation Y you reminded
Were they all written with this me of the young Chrissie Hynde.
release in mind? Is this something of a parody?

TG. No. I never tend to write with an TG. No. Because I know absolutely
album in mind because I think that's nothing of Chrissie Hynde at all.
quite a dangerous thing to do. You start Though 1 sort of know that 'l go to
getting into tailoring songs to fit the sleep.... (gently sings the lyrics).
particular mood of a particular album
and I always think it's best to (I know RP. So all the early Pretenders
this sounds really dodgy) let the artistic is unknown.
side of the song writing came out with­ RP. You've an exceptionally
out chopping it around too much. versatile voice which in the blink TG. I'd probably know some of it if
Some of them are very early and some of an eye is capable of effortlessly I heard it... heard her voice.
of them are very late because my switching between feisty rock,
first album was recorded when blues impro and gentler folky RP. So it was not a conscious
I was seventeen/eighteen and I was rhythms. Is this a natural ability approach.
continually writing songs. Never or have you developed specific
stopped writing songs, basically. vocal techniques? TG. No. Definitely not. I've never
So some of them were taken from listened to the Pretenders particularly.
the period when I was eighteen and TG. I assume it's natural because I've Somebody else once told me I was like
some were taken from a period when never really thought about it. I always the early Pretenders as well. Maybe
I was a lot older. think of my voice as very much the I am. Maybe subconsciously I've
secondary part of what I do, because knicked a load of her stuff because
RP. It's hard to believe you are song writing to me is the most you do tend to do that.
twenty and these are the sort important bit of it and I always
of songs you're writing. think my voice is a bit bland actually. RP. It's exactly the same writing
People keep saying Sandy Denny record reviews.... Lets go to another
TG. Well, thank you. to me and I don't think I sound any­ one of your songs, 'See If They
thing like Sandy Denny. I hope I don't Applaud'. That opens with a won­
RP. Anybody listening to them, sound like her .... She's great but I'd derfully tactile image of the
actually paying attention to the like to have a bit more aggression hangover and the bloodshot
lyrics (rather than just going along in my voice. eyes. There's a lot of double [>

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I> tracking for the vocals. A sparse through it there's this really grungy it was conscious - its wrong to
arrangement and then by the electric guitar brought in. Why was assume isn't it?
end of it you're hit with this real that done?
contrast - those hard hitting TG. It was one of those pieces of magic
closing lyrics. What were you TG. It is very interesting. I have to hold that just happened and it happened
hoping to achieve by building the my hands up here and say it had because there was a lot of tension in
structure of the song in that way? absolutely nothing to do with me. What the room because people didn't know
happened was we got to the studio each other very well. The whole lot
TG. I think it was very much about my (well actually we'd been in the studio of us. And Chris was new to the
mood at the time because it's one of for quite a while) and we were working atmosphere and he's just got this
those typical break up situations where with Chris Sheehan - we met him amazing way with the guitar where
one second you feel completely forlorn because we did a tour with the Mutton he belts it out and it really fits.
and lost - and the next second you're Birds and he was their guitarist at the
so fucking angry you just want to time - we called him into the studios RP. Do you feel that it's more
punch the person involved. Again, because he's got a fantastic way with important to perform or more
it wasn't consciously thought about a guitar. He was coming up from important to record?
but when I look back at it now it was Devon which is where he lives and
probably a way of putting across those we were in Lincolnshire and he'd been
two emotions - those strange things on the train for like five and a half
that you feel after splitting up with hours and he finally
somebody - the wanting to kill them arrived at
side and the actual 'I quite like you'
.side as well.

TG. I don t think you

can be a valid artist unless you are
actually prepared to go out and play
about six o clock in front of people. There are a lot of
and we thought we can't go artists that won't. I guess that if it's for
straight in and play so we'll go to the nerve reason and you get serious stage
pub and come back. So we all went to fright before you go on - that's
the pub and got completely hammered different, but I think in terms of
RP. So song writing is dictated by and came back at about twelve o'clock people who are just too fucking lazy
a lot of personal experiences? at night and just sat. That song was to go out and stand in front of some­
recorded completely live and that was body and play -1 think that stinks. The
TG. Definitely. I mean at the moment the first take and he just came out with essence of being a musician is about
I'm trying to bring a lot more politics this weird discordant solo. I remember playing directly to a person. There's
in but I think the best way to get a kind looking at all the other musicians and a lot that can be missed just by sitting
of political slant to lyrics is to actually everyone. The drummer was like ... down and listening to it on a record.
put it from your perspective. I mean, (pulls a face) and Chris was just sat
I can't really see it from anyone elses, in front of my booth cross-legged and RP. There is of course the other
can I? he was just playing with his eyes shut argument - they can't play and
and it was magic. they can't sing.
RP 'My Own Private Riot' is a good
example. Now that I found quite RP. I thought it worked well TG. Well...
interesting because its got very because it suddenly challenged all
folky vocals to start with and, then the preconceptions about the way RP. Don't mention any names for
about three quarters of the way folk songs should sound. I assumed goodness sake! ^
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 MUSIC FEATURE

Il TG. The seriously manufactured RP. MP3 is the nightmare. Its not somewhere thinking, "how the
acts...possibly. I've not seen the Spice music. Anyway, if its on LP, think hell do you package Thea
Girls live but I understand some of of the fun you can have with an Gilmore". What is happening
them can sing and even if they just give album sleeve - you can't do much to you on the record label and
it a go ... its great - even if you can't. with a CD liner. that whole promotional front?
There's an electricity that happens
between an audience and an artist TG. I know God. That'd be greatl I'd TG. Well, people kind of keep dipping
(sometimes it happens anyway) that love to do that. I think in so far as their toes in the water and then getting
firstly, as an artist, can't be beaten I can say this, Tm not the most burnt really. So basically I set up my
and secondly, somebody as a fan technical gal in the world, I'm very own record label (SHAMELESS) and
or as an audience member, it just much an artist" because I won't use I did that for the first record just
beats records hands down. digital tape. When I record, I always because again we wanted to make
want to things easier. We wanted to keep
RP. You're going to record on independent because we figured
upset a lot of people two inch tape. if we had a couple of albums and
out there. They love enough press behind us then if a major
their records.

TG. Sorry (quietly,

whispered to the mike).
Records are fantastic
and all the Hi-Fi is too.
(Louder... laughs)

RP. Lets not go too

overboard with
that.... As far as
recording plans
are concerned in
the future is there
anything in the pipeline.

TG. I've written the third album -

basically twenty or thirty songs so
when someone comes along and
says "make the third album" then I'll
do it. But it's very much one of those
situations that wherever the money
is - its whether somebody hands
us enough to make a record - then
we'll make it.

RP. We were talking before the

interview about whether you RP. You are not signed to a major came on board, or was even looking
would like to cut LPs as opposed label and I was speaking with Sara at it, they wouldn't be able to change
to CDs. (Sara Austin - Thea's manager) that much because we'd have
earlier and I said to her "You a winning formula already. And
TG. Ahl Definitely. I'd love tol Records know the problem with you - I think to a certain extent we've
just have a warmth in them haven't you're too intelligent and too managed that, but in the end it just
they that nothing else has and nothing good for a big label. They're not comes down to the good old hard
else will ever have again. But if we going to be able to package you. cash really, and that means finding
keep moving into MP3, Ikai is rubbish. There's probably an executive willing accomplices. Il

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 MUSIC FEATURE

^ RP. It does. So I guess there's RP. One of the things which I like TG. That's exactly it. It's surprising
a lot of touring going on. about the songs which deal with how few people can see that.
"women's issues" (which is anawful
TG. Yes. Because to sell records tag) is that you might be angry in RP. The first album, Burning
you've gotta get out there and show the song but you don't come across Dorothy, from the title are we
people what you can do. Nobody's as an angry person a la Alanis talking Wizard of Oz here?
going to hear about you if you just sit Morissette, and there seems to be
at home and bang out another couple answers in your songs. Its not like TG. Yes we are. I'd like to say that at the
of records. 1 might as well get as many you're just angry, angry, angry and time I didn't actually realise that a phrase
people to know my name as possible. shouting it out. for somebody whose gay is "‘a friend of
Dorothy" and I'm really upset about it
RP. I think that's going to happen. now because obviously I don't want
Obviously, you've gone with the people to think I'm homophobic.
Nairn label and although they're It's nothing to do with that.
associated with the audiophile
side of the business their CDs RP. You're being cruel on
are in the mainstream Dorothy though, you're taking
shops. Was this part of her out of historical context.
that progression? It's difficult to judge the past
by the present.
TG. I think the involvement with
Nairn was more the fact that they TG. Its still OK to draw attention
really did want the CD to be as to it.
good as possible. They've done
a brilliant job. They really did RP. Good come back. See you're
believe in the music and you far too intelligent. I'm going to
don't often get that. That's such make you sign my CD, now.
a rarity. I remember talking to
Paul Stephenson (Nairn TG. Oh good!
Marketing) and just actually
thinking you really do get it RP. Is that alright?
don't you. You actually believe in
the music. 1 don't know many people TG. Yes, of course.
who work in hi-Ii companies and TG. I tried really hard because I hate
at first it seemed very strange to be this business of people listening and RP. Do you get asked to sign
moving that way - but we soon got thinking she's a ball basher. She doesn't a lot of your CDs?
to like their attitude and we just like men. She's a man hater. I'm not.
thought that their take on the Music I love men. I think men are great. But TG. Relatively few.
Industry was right. They were just up there were a few men that have f**ked
for giving it a go. And it was a difficult me around quite badly. I do think that RP. Well you can sign it as many
one because it's pop and there's in political terms things are still very times as you like. Back and front!
nothing harder in the Music Industry much weighted in the male favour
to break into than pop. They just That's not always the blokes' fault, it TG. I'm sorry about this but I don't
approach it in the right way in my can be the female's as well. It's just know how to spell your name.
opinion. one of those things. It's not about the
male/female divide. It's a social issue. RP. R. E. U. B. E. N.
RP. Now you can't get away without It's about equality. It's not about you're
talking about sexual politics and a man and I'm a women. You've just TG. You know Sara has a fish called
everything else. You are clearly got to get it right. Reuben?
a bit of a feminist.
RP. You don't overcome 30,000 RP. Does she? I'm going to have
TG. A lot of a feminist. years of history in a 40 year period. a word with her about that. I>+

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Audio Images
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How To Read The Record Reviews

The information contained in the

record reviews is presented in the
following way Albums are identified
by label and serial number. Beneath
this you will find one or more icons
which denote the available formats
for the recording. The first icon refers
to the format reviewed.

Key to Icons
Cirrus Gentle Waves
@ CD
O Gold CD
Lands End Swansong for you
@ HDCD
JPRLPOll (@
(XR) XRCD Opus 3 CD 19803
@
ii.‘ Double Disc
This album was briefly mentioned in my Opus 3 Back in issue 3 I reviewed the first album by this
(96) 96/24 DVD
overview in issue 8, but I feel it requires a fuller winsome side shoot from those masters of
(SA) SACD examination. As I noted, the sounds are suggestive understatement Belle and Sebastian, and there
of the best of ECM's jazz recordings, with Ari I described the sounds captured in the groove
120g LP
Haraldsson's sax sounding like a less disconsolate as "music of rare beauty" and so it continues
@ !SOg LP version of Jan Gabarek's. The music is a pleasant with Swansong For You. The band is still
mix of, evocative, new age with a hint of the completely acoustic employing, to very good
@ !80g LP
avant-garde. The occasional appearance of the effect, everything from brass through to harps
0 Availability As S/H LP Didgeridoo brings an ethnic feel to the and always overlaid with Isobel Campbell's quiet
proceedings - Nordic trolls and dragons go and self effacing vocal delivery.
© Vinyl Double Album
down-under! All the compositions are original, Is there anything new here? Well this
and the album is full of expression, invention, album is very retro, from the Judy Garland
The ratings at the bottom of each
and proficiency. cover to the overall layout and detail of the
review reflect the reviewer's opinion
The sound is excellent, in the usual Opus 3 sleeve which both recall the early 60s, and
of the recording quality, and musical
way, but with one of the largest, and deepest. whilst much about this band is bang up to
merits of the album. You'll soon
soundstages I remember from this source. date, many of the songs hark back to earlier
realise that a great many musically
The guitars can appear way outside the speakers times with one or two jiving along very nicely.
significant albums offer less than
and you can sit back and wallow in the natural Added to this is a general increase in musical
wonderful sound. Don't let it put you
acoustics. Very natural tones, and a tangible range so that the album as a whole is even
off! For your information the scale
sound to the percussion, help to give the sound more interesting and varied. Fortunately the
rates a standard, good quality pop
real life. tunes and melody are equally as glorious this
recording as slightly below average.
Each time I have heard this album it has time around.
grown on me more. If you are not sure of this Carefully crafted songs have always
CD on your first listen, give it time. You could characterised this band, but in spite of all
The reviewers are identified by their initials. be pleasantly surprised. I said above I can still see some people finding
They are:- Chris Binns, Pete Christie, Dave Davies, Available from Pentacone this style of music and its delivery a tad
Roy Gregory, Jason Hector, James Michael Hughes, Tel/Fax: 01924 445039 irritating. Personally I would urge a second
Jon Maple, Reuben Parry, Dave Ayers, Andrew SG listen, because there is real quality here.
Hobbs, Chris Thomas, Phil Ward, Simon Groome, JH
Mark Childs.
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 MUSIC REVIEW POPULAR CONTEMPORARY

The Cure Joe Jackson Eric Bibb

Bloodflowers Summer In The City Just Like Love

FICTION RECORDS FIXCD 31/543123-2

@ Sony SK 89237
@ Opus 3 CD 21002 @
Classic Cure. Intense, guitar-laden rock pierced Maybe I'm seeing the start of the rehabilitation After about three years, Eric has returned to
by Robert Smith's anguished vocals which have of the much maligned live album. I've bought Opus 3 and his recording roots - sounding much
always been capable of stretching lyrics and three recently (this one, Tori Amos and Heather happier for it. Completed in just four sessions,
songs to emotional breaking point - a taught Nova) and loved them all. Perhaps now that most his relaxed state shines through. Musically, the
'Watching Me Fall' (at over eleven minutes) is studio based pop recording is so far removed album consists of mainly original ballads, with
a prime example of his acute wordiness. This from live performance that it all but counts as influences coming from his past friends, and
indulgent bloody imagery, strong on sexuality a different art. the discipline imposed by playing most importantly, family, and gone are the gospel
and racked with personal hurt eats away at you a gig is beginning to result in a rich, new, best songs of the last two Opus 3 releases. This album
until you are living his pain - and oh how of both worlds phenomena' Having said that is much simpler, but more personal. Eric is at his
Bloodflowers is so full of the pain that comes this particular live recording is predominantly of intimate, soulful, best - sounding comparable
from close self-scrutiny. It's a worthy successor material from the 70s and 80s and is by an artist to a refined Muddy Waters - with highlights
to the 1996 album Wild Mood Swings, where the with a long track record of bringing a live feel including the title track, She's Still With Me,
lyrics revealed that all was not well in the Smith to his studio recordings. and That's Why I'm Here.
household. Extremely demanding music at least Britain produced some wonderful This is Opus 3's first release on Super Audio
for as long as these open wounds continue to songwriters in the late 70s and 80s. Elvis Costello, CD, and it sounds amazing! Being a ""hybrid",
be picked over, but fortunately stability in the Paddy McAloon, Andy Partridge, Roddy Frame it can be played on either a machine designed
band (following Tolhurst's acrimonious court and of course Joe Jackson. Simply through the for the format, or an existing CD player. I have
action) has ensured that Smith, Bamonte, Gallup, accident of timing, Jackson was always associated heard the HDCD version of this disc, and although
Roger O'Donnell (keyboards) and Jason Cooper with "punk" and "new wave" but was in fact a far good, it pales in comparison. The SACD produces
(drums) have established an enviable rapport that more accomplished musician than many of his a three-dimensional soundstage that you can
instrumentally conveys each twist of the lyrical contemporaries. And for those who cared to almost walk into, more natural tones, and far
scalpel blade just enough to soak the dressing listen it showed. This disc records a rare gig for more detail. With so much more life and presence,
in sufficient colour without letting the patient Jackson and his long time bass and drums I would not even think of buying the standard
bleed to death. collaborators Graham Maby and Gary Burke and disc - this is that good. I think I have just heard
RP while some may question the selection of songs, the future!
and others might have the odd criticism of the Available from www.hififorsale.com
recording, it is absolutely everything I, for one, Tel: 0870 2412469
hoped for. Unreservedly recommended. SG
PW

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 MUSIC REVIEW POPULAR CONTEMPORARY

Gladiator OST Ennio Morricone The Thin Red Line OST

Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard Once Upon A Time In America Hans Zimmer

Decca 467 094-2

@ OST BMG 7432 161976 2
@ RCA 09026 63382 2
@
There's never been much that's original about film If Hans Zimmer is the new star of the Hollywood Terrence Mallick's impressionistic masterpiece
music: it's always felt free to rifle existing genres soundtrack, how does his work stack up against the is by far the most intelligent comment to emerge
and the classical canon, until many current sound­ acknowledged masters? Necessarily derivative in from Hollywood on the randomness, incompre­
tracks are a simple cut and paste job, rolling tog­ nature (so many films are, after all, historical) film hensibility and aimlessness of the condition of war.
ether as many pop hits as they can in a scatter-gun music becomes strangely comparable across time. It stands in stark contrast to that tub-thumping,
approach to extended marketing. At least the I could have gone for Korngold, Rozca or Williams, over sentimentalised and historically editorial tosh
Gladiator sound track follows the tradition of but instead I plumped for Morricone, partly Saving Private Ryon, Spielberg's schlock-buster
borrowing from 'serious' music, blending traditional because people think that they know what to that received all the attention and Oscars.
orchestral arrangements with guitar and haunting expect, and partly because they ain't qnnna get it. The Thin Red Line is less about action than
vocals. The latter come courtesy of Ms Gerrard, Once Upon A Time In America may be Leone's it is about atmosphere: anonymous characters
previously of This Mortal Coil, and roll together TMC time fractured sequel to Once Upon A Time In The occupy an unidentifiable landscape, fighting
with a serious slice of Holst (Mars appears almost West, but despite common themes úns:.L-uno .see a largely unseen enemy. I didn't realise just how
unchanged) and you'll get a fairly good idea of what violence, an urbane villain and a reluctant anti­ much of the movie's impact depended on the
to expect. Tremendous dynamic range and sheer hero) this is no spaghetti western. Traci ng the links soundtrack until I heard it in isolation. Zimmer
power counterposed against fragility. There's even a between bootlegging, organised crime and the takes the tonality and themes of a Barber and
sense of humour at work, as themes from The Rock unions this inhabits an urban ¡AsAsand oriental instrumentation, and grafts them onto
and Crimson Tide make brief appearances. Huge, a different cultural milieu. orchestration reminiscent of Shostakovich at his
sweeping, bombast and thunderous percussion The soundtrack writer's skill art is that of the bleakest. It's a powerful aural counterpoint to the
contrast nicely with the more reflective moments, chameleon, and here Morricone draws on the beauty and serenity of the landscape on screen: in
and let's face it, if you are going to do the epic period themes of prohibition jazz, the hauntingly isolation it is haunting, even disturbing. Powerful
thing then there's no such place as over the top. If beautiful Amapola and strong personal motifs for stuff, Zimmer shows his ability to shape music to
the movie didn't live up to its natural fore-bears Ben the individual characters. Spread n - some fifty the task at hand, and whilst it is less obviously
Hur and El Cid, how much more impressive would years and nearly four cinematic hours, the film's approachable than his Gladiator soundtrack it is
they have been supported by this kind of musical action flits through time and it needs the strong musically far more profound. Beautifully recorded,
heavy artillery. Wry, derivative and populist it may be resonance of Morricone's music to .As ' ’V it. The with the power and range that comes with the
(and all the better for itl} but this is one soundtrack maestro doesn't disappoint, and if you want to cinema, this will last long after the deep bass has
that's capable of standing alone. And impressively so. step beyond the familiar spaghetti westerns to his impressed your neighbours' neighbours.
Supplier: hififorsale.com deeper and more studied work then this is a good Supplier: hififorsale.com
Tel: 0870 2412469 place to start. It's a pretty good movie tool Tel: 0870 2412469
RG RG RG
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 MUSIC REV/EW POPULAR CONTEMPORARY

U2 Santana Moloko

All that you can't leave behind Supernatural Things To Make And Do

CIDU121 Island 2000

@ Arista 07882 19080 2
@ Echo ECHCD31
@
U2 have been telling us for years about their Have you been disappointed in Santana of late7 Whilst ’The Time Is Now' permeated my
intentions to make a happy rock and roll album I know I have. Long gone are the fiery multiple consciousness over a period of time, it was
that goes back to their roots. This, apparently, percussionists of the first few albums, and the watching the band play ’Pure Pleasure Seeker'
is it. corresponding excitement of a band running on Later With Jools Holland that reeled me in.
The album opens with the cheery "Beautiful on full throttle. To these ears Carlos has been With Raisin sounding like Beth Gibbons from
Day" and behind the song's smile and slightly disappearing into a quiet mist of lightweight Portishead, albeit on happy pills, and an RftB
banal lyrics lies a guitar line that affirms what we funk, pleasant enough but ultimately dull. It strut that would have made the Spencer Davies
had hoped all along; the Edge is back on form. would appear that his record company feel the Group proud, it's the perfect opener to an album
In fact the whole album is classic U2, Larry and same as they've been touting the CD round the stuffed full of cracking tunes. 'Dumb, dumb, we're
Adam provide soiid rhythm duties, leaving Bono music press as Santana's comeback album; the dumbing it down' sings Raisin on 'Dumb Inc: and
and the Edge to carve out that big, fat U2 sound. one where he willingly acted in the role of guest in a way she's right, for whilst the previous
Yes, big choruses abound, Bono's voice is the best guitarist for the contemporary luminaries drafted albums had many more ideas, they come across as
it's been for years and the Edge seems to have in to produce, and play on, the various tracks. clever, clever rather than intelligent. With TTMAD

been allowed to let his guitar off the leash, for With a build up like that one should expect great l ess is more. There's still enough strangeness to
a while at leas/.. things, but as is usually the case, it's just so much mark the band out from the pack, but this time
Okay, so it's slightly predictable, and at hyperbole. Having said that, this is still a good round there's a cohesiveness that results in real
times, even a little dull, but when it's good it's album. I'm not sure what's catalysed Carlos but it drive and purpose. Presumably for marketing
awesome. "New York" and "Elevation" provide the really is something of a return to form. You've purposes, the band has seen fit to tack on
thrills here, whilst "Ground beneath her feet" and probably heard the singles, and this should give a dance mix of 'Sing It Back' that sticks out
"When I look at the world" are almost painfully you a pretty good idea of what to expect, at least like a sore thumb. Perhaps the band have
exquisite. In all, though patchy, it's their best from the first two thirds of the CD, as it does realised this, as there's a monster gap after
work for years by far. It's not Joshua Tree but creep back into quiet harmlessness towards the the penultimate song.
it's at least Unforgettable Fire. end. Despite the 'guest guitarist' comment, Whilst not a classic, I find myself returning
MC i t still comes out as a real Santana album, to this CD again and again because it's fun.
demonstrating a sensitivity from the guest Now Moloko have deconstructed themselves,
artists that I really wasn't expecting. It seems they have an opportunity to once again blend
to me that this is one guitar icon that is well their intelligence into the mix and perhaps the
on the road to musical recovery. next album will be something truly special.
DA DA

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 MUSIC REVIEW POPULAR CONTEMPORARY

Doves Cosmic Rough Riders David Bowie

Lost Souls Enjoy the melodic sunshine Bowie At The Beeb

limited edition box set

Heavenly 2000 HVNLP26CD

@ MC5015LP • @ EMI 7243 528958 2 3
@l)
The Doves have had a good year. Formerly Sub­ When I explained to the editor that I was I would just love the chance to rifle through
Sub, now part time backing band for Badly Drawn reviewing an album by the Cosmic Rough Riders the BBC radio archives, it's an absolute treasure
Boy, the Williams twins and their bearded lead I could tell he was impressed. Well when I say trove of wonderful music. The latest gem to be
singer dropped their sequencers for guitars two impressed, perhaps amused would be more unearthed is this limited edition box set covering
years ago and never looked back. Lost Souls gives appropriate. OK he laughed - out lend, and yes the Dame's 1968-1972 visits to Auntie, plus a
no hints as to the bands past. Skillfully crafted, it I guess the band name is a bit silly, but the music bonus disc from July this year. The first CD covers
was two long years in the making. It treads no they produce is simply excellent! his early period, with tracks from the Anthony
new ground ideas wise, but the sheer beauty of Lyrically this band range from the comical, Newly days through to 'Kooks' from Hunky Dory.
the songs, and its effortlessly laid back sound through the wistful to sharply observed social Most of the songs come from Man Of Music, Man
makes the competition seem lame. comment. Pile it on top of jaunty rhythms and Of Words (re-released as Space Oddity), and as
'"The cedar room" stands out as one of the away you go, but it's the melodies that really such is the sound of a man who has yet to find
most powerful songs written this decade. Criminally reach out and grab you. Writing tits review of his true path. The second disc is predominantly
ignored at release, it clocks in at a staggering seven the album I was typing in time (fortunately the culled from Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust. Here
and a half minutes. However unlike most epic pace allows my typing to (almost) keep up!). we find fledgling confidence, with good but
tracks, each and every second of this one is This is Indian sub-continent meets country somewhat considered performances all round.
heavenly. The music washes over you in layers and with a few beach boy surf rock riffs thrown in. Surprisingly, the Spiders only really let loose on
when the song finally stutters to a halt you want It's strongly reminiscent of 60's San Francisco, ' Waiting For The Man' and 'White Light, White
more, much more. Jimi's voice, being naturally low and sometimes they even approach the anthem Heat', but it's a cracking disc for all that. As with
and slightly flat, tends to lend a slightly weary, (although subtly). These are strange but inspired the Zeppelin sessions from a couple of years ago,
mournful sound that contemporaries like Coldplay combinations that are present across the album, there are multiple versions of the same song, but
sorely lack, and when it lifts, it soars. although more daring at the start. I guess this unlike the Zeppelin there is little to choose
Every so often an album comes along which might have been done before, but I really enjoyed between the versions. Getting to the third disc
doesn't try to compete, it just sits there in it, and it was obvious that this was a year 2000 finds us in the company of a man who knows he's
a different league. No one has tried to recreate record not a re-release. a legend, and he's comfortable with that. With
The Bends or Achtung Baby. And in the same way JH nothing to prove any more, he just gets on with
no one will try to challenge Lost Souls, the album the job of entertaining the audience of 230 lucky
is a timeless classic, slow to warm to, but people, a job that he and his excellent band do
immensely satisfying. extremely well. Priced at around £20 for 52 tracks,
MC this has to be the bargain of Y2K.
DA

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 MUSIC REVIEW POPULAR CONTEMPORARY

Gomez Thea Gilmore reeling from a venomous humour and observational

maturity. The dissection is beautifully done.
Listen to 'See If They Applaud' (a personal
Abandoned Shopping Trolley The Lipstick Conspiracies favourite) and you'll understand exactly what I
mean. Fantastic, lyrical images shift from the
Hotline - HUTLP64 • @ NAIM CD046
@ personal to the public and back, with lines like,
"I had too much to drink last night I Now I'm
lying on the floor I Watching the coloured
This, the band's third album, is their most difficult Much has been made of the raucous side of Thea
patterns in my eyes I Leftovers from the light.. .”
for the listener (and reviewer) to date. It contains Gilmore. Those barbed lyrics and a fearless use of
to "Now the grey suits and the big boys I They're
plenty of previously recorded but unused material colourful invective have rained blows upon thick­
all slaves to their bank balance see I The media
- third album and already a retrospective? Are skinned bastions of prejudice like a smithy's lump
mass market freedom/ As the ultimate
Gomez getting too big for their boots7 I don't hammer. The sensitive natured among us might
commodity" followed by a return to the acutely
think so, but then I can forgive them almost see this as an ugly scarring that disfigures and
personal "And you tattoo my image / On the lips
anything because they are so good and this diminishes the impact of a song. I disagree.
of all your friends I As some tight c-t to f-k and
album is very enjoyable, although it is not the Gilmore is an intelligent and articulate lyricist.
leave I And f-k again..." which makes a whole lot
first Gomez album you should buy (Liquid Skin She knows that sometimes the use of coarser
more sense than an angrily twisted diatribe you'd
in case you were wondering). language is necessary. Of course an audience can
expect from some artists. The fine-tuning of this
The various influences that have made the respond to this in one of two ways. Either they
song is in the delivery. Thea's softly double­
Gomez sound are even more clearly shown with don't get it and simply walk away or, as witnessed
tracked vocals and a subtle colouring of acoustic
this album than either of the previous two. Here at the Manchester show, those who stop to listen
guitar and kalimba delicately underpin the
for example, we have trancy beats nuzzling up relish the challenge thrown down by her words.
sentiments - sublime!
to old school acoustic Blues, and that pervasive From eighteen to eighty, and crossing the
Throw in catchy pop songs 'Generation Y7',
get up and boogie Tijuana next to good old rock gender divide as well, they sat enthralled both in
'Edge Of My Seat' and 'Forgotten' and you have a
guitar. But here it's carried a little further, making the sparse presentation Gust Nigel Stonier and
precocious talent that will (frighteningly) get even
the mix that much more obvious. Thea working acoustic guitar) and by the resonant
better. Comparisons to Chrissie Hynde, Sarah
Not surprisingly, some of these tracks are messages contained within songs like 'Bulletin
Mclachlan and Paula Cole, respectively, on these
a tad weaker than you would perhaps expect to Britain' or 'Resurrection Man. In an age where
tracks, serve only as convenient reference points
be gracing a Gomez album, but conversely it is popular music is increasingly bland - the tunes
for the uninitiated. Thea Gilmore is a musician
hardly believable that 'Bring your loving back may be good but the lyrics are woefully banal
who deserves all the superlatives which have been
here' has not previously appeared. There is also - a singer/songwriter whose convictions (political
heaped upon The Lipstick Conspiracies. As it's my
a wonderful meandering rewriting of several or otherwise) are worn on her sleeve is a rarity,
pop album of the year it only remains to score
tracks including '78 Stone Shuffle'. a novelty, even.
this recommendation.. and oh' how I've agonised.
Another Gomez album, and another great Switching to the CD and naturally enough,
I desperately wanted to award top marks but I just
review, although this is both their third album as you'd expect. the mixes for these tracks are
know she'll get better and I'd have to give the
and the third one you should buy. tighter and more sophisticated. However, the
next album eleven out of ten!
JH arrangement never detracts from a kind of verbal
RP
"precision accuracy" that leaves her targets (be
RECORDING they shadowy Corporations, Governments, the RECORDING
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 MUSIC REVIEW POPULAR CONTEMPORARY

As I listened I ravaged through he liner notes

Sonic Satori looking for explanations, lyrical content, anything

that could bring me to some understanding of the
mission behind the record. What I found only
by Michael Mercer
enhanced my belief in this bands pure genius. No
lyrics, no thank yous, just artwork. hetuim which
In this, his first outing on his own page,
depict abstract landscapes, ethereal images, and
MM reveals what's making waves in the
poignant color schemes. The artwork is in fact a
States. Ironically, it's all got a rather
direct reflection of the music itself: Transcendent,
familiar feel. ...
colorful, and mysterious. A perfect explanation
which far surpassed the norm. I was mi a journey,
one that I have been waiting for.
"Everything in Its Right Place" possesses a true
Spiritualized kind of sound. But there was some­ Renaissance is a club in the UK where the
thing more soulful and arcane about it. Vocoderized duo holds a bi-monthly residence. Renaissance
ramblings pan from left to right, accompanied by Ibiza acts as a storytelling compilation of the
spacey arrangements and perfectly centered lead great parties that took place this last summer on
vocals. The simplistic synthesizer rifts are enveloping the beautiful island off the coast of Spain. Ali
and pleasing to the senses. Thom Yorke sings in a and Sharam have managed to re-create their
way that only he can. He rips open his inner self sets from the Ibiza festival, giving us mere
and slides right down the middle of the soundstage commoners who could not make it to the island
with unruly emotion. The energy left me searching the ability to indulge in it's musical magic at
for the right adjectives. I feel I may, for the first home. The double CD set plays like some of the
Radiohead time, be at a loss for words on this one folks. The best Raves I've attended (and I've been raving
Kid A terribly cliche "breathtaking" comes to mind, sorry. since the early 90's). The album is masterfully
"How To Disappear Completely" soars with cosmic mixed. Dish's cross fading is so fluid and the
CDP7243-5-27753-2-3
@ guitar rifts. The song bears a striking resemblance to beat matching is executed with extreme
Pink Floyd's early days. Yorke's vocals are dreary and precision. One mix that particularly stands out
The anticipation of Radiohead's Kid A album was engaging, the string arrangements are dark, with is Everything But The Girl's 'Temperamental'
too overwhelming for this reviewer's mind. Bmq ethereal reverb that creates a truly atmospheric into Jah Scoop's 'Loch Dub Part II'. 'Dreaming'
a long time fan, I was anxious to see how they soundscape. a song by the great BT is also included in the
would (or could) follow up the provocative and Kid A's sonics are simply stunning. The stereo mix. This track soars with beautiful choruses
mind boggling OK Computer, their previous imaging is resplendent, and beautifully executed. and unconventional percussive modulations.
release. Upon it's arrival I found myself amidst the Effects, vocals, and instruments are transformed Other tracks include 'Ubik' by Timo Mass, 'Flash'
plight of an unusually entranced maniac. I tore into surreal waveforms. This album clearly by Green Velvet (remixed by Danny Tenaglia) and
the plastic from the jewel box, tossed the CD in demonstrates what one can achieve with the guts 'Porcelain' by Moby (the Futureshock Remix
my work desk system, a bread and butter Sony to truly experiment with the boundaries of version). This set possesses a multitude of
playback system with Yamaha NS-lOms for recording technology. fantastic transitions that are wonderfully
monitors. This is the system I initially play climatic and awe inspiring. Deep Dish mixed,
albums on as I feel it depicts a more "average" edited, and tweaked the album themselves.
interpretation of recordings. Those of you familiar Engineering credits have been given to Richard
with recording studios should know the NS-lOs. (I can't get no sleep) Morel. Their combined
They're usually a staple in any control room. efforts as a production team work
The reference system always follows (and then, Deep Dish very well. The soundstage is deep and wide.
the headphone listen of course). My initial Renaissance Ibiza Low-end frequencies are tight and punchy
impression: Disbelief. It seemed Radiohead had without murkiness. The treble is pleasantly
developed and, perfected the ability to apply YRCDLP2 @ transparent and well balanced. This is one for
organic textures to technological instrumentation. a true electronic music fan. Don't hesitate to
Computer generated sounds can occasionally After quite a long wait (too long for yours buy this jewelbox.
come off as artificial and unemotional artifacts. truly) Ali "Dubfire" Shirazinia and Sharam
Not in this case my friends. Meet the coming age Tayebi, a.k.a. Deep Dish, have released RECORDING
of rock-n-roll. Renaissance Ibiza, a slamming two CD set. MUSIC

126
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 MUSIC REVIEW JAZZ

SHADES OF DRING
Chamber Jazz Arrangements re llIEBAUS
• remre, re XAMLEBE DP.ING

Shades of Dring Hank Mobley Gösta Rundqvist Trio

Chamber Jazz Arrangements Roll Call Treecircle

by Lennie Niehaus
Cambria Records C-1016 ^^
Blue Note 84058 Opus 3 CD 19801
@
Based on music by Madeleine Dring (no, I'd never Freddie Hubbard who plays trumpet on this '60 This album is all about the evolution of interplay
heard of her either), this is pretty much what it session is quoted in the sleevenotes: 'I learned - from the Trio and its playing, to the recording
says on the tin: chamber jazz, so don't come here a lot about how to swing just being there. I felt so itself. The music is smooth, free flowing, jazz -
if you want your soul moved. If however you want much freer than I ever had before in a recording played to the highest standards. An acoustic
light, undemanding very nicely played Sunday studio and that's because it's so easy to play with double bass, and sensitive drumming - similar to
morning after a particularly heavy Saturday night the kind of talent of the guys on this date. And that of the great Jimmy Cobb - back Rundqvist's
fare, then step right up. Here's an album that we had just about the best rhythm section there wonderful piano tones, but it is the interaction of
especially on the flute-heavy side one will make is - Blakey, um, ah, yesl He fills up the whole the performers that impresses most. The rhythm
the MJQ sound like Eric Dolphy at his most studio. He makes you open up - he made and flow of the music seem to grow, as they
extreme. Despite the presence of sterling players everyone open up: The truth of this is evident entwine each element of the music, letting it
l ike Bud Shank, Ray Brown and Shelley Manne, throughout the album. Blakey's drumming powers breathe and then grow. While each instrument
this is essentially very high-class elevator music. the whole session along fantastically. Driving, is coherently isolated as an individual source,
Fortunately I occasionally have a heavy precise and powerful. In a lesser ba rd playing they advance into a single entity, manifesting
Saturday night or two and crave no more than of this calibre might overshadow the other the ascendancy of each phrase.
the musical equivalent of a Radox bath whilst musicians. Fortunately with Hubbard, Wynton This is all made possible by Jan-Eric Persson's
the Anadin Ultra kick-in. For times like those this Kelly and Paul Chambers joining Mobley, there's single point recording. With one microphone the
music has its place, and delightfully retro sleeve not a chance of that and each get their chance musicians are able to, directly, connect with each
and all, that place will be on my shelves. The '81 to shine. There's some superb interplay between other. The acoustics of the Nacka Hall are superb,
recording incidentally is very good: clean and the two horns, plus fine soloing from both, and while larger than locations usually used for
open with good staging and on the couple particularly from Hubbard on 'Take your Pick'. jazz, the recording sounds very natural. The
of occasions when Shelly Manne is allowed to Kelly plays beautifully taking some great solos instruments are well defined, with the size of
stretch out on the drums, plenty of attack. as does Chambers. For all that it's Blakey's the piano realistically portrayed.
Recommended in small doses when drumming I notice throughout the Mburi he's This is a very pleasant album that should appeal
circumstances demand. just in such fine form he's iriiHiss bk to ignore. to all those who have heard and love the great
Supplier: Vivante The 180g Blue Note pressing is clean and quiet, jazz issued by the Mapleshade label. Highly
Tel: (44)(0)208-977-6600 and the recording good. recommended.
DD Supplier: Vivante Available from Pentacone
Tel: (44)(0)208-977-6600 Tel/Fax: 01924 445039
DD SG

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 MUSIC REVIEW JAZZ

Blue Mitchell Gerald Presencer Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks

Out of the Blue The Optimist Beatin' The Heat

Riverside/ Alto M 020 Linn AKO 069

@ Surfdog Records SD-67112-2
@
Fronting a fine band comprising Benny Golson, It was with a sinking heart that I received this I've been a fan of Dan Hicks from his early
Wynton Kelly, Art Blakey and with Paul Chambers CD for review from RG. At first glance it looked seventies recordings and still have treasured
and Sam Jones sharing duties on bL". this '58 like yet another bland modern jazz set from an and much played vinyl copies of 'Strikin' it Rich'
recording, the second ever recorded under his own undistinguished band. Just goes to show how and 'Last Train from Hicksville'. And although
name, is one of Blue Mitchell's best. A straight­ wrong first impressions can be. It turns out that I've never really felt that Hicks went away
ahead bop session it's clear from the start that 'though still in his twenties, Presencer has (he cropped up from time to time, notably on
the band are really enjoying themselves. recorded five albums and has played with such a 'Mountain Stage' live album with 'Hell I'd Go!'
The Golson penned mid-tempo opening number luminaries as Chick Corea, The Brand New a number that's finally appeared here) this is his
' Blues on my Mind' engages immediately and really Heavies, Joni Mitchell, and Herbie Hancock. first studio recording in a good long time. And
springs to life when the composer's tenor kicks-in. He was also voted best trumpeter at the British it's as if no time has passed. Sure his voice is
This sets the scene for a superbly relaxed and classy Jazz Awards in '95;97 and '99. Clearly I must a little more gruff, but joined again by Sid Page
set. There are no frenetic fast runs, no obvious get out more. on violin from the original line-up along with
pyrotechnics, just a laid-back (the shortest number Presencer's intention in making this album was some all new but damn near identical sounding
here is five minutes), easy session that allows each to 'make it groove' and he's succeeded. From the Hot Licks, time could well have stood still.
player to shine. Golson gets to work out in the 'Siesta' period Davis influenced opener 'blah de I always felt a little alone in my dogged
faster paced Clark Terry number Thorncrarig', but blah' the album has a solid bass-driven groove persistence in listening to Hicks daffy music,
really the main treat throughout is the interplay throughout. The band line-up includes John whilst all around me were into The Incredible
between the two horns and the ace support they Parricelli, Jeremy Stacey and Laurence Cottle String Band and other less uplifting stuff. It turns
get from some of the finest players in jazz. The along with Jaqui Dankworth on vocals. The out that I wasn't alone at all, and guests like Elvis
album closes with a version of 'When the Saints go playing throughout the session is seamlessly inter­ Costello, Rickie Lee Jones and Tom Waits celebrate
Marching In', that should help banish all memories woven, driving ahead with such cohesion that his return by guesting on this album. There's not
of Acker Bilk. you barely notice the gaps between numbers. a weak number here, but stand outs include
The recording is fine, a little lightweight in the The recording, even though it's HDCD (and a great take on Waifs 'The Piano Has Been
bass maybe, but the Alto pressing is excellent. I have an HDCD equipped player) is nothing Drinking (Not Me)', a different spin, with Rickie
Supplier: Vivante special. A bit flat, and lacking in real punch Lee Jones on 'I Scare Myself, and the afore­
Tel: (44)(0)208-977-6600 and definition which is a shame because the mentioned song of alien abduction 'Hell I'd Go!'.
DD music demands a bit more. A highly enjoyable With a good, warm, punchy recording this is an
album nonetheless. essential purchase for all right thinking people!
DD DD

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 MUSIC REVIEW CLASSICAL

ODD
BRITTEN NAXOS S.554M6

String Quarks AXl. 2 WALTON

Quarkt No. ] • Simple Symphony Piano Quartet t 192 l)
String Quartet ( 19AX7)
\11.Quartet • Peter Donohoe. Piano

Britten Bart6k Walton

String Quartets, Vol. 2 Violin Sonata No. 2/Rhapsodies Piano Quartet/String Quartet
Nos.1 and 2/Romanian Folk Dances
Maggini Quartet Donohoe/Maggini Quartet
Isabelle Faust/Florent Boffard
Naxos 8.554360
@ Harmonia Mundi HMN 911702
@ Naxos 8.554646
@
The Maggini Quartet's work I have heard has all This budget-priced CD is an invaluable follow-up Many audiophiles and music lovers will know
been marvellous, but this, the follow-up to String to the duo's first, award winning disc, fulfilling Walton for his orchestral works, but this CD
Quartets, Vol. 7, 8.553883, is impeded by the the expectations left by that acclaimed release shows that he was also an important composer
recording of the the Simple Symphony - the and matching it perfectly. The intricate of chamber music.
sound being dark, with the bass totally immersed performance of the exhilarating Sc nata is full The String Quartet, of 1947, encapsulates
in reverberation. The rest of the album is fine, of deep and thoughtful vigour. and played with Walton's craft perfectly, with a mixture of
with natural tones and a more realistic sound­ impassioned virtuosity, while the other works, solemnity and powerful attack. The Maggini play
stage, but here all is amiss. I can only put this including the far too rarely heard Rhapsodies, are with refinement and joy, and portray these
down to differing engineers - two are credited - more simplistic, with expanded phrasing and less feelings perfectly - whether in the wistful and
as the recording location is constant for all works. lavish tones. Bart6k's music is brimming with moving lento, or the vibrancy of the presto -
The music represents the extremes in period Hungarian and Romanian influences, and this feel and their phrasing is beautiful. The earlier Piano
of Britten's chamber works, with the afore­ to the music is skilfully conveyed, with help from Quartet is fresher and more lyrical, with strains

mentioned Symphony being written in 1923 (aged Faust's drive and vibrato. The pair days as one, of Ravel, Elgar, and Vaughan Williams. Donohoe
nine!) and the String Quartet No. 3 one of his last with Boffard's exceptional piano work not just an communicates the fluidity and energy of the piece
achievements. The intervening Quortettino and accompaniment, and neither performer splendidly, and obviously has a great instinct for
Alfa Marcia come from the early thirties. All the overwhelms the other. the work.
pieces are accessible, although the later the work, The uncomplicated recording is admirable, The sound produced by Naxos is one of their
the more enigmatic it becomes. The Maggini, as without being overly impressive - being not too best and, with 20-Bit technology used, there is
usual, play superbly, with the violins enjoying life closely miked - with fine, clear detail and a fair a real presence to the performance. While the
and verve. Each piece is handled with aplomb, amount of separation between the performers. piano can sound a little distant at times, this is
whether in the sinister march of Alfa Marcia or Although there is little in the way of a natural preferable to it being in your face, and the
the subtle textures of the String Quartet. soundstage, the acoustics are excellent, for a Quartet is positioned superbly, within a natural
What a pity about the Symphony's sound studio recording, and the music is allowed to live acoustic space.
(ignored in the rating) but at this price, where and breathe. This is a wonderful CD of some great, yet
else can you find a performance of these works An all-round excellent CD of engaging and sadly neglected, pieces of chamber music, and
that comes close? well-crafted Chamber music, that further shows another side to Sir William's visionary work.
SG consolidates Faust's status as a poignant and A great accomplishment, and at a bargain price,
talented artist. it should be purchased without hesitation.
SG SG

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 MUSIC REVIEW CLASSICAL

Rachmaninov Mozart Puccini

Symphony No.3/Symphonic Dances Piano Concertos 5, 14 and 16 La Boheme

Baltimore Symphony Levin/Academy of Ancient Pavarotti, Freni, Ghiaurov

Orchestra/David Zinman Music/Hogwood Berlin PO, Karajan
Telare CD-80331
@ Decca/L'Oiseau-Lyre 458 285-2
@ Speakers Corner Decca SET 565-6

This coupling of two of Rachmaninov's later works, I have always regarded Mozart as a composer of Lo Boheme has always been Puccini's most compact
begs comparison with earlier recordings from infectious vitality, and nowhere is that better and intensely bleak opera, and this Decca double
Previn and Johanos respectively. This 3rd Symphony confirmed than here. Mozart believed that to album has always been the one to own. It finds
is closer in feeling to Previn's EMI reading than his hold the audience's attention, there should be Pavarotti at the height of his powers and Freni
earlier RCA performance, sounding more nostalgic, conflict between the fortepiano and the makes a seductive and refreshingly fragile Mimi.
with occasional vigour and rhythmic drive, over­ orchestra. This is realised by the dramatic textures Karajan may polarise opinion, and I for one
laying the lyrical tension supplied by the excellent articulated by the performers, and rhythms are find his orchestral recordings hard going, but his
Baltimore strings. Zinman understands and tight and buoyant, further emphasising the touch for opera is quite another matter (witness
communicates Rachmaninov's perceptions of composer's intentions. All the performers hold the fabulous RCA Soria Carmen with Leontyne
homesickness and melancholia beautifully. The an obvious love for this music and play with Price). Here he handles the score's naturalism well,
Symphonic Dances is much the livelier of the two a sparkling fluidity, but it is Levin who holds the but more importantly he maintains the sense of a
pieces, with its strains of the composer's own Dies spotlight. His cadenzas leave you breathless, and coherent performance, undoubtedly helped by the
/roe absorbed by folk music and plenty of palpable show a spirit of improvisation rarely found, but long takes and holistic acoustic of the recording
energy. Here Zinman sounds more uncompromising central to Mozart's music. The whole performance venue, a Berlin Church rather than a studio.
than Johanos, disclosing an underlying tenacity and is refined, gracious, and totally appropriate. The performance is dramatic, the singing full
fortitude. Sonically this CD is exceptional, with a The recording is detailed, with fairly good of range and the necessary humour, and Karajan
massive soundstage and excellent imagery and separation, and the soloist is accurately caught, conjures towering crescendos to contrast with the
bloom which give the feeling of a live performance. centre stage. The orchestra is situated well back, many quieter moments. The Speakers Corner
There is a phenomenal frequency range, with in a large soundstage, and sounds powerful, pressing follows their current pattern, losing a little
dynamics to die for. Every nuance of this recording even for one using authentic instruments. transparency and atmosphere compared to the
is brought out by the wonderful acoustics of the But, these results were only gained by reversing original, but compensating the listener with wond­
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and well implemented, the polarity at the speaker terminals - erfully quiet surfaces and a solidity and bandwidth
audiophile, recording equipment. A knockout something I do with many recordings - that escape the Decca versions. The Libretto is
"demo disc". A marvellous issue, nt-two great otherwise the sounds were typically "digital", nicely reproduced, as is the box, and for once they
performances, presented on one of the best with a brightness and edginess to the sound. also stand comparison with the originals. The drama,
sounding orchestral CDs I have come across. A must This CD represents the pinnacle of a natural acoustic and warmth of vinyl come into
have for all audiophiles and lovers of great music. continuing and excellent cycle, holding the their own with opera, making this one of Speakers
Available from www.hififorsale.com benchmark for at least two of these concertos. Corner's most welcome re-issues. Encore please!
Tel: 0870 2412469 SG Supplied by Vivante. Tel:(44)(0)208 9776600
SG RG
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 AUDIO

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and used items for sale: Fidelity, Densen, Tube Technology, Unison Research,
NORDOST Quatrofil reference interconnect cables. 1.5m. £875 pair
(2 pairs) X/D Vienna Acoustics, Veritas, Innersound, Michell, The
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Chord 1400b mono blocks. Black. £5500. S/H.
UNISON RESEACH 845 valve mono blocks. £1995. S/H. Analogue, Crimson, Nordost, VDH, Final, Opera,
REGA Jupiter and lo CD transport and DAC. £750. S/H.
LAVARDIN PO phono stage. £1500. S/H. ART, Audion, Alon, Jolida, PS Audio, Townshend,
TOM EVANS Micro Groove M/C phono stage. £525. S/H. Soundstyle, Target, Ortofon, Project, Pathos, Totem,
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Telephone: Lining Voice, Creek, Epos, Quad etc.
01634 389004(Kent)
For full list and details of current part exchanges
Website: www.progressiveaudio.co.uk and ex dem deals please call or browse my website.
Email: [email protected]
 T4
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 MUSIC REVIEW AUDIOPHILE

climax. Who says the "Classics" can't be sexy!

Hamlet is a more dignified piece - its passion
has a sombre, introspective quality as befits
Shakespeare's emotionally tortured Prince of
Denmark. Stokowski is totally convincing here.
He has an eye for a dramatic gesture which
combines well with Tchaikovsky's instinctive
Russian feel for an epic tale.
A big sounding, tight, sometimes fierce
recording is not for the faint-hearted. The brass
tuttis are especially gripping because their
rawness suits that emotional intensity found in
circumstances that are thematically spiralling
Eric Bibb and Needed Time Tchaikovsky
out of control.

Good Stuff
Francesca da Rimini
•o I Hamlet The Strauss recordings, too, are of
a uniformly high standard - inner details

^^
EVEREST / DCC LPZ 1001
like the weeping violin and delicate percussive
touches near the opening of Don Juan are nicely
Opus 3 LP 19603 Richard Strauss
revealed. Occasionally, though, when strings
leap upwards or chest-thrusting horns push
Don Juan I Till
Like Spirit and the Blues, Good Stuff is now
available on 45rpm vinyl, and, like that album, it
is vastly superior to its CD incarnation. The music
is a personal mix of Eric Bibb's favourite styles,
Eulenspiegel I Salome
EVEREST I DCC LPZ 1002 ^^ ^^ forward to their furthest points, the sound
does top out. Fortunately Stokowski holds back
a little on the great unison horn call of Don
Juan. It would be interesting to know if he
Leopold Stokowski conducting
and is very much a follow-up to the previous was trying to accommodate the engineers
The Stadium Symphony Orchestra
release - being performed and recorded in a very after an earlier playback.
Of New York
similar vein. The performances are expressive For Salome he gives an unashamedly
- as in all of Eric's work - and the whole album sensuous interpretation. Musically, she is made to
is relaxed, yet at the same time, stimulating. seductively pine until it's possible to believe that
Stokowski's fondly remembered SSO Tchaikovsky
While the CD had an "in the room" feel to it, her dance did indeed become too much for Herod
and Strauss performances at the Manhattan
the LP is more "you are there", with the listener and that he had no option but to put her to
Centre Ballroom in New York both date from the
being transported back to the recording session. death. The elaborate conceit which culminates in
July of 1958, and with the exception of Till
There is simply more life to the performance, with Till Eulenspiegefs posthumous epilogue is also
Eulenspiegel and Salome, which were 35mm
more natural tones and an incredibly realistic carried off in some style. Sonerous interruptions
film recordings, they were re-cut directly from
acoustic. Extra nuances add to the appreciation by woodwind and a more pointed intercession
Everest's original three-channel master tapes
of the performance, such as the inflections in from the flute lay a real comic foundation here.
by DCC back in 1994.
Eric's voice, giving a better insight to the changes Of course laughing with Richard Strauss is
The pick is of course those truly wonderful
in energy, and therefore emotion, that he wishes always slightly uneasy when one recalls his
(definitive7) readings of Francesca do Rimini and
to portray. You can hear the heavenly voiced ardent anti-semitism. But who said listening
Hamlet. Leopold Stokowski's whirlwind approach
Deacons positioned behind and around Eric, and to great composers would be a tea-party?
single-handedly resurrected works which had
when listening to ‘Where The Green Grass Grows', RP
previously been considered somewhat lack-lustre.
their bass singer clearly turns his head as he first
Under the circumstances another release of this
sings the words "under my feet". A wonderful
famous recording (despite the secondhand
album, that deserves to be in all good collections.
availability of an Everest SDBR 3011 pressing or
Available from www.hififorsale.com
a later World Record Club reissue) was inevitable.
Tel: 0870 2412469
Is it as good as four decades of hype would have
SG
you believe? Yes, I think it probably is!
Francesca instantaneously catches fire right
from the opening bars, as soaring speeds build
with the theme of the lover's intertwining
RECORDING
passions until its tension becomes too great
MUSIC
to bear and we get that tremendous polyphonic

134
 MUSIC REVIEW AUDIOPHILE

Brahms Beethoven Various Artists

Symphony No. 4 Symphony No.4 I Leonore
Overture No.3
Bruno Walter I CSO Ann Arbor Blues a Jazz Festival
Pierre Monteux I LSO 1972

COLUMBIA I CLASSIC MS 6113 RCA/ CLASSIC VICS-1102 ^^ Atlantic/ Classic SO 2-502

Excursions into the Columbia Masterworks back Recut from an original 1965 RCA Victrola Forget audiophile quality recordings, BUT if you
catalogue are a rarity - which is a pity as we've recording and not a Living Stereo re-issue, want a dose of unadulterated festival atmosphere
missed out on some tremendous sessions from the Beethoven's Fourth Symphony was only released (and this is oozing with it), with the added
likes of Szell, Ormandy, Bernstein and, above all, Dr in the year after Pierre Monteux's death at the benefit of clean toilets (well mine are, I can't
Bruno Walter. His legendary readings of the Brahms ripe old age of Eighty-Nine. Its popularity came vouch for yours), this recording is right on the
and Mahler Symphonies were released (more often from both an understandable wave of nostalgia money. Featuring an eclectic mix from Hound
than not) in the U.K. on the Philips SABL label and for this renown conductor and through the Dog Taylor, by way of Dr John.and Freddie King
were splendidly recorded. Classic will have returned excellence of his performance and the recording right through to the mighty Sun Ra Et His Solar
to the Columbia archives for the cr luiral quality - which is fortunate because 180gr Myth Arkastra, this Classic re-issue places you
mastertapes while, all those years ago, Philips used alternatives are today limited to a Klimo box set smack in the middle of the crowd.
second generation copies for their European cuts. of the complete Symphonies under Rene The double album is packed with gems from
This classic reissue is characteristically well- Liebowitz's baton. Sandwiched between a which I'd single out Koko Taylor performing an
balanced throughout and possesses an admirably monumental Eroica and the tumultuous Fifth, incendiary 'Wang Dang Doodle', Junior Walker
spacious, transparent and warm string tone - which this much gentler Symphony with its serene doing the same with 'Roadrunner', Howlin' Wolf
is important as this reinforces a sense of an all (almost statuesque) nature has been somewhat belting out 'Highway 49', Muddy Waters, Otis
pervasive and beautifully lyrical opening Allegro. overshadowed - a pity because this is a lovely Rush...you see the problem. If these albums don't
Walter's interpretation and the performance from work. Monteux's handling of an ethereal violin stir your bones you're probably beyond help.
his Columbia Symphony players for these big melody in the slow movement is sublime and the If I had to select a favourite number it'd
romantic works are inspired. His strength and Finale (in typical Monteux fashion) is incredibly either be the Howlin' Wolf or maybe the Bonnie
authority builds from that gentle simplicity of exciting, though his detractors might call it Raitt 'Tribute to Fred McDowell'. The fact is the
the Allegro into an exhilarating coda. The slow hectic! Excellent musicianship, and the kind of standard throughout is so high there's little point
movement is finely structured, while an intense understanding one would expect from an in choosing favourites, just pour a drink, light up,
Allegro giocoso has spine-tingling vitality and great orchestra and its resident conductor, help to make crank up the volume to 11, sit back and enjoy.
impetus - culminating in those superbly executed this a memorable LP. The clear, deeply resonant Supplier: Vivante. Tel. (44)(0)208 977 6600
final variations and coda. lower strings from the first movement's Adagio DD

Supplier: Vivante. Tel. (44)(0)208 977 6600 and Allegro, together with real weight in the
RP climaxes creates a wonderfully expansive whole.
Supplier: Vivante. Tel. (44)(0)208 977 6600
RP

RECORDING RECORDING RECORDING

MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

13 5
 MUSIC REVIEW AUDIOPHILE

Led Zeppelin Kari Bremnes Lorna Hunt

(1) Norwegian Mood All In One Day

Classic I Atlantic 508216 •e ARS FXLP221

@ Classic Records RTH1015
@@
I have no idea where Classic have sourced the The female voice has always held a particular If the Kari Bremnes disc represents one extreme of
masters for this 180gm re-issue, as rumour has it fascination for audiophiles, partly because it's the audiophile craving for the perfect female
that the original analogue 2 tracks were lost in something that hi-fi systems actually do welll vocal, then Lorna Hunt's All In One Day is at the
the seventies, hence the re-masters for CD. If The latest in a long (and all too often far from other. An ultra naturalistic recording of what
there's been any PCM in the chain I can't hear it, illustrious) line is this offering from ARS in amounts to a live set, these are self penned gritty
and with an album as cymbal heavy as this one Germany. What makes this project slightly unusual folk songs in the american tradition, laid down
it's usually pretty obvious. My own copy dates is its co-sponsorship by ClearAudio, Phonosophie, direct to two-track, and all the more immediate
from the early eighties and is pretty poor, but not Acapella and Audio Physic, a case of high end for that.
as bad as the second album pressed in the same audio putting its money where its mouth is. Kari This record doesn't have the astonishing
period. Whatever I This version is as shiny as a new Bremnes is, not surprisingly, a Norwegian chanteuse, transparency and detail of the ARS disc, but has
pin, bringing out the power and intensity of and judging from the credits on this album, a other qualities that, arguably, more than make up
Zeppelin in the period where the arrangements member of an impressively extended musical for that. These are musically far more holistic,
came as much from band interplay as from the family. The lyrics, all sung in English, are mostly with a much greater sense of artistic tension. The
dots. Things would never be quite the same again. hers, and are delivered in a pleasingly pure sparse, in some cases almost sporadic support of
Not my favourite Zep album, 2 gets that (dubious) contralto, backed by sensibly sparse acoustic the band is all the more powerful for its restraint
honour, nevertheless the trademarks are all there, arrangements. In fact, everytime I hear this record and the way it focuses attention on Lorna Hunt's
Page's superb use of the riff, Plant's inspired and I think of Judy Collins' bigger sister, the one with voice. And what a voice. It has the natural purity
inspirational wail, Bonham's big, big drums, all an accent. The music is the same intelligent and of tone and pitch that is a prerequisite for an
nicely tied together by Jones' understated bass. gentle folk, the diction has the same clarity. audiophile recording, but it has an edge and
Despite being released in 1969, for me this album Wether or not you'll like the music is down underlying strength to go with the beauty. Stand
never seems to date. The bass lead in to 'Dazed to personal taste, but it's hard to fault the out tracks are 'Long Hard Road', 'Don't Forget Me'
and Confused' still send shivers down my spine recording. The voice is immediate and natural, but and a fabulous 'Whipping Post', the only cover on
just as it did when I first heard it nearly 30 years it's the transparency of the acoustic space and the the album. The beauty of the performance creates
ago. Unless you are the proud possessor of a mint wealth of beautifully presentedlow-level detail a powerful contrast with the bleak material, and
original pressing (what were you doing in the that takes the breath away. The shimmer and for once the excellent recording and pressing is
70s?) then take the opportunity to enjoy this all decay of cymbals is wonderfully natural, totally sympathetic. Evidence that Classic are
over again. This Classic re-issue should be top of underlining how false they generally sound, and losing that cynical streak. I think it might just be.
your Christmas list. that quality encompasses the entire audio range. Supplier: Vivante. Tel. (44)(0)208 977 6600
Supplier: Vivante. Tel. (44)(0)208 977 6600 Supplier: Vivante. Tel. (44)(0)208 977 6600 RG
DA RG
RECORDING RECORDING RECORDING
MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

136
 MUSIC REVIEW AUDIOPHILE

A Musical Nativity
- Two sides to an audiophile Christmas
bv Simon Groome

When we think of music at Christmas, we usually The music here comes across as more thoughtful
summon images of carol singers on a frosty night, and is produced with feeling, summoning up
and it is indeed the carol that has been the a more traditional view of Christmas. The
musical basis for the celebration of Christ's performers are the Oscars Mottetkor, conducted
nativity since the Middle Ages. But more recently by Torsten Nilsson, Marianne Mellnas (soprano)
two sides to this traditional form of adoration and Alf Linder on organ. While the works here
have developed, with two audiophile recordings also include carols and motets, with singing in
representing the opposing camps - one from the the language of the music's origin, whether
new world, the other from the old. English, German, Latin, or Swedish, melodies are
In the New World corner is Reference immediately more expressive, drawing feelings
Recording's Star of Wonder, which has long been of compassion, inspiration and joy. Even the
regarded as an audiophile recording of the occasional brass accompaniment is in keeping
highest order - having appeared on "Super Disc" with the perception. The only track that spoils
lists since the late 1980s. While there are still this feeling of inner peace is White Christmas, Star of Wonder
a few vinyl copies to be found, it is now only and while the singing is excellent, it is the organ, Reference Recordings RR-21

readily available in its HDCD format. The sounding like a Wurlitzer, that demeans the
performances include a mixture of choral music experience. The recording is more appropriate Supplier: Vivante Tel. (44)(0)208 977 6600
(the San Francisco Choral Artists), sometimes with than on Star of Wonder, with a deeper
various harp, flute and organ accompaniments, soundstage and more distant performers, giving RECORDING
and occasional tracks of bell-ringing (the a sense of scale and power - especially with MUSIC
Ringmasters). The majority of works are carols, regard to the sound of the organ. The portrayal
but with new arrangements their purity and of the performers within a natural space is
simplicity is corrupted. The motets come across paramount in allowing this type of music to live
better, due to the lack of modification, but even and breathe, and this is shown here better than
these spiritual works appear without essence. on any other choral recording I know. Many
While the music is always pleasant, it is never audiophiles know and appreciate the
inspiring, and what is produced seems sterile. Decca/London reissues of Japan's King Record
The choir sounds as if they are enjoying their Company. Their Super Analogue pressing of this
experience, but the traditions of the music are album transcends the original Proprius release
disregarded, and the tracks featuring the in every way, which in turn trounces the CD.
Ringmasters are intrusive. The final track, The last, limited numbers, of these very natural
Deck the Hall, fades out to sounds of laughter sounding pressings are still available.
and merriment - far too corny! While crisp As for the two sides of Christmas, they can
and detailed, the recording is not perfect. be summed up as traditional and commercial.
The acoustics of St. Ignatius ChL ich produce For those audiophiles who wish to enjoy the Cantate Domino
a large, but rather shallow, soundstage with traditional, do not hesitate to grab one of the King Super Analogue PROP 07762

natural tones, but it is the recording of the superb King Super Analogue pressings of
flute and harp accompaniment that bother Cantate Domino. While some of you will still Available from www.hi-fiforsale.com
me most - sounding far too close and want Star of Wonder, for its recording quality, Tel: 0870 2412469
overwhelming. this album is one of those audiophile recordings Or Pentacone. Tel/Fax: 01924 445039
Cantote Darn;iic)has also been around for where sound comes before music, and you will
sometime, having been recorded in 1976, and end up listening to the kind of music that plays RECORDING
winning the Swedish Grammofon Prize in 1977. in any Oxford Street store all December long! MUSIC

137
 defi n itive au dio
LIVING VOICE

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 Blue-Prints For Blues-Men...
The Analogue Productions Originals
---------------------------------------------------------------- by Reuben Parry --------------------------------------------------------------

l have often thought that the like one of those late

human condition is an summer evening breezes
inherently painful one. From the which rustles up through
absurdity of biomechanics - the trees, teasing away the
how can a number of disoarate last heat of the day, just
parts like bone, blood and rolled in from Missouri to
tissue physically knit together, spectate at Jimmie Lee
function and not hurt? - Robinson's Remember Me
beyond those hormonal (APO 2006) recording
hiccups in adolescence to sessions. A day later, on
the emotional uncertainty February lSth 1998, he, along
of adulthood - l swear that with a longtime collaborator,
just to get through each day Bill Dye pickin' primitive
you must consciously or guitar, put down the grooves
subconsciously suppress that were to eventually bed
most of this suffering. in for their Goin' Back (APO
Occasionally, though, it 2007) album - twelve tracks
becomes too much to bear. being selected for the 24kt gold
Your woman leaves you. The dog CD, while nine including 'l Got
dies and then, to cap it all, the Bank culmination of a well-judged and A Woman', 'Woke Up This Morning'
forecloses, and all this anguish (no long-considered plan. l tend to lean and the Muddy Waters, 'Buzz On',
matter how much inner philosophising towards the latter. Kassem recognised grace the LP release.
you do) spills out. The Blues, with its at a very early stage that music Dave Baker's technical expertise
peculiar blend of melancholy which devotees should not be asked to at the Blue Heaven Studios, Salina,
fuses sadness and gaiety, has always subsist solely on a regurgitated diet, Kansas, draws you in towards recording
expressively tapped into life's fissures - no matter how rich it has become. Nirvana with this live direct to two
acting as something of a safety valve. Great music and great musicians were track (less-is-more) cut. It really suits
This brings me to Chad Kassem, who still out there. They are not merely the his gnarled vocal honesty and virtuoso
has memorably steamed into an preserve of those recording engineers harmonica blowin'. When Hatch
adventurous and really satisfying and record moguls of the past. As an shifts through the gears this engineer­
recording project with the Analogue example, back in 1984, when Kassem ing matches his every move and
Productions Originals (APOs). first came to Kansas City from his there's that seamless sense of space,
His well known re-pressings of native Louisiana, he heard someone depth and width occupied by rock
such classic jazz and blues albums as who deserved to be recorded - solid stereo images that have made
the inimitable Art Pepper's Plus Eleven a sixty-two year old blues genius, "naturalness" and "immediacy" the
(APJ 017) or Keeping It To Ourselves Little Hatch, who was ripping through bywords for an Analogue Productions
(APB 036) with the magnificent his stuff at The Grand Emporium. Originals release. l guess I'm in love
Sonny Boy Williamson were a highly Fourteen years on (and now a modest with these grizzled ol' blues men such
commendable if relatively safe industry impresario himself) Chad as Robinson, Hubert Sumlin and the
proposition. To take a step further and grasped the unexpected opportunity evocatively named R & B singer,
produce your own original, brand to tape this gritty, natural and sadly Weepin' Willie.
new, audiophile standard recordings under-recorded talent. Although these stalwarts, and the
is either an act of blind faith or the Hatch, appearing as from nowhere, wonderful Provine Hatch, have ^
139
Il clearly moved Chad Kassem over the past "Junior's" undeniably powerful Keltner coolly beating the skins, is
years, it was a legendary Chicago chords was a natural progression. a serious expression of his earliest
guitarist Jimmy Rogers who pioneered Long Gone (APO 2003) released in artistic influences.
the APO label with his translucent 1997 was pulled together from four Another album, Legacy (APO
Blue Bird (APO 2001) disc. recording sessions spanning the 2005), was issued a year
Rogers (christened James I later. Dedicated to the
A Lane) was an inspirational ( memory of his father,
choice. Acclaimed both as an JIMMYbluebird
J M
ROGERS who'd passed away in
integral figure and architect ; the December of 1997,
within the best of the Muddy | it touchingly features
Water's bands, and an admired a soulful Jimmy Rogers
singer/songwriter in his own A trading both quips and
right, he was a musician with leads with his son in
a real pedigree - having performed that distinctive, richly
and recorded with the likes of I engrained, R & B style
Junior Wells, Chuck Berry, Howlin' on Another Mule Kick'in
Wolf and Tampa Red. His presence 1 In My Stall' and 'One
bought into that great blues v j Room Country Shack'.
heritage and gave real credence Jimmy D. Lane is
to this fledgling recording project, ; ' fortunate. Like Eric Bibb
just when it needed it, at the start, I he, too, is one of those
back in 1993. Moreover, the great I up-and-coming figures
man’s status attracted an array of —J who through strong
classy support men: Dave Myers family ties was
(bass), Ted Harvey (drums), n positively steeped in
Carey Bell (harmonica), Johnnie S a blues tradition. The
Johnson (piano) and Jimmy | presence of Dave Myers,
D. Lane (Rogers' son) on I Johnny Littlejohn, Wolf,
a blistering lead guitar. Albert Muddy and Big Walter
Collins, too, was scheduled ' jamming with your ol'fella
to guest but died shortly at home in the front room
before recording began. has to be infectious. But, of
Blue Bird is profound. I course, being around "the
An astute modern electric
blues classic that on LP
jimmydlane
rong gone
greats" can be double-edged.
Do you emulate them and
combines nine terrific Jimmy risk becoming a pale imitation
Rogers originals with four that feeds cheaply from the
standards - among them memories of the past? Or,
a fitting tribute tq "Waters" alternatively, become some­
and "the Wolf" with one who guts it out, digs deep
'Smokestack Lightning', [ and finds a creditable voice
and a Melvin L. Jackson of one's own? Lane does not
favourite, 'Rock Me'. However it's cling to anybody's shirt-tails.
the three tracks that kick-off side one, two preceding years. Jimmy D. Lane Comfortable alongside Freddie
'I'm Tired Of Crying Over You', 'Blue opens with his personal Hendrix Crawford, Carey Bell and Co., he
Bird' and 'Walkin' By Myself' that are homage, 'Hear My Train A Comin'. The mixes his own blistering guitar attacks
the killers. They demonstrate a pure musical and visual feast that was Jimi with Bell's crying harmonica and the
synergy and camaraderie amongst Hendrix was the main reason for Lane tight Crawford bass lines for tracks
band members as their nip'n'tuck picking up that first guitar - a fifty nine like 'In This Bed', where Lane's lyrics
magic-making surrounds Jimmy Roger's dollar Harmony - to begin with. So topically handle more modern blues
legendary lyricism. laying down this track, with Freddie themes - the sexual needs and human
Running the pure analogue tapes Crawford diggin' in on bass and Jim frailties of a party girl in this instance. I>

140
I> Don't get me wrong, this isn't first guitar licks behind Howlin' Wolf 'I Got It Where I Want It' and Tm
a case of "Jimmy D. Lane meets on the indelible Chess classics 'Shake Coming Home') helps to peel away at
Germaine Greer", but it is a relevant, For Me' and 'Killin' Floor' ... whose the intervening years until the spirit
living blues for today and I'm sure brilliantly inventive guitar work from those early Chicago blues days
that thirty years from now people will inspired scores of famous guitarists. of the 1950s is reincarnated.
look back and say "sure, As a consequence, Jimmy D's
Jimmy D. was something. rockier inclinations are
Wire burnin'. Totally awe­ restrained in favour of that
some. Right out there in more rustic R & B style and
front". These LPs will also Sumlin (sometimes through
be sought for their muscular a softer lyrical execution, which
engineering which really often belies his age but speaks
suits Jimmy D's deep, volumes for the man's exper­
rough-hewn vocals and the ience) has a massive impact.
ripping electric chords that For that matter, so does the
frequently rock! Nor should openness and clarity of those
those split sessions of Long instrumental images which lie
Gone hold any fears. at the heart of this Michael C.
There's certainly nothing Ross engineered recording. Micro­
fragmented about John phone positions and acoustic
Koenig's production. balances are spot on. Take
When Jimmy switches | Carey's harmonica notes which
to acoustic on Tm introduce the longest track, 'I've
In Love', or Keltner Been Hurt', as a good example.
augments his stick work For over seven minutes they openly
with tambourine splashes in 'Shave, He's the one Eric Clapton, in weep but never dry up as the
Shiver, Ache', the recording clearly a gesture from a man at a loss as to anguish is thickly applied by electric
defines these subtleties and shifts how to repay his gratitude, let choose guitar riffs and a strong vocal line.
in pace, shape and texture. from among his vast collection (of Rubbing shoulders with this
The close knit, communal exper­ guitars).” Moreover, this is Sumlin's "institution" is a harp man making his
ience of cutting discs for Analogue recording session. Shrugging off the recording debut. Eomot Ra Sun is one
Productions is also reflected in Hubert sideman tag, he nonchalantly leads of those self-taught tongue blockers I>
Sumlin's release, I Know You (APO the guys in an exciting and
2004). This, the fourth of the Originals, atmospheric recording
is another meeting place for friends of ten songs,
and kindred spirits alike. Sumlin, including
who went way back with Jimmy interpretations of
Rogers, guested on Legacy (alongside two Chester Burnett
drummer, Sam Lay) for a Chester masterpieces,
Burnett track, 'Big House'. Here, 'Howlin' For My
they are joined by sidemen Jimmy Darling' and 'How
D Lane and Freddie Crawford, while Many More Years'.
a magical Carey Bell again demon­ Characteristically,
strates the harmonica's vocal-like poetic and
qualities, with David Krulls dexterous improvisational,
hands freely working the ivories on Hubert Sumlin's warm,
piano and organ. effortless and
For those who are unfamiliar with impeccably old-
the sixty six year old (former) sideman fashioned artistry
from Greenwood, Mississippi, I will (especially when
paraphrase Justin O'Briens liner notes: reworking lyrics and
“That's Hubert playing the hair-raising imagery on songs like

141
^ whose rootsy Delta blues style vocal delivery and themes of poverty style of guitar/vocals, is not content to
musically connects back to that is an exceptionally intelligent manipul­ let his (or anyone else's) guitar tamely
Maxwell Street tradition. He has also ation and choice of material, proving mimic the rhythms of a vocal line on
been decisively shaped, in turns, by that maturity as a live performer will Shake 'Em On Down (APO 2010).
remarkable sharecropper grand­ always have its place in the recording Idiosyncratic, authentic and above all
parents, an impoverished jammed full of surprises where timing
Southside Chicago childhood, and delivery are concerned,
three unpleasant tours of duty going solo for his reworking
in Vietnam and the discovery of inspirational Patton
of a proud African heritage. favourites 'High Water
The latter figures strongly Everywhere' and tag
within Eomot's psyche. His teaming with Madison Slim's
given name, Ezra Lee Blakely harmonica for 'Pony Blues'
Jr. was jettisoned, to be show that blues men (even
replaced by the current at eighty four years of age)
handle, pronounced are rarely over-the-hill. Instead
E-oh-maht RAH-sahn. like a rough old tree stump
This is very much part of alternately cracked and
a genuine cultural and bleached in high summer and
ethnic consciousness then ravaged by the icy storms
coming to the fore - the of winter, they bring marvel­
sharp sartorial sleeve lously gnarled textures to these
design for Three Days
Walkin' (APO 2008) being
no simple masquerade.
Underpinning these ten quint­ studio, and
essential cuts, though, are the twin confirming that
pillars of great musicianship and considerable
finely-tuned technical expertise. (frequently
Dave Baker, down at the Blue Heaven unrealised) talent
Studios, develops a precise, transparent still exists outside
and tactile quality which beds in of those walls.
nicely around the veteran supporting If experience
line-up of bass man Bob Stroger, in a large amount
drummer Sam Lay and ubiquitous counts, then
electrician Jimmy D. Lane. octogenarian David
Eomot's harp playing is not out of "Honeyboy" Edwards
place in this company, and his light has racked up an
vocal touches will also grow on you. unassailable score.
I admit to some uncertainty on quick­ He has "seen it all"
fire openers 'Goin' To Chicago' and and (for reasons
'Watkin These Blues Away', mainly which will become
because I've grown too conditioned apparent) "done it all", black folk songs. There is,
by deep, powerful and rugged blues as well, during a career that has too, plenty of urgency and emotional
voices. Here, it was the rhythmically taken him from a seat alongside the intensity from Edwards' playing. Head
slow, almost lazy cadences of 'Last unrivalled Charley Patton (who earned on gunslinger guitar exchanges with
Night' and a deliberate, tightly a reputation as founder of the Delta pretender Jimmy D. Lane on 'Bullfrog
controlled, pathos on the superb Blues back in the early Thirties) to Blues' perhaps reflects some growing
side-one closer 'Poor Boy', that really sessions with the late great Big Joe anxieties about mortality (rather than
convinced me about this attractive, Williams, of Basie Band feinc Edwards, any machismo) because clearly he
tonally sweet, school of blues singing. like Patton who was renown for a feels there is still much work to be
Establishing a stark contrast between uniquely personal and complimentary done in his twilight years. But then ^-

142
^ maybe performing is just a drug. As likely to find. naturally jumped at an opportunity to
Honeyboy says "Blues is a feeling ... An off-the-cuff chance remark cut a disc that would also feature Sam,
I've played blues where women just sit overheard by Mighty Sam McClain his band and old friend Susan Tedeschi
and cry over their problems. I've also while both he and Weepin' Willie alongside the veteran vocalist.
had people dancing ... that's when Robinson were touring round the What a debut' The converted
I get the biggest thrills". Intuitive Boston blues venues was the catalyst church that serves as the Blue Heaven
gigs, such as this, certainly offer up which led directly to one of the finest Studios is a stunning venue. Songs
wonderfully addictive and compelling of these Acoustic Sounds/APO that include five McClain originals,
evidence of that... recordings. After over two Robinson penned numbers and
forty years of singing priceless standards, 'Fever' and 'Let
urban rhythm ‘n’ blues The Good Times Roll', are awesome.
the frustrations of The principles give it their all - belting
a seventy three year out a heady blend of styles: from
old Willie Robinson a typically rich McClain spirituality,
spilled over into his to those seductive Tedeschi touches
now famous heartfelt added for those two standards and, of
statement... "Man, course, Weepin' Willie Robinson living
I got to get me a CD up to that name with an emotive and
1 out before I die". refreshingly uncomplicated commit­
1 Well, as it turned ment. At last, On Time (APO 2009)
out, he's achieved is a "must own" LP for any blues fan.
I much more than Moreover, here's another
could normally compelling opportunity to make that
be expected of all important connection with an
authentic blues past.
, y^B Willie Robinson has
-~B lived that traditional life
. B which has provided the
. B inspiration for an entire
From 78s to the sought after LPs cut pl J | music genre. Parentless
for Sun and Chess Records - and from the age of thirteen;
now with the Analogue Productions picking cotton in 1930s
180gr vinyl, audiophile CD and DVD SFo Georgia; suffering, first
releases of Shake 'Em On Down - ...... B hand, the pain of
David Honeyboy Edwards has B institutional racism
weaved a spell and long may it ■ • B while serving in the
continue. Clearly he has never been SisgOStB U.S. Military during
better recorded. His rasping, barely World War Two, and
enunciated, saliva-filled lyrics then learning his
sometimes spitting, sometimes trade with the BB
sucking back emotions are, together King and James
with the improvised acoustic wire 'Fti Taylor Bands of the
bending and full-bodied soundbox ___SSiBBl Fifties and Sixties.
slaps, breathtakingly realistic, while These experiences
Slim Madison's pained harmonica can never be replicated. They have
intercessions for 'Drop Down Mama' a debutant. On hearing those words shaped this fine old blues man and
and 'Monkey Face Woman' have an McClain then went on a personal (even if he never cut another disc)
etched, but never over-indulged, crusade to fulfil this wish. Joined Weepin' Willie Robinson will have
quality The hierarchy of voice, guitar in this venture by his Audioquest left an honest, truly indelible, mark
and harmonica is perfectly maintained. producer, the brilliant Jo Harley, upon us with cracking tracks like
Making this organic Delta Blues album they pitched the idea of recording 'Glory Train', 'Love Call' and
one of the most hypnotic that you'll be Weepin' Willie to Chad Kassem who 'Can't Go Wrong Woman'. ^

143
^ Attentive readers will have noticed penned by Nancy - 'Sweet Havana' - unlimited talent will not always
an omission - Nancy Bryan's Lay Me which just happens to be a John guarantee richly deserved success.
Down (APO 2002). In mitigation this Bryan original' The Originals series offers a powerful
is no blues album, so perhaps I can Nancy's light vocal touches and advocacy for these people, but on their
be excused for conveniently leaving stronger songwriting are, however, own these records and CDs will not be
it till last. the creative focal points for this LP enough. So don't hesitate, connect
My opening encounter with the Unaccompanied for a remarkable, with these fine musicians while the
words and music of this sometimes 'Come Back To Me', she fans smoulder­ opportunity still exists. >+
feisty folk rocker came through an ing lyrics like, "l can't believe you'd
excellent (and still available) leave my life I this way I I'm like Album Reviews
Fi/Analogue Productions sampler CD a cobweb hanging I On the ceiling I
from 1997. Featuring just the one of Hanging 'round the hope I You might
her tracks, 'Blood Song', its acutely come back this way", until they catch
felt observations on metropolitan alight. Which makes her
relative anonymity
difficult to explain.
Lay Me Down should be
a popular choice, but
its rare when working
the Shows to be asked
for a copy: Maybe the
bland sleeve artwork is
a contributory factor?
A poor explanation,
I admit, but its one
backed by personal
experience.
A year or so ago
a friend ; who will
remain nameless)
received the CD as
a "cat sitting" thank
you. Last summer
we were groove spinning n id 'Blood
violence lead the way for the 1995 Song' got an airing. Embarrassingly
John Koenig produced APO album so, as it turned out. Being asked who
release. Incidentally, a tireless Koenig the singer was, well, my eyes began
also doubles as electric, acoustic and to roll and having a slightly cruel
(occasional) bass guitarist; trebles up streak, I tortured my friend with gentle
on cello and Hammond B3, and even sarcasm until a confession was
lends a hand with percussion, shaker obtained... The liner hadn't been
and tambourine. Undoubtedly, her ad eye-catching enough for that particular
hoe studio band is talent filled. Burleigh magpie. Need I say more?
Drummond lives up to his name - he's The long and the short of it is that
one hell of a stick man, and Hagstrom any criticisms levelled against this
8-String Bass monster Dan Schwartz is album are, at their worst, superficial.
awesome for the closing track, 'In And Nancy Bryan may be a more main­
Out Of Time'. Nancy's husband John, stream artist than the likes of Little
too, proves what a mean acoustic guitar Hatch or Eomot Ra Sun, but she's been
player he can be on half a dozen just as badly neglected. Which goes to
numbers, including the contemplative prove that (whether you're a grizzly old
title track and the only song not bluesman or folksy crossover artist)

144
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