7 Complete Systems Starting at $700!

S T E R E O • M U LT I C H A N N E L A U D I O • M U S I C

Burmester’s
$65k CD Player
HIGH-END SOUND - AT A PRICE
Pass Labs’ First
Integrated Amp
Mother of All
Subwoofers
JL Audio’s Mighty
Gotham
15 Pages of
New Music Reviews
ULTIMATE
MINI-MONITOR?
Totem’s 20th Anniversary
The One
 Contents
47 Seven Complete
Budget Systems
Recommended
We assemble seven terrific-sounding systems
to fit any budget. 78 Atma-Sphere M-60 Mk III OTL Amplifier and
24 Start Me Up
The stereo receiver comes of age in the Maven from Music
Hall. Neil Gader reports.
28 Absolute Analog
Anthony H. Cordesman evaluates the VPI Typhoon
record-cleaning machine.
30 TAS Interview
Lyric HiFi’s Mike Kay talks with HP about the early days
of American high-end audio.
60 Equipment Reports
60 Totem Acoustic The One Loudspeaker
Totem pulled out all the stops on this limited-
edition speaker commemorating the company’s 20th
anniversary. Wayne Garcia has the details.
68 Gershman Acoustics Sonogram Loudspeaker
Neil Gader listens to the newest and most affordable
speaker from Canada’s Gershman Acoustics.
 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
72 Paradigm Reference Signature Series S1
Mini-monitor
This $1500 mini-monitor’s advanced technology and
pure beryllium tweeter pay off in the listening room,
says Steven Stone.
MP-3 Preamplifier
What’s all this fuss about output-transformerless
amplifiers? Sue Kraft auditions a pair of OTLs from
that stalwart proponent of OTL amps, Atma-Sphere
Music Systems.
82 Pass Labs INT-150 Integrated Amplifier
Pass Labs hits one out of the park with its first
integrated amplifier, says Neil Gader.
86 The Cutting Edge
86 JL Audio Gotham Subwoofer
A
 lan Taffel on one of the most ambitious subwoofers
ever made.
94 Burmester 069 CD Player
T
 his gorgeous two-box CD player from Germany’s
Burmester pushes more than a few boundaries.
Anthony H. Cordesman reports.
104 HP’s Workshop
HP auditions the Zanden 1200mk2 phonostage
and considers the problem of differing LP
equalization curves.
Contents
6 Baseball Project, Danny Paisley,
Letters
12
From the Editor
15
Future TAS
New products on the horizon.
18
Industry News
Classical music is alive and well, as
evidenced by Harmonia Mundi’s
50th anniversary celebration. Andrew
Quint brings you the inside story of
this venerable record label.
113
Manufacturer Comments
MUSIC
137 RECORDING OF THE
ISSUE
Schmidt: Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln.
116
Rock
We interview genre-blurring rock
artist Alejandro Escovedo. Plus,
new albums from The Hold
Steady, Coldplay, Wolf Parade, The
Fiery Furnaces, Supergrass, The
Alejandro Escovedo
 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Nachtmystium, and Gates of
Slumber. Plus new archival releases
from Billy Joel and Black Sabbath,
and high-grade LPs from Fleet Foxes,
Shearwater, and Neil Young.
128
Jazz
New discs from Willie Nelson and
Wynton Marsalis, Bill Frisell, Wayne
Horvitz, John Beasley, Mike Garson,
Todd Sickafoose, and Joe Wilder-
Marshall Royal Quintet. Plus, two more
Music Matters 45rpm LP reissues.
136
Classical
Two recordings of the music of
Einojuhani Rautavaara, Wheeler’s
The Construction of Boston, Anne Sofie
Von Otter performing Swedish songs,
Sibelius’ Kullervo Symphony, Lord’s
Boom of the Tingling Strings, a glorious
Bach Motets, Jordi Savall’s Estampies
& Danses Royales, and the Zuckerman
ChamberPlayers’ take on Schubert
and Mozart.
144
TAS Back Page
Totem Acoustic’s Vince Bruzzese.
www.theabsolutesound.com
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executive editor
Harry Pearson
Robert Harley
Jonathan Valin
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and associate editor Neil Gader
music editor Bob Gendron
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art director Torquil Dewar
senior writers
Anthony H. Cordesman, Wayne Garcia, Robert E.
Greene, Chris Martens, Tom Martin,
Dick Olsher, Andrew Quint,
Paul Seydor, Alan Taffel
reviewers and
contributing writers
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Dan Davis, Andy Downing, Jim Hannon,
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Derk Richardson, Don Saltzman,
Steven Stone
AVguide.com
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Letters
e-mail us: rharley@nextscreen.com
or write us a letter: The Absolute Sound, PO Box 1768, Tijeras, New Mexico 87059
Dodos Lost in the
Past
Three cheers for the great Anthony
Cordesman! But what a pity so many
of the TAS editors are dodos lost in
the past; they clearly would not join
him in his praise for SACDs and the
companies which continue to support the
superior technology with their marvelous
recordings.
I promised myself I would not say
another word to you about SACDs,
but Cordesman’s praise and reader
John Lipani’s far more reasoned and
understanding letter [TAS 182] prompted
me to write (not that I forgive the
condescending “nice little niche” remark).
But all in all, as Stephen Colbert would
say, “I accept your apology, Mr. Lipani.”
Christopher Mankiewicz
Throwing the
Vinyl Baby out
with the Digital
Bathwater
It is nonsense to suggest that the sound
quality of well-executed CD can match or
surpass that of SACD, although one can
see why more than a few vested interests
would have us believe so.
An inconvenient truth for many is that
there is a wholeness and integrity to SACD
sound even in two-channel mode that ut-
terly eludes the mechanistic and etched
nature of CD playback, irrespective of the
refinement and costliness of the equip-
ment used. Why, even store assistants are
conditioned to tell us that with the latest
recording techniques, modern CDs sound
better than SACD; ergo, “We no longer
stock them.”
Now the nay-sayers preach a new
 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
gospel of music servers and lightning fast
download speeds, offering the prospect
of convenient perfect sound (forever?), but
hold on a minute—haven’t we been along
this road before?
Right now, it seems difficult enough
to move digital bits along a few inches
of S/PDIF cable without inducing cata-
strophic timing errors requiring an atomic
clock to make sense of them. Fat chance,
then, of moving them through a few dozen
telephone exchanges and several thousand
miles of phone lines, or half-a-planet’s
worth of RF-saturated ether without inhi-
bition. As the old melody goes: “There may
be troubles ahead.” There sure will be!
SACD is a technology that should not
be so easily cast aside. There are, after all,
huge advantages in storing digits safely
on little silver discs and transmitting them
through the mail. Convenience is only one
small aspect of consumer satisfaction.
Not only do you get a perceivable asset
and ready-made archive, but also timing
delays created by the postal services have
no affect whatsoever on replay quality!
It took the clued-up boffins of the hi-
fi industry about twenty years to realize
they had thrown the vinyl baby out with
the digital bathwater, so let’s hope that
this lesson of history is not forgotten in
the stampede to flush SACD embryos
down the waste disposer.
John Luke
Robert Harley replies: I’m not sure to
what you’re referring in your first sentence, Mr.
Luke, but it isn’t a position proffered by anyone
on the TAS editorial staff. We enthusiastically
support SACD, and hope that the stream of
new titles continues.
 
The Goose-Bump
Factor
The Web site of a local dealer (Eastwood
HiFi in Sydney, Australia) stated that if
you were one of those misguided people
who think LPs sound better than CDs,
you should go away and never come back.
I sent the owner a polite e-mail stating
that if he were to take the time to listen
to a good vinyl setup he might change his
mind. He sent me back a rather rude reply
stating that he was mixing and producing
analog back in the 70s, and he knew that
72dB-limited (his words) analog was not up
to scratch. I didn’t have the knowledge or
the inclination to argue with this dogmatic
person, but it really made my blood boil.
Before CD I had a Technics SLQ2
turntable, Sansui receiver, and Sennheiser
HD430 headphones. I was happy. When
CD came out I thought, ‘‘this is the best
thing since sliced bread.” I started buying
CDs before I even had (cheap) CD player.
I was sucked right in. These were my salad
days, when I was green in judgment.
Later on, when I had some money,
I spent a lot of it pursuing “analog” sound
through CDs. After reading about real
analog for years, I decided to get back into
LPs. I got a Rega P5 and started to listen.
When I heard the Cisco LP of Jennifer
Warnes’ The Well, I was blown away. I had
goose-bumps the size of golf balls.
Since then I’ve been buying LPs and
have updated my turntable to a 1996
model Simon Yorke S7 (soon to be
matched to Herron electronics). This
machine is a work of art. Just looking
at it makes me feel good. Also, without
spending a huge amount of money, it
sounds just great.
The point is this: I still listen to CDs and
some of them sound really good. However,
the “goose-bump factor” with good vinyl
is far greater in the analog domain, but I
suppose you already know that.
Ross Peterson
RH replies: Mr. Peterson’s phrase “the
goose-bump factor” encapsulates perfectly why
vinyl playback is justly enjoying a massive surge
in popularity.
Letters
I went to Eastwood HiFi’s Web site to see for
myself and discovered this:
“Eastwood HiFi caters for the ‘realistic’
Audiophile - i.e. ones [sic] who have a
modicum of intelligence when it comes
to the physics and chemistry involved in
the reproduction of music via electronic
means. Those of you who still believe
that the Turntable and Record with it’s
[sic] clicks, pop’s [sic], hisses and lack of
dynamic range still offers [sic] a better
sound than modern day 24 bit CD’s,
DVD-A or SACD’s should click here and
never return!”
And just when did CD become a 24-bit
medium?
The Anti-Goose-
Bump Factor(s)
I have read your technical sidebar
explanation of jitter in the March issue
of TAS, and have to commend you on
providing such a crisp and clear explanation
of a topic that tends to be impenetrable to
most of the audiophile community. I think
I shall save it and refer to it often when I
am discussing the topic with other people
interested in our hobby.
Particularly interesting is the notion
that the timing errors actually result
in amplitude errors in the final analog
waveform. When I thought about
this further, it seemed to me that the
corollary to this concept is that those
amplitude errors are a function of the
Upcoming in
ISSUE 185
• 2008 Editors’ Choice
Awards!
• Hansen Audio’s The
Prince loudspeaker
• New budget gear from
Simaudio
• ProAc’s new D2
loudspeaker
• Pass Labs’ XA-100.5
Class-A monoblock
amplifiers
 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
rate of change of the waveform—in
other words, a function of frequency.
The higher the frequency, the greater the
degree of amplitude error must be, given
any particular clock. Am I thinking about
this correctly?
If so, the implications for CD playback
are that there is a multiple-whammy of
sorts: On the one hand, we have a band-
limiting phenomenon due to the anti-
aliasing filter required in the ADC, then
within that truncated bandwidth, you
have phase-error due to the anti-imaging/
reconstruction filter, compounded by
amplitude distortion that affects the top
octave more so than the lower octaves. It
is, therefore, no wonder that, despite our
limited hearing range, higher-bandwidth
digital brings with it real-world sonic
improvements.
Agim Perolli
RH replies: You are, indeed, correct that the
waveform distortion introduced by clock jitter
in D/A conversion has a greater magnitude on
high frequencies. One can intuitively see how this
would affect high-frequency timbres (cymbals
that sound like spray cans, for example),
but jitter also makes the bass sound soft and
less dynamic. Keith Johnson provides some
interesting insight into correlating jitter with
sonic characteristics on the Forum at avguide.
com under “D/A Converters” and the thread
“Jitter Audibility.”
Vinyl
Renaissance
While I wholeheartedly agree with
Andy Downing’s musical evaluation of
Radiohead’s new release In Rainbows in
Issue 178, I cannot disagree more with
his sonic assessment.
As a long-time Radiohead fan, I
couldn’t help notice the attention the
band received for its new album’s
unorthodox distribution approach. I was
not surprised—pay what you want, sure,
go for it! Creative, risky, challenging—it
was pure Radiohead. While I didn’t make
a play for MP3 download option, I did
snap up the domestic LP as soon as it
became available.
While the inexpensive vinyl edition
was good, things really got interesting
when the limited edition 45rpm disc-
box showed up. In Andy Downing’s
review there wasn’t any mention of the
double vinyl mastered at 45rpm. Not an
insignificant detail! What emerged from
the dead quiet vinyl surfaces was a huge,
physical soundstage that literally filled my
listening room. When compared to the
regular release, pretty much every sonic
parameter was significantly superior.
Engaging, uncompromising and beautiful;
it isn’t the absolute sound, but boy what
a ride! While the domestic LP release
is satisfactory, the 45rpm vinyl edition
is the only way to listen to In Rainbows.
And let’s not forget about the superlative
packaging—a true labor of love.
If you are an audiophile, music lover,
or both, consider yourself lucky. In 2008
we are in the midst of a vinyl renaissance.
I tip my hat to the creative forces and the
entrepreneurs who go out on a creative
and financial limb to provide us, the
listeners, with the most engaging music
mastered in the most uncompromising
way. Does it get any better than this?
Derwyn Goodall
Bob Gendron replies: Andy Downing’s
review in Issue 178 stated that it covered only
the download, and noted that the LP and disc-
box had yet to be released. Andy did, indeed,
review the disc-box, which he awarded a 4 1/2-
star sonic rating, in Issue 180.
Dream SACD
I would ask you to review the new
Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 on Telarc
with Paavo Jarvi and the Cincinnati
Symphony. It makes, once again, an
excellent statement about the wonderful
possibilities of multichannel SACD.
Prokofiev’s orchestration, with great
percussion, and absolutely terrific
sound, make this the dream SACD. Not
to mention an excellent understanding
and interpretation of the music by
conductor and musicians. The orchestra’s
performance is truly beyond words. 
I want to thank you for the wide and
varied number of components at all price
levels that your magazine reviews. It has
enabled me to purchase equipment that I
would have otherwise never been aware
was available to me as a consumer. This
 Letters
includes cables and components. Thanks
again for a wonderful magazine.
Steve Livingston
RH replies: The Jarvi SACD is reviewed
in last issue’s Multichannel Marvels.
All in a Day’s
Work
A quick note to say “thanks” for
leading me to two recent superb stereo
component purchases, the Usher Be-
718 Tiny Dancer speakers and the
Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CD player.
These products were so impressive that
I decided to have my old Accuphase E-
202 integrated serviced—these products
still rock 30 years after I bought them!
Coupled with my Accuphase T-101
tuner, I have a system in my office that
keeps me from leaving in the evening.
I could not be more satisfied. I look
forward to going to work every morning.
Thanks again for leading me to these
superb products.
Neil Moynihan
If Not TAS, Then
Who?
I’ve been a reader of The Absolute Sound
since the early 1970s and I find the ma-
gazine overall very informative and es-
sential [reading].
Unlike many readers, the magazine
features most valuable and interesting
to me are articles and reviews of state-
of-the-art components. What I find
least valuable are inadequate compari-
NOW ON AVguide.com
• Photos essays of the
Wilson Alexandria X-2
installation in Robert
Harley’s listening room
and of the MBL 101X in
Jonathan Valin’s home.
(Both are on the Forum in
the “Audio Gear for Music”
10 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
sons: How does the component being
reviewed sound in direct comparison
with other similar components of simi-
lar merit? This seems to be an on-going
problem in The Absolute Sound and in all
other printed or on-line magazines, as
well. The latest example is the March,
2008 issue containing the VTL Siegfried
review by Jacob Heilbrunn, and the De-
cember, 2007 review of the Audio Rese-
arch Reference 610T by Jonathan Valin.
As a consumer who is actually con-
sidering purchase of one of these amps,
the reviews as written are especially frus-
trating because it’s highly unlikely that
I’ll find any dealers who can demonstra-
te, in-store, on the same occasion, both
units. In the interest of better compari-
sons, wouldn’t it have been more logical
to give either JV or JH both products
to review? Alternatively, couldn’t either
JV or JH spend a day or two listening at
the other’s place for the comparison? If
The Absolute Sound can’t or won’t provide
its readers with such direct comparisons,
who can?
Scott Black
RH replies: I agree that comparisons of
similar products are useful; however, there
are many challenges in publishing such direct
head-to-head comparisons, from logistics to
resistance by manufacturers. The issue is quite
contentious, as evidenced by the debate on the
subject in the Forum on avguide.com. I invite
readers to share their views on the Forum.
Erratum Our review of the Dynaudio 2/8
loudspeaker in the previous issue stated that
the finish is a rosewood veneer when in fact it
is a rosewood laminate. In addition, Dynaudio
manufactured complete loudspeakers for
several years before building its own drivers.
section under “Speakers.”)
• Read Robert Harley’s
controversial Audio
Engineering Society paper
“The Role of Critical
Listening in Evaluating
Audio Equipment Quality,”
and post your comments.
 FROM THE
Editor
Paradigm Shift
T
he Absolute Sound, like all magazines, is a one-way street: We publish information that you
read. The exception is the Letters column, the only place in which readers have a voice.
This mechanism for interaction between readers and editors (and other readers) is, however,
abysmally slow because of the long lead times of magazine publishing. And given the limited space in
Letters, we can publish only those that are of general interest to a wide range of readers.
But suppose you could respond instantly
to something you read in TAS—and get an
immediate reply from the writer or editor. This
response could range from asking a question that
wasn’t answered in the review to commenting on
an article, making a suggestion, proffering your
own observation about a product, technology, or
the industry, or even asking advice on upgrading
your system. And what if you could tap into not
just the TAS editors’ background and knowledge,
but that of the entire TAS readership?
Such a place already exits—it’s the Forum on
our Web site, avguide.com. Of course, there are
plenty of audiophile forums on the Web, but
only one where you can exchange ideas with
The Absolute Sound’s editors and writers, not to
mention interact with the world’s most informed
and engaged audiophiles—the TAS readership.
Your Forum is the place to learn about great-
sounding music (or share with everyone else your
recent discoveries), get previews of upcoming See more photos of the Wilson Alexandria X-2 installation in Robert Harley’s listening
room, as well as the setup of the MBL 101X in Jonathan Valin’s room, on the Forum at
equipment reviews, exchange set-up tips, talk avguide.com. (Photo by Daryl Wilson.)
about the latest vinyl reissues, get a look inside
the TAS editors’ listening rooms, and become subject as “What’s the best power amplifier for the Quad
part of a larger community of audiophiles. The possibilities 2905?” Paul Seydor and Jim Hannon, with more than 40
are endless. years of Quad ownership between them, weigh in with their
Right now on the Forum at avguide.com you can see unparalleled experience. And if you’ve discovered a great
a photo story on Jonathan Valin’s listening room and the amplifier for the Quad, we’d all love to hear about it.
delivery and set up of the massive MBL Radialstrahler We intend to build the on-line audiophile community
101X loudspeaker system that he’ll be reviewing soon. I’ve through the Forum at avguide.com. To that end, we’re
also posted a photo essay of what’s involved in setting up working on a ground-up overhaul of the site that will
a major loudspeaker system—in my case, Dave Wilson include powerful and unprecedented new tools for
assembling and fine-tuning the new Wilson X-2 Alexandria community members to share information and interact with
Series 2. (Both are in the “Audio Gear For Music” section, other members. We’ll publish a special feature on the new
under “Speakers.”) site when it’s ready later this year. Until then, I hope that
Each Forum category is manned by one of the editors you’ll join in the discussions going on right now. I’ll see you
or writers of TAS or our sister publications, HiFi+ and on-line.
Playback. Want to talk about the best multichannel SACDs Robert Harley
with our resident expert, Classical Editor Andrew Quint?
Just visit the SACD section. Or how about as narrow a

12 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

FutureTAS
Neil Gader
Singing Like a Canary
The Van den Hul Canary is a completely
new cartridge design based on A.J. Van
den Hul’s latest innovations. It features
nothing less than matched crystal-pure,
24-carat gold coils, and outputs a healthy
.55mV. Additionally this “little bird”
is less sensitive to load variation than
many VdH cartridges, making it easier
to match to a variety of phonostages
and step-up transformers. VdH credits
the strong Alnico magnet for the sonics
and extension that are the trademark
of Van den Hul’s renowned Colibri and
Condor cartridges. The Canary’s nylon
body and open design are said to be key
advantages, as they effectively minimize
resonances, add soundstage focus, and
maintain tonal neutrality throughout the
listening band.
Price: $4995. bluebirdmusic.com

A Little Majik for a Legend

If you needed more proof that analog isn’t going away anytime soon,
look no further than the Linn Majik LP12 turntable. This compete rig
couples the performance of the venerable Sondek LP12 in a “turnkey”
package that’s chock-full of the added value that the Majik line is known
for. Among its no-extra-cost features are an internal power supply, a solid
baseboard, an Adikt MM cartridge, and nothing less than the sweet Pro-
Ject 9cc tonearm. The Majik LP12 is fully upgradeable and compatible
with Linn’s range of turntable products, and complements other
components in the Linn Majik range. It also provides nascent vinyl
junkies with the opportunity to own a piece of Linn heritage and hi-fi Canton’s iPod Digital
history in a complete, upgradeable turntable. Sound Station
Price: $3750. linn.com The Canton DSS 303 Digital Sound
Station brings the company’s potent
speaker technology to a desktop stereo
audio system. It features an integrated
iPod dock and charger, FM/AM clock
radio, and a full-feature credit-card-sized
remote control. The coaxial drivers
incorporate a 4" aluminum cone woofer
and a 1" fabric dome tweeter with a
reported frequency response from 38Hz
to 25kHz. The DSS 303 amp modules
are capable of delivering up to 50 watts
of power to each channel. The Sound
Station carries Apple’s “Made for iPod”
certification, and includes seven different
adapters for nearly every iPod made that
uses a docking connection. There’s also a
rear-panel USB port for PC connection
to provide all iPod synchronization and
download functions.
Price: $499. cantonusa.com

The Absolute Sound September 2008 15

 FutureTAS Resolution That Comes in RED
Building on the success of the Blu and the
DAC64, the Chord RED Reference CD
player features eye-popping state-of-the-art
design matched by its sonic credentials. These
include 176.4kHz upsampling data transfer
and selectable RAM buffer clock retiming. The
RED is manufactured from solid aluminum,
which provides a rigid support structure for the
uniquely angled CD mechanism. The front-
panel design incorporates ball-bearing push-
button control and a dual display indicating CD
status, input, buffer, and frequency information.
Internally, the latest CD Pro 2 mechanism from
Philips is re-clocked using a highly accurate
crystal oscillator. The synchronized data
are then fed to the upsampling and filtering
electronics. The addition of digital inputs and
outputs also gives the RED the versatility to
act as both a CD transport and DAC for other
audio components.
Price: $29,500. bluebirdmusic.com
Reducing Gridlock
Wrangling power cords and getting rid of unsightly wall-warts
are the prime directives for Tributaries’ T12 power strip.
With eight of twelve outlets able to rotate up to 90 degrees,
addressing the typical tangle should be easier than ever. It’s
rated for use at 15 amps and up to 1875 watts. The T12 also
offers 4320 joules of surge suppression and noise filtering
for AC power, as well as signal-line protection for RJ-11
telecomm, RJ-45 network and cable, antenna, and satellite
signals. A pair of LEDs indicates operation and surge-
protection status and whether the electrical system is properly
grounded. It comes equipped with an IEC power cord and
telephone, network, and coaxial cables. There’s also a $25,000
“peace of mind” warranty for connected equipment.
Price: $120. tributariescable.com

Luxury from Loiminchay

The speakers of Loiminchay Audio are designed in New York by
owner Patrick Chu. Described as artisan-crafted and produced in
China, the three-model line boasts carefully sculpted solid layers of
30mm-thick birch multi-ply laminate that are bored out and finished
inside and out with sixteen coats of the finest lacquer. The hand-
shaped cabinetry operates at two levels—it optimizes port function
and minimizes diffraction effects. The models include the two-way,
stand-mounted Degas and the three-way Chagall (similar to the Degas
with the addition of the multi-ply bass module). The Kandinsky is a
hybrid design mating a 19" wood horn coupled to a 2-inch custom
beryllium high-compression driver and a highly braced multi-ply bass
module (12" woofer) mounted on a leather-wrapped concrete plinth.
Custom diamond tweeters are available as an option for both the
Degas and Chagall.
Price: Degas w/stand, $22,000/pr., w/diamond tweeter, $37,000;
Chagall, $35,000/pr., w/diamond tweeter, $48,500; Kandinsky,
$45,000/pr. loiminchayaudio.com

16 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

 Industry NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2008
A Classical Label Flourishes:
Harmonia Mundi at 50
ANDREW QUINT
I
f recorded music matters to you—and would you be
reading The Absolute Sound if it didn’t?—you’ve been
hearing a lot about death recently. The death of SACD.
The death of all physical music media, as consumers down-
load their Radiohead and Rachmaninoff, legally or not, onto
their iPods. The death of the record store. The death of the
record label.
At least one important company doesn’t buy into all this
mortality. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Harmonia
Mundi invited some music writers to France to witness its
annual sales meeting and better understand that a continu-
ing need for change doesn’t necessarily mean the complete
obsolescence of the record industry’s established products
and practices.
It’s entirely typical that Harmonia Mundi is not based in
Paris, but fled the French capital early on for the quieter,
18 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Bernard Coutez
addresses the
annual meeting
of Harmonia
Mundi distribu-
tors and staff in
Arles, France
friendlier, warmer environment of Provence, first in Saint-
Michel de Provence and, since 1986, in the ancient city
of Arles. Actually, HM’s headquarters is located about 15
minutes outside of Arles on an old farm, Mas de Vert, the
corporate offices located in a picturesque three-story house
built in the mid-eighteenth century. Remember, we’re not
talking about some little boutique audiophile concern that
records elderly Delta blues guitarists or third-rate pianists
struggling through Chopin but what is, arguably, the most
successful classical record label in the world.
This meeting of HM’s distributors from around the globe
and the production, sales, publicity, and administrative staff
from Europe and the U.S. opened at 9 am on a Saturday
morning in a theater in downtown Arles. Bernard Coutez,
Harmonia Mundi’s eighty-something-year-old founder,
bounded onto the stage to open the meeting and remind
 Industry NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2008
the assembled that the company had not deviated
since its beginnings from a business plan that is, more
than ever, unique to the industry. HM has never paid
dividends to its small number of shareholders, choos-
ing always to put most of the profits—when there
were profits—back into the company. This approach,
while allowing those who work for HM to make a
decent living, would not be especially enticing to
outside investors. Which is precisely why Harmonia
Mundi has been able to maintain its independence for
half a century.
M. Coutez, microphone in hand, proudly pointed
out that Harmonia Mundi releases substantially more
new classical recordings each year than does Univer-
sal (which, of course, includes the venerable marques
of Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, and Decca). It’s
true. The other large classical labels, not just Univer-
sal but also Sony/BMG and Warner, increasingly tie
their fortunes to an ever-diminishing stable of high-
profile musicians who are promoted like pop stars.
HM releases what it likes, actively supporting a wide range
of artists on their own terms, sometimes with enviable fi-
nancial rewards. (Who could have predicted the phenom-
enal success, by classical standards, of Anonymous 4, for
instance?) The company is accommodating when an artist’s
interests evolve: Twenty years ago, René Jacobs was a much-
admired countertenor; now, he’s a much-admired Mozart
opera conductor.
On stage at the theater in Arles, HM’s three executive pro-
ducers, Robina G. Young, Martin Sauer, and Eva Coutez, in-
troduced the recordings each had supervised for release over
the coming year. Their respect and enthusiastic advocacy for
the artists they had worked so closely with was palpable.
Mas de Vert—Harmonia Mundi’s headquarters, outside of Arles
20 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Harmonia Mundi’s producers. Left to right: Christain Girardin (Editorial and DVD
Producer), Eva Coutez, Robina G. Young, and Martin Sauer
With a photo of the performer (and sometimes live action
video) projected on an enormous screen behind the produc-
ers, we heard brief excerpts from HM’s considerable roster
of established and up-and-coming performers. Additionally,
it was revealed that the label will continue the celebration of
its semicentennial beyond the remarkable 30-disc 50th An-
niversary Box reviewed in TAS 178. (Good luck finding one
of those—all 40,000 copies are reportedly spoken for.) Har-
monia Mundi is launching a new mid-price line, HM Gold:
The Treasures, that cherry-picks some of the best material
from across the decades—artists like Alfred Deller, Paul
Hillier, Paul O’Dette, and A4 are included in the series.
While the conventional wisdom on this side of the At-
lantic seems to be that bricks-and-mortar record
stores are an endangered species, HM has increased
its visibility (and sales) by opening a series of stores
in Europe—more than 40 outlets, mostly in France
with a few in Spain—that carry only HM-distributed
CDs and books. That may sound limited, but not
when one considers the large number of labels that
the company distributes, which include pop, jazz, and
world music genres. In fact, labels of all sorts vie for
distribution by HM in France because these stores
are among the most important music retailers in the
country. I visited the Arles HM store, a good-sized
and busy establishment on two levels, and found not
just the expected Harmonia Mundi classical mate-
rial but, staring out at me from his prominent posi-
tion on a browser, New Orleans blues legend Walter
“Wolfman” Washington.
I asked Matthew Owen, Harmonia Mundi USA’s
National Sales Manager, why the concept couldn’t
 Industry NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2008
work state-side and he explained that it all boiled down to
real estate. “We’d love to open these stores in the United
States,” he said. “We talk about it all the time. Anybody who
comes here and sees them thinks: ‘Wow, that would be great
in Boston, or it would do well in Portland.’ And it would.
But rent in a place like Arles is one-sixteenth the cost in
even a mid-sized U.S. city. It’s completely cost-effective to
have a store here in almost every reasonably sized town. You
have two staff, maybe one in some cases, and it’s plenty. In
France, they manage their “High Street” areas so that the
rents don’t go to the level that only The Gap and Tiffany
can afford.”
For economic reasons, an increasing percentage of releas-
es from other major classical labels are concert recordings.
While acknowledging that live recordings, especially orches-
tral ones, can be exciting, producer Robina Young notes
that, with an audience present, “you run a risk that some-
body ruins a beautiful phrase. It is extraordinary how people
tend to cough in the quieter passages of big works. If you
can somehow recapture the excitement of the concert hall
in the recording studio, that’s the best of all possible worlds.
As a producer, I think part of your job is to make the mu-
sicians understand the freedom that they have in front of a
microphone which they don’t have in the concert hall—the
freedom to make mistakes, and go for things.”
Of course, even Harmonia Mundi releases symphonic
concert performances, and there’s an art to making the best
of this situation, especially, notes Young, “when you’re lucky
enough to have more than one live performance. You take the
first one and you use the afternoon rehearsal from the second
day to correct things that didn’t go well, or to remove noises.
Then you say to the musicians ‘We have a perfectly good re-
cording, now go out and give it your all. It doesn’t matter
what happens.’ In every case I can think of, we have used
that [take] in its entirety. They know they’re covered, they feel
they’re safe, and, mentally, they can just let go.”
Both Robina Young and Martin Sauer told me they’d
release everything in SACD if they could…but they can’t.
“I have fought, not a losing battle, but a retreating battle,” is
how Young put it. Sauer spoke of his disappointment that
SACD hasn’t caught on as much as he’d hoped. “I’m very
sad that this didn’t work out in the States and it didn’t work
out in Europe…99% of people are much more inclined to
listen to classical music on an MP3 player than in a sur-
round environment.” Nonetheless, Sauer continues to lobby
for some of his recordings to be released as multichannel
SACDs. The producer, who records with high-resolution
PCM technology—he says he can’t hear a difference between
such encoding and DSD—doesn’t make “discrete” multi-
channel recordings, using two distinct microphone setups,
one for stereo and one for surround. Rather, his 5.0 record-
ings derive from multitrack tapes—every HM recording is a
22 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
potential multichannel SACD.
Can this deliver the acoustic
of a specific venue? “Now
we’re getting philosophical.
When you make a recording,
you manipulate music anyway.
Some of the better halls in the
world where we recorded in
stereo proved to be not so easy Bernard Coutez, Chairman
to handle for surround. Rich and Managing Director of
rooms, like the Musikverein, are Harmonia Mundi
tricky for surround and relatively neutral but big halls, like
the Berlin Philharmonie, work very, very nicely for surround
recording. I can’t tell you why.”
So, HM’s producers pick and choose among their projects
for SACD release, selecting the more spectacular and dra-
matic material for multichannel: Sauer’s René Jacobs Mozart
opera recordings, or the Olga Kern concerto recordings
that Young oversaw. Robina Young does see a ray of hope.
“In the public’s mind, at least in Europe, it’s gotten through
that you can actually play a [hybrid] SACD on a normal CD
player. That wasn’t the case a few years ago. I’ve allowed
myself to do a few more SACDs this year.”
While the HM distributors remained in downtown Arles
to hear about the company’s non-classical releases and as-
sociated labels, I rode out to Mas de Vert to speak with
Bernard Coutez. As the late afternoon sun streamed into
his spacious office in the old house, I asked if what it meant
to be a “record label” had changed—for him—over the last
five decades. “No. Today, as 50 years ago, the very nature of
Harmonia Mundi is to find new interpretations, find new
works, and to share this enthusiasm that we have with the
public,” Coutez told me through an interpreter.
When I mentioned to Harmonia Mundi’s founder how
exquisitely his products had always been packaged, providing
“added value,” the octogenarian jumped up from his chair,
dashed out of the room, and returned a few minutes later with
two examples of HM’s earliest releases from the 1950s. They
were beautiful cloth-bound albums, reminiscent of RCA’s
Soria series, with lavish notes on fine paper bound into the
folios. “In 1995,” said Coutez, “I read some articles proph-
esizing the total death of any physical support for music and
that by 2005, there wouldn’t be any, that everything would be
downloaded. We’re in 2008 and even when we’re talking about
pop, the revenue from downloaded music is only 5% of the
total. It’s in the same newspapers that I read those gloomy
articles ten years ago that I read, just a week ago, that the CD
represents 95% of sales. I don’t believe at all in the death of all
physical support for music. Because we don’t have only ears.
We have eyes, we have hands. We have eyes to enjoy a nice il-
lustration; we have hands to touch this object.”
Sounds like a man, and a company, that is full of life. TAS
Start ME UP
One-Chassis
Wonder
Music Hall Maven Stereo Receiver
Neil Gader
T
he Music Hall Maven is a stylish updating of one of au-
dio’s most enduring components, the stereo receiver—the
one-chassis solution that integrates the preamp and amp
stages with an AM/FM tuner. Classic, sensible, understated. Dig
a little deeper however and the Maven reveals that there’s more
going on here than mere tradition.
The Maven offers audio and video connectivity, a combina-
tion that makes it ideal as an audiophile-den system or versatile
enough to double as a 2.1- channel home-theater setup. On the
audio front the Maven outputs a healthy 100Wpc and includes a
preamp output for biamping or driving an active speaker, such as
a subwoofer. Video switching can be tapped via a trio of inputs
for either S-video or composite sources. With no component or
HDMI inputs, the Maven’s video side is targeted towards users
who are looking to reduce the wire bundle in a modest theater
system, and not those planning to drive a big-screen DLP. The
24 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Maven also offers a pair of digital audio inputs with available
24-bit/96kHz upsampling. In fact, one of the first things I did
during setup was to jack my DVR into the TosLink input of
the Maven, which provided improved listening quality for broad-
cast television. This feature can also be used to enjoy DVDs that
offer a two-channel PCM mix. Keep in mind, however, that the
Maven is not a home-theater processor and hence won’t decode
surround formats like Dolby Digital or DTS.
Construction-quality is impressive. The hunky aluminum face-
plate and adjoining panels and heatsinks are tightly flush-mounted,
and the internal layout is neatly executed. The top-panel venting
testifies to thoughtful thermal engineering. The minimalist front
panel is dominated by twin knurled aluminum volume and input
knobs (the latter doubles for radio station tuning) and an offset cir-
cular display. Which brings me to my biggest gripe—a bewildering
lack of intuitive control and ergonomics. For example, where’s the
 START ME UP
front-panel mute button? Only on the remote control, mate. Also,
it took some super-sleuthing to activate the upsampling DAC.
Turns out I needed to press the CD/Amp button first, then the SPECS & PRICING
neighboring SRC/Input button. Otherwise the Maven would only
cycle between inputs. The manual was, uh, mute on both of these Power Output: 100Wpc into Associated Equipment
issues. Finally, with its cookie-cutter micro-buttons the remote 8 ohms Sota Cosmos Series III
control would test even the most nimble text-message addict. Inputs: Five analog, two digital turntable; SME V pick-up
All was forgiven, however, when music began coursing through (one optical, one coaxial) arm; Ortofon Black and Red
the Maven’s circuitry. Sonically the Maven performed at or above Dimensions: 17" x 16.5" x 5" cartridges; Simaudio Moon
my expectations. Its tonal signature was essentially neutral with Weight: 33 lbs. Supernova, Sony DVP-
an appealing warmth in the lower-mid/upper-bass region. It re- Price: $999 9000ES; T+A; Plinius P10;
produced the wider frequency spectrum with ease, and with a Tara Labs Omega, Synergistic
firm grip on tonality and dynamics. The mids were full-bodied. Music Hall LLC Tesla Apex, Nordost Baldur,
The treble range was extended if not ultimately translucent. 108 Station Road Kimber Kable BiFocal XL;
Imaging was good and the sensation of dimensional space and Great Neck, NY 11023 Wireworld Silver Electra
soundstage information (particularly width) was very good. (516) 487-3663 & Kimber Palladian power
Some moments were even revelatory. During Jane Monheit’s musichallaudio.com cords; Richard Gray line
cover of “Over the Rainbow” [Come Dream With Me, N-Coded], conditioners; Sound Fusion
for example, I could hear more of her chest and body enter into Turntable stand
the mix as the melody descended, the music literally resonating
through her frame in a way that reminded me that this was an
acoustic instrument not merely a recording. Similarly, bass had in. A soprano like Audra McDonald sometimes sounded a little
noteworthy punch and extension. Even on big-bottomed tran- constricted hitting notes in her upper range, as if her throat had
sients—Holly Cole’s rendition of “Train” [Temptation, Alert] will momentary need of a lozenge [How Glory Goes, Nonesuch]. The
suffice here—there was little evidence of dynamic compression. Maven was very strong as McDonald stormed into her crescendos.
However, savvy speaker-matching is important. On an intel- But it didn’t quite capture the micro-dynamic gradations as she
ligently designed speaker with good-to-excellent sensitivity, like modulated the amplitude. Classically trained singers like Monheit
the Gershman Sonogram, the Maven maintained easy control. and McDonald move a lot of air, and you should almost feel the
It was only in comparison to the greater output and superior pressure changes through the song. Taken as a whole, the Maven at
damping factor of a stand-alone amp like the 200Wpc Plinius times comes achingly close to the higher-priced spread.
P10 that the Maven seemed to cede some ground and sound less A tip of the hat to the switch-hitting capability of the Music
decisive reproducing the rush of competing orchestral timbres Hall Maven. Its sonic credentials are above reproach in this price
during Beethoven’s Ninth [Decca]. category. And I still can’t get over its superior fit ’n’ finish. Even
Like most receivers, which strive to combine three components though its user interface needs some polishing, it garners an easy
under one roof, the Maven’s top end was a bit dry and closed- recommendation—truly a maven worthy of its name. TAS

26 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Absolute ANALOG
Clean to the Last Nuance
VPI Typhoon Record Cleaner
Anthony H. Cordesman

L
et me begin with something I hope is obvious. A $2000
record cleaning machine like the Typhoon is a luxury.
You can get records clean with machines as cheap as the
Nitty Gritty Record Doctor III at around $250. I personally find
such bottom-end machines that lack a mechanical drive to be
infuriatingly fussy to use, but then there is the VPI 16.5 at $500
and Nitty Gritty 1.5 at $589: Machines that are mechanized and
work quite well. If you want semi-automatic features, there is
the VPI-17 at $1300 and Nitty Gritty Min Pro at $1039. (Please
note: I prefer the VPI machines because I like working with a full
turntable platter when I clean, but this is scarcely compulsory.)
In a world where a one-meter interconnect can cost over
$1000, buying a good record cleaner is eminently possible, and
buying a great one like the Typhoon will pay off far more than
buying a piece of wire. If you have any serious in interest in
analog records, a record-cleaning machine is a necessity and not
a luxury. You will never hear what your records really sound
like without one, you will never be able to properly care for or
preserve your collection, and buying used records will often be a SPECS & PRICING
nightmare even if they seem perfect in the store.
SACD, DVD-A, and upsampling can all be real advances, and Dimensions: 20.5" x 10" x 15.5" VPI Industries
I have nothing against digital. The fact remains, however, that I Weight: 50 lbs. 77 Cliffwood Ave., #3B
still get more pleasure out of my record collection than any other Price: $2000 Cliffwood, NJ, 07721
media. More than that, I have somehow reared three relentlessly 732 583-6895
high-tech young adults who share my pleasure and do so as an act vpiindustries.com
of free will and not because of their father’s love of the past.
At the same time, my love for records in no way means that I
can ignore their limits. I hate every click, pop, and hint of a record cleaners, and the decades I have now used a cleaning machine.
scratch. It also takes little listening experience to detect when a I have records more than twenty years old that have held up
record is dirty, dusty, or contaminated. The better the cartridge, marvelously after many repeated playings, provided I actually took
the better the tone arm and turntable, and the better the system, the time to clean them each time I played them. In many cases, there
the more you can hear subtle or not so subtle analog distortion. are no meaningful audible differences between these records in
Moreover, the dirtier the record, the greater the contrast with the a straight A-B listening test and the sound of a new, sealed copy
silence of digital recordings. It takes work to keep analog noise of the same record.
to acceptable levels. I find that cleaning records before I play I also have found that while a truly powerful and easy to use
them is absolutely essential in keeping amusical distractions to version of a record-cleaning machine like the Typhoon may be
a minimum. a luxury, it makes an important difference in four very practical
It is equally critical to record life. I have records that I have now areas.
been listening to for four decades. Some are merciless memories First, you really can hear the difference; the better the cleaning
of a misspent youth. Every bad cartridge, every scratch through machine, the better the sound. Complex orchestral passages are
mishandling, every record pre-played by some stranger at the clear, so are chamber ensembles and solo instruments. There is
record store, left its own memento of my youthful sins in not more audible depth; soundstage noises are more natural. Highs
taking proper care of my music. At the same time, my collection are more detailed with more life and transient information. No
reveals a consistent difference between the years in which I was hand-held brush, cleaner, or preserver can provide the same
careful, or tried to rely on record brushes and various hand sound quality as a truly clean record. I’ve tried such accessories
28 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
for years, and they always end up stirring up some of the
contamination without removing it. Worse, in the case of some
so-called preservatives, they’ve glued some of the dirt into the
groves.
Second, I still collect used records, and the sins of my youth
pale next to the sins of others. No one can fully heal a dirty used
record, but cleaning used records can have an amazing impact.
Assuming there are no visually obvious scratches on either sides,
the surfaces were decent to start, and the record was played on a
halfway decent system, collecting LPs can be amazing fun. It is
even more fun given the strange propensity of friends to give up
their collections when they move, or estate sales that simply put
an entire collection in a yard sale.
Third, you will never really hear what your cartridges are
capable of unless your records are cleaned before each playing.
Records attract dust as they are played, record jackets are
invariably slightly contaminated, and cartridges are designed to
reproduce everything in and on the groove. If you want to know
what your cartridge and phono front end can do, you have to
start with a clean record. I was particularly struck by this in trying
out the Typhoon because I was auditioning the Dynavector 20X.
I would never have known how good this $700 cartridge was
without truly clean records. The best cartridge in the world
makes a poor plow.
Finally, the more convenient the machine, the more you
actually do clean each record before playing. Impatient and
impetuous youth is giving way to irritable and impatient age.
Recording cleaning is not therapy; it is a pain in the ass. I don’t
want to fumble, flood the record, or try to guess if the record is
fully cleaned. I want a minimum of steps, a minimum of fuss,
and a minimum of accidents. I want to know that if a I take a
few seconds, I’ll actually have a fully clean record. My willingness
to clean a record is directly proportional to the ease and certainty
of doing so. Fiddle is for saints and fools.
And, all of this brings me to why I would pay $2000 for the
VPI Typhoon. It is by far the most powerful and effective cleaner
I have ever tried. It gets the record clean in seconds, cleaning
by rotating the record in two directions, and with an absolute
minimum of record cleaning fluid. A few tries and the risk of
getting fluid on the label or spilling any during cleaning is non-
existent. It also looks professional, not like an awkward toy.
It isn’t totally silent, but its noise level has been greatly
improved over early production units. Capacitors have been
added to avoid any switching transients popping into transistor
phono front ends.
Again, a cheap machine is far better than none, and even the
cheapest will give you at least 60% of the sonic benefits of the
Typhoon. If you are reading this magazine, however, you may
well have over $10,000 invested in a phono front end, and the
same decades I have invested in your record collection. Music is a
critical part of your life, and LPs are a critical part of your music.
Are you really going to listen to dirty records or economize in
one of the few areas where no one actually argues the merits of
a high-end accessory? TAS
The Absolute Sound September 2008 29
 TAS Interview
Lyric HiFi’s Mike Kay Talks with HP

Taken circa 1960, this snapshot shows Mike Kay demonstrating a console-encased system
at Lyric’s first store, just a few blocks south of its current Manhattan location on Lexington
Avenue. An in-house woodworking shop made cabinets for Lyric customers from the outset,
and Mike also took on outside woodworkers to keep it humming. At one point in the 1960s, his
facility built cabinets for Marantz components.

F
or more than 50 years, Mike
Kay has been at the top of his
game, that of audio dealer/
salesman par excellence, perhaps
the best-known player in this his
specialized field. His store, Lyric HiFi,
located on Manhattan’s upper East
Side, was, for decades, just maybe
the most famous audio salon in the
U.S., stopping place for designers,
audiophiles, and, of course, New
York’s rich.
He was born Mike Kakadelis, 85 years
ago, on the island of Lesbos (about
which he has endured much kidding)
in the Aegean Sea. As a young man,
he migrated to Canada, after dabbling
in high-fidelity systems in Greece, and
then Quebec. And, then, to Manhattan,
where he bought a store named Lyric
and proceeded to make hi-fi history.
This interview covers some, but
hardly all of his reminiscences.
Harry Pearson: What are the high-
end dealers of today like?
Mike Kay: High-end dealers? They are
just merchants. And they have nothing
to do with the high end. I do not agree
with anything they do. They are just
selling boxes. They do not sell the art
we used to sell. They do not sell the
music we used to sell. They sell boxes,
they sell computers, they sell anything.
The artistic part of it is forgotten. Most
of the dealers that I know…the high
end is nothing to them.
What about today’s customers?
They come today and I see them spend
$50,000 to $200,000. And none of
them asks: How is this going to sound?
Originally, the people in the old days
they were coming for the sound, for the
musical performance of the equipment.
Today, the only question they don’t ask
is how it is going to perform.

30 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

 So they want something expensive but they don’t give
a damn about it.
They don’t give a damn about it. They put on an MP3 to
play through it. So what kind of a business is this? The few
people that do know, they sit down, they do enjoy it. But
don’t forget, our generation, they are either dead or on the
sidewalk. These new ones, 20 to 40, they have no idea. They
care only about the functions. How many buttons they are
going to press. What is this going to do and what is that
going to do? And the performance doesn’t matter as long as
it makes a big boom boom. The movies are fine with it. That
is why I don’t get involved with it. Whenever I go to the
store I say, “Lenny, that is your customer. Leave me alone.”
We don’t speak the same language as those people.
But still, no matter what you do, Harry, music is inherent
in the human being. It is part of being human, I think. I
don’t know anybody who doesn’t appreciate music. To what
degree is a different story. But everybody, even a deaf per-
son appreciates it, because he feels the waves upon his skin,
even if he doesn’t hear it. Music needs your eyes, your ears,
your skin to feel it. This is why the people today don’t both-
er about it. They listen with little earphones in their ears.
And they are missing the experience of music. Music needs
the body to feel it. Remember when we are at Carnegie, you
feel the music in you? You see it and you hear it. It’s a total
effect. It’s not a little bit of two pieces on the sides of your
ears. I can’t stand it. I get dizzy with it. Maybe I’m wrong,
but I doubt it. I very much doubt it.
Well, I don’t see any other high-end dealers at
Carnegie Hall.
For what? They don’t care. I have never seen any dealers
in Carnegie Hall in all the years we used to go. And the
manufacturers—very few come around it. But like I said
before, there is a segment of customers that still believes in
the music and still believes in good reproduction of music
at home. But the number of those people has shrunk.
Do you think then that the high end is dead?
I don’t think it is dead. I’m still on the floor of Lyric from

Mike and friends (including the speaker designer Arnie Nudell and the writer Hans Fantel, in sweater, to his right) celebrate the
opening of a new Lyric store on Manhattan’s West Side, a few blocks north of Lincoln Center, in the winter of 1985-86. At left
is the pianist Panayis Lyras, like Mike a native of Greece, who won the Silver Medal in the 1981 Van Cliburn International Piano
Competition and played for guests at the gala. When the booming 1980s economy went bust, the toll included the store known
in-house as Lyric West.

32 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

 TAS Interview
time to time. I’ve seen some people come in looking for
better performance in their surround-sound systems. But
also a lot of these people have come back to a two-channel
stereo for music performance, not theater. I am not a fan of
the reconfiguration of the two-channel stereo. Some people
still think that the two-channel has better performance.
Unfortunately, there are not too many.
Isn’t it true that there is more interest in two-channel
audio than there was a year or so ago?
Yes, the last 8 or 10 months, two-channel is going up and
up. I see the sales of the high end going up. There is a good
push for two-channel.
Do you know why?
I have the feeling that people are disappointed with
surround sound—they think music is more realistic without
the surround.
How many years has Lyric been around?
Since 1955.
And you’ve recently sold it to your younger staff
[Lennie Bellezza and Dan Mondoro]?
Correct, about four years ago, almost five. This is the fifth
year. I sold it to the boys who were with me 30 years. They
took it over and they keep it pretty much the same.
What do you do there now when you go in?
I take care of the better equipment and I take care of the
bigger customers when they come in. The regular customers
I refuse to get involved with. That is for the boys.
Why did you start Lyric?
It was opened originally by another Greek.
There was a Lyric already in New York?
There was a Lyric in New York on Lexington Avenue and 85th
Street. It was upstairs.
A couple of blocks from where you are now?
Yes, a couple of blocks down. We are now on 83rd, that
store was on 81st, up above the first floor. I was visiting
New York from Canada and I saw it. And the guy wanted
out. He was an ex-officer of the Greek army. He wanted to
go back to Greece. And I bought it. I had a thousand dollars
in my pocket.
Is that what it cost? A thousand dollars?
No, it cost me $30,000. But that was all that I had. The rest
I told him I would pay every month. I liked it; I saw what
he had. But I got robbed a couple of times; they emptied
the store. I got scared off. Then the scene in New York was
impossible. I left and went to the present location.
34 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Where you had more security.
Yes, there were gates and everything else. I felt more secure.
I had a basement and I had a woodworking warehouse on
76th and York Avenue. In those days it was a different hi-fi,
a different era.
Tell me about it.
Even long before The Absolute Sound, we were not selling
separate components. People in those days did not
particularly care to see naked equipment.
You were building integrated systems.
Of course. We were building in a console. That’s what they
thought hi-fi should be. I was putting Marantz electronics and
Bozak speakers into an eight-foot cabinet. We had four or five
cabinetmakers building them. I used to be about three or four
months behind for deliveries. I couldn’t make enough. It was
the golden days of hi-fi. And it became even more so later on,
when we were finally able to get things out of the cabinet.
How did that happen?
It happened slowly because of stereo and because the
speakers became bigger and better. The hi-fi people, the
audiophiles, they wanted the bigger and better, but you
couldn’t fit it in a cabinet. So, once the speaker came out of
the cabinet, then the equipment could be any place. People
in the early days went out and bought a Magnavox, with ev-
erything already in it. Then, with stereo, something new was
coming: Every month a new amplifier or preamplifier would
be introduced. I remember when Mr. Marantz brought his
little bunch of gear down to Harvey Radio, and to me, too,
because I was also a Marantz dealer. I was fascinated when
I met Harvey [Samson] and his organization, because he
was the patron of the designers and everybody would come
down to him and bring him new business. Grado with his
business, Marantz with his business, and even Avery Fisher
when he made those wonderful block amplifiers in those
days. And the wonderful KLHs, of course.
So Harvey was the man they all went to see?
The old man originally opened a store on Radio Row, selling
tubes, resistors, nails, all kinds of things.
Like a Radio Shack.
Like a Radio Shack. And from there slowly he grew up. And he
put in some equipment eventually. And he grew and he grew
and grew and became Harvey [now Harvey Electronics].
All the great designers went there?
Absolutely. I was the kid in the business, those days. They
were coming to me because I was uptown [the original Har-
vey was far downtown] and I liked and promoted the high
end. In fact, the guy that I bought the original Lyric from,
the first thing I did for him was work the floor at Lyric. And
who was the other salesman? Dick Shahinian.
 TAS Interview
Mike, circa 1960, wires up a system. Since he was schooled as an electronic (not electrical—there’s
a difference) engineer in Greece before emigrating, he always understood the technical aspects of
his merchandise better than most hi-fi retailers did. [NOTE: This photo appears on the history page
of Lyric’s Web site.]
Dick Shahinian? The speaker designer?
Dick Shahinian and I worked at Lyric before I bought it.
So you have made this you whole life.
Fifty years of it. We’re talking about audio really, with music.
I like the music and I like the technical part of it. And even-
tually I went to school [at McGill in Canada] and became a
technical man. But I have never forgotten my music and my
appreciation for music.
Well, how did the situation change? How did people
start coming to you instead of Harvey?
I was easier to reach and I wasn’t as busy. Harvey in those
days was very busy. The guys on the floor had no time to
look at you. They wanted to sell and get it over. I was loving
what I was doing and I had the time. No one was pushing
customers to get out. So they started coming to me because
I had the same products that Harvey had. I had the KLHs,
the Bozaks, I had the JBL, I had the Marantz. And if Harvey
didn’t like you, he’d throw you out of the store.
You had a reputation for throwing people out of the
store, too.
Well, yes, I did. I had a reputation and I did it. I threw quite
a few people out of the store.
36 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
You had a fierce reputation and people were scared to
go in there.
Yes, indeed, I did. But I did not do it capriciously. I did it
because these people deserved to be thrown out.
The customers in those days, Harry, were giving me enough
information about what they would like to have that I could
pass it on to the manufacturers. The same thing I think that
happened with Harvey. He knew what the market wanted
and he was talking to the people. And we all contributed to
the growth of the high quality of high fidelity. To grow it
and bring it to better and better performance.
You invested in some of these companies, didn’t you?
Yes, I did.
Would you like to tell me about that?
Yes. I discovered Mark Levinson.
Tell me about meeting Mark, the man, and what
happened, the whole story. I’d love to hear it.
In fact, a rep stopped in one day and he said, “Mike I found
somebody in Connecticut whose name is Mark Levinson
and he has a preamplifier. It is not for me, I don’t think
I can do anything about him, but it looks interesting.” So,
I got his phone number and I called him. I said, “Mark, I
understand you have a preamplifier.” “Yes,” he said, “I have
 TAS Interview
one.” I said, “Could I have it, could I see it?” He had earlier
taken it to Harvey and Harvey promptly threw him out with
his preamplifier.
Harvey threw Mark Levinson out? (Laughter)
And then when I called him, he said, “Okay, I’ll bring it
down.” I saw it and I was completely surprised. It was far
better than anything we had in those days. Far, far better. It
was designed by Dick Burwen.
This was the LNP-1, right?
LNP-1. I got crazy. I asked him to leave it with me. It
reminded me of the professional gear I had used in my days
working in radio. “How much is it?” He said, “I haven’t
any price, since this is the only thing that I have made.” He
said, “Do you think we could sell it for about $700?” I said,
“Okay, we will sell it for about $700.”
I showed it to all my customers, and everybody wanted
it. So Mark said, “Well, I can make you a couple of them,
but I can’t make it for that price.” So I said, “I tell you what,
let’s make it $1600. So you can make a dollar and I can make
a dollar.” He said, “You think?” I said, “Yes, we can do it.
We can make it $1600.” And it was very reasonably priced
for that kind of performance. When they stopped making
them, it was up to $6000.
That preamplifier was exceptional. But Mark is Mark.
Mark is the worst enemy to himself. He got another guy,
Mr. Yasuo Nakanishi from Japan, to cover the Japanese
distribution, and me, in New York. And he started building
them in a basement in Connecticut. He got a few kids there
to build them. And I would sell everything he would make.
And we went up and up with him. People started flocking to
me—for the Levinson, the Magneplanar, the Dahlquist, the
Audio Research. You know all those things were magnets to
the audiophiles.
In fact, let me stop and say something else. Those days,
yours and mine, we were praying that we were going to
enlarge the audience for a good hi-fi for a music system.
And we couldn’t find a way to bring them in and there were
millions of people. Well, the movies or the video brought
them in and expanded the market to billions of people and
dollars of video and audio gear. But unfortunately, those
people have no idea about music or anything else. If only one
or two percent of today’s audio/video customers became
high-end customers, we could not even support them.
There are not enough dealers to service them. One percent
probably will do. But one percent of billions of dollars is
an enormous amount of money and some manufacturers
ought to think about it.
But back to Levinson—audio had the best year ever.
Even back then there was always a lot of talk that
most dealers did not know how to sell the equipment
or how to set it up right. And you were saying, though,
that the dealers back then did not really promote the
38 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
good sound. They tried to sell equipment. A lot of
dealers did not have really good showrooms.
About the showrooms, if you remember the first renovation
of Lyric, you remember the opening of Lyric so many years
ago? Twenty, 25 years ago. Lyric was the first store that
created rooms where you could listen properly. Acoustically,
right. Dick Sequerra helped me and Mitch Cotter helped
me. And we did over half a million dollars renovation in that
store with the floating floors and the undulating ceiling and
everything else. A European reporter from Norway asked
me, “Why are you spending this money?” I said, “Look, this
industry and these people gave me the money. I want to give
them back something. Something that they can come and
listen to a product the way it is supposed to be. In a room
that makes sense acoustically. Not perfect, but acoustically
as good as it can be done. And Lyric was the first to start
promoting special rooms that were acoustically right.
Okay, back to Mark Levinson. What happened? And
how did you come to invest?
He grew up and he got involved with the Church of
Scientology. He got deeply involved with them. And they
gave him a lot of money to make tape recorders that they
needed for the sermons and whatever. And he wasted the
money—Mark does that. He bought a car for everybody.
For himself. Very expensive cars. And expanded the factory.
And he couldn’t make anything. And they were threatening
him. They were going to punish him.
Who threatened him?
The Church of Scientology. Well, they gave him money, so
he ought to give them something back. Either the money or
the product that they asked for. He couldn’t do either one. To
me it was my main high-end supply. I didn’t want him to go
out of business and disappear. So I gave him $100,000. Just
like that. It kept him for awhile, but he needed much more
than that. And I wasn’t willing to give him more than that.
Then he knew the mayor of a city up in Connecticut. And
the mayor knew Sandy Berlin who just got going up there to
teach at Yale, after recovering from health problems. And the
mayor asked Sandy, “Why don’t you look into this, maybe you
can help?” And he looked at it and he liked what he saw. And
he comes to me and he says, “Look you are not only going
to leave your money in, but you’re going to put much more
money into it if I am going to get involved and we are going
to bring this thing up and become partners. Otherwise, you
will lose it.” So instead of losing it, I said, “Okay I’ll come
along with it.” I gave the money. And he took over, but who
could control Mark Levinson? Nobody. I tried. God knows I
tried. I tried so hard to maintain the peace.
You were good friends for awhile.
Yes, we were friends. I knew him well. I was 80 percent of
his production.
 TAS Interview
You sold 80 percent of his production?
Sure, at first, in those days. Then he expanded and opened
up to other dealers. Still I was 40 percent of his production
later. To me it was very serious business. And I didn’t want
to lose him. Everybody wanted Mark Levinson. And Sandy
Berlin [who died a few months ago] took over.
Sandy Berlin was brought in to run the business side?
Sandy and I thought that Mark would buy it back. Buy back
at least his name, and when it came to be sold, the name, he
didn’t even bid a penny. So, it cost us about $150,000 and we
took it back from bankruptcy. Sandy and I, we took it. I paid
$150,000 and I gave it to Sandy and I said, “Now you carry
it.” And we took it 50-50.
Sandy was an exceptional friend. But don’t do business
with him. Very hard. Very, very hard. No mercy in business
for you or for me. Or for anybody. Business was business.
It did not make any damn difference to him. He had to win
in the business. He had to. But as a friend, he was absolutely
magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.
Did you ever invest in any other companies besides
Levinson?
Yes. You want to know?
Of course.
You know my relationship with Arnie Nudell?
Yes.
Well, when he started the company up in Colorado…
Genesis?
I invested a certain amount of money, which I will never ever
see back again. Well… a good designer, a good person.
You two are very close friends?
Very, very good friends. Unfortunately, I don’t know how
good in business he is. But I don’t think very. As far as a
designer is concerned, I consider him the best speaker
designer. His speakers meet what I like, maybe I’m wrong.
But he designed something very musical. And he has the
ability to use it. This is his specialty. He uses not very
expensive transducers and makes them blend. Makes them
sound musical. Not edgy. It is not for rock ’n’ roll. It’s for
classical music or jazz. But not for rock ’n’ roll. Forget it.
What about the arrival of the transistor? That was a
trying time, wasn’t it?
Yes, it was. We were praying and thanking God that
transistorized equipment would come. And there would
be no more heavy lifting. We thought transistors would be
very light and very small. And in the beginning, that is how
they did come. Very light and very small. Not very good
sounding. The first piece of equipment in transistorized
form that really sounded very good was the guys from
40 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
California, Hadley. Long before you. Before Marantz and
Mark Levinson. Hadley made the preamplifier and a 40-
watt stereo amplifier. It was phenomenal with transistors.
He also made an amplifier with tubes. But the transistor
preamplifier and amplifier, of course, 40-watts was not
going too far away.
But we had efficient speakers. The Bozaks were efficient.
Jim Lansing and Altec Lansing—they were 10-watt speakers,
so they did not need enormous power. But that Hadley
amplifier and preamplifier were phenomenal, phenomenal.
Tell me about one more transition. Tell me about the
days when digital came in. That was another trying
time, wasn’t it, like the beginning of the transistors?
Well, one day I got a phone call from Sony. Sony wanted
me to be its exclusive dealer. But on its terms. It wanted to
take over the store. I said to the guy, “Look, I’ll be happy
to. But you got to guarantee me something, you know. I’m
going to give you the store, me, and everything else. But
tomorrow I might be fired. You know, I’m an employee.”
He said, “Don’t you know that we in Japan, we don’t fire
anybody?” I said, “Yes, you don’t fire people, but you do
move people around, don’t you? Take them over to Europe
or back to Japan. Then where do I stand? If I turn the store
into a Sony showroom, then what do I do?” Anyway, it
didn’t work. But then Sony called me one day and said it
wanted me to be the first dealer for the digital CD player. So,
I said, “Yep, yep, yep.”
So what happened when you got the thing?
Oh my goodness, we thought that it was phenomenal.
Why?
At the beginning we thought this thing is completely it.
Later on, we started seeing that this thing had a whole batch
of problems. But the first weeks….
In other words, it was the excitement of the new
technology.
It was the excitement of the new product, new idea. New
technology. Completely new from what we used to have.
Perfect sound forever?
Well, it didn’t sound like analog, but it was convenient, it
was easier, and on top of that, Sony made me the exclusive
dealer in New York City. What else could I possibly want of
them? I’ll tell you another story.
Wait just a second. Why don’t you tell me what impact
digital had on the high end?
It had a lot of impact. People thought, like I passionately
thought, this would be a new era. And that transistors and
digital were going to take over. We knew that it was the
beginning. And we knew that it had a lot of problems. After
two or three weeks, we knew the problems were there. Sony
TAS Interview
brought me their amplifiers. They
had the guy who designed them
bring them over, a preamplifier and
an amplifier, to see how good they
sounded. And probably I had the
Levinson HQD, because I always
had the reference big speaker. And
I put them on, and they sounded
awful. Awful. I said, “We are not sure
about this.” I had Audio Research
at that time with Mark Levinson, I
remember. He said, “Well, but you
know that is not the right way to
listen to it.” I said, “What is the right
way?” He said, “I have to have about
20 pounds of something, a stone
block, on top of them, because
the transistors are moving.” They
made it with a slim amplifier with a
very heavy stone top. But it always
sounded lousy, it never sounded any
good. The guy who missed a lot
of it was Dick Sequerra. Where he
developed his tuner, the Sequerra I.
He came and he brought it to me.
I sold his first one, then probably
about 30.
They were expensive in those
days.
No, they weren’t that expensive.
In the beginning, they were not
expensive. They were about $1500.
I showed them to many people.
The small dealer had a lot of power
in those days. Because people did
believe me, Harry. I never lied to
people. I always told them what
I believed, what I thought was
honestly right. I never made stories
about any product, about anything.
If it didn’t sound good to me, I
was not promoting it. If I saw that
it had a good personality and good
performance, I would put my soul
into it to help move it. So that tuner,
when he came in, it was absolutely
stunning. The best there is in the
world. And all my customers bought
the tuner. In those days, the tuner, it
wasn’t absolutely necessary.
They were willing to pay the price,
for something that they believed in—
that it was not going to deteriorate
or be taken advantage of. The price
did not matter, it was immaterial, as
long as the product also had appeal,
image, and performance. And that is
how we did it with Mark Levinson.
My motto with Mark Levinson and
his motto, “We will build them and
they are going to be the same way,
performance-wise, for as long as
their life lasts. (Because we all knew
they would not last forever.) They
still last today, though. They still
work very well, the equipment they
built in those days. Still the ML-I
amplifier is working, still the LNP-II
working. I had found one and sold
it for $6000. The Japanese bought
it. It’s a collector’s item today. It was
the first high high-end [solid-state]
preamplifier ever to have been built.
People are willing to pay the price,
Harry, for things that maintain their
value. I used to tell a story. I said,
“There are two little persons, and for
the simplicity of it, it’s one. For five
days a week, she is working down
on 42nd Street and she charges ten
dollars a person. For the other two
days, she gets beautifully dressed and
she has a magnificent apartment on
Fifth Avenue. She charges $500 a
person. Whom are you going to seek?
If you are a man and you are looking
for a whore? See what happened to
the ex-governor [Spitzer]. It’s exactly
the same thing, you go for something
that is far up and is considered—you
know what I’m talking about, I don’t
know very well my English…
Ho, ho, ho.
I have difficulty bringing the proper
words.
You remember when they inducted
me into the audio hall of fame. I
told them, “Look, I came to stay
five years in the United States. Well,
unfortunately or fortunately, I stayed
much longer. But since I came not
to stay for very long, I did not learn
the English language properly. And
on top of that, I forgot my Greek.
And now I am between. And I don’t
know what the hell to do. (Laughter)
TAS
The Absolute Sound September 2008 43
 Seven
Complete
High-End
Budget
Systems

Desktop
wonder

DUAL BANG FOR

DELIGHT High-end audio THE BUCK
doesn’t necessarily
mean high-priced audio,
and to prove it, we’ve assembled
seven great-sounding systems that fit
just about any budget. These systems all
deliver not just great sound, but terrific value.
Moreover, we’ve assembled these packages
around the idea that system synergy and careful
component matching can squeeze the most
performance out of your audio dollar. So
PLANAR whether your budget calls for a sub-$500
SIMPLICITY
PLEASURES desktop system or you’ve got the space DEFINED
and dough for a $6000 rig with
planar loudspeakers, we’ve got
the ideal system for you.

TUBED BARGAIN
NIRVANA MUSICALITY

The Absolute Sound September 2008 47

Seven Complete High-End Budget Systems

W
hen it comes to catering to the inner bargain-
hunter in all of us, few companies have achieved
the kind of batting average that NAD, PSB, and
Paradigm have. And they do it the old-fashioned way—by
BANG FOR
keeping their eye on the ball. This is a system that will turn
any small room into a recording venue. It’s a big-bang, full- THE BUCK
bodied hi-fi that’s even-handed in all sonic areas. Whether Oppo DV980H
you opt for the fuller, more bass-driven character of the universal player
Alpha B1 or the slightly smoother treble and transparency ($169, Playback
of the mighty Atom depends on your own listening biases, Issue 4)
but in either case, exceptional soundstaging and imaging
are givens. Each speaker is a canny example of the
designer’s art—non-boxy and tonally honest.
Each is also ideally suited to the NAD C315 BEE, the
NAD C315BEE
lowest priced BEE ever. Sweet and untemperamental, System Price:
the C315’s got 40Wpc under the hood, and thanks to integrated amplifier
$767 ($349, TAS 183)
NAD’s most recent overhaul of its legendary PowerDrive
technology, this BEE plays even bigger than it specs.
Looking to upgrade? For an additional fifty bucks you can PSB Alphas Optional
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step up to the NAD C325BEE and lock in 25% more power B1 bookshelf NAD C325BEE
and greater connectivity. loudspeakers integrated
amplifier ($399)
At this price point it might seem silly to expect four-in- ($279, TAS 170)
one format flexibility. But that’s why Oppo Digital exists. or Paradigm Atom
The DV980H universal player brings to the table standard ($249, TPV 38)
CD playback as well as hi-res formats
like SACD and DVD-Audio. It’s also
capable of playing your movies with
stunning 1080p upconversion.
—Neil Gader
Desktop
wonder
Developed with the help
of THX Chief Scientist
Razer Mako Laurie Fincham
powered (formerly of KEF),
loudspeaker the Razer/THX Mako
system ($399, 2.1 package is a self-
PB Issue 5) powered omnidirectional
desktop speaker system
(with subwoofer) that offers
SYSTEM PRICE: $468 surprisingly smooth and
extended frequency response,
and that creates jaw-droppingly
huge soundstages—sort of like having a
Oppo DV-980H baby MBL Radialstrahler rig on your desktop. You could just hook
universal player the Razer up to the audio outputs of your PC/Mac and have a fine
($169, PB Issue 4) starter system, but we’d suggest adding Oppo’s DV-980H universal
player ($169). No other source component on the planet offers
greater versatility or more sonic refinement and transparency for
the money. —Chris Martens

48 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Seven Complete High-End Budget Systems

H
ere’s a clutter-free system guaranteed to close
the family generation-gap. The Arcam Solo
Mini takes up less room than a short stack
of magazines but performs as if it were a full rack of
components. It’s got a slot-loaded player for Dad’s CDs

SIMPLICITY Arcam Solo Mini

(including MP3 or WMA files from a CD-R or CD-RW),
a slick AM/FM tuner to give Mom her nightly NPR
fix, and a front-panel USB port for the kids to

DEFINED CD/receiver
($999; $1284
jack-in their MP3 player or thumb-drive. And for
the solitary listener there’s a mini jack for ’buds
with iPod dock, or headphones. Dedicated iPod users can go for
TAS 184) Arcam’s optional rDock—a spiffy docking/charger
station with RS232 communication that links the
Solo Mini and its remote control to not only assume
System Price: full command of your player but also display the iPod
$1684 menu from the front-panel display. It arrives complete
with adapters and all necessary cabling.
Usher S-520
With a cool running 25Wpc and a high-resolution
bookshelf
Wolfson multi-bit DAC (from Arcam’s DiVA CD73),
loudspeakers
the Solo Mini is well suited to a particular pair
Cardas Crosslink ($400, PB Issue 10)
of top-performing small-footprint compacts
cables ($263, or Focal 705V
like the Usher S-520 or the slightly pricier Focal
3m/pr.) ($495, TAS 183)
705V. Both are two-way bass-reflex designs of
impeccable breeding and remarkable build-quality.
They both boast rich smooth midrange reproduction
and exceptional imaging. The Usher, with its 5" poly-
woofer and 1" silk dome tweeter offers a bit more low-
frequency extension and output than the Focal. But the
705V, outfitted with a slightly smaller 4.75" mid/bass
driver and an exotic magnesium/aluminum inverted
dome tweeter features superior neutrality across the
octaves, and should especially appeal to listeners who
enjoy their music a bit more up-close and personal.
And don’t forget that since the Solo Mini is an all-in-
one solution, only a pair of speaker cables is required.
Stick with the naturalistic sound of a high-end stalwart
like Cardas Audio. Its low-profile Crosslink Series is
ideal for this system.
Keeping the peace on the home front has never
sounded sweeter. —NG

50 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Seven Complete High-End Budget Systems

BARGAIN
MUSICALITY

B
&W’s two-way, stand-mounted 685 won me over with
its combination of rhythmic precision, 3-D
soundstaging, natural tonality, and top-
to-bottom coherence. These qualities bring a
Vincent SV-129
good sense of life to vocals and acoustic music,
Integrated Amplifier
while the 685’s impressive dynamic range and B&W 685 ($799, TAS 178)
taut, punchy bass response makes it unusually Loudspeaker
exciting with heavy rock and large-scale ($650, TAS 176)
orchestral music. It’s impressively made, too, in
B&W’s purpose-built Chinese factory, which allows
for a quality of finish and refinement not normally System Price:
Analog
found at this price point. Note, however, that as with $1948 Option:
most small two-ways there isn’t much bass response w/o analog option Pro-Ject Debut
III USB ($449,
below roughly 45Hz, and the tweeter exhibits a bit of review pending)
an edge with certain female vocals.
Vincent Audio’s excellent VS-129 is a 50Wpc,
no-frills integrated amplifier wrapped in a plain-Jane Marantz DV6001
Cables by XLO “Universal” Disc
chassis. It, too, nails the heart of the music. Its fine
sense of dynamic scaling, rich, if slightly dark, tonal Player ($499,
balance, expressive midrange, forceful bass response, TAS 179)
and surprisingly explosive power delivery make it a fine
match with the B&Ws.
Likewise, so do the smoothness and warmth of Marantz’s
DV6001 disc player, which accepts CD, SACD, DVD-Audio,
DVD±R/RW, Dolby Digital, DTS, DivX, MP3, JPEG, and WMA-
encoded discs. While the player’s dynamic range is not quite as
wide as that of more costly players, its strengths include a lively
rhythmic pulse and an impressive sense of ambience.
If you want to go the analog route, with the bonus of being
able to create your own digital files, add Pro-Ject’s sweet little
Debut III USB turntable to the package. It not only sounds
terrific, it comes complete with an Ortofon OM 5E moving-
magnet cartridge, as well as a built-in phonostage and USB
output.
This system works with a wide range of cables. To optimize
your results we suggest entry-to-mid-level models by XLO.
—Wayne Garcia

52 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Seven Complete High-End Budget Systems

N
o feature on recommended systems would be complete without a
tube-amplifier alternative, and we’ve got just the solution. We start
with PrimaLuna’s ProLogue One, a gorgeous sounding integrated
that epitomizes the glories of vacuum-tube audio. The ProLogue’s lush,

TUBED
but not overly romantic, midrange is simply unmatched by similarly
priced solid-state integrateds. Throw in a spacious, beautifully defined
soundstage, and the ProLogue One delivers on the promise of tubes at a

NIRVANA
remarkably reasonable price.
We match the ProLogue One to the new $975 Dynaudio 2/8 for
those looking for a stand-mount speaker, or to the $1500 DALI Ikon 5
floorstander for those with enough space. With a sensitivity of 88dB,
the Dynaudio will play a little louder than most mini-monitors for a given
input power—a good thing with the 35Wpc ProLogue. In addition, the 2/8
delivers big dynamics from a small package. (If your budget can handle Dynaudio 2/8
it, also consider the outstanding Paradigm Signature S1 at stand-mount
$1499, reviewed this issue.) loudspeaker ($975,
The DALI Ikon 5 is an excellent choice for this TAS 183) or DALI
system, both because of its intrinsic quality and
PrimaLuna Ikon 6 floorstanding
because it represents an easy load for an amplifier.
ProLogue One loudspeaker ($1599,
Consequently, this Danish speaker will get the
integrated Ikon 6 reviewed
most out of the ProLogue One’s 35Wpc. The DALI
amplifier ($1599, TAS 164)
will give you deep bass extension (a respectable
TAS 151)
39Hz), and DALI’s hybrid dome/ribbon tweeter System Price:
module delivers a sweet and extended treble.
$3860
Choosing a CD player for this system was easy: w/o analog option
Rotel’s RCD-1072, our 2003 Product of the Year Award
winner, is still “best in class.” With remarkable resolution, AudioQuest
superb tonal accuracy, a silent background, and excellent Diamondback Rotel RCD-1072
imaging, the Rotel is hard to beat at the price. interconnect ($150 CD player ($699,
For those wanting to spin vinyl, the Pro-Ject RM 5SE is a per meter pair) and TAS 147)
terrific bargain, particularly when bundled with the excellent AudioQuest CV-
Sumiko Blue Point cartridge ($899 complete). You’ll need 4 speaker cable Analog Option:
($435 per 8' pair) Pro-Ject RM 5SE
an outboard phonostage, and two good candidates are the turntable with Sumiko
Parasound Z-Phono at just $149 or the more upscale and refined Blue point cartridge
($899, Issue 180);
Gram Amp 2SE at $399. Parasound Z-Phono
($149, Issue 172) or
Put it all together with AudioQuest’s Diamondback interconnect Gram Amp 2SE ($399,
($150 per meter pair) and AQ’s excellent CV-4 ($435 per 8’ pair) and you’ve Issue 134) phonostage
got a supremely musical system. —Robert Harley

54 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Seven Complete High-End Budget Systems

Cambridge 740A
Magnepan 1.6QR integrated amp
($1899, TAS 124) ($1099, review

PLANAR
or MartinLogan pending)
Source
loudspeakers
($1999, TAS 180)
PLEASURES
System Price:
$4498
w/o analog option
Synergistic Alpha
interconnects
($135 meter pair)
and speaker cable

M
Simaudio Moon any years ago in an issue of TAS
($450 for 8' pair)
CD-1 CD player we were asked to pick three
($1500, review stereo systems from budget
pending) to cost-no-object. I chose the Magnepan
1.6QR as the loudspeaker for all three.
Analog Option: That’s how good I thought it was then, and
Rega P3 record player
($1050, Issue 180) that’s how good I think it is now—in fact, I
with Simaudio LP3 think it’s the best planar dipole Magnepan makes,
phonostage ($499)
not because it’s the fullest range or throws the biggest
soundstage and not because it is the highest in resolution,
but because it is the most coherent Maggie—the most “of a
piece.” Its two, boxless quasi-ribbon panels (woofer and tweet)
are perfectly matched in speed, detail, dynamics, and resolution
because they are constructed in the same way out of the same
materials (unlike the audibly faster, higher-resolution “true ribbons”
in the Maggie 3.6 and 20.1). If you have the space and amplification
for it, the 1.6QR competes with the some of the very best in low
coloration, transparency, life-sized imaging, depth and width of
soundstage, and sheer you-are-there realism.
I could say almost the same things about the MartinLogan Source—
ML’s latest, two-way cone/’stat floorstander, which, like the 1.6QR,
sounds more “of a piece” that any small electrostatic hybrid from
ML I’ve heard. If you don’t have room for the bigger Maggies (and
even if you do, but simply prefer a smaller, more stylish package),
the Sources would be my first choice. They will give you the same
big taste of you-are-there realism as the 1.6QRs, with even better
low-level resolution, superior transient speed, and somewhat more
dynamic bass. (The Sources are a little “forward,” which, coupled
with their extremely fine detail, makes them sound a bit like gigantic
electrostatic headphones.)
To drive both these speakers, we recommend the 100Wpc
Cambridge Audio 740 integrated amp, which has enough power to
drive the Maggies in small-to-moderate-sized rooms, and enough
speed, clarity, and nuance to bring out the best in them and the
super-detailed Sources. For a front end, consider the Simaudio
CD-1 CD player, which, at $1500, gives you a fair taste of Simaudio’s
first-rate Moon SuperNova player for a quarter of the price. Add
Synergistic Research’s Editors’ Choice Award-winning Alpha
interconnects and speaker cables, and you’re in the high-end-audio
business. —Jonathan Valin

56 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Seven Complete High-End Budget Systems

F
or our top system, we’re offering two
equally worthy alternatives; a full-range
floorstanding speaker with powered
woofers and high sensitivity, or a highly refined
and elegant stand-mount speaker. If you choose
the floorstanding option, we can’t think of a
better combination than Definitive Technology’s
Mythos STS loudspeaker driven by the Naim Nait
5i integrated amplifier. The tall, slim STS packs
a 5" x 10" oval woofer powered by an integral
300W amplifier. Dual passive radiators add to the
prodigious bass output, which extends down to
16Hz. This powered woofer section is coupled to
an acoustically isolated midrange/tweeter section
employing dual midrange drivers arrayed around
Definitive’s 1" aluminum-dome, ceramic-coated
tweeter. The STS’s whopping 93dB sensitivity,
coupled with its powered woofer, makes it
exceptionally easy to drive.
This is where the new Naim Nait 5i comes in.
Although the 5i outputs just 50Wpc, they are the
sweetest and most musical watts we’ve heard at
anywhere near the price. When driving the STS, the
Nait can fill even large rooms with a big sound at
high playback levels.

DUAL
For more intimate listening, we recommend Usher’s gorgeous Be-718. The 718
is extraordinarily refined, suave, and musically communicative. Treble quality is
world-class, delivering a full measure of resolution while sounding relaxed and
intimate thanks to a beryllium tweeter. To extend the Usher’s bottom end,
we recommend the REL T2 subwoofer at $798. The REL is one of the DELIGHT
few subwoofers that adheres to the Hippocratic Oath (“First, do Naim Nait
no harm”). 5i ($1625,
Although you can drive the Usher to reasonable levels TAS 183) or
with the Nait 5i, those who want to explore the Usher’s Cambridge 840
maximum output level should consider the similarly V2 integrated
priced Cambridge Azur 840 V2 integrated amplifier. amplifier ($1590,
With 120Wpc, it makes an excellent match for the not reviewed)
Be-718s.
Definitive Technology
For a digital front end, there’s no greater
Mythos STS full-
bargain than Cambridge Audio’s Azur 840C. So
System Price: range floorstanding
much has been written about our Product
$5884 loudspeaker ($2999,
of the Year Award winner that I won’t MIT AVt1 w/o analog option PB 11) or stand-mount
belabor the point. The bottom line is that interconnects Usher Be-718
the 840C’s sound (and technology) is as ($239 per meter ($2695, TAS 176)
good as most players costing $5k. pair) and MIT AVt1
For both speaker and amplifier speaker cable
choices, we recommend MIT’s AVt 1 ($599 per 8' Subwoofer
Cambridge 840C option for
interconnect ($239 per meter pair) and pair) Usher: REL T2
MIT’s AVt 1 loudspeaker cable ($599 for an CD player ($1599, ($798)
8' pair). —RH TAS 174)

Analog option:
Sota Comet and
Dynavector 10x5
cartridge ($1400)
with Simaudio LP3
phonostage ($499)

58 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

 The Porsche
Speedster of
Mini-monitors
Totem Acoustic The One Loudspeaker
Wayne Garcia
photography by Adam Voorhes
T
hough it may not rank with true blood sports—
such as politics and filmmaking—specialty
audio manufacturing is nevertheless one rough
game. Knowing this, however, has never
discouraged hopeful newcomers, who, despite
the high end’s marginalized status in the U.S., a
dearth of quality dealers, and an aging customer base, seem only
to grow with each new Consumer Electronics Show.
And because this risky business has such a high casualty rate,
it’s all the more impressive when a company lives to celebrate a
milestone anniversary, as Montreal’s Totem Acoustic has done
with its twentieth.
Founded by a lanky and extremely amiable fellow named Vince
Bruzzese, who is also the company’s CEO and chief designer
(see Back Page this issue), Totem first released a notably fine
sounding mini-monitor called the Model 1. That speaker would
eventually evolve into the Model 1 Signature (which is still in
production), with improvements that included higher-quality
cabinetwork, costly exotic crossover parts, tighter-tolerance
drivers, bi-wiring capability, and a more refined as well as dynamic
sonic presentation.
Although Totem’s line has grown to include larger floorstanding
models, home-theater packages, subwoofers, and a new range
of potentially fine-sounding in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, one
senses when speaking with Bruzzese that tiny two-way monitors
are where his passion truly lies.
60 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
In a fitting tribute to Totem’s two decades, Bruzzese decided
to take all he’s learned about speaker design over the past 20 years
and apply it to his original Model 1. The result is The One—a
special anniversary edition limited to just 2000 pairs, and priced
at $3595.
But celebrating 20 years of hard work was not the only
motivation behind The One. “I set out to make the Porsche
Speedster of little speakers,” Bruzzese told me. “And frankly, I
was a bit perturbed at shows where I was hearing $15k to $25k
minis that all have their pluses and minuses, but what about
value? So I decided to revisit the Model 1.”
Unlike that design, which had a detachable back in order
to more easily access the cabinet’s limited internal space, The
One’s enclosure utilizes more rigid and costly monocoque
construction. The One is manufactured using three different
densities of MDF; all joints are lock mitered, glued on all six
faces, and pressed into place before being veneered both outside
and in. Rather unusually, Totem maintains its own woodshop,
which is certainly expensive in an industry that sources so many
of its speaker enclosures from China. “We make our cabinets to
be harmonically expressive,” Vince said, “which means creating
synergy between veneers, stains, and lacquers.” When I asked
if this meant he didn’t prize inertness above all in a cabinet,
Bruzzese replied, “Well, that’s a pretty dead little box, but it still
creates a lot of energy. The speaker has usable output to around
40Hz, even into the mid-thirties, so it’s important for the drivers,
The Absolute Sound September 2008 61
Totem Acoustic The One Loudspeaker
cabinet, and crossover to work synergistically.” Because of this
“synergy”—a word that frequently pops up in conversations with
Bruzzese—and because the materials used to internally damp
speaker cabinets either degrade or change over the years, Totem’s
enclosures have either very little or no internal damping materials,
which Bruzzese says results in better transient response.
The One comes in but a single finish, which Totem
calls “root brown.” To me, the lovely veneers suggest a
rich espresso-like patina. The front baffle does not include
a grille, which sounds better and arguably looks better,
too; the cabinet is rear-ported, and two glittering sets of
the finest WBT connectors await single- or bi-wiring.
Totem sometimes build its own drivers and sometimes enters
into collaborative relationships with driver manufacturers that
build to Totem’s specs (often using Totem-supplied tooling).
Although Bruzzese told me he could make a musical speaker
using “any two drivers and a cardboard box,” he likes to have
a lot of drivers on hand. “There is no advantage to limiting my
choice,” he said.
The two-way The One uses a 5.5" Dynaudio-sourced mid/
bass driver boasting a 3" diameter voice-coil; the tweeter is a
1" aluminum chambered-dome from SEAS. In addition to the
sophisticated measurement tools Totem uses to match its drivers,
62 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Totem also “ear-matches” them. “There are subtle qualitative
differences measurements just can’t catch,” says Vince.
For those who flee from metal dome tweeters the way
Republicans are currently fleeing from the Bush Administration,
don’t assume that The One’s aluminum dome sounds bright. It is
extended and quite defined, but it is very natural and airy whether
reproducing triangle or cymbal, or the upper ranges of trumpet,
violin, or guitar.
These qualities were consistently evident over a wide range of
recordings I auditioned during my weeks with The One, from
the singing, sweet, yet naturally steely rasp of Nathan Milstein’s
Strad in an unaccompanied Bach Partita to Lee Morgan’s piercing
yet lyrical trumpet on Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers’ A
Night in Tunisia [Music Matters/Blue Note 45rpm LP], or, on the
same record, Art Blakey’s shimmering ride cymbal. I came away
feeling that The One’s tweeter is voiced to just the right balance
of extension, bite—when needed—and sweet airiness.
And while that little 5.5" main driver packs a surprising wallop
and rarely leaves you feeling like the speaker lacks bass—just
listen to the Gutter Twins fine sounding Saturnalia [Sub Pop],
where The One’s superb clarity and dynamic liveliness survived
an arsenal of guitars, synths, organ, bass, lap steel, and drums—
it is naturally going to lack the sheer robustness and weight of
larger cones. I’ll again cite Music Matters’ superb reissue of A
Night in Tunisia, where Blakey’s playing was beautifully defined,
with remarkable transient speed, rhythmic precision, and textural
definition, though lacking the sheer physical power heard from
beefier designs.
But then, this is hardly news to fans of mini-monitors. We love
them for their strengths, and can usually live without the bottom
octave and paint-peeling volume levels that are the undisputed
realms of larger drivers and multi-way systems. Of course, these
designs typically lack the seamless overall coherence and ability
to disappear the way the best two-ways can. Yes, alas, even in the
high-end, we’re forced to make choices.
Of course, it isn’t only the drivers that create this illusion
of speaking with a single voice. Well-designed crossovers with
excellent parts play an equally important role. To this end, Totem
has spared no expense with The One’s crossover, which contain
very-high-quality gold/silver-foil and paper-and-oil capacitors.
“Our goal is to make excellent speakers that will perform
consistently over 20 years, so we use no electrolytics,” said
Bruzzese, who also mentioned that Totem stocks parts for every
speaker the company has yet produced.
I gleaned many other interesting bits of information from
Bruzzese, such as the fact that he voices his speakers in mono
and tunes them to sound as uniform as possible wherever they’re
placed in his design room. “It’s like the human voice,” he said.
“No matter where a singer may stand in a room, they sing straight
ahead and you still get a beautiful sound. We want our speakers
to involve everybody in a room.” As such, excellent off-axis
dispersion is a Totem design goal.
Indeed, while setting up The One, I read Totem’s advice not to
toe-in the speakers. Naturally, I ignored it and began by placing
The Ones (on their dedicated and hefty T4S stands) in roughly
the same spot I’ve found works well for most speakers in my
room—with a bit of toe-in. They sounded fine, but after a few
Totem Acoustic The One Loudspeaker
SPECS & PRICING
Type: Two-way, rear-vented
loudspeaker
Driver complement: 1” aluminum dome
(chambered) tweeter; 5.5” bass/
midrange driver with 3” voice coil
Frequency response: 50Hz–20kHz
Sensitivity: 87dB
Impedance: 4 ohms
Recommended amplifier power:
15–120Wpc
Dimensions: 6.5” x 12.5” x 9”
Weight: 9 lbs.
Price: $3595 (w/Totem T4S stands)
64 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
TOTEM ACOUSTIC
9165 Rue Champ d’Eau
Montreal, Quebec Canada
(514) 259-4968
totemacoustic.com
Associated Equipment
TW Acustic Raven One turntable,
Tri-Planar Ultimate VII tonearm,
Transfiguration Orpheus cartridge;
Artemis Labs LA-1 linestage and
PL-1 phonostage; Kharma MP-
150 mono amplifiers; SimAudio
Moon i-1 integrated amplifier and
CD-1 CD Player; TARA Labs Zero
interconnects, digital cable, Omega
speaker cables, The One power cords,
and AD-10B Power Screen; Finite
Elemente Spider equipment racks
days of listening I had this nagging feeling that
imaging, soundstaging, and openness weren’t
all they could be. So I began experimenting and
found that no toe-in did produce the best results.
Lesson learned: Owner’s manuals are occasionally
worth reading, after all.
Thus settled, like many small monitors, The
One is capable of recreating quite a large and
holographic soundfield. Listening to a vinyl copy
of Bernstein’s Carmen [DG], graciously sent by
my colleague Paul Seydor, it struck me again why
I love superb two-way speakers like Totem’s The
One, the Magico Mini, and the Kharma 3.2 and
Mini Exquisites that have been my references
these past few years. In addition to that magical,
“you-are-there” feeling of being transported to
the venue, or, perhaps more accurately in this
case, of having the venue transported to you, the
seamless bottom-to-top coherence mentioned
above was dramatically displayed. This is
especially difficult to achieve (and hence, all the
more rewarding) with a score like this one, where
Bizet employed full orchestral forces ranging
from timpani to triangle, a rich cast of vocal
soloists, as well as adult and children’s choruses.
The One effortlessly, convincingly, and thrillingly
recreated the performance, with all its harmonic
complexity, bold dynamic swings, and dramatic
tension. Moreover, the soundstage I mentioned
at the start of this paragraph opened like the
evening sky on a brilliantly clear night, creating
that rare but hoped for illusion that sound isn’t
really coming from speakers at all.
It should come as no surprise that The One is
a knockout with smaller-scale vocal music. Both
male and female voices emerge as easy, warm, and
natural, with essentially no trace of boxiness or
other overt coloration. This was true with Cynthia
Gooding’s creamy, slightly smoky alto on A
Treasury of Spanish and Mexican Folk Song [Elektra],
as well as the incomparable baritone of Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau on Songs of the New Vienna School
[DG].
So does Totem’s The One compete with the
far costlier models mentioned above? Yes and no.
While it doesn’t have the weight, bass extension,
sheer dynamic punch, and nth-degree of resolu-
tion I’ve heard in a Magico or Kharma design, The
One pulls a similarly magical disappearing act. I
should add for those who may not be familiar with
them that these speakers range from something
like six-to-twelve times the cost of Totem’s little
design. Which makes this Twentieth Anniversary
design a bargain to celebrate.
Most importantly, Totem’s limited edition The
One is a speaker that grabs your emotions, making
it difficult to stop listening. TAS
Equipment Report
Singing with Musical Energy
Gershman Acoustics Sonogram Loudspeaker
Neil Gader

G
ershman Acoustics has cultivated a reputation
as the Canadian loudspeaker company whose
distinctive pyramidal designs are as appealing to
the eye as their sonics are to the ear. For avid Gershman-
watchers, the new Sonogram might represent a curious
departure. Utilitarian in appearance, it stands in stark
contrast to the geometrically outrageous Gershman
flagship, the Black Swan. However, by going the
traditional boxy-cabinet route Gershman is pursuing a
laudable goal—offering the range and kick of its best
offerings while hewing to the Gershman ethos, and
all at what amounts to be the cost of a good upscale
compact.
The Sonogram is a 41" tall, mid-size floorstander
in a bass-reflex enclosure. A three-way design, it
uses a 1" Peerless soft dome and a Morel 2 1/8" soft
dome midrange. The fiberglass woofer is designed
by Gershman and manufactured here in the States.
The transducers are arrayed in a tight formation and
positioned as near to the top of the baffle as possible.
Crossover points are specified at 300Hz and 2kHz and
there’s point-to-point soldering throughout. A narrow,
slot-type port is located near the base of the rear panel
just above a stabilizing plinth. True to the Gershman
philosophy that mandates extreme cabinet rigidity, the
Sonogram’s sturdy visage and broad waistline is due
to the 1.5"-thick veneered MDF on the side, top, and
bottom panels, and the 1" MDF front and back panel.
Enclosure reinforcement is similarly heavy duty with four
braces bridging the cabinet’s interior panels. In a nod to
its own pyramid designs Gershman has incorporated a
pair of intersecting sections along the back panel of the
cabinet’s interior thus creating a non-parallel surface to
break up standing waves, an issue that Gershman always
pays much attention to. Hence the clever word play on
the term sonogram—defined variously as “using sound
waves to create images within a body or structure.” In
this instance it implies the quelling of internal resonances
and standing waves to improve “imaging” outside the SPECS & PRICING
enclosure.
As the Sonogram took up residence in my listening Frequency Response: 28Hz–20kHz Gershman Acoustics
room responses to its looks ranged from “refreshingly Sensitivity: 89dB 1054 Centre Street, #638
retro” to “as sexy as a burlap sack.” However, cue up Impedance: 6 ohms Thornhill, Ontario L4J 8E5
a little music and there’s no doubt that this baby has Dimensions: 41" x 9.5" x 14.5" Canada
charisma. The Sonogram conveys a balanced personality Weight: 75 lbs. (905) 862-2882
that is both lively, viscerally compelling, and not without Price: $3695 gershmanacoustics.com
a little finesse. It’s clearly been charged with the mission
68 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
 EQUIPMENT REPORT - Gershman Acoustics Sonogram Loudspeaker
of providing nothing less than an old-school E-ticket ride, and
it delivers, often on a thrilling scale. It offers the kind of speed
and energy that I’ve generally noted when larger dome drivers
are tasked with the middle frequencies. Not that it doesn’t have
a couple of rough edges, but they are relatively well disguised in
the overall fabric of the Sonogram’s performance.
Tonally, the Sonogram’s character is slightly forward of neutral
with a pleasant warmth in the lower mids and midbass. It’s not
ruler flat in the treble but the additional light it throws in this
region is easy to get used to. This makes it less forgiving of the
nasties in a strident recording, but also make it fast and detailed
with reference material.
When you listen to as many slim-waisted compacts as I have,
you develop a sensitivity to cabinet colorations. Happily, the
Sonogram doesn’t impose a weighty character. Like any good self-
respecting floorstander it can play big, but more importantly it must
play small, and in so doing emulate the detail and coherence of a
good stand-mount compact. In this regard it has the transparency
and transient ability to convincingly reproduce a solo singer-
songwriter, a chamber group, or a close-miked soloist. Yet it
stands at the ready with near-inextinguishable dynamic reserves.
And it produces serious bass—at serious levels. Bass that stirs
and churns your gut rather then just eliciting polite approval. In
my room the Sonogram performed to stated spec, plummeting
into the upper-20Hz range. Even though I only had an el cheapo
SPL meter on hand, warble test tones suggested remarkably
linear response down to 30Hz and perceivably lower—within
shouting distance of the best I’ve had in my room. For example,
during Mary Chapin-Carpenter’s “Closer and Closer Apart” [The
Calling, Rounder] the density of bass images was thrilling—when
the keyboard player releases the piano’s sustain pedal there’s
this marvelous whoosh of energy, as if the soundboard itself
is exhaling like some black-lacquered beast. However, unlike
some considerably pricier competitors—the Revel Performa F52
comes to mind—the Sonogram doesn’t have quite the bottom
octave control when the taps are thrown wide open. It did betray
a bit of port-tuning during The Police’s “Tea in the Sahara”
[Synchronicity, A&M]. Sting’s bass line tended to ripen and lose its
rhythmic focus just a bit as greater and greater output demands
were heaped on the speaker.
Perhaps most illustrative of the Sonogram’s balance of the
delicate and the deep was Jennifer Warnes’ “If It Be Your Will,”
from the 20th Anniversary remastering of her classic Famous Blue
Raincoat [Shout]. It’s a track that juxtaposes a pair of guitars
dueting in their upper registers, while an electric bass drops
slowly-decaying low-frequency depth charges. The Sonogram
firmly commanded these competing demands while tenaciously
holding onto the sustains of each rumbling bass note. The vocal
was articulate yet true to this recording’s occasionally peaky
misbehavior. As I was finishing this review I received the 45 rpm
test pressings of Cisco’s soon-to-be-released LP box-set version
of FBR. Like a good studio monitor the Sonogram permitted
an easy head-to-head comparison of these formats. It became
a contrast of the more macro-detail oriented CD with the more
fluent and fluid micro-detail of the LP. Especially off-putting
was the sensation that on the CD the vocal image often sounded
70 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
as if it were outside the fabric of the backing instrumentation,
whereas on the LP Warnes’ voice seemed to originate organically
from within the mix.
The Sonogram excels at dynamic nuance. For me this was best
exemplified in how a vocalist uses breath control to modulate
increments of volume, wraps his or her voice around notes,
pushes air over vowels, and warms or cools intonation. I liked
the way the Sonogram captured the air of the mic “pop” when
Elton John sang the line “…upon a painted tepee” from “Indian
Sunset” [Madman Across the Water, MCA]. Unlike a typical two-
way (Magicos likely excluded), the Gershman makes it more of
a happy challenge for the listener to dial in the dynamic comfort
zone of a recording. Familiar tracks, where the volume settings
might have been long ago established by trial and error, suddenly
explode out of the grooves. For example when Bryn Terfel
hits a crescendo during “Danny Boy” [Sings Favourites, DG],
the Gershman constantly reminded me of the wider dynamic
envelope that was being reproduced—a turn-of-events that
sometimes had me fumbling for the volume control.
These subtle and not so subtle changes add perspective and
enrich orchestral and vocal images. They also impart a better
sense of venue scale and dimensionality. The attenuation of
dynamic contrasts is a subtle, pernicious thing. It gets factored
in over time and forgotten until you come across a “big stick”
three-way like the Sonogram.
Overall there’s good inter-driver coherence between the mid
and woofer, but I sometimes felt that there was also an energy
lift in the upper-mid “presence” region that allowed vocals to
be reproduced with terrific precision but also masked some of
the round chestiness, the deep power that emanates from the
diaphragm—the platform that launches the sound. During
the intro to Jane Monheit’s charming version of “Over the
Rainbow,” I could hear a lower-treble “push” that put a bit of zip
into transients but also dried out the leading edge of the phrase
“and wake up were the clouds are far behind me” [Come Dream
With Me, N-Coded]. I think there was also an added emphasis
in the sibilance range, an issue that arose whenever an acoustic
string instrument was either plucked, picked, or bowed. For the
Gershman, there was a fairly consistent emphasis on speed and
liveliness off that initial transient. But with Anne Sophie-Mutter’s
violin I could hear a bit more of the rosin on the bow and a bit
less of the fundamental and body of the violin [Tchaikovsky,
Concerto in D major, DG SACD].
These issues are by no means deal-breakers. They only suggest
that hard choices are always made at various price points. Or why
else would the rest of the Gershman line exist? Pay more, and
Gershman will gladly provide that extra dollop of civility and
resolution. The remarkable aspect about the Sonogram is how
well these tradeoffs have been balanced.
There are so many areas where the Gershman Sonogram
sings out with musical energy. It’s a remarkable effort made all
the more so at a price point that should cause many a two- and
three-way to blanch. The Gershman Sonogram exemplifies that
special kind of sonic excellence that makes you excited to be an
audiophile. TAS
Equipment Report
Bravo!
Paradigm Reference Signature Series S1 Mini-monitor
Steven Stone
S
o, who hasn’t heard of Paradigm? I see a few
hands going up in Patagonia and Pyongyang. A
quick corporate history: Paradigm is a Canadian
company that has developed a reputation for making
high-value speakers. Many audiophiles began their
quest for great sound on a budget by owning and
enjoying Paradigm’s offerings. For 25 years its entry-
level transducers have defined the minimum standards
for a true audiophile speaker. On the other end of the
price spectrum, Paradigm’s top-echelon products can
and often do challenge the best available, regardless of
how lofty the price or exotic the technology. Let’s look
at Paradigm’s latest thinking on how to pack the most
performance into a tiny package, the S1 speaker.
The S1 is the smallest member of Paradigm’s new
v.2 “Reference Signature Series,” which replaces its
original “Signature” line. The S1 speaker features a
compact sealed-cabinet design with no ports, vents, or
other bass-enhancing augmentations. All the cabinet
parts including the baffle, rear section, and outer
shell are made of die-cast aluminum to maximize the
inner cavity dimensions while maintaining maximum
rigidity. If you tap on the speaker cabinet you’ll hear
a very slight bonk sound that signals that its cabinet is
metal, not wood. The speaker’s interior uses extensive
internal bracing based on a constrained-layer damping
scheme coupled with Permacote Linacoustic material
to reduce internal resonances. The front baffle’s shape
incorporates a built-in waveguide to further enhance
performance. The speaker’s exterior cabinet is finished
with a skin of real wood veneer that is curved, since
not a single solitary outer surface is flat, including the
cabinet’s bottom.
The S1 employs a special P-Be pure beryllium dome
tweeter constructed with high-temperature, copper-clad,
aluminum-wire voice coils mounted on Apical formers
with dual super-neodymium magnets. The tweeter’s
rear damping chamber has aperiodic resonance breakup
fins combined with an integrated heat sink chassis
in a ferro-fluid damped/cooled die-cast enclosure.
Paradigm migrated to this new beryllium dome tweeter
because it feels it has mechanical properties that surpass
aluminum for lightness and rigidity. There’s only one
72 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
downside of beryllium. It’s so physically delicate
that it requires a non-removable metal mesh cover
to prevent inquisitive primates from poking it,
which could cause it to shatter. This specific mesh
grille material was chosen from many options due
to its particular hole-spacing and wire thicknesses,
which optimize the tweeter’s power response and
dispersion measurements.
Unlike many speaker manufacturers who use
components built by OEM suppliers, Paradigm
actually builds all of its drivers in-house. This
way Paradigm can engineer drivers for specific
applications. The integrated basket/baffle system
for the S1 allows it to have a larger midrange/
woofer driver than ordinarily found in a speaker
with the S1’s outer dimensions. This unique driver
is made using a cobalt-infused aluminum cone, an
anodized solid-aluminum phase plug, a massive
ceramic/ferrite magnet, and a 38mm (1 ½"), rigid,
low-mass, dual-layer voice coil in an integrated
baffle/die-cast heatsink chassis. Its cone material
is especially well suited to its application—tapping
lightly on the cone produces a satisfying thunk,
which demonstrates the cone’s non-resonant
sonic character.
According to Jack Shafton, Paradigm’s head of
marketing, the S1’s crossover “is fairly simple.
Since we build the drivers, our crossovers
don’t need shunts to tame dips and peaks
in the driver’s performance.” The S1
employs a third-order electro-
acoustic design with a crossover
point of 2.1kHz. It has both
polypropylene and polystyrene
capacitors in the signal path with
specially made open-core wire-wound resistors and
chokes. All the parts are built by Paradigm and have a
tolerance of only plus or minus ¼ dB!
Because of the S1’s unique physical shape, with
no straight or flat surfaces, Paradigm had to create a
special dedicated speaker stand. The speaker attaches,
not from the bottom as with most designs, but with
a dedicated slide-in locking system in the back. This
 EQUIPMENT REPORT - Paradigm Reference Signature Series S1 Mini-monitor
attachment scheme not only ensures a firm union between the
speaker and the stand but also allows speaker wire to be routed
inside the stand instead of trailing down the back.
The S1’s grille cover uses magnets to hold it in place, so the
cover doesn’t rest flush on the front baffle. Instead it rides ¼"
up, as if it’s floating on air. The S1’s overall fit and finish is what
you would expect from a high-end product with lovely AAA-
quality wood veneer and impeccable surfaces sporting sensual
curves. Gold-plated, bi-wireable, five-way, EU-safety-approved
binding posts (this means you may have some difficulty fitting
especially thick lugs into the posts) complete this model of a
modern high-end speaker. Unlike the other speakers in the Signa-
ture line, which have a form-follows-function industrial design,
the S1 speaker has an elegant, aesthetically pleasing shape that re-
minds me more of a modern Porsche and less of a 70s MOPAR
muscle-car.
Testing Time
When I receive a pair of speakers for review I set them up in
my desktop monitor system, burn them in for a couple of days,
and then begin serious listening. I prefer to begin my review with
nearfield listening because it eliminates room interactions and
lets me focus on the sound of the speaker itself. Although this
is only the first step in my review process, if I like the speaker I
74 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
usually return it to my desktop at the end of the review so I can
listen to it while writing deathless prose.
Cutting to the chase, the Paradigm S1’s rank among the best
nearfield monitors I’ve reviewed, although they are certainly not
the easiest to set up. Their curved base presents a unique situation.
You can’t put them on a flat surface without some kind of support
unless you don’t mind watching them wobble around like a high-
tech roly-poly. I secured them with a pair of DH ceramic cones
nestled in rubber pucks at the front and a pair of foam squares
from Dali speakers on the back. But I often found them sitting
askew after a cat rubbed against them overnight. Paradigm really
needs to offer a dedicated cradle for desktop use.
As you would expect from a speaker with a small physical
footprint, the S1s image ridiculously well. Are they the ultimate
imaging champs? Well, no. The Gallo Adiva Ti’s with their coaxial
driver layout and substantially smaller circular cabinets still
perform the ultimate disappearing act. But the Paradigm S1s rank
among the top-imaging conventionally arrayed box speakers, tying
with the ATC SCM7’s. The S1s share many other similarities with
the ATC SCM 7 speakers. Both have sealed cabinets and similar
power-sensitivity ratings. One of the tests I regularly perform on
my desktop is to set up one brand of speaker on one channel and
another on the second channel. Then I select a mono source and
switch back and forth between the two speakers to compare their
 Paradigm Reference Signature Series S1 Mini-monitor - EQUIPMENT
harmonic balances. When I ran this test with the Paradigm S1s
and the ATC SCM 7s I played some mono tracks from the Charlie
Christian—The Genius of the Electric Guitar box set. In a blind test
I’m positive I’d never be able to tell which speaker was on which
side! Not only was the image dead centered, which is indicative of
the speakers’ similar outputs, but it didn’t waver during dynamic
peaks, demonstrating their similar dynamic characteristics. Even
their harmonic balances were eerily similar on this particular,
limited-upper-frequency recording.
The S1 isn’t one of those speakers that creates an artificial,
overly three-dimensional, “Technicolor” soundstage. If the
source material has actual depth, such as on my own live concert
recordings, you’ll hear it, but on typical multi-tracked pop
recordings the individual parts will remain in one lateral plane.
The front of the soundstage starts right at the front of the S1s,
not several feet behind as with some designs. This presentation is
very WYSIWYG. If depth is actually present on the source you
hear depth, and if not the S1s won’t exaggerate dimensionality to
enhance your audiophile jollies.
But just because they don’t exaggerate dimensionality doesn’t
mean the S1’s can’t throw up an immense soundstage if the
music was recorded that way. Listening to Patty Larkin’s song
“Hallelujah” on Watch The Sky, I couldn’t help but be impressed
by the width of the soundstage. Conversely, Charlie Christian
REPORT
mono tracks emanated from a pinpoint spot dead-center
between the two speakers. On my recorded M/S level tests, the
S1s clearly delineated 1dB level changes between the mid and
side microphones and accurately reproduced the alterations in
soundstage shape and depth caused by these level adjustments.
Some speakers, such as the original Quad, deliver stunning
imaging but only within a small listening window. The S1s create
such a large listening window that you must move substantially
off-axis to destroy the imaging, even if you are situated only a few
feet away. For most of my listening (whether near- or mid-field)
the S1s’ tweeter was approximately level with my ears, However
even when I moved vertically six inches the frequency balance
and imaging remained constant, indicating the S1s have a smooth
and even dispersion pattern.
Low-level-detail retention is another strong point of the S1s.
On material ranging from Badi Assad’s solo acoustic guitar on
“Preludio E Toccatina” from the La Guitara to the dense multi-
tracked mania of Toy Matinee’s “Last Plane Out,” it was easy
to hear well down into the minute details buried in the music.
The S1s preserve even the most subtle musical cues, such as
the individualistic style of Open Road’s mandolin player Caleb
Roberts’ right-hand tremolo technique. If you relish listening
deep into the mix the S1s will keep you fully involved.
Many small speakers opt for the old BBC LS3/5a standard har-
The Absolute Sound September 2008 75
 EQUIPMENT REPORT - Paradigm Reference Signature Series S1 Mini-monitor
monic balance—sweeten the top frequencies and punch up the Small Can Be Beautiful
midbass. Fortunately, the S1s aren’t among this group. Instead, the When it comes to how large or small a speaker you need or want
S1s fall into the faithfully flat fraternity. Of course no speaker gets for a particular room, audiophiles fall into two camps. Some insist
it completely right, precariously perched on the knife-edge of ab- the ideal is to shoehorn the largest speaker they can into a room,
solute neutrality. The S1s are no exception to the rule, falling off while others prefer to get away with the smallest speaker possible. I
toward the cool dry side of the blade. Personally I consider this have greater affinity with the second school of thought. I think the
positive, since it’s indicative of a speaker design that doesn’t try to trick is to use the smallest transducer that can deliver full dynamics
add additional harmonic colorations. and frequency response in your listening environment. Why?
One of the S1s’ most impressive attributes is its extreme upper- Because a small speaker has greater location flexibility, so you can
frequency presentation. If an instrument on a recording has air more easily place it in the best spot in your room.
the S1s will let you know it. Flutes, piccolos, violins, and breathy Because the S1s are so small, some prospective buyers might
female vocalists all benefit from the S1s’ smooth yet open high-fre- pass on them in favor of a larger more physically impressive
quency presentation. While I can’t begin to hear up to the speaker’s bookshelf or floor-standing model. That would be a mistake. For
published upper limits at 45kHz, even these old ears can hear how its size and price the S1 delivers more pure performance than
smoothly Paradigm’s new beryllium dome tweeter renders these any speaker I’ve heard. Mated with a high-quality subwoofer, the
upper frequencies. S1 can transform a smallish listening room into a sonic space as
I briefly set up the S1s in the room that houses my Dunlavy Sig- large and impressive as the Grand Canyon. In a desktop nearfield
nature SC VI speakers. As you might guess this large, well-damped listening environment it can take you anywhere from a beer-
room is a less than ideal environment for any small monitor speak- soaked bar room to Carnegie Hall. Once more Paradigm has
er. But it does tell me how well a small monitor handles extreme drawn a line in the sand—setting a sonic and aesthetic standard
dynamic challenges. At moderate listening levels, the S1s’ dynamic at a price that other speaker manufacturers will be hard-pressed
capabilities almost kept up with the much larger Dunlavys. Only to equal. Bravo, Paradigm! TAS
when I went above 85dB SPL at listening position (ten feet from
the speakers) did the S1s’ lack of additional drivers and miniscule
cabinet volume show. No, you can’t expect a pair of small moni-
tors, even with subwoofers attached, to fill a large room to fully SPECS & PRICING
satisfying concert levels. That’s why Paradigm makes larger models
in the Signature line. Type: Two-driver, two-way Monarchy Audio DIP, Meridian
In my smaller room in a midfield listening setup (six feet from loudspeaker 518 digital re-processor
listening position) with subwoofer augmentation, the S1s’ retained Crossover: Third-order electro- and digital mastering tool,
dynamic cohesion well up to 91dB peaks. Above 91dB, even in acoustic at 2.1kHz Meridian 561 pre/pro, Grace
my small room, the S1s didn’t have quite enough lower-midrange Drivers: 1" pure-beryllium dome M902 reference headphone
and upper-bass dynamic power to remain completely convincing. tweeter; 6" mid/woof preamplifier, Bel Canto Dac
There is a point where even the best two-way sealed-cabinet design Low-frequency extension: 58Hz 3, Bel Canto S-300 stereo
can’t push out enough sound in the lower midrange and upper bass (DIN) amplifier, Accuphase P-300
to keep up with the rest of its range. Let me emphasize that the S1s Frequency response: 72Hz– power amplifier, Earthquake
never sounded stressed at high volume, they just didn’t have the 45kHz +/-2dB Supernova mk IV 10 subwoofer,
same dynamic ease, lower midrange authority, and dynamic con- Sensitivity: 87dB Goertz M12 Veracity speaker
trast as my reference speakers, the Genesis 6.1 system. Power handling: 15–175 watts cables, Goertz TQ2 alpha-core
In a nearfield environment I seriously doubt you’ll ever hear any Impedance: Compatible with interconnects.
signs of dynamic constriction from the S1s unless you regularly 8 ohms
try listening at levels above 95dB SPL (which I don’t recommend). Dimensions: 10-1/2" x 6-3/4" x Room System
Even on the most dynamically challenging material, such as my 8-3/4" CEC TL-2 CD transport,
live field recordings of mandolinist Chris Thile playing duets with Weight: 25 lbs. per pair Lexicon RT-20 Universal
banjo whiz Noam Pikelny, the S1s didn’t display even the slightest Price: Cherry finish, $1498 per transport, Sony BPS-300
signs of dynamic compression. pair; Natural birdseye maple Blu Ray Player, Apple TV,
For both nearfield and room listening I mated the S1s with sub- or piano black, $1698 per pair; Meridian 518, Lexicon MC-
woofers without any outboard crossover. Since the S1s use a sealed GS-30 stands $320 per pair 12B HD pre/pro, Bel Canto
enclosure design, they have a smooth and even low-end roll-off M-1000 power amplifiers,
that pairs easily with any good subwoofer. While you might get Associated Equipment two JL Labs Fathom F112
away using the S1s without a subwoofer (if you live in a condo- Desktop System subwoofers (2), Synergistic
minium or apartment where the neighbors are hyper-sensitive to EAD 8000 Pro CD/DVD player Research Designer’s Reference
low rumbles), adding a subwoofer will substantially enhance the and transport, MacPro Dual interconnects and speaker
musical experience. Honestly, using the S1s without a subwoofer core computer with iTunes 7.61, cables.
is a bit like trying to get a buzz from near-beer; you can do it, but Trends USB Audio Dac UD-10,
do you really want to?
76 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
 Equipment Report
Well Balanced
Atma-Sphere M-60 MkIII OTL Amplifier and MP-3 Preamplifier
Sue Kraft
A
s I previously reviewed and recommended the Atma-
Sphere MA-1 Silver Edition OTL for induction into the
Audio Hall of Fame, it didn’t take long for the hallmark
purity and neutrality of the more affordable M-60 MkIII to
have me questioning once again why output-transformerless
(OTL) amplifiers never seem to get the press they deserve.
But more importantly, I’m selfishly wondering why I still don’t
have a pair of these tubed beauties permanently parked in my
listening room. The M-60’s distinctive retro appearance doesn’t
begin to reveal what’s cookin’ inside. The performance of the
Atma-Sphere OTL is impressive in ways that are difficult—if not
impossible—to describe.
The latest incarnation of the classic M-60 is a chip off the ol’
monoblock so to speak. It shares with its larger, more powerful
siblings an all-triode, Class A balanced differential design, as well
as a direct-coupled (OTL) output stage. While there’s no output
transformer to get in the way of good sound, careful speaker
matching—eight ohms or higher—is recommended for best
performance. The M-60 now features automatic biasing with
only one toggle switch and a screwdriver needed to adjust the
DC offset. The third hand I had to grow to set the bias on the
older model MA-1 can now be used exclusively for alligator
wrestling with Virtual Dynamics cables. Also new are input jacks
(XLR and RCA) around back instead of on the front panel. This
should allow for a shorter pair of interconnects, which is no
small matter at today’s cable prices. Plus, that bright green and
pink wire you thought looked so cool in your favorite audio mag
can now be hidden discretely behind your system.
78 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Tubes include four 6SN7s per channel on the input side and
eight 6AS7s in the output stage—enough to keep my listening
room toasty warm year round. While I believe my review sample
represents the $6350 base version, there are also a number of
internal options available for those with deeper pockets. Upgrades
include custom Teflon coupling caps, V-Cap Teflon caps, power
supply boost, and a Caddock resistor package. It will also cost an
extra $360 if you want polished stainless front panels; otherwise
the standard finish is black Wrinkletex. Total price for a fully
loaded M-60 MkIII will set you back $8870.
For the purpose of my listening tests, I paired the M-60 with
Atma-Sphere’s entry-level MP-3 preamp, a Meridian G08 CD
player, and relatively sensitive, 8-ohm Coincident Super Eclipse
speakers. I know a few guys who own the larger OTLs and are
perfectly happy using them with lower sensitivity, lower impedance
(4-ohm) speakers. With a 60W OTL, I’d personally recommend
sticking with a higher-sensitivity speaker or you may not fully
appreciate the extraordinary bass this amp is capable of. While the
bottom end has plenty of impact, it’s not the kind of impact that
is going to jump out of the speaker and slam you up against the
wall. What’s so extraordinary are the tight focus, definition, and
layering in the bottom end. I’ve heard tight focus before, but not
so deep into the bottom octaves. It‘s quite spectacular. The bass is
also extremely nimble and quick—unfettered speed is the only way
to describe it. Matching the M-60 with the right speaker will allow
the music to figuratively run wild. I ran out of power a few times,
but I really needed to push this amp hard to do so—harder than I
would during any normal listening session.
 EQUIPMENT REPORT - Atma-Sphere M-60 MkIII OTL Amp and MP-3 Preamp
Other than being fascinated by the bass performance, I was a very long time, if my wallet were a little healthier these days.
impressed by many aspects of the M-60. In my experience, A brief tour of Atma-Sphere a few years back made me realize
few tube amplifiers have the purity and neutrality of this one. just how lucky we are to have such diversity in this hobby. A
Expansiveness of soundstage and extension on top has to rank dozen or so years ago I didn’t think an OTL amplifier would ever
with the best, too. The sound is smooth, but not syrupy smooth, be for me, until a friend talked me into listening to one. Now
with no excess fat needing to be trimmed. The Atma-Sphere is I’m hooked. If you’re considering taking the plunge, the M-60
a very different animal than the Joule Electra OTL; in a direct MkIII and MP-3 preamp will keep you smiling until the cows
comparison the Atma-Sphere may sound a tad thin to some, come home. And even if you’re not ready to take the plunge, you
though I believe the Joule tends to be too rich or overcooked. should audition the Atma-Sphere OTL anyway. You’ll be richer
To each her own, I suppose. If you like bloat and coloration, you for the experience. TAS
probably won’t like the Atma-Sphere.
Most important is the M-60’s ability to bring you closer to
the music. A film or layer of grunge is removed that you didn’t
even know existed before. It’s often described as the difference
between being a spectator at a musical event and being part of
it. When I first sat down to listen to the M-60 I couldn’t help
thinking of that guy in the V-8 commercial slapping his forehead
and saying, “I coulda had an OTL!”

MP-3
If you don’t have the coin for Atma-Sphere’s reference all-tube,
dual-chassis MP-1 preamplifier, the more economical MP-3
stuffs both chassis into a single box and costs less than half the
price. I’ve not yet heard its big brother in my system, which may SPECS & PRICING
be a blessing in disguise as it seems my pocketbook is in worse
shape than the economy right now. Instead, I’ve put quite a few MP-3 linestage preamp Atma-Sphere Music
miles on the MP-3 since it landed and have been surprised and Inputs/Outputs: One balanced Systems
quite happy with its level of performance paired with solid-state XLR output, three balanced 1742 Selby Avenue
and tube gear alike. XLR inputs, two RCA tape St. Paul, Minnesota 55104
The MP-3 comes housed in basic black with few frills other monitors (optional XLR phono) (651) 690-2246
than an optional phonostage and various internal upgrades Tube complement: Two 12AU7s, www.atma-sphere.com
similar to the M-60. I guess you could call it a sleeper of sorts, at two 6SN7GTs ralph@atma-sphere.com
least based on its industrial appearance. Inputs and outputs are Dimensions: 19" x 13" x 6"
balanced only, save for the dual RCA tape monitors. (An XLR-to- Weight: 20 lbs. Associated Equipment
RCA adapter is available from Atma-Sphere if needed.) Like the Price: $3950 line stage only; Meridian 808 & G08 CD
M-60, the MP-3 is a fully differential all-tube design with direct- $4600 w/phono players; Meridian G02
coupled output. The review sample was a linestage version with controller, Atma-Sphere MP-3
a pair of 12AU7s in the line section and a couple of 6SN7GTs M-60 Mk III monoblock OTL preamp, BAT 3ix preamp,
on the output side. amplifier Sonic Euphoria passive
While I’ll admit to preferring the unique M-60 amp, the MP-3 Power output: 60W into 8 preamp; Meridian G57 amp,
preamp is still an excellent complement, as it shares many of the ohms, 45W into 4 ohms, 80W BAT VK-55 amp, Atma-Sphere
amp’s sonic qualities. The MP-3 also does well mated with other into 16 ohms Novacron amps, Atma-Sphere
components, as it doesn’t have a strong sonic signature to color Tube complement: Eight M60 amps; B&W 800D & 704
the sound of the rest of your system—unless, of course, you 6AS7s, four 6SN7s speakers, VS VR4jr speakers,
consider neutrality a sonic coloration. This preamp is one that Dimensions: 17" x 13" x 8" Coincident Super Eclipse
may change preconceived notions about tube gear, although the Weight: 30 lbs. per chassis speakers; various Harmonic
MP-3 doesn’t remind me of solid-state, either. I’ve always felt Price: $6350/pair Technology, Synergistic
there should be a third choice—music! Research, Audio Magic, Paul
In addition to neutrality, the attributes I enjoyed most about Speltz, Elrod, Cardas, JPS,
the MP-3 included openness and gobs of air, great retrieval of Tributaries, Bright Star Audio,
ambient information, and a breathy quality in the midrange. and Symposium cables &
This preamp is also fairly quick, with good dynamic range, well- accessories; Chang Lightspeed
defined images, and plenty of space between them. At $3950, the Encounter & CLS 705
MP-3 is a tough unit to criticize (it might have been nice to have a powerline filter; Echo Busters
remote). Actually, even if I had to move from my listening chair & ACS room treatment
occasionally to adjust the volume, I could live with the MP-3 for
80 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Equipment Report
Burning Down the House
Pass Labs INT-150 Integrated Amplifier
Neil Gader
I
n some circles it’s still debated
whether the integrated
amplifier traded its musical
soul for a few square inches of
rack space—whether the single-
chassis solution was by nature
fatally flawed and whether
designers, saving their inspiration for flagship efforts, took
circuit shortcuts and cheaped out on internal parts like dinky
power supplies and punchless transformers. The perception that
integrated amps will always sonically shrivel in the presence of
their purist separates-siblings is certainly shared by many high-
end-o-philes. Well, I don’t know what glue these folks have been
sniffing, but my recent experience with the breed has repeatedly
blown this myth out of the water. In just the last few issues
alone the parade of pedigree integrated amp appearing in TAS
reads like a Who’s Who of the high end—Naim, conrad-johnson,
Simaudio, GamuT, Luxman, and Accuphase.
And now Pass Labs joins in with its INT-150—sixty pounds of
150Wpc solid-state, aluminum-machined majesty. More massively
proportioned than photographs suggest—viewed head-on it’s as
imposing as a Peterbilt, the heavily finned aluminum heat sinks
stretch the length of the side panels and are canted upward at 45
degrees to maximize thermal efficiency. With its Class A biasing,
the INT-150 takes only about an hour or so to convince you
that those heat sinks have a job to do beyond merely catching
crumbs.
The INT-150 is appointed with elegant simplicity. The 16mm-
thick front panel is solid aluminum stock with beveled edges and
a horizontal channel accenting the input buttons and standby
switch. Offset to the right is a large volume control with precision
steps that adjust over a 63dB range in smooth 1dB increments.
The fifteen-button machined-aluminum remote control is similarly
anodized in a finish Pass describes as “instrument gray.”
Some amps glory in the sound of their own voice, revel in
tonal excesses, and, like divas, yearn to be the center of attention.
82 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
But the INT-150 is no such animal. Its character suggests near
complete neutrality tempered with pleasing warmth. There’s an
ease and fluidity that’s not euphonically tube-like but is perhaps
more emblematic of solid-state with a strong Class A bias. The
INT-150 has a sweetness and romantic quality in the midrange
that’s quite disarming in such a powerhouse design—and a little
like bumping into Mike Tyson and having him smile and offer you
a flower rather than a right hook. It’s possessed of a quality that
fleshes out vocalists and brings forward the full chest resonances
from baritones and mezzos [Under the Stars, Bryn Terfel and
Renée Fleming, Decca]. Bass response is highly defined and
controlled. Although on some tracks like the Police’s “Murder
By Numbers” [Synchronicity, A&M], which feature the double
kick of converging bass drums and electric bass, I wonder
whether the amp might be too tightly controlled—personally
I expected a bit more bloom, although the INT-150’s got the
precision “thing” down perfectly. Note too, that this will vary
with speaker selection—sealed designs and ported ones will
certainly communicate this trait differently. Dynamically, the
Pass conveys all the thunder and majesty of “The Great Gate of
Kiev” from Pictures at an Exhibition and the human energy of the
chorale and soloists during Beethoven’s Ninth [Decca]. It performs
these micro- and macro-level feats with an ease that drags the rest
Preview: Pass Labs XA-
100.5 monoblocks
I read Neil’s description of the INT-150 with frequent head-
nods of recognition at his description of the amplifier’s
sound. There must be a strong family resemblance between
the INT-150 and the XA-100.5, Pass Labs’ 100Wpc pure Class
A monoblocks I’ve been listening to through Wilson Audio
Alexandria X-2 Series 2 loudspeakers. Neil’s descriptors
“ease and fluidity” and “sweetness” were particularly strik-
ing, because that’s exactly what I hear from the XA-100.5s.
Music reproduced through them has an astonishing beauty
of timbre, with tremendous liquidity and ease. Significantly,
the amps achieve these qualities by apparently reducing,
rather than adding, colorations. The XA-100.5s have a warm
and inviting sound that is simultaneously relaxing and exhil-
arating; the former quality is a result of the sense of warmth
and ease, the latter comes from the amplifier’s explosive dy-
namics and high resolution.
My full review of the XA-100.5 will appear in the next
issue. Robert Harley
 EQUIPMENT REPORT - Pass Labs INT-150 Integrated Amplifier
the competing timbres of a repeating, sustained piano bass note
coincide with the drum beat and can easily be reduced to a single,
SPECS & PRICING thick impulse. And if you’ve ever leaned in toward your speakers
while struggling to separate the shaker and brushed cymbal or to
Power Output: 150Wpc @ 8 Associated Equipment follow the delicate penny whistle solo at the close of “Rosalinda’s
ohms, 300Wpc @ 4 ohms Sota Cosmos Series III Eyes” consider these issues resolved.
Inputs: 4 single ended RCA, 2 turntable; SME V tonearm; Regarding micro-dynamics, I should add that for those
balanced XLR Clearaudio Maestro Wood; JR audiophiles who maintain LP and SACD collections this is where
Dimensions: 19" x 7" x 19" Transroter Phono II; Esoteric the Pass will really show you the money. Its fluidity factor and
Weight: 60 lbs. X-05; Tara Labs Omega & spatiality plays to the strengths of these enriched formats, and
Price: $6500 Zero, Synergistic Tesla Apex, the added low resolution it retrieves can leave you breathless. For
Nordost Baldur, Kimber Kable example, as coloratura Anna Netrebko sings Donizetti’s “Ardon
Pass Laboratories BiFocal XL; Wireworld Silver gli incensi” [Sempre Libera, DG, SACD], she’s accompanied by a
P.O. Box 219 Electra & Kimber Palladian playful glass harmonica that urges her upward along the scale past
Forresthill, CA 95631 power cords; Richard Gray line a high C, while the delicate layering from the Mahler Chamber
(530) 367-3690 conditioners Orchestra and chorus defines the limits of the hall behind them.
passlabs.com This is the INT-150 at its finest, exhibiting a quality of deep-
space resolving power that Stephen Hawking would admire.
Time and again the INT-150 demonstrated its lack of a definable
of your system a rung higher than you thought it could climb. sonic footprint—an absence of noise, grain, or any texture in
It positively bear-hugs images. Even on pop material like Billy between.
Joel’s The Stranger [Columbia], newly remastered by Phil Ramone, Another way to describe the character of the INT-150 is by
images are reproduced the way elevations are represented in relief way of comparison with amps that I’ve previously reviewed. For
on a topographic map. During a song like “Until The Night,” example the MBL 7008 has a more darkly romantic character,

84 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

 Pass Labs INT-150 Integrated Amplifier - EQUIPMENT
an über-authoritative bass region that aligns with
a treble region that is among the most open I’ve
heard in any amplifier, more so than even the
Pass in this respect. The Plinius 9200 or conrad-
johnson CA 200 exemplify midrange balance and
hyper-quick reflexes and transient speed, and yet
tend to be less forceful in the bass with a slightly
cooler overall signature than the MBL and Pass.
The Rowland Concentra shares much of the
sweet midrange of the Pass Labs but is even more
buttery, almost caramelized across the top octaves,
with a delicately shaded treble balance. But it’s not
as resolute in the bass as the INT-150.
Is the INT-150 all things to all audiophiles?
Probably not. This hobby is far too tribal, and no
single product punches everyone’s timecard. But the
Pass Labs INT-150 lays to rest the arguments and
perceptions of the past about integrated amplifiers.
It’s a musical force of nature and arguably about as
good as it gets in the here and now.
Yet, I don’t doubt for a moment that it and other
notables that have graced these pages can and will
go further. This segment of amplification is on fire
and I don’t see that flame going out anytime soon. TAS
REPORT
Technical Info
The INT-150 is a control amplifier where, unlike the typical integrated, all
the required gain is tapped from the high-gain amplifier itself via an input
selector and a volume control, eliminating the multiple gain stages of a lin-
estage preamp front end. Fewer gain stages mean less circuitry and a more
direct signal path. Translation: less distortion and lower noise. For the INT-
150, input selection occurs through sealed gold-over-silver relay switches,
and the stepped volume control uses ICs to control switching JFETs.
The INT-150’s power supply, caps, heat sinks, front end, output stage,
and all relevant power amplifier parts are sourced from the X150.5. The
INT-150 also integrates Pass Labs’ Super-Symmetry topology found in the
X150.5 stereo amp and other larger X.5 models. Additional improvements
were made to the circuit board layout and the RF-filtering system on the AC
power line, and the power supply rectifiers were doubled up and changed
to high-speed fast-recovery types. The power amplifier front end has im-
proved DC thermal-drift characteristics, both in terms of DC offset and also
output-stage bias. The bias itself has been set higher, so that the amplifier
operates in Class AB to a peak limit of 800 watts into 2 ohms. The back
panel of the INT-150 has plenty of room for its robust five-way speaker ter-
minals. There are four inputs, two of which offer XLR, and a set of preamp
outputs also with a choice of RCA or XLRs. NG
The Absolute Sound September 2008 85
 The Ferrari of Subwoofers JL Audio Gotham
Alan Taffel
I
magine a long train barreling directly toward you. You can
feel the air compress as it approaches. Nothing will stop this
mass in motion; its arrival is as inevitable as the outcome. As
the train passes over you (somehow you survive), the stream of
cars overhead seems to go on endlessly. Until, abruptly, they’re
gone.
Listening to JL Audio’s new flagship subwoofer, the aptly
named Gotham, is a lot like that. You can literally sense the bass
waves it disgorges propagate across the room as they migrate
toward your listening chair. When they arrive, their impact is
overwhelming, sending the molecules in your body, your room,
86 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
the whole house into disarray. And the waves don’t stop. If the
music calls for it, they continue unabated, like a never-ending fog
horn. The Gotham never tires, never flags, until told to. At which
point it disappears as if it had never been there.
One can be engulfed in the Gotham experience in under a
minute. Specifically, the last minute of the “Pie Jesu” from Telarc’s
Durufle Requiem CD. Within this snippet there are several
descending organ notes that explore the limits of subwoofer
stability, extension, and pitch accuracy. You won’t hear any of
these notes without a subwoofer. A fermata over the last, lowest
note entreats the organist to hold it a very, very long time. The
The Cutting Edge
Gotham reproduces this crushing, enduring frequency as if it
were merely flicking a fly off its shoulder. There is not a speck
of roll-off or fudging.
Over the course of several months with the Gotham in
residence, I found no limit to either its power or its extension—
all with perfect pitch. When I used the Gotham in a home-theater
application, there were no effects—crashes, booms, thumps—it
could not reproduce with both fierceness and aplomb. For those
with a cinematic bent, the Gotham offers a truly incredible
experience.
Be advised, though, that the Gotham is not for everyone. The
first consideration is a physical one. This subwoofer, with its
gorgeous, beautifully-finished and rounded shape topped by a
glowing “blue eye” volume control, is striking but undeniably
massive. And its builders would not advise you to acquire just
88 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
one. The company is a big believer
in stereo bass, and it is absolutely
right. If you don’t believe mono’ing
two channels of bass into one sub is
sonically injurious, just try removing
one channel of input from your
current subwoofer. See what I mean?
If your budget or room constrain
against dual Gothams, JL suggests
you instead buy a pair of Fathom
f112s, at less than the cost of a
single Gotham. That’s how much
importance the company places on
stereo subs.
But let’s say you have the means
to spend twenty-four large for
twin Gothams, and you have
an appropriate space for them,
including a floor solid enough to
support their astronomical weight.
The Gotham still may not be for you.
That is because these subwoofers
have a definite sonic characteristic.
Indeed, they sound exactly like what
they are: a sealed, highly damped
system. While not an ironclad rule,
my overall experience is that such
designs tend to lack the airiness of
real bass instruments in real space.
The Gothams are no exception.
The Gotham’s airlessness may
have implications when it comes to
matching them to main speakers, and
this is not their only sonic character
for which this statement applies. If
the mains are not as highly damped
as the sub, there will be a mismatch
in the way the two handle note-decay.
As mentioned above, the Gotham
can and does stop on the proverbial
dime. There is never any slop or overhang, which is admirable
and desirable. However, compared to my own moderately
damped main speakers—and to real bass—the Gotham stops a
bit too short.
When I play a track like Clannad’s “Ri Na Cruinne” from the
Anam CD, I do not hear quite as long or as natural a drum decay
from the sub as from my main speakers. Not that the Gotham’s
decay is abruptly truncated; rather, it is smooth but accelerated,
taking place over less time. This won’t pose a problem if your
main speakers are similarly damped. Then, the two will sing
together like hummingbirds at a feeder. Otherwise, though, there
will always be an identifiable difference in character between the
Gotham and the main speakers.
But let there be no confusion between a potential character
mismatch and a completely separate bane of most subwoofers:
The Cutting Edge
So I began afresh with an approach that made a lot more
sense to me. First, with ARO turned off, I set out to achieve the
best blend with my main speakers. This process, always arduous
under the best of circumstances, proved even more so due to
the Gotham’s potentially overwhelming power. Nonetheless, I
ultimately arrived at a nearly optimal blend. On the jumpy bass
line that underpins “Jamaican Turnaround” from the Michael
Wolff Trio’s 2am, for example, the transition from Gothams to
main speakers and back again was seamlessly smooth. The only
problem was—you guessed it—a single large frequency hump
that I could not eliminate with any permutation of control
settings.
Time for ARO! This time, the feature did its job impeccably.
Not only did it clean up that nasty room mode, it eliminated the
pre-ARO glaze that had infiltrated my main speakers’ midrange.
Post-ARO, the main speakers performed with a purity I have
achieved only rarely with any subwoofer.
In sum, the Gotham is an amazing achievement, delivering the
ultimate in bass extension, power, definition, and pitch. In these
areas, the Gotham has few peers, and none that I know of in its
price range. When carefully set up, it also has the rare attribute of
not interfering with main speaker purity.
Nonetheless, this subwoofer is not ideal for every system
due to its particular sonic characteristics, which may or may not
coincide with those of your main speakers. (For a time-tested
set of rules on obtaining an optimal match, see my article on
“How to Set Up a Subwoofer” at www.avguide.com/file-
download?review=1759.) But if the two are compatible, and
if you have the space and means to invest in a pair of these
transducers, then look out. Like that oncoming train, the Gotham
has the capacity to mow you down. TAS

SPECS & PRICING

the tendency to muck up the purity of the main speakers’ mid Frequency Response: 19–200Hz Cartridge: Clearaudio Insider
and high frequencies. The Gotham most adamantly does not Power: 3800 watts Gold
suffer from this curse. Though at one point in my listening I was Drivers: Dual 13.5" woofers CD Transport: Goldmund
certain that it did. My method of circumventing the problem Dimensions: 34.1" x 21.5" x 24" Mimesis 36
serves as a cautionary tale with the moral that the manual is not Weight: 363 lbs. DAC: Goldmund Mimesis 12++
always right. Allow me to explain. Price: $12,000 Analog Preamplifier: Goldmund
Somewhere in the midst of my Gotham set-up marathon, Mimesis 22
Robert Harley told me an old hi-fi dictum: The more powerful JL Audio Power Amplifiers: Goldmund
the sub, the more difficult the setup. Brother, I can attest to that! 10369 North Commerce Mimesis 29.4
Naturally, I began by following JL’s well-articulated and thorough Parkway Speakers: Metaphor 1,
instructions. After the speakers were in place, I set all the controls Miramar, Florida 33025 Metaphor 2
to flat and the giant blue-glowing level control to 12 o’clock. As (954) 443-1100 Subwoofer: B&W ASW850
instructed, I then activated the Automatic Room Optimization jlaudio.com Cables: Empirical Design
(ARO) circuit, which employs a calibrated microphone and DSP Omniwire
to pinpoint and eradicate the room’s single worst resonant mode. ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT Accessories: Goldmund cones,
But after concluding this process for each sub, then optimizing Turntable: Goldmund Studietto ASC Tube Traps, Empirical
the Gotham’s plethora of controls, the results were unsatisfactory. Tonearm: Graham 2.2 Design power cords
Not only were the subs intruding upon midrange purity, but I
always preferred the sound without ARO.
90 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
The Cutting Edge
A Passion for R&D
Combine a virtually unlimited budget with a Lexus-like “re-
lentless pursuit of perfection,” and you have JL Audio’s
R&D shop. These guys aren’t just serious about optimiz-
ing every aspect of their product, they’re fanatical about
it. Witness: The company acquired its own “Thermatron,” a
severe hot/cold test chamber specially designed to rapidly
age parts and products—the better to foretell the device-
under-test’s sound and behavior after five years of tortur-
ous use. Engineers devoted nearly two years to determining
the right feet for the Gotham. Unhappy with any adhesives
it could find on the market, JL developed its own—and built
an air-treated lab in which to apply it. Dissatisfied with the
uniformity of the charge in magnets it purchased, the com-
pany itself decided to charge the magnets.
The R&D process begins, once JL decides to build a
particular product, by acquiring and tearing apart virtu-
ally every available competitor. Here, the engineers deter-
mine—and are generally dismayed by—the current state of
the art. From there, the company takes a “field of dreams”
approach to R&D. The financial outlay is tied not to any
specific return on investment, but rather to an abiding faith
that if it builds it right, customers will come. How can JL
afford such a profligate approach to product development?
The company is in the rare and enviable position of being
able to channel profits from established businesses, such
as auto and marine speakers, to finance incursions into
new territory.
The Gotham is a perfect example of the company’s zeal-
ous, uninhibited approach to R&D. In trying to identify the
ideal cabinet material—one with great structural integrity,
minimal resonance, acceptable longevity, and the ability
to hold a fine finish—JL experimented with: medium den-
sity fiber (MDF), high density fiber (HDF), low density fiber
(LDF), resin-impregnated LDF, solid billet, cast aluminum,
laminated plywood, and 13-ply birch. By “experimented” I
mean they built working prototypes in all these materials.
In the end, designers settled on steel-reinforced fiberglass,
despite the choice’s enormous manufacturing challenges.
But the cabinet is only the beginning. The internal ribs
that break up standing waves are sprayed with copper
paint to banish RF interference; the speaker cone’s pole
pieces are cross-drilled, just like a Ferrari brake rotor, to
manage heat; JL built massive, hangar-like paint-spray and
sanding booths solely for the Gotham. And similar atten-
tion was applied to the driver surround material, magnets,
cones, and, as previously noted, feet.
As a result, the Gotham is not and will never be a mass-
market subwoofer. Eighty man-hours are required to build
a single unit, which restricts production to a mere sixteen
per month. Essentially a fanatically engineered, hand-
crafted speaker, the Gotham resembles a Ferrari in more
ways than one. TAS

92 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

 Superb
Performance
–At a Price

94 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Burmester 069 Reference
Line CD player
Anthony H. Cordesman
Photography by Adam Voorhes

The Absolute Sound September 2008 95

Burmester 069 Reference Line CD player
T
he Burmester 069 Reference Line CD player is
a superb unit. It has outstanding sound perfor-
mance in every respect. It is a beautiful job of en-
gineering, has a wide range of features, and is ex-
ceptionally well made. It proved to be compatible
with a wide range of tube and solid-state electron-
ics, interconnects, and speakers. And it does not
favor one sort of CD or music. You get the same
exceptional sound quality with all types of music; moreover, its
performance is equally good with ordinary, early digital, and the
best contemporary CD recordings. In terms of actual perfor-
mance, about the only thing I can criticize is the usual clunky,
miserably designed, “high-end” remote control—a forest of tiny
buttons with small labels and no backlighting. You’ll definitely
want a custom remote.
The far more practical problem, however, is whether a superb
CD player provides enough cost-benefits to justify a price of
nearly $65,000 (The 069 is $64,995 with the power supply in the
Reference Line chassis, and $59,995 with the power supply in the
Top Line chassis.) For the truly rich, the issue
will be more the matter of benefits than cost.
No one in his right mind buys a Ferrari or large
yacht if he has a care about money. Even most
relatively wealthy audiophiles, however, have to
think about a unit this costly—and about its
relative benefits.
There are also several practical problems
that limit the ability of most audiophiles to
make such calculations. One is that you pay
for nuance in a unit this good, and the relative
merit of the Burmester 069 will depend on the
degree to which your system can resolve such
nuances. Equally important, your calculations
will depend on the extent to which the particu-
lar nuances of the 069 operate in synergy with
your other components. Another even more important concern
is the increasingly uncertain future of how high-end systems will
store and play back digital recordings. (This is an open question
that affects every digital front end available, not just the Bur-
mester.)
Design and Features
Before I get to these issues, however, let me focus on Burmester
069 itself. Burmester advertises its products as art for the ear.
It’s a fair claim, but too modest. The 069 is art for the eye, as
well. Every aspect of this unit is beautifully made and finished.
There is a clean “form follows function” character to both the
player unit and its outboard power supply. A separate base plate
for the player adds mechanical damping, acoustic isolation, and a
pedestal effect. The front panels and display have clean, function
lines—albeit at the cost of small buttons and labels.
A look inside will mean more to the electronics buff than the
average high-ender, but if you like fine watches, fine cars, and
precise execution, it’s a pity that glass tops are not really func-
tional for high-end gear. Component-quality, circuit boards, and
internal layout can each be as much an art form as the exterior.
Here, all are as good as it gets!
96 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
As for features, the 069 is a manually operated top-loading
player. This may sound a bit awkward, but the reality is differ-
ent. You can slide back the top cover, put in a CD, and replace
the CD clamp faster than most drawers load. It is also far easier
than putting a record on a turntable, much less going through
the additional tasks of moving a tonearm and lowering it into
the groove.
There are good reasons for this design. This is no retro attempt
to make a CD player act like a turntable. The 069 is a major re-
finement of the belt-drive system that Burmester introduced in
1991. Burmester converts a Philips CD2 PRO laser transport
into a hand-built, belt-drive, mechanical de-coupled system that
is designed to insulate the reading process from all external in-
terferences.
I’m scarcely in a position to endorse what Burmester claims
about the special merits of belt over direct drive, but this technol-
ogy is so different that you should be aware of what Burmester
says: “All CD transports in the world market use direct-drive
systems where the CD platter, spindle, and motor are a firmly
fixed unit. Furthermore, the applied motors are
cheesy little things running on flimsy bearings
and cannot guarantee smooth rotation. Motor
cogging as well as vibrations and mechani-
cal resonances are transmitted directly to the
platter and, hence, to the CD. This renders a
faultless sampling of the master signal by the
laser pickup impossible. As a result, small
parts of the signal are lost. These are the parts
that the human ear translates as spatial image,
focus, and musical accuracy. Therefore, digital
playback was often criticized as ‘two-dimen-
sional’ and ‘synthetic.’
“The advantages of a belt-driven transport
are, on the one hand, that the digital pickup
is completely de-coupled from interferences
from the motor. On the other hand, it also promotes the use
of a beefier motor with very even torque and rigid, high preci-
sion spindle as well as a heavy stabilizer puck for flywheel effect.
Also the 90° angle between the CD surface and the laser is main-
tained at all times perfectly, making the reading of the differences
between pits and land extremely accurate.”
If the 069 did not perform so superbly, I’d have omitted
most of the previous description as the usual high-end hype. In
practice, however, I have to admit that I came to unit with the
prejudice that Burmester was simply trying to turn a CD player
into a turntable-like unit—a gimmick. It isn’t!
As for the electronics in the digital-to-analog (DAC) circuit-
ry, the 069 uses two fully balanced DACs per channel. One is
used for the inverted and one for the non-inverted signal path.
The Wolfson DACs are selected to have the lowest tolerances
and are carefully computer matched for ideal left-right channel
equality. Sample-rate conversion (SRC) is switchable between 96
and 192kHz, and is carried out by a DSP-based digital-to-digital
converter including a re-clocking of the signal, based on the pre-
cision time base delivered by a thermo-stabilized oscillator. This
proprietary oscillator is designed to have minimal phase noise
and high thermal stability, and is located next to the SRC cir-
The Absolute Sound September 2008 97
Burmester 069 Reference Line CD player
cuitry. Burmester claims that the DAC has a modular design that
will allow upgrading to any digital formats to come, and that if
higher sample rates are ever adopted, a new DAC module can
be inserted. There also are three digital inputs: Two RCA and an
optical TORC input. (There is no XLR digital input.)
Somewhat unusually for a CD player, the analog circuitry
includes an analog volume control, and an additional analog
input (RCA or balanced XLR). You can select between fixed and
variable outputs (also RCA or balanced XLR), and when you use
the analog input and the volume control, it is completely analog.
As a result, the 069 does not lose resolution either in controlling
the output level from the DAC or from the analog input. (Digital
volume controls can lose a significant amount of sound quality
at low output levels.) [Digital volume controls throw away one bit
of resolution for every 6dB of attenuation.—RH] This means
that the 069 can be used as a preamp in a basic system that has
only one analog input (hopefully from a phono preamp). I tried
this with a number of phono preamps, a competing CD unit,
and a tuner. You don’t have a balance control and the switching
features are scarcely convenient, but it is a tribute to the Bur-
mester’s analog circuitry that sound quality proved to be excel-
lent.
98 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
As for the actual analog circuitry, the 069 has four gain modules
in the output stage that Burmester calls X-AMP2s, These are a
proprietary amplifier technology combining pure Class A ampli-
fication (the X-AMP2 module has a black heat sink that covers
the module in its entirety and ensures stable temperature condi-
tions for the amplifier stages inside the module). Two XAMP-2
modules are used per channel—one for the inverted and one for
the non-inverted signal path. (Note that European and U.S. man-
ufacturers sometimes used the opposite polarity in XLR connec-
tor—pin 2 hot in Europe and pin 3 hot in the U.S.)
As for other features, the 069 is controllable via the “BurLink”
system by home-automation systems like Creston, AMX, PC,
and others. The BurLink system is bi-directional and all metadata
from the disc can be displayed, e.g. elapsed time, track, etc.
Sound Quality
As I’ll get to shortly, I’ve heard competitive mixes of sound
quality with different nuances, but I’ve heard no CD player I can
credibly describe as “better” than the 069. Moreover, one reason
that the sound quality of the Burmester 069 is hard to describe
is that it is so well balanced. The 069 does not make one or two
aspects of sound quality better; it does everything well.
Burmester 069 Reference Line CD player

First, if there is any compatibility problem with other equip- my way through a very broad range of my own CD collection
ment, I did not hear it. I was working through a number of system during my auditioning of the 069, and “worked” is a synonym
changes—if not convulsions—during what was an unusually for “enjoyed” in this particular case. My children brought in their
long review period. I was going through changes in interconnects, music. (Sadly, they actually listen to music written after 1900.
and exploring some superb new products from Audioquest (the Another sign of the declining moral standards of our era and the
Colorado and Niagara interconnects and the K2 speaker cables) coming apocalypse!) I listened to both private CD master record-
and some virtually hand-made products from Stealth—a small ings made by friends, and to the “music” demos of a number
specialty manufacturer in Maryland that deserves attention from of manufacturers and their reps who visited during the review
any audiophile who can afford a ne plus ultra approach to inter- period.
connects and speaker cables. The 069 did an outstanding job with all this material, and this
I was also listening to comparisons of different tube (Cayin is a far more important aspect of sound quality to me than the
and PrimaLuna) and solid-state (Boulder and Pass) electronics, ability to “reveal” some special aspect in a particular recording. I
and focusing on two different speakers—the Hansen Princes and have never been happy with CD players that only work well with
the Vandersteen 5As. I also moved the 069 to try out two other the best audiophile recordings. Quite aside from the fact that the
systems—one with Thiel CS7.2s and another in a friend’s house music and performance should be more important than sound
using Quad 989 electrostatics. I did not encounter any hint of a quality, when a player favors only the best recordings it usually
compatibility problem, nor did I find anyone who did not regard means that its processing is not good enough to handle mediocre
the 069 as being of reference quality during the various system digital media. This is not a sign of superiority; it is a sign of
permutations. inferior design.
Second, this is a CD player for people who truly love music and The 069 is not forgiving or romantic. It also, however, is not
have a large collection of CDs, not just for audiophiles. I worked “cruel.” Some CD players slightly (or more) exaggerate the upper
midrange to provide artificial “detail.” The Burmester has an
almost perfect timbre, and it does not harden the upper octaves
in any way. It doesn’t alter dynamics to provide an artificial sense
SPECS & PRICING of life or reverse the emphasis to mask problems in handling
musical changes and dynamics. The soundstage IS three-dimen-
Two-chassis, top-loading CD Audiophile Systems Ltd. sional, rather than forward, and depending on the recording,
player (U.S. Distributor) capable of excellent depth, image stability, and realistic width.
Transport: Belt-drive 8709 Castle Park Drive  Both low-level and massive dynamic contrasts were consistently
Digital inputs: Two coaxial, one Indianapolis, IN 46256  as good as I’ve heard from given CDs. The entire bass range was
optical audiophilesystems.com  excellent, and it provided exceptional definition of the full range
Analog input: One stereo input, of the organ and of percussion detail on recordings like Kodo
RCA or XLR ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT drummers. The 069 is also one of the few CD players that can re-
Analog outputs: Unbalanced on Dynavector 20X , Sumiko produce all of the complex mix of bass information in the “Baba
RCA jacks, balanced on XLR Celebration, and Koetsu Onyx Yaga” track of Jean Gillou’s transcription of Mussorgsky’s Pictures
jacks (fixed or variable) Cartridges of an Exhibition for organ [Dorian]. I was also impressed with
Dimensions: 17.7" x 6.3" x 13.4" VPI TNT HRX turntable and the ability of the 069 to get the best out of soprano voice, upper
(CD player incl. base plate) JMW 12.7 tone arm strings, flute, clarinet, cymbals, and upper brasses without either
Weight: 55 lbs. each for the CD Tact 2.2X digital preamp-room softening or rolling off the sound or adding a touch of hardness.
player (including base plate) correction- equalizer-D/A The balance of sound quality between a unit like the Burmester
and power supply converter 069 and the best analog LP systems is also much more competi-
Price: $64,995 with power EMM Labs SACD/CD player tive. The downside of the speed and stability problems in LP, the
supply in Reference Line Pass Xono phono preamplifiers limits in frequency response and dynamic range, tape and record
chassis and $59,995 with Pass X0.2 stereo preamplifiers surface noise, and cartridge/tone arm/turntable colorations is
power supply in Top Line Boulder 1010 preamplifier much more striking when you hear really good digital sound.
chassis Pass X600A power amplifiers Don’t get me wrong. No device is ever truly neutral, but any
Boulder 1050 power amplifiers aspects of sound character that I could describe as imperfections
Burmester Audiosysteme Vandersteen 5A, Hansen in the Burmester 069 were sufficiently masked by the limits of
GmbH Prince, and Thiel 7.2 Speakers CD recordings, and to a lesser degree by the colorations of as-
Kolonnenstr. 30g Audioquest Niagra and sociated components, so there were no clear flaws to point to.
10829 Berlin, Germany K2 cables, Kimber Select,
+49 30 78 79 680 Transparent Audio Reference The Problem of Nuance and Synergy
mail@burmester.de XL, and Wireworld Super This, however, brings me back to the issue of just how important
burmester.de   Eclipse and Eclipse the more subtle sonic benefits of the Burmester 069 are, and the
interconnects and digital difficulty or near-impossibility of predicting whether its overall
cables. sound qualities will operate in synergy with those of your other
components

100 September 2008 The Absolute Sound

Burmester 069 Reference Line CD player
Every piece of equipment ever made sounds at least slightly
different, and there seems to be a peculiar fashion in today’s high
end for musically unrealistic upper-octave energy and detail.
Falling in love with the new sonic emphasis in a given unit, or
seeking steadily more arcane sound qualities that never occur in
live performances, abuses music and is an expensive waste of
money. The good news about the Burmester 069 is that its supe-
riority emerges with the kind of acoustic chamber music, small
jazz group, and solo instrumental recordings where it is easy to
detect whether the resulting illusion is musically credible rather
than sonically “interesting.” It doesn’t suddenly reveal some detail
in a particular recording; it is consistently musical.
At the same time, we do come back to the question of cost-
benefits and the relatively value of given nuances in top-quality
equipment. I spent a great deal of time comparing the Burmester
069 to my own reference: the Meitner CDSA player. There is a
major difference in price: The 069 costs $65k and the Meitner
costs about $10,000. There are also important differences in
features. The 069 can be used as a preamp and has a much wider
range of features. The Meitner is both a CD and SACD player.
The 069 can’t fix what is an increasingly obsolete digital media.
The Red Book standard for CD doesn’t age in dog years; it ages
in digital years. The ability to store and process 96kHz/24-bit,
192kHz/24-bit, and truly dense bitstream recordings has shown
just how much better more advanced digital recordings can be,
even if far too few DVD-As or SACDs do this in commercial
practice.
The key issue, however, is CD sound quality and I had the
same general problem in comparing the Burmester 069 and the
Meitner CDSA units that I have had with other reference-quality
digital front ends. They both provide outstanding sound and they
both do more to reveal the problems in CD recordings than their
own limits. The different mix of nuances between the two units
was musically realistic in both cases, and the relative merit of
each player varied according to system components and musical
taste.
I found that the relative merits and nuances of the Burmester
and Meitner depended heavily on the equipment I used to listen
to it with. The Meitner was consistently slightly more forward
sounding in soundstage perspective, detail, dynamics, and upper-
octave energy than the Burmester. This mix of nuances often
sounded better with Pass electronics and the Vandersteen 5As
using Audioquest interconnects, although much depended on
the recording. The Burmester had more depth, a slightly sweeter
upper midrange, and a soundstage perspective more to the rear.
This mix of nuances sounded better using Boulder electronics,
the Hansen Prince speakers, and Stealth interconnects—even
when I mixed different models of the Stealth to get the best
sound out of the Meitner player.
The fact that nuance was so room-, setup-, recording-, and
equipment-specific—and the importance of synergy between
different components—should be no secret to experienced au-
diophiles. I also should point out that Burmester makes a full
range of audio equipment from front end to speaker and the
ultimate test of its nuances would be on a full, all-Burmester
reference system.
As reviewers, we are almost forced to review most equip-
102 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
ment as if system synergy did not matter and we all had systems
capable of providing universal insights into the relative merit of
given sonic nuances. In practice, this isn’t true, and in any case
there no one “truth” in high-end audio, although some equip-
ment is clearly better than most of the competition in all good
setups. All any of us can ever do is search for the best possible
synergy between components and the most realistic illusion of
live music—or the sound quality a given audiophile is seeking.
If you pressed me for a summary judgment in spite of these
caveats, I would opt for the Burmester 069 over the Meitner for
most CD listening—if I could afford to ignore its far higher
price. At the same time, my caveats are a critical reason why no
one should ever use reviews as a substitute for actual listening. I
cannot conceivably tell you how the 069’s nuances will sound in
your system, room, and listening position, or with your music. I
can’t conceivably tell you whether such a large difference in price
is “worth it” relative to spending the same money on some other
component or buying more music. I also have scarcely had the
opportunity to make one-on-one comparisons of every refer-
ence-quality CD player. All I can tell you is that the Burmester is
a superb unit.
The Problem of Technology
Finally, there is the problem of technology. If you are heavily
into SACDs—which increasingly means classical music—the
SACD layer of really good dual discs will sound consistently
cleaner on the Meitner than the CD layer will on the Burmester.
The Burmester is upgradeable to more advanced digital formats,
but these are not going to be available on CD, and the future of
advanced digital media is clearly shifting from DVD to Blu-ray
and downloadable material. The 069 is also stereo, and the merits
of most existing DVD-As (such as they are) lie in surround
sound, as does the future of the new Dolby and DTS high-defi-
nition formats.
The Burmester is, therefore, clearly for the audiophile who
has a very large collection of CDs. Here, however, we come
to the uncertainty surrounding the transfer of a CD collection
to a computer or other form of digital storage. This already is
possible for audiophiles with advanced computer skills, although
I have not been impressed by the ergonomics (and sometimes
sound) of the dedicated music “servers” I have had the opportu-
nity to audition. The Burmester would certainly be the ideal deck
for transferring your CD collection to hard drive, but this again
comes down to the matter of price.
Summing Up
I guess the good and bad news for most of us is that all we can
hope to do is hear the Burmester in someone else’s system, or in
a dealer demonstration, and use that experience to get a clearer
idea of what ideal to pursue in upgrading systems we can really
afford. The good news for someone who can afford the 069 is
that he can buy the very best right now, choose the nuances he
wants without regard to price, and forget about the future of
digital sound. To paraphrase the old cliché about yachts: If you
don’t have to worry about the cost, you can afford it. TAS
HP’s WORKSHOP
The Zanden Model 1200mk2 Phonostage
Making All Things Equal
Harry Pearson
J
udged only on its sonic merits, the Zanden phonostage
would rank among the best. But it has a singular feature
that, for the playback of LPs, could well change the look
and design of competing units to come. In this respect, it is
one of those rare seminal products that marks a “before” and
an “after” in today’s design. But a few words of introductory
explanation are necessary, because this is no simple matter,
laughing or otherwise.
When an LP is made, the signal from the mastertape cannot
be put down on the record in a uniform way. The excursions of
the bass notes are so large that they would drastically reduce the
playing time of the disc, so the bottom octaves are attenuated to
get maximum playing time. At the other end of the frequency
spectrum, the top octaves, those itsy-bitsy little signals, must be
boosted to rise above groove and vinyl noise.
The electronic trick here is to build circuitry into a phonostage
that will bring the bass and treble back to an analog of the
originally recorded signal. To this end, the bass octaves are
104 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
“boosted” back to normal and the top octaves cut, reduced to
their proper proportion. This circuit is called an equalization
curve.
In 1954, a standard intended to be universally adopted was
proposed by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). This seemed necessary because, until that time, there
were dozens of equalization curves used in the cutting of records,
more, perhaps than a half hundred.1 But the RIAA curve, this so-
called “global” standard for disc-cutting, turned out to be, we
now learn, anything but standard, especially in Europe, where
1
The better phono preamplifiers in the transitional years between the mono
and the stereo LP (1954 to 1958) had sometimes a half-dozen different
equalization circuits to allow serious collectors to find the right sound for the
variety of discs they might own. In the years after World War II, and during
the first days of the emergent long-playing disc, the field narrowed somewhat
to the curve Columbia developed for its LPs; the earlier National Association
of Broadcasters curve, developed by the Audio Engineering Society (the AES
curve used by Mercury in its mono discs); and the RCA New Orthophonic
curve, out of which came the RIAA standard. (You may correctly infer that
Columbia was not overjoyed with this development.)
HP’s WORKSHOP
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Playing LPs cut with non-standard equalization through an RIAA phono
equalizer introduces a bass and treble boost.
DG, Philips, and, more randomly, EMI and Decca went their
own ways, disregarding the American standard.
On this side of the Atlantic, however, everyone assumed that
all LPs were cut using the RIAA equalization. That it is not so has
come a shock to many folks, including this writer, who thought
he knew what was what.2
The amount of that treble cut and bass boost and the
frequencies at which they occur make up the backbone of
each individual equalization curve. And it can get even more
complicated, as we shall see. But to simplify, the European labels
do not cut the bass frequencies to the same degree that the RIAA
standard dictates, which means these records can sound bigger in
the bass played back through an RIAA-equalized phonostage—
and almost every phonostage is RIAA equalized.
On the other hand, the European Decca curve and the
American Columbia curve3 use more treble pre-emphasis than the
RIAA does, so these recordings may sound bright to the point of
screechiness (again, played back through an RIAA phonostage).
Remember the old Columbia recordings, in the pre-Sony days?
As late as the 1960s, the best preamplifiers of the day, for
example, Stewart Hegeman’s Citation One, had two sets of
controls to compensate for the various curves the serious record
collector might encounter. The one regulating the bass “cut”
was called “turnover,” and the term “roll-off ” was used for the
control that made flat the highs.4
The Zanden (and now we come to the answer to paragraph
one’s tease) has three equalization curves for LP playback—the
“standard” RIAA; the Columbia curve; and one marked Decca,
which is also, say the folks at Zanden, usable for DG, Telefunken,
EMI, and most other European-based labels.
First, we have to ask ourselves how the Zanden itself sounds
2
The first I heard otherwise was in a column by Roy Gregory in Issue 55
of Hi-Fi+, published in England last December. Upon first reading, I found
it incredible that virtually none of the LP aficionados in America (including
me) knew that the equalization of LPs was anything but a universal standard.
[FM Acoustics has been making phono preamps with alternative EQ curves
for decades.—JV]
3
Thought to be Columbia’s revenge against the RIAA curve.
4
An updated version of the Citation One, reviewed in these pages by Anthony
Cordesman in Issue 180, has “turnover” settings for tape, RIAA, LP, Columbia,
and RCA, while the “roll-off” settings are flat RCA, London, Columbia, LP,
RIAA. These settings have remarkably dramatic effects on the sound—much
more so than the Zanden’s two options.
106 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
in the “standard” RIAA setting, regardless of the two optional
compensation curves. Obviously, if its basic character were just
ordinary, all the EQ curves in the world couldn’t save it.
The Zanden is a tubed stereo unit with a separate power
supply. Its gestalt or “character” is not that of most of the
competition, i.e., a bit paler than the real thing, evidence of the
newfound love of the neutral zone, floating between not too
much yin, not too much yang. Instead, the Zanden has a richness
similar to that of live music, but with always the sense of power
in reserve, a power that shows up in its solid bottom end and in
its dynamic “jump,” that is, its ability to surprise you with its
sudden transient shifts. What, to these ears, makes that bottom
and those transients outstanding is the sheer articulation with
which they are reproduced. You don’t just get the low frequencies,
you get them with the same kind of clarity you hear in a good
hall, and you seem to be able to hear “into” and behind the notes.
The transients are reproduced as if instantaneously, but without
ringing, overshoot, or flattened dimensionality. Bells, for instance,
just seem to float in their own cushion of air, and if they are hit
hard, it doesn’t faze the Zanden. And yet, there is lushness to the
sound (a Technicolored vividness) that isn’t a euphonic
coloration—if it were you wouldn’t get the articulation,
The amount of
treble cut and
bass boost is the
backbone of
equalization curves
speed, and dynamic contrasts. All of which sound so natural that
the impression you are left with is one of ease. The Zanden has,
like a great sports car, vast reserves of muscle to back up its
performance.
It is a beautifully built piece of machinery, like all of the
Zanden gear I’ve seen. (Check out the looks at www.zanden-usa.
com.) The top covers of the main unit and the power supply are
made of stainless steel, and the fascias are champagne-colored
aluminum. At $19,250, the 1200 will never have as many owners
as it should.
Some of its features include a proprietary single-ended design,
a no-negative-feedback circuit, five tubes (three 7308s, one 6CA4,
and a 6922), as well as strategies to reduce noise, including Safety
Wave RF noise-absorption material, another Zanden proprietary
feature.
Its designer is Kazutoshi Yamada, who prior to 1997 had
developed a prototype RIAA phono equalizer. But, says his
associate Eric Pheils, “[Yamada] was unhappy with the sound
of some of his records; he couldn’t understand why some
HP’s WORKSHOP
sounded great and others terrible. He was also working on a
mono phono equalizer, which of course had a variety of roll-off
(for the highs) and turnover (for the lows) settings to match the
various equalization curves used on old mono records. Based on
his observations of how the recording curves affected the sonic
performance of mono records, he decided to use two mono
phono equalizers to see if the RIAA recording curve was, in fact,
not as universal as thought. Bernstein’s Rhapsody in Blue on CBS/
Sony and the Beatles Let it Be on Apple Records confirmed what
he had suspected. RIAA was not universal.”
The Columbia curve was published, so Yamada had no trouble
matching it, but the Decca curve has been the subject of much
speculation about its actual turnover and roll-off points. He
deduced the curve by listening to Decca stereo discs with his
Model 1100 phono equalizers, which, says Pheils, “allowed him
to test all of theories about the proper turnover and roll-off
points.” (There is a separate British Decca curve for the FFRR
mono discs.)
108 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
As it turns out, the most difficult part of assessing the Zanden
came in trying to get a fix on the Decca and Columbia equalization
curves, or rather, on their effect on recordings made overseas.
The sound through the RIAA is, as I described above, superb,
as good as from any phonostage in my long and rather extensive
experiences with these beasties. It is a sound that is particularly
congruent with analog LPs. And I suspect it is a signature common
to all Zanden products, even their CD player, which I found true
to analog, but not necessarily to the unique character of today’s
best digital.
But after going through several dozen select LPs, either from
Columbia Records or of European origin (particularly DG, Decca,
EMI, and Philips), I had a hard time finding a discernible pattern.
And there were two points I should mention if you are about to
tackle such a project yourself.
First, some of the recordings have their polarities reversed. Eric
Pheils came to my rescue on this point, saying something I did not
know: “If, for example, the original mastertapes were recorded in
HP’s WORKSHOP
Europe and then sent to the U.S. or Japan for pressing, you could
have a polarity problem because the hot and cold pins on XLR
connectors are different in Europe when compared with those
in the U.S. and Japan.” After much grinding of teeth about the
unexpected thing I was hearing—polarity reversal—I discovered,
belatedly, that the VTL linestage has a “phase” switch and so I
could even the playing field.
For an example, let us take the DG recording of Monique
Haas (pianist) and Paul Paray interpreting the Ravel Piano
Concerto (DG 138 988). With the Decca EQ in play, the
recording sounded a bit thin and steely on top, with the piano
seemingly stretching from one speaker to the other, and not quite
in focus. Over to the RIAA setting: The opening crack of the
whip really popped this time; there was much more presence; the
piano became focused and had the weight a piano is supposed
to have. An unlistenable LP became listenable, and in the case
of this très Gallic interpretation, much the better—for this is a
delicious romp of the kind Paray excelled in for Mercury. Back
to the Decca setting: The bottom end filled out (there is a big
bass drum) here and the sound became much the more natural.
I have to admit a bit of perplexity because, phase corrected, the
two settings didn’t sound all that different.
As I was to discover, the quality of the engineering on the
110 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
SPECS
Type: MC stereo phono amp with
outboard power supply
Gain: 36dB (1kHz, RIAA)
Loading: 470 ohms (high), 36 ohms (low)
Inputs: Low/High M/C cartridge
(selectable via rotary switch)
Outputs: One RCA
Dimensions: 15.7" x 4" x 13.9" (chassis)
Weight: 17.6 lbs. (chassis), 13.65 lbs.
(power supply)
Price: $19,250
Eric Pheils (U.S. Distributor)
26883 West River Road
Perrysburg, Ohio, 43551
81-80-5711-5884 (in Japan)
eric@zanden-usa.com
zanden-usa.com
recording itself is key to the perceived differences you will hear. As
another example, take the DG recording of Gershwin’s American
in Paris (DG 2530 788), with Ozawa and the San Francisco. This is
one of several DGs produced by Thomas Mowrey (the Bernstein
Carmen is another), and the sonics, even through the RIAA curve,
are far above the usual DG sound. And once the Decca EQ is
switched in, the sound becomes of Super Disc quality, hair-
curlingly good and ultra-dynamic. In other words, even better. (Oh
yes, no polarity inversion here). But if it’s a mediocre DG, such as
the two Beethoven symphonies conducted by Carlos Kleiber, with
the Vienna—the Fifth and the Seventh—the sound goes from
unlistenable in the supposedly global RIAA standard, to just barely
tolerable.
And here is where Point Two kicks in. It turns out that the
vertical tracking angle of your phono cartridge is critical in these
experiments. At first, the RIAA curve sounded better here, to
my surprise—there was more bottom end, better separation, and
a stronger sense of ambience—but the upper strings were just
too thinned out, which a VTA adjustment mitigated, but did not
ameliorate. Properly adjusted, the playback on the Decca curve
sounded “louder,” there was more presence, the upper strings were
smoother, and the ambience even better, though, with mikes placed
so far back, things became echo-y. While the Kleiber Seventh is
perhaps the greatest interpretation of this symphony on disc, and
indispensable, it is not, even after all this jiggerypook, a good-
sounding recording. It becomes just tolerable enough that the sear
and sizzle of the interpretation will make you forget the sound.
Columbia recordings posed a mystery all their own. The
pressings from Japan sounded, to the last disc, better through the
RIAA curve. The American Columbias, particularly those from
the early 1960s, sometimes—but not always—sounded better
through the Columbia setting, which reduced the bright steely
HP’s WORKSHOP
string peak and the over-emphasis on hall reverb. The recordings
engineered by John McClure, whose good fortune it was to
record Leonard Bernstein (Bernstein’s bad luck), most recorded
in that barn called Manhattan Center, all sound that way, and
even the taming of the highs with the Columbia EQ cannot not
make a silk purse out of these.
The Decca recordings, with few exceptions, and those from
EMI, with even fewer, sounded best through the RIAA curve.
At least those I assayed. The legendary Ansermet Daphnis and
Chloe illustrated the differences you might encounter when the
two curves diverge. With the Decca curve, the sound from the
Suisse Romande is subtly, harmonically sweet, quite classy in an
unadorned real-world way, while through the RIAA curve the
sound becomes “hi-fi” like and more exciting. I had to wonder if
British Decca knew exactly what they were doing in this instance.
I might note that the company’s recordings made in America
all sounded best through the RIAA setting. (I did not test the
London versions of the Decca originals.)
In the instruction book that comes with the Zanden, a full
page is devoted to most of the major record labels here and
abroad, with the suggested equalization curves you might want
to use. And the caveat is right there: “This list is only meant as a
guide and is based upon limited experience.”
I think, based on my own still incomplete experience, that this
statement is exactly so. You’ll have to decide, once you are out
of RIAA Land, whether or not the alternative equalization curves
offer a decided sonic improvement. Sometimes they really will, but
not always. And you have to learn this on a case-by-case basis.
What frustrated this reviewer was the lack of any coherent rhyme
or reason, or pattern, to hang my conclusions upon. And so I shall
sum up:
1 Be sure you have the ability to invert polarity. The Zanden
itself ought to have this feature, given the number of discs I
discovered with reversed absolute polarity.
2 Make absolutely certain that the VTA is perfectly adjusted or
you’ll be hearing colorations that aren’t supposed to be there,
regardless of the EQ.
3 The “correct” setting cannot and will not save a bad recording.
It will, though, in all probability make unpleasant mediocre
recordings (many from DG and Philips) tolerable, and thus
make listenable a great performance.
4 The “correct” setting can make a recording from overseas that
sounds good in the RIAA setting sound superb when properly
equalized.
5 And remember that, as far as the bass end of the spectrum
goes, it is likely on most American systems for most European
recordings to sound richer, perhaps louder, because of the
RIAA curve’s amount of bass boost.
In my estimation, the sound of the Zanden in the RIAA
setting—and after all, the majority of the Super Discs are equalized
that way—makes it a singular device. And I think phonostages
with varying equalization curves are the wave of the future. I just
received, right at deadline, a variable equalization phonostage, the
Flugelhorn, from Hagermann Audio Labs, of Hawaii, priced at
an absurdly reasonable level ($1499). It is still warming up. EMT,
112 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
makers of the legendary German moving-coil cartridge, have a
much more elaborate version of same arriving this summer. I feel
as if I don’t know enough yet to come to any final conclusions,
but I expect, given the rumblings I hear, that some of the future
phonostages will provide a greater variety of equalization settings,
which may well mean we will be able to fine-tune each disc for
the most natural possible results. (Compulsives of the world, take
note!) TAS
LudovicO Einaudi: Divenire
[Ponderosa CD-035].
When I tell folks how very much I like this album by the
Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi, the first thing they want
to know is what kind of music is it. And that’s where I come
up short, like the many European critics who try to find a
pigeonhole into which to stick the man’s work.
It definitely is the work of a minimalist, one with classical
training (he studied with Luciano Berio), and at the same
time of a deeply romantic sensibility. It can either be listened
to intently, or it can be used as background to establish a
quite mellow mood. I suggest you try it in bits and pieces.
Like an ultra-creamy dessert, it works its magic only if not
swallowed whole.
The sound is just superb, on the dark side and obviously
a studio job in part, with sometimes quite subtle electronic
trickery through overdubs—loops, in more than one case.
The disc has excellent bass and its overall cleanness and
lack of obvious distortions are rare these days. In two cuts,
Einaudi is accompanied by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestra. Indeed, those two are, I think, the best on the
album—Divenire and Primavera.
Einaudi is immensely popular overseas, but not yet here.
My guess is that this album will go from cult hit to a more
general acceptance, since bits of the music have already
found their way into commercial use, for example, in a
Sony ad for the Blu-ray Disc. Einaudi has also written 15
film scores, though his work is anything but conventional
movie music. (Check out his My Space Web page if you want
a deeper look.)
Divenire translates from the Italian as “to become,” and
Einaudi says that much of the inspiration for the album came
from a series of artistic works about the Alps and the cycle
of life, nature, and death. I don’t think you’ll hear any of the
cycle of life in these pieces, although there are connections
the composer makes throughout the album between the
cuts. To these ears, the best cuts are the first half dozen,
with “Primavera” (Spring), an homage to Vivaldi’s Seasons,
perhaps the single most accomplished. Not that it sounds in
the least Vivaldian. It is clearly music of our time, but rather
like a snatch of a concerto, perhaps written by Philip Glass
if Glass could carry a tune. There are two mighty orchestral
crescendi that had your Harry standing on end. HP
MANUFACTURER COMMENTS
Gershman Acoustics Sonogram
Loudspeaker
On behalf of all of us at Gershman Acoustics, I’d like to
thank Neil Gader for the great review of our new model, the
Sonogram. The challenge was to design an affordable speaker
which sounded real when playing any type of music, from jazz
to classical to rock. The goal was to convey the music to listeners
in a way that the performer meant it to be conveyed. We set out
to design a speaker with minimal compromise, but affordable to
a wide range of music lovers.
The Sonogram’s design incorporates our theory of non-
parallel surfaces inside the cabinet to eliminate standing waves,
which improves imaging and clarity. We use very-high-quality
hand-built cabinets, point-to-point soldering, and the best
available components.
We spent many days testing the speakers in the anechoic
chamber at the National Research Counsel in Ottawa. This
enables us to produce speakers which measure and sound very
flat from top to bottom (see graph). This flat response enables
us to maintain, for example, the warmth of the human voice
without adding extra chestiness. We wanted every instrument to
maintain its own sound and character; a violin has to sound like
a violin and not a viola, as with some other speakers.
The Sonogram has been awarded “Best speaker value” by
five different audio magazines around the world. We believe we
met the challenge we set for ourselves.
Ofra Gershman
Director of Sales and Marketing
Gershman Acoustics
)'?q ,' ('' )'' ,'' (b )b ,b ('b
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Burmester 069 CD Player
As the 069 is in our Reference Line, it carries all of our no-
compromise, cost-no-object technologies in it. The belt-drive
mechanism (average life expectancy of the belt is more than
90,000 hours!) reduces jitter below the already record-setting
levels of Burmester’s smaller belt-drive 001 CD player. The
DAC is a totally new approach, and its benefits can also be
used on other digital sources. The option of increasing the
range of inputs is given by equipping the slots on the back of
the 069 with additional digital inputs and outputs (AES/EBU
and/or USB). Also, the 069 is hardware upgradeable (simply
by exchanging modules) and software upgradeable via the USB
port of the BurLink.
When a selection of tracks is programmed, this sequence
is stored in the “Burmester Library”; when a particular CD is
played again, the 069 asks if you prefer to play this selection
again. Like all the functions of the 069, the Burmester Library
functions can be accessed also via the BurLink system.
Its large variety of options makes the 069 a package second
to none, in our eyes. It all totals up to a high sticker price, but
taking into account that this player will stay with its owner for a
long time, it is a justifiable expense.  
Udo Besser
CEO and Co-Owner
Burmester Audiosysteme GmbH
Zanden 1200mk2 Phonostage
I would like to thank HP for his excellent review of the model
1200mk2 phonostage. For audiophiles with a large collection of
original LPs, this is a must-read and sheds light on an important
topic regarding analog playback: equalization.
Equalization is directly related to flat frequency response.
Consequently, it is the starting point for any discussion of
accurate analog playback. Without the correct equalization
curve, flat frequency response will remain an unrealized goal.
Anecdotally, I often come across audiophiles with a low
opinion of the quality of original Columbia recordings in many
of the on-line forums. I wonder if those same audiophiles might
have a slightly different opinion if they had the opportunity to
use a phonostage like the Zanden 1200mk2 with the Columbia
equalization curve.
HP rightly pointed out that polarity can be a complicating
factor in determining the correct equalization curve. I would
like to mention that polarity is not a problem that is limited to
analog. It is not uncommon to find digital recordings with their
polarity reversed. For this reason, our model 3000 linestage
has a rotary switch which allows the user to select absolute or
reverse polarity.
Eric Pheils
Zanden Audio North America
VPI Typhoon Record Cleaner
Thank you AHC and TAS for reviewing the Typhoon record
cleaner, the culmination of 30 years of making record cleaning
machines.
A few items should be mentioned: The chassis is made from
aluminum and stainless steel, and is rock solid. The vacuum
motor is 6dB quieter than the HW-17 motor and twice as
powerful with added damping to the cabinet. Best of all, it will
usually clean fully in one revolution with the second for good
luck.
Harry Weisfeld
VPI Industries
The Absolute Sound September 2008 113
 Rock ETC
Music Sonics Extraordinary
Alejandro Escovedo Interview
Bob Gendron
A
lejandro Escovedo’s story is the
stuff of a gripping Broadway
musical. A Mexican-American
born in San Antonio and reared in
Southern California, the singer-song-
writer fell in love with surfing, garage
rock, and concerts as a kid, knowing that
he wanted to be part of a band.
In the mid-70s, he left for San
Francisco and formed the punk-based
Nuns with a few likeminded souls.
Shortly after, he migrated to the heart
of New York’s underground. While
shacked up in the Chelsea Hotel—the
then-living quarters of Sid and Nancy
as well as other subculture icons—he
founded the influential cowpunk quartet
Rank and File, predating the “alt-
country” movement by several years. On
the move in the early 80s and searching
for an environment receptive to its roots
leanings, the band landed in Austin. But
Escovedo soon departed to anchor the
three-guitar unit True Believers with his
brother Javier and Jon Dee Graham.
By the early 90s, Escovedo put
together enough material for Gravity,
the first of seven artistically bold albeit
commercially unsuccessful solo records.
While all of his albums are marked by
insightful prose, it was Escovedo’s pairing
in 2006 with Velvet Underground legend
John Cale and improbable recovery from
the life-threatening onset of untreated
symptoms brought upon by hepatitis C
that yielded a defining statement in the
form of The Boxing Mirror.
Now fully recovered, the genre-
blurring artist has returned with Real
Animal (review, TAS 183), a biographical
masterwork that traces the journeys of
his eventful career. Highly personal,
vividly detailed, and yet, light on its feet,
the rock-tinged set isn’t just the account
of a troubadour but that of the past 50
years of rock and pop itself. Escovedo
116 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Excellent Good
co-wrote the songs with Chuck Prophet
and, fulfilling a life-long dream, grabbed
Tony Visconti—famous for his work with
David Bowie and T. Rex—to produce.
Talking on the phone from his Austin-
area home, Escovedo chatted with Music
Editor Bob Gendron about hard living,
sock hops, Real Animal, punk influences,
recording, defying categorization, and
whether or not his life story might follow
the theatrical footsteps of “Jersey Boys.”
Bob Gendron: Emotionally, how are
you feeling compared to when you
made The Boxing Mirror? While
the latter has a somber tone, Real
Animal comes out kicking and
doesn’t stop.
Alejandro Escovedo: I’m feeling
much better; I’m feeling much lighter.
I feel that all of that [Escovedo’s life-
threatening episode with hepatitis C] is
behind me. I’m just looking forward to
getting on the road and presenting this
record and playing with my band. There
are a lot of good things happening.
Everything looks pretty rosy on my
end.
Physically, are you able to annually
play upwards of 200 shows again?
I don’t think I have a choice at this
point. We have a lot of shows; the
tour is pretty intense. There are a lot
of outside things that I have to deal
with, too, such as radio and interviews.
It’s always wonderful to have that kind
of interest in a record. I’m just trying
to take care of myself as I move along
and maintain a healthy lifestyle so I
can indulge everyone—and be good to
myself.
After so many years of hard living,
do you prefer the cleaner existence
Fair Poor
to the typical rock and roll lifestyle?
It all served a purpose in its time. I had
a blast. I had a really good time with my
friends. I never felt like we did anything
that was…nothing ever became a real
intense habit. Nobody ever got sick
over it. At least, among the guys I was
playing with. Eventually, I felt I did as
a result of it. But at the time we were
just having a great time. I don’t have any
regrets about we did or what I did. It’s
a lot easier, a lot less expensive to lead a
healthy lifestyle. I spend a lot less money
on bar tabs and such. I really like the
clarity. The clarity is pretty intoxicating
in itself.
That comes through in the form of
focused songwriting.
It does. I co-wrote the record with
Chuck Prophet. Writing with Chuck is
very different than any other songwriter
I’ve ever written with. He’s very
adamant about finishing things and not
leaving songs incomplete. There was a
real urgency to get the best we possibly
could out of every single word on the
record.
Where did the idea of writing with
Prophet come from?
It started out with me. I had this idea
to tell the story of my musical journey
and my musical life. I felt that if I
found the right person it would be
easier for me to get away from the
melancholy that I had gotten into on
The Boxing Mirror. And Chuck lived in
Orange County where I grew up. And
his older sisters went to a lot of the
dances and listened to the same kind
of music that I did at the time—I’m
a bit older than him. I knew that he
understood exactly what I was inspired
by in the first place to make music. So I
felt that we had a lot of camaraderie in
that sense—simpatico.
In hearing you talk about music
you grew up with, the first notes of
Real Animal’s lead track sound like
what I imagine was the music one
would’ve heard at a 60s sock hop.
That’s what we wanted to convey in
the songs—that period of time. It
was really important time for me. I
was born in ’51. We left Texas in ‘57
or ‘58, and got to California that year.
So that was the beginning of the early
60s. Surf music on the beach and all
the different sock hops. And all of the
neighborhood garage bands with names
like the Black and Blue, Limey and the
Yanks, and the East Side Kids, and all
of those bands that were our version
of the English beat. Those bands were
really important—and that sound was
important to everything I ever really
wanted to do. That’s exactly what we
were trying to do with that sound.
When did you decide to turn your
musical journey into a record?
It was really after doing The Boxing
Mirror. I felt that it was not a dark but a
deep record. And I don’t think it was a
really easily digested record for a lot of
people. So I felt like I needed to make a
rock and roll record. I felt like I hadn’t
ever gotten to do that outside of the
True Believers and Buick MacKane.
And I just started thinking, when I was
ill, about my past. And a lot of it was
about people I had met and bands I’d
been in. I felt like that added up to a
pretty interesting story: This Mexican
kid who is born in Texas and moves
to California. And he’s sometimes
mistaken for a Hawaiian because he
wants to be a surfer. And then he falls
in love with English rock and roll. Ends
up embracing Mott the Hoople, Bowie,
T. Rex, the Dolls, the Stooges. It’s just a
very different take on that whole turn
of events. I always wanted that to be
part of By the Hand of the Father—with a
musical part of that story. It never made
it to that particular presentation. But I
always thought it was a very cool and
different scenario. And there were a lot
of kids like me at the time—Mexican
kids who were playing in garage bands.
If you look at groups like Love and
Sir Doug, they all had Chicano kids
in those bands. And then bands like
the Midnighters and Cowboy and the
Headhunters, they were really important
to us. It was part of that too.
You’re a Nuggets-era garage-rock
freak.
I love it. It’s the one thing. Like you said
when you first heard “Always a Friend.”
Whenever I hit those riffs, you can’t sit
still. You want to move. And it brings
back a lot of memories as well.
Another memory on the record
addresses your experiences in
Chelsea during the late 70s. To
what extent does the punk era and
subculture scene still resonate with
you?
Very much. It’s always been a part of
who I am. The first band I was in was
the Nuns. It’s always been a serious part
of who I’ll always be. I pick up a guitar,
and immediately those sensibilities
start to come out in me, even when
I’m playing acoustic with the cellos and
violins in the quartet. That’s something
I always want to have in my music.
With you being such a fan of David
Bowie and T. Rex, working with
[producer] Tony Visconti to give the
album that rock edge must have
been a trip.
It was really something. It’s always nice
when you get to work with someone
who was there making those records.
Like [when I worked with] John Cale or
the short time I spent with Glyn Johns.
It’s always educational. You learn so
much, not just the insider stories but
about how those records were made
and the attitude that people had. They
were really falling into something. It
was all very innocent and yet they were
making these groundbreaking records.
To me, that’s always fascinating. With
Tony, I wanted him to bring a lot of
that kind of sensibility to this record. I
remember when he asked me what kinds
of records I listened to. We were getting
ready to mix. He said, ‘Bring the records
that you like, the sound of the records
that you like.’ And I said, “You’ve made
all of the records that I love. Whatever
it is you do, that’s what I want.”
You’ve been making records for
30 years. Was there anything that
happened in the studio during this
recording that actually surprised
you?
Well, I didn’t play [much] guitar on this
record. Maybe on one song I played a
little acoustic and electric. But for the
most part, I sat there and sang because
my guitar players were Chuck Prophet
and David Pulkingham. I had Hector
[Munoz] and Josh [Gravelin] as the
rhythm section, and I had Susan [Voelz]
and Brian [Standefer] as the string
section. So I just sat there. I got to
really dig deep into the feeling of songs.
I got to really feel a song out and not
be concerned with the guitar playing
and the vocalization. That was really
different for me. And I think it really
paid off. It’s the most comfortable I’ve
been making a record—singing a record,
let’s say.
I can’t help but notice that “Jersey
Boys” is playing on Broadway.
Do you have any aspirations of
attempting something similar?
Chuck and I have talked a lot about that.
So far, we haven’t had the chance. We’ve
talked about presenting, maybe with a
moderator, just the making of this
record. Maybe telling it onstage with
two guitars; maybe my band on some
of it; maybe not.
Given your current iteration, how
would you describe your band to
unfamiliar listeners?
When people ask me, “What are you
guys like?” I always say we use strings
but it’s a rock band. I think of myself
as just a rock and roll songwriter.
Sometimes, I used to say it’s everything
from free noise to boleros. And it is. But
first and foremost, I’ve always wanted
to be in a rock and roll band. That’s
where my heart lies.
You sound content and, dare I say,
satisfied.
I am. You’re never completely satisfied,
of course, but for the most part this is
about as good as it gets. TAS
The Absolute Sound September 2008 117
 Rock ETC
Music Sonics
The Hold Steady: Stay Positive.
John Agnello, producer. Vagrant 501.
“Let this be my annual reminder that we
can all be something bigger,” declares
fidgety Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn
on “Constructive Summer,” the lead track
to his band’s fourth record. Finn sings the
lyric with supreme gusto and sincerity,
immediately announcing his enthusiasm
unbowed despite tepid commercial
reaction to the quintet’s back-to-back
stunners, 2005’s Separation Sunday and Boys
and Girls in America, this publication’s 2006
Rock Album of the Year. No artist today
radiates joy and overflows with optimism
as mightily or readily as this Brooklyn
unit, whose attitude is aptly reflected in
the new album’s title and unashamedly
arena-rafter-reaching music.
Stay Positive reveals a few minor
changes to the band’s core sound.
While still exuberant and excitable, the
group has tightened up and reduced
its rambunctiousness. Additional
instruments—glockenspiels, horns,
strings, a Wurlitzer, a banjo—are used
subtly, largely enhancing rather than
drowning arrangements, although the
presence of a talk-box and triangle may
prove easy targets for critics who assail
Finn’s character-driven narratives as
pretentious and the group’s crescendo-
reaching rock as both overblown and
derivative of a certain New Jersey
“Boss.”
Surely, Hold Steady is often bombastic,
but such theatricality lends to and pays
off in the form of sweeping hooks and
surging choruses. This band makes songs
to be celebrated, enjoyed, and shouted,
118 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
with the swagger occasionally giving way
to thoughtful examinations of faith, sin,
and consciousness. Hence, “Joke About
Jamaica” is at once proud and sad, strutting
in the shadows before ultimately waltzing
into the ominous light of reality. And
yet loose grooves and guiding melodies
persist—signatures that carry over to all
but the stagnant “Both Crosses” and the
annoying “Navy Sheets.”
However slightly more refined,
crunchy guitar riffs, hum-inducing organ
squalls, and pouncing piano lines arrive
in droves, producing sensations of
unstoppable momentum and dramatic
urgency. Electrostatic rhythms and
pounding R&B beats reinforce Finn’s
wide-eyed ruminations and quick-witted
storytelling, which, akin to those on
past efforts, resonate with off-the-cuff
truthfulness that’s part barfly intellect
and part first-hand observation. He
humorously chronicles a bathroom tryst
on the horn-assisted “Sequestered in
Memphis,” spouts wise about emotion
and unity on the anthemic title track, and,
on the billowing “Slapped Actress,” drops
a series of film metaphors that frame
the band’s relationships to audiences and
expectations.
Religious imagery and youth culture
again figure prominently. Crosses, Biblical
icons, and pleas to a higher power all
surface. “Lord, I’m Discouraged,” a hymn
about a girl suffering from domestic
violence, comes across as a power ballad
replete with an 80s guitar solo and
orchestral flair. “One for the Cutters”
substitutes townies for hoodrat friends,
the murderous tale a depiction of a
small-town America where the kids snort
crystal, play around behind dumpsters,
and lie to protect the guilty.
Sonically, the whoa-oh thrust was
documented on a 24-track Studer analog
tape machine, and the efforts show.
Bass drums possess depth; vocals feel
live; vintage keyboards breathe; studio
dimensions reverberate; ample separation
divides the players and allows for tonal
decay. It’s not quite the jet-engine warm
streak that is Born to Run, but, true to the
Hold Steady’s unspoken tenet, it’ll more
than get you through. Bob Gendron
Further Listening: The Afghan Whigs:
1965; The Hold Steady: Separation
Music Sonics
Coldplay: Viva La Vida or Death
and All His Friends.
Coldplay, Brian Eno, and Markus
Dravs, producers. Capitol 16886.
“Know how I know you’re gay? You like
Coldplay.”—Paul Rudd to Seth Rogen in
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
In recent years Coldplay has become an
unwitting critical and cultural target, much
of it directed at the band’s lead singer,
Chris Martin, an overly earnest, soft-
tongued puppy of a frontman. But on the
band’s fourth album, the London quartet,
working with producer Brian Eno, takes a
stab at re-imagining its sound.
What emerges is not a drastic rebirth
but an artistic refinement. The band
still sounds unfailingly pretty, even as it
takes on larger issues like death, war, and
religion. As a lyricist, however, Martin
sometimes falls short of these lofty
ambitions. Take the album’s title track;
ostensibly about the evils of political
empires, the tune instead makes the
singer sound like a bloke with a serious
persecution complex.
Still, Viva La Vida consistently reveals
itself as the band’s most interesting effort.
With Eno, the group adopts a number of
striking sonic textures, from the church
organ that drives “Reign of Love” to the
tribal drums underpinning “Lost” to the
Middle Eastern strings that wind through
the gorgeous “Strawberry Fields.”
Andy Downing
Further Listening: Arcade Fire: Neon
Bible; U2: The Unforgettable Fire
 Rock ETC
Music Sonics
Wolf Parade: At Mount Zoomer.
Arien Thompson, producer. Sub Pop
720 (CD and LP).
During the making of At Mount Zoomer,
Wolf Parade issued a simple statement
to its record label: “No singles.” The
Montreal quartet, whose buzzed-about
2005 debut stuffed a career’s worth of
stick-in-your-head hooks inside concise
arrangements, felt the urge to stretch its
legs on its sophomore effort. So strong
was the desire to avoid repetition that
the band scrapped half an album’s worth
of material and started anew. Now that’s
ambition.
While chasing surreal musical vibes and
conjuring darker moods here, the indie-
rock group largely preserves its uncanny
sense of melody and groove. Tunes
bound, tumble, and twirl, pulled forward
and backward by analog synthesizers and
zigzagging guitar leads. Pieced together
from improvisational jams, songs twitter
and vibrate like bobble-head dolls. The
music remains in constant motion—even
on the sprawling “Kissing the Beehive.”
Better are the carnival romp “California
Dreamer” and ringing swing of “The
Grey Estates,” on which piping keyboard
notes seemingly play hopscotch as they
thumb their way to the nearest dance
floor.
The record was made at a small church
owned by fellow Canadians the Arcade
Fire, and sonics are open and airy, with
crisp textures and ample separation.
Bottom end is thin, but the LP sounds
fantastic. BG
Further Listening: Arcade Fire: Neon
Bible; My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges
120 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
The Fiery Furnaces: Remember.
Matthew Friedenberger, producer.
Thrill Jockey 202 (two CDs or three
LPs).
The rear sleeve of the Fiery Furnaces’
Remember forewarns “Please Do Not
Attempt To Listen To All At Once.” Good
advice, considering that this double-disc
set’s 51 intensely energetic live tracks
span the band’s short but highly prolific
career. Moreover, each disc plays like two
extended suites, with nary a break in the
action from start to finish.
Fronted by siblings Matthew and
Eleanor Friedberg (she sings and
sometimes plays guitar; he plays
keyboards, guitar, and sometimes sings),
the Furnaces lineup is rounded out by
drums and bass; their minimalist yet
busy music encompasses melodic pop,
circus electronica, oft-repeated lyrical
and musical phrases, and punk-like thrash
ups. The band constantly rearranges its
songs from tour to tour, while Eleanor’s
lyrics are often painfully personal, visually
evocative, and delivered with a clipped,
declarative vocal delivery. The duo’s
studio records are good if spotty; live, the
Furnaces smoke.
Given the range of sources, the sound
of this set bounces around as much as the
music does. At best it captures a sense of
the frenetic energy the Furnaces burn in
concert. At worst (one senses deliberately)
it sound as if the microphones were
placed outside the doors of the venue.
Wayne Garcia
Further Listening: The Fiery Furnaces:
Blueberry Boat: Patti Smith: Horses
Music Sonics
Supergrass: Diamond Hoo Ha.
Nick Launay, producer. Astralwerks
19734.
As its more-heralded Britpop contempo-
raries (Blur, Oasis) have fallen by the way-
side, Supergrass has continued to pump
out solid albums. And from the opening
riff of “Diamond Hoo Ha Man,” it’s clear
that, six records and nearly 15 years into
its largely under-the-radar career, the band
has lost none of its strut.
There’s nothing complicated about
Diamond Hoo Ha (most tracks wisely
clock in right around three minutes).
This is sweaty, hip-shaking rock n’ roll
played by four guys who know how to
lay down a ferocious boogie. “Rough
Knuckles” is a loose-limbed melding of
Krautrock ambience and high-heeled
glam. “Whiskey and Green Tea” piles
on swaggering brass and military chants
before exploding into glittering shards.
“The Return of...” opens with a sparse,
staccato riff, the group gradually layering
on piano, mournful sax, and frontman
Gaz Coombes’ woozy vocals.
Working with Nick Cave producer
Nick Launay, the band adopts a bit of
the Bad Seeds’ recent grit (check out the
distorted guitars that nearly boil over on
“Bad Blood”). But where Cave’s songs
teem with sexual frustration and middle-
age angst, Coombes and Co. tend more
towards the absurd. Witness “Whiskey,”
which manages to combine schoolgirls,
Chinese dragons, and deceased poet/
cultural icon William S. Burroughs into a
Fellini-esque dream world. AD
Further Listening: David Bowie: Heroes;
Iggy Pop: Idiot
 Rock ETC
Music Sonics
Billy Joel: The Stranger 30th
Anniversary Edition.
Phil Ramone, producer. Columbia/
Legacy 730801 (two CDs, one DVD).
By 1977, Billy Joel had a few hits but was
moving sideways professionally. But when
he teamed up with producer Phil Ramone
and released The Stranger in 1978, the
elusive fuse got lit. Ramone’s production
instincts went hand-in-glove with Joel’s
lively sense of melody. The collaboration
yielded an album that launched four songs
to the Top 40 and propelled the singer to
global superstardom.
Worthy of celebration, The Stranger 30th
Anniversary Edition is a new deluxe set that
offers more than just a good remastered
edition. It adds Joel’s previously
unreleased 1977 Carnegie Hall concert
while a DVD offers early promo videos
and a high-energy 1978 performance
from the BBC’s “Old Grey Whistle Test.”
The sound quality is clean, with focus
improved over the original CD. Yet it
doesn’t come close to Columbia’s own
vinyl—a half-speed mastered edition
released in 1980. By comparison, the CD
is cool and flat, lacking the LP’s warmth
and acoustic timbres.
On the DVD, Joel and Ramone reveal
that the album’s terrific, tight feel and
sound is due to the fact that all the songs
were actually played and sung live, like
a concert, in real-time. As history has
proved, the strategy worked. Neil Gader
Further Listening: Elton John: Honky
Chateau; Paul McCartney: Paul
McCartney
122 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
Danny Paisley and the Southern
Grass: The Room Over Mine.
Paisley and Ken Irwin, producers.
Rounder II66I-0589.
Born of a renewed commitment to music
and legacy following the 2004 death of his
bluegrass giant father, Bob Paisley, Danny
Paisley, his brother Bob, and brothers TJ
and Bob Lundy (progeny of another late
bluegrass legend, Ted Lundy, who co-
founded the original Southern Grass with
Bob)—joined here by mandolin master
Donnie Eldreth—give new meaning to
the phrase “hard driving” with an attack
of such intensity that even the few con-
templative moments on this record have
an unsettled edge born of restless energy.
Having plumbed bluegrass and country
songbooks for material, Paisley stamps
his indelible mark on a baker’s dozen of
well-crafted gems. A few of these once
belonged to pretty fair artists—Porter
Wagoner, Little Jimmy Dickens, Marty
Robbins, Gene Watson—but Paisley gets
so deep inside them, and with such blazing
emotion, that he makes them his own. In
one fell swoop he’s returned The Southern
Grass to bluegrass’s upper tier, and done
his father proud.
Danny and co-producer Ken Irwin
craft a gleaming, precisely balanced
soundscape that gives ample latitude to
the various instruments. Yet from first
cut to last, Danny’s vocals dominate,
commanding the center and riveting the
listener’s attention by dint of their utter,
unbridled conviction. David McGee
Further Listening: J.D. Crowe:
Bluegrass Holiday; Jim Lauderdale:
Bluegrass
Music Sonics
Nachtmystium: Assassins: Black
Meddle Pt. 1.
Sanford Parker, producer. Century
Media 8496.
Blake Judd used to spend summer nights
camping out in baseball fields while
tripping on acid and listening to Pink
Floyd. The English band’s “Have A
Cigar” engendered the Nachtmystium
leader’s first surreal musical experience—
via a Walkman, no less.
Judd’s love of Floyd comes full
circle on Assassins: Black Meddle Pt.
1. The Chicago-based metal group’s
breakthrough psychedelic set obliterates
established parameters, exhales melodies,
and shrewdly nods to the British prog
legends’ 1971 Meddle album. Songs
revolve around phase-heavy interludes
and massive hooks. Pianos, loops, and
space-rock effects provide murky relief
to blistering outbursts. Cohesive shifts
abound. The three-part “Seasick” suite
taps folk refrains, seagull-crying guitar
leads, and saxophone solos. Tunes such
as the stampeding title track swing
with venom and sustain. Yet this more
than just raw anger and searing decay.
Nachtmystium incorporates caterpillar-
like noises, dreary riffs, and unsettling
ambiance to express unnerved emotion.
Recorded at producer Sanford Parker’s
Volume Studios, Assassins has a vintage
70s feel replete with analog synths, tight
percussion, and midrange excellence.
Parker’s expertise with Moog equipment
is evident on the arrangements, warm
tones, and nuanced textures. BG
Further Listening: Pink Floyd: Meddle;
Alcest: Souvenirs d’Un Autre Monde
 Rock ETC
Music Sonics
The Gates of Slumber: Conqueror.
Sanford Parker, producer. Profound
Lore 34.
From its album-cover art (a Conan the
Barbarian-esque warrior holding aloft
a bloodied sword and vanquished foe’s
head) to its lyrics (rife with medieval lore
and dark imagery) to its music (a riff-
heavy barrage of metal that owes a healthy
debt to the likes of Pentagram and Saint
Vitus), there’s little that’s subtle about
Indianapolis trio Gates of Slumber.
The band moves at the measured pace
of a boulder-crushing mastodon on
the album’s title track, an eight-minute
exercise in bruising stoner riffage. The
Excalibur-inspired “To Kill and Be King”
is equally epic, combining a sludgy bass
lead, tolling bells, and finger-cramping
solo from guitarist/frontman Karl
Simon. But the group is at its best on
“The Dark Valley Suite,” a four-part tune
penned in tribute to fantasy writer Robert
E. Howard. Here, over the course of 16
harrowing minutes, the trio alternates
between brooding and brutal, combining
savage metal passages with instrumental
interludes that draw on the bombast of
classical composers like Richard Wagner.
Sonically, producer Sanford Parker
(Nachtmystium) beautifully captures an
array of ugly sounds. Guitars ring out
with analog clarity. And the booming low
end could almost certainly be felt down
in the seventh circle by Mephistopheles
himself. AD
Further Listening: Bible of the Devil:
The Diabolic Procession; Pentagram:
First Daze Here Too
124 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
Black Sabbath: The Rules of Hell.
Various original producers. Rhino
460156 (five CDs).
A sequel to 2004’s Black Box, an indis-
pensable document of Black Sabbath’s
Ozzy Osbourne era, The Rules of Hell
exhaustively chronicles the band’s sub-
sequent period with elfin vocalist Ronnie
James Dio. Housed in a slipcase, the five-
disc set encompasses freshly remastered
editions of 1980’s masterwork Heaven and
Hell, 1981’s near-classic Mob Rules, 1982’s
live double album Live Evil, and 1992’s
Dehumanizer, a comeback released during
grunge’s heyday.
Hired with Sabbath teetering with dys-
function, Dio re-energized the stagnant
group, leading to an embrace of faster tem-
pos, fluid arrangements, and philosophical
themes. After producing two studio mar-
vels, the frontman’s initial tenure ended
with infighting and accusation, some of
which surrounded the mix of Live Evil,
whose merits are offset by occasions of
over-eager singing and fanciful dramatics.
Alas, despite the argument for underrated
“cult” status in the extensive liner notes—
which feature new interviews with band
members—Dehumanizer still suffers from
patchwork construction, heavy-handed lyr-
ics, and commercial softness. Save for a few
songs, it comes off as a Dio solo record
rather than definitive Sabbath.
Sonics range from good (Mob) to fair
(Live), with the modern treatments im-
proving the low end. Loudness is im-
proved at the expense of dynamics. BG
Further Listening: Black Sabbath:
Black Box; The Gates of Slumber:
Conqueror
Music Sonics
The Baseball Project: Volume
One: Frozen Ropes and Dying
Quails.
Adam Selzer, producer. Yep Roc 2178.
From team fight songs to national sing-a-
longs, music has historically intertwined
with and advanced baseball lore. Yet apart
from one-offs such as John Fogerty’s “Cen-
terfield,” there’s an absence of contempo-
rary fare about the national pastime.
Recognizing the dearth, ex-Dream Syn-
dicate member Steve Wynn and Minus 5
leader Scott McCaughey teamed up on an
album devoted to the sport. Thoroughly
original and addictively tuneful, the tan-
dem’s Volume One is as playful and intel-
ligent as the game itself. Replete with deep
trivia, clever rhymes, and ringing humor,
the 13 songs are the equivalent of in-
formed barstool chatter amongst passion-
ate fans. Rejecting the varnished commen-
tary that today passes for insight, Wynn
and McCaughey pushes political correct-
ness aside in favor of gritty color and cu-
rious temperament. They tackle the good
and bad—controversies, legends, fables,
martyrs, rules, characters. In the process,
debates are renewed, questions extended,
and histories passed on.
Joined by R.E.M.’s Peter Buck and
drummer Linda Pitmon, the band retains
a light touch. The moods of the jangly
rock and pop arrangements fit the subject
matter and radiate melodies as catchy as
the calls of vendors hawking Crackerjack.
Basic, garage-honed sonics complete a
project that is simple goodness at its best.
BG
Further Listening: Steve Wynn:
Kerosene Man; The Minus 5: In Rock
 Rock ETC HOT WAX
Music Sonics
Shearwater: Rook.
Shearwater, producers. Matador 777
(180-gram LP and CD).
Shearwater frontman Jonathan Meiburg
is a graduate student in ornithology. As
such, it’s little surprise that the band takes
its name from a seabird, or that the cover
of its latest, Rook (a species of crow),
depicts a mysterious figure obscured by
dozens of the jet-black birds.
Indeed, Meiburg’s voice, a wavering,
high-pitched instrument, often flutters
like a wayward swallow, flitting over a
musical backdrop of strings, glockenspiel,
and lap steel. The results are relentlessly
pretty, even as the band treks further
into the darkness. “Rook” is replete with
deathly imagery (crows with jet-black
eyes) and desperate prayers. The gloom
is nearly all-encompassing. “Will I be the
last to survive?” asks Meiburg on the
propulsive rocker “Century Eyes.” The
answer seems to arrive with the wispy “I
Was a Cloud,” the frontman delivering
his somber, solitary vocals over gently
picked guitar and muted starbursts of
harp. “Snow Leopard,” a piano-driven
elegy reminiscent of Radiohead’s eerie
“Pyramid Song,” gradually builds
momentum over five gorgeous minutes
before dissolving into white noise.
Lovingly pressed onto a 180-gram
slab of vinyl, the album’s sonics come to
life on LP. The soundstage is wide and
deep, offering a clear separation between
countless instruments, while keeping the
focus on Meiburg’s emotive vocals. AD
Further Listening: Talk Talk: The Colour
of Spring; Tim Buckley: Starsailor
126 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Live
at the Fillmore East, March 6 &
7, 1970.
Reprise/Classic 49981 (200-gram
LP).
Nearly two decades after first announcing
his intent, Neil Young appears to have
finally committed to unleashing his
Archives compilations, the first of which
should arrive in fall. The Canadian feels
confident that he’s found a technology—
Blu-ray Disc—that meets his exacting
standards. While the release of the
anticipated music is good news for fans,
the still-undetermined cost will be
anything but. The initial 10-disc volume
is almost certain to establish a new price
ceiling for box sets.
Classic Records’ gatefold-LP pressing
of the archival Live at the Fillmore East,
which debuted on CD in 2006 (review,
TAS 169), ain’t cheap but at least it’s
affordable and on a common format.
And damn if it doesn’t sound fantastic.
On this 200-gram vinyl slab, he and
Crazy Horse come across with a neutral
balance, tube-glowing low end, airiness,
and ragged-but-right looseness that place
listeners in the seventh row of the venue.
Compared to the sonically commendable
CD, tones are more rounded, bass lines
purr more definitively, and Young and
fellow guitarist Danny Whitten lock in a
harmonic embrace that’s part shootout,
part dance ritual. Ralph Molina’s
percussion hovers above it all like a fine
mist. Essential. BG
Further Listening: Neil Young:
Greendale; Neil Young: Living With War
(Classic 200-gram LP pressings)
Music Sonics
Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes.
Phil Ek, producer. Sub Pop 777 (180-
gram LP and CD).
Justin Vernon’s heart-rending debut,
recorded over the dead of winter in a
Wisconsin hunting cabin and released
under the moniker Bon Iver, is as isolated
and harrowing as its genesis might
suggest. It’s also one of the year’s best
records. Now the Fleet Foxes, a quintet
of shaggy Seattle rockers, follow with an
equally stunning debut—an album that
plays like the flipside to Vernon’s wintery
ode. “Come down from the mountain,”
the crew intones on the joyous thaw of
“Ragged Wood.” “The spring is upon
us.”
With its ambitious vocal melodies,
the folk-rock band has already garnered
comparisons to Crosby, Stills and Nash,
though tunes like “White Winter Hymnal”
and “Heard Them Stirring” owe more to
the sacred harp tradition; it wouldn’t be
surprising to hear that the former was
discovered locked away in a dusty trunk,
buried for decades under moth-ridden
quilts.
Despite the warm, pastoral feel of the
music—best captured on the exceptional
vinyl pressing—the lyrics are rife with
dark undertones. Blood colors the snow
“red as strawberries“; a child’s body is
discovered on the riverbank. “There’s
nothing I can do,” the group reasons
just before a gorgeous vocal choir drifts
through, washing away any concerns. AD
Further LIstening: Bon Iver: For Emma,
Forever Ago; Band of Horses: Cease To
Begin
 Jazz CAPS
Music Sonics Extraordinary
Music Sonics
Willie Nelson & Wynton
Marsalis: Two Men with the
Blues.
Produced by Jazz at Lincoln
Center. Blue Note 50999 5 22202.
This unlikely pairing of pot-smoking
country outlaw and erudite, straight-
laced standard bearer of jazz tradition
came about last year as part of a
Singers Over Manhattan series held in
New York at the Allen Room in the
prestigious Jazz at Lincoln Center, the
organization which Wynton Marsalis
presides over as Artistic Director. And
yet, the common ground that these
two icons share in their respective
worlds—namely, an undying love
of the blues—results in a successful
crossover project.
Recorded live at the Allen Room,
the down-home program includes
spirited renditions of Louis Jordan’s
hard-driving jump blues anthem
“Caldonia” and Jimmy Reed’s “Bright
Lights, Big City,” along with tender
readings of two Hoagy Carmichael
classics in “Stardust” and “Georgia
on My Mind,” the latter featuring an
incredibly animated, vocal-sounding
plunger solo by trumpeter Marsalis
and bluesy harmonica solo by
longtime Nelson sideman Mickey
Raphael. Marsalis also erupts with
ferocious abandon on Doc Pomus’
128 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Excellent Good
melancholy “Night Life” while the
lazy Dixieland standard “Basin Street”
is imbued with Nelson’s ultra-relaxed,
behind-the-beat phrasing and sparked
by an urgent trumpet solo from his
headlining partner, who summons up
the swaggering spirit of New Orleans
trumpet kings.
Nelson, whose guitar playing has
always contained an understated jazz
quality (with subtle hints of Django
Reinhardt), contributes potent string
bending on “Bright Lights, Big City”
and swings out on his own boisterous
12-bar shuffle “Rainy Day Blues.”
Marsalis’ quintet recreates an old-timey
brass band feel on Clarence Williams’
“My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It.” Willie
and Wynton also mix it up in loose
call-and-response fashion on the ol’
Bessie Smith vehicle “Ain’t Nobody’s
Business,” a trade-off that recalls the
playful repartee between Bing Crosby
and Louis Armstrong on “Now
You Has Jazz” and Jack Teagarden
and Armstrong on “Rockin’ Chair.”
The pair closes out this intimate
evening on a high-spirited note with
Merle Travis’s rambunctious, gospel-
flavored “That’s All,” on which all
the members of Marsalis’ working
band (Walter Blanding on tenor and
soprano sax, Dan Nimmer on piano,
Carlos Henriquez on bass, Ali Jackson
on drums) get extended solos.
The sound of the band in the
acoustically brilliant Allen Room,
which features a dramatic two-story
floor-to-ceiling glass wall behind the
stage overlooking Columbus Circle
at the entrance to Central Park, is
captured in pristine glory by recording
engineers John Harris and Rob
Macomber. Bill Milkowski
Further Listening: Louis Jordan: Let
the Good Times Roll; Jimmy Reed:
Live at Carnegie Hall
Fair Poor
Music Sonics
Bill Frisell: History, Mystery.
Lee Townsend, producer. Nonesuch
435964 (two CDs).
In the case of Bill Frisell’s latest
ambitious recording (and there is no
other kind), history is hardly bunk
(contrary to Henry Ford’s legendary
dictum). Rather, it is a long-running
network of old friends and a deep well
of seminal inspirations.
To perform the music that evolved
out of his multimedia collaborations
with whimsical visual artist Jim
Woodring (2002’s Mysterio Sympatico and
2006’s Probability Cloud), the Seattle-
based guitarist marshaled an octet that
spans much of his recording career.
It’s a remarkable unit incorporating
strings (violinist Jenny Scheinman,
violist Eyvind Kang, and cellist Hank
Roberts) and horns (cornet player Ron
Miles and tenor saxophonist/clarinetist
Greg Tardy) and the crack New
York rhythm section of bassist Tony
Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen.
Sympatico, indeed. Asked to play with
classical chamber group delicacy, bebop
buoyancy and precision, and back-porch
breeziness, the band molds itself into
a miniature orchestra around Frisell’s
immensely influential guitar tones.
Frisell, whose recordings range from
the rare solo to frequent trio settings
and a variety of quartets and quintets,
 Jazz CAPS
is in peak form as composer here, mak-
ing whole cloth out of beguiling melodic
phrases and harmonic relationships and
writing to the strengths of his cohorts.
Across two CDs that comprise 30 pieces
of varying lengths and a total running time
of 90 minutes, he brilliantly interconnects
the Woodring-inspired material with pro-
grammatic themes composed for the NPR
series “Stories from the Heart of the Land”
and a handful of other people’s tunes that
speak to his eclectic musical tastes. Covers
include classic bop in the form of The-
lonious Monk’s tricky “Jackie-ing” and a
blazing romp through Lee Konitz’ “Sub-
Conscious Lee,” and the shamanistic West
African trad-pop of Malian guitarist Bou-
bacar Traore’s “Baba Drame.”
Not until the opening of the tenth track
of the first CD, as listeners recognize the
opening melody of Sam Cooke’s “A Change
Is Gonna Come,” does it really sink in that
most of this music was recorded live. And
when Greg Tardy’s long, soulful, crescendo-
building sax solo brings the heritage of
King Curtis and Hank Crawford into the
house, the relative equanimity of the set’s
emotional temperament tips toward the
ecstatic. Four tracks later, on “Struggle
Part 2,” Frisell—who devotes much of his
playing here to creating texture, color, and
mood—unleashes his first guitar tour de
force, reminding listeners of his capacity
for playing “out.”
The second CD continues the rise-
and-fall/ebb-and-flow-like movement
through the headliner’s musical landscape.
The terrain remains familiar, but there’s
a dreamlike quality to the journey;
the guitarist’s music always has a pop
accessibility, but it is also always slightly
bent and distorted. It’s easy to think of
the players as characters in a mystery play:
They huddle in ever-changing alignments in
different areas of the tight stage, then leap
out to assert their individual personalities
before falling back into the shadows or
disappearing momentarily in the wings.
The otherwise clear, realistic mix has a
sort of watery feel, with the instruments
set slightly back so that you are always
leaning into the sound—an effort
rewarded by the nuanced playing of this
exquisitely rich music. Derk Richardson
Further Listening: Bill Frisell: This
Land; Earth: The Bees Made Honey in
the Lion’s Skull
130 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
Wayne Horvitz and Sweeter Than
the Day: A Walk in the Dark.
No producer credit. Self released.
Music Sonics
Wayne Horvitz Gravitas Quartet:
One Dance Alone.
Wayne Horvitz, Tony Reif, producers.
Songlines 1571-2 (hyrbid multichan-
nel SACD).
Avant-jazz keyboardist and composer
Wayne Horvitz established his credentials
during the 1980s on the downtown
New York experimental-music scene,
collaborating with the likes of John Zorn
and Fred Frith. But his move to Seattle in
the 90s saw him shape a distinct style and
foster a prolific work ethic as evidenced by
these two strong simultaneous releases.
A Walk in the Dark is the third album
from Horvitz’s piano-based quartet
Sweeter Than the Day—pianist Horvitz,
guitarist Timothy Young, bassist Keith
Lowe, and drummer Eric Eagle—and
it roams a wide stylistic range. Horvitz
has said the quartet was conceived as
an acoustic version of his electrified
ensemble Zony Mash, which blended
1960s rock, blues, jazz, and psychedelia.
Such influences do indeed emerge
on new material like “A Moment for
Andrew.” But at his best, Horvitz has a
knack for tempering the dark with the
light; there’s an uncanny tunefulness (you
almost find yourself whistling along) as
Horvitz shows time and again that he can
build beautiful melodies from angular
chord progressions. These moments
are complemented by contemplative
atmospheric arrangements that exploit
Young’s shimmering fretwork (check out
his skillful use of harmonics on the tender
ballad “Good Shepherd”) and Horvitz’s
considerable piano chops, all highlighted
by a wide soundstage that gives plenty of
breathing room to the players.
The Wayne Horvitz Gravitas Quartet—
pianist Horvitz, cellist Peggy Lee, cornet
player Ron Miles, and bassoonist Sara
Schoenbeck—shows why the visionary
composer and bandleader is in the
vanguard of contemporary chamber
music. The conceptually adventurous
ensemble’s sophomore album opens with
the somber “July II” but resolves into the
joyful “A Walk in the Rain,” led by Miles’
bluesy cornet. The latter track marks a
striking departure from the icy coolness of
the band’s critically acclaimed 2006 debut
Way Out East. But the Gravitas Quartet
has its own gravity that often is driven by
the rich timbre of instrumentalists Lee
and Schoenbeck; their reflective improv
“July III” has a stillness that bespeaks the
sense of timelessness at the heart of the
band.
The music’s spatial approach is
matched by a wide-open soundstage that
heightens the instrumental immediacy
and presence. In surround mode, this
presence is even more profound. These
multichannel recordings come alive, as
the growl of the bassoon and flutter of
the cornet leap from the rear speakers, the
ensemble engulfing the listener in a swirl
of evocative ruminations. Greg Cahill
Further Listening: Wayne Horvitz
Gravitas Quartet: Way Out East; John
Zorn: Naked City
 Jazz CAPS
Music Sonics
John Beasley: Letter to Herbie.
George Klabin, producer. Resonance
Records 1003.
From the funkified swing of “4 AM,” a
tune Herbie Hancock recorded with Jaco
Pastorius in the late 70s, to a rendition
of the Headhunters’ eerie, atmospheric
“Vein Melter” and an Afro-funk take
on “Eye of the Hurricane,” pianist John
Beasley and his stellar crew of bassist
Christian McBride, drummer Jeff “Tain”
Watts, and trumpeter Roy Hargrove
take liberties with compositions on this
heartfelt tribute to Hancock.
A seasoned pro, Beasley spent five
years in Freddie Hubbard’s quintet before
touring with Miles Davis. He brings this
experience to bear on this solid outing,
swinging with authority while exhibiting
a daring harmonic sense and a relaxed
comping style. His quartet puts a funky
dub spin on “The Naked Camera” (with
Steve Tavaglione adding bass clarinet to
the mix) and employs an angular vibe
on “Chan’s Song” (Herbie’s lyrical tune
from the Bernard Tavernier movie ’Round
Midnight). Other highlights include a
clever mash-up of “Maiden Voyage” and
“Tell Me A Bedtime Story,” which Beasley
dubbed “Bedtime Voyage,” as well as the
aggressive uptempo romp “Three Finger
Snap.”
Sonics are crystalline throughout, with
McBride’s upright bass registering deep,
humungous tones on the low end and ev-
ery nuance of Watts’ polyrhythmic dazzle
coming through with ease. BM
Further Listening: Herbie Hancock:
Empyrean Isles; Rachel Z: On The Milky
Way Express
132 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
Mike Garson: Conversations with
My Family.
George Klabin, producer. Resonance
1004 (CD and DVD).
Not every jazz album comes with a plug
from rock icon David Bowie, who praises
the headlining artist as “exceptional.”
Pianist Mike Garson, who toured with
the Thin White Duke in the 1970s, is
certainly deserving of such accolades.
Inspired by reflections on family
members, Conversations With My Family
opens with “The Child Within,” a super-
charged post-bop romp that sounds like
Thelonious Monk on steroids. It lets
Garson show a rich palette of ideas and
a left hand that could make stride master
Willie “The Lion” Smith green with
envy. But enthusiasm wanes on “Lullaby
for Our Daughters,” a saccharine piano
ballad. Garson recovers with another
challenging post-bop ditty, “Blues for the
Terrible Twos.” It’s these improvisations
that showcase Garson at his best, in full
flight, relying on instincts and foregoing
sentimentality. Less is best.
This conclusion is reinforced on a
companion DVD featuring Garson per-
forming standards in a small combo at
a workshop. The set leaves you wanting
more. Sonically, the CD sounds gorgeous
once you find the right settings. I had to
back off on my subwoofer to tamp down
the booming bass. The DVD is raw but
suits the spontaneity of the live setting.
GC
Further Listening: Mike Garson: The
Oxnard Sessions; Lennie Tristano: Live in
Toronto, 1952
Music Sonics
Todd Sickafoose: Tiny Resistors.
Todd Sickafoose, producer. Crypto-
gramophone138.
A former Bay Area MVP bassist who shifts
easily between jazz, pop, and contempo-
rary bluegrass, Brooklyn-based Todd Sick-
afoose folds the musical wisdom gleaned
from his myriad experiences into his third
album as leader, creating a deeply satisfy-
ing cross-genre blend that blurs boundar-
ies without dissolving into faceless fusion.
The core band is trumpeter Shane
Endsley, tenor saxophonist/bassoonist
Ben Wendel, trombonist Alan Ferber, vi-
olinist Andrew Bird, and guitarists Adam
Levy and Mike Gamble, with Allison
Miller and Simon Lott sharing drumming
and percussion duties. Skerik blows bari
sax on two tracks, and the voice and elec-
tric uke of Ani DiFranco (the bassist’s re-
cent employer) show up on another. Bill
Frisell’s music is the closest jazz analog to
Sickafoose’s melodic, guitar-driven, and
violin-accented instrumental Americana.
But bits of blues and funk crop up in
the rhythms and solos, and when Sickaf-
oose adds his own piano, Wurlitzer, vibes,
marimba, bells, celesta, and accordion, a
post-rock aesthetic takes hold.
There’s a slight gloss to the sonics, but
lots of air between spaciously arranged
instruments, a luscious resonance to the
acoustic bass, and nicely muted brightness
to the acoustic guitar, violin, brass,
percussion, and (on one track) whistling.
Repeated listening reveals new details in
this fascinating tapestry of texture. DR
Further Listening: Todd Sickafoose
Group: Blood Orange; Ani DiFranco:
Reprieve
 Jazz CAPS
Music Sonics
Joe Wilder-Marshall Royal Quin-
tet: Mostly Ellington.
BluePort & NuForce, producers.
BluePort-NuForce BP-J017 (CD and
DVD-A).
Teaming up on a music-related
collaboration, BluePort Jazz and
NuForce Media (the same NuForce that
manufactures audio gear) are releasing
a series of lesser-known but extremely
well-recorded jazz titles.
Captured live to two-track in 1990,
Mostly Ellington features trumpet legend Joe
Wilder and Basie alto great Marshal Royal
in their only appearance together. You’d
never guess it from the superb ensemble
playing, which includes the equally capable
Mike Wofford (piano), Bob Magnusson
(bass), and Roy McCurdy (drums). The
set consists of familiar standards, lovingly
and effortlessly played by leaders of the
tradition. Wilder and Royal are eloquent
and witty practitioners, playing in unison
and trading solos from start to finish.
Sonics are exceptionally natural. The
horns are ultra-present, and as richly
addictive as whipped-cream, while the
rhythm section is beautifully scaled in
size, tone, and balance. Speakers disap-
pear, leaving a wide-open soundstage. The
dynamic range is likewise very natural. A
high-res DVD-A is part of the package,
and presumably better than the awesome
CD. If Mostly Ellington is an indication of
things to come from BluePort-NuForce,
then, as George W. Bush might put it,
bring ’em on! Wayne Garcia
Further Listening: Thelonious Monk:
Plays Duke Ellington; Various: NuForce
Live! BluePort Jazz Sampler
134 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
HOT WAX
Music Sonics
Sonny Clark: Leapin’ and Lopin’.
Alfred Lion, producer. Music Mat-
ters/Blue Note MMBST 84091 (two
180-gram 45rpm LPs).
In 1961, then-underrated pianist and
composer Sonny Clark gathered a rock-
solid quintet for what turned out to be
his final outing as a leader. He’d die of a
heroin overdose just two years later.
Featuring Charlie Rouse—a corner-
stone of Thelonious Monk’s later
groups—on tenor sax, Tommy Turrentine
on trumpet, Butch Warren on bass, and
Billy Higgins on drums, Leapin’ and Lopin’
may not quite rank with Clark’s two
Trio LPs, or Cool Struttin’, but that’s only
because the record’s two weakest tracks
were penned by Warren and Turrentine.
These tunes aren’t bad, but they don’t
match Clark’s own compositions, the
bluesy “Somethin’ Special,” the modal-
tinged “Melody For C,” his classic and
sublimely lovely “Voodoo,” or even the
standard ballad “Deep In A Dream,”
which showcases a single and singularly
beautiful appearance by tenor man Ike
Quebec.
As we’ve come to expect from Music
Matters’ AcousTech-mastered 45rpm re-
issues, the sound is excellent. The slightly
upfront horns are placed at far left/right,
with the well-captured rhythm section oc-
cupying the middle ground. The album’s
lively immediacy brings with it a great
physical presence, snappy dynamics, ter-
rifically natural tone colors, and excellent
instrumental balance. WG
Further Listening: Sonny Clark: Cool
Struttin’; The Sonny Clark Memorial
Quartet: Voodoo
Music Sonics
Gil Melle: Patterns in Jazz.
No producer credit. Blue Note/Mu-
sic Matters BLP-1517 (two 180-gram
45rpm mono LPs).
From 1956, Gil Melle’s Patterns in Jazz was
the first 12-inch platter Rudy Van Gelder
recorded for Blue Note Records. Hence,
it is also the earliest-dated reissue in Mus-
ic Matters’ 45rpm Blue Note LP series.
But Patterns is no mere historical curiosity;
it’s a musically delightful gem that should
be better known.
A restless explorer, Melle played a keen
baritone sax, composed songs as well as
film and television scores, experimented
with electronic music, and was also a
painter and graphic designer (that’s his
work on Patterns’ cover). With bassist
Oscar Pettiford, guitarist Joe Cinderella,
trombonist Eddie Bert, and drummer Ed
Thigpen, Melle indeed weaves patterns
in jazz. From swinging yet mellow origi-
nals such as “Weird Valley” to standards
like “Moonlight in Vermont,” the quintet
shows endless capacity to surprise with its
gorgeous interplay and playful rhythmic
accents. Considered “modern” in its day,
Patterns remains remarkably fresh.
The mono sound is focused and imme-
diate. The warm tonality beautifully cap-
tures the essence of each instrument—
Cinderella’s guitar is thickly-textured, and
creamy during solo runs; Pettiford’s bass
is rooted, defined, and harmonically com-
plex; Bert’s trombone rich and throaty;
Thigpen’s kit nimble and natural. And
Melle’s horn sexy and honey-toned. WG
Further Listening: Gil Melle: Primitive
Modern/Quadrama; Gil Melle: Complete
Blue Note Fifties Sessions
 Classical CAPS
Music Sonics Extraordinary
Music Sonics
Rautavaara: Manhattan Trilogy;
Symphony No. 3.
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra,
Leif Segerstam, conductor. Seppo
Siirala, producer; Enno Mäemets,
engineer. Ondine 1090-5 (hybrid
multichannel SACD).
Music Sonics
Rautavaara: Apotheosis;
Manhattan Trilogy; Symphony
No. 8 (The Journey).
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra,
Pietari Inkinen, conductor. Tim
Handley, producer and engineer.
Naxos 8.570069.
I met Einojuhani Rautavaara in 1987
on my first trip to Finland. I was with
a group of critics who gathered every
year to hand out awards; that summer,
the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki,
where Rautavaara taught composition,
was our host. There was a reception
for us at a posh restaurant on an island
in the harbor, in what had once been
a fortress. We rode out in a motor
launch, with Rautavaara and his lovely
wife sitting up in the bow of the boat,
big smiles, hair blowing in the breeze.
After probably a couple of glasses of
champagne, I was asked by our hosts
to say a few words, and did so—saying
how happy I felt to at last be in Finland,
136 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Excellent Good
and rather effusively praising the music
of Sibelius.
Little did I know then that it had
been Sibelius who, in 1955, at the age
of 90, had nominated the 26-year-old
Rautavaara for a Finnish state grant to
study at Tanglewood and the Juilliard
School in New York. But my heartfelt
praise for the great composer must have
struck a chord with Rautavaara, and on
the spot we formed a friendship that has
lasted to this day. Such that on my next
visit to Finland, in 1996, I was invited
to come straight from the airport to
his home for a much-needed morning
coffee.
By then I knew a good deal more
about him and his music, and I remember
kidding him about his Juilliard pedigree
and telling him that he was really an
American composer. The truth is that
what Rautavaara learned in 1955-56
from Copland, Sessions, and Persichetti
was fully absorbed into a personal
idiom that has developed in unique and
fascinating directions ever since. Popular
in America he has certainly become, as
one can gauge by the commissions for
recent works, including his Symphony
No. 7 (from the Bloomington [Indiana]
Symphony Orchestra), Symphony No.
8 (the Philadelphia Orchestra), and
Manhattan Trilogy (Rautavaara’s alma
mater, Juilliard). But “American” in any
idiomatic sense he is not.
Thus, the Manhattan Trilogy makes no
effort to sound American or to tap the
Fair Poor
American vernacular. To the extent it
evokes anything at all, it is a New York
of Nordic memory, where the dreams
and anxieties of the composer’s student
years are recalled via an amorphous
welling of lyricism edged by dissonance.
Pensive and elegiac, it is a portrait of the
artist as a young man—one whose smile
would show more in later years.
Both realizations of the score are
effective, but I find Leif Segerstam’s
the more heightened and compelling.
It comes coupled with Rautavaara’s
Symphony No. 3 (1961), a trope
on Bruckner which, using 12-tone
technique, follows the quirks of that
composer’s symphonic method—the
characteristic scoring and motivic
profiles, the unorthodox key relations,
the abrupt juxtaposition of ideas, even
the tempo markings in German. Pietari
Inkinen and the New Zealanders offer
an equally valuable coupling that goes
deeper into Rautavaara’s current style.
Apotheosis (1996), a stand-alone revision
of the finale from his Symphony No. 6
(1992), eschews the synthesizer used in
that piece. Both it and Symphony No. 8
(1999) exhibit the “oceanic” manner of
Rautavaara’s more recent music.
Of the two discs the Ondine is mar-
ginally better recorded. The Naxos
sound has ample presence and solidity,
but the boominess of the venue flat-
tens the soundstage and leads to a loss
of color in the loud passages. There is
greater immediacy and a more palpable
sense of space and of the placement of
the orchestra in the Helsinki recording.
Ted Libbey
Further Listening: Rautavaara:
Angels and Visitations; Rautavaara:
Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3
(Naxos)
 Recording
of the Issue
Music Sonics
Schmidt: Das Buch mit sieben
Siegeln.
Johannes Chum, tenor; Robert Holl,
bass-baritone. Wiener Singverein.
Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederös-
terreich, Kristjan Järvi, conductor.
Florian Rosensteiner, producer;
Wolfgang Fahrner, engineer. Chan-
dos CHSA 5061 (two hybrid multi-
channel SACDs).
Since his death in 1939, Austrian
composer Franz Schmidt has not
received his due. For this slight, there are
two primary reasons: first, a perception
that Schmidt was sympathetic to
the National Socialist regime and,
second, that his music was hopelessly
“conservative.” Neither rap is fair.
Schmidt manifested some remarkable
political naivety, but he was no Nazi.
And his music, while written in an
advanced tonal language and continuing
the Austro-Germanic tradition of his
teacher Anton Bruckner, is inventive,
absorbing, and highly distinctive.
Schmidt is best remembered for his
frequently recorded Fourth Symphony
but his masterpiece is the two-hour
oratorio Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The
Book with Seven Seals), composed late in his
career. The subject is “end-time prophecy,”
as detailed by St. John the Divine in the
New Testament’s Book of Revelations. This
scripture, important to fundamentalist
Christians and inspirational, as well, to
some traditional Catholics (including the
late French composer Olivier Messiaen),
previews with striking specificity the
events leading up to the world’s end. St.
John reports that God, in heaven, gives to
Jesus a scroll with seven seals that Christ
removes sequentially to reveal the nature
of the End of Days. The first four are
also known as the “Four Horsemen of
the Apocalypse,” followed by martyrdom
and a terrible earthquake. With the
breaking of the seventh seal, seven angels
with seven trumpets announce all manner
of horrible occurrences (“sorrows”),
culminating in the raising of the dead for
the Final Judgment.
Schmidt’s treatment of his libretto is
disciplined, structurally coherent, and,
given the subject matter, remarkably free
of bombast. St. John, a vital and youthful
narrator conceived for a heldentenor,
is assertively and appealingly sung by
Johannes Chum. The other key role is
The Voice of God, majestically intoned
by the well-known Wagnerian bass-
baritone Robert Holl. The work’s musical
textures greatly vary, with a quartet of
vocal soloists, organ, chorus, and a large
orchestra employed to illuminate the
vivid imagery of the texts. For example,
the xylophone and col legno strings used
to portray the fourth seal—Death—
generates very creepy sonorities, and the
earthquake is cataclysmic.
Kristjan Järvi is the younger brother
of Paavo and the son of Neeme; a sister,
Maarika, is a professional flutist. He
comes to an affinity for the composer
honestly—his father recorded Schmidt’s
four symphonies quite successfully for
Chandos between 1989 and 1996—and
his reading has drama and cogency. The
Austrian orchestra deals effectively with
the colorful score and the Weiner Singv-
erein remains one of the world’s great
professional choruses. The recording
derives from two live performances in
2005, with the multichannel recording
capturing the acoustic of the Musikv-
erein, one of Europe’s greatest concert
halls. Vocal timbres, of Chum and Holl
in particular, are beautifully character-
ized. The DSD encoding does an ad-
mirable job of coping with the wide
range in musical scale. There’s intimacy
and detail, but no shortage of grandeur
and expansive power when called for.
Andrew Quint
Further Listening: Schmidt: Sym-
phony No. 4 (Kreizberg) (SACD);
Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time
(Hebrides Ensemble) (SACD)
Music Sonics
Wheeler: The Construction of
Boston.
Chorus & Orchestra of the Boston
Cecilia, Donald Teeters, conductor.
Adam Abeshouse, producer. Naxos
8.669018.
Originally written in 1962 by poet Kenneth
Koch as a performance piece for three
friends—artists Robert Rauschenberg,
Niki de Saint-Phalle, and Jean Tinguely—
The Construction of Boston evolved into a
one-act opera by Scott Wheeler (b. 1952)
as something of an homage to his teacher,
Virgil Thomson.
In addition to Thomson, whom
Wheeler occasionally quotes, the eclectic
music flashes reminders of Messiaen,
Weill, Gilbert and Sullivan—even
Gregorian chant. Still, the composer has
created a unified and original score of
shimmering transparency, well-structured
drama, and moments of remarkable, often
unexpected beauty. A plucked banjo sets
the tone in the Overture. The Prologue is
an extended dialogue for tenor and piano,
and the small cast of soloists, orchestra,
and chorus does a first-rate job conveying
the sense of an awakening city.
The sound of this live recording is
outstanding. A natural perspective lays
out the orchestra, chorus, and soloists in
a way that convincingly transports you
to the event. There’s plenty of hall am-
bience, excellent width and depth, and
beautiful balance between all of the per-
formers. Moreover, the dynamic range is
spot-on. Wayne Garcia
Further Listening: Wheeler: Shadow
Bands: Music for Strings and Piano
(Newport); Thomson: Four Saints
The Absolute Sound September 2008 137
 Classical CAPS
Music Sonics
Boldeman/Gefors/Hillborg: Con-
temporary Swedish Songs.
Anne Sofie Von Otter, mezzo; Go-
thenburg Symphony, Kent Nagano,
conductor. Lennart Dehn, producer.
DG 477 7439.
On this disc featuring a Swedish singer
and three Swedish composers, few of the
songs are actually in Swedish. Seven are
from Hans Gefors’ cycle, Lydias sånger,
which also includes German and French
texts. The lyrics explore various aspects
of desire, love, and loss. Gefors uses a
variety of orchestral and vocal devices to
project and amplify the texts. The central
song, Glødende Nat! (Glowing Night), is a
dramatic gem, full of powerful orchestral
touches and a vocal line that begins with
a Mahlerian reference and encompasses
wide-ranging emotions, all brilliantly
conveyed by Anne Sofie Von Otter.
Laci Boldemann’s 4 Epitaphs sets
poems from Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon
River Anthology. Von Otter sings them
with feeling and flawless American
diction, fully capturing their often-piquant
flavor. Anders Hillborg’s “…lontana in
sonno…” is sterner stuff, set to Petrarch’s
gloomy texts about love and death, more
concerned with orchestral effects than
with the vocal line. Von Otter does what
she can, but it isn’t enough to encourage
repeat plays.
Nagano and his band are excellent
throughout, as is the sound, which en-
compasses a wide dynamic range and
nicely balances soloist and orchestra.
Dan Davis
Further Listening: Von Otter: There-
sienstadt; Von Otter: Grieg Songs
138 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
Sibelius: Kullervo Symphony.
Soile Isokoski, soprano; Tommi
Hakala, baritone; YL Male Voice
Choir, Helsinki Philharmonic, Leif
Segerstam, conductor. Seppo Siirala,
producer. Ondine 1122-5 (hybrid
SACD).
Sibelius’ first major work, Kullervo, has
had excellent recordings, but this one led
by composer-conductor Leif Segerstam
belongs at the top. Segerstam scores
on several counts. He captures the epic
grandeur of the work, successfully fuses
the Brucknerian structures with the
Finnish and Keralean folk music at its
core, similarly unites its key elements
of brooding tragedy and pastoral tone
painting, and elicits brilliant orchestra
playing.
Kullervo’s five movements trace the
adventures of a major character in the
Kalevala, Finland’s national epic. The nar-
rative follows the tragic hero through his
bitter youth, unknowing (until it’s over)
incest with his sister, victorious war, and
guilt-ridden suicide with the sword given
to him by the God, Ukko. The male cho-
rus and the soloists appear to stunning
effect in Part Three, Kullervo and his Sister.
Isokoski and Hakala sing with such emo-
tional fervor it’s hard not to be drawn into
their desperation. The chorus returns to
narrate the final Kullervo’s Death, brilliantly
negotiating the long, slow crescendo.
Add impactful sound with solid bass
and full-bodied choral and solo singing,
and this becomes irresistible. DD
Further Listening: Sibelius: Kullervo
(Davis, LSO); Sibelius: Symphonies
(Davis, BSO)
Music Sonics
Lord: Boom of the Tingling
Strings. Disguises.
Nelson Goerner, piano. Odense
Symfoniorkester, Paul Mann, conduc-
tor. Jørn Pedersen, producer; Geoff
Miles, engineer. EMI 90528.
“Classical” efforts by rock artists range
from the sublime (Frank Zappa) to the
ridiculous (Billy Joel). Jon Lord, ex-
keyboard player for Deep Purple, has been
at it for close to four decades. The two
compositions here are well constructed,
expressive, and immediately engaging.
Boom of the Tingling Strings is the piano
concerto Lord always wanted to write. The
autobiographical piece’s title comes from
a DH Lawrence poem, which describes a
child sitting beneath a piano as his mother
plays. Only the last movement, a perpetual-
motion romp, is truly virtuosic. Disguises,
for string orchestra, comprises three
substantial “portraits” in the manner of
Elgar’s Enigma Variations. The subject of
the first movement is composer Malcolm
Arnold, who accepted the dedication
for the entire work just weeks before his
death. This lightly elegant material evokes
the spirit of Arnold’s emotionally direct,
unpretentious music. Movement Two is
a picture of Lord’s mother Miriam, and
the finale depicts “an old friend, a big,
bustling man who brings me occasional
benign madness and hilarity,” identified
only as G.C.
The Danish orchestra is expert and
committed. Sonics are excellent—clean,
open, and immediate with realistic instru-
mental signatures. AQ
Further Listening: Lord: Durham Con-
certo; Costello: Il Sogno
 Classical CAPS
Music Sonics
Bach: Motets.
Netherlands Kamerkoor, Peter Dijk-
stra, conductor. Klaas Stok, C. Jared
Sacks, and Peter Dijkstra, producers;
Sacks, engineer. Channel Classics
27108 (hybrid SACD).
Finally, a recording of Bach’s motets that
employs a moderately-sized choir (two
dozen voices—no “one-to-a-part” stuff
here!), utilizes a simple basso continuo
(organ and cello), and refuses to get
hung up on the “did he or didn’t he”
nonsense regarding BWV 230 (Lobet den
Herrn), rightly including it among the
“standard six” works Bach composed
in this rather vaguely defined genre.
Other recordings offer very satisfying
results but this one captures the essence
of these extraordinary works as vocal
music, stripping the scores down to texts
and singers, with instruments enlisted as
unobtrusive partners in filling out texture
and adding body to the bass line.
Conductor Peter Dijkstra is not as
concerned with particular means of
articulation as he is with the importance
of “the vocal line,” which he regards as
paramount. These motets never have
sounded so fresh, alive, and exciting, nor
has a choir so proficiently and artfully
demonstrated the ingenious and powerful
musical dialogs in the double-choir works
or more handily elucidated the profoundly
difficult movements of Jesu, meine Freude.
Channel Classics’ sound is typically
demonstration-quality, and the packaging
is sensible and user-friendly. DD
Further Listening: Bach: Motets:
(Jacobs); Durufle: Lux Aeterna (Dijk-
stra)
140 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Music Sonics
Estampies & Danses Royales: Le
Manuscrit du Roi.
Hesperion XXI, Jordi Savall, director.
Manuel Mohino, producer and engi-
neer. AliaVox 9857 (hybrid SACD).
The source for the music on this disc
is the Manuscrit du Roi, also called
the Chansonnier du Roi. Held by the
Bibliothèque nationale in Paris, it’s a huge
manuscript of close to 500 secular songs
in Old French and Occitan. It is believed
to date from the 1260s or ’70s, making
it one of the earliest sources of secular
medieval music in existence.
The dances recorded here were later
additions to the manuscript, copied
around 1310-20 into blank spaces on
several pages not filled by the words to
songs. Their single melodic line gives
an approximate indication of pitch and
rhythm, but conveys nothing at all about
tempo, instrumentation, or the nature
of any doublings and accompaniment.
Guided by contemporary theoretical
treatises and other descriptive sources,
Jordi Savall produced the realizations
heard here. They use a striking variety
of instruments but in combinations well
suited to the character of the individual
dances.
Made amid the vaulted stone masonry
of the monastery of Santes Creus in Cat-
alonia, the recording is gorgeous–spec-
tacularly open, vibrant, and detailed, with
an almost tactile quality to the imaging
and a resonant depth of sonority. TL
Further Listening: Alfons V el Mag-
nànim; Villancicos y Danzas Criollas
Music Sonics
Schubert: Piano Quintet in A
major “The Trout.”
Mozart: Piano Quartet in E flat
major, K.493. Yefim Bronfman, piano;
Zuckerman ChamberPlayers. Philip
Traugott, producer; Martin Leveille,
engineer. RCA 886697160442.
Yefim Bronfman teams up with the
(Pinchas) Zuckerman ChamberPlayers—
the famous violinist plus three Canadian
“protégés”—for two staples of the
chamber music repertoire. Bronfman
hasn’t always scaled back his playing
enough when he’s not performing finger-
busting material but, while these readings
are Romantically inclined, he does here.
For both pieces, the music is exquisitely
shaped, unfailingly winning in terms of
tone production, intonation, balances,
and unanimity of attack.
Schubert’s chamber works can seem
long; with this performance, the opening
movement of the “Trout” is rhythmically
pointed, as Zuckerman and his pals
move things along smartly. The Mozart’s
finale, too, has irresistible momentum
and K.493’s Larghetto breathes with a
warmth that is utterly captivating.
Sonics are average. The acoustic is dry
and the recorded perspective is rather
flat. Individual instruments don’t seem
to occupy their own space and the piano
lacks weight and body. Still, this is first-
rate music-making. Mozart and Dvorák
viola quintets from Zuckerman’s ensem-
ble are coming up, and that release should
be a treat. AQ
Further Listening: Schubert: String
Quintet (Alban Berg Quartet/Schiff);
Schumann: Piano Quintet (Argerich)
Back Page
Neil Gader
10 Questions for Vince Bruzzese,
President and Chief Designer,
Totem Acoustic
When did music and sound make their first impression on
you?
I remember my first parade here in Quebec. I was three-and-
a-half years old. I’ll never forget the blare of the trumpet and
the warmth of the drum. Later, my grandfather would ride me
around and we’d hear different people playing music up in the
mountains, and it encapsulated that intrigue and that reality.
I have my roots in standard, very listenable music. When I
was a student I met Peggy Lee a few times, and we had some
wonderful conversations and I heard her sing. I think all these
experiences marked me to a certain extent.
When did you realize you had an aptitude for speaker
design?
Back in the 60s and 70s you modified whatever you had in
hand. Of course, back then it was all done to get the soul of a
Jimi Hendrix performance.
What was the source of dissatisfaction with speakers you
encountered in that period?
I thought the old Quad was a great speaker. You couldn’t sit
off-axis to it, but we all tried to find the Quad qualities in a
dynamic speaker. Some paper cone speakers had it. But as
speakers got sophisticated they seemed to lose some of their
magic. They were inconsistent. They might sound particularly
good at someone’s house, then you’d go buy them and often
they didn’t sound like the same product. It became a goal
of mine to produce something that was constant. I wanted
to bring out a speaker that was all encompassing, with the
attributes of an electrostat but also small and stylish enough
that your partner wouldn’t yell because it was as big as a fridge.
Totem is known for its compact speakers. What is it about
the smaller platform that inspires you?
I found the larger products had more colorations. We started
off as a monitor company, and it took us a good 10 years of
producing speakers before we correctly figured out how to
make floorstanding cabinets that were worthy of the Totem
name. That is, harmonically expressive with as little coloration
as possible.
What are your favorite records for voicing?
Pretty much everything. I always design a speaker in mono. I
have to walk around the room for months on end. It has to
have mono-focalized voicing, and it has to have pace. Vocals
are a good way of judging pace.
144 September 2008 The Absolute Sound
Are you still listening to vinyl?
I was always a turntable freak. I remember my old Thorens 126
that I traded in for a Technics direct-drive—what a mistake!
The first Totems were tested with analog and we still use
analog. Since the digital formats have progressed, we now use
both.
What would our readers be most surprised to know about
you?
Older watches have always been an interest. Omega
Constellations, Seamasters, LeCoultre, Genève Universal
Microrotors, Rado—all before this became popular. I’m anti-
quartz in spirit. I always liked mechanical movements and
great workmanship, and this fits with my admiration of fine
craftsmanship. I wear these not to show off but because of
their characteristics. Same for older cameras. Can’t say I’ve used
any recently, but once in a while I’ll try and shoehorn a picture
in here and there.
As part of the Totem Acoustic 20th anniversary you’ve
released a new speaker, The One. That’s a bold name.
Our first model was called the Model One. At its introduction
we were going against the norm by bringing out a mini-
monitor and telling people, “Look at what this can do in terms
of dimensionality and coherence, soulfulness, and on- and
off- axis performance.” We’ve learned a lot over 20 years, so
in celebration we put in all the innovations and tweaks we’ve
discovered. In a way, we’ve come full circle.
What remains your proudest moment?
That in our entire product range and throughout its evolution,
we have kept to the “Totem” aesthetic—size, sound and
craftsmanship—setting industry standards that influence the
overall market in many different ways.
What still inspires you in the field?
Designing only takes 30-40% of my time. The rest is making
sure that every speaker produced is within the parameters of
what we wished to bring out. A slight difference in a surround
or in the coating of a voice coil can perturb a system. So it’s
keeping production at the highest and most consistent level
that keeps us busy on a daily basis.