Walk the halls, corridors and sound rooms of High End Munich 2023 with Tracking Angle editor Michael Fremer, with particular emphasis on turntables, phono preamplifiers and cartridges on the present.
The publish Michael Fremer’s Day 2! | High End Munich 2023 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.
Walk the halls, corridors and sound rooms of High End Munich 2023 with Tracking Angle editor Michael Fremer, with particular emphasis on turntables, phono preamplifiers and cartridges on the present.
The submit Michael Fremer’s Day 2! | High End Munich 2023 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.
From Fremer: Day one began with a 7 AM breakfast assembly with Mark Döhmann and his workforce to catch up and talk about turntable information—his and what had been introduced we’d see on the present. Was price getting up early for. The solely present appointments/occasions I had on my schedule was a panel dialogue with engineering nice Jim Anderson and his spouse and “Tonemeister” accomplice Ulrike Schwarz, this time not about his work with Patricia Barber. Instead the dialogue was about analog versus digital and I used to be there as a participant not as a moderator.
At High End, these panels are sometimes not properly attended as a result of everyone seems to be busy doing enterprise, particularly on press days one and two, however we had just about a full home and the dialogue was full of life, informative and an excessive amount of enjoyable. i feel it may need been recorded.
Though analog protection is the primary focus, among the many most wonderful objects I noticed and heard was the Alieno 250D LTD MK2—a push pull 300B tube amp (not a hybrid) with a claimed output of a whole bunch of watts per channel! You’ll see that within the video. Enjoy!
The submit Michael Fremer’s Day 1 Analog Show Coverage | Munich 2023 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.
From Fremer: Day one began with a 7 AM breakfast assembly with Mark Döhmann and his group to catch up and focus on turntable information—his and what had been introduced we’d see on the present. Was price getting up early for. The solely present appointments/occasions I had on my schedule was a panel dialogue with engineering nice Jim Anderson and his spouse and “Tonemeister” accomplice Ulrike Schwarz, this time not about his work with Patricia Barber. Instead the dialogue was about analog versus digital and I used to be there as a participant not as a moderator.
At High End, these panels are sometimes not properly attended as a result of everyone seems to be busy doing enterprise, particularly on press days one and two, however we had just about a full home and the dialogue was full of life, informative and quite a lot of enjoyable. i feel it might need been recorded.
Though analog protection is the principle focus, among the many most wonderful gadgets I noticed and heard was the Alieno 250D LTD MK2—a push pull 300B tube amp (not a hybrid) with a claimed output of tons of of watts per channel! You’ll see that within the video. Enjoy!
The publish Michael Fremer’s Day 1 Analog Show Coverage | Munich 2023 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.
From Fremer: Day one began with a 7 AM breakfast assembly with Mark Döhmann and his workforce to catch up and talk about turntable information—his and what had been introduced we’d see on the present. Was value getting up early for. The solely present appointments/occasions I had on my schedule was a panel dialogue with engineering nice Jim Anderson and his spouse and “Tonemeister” companion Ulrike Schwarz, this time not about his work with Patricia Barber. Instead the dialogue was about analog versus digital and I used to be there as a participant not as a moderator.
At High End, these panels are sometimes not properly attended as a result of everyone seems to be busy doing enterprise, particularly on press days one and two, however we had just about a full home and the dialogue was full of life, informative and an excessive amount of enjoyable. i feel it might need been recorded.
Though analog protection is the primary focus, among the many most superb objects I noticed and heard was the Alieno 250D LTD MK2—a push pull 300B tube amp (not a hybrid) with a claimed output of tons of of watts per channel! You’ll see that within the video. Enjoy!
The submit Michael Fremer’s Day 1 Analog Show Coverage | Munich 2023 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.
Armando “AJ” Conti, 1957–2016
As I started scripting this column, the horrible information arrived that Armando “AJ” Conti, founding father of Basis Audio, had died of a coronary heart assault at 59. A proficient designer of turntables and tonearms, AJ was one of many warmest and extra considerate folks within the High End. Whenever I entered the Basis room at a Consumer Electronics Show, I needed to be ready to spend the following hour or extra speaking with AJ—not solely about audio, however about espresso, motorcycling, metallurgy, or another of his many passions.
After I’d reviewed, within the January 2000 situation, AJ’s Basis Debut Mk.V turntable—about which I’d been lower than 100% optimistic—our relationship grew strained for a number of years. AJ, a perfectionist, had anticipated nothing lower than an ideal evaluation. But I’d had an issue with what I felt was the Debut’s less-than-full dynamic slam, which I blamed, rightly or wrongly, on its acrylic platter. Back then I wasn’t a fan of acrylic platters on costly turntables, even platters full of brass cylinders. I’m nonetheless not.
But ultimately AJ and I started speaking once more, a dialog that developed right into a friendship that I’ll vastly miss. At the June 2015 T.H.E. Show Newport Beach, he demoed his high turntable mannequin, the Work of Art, with alloy platter. The sound in that room, with Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II audio system, subwoofers, and M7-HPA monoblock amplifiers, all pushed by Audio Research’s Reference 10 phono stage and Reference 10 preamplifier, was among the many finest on the present—particularly when the Work of Art was taking part in LPs.
That was, I imagine, the primary public exhibiting of a metal-platter turntable designed and constructed by AJ, and I bear in mind pondering that there could be extra steel in Basis’s future. Just a few months later, AJ insisted that he construct a turntable for Joe Harley, a recording engineer and producer, in addition to Vice-President of Product Development at AudioQuest. Why? In respect for Harley’s contributions to and love of music. Harley hadn’t requested for it, however AJ would not let him say no.
AJ constructed the ‘desk, then put in and set it up for Harley. It was the final time they noticed one another. The turntable (see picture) is not like another AJ ever designed and constructed—or, at the least, not like something he’d ever allowed out of his manufacturing facility. It’s an all-metal design based mostly on a spherical, minimalist plinth that helps solely the bearing and the tall steel platter. Each of the 2 tonearms is mounted by itself pod. Plinth and pods all sit on a platform supported by 4 large steel toes.
Just a few days after AJ’s dying, I obtained a name from his spouse, Jolanta, and his brother Anthony, thanking me for what I’d written about AJ on AnalogPlanet.com and explaining how Basis Audio would transfer ahead. They are resilient folks. Later, I obtained an announcement from Basis that included this: “AJ has plenty of merchandise within the firm’s pipeline which can be prepared for launch. All design, testing and prototyping work is completed with accomplished models and components already in stock.”
Is a manufacturing model of the turntable AJ gave Joe Harley among the many merchandise in that pipeline? I certain hope so.
Audio Research Reference Phono 3 phono preamplifier
Audio Research’s Reference Phono 3 phono preamplifier replaces their Reference Phono 2SE, and represents a modest however vital redesign of the circuit in addition to full beauty and systemic upgrades. However, the worth has elevated solely $1000, from $13,000 to $14,000 (footnote 1).
Built for Comfort: Using the identical substantial casing and industrial design because the Reference 6 preamplifier, which I reviewed within the December 2016 situation, the Reference Phono 3 is a big, user-friendly, tubed phono stage with an easy-to-read, inexperienced fluorescent show of beneficiant measurement. Below which can be six huge pushbuttons—labeled Power, Menu, Option, Enter, Input, and Mute—that can take you wherever you wish to go in your phonographic journey.
The Phono 3 has two independently configurable inputs, both of which could be set for 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, or 47k ohms, in addition to, through inner sockets, a Custom setting to your selection of resistance. You can select between two ranges of acquire: 71 or 48dB in balanced mode, and 45 or 67dB in single-ended. And be at liberty to abuse the equalization settings: the RIAA, Decca, and Columbia curves are included, the latter two for use solely with mono LPs. All settings could be saved within the Phono 3’s reminiscence.
Unfortunately, ARC repeats, within the Reference Phono 3 proprietor’s guide, the misinformation being unfold by some who declare that “some early Columbia and Decca stereo recordings utilized a special EQ curve” from the RIAA curve. Since this delusion continues to be repeated, this, too, bears repeating: I spoke with mastering engineer George Bettyes, who reduce lacquers for Decca as “L” (the letter on the finish of the matrix code within the LP’s lead-out space tells you who reduce it) from 1957 by means of 1972. He advised me, in no unsure phrases, that as quickly as Decca started making stereo LPs, all lacquers have been made utilizing the RIAA curve: no exceptions. That’s why, he mentioned, LPs pressed by Decca within the UK for its US division, London Records, say, proper on the jacket, “USE THE RIAA CURVE.”
As for Columbia Records, I spoke with three of that label’s veteran mastering engineers, all of whom insisted that, with the arrival of stereo, all slicing was carried out utilizing the RIAA curve. When I discussed to one in all them that some folks have been insisting that Columbia’s earlier EQ curve was used into the Nineteen Seventies, he requested, “Were they smoking crack?”
If you favor to make use of a special curve for a selected stereo LP, you then’re utilizing the EQ settings as tone controls. Enjoy—however do not suppose that you have technically “corrected” one thing.
A perform labeled Hours, accessible through the Reference Phono 3’s Menu, logs the variety of hours its tubes have been used, whereas one other Menu choice helps you to modify the show’s brightness. And relying on the way you program it, the Phono 3’s auto-shutdown function turns it off after one to eight hours of inactivity.
While the Phono 3 will bear in mind your particular person acquire and loading settings for every of the 2 inputs, you’ll be able to simply override these utilizing the distant management. The handset additionally helps you to change between inputs, and modify the loading, acquire, EQ, and show brightness, all out of your listening chair.
Using the Reference Phono 3 was a complete pleasure, as was taking a look at it. I’m positively a fan of the brand new Audio Research look created by Livio Cucuzza, Chief Industrial Designer for the McIntosh Group—previously Fine Sounds, which owned ARC since 2008.
What’s Inside: The Reference Phono 3 is a balanced hybrid design whose sign path consists of an FET enter stage and 6 6H30 tubes (the 2SE used 4). Like the Reference 6 preamp, the Phono 3’s energy provide has solid-state rectification and two regulation tubes: a 6H30 and a 6550WE. In truth, the Phono 3 is so just like the Reference 6 in design that I’ve each motive to imagine it will measure simply as fantastically on John Atkinson’s check bench.
ARC recommends 600 hours of break-in—a protracted, very long time—probably due to the Phono 3’s Teflon capacitors. Fortunately, ARC’s Warren Gehl had put many hours on the evaluation pattern earlier than it was shipped to me.
Armando “AJ” Conti, 1957–2016
As I started scripting this column, the horrible information arrived that Armando “AJ” Conti, founding father of Basis Audio, had died of a coronary heart assault at 59. A gifted designer of turntables and tonearms, AJ was one of many warmest and extra considerate individuals within the High End. Whenever I entered the Basis room at a Consumer Electronics Show, I needed to be ready to spend the subsequent hour or extra speaking with AJ—not solely about audio, however about espresso, motorcycling, metallurgy, or another of his many passions.
After I’d reviewed, within the January 2000 challenge, AJ’s Basis Debut Mk.V turntable—about which I’d been lower than 100% constructive—our relationship grew strained for a couple of years. AJ, a perfectionist, had anticipated nothing lower than an ideal evaluation. But I’d had an issue with what I felt was the Debut’s less-than-full dynamic slam, which I blamed, rightly or wrongly, on its acrylic platter. Back then I wasn’t a fan of acrylic platters on costly turntables, even platters filled with brass cylinders. I’m nonetheless not.
But finally AJ and I started speaking once more, a dialog that developed right into a friendship that I’ll tremendously miss. At the June 2015 T.H.E. Show Newport Beach, he demoed his prime turntable mannequin, the Work of Art, with alloy platter. The sound in that room, with Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II audio system, subwoofers, and M7-HPA monoblock amplifiers, all pushed by Audio Research’s Reference 10 phono stage and Reference 10 preamplifier, was among the many greatest on the present—particularly when the Work of Art was enjoying LPs.
That was, I consider, the primary public displaying of a metal-platter turntable designed and constructed by AJ, and I bear in mind considering that there is likely to be extra metallic in Basis’s future. A couple of months later, AJ insisted that he construct a turntable for Joe Harley, a recording engineer and producer, in addition to Vice-President of Product Development at AudioQuest. Why? In respect for Harley’s contributions to and love of music. Harley hadn’t requested for it, however AJ would not let him say no.
AJ constructed the ‘desk, then put in and set it up for Harley. It was the final time they noticed one another. The turntable (see picture) is in contrast to another AJ ever designed and constructed—or, at the least, in contrast to something he’d ever allowed out of his manufacturing unit. It’s an all-metal design primarily based on a spherical, minimalist plinth that helps solely the bearing and the tall metallic platter. Each of the 2 tonearms is mounted by itself pod. Plinth and pods all sit on a platform supported by 4 huge metallic ft.
A couple of days after AJ’s demise, I obtained a name from his spouse, Jolanta, and his brother Anthony, thanking me for what I’d written about AJ on AnalogPlanet.com and explaining how Basis Audio would transfer ahead. They are resilient individuals. Later, I obtained an announcement from Basis that included this: “AJ has a lot of merchandise within the firm’s pipeline which are prepared for launch. All design, testing and prototyping work is completed with accomplished items and elements already in stock.”
Is a manufacturing model of the turntable AJ gave Joe Harley among the many merchandise in that pipeline? I certain hope so.
Audio Research Reference Phono 3 phono preamplifier
Audio Research’s Reference Phono 3 phono preamplifier replaces their Reference Phono 2SE, and represents a modest however important redesign of the circuit in addition to full beauty and systemic upgrades. However, the worth has elevated solely $1000, from $13,000 to $14,000 (footnote 1).
Built for Comfort: Using the identical substantial casing and industrial design because the Reference 6 preamplifier, which I reviewed within the December 2016 challenge, the Reference Phono 3 is a big, user-friendly, tubed phono stage with an easy-to-read, inexperienced fluorescent show of beneficiant measurement. Below which are six huge pushbuttons—labeled Power, Menu, Option, Enter, Input, and Mute—that may take you anyplace you wish to go in your phonographic journey.
The Phono 3 has two independently configurable inputs, both of which might be set for 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, or 47k ohms, in addition to, through inner sockets, a Custom setting to your selection of resistance. You can select between two ranges of acquire: 71 or 48dB in balanced mode, and 45 or 67dB in single-ended. And be happy to abuse the equalization settings: the RIAA, Decca, and Columbia curves are included, the latter two for use solely with mono LPs. All settings might be saved within the Phono 3’s reminiscence.
Unfortunately, ARC repeats, within the Reference Phono 3 proprietor’s handbook, the misinformation being unfold by some who declare that “some early Columbia and Decca stereo recordings utilized a distinct EQ curve” from the RIAA curve. Since this fable continues to be repeated, this, too, bears repeating: I spoke with mastering engineer George Bettyes, who lower lacquers for Decca as “L” (the letter on the finish of the matrix code within the LP’s lead-out space tells you who lower it) from 1957 by way of 1972. He instructed me, in no unsure phrases, that as quickly as Decca started making stereo LPs, all lacquers had been made utilizing the RIAA curve: no exceptions. That’s why, he stated, LPs pressed by Decca within the UK for its US division, London Records, say, proper on the jacket, “USE THE RIAA CURVE.”
As for Columbia Records, I spoke with three of that label’s veteran mastering engineers, all of whom insisted that, with the arrival of stereo, all chopping was executed utilizing the RIAA curve. When I discussed to certainly one of them that some individuals had been insisting that Columbia’s earlier EQ curve was used into the Nineteen Seventies, he requested, “Were they smoking crack?”
If you choose to make use of a distinct curve for a selected stereo LP, you then’re utilizing the EQ settings as tone controls. Enjoy—however do not suppose that you have technically “corrected” one thing.
A operate labeled Hours, accessible through the Reference Phono 3’s Menu, logs the variety of hours its tubes have been used, whereas one other Menu choice allows you to regulate the show’s brightness. And relying on the way you program it, the Phono 3’s auto-shutdown characteristic turns it off after one to eight hours of inactivity.
While the Phono 3 will bear in mind your particular person acquire and loading settings for every of the 2 inputs, you’ll be able to simply override these utilizing the distant management. The handset additionally allows you to change between inputs, and regulate the loading, acquire, EQ, and show brightness, all out of your listening chair.
Using the Reference Phono 3 was a complete pleasure, as was it. I’m undoubtedly a fan of the brand new Audio Research look created by Livio Cucuzza, Chief Industrial Designer for the McIntosh Group—previously Fine Sounds, which owned ARC since 2008.
What’s Inside: The Reference Phono 3 is a balanced hybrid design whose sign path contains an FET enter stage and 6 6H30 tubes (the 2SE used 4). Like the Reference 6 preamp, the Phono 3’s energy provide has solid-state rectification and two regulation tubes: a 6H30 and a 6550WE. In truth, the Phono 3 is so just like the Reference 6 in design that I’ve each motive to consider it will measure simply as fantastically on John Atkinson’s take a look at bench.
ARC recommends 600 hours of break-in—an extended, very long time—probably due to the Phono 3’s Teflon capacitors. Fortunately, ARC’s Warren Gehl had put many hours on the evaluation pattern earlier than it was shipped to me.
lIn this 4th episode of My Lunch w/ Andre, Fremer and Andre recap AXPONA 2023, the adjustments and overarching themes of the trade, up-and-coming musicians, and extra.
The put up AXPONA 2023 Recap & More… | My Luncheon w/ Andre Episode 4 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.
lIn this 4th episode of My Lunch w/ Andre, Fremer and Andre recap AXPONA 2023, the adjustments and overarching themes of the business, up-and-coming musicians, and extra.
The submit AXPONA 2023 Recap & More… | My Luncheon w/ Andre Episode 4 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.
From Fremer: AXPONA 2023 was a global occasion that places the present and at last America on the world audio stage. The Consumer Electronics Show as soon as was that occasion however excessive efficiency audio is not a significant a part of that present.
Founded in 2009 by then retailer Steve Davis, AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) for a few years was a regional present, the sparsely attended 2011 Atlanta present being a great instance. Shows had been additionally held in New York City, Jacksonville, Florida after which in 2013 on the O’Hare Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, at which period JD Events bought the present. The firm’s experience is occasion manufacturing and over time the present grew in measurement, stature and the all encompassing phrase “professionalism”.
Covid crimped AXPONA’s progress and naturally the present was canceled for just a few years. AXPONA 2022 was a return to kind, although on a smaller scale than earlier than the pandemic.2023 introduced in a giant manner that AXPONA was again, greater, higher and extra worldwide in scope, with huge names from around the globe exhibiting up, together with SME’s Stuart McNeilis, Crystal Cables’ Gabi Reynveld, Cyril Hammer, Dr. Roland Gauder, plus govt and design groups from Accuphase, Air-Tight Technics and Esoteric, amongst others. That was new.
The present ran on flooring 1-7, and 11,12,14,15 and 16 plus on the linked conference heart. It was greater than anyone particular person may probably cowl and clearly I missed an awesome deal. To save time I skipped many rooms I’d usually cease in to say whats up, together with Bluebird Distribution the place I’d have run into SME CEO McNeilis.
The Absolute Sound despatched a big contingent and so they coated it in a well-organized vogue, assigning to every reviewer, a specific beat. Next 12 months, TrackingAngle will try one thing comparable however for this 12 months it was simply me and Ken Redmond. Our different writers had been for varied causes unable to attend.
Looking via the information, and from speaking with different attendees I see I missed, in no explicit order, corporations anybody protecting analog wouldn’t need to miss together with phono preamp producer Lejonklou, whose merchandise I’ve reviewed over time, Primaluna, which had a brand new phono preamp on show, I missed Doshi Audio, exhibiting with Joseph Audio—first time I missed that room—and I missed J. Sikora turntables, although I’ve coated their latest tonearm in a Capitol Audio Fest video together with their turntables. I missed complete flooring and so missed seeing some very acquainted faces and a few of their new merchandise.
On the opposite hand, I made a decision to broaden our protection to do extra with digital merchandise together with streaming DACs, and so forth. In one room I heard a demo of a quickly to be launched CD participant that the producer was completely happy to match to a stream of the identical materials and sonically, the CD trounced the stream!
Per week earlier than the present I needed to pack up the Esoteric Grandioso T1 turntable, the overview of which I’d simply handed in to The Absolute Sound, to ship it off to the present. The directions suggest a minimum of two and ideally three individuals to pack up the heavy turntable (the platter alone weights 42 kilos), however I had nobody to assist so I did it alone and managed fairly nicely (I like to recommend Pilates to all you kids!).
Just a few days later whereas loading up my snow tire wheels, I wrenched my again as I’ve by no means earlier than achieved—by no means had again ache—after which one thing I disagreed with ate me, and between the projectile outcomes of that encounter and my again I virtually stayed dwelling, however glad I didn’t, although conducting a turntable set-up seminar with a wrenched again was no enjoyable, nor was it enjoyable that the turntable’s arm was equally “wrenched” and simply hung in area wherever I put it. Still, I made essentially the most of it and used the event to point out the complete home the right way to diagnose turntable points like those I had that day. I additionally ran a helpful pane dialogue on reissues.
The put up Even MORE Fremer at AXPONA 2023 | Show Report 2/2 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.