Wants data on CD
degradation
July 28, 2003
Wes,
I noted your caution about CD treatment in your review of
Sonic Blast -- i.e., you are waiting for "decades of data" to see if
they are safe. I, too, remember the Armor All incident, but recently I tried Vivid and
like the results. Can you elaborate on why/how such products could eventually degrade CDs?
David
Umm, David? If I knew in advance how these products
would degrade CDs, why would I be unsure about them? My whole point was that I don't know
-- and I would really, really regret betting my CD collection on an assumption that later
turned out to be catastrophically off the mark.
But I'm old, cranky, and paranoid -- I liked what Sonic
Blast did for my dead Duke Ellington disc, which continues to sound and look just fine. A
younger, smarter, and more trusting individual might well come to a different conclusion
-- and he might just be right.
Tube rolling
July 24, 2003
Hi Wes,
I just bought a Musical Fidelity XCan v2 headphone amp
(which I will pair either with Grado SR325 or Sennheiser HD 600 headphones). Anyhow, the
amp comes stock with JAN-Philips 6922 tubes and I have read on discussion forums that this
is not the greatest tube and that I should upgrade them. I listen to a wide variety of
music (although mostly rock and jazz) and a lot of DVD films.
Joe
Ah, the joys of tube rolling (the practice of replacing
stock tubes with the same model from a different manufacturer or, in some cases, different
tubes with the same pin configuration). Rolling tubes is one of those things that you
either love or that absolutely drive you crazy.
JAN-Philips tubes, by the way, were Joint Army Navy tubes
manufactured by the electronics conglomerate Philips, not signature tubes from a guy named
Jan. Some people like 'em a lot (especially guitarists), but most audiophiles lust after
NOS (new old stock) Mullards and Bugle Boys. In fact, the same tubes made by different
companies (or at different times) can sound quite different from one another and, while
some audiophiles think that adds to the artisanal character of tube gear, other
audiophiles embrace solid-state technology precisely because such variations drive them
nuts.
Personally, I hear a greater difference from changing the
power supply to a bigger one than I do between tubes -- or perhaps I should say I heard a
more meaningful difference (my opinion only, YMMV). Agree or disagree, one of the joys of
any hobby lies in trying out different approaches and seeing if they work.
Pure class A and electric bill
July 21, 2003
Hello Wes,
I've been considering an NAD S300 integrated amplifier to
power my PSB Stratus Silvers (i version), and was told this is a pure-class-A
integrated amp. How does being pure class A affect my decision about whether or not to
leave the integrated amp powered up all the time? Would it add noticeably to my monthly
electric bill?
Tom
There's a bit of confusion about the designation class
A. You see, there's class A, which describes how an amplifier's circuit works (and yes,
class A is thermally inefficient, which would make the amplifier gobble more power) and
there's Class A, as in a Stereophile Recommended Component, where it designates
the best of best, "as good as it gets."
The NAD is neither, actually. As an amplifier, it
operates in class AB; it isn't listed in Stereophile's Recommended Components.
That doesn't mean it isn't a very good amplifier -- I've heard it myself and thought it
was an extremely nice unit, one competitive with most high-end separates. And I suspect
that's what your friend meant when he called it class A.
As to the other part of your question, about whether or
not you should leave it powered all the time, that's a matter of personal taste. I know
audiophiles who do that, essentially on the theory that, whenever they feel like
listening, the amp will be "warmed up." While I have on occasion heard a slight
degree of improvement when an amp has reached thermal stability, I have never found it to
be either a day-and-night difference or to take longer than I am willing to wait (as a
rule, far less than an hour). Heck, it takes me that long to calm down and listen
attentively.
Sennheiser vs. Sennheiser
July 18, 2003
Hi Wes,
I'm just getting into hi-fi through my friend who's giving
me (for a real steal) his NAD 710 receiver, Mission 731 speakers, and Sony ES CD player.
Neither the amp nor my TV has a headphone jack, and I want to use 'phones for both
home-theater and music listening. I am considering buying the HeadRoom Little Premium.
The Sennheiser HD 580 headphones are reasonably priced at
$400 (Canadian), but the newer HD 600s jump to (gulp!) $600. Is there a huge difference
between them? One that I'd notice given the way I intend to use them?
Joe
There is a difference between the two and I like the HD
600s more than the '580s. However, I also love the HD 580s and still listen to them a lot.
The '580s are the kind of product that, while you're listening to them, you might easily
ask yourself how they could be any better. Compare them directly to the '600s and you'll
hear the more expensive cans have better bass and a tad more detail (and a little less
blur).
Even if you did compare the two and agree the '600s were
"better," you might still feel the price difference was too great, given the
high-resolution performance of the '580s.
Which would I choose? It is a lot of money and the HD 580s
are awfully good. If the difference really made me gulp (and it might), I could be very
happy with the '580s. But if I'd just sold a few extra articles that month, I'd sink the
money in the better set of cans before I bought any single-malt whisky.
Wants new speakers
July 14, 2003
Hello Wes,
I am using a pair of Avalon Radian HCs and want to change
my speakers. There is nothing really bad about the Avalons, however.
I have a short list in mind and wanted to hear your
thoughts: Vienna Acoustics Mahler, Vandersteen 3A Signature, Sonus Faber Amati Homage, and
MBL 101E. The list is in no particular order. My listening room is about 11 1/2' wide, 30'
long, and 12' high. The speakers must, like my present Avalons, perform for music and home
theater. My components are the Jeff Rowland Model 302 amplifier, Jeff Rowland Coherence II
preamplifier, and the Electrocompaniet EMC 1 CD player (24/192).
Your valued comments would be most appreciated.
Kalani
I could write the same answer to you that I did to David
below, except that you know you're ready for a change. Since the one thing that all four
loudspeakers you've listed have in common is that they're about as different from Radian
HCs as you can get, I'd say you could go with any of them and achieve a very different
sound from your current one.
I know the whole point of asking an "expert" is
to simplify the decision, but speakers are one of those areas where the only expert is you
(of course, your room matters, too). Enjoy the hunt!
Amp advice
July 9, 2003
Wes,
I own a C-J Premier 11a and am of two minds about whether I
should keep it and upgrade my preamp or switch to a more modern integrated, such as a
Levinson or Gryphon, because of their ease of use.
I have been reading your reviews of the Premier 11a and
wondered if you still hold it in as high regard? If so, which preamps would you look at in
my shoes. My choices would be something like a PV10 or 11 or a used Premier 14, but I'd
consider something else. Unfortunately, choice is limited locally, so I would welcome your
input since dealers are not keen to ship on demo. My source is a Sony SCD-1; speakers are
Verity Audio Fidelio (although I will probably switch to the new stand-mounted JMlab
Utopias). My cables are Cardas.
Any thoughts would be appreciated,
David
I'd say you have things pretty well in hand. It sounds
like your system should not only sound pretty good, but also has a "philosophy"
behind it (as opposed to being just a random collection of high-quality parts). But one of
the things that we audiophiles do is talk about our systems, so we can do that.
As you've probably noticed, I really like the idea of
the new high-rez integrateds -- I just reviewed the Perreaux Radiance R200i and just
flipped over it, after all. That product offers some fantastic features, many of which I'd
like to incorporate into my system. It -- like many of its brethren -- also sounds pretty
good.
On the other hand, I really loved the Premier 11a -- and
I still find that it touches me in ways that few other audio products do.
So what to do? Decide based on your needs. Based purely
on sound considerations, I'd probably opt for the PV10 or PV11, but then you wouldn't have
remote control. Is that important to you? What is? That's the real question.
What would I do? I have no idea -- because I change gear
all the time as part of my job. That gives me a somewhat wistful perspective on what it
was like when I had a stable reference system. I still have one, technically, but I'm
always inserting new components. There's something to be said about growing used to a
system and learning how to maximize its performance.
So change if you have a clear reason in mind for making
a change, but don't throw away a good thing just because you want something new. That's
what accessories are for.
SACD player break-in?
July 5, 2003
Wes,
I enjoy your reviews of equipment and have a question for
you. I recently purchased an SACD player (Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista) and have a question
about the best way to break it in. I was going to leave it on with a CD repeating for
about 200 hours but have my amp off. I would leave my interconnects connected, though. Is
this the best way to break the player in or is there another way?
Thanks so much for your thoughts.
Stephen
I haven't found that the Tri-Vista required much in the
way of break-in beyond its warm-up period. When the feet turn blue, that's about as good
as it's going to sound -- at least in my experience. OTOH, the Tri-Vista I received had
already been used as a demo unit.
If your Tri-Vista seems to require running in, you
could certainly have it play for a few hundred hours with your amp on or off. It couldn't
hurt anything (other than a smidgen of trivistor life).
Wilson Audio Sophia
July 2, 2003
Hi Wes,
I have always enjoyed reading your articles - both in Stereophile
and now on the Internet. I just read your review of the
Wilson Audio Sophias -- speakers that I have been thinking of upgrading to when
finances allow.
Currently, in my system I happen to have two components
that you reviewed in the past: Linn Klimax Twin amp and Roman Audio
Centurion speakers. In your review of the Romans, you seemed to like them a lot and
even compared them to speakers selling for considerably more money. I wonder how they
would stack up against the Sophias? The Wilsons are twice as expensive and that's a lot of
money.
Would the sound be that much better? I like my Romans, but
I wish their treble were more extended and resolved (sometimes it seems too homogenized,
even with the Klimax). A little more clarity and deeper soundstaging would be welcome,
too. Other than these things, I’m really happy with the Romans (I actually sold my
Sonus Faber Extremas to get them), particularly with their midrange (I’ve never heard
a speaker that reproduces piano in such a realistic way), and I’m wondering whether
upgrading to the Sophias would be worth the money.
Jack Kotowski
This is one of those tricky value/performance
questions. I like both speakers quite a bit (as you have noticed), but I don't see them as
competitive. It's not just that they are so differently priced -- they are also quite
different in terms of perspective -- and choosing either of them probably has as much to
do with what you value in music reproduction as it does with the price.
As you have said, the Centurions have a lovely midrange
and somewhat soft top end. In reviewer's lingo, this would be described as a
"mid-hall" perspective, meaning that it resembles the sound you get about
halfway back in a concert hall. The instruments blend together, and detail, while present,
lacks the zing it has in the front rows. Mid-hall (or further back) is where I tend to sit
when I go to concerts, and it’s a sound I rather enjoy.
The Sophias have more of a "front five rows"
perspective. Their sound is brighter, more direct, and more extended -- especially in the
high frequencies. Bass has more visceral impact. It's an exciting perspective and,
especially as presented by the Sophias, difficult not to like. Which is better? That
depends on several factors. If you prefer one sound over the other, that would influence
which you wished to live with for a long time, even if you found a different sound
initially exciting. But there's also the question of value. Many of us would have a hard
time affording the $11,000 Sophias even if we did prefer them -- that makes the decision
simple. Where it gets trickier is determining how much the difference between the
Centurions and the Sophias is worth, assuming both are within reach -- and that's where
other factors enter into the equation.
Since you previously owned Sonus Fabers, I suspect you
enjoy the softer, more blended sound of the mid-hall perspective. If that's the case, the
Sophias might not be your ideal life partner. On the other hand, you may have been ready
to trade the SF's for the Centurions because you want less mid-hall and more close-up
sound -- in which case the Sophias might be more of what you were seeking when you made
the change.
But, in the final analysis, it's your ears and your
wallet that will have to make this decision.
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