When Reviewers Buy
Like Chicago politics, the audio reviewer industry has a well known protocol of d'une part, un autre lave (one hand washes another). And like the best Rezko-ish deals of Chicago, some of the reviewers are better than others at executing this art form.
Not all are in this club. Some are very well salted, well read and have good ears. They opine in the strictest and fairest sense.
But, when they buy, then that is your buying signal. So far, these are reviewers who have bought.
Affordable Audio – The Bada HD-22
The HD-22, now in its HD-22SE version, has the unique ability to be dynamic and yet provide a warm, tube sound. The inside is built like a tank and for this price point, you get an advanced Phillips servo found in 5K CD players, dual trannies and an advanced AC filter network. We suspect that the reviewer feels like we do, for the price point it cannot be beat. To consider your other audio outlet rice-a-roni CD players is well, a joke.
Stereo Mojo – The DAC AM Modified
Incredibly tube like, the DAC AM Modified maybe the steal of the century in the < $500 DAC brigade. The harsh midrange of low end DACs is toned down and replace with a see through window that only the best tube DACs aspire to. The reviewer states that the DAC AM Modified embarrassed the LINN Classik. The reviewer was fooled by its low price point and therefore placed the DAC AM in his “den” system; only later to find that the DAC AM has enough body and clarity, to be placed in his main system. The DAC AM Modified is the solid state counter part to the tube DAC 68. Try it in your “den” system; it will soon be moved up to your “high end” system.
Positive Feedback –The Ming Da MC 34AB
Another great audio deal is the MC 34AB 07. The Ming Da MC 34AB 07 with its 8 EL34 tubes and power humpty and 75 watts of power, opens up speakers like no other amp. It is no wonder, that the Dr. Sardonicus of Positive Feedback bought one of these. Like so many reviewers, the price point sways them toward a “second” or “den” system, only to find that the amp makes its way up to the main system and rules to roost. This versatile amp can also be used as an integrated and basic amp. It also has a switch for triode and ultra linear modes. The MC 34AB 07 makes quite the impression right out of the box, then it slowly warms as well as providing a deep tight bass. We have also had, may folks sell their Primas and Cays on Audiogon, take to proceeds and buy the amp a new. What a deal.
Stereo Mojo – The Shenda Music Van (Review Pending)
Lets call it the poor man’s Doge 6. Why? Consider the Doge 6, which is able to substantially define a musical object (vocalist, symbol, bass drum et.al) in space, put weight around it and then calculate the distance between the musical object and other musical objects. The difference between the Doge 6 and the Shenda Music Van is the fact that the Doge 6 is better at calculating this distances and the Shenda sometimes misses. Depending upon your systems resolution, this may or may not affect you. When the Shenda places an instrument musically. Therefore, it tends to make poor recordings a little more musical and the transitions between wide dynamics a little more bold. Over all, if its dynamics you want, then choose the Shenda. If it is imaging you want, then choose the Doge.
Affordable Audio – Shuguang Blue S8
Hope they like blue as the LED shoot across and up and down the amp. It really is a tale of three amps: the Shuguang, the Ming Da MC 368B90, and the Doge 6130. Lets take the two sonic extremes: the Ming Da MC 368B90 and the Doge 6130. The Ming Da is Audio Research Dual 76A / Conrad Johnson MV75 sweet, as it plays to the best qualities of those amps. It is surprisingly musical and defines what tubes are all about: a slightly rolled off high end, lush midrange and a deep fat bass. Some like this, other do not. For those that do not, enter in the Doge 6130, where it has the detail and articulation of a solid state amp with the warmth of tubes. It has a deep low end that is not fat or rolled off. The midrange is pronounced, yet still has some musicality. Lovers of the MC 368B90 will be looking for the tubes in this amp. The Shuguang then falls in somewhere between. It extracts details from the source, yet provides tube warmth and a bump in the lower registers. All that being said, it is the most musical of the bunch. You can change the sound dramatically by substituting quality 6SN7 or 6SLT tubes.
Read the reviews, read between the lines. But when they buy, you can read into their actions.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
A New Economy
Unable to adjust to the onslaught of value added high end components coming from the e-tailers, mainstream audio pubs will be vomiting all over themselves trying to come up with value added reviews from their cadre of mediocre products. After all, they have to cope with our new miserly outlooks given what has happened to our economy. And alas, while a bail out of the audio industry in not in the offing, we will have to digest the rice-a-roni of audio seeping into the mainstream publications and audiophile bulletin boards: "What do you think of the Azur"?, "What about this Rotel amp?" , "Which NAD to buy'? These ever- present philosophical questions, while making my eyes roll so far back into my head that my contacts are now stuck in my brain, run deep into the hearts of many as they look contemplate their purchases of the run-of-the-mill.
Like I said in my previous blog, this new economy will make over priced audio die even faster than it has been. But, look no further than Google, to find out about great products and services coming from Pacific Valve, GR Research, McAlister Audio, the Horn Shoppe,Morrow Audio, Brent Jessie and Jim McShane to name a few. Lets take a look at these (since no one else is)
The Horn Shoppe
Much has been written about the horns, but we shall not stop. As they have been and continue to remain one of the greatest values in high end audio today. I drive mine with the Classic 16.2 integrated amp using the new Shuguang mesh plate 300B-S. I use a Raytheon 6SN7 as the regulator and Sylvania Chrome Domes as the drivers. I hope to try the new Ming Da “Globe Trotter” 6SN7s as they seem to have real promise. I will let you know. The Horns do what few speakers do: When they receive the instruments / vocals from the amp in the form of current, they ere-assemble it bit by bit on the sound stage and present it to you. This, ladies and gents, is no small feet. Given their $850.00 per pair price tag, they remain a great buy.
GR Research
Danny Ritchie runs GR Research who supplies these baffle-less spekeakers in kits to be re-assembled. For those of you, pitching pennies, this may be the way to go. If you are handy, this will be relaxing. If not, it’s a minor hassle to get a friend to help you and a great way to kill an afternoon with a couple of beers. I plan on purchasing these soon. I did hear the OB-7s and OB-5s driven by the Ming Da MC34AB amps – and let me tell you – these speakers have a way of cementing an image in the sound stage and providing the body and weight of a speaker costing 3 times as much. I plan a purchase soon.
McAlister Audio
Take off, eh – to the Great White North of Google and you will find McAlister audio. Some very reasonably priced products that compete with, yours truly. I have not heard these, but some of these are worth looking into. The NOS VT DAC for example, has caught my eye.
Morrow Audio
Scroll past the Bada-look-a-like Tonewin and move to some great looking single cone speakers and most of all the cables. We purchased a pair of interconnects and were duly impressed. As you probably already know, the mark up on cables is well, USA Congress bail out extreme. So do not be dismayed by the price of these as you are really getting a lot for the money.
Vacuum Tube Services
Need tubes? Your mainstream pubs do not have the brain cells and bandwidth to discuss them, probably because dead tube companies do not pay for advertising fees. Turn no further than the web, where Brent Jessie and Jim McShane will answer your emails with care and explain to you the ins, outs and sounds of each tube. Their sites are chocked full of information and are used by yours truly before contemplating a tube purchase.
Explore, explore. There is a great wide world of audio out there, beyond the mediocrity of the current “Recommended Components”
Unable to adjust to the onslaught of value added high end components coming from the e-tailers, mainstream audio pubs will be vomiting all over themselves trying to come up with value added reviews from their cadre of mediocre products. After all, they have to cope with our new miserly outlooks given what has happened to our economy. And alas, while a bail out of the audio industry in not in the offing, we will have to digest the rice-a-roni of audio seeping into the mainstream publications and audiophile bulletin boards: "What do you think of the Azur"?, "What about this Rotel amp?" , "Which NAD to buy'? These ever- present philosophical questions, while making my eyes roll so far back into my head that my contacts are now stuck in my brain, run deep into the hearts of many as they look contemplate their purchases of the run-of-the-mill.
Like I said in my previous blog, this new economy will make over priced audio die even faster than it has been. But, look no further than Google, to find out about great products and services coming from Pacific Valve, GR Research, McAlister Audio, the Horn Shoppe,Morrow Audio, Brent Jessie and Jim McShane to name a few. Lets take a look at these (since no one else is)
The Horn Shoppe
Much has been written about the horns, but we shall not stop. As they have been and continue to remain one of the greatest values in high end audio today. I drive mine with the Classic 16.2 integrated amp using the new Shuguang mesh plate 300B-S. I use a Raytheon 6SN7 as the regulator and Sylvania Chrome Domes as the drivers. I hope to try the new Ming Da “Globe Trotter” 6SN7s as they seem to have real promise. I will let you know. The Horns do what few speakers do: When they receive the instruments / vocals from the amp in the form of current, they ere-assemble it bit by bit on the sound stage and present it to you. This, ladies and gents, is no small feet. Given their $850.00 per pair price tag, they remain a great buy.
GR Research
Danny Ritchie runs GR Research who supplies these baffle-less spekeakers in kits to be re-assembled. For those of you, pitching pennies, this may be the way to go. If you are handy, this will be relaxing. If not, it’s a minor hassle to get a friend to help you and a great way to kill an afternoon with a couple of beers. I plan on purchasing these soon. I did hear the OB-7s and OB-5s driven by the Ming Da MC34AB amps – and let me tell you – these speakers have a way of cementing an image in the sound stage and providing the body and weight of a speaker costing 3 times as much. I plan a purchase soon.
McAlister Audio
Take off, eh – to the Great White North of Google and you will find McAlister audio. Some very reasonably priced products that compete with, yours truly. I have not heard these, but some of these are worth looking into. The NOS VT DAC for example, has caught my eye.
Morrow Audio
Scroll past the Bada-look-a-like Tonewin and move to some great looking single cone speakers and most of all the cables. We purchased a pair of interconnects and were duly impressed. As you probably already know, the mark up on cables is well, USA Congress bail out extreme. So do not be dismayed by the price of these as you are really getting a lot for the money.
Vacuum Tube Services
Need tubes? Your mainstream pubs do not have the brain cells and bandwidth to discuss them, probably because dead tube companies do not pay for advertising fees. Turn no further than the web, where Brent Jessie and Jim McShane will answer your emails with care and explain to you the ins, outs and sounds of each tube. Their sites are chocked full of information and are used by yours truly before contemplating a tube purchase.
Explore, explore. There is a great wide world of audio out there, beyond the mediocrity of the current “Recommended Components”
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