- AudioEnz

AudioEnz
New Zealand’s hi-fi magazine
www.audioenz.co.nz
August 2007
Web page printouts from
the latest issue of AudioEnz
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/acrobat/issues/2007/2007-08.pdf
AudioEnz editor: Michael Jones ph 09-478 1301
Project phono stages
By Michael Wong
August 2007
Phono Box MkII, $199. Phono Box SE, $399. Tube Box II, $549.
Three is a big number amongst the
superstitious, surreptitious or serendipitous.
Throughout history trinities (the state of being
three) have existed in human affairs; religion,
literature, cultural events. Three is also
associated with completion or the search for
perfection.
In audio three is often seen as a good thing;
triodes, three point turntable suspension,
tripodal isolation and support systems etc.
Last year I had the good fortune to be able to
compare the new Plinius Koru with it’s
predecessors, the Jarrah and M14, for an
all-Plinius trifecta of analogue goodness.
Project Phono Box II
Trio projection
They say lightning doesn’t strike twice but once
again I have a familial threesome of phono
preamplifiers, this time from Pro-Ject
Audio, a leader, if not the leader in the field of
affordable, high quality turntables and related
accessories.
Over the years various Pro-Ject turntables have
been reviewed by AudioEnz and other
magazines. Less attention has been given to
their analogue accessories: tonearms,
replacement platters, isolation platforms,
record weights, wall mounting shelves;
electronics like turntable speed controllers,
headphone amplifiers, phono preamplifiers.
This month we look at three Pro-Ject phono
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Project Phono Box SE
preamplifiers; the solid state Phono Box II and Phono Box SE, and the valve Tube Box II.
Although targeted at different price points the
three share similar electrical and mechanical
architecture:
RIAA equalisation and amplification for
MM/MC cartridges with selectable gain
and (fixed) loading; 40dB
gain/47kohms for MM, 60dB/100 ohm
MC for the Phono Box II and Tube Box
II. The Phono Box SE has slightly less
gain; 36.5dB/56.5dB and offers two
choices for MC loading, 100 ohms or 220
ohms. Selection is via simple push
buttons on the rear of the Phono Box II
and Tube Box II; fiddly little removable
jumpers on the underside of the Phono
Project Tube Box II
Box SE.
Metal casework providing electrical and mechanical shielding.
Dual mono circuitry for optimal channel separation.
Single-ended inputs/outputs with good quality gold plated RCA phono socketry.
Outboard wallwart power supplies. The Phono Box SE can also be battery powered.
The Phono Box II and Tube Box II share a similar looking compact chassis with the Tube Box being longer and
having a front panel power switch accompanied by a very blue status LED in addition to the two tubes
protruding from the rear. The Phono Box SE stands apart in having a much larger finned case with classier
perspex front panel and another too bright blue LED. Both solid state units are sans power switches, being
designed to be continually powered up. The Tube Box II has a front power switch to preserve tube life by
allowing the unit to be switched off when not in use.
One, two, three...
First up the Phono Box II. This turned out to be a pretty decent performer at the price. Bold in presentation
with quiet backgrounds, impressive clarity and good dynamics. There was a good attempt at recreating a
soundstage with width, depth and height. No obvious tonal nasties but a slight tendency to sound a little hard
and mechanical with demanding music.
Next the Phono Box SE. This is well worth the extra money. Through the SE music takes on greater colour and
vitality, with body, life and subtlety that was absent with the Phono Box II. There’s a nicer rhythmic flow with
sweet treble, smooth mids and warm, rounded bass notes.
Finally the Tube Box II. This stands a class apart from the solid state units. Building on the SE’s performance,
the Tube Box adds an air of sophistication missing from the other units. Music is reproduced with finer detail,
greater dimensionality, immediacy, dynamics and openness.
Up against the establishment
So how do the Pro-Jects fare against the established local phonostage benchmarks ?
The Phono Box II is a nice entry level for those on a tight budget. To better it will require an extra $50 which will
get you the lusher, more musical NAD PP2, or for $100 more, the Cambridge Audio 640P (now priced at
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$299, up $50 since my review). The Cambridge also becomes a thorn in the side of the Phono Box SE, offering
a comparable, though slightly leaner performance, for around $100 less.
The Tube Box II fits neatly above the Cambridge but below the established sub-$1000 benchmarks, the out of
production Plinius Jarrah and Dynavector DV-75, in price and performance.
There’s no loser amongst these three Pro-Jects. Each model impressed at their respective price points. With
such affordable and readily available high quality analogue products, we are well and truly in the second
golden age of vinyl.
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2007/project_phono.shtml
Cambridge Azur 740A
By Brent Burmester
August 2007
Cambridge Azur 740A integrated amplifier. $1599.
It shouldn't come as a surprise, in an audio
market dominated by bristling home-theatre
receivers, but it took a while for me to get used
to a programmable LCD display on a hi-fi amp.
Not that the display on Cambridge Audio's Azur
740A isn't in keeping with its overall look; it’s
just that serious amps are traditionally
designed with that “less is more” aesthetic,
indeed it's rumoured that the most esoteric
high-end amps have no controls on them at all,
they just play a single source at one volume.
That may not be true, but should Cambridge
Audio be taken seriously if they garnish a
hard-core analogue unit with digital frippery?
Goodness me, yes.
Cambridge 740A (click for larger image)
Rear panel of the Cambridge 740A (click for larger image)
All the trimmings
Just like it's CD-playing brother-in-arms, the Azur 740C, the 740A borrows unashamedly from its immediate
superior in the Cambridge Audio range, in this case the 840A. The pre- and power-amp circuit design,
high-spec transistors, and control logic are, if not identical, very like those in the more expensive range-topper.
This, in short, is the complete package, or would be if it only had a built-in phono preamp. The modern
audiophile will be hard pressed to find anything near the price of this machine that does so much, so well. It
knocks out 100W per channel, it has six line level inputs, a tape loop (!), two line-outs, a headphone socket, and
its remote control will even talk to your iPod. It’s easily integrated into a custom multi-room installation, and
everything is packaged in a sturdy, aluminum plated case that looks svelte in silver or slightly old-hat in black.
But, none of that matters in the least, because even it played only a single source at one volume it's sound would
justify the price.
Money, money, money
The 740A won't let you close your eyes and imagine you're listening to something frightfully expensive by Naim
or Chord, but you'll never feel in the least bit short changed by this unit. When one keeps in mind that this is a
mid-priced, perhaps even entry-level unit, the sound is exemplary. The treble rings clear without hardness or
abrasiveness, the bass is firm and full, and the mid-range articulate and insightful. NAD, Denon, and Marantz
do good work in this class, but the Cambridge, does a less idiosyncratic job. By that I mean the 740A shows less
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colouration, or perhaps less 'character', acting more as an dispassionate conduit of information than its nearest
rivals.
I place of lot of store in the upright bass as an instrument to test the mettle of audio equipment. It's a weird
amalgam of woody, stringy, boxy, buzzy noises perched atop a fulsome throb, and the full sound spans a wide
frequency range. A double bass sounds just a bit wrong when heard live, and a good recording will leave that
wrongness intact. You can hear in the works of the Jacques Loussier Trio, bass legend, Stanley Black, or even
the drum 'n' bass outfit, Lamb. Armed with a variety of upright bass-heavy tracks, I expected good things from
the 740A and I got them. The extension was there, the speed, and the power, but just as importantly, the
maddening askewness in its strange and subtle glory.
Nearly Nirvana
In the realm of minor disappointments I would have held out for just an extra ounce of soundstage definition.
This gripe runs counter to the reports of other reviewers, who have praised the 740A's imaging. While it is fine
for the price, I wonder if the 740A has been constrained here to give the 840A a more apparent advantage? The
soundscape is by no means blurred or indistinct, it just wants for a little more separation in more complex
compositions. I add this reservation with a reservation, as I've been reviewing much pricier AudioLab
amplification and can't be entirely sure I'm not letting the very excellent imaging shown by those components
colour my judgment of the noble Cambridge Audio unit.
Conclusion
If you're still reading, I can't have made myself very clear, so I'll sum it all up by announcing that this amp
represents a tremendous bargain. It's a serious step up from the Azur 640A, and the difference in price
between the two units gives little indication of the performance differential. The 740A amplifier is a component
I am very happy to recommend, particularly in partnership with the 740C CD player.
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2007/cambridge_740a.shtml
Optoma HD73
By Fred Jonathan
August 2007
Optoma HD73 DLP projector. $4595
I have been a keen supporter of the DLP form of
projection from the inception of the format. The
Optoma HD73 is a native 720p projector and is
a very good example of the development of the
single chip form. The HD73 is based on the
Texas Instruments ‘DarkChip3’ DLP chipset
and includes the latest colour processing
technologies ‘BrilliantColor’ and ‘TrueVivid’
colour management. A 5x speed colour wheel
(RGBGRGB)
The projected images are excellent in many
respects when compared to my reference
projector (Sony VPH1251 set to project 720p)
that was very interesting indeed. The images
were very much the same with the HD73
having a sharper image on screen, the depth of
colour and contrast being quite similar to the
Sony projector.
The screen size is 2600x1500mm. This quite a
large screen and was filled by the Optoma
HD73 without problems. This size of screen
would display any shortcomings from this DLP
projector.
The DMD is a 1280x768 device, with the projector having selectable screen ratio of 16x10 and 16x9. All viewing
was done at the 16x9, 720p setting. The light output is 1100 ANSI at the highest level and reduces to around
600 ANSI in Cinema mode. The contrast ratio is stated as 4500:1, but in the Cinema mode 6000:1.
I carried out this review firstly with a DVD player directly feed directly into the HD73. Then I fed the DVD
signal via a Lumagen scaler. The added advantage of an external scaler is the ability to output a 720p
(1280x720) 60Hz image.
The DVD’s viewed during the review where Monsters Inc, Star Wars Episode 3, The Fifth Element, the Avia
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test disc and various demo discs. These are the standard DVD titles I use for set-ups.
The images of the THX test patterns on the head of Monsters Inc were excellent, as were the images in the
movie. With The Fifth Element I got sucked into the whole movie and not experienced virtually no rainbow
effects at all.
The most interesting sequence I have found for testing for rainbows is the opening battle sequence of Star
Wars Episode 3. With so much fast action on screen is a good test for any DLP projector. The HD73 was the best
I have seen from a DLP projector handling of this scene. Not only was the action full-on, the depth of the image
was simply excellent.
The HD73 handled all of the Test Patterns from the AVIA Test DVD with hands down, very clean indeed no real
or visible video artefacts.
The setting throughout the screen test for this review was in the Cinema Mode (Image AI). The contrast at
6000:1 and light output around 500 ANSI. This projector is intended for movie viewing in a darken Home
Cinema setting.
At full light output setting at 1100 ANSI with the contrast ratio reducing to 4500:1 and is simply not suitable for
Home Cinema use. However this level of brightness is perfect for data projection.
An interesting feature of the HD73 is the ability stretch the picture upwards in the letterbox mode allowing for
an anamorphic attachment to be added. The result would that the screen image would be a 2.40:1 ratio on
screen at the same height as the 1.78:1 screen.
At $4595 the HD73 is an excellent choice, if you like viewing movie in a cinema like environment.
Simply, if you find you can be transported away into a movie, then something must be doing its job well. This is
what we found with the HD73, it just did that.
The performance of this projector was very pleasing indeed. An excellent projector, highly recommended.
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2007/optoma_hd73.shtml
Rega R5
By Matthew Masters
August 2007
Rega R5 loudspeakers. $2200.
I don’t really expect to get a great deal of sympathy for
this, but reviewing for AudioEnz is hard work. All that
packing and unpacking of equipment can be quite
exhausting.
Then there’s the real difficulty of finding anything to say
about some of the things I listen to. Not because they’re
bad, but because they’re all pretty competent. There
really are very few pieces of bad equipment on the
market.
But this month was going to be different. I knew it from
the moment I heard that I’d be listening to Rega’s R5
loudspeakers. Now these I really wanted to try.
Heavy lifting
The weight of expectation was considerably greater than
the 12.5kg mass of the speakers themselves. However solid
that felt as I manoeuvred the tall (810mm), maple
veneered boxes into place (definitely hard work this reviewing lark).
Rega R5 loudspeakers
Supplied in matched pairs, the R5s can be arranged with their 180mm side-firing bass drivers facing inwards
or outwards, adding to the usual placement conundrum.
Those side-mounted bass drivers do help to keep the R5’s front panel both slim and relatively uncluttered. A
classic Rega RR125 mid-bass driver sits above a neat little Rega silk-domed tweeter and right at the foot is a
gigantic, front-facing port. An ideal hiding place for small animals I’d imagine.
A quick bodge
In my eagerness to get the Regas up and running, I had just plonked them down where my KEFs would usually
sit. The bass drivers were facing inward and the speakers had just a few degrees of toe-in.
In just a few moments, I’d be getting the full Rega experience. But what to put on first? The first thing to come to
hand was the Fun Lovin’ Criminals 1999 CD Loco. Bouncy fun, and exactly what Rega is supposed to be
about.
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But all that expectation was dashed in moments by a stodgy, slow mass that sounded rather like the Crims were
all suffering a nasty headcold. Everything was just a bit thick, with little drive and few edges. Surely these
couldn’t be Rega speakers?
This was somewhat vexing. Rega equipment is supposed to major on drive and rhythm. Naim-lite, both in
sound and price. But these R5s seemed a lot more middle of the road. Great if that’s the sort of sound you’re
after, but not so much fun if you were expecting something more Rega-like. It looked like I was in for a bit more
hard work.
Effort rewarded
Flexing my reviewing muscles one more time, I repositioned the speakers with bass drivers facing outwards.
Phew, time for a sit down.
At last… that Rega sound. The mush fell away, leaving behind it only the presence and gravitas that deep bass
should deliver. And, of course, a pair of mid and high frequency drivers that could get on with bringing the rest
of the music to life.
This was more the sort of performance I hade expected, although it certainly lacked some of the hardness that
many people find so difficult to tolerate in the Rega sound. It’s as if they’ve added some decay and life to
something that was previously all attack and leading edges.
In practice, this means a very slightly softer approach than I expected, but very appealing one nonetheless.
No sweat
The Scherzo from Mahler’s second symphony (Bernard Haitink and the Berlin Philharmonic Philips 475
6222) can become little more than a rumbling mess or strident cacophony. The R5s took the deceptively
sparse, but multi-layered performance in their stride, presenting a gloriously patterned – and surprisingly
detailed – whole.
Dynamics seemed a little restricted, but simply turning the wick up sees to that. And while I felt the R5s remain
composed and remarkably listenable at high volume, I’m not sure my neighbours were so convinced.
In a quieter moment, the LP of Abbey Road really demonstrated Rega’s corporate interest in vinyl. The R5s
gave Come Together both the weight and vocal urgency it needs to rock. And for the first time ever, I actually
enjoyed Here Comes The Sun, which worked as a sweet and hopeful ballad rather than the slushy mess it
usually is. Unadorned guitars and voices sound particularly convincing with these Regas.
Time for a well-earned rest
In the end, the R5 story is typical Rega, but with a twist. Yes there’s the musical communication and drive you’d
expect, but it it’s far more natural and civilised than the traditional Rega sound. These really are do-it-all
speakers that leave the music to excite or relax. That’s rare at any price, but at $2,200 it makes the R5s
something of a bargain.
So now comes the really hard work. Giving them back. It just seems easier to buy them. So perhaps I will.
For your nearest Rega dealer
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2007/rega_r5.shtml
Systems: $6000 home theatre
August 2007
For the first time, the brief to the retailers veered away from music reproduction to movies. We asked the
retailers to put together a home theatre system, excluding video display, for $6000.
Of our five retailers, three (Hamilton's The Listening Post, Auckland's Eastern Hi-Fi and Christchurch's The
Listening Post) failed to provide a solution.
The Real Music Company, Wellington
For a $6k budget in terms of home theatre, we
are recommending the Cambridge DV89 DVD
player, the new Cambridge 640R AV receiver
and the newish KEF KHT 3005.2 sub/sat
speaker package.
The DV 89 we like for its compact footprint, its
plethora of video outputs – composite, s-vid,
component, RGB Scart, and both dvi and
HDMI. Picture quality is exemplary for this
machine at this price, particularly with both
720p and 1080i upscaling. $600 retail
The 640R receiver extends the features of the
value for money 540R, but extends its muscle
with 7.1 channel processing x 100watts,
analogue video upscaling, HDMI switching,
Incognito multiroom connectivity and a new
internal cooling system, meaning its nice and
quiet when the proverbial dynamics kick in.
The overall steering of effects is some of the best
I have heard for a receiver at this level.
Exceptional value for money at $2200.
When combined with the new KEF KHT 3005
sub sat system in its stunning gloss silver or black finishes, it gives excellent all round sonic performance for
music and movies which is a pretty rare occurrence for a home theatre sub sat system. The 3005’s new
subwoofer and centre channel design means we have been able to drive them harder with greater clarity and
impact in bigger rooms than we had expected. A definite improvement over the venerable 2005’s below them,
albeit at a cost of $3500 complete.—Steve Ching
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2007/systems_6k.shtml
Totally Wired, Dunedin
Contradictory as it may seem, some of our best home cinema systems will be heard but not seen. We abhor the
clutter and complication (not to mention
compromise) of many home theatre systems.
All we want to see is a crystal clear picture, and
simply know that the sound will fall into place
around this.
To this end we start with an array of speakers
you simply won’t see - the SpeakerCraft in wall
or in ceiling models - with an extensive range
there will be a model to suit just about every
requirement. We’ll use the example of a real
life cinema we have in progress at the moment
choosing the AIM8 Ones for the front speaker
array and AIM5 Ones at the rear. With inbuilt
speakers you have the advantage of knowing
you really do get what you pay for - you can see
the drivers and crossovers before they go into
the wall or ceiling, and you are certainly not
paying for showing cabinetry or packaging.
There are a couple of tricks to the SpeakerCraft
range - the first number is the bass driver
diameter, final number denotes the quality
level - so you can clearly work the balance
between quantity and quality - every room is
going to be different so this is where a bit of
dealer experience comes into the equation.
$1468 for the 5 speakers.
Ever wished life was a little simpler? Ever been
trying to find the right remote in the dark? Most
cinema systems have too many remotes - with
Control4 we can simplify everything with one
RF (it will work through walls) system remote
that can be programmed to do just about
anything - and then some. The brains behind
the operation reside in the diminutive Home
Theatre Controller. There simply isn’t space
here to cover all that this can do so feel free to
visit Control4 and find out. $1599 including the new MK2 remote control.
DVD/Harddrive recorders are potentially the most unfriendly item conceived by the consumer electronics
industry with impenetrable manuals, multiple connections. Loewe, being no-nonsense German types,
produce the sleekest smoothest machine on the market which has both the operation and performance to
match their very best screens. We see no reason to mess around with anything else. $1695.
In a perfect world, I’d be adding something tasty by Rotel or even Meridian or the likes to this system to deal
with amplification. Alas, a budget has been set and our killer home cinema will be something we upgrade over
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time. However all is not lost, and at just on $1200 the Cambridge Audio 540R home theatre receiver would get a
nod from anyone one with an ear or two.
Which all goes to prove that with a little bit of lateral thinking you can have a fully featured, modern and easy to
use home cinema without compromising your living space one iota. You may just find this a little easier to sneak
past your better half than the conventional plethora of boxes.
Of course $6k can buy a lot of evenings out during film festival. Which would you prefer?—John Ransley
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2007/systems_6k.shtml
The End of the Line: The Traveling
Wilburys revisited
By Michael Jones
August 2007
One of the most anticipated releases of the year
is this three disc (two CDs and one DVD) set
from The Travelling Wilburys. Why? Because
for several years you couldn’t legitimately buy
any Wilbury music. This writer, when he
wanted to hear the first album, needed to
download an illegal mp3 to do so!
The accidental supergroup of the Travelling
Wilburys had an equally accidental beginning.
George Harrison needed to record a new song
for the b-side of a single. His recent producer,
Jeff Lynn, was working with Roy Orbison.
Harrison’s guitar was at Tom Petty’s house. Bob
Dylan’s studio was nearby. So when Harrison
was finishing the writing of his song, Handle
With Care, he included vocal parts for each
person.
Back in 1988 the head of a record company
actually knew more about music than
accounting. So it was no surprise when the
head of Harrison’s record company knew that
Handle With Care was far too good for a b-side.
Convinced to put together a whole album, the
five musicians wrote and sang for a couple of
weeks. The result? A number one hit record,
selling millions of copies.
Travelling Wilburys Volume One was an
unpretentious album that oozed fun. You could
tell that the five musicians (plus session
drummer extraordinaire Jim Keltner) were
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having a ball. Highlights are the singles, Handle With Care and End Of The Line, both largely George Harrison
compositions. Rattled, in a rockabilly style, is a
great showcase for Jeff Lynn. Not Alone Any
More, custom written for Roy Orbison, shows
off his vocal talents. Tweeter and the Monkey
Man, a Springsteen parody from Dylan, is a
delight.
Given the massive success of Volume 1, the
follow up album – called Volume 3 – could
only be taken more seriously – the antithesis of
the first album. The death of Orbison reduced
the vocal artillery, leaving four aging,
increasingly gravely and samey voices. It’s still
a good listen, though the overall impact is far
less than the original album.
Each CD contains two bonus tracks. Maxine
and Like a Ship, included in Volume 1, were
recently completed and includes some vocals
and guitars from the young Dani Harrison. The
bonus tracks on Volume 3, Nobody’s Child and
Runaway, were previously released to raise
funds for Romanian orphans.
The third disc in the set is a DVD. Included are
videos for two songs from Volume 1 and three
from Volume 3. All five have be reframed to fit a 16x9 screen, instead of the original 4x3 format (originals may
be seen on YouTube). The DVD’s highlight is The True History of the Wilburys, incorporating video shoots
during the recording of Volume 1.
So there you have it – all of the Wilburys collected in one package. It’s an excellent buy.
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2007/wilbury.shtml
The Vinyl Anachronist: The Digital
Anachronist?
by Marc Phillips
August 2007
Okay, okay... I've reacted this way once before, when I wrote the column entitled A Level Playing Field,
where I confronted the possibility that digital playback was approaching the quality of the best analog. This
happened just after buying my splendid Naim CDX2 CD player, which I still adore after nearly eighteen
months of ownership. The CDX2 continues to be one of the finest CD players I've ever heard, and I've been
exposed to many incredible (and incredibly expensive) players lately, such as the Meridian 808, the
Metronome CD-3 and the Aurum Acoustics Integris CDP.
After I wrote that article about the CDX2, however, I received a few emails from people who didn't realize my
tongue was in my cheek when I said I was packing up my Michell Orbe SE turntable, SME V tonearm and
Koetsu Rosewood cartridge and selling them. Sure, the Naim player tilted the LP-to-CD ratio substantially
during subsequent listening sessions, but when it came right down to it, analog still had the edge. It had the air,
the tangibility and the presence that even the wonderful CDX2 couldn't quite match. In other words, I wasn't
about to sell anything!
The Digital Chickens Have Come Home to Roost
If you go back to that article, however, you may remember me saying this:
“And here’s another crazy thought. While the CDX2 doesn’t necessarily better my analog rig, it comes pretty
darned close. The CDX2, however, is only the middle child of Naim’s CD player line, the third of five.” I then
went on to talk about the CDX2's big brothers, the CDS3 and the CD555, and I wondered how much better they
can possibly be. Well, fellow anachronists, I have recently spent time with the Big Kahuna, the now
US$33,000 (NZ$46,000) CD555, and the news is not good for analog lovers. For the first time in my life, I have
listened to a mere redbook CD player, and not once did I say to myself that it was really good for digital. Not
once did I think about the last five percent of realism that the best analog rigs offered. Not once did I feel the
need to temper my enthusiasm with any sort of qualification. The Naim CD555 is the best digital playback I
have heard. Better than any SACD player I've heard, or any DVD-A.
In fact, when I heard the CD555 over several days at the US pdf magazine TONEAudio studio, I was able to
compare it directly to a number of outstanding analog rigs, including turntables such as an SME 10, Oracle
Delphi V and Rega P9, mated with a variety of tonearms from SME and Rega, not to mention cartridges from
Dynavector, Rega, Shelter, Mobile Fidelity and Grado. And there was no dividing line, no marked contrasts, no
obvious differences between analog and digital sources. The music flowed equally.
Back to the Drawing Board
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I find it fascinating, however, that this long-anticipated achievement in digital performance wasn't delivered
by any of the so-called high-resolution formats, such as SACD or DVD-A. After the enthusiasm for those formats
waned a couple of years ago, many manufacturers went right back to developing redbook CD playback, and it
seemed like they learned a few new tricks after they flirted with hi-rez. Not only can you hear these advances in
state-of-the-art players such as the CD555, but in more modest offering such as the excellent Rega Apollo,
which is probably the only CD player under US$1000 (NZ$1650) that I would seriously consider owning. I
know I'm going to hate myself for saying this, but it's a great time to be listening to good old-fashioned CDs!
It comes at a price, though. Here in the States, you can buy a BMW 325i or a Mercedes-Benz C240 for the price
of a Naim CD555. And it's not even the most expensive digital playback system out there. Both dcs and
Burmester, for example, offer digital playback systems at roughly twice the cost of the Naim, or the cost of a new
Porsche Cayman S. To tell you the truth, I know quite a few audiophiles who wouldn't balk at spending five
figures on an analog system, but I seriously can't think of anyone who would spend this kind of crazy money on a
CD player. (I do know a rather wealthy Englishman, however, who owns both the dcs digital rig and an SME 30
turntable.)
The Trickle-Down Theory
Historically, none of this would matter. We audiophiles are very familiar with the way digital technologies
evolved over the last twenty-five years. If you like a certain CD player that's out of your budget, just wait a year or
two and the same performance will be available at a small fraction of the price. I can't tell you how much better
my second CD player, a $300 Mitsubishi, sounded in comparison to my first player, the $900 Sony CDP-101,
the first and worst-sounding CD player ever made. That new Rega Apollo could probably easily beat the
twice-as-expensive Naim CD-3 I owned for a decade before I bought the CDX2 in early 2006.
The real concern, however, is whether or not redbook CD playback will survive long enough for any of this to
matter. As Stereophile founder J. Gordon Holt used to say, every technology is perfected just as it becomes
obsolete. This used to be the calling card of analog playback, so it's quite ironic, though predictable, that we're
saying the same thing about the CD in 2007. Music downloading has changed the landscape forever, and
there's no turning back. In a few years, most of us will no longer be able to handle and touch and hold our
music. It will all exist on a touch screen. And that may actually be a good thing, at least until the hard drive
crashes.
This leaves analog playback, which is steady, dependable and drama-free. I trust it. That's why as exquisite as
the CD555 sounds, it will still not replace my Michell Orbe SE. Only another turntable could do that!
Marc Phillips has been writing about hi-fi and music under the Vinyl Anachronist banner since
1998. His earlier columns can be found on the Perfect Sound Forever website. You can discuss
vinyl with Marc at Vinylanach@aol.com
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August music reviews
Tord Gustavsen Trio: Being There
ECM
These talented Norwegians create a fine set of cerebral jazz compositions
on piano, double bass, and drums for their third disc on the prestigious
ECM label.
In a style I would describe as elegant minimalism, there is a lot of beautiful
music in the 14 little tunes these talented guys play, and significantly,
seem to underplay. Like earlier “open” vamping piano stylist Ahmad
Jamal and then lush ”intellectual” Bill Evans, Tord gently lets you wait a
bit, then puts just the right notes perfectly in place. His work is
continuously like the first few bars of a Herbie Hancock solo where Herbie
pulls back the steam just a bit, makes a few light and tasty suggestions of
what’s to come, then builds up from there.
Tord just stays in that initial non-frantic genteel notion of understated lead line then into improvisation that
modern jazz lovers adore in the aforementioned pianists, and also from master jazz guitarist Jim Hall. All
substitute the most appropriate “just right” notes, and nothing more.
This trio’s music isn’t hard to follow and it can most pleasantly float by as aural wallpaper. Appropriately, a
small amount of attention rewards the listener with pleasant realisation of varied little gems of superb trio
interplay in sophisticated compositions and related improvisations. Very nice for relaxation, meditation or
moderate intoxication.
Recorded sound is classic ECM, analytical, ambient, clean, cool, and well balanced. John Paul
Laura Veirs: Saltbreakers
Nonesuch
A cerebral and enchanting chanteuse with an acute sense of the down to
earth, Laura Veirs clearly has equal appetite for the pain and the joy of
living. Her lyrics evoke natural landscapes (of sea and sail, nightingale
and butterfly) across which humans stumble, occasionally into meaning
and contentment but more probably into the funeral pyre or dreams of
“being stones in black stillness”. Yet for all the artfulness of her literary
referencing (AS Byatt’s Possession, Jose Saramago’s Blindness) and
metaphoric phrasing, she can still readily deliver the plainspoken and
tangible.
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And the music’s resounding too. Sometimes over-busy: with gravitas laid on too thickly, particularly in the
more electric pieces, like Pink Light and Phantom Mountain, where multiple lines of melody and counterpoint
crowd into crescendos (possibly a too assiduous attempt to suggest a storm of encroaching emotions). Her forte
is the simpler and usually more subdued semi-acoustic stuff, infused with upright bass or viola – through
which her lyricism can breathe, uncluttered.
And for a crowning definitive song it’s hard to go beyond the single release Don’t Lose Yourself which treads a
nimbly surging piano line between melancholy and optimism. Anyone who can already capture polarities of
mood so adeptly and infectiously must have greater things yet to come. Paul Green
Queens of the Stone Age: Era Vulgaris
Interlope Records
Previously I've liked the odd single (Little Sister) from QOTSA but when
I've listened to the whole album in a store I've not been sufficiently blown
away to part with my cash. Now I think I know why. The QOTSA sound is
an acquired taste. Repeat plays allow the varied time signatures and guitar
treatments to open up to expose some cool tunes and interesting riffs.
During a cursory listen in the record shop you just won’t “get it”!
How to describe the latest from QOTSA to the uninitiated? It's a heavy rock
album, with occasional bluesy influences (Into the Hollow). Sometimes
the guitars sound like other things – one time a laughing nutter (Run, Pig,
Run); the next something totally different - detuned/almost out of tune
(Turnin’ on the Screw).
Josh Homme takes a leading role throughout, lending vocals, guitar, songwriting and production to the album.
He has a good (but not outstanding) voice that suits the earthy, sometimes sombre feel of the music.
The lyrics aren't that easy to decipher and you get the distinct feeling that they're not especially “happy happy”.
There's a dark tone to tracks like Run, Pig, Run – “There is no safe place to hide”. The title track is a brooding
closer to the album which sounds like it might fall apart at any time.
This certainly isn't a singalong/good time album to put on at a regular party. But in the right company, at high
volume, and fuelled by a beer or two, tracks like Battery Acid and Sick, Sick, Sick are likely to promote some
serious moshing and bad dance behavior. In the wrong company, you'll clear the floor and kill the party.
Like I said it's an acquired taste! Be selective. Play it loud! It makes much more sense that way. Douglas Lang
Curtis Stigers: Real Emotional
Concord Records
Twelve tunes from contemporary songwriters are smoothly performed by
vocalist and sometimes tenor saxophonist Stigers. From Bob Dylan’s sweet
I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight, to Mose Allyson’s sarcastic Your Mind Is On
Vacation (and your mouth is working overtime) there is variety and
musical interest from this young American Tune (P. Simon) crooner. Yes,
he is, and yes, he does it well.
Special mention has to be made about the excellent jazz backing
arrangements by Stigers co-producer Larry Goldings. He plays tasty
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accordion, vibraphone, piano, and classic Hammond B-3 organ on several tracks perfectly complimenting
Stigers’ slightly home-spun, good old boy inflected vocal deliveries. Gently
gravel and grit, with charm, warmth, and wit.
It’s a good contrast that calls to mind a Nora Jones style countrified delivery with jazzy blues backing.
Incidentally confirming this is Larry Goldings working his B-3 on her latest album. So it swings and
roundabout for those who like good tunes in fine arrangements played by people who obviously know what they
doing, and doing it very well. John Paul
Various: The Rough Guide To Bellydance Café
Rough Guide
To these western ears the ‘oryantal dansi’ is at its shimmering sinuous best
when it’s instrumental. And there’s a Turkish pearler here in Selim
Sesler’s Gozyasi which has an elegance and coherence of rhythm and fluid
clarinet-fired tone that builds in mesmerising hypnotic loops. Three other
beguiling instrumentals by Egyptian ensembles also offer crisp folkloric
blends of tabla, zither, oud, violin and woodwind, and it’s an easy
summons to a bazaar world of heady coffee, jellabas, and bewitching
Romany women, all framed in a haze of hookah smoke. But elsewhere it’s
decidedly bustling two star fare – and too much of it too. With their temple
vocal pining, fussy flourishes, and melodramatic or meandering
progressions, too many of these songs seem short on Middle East mystique or sensuousness. Paul Green
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