November 2010
Transcription
November 2010
November 2010 Web page printouts from the latest issue of AudioEnz http://www.audioenz.co.nz/acrobat/issues/2010/2010-11.pdf www.audioenz.co.nz AudioEnz editor: Michael Jones ph 027-44 999 75 AudioEnz - 10 Years Online http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/10years.shtml 10 years of AudioEnz online By Michael Jones November 2010 October marks the 10th anniversary of New Zealand’s hi-fi magazine appearing on the internet. Founded in 1986 by this writer, AudioEnz was a pioneer in online magazine publishing. When AudioEnz went solely online in 2000 it was one of the few magazines to explore publishing online as a magazine, rather than a promotional tool for offline activities. When AudioEnz went online on October1, 2000, the internet was still a strange and unknown world to many, including some of the hi-fi industry. It took several years for many in the hi-fi industry to catch up with the new reality – that their customers were increasingly using the internet to research purchases. At launch, these were the reviews and articles online: Clark Tactile Transducer Sony VPL-VW10HT LCD video projector Plinius 8150 integrated amplifier Fresh Ear Seat Two home theatre seat Rotel RA-931 mk2 integrated amplifier Shure V15VxMR phono cartridge Yamaha DSP-AX1 home theatre amplifier Image AV One loudspeaker NAD T550 And a Cast of Thousands Other room, better sound Mini-system bashers! A music lover's best friend Bach hi-fi There is a light and it never goes out A good bang for the audio buck Progress for the online AudioEnz was rapid. It took only a couple of months for AudioEnz to reach a monthly audience of 4000 per month. Today, AudioEnz can boast over 70,000 visits per month. Launching the AudioEnz Forums at the beginning of 2003 was a significant event. The interactive nature of the forum encouraged a lot of talk about hi-fi and home theatre and encouraged many purchases. Today the forum boasts over 3000 registered members and over 133,000 posts. As I type at 3pm on a weekday there are 64 people online reading and writing on the forums. AudioEnz - 10 Years Online http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/10years.shtml No one person is ever responsible for making things happen. Long-time AudioEnz writer Max Christoffersen helped made AudioEnz online possible and was the push behind the forums. Thanks Max! AudioEnz - Yarland FV34C http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/yarland_fv34c.shtml Yarland FV34C By Shane Hanify November 2010 Yarland FV34C valve amplifier. $899 Traditionally, one would associate valve amplifiers with high purchase costs and large footprints. This darling little amp from Chinese manufacturer Yarland has neither of those. Now you can step into the warm glowing embrace for little more than a decent set of cables and a pint of beer. Indeed, when I first spotted this a few months back, I thought there was a digit missing from the price tag. It turns out I was gladly mistaken. The front panel is a woodgrained panel with a couple of machined knobs flanking a small toggle switch. The valves are uncaged and sit atop a polished metal panel at the front. Around back are your usual binding posts and input jacks with an IEC socket for whichever cable you wish to use. Build quality is high for the price, shaming many more costly components. This is a small 12 watt push pull class A amp, so dance fanatics and those with large rooms will have too look elsewhere, and dig somewhat deeper, but for a starter valve amplifier this is ideal. Sources were primarily an AMC CD6b, with the PC / Receiver as secondary. Speaker cables were Nordost 2flat and an Aviemore 25 was employed as the power cable. Speakers were Monitor Audio Monitor 7 and Infinity RS6. After checking everything was OK I hooked it all up. A small click later and we were glowing nicely. And, we’re off AudioEnz - Yarland FV34C http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/yarland_fv34c.shtml I gave the amp a few minutes to settle, then proceeded to push some music through it gently. Knowing full well that these take a good half hour to warm up, I wasn’t expecting magic but I was waiting for the warm lush sound that valves are so characteristic for. This didn’t happen. The sound I was greeted with initially was forward, and more than a little bright. Even after an hour it wasn’t much better. A quick email to the distributor sorted a few things out. Like the fact that this was engineered for detail and transparency, not warmth and soothing tones. I found out later in the week that this was a fresh amp, not having been powered up at all. Ah! now it made a bit of sense. Take two. Action! After settling the amp in for a couple of days it started to warm on me. I swapped the speaker leads for some more controlled ones and sat back. Now we were in business. I fed disc after disc through it, changing genres and tempos on a whim. And found that like me, it didn’t really have a preference. Now I was being rewarded. Staggeringly deep bass, plumbing down well below what I thought the small stand mounts were capable. Drums had the thud and slam that you was expected of them, to the point where you could almost feel, yet you could hear tiny details in the mix regardless of how busy it was. Complex passages were handled well with only a small muddying in the lower registers and large-scale pieces were scaled back slightly, but given this has less power than a energy saving light bulb that was hardly an issue. There were slight sibilance on some vocals but I’ve heard those on amplifiers costing magnitudes more than this one. Staging was well to the left and the right of the speakers, and it even had a little depth. This was good, considering my limited space. The only negative I found, is that it could sound thin on some recordings but this occurred rarely. Wow, I thought. Let’s take this up a notch. Bigger = better. Right? I hooked up the Infinities to the little beast using the logic, that with the floorstanders being much easier to drive, the overall sound would be better. This wasn’t at all the case. Sure they went louder, obscenely so if you wound the wick up. But those bigger drivers need a level of grip that this amp simply did not posses. Bass notes, especially those around 60Hz simply hung and made everything a lot woollier. Conclusion If you’d like to give valves a try but were always afraid to, then this would be the perfect place to start. Pair this with a small fast speaker, a good front end and a moderate space and it will make you grin for weeks. Recommended. AudioEnz - Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/wadia_151.shtml Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini By Gary Pearce November 2010 Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini Digital Amplifier/DA Converter. $1999 Occupying the same exalted HiFi ground as companies such as Wilson Audio, Krell and Audio Research, Wadia practically invented the outboard DAC back in the late ‘80’s and together with its ever-increasing flotilla of battleship CD transports, ownership of the digital arms race. Waterfront shenanigans In fact a couple of years ago I turned up to a product demonstration on Auckland’s waterfront hosted by the importer of both Wadia and Wilson Audio, and this was a most entertaining afternoon – essentially as the afternoon stretched into the later hours the music became louder and heavier (ACDC’s Thunderstruck, anyone?). A steady diet of Heineken was just the spur for me to quickly remove Barb Jungr from the awesomely built transport tray and gently replace it with Sydney’s finest, and I was bloody glad I did for it proved to be one of the genuine surprises of this reviewers audiophile life. I’m not really an Acka Dacka fan, but I do appreciate their raw edge and genuine passion for rock and roll – could the cultured Americans get down and dirty? Well, they sure did. what this event proved to me, after hours of listening to the usual bland audiophile stuff, that great equipment can play real music that excites and captivates the listener. The sound quality was quite staggering: dynamics were stupendous especially considering the cavernous hall the demo took place in, while from my seating position the bass transients were deep, nimble and easy to follow. Unobtanium So for a company responsible for creating so much unobtanium for us normal folk, they have followed the rather super little 170i iPod transport with the new151 PowerDAC Mini. I’d describe the AudioEnz - Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/wadia_151.shtml PowerDAC Mini as an outboard DAC with on-board amplification, but as is usual with Wadia they have incorporated technology from much higher up its digital food chain. With 25 watts of Class-D power per channel (8 ohms), the Wadia utilises asynchronous upsampling of the signal up to 384kHz from each of its four inputs (including USB). Equally interesting is the topology – digital all the way until it reaches the output stage, unlike most traditional amp/DAC’s where separate circuits perform both D/A conversion and amplification in the same box. The back end: digital inputs at right, speaker poutputs at left. Data rates of 24/192kHz can be handled natively (USB is limited to 24/96) via the two RCA and the single optical inputs, and a digital volume control rounds off the internal architecture. The PowerDAC Mini comes with a nice metal remote control that includes 180-degree phase along with the usual volume and source selector/track up & down and mute buttons, along with a few other standard widgets. Just slightly larger than my Mac Mini, the diminutive component is supremely easy to site and is attractively finished in a powdercoated black finish. Four pointy rubber feet complete the aesthetic, and the indentations on the top rubber inserts suggest a good stable home for either the 170i or 171i iPod transport. Now I certainly wasn’t expecting to experience the same hair-raising dynamics and stomach churning bass control I heard from the Watt/Puppy/Wadia 270SE/931 Controller and VTL system I heard on that memorable day on the waterfront, but I was still expecting a bit of an experience – albeit on a different level. Would I be impressed? Playtime The 151 PowerDAC Mini was used in a number of configurations using the tidal nature of equipment that happens to regularly permeate my home, but the majority of listening was done with my Mac Mini (2.66ghz/4gb RAM) and iTunes using a pair of Theophany M3B or Yamaha Soavo 900M standmounts. Other equipment included my Squeezebox Duet/Welborne PSU and either Castle Durham/Harlech or my single driver Voigt ‘Vofo’s’. Cables used included Nordost Moonglow digital / Superflatline mk2 bi-wire speaker cable and a bog-standard USB cable I carefully selected from Dick Smiths. The PowerDAC quickly dispelled any notions of producing a lightweight sound by easily driving all AudioEnz - Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/wadia_151.shtml the speakers used during the test, and although it couldn’t recreate the control of my 250wpc integrated, it surprised me with generally excellent sound quality. Bass transients were impactful and defined, and my favourite Marley album (Exodus) in Apple Lossless came alive with a good, stable image and defined soundstaging. In particular, the Theophanies sounded very good via the PowerDAC, this speaker has an overly warm presentation that was in some way counteracted by the accuracy and neutrality of the little Wadia. Changing to the Soavo 900M’s also proved insightful, its 6-Ohm load presented the Wadia with a touch more verve and drive, while the increased definition of the speaker allowed me to listen further into the performance. Likewise the trio of the Duet/Vofo’s and PowerDAC proved to be fruitful as well, the Fostex equipped floorstanders have an efficiency of around 96dB (8oHms) and this proved the best sound quality of the lot – albums from Grace Jones, Boards Of Canada and Robert Plant/Alison Krauss were among the many enjoyed during many extended listening sessions. Wadia's matching combination: the 170 iPod transport and 151PowerDAC mini The verdict I see the 151 PowerDAC Mini as a bargain HiFi product that over performs for the asking price, and an elegant way for HiFi fans to join the world of Wadia at ground level. In summing up: The ground level performance of this PowerDAC Mini actually relates to more than a few rungs up the ladder for most of its competition. Highly recommended. AudioEnz - Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/grahamslee.shtml Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C phono stage By Michael Wong November 2010 Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C phono stage. With PSU1 power supply (as reviewed), $1749. With basic power supply, $1250. The name Graham Slee will be unfamiliar to many local readers. This UK company has been building headphone amplifiers and phono stages since 1998. They officially arrive in New Zealand with an enviable reputation for high-performance and excellent value for money. The Reflex C under review sits near the top of the range and is a dedicated preamplifier for moving coil cartridges. The preamplifier is nicely finished in a compact (about half the size of my Plinius Jarrah) brushed aluminium box with only the company logo and a power pilot light adorning the front panel. The rear is almost as sparse. Two sets of gold plated RCA sockets, one for input, one for output; a grounding post and a socket for the 24V power supply. That’s it. No user controls, just a well made little box that sits on four plastic nipples. The review sample was supplied with the deluxe PSU1 power supply. This is a plain looking (aside from the GSP logo) black plastic box power supply with a detachable power cable, delivering its power to the preamp via a plain two core wire. Inside is where the magic lies, for the PSU1 is a super stiff, linear supply, rather than the standard switched mode power supply, promising improved performance. Refreshingly, Graham Slee spares phono enthusiasts the ignominy of having to fiddle with silly little jumpers or mini-switches that shout their defiance to adult-sized fingers. The Reflex C has no such impediments. Like some of the much more expensive phono exotica, the Reflex C offers no gain or loading adjustments. It comes from the factory preset with 62dB of gain and input loading of 100 ohms, both of which should suit the majority of cartridges that are likely to be used with the Reflex C. If the factory settings are unsuitable for your cartridge, you can ask the factory to set up the Reflex C with your preferred gain/load settings, which they will gladly do for no extra charge in best bespoke fashion. AudioEnz - Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/grahamslee.shtml In use The Reflex C was used in my usual analogue playback system; Well Tempered Turntable with Shelter 501 Mk2 cartridge, Krell integrated amplifier, Magnepan speakers, all connected up with XLO cables. Set-up was as simple as plugging everything in, ensuring some distance between preamp and power supply and playing your favourite records. Straight out of the box the sound was exactly as described in the instruction leaflet; bright, thin and very much solid state. The manufacturer recommends a 24 hour warm-up before the performance starts to sing. Like the WhestTWO I reviewed a few years ago, the Reflex C is a wide bandwidth design, boasting an incredible 200kHz bandwidth (compare that to the Whest's 120kHz) and produces sound that is quite different from the usual Plinius or Dynavector benchmarks. They have a very musical nature, not of the highest level of high fidelity but capable of very convincing and enjoyable reproduction with plenty of gusto. The Reflex C veers away from a rich, opulent presentation and takes a cooler, somewhat more analytical approach to playing music. It is a lean, clean and fast sounding phono stage with quite stunning transparency and control. Music is delivered in a crisp and dynamic fashion with lots of drive and excellent frequency extension, all produced against an inky background. Transients are reproduced with lightning speed, cleanness and not a trace of overhang. Soundstaging is realistic with excellent specificity and a good sense of dimensionality and scale. The only thing missing is just a touch more body behind the voices and instruments. Setting the Reflex up on Black Diamond Pyramid Cones went a long way to improving this aspect of performance. Similar devices should also be beneficial. Tonally the Reflex C is cut from one cloth from the lowest bass to the highest highs, full of detail without becoming etched and overwhelming. Chromatically, there’s just a hint of sepia. The Reflex C puts in a most enjoyable performance full of musicality, free of artifice. Choices Despite the seemingly bewildering choice of phono preamps already available, the Reflex C is a welcome addition. It has a formidable combination of solid build quality and design, ease of use and sterling performance. The Reflex C comfortably surpasses the entry level Cambridge Audio, NAD and Project models and makes a good upgrade from the best of the currently available sub-$1,000 preamps like the Dynavector DV-75. It's good enough to pip the WhestTWO and even go head to head with the much more expensive Plinius Koru without embarrassment. A superb product, worthy of audition if you are in the market for a high end phono stage. AudioEnz - Top 5 hi-fi http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/top5_walker.shtml Top Five: Hi-fi that’s influenced my world By Graham Walker November 2010 Having spent 35 years in the hi-fi industry, I still possess a passion for the accurate reproduction of music in the home. If anything it has intensified with age. Here I name five products that in my opinion have had a massive influence or greatly advanced the state-of-the-art during those years. To be fair, there are products that have made major advancements in the audio industry long before I came along. One thinks of the Quad Electrostatics released in 1955, which significantly advanced speaker design, and also designers such as Arthur Radford, who along with Peter Walker (the designer of the electrostatic) advanced the art of amplifier design to a point where objective analysis was rendered obsolete and subjectivity became the norm for amplifier critique. However during my own time in the industry, here is what I consider to be the five greatest influences or advancements in the hi-fi industry. 1. Linn LP12 Number one for me has to be without a doubt the ubiquitous Linn LP12 record player, introduced in 1973. While controversy with regard to the designer of this deck has never really died, its impact on the hi-fi world has never been questioned. Until the introduction of the LP12 nobody really gave any thought to the influence that the source had on the sound of a hi-fi system. The LP12's legacy is still felt today and while it has been bettered sonically (subjectively), its influence has ensured that the humble twelve-inch record still remains the answer for an exquisite musical experience in the home, which in this day of technical wizardry is absolutely remarkable. 2. Naim amplifiers No 2 has to go to Naim Audio amplifiers which, along with Linn, became synonymous with the term high-end audio. Without going into a long history about Naim's beginnings, it is suffice to say their amplifiers were from memory the first to dispense with tone controls. This had a major effect on sound quality and made a major contribution to the advancement of AudioEnz - Top 5 hi-fi http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/top5_walker.shtml amplifier design. 3. Spendor BC1 Number three is a forgotten hero, namely Spencer Hugh, the founder of Spendor Audio who introduced us to the famous BC1 speaker, which was developed at the BBC where Spencer was an engineer. At the time the BBC did not believe that there was a commercial speaker available that was accurate enough to be used for monitoring purposes. From their R&D came a speaker that was used by the BBC, but at the same time Spencer would make a pair for friends in his garage. One day a hi-fi retailer heard them and thus came about the birth of Spendor Audio and a commercial version of the BC1. This speaker and its derivatives became the industry standard and Spendor even to this day are probably the only speaker manufacturer that can claim that at one time every one of their models were used in studios. 4. Rait amplifier The fourth product I have chosen is one that had no influence on the world scene, but in terms of the NZ audio scene, its impact was massive and its repercussions are still with us today. This of course was the Rait amplifier, designed and developed by Geoff Rait here in Christchurch. I think it would be fair to say. "No other product has had the impact on NZ audio that Rait amplifiers have had". Not only were they sonically superior to the vast amount of imported amplifiers, but also during a time of licensing restrictions, they were readily available. I came to New Zealand in 1974 and since then I have only purchased three amplifiers. The Rait, LFD and the amplifier I now own being a Sugden. I have had many amplifiers home and listened to even more in the shop over the last 35 years but only these three have really impressed me. The first time I heard a Rait in my home was one borrowed from a company called Ashby Berghs (the Christchurch hi-fi shop of the 70's). I listened to a version of Paganini's first violin concerto and was so impressed that I knew that I had to have one. Well the Rait has gone, but the mantle has now been taken up by Plinius who also manufactures here in Christchurch and export around the world. 5. Compact Disc Well that brings me to number 5, and that I think has to go to the Compact Disc. The impact that the CD has had is massive and we have to be grateful for all of the benefits that this medium has brought. On the negative side, I can't say that the CD has AudioEnz - Top 5 hi-fi http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/top5_walker.shtml advanced audio quality, indeed if anything, the digital era in real terms has done nothing to diminish the interest in analogue audio. For me, vinyl still rules. So those are my top five. While it is great to look back, what of the future? Well I believe we have to look back in order to look forward. I think the resurgence is in valves, pure class A, and companies who follow their passion for exceptional sound by flying in the face of modern day electronics companies focusing on multi-zone and home theatre. At the end of the day, surely for most of us who are called enthusiasts it is the state-of-the-art that is important and it is for this reason that while it may not be the most fashionable to, I own good old two channel Sugden electronics and Living Voice speakers. Old fashioned in terms of the technology available today? Well, maybe, but find me something that sounds better for the price and I'll consider it. Graham Walker was one of the founders of Christchurch store The Top Hi-Fi Shop. AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml Interview: Garry Lambert By Michael jones November 2010 Kiwi audiophiles know the name Garry Lambert in relation to his Lambert Audio range of loudspeakers. But what has he been up to since the? AudioEnz asks. Q. After you closed Lambert Audio you headed off overseas. What were you up to? A. Immediately after closing Lambert Audio, I went to work for Perreaux, as Technical Manager. While at CES in Las Vegas with Perreaux, I visited Matthew Bond, of TARA Labs. I had for a time made Lambert Timekeeper speakers for them, under the Space & Time Brand. On returning to NZ after the show, Matthew called me and offered me a job as Chief Engineer at TARA Labs, to develop a range of Power Conditioners, amongst other things. I basically packed my dog, a guitar, some motorcycle riding gear, and moved to the US. I was there for 7 years, designed the Zero, the famous “Vacuum Dielectric” Cable, and also during that time we purchased EAD (Enlightened Audio Design), which I managed as well as by then being GM at TARA Labs. Q. Last time I saw you was in Auckland. You were involved with car speaker design. How did that come about? A. TARA Labs decided to drop EAD, and reduce staff, so I found myself jobless, in a country where without a visa, I could no longer officially work. I had often, at CES each year, caught up with an old friend, Peter Maire, and his son Nick, who were there with NAVMAN. They had recently taken an interest in Fusion Electronics, and suggested I move back and take a position with them, joining the team designing Car and Marine Speakers. AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml Garry Lambert inspecting Fusion car woofer production Q. And then you went to China. How did that happen? And how are you enjoying the very different culture? A. With Fusion I often had to go to China to check factories, parts, production, etc. At one stage I was going back and forward up to nine times in one year. It became apparent to me that, to do speaker design efficiently, you needed to be in China. After all, 90% or more of all speakers are made there, and the parts suppliers are all there. So I moved my own small consulting business there, and currently I am Technical Consultant, and Vice Chief Engineer to a very large loudspeaker company in Ningbo. It’s a part time job, and that leaves me some time to pursue other ideas, and also to design for other clients. Culturally, I enjoy China. The food is generally very good, but Ningbo is a modern city (although it’s been there 7000 years!), and there are a number of foreign owned universities there. So there is a fairly large ex-pat community, (the Foreign Clinic is run by a doctor from Hamilton), and Brazilian, Italian, American restaurants, run by ex-pats. They even have Guinness on tap! Importantly to me, a part-time musician, there is a lot of night life, featuring live bands, mostly Filipino, so it’s really a great place. Oh, with the exception of the driving. Please don’t get me started on that! AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml Garry receiving an award from the city of Ningbo, for his contribution to the city economy. "Probably based on Guiness consumption," says Garry Q. Last time we were in contact you mentioned a cable line you were developing. How is that going? A. I had, like a number of people, often regarded the high end cable business as a crock. While at TARA Labs, I had the opportunity to test, listen, measure, and compare fact with fiction. And believe me, there are very audible differences in cables, for very good reasons, not often borne out by the “fiction” that passes for “fact”. And I’m not putting down TARA by saying this. They tend at least to understand why they do things their way. It’s just that many of the claims made by high end cable manufacturers, sometimes have nothing to do with why they sound different. Maybe they don’t know, maybe they don’t want you to know, so they make stuff up. Whatever. Being in China, I have access to factories with all the right machinery to make good cables. If some one would just ask them. A US distributor had been pushing me to do just that, so I have designed a cable (you only need to get it right once, not at many different price points), and it’s just entering production. The first samples have been in the hands of a number of distributors, and the results are as expected. Importantly, by making them in China, I can control the quality, and produce a cable that competes with very high end product, at around 1/8th the retail price. There is no “unobtainium” used (that just adds cost), and no “secret materials” (also adds cost). Just good, and appropriate, engineering. There will be RCA interconnects, XLR Balanced interconnects, and Musical Instrument cables as well, all to the same design. You’ll have to wait a while for further news, as I don’t want to pre-empt my New Zealand distributor. Q. Any thoughts about resurrecting the Lambert Audio speaker line? A. For some time, I have received calls and e-mails from Lambert Speaker owners, asking me this very question. And of course, I haven’t spent the last dozen or so years not thinking about how I’d like to build a speaker. AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml So yes, there will be a new Lambert speaker. Not that I envisage a range, just one model. It will be the sum of everything I’ve learned about sound and the reproduction of music over the years. But you’ll have to wait. This is a project I am doing for me, and then I’ll sell some if there is any interest. So it will happen when it happens, although it is fairly well down the track at the moment. I have the advantage of access to a huge anechoic measuring facility, with an array of measuring and design software, as well as the ability to have parts made the way I want the. The current prototype is up and running, and I’m very pleased with the progress at this stage. AudioEnz - Exile on Main Street reissue http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/exile-reissue.shtml The Rolling Stones: Exile On Main Street (Re-issue) November 2010 By Paul Green Some would discount this now as plain noisy. Four decades on from its original hedonist context, there might seem limited contemporary application for such brazen partying rock and roll beyond nostalgic revisiting of joint-fuelled youthful abandon. With the less than remarkable Tumbling Dice being the only single release, this double album partially escaped the attention of more mainstream-oriented audiences; yet many of the cognoscenti still regard it as summit Stones: a splendid celebration of majestic excess. And, really, if the mood is right, it’s hard to remain unmoved by this ’72 vintage Jagger/Richard axis vocals with enormous emotional range from swagger and crow to licentious drawl or stung regret, tangled with characteristic minimalist riffing rhythm guitar. Add the jiving sax and rippling honky-tonk piano and the liberation of hazed spirit in the basement of a hired French chateau is not hard to visualize. What makes this so good is how the apparently effortlessly freewheeling sound is still, despite the illusory blur, tight and disciplined. Even spiraled down a well of cocaine and champagne, the instinct for crisply delivered songs remains. This re-issue features ten hitherto unreleased recordings from the Exile sessions, including three alternative takes: a more ponderous Loving Cup, Soul Survivor with a flatter vocal delivery, and a brisker, less teeming but more cursory Tumbling Dice masquerading as Good Time Women. The other songs, generally sparer in instrumentation and subdued in authoritativeness, tend to tread water after a while and, with the exception of the sharply pointed So Divine (Aladdin Story) which bristles with aggrieved pride, their omission from the final cut seems entirely logical. Of interest for the Stones specialist, but unlikely to stir up the unconverted. AudioEnz - Exile on Main Street reissue http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/exile-reissue.shtml AudioEnz - Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2 http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/archive_rogers-ls8a.shtml Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2 By Charles Thomson November 2010 (originally published March 1995) Rogers LS8a Mk2 loudspeaker. $2395 in 1995. My first view of the Rogers LS8a Mk2 made me wonder how different this new model was to the original. It looked the same size, has the same synthetic vinyl cabinet finish, full length front grille cover, and yet… Perhaps my memory was at fault. After all, three years have passed since reviewing the Mk1s. Closer inspection showed there were indeed differences, so many in fact, that one could question whether this was a Mk2 version or a completely new model. Even the cabinet dimensions varied slightly, the Mk2 having 42mm greater depth. Still this is an interesting variation on the many products that come out in Mk2 guise with nothing more than cosmetic changes. The changes Removing the grille cloth immediately shows two major differences. There is one less 205mm driver in the Mk2 and a bass port has been added. The original version of the LS8a was a two-and-a-half-way system (although it contained three drivers) of acoustic suspension (sealed box) design. Two-and-a-half-way is my terminology for a speaker that has one bass driver delivering (in this instance) frequencies from low bass up to 400Hz, an identical driver covering low bass to 3.5kHz with a tweeter covering everything above that. Now, the Mk2 is a true two-way speaker in a bass reflex enclosure, hence the addition of a front facing port. The biggest surprise came when looking at the rear of the cabinet: only one set of speaker binding posts. Doesn't every “serious” speaker have a bi-wiring option these days? Perhaps Rogers have gone back to basics and adopted a "keep it simple" approach. I am all in favour of this policy - especially if it works. Speaker positioning As with most speakers, their position in ones listening room is most important. The LS8a Mk2s, while being reasonably tolerant in this respect, certainly gave of their best when located at 0.4 m from the rear wall and at least 0.9 m from the sides. These measurements held true in all three rooms they were listened to during the review period and are very close to those suggested in the AudioEnz - Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2 http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/archive_rogers-ls8a.shtml accompanying manual. A word or two about "carpet piercing spikes." If they are provided with your speakers, use them. The resulting improvement in sound quality is well worth the effort and these sharp pointed pieces of metal don't damage ones carpet as some people believe is the case. I have yet to hear a box speaker that has not benefited from the installation of these devices. The LS8a Mk2s are no exception. Bass becomes more clearly defined and images as to instrument location come clearly into focus. Listening From the outset the Mk2s sounded clean detailed and involving. After 24 hours run-in with a CD on repeat, treble became slightly more refined and bass notes appeared quicker. Thereafter, any change in sound quality was negligible. Initially I was more severe than usual in judging these speakers. Perhaps it was the lack of a bi-wiring facility that caused this attitude. Could they really perform as well as speakers that have two sets of cables running to each cabinet? The short answer is yes. The Mk2s offered better sound than the original model in a number of respects. Overall sound quality was more coherent with midrange detail being of a high order. Music with heavy bass lines didn't produce quite the same wallop as the Mk1s, but was more musical with individual notes better defined. Midrange improvements included clearer, more natural timbre to instruments with vocals being a high point. I heard a greater sense of urgency to performances, which either kept the toe tapping or the hand conducting throughout. Treble performance appeared similar to the Mk1s: well controlled and showing a degree of harshness only when wound up to uncomfortably loud levels. This is not to say the Mk2s tolerate poor recordings. They don't. If the source is harsh, sibilant or poor in any other respect, these speakers are very truthful in showing up the defects. Conclusion At the retail price of $2395, it is hard to fault the LS8a Mk2's performance. Likewise, build quality. The only comment I would make re the latter regards their cable binding posts. I am not concerned that these are not gold plated, but the 25mm spacing is not the current industry standard. Anyone who uses spaced banana plugs is out of luck. Just which form of speaker wire connection does one use? The holes for bare wire are pitifully small and single banana plugs are not gripped very firmly. This leads to spade connectors as the only viable option. I don't think better binding posts would be expecting too much on a speaker at this price level. All in all, these speakers are conservative in appearance with a relatively small "footprint" that will make them easy to place in most domestic situations. Sound quality, whether played at low volume or any level through to painful stays reasonably truthful to the recording being played. Feed them rock, jazz, classical or whatever your preference, and the result will be an enjoyable experience. For those who place sound stage width and depth as priorities, you won't be disappointed either. Vocals and solo instruments tend to be in a line with the speakers, which allows other musicians to be placed realistically behind, or to either side. AudioEnz - Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2 http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/archive_rogers-ls8a.shtml The Rogers LS8a Mk2s are an improvement on the originals and as such a welcome addition to the range of speakers in this price range. They are very capable performers. AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml November music reviews The Chieftains Featuring Ry Cooder: San Patricio Hear Music Devising hybrid styles is par for the course for free-ranging guitar aficionado Cooder and collaborating with The Chieftains looked a cert for impact. But this fresh melding of cross-genre features is part happy marriage and greater part uneasy incongruence. The album’s nineteen songs are tethered to the theme of commonality between Mexicans battling 1840s US expansionism and the San Patricios, the renegade Irish migrant battalion who deserted the American army to line up with the locals. Chieftain Paddy Maloney’s liner notes cautiously depict the turncoats as displaced and downtrodden men recklessly dreaming of “gold, god, or glory”, whose empathy for the oppressed Mexicans was embodied in the chords and conviction of their folk music. The best of these songs evoke the despair of battle or the lost hope of the marooned migrant with plaintive anthems of fiddle, harp and pipes. Less palatable and more frequent are the more upbeat tunes, which seek fiesta-ish exuberance via an over-crowding of chorus and brass and Latino clamour. This is poignant in its Irish contemplation of lost causes, but undermined by the gratuitous fusion with which the Spanish connection is celebrated. Paul Green AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml Stanley Clarke Trio: Jazz in the Garden Heads Up Jazz bass player Clarke is joined by the very talented Japanese female pianist Hiromi Uehara, and his old fusion band mate, very busy drummer Lenny White. At first appearance this unlikely grouping of a delicately beautiful young Asian woman and two veterans in decades of jazz and jazz-rock fusion seems to be asking “what are the producers (Clarke and Dave Love) smoking?” Well, whatever the motivation was, it all works out perfectly. Mainly because pianist Hiromi is one monster talent who is never intimidated, but always inspired, by the power and technical skills of her older band mates. Like most of the hot young jazz players around she has more than enough chops (technical skills) to burn. Though most importantly, she has that intangible emotional involvement of honestly beating into and beautifying the heart of any tune. It doesn’t matter what style, hard-bop as on the Joe Henderson Isotope, or Miles’s Solar. Romantic impressionist, Someday My Prince Will Come, her own elegant Sicilian Blue, the free improv duo with Stanley, Global Tweak or any of the seven other stylistically varied tunes, when Hiromi plays you think it’s Chick Corea, or Bud Powell, or Bill Evans except she seems better in this setting. Amazing. I know this is supposed to be Stanley’s album, and I should tell you about him, though most jazz fans know he is a gifted lyrical improviser, monster technician, can superbly play all styles etc. And in this collection he gets plenty of space and time playing lead lines, wonderfully soloing and noodling. But the magic here is the melding of diverse talent styles into much, much more than just another jazz AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml piano trio disc. Great recorded sound too. Highly recommended. John Paul Elvis Costello: Secret, Profane & Sugarcane Hear Music By way of introduction to possible biases in the following review, I am a huge Elvis Costello fan. I like and own most of his recorded work and I've seen him perform live a couple of times. He's a hugely talented songwriter and also a gifted performer. I'm not one of those sad, misanthropic fans who only deigns to admire his earlier albums to the exclusion of his later work either. Even though, without a doubt he has made some truly awful albums along with the odd gem recently. For instance I actually like Painted From Memory, Costello's late 90's almost mawkish collaboration with Burt Bacharach. That's probably enough to get me kicked out of the 'real' Elvis Costello fan club in some folk's books. Right, to the album at hand. When I first heard about this outing I was quite excited. In no small part because Secret, Profane & Sugarcane reunites Costello with the producer of 1986's brilliant King Of America, T-Bone Burnett. It was recorded with a small bluesgrass-style string band (featuring overhand slide genius Jerry Douglas) largely live-in-the-studio over three days in Nashville. There are thirteen songs, some co-writes and a couple of covers… and there are a couple of real gems amongst them, as you'd expect from such a gifted writer. My All Time Doll is a strong tune if somewhat lost in a performance a little thin on musical snap, dynamics, or real grit. I can imagine the young Elvis and band on King Of America firing this one out with real passion. Another standout track is Sulphur To Sugarcane, which bounces along nicely and seems the better for the writing influence of Burnett. Overall though I have the feeling that this AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml album may only get played every now and then. By contrast King Of America has been a playlist regular for me since the late '80s. I think this record suffers from an overdose of politeness, and 'muso-ness', for want of a better word. It's very well played, and there are a few good songs. But it never reaches the heights of the best of his albums. And I'm being polite too. Darren Watson The Dandy Warhols: Best of the Capitol Years, 1995-2007 Capitol / EMI You may not know that you know The Dandy Warhols. Their infectious songs have been appropriated for advertising purposes on more than one occasion. Most recently, Bohemian Like You was put to use selling Holdens. “'Cause I'm like you, yeah I'm like you, and I'm feeling so Bohemian like you. Woo!” Yeah, you know it. The tracks on this 'best of' compilation are extracted from the Dandy Warhols' four albums on the Capitol label. While their first and latest albums were released by other companies (not counting Dandy Warhols are Sound, an alternate mix of Welcome to the Monkey House) it's probably safe to say the Capitol years reflect the band at the top of its game. It includes, Bohemian from Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia, released in 2000, and other major successes for the group like The Last High, Plan A, Not if You were the Last Junkie on Earth, and We used to be Friends. The fi isn't especially hi, as you might expect, and is seems at its best around 2003's Welcome to the Monkey House. The band's earlier and later fascination for burying the percussion, especially the sad over-damped kick drum, is quite frustrating. Still, the sheer listenability of the tracks assembled here more than compensate for the lack of engineering gymnastics. AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml Although the Dandies hail from Portland Oregon, their influences are far from provincial. As a consequence, they've tended to chart better in the UK and Australia than the US, where they probably got chased out of bars by angry rednecks in their early days. The tracks on the album are arranged in chronological order, and there's a very obvious progression from melodious rhythmguitar backed songs, to synth-orientated arrangements, and then back again. The newest stuff, Smoke it and the album's exclusive new track This is the Tide are noticably grungier in inspiration. Long time fans may be pleased to hear the Dandies retreat from experimentation with electronica, but I miss the inventiveness of that period in the newer songs. If you don't have any of the band's albums, but are quite partial to the music of young persons, you'll be glad to have this in your collection. Brent Burmester Johnny Flynn: Been Listening Transgressive This charming and assured second album from upbeat ‘roadside poet’ Flynn is a significant supplement to the burgeoning catalogue of nu-folk rock. Sometimes robust and bustling, elsewhere sinewy and melancholy, and always commanding attention with its crafted sound and lyricism. Flynn’s voice has the warm, worn and wise timbre of the archetypal English folk minstrel, yet he can deliver with a lightness and suppleness that allows refreshing subversion of the time-honoured conventions. Embedded in the traditional declamatory phrasing there’s a young strong eloquence forcefully upbraiding “nicotine-burning sycophants”, gently but not preciously recalling “stealing a kiss from fortune’s lips”, or counter-balanced in lilting harmony with Laura Marling in the plaintive ‘The Water’. AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml And the instrumentation is just as compelling: sawing cello off-set with twisting lamenting violin in Barnacled Warship, trumpets and mandolin strident in the distinctive kicking Kentucky Pill (the single release, but probably the song least congruent with the overall collection), and gracefully spare piano and harmonium in Amazon Love. Stirring stuff. Paul Green Gypsy Kings: The Best Of The Gypsy Kings Nonesuch Bring on the Rumba Flamenco dancers, palmas and the stomp of tacones. Transport yourself to a flamenco festival in Jerrez or a heaving club on the Med, this compilation album would suit either venue. Most of the tracks on the album are well-known songs. The third track Baile Me has a touch of salsa funk whilst Volare has been given a more funkier up-tempo beat and rhythmic palmas. Gypsies created flamenco, although this collection deviates from the traditional flamenco music, with its pop influences, staunch flamenco dancers, singers and guitaritst cannot fail to enjoy the fiesta-mood of this album. Their style of Rumba Flamenco still embraces rhythmic palmas, feverish flamenco guitar leads and some cante jondo. Overall, it is fun, light and enjoyable, but perhaps a handful too many tracks crammed onto one CD. Patricia Evans AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml Hayseed Dixie: Killer Grass Cooking Vinyl Bohemian Rhapsody truly ruptured, the vocalist sounding as though being asphyxiated ’…can’t do this to me baby...’, but he continues, ‘nothing really matter… anyone can see’. Yes, nothing really matters after this abysmal rendition! Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is slaughtered, what ever happened to respect for classics and legends? If you were a Sabbath fan, this version of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath would leave you reaching out for an abrasive device to remove any traces from your person. Without criticising this album any further, their ‘Who put that condom in my shoe?’ says it all. This album is truly awful. Yes, I know these guys are not to be taken seriously, but this idea of fun-music just doesn’t cut it! The accompanying DVD is ‘mildly’ entertaining and aptly rated M. This compilation’s only saving grace is the banjo-picking tutorial on the DVD. Their comic-style rockgrass with ‘interpretations’ of classics is excruciatingly tedious and distasteful. Steer clear of it, leave it on the shelf. Let’s hope they can reduce pollution by not producing a ninth album! Patricia Evans AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml Etta James: The Essential Etta James Legacy Etta flaunts her primal, powerful and provocative voice over this collection of songs taken from the last twenty years of her work. The songs alternate through various genres, a reflection of her continually changing style over the years. The opening track, The Blues is My Business is raunchy followed by the love ballad, If I Had Any Pride Left at All. Rootsier sounds followed by softer – this is the style throughout the first CD, featuring covers of artists’ work such as Alice Cooper, Mick Jagger and Prince. The second disc is essentially jazz oriented, music for a mellow Sunday afternoon, featuring old favourites, Night and Day, My Funny Valentine and the final track is the soulful ballad, At Last, but not least - a song recorded by many artists but the ultimate epitome of this fine piece of blues is Etta James herself. The second CD is more consistent in style - both very pleasing. A recommended collection. Patricia Evans Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: I Learned The Hard Way Shock Records If you're any kind of fan of soul music Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings should need no introduction. Their work in the 'classic' soul genre really is without peer in my opinion. With a couple of good albums under their belt, I Learned The Hard Way is really more of the same. And that's no bad thing. AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml It's chock-full of well-written songs performed with verve and authority – recorded through analog consoles and effects to analog eight track tape machines. Any of their albums sound like they could have been recorded anytime between 1966 and '72. While some artists use this kind of equipment and 'retro-vibe' as a chance to play 'dress-up' for while, The Dap Kings are obviously committed to making great music in this genre – and they largely succeed with this album. There's a bunch of good songs spanning feels from Stax, to Motown, to funkier influences – but it's all authentic stuff and it stands up well against the 'real thing' to these ears. Standout tracks for me are the opening track The Game Gets Old, which has a beautiful arrangement and perfect production, and Window Shopping, which is as good as anything Hayes-Porter wrote in Memphis in the golden age of southern soul. If you love soul music go out and buy I Learned The Hard Way and you will grow to love it. The CD sounds pretty good but get it on vinyl if you can. It rules! Darren Watson The Killers: Killers - Live From The Royal Albert Hall Island The stock ‘live’ features are all here: boosted hoots and whoops of adoring audience, mass-clapped rhythms, mic to crowd for a chanted favourite chorus, and the increasingly jubilant celebrations as the heavyweight numbers are rolled out. There’s no doubt the Killers have grafted hard and conjured a rock pop songbook that is still “soaking the spine” of millions; however, their impact is sold short by this recording. The muscle and pulse are here, but not the precision and subtlety AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml of vocal inflection or instrumentation. Instead, it’s mostly a case of rushed-bass, over-percussive, over-faithful re-work of an original, with mandatory breathless “’hank you” before the next hit on the list. The loyal will re-live their tribute night out; for the rest of us, this is another aspiring triumphant concert performance undone on disc. Paul Green Jacques Loussier: Plays Bach The 50th Anniversary Recording Telarc Is it Classical music? Is it Jazz music? No, it’s pianist Loussier’s fusion of 11 proper Johann Sebastian Bach works with “jazzy” bass and drums accompaniment. An appreciative audience encourages their virtuosity. Is it good? Well it’s all quite technically proficient. But the question is, does it work for you? Well, he’s got dozens upon dozens of albums over a half century of performing and recording. And he’s sold zillions of copies of his unique “fusion” treatments. But is it legitimate artistic work? That last one is a tough question. Has JS Bach’s music ever needed rhythmic enhancement? Do punters tap their toes more when they have a bassist and drummer thumping out, and over-accenting the metre for them? In an audiophile sense, like those smooth caramel sounding low power SET amps, if it makes you happy, fine. Listen to David Helfgott playing his “unique emotional” Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #3 too. But I think there are just some things that shouldn’t be, and needn’t be, dare I rudely use the term, jazzed up. John Paul AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml Branford Marsalis Quartet: Metamorphosen MarsalisMusic/Universal Jazz saxophonist Marsalis leads pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Reevis and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts in nine band compositions that emphasize his status as a true living musical treasure. For those lucky enough last February to hear them live in Wellington at the Michael Fowler Centre, this is the same group, with the exception of newest member Justin Faulkner drumming on that night. Some of the tunes played that night were “from the latest album”, but in the finest tradition of jazz, albeit compromised by the weakness of my musical memory, they were quite different than on this disc. As an aside, confirming Branford’s natural spontaneity, after doing the opening tune, a band member asked “what song’s next?”, and somebody else said “where’s the set list?”. Whereupon Branford made this mocking great pronouncement, “set lists are for singers, we don’t need ’em, we’re players”. And boy, oh, boy, are they ever players. Then, and now on this disc, they are players. Marsalis be-bop interweaves with pianist Calderazzo on the Jeff Watts composition The Return of the Jitney Man then takes it into spaces reminiscent, but not derivative, of the best Coltrane efforts. Bassist Eric Reevis shows his love for Monkish intervals with his tunes Sphere and Abe Vigoda which all the band expand upon in clever and entertaining extensions. Virtuoso pianist Calderazzo pens a gorgeous sad ballad The Last Goodbye where Branford plays a poignant parallel soprano lead line then lets the “impressionist” pianist take his tune into sorrow touching territory. Branford refreshes our ears as he takes up the rare, for him, alto sax for his composition Jabberwocky that is one of those things, like brother Wynton does, sounds like NawOrlanz 2 step Dixieland heavily worked over by Charley Parker and T. Monk. Lots of wide interval notes lovingly bouncing along convoluted melody variations while always still feeling blues rooted. Recorded quality is excellent, group playing is superb, creativity is by the bucketful, and this will reward you in repeated listening sessions. Buy it! John Paul AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml The Naked and Famous: Passive Me, Aggressive You Universal Even if you don’t think you know them, you do. It may not be by the name Young Blood, which was a number 1 single and won the Silver Scroll Best Song award recently. You will know it as the song that goes ‘...yeah yeah yeah yeeeahhh’. TNaF debut album by the Auckland band is a revelation of sorts. It is exquisitely produced. If you want to test some speakers...use this. For a band that is only two years and two EPs old, this is accomplished, mature and full of catchy songs. It opens with the gloriously poppy All Of This. It shows how damn confident and carefree this band can seemingly be in one moment. Young Blood and second single Punching in a Dream may reference MGMT, but in turn MGMT referenced Flaming Lips. The Lips referenced... well... California Sunshine. TNaF wear influences on their (record cover) sleeves. The taut, creeping The Sun is surely their nod to Nine Inch Nails Something I Can Never Have. (Trent Reznor is a fan of the band). 80’s and 90’s influences abound, and that’s ok. Eyes is a slow burning 80’s crooner with layers of harmonies and gentle soaring chorus. No Way plays the 90’s loud-quiet-loud card perfectly. Essentially a ballad, it is delicate then drenched in nasty feedback, with more than a hint of My Bloody Valentine guitar pedal abuse for good measure. This will be a monster when heard live. Singer Alisa Xayalith range and ability to hold back and release when needed, is TNaF big payoff. She has a tone that can be soft and fragile and can just as effortlessly stretch and howl. Still, TNaF sounds like a band and hell... it’s a band a fire. Chris Mooar AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml SMV: Thunder Heads Up The letters stand for S, Stanley Clarke, M, Marcus Miller, and V, Victor Wooten. All three are widely respected jazz rock fusion funk pop or whatever else they attempt to categorise, fleet fingered, string popping, growling electric bassists as. Thirteen original compositions from S, M, V, or co-authored, are presented. They do make some very interesting sounds with their instruments. And they do have some occasional light help from master keyboard players Chick Corea and George Duke (on one tune each) plus real and electronic drummers and mysterious “effects” boxes, synths, and so forth. This studio production is note perfect in that you hear individual parts and then realize this to be just an elaborate overly produced noodling jam session. Three electric bass players, what can you expect? If you play that instrument you may justifiably love this disc, or if you particularly like electric bass tricks and tonalities, this may tickle your ears. But this is pretty much where it starts and stops, three electric bassists having thunderous fun with each other. John Paul AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml Paul Weller: Wake Up The Nation Island Records His tenth solo album. Some might call it lean, mean and truly rock n roll, however, Weller’s previous work with Style Council, with its soul influences suit his vocal range more so than the rock style of his recent work. Moonshine is a disappointing opener to this CD. Wake up the Nation, the title track is also very weak. Throughout the album, I’d hoped for Weller’s exhilarating and stirring vocals to come through, but was treated to the occasional ballad, such as No Tears to Cry and Aim High. Weller in the early days, inspired by Motown and soul then later fired up by punk would be the choice and style rather than the aggressive charge that leads him through this album, seemingly to try and win back popularity as a solo artist? Overall a mix of allsorts, rock, soul, funk, jazz – a dog’s breakfast – a miss! Patricia Evans AudioEnz - Music reviews http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml