Review: Olasonic TW-S7
Olasonic's new table desktop speakers retailing for a modest $129, are the perfect companion to your personal i-Music, i-Lifestyle, etc. Hit the warp drive to read on...
| Permalink | USB Audio , Writer: Danny Kaey | Posted by Danny Kaey on Sep 14 '11
seen and heard @ CES, part I
Mastertape dubs from Quinton / AAA and The TapeProject
Who’d have thunk it? It’s 2008, music servers are knocking on everyone’s door; iTunes is quickly becoming the norm for music purchases; vinyl records, especially 45rpm double disc editions, are selling like hot cakes and yet two companies are embarking on travels to even higher esoteric grounds: real time duplicated reel to reel mastertape dubs!
Indeed, you heard right – mind you these have nothing in common with pre-recorded tapes of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s (mass dupe'd at typically 30x (!) normal speed, hit or miss sonics) – no sir, these are pristinely produced reference quality (is there any other?) tapes duplicated with the best possible machines and mastering labs.
Both Quinton / AAA (Austrian high-end label from Vienna in collaboration with the AnalogAudioAssociation from Germany) and TapeProject (Paul Stubbelbine, Dan Schmalle and Michael Romanowski) make these dubs available on RMGI SM468 tape, in ¼” width recorded with the CCIR/IEC eq curve and 2mm track gap at 15ips speed for best possible sound.
Tapes were seen and heard at the Luxman/Vivid room Mirage
Suites (Studer A80 w/ Doc Bottlehead custom electronics), EAR/Tim d.Paravicini custom
electronics Technics RS-1500, FIM and Kubala-Sosna/Kharma room as well as
several others. Rumor has it that
next year a dedicated tape room will be available
for all to see and witness… wow!
The six Quinton / AAA titles (2 10” reels per title)
currently available (though to be dramatically expanding their catalog this
year) are modern day audiophile jazz recordings. Artistically, these are what I would classify as
contemporary jazz recordings by such artists as Sabina Hank, Joe Locke, Ed
Howard and many others. Sound
quality is simply stunning to say the least. Everything you have heard about the sound of mastertapes is
true – I personally compared the sound of the six titels to their respective
compact disc counterparts on my system and can tell you that the discs have
absolutely zero chance against the superior tapes. The best of the best!
The TapeProject on the other hand (also 2 tapes per title), went the route of actually reissuing classical, rock, pop and jazz titles, ten of which are available as of this writing. Applause is to be given to these guys for I know that securing the rights to these titels (Saxopone Colossus, Waltz for Debby, Symphonic Dances from Reference Recordings, etc.) could not have been easy to do. Sound wise these are the definitive versions to be had as was aptly demonstrated in various rooms at CES. I am not kidding: you won’t find better versions of these classic recordings anywhere from anyone – period.
There is only one downside to these elaborate and time consuming works of art: cost. At roughly $300+ a title
(yes, both labels offer subscription models with certain discounts if you commit to buying a set), these master recordings aren’t cheap. Add to that cost a well maintained or reconditioned consumer or pro deck ($1000 to $10000+) and you quickly see how expensive this proposition is. Alas, for people who want the best, there is nothing better! Full reviews scheduled shortly! (Joe Kubala holding Quinton's Kyoto and giving it the ol' Thumbs up, way up!)
iPhone
Yep, I don’t think I have seen a higher iPhone density at any other time or place since its launch in late June. It looks as though just about everyone had one! Surprisingly, foreigners sprung tons of iPhones, which means they either a) bought them legit through their international carriers, or b), bought them in the US (what with the instant 40% discount you get these days with the dollar being so low) and unlocked them through third party apps.
This tremendous iPhone density perhaps explains some of the hick-ups I’ve noticed during my visit: sporadic internet access restrictions; iPhone’s striking visual voicemail not working properly; missed calls (and voicemails) not showing up until the next day; etc. Meanwhile, someyoungguy who ran around with an ATT badge claimed to a friend of his that iPhone now accounts for 80-90% of continued internet traffic read: website usage on ATT’s GSM system – staggering numbers if true, since iPhone has been on sale today for exactly 200 days.
Several audio & music demos I came across featured iPhone’s as the source, or at least, people who had brought theirs had asked the iPhone be used for music playback. Wow!
I get a kick thinking back to what all naysayers had professed 6 months ago “iPhone? No one will buy one, its too expensive!” I think Apple has a winner on their hands!
Stay tuned for part II…
| Permalink | Show Superstars , USB Audio , Vegas 08 , Writer: Danny Kaey | Posted by Danny Kaey on Jan 16 '08
Vegas07 Vision of the Future: Emerald Audio
There's been a good deal of prose about emerging audio cults here on the 'Flare: USB audio, pro drivers, digi EQ, class-D amps and open baffle speakers. But one company in Vegas combined these technologies like Voltron of yore. More than a speaker, Emerald's Nemesis is a vision of things to come. Here's the breakdown:
Audio Nemesis speakers rocked all high-efficiency, high power handling, low excursion pro drivers. BMS compression tweeter with a 10" horn, double Ciare 8" drivers with neodymium mags and, finally, triple 15" Eminence Alpha drivers. Total efficiency? 100. Total size? 60" with a 24" wingspan. $6475 including the DBX crossover below.
The digital EQ, room correction and crossover system is by DBX. The DriveRack 260 has more tech than you'll ever use: time alignment, 28 band EQ, parametric EQ and much, much more. Emerald provides the complete software settings for their speakers. $1500 if you're going to purchase one of these guys alone.
Because it's an active crossover, the speakers need to be tri-amped. You can see the stock ICEpower modules strewn about the floor. Each amp does 1000 watts (into 4ohms). Three a side and, well, that's a lot of juice. While you can't buy stock ICEpower modules, you can get a Bel Canto REF1000 for around $2000 a pop. Of course, that's a lot of bread when you need to get 6. PSAudio has a multi channel ICEpower system for around $8000. For the DIY set, the competing Hypex UCD700 runs only $749 from DIYcable.
Massive wattage is needed because the drivers weren't designed for open baffles and low, low crossover points. The mids crossover to the 15 inchers around 120hz. The bass digs down to a realistic 22Hz and hits amazingly hard. Even though these are high-eff drivers and the system has an extremely high sensitivity, quite a bit of the power is being used to EQ the system to the extremes.
Running preamp and USB DAC duty was the Mini dynamic duo: Apogee Mini and Mac Mini. Around $1000 for the Apogee DAC and $600 for the Mac.
So what did people say? This was probably the most talked about room in Vegas (from what I heard). With the open baffles, the sound stage was wide and deep and all around monstrous. Tons of snap and sizzle all through the mids and highs and, surprisingly, the bass was some of the best out there. Lots of hyperbole whenever Emerald came up in a conversation and many recommendations to go check it out.
All the different technologies meshed perfectly and provided an absolutely awesome demo. If it weren't for the biplane stylings and high priced triamp issue, this system would be a sensation. USB audio, pro drivers, digi EQ, class-D amps and open baffle speakers. Hats off to Clayton of Emerald for a vision of the future.
Photo avalanche next page.
| Permalink | Speakers $5k-10k , USB Audio | Posted by Josh Ray on Jan 24 '07
Vegas07 Bel Canto Answers Your Questions: USB or SPDIF?
For all you computer audio junkies, you're probably contemplating connection methods: computer-centric USB or tried and true SPDIF? The answer? Depends on the DAC. Bel Canto showed the same setup last seen at HE2006 -- $9000 Pioneer EX speakers, $1995 Bel Canto DAC3 (with preamp) and $4995 REF1000 monoblocks. Check out our HE2006 coverage for more about the baby TADs and the rocking sound.
When I rolled into the room, the Bel Canto crew jumped up and said, "SonicFlare Josh, you've gotta check this out!" See, Bel Canto was running two computers into their DAC3. A Mac Mini fed the USB port while an HP media center PC fed SPDIF. So we sat down to listen to some tracks and talk smack about the death of the CD. As for USB vs SPDIF, well, USB gets the shiny gold star. We're not talking a slaying or anything, but USB was the champ.
Of course, this wasn't a completely fair test. How much did the computers contribute? Macs are typically more audio oriented (and spend more on quality internal parts). The word on the street is USB has better jitter reduction and a purer signal path. Then again, it's all how you implement it. People have found the Grace m902's USB interface to suck wind compared to its other digital inputs. Also, Bel Canto really went buck wild with their USB input and integrated three buffer stages.
Additionally, "sounds better" is, at some point, subjective. A little brightness or muck may work for your system. But for those who doubt the emergence of USB as a legit connection method, well, doubt no longer. USB is officially Audiophile Approved™.
Permalink | | Posted to DACs $1k to 5k | USB Audio
Burwen Bobcat $10 Billion Sound System!
"[The Burwen Bobcat] enhances sound when listening, ripping or burning CDs, and high-speed converts files to MP3s that give your iPod or musical cell phone sound comparable with a $100,000 HI-FI SYSTEM!"
Emphasis mine, but all the excessive hyperbole is the property of the Burwen Bobcat, a digital device that is gaining traction in the audiophile underground. Lately, I've been hearing comments about the Bobcat in regards to the computer audio movement, but, uh, musical cell phone? $100,000 hi-fi system? MP3s? Bobcats? Mark Levinson endorsed? Could the BS meter go any higher?
Unlike the $10k Nova Physics Memory Player which is a computer in a box with special software, the Burwen Bobcat is, simply, a Windows Media Player plug-in. While you may see the Burwen Bobcat DAC listed for $1995, the actual magic goes for $199.95 and can be downloaded immediately. The DAC pictured above is called the $1995 Daniel Hertz USB 1 DAC. Presumably, any USB DAC will work fine with the Bobcat software, so check out our USB DAC page for the other players.
So how does the Burwen Bobcat software make your cell phone MP3s sound like a $10000000 hi-fi system? After you rip a CD to your computer, the Bobcat software changes the signal to compensate for information lost during the MP3 conversion process and then compensates for the original digital duplication from the master tape. Basically, it adds information that isn't there:
"It actually improves the signal by adding nearly inaudible high frequency reverberation
and subtle tonal balance correction (equalization)."
But the Bobcat isn't an EQ device exactly. You don't move around sliders, but select from 19 different presets like "vocal" or "classical" or "movies" (just like a $99 Sony boom box down at the 'Shack!). Each time you make a selection, it rewrites the track.
So any "official" reviews yet? John Mazur over at Positive Feedback says the Bobcat crushes a $6000 CD player, while Wes Philips says this of a Bobcat demo:
"In his demonstration of the Burwen Bobcat at HE2005, Levinson played three 128kbps MP3 files through a system that consisted of a laptop running the Burwen software, the USB DAC, and what appeared to be Red Rose's entry-level integrated amplifier and two-way loudspeakers. I wasn't overwhelmed by the sound and suspected that we were being played the "before" tracks that would later be followed by an "aha moment" when the Bobcat wrought its magic. This was apparently not the case, nor were A/B comparisons between 128kbps files and Bobcat reconstructions offered at the Show."
Not exactly stunning. Levinson, the namesake of Mark Levinson and the man behind marketing the Bobcat, said this in a Stephen Mejias Stereohile blog post:
"I would rather listen to a pair of $99 computer speakers with Burwen Bobcat than a 6 figure system without it."
Either he's joking or he's an idiot. My guess is the majority of magic behind the Bobcat is the USB DAC itself, as witnessed by Wes Phillips' audition. Jitter reduction is a pretty serious benefit and, clearly, by having 19 presets to select from, the improvements aren't a universal sort of purification but additive EQ designed to sound pleasing with specific kinds of music.
Check out the Burwen Bobcat site for all the BS you can handle as well as Danny Kaey's post about the Creative Xmod, a cheapie device that seems strangely similar to the Bobcat.
Permalink | | Posted to USB Audio
Nova Physics Memory Player -- Digital Revolution?
There's a bit of buzz going around the audio forums about a new digital product called the Nova Physics Memory Player. This $10k CD player claims to squeeze every last bit out of a CD, store it on the internal drive, correct the information and then play it back so it sounds BETTER than the original master. So far the word on the street is this:
"The Nova Physics Memory Player is the best sounding source component that I have ever heard." Arnis Balgalvis, Positive Feedback
"...the Nova Physics Memory Player stands as the standard upon which high-end digital playback will be judged." Clement Perry, StereoTimes
"The MP is fundamentally different, no make that better, no make that much better in that there is not one area of performance that I can compare to anything put forth by a CD player that I have personally heard or owned." Greg Petan, StereoTimes
Everyone who has heard the Nova Memory Player does claim it is one of the very best digital transports they have ever heard. Nova Physic's claimed revolutionary technology is "Read Until Right." RUR performs multiple reads of the CD to make sure every last 1 and 0 is extracted. Then it corrects nasty errors and outputs the signal through buffered memory and a tube output stage.
But the question on everyone's minds is if the Nova is simply a glorified computer with Exact Audio Copy. EAC is a free ripper like iTunes, except that it does multiple reads and corrects any errors and then outputs the signal through your computer's buffered memory. So what is the difference between the Nova Memory Player and a computer with a USB DAC? From the Audio Asylum thread:
"Both reviewers seem so ready to accept that the reason MP sounds so good to them is due to the claims made by MP about ECC and Parity Bits, etc.
What is so PAINFULLY missing from both reviews is the comparison of MP with high-quality PC Audio devices, not run-of-the-mill PC equipped with a generic sound card but ones with better PS, serious parts, BUT without this ECC/Parity Bit business. I would nominate some recent offerings from companies like Empirical Audio, VRS, and various modding outfits." Jon_L
Computer audio is potentially vastly better than any CD transport. No jitter = no digital nastiness. If you're not hip to the whole computer audio revolution, check out the SonicFlare computer audio archives. You'll find coverage of USB DACs between $499 and $1995 from the likes of PS Audio, Bel Canto, Scott Nixon as well as articles about why jitter is the bane of CDs.
So while a number of reviews around the industry are claiming the Nova is the best thing to happen to digital, there's a major following of those that believe a $1000 computer and $2000 DAC will sound just as good, if not better. Harry Pearson is rumored to be in love with the Memory Player, so expect this controversy to go nuclear shortly.
There's more information about digital jitter, RUR and so-forth at the Nova Physics website. But be prepared. As Jake_LA put it:
"Who's the 8 year old who put this site together? I'm going to spend 10 grand from these guys?"
Yeah, it's a stunner. A pic of a robot jumps around a site propagated with pictures of suns, stars and clay figurines. Then there's the product photography that appears to have been taken in the 80s. Is that photoshop trickery or was the Memory Player actually developed in the 80s? And, of course, some will find it hard to take this product seriously when its main technology is named after a robot stage drama called RUR that premiered in 1922.
Permalink | | Posted to Disc players $5k to 10k | USB Audio
X-Mod: boom or bust?
The Creative Xmod promises to make your MP3s sound better than the original studio master. Is this a genuine revolution in audio or EQ gimmick? Resident BS detective Danny Kaey is on the case...
Permalink | | Posted to USB Audio
Apple Media Server to Rule Them All
Danny says: Ok, what would you rather own for your music / media system?
A new 24” Apple iMac loaded with all the latest goodies, Intel’s new Core2Duo, Blueooth 2.0+, Airport Extreme, remote w/ Front Row, Superdrive for $1999 or Esoteric’s X-03 CD/SACD player for a whopping 7k?
Hrmmm… let me see here… full blown computer or a disc player to play my 7 SACD’s… I think I’ll go for the Mac, thank you very much! Add a USB dac and you are set baby! Of course the existing 17 and 20” iMacs dropped in price too, while also being upgraded to Core2Duo and the same gizmo’s as big daddy. The killer? The new 17” iMac with most of the goodies for $999!
Imagine having that sit on top of your rack as a transport running Front Row with a gorgeous 17” display?! Note to Esoteric (all others): I don’t think you’ll fit that 17” display in there... All euphoria aside, Esoteric will no doubt continue to sell their super players, but let’s face it: the times and days of standalone disc players are certainly numbered.
Josh adds: Remember, computers don't face the jitter issues that plague CD players. iTunes Lossless ripping and ExactCopy (the best available) perform slow reads to pick up every last nug of information. So the bulk of the sound quality of a hard disc server -- like the $5k McIntosh, cheap Olives and wildly expensive ReQuest -- is found in the DAC. Here's our roundup of the current USB DACs for plug-and-play simplicity with your computer.
Permalink | | Posted to Hard Drive Servers | USB Audio
HE2006: Bel Canto
Bel Canto provided the components for the killer Pioneer room. Quickly becoming the frontrunner for reasonably-priced digital products, Bel Canto tamed the Pioneer 2-1EX speakers using the $1995 REF1000 monoblocks, $4995 CD-1 transport and $1995 DAC3. Amps, player, DAC. Amps, player, DAC. Seems like something is missing, no?
If you screamed out "preamplifier!" then you get a shiny gold star. That's right, there is no preamp in this rig. That DAC3 changes the volume in the digital domain, providing the perfect one-box solution in a slim package. Of course, if you're rocking a turntable, you'll need a standard analog preamp. But the DAC3 has a hot-rodded USB input so stack this guy up with their same-sized $1395 S300 amp and you have a killer desktop package under $4000. Someone is thinking about the future of audio. Check it out.
Also, hit up the Bel Canto site to register to win a PRe3/S300 package. One of you will be a happy boy!
Permalink | | Posted to Amplifiers $1k to 3k | Disc players $5k to 10k | Shows and Expos | USB Audio
HE2006: Bard Audio Sans Cables
Bard audio showed off their killer wireless amps and transmitters. The way it works is you plug in a little wifi thumb drive, the Bard USB, into your computer's USB port and, presto, music streams to your audio system across the room. Look closely at the picture above and you'll see those two speakers are plugged into that little white box, the Bard Three. A Tripath amp inside provides the juice. Plug it into the wall and, boom, that's it.
Price is $1299 for the Bard Three and $599 for the Bard USB. Know what? It sounded pretty good. Check out the 6Moons review of these guys.
Permalink | | Posted to Shows and Expos | USB Audio | Wireless Audio
Grace m902 USB DAC Headphone Cuisinart
Stereophiles gets its game on with the Grace m902 audio Swiss Army knife. Pay attention here: it's a headphone amplifier that has analog out to act as a preamp. It also sports USB for computer connectivity as well as traditional S/PDIF and AES/EBU digital inputs. So it's a mini preamp, DAC headphone amp and USB transport. It's okay to be confused. Simply, the m902 does just about everything except make waffles.
Stereophile says this of the Grace's DAC:
The Levinson processor cost a whopping $17,500 when last available, and yes, it did sound slightly better than the tenth-the-price Grace m902!
So is the Grace amazing or the Levinson way overpriced? Probably the latter. This is how the Grace stacks up against the $1000 Benchmark DAC-1, a nearly identical leatherman product:
At $1700, the Grace m902 costs 75% more than Benchmark's DAC-1. Is it nearly 'twice as good'? Probably not, by any rational calculus. But, using an emotional calculus, can the m902 provide twice the listening pleasure and twice the pride of ownership? I'd say 'yes.' Highly recommended."
Then goes on to say:
While it doesn't sound significantly better than the cheaper Benchmark, merely different, the fact that it offers analog as well as digital inputs and a remote control puts it in a different product class.
About those digital connections, Wes Phillips says the USB is vastly inferior to the antiquated connections. What's up with that? If that is true, then the USB was thrown in without really putting the effort in to making it great. USB, as I constantly say, is potentially a superior connection. Sad, sad, sad. Read the full article for a lot more comparisons and tests all across the board.
Permalink | | Posted to DACs $1k to 5k | Headphone Amps | USB Audio
Bel Canto DAC3 USB Hot Rod
It's a good day in the world of hi-fi 2.0. USB is the second most important technology for the future of high-end audio (the iPod being the first, of course) and the sooner we embrace computer audio, the better.
In any case, Bel Canto, makers of highly regarded digital devices, jumps into the glorious USB world with their new DAC3. Bel Canto's previous DAC efforts won loads of praise and the new DAC3 should slay the reviewing channels as well. $2000 gives you both USB inputs and antiquated connections as well as an optional volume knob for an estimated $500. Upsampling included. No word if the DAC3 uses I2S technology, the purest digital connection, but whatever it uses, I expect it to sound great. (news via 6Moons)
Rumor has it Hovland, makers of expensive and, dare I say, beautiful components, has a super premium USB DAC coming out soon. No doubt wrapped in polished steel, frosted glass and blue LEDs, expect a good deal of drool on these pages when it lands.
Permalink | | Posted to USB Audio
Dared MP-5 USB Integrated Amp Review
Someone in China had his thinking cap on! If you look closely, you'll spy a little USB input on the front of this $559 integrated amp from Dared. As you know, I'm a huge USB fan and I believe all integrated amps should sport USB ports if they want to speak to that coveted next generation iPod crowd. As it stands, the Dared MP-5 is one of the only companies running USB.
Enjoy the Music gives the MP-5 some love for doing a lot right, calling this a great product for a desktop computer system. Power is 13 watts and, yeah, it's a little bass shy but provides that classic warm midrange tube sound. It also has a headphone jack that bests the iPod's jack. Read the review for a lot more goodies. Strangely, at this moment, the Dared importer's site doesn't seem to list the MP-5. Dared's Chinese site lists the Mp-5 but doesn't provide more than a picture and the bare bone stats.
Dared MP-5 Review [Enjoy the Music]
Permalink | | Posted to Integrated Amp under $1k | USB Audio
More USB Thoughts
Thinking more about the Stello DA100 and USB audio in general, it struck me that it won't be terribly long before we start seeing big boy manufacturers putting out insanely priced USB DACs. After listening to the Chord CD transport, I did the bad audiophile thing and started wondering just what a $13k Chord USB DAC would sound like...
But don't get me wrong, I do want to see mass-adoption by the industry. I believe advertising USB and iPod audio as legitimate audiophile-approved devices will go a long way towards bringing new blood back our way. What will it take to convince the manufacturers to provide legitimate USB solutions along side their traditional offerings?
Permalink | | Posted to USB Audio
SonicFlare First Listen: Stello DA100 USB DAC
Oh, glorious day! USB audio is growing up! Yes, folks, here's a first peek at April Music's Stello DA100 USB DAC in for review here at SonicFlare. If you want the quick dirt, the DA100, at $695, does USB audio right and sounds just silly good.
While more comprehensive coverage will come later, here are a few snippets to get you salivating. Over the weekend, I had a chance to throw the Stello into the octagon with such giants as the $13000 Chord Blu transport/DAC combo and an older Linn player hooked up to an ATC/Linn system. If you're not familiar with ATC, they're an ultra high-end pro company with speakers sharper than razor blades. If you can't hear it over ATCs, then it's simply not there.
The Stello, if you look closely, is a complete DAC with multiple inputs including coax and optical (pic next page). The size of a ream of printer paper, the construction is first rate. Of course, next to the Cartier-inspired Chord gear with its blingified aluminum chassis and alien landing gear lights (pic next page), the Stello was just another black box. But, hey, what do you expect for $695? Source consisted of an Apple PowerBook running Lossless through iTunes.
Now, the most important part: how did the DA100 stack up to Chord and Linn? Would you believe me if I told you the Stello was better than both? If you answered "no" you get a shiny gold star. The Chord and Linn were hands down better. For 13 grand, there should be a significant difference. But switching between the Stello and the Chord, it was just amazing just how good the Stello was.
To delve into audiophile babble (I'm dirty, I know), the differences between the Chord and Linn were pronounced with the Chord having a much crisper and cleaner image while the Linn was warmer and more laid back. Personally, I like the Chord though others may cozy to the Linn (especially Linn's newer equipment). In any case, the Stello was like a Chord Blu-lite, hitting that same crisp and clean image but not as well.
So what percentage of performance did the Stello hit relative to the Chord? 70%? 80%? I'm not even going to touch that one, but the overall feeling is the Stello will give less expensive CD players a serious run for the money. It can't touch $13k but $2K? $3k? $10k? Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell.
I imagine the vast majority of the Stello's magic is simply due to the solid implementation of the USB input and the jitter-slaying qualities of hard disk-based audio. I did not get a chance to run the Chord Blu transport directly into the Stello to compare the DA100's DAC directly to the BLU's outboard DAC, but I imagine the Blu is vastly better. So chances are the performance results from the Stello are simply an indication of "USB done right" and the giant-slaying qualities of HDD audio. April Music makes highly regarded equipment, but I can't believe the DAC alone accounts for the monster performance.
Keep an eye out for more comparisons against lower priced CD players as well as other USB DACs. But, fellas, if this little sampler is any indication, you'll soon start seeing industry-wide reviews of USB DACs murdering CD players at double and triple the price. Mark my words, it's going to happen.
Permalink | | Posted to DACs under $1k | USB Audio
