Lamm
LL1 Signature review?
December
28, 2009
Marc,
I
recently found your new site. Congratulations on your and Paul Bolin's new adventure! The
layout and the content presentation are very appealing.
Here
I am patiently waiting for your Lamm LL1 Signature review -- sitting here on the
fence between the LL1 Signature/Lamm LP2 Deluxe the Convergent Audio Technology
SL1 Legend preamplifier to mate with Lamm ML3 amps.
Alan
Farris
My
apologies for the delay with the Lamm LL1 Signature review. I've been swamped
with work since TAB launched on October 1, and I'm only now getting to the end of
my equipment-review backlog. I'm glad the companies have been patient. The Lamm LL1 Signature
review will appear shortly after CES -- in fact, it will be the first one I work on after
returning from Las Vegas. As you surmise, I will be comparing the LL1 Signature
to the CAT SL1 Legend's line stage, and I may add a few comments about both companies'
phono stages. -Marc Mickelson
Blue
Circle BC703 review
December
24, 2009
Marc,
Hats
off to you for this excellent review, especially the comparison to other high-end phono
stages. How many in the biz can accomplish this sort of excellent survey of topflight
components? Very good service.
Beyond
that, it's a clear, entertaining, and informative read throughout. I'm sure you need no
praise from me, but it's my pleasure to say it.
You
are Il miglior fabbro!
Garrett
Hongo
Sasha
W/P -- when?
December
23, 2009
Marc,
I
really like your new site.
Any
idea when the Sasha W/P review will be available?
Mike
Jenson
P.S.
-- The color of the Sashas in Paul
Bolin’s room -- is that desert silver?
We're
glad you like The Audio Beat. It has been a lot of work so far, but we're happy
with what we've achieved since the site's launch less than three months ago.
I
know Paul Bolin is working on his review of the Wilson Audio Sasha W/P speakers. He and I
both hope it will appear before we leave for CES early next month. And yes, the speakers
installed in Paul's listening room are in Wilson's desert silver finish. -Marc
Mickelson
Acoustic
Art system
December
21, 2009
Paul,
From
your RMAF
report: "I sat quietly through Ted Denney’s demonstration, in which he
played a piece of music, removed the [Acoustic Art] treatments and played the same piece
of music. There was an unmistakable improvement with the treatments in. Why lower
frequencies should be audibly affected by these small devices in such a large room is one
of the things that nearly drives me to racquetball."
First
of all, I have to say that is one of the funniest audio-related lines I have ever read.
I
actually heard that system in my room. However I unfortunately could not set up the system
correctly. My dealer did it for me. It was as good as we could get it without putting
holes in my walls. While it made a difference, the amount of change in my room did not
justify the cost to me. So, for treatments, I am going the traditional route: eight GIK
traps. I will get them after the holidays.
Keep
up the good work.
Mike
Doukas
TosLink
recommendation
December
14, 2009
Marc,
I
wrote to you a few months ago with a quick question that you faithfully answered. Thanks.
I now need to buy a TosLink-to-TosLink or mini-to-TosLink cable to go from a Mac Mini to
an EAD 7000 Mk 3 DAC. Could you offer me any recommendations, please? There is some
question as to whether or not a mini-to-TosLink adapter will cause sonic degradation.
Aside from a private label (Lifatec, plastic conductor), only van den Hul (plastic) and
now WireWorld (glass) offer a direct mini-to-TosLink cable.
Steven
Reitz
By
its very nature, TosLink is a compromised digital-connection format, so you're starting at
a deficit with it. I looked on WireWorld's website and didn't see a mini-plug-to-TosLink
cable, but that is a better bet than using an adapter of questionable quality. If you can
use coaxial or perhaps even USB (with something like the
Blue Circle 24/96 USB Tunnel that I covered on TAB to convert to coaxial or AES/EBU),
you will probably have better sonic results. -Marc Mickelson
Amp
for VTL TL-7.5 preamp?
December
7, 2009
Marc,
A
couple of years ago -- in your SoundStage! days -- you wrote a great review of
the VTL TL-7.5 II preamp. Due to that review (and for other reasons too, of course) I
bought the preamp. Which tube power amp would you use it with? And which solid-state amp?
My speakers are only 89dB sensitive.
Patrick
Vancompernolle
I
actually reviewed the first version of the VTL TL-7.5, not the second, which uses
different line-stage tubes. If you have the second version, you will have greater
flexibility in matching it with an amp than with the first version, which sounded glorious
but had very high voltage gain that created ample background hiss with certain amps and
speakers.
My
first suggestion is a VTL amp -- perhaps the MB 450 Series II Signature monoblocks I
heard at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. They will easily drive your speakers, and I'm
sure there's a family sonic resemblance to your preamp. The TL-7.5 II, which I have heard
in my system, is a very transparent preamp. It will therefore make it a good mate for many
different amps that are of very high quality. I loved the original TL-7.5 with Lamm ML2.1
SET monoblocks, and I've also heard it make great sound with VTL's monster mono tube amps,
the Siegfrieds. Nowadays I use an Audio Research Reference 110 stereo amp and Lamm M1.2
Reference monoblocks, both of which are hybrids. I'm sure both would be a very good sonic
match with your preamp. -Marc Mickelson
"...cartridge and phono stage under $3000"?
December
2, 2009
Marc,
Great review of
the VPI Classic. I just wanted to let you know that I ended up purchasing the 'table.
My only problem now is that this is my first turntable and I am stumped on which cartridge
and phono stage to get. Any suggestions?
My
musical preference is for acoustic music, vocal jazz , opera and roots music. I prefer a
warmer presentation than that of an analytical one. I still want detail and fast
transients, but I desire something with rich harmonics and tone, palpable images, and a
sense of immediacy.
I
would like to keep the combination of cartridge and phono stage under $3000. Any
suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Lee
Thompson
Congratulations
on your purchase. There are, of course, two ways to go with a cartridge and phono stage:
moving magnet or moving coil. And then within the moving-coil camp, you can go with a
high- or low-output cartridge. You can certainly get a top-flight moving-magnet cartridge
and a phono stage with enough gain for it for $3000 -- likely much less. The moving-coil
route will cost more and be harder to fit into your $3000 budget, especially if you go the
low-output route.
Given
what you say about your sonic priorities, I would first recommend a Dynavector cartridge,
which the folks at VPI also like. A 10X5 will cost you around $500, and a 20X around $750.
Both are high-output MCs, so you can get by with a phono stage that offers less gain.
Creek and Bellari make inexpensive phono stages that would provide enough gain for either
cartridge, and they sound good too.
If
it were my Classic, however, I would take a different route that's also better in my
opinion. Audio-Technica's AT33EV, which I used for my review, costs around $500 street
price ($899 list). Add an Audio Research PH5 phono stage, and you're right at $3000. The
AT33EV is a low-output moving-coil cartridge, and one with which the Classic sounds very
good. The PH5's adjustable loading and higher gain will give you a viable upgrade path for
the future.
The
Classic will keep up with any cartridge and phono stage you use, even those that cost
multiples of its price, but it will shine with the best you can afford. I used the Classic
with the AT33EV and Audio Research's PH7, and the results were very impressive. I could
live very happily with this rig. -Marc Mickelson
