AudioKeyREVIEWS! ISSUE 19 - NOVEMBER 2024

Bests of the Year 2024

D ORANGUTAN O/96

LOUDSPEAKER

ACCUPHASE

SUSVARA UNVEILED

E LECTRIFIED S TABILIZATION P LATFORM The Last Platform You’ll Ever Need

Music is art, art is music.

Imogene Cunningham - Flowers

EDITOR'S

GRACE

DEVORE FIDELITY

MUSICAL

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

JOAN OF AUDIO & MUSIC - PETER BARON

JOAN OF AUDIO - INTERVIEW - PETER BARON

ALLNIC AUDIO H-10000 PHONO

ANTICABLE LEVEL 6 SPEAKER CABLE

TRAFORMATIC RHAPSODY 300B INTEGRATED

RECOMMENDED COMPONENTS

MAGICAL SYNERGIES

VIENNA ACOUSTIC HAYDN SE

Front Inside Cover: Imogene Cunningham

Back Inside Cover: Imogene Cunningham

The Other Art It is my belief that the artist and the musician are not only creatives, but they access heart and soul and experience, perhaps, in the selfsame ways. My own love for art and music are inseparable. And so art, music, and those things which facilitate the music shall share theses pages.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - SEND HERE

Imogene Cunningham - The First Magnolia

EDITOR’s CHAIR

The November Best of the Year Issue represents AKRMedia’s fourth year of digital magazine publishing. And I must say, it has been a great deal of fun and filled with incredible discoveries—Grimm Audio MU2 streamer/DAC, HIFIMAN Susvara Unveiled headphones, Atma-Sphere Class D amplifiers and it 5-watt GEM integrated, Boenicke W11s, etc. How often does a person get to bring together so many things that he loves—writing, music, design, creativity, new discoveries, art—into one’s livelihood?

As I look around to family and friends, more often than not, they do not love what they do. I made a promise to myself after many years as a high tech executive, wherein the money and travel were great, for a while. And then I began to look at the clock. “It’s almost time to go home. Yes!” I’d often say to myself. It was over for me.

Suffice to say, the promise began there.

I’d be remiss, however, regarding this year, if I didn’t say that I’ve sent a number of components home packing, as they didn’t meet the bill. This is better than scorching them in a bad review, which to me is a clear sign of a lack of integrity.

This year’s introduction to the Best of the Year 2024 starts and ends with flowers as a “Hello”, “Thank you”, and “What a great time I’ve had this year reviewing components”. Several of these components will compose the updated two-channel reference system here at Casa Heartsong and they are no joke. I'll relate more about them soon.

Sincerely,

K.E. Heartsong Editor-in-Chief

THE CREW

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

K. E. Heartsong

Managing Editor

Dr. Irina Kuzminsky

Senior Editor(s)

Andre Marc

Oliver Masciarotte

Senior Copy Editor

Kathe Lieber

Columnists

Dr. Irina Kuzminsky

Rain Jordan

Kathe Lieber

Music Reviewers (Video/Written)

Dr. Irina Kuzminsky

Kathe Lieber

Photographer

K. E. Heartsong

Graphic Design

Wabi Sabi Design Group

HermanMiller

Wayne Thiebaud - River_Bend_Farms

HermanMiller

Claude Monet - Red Water Lilies

MANUFACTURER’s INTERVIEW

Paul Speltz

Conducted

by K. E. Heartsong

INTERVIEW: PAUL SPELTZ

K.E. Heartsong (KEH): How did music affect your early life? Was there a family member or another person, who inspired your love for music (art, design)?

Paul Speltz (PS)My parents told me that when I was just a couple of years old, I would spend hours on a spring suspended rocking horse, bouncing to whatever music they had playing on the living room console stereo. Seems like my love for music started earlier than my memory recalls. Later, we got a piano in the house that my mom and sisters played. To be different, I took to playing acoustic guitar, which my dad encouraged as he loved campfire singalongs.

KEH: Did you grow up around a record player? So many folks that I know did not and it seems strange to me having grown up when I did.

PS: Yes, the living room console was a piece of fine furniture with an AM/FM radio, record changer, and stereo speaker all built in. I still remember the first LP I bought to play on it, "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy", and the first 45, "Bohemian Rhapsody". I still have them today. I was 13 years old and both of those were newly released that year (1975). The record store was a 2 mile bike ride away. It

would be 3 more years before I was able to drive to the mall.

KEH: What was your first system then? How did you listen, in terms of Digital or Analog? How did it make you feel?

PS: Digital was not available yet. As gifts and using gifted money, I put together an analog system in my bedroom. A used BSR turntable, a Craig 5001 receiver, and Pioneer 8 inch two-way bookshelf speakers. Mom let me use her tapered hexagonal planter boxes as speaker stands. Turned upside down, they looked more like they were for speakers than for flowers. Good memories.

I was coming-of-age, so having my own system and being able to play my own music in my private space, helped me feel more grown up. Especially because my system sounded a lot better than my parent's console system.

KEH: What musicians did you admire, enjoy, and love as a young man? Why?

PS: Since I played guitar, I was initially drawn to a lot of acoustic guitar artists. James Taylor, America, Willie Nelson, and Jackson Browne all come to mind. My music interests have broadened considerably through the decades, so my collection is quite eclectic now.

INTERVIEW: PAUL

SPELTZ

KEH: Most memorable epiphany that has come from listening to music or turning other people on to music?

KEH: What catalyzing event put you on the road to high-end audio?

PS: A decade or more ago, I learned how to do Transcendental Meditation. Once I was able to settle into the process enough that I could experience what it felt like to be in a meditative state, I realized it was already familiar to me. It was a state that music could put me into. If you have ever been listening to music (live or pre-recorded), and have had your mind go quiet enough that you lose your internal narrative and track of time, you have been there too. I discovered that music is my meditation.

PS: My 8th grade Music Appreciation class teacher taught us typically classical music techniques such as hocket, drone, vibrato, counter point, etc., then gave us extra credit for discovering those same techniques used in contemporary popular music. This got me actively listening to music and hungry for a better sounding audio system.

KEH: Where did you begin the “apprenticeship” of learning or gaining your knowledge for what it is you do now?

INTERVIEW: PAUL SPELTZ

PS: I took very well to my High School Electronics class, so that is what I majored in at college. While in school, I teamed up with a cabinet making friend and together we built custom speakers for fellow college students. This gave us some fun money which I spent on bigger and better speakers and gear. My last self designed and built college speakers were possibly the best on campus and are still in

down a twisted pair of wires. This has given me a strong base of knowledge for developing audio cables.

With my career "day job" paying the bills, Anticables has been a source of "fun" money, just like speaker building did for me in college. I want to always keep audio enjoyable for our customers and myself, so I've made sure that I don't need to "make-a-sale" to "pay-the-mortgage".

equipment manufacture; a job I landed 39 years ago. I've spent my engineering career designing circuits that transmit analog signals

designed and built an Autoformer to make my 4 ohm speakers look like 16 ohms. I did this so that my OTL tube amp was happy

driving them. When I shared how well they worked in an audio chat room, I got requests to make 10 more. When those audiophiles shared how well they worked in their system, I got requests to make 20 more. I named them the ZERO-Autoformers because they are shaped round like a zero. The autoformer itself is unchanged from 23 years ago. Its only original weakness was its lead-out wires. They were PVC jacketed stranded copper wire. PVC has a high Dielectric Constant so its high Relative Permittivity causes a lot of Dielectric Effect Distortion, which time smears the music signal. This distortion accumulates with wire length, so customers that ordered the ZEROAutoformers with longer lead-out wire were not nearly as impressed as those with short lead-out wires.

stranded copper wire inside caused its own distortions. The dis-similar metals cause a metallic /electronic sound that I have been told is due to a diode like effect caused by the dis-similar metal plating. There was also a "sizzling" sound in the highs that I attribute to current jumping that happens with all stranded wire I have heard.

Determined to get it right on my third attempt, I spent six months understanding what I just described above and came up with an excellent sounding simple solution. Solid core, high purity copper wire, with an extremely thin coating instead of typical thick plastic jacketing. This wire was so good sounding, that customers started asking me to make speaker cables for them with it. I eventually started calling them Anticables Speaker Wires and they became so popular that I named the business Anticables.

My solution was to replace the lead-out wire's PVC jacketing with PTFE (Teflon), which has much lower Relative Permittivity. This was quite helpful but the silver plated

KEH: Biggest mistake you ever made at Anticables? What did you learn from it?

PS: I rode Anticables initial success wave too long before making an effort to push the

INTERVIEW: PAUL SPELTZ

KEH: What do you believe sets Anticables apart from the other high-end audio cable?

PS: The "Anti" part of our name easily sets us apart from other cables. Since cables are wires surrounded with thick jacketing, and since we use an extremely thin 0.001" coating on our copper wire instead, we have sidestepped one of the major contributors of what makes cables sound like cables. Beyond the 0.001" red coating, there is nothing else but air, and air does not generate Dielectric Effect Distortion.

KEH: What is Anticables' driving philosophy, its goals for the future?

PS: 1) We use only the materials needed (solid core wire and connectors).

PS: The best is never a past system and always the present system. Discovering improvements feeds the excitement of this technology forward. Ever since then, I am continually looking for, and implementing, ways to improve our products. For example, our entry level speaker wires still look quite the same as they did 21 years ago, but they have gone through 9 notable improvements since then.

2) We make sure those materials are of very high sound quality.

3) We eliminate all unnecessary materials as much as possible (No thick plastic jacketing). Doing these three things, we are able to achieve our greatest goal, that is to offer much better sound at much lower cost. I continue to push these goals now and forward into the future.

KEH: I’ll bring this part of the interview to a close with a question on ethos and philosophy. Tell me, what is Anticables' overall ethos?

PS: To always remember what it's like to be a music living audio enthusiast. To recognize that this is a fun hobby and to do our best to help keep it that way.

KEH: What is your current reference system or your best high- end system of all time?

INTERVIEW: PAUL SPELTZ

hobby from a hardware standpoint. In addition to electronics from Bel Canto and my trade show partners Clayton Shaw Acoustics, Linear Tube Audio, and Spatial Audio, my two design partners and I have developed our own speakers and power amplifiers for our reference systems. Our audio systems are for our enjoyment, but even more-so, they are also our best tools for developing our products.

KEH: What are your five favorite albums of all time and why?

PS: When I have background music playing while I'm working around the house, I'll set an album to repeat, so that I can stay busy. There are a handful of albums that I can enjoy repeating for hours. There is certainly something that makes these very listenable to me.

KEH: Is there anything that I’ve not covered, that you would like to share or address concerning Anticables?

PS: I have spent my entire career, both as an Electronic Engineer and as an audio cable designer, designing toward simplicity, rather than complexity. The more simple a design of anything is, the easier it is to be able to discover, understand, and control all the variables at hand, which leads to a higher quality product.

A• Rachmaninoff - Eiji Oue, Minnesota Orchestra – Symphonic Dances / Vocalise

• Exotic Dances From The Opera - Eiji Oue, Minnesota Orchestra

• HÆLOS – Full Circle

• Kraftwerk – Tour De France

• Eric Clapton – Pilgrim

• Willie Nelson – Spirit

• Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Greendale

• Portishead – Dummy

For those of you wanting to learn more about insulating materials's Dielectric Constant and Relative Permittivity that causes Dielectric Effect Distortion, this wikipedia web page is a good place to start: https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relative_permittivity It touches on how insulating materials, other than air, have the ability to store magnetic energy. This also helps explain why Electrolytic capacitors (that have very high Relative Permittivity), are smaller than film caps, but also a lot worse sounding.

KEH: Paul thank you for your time and your answers, which have allowed us to get a very good sense of who you are, greatly appreciated.

Vincent Van Gogh - The Saint Paul Hospital, 1889

Vincent Van Gogh - The Mulberry Tree

GRACE NOTES

“A

WBy Kathe Lieber

CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS”

hat’s the “mustwatch” Christmas movie at your house? The one you absolutely have to watch over the holidays, complementing your viewing experience with hot chocolate (or perhaps a stronger libation) and some sort of seasonal snack (gingerbread?). Perhaps it’s Love Actually, or It’s a Wonderful Life, or A Christmas Carol, or How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or… I could go on, but you know how to Google “top Christmas movies of all time.” Of course, the definition of a “Christmas movie” is highly elastic—there’s nothing about the Biblical Christmas story in the vast majority of holiday flicks.

But I’ll wager that as soon as you hear the opening notes of A Charlie Brown Christmas, you’re right there with Charlie Brown and the gang on the skating rink, the snow falling picturesquely around them. Snoopy is in his element, ears flying

ecstatically in the breeze as he skates by. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown is miserable--so miserable that he consults Lucy at her psychiatry booth, hoping to get the Christmas spirit back. As usual, she’s not much help. His little sister Sally, meanwhile, is dictating her mileslong wish list for Santa.

In the space of 40 minutes, the film distills the essence of the holiday, starting by spelling out what Christmas is NOT. The problem is commercialism. Even Snoopy’s caught the bug. But Charlie Brown has a feel-good project: he’s going to recapture the Christmas spirit by directing the school play. The musicians are onstage—Schroeder on piano, Pigpen on bass, and Snoopy, who is also asked to play all the animals in the play, on guitar. Linus is playing the shepherd, complete with blanket, of course.

But the mood’s all wrong. Charlie Brown enlists Linus in his search for the perfect Christmas tree. Amid dozens of luridly colored aluminum trees, they find a pitiful

Paul Cezanne - Fruit, Jug, Fruit Dish

pine tree and bring it back to the gang, who laugh uproariously. “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” asks Charlie Brown plaintively.

At this point, Linus simply recites the Nativity story from the Bible and the mood shifts completely. Charlie Brown takes his little tree home and the kids pitch in to decorate it, old-fashioned style. The closing vignette sees the gang singing an acapella version of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

You don’t have to be Christian to “get” A Charlie Brown Christmas. You just have to release your inner child and enjoy the ride. But if you’ve ever wondered how the movie came about—well, I’m here to tell you.

THE ORIGINS OF A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

Step into the time machine with me and travel back to 1965—a more innocent time, if only with hindsight. As Charles Schulz, the father of Charlie Brown and the gang, said, “There will always be an audience for innocence in this country.”

Actually, let’s go back another couple of years, to 1963, when producer Lee Mendelson made a short documentary about the cartoonist called A Boy Named Charlie Brown, with animation by Bill Melendez and music by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. Sniff—it was an orphan film, as none of the networks were interested in airing it.

Oops, sorry, no—we need to go even farther back, to 1948, when Schulz introduced a character called Charlie

Brown in a comic strip called Li’l Folks. In 1950, good ole Charlie Brown got a strip of his own, the beloved Peanuts.

Are you still with me? Let’s proceed. Advertising to the rescue (believe it or not): John Allen of the McCann Erickson Agency in New York, which had the Coca-Cola account, saw the documentary and called Mendelson, suggesting that he create a Peanuts Christmas special for the Coca-Cola Company to sponsor. Mendelson called Schulz and they fleshed out a story line in four days flat. The cartoon would need to include several important elements: ice skating, a pageant, winter scenes, and a soundtrack combining traditional carols and jazz. The religious part of the screenplay came from Schulz, who’d loved the Nativity story when he was growing up in the Midwest.

But there were still hurdles to overcome. CBS execs weren’t keen on the Biblical elements, or the contemporary jazz soundtrack. They found the pacing way too slow. Where was the canned laughter? And how come they’d enlisted real children to play the roles, instead of using adult actors imitating childish speech? (The child actors were uncredited.)

Viewers felt quite differently, however. The first airing, on December 9, 1965, reached more than 15 million homes and came second in the ratings, after Bonanza. Reviewers raved as well, and the show won an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program. A Charlie Brown Christmas is still the second longest-running Christmas

(sorry!) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which had premiered the year before. It’s been aired every December since 1965— though in the age of streaming and YouTube, the concept of “appointment television” no longer really applies.

Once they got over their astonishment at all the glowing reviews, the TV executives caved, and called the producers to ask them to make more Charlie Brown specials. And so they did—nearly 50 more, including It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966), A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973), and It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown (1977). Call me a purist (I’ve been branded with worse epithets), but I will always believe that the first, the original, A Charlie Brown

About the cartoonist

The news broke on a Sunday in February 2000: Charles M. Schulz had died peacefully the night before after suffering complications from colon cancer. Born in 1922 in Minneapolis, Schulz acquired his nickname, Sparky, from an uncle, after a horse called Spark Plug in the Barney Google comic strip (no, not our Google). He studied cartooning by correspondence. In 1943, his beloved mother died, and he went off to war (he served at a base in Kentucky). Once he came home in 1945, he lived with his father over a barbershop, published a few cartoons with

see the start of something here?) and worked towards national publication. The first Peanuts strip was released on October 2, 1950, appearing in seven newspapers across the country.

If you had to narrow the Peanuts gang down to two seminal characters, they would, of course, be Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Sally, Peppermint Patty, and friends round out the cast of characters. It’s fair to say the kids and their adventures are by turns sweet, silly, sarcastic, melancholy, and achingly relatable. On balance, they’ve held up pretty well across the decades.

The Peanuts comic strip has been syndicated in more than 2,600 papers worldwide, book collections have been translated into 25-plus languages, and

just wanted to draw pictures.

About the animator

José Melendez, known as Bill, was a stalwart of the cartoon industry, variously working as an animator, director, producer, and voice actor. He worked for Disney on classics like Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi; then for Warner Bros. on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. But it was with the Peanuts franchise that he really hit it big, as Schulz trusted no one else to bring his beloved strip to the screen. Melendez voiced Snoopy and Woodstock in every production, uttering gibberish that was then sped up to simulate the dog’s and bird’s voices. He also directed, animated, and did voice acting for the first four Peanuts theatrical releases and a audiokeyreviews.com

couple of video games. He died in 2008 at the age of 91, but appeared posthumously in The Peanuts Movie (2015) through the magic of archival recordings.

About the composer

Vince Guaraldi’s name is inextricably linked with A Charlie Brown Christmas for posterity, but he was a respected jazz composer before and after the movie came out. The Vince Guaraldi Trio consisted of Guaraldi on piano, Eddie Duran on guitar, and Dean Reilly on bass. Their first, selftitled album came out in 1956, followed by A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing in 1957. With Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus (1962), Guaraldi was hailed as a great jazz pianist in the Latin style. Alas, he died young, of a heart attack at the age of 47. His signature

melody “Linus and Lucy” and the holiday favorite “Christmas Time Is Here” are just two of the songs that succeed him, along with “Cast Your Fate to the Wind,” which became a huge hit and won a Grammy for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1963.

Wassily Kandinsky - Murnau. Two

By K.E. Heartsong

When the DeVORE FIDELITY Orangutan O/ 96s came in for review, they had 200 hours on them. John suggested 450 hours for complete burn-in and before review. I had heard a great deal about the Orangutan O/96s and was anxious to see what they could do. Of course I didn’t listen right then, but a day or two later sat down for an “early” prenote or two. My thought after listening was, “If this doesn’t get any better at the 450hour point, I may be one of the few reviewers to return this speaker unreviewed.” I was truly worried and wouldn’t listen to them again until well after the 450 hours had clocked in. Suffice to say, that there was great trepidation. And then at the 450 hour point, when the music began to play… The O/96s that had

worried me when they had little more than 200 hours on them had now come to life. This was music on a level for which I had long been searching. Perhaps the O/96s were the final and most pertinent component of the Casa Heartsong

became an occasion for just listening to vocal recordings. These were recording, that I’d been listening to for decades, from Joni Mitchell’s Blue to Shirley Horn’s You Won’t Forget Me (Verve) to Rickie Lee Jones’ Rickie Lee Jones (Other Side of Desire), etc. In every

DEVORE FIDELITY ORANGUTAN O/96

case, the music was powerfully moving, incredibly musical, with superb technical acumen. To say that I had heard these albums hundreds of times would not be an exaggeration. And the beauty of the music via the O/96s was the best I had ever heard. Eyes closed, still as a sculpture, taking in every note as if a pointer to a gold doubloon, I was mesmerized.

REFRAIN: Unlike most reviews, this review will be non-sequential, as it will start with how the components actually sound and not the process of physically “undressing” them and/or laying out their various parts, specifications, etc. Think of this review, then, as a non-linear movie— In the Shadow of the Moon, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, The Queen’s Gambit, etc.—that likewise starts at the end and winds its way to the beginning.

THE SYSTEM - REFERENCE TWO CHANNEL

• Grimm Audio MU2 Streamer/DAC/ Preamplifier

• AIR-TIGHT ATC - 5s Preamplifier

• AIR-TIGHT ATM - 1E Amplifier

• ATMA-SPHERE - GEM Integrated

• ATMA-SPHERE - MP-3 Preamplifier

• ATMA-SPHERE - Class D Monoblocks

• LYRIC Ti 100 Single-Ended Integrated

• Trafomatic Audio Rhapsody 300B Integrated

• DeVore Fidelity Orangutan 0/96

• Fern & Roby Raven III Speakers

• Kubala-Sosna Emotion Interconnects (XLR, RCA), Speaker Cables

• Grimm Audio SQM Interconnects (XLR, RCA)

• TORUS AUDIO power conditioner

• RSX BEYOND, MAX power cords

• SEISMION Amplifier Stand (powered)

THE SOUND

The Orangutan O/96s as part of the reference system quartet made every album, every track, every selection feel far too short. The music resonated with such sublime beauty, transparency, overall technical acumen, that it kept me glued to my seat for hours. Seldom have I been in such anticipation of the next song, the next track, and actually dreading the end of an album. After a long-known album had ended, it was not uncommon for me to comment, “That was insanely short.” The end would always come much too soon, and this would be the rule, not the exception, with the Orangutan O/96s in the system.

The Orangutan O/96s pulled one of the most deft disappearing acts I can remember —unequaled by any other speaker I’ve ever had the pleasure of reviewing or owning. And as Orangutan O/96s are no small speakers, though certainly not a behemoth, this was fascinating. To my reference music collection, noted for spatial/dimensional recordings, I went. They were played back via the O/96s, like the Top-of-the-Line (TOTL)

DEVORE FIDELITY

electrostatic headphones and headphone amps had, and I was transported to venue after venue with all the air and ambiance and spatial cues intact. This was beyond impressive. I thought about adapting the term Yellow-Chair-Tardis, which I had used for the TOTL electrostatic HPAs/HPs time machines, but White-Sofa-Tardis just didn’t sound right. But there was more…

Joe Morello’s cymbals had never sounded so tonally/timbrally real and alive and so spatially apparent. Nor had Khatia Buniatishvili’s piano, which was now real enough to stroll up to, to sit and to listen while she played. On and on it would go across all of my favorite pieces—Olafur Arnalds’ Island Songs (Mercury), Tord Gustavsen Trio's The Other Side (ECM), Charlie Mingus’ Tijuana Moods (RCA Legacy). They all quickly left the realm of thin three-dimensional renderings to a more robust, fleshed-out stage of living, breathing musicians. And the depth of the soundstage was quite remarkable and extended well into the patio, just beyond the front wall. This, too, was quite new.

I thought about its price, adaptability to power, and its other abilities relative to speakers that were exceedingly more expensive, speakers that did not possess these abilities. Why weren’t they standard fare for a great many audiophiles and music lovers, not

more fêted in the industry? Here was a relative bargain, a chameleon in terms of power requirements, with all the bona fides, musical and technical, that music lovers and audiophiles would crave. Then a recent conversation with a retailer made things quite clear. A speaker that was much more expensive relative to the O/96s meant more profit. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “If they are better in every way, the dealer just won’t make as much money.”

So times have definitely changed. The audio salesman who would sell you the best system, not the most profitable system is, perhaps, an endangered species now. The Orangutan O/96s may well be overlooked in light of the profit made from stratospherically priced speakers. Speakers that are not better or anywhere near as adaptable to power requirements or as technically or musically astute, just more profitable. However, for me as a reviewer it was a no-brainer. “Youse guys aren’t getting out alive. See…” (think James Cagney).

I have owned and reviewed a good number of speakers, many a good deal more expensive than the O/96s and certainly more highly praised, but none possessed the wholecloth musical acumen, the soup-to-nuts technical abilities of the 0/96 or its sublime musicality. Yes, there have been other quite exceptional and more expensive speakers, but

Paul Cezanne, Still Life with Ginger Jar, Fruit

they pale in comparison to this sub-$20k speaker.

BASS

The O/96s reached into the sub-bass and grabbed up the Holy-Bass-Head-Grail as if

reach of the Orangutan O/96s, and certainly not with a minimum of 20 watts, mind you!

MIDRANGE

Mesmerizing. The Orangutan O/96s’ rendering of the midrange was natural,

though my apartment is to a large degree isolated in the complex.

There is no other speaker that I have, to date, reviewed that can match the sub-bass

tracks, both male and female voices, I’d listened to which had absolutely compelled my attention for several hours, so engaging and technically superb was the music. And if

I had had any preconceptions, all it took was that one multiple-hour listening session, where all preconceptions were jettisoned into deep space.

It’s no wonder that so many reviewers, as I have come to discover, have opted for a pair of the Orangutan O/96s. Not only are they extraordinarily musical and technically superb from stem to stern, they pair easily with literally hundreds of amplifiers, from five watts to 400 watts. This is of course a reviewer’s dream speaker, given its tremendous versatility. “Youse guys aren’t getting out alive. See…”

TREBLE+

As a number of amplifiers and preamplifiers/ amplifiers rolled in for review, the Orangutan O/96s were getting a nice workout and voicing beautifully with everything that sat in for an audition.

There were those amplifiers and preamp/ amp combos that had very good top-tobottom extension and those that did not. After hearing how extended the Orangutan O/96s could go with amplifiers— stratosphere and beyond—whenever things didn’t quite go there—it was clearly the amp’s fault!

As mentioned above, Joe Morello’s drum kit on “Take Five” (Time Out, Columbia) was the best to date. There was that electrostatic

thingy going on again, which served to transport me to the studio in 1959. In this listening, the master tape was not required to hear treble+ resolution, tonal/timbral accuracy, and all the air that ever was around Joe’s drum kit and cymbals. After that, what more is there to say? Bravo!

CONCLUSION

Yeah. What can work with amplification from five measly watts to 400 watts, provide tonal/timbral renderings that harken back to the original venue, and even take you there, grab your heart like it’s sitting on your chest, and leap over tall buildings with a single bound? Okay, skip the building thing. But the rest is spot-on and of course you know the answer: the Orangutan O/96s.

The Orangutan O/96s had me planted on the sofa listening to tunes for many hours at a time and as happy as an officially protected turkey on Thanksgiving Eve. It was wonderful.

Impeccable transparency, resolution detail? Check. Wide top-to-bottom frequency extension? Check. Beguiling tonal/ timbral accuracy? Check. A staging envelope —front to back, right to left, deep, high—to die for? Check.

This is a reviewer’s dream speaker, no doubt, and why so many reviewers have adopted the Orangutan O/96s. And while I audiokeyreviews.com

don’t know the numbers, I feel as though there are too few audiophiles and music lovers who are familiar with these incredible speakers. To them I say, if you want a system whose voice you can radically change without replacing the speakers, add amp, then look no farther than the Orangutan O/96s.

They are of course easy winners of our DIAMOND AWARD, BEST OF THE YEAR AWARD, and EDITOR’s CHOICE AWARD. This is the Best of the Year Issue, after all.

Notes: First, never listen critically to a component before it’s fully burned-in per the manufacturer’s instructions, lest you get the wrong idea. Guilty. Second, never begin the review or take notes before it’s fully burnedin. Guilty. After that, however, you’re good. Despite my mistakes, I was.

THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

DEVORE FIDELITY

ORANGUTAN O/96

Frequency Response: 26Hz-31kHz

Sensitivity: 96 dB/W/M

Impedance: 10 ohms

Dimensions: 12″d x 18″w x 35.5″h, including stands THE COMPANY

DEVORE FIDELITY

Orangutan O/96: $15,900/pair

DeVORE Fidelity

63 Flushing Ave., Unit 259 Bld 280, Ste 510 Brooklyn, NY 11205 (718) 855-9999

info@devorefidelity.com

Connect to t Performance

“ The Kubala-Sosna Emotion interconnects connected me to the music like no other interconnects I've heard, at anywhere near the price.

Robert H. Levi

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“ ”

The Expressions present music without noticeable boundaries to a stage; sound stages don't erupt from a black background, but from an invisible and expanding one…

Larry Cox

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MUSICAL MUSINGS

By Irina Kuzminsky

The expressive sounds of the piano, a Steinway grand Model D, capture me from the start and take me away from this boring administrative task I was hoping to complete with some nice Bach as background music to work to. No hope for the boring task. This music is front and centre from the opening bars and I am immediately hooked and transported into a resonant and transcendent musical world which touches me to the core.

actor, singer, but a pianist first and foremost, and a musician keen to spread his passion and his love for music. He has collaborated with dancers, writers, choreographers, singer-songwriters, non-classical musicians.

The pianist is Alexandre Tharaud, renowned particularly perhaps for his elegant interpretations of French music, from Rameau to contemporary. Tharaud’s career spans 25 years and encompasses more than 25 solo albums. He is one of those Renaissance type artists escaping categorization, a writer, artistic director,

This new album is an album mainly of transcriptions for piano of works by J.S. Bach, although the opening Adagio from the Concerto for Keyboard in D minor is Bach’s own transcription of an Oboe Concerto by Alessandro Marcello, while the closing track is Tharaud’s arrangement of Charles Gounod’s Ave Maria, itself a meditation on Bach’s Prelude No.1 from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Before the days of recordings, transcriptions or arrangements of complex scores for piano were all the rage. A whole line great pianists and pianistcomposers including Liszt and Busoni

Vincent Van Gogh - Peach Trees in Blossom, 1888

MUSICAL MUSINGS

provided such transcriptions which were inevitably also interpretations. It was often the only way you had to access a new symphony or quartet, or recreate at home songs or choruses from an opera you had just been to. With the advent of the gramophone, transcriptions fell out of favour, especially with the purists. Tharaud demonstrates in this recording that this was not only a gain (access to recorded music literally at our fingertips now) but also potentially a loss. In his interpretations he exploits all the potential of the modern piano, its dynamics, its resonance, its sustaining pedal, its colours. These are truly ‘acts of recreation’ as Abel Saint Bris aptly puts it in the notes accompanying the album.

After the beautiful opening Adagio (by Bach after Marcello) which holds me captivated comes to a close, a moderately paced Bourrée from Bach’s Suite for Lute takes over. The arrangement for piano works beautifully and I love how no tempi are excessive yet the driving pulse creates a greater impact than virtuosic speed on its own would. Indeed, clarity and resonance and nuanced tempi dominate throughout

the album, with Tharaud’s clarity of contrapuntal playing constantly on display. The first of several choruses follows, “Herr, unser Herrscher” from the St John Passion, again demonstrating how well the moving abstractions and structures and lines of Bach’s music adapt to different instruments. The polyphonic chorus lines are clearly audible against a rich soundscape of a modern piano with all of its tonal colours and rich harmonies. The soundworld created is irresistible, and the final chord holds and holds, allowing the resonance its full time to die away. Then on to the achingly familiar Sicilienne from the Sonata for Flute and Harpsichord in E flat gently and irresistibly flowing.

From this we step straight into the brilliance of the Harpsichord Suite in A minor, sounding no less brilliant on the piano. The order of the suite is played around with, the gay Prelude ceding to the stately Sarabande, rather than the customary Allemande. (The traditional order of dances in suites from the Baroque era runs: Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Menuet, Gigue.) I love the freedom and the jumbled order of Prelude, Sarabande, Menuet,

MUSICAL MUSINGS

Courante, Allemande and Gigue works well.

The aria from the St Matthew Passion, “Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben”, captures me afresh, meditative and transcendent, followed by the Air on a G string from the Orchestral Suite in D Major, and then we are back in original keyboard territory with the Fantasia from the Fantasia and Fugue in C Minor, entering in an explosion of energy. It is another instance of the well thought through balance of the album.

The Sicilienne from the Concerto for Organ is another instance of Bach’s own skill in transcription, this one sourced from Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico for 2 violins and cello. The sonorous solemnity of the organ comes through in Tharaud’s pianism. We return to Lute territory with the dramatic gesture of the Prelude opening the Suite for Lute in E minor, opening into a fast moving, flowing counterpoint. Again the movements of the suite are inverted, the sarabande following on the prelude, and there is no compunction to include all the movements of the suite.

It is refreshing find this music treated in

a non-purist way that brings us closer at the same time to its core, its spirit essence not muted by excessive reverence, and not debased by derivative imitation either.

I find myself loving the two short preludes for keyboard, then getting drawn into the quiet space of the St Matthew Passion with the chorale, “Erkenne mich, mein Hüter”. Most of the transcriptions on this album are Tharaud’s own, but this one is by Jean Wiéner, pianist and composer, and one of Tharaud’s great inspirations. Tharaud includes a second chorale transcription by Wiéner, “Nun ruhen alle Wälder”. The Allemande from the Partita for Solo Flute charms afresh, a break between the two stately chorales. And, finally, Gounod’s meditation on Bach’s Prelude in C Major, the sublime Ave Maria, the soaring vocal line equally sublime on piano. As I listen to this album I find myself mostly just carried along on the river of sound, sure that there is a sublime destination to which Bach’s music is inexorably leading me – a most willing listener and participant on this journey.

Paul Cezanne - Still Life with Peppermint Bottle

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

By K.E. Heartsong

Yep, there be changes in the air, changes of all sorts, I imagine. This change I’m talking about, however, concerns a headphone. Yes, in the scheme of things a small change, unless of course you are a dyed-in-the-wool lover of headphones.

There’s a new headphone in town, and word is, it’s the fastest in the west and so gosh darn clean and distortion-free that headphones of all types, even electrostatics, are fleeing town in droves. Well, I should know. I’ve spent the past several months with

Well, if you’ve ever thought about coming over to see what the whole headphone thing is all about and you have sufficient scratch, dinero, lettuce, bing-bings, moolah, Benjamins, or coin, now may be the time.

this newfangled headphone and it’s something special. It’s called the Susvara Unveiled. That’s right, it doesn’t wear a grill mask and you see, that’s the beauty of it. It gives you everything free of distortion— reflection/refraction—all natural, and

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Henri de Toulouse Lautrec - Pierreuse

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

beautiful-like. I’ve listened to a lot of headphones, owned a lot too, and not a single one measures up to this here Susvara Unveiled, not even its brother—the Susvara original.

Well, that’s the other side of the story. Up until now, its brother, the Susvara, was holding down things here pretty nice-like. There’d be the occasional popup from an old sawtooth or a young upstart headphone, but it fizzled out pretty quick like and things were back to normal. The Susvara would then go about its daily business dispensing the tunes, with a speed and naturalness that just made folks smile. Now, there’s feuds and there’s family feuds and this here is the latter, a family feud. And you might ask, well, how does it turn out?

REFRAIN: Unlike most reviews, this review will be non-sequential, as it will start with how the headphones actually sound and not the process of physically “undressing” them and/or laying out their various parts, specifications, etc. Think of this review, then, as a non-linear movie— In the Shadow of the Moon, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, The Queen’s Gambit, etc.—that likewise starts at the end and winds its way to the beginning.

THE SYSTEM - HEADPHONE

• Grimm Audio MU1 Streamer

• Silent Angel Rhein Z1 Streamer

• Silent Angel Forester F2 Power Supply

• Silent Angel Bonn NX Network Switch

• Silent Angel Genesis GX Master Clock

• Bricasti Design M1SE DAC

• Border Patrol SE-i DAC

• Aurorasound HEADA Headphone Amplifier

• HeadAmp CFA3 Headphone Amplifier

• Pass Labs HPA-1 Headphone Amplifier

• ABYSS AB1266 PHI TC Headphone

• Dan Clark EXPANSE Headphone

• MEZE Empyrean Headphone

• HIFIMAN Susvara Headphone

• HIFIMAN Susvara Unveiled Headphone

• Kubala Sosna—cabling and wires

• RSX Beyond Power Cables

• Audience Hidden Treasure CAT7 Ethernet cables

• TORUS RM20—Power Generation

THE SOUND

For the past few months, there’s been a powwow of sorts here at Casa Heartsong. Yep, I sat down with both the brothers—the Susvara and the Susvara Unveiled—to figure out how they’re alike and how they’re unlike, i.e. their differences, in a peaceful and friendly manner. And though change is most certainly the only constant that I’m aware of, some take to it better than others.

The differences between these two brothers—the Susvara Unveiled and the Susvara—are a great deal more substantive than many would have believed. I know this because as I began to get to the bottom of things, to learn more about the Susvara

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

Unveiled, one thing popped up and wouldn’t go away—“distortion-free”. Well, truth be told, when I heard this I kinda smiled. “Your brother is supposed to be distortion-free,” I said to the Susvara Unveiled. It just smiled back in a knowing sort of way and didn’t say a word. Whether that was just plain confidence or a brewing family feud, I didn’t know at the time, but I took things slow from there.

Folks will gossip. And you can bet there was plenty of that around town concerning the brothers. Some of the folks gossiped about “relative” bass response, midrange forwardness or not, treble ascent, and increased sensitivity and decreased impedance between the brothers. All important aspects, to be sure, but not a single one hit the nail on the head or gave detail to what is by far the most important aspect of the Susvara Unveiled. Its raison d’être, its reason for being, via the removal of its grills, was to free the music in its entirety and to place it on another higher level of, well, naturalness than any other headphone out there. Now, sometimes you don’t know quite what something means until you've experienced it up close and personal-like. Well, over the course of several months, I did. And oh my gosh, I don’t think I was quite ready for the results.

I sat listening to Rachel Podger’s Telemann: Twelve Fantasies for Solo Violin (Channel Classics). It is one of my new favorites, to which I have grown quite fond of, mind you. One of the things I like about it is the ambient noise of the church—St. Michael’s, West Compton, Dorset, England —where it was performed. Well, first I listened to the entire CD with the Susvara and then with the Susvara Unveiled. There’s a turning point in all of our lives, I reckon. So, as I sat there listening with the Susvara Unveiled, I noticed a quiet, an ease, a peace, if you will, that had not been there with its brother. I now understood the church, her violin, the notes that sprang forth from it; even their tone/timbre came through a good deal better. The best way to describe it is something like this. Imagine a radio’s white static, its noise, at barely audible levels in the background, while you’re listening to a piece of music on the radio. It’s there if you concentrate hard enough on figuring it out. Now imagine that noise gone, completely and simply not there. It changes things in a bigger way than you’d ever imagine. The Susvara Unveiled delivered the music with the noise gone completely. At that point, I just shook my head. I couldn’t ever look at its brother, the Susvara, the same way again. Yes, standing up next to every other headphone in town and beyond, and even some electrostatics, it was the boss of ‘em all. Now, it was just next in line. A tough thing to be

on top of the world one moment and number two the next. But that’s life, I imagine. And on it went with every CD or stream played—Sarah Jarosz’ Undercurrent, Olafur Arnalds’ Island Songs, Charlie Mingus’ Tijuana Moods, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, etc.—it was right good, of course, with the Susvara, but it was always better with the Susvara Unveiled. And it was better in a way that made going back to the Susvara, well, quite a bit tough. Another thing that happened as a result of the lack of noise or what is probably better called a lack of distortion— reflection/refraction—was more detail. It’s like I could hear more air and them teenytiny pieces of music with the Susvara Unveiled that I couldn’t before. It was, of course, all the new detail that brought me closer to the music. It was more intimate like,

more natural, and I was into the music like I hadn’t ever been before.

Now on to aspects of the frequency range of the Susvara Unveiled versus the Susvara, which I can cover here pretty quicklike, because it matches its brother and then some, mind you. The treble and the midrange are easypeasy to talk on, they’re simply better as they don’t abide distortion anywhere near what its brother does. So treble extension reaches to high heaven. It’s pristine, like a brand-new sparkling silver sheriff’s badge. It does not abide a mote of distortion that isn’t on the CD, and every teeny-tiny bit of information is intact and available to hear (and this wasn’t even with the Grimm Audio MU2!). And when the midrange is freed of radio white noise—grill covering—and all them there microdynamics are happily free to

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

move about and available, well, you hear everything—breaths, whispered words, etc. And there was some grumbling, gossip, mind

headphones. What this here Susvara Unveiled was doing was beyond even that, and by a fair shot, mind you. Seeing as not a

that too was put to bed right early, because again, more information via less distortion is available here too and it’s just as tight and just a whisker more potent, too. I imagine that’s the silver talking.

Now, I have owned open-back headphones before, and yes, there has always been an expansion of the stage upon which the musicians perform, which some folks call the soundstage. And the music has been more natural and open with the open-back

headphones could stand toe to toe with Susvara, matching up to the Susvara Unveiled was nothing more than a pipe dream, in a broke-down shack, smack dab in the Mojave desert.

My advice for those who are happy with their own personal Susvara headphones is, don’t you dare listen to the Susvara Unveiled. Unless, of course, you can afford it, and it ain’t cheap. Because if you do listen and you own the original, there’s going to be some mighty

hurt feelings until you can forget the experience. The good thing is our listening or “aural” memory , as they say, is short. Besides, the Susvara has been my compadre for as far back as I can remember, and there have been long and friendly hours of listening between us. We kind of formed an understanding of what good music is, which we heartily agree on. I will keep it or give it to a loved one with enough juice in their HPA to make it sing. Of course, I can’t ever let them hear the Susvara Unveiled—that’d risk me losing a family member or a good friend for giving them the lesser model. Folks are like that.

THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

• Driver type: Planar Magnetic

• Design: Over-ear

• Weight: 430g (excluding magnetic veils and headphone cable)

• Sensitivity: 86dB

• Impedance: 45 Ohm

• Frequency response: 6Hz – 75kHz

DRIVABILITY

One of the major differences of the Susvara Unveiled is its increased efficiency and decreased impedance (86dB, 45-Ohms), which make it easier to drive and allow it to dance with more headphone amplifiers than its brother ever could. In the case of Casa Heartsong, the Pass Labs HPA-1 now enters

the fray and is able to dance with the Susvara Unveiled easily and beautifully. I have not, however, paired it with a Digital Audio Player (DAP). That said, the Susvara Unveiled presents a notable improvement in drivability. Bravo!

CONCLUSION

The absence of the window-shade grill in the Susvara Unveiled has led to decreased levels of distortion—reflection/refraction—that are easily heard and heartily enjoyed. It offers up music of pristine relative quality and in turn frees greater detail, ambient cues, microdynamics, transparency, and resolution not previously heard. The result is more intimacy and immersiveness and naturalness to a far greater degree than even the Susvara. I had reckoned on improvement, but I did not imagine that making the original Susvara seem noisy in comparison was a possibility. It is.

Playing any CD or stream with the Susvara and then changing to the Susvara Unveiled always brought a change of greatly reduced distortion. This not only made listening to music less of a task but also immensely more pleasurable. Again, it was like having a radio’s white noise in the background with the original Susvara, just at the edge of perceptibility, and then removing the white noise altogether with the Susvara Unveiled. Now imagine what that would do

to your listening experience. Until the Susvara Unveiled, I hadn’t the foggiest notion of there being white noise in the background with the original Susvara. A word of advice: if you have no plans on buying the Susvara Unveiled, then don’t listen to it. Or that’s on you.

The Susvara Unveiled is a towering improvement over the Susvara. Further, the Susvara Unveiled is also easier to drive and thus able to work with, dance with a greater variety of headphone amplifiers. And its clarity, level of refinement, nuance, and distortion-free music provides reproduction that is to date unmatched. What’s not to like?

Distortion-free to a degree that not even the original Susvara can dare match, which makes it more natural, while offering outstanding technical abilities. The HIFIMAN Susvara Unveiled displaces the original Susvara from my Desert Island perch. And it may well displace the original Susvara from your deeply buried postapocalyptic bunker. It’s also much easier to power, which will save many batteries in the bunker—hooray! Cons: It ain’t cheap, folks.

THE COMPANY

The Susvara Unveiled is one of the easiest DIAMOND AWARD winners, an easy BREAKTHROUGH AWARD winner, a PRODUCT OF THE YEAR for 2024, and a BEST PRODUCT of the YEAR for 2024 as well. You heard it here, folks. Now hear it for yourself.

JOAN OF AUDIO & MUSIC

By Raine Jordan

A HIGHER LOVE

BEST OF THE YEAR LIVE IMPROVISATIONAL JAZZ 2024

THE BEST OF THE BAY: THE BACKYARD IMPROV

At 3,849 feet Mt. Diablo is more like a majestic hill than a mountain in comparison to the magnitude of the Sierra Nevada. But, for many of us who live in the East Bay of the San Franciso Bay Area, we know that at the summit, Mt. Diablo offers some of most the remarkable and panoramic views in California. On a clear day you can see 200 miles out in all directions. At the base are swaths of low rolling hills and wide habitable valleys. There is absolutely no shortage of natural beauty here. So, what does this have to do with my take on “The Best Live Improvisational Jazz in the Bay”?

Well, I’ll tell you; tucked seamlessly into the nooks and crannies of these sprawling yellow sometimes green hills is a wonderland of neighborhoods. There are lakes, waterways, bridges, parks, a fecundity of trees, flowers, and wildlife, and a wealth of charming California-

style homes. Herein lives the Backyard Improv, The Best Live Improvisational Jazz in the Bay. The Backyard Improv is a small but extraordinary allimprovisational jazz concert series that has found a perfect venue, the organically intimate backyard. The musicians of the Backyard Improv, “the cast,” as they are called, are comprised of highly engaged music artists from the greater San Francisco Bay area, from Sacramento to Santa Cruz and beyond. Currently there is a cast of 80 unique and talented musicians. Peter Baron is the producer and host of The Backyard Improv. He is also a prolific artist, mostly a painter, and the creator of the former Impulse Room, a preeminent jazz club that he had custom-built in the downtown area of Walnut Creek; a small city that sits idyllically near the base of Mount Diablo. The Impulse Room was created by Peter to champion live original music. The inspiration for the club’s

Painting by Rossetti

JOAN OF AUDIO & MUSIC

name came from an experience that Peter had as the club was being built. He didn’t have a name for it yet. As he stood on the corner where the club was he overheard a few people discussing where to go to hear music. One of the people impulsively called out “let’s go to San Francisco”, and off they went. Suddenly the name, ‘The Impulse Room’, popped into Peter’s head. It’s funny how the word “impulse” also signifies the spontaneous and improvisational expressions of jazz. As a side note, there is an award-winning independent film entitled “The Impulse Room.” which artfully chronicles the creation of the club. You can check it out on YouTube. But even more remarkable is that The Backyard Improv was born serendipitously from the closure of The Impulse Room. As fate had it, the club was forced to close its doors during the time when Covid disrupted the lifeline of so many small businesses. In this case, there was no coming back. But as a wise person once said, “opportunity often comes disguised as misfortune or temporary defeat.” No matter how tragic or difficult things seem, when you have faith in something greater than your circumstances, life has a way of bringing all the pieces together. In short, amidst the precariousness of the times, and the uncertainty of what to do next, some of those pieces began to come together. While standing on the deck in his neighbor’s backyard taking in the beauty of the surroundings, Peter had the long-shot idea of bringing his show outdoors. He pitched it to his neighbor. His neighbor, thinking that the idea wouldn’t go anywhere, agreed. The first show, needless to say, took place in the next door neighbor’s backyard. Remarkably, The Backyard Improv was born.

THE BACKYARD VENUE

I feel fortunate that I’ve been to some of the most beautiful outdoor music venues, large and small, in Northern CA; The Mountain Winery, Filoli Gardens, Villa Montalvo, The Monterey Jazz Festival, The Greek Theater, just to name a few. And I may be a bit biased. I fell in love with California landscapes, and music at an early age. I spent quite a few years flipping through art books and magazines looking at images of California while listening to music. The beauty and the vibe of the west continually played like background music in my mind. When I finally moved here from the east coast in 1989, my first impression was ‘it’s more than I hoped for’. It was kind of like seeing Monet’s, Water Lily Pond in- person. It absorbed me. l say all this to add a bit more context to why I wanted to feature the Backyard Improv in the Best of the Year Issue. Well, first, The Backyard Improv takes place in some of the loveliest backyards in the San Francsico Bay area. Especially East Bay where most of us live. And, then there is the live music, especially improvisational jazz. I probably don’t need to go much further. But, I’ve been to a lot of the Backyard Improv shows this season, and I have hung out in a lot of backyards. Every backyard was unique. All of them had their own beauty and feel. And every concert experience was different based on the many nuances of the backyard. And of course, each backyard reflects the personal style and pride of ownership of the house hosts. It’s quite exciting to have 15 or 16 incredible backyards on rotation. It keeps the concert series fresh and surprising.

Also, I appreciate that the Backyard Improv is private. Initially I was wary that a private event may be a pretentious event, which wouldn’t be a

JOAN OF AUDIO & MUSIC

good fit for me. But in no way is it pretentious. It is open-minded, and friendly. People from all walks of life attend. It’s a beautiful blend of energy from folks who have a truly great appreciation for live music. It’s hard to match that level of appreciation and respect for music at outdoor venues anywhere. So, for me, the backyard is a perfect venue. And The Backyard Improv is the best live improvisational jazz in the SF, Bay Area

To be invited to The Backyard Improv, feel free to join Peter Baron’s Jazz Network on Facebook. Once you become a member of the Jazz Network you can request info on invites.

THE SHOW

Almost 4 years after the inception of the allimprovisational jazz concert series known as The Backyard Improv, Peter Baron has successfully produced and hosted over 60 shows, featuring over 80 different musicians at 16 plus backyards. I’ve had the privilege of attending at least 1o of the shows, in a little over a year. So, I’ve listened to a sizable sample of live improvisational jazz with 1o different configurations of musicians and about 80-100 different songs, in 8 or 9 different backyard venues. And each concert has ‘wowed’ me!

Peter Baron’s Backyard Improv, subtitled Underground Jazz Theater, was inspired by an improvisational jazz show he created at his former club, The Impulse Room. He so loved the spontaneous and off-the-cuff, theatrical feel of improvisational music that he wanted to continue to explore it. Many of the musicians that played at his club are now part of “the cast” of the Backyard Improv. Currently the cast has

grown to over 80 musicians. I attended most of the shows for this season and they were nothing less than spectacular. The level of musicianship seemed to get progressively higher as the season went on. Many of us started to joke about how we thought every show was the best show so far. My only caveat is that live improvisational jazz is best experienced live, unless the recording quality is amazing. And I don’t think the sound quality of the videos that I’m sharing will deliver the music the way it sounded live. But it is decent enough to provide a good impression of a couple of amazing shows.

One of the many reasons I think Peter Baron’s Backyard Improv produces some of the best live improvisational music in the San Francisco Bay Area, is that it literally stays true to an all-improvisational performance. And it’s because of that high bar, that the musicians are inspired to create exceptional improvisational music. There is really nothing like it anywhere.

Below are a few parameters that Peter Baron created to help guide the flow and improvisational intent of the Backyard Improv shows:

• The show is completely unscripted and unrehearsed

• The musicians have no idea who they are playing with until they arrive at the show. They also don’t know what instruments will be played, aside from their own.

• Some of the musicians have never played with one another before. Some have played together but not with the same mix of musicians. A lot of them will be meeting for the very first time

• There is no set-list. There are no songs. The songs are created on the spot, at the show, in real time.

• Nothing is ever repeated. Each show is different and will never happen again.

• The exact mix of musicians is never repeated.

When I consider the value and beauty of improvisational music and how much it encourages creativity and self-expression for the musician, simultaneously I can also see that it encourages the listener in similar ways. I also cannot help but think of Peter Baron’s role as the host of the Backyard Improv, and how impactful his improvisational self- expression is to the musicians and the audience. Peter Baron is as central to the show as the musicians are. He guides the entire show from start to finish masterfully. The first time I attended The Backyard Improv, I was as captivated by Peter’s hosting performance, as I was with the musicians. Later, I learned that he was the producer of The Backyard Improv as well as a fine artist. That helped me to make sense of why I thought he was so perfect for the show. It’s his show. He creates it.

As the host, Peter Baron is a lot of things to everyone. He is the muse, the minister of music, a conduit for love, etc. He is also a master improviser. One of the most engaging and creative improvisations that happen during the show is between Peter and the cast of musicians, and between the musicians and the audience. It all starts when Peter begins to prompt the musicians to create a song. First, Peter begins by authentically expressing whatever is on his mind, in the many creative ways that he does; storytelling, creating a visual scenario, sharing something personal or something inspirational, etc. Next, he may describe what the musical elements for the song should be; tempo,

dynamics, genres or style, or what instrument should lead. At last, he produces the song title and the musicians began to create the song from that exchange. And now, the journey of musical improvisation begins. There is no way to describe what happens in that process except that it is an immersive experience that happens between everyone involved, including the audience. You to have experience musical improvisation live to fully get it. So, to be a part of the audience, and watch this process unfold in real time is an amazing gift. From the moment Peter begins to impart his ideas or vision to the musicians, to the moment they begin to compose the song, to the moment we begin to move with the musicians through the creation of the song until it ends, we are on an incredible journey, a beautiful joy ride!

Please find my interview with Peter Baron of the Backyard Improv on the following pages.

• Peter Baron’s Jazz Network:

• Information and content on The Backyard Improv

• Peter Baron's Jazz Network | Facebook

The Backyard Improv (106) Peter Baron - YouTube

“Solid state dynamics, resolution, detail retrieval, and spaciousness married to tube liquidity, remarkable tone/timbre/texture, offer #%$*@! musical bliss. What more could one ask for (Aurorasound HEADA)?”

—K.E. Heartsong, AudioKeyREVIEWS! Magazine

Peter Baron

Conducted by Raine Jordan

P RODUCER & H OST OF B ACKYARD I MPROV

INTERVIEW: PETER BARON

This is an excerpt from my Audio Interview with Peter Baron. It is moderately edited for clarity. You can find the full unedited, unscripted version of the audio interview within the pages of this article. I encourage you to take a listen. It’s a very cool ride.

Rain Jordan (RJ) Well, good evening. I'm here with Peter Baron. Peter is the host and the producer of the Backyard Improv and the curator of the Jazz Network in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. It's great to be with you, Peter.

Peter Baron (PB) Thank you.

(RJ) How are you doing tonight?

(PB) Good as you were reading that, I'm like I wanna meet that guy. He sounded kind of interesting,

(RJ) Yeah. Well, I'm meeting him! So why don't we start with a sort of big question, but I want you to summarize it because I want to get into it a little bit deeper as we go along. But I'd like our readers and listeners to know a little bit about the Backyard improv. What is the Backyard improv?

(PB) I'm going to do my best, you know, with me, it's a challenge, but the short version of it is that we go into people's backyards. There has been a time or two that we've been

elsewhere. We've been inside a home or a warehouse or something like that. But generally speaking, we go in people's backyards and. we have a concert. But the thing is with the concerts, they're not normal concerts, if you will. What's different about this is not only do we get to go to different places, so you're seeing all these different backyards, different environments, different vibes but each concert also has a different group of musicians. So, basically, it's all improvisational, all show long. And none of the musicians know who they're playing with until they show up. I'm just blessed they trust me like that. There is a common ground or relationship with most of them because I had a jazz club for a couple years and this concept was born there.

(RJ) Wow!

(PB) Then COVID hit the club, and it had to close, and it did not reopen. But I wanted to continue on with that aspect of it, the allimprovisational thing. And so, there's no known songs. Everything's completely unscripted. What I say, what they do, is totally improvisational and a lot of times they're meeting for the very first time, which is a blast. So, you're not looking at chart music, sheet music, you're not playing a known song and you're just meeting the

INTERVIEW: PETER BARON

you said, “we go into people’s backyards”. You don't actually just go into their backyards, do you? (laughter)

(PB) Oh no, I have permission to go in their backyards. And it usually includes hand waving like. Hello, I'm here. You know? Yeah, we're here. We're not robbing or casing the place.

(RJ) Ok what a beautiful description Peter. And because I've been to a few of them, I think you explained it pretty accurately, but of course there are so many more nuances to it that we'll talk a little bit about as we move on. But yeah, that's a great summary. I love how

(PB) Correct. Not necessarily 60 different venues, but it did start from one place where the owner of the home who hosted us his backyard was crazy enough to say yes to me multiple times in a row, which really helped person, the musician, for the first time. And you know, we are at 60 of these concerts now, and not one of them will ever be repeated. You know, I mean, it's just that every time the configuration is different. So, that's it in a nutshell. We go into people's backyards, the guests that come, they have no idea who's playing either. So, we get to experience this organically, never to be repeated, the whole deal, all of it together simultaneously.

(RJ) (Laughter) And then you said you you're at about 60 Backyard Improvisational concerts, right?

INTERVIEW: PETER BARON

to get me going with it. So at least there have been 15 or 16 different places, different backyards, including a few different cities.

(RJ) Wow, so you have had 60 completely unique, never-to-be- repeated Backyard Improvs so far?

(PB) Correct. There are a few cases where maybe if it's a quartet, four people were coming and maybe three of them happen to play in one concert with one of the other musicians before but then there's always at least one person, if not all of them that were never a part of their original configuration, that original meet up with that person. So, yea it’s different every single time.

(RJ) I’ll vouch for that. And, what is the Peter Baron Jazz Network? How is that affiliated with or connected to The Backyard Improv?

(PB) Well, simply put, it's just a Facebook group. I created it. I don't even know when, maybe a few years ago. It's a public group, you know, it's not private or anything like that. And people in the area, even outside the area, will post things about upcoming concerts, music events. But initially I had it just as a way to keep in contact with all the people, all the bands I knew from the club. Which is where all this stems from. So, I thought, well, I want to do a little more with the Facebook group. So then I started posting the other bands that the musicians were in. They were part of my improvisational thing but they're all part of different bands that played at the club. All of the musicians either lead or play in popular bands or they play for stars, etc.

(RJ) So the Peter Baron Jazz Network is a sort of landing page for The Backyard

Improv as a whole, and the audiences, the music lovers, who are attracted to the event?

(PB) Yes, thank you. It’s primarily a built-in connection with the Backyard Improv. So that's the main purpose, if you will, for the group. But you know, it's expanded to include other people. It's all music related. And that brings me to the musicians. You didn't ask this question, but it is neat how the musicians basically base their desire to play at The Backyard Improv with their gigging schedule, like, if they are already gigging at that time. So, if I reach out to them, to play in The Improv, they never say things like, “well, who am I playing with? Then I'll tell you whether I'm available or not.” They are just open to play if they are available. If they are not already gigging.

(RJ) So as you're talking about the musicians that play in your improvisational concerts, how do you select the musicians? How do they get to belong to your group?

(PB) Well, I'm glad you're around to keep me in check now and then, because I did kind of scoot away from your initial thing, but it all got started with the different bands that would come to play inside my club, The Impulse Room. I always wanted a mix of original music and maybe some cover songs or some standards, but the bands I hired always had to incorporate one of the criteria,

they always had to play some original music. My thinking was that there are so many clubs that don't champion original music, but instead require or demand the bands play popular or familiar music, like cover bands or tribute bands. It's all good though, I love live music, so this is not a slight or anything like that. I mean, a lot of the musicians that play for the Backyard Improv are from these kinds of bands and what not. So, basically, I would meet the artists through the club. They'd come in and if I thought they were cool, meaning I liked their vibe and style, it would kind of register in my head. A band would come in and there's a guitar I may like, and I ‘d take note that the musician or the band was pretty cool. He's got that sound; he’s got a particular style. So, I just kind of started charting all these people in my head.

(RJ) This is before you had the Backyard Improv, right?

(PB) That's right, this is inside The Impulse Room. It was the same premise., the same concept.

(RJ) Right. I was just wondering if you had a premonition for The Backyard Improv back then. But you were already creating a similar concept in your club?

(PB) No, I didn’t have premonition. But that's an excellent question. But the thing is, is that no, not initially, it was just an idea. It

INTERVIEW: PETER BARON

grew out of necessity. And what I mean is that inherently clubs get busier on Fridays and Saturdays. This is the nature of nightlife and people will go out and you know they want to find things to do. So, you know, obviously Fridays and Saturdays are your busiest days. And so you'd still be open on a Wednesday, which I was. So, I was open Wednesday thru Saturday. You know you’re gonna have a slow night. We're in the Bay Area, right? We're in Northern California in the East Bay in particular. And this was at a time when the Warriors were in the playoffs, winning championships and stuff. So, there's a lot to distract you. Right? So, I said, well, it's going to be slow here. Anyway, let me do something to attract buisness. I know all these musicians. So let me call them up and see if they'll play blindly without knowing who they're going to play with and just do an improv thing.

and because I'm a painter, I like the process. I look at it from a theatrical standpoint almost. I look at the creative process, I look at the musicians. this guy just met this guy. What a

trip, I think, they have no idea what kind of style of music they each play, what kind of jazz? Fusion, some old school thing? Sometimes I pair a rockabilly guy with a classic jazz guy, and a funk or blues guy. They’ve never even heard each other play, right? So, that’s what I did, that was the premise. I wanted to see what might happen with it. You know, hey, it's Wednesday. It's going to be slow anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Let me be creative and let's just go from there. And it just kind of took off.

(RJ) What made you think of that?

(PB) I thought it would be unique. I'm an artist and fortunately for me, there are people that share the same type of love or interest in this kind of thing. It is very theatrical to me,

Interview continued in the video above.

Paul Cezanne - The House of Dr. Gachet in Auvers sur

Henri Cartier-Bresson - Brie, France

By K. E. Heartsong

ALLNIC AUDIO H-10000 PHONO-PRE

The H-10000 OTL/OCL

Signature Phono-stage

Preamplifier represents the Korean manufacturer Allnic’s latest addition to it’s line up, and also it’s new flagship phono preamp. What makes this new addition quite an eye opener is Allnic’s decision to integrate an OTL/OCL (Output Transformer-Less / Output Capacitor-Less) design into a phono-stage is essentially new territory. bringing the clarity and purity of sound typically associated with this design to a phono playback, which of course demands the utmost precision.

One of the game changing aspects of the H-10000 OTL/OCL Signature is the elimination of permalloy core output transformers, which are typically a hallmark of Allnic’s devices. Instead, the use of a single-ended push-pull (SEPP) circuit with 7233 output tubes ensures powerful drive capabilities with minimal coloration or distortion This choice, combined with the unit’s silver-wired, built-in MC step-up transformers (SUTs), underscores Allnic’s philosophy to minimizing energy loss and maximizing sonic purity. The SUTs, with their easy adjustability, allowing for what Allnic says is a precise amplification factor and correct input impedance adjustments.

Lead designer and founder of Allnic Audio, K.S. Park has already executed several other OTL/OCL designs, such as the linestages such as the recently reviewed. L-10000 OTL/OCL Signature (https:// www.audiokeyreviews.com/the-reviews/ allnic-l-10000-signature), HPA-10000 OTL/OCL headphone amplifier/ preamplifier, and world’s first OTL/OCL DAC, the D-10000 OTL/OCL. The H-10000 OTL/OCL retails for $45,000.

At the heart of the H-10000 OTL/OCL Signature lies its separation of the power supply and amplification units, a feature characteristic of Allnic’s premium phonostages.

This design insures that the sixteen vacuum tubes, eight per channel on each side, are fed a robust, quiet, and efficient power source for maximum performance. The dualcircuit power supply, with separate DC outputs for each of the preamplifier’s gain stages makes it clear that Allnic and Park are fanatical about details. They consider state of the art power supplies to be critical factors for any high end audio component.

The amplification unit is equipped with a combination of ECF802 triode-pentode tubes, double triode E180CCs, and 7233 triodes. The dual-stage amplification process,

Vincent Van Gogh - Fenêtre dans le studio

ALLNIC AUDIO H-10000 PHONO-PRE

configured with these tubes, achieves a stated gain range of 40-72dB, likely making it versatile enough to handle a wide array of cartridges with ease. The reversal of tube order in the second gain stage is a particularly interesting approach, which is said by Allnic to optimize the performance of the amplification process.

The front panel of the H-10000 OTL/ OCL Signature is designed with the classic audiophile in mind, offering intuitive control over the unit’s various functions. The input selector dial, LCR multicurve EQ knobs, and balance meters are all nicely laid out, allowing for precise adjustments. The inclusion of four RCA inputs, along with XLR and RCA output connectors, ensures compatibility with a wide range of audio setups.

A final interesting feature set of the H-10000 OTL/OCL Signature is its support for multiple phono curves, including the standard RIAA as well as the Decca and Columbia curves. The ability to fine-tune turnover frequencies and high-pass attenuation levels via the front panel EQ units adds another layer of customization, ensuring that vinyl enthusiasts and record collections are well served. Lastly, the H-10000 allows you to select the amplification factor and input impedance of the step-up transformer..

The build quality is over the top, typical of Allnic retro inspired designs. The H-10000 is

another piece of industrial art, with the old school meters and switches lending a vintage vibe, and a feel that inspires confidence in use. Our unit arrived in a black finish, which we loved for contrast, as our other Allnic review samples were in silver.

SET UP & LISTENING:

On the main unit’s front panel, there is an input selector, and two pairs of LCR multi curve EQ knobs, one for each channel. Controls include turnover, and roll off. Their are two balance meters, per channel,that monitor whether DC is involved during the amplification process. There is also a mute button, thankfully. As noted,there are four pairs of RCA inputs, for MM and MC cartridges. We used the unit’s RCA inputs, and the XLR outputs exclusively,

We set the H-10000 up in our main system currently consisting of a Rogue Audip RP-7 balanced tube preamp, an Audio Research VS120 power amp, Magnepan 3.7i speakers, and Clarus Cabling. We used two turntables during this period, the Rega Planar 8, and a SOTA Comet Vi. Bothe are excellent tables and even more so considering their relatively modest prices. The Planar 8 was equipped with a Rega Ariaia cartridge, and the SOTA with an Audio Technica AT33S.

Hookup was not eventful. We simply connected the umbilical cords from the power supply to the main unit, and dialed in our settings. We always let the unit warm up for a period of time before use. We made sure there was good ventilation around both the main unit and the power supply.

yet individual elements were distinct. Tracks like “Stone Flower”, “Song Of The Wind” “La Fuente Del Ritmo:” are filled with exotic touches and syncopated rhythms, and the Allnic flagship phono stage brought out all the mysticism these songs are steeped in.

We ran through many of the records we listened to while reviewing Allnic’s H-7000 phono stage.( https:// www.audiokeyreviews.com/the-reviews/ allnic-h7000-phonopreamplifier) First up was an original pressing of Santana’s fourth album, Caravanserai. The album is a masterful fusion of rock, latin, and jazz influences, and even some nods to new age. The H-10000 unraveled the percolating layers of the album in such a way as to make it as if we were hearing for the first time!

The layers of guitars, keyboards, percussion, drums, and vocals was coherent,

Joan Baez’s 1970 album Gothic folk rock masterpiece One Day At A Time particularly highlighted the way H-10000 delivered amazingly present and solid images, with a harmonic richness and texture on acoustic instruments and voices. Baez’s version of the Jagger / Richards classic “No Expectations” is a show stopper, with Dobro, acoustic guitars, and an immersive vocal. The H-10000 had that “reach out and touch it” type of dimensionality. The H-10000 also showed that the pressing, and original on the Vanguard label, was done with attention to detail.

mono pressing of The Sound Of Jazz, which featured a dream ensemble, including Billie Holiday and Count Basie. The H-10000 captured the studio ambiance, making the horns, piano, drums, and vocals sound warm, present, and cohesive, as did the H-7000 before it, but with a keener sense of the recording space. Bass articulation was also sublime, with the lower end of the instruments register sounding very defined.

Another album we were thrilled to listen to via the H-10000, is Living Colour’s 1988 debut on Epic records, Vivid. The band brought an entirely new dimension to hard rock, and took MTV by storm. The songs stand up to this day, and the production is

from that era fell victim to. Hearing “Cult of Personality” explode out of the speakers was goosebump inducing. There was more dynamics, solidity, and overall presence than we have ever heard, even through the excellent H-7000.

Out of the numerous albums we spun, one that really stood out was the all analog reissue of Nick Drake’s seminal Pink Moon. This is an album that sold few copies, but had immense influence on later generations of songwriters and recording artists. The reissue was done with care, purportedly from a copy of the master tape, as opposed to other reissues cut from high resolution digital files.

Pink Moon was Drake;s third and final album, and was stripped down to the core of his vocals, acoustic guitar, and piano, as opposed to the orchestrations heard on his first two releases. The H-10000 presented these performances is such an immersive way, it was likes eaves dropping on a private performance. The Allnic showcased the intimacy of Drake’s close mic’d voice and the sublime texture of his guitar. Hearing the H-10000 extract the beautiful melancholy of Drake’s songs was a thing to behold.

As with any tubed component, we let the H-10000 OT:/OCL warm up for a good twenty or thirty minutes before using. This was both for maximum performance and to allow the circuitry to stabilize. There were no other considerations aside from ventilation. The H-10000 is basically plug and play.

CONCLUSION: Is the H-10000 OTL/OCL Signature the best phono preamplifier on the market? Impossible to say, but it is the best ve ever heard to date. With regards to dynamics, tonal balance, and texture, we were left wanting for nothing. The H-10000 is without a doubt worthy of a flagship product. The price is nothing to sneeze at, but it will satisfy tube and vinyl enthusiasts with the most discerning tastes and commensurate playback equipment.

Allnic has established itself at the cutting edge of tube based audio components. Where they can go from here is anybody’s guess. But for the here and now they are breaking new ground both sonically and technically. We can safely say that Allnic products are for those who can afford to fulfill their audio dreams. $45,000 is a considerable amount of coin for an audio component, but that is the cost of attaining the state of the art or close to it.

Without hesitation, we can conclude the Allnic H-10000 OTL/OCL tube-based Phono Stage is the most ambitious analog component design that Allnic has attempted, and pulled off., It offers unparalleled attention to detail and build quality. If one has invested a significant sum into their analog playback set up, the H-10000 OTL/ OCL is a must audition.

AKRM

Wayne Thiebaud-Green River Lands

ACCUPHASE

E-700 INTEGRATED

By Oliver Masciarotte

Last time I was in conversation with James DaRosa, proprietor of Choice Audio who is an Accuphase dealer here in Minnesota, he mentioned a wellregarded Norwegian brand he used to carry. Given an opportunity to compare an amplifier from that company with an Accuphase equivalent, he enthused about how the Accuphase smoked the Nordic contender. Since my sonic tastes generally align with James’, his statement made an impression. Fast forward several months to the subject of this installment, the E-700 integrated amplifier. It arrived via Kermit’s house, and proved to be challenging to transport and to situate in my listening space,

given its almost 55-pound weight. This is no flimsy air–filled piece of consumer electronics, folks!

Of the two Class A integrated amplifiers made by Accuphase, the E–700 is the less expensive model, though at $16,975, it’s more aspirational than affordable for most. At 7.5 inches tall, it’s also rather large and imposing.

However, its cosmetics harken back to an earlier time, to the company’s founding in the early 1970s. My first stereo component was a Fisher receiver with very high FM sensitivity, which allowed me to pull in clean signal from all around Boston’s Route 128 loop. Like that Fisher, the E-700 has a champagne finish. Along with dual LED power meters on the

Vincent Van Gogh - Small Pear Tree in Blossom

ACCUPHASE E-700 INTEGRATED

front panel, a gain readout, and the iconic aqua–illuminated company logo, the overall look is both classy and classic. It received enthusiastic praise from my better half, who declared, “I like that one!”

Why the size? One reason is so that all of its I/O fits on the rear panel. With a total of 10 mostly unbalanced inputs, all selectable from the included large half-pound aluminum infrared remote, the E-700 would certainly embrace almost any selection of separates. If you’re a vinyl lover, an optional AD-60 phono expansion card can slot into the back. With four choices of MC input impedance and a fixed 66dB of gain, the AD-60 also accommodates moving magnet cartridges via 40dB of gain. Another additional-cost option is the DAC-60 board, which enables the E-700 to accept AES3 unbalanced or optical, as well as a USB computer connection via a Standard-B socket. The DAC-60 accepts up to 384k PCM sample rates in addition to DSD4 (DSD256). The E-700 has two expansion slots, so both options can be fitted simultaneously. When the DAC-60 is in play, the front panel gain indicator instead shows sample rate.

The Accuphase marketing folks state that the “evolutionary (E-700)… incorporates numerous technologies from our 50th anniversary flagship model, the E-800.” It is

the successor to the sixth-generation E-650, with lower noise and a 25% higher damping factor. The low noise claim is no humble brag…with gain set to max and an unterminated input selected, I heard only the faintest pink spectrum noise with my ear right at the tweeter. Considering that the indicated gain for my listening sessions averaged -36dB, I couldn’t even begin to approach that amount of amplification in actual use, at least in a room the size of mine.

My review example was not a new unit, so no burn–in was needed. According to TJ Goldsby, VP of Sales and Dealer Relations at AXISS Audio, the distributor for Accuphase, my review unit played non-stop at AXPONA 2024. I noticed that the unit sounded best after a reasonable warm-up, not unusual for a Class A. Give it half an hour or so to come up to temperature and stabilize. This beast is built to drive scary loads: loudspeakers that cause most amplifiers to fold and bow out. From a modest 35W into an 8Ω load to a generous 140W into 2Ω, it will even drive 1 Ohm, which very few amplifiers can boast about.

There is something wholly satisfying about the Accuphase: its ability to sound as though it’s a separate when it actually is a fully integrated hub for a round robin of input devices. I have to stress that those inputs are all analog. Indeed, the seven-

ACCUPHASE E-700 INTEGRATED

segment gain display is the only obvious aspect of the E-700 that is even vaguely digital. I asked AXISS Audio VP of Brands & Business Development Steve Huntley about this. He replied via e–mail that there is one microprocessor in the unit. The micro works purely as a controller, with the chip performing housekeeping duties, “…input/ volume control operations, fault detection, et cetera.” He stressed that the audio does not pass directly through the microprocessor. “At no time do the audio signals become digital.” For amplification, we are talking high-current pure Class A via MOSFET output devices. In place of fuses, the load is

also protected by MOSFETs. I didn’t attempt any woofer welding, so I can’t tell how well the microcontroller’s protection role works. There are many aspects of the E-700 I love: the headphone jack on the front, the Dim function for when a call comes in, the perfectly weighted and solid feel of the controls, the soft–open door on the face that switch to disable the display, leaving only the logo illuminated. Oh, and let’s not forget the delicious performance. The folks at Accuphase are particularly proud of that nice big volume knob. Huntley told me that “… (their) ‘Volume Sensor Mechanism’ refers to the physical volume knob assembly which in

ACCUPHASE E-700 INTEGRATED

turn (sorry for the bad pun) controls precise switching of the fully balanced analog audio signals in the AAVA (Accuphase Analog Vari-gain Amplifier) volume control system. This physical assembly is milled from a single aluminum block to give a very smooth feel and highly accurate detection of the volume control position…The combination of that great feeling physical volume control assembly coupled with the highly sophisticated AAVA circuitry is something that we think is quite unique and special at any price point, let alone the price of the E-700.” I should note that “silky” is not the word I would use, as this is not that viscous

thick–grease feeling of a Blue Velvet ALPS pot. It’s something different, a high-friction heaviness that’s quite gratifying.

If you’ve followed my writing over the years, you know I’m a fan of Aimee Mann.

Her Queens of the Summer Hotel [Qobuz 96k 2021 Super Ego Records] is a chamber

rock gem I never get tired of. Engineered by five-time Grammy award winner Ryan Freeland, who also crafted Mann’s 2018 Mental Illness, the album has a cut titled At the Frick Museum, with which I also have a special connection as The Frick made a lasting impression on the brain of a young and jejune OMas. While the two–way stand-

mounted Haydn SE Signatures I was lucky enough to have in-house offered an eminently pleasing experience, the more price-appropriate Scansonic MB2.5 B floor standers certainly spotlighted the low-end capability of the E-700. Anna Butterss’ bass provided a solid foundation while Jay Bellerose’s ambiently captured kick drum slam at the end was big and bold. Mann’s chesty resonance nicely balanced her slightly reedy head voice. All told, the E-700 drove the mini towers with strength and authority. For those keeping score, the playback chain was my daily driver DAC, the e22 Mk. II from exaSound, connected to my primeval Mac mini running Amara Luxe via Wireworld Starlight 8 USB. The converter drove the Accuphase directly via my new reference, a pair of Audio Art Cables Statement balanced interconnects.

Lara Downes’ Rhapsody in Blue Reimagined from this year’s This Land [Qobuz 96/24 PENTATONE] is a jazzy reimagining of what’s already a Jazz Age classic. Backed by the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra and Great Wall Chinese Orchestra, with guest percussion artists John Santos and Jeriel Sanjurjo, there’s a little bit of everything packed into this track, and it was all rendered in a clean and excellent acoustic space thanks to the Accuphase. Downes’ piano was scaled

appropriately in the soundstage, not portrayed as a school bus–sized instrument, as in many other jazz recordings. The insanely wide bandwidth of the E-700 perfectly portrayed the zing of the Harmon–muted brass and the tinkle of the metal percussive instruments in the truly highresolution double-speed stream, which has recoverable signal well past 40kHz.

Henri Dutilleux’s award–winning Symphony No. 2 "Le double" : III. Allegro fuocoso from Métaboles, L'arbre des songes & Symphony No. 2 “Le double” [Qobuz 96k Seattle Symphony Media 2015] is another jazzy modern riot. Ludovic Morlot’s elastic approach leading the orchestra generates a thrilling and pleasantly realistic perspective. As you would expect, the Accuphase lays out the soundstage as a deep and detailed vista, with the booming low end and clear unblemished highs supporting an enchanting overall panoramic image of Seattle’s Benaroya Hall. Comparing the E-700 to my Parasound JC5, I heard only the slightest difference, and that was in the upper bass. The Accuphase was a teensy bit leaner, with about a decibel of dip around 150Hz. Given its rare inbuilt equalizer, I could subjectively match the two with just a slight tweak.

Accuphase Laboratories manufactures all manner of stereo componentry, from amplifiers and SACD transports to tuners

ACCUPHASE E-700 INTEGRATED

and phono cartridges. That attention to hi–fi’s past as well as its future makes for a compelling brand, and visually, their products possess period charm and a classic appeal that echoes their operating philosophy: Enrich Life through Technology. The E-700 is built to a standard of excellence not seen in most brands, Japanese or other. I consider it a cost–no–object work at an affordable price (for some). Not for me, certainly, but if you’re looking for the multipurpose heart of a traditional higher-end two-channel system, this brawny beast from a time–honored marque might just be your ticket to a better-

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

This has been a most difficult year to select the various products for each of the categories. Suffice to say, that there have been an exceptional number of products from well known manufacturers and those relatively new to the industry across the awards pages. And yes, this issue also begins with flowers, though this time there are, as mentioned in the Editor’s Letter both to greet and to say thank you. And my favorite Matisse’s Flowers is also here, of course.

As I have reviewed products over the course of this year, I have found those components that have brought me closer to the music and have revealed more music than I had imagined could be there. The little Atma-Sphere GEM, which can fit in the palm of my hand, gave the most impressive performance with regard to transparency that I can remember. Okay, it’s sub-bass was not quite there, but mid-bass to upper treble was incredible. And Ralph tells me that there will be new transformers in GEM 1.1. Can’t wait. By the way, the GEM was truly an exceptional headphone amplifier and got our highest award as such. There was also the Grimm Audio MU2 streamer/DAC/preamp that completely updated my

notions on what a streamer/DAC can do. Wow! I can hear the knees of TOTL streamers and multi-component DACs knocking with fear. And then there’s the HifiMan Susvara Unveiled, which has taken the state of the art in headphone design, moved it up, and then jumped over it.

The above said, curated here, once again, as a result of the experiences and reviews of my editors and me are those various Best of the Year components. You will find speakers, integrated amplifiers, preamplifiers, steamers, cables and wires, and headphones and headphone amplifiers and more.

There are three Breakthrough components that have been selected for their outstanding abilities, beyond all measures, and beyond all competitors. Additionally, there are the Editor’s Choice awards, the Best Product of the year award and the Best Budget product of the year. Finally, there are those products that have, collectively, merited Best Products of the Year. All of these products lie across the 108 pages of the November issue of the Best of the Year Awards 2024.

Please Enjoy,

K.E. Heartsong, Editor-in-Chief

Vincent Van Gogh - Fields with Blooming Poppies, 1890

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

REVIEW HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

GRIMM AUDIO SQM CABLES

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Kermit E. Heartsong, Editor

Andre Marc, Editor

SE

Oliver Masciarotte, Editor

VIENNA ACOUSTIC HAYDN

SE SIGNATURE

Vincent Van Gogh - Wheat field with a Reaper

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Kermit E. Heartsong, Editor

GRIMM

Kermit E. Heartsong, Editor

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED

Andre Marc, Editor

Oliver Masciarotte, Editor

Claude Monet - Water Lilies, 1919

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Kermit E. Heartsong, Editor

GRIMM AUDIO SQM

Andre Marc, Editor

SILVERSMITH AUDIO FIDELIUM

Oliver Masciarotte, Editor

Vincent Van Gogh - Tulip Fields near The Hague.

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Yes, the Grimm Audio SQM cables are mind-boggling, as they compete, no scratch that, out-compete Top-of-the-Line (TOTL) cables at many multiples of their cost in a way that defies any semblance of, well, “logic.” One would not think this possible, given the vast disparity of cost between them and the TOTL competitors, but on every metric of music reproduction—technical/spatial, natural musicality, immersiveness—the SQMs were consistently on top. Incredible! $615+

Grimm Audio SQM

$2.5k to

Obravo Venus IEM

The oBravo Venus Signature are simply superb personal audio transducers—exceptional, actually. At close to the $1,000 price point, they are very much front runners in that market. No audio product is perfect, but the Venus Signature made it difficult to find any significant flaws in its build, appearance or sound. If we had to live with just one IEM model, the Venus Signature would likely be it. The fit and feel of the Venus Signature was, for us, just perfect. And this is how a product at this price point should be. $950

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

If you are considering a lower-cost DAC/streamer from a mass market manufacturer, I’d recommend either a LinkPlay WiiM Pro to save money without sacrificing versatility, or investing in Cambridge

Audio’s longer-lasting and better built, better supported 200M and MXN10. Given the price, the only serious downside I could find to this

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wonderful combo was the StreamMagic iOS app for remote operation of modern UX norms, making for too much clicking and tapping around. Also, the DacMagic’s volume control has a relatively large step size, but it’s

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Silversmith has had an excellent reputation since Jeff Smith launched the company 24 years ago, and after hearing the Fidelium speaker cables, it was easy to see and hear why. The cables are musically rich, transparent, balanced tonally, and offer a coherence that is rather uncanny. At $995, the cables are a real bargain when the

SilverSmith Audio Fidelium Cables

$2.5k

technology, sonics, and overall performance are taken into account. The Silversmith Fidelium cable really has only one consideration for prospective buyers, and that is whether the cable will fit ergonomically into a system. $995

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

The Hidden Treasure cable is a two-metre run of cable—it seems impossible that it would affect the sound of your system, but it does, and demonstrably so. The Audience Hidden Treasure CAT7 ethernet cable is a must. If you’re using another high-end ethernet cable, you will want to try Audience’s Top-of-the-Line ethernet cable to see how

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Audience Hidden Treasure CAT7

much you’ve been missing. And God forbid if you’ve been using standard black or white cable for your high-end headphone or two-channel system, as what you’re hearing is, well, off and not anything close to what it should be. $1,150 (2m)

Vincent van Gogh - Landscape near Auvers Wheatfields, 1888

Connect to t Performance

“ The Kubala-Sosna Emotion interconnects connected me to the music like no other interconnects I've heard, at anywhere near the price.

Robert H. Levi

Positive Feedback Online

”

“ ”

The Expressions present music without noticeable boundaries to a stage; sound stages don't erupt from a black background, but from an invisible and expanding one…

Larry Cox

Positive Feedback Online

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Dan Clark EXPANSE

The EXPANSE differentiates itself across the midrange versus the STEALTH with a more open, airy, and ambient staging, with better decay of notes, that the STEALTH could not replicate. And treble reach, transparency, resolution, were quite similar for both headphones, though the EXPANSE’s open-back design again allowed notes to unfold more noticeably and naturally within an ambient space, especially in large cathedrals, big open spaces, arenas that were better defined as a result. $3,999

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Pass Labs HPA-1

Idid not expect to be as impressed as I am with the PASS LABS HPA-1, given its 2016-17 introduction and the various technical improvements that have come to other headphone amplifiers made in the interim, but time has not touched the viability, technical prowess, or wonderful musicality of the PASS LABS HPA-1. In truth, it has few rivals among those I’ve reviewed in recent years, regardless of price. $3,675

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

The Ideon 3R Master Time Black Star paired with our Bryston BDA-3 DAC,, improved the sound of our digital system in clear and undeniable ways with no negatives. We experienced greater resolution, a more believable sound stage, and far more realistic texture.

Ideon Audio 3R Master Time

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Of course, this comes at a price. The price tag of the Black Star might raise some eyebrows but it will also open ears with its amazing performance. We would be skeptical if not for hearing it in our own system, with an already very capable DAC. $3,900

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Tand, dare I say, there are no other such headphone amplifiers that can compete at easily twice its price, if not far more. Its impressive 15-watts of power into 50-ohms allow it to easily drive even the most inefficient headphone on the planet, with headroom to spare. In terms of its technical abilities, which are vast, it provides the depth of stage, the meticulous separation and layering of performers, across any given stage, the daunting… $3,999+

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The Atma-Sphere GEM provides outstanding transparency and resolution, and a resultant crystal clarity that places it on a peak where it has no current peers, regardless of price. Yes, this little five-watt, fit-on-the-palm-of-your-hand integrated brought light and detail, insight, and clarity to where there had been none, as witnessed with all manner of integrateds or preamplifier/amplifier combos that I have reviewed these past several years. Stunning! $4,700

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

From old favourites Wolf Alice and Waxahatchee to new crushes Ludwig Göransson and Duo Deloro, the Atma–Sphere Class D is a class act. When I was away cooking in the kitchen, they would draw me in and invite me to sit a spell and listen. They made for a difficult review because all I wanted to do was let go of my analytical side and

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enjoy my catalogue of best–loved tracks and albums. We audiophiles come to the table for music, not audio. Atma–Sphere’s hand-built Class D amps represent over five years’ worth of work. Karsten is focused on how the human ear/brain system perceives distortion, having tuned his products to be fast and transparent without being bleached or analytical. $6,200

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

NAudio Art Cable Loom

one of the individual cable pairs made an OMG difference, but taken as a whole, the AAC Statement team definitely brought their A game to bear. In a mid–priced rig, these premium wire sets, at a direct–to–consumer price, would significantly boost the overall performance a good bit. However, in a more esoteric system, the

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Statement cables would come into their own, elevating an already highly resolving system to a new level of solidity, transparency, and definition. You could spend much more on your wires, but you owe it to yourself to give these a try. Two thumbs up! $1,430+

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

TVienna Acoustic Haydn SE Signature

hough loudspeakers come and go aroun here, some are fondly remembered though most are quickly out of mind. The glossy black Haydn SE Signature is a remarkably capable little package that won’t soon be forgotten. These plucky standmounters do most everything right for me, delivering rich musical magic at a price most every hi–fier can afford. A fine finish and understated good looks don’t

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detract from the experience either. Appreciatively, Vienna Acoustics have delivered a winning combination of audio performance, visual æsthetics, and value pricing that impressed me greatly. I’m beating the drum on this one…it’s a real goodie!

Claude Monet- Water Lily and Reed

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Fern &Roby Raven III

What Christopher has accomplished with the Fern & Roby Raven IIIs is exceptional, both technically and musically, hidden in a beautifully constructed though petite container, and its eight-inch single driver completely belies its rather daunting talents. In this respect, it is the classic “you can’t tell a book by its cover.”

$8,000

$10k to

The Susvara is truly a phenomenal planar headphone with, perhaps, its main differentiators being its rather sublime naturalness and its exacting way with tone and timbre, which lift the playback of one’s music to new levels of performance and enjoyment and technical prowess. And one must certainly mention its electrostaticlike speed which, well, brings live performances and choral music to life, as only electrostatics have been able to do. $6,000

HifiMan Susvara

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

The absence of the window-shade grill in the Susvara Unveiled has led to decreased levels of distortion—reflection/refraction—that are easily heard and heartily enjoyed. It offers up music of pristine relative quality and in turn frees greater detail, ambient cues, microdynamics, transparency, and resolution not previously imagined. The

$10k to

HifiMan

Susvara Unveiled

result is more intimacy and immersiveness and naturalness to a far greater degree than even the Susvara. I had reckoned on improvement, but I did not imagine that making the original Susvara seem noisy in comparison was a possibility. It is. The Susvara Unveiled is a towering improvement over the Susvara. $8,000

Vincent Van Gogh - Olive Trees with Yellow Sky

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Grimm Audio MU2

This one-box epiphany called the Grimm Audio MU2, in this reviewer’s opinion will move all systems, into which it is configured to the front of the streaming/rendering/playback class. It is as simple as that, and it’s a family trait, as the MU1 had easily dismissed streamers at more than twice its price. What Eelco Grimm and

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company have managed to do with the Grimm Audio MU2 is profound in the extreme, and I believe it will win many a convert, as the truth of what I’ve written above will be easily discerned in the listening. And it won’t take long to make that determination. $17,500

The ALLNIC AUDIO OTL/OCL HPA 10000 compels one to listen and to be rewarded by one of the most transparent, beautifully resolved, natural, and musically engaging headphone amplifiers that this reviewer has listened to, owned, or reviewed to date. And the surprising thing is that this also takes into account electrostatic HPAs, which had served as a revered “third rail” untouchable given their rather potent bona fides. $17,500

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DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96

The Orangutan O/96s had me planted on the sofa listening to tunes for many hours at a time and as happy as an officially protected turkey on Thanksgiving Eve. It was wonderful. Impeccable transparency, resolution detail? Check. Wide top-to-bottom frequency extension? Check. Beguiling tonal/timbral accuracy? Check. A staging envelope—front to back, right to left, deep, high—to die for? Check. $15,900

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Boenicke W11

The Boenicke W11SE speakers are very special products. Sven Boenicke is clearly an accomplished and thoughtful man in the way he conducts his business and in the way his philosophies inform his designs. The W11SE was one of the most accurate, distortionfree speakers we have had in our systems to date. This is not a plug and

play transducer. It does require some patience and experimentation to get it to play nice with the listening room, but it is worth the effort. They do like plenty of space around them, and are designed to be situated further apart than most speakers. $15,240

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

AIR-TIGHT ATC 5s & ATM 1E

The Air Tight ATC-5s preamplifier and the ATM-1s amplifier provide an “old school meets new school” approach to rendering one’s music, which, as earlier mentioned, results in lush and beautifully textured music that is spatially astute, with superb transparency, resolution, detail, and brilliant musicality. The Air Tight

$40k+ to

combo handles the entirety of the frequency range exceedingly well, though in my opinion, the combo represents midrange royalty, a music lover’s dream and an audiophile’s guilty pleasure. There will be no threadbare recreations, no soulless renderings of one’s music…

Preamplifier ATC-5: $13,975 Amplifier ATM 1E: $14,975

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

Franco Serblin Accordo Essence

Well, this contrarian review has uncovered an important truth with regard to the Franco Serblin Accordo Essence speakers. You don’t need a lot of power to drive them, especially if you listen at low to medium volume (like most audiophiles, music lovers) have a small- to medium-sized listening room (like most audiophiles, music

$40k+ to

lovers), and don’t listen to large orchestral pieces, ponderous rap/hip-hop, acid rock, or the like (like most audiophiles, music lovers). That said, the Franco Serblin Accordo Essence speakers easily go with the flow of the accompanying amplification. $18,975

THE BEST 2024 of the Year

We have had one other 300B based linestage in our system and it sounded lovely, but leaned too heavily on the velvety, rich side. We have also had numerous superb flagship preamplifiers in-house from excellent brands like Lamm, Rogue, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, and more. None approached the sheer

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ALLNIC M-3000 Amplifiers

perfection of the Allnic L-10,000 Signature Edition. The Allnic M-3000 Mk 3 KT170-based mono amps are simply everything an audiophile could hope for from tube-based power amplifiers The sonic palette is complete in every way and checks every conceivable box. L-10000: $30,000; M-3000: $30,000.

Claude Monet - The Promenade

Claude Monet - Wheatstacks (End of Summer)

ANTICABLES LEVEL 6 SPEAKER WIRE

By Oliver Masciarotte

You may remember that my last article for AKR investigated an exemplary cable loom from Audio Art Cables. As part of that review, I discussed the role that cables and interconnects play in the overall performance of a component audio system. I’ll summarize by saying, at least in high-end audio, wires spark fierce debates. Some audiophiles swear by expensive wires, while others claim coat hangers work just as well. One may justifiably wonder, what is the truth behind the jive?

respond to alternating current, rearranging their molecular structure to accommodate impurities, and eventually settling into a lowenergy state. This is why some manufacturers use high-purity copper and directional labels. In addition to pure resistance to signal flow, capacitance and impedance also play crucial roles.

The science behind cable performance is complex. Conductors like silver and copper offer the least resistance, while various metals in connectors can impact signal flow. At a microscopic level, metal structures physically

Most people, when they think of speaker cables, think of zip cord. On the other hand, if you ask an audiophile for their thoughts, you’ll receive a range of opinions from, “It doesn’t matter…” to a solid preference for a particular brand. I am of that second mind, as I use specific name brands that I know and trust. One such is ANTICABLES, a Midwest manufacturer of high value cables, interconnects, power cords and transformers. All their products employ one of two solid core wire formulations. ANTICABLES manufactures a low defect, high purity copper entry level line, their “red” wires. However, for this review I’ll be going with an alloyed approach; their top of the line products with ACElectrum™ conductors, an alloy of mostly silver with a soupçon of gold. The subject of this review is their top of the line in speaker cables, the Level 6, with the heavy duty solid copper spades option at the amplifier end, and the banana BFA–style ZPlugs option at the other.

Vincent VanGogh - Irises

Paul Speltz, electrical engineer and hi–fi fanatic, is the man behind the wires. For over two decades, all his offerings have been hand made here in the US from domestically sourced, select components. I am long an owner of his Level 4.2 FLEX speaker cables and Level 6.2 RCA–to–RCA interconnects. For this write up, I received a newly minted set of the white–jacketed Level 6 wire. I mention the color because ANTICABLE is know for their red polyester–insulated copper wire which, though it looks like magnet wire, actually isn’t. The white insulation on the Level 6 is a polymer chosen for its low energy storage ability. Less storage means less “time smearing (of) the music signal,” according to Speltz.

As mentioned last month, better quality cables are provided with directional markings, as are ANTICABLES. Speltz told me that he thinks silver offers increased resolution, “…which makes it easier to hear low level details, but it comes with a couple of caveats. Solid silver has a sonic signature of sounding both lean in the bass and forward in the highs…(while) gold has a sonic signature nearly opposite that of silver…There is just enough gold added to the silver to bring back the bass and relax the highs, without taking away silver's high resolution. The result is relaxing musical detail without brightness.”

To get the party started, I decided to hook up both the Level 4.2 and 6 cables at the

amplifier end so I could quickly swap at the speakers. Much frustration ensued as I attempted to attach both spades to the heavily shrouded binding posts on my Parasound Halo JC5…It didn’t help that the Level 6 is not a flexible cable and the Level 4.2 FLEX, despite the name, is even less so. Numerous expletives and far too much time later, I started in on listening, with Amarra Luxe for macOS as the source feeding my exaSound e22 Mk. II DAC. The converter was connected directly into the Parasound with Audio Art Cables’ Statement balanced interconnects. in turn, the amp fed Vienna Acoustics’ Haydn SE SIGNATURE stand mounters (review forthcoming), resting on IsoAcoustics’ ISOL8R155 shock absorbers.

When I’m auditioning a new component or substitution in my reference loudspeaker system, I listen to oldies as well as new material, but one of the aspects of Qobuz I love is their curation. Their Grand Selection list keeps me abreast of what’s happening in music now. As an example, the first album I started in with was JB Dunckel’s Corps Échangés from this year’s MÖBIUS MORPHOSIS [Qobuz 96k Warner Classics].

One half of the pioneering French band Air, Dunckel’s modern classical piece combines massed voices with subterranean synth and frenetic percussion. The stereo effects and very wide frequency range (20Hz to well into the ultrasonic) make for a fun and

challenging track to “get right.” Back in the day, I thought my Level 4.2 cables were quite nice, especially considering the cost, but swapping in the Level 6 was both a let down and a clear improvement. A disappointment because I once considered the budget wires to be a good fit, at the time anyway. The white wire beat the red in high frequency clarity, soundstage portrayal, and bottom solidity. Those three aspects always seem to benefit from additional dollars, leading to concrete enhancements.

To test my perceptions, I queued up two rock war horses. First, the 50th anniversary reissue of ex–Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower’s Bridge of Sighs [Qobuz 44.1 Chrysalis 2024]. With powerful vocals by James Dewar and original engineering by none other than Geoff Emerick, the release has both the original and new mixes. The remix of this benchmark rock power trio is less cluttered with effects and more open sounding, perfect for testing. As I had heard with the JB Dunckel piece, the top end became more spritely, with better defined transients. With the white wires in circuit, Trower’s axe got a gentle top end boost with more critical bite. Bassist James Dewar’s vocals exhibited more that subtle vocal fry that makes his husky delivery so in keeping with the overall composition. Since Dewar’s (he’s a Scot, can you tell?) vocal sounded so similar to my memory of Paul Rodgers’

contribution to Bad Company’s eponymous song, I next dug that 2015 remastered nugget out of the Qobuz pile [88.2k Rhino Atlantic 1974]. Yup, the upgraded cables jumped up the reverb, making it deeper and more lush. An interesting additional effect was that the overall level of the song seemed to increase by a just noticeable decibel.

Brad Mehldau is usually thought of as a stripped down, virtuoso jazzer; I love his keyboard chops. On more than one occasion, he does stray into other spaces, as is the case with his cover of Rush’s 1981 classic rock hit, Tom Sawyer on Jacob’s Ladder [Qobuz 96k Nonesuch 2022]. Chris Thile’s mando solo, with more than a nod to prog rockers Yes, and rhythm noodling nicely matches his thin, reedy and, to me, off–putting vocals. Geddy ain’t got nothin’ to worry about there! Qobuz has a nice quote from Mehldau were he states that progressive rock was the music of his childhood before discovering jazz. As a teen and young adult, I too was attracted to prog rock while I also attempted to decode Miles’ Bitches Brew, Weather Report’s Mysterious Traveler and Mahavishnu’s Inner Mounting Flame. Mehldau’s keyboards on Tom Sawyer are ultra–wide, with mucho out of phase information. Moving from the Level 6 back to the Level 4.2 closed in that wider soundstage, with that coincident small drop in global level I noted earlier. Everything seemed to back away from me a

ANTICABLES LEVEL 6 SPEAKER WIRE

tad. As expected, a metaphorical scrim lowered over the speakers, hindering definition and softening the snap that I so appreciate.

Since damping factor and other facets of an amplifier’s design affect their speaker cable interaction, I thought it beneficial to try another amp. My JC5 runs in Class A at my typical playback volumes, and I happened to have another Class A amp in da house. Accuphase’s E-700 integrated (review also forthcoming) is, like my Parasound, another super beef. At a non–trivial and overbuilt 55 pounds, it delivers a pure 35W into an 8 ohm load, a fraction of what the JC5 is capable. However, the E-700 has minimal shrouds around its binding posts, which made simultaneous cable connections so much easier. It’s also a favored cat perch due to the heat it generates…

For a variety of reasons, I love Charley Crockett’s Killers of the Flower Moon from $10 Cowboy, Chapter II: Visions of Dallas [Qobuz 96k 2024]. First, there’s Charley’s distinctive voice that harkens back to an earlier time. Then there’s that oh so acoustic kick drum, so different from what you often hear these days. As with any good country stand out, the song tells a rambling tale of woe. Based on David Grann's book and Martin Scorsese's filmed version, with co–writing credit given to Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III, Crockett’s voice is bathed in reverberation as is appropriate to get the feel right. The Level 6 reveal that the bass and percussion, guitar and vocal each lives in a different acoustic space. The guitar is close and dry, the vocal is wet, and Jay Moeller’s percussion sounds like it was captured with spot and room mics (on that kick drum) in bassist and producer Billy Horton’s Fort Horton Studio. Switching from my Parasound to the Accuphase, I found the presentation to be leaner, more in keeping with what I associate with a “Japanese” sound profile. Still, the differences between the red and white factions held, with the white wires allowing more emotion and vibrancy through.

If you think I’m some latter–day haruspex, sifting through stringy wire strands in place of viscous entrails all in a search for verisimilitude, you’d not be far from the truth. Reviewing cables is a fun and challenging task. To apply my now familiar reductionist approach to this red versus white debate, the crimson Level 4.2 FLEX sound like good quality audio, while the fancier white wires draw you into the music, more involving; deeper, better and far more enjoyable. Ultimately, the importance of cables depends on your system's resolution, room acoustics, and listening skills. While not everyone can discern differences, that doesn't negate their potential impact. As audio technology advances, the cable debate is likely to

continue, challenging our understanding of what truly matters in sound reproduction. If you’re in the market for interconnects, I recommend that you consider ANTICABLES, especially with their generous 30 day return policy.

THE COMPANY

ANTICABLE Audio Company Inc. Lake Elmo MN US wwwanticables.com

Level 6 speaker cables start at $2120

Van Gogh- Irises

Vincent Van Gogh - Irises

Vincent Van Gogh - Repos après Millet

By K.E. Heartsong

Life is strange at times. I had just had a rather bad experience with a 300B integrated amplifier/headphone amplifier and I could not have been happier to pack it up and send it home. Good riddance! This was a 300B amplifier that would have made the old old school 300Bs

swollen, tumid (1). Yep, that about sums it up, as it made listening to my favorite music unbearable. I haven’t had an amp that sounded that bad in decades! However, due to our philosophical underpinnings, it shall go forever unnamed and unremembered and unloved.

sound exceptional in comparison. And it wasn’t cheap! I believe the word that came to mind as I tried to describe the amplifier was turgid—being in a state of distension:

So when the Traformatic Rhapsody 300B showed up, let’s just say that there was a great heaping of trepidation. That said, the Rhapsody 300B was a stunner, aesthetically,

audiokeyreviews.com

Frederic Leighton - Flaming June (1895)

right out of the box, kinda like the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport car is kinda fast (one of the fastest cars in the world). But I’ve seen pretty and it can either be patina thin (think a very fine coat of paint) or skin-to-bone. But which one was the Rhapsody 300B? And was

had I been seeing one. “You’ll need to listen to this Rhapsody 300B, at least, several hours a day to get over the other one, that bad one. But go slowly, build trust.” This was something quite new, not your pop’s nor your grand pop’s 300B, though it had the look.

it way too early to revisit another ‘relationship’ with a 300B?

Drop tonearm or stream, in this case, and the answers came fast and rather furious, as tone and timbre made their way into the room. No, it wasn’t too early, this wasn’t that other 300B amplifier, nor was it like any other 300B, that I had listened to. In fact, it was what the psychiatrist would have ordered,

Additionally, the Traformatic Rhapsody 300B had side vents, not unlike a highperformance sports car! Was this a portent of things to come? Was the sports car metaphor not too far off?

audiokeyreviews.com

AKRM

(1) “Turgid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/turgid. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Darren White - Morning Rain at the Bells

Welcome to AudioKeyREVIEWS Magazine’s Recommended Components, which will become part and parcel of each of our various issues. The purpose of this section is to acquaint the reader with products—speakers, DACs, amplifiers, preamplifiers, turntables, headphones, IEMs, streamers, portable audio, etc.—that we feel are quite exceptional and rise above their like brethren. There will be three categories —Budget, Mid-Tier, and Top-Of-The-Line. In our Budget Recommendations there will be products that compete far above their respective price point and are, generally, also built to reflect this.Our Mid-Tier Recommendations will encompass those products within arms reach, in terms of relative affordability, that present value and a challenge to the vanguard of their respective product niches. Finally, our TOTL Recommendations will be composed of those products that are at the cutting edge of technological advancement now happening across the world. The three categories of recommendations will rotate across the various issues of our magazine and there will also be a fluidity to the products within the various lists. Things change and especially now given our current technological epoch. The various lists, however, will be fixed on the AudioKeyReviews.com website.

Henri Matisse - Flowers, 1907

COMPONENTS RECOMMENDED

AURORASOUND HEADA $2999: If you’re looking for an endgame headphone amplifier and even if your headphone amplifier is more expensive, try this one, you may be quite surprised. That said, the Aurorasound HEADA headphone amplifier is a top echelon component and an easy DIAMOND AWARD winner.

SILENT ANGEL RHEIN Z1 $2299: The Rhein Z1 and Forester F2 combo played far above the league that their combined price would indicate. For many, this $3,900 combo may well represent an endgame streamer/ power supply capable of exceptional fidelity with DACs from entry level to those on the cutting edge.

ABYSS AB1266 PHI TC $5999: I think that I’ve said it all. The Abyss AB1266 Phi TC is a phenomenal headphone. It brings an undying passion for musicality and a ferocity for transparency and clarity and detail retrieval, formerly the domain of the best electrostatic headphones. But this planar headphone speaks that language—electrostatic—fluently and well.

COMPONENTS RECOMMENDED

TORUS RM20 $3999: Can you say pristine, natural, open, and unhindered frequency response? Wide dynamic range? And there were oceans of detail, air, microdynamics, and ambience rendered by the Torus RM 20. It was not subtle. On the contrary, it was stunning.

RSX POWER8 $399: The RSX Power8 clearly holds to the dictum, “Do no Harm,” to the system in which it is being utilized. What it, in fact, offers is pure, clean power, a testament to the meticulous parts selection, research, and conscious minimalism all employed in its design. suffice to say, that it has no competitors at 3 to 4 times is cost.

GESHELLI LABS ERISH2 [E2] $219.99, JNOG2 [J2] $249.99: Disinterested in ostentation, Geshelli Labs believes in real world pricing with high fidelity performance. Their JNOG2 plus ERISH2 are a petite and potent bargain. With just enough character to put flesh on bone, the classy little twosome sets your music free without excessive color or dispensable features.

Vincent Van Gogh - Oleanders, 1888

MID TO HIGH-END

For us a Magical Synergy represents two components or more, that together make music far above what either make separately. Generally, we’ve discovered Magical Synergies via reviews, where we mix and match a good number of components to determine how one of the components—the component under review— sounds.

And while there may be strengths and weaknesses between the various combinations, the Magical Synergy represents that combination which has very few if any weaknesses and a wealth of combined strengths.

In this respect, we’ve done the homework for the reader by evaluating numerous combinations to uncover the Magical Synergy, as many of you may not have the time, options, or financial wherewithal to make these determinations. And Magical Synergies are not always uncovered in our reviews and or our research, as they tend to be, well, rare.

A note on the various Magical Synergies that we uncover. We are music lovers first and foremost and not professionals who produce music or movies for a living and require different synergies, nor do measurements come into determination for us of what is a good Magical Synergy and what is not. No,

for this we determine by ear, heart, and soul, that which moves us, provides for that “vibrational” comfort food, and a rich and engaging musical experience. The experience should, of course, come with sufficient detail and resolution and fidelity to recreate venue and/or the experience of listening to live music, when appropriate. After a long and trying day in this topsy-turvy world, wouldn’t it be wonderful if some small measure of nirvana could be achieved through one’s music and the components that play it back?

In other words, our Magical Synergies do not render music that is dry, unengaging, subtractively neutral (see dry, boring, etc.), flat, or lacking in dynamics, when called for.

Please find for your review a number of Magical Synergies below.

1, 2 The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

HIFIMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED/AURORASOUND HEADA

greater detail, ambient cues, micro-dynamics, transparency, and resolution not previously imagined. The result is more intimacy and immersiveness and naturalness to a far greater degree than even the Susvara. I had reckoned on improvement, but I did not imagine that making the original Susvara seem noisy in comparison was a possibility. It is. The Susvara Unveiled is a towering improvement over the Susvara. Further, the Susvara Unveiled is also easier to drive and thus able to work with, dance with a greater variety of headphone amplifiers.

The Aurorasound HEADA headphone amplifier is musical from ‘Square One’, ‘Jump Street’, ‘Scratch’, or, practically, as soon as you turn it on, though it gets worlds better thereafter. It is a beautifully, carefully designed endgame component to pass down. If you’re looking for an endgame headphone amplifier and even if your headphone amplifier is more expensive, try this one, you may be quite surprised. That said, the Aurorasound HEADA headphone amplifier is a top echelon component and an easy DIAMOND AWARD winner.

LYRIC AUDIO TI 100 MKII & DEVORE FIDELITY O/96

magic su used to all aspects of the Lyric Ti 100 MkII’s performance. Tis was easily witnessed, as it followed an exceptional pair of 200 watt/channel, solid state monoblock amplifiers with dedicated preamplifier with relatively minor lessening in overall performance. Remarkable! Te Lyric Audio Ti 100 MkII is, of course, not one of those products as it has easily met our criteria for the DIAMOND AWARD, our highest award, which reflects on its excellence.

Te Orangutan O/96s had me planted on the sofa listening to tunes for many hours at a time and as happy as an officially protected turkey on Tanksgiving Eve. It was wonderful. Impeccable transparency, resolution detail? Check. Wide top-to-bottom frequency extension? Check. Beguiling tonal/timbral accuracy? Check. A staging envelope—front to back, right to left, deep, high—to die for? Check. Tis is a reviewer’s dream speaker, no doubt, and why so many reviewers have adopted the Orangutan O/96s. And while I don’t know the numbers, I feel as though there are too few audiophiles and music lovers who are familiar with these incredible speakers. To them I say, if you want a system whose voice you can radically change without replacing the speakers, then look no farther than the Orangutan O/96s.

DAN CLARK STEALTH & HEADAMP CFA3

the edicts of the other headphone worlds and technologies. Again, there are very few headphones capable of doing this and fewer still with such compelling musicality. You and your music, regardless of genre, will be well served…Please note that to date, I have listened to a great many headphones, and these days it takes a great deal to move me.

Te HeadAmp CFA3 is a truly exceptional headphone amplifier and, dare I say, there are no other such headphone amplifiers that can compete at easily twice its price, if not far more. Its impressive 15-watts of power into 50ohms allow it to easily drive even the most cient headphone on the planet, with headroom to spare. In terms of its technical abilities, which are vast, it provides the depth of stage, the meticulous separation and layering of performers, across any given stage, the daunting transparency, resolution, and detail retrieval for which electrostatics are known. Couple this with superb tone/ timbre, musicality, and naturalness, and it easily becomes the anchor of a TOTL reference headphone system.

Imogene Cunningham

VIENNA ACOUSTICS

By Oliver Masciarotte

Coming up, a review of a diminutive Austrian loudspeaker that, on first glance, may seem a bit staid and unexciting…dare I say Teutonic? Part of the Concert Grand series, the Haydn SE Signature is an attractive but unassuming small bookshelf that may just be the most well rounded entry in a very crowded product category. With none of my fave features, such as a true ribbon tweeter, sealed cabinet or DSP linearization, one has to wonder if this “boring” little box can sound any good. I’ll give you a hint; it’s now one of my fave vented speakers in the affordable category and has lifted how I view the whole Vienna Acoustics family.

Yet another conventional two–way? The Haydn SE Signature is one among many but its performance and eye appeal set it apart from the myriad others that exhibit one or many fatal flaws. Is it the fancy metallized polypropylene capacitors and metal film resistors in the crossover? Maybe it’s the hand–coated silk dome tweeter and peekaboo ribbed mid/woofer. Whatever the folks at Austria’s V.A. Lautsprechermanufaktur did, they got it right. Stand by for an in–depth look and listening notes, plus the answer to how this little marvel could be improved…

AKRM

JANUARY 1, 2025

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