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Nordost QKore Grounding System Model 6 |
The QKORE component is a passive grounding device that distributes artificial, “clean” earth for every audio component in a sound system. The unit uses an electrical as well as a mechanical approach to achieve this. It’s a rather uncommon component that integrates Nordost’s patented monofilament technology with purpose-built, low-voltage “attractor plates (LVAPs)” which are constructed with a proprietary metal alloy and a passive electronic circuit. The design’s function is to draw stray high frequency noise and voltage-generated magnetic fields to its artificial ersatz earth point, thus leaving a “clean” reference thereafter.
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The Audio Observer Returns - Let's talk Bryston's Active System |
The Audio Observer returns to The Inner Ear and discusses in depth, the Bryston Mini-T Active speaker system as part of a complete Bryston Active System.
Bryston’s most ambitious audio products to date are not only their hefty power amplifiers, loudspeakers and digital electronics, but also their no-holds-barred active system designs for the Model T, the Middle T and, my favourite, the Mini T under review here.
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Bryston 7B-3 (Cubed) - Gleaning the Cube |
A
few months ago, when I first auditioned the new Bryston
4B-3 amplifier in my system, I was instantly taken
aback by what I heard and almost immediately speculated about
the sonic quality of a the new 7B-3s. Why? Well, because I
have had the 7B series 2 in-house for quite some time, and
consider myself intimately familiar with their sonic characteristics.
I wondered, no, I became somewhat anxious to hear the new
Cubed Series 3, 600-watt mono blocks. It took a while to get
a pair of the new ones, but after patiently waiting, I now
have them — connected and playing for about three weeks.
Well, this is likely the fifth generation of the 7B model
I have auditioned and reviewed over the past couple of decades
and I expected them to sound at least similar to the previous
models I had in-house for a few years. I recall how, over
the years and model changes, Bryston’s amps have improved
steadily, but maintained a good part of their sonic personality/signature
— so they should indeed sound similar. They don't. In
fact, I didn't think it possible for two —actually four
— amplifiers from the same company to sound quite different!
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Short & Sweet:
Audioception Loudspeakers Models 651 & 452 |
Chris
Glamcevski is an audiophile. One day he decided to design
a pair of loudspeakers for himself, liked what he had made,
began to refine, redesign, retry, repeat and repeat and finally
get someone in the know to evaluate his design — and
that is when I was approached, asked if I would, could, etc..
I agreed to offer my evaluation for a fee and here is my brutally
honest, short and sweet opinion. Following are my impressions
of the Audioception speaker models 651 & 452
<<READ
MORE>> |
Short & Sweet:
Bryston 4B-3 (Cubed) |
I
have followed the developments of Bryston products for about
30 years, reviewed most of them and therefore decided that,
at age 80 and mainly retired, I'd take one more look and listen
to the new 4B amp of the recently introduced series which
Bryston calls Cubed.
I have reviewed Bryston products since about 1987, shortly
after I had begun publishing The Inner Ear Report. I have
reviewed the 3, 4, and 7Bs, before they were SST and Square
models. And I have lived with a pair of 7Bs SST Squared for
a few years in my system, listened to the amps with a great
variety of loudspeakers and, thus, am intimately familiar
with their sonic signature under all sorts of conditions.<<READ
MORE>> |
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Short &
Sweet: Tenor 175S Stereo Amplifier - Part 2 |
My
first instalment, about a year ago, was about the Tenor power
amplifier where I elaborated and talked about its sound. However,
can't run an amp without a preamp — so I'd like to begin
part 2 with a list of all the ones I had in-house at the time
- the Tenor 175S
I had the Allnic L-3000, a Magnum MD 309 (preamp section),
an old modified Dolan and an Aesthetix Janus for my in-house
auditions. I also used the Audio Aero Prestige CD player/preamp
at my friend Sol's Tenor set-up. Each of these preamps has
an attribute or unique sonic makeup that, in a good system
arrangement, should be perceptible and reveal its degree of
system synergy/compatibility. What came to light was that
all harmonized well with the Tenor power amplifier. What I'm
saying is that all preamps enabled me to hear the amplifier
and its sonic distinction, though influenced by the various
preamplifiers' personality/voice. <<READ
MORE>>
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Bryston
Middle T Loudspeaker - In Depth |
A
while ago, Inner Ear Editor Erne Fisher wrote a "Short
& Sweet" review of the Bryston Mini-T loudspeaker.
We just received this review from
Allen Edelstein, gave it a read and found it to be a very
interesting take on the Mini-T and thought we'd post it Allen
Edelstein. Click the link to read the complete unedited review
- probably the longest review we have ever published over
the last twenty-five years. We hope you enjoy it.
:exceprt: Although Bryston has been in business for
almost half a century, it has made speakers for only a few
years. And in North America producing both electronics and
speakers is rare. Few companies have made a real go of it,
trying to do both for a while and usually reverting to only
producing their original product. But given the rate that
Bryston has been releasing new speakers I can only assume
success in this case.
<<READ MORE>>
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NAGRA Jazz
Preamplifier |
David
McCallum offers his take on the new NAGRA Jazz preamplifier
as a follow up to his review of the VPS Valve Phono Preamp:
ILOVENAGRA is an apt password that I happened to receive while
working on two articles on Nagra’s Hi-End audio equipment.
The first was on the VPS phono amplifier, and while I was
quite impressed with the VPS, Nagra’s Jazz preamplifier
has enchanted me like few products before. I’ve utilized
the Jazz for over six months while writing two previous reviews,
first on the VPS phono amplifier and later on Allnic Audio’s
H-1201 phono amplifier. If you haven’t read the original
VPS article you may want to give the first few sections a
glance, as they contain information about Nagra’s history
as well as my own relationship with the Nagra brand. Otherwise,
the time has come to put on some Jazz. <<Read
More>>
(Editor's Note: this article has previously been published
at the website http://thehighfidelityreport.com/)
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Short &
Sweet: Bryston Middle T Loudspeaker |
Nothing
revolutionized the automobile industry more than Henry Ford's
Model T, the car produced from October 1, 1908 to May 27,
1927. It was the first car that opened travel to the ordinary
workingman. It was Ford's efficient production — his
assembly line — that made it possible to reduce costs
and still provide a fine vehicle with which to enjoy travel.
Similarity, Bryston's Model T line of loudspeakers, after
they had been designed, used an existing manufacturer with
all the tooling in place to allow an affordable manufacturing
process without degrading performance goals and specifications.
Speaking of specs, they are outstanding and they can be viewed
at Bryston's website (www.bryston.com) but this isn't about
specs at all, this is about sound — good sound too.
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COMING
SOON: Audio - Short & Sweet Reviews |
Technology has changed the world
in so many ways - some good, some not – well, that depends
on your point of view. One thing is certain, we have become
accustomed to having stuff now ... Right Now
We are also finding that some want it short and sweet so the
writers at Inner Ear Magazine are taking a new direction and
will soon present Audio: Short & Sweet Reviews.
Consider them to be an introduction, immediate impressions,
a "getting to know you" of new equipment. Detailed
reviews take time – and that is important in the overall
assessment, but these days, when equipment changes happen
in the blink of an eye, we feel it is right to get our impressions
to you sooner.
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NAGRA
VPS Valve Phono Preamplifier |
by
David McCallum
In the professional audio industry the name Nagra is synonymous
with precision. For over 50 years, Nagra has been an industry
leader in developing analogue and digital audio recorders.
Famous for their sound quality and reliability, Nagra recorders
have been the first choice in high-quality recording equipment
for a generation of location sound recordists and engineers.
My personal introduction to Nagra came in 1992. I was a young
film studies student at the time, and had my first taste of
high quality pro-audio in a lecture on the Nagra III NP analogue
audio recorder. I spent many subsequent hours with the Nagra
III, studying its operation, taking the recorder out for field
recording sessions, and performing a series of recordings
for short film projects with other students. That early time
with the Nagra III, where I explored the nuances of recorded
sound, was instrumental in my movement into audio as a professional.
<< Read
More >> |
A First:
Tenor Audio's 175 S receives a 5-Note Rating |
Inner
Ear Editor Ernie Fisher started out conducting some listening
tests and ended up drafting an essay which consders the consciousness
of critical listening.
The motivation for this essay was his earlier listening experiences
while auditioning the Tenor monoblocks (350M) a few years
ago and the past year spent with the 175S — Tenor’s
less expensive stereo model amplifier. There was a lot to
tell taken from notes written over a rather long time period
— that best describes what he have observed and noticed.
The following is based on the 175 S Tenor amplifier being
connected to many loudspeakers he had in-house and at other
locations — and a few different preamplifier (sadly
not the Tenor) and source components.
<<
Read More >> |
A High
Performance Music System For Under $10K. |
by
Ernie Fisher
Inexpensive audio systems are the grist for the mill of this
old reviewer. Low-priced components, however, represent many
hours of hard work of others who create the components for
them. In the meantime, I may have spent years surrounded by
free (though temporary) high-end audio gear from Tenor, Bryston,
Genesis, Avantgarde, and am prone to dismiss these efforts
if what I hear doesn't match my preconceptions. Of course,
if I had to pay for the audio gear, things may be different
.
<<
Read More >> |
New from
Bryston - Model Mini T Loudspeaker |
by
Ernie Fisher
Whenever I think of relatively low priced loudspeakers, many
well known mass-market brands come mind — most of which
hold no interest for me. Many produce good speakers that work
well with a wide range of equipment, but only few qualify
to play back and do justice to the music, this is where the
mini ts come in — and at $2550/pair (plus stands) represent
highly affordable quality by today's standards. The Minis
boast remarkable accuracy, overall balance and musicality,
sonic elements found in complex loudspeaker designs costing
more than double. The technical information is in the specifications,
but a few details deserve note:
The Mini Ts do a better job of
providing solid bass than any other so-called bookshelf speakers
I have encountered at or close to their price range. They
can produce or reproduce a true 35Hz at low to moderate volumes
with excellent control, whereas most speakers in this price
range either give up well above 40Hz or wind up with serious
boominess.
<<
Read More >> |
Bryston
- Model T Basic Loudspeaker |
by
Ernie Fisher
When it comes to describing one's
impressions within a review-type essay, I think it is easier
to exercise criticism than to explain excellence. A reviewer’s
obligation is to investigate and describe in detail the performance,
character, merit, shortcomings and sonic properties of the
component under review. But when being an audio critic turns
into listening for pleasure, the critic is in trouble and
must re-evaluate his/her position and duty. I found myself
in this position dozens of time, but never as blatantly painful
as in the past few months — the time I spent listening
to the Model Ts and the Tenor Audio amplifier (review pending
as I am still working on the Tenor). Nevertheless, here goes
...
As the sheer size and number of
drivers indicates, the Model Ts do not make polite compromise
with the law of physics. However, the size and number of driver
is a bit misleading as the Model Ts are very coherent.
<< Read More >> |
Bel Canto
REF500M Monoblock Amplifier |
by Ernie Fisher
If
you believe that high-end audio is always expensive, you are
right — most of the time. There are, however, some,
or few exceptions. These monoblocks cannot be considered outright
bargains, but when one considers the price/performance ratio,
one of the few exceptions is this pair of amplifiers from
Bel Canto Audio. The price may point toward shortcuts taken
to reduce costs, but that simply isn’t so. The company
and its designers have a sound background in engineering and
they have gone to great lengths to create electronic components
employing the most recent and innovative advances in switching
technology. While this is important, Bel Canto haven’t
forgotten about the music their designs must recreate; after
all, loosely translated, their name translates into Beautiful
Song from the Italian language. As we shall see when you read
the following, there is evidence that the components under
review are capable of reproducing just that.
<< Read More >> |
Bryston
SP3 Preamlifier/Processor |
by David McCallum
In
the world of no-holds-barred multi-channel audio, the Bryston
SP3 is the pre-amp / processor to beat. In essence, the SP3
is three great products in one. It offers the best multi-channel
audio I’ve ever heard outside of a top sound mixing
studio; it includes 7 outstanding D/A converter channels for
multi-channel or stereo digital audio; and it provides outstanding
2-channel stereo performance, essential to any truly great
sound product.
As the culmination of the progression Bryston has undergone
as a company, the SP3 tops their list of exemplary consumer
electronics products. Unlike the amplifiers Bryston produces,
it’s not likely the SP3 will find its way into very
many sound studios (some, but not as many). However, given
the performance level attained, it is capable of bringing
the highest studio caliber sound into your home.
<< Read More >> |
Origin
Live Conqueror MK3c Tonearm |
by David McCallum
I’m
suspicious that this particular review started out as a challenge,
that after reading my original review of the Origin Live Calypso
and Encounter combination, Mark Baker was curious to see how
I would respond to one of his top arms.
In
the spring of 2011 I wrote a review
of the excellent Origin
Live Calypso turntable
with the equally striking Encounter
MK3C Tonearm.
I spent a good number of months with both products and was
thoroughly impressed with what I heard – so much so
that after the review I asked Origin Live’s principle
owner and designer Mark Baker if I could set up the combination
for The Inner Ear's editor Ernie Fisher for an extended run
of additional listening. After
a brief conversation, rather than returning the whole kit,
Mark suggested we up the ante and offered to send an upgraded
tonearm to be paired with the same Calypso table. His recommendation
was the Conqueror
MK3C.
<< Read More >> |
Naim Superline
Reference Phono Stage |
Inner
Ear welcomes a guest reviewer this month. Chris
Chamberlin is an avid audio enthusiastwe've
known for a very long time and over the years we have come
to value and respect his comments and observations. We welcome
him to the fold with his review of the new reference phono
stage and power supplies from Naim. Here is a brief intro:
"At the outset, let me
clearly state that I am a proponent of tube audio as opposed
to solid-state audio gear. Having exposed my subjective preference
in terms of music presentation, I can unabashedly continue
with the following phono stage review. By way of a little
background, I have been an audio enthusiast for the past 35
years. I have a fairly large collection of both records and
CDs, which cover a number of musical genres. The journey to
try to achieve audio bliss has been an exercise in trial and
error, but also, for the most part, a great deal of fun, with
the occasional hiccup along the way. Recently my audio friend
David McCallum approached me to inquire if I'd be interested
in doing some writing for the high-end Inner Ear audio webzine.
David and I both share the love of audio and also have similar
tastes in two channel stereo equipment."
<< Read More >> |
Editorials |
About
The Inner Ear – A little background, philosophy and mind-set.
E. Leopold
gets on his soapbox to discuss "Editor's Choice".
Ruling
Your Listening Room - The Sanctuary Controlled |
Latest
Audio News & Reviews |
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