2006-2007

Preamp Dilemma

Hi Marty,

It's been some time and hope all is well with you and Bound For Sound. I have a couple of questions I'm hoping you can help with.

Pre-amps:

I have two amps now. Pass Labs X250 (an excellent BFS recommendation BTW), and a VAC Renaissance 70/70 MKIII. My current pre-amp is the MSB DAC Preamp II. Fine for the Pass Labs, but probably not so great for the VAC. Can you recommend a pre-amp that would work well for both (or at least for the VAC)?

CD Players:

I have an Electrocompaniet EMC-1 and it's become a sore spot for me. Since purchasing, two transports have failed and a resistor has blown. I need to replace the current transport, and am reluctant to send it back to the distributor for a 4th time in 5 years (this would be the 3rd transport). Do you know of a "tweaker" out there that could install a different transport (possibly something universal to play SACD also)?

Thanks for your help. I also need to renew my subscription (been an audio slacker lately).

Thanks, Dave Ivie

MGD comments: The two power amps that have are very different in nature. The Pass Labs X250 has an input impedance of around 10 kOhms. My guess is that the VAC 70/70 has an input impedance of 100 kOhms. Finding a preamp that is optimized into both loads will be very difficult, if not impossible. Granted, some preamps will sound good into both amps. I'm thinking of the SAS 10A and 11A. Those tube preamps work well into high and low impedances, though they are fully optimized for a tube power amplifier. Another tube preamp that worked very well into high and low impedances was the ModWright. It did a superb job with the Pass X350.5 as well as with the high input impedance Monarchy SE250 mono amps. However, it too likes the higher impedance power amp.

Explaining the Old Light Bulb Trick

Dear Marty,

I just read your essay on your webpage regarding power filtering and could follow your thought very well. A lot of what you mentioned there in your own experience can be exactly ditto'ed by our experience as well.

I also worked out the light bulb experience just as you had. A light bulb is a very lossy resistor. Then I took it to the extreme and plugged in a gigantic resistor -- a 1600 Watt electric radiator. And yes, it sounded about 16 times (joke of course, that exact number) better than a 100 Watt light bulb.

I can explain this phenomenon quite easily. You need to view your entire system as one entity which has access to 100% of the high frequency trash (noise) in your power input to it. So you have some amount (say "n") of energy requirement from your mains. But the noise from the mains comes with this current necessary to drive your system. So by introducing a light bulb, what we are doing is raising n (the amount of current taken by the system) but we now divide the 100% (still!) high frequency trash (which rides on the current required by the system) by a larger n, resulting in less high frequency trash going into the audio gear. Simple as that.

And, it speaks for a lousy power filtering system, since ideally there should not be any of the 100% HF trash left to divide into the audio system and the light bulb -- in other words you shouldn't be hearing the light bulb burning off any more noise from the power.

I think I've managed to do this in my new power filter. And no, it doesn't take any juice to run, there are no resistors and you don't pay any more to the electric company to use your audio system with my filter in place.

Liudas

Maybe I Should Rethink This

Dear Martin,

After reading your article titled "Why Not WiFi?" in issue #175 of BFS I felt compelled to write a response.

In the abovementioned article you equate lo-fi iPod devices with wi-fi. These two are definitely NOT the same. iPod's are devices for playing back compressed and mostly lo-fi MP3 audio files. Wi-fi is a means for transmitting data between devices wirelessly. This data can be compressed MP3 files, or it could even be uncompressed bit-perfect copies of the original CD tracks. By equating wi-fi with iPods I believe you are doing a large disservice to the audiophile community.

There are several products available that are based on wi-fi and which are decidedly focused on reproducing high quality two channel audio. For example, I refer you to the Transporter from SlimDevices
(see http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_transporter.html).

These products are supported by a growing and very enthusiastic group of audiophiles who have the same aspirations as you with regards to high quality stereo music reproduction in the home. Instead of just discarding such products with one generalized sweep against lo-fi iPods, I'd like to urge you to at least have a look at products such as the Transporter - you may be pleasantly surprised!

In case you are wondering, yes, I have a Transporter in my hi-fi setup. I'd like to describe my setup so you can get an idea of how it works and what the benefits are. Firstly, the Transporter is placed in my hi-fi rack and is used like a CD player, well, quite a high-end CD player. Instead of playing CD's it plays music that is stored on my audio server PC in my study. It connects to the audio server PC using (lo and behold!) wi-fi, but I could just as well have laid a network cable from my study to my listening room - wi-fi just makes it so much easier by not requiring cabling. Is there a difference between transferring audio files using a network cable vs. using wi-fi? None whatsoever at all - they're just different means for transferring data between devices. I rip my music from the original CD's using a program called Exact Audio Copy (EAC) which ensures that the music is ripped bit-perfect from the CD, and it can spend quite some time ensuring that it's indeed the case. The audio files are kept as-is, which means no lossy compression and lo-fi MP3 files - they are exact copies of the music on the CD. Thus, when I play my music using the Transporter it is as if I'm playing the original CD, but with some additional benefits. The bit-perfect copy of the audio is transferred from the audio server PC to the Transporter which then buffers it in memory. This buffered audio data is then clocked out extremely accurately as if it came directly from the CD. However, clocking the signal from memory is much more accurate and has much less time jitter than any direct reading from a CD could provide. Thus, the Transporter has the same sound quality as very high-end CD players costing much, much more.

However, for me, one of the biggest benefits (besides the high quality stereo sound) is that I have my full music library (over 1000 CDs) instantly available to me via the Transporter. Without having to get up from my listening chair and changing a CD I can immediately choose any track from any CD in my collection. I can set up favourite playlists, I can play my music by year, by genre, by artist, etc. The possibilities are almost endless. Since I've started using the Transporter I have re-discovered my music collection and I'm enjoying it hundreds of times more than ever before - for me that is what this should be all about!

So, does this fit in with the philosophy of BFS which states that it is decidedly old school? I'm not sure, but by using this approach you still need your pre-amplifiers, power amplifiers, speakers, external DACs, etc. The digital age just provides an alternative source component. If done correctly you get the same or even better sound quality, but it also opens up a whole new way to enjoy your music collection.

Kind regards,  Jaco van der Merwe

Perfection in Audio?

Perfect ????

Can't be....that's the one word audiophiles are NOT supposed to use.

But in digital, there's The Memory Player - the first memory-based drive unit with an other-worldly read-in process. Throw in Spectral Audio's sensational new CD player, with its unique, all-out algorithmic processing....and you finally have digital audio performing at a level where it was originally advertised to be - perfect !! (or near perfect in signal processing - Keith Johnson, designer of the Spectral, will tell you there's still more to learn but still...we're a lot closer than we think).

In wire, there's Tara Lab's The Zero interconnect, with its near-vacuum insulation. The new and improved version is said to be the final statement in wire design. And in loudspeaker drive units, there's the heat-generating Corona Ion tweeter from Lansche Audio. More than a cigarette lighter, it's the first zero-mass high-end tweeter.

All four of these designs may be approaching a summit formerly thought impossible. Everyone audiophile (and reviewer) that has heard them has described them as true breakthroughs in audio reproduction. Ya, we've heard that before...but now it's breakthrough ON TOP of breakthrough (from years past), etc.

Question - how many more breakthroughs can we have, at least in these areas ? In other areas of audio, there's still the crossover, cone-driver design, amps and pre-amps. But DEQX's (DSP) crossovers may be hitting that Holy Grail of audio design....even as I write this piece. And with a DSP-active crossover, we may not *need* an heroic, full-range power amp - a quality multi-channel amp will suffice, even for the ultimate in sound quality. But these, too, may be maxing-out in design as well............

John Harnick

Here's Your Answer

Dear Mr. DeWulf,

I am a new subscriber to your newsletter and actually ordered a few back issues, it seems I have a lot of catch- up reading to do! Is the only way to know about tweaks and home made cables you talk about currently, available in back issues?

I am also interested in your components of merit! Is this an on going changing list or something that comes out once a year or so?

Would it be possible to get new subscribers caught up, kind of like a stickeys on a forum, type thing?

And can you tell me which issue has your recipe for your latest home made cables!

Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance.

Sincerely, John Manojlovic

The recipe for the finest homemade speaker wire in the world is in issue #153.

Ancient History

Hi, Martin,

I read with interest your review of the Musical Design D-75B power amp from 1989. Just as I suspected, it sort of wimps out in the bass, especially with more difficult loads to drive. Its price is still the same today.

My situation is that I have been the original 95 pound weakling for about 10 years and broke my right elbow last May, so my ability to lift amplifiers is limited. I can barely handle my 36 pound Hafler 9300 TransNova, whose specially sized electrolytic power filtering caps may be impossible to replace. I have been told to expect them to croak soon. So, I am very attracted to the small D-75B. The speakers I use are 6 ohms nominal dropping to 4 ohms minimum, 86dB efficiency. My largest anticipated room is about 17x20 feet.

The amp you tested must have had the Hitachi mosfets. Hillig is now using Exicon mosfets, which he says sound better overall. For an extra charge, described as small, he can install double current Exicons. For the D-75B, his claim is-- "Versions with doubled current are available in both metal and plastic cases. It's great fun to take a Hafler DH-120 or B&K ST-140, which both had a single pair of outputs, and give them a much more powerful sound with tight extended bass by using these to greatly increase the current available to the speaker. Any amp with a single pair of outputs can really strut it's stuff! We've even used these in few of our Musical Design D-75B amps to make them sound like they have smooth, sweet, endless power."

Followed by-- "You just have to hear one of our modified amps with these devices. We'd gladly compare it to anything! It's a stunning experience on the best of ancillary gear! (11-13-06) These are selling well and customer reaction is positive to say the least! (02-15-07)"

I wish I could hear the amp with my speakers without buying it, but I can't. Hence my request for you to review the Exicon double current model D-75B (base model, no additional mods). I have not asked him for the extra cost of these mosfets, but I hope it would not be over $100, putting the price at $895.00. If they do what he says in this amp, then it would be an outstanding performer at the price and maybe my next and last power amp.

Regards, David Dudine

So, this is what we have received so far. If you have made the speaker cables we wrote about and have any comments on them, good or bad, feel free to express your opinions to us. We will print them here.

Marty,

It's been a busy week, so I haven't had any time to listen. I'm glad you have warned me about a "down period" with the cables. I might have taken them out.

I have never used any high priced speaker cables. I just couldn't get myself to take that chance. In the past I've used OCOS, Vitrual Mode, Dunlavy (I used to own the IVs), and, most recently, Millersound. The Millersound are supposed to be a clone of the JPS cables. I couldn't tell you about that, but they are awfully good cables. However, the difference in the Home Depot cable is astonishing from anything I've used. Not only does the system have a "fuller" sound, it is better with micro detail, and, I believe, it has better balance, something I have never been displeased with before. Soundstage has widened and deepened. Singers are more natural sounding that before. The sound now is simply more natural. What at deal!

I certainly can imagine that many audiophiles won't accept these discoveries. If someone wants to give me (or loan me) some Cardas Reference or Nordost Vahalla, I'm all for doing a comparison. No doubt that these are fine cables, however.

With further thoughts about this cable working as power cords, I'm not sure one could get them terminated into an IEC and plug. I'd really like for you to try this and let me know what occurs (I'm not much of an electrical person and electricity from the wall must be handled correctly for me to sleep at nights).

Anyway, I enjoy your magazine very much. And this discovery has me very excited.

Thanks again, Jim

Hi Marty,

I was in Kalamazoo, MI today (Saturday, Dec 6, 2003) to visit my Mother. As we did our errands I went to Lowe's in Kalamazoo at Kilgore Rd & S. Westnedge Ave. Went to the Electrical Dept with my issue of BFS in hand. Found a Lowe's employee in that Dept and asked if they had the 6 AWG as described in BFS. Guess what? They had a fair amount but only in green jackets and white jackets. I purchased 40 ft of each as I need an 18 to 20 ft run. Tomorrow I will do the termination and twisting of about a twist per foot or so. What does the twisting do and what happens or doesn't happen if I don't twist?

Anyway, just to let you and other readers know that the Lowe's I visited had the cable. I am using Alpha Core 10 AWG flat cable which sound at least as good as most other cable. I'll let you know how I think this sounds once I use it for awhile.

I currently have and have had for almost two years a Wyetech Labs Opal Preamp as The Inner Ear guys have, an Art Audio PX 25 pushing the Merlin VSM's - great sound but not enough power.

Good Job on the publication. I guess I will send in a renewal. Joe Nemedi

Hi Marty,

Thanks for the speedy reply. I found the same numbers as you published. I paid 27 cents per foot, so the total including tax was $22.90 - not bad for a great cable. How do I know this is a great cable? I picked up some used spades today that have oxidation and some corrosion and I didn't clean them yet. I may get better spades later. They have a hole and you push the wire in and tighten a screw on the side to tighten the cable up - no soldering. I then twisted the cables together not paying attention to how many twists over the twenty feet but enough to keep them nicely together - they are really stiff. I connected them to the Merlin VSM's and then to the Art Audio PX 25. Turned everything on as normal, listened to Jennifer Warne's Famous Blue Raincoat(made in Germany) for about the first four cuts and said WOW! Then I put in Eric Clapton's 2001 Road Tour CD and said WOW! WOW! WOW! The wifw factor was also a WOW! I had been using 10AWG Alpha Core in the 20 ft run. This cable from Lowe's is really great and has not yet been broken in. I don't think that you really "hear" the cable. I think that, as much as possible, I now hearing the music which is why I bought all this stuff.

What's better? Everything. Now I think the Merlins have some bass w/o that awful B.A.M. I do use a Sunfire sub but it is not in the system right now. My equipment was not really warmed up and you could immediately tell the difference. My wife was tapping her feet! Mid range was great with lots of detail, resolution, image, etc. and the highs were also great. And now I know why I bought all this expensive stuff! Next should be some wire for home made interconnect!

Anyway, thanks for some great reporting. The subscription is worth the money. Anyway, enough nonsense.

I don't know how much stock that Lowe's has and I have not checked Home Depot.

Thanks again. Joe Nemedi

 Hi Marty,

I'm supposed to be working but audio is more fun.

I went to a friends yesterday to get some spades and I wanted him to solder on some silver spades that he has. He looked at the wire and thought it was a joke and refused to do the soldering and gave me the corroded Analysis Plus spades instead which I described below. They are model T-1 and cost $15 each new (way more that the wire). Since the ones he gave me are badly corroded I ordered new ones from Audio Advisor this morning. I will give him back the corroded ones as if this "experiment" did not work. I am not going to let him in on this. He can suffer with his Alpha Core.

Thanks again. Joe Nemedi

Marty,

I just received issue 153 is yesterday's mail and was enjoying reading it this morning.

I especially enjoyed reading about your adventure with the 6 gauge wire from Lowe's.....you know, you are giving aware some of our best DIY secrets! If Lowe's found out they would probably repackage the stuff and start charging $10-$20 a foot for it :-)

Anyway, I saw you comments about trying to find spade lugs for it. There I can help. The folks at Vampire Wire have excellent spade lugs just the perfect size for that, the model RG6:

http://vampirewire.com/mcart/index.cgi?code=3&cat=7

I have used the larger ones, model RG2 (which handles up to 2 gauge wire), to re-terminate some Fulton Gold I use for the subs in my Pipedreams system. Those are very hard to crimp properly at home/ The tool actually costs $1500 to do it but the folks at Vampire suggest you can do it yourself using a vise and a ball bearing. They will also do it for you for free, if you buy the connect from them and pay for return shipping, which is what I did.

I hope you find this useful. If you want Vampire's flash enhanced site, go to:

http://www.vampirewire.com/shockindex/Shock/index.html

Dave Carpe

Hello Marty

Just wanted to let you know that Home Depot carries the 6 awg wire that you specified. I found it with a black jacket only, but other stores may have different colors. This stuff was $0.22 per foot and set me back nearly $10.00 . Some spades and a little solder and I'll see if this ends up blowing away my Synergistic Research.

Thanks again for the tip.

Regards, Dave

Hi Marty,

I have about 25 hrs on the wire and it still sounds great. After 20 hrs I switched amps - from the 6 watt PX-25 to the 120 watt Manley 120 monoblocks running in ultralinear w/Svetlana KT 88's. Still sounds great, or if there was any loss I could not detect it at this point.

Friday night I went to Home Depot 5 minutes from my home. They had 6 AWG stranded w/jacket in white & red. They were out of the black jacket. The wire was marked THHN-2 or THWN. I'm not certain this is the same wire or not. There was 3 rolls of 500 ft of white and 3 rolls of 500 ft of red. All of the wire was priced at $76 for 500 ft. It appeared that they also sold it by the foot. That's just over 15 cent per foot! The only way to know if this is the same would be to buy it and try it. I am not going to do that. I'll stick with the Lowe's wire!

Thanks again. Joe Nemedi

Hi,

You've got my DIY juices flowing again, just like in the early '90s with the interconnects. I have to try the 6 gauge wire out and see how it works in my system.

The Lowes near where I work only had a 100' remainder of the black wire for $0.27 per foot. They wouldn't split it further, so I bought all of it. If you know anyone who wants the black and can't find it, I'll gladly sell it to them for my 27 cents per foot and shipping costs. Just have them email me.

Thanks, Rick S

Too much to learn and not enough time for it all!!!

Marty,

Here's the info on the speaker cable and compression lugs that I promised to send.

Wire: ESSEX 6 AWG E53446B T90 NYLON OR TWN75 c(UL)us MTW OR THHN OR THWN OR THWN-2 GASOLINE AND OIL RESISTANT II 600V VW-1 OR AWM

Lugs: BLACKBURN BLACTL814 (BLA CTL8-14 8STR CU COMP LUG).

Today I sent you some lugs to experiment with. You should receive them by mid week. Let me know what you think. I don't know if a compression connection is better sonically than a solder connection. I do know that the 6 AWG with the compression connection really sounds good.

Regards, Courtenay

Dear Marty,

You're quite right about audio cables. The mumbo jumbo, as well as the markup, clearly has nothing to do with actual performance or manufacturing costs. For over a decade, I've been using the late Harvey Rosenberg's technique of making up double-runs of solid 16awg silver wires to use as speaker cables. The silver wire can be purchased directly from a refinery for about $1/foot, Teflon jacketing adds another $0.50/foot, and Goertz Alpha-Core sells flat silver spades for $2.50 each. You do the math!

For me, there's still an open question about the optimal gauge for speaker wires, especially in long runs. Some years ago, I took a 24-foot pair of the original Fulton Browns (I think they were made from stranded 14awg copper) and cut them into different lengths. It was only when they exceeded 8 feet from amp to speaker that I could clearly hear a difference (less of everything). Right now, both my amps and speakers use 16awg silver internal wiring and are located within two feet of each other. With a run that short, they effectively become a single unit, so this is one issue that does not keep me up at night.

Regarding the Lowe's copper cable, BFS arrived yesterday and since I had another errand in that direction, I stopped in at local Lowe's. Looking over the reels and remnants, all of the 6awg E51583 was gone. However, I suspect that the actual part number or brand is not critical and that any 6awg type MTW/THWN-2/THHN/AWM copper will do. The key here is the type, which refers to the configuration and insulation, and that it must be copper, not aluminum. BTW, Kimber Postmaster spades (available in unplated copper) will accept 6awg wire without modification.

Finally, some years ago a colleague give me a white paper that was presented to the Audio Engineering Society by a scientist who was doing research for the Navy. He needed to ensure that audio signals transmitted by a sonar unit in a submarine were passed correctly to a computer. In fabricating different cables, he discovered that the most important factor was the use of identical materials throughout. In other words, his results were only consistent and repeatable when both the wire and connector were made of the same metal. Copper wire had to be terminated with copper plugs/spades, silver wire with silver plugs/spades, etc. Whenever metals were mixed or plated, the signal could never be passed the same way twice. Just more food for thought!

Regards, Joseph Levy/Tempo Electric

Dear Bound for Sound,

I just wanted to let you know that I tried making the Lowe's wire speaker cable that you described, and I am absolutely amazed at the difference it's made in my system. There may be better cables out there, but as of right now, I can't see any reason to look for them. I am just blown away by the music (and the sound) coming out of my speakers. This cable fixed things that had been bugging me for years and also fixed things I didn't even know needed fixing. The stage width and depth doubled, there is much more life in the music, and everything just has an enormous presence. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your tip.

By the way, I found the wire you described at Home Depot, and it seems like they had plenty of it, in four colors.

Thanks again for making my music more musical.

All the best, Mark Cherrington

In the Defense of The Audio Critic (TAC)

Dear Mr. DeWulf:

I happened onto your website while researching another topic, and was amused to find several references to The Audio Critic. One more or less knocked us for having "missed" some minor RF interference from the Sunfire amp which you mention. This sort of left-handedly suggested that our technical credibility was somehow compromised by this "oversight" - I did not do the technical measurement, but I would point out that it is rare indeed, perhaps unprecedented, to make much of that issue. While listening to my system, I seldomly also listen to AM radio broadcasts. So what is the point? I find many digital products cause noise on the AM bands, including my MSB Link, Arcam CD player, and others. Whether others view your "discovery" as significant I cannot say, but to my mind it in no way elevates the technical unaccountability that passes for many of the reviews in BFS. My Yamaha TX-950 suppresses the noise - the last 4x more expensive Magnum-Dynalab did not. Is that Sunfire's problem, M-D's, or both I wonder?

I was also amused by the reference to The Audio Critic as "saviors of the right-wing". If technical accountability and scientific knowledge have been demagogued into political depiction as you indicate, then I guess we must plead "guilty". I take some solace in that the majority of real-world left-wing thinking I see in print, or view on television, contains the same sort of muddle-headedness, historical short-sightedness, moral subjectivity, and technical illiteracy that has made the high-end increasingly irrelevant and laughable.

How else can one explain "The West Wing" and Bill Clinton's 2nd term?

This hobby used to be oriented toward High Fidelity; now it seems to be High Anxiety, as audiophiles fret and obsess over every microcosm of technical speculation, fomented by technical illiterates upon the unsuspecting masses. They will quote Harry Pearson, but know nothing of Maxwell. HP and nearly every other subjective reviewer tell them oxygen crystals in copper are bad - Maxwell tells them they are irrelevant. The left-wing looks to one, your "right-wing" to the other. To my way of thinking, it is more akin to alchemy vs. western science. One labored hopelessly in vain, the other put a man on the moon and got him back in one piece!

I of course do not mean any personal animosity - I have been in audio too long to take anything personal at this point, and I always like a horse race. But I still wince when some fledgling audiophile wants a recommendation on a power cord that will somehow provide audio nirvana, and seem disappointed when I opine that I will consider making one when he finds a degreed professor at any decent MS/EE program willing to make the case for such an investment. Of course, that never happens.

I of course am heavily subjective on the topic of speakers, and share many of your comments on the Waveform Mach 17, which I own, having bought them sound unheard early in 1996. I did this primarily on the published specfications, the engineering clarity, and the money back guarantee. Mine have the original, out of production Audax TPX drivers.

One comment - you suggested that the 325 Hz crossover was too high for the design model. Well, here are two comments from the right wing:
1) The 12" woofers do not come close to even a half-wavelength of the crossover frequency, and therefore will exhibit no beaming at the crossover frequency, and could have been taken higher still. This is of course verified by engineering theory and real-world measurement, even 45 degree off-axis. Whether the lower mids and below have much real-world applicability to the point source model is arguable. Both of us could talk at length about the yeas and nays of that.
Which leads to:
2) The TPX driver originally used had 45% lower moving mass than the later paper one, but it also had a nasty resonance below about 300 Hz as depicted in data I have from Audax. This is eliminated in the electronic crossover designed by Dr. Fortier and Bryston. But keeping the crossover at 325 Hz increased power handling dramatically, lowered IM, and kept that wonderful midrange driver in its SOA, and area of utmost linearity.

Of course, when it comes to transducers, the proof's in the listening, and on that point we have no disagreements. Too bad it was a marketing effort doomed to fail.

Regards, I remain,

Yours truly,

Glenn O, Strauss
Contributing Editor The Audio Critic
Member AES

MGD comments: I wasn't "left handedly" suggesting anything. I was stating that you guys at The Audio Critic blew it. In the Sunfire review published in BFS, we pointed out a significant electrical failing in the amplifier which up to that time no other publication had found, not even the "techno babblers" at TAC. You now consider the enormous, and in my experience, unprecedented amount of RF hash emitted by the Sunfire as "minor"! Not only did the Sunfire act as a radio station broadcasting whatever it played onto every AM receiver in the house, but it wiped out a significant portion of the AM band. Your Link DAC does not do that.

Now there can be, in my opinion, only two reasons for such a monumental guffaw on your part: 1) Your technical analysis and testing failed to anticipate that a switching supply would generate a substantial amount of RF and therefore overlooked it, or; 2) You knew of the problem and its implications but chose to ignore it because of the advertising dollars Sunfire contributes to your efforts.

Now, you can choose which one of the two above shoes fit, but you are compelled to wear one of them. You have no choice. You blew it, or you are corrupt. There is no in between.

Secondly, you have to admit that we caught and exposed a significant electrical failing that you did not. That has serious credibility ramifications for you. Inasmuch as you pride yourself on your technical acumen, and in large part your very existence is premised on that technical acumen, if you fail to expose something as significant as a mini radio transmitter in a power amplifier, what is the rationale for your existence? Saying that you don't listen to AM while enjoying your stereo ignores the reality that most people must face: Other people living in the same house may want to listen to AM radio…you know, things like wives and kids, maybe even your neighbors.

And the above oversight on your part wasn't the only time it has happened. TAC failed to observe that the midrange driver in the Waveform Mach 17 was out of phase, thereby causing an observable dip in the frequency response, and a shift in tone in the middle frequencies. When I told John of my findings he did not deny it, and when he used our review on his web site, he did not refute a single word of what we said. The TPX driver you refer to was the weak link in the design and had to go…which John did.

Which isn't to say you haven't done some fine work, you have. I loved your dissection of the VanAlstine player, exposing it for the lame brain design it really was. And you did the industry a favor in exposing Robert Harley as a know nothing opportunist. Other than the latest issue of TAC, I have every issue, including the pamphlets of 1980, since Issue #1.* When I talk about TAC, I know what I'm talking about.

But, I think you have difficulty putting a publication such as BFS into the pigeon holes you have placed the rest of the industry in. This is best illustrated by your comments regarding "technical accountability and scientific knowledge". You later state that no "…degreed professor at any decent MS/EE program…" would be willing to make a case for an investment in a high-end power cord. You said, "Of course, that never happens."

But you are wrong, and you've been wrong for a long time. Not only do I confer with, and call my friends, numerous EE's and physicists, but the newest addition to our reviewing staff has an EE degree from Princeton (yeah, the Ivy League Princeton). And these lettered persons know, and in some cases, have proven that there are significant electrical differences in audio components which contribute to the differences heard by audiophiles over the years; even power cords. You have difficulty with a publication that has taken the middle road, acknowledging that wires and amplifiers do sound different, while further respecting the rules of physics. Your testing regiment does not determine what the rules of physics are, nor how sound is perceived by the mind. You effectively have it backwards. No, the rules of physics determine the types of tests that should be done… unfortunately, we don't understand the rules enough to fully determine which tests are needed. Yet, your egos refuse to allow you to admit that. The fact that there are things that you do not understand about electronics and audio repulses you. Moreover, I can say with confidence that your testing is primitive and rudimentary compared to the complexities of the creation and the One who created it.

Which leads me to your egos. Don't you know I'm a proud card carrying member of the "Black Hat" brigade? Back in the 1930's when Adolph Hitler started labeling people he did so for the purpose of gaining an advantage, an advantage not based on realities, but on perceived superiority. They're bad, we're good. Making people takes sides, when taking sides was not necessary. The reasoning behind his logic didn't require truth, nor was it based on actual experience - he rewrote history to suit his purposes. Now, imagine how I felt when I read what Peter Aczel wrote about me and BFS when he declared me a "Black Hat"? I had been labeled, and I guarantee you that prior to writing his rant he had never read BFS.

How do I know? Some of the things he said were so wrong headed and factually incorrect, that even a one-time reader would have said something else. BFS readers noted the same, and several manufacturers wrote to wonder where Aczel got his information. We can be criticized, but not in the ways mentioned by your magazine. For example, Peter stated that we catered to manufacturers in order to obtain review samples. Wrong! Other than yourself, there is NO audio publication that has ticked off more manufacturers than BFS! Ask Krell, Thiel, Note Perfect, BAT, Blue Circle, Avantgarde, Bel Canto, Innersound, Pass, Wadia, Rotel, Atma-Sphere, SimAudio, Plinius, GamuT and numerous others if we write flattering copy for the sole purpose of obtaining review pieces.

Peter had labeled me, and after the label had been attached, it mattered little to him what the truth was. He had read an article I wrote for TAS, and from that alone he penned his poison, making it seem that he was familiar with my publication when he was not. His literary credibility has forever been impugned. Therefore, I do not consider him, or the magazine, to be honest.

BTW, I didn't say that you were the saviors of the right wing. No, I said that TAC prides itself as being the saviors of the audio right wing. An enormous difference that you chose to spin instead of properly quoting. From your comments, it appears that I was correct..

* TAC still owes me twenty bucks for an unfulfilled subscription in 1981.

Cables for Clayton

To: Martin G. DeWulf

Read your review of the Clayton M-100's, and I bought them. What speaker cable did you use for your review?

I'm going to be using them with 2 Aerial 10T's and an Aerial CC5. I notice that you don't consistently list equipment used in testing equipment in your reports. Why is that? That information can be of help to us readers.

Thanks for a good amplifier series. I really enjoy BFS!

Gary Wilbert

MGD comments: Thanks for the message. I try to be consistent in mentioning ancillary equipment when it is material to the outcome of the review, sometimes one slips by. Generally however, I only mention speaker cable or interconnects when the product under evaluation tends to perform better with one or another, or there is an obvious synergy. In the case of the M-100, the amplifier has a low output impedance and is basically unaffected by the speaker cable chosen. Unlike most tube amps with their high output impedances that can be influenced by the cable used, the Clayton performs as it should regardless of what you tie to its outputs. In my case, I was using the TG Audio HSR speaker cable, and the combo was indeed stunning.

You have a very fine power amplifier. Congrats.

Four Speakers, But No Surround

Dear Martin,

Can I ask you a quick audio question, please? Just how "bad" do you think the sound would be if instead of two stereo speakers you put up four? Let's say two at the ten and eleven o'clock positions and two at the one and two o'clock positions; equal distance from the listener. Worth a try?

If you don't have time to answer I will understand. I am in Washington State. I just got back from a nine month deployment to Germany. I have KEF speakers.

Sincerely,

Steve

MGD comments: I don't know if the sound would be "bad". With more speakers up front you will move a lot more air, hence the feeling of filling the room with sound will be improved. Because you'll have tweeters at different angles from your ears, you'll also get a little phase flip and you'll get some added depth and dimension. On the whole, your imaging will become less precise...bigger and less focused. Sometimes, if you can stack the two speakers, you can keep the air moving power and maintain image specificity.

Try it and have some fun.

Appalled Only Once!

Greetings:

I am usually not one to comment on material I see on the internet, but I am appalled by one item in your top 100 list. Putting "And Justice For All" at number 34 is an absolute disgrace. There is a large portion of lifelong Metallica fans that view this album as a joke and the beginning of the end for this once great band.

I absolutely love Metallica's first 3 albums and in my opinion, this album was huge step backwards for them. If you want to listen to a truly great album, listen to "Master of Puppets". It is quite hard to believe that the same band produced both of them, but after the unfortunate death of the great Cliff Burton, it seems it was not really the same band.

Respectfully yours,

Dan

MGD comments: Thanks for the e-mail. I usually don't respond to non-subscribers, but I had to in this case. I think it's wonderful that out of 100 listings I only appalled you once! Actually I had some difficulty choosing between "Justice..." and "Master of Puppets". Believe it or not, there is a solid group of Metallica fans that believe that Justice with the cut "One" was an artistic triumph for the band. Opinions differ, and we simply did the best we could to be unbiased and fair....but we made no promises.

We welcome the input.

The Wisdom of an Owl

Dear Marty

Thanks for putting in 2 years to determine the best 100 of all time. I'm sure you will receive a lot of response as everybody has different taste. I will try to look at your perspective of how you choose the albums. I doubt that all of these are favorites of yours so its nice to know you were looking at the big picture.

I was shocked to see ZZ Top and Peter Gabriel in the top 5. Why ? I could understand the top 50 or 75 but 5?? I thought Hendrix would be a little higher. Good choice # 28 and 29 in the top 30.

The only "Island" album to make #1 is Stand Up by Jethro Tull. Great fidelity….also their first as the new quartet. Rated below Thick as a Brick??? Why???

I'm not a fan of Grand Funk or Credence but was suprised to see either one. (Grand Funk in the top 50. How about Van Halen 1 .

Also Boston or (dated) Frampton Comes Alive. Why not either of these? A few of my friends were suprised at Katy Lied vs. Countdown or Royal Scam. The only two Traffic Albums I have were the ones chosen, Yeah.

Captain and Me is a GREAT ALBUM….only 78?? Why is Three Friends your choice of Gentle Giant. ?? Very Surprising. Yes # 85 Ambrosia... also Song for America is their best. Way to go on Kansas. Triumvirat must be a favorite of yours to include it over Leftoverature..or some of the above that never made it.

Genesis 4 Reporting….Glad to see I made it in the top 50. Please respond when you have the time.

Owlvet

MGD comments: Glad you liked the 100 listing....at least I think you liked it. Anyway, ZZ Top and Peter Gabriel surprised you? Excellent! Tres Hombres, one of the hardest rockin', tequila drinkin' recordings ever made. Know who Jimi Hendrix considered the best guitarist in the world? Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top! And this album shows why...timeless solos and rhythms.

Peter Gabriel's "Security". Have you heard it? This is probably the most intelligently written rock record ever made. It's not your run of the mill rock record, it's different and it challenges the mind in ways no other rock record ever has. The song "Wallflower" is monumental, and one of a kind - the finest single rock song with a meaning ever made? I think so.

Van Halen 1? Two killer songs, and some duds. Not strong overall, but those first two songs are amazing.

Boston and Frampton? Too pop for me, and too commercial. I prefer Frampton's Camel to Comes Alive. I too am a Hendrix fan, but don't you think that much of his stuff sounds old? His playing has always been supreme, but after further listenings, many of his songs 60's psychedelic songs sound very dated..

Liked your comments.

Marty:

…Keep up the good work. BFS has the highest credibility (with me) of all the audio magazines I read, and I really appreciate the objectivity.

So many of the high profile audio magazines have confused their role in serving readers with that of serving their advertisers. Sometimes I think they resemble glossy print infomercials.

I hope you don't mind a bit of a rant here, but having just come back to this hobby after a 10 year hiatus, I've started to cultivate some strong views. I know you're aware of the issues, so please don't feel that you need to reply.

Last May I attended my first audio show (Stereophile's Home Entertainment Show in NYC) and while attending a Q&A session with Stereophile's writers and editors I asked them why I never saw reviews of products from manufacturers who sell direct to consumers, particularly companies that have been around a while, like Legacy, and are well known to the audiophile community as making quality products. John Atkinson mumbled something about how the magazine is just trying to protect consumers from companies that may not be around very long. He also said that consumers ought to be able to audition equipment before buying it. Another writer said, yes, we really ought to do a review of Legacy speakers. The tension in the room produced by that question told me more than the answers….

The deeper I get into this hobby the more I realize that there is a community built around it, and this makes it even more interesting. (It's kind of like, after buying a Harley Davidson six years ago, I discovered that every motorcyclist waved at me on the road and that there was, to my surprise, a community established not only around the brand but around motorcycling itself.) Within any community, issues of trust are always paramount.

I feel that BFS is one of the best parts of the audiophile community. There is an honesty and love of the hobby that clearly comes through the magazine and which I suspect exerts a larger influence than you might think. I really enjoy it, and I think it's influence in the audiophile community is very positive.

One critical suggestion: I find that the ink devoted to coverage of CES, the Stereophile Home Entertainment Show, and other shows, to be a bit of a waste, not only in BFS but in all the magazines that try to give them coverage. Having just attended one of them, I can now see why. They are chaotic events where critical listening is close to impossible. Although I enjoyed the Home Entertainment show, I'm not sure what could have been learned there that would be of benefit to readers. I suppose there is some significance to having manufacturers show up and demo equipment, but it does not make for very informative or interesting reading.

Best regards,  Gary Wilbert

MGD comments: One of the most difficult things to decide in running BFS every year is the amount of space given the various trade shows. I thought we did pretty good on the last Stereophile show with Marc Yun being the major contributor. The problem is this. It's at these shows, especially the Winter CES, that many companies introduce their new products for the new year - it's a map of sorts for the future. Many people like the discovery of that. At the same time, I too have felt that the space devoted to the trade shows has bordered on the excessive. Your point is well taken, but I'll make no promises at this time. As they say, "Make no promises, tell no lies."

Camelot Kudos

Dear Mr. DeWulf:

Although I have never actually read your magazine (I've never seen it at any news stand I've visited) I did get the opportunity to read an old review of yours on the Camelot Uther/Dragon combo on the Camelot website. An online dealer had these components for sale used and after much fretting and trepidation I bought them "unheard" a few weeks ago and have been living happily with them ever since.

I did get the chance to read Stereophile's Camelot review both before and after owning the gear and IMO the review was utterly worthless. (Basically, the reviewer said the Uther sounded "super" - for that he gets paid the big bucks!). Fortunately, I was able to read your review as well (posted on the Camelot website) which was enough to encourage me to take a chance on buying the gear without an audition, thus the reason for my writing you today.

I must say that, by any standard, your review was simply remarkable in it's scope and depth and in its ability to truly capture both the sound and excitement these fine components can generate. Well done sir! The internet has opened up many opportunities to buy exotic gear for those of us who would otherwise never have access to them. Reviews like yours provide a real service for those of us in this situation. Many thanks!….

Thanks again for your time and a great review!

Dave

#1

Dear publisher,

I feel compelled to ask about your recent review of a product called Triphazers. C'mon! Is this for real? Mysterious little black boxes - VERY EXPENSIVE little black boxes!

Not to be discourteous, but this sounds like voodoo. As a publisher aren't you concerned about the credibility of your magazine? Don't you think it would be a good idea to get a second opinion and other forms of substantiating evidence?

I'm not trying to be nasty or negative, but your review of this obscure product borders on the revelatory. If it is really this good I think it demands further attention. I think it would benefit both you and your readers to get additional background and try to determine if there is anyone who could support the claimed abilities of this device with supporting principles of electronics, engineering, physics or whatever.

I would appreciate any comments.

Sincerely, Jerry Slavata

MGD comments: Haven't read everything I've said about the Triphazers, have you? Had you read everything that I've written about the product in the various coverages, you'd know that there is a scientific basis for what it does, by definition there has to be - it's not magic by any means, though the manufacturer was quite irate when I figured out what it was and spilled the beans....the magic was all gone. So, I've done my homework on the Triphazers. A Triphazer is basically an open air inductor of various wire types and gauges. This fact alone will send the pseudo-scientific types running for the door screaming "snake oil." But it's not a trick or hype - it works too well to be that. I've been using the speaker units for some time now and blind A/B testing has revealed them to be audible in a system, and a positive.

#2

Dear Mr. DeWulf,

First and foremost, let me apologize if I offended. I tried to state that I wasn't trying to be offensive in my first email. You are correct in assuming I did not read your other articles. Nor do I have in depth experience with the Triphazers. My inquiry to you was based entirely on your review found on the Triphazer website. I respect the way you strongly defend yourself. Please sign me up for you magazine!

To be a little more forthcoming, only last Friday I discovered the Triphazer website and learned that the company is almost within walking distance of my home. Based on my conversation with the owner, the reviews I found on the Triphazer website, and their 90 day money back guarantee, I purchased a demo pair of the level 15 speaker units. They haven't been in my system long enough to pass judgement, but I must admit that, without doing any critical listening, I have noticed that the music is more pleasing to my ears. I guess I was trying to get a reaction from you, but I probably didn't approach it too well.

I would be most interested in getting the complete story, so please let me know if it is available in back issues, and whether or not I can get copies of them.

By the way, do you still endorse the product?

Thank you for the admonition. I am pleased to have stumbled upon a publication that has such strong, honest viewpoints.

Sincerely, Jerry Slavata

MGD comments: No offense taken, you called the situation exactly as you saw it. I still endorse the product, and I think the longer you use the product the more you will like it.

After some months had passed, I wrote Jerry to get his thoughts on the Triphazers, a follow-up of sort. I've always felt that a long term relationship with a product will flesh out its merits and foibles. The following is how Jerry responded.

#3

Hi Marty,

Sorry for not responding sooner, but I just returned from vacation.

I appreciate your display of interest and concern by sending a follow-up inquiry, and I am happy to respond.

I have the level 15 that connect to the speaker outputs on the amp. I am convinced that they are one of the biggest contributors to improving my system, but describing exactly how they do it is difficult. The effects were immediate if not dramatic, but over time they became gradually more noticeable, and after several months and hundreds of hours I think things are still getting better.

The results of their implementation for me is that whatever I play sounds more enjoyable. How's that for being descriptive? I warned you that describing what they do would be difficult. If you are a Star Trek fan, you might recall an episode from "Next Generation" where the ship acquired some mysterious devices that crew members attached to their heads like headphones, but had a curved appendage that terminated just in front of the user's eye. When switched on the device went to work on the user's pleasure zones of the brain and seemed to place that person in an euphoric, almost orgasmic state.

I'm not saying the Triphazers go to that extreme, but the effect is similar in that it seems to address my audio pleasure zones. I haven't noticed any real changes in the character of my system's sound in terms of it becoming warmer, or more rolled off, or more extended, or faster, or the soundstage becoming deeper, or imaging becoming more focused. But things are different from what they used to be. I listen primarily to CD, and especially with digital, my listening was always accompanied by an unpleasant, unnatural side effect that manifested itself in varying degrees of pain, which resulted in varying degrees of cringing, kind of like when someone runs their finger nails on a chalkboard. It's been pretty well documented how digital playback has inherent listening unpleasantries associated with it, and much of what we do as audiophiles seems to focus on trying to eliminate or smooth over these symptoms.

This is the area that the Triphazers must be addressing, because the pain/cringe factor has been greatly reduced. I am enjoying my music more, and I can listen for longer periods without discomfort or fatigue. Another change I've noticed is the ability to play music louder than before. I'm currently using Red Rose R3 monitors, which uses a small ribbon tweeter and tiny 5 1/4" Dynaudio midbass. The expected output from such small drivers is naturally going to be limited, but with the Triphazers these speakers are pumping out far greater SPL's than they have any business doing. I believe it's because the analog signal that the speaker is getting is cleaner and more natural.

I have also noticed that removing the speakers from the system and replacing them with a different pair diminishes the beneficial effects of the Triphazers. Both the replacement and the replaced speaker don't sound as good as they do when the speaker is left in the system for awhile (at least 24 hours). This makes it difficult to perform a/b testing of speakers with the Triphazers in the circuit, but I can't listen to my system anymore without the Triphazers.

Regarding the dissatisfaction of one of your readers with the 20's - a friend recently tried a pair of 15's in his system and returned them for a refund. He reported not hearing any worthwhile improvements. I'm not convinced that he allowed them enough time in his system. Additionally, he owns components that are significantly more expensive than mine - Cabasse and Jadis, so maybe his system is beyond the shortcomings that the Triphazers are designed to improve. What was your reader unhappy with?

I should add that since adding the Triphazers, I have also switched to Aurios Media Isolation Bearings under my CD player, preamp, and amp, and they too, have resulted in very favorable and faster improvements, so credit for enhancing my system and listening pleasure must go to the Aurios as well. Though not as mysterious as the Triphazers, I still find it mystifying that floating a component on ball bearings can have such an impact on the sound.

PS: I still strongly advocate the GamuT D200. It is so much more refined and transparent than the Odyssey, even though I liked the Odyssey and think it is a bargain. I also believe bi-wiring is effective when components for the hf circuit and lf circuit of the crossover work independently of each other, which I would believe are the majority of xover designs.

Keep up the great work. I have enjoyed and utilized your publication. Based on your high regard for the Merlin VSM, I have arranged to visit a new audio friend who lives in my area and has urged me to give his VSM Millenniums a listen in his home.

Sincerely,  Jerry, Brookfield WI

MGD comments: Nice catch Jerry, your response was more than anticipated. As far as the other reader having some trouble with his 20's, I'm working on that with him, and when we have some results, they will be posted here. Regarding the GamuT D200. The manufacturer sent an e-mail in response to your prodding, and I responded saying that I would love to audition and review the power amplifier - a level playing field in the Big Rig instead of some show comments. He has not responded.

 Refreshing, Clean, Frank, and Maybe Honest

Hello Martin,

A long time ago I discovered the emotional joy reproduced music gave me in the home. The old man had quite a set-up (JBL horns, Marantz tubed gear, Garrard TT etc., you know what I mean) and was endlessly listening and tweaking. Like you said, "it was an age of discovery" and guess what? Fun!

Enormous fun! Then things got a little complicated; magazines (I'd say all of them) became advertising mediums, most manufacturers became greedy and lost their focus, and most of the supposed "High End" Shows became showcases for expensively dressed equipment.

I was still having fun in the process with my old Tympani IVs, Audio Research amps, Micro Seiki TT c/w FR 66S and Dynavector. Then I discovered BFS and to my (very pleasant) surprise read a journal that was just that - a journal. Refreshingly clean, frank (I can't say honest because I have only just subscribed) and fun! Really, you must have the best job in the world and I admire how you have kept BFS together all these years. Well done, Martin.

Eventually I had to replace these aging "friends" and went shopping. And listened - to the equipment and the sales pitches. I was told the prices (which I already knew from the little I had read from one or two mags). I was also preached to by the sales people regarding how the audio magazine gurus' had just discovered the latest flavour of the month. It went like this, "You are so used to the colourations in your present system that when you actually hear refined modern day, high tech, mega quality components like the new Audio XYZ, you'll probably think it isn't accurate. But let me tell you, it is merely revealing what equipment from yesteryear could not"...blah, blah, blah.

I finally spent a small fortune on a well put together system of my own choosing and guess what? It was fun again! I am not going to name these new components, but they are pretty much what you have reviewed in the last 2 years or so. Curious how I would chose components that pretty much are the same as those that you and your writers generally like.

I hope to renew my subscription when the time comes (next year I think) and please be around for a long time. This hobby (can I still call it that?) needs a voice like BFS.

Thank you, Martin. Thank you.

Truly, Leonard Tan

MGD comments: A little pat on the back for a job well done never hurts. We appreciate it. You have touched on the one thing that BFS desires to do most - return the fun back to audio hobbyism. No sense in doing something that you don't like doing regardless of what it is. Listening to music and learning about the hobby is a noble endeavor that should capture our spirits and nudge us on to even greater achievements. We work very hard at creating a quality product that puts the fun back in audio, letters like this help us maintain or focus and drive.

Martin,

Congratulations on a couple of milestones. Bound for Sound has hit 10 years now and has also finally hit cyberspace. While I only started reading your publication several months ago, I did order the last couple of years of back issues and I feel like a somewhat green but hard core reader. My system has also been recently rebuilt using a shrewd but effective technique. I only considered high performance, inexpensive, musical equipment and accessories. I consider all my equipment to be real value for money components in their own right, and together make a very refined, transparent, musical and very enjoyable system. That's where your publication comes in. My digital front end is the esteemed Resolution Audio CD50 which is hooked direct to a SimAudio Celeste 4070SE amp which in turns provides current to the Silverline Audio SR17's. TG Audio HSRi ac cords. Interconnects and cables from Harmonic Technology. As you can see, several components are indeed BFS Components of Exceptional Merit. Coincidence? I think not. So, not only congratulations, but thank you. Thanks for doing what you do, and passing it on to your readers. While I am very happy with my system I will most likely continue to improve it and will be using your publication as a source of ideas.

One more thing. Are we almost done with the bleeding edge 96/24 stuff? I'd rather see more information on the things that I care about today - the things I'm most likely to buy today. While I appreciate your ability to bring some of this cutting edge technology to print, I am not about to run out and buy a new 96/24 front end - no matter how good it sounds. Several things need to happen before I am tempted to ditch the CD50. One of which is several generations of new format players need to have been released and the bugs ironed out. I love my system so much that I don't feel the current format is inferior and needs to be replaced. Its reached its peak so lets enjoy what we have worked so hard to achieve before we start cutting our teeth on something new, different and unknown. I could really sink my teeth in to some articles on cables, cords, resonance control devices, room treatment and line conditioners. Not to mention your usual wickedly humorous columns on the state of the industry today.

 One more thing. Your website makes it easier to show others just why I like your publication and why they should join up too.

 Regards, Bryan

MGD comments: Thank for the compliments, even though you can't see it, I'm blushing, really I am. I think you've done very well for yourself in building a cost effective system that threatens the state-of-the-art (each one of your components represents a best of class type of device). Other readers would do well to emulate what you have done.

Am I almost done with the "…bleeding edge 96/24 stuff?" Nope. While I'm not here to castigate the digital past, this my friend is the future. But, here's what I'll do. While covering the "bleeding edge stuff" that many readers are wanting to read about, BFS will be covering more of the things that you are wanting to see. We have the newest and most controversial speaker cables and interconnects on the planet. And I think this should be of interest to you. I' working on the "end all" burn-in and set-up article summarizing twenty years of learning and experience. It's all you'll need to make a system one of "Exceptional Merit." In addition to that, more information is coming on component racks and isolation devices, specifically some interesting units from Osiris. We'll have it all, just give us some time.

Dear Martin:

 My CD transport just quit. It is a Teac VRDS-10 player and I use it just as a transport into a California Audio Labs Alpha DAC with Mullard 8137s as per your recommendation. Since it is going to cost several hundred dollars to fix, I'm thinking maybe it would be better to invest the money in the Sony DVD 7000 which is on sale for $568 (clearance to make room for 7700 model). The question is how is Meridian's lossless processing (MLP) going to affect the future usage of the 7000? I.E. Is the MLP going to go before the output of the DVD player or will it be implemented in the DAC? California Audio Labs already has a mod for the Alpha to turn it into a 24bit/96khz DAC.

 I am guessing the scenario will go like this:

1. buy the Sony 7000 - $568.

2. get MSB to put 24/96 coax output on Sony 7000 - $385.

3. get mod for Alpha DAC to accept 24bit/96khz - haven't learned price yet.

4. get black box from someone to decode MLP and connect where?

As you can see, I'm a little confused was to where MLP fits in the scheme. I went to Meridian's web site and looked at white papers and news releases and didn't find the answer. Can you clarify this in a few words. I know you are busy so I'll understand if you keep it brief.

Mahalo, Zeke Zook

MGD comments: The last thing I'd worry about right now is the MLP. Your plans concerning your digital future is well thought out, but I might want to make one little change. Why the Sony 7000? Pioneer has several superior sounding DVD players that can be used as a video machine as well as a digital transport for 24/96 without spending the $400 for the conversion. Their outputs are already coming out at the higher bit and sampling rates.

The CAL Alpha is a crazy little processor, one of the most underrated digital machines in the world. If CAL can modify the original unit to take the new DAD discs at 24/96, more power to them and you!

Marty:

Please tell me if you've had any problems with The Link damaging your transport. A friend of mine who knows several high-end importers and dealers says that he's been told "by insiders" that the MSB DAC causes problems in transports, that it is a "transport destroyer". This seems unlikely on the face of it to me, but if you would update me on your experience it would help me in my decision to buy The Link.

Thanks, Will Lowe

PS I very recently subscribed on the recommendation of Pierre Sprey, and based on the 2 back issues I've received I'm a happy reader.

MGD comments: A transport Destroyer? These friends of yours are feeding you a line. Next time when they quote the so called "insiders" ask for names. You are absolutely right when you surmise the allegations to be "unlikely." It's unfortunate, but true, that when a product that's almost too good to be true comes along, some have to tear it down for selfish reasons. Don't deal with those guys.

Dear Mr. DeWulf:

I read your article AC and You -- A New Era posted on the Bybee products review web page and have ordered several back issues of BFS dealing with AC and grounding. There seems to be little mutual consent or knowledge about line conditioning products in the industry, so I am glad someone has taken the time to investigate the issues and products available. I have contacted you because Mrs. DeWulf mentioned you are willing to make product recommendations to BFS subscribers. (Not the first time Mrs. DeWulf has gotten Mr. DeWulf in trouble - Mr. DeWulf)

I have spent the past four years putting together a new system to replace one I had enjoyed for twelve years and am now considering the purchase of power conditioning equipment. I have an Audio Prism Debute amplifier--which has had several upgrades-- a Mod 3A, CD and analogue front ends, Goertz cables and interconnects, and home built versions of the Swan Allure speakers. The speakers have very coherent, open sound and reveal all changes I make to my system right down to supports and AC cords. As you can tell, I am someone with a mid-hifi budget that really tries to optimize sound quality for the money spent.

I currently have no line conditioner use Tiffany and Audio Quest AC cords (bought on sale and will replace if needed), and have a dedicated AC line. I have been considering three power conditioners: the Blue Circle BC-83, the Vans Evers Model 83, and the Audio Prism Foundation II. I would prefer to spend in this price range and possibly upgrade my amplifier AC cord and/or add a Bybee Companion later. Do these power conditioners have different sound qualities or is their sound system dependent? I also have a ground loop problem in my system: my amp and preamp need to be plugged into different circuits with the ground lifted on the CD player or I get an electrical hum. Will one of these units address that problem better than another or is the problem independent of AC conditioning?

Best Regards, Drew Harty

PS. From my experience over the past four years, I would agree that the core of a system is the match between the amplifier and speakers. In my case, I put the horse before the cart a little by building speakers then finding an amplifier to work with them, but it was putting together that match that had the greatest impact on how my system sounds. I then looked for a neutral preamp and added a CD player to taste.

MGD comments: Starting with the loudspeaker first in building a system is the correct approach, nothing backwards there. Of all the components in your system, it's the loudspeaker that has the greatest impact on the environment of the listening room, and the listener himself. Getting a speaker that works in YOUR room is the place to start in building a satisfying home music system.

AC line conditioning, including power cords, is a necessary part of optimizing the performance of any system. Your amp and preamp are tube based, so you'll want to use an AC conditioning system that is optimized for your equipment. Cabling from Synergistic is always a good choice for tubes, as are products from Electra Glide, JPS and the new HSR-A power cord from TG Audio. I'm not familiar with the Blue Circle AC line filtering equipment, but I do know that the Foundation II from Audio Prism was designed by tube guys for tube equipment - even their power cords have a sonic flavor that tubes tend to favor. The Vans Evers Model 83 has a tonal balance more in line with what a solid state devise generally likes - a little warmer, a little more dimension. One advantage that the Vans Evers has is a switch where one can slightly adjust the sonics of the device. Small, but meaningful, changes to the spectral balance can be made.

Dear Marty:

Since it is time to renew, I decided to share some of my observations concerning BFS and some of the responses you have made. I greatly enjoy your audio newsletter and look forward to its arrival every month. The majority of the equipment reviewed interests me as I like to be informed about what is on the market besides the likes of Krell, Wilson, Levinson, etc, etc. I especially enjoy reading about equipment that not only "knocks off the Big Dogs", but that keeps an eye on value with sensible prices. I also appreciate your honesty. I have subscriptions to other audio magazines, but am unsure how much I can trust their assessments of the equipment under review. Honesty really is the best policy!

Now that I have your attention, I do have an issue I wish you would shed some light on. Recently you mailed your "components of merit" listing. I was delighted to find the Legacy Whispers mentioned as possible "last buy" speakers for some audiophiles. I have written you in the past concerning a review that was supposed to have been done by Bob Sireno, who like me, is a Whisper owner. I guessed from your response that Bob is no longer a contributor and upon hearing his set-up you told me that you were not impressed and that if you had to do a review, you would not be kind, or words to this effect. I find this puzzling. After all, I went to Legacy after reading your #10a/94 BFS review, auditioned a pair, then ordered them. Now I see them mentioned favorably not only in the "C of M" issue but reported on in the Hi-Fi 98 issue as well. I am pleased with the pair I own. I also agree with your statement that they might benefit from a subwoofer, but only one in the same league or you will muddy the water. I guess I'm trying to find out what your real opinion is. When I auditioned them, I went there to verify one way or the other, what you had reported. You know why? Having read some of your earlier reviews, I finally thought I had found a reviewer that told it how it sounded and was, you guessed it, honest! I would appreciate it if you could clarity this issue. I'm also interested in any future reviews of Legacy components, especially their Monobloc amplifier. I also hope you get a listen to the new gear from McCormack, Parasound and any other "Giant Killer" stuff. Thank you for your time and patience in reading my letter.

Sincerely, Steve Apel

MGD comments: Unfortunately, Bob Sireno's obligations to his full time employer demanded that he decrease what he could do for us. As far as the sound of the Whisper in Bob's system, and the way it sounded at the Legacy factory, the results were very mixed.

At the Legacy site, the Whispers were an experience to listen to -- I'm not sure I've ever heard better -- so immediate and engaging was the sound. They were everything one could desire from a loudspeaker, but that was under manufacturer showroom conditions. In Bob's listening room (he bought a pair after what he heard at the factory), they never sounded right. The tonal balance was off, and the imaging was indistinct. Bob insisted that the problems arose from an early generation "processor", which Legacy used as a frequency equalizer to enhance the overall performance of the speaker.

The result was one audition that was awesome and inspiring; the other a let down. I decided that it would be unfair for me to draw any further conclusions until a full in house review could be done. The fact that I haven't had the opportunity to do the full review yet does not, however, prevent me from stating those things already heard.

Who knows if I'll ever get the Whisper to audition and review in the Big Rig? -- that depends on Legacy. But my instinct says that the speaker is a great one, a "last buy" if you will, and it seems that your experience with the same loudspeaker bears me out.

I would love to review the Whisper, and I would love to hear the mono amps from them too, but until then, we'll keep searching out the "Giant Killer" equipment wherever it arises.

Dear Marty,

I believe and maybe you could confirm this for me, that the company "N.E.W." has gone out of business. Too bad.

Mitch Friedman spent hours talking audio with me. Never did he leave me with the impression I was being a pest. He also introduced me to your publication. Besides the personal attention, the N.E.W. amp and preamp I own are very good pieces of equipment. N.E. W. provided outstanding value when you factor in price.

If my belief is true, this is very sad. Being a small business owner, I have an affinity for those in similar circumstances. Hate to see an honest business with outstanding product and service fail.

I recently attempted to contact N.E.W. to solicit a recommendation for replacement preamp tubes. The telephone number for N.E.W. was out of service. So I decided to write you. Do you have a favorite brand of tube or know ones that work particularly well with the N.E W. preamp?

Please address the new compact disc formats in more detail soon. Preferences as to particular pieces of equipment would be most helpful.

Thanks for your assistance in these matters.

Very truly yours,  J. M. Campbell, FL

MGD comments: Where is Mitch? The last time I saw him was at CES over a year ago, where he told me of a severe illness suffered by his wife. His personal life had been his priority, and N.E.W. had to be placed on the back burner while the more important things in life were ironed out. I have heard, but cannot confirm, that Mitch has been working with Dennis Had at Cary Audio in recent months.

As far as the tubes to use with the preamp, I would talk to the experts, i.e., an NOS tube dealer of your choice.

For the "new compact disc format", see the recent articles in BFS on DVD-A, the DAD disc, and DSD (see issues 5, 6, and 7 of 98). The last three issue of BFS are overflowing with the information you desire to see.

Dear Marty,

I recently sold the Symfonia Opus 8 preamp which I enjoyed after purchasing it on your recommendation about a year and half ago. I know that Bob Crump was working on a preamp with John Curl and that, given my experience with Bob over the years, it promised to be superb (and, unfortunately, expensive). So, I thought, "I'll sell the Symfonia now, and save some money for the upcoming 'Blowtorch' preamp". Bob suggested in the interim that I get an old Adcom preamp and have it modified by G&D Transforms. Although he was very impressed with G&D's prototype preamp, and I love the G&D Ultimate Transport which I own, I was skeptical about how good this Adcom could become, especially for the $400 Tony at G&D was going to charge me for the modification.

I am writing to let your readers know that if they want an absolutely wonderfully inexpensive preamp, they should run to their Audiomarts and computers to find a used Adcom that they can send to G&D. And if they already own an Adcom, they should send it out ASAP for modification. I am just so impressed. My Adcom cost me about $150 used a few years ago. So for $550 I have an amazingly good preamp which in many ways is better than the Symfonia. I realize this sounds like an impossibility; or th