April 2007

AudioEnz
New Zealand’s hi-fi magazine
www.audioenz.co.nz
April 2007
Web page printouts from
the latest issue of AudioEnz
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/acrobat/issues/2007/2006-04.pdf
AudioEnz editor: Michael Jones ph 09-478 1301
Musical Fidelity X-T100 amplifier and
X-Ray v8 CD player
By Matthew Masters
April 2007
Musical Fidelity X-T100 amplifier, $2999 (including PSU). X-Ray v8 CD player, $2499
(excluding PSU). Triple-X PSU $899 if purchased separately.
“Do you think you could make this one a bit
less… ambivalent.” It’s shocking, I know, but
that’s exactly what the editor said to me when
he handed over the equipment for this
month’s review.
Ambivalent? Me? Never! Well, maybe a bit.
Sometimes.
I suppose he may have a point though. I
mean, who needs ambivalence in a review?
Surely what’s required is clear and
Musical Fidelity's X-series CD player, amplifier and power supply
unit (click for larger image)
unambiguous information. The
unadulterated truth, with no place for
wishy-washy vacillation.
In deference to the editor’s authority, I shall
try to make this as unambiguous as I can. So,
on to the new X-T100 amplifier and X-Ray v8
CD player from Musical Fidelity.
Rampant uncertainty
First impressions of the new X-series are bad,
but in a good way. Oops, fence-sitting again.
The packaging and documentation are
distinctly homespun with cheaply
photocopied manuals and plain boxes.
Certainly, little money was wasted, but that’s
oddly reassuring too. The money clearly went
on the contents. Did I pull that one back from
the brink, ed?
Musical Fidelity X-Ray CD player
Build quality is on the sturdy side of solid. Unfortunately, the styling resembles an old Denon DM7 micro
system. Particularly ironic given Musical
Fidelity’s current advertising asks “Do you
have a hi-fi system or just an overpriced
music centre?”
Bring back the interesting and different look
of the original X-series, I say. Quite
unequivocally, as it happens.
On the other hand
What has been retained from those earlier
X-series components is an external power
supply designed to keep the big transformer
away from sensitive audio stages. Definitely
good.
Musical Fidelity X-T100 amplifier
Internally, the X-T100 has a valve-based
pre-amp and solid state power stage that are
closely related to Musical Fidelity’s expensive
KW500 amplifier.
Ambiguously, the X-T100 amplifier is rated at
Musical Fidelity Triple-X PSU
both 50 and 80w per channel (depending on
whether you’re reading the manual or Musical Fidelity’s website). However, I can say with complete certainty
that it includes a pretty good phono stage as well as the usual line level inputs and tape loop.
Sitting on the fence
The X-Ray CD player is, well, a CD player. It has coax and optical digital outputs. But why would you bother
since its finest feature is the classy on-board DAC? Certainly you’d be unwise choose it as a transport only,
unless you happen to be looking for a transport with particularly slow disc initialisation.
There’s a system remote too, a rather plasticky affair that controls the amplifier, CD and a tuner. For added
entertainment value the volume control is motorised, so you can watch it rotating as if my magic. Trivial, but
fun.
Definitely in two minds
So what does it sound like? Here, I should make a confession. I’m going to be a bit, well, vague. Because I
don’t really have much to go on.
Usually when reviewing use the equipment for a couple of weeks before sitting down for an organised listening
session in which I take detailed notes about a wide range of music. As a result, I can tell you that I listened to
two versions of the Messiah, Mahler’s second symphony and a bit of Vivaldi. There was definitely KT Tunstall
on the list as well as Jose Gonzales… and the Gotan Project. Not to mention Elvis Costello, Adam and the Ants,
The Specials and a few others from the same period.
Can I tell you much about them? No, I’m afraid I can’t. You see, after a few seconds I’d just get so absorbed by
the music that I’d forget to write anything down.
Blowing hot and cold
I can tell you that my initial note says “50w????? never” because the amplifier really doesn’t sound like a 50w
amplifier, it sounds much, much more powerful. I can also tell you that there’s a note about the CD player
“++detail” because it just hoovers stuff off the disc.
Oddly, there’s no note that says “rhythm ++++” though there really should be. Similarly, I completely failed to
make any note about the infectious energy that comes across.
I can also tell you that although the X-Series work well as a system, it’s the X-T100 that’s the real star. There’s
nothing wrong with the X-Ray, it’s a fine CD player, but it’s the amplifier that makes this system sing.
And that’s the clear, unambiguous truth. I found myself getting completely carried away with the music. Not
because I was analysing detail or image (though both are there in shovelfuls), but because I felt I had a direct
connection to whatever it was the artists were going on about.
Wavering
If all you want is a bit of gentle background music, you may not appreciate what the X-series has to offer. But if
you want to remember why music is exciting and uplifting and beautiful and involving find yourself a Musical
Fidelity dealer and have a listen. On second thoughts, don’t listen. Just get off the fence and buy one.
For your nearest Musical Fidelity dealer
Yamaha RX-V2700
By Jamie Gemming
April 2007
Yamaha RX-V2700. $3499
It all started poorly when I removed the
Yamaha RX-V2700 from its box. The first
thing I was greeted with was a whopping,
tacky-looking sticker adorning the front
panel of the receiver. While the sticker
highlights the Yamaha’s 1080p and HDMI
capabilities it makes the receiver look cheap
and nasty. I’d be peeling this off even before
I plugged it in.
Yamaha RX-V2700 (click for larger image)
Books, covers and judging
The sticker isn’t the only problem with its
appearance - the looks just don’t do it for me.
Standing side by side with my Denon 3805
the amps are identical in dimensions but
separate them and you’d swear the Yamaha
RX-V2700 rear panel (click for larger image)
was an inch shorter and in a much less
expensive price bracket. It just looks like a plain black box.
However, that old adage “never judge a book by its cover” has never been truer. The 2700 is a
technological tour de force. HDMI-wise it has three inputs and one output, it can up-scale video signals to
720p or 1080i, throughputs 1080p, it has iPod, USB and Network connectivity, outputs for two extra zones,
automated set up, a learning remote and big power reserves with a claimed 140wRMS through all seven
channels.
Bad before good
While growing up I would always tell my parents/teachers/soon-to-be-ex-girlfriends, the bad news before
any good. i.e. “ah, Mum, I’ve just written off your car, but don’t worry because I’m not hurt.” Or “Dad, I got in
another fight at school today but it’s alright as I smashed him good.” That’s also how I’ll continue this review.
The bad news is the remote. I was very disappointed that Yamaha are still rolling this old relic out. It was an
average design to begin with and time has been no friend. It looks cheap, has a poor layout and you can’t read
the buttons in the dark, even when pressing the illumination key.
But it’s not all bad news. This machine is pretty damn good. In fact it’s better than that. I’ve tested the
previous two evolutions of the 2700, (the 2500 and 2600) and have witnessed quite significant
improvements over the past three plus years. With movies, the Yamaha's have always been intense and
powerful but music performance has always come up a little short of the mark. The 2600 was a vast step
forwards over the previous models and the 2700 moves the game onward again.
Class act
Compared back-to-back against my Denon 3805, acoustic guitars and voices are still warmer out of the
Denon. But turn the volume up or put through something a little harder and the Yamaha rewards with
noticeably greater control of drumming, brass and electric guitars.
A couple of Saturdays ago, I had some mates over for some brews and a BBQ. We had a great night, but I’m
not sure my neighbours have the same appreciation for the 2700’s ability to drive my tower speakers really
hard without a hint of distortion for hours on end. I was thanked by the subdivision for providing our own
version of the Big Day Out, by being greeted with a cacophony of motor mowers, line trimmers and what
sounded like an outboard boat engine being run very early the next morning.
I’ve always rated Yamaha receivers for their performance while watching DVDs. The 2700 excels with
intense battle scenes such as LOTR 2 at Helm’s Deep; with its non-stop combination of whistling arrows,
clanging weapons, marching soldiers and people being cut down. It’s equally capable with something more
delicate such as the wedding scene in Love Actually where the choir starts and then different musicians join
in from various pews in the church; the 2700 places you right in the heart of the action and bombards you
from all angles.
If you’re after value for money, nothing comes close in this area. In fact, the only receiver I’ve had that
performed better was a monstrous Rotel that was as big as a small shipping container and cost plenty more.
Ugly Betty
The Yamaha RX-V2700 is a bit like having a girlfriend who’s a superb cook but has an ugly face. The good
thing about owning the 2700 is that it’s much easier to hide the receiver down the back of the room on your
stereo rack than asking your girlfriend to wear a bag over her head.
For your nearest Yamaha dealer
Jeff Rowland Capri and Model 102
By Michael Wong
April 2007
Jeff Rowland Design Group Capri preamplifier, $5500. Model 102 stereo power
amplifier, $3999.
For nearly thirty years, the Jeff Rowland
Design Group has forged an enviable
reputation with products that have come to
define high end audio; exceptional
performance and exquisite jewel-like build
quality. However, such high standards do not
come cheaply, leading to the popular misbelief
that high end means high price, a belief
fostered by ignorant marketing machines keen
on exploiting a buzzword that rolls easily off the
tongue and looks good in print.
Last year I reviewed the Concentra
preamp and 201 monoblock power amp
combination. While I found the Concentra to
be a fine preamp, with an excellent (optional)
phono stage, I was less enamoured with the
Class D 201 monoblock power amps, which
compromised the overall package.
Now the Jeff Rowland Design Group have
released their most affordable pre/power
combination yet, the new Capri preamplifier
and Model 102 stereo power amplifier.
For potential buyers lower pricing does not
mean a lower quality product. Both units are
constructed in the time proven Rowland
manner with the main casework carved from
solid aluminium billet, finished with Rowland’s
unique diamond cut wavy pattern on the cases
and faceplates.
From the beginning
Jeff Rowland Capri preamp and Model 102 power amp
Looking at these amplifiers, the only indication that they are the company’s entry level offerings is that the usual
blue volume display and indicator lights have
been replaced by more common green
displays. The review units were finished in a
gorgeous satin black.
The Capri is a conventional preamplifier in a
very compact package. The thick faceplate
carries small touch buttons for source selection,
bypass, phase, mute, volume display and the
silkiest electronic volume control in the
business. The same six-button handset, first
seen with the Concentra integrated amplifier,
handles remote operations. As with other
Rowlands using this remote, control over
left-right balance is only available through the
remote control.
There are five inputs available; two balanced
XLR, two unbalanced RCA and a single
unbalanced RCA bypass (unity gain) input.
One set of balanced XLRs and a set of
unbalanced RCAs complete the output options.
A grounding post for the optional phono stage
and a standard IEC mains receptacle mark out
the rear panel. Connectors are all high quality
Neutrik items.
Capri preamp (click for larger image)
The 100wpc Model 102 amplifier is of similar
size to the Capri and has a fascia unadorned
except for the Jeff Rowland company logo and
two small green status tell tales. It is balanced
input only, with a pair of Neutrik RCA to XLR
adaptors supplied to enable use of RCA
terminated cables, more of those Cardas
speaker posts (with an awkward vertical
orientation), an input jack for remote 12V
triggering and an IEC mains socket fills the rear
panel.
Neither unit has any form of power on/off
Inside the Rowland Model 102 (click for larger image)
switch or standby mode, they are intended to
be fully powered all the time, which shouldn’t be a problem given their low power consumption.
Family resemblance
Sonically, the Capri/102 pairing shares a strong family resemblance to big brother Concerto/201. Taken
individually, the preamp is once again the stronger partner; warm, lucid and inviting. The 102 echoes the 201’s
slightly dark, softish reproduction.
But put these two together and the results are nothing short of magical. Quite a contrast to the Concentra/201.
The sound of the Capri/102 pairing is big and warm, very smooth and very listenable, with a large reduction in
the rosy colouration that characterised earlier Rowland amplifiers.
Soundstaging is very good with good lateral spread, height and fairly good depth. Imaging is not razor sharp but
nicely rounded with performers and their instruments have a palpable physical presence. There’s a little top
end roll-off and lack of airiness. While the bass doesn’t plummet to Stygian depths, it is tuneful and well
integrated. It all sounds cut from a single cloth. Throughout its operating range there is a noticeable lack of
grain and total absence of electrical or mechanical noise.
Downsides are few; transparency is good but you won’t hear all the way back into the soundstage, nor will you
get away from the slight lack of openness brought on by the darkish sounding high end and slightly curtailed
dynamics.
Lack of interference
As with the best designs, the Capri/102 is so well balanced in it’s abilities that it’s relatively minor shortcomings
are so well disguised that they do not interfere with one’s enjoyment of music.
For the first time in many months I had to force myself to resume taking notes, so beguiling was the Rowland’s
musicality. Great sound, superb build quality and ease of use, means you have a winning combination that will
be hard to beat for under $10,000.
For your nearest Jeff Rowland dealer
Systems: $10,000 stereo
By Michael Jones
April 2007
Putting together a stereo system can be difficult and confusing. There are so many choices and so many
different permutations of systems.
To help, AudioEnz has asked five hi-fi specialists to put together systems. These dealers have used their
expertise to assemble systems and explain the thinking behind their choices. First up, the brief is a system at
around $10,000. No constraints or guidelines were placed on the dealers, except that the system is for music
listening, not home theatre.
So here are five very different ways to put together a $10,000 hi-fi system.
Totally Wired, Dunedin
It’s 2007 and I’ve decided I’d rather spend
$10K on a new hi-fi system and make do with
a slightly smaller, more economical car.
Being a bit of an unreconstructed punk
rocker I’ve got a big pile of LPs that easily
outnumber my CD collection. And an iMac
sitting on my desk. Which all probably
makes me dead centre of National Radio's
new demographic. So start with two Tivoli
radios - the Model 3 clock radio to wake me
up and the PAL to wander around from room
to room. That’s hardly made a dent in funds.
You might find my choice in turntables
surprising given that we have dealt with just
about every brand under the sun in the last
20 years (and presently have a Linn at
home) but I’ve had it with turntables that
don’t switch off at the end of the record. The
new Thorens TD295 mk4 manages to look
rather beautiful in gloss black, lacks for
nothing in sound quality and, you guessed it,
switches off itself! Its also easy to take the
TD295 from it’s out-of-the box standard up to
A Tivoli Model Three to wake up in the morning
something special - drop on a Dynavector 10X5 (or even better 20X) and include the P75 phono stage as
we are going for a line only amp system. The
Thorens Disc Stabilizer is the finishing
touch. All up we have stayed just under $3K
for an extra special analogue set-up that
anyone will enjoy and will last for years.
The new Perreaux SXP2 passive
preamplifier and matched SX60m mono
power amplifiers might be ultra compact
and affordable ($2700 for all three boxes)
but to my ears they are the most musically
satisfying products they have ever released.
Simplicity is the key. The fact they look
beautiful, run cool and are New Zealand
made (Dunedin in fact) are just bonus
points.
Now we could go down the conventional CD
player track at this point. But if CDs are a
convenient alternative to analogue the
iTunes is a convenient alternative to having
to choose and change CDs. Given we use
Apple LossLess when recording, the only
impediment to serious sound quality is the
basic analogue output from the iMac (it’s the
same with any PC too). Enter Perreaux’s
matching USB and SPDIF upsampling
digital to analogue converter - the SXD2.
Having nothing better to do one day we did a
carefully set up direct comparison between
the Perreaux/iMac combination and what
we would regard as a serious CD player.
Obviously there were differences in the
character of sound but on the basis of overall
quality and listenability, we really proved to
be on level pegging. Like the Perreaux amps,
this is a completely modern and minimalist
approach to better sound and usability.
Speaker choices can often come down to
pragmatic considerations - available space,
aesthetics, budget. musical tastes and last
but not least, sound quality. In a perfect
world I’d match the above system with
nothing less than the new Quad
Electrostatics. However the arbitrary $10K
Thorens TD295 mkIV
Perreaux SXP2 passive preamplifier and matched SX60m mono
power amplifiers, with Sonus faber Concertino domus
total budget intrudes a little on that. Chris Ball’s Image 414s would be my idea of the perfect all round floor
standing speaker, maybe even in an extra
special finish – an almost bespoke solution.
My only other contender would be the little
Sonus faber Concertino domus, complete
with dedicated stands. You might suggest the
only thing that could possibly top a hand
built NZ made speaker is a hand built Italian
speaker, albeit at another $800. With both
options I’d cable with SlinkyLinks,
maximising performance and budget by
keeping all runs as short as possible and
including the better Eichmann silver plugs.
My little calculator shows we can easily do it
all on the allotted budget. Alternatives to the
above? In a more conventional mould, a
Quad system with the 909 power amp would
have to feature. For a purpose built CD only
system we could even have a new Meridian
G06, the Perreaux pre and stereo SX25 amp
and Sonus faber on-wall speakers. As you
might imagine there are an almost infinite
number of ways to make music at this level it’s a personal choice, so take the time to
check out options that you might not have
previously considered. The way to always get
the best out of any dealer is to broadly outline
your requirements and then let us do our job
in terms of selecting components for you Image 414
specific models don’t really matter - it is the
end result that is important and when you hear that, you’ll understand why we do what we do.—John
Ransley
Thorens TD295 mk4 turntable
$1520
Dynavector 10X5 phono cartridge
$499
Dynavector P75 phono stage
$699
Perreaux SXP2 passive preamplifier
$699
Perreaux SXP2 SX60m mono power amplifiers
$1998
Perreaux SXP2 SXD2 USB digital-to-analog convertor
$1299
Image 414 loudspeakers
$2599
Tivoli Model 3 clock radio
$499
Tivoli PAL radio
$349
Total
$10161
The Listening Post, Christchurch
AudioLab has been re-introduced into the industry after a "sabbatical" and boy, they are back in a big way.
The AudioLab CD player is hugely
revealing, while being extreemly forgiving of
older or bad recording.
The Pre-Power combo delivers a smooth and
controlled 100watts to the Paradigm, three
way, floor standing speakers. The
combination delivers great base control,
while not losing sight of the clean musical
approach we all expect from any good stereo
system.
The WireWorld interconnects and speaker
cable help deliver great bass weight while
not getting in the road of all the music (no,
the price is not a miss-print, cables like these
are well worth the investment).
Speaking of bass, the music I listen to, while
not dance music, tends to be rocky in nature
or listened to at louder more "emotional"
volumes.
Often the wrong choice of interconnects or
speaker cable can push the listener past the
"detail barrier" and end up with a bright or
glassy top end, particually at higher
volumes. The wrong speaker choice can lose
control of base, or lose everything all together
at higher volumes.
This is also very comon with an
underpowered amplifier. This combo is a
great balance of all the desires a listener has
and delivers a superb sound accross all
music genres and at all volumes.
If you are in to a big sound when listening to
the likes of Creed, but still want a system that
lets you relax to Norah Jones, this is the one
Audiolab CD player, preamp and power amp
for you.—Crighton Weir
AudioLab 8000 C CD Player
$1299
Audiolab 8000Q Pre-Amp
$1499
Audiolab 8000P Power Amp
$1299
Paradigm Studio 60 Floor Standing Speakers
$3299
Wire World Polaris Interconnects (x2)
$399
Wire World Polaris Speaker Cable
$1899
Total
Eastern Hi-Fi, Auckland
It was easy deciding what to recommend for
this article – I just had to choose my favourite
system that we sell in the shop. Even though
$10,000 is a fair wad of cash, in the grand
scheme of all things hi-fi, it is a relatively
modest budget to allocate to a complete and
balanced system. In this case I will be
limiting it to one source, an integrated amp
and a pair of floorstanding speakers.
Luckily for me we happen to carry the
products of two of my preferred brands,
namely Musical Fidelity and Dynaudio. I use
examples of both in my own system, and
there is always a synergy between them, the
Dyns like the power of the MF amps, and the
detail and musicality of the MF CD players is
always a winner.
The entry level Musical Fidelity A3.5 gear is
damn amazing value for money, offering a
big chunk of the performance of the A5 range
for nearly half the price.
The A3.5 cd player uses 24 bit 96 kHz
upsampling which accounts for its superb
retrieval of detail and rich smoothness. MF
take great pride in the quality of their power
supplies, and the A3.5 CD player is no
exception, using very sophisticated supplies
with low residual noise to get out of the way of
$10,293
Paradigm Studio 60
Musical Fidelity A3.5 amplifier and CD player
the music.
The A3.5 amp is on its own tremendous
value for money. What you get is basically an
A5 integrated with a smaller power supply.
This reduces the output by about 3dB,
without sacrificing any of the definition or
powerful dynamics MF are known for. It puts
out 240 watts into the Dynaudio’s 4 ohm
load, and provides plenty of current to
control those woofers. One very useful
feature that the amp has is its Home Theatre
pass through mode, which fixes the gain and
essentially turns the A3.5 integrated into a
power amp to be controlled from your AVR’s
pre outs, so you can use the same speakers
for home theatre or two channel duty without
mucking about changing cables etc.
The only thing really missing from the specs
is an onboard phono stage, but there are
plenty of well priced units that could be used
from the likes of Project, Goldring and even
MF’s own X-LPS V3.
My favourite speakers at the moment are
Dynaudio’s Audience range and the
Audience 72 is the star of the bunch in my
opinion. Attractively finished in either black
or real cherry wood veneer, and of average
size to fit most New Zealand rooms. They are
a two and a half way model that uses two 170
mm woofers and a 28 mm tweeter derived
from the renowned Esotec model.
Substantial internal bracing and damping
using bitumen sheets controls cabinet
resonance.
The DynAudio 72 is a front ported design,
DynAudio Audience 72
which allows for fairly flexible room
placement, although they do like to be away
from the side walls. When fed by the Musical Fidelity gear, the Dyn 72’s just disappear, projecting a wide
soundstage that never exaggerates the size of the performers. A solo guitarist sounds like one and an orchestra
is represented with a great sense of scale and drama.
Everyone who hears this system in the shop comments on the quantity and quality of the bass, which for me
is a Dynaudio strength. It is always tight and never boomy (provided you set them up right!) and has texture
that avoids the one-noteness that many other brands suffer at this price point. The midrange is smooth and
open and very balanced and it goes without saying the higher frequencies are fantastic.
With this system you just want to listen to music and forget about the hifi, which is supposed to be the point.
This system excels with all types of music, although of course it is ultimately limited by the power on hand
from the amp, and the size of the speakers. We have sold this system to many happy customers, even one
holidaying from Gore who is absolutely rapt with it, and says he and his family hardly watch TV anymore as
they’ve rediscovered their music collection!
Of course a system isn’t complete without cabling and I have had success with the Audioquest King Cobra
interconnect and the Type 8 speaker cable, properly terminated of course!
Overall this system delivers a powerful, assertive sound that is also rhythmic and neutral and really is a steal
for the price.—Neil Young
Musical Fidelity A3.5 CD Player
$3199
Musical Fidelity A3.5 Integrated amp
$3299
Dynaudio Audience 72 Speakers
$3999
Audioquest King Cobra interconnect
$179
Audioquest Type 8 Speaker cable (six metres)
$240
Total
$10,916
The Listening Post, Hamilton
Before recommending any equipment to our clients, we like to understand their individual requirements.
Personal musical tastes, preferences in
character of sound, and different listening
environments all effect what comprises the
“perfect” system for any given music lover.
Each recommendation we make is based on
what is best for the individual.
Having said that, after thirty years of putting
systems together for clients, there are some
combinations which stand out as delivering
level of musical realism and involvement far
beyond what one would usually expect for
the price.
Marantz SA7001
The following is one of our personal
favourites. Each component is something
special in its own right, but together they
make magic.
Marantz PM7001
The ProAc Studio 130’s are the replacement
for the award winning Studio 125’s. They’ve
retained the sweet and natural midrange that made the 125’s a favourite among our clients, but now offer
even greater clarity and delicacy. Bass
articulation and dynamics have also
improved out of sight.
The Marantz PM7001KI amplifier received
Hi-Fi Choices Best Buy Award for 2007, and
rightly so. It punches well above its weight
with good clarity, and an effortless and
natural presentation.
Like the PM7001KI, the Marantz SA7001
SACD/CD player is an award winning
product, having been named Best Product
2006 – 2007 in the Audio Player category by
EISA. It’s open and honest presentation
compliments the strengths of the PM7001KI.
Power conditioning is something that is all
too often over looked in system design. The
music that you hear from your equipment is
generated from your mains power supply.
For the purest and sweetest music, your must
start with pure, clean power. Historically all
but the most expensive audio grade power
conditioners have tended to sacrifice
ProAc Studio 130
dynamics and “life” to deliver improved
smoothness and sweetness. The PF range of power conditioners from Pure AV are the first we’ve found that
deliver the benefits of power conditioning without compromising dynamics at a reasonable price. To keep as
close as possible to our $10,000 budget, we’ve recommend the PF30 at $699. Upgrading to the PF40 at
$999 or the PF60 at $1299 will give even better results.
Having the best components in the world is useless if they don’t work as a synergistic whole. Choosing
components that compliment each other is a great start. But choosing the right cabling is what separates
great music systems from good music systems. We’ve found the Analysis Plus cables allow the wonderful
musicality and realism these components are capable of to shine through, without adding a character of their
own.
The end result is a system we love. Uncannily real, unerringly musical, beautiful to behold, and able to let us
connect with our favourite music at an emotional level. What better way to spend $10k?—Romesh
Anandaraja
ProAc Studio 130 speakers
$3799
Marantz PM7001KI amplifier
$1999
Marantz SA7001KI SACD/CD player
$2999
Analysis Plus Oval One Interconnect
$299
Analysis Plus Clear Oval bi wired speaker cables (approximately, depending on length)
$500
Belkin Pure AV PF30 power conditioner
$699
Total
$10,295
The Real Music Company, Wellington
On building any audio system to a budget (and aren’t they all!) the overriding priority is firstly how musical
we can make the system given the customer’s
preferences of source and functionality and
secondly how it all both sounds and looks.
Naim CD5i
Given the majority of a two-channel (stereo)
systems are CD based, and also given our
long-standing belief in a source-first
philosophy then the priority must be to select
our finest CD player in the price range and
place it in well matched system.
Being Naim dealers the choice of CD players
is relatively simple at this price point. The
Naim CD5i ($2900) is a remarkable source
providing the starting point of a range of CD
players that goes up to nearly $55,000. The
benefit of being in this range is the R&D that
goes into a top line player filters down
naturally and beneficially. Mortals can
therefore benefit.
Naim Nait 5i
And benefit they do. The CD5i is a
well-constructed, carefully designed,
beautifully engineered but more importantly
very, very musical CD player. Detail, tonal
accuracy, lively dynamics and rhythmic
layers aplenty, this is a player that effortlessly
brings any CD collection to life.
The system is off to a good start then. The
Naim NAIT5i integrated amplifier is
Rega R7 speakers
the ideal partner. The NAIT has enjoyed
legendary status over the last 30 years, this
latest incarnation being one of audio’s true bargains. A controlled, involving sound, detailed yet not overly
hi-fi, ready and waiting with an excellent power supply that delivers when required. At $2650 this is a very
capable amplifier that punches way over its weight.
That leaves us with a speaker choice. We recommend the Rega R7 speakers ($4300) as a great match. These
fabulous looking speakers compliment the Naim components in the quest for a musical and accurate sound,
both in terms of timing and timbre. Crucially they rely on Rega’s in-house built drivers that are built to a
level that minimises the need for any electronic crossover correction. An efficient design that does not
require a huge power amplifier to drive them they provide a great partner for the Naim NAIT5i. The lower
octaves are effortlessly available when required, with the mid and upper ranges capable with an at times
breathtaking naturalness. Construction is excellent, with the design of a small facing front, due to the
side-mounted bass driver, earning good ergonomic points as well.
Importantly all three components are so well matched that years of listening pleasure is easy to imagine upon
audition.
Possible alternatives? Want a turntable? You could add a Rega P3 with an Elys 2 cartridge, downgrade the
R7s to R5s and still have an excellent system under budget. Need a tuner? Spend as much as you can now
then come back for a tuner of your choice. Both the tuner and the system will end up higher up the food
chain as a result. If you really need a tuner now, if it’s primarily for chat rather then music then around
another $500 will get you going. Want music – wait till funds allow, and enjoy this exceptional CD system
from day one.—Allan McFarlane
Naim CD5i CD player
$2900
Naim NAIT5i integrated amplifier
$2650
Rega R7 loudspeakers
$4300
Total
$9850
Coming up
The next issue of AudioEnz will include systems designed for a smaller room at under $4000.
They Framed Me! Building a home
theatre screen frame
By Max Christoffersen
April 2007
DIY projects are just one of the many fun
factors of home theatre. Reading through
various A/V forums probably one of the most
asked questions is; “How do I build a screen
frame?”
There are few easier projects to do than build
a new screen frame for home theatre
projection and thankfully, you don’t need to
be a qualified chippy to build it!
The one I built recently is solid and can grow
larger should I decide to increase screen size
later.
So what do you need? About 20 screws and a
screwdriver. That’s it!
Some planning and sizing in advance will
save headaches later, so figure out what
size/aspect ratio you want and allow for edge
masks to mop up overscan.
So back to my new project. A change in my
viewing room meant it was time to build
another screen frame at the 96”x54” size. I
took a quick trip down to Mico-Wakefield
and bought 2”x1” aluminium lengths and
had them precut to my required screen
sizing.
The Mico-Team cut my four frame bits that
morning and I was back home that afternoon
Aluminium and mdf is all that's needed to construct your own
screen frame
ready to go to phase two of the build using some pre-cut wood joiners. But wait-a-minute - why not wood for
the whole thing? The simple answer is wood
warps and given the additional strength,
longevity and resistance to changing room
temperatures, I went with aluminium! And
it’s so easy to work with.
So far all I have is four bits of pre-cut
aluminium ($160). What I also need are four
pre-cut corner joiners (see picture 1) which
slide into the inside of the aluminium tube
that provide the shape and strength of the
screen. These wood braces built by my local
joiner out of spare MDF ($10) can be easily
screwed into place providing a strong and
secure brace. (You could also use triangle
stock aluminium to beef it all up later if
required).
The mdf pieces are used for corners
So all that is left is to choose where to drill
holes in the aluminium allowing for screws to
go into the corner braces. All up I used 20
screws with two per corner and one on the
vertical upright in each corner (see picture
3).
The screws could be counter sunk but don’t
need to be and because they are screwed
inside and behind the frame they are out of
sight. You could if you wish screw on both
inside and outside giving a more balanced
grip.
The screen is now safe to hang, it won’t move
out of shape and with the addition of two
marine coach bolt-hooks it can be hung like
a picture.
All you need is a screwdriver
Last of all is the fixing of the screen material to the aluminium. There are a variety of ways to do this, with the
easiest being Velcro. It’s expensive, but it is also the simplest and most effective. Another method is to use
double sided tape used by carpet installers - it can be pretty permanent stuff so be sure you don’t want to
change you screen material in a hurry.
This project takes longer to plan than build, but as with any project, attention to detail is important.
Oh yes, that thing about getting bigger… well if you make your wood joiners quite long (30 cm), they can
slide out like a telescope giving you vertical and horizontal stretch to the next size up. It works, it’s simple and
if you plan ahead, this may be the only screen frame you ever need.
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as saying you built it yourself - and with this frame the hard work is done
by professionals and the easy part is the final assembly.
Now how do I make a DIY masking system…
Private Ear: Everyone gets a bargain
April 2007
By John Groom
International $2. FX-440 $5. TDK MP100, $35.
The story of this column started with a bang
on the head. It was my head, and I wasn’t
even wearing headphones, so I had no
excuse for not seeing the overhanging beam
in the motel carport. It was not a great way to
start a tramping holiday on Mt Ruapehu. I
blame political correctness, as the carport
was obviously built for midgets. For the
record, the expression “seeing stars” is not a
figurative one and concussion is not a good
feeling.
It has been a challenging couple of months
and my normal “absent minded professor”
persona has been even more exaggerated. So
in my haze, I just wandered down to the local
red shed for some retail therapy. As you do.
Best price
Like a lot of budget conscious Kiwis, for me
the Warehouse has become the first port of
call for many types of shopping. So why not
headphones?
I’ve often been asked which models should
be used with inputs such as the old
Walkman, portable radios or computers
(headphones for the ubiquitous ipod will be
the subject of a future column). My own
reference point for portable headphones is
the Sennheiser PX 100, which retails for
approximately $100. This is a high
investment for a lot of people, but still only
gives a toehold on the slippery slope of hi-fi.
It is comfortable, efficient, compact and very forgiving. So what are the sonic compromises that are made to
retail headphones for between (gulp!) $2
and $35?
A friend for most seasons
The three headphones were heard through a
variety of sources including an am/fm radio,
an award winning mini system, and the
output on the latest Apple iMac. All three
headphones were driven to modest, but
acceptable levels by this equipment. The
first recording used for review purposes, was
Eric Bibb’s A Ship called Love, chosen as a
sample of modern, rich and beautiful and
original blues material. The second
recording was a great EMI classic of Mozart’s
Clarinet Concerto with Sabine Meyer and
was chosen for its warmth and
expressiveness.
Gilding the lily
All three were well packaged and presented
relative to their cost and were rugged and
TDK MP-100 headphones
light. The two cheaper models have a thin
metallic strip for over the head. The $2
model is an open design around a 20mm driver, while the $5 model uses a similar driver but is a larger
closed construction. Neither is visually intrusive. The TDK is currently the Warehouse’s most expensive
model at $35 and this is reflected in a level of build that includes a well padded and thick plastic strip over
the head, matched with large ear pads engineered to be the size of most ears (but not covering outside them).
Believe it or not, they all improved after a few days of running in and seemed smoother after I took some of
the kinks out of the cables.
The two cheaper models came with short cables and are most obviously designed for personal players, while
the three metre cable on the TDK made it the most suitable for computer use. All were reasonably
comfortable, with the lightness of the cheaper two models making them something that can be pushed into
the pocket. I liked the solid fit of the TDKs and they certainly had the look of a serious piece of gear. However
over the extensive listening times needed for reviews, I found my ears became overly warm.
Quite a sound
I was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality of all three bits of ultra-budget kit. They all seemed to
indulge more in the sins of omission rather than the sins of commission. While none of them were strong on
dynamic range, passion or presence, they all gave an acceptable facsimile of the sound that was easy
listening and non-fatiguing.
The $2 International phones were the most difficult to drive, but were still a reasonable match to the fm
radio. The sound was light and lively with little bass, but what was there was tuneful. With Mozart the tune
was carried well and it was true to the Clarinet, but the strings were a bit distant. The treble was pleasant but
obviously restricted with a slight metallic sheen.
The $5 FX-440 headphones had a similar sonic signature but are louder with a stronger sense of presence
and a bit more weight to the sound. Personally I preferred them when I liberated the driver by cutting
matching 2cm holes in the foam covers. Eric Bibb’s honeyed voice was well captured and the delicately held
treble and bass backing was quite satisfying.
I switched to the TDKs with a sense of relief. The sound immediately opened up, with hidden layers of detail
now recovered. Listening to Eric Bibb we were not yet in the studio but we could be in the room next door.
The fuller midrange now carried the subtle inflections of his finely controlled voice and the bass line was
solid enough to stop you looking for a missing sub woofer, while the treble breathed easier. All of this was
starting to move the sound significantly in the direction of the reference gear.
Last word
This has been a fun shopping trip and a confirmation that sub hi-fi headphones can be surprisingly capable.
They are still realistically priced, however, in a way that accurately reflects not just manufacturing costs, but
also the equipment’s relative sonic capabilities. While you do in fact get what you pay for, I thought the TDKs
made a strong statement at this price point. The best value purchase for personal sources has to be the $5
headphones and I have thrown my sample in the gym bag to use as a back up.
Next issue we’ll get back to our normal listening to hi-fi headphones. In the meantime look out for low flying
beams.
John is an executive coach and mentor who lives on the North Shore of Auckland
The Vinyl Anachronist: Rega
Rhapsody
By Marc Phillips
April 2007
I've often joked that I've persuaded so many
people to buy Rega turntables, I should be
listed as an official dealer. On more than
occasion I've received an email from
someone actually trying to order one from
me. Let me say this one more time for the
record... I am not in any way affiliated with
Rega, nor do I get any kickbacks, bonuses or
incentives from Roy Gandy, the illustrious
founder of Rega.
I simply dig their turntables. If I had only a
thousand U.S. dollars to spend on an analog,
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Rega P3,
probably mated with a Dynavector 10X5
cartridge. There isn't a Music Hall, Pro-Ject,
SOTA, Nottingham, Thorens or Technics in
the world I'd rather own for this kind of
money. I've owned three Regas in my life, a
P2, and P3 and a P25, and I can see a day
where I might own another one, just for the
fun of it.
That said, what many people don't realize is
that I haven't really used a Rega turntable in
Rega P1 turntable
my system since March 2003, when I
purchased my Michell Orbe SE. Sure, I technically still own that P2, but it's in an office system I put together
for my wife, and I rarely get to hear it. About a year ago, I heard from an engineer/machinist friend of mine
who had designed some very effective tweaks for Regas, including a counterweight, a platter and a
subplatter. He was eager to send them all to me so that I could review them. He seemed utterly shocked when
I told him I didn't have a Rega anymore. I felt like a heretic.
A change is in the wind...
I've been feeling a bit out of touch lately when it comes to Rega, and understandably so. Roy Gandy has been
pretty busy lately, introducing one new product after another. I'm not even talking about their new CD
players (the Apollo, while not quite a classic giant-killer, is still the best CD player in its class), or their
recently revised loudspeakers (their little R1s are my favorite inexpensive bookshelf speakers right now) or
the latest versions of their classic integrated amplifiers, which sound much better than before, in my
opinion. No, I'm talking strictly about their analog products. It's gotten to the point where I feel nervous
making those blanket Rega recommendations. Are they the same great products I used to rhapsodise about?
The shake-up started about a year ago, when Rega unceremoniously continued the Planar 2 turntable
around the same time they introduced the P5 and P7 'tables. I thought this was a huge mistake. For nine
years I've been telling people that you generally need to spend about US$500 on a decent turntable in order
to get the kind of analog sound that will consistently beat your average CD player. I chose that particular
figure because that's how much the Planar 2 cost. The P2, for me, was the entry point into great analog
sound. And while I briefly recommended some of the cheaper 'tables from Music Hall and Pro-Ject, I
ultimately still pushed the P2 whenever I could in order to prove my point about how great analog gear still
sounded.
So I was relatively upset about the demise of the P2, so much so that I quickly bought one of the last ones
available in the US. And I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to tell people that US$750, the
price of a Rega P3, was the new magic number for getting into analog. Needless to say, that was going to be a
much tougher sell.
Whew… that was close!
Then, much to my surprise, I started hearing rumors about a new Rega 'table that was going to be priced to
compete with the Music Halls and the Pro-Jects. The new P1 was going to be US$350, including arm and
cartridge! (NZ$675). I scoured the web for more information, and then I started seeing pictures here and
there of the P1, and it looked exactly like the recently discontinued P2. I immediately thought the worst, that
the P1 was just a P2, probably made in China to cut costs. Rega has always enjoyed a reputation for making
extremely reliable products, which was always the edge they had over the competition. Were they going to
compromise their image just to stay in the game? I hoped not.
Well, if you may have noticed, the P1 has been out for a while now, and it is not a Chinese P2. It's made right
in the same English factory as the P3, P5, P7 and P9. It does sport one departure from the Rega norm. It's not
mated with a Rega cartridge, but an Ortofon OM-5se. But when you see one in person, it's still very much a
Rega... simple, modest and unobtrusive, but well-made.
My first experience with the P1 was less than exciting. I was able to compare a completely stock P1 with a
certain Japanese-made direct-drive that cost about the same amount of money, just to confirm my poor
opinions about the latter 'table. I was surprised to find I disliked the sound of both 'tables intensely. Maybe
I've been unduly spoiled by my Michell Orbe, but I simply couldn't recommend either 'table to anyone. And
I was really underwhelmed by the P1's MDF platter, which wobbled along the edges. The machining
tolerances aren't going to impress anyone.
The quick fix
Then, I started hearing about some of the tweaking going on with the P1. First of all, many Rega dealers in the
US are offering upgrades to the Ortofon OM-5, throwing in OM-10s and OM-20s for a very reasonable price. I
think this is a great idea, especially since I really like the smooth, ultra-listenable OM-20, which is one of the
few inexpensive cartridges I can stand. Secondly, P1 owners started grabbing Rega glass platters and
throwing them on their P1s, discarding that woeful MDF platter. It turns out that the glass platters are easy to
find on e-Bay and Audiogon, since many Rega owners have upgraded to acrylic platters.
I finally got to hear one of these P1s, with the glass platter and an Ortofon OM-20, and it indeed sounded like
a Rega again, possibly even pretty close to my Rega P2. In fact, I'd like to hear the P1 with a Rega Bias 2,
which is what I installed on my P2, because I think it's the Ortofon that's making the biggest difference. Like I
said, the OM-20 is smooth and warm, but not the last word in detail, while the Bias is forward and clear and a
little rough around the edges. It makes me wonder why Rega chose the Ortofon OM-5 in the first place, and
why many dealers aren't pushing the Bias when people order the P1.
Upgrading to an OM-10 or OM-20, however, can be done for just a few dollars. I had one person tell me that
it cost them an extra US$30 for an OM-10, which is more than reasonable. And those glass platters are going
for US$25 on e-Bay. Trust me... one look at that chintzy MDF platter will convince that this is a mandatory
upgrade. So that brings the total of your new, improved Rega P1 to just a hair above US$400, which is still
significantly cheaper than the price of the old P2, which didn't even come with a cartridge. This is the new
entry-level turntable that I recommend without hesitation.
Coming attractions
Obviously, there's a lot more going on at the Rega factory than just the P1. Rega made news a few months ago
by introducing the Apheta, which is Rega's first moving-coil cartridge. At US$1695, it isn't cheap, but it
offers some unique design features for the money, and was obviously a labor of love for Roy Gandy. For years,
Rega has been recommending their Exact cartridge for their top-of-the-line P9 turntable, but I've never felt
that the Exact was up to the task. I always felt the Exact was better matched to the P25, and I enjoyed that
combination for a few years. The Apheta may be the Rega cartridge that finally helps the P9 realize its
potential.
I did hear the Apheta/P9 combination briefly, however, and felt that it was a little bright and edgy. This
wouldn't be the first time a Rega cartridge made me feel that way. And the reviews are definitely mixed on
the Apheta. But I think that the Apheta opens an important door for Rega, and I think other, better cartridge
models will appear in the future.
Once a Rega man...
But for me the most interesting announcement from Rega is the reintroduction of the P2. The only real
difference I can tell so far is that the new P2 has a different platter than the old P2. Unfortunately, it looks
suspiciously like MDF. Rega tried throwing on MDF platters on the old P2s, the same ones used on the
modified P2s sold by companies like Moth and NAD and Rotel and Goldring. Most Rega purists balked at
buying these P2s, and Rega switched back to the glass platters before discontinuing the P2. My P2, thank
goodness, has a glass platter. Hopefully the platter on the new P2 will not be the same one they use for the P1.
Well just have to wait and see…
Marc Phillips has been writing about hi-fi and music under the Vinyl Anachronist banner since
1998. His earlier columns can be found on the Perfect Sound Forever website. You can discuss
vinyl with Marc at [email protected]
Event calendar
Record Collectors Fair, Auckland. Saturday, March 24
The next Auckland Record Collectors Fair is taking place on March 24, from 10am to 3pm. Stalls are $20
while public entry is $2.
Date: Saturday, March 24 from 5.30pm
Place: Polish House Hall, 1 McDonald Street, Morningside, Auckland
Contact: Klauss 09-444 9366
April music reviews
Abba: Number Ones
Polar/Universal
And still the Abba revival continues. The best pop band of the late 1970s
receives a compilation containing 18 of their biggest hits – songs that
reached number one in the charts, somewhere around the world. There
are a number of great songs here – Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, The
Winner Takes It All, Fernando and Waterloo, among others. And, er,
Chiquititta. Guess that Abba couldn’t always be great
No single CD can hold all of Abba’s hits – my own home-made
compilation has two packed CDs, and even then I needed to leave some
songs off. But Number Ones has their biggest hits and so is perfect for
the casual Abba fan. The CD is available in two versions, with the second
including a bonus CD with twelve “classic tracks from number one albums”.
Sonically, this sounds a bit dynamically compressed and a touch pushed in the upper midrange. But that is
what passes for normal CD mastering these days. Michael Jones
Buy from Marbecks New Zealand | Amazon USA
George Benson & Al Jarreau: Givin’ It Up
Concord Jazz
Smooth jazz fans will love this disc as it is 13 easy listening, cruising
grooves from its classic Breezin’ start to its Bring on Home To Me finish.
Helping on different tunes are major keyboard talents Herbie Hancock,
Patrice Rushen, bassists Marcus Miller, Abe Laboriel or Stanley Clarke,
and several other jazz notables. Beyond soft treatments of the great Seals
and Croft song Summer Breeze and Jill Scott doing Billie Holiday’s
signature God Bless the Child, there are also clever vocal treatments for
Miles Davis standards Tutu and Four.
Vocalist Al Jarreau does his usual rhythm effect clicks and swish sounds
and easily slides in and around all the melodies while Benson’s vocals
complement Jarreau’s efforts plus his own tight and tasty jazz guitar licks. Not busy or exciting jazz, but a
showcase of excellent interplay and polished execution in a well recorded set. John Paul
Buy from Marbecks New Zealand | Amazon USA
Eric Bibb: Diamond Days
Telarc
Any epiphany is a hard act to follow… whether it is an insight, sporting
achievement or musical experience. That is the way I felt about Eric
Bibb’s previous release A Ship Called Love. It was full of original,
moving and rich blues, and it came with a blessing from that great late
blues reviewer, Ken Kessler. Where can you possibly go from there but
down? Okay, so Diamond Days isn’t a second epiphany. It is pretty
damn good however, and still with plenty of original blues. Don’t you
just love the refrain from the title song: “Some days you get diamonds,
some days nickels or dimes. Some days life’s a poem, some days nothing
rhymes. Some days you’re a winner, some days you lose. Some days all
you’re doing is paying the dues.” If this moves you, then this is the album for you.
A Ship Called Love had the advantage of harmonious themes around love, community and hope. Diamond
Days is more driven and varied, as you would expect from the refrain above. If you like your blues a bit more
on the rocks, with the kind of rhythm section that makes you want to get up and shake your butt, and at other
times makes you stop and think… then this album is for you.
As with all Telarc blues recordings it is warmly and clearly produced. To my ears the production under
Glenn Scott was a little heavy handed, leaving the album with a more processed feel than the previous one..
Recommended for the keen Blues fan. John Groom
Buy from Marbecks New Zealand | Amazon USA
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Some Loud Thunder
Wichita Recordings / V2 / Shock
The follow up to indie band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s (CYHSY)
self-titled debut album (which I reviewed very positively on its release)
is a progression, but I’m hesitant to say it’s a positive step forward.
The album starts with a heavily distorted track, which caused me to
wonder if my speakers had developed a fault. They hadn’t – but the
track is virtually unlistenable as a result of some ‘interesting’
production, courtesy of Dave Fridmann who has previously worked with
Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips.
Things improve from there thankfully, although it’s definitely a darker,
denser album than the poppier and ‘up’ feel of the debut.
CYHSY still have an early Talking Heads/Neil Young/Television feel to their vocals (courtesy of Alec
Ounsworth). Throughout, there is a sense that things may fall apart at any time. I’m sure this is totally
intentional, but makes for a rather loose feel to the album. (I can’t help but think that lots of drugs were
involved in the making of this album.)
Sonically CYHSY are quite unique – through a combination of Ounsworth’s vocal stylings; oblique lyrics; a
really different approach to song construction; and the inclusion of various unusual noises and effects. Think
scratchy guitar; shuffling drums and an eccentric front man.
I much prefer the band’s less complex pieces like Mama Won’t You Keep Them Castles in the Air and
Burning?, which is basically strings, piano and a rolling bass line, topped with the David Byrne-ish vocals.
On some of the other tracks the clever production gets in the way a bit too much.
My favourite tracks are the uplifting Underwater (You and Me) where things come together much more
coherently – perhaps a bit more like the tracks on the first album and the more upbeat Satan Said Dance
which conjured up images of a bunch of mad scientists dancing around on stage making strange electronic
noises over the top of a discofied drum and bass pattern.
So, to summarise, CYHSY have made a good attempt at the ‘difficult’ second album and survived – but only
just, in my view. Douglas Lang
Buy from Marbecks New Zealand | Amazon USA
Cold War Kids: Robbers and Cowards
Shock Records
This is the debut album by American band Cold War Kids who NME
have lauded as America’s Best New Band. Based on the subsequent fate
of other bands who have received similar accolades from NME, this
may well be a kiss of death for the band.
It’s a bit of a grower. First time through I wasn’t sure at all. However it’s
grown on me on subsequent listenings.
Cold War Kids remind me of a number of different people – from
Jamiroquai (on the opening track We Used To Vacation which includes
some mad guitar work and time changes) to The Veils on Hang Me Up
To Dry. Elsewhere I got a whiff of Placebo, Marc Bolan, Gomez and Jeff Buckley. So as you can see there is
more than one styl e of music represented here. In some ways that might be the thing that holds me back
from really loving this. I so wanted to rave about it, but in the end I’m not sure. There are some interesting
tracks like Saint John about a prisoner on death row, and Pregnant where the lead singer adopts a bit of a
falsetto, and then there are a few that aren’t so good. Sometimes it sounds like the band is trying to be just a
bit too clever.
The album has a bit of a jazz / improvised / bluesy feel to it at times. If you like things a little messed up; and
don’t mind some pretty unsubtle time changes then you might just love this.
If you’re not sure then I’d recommend having a listen on a listening post in one of the record stores, or
borrowing a copy first. For me the jury is still out on Cold War Kids. Douglas Lang
Buy from Marbecks New Zealand | Amazon USA
Tony DeSare: Last First Kiss
Telarc
“That’s nice, what is it?” said Mrs S after I put this disk on. This is much
better than her usual response to my music, which is often to close the
door and wander off to some other part of the house.
“I’m not really sure dear, it isn’t really Jazz, perhaps it sounds like a
young Frank Sinatra” was my reply. We listened to the disk together for
a while before leaving the house to visit friends.
Last First Kiss is a compilation album of thirteen songs, four written by
Tony DeSare and the other nine being covers of well known songs from
musicians as diverse as Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin
and, for extra variety, Prince. On listening the key features are Tony DeSare’s clear yet rich voice, piano
shared between Tony DeSare and Tedd Frith and guitar from Bucky Pizarelli. Another six musicians round
out the ensemble. The songs are split between an intimate grouping of three to four musicians and larger
eight to nine musician ensembles.
There is a lot to be said for music that draws couples or groups into the listening area of the house. I would
describe the sound as easy listening jazz with a nod to either swing or blues depending on the song. What
ever your interpretation, the result is very pleasant to listen to. The compositions are complimented by
Telarc’s typically high recording standards giving a gorgeous acoustic air to the instruments. My only gripe is
that the notes that come with the CD are sparse and there are four pictures of Mr DeSare and none of the rest
of the band! For detail you need to visit the Telarc website, I guess this is a sign of the times. On the positive
side, the website has mp3 samples of the beginning of most songs, very helpful if you are undecided about
buying it.
This is one of those album’s you listen to and then put on again a day or two later because the tunes are still
running through your head. This is jazz with a small “j” and none the worse for it. Matthew Strack
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Dr Feelgood: Down By The Jetty
EMI
Released at the start of 1975, this album served notice on the
self-indulgent excesses of the Brit prog rock establishment, cutting a
swathe through the prevailing froth of grandiosity with its hard-line
rhythm & blues. This collectors edition reissue offers the original
so-called ‘mono’ recording (the band refused to stoop to over-dubbing
in their search for authentic live studio sound) plus a second stereo mix
of the album, along with a handful of previously unreleased bonus
tracks.
It’s easy to hear the bugle call for punk rock (or at least The Jam,
Blondie and The Ramones) in this rugged monochromatic music. It’s
hammering staccato drum/bass rhythm, rasping vocal and scathing caustic guitar – with the only occasional
frill coming from singer Lee Brilleaux’s marauding harmonica. And, testament to the enduring power of
“more is less”, most of it sounds as fresh, as wildly compelling and as likely to pull the plug on pomposity
today as it did three decades ago.
Epitomising the menace and minimalism is the marvellous She Does it Right, dominated by Wilko
Johnson’s lacerating guitar work, I Don’t Mind, where the disdain of the barked chorus offsets jagged
strumming, and the band’s first single the convulsive Roxette. Songwriter Johnson declares in the liner notes
that the band were “doing basically American music”, but mythologizing Canvey Island’s refinery skyline
and the B1014 rather than the glamour of the New Jersey Turnpike; it’s an acknowledgment that sums up the
honest non-delusional grit of their sound. Paul Green
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Donovan: What’s Bin Did And What’s Bin Hid
Donovan: Fairytale
Sanctuary Records
In a previous issue I wrote about audiophile versions of some
Donovan recordings: the sublime Sunshine Superman (one of the best
albums of 1966 – and that’s saying a lot) and a compilation mainly
based around Donovan’s first two albums from 1965. Those first two
albums were reissued on Sanctuary Records a few years back.
Donovan’s first album, What’s Bin Did and What’s Bin Hid
immediately showcased an independent spirit. Instead of the usual
cheesy cover shot of the time, his first LP cover showed an out of focus
guitar head pointing at the viewer. Musically, the album was indebted
to the American folk tradition and still showed Donovan establishing his
own voice – indeed he sang with an American accent on some tracks.
UK commentators, unfamiliar with US folk, noted some similarities
with the newly emergent Bob Dylan, incorrectly tarring Donovan with a
Dylan-wannabe brush that was undeserved.
Of the twelve tracks on the original LP, Josie and To Sing For You are
particularly strong. The four bonus tracks include the single version of
Catch the Wind (a different version is on the album) and the single
version of Colours (a different version is on his next album).
October 1965 saw the release of his second album, Fairytale. Listening
to the two albums back to back shows a remarkable progression in Donovan’s music. Gone was the American
accent, replaced with greater imagery and superior songwriting. Highlights include Colours, To Try For The
Sun (recently covered by Lindsay Buckingham on his Under The Skin album) and Sunny Goodge Street.
Terry Kennedy’s arrangement for the latter, featuring double bass, drums, flute and horn point towards the
sound of his next album, 1966's Sunshine Superman.
Bonus tracks with the Fairytale CD include the entire Universal Soldier four-track EP (released August
1965) and the next single after Fairytale, Turquiose and Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness).
Sonically, these two releases don’t come close to the natural sound and ease of the (now out of print) Audio
Fidelity compilation Storyteller. However, without a comparison you’d be hard pressed to notice anything
wrong with the Sanctuary releases. Michael Jones
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The Good, The Bad and The Queen: The Good, The Bad and The Queen
Parlophone
The latest project involving Blur front man Damon Albarn is a mini
supergroup of sorts featuring Paul Simonon (ex Clash bass player),
Simon Tong (guitarist with The Verve) and Tony Allen (Afrobeat
drummer).
Sonically it’s more Gorillaz than Blur – a series of relatively low key,
melodic, slightly sombre pieces with Albarn’s distinctive vocals to the
fore. It’s a commentary on London/Britain in the 2000s.
This is an album that benefits from repeat plays. The first couple of
times you listen to it, nothing particularly stands out. But a bit of
familiarity allows the material to open up and its clear that, without shouting it at you, Albarn has made
another album that deserves to be heard.
Tracks of note include Kingdom of Doom and Northern Whale – both nicely driven along by Simonon’s bass
and some one finger piano playing. There’s even a bit of a Ray Davis feel to the chorus on Kingdom of Doom.
There aren’t really any bad tracks on the album. It’s something that benefits from being listened to all the way
through. Thanks to Damon for another bit of quality. Douglas Lang
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Hiromi’s Sonicbloom: Time Control
Telarc
This album introduces Dave “Fuze” Fluczynski into the Hiromi Trio with
interesting results. It adds a whole new dimension to world of Hiromi,
the fourth dimension, time. Time control is all about, duh, time and
there is even a nod to jazz great Dave Brubeck with a track called Time
Out. Unlike Brubeck’s album which was an experiment with unusual
time signatures, Time Control is more of a concept album.
The addition of a guitarist has added a whole new sound to this album
and this is evident in Time Travel where the guitar and keyboard battle
back and forth in a musical conversation. Deep into the Night is the
romantic Hiromi of her previous album and this is a nice reprieve from
the hectic pace of Time Control.
The quality of this recording is superb and it is released also as a multi-channel SACD. If it is as good as
Spiral, and I think it will be, it will be a ‘must have’ for any self respecting surroundphile. Richard Nelson
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Jacques Loussier Trio: The Best of Play Bach
Telarc
I once met a woman who told me that when she was pregnant she had
had tremendous cravings for gingernut biscuits and sardines together.
While I like both of these foods by themselves, I began to feel a little
queasy while listening to the tale. The same feelings can surface when
mixing types of music – different styles can work against each other
rather than together. Ten years ago I remember wincing as I heard
Nigel Kennedy announce that he was going to play a tune by Jimi
Hendrix – Purple Haze. It did not seem like a good combination to me
but once he started playing I was amazed by the performance.
The Best of Play Bach by the Jacques Loussier Trio is another mixture
of styles or tastes, in this case, jazz and classical. This hybrid CD/ SACD records almost 30 years of
experimenting with these different styles. The result is a great CD/SACD that I really enjoyed and could play
from start to finish in one sitting. The result is really jazz with a classical starting theme – nothing wrong with
that if done well. The tunes are mostly light with a sense of joy or bubblieness that should have you smiling or
at least tapping you toe.
The recordings are from Telarc’s 1993-4 recordings and as such are transferred from older PCM recordings.
SACD enthusiasts with a preference for DSD recordings need not worry – the instrument tones – especially
the upper reaches of the snare drum and the fullness of the piano are excellent, in fact this disk is easily good
enough to demonstrate the benefits of SACD. That is not to say that is not a great CD, just that this recording
even better when heard as SACD.
Strongly recommended – perhaps more coffee with chocolate flavours than gingernuts and sardines!
Matthew Strack
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Gladys Knight: Before Me
Verve Records
Gladys Knight is one stunning soul singer. She’s in possession of a sweet,
husky, intimate kind of voice that sends chills up the spine of this
particular soul fan. I rate her right up there with Aretha Franklin and
Dusty Springfield in her ability to get inside a song and deliver
something more palpable than just words and music. I love Knight’s
voice so much that I literally begged our astute editor to write this
review.
Before Me is Knight’s debut for Verve, with Tommy LiPuma and Phil
Ramone handling production duties. The tunes are classic pop/jazz
tunes like God Bless The Child and Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me.
And… well, um, it’s… okay. Yep, sorry to say it’s just so-so. No amount of Tommy L’s treacle can compensate
for the fact that Ms Knight is no jazz singer. That she loves these great old songs is never in question, but she
just doesn’t appear to have the vocal technique to handle the material. Certainly given the choice I’ll be
pulling out my old Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Dinah Washington versions of these tunes before
Gladys Knight gets another look in. Now, where is that old 45 of Midnight Train To Georgia? Darren
Watson
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Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris: Real Live Roadrunning DVD
Universal
Like many, I was a little disappointed with last years All The Roadrunning album
by Knopfler and Emmylou. Instead of a true collaboration between two of my
favourites, it seemed more like The Knopfler Show with Emmylou as a guest.
So I was looking forward to this live concert DVD. At last, thought I, we’d see a true
collaboration between the two, in a live context.
Real Live Roadrunning, filmed at concerts after the release of the album,
reinforces my misgivings from the CD. It’s Knopfler’s show, with his band – he even
proclaims “I have Emmylou Harris in my band!” at one point) – with Emmylou’s
role reduced almost to special guest status. The concert even ends with Why
Worry, a Dire Straits song, instead of a song from All The Roadrunning.
Still, you can’t argue about the quantity. There are 17 songs and a running time of 158 minutes. It’s filmed in
16:9 and the picture quality is superb and shadow detail in particular is stunning.
If you loved the initial album then you’ll find the DVD a delight. But I can't help but feel that this could have
been more. Michael Jones
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Madonna: The Confessions Tour DVD+CD
Warner
The last Madonna album I bought was Ray of Light in 1998, a
wonderfully rich sounding electronic album which still regularly gets
played if I am testing new equipment. Then again sometimes I just put
it on and play it from start to finish. But there is more to Madonna than
that, she has reinvented her style over years and this may be part of her
enduring appeal. My 15 year old bought her Confessions on a Dance
Floor album last year and it often gets played on long trips.
The Confessions Tour album, recorded at Wembley stadium as part of a
world tour in 2006 contains both DVD and CD, with over 150min and
70min of music on each respectively. This is a generous package that reaches the limit of each format and
also includes DVD bonus features. As would be expected recordings are live and are not as clear as the studio
versions usually released. In the case of the CD, I enjoyed the music and it is nice to hear new interpretations
of old songs, but generally my verdict was that I would probably rather listen to the Dance Floor album than
the Tour CD.
The situation reverses neatly with the DVD – pictures and sound make a great rock combination. For this part
I enlisted my 15 year old and 11 year old “co-reviewers”. Big smiles crept over their faces as we turned the
music up, this would make a great rock DVD to play at parties. Their verdict: “Madonna is cool”. Favourite
tracks included two of the bigger hits from the Dance Floor album: Hung Up and Sorry. Ray of light also
gets the live treatment although is only on the DVD not the CD. We listened for about an hour until we were
told by other members of the house that: 1.) The music was far too loud and 2.) It was someone’s bedtime.
Verdict: Madonna is cool 3 votes to 0, a great party album. Matthew Strack
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Mercury Rev: The Essential Mercury Rev
Stillness Breathes 1991 – 2006
Few bands have undergone a stylistic transformation as Mercury Rev
did with the 1998 release of their near-classic Deserter’s Songs,
although its unfairly overlooked predecessor, See You On The Other
Side, gave a hint that a change was in the air.
The psychedelic guitar maelstrom of their debut Yerself Is Steam gave
way to swooning, ornate melodies. Recognition came from many
quarters: Garth Hudson and Levon Helm of The Band contributed – in
part because Deserter’s Songs was recorded in the Catskills where Garth
and Levon were residing. Britain’s New Musical Express, among many
publications, named it the best of the year and it remains my favourite
of their six albums.
The first disc is a non-chronological 14-track overview and includes Chasing A Bee, the first track on the
debut; swirling guitars, distant vocals from David Baker, a flute and – the moment I keep listening for –
about three minutes in it’s as though the door to a raging furnace is forced open. The angelic vocals of
Jonathan Donahue adorn most of the remainder among which are Holes and Goddess On A Highway (from
Deserter’s Songs) and The Dark Is Rising (from the follow-up All Is Dream). More good news is that the
early EP-only track Car Wash Hair is included.
Disc two is a bit of a fizzer: workmanlike covers of Lennon’s I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier, the Beatles’ Lucy In
The Sky With Diamonds, Dylan’s He Was A Friend Of Mine and Neil Young’s Philadelphia are interspersed
with poetry readings by the likes of Suicide’s Alan Vega, and three previously unreleased tracks. A note
about the booklet: the font size is so small, printed in grey on a black background, that they may as well not
have bothered. If we’re meant to glean something here, why not make it legible?
For now Mercury Rev appear to be in a holding pattern: the last three albums are of a piece, Sean
“Grasshopper” Mackowiak has released a solo work and former bassist Dave Fridmann has moved on to
production duties with the Flaming Lips and Sparklehorse.
This compilation – the first disc, anyway – covers most of the bases. What happens next? Fred Muller
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Stranglers: Suite XVI
EMI
Three of the original four Stranglers make up the current line up. Baz
Warne replaces Paul Roberts and before him Hugh Cornwell. However,
the essential energy and drive of the Stranglers remains, albeit a more
grown-up view of the world. Suite XVI has all the best Stranglers
elements such as simple melodies, twisting keyboard melodies and
driving beat. The track Spectre of Love is a classic Stranglers song with
all these elements. The song Unbroken is typical of the Stranglers
approach of delivering a message with a twist, but it is done so cleverly
that you would hardly notice. Bless You is the cornerstone of the album
delving into the world of a bitter sceptic approaching the end of his life.
The album closes with the epic sounding track Relentless, which sends the message that time waits for no
one.
Suite XVI is a little angry and cynical but the splendour of the melodies and the counterpoint of guitar and
keyboard to the vocal harmonies makes for a compelling listen. Remarkable considering they were one of the
more active post-punk bands of the 70s and 80s, the Stranglers, after a string of uninspiring albums have
managed to recapture their essence. “Strap on your guitar and we’ll play some rock and roll”. This is the best
Stranglers album of the last 20 years. Richard Nelson
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Stevie Ray Vaughan: The Real Deal - Greatest Hits 1
Epic Records
If anyone’s musical corpse has been disinterred and rearranged in
public more often than this tiny Texan with great blues chops and
appalling taste in clothes I’ll be very, very surprised (Okay, maybe Jeff
Buckley’s). Not since the days of that other appallingly clad dead
gee-tar hero Jimi Hendrix, have so many “greatest hits” packages
featuring “previously unreleased material” been foisted on a gasping
public. Guitar magazines feature either Vaughan or Hendrix in
seemingly endless rotation… issues after issue… year after year… sigh!
Stevie Ray Vaughan was an astoundingly gifted blues/rock guitar player
with a so-so voice and often less than adequate material. (The fact that
some of us never noticed how average some of the songs were stands testament to his powers as a guitarist.)
This single CD collection spans his short recording career from 1983 to 1989 and features most of the tunes
any Vaughan fan would expect to find in a one CD collection. Fun original tunes like Cold Shot and The
House Is Rockin’, Guitar Slim’s The Things I Used To Do, and the tune that really shot him to blues super
stardom, his version of Larry Davis’s Texas Flood, sit in marked contrast to the distinctly mediocre Come On
(Part 3), and Life Without You. I was left wondering how they could possibly have included these relative
turkeys in the context of the strangely absent Voodoo Chile (Slight Return), Vaughan’s homage to Hendrix
that turned many a head back in the mid-eighties?
The Real Deal - Greatest Hits 1 might be a good place to start if all you desire is a snapshot of what this great
guitarslinger was all about. For many people I suspect this will be all the Stevie Ray Vaughan they will ever
want or need?
For the Vaughan obsessive? There’s nothing new here… move along. Darren Watson
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Various: Putumayo Presents A New Groove
Putumayo
It’s the customary Putumayo world music world of “fresh” cross-cultural
currents and blurred musical boundaries – this time with the accent on
swingy chilled electro pop that variously or sometimes simultaneously
samples big band brass, salsa, reggae, trip-hop and so on. There’s an
eased accessibility, (others might call it blandness), about the whole
thing, with the emphasis unanimously on understatement and subdued
striking of cool-note jazz-inflected attitude. Lyrics allude to such staples
as defying the omnipresent oppression of conformity, finding your
soulmate, or (alternatively) abandoning yourself to salacious instincts.
And, naturally enough, performers’ bio credentials must have street
cred too; though who out there is going to surpass Bajka whose “worldly” voice, we’re advised, derives from
being born in an Indian temple and then raised in Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan and on a catamaran in
South Africa? (Never was time for suburbia in this genre).
Credit for most distinctive sounds goes to The Cat Empire’s The Lost Song and the ever-adept Thievery
Corporation with guest chanteuse Emiliana Torrini presiding over a rich-veined re-mix of Until the
Morning. Most of the rest trickles towards “competent-but-so?” territory. Paul Green
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Various: World Circuit Presents…
World Circuit
Opting for, as a double album opener, a re-run of Chan Chan from that
modern monolith of world music chic The Buena Vista Social Club is as
ambiguous as it is auspicious: still alive and well as over-familiar
taste-straddling wallpaper for suburban soirees, but still alluring and
lithe, imposing in its poetry and fearless pride. Time-worn or timeless?
In pursuit of the latter, we’re consigned to frequent wallowing in a
surfeit of the former. But whilst there are occasional slips into
listlessness, this album rarely relents in its capacity to grip or galvanise.
In fact there are more than a handful of performances here that
comfortably qualify for that touchstone status of timelessness. The Afro
Cuban All Stars stride in maestro conquistadorial style through a rousing hip-swivelling delivery of Amor
Verdadero; Ali Farka Toure is a revelation, first with Ry Cooder on the lilting pointedly-picked Soukoura
from Talking Timbuktu and then in Herculean mode in a sweeping previously unreleased electric blues,
Amandrai. Elsewhere there are extensive passages of sweetly blown restraint, of gusto, of under-played
expansiveness – conjuring glimpsed images of fiesta, bazaar, opium den or tribal ceremony.
There is true variety here: subtlety, swagger, and luscious elegance - and, in an era of endless eclectic but
disjointed samplers, a convincing fluency that draws you back for more. Paul Green
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