All in Star Component Award

Audio Art Cable Statement e2 AC Cable

Audio Art Cable Statement e2 AC Cable

Karl Sigman
Cables, Star Component Award

After two reviews of Audio Art Cable products already under my belt, I am now presenting the 3rd: Audio Art Cable Statement e2 Cryo AC Cable. It is a power cable at 15A, IEC, with solid, classy-looking, silver colored Furutech Nano Crystal Formula FI-50(R) NCF and FI-48(R) NCF plug sets.

They retail for $1, 380/metre; I was sent two for my review to use with my monoblock amps. As with the other two cables I reviewed, this AC cable is from the Statement series, their flagship level of cabling, and has a similar, attractive Techflex sleeving. It is the thickest of the three cables, about 1” in diameter, but relatively easy to manipulate and connect. The wiring is a 10 gauge, 6N pure single crystal UP-OCC copper/silver plated UP-OCC hybrid array. The Furutech plug sets used are considered some of the very finest available for power cable termination.

Allnic Audio M-2500 Monoblock Amplifiers

Allnic Audio M-2500 Monoblock Amplifiers

Anthony Kershaw
Amplifiers, Star Component Award

The new Allnic Audio M-2500 Monoblock Amplifiers are available in three tubed versions: PX25, 300B (both Triode) and the subject of this review, KT150 (Pentode). The MSRP for the KT150 tube model is $14,500/pair. 

Audiophilia has reviewed a number of Allnic products, preamps, phono stages and cables, but no power or integrated amplifiers. All reviewed so far have received Star Component Awards and a few were included in our Products of the Year lists.

Audio Art Cable Statement e IC Cryo Interconnect Cable Pair Silver XLR

Audio Art Cable Statement e IC Cryo Interconnect Cable Pair Silver XLR

Karl Sigman
Cables, Star Component Award

This is my second review of Audio Art Cable products; the first review was for speaker cables. This time round, a pair of balanced (XLR) interconnects: Audio Art Cable Statement e IC Cryo Silver XLR; again from their Statement series which is their highest level.

These XLR cables offer the same attractive grey look with a braided Techflex sleeving as the speaker cables, but are thinner (3/8” diameter versus 1/2”). The cable’s MSRP is $960/1 metre pair. I was sent a 1.5 meter pair for this review at $1040. This is not expensive in the realm of high-end audio where a pair of XLR interconnects can be found at prices that can compete with a car.

Alta Audio Celesta FRM-2M Loudspeaker

Alta Audio Celesta FRM-2M Loudspeaker

Anthony Kershaw
Loudspeakers, Star Component Award

This is the first update since its debut in 2013 to what I consider Michael Levy’s finest loudspeaker design. Others would disagree as to his finest—the Hestia Titanium ($32,000/pair) or the Alec ($10,000/pair) as examples—but the Celesta FRM-2 is certainly my favourite. For almost 8 years, it has led the pack in its $15,000/pair price range. In my experience, to match or better the musical and aural experience from the Celesta stand mount (one could hardly call the FRM-2 a monitor-style or bookshelf speaker with its heft and girth), you would have to purchase speakers such as the Raidho D1 at $28,000/pair or the Magico Q1 at $26,500/pair. To be sure, both speakers are exceptional and do things that are very special, but so does the Celesta—for far fewer dollars.

In business since 2011, Alta Audio is based on Long Island and has a plant in Connecticut. They manufacture a discerning line of loudspeakers to fit a variety of room sizes and budgets. Audiophilia has reviewed most of them. Like the very best loudspeaker companies, Alta Audio has a ‘house sound’.

Audio Art Cable Statement e Speaker Cable

Audio Art Cable Statement e Speaker Cable

Karl Sigman
Cables, Star Component Award

Days before the World Health Organization proclaimed a pandemic in early March, 2020, I was introduced to Rob Fritz, Founder of Audio Art Cable, based in San Diego, CA; a company founded in 2005. After several emails and a phone conversation, I was impressed with what I learned and thus agreed to review from a variety of their very reasonably priced, high end, hand-made cables from among speaker, interconnect and power. The Audio Art Cable website also contained an intriguing statement that caught my eye and impressed me further:

There’s a good chance, after you’re done evaluating the performance improvement of Audio Art Cables in your system, that you’ll forget about your new cables—as you should. The music will captivate you, pull you into its magical spell, as you dance, or hum, or tap...and smile...

I would add after ‘smile’, ‘and distract you from worries’.

AudioQuest Niagara 1200 Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System

AudioQuest Niagara 1200 Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System

Anthony Kershaw
Accessories, Star Component Award

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to AudioQuest’s ‘Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System’ products by a deep dive shootout at my place with the local dealer followed by an Audiophilia review of the 5000 model ($4999). The introduction continued with a lengthy demonstration of the top of the line unit, the 7000 ($9499), at a Vancouver dealer event. Not only were the differences between each model easy to hear, but the overall effect of AudioQuest’s Low-Z products was very impressive. The Niagara Series models include the 3000 ($2995), 5000, 7000 and entry level 1200 ($995), the subject of this review.

AudioQuest’s Senior Director of Engineering, Garth Powell, has put an inordinate amount of time into the design and development of the Niagara Series of power conditioners. Anybody listening to his three hour evangelical lecture/demos will know that. The Passion According to St. Garth.

Miyajima Laboratory Infinity Monaural Cartridge

Miyajima Laboratory Infinity Monaural Cartridge

Anthony Kershaw
Analog, Star Component Award

Back in 2019, I was very fortunate to get a first look at an extensive record collection from the estate sale of a grand lady of the Canadian diplomatic corps. As the refined collection of classical LPs were primarily monophonic, purchase of 100 of them was the perfect catalyst to dip my toes into the fabulous world of monophony.

First up was the need for a monophonic cartridge. I played many of the LPs with my reference stereo cartridge, the Phasemation PP-2000 MC Phono Pickup Cartridge ($6000). It did a very good job, if hampered a little by the specific geometry and physics required by the mono record groove. A cartridge wired and setup correctly for monaural with a mono switch on the phono stage lowers the noise floor considerably. But, that’s just the beginning of why a mono-specific cartridge can be so important to the vinyl collector.

Vinnie Rossi L2i-SE ‘Signature Edition’ Integrated Amplifier

Vinnie Rossi L2i-SE ‘Signature Edition’ Integrated Amplifier

Anthony Kershaw
Integrated Amplifier, Star Component Award

I spent a good portion of 2019 in the company of Vinnie Rossi’s superb L2 Signature Preamplifier ($16,995). My review was in three parts—the Line Stage proper, the added DAC module and finally the Phonostage module. The two modules ($3495/each) increased the price just shy of a not inconsiderable 24K. However, fewer large boxes clogging up your rack and a superior, lifetime component.

Jump to September 2019 and the introduction at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest of the new Vinnie Rossi L2i-SE ‘Signature Edition’ Integrated Amplifier ($18,995), the subject of this review. The ‘SE’ improves upon his L2i Integrated Amplifier ($13,995) by adding matched Elrog 300B DHT tubes and other changes. The DAC and Phono modules are available for both the standard L2i and SE versions. This review is of the SE integrated amplifier without modules. My unit was in silver. Rossi builds every SE by hand. The fit & finish is exemplary, commensurate with such an expensive, boutique component.

Qln Prestige Three Loudspeakers

Qln Prestige Three Loudspeakers

Anthony Kershaw
Loudspeakers, Star Component Award

My introduction to Qln loudspeakers was at the 2019 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest where they played along side Vinnie Rossi’s new L2i-SE Integrated Amplifier ($18,995—review up next month). This room was chosen by all Audiophilia attendees as one of their favourites. For sure, there were other rooms featuring systems approaching a million dollars which sounded like the proverbial ‘million bucks’, but there was an innate musicality to the presentation from Rossi’s integrated design and these Swedish floor standers that improved upon superb every time we returned. Mark Sossa of Well Pleased A/V and distributor of both Qln speakers and Vinnie Rossi gear had the moderately-sized room sounding balanced, dynamic and musically inviting.

Sossa is as pleasant as they come in high end audio. Professional, patient, knowledgeable and kind. In partnership with his high end star roommate, Vinnie Rossi, Sossa’s carefully curated representation (also incl. Swiss Cables and Gigawatt) produced amazing, digitally-sourced sound (Innuos—review forthcoming).

Icon Audio PS1 Mk. II All Valve Phono Stage

Icon Audio PS1 Mk. II All Valve Phono Stage

Anthony Kershaw
Analog, Star Component Award

UK-based Icon Audio is a maker of ‘Award Winning Valve Amplifiers’. Icon also manufactures valve preamplifiers and phono stages (FYI: ‘valve’ is Brit speak for ‘tube’).

I was contacted by a local Icon Audio dealer followed by the Canadian distributor to gauge interest for a review. I heard the subject of this review, the PS1 Mk. II All Valve Phono Stage, at last year’s Toronto Audio Show. It had impressed, prepping lots of varied vinyl repertoire under show conditions. Sweet. ‘Yes, I’d like one to review’.

MBL N31 CD/DAC

MBL N31 CD/DAC

Anthony Kershaw
Digital, Star Component Award

The MBL N31 CD/DAC was the second of two pieces from MBL’s midrange Noble Line that was sent from Germany to the island for review. You can read about my musical adventures with the striking and powerful MBL Noble Line N51 Integrated Amplifier here. Much like that glorious looking component, the N31 CD/DAC is cut from the same cloth—a machined beauty of metal and gloss black reflectivity.

Like all MBL components and speakers (MBL calls its loudspeakers ‘Radialstrahlers’—MBL Radialstrahler 120 review forthcoming), the N31 was designed from the smallest circuit up by MBL’s chief designer for over 35 years, Jürgen Reis. Reis is a legend, born from the litany of outstanding equipment he has produced. It seems once you go MBL, you rarely look back. From the ‘entry level ‘ Corona Line’ through MBL’s ‘Reference Line’, all the gear looks expensive and consistently sounds expensive.

MBL N51 Integrated Amplifier

MBL N51 Integrated Amplifier

Anthony Kershaw
Integrated Amplifier, Star Component Award

It’s been a bumper few years at Audiophilia on the integrated amplifier front. There have always been outstanding examples mating a preamplifier and power amplifier in one chassis and playing nicely together, but more and more high end companies are designing and manufacturing expensive integrated boxes with varying topologies.

In fact, my reference power/pre is the Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated Amplifier ($10,000) which has served me spectacularly well—it’s a Capri II preamp ($5,500) on top of a 400W Class D power section. It is not only much improved Class D—as seen and heard over the past decade—but Class D as sanctified by Jeff Rowland. Which means it’s a gorgeously transparent, sweet, very powerful solid state component.

Master & Dynamic MW07 True Wireless Earphones: The new GO and PLUS models

Master & Dynamic MW07 True Wireless Earphones: The new GO and PLUS models

Karl Sigman
Headphones, Star Component Award

About one year ago, New York City based Master & Dynamic debuted the terrific and classy MW07 True Wireless Earphones at $299.

On October 17th, 2019, Master & Dynamic introduced two new versions of the MW07 to replace the original, and I report upon these here: the MW07 True Wireless Go ($199) and the MW07 True Wireless PLUS ($299) pictured above. I am grateful to Jonathan Levine (CEO of Master & Dynamic) and his team for alerting me of this new development and sending me review samples.

Although both new models use the same superb custom 10 mm Beryllium drivers, both have significant advantages over the original. For example, both now utilize Bluetooth 5.0 (and support both aptX and SBC) as opposed to Bluetooth 4.2 and now with a connectivity range of 30+ meters up from 20, both pack longer battery life, both charge faster, and both have a higher water resistance level. But there are differences between the two that depend on one’s needs or lifestyle. Think of the GO as a more rustic, smaller and lighter version of the MW07 meant for sports in particular (jogging, biking, going to the gym, etc.), and think of the PLUS as a premium, luxury version.

Alta Audio Alec Loudspeakers

Alta Audio Alec Loudspeakers

Karl Sigman
Loudspeakers, Star Component Award

At the recent 2019 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF), Alta Audio premiered a new $10,000/pair 2-driver loudspeaker (1 tweeter, 1 woofer) named the Alec. Unlike Alta’s flagship FRM-2 Celesta ($15,000/pair), which also has 2-drivers but is monitor sized and sits on stands, the Alec is a floor standing model, with a larger (8.75” versus 6”) woofer, and 20 more pounds in weight (75 pounds versus 55 pounds). In the showroom at RMAF, Alta’s President, Mike Levy, joined forces with VPI Industries for the source (an HW- 40 direct drive turntable loaded with an Audio Technica cartridge, and VPI phono stage) and Krell Industries for the amplification (amp, preamp). Not only was Levy in the room, but so was Mat Weisfeld, President of VPI, and Walter Schofield, Chief Operating Officer of Krell.

Whenever I entered the room, it was abuzz with crowds of listeners and was widely acclaimed as one of the finest sounding rooms at RMAF. Audiophilia, for example (including yours truly), found the room superb sounding and unanimously placed it in the top two rooms. You can imagine then my surprise and satisfaction when two weeks after RMAF, Levy pulled up to my apartment in a car with a gorgeous pair of the Alec in black Onyx for my perusal (they are also available in Rosewood); hence this review. I add that the Celesta are my reference for speakers for almost 4 years now, and the VPI HW-40 serves as my reference for vinyl.

Allnic Audio L-7000 Preamplifier

Allnic Audio L-7000 Preamplifier

Anthony Kershaw
Preamplifiers, Star Component Award

David Beetles of Hammertone Audio, the North American distributor for Allnic Audio electronics, gave me a nod that an L-7000 Preamplifier was available for review. The new linestage is the $16,500 replacement of the L-3000 ($13,900). After my continuing musical experiences of the most passionate and intense kind with Allnic’s similarly priced H-7000 Phono Stage, how could I pass up the opportunity to hear Allnic’s linestage equivalent?

The L-7000 is not your grandpappy’s 300B tube linestage preamp. It is a single gain stage unit and is transformer coupled. But, to shake things up completely, designer Kang Su Park uses the much-loved DHT 300B tube, not in the audio chain, but in the power supply chain as a voltage regulator.

Allnic Audio Mu-7R RCA Cable

Allnic Audio Mu-7R RCA Cable

Anthony Kershaw
Cables, Star Component Award

The key technology Allnic Audio’s owner/designer Kang Su Park calls ‘Zero Loss’ is used in all his cables and power cords including the previously reviewed ZL-5000 Power Cable and the subject of this review, the Mu-7R RCA Cable.

Cables can be difficult to nail down in review, specifically their ‘sound’ and the effect on the overall sonic picture. Much like the ZL-5000, which totally exceeded my expectations, I treat cables as a component, nothing less.

Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier (Part 3—The DAC Module)

Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier (Part 3—The DAC Module)

Anthony Kershaw
Preamplifiers, Digital, Star Component Award

Before reading this post, please check back to the full review of the Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier. It’ll give you a better understanding of this DAC module review. It may be fun to read the Phono Stage module review, too. It’s the other plugin available for this fully functional and brilliant preamplifier.

The Phono and DAC modules’ MSRP is $3495 each. They are both plug and play. Unscrew the four screws, remove the plate, install the module. Click, rescrew, done.

Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier (Part 2—The L2 Phonostage Module)

Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier (Part 2—The L2 Phonostage Module)

Anthony Kershaw
Preamplifiers, Analog, Star Component Award

It would be instructive before reading my thoughts about the L2 phono stage module to read the full line stage review of the Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier.

Skinny audio seems to be all the rage these days. Fewer boxes, smaller boxes, fewer cables and a much lighter lifestyle footprint. While this trend can look the part and put a few more dollars in your pocket, the sound trade offs can be quite powerful. It’s why flying cars never took off, pardon the pun. Jacks of all trades and masters of none. I’m much more of a do-one-thing-well kind of guy.

Vinnie Rossi, designer and manufacturer of the tremendous L2 Signature Preamplifier ($16,995) has given the high end community a sub 20K benchmark line stage to propel reference components to the next level. It pushed my Jeff Rowland amplifier, Mytek Manhattan DAC II, Antipodes CORE Music Server and Sutherland Engineering DUO Phono Preamplifier into rarefied air. As such, it was a crying shame when I took it out of my system.

Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier

Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier

Anthony Kershaw
Preamplifiers, Star Component Award

Oh my, what do we have here? A full featured preamplifier from Holden, Massachusetts’ Vinnie Rossi, replete with live easy modules for digital and vinyl. And it’s not only a standard tube preamp, but one of the few starring the grail of sonic tubes, the 300B. Gold plated and a matched pair, no less.

As a good friend in the industry continues to say to me, ’there’s always room for a full featured preamp’. Full featured, yes, but the L2 Signature is far more than that. It is full figured. And that’s not the half of it with this tank-like, but sexy behemoth from the pen of designer Vinnie Rossi.

My new Reference—The Bergmann Audio Magne Turntable

My new Reference—The Bergmann Audio Magne Turntable

Anthony Kershaw
Analog, Star Component Award

2019 has been a banner year for both Audiophilia and the improvement of my reference system. Audiophilia has added two fine writers and experienced significant growth in worldwide readership and advertising sponsors. I feel we have accomplished this through timely updates and excellence and honesty in audio reportage. There are no shortcuts at the magazine. And through the generosity and kindness of some audio legacy stakeholders we have known and highly respected for a long time, a couple of us here at the magazine have received a few long-term loan components to enhance our daily listening experience. For that, we are transparently grateful.

Reading previous reviews and articles will give you a better insight as to the whys and wherefores of our choices of these wonderful components. Try my 2014 review of the Bergmann Audio Magne Turntable ($14,000 incl. tone arm) and review of Alta Audio’s FRM2 Celesta Loudspeakers ($15,000). A look at Contributing Editor Karl Sigman’s latest VPI and Grado reviews will also offer context.

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