And one 2011 Editor’s Choice award goes to … Vienna Acoustics

Geplaatst op 02/02/2011 door beheerder

Category Loudspeakers

Vienna acoustics The Music

Here’s a full-range, multi-driver unit with ’stat-like coherence due to its remarkable flat midrange driver with coincident tweeter. Equally at home with power music and smallscale works, it has a referencequality ability to reproduce the complete soundstage. A thrilling, accurate, yet musical speaker.

Reviewed by JH, Issue 195

Welcome to the 2011 edition of The Absolute Sound’s Editors’ Choice Awards, our annual Recommended Products list. On the following pages we present the gear that our editors and writers have selected as most worthy of your consideration. These are the components we ourselves would buy—or recommend to friends and family. Each product category is divided into price ranges, with components listed in order of ascending cost (though a few items, like cables and accessories, are listed alphabetically for clarity’s sake). Each recommendation is also accompanied by a capsule review, the original reviewer’s name or initials, and the issue the review appeared in. Note that in a few cases a product may have been reviewed in one of our sister publications, Playback or AVguide.com, or the review may be pending publication, or the product may not have been formally reviewed but earns a recommendation based on one or more writer’s extensive experience with it.
Given that this is the high end, where components generally have long lifespans, some of our recommendations look back several years. At the same time, in an effort to be as selective and up-to-date as possible, we have dropped some components that appeared on last year’s list, usually because they have been discontinued but sometimes because fresh competition has caused us to reconsider the choice.
TAS founder Harry Pearson’s selections can be found in this issue’s HP’s Workshop.
Geplaatst in Awards - Oscars, Luidsprekers - Enceintes, Vienna Acoustics | Tags: , , , | Plaats een reactie

And seven 2011 Editor’s Choice awards go to… PrimaLuna

Geplaatst op 02/02/2011 door beheerder

Category Power Amplifier

PrimaLuna ProLogue 5

The 36Wpc vacuum tubepowered ProLogue 5 sounds more authoritative than its rating would lead you to expect, and offers a warm, rich sound, yet really does not sound “tubey” in any traditional sense, producing clean, deep, tight bass and grand soundstaging. A synergistic match with the companion ProLogue 3 preamp.

Reviewed by SR, Issue 156

PrimaLuna ProLogue Six

These beautifully built, affordable, and “hassle-free” 70Wpc monoblocks will alter your preconceptions about tube gear. Indeed, their transientquickness and ability to drive difficult loads may fool you into thinking you’re listening to a very good hybrid. Yet with four very musical EL34s per chassis, they still have that wonderful tube magic.

Reviewed by JH, Issue 169

PrimaLuna DiaLogue Seven

The 70W (40W in triode mode) PrimaLuna Dialogue Seven monoblock employs a unique output stage—two discrete amplifier channels are paralleled at the loudspeaker terminals. This technique preserves the purity of a low-powered design while imbuing the amplifier with higher current capability. “No tube amplifier I’ve auditioned comes close to its performance for anywhere near its modest price,” said Jim Hannon. Reviewed by JH, Issue 199

Category Integrated Amplifiers

PrimaLuna ProLogue One

The sweet and affordable ProLogue One features a 12AX7, 12AU7, and a pair of EL-34s per channel in a very simple circuit. In classic EL-34 style, the ProLogue throws a very wide and deep soundstage, and has a wonderful midrange without sounding gooey like a Dynaco Stereo 70 or other vintage design. Very neutral with little signature of its own.

Reviewed by JD, Issue 151

PrimaLuna DiaLogue Two

The first product in PrimaLuna’s higher-performance line of tube units is a real honey, surpassing the ProLogue Two across the board. Rated at only 38 watts in Ultralinear mode, it sounds much more powerful due to its outstanding transformers, but requires speakers that are at least moderately efficient.

Reviewed by JH, Issue 195

Category Preamplifier

PrimaLuna ProLogue Three

The vacuum-tube-powered ProLogue 3 preamp makes an ideal companion to PrimaLuna’s ProLogue 5 tube power amp. Like the power amp, the preamp combines tube warmth and richness with a clear, crisp, precise presentation reminiscent of the best solid-state designs. Bass, too, is taut and clear.

Reviewed by SR, Issue 156

Category CD Players

PrimaLuna ProLogue Eight

An amazing value with a unique tube-based clock. At its best, with the board upgrade, the Eight closes in on even the most expensive competition. It’s blessed with plenty of boogie factor, superb clarity, sensuous mids, and lovely harmonic bloom. Its portrayal of the soundstage is wonderfully transparent. Out of the box, upper octaves are a bit grainy and bright. Tube dampers help significantly, as do vintage preamp tubes.

Welcome to the 2011 edition of The Absolute Sound’s Editors’ Choice Awards, our annual Recommended Products list. On the following pages we present the gear that our editors and writers have selected as most worthy of your consideration. These are the components we ourselves would buy—or recommend to friends and family. Each product category is divided into price ranges, with components listed in order of ascending cost (though a few items, like cables and accessories, are listed alphabetically for clarity’s sake). Each recommendation is also accompanied by a capsule review, the original reviewer’s name or initials, and the issue the review appeared in. Note that in a few cases a product may have been reviewed in one of our sister publications, Playback or AVguide.com, or the review may be pending publication, or the product may not have been formally reviewed but earns a recommendation based on one or more writer’s extensive experience with it.
Given that this is the high end, where components generally have long lifespans, some of our recommendations look back several years. At the same time, in an effort to be as selective and up-to-date as possible, we have dropped some components that appeared on last year’s list, usually because they have been discontinued but sometimes because fresh competition has caused us to reconsider the choice.
TAS founder Harry Pearson’s selections can be found in this issue’s HP’s Workshop.
Geplaatst in Awards - Oscars, Cd spelers - Lecteurs cd, PrimaLuna, Reviews - Tests, Versterkers - Amplificateurs, Voorversterkers - Preamplificateurs | Tags: , , , | Plaats een reactie

And one 2011 Editor’s Choice award goes to… Playback Designs

Geplaatst op 02/02/2011 door beheerder

Category CD players

SACD Playback Designs

Digital playback reaches stellar heights with the Playback Designs unit. It possesses a liveliness and analog quality that qualify it for reference-class. SACD playback is also stellar. While it does not have the sonic heft of the higher-priced dCS gear, the Playback enjoys a nimbleness and smoothness that are second to none. Build-quality is also exceptional. It would be difficult to think of a CD/SACD player that offers more value than the Playback.

Reviewed by JHb, issue 204

Welcome to the 2011 edition of The Absolute Sound’s Editors’ Choice Awards, our annual Recommended Products list. On the following pages we present the gear that our editors and writers have selected as most worthy of your consideration. These are the components we ourselves would buy—or recommend to friends and family. Each product category is divided into price ranges, with components listed in order of ascending cost (though a few items, like cables and accessories, are listed alphabetically for clarity’s sake). Each recommendation is also accompanied by a capsule review, the original reviewer’s name or initials, and the issue the review appeared in. Note that in a few cases a product may have been reviewed in one of our sister publications, Playback or AVguide.com, or the review may be pending publication, or the product may not have been formally reviewed but earns a recommendation based on one or more writer’s extensive experience with it.
Given that this is the high end, where components generally have long lifespans, some of our recommendations look back several years. At the same time, in an effort to be as selective and up-to-date as possible, we have dropped some components that appeared on last year’s list, usually because they have been discontinued but sometimes because fresh competition has caused us to reconsider the choice.
TAS founder Harry Pearson’s selections can be found in this issue’s HP’s Workshop.
Geplaatst in Awards - Oscars, Cd spelers - Lecteurs cd, Playback Designs, Reviews - Tests | Tags: , , , | Plaats een reactie

And three 2011 Editor’s Choice awards go to… Sonus faber

Geplaatst op 02/02/2011 door beheerder

Category Loudspeakers

Sonus faber Liuto

The all-new Liuto may be the best speaker in the Sonus family. A three-way, vented floorstander, it combines warmth and detail with earthy low-frequency extension that dips confidently into 30Hz range. But where it really turns up the heat is in the lack of smearing during complex orchestral passages. The Liuto’s primary character shades a bit to the dark side, and in some cases it’s not as fast on transients
as some others. Nonetheless, it is a high-voltage performer – entertaining and musical.

Reviewed by NG, Issue 199

Sonus faber Cremona M

The latest addition to the Cremona family, the Cremona M retains the lute-shape enclosure that Sonus Faber popularized in its flagship Amati and Guarneri models. The M is powerful and passionate with a rich, warm balance. Yet it’s no wallflower dynamically. In its timbral sophistication and impressive dynamic range, even at orchestral levels, it achieves the kind of top-to-bottom coherence that makes magic happen.

Reviewed by NG, 189

Sonus faber Elipsa

Yet another gorgeous speaker from this outstanding Italian manufacturer, the Elipsa’s tone colors are ravishing, its overall sound smooth, warm, and intensely seductive. At the same
time, it will easily show differences in recordings as well as associated components. Reviewed by WG, Issue 173

 
 
 
Welcome to the 2011 edition of The Absolute Sound’s Editors’ Choice Awards, our annual Recommended Products list. On the following pages we present the gear that our editors and writers have selected as most worthy of your consideration. These are the components we ourselves would buy—or recommend to friends and family. Each product category is divided into price ranges, with components listed in order of ascending cost (though a few items, like cables and accessories, are listed alphabetically for clarity’s sake). Each recommendation is also accompanied by a capsule review, the original reviewer’s name or initials, and the issue the review appeared in. Note that in a few cases a product may have been reviewed in one of our sister publications, Playback or AVguide.com, or the review may be pending publication, or the product may not have been formally reviewed but earns a recommendation based on one or more writer’s extensive experience with it.
Given that this is the high end, where components generally have long lifespans, some of our recommendations look back several years. At the same time, in an effort to be as selective and up-to-date as possible, we have dropped some components that appeared on last year’s list, usually because they have been discontinued but sometimes because fresh competition has caused us to reconsider the choice.
TAS founder Harry Pearson’s selections can be found in this issue’s HP’s Workshop.
Geplaatst in Awards - Oscars, Luidsprekers - Enceintes, Reviews - Tests, Sonus faber | Tags: , , , | Plaats een reactie