savoy014

Do excuse me for the grainy picture that was taken after a late night session. As can be seen from the picture, the Devialet D-Premier is a beautiful piece of art designed specifically to weigh yourself and your hi-fi toys. Well, at least that is the first thought that comes to mind. The D-Premier could probably charm alone on looks, with its beautiful top located display, and subtle amber operation light - the industrial designers deserve a pat on the back here. Watch out for the rear panel though - connections here are quite tight. Truth be told, the D-Premier is an incredibly versatile amplifier that combines an integrated amplifier, Wi-Fi streamer, DAC and Phono Stage - all in a compact chassis that is light enough to be carried under one arm. 240 watts per channel enables the D-Premier to drive most speaker loads on the market. The unit on test is an older version without Ethernet and USB plug in capability, although the RCA jacks can be configured to accept SPDIF digital signals ...

A Happy Father's Day to all audiophile fathers out there. My daughter asked me some questions to help her complete a "survey". I received this later in the day.

I've had a sufficient breather since the pain of my capacitor shoot-out, so the time is ripe for another round-up, this time of AC receptacles and plugs. Now, this is almost as fun as watching mould grow on walls - yippee ! A generic aluminium distributor chassis will be the unfortunate test platform for AC receptacles (installed one at a time only), while two spare Acrolink 7N-4020 power cables will be used to try out the AC plugs. The 7N-4020 was chosen as its wire gauge is relatively thin, and plugs can be removed and replaced in less than 10 minutes. It is also useful to be able to switch back between two sets of cables for comparison purposes. All outlets and plugs will be burnt-in for at least 200 hours prior to testing. Some of the test subjects have been in use in my system for a few years. For receptacles which allow split wiring, only the "direct" wired outlet will be used. The participants for this slug-fest will be the following, AC Receptacles 1. ATL ETP-1000...

Raidho has been getting a lot of good press lately, and deservedly so. Mr. Michael Borresen, President and Chief Designer of Raidho Acoustics was in town to showcase Raidho's flagship stand-mounted speaker, the D1, at the local dealer, AV Intelligence. As I came towards the tail end of the event, I did not get to hear the earlier comparisons with the C1.1. During the demonstration, the D1 was paired with Devialet amplification and an Oppo Blu-ray player, which was a welcome change from extravagant pairings that only oil sheikhs could afford. The D1 cast a wide and deep soundstage, with pinpoint imaging. Driver integration between its ribbon tweeter and diamond coated woofer was outstanding. Despite the small driver size, the woofer extends quite low - much lower than expected. Midrange is on the slightly warm and full side of things, while the top end is detailed and glare free. Despite the high level of detail, the D1 avoids an overly analytical presentation and scores high on the...

I had a chance to listen to the Dynaudio Confidence C1 Mk II a few weeks ago at the local agent's showroom. The ever friendly manager, Nicholas gladly obliged my request to listen to them although I happened to be there for something else. I noticed that the C1 is commonly compared to the Focal Diablo as they are have similar target audiences, the enthusiast that wants maximum performance from a standmounted speaker. The best advice I could ever give is simple - go out and hear both. I think they are both so differently voiced, that you should clearly prefer one over the other. From the first few opening bars, the C1 shocks you with its dynamics and bass extension. Nicholas put it best when he described the C1 as "a floorstander with the footprint of a bookshelf speaker." The C1 clearly goes deeper than the Diablo, with at least a feeling of a 1/3 of an octave more extension. It has a lively, yet slightly warm balance that would suit rock and pop music. The C1 projects th...

A round up of 3 power cords from Telos - the Gold Signature Mk II, Branda Signature, and Platinum Signature. Please excuse the photos. The cords are demo sets and show some signs of wear and tear. As they are on loan, the plastic wrap stayed in place for most of the photo shoot. Nevertheless, the finish on these cables are so beautiful that it actually motivated me to take out my light tent for a few close up shots. The Branda Signature is almost as heavy and thick as the Platinum Signature. The IEC and AC male plugs are similarly finished. The Gold Signature Mark II Platinum Signature The mandatory group shot - L-R : Platinum Signature, Branda Signature, Gold Signature Mark II Telos Gold Signature Mark II The second generation Telos Gold power cord is the lightest and most flexible power cord in the Telos family. Like its siblings, it is finished very nicely with heavy plated copper rings attached around the cable. It is reasonably easy to manage (unlike some Anaconda like cables I...

Introduction Schumann Frequency vs Alpha Waves ? Many readers would have heard of the product that started it all, the Acoustic Revive RR-77. Acoustic Revive has recently replaced the RR-77 with the RR-777. Appearing physically similar to its predecessor, the RR-777 promises an improved circuit which boasts a generator that is four times more powerful. Both generate a Schumann Frequency pulse, at 7.83 Hz. Supplied with a switching mode power supply, and a very long DC cable, Acoustic Revive advises that the RR-777 be kept away from other components and be placed at a height of at least 1.5 m. The main unit is made out of plastic, and sports a rocker switch behind, to turn the unit on and off. A single blue LED on the front of the device indicates operation. The LED is bright enough to upset audiophiles used to bat-cave like conditions, but it is not bright enough to be used as a night light ! The light weight of the device makes it perch a bit precariously in high places, and perhaps a...