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Audio
Federation
February 2002 Newsletter
"What is... Hot!"
Copyright � 2002
Audio Federation, Inc.
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| The Top 7 Countdown... |
| #7 |
Tie: Piega P10 Loudspeaker
Merlin VSM-Millennium
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The Peiga speakers surprise in both their
neutralness and in the fullness of their range.
Drivable by smaller amplifiers (like the Tenor),
they are becoming quite popular with the 'tubed'
crowd. $10000. The Merlins are both musical and
accurate - the holy grail of loudspeaker design.
While not producing the bass, dynamics or the
SPLs of some of the big boys the pure 'sweetness'
of the sound has rarely been equaled. $7000.
Runner ups: Avalon
Acoustics's Eidolon
Diamond ($34000).
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| #6 |
Tenor 75wi Amplifier |
This tubed monoblock 75 watt amplifier is
taking the world by storm because it can actually
challenge the ML2 while costing (somewhat) less.
With their designed in dynamic headroom, built-in
pre-amplifier, these amplifiers produce a very
nice sound indeed. $20000. Runner ups: Lamm
Industries' ML1
($20000), ML2
($30000), ML1.1
($20000). Halcro
dm68
($35000)
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| #5 |
Shunyata King Cobra Power Cords |
These power cords allow the power to get from
the wall to your equipment and they do it awfully
darn well. $2500. Runner ups: Electra
Glide Ghengis
Khan ($4500), Fatman
($2500), Fatboy
($2000).
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| #4 |
 
Nordost Valhalla Cabling |
These cables are unusual in the completely
overwhelming consensus by audiophiles that they
are the best - the most natural, neutral, and
revealing and reasonably priced (compared to
their competition) for all that. $3300/meter
interconnect, $8000/3meters speaker cable. Runner
ups: Siltech
Cables' Compass
Lake Signature G5 ($7390/meter interconnect),
Echo
Bay Signature G5 ($18000/3meters speaker
cable).
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| #3 |
PS Audio PS 300 Power Regenerator |
This high-end audio power conditioner
actually contains its own amplifier that
generates the power to be used by other
components. It runs hot, has a audible fan, and
uses quite a bit of electricity, but in the right
system, it is so very much worth it. $1295. Runner
ups: Shunyata
Research's Hydra
($2500). Audio Magic's Stealth Power Purifier
($1600). Sound
Application's XE-12 ($4200).
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| #2 |
Hovland HP-100 Preamplifier |
This tubed pre-amplifier is unique in its
ability to lend an almost a supra-normal
liquidity (the blending of one note into the
next) to the music played through it. With its
reasonable cost, and overall top-notch
performance, it is only lacking a theater bypass
(for integration with a home theater system) and
a remote control. $5000. Runner ups: Boulder's 2010
(with built-in DAC) ($35000). Burmester's
808 MkV ($25000).
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| #1 |
Audio Aero Capitole CD Player 24/192 |
This French CD player has risen to the top of
the list of desirable and affordable CD players.
With its extreme up-sampling and tubed output
stage (it can drive amplifiers without the use of
a pre-amplifier, if desired), it rivals the
competition while costing almost less than 1/10
the price. $6500. Runner ups: Linn's Sondek
CD12 CD Player ($20,000), Burmester's
970/960 transport and DAC combo($60,000).
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