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taww · 4 years ago

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Review: Legacy i·V2 Class D Stereo Amplifier

Legacy iv2 stereo amplifier

The Audiophile Weekend Warrior (TAWW)

TAWW Rating: 5 / 5

Class D power going toe-to-toe with Class A refinement

PROS: Nonexistent noise and distortion; tube-like midrange purity; full tonal balance with stellar bass; effortless power delivery; top to bottom refinement.

CONS: Ever-so-slight reductions in top-end extension, low-level resolution and dynamic life; slight mechanical buzz; binding posts could be nicer.

Class D (a.k.a. switching) amps have been around for decades, but really started to hit the audiophile scene in the early 2000′s. My first experiences around that time were a mixed bag, to say the least. A PS Audio HCA-2 sent my way for review blew its output stage when I powered it up. (In retrospect, my subwoofer setup may have been the culprit.) I wrote a review of the original NuForce integrated amp which, despite some sonic promise, felt like an unfinished product. The $30, battery-powered Sonic Impact "Class T" amp became a budget sensation, beguiling even some SET tube lovers, but its magic quickly ran out if you demanded more than a few watts from it. (The magic also ran out for its chip manufacturer Tripath, which went bankrupt.) And then there was a first-generation Bang & OIufsen ICEPower module, packaged inside an integrated amp by a high-end marque. It sounded pretty bad - dry, grainy, lifeless. How much was due to the ICEPower module vs. the rest of the amp is impossible to say, but it wasn't an auspicious introduction to the technology. Given this checkered past, it's little wonder Class D has been battling a reputation for sonic mediocrity with audiophiles. But new technologies make progress quickly, and the increasing number of rave reviews for the latest and greatest from Hypex, Pascal, ICEPower and others had me wondering... has Class D finally "made it" sonically? My time so far with the ICEPower-based Legacy i·V2 (USD $4,785) has been a pretty convincing yes.

Description

I won’t get into all the history and technical details of ICEpower technology - for that, I recommend this excellent audioXpress article. Of note is that ICEPower, after starting off as an independent subsidiary of Bang & Olufsen, split off into its own entity in 2016. The ICEedge controller chip at the heart of the Legacy amp’s 1200AS modules had been under development for 7 years and represents the latest and greatest iteration of ICEpower’s proprietary technology. It can scale in power from 50 to as many as 7,000 watts, and unlike some of those earlier Class D amps I tried, it has an array of sophisticated control and protection features to ensure smooth, bulletproof operation. In many months with the amp I’ve experienced zero clicks, thumps, signs of oscillation or other hiccups.

A kilowatt of clean power from this one board!

The i·V2 implements the ICEdge 1200AS modules as-is without any bespoke customizations to the circuit. (Note that this is the higher-performance mono 1200AS module, not the less expensive 1200AS2 stereo module that’s much more common.) Some other brands add their own input stage, but Legacy chief Bill Dudleston has opted to keep things stock and simple. You might be wondering, why can't I buy these modules myself then, slap them in a Chinese enclosure from eBay, save thousands of dollars and call it a day? The simple answer is ICEPower only sells them to OEMs, and forbids direct sales to consumers. But Mr. Dudleston also mentioned grounding of the modules as an area of special care, saying they were able to achieve a few dB's of additional noise performance through careful experimentation. At this level of power and performance, the little things matter.

Speaking of enclosures, the i·V2 has an extremely solid all-aluminum chassis with rose gold accent trim and plenty of ventilation around the modules. It's reassuringly hefty at 30lbs/13.6kg, so you wouldn't immediately guess it's a class D amp were it not for the 610W continuous (1000W peak) power rating. There's zero flex anywhere and while I have no idea how sensitive the modules are to vibration, knocking on the chassis gives a satisfyingly dull thud - much superior to anything you'd get on eBay or from lower-priced ICEPower resellers. There's a meter on the front, however this is neither a power meter as on McIntosh, nor a bias meter as on Pass Labs, but a measurement of the available AC power line voltage. There's a small pot on the rear panel to center it, and once calibrated it stays motionless during operation. I'm not really sure of the purpose of it, perhaps to monitor if your power lines are sagging when pulling in excess of the 1200 watts that the i·V2 is capable of delivering. The overall look is nicely done though probably a matter of taste... my wife not-so-affectionately nicknamed the amp "JARVIS" [sic] because the triangular meter reminded her of the yellow mindstone on the forehead of Vision, JARVIS's superhero embodiment in the Avengers movies. In what seems to be the fashion these days, the power/standby switch is located under the front panel, and there's an additional power switch at the AC inlet. One set of very standard 5-way insulated binding posts is provided along with balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs. At this price point, I would have liked nicer posts, e.g. Furutech or WBT Nextgen. Not that there's anything wrong with the provided ones, and perhaps these posts were necessary to meet the extremely high power spec, but they feel decidedly prosaic and less pleasant to turn vs. the now-ubiquitous WBT's. A 12v trigger input rounds out the package.

Can’t get enough of rose gold? The i·V2 has you covered.

Setup

I tested the amp in two very different systems: the main reference rig, consisting of PS Audio DirectStream DAC ($6k), Gryphon Essence preamp ($17k) and Audiovector SR 6 Avantgarde Aretté ($25k) speakers; and a second system with RME ADI-2 DAC ($1200), Pass Labs XP10 preamp ($5k) and Silverline Prelude Plus ($2k). As you can imagine, really critical listening was done with the reference rig, but the second setup helped feel out how l the Legacy worked in a less expensive system. Interconnects are my usual mix of Audience Au24 SX and DH Labs Air Matrix; speaker cables were Audience Au24 SX or Furutech DSS-4.1. With the big rig, the Furutech was an excellent match; in the smaller system I used the Audience. I used only the balanced XLR inputs of the amp, so if your results differ from mine and you're using unbalanced RCA, that may be a factor. My system has been fully balanced for several years now and there's been no looking back.

The i·V2 is somewhat sensitive to the choice of power cord. I say "somewhat" because it certainly won't sound wrong or bad with a given cord, the stock one included, but nuances of its presentation can change - bass response, hall perspective, top end extension and soundstage proportion were the most noticeable aspects. For most of the time I was admittedly lazy and used a trusty Audience powerChord SEi without further thought. One day I finally swapped one of @mgd-taww's proprietary cords and found it to make a nice difference, which warranted some further tinkering. I found the otherwise superlative Furutech DPS-4.1 to not be a great match - it delivered tons of detail and a huge soundstage, but sounded slightly hollow tonally and lost some of the i·V2's endearing smoothness. The Audience Forte F3 (currently $149) was the big surprise - I actually preferred it to the more expensive powerChord. Audience graciously provided me with a set of Forte F3 cords a few years back when they debuted, but I haven't spoken much about them as I hadn't gotten them to click in my system. With most gear, the Forte was lighter, airier, but lacking some substance and transparency vs. the big-brother powerChord SEi. But with the i·V2, the Forte was surprisingly even better balanced and focused than the powerChord, with a more present midrange, more mid-bass punch and a bit more attack and air on the top end. Some systems and ears may still prefer the more laid-back perspective and silkier top end of the powerChord, but I really liked what the Forte did. At such a reasonable price point, it's a no-brainer upgrade over stock.

Direct connection from the RME DAC worked, but a preamp was much preferable.

A quick word about preamps: you need one with this amp. The RME DAC didn't sound particularly good driving the i·V2 directly and greatly benefited from the Pass Labs XP10. Moving up to the Gryphon Essence preamp was even better, and the i·V2 was more than resolving enough to reveal the Gryphon's substantial advantage in musical resolution and extension at the frequency extremes over the Pass Labs. As mentioned, many purveyors of Class D amplifier modules add their own flavor to the sound with an extra input stage (e.g. PS Audio adds a tube input buffer to the Stellar M1200) and this is one interesting way to go, but my preference would probably be to stick with a vanilla but more neutral ICEdge module as in the i·V2, then tune the system with a proper preamp.

Another setup observation: yes, Class D runs extremely cool vs. traditional amps, but they do still generate some heat and I was a bit surprised that the i·V2 always ran slight warm to the touch, similar to the Bryston 4B Cubed. And sure enough, I measured around 58W of power draw at idle - virtually identical to the Class AB Bryston, or an Ayre AX7e integrated for that matter. The big difference is that the i·V2 will deliver the vast majority of its musical power thereafter into the speakers and not the heatsinks, and temperature rose very little even during some heavy listening sessions. It will never get burning hot, but please don't stick it in an enclosed cabinet - as always, ventilation is still required. If you plan to keep the amp in standby, rest assured it draws only around 0.3W, and sound is delivered almost immediately upon power-up. It does require a few minutes to start sounding its best, but certainly warms up much faster than Class A or AB amps that generally require an hour or more to get close to their full potential.

I do wish the binding posts were fancier...

Finally, while the amplifier is absolutely dead quiet through the 92.5dB-efficienty Audiovector speakers, I noticed a slight buzzing sound from the amplifier modules themselves. It wasn't really audible from the listening position, but you could definitely hear it by the equipment rack. It's comparable to the slight buzz from a toroidal transformer that's dealing with a little DC on the power line, but I'm unsure that is the cause here vs. some intrinsic noise from the ICEPower's switching supply. None of my other components are having this issue at the moment, though in fairness, the Gryphons' exceptional quality transformers that are fully potted and enclosed set a benchmark for mechanical quietness. Not a major issue, just mentioning for completeness.

The Sound

Looking back at my listening notes from the first couple hundred hours of the i·V2's time in my system, it was apparent that I really needed to give the amp more time to break in. I should have known better, as my experience with audio gear employing high-speed switching circuits like DACs and Class D amps is they take a very long time to settle in. The DirectStream DAC needed at least 500 hours to sound its best, and despite cranking the Legacy amp into a 4-ohm dummy load for dozens of hours at a time with my break-in playlist, it took a couple hundred more hours before the Legacy started to click in the reference system. The second system is more forgiving and sounded good earlier on, but I'd still make sure to give the amp many, many hours before passing judgement.

Once that was out of the way, listening impressions were consistent and roundly impressive. Among the Legacy's more enviable characteristics: super low distortion; dead-quiet silence; terrific bass response; seemingly endless power on tap; smooth tonality with no discernible coloration; a surprisingly silky treble and full mid-bass; and a relaxed, slightly laid-back perspective that's a bit less immediate than my Class A amps, but still resolving and involving. Let's delve in...

Head to head with the mighty Gryphon Essence

Tonally, the Legacy struck me as slightly mellower than my reference Gryphon Essence, at least with the Audiovector speakers. I hesitate to say the Legacy is "warmer," or the Gryphon is "brighter.” The Legacy, along with the Gryphon or the Bryston 4B Cubed have less overt tonal coloration compared to, say, the Pass XA30.5 (distinctly but not excessively warm), Valvet A4 Mk.II (more forward in the upper midrange) or Ayre AX7e (crisper and lighter). The upper frequencies were very slightly less prominent with the Legacy than the Gryphon, even though I’d never call the Gryphon bright or the Legacy rolled-off. There’s just a little less air in the soundstage, and instruments with strong HF energy like Donald Byrd’s trumpet in “Witchcraft” (Byrd in Hand, Qobuz 16/44) felt slightly curtailed vs. the ultra-open Gryphon. It might have more to do with the amps’ approach to harmonics than their inherent brightness, which I’ll get to later.

The midrange is smooth and balanced, with a purity that's a step above my aural memory of the Pass and Bryston. As with the treble, it has a sense of warmth and silkiness not for what it adds to the signal, but for what it doesn't. It’s so exceptionally free of any audible distortion that even the lovely Valvet sounded a tiny bit grainy and coarse by comparison. Given that I lauded the Valvet for its midrange purity relative to the Bryston 4B3, which in turn I also liked for its midrange quality, that’s saying something.

Class D amps typically have great bass, and the Legacy didn't disappoint. Earlier in the review period, it easily surpassed the Gryphon in weight and punch, making the Gryphon sound slightly anemic on tracks like Billie Eilish's “all the good girls go to hell” (Qobuz 24/44). It was also more neutral and controlled than the Pass while having even more punch. The Gryphon still has more texture, depth and musical resolution with my speakers, and more recently it has retaken the lead in overall bass response for reasons I'm still trying understand. Either the Gryphon has finally fully broken in its enormous bank of supply capacitors, or improvements to other aspects of the system (e.g. a 20A power line) have favored it. Given that many love the bass performance of Pass Labs and the Gryphon is considered world-class in that regard, the Legacy has to be considered superb, with both the power and refinement to satisfy music lovers across a wide spectrum of genres and tastes.

What really stands out about the i·V2 is how it can combine all of the above qualities with over 600 watts of continuous power, yielding a balanced presentation that's utterly composed regardless of volume level or material. The way it scales its refinement beyond ear-splitting levels makes most every traditional amp seem shouty, edgy or strained by comparison. While the Bryston 4B3 sounded better the louder I played it, it wasn't as smooth and detailed; the Pass XA30.5 got a bit lumpy and loose at the limit; the Valvet gets a little edgy and coarse at moderately high levels; and even the mighty Gryphon Essence can get subtly brighter as you ask more power of it. The Legacy is an effortlessly smooth operator, and I certainly didn't have a speaker on hand that could faze it in any way.

Tradeoffs

Resolution of fine detail is where the Class A stalwarts pull away from the Legacy. There’s a few aspects of reproduction where this exhibits: top-end extension, harmonic resolution, very low level detail and soundstaging, which I’ll attempt to detail...

The top-end is what I would call slightly soft. It's not rolled-off, nor did I find it "dark" as I've seen some people call it. It's more that a level of sparkle and sheen that is subtly omitted from the sound. Instruments like cymbals, triangles and trumpets still have realistic tonality, they just feel slightly softer around the edges. This also affects the feeling of harmonic completeness - the highest overtones of woodwinds are somewhat curtailed. This led my oboist wife to comment that the i·V2 made oboists she was personally familiar with sound even smoother and sweeter than real life, whereas the honesty of the Gryphon Essence gave a more realistic representation.

The Valvet A4 Mk.II and certainly the Gryhon Essence, and by aural recollection the Pass XA30.5, also capture a bit more of the ambient signature in a recording - the "hall" sound, the sense of performers in a space. It’s not that the Legacy is very lacking in this respect, but similar to early SACD players, it does still have a touch of the “velvet curtain” effect where below a certain threshold, subtle parts of the signal seem attenuated. This can also makes listening at very low levels a tiny bit muffled. Resolution is still excellent, at least on par with amps around the $5k price point, e.g. the Bryston 4B Cubed. A pair of Benchmark AHB2’s could be interesting competition, but I haven’t heard it, and it doesn’t have anywhere near the current capability of the Legacy.

The last area where I found the Class A amps superior was dynamic contrasts. Despite the Legacy being the most power amplifier I have ever used by a long shot, it actually didn't sound more dynamic at typical volume than the 50 watt Gryphon, or the 55 watt Valvet monoblocks. Sure, it will play much louder than they can, but loudness isn't the same as dynamics. The Gryphon and Valvet both had a bit more life, a bit more contrast in colors... I hate to say it, but more “PRAT.” I'd put the Legacy somewhere between these amps and the Bryston 4B Cubed, which had a greater tendency to flatten dynamic nuances. (Note: my speakers are quite efficient and tame, so I’d imagine this could be a very different story into something significantly under 90dB/watt and/or presenting a tougher load.)

One more caveat to the above observations: it might be more speaker-dependent with the i·V2 than a typical linear amplifier. Interestingly, I found the i·V2 to kind of be the opposite in terms of speaker interactions and tonality to what I usually experience with my systems. The reference Audiovector speakers, with their ruthlessly revealing AMT tweeters and critically balanced tonality tend to be less forgiving of amplifiers than the much more affordable Silverlines with their soft-dome tweeter. However I actually found the i·V2 to bring out just a bit of upper midrange and lower treble prominence with the Silverline (not a bad thing per se), while sounding comparatively mellow with the Audiovectors. Load-dependent performance is a well-known challenge with the Class D topology, and while designers have found increasingly sophisticated means of mitigating it, it is probably still a factor here, albeit a much more nuanced one than in the past. I have to wonder if this variability is why one still hears of such wildly varying opinions of Class D amps... in any case, an audition with your preferred speakers is highly advisable.

Further Musings...

The Legacy i·V2's exceptional performance forced me to check my notions of fidelity. In terms of measured performance, it’s among the best I’ve experienced (along with the Bryston 4B Cubed), and my ears registered its sound as correspondingly pure and distortion-free. Could the Legacy's slightly smoother, less bright and less overtly dimensional perspective actually be more accurate than my other amps? It's been shown (by e.g. Nelson Pass) that some judicious 2nd order harmonic distortion can add a sense of dimensionality to a recording, which explains why tubes can sound so "holographic". In the tube case, I find this to be a euphonic (albeit lovely) deviation from the original recording. The Gryphon Essence is also a soundstaging beast, and while it’s far more neutral than any tube amp I’ve heard, could some of its dimensionality also be additive rather than accurate? Could something similar be said of the i·V2 slightly soft treble - is this actually the absence of distortion that exists in virtually all other systems, including the ones used to master recordings? Listening to a bright pop album, e.g. Dedicated by Carly Rae Jepsen (Qobuz 24/44), the i·V2 was certainly more listenable than the crisper and more sibilant Gryphon. On the other hand, the Gryphon has a bracing immediacy, a feeling of being pulled into the mix and enveloped by the music. The i·V2 by comparison is a little tame, a little reserved, perhaps even a tad muffled. Is that extra dynamic verve and contrast I hear from the Gryphon and other Class A amps real, or an artifact? Which is more accurate?

Because of the infinite number of variables in the recording and playback chain, there's likely no clear-cut answer. While no one buys a Gryphon or Pass Labs for the best specs, there’s no denying that the latest crop of Class D amps are on another level of measured performance from old-school Class A machinery. On the other hand, I do feel the i·V2 subtracts a few things from the signal. How much does that matter to your ears in your system? It's a close enough call that I can imagine circumstances of some preferring the Legacy to the Gryphon. For me personally, while I could happily live with the Legacy, I do inevitably find myself returning to the Gryphon for those extra nuances - the fineness of instrumental textures, the palpability of the soundstage, the dynamic inflections - the things that make hifi more evocative of the real thing.

I recently attended a lovely performance by The Cleveland Orchestra in their summer home, Blossom Music Festival. (Hurray for the return of live concerts!) When I returned home that evening, the Legacy was hooked up in the system. I put on a live recording of the Philadelphia Orchestra - not at all equivalent in venue or performance to what I had just heard, but bear with me - and it struck me that the tonality of the i·V2 was actually quite evocative of the real thing. Live orchestral performances have a ton of energy, and yet they sound so smooth and sweet compared to typical reproduced sound. The i·V2 captured that silkiness to a greater degree than I’ve heard in my system, but was lacking some of the edge and vitality. Switching to the Gryphon gave me more of the excitement of the live event, but tonally it wasn’t quite as spot on. At this point, we’re probably approaching the limits of conventional reproduced sound, so some tradeoff will be necessary. Which one is “better” may depend on your frame of reference. E.g. if you like the neutrality and balance of solid state amps, you'll likely find little missing from the Legacy's presentation; if you favor the tonal color, dynamic verve and larger-than-life presence of tubes, you may find the Legacy a little dull. The very fact that I'm having to finely parse these matters of fidelity and taste is a testament to the overall excellence and refinement of the i·V2. To accomplish that that with 610 watts on tap for under $5k is a significant milestone for Class D technology, and a remarkable feat of engineering.

I must mention the obvious ecological benefits of Class D over Class A - we are drawing literally hundreds fewer watts, we don't need to keep it running or warm it up for extended periods to sound good and we are generating far less waste heat. The electric bill and thus cost of ownership will also be appreciably less. On the flip side, the jury is still out on how long these amps will last, vs. a Gryphon or Pass Labs or Bryston that one can easily imagine humming along for 20+ years. As such, and as is often the case with newer and more commoditized tech, I'd expect resale value to be significantly lower than those marques. Just a couple extra things to consider when you're plunking down a not-inconsiderable amount of money on a piece of kit.

Conclusion

The Legacy i·V2, and Class D amplification more broadly, are emblematic of larger shifts in high-end audio technology. Just as solid state and digital audio took a while to hit their stride and gain legitimacy in the exalted (ok I'll say it, snobby) circles of the high-end, we've hit a point of maturity with Class D where technological sophistication and subjective fidelity can go hand in hand. The fact that I strained my ears comparing the i·V2 to a $24k Class A reference that is far and away the best amplifier I have ever heard in my system is all the proof I needed. For under $5k, the Legacy i·V2 delivers a balance of refinement and power that is unmatched by any conventional amplifier I'm aware of near its price point, and competitive in absolute terms with the better amplifiers under $10k and beyond, regardless of technology. It's a cut above what I heard from the Bryston 4B Cubed, and while I haven't had the Pass Labs XA.8 series in my own room, I would not hesitate to line it up against them. Many may still prefer the more overt musicality of the hot-running Pass behemoths, but my feeling is it'll be more a matter of personal taste or system matching, as opposed to one of absolute fidelity.

I have a few burning questions on my mind now. The first is how Legacy's implementation of the ICEdge 1200AS compares to other ones on the market - could you get similar or even better performance for less? The next one is how does the Legacy/ICEdge stack up against other Class D implementations from Hypex, Purifi, Pascal and others? And finally, I've also heard a lot of wonderful things about the Class H Benchmark AHB-2 from ears I trust. It too is compact, cool-running, superbly specified and relatively affordable, but utilizes a sophisticated implementation of traditional linear amplification technology. I would love to compare and contrast the Legacy with that amp.

In the meantime, I strongly endorse an audition of this amplifier without prejudice. It's a remarkable achievement in amplification - highly recommended!

#review #class d #amplifier #audio #audiophile #hifi #legacy #iv2

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dipulb3 · 4 years ago

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2021 Nissan Kicks makes value a virtue

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-nissan-kicks-makes-value-a-virtue/

2021 Nissan Kicks makes value a virtue

The 2021 Kicks looks sharper than its predecessor.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

As far as affordable small cars go, you could definitely do worse than the Nissan Kicks. It’s an efficient, feature-rich little thing, and for new car shoppers on a budget, the Kicks is one of the best overall values available today.

Excellent fuel economy

Lots of driver-assistance features

Excellent overall value

Don’t Like

All trims need LED headlights

Interior could use more personality

No all-wheel drive option

The Kicks gets a much-needed glow-up for 2021, with styling that’s way less frumpy than before. It’s a good look, and while I personally prefer the more extroverted designs of competitors like the Kia Soul or Hyundai Venue, I think the Kicks is altogether more refined than the wacky Hyundai Kona or Toyota C-HR. You get 16-inch wheels on the base Kicks S, but SV and SR trims upgrade to larger 17s. My SV test car has the optional black-painted alloys, which cost $495 and would probably look better alongside one of the available two-tone paint schemes — one with a black roof, for example.

The Kicks’ interior plays it down the middle with a no-nonsense design. The controls are exactly where you expect them to be and none of the buttons or stalks feel flimsy. Sure, the doors are lined with hard plastic and the piano black trim around the gear shifter will never, ever look clean, but the stuff you’ll touch most often — the steering wheel, window switches, infotainment controls, etc. — are all nice. I do wish the cup holders weren’t one big rectangle with a partition in the middle, though. Smaller drinks like, oh, I don’t know, a grande vanilla nonfat latte from Starbucks can easily tip over while making a turn. Ask me how I know.

2021 Nissan Kicks packs a lot of features in a small footprint

See all photos

Nissan’s awesome Zero Gravity seats aren’t available in the Kicks, but the cloth chairs in my SV tester are nevertheless comfortable, and they even have an interesting diamond pattern for a little visual flair. You sit high up in the Kicks, too, and the seating position is nice and comfortable for a 5-foot, 8-inch average dude like myself. Plus, this higher seat height gives you a nice, commanding view out the front and side windows — and it’s better for your posture, too.

The back seats are serviceable, but better suited to smaller adults or children, and there’s enough room behind them to schlep a couple of carry-on bags or a shopping cart’s worth of groceries. The Kicks offers 25.3 cubic feet of space with the rear seats upright, which bests the Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Kona and Kia Soul. However, fold the bench flat and you only get 32.3 cubic feet, which is almost half the max capacity of the Soul and worse than the aforementioned Ford and Hyundai. If you need to haul on the regular, the Kicks might not be for you. But since most people will use the hatch without folding the back bench, I’m glad Nissan chose to err on the side of seat-up spaciousness.

The interior looks plain, but it’s quiet and the seats are comfortable.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Every Kicks uses the NissanConnect multimedia system, with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. The base Kicks S has a 7-inch touchscreen but the SV and SR use a slightly larger, 8-inch head unit; these upper trims get an additional 7-inch display inside the gauge cluster, too. NissanConnect’s graphics are dated and the menu structure is kind of weird, but it’s easy enough to plug your phone into one of the USB ports and let the Apple or Android software do the heavy lifting. SV and SR trims come with both USB-A and USB-C outlets, by the way.

A huge selling point for the 2021 Kicks is the sheer amount of standard driver-assistance tech. Automatic emergency braking (front and rear), blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert are standard across the board, even on the base, $20,000 model, and SV and SR trims add adaptive cruise control. No, you can’t get Nissan’s cool ProPilot Assist highway driving assistant, but that’s not a total deal-breaker. You can, however, get a 360-degree camera on this little guy, though it’s only available on the top-level SR.

There isn’t much to get excited about under the hood, but the Kicks’ powertrain is nevertheless adequate and efficient. The 1.6-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine produces 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, which sound pretty dismal on paper, but on the road, it’s totally fine. Remember, the Kicks only weighs 2,744 pounds in its heaviest spec, so that engine doesn’t have a ton of car to lug around. The Kicks only comes with front-wheel drive, however, so if you’re looking for a tiny CUV with AWD capabilities, try the Honda HR-V or Mazda CX-3.

SV and SR models get an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

You can only get the Kicks with a continuously variable transmission. And before you balk at the idea of CVT, don’t forget that Nissan’s been offering this transmission type for years, meaning the company’s had a lot of time to fine-tune its so-called Xtronic setup. Seriously, the Kicks has one of the best CVTs around, quietly operating in the background without the high-revving drone that people tend to associate with these transmissions.

Plus, that CVT helps the Kicks return bangin’ fuel economy. Official EPA ratings aren’t available just yet, but Nissan estimates you’ll see 31 miles per gallon in the city, 36 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined — numbers right in line with what I saw in the real world. That makes the Kicks more efficient than a lot of other small crossovers, beating the Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Venue, Kia Soul and more.

The Kicks handles daily driving duties admirably, and it’s actually pretty fun to drive. The suspension is nicely tuned for both city and highway driving and the brakes are strong with solid pedal feel. The steering is light, just like every other small crossover, but it quickly responds to inputs, and more importantly, the Kicks is easy to maneuver and park. No one is expecting the Kicks to be a thrill, but it’s a perfectly pleasant little runabout. Yeah, it’s pokey, but it might surprise you on a winding road.

These black-painted 17-inch wheels are a $495 option.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

You can get into a Kicks for as little as $20,595, including $1,095 for destination. The midgrade SV adds a lot of the niceties you’ll actually want, and it starts at a still-affordable $22,395. The loaded SR comes in at $23,035, and its only big-ticket option is the $1,200 Premium Package, which brings the price to $24,235 delivered.

The SV grade should make up the bulk of Kicks sales, but I actually think a loaded SR is the best value. The SR gets you all the best driver-assistance tech and it also comes standard with LED headlights (and foglights). That last bit is especially important — the halogen lamps on my SV test car are so dull that, at one point, I actually pulled over to make sure I had the low-beams on and wasn’t just relying on the running lights (like so many other oblivious Los Angeles drivers). LED headlights are brighter and therefore safer. Why they aren’t standard on every car at this point is kind of beyond me.

It’s hard to beat the Kicks’ overall value.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

But the loaded SR’s virtues extend beyond illumination. Add the Premium Package and you get heated seats, a heated steering wheel and that premium Bose audio system you’ve probably heard — you know, the one with speakers in the driver’s headrest. Nothing makes an inexpensive car feel premium quite like heated seats and a kickin’ (get it?) stereo. All that and more for less than $25K? I know it’s not always easy to swing a couple thousand extra when you’re on a tight budget, but you’ll also be hard pressed to find this many amenities for this little cash.

The Kicks plays in a super-crowded class, alongside everything from the dumpy Chevrolet Trax to the dumpier Ford EcoSport to attractive and compelling hatchbacks from Korea like the Hyundai Kona, Venue and Kia Soul. Personally, I’d probably go with the Soul if it were my money; the Kia has a better interior and it’s nicer to drive, as well. Even so, the Nissan still offers more features, and it’s more efficient than anything else in its segment. Any way you slice it, the Kicks offers great value and it’s hard to argue with that.

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hg47 · 4 years ago

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47 Reasons Why I Fear Islam - (Reason 30)

-30-Non-Muslims who like Islam don’t have a clue what the religion is all about. Non-Muslims who attempt to expose Islam are often accused of Hate Speech by those in the West largely because Islam itself is vicious. Accurately describing the way Islam functions seems to Western ears as unbelievable exaggeration motivated by hate. Also, Muslims have an army of PR experts and disinformation specialists who collectively yowl in the media like wounded wolves because of an “improper” and “intolerable” and “insulting” attack upon their religion by unclean Infidels who contaminate Islam with words they, as inferiors, have no right to speak. ++++------- tweet ~ Would someone please throw a shoe at Ahmadinejad? What, you’re too scared to ReTweet this? Come on, at least throw an insult at the schmuck. ~ (circa 4/26/2010 1:37 PM) ++++------- http://www.amazon.com/Cruel-Usual-Punishment-Terrifying-Implications/dp/1595551611/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380310980&sr=1-1&keywords=CRUEL+AND+USUAL+PUNISHMENT+by+Nonie+Darwish One story from CRUEL AND USUAL PUNISHMENT by Nonie Darwish is about the private event when an Egyptian Coptic Church in 2005 showed a film to their parishioners about the dangers of Islam, discouraging conversion, among other things. But Muslims had spies within this church, and the Muslim religious leaders decided this event was an insult to Islam. This decision and the following coordinated angry ranting sermons encouraged a Muslim mob of thousands to burn many churches. When it was over, one priest was murdered, one nun was stabbed, and multiple churches were destroyed, in an Islamic environment where destroyed churches may never be rebuilt or repaired. ++++------- A quote from Muslim cleric, Mohammed Afzal: “It is the duty of every good Muslim to kill Christians…You should attack Christians and not even have food until you have seen their dead bodies.” ++++------- http://www.amazon.com/Why-I-Am-Not-Muslim/dp/1591020115/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380655534&sr=1-1&keywords=why+i+am+not+a+muslim In WHY I AM NOT A MUSLIM Ibn Warraq gets into how Islamic laws are valid because they have been delivered from their God, not because they are rational; how the letter of Islamic law must always be followed, not the spirit, and how this travesty undermines any notions of fair play, justice, or truth. @hg47 says – I work in Plastics Extrusion. Some of the workers are refugees from Iraq. One day we were particularly busy, and the father of one of the regular workers was brought in to help as a temporary worker. I run the graveyard shift. I asked the guy who was running Swing shift (who was staying over awhile to help), what the old guy thought of “this place.” He smiled, sort of laughed, and said, “He can’t understand why the owner isn’t here.” This required some explanation, because I didn’t get it. In Iraq there is no way the owner would allow the business to be open without his physical presence: lying, stealing, back-stabbing; the owner could never trust his employees. The guy, a Christian, specifically blamed Muslims for this “reality” in Iraq. I still didn’t get it. “The owner doesn’t have to be here. In the morning there is supposed to be pallets of good product. If the parts aren’t there, or they’re off-spec, I have to explain why. The owner has known me for years, if I try to lie to him, he will know it.” This time the Swing Shift Foreman did laugh. “In Iraq, the owner would come to work in the morning…and all these machines would be gone.” ++++------- tweet ~ Ahmadinejad: “Prospects of normalizing ties between Washington and Tehran will vanish if Tiger Woods doesn’t stop screwing my third wife.” ~ (circa 5/17/2010 11:30 AM – and yes, I was joking) ++++------- http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703426004575338471355710184.html?mod=googlenews_wsj AYAAN HIRSI ALI on how Western civilization must be actively defended. The West is not indestructible in the clash with Islam; and how Islam is fighting and maybe winning this battle. ++++------- http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Islamic-Tolerance-Treats-Non-Muslims/dp/1591022495/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380476667&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=MYTH+OF+ISLAMIC+TOLERANCE+%28THE%29+edited+by+Robert+Spencer In MYTH OF ISLAMIC TOLERANCE (THE) edited by Robert Spencer the rah-rah, boom-de-yay! pro-Islamic official policy of the Western nations is covered. @hg47 says - 1) The West has serious economic interests in the Muslim world: we are addicted to low priced oil in large quantities. We absolutely must have oil, lots of oil, and if the price goes too high, it will indirectly raise our cost of living to an intolerable degree very quickly, and possibly wreck our fragile system. 2) Because of (1) anti-Muslim stories in Western media are deliberately played-down, suppressed, editorially quashed, and slanted favorably to Muslims. 3) Because of (1) economic retaliation and/or political retaliation by Muslim countries is a very real threat to Western powers. We don’t want “those crazy Muslims” to bother the Jews too much, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED ARAB OIL. 4) The West also fears Muslim terrorism, particularly on its own territory, but also fears anti-Islam reactions from the population in the West. The West does not have a handle on Islam, does not understand Islam, and every attempt to “control” Islam has failed miserably. The West is “flying blind” when it comes to Islam. ++++------- tweet ~ Shakeup at Wikipedia after Ahmadinejad-With-Camel porn purge! Jimmy Wales no longer able to delete files; Ahmadinejad still speaking at UN. ~ (circa 5/19/2010 4:56 PM – and yes, this is a joke) ++++------- http://www.amazon.com/Stealth-Jihad-Radical-Subverting-America/dp/1596985569/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380589061&sr=1-1&keywords=stealth+jihad+robert+spencer In STEALTH JIHAD Robert Spencer gets into how Islamic holy texts push Muslim behavior against Infidels. Koran 3:110 – Muslims are the “best of people.” Koran 98:6 – Infidels are the “vilest of created beings.” The majority of Muslims view Infidels as unclean beings unworthy of contact with pure Muslims, and this attitude has behavioral consequences. Spencer gives an example of a college which set aside a Prayer Room to be used by students of all religions and all denominations, with an official announcement that all faiths are to share. Muslims appropriated the space for themselves and forcefully excluded all others. ++++------- http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/05/the_five_stages_of_islam.html Richard Butrick asks the question: Is it bigotry if it is in touch with reality? Richard’s point is that Islamists use the West’s fear of bigotry against the West. Is it bigotry, if it is just seeing and stating the truth? For example, am I a bigot if I am afraid of Islam, if Islam really does want to destroy my way of life? Richard also argues excellently that the first Republican candidate for President who faces off against Islam by saying something like: “OK, you can have your Ground Zero Mosque, but first we want a Cathedral in Mecca,” will OWN the popular vote. ++++------- tweet ~ Ahmadinejad speech, 2013: “We have secretly placed atomic bombs in London, New York, and Paris. The following are our demands…” ~ (This is a joke tweet, circa 5/24/2010 2:45 PM – but there is a serious point behind it. Personally, I am also worried about the Nukes in Pakistan.) ++++------- tweet ~ Rouhani (on mic): “Time for countries to enter talks with Iran based on honesty, justice and respect.” Off-mic: “Where is my A-bomb!?” ~ (Just joking.) ++++------- http://www.meforum.org/2915/islamists-project-islam-worst-traits-onto Raymond Ibrahim’s interesting article on the important differences between Christian Martyrs and Muslim Martyrs, and how Muslims often misinterpret what Christian leaders say, because of this difference, which can result in Muslim mob violence toward Christians. Muslim Martyrs are those killed in battle against Infidels. Christian Martyrs are those persecuted or killed for refusing to recant Christianity. ++++------- http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/35133 Joseph A. Klein: Islamists don’t need an excuse to murder Infidels. ++++------- http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2011/mar/22/senate-hold-hearings-muslims-rights/ Stephen Dinan on the latest FBI statistics on hate crimes. 1,376 religiously motivated hate crimes in 2009. 70.1% of those 1,376 crimes were anti-Jew. 9.3% of those 1,376 crimes were anti-Muslim. ++++------- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/us/08gabriel.html Article by Laurie Goodstein about Brigitte Gabriel who claims that radical Muslims have infiltrated the United States at all levels, including the FBI, Pentagon, CIA, and State Department. Their goal? A long-range plan to revoke the Constitution and impose Sharia law on us all. ++++------- http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_16300340?source=rss&nclick_check=1 Anne Barnard and Alan Feuer claim that terrorism by Muslims is not a perversion of Islam but is essential to the religion itself. ++++------- http://home.comcast.net/~vincep312/islam.html What some famous people in the past, including Winston Churchill, thought about Islam. ++++------- http://iranpoliticsclub.net/islam/islam-danger1/ This article gets into the ways in which Islam is not like other religions. Islam is a political ideology that demands that every aspect of the nation be subservient to it: laws, government, business, society must all be or become Islamic. ++++------- http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/17/martin-amis-iran Martin Amis arguing that a theocracy must not be allowed to have nuclear arms. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +Go-To-31+ +Go-To-Beginning-Of-47-REASONS-WHY-I-FEAR-ISLAM+

#islam

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engineofficia · 5 years ago

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2021 Nissan Sentra Price, Release Date, Specs

2021 Nissan Sentra Price, Release Date, Specs - So today, I'm behind the wheel of a brand new 2021 Nissan Sentra. Which has been completely redesigned from the ground up for this model year? Now there are two things that Nissan really made an emphasis on for this brand-new Sentra. Number one looks and number two safety features, so let's start with the looks. This Article Is Just A Rumor

2021 Nissan Sentra Changes

Exterior Design So looking at the outside, this Sentra looks light years better than the old one. The 2021 Nissan Sentra now looks modern, sleek, edgy, and it matches the rest of the sedans from Nissan's lineup, which is a really good thing. But starting from the front, take a look at the new vMotion grille. It's much like the one that you see on the Altima and Versa. It's much bigger, and it flows much better if it flows into the headlights, which are really sleek and unique. And on this SR trim that I'm driving today, they are LED. You have LED headlights and LED daytime running lights.

2021 Nissan Sentra Exterior Now moving to the side, the 2021 Nissan Sentra definitely looks more like a sports sedan. And that's on purpose because Nissan lowered roof height by about two inches. The overall length, shaped, the lines everything just looks good, in my opinion. Especially paired with these 18-inch alloy wheels, which are standard on the SR trim. And the backside matches with the rest of the car. It has a high trunk a wide stance, and that's because this Nissan Sentragrew about two inches in width. So it definitely has a wider stance, also take a look the taillights are smoked. They have smoke housing, which would look really good, especially with the white car. And on the bottom, you do have a chrome exhaust tip nice and big and that standard on the SR. so overall, if you take a look at the outside of the 2021 Nissan Sentra, it's a huge movement over the last model. And in my opinion, one of the best-looking compact sedans, you could buy today. Interior Design Now on the same inside thing, not only does it look light years better but also feels better. The quality has improved dramatically. Starting with the trunk, no surprises, decently big, but what I like is the second row folds down. So that you can carry much bigger items in the back. And once you move into the second row, you'll notice what I'm talking about in terms of the quality. Just looking at the door panels, the seats everything in here it's covered with soft plastic or leatherette or really nice sport cloth. Which is on top of the seats, and they come with orange stitching. So they have a nice design they feel good, and it looks good too. And in terms of the size in the back, I'm 5 feet 10, and I have about 3 inches of legroom but only about 1 to 2 inches of headroom. So the Headroom is a little lacking, and unfortunately, that's due to Nissan chopping off 2 inches from the roof. Passengers in the back, unfortunately, do not get any vents, but there is at least one USB port available and a couple of cupholders.

2021 Nissan Sentra Interior Now once you move up to the front, this is where you notice the biggest difference. The whole dash design just looks miles ahead better, and I'm a big fan. This matches with the newer Altima with a pop-out screen in the middle. Now, this screen is an 8-inch infotainment screen; it is a touchscreen. Now it does work pretty well; you could slide sideways and change the home screen; also, everything in there is customizable. Which is good, and you have buttons underneath. If you wanted to go to the menu or go to the audio menu really quickly, you can. The only downside to this infotainment screen is it's barely dark. I already adjusted the brightness, and I have it all the way to the max. And right now in the daylight, it's still kind of dim. Now, this infotainment screen is matched to a 7-inch info screen inside the gauge cluster, and I like this. The interface looks nice. You could scroll left and right up and down. You've got a lot of useful information. And take a look at the steering wheel, the steering wheel is just like the one in a brand new Altima. And I'm a big fan of it, it's very sporty looking with a flat bottom. Overall it has a nice thickness and orange stitching around. And the buttons are easy to understand, so I'm a big fan of this steering wheel. It's not leather, but it is some kind of leatherette material that still feels decently good.

2021 Nissan Sentra Engine

Next, let's talk about safety features because that's a big selling point to this brand-new Sentra. Now most manufacturers have their own safety suite. For example, Honda has Honda sensing, Toyota's Toyota safety sense 2.0 for Nissan. It's called safety shield 360. and that is standard on all trims for this brand new Sentra, which is impressive.

2021 Nissan Sentra Engine And what's more impressive about it is this safety shield 360 includes features that others don't even have or charge extra for. now, the standard ones that almost everyone offers is emergency braking upfront. Also, some kind of Lane warning or Lane Assist and also dynamic cruise control or radar-guided cruise control. But usually what manufacturers do is charge extra for a blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and we're emergency braking. Now everything I've just named is absolutely free and included with every single Sentra. Which is really really nice, you save a lot of money, and the Sentra is extremely safe. So the engine you only have one option, it's a two-liter brand-new replaces the old 1.8 liters. And it's pushing about 149 horsepower and torque roughly the same about a hundred and forty-six pound-feet of torque. And this is a big improvement over the last generation. However, when you compare to its peers, this is still a little bit lower in terms of output horsepower and torque compared to some of its peers. Now this engine is mated to a CVT transmission. And Nissan's spent a lot of time tweaking and tuning this. And I really can't tell that it's a CVT. Driving around town right now, you know doing normal driving. I really can't tell, it shifts like a normal automatic. You'll know what I mean, it feels like a regular automatic, and it feels really good.

2021 Nissan Sentra Price and Release Date

So there are three trim levels to choose from on this brand-new 2021 Nissan Sentra. You have the base which is S. starts right under $19,000, now that's really reserved for it like the fleet market. And after that, you have the SV, which goes up to about a grand or so, and then you have the SR. so overall, between the SR and the S, there's only about $2,500 difference. And for that $2,500, you're getting a whole lot more, definitely worth the upgrade, definitely worth at 2500 to upgrade from S to an SR, in my opinion. Now there's a lot of features inside the SR that are missing, and that's because it's all part of this one big package that you can get. I called a premium package for about $2,200. There's a lot of things such as sunroof, also heated steering wheel, heated seats, leather, surface power seats, also 360 view camera system all that is included in this one master package. So, unfortunately, you can't offer any of that separately. After reviewing the 2021 Nissan Sentra, I think this is a huge improvement over the last generation. From the looks, from the quality, from the standard safety features. There's a whole lot that you're getting in this brand-new Sentra. So next let me sum up the good and bad for you so you can choose if this is the best car for you. To sum up the good about this brand-new Sentra, it has a stylish and modern exterior look. It also has high quality and a functional interior. The zero-gravity seats are very comfortable, there is a good amount of space in the second row and in the trunk. Finally, you have good visibility and a great steering feel. As for the bad brake, feel is not linear. The suspension is a tad stiff; also, there's plenty of road noise. And optional features are only within one package that you can choose. Read the full article

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2020nissancars · 5 years ago

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Why is the 2020 Nissan Sentra A Complete Road Show?

The most noticeable alteration to the new 2020 Nissan Sentra is its look, bringing closer to the larger, more upscale Nissan.

As with the recent modification of its Versa subcompact, the only thing that this car shares with its predecessor is the title. This is a much-needed enhancement for Nissan's all-time biggest seller in the automotive market.

Visually, the 2020 Sentra looks, well defined, sharp, and even a head-turner in all aspects.

Another design element picked from the larger Nissan sedans is the floating roof; the taillights and rear bumper get an enhancement too. The new platform that it functions on is two inches wider, and the car is two inches lower, offering the 2020 model a far more athletic appeal than its previous model. The overall body lines are more aligned and defined on the body side of the 2020 Nissan Sentra.

The 2020 Sentra gets some alluring exterior color options to choose from. The single-color options include;

Electric Blue

Brilliant Silver

Rosewood

Gun metallic

Aspen White and Scarlet Ember tri-coat

Nissan is also rendering a two-tone color choice for the first time in the Sentra segment of 2020.

2020 Nissan Sentra Interior

The interior also gets a makeover ultimately, with a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system above it and a climate-control panel below it.

Highlighting the three large fanlike vents in the middle of the center, there is also a choice for an 8.0-inch touchscreen on the higher trim levels, which also modifies the driver's digital view from 4.2 inches to 7.0 inches.

The altered mechanism is equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability with a flat-bottom steering wheel and a clean-looking central tunnel and gearshift.

The cabin is filled with excellent materials at higher trim levels. There are options for quilted and leather seats that come with a heating mechanism. Adding up all of these further enhances the Zero Gravity seats, which have made an appearance in many other Nissan products to date.

2020 Nissan Sentra Extra Power-New Engine

There are several alterations to the powertrain and chassis that should assist in this regard. The most significant modification to the powertrain is an all-naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four engine, which produces 149 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, which are gains of 20 and 16 percent, over the earlier 1.8-liter inline-four built-up.

The Sentra's chassis also sees some significant alterations, consisting of a new independent rear suspension, which improves ride and handling quality. Other enhancements that are on a Sentra for the first time are a new dual-pinion-rack electric power-steering system and vented rear disc brakes that are choices for the SV and other higher trims.

These transformations aren't about to make the Sentra a track-day special, but it should be more capable than before.

2020 Nissan Sentra Safety

The Sentra will now be available with Nissan Safety Shield 360, a suite of six active-safety features;

Rear automated emergency braking

Front automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection

High-beam assist

Lane-departure warning systems and blind-spot

Rear cross-traffic alert

Adding in those six features are rear-door alerts to keep you from forgetting a child in the back seat, a driver-alertness monitor, and ten supplemental airbags.

2020 Nissan Sentra Trims

For 2020, the Sentra segment has been simplified and trimmed down from five to three trim levels:

2020 Nissan Sentra S

2020 Nissan Sentra SV

2020 Nissan Sentra SR

Gone, at least for now, are the 2020 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo and NISMO models.

The Sentra has the tools to accomplish the ever-shrinking compact-sedan segment and storm the automotive market with the 2020 Nissan Sentra variant, which is classy, robust, and full of colors.

To know more about the all new Nissan Sentra 2020’s price, specs and more; visit www.reliancenissan.com or visit Reliance Nissan located in Alvin, Texas.

#2020NissanSentra #NissanSentra #NissanSentra2020 #NewNissanSentra2020 #Alvin #Texas #NissanOfAlvin #RelianceNissan

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taww · 5 years ago

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First Take Review: Audiovector SR 6 Avantgarde Arreté Speakers

As previously chronicled, a move to a new residence last year challenged my undying devotion to 2-way monitor speakers. Though I had two great ones at my disposal - the Silverline SR17 Supreme and Audiovector SR 1 Avantgarde Arreté - asking these relatively compact speakers to fill a large living space with the weight and scale of a symphony orchestra was unreasonable. I needed something that could move more air, but far too many big speakers I’ve heard sound slow, discombobulated or opaque vs. a quality 2-way. Enter the Audiovector SR 6 Avantgarde Arreté (USD $25,000), which confidently assured me of no such compromises during an audition at Audiovision SF. After a bit of listening to some alternatives and the requisite spousal approval, I traded in the SR 1’s and placed an order for a pair of SR 6 AA in piano black with the intention of keeping these as my long-term reference speakers. I’ve logged about 3 months with them and while they’re still taking their sweet time to break in, it’s time to gut check: are they turning out to be everything I had hoped they would be?

Related Reading

Quick Take: Audiovector R 3 Arreté & SR 6 Avantgarde Arreté

Breaking in a Big Speaker: Week 2 with the Audiovector SR 6

Acoustically Treating Side Reflections: Even Better and Not as Hard as You Think

Design & Setup

IMO this is a gorgeous speaker that looks impressive in a room without being dominating - sleek and elegant, with pleasing proportions and a beautiful finish. While our room is a good size, it is an all-purpose living space for my wife and me plus our two large-ish dogs, and there was no way audiophile speakers with a large footprint or funky aesthetics would ever set foot in our home. The Audiovector was a relatively easy sell to my wife and there have been zero groans or offhand remarks about its size or appearance, which makes it an unmitigated success. The magnetically-attached grills are wonderfully crafted, muting the technical look of the baffle during more casual listening, snapping on and off with precision and sticking together for easy storage. The sound isn't bad with them on either - fractionally less open and bright, which is actually kind of nice for background music.

Full-range speakers can be tricky to position to balance bass response with soundstaging, but in my room I’ve found the SR 6 AA to be very easygoing. Thanks to a combination of front-firing ports, bottom-firing compound woofer and careful bass alignment, they work remarkably well close to the wall. I currently have them with just 50cm (20”) of clearance behind them, and I have yet to pick up on any port noises. Yes, the soundstage would be even deeper if I pulled them out further, but it’s still quite satisfactory and the bass is nicely filled out without any boom whatsoever. As with the SR 1 Avantgarde Arretés, I find the sweet spot to be a bit narrow - sound is good off-axis, but you really need to be centered precisely for the image and soundstage to lock in. This is in contrast to traditional 2-way monitors from e.g. Silverline Audio or Role Audio that disappear in your room with little effort and are fairly forgiving of listening position.

Sensitivity is specified at 92.5dB/watt @ 8 ohms, quite good for a dynamic speaker. Sensitivity ratings can be deceiving (measurement methods are not rigorously standardized) but the SR 6 AA certainly puts out noticeably more sound per watt than the 90.5dB-rated Silverline SR17. I haven't seen an impedance plot or minimum impedance spec but it seems pretty easy to drive, with all of my amps sounding open and unstrained. With pop or orchestral material at moderately high volume levels I could get the bias meter on the Pass Labs XA30.5 to wiggle the tiniest bit, indicating the peaks were surpassing the 30-watt Class A bias range, but just barely. While the speakers can clearly take a lot more power (I would have loved to have the 300wpc Bryston 4B Cubed around), a quality amp of moderate power rating (e.g. 50 watts) but enough current to feed the 4 drivers should have no trouble. The Pass sounded great, I love the 55-watt Valvet A4 Mk.II monoblocks on them, and right now the 50-watt Gryphon Essence is singing away.

The Sound

Listening to the SR 6 AA strikes me as the audio equivalent of stepping into something like a big smooth Mercedes S-class, only to find it as lithe and responsive behind the wheel as a Lotus Elise. But step on the accelerator, and sure enough you will hear and feel the grunt of a big bi-turbo V-12. And most of all, it’s fun. Like a car that beckons you to drive it, there’s an aliveness and energy to the SR 6 that compels you to listen to as much music as possible. I could listen to record after record all day and night and never stop.

Coming back to less-fanciful analogies, I love how the SR 6 has all the coherence, focus and speed of the best 2-way monitors, then adds low-frequency power and dynamic ease without any sort of compromise that I can discern. At first I was a bit concerned with the 350Hz crossover point between midrange and woofer - right in the D to A string range of the violin - but I honestly can not hear it at all. The compound bass system also seamlessly integrates from 80Hz down, and all I hear is a very continuous presentation with consistent speed, articulation and tonality. This is extremely rare in my experience - many big, expensive and elaborate speakers have had some sort of discontinuity that bugged me.

Coming back to the 2-way comparison, I am missing absolutely nothing about my previous monitor speakers. The SR 6 has even more midrange focus and resolving power than its excellent little sibling, the SR 1 Avantgarde Arreté, while sounding less dry and analytical. Much of this can be attributed to the fullness of the lower midrange which puts more meat on the bones of everything. It’s not overtly warm, but has just the slightest bit of extra juice to give pop tunes great bounce and string sections lovely lyricism. My wife noted that orchestral melodies sounded particularly mellifluous and alluring.

This brings me to another point: the SR 6 simultaneously strikes me as tremendously transparent, neutral and precise, but also possessing character. It's very hard for me to describe it any one way because the common sonic labels - warm, analytical, fast, full, forward, laid-back, smooth, sharp - just won't stick. Depending on the associated gear, setup and recording, any of those above descriptors could be applied to a very subtle degree, but switch up the source material and a different set of adjectives come to mind. Going to another abstract analogy, it reminds me of a delicious mineral water - so clean and crisp and pure, but not totally flavorless. The SR 6 is never bland to my ears; sure, a bad recording still won't sound great, but the presentation never falls flat. It has a fun and engaging take on music, perhaps due to just a hair of judicious boost somewhere in the midrange, that isn't dead-on neutral, but subtle and musically consonant. This is what I find most fascinating about Audiovector's tuning vs. other ultra high-end marques such as Magico or YG Acoustics, which can be breathtakingly transparent to the point of sounding flavorless, and incredibly demanding of source material. In those special moments with the right setup and recording they certainly could scale to greater heights of realism than the SR 6, but the Audiovector just sounds consistently natural and satisfying to me.

A few words on what this speaker is not. While it certainly qualifies as full-range, it does not have an overtly ��big” sound. You won’t get the same sort of easy, larger-than-life presentation that a large-woofered speaker in a more classic mold (think a big old JBL with 15” woofers, or a top-end model from PBN or Legacy Audio) will give you. If you want Louis Armstrong to sound like he's sitting in your lap, or you’re trying to reproduce a club environment in your living room, there are better speakers for that. Bass extension is deep and powerful, but the quality of the bass that stands out is that it’s always focused - pitch, timing and weight are precise and balanced. It will convincingly represent a symphony orchestra, and the throbbing bass line of Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy will have you bouncing in your seat, but it’s not shake-your-walls, send-you-into-intestinal-distress kind of bass. It is easily the most detailed and revealing speaker I have had in my room, but it is never hyped-up, instead laying the music out for you to inspect at your discretion. The superb Audiovector AMT tweeter has a lot to do with this - it is free of the typical resonant modes of most dome tweeters and has resolving power well above the audible range, with none of the peakiness of metal domes that can go from vivid to fatiguing over time. There are designs with more natural warmth, that can make a female vocal sound more magically in-the-room and human - Silverline and GamuT are two superb marques that come to mind - but they might not be as neutral and versatile across many genres of music.

The Audiovector is much more precise and adaptable than speakers which blow you away with a particular aspect of their performance. It is the sort of sound that may not stand out as much in 3 minute sound bites at an audio show or dealer, but is more accurate and satisfying in the long term. And I appreciate how it effortlessly fills my open space with sound, but never overpowers it. This is a remarkably lifestyle-friendly speaker by high-end standards and I could see it working very well in a more modestly-sized room, though if you have a small room you are probably better off saving some money on the R 3 Arreté and putting the funds towards upstream gear.

The Take

As you can probably guess, I'm liking the Audiovector SR 6 Avantgarde Arreté a whole lot. A big speaker is always a risky proposition - you never know if it'll work in your room, reproducing a wider range of frequencies means more things to critique and potentially bug you, and of course there's the financial outlay. But so far, other than the need for extended break-in time, there have been zero frustrations and only delights in my experience.

As I write this, I'm listening to a lovely record of Bruckner 9 by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with Daniele Gatti (Qobuz 24/96, Tidal MQA) at moderate volume. And I honestly have nothing to observe or say about the speakers because it just sounds good and right and I'm enjoying the performance. It's a total system effort of course, with contributions from PS Audio, Furutech, Audience and the transcendental Gryphon Essence pre + power amp, but as a music lover first and foremost I can think of no higher compliment for the Audiovector SR 6 Avantgarde Arreté.

#audio #audiophile #stereo #hifi #speakers #audiovector #highendaudio #review #firsttake

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lovelyfantasticfart · 5 years ago

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拢70 Worth Of Plastic

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usamotorscycle-blog · 8 years ago

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Harley-Davidson LiveWire First Ride

Harley-Davidson’s electrically-powered LiveWire has sent shockwaves throughout the moto industry – and also through the general public. I don’t recall the last time Harley made a bigger splash in traditional media than the news of this electric motorcycle, which I got to ride yesterday on the streets of New York City. The LiveWire impresses even before riding, as Harley engineers have clearly put a lot of effort into making this an e-bike that pleases the eyes. It borrows some elements from H-D’s dirt-track heritage, with a low, flat faux fuel tank and abbreviated tail section. Also low is the seat height, about 30 inches. A sand-cast, perimeter-style aluminum frame wraps around the batteries, while the electric motor is proudly on display at the bottom end of the bike. Harley designers describe the longitudinally mounted motor with its billet aluminum housing as a highlight of the LiveWire.

Harley-Davidson’s V-Twin engines are always proudly on display in its gas-sipping motorcycles. That tradition hasn’t changed with the electric motor on the LiveWire. Positioning the motor longitudinally forces a complicated arrangement for driving the rear wheel. The motor’s output shaft uses a spiral-bevel drive to change the rotation to a sideways orientation. From there, a small belt transfers power to a sprocket located concentrically with the swingarm pivot (which negates the need for belt-tension adjustment), then finally to the rear wheel via a traditional belt drive. Discuss this at our Harley-Davidson LiveWire Forum. The heat generated by the various systems is managed in different ways. The gearbox and motor are cooled by oil, while the batteries are cooled by air. Heat from the electronic motor controller is shed by liquid circulated through a small radiator. The LiveWire’s only carryover parts are the Nissin brakes, LED signals, mirrors, hand controls and a tail lamp, the latter borrowed from a V-Rod and inverted in this application. MORE: Harley-Davidson Reveals Project Livewire An electronic key fob activates the LiveWire, while traditional Harley switchgear is used to ready the system for launch. A full-color TFT screen displays a multitude of information, including battery charge, range and temperatures for the motor controller, motor and battery pack. A rider has the choice of two thrust delivery modes: Range or Power. Naturally, I chose Power. #451105162 / gettyimages.com A full-color TFT screen provides the necessary ride data such as remaining battery charge. The mirrors mounted to the turn signals under the handlebars proved to be less useful. Harley says its motor produces 75 hp and 52 ft-lb. of torque at its peaks, which enables a sprint to 60 mph in less than four seconds. Acceleration is indeed brisk, leaping away from traffic with a quiet ferocity that thrills even motojournos jaded by big power. It’s likely the LiveWire could go wheel to wheel with Zero’s speedy new SR. Top speed is limited to 95 mph, which is a velocity we didn’t come near while on the congested streets of Manhattan. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of tuning an electric motorbike is programming its motor controller to transform ones and zeros into natural feeling throttle response. Here, the LiveWire shines. It can pull away from a stop as gently as an expertly calibrated clutch hand. Also earning praise is the tuning of its regenerative braking, which applies force to the electric motor when rolling off the throttle in a manner that deftly imitates engine braking from an internal combustion powerplant.

The LiveWire’s ergonomics are pleasant, with a modest reach to the handlebars and a reasonable amount of legroom. Its seating position suited my shortish body, but I could imagine taller riders would feel short on fore/aft space. In contrast to Brammo’s Empulse, the LiveWire is incredibly slim between a rider’s knees. Its mirrors, mounted below the handlebar, look nicer than they work. Handling performance seemed to be quite good, but firm opinions will require more than just a few miles on the streets of NYC. Still, the fully adjustable Showa suspension seemed to work well, and the chassis responded fairly quickly to shoves on the handlebars. Harley was reluctant to release the weight of the LiveWire, but we suspect it scales in at less than 480 pounds, thanks in part to its cast-aluminum frame purported to weigh just 14 pounds. The LiveWire’s cast-aluminum wheels are said to be the lightest hoops ever mounted to a Harley. #451105176 / gettyimages.com There are no dead dinos in the LiveWire’s faux fuel tank. Word is the LiveWire’s batteries hold enough power for a 53-mile range; not enough for a production model but suitable for the test ride tour. Obviously, there’s the question of range, which is impossible for us to verify based on our very short ride and the fact that Harley hasn’t released the LiveWire’s battery specs. A 53-mile range in mixed riding was hinted at, leading us to believe a battery capacity of about 10 kilowatt/hour. Jeff Richlen, the LiveWire’s lead engineer, told us that a range of at least 100 miles is needed before an e-bike starts to make sense for most riders. And that’s the reason why the LiveWire is thus far a proof of concept machine rather than a production bike. Harley is spending the next year or two evaluating customer feedback via its “Project LiveWire Experience,” a cross-country tour of two trucks, each with 11 LiveWires, headed to Harley dealerships in 30 U.S. cities. Reservations can be booked online at ProjectLiveWire.com. The demos will continue in Canada and Europe in 2015.

Harley-Davidson is bringing the LiveWire to dealerships in 30 U.S. cities. Test ride registrations are available on online Based on the tour dates, we think the emergence of a production version of the LiveWire is at least 18 months away, perhaps as long as two years or more while the energy density of batteries improves. However, you can be sure a LiveWire will arrive at Harley dealerships at some point in the future. The immense buzz from the bike’s debut is way too strong to ignore. Click to Post

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ipguru · 8 years ago

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Pyle Home Theater Amplifier Wireless Bluetooth Audio Receiver 5.1 Channel Hi-Fi System, AM/FM Radio, MP3/USB Reader (PT684BT)

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Get this Pyle Dwelling Theater Amplifier Wi-fi Bluetooth Audio Receiver 5.1 Channel Hello-Fi System, AM/FM Radio, MP3/USB Reader (PT684BT)

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The Pyle Bluetooth Dwelling Theater Amplifier Receiver brings next-generation audio & video processing to your front room. Full Hello-Fi multimedia distribution expertise transforms your own home theater for an leisure expertise to recollect. The 5.1 channel, high-powered distribution system connects to encompass sound speaker setups, together with including versatile HD video compatibility — for your whole house theater leisure wants. Constructed-in Bluetooth receiver permits for wi-fi music streaming means, that’s simple to setup and works with all of at present’s newest units. Extra system options embody 3D HDTV & Blu-Ray pass-through, Full HD 1080p help, AM/FM radio, USB flash reminiscence reader for MP3 digital audio file playback, HDMI output, (2) 1/Four” microphone enter jacks, and included wi-fi distant management. Improve your multimedia leisure expertise and join all of it with the Pyle PT684BT Bluetooth Audio & Video Dwelling Theater Amplifier Receiver.

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eliteluxuryrentalss · 5 years ago

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Zero’s 2020 SR/S Motorcycle is The Gulfstream of The Road

Using the same electric motor and battery as its flagship SR/F example, American manufacturer, Zero Motorcycles announced its latest all-electric ride. Boasting an experience parallel to that of Gulfstream jet, the brand new SR/S offers similar specs, abundant range, spine-bending performance and superior technological advancement.

Zero’s 2020 SR/S Motorcycle is The Gulfstream of The Road

Hitting a top speed of 124mph, the SR/S accumulates range of up to 200 miles on a single charge of its optional range-extending battery tank – 40 miles further than the brand’s flagship and 50 miles more than its upcoming Fuell Flow model. Amassing 110 horsepower, the SR/S charges up to 12kW through an optional rapid-charging pack which boosts battery life from 0 to 95% in under an hour.

Featuring a revolutionary design, the SR/S incorporates a massive digital screen installed with smartphone pairing applications, providing next-level connectivity for over-the-air updates and real-time riding statistics.

Worth at least $19,995, Zero’s latest SR example boasts an elevated, serene and highly sophisticated ride. Set to go on sale by early March, the SR/S breaks the brand’s signature mold with a complete set of body panels, computational fluid dynamics, slightly higher handlebars, and lower foot pegs for increased comfort and better posture, plus an adjusted suspension for a smoother journey.

The post Zero’s 2020 SR/S Motorcycle is The Gulfstream of The Road appeared first on LUXUO.

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taww · 5 years ago

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Review: Bryston 4B Cubed Stereo Amplifier

Bryston 4B Cubed stereo amplifier

The Audiophile Weekend Warrior (TAWW)

TAWW Rating: 4.5 / 5

An honest, refined and easy-going amp that may leave many questioning if they need more.

PROS: Clean, smooth and clear with a hint of warmth; effortless power; superb bass; bulletproof engineering, build and operation; that 20 year warranty.

CONS: Excruciatingly long break-in; not as lively or dimensional as some of the audiophile competition; balanced input seems slightly compromised.

Bryston is a name that needs no introduction, and the company’s popularity is obvious every time I post anything about them on social media - those posts consistently get a ton of likes and comments. Perhaps for this reason, along with Bryston's no-nonsense pro audio heritage, elitist high-enders seem to shun the brand as too mainstream and un-audiophile to be taken seriously. This hasn't stopped their latest Cubed series of amps from garnering some solid reviews since its introduction in 2016, with some proponents in online forums putting it in the conversation with some of the more revered high-end amps under $10k. I was intrigued, and thanks to the graciousness of Bryston's James Tanner and their US marketing rep Micah Sheveloff I was able to spend a full year getting to know one of their most popular models, the 4B Cubed (MSRP $6,695), along with the BP-17 Cubed preamp. Read on about my long but rewarding journey with this workhorse.

Design, Features & Usage

Compared to typically-spartan, even downright crude high-end amplifiers, the Bryston 4B Cubed (4B3 in shorthand) has a number of nice features:

Switchable unbalanced RCA and balanced XLR inputs

Low (23dB) and high (29dB) gain settings

Bridged mono operation

Soft start with remote trigger option

The distinguishing aspect of the Cubed series vs. Bryston’s previous line (e.g. SST2) is the Salomie input buffer. Co-developed with the late Ioan Alexandru Salomie, the circuit is said to reduce noise and distortion by 10x vs. the previous implementation and excel at immunity to RFI and power supply noise, a critical factor in today’s world where literally every device imaginable has a microprocessor and/or switching PSU buzzing away. Much has been written about the circuit in other reviews and the objective proof is in the 4B3’s superb measured performance - 0.005% THD and > 119dB S/N at full power (300W) across the entire audible spectrum.

I got the amp in black, with standard 17” front panel (no rack handles). The status LEDs glow green, but apparently this can be internally changed to blue if the customer prefers. I found the remote trigger feature quite handy when paired with the BP-17 Cubed preamp, and the switchable inputs useful for preamp/interconnect comparisons. The binding posts are of the standard 5-way insulated variety to meet EU regulations, and worked well with different sized spades. An extra pair of posts would have been nice to aid bi-wiring or my REL subwoofer hookup.

All business inside.

The 4B3 consumes a reasonable 60 watts powered up at idle - certainly not EPA EnergyStar territory, but about the same as my 60 watt Ayre AX7e integrated and just warm to the touch thanks to the generous heatsinks and extensive use of aluminum. Ecological concerns aside, I had no qualms leaving it running 24-7 in an open shelf with just a few inches of clearance above. Should you decide to do the green thing and power it down between sessions, the 4B3 consumes under half a watt on standby, and powers up quickly and smoothly. You'll hear the distinctive clicking of the soft-start circuit, and sound will start flowing within a few seconds. From a cold start, the sound takes about a half hour to get the juices flowing, and maybe an hour to reach full potential.

Setup

Preamp: I had the good fortune of having 3 very different preamps on hand during my time with the 4B3 - the companion Bryston BP-17 Cubed, the tubed Valvet Soulshine from Germany, and the Pass XP10. I found the Bryston pre to be a reasonably good match, but the Pass and Soulshine were simply better musically and both worked well, my top choice being the Pass. The 4B3's RCA input impedance is on the low-ish side (30kΩ), not the 100k+ that many tube pres seem to favor, so something to keep in mind when matching. The Soulshine did just fine, others may not.

Balanced vs. unbalanced input: for some reason, I preferred the sound of the 4B3 through its unbalanced inputs, save with the Pass preamp which doesn't fare as well unbalanced. It's hard to control for all the factors, but I had identical model of cable (DH Labs Air Matrix, Audience Au24 SX) in both RCA and XLR, and contrary to expectations I found the RCA input to sound fractionally more open and dynamic, and equally as quiet. Normally balanced operation affords you these qualities but I heard no such advantage with the 4B3. One clue is in the specs, which show drastically different input impedances for the balanced terminals - 30kΩ for positive, and a shockingly low 6kΩ for negative. This seems to indicate that it's not a differential/complementary input circuit like you'd find with e.g. Ayre or Pass, and I'd imagine this lack of symmetry compromises CMRR and some other benefits of balanced operation. I inquired with Bryston about how the circuit was implemented but didn't get a response.

High vs. low gain: Some people have commented that you can "tune" the sound of the Bryston, with the low gain (23dB) setting sounding a bit smoother and more laid back, while high gain (29dB) is more dynamic and detailed. I agree they sound different, but I had a different take: to me, high gain sounds transparent, and low gain sounds subtly dulled and veiled. For me it's a no brainer - unless absolutely necessary to attenuate, I'd always use the high gain setting. It simply sounds more truthful to me. I also inquired whether the low gain setting adds an additional attenuator in the signal path (it sounded like it to me) but again, I didn't hear back.

All the preamps, plus a DAC.

Bridged mono operation: I didn't test it, at least not intentionally, as I only had one amp on hand. I did accidentally flip the bridging switch once during playback which fortunately did not cause anything to explode. One note: if you do bridge it as a monoblock, be aware the input impedance drops to a very, very low 7.5kΩ, which I imagine will make some preamps quite uncomfortable.

Power cord/conditioner: The Bryston comes with a standard but appropriately-heavy 14-3 power cord, and it sounds quite good with it and wasn’t particularly fussy about changes. That said, I felt it was really locked in with the latest version of the Twirling Gerbil Red Electrum, a really fascinating cord made by our own MGD - bass became even more grounded, the soundstage locked in place and everything just clicked. Given that this cord isn’t readily available though, I’d say it’s worth trying a few different things (e.g. the Audience powerChord was a bit nicer than stock) but don’t worry too much - as long as you don’t use something gimmicky or too light, your amp is still going to sound good. One thing was clear though - the Bryston perferred being plugged directly into the wall vs. my Audience ar6 TSSOX conditioner. Even though the Audience is designed specifically with low impedance and high current delivery in mind, the Bryston felt constrained running through it - give it as direct a connection to the wall juice as possible.

Speaker cables: I got the impression that the Bryston prefers having a very direct connection to the speakers, working better with the heavier gauge cables I had on hand like the Cardas Clear Light or DH Labs Q-10 Signature (both 10 gauge or larger), vs. the Audience Au24 SX. I have a completely unsubstantiated theory that high damping factor amps employIng more negative feedback are more effective when there’s less between them and the speakers, whereas low/zero feedback designs (e.g. Pass or Ayre) don’t care as much and are more amenable to being tuned/voiced with lighter cables. Whatever the reason, I’d recommend sticking to the heavy stuff to maximize the Bryston’s grip on the speaker.

Speakers: I had a few speakers on hand, all of the 2-way monitor variety - Silverline Minuet Grand and SR-17 Supreme, Audiovector SR-1 Avantgarde Arreté, Role Audio Kayak. I really wish I had had a big 3-way floorstander as I’m sure the Bryston would have flexed its muscles and flourished wrangling a big speaker. My comparatively small speakers don’t provide that much of a challenge, all being amendable to low power tube amps. That said, the Bryston showed no favoritism towards any particular speaker - its voicing is essentially neutral and you’ll hear what the speaker is capable of. This is in contrast to my Ayre AX7e integrated, which clicks with the Silverline while sounding thin and unengaging with the Audiovector. I really did not think the Bryston would work at all with the Audiovector, an ultra high-resolution speaker that will megaphone any solid state liabilities like brightness, hardness or lack of body, but the Bryston impressively held its own with the unyielding Dane. I wouldn’t call it the most organic or emotive pairing, but they were quite agreeable working together. The Silverline SR-17 Supreme with Cardas Clear Light wound up being my preferred pairing, the combo bringing out wonderful midrange density and great dynamics, and most of my listening notes below reflect that setup.

Pure conjecture - I think the Bryston would be killer with a speaker like the Role Audio Enterprise - something a bit on the warm side with an silky-smooth but still-detailed soft dome tweeter that complements the transparency of the 4B3, and with some meat on the bottom end that could take advantage of the amp’s grip and power (I'm a fan of Role’s transmission lines). I’d also be curious to hear the 4B3 with a relatively inefficient but neutral speaker like something from ATC - that could be a good one, and ATC has a similar pro-audio pedigree. I’d steer clear of pairing with more forward/harder-sounding speakers, e.g. Focal Sopra or B&W or Paradigm Persona - not because the Bryston does anything wrong, but I frankly find those speakers with their metal/diamond drivers and higher-order crossovers too brittle and aggressive and in need of something more laid back (e.g. Naim) to sound anywhere near balanced.

Counterpoint: a reader reports getting great results with the 4B3, Focal Electra speakers and Crystal Cable with primarily hard rock and metal. I could see how the qualies of the 4B3 would click in such a system, particularly with harder-driving material.

The Sound

Out of the box, things were not promising. Compared to the Ayre AX7e I had been using for some time, or even an old Bryston B60 integrated, the 4B sounded drab. It wasn't bad per se, but everything was a little lacking - dynamics were a little flat, soundstage lacked depth, highs were a little glazed, midrange wasn't very dimensional, etc... even my wife couldn't help but comment, "this sounds boring." I saw a comment online describe the 4B3 as "gray," apt given what I was hearing for the first several days. A couple weeks later things were slowly improving, but not to the extent I was hoping. I was starting to get a little nervous about the conversation I'd be having with Bryston.

I fought the urge to swap other amps back in, and fortunately things continued to get better - much, much better. Despite having 100 hours of burn-in at the factory, the first 100-200 hours in my system were not at all representative of what this amp is capable of. After a month of continuous operation, virtually all of the aforementioned detractions had largely faded away; after 3-4 months and perhaps 500+ hours of music, it really started to push all the buttons. All my comments henceforth shall refer to the sound of the 4B after 6+ months in my system, and are representative of the long-term ownership experience.

With that out of the way... a standout aspect of the Bryston was how it delivered its obvious power with an easy finesse and speed. The Bryston sounds good for every one of its rated 300 watts (and actually more according to my unit's factory spec sheet)... this is an amp that revels in being cranked up, and the more watts I asked for the better it seemed to sound. But it also delivered those watts with delicacy and articulation, effortlessly revealing tons of musical detail in recording after recording without the typical detractions of high-power solid state - the glazed or harsh treble, the hard or murky midrange, the lack of rhythm and pulse. It was equally at ease floating Magdalena Kozena's vocals over delicate period accompaniment on a Mozart Aria, as it was hammering out the bass line of a Depeche Mode track. The 4B3's ability to reproduce music at realistic volume levels without strain or loss of transparency was addictive and had me cranking up number after number and pushing the limits of my neighbors' tolerance.

The treble was surprisingly delightful. In the past I've found big Bryston amps to lack refinement and resolution there, but the 4B3’s highs caught me off guard with how silky and delicate they were. Violins had just the right amount of brightness, bringing out the steeliness of the E string without sounding tinny, and triangles had realistic tinkle without popping out of the fabric of the soundstage. There was enough detail to do justice to the extremely high resolution AMT tweeters on my Audiovector monitors, but at no point did the 4B3 come close to burning my ears off the way some detailed amps can. Compared to the ol' Bryston B60 integrated, a longtime favorite that sacrifices some detail for sweetness and musicality, the 4B3 has far higher resolution in the upper registers that will bring out more energy without glare. There's no euphonic give in the high frequency response either, so if you need an amp that'll take some zing off a problematic tweeter (metal domes, I'm looking at you), look elsewhere.

Another nice surprise was how smooth and grainless the 4B3 was in the midrange, with just a hint of richness in the lower mids on things like cello, baritone, french horn or piano. It's subtle, and nothing like the bloom you'd get from a tube amp, or the coziness created by the Bryston B60 for that matter - just enough to balance out the transparency and power of the frequency extremes and keep the otherwise ruler-flat response from sounding too dry. Bryston claims the 4B3's quad-complementary output stage "mimics the characteristics of a Class-A design, but with dramatically lower distortion"; while it's not as round and juicy as true Class A designs like the Pass Labs XA30 or Valvet A4, it does approach their naturalness and smoothness much more than I'm used to from a high-power Class AB amp. I've found most gear that isn't blatantly colored to tend toward the leaner side these days, which can really put you in a pickle if you don't have something to balance it out. The 4B3 has a relaxed, generous quality to it which will help keep your system from getting too lean and bright, one of the more common traps of a modern system. I think this character of the 4B3 is summed up well in Christian Punter's extensive review on hifi-advice.com, and while I wouldn't go quite as far as he does, my listening observations largely align with his.

That warm, smooth quality might sound at odds with neutrality, but unlike some amps I've heard (ahem tubes) this came without biasing or distorting the sound in any particular way. Tonality of woodwind instruments in particular was spot-on, with the timbre of reed instruments - oboes, clarinets and bassoons - coming through distinctly and realistically. The wide variety of instrument timbres in a symphony orchestra are the toughest test for any gear and at no point did I pick up on anything nasal, bright, muffled or otherwise colored with the 4B3. True to its pro audio heritage, it gives the sense of telling it like it is with minimal editorializing and exceedingly low distortion.

Bryston makes much of the extensive lengths it went through in the Cubed series to both minimize internally-generated noise while maximizing rejection of external sources (e.g. RFI and power line noise). Whatever they did, it worked a treat. While the 4B3 is quiet at idle - with no input and your ear pressed up against the speaker, there's barely any hiss and zero hum - it's really the lack of audible noise and grain imparted on the signal that makes it sound so true and clean. Most solid state amps, including the older Brystons, always sounded a bit cloudy and grainy compared to the likes of Pass or Ayre. With the Cubed improvements, much of that has been scrubbed away, giving music a newfound sense of openness and purity approaching those venerable marques. Combined with fast, clean attacks, everything comes across with great clarity. Jason Kennedy describes this quality, along with all the usual British flourishes about PRaT etc., better than I could in his excellent review for The Ear - I recommend giving it a read.

The 4B3 also produced some of the best bass I have heard in my system. I've known Bryston amps to have big bass, but perhaps lacking in subtlety and definition. I found the 4B3 to be powerful for sure, but also tight, fast, and musically balanced. It was deep and tuneful, creating a feeling of unflappable stability with big orchestral music and heavy rock tracks. Sometimes amps with very high damping factor can sound lean, but the Bryston complemented its slam and control with just enough juiciness and resonance. String bass sounded full and tuneful without bloat, bass drum whacks had realistic impact, and pop/rock tracks had relentless drive. Some Class D amps I've heard capture pitch a bit more evenly (maybe due to their switching power supplies which reduce 60Hz colorations), but the Bryston is nearly their equal in that regard. It gripped the 6" woofers of the Silverline and Audiovector monitors and coaxed low notes of remarkable clarity and power within their physical limits.

Nits & Comparisons

Okay, so what doesn't the Bryston do right? Mostly little flaws of omission - subtle things that seem like fluff to non-audiophiles, but that the fanatics among us go through inordinate lengths and expense to obtain in the name of musical nirvana. While it's very detailed, it does gloss over some fine instrumental texture and spatial cues. While it's plenty dynamic, there are more organic sounding amps that convey more emotional swing and nuance - the electrifying climaxes of Maria Callas in a Puccini aria, the ebb and flow of the Vienna Phil in a Strauss waltz, the emotional surge of cellist Alisa Weilerstein in the Elgar concerto. While its midrange is very smooth, it doesn't have the liquidity of a fine tube or Class A solid state amp that makes instruments flow from the recording to your room. And its soundstage is a tick or two less deep and open, its images less dimensional and tactile than what those amps can convey.

Things got a little out of hand with the comparison testing...

For the most part, these are things you need to pay a lot more money to obtain, but some aspects can be had in this price range. E.g. the $4k (before it was discontinued) Ayre integrated gets more of the presence and immediacy of a voice, the sense that there's less between you and the performer - little nuances like clarity of diction, articulation of a bow stroke, pauses between phrases are a hair more convincing. Some people call this "inner detail" - not the obvious stuff, but the little things. The Bryston was a little laid back by comparison - not veiled, just less forthcoming - which will likely come as a relief to those with an aversion to harsh, forward solid state sound, but it's an omission nonetheless. The flip side is the Ayre pushes a bit too much in the other direction, sounding a little on edge and over-articulate compared to the unflappable Bryston, particularly with hyper-articulate speakers like the Audiovector. The 4B3 also has a more solid "core" to its sound - a sense of solidity and anchoring in the midrange. This is most apparent with notes around middle C (262Hz), where the Ayre lacks the natural weight that the Bryston captures nicely without sounding heavy or slow... again, a very endearing quality to those traditionally allergic to solid state.

An amp that made for a fascinating comparison was the Valvet A4 Mk. II ($8k) - a handmade, Class A solid state monoblock from Germany with minimalist circuitry and real soul. Despite being rated at just 55W/8Ω, with a reasonable load and volume level the Valvet sounds just as capable of macro dynamics as the Bryston while being noticeably more expressive within the melodies and more holographic with its soundstage. Tonally they were surprisingly close, both sounding full bodied in the midrange and extended in the treble. But the Valvet really has a way of projecting a compelling image and conveying a natural, singing quality that showcases the beauty of a tune and really pulls at your heartstrings. The resonance and ring of a soprano or flute, the halo around solo instruments, the height of the stage, the harmonics of an oboe - the Valvet captued these nuances with an uncanny ease and conviction that made the Bryston sound a little restrained and disconnected by comparison. However the Valvet doesn't have the same slam in the bass, won't drive as wide a range of speakers, and will run out of steam well before the Bryston even comes close to breaking a sweat.

I'll have more to say about the Valvet in its forthcoming review, but this isn't meant to be an indictment of the Bryston in any way - on the contrary, it proved itself a very fine sounding and satisfying amp, and I was impressed with how well it held up musically to a very special, highly tweaked-out audiophile amp costing over $1k more.

Verdict

Maybe I'm not talking to the right people, but the Bryston 4B Cubed seems to be flying under the audiophile radar. It's a very, very good sounding amp - great, even. Once properly run in, it possesses a subtly smooth and warm sound with none of the coldness or harshness one might be prejudiced to expect from such a powerful and practical solid state amp. And while not cheap, it's downright affordable compared to the astronomical price points in today's high-end market. It would be my absolute first choice for a combined music/home theater system, where it would have all the power and reliability to handle the needs of TV/movie watching while having plenty of refinement for music.

So it doesn't resolve the last few degrees of detail or stir the musical soul quite like the better high-end amps - the fuzz of the peach, the inner glow, the transcendent insight, whatever you want to call it. But those amps generally cost much more and/or have other limitations and compromises. For under $7k, the Bryston gives you musically satisfying reproduction that's easy to live with, and it will probably outlast every other piece of gear in your system. It's also a sound investment, maintaining resale value far better than average thanks to its durability, exceptional factor service and support, and of course that 20 year warranty.

Overall, I'd give the Bryston 4B Cubed 4 stars purely on sound quality, 5 for value, netting out to 4.5 stars overall. It's an amp you can set up and forget in most any system and just enjoy for years, and I came very, very close to purchasing the review unit. Ultimately my quest to get every last bit of that fuzz on the peach led me to continue my search for a reference amp, but there are times I wonder if I should have hung onto it... particularly now that I've moved to a larger space that could really benefit from the power, I have some pangs of regret sending it back. I enjoyed my time with the Bryston 4B Cubed and highly recommend giving it a listen - it might just be all the amp you need.

Many thanks to James Tanner @ Bryston and Micah Sheveloff @ WIRC Media for their generous loan.

#review #amplifier #bryston #audiophile #audio #hifi

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taww · 5 years ago

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First Take Review: RME ADI-2 DAC FS

I learned about the RME DAC when stumbling upon The Master Switch's "Best DAC" list. I don't remember what led me there, but from that list it sounded like it stacked up well against some other popular audiophile DACs from the likes of Mytek, Schiit, Benchmark and Chord. After a bit of online research I was intrigued by the internet buzz around it, and its pro-audio heritage, ostensible quality (made in Germany!) and unique feature set. And at USD $1,149, it hits a price point that many audiophiles can stomach. This is not another $299 made-in-China special off Amazon - not that those can't sound good or be amazing values, but the RME is something entirely different.

RME is a German manufacturer of highly-regarded pro audio gear that decided to make a version of their studio-grade ADI-2 DAC for the audiophile market. This meant equipping it with standard consumer digital inputs, adding dual headphone amps for both big high-impedance cans and low-impedance IEMs, making the menu system simpler (it's still rather arcane in that German first-gen-BMW-iDrive kind of way), making the informative but busy display automatically dimmable and throwing in a remote control. I'll spare the technical details for the full review, but highlights include a very precise reclocking circuit called SteadyClock FS, AKM4493 DACs and three stages of internal power regulation (switching, linear and ultra low-noise) that purportedly make it immune to the quality of the external power supply, the included one being be a run-of-the-mill 12V 2A brick. Other than the dinky supply, the ADI-2 feels extremely sturdy and is clearly designed to withstand the rigors of studio and field use, something you certainly can’t say of the vast majority of audiophile gear. The rotary controls are firm and tactile, and everything feels designed for the highest level of utility and durability with zero fluff.

Decidedly consumer-friendly connections

Despite being simplified from the original Pro model, this thing is absolutely packed with processing features. Adjustable digital filters, parametric EQ, tone controls, loudness contour, crossfeed for headphones - you name it, it's probably got it. There’s no network connection though, so for streaming you’ll need to provide your own USB or S/PDIF device. It has a full digital volume control, so if you're ok with some digital manipulation (albeit done at very high precision), you can hook it up directly to an amp or active speakers and have volume control via the full-function remote. The analog output can be set to 4 different gain settings via the menu system, and I found the +7dbU setting to come closest to my PS Audio DirectStream via XLR output. I kept the digital volume fixed at 0dB.

Setup ⚙️

My initial test was using a Raspberry Pi 3B with Roipeee software as a Roon endpoint, connected to the RME via DH Labs Mirage USB cable ($240). I listened on my main rig, currently consisting of a PS Audio DirectStream DAC, Pass Labs XP10 preamp, Pass Labs XA30.5 or Valvet A4 Mk.II amplifiers, Audiovector SR 6 Avantgarde Arreté speakers and cables and power conditioning from Furutech and Audience. (Yes, I know, a $50k system isn’t the most logical pairing for a ~$1k DAC, so I’ll also be reporting later on results in my more proportionately-priced side system.)

I am not a headphone guy at all, much preferring to listen to everything on my big rig, so I'm not qualified to critically evaluate the headphone amps and will defer to the other reviews on the 'net. That said, I did some light testing with my Ultimate Ears TripleFi IEMs and Massdrop HD6xx, which is a Sennheiser HD650 reproduction (I'll just refer to it as a HD650 for simplicity). For light comparison, I have my Topping NX4 DSD portable USB DAC + headphone amp which cost around $150 when I bought it and is insanely good for the money. I’ve also owned an Ayre Codex DAC + headphone amp ($1795) and remember its sound pretty well, but no longer have it on hand.

An important note: all my speaker listening was performed using the RME's balanced XLR outputs, as both my main and side systems are fully balanced (Pass Labs in the main rig, Ayre on the side). This is of course the preferred connection method in pro audio environments as well, and the RME is designed with fully balanced operation in mind. I have not listened to the RCA outputs yet, but my gut tells me balanced is going to be the way to go (and this account seems to back that up). So keep that in mind - I'll explore the sound of the unbalanced outs in a later review.

A “Dark Mode” setting auto-dims the informative but garish display

The Sound 🔉🎶

First impressions: clean, clean, clean. Excellent resolution, smooth and neutral tonality. Very clear without being bright or clinical. Good crisp dynamics. Everything sounds in its proper place without obvious artifice. Not quite as fluid and relaxing as the PS Audio DirectStream ($5,999), but quite enjoyable on a high resolution system.

Second impressions: I moved the RME to my office area for headphone listening, connected it to my MacBook pro via the same USB cable. Keeping in mind my prior disclaimer that I'm not a headphone guy, I found the RME to again sound very clear and clean on both the HD650's and Ultimate Ears TripleFi's, but maybe lacking a little grunt. While the DAC quality was clearly a step above the Topping NX4 DSD in resolution and transparency, I found the RME a little subdued, both via the IEM output with the TripleFi IEMs and the high power output with the HD650. The latter tends towards mellowness and needs an amp with some moxie to bring it alive; the RME didn't strike me as that, sounding as if it needed a beefier power supply or perhaps a higher-voltage output stage that could slew a little harder. And I found the Topping to give the Ultimate Ears a bit more drive to the sound, though that might also be the Topping erring on the punchy side of neutral. Again, I would hold judgement here, as I only did brief tests and this could also be a function of my digital front-end.

Third impressions: Fast forward a couple weeks, and I moved the RME back to the main rig, but this time with a new Raspberry Pi 4 set up as the Roon endpoint. I have not optimized my streaming setup in the least, but my understanding is the added power and USB bandwidth of the rPi 4 should translate to better performance. And it certainly sounded that way - the very slight grain from my first go with the rPi 3B was diminished, and the sound had greater scale and ease. While I still consistently preferred the PS Audio, it was getting harder tell them apart in quick A/B tests. There's a subliminally less "digital" quality the the PS Audio - it is still the most natural DAC I have had in my system - and everything seems to sing just a bit more freely through it. The RME comes fairly close but sounds a bit flatter and less tactile. Despite the S/N specs being significantly better on the RME, I didn't find it to be absolutely quieter - some aspects felt a little cleaner, but the PS Audio has a better sense of blackness between the notes. The RME is a bit more up-front with its soundstage vs. the PS Audio which put things a hair further back, but with a more natural sense of space. Still, I find the RME less in-your-face and more relaxed than many of the Sabre-based DACs I've heard.

In a nutshell 🥜

So, how do I think the $1,149 RME stacks up against "serious" audiophile DACs like the PS Audio DirectStream at 4x the price? Short answer: the DirectStream isn't going anywhere. But the RME comes much closer to the $6k PS Audio than I was expecting, particularly in terms of tonality, dynamics and resolution. The main differences I hear are the PS Audio has a bit more weight (both dynamically and tonally), a better sense of space and tactility and a less "electronic" overall sound. The RME makes symphony orchestras sound a tad smaller, with less of a difference in scale between a solo oboe and a string section... qualities that are pretty subtle and might not matter to some, but are highly prized by those of us seeking that visceral connection to our reproduced music. This is generally what you have to pay the big bucks for, and what puts DACs like the PS Audio, the Chord DAVE, the MSB’s and the Mergings in a different class from the more affordable offerings. But the RME acquits itself extremely well and is a nice upgrade in naturalness from other very good DACs that I’ve heard at the price point, e.g. from Cambridge Audio. And from aural memory, I feel the RME is a more accurate and satisfying DAC than the Ayre Codex, which never came as close to matching my DirectStream.

I'll be delving more into this fascinating little product in the coming weeks, but you can add this to the internet buzz: the RME ADI-2 FS DAC is an excellent sounding piece worthy of audiophile credibility. And I haven't even begun to tap into all its unique capabilities that no competitor I'm aware of can offer. Before you spend more on a DAC, you may want to give this little guy a listen.

#review #audiophile #audio #dac #digital audio #hifi #rme

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