Allnic
and Berning
September
24, 2018
Roy,
I
found the article on the Allnic H-3000V phono EQ curve published a few years ago
useful. I also share a love for Neodio Origine and Berning Quadrature Z monoblocks.
I
have a question about the Berning amps. Apart from Berning's own preamp, I would like to
know which other preamps you found suitable with the amps -- ones that have remote
control. Also, I am aware that valve preamps, like those from Audio Research and
Conrad-Johnson, into the Bernings are not a good idea. Were there any passives or other
solid-state amps with remote that worked?
Also,
I normally find that the Quadrature Zs have an excellent top half, but the speaker
matching depends on how the amps match the speakers' midbass and control. Sometimes the
amps can sound too lean on the wrong speakers. Was this not an issue with MartinLogans?
How did you address this?
Additionally,
I also have a phono question. If there were a good phono with EQ curves and a better phono
stage without EQ curves, for old non-RIAA LPs, especially monos, would the EQ capability
of the lesser phono stage trump the other phono stage for playback of such LPs? Do you you
have any perspective on AMR PH-77 versus the Allnic H-3000V?
Kedar
Desai
I
am surprised that you suggest that the Berning amps won’t work with tube preamps. I
have achieved memorable results with units from Audio Research (Reference 3 and Reference
10), VTL (TL-6.5 and TL-7.5) and Conrad-Johnson (ACT 2, ET5 and GAT 2), while
Berning’s own ZOTL Pre One is also a tube unit. As to solid-state units, I would
certainly recommend the CH Precision L1 and Tom Evans Audio Design Vibe, both of which
have worked beautifully with the Quadrature Zs (although the Vibe doesn't have remote
control). There are no passive control units that I would recommend (auto transformer or
otherwise) and they really have no place in a high-end (and definitely not a
wide-bandwidth) system.
The
match between power amp and speakers is possibly the most critical junction in any system,
and using the Quadrature Zs does nothing to diminish that. Indeed, despite their healthy
output power and the fact that it actually increases slightly into a decreasing load
(unlike most OTLs, where their power halves with the load impedance), they are definitely
not powerhouses and need to be matched with care and respect for their abilities.
Ironically, electrostats are one instance where OTLs really thrive -- precisely because
the amplifier, with no output transformer, is paired with a speaker that uses an input
transformer. The pairing of Quadrature Z with the MartinLogan CLX was spectacularly
successful, and I’ve had good results from the hybrid designs too.
Finally,
I have no experience with the AMR PH-77, so I cannot comment on that. However, anybody
with a large record collection that contains early pressings should certainly take the
issue of replay EQ extremely seriously. Using the correct EQ, as opposed to the default
RIAA standard, on appropriate records has a profound musical impact, opening up often
unsuspected musical riches. In this instance, switchable EQ will often trump superior
basic performance -- simply because it transforms a disc from not worth playing into a
musically valid experience. As long as the gulf in performance is manageable, then
switchable EQ could easily tip that balance. -Roy Gregory
Daughter's
system
September
10, 2018
Marc,
I'm
going to upgrade my daughter's system. I have good speaker stands and a pair of Paradigm
(Studio 20s, I think) bookshelf speakers, which cost about $500 in their day. And I'll
give her my nice, if old, champagne-gold Marantz Reference DV-18 CD/DVD player.
I
need to replace the Marantz surround receiver that she has now. It runs hot and is very
inefficient. I want a stereo integrated amp or receiver. Can I find something good but
used and cheap, along the lines of the Pioneer DV-79AVi you recommended to me, but in a stereo amp?
Jeff
Levine
Instead
of an integrated, I would find a decent stereo preamp -- an NAD or AR Remote Control
(which is actually a remote-control stereo line-stage preamp) -- and a Sonance Sonamp 260.
Sonance has made mostly multi-room and home-theater products, but I've used the stereo
Sonamp 260 with many higher-end speakers, and it always performs well. It's 60Wpc and able
to handle relatively tough loads. It has adjustable output and a neat auto-on/off circuit.
Best of all, the Sonamp 260 is reasonably plentiful used and you can generally find it for
around $50. The AR Remote Control will be harder to find but does show up on eBay. It
should cost around $100.
Beyond
this combination, you can also look for a used Adcom preamp and amp that fit the overall
system budget. There are also many older Japanese integrateds for sale used, but you have
to keep in mind their age and any repairs that might be necessary. -Marc Mickelson
Joining
September
1, 2018
Marc,
I'd
like to join your reader e-mail list.
Jack
Rausch
You're
on the list. To join TAB's reader list and find out about new articles first,
send e-mail to rl@theaudiobeat.com.
-Marc Mickelson
