Chris Martens Shelter Harmony MC Phono Cartridge $5300 As an audiophile, I find myself bowled over by the sheer prowess of today’s best phono cartridges. These highly refined devices trace the serpentine grooves on vinyl discs so responsively and convert their movements into analog signals so faithfully that, at the end of the reproduction chain, we’re able to enjoy sounds very much like those emanating from real instruments and human voices. Speaking as a music lover, though, I must confess that some of today’s most critically acclaimed cartridges leave me cold. True, modern wündercarts can deliver “audiophile virtues” in spades and they do get the individual elements of sound mostly right, but the problem is that they don’t always put those elements together in a cohesive way to convey the overall sense, sensibility, and “feel” of live music. What’s missing, to borrow a term made popular by the late Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, is ”emotional content.” Happily, I’ve recently found an impressively versatile phono cartridge that lives right at the intersection of Audiophile Avenue and Musicality Way and that marries accuracy and emotion in a delicious way. It’s Shelter’s flagship low-output moving coil, the Harmony MC. The Harmony MC features a body made of solid, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic—a material said to combine extreme rigidity with terrific internal damping. In contrast to 5000/7000/9000 Series Shelters, the Harmony MC incorporates a comparatively short rigid cantilever made of aluminum. The result is a cartridge that sounds exceedingly detailed and nuanced, yet not at all “analytical,” and that offers expressive, explosive dynamics. What is more, the Harmony MC is also one of the quietest cartridges I’ve heard, providing an underlying quality of “stillness” that encourages you to ignore the transducer and focus instead on where the musical signal may take you. And that’s the whole point. (Not reviewed) 52 June/July 2009 The Absolute Sound GOLDEN EAR AWARDS 2009 Dick Olsher TEAC Esoteric A-100 Stereo Power Amplifier $19,000 Ostensibly, the A-100 is yet another push-pull amplifier extracting 45Wpc from two pairs of KT-88 beam tetrodes in ultra-linear connection. But in reality it represents an epic endeavor to make the venerated KT-88 sing like never before. Functionally, the A-100 may be configured as either an integrated amplifier for line-level inputs or as a basic stereo power amplifier. There are only a handful of amplifiers on this planet that are as revealing of a recording’s origin and acoustic signature. If you crave tube magic—vivid harmonic colors, palpable image outlines, and a spacious soundstage—rest assured that the A-100 delivers the goodies. Yet it goes further than any other medium- or high-powered tube amplifier I’ve auditioned to date. The A-100 amplifier breaks through the traditional barriers of tube amplification; low-distortion harmonic textures, transient speed, and resolution are integral to its reproduction of music. It’s as good as it gets! (Reviewed in Issue 191) LAMM Industries M1.2 Reference Monoblock Power Amplifier $21,690 The M1.2 combines large peak-current delivery and low output impedance for minimal load interaction. Because it includes a tube in the signal path it’s a breeze to integrate into a system. Bass control and pitch definition are exceptional, but it goes well beyond traditional solid-state virtues. Its sonic character is warmer and more liquid. Harmonic colors are reproduced with convincing fidelity, including soprano voice and violin. Its transient speed of attack and sublime control of transient decay, which account for its capacity to dig deep into a recording’s noise floor to elucidate reverberant information, are impressive. This is a superbly engineered real-world product that is a pleasure to use. Its siren song of suave harmonic textures, tight bass control, articulate transients, kinetic drive, and essential tonal neutrality is musically most persuasive. I find its performance-level clearly worthy of the Reference appellation. A sonic masterpiece! (Reviewed in Issue 188)
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