August 2008 - AudioEnz

AudioEnz 

New Zealand’s hi-fi magazine 

www.audioenz.co.nz 

August 2008 

Web page printouts from 

the latest issue of AudioEnz 

http://www.audioenz.co.nz/acrobat/issues/2008/2008-08.pdf 

AudioEnz editor: Michael Jones ph 09-478 1301

Audio Analogue Rossini 

By Brent Burmester 


Audio Analogue Rossini CD player. $2499 

Let’s get this over with. Looks beautiful, 

sounds amazing. Cheque please, Editor. 

No? Oh, very well… 

1000 words-worth of picture 

Scrutinise, if you will, the photographs 

accompanying the article. Witness the 

circular arrangement of control buttons, the 

white-on-blue display window, and the very 

line of the thing. The price tells us this is not 

a high-end player, but it just reeks of Italian 

design flair, and it’s not built anything like 

my old Alfa Romeo, which was not so 

much ‘built’ as ‘arranged in an untidy pile’. 

While clearly the standard boxy form-factor, 

Audio Analogue Rossini (click for larger image) 

Rear panel of the Rossini (click for larger image) 

the look and construction of this player marks it as something out of the ordinary from first glance. 

But, as is so often the case, the outside is not nearly so important as the inside. As our eyes wander around 

the interior of the Rossini’s casework, we notice it contains a high quality transport, a great deal of air, 

and a fat little toroidal transformer that is clearly over-specified for the job at hand. But there is something 

amiss amid the contemporary electronica. It is, in a word, a tube. This little light bulb, a 6922 double 

triode, laid out on its side, plays a central role in the player’s output stage, adding amplitude to the output 

signal and helping to filter the high frequency unpleasantness that plagues CD. 

Valves are not common in the output stages of CD players, but neither are they unheard of. Some might 

grind their teeth at the news that the Rossini is infested with a tube, and suppose that this can only mean a 

mushy, weak, and over-warm sound. My previous experience with hybrid players suggests this isn’t a 

problem, and that an argument for valves can be made based on sound quality. However, I side with those 

who view the use of valves as a second-best solution to the unwanted artifacts of digital to analogue 

conversion. I think Audio Analogue might agree with me, hence the Rossini’s big brother, the Paganini. 

And now for the sound 

Let me begin at the bottom: this machine has an astonishing feel for bass. Geophysicists have recently 

discovered that the Earth emits a constant low frequency hum. If they need a CD player to reproduce it for

sceptical audiences at academic conventions, this is their candidate. Holy moly. But the show’s not over. At 

the other end the Rossini just astounds with its fluidity and lack of grain. There’s no screechy downside to 

cranking the amplifier knob around to 11 and letting the growly bits dismantle your room. As I write this 

the Chemical Brothers are unscrewing my light fixtures. 

And then – the speed. This creature snaps, crackles, and pops like it was intended as a nutritious start to 

your day. Soundstaging is nice and deep, and very precise from left to right. Though the sonic image is not 

vastly wide there’s an almost surround-sound effect in the way music can sweep past and around the 

listening position. 

But, as ever, the acid test is the human voice. I pondered long on the programme material I’d use to trip up 

the Rossini. I decided on Stina Nordenstam, a singer who’s Dynamite album is recorded very sparely 

and with great intimacy, but who’s breathy-little-girl voice can become monotonous when heard on 

systems that don’t capture the subtle changes in style and emotion in her singing. The results were very 

convincing. My only caution would be that a system set up for maximum detail retrieval might find the 

Rossini takes no prisoners with second-rate recordings. Any hardness laid into the voice tracks on a CD will 

be exposed without pity. Any fears that the valve-enhanced Rossini might be soft or cuddly should now be 

laid to rest. 

Since sliced bread? 

Perhaps you’re wondering how the Rossini, which has clearly made a positive impression on me, stacks up 

against the Cambridge Audio Azur 840C, a rival that also earned my unqualified admiration? My 

answer is that the Rossini is equally accomplished, but it will suit a different sort of listener than the 840C. 

Where the Cambridge is an unbiased presenter of the musical arts, the Audio Analogue wants you to love 

what you’re hearing and infuses what it plays with an extra half-teaspoon of awesomeness. It is, on 

reflection, the more Italian player. 

Overall, I can do no more than have you re-read the first line of the review. Now, Mr Editor, about that 

cheque…

Naim Nait5i and CD5i 

By Matthew Masters 


Naim Nait5i integrated amplifier ($2500) and CD5i CD player ($2700) 

Don’t panic. Two words engraved on my 

consciousness since March 1978. Not, you 

understand, because I developed an early 

sense of innate coolness. Nor even an ability 

to deal with unusually stressful situations. 

More because that’s when I first heard a 

new radio programme. 

By sheer fluke I happened to catch the first 

episode of The Hitchhikers Guide to the 

Galaxy and in my 15 year-old way became 

immediately gripped by its oddness and 

thinly-veiled cynicism about the world. The 

panic would come, but later. 

In fact, it started when I met Hitchhikers’ 

creator, Douglas Adams, at a book 

signing. This was a moment of high 

expectation for me, but instead of the 

much-anticipated rays of genius and 

humour, all I got was a grunt, sneer and 

hastily scribbled signature. Perhaps it didn’t 

help that I was completely tongue-tied in 

the presence of such perceived greatness, 

but really, he could at least have said 

something rude. So much for meeting your 

idols. 

The salmon of doubt 

Perhaps that experience explains why I was 

more than normally apprehensive about this 

months review. I’ve always been a bit of a 

Naim fan but never had much opportunity 

to get to know the stuff properly. I was 

Naim 5i system (click for larger image)

anticipating great things, but fearful of the grunt and sneer. 

The Nait 5i and CD5i are the latest 

developments of Naim’s established Nait 5i 

and CD5i units. Eh? Look, it’s an i, not i. A 

small change, but significant. 

Actually, reading the specs you’d be forgiven 

for thinking that was the only change. The 

amplifier still turns out 50w per channel, 

there are still only four line level inputs on 

the back and, alas, no phono stage. There is 

a 3.5mm jack on the front panel for your 

iPod though. 

The CD5i seems similarly similar to the 

non-italic version. There’s still the gorgeous 

hinged drawer and magnetic puck, and still 

the rather crude display. 

Thankfully both units seem to have retained 

Naim CD5i showing disc drawer (click for larger image) 

Naim Nait5i (click for larger image) 

the non-italic models’ better features. Fabulous build quality and controls that are a tactile delight to use. 

Oh yes, and the nice proportioned confidently simple styling. 

Of all the first impressions, the only one that disappointed was the speaker connectors. Nasty little sockets 

that leave no choice but to use banana plugs. Not quite feet of clay, but definitely a bit of a let down. 

Life, the universe and everything 

With everything placed carefully (reverentially, almost) and allowed to warm up it was time for that first 

listen. But what to choose? This was going to be a profound moment and I wanted the music to be 

appropriate. I toyed with the notion of spinning Douglas Adam’s favourite, Bach’s Brandenburg 

Concertos (the second in particular). Or maybe Handel, or something more modern but still as 

communicative, Nick Drake or Lou Reed. 

I realised it had to be someone who wouldn’t let me down. So on went Kylie’s Can’t Get You Out of My 

Head. Trashy pop, but never disappointing (okay, partly because expectations aren’t high, but I was in idol 

protecting mode here). 

The surprise was how good the pocket-sized Aussie managed to sound. Even though it’s a busy and 

possibly over-compressed mix, there were impressive drive and dynamics to the whole thing. Nothing 

(apart from Kylie) sounded terribly natural, but it probably never did anyway. Not a bad start, but hardly a 

challenge. 

Mostly harmless 

It seemed safe to move to something, well, more moving. If not in the right way. I’ve never been much of a 

Bohemian Rhapsody fan, and certainly not of the somewhat antiseptic, 25th anniversary remaster, but 

the CD5i managed to scrape something extra from the disc, a sense of drama and scale that had always 

seemed to be missing from the payback if not from the intention. Suddenly, the track made sense than it 

ever had done before. And I actually enjoyed it for the first time. Hmmm… these Naims really do have 

something special about them.

It was special, but was it what I had expected? Naim is (rightfully) famous for its facility with rhythm and 

communicating the underlying sense of music. Pace-rhythm-timing get repeated like a protective mantra 

by Naim enthusiasts. It’s a sound that many can find overbearing, but here I was getting something quite 

different. Sure the classic Naim strengths were present, but there was something else too, a maturity and 

flexibility that extended well beyond my expectations. 

Last chance to see 

Stephen Cleobury’s direction of the King’s College Cambridge Choir for Handel’s Zadok the Priest (EMI 5 

57140 2) is a fine example. This is a detailed and toppy recording that can sound quite harsh. Not usually a 

recipe for enjoyment with Naim, but with the CD5i/Nait5i combination it was quite stunning. Once again, 

the scale was extraordinary, but with gentle delicacy and space for all those voices. Somehow I even felt 

positive about the coronation it was written to celebrate. Definitely a bit disappointing for a committed 

republican atheist. 

In fact, it didn’t seem to matter how complex or demanding the music was, the Naims would sort out the 

elements then present them in a perfectly-timed and coherent musical picture that helped me understand 

– and feel – precisely what the performers were on about. 

In the end, I don’t think I could expect anything more of a piece of audio equipment. 

Long dark teatime of the soul 

My expectations were high. Probably higher than for anything else I’ve reviewed. And just for once, I 

actually wasn’t disappointed. Not one tiny little bit. The Naim Nait 5i and CD5i are, in combination or 

individually, quite the best pieces of equipment I’ve heard in the last few years. This is Naim that can be 

enjoyed by anyone (including long-term Naim-phobes). Being without it makes listening longer, darker 

and a lot less enjoyable. 

For your nearest Naim dealer

Sugden Masterclass IA-4 and PDT-4 

By Michael Wong 


Sugden Masterclass IA-4 Integrated Amplifier $9899, Masterclass PDT-4 Precision 

Digital Transcriptor $8499 

Many audiophiles will be unfamiliar with 

the Sugden name but JE Sugden & Co. 

Limited is one of the most enduring names 

in UK hi-fi, having been in business 

continuously since the 1960’s. The company 

has it’s origins in specialised laboratory and 

test equipment. The A21 integrated 

amplifier sealed the company’s place in 

audio history by being the first 

commercially available solid state Class A 

amplifier, a breed that would be later 

popularised by American heavy hitters like 

Mark Levinson and Krell. 

The Sugden name soon came to be held in 

the same high regard as illustrious UK amp 

makers like Naim and Quad. The A21 is still 

in production, updated with modern 

production techniques, components and 

aesthetics. 

Sugden is now represented in New Zealand 

by Steve Seque of Soul to Sole Audio, the 

Hawke’s Bay company best known for their 

superb audio racks. 

The IA-4 is a stolid beast, facing the world 

in true Yorkshire fashion with a thick, no 

nonsense aluminium faceplate. The Sugden 

offers three single-ended line inputs, one 

balanced input, MM phono, tape. On the 

The Sugden Masterclass amplifier and CD player (click for larger 

image) 

Another view of the IA-4 integrated amplifiers (click for larger 

image) 

rear are single-wire speaker binding posts (unusually equipped with locking collets to tightly clamp 

banana-type plugs), vertically arranged RCA input connectors, a set of balanced XLR inputs, and RCAs for

tape and preamp outputs. 

The PDT-4 shares the amp’s minimalist control layout with basic transport controls on the front. The rear 

carries quality RCA and XLR connectors, an RCA digital output and unusually for a CDP, a heatsink. 

A generic plastic remote offers full CD operation but only volume control for the amplifier. Both units are 

fairly well made but not quite up to the finish expected of a $10k audio component. The amp had a rattly 

lid and the CDP a nasty looking plastic disc tray which fitted poorly in the fascia cut-out. 

The Sugdens were auditioned primarily as a pair, with associated equipment from Well-Tempered, Plinius, 

Marantz, Denon, Nakamichi, OPPO, Krell, Magnepan, AR, Energy, XLO, Audioquest and DNM. 

Turning on 

Push what must be the world’s largest on/off button and after short delay you will be greeted by a gentle 

click as the protection circuit disengages. Peek through the ventilation slots on the lid and you will see two 

LEDs light up. An LED near the front briefly lights up when the remote is used. Very cool. Not so cool is the 

cramped action of the volume control and the noise of the motor drive when adjusting volume by remote 

control. 

Warm up time is short at around ten minutes. The sound is immediately relaxed and inviting. Within the 

limitations of its modest output (33wpc into 8 ohms, 40-something watts into 4 ohms), the amp is 

effortlessly musical. Spatial performance is very good with the performers and instruments in a clearly 

defined acoustic, reproduced with a palpable presence and ambience. 

Imaging is a little smaller than life, say 9/10s scale. Focus is very good without the etching that can occur 

with some solid state amps. Tonality is good with a smooth, lifelike midrange, there’s just a slight 

sweetening and a bit of high end softness, curious given the astounding 300 kHz high frequency 

bandwidth. Bass is fulsome and articulate. Very good detail and transparency provides plenty of insight 

into the music. 

Dynamics are generally good with just a wee softening of initial transients. Vocals and simply recorded 

material sound rich and very lifelike but the amp can be caught out trying to reproduce large scale 

dynamics or complex music. You will soon know when the Sugden’s reserves are exceeded as its clipping 

behaviour will be painfully obvious, the soundstage collapses, accompanied by tonal hardness and 

distortion. Keep a close eye on the volume and the amp can be very forgiving, highly listenable and 

comparable to the best amplifiers I have heard in the very competitive sub-$10,000 price band. 

The PDT-4 CD player’s performance is almost as impressive. The sound is clean and musical, sharing much 

of the amp’s sonic characteristics. There’s a slight loss in immediacy and palpability to the sound as well as 

a general sense of the sound being a little dry and shut-in on top and a tad loose on the bottom. The Sugden 

is very pleasing to listen to and stands comparison with other CDP’s in the sub-$10k band, with the bonus 

that this player is easier to use than most, unburdened with the frippery like switchable filters etc. that 

plague other high end players. 

As solo performers these two Sugden pieces impress with very respectable performances. Use them 

together and they really shine with excellent greater-than-the-sum-of-the-parts synergy, opening a sizeable 

window onto the musical performance. The sub-$10,000 audio market is extremely competitive with many 

excellent local and imported products. These Sugdens may look out of place with their homely looks but 

close your eyes and they will stun with their superb musicality.

NAD C515BEE and C315BEE 

By Michael Jones 


NAD C515BEE CD player ($399) and C315BEE amplifier ($549) 

Back in 1983 I purchased a second hand 

NAD 3020 amplifier – yes, that famous 

NAD amplifier – for the sum of $350. While 

I was looking at the NAD components under 

review I wondered what that would be 

worth in today’s money. A quick trip to the 

Reserve Bank’s online inflation 

calculator and – crikey! – I paid $987 for 

that second hand amp! 

That makes the $549 asked for the modern 

equivalent, the C315BEE, seem incredibly 

NAD C515BEE CD player (click for larger image) 

NAD C315BEE amplifier (click for larger image) 

good value. And the $399 price for the C515BEE CD player is almost a giveaway. 

Hi-fi pricing has been on my mind lately. There are far fewer sub-$1000 components around these days, 

which makes it harder for music enthusiasts to put together their first real hi-fi system. So I welcome the 

introduction of these two components from NAD, particularly as both can be purchased for under a grand. 

Features and specifications 

The 315 amplifier offers a lot on a compact package. There are six line level inputs (no built-in phono 

stage), a headphone socket and a remote control. Perhaps in recognition that ancillary equipment may not 

be of high quality or setup may not be optimum, the 315 included tone controls. But there are no flashing 

lights, silly featuritus or multiple speaker outputs. Just a focus on reproducing music. 

There’s not a lot that can be said about features on CD players these days, as they’re much of a muchness. 

Except that the 515 can play back MP3 and WMA files burnt to a CD-R. I used this facility to play back a 

talking book I had in MP3 format. 

Performance 

The C515BEE is a more than adequate performer at its low price. It may lack the heft, detail and ease of 

more expensive players, but then that is why they are more expensive. The 515 shows a clean pair of heels 

to my DVD player in its ability to play music – to make you think that there are human beings involved in 

the production of music. This is an area where DVD players usually suffer and why I always recommend a 

CD player for a music oriented system.

The 315 amplifier is the stronger of the two components. It easily drove my 86dB sensitivity Epos speakers 

to surprisingly loud levels in my lounge – much better than the Arcam Solo Mini I reviewed in the previous 

issue. NAD have long achieved a reputation of producing amplifiers that drive speakers better than their 

specifications may suggest. The 315 carries on that tradition. 

NAD's characteristic warmth comes through nicely with the 315 amplifier. The broader midrange and 

treble are clear and easy to listen to. The bass is a little soft, though. 

Plugging my Meridian CD player into the 315 showed a good performance bump in sound, showing that 

NAD’s smallest can support better sources. 

In combination the 515 and 315 are a potent music making machine. The single-box Arcam Solo Mini 

reviewed last issue may sound more refined, but it struggles at volume levels that the NAD amp handles 

with ease. The NAD combo also sells for a lot less – the NAD distributor offer a package including a pair of 

Energy speakers for less than the Arcam sans speakers. 

I really welcome this combo from NAD. It shows that a good sounding component hi-fi system can be put 

together at a reassuringly low price.

Archive: Shahinian Arc 


August 2008 (first published in August 1995) 

Shahinian Arc loudspeaker. $5300 in 1995 (around $9000 today) 

“The box loudspeaker is a travesty of 

acknowledged acoustic principles!" exclaims 

Richard Shahinian, speaker designer. 

By all accounts a man of genial nature, 

Shahinian becomes passionate about music 

– particularly orchestral – and loudspeaker 

design. More about Dick Shahinian's ideas 

on speakers later; first let me tell you a little 

about the man and his company. 

Although forming the company that bears 

his name in 1977, Richard Shahinian has 

produced speakers for many years prior to 

that date. 1965 saw his first design for 

Harman/Kardon. This was followed in 1970 

by the Citation 13 speaker, important for 

two reasons: it was Shahinian's first 

commercial speaker that fired into the air, 

rather than directly towards the listener; it 

was also the direct ancestor of the 

loudspeaker under discussion here, the 

$5300 Shahinian Arc. 

(As an interesting aside, fellow AudioVideo 

scribe John Paul came very close to buying a 

pair of Citation 13s several years ago. He 

still has the brochure – and would still like a 

pair!) 

Philosophical concerns 

Shahinian literature – when you can find 

it-makes for an interesting read. Unlike 

many (most?) audio companies, Richard 

The review appeared in the August 1995 issue of AudioVideo (now 

AudioEnz)

Shahinian makes no secret that his speaker designs are based on, and developed further from, ideas from 

many of the audio pioneers – Olsen, 

Hegeman, Bailey, etc. 

But Shahinian speakers are not mere copies 

of old ideas and designs. The application of 

ideas are original, and the execution of these 

ideas are unique. 

Richard Shahinian's main philosophical 

point regarding loudspeaker design, which 

permeates throughout his speaker designs, 

is that of musical waveshapes. 

"Since all sonic wave forms [ie, from 

musical instruments] are radial in origin," 

argues Richard Shahinian, forward-firing 

speakers – virtually all models you'll see in 

the shops-cannot properly reproduce music. 

This is taken to its logical extremes in 

Shahinian's more expensive poly-directional 

loudspeakers – the Obelisk, Hawk and 

Diapason models (the later two have 

separate mid-treble modules, sitting atop 

separate bass speakers). 

The Arc is not a completely poly-directional 

model. Instead it offers what Shahinian 

describes as an "indirect presentation" of 

music. 

Arc of a driver 

As a picture is said to be worth a thousand 

words, I ask you to look at the photographs 

accompanying this article while reading this 

description. The Arc is a short, 

floorstanding speaker. The drive units-a 

cone woofer, dome midrange and tweeter – 

are found on the top of the speaker. 

But instead of being parallel to the floor, the 

top is angled slightly towards the listener, so 

that the drive units are firing both upwards 

and outwards. On the rear of the speaker is 

a passive radiator, a electrically undriven 

drive unit that responds to changes in 

pressure inside the speaker cabinet (it is a 

variation of a ported loudspeaker).

This compact, floorstanding box is deceiving, in more ways than one. Its height is short for a floor-stander 

at only 680mm. Yet, with the grills on, the 

eye perceives the Arc as being a mere 

560mm high-the height of the veneer on the 

front panel. They are discrete in 

appearance, which makes them very 

room-friendly. 

You can't see them in the photographs, but 

the Arc's sit on little plastic feet – 

apparently the Shahinian philosophy 

doesn't agree with the use of spikes. I’ll have 

more to say about this, and the sonic effect, 

later. 

While the Arc has been manufactured for 

over ten years, the speaker recently 

underwent a redesign by Richard's son, 

Vasken Shahinian. The shape and 

configuration remained the same; the 

changes came in the midrange and treble 

drive units. 

Replacing the former cloth and plastic 

midrange and treble domes are two new 

designs manufactured in Germany from 

titanium, specifically to Shahinian's design. 

Familiarity breeds contempt 

I’ve been familiar with Shahinian speakers 

for several years, but I've never really 

warmed to them. When everything was 

perfect, they could sound magnificent. But 

often, particularly with rock music, they 

could take my ears off. 

Some Shahinian enthusiasts tried to 

convince me that the speakers were simply 

very accurate; just “telling it like it was”. 

Have you ever noticed how proponents of 

hi-fi products that could easily sound hard 

or harsh proclaimed its “accuracy”? And 

how, when the mark two version later came 

out which didn’t suffer from the 

over-the-top predilections of its 

predecessor, that suddenly that “accuracy” 

was no longer needed?

Anyway, I remained a Shahinian agnostic. 

New ears 

What got me interested in investigating further was an experience in the Auckland Shahinian dealer, 

Soundline Audio. I wandered into the store and, while Soundliner Chris Sinclair was busy with a customer, 

I went into the sound room. 

Now, after spending all day working at Soundline, Chris spent his nights as a recording engineer, recording 

and mixing that godawful modern rock music that I dislike. (Having passed another age milestone, I can 

now safely proclaim myself a boring old fart!) 

On the old Shahinians, I would have been driven out of the room (by the sound, not the music). With the 

new Arcs, I could listen. I was interested in hearing more. So began AudioVideo’s first Shahinian review. 

Shahinians present music in a different way to most conventional speakers. So much so that, if you've 

listened to most of your music through speakers, rather than live, they may initially sound wrong to you 

(“they’re different; therefore they're wrong”!) 

But listen again and you'll note some qualities to the Arc’s that are rare to find in speakers, no matter the 

price. 

There’s a sense of openness and space that is intoxicating, which makes other speakers sound closed in. 

The Arc's may not offer the pin-point imaging of many speakers, but their recreation of the space of an 

acoustic venue (or a studio- created space for that matter) is stunning. 

Associated with this is the almost unlimited sense of dynamics. Virtually all speakers compress dynamics. 

We may not always notice this – until it's taken away. The Arc’s, from the midrange up, enable the music to 

soar free, to ring out, without either squashing the sound or causing it to harden up. This is very rare to 

find in a loudspeaker. 

Looking at conventional hi-fi parameters, bass extension of the Arc’s in my room was very good. They went 

down to 40Hz in my room without any problems – excellent performance for a small speaker. The bass 

quality was also very good: articulate with good reproduction of the performers pace, rhythm and timing. 

John Paul brought around a CD by jazz/blues singer Joe Williams. He has a deep, rich voice – one that is 

easily compromised by under-controlled woofers and out-of-control speaker cabinets. On the Arc's his 

voice is deep and rich, but without the false boom and chestiness found in many other speakers. 

The upper midrange and treble is a little hot when the grilles are off. But the Arc’s look a little silly with the 

grilles off. With the grilles on, the openness and transient attack were still there, and in better proportion. 

What I find hardest to describe is the sense of “rightness” about the Arc’s. After a couple of hours with the 

Arc’s, it was easy to forget about hi-fi and just listen to, and enjoy, a wide range of music. 

There were areas that could be better – the Epos ES25 reviewed elsewhere in this issue, for example, 

sounded more transparent. But the Arc’s had a sense of rightness, a sense of whole, that made it easy to 

forget hi-fi and concentrate on the important things-the music. 

Spike it! 

I had my suspicions about the plastic feet on the bottom of the speakers. Like many others, I have found 

that most speakers benefit from being rigidly spiked into or on to the floor (depending on whether the floor

is wooden or concrete). That the Arc's wobbled around when sitting on my carpet bothered me. 

Suspicions aroused, I looked for a solution. To my rescue came Robert McAdam of Sound Creations, 

manufacturer of equipment racks and speaker stands. Robert loaned me one of his "sound plates", a thick 

metal plate, spiked in each corner, designed for floor-standing speakers. 

Placing the Arc’s on the sound plates improved the sound. The slight blurring of the bass and lower 

midrange when the music became complex, that I’d noticed earlier, had gone. The speaker sounded better, 

without losing any of its previous positive qualities. 

If you ask nicely, and give the secret handshake, Shahinian dealers will tell you about a stand manufactured 

by the New Zealand importer. The Arc sits within this ugly, lethal looking, brute of a stand. 

Using this stand – which I did not try – requires a modification to the Arc. First, grab hold of a hammer. 

Then – and I am not making this up – break off the Arc's plastic feet with blows from the hammer. This 

modification is not reversible. 

Driving home 

My time with the Arc’s was immensely enjoyable. Both music and TV/video sound – there's terrific sound 

on many TV programmes – came alive in my lounge. 

The question must be asked: are they worth $5300? For certain music lovers, the answer is yes. I can see 

many people buying a pair of Arcs, and then forgetting about hi-fi for the next ten years. 

Nobody looking for speakers in this price range should not buy any other speaker until they have listened 

long and hard to the Shahinian Arcs.

Dealer recommendations: CD players 



Despite the best efforts of AudioEnz 

reviewers, we simply cannot cover the 

breadth of products available to you, the 

buyer. So for this issue I polled twenty hi-fi 

dealers about which CD players they would 

recommend, and why. Six specialist dealers 

responded. 

Here are their choices: 

Audio Analogue Paganini 192/24 

$2995 

“All sweetness and light, the Audio 

Analogue is full of personality as befitting its 

Italian design and manufacture,” says John 

Ransley from Dunedin’s Totally Wired. 

“Sleek, with unique ergonomics, Paganini is 

built like a Ducati. It handles like a dream, 

taking on every twist and turn in a musical 

score, accelerating and stopping with 

complete control. The solid chassis, faced 

with lovingly machined aluminium, 

encloses a powerful and capable disc engine, 

feeding data into the highly specified 

192/24 upsampling DAC. The remote 

control is a beautifully tactile teardrop of 

alloy. Midrange quality and openness are 

defining characteristics of this player.” 

Audio Analogue Rossini $2499 

“We have been really impressed with CD 

player,” says Neil Young from Eastern Hi-Fi 

Newmarket. “In my opinion it outperforms 

its more expensive brother the Maestro, 

possibly due to its valve output stage. 

Audio Analog Rossini 

Cambridge Audio 840C

“Aesthetically, it is my favourite CD player, it is stripped back and minimal, although it retains full controls 

on the front. Well worth a listen.” 

AudioEnz Audio Analogue Rossini 

review 

Cambridge Audio 840C $2299 

The Cambridge 840 has a lot of fans. 

AudioEnz reviewer brent Burmester said of 

the 840 “every now and again, however, a 

component comes along that seems to have 

been made by people unaware of what 

might reasonably be expected of such a 

thing, so they happily exceed every 

reasonable expectation.” Romesh from 

Hamilton’s The Listening Post recommends 

the player highly, saying “the 840C is a 

giant killer. More open and detailed than 

any Cambridge before, it is a lively and 

engaging player.” 

AudioEnz Cambridge 840C review 

Exposure 3010s 

“Twin Burr-Brown 24-bit DAC's and large 

toroidal power transformer with separate 

windings for CD transport and audio stages 

make for some high-resolution listening,“ 

says Jay of Christchurch’s The Listening 

Post. “The 3010s seems most at home with 

strings and horns - jazz ensembles and 

string quartets have a very intimate 

presentation - inviting deep listening. Lots 

of character to vocals, and rich bass with a 

beautiful woody timbre you'd expect from 

some back-alley Jazz bar. 

McIntosh MCD201 

“The finest two-channel CD player for both 

CD and SACD playback on the market 

today,” declares Jay of Christchurch’s The 

Listening Post. Hand-made in Binghamton, 

New York the MCD201 delivers torrential 

levels of emotion from any well recorded 

CD. It's difficult to capture the beauty and 

purity of McIntosh - it's kind of like the 

Matrix - one can’t be told what it is, only shown it.” 

Naim CD5i 

Plinius CD-101 

Rega Apollo 

Rotel RCD1072 

Marantz CD5001 $599 

“This entry level single disc player strikes a good balance between detail retrieval and dynamics without

ecoming over grainy or bright sounding,” says Ricky Dasler of Nelson’s Living Sound. “There’s a lot of 

good musical attributes to be found in many budget CD players nowdays as the likes of Marantz push the 

envelope of silver disc replay quality further and further.” 

Marantz SA11s2 $5999 

“The new s2 retains the same qualities that made the original a star, but improves on the s1 in almost every 

respect,” says Romesh Anandaraja from Hamilton’s The Listening Post. “CD playback is fast, open, 

detailed, delicate. SACD adds another degree of sweetness, texture, and liquidity to the all ready excellent 

CD playback.” 

Meridian G08.2 $7999 

“A favourite of many dealers and AudioEnz writers, Meridian is the real deal with a heritage that goes back 

to the very first ‘audiophile’ CD player, the MCD,” says John Ransley from Dunedin’s Totally Wired. “The 

Meridian sound is as substantial and solid as their players. On this foundation, Meridian builds a detailed 

and expansive soundstage. We’d wager that Meridian is also the player of choice for the vast majority of 

serious record owning enthusiasts - everything that we value in analogue is there, and if we can’t have an 

album on vinyl, the Meridian will deliver what we want from CD.” 

NAD T535 $799 

“Soundstaging was transparent, structured and disciplined, with plenty of 'space' around instruments and 

voice alike,” says Jay of Christchurch’s The Listening Post. “Bass is taut and lively, which nicely 

complements the finesse and intimacy of the highs in recordings from the likes of Tracey Chapman or Nina 

Simone. I like this player for its emotive presentation and the breadth of imaging. For a sub-$1000 player, 

the T535 is the perfect entry level for people who care about music.” 

Naim CD5i $2700 

“The mark of a good hi-fi is the ability to “take you somewhere special” – music should thrill, relax and 

most importantly involve!” says John Vivian of Takapuna’s Shore Hi-Fi. “A no nonsense design, sleek, 

beautifully built and most of all very, very musical – that’s why I love the Naim CD5i!” Allan McFarlane 

from Wellington’s The Real Music Company agrees. “Detail, tonal accuracy, lively dynamics and rhythmic 

layers aplenty, this is a player that effortlessly brings any CD collection to life.” 

AudioEnz Naim CD5i review 

Naim CD5X $4900 

“A real heavyweight contender bringing concentrated doses of rhythm, pace and dynamics along with fine 

detail retrieval and composure,” says Ricky Dasler of Nelson’s Living Sound. “This player is more a scaled 

down version of the reference series Naim CDX2, than a hot rodded Naim CD5i. Even more of the magic 

can be had when the Naim FlatCap 2X ($1800.00) is added to power the analogue stage within the 

5X,while the players power supply handles the digital stages.” The CD5X is also a pick of Allan McFarlane 

from Wellington’s The Real Music Company, who describes “an organic musicality and spatiality being 

delivered” via this player. 

Naim CDX2 $9250 

“This is a very, very capable player” says Allan McFarlane from Wellington’s The Real Music. “CDs are 

revealed with an almost brutal reality that can make some lesser recordings sound just that. Musicality is 

however revealed at a much higher level. Control of phrasing, effortless decoding of the most complex 

material you place in it, and an at times miraculous accuracy of timing that is both hauntingly slow and 

controlled, and punchy and exuberant as required.”

Naim CD555/Naim CD555PSU $47000.00 

Ricky Dasler of Nelson’s Living Sound puts his money where his mouth is. “Having lived with this 

statement player for over a year now in my home system, it has never failed to impress with its ability to 

convey emotion into the listening experience via the silver disc. Not an easy task for digital playback.” 

“It has everything that is fabulous about high-end audio: oodles of detail, huge dynamic swings (both micro 

and macro), rhythmic drive, agility, subtleness and slam when called for, inky black backgrounds and the 

ability to remain unflustered no matter how busy the music gets.” 

“The benchmark in CD reproduction,” says Allan McFarlane from Wellington’s The Real Music. Coupled 

with appropriate equipment the CD555 allows the spine tingling and tear inducing performances trapped 

on CDs that lesser systems are unable to extract at these extraordinary levels. In a nutshell the CD555 

draws you into the music. Detail is in proportion to fidelity leaving easy focus on individual lines as well as 

musical totality. Bliss.” 

Perreaux's Compact two-box Silouette CD player 

“I haven't seen many two-box players on the market in recent days, so the SXCD player immediately stood 

out as being quite unique,” says Jay of Christchurch’s The Listening Post. “ High-hats and cymbals are 

beautifully textured and paced, bass well balanced and snappy. I like this player for its vivid and persuasive 

imaging. Plus it's unique design sets it apart from all the other 'stuff' out there.” 

Plinius CD101 $5610 

“Plinius were reluctant entrants into the CD player game,” says Romesh Anandaraja from Hamilton’s The 

Listening Post. ”It’s a terrific machine with excellent dynamics, plenty of detail, and a great sense of 

rhythm. All in all real music maker. In typical Plinius style the design is simple yet intelligent, and the 

results are world class.” Three AudioEnz writers also loved the sound of the CD-101, if less taken with the 

ergonomics. 

AudioEnz Plinius CD-101 review 

Quad CDP2 $2100 

“Very few players can do what the Quad CDP2 does,” says John Ransley from Dunedin’s Totally Wired. 

“The Quad CDP2 essentially doubles as a digital preamp with a quality full range volume and digital inputs, 

so you can feed other sources in (think Wadia’s new iTransport, MySky or any DVD player) and make the 

most of the Quads 24 bit, 192kHz upsampling DAC. All this would be irrelevant if the Quad CDP2 didn’t 

cut it soundwise. It’s rich, solid and completely listenable, and a very easy choice.” 

Rega Apollo $1650 

Allan McFarlane from Wellington’s The Real Music Company applauds “the level of musicality the Apollo 

can bring to your collection. Information is apparent in abundance but it is always knitted together in a 

highly involving manner.” The Apollo is also a favourite down south. “Our pick under the two grand price 

point,” says Ricky Dasler of Nelson’s Living Sound. “Basic and honest with it’s approach to the music 

combined with good detail retrieval and pace. Surprising smoothness for a player at this price point.” 

AudioEnz Rega Apollo review 

Rotel RCD 06 $999 

“Value for money supremos, Rotel haven’t let the grass grow under their feet while other companies such 

as Cambridge Audio jostle for position,” says John Ransley from Dunedin’s Totally Wired. “The RCD06 

builds on previous worthy models, adding considerable sparkle and life. It’s light in its feet, and adept at 

unravelling recordings that lower cost machines muffle. If it gives away a little in terms of depth, it more 

than makes up for it with enthusiasm and sheer likeability.” The Rotel is also a favourite of Ricky Dasler of

Nelson’s Living Sound. “Strong rhythmic drive and swagger makes this a favourite with our rock and jazz 

listeners,” he says. 

Rotel RCD1072 $1499 

“A great all round player,” says Neil Young from Eastern Hi-Fi Newmarket. “Just a well thought out and 

implemented piece of gear, that succeeds in delivering the goods.” 

AudioEnz Rotel RCD1072 review 

Sugden CD21SE $4299 

Sitting in the middle of the Sugden range, the CD21E is “so musical and understated,” says Neil Young 

from Eastern Hi-Fi Newmarket. “All the feedback from customers on this CD player is excellent. In fact it is 

so good a lowlife took it upon themselves to liberate one from us!” 

Triode Corp TRVCD4SE-$2999 

“A very popular CD player at the moment,” says Neil Young from Eastern Hi-Fi Newmarket. The CD player 

comes from Japan and includes a tube (6DJ8/6922) output stage. “So musical and revealing at this price,” 

says Neil that it’s “hard to recommend much else at this level.” 

Wadia 581se $16399 

“You haven’t heard what the CD format is capable of until you’ve heard it through a Wadia!” proclaims 

Romesh Anandaraja from Hamilton’s The Listening Post. Wadia’s entry level offering “makes most 

manufacturers reference offerings sound ordinary by comparison. The authority, texture, presence, and 

sheer musicality of this machine make it supremely enjoyable.”

The Vinyl Anachronist: The Golden 

Age 

By Marc Phillips 


Well, it's that time again… time to re-tip the 

Koetsu. The first two times I had to send my 

Rosewood Standard in, it was due to my 

own negligence/clumsiness. The first time 

occurred after I had transported my who 

analog rig over a friend's house to 

demonstrate how his '80s linear-tracking 

Mitusbishi direct-drive turntable was not 

the ultimate in turntable design. When I 

brought everything back home, I noticed 

that the cantilever of the Koetsu was pushed 

to the side. Foolishly and hopefully, I 

pushed it back straight. It promptly fell 

right off. 

The second time, I had just purchased a 

sealed version of a 180 gram audiophile 

pressing of The Clash's Sandinista. I had 

just finished side one, and was in the act of 

flipping it over when the LP suddenly 

slipped out of my hand and slid horizontally 

toward my tonearm. In a split second, my 

SME V was bouncing all over the platter of 

my Michell Orbe and the Koetsu finally 

came to rest on the wrong side of the 

spindle. I crossed my fingers and hoped that 

the cantilever wasn't bent again. It wasn't. It 

was completely gone. As a result, I've never 

finished the last five sides of that LP. The 

memories of that day are still too 

emotionally crippling. 

This time, I ruined the stylus the 

Koetsu Rosewood

old-fashioned way. I played a bunch of records with it. While those first two styli only spent a year on this 

wonderful planet of our before meeting 

their untimely demise, the third one lasted 

well over four years, and probably had 

about 5000 hours on it. I've heard stories 

about how Koetsu styli last a relatively long 

time, and there are rumors flying around of 

some old Reds that managed to play records 

for 10,000 hours before needing a 

replacement. But in the Phillips' household, 

folks, the magic number seems to be 5000. 

The last time I needed a re-tip, I told myself 

that I needed to buy an inexpensive yet 

competent back-up cartridge in the 

US$300-400 range. First of all, it can take a 

month or two to get your new cartridge back 

from Japan after the re-tipping process. 

Dynavector's new 17D3 

Amazingly enough, Koetsu doesn't even “re-tip” your cartridge. They replace the whole cartridge flat out to 

expedite the process, which I find absolutely amazing. I noticed this the last time, when that recalcitrant 

Clash LP put a small ding in the side of my Rosewood. When I got it back after re-tipping, the ding was 

gone! Wow, I thought… they even fixed that, so I won't have to be reminded of my accident every time I cue 

a record. I was then told about the replacement policy by a dealer friend of mine. 

Second, the first two times I re-tipped my Koetsu, it cost US$880. While that may be relatively reasonable 

in the world of premium handmade cartridges, you can still buy an excellent cartridge for that amount of 

money. Which is what I did. 

The golden cartridge 

Fortunately, I was able to get my hands on the latest version of Dynavector's venerable Karat pickup, the 

golden-bodied 17D3. Known for its exceptionally short cantilever and neutral presentation, this 

low-output MC is different from past versions through a reworking of the front yoke. According to the 

Dynavector literature, this seemingly minor modification resulted in such a large improvement to the 

sound that this Japanese decided to change the model designation. 

At US$900 (NZ$995), the 17D3 doesn't quite fit my “budget-priced” criteria. But it does cost roughly the 

same amount as the Koetsu re-tip. And to tell you the truth, the performance of the 17D3 is so strong for 

the money, that I can happily alternative its use with that of the Koetsu, causing even more years to pass 

between costly re-tips. 

No, I'm not saying that the 17D3 is as good as my Koetsu. In fact, the overall presentation between the two 

cartridges is different enough to make immediate comparisons difficult, and ultimately irrelevant. The 

Koetsu, of course is romantic and warm, with a highly seductive presentation that is downright addictive. 

As a lifelong Koetsu man, I've been unable to find any cartridge that can make me stop loving this 

cartridge, except for maybe another Koetsu. (I am toying with the idea of upgrading my Rosewood with a 

Koetsu Sky Blue Urushi, the first model from the Sugano family to feature all-silver wiring.) 

The 17D3 is, however, accurate. It also measures that way as well, something that's rare in the analog 

world. The Karat designs have always sported almost perfectly flat frequency responses over the years. I've

always railed against the idea of measured “accuracy” in audio, especially when it comes to analog (hence 

my love for all things Koetsu). But the Dynavector makes a very convincing argument for itself by having 

very few sonic shortcomings. It may sound thin and cool compared to the Rosewood, but that's due to the 

lack of euphonic colorings that are often found in wooden-bodied cartridges. (Or coral-bodied, or 

jade-bodied, or bloodstone-bodied…) 

Home sweet home 

For now, the 17D3 has become a welcome addition to my reference system while my Koetsu travels halfway 

around the world. I've even used the 17D3 to review other turntables, such as the Thorens TD-160 HD 

(which you can find in the latest issue of TONEAudio). Once the Rosewood comes back (or has been 

mysteriously replaced with a Sky Blue Urushi), I'm thinking about placing the 17D3 on a Rega P3-24. For 

years, I've been saying that the Dynavector 10X5 (NZ$499) is the perfect cartridge for the P3. I think the 

17D3 might be the perfect cartridge for that super-duper P3-24 I described here in AudioEnz a few 

months ago. 

Again, US$900 isn't chicken feed, but I can't think of another cartridge I'd rather own for less than a grand, 

just like I can't think of another cartridge I'd rather own for less than US$500 than that Zu Audio DL-103 I 

talked about in my last column. 

It's a great time for great cartridges. The Dynavector 17D3 is indeed one of the greats. 

Marc Phillips has been writing about hi-fi and music under the Vinyl Anachronist banner 

since 1998. His earlier columns can be found on the Perfect Sound Forever website. You can 

discuss vinyl with Marc at Vinylanach@aol.com

August music reviews 

Eric Bibb: An Evening with Eric Bibb 

MC Records 

If you don’t yet know Eric Bibb then I wonder where you have been for 

the last decade. He is simplest the warmest most accessible modern 

exponent of original blues. What we have here is a beautifully captured 

night at the Sydney Basement nightclub that is intimate and varied. 

The night flows from the sensitive Needed Time through the familiar 

Lonesome Valley to the foot tapping Don’t Ever Let Your Spirit Down. 

He is never far from his gospel roots and with music like this in my 

childhood I wonder if I would still be at the Mt. Roskill Chapel, but 

then again, they did preach an awful lot, which is not a feeling that you 

get with Eric Bibb. Even when he gets stuck into the politicians in Got 

to Do Better you get the impression that he is speaking for us all, not at us. He does keep things light 

however. Who else could make a delightful song simply out of the process of breaking in a Panama Hat, 

which on a deeper level is about patience and appreciating his lover who cannot be with him. 

One is left with the impression of having spent the evening with a modest, insightful and thoroughly nice 

guy. It is like making a new friend. Go introduce yourself. John Groom 

Crooked Still: Still Crooked 

Signature/Ode 

Labelled as dark-folk and alternative bluegrass, this is the third album 

from the Boston string band who offer atmospheric traditional songs 

with a masterfully muted dynamism. Lyrics about being lonesome or 

betrayed, about graveyard revenge or a lover lost through drowning, 

are intoned with an elegant earnestness that spirits their themes out of 

the American traditional country landscape into a contemporary 

context; what our forebears learned about “wading deep waters” can 

still clearly teach us a lesson or two. 

And the platform for the message is a wonderfully woven combination 

of precision-picked banjo and soulful fiddle, accented with baritone ukulele and tenor guitar and given 

robust breadth by the double bass and cello. This is music that evades the ‘parent’ genre inclination 

towards the prim and maudlin. The tones are wry, elusive and whimsical – and really quite irresistible. 

Paul Green

Toumani Diabate: The Mande Variations 

World Circuit Records 

Getting used to world music is not always a matter love at first hearing. 

I must admit that when I first heard Toumani playing with his mate Ali 

on their early recordings the word that came to mind was “relentless” 

though this did soften with further exposure to “nice dinner music”. 

Then a music loving and very green member of the family bought us a 

copy of the duos In the heart of the moon. This was more like it. Still 

not a demanding and fulfilling hi-fi experience, but the recording has 

often provided a background listen that is a delightful mixture of 

relaxation and fun. 

The Mande Variations however is a different kettle of fish. It is a solo 

recital from Toumani without accompaniment or overdubs. The recording is sparklingly clear and present 

and the music vibrant varied and up lifting. He plays the Kora, a kind of African harp. If the word harp for 

you means lightweight distant and classical, then forget it. These are powerful improvised pieces and what 

we would call jazz. The instrument is closer to the western harp known as the double strung harp, which 

while technically difficult gives a full satisfying sound that is tonally rich. I am learning to play the double 

strung harp at present and this recording leaves me overwhelmed, delighted and inspired. I think it is the 

beginning of a new love affair. John Groom 

Elemeno P: Elemeno P 

Universal Music NZ 

Although it has an eponymous title, this is actually the third studio 

release from Auckland’s (North Shore) favourite cheeky 

pop/punk/rock exponents, Elemeno P. 

Always one of my favourite live acts, I’m pleased to report that the 

album goes a long way to capturing the energy and ‘joie de vivre’ that is 

associated with their gigs. Any of you who managed to catch them over 

the summer will have heard a number of the tracks on the album as 

they were showcased in those gigs. 

There is a bit more light and shade on this album compared with their 

first couple of releases – signs of a more grown up and confident band? 

The catchy first single Baby Come On will be familiar to all (especially now it’s been featured in Telecom’s 

YouTube style TV advert). Other stand outs are the slower paced Anna Don’t Let Go (about the concerns 

and uncertainty of being a teenager); the shout along gypsy like jig that is Louder Louder (sure to get the 

crowd going mad at future gigs) and album opener Beverley Laurel. 

The album closes with the down beat Some Things which seems to be about the end to a relationship and is 

a fitting close to a well executed, mature, and honest piece of local art. 

Nice work! Douglas Lang 

John Hiatt: Same Old Man 

New West

John Hiatt is an immensely gifted songwriter. His recording career, 

which spans well over thirty years, has been patchy at best, with 1987’s 

Bring The Family probably his best known and strongest work to date. 

His acoustic album from 2000 Crossing Muddy Waters is also worth 

checking out. Interestingly enough it revisits some of the same themes 

as Family… 

Same Old Man marks his debut for New West Records and they seem 

to have let him make this one on his own terms. It’s self-produced 

without the label interference that has dogged his record output up to now… sounds like a good idea in 

principle, huh? Unfortunately it doesn’t work and if it’s not short on interesting material, Same Old Man 

really suffers from a chronic lack of production values. The vocal sound in particular is grating over the 

length of the CD and makes it hard to appreciate the at times hilarious lyrics and delightful melodic twists 

inside. The playing is rough and ready, and not in that good way that made Bring The Family come to life. 

To my ears these recordings are really good demos for an album… it’s not a good record but hey, anyone 

who can write lines like “they were smoking something in the audience that night smelled exactly like cat 

pee”, can’t be all bad? I think this guy is aching for the Rick Rubin treatment. Darren Watson 

James Hunter: The Hard Way 

Hear Music/Universal 

Deep soul singer and guitarist James Hunter is back with his first 

album since his 2006 breakthrough People Gonna Talk. In his 

previous album, Hunter sounded like he had teleported straight from 

the 1960s – the title track could have been a lost Sam Cooke classic. 

With The Hard Way Hunter continues the theme with a few updates. 

Recorded in analog – very rare these days – at the delightfully named 

Toe Rag Studios in London, The Hard Way builds on the success of his 

earlier album. Showcased is Hunter’s amazing soul voice, with a little 

bit of Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson, but still unambiguously his own 

voice. 

The arrangements are with Hunter’s basic band – tenor and baritone sax, double bass, organ, drums and 

Hunter’s own guitar – with some additions from Allen Toussaint’s piano, a vibraphone and small string 

section. 

The results are extraordinary. Every single person who I’ve played this and Hunter’s previous album to has 

wanted to buy a copy. You will too, just as soon as you hear it. Michael Jones 

Cyndi Lauper: Bring Ya to The Brink 

Epic/Sony BMG 

Cyndi does a Madonna/Britney - only better! 

Bring Ya to The Brink is Lauper’s first collection of original material 

for a while, and it’s a gem. Very much dance- based it brings together 

Lauper’s production talents with those of a number of the current top 

dance producers (including the likes of Basement Jaxx and Scumfrog).

There is a real mix of dance styles on show here from the opening High and Mighty which melts into the 

hook-laden Into the Nightlife – both of which sound very ‘now’. 

As a contrast, there is a bit of a Lisa Stansfield feel to the vocals on 

tracks like Lyfe and Raging Storm. Echo begins with some industrial 

sounding synth before it breaks into a gorgeous chorus. Same Ol’ Story is a personal favourite courtesy of 

the 70s sounding production (very Donna Summer/Georgio Moroder) and the hook. The album closes with 

the slightly slower paced Rain on Me, which is beautifully sung and a great end to the album. 

There’s not a bad track on the album, which is consistently strong throughout. It’s also varied enough to 

suggest that it’ll stand up over a period of time too. The album is mixed in a way that tracks tend to run into 

each other – perfect to keep the punters on the house party dance floor. Expect to hear a lot more of Cyndi 

once the weather heats up. A summer special! Douglas Lang 

James McMurtry: Just Us Kids 

Lightning Rod Records 

It seems to fashionable to complain about the political content of this 

new James McMurtry offering. I don’t quite get why as I can honestly 

say I hardly noticed and secondly as a songwiter he has never been 

afraid of telling it as he sees it. As one commentator said “how many 

right-wing singer songwriters do you know?” 

Just us Kids is a collection of well-crafted songs, self-produced by 

McMurty. You are left in no doubt that here you have a man at the 

peak of his considerable skills overseeing his finest release since the 

landmark Too Long in the Wasteland. 

Fire Line Road and Ruby and Carlos are two stand out tracks. One takes on a tale of child abuse while the 

other touches on the aging of us all and the journey we are on. McMurtry also doesn’t miss an opportunity 

to rock with tracks like Bayou Tortous making a punchy impact. Americana fans should investigate with 

haste. Allan McFarlane 

Madonna: Hard Candy 

Warner Bros 

That Madonna and her promotional strategists still regard the persona 

of Queen Paramour as the prime route to sustaining fortune and fame 

is made explicitly clear with the axis of crotch, cleavage and salacious 

mouth which accosts the viewer of this cd cover. 

And a loose listen to the lyrics confirms that trumpeting the strumpet 

within is what it’s largely all about. The opening song gets no further 

than the crude metaphor of “my sugar is raw/I got candy galore/you’ll 

be begging for more” – adorned with a repeated gushing promise that 

she is “sticky and sweet”, in case you hadn’t caught her suggestive drift. 

Elsewhere on the album, it’s a similar unsubtle signal: “Give it to me – 

yeah/I can go on and on and on”, or (insincerely asserted) “Sex with you is – Incredible”. It all comes with 

the accompaniment of grizzling sleazy synthesizer jingles plus automated orgasmic utterances, and it’s 

generally bereft of further meaning.

Only in Miles Away, a sombre reflection on a love that works when it’s long-distance rather than 

face-to-face, does Madonna sound emotional and elegant and like she’s got something to say. 

Pre-eminently, a vain duty production. Paul Green 

Donna Summer: Crayons 

Burgundy 

Fifty-nine year old disco diva makes accomplished compulsive 

come-back album – an absolute ace-up-the-sleeve for party-host djs 

with its driving dance rhythms, textural richness and, soaring and 

sweeping through it all, Donna’s regal soulful voice. Engineered to fizz 

with impact and purpose (open yourself up and move – now!), these 

songs have a delicious immediacy and verve, and a promise that they 

can hold you indefinitely in their mesmerising grasp. 

This is mostly disco power music: lithe and taut instrumentation, 

anthemic swell, expansive hesitations before a chorus chant floods 

back through, sassy, irresistible. Yet it’s not all relentless step-up 

action, with the lady delivering sincerely alongside an acoustic guitar in Sand On My Feet, mixing it with 

country blues mouth harp in Slide Over Backwards, and handling the slow and stagy introspection of Be 

Myself Again with a mercifully minimal quotient of cheesy grandiosity. Just about everywhere you go here, 

La Donna is a marvel – determined, vital and reaching deep. Joyous. Paul Green 

Otis Taylor: Recapturing the Banjo 

Telarc Blues 

Now here’s something as compelling as it is different. Otis Tayor is 

joined by some banjo plucking /guitar strumming mates – look at this 

line up carefully before you diss anything with the word banjo in the 

title – Guy Davis, Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Keb’ Mo’, Otis 

Taylor and Don Yappie. Whoa. 

What has captivated me about this release is that while the prominence 

of the banjo is obvious the different settings and arrangements these 

guys find to showcase their artistry is surprisingly diverse. Electric 

guitar solos over-laden with blues harmonica and the ever present 

pluck of a banjo. Certainly the blues is all prevailing, a hint of bluegrass 

is totally unavoidable but the presence of a cornet and traditional French tunes comes as a delightful 

surprise. And that’s the word really, this is delightful surprise, truly unexpectedly successful. Well worth 

tracking down. Allan McFarlane 

The Ting Tings: We Started Nothing 

Sony BMG 

A two piece from Salford (male drummer; female singer) in the UK – 

I’m confident that, even if you don’t think you have, that you will have 

heard the Ting Tings already. Their single That’s Not My Name has 

been getting a lot of airplay on mainstream as well as the more 

alternative stations. If you’ve not heard this then you will definitely

have heard Shut Up and Let Me Go which Apple have been using for 

the latest iPod TV ad. 

So the sound is stripped back electronica/pop/new wave with a big of a 

dance feel to it. Much of the album reminds you of something else that 

you can’t quite pin down. It’s pretty inoffensive and instant. However, like bubblegum I have a feeling the 

taste will wear a little thin over time, but for the time-being it’s still fruity and fresh. 

The previously mentioned ShutUp and Let Me Go is funky and fresh and will get you dancing round your 

living room. At times I was reminded of Blondie (Be the One) and of The Photos (Keep Your Head) - a 

much underrated band from Birmingham from the 80s. 

The other bands currently playing in a similar sand pit are CSS and The New Young Pony Club – dance 

based electronica and female vocals, so if you like either of these bands you may well like the Ting Tings. 

In summary, likeable and inoffensive, but may start to annoy after a while! Douglas Lang 

Various: Verve Remixed 4 

Verve 

Remixed, rearranged, reprogrammed, re-engineered, reproduced – ad 

infinitum from the inexhaustible Verve back catalogue. Some work: a 

swinging Nina Simone Gimme Some; the Cinematic Orchestra take on 

Ella singing I Get A Kick Out Of You. Some struggle: the laboured 

James Brown There Was A Time; a directionless and bland Bim Bom 

which is unlikely to enhance Astrud Gilberto’s credibility on the 

electro-dance circuit. By and large, it’s hard to escape the sense of 

gratuitous software indulgence in the bowels of Verve HQ – execs and 

engineers locked in re-cycle mode, hunting the ultimate ‘cool’ 

re-capture (and big buck back-pat). No problem with this if you feel that those steering the re-construction 

have invested heart and heat in the task, but too many of these erstwhile gems are bogged down in churn- 

’em-out soullessness, and idling cold rather than inspiring cool. Paul Green 

Mozart: Requiem 

LSO Live 

Marie Arnet (soprano); Anna Stéphany (mezzo soprano); Andrew 

Kennedy (tenor); Darren Jeffery (bass); London Symphony Chorus; 

London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis. 

This is a classic example of issues that should not see the light of day. 

Just because the LSO has its own label and clearly the live 

performances to record doesn’t mean that a permanent record is 

always justified. Here we have a chorus with some quirky mannerisms, 

details of intonation and ensemble that would not have passed go in a 

studio setting and soloists that at best could be described as adequate. 

If you must have “big band” Mozart look elsewhere. Allan 

McFarlane

August 2008 - AudioEnz

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